How Toxic Masculinity Is Destroying Men (Bust)

In prepping for my talk next week on LGBT Film and Television for my friend Dr. Sally O’Driscoll’s EN 291: Gender & Sexuality in Film & Literature, I started looking up phrases to make sure I use them correctly. One of the terms I researched was Toxic Masculinity. I know what the term means, but I wanted to make sure I had the same definition as the experts. In searching, I discovered a great six minute short film from MTV. From Bust,

In September of 2016, MTV released the short film “American Male,” directed by Michael Rohrbaugh for the Look Different Creator Competition. The film, which spans just over six minutes, features a male protagonist who discusses various gender roles and exposes the vulnerability that comes with trying to obtain the hegemonic ideal. According to sociologist Raewyn Connell, hegemonic masculinity, which can be defined as your quintessential trope of masculinity, is one of the four distinct types of masculinity, however, all types of masculinity (including subordinate, complicit, and marginal) are striving to reach the top hegemonic level. While many different cultures have a different understanding of what is the “ideal man,” generally speaking in the western world, the ideal man is seen as athletic, powerful, tough, dominant, and assertive — oh, and don’t forget white, cis-gender, and heterosexual. We see values of hegemony everywhere, from sports teams to politics, and as “American Male” illustrates: the college campus.

Watch the film on YouTube.

I’ll be posting my presentation for the class next week.

 

Trump Called Roseanne

The first episode of the Roseanne reboot happened this week. Some media outlets are touting the huge ratings win as a sign that liberal Hollywood needs to take heed. There’s several holes in that logic. First, one episode does not make a success. Lots of people love watching a train wreck. The controversy surrounding the new Roseanne – where her character proudly supports Trump pitted against her crazy liberal sister Jackie played by Laurie Metcalf is one of the most calculated moves ever witnessed in regurgitated television content. Roseanne’s real life bat shit crazy opinions have been well documented for decades. And if anyone thinks the Hollywood machine is liberal, they are fools. Hollywood is run the same way everything else is run in this country: by money and greed. The decision to greenlight Roseanne had to do with controversy = profit. Second, no one is acknowledging the collective fan bases for Laurie Metcalf – everyone who loved Lady Bird might want to tune into Roseanne, John Goodman’s Big Lebowski/Treme fan base, and Sara Gilbert’s The Talk fan base. There’s also Sara’s lesbian fans, the show’s depiction of a gender fluid child and just plain nostalgia which could make many tune in to the reboot.

Full disclosure: I’m not watching Roseanne. I don’t want to laugh at Trump. Trump is systematically destroying our democracy. That’s nothing to laugh about. I want to work to get Trump out of office and end this kind of destructive, anarchistic mentality once and for all. We all have to work towards making the world better for everyone, not destroying it so a few rich bastards can have it all.

What bothers me most about this whole entertainment story is the fact that Trump took time out of his day to call Roseanne Barr and congratulate her on the success of her show. A show that praises his ego, an ego as thin as his aging skin. I don’t want a President who ignores his job and spends his time obsessing over who likes him and who doesn’t. I’d feel the same way if Clinton were President and she was more focused on calling Meryl Streep to thank her for her latest pro-female president movie rather than doing her damn job. My advice to Trump: stop your egomaniacal rants and do you damn job.

Read the BBC News article about Trump’s call to Roseanne.

I’ll end with a tweet that sums it all up from Twitter user Willa D:
Willa D
@WillD1am
So POTUS called Roseanne yesterday to congratulate her on her big ratings, but never even bothered to call the families of any of the #parkland victims?

Silver Foxes and My Beautiful Laundrette series (Indiewire)

Indiewire reports that two members of the Golden Girls production team are creating a pilot for a show about gay male seniors called Silver Foxes.

And over on the other side of the pond, a television series is being created based on the 1985 film classic, My Beautiful Laundrette starring Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick).

Both projects sound hopeful. Fingers crossed. Read the full articles on Indiewire:
‘The Golden Girls’ and ‘Gilmore Girls’ Team to Develop Gay Senior Citizen Comedy ‘Silver Foxes’
‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ TV Show in the Works With Kumail Nanjiani to Star and Co-Write

10 Netflix Movies You Need to Watch Before They Expire in April (Decider)

Wondering what to chill to this weekend? Decider focuses on 10 films leaving Netflix by April 1. My number one hands-down choice would be Shawshank Redemption. You may have other favorites on this list. From Decider,

• Apollo 13 (April 1st)
• Caddyshack (April 1st)
• Never Let Me Go (April 1st)
• The Pursuit of Happyness (April 1st)
• The Shawshank Redemption (April 1st)
• Starry Eyes (April 3rd)
• The Prestige (April 21st)
• Exit through the Gift Shop (April 22nd)
• Kung Fu Panda 3 (April 26th)
• Begin Again (April 27th)

See the full article on Decider.
Read Reel Charlie’s review of Shawshank Redemption.

