#even worse if they got that attention for starting a hate campaign over another artist's work. like just. shut the fuck up lol.

[creatrixanimi]

do u ever see some person that you unfollowed for a one-off annoying discourse a long time ago in the wild and decide to see what they're up to now and it turns out they have turned that same discourse you unfollowed them for into their entire personality & ur just like "wow good call. youre fucking insufferable lmao."

[lovelyirony]

Made up title thing: All the legends are true

The news said that whoever was doing this was a criminal. That they were doing bad things, or at least things against official laws. 

Sharon thought it was cool, honestly. 

The art had first popped up in the summertime, just after school ended. The city had gotten new benches, the awful ones with the bar down the middle. There had been a mural of the mayor bending his back on the benches. 

The caption underneath read: 

“You’re really bending over backwards to make sure homeless people don’t have anywhere to sleep, aren’t you?” 

It’s direct, it’s blunt, and Sharon loves it. 

“If you really want to make a difference, I’d just go have a chat,” her mother says over a dinner of overcooked chicken and too much balsamic dressing for the salad. 

“I like it,” Sharon says. “Can I go over to Nat’s?” 

Natasha also likes this approach. 

“Serves him right, having such little empathy for people,” Natasha mutters in reference to the mayor.  “I wonder if anything else will happen.” 

The mayor has it painted over. It doesn’t miss anyone’s attention that it’s using city funds to make it go away. 

The next art installation is in the same way. There’s a simple rendering of the mayor humorously red-faced and seemingly screaming, a faceless man painting over him. 

Sharon laughs as she sees it on her way to brunch and takes a picture of it. 

The mayor issues a statement about “disrespect for the community.” 

There’s another art installation, this time on a different building. 

The mayor’s office building, actually. 

It’s a portrayal of someone “pacing,” in a sense, and a faceless figure almost in a sarcastic pose, with the speech bubble “things aren’t looking good for next year’s campaign.” 

Sharon laughs. 

A guy comes up, looking as well. 

“You like the artist?” 

“Yeah, I do,” Sharon says, smiling. “Time someone knocked the mayor on his ass about something. Plus the colors are great.” 

The guys smiles. 

“Yeah, you’re right. Artist guy must be doing something right.” 

“More than a couple things.” 

Summer goes by quickly, with few reactions from the artist. 

There’s only one big reaction as the mayor smugly proclaims that the artist didn’t want to get caught, too much of a coward. 

“Put him on his ass,” Sharon murmurs to the TV set, getting up from her chair. “I’m headed to bed, goodnight mom.” 

“Goodnight, honey. Love you.” 

“Love you too.” 

Go big or go home is a common phrase, meaning put everything you got into it or don’t even bother. 

The artist bothered alright. They bothered a hell of a lot. 

It’s a giant mural. Needed ladders and probably some more people who helped out. There’s a whole piece that’s a portrait of the community with art blooming everywhere, exactly like flowers. 

Sharon laughs. 

And then school hits. There’s not much from the artist, but that’s okay. Her friend Sam introduces a new guy to the friend group named Steve. 

Steve is one of those people that Sharon swears isn’t even real. He’s very fit but has more of a focus on art and wears button-down shirts all the time (and with the sleeves rolled up after a...suggestion from Sharon), and has a wicked dry sense of humor. 

She kind of has a crush on him. 

But most everyone in the grade does, so she doesn’t really put much stock into it. Besides, isn’t it enough to just hang out at different people’s houses? 

At Bucky’s, they start talking about the local government, problems, and why the mayor sucks. Steve scowls. 

“I hate that dude. He’s trying to ‘better’ the city by making things worse for people and then wondering why his polls are down.” 

“At least we’re getting good art out of this,” Sharon says, smiling. 

Maria grins. 

“Oh right, I forgot you’re stuck on that artist.” Steve glances over to Sharon. 

“You like the guy who’s doing the art?” 

“Yeah,” Sharon says with a shrug. “It’s funny, it’s beautiful, and it brings more to light about our politician. What’s not to like?” 

He gets a weird look on his face after that, but Sharon doesn’t get to ask about it as Sam’s mother brings out an appetizer for the kids to dig into and she loses her train of thought at the sight of mozzarella sticks. 

There’s an art piece over the weekend. Nothing political, honestly, but very recognizable. 

It’s a bouquet of flowers. Daisies, roses, baby’s breath, all of it in art. Sharon smiles as she looks at it. 

Steve texts her the newest article. 

Like this one? 

yes, i do. gorgeous bouquet. 

wonder why he made it 

maybe he’s in a good mood! 

maybe 

As the months go by, Steve gets closer with Sharon. They both really like trying the “hole in the wall” restaurants, and Sharon is thrilled to have someone else who doesn’t mind if the restaurant is a tad shady or in the words of Natasha: 

“A functioning health code nightmare.” 

Sharon ends up liking Steve a lot more. 

“I was, um, wondering if you’d want to go to the new exhibit at the museum?” Steve asks. “As a date.” 

“I would love to,” Sharon says, smiling. “I’ve heard the coffee shop inside serves great iced coffee.” 

That Saturday, they walk around the museum. Steve points out his favorite pieces, and Sharon finds out that he really likes portraits and Renaissance art. She likes landscapes, and they both find art that they absolutely hate and make fun of relentlessly. 

It ends with a late lunch at an old-school diner a bit down the road, and they share a strawberry shake. There’s a news report of a new mayor for election, and Steve smiles. 

“I like our new option a lot better. I think that Maria Rambeau is a better choice.” 

“She’ll be better than Pierce,” Sharon mutters. “But I think anyone would be better than that snake of a man.” Steve nods. 

“Pass the ketchup?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

He drops her off at her home, and gives her a soft kiss on the cheek and a promise to text her after he finished his calculus homework. 

She grins as she gets to her bedroom. It was a good date, all things considered. Natasha and Maria get the run-down of it, and agree that Steve is a good guy. 

And then, the art starts up. 

Sharon laughs as she sees their mayor’s head attached to a giant snake, squeezing the skyline of the city. Maria Rambeau is seen as a superhero, reaching down for the city. 

Steve texts Sharon. 

did u see the new art? 

yes i did, good job babe 

Sharon always says her favorite artist is her boyfriend. People think she’s just being cheesy, but they don’t see Sharon sitting late at night watching Steve make a new mural. 

(And along the road, the new mayor starts to actually pay for those murals!) 

[theworldbrewery]

A playlist for my current party: 4 idiots + their honorary cult grandma, four with new names and one with someone else’s--god I love them. they requested a playlist breakdown so i’ve placed it under a cut for brevity. I’m always soft for making fan content for the campaigns I’m in tbh.

Alice: an elf-turned half-orc after a reincarnate spell went awry, her wild magic caused her marriage to fall apart when she accidentally burned down her home. She’s looking for control over the magic that is ruining her life.

Remmy: a man of many names, Remmy is an aasimar cleric with more secrets than even the other party members are aware of. He’s untrusting and full of fear, but the party gets him to open up--against his better judgment.

Gadao: an earth genasi from an isolated monastery, he’s looking for an identity of his own after realizing he may not be an incarnation of an ancestral spirit after all. Looking for his place in the world, the party’s fast-paced life contrasts with his steady nature.

Leap: an elderly tiefling ranger, she grew up in a cult of pain and left it only by good fortune. Her taste for adventure--and a need for closure--keep her on the road, though she looks forward to seeing her family again.

Blue: an aarakocra bard, Blue awoke with no memory and promptly joined a shady merchant vessel as a good-luck musician. They’re always down to fight, curious, and ready to hoard as many items as they can get their hands on.

Anger | Sleeping at Last

I love the way this song opens, the energy it has. Favorite lyrics are “it all spills out/reckless but honest words leave my mouth,” which maybe speaks to my love of intra-party conflict… but I also have a soft spot for “and suddenly I’m someone that prays/last-minute man of faith” given the campaign’s attention to the divine. I’ve really loved leaning into that. It feels like this song has threads that connect to every character.

Hellfire | Barns Courtney

God, I love the chorus to this song. I feel that in this party, Leap and Remmy have the strongest links in these lyrics, between Leap’s simmering fury at her cult and Remmy’s...everything. There’s a period of the song that isn’t quite an instrumental, but has sort of mangled lyrics/rap, and though I can’t quite make it out, one bit sounds like “roll the dice” -- a fun nod to D&D as a whole and the risk-takers among the party.

Blood I Bled | The Staves

My favorite lyric here is “raise your banners and ride to war/throwing ‘round your name.” This song feels like a challenge to the world, suitable for a group of adventurers just forming a party. The singers and songwriters mention the song as one of “no, I won’t take this bullshit,” and that strong message really speaks to the PCs.

