The hypocrisy of looking youthful, what's next for guys like Kimmel and Colbert once they’re done with late night, horny C dramas, and the side by side careers of Adria Arjona and Eiza Gonzalez
Re: “what does youthful mean to you”, I appreciate the thoughtful approach you’re taking to the issue, but why is being youthful the goal? I want to look good, not necessarily young. I want to feel good, which I often didn’t when I was young. I really appreciate the qualities that only came with age for me, like confidence and wisdom and self-love. I wish we could more easily tell what we want vs. what we’ve been trained or socialized to want by the patriarchy. I would love some reading recommendations if anyone can articulate that!
I really like this framing. Because yes we do associate glowing or smooth skin with youth, but that’s not the only association. We also have moisturized, hydrated, cared for, pampered, radiant, well rested…. There are a lot of ways to want your skin to look besides young.
I use to think that being youthful in spirit was enough for me but I'm turning 56 this year and I've been feeling the pull to do more skincare wise to bring my skin back to where it was years ago.
At the same time, I don't have a problem aging except for the bullshit menopause symptoms I've been having. Seriously why has my body betrayed me?
A big thanks to Lainey for answering my C drama question! I too don't want to think too much about how virgins are automatic superstars in bed. I will live in my world where everybody is hot and capable, thank you!
I'm reading a book right now called "We Breed Lions", which is all about the toxic masculinity pervasive in hockey culture, especially in the youth hockey leagues in Canada. It is pretty horrifying. I've been a long time reader of MM romances, and hockey ones in particular, even though I have never actually watched an entire hockey game all the way through. But I think what makes the hockey romances so enjoyable is because it's a way to rectify the toxic masculinity that exists in the actual sport and create a kinder, fairer, better environment for those players and undo some of the really terrible things that exist in the sport. I read a lot of sports romances and you're right, hockey is the most exciting to read about. There's something compelling about men racing around on ice with death blades on their feet.
It’s also TBH the fact that hockey players IRL are dull AF and have no personality - at least it’s drilled out of them. There’s a reason that “take it shift by shift” is a running joke, because they have nothing else to say. So as a writer, it’s fertile environment to give them personalities because you’re working essentially with a blank slate lol. Any other sport’s post-game interviews are more interesting than hockey, including CURLING, as we just evidenced in the Olympics. There could never be a hockey player past or present who could give an interview as compelling and interesting as Shae Gilgeous-Alexander or Eileen Gu. So, without a preexisting template, with these hockey athletes who are so fit and physically impressive but also personality deficient, the writer and the reader can fill all the empty space with their imaginations.
I have never deconstructed this before. I grew up in a sports obsessed family and worked for ESPN for a long time, and hockey wasn’t my jam, growing up in Chicago when the Blackhawks were terrible…until the games were cheap and fun to attend again in my 20’s (while I was getting my masters in sports marketing, attending with fellow classmates) and I realized, oooo boy these guys are fucking HOT!
Then they won the Stanley Cup and I got them on SportsCenter and hung out with them and it was even hotter. (Kane and Toews were so young and the others were in relationships and not cheating that night that I observed!)
But I think, baseball is boring (though it was MY sport, the men seem lazy like golfers). Basketball doesn’t seem as physical to me — like men on men? Football feels more barbarian and they have pads and helmets. Tennis? Yeah, no.
Hockey players have a cool vibe and DGAF. Beards. Growing up playing outdoors in the cold? It’s just very sexy.
I was very inspired by Cherry Jones on Hacks recently. I'm a terrible judge of age or who "looks good for their age" and what standard that is based on, but I did google to find out she is 69. Her hair is gray and her face is mobile and appears un-messed with and she just looked SO COOL on Hacks. Cool glasses, cool clothes, her character was still fully up for a good time...these are the types of aging examples I want to see in the media.
I’m here to shout out Seth Meyer’s work on Seth Meyer’s and the Lonely Island podcast! Those guys together are a blast to listen to and my millennial heart loves their frequent trip down memory lane discussing their digital shorts.
Came here to say this! Any SNL devotees will love this podcast, as you get the inside scoop behind Lonely Island digital shorts, celebrity guests, and the episodes of SNL when they aired. Also stellar voice notes from all manner of comedians, actors, writers, and directors. And fellow SNL past performers galore! #QUAID ARMY
I'm curious - being a 55-year old oldie (with no strong skincare routine except for sunscreen all the time, every day, + gentle products - hub and friends all tell me I'm aging gracefully and well), I don't watch a lot of late night. I never really liked Fallon, but I can't put my finger on why. So spill - what makes him a cockroach?
