Pride vs. Prejudice

Pride combats prejudice, a Mrs. Maisel debrief, and Aisha wrote a whole dang book y'all

View this email online by Glen Weldon Hello there! It was the week the artist who sang an era-defining song walked to the sea, looking straight ahead, not at h/sh/me. It was the week the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation first began to crash against the shield-wall of sandbags that is the U.S. Constitution. And it was the week your social feeds filled up with photos of a tiny orange sun suspended in an orange sky, like someone plopped a basketball from a great height into a sea of sherbet. Opening Argument: Pride vs. Prejudice Pride feels more needed, more urgent than ever this year, and I say that as a gay man who spent most of my life rolling my eyes at the rainbow bunting outside my Dupont Circle neighborhood's coffee shops and nail salons. I've only attended a handful of Pride festivals in my life, being among the cohort of LGBTQ+ folk constitutionally averse to crowds, midday sun and dancing. (Do not underestimate our numbers. We're here, we're queer, we'd rather go someplace where we can actually hear.) My husband and I couldn't see D.C.'s Pride Parade itself from the balcony of our old apartment, but we could watch the throngs of people streaming towards 17th Street to cheer it on. I'd get up early the Sunday after the parade so I could watch folk in tiaras, boas and rainbow leis wandering blearily home from their hookups. The Pride Walk and Rally in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2021.Drew Angerer / Getty Images We moved out of D.C. early in the pandemic, to a cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains about an hour-and-change west of the city. We traded our balcony overlooking Q Street for a deck overlooking a patch of yellow poplars. We still see just as many bears as we used to back in the old gay neighborhood, just, you know. Of a different sort. Oh sure, we do what we can to glitter and be gay out here. When we go out to local bars and restaurants, we're physically affectionate to the extent that we feel safe being so, which of course changes depending on the day, the place, the crowd around us. At home? Super queer. Devouring the latest seasons of The Other Two, Drag Race All Stars, Drag Race España (sleep on Pitita at your peril!) and Queen of the Universe. Listening to queer podcasts, watching queer comedy specials, reading queer books and comics, writing a queer fantasy novel. All of that's enriching, and enjoyable, and life-affirming. What it isn't, so much, is helping. Something's changed. Drag performers are under disingenuous attack. Trans kids are being used to score bad-faith political points. Queer folk are being assaulted in the streets. The very worst, most hateful people feel supported and emboldened. In the face of all that, my naming my horse in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom "Padam Padam" maybe isn't striking the blow for Big Gay Justice I can too easily lull myself into believing it does. So this year, we're schlepping back into the city for Pride. We're a good deal grayer and slower and achier than we used to be, and we're still carrying the extra pounds we picked up during the pandemic. But we'll be there, back in our old neighborhood, to cheer the parade along, and bake in the sun at the festival. We'll dance, we'll pay way too much for drinks, we'll go to drag shows and tip our local queens outrageously, we'll nod at the rainbow flags opportunistically festooning the bar where we used to meet each other after work. We'll pass by our old building, and gaze up at the balcony from which we used to watch Pride pass us by. And we'll think, This is … something. It's a hell of a lot more than we used to do; it's more than absolutely nothing. But we'll also know: It's not enough. It's not nearly enough. It's just the start of the onset of the beginning. Newsletter continues after sponsor message We Recommend Aisha Harris. Heard of her? Sure you have. Let the land sing with great rejoicing then, for next week her first book comes out: Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture that Shapes Me. Get the book! It's brilliant! Catch Aisha fever! Read it in public to impress strangers with your cultural acumen! Go see her on her book tour! Ask her if Glen Weldon is really as cool and hip and young young young as he seems! In comedian John Early's new HBO special, Now More Than Ever, he brings his character of hilariously self-involved comedian "John Early" onto the stage for an hour of songs, standup, and kidding-on-the-square social commentary. He also brings his parents, and closes by unleashing a frankly astonishing falsetto on a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love." You'll feel it, too. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel went out on a strong final season, made even stronger in that it showed her finally putting in the work, and didn't feature every character on the damn show constantly telling her how wonderful she was. On Marc Maron's WTF podcast, he got showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino to take a victory lap – and to talk about the arc of her career in a candid and engaging way. What We Did This Week Greta Lee as Nora in "Past Lives" / A24 On Tuesday, Linda talked to Lauren Migaki, who recommended some recent books for folks who love love stories. On Wednesday, Linda, Regina Kim and Carlos Aguilar admired writer/director Celine Song's debut feature, Past Lives. On Thursday we encored an ep in which Stephen and Marissa Lorusso picked their favorite road trip songs. And on Friday, Aisha, Kristen Meinzer, J.C. Howard and Priya Krishna talk about the fourth and final season of Netflix's Never Have I Ever. What's Making Us Happy Every week on the show, we talk about some other things out in the world that have been giving us joy lately. Here they are: Priya Krishna: Luis Miguel's cover of "I Only Want To Be With You" -- "Ahora te puedes marchar" J.C. Howard: Doctor Who's upcoming 60th Anniversary specials Kristen Meinzer: Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, streaming on Amazon's Prime Video Aisha Harris: Jessie Ware's new album That! Feels! Good! and the song "Pearls" Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: pchh@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Books, Daily News and more! 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How to have tricky conversations 💬

