#yes this is about the bullshit rape defenders over on twitter

[scientistservant]

Ancient vulture-like alien creatures once benevolently ruled over mice elves until they drained the essence of one of them as an experiment. They sadly got obsessed with that essence and eventually started an entire genocide in order to increase their own lifespans out of their understandable fear of death, wiping out the mice elves they once cared for. THAT is complex. ValAngel isn't.

Actually begging Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss stans/Vivziepop defenders to start watching other shows and movies because holy shit, many of you have a disgusting view on SA and media literacy.

Speaking of which, watch The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix, it's a gorgeous show with elaborate puppets and set design. It's sadly cancelled, which the Jim Henson company didn't deserve at all, but I'm not losing hope for some kind of revival.

[sanikori]

So, i forced myself to watch Leaving Neverland...

And i swear, i've never hated some stangers in my life to the point where i want them dead. I felt my oxygen leave me and i was choking on my fucking tears from all the lies. I felt so sick, that i puked 5 times. But now i've recomposed myself so that i can expose these liars. I didn't want to go back in time and know how in feels to be a moonwalker in 1993. I wanted people to still talk about Michael, but not like this, never like this.

First things first, as Michael Williams, stated on Twitter, Michael has been investigated from the FBI for 13 fucking years.

Here we see 72 officers and 50 FBI agents in the Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara. They searched every angle and interviewed everyone to find evidence and guess what? They found nothing. 

He's been proved innocent at not 1 but 2 trials. To this day, there's still no valid proof that Michael did any of those things.

Even Michael’s fucking bodyguard stepped in to defended him and expose Wade.

Here's some of the bullshit they said in that documentary, Let's start with James Safetruck: James: "I've spent Thanksgiving in 1987 with him at his home" Wrong, Michael was in Australia as a part of the Bad Tour in November 24 1987 James: "Michael didn't want us spending any time with women and cut contact with me after puberty"

Really James? then how come we see you AFTER puberty holding an umbrella for Michael while Michael's ex wife, Lisa Marie Presley, was there with the both of you. James: "I was abused by Michael in New York in 1989 after he performed at the Grammys" Fake. The Grammys were in Los Angeles and Michael didn't perform at the Grammys in 1989. Now let's go with Wade Robson Wade: "I was molested by Michael between ages 7 and 14" Wade is now 36 so it happened from 1989 till 1996. So you're telling me that these "rapes" happend DURING the Chandler investigation and DURING Michael's marriage to Lisa Marie Presley as well? and the FBI found nothing? really? bitch please.

Here comes my favourite lie Then there's the MANIPOLATED footage of Michael begin honoured at the Regent Hotel and he apparently recorded a message for Wade "on his birthday" where Michael "says" "Hello Wade, today is your birthday"

The video at the Regent Hotel was recorded on the 20th February in 1990 while Wade's birthday in on the 7th of September and the original video was meant for Elizabeth Taylor.

Also Wade and James didn't even really grew up with Michael, they didn't even know Michael that well... they BEGGED to have Michael's attention and since Michael is an angel, they got it. Also i'd like to tell you that it’s the same Wade that DEFENDED Michael not only once, but 3 mother fucking times.

If you two are saying that Michael raped you both, then how come that Macaulay Culkin (the kid from the "Home Alone" movie) the one who literally grew up with Michael by his side, who basically lived at Neverland and was a child like the both of you, said that nothing happened between him and Michael and is still defending him to this day?

They change their stories every fucking second too. Wade has changed his story 4 times and James 2 times. Wade's first version of the story: Michael threatened and manipulated him that they'll go to jail if he says anything Wade's second version of the story: He didn't "realize" he's been abused Wade's third version of the story: He felt shame Wade's fourth version of the story: He ALWAYS knew what Michael did but he didn't realize it was bad (because who doesn't have anal sex with kids, right?) Then there's James: James's first version of the story: Michael and his people were threatening him to keep quiet and James refused to testify but he and his mom knew he had been abused James's second version of the story: He didn't realize he was abused till 2014. They're so worthless that they don't even know how to lie. If you gotta lie about a dead man to earn money, do it properly. It's also funny how they don't mention that Michael was around little girls as well and not only boys, whenever it was on the streets or in Neverland. Meanwhile Oprah just said "Fuck you" to 3 generations of Jacksons by backstabbing the man who welcomed her in his house by siding with these little shits. Not only Oprah knew, but she provited the “victims”. Also the reason why Oprah promoted "Leaving Neverland" is because at the Sundance, it was also a documentary about Harvey Weinstein, who is an actual pedophile and has been found guilty. But since he's Oprah’s best friend (yes, you heard that right) they just diverted the attention in media to Michael instead of Weinstein But Wade is the one i hate the most because not only he is a liar but he's also the REAL pedophile... his reputation was so bad that kids at jumpdance called him "Uncle Perv" and the mothers wanted them to stay away from him. Like, there's literally a photo of him side hugging a girl and his left hand is close to her breast while he has his right hand on his fucking dick. 

He cheated on Michael's niece, Brandi Jackson (the two have been in a relationship for 8 years) with Britney Spears which resulted in Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River" song and he did hard drugs. Not to mention that he made out with his SISTER ON STAGE! and this bastard has a son which i really feel sorry for... but most of all, he's a crazy ass bitch. Paris Jackson (Michael's daughter) and Taj Jackson (Michael's nephew) are both REAL victims of sexual abuse, stop to think how these two feel about this. Also Taj found texts with Wade in 2009 where Wade is thanking Taj for letting him go to Michael's memorial 

Also Taj recently stated in an inteview that Michael's third son, Bigi (Blanket) Jackson is not talking anymore. And the teachers are worried about him. He literally won't speak, at all.

In conclusion: Michael Jackson is innocent. He’s the real victim.

Please, tell what would lead him to do such a thing? 

You're just gonna forget all the money he gave to charity? the many lives he saved? how he considered his fans as part of his family?

I've been a fan of him since i was 4 and i'll love and defend him till i die. This man saved me with his music in my darkest times, i feel protected whenever i see or hear anything related to him, he's my inspiration, my everything and if i could make a dead celebrity come back to life, it would be him... i was meant to go to his "This Is It" concert in July, meeting him for the first time but... it never happened... because he left... i've been called a pedophile supporter just for defending him... do you know how much this hurts? I've seen "moonwalkers" turning their back on Michael like it was nothing... i've been told that i need to accept the fact that my hero is in reality a bad guy, that i'm protecting him just cause i'm a fan.

They made you belive that he bleached his skin when in reality he suffered from Vitiligo and wasn't confident enough to show it to the entire world.

They made you belive that he changed because he had too much plastic surgery when in reality he suffered from Lupus. But even if the did have too much plastic surgery, why should it matter since half of the celebrities have plastic surgery?

They made you belive that he was gay when in reality he has been married to Debbie Rowe, who gifted him with Prince and Paris, and Lisa Marie Presley, he crushed on Diana Ross and Brooke Shields, was kissed on stage by Taitana Thumbtzen aka the girl in TWYMMF (The Way You Make Me Feel) and how to forget his infamous In The Closet song with Naomi Campbell? but even if he was, he’s still Michael.

They made you belive that he was a Junkie when in reality he had many medical illnesses that needed medication and a lot of painkillers.

But most of all, they made you belive that he was a pedophile when in reality he wanted to create the childhood he never had in his adulthood and there's nothing wrong with that, he couldn’t trust adults because instead of seeing him as a human with emotions, they saw him as a cash machine. If it wasn't for the kids, he would have already killed himself, he wouldn’t care to live and he said that he would rather slit his wrists instead of hurting a child.

It's not about defending my idol just cause i'm one of his countless fans, it's about giving a voice to a man who's no longer here to defend himself.

How am i going to belive them since they're accusing Michael Joseph Jackson, the same Michael that didn't want to step on a bug and called his bodyguard to take it while saying "Don't kill it!" while he was performing on stage? the same Michael that would have died for a squirrel?

This man is dead 

Attacking a dead man isn't brave.

James Gunn is still alive and he signed with a major studio

Where in everyone in the media?

They are a bunch of pathetic cowards.

So guys please, don't watch this so called documentary cause they are calling:

His ex wives liars

His friends liars

The people who worked for him for over 20 years liars

His fans liars

His FAMILY liars

But they want you to just belive the word of two proven liars.

It’s been almost 10 years since we lost him. 

Wake the fuck up.

Can’t belive we’re in 2019 and you decide now that he’s guilty for something he never did. Evan Chandler forced his son, Jordan Chandler, to accuse Michael for money. Then when Michael died, Evan regretted it so much that he hanged himself. I'm waiting for Wade, James, Oprah, Martin, Connrad and everyone who belives them to do the same thing since they're all nothing but a waste of air. But don't you worry cause Taj is making a TRUE documentary that proves Michael's innocence and once it's released, they will watch their lifes crumble into tiny pieces with their own eyes and i will be there, smiling while eating pocorns. Anyone who’s a brain washed moron who don’t belive that Michael is innocent or even thinks of calling me a pedophile supporter needs to fuck off right fucking now because you will be attacked visciously, blocked and reported so DO NOT BOTHER ME

In case you didn’t understand, i’ll gladly repeat in a more vulgar way since it’s the only way you can all communicate with other people

DUMBASS BITCHES DO NOT INTERACT WITH ME! STAY THE FUCK BACK!

You guys don’t bother to do your research, you should hear both sides of the story to come to a conclusion instead of going along with everything they say. You all eat their plate of lies just like you eat your mother’s food at lunch time. You don’t ask yourself “Are they lying to me?” no, you just go along with every single fucking thing they say cause you’re dependent from the Media.

Face it, we are in the right and we’re going to win this battle. Also, these people without Michael in their lifes, would have been nothing. PS: Someone needs to tell Wade that fantazing about having Michael's dick in his mouth at age 11 in not normal.

Now i want you all to blast at all volume the songs Money, Tabloid Junkie, Morphine and Leave Me Alone in honour of these good for nothing liars as you read this post of them begin exposed from head to toe by me

[heartshapedcreaturefromcriptoon]

So @cartoonshi (te) is still a huge piece of shit and I’ve been bard from his comment section but that didn’t mean I wasn’t gonna screen cap my final reply when I had the chance.

Though if  @diregentleman could please speak with this piece of cartoon shit and tell him that he needs to take every single comment from me and response to me in the thread down and delete and un-favorite the  initial comment that started people picking on me if he wants me to think that he has half of the amount of human decency that [you] dirementleman actually does... That would be great, thanks.

I’m actually gonna write an ID for this one for context.

CartoonSHIT* responding to me responding to some more harassment I  was getting for my original comment that I left that Cartoonshite himself favorited and “hearted” because he apparently thought that him and his fanbase making a Crippled girl puke was the funniest thing ever and then called me “triggered” for calling him out after giving me no explanation or context as to why he favorited my original comment or found it funny other than putting me on display for the concept of “cringe”, which he confirmed to me when he proceeded to call me ‘triggered” the first time*: “Hey so before you say I deleted your comments that were in my spam folder again, I wanted to you that I’m deleting them because you’re making a fool out of yourself. Not only did you track me down on Tumblr just to try and call me out with an account I don’t even use, only to immediately delete  your posts the second I responded, but you are also ....” [And that’s where I cut him off because I just don’t care also he blatantly publicly lied twice here and gaslit me to make himself look good but we’ll get to that...]

   HeartshapedCreatureFromCriptoon @cartoonshi (te) [My response]: 

“How about you give me and Diregentleman a real, proper apology you British Virgin Weeaboo? All I did [insert link HERE]: https://heartshapedcreaturefromcriptoon.tumblr.com/post/619943308717932545/cartoonshi-heartshapedcreaturefromcriptoon

Was call you out and provide evidence of your 12 year old fanbase harassing me because you put me on display and made a spectacle of my comment and [I] told you the truth that no women would have sex with you and this is the reason why. Because you’re exactly the kind of grown man who would say a women deserved to be raped because of what she was wearing. No girl is gonna “send [you] nudes lmao” on twitter and Esmé Bianco is NEVER gonna splosh with you! :D If you’re gonna delete my comments they best be every single one of them [including responses].”

[END ID.]

Okay so, that’s the final comment I could leave because Cartoonshi bard me from commenting and this final response I made to him doesn’t show up when I refreshed the page and I knew that was gonna happen so that’s why I screen capped it, but uh... He’s a self important piece of shit and a coward and a liar. Because:

I love how he makes it out like I “tracked him down” on tumblr as if that’s some kind of stalker-ish behavior as if I didn’t just assume that his tumblr would probably be the same as his YouTube handle and as if I couldn’t find that basic information out in 2seconds just by @ing him because, ya know. I couldn’t accurately provide the evidence of his fanbase sending me virtual dicks and calling me a cunt directly in his comment section, but... He’s trying to frame the fact that I had enough common sense to just @ him the screenshots over tumblr as the big harassment fiasco here. Yeah I can totally get where his fanbase who call me an “absolute fucking creep” for being excited over basic public information like the fact that Eden Sher is an author and the fact that Daron Nefcy is having a baby and the fact that the voice actress of my favorite adult character in Star vs. The Forces of Evil has the exact same freaking kink as me and I can finally put a name to it and not feel ashamed of wanting to practice it and study how to do it safely one  day because Esmé Bianco A.K.A Eclipsa (”Yes My Kink”) Butterfly has it so proudly and causally listed on her Twitter profile that she occasionally does this, get their logic from ... As for me mentioning the fact that me and Esmé just so happen to share the  same kink here... I mean what? It’s Pride Month! (The children reading this should be sensible enough to know not to follow Esmé Bianco on Twitter yet and not to look up what that word is...)

