#its the racist executives at disney

[coolguycy]

oh my god i love seeing people having the worst takes and bad faith criticism on the things i enjoy. it is. so fun.

semi rant in tags

[haich-slash-cee]

Murderbot TV show thoughts

Looking over the casting choice and also who is making the murderbot TV show and I'm just not excited :/

Rambling post with lots of opinions follows....

"Alexander Skarsgård will lead the series and will serve as executive producer." (source)

:(

All the queer, PoC, ace, aro, agender, non binary actors out there.... All the fascinating choices... who the hell is this. Did the people making this show even read the books, like all the characters in there are PoC. Also, executive producer? To be clear I do not know this actor at all. I am seeing posts that he does deadpan well, and speculation that exec producer roles means he's excited to do the books, which is prob good news.... but as if there's not PoC actors who are also deadpan etc etc?? Also, again repeating other tumblr posts, the effect this will have on fanart, too.

"Martha Wells will serve as consulting producer." Well I'm glad she's getting moneys, but how much influence is she going to have??

although - THIS is why you have to specify if a book character is PoC instead of being vague about it (as white authors seem want to do)! Because otherwise people (esp white people) just assume the character is white! this is just how system racism works, it's not interesting or novel, I'm just parroting what so many PoC authors have pointed out. It means that a character who describes itself in the book as a mishmash of generic human while surrounded by a lot of brown skinned humans somehow gets a casting of Alexander Skarsgård. (even if secunit was explicitly described as having brown skin or being not white in appearance, Paramount might just whitewash the character anyway, but still)

Going on..... "The Weitz brothers will write, direct, and produce under their Depth of Field banner. "

The Pinocchio movie here is a live action disney remake, not the Guillermo del Toro stop motion one. If you're like me and perked up a little, on seeing the title, because you got the Pinocchio wrong.

I guess "Rogue One" was a little interesting if depressing, idk.

The company is also linked to the movie "Prospect" (gorgeous scenery and scifi immersion and really nice soundtrack, but I found the movie rather racist and the characters lacking and I personally didn't vibe with it) and "The Farewell" which I mean to watch because people have told me they liked it.

Well, not much of this combination feels like the Murderbot books, to me, tho. I'm kind of puzzled. Like what are they getting from the books. What am I supposed to expect with "Murderbot diaries" being part of the filmography above.

Well how about the execute producers. " David S. Goyer executive produces alongside Keith Levine for Phantom Four. "

What in the hell?? Noooo! This is like the direct opposite of the core of murderbot! It's like these people skimmed the skin of space dystopian gun pew pew elements and were "yeah this is what the books are about".

Earlier, I was jokingly telling someone "I feel like these people are trying to make James Bond or the Bourne Trilogy in space or something with Murderbot, sheesh" and I fear that is in fact what is happening.

(deep breath)

Murderbot stars an autistic agender aro ace icon character who in the 2nd book hides away in a transport watching TV shows for weeks on end or whatever and then gets called out for that by Pin-Lee in the 4th book. Murderbot and a university space ship bond over the space ship being afraid to watch its fav blorbo die in a fictional show and also the two do their best impression of trying to act like a human.

Also there's fighting and stuff.

Like, that juxtaposition is the fun of the books - like finally, the awkward get-your-gender-stuff-away-from-me a-spec neurodivergent characters have their day in bringing humanity into space dystopia pew pew gun theater. We want to play in this setting, too.

Oh and the books and SecUnit hate corporations and everyone is genderqueer with neo pronouns and polyamory abounds, and there's PoC everywhere.

"the fact that we're getting the corporation rim version of Murderbot and that everyone is kinda bummed about it" is a pretty good summary.

From a specific hurt/comfort whump blog POV -

How are any of these main producer etc people, above, going to grasp the emotional hurt comfort and humor and warm heart of these books? The Tenderness??

Like listen, I need to be clear, I had a blast watching "Blade" with some people a few years ago. It was great. Really fun late night party movie with the right people, A+ experience. However, do I trust Call of Duty Batman vs Superman any of these people to Grasp The Murderbot Books and Handle the Tenderness. No, I Do No, not especially.

. . . . .

Okay fine haich slash cee, who would you cast and hire as directors producers etc. Well first of all a bunch of queer people and PoC and queer PoC. Do you know how many of us want to play in space opera dystopian explosion gunfight theater too. Also I saw someone suggest Tig Notaro play SecUnit - and honestly, that's a fun idea, I would maybe hire a bunch of comedians and also activist types to grab the dry humor and and absolute abhorrance of corporations that permeates the books.

And I'd get a more indie studio production if possible. I know there's the action sequences and special effects and all that IS important in a genre way. Like we are here for all that. We are here for death agriculture robots attacking people and violent robot fights and space kaboom moments. I personally don't immediately know how or which producers studios etc to hire for all that to be included, while keeping slightly smaller studio vibes. Yes SFX action money, but like, more in the spectrum of doctor who budget money and special effects, if that makes sense.

