nevertheless, culture persists

*Primal scream* UGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Welp, here we are.

Living in a country that chose criminality over competency. Fascism over freedom. Dictatorship over diversity. All for the empty promise of cheaper eggs.

To say we're disappointed in our country and disillusioned with politics is an understatement. 

But unlike these dumdums, we accept that what's done is done:

So after days of reflection and processing, here's what we’ve concluded: 

• There was little Kamala could've done or said to overcome being tied to an unpopular incumbent during a period of high inflation or to overcome the racism and misogyny of America

• Trump deserves no more of our attention or energy than is absolutely necessary to protect the most vulnerable from the harms of his policies 

• Our commitment to justice, equality, and multiculturalism doesn't begin or end at the ballot box

An important reminder (to ourselves and our readers): Politics is a lagging indicator of cultural progress, not a tip-of-the-spear change agent. 

Look at Will & Grace’s role in shifting public opinion on gay marriage. The show premiered in 1998. Gay marriage wasn't legalized until 2015. A strong case can be made that media and entertainment are more effective in shaping culture than politics. That, plus the fact that art is good and necessary–for emotional regulation, interpersonal connection, and self discovery–and poltics is fucking depressing, is why we return to our happy place: culture. 

And with that, we persist in presenting our best finds from culture 

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This week in Cool Shiny Culture:

👀Megan’s Cool: I’m seeing a growing trend of absurdist underground pop-ups. Earlier this year we had the unauthorized Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow and recently there’s been an eruption of fan-driven look-alike contests. First, YouTuber Anthony Po put on the viral Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest, which sparked Harry Styles, Paul Mescal and Dev Patel copycats. I guess people are hungry for excuses to gather IRL & gawk at hot people!

😂Megan’s Shiny: Cute animal videos are the only thing that’s been making me laugh out loud recently. Specifically, I can’t get enough of the pet takes on the accidental camera flip TikTok trend where they spread propaganda like: pizza is good for dogs, mandatory 3 am playtime, and a scientific look at why we should all be full time stay-at-home dog moms. 

🏳️‍⚧️Kaley’s Cool: Netflix's just-released documentary Will & Harper follows Will Ferrell and his best friend Harper Steele as they roadtrip across America, processing Harper’s gender transition. It's funny, it's beautiful, it will make you love Will Ferrell more than you thought possible. A must watch! 

💰Kaley’s Shiny: Since catching part of her set at Coachella two years ago, I've been keeping an eye on Doechii, and have had her power anthem “Nissan Altima”on repeat this week. It combines the aggression on my all time favorite Nicki feature Monster and Megan Thee Stallion’s swag on Her.

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Must See TT: The Onion satirizes the cultural wars 

In this satirical sketch, a Pennsylvania steel worker opines how he regrets voting for Donald Trump after reading & internalizing feminist theory. But… jokes aside… THIS is the future liberals want. 

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💚 Marketing We Love: Barbie + Brat = Wicked    

We’ve been anticipating the Wicked marketing campaign since Cythnia & Ariana first stepped out in matching jerseys at the Super Bowl. And–like the early reviews we’ve been hearing of the film–the press tour & marketing campaign have been as good as anticipated. Clearly, the Wicked marketing team took cues from past successful cultural juggernauts like Barbie and Brat, and is riding on their cultural momentum. 

The campaign has brought together the [Barbie] pink of last summer with the [Brat] green of this one to create a distinct aesthetic adopted by the stars, influencers, and dozens of product partnerships. Notably, the licensing team has been more selective than the Barbie campaign, opting for a more curated mix of accessible brands (Target, GAP, and Forever21) and more premium ones (Roots, BÉIS, and Marc Jacobs).

I (Megan) also love this era of Ariana Grande being a Theater Kid™️ and how she’s leveraged this to win back the public and keep focus on the movie & her co-star Cynthia Erivo. Complicated romantic history aside, I am a huge fan of Ariana Grande and the way she’s managed to navigate an incredibly tumultuous journey in the public eye. She’s much more savvy than she gets credit for and her masterful press tour has only further proven that. From absolutely crushing on SNL to a sparkling appearance on Las Culturistas to her & Cynthia’s commitment to method dressing, she’s proving herself to be a movie star. 🤩

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The opposite of cynical: Just because we're not as far as we hoped, doesn't mean we're back at the start 

I (Kaley) have been finding solace in the wisdom of Black and female thought leaders that have come before.

"I have the unfashionable posture of loving my country. I don't mean in the sense of the Pledge of Allegiance, but in that I believe America was founded on complex social, religious and political ideas and feelings, and that it is still the most exciting culture, the one where there is the most hope for the most people." -Ann Douglas

“You might encounter many defeats, but you must never be defeated. Ever. In fact it might even be necessary to confront defeat, to get over it. All the way through it, and go on. I would teach [my daughter] to laugh a lot. Laugh a lot at the silliest thing and be very very serious. I'd teach her to love life, I bet you that.” - Maya Angelou 

To persisting, 
Megan & Kaley