#typecasting goes crazy

[newrochellechallenger2019]

category is: characters who haunt the narrative and are in love with their male best friend!

[deerlisteners]

TEARS OF THE KINGDOM IS SO FUCKING GOOD

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Deborah Kerr (Bonjour Tristesse, An Affair to Remember, The King and I)— For several decades she held the record for most Oscar nominations without a win (6 in total), and she was a prolific leading lady throughout the 40s and 50s. She's best known today for the romance An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant, and as the governess in The King and I. Many people have this erroneous perception of her as extremely prim, proper, and virginal, but this could not be further from the truth. When she first came to Hollywood under MGM she was typecast into boring decorative roles, but broke sexual boundaries for herself and Hollywood generally in From Here to Eternity, when she made out (horizontally!) with Burt Lancaster (on top of him!) in the famous Beach Scene. She went on to play many sexually conflicted women, a character type that would define most of her post- Eternity work. She continued to break Hays Code boundaries with Tea and Sympathy, which addresses homosexuality/homophobia head-on, and even did a topless scene in The Gypsy Moths 1969!! One of the only classic stars to do so. She deserves a more nuanced and frankly a hotter legacy than she currently has!!!

Ethel Merman (Anything Goes, Call Me Madam)— Possessed of a bold, brash voice, and an even bolder and brasher presence, Ethel Merman might be more well known for her stage roles, but she made several movies, and was bold and brash in them as well. Also I think if I don't submit her, she's going to come back and haunt me.

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]

Ethel Merman:

You've gotta love any woman who got typecast as lead-MILF

Deborah Kerr:

I think she was one of my first crushes before I realised I was bi in The King and I when I watched it as a kid honestly. The kissing scene in From Here to Eternity is iconic for a reason. Actually tried to learn the accents for the characters she was playing if they weren't English which is more than pretty much anyone else was doing then. Played very restrained characters who frequently seemed to be desperate not to be so restrained. Did horror movies without venturing into hagsploitation tropes. Gave Marni Nixon the credit she deserved for her share of the singing in The King and I.

Anne Larsen is a peak late 1950s bisexual with big MILF energy. Have you seen the behind the scenes pics of her wearing a suit?? Have you????? Vote Deb as Anne Larsen.

Nominated for an Oscar six (6) times and never won, but besides her having actual talent (hot), and besides her looking Like That (very hot, also beautiful), she was always playing women who are, like, crazy repressed. Which makes it fun and easy for me to read these characters as queer. Icon!!!! You know what's hot? Playing ambiguously gay in vintage Hollywood.

Her face and talent and body, yes, ofc, duh. But also!!! Her HANDS!!!! I may be but a simple lesbian, but she is the best hactor (hand actor) that ever lived and that's HOT! For propriety's sake I feel I must redact a large portion of my commentary on this subject. Anyway. She's hot in her most famous roles (mentioned above), and also some of her sexiest hacting is on display in An Affair to Remember (her hand on the bannister when Cary Grant kisses her off-screen??? HELLO???), Tea and Sympathy (when she's trying to persuade Tom not to go out and she keeps flexing her hands like she wants to reach out to him but can't??? ALLY BEHAVIOR! WE STAN!), and The Innocents (which opens and closes with extended shots of her hands bc director Jack Clayton was also an ally and he did that for ME). Much of her appeal also lies in the fact that she often played deeply repressed characters and you know what's hot? When those uptight characters finally unravel. It's sexy. It's cathartic. It's erotic. Plus, she's beautiful to look at in both black & white and technicolor, and the more of her films you see, the more you can't help but fall in love!

Literally is in thee most famously sexy scene of all time (or maybe just during the hays code era which is what we're talking about HELLO), which is the beach scene with Burt Lancaster in from here to eternity. To quote a tumblr post of a screen capture of a tweet of a video of joy behar on the view: "y'know, there used to be movies where they were kissing on the beach... From Here to Eternity. They're kissing-- Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr are Kissing on the Beach and then the WAVES crash!! You know exactly what they did!"

She might have a reputation of being chaste and virginal or whatever, but we all know it's the quiet ones who are certifiable FREAKS

[anewbeginningagain]

No literally, I've always wondered this - for years - what *is* it about Tessa that makes people criticize her for things so many other skaters are applauded for?! As you say, Gabi says very similar things - Yuna Kim, Sasha Trusova - so many other women have either wanted little to do with the sport after retiring and/or have publicly spoken about how they would never let their kids do it and how harmful the sport can be, hundreds of people on Twitter (fans of figure skating may I add) talk daily about how the sport is rotten to its core, go crazy about anyone with an injury continuing to try to compete, or discuss the practically weekly allegations of sexual assault and/or the fact that judging can be a complete farce and/or the ridiculous expectations and degradations of women yet when Tessa says it, speaking from her own experience, somehow she's being rude or stepping out of line?

Don't even get me started on every other figure skater being applauded for getting sponsorships, something every successful athlete does or aims to do, yet from the beginning and to this day, for some reason Tessa doing the exact same thing and being good at it makes her money hungry.

It's just really bizarre to me.

I'm right there with you on feeling it's beyond bizarre. She's heavily criticized for being rehearsed and ingenuine since people struggle to understand just how hard it is to be in the spotlight in the way she had to be. But when she's telling it like it is? People goes crazy when it doesn't align with what they want her to say.

Tessa has always been the target of hate for the way she talks, what she says, her endorsements and sponsorship and what not. There are very specific typecasts for female skaters that are "accepted" by the skating fandom, and if you don't fall into one of those categories you will face a lot of hate, but honestly we are not ready for that discussion yet.

[scotianostra]

The actress Mary Gordon was born on May 16th 1882.

Not a name you’re familiar with, but Mary probably appeared in more Hollywood films than any other Scot- ever!

Born as Mary Gilmour in Glasgow, the daughter of a Bridgeton wire weaver, and she worked as a dressmaker before discovering a talent for performing.

Mary made over 300 movies alongside Tinseltown’s greats and was Scotland’s first film star. Her most celebrated role was as Sherlock Holmes’s long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, in the Basil Rathbone series of thrillers based on the famous detective’s adventures. But she also starred alongside some of Hollywood’s greatest stars, including Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Mae West, James Stewart and Laurel and Hardy.

Her films included Bonnie Scotland and Mr Smith Goes To Washington. My go to place for info in posts like this, the IMDb film site notes that she was “often typecast as an Irish mother despite being a native of Scotland. This used to drive Irish film-goers crazy, who could easily detect the Scottish accent.”

According to IMDb, she joined a theatre company bound for an American tour, and arrived in the US in her twenties. She had a few small roles on Broadway and became friends with the director John Ford while making Hangman’s House. She went on to make seven more films with him.

With her mother, also Mary, and daughter, Molly, she lived in Los Angeles. In 1939, she took on her most famous role as Mrs Hudson, playing the role in ten films and numerous radio plays.

She was a charter member of the Hollywood Canteen, entertaining servicemen throughout the Second World War.

on her 1946 visit - during which she was regularly mobbed by fans - Mary made a point of getting re-acquainted with friends and returning to her old haunts in the east end. She recalled singing in the choir at one parish church.

“Ah’m no’ really a star,” she told the local press at the time. “Ah’m just one o’ the small fry, just a character actress in Hollywood. America has been very kind to me, but I’ve had my heartbreaks since I was last here.” she added.

