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How to Know if a Girl Likes You
Easy ways to tell if she likes you as more than a friend (and what you can do about it)She glances your way, laughs at your jokes, and acts nervously around you. Youare not sure if sheas flirting, being friendly, or is simply uninterested. Whether youave had a crush on a girl for ages and are dying to know if the feeling is mutual or you just want to know if she likes you for curiosityas sake, weall help you out. We consulted our dating experts to bring you 25 foolproof signs that a girl likes you.
How to Persevere
What's the key to perseverance? Putting one foot in front of the other will get you the finish line, but there are tools you can use to help you face down challenges, meet your goals and truly enjoy the process, rather than just getting by. Banishing self-doubt, living by your values and nourishing your spiritual side are just a few ways you can strengthen your resolve to keep moving forward.
How to Choose the Right Car for You
Buying a new car is an exciting event, but the range of options can be intimidating. Research cars and local dealerships to start narrowing things down. Consider your budget and look at affordable options that suit your lifestyle. Decide what size of car you want based on your family situation and transport needs.
How to Flirty Knock Knock Jokes
Do you want to impress a crush or that special someone with your amazing sense of humor? Why not tell a good old-fashioned knock-knock joke to let them know how you feel? Knock-knock jokes make you sound funny and sincere at the same time, so theyare a perfect way to break the ice or flirt. You donat have to worry about thinking of the perfect joke because weave got you covered! Keep reading for cheesy, goofy, and romantic knock-knock jokes no matter what stage you are in your relationship.
How to Delete an App on Samsung TV
Remove unwanted apps from your Samsung TV with this easy guide If your Samsung Smart TV is slowing down, you can delete unused apps to free up some space. Keep in mind that you can't remove preinstalled apps. Here's how to remove and delete an app on a Samsung TV.
How to Make Your Fingernails Look Good
Maintain healthy, beautiful nails with our easy-to-follow tips and tricksHangnails, torn nails, and nail ridgesaoh my! With so many things that can make our nails look a little, wella| unkempt, itas a wonder that nail care isnat a full time job. Fortunately, keeping your nails in tip top shape is easy, and all it requires is the right products and a little know-how. Keep reading to learn the best ways to care for your nails, as well as which foods to go for to strengthen your nails from the inside out.
How to Know if You Are Ready for a Relationship
It can be hard to know if you're prepared and ready for a real and serious relationship. It's even harder if you just broke up with your ex, or are just starting dating. It is important to make sure you truly are ready before entering into a serious romantic relationship.
How to Develop Personality
Developing your personality starts with understanding yourself. Evaluate what traits you see in yourself, and what you want to improve. Identify and focus on the positive personality traits that strengthen your confidence, openness, perseverance, kindness, and humility. On the flipside, it's important to know what traits won't get you the results you want. Ultimately, each person's personality is their own, and there is no one way to have a happier or more attractive personality. By understanding more about yourself, you can let your positive qualities shine through.
How to Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin
Learn how to love and accept yourself as you are If you find yourself feeling insecure in some situations, you're not alone. Everyone has times when they don't feel comfortable in their own skin. We're here to help you minimize that feeling so you can be more comfortable and confident. Learning to love yourself for who you are and appreciating all the wonderful qualities that make you, you is a great start. Keep reading for expert-backed advice.This article is based on an interview with our executive life coach, Guy Reichard, founder of HeartRich Coaching & Trainin.
How to Write a Book
Anyone with a story to tell can write a book, either for their own enjoyment or to publish for all to see. Getting started is often the hardest part, so set up a good workspace, create a regular writing schedule, and stay motivated to keep writing something every day. Focus on developing a abig ideaa that drives your narrative, as well as at least one unforgettable character and realistic conflicts. Once youave written and revised your manuscript, consider your publishing options to get it into readersa hands.
How to 0404 Angel Number
What 0404 says about your relationships, career, and more Youave probably been seeing the number 0404 as you go about your dayaon the clock, highway signs, and seemingly everywhere else. It may be an angel number, or a coded message from your guardian angel (or the universe) urging you to make certain changes. We talked to numerologists and life coaches to help you decode the meaning of angel number 0404, and decipher what it means for your relationships, career, manifestation, and more.
How to Make Your Heart Feel Happy
Are you looking for a way to put yourself in a good mood and chase that warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart? Happiness makes you feel so fulfilled, and there are tons of easy things you can do each day to help you chase that feeling. It all starts with becoming aware of the people, places, and things that bring you joy, and then incorporating moments when you access those people, places, or things daily. Keep reading for all the best ways you can add a little boost of happiness to your day!This article is based on an interview with our clinical psychologist, Sirvart Mesrobian.
How to Talk to Girls Online
You want to impress a girl online and show her how awesome you are, but you're not sure how exactly to start the conversation or what things to talk about. You're not alone! Talking to girls online can feel perplexing, but it's surprisingly easy. If you're looking for chatting tips, tricks, and examples, you've come to the right place. We've answered some of your top questions about talking to girls online so that you can be ready the next time you want to strike up a conversation with a girl you like.
How to Bird in House Meaning
Discover if a bird flying into your home is a good or bad omen Many people believe that birds symbolize freedom, hope, and new beginnings, and seeing one fly into your home could hold deep meanings for your life, such as encouraging you to make a change or follow your intuition. In this article, weall uncover all the different meanings of a bird flying into your home, including what different species symbolize across the world.
How to Show Integrity
Integrity comes in many different forms, and there are lots of ways to show it both in everyday life and at work. Doing things like being accountable for your mistakes, accepting helpful criticism, and following through on your commitments will help you show integrity in everything you do. To show integrity with others, though, you will also have to develop personal integrity, which means treating yourself with respect and establishing considerate habits that you'll be able to show to others.
How to Bright Spot on Phone Screen
Diagnose why your phone's display has an annoying white spot If your phone has developed a bright or white spot on the screen, you are likely wondering how to fix it. This could happen to any phone, be it an iPhone or Android, but the troubleshooting steps are the same. Keep reading to learn why you might have a bright spot on your screen and how you can fix it.
How to What Should I Talk About with My Girlfriend
Bond with your partner over these interesting conversation-startersAlthough conversations and communication are important for a relationship, itas not uncommon to run out of things to talk about with your girlfriend. Open the conversation with lighthearted questions about her interests, hobbies, or opinions, then dive into deeper and more vulnerable questions when you both feel comfortable. Letas dive in!
How to Does He Like Me Quiz
Some guys can feel like a total mystery. How can you figure out if he likes you as just a friendaor if he wants something more? When you pay close attention, you might start to find that his actions reveal all his secret feelings. So, does he have a crush? Weare here to help you solve the mystery. To crack the code, take our quiz!
How to Confuse a Narcissist
If someone in your life is egotistical, lacks empathy, and has an inflated sense of self, you may consider them to be narcissistic. It's important to note, though, that just because someone displays narcissistic tendencies, it doesn't mean they have Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). NPD can only be diagnosed by a licensed therapist, and not everyone with NPD is manipulative or abusive. If the person in your life is controlling, toxic, and calculating, it may seem like a challenge to outsmart them, but you can put them in their place by setting boundaries and taking away their ability to manipulate you. We're here to help you confuse and disarm them with this psychology-backed guide.
How to Exercise an Open Mind
If you want to become open to different ideas, beliefs, and backgrounds, you're in luck! There plenty of fun, simple ways to exercise an open mind. Try new things and meet new people whenever you can, and work on listening more than you talk. Everyone has preconceived notions, so challenge your beliefs, and do your best to notice when you make assumptions. The more you practice, the easier it'll be to relate to people from all walks of life.
How to Candle Wax Reading
Unlock the hidden secrets of reading candle wax Candle divination, or ceromancy, is a time-honored scrying method that can offer insight into your energies or even tell you the status of a recent spell. All you need to perform your own wax divination is a candle, a match, and an open mind. We interviewed expert spiritual life coaches to compile a simple guide to reading and scrying candle wax, including how to interpret wax patterns and how to perform a wax reading.
How to Have a Sense of Humor
A sense of humor can be a person's greatest asset. This skill can help you interact easily with others, improve your health, and even help diffuse difficult situations. What's not often understood is that you don't have to be funny to have a sense of humor, you just have to learn to see the lighter side of things.
How to Vegan Meal Prep
Level up your meal prep game with these nutritious and delicious vegan dishes These healthy and delicious vegan meal prep recipes are perfect to prepare the weekend before you enjoy them. From quick and easy breakfasts to luscious lunches and delightful desserts, these make-ahead meals can satisfy all your cravings during busy days. Stick half the recipe in the fridge for the beginning of the week and the other half in the freezer to enjoy during the last half. Or if you're too busy for meal prep at-home, services like Purple Carrot take all the work off your plate. Let's dive in!
How to Be Stylish
If shopping for new clothes and putting together stylish outfits always feels like a struggle, youare definitely not alone. Being fashionable can feel so complicated sometimes, but it doesnat have to be! There are actually some simple, basic steps you can take to transform your wardrobe and personal style so you look effortlessly stylish every day. Check out the tips weave put together below to learn how you can get started.
How to Retain Knowledge
Retaining knowledge is important for success at school and in the workplace. While thereas no set rule for how much people will forget over a given amount of time, everyone will sometimes struggle to remember important information. However, itas possible to strengthen memorization skills and ensure that important knowledge is retained.
How to Stop Being Stubborn
Let's be real, we can all be a little stubborn sometimes. Standing your ground can actually be a good thing, but if it feels like you're never willing to compromise or back down, you might be wanting to change. If you're not sure how, don't worry! We've put together some easy, practical tips to help you stop being stubborn.
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CDC warns of extreme heat dangers amid arecord-breaking high temperaturesa
Many regions across the U.S. experienced arecord-breaking high temperatures" in 2023 due to extreme heat, according to the CDC. Experts share risk factors and safety tips.
World Health Organization approves updated cholera vaccine to combat surge in cases
The World Health Organization has approved a new version of a cholera vaccine that could help address a surge in cases that has depleted the global vaccine stockpile.
Utah mom fights for her daughteras access to discontinued diabetes medication: aLife-saving'
A Utah mother is fighting for her teen daughteras access to diabetes medicine after it was discontinued. Alison Smart, plus other parents and medical experts, discussed the risks and options.
World Health Organization, experts reach landmark agreement on how to define airborne diseases
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have established a consensus on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, officials said.
Having trouble sleeping? It could be for this surprising reason, experts say
What you eat can have an impact on your sleep. Two sleep experts shared foods that promote sleep, foods to avoid, and how to know if your dietary choices are keeping you up at night.
Study finds evidence of microplastics in brains and other organs
Two recently-published studies investigated how microplastics can find their way inside the organs of both humans and mice, and what the potential impact can be.
'Forever chemicals' found in US drinking water, map shows 'hot spots' of highest levels
A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience on April 8 found that higher amounts of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) were found in drinking water in certain parts of the U.S.
The girl who can't smile, plus 'Ozempic babies' and sleep-related disorders
The Fox News Health Newsletter brings you trending and important stories about health warnings, drug shortages, mental health issues and more in this weekly recap.
6 energy boosters to help beat the midday slump, from a nutrition expert
Dr. Christopher Rhodes, a nutritional biologist in California, shared six tips for keeping energy levels high throughout the day and beating the midday slump.
Lack of sleep could be a factor in a 'silent epidemic,' experts warn
Lack of sleep can lead to what some experts call the asilent epidemic" a a little-known condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Here's what experts want you to know.
Drinking 100% orange juice is linked to surprising health benefits, study finds
A study by Toronto Metropolitan University researched the effects of drinking 100% orange juice vs. sugar-sweetened orange beverages on appetite, food intake and glycemic response in adults.
The girl who canat smile: How a rare disorder became a young woman's agreatest gifta
Tayla Clement, 26, was born with a rare disorder that made it impossible to smile a but she says she is grateful for it. Clement shared her experience with Fox News Digital.
Ozempic babies: Women claim weight-loss drugs are making them more fertile and experts agree
Women taking weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are reporting unexpected pregnancies. Drs. Rachel McConnell and Angela Fitch said these medications could boost fertility.
Ask a doc: aHow can I improve my posture?a
Fox News Digital spoke with Dr. Arthur L. Jenkins, III, board-certified neurosurgeon and founder of Jenkins NeuroSpine in New York City, about the importance of good posture and how to achieve it.
Less than half of Americans say they get enough sleep, new poll shows
A Gallup poll on sleep found that about a quarter of Americans said they got eight or more hours of sleep per night and about a fifth said they got five hours or less.
Fake Botox claims, puberty blocker dangers and more led top Health news this week
This weekend, check out some of the top stories of the week in Health that you may have missed, or have been meaning to check out a and get fully prepped for the week ahead.
Unique therapy helps some young people with autism interact better with others
A New York speech pathologist is using improvisational theater, better known as aimprov," to help young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop their social skills.
Some breast cancer patients could be at risk of another type of cancer, study reveals
A new study found that women with breast cancer who have received chemotherapy are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Epic Research experts and other physicians commented.
CDC investigating fake Botox injections: aSerious and sometimes fatala
The CDC is investigating reports of "fake Botox" causing botulism-like illnesses in several states. Experts weigh in on the risks and offer safety tips.
Georgia health officials link third measles case to unvaccinated international traveler
Georgia health officials have confirmed a third case of measles linked to an individual who does not live in the U.S. and had traveled internationally with a group of students.
First-ever augmented reality abdominal surgery performed in Chile: 'A revolution'
The first-ever augmented reality (AR) abdominal surgery was performed by Dr. Alberto Rodriguez in Chile. The surgeon gave details about the tech; an AI health expert also shared pros and cons.
Puberty blockers could cause long-term fertility and health issues for boys, study finds: 'May be permanent'
Puberty blockers have been shown to cause long-term fertility and other problems in boys, according to a preprint study from Mayo Clinic. Doctors revealed insights on the risks.
Eye injuries after solar eclipse surge following phenomenon
A number of people sought medical treatment for their eyes following Monday's solar eclipse, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat tells Fox News Digital, while Google searched also spiked.
Retirement and loneliness: 3 tips for seniors to combat sadness during their golden years
More than one-third of older adults feel lonely at least once a week, studies show. Experts warn of the dangers of senior loneliness and how to mitigate the risks.
Pregnancy speeds up aging process for young women, says study: aRemarkable findinga
Research from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that women who had been pregnant in the past looked abiologically older" than those who had never carried a child.
"You Talking To Me? Well I'm The Only SteelBook Here" - Scorsese's 'Taxi Driver' Returns For a new 4K UHD Release June 25th
At long last, Martin Scorsese's iconic "Taxi Driver" is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in a solo SteelBook release June 25th. Long sought after by fans, the film has been kept as part of the Columbia Classics Vol 2 4K set. Now fans who only want the one film can pick it up at a better price point complete with fancy SteelBook packaging too!
Here's our 4K UHD Blu-ray review from 2021
Doing a quick lookover of the press release, it doesn't appear that anything new has been added (or removed for that matter). You're still getting Dolby Vision HDR, with DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 1.0 audio, and what looks to be a list of the same extra features which isn't a bad thing at all since this disc was fantastic. Now those who held out hope for a solo release can jump on this one without having to buy five other films with it!
Taxi Driver - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook
So far, this disc isn't up for pre-order yet but we expect that to change soon and we'll update listings ASAP. Here's all the gory details:
SYNOPSIS Winner of the prestigious Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival (1976) and nominated for 4 Academy Awards® including Best Picture (1976), TAXI DRIVER stars Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's classic film of a psychotic New York cabbie driven to violence by loneliness and desperation. Co-starring Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle and Cybill Shepherd.
DISC DETAILS AND BONUS MATERIALS 4K ULTRA HD DISC
Restored from the original camera negative, presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
English 5.1 + mono
Special Features:
Making Taxi Driver Documentary
Storyboard to Film Comparisons with Martin Scorsese Introduction
Animated Photo Galleries
20th Anniversary Re-Release Trailer
BLU-RAY DISC
Feature presented in high definition, sourced from the 4K master
English 5.1
Special Features:
40-Minute Taxi Driver Q&A featuring Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster and Many More Recorded Live at the Beacon Theatre in New York City at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival
Commentary with Director Martin Scorsese and Writer Paul Schrader Recorded by the Criterion Collection
Commentaries by Writer Paul Schrader and by Professor Robert Kolker
Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver
Influence and Appreciation: A Martin Scorsese Tribute
Producing Taxi Driver
God’s Lonely Man
Taxi Driver Stories
Travis’ New York
Travis’ New York Locations
Theatrical Trailer
Neon Conceives The U.S. Blu-ray Release of 'Immaculate' Starring Sydney Sweeney June 11 German 4K Mediabook July 18
Neon's latest horror effortImmaculate from director Michael Mohan will birth its first domestic Blu-ray release on June 11th. Those who have moved on to digital streaming collecting will be able to pick up the film today, April 16th. 4K UHD collectors can look to import from Capelight in Germany.
BetweenThe First OmenandImmaculate- 2024 has been one hell of a devilishly delicious year for religiously-themed female body horror films. Given recent legal events of the past couple of years in the U.S., the timing of these films couldn't be more perfect - and they'reboth actually pretty damn good! Now if we can getLate Night with the Devilon disc soon, we can have a devilishly great triple feature for the collections. Taking a page from Italian Giallo and Nunsploitation classics,Immaculateenjoyed a successful theatrical run and is ready to take over your home video collection. Neon hasn't been bountiful about the disc details of A/V specs or bonus features, but we have a firm street date and it's up for pre-order right now!
Immaculate - Blu-ray
Now for all those asking, "Where's the 4K, where's the 4K?" - well, right now you're going to have to import that. Thanks to Germany's Capelight Pictures. A two-disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray Mediabook; this edition is set to offer Dolby Vision HDR (and HDR10), DTS-HD MA 5.1 in German and English language tracks. Capelight hasn't yet listed any bonus features yet either. For fans who don't want to wait for a 4K to maybe, hopefully, possibly get a 4K release here stateside, importing looks to be the best way to go. So far, no other foreign territories have offered up a 4K disc release, but that could change. We'll keep an eye out.
Immaculate - 4K UHD Mediabook (German Import)
Both of these releases are now up for pre-order. As soon as we get updated info for either of these releases or if another import release enters the market, we'll update listings ASAP - Happy collecting!
Take Those Old DVDs Off The Shelf - Criterion Announces July 2024 Blu-ray and 4K UHD Titles
The Criterion Collection's July's wave of 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray titles include Glauber Rocha's western Black God, White Devil on Blu-ray only; Wim Wenders' drama Perfect Days; Sam Peckinpah's western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid; Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine; and Paul Brickman's classic Risky Business starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay - all arriving on both formats.
Not only that, there is a 4K upgrade of Jean-Pierre Melville's classic, Le samouraï.
First up on July 2 comes Sam Peckinpah's western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - arriving on 4K UHD Blu-ray as well as Blu-ray.
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Sam Peckinpah’s cycle of genre-redefining westerns came to a close with this blood- and dust-caked elegy for the American West, which marries his renegade style with a fatalistic sense of finality. As newly minted lawman Pat Garrett (James Coburn) stalks the outlaw Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson) across the plains, their old friendship is twisted into rivalry, and mythic ideals of freedom come up against an emerging ruling-class order—all to the strains of a haunting soundtrack by Bob Dylan (who also appears as the mercurial Alias). Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid—presented here for the first time in three separate versions—stands as perhaps the maverick auteur’s richest, most mature work, a world-weary ballad that bears the solemn weight of history passing into legend.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration of the 50th Anniversary Release, supervised by editors Paul Seydor and Roger Spottiswoode, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
New 4K digital restoration of the Original Theatrical Release, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Audio commentary for the 50th Anniversary Release featuring Seydor, Spottiswoode, and critic Michael Sragow
Two 4K UHD discs of the films presented in Dolby Vision HDR and two Blu-rays with the films and special features
New 2K digital master of director Sam Peckinpah’s Final Preview Cut, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Dylan in Durango, a new interview with author Clinton Heylin about the film’s soundtrack
Passion & Poetry: Peckinpah’s Last Western, a new program about the making of the film
Archival interview with actor James Coburn
Trailer and TV spots
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author Steve Erickson
The week after that on July 9, Jean-Pierre Melville's Le samouraïwill be getting its long-awaited 4K UHD Blu-ray debut.
Le samouraï - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays Jef Costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts. After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, Jef finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armor of fedora and trench coat can protect him. An elegantly stylized masterpiece of cool by maverick director Jean?Pierre Melville, Le samouraï is a razor-sharp cocktail of 1940s American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop culture—with a liberal dose of Japanese lone-warrior mythology.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Interviews with Rui Nogueira, editor of Melville on Melville, and Ginette Vincendeau, author of Jean-Pierre Melville: An American in Paris
Interviews with Melville and actors Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon, and Cathy Rosier
Melville-Delon: D’honneur et de nuit (2011), a short documentary exploring the friendship between the director and the actor and their iconic collaboration on Le samouraï
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by film scholar David Thomson, an appreciation by filmmaker John Woo, and excerpts from Melville on Melville
New cover by Polly Dedman
Then a Blu-ray of Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil will be hitting stores on July 16.
