Writes Ann Hornaday in "Bravo, Bradley Cooper: ‘Maestro’ is a grand, messy symphony of moments/The director and star of the Leonard Bernstein biopic tells the conductor’s story, and that of his wife (Carey Mulligan), with electric, sometimes scattershot verve" (WaPo).
Okay. I'm all for such tootling. But is there any of "Radical Chic" in this new movie? (Read Tom Wolfe's great essay here, where it belongs, at New York Magazine.)
I had to google, and the answer is no.
The New Yorker review says: "No effort is made, thank heaven, to dramatize the party that Felicia gave in their Park Avenue apartment, in 1970, to raise funds for the defense of imprisoned Black Panther members, thus igniting Tom Wolfe’s incendiary charges of 'radical chic.'"
Why thank heaven? I'd like to see it!
Here's what Vanity Fair says: "Though Maestro confronts queerness head on, it is curiously silent on Bernstein and (perhaps especially) [Felicia]’s political activism. The famous Black Panther Party event [Felicia] held at the family’s apartment in 1970, which led to the writer Tom Wolfe sneeringly coining the term 'radical chic,' is not mentioned at all in the film. Nor are any of the couple’s other noble causes. One gets the queasy impression that [Bradley] Cooper wants to keep his film free of those particular complications, lest they too rigidly define and contextualize these two lovers so fiercely vying for our affection."
Here's what Vanity Fair says: "Though Maestro confronts queerness head on, it is curiously silent on Bernstein and (perhaps especially) [Felicia]’s political activism. The famous Black Panther Party event [Felicia] held at the family’s apartment in 1970, which led to the writer Tom Wolfe sneeringly coining the term 'radical chic,' is not mentioned at all in the film. Nor are any of the couple’s other noble causes. One gets the queasy impression that [Bradley] Cooper wants to keep his film free of those particular complications, lest they too rigidly define and contextualize these two lovers so fiercely vying for our affection."
This desire to be "free of those particular complications" sounds more like a recognition that one is not free these days — and dares not to claim freedom — to look critically and satirically at left-wing politics.
Decontextualized, it might be interesting to consider the possibilities of a gay man somehow happily married to a woman. Wait 'til December 20th and it will be on Netflix.
ADDED: At least Vanity Fair is "queasy." And he's not really "happily" married — is he? — if his wife is "hurling... hurtful... things." Also, I think the real reason to leave out "Radical Chic" is that you'd have to pay Tom Wolfe's heirs.
AND: On the general topic of gay men paired up with women, read "'Yes I'm Gay And Yes I Have A Girlfriend' — Man & His Partner Explain How Their Exclusive Relationship Works/If love is love, then all relationships, even the ones that don't fit into distinct boxes, should be celebrated" (Your Tango).
“We wanted to open up about our relationship because it’s been so confusing for a lot of you,” Jacob stated at the start of the TikTok post. “I am gay. I don’t label myself as bisexual. My preference is men. But I have been in this exclusive, closed relationship with Samantha for six years, and it has been a dream.”...
Samantha explained it simply, saying “Sometimes a soulmate is just a soulmate.” She spoke of how “completely open and loving” Jacob is with her, noting, “When he looks at me and talks to me, he makes me feel like I am the most treasured, loved human being on this Earth.” She emphasized that their connection isn't based on physicality, stating, “We have just chosen each other in this lifetime because we love each other’s souls.”
४१ टिप्पण्या:
There is no contradiction in a man - any man - falling in love with a woman. And vice versa.
In fact, we are all made that way, as our very bodies can attest.
Theater is for homosexuals in the first place. Drama club was the gay club long ago.
I've known very happily married (to women) gay men. Not sure about the details because I never asked, but they were both clearly in love and happy over many years.
Modern day problems.
For those that care.
I'm not one of those who care.
Cultural appropriation, authenticity without fidelity, and trans/honosexuality in pop culture.
Good question Althouse.
I miss Tom Wolfe. I wonder if he’s glad he’s gone…
Samantha sounds like a kook. Would no hetero man have her? To each their own, though I think less of women who are supportive of such things…
Vidal lived with a woman for years, and by his own account they fucked. He may even have mentioned love.
As rhhardin points out, theater is gay, and that's hardly less true of what used to be called 'longhair' music. Lennie was hardly an outlier.