Mary married a commercial traveller, William Gordon, in 1908. They were estranged in 1914 and separated in 1917 but it is unclear if they ever legally divorced. She kept his surname and never remarried. Mary spent the final years of her life in Pasadena, California with her daughter and grandson. She died after a long illness on August 23rd, 1963.

The third pic shows Mary in Glasgow with Harry Lauder and Irving Berlin, the fourth is with Katharine Hepburn from the film The Little Minster.

[aurae-rori]

hoyoverse typecasting goes crazy because what do you MEAN obsidian (the stoneheart in the blood bathtub) is voiced by arlecchino’s VA 😭

i fucking love Obsidian her design is so cool i love women

[rosepersicas]

Starting to watch When The Phone Rings and I'm eating it up but...let Yoo Yeon Suk be a middle-aged man. Like the difference btwn these two photos is crazy.

One is a promotional photo yada yada, but like he has smile lines and crows feet. This man is 40...lean into please. The people would eat it up happily

It doesn't help they casted him opposite Chae Soo Bin who can easily pass younger than her actual age of 30.

It's typical for a drama with this setup to typecast the "naive" female lead, but something is ruining the immersion. The styling needs to be more tailored I'm begging

We'll see how this goes...please I need costuming, hair and makeup to come thru

[mytalemyworld]

They are the most popular couple right now on social media, actually it's not very surprising since there is no love story happening in other tv shows so it's like there is literally no ship wars or something but…even if there was, I think they could still be at the first place.

You didn't ask for my two cents but I'll tell you anyway. The show is a complete mess. Nowadays the writers just don't waste any efforts on their scripts. This one is no different, there's so much craziness going on that I can't stop judging.

So the main character Yaman (his real name is Ali Soysalan) was kidnapped when he was a child. Then he somehow ended up on the streets, grew up with three homeless children. (Cesur, Asi and Umut. Their names come from their characteristics I guess since they have no identity. Cesur means "Brave", Asi means "Rebellious/Rebel". Umut means "Hope". Yaman means "the person who doesn't give up, is strong") They become a kind of family. One day he finds out his real family and the story begins.

This might be too cliche, I don't care about that, but the problem is if you want to watch a heartfelt family reunion you may be very disappointed. After he reunites with his family, there is no bonding, no family time, no thought about how to spend their days from now on…The family find their kid and act like "so yeah, this is your family, stay in our home, these are your other siblings, let's move on." Come on! As a mother more importantly as a doctor mother, you just have to see the emotional damage and the endless gap between your kids.

And don't get me started on how Mother Soysalan announce the news to her other children: They just find out from the tv like the other citizens in the country.

Nothing makes sense, but let's just forget all nonsense and accept that this story is more like about a lost kid who turns back his home to get his revenge on the bad guys.

Btw, I am usually not that kind of person who comments on the performances of the actors but I don't know why, the lead actor doesn't make me really feel anything. The same actor also acted in Kardeslerim as Kadir a.k.a. the eldest brother, (this already looks like typecasting btw) however he is really not convincing here. There's a lack of chemistry with everyone, but this also might be a directing or a script problem because the other actors can't give any strong feelings in some specific scenes too. In short, I fast forward his scenes most of the time. The fact that his actions are so predictable doesn't help either.

So here comes the problematic part.

They are twins but I prefer calling them Jessie and James from Pokemon.

Since The Council of Radio and Television in Turkiye doesn't care the degrees of violence shown or the importance of right labelling for tv shows, I shouldn't be surprised by how this show is tagged. I, however, will give you a warning. The show is dark, there is drug use, excessive violence, emotional abuse, family abuse, physical abuse…oh my, you can put any warning actually. The worse, they are not handled very well. Law enforcement, is there even such a thing in this show? No. Any law? No. Stupidity ever ends? No. I know they are portraying the underdog people so the violence part might be kind of realistic, but the adults are so frustrating when they can not do anything useful.

And these twins are suffering from childhood emotional neglect. (To be honest the half of Soysalan family must be in prison, the other half should see a therapist.)

Alaz Soysalan, he is one of the problematic characters in the show. The younger sibling of the main character and doesn't like his newly found "big bro" (he uses this word with a mocking emphasis) because he sees him as the main reason for his lonely and motherless childhood. He doesn't know what empathy means, he just doesn't feel the others' pains unless the other party also goes through the same thing he does.

He definitely isn't likeable, but for a tv show where everybody shows acute reactions, his choices blend in the rest. Don't expect anything from him, he is a complete disaster.

I can overlook many of his wrongdoings because that's fiction, but I wish I had never seen the way he behaved towards his twin sister at the early episodes. I think it doesn't make sense since he is overly protective and possesive of his family.

Yeah, let's jump into the shipping part.

She is Asi. Your typical tough tomboy. Thanks to growing up together with a bunch of boys, she knows how to deal with them. She swears, she fights. But she is also loyal and compassionate. She is unfortunately helplessly in love with Yaman. He isn't aware of her feelings and sees her as his family, his sister.

When she first meets Alaz, they don't have any important one-to-one interaction. They just don't like each other and naturally turn into enemies. But this is the slowest burn of the show.

Like I said, he has lack of empathy unless he sees someone is hurt from the same pain as he is.

This is the moment he truly sees her because both of them are suffering from one-sided love. He realizes she's in love with Yaman and she knows he loves Rüya. Unlike the other people in the cell, she knows why he's frustrated and angry. Not communicating at all, they share something here.

I'm going to post more about them. They're the only interesting thing in the show. For the rest...meh. I usually adore family dynamics, but don't have expectations here after having seen the found kid part was badly written.

[destinyc1020]

I don’t understand why fans need Tom to be A-list. He doesn’t even seem to want that for himself. He doesn’t go to any events, he doesn’t take any brand deals, he just does his work and goes home lol Let him be for goodness sake 😅 There are plenty of actors with great careers who are not A-list. He is still very young, his career will always be evolving.

I'm sorry to be this blunt on your blog destiny, but what the hell is this anon saying? Who in the world works in any profession and doesn't want to work to be at the top? Of course, Tom wants to be and is working to be the best in his industry.

When Serena was playing tennis, did she not want to win her set?

When England was playing in the euros, were they not aiming to win the tournament? They lost, but the aim was there, no?

I dont remember the last time Timothee went to a chanel fashion show, but he was recently an ambassador and got paid more than any actor or influencer who gets invited to Loewe lol. Even Austin with YSL, correct me if I'm wrong, but when was the last time he went to a fashion show? He didn't need to. When you are an a-list actor, you don't have to be in the trenches by heavily saturating yourself in the public to make a name for yourself. It's why Z wears archival despite being an LV ambassador.😭

Anon, idk if you've been following Tom long or not, but Tom himself has said that his priorities have long-since changed for his career.

He has mentioned before how back when he was getting a lot of fame for playing Spiderman, he came to LA with stars in his eyes (like many people lol) and dreams in his mind of becoming the biggest most successful young movie star in his age bracket. He was even seriously considering uprooting from London and moving to LA (I think Nikki put a stop to that rofl 🤣).

