being a hater and the overexposure paradigm

Mina Le
29 May 202442:14

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses the complexities of criticism, particularly focusing on how it affects female celebrities. It delves into the fear and hesitancy that has crept into the criticism space, the death of criticism, and the paradoxical nature of being a critic. It also explores the impact of social media on the art of critique, the rise and fall of public figures like Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence, and the phenomenon of 'people's princesses'. The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between constructive criticism and the oversaturation of public figures in the media, while also highlighting the role of media literacy in shaping public discourse.

Takeaways

  • šŸ“š The video discusses the complex nature of criticism, particularly towards female celebrities, and the impact it has on their public image.
  • šŸ¦„ Mina Le introduces the topic by sharing a recent literary controversy involving scathing reviews and the viral nature of negative critiques in the literary world.
  • šŸ¤” The speaker reflects on the fear present in the criticism space and how it may be detrimental to the art ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of allowing both positive and negative reviews.
  • šŸŽ¬ The conversation shifts to the film industry, with the mention of Ayo Edebiri's experience on Letterboxd and the pressures of maintaining a positive public image in Hollywood.
  • šŸ‘‘ The term 'people's princess' is explored, highlighting the phenomenon where female celebrities rise to fame and are later subjected to overexposure and criticism.
  • šŸ’” The script touches on the harsh reality that women in the spotlight often face a 'Catch-22' situation, where they are criticized for both their success and their attempts to maintain a relatable image.
  • šŸ‘©ā€šŸ’¼ The role of social media in shaping criticism is examined, with platforms like TikTok and YouTube being criticized for promoting low media literacy and clickbait content.
  • šŸŒ The internet's influence on the democratization of criticism is noted, with everyone now having a platform to share their opinions, which has led to both an oversaturation of content and a devaluation of professional critics.
  • šŸ‘€ The script raises the issue of how media literacy and the public's perception of criticism are affected by social media algorithms and the tendency to avoid nuance in favor of binary thinking.
  • šŸ¤ The importance of understanding cultural values through pop culture is highlighted, with examples of how shows like 'Sex and the City' have shaped discussions around female sexuality.
  • šŸ‘¶ The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to engage in thoughtful discussions about criticism and the treatment of women in the public eye.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic discussed by Mina Le in the video?

    -The main topic discussed by Mina Le in the video is the phenomenon of criticism, particularly focusing on how it affects female celebrities, the death of criticism, and the concept of being a 'hater'.

  • What is the context behind Ann Manov's review of Lauren Oyler's essay collection 'No Judgment'?

    -Ann Manov's scathing review of Lauren Oyler's essay collection 'No Judgment' went viral partly because it was harsh and partly because Oyler herself had previously gained prominence for writing a similarly negative review of Jia Tolentino's essay collection 'Trick Mirror'.

  • Why did Lauren Oyler's negative review of Jia Tolentino's 'Trick Mirror' gain so much attention?

    -Lauren Oyler's negative review of 'Trick Mirror' gained attention because at the time, there was a general sense that writing negative reviews, especially of popular books, was in poor taste, and there was a scarcity of full-time professional book critics.

  • What is Mina Le's stance on negative reviews in the literary world?

    -Mina Le respects both Ann Manov and Lauren Oyler for their bravery in publishing negative reviews, even though she thinks some criticisms were harsh. She believes that negative reviews, in general, are important for the art ecosystem.

  • Why did Ayo Edebiri potentially stop logging movies on Letterboxd?

    -Ayo Edebiri may have stopped logging movies on Letterboxd due to the fear of offending someone in Hollywood, as she might have to work with them in the future, indicating the pressure to maintain positive relationships in the industry.

  • What controversy was Ayo Edebiri involved in related to Jennifer Lopez?

    -Ayo Edebiri was involved in a controversy when her negative comments about Jennifer Lopez's music career from a 2020 podcast interview resurfaced ahead of their dual episode on SNL.

  • How does the video script relate the concept of 'PR-friendliness' to the entertainment industry?

    -The script suggests that 'PR-friendliness' has permeated the entire entertainment industry, with audiences becoming more aware of it. It implies that the push for positive public relations can lead to a lack of authenticity and a fear of criticism.

  • What is the significance of the 'people's princess' term mentioned in the video?

    -The term 'people's princess' is used to describe female celebrities who are initially well-liked for their perceived authenticity and relatability. However, the script suggests that these figures often face overexposure and eventual backlash, becoming unrecognizable from their initial appeal.

  • What is the role of social media in the current state of criticism and how does it affect criticism?

    -Social media has made everyone a potential reviewer, leading to an oversaturated online review industry. It encourages a culture of enthusiasm and unconditional support, which can discourage nuanced criticism and lead to the devaluation of professional critics.

  • Why does Mina Le dislike using the star rating system on platforms like Letterboxd and Goodreads?

    -Mina Le dislikes the star rating system because she believes it is too subjective and does not capture the nuances of engaging with art. She feels it is a critical dead end and does not provide context for her ratings, such as her personal circumstances or how her opinions may change over time.

  • What impact does the fear of criticism have on artists and critics according to the video script?

    -The fear of criticism can lead to self-censorship, with artists and critics potentially avoiding negative reviews or nuanced discussions. This can result in a less vibrant and honest art ecosystem, where critical discourse is stifled and creativity may be limited.

  • What is the video's perspective on the oversaturation of commentary content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok?

    -The video suggests that the pivot to video as a medium for commentary on platforms like YouTube and TikTok is due to increased comfort in filming video and the ease of editing within apps. However, it also notes that this trend has led to an oversaturated market, which can devalue professional criticism and encourage sensationalized content.

  • What does the video suggest about the relationship between the popularity of a celebrity and the likelihood of them facing backlash?

    -The video suggests that there is an inevitable cycle where popular celebrities, particularly female celebrities, face backlash and become overexposed. This cycle often starts with adoration and ends with a public fallout, which can be influenced by factors such as media portrayal, mob mentality, and societal expectations.

  • How does the script discuss the role of media literacy in the reception and interpretation of criticism?

    -The script highlights the importance of media literacy in understanding and critically analyzing content. It points out that low media literacy can lead to misunderstandings and superficial interpretations, such as the misinterpretation of the 'Dune' series as promoting a white savior complex.

  • What is the script's view on the impact of overexposure on female celebrities?

    -The script suggests that overexposure can be particularly damaging for female celebrities, as it can lead to a rapid shift in public opinion from adoration to annoyance. It implies that this is part of a larger pattern where women in the spotlight are held to different standards and face greater scrutiny.

  • How does the video address the issue of women being viewed as consumable objects in the media?

    -The video criticizes the way women, especially celebrities, are often viewed as consumable objects in the media. It argues that this perspective contributes to the overexposure and subsequent backlash faced by female celebrities, reducing their worth to their public image and marketability.

  • What does the video suggest about the role of social media in shaping public opinion and criticism?

    -The video suggests that social media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion and criticism. It discusses how social media platforms can encourage a culture of enthusiasm and unconditional support, which can stifle genuine criticism and lead to the oversaturation and eventual backlash against popular figures.

