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Wells Rules 🍸
Season 10 of Vanderpump Rules premiered on Wednesday and since I’m a huge fan of this juicy, entertaining reality show, I’ve decided to finally showcase my talent on camera. Blake Horstmann basically invented this type of video recap, expanding to what we now call vlogging. He’d provide witty, funny and hilarious dialogue during seasons of The Bachelor | The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, after his own time on the popular franchise. Blake posted videos (stories) of episodes on his Instagram, while also providing clever commentary throughout his discussions. It was the greatest thing and totally up my alley, so as an avid writer and pop culture fanatic, I believe it’s time for Michael Wells Jenney to raise his glass high, make a toast and vlog about the fabulous Vanderpump Rules.
For those of you not familiar with Vanderpump Rules, it follows a close knit crew of SURvers, bartenders and bar owners, as they navigate through the hustle and bustle of LA. Mental health, addiction, recovery, breakups, scandals and the up’s | downs that we all face in life are respectfully illustrated throughout the series. Pump has become an extremely relatable show and definitely has shed some light on many hush hush, taboo topics. It has become a pop culture phenomenon that has people from around the world flocking to Vanderpump Land. Lisa Vanderpump, fan favorite from The Real Housewives Beverly Hills, plays the strict, but helpful boss providing the crew with life lessons and motherly advice. Oh, and she owns all the restaurants showcased on the show.
Lala Kent, Scheana, James Kennedy, Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz, Ariana Madix, Raquel Leviss and Katie Maloney rule the screen and it’s incredibly inspiring to see their dreams come to life. Their dramatic romantic | platonic relationships and the who’s who of West Hollywood are all perfectly captured on the hit show.
Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute and Katie Maloney, also known as The Witches of WeHo, are the OG badasses that made this show what it is today. It became an instant success when it first premiered in 2013 and this trio had me dying laughing every week. While Stassi and Kristen are no longer a part of the Vandercrew, they’ll always be the reason I became so involved with Vanderpump Rules. These ladies helped me to escape from tough times I endured over the past ten years.
People have told me to take this writing | blogging talent I’ve created over the past year and do some vlogging. With their advice and just a little hunch I have, I’ll post these reviews on my Instagram every Thursday night, hoping to find an audience. As some people don’t have cable and stream most everything virtually, I will post my videos when it’s available to stream on Peacock (Thursday’s). Vanderpump Rules first airs on Bravo TV, on Wednesday nights at 9/8c.
My first review of Season 10 Vanderpump Rules, episode one, airs this weekend on my Instagram. After that, it will be Thursday nights.
Instagram: michael_jenney
Season 10 Cast | @Deadline -
Placing Bets: My Prediction of Rihanna’s Setlist at Super Bowl LVII
When Rihanna announced she would be performing at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, fans and music lovers across the world were ecstatic. Even hardcore sports guys, who could care less about halftime entertainment, are just as eager to see what she will do on February 12th. It’s been seven years since she released an album (the critically acclaimed, Anti) and five years since Rihanna performed in public. She was alongside DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller performing Wild Thoughts at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
What sets Rihannna apart from the Britney’s, Gaga’s and Taylor’s of the female dominated music industry, is her unique style and consistent ability to reinvent the way Pop | R&B music should sound. Not only does she run a multibillion-dollar empire, Fenty Beauty, but Rihanna also continues to evolve as an entertainer and has become one of the best-selling artists of our generation.
With an impressive career combined with her absence from the music industry in quite some time, people are amped to see what Rihanna has up her sleeve. While her single Pon de Replay put her on the map in 2005, it was 2007’s super smash single Umbrella, that made Rihanna a global sensation. Also featuring Jay-Z, Umbrella won the award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2008 Grammys and is listed as No. 332 in Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
Instead of taking bets on either Eagles | Chiefs or playing squares at this years Super Bowl, I’m going to predict Rihanna’s setlist in what has become the most anticipated halftime show of the past decade, if not of all time.
From her 2012 album, Unapologetic, Ri Ri exudes bitchin’ confidence and baller status on opening song Phresh out the Runway, so it would be dope and fitting to start the show with this highly energetic track. Ri also opened the 2012 Victoria Secret Show with the explicit banger and had the audience vibing; just watch and see for yourself.
After opening with Phresh out the Runway, she’ll need to perform some of her chart-topping, hit singles. Songs that every person in the world has probably heard at some point in their lives. Those would be Pon de Replay, SOS, Don’t Stop the Music, Shut Up and Drive, Rude Boy and Hard (feat. Jeezy). With only a limited amount of stage time, I bet she’ll take some of her best work mixed with songs that we’re also popular during her reign.
After Rihanna’s Good Girl Gone Bad and Rated R eras, she’ll need to own her unbelievable talent and bust out with Only Girl (In the World), What’s My Name? (feat. Drake) and S&M. These smash hits were on her multi-Grammy nominated album, Loud, and have become some of her most recognized singles throughout her career. The album was also praised by critics and her peers in the music industry. Only Girl (In the World) won the trophy for Best Dance Recording at the 2011 Grammy Awards and was even nominated for Album of the Year at the 2012 Grammys, but lost to Adele.
After her success from Loud, Rihanna released another album almost immediately, Talk That Talk, in 2011. She experienced with EDM sounds for the first time, collaborating with Calvin Harris on the album. We Found Love, the lead single from Talk That Talk, exploded onto the club scene with DJ’s all across the world playing | promoting the song. She should play We Found Love along with Where Have You Been and Cockiness (Love It) from this album.
Ri Ri could play Diamonds, the lead single from her Unapologetic album, if she decides to do a mellow song and take a breather from all the dancing she’ll be doing. After she slows things down, she’ll definitely play Work (feat. Drake) from her most recent album, Anti. Work was one of the most downloaded and played songs of 2016. It’s my least favorite single from Rihanna, but it seemed to capture the attention from fans around the world.
The finale should be Rihanna’s most popular, recognizable and award winning song, Umbrella. Will Jay-Z join her? Could Britney Spears surprise us on S&M or what about Eminem on their ridiculously popular love anthem, Love the Way You Lie? Either way, this Sunday’s game and Rihanna’s halftime performance will produce some of the highest ratings in years and will be talked about for weeks. Fly Ri Ri Fly 🦅
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The Best Moments In Pop Culture Of 2022
2022 exploded with new music, great television shows and some of the best pop culture moments in quite some time. This was the year the threat of the pandemic was at its lowest. Unfortunately, the devastating virus took the lives of millions and wreaked havoc on our lives. It also took a toll on our physical and mental health, making it difficult for people to continue working, run businesses and take care of their overall well-being.
This year people were back in the office, demand for jobs was | is at an all-time high, the death toll significantly decreased and the entertainment industry was back in full swing. This meant more live shows, a ton of movies to see on the big screen and opportunities for celebrities and public figures to shine again. Take a peek below to read some of the biggest and most talked about pop culture stories of the year.
Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise returns as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, more than thirty years after graduating Top Gun. He is sent to train an elite group of Top Gun graduates as they anticipate embarking on a huge mission. Not only did the movie prove that Tom Cruise is still an excellent actor, but that a sequel made thirty years after the original, was even better than the first. It was a huge box-office success, too raking in 1.488 billion dollars worldwide, making it the highest grossing movie of 2022. Usually, movies that achieve that level of success or close to it, aren’t really favored by critics or even considered a good movie. Top Gun: Maverick is better than good, it’s magnificent. The film is nominated for Best Picture at the 2023 Golden Globes Awards and I wouldn’t be surprised if it snagged a Best Picture nomination at the 2023 Academy Awards as well. Congrats to everyone behind this breathtaking achievement in cinema, making it one of the most talked about topics of the year and a milestone in pop culture history.
Colorado Avalanche | 2022 Stanley Cup Champions
The 2021-2022 season for the Colorado Avalanche was nothing short of amazing for the hockey franchise. They played such great hockey throughout the season and fought tooth and nail to get to the finals. They had not won a title since 2001, so when winning the Stanley Cup on June 26th, 2022, it was a huge win for Colorado and hockey fans across the world. It was the most watched series in years and showcased strong talent from the guys on both teams, especially Cale Makar of the AVS. Beating the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had just won the coveted title the year before, shocked the nation and made the Colorado Avalanche the most talked about sports team in the world.
Will Smith | 2022 Oscars
It was the slap heard from the across the nation. Chris Rock, who hosted the 2022 Academy Awards, poked fun at Jada Pinkett’s appearance during the ceremony. He joked about her shaved head, comparing her to G.I. Jane, the movie Demi Moore starred in with a shaved head as well. Not only did husband Will Smith come to Jada’s defense in a screaming match, Will charged the stage and slapped Chris in the face. People were flooding social media outlets with their take on the incident and news channels were covering it for weeks after the altercation went down. “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth,” is still cemented in our minds, thus making it one of the most unbelievable and jaw-dropping events of the year.
Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard
The trial was watched almost as much as the OJ trial back in 1995. People were glued to their screens watching the drama play out and commenting their thoughts all over the Internet. Did he or didn’t he were just a few of the world’s thoughts on Johnny Depp abusing Amber Heard. What was so astonishing, is the majority of us, including myself, saw right through Amber’s bullshit. Each day the trial continued, she embarrassed herself more and more, making her look like a lying, crazy lunatic. Her acting skills were terrible; she couldn’t even make believe that what she said Johnny did to her, actually happened. It became so cringy that it felt like the world was watching a bad lifetime movie play out, but was also something you couldn’t take your eyes off of. What started as a woman crying for help legit exposed Amber Heard to really only crying wolf. This made her so diluted and out of touch with reality, that we began to feel for her obvious, ballistic mental health meltdown.
Britney Spears | Naked Instagram
It’s safe to say that Britney is not ashamed of showing the world her naked body. We knew this though; she was the queen of scandalous videos and magazine covers that had people questioning her morals back in the early 2000’s. This year, however, Brit was plastering her boobies and ass on Instagram on an almost daily basis. Accompanied with bizarre dance videos and poses with a dead look in her eyes, Britney was the talk of fans, critics, family and friends alike. People are now speculating that she’s being held hostage, she’s dead or that what we see online is a clone of her, not really the Britney Spears we all know. Some say her mental health is worse than ever, more so than when she was under the controversial conservatorship placed by her father, Jamie Spears, in 2007. Famous blogger Perez Hilton says he knows what’s going on and that he can’t come out with it. He also stated that if and when Britney exposes the truth, that the entire world will be shocked and hurt. Believe what you want, but Britney Spears definitely had people gabbing about her all year long with supporters still showing their concern for her today.
Adam Levine Sex Scandal
Adam Levine has always been known for his flirtatious and sexually aggressive behavior, but when Instagram “influencer” Sumner Stroh came out with direct messages from Adam to her, the world lost it. Sumner exposed him by releasing screenshots of the exchanges with the Maroon Five hunk, where Adam comments on her beauty, alludes to wanting an affair and even sinks so low as to ask Sumner that when Adam and his wife have their next baby, that he can name him Sumner, if the baby was a boy. It’s a pretty wild thing to say to someone when you’re married with a family, so on que, the media and social channels went berserk with opinions of the drama surrounding both Adam and Sumner. Then, more women came out with the same allegations that Sumner made so public. Who was to blame stumped the nation and was discussed for weeks.
Queen Elizabeth II Dies
Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8th, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Ballater, Scotland. With the cause of death listed as old age, the entire world mourned the late Queen, who reigned supreme for seventy years. She accomplished such great things during her lifetime and was a fierce leader that people followed for decades. The impact she made on the world made her passing not only one of the most talked about events of 2022, but also a historic moment for our generation and generations to come.
Jenna Ortega | Scream Queen
Jenna Ortega had the best year in television and movies than any other actor this year. She has proven to be this generations Scream Queen, giving Drew Barrymore and even Jamie Lee Curtis a run for their money. Jenna starred in X, a Ti West film about pornography and murder in 1979 rural Texas and revived the Scream franchise with a frightening performance in Scream (2022). Finally, she plays Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series, Wednesday. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination and the series is the second most watched show on Netflix, currently. Her scary portrayal as Tara in the coveted opening scene in Scream (2022) and her ability to make the audience feel the pain Jenna’s in during traumatic scenes of the movie, give her the appropriate title of a true Scream Queen and someone who has a bright, successful career ahead of her.
Harry Styles
2022 was definitely the year of Harry Styles. With an album that produced many hit singles (good ones, too), a starring role in one of the most talked about movies of the year (Don’t Worry Darling) and millions of people flocking to stadiums to see him live, it seemed as though the man could do no wrong. Most solo artists that come from a band don’t have nearly the amount of success that Harry has endured, especially this year. Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson both started in a band and have been the only two artists to obtain stardom greater than when they were in a group. Harry Styles has taken the world by storm, demonstrating an array of talents while achieving Justin and Michael’s level of success. Women and men are completely infatuated with the icon and it’s easy to see why.
What were your favorite moments in pop culture this year? Should the Dahmer series on Netflix have been included? What about Elon Musk buying Twitter? As the year comes to an end, I think most people can agree 2022 was one for the books and that 2023 will be even better.
Harry Styles | Vogue -
Aubrey O’ Day on “soulmate” Donald Trump Jr. & Diddy Issues
Aubrey O’Day is an American singer and reality television personality, best known for being the lead member of the mega-successful girl group, Danity Kane. Aubrey sat down with Alexandra Cooper, host of the popular podcast Call Her Daddy last week and revealed some interesting stories from her MTV | Diddy days and a hush hush relationship with Donald Trump, Jr.
Aubrey always knew she wanted to perform, dance, sing and just be on stage to entertain people, but she never actively pursued that dream growing up. She actually had plans to become a lawyer, pass the bar and settle for that 9-5 life. As Aubrey was preparing herself for law school, her mother said that Diddy was looking for a new, hot girl group and was holding auditions in L.A. That was it. Aubrey O’Day was born.
