POP CULTURE NEWS ONE HUNDRED and TWENTY-FOUR: THE TORTURED POETS EDITION
Hey there fellow pop culture nerd fan. Friday is again here and so we’re rounding up those trending and fangirl squeal inducing news stories from this past week. pop culture news one hundred and twenty-four
✨POP CULTURE NEWS ONE HUNDRED and TWENTY-FOUR: THE TORTURED POETS EDITION✨ A round up from the more interesting stories from #JuliaRoberts to #HenryCavill, plus of course the big story, #TaylorSwift. #TheTorturedPoetsDepartment #TS11… Share on XMOVIE ANNIVERSARY | CELEBRATE ‘50 FIRST DATES’ 20 YEARS LATER WITH A QUIZ!
This past week’s big story happened way back on Sunday night, so it’s technically “old” news by now, but we still have to include it because well, it’s that kind of “big” pop culture news. In other news, we have TV show shenanigans (as always) and another interesting story or two.
POP CULTURE NEWS ONE HUNDRED and TWENTY-FOUR
BUT DADDY I LOVE HIM
The big news of the week is Taylor Swift sharing on Sunday night that her eleventh album, The Tortured Poets Department is dropping on April 19th. Less than 24 hours after that, she released the tracklist, which is unusual and likely because there were TikTok leaks. One of the tracks getting social traction is ‘But Daddy I Love Him.’
The song, which many liken to the famous line in The Little Mermaid about Ariel giving up her voice for a man, is being used (by fans) as a callout of Joe Alwyn, Swift’s ex whom she dated for six (or seven?) years. Swift didn’t give up her voice for Alwyn. During their years together, she became openly political; wrote and released six (likely seven since ‘Midnights’ was written also during that time) albums; and she released a documentary that shows her making her own decisions. Did she make sacrifices in their relationship? Very possible. But it wasn’t at the expense of her voice. Swift is a strong proponent for women doing what they want and making her own choices as a woman. She made a choice to stay with Alwyn. pop culture news one hundred and twenty-four
I said more, but will cut it here because, well, that’s for another day. All of this just seems like, again, another example of social media users needing to calm down. (And I just have to also say, I see less than ¼ of the theorizing and craziness about Swift’s songs, and it’s exhausting. Why can’t we just enjoy the music as is and let Swift be the one who knows which song is about who?)
DOING SOMETHING ‘JUST BECAUSE’ ISN’T THE ANSWER
While it’s not a topic I talk about specifically, interesting news is seeing Henry Cavill touch on the subject of “overused” elements in film. His subject being sex scenes in movies. For me, this is something fictional media, no matter the medium, does way too much in many ways, and allows it “just because” the genre or rating or director or studio “allows” it. It’s less about creativity and more because “why not” and that’s one of my biggest pet peeves.
During a podcast appearance with Matthew Vaugh, the director of Cavill’s latest film, Argylle, the actor and director get candid about the use of sex scenes in film. Vaugh first saying that he didn’t understand scenes with Cavill adding he also doesn’t “understand them,” and that he’s “not a fan.” He further says that there are circumstances where a sex scene is “beneficial to a movie rather than just the audience. I think sometimes they’re overused these days.” Later he adds, “Most of the time, the human imagination is gonna trump it, and so I think it can be a little bit of a copout if a TV show or a movie is just filled with gyrating bodies, and you’re going ‘OK? But what is this doing for us?’ Apart from the idea of like, ‘Ooo, naked person, great.’”
I do 100% agree that it’s a copout in stories, no matter the medium. Most of the time it doesn’t truly add to the emotion or the scope of the film, and when it does, it’s usually because the writer is just that good, something that isn’t always easy to find today. Or maybe it’s more that there’s too much stifling for writers. Either way, I agree with the point that most content that earns the PG-13 or R-rating is largely unnecessary, even beyond just a sex scene.
HAPPINESS ISN’T ALLOWED (WITHOUT IT BEING WRONG)
An interview clip with Julia Roberts is making the social media rounds during which she talks about a morning she had with her niece where they spend the day drinking tea, playing games and talking. She shared a photo of the pair on social media where the comments, she says (I couldn’t find the photo), were about how bad she’s aging and why would you share a photo like this. Like others on social media have commented, why are people mad about someone sharing a happy moment? I sincerely don’t think we need to share all of our private moments or images on social media, but hey, that’s me. If someone else wants to share a moment when they’re laughing and are enjoying life, that’s for them. Why do we need to turn that into something to argue about or make unnecessary comments? pop culture news one hundred and twenty-four
Social media makes us a people who think everyone needs to see or read or hear our opinions on any given topic, and even the most benign moments is a controversy. It’s like nothing, even happiness, isn’t controversial, and that’s exhausting.
LAST THINGS
Hallmark made some big moves this past week. One being they will rebrand two of their channels. Now instead of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, they will simply be Hallmark Mystery (March 6) while their lesser channel (which re-airs movies or Hallmark Hall of Fame), Hallmark Drama will become Hallmark Family (February 28). Also, the network will re-team Erin Krakow and Daniel Lissing from When Calls the Heart for a 2024 Christmas flick, Santa Tell Me. The network also has lots of sequels in play for some of their mysteries including The Cases of Mystery Lane and Curious Caterer. All making me wonder if the network will focus on mysteries again.
Speaking of Hallmark, a question during a press tour about their content. Specifically if they would follow in the footsteps of Lifetime and have a sex scene, receives a response. VP Lisa Hamilton Daly says that in a Christmas movie, “no.” She further goes on to say that they like having family content and that their stories very much are about the lead up to that kiss. pop culture news one hundred and twenty-four
Gina Carano is suing Disney in the aftermath of her 2021 firing from the Lucasfilm production Mandalorian. Her suit alleges this firing violates free speech, but also “took other retaliatory actions to limit and deny her future employment opportunities.” Carano was fired after social media posts of a cultural and political nature stirred a fire store of tweets asking she be fired.
Lindsay Lohan’s next Netflix flick will drop March 15 and is called Irish Wish. It will follow Lohan’s Maddie as she navigates the complications of the “love of her life” marrying her best friend. Really let’s just talk about how cute this movie looks.
Did you follow any of these stories? Did you enjoy reading about any or are they all boring? What stories did you read about? Are you dying to listen to Swift’s new music? Let’s fill up that comment section below.
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