Cartoonshite outright telling me that he “barely uses” tumblr after this because he thinks I’d even want to look twice at his tumblr as if I barely did because he somehow thinks that I’m somehow interested in his tumblr usage habits. Would you prefer I @ -ed you on twitter, bud? Because you know I’m not sending you my nudes! :D

“Just try to call me out ‘with an old account that I don’t even use’”. Okay I know this is a big grammar/wording mistake because you and your audience have like, never taken an English Class despite you being English but, calm down Lil’ Benny Weeaboo I won’t be hacking your account or leaking my nudes anywhere near you and even if I was skilled enough in my trolling to be able to hack one of your accounts, I’d make sure it would be your YouTube so I could delete all of your Cartoonshite Videos!  :D

These next two things are just blatant lies and gaslighting on Cartoonshites part even though I didn’t even read that far until I realized so I’m just gonna point out these lies for what they are now because, for one thing not only was my original post with the  @cartoonshi and the screen-caps linked in my last reply to him as well in the ID above, but will no longer show up in the original thread because he’s censoring me from defending myself at this point because he probably knew I would just link him the aforementioned “deleted” post in response, which I did, because that was my first instinct of what to do without even read through his accusation of having deleted my post and just pointing out the fact all I did was defend myself providing direct evidence of his fanbase harassing me, which the exact reason why he censored my comments, because he knew that I would just respond with the direct link to the post he had just said I deleted without my own even so much as realizing he had claimed  I had deleted that post because I couldn’t even care enough to read all the way through his comments so he knew I would just reply with a direct link to the post that he just got through telling me and everyone else I had deleted along with publicly shaming me for deleting a post that I clearly DID NOT delete and that would make him look bad. But for those of you keeping up I obviously didn’t delete anything and that’s why Cartoonshite censored me because he knew damn well that the original post that he’s talking about me having deleted is right HERE:     https://heartshapedcreaturefromcriptoon.tumblr.com/post/619484366035353600/so-cartoonshi-te-want-to-tell-me-again-how

And I clearly DID NOT “delete my post the second he responded” because both his oringinal response to me and my final response to what he had to say for himself are both RIGHT HERE: https://heartshapedcreaturefromcriptoon.tumblr.com/post/619943308717932545/cartoonshi-heartshapedcreaturefromcriptoon

And the reality is that, I know I certainly couldn’t have reacted that fast a la “immediately” as he claims I apparently did, *the seconded he responded* because, I was only aware that Cartoonshi even responded to me, one or two days after the fact that he reblogged my original post where I first @ -ed Cartoonshite, as I know that the time stamps in between both my original post and my original reply to cartoonshites reblog will probably tell so, we all know that’s a lie.

The reason cartoonshite is this angry is because I called him a creepy virgin and told him to get a life and blocked him and I can tell because at the very end of spouting all of his self important, exaggerated, babble on bullshit which contained bold face lies so good thing I didn’t read through anyway, he told me to “get a life”, but the reason I didn’t ~“immediately”~ in his own words, drop everything and reply to him “*the second he responded*” as he informed me I had apparently done so in his self important fantasy, but in my reality only two days after he had reblogged my original post, containing examples both his harassment of me as well as his fans, which cartoonshi also was so kind to inform me I had apparently deleted in his self important fantasy, was because I was too busy keeping up with the protests and sourcing information and making donations and buying a new set of bedding  from IrenHorrors Society6 to even notice him in my notes until two days later. Because that’s what people with actual lives that don’t revolve around being angry and bitter about what happens in western cartoons about magical children and making bad, angry, bitter videos about media aimed at pre-teen children and the political ramifications about the goings on in a fictional teenagers life do- Actually support artists and care about in real life people. When has Cartoonshi ever cared about or supported anyone? You can say it was harsh of me to bully this Virgin Weeaboo Britfuck but in my opinion any fully grown man who would respond to my personal concerns with: “LOL why are you so triggered?” deserves it and I don’t care what they have to say especally now since they blatantly spewing bold face lies after they’re the ones who made me throw up. I had absolutely no intention of arguing with such a blatantly ablest fuck boy to begin with and even more so now since he’s proven to be blatant liar who censors peoples perfectly good burns because he thinks he gets to dish but he shouldn’t have to take it so now he’s just making his shite up as he goons along. But at the very least I think diregentleman would want be made aware of this because I truly think that the treatment we’ve been receiving here has been WELL FAR AWAY so far from what I would personally deem a proper debate or explanation/apology. At least on my end. Probably because of a combination of ableism and sexism. Ether way I’m saying that if cartoonshite will not let me comment or reply to defend myself anymore, then at the very least I’d like an explanation as to why he originally thought I was so funny, or I’d like to at least be able see and know that my original comment on Cartoonshi’s video, along with all the other obnoxious replies baiting me, including Cartoonshi’s, are gone. You know I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong in this situation expect respond to every single one of the replies to my original comments in kind until people couldn’t stand me any more and I personally think that Ms. Skullnick would be so proud of me for achieving this.                    

[celticheartedfangirl]

In defense of Rumpelstiltskin in S5E11

I’m posting this after @sieben9 watches this episode, because I know there will be discussion on it and I want to put my two cents in without hijacking her post.  This post is bitchy and ranty and filled with my bitchy and ranty opinions, many of them negative. This post is also heavily Belle critical.  If you can’t handle that, I suggest you not read below the cut.  

I fully and one hundred percent unapologetically defend Rumple’s (badly and STUPIDLY written) decision to take back the dagger and the darkness, and here is WHY:

1.      The power is an addiction to him.  I don’t give a shit what the narrative says (or tries to say in the sloppiest way possible); he is addicted to the power.  An addiction is not easy to overcome.  

2.      Belle treated him like complete and utter shit at the well.  I’m sorry, but she did.  Her behavior toward him was inexcusable.  The deal was for her to come to the well ONLY if she wanted him back. She should have just stayed the fuck away.  PERIOD. (I will not argue this point – this is how I feel and I will never – EVER – change my mind about it.  Her behavior was garbage.  And VERY OOC, even for her. Don’t even bother trying to argue this point with me because it will be a waste of time for both of us.)

3.      Rumple was WAY more civil to Belle than a) she deserved and b) I would have been in that situation.  He gave her his CAR and told her to go do what she wanted.  I would have given her a bill for all of MY MONEY that she spent with her new boyfriend while I was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack and told her to go fuck herself, but that’s ME and I’m a petty bitch.  But Rumple was decent to her, so good on him.

4.      When he saw a “loophole” (aka bullshit from the writers to drag Rumple), he took it because the man had literally NOTHING.  He had tried to be a ‘hero’ – and what did it get him?  Belle still told him she didn’t want him.  His wife had left him.  His son was dead.  He had no friends.  And because the writers are shit, he had no relationship with his grandson and no potential for one.  So he went back to the ADDICTION he was tethered to for so long – because he literally had NO ONE to support or help him.  Basically his options at this point, as far as he knew, were a) take the darkness back and at least have THAT, or b) slowly die alone and friendless via either alcohol poisoning or heart failure, or a combination of both.  

Rumple’s choices are always – ALWAYS – 1. Crap, 2. Even crappier, or 3.  OMG that is simply AWFUL BEYOND WORDS.   There is NEVER a ‘good choice’ for him.  NEVER. He’s damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.  

So there’s that.  THEN you may say – okay – but why didn’t he tell Belle?  Why did he just go bang her and not TELL her?  

Well . . . . . I posted thoughts on this and I got a lot of shit for it.  But you know what?  I don’t care. So imma gonna say it AGAIN for those in the back:

Relationships that involve physical intimacy are INTENSE and sometimes people do NOT make good choices regarding them.  This is one of those times.  

In other words – sometimes people fuck each other without thinking about where this is going or what the consequences will be.  Because physical reactions sometimes take over rational thought.  

Now . . . . I know that there is a faction of the Rumbelle fandom that thinks that Rumbelle is some pure, holy relationship and their sex is beautiful and Rumple cries the whole time and then they both cry afterward and it’s never dirty or raunchy or just flat out FUCKING.  Which is bizarre given the amount of porn in this fandom where they rut like farm animals in heat, but whatever.

What happened in this episode was FUCKING.  I’m not gonna sanitize it.  That’s WHAT IT WAS.  It was written that way, it was framed that way before AND after.  And neither of them thought about the afterward.   NEITHER of them.  

Belle practically jumped Rumple and I’m pretty sure they had one intense session of sex right there on the floor of the pawn shop before they even got to the car to get home.  Do you really think she was interested in having a deep conversation in that moment?  Didn’t look like it to ME!

And then Rumple – who seconds before was legit sitting in his shop, stewing and swilling back alcohol – after a year and some odd whatever (who the fuck knows with this timeline anymore) of hell, the love of his life comes back and jumps him.  You really think, IN THE MOMENT, that he was gonna say “Oh by the way darling . . . . . something you should know about me . . . .”

Yeah, no.  

So after they banged on the floor of the shop (cause you know they did), when was he supposed to tell her? On the ride home?  

“Oh, by the way my love, no keep going with that hand job while I drive, I do love it . . . . ” (you KNOW that was happening)

COME ON.  Rumbelle has always been presented as a messy clusterfuck of UST even when they WERE being written in character.  This is no different.  And you think he’s gonna interrupt the moment to explain himself?

SHOULD he have?  Of course.  Should he and Belle have had a conversation before jumping in to bed? Absolutely.  They should have done that even if he HADN’T taken back the darkness.

But they didn’t, and that was actually one of the most REAL things that ever happened to this couple. Because in real life, that kind of thing happens ALL THE TIME.  

For me personally – it pisses me off that a) it’s obvious that this was a way to set up Rumple as a ‘villain’ again because heaven forbid they actually follow through with character development for him, and b) it puts Belle up on a pedestal because it makes you have to ‘choose sides’ between big bad evil Rumple who fucked his wife without telling her something and poor innocent precious princess Belle who was “duped” into sleeping with him.  Even though I just laid out a perfectly reasonable and logical case as to why BOTH OF THEM acted impulsively and stupidly but that’s just LIFE and people do that sometimes. Because we know how these writers work and how they will frame this.  Rumple:  Bad always. Belle: Good always.  That’s how the (shitty and badly written) DIALOGUE continually frames this.  And it pisses me off.  

And yes btw – there are people out there who called that scene ‘rape by deception.’ They all can take a leap into Lake Gofuckyourselves as far as I’m concerned, but whatever.  

So I left this episode firmly planted on the side of “at this point I don’t GAF what Rumple does, I side with HIM NO MATTER WHAT.”

And I STAYED THERE. FOREVER.  

BTW -- FUN FACT -- without a context spoiler -- the Rumbelle fandom were 100% certain that there would be no Rumbelle scene -- AND no BELLE -- in the next episode -- which we waited for for THREE MONTHS.

There will be one -- and most of us are convinced that it was a last minute, shoehorned in thing that the writers added because we pitched a screaming fit on Twitter at Adam that he’d better have one or we’d pitch and even BIGGER screaming fit.  

I’m absolutely, positively convinced that, had we not done that -- there would NOT be a Rumbelle scene in the next episode.  

Sometimes bitching pays off.  We should have done it more IMO.  

[surflove808]

Do you think this cast is problematic and insensitive?  Gather around the fire with me, you delicate tulips.  Let me tell you a story.

There will be potty language.  And there will be no straddling the fence to appease both sides.  So, read at your own risk.  But, absolutely always feel free to respond and engage in discussion!

When I got into this show, I fell down the rabbit hole like everyone else, and watched con footage and interviews and became more invested than I ever have in a show because of all the (perceived) incredible positivity and kindness reflected from the cast to the SPN Family and vice versa.  I had never seen anything like it.  And I was so impressed with this fandom and proud to be a part of it that I do something I rarely do - I gushed about it to friends.  Even though I knew they'd give me shit.  Because we think we're too cool for school or something.  I don't know.

My love for this show and fandom eventually led me to Tumblr and the actors Twitter feeds.  I went full fangirl.  I thought, "Yay!  Other people who enjoy this amazing show.  Gifs!  Funnies!  Fanfics!  Art!  Support!"  And there is that, undoubtedly....but there is also this seedy underbelly that gets far more attention that it merits.  And I have become so disillusioned and angered by the shit I see here on the regular, not to mention Twitter.... that I feel like I need to disengage from following both (SPN-wise), so I don't burst a fucking capillary.

Before I do that.... to the handful of "fans" that have caused a Twitter uproar and instigated shortsighted and nasty smear campaigns regarding:

1.  Jareds inappropriate joke

2.  Mark Pellegrino and William Shatner defending Jared over some other Twitter bullshit.  They didn’t cause the initial offense, they merely defended their buddy against all the flamers....which, apparently is not allowed for these specific individuals.  They’re so evil.  How dare they have a human response to seeing their friend get charbroiled online.  It’s like they think they’re real people....

3.  Jensen supporting his FRIEND JDM when he was harassed and lambasted on Twitter and Instagram for wearing a Blue Lives Matter t-shirt.  *Also, see #2*

4.  Jensens retweet of Pellegrinos very nice message welcoming India to the SPN Family (flooding Jensens feed with demands that he not support his castmate and friend because Mark stood up to them or because they don't agree with Marks ideology.  Way to take something positive and turn it ugly, BTW.  Sorry, India.  Truly.  I'm secondhand cringing over here.)  *Also, see #2*

5.  *See previous rants on this page*

Can you please fuck off already?   I hear Antarctica is nice this time of year, and that knitting is a great way to take your mind off things and meditate.  I might follow my own advice, in fact.  But stay the hell away from my yurt.  I am stabby when it comes to you people.

There are always going to be people who feel compelled to stir up a lot of shit over anything these guys say and do, and they generally also apply that rule to most things in life, I'm guessing.  And I know opinions are like assholes (everyone's got one), but really, there seem to be a handful of folks that LIVE for the drama around here. Get a grip.  Be useful.  Because what you seem to enjoy doing - Tearing down public figures in order to promote your own agenda, and making threats and accusations and spreading them like cancer?  It's not productive. It's toxic.   With regards to THE JOKE:

I don't want to tell the joke.  TELL IT!  No, my jokes are all inappropriate.  TELL it!  Nah... TELL IT ANYWAY, WE DON'T CARE!  *Tells joke*  *Sees personal integrity torpedoed and potentially damaged career/legacy due to an influx of online articles based on a handful of tweets by reactionary "fans" who probably weren't even there*  Nice set-up, people.

Neither one of these guys is or has ever been anything but gracious to fans, not to mention caring and supportive.  That's why fans from all over the world come to see them and share their personal stories of hardship with this cast.  And they are certainly not proponents of rape culture.  

These conventions are for adults, by adults.  And if you bothered to even watch a sampling of con footage of these guys, your delicate sensibilities would probably be overwhelmed by the sexually charged and deeply inappropriate things that get said BY some fans TO these guys.  But here's the thing, these actors take it in stride and treat their fans like friends.  And these cons are very intimate and personal, open and extremely funny.  Is content inappropriate sometimes?  Yes, thank Chuck. THAT'S USUALLY WHAT MAKES IT FUNNY.   