Hustler | Zayde Wølf

Hustler is all about coming out on top, and y’all are “turning up the heat” all the time. “Looking at the city like I already own it” feels like a foreshadowing moment to me; one day, when you all are level 10, 15, 20, you might reach an unmatchable power, if you live long enough to see it. 

Homemade Dynamite | Lorde

I chose this song for the absolute clusterfuck D&D parties can be. “Don’t know you super well/but I think that you might be the same as me/Behave abnormally” encapsulates something really funny about party members getting to know each other and start to trust each other, even when the rule might still be “I’ll give you my best side, tell you all my best lies,” and your secrets and private problems haven’t yet come to light.

Nervous | X Ambassadors

The chorus of foreboding in “cause what comes up must come down”  is, how do I put this? Iconique. I think this song especially fits Leap and Alice, both of whom are aware of how quickly things can go awry but put a cheerful face on their own worries. Even when nothing’s wrong (“and I can’t complain, it’s amazing”) they know things could go south quickly.

An Act of Kindness | Bastille

This song best fits Leap and Gadao’s relationship, especially when they met. “Oh I got a feeling this will shake me down/Oh I’m kind of hoping this will turn me round” seems to speak directly to Gadao pulling Leap away from the cult and giving her the opportunity to be better than she was. On another level, the party’s bonds are born from acts of kindness and friendship--Remmy buying lorebooks for Alice, Leap making tea, Gadao stepping in to defend the party from the mimic.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World | Lorde

Despite the name, this has something for everyone, I think. “Turn your back on Mother Nature” suits Alice’s vendetta against the Forest Father, “Help me make the most of freedom/and of pleasure” fits Blue’s brand of hedonism, “It’s my own remorse” echoes Leap’s regrets. Gadao alone doesn’t quite fit in here...unless… >:)

Kicks | Barns Courtney

This is a Blue song! “I’ll show you how to live for free” the artist sings, and Blue’s freewheeling lifestyle seeking “kicks” matches this energy really well. If Blue is “a wild one” “singing in the midnight street,” they’re getting their kicks with this party for sure. Blue lives without being tied down, theoretically limitless. 

Hail to the Victor | Thirty Seconds to Mars

This song is about Leap, no question. “Another life, another love/another kill, another drug” fits into Leap’s two lives, one in the cult and one out of it. And in this new mission against Babylon Lionel, she’s seeking a revenge of her own, though it’s one against her childhood more than her actual enemy.

I’m a Wanted Man | Royal Deluxe

Remmy “would kill again to keep from doing time,” without a doubt, so this one’s for him. Constantly warning he’s trouble for his friends, saying that “you should never ever trust my kind” isn’t too far off. Like Remmy, this song is edgy, but with a hesitant moment of emo-ness that makes the performance of darkness something a little more genuine.

Big God | Florence and the Machine

Alice is not a faithful woman, but she’s unfortunately entangled in some religious nonsense she hates. At the same time, I feel lyrics like “you’ll always be my favorite ghost” refer best to Alice’s fraught relationship with her wife. My favorite line here is “Sometimes I think it’s getting better/and then it gets much worse,” which is essentially Alice’s experience of her wild magic. Deep down, she might even be drawn to the magic’s chaos, but she can’t help but resent what it’s taking away from her.

Wisdom, Justice, and Love | Linkin Park

This one’s for Gadao. It starts off so peaceful and hopeful, the instrumentals overlaid with a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. But as he starts to list the evils of the world, King’s voice, so steady and confident, is warped. Gadao’s own faith experience becomes warped by the power games of the people around him, and even as he’s seeking “wisdom, justice, and love,” he can’t escape the effects of materialism and violence around him.

Icarus | Bastille

Some folks live steady lives, but not these people. Adventurer’s lives tend to burn bright, hot, and short. From Leap’s perspective, most of the party is made of kids who don’t know the world yet. Are they “digging their own grave,” “too close to the sun?” Despite their ride-or-die commitments, Leap can see all of you risking yourselves--and for what? Who do you want to be, at the end of it all? A wife and mason? A sage and monk? Or do you want greater things than that?

Losing My Religion | Dia Frampton

I can hear so much of Remmy’s opinions in this song, saying “I’m choosing my confessions, trying to keep an eye on you” but realizing, over and over again: “Oh no, I’ve said too much.” As he tries to keep up his own facades, Gadao and Leap’s own faith collides with the beliefs of a cult leader and Alice struggles with a religion she doesn’t care for at all.

Start a War | Klergy and Valerie Broussard

Like Hail to the Victor, this song is all about Leap’s conflict with the cult of Loviatar and the Mother of Martyrs. Even though the Loviatar cult might be gone, the spirit lives on. My favorite line for Leap here is “bang, shots fired/pain is what you desire,” for the decision to challenge Babs to a one-on-one fight. But is it Babs who is starting this war, or Leap?

Friction | Imagine Dragons

This one kind of gives me Gadao vibes with the lyrics “when you’ve made it/won’t you tell me what to do?” After all that pressure to fulfill the expectations of other people, he has to get out of the middle and move on, maybe even become someone new. Key line is “why can’t you let go/like a bird in the snow/this is no place to build your home,” reminding Gadao that he doesn’t have a place in this world. Not yet.

Transcendental Youth | the mountain goats

“Sing, sing for ourselves alone,” sings John Darnielle, and maybe that’s what makes this feel so much like Blue. Maybe it’s the lyric, “cedar smudge our headbands/and take to the skies/soar ever upwards,” calling to Blue’s dislocation from time and place, flying away from their problems. Blue doesn’t remember their childhood, and has no idea how old they are. Even if they did know, their lifespan is short. They live every day like the halcyon days of youth, footloose and fancy-free indeed.

Champion | Barns Courtney

I swear this is the last Barns Courtney song. But this song is the resilience of coming through fights and perils and dangers. My favorite lyric is “Oh, Lord, save my soul/take my pain and turn it into gold” which, incidentally, is exactly what happens when you level up. The party’s struggles translate to strength, to influence, to skill, and even riches.

In the Woods Somewhere | Hozier

On the one hand, this could be about any combat in the dark woods at night (*cough*, Remmy killing that dragonborn, *cough*). But more importantly, this song is about Alice. She struggles with a power she doesn’t understand, with something’s eyes on her that she can’t fight. The best she can do is run from the danger and try to survive it. Whatever eyes are watching her now, Alice better take care. Favorite line? “I clutched my life/and wished it kept/my dearest love/I’m not done yet.”

Natural | Imagine Dragons

Natural tells the party one way of surviving. The line “you gotta be so cold/to make it in this world” suits Remmy’s outlook so well, the one he pushes at the rest of the party. The line “rather be the hunter than the prey” speaks well to Blue’s tactics--preferring to act from above. Alice and Leap know better than anyone that “nothing ever comes without a consequence or cost,” and Gadao may be the only one ‘holding the line’ against a harder heart. Another song with bits and pieces associated with everyone.

Dead Hearts | Stars

There isn’t a specific lyric here that jumps out at me, no line that tells me who this song is for. This is the song for the ones who die--those who have, and who will. We might not be there yet, but this is a song for acknowledging the sacrifice of your friends and allies. The knowledge that you knew them once, and in some ways, their ghost stays with you. Or maybe they’re revived, or reincarnated, but there’s always something a little different.

The Projectionist | Sleeping at Last

Eventually the session ends, and the story closes, and the lights come up. “We’re leaving our shadows behind us now/we’re leaving, we’re leaving it all behind for now,” Ryan O’Neill sings. We’re putting on costumes, telling a story for each other, and maybe the game ends every time, but maybe it makes us brave. I’d like to think so. 

The lyrics to all these songs can be found at Genius.com. Thanks xx

[lolainblue]

Thunderbirds,  Chapter 24

t/w: mentions of drug use, suicide

   With a sick feeling in my stomach. I took Jane's laptop and set it aside. This whole time I had been telling myself that whatever Jared thought was going on was only in his head, that he had let feelings from that night at the party color his perception of her.  But the look on Jane's face now told me that whatever was going on had at least some truth in it.  I just couldn't understand why, if she knew there was something to Jared's accusations, she had acted so confused by his behavior.  Things still weren't making sense.  I hoped they were about to.  I hoped they weren't about to break my heart.

   “It isn't like they're saying.  It's not all lies but it's not like they're saying, I swear Shannon.”  Jane wiped her eyes and took another drink of her juice.  “I don't even know where to start.”

  “Maybe from the beginning?” I suggested.

   Jane shook her head.  “First of all, you need to know something.  You know how I said Angus's parents hated his ex-girlfriends? Well, one they hated in particular, sort of the chief ringleader of the skanky shenanigans club was Lacey.  She's an actress, she's on this Aussie soap opera and she kind of has this weird cult following.  And she hates me.  Oh, my god, does she hate me.  But I had bigger things to worry about at the time and Angus had stopped seeing her and got a restraining order, and I just kind of let it go...”