He then quickly realized (probably due to EXPERIENCE 👀) that being super famous isn't really all what it's cracked up to be. 🥴

As crazy as it sounds, not all actors want to be "movie stars". Some actors just want to ACT. Like, acting is seriously their passion. Some actors just want to make good movies and then be able to just chill and not have to deal with the craziness that comes along with a lot of fame.

You can't (imo) really measure acting and compare it with playing a sport. With acting, you're not really supposed to be competing against anyone but yourself. Are YOU growing as an actor? Are YOU improving? Are YOU feeling fulfilled? Are YOU making the movies that YOU want to make?

Some actors, are perfectly happy not really being in the limelight. It doesn't mean they're not successful.

Tom has said that now all he cares about is making movies with good people that he loves and cares about. It's less about being the biggest actor or being the "next Tom Cruise" for him, and just enjoying what he does. 🙂

I think a LOT of actors feel this way tbh. SOME actors of course want to be a movie star (I think Glen has been pretty honest about wanting this), but other actors just want to work with great directors, a great cast, and a great script. They just want to do the stuff they grew up watching and loving. It's not so much about being the "best" or being the "biggest star". Some actors, like Austin for example, just want to finally be able to get the chance to do the type of acting work that they've been dreaming about doing since they were young, instead of constantly being typecast or pigeon-holed. 🤷🏾‍♀️

I just don't think it's fair to claim that the Anon was wrong in her assessment, or that Tom is somehow not successful.

I personally think that Tom is doing just fine, and must be doing what he wants to be doing!

[childofaura]

I know you talk about him a lot but what is your big opinion on Jamieson Price?

Ok so I have to apologize: I got sick yesterday with… SOMETHING, I don’t know what but it had hit me last Wednesday too. I was pretty passed out for the rest of the day so I’m finally getting to a few messages D:

Jamieson Price (or Taylor Henry as he goes by in FEH) has to be one of my favorite actors of all time (that isn’t a 4kids actor). Like… I don’t mean this in a creepy way but to say I love that guy’s voice is an understatement; I get super excited the moment I recognize it in any media. His voice was MADE for voice acting. I think the first time I really discovered who he was happened when I saw the Pokémon Origins series; I saw his name for Giovanni and thought his take was… interesting. Then I finally watched a playthrough of Nier: Gestalt (sadly never got to play it) and enjoyed his performance as Papa Nier, then played Fire Emblem Awakening and married Priam and it all kind of spiraled from there. In FEH, he plays Hawkeye, Virion, Priam, Nemesis, Rudolf, and Zephiel (both young and old). Definitely a pretty big cast of characters.

Man, his performance as all of these characters though! I’ll try to break them all down as best as I can because while I don’t use some of these characters (Hawkeye, Virion, and Zephiel) I do like his work on them and I like some of the characters regardless. Starting with Virion, because that’s his most unique role in FEH yet, he’s perfectly flashy and extravagant with Virion’s voice, having that interesting accent (which honestly I can’t pin down what it is, it could be completely made up though lol). It’s nice that he got some more Virion lines in Eleanora’s unit. As Hawkeye, his voice is quiet and serene, and pretty mesmerizing to listen to, especially his line “You want my attention? Friend, you have it”. Of course that changes when you hear Hawkeye’s critical quotes and the dude goes berserk. Adult Zephiel though, HOLY SHIT that performance almost scares me. He sounds absolutely paranoid and unhinged (as Zephiel is supposed to), his critical lines are practically SCREAMING sometimes. And that makes his Young Zephiel lines that much sadder, he was so polite and enthusiastic ;w; Nemesis is fantastic, he’s bloodthirsty and violent, and the voice filter really adds the unsettling quality to his voice. Rudolf is pretty standard, but the best part about his Valentine’s Rudolf lines is the one where he goes “IT’S A HOLIDAY, RELAX!!” The juxtaposition of Rudolf’s steely character and that line kills me. Finally, his Priam voice is hearty and cordial, he has the tone of Priam’s devotion to strength down perfectly. Just wish that FEH included his “For the Blue Flame” line.

Ok, so interestingly, I think he fits pretty much everyone… except for Young Zephiel. It’s not on him, FEH just keeps most of the same actors for younger versions of characters. But despite the great job he does at trying to change his tone for Zephiel, his voice is still just too naturally deep for how kind of baby-faced younger Zephiel looks.

I know people might argue with me on this one and I SWEAR it’s not (completely) biased, but YES Price does have range; it’s just hard to hear it because he tends to get typecasted for his regular voice. But Virion and young Zephiel do prove he has the range: hell, I didn’t even know he played Virion for a while. Like I said, I think he’s more casted for his iconic regular voice (the one for Priam, Nemesis, and Rudolf). But he has a pretty decent range; maybe not as crazy as Ben Diskin or Cam Clarke, but it’s there.

Overall, and to try not to be biased, I’ll give him a 9/10. But just know that in my personal opinion, he’s a 10/10. And his characters need WAY more alts. Like we need a Hawkeye/Igrene duo alt (like Halloween Hector where we have little Igrene), a proper Virion alt, and DEFINITELY a Harmonic Ike/Priam Hero alt (IS, EVEN IF HE’S THE CHEERLEADER UNIT. YOU PUT HIM IN AND I’LL PAY FOR HIM. I DON’T CARE IF THE IKE/SOREN SHIPPERS PUT UP A STINK, I’D LIKE MORE PRIAM CONTENT FOR HIS CHARACTER).

[bisluthq]

Do you think Joe has been typecast into roles where the guy is non alpha and gentle? Thinking of Bob Crachit in A Christmas Carol, Nick in CWF, Laertes in Hamlet.

idk if that’s a typecast for Joe because he’s played a bunch of truly evil motherfuckers (Boy Erased, Last Letter, Harriet, the rapist husband in KOK although I haven’t seen that yet)

based on your description of these characters, I kinda wanna know if you’ve ever read or watched an adaptation of (frankly even better because Shakespeare is meant to be watched not read fundamentally) Hamlet? Literally I cannot think of a character I’d be less likely to describe as non Alpha and gentle than Laertes. That mf is STRAIGHT UP CRAZY. He’s also a bit of a dog like he goes on this rant to Ophelia early on in the play about how Hamlet is gonna get bored with her and she basically tells him she knows he’s a hoe but that doesn’t make Hamlet one lol. Then he fucks off like for work and then he finds out his daddy’s been killed and comes back and fucking GOES APESHIT and tries to kill the King/Hamlet’s step daddy/Hamlet’s uncle/Hamlet’s daddy’s killer (meanwhile Hamlet by this stage has spent like two hours of the play and like months and months in world deciding what the fuck to do with that guy and still not come to a decision) and the King tells him like “actually Hamlet killed your daddy” (which fwiw is true) and Laertes is like “fuck this then let’s go kill Hamlet”. He also finds out his sister has gone crazy because of the whole dead daddy situation and also how Hamlet treated her super weirdly and that makes him extra mad. Ultimately, killing tf out of Hamlet doesn’t super work out for him (in the original, the King/all those other things arranges an amicable duel for them to settle their differences but secretly conspires with Laertes to use a poisoned blade and he does poke Hamlet with it but then Hamlet gets his sword like while they’re fighting and also pokes Laertes and rip hamlet and laertes bc they both die - obviously Aneil and Riz have a different version of this series of events lol because theirs is set in 21st Century London but yea that’s what happens) but yeahhhh idk that I’d describe Laertes as like a chilled out, gentle sad beta male at all?? He’s not a villain like the characters in (1) because he’s pretty justified in hating the dude who killed his daddy and drove his sister mental but like he acts on that pretty decisively and successfully and he’s kind of hectic?