The gunfights and special effects are still more of a secondary feature in my mind. I want to watch the awkwardness of SecUnit and a room full of caring compassionate researchers fully hit the mark but in the most subtle way. I'm here for Ratthi once again saying "what?" in the middle of like the 5th melee situation he's been a part of and Ratthi still is confused as anything. And also, there's some explosions and space travel happening.

As for actors, I'm not really up on actors much, but these tumblr posts have suggestions.

Actually.... Ok, so I like explosions as much as anyone, but what if some small but acclaimed indie character drama creators made Murderbot. Like what if that was one specific flavor of an adaptation. What if the murderbot books were shot primarily as a quirky indie character study tv show set in space. The filmography of the people making it are like: Indie drama - Indie comedy - Murderbot - quirky indie drama - (implying they made murderbot and then went right back to indie movies I guess) I'd be like, "huh, what version of space gunfight drama are we watching here?". Idk, I think it'd be fun.

thanks for reading along in my murderbot ramblings!

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Backlash is mounting against Florida over the state’s right-wing laws targeting various marginalized groups. And as the wave builds, potentially threatening Florida’s economy, we’re able to see how Gov. Ron DeSantis’ seeming thirst for the presidency — and his desire to burnish an ultraconservative reputation — is likely to undermine his own state’s interests in the long run.

On Saturday, the NAACP issued a travel advisory warning that the state is “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.”

“Before traveling to Florida,” the NAACP wrote, “please understand that the State of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of and the challenges faced by African Americans and other minorities.”

The advisory follows a similar one recently issued by the group Equality Florida that warned LGBTQ people about Florida’s anti-LGBTQ policies, such as bans on trans health care and school curricula regarding the LGBTQ experience. The League of United Latin American Citizens, an advocacy group for Latinx people, issued a similar warning last week for Latinos, noting Florida’s anti-immigrant policies.

The NAACP previously issued a travel advisory for Missouri in 2017, warning Black people about racist laws and policing tactics in the state. And Black individuals devising ways to warn one another about travel destinations wrought with racism isn’t new — see, for instance, The Negro Motorist Green Book from the mid-20th century.

But the three new advisories, taken together, highlight a reality that ought to disturb people in Florida — not merely those who have thought about traveling there.

As Governor, DeSantis has been an overbearing and dictatorial executive, even when it comes to right-wing lawmakers in the legislature who are, for the most part, politically aligned with him. Whether it’s watering down the power of Black voters, demonizing LGBTQ people, maligning migrants or targeting private corporations that defy the Governor’s political will, Florida Republicans largely acquiesce to DeSantis’ wishes.

But all of these things stand to negatively affect Florida — not just by debasing its politics, but, as the travel advisories show, by threatening the state’s economy as well. DeSantis is going scorched earth in Florida as he looks toward greener pastures.

The travel advisories, much like Disney’s decision to nix a future development in Florida as DeSantis wages a political war against the company, are instructive. They show that no matter where DeSantis is living after 2024, it’s Floridians who will be dealing with the firestorm he has created.

[naturalrights-retard]

The backlash boycotts against Disney, Bud Light and now Target have been massive and effective.  While Bud Light attempted to rectify their misaligned marketing campaign, Target has taken the ideology to extreme levels in promoting trans conversions for ‘children’.   The Target marketing strategy was NOT in the adult section of the store – it was pushing an agenda on children’s clothing.   These are Public Companies with fiduciary responsibilities and duties to their shareholders – that could result in lawsuits for gross mismanagement.

In 2023, Disney has lost 6.4 million subscribers as a direct result of their internal policies.   Since March 2021 when the boycott began the share price of Disney has tanked from $197 per share to just $88.   Target’s share price has dropped a full 13% since the boycott began just ten days ago translating to a $10 billion loss.   Unlike Bud Light, Target doubled down;  adding satanic clothing for children.

The bottom line of marketing strategy is to increase sales thru an understanding of who your market audience is.   Less than half of 1% of people in the US identify as trans.   I remember when BLM began its racist canvassing campaign – Jesse Waters started the college campus crusade equipped with a microphone and some basic questions.   His comedy revealed that the uneducated college grads thought the US population demographic were comprised of over 50% black vs 13%.    Why?  Because the media pushed that belief.

Today the media push is to create the impression that the trans community is representative of 10%-20% of the US population and they ALL are pedophiles looking to convert your children.   In actuality – the source of this version of wokeness is born primarily in schools.   Schools funded by tax dollars thru Department of Education and Property Taxes.   Property Taxes are supposed to fund based on “enrollment”.

In that revelation – the best means of boycotting trans indoctrination of children would be to pull your children from public education.   As schools face reduced enrollment, they have a choice in reducing trans aligned woke teaching or conservative teachers dedicated to helping children achieve!   Like public companies – that choice is a bottom line depression.    Homeschooling being the most viable option it has evolved into an enterprise of its own!