  “Restraining order? What the hell did you get yourself mixed up in Jane?” If I wasn't officially worried about where this confessional was going to go a minute a go I was now.  “I'm guessing whatever it was she didn't “just let it go”?”

    Jane shook her head. “No, it looks like she did anything but. And apparently she has convinced her little fan club that I'm the psycho whore of Babylon, out to ruin Lacey's life and steal her precious boyfriend and they have a whole website dedicated to how much they hate me.” She let out a ragged breath, but the tears seemed to be under control for the moment.  

  “Okay, well that sounds upsetting and a little crazy but....”

  “Which is ridiculous because who the fuck am I right? I mean sure Lacey knows me but why would these people care?” Jane seemed to still be processing whatever was happening.  She rubbed her temple and took a few deep breaths. “I know I'm not exactly an angel.  I've made some decisions that weren't the smartest, but....” she paused, seeming to be lost for words.  Which was chilling enough, Jane was always explaining and over explaining and the only times I had ever seen her speechless were big deals.  I braced myself for whatever was coming.

  “Just tell me what's going on Jane,” I told her as reassuringly as possible.  “I promise I will listen.”

   She nodded.  “Okay, let's start with that workshop where I met Angus.   Remember how I said I had been dating the guy that was giving it? Well, the whole story was he was an artist in residence, a novelist who was teaching a few classes that year.  I took his class the first semester I got there, fall semester.  We didn't go out until I had finished the class, this workshop was part of the way through the spring semester.  And really it was only a few times, we weren't actually romantically compatible, we got bored.  I didn't think it was any big deal at the time and I swear until just now I didn't even know that other people knew.  That's why I didn't put it together when you said Jared mentioned it. It was that much of a non-event.”

   I didn't understand what the big deal was here.  “So you kind of dated your professor.  Sounds like a bad romance novel.  What's the problem?”

  “Well,” she said, eyes down, “I ended up applying for a writing fellowship. Which I won.  Guess who was on the selection committee.”

  “Shit Jane.” All right this certainly sounded bad but didn't come close to explaining the drama from either Jared or her, nor justify a stalking campaign or an internet hate site.

   “I swear I didn't know it at the time, and when I confronted him afterward he swore to me it had nothing to do with our previous relationship.” Well, of course, he's going to tell you that Janey, I thought. Then again, if it happened the way he said and he was bored with her and uninterested, why would he have a reason to tip the selection in her favor?  “But yes, it looks bad, and they're accusing me of sleeping with him to get the grant.” I could hear the frustration in her voice.  I wanted to comfort her but there was more and I had to get to the bottom of it.

   “I'm not following Jane.  I mean I know it sounds bad but it's not that big of a deal.”

    She agreed. “No, not by itself.  I know it's just innuendo but it establishes a pattern of behavior.  Well at least as far as my hate club is concerned.”  She took a deep breath.  “I told you Roger's career really took off once we got to New York.  That first year I was super busy with school and work but that summer I had the money from the fellowship and took some time off to travel with him and do some writing.  We had a good time, went some interesting places, met a lot of different people.”

  “You've told me about this,” I pointed out.  

  “Yes, but I don't think you really understand,” Jane said.  “When I got to New York, well, you remember how I was.  Not exactly brimming with self-confidence or style. You made me start to understand I wasn't homely, awkward Plain Jane anymore but I still had a long ways to go. I started hanging around more with Roger's crowd. They showed me how to dress better, do my makeup.  I started going to the gym, got an expensive haircut, learned how to shop sample sales.  And I started getting attention.  Lots of attention.”

  Roger and I had both repeatedly told Jane how stunning she was but I guess at some point it finally sank in.  I was surprised that I felt a little disappointed in hearing it.  I guess I liked the idea of having all that beauty to myself. It felt sort of powerful.  I wasn't sure I liked what that said about me. I wasn't sure I liked the thought of a lot of men drooling over my Jane either. “What do you mean “lots of attention”?” I asked warily.

   She shrugged.  “Very simply, I let a few.. and I do mean a very few... very wealthy men take my broke, grad-student ass some very nice places and buy me pretty things. It sounds a lot more tawdry than it was.  But, add in the fact that I was also being taken places by Angus and trailing around on Roger's coattails, and the fellowship scandal....  It does make me look like a certain type of woman.”

   I took a breath.  I could see how she felt like it all looked bad, and Jared's name calling and hostility was making a little more sense. But it still seemed blown way out of proportion to me. I've seen some of the girls Jared kept company with over the years.  Some of them were a lot worse than anything Jane was telling me. “I know this isn't it, Jane,” I told her.  “Yes it looks bad but Jared is over the top and ….”

     I stopped when I saw the expression on her face.  It had been looking pinched and pained all through her reveals but now she looked absolutely heartbroken.  Her eyes were starting to brim with tears again and I could see her fighting to regain her composure.  Whatever the big secret was, we were there. I sat and waited, giving her time to get her words together.  Curiosity was eating me up, this story was winding all over the place, but there was a sense of dread about what might be coming.  I found I didn't want to hurry this along any more than she did.

   “Do you remember I said that Angus and I would go on vacations together, as friends? That sometimes he took girls he was dating, and I took my boyfriend once?” That had been during the first phone conversation we'd had, the one with me drunk in the hotel tub.  Kind of hard to forget.  “The trip I took my boyfriend with me for, Angus was with Lacey at that time. Roger actually came along too.  She would be super nice to me whenever Angus or the guys were around like she was absolutely my best gal pal, but the minute he turned his back she would turn into this raging cunt, making nasty comments and things. And when they were there she was still trying to undermine me, trying to embarrass me, hitting on my boyfriend.... she was jealous of the attention Angus paid me but also jealous of my boyfriend.  This is when she started hating me, that week on the island. When she met Jefferson.”

   Jane took a big shuddering breath as soon as she said his name, and I knew for certain we had come to the heart of the matter.  “See, Jefferson was an old friend, from our LA years.  You might remember us mentioning him, he's the one that came and cleaned the apartment out after we moved?”

   I did actually remember her talking about him a few times, mostly in reference to Roger being somewhere with him. I'd never met him though. She continued.  “So Jefferson was like two years younger than us, really smart and pretty amazing.  He really was only dating guys back then, he wasn't even on my radar.  But we all kept in touch and once when he came out to visit, things just sort of clicked between us.  We were together for about a year and a half.  It caught me by surprise really, I wasn't expecting it at all, honestly, I'd kind of been waiting on you, but this just sort of blossomed on its own and we were really good together.  When he was good that is.”

  The first tears fell then, and although she quickly got herself back under control, I worried where this story was going.  She hadn't mentioned Jefferson once in all the hours I had spent on the phone with her.  Hadn't mentioned a boyfriend at all other than Angus, and people don't tend to keep happy secrets. I thought that she had done the same thing I had, meaningless hookups while I waited to see if Jane and I would ever materialize again.  It surprised me to know that she had dated, and from the sounds of things, somewhat seriously.  This morning was just full of surprises.  I hadn't liked any of them yet.

   “See Jefferson had been battling depression for years, since he was a teenager.  He'd had a few bad bouts, had even been hospitalized once, but he was medicated and pretty stable when we were together.  There were some rough patches but he always pulled through them. I tried to be as supportive and understanding as possible.  I wanted him to know I was there for him. I thought he understood that.  I thought he knew he could come to me. I would have at least thought he understood he could come to Roger.  We'd all been friends for so long, we'd always looked out for each other..." she trailed off and took a deep breath before continuing.

   “He hit a really bad patch that summer.  He had always wanted to go to this particular resort in the Seychelles, but he was a bit of a workaholic and never got around to taking the time off.  I was really concerned about him and insisted he needed a vacation.  We went with Angus and Lacey and Roger came along with one of his temporary boyfriends.  It was supposed to cheer Jefferson up, help him get back on his feet.  I thought it did.  He seemed to be better after that, he started going out with friends again, was super productive at work, he was very attentive to me, he just seemed very connected and at peace. A month later he dumped me, out of the blue, no explanation.”

  “Janey...” I tried to reach over to take her hand but she brushed me off.

  “Twelve days after he dumped me hung himself.” She let loose a single, ragged sob that tore into my chest before clenching her teeth and pushing on.  “He said in the note that he was trying to give me some time to get over him before he did it, so I wouldn't hurt so bad or blame myself.  But he couldn't wait any longer.”

  There was so much anguish in her voice.  I knew this had to have happened at least several years ago, just from her history with Angus, but I could see how painful it was for her to tell me even now.  No wonder she hadn't brought it up on the phone.

