September's culture roundup
a quick review of literature, movies, tv, pop-culture. Theme: the female experience, more specifically female rage, which I'm finding is a constant theme of my writing.
We’ve entered a girl-pop renaissance. I highly recommend the following albums, all of which I’ve been listening to almost exclusively:
Dasha: “What Happens Now?” & the deluxe version — she’s (and Shaboozey!) turning me on to country music… (she is number 1 for a reason, I think she’s the next big female artist. She just opened Alex Cooper’s West Coast Call Her Daddy Tour)
FLETCHER: “In Search Of The Antidote” (saw her in concert and she was amazing)
Maude Latour: “Sugar Water”
Sabrina Carpenter: “Short n’Sweet”
Camila Cabello: “C,XOXO”
Charli XCX: “brat”
Chapell Roan: “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”
Reneé Rapp: “Snow Angel”
RAYE: “My 21st Century Blues” & “Live at Montreux Jazz Festival”
Kehlani: “While We Wait 2”
*honorary mention: Lady Gaga’s upcoming pop album. I have high, high hopes*
I’m also realizing as I look at this list that these are almost all white girls and the two black girls on here are categorized as pop/R&B on the web. Something to think about…
Speaking of Chappell Roan… girl, log off social media PLEASE. The forgiveness for canceling multiple shows last minute is dwindling…
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives > Real Housewives. This one’s a great reminder of why the patriarchy blows chunks. Zach Affleck, Jen’s husband, is the scariest form of a white man.
Speaking of the patriarchy, did you see John Mulaney and Olivia Munn had another baby? Me too. All I’ll say is, read Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler. It’s not about John Mulaney (AMT’s ex-husband), but at the same time, it’s all about Him (capital H for the greater him aka the patriarchy).
Another chronically online writer whose book I’ll proudly display on my shelves: Caroline Calloway’s second book, Elizabeth Wurtzel and Caroline Calloway’s Guide to Life. For context, E. Wurtzel, who died in 2020, wrote the groundbreaking 1994 confessional memoir (CC’s bread and butter) Prozac Nation.
I aspire to channel my rage toward the people who’ve wronged me into a best-selling novel like AMT & CC.
The Perfect Couple on Netflix had a murder-mystery reveal I did not see coming. I love watching Nicole Kidman as a mysterious, intimidating matriarch and Dakota Fanning as a doe-eyed mean girl.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (the OG’s recent sequel) is a hilarious, fun viewing experience. Watching Jenna Ortega stand up for Winona Ryder to the press (who has always been brutal to Ryder) on the movie’s press tour was healing. Winona Ryder & Catherine O’Hara’s love for Jenna Ortega is heartwarming. I’d love to be in their fictional family.
I’m listening to the podcast series Seeing White for my Diversity in a Multicultural Society class. I think it’s a must-listen. Plus, it’s produced through Duke’s Kenan Institute for Ethics, so that’s a fun connection.
Up next…
I’m finishing Try Not to Be Strange: The Curious History of the Kingdom of Redonda.
Nobody Wants This (Netflix series with Kristin Bell & Adam Brody).
50 cent’s docuseries sold to Netflix about Sean “Diddy” Combs (a scary, scary man).
I will not be watching Monsters, due to its inaccuracies and my growing dislike for Ryan Murphy, but I will watch the upcoming doc The Menendez Brothers coming to Netflix Oct. 7 because the brothers were actually involved in this version of their story.