Taylor Swift and celebrity security measures, how awards show presenters are chosen, is physical media making a comeback, Victoria Beckham’s fashion brand, and fear as a public figure
Oh my goodness Lainey. Thank you so much for articulating your thoughts around fear like this. As someone who lives with chronic, daily anxiety (I’ve heard it hilariously described as “fear of everything and nothing”), I am so tired of the toxic positivity/wellness/optimization bullshit that makes us feel like we’re only worthy if we stand up to, face, and defeat our fears. Being too afraid to try stuff is sometimes just a reality and it can be so exhausting to feel like you’re constantly fighting through those emotions. Sometimes acceptance and being kind to yourself despite fear is the bravest thing you can manage. And that’s ok.
I completely agree - and would add that it’s proper to fear certain things. It’s a human emotion for a reason, and it gives us information! I’m currently facing something I’ve been scared of and had a lot of anxiety over (heck, I’m even on a good dose of medications for anxiety) and I was right to be afraid of it. Basically, bullshit from a toxic ex that I’ve had enough of and am finally taking him to court. I am well enough to handle it now but I really wouldn’t been for most of the last 7 years. It’s been such a good reminder to me about how “facing your fear” about going on a roller coaster vs other very weighty matters are 2 different things. And also not to give other ppl unsolicited advice such as “why don’t you do x or y. What’s the worst that could happen?”
I can't say anything better worded than Jen Ar's comment. We're all here in the Squawk because we love the LG Team's work - be it writing, interacting with us, live chats, all of it. The fact that you include us in any of this is more than we have a right to. Thank you for your work, for including us, and for continuing on even when that's a scary thing to do. Love to all of you!
Just wanted to say thank you, Sarah, for writing that piece, and thank you to LG for posting it. I'm a professor at a state school in Texas, and people have been fired and expelled left and right over the past week, so the fear is very real. But I don't want to comply in advance to fascism, either. Your courage sets a good example for all of us facing a government that is trying to quell free speech and dissent.
I've never posted but I'm a longtime lurker and just wanted to say that the whole LaineyGossip crew is amazing. My kids and husband in my house know exactly who I mean when I say "Lainey says x, y, or z," since I love so much of what I read on your site and your newsletter. (And "Lainey" here is really a reference to the site, not exclusively the person, since the whole crew is awesome.) We're all afraid these days -- I'm a professor too, and I see a bunch of us in these comments. But we're in it together!
Lainey and Sarah - thank you for being so forthcoming about the fear you're facing. It's so easy to say, "Resist!" or "feel fear and do it anyway", but when you are the person feeling it, nothing is easy. I really appreciated Sarah's piece - it was thoughtful and insightful. Thank you for hitting publish on it.
I love owning movies. I currently have 563 titles in my library, 295 of which are pre-1975.
Another consideration in this day and age is that physical media is static. Nobody is going to secretly edit my books or movies, whether via AI corruption, or censorship, or any other reason that the corporate overlords edit digital movies and books and throw them back online like nothing happened.
Yes! TV shows too! I've seen some edits on streaming and was like that is not how I remember it! Back to the old DVDs and I can find that confirmation. Some of the shows on streaming now are the syndicated edits and not the original. Also when the Internet goes out you can pop on some DVDs.
I loved this mailbag. And I’m gonna need to sit with what I just read for a little bit. But first, just wanna thank you all for what you do. I love this space you’ve created, and appreciate you all so much. ♥️
Sweetface was J-Lo’s idea of luxury! Remember the million dollar jeans? That only cost that much because the button was a diamond? There was an MTV special about the line’s first Fashion Week show, Anna Wintour attended, I wish the look on her face when J-Lo personally showed her the jeans existed in high def. J-Lo had to be talked down from having the models walk down a series of fire escapes to get to the runway. Best use of MTV’s reality glut ever, outside of the time Christina Aguilera joined the Pussycat Dolls and playfully whipped her little brother with a riding crop. Word is that at Victoria’s first show, which was a standing presentation of something like ten dresses on mannequins, not a runway show, the fashion cunts were openly snickering. I will always root for Posh, she tries so hard.
