culture porn 3/3
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
murdaugh murders: a southern scandal (netflix)
having not really followed this case for the last few years, i spur of the moment tuned into alex murdaugh's trial on friday to see him testify in real time. needing some added context, we watched the NETFLIX series back to back, sort of in awe of how many terrible things one family can be connected to. the series is not executed in a particularly creative manner, but the story is so horribly compelling that i couldn't turn away.
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stutz (netflix)
linda said: after watching this documentary directed by jonah hill, i see why so many people have recommended it to me. hill turns the tables on his therapist, phil stutz, to unpack the life experiences, influences and technique behind his successful practice. his book THE TOOLS became a NY TIMES best-seller.
sarah said: i had trouble getting through this alone, which i attribute to my ever-decreasing attention span. but when settled in to watch with eric, i was captivated and quite moved by this intriguing documentary on jonah hill's therapist, phil stutz. as mental health is such an important and pressing issue, it's great to see therapeutic tactics shared on-screen. sure, there's a simplifying that has to occur - minds are complex and treatment needs to be individualized. but it's an excellent start. stutz's own story is engaging in its own right, especially as he opens up to hill about his life with parkinson's and finding love.
- @lindaong100 & @sarahjaneunger
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ezra klein show: this book changed my relationship to pain (apple podcasts)
this podcast episode - recommended by my brother - really hit home as i navigate my knee injury through ups and (lately) downs. pain is a fascinating study - part physical, part emotional. i highly recommend a listen to better understand your relationship with whatever ails you! it also speaks to our broader medical and insurance system, which i've found relentlessly challenging and wish to see improved for both doctors and patients alike.
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weather (vintage contemporaries)
lately, i've gravitated to stories that explore the interior lives of women. and i loved diving into jenny offill's stream of consciousness, where her everyday musings about home, family, and work are invaded by a growing sense of "eco-anxiety."
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ruthless: monopoly’s secret history (pbs)
i never imagined the MONOPOLY origin story to be as murky and circuitous as the truth revealed in this documentary. it's a cautionary tale of how the value of intellectual property doesn't always accrue back to the person who created the idea. but most of all, it gave me a newfound appreciation for the board game that shaped how millions around the world came to understand the economics of capitalism.
insights & inspo
pharrell williams at louis vuitton: why it makes sense
the recent appointment of pharrell williams as creative director of menswear at LOUIS VUITTON was met with mixed feelings. rumors swirled of designers like martine rose, grace wales bonner, and bianca saunders filling the huge shoes that virgil abloh left behind. our co-founder @sarahjaneunger in an interview with @forbes discusses why the a-lister could be a positive choice for LV: it’s not just about the clothes. pharrell is a “multi-hyphenate” and stands at the intersection of music, art, culture, architecture, skincare and more.
additionally our co-founder @lindaong100’s take on the deal was that it's all about his wife helen who's a stylist. SHE's the brains behind their look. it would have been genius to hire them as a couple. THAT would be newsworthy vs this which is meh.
more insights here
james bond novels edited to remove racist content
the recent drama around roald dahl's books and now the 70th anniversary of the release of the james bond books have some calling out the thought police for over censorship. while there's an obvious argument for disclaimers warning the reader of inappropriate content, it has us asking: where do we draw the line? when the artists are from a time past, do we really have the right to edit their work to match the current climate?
more insights here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
on this week’s #LOokforward linda ong talked gen-z’s self expressive phone shake, the post-covid equivalent to the handshake, the drama taking place at the intersection of art and fashion, and more.
gen z is perfecting the act of shaking their phones to appear as if the viewer has just stumbled into their lives. for a generation that tries really hard to avoid cringe, they are masters of manipulation.
it's been a minute, but the firm handshake is back. whether it's to cement a new axis of geopolitical evil or greet a colleague, pandemic-era fist bumps and "namaste" prayer hands never quite took hold. what's your go-to greeting?
the art and fashion worlds have always been close chums. but LOUIS VUITTON's campaign featuring my fave french actress léa seydoux (ONE FINE MORNING), shot against iconic works of joan mitchell, is now the subject of a legal battle between LVMH, the fashion behemoth's parent - company, and the artist’s estate. maybe they're counting on the buzz caused in 2021 by TIFFANY & CO (also LVMH) that featured jay z and bey in front of iconic images by jean-michel basquiat.
for linda’s full debrief, head here