culture porn 10/27
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
into it: with sam sanders (apple podcasts)
thanks to chad, a brilliant cultural analyst, for putting this on my radar. i'd pretty much listen to sam sanders analyze any part of culture, but in his latest podcast (this one for VULTURE) it's mainly pop culture. sanders is so smart in his insight - and expresses it in a way that's enjoyable for listeners. pop culture never felt so important!
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nada (hulu)
a bilingual-argentine-foodie-dramdey with robert deniro? sign me up! five fun 1/2 hour episodes go down easy, giving off THE BEAR vibes with its plate-centric storyline, but without the anxiety. plus it fed my post-WHITE LOTUS desire for more TV tourism.
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portlandia (youtube)
as we look back in culture especially often lately, i seem to re-examine it primarily through YOUTUBE clips of shows i used to watch. lately, it's been PORTLANDIA which feels perfect for these times, as early aughts hipster-dom rises again (see adjacent coverage of the return of "stomp clap hey" music). perhaps my favorite part of this show is the creative partnership between carrie brownstein and fred armisen, who complement each other perfectly, no matter the shtick.
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shining vale (starz)
i normally shy away from anything scary. but i had to watch since my girlcrush sharon horgan (BAD SISTERS) co-created this comedy-horror series. it's fun to see how courteney cox channels control-freak monica from FRIENDS in a seemingly haunted house, with greg kinnear as her hapless husband. in a bit part, sherilyn fenn of TWIN PEAKS adds a nice tonal wink.
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extra syrup (tubafresh)
thanks to linda for recommending HBO's recent doc on the BLING RING, i got to relive news coverage of 2008....yet again! the doc is worth a watch and the soundtrack was great, scored by chanell crichlow & michael tuller. my fave was this song at the end, from chanell, aka TUBAFRESH.
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dreaming whilst black (showtime)
i stumbled across this sweet UK comedy about an aspiring young nigerian filmmaker trying to find his way in the world from the cubicle of his dead-end job. i loved seeing london through kwabena's POV, as he encounters microaggressions, love, self-doubt, and self-acceptance on the path to fulfilling his ambitions.
insights & inspo
yearnposting is just another symptom of our collective malaise
#sadgirlsummer has paved the way for some appropriate autumnal melancholy, and where else would gen z spread emotion but on the internet? private affirmations, needs, and longings - as if torn from the pages of a diary - welcome in the new social trend, #yearngirlfall.
more insights here
why culture has come to a standstill
in the 21st century, culture has hit a crossroads. are we stuck in an 'eternal present,' where true innovation seems elusive? with the state of contemporary culture, the impact of digital technology, and the evolution of artistic expression, where can we go from here?
more insights here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
amidst the tinder box that is our world, comedy (and music) proved to be badly-needed medicine at the greek theater in LA. will ferrell hosted the benefit for CANCER FOR COLLEGE, which gives scholarships to cancer survivors, and invited some of his closest "friends."
OG comics like fred armisen, jo koy, john mulaney, jon stewart, and hasan minhaj joined emerging acts like rory scovell and trans comedian patti harrison (who had the most awkward set of the night). a "GRUCCI"-attired ron burgundy even "interviewed" SMARTLESS podcast hosts will arnett, jason bateman and sean hayes. music ended the night with a jam session that included maya rudolph, jack black, beck and st. vincent, plus keanu reeve's DOGSTAR.
but the big moment for me was the STEP BROTHERS musical reunion of john c. reilly and farrell. singing the movie's iconic BOATS & HOES, they slid into GIN & JUICE with none other than SNOOP DOGG, who was celebrating his birthday (and perhaps his USC partnership).
more insights here