In a true Capitalist society, the executives of corporations are paid based on performance.   They are rewarded based on performance.   A negative performance would typically result in their dismissal or the forfeiture of a large portion of their salary.   Target executives and the Board apparently don’t care – and that is concerningly odd.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Christian Watson

Published: Aug 9, 2023

Once wildly popular, the sweeping Diversity, Equity and Inclusion movement is starting to crash and burn.

Even companies that championed DEI initiatives in the aftermath of the George Floyd case in 2020 are now changing their tune. In the past month, leading entertainment companies — including Warner Bros, Netflix and Disney — have all fired their DEI executives.

To understand this stunning reversal, look no further than the contradictory and often illogical concepts at the heart of DEI.

Proponents of DEI claim that diversity promotes “learning.” Queens University, for example, argues that a diverse student body “promotes creativity, as well as better education, as those with differing viewpoints are able to collaborate to create solutions.”

One could find these claims more believable if those who support DEI did not also claim that students learn better when the teacher “looks like them.” If diversity enables us to learn better, why do students of color learn best with professors of the same race?

Claims of racist behavior often include contradictory charges, even in medicine.

One allegation is the claim that pregnant Black women receive inferior medical treatment. For example, The New York Times recently reported that Black women are given epidurals for pain more often than white women. The same article claimed that Black women “described having their pain dismissed,” leading readers to wonder how Black women receiving too much pain medication also means their pain is ignored.

The Association for American Medical Colleges contends that “research shows that racial concordance can improve communication, trust and adherence to medical advice.” Yet, if a white patient chose not to see a Black doctor based on his race, it would clearly — and appropriately — be called racism.

The contradictions continue in culture and entertainment. Look no further than the diversity-obsessed Hollywood. Today, if a white actor is cast to play a non-“white” role, critics complain the film is “whitewashed.” Meanwhile, shows and movies featuring people of color depicting historically white characters are lauded for their diversity.

There are no cries for diversity in pro basketball, where 73 percent of the players are Black, while the NHL is accused of racism because 84 percent of its players are white.

Ditto for jazz musicians, who are predominantly Black, versus their classical counterparts, who are mostly white.

The dilemma extends to enjoying other cultures in everyday life. There was a time in America when we proudly enjoyed foods, dress and traditions of many cultures but those who do so today risk being condemned for cultural appropriation.

Ibram X. Kendi, a leading proponent of DEI, famously said: “The only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination.” His description underlines the self-serving nature of the DEI philosophy. After all, “white guilt” can be monetized and leveraged to give certain minorities an advantage.

Fortunately, public fatigue for DEI is beginning to show, from corporate America increasingly ditching DEI to the Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action.

However, we will have a long way to go to restore a merit-based society in which all Americans can enjoy equal freedom and opportunities. With the contradictions inherent in today’s DEI framework, it’s only a matter of time.

==

God is both good and inscrutable. Perfect and needing worship. Loving and wrathful. Real and undetectable.

We can reasonably conclude that they don't know what they're talking about.

[dorothydalmati1]

Obscure Animation Subject #97: Mickey Mouse Works/House of Mouse

Okay so I know they are different shows but they literally feel like the same show so I included both.

A precursor of 2020’s Looney Tunes Cartoons, it features largely the same format but with Disney characters. Mickey Mouse Works was created to recapture the days of Disney’s golden age cartoons with using old sound effects and simple colors. The execution is stunning to say the least. Your enjoyment of this show would mostly likely be based on what you thought of the characters already, like Mickey Mouse is still a pretty bland main character but his shorts are funny enough with enough slapstick to still be good and funny. But my favorites are from Donald Duck and Goofy, I especially adore those “How To” shorts. The animation quality is great and its fun all around, not much else to say.

House of Mouse is good too, it’s a spinoff from Mickey Mouse Works and reuses most of the shorts from that show, but the major difference is the format. House of Mouse takes place in a dinner theater club and acts as wraparounds between shorts. During the House of Mouse there will be something wrong going on during the club and Mickey and the gang have to fix it, these bits feature a ton of characters from disney animated movies that came before the series. It’s like a precursor to Once Upon a Studio. I do like the house of mouse stuff, however the actual segments themselves could have been better. I’m not including the shorts that were in the show before this, if I did then this show would have a much higher rating but the original shorts made for this series aren’t as good as the ones in Mickey Mouse Works. Feels like it is lacking a bit of energy and timing in comparison, even if they are still good. They got really lazy by the end of the series when they straight up started using shorts from the 1930s-50s, yeah. But overall, I will say the shows both pretty good. Surprised their not on Disney+ yet, because Mickey is literally Disney’s mascot. Wait, characters from Disney’s racist movie appeared in House of Mouse! Gosh!