Black God, White Devil - The Criterion Collection
Myth, mysticism, and revolution collide in a blistering existential western from Glauber Rocha, the father of Brazil’s socially committed Cinema Novo movement. After killing his swindling boss, ranch hand Manoel (Geraldo Del Rey) goes on the run with his wife, Rosa (Yona? Magalha?es). In the stark hinterlands, they join forces with armed bandits and pledge allegiance to a self-styled holy man who preaches revolt against rich landowners while perpetrating unspeakable acts of violence against the innocent. Suffused with antiauthoritarian fervor and the intensity of life in the desert, this landmark work of radical cinema is a scorched-earth allegory about mindless fanaticism and the allure of dead-end ideologies.
TWO-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Audio commentary by restoration producer Lino Meireles
New interview with film scholar Richard Peña
Glauber the Movie, Labyrinth of Brazil (2003), a documentary on director Glauber Rocha
Cinema Novo (2016), a documentary on the Brazilian film movement
Memória do cangaço (1964), a short documentary on the origins of cangaço, a form of social banditry in northeastern Brazil
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by film scholar Fábio Andrade
New cover based on the original poster by Rogério Duarte
Also on July 16, Wim Wenders' Perfect Days will be available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray.
Perfect Days - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
A perfect song that hits at just the right moment, the play of sunlight through leaves, a fleeting moment of human connection in a vast metropolis: the wonders of everyday life come into breathtaking focus in this profoundly moving film by Wim Wenders. In a radiant, Cannes-award-winning performance of few words but extraordinary expressiveness, Koji Yakusho plays a public-toilet cleaner in Tokyo whose rich inner world is gradually revealed through his small exchanges with those around him and with the city itself. Channeling his idol Yasujiro Ozu, Wenders crafts a serenely minimalist ode to the miracle that is the here and now.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
4K digital master, approved by director Wim Wenders, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
New interview with Wenders
Interview with actor Koji Yakusho
Some Body Comes into the Light (2023), a short by Wenders, featuring a new introduction by the director
Interview with producer Koji Yanai, founder of the Tokyo Toilet project
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri
New cover by Michael Boland
Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine will be available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on July 23.
Farewell My Concubine - The Criterion Collection 4K UHD Ultra HD Blu-ray
A breathtakingly intimate romance unfolds against a sweeping backdrop of social upheaval in renowned director Chen Kaige’s sumptuous saga of passion, fate, and the transcendent possibilities of art. Spanning fifty years of twentieth-century Chinese history, Farewell My Concubine follows aspiring actors Dieyi (a heartbreaking Leslie Cheung) and Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) as they emerge from a childhood of brutal training to become Beijing-opera stars, with life mirroring art as Dieyi’s unrequited love for Xiaolou and the country’s changing political tides engulf them in their own personal tragedies of jealousy and betrayal. The first Chinese film to win the Palme d’Or is epic filmmaking of the highest order—visually and emotionally ravishing from frame to exquisite frame.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration of the original director’s cut, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
New conversation between Chinese-cultural-studies scholar Michael Berry and producer Janet Yang
Documentary from 2003 on the making of the film
Interview from 1993 with director Chen Kaige conducted by journalist Charlie Rose
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by author and scholar Pauline Chen
New cover by Eric Skillman
And finally the film that launched Tom Cruise into super-stardom, Paul Brickman's Risky Business will hit stores on 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on the same date.
Risky Business - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
A sly piece of pop subversion, this irresistible satire of Reagan-era materialism features Tom Cruise in his star-is-born breakthrough as a Chicago suburban prepster whose college-bound life spirals out of control when his parents go out of town for the week and an enterprising call girl (Rebecca De Mornay) invites him to walk on the wild side. While Cruise boogying in his briefs yielded one of the most iconic pop-cultural moments of the 1980s, it is the film’s unexpected mix of tender romance (enhanced by a moody synth score by Tangerine Dream) and sharp-witted capitalist critique that remains fresh and daring.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restorations of the director’s cut and the original theatrical release, supervised and approved by director Paul Brickman and producer Jon Avnet, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Audio commentary for the original theatrical release featuring Brickman, Avnet, and actor Tom Cruise
New interviews with Avnet and casting director Nancy Klopper
New conversation between editor Richard Chew and film historian Bobbie O’Steen
The Dream Is Always the Same: The Story of “Risky Business,” a program featuring interviews with Brickman, Avnet, cast members, and others
Screen tests with Cruise and actor Rebecca De Mornay
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by film curator and critic Dave Kehr
New cover illustration by Jeremy Enecio
Pre-orders for The Criterion Collection's July releases should be available soon!
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Selena Quintanilla Deserves to Be Celebrated This Year - Not Exploited
Fifty-three years ago today, the world was blessed with the birth of Selena Quintanilla-PA(c)rez, who became an eternal icon in Latin pop culture and music. Selena blazed a trail for the mAosica Mexicana explosion that we're seeing today and the Latina pop stars who have followed in her footsteps. Her impact is often minimized in comparison to the circumstances of her tragic death. However, her music - and how she bridged the gap between her Mexican and American identities - continue to resonate with new generations of Latine fans.
Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971, and grew up in Corpus Christi, TX. She was an Aries, a sign often described as "passionate, brave, and headstrong." Indeed of conforming with the mAosica Mexicana artists of the time, she paved the way for herself by proudly embracing her Chicana identity. With influences like Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Jody Watley, and Gloria Estefan, Selena pushed Tejano music forward and made the genre fresh and palatable for listeners beyond Texas. Into the late eighties, the singer became the top Tejano artist in a genre that men previously dominated. At the Tejano Music Awards, she won best female vocalist and female entertainer of the year for 12 years straight.
After conquering Texas, Selena was ready to take on the world, and she signed with the label Latin EMI in 1989. From there, she released the most iconic albums of her career, including 1990's "Ven Conmigo," 1992's "Entre a Mi Mundo," and 1993's "Selena Live!," which earned her a Grammy award at the 1994 ceremony. She also became the female Tejano artist to win in the Best Mexican/American Album category.
That year, she released the last album of her lifetime, "Amor Prohibido." The LP yielded four No. 1 hits on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. Soon after, she made history as the first Tejano artist to reach the summit of Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart.
On March 31, 1995, while Selena was preparing her first English-language album, she was tragically murdered at the age of 23 by Yolanda SaldAvar, a close friend of Selena's who ran her fan club. Since then, Selena's family, including her father and manager Abraham Quintanilla, have kept her memory alive through several posthumous projects. In July 1995, the album "Dreaming of You" was released, which included her English classics like the beautiful title track and the haunting "I Could Fall in Love With You." After her death, Selena continued to make history with the first Latin album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 1997, her family authorized the "Selena" biopic, which featured Jennifer Lopez in the star-making role. Through the endearing movie, the world fell in love with Selena and saw how she was just like any other Mexican American trying to find her place between worlds. It's a story that still resonates with Latine folks in the US today.
It's important to note that Selena's music and image belong to her family, and they have a right to celebrate her legacy as they please. In the following years, Selena's family hosted memorial concerts like Selena A!Vive! in 2005 and Fiesta de la Flor in Corpus Christi, where her fans could unite in her honor. There was the Mirador de la Flor monument of Selena in Corpus Christi and a Netflix series later followed. There were also brand deals that Selena's fan base loved. In 2016, MAC worked closely on a Selena makeup line with her sister, Suzette Quintanilla. Due to a high demand for cosmetics, MAC released a second capsule collection in 2020.
While these are great ways to give back to the fans who are keeping her memory alive, Selena's family has also been criticized for cash-grab moments that fans perceived as disrespectful to Selena. For example, in 2022, the family released the remix album "Moonchild Mixes," in which Selena's voice as a child was manipulated through studio technology to sound older. Amidst the discussions of the ethics of creating a project in her name in that way, the L.A. Times' Fidel Martinez called it a "Selena robot album."
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Thanks to the barriers Selena broke down for Latinas, Mexican Americans, and Mexican culture, her fan base has continued to grow exponentially nearly 30 years after her death. As a Mexican American myself, I've also found solace in her music as a gay man. Her songs like "Como La Flor" and "Amor Prohibido," which detail forbidden romances, have become anthems for the LGBTQ+ community. While promoting "Moonchild Mixes," I interviewed Abraham and Suzette Quintanilla. As much as it was an honor for me to talk with the family of an icon who has meant so much to me, I was a little disappointed when they appeared to brush off my question about Selena's connection to her queer fans by changing the subject about how she connected with "everyone." With Selena's music being performed by drag queens and recently on "Drag Race MA(c)xico," her family could try to understand better everyone who makes up her fan base now.
It's not only Selena's family that has been called out for exploitative projects. Back in February, Oxygen released the most disrespectful docuseries since Selena's death, "Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them." The series is about Yolanda SaldAvar, the woman who managed Selena's fan club and who murdered the singer. The show, which was not authorized by Selena's family, attempted to excuse the actions of SaldAvar, and it was shameful because this woman would now be eligible to apply for parole next year.
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The media needs to move on from Selena's death, which also keeps the name of her murderer relevant. Thanks to the barriers she broke down for Latinas, Mexican Americans, and Mexican culture, her fan base has continued to grow exponentially nearly 30 years after her death. As a Mexican American myself, I've also found solace in her music as a gay man. Her songs like "Como La Flor" and "Amor Prohibido," which detail forbidden romances, have become anthems for the LGBTQ+ community. Selena's music has become a staple for Latine drag queens to perform. It made me so happy last year to see "Como La Flor" performed on the first season of "Drag Race MA(c)xico," which was like a collision of my Latine, Mexican, and queer identities. Like how she lived during her lifetime, Selena showed me to embrace everything that makes up who I am.
To truly celebrate Selena, it's time to focus on her life and legacy. Karol G recently sported a Selena shirt in the video for her Tejano-inspired song "Mi Ex TenAa RazA3n." Shakira later paid tribute to Selena by emulating her iconic washing machine spins in "(Entre ParA(c)ntesis)" with Texas-based band Grupo Frontera.
For Selena's birthday this year, let's create parties in her honor and play her music out loud. Selena's impact will never wilt, thanks to the fans who continue to find joy and inspiration from her story.
Lucas Villa is a a Mexican American music journalist who covers pop and Latin music. Over 11 years, he has interviewed pop queens and Latin music superstars for places like PS, Allure, Elle, Rolling Stone, Billboard, MTV News, Paper, W Magazine, Vibe, and LGBTQ Nation.
Bad Bunny's First NYC Show From His Most Wanted Tour Is Proof His Latine Fans Still Come First
When I first learned that Bad Bunny's sold-out Most Wanted Tour included three back-to-back shows at the Barclays Center in NYC and one that landed on my birthday, April 11, it all seemed meant to be. The concert would occur three days after a highly anticipated solar eclipse, a new moon, and all during a Mercury retrograde. It would also happen during Aries season - the beginning of the astrological year and a time for new beginnings. While I had high expectations for Benito's performance and his first NYC show from the tour, one thing that stood out most is how the Puerto Rican artist continues to appreciate and celebrate his loyal Latine fans.
Bad Bunny is the most-streamed artist on the planet. This fun fact never loses its significance for loyal Latine fans who have witnessed the struggle for Latin music to get the respect and support it deserves here in the States. The Puerto Rican artist put on a hell of a performance at the Barclays Center on April 11. Looking around an arena with a 19,000-person capacity, there wasn't a single empty seat in sight, at least not within my view. It was a packed house of what appeared to be a mostly Latine crowd ranging in age and ethnicity.
There was his usual fan base - Dominican and Puerto Ricans standing in the long lines outside of the stadium with their flags tied around their necks and flowing from their backs. Even with the cold, rainy weather, everyone in those lines was decked out in Bad Bunny merch and ready to celebrate the artist. These same folks were the first to jump up and wave their flags whenever Bad Bunny made mention of his Latine fans and supporters. There were also many Latines of Central and South American descent rocking their flags and holding up signs expressing their love for the singer. Although he's gone global, especially since the success of his 2022 record-breaking album "Un Verano Sin Ti," Latines still appear to make up most of Bad Bunny's concert-attending fans, from how things appeared on Thursday night.
Regardless of how many awards he's taken home or how many records he's broken, Bad Bunny hasn't lost sight of the folks that have supported his music since his early days on SoundCloud before non-Latines had any clue who el conejo malo was. He has proven that whenever he's apologetically spoken in Spanish during an interview or at an award show. He's proven that in the way he has continued to elevate the genre, paying his respect to OGs like Daddy Yankee, Residente, and Tego Calderon and giving his stamp of approval to rising Puerto Rican artists like Young Miko, Rainao, and Villano Antillano.
I've seen Bad Bunny live in NYC twice: first in 2019 at Barclays, and then again at Yankee Stadium for his 2022 World's Hottest tour. At all his concerts, Benito only spoke Spanish and almost exclusively addressed his Latine fans. In many ways, like with many Latin music artists today, attending a Bad Bunny concert feels like you're exclusively a part of his crew or fan club. It doesn't matter that he's gone global - he's still only speaking Spanish and shouting-out Latines.
"New York has been very important in my career, where dreams come true," he told fans in Spanish on Thursday. "Being on the tour feels really amazing, going to each place and seeing it, all the cities, but New York, it's something else. It feels more amazing than usual. Seeing all those PR and DR flags makes it even more special. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here; it means a lot to me."
The artist had a lot of emotional moments throughout the performance during which he would stare at a packed stadium filled with excited fans in complete awe and then with teary eyes right before giving his heartwarming speech to Latine fans. In many ways, Bad Bunny's latest album, "Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar MaA+-ana," paid homage to Puerto Rico and his Latine concert goers. It acknowledged that regardless of the fame and success that followed with "Un Verano Sin Ti," he hasn't forgotten where he's come from and who his number-one fans are. The concert was very reflective of that sentiment, with half of the songs on the setlist being straight from "Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar MaA+-ana," and the later half of the show including older tracks, a guest performance by Bryant Meyer, and tracks from "Un Verano Sin Ti," including his hit track "Titi Me Pregunto." The production at this show was also top-notch, with an orchestra that opened up the show and reappeared throughout, Benito playing "Amorforda" on the piano upside down, a cool jigsaw bridge in the middle of the stadium room, and the artist even riding into the stadium on a real-life horse looking like a ranchero-meets-lucha-libre.
Bad Bunny went all out for us from start to end, delivering an almost-three-hour-long performance filled with so much attention to detail and deeply rooted love and appreciation for his Latine fans. The Latine community is a beautiful one. When we love - we love hard. When we support - we show up in large numbers. I wouldn't be surprised if there were full families in that crowd. But we're also the quickest to criticize our own idols whenever they reach a certain level of fame. And while Bad Bunny has certainly reached a level of fame where he can probably get away with performing for less than two hours without all the cool production effects, he still put in the love he's had for his craft and his Latine fans since the beginning, and he still let us know that he wouldn't be here without us. And that is something I don't think he'll ever stop doing, regardless of how far he may go in his career.
Olivia Rodrigo's "Guts" Tour Made Me Feel Like a Teen Again
I knew I was going to shed a tear or two at Olivia Rodrigo's "Guts" Tour. I'm just a girl, after all. On April 6, the three-time Grammy winner performed her second of four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City. And for an hour and a half on Saturday night, Rodrigo reminded us of the good, bad, and ugly of girlhood.
A bag adorned with ribbon bows slung over my shoulder, I screamed in anticipation with a crowd full of sequin miniskirts, glittery purple eyeshadow, and fishnet tights as Rodrigo ascended onto the stage for her opening number, "Bad Idea Right." To my surprise, the audience wasn't just young teens, kids, and their parents. An unexpected handful of 20- and 30-something adults like me were just as ready to jump and sing along to a mix of tunes from her sophomore album, "Guts," and her critically acclaimed debut album, "Sour." I imagine we loved the concert the same reason I enjoy her music so much - she made us feel like teens again.
The internet is filled with think pieces and TikTok breakdowns that explain Rodrigo's popularity among women who are older than her: it's fueled by our nostalgia for girlhood and desire to revert back to our teenage years. Scream-singing along to her lyrics at the "Guts" Tour, I certainly felt that, and I saw it on the faces of fellow millennials in the crowd on Saturday night. She took us, her devoted fans, through angst, nostalgia, sadness, and of course, head-banging fun.
A few months prior, I'd seen Rodrigo perform bigger hits like "Get Him Back!" and "Vampire" at Z100's Jingle Ball, so I was already aware of her performing prowess. At the "Guts" Tour, her vocals were raw, filled with a genuine passion and emotion, and her pop-punk energy was unmatched. But her more vulnerable ballads were especially moving to hear live.
When Rodrigo sang about not feeling pretty enough with society's impossible beauty standards in "Pretty Isn't Pretty" and putting yourself out there for someone you love - who's so not worth it - in "Love Is Embarrassing," she brought me back to those exact feelings I'd experienced in high school and college, and even at times in my late twenties. In one particularly special moment introducing "Teenage Dream," she spoke about writing the song as an 18-year-old, being so afraid of growing up. But after recently turning 21 in late February, she realized getting older isn't so scary after all. I admittedly chuckled because, well, she is only 21, but it's also a sentiment I felt back then and still do now.
She cycled between emotional ballads like these and fiery bangers that had everyone on their feet. During her performance of "All American Bitch," she encouraged the crowd to "think about someone or something that pisses you off" and scream at the top of your lungs. It was therapeutic.
So, thank you to Rodrigo for taking me back to those messy, fun days, but also reminding me why I'm relieved to be past that phase in my life. My other takeaway after that last encore? Maybe it's OK to text your ex. Get him back!
After two more nights at MSG, the "Guts" Tour is heading to the UK and Europe in May and June, and concludes in August in Los Angeles.
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Yerin Kim is the features editor at POPSUGAR, where she helps shape the vision for special features and packages across the network. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School, she has over five years of experience in the pop culture and women's lifestyle spaces. She's passionate about spreading cultural sensitivity through the lenses of lifestyle, entertainment, and style.
Jennifer Lopez's Viral "the Bronx" Controversy Proves Younger Latines Don't Find Her Authentic
Jennifer Lopez has been busy. In case you missed it, the Puerto Rican singer, dancer, and actor released not one but three complementary projects to kick off the year. There's her "This Is Me . . . Now" album; a video companion/musical to said album, "This Is Me . . . Now: A Love Story"; and a documentary that dives into said love story, "The Greatest Love Story Never Told." It was an ambitious undertaking, no doubt. And one that has her being dragged across TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
Part of the controversy lies in how Lopez represents herself and her native borough of the Bronx. In one scene from the documentary, Lopez tussles her curly hair while looking in the mirror and says, "It reminds me, like, when I was 16 in the Bronx, running up and down the block. Crazy little girl who used to fucking be wild and no limits, all dreams." TikTok quickly jumped on this small clip, with many users commenting on how contrived the scene felt. One user noted it allegedly took numerous takes to get the finished shot. From there, it wasn't long before social media started to mine Lopez's old interviews for any hint of inauthenticity.
In a resurfaced clip from Vogue's "73 Questions" series, Lopez shares her childhood bodega order of "ham and cheese on a roll with an orange drink . . . and a small bag of chips." This clip, too, has been flamed on social media as New Yorkers demand to know exactly what orange drink Lopez is referring to. Others have remarked it's such a generic order that Lopez can't be as bodega-bred as she claims.
And then, of course, there's the nail in the coffin: an old clip from 2014 making the rounds on social media that shows Lopez pulling up to her old house in Castle Hill, and the current resident having absolutely no idea who she is.
It's not that Lopez isn't from the Bronx - of course, she is. No one can take that away from her. It's that the image she portrays, one of a tried-and-true Bronx girl who made it to Hollywood while staying true to her roots, comes off as disingenuous. Many think she's using the borough for relevance in an age that values authenticity more than anything. But how did she become so seemingly disconnected from the people she supposedly represents?
Growing up in a Puerto Rican household meant Lopez could do no wrong. She was the Fly Girl who made it big. She was Selena. And when her debut album, "On the 6," dropped, my mom had it on repeat, singing along to every word. For my mom, Lopez symbolized success. For many heads from that generation, that's what success was - not so much repping your hood, but representing the fact that you made it out of your hood.
