culture porn 2/23
in the press
the cruel paradox of cosmetic tweakments now being deemed ‘ageing’
fear of aging is ironic, isn’t it? it’s inevitable; it is going to happen to all of us. yet, the taboos of aging still rage on. our founder, sarah unger, spoke with laura pitcher at DAZED about ‘preventative’ anti-aging methods and how they may, in fact, age you.
more insights here
this week’s playlist
screenshot me:
one day (netflix)
i was sucked into watching this "will they or won't they" series by leo woodall (who played the disarming, sexually fluid jack in WHITE LOTUS S2). turns out the kid has a lot of range, which the ups and downs of a decades-long relationship allows him to flex his emotional muscle. while this british production reads as a rom com, it's got more dramatic heft than i expected. grab your tissues.
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lover, stalker, killer (netflix)
at this point i am wondering if AI is generating both titles and plotlines for true crime docs. yet, one thing we know for sure: there's some batsh*t crazy stories out there and NETFLIX is in a race to document them all. if you're a true crime docu-watcher, you might guess the outcome from the get-go of this docuseries. i did. still, it's a jarring story that's creepy and hard to believe and we had to keep pausing to ask "is this for real???"
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mr. and mrs. smith (amazon prime video)
donald glover (ATLANTA) and maya erskine (PEN15) find clever ways to subvert the infamous brangelina film, and viewer expectations. co-starring as reject assassins forced to couple up, i love how their onscreen chemistry moves from awkward to amazing. plus props to the (alleged) @hi_hi_ marketing team for hacking culture (ICYMI, search "tyra banks furries NBA") with wacky guerilla stunts loosely tied to the show's spy themes.
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the daily show: mondays with jon stewart (comedy central)
politics in 2024 is not my idea of a good time, but jon stewart's return to monday nights was smart humor that made me very glad to have him back behind the desk.
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band on the run: paul mccartney & wings (capitol)
BAND ON THE RUN was the first album i ever heard on stereo, so listening this 50th anniversary reissue instantly snaps me back to my 10-year old self. LP and CD collectors will eat up the "underdubbed" remixes, which take out familiar parts of the track, making it more nuanced and discoverable – comparing the changes to the original is like the audio version of easter eggs.
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mrballen podcast: strange, dark & mysterious stories (apple podcasts)
though this podcast was new to me, it's a macabre audio empire of a former Navy SEAL. the stories are always compelling, but they're quite short. after binge listening to a slew of them, i had a similar feeling to the one i get after scrolling YOUTUBE mindlessly. that said, i can see why the podcast does super well and my fascination with the mysterious remains strong.
insights & inspo
the emerging brand survival plan: bags, basics and beyoncé
this fashion week was rough. emerging designers are having to cancel shows, add more accessible categories to their lines, and hope for celebrity endorsements. they’re sharing their struggles of running a profitable brand in the press and through social media, and it turns out their authenticity can come with the benefit of generating buzz.
more insights here