Nick and Bob are, I suppose, quite gentle and unthreatening so you’re right about that but they are also VASTLY different characters so no even from just those examples I wouldn’t call it a typecast.

[absolutebl]

Were are on the reblog section of this narrative, what joy is mine. 

Episode 9: The boyfriend episode. 

It’s becoming as ubiquitous as the Doom episode. 

I do like food, so I did find the bit where Kawi goes crazy for sushi cute. 

Honestly? I can’t tell if Krist is always typecast as an ace character, or if he legitimately just has no chemistry with anybody. 

Meanwhile I hate Not. 

We all do. 

God for Pear for CRUSHING HIS DREAMS.

I do feel sorry for Title though, I wish he got his own BL. 

On a more cerebral note: (I know, I’m not drunk enough) 

I keep wondering if this show is having a dialogue with us about how ineffectual it is to attempt to control not just the past, but other people’s feelings and emotions. Which is an interesting and mature concept. And if it’s coming from anybody, it’s certainly not coming from the original source material. (side eyes Jittirain) 

I am very much not looking forward to next week, it seems as if it’ll be extremely frustrating. 

But it’s episode 10! The Tsundere MUST soften! Mustent he?  

OH NO , I feel another BL hymnal coming on… 

The tsundere has softened like the first tsundere Seme has kebedon on the first wall Praise for the uke, getting less boring Praise for no shipping outside the BL 

Sweet the cinnamon roll, melted by heartthrobs  Like the first fangirl on the first abs Praise for the dampness of a wet sponge bath Sprung from a rainfall where the plots pass

Mine is the queer lens, mine is the consent Born of the condom, rarely in play,  Rare is the BJ, never from this team GMMTV giveth and taketh away 

And on that note...

There was no Max in this episode I AM OVERWROUGHT. 

Episode 10: Max is back! 

OK I have a chocolate martini, a lap full of cat that is not mine (but makes no case for it), and here we go. 

I have a terrible confession to make upfront, I am now watching this show on 1.25 speed. I just can’t okay? Not even to improve my Thai. 

Have seen this balcony 1 million times before. I have seen this shot on this balcony 1 million times. 

I enjoyed the girls taking down Not. 

Clears throat. 

Drags out soapbox. 

Stands on top. 

Max is BEST BOY. 

OK I went into the possible sex scene with these foundations:   

I am going to try to give the character of Kawi the benefit of the doubt. Given part one of this ep, he promised his dead father he would pursue his own happiness. Let’s assume he’s going to take any action based on that promise. 

I am also going to attempt to give Jittirain the benefit of the doubt. Historically never as bad of willfully exploitive of the queer community as Mame, let’s say for the sake of argument and open mindedness, that ace is legit on the table for Kawi’s character (as understood online, and mostly defined by the western queer communities). 

Okay. I will try. 

Here we go...  

Kawi is giving me flinchy cringing Minato vibes. 

And one of those a week is already more than enough for me. 

Yes. 

He reads as a bit ace, but Krist always does. I don’t think the narrative is intentionally framing him that way for this sex scene. I’m sorry I just DON’T. 

I think this is blushing maiden. AND I don’t like it. 

This date (pre sex) was very old school “treat her right” 1960s style, take her out and spoil her and maybe she will put out. 

I wish they talked a bit more about sex and Kawi’s reluctance... but okaaaay. 

I guess I was fine with this ep? 

But I am still in this head space, and I don’t think I’m leaving it anytime soon: 

Episode 11: I’m Flagging 

Why are we spending so much time with Pear’s parents? 

I admit it was kinda a sweet sex scene. 

Very first time and hesitant, which suits these actors. 

I liked the little bit of smile kiss after all that cringe. 

I liked the soft morning after touches. 

That was a nice... erm... touch. 

Lots of domestic bf & boyfriends in LTR footage.

I admit this trash watch is petering out. 

Oh I’m not actually really enjoying this show. 

But it’s not setting itself up to be as much a victim of my rapier wit as I was hoping for. 

Episode 12: Not with a bang & not with a snuff, but with a whimper. 

Today I have a sake & watermelon juice cocktail - don’t knock it until you try it. I’m ready! 

I should start by saying: I never subscribed to the theory that they were going to kill the gays or end this show unhappily. I just don’t think GMMTV would go there with this property. Only Friends, certainly, this one? No. Also it’s not JittiRain’s DNA. 

And now, the finale. 

I do want to say up front that the “hospital = gay partner has no rights” thing is super important to see on screen since it is a terrible issue all over the world. And a majorly important reason to fight for equal rights. Also... you queer? Get your fucking estate in order, ya slacker. If you don’t want your dud family getting their mitts on your shit or deciding on your medical, end of life, and funeral, safeguard that with legal documents. Make it as easy as possible on the loved ones you leave behind. I know. I know. But guess what? We all gonna die. (Self is executor for like 8 friends at this point, has seen 6 through the death of parents, no to mention my own family. I didn’t mean to end up defacto expert in this, but hey ho.) 

Moving along.... 

I also like the life philosophy of not doing a thing simply because it’s the expected path and the definition of success within that field. I wish more people would think about pursuing career paths that suit their personalities rather than just their abilities. 

Gawin is such a good actor. Oof. 

This was a very talkie and philosophical final ep which I don’t mind, per say, but it was boring and slow. No. It WAS. 

But frankly? I wasn’t as offended as I have been in the past by this show. 

Outfits, color palate, and visual elements were super flat and lackluster tho. GMMTV wardrobe & set, do we need to talk? 

That wedding at the end should have been Max’s not Pear’s (to a super cute boy). I’m sure everyone agrees with me in this. Pear obvious shoudl be single and killing it as the CEO of a high-end jewelry business. She can have a hot af gym owner lover If you insist. 

There. 

I fixed it. 

How do I feel about BMF at the end? 

I feel fine. 

It was fine. 

I was fine with it.

The usual with Jittirain, as it turns out, is pretty simple: 

One of her main characters is going to be a manipulative liar or extremely unlikeable or both. 

*shrug* 

I’m never gonna remember this show after next week. When lists come up that it shoudl go on, you’re gonna have to remind me. It’ll be one of those BLs. I won’t rewatch it. I’m thinking it’s in the Vice Versa family and so I’m handing in the same rating. That got a reluctant 8/10 from me, so does this. It probably should get a 7/10 just because I’m so exhausted by Jittirain’s nonsense. But I have to be fair and judge each BL on its own and not in light of repeat author mistakes.

8/10 

RECOMMENDED. WHATEVER. 

I am very much looking forward to Perth back on my screen next Friday in Dangerous Love. I do miss his expressive little face and his lovely voice. And Chimon as well. It’s been years since either of them lead a BL. This is going to be fun. Good? I’m not sure. But definitely fun. I won’t be trash watching it though. 

(new source) 

Be My Favorite - Flaming Hot Trash Watch Action

Ready for this?

Adapted from the y-novel You Are My Favorite by JittiRain this is one of those “rewrite the past to change the future.” Starring Krist (SOTUS) + Fluke Gawin (DBK, Not Me). I expect this to be low heat, full of LIES and manipulation.