Today, however, that's not enough. That's why Lopez's actions are often perceived as self-serving. In part, it's a generational difference. This is evidenced by the fact that so few of her recent critics knew what she meant by "orange drink." For the record, I'm pretty sure she was referencing the 25-cent "quarter waters" that were a staple of bodegas back in the '90s (you'd be hard-pressed to find them now). They didn't have a proper name; you just asked for the color. But, bodega order aside, the fact that Lopez had to rebrand her tour amid slowing ticket sales shows how much public opinion has waned for a star who once sold out Vegas residencies with frequency.
In this light, it's unsurprising that people from the community and even her fans are skeptical of how she reps the Bronx - an attempt to delay the sun setting on an incredible 30-year career and energize the masses. But it's not enough to claim NYC as your birthright and expect New Yorkers to show up. Here, trust and loyalty are won the hard way. You have to put the city on your back, elevate it, and actively participate in the culture.
Cardi B made headlines when she donated $100,000 to her old middle school in the Bronx. Fat Joe helped organize a fundraiser for families affected by the 2022 Twin Parks fire, and he's well-known for routinely giving back to the community. And J Lo? Well, that's the thing. She has. In 2014, she announced a partnership with Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx to establish The Center for a Healthy Childhood, which aimed to improve children's health and overall nutrition in the surrounding communities.
But for many of us, the occasional philanthropic stint isn't enough. And the fact that it's been 10 years since her last major contribution to the borough doesn't help Lopez's case. Neither does the fact that she danced her way to an acting career, singing career, and millions of dollars along the way, but she hasn't opened a single dance academy to help others do the same. I think a Jennifer Lopez-branded dance academy in the heart of Castle Hill would be a no-brainer and would help her improve her current standing in the community.
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That being said, Lopez isn't obligated to satisfy anyone's expectations but her own. And there are plenty of A-list New Yorkers who do less for their respective boroughs and are subject to far less criticism. At the end of the day, however, Lopez is unique in that she understands and cashes in on the social clout that comes with being from the Bronx. She understands that it distinguishes her from the majority of the Hollywood elite - she's someone who isn't supposed to have a seat at the table, yet now enjoys the same privileges as her silver-spoon counterparts.
I once had a friend tell me that the hood is something no one can take from you. It's hardwired into you, regardless of what you achieve. The lessons the streets teach are lessons for life. I truly believe that. And I'm sure Lopez does, too. In her eyes, she'll always be Jenny from the block, regardless of what any of us have to say.
But I also believe there's no such thing as playing both sides. As someone who has slowly watched their neighborhood disappear because of gentrification and has had the landscape of his memories shift with each passing day, I wish I had the money to do something about it. And if I ever found myself in that position, in a position to give back, I would.
Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.
How I Got to Talk About Latine Representation in Hollywood on the TEDx Stage
Since I was a young kid, I wanted to be a writer. I spent my summers reading, lying on my bedroom floor with my glasses slipping down my nose. But despite my fascination with storytelling, pursuing a career in writing never seemed realistic. Instead, I majored in English and embarked on a somewhat related career in cause-based communications and marketing.
At those jobs, I met a lot of women who were creating art that was meaningful to them and their communities. They weren't household names, but they showed me that I'd been wrong. They proved to me that writers who look like me or grew up with similar experiences deserve a shot at getting our stories out there.
At the same time, I decided to finally go for it and pursue a career as a professional writer. I couldn't help but note the number of organizations that were embracing Latina storytelling. But back then there weren't as many folks working on the criticism side and no one was focusing on encouraging Latinas like me to be critics. So I cofounded the indie publication LatinaMedia.Co, along with another Latina, Nicola Schulze, to give others the boost I needed - the explicit invitation to become a published critic.
Make no mistake, film criticism is broken. According to USC Annenberg's Inclusion Initiative, white guys write 65.7 percent of movie reviews. Meanwhile, they make up 30 percent of the population. Way on the other side, Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Latina women combined write just 3.7 percent of movie reviews, despite making up around 20 percent of the population. I suppose they don't break it out by group because the numbers would be so small.
And it's not just film criticism. Journalism as a whole is too white, with Pew Research reporting that only 25 percent of reporters are people of color (and only eight percent are Hispanic, despite us being nearly 20 percent of the population). In Hollywood, the problem stretches all around the camera, with too few women-of-color executives, stars, creators, directors, and writers. Many believe that all those pledges to increase diversity and inclusion were just PR stints with not much changing in story-making fields.
Stories matter. They help us make meaning of the world. They allow us to understand ourselves and others. But the lack of representation in the books I read growing up made me feel like my stories didn't matter. Still, it's funny how things work out. When I was working in nonprofits and meeting all these women storytellers, I also met a lot of activists who'd given TEDx Talks (some of them were the same lady artists). I looked at their examples and thought, I want to do that. Giving a TEDx Talk became a bucket list item for me, something I promised myself I'd be ready for someday.
That day came last year, five years after cofounding LatinaMedia.Co and embarking on a career in entertainment journalism. From my activist circles, I knew Tabby Biddle, a TEDx speaker and coach who, among other things, leads classes to encourage more women to give TED Talks. Because yes, TED is another one of those institutions that is historically exclusionary. While they've made some progress over the years, 56.2 percent of their speakers are still white men. Biddle saw my work and thought I might know some Latinas interested in the scholarship she was offering. I did happen to know someone, and that someone was me.
As the class was winding down, Tabby warned that it could take a year or more, along with multiple applications, to get on stage. I was relieved. Giving a TEDx Talk, where you share both ideas and yourself, was scary. I still struggle with that nagging voice inside of me that says, "I'm not good enough." Still, I started a spreadsheet of potential events, sent out some initial feelers, and applied to one event.
And they picked me. The good people at TEDx Cherry Creek, a nonprofit staffed by volunteers and founded by current Colorado State Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet working to get more women on the TED stage (see a trend here), selected me. Based on the super-quick video I submitted (it had to be 40 seconds or less!) and a handful of short essays, the event organizers selected me and 17 other women out of the 175 people who applied. I was thrilled, shocked, and nervous.
I then had three months to work with them and my cohort of truly impressive women to put together the talk that I had dreamed of giving, the one where I tell my story and make the case for more diversity in media criticism.
I argued that TV and movies hold a special place in our culture, influencing how we see ourselves and how we see others, which in turn affects how we build our systems and institutions. If we want this world to be for everyone, everyone needs a chance to tell stories and evaluate them - that was my thesis. But I didn't stop there. I used myself as a test case for how this influence can be damaging, telling my story of losing and finding my voice again. I went on to explain how I'm paying it forward with LatinaMedia.Co. Then I ended the talk by inviting the audience to join me, giving everyone a three-step plan on how to change the face of media criticism and, from there, the world.
To get ready, I practiced every day. I conscripted friends and family members to listen. I guest spoke at a class at a community college for practice. When the day came, I was still scared. But I wasn't nervous about my performance. I was anxious about standing in front of the world without armor, sharing my truth. I did it anyway. I cried for a moment once I got off stage, relieved and exhausted. I hugged my parents and husband, who'd traveled to hear me speak. And then I had to wait.
The event organizers had to edit the video, the TEDx people had to approve and post it. When it finally came out, I felt relieved and nervous all over again, this time about sharing it with the world.
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Now here I am, a long way from the pink carpet of my childhood bedroom. And I'm here not because I'm some fearless shero. I'm here because I had so many examples of women seeing the hard thing and still going for it. I strive to be one of them. I think with this talk, with LatinaMedia.Co, with this article and the others I tap out, I'm doing my part to show my community that we belong anywhere we want to go. Because if I've learned anything over my years of working with Latina writers and thinkers, it's that we're just getting started.
Cristina Escobar is a POPSUGAR contributor who writes at the intersection of race, gender, and pop culture. She's the cofounder and editor in chief of LatinaMedia.Co, a digital publication uplifting Latina and gender-nonconforming Latine perspectives in media.
Shakira Thinks the "Barbie" Movie Is Emasculating - Here's How She Missed the Point
There's no arguing that Shakira is a feminist icon. Entering the year on the heels of a very public split from her long-term partner and the father of her two sons, Gerard PiquA(c), she managed to take a painful experience and turn it into a shared triumph. Her latest studio album, "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran," is a testament to independence and the strength that comes with it. It's a sentiment that many, especially women, will be able to relate to. In her recent Allure cover interview published on April 1, Shakira delves into what that strength looks like and what it means to be a woman healing today. But one thing that stood out from the interview was the singer's controversial take on another feminist pop culture pillar: the "Barbie" movie.
Shakira shares her sons "absolutely hated" the film because they "felt it was emasculating." "I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men," the singer says.
And while part of me understands that reaction, I cannot help but respectfully disagree with her. Feminism isn't just a theory, it's a practice, and different people practice it differently. Shakira not liking the "Barbie" movie doesn't make her less of a feminist. However, her opinion of the film is one shared by a vocal minority, and one I've heard reiterated by a lot of men (and right-wing politicians like Ted Cruz), many of whom won't even see a "girl's movie."
So, as a man who not only thoroughly enjoyed "Barbie" but found the message to be more subtle than "men suck, women are better," I wanted to examine how so many people could misconstrue Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach's script. For starters, the movie doesn't portray men as bubbly and shallow characters just for the sake of emasculating them. The movie portrays them as what they are: victims. The Kens have been robbed of any real agency and opportunity to be anything more than eye candy by Barbieland's matriarchy, a system that, conversely, places women in every major role throughout society. Sound familiar? It is the exact opposite of a patriarchy and yet still manages to achieve the same results: oppression of the opposite sex.
Yes, much of the Kens' dilemma and ensuing takeover of Barbieland sees the dumb dial turned up to the max - taking the piss out of machismo culture. But at its core, it's a commentary on the importance of being valued on a societal level. At every corner, the Kens are marginalized in the society they serve. This puts them at odds with the Barbies - not with women. Instead, the Kens' struggle is meant to parallel the struggle women experience in real life. It also shows how patriarchy can be destructive for the men it empowers.
By adopting patriarchy, the Kens rope themselves into accepting the often rigid criteria to which men must conform to be considered manly. Hence, the overabundance of cowboy hats, trucks, horses, and Mojo Dojo Casa Houses, regardless of whether or not the individual Ken has an affinity for these things. They gain power, yes, but they are still denied individuality, only this time by their own hand.
Shakira mentions that "men have their purpose too" and that "she wants her sons to feel powerful . . . while respecting women." But this is exactly the note the movie ends on. For the first time, the Kens are allowed to decide what their role in society will be. And for the first time, it won't be centered around supporting the Barbies' wants or needs, but instead on what they want for themselves.
But what about the notion that the movie "emasculates" the men? Sure, the Kens could have had more depth than having "beach" as a job, but I don't think it would have been as funny or as effective an allegory for the loss of agency that comes with oppression. I didn't find it emasculating. But I do find the uproar around it telling.
As an afropuertorriqueA+-o, I don't often benefit from narrative plurality, or the existence of a multitude of films, shows, or other media that showcase my people in a variety of different roles and perspectives. But as a man? Absolutely, I do. I can turn on my TV right now and find a movie about a badass killing machine who loves dogs ("John Wick"), a show about a physically lacking, neglected child who uses his wits to outsmart and outlive multiple empires ("Game of Thrones"), a movie about a reluctant savior who inherits his mother's magic and his father's kingdom and uses both to become a literal fucking messiah ("Dune"), and the list goes on. Narrative plurality means that there are enough positive depictions of characters like us that the negative depictions don't hold as much weight. Or at least you'd think.
But you make one movie in which the men - or in this case the Kens - are portrayed as superficial accessories in constant competition for the affections of a woman and have no purpose other than to service her desires, and it undoes all the rest of it. Perhaps, in the same vein, we should consider the impact of the negative portrayals of women and people of color on screen.
Miguel Machado s a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.
Emira D'Spain Wants Every Trans Kid to "Give Yourself Grace"
You might recognize Emira D'Spain for her GRWM-style beauty videos, or you might know that she was the first ever Black trans Victoria's Secret model. On TikTok, she shares different aspects of her trans identity with her million-plus followers, and ahead of Trans Day of Visibility on March 31, she spoke to PS about her own journey, gender euphoria, and more. Read it all, in her own words, below.
When did I first experience gender euphoria? My parents are so accepting of me, so that's, for me, truly when I always have the most gender euphoria. Just being around my family. And knowing that that's not an experience that a lot of LGBTQ kids and adults get to experience, that's something that I become more and more grateful for the more people I meet in the community. It's something that I hold very close to my heart.
Lady Gaga is not queer, but she is someone I always looked to because she had such an impact in my coming-of-age as an adult. During middle school, when Gaga was first topping the charts - the era of "Born This Way" and all those songs - she made me feel so empowered that I could be myself and live my truth.
"[L]ife unfolds in the way it's supposed to."
These days, I have made myself known not only for being trans; a lot of my audience doesn't even know that I'm trans. I feel like whenever I do talk about it, it's almost like, "Oh, whoa, I didn't know that about her." I think that's always really interesting. I think most creators who are trans make it part of their content, and it's something I talk about every now and then. I think it's cool for me to do that, because people who don't know that about me now have this different perspective of me. But right now, it's really inspiring to see other queer creators who are gaining so much success: people living their lives and building their careers.
My own message for other young trans folks is that it's all going to work out, things are going to get better. If you're struggling with people accepting you, you accepting yourself, you living in your truth - everything does truly work out in the end. It's hard to remember in the moment of course, but over time, life unfolds in the way it's supposed to. Just give yourself grace and give yourself time.
- As told to Lena Felton
Tell Me MA!s: Alex Ferreira Talks Fatherhood, New Music, and the Importance of Making Music With Passion
In our Q&A /feature series Tell Me MA!s, we ask some of our favorite Latine artists to share some inside info about their lives and habits, revealing everything from their most recent read to the songs that get them hyped. This month, we trekked out to Joe's Pub in the historic East Village to see Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Alex Ferreira take the stage and chatted with him about his latest project, fatherhood, and how he's balancing the two.
Alex Ferreira's dressing room at Joe's Pub is small and sparse, without much in the way of personal belongings or even instruments. There's a guitar case to one side, a knapsack nearby on a leather chair, and the singer himself sitting sideways in front of the lighted vanity - his trademark curls falling in front of his face. It's a stripped environment, a fitting one given that later in the evening Ferreira will hit the stage with just a guitar and a soundboard and take the crowd on a full spectrum journey of love, heartbreak, and everything in between. But right now, he's smiling, seemingly in his element: in a back room, in a big city, while on the road.
"I love touring. I love going to different countries, meeting different people. It's such an inspiration for me," the artist tells PS.
As a completely independent artist, Ferreira understands that he's incredibly fortunate to be able to live off his music. But that often comes with long stretches far away from home, so it's good that he loves to tour. This current tour has seen him on the go since last year. He's performed all over Spain and has upcoming stops in Mexico. His two-night stint in New York caps the US section that had him in Miami and Puerto Rico. However, having recently become a father, Ferreira admits that he doesn't have much time to hang out in these places like he once did.
"I want to be with my daughter. I feel like this is a very important time in her life, her first year . . . the responsibility I have as a father is much greater than that of my artistic life," he says.
This is especially true since, in his artistic life, Ferreira is pretty well-established. Having made waves since 2010 with a singer-songwriter style that incorporates a healthy dose of experimentation and genre-bending, he knows who he is as an artist. And his fans do too.
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Later on in the night, the crowd will swell in unison, singing along with the crooner in such a natural way that it seems rehearsed. That's the kind of musician Ferreira is known for. It's music that can make the room small. He's cracking jokes one minute and, the next, singing with such vulnerability that it's hard not to be moved.
Yet, at home, he is still adjusting to his role as a father.
"Everything is new. Every stage of the process brings a new challenge. Every stage is a learning process and there's no manual, no university to tell you these things. You learn on the fly," Ferreira muses.
One such challenge? Finding the time to write and work on his upcoming album while being a full-time dad.
"Before, I could - and I hate this word but - I could procrastinate a little. Now I can't," he says. "If I have one hour to work, I can't waste time. So now my creative process is much more efficient."
He now views composing, like going to the gym. To get it done he needs a little bit of consistency, dedicating a few hours out of the day to play, write, and practice before he can put pen to paper and come up with a song.
But that doesn't mean that making music has become just another exercise for the veteran artist. Talking about his upcoming project, "Versiones Para El Tiempo Y La Distancia Vol. 2," Ferreira shares that he wants to continue to refine the sound he's been crafting over the last decade while also experimenting further with blending elements of rock, bachata, and other genres into a unique experience. We can expect more of this from his upcoming album.
"In a similar way to how fatherhood is a process of change, I think my career and my discography can also be seen in that light. I like to have a little doubt, to not know what I'm going to do," he says."I've also realized that my fans don't come with that prejudice of, 'Oh, he's a singer-songwriter, everything is going to sound the same.' The people who come to see me know that I'm not committed to any one genre. The common denominator is my voice. My lyrics."
Ferreira possesses an uncanny ability to peer into the connections we all share and transpose them into poetry. In "Me La Saludan" he uses sarcasm to express the weight of wounds that have yet to heal. On his new track, "De Verdad" he pleads for love in all its complexity. Love "as a decision," the artist muses.
The official version of the song is a jazzy, upbeat fusion. But on stage, in Joe's Pub's small theater, Ferreira turns it into a touching, acoustic ode to the long run - a relationship measured not in days or months, but in the moments that make up a life together. Even if you've listened to his music for years, hearing him perform live is an experience. His voice takes on a quality that doesn't translate through speakers, it's more vulnerable, more dimensional, and able to not only touch but bring the audience closer.
It's this ability to tap into emotion, to expose life's raw nerves with tenderness, while at the same time cracking jokes on stage, that has led to Ferreira's enduring success and relevance, even as the industry experiences an indie boom. Silvana Estrada, DaniA(c)l, Me EstA!s Matando, Guitarricadelafuente - these are today's Latin music indie darlings. Ferreira has worked with many of them. The members of DaniA(c)l, Me EstA!s Matando were a part of his band at one point. But when asked about his role or standing in the current scene, Ferreira, despite his legacy and achievements, maintains his humility.
"I've never thought of it in terms of a role . . . for me [Latin music] is like a chain and I think that I'm just another link in that chain," he says."I think it's so cool that this music can connect with not just first-gen Latinos, but second and third-gen as well, Latinos that don't even speak Spanish, people that don't even speak Spanish. For me, it's a pleasure to be a part of that, like a little grain of sand."
It gives Ferreira joy seeing his friends and the artists that have come after him find so much success. But he is also wary of the direction of the industry as a whole with everything moving towards songs created in minutes to achieve virality rather than expression.
That's not to say that he's anti-electronic. Ferreira has often added electronic elements to his music and is a fan of experimentally-minded artists like James Blake and Bjork. He's more concerned about the use of things like autotune and AI as a shortcut to artistry rather than as a means to enhance it.
"When everything starts to sound the same, when the beats are all the same, with the same musical structure, with the same effects, and the same melody, I feel like that's when the machine wins," he says.
But until then, he has faith in the process of making "imperfect art" and has some sage advice for those looking to make it in music in the current climate.
"Everyone always wants more than they have. Don't fall into that dynamic. Make music because it's your passion, because you love it, [and] because you can't live without it. Because, as a business model, there are better ones out there," Ferreira says with a wink and a smile.
Read on to find out about Ferreira's morning ritual, who his favorite artist of the moment is, and his secret to finding peace.
PS: What is your morning ritual?
Ferreira: Coffee and music. If I don't have my coffee I'll have a stroke.
PS: If you had to choose just one place to spend the rest of your days, where would it be?
Ferreira: Madrid
PS: Who is your favorite artist at the moment?
Ferreira: Adrianne Lenker.
PS: You have a song called "Sonrisa Valiente." Who in your life would you say has the most valiant smile?
Ferreira: My daughter.
PS: What's your method for finding peace?
Ferreira: Music. Singing it, playing it, listening to it, whatever it happens to be, is therapeutic for me.
PS: The best part of being a father?
Ferreira: Connecting with my inner child again. Tapping into that childishness that we lose in life.
Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.
Shakira's New Album "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" Turns Tears Into Diamonds
When life gives you lemons, you have to make lemonade - and that's exactly what Shakira did after heartbreak. When the Colombian pop star learned in 2022 that Gerard PiquA(c), her partner of 11 years and the father of her two sons, was cheating on her, I'm sure it felt as if her life was falling apart. But when she couldn't bear the pain and the betrayal, she did what most musicians do - she turned it into art.
The first song Shakira released that was directly related to the breakup was 2022's "Te Felicito" with Puerto Rican Latin trap artist Rauw Alejandro. The song not only marked Shakira's comeback, it was also the first in a string of singles that would display her healing journey to the world and eventually become part of her latest highly anticipated album, "Las Mujeres Ya no Lloran," which was released on March 22.