Outlines

00:00

šŸ“š The Death of Criticism and Impact on Female Celebrities

The video, sponsored by Squarespace, is introduced by Mina Le who discusses the concept of being a 'hater', the death of criticism, and its effects on female celebrities. Mina starts with a personal anecdote about a literary controversy involving a scathing review by Ann Manov of Lauren Oyler's essay collection 'No Judgment', which gained attention due to its negative nature. This leads to a broader discussion about the fear and rarity of negative criticism in the literary world, referencing Oyler's own rise to prominence through a similar negative review of Jia Tolentino's 'Trick Mirror'. Mina acknowledges the bravery of those who publish negative reviews and the importance of criticism in the art ecosystem, despite it being perceived as harsh or unwelcome.

05:01

šŸŽ¬ Criticism and the Hollywood PR Machine

Mina delves into the impact of criticism on Hollywood, using the example of actress Ayo Edebiri's Letterboxd account, where she stopped logging movies and her reviews became more positive, possibly due to fear of offending future colleagues. This reflects the broader issue of PR-friendliness in the industry and the nostalgia for the authenticity of early 2000s celebrity culture. The video also touches on the influence of social media on criticism, with platforms like TikTok and YouTube becoming new commentary engines, and the oversaturation of online content leading to a devaluation of professional critics. The rise of amateur criticism on sites like Letterboxd and Goodreads is also discussed, with concerns about the limitations of a star rating system to capture the depth of engaging with art.

10:04

šŸ¤” The Oversaturation of Online Reviews and Criticism

The conversation continues with Mina discussing the challenges faced by critics in an oversaturated online review industry, where sensationalized headlines are necessary to stand out. She acknowledges the hypocrisy in benefiting from this environment while also critiquing it. Mina also addresses the rise of video content on social media platforms, which has led to a preference for video over written commentary, and the resulting trend of creators trying to capitalize on profitable content. The paragraph concludes with a critique of amateur criticism and the limitations of rating systems, such as the five-star system on Letterboxd and Goodreads, which Mina argues cannot capture the nuances of engaging with art.

15:08

šŸŽ„ Personal Connection and Criticism in the Digital Age

Mina explores the influence of social media on the way critics and the public engage with art, citing Jacob Silverman's essay 'Against Enthusiasm'. She discusses how social media platforms encourage a culture of enthusiasm and unconditional support, which can stifle criticism. The video touches on the impact of being able to observe authors' lives on social media, which may make critics more hesitant to critique their work. Mina also mentions the importance of media literacy and criticizes the low standards of media literacy in society, using the example of misguided criticism of the film 'Dune: Part Two' and the lack of nuanced understanding among viewers.

20:10

šŸ“š The Death of the Author and the Role of Interpretation

In this segment, Mina discusses the concept of the 'death of the author' as proposed by Roland Barthes, which posits that the meaning of a text is determined by the reader's interpretation rather than the author's intention. She expresses her appreciation for this theory and its implications for the way viewers engage with media, suggesting that personal interpretations are valid even if they differ from the creator's intent. Mina also shares her thoughts on the importance of allowing for a variety of interpretations and not dismissing them based on superficial analysis.

25:16

šŸŽ­ The Cultural Impact of Pop Culture and Highbrow Art

Mina examines the role of pop culture as a force in shaping cultural values and the importance of criticism within it. She contrasts the accessibility of pop culture with the more exclusive nature of highbrow culture, such as Broadway shows. The video highlights the significance of shows like 'Sex and the City' in challenging cultural norms and the historical context of Shakespeare's plays as accessible art for the common man. Mina also addresses the gendered criticism of media popular among teenage girls and the historical framing of young female fans as problematic.

30:19

šŸ‘ø The Phenomenon of the 'People's Princess' and Overexposure

This paragraph delves into the concept of the 'people's princess', a term used to describe female celebrities who are initially adored for their perceived authenticity and relatability but eventually become overexposed and lose public favor. Mina discusses the cyclical nature of female celebrities' popularity, using examples like Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence, and Millie Bobby Brown. The video also explores the psychological factors behind groupthink and the tendency for public opinion to shift rapidly against individuals, often fueled by a small group of detractors.

35:24

šŸ¤” The Catch-22 of Female Celebrities and Public Perception

Mina addresses the double standards and challenges faced by female celebrities in the public eye, discussing the fine line between being perceived as authentic and becoming overexposed. She contrasts the careers of Zendaya and Taylor Swift as examples of different approaches to managing public exposure. The video also touches on the resurgence of Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence's images in the media, suggesting that their new roles as mothers have made them more palatable to the public. Mina emphasizes the importance of recognizing the complexities of criticism and the role of misogyny in the backlash against female celebrities.

40:29

šŸ‘©ā€šŸ’» The Rise and Fall of Literary 'It' Girls in Criticism

In the final paragraph, Mina discusses the trend of female critics becoming popular by writing viral reviews that criticize other female writers, likening it to the cyclical nature of female celebrities' popularity. She questions the motivations behind this phenomenon and the impact it has on the literary community. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to engage in discussions about criticism, women, female celebrities, and the expectations placed on them in the industry.

Mindmap

Keywords

šŸ’”Criticism

Criticism in the context of this video refers to the evaluation and judgment of works of art, literature, or performances, often by individuals in a public forum. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the death of criticism, the fear in the criticism space, and how it affects female celebrities. For instance, the video mentions the negative review by Ann Manov of Lauren Oyler's essay collection, 'No Judgment,' illustrating the impact of criticism on both the critic and the criticized.

šŸ’”Hater

A 'hater' is someone who expresses dislike or contempt, often without constructive feedback. The video discusses being a 'hater' in the context of literary criticism and social media, where negative reviews and harsh public opinions can lead to the stigmatization of critics. The term is used to explore the negative side of criticism and how it can devolve into mere dislike rather than constructive feedback.

šŸ’”People's Princess

The term 'People's Princess' is used to describe a public figure who is widely liked and admired, often for their perceived authenticity and relatability. The video uses this term to discuss the phenomenon of female celebrities who initially gain immense popularity but eventually face overexposure and a subsequent decline in public favor, as seen in the cases of Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence.

šŸ’”Overexposure

Overexposure refers to the state of being seen or heard too frequently, leading to a decline in popularity or interest. The video discusses how female celebrities can become overexposed, which contributes to the shift in public opinion from adoration to annoyance. The script mentions the fear that 2024 might be the year when the public turns against Renee Rapp due to overexposure.

šŸ’”Authenticity

Authenticity in this video is associated with the genuineness and originality of a person's character or work. It is a key concept as the video explores how female celebrities are initially celebrated for their authenticity but can later be criticized for losing it. The script uses the example of Princess Diana, who was admired for her authenticity despite being royalty.

šŸ’”Scarcity

Scarcity, in the context of this video, refers to the limited availability or access to something, which can increase its perceived value. The video discusses how the scarcity of critical voices in the literary world has led to a reluctance to publish negative reviews. It also touches on how scarcity can affect the value of a celebrity's public image, as seen with Zendaya's controlled public presence.

šŸ’”PR-friendliness

PR-friendliness is the quality of being amicable and non-confrontational, often for the sake of maintaining a positive public image. The video mentions how PR-friendliness has become pervasive in the entertainment industry, with celebrities and their teams carefully managing their public interactions to avoid controversy and maintain a likable image.

šŸ’”Media Literacy

Media literacy is the ability to critically analyze and understand media content, including recognizing bias and credibility. The video discusses the lack of media literacy as a contributing factor to the poor quality of criticism and discourse online. It highlights the need for better media literacy to foster more thoughtful and nuanced discussions about art and culture.