Have you ever watched a comedy routine?  How do you handle dark humor?  Can you?  If you can't?  Don't watch.  Don't play Cards Against Humanity either.  In fact....turn the internet off and spend time around real people.  Build up some tolerance.  Take your newfound tolerance to a domestic violence shelter and volunteer your time.  Immerse yourself in a new culture.  Read a few books.  Educate yourself a bit and grow wiser.  Pick your battles and fight for what's right.  Not for what you "think" is right for Twit hits.

And you know what?  If you're the type of person who is going to go on a witch hunt that results in these guys having to share the same platform with guys like Weinstein and Spacey, with potentially irreversible damage done to their professional and personal lives over something like THIS?   Congratulations.  You've become the thought police.  You're demonizing people who have done a tremendous amount of good in the world around them via campaigns that stem from a desire to reach out to their fandom and support of people in crisis, particularly women, over a lame joke that Jared and especially Jensen, didn't feel was appropriate to share in the first place.  These are genuinely kind and decent men, maybe do some more background research and check your motivation before you irrevocably damage someones well-being and livelihood.  

And because I don’t know any of your names or whereabouts, I can’t actually fuck up your life, can I?  And even if I could?  Why on earth would I??  Anonymity’s great, though....isn’t it?  We can go online and sit on our own virtual Mount Olympus, raining down accusations, judgments and sentences with minimal effort, foresight or concern for the ramifications of our actions.  

And Jared is a prime example of that sometimes.  I’m sorry to say, because he is a good dude, but he’s guilty of some of the same flamebroiling of people that you excuse yourselves from in the name of self righteousness.  The difference is - you can hide behind your anonymity.  He can’t.  And I’m down with calling people on their bullshit behavior (clearly), and Jared has had it coming a few times, but THIS?  This is ridiculous.

Since you seem to be fond of extreme responses, I could make the comparison that encouraging, no....demanding that someone do something that they don't want to do, and then shaming them for it when they do what you've asked? That's REAL textbook abuse.  Chew on that for a minute.

Congrats again, because when you search either of their names, that's the FIRST thing that comes up.  "Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles made a rape joke".  The joke in and of itself doesn't and shouldn't negate all the good they've put out in the world, but in the eyes of the general public outside the fandom?  NOW it does.  THAT'S what people now see.  

It's amazing how a 7 word joke can lead to online character assassination that tears down over a decade of good works.  And I wouldn't blame them one bit for shutting down future cons and/or reducing their conversation with fans to subject matter that strictly pertains to the show. 

And if you have stated any iteration of "I will no longer be a fan or watch this show because of these horrible meanies"... GOOD.  FUCKING.  RIDDANCE.   It would make the SPN Family a much better place to be if ya'll and your other easily offended brethren who can dish it out, but can't take it, would fuck off to parts unknown to fixate on something else and leave us in peace.  

[dwestfieldblog]

THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT TO HEAR MUST FEEL

This temporary apocalypse could be seen as a globally overdue Long Night of the Soul, an initiation of sorts which might result in a deeper understanding of what actually matters for human evolution (despite the very best efforts of the scum who are trying to reverse any spiritual progress because it weakens their hold.) There are several ways in which the negative side could truly take over, starting with the horror nightmare prospect of DT (aka ‘Just Another Scumbag’ as Bannon once called him) re ‘elected’. The realistic pessimist in me is sure that if he wins, this planet in this dimension is finished. His winning will be a final signal to the world to give us up. In my lifetime, we have never been so close to the mass breakout of totalitarianism and utter lack of empathy than we are now. Actual fascist populists, not some wet Liberal bleating but the real thing, ready to go live. Covid has bankrupted hundreds of thousands of businesses, millions have lost their jobs, migration from the truly poor and dangerous countries continues...into the becoming poor and dangerous countries. Those who live there and are already ruined by the disasters in every home will be easy prey for the populists. Speaking of whom...

Steve Bannon has spent a great deal of time and other people’s money in setting up a network to overthrow the (arf arf arf) ‘deep state’ and replace it with... a new deeper state...still run by the rich, who will use the populists, who in turn will use the mass of the angry and frightened...etc etc...And power, as most people recognise it, will stay in the hands of the unhuman swine with the most gold and the least soul. WER NICHT HOREN WILL, MUSS FUHLEN...

‘...the human nervous system properly programmed, can edit and orchestrate all experience into any gestalt it wishes. We encounter the same dismal and depressing experiences over and over again because they are repeating tape loops in the central programmer of our brains. We can encounter ecstasy over and over by learning the neurosciences that orchestrate all in coming signals into ecstatic tape loops.’ R.A.Wilson. Prometheus Rising, Hilaritas Press.

It takes a lot of effort and Will to do this but what else is worth it other than to attempt to break out of the vicious cycle and evolve? Even I have managed this when I focus on choosing it. Giving up ingrained behavioural habits often hurts; this is, however, a choice. It doesn’t have to unless you are a masochist.

Flew to England for three weeks in August, full flight sold out, all of us wore masks (apart from one 6 foot 6 mad eyed American who kept pacing up and down the cabin.) Right up to the point where we were all given a bottle of water, some crisps and two biscuits...All masks off at the same time, all passengers attempting not to breathe while we drank and ate. Love seeing how many in both countries wear masks under their nose or even only on their chin. As Bill Hicks would say ‘Any questions why we’re f.....d up as a race?’ As Jonathan Pie does say; ‘Put a f...... mask on.’ I have been coughing since February, and drinking heavily, so not especially optimistic about getting C19.

I avoided almost all of the news while in UK, watched five minutes in total on the TV and only read headlines in the paper. It was enough. Since I have been back in Prague I have continued to avoid the news other than that which I am told by friends and students but I can tell from daily receiving over one hundred emails that things are truly breaking. Hexagram 23 and total Weltschmerz is upon us. Mental health is twisting up globally. One by one, all my friends are suffering serious damage, one way or another. Hearts are breaking apart and many damnable souls, who should be burning, are not. People are afraid to breathe or to embrace, looking to the very worst set of leaders in my lifetime for answers and being manipulated en masse to mass crises.  

(Jaz Coleman....On the Day the Earth went Mad...watch the video, listen. Feel. Weep. Rage. Change.) QUI NOLERUNT AUDIRE DEBERE SENTIRE.

Love the interviews I saw with those who voted for Trump and realised they made a mistake...after FOUR YEARS. What clued them in? Which particular excremental atrocity of his foulness gave them the alert? Will the Electoral College let him ‘win’? Before I left, I saw the Trump interview where he said ‘It is what it is’, with regard to the massive number of deaths in the USA. ‘We are below the world’. Blood pressure rising, I even checked his Twitter account where he published two letters, one from the eternally unlovely NRA and the other from the American Police Federation, assuring him he was the best president to ever serve their interest and they would back him to the hilt. His plan to stir the US up into open civil war continues and Putin sits back and smiles. As does Jared it seems, the smug sadist advisor in the same style as (England’s off Broadway Trump) Boris’s Dominic Cummings.  Herd Immunity? Well yes it might work at some point after a few years and millions dead. You evil alien bastards. The  main individuals in the British Government will make millions from a no deal Brexit, perfect timing. The country will die.

The newest PC bullshit has got even the wonderful JK Rowling into trouble just for speaking her mind politely about transgender issues. I love PC... it is how dumb useless Liberals can act out their secret fascist impulses and feel hard of c..k and wet of p...y...feel good to be so righteous... same with overly ill humoured religious folk,  but the PC tribe cannot use God to justify anything so they are a bit weaker...You morons... ‘People who menstruate’, People with a cervix’? PEOPLE? Really? Women is a bad word is it? Too specific? (Well it has the word men in it, so seems almost inclusive.) You bastards are annihilating language; raping semantics...get another hobby you ridiculous cretins. (Be sure the populists well understand how to manipulate such fools.)

Extinction Rebellion is being used (among a multitude of other groups in other countries, hello Black Lives Matter) by the Kremlin to stir up shite, they are mostly well meaning on the road to Hell. Stop being so dumb and stop helping those who are against you at home and abroad. Dogmatic faith leads to mistrust, violence and hatred, says the lone derranger...And as for the absurd Q Anon, it is those who seek a Deeper State who are using you to do it. Well done.

Jacob Blake, shot seven (count them) times in the back by police even though charged with no crime and paralysed was handcuffed to hospital bed. That goofy twat of a 17 yr boy who wanted to be a policeman, shooting at blacks because he believed he had carte blanc (arf) from Trump to defend his country against ‘terrorists’...he will probably escape much punishment because... he was bullied at school...WHO WASNT?? The only people who weren’t were bullied at home. Guns ‘open carry’ in various states as the NRA rejoice in what they encourage. ‘Your first amendment means I can say your second amendment sucks d...s’. JimJeffries. Damn straight. By the time even I was 17, I had grown out of wanting to kill half the world. Wannabe cops are a little slower. 

Everything is the new normal. Too late for a mid life crisis unless I die at 108 but I never forget that statistically there is more chance of being killed by death than anything else. ‘Heres to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.’ Walking... see three funeral services shops in the road leading to/away from the hospital, clever businessmen...walking...masks off, between two conveniently placed flower shops and smoking outside the fuming crematorium in black suits and highly polished shoes. Waiting. That’s us.

I MISS YOU MARLENE. I MISS YOU MARLENE. I MISS YOU MARLENE. Nice headline seen on US newspaper...‘Can any good from cyberstalking your online crush?’I wondered that after falling in fascination with a woman in Germany who wrote like a poet and wove a spell of stories to charm and beguile. I would have walked from London to Hamburg to see if she was real. Everyone expresses love and the need for it in different ways. Reprogramming a deeply imprinted circuit is usually uncomfortable and so it proved for both of us. We shall see...if there is time. ‘One of us is crazy and the other one’s insane’

I can remember one of the days I Changed (seven years old?) We had a history lesson and were told about English kings and their ‘Divine Right’ to rule. Because God told them. And they told the people. And the people believed them. I remember the light in the classroom, where I was sitting, the smell of the tables, old unused ink wells, pencil shavings... and just thinking whatever a child’s version of F..K OFF...THATS BULLSHIT ISNT IT? would have been. That was the first moment I started questioning the class system, gullibility and bastards. A couple of years later, the absolute freedom of being, sent to collect the class register, walking down the empty corridors and not in the classroom...a beautiful feeling of being OUTSIDE. Free. Two of many experiences which have never left me. (The Angel Choir, the Rituals, the EYE across the Multiverse dream, the Reconnection...) Even if Freedom turns out to be as much of an illusion as everything else, it is still as beautifully sensual to me as music.

One summer night in 1990 after my 3rd breakdown, I had a dream. I think. Bear (or even bare) with me on this, I know how this sounds but it is only reporting what I saw in my mind. Two Aliens, thin and shadow like, came though my open bedroom door in the night (I could see the silhouettes) and one took a long shiny silver needle like a hypodermic for a horse and stood behind me and pushed the needle in through the top and centre of my skull, penetrating my brain. I FELT it slowly being pushed in, it hurt but I was paralysed. There was no voice but I heard (try not to laugh) ‘So now you have Superintelligence’. They moved out, the door closed, I slept. As usual with me, I remember every single dream I have ever remembered as if they were films I have watched over and over...and after a dream, the atmosphere stays with me for 23 whores. Later that day, I picked a big hardback book to find some info on something (A Cyclopaedia) with pages as thin as a bible. I sat almost motionless and without food for eight hours, DEVOURING every subject in it. Economics, geometry, geopolitical events, medicine, beliefs, systems.....the next day I finished ninety percent of it and went on to read books by five philosophers from second hand shops, started watching insects, stopped swearing, worked out, and read and read and read. All the knowledge I hadn’t cared about in school and college I picked up that one summer. It led to making new friends, new possibilities, new work, new love and led me to fly to Prague in this sequence while continuing to practice many ‘New age’ techniques by a writer called Stuart Wilde. They all worked and I continued...with regular fallings and breakthroughs.

‘Religion was invented when the first scoundrel met the first fool’. Faith is believing what you know not be true’. The seeker finds a belief and stops thinking for themselves...‘Every ideology is a mental murder, a reduction of dynamic living processes to static classifications, and every classification is a Damnation, just as every inclusion is an exclusion.’RAW

I had a four hour conversation with a Christian bloke, thirty, intelligent, believes in Satan as an actual being with horns. Etc. He couldn’t quite see any flaw in saying that any prophet who saw angels, white light and heard the voice of God, healed, etc but was not actually Christ, was only being tempted and used by the devil. He told me to watch the beautiful side of evil...

‘Every act of authority is, in fact, an invasion of the psychic and physical territory of another’. Human progress ‘is the concrete manifestation of some person’s refusal to bow to Authority.’  

‘WE GOT ELECTED ON DRAIN THE SWAMP, LOCK HER UP, BUILD THE WALL. THIS WAS PURE ANGER. ANGER AND FEAR IS WHAT GETS PEOPLE TO THE POLLS. THE DEMOCRATS DON'T MATTER, THE REAL OPPOSITION IS THE MEDIA, and the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.’ Said Bannon, who also said. ‘Darkness is good. Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. Thats power.’ Has he met Putin yet? Is he also on speed dial along with Boris and Trump? People! Create better leaders. NOW.

Happy birthday Aleister Crowley on the 12th October and Happy Halloween to all readers, stay healthy and sane (arf) Remember you are magick...buy the re-release of Musick to Play in the Dark by COIL and become moonlight... And those in America, if you actually do truly believe in a good God...go and vote and remove that evil ego and his cohorts in the White House with absolute overwhelming victory or we are done in this lifetime. Be healthy.

LOVE!!!

[sonfaro]

@you-me-and-the-force-between-us Thank you for your rebuttal.  My response will be similarly long, and tumblr is being annoying so I’m switching to a new thread.