[mallowmaenad]

my new political ideaology is that I get a device called the dipshit detector that removes self-important white people’s ability to use cellphones for 1 month and I don’t fucking care if this is a fascist dictatorshit i actually would turn joe biden into joe woke and donald trump into pronoun trump if i see one more loud mouthed straighty act like their opinion fucking matters im introducing their shy 9 year old son to my little pony i cant fucking take this shit yes fuck it throw republicans in concentration camps they’re practically begging for it they wont shut the fuck up about how theyre gonna be hunted down and killed wish granted bitch blam blam its wabbit season bitch im sick of liberals im sick of voting im sick of norway if youre even slightly uncomfortable around gay people you should be set on fire black power asian power jewish power latino power and i fucking mean it im not just buying the stupid 30$ tshirt on fckhate.com the worst thing to ever happen in american history is abraham lincoln not publicly executing every confederate general and outlawing slavery full stop we literally live in starship troopers we are trapped in a shitty gmod half life dark rp server yeah I do think you’re basically a terrorist if you go to disney land and i also think that if the first words out of your mouth when the rustbelt gets set on fire is “those dirty rednecks deserve it” ill show you a fucking redneck you fucking yank prick you fucking racist i wish hilary clinton would explode on live tv charitys are fucking fake theyre as fake as those cardboard towns in north korea oppenheimer was a limpdick pussy and fallout is becoming a game franchise that fetishizes the mass genocide of asians and i want todd howard pinned under a large rock for it spec ops the line wasn’t ugly enough there is a conspiracy started by the cosmetics, nutrition and fashion industry in collaboration with the upper class descendants of fucking typhoid “moneybags” marys to fool the masses that fat people aren’t hot as fuck. My body and mind and soul degrade with the week because of yhe shit ass menial labor yhey made me do and the fucking lead in gasoline and world war 1 started a chain reaction of fathers beating their kids and wives because it’s cheaper to buy a gun than go to therapy because we’re fucking warhammer orks without any of the endearing mental stupidity we live in mordor. we live in fucking mordor. it literally does not matter who is president our two political parties are Nazis and Neo-Nazis bernie sanders was the closest thing to a centrist this country has ever seen. capitalism grinds up joy into a paste to divvy out on 500$ gucci toothpicks public urination should be legal rent is theft corporations are agents of satan who is jesus christ who is not jesus of nazareth jesus christ is the poster boy of white supremacy i fucking hate Hamilton white people should listen to MORE rap i want to get my dick sucked at a death grips concert. Laundromats and burger joints where you can get a meal for 5$ are far more important than police stations and walmart. pop anarchists want to personally confiscate your wheelchair uou fuckers treat yhis like a game fuckin e girls with hammers and sickles in their icons arguing about what form of communism or socialism or whateverism is right when bitch that is a pipe dream you are going to die in captivity arguing about which dragon ball z character is the strongest (girl broly) at least go punch a hole in your wall and fuck it to prove you’re human you facebook fetishist jesus christ every other day i want a biblical death just so my fucked up thouhhts mean something i need a fuckingjason vorhees bitch wheres the yandere tea party this is all so fucked up its not fucking real the christian god hates you whoever says otherwise is trying to make you a fucking slave. Mormonism and scientology should be wiped off the map any religion formed after the invention of the gun is a fucking pyramid scheme i wish i was a 9 foot toll shark lady with hugebrealssta so i could fucking knock over thechrystler building

DO 9/11 AGAIN

[jackiebarnard11]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 6, 2023

Contact: Chris Boneau/ Amy Kass / Michelle Farabaugh / Kenya Williams

Follow MTC on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook

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Download Press Materials Here

Manhattan Theatre Club

Announces Full Casting for the

New York Premiere of

Poor Yella Rednecks

By Qui Nguyen

Directed by May Adrales

Previews begin Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Opening on Wednesday, November 1, 2023

At MTC at New York City Center – Stage I

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Chris Jennings (Executive Director) are pleased to announce the full cast for the New York Premiere of Poor Yella Rednecks, written by Qui Nguyen (Vietgone) and directed by May Adrales (Vietgone, Golden Shield). Poor Yella Rednecks will begin previews on Tuesday, October 10 and open on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at New York City Center – Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

The cast of Poor Yella Rednecks will feature Jon Hoche (Vietgone, Life of Pi), Ben Levin (Vietgone, “Kung Fu”), Samantha Quan (Vietgone), Jon Norman Schneider (The Coast Starlight), Maureen Sebastian (The Best We Could: A Family Tragedy), and Paco Tolson (Vietgone).

The creative team for Poor Yella Rednecks includes Tim Mackabee (Scenic Design), Valérie Thérèse Bart (Costume Design), Lap Chi Chu (Lighting Design), Shane Rettig (Original Music & Sound Design), Jared Mezzocchi (Projection Design), David Valentine (Puppet Design), Kenny Seymour (Arrangements), and Alyssa K. Howard (Production Stage Manager).

Qui Nguyen, the wildly inventive playwright (and screenwriter for Marvel and Disney) known for his use of pop culture, pop music and puppetry, reunites with his frequent director, May Adrales, for this funny, sexy and brash new play. A young Vietnamese family attempts to put down roots in Arkansas, a place as different from home as it gets. A mom and dad balance big hopes and low-wage jobs, as old flings threaten to pull them apart. It all makes for a bumpy road to the American dream. From the world of Nguyen’s Vietgone, with its comic book and action movie influences, comes a play that melds a deeply personal story with the playwright’s trademark, killer humor. The New York Times hails the writer’s work as “culturally savvy comedy,” and this production shows you why.