šŸ’”Clickbait

Clickbait refers to sensationalized or misleading headlines or content designed to attract clicks and views. The video mentions how the oversaturation of online content has led to the reliance on clickbait tactics to stand out, even among critics and reviewers who are trying to drive traffic to their work.

šŸ’”Parasociality

Parasociality is a one-sided relationship where fans feel a connection to media personalities, even though the personalities are unaware of their fans' existence. The video discusses how parasociality can influence the way people engage with criticism, as they may feel a personal connection to the artists being criticized and be hesitant to criticize them publicly.

šŸ’”Consumable Objects

Consumable objects in this video refer to the way female celebrities are treated as products to be consumed by the public. The script discusses the objectification of women in the media, where their value and relevance are determined by their ability to attract attention and maintain public interest, often leading to overexposure and eventual backlash.

Highlights

Discussion on being a hater, the death of criticism, and the impact of criticism on female celebrities.

Ann Manov's scathing review of Lauren Oyler's essay collection 'No Judgment' and its virality.

Lauren Oyler's previous negative review of Jia Tolentino's 'Trick Mirror' and its significance.

The fear in the criticism space and its disservice to the art ecosystem.

Ayo Edebiri's experience with criticism and her decision to stop logging movies on Letterboxd.

The controversy surrounding Ayo Edebiri's comments about Jennifer Lopez's music career.

The distinction between hate and criticism in the context of PR-friendliness.

The nostalgia for early 2000s celebrity culture and its perceived authenticity.

Squarespace's features for building brands and businesses online.

The historical tension between artists and critics, exemplified by Alexander Pope's quote.

The modern-day celebrity war on criticism, with examples of Lizzo and Ariana Grande's responses to reviews.

The challenges of professional critics and the impact of social media on criticism.

The oversaturation of the online review industry and its effects on professional critics.

The limitations of rating systems like the five-star system on Letterboxd and Goodreads.

The impact of social media on the art of criticism and the rise of amateur criticism.

The role of media literacy in understanding and critiquing popular culture.

The phenomenon of the 'people's princess' and the challenges of overexposure for female celebrities.

The psychological factors behind the public's turn against certain celebrities and the concept of 'getting woman'd'.

The paradox of women in the spotlight and the Catch-22 they face regarding overexposure and criticism.

The importance of distinguishing between valid criticism and backlash based on gender.

Transcripts

00:00

ļ»æ- This video is brought to you by Squarespace,Ā  an all-in-one platform for building a brand andĀ Ā 

00:03

growing your business online. Hello, my angryĀ  birds. My name is Mina Le. I talk about fashion,Ā Ā 

00:09

film, and culture here on this channel. And today,Ā  specifically, we're going to be talking aboutĀ Ā 

00:17

being a hater, the death of criticism, and alsoĀ  the phenomenon of the people's princess and theĀ Ā 

00:23

way that criticism affects female celebrities,Ā  specifically. Okay, so, you know how I usuallyĀ Ā 

00:31

like to start these videos talking about somethingĀ  that, like, jogged my brain recently in relationĀ Ā 

00:35

to the general theme of the video? Well, okay,Ā  so a couple of things. The other day I went toĀ Ā 

00:41

lunch with my friends Jack and Jordan, and JackĀ  was telling me the latest literary goss. So,Ā Ā 

00:48

I feel like this is a little niche, but trust me.Ā  Stay with me. It's interesting. So, apparently,Ā Ā 

00:53

last month... I dunno why I said apparently asĀ  if I'm, like, calling him a liar or something. IĀ Ā 

00:58

looked it up. It's real. This happened last month.Ā  This writer Ann Manov, wrote a scathing review onĀ Ā 

01:04

"Bookforum" of this essay collection written byĀ  Lauren Oyler called "No Judgment." Here's a quoteĀ Ā 

01:10

to give you a sense of it: "'No judgment' wasĀ  originally to be called 'Who Cares,' and perhapsĀ Ā 

01:14

that title should've been retained. Who caresĀ  really about any of this?" Manov's review wentĀ Ā 

01:20

pretty viral, in part because it was so scathingĀ  but also because, to give a bit of context,Ā Ā 

01:27

Oyler herself rose to prominence in the literaryĀ  world a couple years ago for writing a similarlyĀ Ā 

01:31

negative review of "Trick Mirror," an essayĀ  collection by another literary it girl,Ā Ā 

01:36

Jia Tolentino. Eleanor Stern explains exactly whyĀ  Oyler's review made such a splash at the time.

01:41

- One reason that Lauren Oyler's negative reviewĀ  of Jia Tolentino's essay collection went, like,Ā Ā 

01:48

so viral and got her so much fameĀ  is basically just because nobody wasĀ Ā 

01:51

writing negative reviews at the time. Like,Ā  especially of popular books, there was just,Ā Ā 

01:56

I think, a general sense that it wasĀ  sort of in poor taste or in bad form,Ā Ā 

02:00

and there was also, I think, a feelingĀ  of scarcity in the world of, like,Ā Ā 

02:03

literary criticism. Book advances were shrinking.Ā  You know, there were no more, like, full-timeĀ Ā 

02:09

professional book critics at publications. ThereĀ  was just a sense of, like, "why attack each other?Ā Ā 

02:15

Why pay people to write negative reviews?"Ā  even if the book is honestly kind of bad.

02:20

- I haven't read "Trick Mirror" in full, andĀ  I also haven't read "No Judgment," so I pleadĀ Ā 

02:25

the Fifth when it comes to taking sides. I haveĀ  no side, but I think, regardless of everyone'sĀ Ā 

02:29

actual writing, I respect both Manov and OylerĀ  as people who are brave enough, let's say,Ā Ā 

02:36

to publish something negative. I think some ofĀ  their criticisms did come across as a little tooĀ Ā 

02:41

harsh. Specifically, like, the "who cares" bitĀ  I read, I felt like that was a little below theĀ Ā 

02:46

belt, but I do think that negative reviews, inĀ  general, are important. And lately, I've justĀ Ā 

02:52

noticed there's so much fear in the criticismĀ  space, and it's really sad, and it's, like,Ā Ā 

02:56

a disservice to the art ecosystem. And you know,Ā  I don't really know how Lauren felt about readingĀ Ā 

03:02

this review about her book. I'm sure she didn'tĀ  like the review . Whether or not she liked it,Ā Ā 

03:07

she allowed herself to become a target of, like,Ā  equally negative reviews because... It's kind ofĀ Ā 

03:13

like that saying: "Oh, if you can't take it,Ā  then don't dish it." I was gonna say, "If youĀ Ā 

03:20

smelled it, dealt it ." That's definitely notĀ  the saying. I think it's "if you can't take it,Ā Ā 

03:25

don't dish it" or "don't dish what you can't"...Ā  Or whatever. Because she's someone who is, like,Ā Ā 

03:31

unapologetic about the kind of reviews that sheĀ  writes. I feel like it's an open invitation forĀ Ā 

03:37

people to be the same with her, whether or notĀ  she likes it. I commend her for opening thatĀ Ā 

03:42

space of criticism. Another thing that happenedĀ  or, I guess, another example that got me thinkingĀ Ā 