Thanks for answering, Lainey. I get it - my profile is much smaller as a professor, but I feel it too. Hopefully there is strength in our numbers and collective
Thank you Lainey and Sarah. Your insightful takes brought me to the site. Your excellent writing keeps me coming back. I understand the fear and I always remind myself that courage is contagious. We are not alone in our belief in democracy, freedom and a well written article.
She might have a point about directing vs writing, but there were lots of parts where the writing was ...suspect. They only found out about a fatal crash in this tiny town that killed a local months later on the news and THEN put it together?! Camaaaaan.
Thanks for answering my question. I had no idea that British press didn’t like Victoria. Why? Don’t they love the spice girls over there? It is more impressive to see how far Victoria has come, considering she did this independently.
Ahhh I had a crazy weekend so I didn’t see I got my question answered! Thank you Sarah and Lainey. I agree Sarah that physical media will never be what it was BUT it’s definitely sinking into the public that streaming isn’t always the way to go.
My Gen z niece was so excited when she heard I owned barefoot in the park and 3 days at the condor on dvd because that meant we didn’t need to rent them on streaming when we wanted to do a Robert Redford rewatch.
I empathize with your desire to protect yourselves and your loved ones “in these times”. I think we are seeing why so many people have shied away from taking a stand - however minor - at various inflection points in history. And as you articulate, in an era where both real world and online circumstances need to be considered, the fear and the threats multiply. Take care of yourselves first and offer what you can. You owe nothing more than you can carry ❤️
Thank you to the entire Lainey Gossip team for creating this amazing community. I am so grateful for the thoughtful commentary you produce on LG, and the continuing conversation here on The Squawk. Please continue to take care of yourselves!
Oh my goodness Lainey. Thank you so much for articulating your thoughts around fear like this. As someone who lives with chronic, daily anxiety (I’ve heard it hilariously described as “fear of everything and nothing”), I am so tired of the toxic positivity/wellness/optimization bullshit that makes us feel like we’re only worthy if we stand up to, face, and defeat our fears. Being too afraid to try stuff is sometimes just a reality and it can be so exhausting to feel like you’re constantly fighting through those emotions. Sometimes acceptance and being kind to yourself despite fear is the bravest thing you can manage. And that’s ok.
I completely agree - and would add that it’s proper to fear certain things. It’s a human emotion for a reason, and it gives us information! I’m currently facing something I’ve been scared of and had a lot of anxiety over (heck, I’m even on a good dose of medications for anxiety) and I was right to be afraid of it. Basically, bullshit from a toxic ex that I’ve had enough of and am finally taking him to court. I am well enough to handle it now but I really wouldn’t been for most of the last 7 years. It’s been such a good reminder to me about how “facing your fear” about going on a roller coaster vs other very weighty matters are 2 different things. And also not to give other ppl unsolicited advice such as “why don’t you do x or y. What’s the worst that could happen?”
I can't say anything better worded than Jen Ar's comment. We're all here in the Squawk because we love the LG Team's work - be it writing, interacting with us, live chats, all of it. The fact that you include us in any of this is more than we have a right to. Thank you for your work, for including us, and for continuing on even when that's a scary thing to do. Love to all of you!
Oh yeah, fo shiz, fo shiz!
Sorry, I mean, yes, I completely agree with all of the above!
Just wanted to say thank you, Sarah, for writing that piece, and thank you to LG for posting it. I'm a professor at a state school in Texas, and people have been fired and expelled left and right over the past week, so the fear is very real. But I don't want to comply in advance to fascism, either. Your courage sets a good example for all of us facing a government that is trying to quell free speech and dissent.