Maybe he's trans/bisexual. They are not politically congruent ("="), they are socially distanced from pure trans/homosexuals, they are discriminated under the "Respect For Marriage Act" inspired by a trans/homosexual judge overriding democracy... #NoJudgment #NoLabels #LoveLoses
"This desire to be "free of those particular complications" sounds more like a recognition that one is not free these days — and dares not to claim freedom — to look critically and satirically at left-wing politics."
Indeed.
"Theater is for homosexuals in the first place. Drama club was the gay club long ago."
Depend where you were, I guess. I got some decent action from my participation in the club.
Wolfe was not kind to Lenny, and from what I have read elsewhere (accounts about interacting with Bernstein), he had no reason to be.
Tom Wolfe tried to make "radical chic" mean something.
WaPo endeavors to mean nothing.
Among the highlights in the Wolfe piece: the Bernsteins normally had black servants. In honor of the Black Panthers, they switched to Hispanic servants for the day. Muchas gracias, mis patrocinadores (patrons?). Include a gay Jew in the picture, along with a one quarter Jewish, half Costa Rican Felicia, and I guess you have intersectionality. Would Costa Ricans and Jews enjoy living in a black neighbourhood? Introduce a woke mob marching behind the Macy's parade, some people Muslim, some not: "from the river to the sea, baby!" Lenny: "er, this is kind of awkward ...."
Trans could learn a thing or two from gay men.
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Tom Wolfe on Radical Chick is here:
https://nymag.com/article/tom-wolfe-radical-chic-that-party-at-lennys.html
I’m just stuck on “inflatable Snoopy”.
Does that imply: flaccid? Whereas, if it’s in the parade- it’s totally already inflated?
Other than that, I’m sticking to my own problems.
Lenny bernstein was a communist. Candide was co-written with Commie Lillian Hellman. But let's skip over that. And Tom Wolfe wasn't "sneering" at Bernstein's Radical Chic, he was mocking it.
Martha Gellhorn, also a communist, was in love with Lenny. But realized she would have to settle for a platonic relationship. Berstein dedicated a piece of his music to Gellhorn's newly adopted son.
I've been told Bernstein's serious music isn't that great. But I'm no judge. I do like "on the town". Given today's Israeli conflict, I might listen to:
Four Sabras is a short composition for solo piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein. Each Sabra (in Hebrew, צבר, "tsabár") refers to vignettes or portraits of different fictitious Israeli children.
Lenny bernstein was a communist. Candide was co-written with Commie Lillian Hellman. But let's skip over that. And Tom Wolfe wasn't "sneering" at Bernstein's Radical Chic, he was mocking it.
Martha Gellhorn, also a communist, was in love with Lenny. But realized she would have to settle for a platonic relationship. Berstein dedicated a piece of his music to Gellhorn's newly adopted son.
I've been told Bernstein's serious music isn't that great. But I'm no judge. I do like "on the town". Given today's Israeli conflict, I might listen to:
Four Sabras is a short composition for solo piano by American composer Leonard Bernstein. Each Sabra (in Hebrew, צבר, "tsabár") refers to vignettes or portraits of different fictitious Israeli children.
Radical Chic remains my favorite piece from the new-journalism age. Rewards repeating readings, especially for those who were sentient at the time in places like Berkeley, where such virtue signaling (before the neologism was coined) was the day-to-day reality.
Your Wolfe link goes to WaPo. Which is as severe a disappointment as I've had this week.
Cole Porter and Linda Lee Thomas were married from 1919 until her death in 1954. She was quite aware that he was homosexual when she married him. It seems to have been a generally happy marriage.
Corey & Rosario: A Fiercely Heterosexual Love Story
Coming to a theater near you.
"I'm sorry I had to fight in the middle of your Black Panther party."
- Forrest, Forrest Gump
"Your Wolfe link goes to WaPo. Which is as severe a disappointment as I've had this week."
Sorry.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Fixed.
Civil unions for all consenting adults, others with social progress. #NoJudgment #NoLabels, right? Why the bigotry embedded in the Respect For Marriage Act passed under the principle of congruence ("=") of the Pro-Choice ethical religion?