03:48

a lot... I love Letterboxd. It's this onlineĀ  platform where you can log and review movies.Ā Ā 

03:53

I use it a lot for logging in movies that IĀ  want to watch in the future on my watch list,Ā Ā 

03:58

so if someone gives me a good recommendation,Ā  I'll add it to the list, which, you know,Ā Ā 

04:03

is something that I refer to whenever I'mĀ  looking for a new movie. And hopefully,Ā Ā 

04:06

I'll get through them all one day, but there's,Ā  like, hundreds of movies on that list, so theĀ Ā 

04:10

future will see. But it is a social media platformĀ  in the sense that you can also follow other peopleĀ Ā 

04:15

on that platform, and you can even followĀ  Emmy Award-winning actress Ayo Edebiri. Yes,Ā Ā 

04:20

Ayo does have an account, but I noticed thatĀ  she actually stopped logging in movies about aĀ Ā 

04:25

month ago, and I don't know if it's just she justĀ  stopped for the month or if she's stopping fully,Ā Ā 

04:29

but I wouldn't really be surprised if she stoppedĀ  fully, because I also noticed, not to sound likeĀ Ā 

04:34

a stalker... But in the last couple of months,Ā  her reviews have skewed fairly positive, whereas,Ā Ā 

04:39

in the past, she was a little bit more criticalĀ  about some of the movies that she didn't like,Ā Ā 

04:44

and I don't blame her. I think being in herĀ  position in Hollywood right now means she can'tĀ Ā 

04:48

risk offending anyone, because she might have toĀ  work with them in the future. I was wondering,Ā Ā 

04:53

like, how much of this decision to kind of editĀ  her Letterboxd in this way was because she'sĀ Ā 

05:01

afraid of, you know, making enemies, as I said,Ā  or because she just like, you know, feels likeĀ Ā 

05:06

she doesn't wanna share negativity anymore, whichĀ  is totally fine, too. I mean, she's not a critic,Ā Ā 

05:12

so she can use her Letterboxd in any way that sheĀ  wants. I'm not saying she has a responsibility toĀ Ā 

05:17

say something bad about anyone. I think it speaksĀ  volumes that the only controversy Ayo has beenĀ Ā 

05:22

involved in so far in her career is when herĀ  negative comments about Jennifer Lopez's musicĀ Ā 

05:28

career from a 2020 podcast interview resurfacedĀ  ahead of her and J.Lo's dual episode on SNL.

05:33

- [Ayo] Today, I was actually thinking aboutĀ  one of my favorite scams of all time becauseĀ Ā 

05:38

J.Lo is hosting, or is performingĀ  at, the Super Bowl halftime show.

05:42

- Yes, she is, which is a scam in itself.

05:44

- [Ayo] And her whole career is one long scam.

05:47

- [Laci] Oh, the longest con. J.Lo can't sing,Ā Ā 

05:48

and did ya know that J.LoĀ  doesn't know that she can't sing?

05:52

- [Ayo] She thinks she's on multiple tracks, butĀ  it's not her. I think she, like... Or she thinksĀ Ā 

05:57

that she's still good even though, like,Ā  she's not singing for most of these songs.

06:04

- And I assume that it was just a veryĀ  awkward thing to deal with that situation,Ā Ā 

06:09

and Ayo calling J.Lo's career scam was not,Ā  like, the most PR-friendly choice of words,Ā Ā 

06:16

but it does make me wonder, like, where weĀ  draw the line between hate and criticism.

06:20

- Review was mean and petty and despicable.

06:23

- This was all in the line of duty.

06:25

- You called me a hippo.

06:26

- I think this PR-friendliness,Ā  though, has permeated throughout theĀ Ā 

06:29

entire industry in general, and audiencesĀ  are also becoming more aware of it. WithĀ Ā 

06:35

the "Bridgerton" season-three pressĀ  tour, for instance, I've seen, like,Ā Ā 

06:38

so many people talk about how great PR chemistryĀ  co-stars Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton have,Ā Ā 

06:43

which is to say people are enjoying theirĀ  banter, they're enjoying the little flirtations,Ā Ā 

06:47

but they're also, like, fully clocking theĀ  agenda behind it. In a way, like, I'm reallyĀ Ā 

06:52

happy about that because I think it means thatĀ  we're able to sort of see Hollywood less as sheep,Ā Ā 

06:59

but I also think that there are definitely,Ā  like, people who are nostalgic for earlyĀ Ā 

07:04

2000s celebrity culture because stars from thatĀ  era come across as, like, way more authentic.

07:14

- [Paparazzo] Were you outĀ  with Paris tonight, Lindsay?

07:14

- [Lindsay] Paris is a .

07:14

- We have a lot to discuss for this video. Let'sĀ  just dive in. Excuse the backdrop. I'm filmingĀ Ā 

07:19

from London right now, but it doesn't matter,Ā  because today we're sponsored by Squarespace,Ā Ā 

07:23

which you can use anywhere anytime. IfĀ  you're aesthetically driven, like me,Ā Ā 

07:27

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08:11

- I never said that.

08:11

- We got you saying it-

08:11

- Yeah, ya did.

08:11

- a second ago.

08:16

- Well, Paris is my friend.

08:16

- Ever since there's been art, there's beenĀ  critics, and ever since there's been critics,Ā Ā 

08:20

there's been artists hating on saidĀ  critics. It's a beautiful cycle.

08:23

- You take this maliciousĀ  cowardly shittily written review,Ā Ā 

08:31

and you shove that rightĀ  the up your wrinkly tight .

08:37

- After all, the 18th-century poet AlexanderĀ  Pope once said, "Those monsters, critics!"Ā Ā 

08:43

This sentiment has followed to the modern day.Ā  "The Ringer" published an article in 2019 calledĀ Ā 

08:47

"The Great Celebrity War on Criticism," whichĀ  documented some recent artist pushback. In theĀ Ā 

08:52

article, they mentioned Lizzo's now-deleted tweetĀ  "people who review albums and don't make musicĀ Ā 

08:57

themselves should be unemployed" in responseĀ  to a "Pitchfork" album review. She then, like,Ā Ā 

09:01

later walked it back. Also, another tweet thatĀ  was included in the article, Ariana Grande'sĀ Ā 

09:07

deleted tweet, "One day, everybody that worksĀ  at all them blogs will realize how unfulfilledĀ Ā 

09:12

they are and purposeless what they're doing is.Ā  I can't wait for them to feel lit inside ." Now,Ā Ā 

09:17

getting a shady tweet, not the worst thingĀ  that can happen to you. Getting professionallyĀ Ā 

09:21

blacklisted, that is a real fear, and it happens;Ā  for example, in the late 2000s, former "New YorkĀ Ā 

09:27

Times" fashion critic Cathy Horyn was banned fromĀ  Giorgio Armani, Carolina Herrera, Helmut Lang,Ā Ā 

09:33

and the Dolce & Gabbana fashion shows because herĀ  criticism was found slanderous. And Robin Givhan,Ā Ā 

09:38

the "Washington Post's" fashion critic, lost herĀ  front-row seat at CHANEL after criticizing KarlĀ Ā 

09:43

Lagerfeld in 2012. There's many reasons whyĀ  criticism gets a bad reputation. A lot of itĀ Ā 

09:48

is wrapped up in artist ego, but let's pause,Ā  right, and take a stance with the artists forĀ Ā 

