Pop Culture Mondays
Post Super Bowl edition
by Brooke Hammerling on Monday, February 3, 2020
Happy Monday you Pop Culture junkies! In case you didn’t know, last night was the Super Bowl and while I only realized the other day that the game was not being rebranded LIV (guys, it takes me a minute sometimes) and that instead, its the Roman numerals for 54, I was excited for the halftime show because….well, obviously we will get to that. Whether you are a delighted Kansas City fan (that’s Missouri for those who don’t know), or a heartbroken 49ers fan, or a delighted gambler, or a “selling all your Google stock to cover your losses” gambler, you have found your way to PCM and I am proud of you. Welcome to all the new subscribers (thanks Kara Swisher, Scott Galloway and Erica Anderson for having me on Pivot!) and a reminder that this is a quick escape from the madness of the world. We aren’t talking Trump or Brexit or Iowa, or the impending doom of democracy…just good, clean-ish, fun. Like a bag of Haribo Gummi Bears.
LADY SUPER BOWL:
Congrats to Kansas City and the adorable and youngest Quarterback to win a SB, Patrick Mahomes. But let’s be clear…the halftime show was why many of us were tuned in (well, and the ads). While JLo and Shakira sang and danced, the thing that stood out to basically everyone was how incredible they looked. Shakira is 43 and JLo is 50…CAN YOU EVEN?? And I am not sure who needs to hear this — all you ageists out there perhaps, or us ladies in this age group looking for inspiration — but here you go. HOWEVER, while we know they work their asses off to look like that, I cannot tell you how many people I know who all said “I WANT THAT DOCTOR.” And not the plastic surgeon or dermatologist kind, but the doctor that administers the HGH/Stem Cell therapy widely believed to be part of why many famous people are getting younger looking these days. I am looking at YOU, BEEFCAKE BEZOS! Anyway, kids… do NOT try HGH obviously.
But it wasn’t just how incredible they looked and how great their performance was (though some felt it may have been a tad too risqué for the family friendly game as there was a lot of crotch shots, a lot of butt shots and some meme-able tongue shots), the one who STOLE the show was JLo’s (and Marc Anthony’s) daughter, Emme.
Putting the fact it was a clear political statement aside — children in cages and then JLo comes out calling out to Latinas and breaking into BORN IN THE USA — Emme is a star. That girl can sing and was fearless and had stage presence and just seemed SO happy to be there and be with her mom who was so happy to be there with her and it brought a level of warmth to the whole experience. BASICALLY, the only thing better would have been if Blue Ivy and Bey had joined them. A girl can dream.
For the full Half Time Show:
For more on Emme, check out:
#GIRLDAD:
It has been a WEEK. Only a week ago we were all trying to wrap our heads around the helicopter crash that took many young lives including those of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna aka Gigi. A lot has happened since then, from Shaq and 50 Cent saying the accident has inspired them to make changes in their own lives to a Washington Post reporter being suspended and then reinstated. But the most heartwarming one is #GIRLDAD. It started with an incredible monologue by ESPN reporter Elle Duncan. She relayed the story of her experience of her one-time meeting Kobe. I have to say I was captivated by her storytelling — she transported us all to that moment and their conversation as if we had all been there and felt it in real time. She explains that she was very pregnant at the time and told Kobe she was having a girl and he was so excited about it and told her how much he loved having daughters and he would have 5 more and proudly exclaimed, “I’m a girl dad.” And with that, a movement was born. It’s a beautiful story and told by an emotional but vibrant person who made her experience feel like our own.
Watch here, but have tissues and prepare for yourself to ugly cry:
TAY TAY MADE A MOVIE (AND IT’S REALLY GOOD):
I admit, I have complicated feelings about Taylor Swift. I really didn’t think I would want to watch a documentary about her and what I assumed was her success story. I also thought I knew everything I needed to know as I obviously read the Daily Mail (BTW this is SARCASM.)