Poor Yella Rednecks is co-commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Manhattan Theatre Club. Support for MTC’s production of Poor Yella Rednecks is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation and Laurents/Hatcher Foundation. Developed in part in Center Theatre Group’s Writers’ Workshop.

The 2022-23 season marked Lynne Meadow’s 50th Anniversary as Artistic Director of MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB. Meadow was recently joined at the helm of MTC by Executive Director Chris Jennings, who succeeded Executive Producer Barry Grove. MTC’s mission, which Meadow created in 1972 and has implemented since, is to develop and present new work in a dynamic, supportive environment; to identify and collaborate with the most exciting new as well as accomplished artists; and to produce a diverse repertoire of innovative, entertaining, and thought-provoking plays and musicals by American and international playwrights. Since 1989, MTC Education, which uses the power of live theatre and playwriting to awaken minds, ignite imaginations, open hearts, and change lives, has also been an important part of our work.

Over five decades, MTC has grown from a small off-off-Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most prestigious and award-winning theatre companies, creating approximately 600 world, American, New York and Broadway premieres. Our productions have earned 7 Pulitzer Prizes, 28 Tony Awards, 50 Drama Desk Awards and 49 Obie Awards amongst many other honors. Our Broadway home is the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and Off-Broadway at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street). MTC is an anti-racist organization that respects and honors all voices, and upholds the values of community and equity, For more information, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com. 

TICKETING INFORMATION

Joining MTC’s season of plays is easy! Just call the MTC Clubline at 212-399-3050 or go to www.manhattantheatreclub.com. Group Sales available now, contact Joanna Lee at Jlee@mtc-nyc.org. Single Tickets on Sale September 5.

BIOGRAPHIES

JON HOCHE returns to MTC after performing in the Off-Broadway Premiere of Vietgone and has collaborated with playwright Qui Nguyen for over a decade. Other credits include - Broadway: Life of Pi (Richard Parker Puppeteer, Associate Puppetry and Movement Director), King Kong: Alive on Broadway (Voice of King Kong/Puppeteer). Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey 2 puppeteer); Soft Power (The Public Theater - Grammy Nominated); Vietgone (Manhattan Theatre Club); Soul Samurai, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G (Ma-Yi Theater/Vampire Cowboys Theater); Hello, From the Children of Planet Earth (Playwright’s Realm). National Tour: Warhorse (Puppeteer/Puppet Captain). Regional: Revenge Song (Geffen Playhouse). TV: “Hello Tomorrow!” (Apple TV+) - @JonHoche

BEN LEVIN’s MTC debut. Ben just wrapped a season-long arc on the CW series “Kung Fu”. Prior to that, he starred in the series Legacies for four seasons. Selected TV credits include “Arrested Development”, “Love”, and a recurring role on ABC’s “Time After Time”. He appeared in a supporting role in the critically acclaimed Independent Spirit Award nominated feature Test Pattern. Ben can also be seen in the Freeform/Hulu feature Turkey Drop. Other features include Allegiant, Admission, and Mike Birbiglia’s indie comedy Sleepwalk with Me. He's thrilled to be reprising the role of Quang in Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone, after starring in the 2018 production at the San Diego Repertory. Ben is New York City born and raised and is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Shout out to TADA Youth Theatre. In addition to acting, Ben makes music under the moniker Grasshapa, available wherever music is found. 

SAMANTHA QUAN’s theatre credits include Poor Yella Rednecks (South Coast Rep); Vietgone (South Coast Rep, MTC); B.F.E. (Just Add Water Festival); Masha No Home (Ensemble Studio Theatre); An Infinite Ache (The Globe Theaters), workshops of To Red Tendons, Peerless, Hannah and the Dread Gazebo, Red Flamboyant, American Hwangap (Ojai Playwrights Conference); Monument: Or Four Sisters (A Sloth Play) (Boston Court New Works Festival).  Television credits include “Home Before Dark”, “Elementary”, “NCIS”, “The Mentalist”, “Blue”, “Suburgatory”, “Castle”. Film credits include 4 Wedding Planners, Sake Bomb, Good Grief and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

JON NORMAN SCHNEIDER most recently appeared onstage in Keith Bunin's The Coast Starlight at Lincoln Center Theater. Select New York credits include Catch As Catch Can (Playwrights Horizons), The Chinese Lady (The Public), Henry VI Parts 1-3 (NAATCO), Awake and Sing! (NAATCO/The Public), The Oldest Boy (Lincoln Center Theater), Lunch Bunch (Clubbed Thumb), A Map of Virtue (13P), among others. Regionally, he has worked at Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Alley, Alliance, Barrington Stage, Dorset Theatre Festival, The Goodman, Huntington, The Kennedy Center, Long Wharf, Magic, McCarter, Milwaukee Rep, Mosaic, Northern Stage, The Old Globe, and South Coast Rep. His film and TV credits include Bitter Melon, Manila Is Full of Men Named Boy, The Normals, HBO's Angel Rodriguez, “The Endgame”, "Jessica Jones", "Veep", "30 Rock" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent".