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Following "Te Felicito," a sarcastic song about congratulating her ex for finding new love, Shakira released a hit song with Ozuna titled "MonotonAa." But it was Shakira's famous diss track that redirected her career. The track "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," a collaboration with Argentine producer Bizarrap, resonated so much with fans that it racked up more than 63 million YouTube views in 24 hours, becoming the most-watched Latin debut song in YouTube history. The song also skyrocketed to Spotify's Top 50 Global chart, breaking the record of the most-streamed track in a single day in Spotify history, and eventually it landed Shakira the Latin Grammy for song of the year.
And it's the song that ultimately set the theme for her first album in seven years. "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" is literally a line taken from "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," only in the track she completes the thought by singing "Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan," which translates to "Women don't cry anymore, they cash in."
Every song Shakira released in 2022 and 2023 played a different role in the Colombiana's healing and rebuilding process. "TQG," a track in collaboration with Karol G that also appeared in her 2023 album "MaA+-ana SerA Bonito," is a song about being too good for a man who hurt her - referring to PiquA" and Karol G's ex Anuel AA. "Copa VacAa" is a pop-reggaetA3n song she did in collaboration with Colombian singer Manuel Turizo about not receiving enough love and affection from a partner, while "El Jefe" is a norteA+-o Mexican song with Fuerza Regida about taking control of your destiny, something fans have witnessed the artist do since publicly announcing her split. "Altima" is a moving track that Shakira told the New York Times is the last song she will release about her ex PiquA".
"In the journey of picking up the pieces after a very public breakup, Shakira is showing us that although dreams don't always turn out to be what we envisioned them to be, she is not shying away from her scars," says Nicolas Barili, an award-winning journalist and creator/host of Paramount+'s Latin music docuseries "De La Calle." "By controlling her own narrative, Shakira is empowering listeners to be inspired by her bold transformation, while proving to our community and the world that vulnerability is the greatest strength."
What makes this album such a masterpiece isn't just the journey we see Shakira take in healing her heartache, but how it invites hope and new beginnings. Tracks like "Cohete" with Rauw Alejandro and "PunterAa" with Cardi B acknowledge the allure of experiencing a new love - even though Shakira has shared she can't imagine herself falling in love again.
Then there's "AcrA3stico," a beautiful piano-led ballad that emphasizes Shakira's role as a mother and includes her two sons, Milan and Sasha. This one stood out most to Barili.
"Having been raised by a single mom myself, the love letter between her and her sons speaks to those of us that are what's left over after parents break up, reminding us that some bonds will never be broken," Barili says. "Shakira has provided a cathartic release for not only herself but for anyone that has ever gone through break ups, all while proving that she is still the queen of Latin pop."
"La Mujeres Ya No Lloran" is Shakira's first album in seven years since releasing her 2017 album "El Dorado." If this album did anything, it proved that the greatest and most impactful art is often created from pain and heartache - hence Shakira's diamond tears displayed in the cover art.
"It's the same reason why an artist's debut album is often their best work, because struggle often elicits masterpieces," says JesAos Trivino, a Latin pop culture expert and Tidal's senior content and music executive. "Similarly, whenever there are challenges in your life, you take it as an experience and learn from it. If you're a creative like Shakira, you dive into your work, and usually introspective, empowering music comes out. With 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,' Shaki has done that."
That Shakira's extraordinary comeback album is filled with back-to-back hits and major collaborations with artists including Cardi B, Rauw Alejandro, Ozuna, and more also speaks to how relevant she's managed to remain despite how saturated the Latin music world has become. If anything, the breakup needed to happen to inspire her to use her pain, anger, and sadness to create her rawest and most vulnerable work. As she has said in numerous interviews, the experience allowed her to "transform pain into productivity."
"One of the superstars who started the late '90s, early 2000s Latin boom still has it and never lost it. Shakira, more than other Latin acts of that era, had to introduce herself and an entire country (Colombia) to the US and global market," Trivino says. "On this album, she's uplifting her fellow Colombianas (Karol G), co-signing the stars of today (Rauw Alejandro), as well as shining a light on other genres (Mexican music). I hope listeners don't waste their time in gossip but rather enjoy Shakira in all her greatness while she's on this planet."
Sometimes it takes our worlds falling apart to get us back in line with our passion and our purpose. One thing is for sure: our favorite loba is here to stay.
Johanna Ferreira is the content director for POPSUGAR Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity. .
Black Women in Country Are Grateful BeyoncA(c) Is Entering the Genre
Tanner Adell fell in love with country music young.
She grew up splitting her time between Los Angeles and Star Valley, WY, which created a stark contrast - but it was the country lifestyle, and specifically the music, that held her heart. Adell remembers falling in love with Keith Urban when he released "Somebody Like You." And every summer, when she and her mom would set out to drive back to LA from Star Valley, she'd sit in the back of the car and "just silently cry my eyes out as we'd start on this road trip back to California," she remembers.
These days, Adell is a rising country music star. And ever since BeyoncA(c) released "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages" on Super Bowl Sunday and announced her forthcoming country album, the spotlight has been on Black women country artists like her. A lot of that attention has been positive; Adell and others say they're incredibly excited about what this will mean for the genre. But it's also been a bit contentious. After an Oklahoma radio station refused to play BeyoncA(c) because it "is a country music station," an online uproar convinced the station to reverse its decision - and ignited a larger conversation around inclusion within the genre.
On March 19, BeyoncA(c) announced "Act II: Cowboy Carter" will be released on March 29. In an Instagram post, she opened up about what it means to be a Black woman in country. "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomeda|and it was very clear that I wasn't. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history," she wrote. "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
"Country music is how you feel, it's your story, it's part of you."
Indeed, for other Black women artists like Adell, pursuing country music often transcends the difficulty that might come with navigating their identity in a genre dominated by white men. As she puts it, "Country music is how you feel, it's your story, it's part of you."
The same was true for Tiera Kennedy when she started writing songs in high school. She was a big fan of Taylor Swift at the time, and she just fell into expressing herself through the genre. "I always say I don't feel like I found country music, I feel like country music found me," she tells POPSUGAR. "When I started making music, it just came out that way. I was writing what I was going through at the time, which was boy drama. And I fell in love with all things country music and just dove into it."
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Moving to Nashville seven years ago was "a big deal" for Kennedy in terms of building up her career: "Everyone told me that if you want to be in country music, you have to be in Nashville." When she got there, she was surprised she was so welcomed by others in the industry, which doesn't necessarily happen for everyone, given how tight-knit the city can be. "I was super thankful and blessed to have met so many people early on who have opened doors for me without asking for anything in return," Kennedy says.
For Adell, too, moving to the "capital of country music" almost three years ago was huge in pushing her career forward. And an essential part of that has been finding a community of other Black women artists. "Oh, we have a group chat," she quips. "We're extremely supportive, and I think sometimes people are trying to pin us against each other or even pin us against BeyoncA(c), but you're not going to get that beef or that drama."
"Country is just as much a part of the fabric of Black culture as hip-hop is."
But while these artists have been able to foster a strong community within Nashville, it's no secret that country music has been facing a reckoning when it comes to racism and sexism. Chart-topping artists like Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen have recently weaponized racism as a marketing tool, per NPR. In September, Maren Morris said she was distancing herself from the genre for some of these reasons. "After the Trump years, people's biases were on full display," she told the Los Angeles Times. "It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic."
But the reality is that Black artists have always been part of the foundation of country. As Prana Supreme Diggs - who performs with her mom, Tekitha, as O.N.E the Duo - says, "Black Americans, so much of our history is rooted in the South. Country is just as much a part of the fabric of Black culture as hip-hop is."
Diggs grew up in California watching her mother, a vocalist for Wu-Tang Clan, host jam sessions at her house. She's been wanting to perform professionally with her mom since she was a teenager, but it wasn't until the beginning of the pandemic that they really committed to their joint country project.
For Diggs, there's been nothing but excitement since BeyoncA(c)'s commercial came on during the Super Bowl. She immediately ran to her computer to listen to the songs. "And the second the instrumental came on for 'Texas Hold 'Em' came on, I was like, oh my god, it's happening," she says. "We are finally here."
Tekitha felt the same way. "In the Black and country community, we've really been needing a champion," she says. "We've been needing someone who can kind of blow the door open and to recognize our voice is important in this genre."
Adell says that given how iconic BeyoncA(c) is, the criticism she's received speaks volumes about how far country still has to go. "For her to have given so much of herself to the world and when she decides to have a little stylistic change to not just be supported - I don't understand it," she says. "I don't understand why people aren't just like, 'This is cool, BeyoncA(c)'s coming out with a country album!'"
Kennedy tries to focus on the positives of the industry (if she gets shut out of an opportunity, for example, she won't dwell, she'll just go after the next), but being a Black woman in America will always come with systemic challenges. "No, it hasn't always been easy," she says. "There are so many layers tacked onto that: being a new artist, being female, being Black in country music. But I think if I focused on how hard that is, I would fall out of love with country music."
That positive thinking has been paying off. After the Super Bowl, Kennedy released a cover of "Texas Hold 'Em," and it went viral. After she posted the video, new fans streamed into her DMs, telling her they didn't even know her type of country, which is infused with R&B, existed. It's something other Black women country stars are echoing: that the new focus on their contributions to the genre is a long time coming - and a huge opportunity.
"I'm super thankful that BeyoncA(c) is entering into this genre and bringing this whole audience with her," Kennedy says. "And hopefully that'll bring up some of the artists that have been in town a long time and grinding at it. I don't think there's anybody better than BeyoncA(c) to do it."
"NCi Nai & WA i PA3" Filmmaker Sean Wang and His Grandmas on the Joys of Unlikely Friendships
Image Source: Getty / Alberto E. Rodriguez
Where I'm From: Now and Gen features in-conversation pieces between generations - like a younger woman and her grandmother - discussing a topic like beauty rituals, finances, or marriage. We sat down with filmmaker Sean Wang and his grandmothers, Yi Yan Fuei and Chang Li Hua, the subjects of Wang's Oscar-nominated documentary short, "NCi Nai & WA i PA3." Read their heartwarming chat about friendship below.
In 2021, in the wake of increased anti-Asian violence and the ongoing pandemic, filmmaker Sean Wang moved back home to San Francisco. There, he started observing - then filming - NCi Nai and WA i PA3, his 94-year-old paternal grandmother and 83-year-old maternal grandmother, respectively, who happen to be inseparable friends and roommates. As he captured the mundane moments and joys of their daily lives, he created "NCi Nai & WA i PA3," an Oscar-nominated documentary short that recently landed on Disney+.
"As much as this movie is about my grandmothers and my relationship with them, it is about friendship, sisterhood, and the bonds that you maintain and water in old age."
The Taiwanese American director - whose debut feature film, "DA!di," recently premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival - essentially filmed a series of home videos, which he turned into a beautiful 17-minute "personal love letter" to his grandmothers. "As much as this movie is about my grandmothers and my relationship with them, it is about friendship, sisterhood, and the bonds that you maintain and water in old age," he tells POPSUGAR. "I'm not 86, 96 years old. But I think [their friendship] is a good north star - hopefully, the friendships I have now that I feel are deeply special in my life, the ones that I know will last, that I hope could be NCi Nai and WA i PA3 in our old age, are still as silly and vibrant and fun."
Ahead of the 2024 Oscars, Wang and his grandmothers discuss their decades-long bond, the power of friendship, and the life lessons they've taught one another.
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On NCi Nai and WA i PA3's Unique Friendship
Chang Li Hua (WA i PA3): Us being able to spend our days together and live together is also a form of fate and good fortune. NCi Nai is older than me by 10 years, so I have always seen her like my own big sister. I am younger than her by 10 years, so anytime I am able to help her and take care of her, I will do my best to do so. We have almost all the same hobbies. Reading the newspaper, exercising in the backyard, going out for walks. Every day, we go to our orchard together to check and see which tree has grown fruits. Every day, we eat fruits together, and we take the peels of fruits and vegetables to the backyard and make fertilizer.
Yi Yan Fuei (NCi Nai): [WA i PA3 and I] have the same attitude. We both love friends, we love to exercise, and we love to read the news, so we are able to be together harmoniously, just like sisters. Sean knows too. He became close with us, and I cherish the time we spent together every day.
Sean Wang: They're my grandmothers. And as their sort of mischievous, young filmmaker grandson, I think our relationship is one of such joy, silliness, and this childlike, youthful energy. They mention it in the film that I bring it out of them, but they also bring it out of me. I think that results in some fun collaborations and these silly videos that we make. A lot of those were the seeds that became one half of "NCi Nai & WA i PA3." The silliness, the chaotic joy, I like to call it, that balances out of with the more poignant, deeply human grounded pains of their lives.
On What They Learned About Each Other Throughout Filming
Sean Wang: I think I knew all the broad strokes of their lives, but getting to really talk to them about their childhoods and their lives before they were my grandmothers was really enlightening. But cutting to present day - and maybe I always knew this - I learned just how much of these creative spirits they are.
So much of this film was just a way to give them a platform that I think nobody had ever really considered them for. They dance, play, and allow their silliness to take center stage. And now that they're going to the Oscars and being enveloped in this world that is full of spectacle and fancy dresses, they're really loving it and getting to express a muscle that they so clearly have, that no one has ever allowed them to flex.
Yi Yan Fuei (NCi Nai): Sean was very approachable with us old people. He didn't treat us as old people at all. He joked with us every day. He didn't even act like we were dozens of years older than him. We were very happy having fun together.
Chang Li Hua (WA i PA3): I found that Sean was very talented - he has a great vision. Also, he was very patient with us when we were filming the movie. He would teach us how to pose. He's a kid who loves to teach his friends. He's able to hang out with old people, children, or friends of the same age. He's a young man with a lively personality, but also works very hard.
On the Life Lessons They've Taught Each Other
"The days we spend feeling joy and the days we spend feeling pain are the same days spent, so I'm going to choose joy."
Sean Wang: There's a line in the movie that NCi Nai says that has really stuck with me. She says, "The days we spend feeling joy and the days we spend feeling pain are the same days spent, so I'm going to choose joy." I think that very simple decision is a powerful one: choosing joy. Especially for someone like her who's in the twilight years of her life, knowing that her days are more limited than mine. In our dumpster fire of a world at times, allowing yourself to choose joy and celebrate the people around you is a worthy decision.
Yi Yan Fuei (NCi Nai): This young kid can get along so well with others. He doesn't treat us like old people; he still shouts like us young people in front of us every day. When he's here, we have a very happy life. We should be like him, whether he's young or old. He is our friend.
Chang Li Hua (WA i PA3): He helped us learn we're not useless when we are old. We can still be useful people when we are old. We can still dance, make movies, and be actors. Old people should not underestimate themselves. The elderly are also capable of doing so many things.
This interview has been translated, edited, and condensed for clarity.
Yerin Kim is the features editor at POPSUGAR, where she helps shape the vision for special features and packages across the network. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School, she has over five years of experience in the pop culture and women's lifestyle spaces. She's passionate about spreading cultural sensitivity through the lenses of lifestyle, entertainment, and style.
"The Morning Show"'s Karen Pittman Would Love to Just Act, but the System Is Broken
In season three of "The Morning Show," a race scandal rocks UBA, the broadcast network that serves as the show's backdrop. The storyline sees Karen Pittman's Mia and Greta Lee's Stella strikingly depict the realities of women of color in largely white, corporate spaces like network television. "That's me and Greta actually, in a real way," Pittman tells POPSUGAR after speaking at the 2024 Makers Conference on Feb. 28.
Through characters like Mia and Nya on "And Just Like That...," Pittman brings incredible nuance to her portrayal of strong Black women who navigate their race in their respective environments, which she opened up about in conversation with "Succession" actor J. Smith-Cameron. The two spoke at the three-day summit hosted by Makers, a community-focused media brand owned by Yahoo that's focused on accelerating equity for women in the workplace.
"I pride myself on having characters that don't resemble me as an actor."
For Pittman, identity-driven storytelling is inherently intentional. "I think the storytellers and writers are always looking for ways to imbue your personal, authentic perspective, whatever you have been through in your life," she says. But for the actor and activist, that authenticity is less about sharing her lived experiences and more about bringing complex emotions to her characters. "I pride myself on having characters that don't resemble me as an actor," she explains. "I don't see any of myself in Mia, and I hope to never see any of myself."
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Image Source: Everett Collection
Instead, she "influences the storytelling" by ensuring there's depth to her characters. "I remind [writers], 'Let's make sure we show the heart of this character instead of just showing she's a strong woman.' That can end up being a trope," she says. She likes to create characters through their "emotional landscape" in particular. "Knowing what the heart of that woman is and being able to convey that to the camera visually is really where I feel like the greatest influence I have as an actor in any story. That is what makes an audience connect."
With a high-powered, independent TV producer like Mia, she's focused on channeling vulnerability, a quality not often associated with Black women on screen. "The writers of ['The Morning Show'] are always hoping to reflect back the strength and the nimbleness of African American women," she says. "Sometimes that can be one-sided, so I'm always trying to infuse moments of fragility, softness, tenderness, and suppleness of what it means to be a woman in that job, in the same ways that you might see a white woman in those jobs."
Image Source: Max
When it comes to Nya, Miranda's professor-turned-friend on "And Just Like That...," it was important to Pittman - and creator Michael Patrick King - that she wear her hair in braids. As she puts it, "I think it is important to reflect, especially on that platform, what it is to have an African American woman who completely accepts her naturalness, who isn't trying to change or look different, who is embodying this construct of Blackness completely, and has decided that she's going to live in a place of love and education - and to share that intelligence on the show." Pittman also understands that Nya's friendship with Miranda allows the opportunity to show viewers what it looks like for a woman of color to build a relationship with a white woman who may not know any other WOC. That's especially impactful in a series with so much fanfare and generational popularity.
But while she's able to start conversations about her characters in some ways, she also acknowledges the challenges that come with being a Black woman in the acting world. In her conversation with Smith-Cameron, Pittman shed light on Hollywood's cultural reckoning in response to George Floyd's murder by police in 2020. While there was an initial shift in the industry, she believes it's since reverted back to the status quo.
"My white colleagues don't have to have these conversations."
"People are forgetful," she tells POPSUGAR. "People forget, and as an actor, you don't want to always have your finger on the pulse of culture trying to teach them or remind them, 'Hey, we need to pump some life into this.' My white colleagues don't have to have these conversations."
As with women of color in any field, she'd like to solely focus on the job at hand: acting. "I would love to go into an experience where the only thing that I'm called to do is to bring the full breadth of my craft and not have to concern myself with anything else," she says. But, as she reminds us, this is the reality for any othered person in our society.
As Pittman underscored in her conversation with Smith-Cameron, "the system is broken," and she knows it'll take time for the industry to progress. But what she can do is collaborate with allies to advocate for the stories and characters they feel are important. "I want to be a human that builds coalition, that keeps common ground," she tells POPSUGAR. "One of the reasons I love portraying these characters is because they have their hand out for connection; they are reflecting back to the culture. There is space for all of us. Certainly in my career, as a mother, as a human being, that is the way I am in the world."
She's also hopeful for change. "If you're an actor or if you're an artist, you are an optimist and an activist," she says. "And if you're an activist or an optimist, you believe that humanity can do something different."
Yerin Kim is the features editor at POPSUGAR, where she helps shape the vision for special features and packages across the network. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School, she has over five years of experience in the pop culture and women's lifestyle spaces. She's passionate about spreading cultural sensitivity through the lenses of lifestyle, entertainment, and style.
The Real Stars of "Love Is Blind": Those Gold Wine Glasses
Image Source: Netflix
There are numerous standout stars on the newest season of "Love Is Blind" - Megan Fox (Chelsea Blackwell), AD's mother, Kenneth's phone, and the EpiPen, to name a few - but no star shines quite as bright as the famed gold cups. You know the ones we're talking about: those metallic-tinged wine glasses that pop up in nearly every frame of the Netflix dating series.
As omnipresent as the drama, the shiny goblets, of both the stemmed and stemless variety, aren't just sipped by contestants in the pods; they also score a ticket to the all-inclusive honeymoon resort in the Dominican Republic and make appearances, well, pretty much everywhere. Viewers can see them at the group pool party in North Carolina, the wedding-dress shop, every family's house, and every contestant's apartment. We'll put it this way: if "take a shot every time you see a gold cup" was part of a "Love Is Blind" drinking game, you'd likely end up with a massive hangover after just one episode.
So, what's the purpose of the ubiquitous drinking vessels, and where on earth did they come from? Wonder no more, because we've got answers right here.
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What's With the "Love Is Blind" Gold Cups?
