What I Heard This Week 03-07-2024
The Oscars air on Sunday, March 10th and we gifted you with a cheat sheet ballot on page 6 of The Source Weekly, so you can follow along, or to use as a reminder of the great movies you just haven’t seen yet. One of the highlights in the Barbie movie was when America Ferrera delivered a short speech about the impossible double standards of being a woman. Greta Gerwig, an amazing woman, wrote it. It took two days to shoot the scene, with 30 to 50 full runs. Whether you have seen the movie, plan to see the movie, or refuse to see the movie, you should read these words in print… male or female. After you read it, you might change your mind about it “just being a movie about Barbie and Ken.” It is truly an amazing movie despite Greta Gerwig snubbed as a director and Margot Robbie left out of the best actress category. Here’s the speech.
“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow, we’re always doing it wrong.
You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean. You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people.
You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.
But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So, find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.
You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.
I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.”
The performers on the list for this year’s Oscars show are: Jon Batiste performing “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony. Becky G performing “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell performing “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. Scott George and the Osage Singers performing “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon. Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson performing “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie.
“I, uh…I have a television, so I’m going to spend some time here to tell you some things. [To orchestra conductor:] And, and…and sir, you’re doing a great job, but you’re so quick with that stick, so why don’t you sit. ‘Cause I may never be here again.” Julia Roberts, Best Actress, Erin Brockovich, 2000
First off, my two children were in the public school system, therefore I know that there are many different forms of bullying… in class, lunch table, swim team, student council…it’s incredible, and it comes in so many different forms. Kids are mean and they’re getting meaner. As parents, are we so lacking in kindness in our actions, that we are not teaching it to our children anymore. At Lake Travis High School in Texas, there is a big, strong kid (Carter Mannon) that plays on the football team that is “off the charts” allergic to peanuts. Even if he just touches a peanut. Everyone at school knew because during his freshman year he required a trip to the emergency room plus two Epi-Pen doses after eating an unmarked cookie. During his sophomore year, teammates (I hate calling them teammates) went into his locker and dumped peanuts everywhere… in the locker, on his jersey and in his cleats. One boy came back and tried to clean it up, but when Carter pulled out his jersey, peanuts fell everywhere, and where they hit him, the hives started. Some students laughed, a few did not. It was reported to the school and the boys were benched for two whole days, had to switch locker rooms and do extra runs at practice… basically nothing. Then the bullying started back along with verbal retaliation, a peanut butter granola bar in his backpack, along with his older sister being harassed with fake accounts on Instagram. The incidents were reported to the school board, an investigation was opened, and it was decided that it did not qualify as bullying. According to the Texas Education Agency, bullying is defined as “physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property; is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student.” Hmmm.
Richard Lewis, stand-up comic, and actor, died at 76 of a heart attack. Lewis played Prince John in the 1993 film Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Rude Awakening, 7th Heaven, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In April 2023, Lewis announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years earlier.
Iris Apfel died at 102. I’ve told you about her before. She was a fashion icon, interior designer, furniture maker, geriatric starlet (as she sub-titled her biography), and a huge role model for women everywhere. At the age of 97, she signed a modeling contract with IMG. In 2005, the Costume Institute at Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY presented an exhibition, Rara Avis (rare bird): The Irreverent Iris Apfel, showcasing her style. The Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History in Boynton Beach, Florida, is designing a building that will house a dedicated gallery of Apfel’s clothes, accessories, and furnishings, which is huge. In 2013, she was recognized as one of the Best-Dressed over 50. Apfel was the star of a documentary called Iris, which I own because… well, because I can, and it makes me happy. In 2018, Mattel created a Iris Apfel Barbie doll, making her the oldest person to ever have a Barbie made in her image, and… wrinkle-free. An extraordinary person that loved style. Think Edna Mode who appears in the animated film The Incredibles and sequel Incredibles 2. Apfel said, “More is more and less is a bore.” In her 90s, Apfel had 3.5 million followers on social media.
“Oscar and I have something in common. Oscar first came to the Hollywood scene in 1928. So did I. We’re both a little weather-beaten, but we’re still here and plan to be around for a whole lot longer.” John Wayne, 1979 Academy Awards honoree – two months later he died of cancer.
IHOP has teamed up with Lay’s Potato Chips to bring us Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity chips, featuring the flavor of IHOP pancakes, sweet notes of strawberries and maple syrup, finished off with a hint of savory bacon, and served on a light-textured potato chip. I wonder if it’s actually a real kettle-cooked potato chip, or the baked and manufactured chip made from powdered potatoes? It’s hard to tell from the picture. In my book, that would make all the difference in the world. Available at Walmart for a limited time.
Daylight Saving Time: Don’t forget to SPRING forward. Thank you for reading us and don’t forget to sell something this week… 979-285-9200.
LISA
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