Plus, how to protect yourself from poor air quality

View this email online Kaz Fantone/NPR We all need to have hard conversations -- and not just with those close to us. Uncomfortable exchanges can happen with people like our landlords, bosses and doctors. Whether it's sharing symptoms with your doctor or communicating your strengths in a job interview, those conversations can impact your life. But often, we aren’t taught how to have them. Maybe you leave wishing you’d prepared more or been more vulnerable. At Life Kit, we think about the language people need to navigate challenging situations. So we wanted to tackle some sticky conversations you might find yourself in and give you the language to feel confident: 🥺 How to break up with your therapist 💲 How to tackle debt 🩺 How to talk to your doctor  💼 How to ace a job interview 👥 How to talk about STIs ⚕️ How to negotiate your medical debt What do all of these topics have in common? They include tricky conversations about big, emotional topics like money and health — from talking to a new partner about your sexual health to telling a co-worker you can’t pitch in on that team gift they’re organizing. All of these interviews include roleplays — so take note! You might need to recall how to tell your cousin that being their bridesmaid is too expensive. —Clare Marie Schneider, Life Kit producer    WATCH ROLEPLAYS HERE Newsletter continues after sponsor message Helpful language when you're not sure how to respond… 👰 If your cousin asks you to be their bridesmaid, but you can’t afford it…  “I am so honored. I am in a kind of stressed financial position right now. And if I were going to be in your bridal party, I would want to do it right. If I wouldn’t necessarily have to buy a dress, I would be so honored and happy to join or play whatever role.” —Stacey Vanek Smith, NPR's global economics correspondent  💏 If you want to ask a new partner about their sexual health…  “I always recommend starting with oneself to actually disclose one's own status, especially like when you were last tested. I do recommend saying what you were tested for and if your results were negative or positive. I try to tell people not to use the word ‘clean.’ And lastly then just end it with ‘how about you?’ So it becomes an invitation.” —Dr. Evalene Dacker 🥶 If you freeze up in a job interview…  “I recommend people think of three things that you want [the interviewer] to remember about you. So if they ask you a question about something and maybe you fumble the answer, then you find a way to circle it back to one of those three points.” —Cynthia Pong, Founder and CEO of Embrace Change  🧑‍⚕️ If your doctor is dismissive of your symptoms…  “That is a warning sign. You need to hit the pause button and take control again and say, ‘let's talk about my symptoms. Did you not hear me? This is really what is bothering me. It's affecting my way of life. This is limiting my life, I cannot go to work. It's nagging. I am dysfunctional. I need your help.’ Putting it into the context of how it's affecting your daily activities of living could help. And if you're still not being heard, finding another doctor is definitely important.” —Dr. Jennifer Mieres   Access Sponsor-Free Episodes Want to support our show? Try a subscription to Life Kit+ and get all the tips and tricks you love sponsor-free! Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit.  Learn More How to protect yourself from poor air quality Hundreds of wildfires in Canada have sent smoke over cities like Ottawa to New York City and beyond. Wildfire smoke contains fine particulates, also known as PM2.5, by scientists. These lightweight and tiny particles travel far and wide and can go deep into your lungs and bloodstream, causing inflammation, heart attacks, strokes, asthma and other breathing issues. If you can see the haze outside your window, the sky looks an unusual color or the air smells like campfire, it's best to stay indoors if possible.  Here are some more tips on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Oops! 🤐 And thank you! 💌 Some of you noticed that in last week's newsletter, we celebrated 2023's halfway point... a little early. Our 2024 resolution is to get better at reading calendars. Thanks for keeping us honest! It's a good thing Life Kit's resolution planner is useful year-round. 🎉 Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