"Love Is Blind" creator Chris Coelen told Variety that he chose the cups as a way to aesthetically distinguish the series - because holing up would-be lovers in tiny pods separated by an illuminated wall wasn't enough to do so, apparently. "When you turn on the show, you know it's our show," he said. "It's a very authentic, really true following of these people's journeys, but I like the fact that we have this sort of connective tissue with that in a really light way." Beyond that, the opaque nature of the glasses allows for seamless continuity; editors can cobble together scenes without worrying about how much alcohol, water, coffee, or whatever preferred liquid is left in each contestant's cup. Plus, the fact that they're metal and therefore harder to break than glass helps, too.
POPSUGAR also reached out to Netflix about where they scored the viral gold cups - y'know, just in case we plan a "Love Is Blind"-themed party in the future. A representative from the show's production company, Kinetic Content, told us they were, unsurprisingly, purchased in bulk from Amazon and transported from location to location by production vans. Although they were unable to provide the exact brand, this product listing on Amazon looks like a pretty spot-on dupe.
While the inescapable glasses made a splash among eagle-eyed "Love Is Blind" fans, they also became a mascot of sorts for every contestant - especially the women from season two. Deepti Vempati, who got engaged to but later broke things off with Shake Chatterjee, told E! News that she and the other ladies from the show's season want to get matching tattoos of the golden wine glasses. "We've been through so much, and we would always put all of our drinks in the gold goblets," she said. "It's just a symbolic thing for us."
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Victoria Messina was a senior editor on POPSUGAR's Breaking News team. A University of Florida graduate with more than six years of digital media experience, she covers a range of topics, including TV shows and movies, celebrity style, rising stars, food trends, and just about any pop culture-adjacent subject in between.
The Undeniable Influence of Black Latine Artists on Latin Music
Black. It is the color that absorbs all colors, the shade that holds the sun's warmth as it moves east to west. It is the color of a people, not just African but Caribbean, Middle Eastern, American, and more. But it is also music: the color at the center of the trumpet's brass ring, the shadow that fills the club when the lights get low and the party begins. Over the decades, Latin music has built a reputation for being wildly popular, no doubt in part due to its danceable nature. But what often gets lost in the conversation is the contribution that Black Latines had in cultivating the sound that, today, many of us regard as uniquely "Latin."
As a kid, I was guilty of just that. It wasn't until years later that I came to understand the importance of claiming my Afro-Puerto Rican heritage and how it shaped not only my identity but also the rhythms that moved me. Yes, that's rhythms, plural. From salsa to cumbia to reggaetA3n, an undeniable AfricanAa drives these genres. And it's just as much a part of our music's DNA as the language we sing it in.
The Rise of Machito, Afro-Cuban Jazz, and La Clave
We can't talk about the influence of Black Latines and not mention Machito. Frank "Machito" Grillo, along with band director Mario BauzA!, pioneered the sound of Afro-Cuban jazz in New York City in the 1940s. They took the Big Band format that was popular at that time and added conga, bongos, and timbales.
These instruments are staples of traditional African music and provide Latin jazz with signature percussive elements and rhythmic structure. These elements would later become the foundation of salsa music, which evolved from son montuno and Latin jazz; it upped the tempo but kept the African fundamentals, especially "la clave."
Growing up, my mother used to tell me that la clave was the heartbeat of salsa and, therefore, it was our heartbeat as well. However, while I thought of the clave as something uniquely Latino, the origins of the iconic "ta, ta, ta . . . ta, ta" began in Africa; la clave is an essential part of traditional African music. And even as the first slaves were ripped from their homes and crossed the Caribbean Sea with nothing but a lifetime of servitude awaiting them, la clave came with them. It was as simple as taking two sticks and knocking them together in rhythm, and it would become a staple of the music they produced. It would also eventually embed itself in Latin Caribbean music - not just salsa and son montuno, but other genres as well like danza, rumba, and mambo.
Similarly to jazz in the US, these musical genres would become an avenue to success for Black Latines worldwide and give rise to artists that would forever change the game, like Cheo Feliciano, Celia Cruz, Roberto Roena, Mongo SantamarAa, and "El Sonero Mayor" Ismael Rivera.
The African Origins of Merengue, Cumbia, y MA!s
But it's not just salsa and its predecessors that are heavily influenced by our African ancestry. Merengue, as we know it today, has its roots in the leisure time given to slaves, during which they would imitate the balls and ballroom dances of their European masters, creating something entirely new in the process. This music would remain mostly confined to the Dominican Republic until the 1930s when pioneer Eduardo Brito brought the music to New York. During the 1960s, merengue would experience another surge in popularity as Dominicans migrated en masse to the city, and Afro-Latino merengueros like JoseAto Mateo would help bring the art form to new heights.
Cumbia music, like merengue, has its origins in dances practiced by the slaves brought to Colombia. Over the years, it evolved to incorporate traditional European instruments and became popular across Latin America. While the sound became extremely popular during the '90s thanks to pop artists like the late Selena Quintanilla and others, it's important to remember that the first person to record a cumbia song was the Afro-Colombian artist Luis Carlos Meyer.
Yet another example of this fusion of African and European is the Mexican folk genre of son jarocho. It's a staple of the Caribbean town of Veracruz, and I first heard of it when I interviewed singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada. When asked about her unique style and influences, the Veracruzan songstress spoke at length about the town's African history and how it led to the creation of son jarocho's unique sound.
Before Reggaeton, It Was "La MAosica Negra"
Before it was known by its current name, reggaetA3n went through a series of names and transformations. Reggae en espaA+-ol, melaza, underground, rap y reggae -the list goes on. But maybe the most fitting name for it was "La MAosica Negra." Not only did this name epitomize the status of the underground movement that was burgeoning in the barrios, but it also identified it as a product of the Black Latines and Afro-descendientes that lived in them.
From El General and Nando Boom in Panama to DJ Negro and Tego CalderA3n in Puerto Rico, many of the genre's pioneers in the '90s and early 2000s were Black Latines. But beyond just the faces that flashed across the television during the music videos, the music itself was inherently African. Pulling from American hip-hop and Jamaican dancehall, reggaetA3n saw the European elements of Latin music scaled back in favor of an emphasis on heavy percussion. The dembow itself, though taken directly from riddims created by Jamaican producers, correlates with rhythms already found in traditional African music and Caribbean genres (such as Puerto Rican bomba).
The Issue of "Blanqueamiento" and the Invisibility of Black Latines
African influence has been a part of Latin culture since the very beginning, and that's not even bringing Spain's mixed African heritage into the mix. And yet today, if we look at all the genres mentioned above, we see that what started as Black music sung by Black artists has become progressively lighter. ReggaetA3n is a prime example of this, with artists like Karol G, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny all being lighter skinned. For this reason, remembering the African contribution to our music and our culture in its entirety is incredibly important. We must pay homage to the pioneers of these genres and also make space for today's Black Latine artists to grow alongside their lighter-skinned counterparts.
Because at the end of the day, from the lightest to the darkest of us, our African heritage is something that we share; it connects us. And as we see when we take a closer look at our music, Latin music IS Black music. It's high time we recognize it as such.
How Laufey's Chinese Icelandic Upbringing Shaped Her Unique Jazz Sound
Laufey has always felt "undefined." Whether it was her unique, modern jazz sound or her identity as a Chinese Icelandic artist, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter and producer tells POPSUGAR she "always felt like an anomaly and a bit of an outsider in my communities."
"Being a bit different became my status quo."
The artist, who recently took home her first Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album, has taken the music world - and TikTok - by storm. Since going viral on the platform in early 2022, she's released two albums, the second of which earned her the accolade. "Being a bit different became my status quo. I took my experience of being undefined into the music industry," she says.
Laufey's background growing up with Chinese and Icelandic parents in Iceland and later living in the US was pivotal to building her sound and, eventually, her career in music. "I had such a mix of experiences learning music," she says. Her first foray into music was connected to her Chinese culture - through her mother, a world-class violinist, and her maternal grandfather, who taught the instrument.
Laufey took piano lessons at Beijing's prestigious Central Conservatory of Music, and she performed as a solo cellist for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at 15. When she started attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, she learned jazz and pop for the first time. "All of those experiences allowed me to grow up hearing the different sounds of each of my cultures and taught me about the things that bind different musical disciplines together and what sets them apart," she explains. Her blend of jazz, classical, and pop is so unique that there's often debate over defining her exact genre of music.
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In addition to influencing her music, her college experience allowed her to embrace more of her Asian heritage, which she says she wasn't exposed to growing up in Iceland. "Living in the US has given me exposure to bigger Asian communities that I didn't necessarily have growing up in Iceland, where my mother and a few of her friends were the extent of my Asian community," she says. "Outside of the music industry, I've been able to embrace my identity as an Asian and be more proud of that side of me." In turn, that shift has given her the opportunity to "connect on a deeper level" with her fans of Asian descent.
And now, as a young woman in the music industry, Laufey is passionate about opening up opportunities for other women artists, particularly those of color. She can count the number of women producers she's worked with on one hand. Through Bose's Turn the Dial initiative, which aims to close the gender gap in music production, the musician collaborated with Eunike Tanzil, a rising producer and composer, to create a song from scratch in just three hours. "Eunike has such a beautiful way of approaching a simple melody, which is what drew me to her in the beginning," Laufey says. "It's an honor to create music with other Asian women in the industry. Together, we bring to our music a type of sincerity that is unique to our backgrounds."
As she continues to climb the charts, Laufey understands her undefined genre and identity represent what mainstream music and media have been missing. For Laufey, her recent Grammy win was "for those who couldn't figure out who they wanted to be."
As she puts it: "It was a stamp of approval proving that you don't have to follow a certain path in order to succeed in music."
Jennifer Lopez's New Doc Is Less About Ben Affleck and More About Self-Love
If you had a hard time understanding Jennifer Lopez's recent music video project "This Is Me... Now: A Love Story," her documentary "The Greatest Love Story Never Told" might answer some of your questions. In the doc, Lopez shares that the inspiration behind both "This Is Me... Now: A Love Story" and her ninth studio album, "This Is Me... Now" (both of which released on Feb. 16), was to finally set the record straight about her love life.
"I've been married four times now. I'm sure people watching from the outside were like, 'What is this girl's fucking problem?' You saw kind of a compulsive behavior," Lopez says in the documentary's introduction. "What I portrayed to the world was, 'Oh this didn't work out and it's fine and I'm good and they're good.' And all of that was kind of bullshit."
The documentary goes behind the scenes in the making of both the film and the album, and Lopez also walks viewers down the last two decades of her personal life. She admits all those back-to-back marriages and relationships were a result of not being good with herself.
"I didn't think much of myself. So the world didn't think much of me. That lined up," she says in tears.
She also reveals that part of the inspiration behind her self-financed multimedia project was getting back with the love of her life and now-husband, Ben Affleck, who appears in both the musical (as an incognito character) and the documentary. Lopez shares that she was completely devastated after their 2004 breakup because she felt like she didn't just lose the love of her life but also the best friend she'd ever had. The public scrutiny that followed only made things worse.
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Similarly to the musical film, the documentary touches on Lopez's love life for the past 20 years, the reason she was in constant search for love, and her love story with Affleck. But more importantly, it highlights her self-love journey and explores why it took her so long to get to a better relationship with herself.
"'This Is Me... Now' is about truth and facing the truth of who you really are and embracing that, and the truth is I'm not the same as I was 20 years ago," she says.
In the documentary, Lopez shares how being the middle child made her constantly feel a need to show her parents and family that she had value and worth. She felt ignored by her dad, who was always working, and her mom, whom she claims was always the center of attention. Feeling emotionally neglected forced her to become hardworking and disciplined, she says, and somewhere down the line she started seeking the love she didn't feel she received growing up from men.
At first, it was hard for me to believe that Lopez isn't the same person she was 20 years ago - at least when it comes to her love life and her need to constantly be in a romantic relationship. When have we ever seen her single? Very shortly after her breakup with baseball star Alex Rodriguez in 2021, she was already being publicly seen with Affleck. Can someone really get over their fear of being alone and their need to constantly be in partnership without ever taking a significant break from dating? I'd argue no. But in the doc, Lopez admits there was a period when she did finally embrace singlehood.
In the musical, there's a scene where Fat Joe, who plays her fictional therapist, asks her if she has "ever considered being alone for a minute." Her incognito character begins to break down in tears. Lopez admits in the documentary that the scene with Fat Joe parallels an actual conversation she had with a therapist.
"I used to be terrified to be alone," Lopez shares. "I didn't know what I was going to do by myself. Who was going to take care of me? Who was going to protect me? This one therapist said to me, 'Can you be alone?' And I was like, 'I can do it. I can be alone. I can be alone. I'll be alone until Christmas.'"
Lopez's therapist suggested she erase everyone from her phone who might pose temptation. According to Lopez, she listened and took some significant time to be alone and address whatever it was she needed to heal - like feeling emotionally abandoned as a child.
It's been easy for some fans to dismiss Lopez's recent projects - the film, the album, and the doc - as silly or unnecessary. But I couldn't help but empathize with her after having more insight into her journey and the things she's struggled with when it comes to love and relationships. I now believe Lopez when she says she took the time to be alone and heal - whenever that was.
Ultimately, it's clear that investing $20 million in this project was for herself, not for fans or viewers. Documenting her own journey was more a therapeutic act of self-love than anything else. Lopez likely didn't put out these projects to be nominated for awards or because she believes they'll be major hits; she put them out because they were the final process in her healing journey.
If these projects do anything, I hope they inspire viewers struggling with self-worth to take the time to reflect, heal, and give themselves the self-love they've always deserved. Because at the end of the day, the only love that we can guarantee in this life is the love we can give ourselves.
Tell Me MA!s: Grammy-Winning Goyo's Rise to Fame Has Been a Win For Afro-Latine Artists
In our Q&A /feature series Tell Me MA!s, we ask some of our favorite Latine artists to share some inside info about their lives and habits, revealing everything from their most recent read to the songs that get them hyped. This month, Grammy-winning artist Goyo, a member of legendary group ChocQuibTown, drops in to talk about her latest turn as a solo act, Afro-Latine representation, and what she's got in store for us in 2024.
As reggaetA3n, afrobeats, and trap become global, their distinct sounds and formulas become more cemented. However, rapper and singer Goyo has always defied the confines of a single genre. As a member of the award-winning group ChocQuibTown, the sound that she helped craft along with her brother Miguel "Slow" Martinez and Carlos "Tostao" Valencia, combined elements of traditional African percussion, Colombian folk, hip-hop, dancehall, and reggaetA3n. Now, as she continues her musical journey, this time as a solo artist, Goyo still finds it difficult to put a label on exactly what her sound is.
"The truth is that it's difficult for me to classify myself as one single thing . . . I can easily do a song that's straight hip-hop or a song that's straight folkloric. It's part of what I am," says the artist.
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When she first arrived on the scene, it was just as difficult for the industry to classify her and her fellow group members. They won their first Grammy under the rock/alternative category for the song "De Donde Vengo Yo," as there was no urbano category at that time. But since that time, the genre has exploded allowing young artists from barrios across the globe to chase their dreams and allowing female emcees to show what they are capable of.
Yet, despite this influx of new talent, there is a fluidity and maturity to Goyo's sound that immediately sets her apart.
"Within the urbano movement, hip hop, rapping, singing, that's where I feel most comfortable," she tells POPSUGAR.
For long-time fans of ChocQuibTown, this should come as no surprise, as Goyo's talent for melodic hooks and precise lyricism has been evident since ChocQuibTown's debut album "Somos Pacifico" in 2006. However, now that the spotlight is solely focused on her, she's able to fully embrace her versatility, crafting songs and exploring concepts that highlight a more personal journey.
"With ChocQuibTown, what we wanted to do was put ChocA3 on the map, to vindicate our culture, and in some way say that 'hey, we're here.' We're representing our hood."
"With ChocQuibTown, what we wanted to do was put ChocA3 on the map, to vindicate our culture, and in some way say that 'hey, we're here.' We're representing our hood," Goyo shares. "The difference now [as a soloist] is the experience, everything that I've lived, showing everything that I am as a versatile woman."
It's a journey that has many parallels with a certain hip-hop legend and one of Goyo's idols: Ms. Lauryn Hill. Both were the sole female members of powerhouse rap groups. Both burst onto the scene to immediate acclaim and not only could harmonize and provide R&B elements to compliment their male group members' raps, but they were also powerhouse spitters in their own right. The similarities aren't lost on Goyo as she admits to looking to Ms. Hill, not only as a source of inspiration but a teacher of sorts, helping her build confidence as a young emcee.
"For me, she's a teacher in the way that [listening to her music] was able to rid me of a lot of fear and allow me to be myself when it came time to write [my verses]," Goyo says.
Along with Hill, Goyo mentions Foxy Brown, and Rah Digga as major influences. On the Latin side of things, artists like Tego Calderon, Celia Cruz, and Grupo Niche have all had a tremendous impact on her.
"I grew up surrounded by music, my mother and my aunts always singing in the house. So while I was growing up influences would always come to me from all different sides," she recalls.
These different sides were something she got to showcase in the HBO special, "En Letra de Otro," where she put her spin on classic songs like Don Omar's "Otra Noche" and Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va." But don't get it twisted, these weren't just Goyo's interpretations of classics. She truly made them her own, rearranging them with completely original lyrics and beats.
Now, she's ready to follow up that project with a new album of all original tracks. And if the first two singles are anything to go by, Goyo is using the deep waters of the urbano genre as her playground.
"Tumbao" gives reggaetA3n de la vieja vibes with its simple dembow and traditional percussion elements. Insomnia on the other hand is a complete 180. Produced by hip-hop producer IllMind, it starts with a heavy rock riff before leading into some snappy snare drums and driving a Jersey-style bassline over which Goyo flows between a melodic chorus and more pointed raps with ease.
"Within the creative process, it's important to have a concept, a beginning, and an end," she says."But in rap, sometimes you'll have a punchline that doesn't have anything to do with the concept but you can make it connect with the next verse. It's a beautiful game and it's the thing I most enjoy, that it's not rigid. That I can start a song melodically and when I get bored, switch to rapping."
But despite the growth that she's undergone and despite her career entering a new chapter, Goyo affirms that she's still the Goyo her fans were introduced to back in 2006. And as an Afro-Colombiana in a genre that, despite its Afro-Latine origins, has become increasingly whitened, she understands that the representation that she's championed ever since her ensemble days is just as important now as it was in the earlier days of her career.
"I think that the process [by which Afro-Latines find success] is a process that takes time, that maybe in my generation, I won't see as many changes as the next generation will, but [the work is being done]," she says."And the important thing is that we are conscious of that work . . . that we understand where we come from and take beauty from that a| so that we can keep advancing and make the load lighter for [future generations]."
When it comes to lightening the load, Goyo has played a significant role since stepping onto the world stage. Not only did she help put the historically Black neighborhood of ChocA3 on the map, but her continued success helped to make room and provide a blueprint for the next generation of Afro-Latine artists, showing them that commercial and critical success is possible while still staying true to your sound and where you come from.
Yet, for an artist who has already achieved so much and stands as an inspiration to her people, Goyo wants her fans to know that she's still got more to achieve at this stage of her career and is looking forward to bringing them along for the ride.
"We're putting a lot of love into the album, "La Pantera," and I hope that the fans like it and connect with [it] . . . ," she says. "Something I've always wanted to achieve is to have a solo album - to perform, to tour as a soloist and reconnect with the fans who have followed us and also to find along this new route more people to accompany me in the process. Now, I'm able to materialize that dream."
Now that we've got you hyped for Goyo's upcoming project, keep reading to get the deets on who she'd like to collaborate with, what she'd be doing if she wasn't rapping, and what she does cuando la insomnia se la pega.
POPSUGAR: Where is your happy place?
Goyo: Wherever my family is.
POPSUGAR: What song would you play to get the party started?
Goyo: Blessings (Remix) by Victor Thompson.
POPSUGAR: What do you do when you can't sleep?
Goyo: Write. Read.
POPSUGAR: Who's your most listened to artist right now?
Goyo: Fridayy. I'm crazy about Fridayy
POPSUGAR: Which artists would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Goyo: Don Omar. Tego Calderon. And Eladio. He goes super hard.
POPSUGAR: If it wasn't music, what passion would you dedicate yourself to?
Goyo: Writing.
POPSUGAR: What was the best thing about being in a music group?
Goyo: Being the only woman.
POPSUGAR: What was the most difficult thing?
Goyo: Being the only woman.
POPSUGAR: Finally, how would you define the word "Tumbao"?
Goyo: Tumbao is that special something that I have and that you have but is different for everyone.
Prince Royce Talks Life After Divorce and How It Inspired His New Album, "Llamada Perdida"
"I get way more scared and embarrassed having to talk about my personal life in interviews than saying it in a song," Prince Royce admits during an interview in Los Angeles for his new album, "Llamada Perdida," which dropped Friday. With a decade-plus career that has generally been free of controversy, the Dominican American bachata artist and pop star is wearing his heart on his sleeve in his first LP since a very public divorce. Prince Royce says he has found healing through music while re-prioritizing himself and pushing the bachata genre to new places.