Primarily for what went down with the Tonight Show and Conan O'Brien, and also now, all these years later, Jimmy F is the worst interviewer who forces guests to enable his drinking problem and yet he coasts on goodwill bought by other hosts like Conan and Dave Letterman.
I second this question! I used to really like him in the early days, though I only ever watched highlights, never the actual full show. Admittedly I don’t want any late night shows but I don’t know why we don’t like Fallon either?
Hate to admit that I haven’t thought much about either actress, but having seen them each in two films, I thought Adria Arjona and Eiza Gonzalez were the same person—both great actresses but they look A LOT alike and did not totally recognize that they were different. 😬
You know, have cockroaches been studied for their resilience? Is that the fountain of youth? I also enjoy people thinking I'm younger than I am (shout out to the maternal genes) and buy serums all the time, never the same ones for no reason. I don't like the signs of aging but I also don't like maintenance, I do faithfully apply sunscreen (recently, sorry unmelanated skin) and I mash up all my serums and put them on in one step. E for effort is the regimen. I do hope good things for Strike Force Four. I love K dramas but haven't been watching lately as the struggle with paying attention has been a real battle. Sure hope we never start researching women's health. It's natural!
Gen X here whose sole skincare routine until the age of 52 was Sea Breeze every night. Now I'm desperately trying to reverse engineer what I should have been doing since my twenties! Ugh. I'm using NYT Wirecutter recommendations (vetted by my dermatologist) for retinol and moisturizer, I get Botox in my forehead to help with elevens, and I stay out of the sun. Growing up in Alaska helped with that last part. I do look younger than my age and inherited great skin from both my parents, so genetics definitely played a role in my case. Still miss the Sea Breeze fragrance and the satisfying feeling of looking at the cotton ball with all the grime from my face after a Sea Breeze cleaning.
Re: “what does youthful mean to you”, I appreciate the thoughtful approach you’re taking to the issue, but why is being youthful the goal? I want to look good, not necessarily young. I want to feel good, which I often didn’t when I was young. I really appreciate the qualities that only came with age for me, like confidence and wisdom and self-love. I wish we could more easily tell what we want vs. what we’ve been trained or socialized to want by the patriarchy. I would love some reading recommendations if anyone can articulate that!
I really like this framing. Because yes we do associate glowing or smooth skin with youth, but that’s not the only association. We also have moisturized, hydrated, cared for, pampered, radiant, well rested…. There are a lot of ways to want your skin to look besides young.
I use to think that being youthful in spirit was enough for me but I'm turning 56 this year and I've been feeling the pull to do more skincare wise to bring my skin back to where it was years ago.
At the same time, I don't have a problem aging except for the bullshit menopause symptoms I've been having. Seriously why has my body betrayed me?
A big thanks to Lainey for answering my C drama question! I too don't want to think too much about how virgins are automatic superstars in bed. I will live in my world where everybody is hot and capable, thank you!
Sarah: I’m interested in the question you posed about why is hockey the go the for romance series. My husband and I have come up with a few theories:
Youth - hockey players tend to be younger than other pro athletes
Violence - sadly some people may get turned on the fights and very physical nature of the sport
Racism - hockey is ummm really white
My personal favourite- skating is such a beautiful thing to watch and when you do it well, oh boy, very sexy
I'm reading a book right now called "We Breed Lions", which is all about the toxic masculinity pervasive in hockey culture, especially in the youth hockey leagues in Canada. It is pretty horrifying. I've been a long time reader of MM romances, and hockey ones in particular, even though I have never actually watched an entire hockey game all the way through. But I think what makes the hockey romances so enjoyable is because it's a way to rectify the toxic masculinity that exists in the actual sport and create a kinder, fairer, better environment for those players and undo some of the really terrible things that exist in the sport. I read a lot of sports romances and you're right, hockey is the most exciting to read about. There's something compelling about men racing around on ice with death blades on their feet.
It’s also TBH the fact that hockey players IRL are dull AF and have no personality - at least it’s drilled out of them. There’s a reason that “take it shift by shift” is a running joke, because they have nothing else to say. So as a writer, it’s fertile environment to give them personalities because you’re working essentially with a blank slate lol. Any other sport’s post-game interviews are more interesting than hockey, including CURLING, as we just evidenced in the Olympics. There could never be a hockey player past or present who could give an interview as compelling and interesting as Shae Gilgeous-Alexander or Eileen Gu. So, without a preexisting template, with these hockey athletes who are so fit and physically impressive but also personality deficient, the writer and the reader can fill all the empty space with their imaginations.
