Outrage! Scandal! It feels like a part of our nature to be drawn to these emotions, and I have often wondered how guilty I ought to feel for being so enraptured by other people’s business. There’s an argument to be made for the virtues of gossip; sharing information with others makes me feel closer to them, like we’re both a part of something. The content of gossip allures me as well, like my conversation partner and I are momentary anthropologists, parsing through the evidence, analyzing what the information may suggest about the subjects. Both in its exchange between myself and another and our inevitable discussion of others, gossip makes me feel less lonely and more human.
But then of course there are the drawbacks, particularly when we broaden our scale. Gossip fuels the mob mentality that makes us leave critical thought at the door for a quick emotional high at another’s expense. It leads us to putting celebrities on pedestals only to ruthlessly tear them off again (ahem, #FreeBritney). There’s an inevitable tie between art and gossip, something that the writers here on the Arts section are intimately familiar with. As they open their books, enter theaters and attend concerts, they are well aware of the mutable, often reactive culture surrounding the art they consume. I challenged the Arts writers to reflect on how art interprets gossip and how gossip shapes our interpretation of art. The result? A scandalous, titillating exploration of all the art-related things that makes our jaws drop and eyebrows raise — along with answers to the pressing question of why we do it. Enjoy yourself, and don’t forget to tell a friend.
XOXO,
Senior Arts Editor Sarah Rahman can be reached at srah@umich.edu.
‘Bodies Bodies Bodies,’ internet gossip and pseudo-intellectual arts criticism by Daily Arts Writer Serena Irani
“ur review was great, maybe if you had \\ gotten ur eyes off my tits you could’ve \\ watched the movie!”
Three lines, 19 words. Poetry, in arguably its finest 21st-century form: Instagram DM. Amandla Stenberg could’ve written Hamlet, but Shakespeare certainly could not have written this. Just a syllable or two short of a haiku, but with clear intention embedded within the distinct stanzas — the innocent opening; the shocking, abrupt twist in line two; the closing sentiment that kills me every time. As a film critic, maybe if she had in fact “watched the movie,” none of this would’ve happened. The real kicker is that she knew exactly how this would play out — she just didn’t know it would backfire quite so gloriously.
Read more here.
The DeuxMoi effect by Daily Arts Contributor Carly Brechner
Meet DeuxMoi: the self-proclaimed “curators of pop culture” and the tabloid magazine’s replacement. If you haven’t heard of it, DeuxMoi is an Instagram account known for spilling all the stars’ hottest tea. The account’s owners are still anonymous yet rumored to be fashion designer Meggie Kempner and socialite granddaughter Melissa Lovallo. No matter their identity, they have become a trustworthy source for any and all celebrity gossip with over one million followers.
Read more here.
Desensitization, entertainment and the role of ‘Normal Gossip’ by Senior Arts Editor Erin Evans
Inconsequential, potentially made-up gossip from strangers is my preferred entertainment.
In the two days after I discovered the “Normal Gossip” podcast, I listened to 18 episodes (all that was available at the time). I listened while driving. I downloaded episodes to listen to at work. It even replaced my running music. It remains the only podcast for which I have paid a subscription. I needed the bonus episodes that subscribers — called “friends” or “friends of friends” — have access to.
Read more here.
Let’s talk about excessive nudity in television by Managing Arts Editor Lillian Pearce
This time last year, the Internet was preparing itself for the long-awaited sophomore season of “Euphoria.” Season two dropped in January 2022 after complications from the pandemic left viewers waiting three years since the release of the first season. While there was speculation and excitement about what the second season would entail, no one was ready for the ruthless amount of unnecessary nudity that stained our screens.
Read more here.
Dear bigots: Read a damn book by Daily Arts Writer Tate LaFrenier
If you haven’t heard, some people (conservatives) are upset that people of Color have been cast in Amazon’s new series, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” The series is a prequel to “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, which was adapted in the early 2000s into an award winning film series by Peter Jackson. Now, the new series is being criticized by some on the right for being “too woke.”
Read more here.
Warner Bros. Discovery maniacally slashes all programming until only a naked Matt Smith remains by Daily Arts Writer Elizabeth Yoon
On April 8, 2022, 153 days before the British Queen Regnant Elizabeth II’s death, AT&T’s WarnerMedia and Discovery combined and became Warner Bros. Discovery. As a consequence of the merger, Warner Bros. Discovery arranged a marriage between its streaming counterparts HBO Max — the illustrious home of Matt Smith’s rear filmed in cinematic 2:1 aspect ratio — and Discovery Plus, a ruthless unscripted cable TV swamp. However, the company shake-up has been dogged by controversy, internal leaks and disappointing cancellations. In an absurdly short period of time, the media company cornered its contracted artists into considering pirating their own work and became the latest battleground in a larger conversation regarding artists, ownership of art and corporatism.
No, all is not well with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Read more here.