"Right now, I feel like I'm in a good place," he tells POPSUGAR. "Everybody has problems. It's just how you deal with them, and I think it's all part of growth. That's how I took in this experience in my personal life that happened in the last two years."
Royce is referring to his split with ex-wife and Mexican Lebanese actress Emeraude Toubia. After their fairy-tale-like wedding in 2018, the two announced their divorce in 2022 after 12 years together. For Prince Royce, it was the first time that a difficult moment in his private life had gone very public.
"Some of these things in my personal life had been going on for a while. You're kind of battling this thing in private until it actually explodes to the people."
"A lot of people thought when they saw it on Instagram, that's when it actually happened," he recalls. "Some of these things in my personal life had been going on for a while. You're kind of battling this thing in private until it actually explodes to the people. Fans want to know what happened, and what if I don't want the fans to know? I tried to stay away from social media for some time."
Prince Royce's vast catalog of hits includes love songs alongside bachata tracks about heartbreak. There's classics like 2014's "El Amor Que Perdimos," and "Culpa al CorazA3n," which was released a few years later. He admits that while he didn't experience any breakups while writing those songs, they struck a different chord when he revisited them after his divorce.
"I started listening to songs of the past, and I started to believe I was living what I wrote," he says. "I was living my past songs in the present. It was actually mad weird and scary. I cried to one of my old songs, and I felt like I was vibing with a Prince Royce that saw Prince Royce's future."
Prince Royce's divorce, compounded with the COVID-19 pandemic, left him with a lot to reflect on. He temporarily stepped away from the spotlight and surrounded himself with loved ones. During his brief hiatus from music, the bachatero reevaluated how he wanted to move on with his life and his career.
"I started listening to these podcasts about manifestation," he says. "When problems come, I just try to be positive. I'm genuinely trying to be a better person, make better decisions, and take care of my health. I want to try to put out the best music that I can do. I want to feel good about it. I want to do new things."
For Prince Royce, creating "Llamada Perdida" was a cathartic experience. On the 23-track LP, there are several bachata songs about heartbreak: he sings about suffering from heartache in "Sufro" and later wanting to numb the pain with morphine in the R&B-infused "Morfina," featuring Paloma Mami. But he maintains that "not every song has to be real."
"Some songs are fictional. Some songs are just inspired by [something]. Some songs are not 100 percent. I like to hide myself behind the artistry of what if it is or what if it isn't," he explains.
Throughout his career, Prince Royce has proudly represented bachata music from the Dominican Republic. While recording the album, he rediscovered his joy for making music and innovating the age-old genre in his own way. One of the most poignant collaborations is "Boogie Chata," featuring A Boogie Wit da Hoodie. The song seamlessly blends bachata with elements of hip-hop.
"[A Boogie Wit da Hoodie] is such a talented dude," Prince Royce says. "He's from the Bronx. I wanted to do something that was like Bronx representation. That's another one of my favorites. It was a great fusion. We did it just kind of doing our thing and having fun."
Prince Royce also taps into the mAosica Mexicana explosion with the song "Cosas de la Peda." Rising Mexican singer Gabito Ballesteros is featured in the heartbreaking song, which is a freshly unique mix of bachata with corridos tumbados. In the music video, Prince Royce also embraces a Mexican vaquero style as he sings with Ballesteros in a cantina.
"I did 'Incondicional' that had mariachi, and I recorded before with [Mexican singers] Roberto Tapia and Gerardo Ortiz," he says. "I wanted to push the envelope even more and have a bachata song with a deeper regional Mexican influence. I got to do that on this album. I just felt more free. I wanted to represent bachata and where I'm from with this type of album and still give a little bit of everything."
Prince Royce was also excited to explore more Dominican genres - like dembow in "Le Doy 20 Mil" and merengue tApico in the fiery "FrAo en el Infierno." One of the songs that mean the most to him is the empowering "La Vida Te Hace Fuerte," where he sings about the hard knocks of life making him stronger.
"We all go through very difficult things in our lives very differently," he says. "We all go through problems, but how do we solve them together? This is an album about overcoming obstacles. I want to just be here, do my thing, do things that make me happy, and try to keep touching people's hearts."
Finally, the Grammys Proved Women of All Ages Can Shine
2023 was all about the joy of girlhood, so it's no surprise the biggest musical hits of the year were also for women and by women. Ahead of the 2024 Grammy Awards, women dominated nominations across categories. But the Feb. 4 ceremony celebrated not only women nominees, but also winners, performers, and presenters - at every age. From longtime legends to rising artists, women celebrated each other unabashedly in an industry that tends to emphasize youth and often pits women against each other. For the first time in years, an award show seemed to hit the mark on entertaining audiences across generations, striking the perfect chord between embracing nostalgia and highlighting newer talent.
Women nominees were up for every major category, and ultimately snagged the big wins, too. Phoebe Bridgers took home the most trophies with four wins, making her a first-time Grammy winner alongside Victoria MonA(c)t, Miley Cyrus, Karol G, and Lainey Wilson. SZA led the pack with nine nominations, and won two. And of course, Taylor Swift became the first artist in history to win Album of the Year four times.
While the wins were certainly worth celebrating, the performances are what made an impact and warmed nostalgic hearts. In arguably the most-talked-about moment of the night, Tracy Chapman appeared with Luke Combs to perform a duet of "Fast Car," her 1988 hit that has since seen a cross-generational resurgence (one that she was not fully recognized for until last night). She hadn't sung on live TV in years, and has rarely toured since 2009. Another standout performance came from Joni Mitchell, who performed at the Grammys for the very first time at 80 years old. The crowd was teary as Mitchell sang her 1968 hit "Both Sides Now," her presence itself a triumph after she recovered from a 2015 brain aneurysm. Annie Lennox also made an appearance to pay tribute to Sinead O'Connor during the "In Memoriam" segment of the ceremony with an emotional cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U." These legends got the visibility they deserved on music's biggest night - and proved that it's never too late to get your flowers.
The younger pop stars also delivered memorable performances, and seemed to lean into the empowering theme of the night. Cyrus kicked off the ceremony with a fun rendition of "Flowers," a self-love anthem that earned her her two wins. Not to mention, she paired the performance with an homage to the late icon Tina Turner. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo also gave raw, vocal-first performances of their hits "What I Was Made For" and "Vampire," respectively, both of which reflect on the expectations young women face.
Even as JAY-Z accepted the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, he brought 12-year-old Blue Ivy on stage and centered his wife, BeyoncA(c), in his speech, criticizing the Recording Academy for repeatedly snubbing her for Album of the Year despite her record-breaking number of Grammys.
Of course, there were other high-profile snubs (notably SZA and Lana Del Rey). Award shows can't please everyone. But there's no doubt women of all ages reigned at last night's Grammys, indulging Gen Z, millennial, and Gen X fans alike and making us all feel seen. Witnessing legends and newcomers celebrating each other and themselves felt like a real step forward for all women.
Black Women Are Giving Themselves the Flowers They Deserve This Awards Season
Black women are consistently underestimated, disregarded, and overlooked in the entertainment industry, but I've been so inspired by Black stars' joy and self-love this awards season. From Quinta Brunson to Niecy Nash, our favorite actresses have already celebrated their well-deserved flowers - and I'll be watching the upcoming Grammys to see if that trend continues.
If you've missed all the bright points of this awards season, let me remind you of what's happened so far. During the Golden Globes on Jan. 7, we saw Ayo Edebiri take home her first major award as this year's best female actor in a television series for her work in "The Bear." Her acceptance speech made its way around social media for her relatable delivery - but mainly for her acknowledgment of her agents' and managers' assistants. Despite this being a momentous occasion in her career, she took the time to humbly thank and uplift those in "smaller positions" who make doing what she loves possible.
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The following week, entertainers reunited for the 2023 Emmys. It felt serendipitous that the show landed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, given that multiple Black women won in their respective categories while simultaneously breaking long-standing records.
The brilliantly hilarious Quinta Brunson took home the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role as Janine Teagues in "Abbott Elementary," becoming only the second Black woman to earn this achievement. Isabel Sanford won in 1981 for her iconic role in "The Jeffersons," so Brunson broke the 43-year-long drought with her win. That's far too long a gap. In the intervening years, so many Black women have been snubbed for their work: Tracee Ellis Ross was nominated five times for the award for her work on "Black-ish," for example, while Issa Rae was nominated three times for "Insecure."
Brunson actually broke two records that night - because of Edebiri's win for best supporting actress, the pair were the first Black women to hold both comedy titles simultaneously in Emmys history. We also can't talk about history-makers without mentioning Keke "Keep a Bag" Palmer. She was the first Black woman to not only be nominated but win an Emmy for outstanding host of a game show. As the host of NBC's "Password," she was also the first woman in 15 years to win in the category. Palmer's win spoke volumes to me; I never realized how much game shows were a men-dominated space until I saw her win. With one award, she broke a streak for all women - while also breaking a glass ceiling for Black women.
The true showstopper of the 2024 Emmys was Nash. After winning her first Primetime Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series for "Dahmer," she gave an awe-inspiring speech - you've probably seen it all over social media by now. What made the moment so special is that it wasn't about an outside force recognizing her star power; she did that herself. "I want to thank me - for believing in me and doing what they said I could not do. And I want to say to myself in front of all these beautiful people, 'Go on girl with your bad self. You did that,'" she told the crowd. It was beautiful to see Nash unapologetically celebrating herself, especially after the incredible work she has put into her almost three-decade-long career.
She continued to accept the award on behalf of "every Black and Brown woman who has gone unheard yet overpoliced. Like Glenda Cleveland. Like Sandra Bland. Like Breonna Taylor." Seeing Nash highlight self-love so boldly while also acknowledging the trauma that Black women in America deal with daily was incredibly poignant and paved the way for what I hope we see more of in the entertainment industry.
Slowly but surely, Black women are receiving their flowers.
Looking ahead to February, we are kicking off Black History Month with the Grammys on Feb. 4 and the BAFTAs on Feb. 18. The Oscars have already come under fire for snubbing Black women, including leaving out Ava DuVernay in the director's category for "Origin" and Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson for their roles in "The Color Purple." But for now, I'm focusing on the monumental year we've already had and the celebrations that could come - specifically during the Grammys. My focus will be on Coco Jones, Victoria MonA(c)t, SZA, and Halle Bailey; these four powerhouse musicians are bound to dominate this year.
SZA is leading the pack with the most nominations - nine - for any artist this year. Her critically acclaimed sophomore album, "SOS," is set to snag a handful of the coveted awards. And after years in the industry as a songwriter, MonA(c)t is receiving the attention she deserves for her debut studio album, "Jaguar II." Alongside her seven nominations, her 2.5-year-old daughter, Hazel, has also made history as the youngest nominee ever. Meanwhile, watching Jones being nominated for five Grammys, including best new artist, makes me extremely proud. I grew up with her and have watched her evolution in real time. Bailey, similarly, continues to shine. Following a monumental year in which she starred as Ariel in the live-action "Little Mermaid," her debut single, "Angel," is up for best R&B song, making this her first solo Grammy nomination.
It is validating to see such talented Black women be nominated for - and win - awards for their craft. The average Black woman is told to be humble and gracious, never to boast or boldly celebrate our wins. But as Nash, Brunson, and hopefully more stars to come have proven, the tides are shifting. Slowly but surely, Black women are receiving their flowers - not only from leaders in the industry, but also from themselves.
As a young Black woman, I'm taking notes. I will proudly celebrate my wins as I work toward my dreams and continue to foster my creativity. This awards season has just started, but I am excited to see what else is in store. As Rae would say, "I'm rooting for everybody Black."
How ArcA!ngel Is Grieving His Brother's Loss and Transforming Through the Process
Eighteen years ago, before his debut on the 2005 compilation album "Sangre Nueva," not many were familiar with Puerto Rican reggaetA3n artist ArcA!ngel. In the early days of his music career, ArcA!ngel would sing on mixtapes for his friends and for locals in the rough San Juan neighborhoods of Villa Palmeras and La Perla, where he grew up. But these days, he has millions of listeners tuning in to his music, making him one of the biggest stars of the genre.
As ArcA!ngel sits down for our virtual interview, his usual sunglasses are off. He looks straight at the webcam - not the screen - as if having a face-to-face conversation.
There's a startling amount of empathy in his eyes, which is both surprising and not when you consider his tumultuous early years, marked by hustling on the streets and finding ways to get by. People tend to associate that kind of life with cynical personalities, but there's a fine line between cynicism and empathy, and what breeds one can easily lead to the other. You can't have either without pain as a catalyst. As he talks, his eyes also betray another emotion swimming somewhere in his gaze - a latent sadness.
Just past midnight on Nov. 21, 2021, a car accident in San Juan took the life of ArcA!ngel's younger brother, Justin Santos. Only 21 years old at the time, he was driving a vehicle that was struck by another, driven by a woman who prosecutors later alleged was under the influence. In the time since, the case has been marred by setbacks and delays, with the driver's defense counsel successfully suppressing the alcohol blood level test results on various grounds. The process has been slowly moving its way up the judicial ladder, most recently into the hands of the Court of Appeals. A recent ruling reinstated the test results, paving the way for the start of a trial this year, more than two years after the incident.
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Since his brother's tragic death, ArcA!ngel has been vocal about how it has devastated his family and his own life. Still, he got back to recording, releasing "SR. SANTOS" in 2022 and "Sentimiento, Elegancia y MA!s Maldad" in November of last year. He's gone on worldwide tours, continuing to fill up stadiums in dozens of countries across Europe and North America. But behind the scenes, he's frank about how he's not the same person people have known him as.
"Sometimes, the better things are going for me, the sadder I feel."
"Sometimes, the better things are going for me, the sadder I feel," he says. "I see all these great things happening and all I can think is if the kid were here, he'd be so happy."
While he's still more than adept at rapping, as he proved during his Christmastime beef with Anuel AA, ArcA!ngel acknowledges that the spark he once had has dimmed.
"The creative process isn't the same anymore and never will be again. I used to say I had a gift because in the studio I could listen to a beat and write [a song] like magic, out of thin air. I didn't need a pen or paper. Lots of producers could tell you that," he says. "I don't have it anymore. It abandoned me."
He has no illusions, either, about why he's been overcome by such creative doldrums.
"After November [of 2021] it all went to shit, and since then nothing has changed. I need a team now to help me. I used to only need a music engineer and a good beat, and I took care of the rest," he shares. "But I don't have that touch anymore; it left, and maybe it'll come back. But I hope it comes back soon because I don't have 20 more years of career left."
Only a year passed between the accident and the release of "Sr. Santos" - a time during which ArcA!ngel submitted himself to getting a full-torso tattoo of his brother's visage in his memory. The album was more trap- and rap-oriented, exploring street-level themes. His most recent project, "Sentimiento, Elegancia y MA!s Maldad," includes more uptempo tracks that are more in the vein of his cheekier reggaetA3n roots.
When asked if this is due to an improvement in his emotional state, he shoots down the notion.
"My mind is fucked up, understand? But I have to work. My mental health is not in good shape."
"My mind is fucked up, understand? But I have to work. My mental health is not in good shape," he shares. "I never knew what it was to doubt myself. I was someone whose self-esteem was always so high that people confused it with arrogance. Now people tell me I've changed so much, and I tell them I haven't changed. It's just that my self-esteem is not the same. I know people say I'm more humble now, but it's because I'm more insecure than before."
At this, the also-Latin trap artist takes a pregnant pause. "I have to be mentally unwell for people to see me as humble," he says incredulously. "I would love to recover my mental health and self-esteem so I can be arrogant in people's eyes again."
In past interviews, old comrades like De La Ghetto would reminisce about the old ArcA!ngel and be impressed by how brash he was, no matter who he was talking to.
"I don't like [being like that] anymore," ArcA!ngel says. "Everything I say, people take it like . . . there's always a misinterpretation of everything, so much that now I prefer to not say anything and stay quiet. Or I doubt what I'm going to say, if it's right or not, so I don't say anything. And it bothers me because I'm not like that."
This past summer, ArcA!ngel's social media was littered with photos of his tour stops, with dynamic shots of soldout crowds everywhere from Spain and Italy to Baja California and Chicago. In some, you can spy fans holding up placards with Justin's name, or messages of condolences and emotional support. It's a genuine display of affection from his fans, and ArcA!ngel recognizes that, but he's also blunt about the limits of others' support.
"Bro, I don't want any more gifts that have anything to do with my brother. I don't want any more jackets, any more shirts, any more hats, any more keychains. They don't change anything . . . "
"How is a sign going to make me feel better? Because it has my brother's name on it?" he asks candidly. "Bro, I don't want any more gifts that have anything to do with my brother. I don't want any more jackets, any more shirts, any more hats, any more keychains. They don't change anything. What am I gonna do, open a museum? What I would like is to have him next to me."
Despite this inner anguish, he still sees a faint silver lining. "I feel I'm good at adapting and I've learned to feel comfortable in uncomfortable circumstances. And that's what's happening now," he says. "You're seeing an ArcA!ngel who's comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation. That's what time has taught me."
He won't share whether he's sought out therapy or other forms of mindfulness to work through his feelings, but he does point to two manners in which he distracts himself.
"I work. I make music. I'll go to the studio," he says, adding: "I have a very big house, and sometimes I'll just walk around for a long time. So much so that at 8 or 9 p.m., my feet hurt, and I ask myself why and it's because of all the walking I've been doing. I've been walking all day and didn't even notice. I walk a ton, fast, and I start thinking so much that my brain gets tired and that helps when I get one of those intrusive thoughts that fuck me up. I don't have space for those."
Instead, he gives that space over to planning for the future, and that includes his inevitable retirement. He knows there will come a point where he won't be able to rap about what he usually does in a way that feels earnest, and he intends to go out on top before that happens. But despite everything, does he still feel optimistic about the future? "Yes," he says before pausing. "But it's because of [the team] I have around me. Because I trust I can pass the baton to them and they're gonna know what to do. All I want to do is win. And now I'm learning to be a team player. The panorama has changed, and I'm not interested in being just the solo captain. I want to contribute to a team and do my role."
One role he's eyeing: being a producer of new talents. His biggest one right now is Chris LebrA3n, a young Dominican artist whom he's taken under his wing. When he envisions a second career in his post years, he's filled with dreams of hearing his name but under a new context.
As he puts it: "If and when one of the artists I developed wins a Grammy, and they thank me in their speech, that's gonna feel fucking great. More than even me winning one myself."
There's no doubt that ArcA!ngel would trade just about anything to have his little brother back, and not a soul would blame him. But the mightiest of hearts can't change reality. All one can do is change for the better, depending on whatever life throws at you.
"I don't like the Austin I used to be. I much more like the one I am now. I love the one I am now. I respect the person I am now more than who I was 10 years ago," he says. "I've been through a lot."
For ArcA!ngel, this is solace and peace: this new self, his work, his family, the memory of his brother, and his dreams for the future. It's all he has, and for him, it's more than enough.
The New "Mean Girls" Cast Looks Different Than the Original - and That's the Point
The very first shot of the 2024 musical reimagining of "Mean Girls" is a vertical frame. Two characters, Janis (played by Auli'i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), film themselves singing a song that sets the stage for the story to follow. They're troubadours for the TikTok set - and this is a "Mean Girls" for a new generation.
The Cady Heron, Regina George, and Aaron Samuels of the original film, released in 2004, had never seen an iPhone - those wouldn't debut for another three years. "Instagram," "Twitter," and "Snapchat" would have sounded like gibberish. Karen was just a name, and Donald Trump was just a business mogul.
Twenty years later . . . well, things are different. We've seen not just a technological revolution, but a cultural one. More Americans have become more aware of how rampant racism and discrimination - from microaggressions to hate crimes - are in this country. And while we still have a long way to go, people have a greater understanding of the harm caused by failing to adequately represent a diversity of identities on screen.
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In 2004, the original film did make jokes about racial stereotypes ("If you're from Africa, why are you white?"), but it didn't go so far as to cast a person of color in any of the main roles. (Actually, that was a joke in the original movie, too: Kevin G asks Janis if she's Puerto Rican. "Lebanese," answers Janis, played by Lizzy Caplan, who's white.)
The new "Mean Girls" cast is notably more diverse than the original, and the cast tells POPSUGAR that they're grateful for the ability to bring their characters into 2024 by integrating more of their individual identities.
"I got to bring a little bit of myself to the character," says Bebe Wood, who plays Gretchen Wieners. "I was talking with [director Arturo Perez Jr.] and he was like, 'Wait, I heard somewhere that you're Latina . . . We should just add something in there.'"
"[I]t was exciting to add just a little nod to my heritage within the role."