  She continued. “If that's all there was to it I think Lacey would have left me in peace. But she was interested in Jefferson too, for the same reason she was interested in Angus. He was loaded. Which I know kind of makes me look bad too, but when we I met him, when Roger and I first became friends with him it wasn't that way.  His parents kicked him out when he was a teenager after he came out to them. He came out to L.A., tried to make something of himself.  Roger picked him up at a party, but when he heard his story... He ended up crashing on our couch for a while until he got a job and got on his feet.  He was such a scrapper, such a survivor.  He got into college, got his degree, worked really hard.  Started a business, made a fortune in the dot com boom. So yes, I had another rich boyfriend, but when I knew him, he was just the homeless kid who used to sleep in my living room sometimes.”

   She was all out crying now, and I could tell that no matter how this internet psycho had spun things Jane had very genuinely cared for Jefferson.  “He left everything to me and Roger. He didn't really have anyone else, like I said his family had disowned him years before that. I didn't want it, of course,” she added quickly. “I was too broken up over losing him and I just wanted him back. The money felt dirty.  Roger and I ended up spending a lot of it on starting a charity in his name, to help kids that had been kicked out by their families like Jefferson had.  But there was a lot of money. There was still a lot left.”

  Shit. I had been giving her so much grief about Angus, wondering things like who was paying for her hotel room and expensive vacations and it had been her all along.  “You don't need a rich husband do you?”

   She shook her head.  “Nope.” I wanted to ask some more questions but I could tell by the way she held herself this story still wasn't done. I let her finish. “Lacey was really nasty about the whole business.  Accused me of driving him to it so he'd leave me his money.”

  “That's fucked up.” I really wanted to meet this Lacey chick so I could knock her on her ass.  This vendetta she had against Jane was ridiculous, she had clearly kicked Jane when she was down and still wasn't satisfied. We were going to have to do something about her.

   “I know.  And I felt so guilty about not catching the warning signs, not being able to stop him, I let her get to me. I didn't handle any of it well.  Neither did Roger.  It sort of broke both of us.” Jane covered her face in her hands and once again I had to wait for her to compose herself. “He was so strong, so determined.  I'd seen him overcome so much.  I really thought he had beat it,” she said, eyes again brimming over with tears.  “It fucked me up so bad when he didn't. I started going out a lot.  I was just writing then, I didn't have a formal job, so I had lots of time to party.  And party I did. I danced my ass off and drank and smoked and popped and sniffed everything I could get my hands on.  Lacey made a lot of nasty accusations about celebrating Jefferson's death with his own money. Angus dumped her.  She blamed me.  Then one of the girls Roger and I had been partying with OD'd and Angus threatened to put us both in rehab if we didn't straighten up our shit.  I told him I wasn't really an addict, I was just self-medicating, but he was right, it had gone too far.  I quit.  I got a therapist. So did Roger. I started writing again. And then I started seeing Angus.  Actually dating him.  We had slept together numerous times over the years when we were both single but we actually started dating.  Lacey completely lost her shit.  Started stalking Angus.  He had to get a restraining order.”  Jane shrugged.  “I guess that's why she turned her attention on me, she can't get to him anymore.”

  “She's stalking you now,” I pointed out.  “If she knows this much shit, has got these people spying on your and slandering you, you need to get a lawyer.  This is scary stuff when you think about it, Jane, and it's probably only going to get worse.”

  “Yeah. As much as I hate to do it I think I'm going to call Angus and see if the lawyer that handled the stalking stuff with him will see what he can do about this mess.”  

   For the first time, I understood what Jane had meant when she said her relationship with Angus was complicated, when she had pointed out she had more of a history with him than she did with me.  He was intertwined with her life, he had been there for her through some really deep shit, he had been there when I wasn't.  Of course, she was reluctant to end things with him.  She may not have been in love with him but he was more than just some pretty schmuck who could buy her nice things, the way I had imagined it. I realized I had been judging her pretty unfairly too, it wasn't just Jared. I hadn't really been seeing Jane at all.

   “I never dreamed any of this was out there for other people to know about," she said miserably. “If I had I would have known what Jared's problem was right away, could have tried to reason with him instead of just amping the fight up higher. Fuck the internet and fuck Lacey and her crazy ass fans.”  Jane took my hand and looked at me. “Please believe me. I know to hear her tell it I'm a manipulative little money grubbing whore who sleeps her way to whatever she wants.  And I'll admit I have made some questionable decisions.  But I've never used anyone, at least not anyone that didn't want to be used.  I mean those guys that used to buy me things, back in the day, I was always upfront about exactly what our relationship was.” She chuckled softly.  “I learned that lesson the hard way but it only took me once.  Everyone on the same page.”

   I knew I had been that lesson.  And my heart hurt for Jane now.  Life had apparently had a lot more lessons for her and it seemed to determined to teach them all to her the hard way.  I could understand how bad this looked.  I understood why Jared was upset and afraid of having her anywhere near me.  But I knew he was wrong.  I had been blind to how much Jane had changed, how much she had been through, but I was certain what she was telling me was the truth.  I'd bet my arms on it. There were a lot of things Jane was good at.  Deception wasn't one of them.  

   “I believe you.  And I'm so sorry you had to go through all that.  I wish I could have been there for you.” I pulled her up against me and her head fell into my chest as a fresh round of sobs poured from her.  She thought no one knew.  She had been carrying this all around like a secret and I knew first hand how much secrets eat at people. And as I held her tightly I realized all her new bravado, her sophistication, her fancy clothes, the titles after her name, they were souvenirs of where she had been, like stamps on a passport. They didn't change who she was.  She was still gentle, sentimental Janey, who took everyone as they were, who loved adventure because her heart was open to it. And I was still her Shannon, her wild but cuddly rock god as she put it, even with all the new trappings of acclaimed records and fans and magazine articles. But we needed to start figuring out how to make all these new parts work together or we were going to lose the 'us' underneath that we valued so much. The first thing we were going to have to straighten out was Jared. He was the one person that had the power to take this whole ship down with him. Once Jane had composed herself again we got dressed, had some breakfast, and went to confront my brother.

@msroxyblog @nikkitasevoli  @maliciousalishious @snewsome756 @meghan12151977

[dstrachan]

'QUEER CONNECTIONS' - Unit Four: The Cornucopia Room,

4 Towerdykeside, TD9 9EA Hawick - 17th May - 22nd May 2019

Billed, in advance, as “A Diverse Art Exhibition by 4 artists who identify as LGBT and live in the Scottish Borders. This event is part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival and Mental Health Week. The artists look at the theme connections, what that means to them and how art in a variety of mediums can help to boost and improve mental health. Join us for launch night on Fri 17th at 6-8pm. All welcome, be who you are, a safe and friendly space guaranteed. Be Here! Be Queer!”

This exhibition launched on IDAHOBIT Day 2019: starting in 2014, IDAHOBIT was created to highlight the violence, discrimination and repression experienced by LGBTQ people all over the world.  It’s celebrated in over 130 countries, even in some of the places that still criminalise the LGBTQ community.  The day was planned to increase awareness and unite people against homophobia, biphobia, intersexism and transphobia.  Its aim is to gain the attention of politicians, leaders, media and public, and have our voices and stories heard.  Organisations around the world join forces with allies, activists and campaigners to spread the message of acceptance and stand in solidarity with victims of discrimination.  I believe that on such days  it’s immensely important to acknowledge how lucky we are to live in a more accepting society, but millions of people around the world aren’t so lucky.

Here in the Scottish Borders it was a lovely sunny day so I set off to enjoy a walk: on my way to the start of my walk I stopped off at Kelso High School and Scottish Borders Council HQ which were both flying the LGBT rainbow flag.  My stops were deliberate as I had expected to see the flags there and I'll come back to them later, but I was pleasantly surprised and  impressed to see a further rainbow flag flying at the entrance to Dryburgh Abbey – well done to Historic Scotland for that.  I then went on to enjoy a wonderful walk alongside the River Tweed, but the details of that walk don't need to be included here – my focus is on something else. A few years back I was privileged to be able to present a feature on TD1 Radio marking (if my memory is correct) the 30th anniversary of the Borders Gay Switchboard: it is reassuring to note the apparent progress that has been made since the establishment of that, to now when it would certainly appear to be much be acceptable to live an alternative lifestyle in our area. 

Back to IDAHOBIT Day, this year marked the 4th time that Scottish Borders LGBT Equality had been able to have the rainbow flag flown outside the council HQ and be represented inside the entrance area.  It had taken quite a fight to be able to get the flag flown but thankfully now that seems to be something that is incorporated into the annual cycle for flag flying.  Well done to Susan Hart and her fellow volunteers at Scottish Borders LGBT Equality for their perseverance in establishing that.  As last year, Scottish Borders LGBT Equality were joined at the stand by representatives of Rape Crisis.  As regards Kelso High School, I contacted Anja Raeburn – the youth worker who had persuaded the school to fly the flag there, and asked her about her feelings about the day; (connections = Anja is an ex-student of mine from Berwickshire High School) .