I have never deconstructed this before. I grew up in a sports obsessed family and worked for ESPN for a long time, and hockey wasn’t my jam, growing up in Chicago when the Blackhawks were terrible…until the games were cheap and fun to attend again in my 20’s (while I was getting my masters in sports marketing, attending with fellow classmates) and I realized, oooo boy these guys are fucking HOT!
Then they won the Stanley Cup and I got them on SportsCenter and hung out with them and it was even hotter. (Kane and Toews were so young and the others were in relationships and not cheating that night that I observed!)
But I think, baseball is boring (though it was MY sport, the men seem lazy like golfers). Basketball doesn’t seem as physical to me — like men on men? Football feels more barbarian and they have pads and helmets. Tennis? Yeah, no.
Hockey players have a cool vibe and DGAF. Beards. Growing up playing outdoors in the cold? It’s just very sexy.
I was very inspired by Cherry Jones on Hacks recently. I'm a terrible judge of age or who "looks good for their age" and what standard that is based on, but I did google to find out she is 69. Her hair is gray and her face is mobile and appears un-messed with and she just looked SO COOL on Hacks. Cool glasses, cool clothes, her character was still fully up for a good time...these are the types of aging examples I want to see in the media.
Cherry Jones is awesome. Cool and great actress. If I look like her in 20 years, I would be happy with that result.
I’m here to shout out Seth Meyer’s work on Seth Meyer’s and the Lonely Island podcast! Those guys together are a blast to listen to and my millennial heart loves their frequent trip down memory lane discussing their digital shorts.
Came here to say this! Any SNL devotees will love this podcast, as you get the inside scoop behind Lonely Island digital shorts, celebrity guests, and the episodes of SNL when they aired. Also stellar voice notes from all manner of comedians, actors, writers, and directors. And fellow SNL past performers galore! #QUAID ARMY
I'm curious - being a 55-year old oldie (with no strong skincare routine except for sunscreen all the time, every day, + gentle products - hub and friends all tell me I'm aging gracefully and well), I don't watch a lot of late night. I never really liked Fallon, but I can't put my finger on why. So spill - what makes him a cockroach?
Primarily for what went down with the Tonight Show and Conan O'Brien, and also now, all these years later, Jimmy F is the worst interviewer who forces guests to enable his drinking problem and yet he coasts on goodwill bought by other hosts like Conan and Dave Letterman.
I second this question! I used to really like him in the early days, though I only ever watched highlights, never the actual full show. Admittedly I don’t want any late night shows but I don’t know why we don’t like Fallon either?
I only knew of Arjona because she was/is dating Jason Momoa. If that didn’t happen, I would’ve died believing they are the same person.
Also umm Sarah watching GRWM makeup tutorials was not on my bingo card.
Hate to admit that I haven’t thought much about either actress, but having seen them each in two films, I thought Adria Arjona and Eiza Gonzalez were the same person—both great actresses but they look A LOT alike and did not totally recognize that they were different. 😬
I have no idea who Eiza Gonzalez is but Adria Arjona was in Andor, wouldn’t that boost her a bit?
It SHOULD have but actual viewership of Andor was disappointingly low.
You know, have cockroaches been studied for their resilience? Is that the fountain of youth? I also enjoy people thinking I'm younger than I am (shout out to the maternal genes) and buy serums all the time, never the same ones for no reason. I don't like the signs of aging but I also don't like maintenance, I do faithfully apply sunscreen (recently, sorry unmelanated skin) and I mash up all my serums and put them on in one step. E for effort is the regimen. I do hope good things for Strike Force Four. I love K dramas but haven't been watching lately as the struggle with paying attention has been a real battle. Sure hope we never start researching women's health. It's natural!
Gen X here whose sole skincare routine until the age of 52 was Sea Breeze every night. Now I'm desperately trying to reverse engineer what I should have been doing since my twenties! Ugh. I'm using NYT Wirecutter recommendations (vetted by my dermatologist) for retinol and moisturizer, I get Botox in my forehead to help with elevens, and I stay out of the sun. Growing up in Alaska helped with that last part. I do look younger than my age and inherited great skin from both my parents, so genetics definitely played a role in my case. Still miss the Sea Breeze fragrance and the satisfying feeling of looking at the cotton ball with all the grime from my face after a Sea Breeze cleaning.