MAUREEN SEBASTIAN’s theatrical credits include, most recently, MTC’s The Best We Could: A Family Tragedy for which she received a Lucille Lortel nomination for Best Featured Performer in a Play; Vietgone (South Coast Repertory) ; Arabian Nights (Berkeley Repertory/Arena Stage); Thunder Above, Deeps Below (Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center/Second Generation); Now Circa Then (Ars Nova); Lonely, I’m Not and Year Zero (Second Stage); and Soul Samurai (Vampire Cowboys/Ma-Yi). Television credits include “Love Life” (HBO), “American Gothic” (CBS), and “Revolution” (NBC). She produced and starred in the web series “Pretty Precious Unicorns” and the short film “Second Province”. She co-created the podcasts “Gulp” and “A Guide to Freedom” with The North Star Fund. She is a member of May-Yi’s Writer’s Lab and The Gotham Film & Media Institute.

PACO TOLSON is thrilled to return to Manhattan Theatre Club where he received a Lortel nomination for his work in Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone. Paco and Qui have enjoyed an artistic collaboration of over 18 years, and Poor Yella Rednecks will mark their ninth full production together. Select Off-Broadway Credits: Fiasco Theater’s productions of Knight of the Burning Pestle (Red Bull), Twelfth Night and Pericles (Classic Stage Company); The Unwritten Song (EST); Slavey (Clubbed Thumb); The Children of Vonderly (MaYi Theater); Soul Samurai (Ma-Yi/Vampire Cowboys). Regional: to the yellow house (La Jolla Playhouse); Fiasco’s Measure for Measure (Actors Theatre of Louisville); The Winter’s Tale and Vietgone (OSF); Peter and the Starcatcher, Vietgone, and Poor Yella Rednecks (South Coast Rep). Audio: (There’s) No Time for Comedy (Playwrights Horizons), The Memory Motel (Two River Theater), Witness (Paramount/Gideon Media), Play On Shakespeare’s Henry V, The Tempest, and Measure for Measure (Next Chapter Podcasts). Film and TV credits include “Billions”, “Law & Order: Organized Crime”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”, “Prodigal Son”, “Search Party”, “The Good Fight”, “Madam Secretary”, “Happy!”, “The Code”, and 7 DAY GIG.

QUI NGUYEN (Playwright) is a playwright, screenwriter, and co-founder of the pioneering geek theatre company, Vampire Cowboys. His plays include Vietgone, Poor Yella Rednecks, Bike Wreck, and the critically acclaimed Vampire Cowboys shows Revenge Song, She Kills Monsters, Soul Samurai, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G, Alice in Slasherland, Fight Girl Battle World, Men of Steel, and Living Dead in Denmark. For TV/film, he’s written for Marvel Studios, Netflix, AMC, SYFY, and PBS. He most recently wrote Disney’s Raya and The Last Dragon (nominated for a 2022 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature), and he co-directed and wrote Disney's Strange World in 2022.

MAY ADRALES (Director) is a director, artistic leader, teacher and mother; she has directed over 25 world premieres nationally. Her work has been seen most recently at Second Stage (Rajiv Joseph’s Letters of Suresh), Manhattan Theatre Club (Anchuli Felicia King’s Golden Shield, Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone). Awards include: Ammerman Award at Arena Stage; TCG’s Alan Schneider award for freelance directors; Denham fellowship; New Generations Grantee. She is a Drama League Directing Fellow, Van Lier Fellow, WP Lab Director, SoHo Rep Writers/Directors Lab and New York Theater Workshop directing fellow.  She served as an Associate Artistic Director at Milwaukee Rep; Artistic Associate at The Playwrights Center; Artistic Associate at The Public Theater; and Director of Artistic Programs and Artistic Director at The Lark. She serves on the board of Theater Communications Group.  She is currently the Director of the Theatre Program and Assistant Professor at Fordham University.  MFA, Yale School of Drama. (www.mayadrales.net)

# # # #

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Exciting update! Ben will be making his Off-Broadway debut this Fall! Here is Manhattan Theatre Club's announcement on Instagram and the theatre's press agent BBB's press release that was sent to our magazine.