But on the urging of friends (shout out to the birthday girl Ingrid Nilsen and to Erica Anderson) I gave it a whirl. And I was blown away. This is a young woman who has grown up on the stage and under the spotlight and this documentary is not like the other docs on pop stars you may have seen, as it really shines a light on a totally different side of things. There is darkness for sure, sadness, but also triumph and intelligence that I was so surprised to find in 90 minutes. It tackles a lot. The cost of fame and her growth throughout it. Her eating/self image issues and how that scrutiny can affect you. The Kanye issue — because he preyed on her no question so there is a predator/victim element and how she dealt with her feelings around that. Her work ethic and her talent as a songwriter. Her loneliness. And finally her realization she could no longer be silent around politics, no matter the consequences. She had taken a stance for some time that she was just there to play music, not weigh in on political matters. But she changed her mind and despite advisors — including her own dad — urging her not to, she stood up and spoke. And rallied a HUGE amount of new voters with over 65,000 new sign ups in Tennessee in less than 24 hours.
ALSO, Taylor opts to drink white wine with ice vs red wine because red wine feels too adult and I am here for this.
Go watch it immediately on Netflix:
REVLON ONE-STEP RENAISSANCE:
This is a very girl-themed PCM (though truthfully ANYONE with long locks should be using this product.) OK let’s start with how did we get here, here being a post about a hair tool!
So, let me start by saying this has been going on for some time on Twitter. I first saw it on the Twitter with a now famous tweet by author, Caroline Moss, who I will say from all her pics has SPECTACULAR HAIR. She was raving about this inexpensive product that apparently makes your hair look amazing. But then I saw this whole conversation erupt from it with people showing their before and after pics using the Revlon One. THEN I saw people talking about the new Dyson hairdryer thingy that apparently promises very similar things but is also costs the same as several mortgage payments or half a year college tuition. IT IS SO EXPENSIVE. I thought, wow so Revlon has this brand new hair device out to compete with super crazy expensive Dyson hair device.
BUT THEN…THEN I learn that this hair tool from REVLON, has been around since the ‘70s! THE 1970s! It is AS OLD AS ME! Anyway, I bought it. Because A. Obviously and B. it is under $40. I have not used it yet because Amazon has not delivered it yet, but I cannot wait. Because my hair is all sorts of drama.
More on this BREAKING NEWS STORY:
#HAMILFILM:
A part of why this issue of PCM is late is because I am just gathering myself from the news that broke today via Lin-Manuel Miranda, aka the only person I LEGITIMATELY lost my otherwise normally cool demeanor with in such an embarrassing way that when we met I said, “Hi I am @ Brooke.” Full stop. I lost the ability to think or speak clearly, and I gave him my Twitter handle…but I digress.
I also have successfully pulled off being someone’s plus one to Hamilton more times than I can admit and I went to Puerto Rico to see it and I laughed and cried and sang and the point is I KNOW EVERY WORD TO EVERY SONG and Hamilton is LIFE. But not everyone got to see the OG cast, so thanks to DISNEY, on October 21, 2021 (a day I will call MY CHRISTMAS), Hamilton, the movie will be released.
WITH THE ORIGINAL: CAST
FILMED ON STAGE AT THE ORIGINAL THEATRE.
Thank you.
For more on the movie:
THIS IS ACTUALLY WHY I AM LATE TODAY:
Because this is my newsletter, it is a self-imposed deadline. Which I totally blew today. Yes because of Hamilton, and also my job — real work I do for a living, but it would be UNFAIR for me to not mention this little number.
Why am I calling out the fact I was up last night late with friends drinking this delicious tequila that is infused with cucumber and jalapeño and pretending otherwise? BECAUSE this is not only an incredible tequila, but it is a brand that is founded BY WOMEN and made BY WOMEN. My friends are behind it (um this is my newsletter so HELL YEAH I AM PROMOTING MY FRIENDS) but it is also fast becoming a massive brand and all I can say is I hope my friends end up like Clooney and Rande Gerber because all I have ever wanted in life was access to a private plane so my dog Potato and I can be FREE. LET’S GO HANTAS SISTERS.
But truly, I am so incredibly proud of these women and the world is tuning in as they just had a massive segment on the TODAY SHOW. SO go and get some stat (unless you’re under 21 then DO NOT DRINK THIS, and drinking is bad and do NOT steal from your parents stash as you will regret that a lot and get grounded….)
TODAY SHOW OMG:
For more on the brand:
Until next week Pop Culture Junkies….
PS: A lot was on the cutting room floor today. For some of the stories I was into but didn’t cover check them out here:
Brad Pitt:
Knewz Debacle:
American Dirt:
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