rants and raves
My general observation as of late is that it’s a bad time to be…any gender? Teen girls are experiencing an unprecedented period of violence and trauma. The New York Times is yelling at everyone to *checks notes* have more sex without considering asexuality, sexual assault, constraints to reproductive choice, or that many women are simply reporting they can’t find a suitable partner. And lots of people are pissed at Penn Badgley for wanting fewer racy scenes in season 4 of You.
On a recent post from his Substack
, Daniel Cox reflected on the deficits of male friendships. I’m so glad that something I’ve been telling the men I’ve dated since I was 14 has finally been communicated by a man on Substack and will therefore be taken seriously! I kid, I kid—this is a thoughtful, on-the-nose (albeit generalized) diagnosis that sits adjacent to the ongoing a-good-man-is-hard-to-find phenomenon. As comedian Gabe Mollica said on a recent episode of Lovett or Leave It, men’s friendships are shoulder-to-shoulder while women’s are eye-to-eye. The former more activity-based while the main event with the latter is each other.Perhaps related: a good working theory on why young women would rather be single from TikTok and a call to make single motherhood more feasible in the face of falling birthrates.
consumption corner
reading
Unpacking girlbosses and girlfailure (i-D): Saying that millennials are the first generation of women to grow up being told they could be whatever they want feels a touch inaccurate. I also shan’t miss an opportunity to promote my friend Tara’s brainchild, girlboss, gatekeep, gaslight: the game, which you can buy before it blows up.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: What a nut (compliment).
A heartbreakingly sweet obituary by Curb Your Enthusiasm Director Robert B. Weide for his wife Linda: “I think I may be in trouble.” BRB sobbing!
watching
You Season 4: Obviously!!!!!!!!!! Say what you want about this show, but I absolutely love it. I do feel badly for Penn Badgely, who has grown increasingly horrified that people find his murderous, controlling creep of a character to be a bonafide hottie. After a meandering third season saved by a strong plot twist at its end, this season’s whodunnit plot line injects some life (and, more importantly, structure) into the show. The five-episode, two-part drop also seems to be a happy medium between weekly and all-at-once releases.
The best sports journalist in the making, Jeremiah: “Even though I’m a journalist and don’t know how to do the griddy…” Jeremiah, please take all of my money and do this forever! His interview on Jennifer Hudson’s show makes me want to chain myself to the doors of wherever they film SportsCenter until they agree to put this baby through journalism school.
The chicken nuggets scene from Eighth Grade: It’s giving children’s version of the New York Times 36 questions to make you fall in love.
big sports girl
The top three things that matter to me in sports this week include teacup pigs at the Arkansas men’s basketball halftime, Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance, and, of course, buffalo chicken dip.
A few things we haven’t discussed in relation to the Super Bowl:
The laminated play sheets that the coaches use look like the serving mats for children that list all of the presidents or state facts or times tables
Rihanna’s very excellent monochromatic outfit featured a top that looked like the Dr Jart+ cyro ruber facemasks
The Sketchers Snoop Dogg was hawking on the commercials are expensive, and Sketchers did not include enough options for women!!
bless your heart (pejorative)
George Santos
I’m honestly so mad at this man for making me almost be fond of him? He’s objectively hysterical—a compulsive liar with questionable politics, but hysterical. And dissing Mitt Romney?!
please dear god do not take twitter away from me
Love you, miss you, talk soon!