Poor Yella Rednecks website link:

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Floridope :: [The Daily Don]

* * * * * LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

May 18, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

MAY 18, 2023

Citing “changing business conditions,” Disney leadership today canceled plans to build an office complex near Orlando, Florida. The construction was estimated to cost about $1 billion, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity projected it would bring to Florida more than 2,000 jobs with an average salary of $120,000. In his email to employees, Disney’s theme park and consumer products chair Josh D’Amaro made it clear that even more was on the line. He noted that Disney has planned more than $17 billion of construction in Florida, bringing about 13,000 jobs, over the next ten years but suggested that, too, was being reexamined. “I hope we’re able to,” he said. Disney is locked in a battle with Florida governor Ron DeSantis that began when, under pressure from employees, then–Disney chief executive officer Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act. This law, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law because its vague language prohibiting instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation seems designed to silence any acknowledgement of LGBTQ Americans in grades K–3, was DeSantis’s pet project. In retaliation, DeSantis led Florida Republicans to strip Disney of its ability to govern itself as if it were a county—as it has done since its inception in 1967—putting the board that controlled Disney under the control of a team hand-picked by DeSantis. But before the new board took over, the old board quietly and legally handed control of the parks over to Disney. Apparently furious, DeSantis suggested he would build a competing state park or a prison next to Disney’s Florida theme park. In April, the new board set out to claw power from Disney, while the company announced it will hold its first gay-themed pride event in California and that it will build an affordable housing development in its Florida district, a move that Floridians will like. Meanwhile, with DeSantis’s blessing, the Florida state board of education approved expanding the ban on classroom mention of LGBTQ people to include grades 4–12. On April 26, Disney sued the governor and those of his top advisors behind the attacks on Disney. The lawsuit noted that for more than 50 years, Disney “has made an immeasurable impact on Florida and its economy, establishing Central Florida as a top global tourist destination and attracting tens of millions of visitors to the State each year.” But, it said, “[a] targeted campaign of government retaliation—orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech— now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.” The lawsuit called out DeSantis’s actions as “patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional. But,” it said, “the Governor and his allies have made it clear they do not care and will not stop.” The company said it felt forced to sue for protection “from a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials.” The fight between DeSantis and Disney illustrates the dramatic ideological change in the Republican Party in the last two years. No longer committed to keeping the government weak to stay out of the way of business development, the party is now committed to creating a strong government that enforces Christian nationalism. This is a major and crucially important political shift. From the earliest days of the Reagan Revolution, those leaders who wanted to slash the federal government to end business regulation and cut the social safety net recognized that they did not have the votes to put their program in place. To find those votes, they courted racists and traditionalists who hated the federal government’s protection of civil rights. Over time, that base became more and more powerful until Trump openly embraced it in August 2017, when he said there were “very fine people on both sides.” As he moved toward the techniques of authoritarians, his followers began to champion the system that Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán called “illiberal democracy” or “Christian democracy” in his own country. Orbán argued that the principle of equality in liberal democracy undermines countries by attacking the national culture. Instead, he called for an end to multiculturalism—including immigration—and any lifestyle that is not based on the “Christian family model.” He seized control of universities to make them preach his values. Today’s Republican leaders openly admire Orbán and appear to see themselves as the vanguard of a “post-liberal order.” They believe that the central tenets of democracy—free speech, religious liberty, academic freedom, equality before the law, and the ability of corporations to make decisions based on markets rather than religious values—have destroyed national virtue. Such a loss must be combated by a strong government that enforces religious values. Right-wing thinkers have observed with approval that DeSantis’s Florida is “our American Hungary.” Indeed, DeSantis’s “Don’t Say Gay” law appears to have been modeled on Orbán’s attacks on LGBTQ rights, which he has called a danger to “Western civilization.” DeSantis’s attack on the New College of Florida, turning a bastion of liberal thought into a right-wing beachhead, imitated Orbán’s attack on Hungary’s universities; on Monday, DeSantis signed three more bills that undermine the academic freedom of all the state universities in Florida by restricting what subjects can be taught and by weakening faculty rights. DeSantis’s attack on Disney is yet another attack on the tenets of liberal democracy. He is challenging the idea that Disney leaders can base business decisions on markets rather than religion and exercise free speech. There is another aspect of the Republicans’ turn against democracy in the news today. If democracy is a threat to their version of the nation, it follows that any institution that supports democracy should be destroyed. Today, the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, led by Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), continued its attack on the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Ranking member Representative Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) pointed out that Jordan was violating committee rules by refusing to let Democrats on the committee see the transcripts he claims to have from a whistleblower. Other committee members noted that two of the witnesses have been paid by Trump loyalist Kash Patel. Plaskett warned: “The rules don’t apply when it comes to the Republicans.... It’s all part and parcel of the Republicans’ attempt to make Americans distrust our rule of law so that when 2024 comes around and should their candidate not win, more and more people will not believe the truth. The truth matters.” And so does power. Although House Republicans are trying to protect Representative George Santos (R-NY), who was just indicted on 13 counts, by sending his case to the Republican-dominated Ethics Committee rather than allowing a vote on whether to expel him, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) introduced articles of impeachment against President Biden. Also today, the far-right House Freedom Caucus has called for an end to any discussions of raising the debt ceiling until the Senate passes its bill calling for extreme budget cuts. Forcing the nation into default will cause a global economic panic and, asked if they should compromise with the White House, Representative Bob Good (R-VA) said: “Why would we? We have a winning hand.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[tarot-junkie]

I mean logically I agree. I think the fandom should just wrap it up. We got extremist on both sides and people too silly to see they’ve fallen for this “teams” crap. Neither side knows anything, both get fed bs. Even the one who knew about the so called “two ceremonies”, it was fed to them for whatever reason, they have nothing else left but to continue torturing each other over the inevitable to come and then one side will “claim” they knew.

