culture porn 6/9
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
the idol (hbo/max)
something in the pilot of this chaotic, erotic new series by sam levinson (EUPHORIA) made me want to keep watching. if not to marvel at lily-rose depp’s amazing cheekbones, i am curious to see the arc of the eww-inducing “rapey” character played by abel tesfaye (aka the weeknd, who's also executive-producing the show). it's extreme and at times cuttingly funny, and promises to get darker and more aggro. will it become more than vibe?
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merpeople (netflix)
mermaids are having a moment, and i dove headfirst into this docu series on "real life mermaids" (meaning humans who wear an artfully designed tail in water). tl;dr - it's a LOT harder than it looks. like really hard. and very emotional for those who find water an escape as compared to the problems of the land-locked. while i think this would have easily been a great documentary (vs a full series), i really enjoyed.
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the lost kitchen (max)
one year i plan to mail in a postcard to THE LOST KITCHEN's restaurant reservation lottery in the little town of freedom, run by erin french + a team of strong maine ladies. for now, i'll settle for the show (previously on MAGNOLIA, now on the newly combined MAX where i discovered it). i wondered how i would feel about watching this, given that THE MENU happened earlier this year, poking fun at fancy tasting menus. fortunately french + her team add a lot of warmth, humility, and spirit - and make me want to go to maine!
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orgasm inc: the story of onetaste (netflix)
on a plane home i watched this documentary hoping fellow passengers weren't looking too closely at my screen. nicole daedone (who, spoiler alert, was indicted this week on forced labor charges) ran an "orgasmic meditation" company that was marketed to a progressive wellness crowd as sexual empowerment. turns out it was a bit more like a cult-meets-MLM scheme. VOW watchers - tune in.
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bama rush (max)
i was a delta gamma at UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, and luckily i did my rush experience with minimal knowledge of sororities and no expectations (my parents both went to art school). most importantly, it was pre-social media. i was able to meet wonderful people, some whom i'm fortunate to keep in touch with today. i could write a whole book on how completely wild college was (!) but watching this doc was low energy and sad - it seemed to have lost the vibrancy of the TIKTOK rush videos. it raises the problematic implications of social sorting systems and the very real challenges of being a young woman in the process, but i found the doc a bit all over the place, structurally. i'd personally rather re-watch GREEK or SCREAM QUEENS, two greek-life themed TV shows i thoroughly enjoyed.
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the girl from ipanema: astrud gilberto
hearing the grammy-winning global hit THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA always reminds me of my college days, when my roommate (and CULTIQUE creative lead) anabel introduced me to latin & modern jazz. astrud gilberto straddled them both, collaborating with some of the global leaders of the genre: brazilian joão gilberto (her husband), antonio carlos jobim, and stan getz. never considered a serious musician, but a girl who got "lucky" because of her connections, i'm happy to see her getting the respect she deserves, albeit posthumously.
insights & inspo
concert tees? try trial merch.
got trial? there’s a t-shirt for that. merch isn’t just for concerts and games anymore, it’s evolved to include courtroom garb as well. a wave of a-listers in court has caused a niche market to emerge. our personal favorite: the “well, i lost a half day of skiing” sweatshirt for a bargain $70. 🧑⚖️
more insights here
the wildest fitness trend is jumping like a bunny
great to see the latest fitness shifts covered in the WSJ by jen murphy, who i met in todos santos years ago (the first and likely last time i'm mountain biking surrounded by cactus, but it was quite a thrill and she was excellent company). fitness can be fun and playful and primal, and moving like an animal may unlock that in us. what do you think? does hopping like a bunny appeal to you?
more insights here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
in NYC, sarah and i got to see our partners in action, in a collab with MOTOROLA to launch the new RAZR flip phone. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL athletes and artists joined for a mind- and gender-bending performance to express the culture-forward edge of the brand: over-the-top, otherworldly, and avant-garde. the crowd came dressed for the night, capped by kim petras' DJ set.
culture vultures know
is the must-read newsletter by brand strategist ana andjelic. her post on KULTURINDUSTRIE maps out 4 types of cultural output, and as usual, her visualization is spot-on AND entertaining.PRIDE MONTH is off to a troubled start, swirling between the opposite poles of corporate "rainbow-washing" accusations and consumer boycotts targeting retailers promoting LGBTQ+-theme merch. while much of the anger has been directed at kids' clothing, now even pets are caught in the crossfire.
for linda’s full debrief, head here