In 2005, girls from across the country flocked to Los Angeles to audition for MTV’s third season of Making the Band. Aubrey was one of those girls. To be honest, Aubrey was that girl; she exuded confidence, beauty and also had a stellar voice making her an immediate sensation and global phenomenon. She was the perfect blend of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, with a cherry on top.
We have to give major credit to her mom for telling Aubrey about the amazing opportunity to audition and also to her boyfriend at the time, for driving her to Hollywood to try out for the extremely popular reality show. Aubrey left home and never looked back.
Fortunately, Diddy was looking for girls that sounded like Christina Aguilera and looked like Britney Spears. While Aubrey obviously had the look, talent and confidence to boot, she told Father Cooper (Alexandra | Call Her Daddy), that she didn’t see herself as a sex siren, or the “hot one.” She didn’t lose her virginity until well after high school, was pretty private in her personal life and dressed more conservatively as a young girl. It was pretty shocking to Aubrey that she was labeled as the sexy one from Danity Kane, as she didn’t think of herself like that. I mean, is that the total truth Aubs? You had to know how stunning and talented you are.
Aubrey shared that when she arrived at the theatre in Los Angeles to audition for Diddy, girls were lined up, wrapped around the building. She thought to herself, there’s no way I can compete with these bad ass chicks. Aubrey didn’t have very much experience in the biz, and she closely observed how on point and disciplined her competitors were. Feeling unprepared, Aubrey had a minor freak out and hesitated for a minute as to whether this was her calling or not. As she stood waiting in line watching these talented girls get ready for the audition of their lives, a producer came up to Aubrey, plucked her out of the crowded line and had her audition immediately. Her life was changing right before her eyes and soon after was cast on the hit show Making the Band. Sometimes just having that IT girl factor is promising enough to become a successful entertainer.
Aubrey said meeting Diddy wasn’t necessarily intimidating for her as she had a thick skin growing up, music was her passion, just like Diddy’s and she also generally respected him as a businessman. During the Call Her Daddy interview last Wednesday, Aubrey told Alexandra that Diddy’s presence was so strong, he literally sucked the oxygen out of the room. His tough demeanor and hard work ethic taught a young Aubrey how to read the room and to work her ass off, creating an even thicker exterior to aid her in the challenges she would ultimately experience throughout her underrated career.
Making the Band was pulling in huge numbers for MTV, comparable to what The Hills and Jersey Shore did for the network, yet Aubrey dished to Alexandra that Danity Kane only received $4,000 total throughout the four years of being on the show. The girls had no idea at the time they could negotiate contracts and demand for more money. If they were on television today, they’d be raking in millions of dollars, almost per episode. Aubrey alluded to the fact that Danity Kane was almost like a scientific experiment. They were put in these unrealistic, labeled boxes and each member of the group had to abide by Diddy’s ridiculous stereotypes. However, Making the Band turned Aubrey, Shannon, Dawn, D Woods and Andrea into superstars as the world watched their every move, without Instagram and TikTok.
During the Call Her Daddy podcast, Aubrey shared the real reason why she was fired from Danity Kane, summarizing that since she wouldn’t adhere to some of the expectations Diddy and music moguls around her demanded, they fired her. Diddy basically made it sound like Aubrey got kicked out of Danity Kane because of her rebellious attitude and excessive party-girl lifestyle. She was seen hanging out with numerous celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and partying with many artists with bad reputations. That royally pissed off Diddy and made him uncomfortable around Aubrey. It’s obvious that Diddy created a superstar that he could no longer control. What do powerful men do when they feel out of control? Ignore the conversation and eliminate the “bad girl” from Bad Boy Records.
Aubrey was only 100 pounds at one point during the shows successful run and she explains how often the girls were body shamed, betrayed and lied to by the Diddy Gang. She alluded to some pretty dangerous experiences that both her and the girls will never forget. Unfortunately, it’s a traumatic experience that still haunts Danity Kane to this day.
While Danity Kane went on to sell millions of records from 2006-2008, with both Danity Kane and Welcome to the Dollhouse albums debuting at number one, Aubrey is thankful she got out when she did. Who knows what could have happened years after the group split. Of course, fans across the world were upset, including myself. Their talent was evident, and I believe Danity Kane would have been as big as Destiny’s Child, but health and safety comes first, just like the rest of us. So, bravo Aubrey, for not bowing down to overly righteous men, especially in such a cutthroat and competitive environment.
Since Aubrey was a bonafide superstar and free from Bad Boy Records, she had the privilege of landing any man she wanted. She posed for Playboy and modeled for various agencies after leaving Danity Kane. During her newfound fame, Aubrey dated multiple famous people. From Pauly D to her relationship with Donald Trump, Jr., Aubrey wasn’t afraid to drop bombs in the interview last week, bringing light to the misinterpreted judgements regarding her love life and the role she played in the music industry.
In 2012, Aubrey was a contestant on Donald Trump’s highly rated show, Celebrity Apprentice. She met Donald Trump, Jr. and Aubrey fell for him pretty quickly. The two would embark on a steamy, love affair that was everything but an affair. They weren’t just screwing and lying to the Trumps and the media, they genuinely cared for each other. They were in love; she was a part of many of the families’ activities and political conversations. Aubrey and Donald Trump, Jr., discussed the future and if the secrecy that haunted them so early in their love story, would ever feel real, honest and genuine. That’s all she really wanted. To be seen, heard and acknowledged as a smart businesswoman, which was clearly demonstrated in her season working for Donald Trump. Yes, she was fired, but her wit, charm, intelligence and quick power moves showed another fascinating side of Aubrey. Trump Jr. and Aubrey desperately craved a normal, private life, but Aubs just knew that it would be a disaster to take their relationship to the next level. It would be almost impossible for their careers to align and flourish like other celebrities often can with polar opposite careers.
She stated that Donald Trump Jr., was the love of her life and what they shared was basically forced to be a secret. Aubrey was this beautiful, provocative pop star and Donald Trump Jr., the son of our future President of the United States, had a conservative, serious image to maintain. This is probably why the public thought Aubrey was delusional regarding their romance or making it up completely. Come on people, I don’t think Aubrey O’Day was too concerned of her ability to win over successful, influential and powerful men. She didn’t need to fabricate anything and could legit have any guy, or girl that she wanted.
Aubrey O’Day has been a prominent artist that I have looked up to and followed since the very beginning of her career. When I saw her performing on stage during her first season on Making the Band, I knew she was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Social media wasn’t really a thing in the 2000’s like it is today, so these “musicians” that are discovered overnight for showcasing everything about themselves, except for actual talent in todays society, is so frustrating to her. Aubrey struggles to grasp the concept that aspiring entertainers in todays market can expose themselves on an app, and then score a record deal the very next day. Where’s the hard work, going door to door to shop record labels, being rejected and facing constant failures? The blood, sweat and tears these women went through and their dedication to create great pop music, working alongside with one of the biggest music producers of our generation, is extremely respected by pop fans of the 2000’s and industry folks in the entertainment business.
Danity Kane represents the true definition of perseverance, courage and resilience. The girls 100% deserve credit for launching a new, funky sound of pop music and recognition for breaking records during their brilliant run. If you think about it, Making the Band was the original American Idol and X-Factor. Their seasons on MTV paved the way for singing competitions that still grace our screens today.