The addition to the script was small - a single mention of her abuelito - but for Wood, the impact was huge. "I've never been able to play Cuban American before," she says. "So it was exciting to add just a little nod to my heritage within the role."
Avantika, who plays Karen Shetty in the new film, was similarly grateful to be able to embrace her background on screen. "It really meant a lot when . . . at the initial table read, [screenwriter Tina Fey] was like, 'Is there anything about the name like Karen Smith that you want to change?'" Avantika says. "And I was like, 'I'm South Indian, I've never gotten to play someone who's openly South Indian, and I speak Telugu at home; would it be possible to bring in the last name from my culture?' . . . And so we decided on Karen Shetty. That's really special to me that [Fey] gave me the space and freedom to bring that."
Karen isn't the only character to get a new name: Janis Ian is now Janis 'Imi'ike, reflective of Cravalho's Hawaiian heritage. Cravalho wants to get to a place where diversity in film is the rule, rather than the exception. "Every film that I'm in, I get asked about: 'Why is representation important in films?'" she says. "Thank you for asking me that question - but can we move on a little bit? A space that I'm trying to move out of is being asked always about, 'How important is it to you to be the first pioneer?' I am excited to open the doors and just break through. [But] I don't want to be the first."
This name-claiming is especially meaningful in a film where name-calling and misnaming cause so much harm. The Plastics, "fugly slut," "dyke" (in the new version, updated to "pyro lez"): they're all names and labels doled out like candy-cane grams, and the students of North Shore High feel the burn.
"Maybe you don't label me and I won't label myself and I can just be whatever I want."
Spivey says that he tries to ignore labels that other people stick on him; they aren't the truth, he says. "Even in the film, Regina calls Karen stupid, so therefore Karen feels like she's stupid. But I have a strong feeling if Karen didn't listen, she wouldn't feel stupid. You know what I mean?" Spivey tells POPSUGAR. "So for me, I think a lot of people can be like, 'Oh yeah, you're a plus-size queer actor.' I am, but I'm also just an actor. So maybe you don't label me and I won't label myself and I can just be whatever I want."
This sentiment is echoed by this generation's Regina George, ReneA(c) Rapp. Rapp is openly bisexual (and has hinted in prior interviews and on social media that her Regina might not be as straight as the character's relationships with Aaron Samuels and Shane Oman might indicate). But she also makes clear that only she has the right to comment on her sexuality.
"I've come out a lot of different times in my life and with a couple of different things, and it recently has changed a lot for me," says Rapp, perhaps referring to her portrayal of Leighton Murray, a college freshman who comes out as a lesbian on "The Sex Lives of College Girls." "But I cannot tell you how many times I've received comments in the last month or two that are just like, 'Oh, congrats on [coming out] again,'" she says, her tone changing to the vocal equivalent of an eye roll. "And I was like, bro, actually fuck you. You suck."
There's power in claiming and coming into your identity. And the people who try to put you in a box or use your individuality to hurt you? Rapp is right: they suck.
Angourie Rice says she's learning to let go of the opinions and expectations others have of her - not unlike her character, Cady Heron. "When I was 17, I had a really great year in terms of work and publicity, and it was my final year of high school and I graduated. And that felt like a really successful year for me. I think when you're a young person working in the industry and you get success at a particular point in your life, there's maybe a pressure to sort of stay at that point in your life," she says. "[You think], 'Oh, that's when I got the most validation, therefore I should be like that always.'"
But Rice is looking to grow and sees how relying on external affirmation for her sense of self-worth could be holding her back. "For me, [I'm working on] releasing that constant need for validation because I got it so much at this particular point in my life," she says. "I'm not 17 anymore."
Stepping into the role of ultimate teen heartthrob Aaron Samuels came with similar pressures for Christopher Briney. But in playing Aaron, "I just tried to be Chris," he says. "I really wanted to break free of expectations of what I thought people wanted to see when they see Aaron Samuels."
It takes a special kind of environment to be able to foster so much freedom and vulnerability in the actors' performances - and the cast says they felt supported by one another immediately.
"The friendships came easy. It was so easy, so fun to work with these people. I loved it so much," Rice reminisces. "I think also we were all so committed to making the movie the best it could possibly be, and I learned a lot from both Jaquel and Auli'i. Auli'i stands up for herself so much. Jaquel is one of the funniest performers I know. And so just being in a room with these two people and learning so much from how they work and who they are was a treat."
Spivey agrees. After all, he says, Fey set the tone from day one that the whole film is about high school - that you have to have fun for it to really translate. As he puts it, "It's an actor's dream to be able to step into a space and feel comfortable enough to play - and to play as much as you can and discover."
"The Brothers Sun" Star Sam Song Li Shares Why His Breakout Role Is Deeply Personal
Image Source: Ziyang Wang
When Sam Song Li came across the role of Bruce on "The Brothers Sun," he felt like the character was written uniquely for him. In Netflix's new action-packed drama series, Bruce's life is upended when his older brother, Charles (Justin Chien), who turns out to be a Taiwanese gangster, comes to LA to protect their mom, Eileen (Michelle Yeoh). When Li first read the script, he quickly learned he shared a number of "shockingly close" similarities with his onscreen counterpart. Like Bruce, the 27-year-old actor and content creator was raised by a single mom in the San Gabriel Valley, CA, a predominantly Asian American community where the series partially takes place. Similarly, he also dreamed of being an actor and improv comedian, despite his mom's hopes that he'd become a doctor. "I feel like that especially is just really relatable for a lot of Asian Americans," he tells POPSUGAR.
That's why Bruce's story was personal to Li, who was born in Guangzhou, China. He drew from his own experiences to authentically portray Bruce - and the character's relationship with Mama Sun in particular. "I was raised by a single mom, and my mom in real life is my hero," he says. "She raised me and my sister all by herself. To see a single parent have all the weight of the responsibilities of raising a kid, you take it for granted when it's happening. I brought that energy and perspective into Bruce in his love for his mom."
Against his mom's best wishes, Li ultimately decided to pursue acting. Amid creating comedic content and racking up a following on TikTok and Instagram, he booked smaller roles on shows like "Never Have I Ever" and "Better Call Saul." When he landed "The Brothers Sun," it was a welcome surprise; he didn't imagine a role like this one to come about so early on in his career.
Image Source: Netflix
As if securing his first major role a and one he related to so deeply - wasn't exciting enough, "The Brothers Sun" was also the first time Li worked alongside an all Asian writers' room and a majority Asian American cast. "Our production was uniquely Asian American in so many facets, but I think one thing that really stood out to me was that we really practice what we preach on the show," he says. "In the show, the family, and how you treat people as a family, is the focal point of the story. We as a team really had that connection. We felt really passionate about what we were doing, what was happening in front of us, regardless of if the show was a success or not. I think the one thing we were all holding onto was that this was a very special moment."
The cast's strong connection was also sustained by food - a hallmark of many Asian cultures. There were Asian snacks and food available on set all the time, including boba at least once a week. According to Li, Yeoh would order food from a different local Chinese spot every week. "She would always surprise us with something," he says.
"I've always felt I was not Westernized enough for Hollywood, and not Asian enough to work in Asia."
Growing up, it would've been difficult for Li to imagine an experience like the "Brothers Sun" set. Asian and Asian American representation on screen was few and far between. "I've always felt I was not Westernized enough for Hollywood, and not Asian enough to work in Asia," Li says, describing a struggle all too common for Asian Americans, both in and out of the entertainment industry.
But with the influx of APIA projects in theaters and on streaming platforms in the past three years, Li's perspective on his future in acting has changed drastically. "I've realized the direction that Hollywood and the world is moving is connecting the globe in so many ways," he explains. "Content is no longer just for a Western or American audience right now. Content is for a global audience."
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As a result, he's been able to seek out roles that are tied to his upbringing and identity. "The one common thread between all of the roles I gravitate towards is that they are part of my identity, not just based on race, but literally who I am as a person or the experiences that I've had," he says. Aside from playing Bruce on "The Brothers Sun," he shot a pilot in 2023, "Marvin Is Sorry," in which he plays a mega influencer and content creator who gets canceled. "A lot of the elements and nuances of that story I felt like I gravitated towards because it was just something I knew very intimately," he says.
Looking forward to the future, Li feels optimistic about more cultural projects like "The Brothers Sun."
"That freshness, the authenticity of storytelling, is more important than ever," he says. "Any time we can show new perspectives, have a fresh take on something, or show the world something they've never seen before, that is what I think Hollywood and global audiences are craving."
Explore PS's Best Feature Stories of 2023
For what would've been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in late January, we published a collection of stories marking the past, present, and future of abortion access in America. During Pride Month in June, we highlighted trans and nonbinary voices and their moments of gender euphoria and joy. In September, we celebrated Latine Heritage Month by spotlighting Latinas who have made the decision to prioritize their mental, physical, and spiritual health instead of the ever-present hustle culture. These are just a few examples of ways our editors, writers, and contributors have brought attention to important issues and tackled complexities not often talked about.
To commemorate the end of the year, we've gathered an essential reading list of PS's best stories from 2023. From insightful personal essays to thoughtfully reported features, these stories represent some of our favorite works from the past 12 months. Take a look back below.
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There's a Sinister Truth to the Stereotypes of Asian Men Depicted in "May December"
The Netflix movie "May December" is heavily inspired by the real-life relationship between Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, which is probably why its depiction of stereotypes of Asian men feels so close to reality, too. The morally problematic tale takes viewers on a complex journey with troubling racial implications, particularly as they relate to weaponized whiteness and the depiction of Asian masculinity as subservient and childlike.
This highly publicized case, as well as its fictionalized version depicted in "May December," raises a central question: how did the fact that she's a white woman impact not only her ability to groom him - an Asian American boy - but also the public's reaction to the story?
This feeds into the harmful stereotype that Asian men are complacent and obedient.
In "May December," Julianne Moore plays Gracie, the fictionalized version of Letourneau, who began sexually abusing Fualauu when he was her sixth-grade student. In 1997, Letourneau pled guilty to two counts of secondary rape but stayed with Fualaau, giving birth to two of his children before he was 15 and eventually marrying him. In the film, Gracie is married to Joe, played by Charles Melton, the fictionalized version of Fualaau.
We pick up the action as their youngest children prepare to graduate from high school. At this point, Joe is a 36-year-old stay-at-home dad and Gracie is in her mid to lat e 50s. An actress named Elizabeth, portrayed by Natalie Portman, is set to play a fictionalized version of Gracie and drops into the family's life to try to learn more about them.
Throughout the film, we, like Elizabeth, begin to see the real nature of Joe and Gracie's relationship. It's one predicated on stereotypes and racism - Joe fulfills the subdued, subservient role so often foisted upon Asian Americans, and their relationship is relatively accepted because Gracie weaponizes her whiteness. Ultimately, the film exposes how flipped gender and racial roles allow sexual abuse to be more palatable for and accepted by the general public.
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Let's start with Joe. Although he's well into his 30s, he increasingly comes off as childlike as the film progresses. He isn't a full-fledged adult or equal partner. Rather, he is infinitely subservient to Gracie, only doing what he thinks is expected of him.
This feeds into the harmful stereotype that Asian men are complacent and obedient. Importantly, it's a sharp contrast to how white men are usually depicted: dominant, brash, aggressive. Joe practically fades into the background at a neighborhood barbecue, almost like he is hired help, until Gracie calls upon him. It's clear that Gracie has groomed him, like a toy to fill some part of herself - and she's been able to do so at least in part because of his race.
In one scene, for example, Joe confides that the other girls at school weren't much into him, but "Gracie saw me and I wanted that." It's clear he has internalized the white-savior complex. Gracie was very much able to leverage the perception of Joe as an "other" to her advantage, especially so because he grew up in a mostly white community. Indeed, we learn that Gracie fetishized Joe right from the start, first noticing him only because he and his family were the only Asians in the neighborhood.
Gracie is, in contrast to Joe, far more controlling, treating Joe more like a tool or dehumanized servant than as her husband. At the same time, she has come to weaponize her traditional "victim" role as a white woman. She makes it sound like everyone is out to make her feel bad and hurt her. She even tells Elizabeth at one point, "I am naive. I always have been. In a way, it's been a gift." In her relationship with Joe, while she is clearly the one in control, she fights to maintain this victim narrative. As she explains to Elizabeth, Joe "grew up very quickly," whereas she herself was "very sheltered."
At play here, too, is the explicit and implicit fetishization of Joe's Asianness.
When Joe's repressed feelings about how their relationship first started eventually float to the surface, he comes to her more like a child than as an equal partner and husband. He asks, "Why can't we talk about it?" Even though he was only 13 years old at the time and unable to consent, Gracie continues to feed him a false narrative. "You seduced me," she tells him. "I don't care how old you were. Who was in charge? Who was the boss?"
This brings up the "hot for teacher" trope sometimes depicted in movies and TV shows. When we see a teacher who is a man engage with a girl student, it is universally regarded as problematic and predatory. But when the roles are reversed, the perception is wildly different.
Take shows like "Dawson's Creek" and "Riverdale." In both cases, the boy student is the instigator. We're led to believe that these boys are ready for physical relationships, while the women teachers simply get swept up in it all. This framing completely eclipses the truth of the matter, which is that Gracie is a pedophile and an abuser.
At play here, too, is the explicit and implicit fetishization of Joe's Asianness. It's harder to call out because we often see this in the form of so-called yellow fever and the objectification of Asian women. But it happens to Asian men as well - usually in the form of an exoticization or emasculation.
Gracie isn't the only one to fetishize Joe's Asianness. As Elizabeth reviews the audition tapes for who might play Joe in the movie within a movie, she notes that the kids are "not sexy enough. You've seen him. He's got this, like, quiet confidence. Even as a kid, I'm sure." Equally, she is able to weaponize her white womanhood to seduce Joe herself.
The disturbing truth that underlies the entire movie (and Letourneau's real-life crime) is that if Joe's character had been a white girl and Gracie's character had been an Asian man, the narrative would be received in a wildly different way. That dynamic would be practically inconceivable for most American audiences to accept as even plausible. There's no way an emasculated Asian man teacher would've been able to manipulate and seduce a young white girl student - and even if he did, it'd be overtly predatory and unacceptable.
The relative acceptance of Gracie's actions and motives - as well as the other characters' treatment of Joe - reaffirms that Asian men are seen as "less than" in American society. Emasculated and fetishized, Asian men become passive tools to satisfy and satiate the whims and fancies of the white majority. We cook your food and clean your laundry as nameless, faceless, infinitely replaceable instruments of absolute servitude and silent acquiescence.
In the real world, Letourneau and Fualaau legally separated in 2019 after 14 years of marriage and two children together. She died from cancer in 2020 at the age of 58, leaving much of her estate to Fualaau. The ending of "May December" isn't quite so conclusive. Rather, it leaves us with more questions worth exploring.
Conventional gender stereotypes played a central role in the media's portrayal of the real-world story. Letourneau was presented as a social victim, and her relationship with Fualaau was often described in terms of love. Her criminal actions were almost excused in the court of public opinion, whereas Fualaau's lived trauma is little more than a footnote. It's her story that's of primary interest, not his. Fualaau fades into the background, much like Joe does at the neighborhood barbecue, only brought up when it is convenient and he is needed to fulfill a task.
In "May December," gender stereotypes equally take center stage. But the racial implications aren't examined with nearly the same level of scrutiny. The power imbalance is attributed to the dynamic between an older woman and a teenage boy, and much less so to weaponized whiteness and subordinated Asianness.
We aren't sure what happens to Gracie and Joe by the end of the film, though it feels like she still has his claws in him and he will continue to feel hopelessly trapped in their relationship. Because that's what she wants, and what he wants never mattered anyhow.
Black parents tell Dr. Phil they're angry with government for funding illegal migrants as taxpayers struggle
Dr. Phil interviewed two parents who lamented that current leadership is forcing them to pay for illegal immigrants while their family struggles to afford basics.
Oregon hotel featured in Jack Nicholson's 'The Shining' catches fire
A fire engulfed part of the Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon, which was featured in 1980's "The Shining," on Thursday night. Fire officials later shared that the scene was declared under control.
Keyword Selected: Republic
Sudan's military coup and the stifling of speech | The Listening Post
Sudanas flirtation with democracy ends in a coup daetat - how far will its leaders go to control what we know about the story? Contributors: Mohanad Hashim - journalist Jonas Horner - deputy director, Horn of Africa, Crisis Group Yassmin Abdel-Magied, writer and broadcaster Raga Makawi - editor, Africa Arguments On our radar: As Myanmaras military courts sentence journalists arrested after the coup that removed democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi, producer Nicholas Muirhead talks Richard Gizbert about the release of American journalist Danny Fenster. Eric Zemmour: The political rise of Franceas far-right polemicist Far-right French journalist Eric Zemmour has yet to declare himself a presidential candidate - but has he already set the tone for next yearas election? Contributors: Rokhaya Diallo - contributor, C8 and The Washington Post newspaper Christophe Deloire - secretary-general, Reporters Without Borders Aurelien Mondon - associate professor of politics, University of Bath
Hate speech and misinformation in Ethiopiaas war | The Listening Post
As Ethiopia stares down the barrel of all-out civil war, a government-imposed communications blackout is allowing hatred and disinformation to thrive. Contributors: Berhan Taye - Digital researcher Nima Elbagir - Senior international correspondent, CNN Claire Wilmot - Research officer, LSE On our radar: This week, a routine news conference in Athens turned into a shouting match between a Dutch journalist and the Greek prime minister. Meenakshi Ravi tells Richard Gizbert about the media furore that ensued. War and PiS: An attack on Polandas biggest news channel: Back from the brink, still on the air - the Polish 24-hour news channel that remains in the governmentas crosshairs. Contributors: Brygida Grysiak - Deputy editor-in-chief, TVN24 Tomasz Lis - Former anchor, TVN & editor-in-chief, Newsweek Poland ElA1/4bieta Rutkowska - Journalist, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna Beata Tadla - Former anchor, TVP & host, Onet.Pl
Climate crisis: Can journalists make the world care? | The Listening Post
Climate change: News organisations, fossil fuel companies and audiences all need to do better on the story that could mean the end of us. Contributors: Meera Selva - deputy director of the Reuters Institute Genevieve Guenther - founder and director, End Climate Silence George Monbiot - author and columnist David Gelber - co-founder, The Years Project On our radar: A year after war broke out in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmedas government has declared a six-month state of emergency. Producer Flo Phillips joins Richard Gizbert to discuss the effect it is having on freedom of expression. The hate crimes going viral in India: Violence against Muslims, filmed by the perpetrators, is the latest ugly trend among Indiaas Hindu vigilantes. Contributors: Alishan Jafri - journalist, The Wire Hate Watch Angana Chatterji - anthropologist, University of California, Berkeley and co-editor of Majoritarian State: How Hindu Nationalism is Changing India Saba Naqvi - author of Shades of Saffron 00:00 Intro 02:15 The climate crisis 11:29 Ethiopiaas ongoing conflict 13:42 Violence against Muslims in India 23:48 End note
Arrests & defamation: Bollywood in the dock in Modias India | The Listening Post
Aryan Khan, the son of one of Indiaas biggest movie stars, Shah Rukh Khan, was charged with possessing and trafficking drugs. We take a look at the drug bust that tells a story of the conflict between the Indian authorities and Bollywood. Contributors: Namrata Joshi - Journalist and film critic Vivek Agnihotri - Film director Sucharita Tyagi - Film critic Tejaswini Ganti - Assistant Professor, Anthropology and Film Studies, NYU On our radar: Facebook is again in our news feeds, and once again for the wrong reasons. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Nic Muirhead about the continuing fallout from the whistleblower that has a consortium of news outlets on the companyas case. Alarm Phone: The refugee hotline and lifeline We discuss Alarm Phone, the hotline for refugees at sea that is helping to get their stories heard. Contributors: Jacob Berkson - Activist, Alarm Phone Giorgos Christides - Reporter, Der Spiegel Giorgos Kosmopoulos - Greece researcher, Amnesty International Notis Mitarachi - Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum 00:00 Intro 02:12 Bollywood in the dock in Modias India 11:17 Facebook whistleblower fallout 13:45 Alarm Phone: The refugee hotline & lifeline 24:05 End Note
The Beirut blast probe: A tale of distrust and disinformation | The Listening Post
Accountability for the blast that destroyed Beirutas port proves elusive in Lebanon and journalists are not helping. Contributors: Lara Bitar - Editor-in-Chief, The Public Source Alia Ibrahim - Co-founder and CEO, Daraj Jad Shahrour - Journalist and writer; Communications Officer, Samir Kassir Foundation On our radar: Obituaries of former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell have been too kind. 'Foreign agents' and 'undesirables': Kremlin's media labels Authorities in Russia have been systematically clamping down on journalism with the help of so-called apatriotica activists. Contributors: Vitaly Borodin - Federal Security & Anti-Corruption Project Roman Badanin - Founder & Former Editor-in-Chief, Proekt; John S. Knight Senior International Fellow, Stanford University Lilia Yapparova - Special Correspondent, Meduza
What this year's Nobel Prize says about the global media climate | The Listening Post
For the first time in 85 years, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to two journalists. What does this tell us about the state of global journalism? Contributors: Rana Ayyub - Journalist Agnes Callamard - Secretary General, Amnesty International Julie Posetti - Global director of research, International Center for Journalists Ilya Yablokov - Lecturer in Journalism and Digital Media, Sheffield University On our radar: Singaporean authorities have passed a new "foreign inference" law that has put journalists there on alert. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Nic Muirhead about the law and its worrying implications. Just a game?: The US military-gaming complex War is not a game. But it is for the video games industry and it is proving to be a useful ally for the United States military. Contributors: Nick Robinson - Associate Professor of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds Matthew Gault - Reporter, VICE Rami Ismail - Video game developer
Outages, leaks and bad headlines: Facebook's nightmare week | The Listening Post
A whistleblower, a system crash and the United States Congress on its case; Facebook goes under the microscope, yet again. Contributors: Pranesh Prakash - Co-founder, Centre for Internet and Society; affiliated fellow, Information Society Project, Yale Law School Siva Vaidhyanathan - Professor, University of Virginia; author, Antisocial Media Marianne Franklin - Professor of global media and politics, Goldsmiths, University of London Mahsa Alimardani - Researcher, Oxford Internet Institute On our radar: The Pandora Papers - the largest investigation in journalism history - are reverberating through the financial world of the rich and powerful. Producer Flo Phillips tells Richard Gizbert about the biggest ever leaks of offshore data and who they have exposed. The case of Egyptas jailed TikTok stars The Egyptian government has been progressively tightening its grip on cyberspace and female social media influencers are the new targets. Contributors: Yasmin Omar - Egypt legal associate, The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy; human rights lawyer Joey Shea - Non-resident scholar, Middle East Institute Dalia Fahmy - Associate professor, Long Island University, Brooklyn
Kidnap or Kill: The CIAas plot against WikiLeaksa Julian Assange | The Listening Post
An exposA(c) detailing the CIAas war on WikiLeaks - a Trump administration plan to silence Julian Assange and the organisation - has been published. But like so much of the Assange story, it's got nothing like the media coverage it deserves. Contributors: Michael Isikoff - Chief investigative correspondent, Yahoo News Kevin Gosztola - Managing editor, Shadowproof.com Carrie DeCell - Staff attorney, Knight First Amendment Institute Rebecca Vincent - Director of international campaigns & UK bureau director, Reporters Without Borders On our radar: Project Amplify - Facebookas PR initiative - backfires. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Meenakshi Ravi about the scrutiny Facebook is under, yet again. Lost in translation: How texts change as they travel The translation of literature - from one language to another - is a tricky business. Translators become cultural mediators, balancing faithfulness to the original with the needs of a new audience. When translators fail, context can be sacrificed, and stereotypes can get reinforced. Contributors: Layla AlAmmar - Author, Silence is a Sense & Academic, University of Lancaster Susan Bassnett - Translation theorist & emeritus professor, University of Warwick Muhammad Ali Mojaradi - Translator & founder, @persianpoetics Leri Price - Literary translator End Note: And, after 16 years of leading the country as its chancellor, Germany is saying goodbye to Angela Merkel. Puppet Regime - a comedy series produced and published by GZERO Media - pays tribute to her work, Kraftwerk style.