12 eps of approx 45 min fresh content each, and I guess I am drinking on frigay for the next 3 damn months 

Main tropes: time travel/slip/loop, paranormal, university setting, soft romance, low heat, sunshine/tsundere with GMMTV’s heavy hand on classic Thai BL tropes, product placement, and high production values.

Trailer | MDL

I’m getting some shizz outta my system before I start putting the alcohol into it…

Story issues 

Let’s get this on the table. I have a mixed relationship with Jittirain’s stuff because unlike Mame who is trash to her characters with plot, Jittirain is trash to plot with characters. All characters (what limited characterization there is) will be obedient to the plot and act against personality the moment it is necessary for whatever insanity is required for audience manipulation. We The Watchers WILL feel jerked around by these jerks (but as this is GMMTV there will be no actual jerking). We WILL be lied to, and the characters will lie to each other FOR NO GOOD REASON. 

In addition to Be My Favorite JittiRain is behind: Vice Versa, 2gether, Fish Upon the Sky, and Theory of Love. Mmm humm. Yeah. Drinks are defiantly required. 

Actor issues: 

Krist: Who knew Krist would do a BL again? Like seriously? His career has been riddled with controversy and his skills as an actor widely challenged. Regarding the first, this is not that blog, take that discourse/cancel culture elsewhere. For the second? I will judged his acting based on the usual criteria: this BL, this role, this pairing, this script, and the fact that this is Thai style acting. Okay?

Gawin/Fluke: I will likely slip and call him Gawin because that’s what he used when he first crossed my radar. I have said this before but he looks like an ex of mine. So my baggage with him is all personal. Said ex and I are amicable, but it wigs me out sometimes. They even have a similar voice. I will try to get over this. 

Also the both SCREAM straight. I mean I don’t wanna judge insult or anything but these boys got breeder smeared all over them. 

Okay, so what are we doing here?

Well, as previously established: DRINKING.

AND

A new trash watch! 

Although there is always the (however faint) possibility it will become a praise watch. Sometimes that happens. But this is Jittirain so… I doubt it. 

Ready?

Here we go! 

Episode 1: Sake & Fear 

I have heartburn already. Or maybe that’s the extra chili I put on my noodles + booze + EXISTENTIAL DREAD. 

Kawi = loser, poor, stupid, shy, and friendless (AKA Japan’s ordinary bottom uke archetype) - he’s a downer, this is an issue with this kind of character, not likable. 

Pearmai = the sunshine faen fatale Kawi has a crush on 

Piseang = the tall handsome cute popular perfect seme, plays basketball perfectly (waves at Love O2O), is also a DJ (nash)

Most of this ep was spent establishing this dynamic and some kind of secret santa for college kids, a magic time travel snow globe, and the fact that the wrong couple got together. 

Why is there a dandelion in the snow globe? 

Is it a wishes thing? Do they have that superstition in Thailand?

A 12 year time jump is v Japanese. Which life-point is closer to Krist’s actual age? Ooo, half a bottle of sake and I’m salty af. 

Apparently Kawi still has same problems and the same haircut as he did as a fresher.

Could we please talk about this? It’s in ALL BL. Why does NO ONE change their hair as they age? My hair changes by the week. 

Meanwhile our ordinary bottom has turned into a wild imbecilic tsundere and our seme clearly likes that and I am too drunk for this. So is Kawi. 

You know what, it’s not as terrible as I thought it would be. I don’t like it but I can see the characters becoming appealing. Maybe? Hopefully? Why do I do this to myself?

I’m not a monster, I will give it a chance. 

At least no one has yet picked up a guitar.

See you next week, same Jittirain time, same Jittiran place, new bottle of sake.  

Episode 2: Nigori & Serenity 

The sake I’m drinking tonight is described on the bottle “silky & mild” which is also a legit review of Gawin’s acting. 

WAIT A MINUTE.

What is going on? 

What am I feeling? 

They’re lying on the grass talking to each other in a meaningful way. It’s cute. I am enjoying it. How appropriately collegiate. 

Is this… enjoyment?

Am I enjoying this show?

OMG I AM. 

help 

I ate booze-filled chocolates AS WELL AS SAKE. 

Maybe it’s the double dose? 

Am I becoming silky & mild?

I got a slow down. I can’t do this every week for 12 weeks in a row. I’m not in uni anymore. I might end up being a nice person if I continue down this road. Can’t have that.  

Honestly, I do like the fantasy of getting to re-live your college years as a cooler version of yourself. 

Although, frankly, I did fine with mine. 

(Oh thank fuck, asshole me is back.) 

I don’t know where Max came from but he is officially the most interesting character in this show. 

Also… does he look a bit like a bad boy bunny to anyone else? 

It isn’t actually like it, but I am getting a distinct 2gether vibes from this show. It makes it feel kinda dated for BL. What a fucking crazy thing to say. Ignore me, I’m drunk. 

OOOOO…. Nong teasing. Very nice.  

The over dramatic drunken kiss made me giggle. First time Krist has been properly kissed in a BL.

Sigh. 

What do I do? 

I’m enjoying it! 

Damn it. 

Episode 3: Tipsy Waffling 

I was out at the club, came home faintly tipsy. Frankly I feel a little unwell, so I’m not gonna drink anymore. So this is an unprecedented semi-sober trash watch. I’m not sure if I’m ready but so far this show been beating expectations, and I don’t expect a derailment until next ep so I’m feel okay about my life choices. 

Okay Gawin is good. I’ll give you that . His little moment if realization (and giving up). The “oh shit” look. 

Wait.

That’s Title! 

When did he leave Wabi Sabi and join GMMTV’s stable? 

Look I kinda enjoyed this bit, because it was a joke.

BUT I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE ENDING.

Is this the beginning of the JittiRain of Doom? Or it this just good angsty story telling?

No way to know until next week.

(JittiRain of Doom - see what I did there? Aren’t I a clever little lush dragon?) 

I should go to bed now. 

I think we can safely say clouds are on the horizon and whether this is good storytelling or bad, only episode 4 will tell. 

Episode 4: It’s Happened! The Suck! 

not in a good way @heretherebedork​ said ep 4, can they call it or WHAT?! 

I’m officially calling Kwai’s pink haired Maximum hotness bestie “my café fae” and YOU can’t stop me. I love him. Or I want to be him? Or I AM him?

Difficult to know.

Checks own hair.

Not pick at at the moment. Mostly blue actually.

(I weirdly adore that blue open weave draw-string vest thing he’s rocking. Checks own closet. Wonders idly about turning a mesh laundry bag into a shirt.) 

Anygay… Café fae and I are running away together and not putting up with any of this Jittirain nonsense.

Right? 

Because this beach frolic…?  

Too cringe. Too awkward. I really don’t like all of embarrassment factor for everyone, not to mention humiliation and hazing and older kids picking on younger kids.

I’ve been done with this plot divice since SOTUS. And I’ll take it in small doses from Korea but no more Thailand. Stop it. And…

is that…

A GUITAR 

!!!

NO SINGING.

Oh, I hate this show.

Everyone listening in on the phone while he’s humiliating himself with a girl? This is fully terrible. 

I’m so uncomfortable with this whole episode. 