The Britney’s, Gaga’s, Missy’s and Danity Kane’s of the 2000’s proved that they had so much more raw, consistent talent and had to work extremely hard just to be seen. They are our pop legends that ruled the 2000’s. Artists today need to recognize that they started it all and did so without any social media to promote themselves. Aubrey O’Day, in my opinion, belongs to an elite group of female entertainers that changed the course of pop music, paving the way for kids trying to sneak in through the back door.
DK Best Tracks:
Showstopper, Damaged, Strip Tease, Bad Girl, Pretty Boy, Lemonade, Roulette, Want It, Right Now, I Wish, 2 Of You, All In a Day’s Work & Secret Lover 🎵
O’Day in 2013 | Photo cred: Wikipedia -
Is Jenna Ortega Our New Scream Queen?
When Jamie Lee Curtis made her film debut in the classic American independent slasher, Halloween, she quickly became one of the most talked about actresses in the world. Not only did the original Halloween turn Jamie into a movie star overnight, but she would also earn the title of “Scream Queen,” years later starring in several other horror films. In the iconic Scream (1996), the horror film that changed the genre of scary movies in the 90’s, Jamie is often referred to as the “Scream Queen” while Halloween is being watched by high school students at the end of the OG Scream. Since Halloween is still considered one of the greatest and most influential horror movies ever made, it was extremely clever of the late, great Wes Craven, to pay homage to the 1978 film that started it all.
In 2020, the second season of YOU became the most watched television show of the year and one of the best shows to come out on Netflix at the time. Jenna Ortega had a supportive role in the season as Ellie, a street-smart Los Angeles teenager who lives in the same apartment complex as Joe (Penn Badgley). She proved she had the niche for the horror genre, delivering a suspenseful performance throughout the thrilling season.
In January of this year, Jenna played the lead role in Scream (2022) and shocked fans of the horror franchise delivering a scary, tense and realistic performance. Jenna was also in the bad ass opening sequence, just like Drew Barrymore was in the 1996 original. Jenna plays Tara Carpenter (nod to the director of Halloween, John Carpenter) the sister of Sam, who we later find out is the daughter of Billy Loomis (killer in the OG Scream). Jenna’s performance, especially in the opening act of Scream (2022), solidified her as this generations “Scream Queen.” She was so good that she gave Drew a run for her money in what is considered one of the best opening scenes in horror history, the 1996 original that is. Tara survives the attack and is mostly in the hospital for the entire movie, but her bone-chilling acting chops literally gave me chills and felt like she was really going through the terror and horror. Critics praised the new Scream, and it quickly became a huge success at the box office. Jenna even won the award for Best Frightened Performance at the MTV Movie & TV Awards this Summer for her role as Tara Carpenter. Yes, she’s that good.
Scream (2022) paid homage to the original Scream and to Wes Craven, the mastermind of horror and the man behind the camera in four of the five Scream movies. It’s almost like Jenna was destined to star in the new generation of Scream movies and it’s absolutely clear that the horror, “Scream Queen,” baton has been perfectly passed to Jenna Ortega.
Later this year, Jenna Ortega starred in the movie X, another horror film to add to her impressive resume. X documented wannabe porn stars filming raunchy sex scenes in some old house during 1979. While she played more of a conservative, uptight young woman in the movie, her ability to portray real horror on screen is disturbingly delightful. And that scream!
Finally, in November of 2022, Jenna played Wednesday Addams in the record-breaking Netflix series, Wednesday. Wednesday dethroned the hit series Stranger Things with the biggest week for any English language streamer on Netflix, scoring 342.2 million hours streamed worldwide. Currently, the Jenna Ortega-led Wednesday, ranks in as the third most watched Netflix series of all time, right behind Dahmer. It’s most likely to surpass Dahmer, the extremely disturbing and controversial show that also took the world by storm, very quickly.
A first-time Best Actress Golden Globe nomination for her role as Wednesday Addams and a newly released teaser trailer for Scream VI, it’s safe to say that Jenna Ortega is having the time of her life. With the departure of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott in Scream VI and Wednesday turning Jenna Ortega into one of the most recognizable actresses in the industry, I don’t think box-office numbers for Scream VI will suffer without Neve. If anything, it will probably outshine 2022’s Scream as people are noticing that Jenna really is the new “Scream Queen” of this generation. The attention and praise she is getting from Wednesday alone will have fans flocking to theatres to see her star in Scream VI.
Scream VI, set in New York City and starring Jenna Ortega, slashes into theatres on March 10th, 2023. In the famous words of Matthew Lillard, “it’s gonna be a scream, baby!”
Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter | Scream (2022)
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The Best Content Creators of the Year
2022 was the year that TikTok and Instagram exploded with belly aching, funny videos, was used as a serious form of news and entertainment for society and also produced some of the best content creators since TikTok and Instagram were born.
2022 truly set the bar for many social media influencers exposing their talent to people across the globe. Quick, thirty – ninety second videos turned ordinary people into celebrities overnight. The D’Amelio sisters are prime examples. Dixie and Charli D’Amelio rake in millions of dollars a year for promoting creative content on their social media handles. These viral videos, blended with a strong fan base, eventually landed the duo an entire reality show, showcasing their lives on the popular streaming platform, Hulu.
In a recent podcast, Aubrey O’ Day, lead singer of the multi-platinum girl group, Danity Kane, responded perfectly to the question regarding her thoughts on people getting discovered for just going live on TikTok or Instagram. To summarize, she basically thinks it’s bullshit and ridiculous how “artists” can achieve fame and success so easily today. In her generation, and quite frankly mine as well, artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson had to work their asses off to sell millions of albums, tour stadiums around the globe and manage their perfectly sculpted bodies. Pop artists of the 90’s and 2000’s put in blood, sweat and tears hoping to just get radio play and a record deal after shopping multiple record labels, for years. Today, Aubrey is on “Father Cooper’s” Call Her Daddy podcast and from the preview alone, she alludes to experiencing sexual abuse from people in the Diddy gang, forced to maintain an unhealthy weight and why Diddy really fired her. That ultimately led to the premature, shocking breakup of Danity Kane.
Whether content creators want fame, money or just their fifteen minutes of fame for displaying their talents on social media, these intelligent stars below provide hilarious, brilliant mockery about the stereotypes of human nature. I like this bunch of rad creators because they are in it for the fun and love doing it, first and foremost. Have you been following these breakout influencers on social media this year?
D.C. | Comedian | @that_goon_dc
Hunky, handsome and hilarious broskie, D.C., has been sharing outrageous and extremely funny videos since 2018. I discovered his Instagram profile this year when scrolling through the Chubbies Instagram page. He works closely with Chubbies, which is dope because I’m obsessed with their product. As I started to watch some of D.C.’s videos, I found myself extremely attracted to his wit, intelligence and awesome comedic timing. Okay, I admit, that goon is one hell of an attractive man, too. What grabbed my attention other than his obvious looks, was his ability to keep me entertained and wanting more of his comedy gold. He’s the picturesque all American, baseball playing guys guy with a sexy mullet, reminding me of some of the dudes I hung out with in college. He’s down to earth, emanates people in society accurately and I thoroughly enjoy his content, anticipating what’s coming next.