I've never posted but I'm a longtime lurker and just wanted to say that the whole LaineyGossip crew is amazing. My kids and husband in my house know exactly who I mean when I say "Lainey says x, y, or z," since I love so much of what I read on your site and your newsletter. (And "Lainey" here is really a reference to the site, not exclusively the person, since the whole crew is awesome.) We're all afraid these days -- I'm a professor too, and I see a bunch of us in these comments. But we're in it together!
Lainey and Sarah - thank you for being so forthcoming about the fear you're facing. It's so easy to say, "Resist!" or "feel fear and do it anyway", but when you are the person feeling it, nothing is easy. I really appreciated Sarah's piece - it was thoughtful and insightful. Thank you for hitting publish on it.
thank you all for what you do!
I love owning movies. I currently have 563 titles in my library, 295 of which are pre-1975.
Another consideration in this day and age is that physical media is static. Nobody is going to secretly edit my books or movies, whether via AI corruption, or censorship, or any other reason that the corporate overlords edit digital movies and books and throw them back online like nothing happened.
Yes! TV shows too! I've seen some edits on streaming and was like that is not how I remember it! Back to the old DVDs and I can find that confirmation. Some of the shows on streaming now are the syndicated edits and not the original. Also when the Internet goes out you can pop on some DVDs.
I loved this mailbag. And I’m gonna need to sit with what I just read for a little bit. But first, just wanna thank you all for what you do. I love this space you’ve created, and appreciate you all so much. ♥️
Sweetface was J-Lo’s idea of luxury! Remember the million dollar jeans? That only cost that much because the button was a diamond? There was an MTV special about the line’s first Fashion Week show, Anna Wintour attended, I wish the look on her face when J-Lo personally showed her the jeans existed in high def. J-Lo had to be talked down from having the models walk down a series of fire escapes to get to the runway. Best use of MTV’s reality glut ever, outside of the time Christina Aguilera joined the Pussycat Dolls and playfully whipped her little brother with a riding crop. Word is that at Victoria’s first show, which was a standing presentation of something like ten dresses on mannequins, not a runway show, the fashion cunts were openly snickering. I will always root for Posh, she tries so hard.
Thanks for answering, Lainey. I get it - my profile is much smaller as a professor, but I feel it too. Hopefully there is strength in our numbers and collective
Thank you Lainey and Sarah. Your insightful takes brought me to the site. Your excellent writing keeps me coming back. I understand the fear and I always remind myself that courage is contagious. We are not alone in our belief in democracy, freedom and a well written article.
Could not agree more! - ‘This I’m sure will get a reaction out of Jacek because he thought Juror No. 2 was the most artless film he’d ever seen, LOL’
She might have a point about directing vs writing, but there were lots of parts where the writing was ...suspect. They only found out about a fatal crash in this tiny town that killed a local months later on the news and THEN put it together?! Camaaaaan.
Thanks for answering my question. I had no idea that British press didn’t like Victoria. Why? Don’t they love the spice girls over there? It is more impressive to see how far Victoria has come, considering she did this independently.
Ahhh I had a crazy weekend so I didn’t see I got my question answered! Thank you Sarah and Lainey. I agree Sarah that physical media will never be what it was BUT it’s definitely sinking into the public that streaming isn’t always the way to go.
My Gen z niece was so excited when she heard I owned barefoot in the park and 3 days at the condor on dvd because that meant we didn’t need to rent them on streaming when we wanted to do a Robert Redford rewatch.
I empathize with your desire to protect yourselves and your loved ones “in these times”. I think we are seeing why so many people have shied away from taking a stand - however minor - at various inflection points in history. And as you articulate, in an era where both real world and online circumstances need to be considered, the fear and the threats multiply. Take care of yourselves first and offer what you can. You owe nothing more than you can carry ❤️
Thank you to the entire Lainey Gossip team for creating this amazing community. I am so grateful for the thoughtful commentary you produce on LG, and the continuing conversation here on The Squawk. Please continue to take care of yourselves!