| Everything we can't stop loving, hating, and thinking about this week in pop culture.
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Everything we can't stop loving, hating, and thinking about this week in pop culture.
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The Barbie Hype Machine Is Unprecedented |
I remember when the first Harry Potter film came out in 2001. I was [redacted] years old. Weeks ahead of time, a group of friends and I sent one of our parents (probably my dad) to the movie theater (singular) in the county where I grew up to buy advance tickets to the opening-night midnight showing. Most of us liked the Harry Potter books, but we weren't among the wild obsessives you imagine when you hear about Harry Potter fans. Still, we were excited. We made t-shirts. Mine said, "Honk if you're a Potthead." (I had never smoked pot; I thought it was hilarious anyway.) A girlfriend of mine's shirt said, "Show me that 11-inch wand, nice and supple," a reference that several parents did not like to Harry's magical wand in the book. We stood for hours in a line that snaked through the strip mall and into the parking lot, to make sure we could get seats together. I don't think we even took a photo, which would be unheard of now. But in 2001, what were we even going to do with one? MySpace didn't exist yet. There was no thought of memorializing the moment or trading it for online likes and clout. It was just…fun.
I bring this up now, because the current widespread enthusiasm for the Barbie movie reminds me of that experience. Barbie is still two weeks from its July 21 release date, but is seemingly all anyone can talk about.
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Obviously my Harry Potter story is a personal one. Maybe you have a similar memory related to the Twilight films, the Lord of the Rings franchise, a particular Marvel movie, or Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. (OK, that last one might just be me.) It's now a regular occurrence for an "event" release to take over the pop-culture news cycle, sell scores of advanced tickets, and be greeted with people in costume to celebrate. It's at a point, thanks to social media and the rise of memes, where the enthusiasm has morphed into something ironic: the #GentleMinions phenomenon/fiasco, for example. That's why I cherish my Harry Potter moviegoing experience. It was innocent and genuine, and I've loved seeing some of those earnest feelings return in the lead-up to the Barbie movie. It's not that there haven't been other examples of that type of anticipation for a new release. With Barbie, though, it seems to be on a whole other scale. The unrelenting nature of this Barbie press and promo push is particularly remarkable in that, at least anecdotally, people don't seem to be exhausted by or exasperated with it yet. The on-set photos of stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in their fluorescent-colored costumes sparked a curiosity last year that not only hasn't waned, but it also has helped set off a fireworks show of eager giddiness online whenever there's a new trailer, clip, red carpet interview, or announcement about the film's soundtrack. The reaction to an advanced clip of Gosling as Ken interacting with several of the film's Barbies was akin to the viral footage of that time all of San Diego's fireworks went off at once, which resurfaced over the holiday weekend. People loved it. Personally, I don't believe in hyperbole or over-exaggeration. That's why I'll merely say that, based on that 44-second clip, Gosling deserves to win Best Actor at the Oscars, or else the Academy should be legally forced to disband and each voter required to write handwritten letters to every American expressing their shame and begging for forgiveness. Each new stage of this Barbie press tour sets a new bar for what fans who have been following it would expect, and it has yet to disappoint.
Were you expecting great fashion from the Barbie red carpets? Not only does Robbie look spectacular—rescuing what was a not-so-stellar red-carpet reputation, if we're being kind—but each of the ensembles is also meticulously inspired by classic outfits worn by Barbie dolls.
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Did you think that Gosling would obviously be entertaining doing interviews in support of this film? Not only is he handsome and charming, but he is also more handsome and charming than I could have fantasized about. I watched a clip of an interview where he tells the male interviewer that he is "Kenough," and now I am with child. As for stunts: Maybe we should have predicted that someone would build an actual Barbie Dreamhouse in Malibu. Still, we were stunned when someone built an actual Barbie Dreamhouse in Malibu, which can be booked as an Airbnb. (Watch my colleague Fletcher Peters tour it here.) And should anyone be worried that the Barbie hype may not be reaching those who are not terminally online like me, HGTV will be airing Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, where teams compete to makeover a home into a Barbie oasis. Now my parents can join in on the fun. The Barbie pandemonium is most noticeable because the pre-release buzz for the other major, sure-to-be blockbuster being released the same day, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, throws it into sharp relief. It's not just the color scheme: Barbie's all neon pinks, in contrast to Oppenheimer's black-and-white and sepia. It's not just the stereotypical demographics, if we wanted to be reductive: the female-targeting demo of Barbie versus the cinema bros who thirst for Nolan's films. It's that the reaction to the Barbie marketing is so loud in comparison to Oppenheimer that you might forget that the latter film is about the testing of the atomic bomb. (Memes comparing the two films' PR strategies are delightful and also fascinating looks into how movie fans view the film industry.)
Listen, I'm no Ken Doll—for many reasons, including that I'm not delusional enough to ignore that this hoopla is directed tied to capitalist, commercial interests. Barbie is a product owned by a toy company that is expanding its IP into cinema and flooding the field to garner interest in the film. But similar interests controlled the Harry Potter film rollout all those years ago. Two things can be true: the cynical nature of corporatism defining art…and the desire to have fun. Barbie is giving both—and all before any of us has even seen the movie.