Drone exposA(c): The journalism that forced the Pentagonas mea culpa | The Listening Post
United States drone warfare is finally being exposed. But why did it take American news outlets so long to get to such a big story? Contributors: Emran Feroz, Founder, Drone Memorial Christine Fair, Security Studies Program, Georgetown University Spencer Ackerman, Author, Reign of Terror Vanessa Gezari, National Security Editor, The Intercept On our radar: Producer Tariq Nafi and host Richard Gizbert discuss a voting app that was developed by Russian opposition activists to fight Vladimir Putin in the recent elections - but was censored by Big Tech. 100 Years Too Late: Canadaas Residential School Reckoning Months after the story of mass graves at so-called residential schools in Cananda broke, the nation is still reckoning with the trauma of mass graves. Contributors: Cheryl McKenzie, Director of News and Current Affairs, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada Connie Walker, Host, Stolen: The Search for Jermain Wab Kinew, Leader, Manitoba New Democratic Party
China: Regulating superstars, superfans and big tech | The Listening Post
Xi Jinping's China has embarked on a campaign that could transform the country's technology, entertainment and media industries. Contributors: Chris Buckley - China correspondent, The New York Times Kaiser Kuo - Host, The Sinica Podcast and editor-at-large, SupChina Bingchun Meng - Associate professor, Department of Media and Communications, LSE Rui Zhong - Program associate, Wilson Center, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States On our radar A month of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Meenakshi Ravi and producer Johanna Hoes discuss how the Taliban is already leaving its mark on the countryas news industry despite initial promises to the contrary. Structures of oppression? Colombiaas falling statues Indigenous Colombians have been toppling statues of European colonisers - challenging how the countryas history is remembered. Contributors: Didier Chirimuscay - Misak community leader Rodolfo Segovia - President, Colombian Academy of History Amada Carolina Perez - Historian, Javeriana University
Reporting the aenda of the Afghan war 20 years after 9/11 | The Listening Post
Two decades on from the 9/11 attacks, American news coverage of the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan reveals how much has changed - and how much has not - in the mediaas approach to US wars. Contributors: Alexander Hainy-Khaleeli - Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter Catherine Lutz - co-director, Costs of War project; professor of International Studies, Brown University Fariba Nawa - author, Opium Nation; host, On Spec Azmat Khan - contributing writer, The New York Times Magazine; assistant professor, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism On our radar: Meenakshi Ravi speaks to producer Flo Phillips about the latest developments in the Afghan media space, including the Talibanas mistreatment of journalists covering this weekas protests. Afghan journalists under threat A report on the past, present and future of the media in Afghanistan, as told by three Afghan journalists. Contributors: aNa - Journalist & media safety specialist aMa - Photojournalist aLa - Regional radio & TV reporter
The Forever War: 20 Years After 9/11 | The Listening Post
Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, this special edition of The Listening Post looks at the climate of fear that undergirded the so-called "War on Terror" and how the US news and entertainment industries helped produce it. Contributors: - Chris Hedges - Former foreign correspondent for The New York Times; author of Collateral Damage - Sinan Antoon - Co-editor at Jadaliyya; poet and writer; associate professor at New York University - Jill Abramson - Former executive editor of The New York Times - Deepa Kumar - author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire; associate professor at Rutgers University - Robert D Kaplan - Former contributing editor at The Atlantic - Lexi Alexander - Movie and TV director
Pegasus: Flying on the wings of Israeli acyber-tech diplomacya? | The Listening Post
A global cyber-surveillance scandal - spyware developed in Israel - has put the government there under the media microscope, and its story does not add up. Contributors: Jonathan Klinger - Cyberlaw lawyer Marc Owen Jones - Assistant professor, Hamid Bin Khalifa University Omer Benjakub - Tech & Cyber Reporter, Haaretz Marwa Fatafta - Policy Analyst, Al Shabaka On our radar: Tunisia is in political turmoil after the president declared a state of emergency - or what critics are calling a coup. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Flo Phillips about how journalists there are feeling the heat. Africaas PR Push: How governments manage the message: Handling public relations for governments is lucrative work - and for Western PR firms, Africa has emerged as a new hunting ground. Contributors: Alex Magaisa - Former adviser, prime minister of Zimbabwe Alexander Dukalskis - Author, Making the World Safe for Dictatorship Kathleen Ndongmo - Communications specialist
Pegasus Project: Malware used against journalists and dissidents | The Listening Post
A global consortium of media outlets blew the lid off a huge surveillance scandal revealing how the hacking tool Pegasus has been used by governments around the world to spy on dissidents and journalists via their mobile phones. Contributors: Rohini Singh - Reporter, The Wire Bradley Hope - Co-founder, Project Brazen Laurent Richard - Founder, Forbidden Stories Eva Galperin - Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation On our radar: American media outlets have been feasting on a story a the billionaire space race. Richard Gizbert and producer Meenakshi Ravi discuss how the mass of coverage squares alongside another story about the planet that is far more consequential - climate change. Bild's battle for political influence in Germany There is a crucial election coming in Germany, and its biggest tabloid, Bild, is trying to preserve its place at the heart of German politics. Contributors: Julian Reichelt - Editor-in-chief, Bild GA1/4nter Wallraff - Investigative journalist & author, The Lead Moritz Tschermak - Editor-in-chief, BILDblog & author, How Bild divides society with fear and hate Margreth LA1/4nenborg - Professor of journalism, Free University Berlin - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Cuba: Protesters move from social media to the streets | The Listening Post
Cuba is witnessing something historic - the biggest anti-government demonstrations in 60 years - and the authorities have imposed temporary blocks on the internet, making credible media coverage and reliable information that much harder to find. Contributors: MA3nica Rivero Cabrera - Cuban journalist Tracey Eaton - Cuba Money Project Angelo R Guisado - Center for Constitutional Rights JosA(c) JasA!n Nieves - Editor-in-chief, El Toque On our radar: Whether they are taking penalty kicks or taking a knee, Black footballers playing for England are dealing with online abuse. Richard Gizbert and producer Tariq Nafi discuss the debate that has resulted - about racism in the United Kingdom. Sports activism in the era of social media On tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields and in hockey rinks, athletes are putting their political and social activism out there for sports fans to see. Contributors: Shireen Ahmed - Journalist & writer Musa Okwonga - Co-founder, Stadio Football & author, One of Them Frank Guridy - Associate professor, Columbia University Khalida Popal - Former captain, Afghanistanas womenas football team
Hong Kong: Broken promises | The Listening Post
Twenty-four years since Britain handed Hong Kong back to China, the city has undergone a transformation. In recent years, Beijing has intensified the silencing of political dissent and the squeezing of media freedom - through new laws drawn up in the name of security, the jailing of critics, and the reigning in of adversarial journalism. Contributors: Chris Yeung - Chairperson, Hong Kong Journalists Association Bao Choy - Freelance journalist, RTHK Linda Wong - Journalist, Citizen News Keith Richburg - Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Hong Kong University; president, Foreign Correspondents Club Holden Chow - Vice chairman, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong Hong Kong: The assault on free speech Three Hong Kongers talk about the shrinking space for freedom in their city, and the way it has affected their lives and work. Contributors: Lee Cheuk-yan - Founder, June 4th Museum Wong Kei Kwan (Zunzi) - Political cartoonist Nathan Law - Democracy activist - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Iranas new president: What's next for the countryas media? | The Listening Post
Iranas new president-elect is heading into the job carrying some baggage from the past that neither he nor the countryas state-friendly news outlets care to talk about. Contributors: Mahsa Alimardani - Iran researcher, Article 19; researcher, Oxford Internet Institute Ghanbar Naderi - Iranian affairs analyst Pardis Shafafi - Anthropologist and researcher, ERC Off-Site Project Arash Azizi - Author of Shadow Commander On our radar Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Meenakshi Ravi about the targeting of female social media influencers in Egypt as two more women are jailed for their TikTok videos. The struggle for freedom of expression in post-Castro Cuba From protests to viral videos, Cuban activists test the limits of dissent as they demand greater cultural freedoms. Contributors: Amaury Pacheco - Poet and activist, Movimiento San Isidro Fernando Ravsberg - Journalist; former correspondent, BBC Fernando Rojas - Cuban Deputy Minister of Culture Marta Maria Ramirez - Independent journalist - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Nigeria: The tweet that got Twitter banned | The Listening Post
The tit-for-tat in Nigeria that saw Twitter banned by the government. Contributors: Mercy Abang - Journalist Lai Mohammed - Nigerian minister for information and culture Gbenga Sesan - Executive director, Paradigm Initiative Fisayo Soyombo - Editor-in-chief, Foundation for Investigative Journalism On our radar It's election time in Algeria and the government is feeling the heat on the streets. Richard Gizbert and producer Flo Phillips discuss its response - arresting journalists, and taking broadcasters off the air. A snapshot of empire: The racist legacy of colonial postcards How the golden age of postcards left behind a legacy of racism that continues to shape perceptions of Africans today. Contributors: Sarah Sentilles - Writer and critical theorist Olubukola Gbadegesin - Associate professor, Saint Louis University Stephen Hughes - Senior lecturer, SOAS Julie Crooks - Curator, Art Gallery of Ontario - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
From Sheikh Jarrah to Gaza: Journalism under apartheid | The Listening Post
Just days after the ceasefire in Gaza ended 11 days of bombing, The Listening Post spoke with two Palestinians who have tilted international attention towards their struggle. Contributors: Muna al-Kurd - Sheikh Jarrah resident and activist Hosam Salem - Gaza Palestinian photographer On our radar Richard Gizbert and producer Tariq Nafi discuss Israelas crackdown on reporters in East Jerusalem, and the international journalists calling out their own media operations for sanitising the oppression of Palestinians. How to cover apartheid: A human rights perspective with Hagai El-Ad Human rights groups are reframing the discussion about Israel's domination of Palestinians. Richard Gizbert interviews Hagai El-Ad, executive director of Israeli human rights organisation, BaTselem. Contributors: Hagai El-Ad - Executive director, BaTselem - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Lab leak reloaded: The media brings back COVID origin debate | The Listening Post
A year and a half into the pandemic and people are still asking where the COVID-19 virus originated. The so-called lab-leak theory is gaining momentum among some scientists and journalists who contend this story has the makings of a mass cover-up. Contributors: Nicholas Wade - Former science reporter, New York Times James Palmer - Deputy editor, Foreign Policy Amy Maxmen - Senior reporter, Nature Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz - Epidemiologist, University of Wollongong; columnist, The Guardian On our radar One journalist in Pakistan is beaten up. Another is being censored. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Tariq Nafi about the countryas red lines that you cannot cross. Forced to forget, determined to remember: The Tiananmen massacre Chinese officials have tried to erase the Tiananmen Square massacre from the countryas history but dissidents outside the mainland are doing what they can to keep the memory alive. Contributors: Lee Cheuk-yan - Founder, June 4th Museum; chairman, Hong Kong Alliance Wuaer Kaixi - Tiananmen protest leader Yaqiu Wang - China researcher, Human Rights Watch
Israel-Palestine: The double standard in American newsrooms | The Listening Post
News coverage in the US of the Palestine-Israel conflict has always favoured Israel but that is beginning to shift. The question is - to what extent and will it last? Contributors: Linda Sarsour - Executive director, MPower Change; Author, We Are Not Here to be Bystanders Omar Baddar - National Policy Council, Arab-American Institute Lara Friedman - President, Foundation for Middle East Peace Philip Weiss - Founder and senior editor, Mondoweiss On our radar Belarusian authorities went to extreme lengths to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Meenakshi Ravi to find out why. Slovenia: The prime ministeras awar with the mediaa Another European leader shows his authoritarian side; Sloveniaas prime minister, Janez JanA!a, says he is at "war with the media". Contributors: Marko MilosavljeviA - University of Ljubljana, Chair of Journalism AnuA!ka DeliA - Editor-in-chief, OA!tro BlaA3/4 Zgaga - Reporter, Nacional.hr and investigative journalist Boris TomaA!iA - Host and chief editor, Nova 24 - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Deadly Games: Algeria and Tunisia's ultra football fans | Al Jazeera World
"Somebody said that footballas a matter of life and death to you. I said, listen, it's more important than that." When the legendary Liverpool football manager Bill Shankly came out with his now-famous quote on TV in 1981, he might have been talking about the Algerian and Tunisian fans in this documentary. For many, football really is much more than a game. Some see themselves as not just supporters but part of a wider movement. They say that on the terraces, they find a sense of belonging and a camaraderie otherwise absent from their daily lives and that as supporters they also represent the dispossessed of the poor suburbs of Tunis and Algiers. Sometimes, however, football passions can have life-changing consequences. In March 2018, 19-year-old Omar Labidi from the southern suburbs of Tunis clashed with police outside a busy stadium. The victimas brother claims that police used tear gas to force Omar into a nearby river where he drowned. Three years after his death, his family continues to seek justice. In Algeria, Raouf Zerka has only vague memories of the game that changed his life in November 2016. In the 70th minute of a local derby match in Algiers, a burning flare hit him in the face. After eight days in a coma, he discovered he had lost his left eye. This film follows Tunisiaas and Algeriaas most passionate fans, buying tickets on the black market, travelling vast distances to away matches, and doing whatever it takes to support the teams they love. But it also highlights the price of football passion and asks if the cost of extreme fandoms is worth the risk.
Incite and inflame: Israelas manipulation of the media | The Listening Post
Ceasefire in Gaza: As journalists in the Strip stop to catch their breath, Israel's media stand accused of inciting violence against Palestinians. Contributors: Yara Hawari - Academic and writer; senior analyst, Al Shabaka Tareq Baconi - Senior analyst, International Crisis Group Joshua Leifer - Assistant editor, Jewish Currents Rami Younis - Palestinian journalist On our radar In Qatar, a Kenyan who blogged under the pen name "Noah" about his life as a migrant worker in the Arab Gulf state finds himself in custody. Richard Gizbert and producer Johanna Hoes discuss the case of Malcolm Bidali. The Xinjiang whitewash Meet the white Western influencers helping China contest claims of genocide in Xinjiang. Contributors: Mareike Ohlberg - Senior fellow (Asia Program), German Marshall Fund Sophie Richardson - China director, Human Rights Watch Amelia Pang - Author of Made in China Shelley Zhang - Writer, China Uncensored
#Palestine: Videos of violence, images of death on social media
Gaza under assault. Bloodshed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Social media is the place to go for the coverage of this story except when the platforms take issue with what is being posted. Contributors: Marwa Fatafta - Policy analyst, Al-Shabaka Yossi Mekelberg - Associate fellow of the MENA Programme, Chatham House Mariam Barghouti - Writer and activist Rami Khouri - Professor of journalism, American University of Beirut On our radar Three Myanmar journalists have been arrested in Thailand. Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Flo Phillips about their possible deportation back into the hands of Myanmaras military government. Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire: Stereotyping Black women in media We discuss the stereotyping of Black women in the media and the push for change in an industry where diversity and inclusion have been too long in coming. Contributors: Kovie Biakolo - Culture writer and multiculturalism scholar Francesca Sobande - Lecturer of digital media studies, Cardiff University Naeemah Clark - Professor of cinema and television arts, Elon University; author, Diversity in US Mass Media Babirye Bukilwa - Actor and playwright - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
'Foreign agents and extremists': Russia's attack on critics | The Listening Post
In Russia, the political stakes are rising in the run up to election season - journalists are being branded as "foreign agents" and an opposition figure is labelled an "extremist". Contributors: Ilya Yablokov - Academic, Leeds University Lisa Alexandrova-Zorina - Journalist, Team 29 Ivan Kolpakov - Editor-in-chief, Meduza Uliana Pavlova - Journalist, Moscow Times On our radar After months of deliberation Donald Trumpas Facebook account remains suspended. Richard Gizbert asks producer Meenakshi Ravi to explain the decision. The Turks turning to YouTube Independent journalists in Turkey, like CA1/4neyt Azdemir, are taking refuge online. Azdemiras daily YouTube program has become a staple for Turks, especially among younger viewers looking for journalism of a different kind. Contributors: CA1/4neyt Azdemir - Creator and host, CA1/4neyt Azdemir Show Cansu Aamlibel - Editor-in-chief, Duvar English Emre Kizilkaya - Turkish vice chair, International Press Institute; author, The New Mainstream Media is Rising - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
India: Smothering critique amidst the second COVID wave | The Listening Post
While Indiaas healthcare system lies in total collapse, the government is leaning on social media companies to protect its own image. Contributors: Vineet Kumar - Author and media scholar Pratik Sinha - Co-founder, Alt News Pragya Tiwari - Political and cultural commentator Sangeeta Mahapatra - German Institute for Global and Area Studies On our radar Having imprisoned leading opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Russian authorities are now looking to put his entire organisation out of business. Producer Johanna Hoes tells Richard Gizbert why the group is being targeted by the state. Paul Rusesabagina: The trial of the 'hero of Hotel Rwanda' Dissident or "terrorist"? The many-sided story of hotel manager turned Hollywood hero, Paul Rusesabagina. Contributors: Michela Wrong - Author, Do Not Disturb Gatete Nyiringabo Ruhumuliza - Political analyst Tom Ndahiro - Genocide scholar Terry George - Director, Hotel Rwanda - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/