Stop Being January
The Friday Post.
I am never one to shy away from a controversial idea. I will not be silenced, the magnificent capacity of my imagination cannot be contained. I had a migraine this afternoon — a sign from the universe that I ignored. I’m sharing something with you today that I cannot keep silent about any longer: It should simply stop being January. This must all end.
You’d be hard-pressed to find something that hasn’t happened this month. The weapons formed against us all have been prospering all the time. Barack and Michelle Obama are facing divorce rumors that I believe. Justin and Hailey Bieber are facing divorce rumors that I don’t believe. There’s a Bruno Mars-Sexyy Red collab out now that makes me sex-negative. (And I’m a “Die With A Smile” defender!) People are revealing themselves every day to have been following the official president, vice president, and first lady accounts on Instagram — embarrassing, I wouldn’t admit it even if I had to fight to wrap my arms around one of those big poles in a Survivor competition! And, oh God, obviously: The presidential inauguration, and Kim Kardashian posting Melania Trump in that old Michael Jackson hat.
January has been long enough for TikTok to be banned, for a dozen influencers to post their crash out confessionals, and then for TikTok to resume operations. January has been long enough for another Drake lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s Drake disses. (Importantly: Drake is suing the artists shared label, UMG, not Kendrick himself). January has been long enough for the revelation of one of Harry and Meghan’s discarded podcast projects, where Harry would interview famous sociopaths like Donald Trump and Mark Zuckerberg: “To implore a season’s worth of world-famous sociopaths to talk about how they developed sociopathy,” says Vanity Fair in the cover story, “would be what isreferred to in access journalism as ‘a booking challenge.’”
What else? The Golden Globes feel like a year ago. I can’t believe I haven’t had a chance to see One of Them Days yet. There’s an ear infection that has been running through my milieu like the tomb raider. Timothée Chalamet is hosting SNL tomorrow night — Club Chalamet will definitely be watching, and maybe I will too.
Enough with January! Shut it down, end it now. One whole month of feeling like you got up from your seat too early, or you forgot a key detail of your friend’s lore years into the friendship when it’d be weird to ask if she’s talking about her older sister or her younger sister. January is a month of Mondays. We cannot let it go on any longer.
What the Paid List Got This Week
The director RaMell Ross on adapting Nickel Boys, which is now nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. “The films that I like to try to make are films in which I'm learning something from the process of the final piece, where you’re learning by making, you’re not executing a concept. It’s not conceptual art. It’s something else. And so the film is supposed to feel like it’s evolving in front of your eyes. In the same way that our lives and the world just kind of emerge constantly in front of us, and wherever we turn, we’re just making sense of it. But yet all the images are different, but they’re all connected. How do you do that inside someone else’s narrative in film form? How do you give film consciousness?”
And thoughts on yesterday’s Oscar nominations. Ariana Grande’s non-eyebrows were nominated; Challengers’ script was not. I was genuinely shocked by noms for The Apprentice, The Substance getting in for its screenplay, and A Complete Unknown making it into Supporting Actress. Saddest for Hard Truths; Babygirl and Maria always seemed like a longshot.
There’s also a good discussion in the comments about The Brutalist’s controversial use of AI.
And on the Substack app: Chats about the latest episodes of Severance and The Traitors US.
I feel like I’m doing school announcements over the PA system right now … but a few things to note! I’m introducing a screening of Mississippi Masala at Nitehawk Prospect Park on 2/25 with Mark Pagán. Are you listening to HBO’s official White Lotus companion podcast? You’ll hear me on episode two.
And lastly, I’ll be at On Air Fest recording a live episode of Lemme Say This with Peyton. You can buy tickets 40% off here with the code LEMME40.
More more more
Blake Lively sued Justin Baldoni, his studio, and his PR team on New Year's Eve, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. That same day, Justin Baldoni responded by suing the The New York Times, which reported on Lively’s allegations. January has seen the dispute become even more contentious, with leaked dailies, a new lawsuit, and a requested gag order.
Performing at the Grammys: Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, Doechii, and more. (Variety) I have only asked one thing from the Grammys this year and these are nice selects but not my request…
Sorry that I want to hear Jeremy Strong’s acceptance speech if his nominee react statement is this good!! “Today’s nomination is, without overstatement, a realization of a lifelong dream. I remember spending the night on cold metal bleachers outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in 1993 with my father to watch the actors and actresses arrive at the 65th Academy Awards. I remember being unable to sleep because of how exciting it was to be close to that world. I have not lost that feeling of excitement; I feel it every time I go to set or drive onto a lot or begin rehearsals. I have devoted my life to the attempt to do genuine work that would be worthy of this honor. I am filled with amazement and flooded with emotion and with deep gratitude to my peers in the Academy.” (Deadline)
“All you had to do is say Justin Bieber!” Finally a good episode of Hot Ones lmao. (Twitter)
Kevin Costner used his 70th birthday message to memorialize Whitney Houston. Now I know that’s right. (Variety) It must’ve been so crazy to argue with Whitney because she’d sing even a few words of anything and I’d be transfixed (This)
My opinion on the Barack Obama and Jennifer Aniston rumors has not changed. (The Cut)
"it's been january for months in both directions" -kaveh akbar
No because I NEED to hear Jeremy’s acceptance speech.