How easy was it for you to get the school to agree to flying the flag (were there any concerns)? “It was very easy to get the school to agree.  They are 100% on board with promoting all LGBT commemorative days.  As part of my role as youth worker at Kelso High School I run the 'Equality First' group (pupil led, I just ensure things happen) where we do a lot regarding LGBT Awareness.” How effective do you believe such awareness days as IDAHOBIT to be? “I think it's a great way to get everyone talking about LGBT and ensuring it is no longer a taboo subject, and normalising it as it should be.” Are you aware of the school doing anything else to mark this day? “Yes, as I generally take charge in making sure something is done on commemorative days, we are flying the pride flag and as it is a longer break on a Friday I set up a stall where we give out rainbow ribbons and the young people from 'Equality First' did surveys with other students. It created a huge buzz and everyone was asking about it.  I mean, who doesn't want a rainbow ribbon?!” As the years go by do you feel that the situation for LGBT young people in the Borders is changing (for better or worse)? Definitely better! “Slowly .... but better!  It's less hate, and more down to lack of understanding.  Kelso High has just had teacher training and separate training for all young people who wanted to take part.  The young people loved it and really learned something.  It was mostly attended by S1's and there were concerns about how serious they would take it, but against all our prejudgments, they were amazing and really got it.  It tackled things like what the initials stood for, hate crime and why using 'gay' in a negative way to describe something doesn't actually make sense.”

So back to the main subject of this post, the local art exhibition which opened in Hawick in the evening of IDAHOBIT Day = 'Queer Connections'.  I was unable to attend the launch on the Friday evening but did get along first thing on the next day, I was particularly keen to visit, not just because it was supporting causes that I feel strongly about, but I personally know two of the exhibiting artists; in addition as it turned out there were far more 'connections' than just me knowing these two.   

Firstly I'll consider those artists known to me; one is another ex-student who used to provide me with regular updates about her beloved local Speedway Team 'Berwick Bandits' which I turned into weekly speedway reports for local community radio.  In addition to her love of speedway, Taz McDougall has also developed a passion and skill for photography and she now regularly captures images from inside the oval at the Bandits' meetings.  As I expected, there was a photo of a 'rearing' speedway bike alongside a couple of extremely powerful and thought-provoking images.  Although I do have a soft spot for the Berwick Bandits speedway team it is a while since I attended a meeting, but to add to the connections there was also a photo of a guitarist to illustrate the importance of music for Taz (clearly another shared passion); the position of the microphone in front of the musician's mouth prevents me from being 100% certain of identification, but I strongly believe that the guitarist is an ex-colleague of mine whose band have featured regularly in my radio shows, and also in a couple of video pieces that I have produced.  

Also exhibiting was Hayley McAffee Reid who had a selection of her paintings on display along with one of her sketch books.  Haley had first come to my attention along with her, now wife Ainz, when I got in contact with their band Spat, their song 'Robot' was my 'track of the month' in October 2013. One of the beauties of social media, is the ability to be kept informed about a whole range of things, consequently many of Haley's paintings seemed quite familiar as I had previously seen pictures of them as works in progress – really wonderful to see the final results.  Also included was collage piece incorporating using kitchen roll, prescription bags and bits of medication information leaflets. When I first saw this I thought there was another connection with another acquaintance, but further checking confirmed that the medication in question was not fluoroquinolone which that acquaintance believes caused disabling and potentially long-lasting or irreversible side effects – its name just started with the same letters.  

Now to the remaining two artists, and more connections; although unknown to me I was also impressed by their exhibits.  There was the imaginative use of timber by Chris Kent which appealed to the woodworker in me, and in fact has prompted me to 'dig out' a piece of cherry tree that has been lying in wait in my shed until suitable inspiration hit me – I have to say that so far that any inspiration remains little more than a desire to create something!  Finally there was Lucinda Ferguson's work which included references to parts of Stirling that I have close connections given that I moved there in the early 1960's and despite living in the Borderlands since 1980, I only disposed of the family home last year.  Lucinda's work included pastels and video pieces; the video pieces were particularly poignant as they featured a number of evocative locations; Ferguson Street, South Alloa and also the former British Coal site at Polmaise, which I  can remember being driven past in the 1960s whilst it was still operational.  Lucinda's obvious fascination with motor vehicles was also the source of another connection given the number of years that I had spent developing 'Motor Vehicle Studies' courses to help educate students about something that would have a fundamental place in their future lives here in the Borderlands.  The series of acrylic pieces featuring motor car registration plates and manufacturers' logos was one of these concepts that transforms the everyday and mundane into something much more thoughtful as her 'You Look OK To Me' collection.  

So, with such a greatly invested photographer being present on launch night – there is really no point in me trying to cover the range of content when you can check out Taz's album instead.

One final tenuous connection, whilst visiting the local shop for refreshments as I considered the final form of this post I met another ex-student - during our subsequent chat it turned out that he had seen another ex-student’ s car the previous Sunday = #themanfromPARKIE heading off to Italy as part of his Rust2Rome adventure to raise funds for Duns Juniors Football Claub

[trilotechcorp]

New Post has been published on PBA-Live

New Post has been published on http://pba-live.com/damian-lillard-knows-the-power-of-social-media-for-athletes/

Damian Lillard knows the power of social media for athletes

Just a few years ago, social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram were used by athletes mostly for status updates at the spur of the moment, random photos at the gym or loose chats back and forth with close friends. But players like Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard have quickly learned how powerful those platforms can be.

Unlike players now, who have accounts before they reach high school and have massive followings by the time they’re making college decisions, Lillard didn’t take the plunge and create an account until some nudging from a friend at Weber State, which led to his aptly titled initial @MrWeberState Twitter account.

At the time, building his brand was a distant thought, and he mostly used the account to fire off commentary during live games, tweet out his favorite song lyrics and talk to friends.

“I never really dove into it,” Lillard said of his social media use in college, during a recent episode of the Nice Kicks podcast. “I was really just consumed with trying to make it to the league. I never paid attention to it.”

That all changed once he turned pro. After being selected sixth overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2012 draft — deemed a reach by pundits at the time — Lillard established himself on the court right out the gate, racking up countless awards in his first year. He won co-MVP of the summer league, was named first-team All-Rookie, and went on to win Rookie of the Year, all while leading the league in minutes played. He also won a much less publicized award that the league had quietly added to the mix: Social Media Rookie of the Year.

“When I got to the league, that’s when I realized how useful it could be,” said Lillard, “as far as growing your brand and allowing people to get to know you as a person.”

During his time in the NBA, Lillard has racked up a total of nearly eight million followers across his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook channels. That’s far from the most — LeBron James has a combined 80 million — but Lillard consistently ranks among the top handful of NBA players in terms of engagement and activity, an ever-valuable measure of influence online. He’s also taken up an interest and learned how to navigate each separate platform differently, working in tandem through the years with Nate Jones, his marketing rep at Goodwin Sports Management.

Part of the strategy involves weaving in his seven global endorsement deals and three regional sponsorships through his flow of social posts, while also keeping a tone that strays away from feeling too forced, pushy and promotional. Among all eleven current NBA players with a Nike, Jordan, Adidas or Under Armour signature shoe during this past season, Lillard had over twice as many branded Instagram posts as the next closest athlete, James Harden.

He was routinely featuring his “Dame” signature series and his Adidas association within his feed, amounting for more than 3.5 times as many branded posts as Nike’s signature stars Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who ranked third and fourth. Nevertheless, he feels he’s mastered the balance of posting products, while also maintaining every brand’s favorite buzz word: “authenticity.”

“People know that what I’m doing, they know it’s going to be genuine. They know it’s real,” Lillard said. “I’m not pitching nothing at you. It’s never going to be fake. When I’m constantly posting stuff, it’s always related to me. It’s never like, ‘Sign up for this, and use my code.’ [laughs] It’s never like the corny stuff where you’re using people. It’s more inviting them. You’re inviting them to be a part of something, as opposed to just trying to sell something.”

Lillard’s deal with Adidas includes a set annual budget for his social media campaigns, encompassing anything from photo shoots for imagery to money used to boost reach and promote an individual post to a wider audience. Earlier this year, Lillard took an entirely unique approach to seeding his third signature shoe out to media members and influencers.

Rather than package the shoe in a grandiose box or include a gift card to a high-priced restaurant, as other athletes have done, Lillard provided a $500 charity donation card, nestled next to a pair of his new Adidas Dame 3 sneakers. Recipients were able to pick any charity or organization of their liking. The donation concept went on to benefit dozens of charities around the United States.