And yet. Secure. Because finally we are in the territory I was expecting. But ALSO I can’t bear it. 

Please make it stop.

At least Piseng is a decent human being.

And Pair. 

Screw all y’all. I’m eloping with Pair.

Wait.

What about my cafe fae? Hummmm. 

Ah! Got it. Thrupple! 

I’m not gonna lie. That was rough going. 

And I am not OK.

Although I’m digging this thrupple scheme of mine. 

Episode 5: I Am V Drunk

For those of you following the soga of ABL is a lush… 

I got my cocktail! 

Then got distracted by meeting colleagues at the bar. 

Then went for dinner and wine.

Then got another cocktail and finally made it back to the room. 

So by the time I started watching this week’s installment I was… quite drunk. 

Take this recap with a grain of salt margarita salt rim… no… not that kind of rimming, that’s just in KP, sadly… wait… what am I doing? I got distracted. This is GMMTV. Def no rimming. 

So! 

Kawi deserves his new asshole friends (stop it ABL no rimming). 

I just don’t like him. He’s too straight and whiney and homophobic. 

Could we have a romance between Pisang and Max? 

Asking for a friend me. 

Bet there would be rimming. They both seem very game. Just saying.

Different show ABL. Different show. 

Where was I? Apparently I went to the land of Bed Friends for a moment there. 

Why does anyone like Kawi? 

Max deserves better.  

Pear deserves better. 

Pisang deserves better. 

OMG!!! His utter wistful yearning over the happy gay bar. Poor baby. 

Awe don’t run away from Max. We love Max. Max is the best. You NEED a Max in your life. We all do! 

Someone described Max as “tired gay,” and I feel this keenly. 

NO SINGING. 

I DON’T LIKE WHERE THIS THREAD IS GOING. 

NO NO NO NO NO 

SKIP! Skipskipskip. 

Next week look like a classic ep 6 kiss then angst. Whatever. 

It was fine. 

This was a fine installment. 

I’m very drunk. 

Hotel all spinny. 

Hi, bed! Make me a sammitch. 

Episode 6: I Am Less Drunk Than I Should Be

I just wish this were Pisaeng’s story instead of Kawi’s. It would be a lot better. In fact, it is a lot better. Any time we get PS alone or with any other character it’s a better narrative. Any time with him and Max talking it’s the best of everything, That’s all I want on my screen.

In fact, Max is all I want. 

I love his “care bear kpop” clothes. 

This is definitely one of those shows where I don’t understand why anyone likes the central character - his friends, his love interests, his father, his audience, tumblr. 

No one should like him. He started out a loser and he’s only getting worse, and nasty to boot. 

Yes, it’s good we see him apologize, but there’s no logic behind the choices that led him to needing to make the apology in the first place! 

(No one does, honey.) 

We are heading into classic Jitiirain where are the characters are going to betray us and themselves in order to serve the narrative. 

And I’m not drunk enough for this. 

Honestly? I think Krist what is miss-cast as well. 

I’m not in the anti-Krist faction but just imagine… what if Kawi had been played by Khaotung? He has a much softer more dynamic screen presence. I think he could’ve carried even Jittirain’s patented nonsense. KT is… in fact… CUTE. 

Gawin is not an issue. (Which surprises me, since I came into this with a bias against him.) 

Because we can see PS thinks that K is cute even before the script felt the need to tell us this. 

Even when he’s being an arsehole, PS’s eyes are all soft for him. I guess some guys just are attracted to arseholes. 

Heh. 

See what I did there?

Meanwhile I hate PS’s mother! 

She = evil. 

I RECOGNIZE that balcony!

PS’s house/apartment thingy is the same as MaxNat celebrity pad in Y-Destiny. Another one for the location trackers.

That’s it, that’s all I got. 

Only one gay pun for you this evening. 

I have one job to do and I’m blowing it.

snerk

Nighty night. Don’t let the mosquitos bite leave hickeys. 

Episode 7: NO SINGING

I guess Kawi is one of those “straights” who just gets gayer the drunker he is. I know the type. 

Boozing the Kinsey Scale. 

Beer goggle queers. 

Cockeyed. 

Three sheets to the flame. 

Dick wasted. 

What else do we call them?

Oh yeah… cock tease. 

Episode 8: STOP SINGING 

Pisaeng for these last two episodes…

(singing cat never gets old, bite me) 

Good for you Pisaeng for standing up for yourself. Stop letting the straight boy jerk you around. 

(I see you in your matched couple shirts.) 

Omg I HATE Kawi just WHY IS ANYONE FRIENDS WIH HIM? 

Stop. Just this show would be so much better if he weren’t in it. 

I’m glad he lost Pisaeng and I enjoyed watching him cry. 

Even if he still made everything about himself. 

We return yet again to the fact that I love Max. Max and I are running away together. 

Pisaeng is just never Kawi’s priority, whereas the opposite is always the case. Talk about one sided love friendship relationship everything.  

Kawi the coward. 

To little too late. 

I do keep thinking about Big Eden with this series, Kawi just seems so straight no matter what he says or does or kisses.  

Poor Pisaeng he gets what he wants but it’s all out of pity, fear, and desperation. 

And all he wants is a chance to flirt? 

Is he an actual saint?

Fuck this damn show. 

(source)

As always with these trash watches, I update the original post until Tumblr has a brain fry and won’t let me anymore. Then it becomes an updated repost. Life in the dumpster fire is never dull. 

[brionysea]

The Mike Chrissy parallels are so insane to me i love it when you talk about them! Like, the food issues part alone is already very much Oh. And what's crazy about those to me is that it's so There that even casual watchers like my mom commented on how weird everyone was about food this season. Specifically how there's food everywhere: the new character being a pizza chef, everyone constantly driving around in a pizza van, ordering pizza, Eddie's hunts for food in the cabin, Hopper getting starved in prison and talking about food and throwing himself at peanut butter, and even having a making pizza montage. And a Lot of dinner/breakfast scenes shown in general. Which, according to her, just made Mike not eating any food in front of him unless he's literally being forced to stand out even More. And then Chrissy of course indirectly dies because of an eating disorder which just draws even More attention to the food issues right from the start <- analysis provided by my movie nerd GA mom

And that's just the weird food thing they all have going on and isn't touching on how Mike and Chrissy both aren't really in love with their partners and instead with the "freak" love interest alternative

Chrissy Mike parallels are crazy we really need to talk about them more like damn, okay, the narrative is so mean to you guys

i love that chrissy can be a lens through which to view and expose things about mike's character when chrissy was designed to die. like, mike, you good????