The Interstitium, the Largest Organ We Never Knew We Had (Daily Beast)

It’s not a movie yet, but it will be. For years I’ve wanted to produce a documentary around the amazing dinner parties my friends Mark Owen and Neil Theise host nearly every weekend for their friends in NYC. Aside from the obvious – who cooks in NYC, there’s my friend Mark’s over the top, best meals ever cooking style. And then there’s his husband Neil’s mash-up of science and spirituality – he’s a liver pathologist who practices Judaism, Buddhism, and Shamanism which makes for some trippy dinner conversations. Those of us who’ve been blessed over the years to be a part of these incredible dinners know a fact: these two men don’t discriminate. There’s no A-list at the dinners. Instead guests create a fascinating mixture of old and young, rich and not-so-rich, creative and conventional, gay and straight. It’s just who they are.

Today Neil made front page news as part of a group of scientists who’ve discovered a new organ in the body. From The Daily Beast,

A study published in Scientific Reports on Tuesday suggests that a previously unknown organ has been found in the human body.

More astonishingly, the paper puts forth the idea that this new organ is the largest by volume among all 80 organs—if what the researchers found is, in fact, an organ.

How could what’s being termed as the largest organ in our body escape notice for so long? A dogged trio of researchers stumbled upon it—despite the fact that they argue it’s a crucial part of our bodies and been there all along, right in front of us. It’s an astounding find—but not without controversy.

I’m so honored to call Neil and Mark my dear friends. Their love and friendship means so much to me. I’m thrilled for Neil’s acknowledgement today of his accomplishments. He’s worked so hard his entire life. Check out some of Neil’s videos on YouTube where his science and spirituality intersects.

Discover a world of recipes from Mark’s Urban Food Guy blog.
And remember nothing beats good friends and good food. It’s one of life’s greatest gifts.

 

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami – Extended trailer

The new Grace Jones documentary, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami got an extended trailer release from Kino Lorber. Watch it on YouTube.

From Kino Lorber,

Coming to North American theaters starting April 13: bit.ly/gracedates

This electrifying journey through the public and private worlds of pop culture mega-icon Grace Jones contrasts musical sequences with intimate personal footage, all the while brimming with Jones’s bold aesthetic. A larger-than-life entertainer, an androgynous glam-pop diva, an unpredictable media presence – Grace Jones is all these things and more. Sophie Fiennes’s documentary goes beyond the traditional music biography, offering a portrait as stylish and unconventional as its subject. Taking us home with her to Jamaica, into the studio with long-time collaborators Sly & Robbie, and backstage at gigs around the world, the film reveals Jones as lover, daughter, mother, and businesswoman. But the stage is the fixed point to which the film returns, with eye-popping performances of “Slave to the Rhythm,” “Pull Up to the Bumper,” “Love is the Drug,” and more. Jones herself has said watching the film “will be like seeing me almost naked” and, indeed, Fiennes’s treatment is every bit as definition-defying as its subject, untamed by either age or life itself.

The Big Family Cooking Showdown

Netflix imported another British food competition show. This one, The Big Family Cooking Showdown pits one family against another cooking in the studio as well as preparing a meal in their home for the judges. One of its hosts is Great British Baking Show winner Nadiya Hussain along with television personality Zoë Ball, and judged by chef Giorgio Locatelli and cookery teacher Rosemary Shrager. It’s a sweet show. The families are endearing. It’s full of love and camaraderie. I just don’t think I need to keep watching it. 3 out of 5.

Seven Seconds

I watched the first three episodes of Seven Seconds, the new Netflix series about an African-American child who is accidentally killed by a white police officer. This happens in the first few minutes of the series, so it’s set-up, not spoiler alert. There’s been buzz over Seven Seconds from co-workers, neighbors, and family so I watched one episode on the train going to Philly last week and two more with my niece Lauren during the snowstorm. I wanted to love Seven Seconds, but I found it flat. The family affected by the death worked well. The police officers not so much. They read stereotypical and too many scenes took the easy way out producing simple instead of complicated plots. Too bad, I really like Regina and King and Raul Castillo (Looking). 2 out of 5. Next.

A Simple Matter of Justice

The documentary A Simple Matter of Justice chronicles the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights. Yes I was there. Yes, it was 25 years ago. Yes, it’s now a history lesson. I found the doc on Kanopy and had it in my queue for a few months. After reading about the March for Our Lives protest yesterday, I kept remembering my first national march and how much it meant to me. I marched with friends from my hometown, friends from my Atlanta years, my boyfriend Dennis who is still my best friend, and many friends from New York City. The weekend was spectacular and one of the best in my life. I’m sure the folks who attended yesterday’s march will feel the same in years to come. It’s a rare and wonderful feeling to be a part of something that shifts the consciousness of our culture. A Simple Matter of Justice samples nearly every part of the weekend. The fashions still look a bit late 80’s and the talking heads look so young – Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Melissa Etheridge, Martina Navratilova, Lea Delaria, RuPaul, Ian McKellan, and others sound a battle cry that takes us from 1993 to the present. Many things have changed for the better but the LGBTQ community continues to fight for full and equal rights. The documentary clocks in just under an hour presenting film footage by topic. The result becomes more primary source material than art documentary, but the sentiment remains. 4 out of 5 for this important chronicle of a civil rights march in Washington for LGBTQ rights.

Leaving Facebook

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