09:54

a second. Maybe criticism has actually just gottenĀ  worse and therefore is deserving of less respect.Ā Ā 

09:59

Has anyone ever thought about that ? One reasonĀ  I say that is because there's a lot of art beingĀ Ā 

10:03

made, more than ever before, thanks to socialĀ  media allowing people to self-publish. There'sĀ Ā 

10:08

just not enough time to give thoughtful reviewsĀ  on literally everything. In an article for "TheĀ Ā 

10:13

American Scholar," author Phillipa K. ChongĀ  suggests that fewer than 5% of new books getĀ Ā 

10:17

any kind of coverage in larger media outlets. AĀ  lot of critics have also sold out, not necessarilyĀ Ā 

10:24

even selling out to the movie or book they'reĀ  reviewing but selling out to the publication thatĀ Ā 

10:28

they're writing for, and what I mean by that...Ā  Like, selling out might not be the best term.Ā Ā 

10:33

I dunno. I love reading reviews, okay? And I'veĀ  noticed that a lot of mainstream coverage of TV,Ā Ā 

10:38

books, and movies is arranged in the form ofĀ  recommendation listicles and plot recaps, andĀ Ā 

10:44

even if there is a coherent review, the headlineĀ  makes, like, some sweeping statement, likeĀ Ā 

10:50

"blah-blah-blah is a must-see" or "blah-blah-blahĀ  is a major miss." Christian Lorentzen wrote forĀ Ā 

10:54

"Harper's" that the reason we get these kinds ofĀ  general clickbait headlines is because writersĀ Ā 

10:59

need to attract traffic to the review or to theĀ  website. He writes, "A conscientious reviewerĀ Ā 

11:04

admitting either to ambivalence or judgments inĀ  conflict with one another won't travel as quicklyĀ Ā 

11:08

on social media as an unqualified rave." And asĀ  books editor Arianna Rebolini succinctly put it,Ā Ā 

11:14

"are you going to put your time into somethingĀ  that's not going to share well?" I relate to thisĀ Ā 

11:18

heavily, by the way. When I publish videos , IĀ  have to make kind of clickbait-adjacent headlinesĀ Ā 

11:23

or thumbnails because I need people to watch myĀ  videos to click on the videos. So, for instance,Ā Ā 

11:28

one of my older videos I titled "Netflix'sĀ  Persuasion was a flop." Transparently, okay?Ā Ā 

11:35

I found the movie to have a lot of flaws, and IĀ  stand by that. I'm not gonna walk back on that,Ā Ā 

11:40

but I do think that the word flop and other,Ā  like, general black-and-white terminology neverĀ Ā 

11:47

really do a piece of work justice. There's just soĀ  much that goes into a book or a movie, and none ofĀ Ā 

11:52

that can be summed up in just one word. Ya know,Ā  maybe one of the reasons why critics and myselfĀ Ā 

11:57

are so desperate to drive traffic to our work isĀ  because of how oversaturated the online reviewĀ Ā 

12:02

industry has become. The internet has basicallyĀ  made everyone into a reviewer, and again,Ā Ā 

12:07

look , I realize how hypocritical I sound becauseĀ  I've definitely benefited from that. Like, I didĀ Ā 

12:12

get a degree in film studies, and I can admitĀ  that my reviews tend to be more fun and casualĀ Ā 

12:16

than actually academic, but the fact is that thereĀ  are a lot of takes online and we have to lean on,Ā Ā 

12:25

like, more-sensationalized headlines to stand out.Ā  And I also notice that around the time I startedĀ Ā 

12:31

making videos, like, in 2020-2021, there's beenĀ  just a general rise in the commentary genre onĀ Ā 

12:36

Utah. "On Utah "? On YouTube and TikTok overall.Ā  Don't get me wrong. People have always liked toĀ Ā 

12:44

discourse online, okay? In my early internet days,Ā  I would spend a lot of hours every day reading andĀ Ā 

12:49

writing metacommentary on Tumblr. I'm proud ofĀ  that. Whatever . But I think the pivot to usingĀ Ā 

12:54

TikTok and YouTube as these new commentaryĀ  engines has a lot to do with, one, people'sĀ Ā 

12:59

increasing comfort in filming video, aided by howĀ  easy it is to edit videos within the TikTok app,Ā Ā 

13:03

especially if you don't have clumsy thumbs likeĀ  myself, and, two, a lot of social media sites,Ā Ā 

13:07

like Facebook, Instagram, and now Substack,Ā  are also trying to pivot to video as well,Ā Ā 

13:12

which is making writing a less available mediumĀ  to relay your thoughts and then, of course, also,Ā Ā 

13:16

reason three: once something is perceived as aĀ  profitable trend, other people want in. If youĀ Ā 

13:22

notice there are creators getting hundreds ofĀ  thousands of views on a genre of video content,Ā Ā 

13:25

you might wanna try that out, too. I'm not sayingĀ  this is entirely bad, by the way, but it has madeĀ Ā 

13:31

the market more oversaturated, which has led to,Ā  I think, a devaluation of professional critics,Ā Ā 

13:37

in general, because, like, the sentiment isĀ  "why listen to this person when everyone canĀ Ā 

13:42

have an opinion on the internet now?" ThereĀ  are also websites that specifically encourageĀ Ā 

13:47

amateur criticism, for example, Letterboxd,Ā  which I mentioned earlier, and Goodreads,Ā Ā 

13:51

which is a book-review site. Both these sites useĀ  a five-star rating system, and okay, personally,Ā Ā 

13:58

I don't use the rating feature, which I knowĀ  is annoying because I've gotten comments everyĀ Ā 

14:02

so often about why never rate anything. HearĀ  me out. I just don't like the subjectivity ofĀ Ā 

14:09

the star system. Like, a movie that I rated fiveĀ  stars three years ago wouldn't necessarily rateĀ Ā 

14:14

five stars if I watched it again today. And so itĀ  feels weird to me that, if someone's just, like,Ā Ā 

14:19

looking at my profile, they can see all the moviesĀ  that I've rated five stars but they wouldn't haveĀ Ā 

14:24

any context on how old I was when I saw the movie,Ā  whether or not someone was kicking my seat in theĀ Ā 

14:30

movie theater when I saw it, whether or not I readĀ  reviews beforehand which affected my expectations.Ā Ā 

14:36

Sidebar, when I watched "Challengers"; I watchedĀ  it opening weekend; I didn't even know it wasĀ Ā 

14:41

opening weekend. Like, I just picked a randomĀ  movie because I hadn't seen a movie in a while,Ā Ā 

14:46

and I didn't know anything about it, except from,Ā  like, the trailer that I saw literally months ago.Ā Ā 

14:51

I didn't see a recent trailer or anything, andĀ  I loved the movie and I think it's because IĀ Ā 

14:56

literally had no expectations. I mean, I alsoĀ  think that, like, Luca Guadagnino slays, andĀ Ā 

15:02

the script was, like, really good and everything,Ā  but I just think that it definitely helped that IĀ Ā 

15:07

didn't have other people telling me this movieĀ  was gonna be amazing before I went to go seeĀ Ā 

15:12

it. I also think that there are some movies thatĀ  really resonate with me solely because of my lifeĀ Ā 

15:16

circumstances at the time I watch them. So, forĀ  example, "Aftersun" is one of my favorite movies,Ā Ā 