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Red White & Royal Opinions |
Sometimes I read a cute little book, see that it's being made into a cute-looking movie, and briefly forget that there is no such thing anymore as merely being "cute." It is the year of Twitter Bluesky Threads 2023. Nothing exists without the accompaniment of the most unpleasant word of our time: discourse. Especially when the cute thing in question is a gay thing. I was reminded of this annoying reality this week, with the release of the trailer for the upcoming romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue, based on the best-selling 2019 novel by Casey McQuiston. (Watch the trailer here.) The book follows Alex, the son of the first female president of the United States, and Prince Henry, who is third in line for the British throne. The pair begin as nemeses, their egos clashing when Alex is sent as the family representative to the Royal Wedding of Henry's older brother. They get into an argument, which leads to a scuffle, which leads to an international incident: They knock over the cake. |
It's over the course of doing diplomatic damage control that Alex and Henry's fiery antagonism becomes fiery flirtation. In a moment of passion, they hook up. They question and come to terms with their respective sexualities. Then they hook up some more, come out to—or, in some cases, are found out by—members of their families, who then grapple with whether to allow the First Son and the Royal Prince to be public as a couple. I read the book in, like, two days while on vacation. I thought it was innocuous and sweet, and I was surprised that there was actual fucking in it. The movie is rated R, indicating there may be fucking in that too. When it comes to queer-themed rom-coms directed at a mainstream audience, we call that progress. Then again, there are all the elements of Red, White & Royal Blue that do not represent progress, hence that word again: discourse.
While the book's author, McQuiston, identifies as queer and non-binary, there are critics who dismiss Red, White & Royal Blue as yet another best-selling book about queer or gay men not written by a queer or gay man. (Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life may be the most egregious example.)
As they did with other recent queer romances like Love, Simon, Happiest Season, and Heartstopper, some members of the LGBTQ community have criticized McQuiston's book as yet another mainstream story that still—and almost solely—focuses on the trauma of coming out of the closet. And, as exemplified by the leads' collective dozen or so abs on display in the RW&RB trailer, this is another example of a story centering the experiences of privileged, extremely hot men. Alex is biracial, so at least it's not solely a privileged, extremely hot, white male experience this time around. Plus, will there be enough fucking? The jury's out!
In any case, here's a sampling of the mixed reactions to the trailer, to give a sense of how polarizing these projects can be. (Me? I'm excited for it!) |
In Praise of the Crowd Favorite |
There was only one thing more thrilling than the return of Hot Steve in this week's episode of And Just Like That. (See below for a still of, finally, his first appearance in Season 2: shirtless, with a killer revenge bod, boxing in his apartment.) That would be the return of my favorite recurring character in the Sex and the City universe, Candice Bergen's now-former Vogue editor Enid Frick. |
There's no greater treat for fans of long-running shows than the periodic arrival of a beloved recurring character: exactly perfect in doses, with actors making a feast out of a snack. Think Janice on Friends, Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace, or Jan on The Office. Enid is the perfect Sex and the City/And Just Like That character, because she's such a foil for Carrie. Coldness and directness is key to her professional success, whereas Carrie's girlishness and effusiveness becomes her trademark. But they share an insecurity that ends up bonding them, to the point that their relationship toggles between frenemy territory, mutual respect, and utter resentment. For all the ways in which they walk on ice around each other, they manage to be the only ones capable of getting each other to see the harsh truths.
Beyond that, Enid is an icon: horny, desperate to retain power, and so jealous in spite of her social status that she wields bitterness like the Upper East Side's most dangerous weapon. Her appearance this week was fantastic and, beyond her wealth, relatable! I won't reveal what happens at the party she throws that Carrie attends in this episode. The last time they were at a soirée together, the infamous "splat!" happened. What they witness this time may be the only thing more shocking.
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Bernadette Peters Can Teach Us a Lot |
Bernadette Peters was a guest on Live With Kelly and Mark this week. Her entrance to the interview should be studied. Watch it here. |
The way she danced, as if no one was watching but all the eyes of the world were on her, isn't just fun or funny. It's spiritual. It's how I want to move through life. Leaving the office on Friday? I'm gonna dance out like Bernadette Peters. Going on a first date? Dancing into the restaurant like Bernie. Arriving to pick up my Taco Bell order? Busting my best B. Pete moves while I enter. It's now my entire personality. I encourage it to be yours, too. |
Important Cinematic Parallels |
If you are a gay who did not clock that Enid's party in this week's And Just Like That took place in the same townhouse where Miranda Priestly lived in The Devil Wears Prada, I am sorry to say that you must now turn in your membership card. GLAAD will be in touch with further instructions. |
More From The Daily Beast's Obsessed | Yes, chefs, there's a lot of food on The Bear. But it means more than you think, so we did a deep-dive into the menu. Read more. Captain Pike on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the best captain in Star Trek history, and we will fight you on that. Read more.
In case, for some sadistic, ill-advised reason, you care to know what happened in the finale of The Idol, we've got you covered. Read more.
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Joy Ride: Exactly the kind of raunchy sex comedy that summers need. (Now in theaters) The Horror of Dolores Roach: Killing people and baking them into empanadas? Mrs. Lovett found shaking. (Now on Prime Video.) - What We Do in the Shadows: In Season 5, this already brilliant comedy somehow gets even funnier. (Thurs. on FX)
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https://elink.thedailybeast.com/oc/620e2783ef724906bc14a5b2j286l.606/e7840655 |
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