RuPaul and love

I’m not sure we all realize what a national treasure RuPaul Charles is. I’ve been catching up on back seasons of “RuPaul’s Drag Race" and “Drag Race All-Stars.”

If you’re not familiar, here are a couple of clip reels.

Drag Race Moments That Left TheJudges Gagging

Snatch Game’s Most Unforgettable Moments

Yes it’s entertaining to watch the queens’ antics, to understand where so many catch phrases and memes got their starts (Pork Chop, Stacy Layne Matthews, Club 96 and Miss Vanjie, for starters).

But what I love most is Ru’s undeniable love for his girls, how he reminds them they’re family, gently probes the thorny, comforts the distraught and calls out the bullshit. At the end of each regular season there’s a moment at judging where he shows each finalist their childhood photo and asks, “what would you like to tell your younger self?” It’s an emotional moment and I sob through a lot of them, because many queens come to drag from difficult, sometimes dangerous lives.

It’s a question I ask myself sometimes and honestly, it’s too emotional right now for me to answer it.

I thank you RuPaul, for the entertainment, the flat-out cackle laughs, the glamour, the activism, the forgiveness and the positive messaging: everybody say love!

ms. marvel

Over the past couple weeks I binge watched "Ms. Marvel" on Disney. I won't link because I don't really care if the Mouse gets more clicks or not, but I have to say I truly enjoyed the series. The story dragged a bit during the family flashbacks and I realized I need to learn more about Partition. But I loved the characters including Kamala herself (adorable Canadian Iman Vellani), the animations, the style, the music, the deep dive into Pakistani culture, and also Kamala's brother played by Saagar Sheikh. 

I mentioned the show to friends on a Zoom call and they misunderstood thinking I said "Mrs. Maisel." Ugh. Please.

scam artists

Getting through bronchitis and whatever else has put reading on the back burner and trashy television front and center. I have no shame, there’s lots out there that’s frothy and delicious. Namely, devious white people taking rich people’s money, living a life of glamour and cachet, and finally getting caught.

First up, Inventing Anna. This is candy-colored fashion, cross-continental conniving, and a wonderfully told story. I loved every moment. Highlights are Laverne Cox as a celebrity trainer, Alexis Floyd as Neff, and Julia Garner’s mysterious accent.

  

I’ve also watched both of the Fyre Festival recaps on Hulu and Netflix and also the first Elizabeth Holmes tell-all, “The Inventor.”

And, apparently there’s more coming. More Holmes, plus a documentary about the vegan chef who ran away from NYC a few years ago. The grifts know no end. I’m sure there are anthropological findings in here but for now I’m just enjoying the stories.

 

what I'm watching fall 2021 edition

Documentaries continue to bring me so much joy. They can be the visual equivalent of a memoir, I think, in the sense of bringing order to real-life events. Here are a few I've watched recently.

"Found," about three young women adopted from China as babies. They find each other through 23andme, and eventually travel to China to meet a genealogy researcher and even a family who'd thought one of the girls was theirs. None of the three find their birth parents, and there's a kind of tacked-on scene at the end where a different girl does, but I don't think the movie needs it. There's already so much insight and feeling and beautiful warmth. Here's a review. I need to watch director Amanda Lipitz's earlier movie, "Step."

I also watched "Finding Kendrick Johnson." This was an infuriating one to watch. I remember reading about this story when the young man first died, and thinking how could this possibly be accidental? The filmmaker, Jason Pollock, smartly weaves this story into the broader history of racism and white supremacy in America, and the American South. And, the young man is still gone, and there are no real answers for this grieving family.

 

The last movie I want to mention is fiction (I think): "Carmen y Lola." I've been waiting to see this, since it first appeared on HBO but in Spanish only. Finally, English subtitles are available. It's not breaking a lot of new ground but the film is shot beautifully and lovingly and I enjoyed learning more about Roma culture.

this is we are

It's at 123, 000, 000 views and counting. I've seen it at least a half dozen times, once with the sound off. I've read opinion pieces and analysis, raves and rips. Childish Gambino's "This is America" is art, political commentary, opinion, a provocation, a brave, belligerent, intelligent poke at all of us smug assholes patting ourselves on the back for electing a black president and then acting like the sins of the past are over and forgiven.

bsp videos don't sleep on 'em