“Normal behavior isn’t always guaranteed by everyone. That’s life. Of course there are always going to be outliers of people who don’t think as they should. But they’re small compared to the number of people who CAN make these differences, so making comparisons like these are not only hurtful, but useless. It doesn’t matter WHAT language you use, somewhere out there–is going to fan over a serial killer or want to become one, because it’s not about language, it’s about personal experiences.” It DOES matter to those who are left behind.  To those who’s people are routinely NOT treated in this way.  Infantilizing dangerous white men at any level of media sets a tone.  To see that kind of behavior follow into fiction and NOBODY have a problem with it is beyond bizarre to me.  I’ve had friends locked up for far less who never got treated like the children they were, so forgive me if I’m a little sensitive to the subject. “People who sympathisize with these types of people are either going through some sort of fucked up, I’m edgy 100%, phase that they’ll grow out of or have some serious mental instabilities. It isn’t the media’s job to walk on egg shells with language,“ It’s the media’s job to present the truth with no spin.  When they do things like this, it absolutely poisons the well.  There’s no one to blame for his crimes but the monster, but there are people to blame for how that monster is viewed by the masses. “This other rhetoric about what’s being said and how it compares to fiction–it’s bullshit. And let’s be honest here for a second–just honestly speaking–looking through OP’s page you can very damn well tell this post isn’t done with good intentions in mind; it’s a clear attack on a group of people under the facet of being a good citizen who truly cares. Which also pisses me off.“ In what way?  I’ve literally seen someone claim that Kylo is ‘young’ and ‘doesn’t know any better’. That sort of language does exist amongst the fandom. “(I’ve seen people call others abelist for using the word crazy on this hellsite, but idc either way) “ You’re sympathizing with the villain is all.  Which is fine, “ Clearly it isn’t??? Because that’s OP’s point. That’s what OP has a problem with, saying that we’re like criminal sympathizers because we sympathize with a villain–so YES I agree, I’m JUST sympathizing with a villain IS ALL, nothing more. That’s the point.“ OP’s point is about the language being used: the infantilizing and woobifying.  I can sympathize with Erik Killmonger, but know he’s a grown man and his end in Black Panther is justified.  I’m not going to say “He’s basically a teenager lashing out” or nonsense like that - which IS a thing that Kylo stans have said. “ALSO JUST SO EVERYONE’S AWARE. This ISN’T the media saying this.“ Matt O’Donnell, listed below the lawyer in OP’s post, is a reporter.  He lists the killer’s status as an orphan (with no reason), his young age (with no reason), and suggests he had a ‘troubled’ background.  These are softening social cues. And the media doesn’t have to make these quotes the headline.  It is they who present these quotes as a worthy title for an article. “Darth Vader is one of THEE most popular villains of all time, and most people ADORE baby-fying him.” Not canon Darth Vader they don’t.  If you want an Alt universe Kylo (like Emo Kylo Ren) it’s whatever.  That's a separate idea. “He was Kylo BEFORE KYLO EXISTED–he’s WORSE than Kylo–so where’s all the hate there?“ I disagree.  Vader was a tool for the Emperor.  Kylo IS the Emperor now.  And the hate is largely gone because in canon Vader died sacrificing himself for the hero.  “Why isn’t the majority of the world turned into serial killer supporters by now?  A. The majority of the world isn’t into star wars.  We’re a big fandom, but the world is bigger B. and the majority of Vader’s fans don’t try to justify his actions.  He’s liked because he makes a great foil for our heroes. Why isn’t OP making a comparison to Darth Vader and attacking his fans? Again, Vader’s fans generally don’t make excuses for his actions. Because OP has an agenda to attack Reylos and make them seem like horrible people, because that’s just the way the shit rolls on Tumblr nowadays.  Agreed, he definitely does. “[...]Committing a crime due to violent media, is far less easy to prove, and there has been no direct connection thus far.“ Right, but your post flat said “It isn’t true”, and that has not yet been determined.  Hence my post. “All of these still prove my point–media alone does NOT transform you into a violent person UNLESS you already have a predisposition to being violent (like a history of abuse or a mental illness etc). It ISN’T true until you have enough statistics that back up your claim, and this doesn’t. What’s unhelpful, is not being well researched in a matter and making blatant claims. “ But I didn’t make a blatant claim about video games.  I literally said the jury was still out.  In response to you flat saying it wasn’t true.  -_- “The media compares Hux and FO to Nazism because there’s a legitimate comparison to make (I know some SW fans disagree with me, but there is blatant Nazism parallels imo), because that was done PURPOSEFULLY. They took one evil regime irl and were inspired by it to create a fictional one of it. Every writer and design EVER takes inspiration form real life things to create something, eve villains. But let’s give an example here of a rational comparison and a shitty one:- Hux is like a Nazi (this can be confirmed by the imagery in SW, and background information, etc)  - Hux is like a Nazi and therefore if you like Hux you like the Nazi party and therefore you’re a Nazi apologist. Hux is a Nazi and you’re a Nazi apologist.“ This is a bit of a straw man.  You’d only be a Nazi apologist if you thought Hux’s POV were correct.  Once more, liking a villain is fine - liking them to the point where your sympathy leads you to defend their views and actions is another thing entirely. “Saying that someone who likes Hux or the FO is like someone who might have agreed/sympathized with the deaths of millions of people is a HORRIBLE, inaccurate comparison to make (also Hux is LIKE a Nazi and Hux IS a Nazi are two different things, “ Again, that’s not what’s happening here.  OP is talking about a specific action (how shippers talk about Kylo). Not liking the character in general. “And if you’re going to make the point that forcing yourself into someone’s mind is akin to rape, and therefore Kylo’s a rapist (and therefore Reylos are rape apologists–no lie i hear this shit WAY TOO much) then guess what?Obi-Wan is a rapist.Vader is a rapist.LUKE is a rapist.”  I mean Vader definitely attempted to force himself into his daughters mind in ANH.  Dude was the villain.  The jedi mindtrick is more deception than anything else - morally suspect but not a painful violation unless there are more than one person doing it at the same time.  Which is the actual term Pablo Hidalgo prefers for what Kylo does to Rey in that scene - a violation. “She (or he idk and idc tbh) is basically insinuating that Kylo Ren sympathizers cause school shooters sympathizers.“ Or vice versa, that the media and how damaged white monsters are portrayed is the reason Reylo’s see Kylo as sympathetic.  Which was what OP’s excuse was IIRC.  Personally I think the fault for both lies more with societies internal preference for white dudes, but that’s my take. “//Also–just for future notice–I don’t suggest ever using a Buzzfeed article to support your claim because your credibility will go right out the window. Buzzfeed is a pandering shitfest that is really written more by biased bloggers than actual reporters. I suggest using articles without bias and an actual good writing team and reputation.//“ I mean at this point that’s every news organization ever - least in America as far as I can tell.  You can barely open a paper or watch the news without someone's opinion’s being clear.  And it’s hardly the only article: https://www.salon.com/2016/01/12/we_need_to_talk_about_ben_kylo_ren_star_wars_and_the_media_narrative_of_the_mentally_ill_school_shooter/ https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/1/10698090/emo-kylo-ren-star-wars-parody-twitter http://www.forcematerial.com/home/2017/11/5/we-need-to-talk-about-kylo https://geekmom.com/2016/01/trying-not-to-raise-kylo-ren/ Kylo being compared to real world evil isn’t new.  Shoot, there’s a bunch that link Kylo to the alt-right as well.  Double shoot, Adam Driver himself straight compared him to terrorists.  Kylo gets compared to lots of real world evil people.  It’s going to happen. “Yup that’s definitely what happened. It wasn’t like he literally saw Luke about to kill him in his sleep“ No, he LITERALLY saw Luke post realization that he was in the wrong but still holding his lightsaber (like an idiot) and jumped to the conclusion his uncle was going to attack him.  Luke’s behavior (which is a character assassination if I’ve ever seen one, but that’s an argument for another time) also happens only after peering into Ben’s mind and seeing nothing but evil.  Ben then definitely attacks his uncle after that - from his point of view in self defence, sure - but from the overhead view an unnecessarily. “Oh no–wait, I was wrong:“ ...the article LITERALLY lists him murdering the kids.  -_- “Oh so I guess it’s like I said before–people PICK AND CHOOSE their biases!! There is a UNMISTAKABLE comparison between Vader and Kylo FOR A REASON–the two ARE very much alike. But Kylo is a shooter and Vader’s tragic and grand?? GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE WITH THIS BULLSHIT.“ Uh, yeah.  Vaders complete arc requires six movies at two hours at least each to tell.  It’s pretty grand (lofty, big, etc).  His heel turn alone is a culmination of three whole films.  Also, the article presents Kylo as tragic as well, with Drivers portrayal being described as:  “a mixture of pain and hurt so raw it threatens to rend the fabric of the series every time he's on screen“.  Did you actually read it? “really made me want to pluck my eyes out. Holy hell my dude, why did you use this as a reference when it’s so clearly just—bad?? I think I lost five years of my life.“ Because it’s another example of Kylo being compared to the evil that is a school shooter.  Again, it’s not the only time, and it’s not the only horrible evil he’s compared to.  OP was insensitive about it though, given recent events. “And I want to make this clear–I don’t give a single FUCK if you don’t like Kylo Ren. That your opinion.“ I like his character a lot actually.  I think he makes an excellent, compelling villain based on Adam Driver’s work.  My issue is people attempting to pretend he isn’t one, or that his past trauma absolves him of ANYTHING he’s chosen to do, or that anyone owes him anything at this point, or pretending that this 30 year old man’s childishness can be justified at all.  My bigger concern is that sort of thing happens in the real world for folks just like Kylo and that the two often sound exactly the same. “ I CARE when you bring real people into stupid fictional shit and say “You’re the reason why this is happening. It’s YOUR fault things are this way” I don’t think that was OP’s point at all.  Least as far as he’s said. “ESPECIALLY when fiction is used right after a real tragedy like this. “ THAT I can agree with.  Dude was insensitive. “ It’s disgusting to be compared on ANY level with someone who might do something like this–and again–it isn’t true. “ No one compared you guys to the shooter.  How you TALK about the villain was compared. “ Read up on mental illness, debate gun control, read up on what actually causes school shooters to occur, look up psychological studies of BOTH sides, not just what Buzzfeed says–they aren’t accredited to make those calls in any way.“ The article I listed didn’t list the causes of school shooting at all.  Did you just skim it? “STOP accepting this shit behavior my dude. It ISN’T OK or educated AT ALL. It’s downright stupid.“ The behavior I don’t accept.  The point - that dangerous young white men are coddled both in and out of fiction - is all too true though.

[luccie-eclair]

Melanie Martinez/my trash friend semi-rant

Alright, so in case you've been living under a rock, my main girl Timothy called Melanie tf out on Twitter because Mel and she were besties (I use the term besties loosely because none of that was an actual friendship) and Mel raped her.

*pretends to be surprised* I mean... her fetish is children. I wasn't shocked or anything. I won't lie and say that I didn't like the song Dollhouse, but that was the only song of hers I listened to and it has been removed from my gallery since my girl T came foward about this.

It's no doubt that Melanie is trash and disgusting for this and anyone defending her... I just... I hope you never have to go through anything like this on your life. Now, getting my trash friend. She is a hardcore Mel fan, Okay? Loves her. Idolozes her. *please keep in mind that I kept the verbs in present tense* I'm in a group chat with her and 2 of our other friends from high school. The other 2 feel the same way I do: disgusted. No means no, hoe. The topic came up in the chat and my trash friend (we will call her Sarah, sorry if your name is Sarah. I'm not trying to call you out... unless the shoes fits, hunty) tried to justify Mel with "She admitted to it????"

Now, I know what you're thinking: "she's probably surprised that Mel gave up that info so easily" (before I go on, yes, babe, Mel admitted to it. On Twitter. For everyone to see. She blatantly said that T "didn't say no" when T says otherwise in her tweets. Anywho!). Let me say that I know Sarah very well. I know how she meant it. She meant it as in "Mel admitted go it, so let it go".

When I tell you that I saw fucking red... Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No word will ever describe the pure rage I felt in that moment. I already made a post about a previous boyfriend who sexually abused and manipulated me. I won't go into the details again. It's not something I normally just tell people unless I'm making a point.

Unfortunately, I was about to start a club meeting, so I didn't get an opportunity to go off and tell her what for. It's been hours since that conversation and I'm still not over it. I can't put into words how angry and betrayed I am. I haven't even told her this and the only reason I haven't is because I know she's gonna start bullshit and tell everyone that I'm some triggered snowflake. Bitch, I'm not. I'm making a fucking point and you and your low key racist, homophobic boyfriend aren't gonna goddamn like it.

I'm really pissed 😊😊😊😊😊😊

Like, sweetie, you really thought... that just because Melanie admitted to it... she's off the hook. It's hysterical how insensitive and ignorant you can be. I'm rolling in my laughter and tears at how stupid you sound.

Suffice to say, I don't think I'll be hanging out Sarah ever again.

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/supernatural-fandom-gets-mirror-held-cyberbullying/

'Supernatural' fandom gets a mirror held up to the cyberbullying

Sadly, it seems that within many groups there will be a small contingent that likes to take its anger and frustration out on others, and many fans of the show "Supernatural" have felt this type of onslaught. It normally starts with a simple tweet, but then it quickly spirals out of control as the people getting attacked will defend themselves and wind up being called the bully. Yes, it sounds insane to the average person, but this is what happens as the bully pulls in their contingent of supporters to attack one person into submission. While it's a minority within a large group, it's a minority that has honed their skills so their voices are heard in the cacophony they create on social media making it look like an uprising. We've had this happen to us three different times even once having another website try to call us 'racist,' and anyone who reads our opinion pieces would realize what a load of bunk that it. In the past year this bullying of others, not to mention some of the actors and guest stars on "Supernatural" has taken a much uglier turn with tweets being taken out of context in an attempt to smear someone mainly because they hold different beliefs or someone just doesn't like their politics. There's plenty of other reasons, but many of these reasons just feel completely overblown, and in a different time would have been met with just a groan or roll of the eyes. Now, every slight is met with an army of frustrated minions who refuse to let things just roll off their back. The people doing this don't consider themselves bullies but as the victims and immediately go crying to their contingent when someone stands their ground with them. We're taught that when someone bullies us, we can defend ourselves, but this new kind of bully will continue battering away until they get the person to blow up on Twitter in frustration. Then this bully will say how out of control that person is feeling they have finally proven whatever point they were trying to make. It seems that there are much more beneficial ways to spend your life, but for some people, this is their life. One of our writers forwarded a very insightful post from Tumblr that truly hits things on the head with what has been happening within the "Supernatural" fandom minority. Having spoken to so many within the #SPNFamily, I've been told countless times how much they hate how this small contingent has created such a divide, but they also don't want to say anything as they know they will be next on this hitlist just for voicing a differing opinion. So, sometimes it takes someone to hold up a really big mirror to the people causing the problem to help unite people again and move forward. While it might be strong in its wording, I dare anyone to say that this person is wrong on how things have gotten so out of control. Our Carol Hansson touched on this regarding the recent slam on Jared Padalecki for a bad joke, but the one below really hits everything home. I thank Surflove808 for standing up and making the following statement and allowing us to reprint it here:

Do you think this cast is problematic and insensitive?  Gather around the fire with me, you delicate tulips.  Let me tell you a story.

