May 5, 2023

"Satirizing the attention-seeking culture wrought by social media is almost as difficult as impersonating Donald Trump..."

"... the source material is already so cartoonish and despicable that most attempts to mock it seem obvious to the point of being dull. Perhaps no screenwriter could have imagined a character as controversial as Jameela Jamil, the British actress who’s been vocal about her various afflictions, which have included shellfish allergies, celiac disease, mercury poisoning, partial deafness, and a history of run-ins with bees. And perhaps no performance artist could have staged a hoax as elaborate and culturally radioactive as Jussie Smollett’s...."

Speaking of social media and the difficulty impersonating Donald Trump (because he's already so funny in the original version), here's a woman on TikTok who — like Sarah Cooper to Donald Trump — lip-syncs to the voice of Joe Biden:
@em_ily2.0 You’re welcome 🫳🏻🎤 #dailymotivation #motivational #funny #humor #funnymom #mentalfocus #focus #sahm #firsttimemom #joebiden #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound - Trial By Reason

16 comments:

Dave Begley said...

Social media gives the mentally ill a giant megaphone. Thus, we have a Nebraska state Senator who thinks “kids know who they are” and that parents have a right to mutilate their children and give them experimental drugs.

We have a giant mental illness and morality problem in America. It’s the culture. I don’t see it being fixed.

rehajm said...

Kudos for creativity getting the daily fix of Trump hate...but I'm going to admit there's a defendable side to the social medalists. Getting people to look is not nothing monetarily these days and if you find the secret formula you can earn a little...or big pile substantially disproportionate to your labors. Most of these lads and lasses will give it a go then go back to whatever, success or no. Big deal...

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

Hypochondria: if you describe the symptoms, I'm probably going to say: "I think I've got that."
Munchausen: I've checked out my symptoms, and I think it's that disease I looked up. I have to see a lot of doctors, get a lot of lab work, take up the time of a lot of professionals and hospitals.
Munchausen by proxy: it's my kid! Look at these symptoms! The poor kid can't be happy like this, something has to be done, and it has to be something pretty elaborate! Maybe if my kid takes part in all the drag dress-up and radical medical treatments, it will make this kid happier, lessen the amount of bullying in the world, and make the whole world happier and more just!
Valetudinarianism: I've always got something wrong with me. If I don't stick to this diet of three types of grain, goat cheese, and plenty of water, I get all out of whack: sleepless, tired all the time, whatever I eat makes me feel sick. You can see for yourself I'm a bit pale, sallow, maybe a bit yellow. I need to watch sunlight, darkness, closed spaces, open spaces, fresh air, stale air, particulate matter in the air, you name it really. Needless to say, I'm a bit moody and difficult to live with.

One possible lesson: modern science doesn't make us more hopeful, it makes us more fearful.

Loneliness may also be a problem.

mccullough said...

Journalists are just jealous of Tik-Tok micro-famers.

Kay said...

Hollywood has always had a lot of trouble depicting social media and the internet in general. It never feels very authentic. I welcome the challenge. Social nedia is a thing in this world so why should it not be represented in movies? Too often the attempts are gimmicky.

Sydney said...

That movie sounds good. Brilliant way to point out what is going on with this trans stuff, at least on the male to female side. Not so sure about female to male transitioners, though. They don’t seem to seek public adoration so much as trans women. It almost seems as if they transition because they don’t meet the societal expectations of beauty for women, so they reject their womanhood. Men don’t get criticized for their looks and bodies the way women do. The social media trans women, though, have transformed themselves into what society expects of feminine beauty- thin, long hair, well applied makeup, just right breasts. They get a lot of attention, too. Just like good looking women do. Just my 2 cents.

Tina Trent said...

Speaking of sick narcissism, guess which of Joe And Jill Biden's grandchildren is attending the Coronation with Granny Jill? No, not Navy Joan Roberts.

It seems particularly ham fisted to be waggling your other grandchildren around in front of international cameras when you have just participated in disavowing another one of them.

Especially if she is her half-sister. The young woman herself deserves no blame. You can't pick your biological parents -- or grandparents.

Sebastian said...

"And perhaps no performance artist could have staged a hoax as elaborate and culturally radioactive as Jussie Smollett"

Huh? The hoax was hardly elaborate and at first got the reaction he was looking for--not radioactivity but eager support. Only when it fell apart from sheer implausibility did it become radioactive--as an obvious attempt to exploit prog prejudice and stick it to MAGA deplorables. Even then, prog allies resisted prosecution. As hoaxes go, it was small potatoes. Better leave it to the pros in DC and their MSM flunkies.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

My AI headline news yesterday, about the Atlanta shooter, was an attempt to Babylon Bee 🐝

n.n said...

"And perhaps no performance artist could have staged a hoax as elaborate and culturally radioactive as Jussie Smollett"

Thanks, ChatTheNewYorker et al.

Joe Smith said...

'Social media' is the reason for this trans-everything-all-the-time moment in our culture.

It's not organic.

Gunner said...

Tina Trent: half the people covering Joe Biden have their own hidden stripper grandchild/child. None of them want to rock that boat.

gahrie said...

"And perhaps no performance artist could have staged a hoax as elaborate and culturally radioactive as Jussie Smollett"

I see you and raise you Al Gore.

Joe Smith said...

'It seems particularly ham fisted to be waggling your other grandchildren around in front of international cameras when you have just participated in disavowing another one of them.'

If the Bidens were republicans or from a deep-southern state, they'd be labeled 'trailer trash' by the liberal media.

Strippers, drugs, in-law 'incest,' showers with grandpa.

The family is a disaster, and yet no liberals seem to notice...

Zavier Onasses said...

Satirizing the attention-seeking culture wrought by social media is almost as difficult as impersonating Donald Trump.

Balancing an eel on the end of your nose while sitting on a gate is almost as difficult as impersonating Joe Biden.

I'll see your gratuitous pejorative nonsense Presidential reference and raise you one.

(h.t. C.Dodgson)

typingtalker said...

"... the source material is already so cartoonish and despicable that most attempts to mock it seem obvious to the point of being dull."

Yet ... still they do mock it.