Pop Culture Mondays/9.21.20
The “FUCK FUCK FUCK” Edition
FUCK FUCK FUCK. I MEAN FOR FUCK’S SAKE. REALLY. And TRULY. OK, so I mean Happy Monday my pop culture junkies and while I am having a little meltdown do NOT let that get you down as we have SO much to fight for and be happy for and be grateful to RBG and many others for. But last week was one of those weeks where it felt like the sky was falling and the earth was shaking (ACTUALLY quite literally in LA as we had a 4.6 earthquake the night RBG died at 11:36PM for which I had already had one too many martinis and margaritas → a VERY bad idea it turns out — and I didn’t even notice it as I was dancing with my friends the Ians to fight the heartache and pain and I just thought the room was spinning BUT I digress) and now I am going to try to unpack it and find some of the other things that didn’t make it all terrible. THOUGH I will say I am sure I am NOT alone in my Google searches for different countries I can move to with easy visa issues that also don’t repress women and people of color but that’s for another day.
I will also admit to you that I did NOT in fact watch the Emmys live. I just did NOT have the spirit or the interest though I will say I am so freaking glad “Schitt’s Creek” and “Succession” won big as I have spent a lot of my time with these 2 families. I mean it goes WELL beyond the shows…I have listened to podcasts about the making of the shows, podcasts of the stories behind the shows and podcasts about podcasts of the shows. So all that time and energy feels worth it now.
So buckle up kids and welcome to all of my new, amazing subscribers and thank you for being here. A little PSA for those who might have forgotten or those who never have known while we may be TRUMP-ADJACENT at times and like Voldemort and Beetlejuice, we really try not to say his name…we really are Trump-free for the most part. Because we need a break GOD DAMMIT.
And to enter into this week’s PCM I want to kick it off with this video that SHOOK me to my core when it popped up on TikTok. Not only is ItsMeTinx like my fave TikTokker (yes I am 46 but I cannot help it I love TikTok so much) she is also just different from all the others. No dancing, just vlogging and having amazing commentary. Now if you do not know by now that I live in West Hollywood, have a french bulldog with TWICE as many followers than me who’s name is Potato and I am POWER GAY-ADJACENT, then let me tell you that is what defines me. I did not know Tinx (nor did she have any idea about me OR Potato) when this video popped up (I obviously stalked her and made her have coffee with me this weekend but I digress again). I nearly fainted. I love her so much. Thank you Tinx…
PLEASE PLEASE VOTE EVEN IF YOU THINK IT WON’T COUNT AND IF YOU’RE 20 AND THINK IT DOESN’T MATTER AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE A MILLION THINGS TO DO PLEASE VOTE PLEASE VOTE:
Joan Ruth Bader “Kiki” Ginsburg. I mean her name tells you how complex a woman she was. She went by KIKI when she was growing up and I love her even more. And she became one of the most important people in US history. Her loss is insurmountable. I think so many of us not only looked up to her but identified with her in some way, no matter how silly it was (it was her work outs for me, it was her adding her own fashion to her drab robes for me, it was her losing her mom young to a long cancer battle for me…) We have been holding our breath she would survive this presidency but alas, she fought so hard for all of us that it was her time where she was apparently surrounded by her family and her beloved opera and she was just a freaking ICON.
And while this video sums up how so many of us felt at that moment in time we all heard, we also know how much pain she fought thru for YEARS…how much she had accomplished and sacrificed for all of us…that it was her time to go. But this video DOES hit at how I felt at that moment:
The thing is…it’s terrifying. For those not in America or those 21 year old startup boys who do not understand the magnitude of the situation, this is real and this is terrifying. But it is not over and we have the ability to elect those evil old corrupt men who are power-hungry and immoral OUT. I will say, I turned to social media a LOT this weekend and found things that just made me laugh and also have hope as so many people from across the country of all ages really took a stand. IN particular I love this kid:
I don’t know man. I could sit here and write about the Notorious RBG all day and not even begin to crack the surface. On her life, on her impact on women and on gender/sex equality, on her impact on our lives today and our freedoms, on her impact on pop culture, but I will leave that to all the other amazing people who have done that job way better than I can. There is so much I promise you that you didn’t know about her — like she lived in Sweden??? But again, I will let you discover all that out by giving you things to absorb.