Alex and Jon | Filmmakers | @alexandramadison_
Alex and Jon are a married couple who blew up on TikTok and Instagram this year. They are filmmakers and host a podcast, too. What can’t they do? Alex and Jon portray different types of married couples, fighting and arguing, proving points and wickedly mocking the current man and woman of 2022. They have me crying | dying laughing from almost every video they share. You need to follow them immediately; you will thank me later.
Sabrina Brier, Self Proclaimed NYC Girl | Comedian | @sabrina.cinoman.brier
As soon as I stumbled on Sabrina Brier’s videos on TikTok this year, I started sending them to friends and family right away. She cleverly mocks every single kind of friend you’ve had or someone you’ve met in your life and isn’t ashamed to admit it. Sabrina is super sassy, quirky, confident and absolutely gorgeous. Her facial expressions are priceless and her portrayals of laughing at the people she’s poking fun at, is beyond hysterical. I can guarantee that you will relate to many of her videos and you may even be one of those people she’s, not so subtly, illustrating. Catch Sabrina on TikTok and you’ll be laughing in no time.
Sarai | Influencer | @saraimariee_
This girl right here is laughing all the way to the bank, stardom and now probably looking down on former managers, role reversed peons to her, who gave her hell for years. Showcasing her own awful experiences in Corporate America through her now famous, “work your wage,” videos, Sarai is unbelievably thankful to her fans and is creating awareness surrounding the issue of college educated people busting their asses at work, for a comical amount of money in return. Sarai’s impersonations of the characters she has created throughout the year are a huge testament that social media, creating videos and shedding light to wacky scenarios in life | shady people, is something no one should take for granted. Just sayin’
I cannot wait to see what these talented people do in 2023 and look forward to much more lighthearted, moving and ridiculously funny videos and other professional endeavors they accomplish.
Influencers Hungry for 2023 | Check them out 👇🏻 They will be huge
Taylor Calmus | Dude Dad | @dudedad
Bennett Penney | Fitness Expert | @bennypenney
Dylan Porter & Ashlyn Bischoff | Content Creators | @ashlyn.bischoff @thedylanporter
Yuri Lamasbella | The Lost Kardashian | @yurilamasbella
D.C. | Instagram -
Five Best Television Shows of the Year
Like music, 2022 was an outstanding year for new and continued TV series released throughout the year. From the record-breaking Wednesday to the most controversial series, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, 2022 produced some of the best content in years.
The Flight Attendant
Season two of HBO’s American dark comedy drama thriller, The Flight Attendant, stars the incredibly dynamic Kaley Cuoco, as a flight attendant who gets involved in some serious shit with some seriously bad people. A struggling alcoholic, Cassie Bowden (Cuoco) recklessly drinks to cope during fights and has sex with random strangers throughout her travels across the world. In season one, Cassie wakes up from a brutal hangover in Bangkok with a passenger she fucked the night before. His throat is slashed, with blood splattered everywhere. Afraid to call the police, Cassie cleans up the crime scene. Then the fun begins, quickly developing into a wickedly funny, entertaining mystery thriller that isn’t afraid to cross the line. In season two, Cass confronts her drinking problem and failed relationships. The past creeps back into her life and she embarks on yet another wild journey running from dangerous criminals who want to kill her. Look out for Annie, Cassie’s best friend and punching bag throughout the show. She’s fiercely funny and their chemistry is perfect onscreen. Kaley Cuoco is one hell of an actress with perfect comedic timing; you literally can’t take your eyes off her.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
As soon as word got out that Evan Peters, from the popular series American Horror Story was playing Jeffrey Dahmer for a brand new take on the psychopath, social media exploded with excitement and fear. Not only does Peters look and talk like Dahmer, but his eerie tone and his ability to become the monster who did terrible, unimaginable things to seventeen men, is one of the most terrifying performances I’ve ever witnessed. You literally feel as if you’re one of the victims trying to escape or living next door to him hearing the disturbing noises when he’s sawing and banging things. Niecy Nash plays Dahmers next door neighbor and delivers an astonishing performance constantly begging the police to believe her. The tension is real while watching this haunting masterpiece. You can’t take your eyes off it even though it’s sickening to witness what he did to those men. It’s become one of the most watched shows on Netflix and critics praise Peters performance acknowledging he will absolutely be nominated for awards this season.
F Boy Island
I’m sure just looking at the title of this show you’re wondering how in the hell could this be a top show of the year. Let me tell you, while most reality shows get a bad rep, even though everyone secretly binges various shows; F Boy Island takes dating to a raunchy, hilarious and entertaining ride that you’ll probably binge in one day. It’s on HBO Max, so no baby edited shit. They curse, have sex and live in paradise to find their true love. The twist has three women dating hunky, attractive men. They could win 100,000 bucks together if the man chooses to explore the relationship with the woman that chooses him, however the man who still proclaims to be an F boy can dump the girl he manipulated and take the entire prize for himself. Watch for Garrett Morosky in both seasons; a hunky womanizer who takes bro to the nth degree. His bromance with heartbreaker, gorgeous ladies man, Casey Johnson, is the best in years. Comedian Nikki Glaser hosts the entire two seasons and her alone is a reason to watch this beautiful disaster.
Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets is one of the most interesting and jaw-dropping shows to come around on Showtime since Dexter. A high school girls soccer team travels to Seattle for a national tournament in 1996. The plane crashes mid flight killing most of the passengers except for a small group of players and their coach. Each episode shows the survivors that made it through the grueling one year plus stranded in the woods. It also shows them in real time, as their young selves trying to escape the madness and danger haunting them. Juliette Lewis stars and Christina Ricci gives an odd, but brilliant performance as the trouble maker. When you find out what happened during that year in the woods and how it correlates to the women that survived it, you won’t believe your eyes.
Dead to Me
When ‘Dead to Me’ first premiered on Netflix in 2019, it garnered much deserved critical and commercial success. The dark comedy, starring the always talented Christina Applegate, finds an unlikely friendship with Linda Cardellini (Legally Blonde) while grieving the death of Jen’s (Applegate) husband. The show slowly progresses into a comedy murder mystery often satirizing the current criminal system and privileged upper white class stature.
Season three takes a turn to the more emotional and tearful side, but never seems to fail when delivering pure comedy gold. Applegate’s comedic timing is excellently executed showing that she’s still got the chops and just absolutely nails the leading woman role effortlessly. On November 15th, 2022, Christina Applegate arrived publicly (for the first time since announcing her diagnosis with MS) to her Hall of Fame Ceremony in Hollywood, where she spoke about family, her daughter and her journey as an actress. Her charisma, hilarious wit and touching speech brought tears to fans across the world. ‘Dead to Me’ and this final season could quite possibly be the last time she performs in a television or movie role. Nonetheless, Christina Applegate has been one of the funniest and down to earth actresses to grace the sometimes-corrupted, phony entertainment industry.