There will be potty language.  And there will be no straddling the fence to appease both sides.  So, read at your own risk.  But, absolutely always feel free to respond and engage in discussion! When I got into this show, I fell down the rabbit hole like everyone else, and watched con footage and interviews and became more invested than I ever have in a show because of all the (perceived) incredible positivity and kindness reflected from the cast to the SPN Family and vice versa.  I had never seen anything like it.  And I was so impressed with this fandom and proud to be a part of it that I do something I rarely do - I gushed about it to friends.  Even though I knew they’d give me shit.  Because we think we’re too cool for school or something.  I don’t know. My love for this show and fandom eventually led me to Tumblr and the actors Twitter feeds.  I went full fangirl.  I thought, “Yay!  Other people who enjoy this amazing show.  Gifs!  Funnies!  Fanfics!  Art!  Support!"  And there is that, undoubtedly….but there is also this seedy underbelly that gets far more attention that it merits.  And I have become so disillusioned and angered by the shit I see here on the regular, not to mention Twitter…. that I feel like I need to disengage from following both (SPN-wise), so I don’t burst a fucking capillary. Before I do that…. to the handful of "fans” that have caused a Twitter uproar and instigated shortsighted and nasty smear campaigns regarding:

 Jareds inappropriate joke

 Mark Pellegrino and William Shatner defending Jared over some other Twitter bullshit.  They didn’t cause the initial offense, they merely defended their buddy against all the flamers….which, apparently is not allowed for these specific individuals.  They’re so evil.  How dare they have a human response to seeing their friend get charbroiled online.  It’s like they think they’re real people….

 Jensen supporting his FRIEND JDM when he was harassed and lambasted on Twitter and Instagram for wearing a Blue Lives Matter t-shirt.  *Also, see #2*

 Jensens retweet of Pellegrinos very nice message welcoming India to the SPN Family (flooding Jensens feed with demands that he not support his castmate and friend because Mark stood up to them or because they don’t agree with Marks ideology.  Way to take something positive and turn it ugly, BTW.  Sorry, India.  Truly.  I’m secondhand cringing over here.)  *Also, see #2*

 *See previous rants on this page*

Can you please fuck off already?   I hear Antarctica is nice this time of year, and that knitting is a great way to take your mind off things and meditate.  I might follow my own advice, in fact.  But stay the hell away from my yurt.  I am stabby when it comes to you people. There are always going to be people who feel compelled to stir up a lot of shit over anything these guys say and do, and they generally also apply that rule to most things in life, I’m guessing.  And I know opinions are like assholes (everyone’s got one), but really, there seem to be a handful of folks that LIVE for the drama around here. Get a grip.  Be useful.  Because what you seem to enjoy doing - Tearing down public figures in order to promote your own agenda, and making threats and accusations and spreading them like cancer?  It’s not productive. It’s toxic. With regards to THE JOKE: I don’t want to tell the joke.  TELL IT!  No, my jokes are all inappropriate.  TELL it!  Nah… TELL IT ANYWAY, WE DON’T CARE!  *Tells joke*  *Sees personal integrity torpedoed and potentially damaged career/legacy due to an influx of online articles based on a handful of tweets by reactionary “fans” who probably weren’t even there*  Nice set-up, people. Neither one of these guys is or has ever been anything but gracious to fans, not to mention caring and supportive.  That’s why fans from all over the world come to see them and share their personal stories of hardship with this cast.  And they are certainly not proponents of rape culture. These conventions are for adults, by adults.  And if you bothered to even watch a sampling of con footage of these guys, your delicate sensibilities would probably be overwhelmed by the sexually charged and deeply inappropriate things that get said BY some fans TO these guys.  But here’s the thing, these actors take it in stride and treat their fans like friends.  And these cons are very intimate and personal, open and extremely funny.  Is content inappropriate sometimes?  Yes, thank Chuck. THAT’S USUALLY WHAT MAKES IT FUNNY. Have you ever watched a comedy routine?  How do you handle dark humor?  Can you?  If you can’t?  Don’t watch.  Don’t play Cards Against Humanity either.  In fact….turn the internet off and spend time around real people.  Build up some tolerance.  Take your newfound tolerance to a domestic violence shelter and volunteer your time.  Immerse yourself in a new culture.  Read a few books.  Educate yourself a bit and grow wiser.  Pick your battles and fight for what’s right.  Not for what you “think” is right for Twit hits. And you know what?  If you’re the type of person who is going to go on a witch hunt that results in these guys having to share the same platform with guys like Weinstein and Spacey, with potentially irreversible damage done to their professional and personal lives over something like THIS? Congratulations.  You’ve become the thought police.  You’re demonizing people who have done a tremendous amount of good in the world around them via campaigns that stem from a desire to reach out to their fandom and support of people in crisis, particularly women, over a lame joke that Jared and especially Jensen, didn’t feel was appropriate to share in the first place.  These are genuinely kind and decent men, maybe do some more background research and check your motivation before you irrevocably damage someones well-being and livelihood. And because I don’t know any of your names or whereabouts, I can’t actually fuck up your life, can I?  And even if I could?  Why on earth would I??  Anonymity’s great, though….isn’t it?  We can go online and sit on our own virtual Mount Olympus, raining down accusations, judgments and sentences with minimal effort, foresight or concern for the ramifications of our actions. And Jared is a prime example of that sometimes.  I’m sorry to say, because he is a good dude, but he’s guilty of some of the same flamebroiling of people that you excuse yourselves from in the name of self righteousness.  The difference is - you can hide behind your anonymity.  He can’t.  And I’m down with calling people on their bullshit behavior (clearly), and Jared has had it coming a few times, but THIS?  This is ridiculous. Since you seem to be fond of extreme responses, I could make the comparison that encouraging, no….demanding that someone do something that they don’t want to do, and then shaming them for it when they do what you’ve asked? That’s REAL textbook abuse. Chew on that for a minute. Congrats again, because when you search either of their names, that’s the FIRST thing that comes up.  "Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles made a rape joke".  The joke in and of itself doesn’t and shouldn’t negate all the good they’ve put out in the world, but in the eyes of the general public outside the fandom?  NOW it does.  THAT’S what people now see. It’s amazing how a 7 word joke can lead to online character assassination that tears down over a decade of good works.  And I wouldn’t blame them one bit for shutting down future cons and/or reducing their conversation with fans to subject matter that strictly pertains to the show. And if you have stated any iteration of “I will no longer be a fan or watch this show because of these horrible meanies”… GOOD.  FUCKING.  RIDDANCE. It would make the SPN Family a much better place to be if ya’ll and your other easily offended brethren who can dish it out, but can’t take it, would fuck off to parts unknown to fixate on something else and leave us in peace. While this may offend some, I do feel many others will celebrate and revel in its reminding us that we do live in a country where we can voice our opinion whether or not everyone agrees with it. We never learn by surrounding ourselves with only like-minded people. It's the people with differing opinions and ideologies that can teach us to grow and become better informed individuals.

Movie TV Tech Geeks News

[lindyhunt]

Everything That Upset the Internet This Week

What is the web-o-sphere angry about this week? A kiss that can’t be racist, a sweater that is and an emoji for your menstrual cycle. Here’s everything you need to know:

Michelle Rodriguez Says Liam Neeson’s Kissing Proves He’s Not Racist

THE STORY: Earlier this week, the Independent published an interview with Liam Neeson in which he admits to race-based revenge. He shares that, 40 years ago, he responded to the rape of a close friend by walking around with a weapon, looking for any “black bastard” to murder.

Fast and the Furious star Michelle Rodriguez, who worked with Neeson on Steve McQueen’s Widows, is one of the few industry insiders who has come to Neeson’s defense over the disturbing anecdote. “It’s all fuckin’ bullshit. Liam Neeson is not a racist,” Rodriguez said at the amfAR Gala, according to Vanity Fair. “Dude, have you watched Widows? His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’s throat. You can’t call him a racist ever. Racists don’t make out with the race that they hate, especially in the way he does with his tongue—so deep down her throat. I don’t care how good of an actor you are. It’s all bullshit. Ignore it. He’s not a racist. He’s a loving man. It’s all lies.”

THE REACTION:

But on a serious note, who wants to remind Michelle Rodriguez that white slave owners used to rape and have children with slaves and still….idk….advocated for and participated in the very racist concept of slavery?

— sai (@Saisailu97) February 7, 2019

Here’s where Michelle Rodriguez says Liam Neeson isn’t racist because he shoved his tongue down Viola Davis’ throat (ew!)—as part of his job… which is *acting*.

And even if it weren’t, yanno, part of his job, you can’t kiss your way out of racism. https://t.co/7opcUsNMJu pic.twitter.com/LH6ElQF85u

— Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) February 7, 2019

If making out with people made you an ally of their liberation then straight men would be the biggest feminists on earth. https://t.co/UGWtFHAojC

— Moira Donegan (@MoiraDonegan) February 7, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: As Twitter was quick to call out, whom or how one kisses can’t indicate prejudice—be it race-based, gender-based or otherwise. If Rodriguez wanted to defend Neeson from the backlash he’s facing (which she entirely has the right to do), there are more thoughtful routes she could have taken. For example, soccer star John Barnes, who applauded Neeson for his honesty on Sky News, wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian:

“The idea of someone stalking the streets seeking out any “black bastard” to murder is inherently abhorrent and racist. However, it seems that for most people, rather than this being a jumping-off point to start a conversation, it is where the conversation ends. He did say those things so there is no defense. Many are happy to ignore the fact he was admitting to a shameful, backward way of thinking, which he now knows is wrong. Unfortunately, this approach does nothing to address the conscious or unconscious bias that many, if not all of us, feel. By only condemning Neeson’s candid admission we lose an opportunity to explore the causes and effects of racial bias that are so pervasive today.”

Granted, Rodriguez’s statement came from a party, not a carefully constructed and edited piece of writing.

Gucci Pulls Wool Sweater Accused of Resembling Blackface

THE STORY: Gucci began selling a black balaclava-type turtleneck sweater with a red-lined hole for the wearer’s mouth.

THE REACTION:

We have ONE month to celebrate the history of African Americans. Feb. 2019: Multiple accounts of politicians wearing blackface. And now news Gucci was selling a $890 blackface sweater. We are a nation desperately in need of diversity training. #gucci #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/tHXEAP2pjN

— Michelle Singletary (@SingletaryM) February 7, 2019

I am a @Gucci fan, and I was going to buy a jacquard cardigan because it’s a forever piece, but until they and other luxury brands hire some people of color to consider the imagery of items like the “blackface” balaclava sweater (Randy Jackson voice) its a no for me dawg! https://t.co/Ln9vHbhBVN

— KLD (@karyndeshields) February 7, 2019

It’s 2019, when are we going to stop using stereotypes etc as marketing tactics?

As a Marketer/advertisier, there is a team responsible for checking stuff like this. But the problem is: if no one sees a problem with it on the team. @gucci you’re dead wrong. https://t.co/6V9w8X6KPB

— 和 明呀 (@miamohill) February 6, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: It’s extremely hard to believe nobody at Gucci noticed the similarity between their $890 sweater and the recently pulled Prada keychain. Like Prada, Gucci was quick to apologize and pull the product. “Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper,” the brand’s statement began. “We can confirm that the item has been immediately removed from our online store and physical stores.”

The statement continues: “We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make. We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond.”

It’s interesting that instead of apologizing for their ignorant lapse in judgment, Gucci apologizes for the “offense caused.” A note for the next luxury brand that causes backlash: when you make a hurtful mistake, you’re supposed to apologize for your actions, not for someone else’s reaction.

There’s Going to be a Period Emoji

THE STORY: The Unicode Consortium has confirmed a blood drop-shaped emoji will be a part of an upcoming emoji drop. The news of the menstrual positive e-sticker comes after 55,000 people called for a period emoji in a campaign led by global girl’s rights charity Plan International UK.

THE REACTION:

Seriously? Is this really what people were clamoring for? What's next? A menopause emoji? An erectile dysfunction emoji? A bladder control emoji? What in the blue hell…

"A new 'period emoji' is coming soon to keyboards worldwide" https://t.co/jfXX1ciii5

— Crazy Train (@csonkaguy) February 8, 2019

why THE FUCK are they making a period emoji that is not cute

— ⚯͛ (@MarchToTheSiris) February 6, 2019

This is unnecessary… and disgusting #PeriodEmoji

— miss dean (@missdean254) February 6, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Yes, it’s a small step towards eliminating shame around menstruation—but it’s a meaningful step. And, considering these tweets, the need for normalization is still very necessary. “The inclusion of an emoji which can express what 800 million women around the world are experiencing every month is a huge step towards normalizing periods and smashing the stigma which surrounds them,” said Lucy Russell, head of girls rights and youth at Plan International UK. “For years we’ve obsessively silenced and euphemized periods. As experts in girls’ rights, we know that this has a negative impact on girls; girls feel embarrassed to talk about their periods, they’re missing out, and they can suffer health implications as a consequence.”

Yes, the blood drop is pretty generic—but the eggplant and the maple leaf have multiple meanings, too. Emoji is a rapidly growing global language, and hopefully, this cute little blood drop will help in starting global conversations.

[jessicakehoe]

Everything That Upset the Internet This Week

What is the web-o-sphere angry about this week? A kiss that can’t be racist, a sweater that is and an emoji for your menstrual cycle. Here’s everything you need to know:

Michelle Rodriguez Says Liam Neeson’s Kissing Proves He’s Not Racist

THE STORY: Earlier this week, the Independent published an interview with Liam Neeson in which he admits to race-based revenge. He shares that, 40 years ago, he responded to the rape of a close friend by walking around with a weapon, looking for any “black bastard” to murder.

Fast and the Furious star Michelle Rodriguez, who worked with Neeson on Steve McQueen’s Widows, is one of the few industry insiders who has come to Neeson’s defense over the disturbing anecdote. “It’s all fuckin’ bullshit. Liam Neeson is not a racist,” Rodriguez said at the amfAR Gala, according to Vanity Fair. “Dude, have you watched Widows? His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’s throat. You can’t call him a racist ever. Racists don’t make out with the race that they hate, especially in the way he does with his tongue—so deep down her throat. I don’t care how good of an actor you are. It’s all bullshit. Ignore it. He’s not a racist. He’s a loving man. It’s all lies.”