what really struck me recently is how chrissy becomes less of a person as the story goes on. to her boyfriend she's the fridged girlfriend who's used as an excuse for his bias and violence, and the fact that she was friendly with the person he's trying to murder in her name is irrelevant. she's not a person anymore, she's a cause, and her thoughts and feelings don't matter because she made them so quiet in life that things stuck like that and now it's too late

her mother, the person who gave her an eating disorder and essentially killed her in the first place, was able to stand up at her funeral and talk about how she's an angel who's smiling down on them from heaven and do the same thing as her boyfriend of just saying what she would think and feel and want. and neither of them really knew chrissy at all so obviously it's all wrong. if chrissy would want to be avenged and to prevent what happened to her from happening to anyone else (which, we really didn't see enough of her to know if she's a particularly vengeful person, but she seems kind so i can maybe buy the second part), then the main characters are the people doing that, and most of them never even met her

it reminds me of this twitter thread i saw on here a while ago about this woman's funeral, who i believe the op didn't know well, where everyone just stood up and talked about themselves. her partner, her children, people who were supposed to know her, just like chrissy. she made herself so quiet and giving and unobtrusive in other people's lives that all they could say about her was that she never complained. she'd already buried herself long before her death

and looking at all of that with the mike parallels, where he's trying to bury his own desires and is currently struggling to see them as something valuable that's worth pursuing and fighting for as much as other people's happiness is, where no one really knows who he is, where on a meta level he's treated similarly to chrissy (as an argument point or a pariah or someone's boyfriend instead of a person with thoughts and feelings and wants of his own), and even in universe, other characters just typecast him as the overbearing boyfriend or the straight guy or whatever and no one sees him, in part because he's hiding and running out of air, and of course no one sees that either... idk. i have a lot of thoughts and they're all circling around how painfully obvious those fake smiles were after you've seen the real thing

[foxsimthings]

(Constan)Tino Castellanos for @wrixie ‘s Enamoured with Eleanor!

(Yes I’m sliding in just below the wire heehueh what else is new tbh)

aka Big Herc (wrestling moniker) 31 | He/Him | Closeted Pansexual | Former Wrestler Turned ???  Bro | Impulsive | Ambitious

Likes:

eating, and will eat anything if it passes the Sniff Test

a good stiff drink on a MonFriday night

arguing with beautiful women not because he actually wants to argue but for A) fun and B) make-up canoodling

all horror movies except thrillers, if he has to think for even a second he’ll get angry, eat all of the popcorn of whoever made the mistake of sitting by him and annoyingly comment on the rest of the film until it’s over or he’s banished from the couch

working out, but more than he likes working out he likes when other guys see his physique and ask him what he eats, and then telling them his entire routine 

on that note, being shirtless anywhere and everywhere

people screaming his name (for any and all reasons; anger, delight, fans, etc)

Dislikes:

being in an argument with someone about a fact and having them pull out their phone to look it up(especially if it proves him wrong)

grown people who are still obsessed with plushies and cartoons

that one movie where Eddie Murphy plays all of the characters (he can’t explain why, he just doesn’t like it)

PC gamers (console is king)

people who eat in his car that aren’t him

social smokers (spoiler: he is both a social smoker and a hypocrite, he just doesn’t think that he is)

people who hate cats 

Other Stuff:

Tino was a mostly-well-known wrestler until being taken out by a back injury a couple years ago. The time since has been mostly spent in recovery, but now that he’s well again he’s kind of wandering around listlessly. If he goes back to fighting, he could paralyze himself; but is he actually good for anything else?

He’s missing a toe. Which one? Get his little piglets out and find out for yourself.

Shrek makes him cry and even hearing the opening chord of that one sad song from it makes him emotional and angry.

His mom is in his phone as Momster and she and Tino have been to 4 Lady Gaga concerts together. 

Tino isn’t a lazy guy, so being unable to wrestle and kind of useless at everything else has him pretty much as stir crazy as can be. He’ll order pizza just to pal it up with the delivery guy, that’s how bad the boredom’s gotten.

He’s not going bald at 31, you’re going bald at 31. He shaves his head because he likes the way it looks, okay?

When he was wrestling he always wanted to be the good guy, but got typecast as the heel early on in his career and made an actual shit-ton of money doing it, so he leaned into it. But secretly, Tino always wanted to be the shining Greek God and not the scummy Greek Bastard. 

[sugar-petals]

Can you teach me about music pls? I feel so dumb after reading your review on butter?

here go some essentials on what you can most definitely use looking at your favorite group/ biases, 

voice types. 

advanced music theory is insightful, but complex bordering abstract, and only talks about notes on paper rather than the singers we love. knowing about voices is a game changer and 100% worthwhile to talk about in the fandom. 

vocal types are classified by “tessitura” aka the comfortable range of the singer, resulting in three categories that most of you have likely heard about. 

1. tenor/soprano (highest)

2. baritone/mezzo-soprano (midrange)

3. bass/contralto (lowest)

DISCLAIMERS. 

- specification. this isn’t the whole story. there are dozens of subcategories to detail how exactly the person sounds (light, full, agile, rich, dark, versatile, powerful, or dramatic). each having their own even more distinct range and strengths. so, there’s a lot of individualism and variety to it still. we maintain the overview keeping it simple with three main categories, but seeming outliers find their home and songs to sing as well. even confusing voices are settled somewhere. e.g. nct’s taeyong being a light baritone.

- voices in between. especially because there are also intermediate voice types! like the bass-baritone or baritenor. the french also use the dugazon and falcon like aretha franklin who are hybrids of mezzo and soprano, being dark-colored female voices of a higher range: one brighter (=called the soubrette, like britney spears), the other more dramatic. but you’ll have your most important tools by knowing the three categories already. 

- outdated types. some older systems originating in baroque opera with its castrated singers (...yeah) even include the so-called countertenor as an even higher male voice. it is actually just a use of falsetto (more about registers and techniques below) rather than a voice you’re born with. jimin is often called a countertenor, whereas he is simply a tenor with well-executed upper registers and a light tone.

NOW SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

analyzing weight, color, and range, voice types organized as a ‘fach’ (= compartment) came from the opera, italy and germany most notably, hence all the foreign terms. they were not just used to give singers the part where their voice resonates the most, but also to typecast. so, transferring these terms to modern pop doesn’t always work: since a fach is often connected to a theatric role.

sopranos and tenors were often teens, young royals, heroes, or protagonists. hence it’s where the attention, credit and money goes. the deeper voices could be mentoring figures, authority of all kind e.g. older kings and queens, fantasy figures, or antagonists. example, all the leads in mozart’s magic flute classic are high voices. so, very determined by associations of good VS bad and young VS old, on top of protagonists VS supporting cast.

VOICE TYPES THESE DAYS:

it seems like that protagonist trend carried on to pop music since the 1970s. the higher voices still dominate the mainstream headed by ariana grande, sopranos like rosalía or billie eilish and tenors like the weeknd continue to burst into the spotlight. tenors and sopranos are very sought-out in k-pop, too. sometimes, that bias goes as far as equating high notes with good skill solely.

the deeper voices are often more niche (e.g. florence welch, mezzo) and in specific genres unless beyoncé or lady gaga are concerned. your mezzo or baritone has to be highly skilled and coloratura (=flexible) to keep up in pop. then again, many midrange vocal types are crazy versatile, while altos and basses are shockers in their voice quality and rarity, like stray kids’ felix. 

and yes, gladly: there’s a very recent surge in more mezzos as well headed by dua lipa. and, those who sing aptly can build great careers like p!nk, miley, and xtina. in fact, since midrangers have to train more while at the same time being less prone to vocal damage, they often stick around. the same goes for baritones whose depth garners a lot of attention, too, even if it’s just for their speech rather than singing. yoongi is a notorious example, i’ve talked about his immense potential in the lower range.