I will say this on a personal note. She reminded me of my grandmother, Frances Doolittle Lesser, a remarkable woman who like RBG fought in ways that were unexpected for women. She graduated from Yale Law School in 1934 — one of 3 women — and was a federal lawyer and one of the initial members of the SEC. Now, Frances and I had a hard time when she was alive as she was of the generation that believed children should be seen and NOT heard and only speak when spoken to so you can IMAGINE that was not the kind of kid I was (I MEAN NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND) but I have grown up to appreciate her and how I wish I had known her when I was more of an adult and shown her how much respect and appreciation I had for her. So here is my attempt at that so if you want to read about my Grandmother — Mama Lesser — here you go:
And while RBG’s dying wish that her replacement would not be made until after the election, true to form that doesn’t appear to be happening. So while we continue to fight like we have never fought before…let’s also have some humor to make sure we inspired:
And this lovely tribute:
And listen to today’s New York Times “The Daily” podcast:
Or if you haven’t seen this film, please watch it because I loved it so much:
And then finally, this:
And look…we all are sad…we all are in awe of a woman who had such a tremendous impact on the world. We cannot sit back now and be defeated. We cannot say that’s it, I quit, we are doomed. Now we have to come together and we have to make RBG proud.
Now is the moment.
Donate. Volunteer. VOTE.
AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS:
Switching gears here but also, we needed this. I am sure there are many of you out there who remember the moment you heard that Brad and Jen were splitting and then when you saw the pics of Brad frolicking on the beach in Africa with Angelina and her young son that were taken by some crazy telephoto lens. Or where you were when the cover of W Magazine came out with Brad and Angelina playing happy couple with a bunch of little kids and a baby pool. Oh no? Well this one hurt:
Jennifer, was for ME — a girl who was in college when Friends first aired and who like many tragic 20-somethings, had the RACHEL haircut (I will spare you) but then spent my later 20’s trying to have her long long long straight hair which I tried with extensions I had braided to my head that caused me migraines like I cannot even explain but to be honest were SO worth it. She and Brad were the golden couple and when they broke up and the reason it seemed — I obviously have no idea but I mean come on — was Angelina — it hurt. I mean my friends and I actually cried like she was our own girlfriend and we wanted to kill Brad. We had TEAM JEN t-shirts and hats and really JFW I was so juvenile and whatever…they have been a constant in our lives.
I wrote about them EARLY on in PCM days last Fall when they were pictured together — Brad trying to grab Jen’s hand and Jen being like I am cool dude thanks though. And then…right before the world came crashing down on Friday, we were given this gift:
AND I AM TELLING YOU….MY WORLD STOPPED. I had so many thoughts. Like were they DYING?? They obviously knew how this would become a THING right? How amazing that this would be something they would do like, “WE KNOW guys, we are in on this with you”…I mean THIS SCENE..narrated by Morgan Freeman?? This is a FAMOUS masturbation scene…and I WISH I had been in the room when they agreed to do this for..CHARITY. Because this is what America needed am I right??
WE ARE ALL JULIA ROBERTS HERE.
For those who do not know the scene from the movie well here you go:
The whole thing which included Shia LaBeouf being REAL method as Spicoli was maybe perfect:
The table read was for Sean Penn’s charity CORE, and was organized by Dane Cook who I really DO not like but I have to give it to to him for getting this most iconic, historical, pop cultural moment captured for all of us to see. I encourage you to watch from the beginning. Also, Sean Penn smoking cigarettes throughout makes me miss the ’90s and early 2000s when smoking with Sean Penn at a party was a rite of passage really.
“Hi Anniston,” he said.
“Hi Pitt,” she said.
AND I CRIED.
EMMYS 2020- AT HOME:
Ok so like I said, I did not watch the Emmys last night. I was actually planning on it but I think my body gave into the exhaustion of all that went down this weekend — also, like I said I had martinis and margaritas on Friday night for which I ended up basically staying in bed ALL day Saturday whilst binging on the most unexpected show that I fell in love with “Ted Lasso” while eating cheese pizza and ice cold Coke I literally asked the delivery guy to bring upstairs to my room for me. THAT actually happened.