THE REACTION:

But on a serious note, who wants to remind Michelle Rodriguez that white slave owners used to rape and have children with slaves and still….idk….advocated for and participated in the very racist concept of slavery?

— sai (@Saisailu97) February 7, 2019

Here’s where Michelle Rodriguez says Liam Neeson isn’t racist because he shoved his tongue down Viola Davis’ throat (ew!)—as part of his job… which is *acting*.

And even if it weren’t, yanno, part of his job, you can’t kiss your way out of racism. https://t.co/7opcUsNMJu pic.twitter.com/LH6ElQF85u

— Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) February 7, 2019

If making out with people made you an ally of their liberation then straight men would be the biggest feminists on earth. https://t.co/UGWtFHAojC

— Moira Donegan (@MoiraDonegan) February 7, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: As Twitter was quick to call out, whom or how one kisses can’t indicate prejudice—be it race-based, gender-based or otherwise. If Rodriguez wanted to defend Neeson from the backlash he’s facing (which she entirely has the right to do), there are more thoughtful routes she could have taken. For example, soccer star John Barnes, who applauded Neeson for his honesty on Sky News, wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian:

“The idea of someone stalking the streets seeking out any “black bastard” to murder is inherently abhorrent and racist. However, it seems that for most people, rather than this being a jumping-off point to start a conversation, it is where the conversation ends. He did say those things so there is no defense. Many are happy to ignore the fact he was admitting to a shameful, backward way of thinking, which he now knows is wrong. Unfortunately, this approach does nothing to address the conscious or unconscious bias that many, if not all of us, feel. By only condemning Neeson’s candid admission we lose an opportunity to explore the causes and effects of racial bias that are so pervasive today.”

Granted, Rodriguez’s statement came from a party, not a carefully constructed and edited piece of writing.

Gucci Pulls Wool Sweater Accused of Resembling Blackface

THE STORY: Gucci began selling a black balaclava-type turtleneck sweater with a red-lined hole for the wearer’s mouth.

THE REACTION:

We have ONE month to celebrate the history of African Americans. Feb. 2019: Multiple accounts of politicians wearing blackface. And now news Gucci was selling a $890 blackface sweater. We are a nation desperately in need of diversity training. #gucci #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/tHXEAP2pjN

— Michelle Singletary (@SingletaryM) February 7, 2019

I am a @Gucci fan, and I was going to buy a jacquard cardigan because it’s a forever piece, but until they and other luxury brands hire some people of color to consider the imagery of items like the “blackface” balaclava sweater (Randy Jackson voice) its a no for me dawg! https://t.co/Ln9vHbhBVN

— KLD (@karyndeshields) February 7, 2019

It’s 2019, when are we going to stop using stereotypes etc as marketing tactics?

As a Marketer/advertisier, there is a team responsible for checking stuff like this. But the problem is: if no one sees a problem with it on the team. @gucci you’re dead wrong. https://t.co/6V9w8X6KPB

— 和 明呀 (@miamohill) February 6, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: It’s extremely hard to believe nobody at Gucci noticed the similarity between their $890 sweater and the recently pulled Prada keychain. Like Prada, Gucci was quick to apologize and pull the product. “Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper,” the brand’s statement began. “We can confirm that the item has been immediately removed from our online store and physical stores.”

The statement continues: “We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make. We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond.”

It’s interesting that instead of apologizing for their ignorant lapse in judgment, Gucci apologizes for the “offense caused.” A note for the next luxury brand that causes backlash: when you make a hurtful mistake, you’re supposed to apologize for your actions, not for someone else’s reaction.

There’s Going to be a Period Emoji

THE STORY: The Unicode Consortium has confirmed a blood drop-shaped emoji will be a part of an upcoming emoji drop. The news of the menstrual positive e-sticker comes after 55,000 people called for a period emoji in a campaign led by global girl’s rights charity Plan International UK.

THE REACTION:

Seriously? Is this really what people were clamoring for? What's next? A menopause emoji? An erectile dysfunction emoji? A bladder control emoji? What in the blue hell…

"A new 'period emoji' is coming soon to keyboards worldwide" https://t.co/jfXX1ciii5

— Crazy Train (@csonkaguy) February 8, 2019

why THE FUCK are they making a period emoji that is not cute

— ⚯͛ (@MarchToTheSiris) February 6, 2019

This is unnecessary… and disgusting #PeriodEmoji

— miss dean (@missdean254) February 6, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Yes, it’s a small step towards eliminating shame around menstruation—but it’s a meaningful step. And, considering these tweets, the need for normalization is still very necessary. “The inclusion of an emoji which can express what 800 million women around the world are experiencing every month is a huge step towards normalizing periods and smashing the stigma which surrounds them,” said Lucy Russell, head of girls rights and youth at Plan International UK. “For years we’ve obsessively silenced and euphemized periods. As experts in girls’ rights, we know that this has a negative impact on girls; girls feel embarrassed to talk about their periods, they’re missing out, and they can suffer health implications as a consequence.”

Yes, the blood drop is pretty generic—but the eggplant and the maple leaf have multiple meanings, too. Emoji is a rapidly growing global language, and hopefully, this cute little blood drop will help in starting global conversations.

The post Everything That Upset the Internet This Week appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Everything That Upset the Internet This Week published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

[ehentha]

Maldives Twitter wakes up to a fever dream where everyone is Ali Rameez

At 12AM on Friday the 23rd of November 2018, a whole bunch of Maldivian twitter users changed their profile pictures to the one above. It shows a young Ali Rameez leaning back, relaxing his head against his arm. The incident is referred to by some as #NationalAyyaDay.

This is a bipartisan effort, okay? Whether you’re a snowflake or a YAG supporter or a feminist or a humanist, please come together for this one day so we can all celebrate the greatest Maldivian singer of all time: Ali Rameez. Happy #NationalAyyaDay! ♥️

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 22, 2018

Mass confusion spread as everyone’s notifications looked the same.

Yup, giving up on trying to figure out who is who.

— Azzam Pompi Mohamed (@Pompeee) November 23, 2018

To make things worse, many users changed their names to song lyrics by the one time Maldivian king of pop. There was once a time when you could not walk two feet in the Maldives without hearing one of his songs on the TV or radio. I’d post more screenshots of the incident, but most people have already changed their pictures and names back. Guess the world can only take so much Ayya.

Of course I say one time because Ali Rameez is currently a violent extremist “sheikh” who constantly spreads hate and fear speech against Maldivian minorities such as non-Muslims and LGBTI+ people. While being a massive sexist of course. On top of this, he also regularly promotes such lovely things as child marriage.

In the above screenshot, the Dhivehi text reads “Islam dheenun beyru vejje meehaa; gathul kuraasheve’”, which roughly translates to “Slaughter those who leave Islam”. The first comment below it reads “It is best if such children move to a country where they can get the freedoms that they want. No space for atheist in this country”. It doesn’t take a genius to see how this encourages vigilante violence against non-Muslims. I suppose it is also worth pointing out again for the thousandth time that the Maldives is one of the few countries in the world whose constitution bans freedom of conscience. Ali Rameez promotes these views on his official twitter account and his facebook page, where he also pimps out his extremist buddies from religious NGOs like Jammaiyathul Salaf.

With all this in mind, it shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that Ali Rameez hates his pop star past. He did famously dump all of his CD’s into the ocean after all.

Is singer/songwriter Ali Rameez and haabee Ali Rameez the same person? 🤔

— Refty (@Refty) November 23, 2018

So while people took the opportunity to mock / celebrate him by sharing his music and reminiscing about the days when he wasn't a psychopath, others took the opportunity to gaslight Maldivian minorities by claiming that the good sheikh was being bullied.

we advocate for tolerance and acceptance yet we are intolerant to those that have an understanding different to us. I really don't believe @aliramyz should be bullied and bashed like this. This has gone beyond a simple friendly joke. This needs to stop.

— Ghaanim (@Qhaany) November 23, 2018

This kind of gaslighting is typical from “liberal” Maldivians who fall head over heels to defend extremists yet never utter a single word in support of Maldivian minorities whose very existence is criminalized. As such I am sure these people are not ignorant of Ali Rameez’s extremism. Instead I think they are sympathetic. I think extremists like that say what these people are afraid of saying. What they really think.

You will never get any of these people to admit whether they support something as basic as freedom of conscience. However they will rarely admit they don’t support it either. Instead, they will prop up the extremists who have the courage to actually express such darkness. This is why I respect honest extremists who will say to my face that they want to kill me. I have no respect at all to closet conservatives like this who pretend to sit on a fence while they crap on minorities below. It is not an equal conversation when one side has their existence criminalized.

“liberal extremism” is a thing

— Shani 🍂 (@shani1i) November 23, 2018

Can you believe the audacity of such a statement from people who do not think their fellow Maldivians deserve constitutional recognition?

Wait till you are bashed and joked about for saying this.

— Mushfiga Waheed (@MushfigaWaheed) November 23, 2018

Comments like this one are referring to an incident in the past when a woman on twitter made extremely homophobic remarks. For once a lot of people on Maldivian twitter called out this woman for her blatantly bigoted remarks. Not this crowd of closet conservatives though. Much like this incident, back then they sided with the bigot being roasted. How could you bully such an innocent person they all decried.

This past event, and the common occurrence of conservatives and extremists to claim to be victims of “bullying”, is what has led to the creation of the local meme of “bleeing”.

stop bleeing ayya 😭😭 stop bleeing his extremist opinions 😭😭😭 stop admiring his flawless voice 😭😭😭 SAY NO TO BLEEING 😩 https://t.co/Bg2lymNMtV

— imran (@imlatheef) November 23, 2018

This type of gaslighting would be funny if it wasn’t the norm. Gaslighting, for those unfamiliar, is when an oppressor makes a person doubt their own memories and self. It is a common tactic used by abusive people against their partners. Wikipedia defines it as “a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity. “

They states that the signs of gaslighting are:

Withholding information from victim;

Countering information to fit the abuser's perspective;

Discounting information;

Verbal abuse, usually in the form of jokes;

Blocking and diverting the victim's attention from outside sources;

Trivializing the victim's worth; and,

Undermining victim by gradually weakening them and their thought process.

When have he ever advocated killing anyone he deems as infidels? Any reference?

— Mohamed Allam Naeem (@8laam) November 23, 2018

Observe this clear example from a tweet calling the original one out.

When he is okay with underage marriage. When he blames the rape victim always. These are the different views you talk about? Yes. I do have a problem with that.

— 𝕲𝖎𝖗𝖑 𝕴𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖗𝖚𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖉 (@Thathu182) November 24, 2018

Look at the response above. Ali Rameez is well known for blaming rape victims and his support for child marriage. Yet the original tweet dismisses this as having a “different understanding”.

It’s nice that everyone’s having a bit of fun. But do try to keep in mind that @aliramyz thinks it’s okay to marry 13 year olds, promotes violent jihad, is a core member of Jamiyyathul Salaf, and advocates the death penalty for those he considers laadheenee.

— Mohamed Shuraih (@MohamedShuraih) November 23, 2018

The day led to some clashes within the more progressive parts (relative to the Taliban) of Maldivian twitter as well, with some people thinking that the incident downplayed Ali Rameez’s extremism.

Just for fun, would you put a pedo on your Twitter DP? I don't think so. kthnksbye

— @waddey (@waddey) November 23, 2018

Isn't Ali Rameez known for his extremist religious views? 🤔 Love his songs but finding it strange to be so obsessed with him given who he is now.

— 🍞🌹 (@kopitaaaa) November 23, 2018

Some responses from the twitter cult leader responsible for this madness:

Haha hello my cult, what else should I do today after renouncing feminism and supporting Ali Rameez’s extremism, might fuck around and drop all my morals and principles and become someone N E W

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 23, 2018

I would also like to tell you it’s not only Ali Rameez’s beautiful voice that mesmerizes me, it’s also his promotion of extremism (obviously), and presence in Jamiyyathul Salad (OBVIOUSLY) also in other news @imlatheef hates Ariana Grande 😭😭

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 23, 2018

Kindly fuck off and let people fucking enjoy today, good lord! 😂 People woke up to an abundance of Ali Rameezs on their TL today, that is fucking AMAZING that it was pulled off. An, miothy than thanah thadhuvaa kudhinnah khaassa lavayeh ♥️https://t.co/hw61dHt1Jf

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 23, 2018

Now that we’ve dealt with the drama and my existential bitterness, here are some of the funnier tweets from the day:

Kaia asking me the name of a random internet cat that popped up on my timeline. Told her the first name that popped into my mind. Ali Rameez. Thanks, twitter.

— EhJu (@EhJu) November 23, 2018

If you people don’t get sarcasm that’s really on you at this point. Brb listening to Nudhaashe Mage Loabiva for the 50th time today. :) https://t.co/TOb4K9xIaO

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 23, 2018

Brain reading the entire timeline in Ali Rameez voice. Ali: I'm no one's crush. Ali: this cabinet is bullshit. Ali: here's a cat. Ali: I'd rather use tampons but they're too expensive W E I R D

— EhJu (@EhJu) November 23, 2018

me, before and after listening to ali rameez’s emotional masterpiece maruvedhaaney maadhamaa gaimey pic.twitter.com/AzhMts5nDO

— imran (@imlatheef) November 23, 2018

#NationalAyyaDay Ayya: Capitalising on his Freeze Band to make a Freeze Brand!

— Yuna Waheed 🎈❓ (@YuAeKito) November 23, 2018

Ali Rameez towards the end of his music career was in a band called “Freeze Band”. Once he gave up music, he capitalized on this by creating “Freeze Brand” - a company that sells dried fish and other products. Gotta admit that some of their stuff is pretty delicious though.

Ali Rameez and me in the same frame #happiestmoment 😂 pic.twitter.com/kfdXFccxCx

— ⚫️⚪️TEDRY🎈❓ (@tedry) November 23, 2018

With all these Ali Rameez songs floating around, I’m sad I haven’t seen a single “Bunebala ladhu ganefaa erey”. Definitely one of my favourites. #NationalAyyaDay

— Shubbi (@shubaadam) November 23, 2018

On this auspicious day I was just blessed to see Ali Rameez on the road. 😱😱😱😱

— S-laughter (@heyshaha) November 23, 2018

I give up on checking who’s who, I’m liking everything in bulk now

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 22, 2018

I can't pic.twitter.com/BmK40l9i3f

— Saaif Shiyad 🇲🇻 (@SaaifShiyad) November 22, 2018

Ayya had moves. #NationalAyyaDay pic.twitter.com/TT8s4o8mjQ

— immi 🐑 (@immimmii) November 22, 2018

The other day at uni i saw ali rameez and randomly started singing “dhanee dhanee” bc obviously i was leaving the uni

— salty (@thelulifaiyy) November 22, 2018

the first time ali rameez looked at me. i was walking on sosun magu with a friend when we saw ali rameez and involuntarily shouted “EY ALI RAMEEEZ”. he looked, but looked away even faster. 😥#NationalAyyaDay

— Naura 🇲🇻 (@ayshathnaura) November 23, 2018

Since @ShafaRameez wanted me to do this so badly, like this tweet and I'll be brutally honest about your Twitter profile picture.