Plus, Lost, identifying birds, and a big week for finales

View this email online by Linda Holmes Welcome! It was the week when Ryan Gosling defended his right to play Ken. It was the week when production shutdowns were the strike strategy. And it was the week when a new Black Mirror trailer arrived. Let's get to it. From Sex and the City to The Fast and the Furious, familiar faces return When And Just Like That... premiered on Max in 2021 as a sequel to Sex and the City, one thing distinguished it from the original more emphatically than anything else: No Samantha. Played by Kim Cattrall, Samantha Jones was the bawdy, proudly and happily voracious member of the gang, and without her, the chemistry among Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) was quite different. Samantha was explained away with an unconvincing hand-wave about a falling-out, but in reality, everyone knew what was up: Cattrall had said she wanted nothing to do with Samantha after making two follow-up movies, and when it came time for AJLT, they didn't even ask her. But now, Cattrall is reportedly doing a cameo in the upcoming season. Don't get too excited if you miss SATC the way it was -- Samantha is just showing up on the phone. Variety explains: "According to sources, Cattrall shot her dialogue on March 22 in New York City, without seeing or speaking with the stars of the series, including Sarah Jessica Parker, or with And Just Like That showrunner Michael Patrick King." How heartwarming. Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in "And Just Like That..." / Max Nostalgia has become the engine of an awful lot of TV and film revivals and sequels and reboots. Not real nostalgia, but a kind of synthetic nostalgia, where more of a thing you liked is comforting in the same way eating at a familiar restaurant can be comforting, even if it's not very good. In some ways, Cattrall's refusal to return for AJLT seemed bracingly authentic to me, and even a bit appealing -- there is more to life than getting paid, more to life than getting back on television. Not that it would have been wrong to do it, or that it's wrong for anyone else to do it, just that it was fun to see someone say, to borrow from a classic, "I would prefer not to." There's nothing wrong with Cattrall returning, if that's what she wants. There's nothing wrong with Harrison Ford making another Indiana Jones movie if he wants to, or Michael Keaton going back to Batman, or Tom Cruise giving us a middle-aged Maverick. If they offer me another season of Succession in five years, I'll watch it. But when the behind-the-scenes conflict and the unhappy public statements are so well-known that they are almost as much a part of the franchise as the story on screen, how much nostalgia can you really feel? Obviously, Samantha and Carrie can have a warm relationship even if Cattrall and Parker don't, but how cozy and familiar is that phone call going to be if everybody knows the people involved were avoiding each other like unhappily divorced spouses trying to navigate a family wedding? When the conditions are like this, it feels like much more of a marketing victory -- Tune in as Samantha returns! -- than something that's going to benefit the story. Honestly, even when it's not a cameo but an entire movie, it can feel the same way. Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel are the Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall of movies where cars get dropped out of planes, and Johnson has previously signaled his desire to exit the Fast & Furious franchise. But this week (maaaaaaybe in part because his foray into superhero-dom in Black Adam wasn't as successful as he might have hoped?), Johnson announced that he will, in fact, make another film as Hobbs. It's all about family! And clashing egos! But it does make for a good promotional announcement. It's not that feuds and exits should be sacred. On the contrary, who doesn't like a reunion? Especially one where there might be complicated feelings involved? Eyebrows went through the roof at the news that Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl would chat for Variety's "actors on actors" series, years after Heigl left Grey's Anatomy. And it's not that Cattrall and Johnson shouldn't do whatever projects they like. Sure, maybe it's just the old Logan Roy thing -- "money wins," and if it is, they're not the first people to get their money. But I admit, the idea of a nostalgic return is a bit clouded for me when the conditions are that everybody remains entirely isolated. Maybe there's room for Samantha in the Fast & Furious universe, or for Hobbs in And Just Like That... She does crave excitement, and he does like joining a team. Newsletter continues after sponsor message We Recommend This week, Vanity Fair published an excerpt from the upcoming book Burn It Down, by Maureen Ryan (who is a friend of mine), that details deeply upsetting allegations about the set of the much-loved show Lost. We'll have an episode about Celine Song's wonderful film Past Lives next week, but if you're in a place where it's in theaters, I strongly recommend you go out and track it down. Sometimes I like to offer a recommendation for something a bit outside my usual purview. This week, it's Merlin Bird ID, the app that I've been using to identify the many birds in my backyard. Forget AI -- some of the most exciting uses of technology in my life are ways to borrow other people's hard-earned knowledge to enrich my own days. What We Did This Week Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beth in "You Hurt My Feelings"  / A24 This was the week of the Succession finale, and I recapped it one last time. Plus, late on Sunday night, Aisha and Eric Deggans and I talked about it, and about the show's impact. Glen talked to James Perkins Mastromarino and Lenika Cruz about the very big arrival of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I highlighted a few of the best moments in the season finale (and perhaps the series finale) of Ted Lasso. Along with Glen, Aisha, Eric Deggans, Bilal Qureshi, and Bob Mondello (and the great work of NPR's editors and producers), I helped create our summer preview of some of the TV and films we're looking forward to. Glen and Aisha wrapped up the run of Barry. Aisha and I talked about the Nicole Holofcener film You Hurt My Feelings, featuring a great central performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a writer who finds out a little too much information. And Stephen and Aisha talked to Daisy Rosario and Joelle Monique about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. What's Making Us Happy Every week on the show, we talk about some other things out in the world that have been giving us joy lately. Here they are: Joelle Monique: Clone High, streaming on Max Daisy Rosario: Slate's ICYMI podcast and the Thursday Murder Club books by Richard Osman Aisha Harris: Mel Mitchell (aka The Baddest Mitch)'s videos on TikTok Stephen Thompson: Luke Combs' cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: pchh@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Books, Daily News and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Pop Culture Happy Hour emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy