A Smattering of Pop Culture Nuggets for Your Weekend Pleasure
Kendrick. Drake. Jack. Taylor. Gracie. Sabrina. Jake. Baby Reindeer. Tom Brady's hair. Post Malone's thighs + lots more nonsense.
Hi hi hi.
Happy Friday, my friends!
First, I would just like to say thank you so so much for all the kind words about last week’s epically long emotional excavation of my past by way of the music of The Tortured Poets Department.
Like, I was well and truly moved and just, yeah, you guys are the best.
My office for today is very much not the worst—and is essentially a timeshare down in Destin. I have also realized that I’m now incapable of saying “Florida” normally and it must be spoken as it is in the song, complete with the “!” energy.
Working from the patio with this view and an ocean breeze is certainly not the worst.
I also think I might have stumbled into Top Gun.
I’m waiting for some hotties to start playing volleyball in their jeans.
I feel like there are so many random tidbits I’m obsessing over this week, so we’re going the listicle route. The throughline, I suppose, is just The Ballad of Me and Brain, to borrow a song title from Mr. Healy + The 1975. Which I guess is just this entire Substack, but whatever. We’re got some recommendations, some discussion topics, some icks—a lil something for all, I hope.
If you haven’t seen Challengers yet, go this weekend. It’s such a great one to see in the theater with other people. ICYMI, I wrote a horny ass post with my spoiler-free reactions. I do think this is one of those movies that has some legs as people start talking about it more in the gen pop.
On the darker side, you definitely don’t want to miss Baby Reindeer on Netflix either. I didn’t know much of anything about it going in and I’m glad for that—so I won’t say a lot about the journey it takes you on. But, holy shit. What an incredible piece of storytelling. I am available to discuss at any time.
Hacks is officially back in our lives and I’m so so happy. I haven’t watched yet because FLORIDA!!! but I will be watching immediately upon my return Sunday night.
All my hardcore Swifties already know this, but we got some lil teasers about what might be coming when the Eras tour resumes in Paris on 5/9. It does indeed appear that TTPD will be getting its proper moment during the show. In this YT Short Taylor released, you can see a hint of the album’s logo, as well as some new choreo (avec canes!) LFGGGGGGG!
Also, I am still tech avail if someone would like to fly me to France to write about it all firsthand. I do have some friends who will be there, so at least I can live vicariously and feel represented. The shaky livestreams are going to be BUMPIN’ on Thursday afternoon across the land.
I have a lot of question (and so much ick) about whatever the eff is happening with Tom Brady’s hair.
I have not even been able to watch a singular second of that Drew Barrymore and Kamala Harris clip. It physically pains me to even know of its existence.
Between Josh O’Connor in Challengers and the way all these Posty edits are making me feel, I might be in my Thigh Era?!?!? I cannot even begin to tell you how many of these I have watched over and over and over.
LOL.
My algorithm is so heavenly right now. Horny, sad, and mad in perfect balance.
We’re about to get to Kendrick, but in case you’ve been trying to explain the appeal of Matty Healy to those less familiar with him—or those who only know the problematic shit…here you go. I had forgotten about this interview, which I loved when it first came out. But, yeah, these are the kinds of conversations these types can have that make some of us willing to burn our whole lives down.
…I’d also do the same for my beloved ellipsis.
Perhaps a hot take, but I’m generally pro a cargo pant.
I’ve been saying we should bring these back for ages.
If you have not listened to Kendrick Lamar’s absolutely scathing Drake diss track, “Euphoria”, please stop what you’re doing right now and take it in.
The limit does not exist for how many reaction videos I will watch. I mean, how do you even show your face again when someone does THIS to you? Kendrick’s pen is so fucking insane. Like, imagine being able to write like that?
I am not going to be the person who can explain the levels and layers of this beef to you, though there are many places to get the full dealio. Take yourself on down that rabbit hole, you won’t be disappointed.
I am so obsessed with this song. Oh how I love when my brilliant tortured poets get pisssssssssed and destroy people with words.
Legit, my FYP is basically all TTPD and Kendrick. Perfection.
I’ve just been eating this shit up. Then, this morning, Kendrick dropped another one called “6:16 in LA”.
I can’t wait to dive into more reaction vids for this one over the weekend. But in a true convergence of worlds, JACK ANTONOFF CO-PRODUCED THIS ONE. I DIED DEAD.
Of course, Jack is Taylor’s longtime collaborator and bestie—and Kendrick is on the “Bad Blood” remix from the OG 1989 era and re-recorded his part for the Taylor’s Version as well. We literally scream one of Kendrick’s bars during the song at the shows.
This, of course, pleases me greatly in all the ways.
I would kill to be on a pettttttttttttttty group chat with Kendrick, Taylor, and Jack.
It’s all just so delicious.
Speaking of beefs, Sabrina Carpenter has the opportunity to do something incredibly hilarious with her “Nonsense” outro at SNL.
Taylor’s other lil bebe (Sad Girl Version)—Gracie Abrams—is dropping a new album on June 21. She worked with Aaron Dessner again on this one, and the first single “Risk” is already out. My emotions are going to be a mess all damn summer.
Yes, please.
I agree with the statement on the screen here.
I reference Lauren Sherman’s Line Sheet around here quite often—and now she’s got a fantastic new podcast, as well.
Do we think the Venn diagram of Gen X Swifties and OG Twin Peaks obsessives is a circle? I’d say, VERY LIKELY.
Until next week, here’s one more Kendrick reaction because I cannot stop. He truly hates that Canadian so much.
AND GO PACERS!!!!!!!!!
xA