That money was raised by the Bernsteins to be used to murder police officers, and they knew it when they did it: the killings had started a few years earlier. That should not be forgotten. Or forgiven. As with Harvey Milk, homosexuality doesn't wash the blood from your hands -- and nor does having a gay husband.
At least 19 police were murdered, and if you consider the Panthers/BLA divide mere leadership kerfuffle, the number rises to more than 30 -- that we know of, and likely many more.
So, they made a movie about Bernstein's little stick but left out the murdering police part? He and his wife should have been prosecuted for providing material aid to murderers.
“scattershot verve”
Was that “scattershot verve” in the same spirit as the shotgun (purchased by Commie Angela Davis) used by Jackson to blow off Judge Harold Haley’s head during an escape attempt?
Fuck these leftwingers, artistic or not.
Recall reading Wolfe's account of Bernstein's NY party. It, along with Streisand's building her 'not-allowed' Malibu Barbra house, solidified my departure from the two-faced shenanigans of liberal leaders.
"“…‘If you’re for freedom,’ says Otto Preminger, ‘tell me dis: Is it all right for a Jew to leave Russia and settle in Israel?’…”
Schmuck.
Washington Post braces for layoffs.
There, that's better.
Radical chic goes back a long way--at least to Rousseau or maybe Voltaire. I wonder if when Marie Antoinette dressed up as a milkmaid, this could be considered to be engaging in a form of proto-radical chic. Milkmaid outfits were probably considered more primitive than sans culottes at that time. She was very stylish at her execution. She kept back a white dress in reserve to wear for just such an occasion. The white really sets off the arterial blood and makes a statement. I don't think such attire qualifies as "radical chic" though.....I think Lord Byron to this day remains the supreme embodiment of radical chic. He died, dressed as a Greek peasant, in a confused--one might say Byzantine-- conflict. Sadly, he died of malaria and not while leading a cavalry charge or blowing up a bridge but he was fairly young. And give him bonus points for engaging in a wide range of sexual perversions: incest, pedophilia, homosexuality, sadism. Strangely enough, although born and raised in Scotland, there is no record of him engaging in bestiality....Anyway, when Leonard Bernstein engaged in radical chic, he was not a pathfinder, but rather a follower of a hallowed tradition.
Lenny, not Lennie. My apologies.
a giant inflatable Snoopy floats by
I'm sorry but this year's Snoopy was not fully inflated. He was a bit more old queen than Beagle Scout this year.
In Donald Trump's America, the Macy's Parade balloons will be inflated, but the price of gas won't be!
Define "genuine love".
"On the general topic of gay men paired up with women, read "'Yes I'm Gay And Yes I Have A Girlfriend' — Man & His Partner Explain How Their Exclusive Relationship Works/If love is love, then all relationships, even the ones that don't fit into distinct boxes, should be celebrated" (Your Tango)."
Bisexual prejudice among lesbian and gay people: Examining the roles of gender and perceived sexual orientation
"Abstract
Research on dynamics within communities of sexual and gender minorities is scant, despite reports that people experience prejudice within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) spaces. The present research examined dynamics within LGBTQ communities and used gender as a lens of understanding bisexual prejudice among lesbian women and gay men. In two online studies with lesbian and gay participants (NStudy1 = 120; NStudy2 = 165), we randomly assigned participants to reflect on lesbian and gay people's attitudes toward bisexual women or bisexual men. In each study, we evaluated lesbian and gay people's perceptions of identity instability, sexual irresponsibility, and interpersonal hostility. In Study 2, we proposed that beliefs about bisexual people's attraction (to men or to women) serve as a mechanism of bisexual prejudice among lesbian and gay people. We found that people perceived bisexual women and men as being more sexually attracted to men than they are to women, which helps to explain why some lesbian women reported more negative attitudes toward bisexual women than gay men did. Moreover, we tested whether lesbian and gay people's identification with their ingroup, as well as their experiences with dating bisexuals, exacerbated negative perceptions of bisexuals. Taken together, these studies offer implications for reducing bisexual health disparities via improving dynamics within LGBTQ communities.
Add the tendency of gay and lesbian people to deride heteros as "breeders."
All this sex stuff exhausts me.
I had planned to see this film, Althouse but your blogpost and several comments turned me away from seeing it. It sounds like shallow and fawning film.
Candide was good, both lyrically and musically.
What's the Use? lyrics are amusing
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