Before I dive into the Emmys though….I do HIGHLY suggest you watch Ted Lasso on Apple+ or whatever it is. It is exactly the sweetness and hope we need right now. I will say this preview doesn’t do this show justice as it’s not just about “football” in the UK and boys…but it has a powerful female voice/storylines to it too:
OK…SO back to the Emmys. I woke my ass up at 4:45 AM (PT) this morning so I could catch up on all the Emmys stuff from who won to what people wore and while I GUESS some people like Zendaya and Anniston and host Jimmy Kimmel WERE in person, socially distanced, at the Staples Center…most stars were at home or in their friend/cast pods elsewhere and I bet you it was a lot more fun for everyone involved. Being able to hang just with the people you love and not having to make small talk? Being able to be barefoot vs wearing crazy shoes? I mean it IS the dream really. Though if ANYONE is more grateful to the sneakers with dress trend that is happening than me I would like to know.
So here is a compilation of some of the most memorable moments that stuck out to me though I am still confused as to the timing and where people were and who knew what when but I will just say whatever, 2020:
I love you Dave Chappelle:
Also, the BEST LEAD ACTRESS category was freaking hard…I mean I obsessed over each one of these shows and women and wow…but it was the incredible Zendaya in the crushing “Euphoria” with also the best outfit tbh but I also think she is the youngest to women this category. I loved this moment:
I mean I cannot imagine they were surprises as the EWMMYS WERE THERE but maybe it was like everyone gets one but we take them away if you don’t win I don’t know. But another moment that was special was Regina King wearing an outfit honoring Breonna Taylor and while I did not love the pink with the orange chair, I forgive her because her outfit was flawless and this was a hard category (UNORTHODOX WAS AMAZE btw):
AND THE THIS…please get thru the awkwardness of the whole thing as it must be weird doing this with no audience and from hotel rooms but this is a trend I hope sticks → THE “UN-THANK YOU”. I mean TRULY genius of Jesse Armstrong, the creator of “Succession” to give this UNTHANK YOU speech dedicated to the virus, Trump, Boris and the media moguls making this all possible in many ways…I LOVED IT SO MUCH.
AND THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS….
And with that my lovely creatures, I am back to the grind of work for which I am forever and always grateful for. I mean really and truly,I have so much to be grateful for that during this crazy time I get the privilege to work and to work with some of the greatest founders and teams around.
But there were a few more amazing things that happened this past week…oh and today so let’s kick it off with….
- KARA SWISHER. My nemesis. Her highly anticipated New York Times podcast “Sway” kicked off today. NO, not the MTV VJ Sway some of us immediately think of…but the new weekly interview amaze podcast with Kara interviewing fascinating people. ASSUMING she let’s them talk, it’s going to be amazing. Like this first one which you all must listen to NOW (See I am TRUMP-ADJACENT):
- Last week we had Chris Evans dic pic dramorama. Oh we were so innocent then..except for the MANY OF YOU who texted me asking for the pic you naughty little demons. But I got to hand it to Chris..his response…was GENIUS and I now hold this guy in true LEGEND status:
- Speaking of legends…I am looking at you Patagonia. Everyone go out and buy fleece asap and this is maybe the first time I have ever said those words but this is what you will find:
- And the NEW iOS 14 update to your iPhone allows you to transform your home screen and I tried and I am old and I cried in frustration because I cannot do it or I do not have the design capability for it but people are awesome and are creating magical things:
- And last but not least, this video lulled me into a sweet sweet zen place (even if maybe the bird is being manipulated by a hand (just lets pretend ok??). Thank you Taylor Lorenz:
Until next week, my Pop Culture Junkies…MAY THIS WEEK BE BORING AND DRAMA FREE AF.
BUT, as always, if you have any feedback or thoughts or want to bathe me in praise, please do so. I LOVE IT ALL. But also, please share with your friends as I write this with love and love to share it.
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