Her role as Jen Harding, especially in this final season, should go down as a performance of a lifetime. The way the show mirrors what these women are experiencing in real life and the raw emotions illustrated throughout ‘Dead to Me’ is the recipe for an almost near perfect show.
Photo Cred: Entertainment Weekly Close Calls:
The Watcher
And Just Like That
Alaska Daily
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Get into the Music: Top Twelve Albums of 2022
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, The Top Twelve Best Albums of 2022.
Anyone that knows me knows, music is my life. There’s not one day I don’t have music on whether it’s in my Jeep, apartment or working out. I’d literally be dead without music.
2022 finally produced more great music, movies, television shows, live concerts and Broadway plays as Covid took a hike and we were back to business as normal (ish) as possible. Throughout the United States, production companies, movie studios and entertainers alike, were more comfortable working this year since the historic pandemic that forced the entertainment industry to shut down in 2020. As a result, 2022 gifted us with some of the best live shows, television series and studio albums in years.
Country, Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap & Rock music was at its finest as some of the most well-known artists released their best work in years. Let’s take a peek at my twelve best albums of the year.
Twelve
Kim Petras | Slut Pop
The entire world now knows who Kim Petras is, thanks to her collaboration with Sam Smith’s number one, mega-hit, “Unholy.” What you probably don’t know is she has been releasing music for years. Her debut studio album “Clarity,” is pop gold perfection and her single “Heart to Break,” is a fan favorite club banger. Also, did you know she is trans? Yep, the gorgeous goddess was born a man and knew in her early years of grade school that she was destined to be a female pop star. On her EP, “Slut Pop,” Kim vividly illustrates, especially in the song XXX, her sexual desires and demands from random encounters, even cheating with husbands, brothers and daddies. It’s at times cheesy and over the top, but that’s the point. It manages to be both sleazy and sexy, solidifying Kim as a force to be reckon with.
Eleven
Kendrick Lamar | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Kendrick takes a step away from the limelight and turns to himself, highlighting his insecurities and beliefs. “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” is such an important album exploiting more of Kendricks personal life. Extremely impressive and ambitious, this album indicates a new era for Lamar.
Ten
The Black Keys | Dropout Boogie
In a moment when rock music barely exists in the pop conversation it once dominated, The Black Keys are nothing close to a dropout, with an album that continues to prove their pop/rock dominance in an often-misconstrued debate among fans. On “Boogie,” Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney create the garage-punk sound that made them famous during their early years. With new drops of blood on their eleventh studio album, The Black Keys remind us why we still rock out to them to this day.
Nine
Thomas Rhett | Where We Started
Since releasing his debut album, “It Goes Like This,” Thomas Rhett has implanted his massive influence on country music. With his sixth studio album, “Where We Started,” Rhett combines heartfelt love songs and chill party anthems for which he’s come to be loved and known for. Every song on the album is a reminder of how great Thomas Rhett’s hooks are and his amazing ability to tell a story is remarkable.
Eight
Camila Cabello | Familia
Front woman of the short-lived, but successful pop group Fifth Harmony, Camila Cabello skyrocketed to superstardom with the release of her debut album, “Camila.” Her huge hit “Havana,” was one of the biggest songs of 2017 and 2018 that cemented her it girl status into the music industry. On her third studio album, “Familia,” Cabello pays homage to her Cuban roots; her family, friends and loved ones. On stand out track, “Psychofreak,” she sheds light on her anxiety, pressures of social media and the drama surrounding her departure from Fifth Harmony. She also heals her broken heart from superstar Shawn Mendes. The two had a pretty decent run on and off, over the past five years. “Familia,” is Camila Cabello’s strongest work to date and proves she’s not just another run of the mill, cash cow pop star; she’s here to stay and has the talent to back it.
Seven
Drake & 21 Savage | Her Loss
When studio album “Her Loss” was released this year, Drake & 21 Savage’s unique collaboration was a pleasant surprise to rap and hip/Hop fans. When you combine a bona fide rap star with arguably the most impactful Hip/Hop singer and MC in the world, you get a sophisticated, larger than life production. Track after track is one hardcore rap song after another showcasing their unbelievable talent together. As their incredible styles collide, Drake & 21 Savage are unstoppable and anything is possible.
Six
Nickelback | Get Rollin’
2000’s radio was dominated by Canadian rock band, Nickelback. They continued to sell out stadiums across the world and became the most successful rock band to be both praised and mocked at the same time. Yes, yes everyone jokes and gives the band a tough time. Rock fans think they phone in their “rock” music and release weak, mediocre alternative music at best. Whatever your opinion is of the successful rock band, Chad Kroeger and crew continue to elevate their sound, flirting with heavy metal on “Get Rollin.” The album is a legit blend of metal and rock, with energetic bangers throughout.
Five
Taylor Swift | Midnights
Taylor Swift, music’s girl next store, was stripped from her good girl image she banked on and expressed her darker, sassy side in 2017’s pop masterpiece, “Reputation.” On “Midnights,” Taylor revisits that image and surprisingly curses throughout many songs on the album, including my personal favorite, fuck. Taylor is more confident than ever and admits to her own faults on hit single, “Anti-Hero.” She not only mourns from an unexpected loss in New York City, but finds a new friendship that allows Taylor to be more vulnerable than ever. The songs are obviously catchy, but also are smart, honest and thought-provoking. Her songwriting is killer, too. Whether or not you’re a “Swiftie,” prefer her country or folklore music or don’t get the hype, one thing is universal, Taylor Swift is one of the most talented singer/songwriters of our generation.
Four
Miranda Lambert | Palomino
Music’s country blonde bombshell and icon Miranda Lambert, hits the American road showcasing some of her best songwriting of all time on “Palomino.” Lambert treks all over the United States, producing creative songs of a rambling life out on the road. Her purpose is more focused than ever giving listeners a colorful insight into the life of America’s Sweetheart. Miranda Lambert has accomplished many feats in her career that most artists dream of; performer, songwriter, singer, chart topping duet partner and a celebrity-coupledom survivor. Miranda’s done it all.
Three
Machine Gun Kelly | Mainstream Sellout
Colson Baker, A K A, Machine Gun Kelly, has had quite the year. From his highly publicized, XXX relationship with sex-siren Megan Fox and a frightening battle that he’s supposedly losing his mind abusing drugs and alcohol, one thing is true, Kelly has a gift. His ability to write and sing about his mental state, girls, lavish party life and exude this genuine, almost puppy dog like exterior, is quite sincere. He’s raw, extremely emotional and relatable. Machine Gun Kelly is a musical genius and watching him on stage and in the media is a heartbreaking, uplifting and entertaining spectacle all at once. It’s too early to determine if MGK will have any tenure in the music industry, but he’s certainly having the time of his life.