“The simple answer is four years of college better prepared Damian for the responsibilities that go with being a superstar athlete and pitchman,” said Eric Goodwin, who along with his twin brother Aaron, represents Lillard and other NBA players at their Goodwin Sports agency. “He understands the value of connecting with fans in authentic ways and there is no better way to do that today than through social media.”

As he’s grown more comfortable with sharing his voice, Lillard hasn’t shied away from using his platform to speak on social issues that he feels warrant his attention. Each spring on Instagram, he’ll often highlight and congratulate fellow family members graduating from high school and college, as he did. He’s a key global ambassador for the Special Olympics and an advocate for anti-bullying initiatives.

In addition to his community events centered in California and Oregon, Lillard has also built up an online community of aspiring musicians, through his own #4BarFriday concept. “Four bars” is a technical phrase in rap music, simply representing four lines of written lyrics. It also just so happened to fit perfectly within a 15-second video, the initial time limit when Instagram first introduced video to the platform in 2013. (Users can now upload videos up to 60 seconds in length.) Lillard came up with the concept himself while jotting down notes in his journal in his bedroom.

“I always share my ideas with Nate Jones, and he’s the person that brings it to light and makes it as strong as possible after I come up with the idea and my vision for it,” he says.

Since Lillard’s first post, rappers have posted their #4BarFriday submissions weekly, racking up almost 70,000 posts. Each Friday, Lillard will also re-post a few of his favorite raps on his own account, providing massive visibility to a sea of aspiring artists.

“It started off with me just saying, ‘I just want people to be able to hear me rap,'” Lillard reflects. “From there, it turned into people caring about what they submitted and taking pride in it.”

In recent years, it’s blossomed into more than just a weekly Instagram contest. Lillard now leverages his endorsement deal with JBL Audio to provide speakers and headphones to weekly winners. He’s even flown out #4BarFriday rappers to perform at concerts that he’s hosted during NBA All-Star Weekend. His willingness to share his own music has also grown each summer. He started out by posting a new song on Soundcloud each Monday during the summer of 2015. Last year, he released a full studio album, “The Letter O,” which quickly rose to No. 2 on the iTunes Hip-Hop chart.

While he’s grown to enjoy utilizing all of the exposure and visibility that social media has afforded him so far as a pro, Lillard is still wary of the effects and impact of too much attention for younger athletes, like prep phenoms Zion Williamson and LaMelo Ball. The duo faced off in an exhibition game in Las Vegas before Adidas’ annual summer championship AAU tournament last month. A livestream of the game on Facebook drew in as many as 75,000 viewers at once. Lillard arrived 90 minutes early to secure his front-row seat.

“All the other athletes [there] are fans of dudes that are the same age as them. I’m not used to that,” said Lillard of the frenzy caused by Williamson and Ball among their peers. “You’re supposed to look at them like, ‘They not that good!’ Almost hating on them. They’re competition. That was different. I think back to when I was in the 10th grade, and I went to a game with my boy P [Phil Taylor] and Jerryd Bayless was playing. They’re like, ‘He’s gonna be the No. 1 pick!’ We’re looking at him like, ‘He good, but he’s not better than me.’ [laughs] Now, these dudes have their phone out recording another 16-year-old.”

More than anything, Lillard knows firsthand just how ruthless people can also be at times online, whether it’s commenting to him on Instagram or Twitter when things don’t go right, or, even worse, sending harsh messages to a phenom still in high school. He expects both players to handle the pressures well, and continue advancing their careers. While everyone deals with naysayers in their own way, Lillard still enjoys firing back at critics online from time to time, pointing to the continual improvement he’s made each year in the NBA.

“People tell me all the time, ‘Man, you don’t gotta respond to it.’ But I’m always going to say something,” Lillard said. “Sometimes, that’s the last thing they expect. Or, they don’t want to have to explain what they said, or they don’t want that type of confrontation.”

Regardless, Lillard doesn’t stress it, because his routine doesn’t allow him to lose sight of his priority: the game of basketball.

“It’s easy for me to dismiss, because I know the first thing that I do every day is get up and go work out. I do my conditioning, and I’m in the weight room. I know first things are always first,” he said. “And then, I can go rap as long as I want to [laughs]. If I put out a quality album, and then I come out and have my best season … How much weight does what they’re saying have?”

Nick DePaula is the creative director for Nice Kicks and former editor-in-chief of Sole Collector Magazine.

Author: Nick DePaula Source: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20258850/damian-lillard-knows-power-social-media-athletes

[trendingnewsb]

Salma Hayek: Trump couldn’t build a wall without illegal Mexicans’

Her new film, Beatriz at Dinner, already has Oscar buzz. But on top of the acting, Salma Hayek is also saving animals, running charities and beating the hell out of a Trump piata. Johnny Davis meets Hollywoods busiest firebrand

It was after a neighbour shot her dog that Salma Hayek realised Donald Trump would become president.

I thought it was a crazy thing, that it would never happen but then something really tragic happened to me, she explains. I have a ranch in America and a neighbour of mine killed my dog. Hayek, who owns around 50 animals, including 20 chickens, five parrots, four alpacas, two fish, some cats and a hamster, says that Mozart, the tragic German Shepherd in question, had never attacked anyone. And the authorities in dealing with the neighbour, and what he did How is that legal? [Police have said the neighbour shot her dog after he found it fighting with his dogs in his garage.] Just to understand what was the normality of things. I realised in this moment, Oh my God: hes going to win.

Hayek, a Mexican immigrant to America who identifies as half-Spanish and half- Lebanese, lives in London and is married to a Frenchman who happens to be Franois-Henri Pinault, billionaire CEO of the company that owns Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Gucci is perhaps uniquely placed to have firm views on Trump, Brexit and immigration, and well get to them.

Hayek is primarily here this morning to talk about her new movie, The Hitmans Bodyguard. We are at a press junket for the film. Elsewhere on the first floor of this smart London hotel are Samuel L Jackson, Ryan Reynolds and Gary Oldman, answering questions. Junkets can be dispiriting, and rapport can be in short supply. That is, unless youre Salma Hayek, whose personality could light up a funeral. She arrives in a riot of black and red polka dots, tottering shoes and glossy hair, 5ft 2in and somehow 50 years old, although agelessly beautiful. She plonks herself into an armchair, hoists her legs up, and proceeds to tug the small table between us towards her. Do you mind? Theyre bringing me food. I like my food.

Hasnt she had breakfast?

I did but Im still hungry, she grins.

A round of avocado on toast is spirited into the room, accompanied by a mystery shake in a plastic container. (A second round soon follows.) Famous since she was a soap star in Mexico in her 20s and with 40-plus Hollywood films to her name, Hayek has done literally thousands of interviews. What does she make of the publicity circuit?

Im good! she says. I just pretend Im having a conversation with a new friend.

Other half: Hayek and her billionaire husband Franois-Henri Pinault. Photograph: Tony Barson Archive/WireImage

Indeed, Hayek proves impossible not to like. She may be the perfect chat-show guest: various presenters have hooted along as shes shown off pictures of her Donald Trump piata, discussed her experience as a late-developing teen immersing herself in holy water and praying to Jesus for breasts, or confessing she accused Monsieur Pinault of having an affair after discovering text messages from Elena, only to discover Elena was a language-teaching app.

In fact, we have Pinault to thank for Hayeks turn in The Hitmans Bodyguard. The comedy-action caper is basically a mismatched buddy movie for Jackson and Reynolds, hitman and bodyguard respectively. Hayek is only in a few scenes, but as Jacksons imprisoned criminal wife she matches him profanity for profanity.

I think Salma steals the whole movie, says director Patrick Hughes. I challenge anyone not to fall in love with her because (a) shes a polymath and (b) she kicks ass.

I have to tell you: action is not my favouritest [sic] genre of films, Hayek says. But I married a man who really likes them. So I became an expert. So I see them all!

The image of fashions most powerful CEO spending his downtime like this is intriguing. What is his favourite action movie?

Oh, its like Sophies choice for him, I think.

What about Die Hard, I suggest.

Oh, he loves Die Hard. But we love Bourne. She claps her hands. Sometimes he doesnt even like [a film], he says: Oh my God, that was so bad! But he still has to watch the whole thing.

Its a man thing, I say.

Yes! My brother likes that one, my father likes that one and because of that, when we were doing [The Hitmans Bodyguard] I was able to say it was going to work, because it had a lot of the stuff that the good ones have.

Mexican heroine: Hayek playing Frida Kahlo in Frida with Alfred Molina as Diego Rivera.

Similarly, do actors always know when theyre making a turkey?

Oh yeah! Hayek says, crunching through her toast. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know. And unfortunately Ive never been wrong!

Her CV is mixed. The first Mexican actress to break into Hollywood since Dolores del Ro in the pre-sound 20s, shes played a lesbian taco in the kids film Sausage Party and so-so roles in films such as Spy Kids 3D and Wild, Wild West. But she also earned an Oscar nomination for Frida, her 2002 portrait of Frida Kahlo, and The Hollywood Reporter has just tipped her for 2018s awards season for Beatriz At Dinner, in which she plays an immigrant who clashes with a self-made billionaire.