15:24

but I'm very aware that I watched it on theĀ  airplane coming back home after visiting my dad.Ā Ā 

15:30

Yeah, I was crying on that airplane all by myself.Ā  It was so tragic. If you haven't seen the movie,Ā Ā 

15:36

just know that it's a father-daughter movieĀ  featuring an airport scene. On the flip side,Ā Ā 

15:41

you know, I did really enjoy "Past Lives,"Ā  but I've never experienced the sort of, like,Ā Ā 

15:46

what-if romantic circumstance that they exploreĀ  in the movie. And so I didn't feel as moved asĀ Ā 

15:51

my friends who have been in those circumstances.Ā  All this is to say my circumstances don't alterĀ Ā 

15:56

whether or not the movie is good but itĀ  alters, like, how emotionally connected IĀ Ā 

16:00

am and therefore affects my experience watchingĀ  it and therefore my rating, but if you're justĀ Ā 

16:05

someone scrolling my page, you wouldn't haveĀ  that context. And then I dunno, it makes meĀ Ā 

16:10

feel weird that someone would choose whether orĀ  not to watch a movie based on, like, the stars IĀ Ā 

16:15

gave it and them not knowing the context, I dunno,Ā  I just don't like that responsibility. In short,Ā Ā 

16:21

I don't think a star system can capture allĀ  the nuances of engaging with art. Anyways,Ā Ā 

16:26

that was just an aside, but I was reading JacobĀ  Silverman's 2012 essay "Against Enthusiasm" theĀ Ā 

16:31

other day, which is about how social media hasĀ  killed literary criticism, and I thought it wasĀ Ā 

16:35

really interesting. I highly recommend readingĀ  it. One of the points he made is that sitesĀ Ā 

16:39

like Twitter put you more intimately in contactĀ  with the author, which affects how comfortableĀ Ā 

16:44

you feel talking about their work. SilvermanĀ  chose author Emma Straub as just an example:Ā Ā 

16:51

"Let's say you're assigned a review of Straub'sĀ  book, 'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures.' What ifĀ Ā 

16:57

you don't like it? Would you be willing toĀ  critique Straub's novel after watching herĀ Ā 

17:02

life scroll out on social media over the lastĀ  year; indeed, after likely being the recipientĀ Ā 

17:07

or admirer of some small word or act of kindnessĀ  on Straub's part?" And I think this is so true. IĀ Ā 

17:14

think I'm more hesitant to criticize a friend'sĀ  work publicly, because I don't want whatever IĀ Ā 

17:20

have to say to affect their success, especiallyĀ  because most of my friends are at the startingĀ Ā 

17:24

points of their careers so they don't haveĀ  the kind of staying power that a big director,Ā Ā 

17:29

like Quentin Tarantino, would have in the faceĀ  of negative reviews. And I imagine that peopleĀ Ā 

17:34

who are parasocial towards artists mightĀ  feel a similar pressure to be constantlyĀ Ā 

17:38

uplifting to not mess with that person's bag.Ā  As Chromat-founder Becca McCharen-Tran explains,Ā Ā 

17:45

how it works in the fashion industry, "When weĀ  were trying to sell our collection to buyersĀ Ā 

17:49

like Nordstrom or whoever, they actually reallyĀ  did care about reviews." So, over fashion month,Ā Ā 

17:55

there are a handful of people on Twitter andĀ  TikTok who complain about how front rows areĀ Ā 

17:59

filled with influencers now and, meanwhile,Ā  actual journalists are shoved to the back rows,Ā Ā 

18:04

where they can barely see the collection, and IĀ  understand this is really annoying, especiallyĀ Ā 

18:08

because, if you're a journalist, you're actually,Ā  like... You actually need to cover the collection,Ā Ā 

18:12

so it is very annoying if you can't fully see it.Ā  But the reason this is happening is because theĀ Ā 

18:17

majority of influencers are invited to positivelyĀ  market the brand. Brands know that any influencerĀ Ā 

18:22

they invite is going to gas them up to the moonĀ  and back to their millions of followers, whereas,Ā Ā 

18:27

with a journalist, it's more up in the air theĀ  kind of coverage that the brand would get. So,Ā Ā 

18:31

you know, given that information, like, who areĀ  you going to prioritize? Silverman also notesĀ Ā 

18:36

that social media's liking and favoring systemĀ  itself is pretty anti-criticism. He writes, "TheĀ Ā 

18:42

problem with liking is that it's a critical deadĀ  end, a conversation nonstarter. For every "+1,"Ā Ā 

18:47

"this," or "<3" we offer next to someone's fawningĀ  tweet, a feeling is expressed without saying muchĀ Ā 

18:53

at all." Ultimately, these platforms have led toĀ  a culture of enthusiasm and unconditional support,Ā Ā 

18:58

which is, again, why author Lauren Oyler'sĀ  critique of "Trick Mirror" went so viral in 2020.

19:06

- Um, look.

19:07

- Yes?

19:08

- Didn't you bring your glasses?

19:12

- Criticism also gets a bad reputation, IĀ  think, because a lotta people don't actuallyĀ Ā 

19:18

read professional criticism from professionalĀ  critics. Their exposure to criticism is via,Ā Ā 

19:24

like, TikTok commentary, and unfortunately,Ā  a lot of TikTok commentary is just not good,Ā Ā 

19:30

no shade. And it's just, like, representativeĀ  of a larger trend of low media literacy,Ā Ā 

19:34

and I know that media literacy is, like, a buzzĀ  term these days, but in case you need a refresher,Ā Ā 

19:39

according to dictionary.com, it means "the abilityĀ  or skills to critically analyze for accuracy,Ā Ā 

19:44

credibility, or evidence of bias the contentĀ  created and consumed in various media." ButĀ Ā 

19:48

unfortunately, like, media literacy is a problem.Ā  2019 Pew research survey results revealed thatĀ Ā 

19:54

digital media literacy skills are lacking acrossĀ  all generations across the board, even among GenĀ Ā 

19:59

Z who grew up with technology, Maxine BiseraĀ  reflects on why that is. She writes, for McGillĀ Ā 

20:05

University's student paper, "The Bull & Bear,"Ā  "How have we gotten so bad at critically thinking?Ā Ā 

20:10

I suspect that it's a function of the sheer amountĀ  of information available these days. There isĀ Ā 

20:14

so much content that I really only have time toĀ  skim over the basic premise of a video/article /Ā Ā 

20:19

Instagram infographic before I must keep scrollingĀ  and maximize my media consumption. I'm forced toĀ Ā 

20:24

sort things into a binary just to quickly makeĀ  sense of it. All actions are either good or bad.Ā Ā 

20:29

All opinions are either right or wrong." TheseĀ  social media platforms discourage nuance, and ifĀ Ā 

20:35

you don't like someone's content, you unfollow orĀ  you block them. Associate professor of informationĀ Ā 

20:41

studies Alexis Hiniker says, "All of those thingsĀ  cut off relationships instead of helping peopleĀ Ā 

20:47

repair them or find common ground." Over the pastĀ  year, I've noticed a lot of poor media literacyĀ Ā 

20:52

when it comes to movie reviews in particular; forĀ  example, there was a lot of online discourse aboutĀ Ā 