Two
The Weeknd | DAWN FM
The opening sequence of The Weekend’s electrifying, dance-pop album, “DAWN FM,” is narrated by none other than Jim Carrey, commanding that the listener relaxes and embraces their new life with open arms. If you think that Justin Timberlake is reminiscent of Michael Jackson, you need to reevaluate that decision. The Weeknd never seizes to amaze, producing up-tempo bangers and slow burn doozies throughout the entire album. The first four tracks, especially his groundbreaking cut, “Take my Breath,” will put you in a transient state as it seems the bangers never end and that the “king of pop,” has resurrected from Neverland heaven. It’s almost scary how similar Abel sounds like MJ. The album is nothing short of brilliant thus putting him in an exclusive batch of diverse artists.
One
Avril Lavigne | Love Sux
The “princess of pop/punk” exploded back into the music industry in the Fall of 2021, with her angst-fueled single, “Bite Me.” Produced and written with Travis Barker from Blink-182, “Bite Me,” is an ode to an ex-lover warning him of the aftermath and her capability to fuck up his entire life. It was clear Avril Lavigne was back and better than ever. “Love Sux,” strategically released during the most romantic, hallmark cash induced month of the year, Valentine’s Day 2022 was hit by cupid in the best way possible. After a hiatus from music and nothing released rememberable enough to hit the charts or airwaves in years, “Love Sux,” was a triumphant return to the moody, pop/rock rebel and brutally honest Avril we all had grown to love.
This is her best album to date as each song hits incredibly hard and is relatable to everyone. Whether at the time of listen or events in your past, “Love Sux,” manages to touch your soul, elevate your anger, cry and help you get even. Most importantly, Avril tells fans it’s okay to hurt, it’s normal to want to ruin your ex and any mental illness falling like an avalanche in your life is perfectly okay, that life will improve. Well done, Avril.
Carrie Underwood | Best Country Album of the Year
DENIM & RHINESTONES
Honorable Mentions:
Imagine Dragons | Mercury – Acts 1 & 2
Snoop Dogg & DJ Drama | Gangsta Grillz: I Still Got It
Harry Styles | Harry’s House
Cole Swindell | Stereotype
Most anticipated album of 2023 | Gorillaz, Cracker Island
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Sex & The City Is Shockingly More Relevant Today
When HBO’s Sex and the City premiered on June 6th, 1998, it shocked the nation with jaw-dropping profanity, raunchy one liners and a sexually charged dialogue. At the time, most television shows and movies glorified confident men as overly sexual creatures, but if women were to be vocal like that, they would be called names and seen as trashy girls. Sex and the City broke all the rules and finally gave powerful women the spotlight to share their own desires, wants and needs. The series was shown through the lens of Carrie Bradshaw, played by the fabulous Sarah Jessica Parker and her three single gal pals, living in New York City. Sex and relationships, blended with vulgarity and one-night stands, was never displayed from the perspective of confident women. This show broke that mold and Sex became the it show for seven years because of it’s originality and accurate depiction of what women go through during those decades of life. It was always men portrayed as sexual beings, never women.
Season one became the highest rated show for HBO, giving the network an outstanding increase in ratings during the late 90’s. Some critics ridiculed early seasons of the show stating it was an unrealistic representation of what living in New York City was actually like. I beg to differ, old-school critics. I witnessed many single women galivanting around cities like Dallas, Denver and New York as a foursome, sipping on the now iconic cosmopolitan and sharing their escapades, careers and having a blast. Get togethers and watch gatherings, before social media, was an incredible thing to witness and be a part of. I didn’t watch the series religiously while it was airing, but in my senior year of high school, my best friends sister always had it on in the “loft,” which was upstairs in their den where we chain smoked cigarettes and sipped on Miller Lite. I was technically introduced to this well-written, hilarious new show in 2002-2003 that was taking the world by storm, but didn’t watch until 2009 when I got the entire series on DVD. I wanted to be a writer at that moment, while we “lofted” as I saw myself aligning with Carrie’s character in the best way possible.
Sex and the City received eighty-nine nominations during the course of the series winning seven awards at The Emmy’s, eight Golden Globe’s statues and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Pretty impressive for a cable syndication TV show during the 1990’s-2000’s, decades before streaming apps produced numerous prestigious award-winning shows.
Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie Bradshaw) is the sex columnist and star of the show, Kim Cattrall (Samantha Jones) plays a sex crazed publicist, a very direct woman representing celebrities and restaurants, Kristin Davis (Charlotte York) is the buttoned up, prudish art gallery owner looking for a traditional love story of her own and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda Hobbs) co-stars as Carrie’s best friend, an uptight, neurotic lawyer often bringing the girls back down to earth. The romantic comedy-drama centers around the tight knit quartet as they navigate through the exhausting game of dating, work and life during the late 90’s, early 00’s in New York City. I still watch it to this day and it’s wild how relevant it is today.
Sex and the City tackles the frustrating, expected norms that women in their thirties and forties should be married with kids and not be out on the town daily, engaging with numerous men at bars or clubs. At the time, society’s view was that women in their thirties and forties should be settled down in suburbia and raising a family of their own. It hilariously mocked the ridiculous assumption that if you’re not settled down with a partner by thirty, then you’re an immature person who will never grow up. Oh, you’ll definitely “grow up” when your significant other of twenty years leaves you devastated and lonely, starting life over in your forties. I have witnessed this from a few of my friends and family. It’s rough and nauseating thinking about it, especially since these rules still hold true today, but to a lesser degree. I see beautiful, powerful and boss women every day who are just as happy, if not happier being single. I am glad that I have not met that special person yet because I was not a desirable candidate to marry when I was in my addiction. I am just now seeing life and experiencing things with no blinders on. I am in love with myself right now and it’s going to take someone really special to sweep me off my feet and be in my life.
As a forty-year-old happy man, living in Denver, Colorado, I relate to the characters and the well-written script more today than when I watched the entire series in 2009. The bullshit that Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda experienced when single during those decades, eerily mirrored some of the outrageous, often comical binds that I got myself into in my thirties.
After finishing the series in the Winter of 2009, I felt as if I could be the male Carrie Bradshaw in Dallas, Texas. I started writing professionally in the summer of 2009 as I fell in love with her style of writing and ability to tell a story relatable to mine. I posted blogs on my Facebook and wrote for the Denver Examiner, ironically, while I was working in Dallas. To think I didn’t know I would end up in Denver is comforting and really cool to be honest. Just in case you didn’t know, I am a writer, narrating certain situations of my life, reviewing pop culture and my stories are similar to Carrie’s encounters and personal life dramas. Bradshaw narrates the show, dissecting her failed relationships while tying into her columns (blogs) many pondering questions and observations that really makes you wonder… Am I the only one struggling with the same problems? Is it me or him?
One of the main reasons Sex and the City was so successful during its original run is due to the fact that every single, married, divorced or widowed person that watched the show at some point in their lives, surely went through similar challenges themselves. The asinine argument of not adhering to society norms, instantly became the topic at large when women should succumb to the pressures of settling down when it’s socially acceptable, regardless if their in love or not. Even men loved it; they couldn’t get enough of how raw, honest and funny Sex was.
It cleverly sheds light on various couples throughout the show who jump into marriages so quickly, because that is what society deems normal. Couples should be married, hating life instead of staying single and happy until the right one comes along. Due to the unrealistic pressure of racing to the alter before the age of thirty, they divorce prematurely. They never got to test drive different cars while single, meet interesting new people or learn to be completely isolated in some of the best and worst decades of this thing called life.