regardless, all the big groups have a tenor/soprano vocal line, exo being the most-named example (chen, baekhyun, kyungsoo, suho) as well as mamamoo (hwasa, solar, wheein). it’s rare to see mezzos and baritones head any group, harry styles is a more known exception, a baritone with light timbre. higher voices are heard more easily, pop requires that kind of range. meanwhile, lady gaga could easily pull off jazz. 

mezzos, soubrettes and baritones often rap like namjoon, lisa, or moonbyul — believing they could not sing. but in reality, the pitch is just too high for their tessitura. as rihanna being a mezzo did, most lower voice types give up music from strain since they train to sound like tenors and sopranos rather than carving out their own genre. someone like johnny cash as a famous bass singer successfully did despite being very unique (or actually because of it) — so, it is very possible, and fantastic on the ear anyway.

you can see where each vocal type is the most easily expressed here looking at the piano. you don’t need to know the notes, the illustration can be undertstood without. the ranges span over three octaves (octa = eight notes) usually.

but: keep in mind the average person covers usually one octave and a bit more untrained. k-pop/pop singers might govern two. the experts and divas/divos go beyond 3 (axl rose, mariah, prince, xtina etc, ranked here). these graphics simply show how far the 6 voices generally can be trained without pushing them. you could hit the note in some way, and it’d be audible.

since i talked about belting and chest voice, it’s best to give you an intro for the registers of the voice and show you where the three types have their strengths. there’s a whole lot of explanations about what your vocal chords to to produce sounds XYZ, but to keep the registers VERY simple:

...and as the extremes you can extend it lower with a rasp that’s called vocal fry, and higher to extend the chest/modal voice into belts, falsetto OR to get whistle notes that ariana grande and mariah carey are known for. the mixed voice brings chest and head voice together and connects the registers evenly.

tenors sound clear and do both head voice and falsetto well. skilled singers like jungkook and chen can eclipse all upper registers except whistles (which i think jin might be capable of though). a tenor’s weakness: possible nasal quality, screechiness, or inaudible lower registers unless they are a baritenor. if they sing off pitch, it’s noticed instantly, hence musicality is something they do best with working on as beginners. baekhyun had that problem early in his career, but keeps on approaching the pitch and can raise his voice astronomically high. EXAMPLES: onew, taemin, seokjin, ten, haechan, taeil, j-hope

baritones project well, great chesty tone, very rich. dark and deep, soothing to the ear. easy time with vocal fry. being in midrange the voice is quite flexible, though never as resounding and accurate in the heights. stretching the chest voice upward is the hardest for them, baritones often try to yell rather than exercise control — learning to mix and strengthening the head voice is key. most common voice along men. EXAMPLES: yoongi, key, taehyung, jaehyun, lucas, minho, chanyeol

basses are booming and do all the low registers well while struggling with falsetto and making their head voice resonant, or connecting with it in the first place. they are most comfortable as a foundation for an ensemble like avi kaplan as a former part of the pentatonix. extremely full, extremely powerful timbre. rarest voice among guys, sadly not much repertoire for it. EXAMPLES: felix, bang yongguk, leedo, mingi

sopranos have the widest range and can reach whistle notes the easiest, sounding bright and ringing, sometimes even operatic. yes, like tenors, here is the high note factory. ellie goulding’s head voice, need i say more. their weakness: not being able to project in the middle voice, plus strain and suffering vocal damage. they don’t carry heaviness and power with the ease of contraltos unless they are spinto sopranos (which can be mistaken for mezzos). the lower range is extremely hard to reach, their fullness is in the upper octaves where they usually have great support and volume, especially with classic training. sopranos are the most common female voice by far. EXAMPLES: taeyeon, boa, iu, jessica, wendy, ailee, jennie, rosé

mezzos are smoky and can go a little lower and a little higher. they have the midrange bonus — a strong, flexible middle voice. where they struggle is often control and projecting the head voice as much. another problem is attempting soprano octaves which can make their joice crack or shriek. only coloratura mezzos like beyoncé can reach that range without huge efforts. those mezzos can do melisma well, moving the tone with runs. they aren’t too audible in lower ranges either unless they are dramatic mezzos with heavy tones which borders the contralto. the healthy middle works best and sounds the richest, especially for lyric mezzos who are neither at the high or low mezzo range. EXAMPLES: jessi, CL, lee hi, cheetah, jisoo, yiyeon, yuqi, dami

contraltos have imposing, powerful, deep chest voices. their large tone is unique and not often found, see cher. like basses, reaching the head voice and coloratura (agility) can be rather difficult for them. they can belt, but need to stay away from too many high notes — they will be thinner and raspy, and the middle voice stark and metallic. rather, their best pick is a velvety, smooth song, often slower. they can easily sing in a tenor’s range and drown out a whole orchestra. EXAMPLES: none found in k-pop yet. sade, amy winehouse, tracy chapman, grace jones, and annie lennox are often named.

so, that’s the overview folks! it goes much more into detail than that, even more, but this will equip you well for the start with terminology and an idea. love discussion of vocal types, hope you also found it enlightening. i can’t categorize all idols but the examples can get you into how the 3 main types sound like, and you can likely understand your biases’ musical journey and vocal strengths/qualities a lot more. if you wanna correct or add or ask something, i’ll see you in the replies 👋

[scotianostra]

The actress Mary Gordon was born on May 16th 1882.

Not a name you’re familiar with, but Mary probably appeared in more Hollywood films than any other Scot- ever!

Born as Mary Gilmour in Glasgow,  the daughter of a Bridgeton wire weaver, and she worked as a dressmaker before discovering a talent for performing.

Mary made over 300 movies alongside Tinseltown’s greats and was Scotland’s first film star.  Her most celebrated role was as Sherlock Holmes’s long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, in the Basil Rathbone series of thrillers based on the famous detective’s adventures.  But she also starred alongside some of Hollywood’s greatest stars, including Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Mae West, James Stewart and Laurel and Hardy.

Her films included Bonnie Scotland and Mr Smith Goes To Washington. My go to place for info in posts like this, the IMDb film site notes that she was “often typecast as an Irish mother despite being a native of Scotland. This used to drive Irish film-goers crazy, who could easily detect the Scottish accent.”

According to IMDb, she joined a theatre company bound for an American tour, and arrived in the US in her twenties. She had a few small roles on Broadway and became friends with the director John Ford while making Hangman’s House. She went on to make seven more films with him.

With her mother, also Mary, and daughter, Molly, she lived in Los Angeles. In 1939, she took on her most famous role as Mrs Hudson, playing the role in ten films and numerous radio plays.

She was a charter member of the Hollywood Canteen, entertaining servicemen throughout the Second World War.

on her 1946 visit - during which she was regularly mobbed by fans - Mary made a point of getting re-acquainted with friends and returning to her old haunts in the east end. She recalled singing in the choir at one parish church.

“Ah’m no’ really a star,” she told  the local press at the time.   “Ah’m just one o’ the small fry, just a character actress in Hollywood. America has been very kind to me, but I’ve had my heartbreaks since I was last here.” she added.

Mary married a commercial traveller, William Gordon, in 1908. They were estranged in 1914 and separated in 1917 but it is unclear if they ever legally divorced. She kept his surname and never remarried. Mary spent the final years of her life in Pasadena, California with her daughter and grandson. She died after a long illness on August 23rd, 1963.

The second pic shows Mary in Glasgow with Harry Lauder and  Irving Berlin.