At first, she says, she hated being famous. This was terrifying because in Mexico when you do a soap, at this point she leaps out of her chair and heads for the door Dont worry, Im not escaping Hello? Her security guard appears with a pack of American Spirit cigarettes. My soap was seen by 60% of the country, so its every day, in their house. Do you mind? Do you want one? she says, offering the smokes. So you become very familiar, like youre their cousin or something. Ive never been so famous since. I kind of hated it.

Taking aim: Hayek in The Hitmans Bodyguard. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

If she hated the attention so much, I wonder why she headed for Hollywood. But Hayek is battling with the curtains while she attempts to heave open a sash window so that she can smoke, unlit fag in her mouth. Not relishing the idea of Hayek tumbling on to the streets below, it seems only polite to help. For a few seconds she holds back the curtains, while I struggle to wrench the window.

Oh my God, that was so easy, she says. I really did want to be an actress, not just be famous. Its a different thing. Because I was famous on a soap! That doesnt make you a great actress. So I went to America to start all over again.

This was the 90s. She played extras and enrolled in the Stella Adler Academy Of Acting in LA, alma mater to Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro. And this is how old I am, she [Adler] was still alive! She was 90 and she was still teaching and flirting with the young boys. She was a tough cookie but she was brilliant.

Hayek could barely speak the language – My English sucked worse, there werent any parts. Mexican women played maids or gangsters wives. And thats if you got lucky.

Hayek threatened legal action against one director.

I was screen-testing for the lead in a film and they said that it was not written Latin, but they wouldnt mind changing it. I learned the script but when they sent me the pages [for the audition] there was none of the things I had learned, it was another role. So my agent called them and they said, Are you crazy? Shes Mexican. We can change [the race of] the bimbo, but not the lead.

Fashionista: at Stella McCartney, spring/summer 2016, Paris fashion week. Photograph: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

She got her agent to call back. Would they please just give her five minutes to audition for the part shed learned?

And they said, Absolutely under no circumstances. So I said, OK, you tell them that they either see me, or Im going to sue them. And they said, Theres no point in her coming, even if she had been the best audition she would have never gotten the part but now we hate her. Does she want to come knowing that we detest her? They kept her waiting for five hours. They wondered why would she do this to herself.

Ive never said this to anyone, the name of the director, but it was Ivan Reitman. And I said, Well, I thought that the director that could see Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as twins [1988s Twins], and Arnold Schwarzenegger giving birth to a child [1994s Junior] maybe could see a Mexican as a fashion editor. I thought I owed it to the new generation of Mexicans. That if I got this right, maybe something will shift.

Years later, she bumped into Reitman and he apologised. We had such a lovely conversation, he was so elegant, Hayek says. He said, I was wrong.

All of this pales next to the hill she climbed for Frida.

I was obsessed, Hayek says. I was endeavouring to do a film about an artist in a time when all the films about artists had failed. Already [the studios] were going, Oh no. Then Id say, Its a period piece about Mexicans! And theyre communists! Its a love story between an overweight man and a woman that limps and has a moustache!

Committed: Hayek campaigning for womens empowerment with Guccis Frida Giannini and Beyonc. Photograph: Ian Gavan/Getty

One studio did eventually take it on, Edward Norton (her partner at the time) rewrote the script for free and Hayek called in favours from co-stars including Ashley Judd, then one of Hollywoods most bankable faces. It opened in two cinemas. Its success, I suggest, must have been all the sweeter.

Yes, she says. Because [the studio] dismissed it. I didnt even have a poster!

It may not surprise you to learn that Hayek is a committed activist: her list of charitable endeavours is too long to go into here, but it includes her own foundation helping women and children in Mexico, and the feminist charity Chime For Change, founded with Beyonc. Its so massive I dont even know what to tell you. I dont just do awareness, I actually do strategy. Im on the board. It takes a lot, a lot, a lot of time.

Other projects receiving the full force of the Hayek commitment include her range of nutritional juices, and a beauty line which she created herself. She also has her own production company, which helped turn the TV show Ugly Betty based on a Colombian telenovela into a worldwide hit. I ask where this drive comes from.

Its been there since Ive been a child. A sense of justice and responsibility for the human race. How can we be better? Because a lot of people dont think that way. They think: How can I pay less tax? And so when I see things that make me think we are degrading and degenerating mentally it makes me want to do something.

She has been hugely successful. Shes married to one of the worlds richest men. (Their daughter, Valentina, attends school in London.) She could just put her feet up. Of course, its a cheap question we already know the answer.

Why would anybody want to sit around and do nothing?

Hayek says that she made it clear she would always remain financially independent from her husband, whose net worth is around $17.3bn. Which may explain money-job films like Sausage Party.

Mirror mirror: Hayek guest stars in Ugly Betty with America Ferrera. Photograph: Danny Feld/ABC

At the time I met him, I had already decided I didnt want one of those [ie a husband], she says. I had set myself up for a completely different life. I was ready to live on my ranch that is a sanctuary for abused animals. I would come to LA and work a little bit. I was not planning on spending. I had no interest in jewellery or clothes or cars. I had everything I wanted. Maybe I had a guy here or there. I also thought I couldnt have children. Then he [Pinault] came along, swept me off my feet, changed my entire universe and knocked me up.

Can she remember what they first liked about one another?

Yes. I asked him, if he had not been doing what he was doing, what would have been his dream? And he said an astronaut and that was my dream! Then we started talking about different theories of physics, which is my secret passion. And soccer! Im a huge soccer fan [she supports Arsenal]. Just random things that nobody knows I like. It was just magical.

As a global citizen at a time when the world seems to be closing in on itself, is Hayek optimistic for the future?

Very optimistic. I have to look for the positive about everything.

Hayek campaigned for Clinton. Hows it going to end for Trump?

I can promise you hes not going to build the wall. You cannot build it without the Mexicans that are illegally in the country. That is what makes the economy so strong because they are paid less than half, with no benefit. Its just not going to happen!

Hayek is banging her fist on the table.

His days are numbered! Even if he becomes a dictator and rewrites the constitution and now the presidents can stay 12 years! Still his days are numbered!

Salma Hayek: activist, actor, producer, juicer, businesswoman, friend to the animals and all-round proper laugh. You wouldnt mess.

The Hitmans Bodyguard is in cinemas on 17 August

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Salma Hayek: Trump couldn’t build a wall without illegal Mexicans’

Her new film, Beatriz at Dinner, already has Oscar buzz. But on top of the acting, Salma Hayek is also saving animals, running charities and beating the hell out of a Trump piata. Johnny Davis meets Hollywoods busiest firebrand

It was after a neighbour shot her dog that Salma Hayek realised Donald Trump would become president.

I thought it was a crazy thing, that it would never happen but then something really tragic happened to me, she explains. I have a ranch in America and a neighbour of mine killed my dog. Hayek, who owns around 50 animals, including 20 chickens, five parrots, four alpacas, two fish, some cats and a hamster, says that Mozart, the tragic German Shepherd in question, had never attacked anyone. And the authorities in dealing with the neighbour, and what he did How is that legal? [Police have said the neighbour shot her dog after he found it fighting with his dogs in his garage.] Just to understand what was the normality of things. I realised in this moment, Oh my God: hes going to win.

Hayek, a Mexican immigrant to America who identifies as half-Spanish and half- Lebanese, lives in London and is married to a Frenchman who happens to be Franois-Henri Pinault, billionaire CEO of the company that owns Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Gucci is perhaps uniquely placed to have firm views on Trump, Brexit and immigration, and well get to them.

Hayek is primarily here this morning to talk about her new movie, The Hitmans Bodyguard. We are at a press junket for the film. Elsewhere on the first floor of this smart London hotel are Samuel L Jackson, Ryan Reynolds and Gary Oldman, answering questions. Junkets can be dispiriting, and rapport can be in short supply. That is, unless youre Salma Hayek, whose personality could light up a funeral. She arrives in a riot of black and red polka dots, tottering shoes and glossy hair, 5ft 2in and somehow 50 years old, although agelessly beautiful. She plonks herself into an armchair, hoists her legs up, and proceeds to tug the small table between us towards her. Do you mind? Theyre bringing me food. I like my food.

Hasnt she had breakfast?

I did but Im still hungry, she grins.

A round of avocado on toast is spirited into the room, accompanied by a mystery shake in a plastic container. (A second round soon follows.) Famous since she was a soap star in Mexico in her 20s and with 40-plus Hollywood films to her name, Hayek has done literally thousands of interviews. What does she make of the publicity circuit?

Im good! she says. I just pretend Im having a conversation with a new friend.