I have failed and got right back up. I went through some dark and many wonderful times that I feel were meant for me to experience alone. When I meet the man of my dreams that I’ll spend the rest of my life with, it will just be icing on the cake. I like being single, independent and on my own. That’s when they say someone comes along right? I can confidently say I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, just barely turning forty. The uphill battles and mountains I have had to climb in my early years of adulthood, made me stronger, more resilient and hungrier for the things I want and deserve in my life.
I believe our twenties and thirties allow us to royally fuck up at jobs, perform well at various kinds of careers, love, lose, then fail again with other obstacles to overcome as your own person. Living in a few different cities away from your hometown is the chance to discover other cultures, weather, people and most importantly, getting to know yourself by living on your own. It allows you to figure out life’s ups and downs on your terms, without a partner you met in high school, college or in a bar you hardly know sober. Focusing on your career, interests, traveling and meeting an unbelievable amount of different kinds of people during your thirties and forties, so you can taste various flavors in the ice cream shop to determine who fits the bill best in your life.
Promo poster | Photo cred: Google images
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Britney Spears Celebrates 41st Birthday
It’s been one hell of a toxic, crazy driven ride for the legendary Mrs. Britney Spears (Asghari). As soon as she exploded onto the pop music scene in 1999 with her debut, mega hit song, “Baby One More Time,” she immediately became the most famous person in the world. A phenomenal debut like Britney’s, coinciding with her bold, controversial and provocative music videos, placed Brit into Hollywood’s lifestyles of the rich and famous, before she could have a drink legally.
This does not happen like that anymore. If you truly think about it, no female artist has ever achieved that level of success, fame and instant recognition so quickly, especially at such a young age. On top of that, Britney was breaking records left and right. Madonna, Britney’s idol and mentor, is the only exception, as the “queen of pop” paved the way for Britney, our “princess of pop”, during Madge’s heyday in the late 80’s and 90’s. Brit’s “competition,” pop artists like P!NK, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Willa Ford, trailed behind. You either have it or not, which Britney did, as she took her X factor charisma and lovable personality to an entirely elevated playing field, that blew rival pop entertainers out the water.
I remember when I first watched the video for “Baby One More Time,” in our TV room in the Plano, Texas house I grew up in. The shot where Britney is in the gym holding the basketball and looking directly into the camera, completely fascinated me. Her beauty, talent and her bad-ass signature choreography had me falling in love that night. She was 100% my first crush and true love that never fizzled out for me throughout her entire rollercoaster career; I’ve been in Britney’s corner since day one and have been a loyal fan, supporter and still had complete admiration for her throughout the entire circus, and still do today.
While most of the boys were fantasizing about her as a sexual object in the early 2000’s, I was over here like, can I be her? Britney was and probably still is many young boys’ first, um, explosion of their own. She had this innocent, sexy and confident vibe to her and people everywhere were losing their minds to the fabulousness that was the one and only, overprotected, Britney Spears.
She quickly became one of the best-selling female artists of all time and was included in an elite, exclusive group of talented women that amounted to the unbelievable overnight success, wealth, album sales and fame she accomplished so quickly, which I’m sure she surpassed her peers by a landslide. From her “not that innocent” relationship with douchebag Justin Timberlake in the early 2000’s and selling out stadiums across the world, Britney Spears was the most followed woman in the industry and the media had her under an intense microscope 24/7, obsessed and following her every breath. At first, she loved the attention; who wouldn’t? Most of the stories and publicity portrayed in the media were positive during the first five years of her career, focusing mostly on her performances, producing hit after hit albums and showcasing her southern girl charm that stole the hearts of men and women across the globe.
In 2003, Britney released her fourth studio album, “In The Zone,” which really set her apart from the bubblegum pop artists like the Spice Girls, Mandy Moore and Hilary Duff. “In The Zone” presented to the world a grown-up, more comfortable, confident and racy Spears. She sings about masturbation, one-night stands and receiving oral sex in the sleazy, yet sexy banger, “Breathe on Me.” I even got an in the zone tattoo, in the exact font and color as it’s illustrated on the album cover, on my left bicep. This was the album that we all partied to during our first year of college.
Did Britney have enhanced vocals and not sing live 100% of the time? Well duh, but who hasn’t, especially these wannabe, vapid TikTok singers today. Aubrey O’ day, from the multi-platinum, Diddy founded group Danity Kane, recently said in an interview that artists in the era before all the social media and instant stardom that takes place today, have a tad chip on their shoulders. They had to work their asses off to make it, not just mediocrely perform on a three-minute video and press upload. I agree with Aubrey 110%. Some of these characters from social media, automatically achieving instant fame, are an absolute embarrassment to the entertainment industry and a joke to the OG’s that paid their dues in the 90’s | 2000’s.
Britney ignored the criticism from haters regarding her voice and stardom. She even admitted to Diane Sawyer in a television interview, promoting “In The Zone,” that she wished she had a voice like Christina Aguilera. Britney is an extremely smart woman and knew exactly what she was doing. Sure, Aguilera has the better voice, but look at who is more successful, entertaining and was | is the most relevant pop public figure to this day. Britney Spears will go down in history as one of the most iconic people ever to exist. I mean most people with a mental illness are brilliant | creative, so if she was actually experiencing manic | depressive episodes as the most famous person in the world, of course she’d have a meltdown. It was just a matter of time that her and the entire world’s lives would implode and change forever.
It was 2007 and Britney released her most critically acclaimed fifth studio album to date, “Blackout,” on October 30th. Critics and experts in the music industry praised the game changing album, calling it one of the best pop albums of the last decade. Rolling Stone called it a must listen to masterpiece that revolutionized the way pop music sounded. The magazine has always supported Britney, which pisses off the old school rockers that think rock music is the only good music to exist. I still see comments on posts from Rolling Stone where idiots degrade the writers when they write a fantastic review or article about her. God forbid Rolling Stone evolved and has great music taste in all genres. Her talent is undeniable; it takes a resilient, strong woman, passionate artist and thick skin to be in that exclusive level of the game.
Britney Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide, including 70 million records in United States, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. “Baby One More Time,” and “Oops!… I Did It Again,” are two of the best-selling albums of all time.
In 2021, Britney Jean Spears was finally set free from the conservatorship her family trapped her in before Instagram was even a thing. She’s now happily married to actor | model, Sam Asghari and at peace; healing from the past fifteen years of bullshit and traumatic experiences she endured. So, on Britney’s birthday today, let’s not dissect her challenging past and critique her energetic dances on her Instagram. Instead, we should wish her an amazing birthday, recognizing how brave, strong, resilient, healthy and happy Our Miss (Mrs.) American Dream is today. Happy Birthday Brit!
Britney at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards | Photo cred: Billboard
In The Zone, Britney’s fourth studio album, November 2003 | Photo cred: Amazon music
Blackout, Britney’s fifth studio album, October 2007 | Photo cred: last.fm, collector’s edition
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