— Mi dhehiy vaathee, loabin gulhifaa (@haesham) November 23, 2018

Tb to the time i made eye contact with Ayya for a split second while eating pani puri @ the place infront of Iskandhar. He was having tea and looked away at the speed of light. Ma iny anga haluvan ves neyngifa

— KirimJehiBanas (@meynakambulo) November 23, 2018

The best part about this is how much I hate Ali Rameez and he still hasn't blocked me.

— San (@dontcallmesatan) November 23, 2018

Did you call him a finifenmaa ?

— Althaf🎈؟ (@AlthafAli_) November 23, 2018

pic.twitter.com/hbrqaLvwh0

— Musal (@FoniLunbo) November 23, 2018

The cat is screaming out lyrics to one of Ali Rameez’s hit songs “Finifenmalakey” (like a rose).

At the end I listened to all the heart broken Ali Rameez songs and now I feel like I have fallen out of love, hard. 😭💔 https://t.co/eVnWk4tmgQ

— Azzam Pompi Mohamed (@Pompeee) November 23, 2018

legends say people are still trying to get over the double vision of ayya from their twitter feeds 🤣🤣

— Awhosun (@awhosun) November 23, 2018

Marinating a chicken with bae. It's so hot man

— Shady 🎈❓ (@shadyfish) November 23, 2018

Ali Rameez had a particularly saucy hit video where he sensuously marinates a chicken with a beautiful woman. Probably one of the sources of his paranoia about his past sins.

#NationalAyyaDay, a day to honor the legendary Maldivian singer @aliramyz 🙏 pic.twitter.com/dTtVKU1WTw

— 🙏 آدم محمد (@Adamiington) November 23, 2018

I’d like to point out the fact that @semiicold has had his photo way before this started and I didn’t see it till after @FoniLunbo suggested this photo so a round of applause for him because we’re living in 2018 and he’s living in 3018. We stan! 👏🏾

— KeehveFA (@ShafaRameez) November 22, 2018

[serendibidibidis]

(Tw: mentions of Rape & death threats, homophobia, hate symbols)

Exo literally call out their fans over shit like that as well as many other things. Bts fans send me death THREATS anytime I (a bts fan) say something that isn’t me blindly kissing their ass. When I talked about Namjoon wearing literal hate symbols. X I was bombarded with death threats & being told things that I will never repeat due to the nature of them.

When I simply ASKED that fic writers properly tag their posts so that I don’t see content that triggers me into panic attacks, bts fans were the ones who told me I deserved to be Raped.

When I simply made a post about how Persona’s color scheme didn’t actually match the (real) lesbian pride flag & that the flag fans compared the album to actually represented something else entirely. Bts fans used homophobic slurs SIMPLY BECAUSE I POINTED OUT THE FLAG THEY WERE USING REPRESENTED EVERYTHING BTS IS AGAINST!!

Yes Exo has problematic fans. Every group does. But when your fan base is over run with toxic behavior to the point of driving others away from bts & people associating bts with this malicious group of fans (which literally hurts bts) there is an issue. Bts have never once said anything about their fans behavior and they continue to allow this behavior. Bts is the only celebrity that I get death threats over when I criticize them. I could literally post something saying ‘Ravi is a fucking asshole’ and fans respond better to that than when I say ‘I wish bts would collaborate with more Korean artists’

The fact that you see nothing wrong with army’s behavior speaks volumes. The fact that you see no reason for bts to call out their fans goes to show how fucking invincible armys feel. Armys are the ones ruining bts’ career. Not other fandoms, not antis, not their label. Their fans.

If I can simply log into Twitter (which is not a Stan account) and still see bullshit like this on my timeline even though I don’t follow a single stan account. There is an issue. The bad outweighs the good when there is so much bad and so little good.

I honestly did’t even need to include photos as proof of how toxic armys are because your response was proof enough. I understand wanting to defend your favorite artists. I completely get it. I want to protect my favorite artists as well. But you’re not protecting your artist by harming others. You are only hurting your artist more.

Groups like Super Junior have actually told their fans off for being little shits or being disrespectful to others. It's HIGH time BTS did the fkn same. You need to pull some responsibility and do SOMETHING about the toxic ass fandom you claim to love so much.

If super junior who easily has one of the most toxic fandoms out there can (and does) tell their fans off bts has no reason not to.

Bts probably has the most freedom when it comes to social media & it’s sad to see they still refuse to acknowledge it even though groups who have stricter social media rules are more than able to call out fans.

Bts are all about their fans & if they don’t start setting them straight the same fans they love so much will ruin their career. Army’s have driven so many people out of the fandom & they continue to push away possible new fans..

Bts calling out fans isn’t going to end everything, but you know damn well it will shut a lot of them up.

I get death threats anytime I make a post criticizing bts/army. There is no way you can tell me bts are proud of their fans telling people to die because they aren’t blindly supporting bts. I literally used to consider myself an army when I would get threats. & then people wonder why bts has been ruined for me. 🙄 bts needs to call out their fans. I honestly don’t understand why bts haven’t called out fans yet. Like am I missing something? No other group or celebrity has a problem calling out the bull shit. The only reason I can see for bts not calling them out is because bts value the toxic fans. Bts doesn’t want to lose fans by calling them out when they are losing fans by acting ignorant.

Kara’s member Han Seungyeon just called out fans yesterday because of their bullshit. And she was praised for it. Bts has no reason to pretend like they haven’t seen the toxic parts of their fandom.

[chrismaverickdotcom]

Mavademics Recap: My Crazy Dumb Month of Conferences and Podcasts

I kind of wonder if anyone notices when I don’t update my blog. Most of my readers see it through the Facebook feed version, but I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even had a chance to go see a movie to review in the last couple weeks. If you follow me on twitter (@chrismaverick) or see the Facebook syncs from there, you likely know why. For some reason I got it in my head that it would be a good idea to do three academic conferences in a row. Like literally three weekends in a row. I’m glad I did it. I had a good time doing all three of them. But this was not a good idea… so very very not… I’m getting too old for this shit!!! But I wanted to have a recap of it on my blog as well, maybe for other people, but also just so I have a record for myself (if only to remind myself never to do it again!) So I figured I’d write this up really quickly now that I’m done.

From the top…

The first conference was the Pop Culture Association/American Culture Association(PCA/ACA) national conference, where I presented in the Comics and Comic Studies area. I go to this one pretty much every year, because it is more or less everything that is perfect about academia for me… an opportunity to apply complex literary theory to funny books. This one was in Indianapolis, so I drove there. My talk this year was titled “In Defense of a Thundering Dumbass: Marvel’s Self-Conscious Critique of White Masculinity in Iron Fist and The Defenders” and was about what you can probably guess it was about. Basically, I looked at the the Netflix version of Iron Fist, in comparison to the 1970s original comic version and used Edward Said’s Orientalism theories in conjunction with some Judith Butler gender performativity concepts to argue that the character of Iron Fist can only exist, in any medium — film or comics — as an exploration of the place of whiteness and masculinity in an transforming multicultural landscape and a response to white male anxieties of the specific era the story is taking place in. See… I told you… complex literary theory applied to funny books. Anyway, the short of it was that the TV show Iron Fist may not be the greatest thing ever, but it doesn’t really “suck” so much as it is an exploration of whiteness and masculinity in the “woke” era… and that’s sort of important but not for everyone. Along the way, I also made jokes about Tarzan, Manimal, and Kung-Fu Panda… I swear it all made sense at the time.

At the same conference… in fact, just a couple hours after I gave the Iron Fist talk, I was delighted to win the “Lent Award for Excellence in Graduate Comics Studies” for my paper that I did at the same conference last year, “Oracle of the Invisible: Sexual Assault and Rape in The Killing Joke” which was a super depressing deconstruction of how rape and sexual violence work in that book to build both Joker and Batman’s relationship in a hypermasculine economy based on violence and sex where Barbara (and Jim Gordon) effectively serve as necessary, but passive currency. That one was super technical and… well, obviously dark. So dark that I kind of didn’t think anyone actually liked it, so I was really surprised to win the award for it. But happy… for a brief shining moment it was almost like this whole pop culture academic criticism thing isn’t a complete and utter waste of time. 😁 And hey, I apparently get a trophy or plaque or something mailed to me, which is awesome. Because, after all, with my win of the Lent, I am now one step closer to completing my run at the fabled LEGOT, a feat that I don’t think anyone else has ever accomplished and yet, I’m on my way. I just need a Tony, Oscar, Grammy and Emmy and I’m done. Yeah, yeah, yeah… Fuck you! I’m closer than Philip Michael Thomas!

The next weekend I flew out to the Southern Sociological Society(SSS)‘s annual conference. This was a first for me. The conference was held in New Orleans this year, with a sub-theme of “Racial Theory, Analysis, and Politics in Trump America.” The same weekend, New Orleans also happened to be hosting Wrestlemania. So it seemed obvious to a few of us in the Professional Wrestling Studies Association (yes, that’s actually a thing, dammit!) that there should be a panel or two devoted to an analysis of Trump’s connection to the wrestling world and how it relates to the current sociopolitical landscape. Because, of course we did. I ended up giving a paper I called “Heel to the Chief: Donald Trump and the New World Order of Politics” which was a look at the rhetoric and semiotics of Trump speeches in comparison to professional wrestling promos and an analysis of how and why this was able to use hypermasculine performance to appeal to the working class American voter… by comparing him to other great wrestling promo givers: Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, The Undertaker, The Ultimate Warrior and Abraham Lincoln (yes, he was a wrestler… LOOK IT UP!). This seemed to go over pretty well, and after it was over I got interviewed by a New Orleans paper about my talk, research and my past as a professional wrestler. This does not get me any closer to my LEGOT. But I’m still closer than Philip Michael Thomas… and I’m pretty sure I’ve now been interviewed more recently.

Finally, this last weekend, I went the Northeast Modern Language Association(NeMLA… and yes I know how unfortunate an acronym that is)’s annual conference, which at the very least was here in Pittsburgh, so I didn’t have to travel. There I presented a paper that I called “Captain Falcon vs. Captain Hydra: Marvel’s Struggles to Address Multiculturalism and Identity Politics in Trump’s America.” This was about what I call “identity commodification” or the packaging of cultural identity, be it race, gender, sexuality, religion, politics or other aspects into a product that can be marketed in a world that privileges identity over character or narrative. That is, in the current identity politic driven, SJW wokeness vs alt-right conservatism, acronymerific (LGBTQIA+POCMRAKKK — and I swear to HOVA there’s got to be at least one person in this world who that accurately describes), Trumpian world, identity has become paramount over anything else, even in our funny books. This is maybe unsurprising; superheroes are sort of emblematic of ideology. That’s sort of the point. And since corporations are profit driven, even if the identity focused audience is ideology focused, capitalism essentially demands that there be a way to commodify that in order to monetize a product. So yay! We’re all part of the machine. Sadly, I did not win an award or get interviewed or anything after NeMLA… probably for the best… it’ll keep me from getting a big(ger) head. And Philip Michael Thomas didn’t even get to present, so I’m still WAY ahead there.

Running around the country doing these things totally fucked up my sleep schedule and I’ve literally been exhausted to the point that I sometimes forget where I am for the last week or so. And all during this, I also started and recorded the first three episodes of my new podcast, the first two of which are now up and available for listening. It’s called VoxPopcast and basically, it’s a combination of all of these academic thingamajigs I do PLUS the kinds of stuff I do on my blogs and the kinds of conversations one might have in a comic book store or bar. Pop culture academia and bullshitting all mixed together, with a floating roundtable of participants in the discussion from all walks of life (academic and non). So please, if you like the kind of stuff I do, follow the blog (http://voxpopcast.com), subscribe to the twitter (@voxpopcast) or the Facebook group, subscribe to it on on iTunes or Sticher or whatever it is you use, and leave us comments, suggest topics, volunteer to be a guest and write us podcast reviews and whatever it is that 1) gives us something to talk about 2) makes me famous so that I can earn a living and somehow get considered for the other four awards that will complete my LEGOT before that bitch Philip Michael Thomas passes me.

Samantha Jordan, Stephanie Siler, Kash Mira, Cenate Pruitt, Meron Langsner, Joe Darowski, Brandon Link Copp-Millward liked this post

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Mavademics Recap: My Crazy Dumb Month of Conferences and Podcasts was originally published on ChrisMaverick dotcom

[newagesispage]

                                                          DECEMBER        2017

*****The Astros win the World series.

*****Jill Kimmel is doing stand up.** Her brother Jimmy’s childhood drawings were turned into flesh super heroes The terrific Ten.** Jimmy is in a twitter war with Roy Moore. After being called out by Moore, Jimmy is heading to Alabama to either fight or talk since he is unsure of what Moore is taunting him to do. He wants to dress like a girl scout since he feels that Moore only notices little girls. Kimmel would really like to talk Christianity because as a Christian he does not understand him.

*****So.. Scary clown has delayed his decision on elephant trophy’s which has angered hunting groups.** It is said that Rex Tillerson is about to be out and Mike Pompeo in. Business as usual!

**** The tax bill is atrocious. It adds a trillion to the deficit and the middle class tax cuts would expire.  They are trying to sneak in a caveat in the part about college savings plan. It would not actually change anything for savings now but it a backdoor way to have their way on abortion. It would introduce ‘fetal personhood’ into law which of course would be a short leap to taking away choice.

*****Scary clown 45 is ranting about the jury in the case of Kate Steinley who the jury says was accidently shot by an immigrant named Jose Inez Garcia Zarate.  Trump has been ranting about this case for a while now but the San Francisco trial just ended.** And we are really seeing what Trump and his fake news are doing to the world. His yelling about CNN put doubt into other countries about a REAL story they did on modern day slave auctions in Libya. These are real humans that need help and he has others doubting the very story. ** He also put out fake stories about terrorism which were debunked but Huckabee Sanders said it does not matter if the stories are real, the threat is real. The fake news also gave much free publicity to hate group Britain First.