Other half: Hayek and her billionaire husband Franois-Henri Pinault. Photograph: Tony Barson Archive/WireImage

Indeed, Hayek proves impossible not to like. She may be the perfect chat-show guest: various presenters have hooted along as shes shown off pictures of her Donald Trump piata, discussed her experience as a late-developing teen immersing herself in holy water and praying to Jesus for breasts, or confessing she accused Monsieur Pinault of having an affair after discovering text messages from Elena, only to discover Elena was a language-teaching app.

In fact, we have Pinault to thank for Hayeks turn in The Hitmans Bodyguard. The comedy-action caper is basically a mismatched buddy movie for Jackson and Reynolds, hitman and bodyguard respectively. Hayek is only in a few scenes, but as Jacksons imprisoned criminal wife she matches him profanity for profanity.

I think Salma steals the whole movie, says director Patrick Hughes. I challenge anyone not to fall in love with her because (a) shes a polymath and (b) she kicks ass.

I have to tell you: action is not my favouritest [sic] genre of films, Hayek says. But I married a man who really likes them. So I became an expert. So I see them all!

The image of fashions most powerful CEO spending his downtime like this is intriguing. What is his favourite action movie?

Oh, its like Sophies choice for him, I think.

What about Die Hard, I suggest.

Oh, he loves Die Hard. But we love Bourne. She claps her hands. Sometimes he doesnt even like [a film], he says: Oh my God, that was so bad! But he still has to watch the whole thing.

Its a man thing, I say.

Yes! My brother likes that one, my father likes that one and because of that, when we were doing [The Hitmans Bodyguard] I was able to say it was going to work, because it had a lot of the stuff that the good ones have.

Mexican heroine: Hayek playing Frida Kahlo in Frida with Alfred Molina as Diego Rivera.

Similarly, do actors always know when theyre making a turkey?

Oh yeah! Hayek says, crunching through her toast. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know. And unfortunately Ive never been wrong!

Her CV is mixed. The first Mexican actress to break into Hollywood since Dolores del Ro in the pre-sound 20s, shes played a lesbian taco in the kids film Sausage Party and so-so roles in films such as Spy Kids 3D and Wild, Wild West. But she also earned an Oscar nomination for Frida, her 2002 portrait of Frida Kahlo, and The Hollywood Reporter has just tipped her for 2018s awards season for Beatriz At Dinner, in which she plays an immigrant who clashes with a self-made billionaire.

At first, she says, she hated being famous. This was terrifying because in Mexico when you do a soap, at this point she leaps out of her chair and heads for the door Dont worry, Im not escaping Hello? Her security guard appears with a pack of American Spirit cigarettes. My soap was seen by 60% of the country, so its every day, in their house. Do you mind? Do you want one? she says, offering the smokes. So you become very familiar, like youre their cousin or something. Ive never been so famous since. I kind of hated it.

Taking aim: Hayek in The Hitmans Bodyguard. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

If she hated the attention so much, I wonder why she headed for Hollywood. But Hayek is battling with the curtains while she attempts to heave open a sash window so that she can smoke, unlit fag in her mouth. Not relishing the idea of Hayek tumbling on to the streets below, it seems only polite to help. For a few seconds she holds back the curtains, while I struggle to wrench the window.

Oh my God, that was so easy, she says. I really did want to be an actress, not just be famous. Its a different thing. Because I was famous on a soap! That doesnt make you a great actress. So I went to America to start all over again.

This was the 90s. She played extras and enrolled in the Stella Adler Academy Of Acting in LA, alma mater to Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro. And this is how old I am, she [Adler] was still alive! She was 90 and she was still teaching and flirting with the young boys. She was a tough cookie but she was brilliant.

Hayek could barely speak the language – My English sucked worse, there werent any parts. Mexican women played maids or gangsters wives. And thats if you got lucky.

Hayek threatened legal action against one director.

I was screen-testing for the lead in a film and they said that it was not written Latin, but they wouldnt mind changing it. I learned the script but when they sent me the pages [for the audition] there was none of the things I had learned, it was another role. So my agent called them and they said, Are you crazy? Shes Mexican. We can change [the race of] the bimbo, but not the lead.

Fashionista: at Stella McCartney, spring/summer 2016, Paris fashion week. Photograph: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

She got her agent to call back. Would they please just give her five minutes to audition for the part shed learned?

And they said, Absolutely under no circumstances. So I said, OK, you tell them that they either see me, or Im going to sue them. And they said, Theres no point in her coming, even if she had been the best audition she would have never gotten the part but now we hate her. Does she want to come knowing that we detest her? They kept her waiting for five hours. They wondered why would she do this to herself.

Ive never said this to anyone, the name of the director, but it was Ivan Reitman. And I said, Well, I thought that the director that could see Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as twins [1988s Twins], and Arnold Schwarzenegger giving birth to a child [1994s Junior] maybe could see a Mexican as a fashion editor. I thought I owed it to the new generation of Mexicans. That if I got this right, maybe something will shift.

Years later, she bumped into Reitman and he apologised. We had such a lovely conversation, he was so elegant, Hayek says. He said, I was wrong.

All of this pales next to the hill she climbed for Frida.

I was obsessed, Hayek says. I was endeavouring to do a film about an artist in a time when all the films about artists had failed. Already [the studios] were going, Oh no. Then Id say, Its a period piece about Mexicans! And theyre communists! Its a love story between an overweight man and a woman that limps and has a moustache!

Committed: Hayek campaigning for womens empowerment with Guccis Frida Giannini and Beyonc. Photograph: Ian Gavan/Getty

One studio did eventually take it on, Edward Norton (her partner at the time) rewrote the script for free and Hayek called in favours from co-stars including Ashley Judd, then one of Hollywoods most bankable faces. It opened in two cinemas. Its success, I suggest, must have been all the sweeter.

Yes, she says. Because [the studio] dismissed it. I didnt even have a poster!

It may not surprise you to learn that Hayek is a committed activist: her list of charitable endeavours is too long to go into here, but it includes her own foundation helping women and children in Mexico, and the feminist charity Chime For Change, founded with Beyonc. Its so massive I dont even know what to tell you. I dont just do awareness, I actually do strategy. Im on the board. It takes a lot, a lot, a lot of time.

Other projects receiving the full force of the Hayek commitment include her range of nutritional juices, and a beauty line which she created herself. She also has her own production company, which helped turn the TV show Ugly Betty based on a Colombian telenovela into a worldwide hit. I ask where this drive comes from.

Its been there since Ive been a child. A sense of justice and responsibility for the human race. How can we be better? Because a lot of people dont think that way. They think: How can I pay less tax? And so when I see things that make me think we are degrading and degenerating mentally it makes me want to do something.

She has been hugely successful. Shes married to one of the worlds richest men. (Their daughter, Valentina, attends school in London.) She could just put her feet up. Of course, its a cheap question we already know the answer.

Why would anybody want to sit around and do nothing?

Hayek says that she made it clear she would always remain financially independent from her husband, whose net worth is around $17.3bn. Which may explain money-job films like Sausage Party.

Mirror mirror: Hayek guest stars in Ugly Betty with America Ferrera. Photograph: Danny Feld/ABC

At the time I met him, I had already decided I didnt want one of those [ie a husband], she says. I had set myself up for a completely different life. I was ready to live on my ranch that is a sanctuary for abused animals. I would come to LA and work a little bit. I was not planning on spending. I had no interest in jewellery or clothes or cars. I had everything I wanted. Maybe I had a guy here or there. I also thought I couldnt have children. Then he [Pinault] came along, swept me off my feet, changed my entire universe and knocked me up.

Can she remember what they first liked about one another?

Yes. I asked him, if he had not been doing what he was doing, what would have been his dream? And he said an astronaut and that was my dream! Then we started talking about different theories of physics, which is my secret passion. And soccer! Im a huge soccer fan [she supports Arsenal]. Just random things that nobody knows I like. It was just magical.

As a global citizen at a time when the world seems to be closing in on itself, is Hayek optimistic for the future?

Very optimistic. I have to look for the positive about everything.

Hayek campaigned for Clinton. Hows it going to end for Trump?

I can promise you hes not going to build the wall. You cannot build it without the Mexicans that are illegally in the country. That is what makes the economy so strong because they are paid less than half, with no benefit. Its just not going to happen!

Hayek is banging her fist on the table.

His days are numbered! Even if he becomes a dictator and rewrites the constitution and now the presidents can stay 12 years! Still his days are numbered!

Salma Hayek: activist, actor, producer, juicer, businesswoman, friend to the animals and all-round proper laugh. You wouldnt mess.

The Hitmans Bodyguard is in cinemas on 17 August

Read more: http://ift.tt/2vte64U

from Viral News HQ http://ift.tt/2vDsF6c via Viral News HQ