20:58

"Dune: Part Two" when it first came out. SomeĀ  people were criticizing that the movie was pushingĀ Ā 

21:03

a white savior complex, for instance. If you'reĀ  unfamiliar with Dune, it's this sci-fi multi-bookĀ Ā 

21:09

series, but the two movies that were directedĀ  by Denis Villeneuve focus on the first book,Ā Ā 

21:13

"Dune," which tells the story of Paul Atreides,Ā  who, after a series of unfortunate events, whichĀ Ā 

21:18

is, like, an understatement , flees his home andĀ  seeks refuge among these Indigenous nomadic peopleĀ Ā 

21:23

called the Fremen. The Fremen perceive Paul asĀ  this messiah figure who will lead the revolution.Ā Ā 

21:29

In the second movie, we see Paul internallyĀ  struggle with that responsibility, being torturedĀ Ā 

21:34

by visions of mass death if he rises to his fate.Ā  But then he eventually embraces his messiah role,Ā Ā 

21:40

which, honestly, made me wanna smack him over theĀ  head when I was watching. It's fine. So, yeah,Ā Ā 

21:45

despite Timothee Chalamet's charm and good looks,Ā  we're not supposed to root for Paul. The writerĀ Ā 

21:50

of the books, Frank Herbert, has talked aboutĀ  how Dune is actually a cautionary tale aboutĀ Ā 

21:54

charismatic leaders. In 1979, he said, "The bottomĀ  line of the Dune trilogy is beware of heroes. MuchĀ Ā 

22:01

better to rely on your own judgment and yourĀ  own mistakes." Now, I haven't read the books.Ā Ā 

22:06

That's my disclaimer, but for the most part, theĀ  interpretation of Paul as a white savior fallsĀ Ā 

22:12

pretty flat to me. Maybe somebody out there has aĀ  more compelling argument, but from what I've seen,Ā Ā 

22:17

people who have this take are looking at theĀ  movie very superficially. They see Paul as this,Ā Ā 

22:22

like, naturally talented chosen one and areĀ  understandably uncomfortable seeing theseĀ Ā 

22:27

Indigenous Fremen people worship him, but I feelĀ  like that's where the analysis stops. To be fair,Ā Ā 

22:33

though, this interpretation has been a problemĀ  since the beginning, and it's actually why HerbertĀ Ā 

22:38

ended up writing the sequel, "Dune Messiah," toĀ  emphasize even more that Paul is not a good guy.Ā Ā 

22:44

There's even a comparison to Hitler to furtherĀ  drive home that point. Villeneuve also tookĀ Ā 

22:49

some creative liberties to make it clear inĀ  his movies as well. So, for instance, Chani,Ā Ā 

22:54

who is Fremen and Paul's love interest, is muchĀ  more doting towards Paul in the original books,Ā Ā 

22:59

but in this new movie, she becomes sick of hisĀ  shit, leaves him, and there's an implication thatĀ Ā 

23:05

she'll come back one day to challenge Paul as aĀ  resistance leader. She is the character that we'reĀ Ā 

23:09

supposed to be empathizing with. Dune has a lot ofĀ  shooters though. It's, like, been a series that'sĀ Ā 

23:14

been around for decades. And so anytime someoneĀ  shared this white savior take, I noticed a tonĀ Ā 

23:20

of people jumping on them, but instead of, like,Ā  engaging with these opposing takes, the originalĀ Ā 

23:25

posters mostly fled the scene, and I can't reallyĀ  blame them, because the way that online discourseĀ Ā 

23:30

functions is just not conducive to understanding,Ā  like, anything; like, for instance, I saw so manyĀ Ā 

23:35

people stitching this poor girl's video, all ofĀ  'em saying virtually the same thing, which I'mĀ Ā 

23:40

sure felt like dogpiling in her notifications.Ā  In real life, if you're in a debate, only oneĀ Ā 

23:44

person at a time would challenge your opinion, butĀ  online, you get jumped by tons of people yellingĀ Ā 

23:49

the same thing at you. And so I can understandĀ  wanting to just ignore all of that, which isĀ Ā 

23:54

a shame because it doesn't further any kind ofĀ  understanding. With that said, in general, I'mĀ Ā 

24:00

less interested in people taking the wrong messageĀ  away from movies. I believe there are very fewĀ Ā 

24:04

wrong messages, actually, which is why I'd stillĀ  be open to hearing a Dune-white savior take asĀ Ā 

24:11

long as it makes sense. It was French philosopherĀ  Roland Barthes who wrote about the death of theĀ Ā 

24:18

author, which argues that the meaning of a text isĀ  determined by the reader's interpretation, not theĀ Ā 

24:23

author's intention, and it's this idea that, onceĀ  you share your work, it no longer only belongs toĀ Ā 

24:29

you. And I agree with this theory, so even thoughĀ  I love reading what writers have to say aboutĀ Ā 

24:34

their work, I also love when, like, directors,Ā  like David Lynch, refuse to ever explain anything.

24:41

- Believe it or not, "Eraserhead"Ā  is my most spiritual film.

24:46

- Why? Well, elaborate on that-

24:48

- No, I won't.

24:49

- for a moment.

24:50

- And I also love saying that J. K. RowlingĀ  was incorrect about everything when it comesĀ Ā 

24:54

to Harry Potter. Like, just because she wrote itĀ  doesn't mean she actually knows better than me,Ā Ā 

24:59

and specifically, I remember there was, like,Ā  stuff coming out... I don't know if this isĀ Ā 

25:04

just a joke, but I took it seriously, but peopleĀ  were saying, like, on "Pottermore," apparently,Ā Ā 

25:10

she said that wizards can piss themselvesĀ  and clean it up with a spell or something,Ā Ā 

25:16

like, they didn't need to use bathrooms,Ā  which... Like, put the pen down, please.

25:22

- I was into ghosts, butĀ  they're so mainstream now.

25:29

- A popular anti-criticism argument I see aĀ  lot is the let-people-enjoy-things argument,Ā Ā 

25:35

which is basically the idea that, if you haveĀ  nothing nice to say, don't say it. Most peopleĀ Ā 

25:40

who say this, I notice, are fans of popular media,Ā  like Star Wars or Taylor Swift. I mean it makesĀ Ā 

25:45

sense why everyone would have a take on Star WarsĀ  because popular media is hegemonic. It's literallyĀ Ā 

25:49

everywhere. And so it's an easy target forĀ  discourse. It's a much easier target for discourseĀ Ā 

25:55

than, say, like, I dunno... "Madame Butterfly"?Ā  I feel like even "Madame Butterfly" is, like,Ā Ā 

26:02

pop culture at this point, but you know, asĀ  English professor Joe Darowski says, "Pop cultureĀ Ā 

26:06

is such a force in American culture that it wouldĀ  be strange not to talk about it. The sheer numberĀ Ā 

26:11

of people watching Marvel movies is impressive.Ā  Such movies start to become deeply personal forĀ Ā 

26:15

fans through repeated viewing, cosplay, andĀ  so on. Trying to understand why those moviesĀ Ā 

26:19

are resonating to that degree with audiences isĀ  worthwhile." Highbrow culture, like opera and fineĀ Ā 

26:24

art, are less available to the general public,Ā  especially with, like, how Broadway gatekeeps allĀ Ā 

26:30

its theater recordings, which drives me crazy, butĀ  apparently, there is a library somewhere, like, inĀ Ā 

26:37

the Upper West / Upper East Side that has tapes ofĀ  Broadway shows that you can watch in the library.Ā Ā 

26:45

I haven't gone all the way up there, becauseĀ  it's pretty far from where I live. Anyway, I'mĀ Ā 

26:49

the problem, I guess. Libraries are a resource.Ā  Please, use them . But you know, on the otherĀ Ā 

26:53

hand, way more people are able to engage withĀ  pop culture, and that's why pop culture is suchĀ Ā 

26:57

a good medium for understanding shifting culturalĀ  values and also why a lot of critics love to digĀ Ā 

27:02

their hands into it; for example, "Sex and theĀ  City" was such a revolutionary show in the lateĀ Ā 

27:07

'90s and early 2000s and still is because it daredĀ  to show women in their 30s having sex and openlyĀ Ā 

27:14

talking about it. Just for reference to how PGĀ  most shows were prior, six years earlier, in 1992,Ā Ā 

27:21

"Seinfeld" aired an episode about self-pleasuringĀ  without ever mentioning the word masturbation.