*****The original Conklin’s barn was torn down on November 7. Fingers crossed that the donations will keep coming in so they can reopen by December 2018 as Barn 3. Time for some Days cast members to donate some fundraising time??

*****Patton Oswalt kicked ass in his new Netflix special Annihilation and also just got married to Meredith Salenger.

*****Boo Boo Stewart and Mark Derwin star in Lowlifes out in 2018. Lowlifes is the story of a second chance boot camp who stumble onto a terrorist group.

*****Meghan McCain seems so angry and it seems she wants to tear Joy Behar’s head off sometimes. She is supportive of some liberal agendas but automatically turns off some ideas simply because of who is proposing them. This is the very thing she rails against. I did love her take on sleezy Matt Lauer though, I too never had any respect for him after the Anne Curry thing. And c’mon ET all the Lauer clips you showed seemed to have him in front of Rolling Stones advertising.** Lauer has been accused of many things including exposing himself. Why do these men always think we want to see their dicks? They all think they have something special, they are not that fucking different. Keep it in your pants, most would be embarrassed if they were held up to other men. And I don not believe for a minute that Jeff Zucker did not know about it. I never trusted him either.

*****China says that Trump is proof that democracy does not work. They are benefitting from our misery and zeroing in on being number 1. Besides spreading propaganda, they are making lots of jobs with clean energy that they can sell to the world.

*****Steve Green of Hobby Lobby has finally opened the 500 million dollar Bible museum. The idea of making all guests sign a promise to become evangelicals when they leave was nixed.

*****$15 mil in taxpayer money has been spent on the sexual harassment complaints of congress.

*****James Jagger and Matilda Lutz are the face of Giorgio Armani’s fragrances Because it’s you for her and Stronger with you for him.

*****Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross declared the divestment of his holdings but he’s still part owner in a company. This Russian company has ties to Putin’s son in law.

*****Please Please Conan.. More Butterscotch the clown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*****The UK is having its own political and sexual misconduct scandals including a secretary of state Damian Green.

*****The Mark Twain prize for Letterman was filled with my favorites and was very emotional. Al Franken edited out? Maher is right: The liberals are pussies.

*****The Paradise papers about offshore finances were leaked.  The secret financial activities of the superrich show a lot of Russian dealings. There are also questions about Queen Elizabeth’s private estate and other business leaders.

*****The list of those accused of sexual misconduct grows, from Dustin Hoffman to Brett Ratner to Russell Simmons and more to come. Simmons is accused of raping Lena Horne’s granddaughter. We need a special kind of thank you for Ronan Farrow who is working tirelessly to blow the lid off of the Weinstein bullshit. I Can’t wait for his new book. He has exposed many things which have helped feel safe enough to come forward. So many helped in the Weinstein mess , including Dylan Howard, chief content officer of American Media Inc. which publishes The Enquirer. Howard was apparently a helper in the disgusting network of suppression. Sime sticks together like Levin sticks with Trump.** We need a real truth teller, an honest Cronkite type and I see it in Ronan. **Jane Seymour had her own story of sexual harassment with a powerful producer at the start of her career.** Charlie Rose is fired after his allegations. That one hurts.** I am so glad the women are coming forward. The bravery of citizens like in The Keepers is opening up a world of (hopefully) more truth, more justice. ** Are political operatives helping to dig any of this up?** A good portion of people I know are natural flirts. Are there some who don’t even realize that they are offending? Out and out rape and authority figures who try to stop an employee’s rise when they do not get their sexual way is obviously wrong.  We are human though and sometimes that line may be crossed unintentionally. I think each story has to be looked at for what it is. We must discern between real and cruel sexual situations and tasteless jokes and bad manners. All is wrong but there are different ways to deal with the accused. Listen fully to the stories from the victim’s mouth. Follow the evidence and force yes or no answers. This political speak of “let me tell you” or “I will say this” is nonsense. People out and out believe that celebs of journalists did the bad deed but politicians receive more skepticism. People take the side of their left or right hero without really listening. If you can’t see the difference I wonder about your ability to reason, about your moral compass. An Al Franken or Garrison Keillor seem to be a bit different from a Weinstein. ** Uma Thurman had a great tweet: Happy Thanksgiving everyone (except you Harvey, and all your wicked conspirators. I’m glad it’s going slowly-you don’t deserve a bullet)** Pelosi could be a little more eloquent and quit getting in her own way defending the left. Just before I put this page out, Pelosi says Conyers should resign.. WOW! complete turn around.** A woman came forward to the Washington Post trying to push some fake news about Roy Moore. She claimed that she was impregnated by him and then it was found that she was meeting with Project Veritas whose purpose it is to set up stings on the mainstream media. Of course there are REAL reporters at the Post so the story was not published.  Hmm imagine looking up facts and not getting your news from the 700 Club or online scuttlebutt. ** Isn’t all the money and power enough for these men at the top? Law and order SVU must have enough script ideas for another 20 years.** Is all the women standing up and not taking it anymore what we get for losing Hillary? It is like she had to sacrifice herself and gain liberation for the rest of us. So many can’t believe what got into the White house and real truths need to be out there. WAKE

*****Prince Harry and former Deal or no Deal employee, Meghan Markle are engaged .

*****The governor’s award honored Donald Sutherland

***** Fashion Police on E is over.

*****I watched Ozark on Netflix and wasn’t too sure after the first episode but tried the second and then I was in. There were times when I could not quite suspend my disbelief but then there were so many characters that I seemed to recognize from my real life. Bateman and many deserve some love for this project and I will miss Russ in season 2.

*****Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr story sounds like a great doc.

*****The Grammy noms are out and leading the way was Jay-Z with 8. That was followed up with Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, SZA, Childish Gambino and Khalid. Also on the list of nominations are Lorde, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons, Bob Dylan, Kraftwerk, Leonard Cohen, Jason Isbell, Gregg Allman, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Bruce Springsteen, Bernie Sanders, Carrie Fisher, Dave Chappelle, Queens of the stone age, Jim Gaffigan, Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Hart and The Rolling Stones.

*****So glad Search Party on TBS is back!!

*****The Crowns Plaza hotel has a projection on the outside of the building that declares FUCK TRUMP.

*****Don’t take your eyes off this administration and the judges he is putting in place, the rules that he and his cohorts are changing and the rights he is taking away from all of us. We have a lot to deal with now but don’t let his tweets or his slick talkers distract you. Yes we need justice from the Russian probe but somebody is handling that,. I wish the news would let that play out and update us more on what they are taking from us.** If you can’t see what is wtong with a Trump or a Roy Moore, I have to wonder about your moral character.

*****Hooray for Washington Week for 50 years and Meet the Press for 70. Thanks Washington Week for your touching tribute to Gwen Ifill.

*****Dan Rather has a new book, What unites us.

*****Nathan Fillion is back on ABC with The Rookie. The program is inspired by a true story of the oldest rookie in the LAPD from the executive producer of Criminal Minds, Mark Gordon.

*****For the fifth year in a row Michael Jackson has been the top dead celebrity earner.

*****Laurence Fishburne is divorcing Gina Torres.

*****Papa John’s has apologized for blaming the knee taking football players for low pizza sales. C’mon who eats that pizza anyway?.. get a good product!** The alt right has named them their official pizza.

*****Voting has begun for the rock and roll hall of fame. This year we have Bon Jovi, the Moody Blues, Dire Straits, The Cars. Judas Priest, The Eurythmics, The Zombies, J. Geils Band( please finally!!!!!), Depeche Mode and Nina Simone.

*****U.S. court judge Colleen Kollar- Kotelly barred Trump from continuing with plans to exclude transgender people from military service and thinks those who have sued have a good case.

*****So.. What the fuck is the hinky biz going on at Guantanamo?  The place has its own rules and nobody can seem to agree on said rules. Brigadier General Baker found good cause for Nashiri, a suspect in the USS Cole bombing, to lose his lawyers. After the lawyers were allowed to quit, a judge ordered Baker to rescind that order but he refused.  The judge put the General in jail. The General , a U.S. citizen and  the 2nd highest ranking officer in the military claims the judge has no jurisdiction over him. We will have to see how this plays out.

*****James Comey is releasing his story in May with the book A Higher Loyalty.

*****Michael Lewis tells us about all the prep the Obama administration went thru to bring the Trump administration up to snuff in his new nook The Undoing project.

*****Brit Vandegraft married John Witt on October 14 and honeymooned thru Dallas and on to the West.

*****According to the pentagon, America has spent $250 mil a day on war every single day for sixteen years.

*****Donna Brazile’s book Hacks claims the Dem campaigns were offered a chance to bail out the DNC and get much support. The Bernie campaign declined but the Hillary campaign supplied the money. Brazile seemed a bit surprised and rattled about the reaction to her book in the beginning.  After a couple of weeks she settled into it and the defensiveness sort of faded.  She tells us that she has been in politics for fifty years and if we don’t like it ,we don’t have to buy it. She claims she enjoyed Hillary’s book and backed her all the way.  Brazile writes that she got to the bottom of everything when she took over the DNC and was threatened over and over again.

*****Days alert: WTF Adrienne?? Poor Lucas never gets to keep the girl! **Peggy McCay celebrated her 90th.** Keep Hope and Raif together. Damn!

*****So glad to see Katherine Erbe on How to get away with murder.

*****Spot on writing and acting on another level with Jane and Lily and Sam and Martin on Grace and Frankie. What treasures!!  Thrilled to see the appearance of Mary kay Place . Craig Welzbacher who played Myron on Days was on there too.

*****Dinklage, Harrelson and McDormand in Three Billboards… can’t wait.

*****This winter, Trump requested 70 foreign workers with special permission from the U.S. labor department for Mar –A- Lago. He also would like some for various golf clubs thru the H-2B visa program. There are currently 5,136 qualified persons in the area ready to work. America first?

*****The second part of Stranger Things just as good as the first.

*****Scary Clown 45 is being sued because he blocked twitter followers.  He now knows that since he uses his tweets as an ‘instrument of governance’ blocking is not allowed.

*****Fifty years brings Rolling Stone magazine an HBO doc, a rock and roll hall of fame exhibit and the whole thing up for sale.

*****Rand Paul was attacked by his neighbor as he mowed his lawn.

*****Ok.. I realize that shows like The View have to shift.. well I guess they do.. But I don’t get how they can talk about a shooting and then hey ”view your deal’. ��C’mon, it just seems so inappropriate to suddenly talk about spending $ on silly things. I always tune out when this shit happens.. can’t this shit be at the end of the show. No offense to those companies but I do not watch for that. .. But good for Sonny Hostin for going to Puerto Rico to tell their story.

*****Sad to see Dale Earnhardt Jr run his last race. Is Chase Elliott the next Mr. popular ?

*****An American woman, Shalane Flanagan won the New York marathon.

*****Manafort had 3 passports and we won’t get to the trial for he and Gates until May.

*****Charles Manson is dead. Writer Phil Luciano still has some letters from him that he does not know what to do with. They are now headed into the Lincoln library in Springfield, Il.** How did Charlie wrangle such good publicity from American Horror story? The timing as usual is impeccable. Charles (Manson) in charge?** The History channel seems to have some unheard recordings from Charlie that will air on December 3 as Manson Speaks.

*****Prince Salmon Mohamed is purging in Saudi Arabia. His crackdown has included about 500 other Princes who have been rounded up. He is consolidating power and getting rid of enemies. Just days before Jared Kushner went for a visit.  It seems like so many ego driven men in the world today are grabbing all the power they can.

*****Check out Jeff Ross roasts the border.

*****The recent elections went pretty well for the left including Bill DeBlasio. Congrats to all the newly elected including the first openly trans woman and an African American mayor in Montana. Nobody should get too cocky.

*****The VA says they won’t help the dishonorably discharged per the Trump team.  Hmm no help from VA, no universal health care.. I guess soldiers should suffer in silence, beat their families or become addicts.

*****Wow Darrell Hammond was awesome on a Criminal Minds that Aisha Tyler directed.** BTW Did ya see the episode where Mantagna utters the line, “I don’t like a the snakes.’? OMG

*****HBO is making a limited series about the Jonestown tragedy with Vince Gilligan and Octavia Spencer.

***** Watch for Peter Fonda in The Ballad of Lefty Brown coming out December 15.

***** So.. Tiny kitchens are a thing?

***** Pumpkin spice has reached its peak. Pumpkin out: Maple in.

*****Check out Sean Astin as Paul Manafort in Houseguest (on Colbert).

*****I thought my head was gonna explode when Bill Maher had Michael Moore, Donna Brazile, Chris Matthews and Sarah Silverman on the same episode.

*****So the People mag sexiest man is stupid anyway but Idris isn’t the man this year? WTF??

*****Jim and Andy: The story inside the story inside the story of Carrey playing Kaufman. This is a great piece of work.  Is it wrong to say how hot it is that Jim gets this look in his eye about Andy? Even though he is no longer inhabited by Kaufman, something seems to bubble inside him when he talks about the man.

*****On November 14th Bob Corker held hearings on executive authority to use nuke’s .

*****The Louis CK film I was looking forward to ‘I love you Daddy’ looks like a wash.

*****They say the Pres has no control over fuel prices but Trump in.. prices soaring.

*****Rwanda has offered to host African migrants stranded in Libya.

*****Why do people always say they did not think it would happen to them or their communities when shootings happen? How long does it take to sink in to Americans that mental illness and this obsession with weapons is everywhere?  I will agree with a couple of things that the NRA says like we need to enforce the rules in place better a that mental health is a big part of the problem. If mental health is the real issue then where is the universal health care we need to take care of this problem?

*****GQ has named Colin Kaepernick citizen of the year.

*****Just as I am posting this the Mike Flynn charges were announced. They broke into the news with this news. A real reporter must never get any sleep in these Trump times. Apparently he is pleading guilty and cooperating in the Russian investigation. Go Go GO DOJ!

*****Why is the last sketch on Saturday Night Live usually the best?

*****R.I.P. Dennis Banks, Liz Smith, Lil Peep, Malcolm Young, George Young, Brad Bufanda, victims of the Texas church shooting, Gloria Fallon, Roy Halladay, Robert Knight, Chuck Mosley, John Hillerman, Paul Buckmaster, Mel Tillis, Della Reese, David Cassidy, Earle Hyman, Joseph L. White, Jim Nabors and Rance Howard.

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