27:28

- My mother caught me.

27:29

- Caught ya? Doing what?

27:31

- You know, I was alone.

27:34

- [Mina] In comparison, vibrators were basically aĀ Ā 

27:39

fifth character in the "SexĀ  and the City" friend group.

27:41

- It's a neck-massager.

27:42

- No, it's a vibrator.

27:45

- And this, like, not only destigmatized theĀ  discussion of female sexuality culturally. It alsoĀ Ā 

27:51

normalized more risque depictions on TV. Also, popĀ  culture can be good sometimes . While consideredĀ Ā 

27:59

highbrow now, William Shakespeare actually wroteĀ  plays the common man could enjoy because, in theĀ Ā 

28:04

16th century, theaters were relatively affordable.Ā  For just one penny, you could come see a play,Ā Ā 

28:09

though you'd have to stand. Something my actingĀ  teacher once told me is that a play is a mediumĀ Ā 

28:14

of words and film is a medium of images. So, allĀ  the grammatical marks written into the script andĀ Ā 

28:20

your vocal ability to project, these are much moreĀ  important factors when you're doing a stage play,Ā Ā 

28:26

and that's by design because plays were writtenĀ  so that, even if an audience member is standingĀ Ā 

28:31

behind a pillar or has a terrible seatĀ  because that's all they could afford,Ā Ā 

28:35

they could still understand the story just fromĀ  hearing the words. Theater used to actually beĀ Ā 

28:40

a much more democratizing art form. At the sameĀ  time, in defense of fans, I'm very aware that aĀ Ā 

28:46

lot of the media people hate on is media enjoyedĀ  by mostly teenage girls. In 1992, Lisa A. LewisĀ Ā 

28:52

observed that "fandom is overwhelmingly associatedĀ  with adolescent childhood, that is, with a stateĀ Ā 

28:57

of arrested development or youth-orientedĀ  nostalgia, not mature adulthood; furthermore,Ā Ā 

29:02

the fan impulse is presented as feminine." AtĀ  the height of the Twilight phenomenon in 2009,Ā Ā 

29:08

comedian Skyler Stone created a really weirdĀ  unfunny stunt in which he tricked TwilightĀ Ā 

29:14

fans into thinking that they were going to seeĀ  an early screening of "New Moon," but insteadĀ Ā 

29:18

of showing them the film, he just, like,Ā  yelled at them about how stupid they were.

29:22

- You are not gonna seeĀ  "Twilight: New Moon" tonight.

29:26

- [Audience Member] Oh no!

29:26

- This is a vampire intervention, since youĀ  clearly have no clue what the a vampire is.

29:34

- Of course, this phenomenon long precededĀ  Twilight, long preceded the 1990s. I wasĀ Ā 

29:39

reading this article about how, in the 1910s,Ā  teenage girls were already being criticized inĀ Ā 

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newspapers and magazines for being too investedĀ  in movies and shamelessly wanting to become movieĀ Ā 

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stars themselves; for example, in 1914, a movieĀ  patron by the name of Elmer Johnson wrote thatĀ Ā 

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"the maiden just turned 17, who will sob right outĀ  loud in the show when the heroic actor displayedĀ Ā 

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on screen saves the girl from the villain," wasĀ  the worst type of picture show pest. This kindĀ Ā 

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of framing was also encouraged by the media so,Ā  like, fan publications, such as "Motion PictureĀ Ā 

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Magazine" and "Photoplay," prompted spectatorsĀ  to take notes on theatergoing audiences thatĀ Ā 

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they would then publish. By 1915, "Photoplay" evenĀ  rewarded the best overheard anecdote reported byĀ Ā 

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a moviegoing reader with a $5 cash prize. As DianaĀ  Anselmo-Sequeira writes, "Such an editorial choiceĀ Ā 

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ultimately bolstered the visibility of girlsĀ  as preeminent film consumers but simultaneouslyĀ Ā 

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encoded young female spectatorship in unrulyĀ  foolishness." And look, the reality was thatĀ Ā 

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all Americans loved film, regardless of class,Ā  gender, or age. Girl fans were just given moreĀ Ā 

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opportunities to showcase that affection and givenĀ  more visibility because of aforementioned reasons,Ā Ā 

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and at the same time, all these men in science,Ā  like Thomas Smith Clouston, Sigmund Freud,Ā Ā 

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and G. Stanley Hall, were warning audiences aboutĀ  teenage-girl-related issues, like hysteria andĀ Ā 

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supernatural possessions . And this all culminatedĀ  into a culture that was more willing to believeĀ Ā 

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that girl fans were a problem. And not that IĀ  think teenage girls even need a logical reasonĀ Ā 

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to like anything, I do wanna point out that manyĀ  girls were drawn to movie stardom because itĀ Ā 

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was one of the only vehicles that allowed womenĀ  professional success and financial independence;Ā Ā 

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for example, in 1916, actress Mary Miles MinterĀ  was introduced as the fairy of filmdom, a starĀ Ā 

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who, at 14, was drawing a salary more than thatĀ  of a United States senator. And that same year,Ā Ā 

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actress Marguerite Clark confessed that, after theĀ  untimely death of her parents, acting allowed herĀ Ā 

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to be self-sufficient. She also advised her girlĀ  fans, "Money means so much to a girl. Money, forĀ Ā 

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a woman, means 1,000 luxuries that're more vitalĀ  to our comfort and enjoyment of life than love."

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- It's one career all females have in common,Ā  whether we like it or not, being a woman.

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- Speaking of women, though, we've entered thisĀ  weird territory now where people, women, women,Ā Ā 

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themselves can become oversaturated as if theyĀ  were a piece of media. Brendon Holder wrote aĀ Ā 

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really great Substack essay earlier this yearĀ  called "The People's Princess & The Trap ofĀ Ā 

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Overexposure." And if you haven't heard theĀ  term people's princess getting Tossed around,Ā Ā 

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it's usually used to describe rising stars soĀ  like Ayo Edebiri, Renee Rapp, and Ice Spice, andĀ Ā 

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the term was originally used to describe Diana,Ā  Princess of Wales, who was well-liked for herĀ Ā 

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authenticity and humbleness, despite being literalĀ  royalty. As Holder writes, "To put it plainly,Ā Ā