Chris and her are each others karma I’m sure. He seems just as pretentious at times as she comes off. Look if she’s preggy it just confirms this is who this man is, ain’t no contract, he chose her. If she is bffs with racist and he married her, they all are probably alike. He had all the time in the world to be aware of what’s happened to his fandom and even with the racism, he married her.

Chances are he’s too foolish to see how he set his relationship to look like a PR stunt and she’s probably hiding somewhere out the spotlight in whatever trimester and Chris is probably pissed and think he’s fans are crazy as hell to assume it’s all fake. He’s not hiding the fans from her, he’s hiding her from the fans.

I obviously know nothing, but I be damn if I wait around another year for a damn break up announcement, I’d love to be proven wrong but reality is a mofo. 😂

I also leave room that I’m 100% wrong and whatever truth will eventually come to light in whatever way. I love a great plot twist.

At the end of the day he’s wearing a ring regardless if real or fake, he’s participating in a narrative and at his big ass age if this isn’t real, that’s just sad asf……either way it’s still sad asf.

Agree on all points. It’s wild.

I think those other folks/blogs were fed some real things, but then some of the info was fudged on purpose, similar to the magazines/gossips sent wedding info. All locations were different. Information directly from the actual source. They all serve a purpose. Eyes, ears and keep the people talking or distracted. Esp if those are people that have the attention from the fans. (Just like blogs being sent links from sightings in WDW last year). that way it can be "launched, " without a cover on People OR leave other confused, scratching their heads when the info doesn't line up.

The recent post by his friend was pretty telling as to the location of a celebration. My personal opinion. yes i think she wore the dress twice.

Everybody gets on this weird schtick about certificates and immigration, like they run the GD embassy. It’s amazing how many experts exist in the fandom. Everything from dentists, to interior decorators, PEE ARGH (pr), photoshop, Disney's unfrozen corpse in charge of VIP tours at the park, etc etc. youre doing. too. much.

i maintain that had things been received better (by the fandom), youd see more of them. but that was never going to happen. do i think theres weird fuckery with everyone involved? yes 🤷🏻‍♀️ they tried something and its landed badly. (but i also think the ideas werent executed well). Meh.

[make-mine-movie]

Melody Time (1948)

Melody Time is another musical segmented film from the Wartime Era. In comparison to its counterparts, Make Mine Music and Fun and Fancy Free, it received a 73% score from Rotten Tomatoes, somewhat better than its predecessors.

Melody Time is an entertaining compilation of short songs, and while not all seem relevant or connected, they are heavily representative of older stories, morals, and values frequently associated with the stereotypical United States. Some of the segments, like “Bumble Boogie,” “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed,” and “Trees” are genuinely very likable. “Once Upon a Wintertime,” “Little Toot,” and “Blame It on the Samba,” on the other hand, are mediocre at best. “Pecos Bill,” despite being entertaining, promotes harmful colonialist rhetoric that I will address later, tampering my overall view of this segment. “Once Upon a Wintertime” initially appears sweet, but later is bothersome with its persistently mocking relationship dynamics. Despite being played for laughs, the man and male bunny both alienate the feelings of their female partners, which is uncomfortable rather than funny. “Bumble Boogie” picks up this negative energy and throws it out the window with a wonderful jazz routine, something I can always appreciate. This continues with “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed,” which is a very sweet animated adaptation of a notable childhood favorite for many. “Little Toot,” however, is similar to “Once Upon a Wintertime” in which the mistreatment of one character by others drives the plot but in a manner that is distasteful. Little Toot, who is implicitly a child, is imprisoned and outcast. He is then only treated like a member of society again after proving himself by achieving a very difficult quest, which just seems like unnecessary punishment for causing only a slight amount of harm (without malicious intent or grave consequences). “Trees” has a lot of Christian imagery, which is intriguing and considering the execution, rather beautiful. This was a very peaceful segment, which I enjoyed. However, it would have made more sense to include this musical part immediately after “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed,” which would have been a more appropriate order. “Blame It on the Samba” reintroduces a lot of the colorful and fun artistic elements from Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, but unfortunately also reintroduces Donald Duck lusting after human women as a trope. Finally, “Pecos Bill.” “Pecos Bill” is an entertaining story with the most thought-provoking and interesting plot out of all of the other shorts. However, Pecos Bill has a really negative portrayal of Indigenous people, who are cashed out of their homeland by Bill and called a slur by the narrator. This reflects very negatively on the segment overall, which is disappointing, but considering previous films, not surprising.

In conclusion, Melody Time has been the most enjoyable segmented musical film from Disney’s Wartime Era yet, providing at least some semblance of connectivity amongst the pieces and an overall entertaining and captivating compilation of shorts. After the improvement featured in Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time pulls through. Overall, Melody Time receives 4 out of 10 stars from me, an unfortunately low score considering how much I enjoyed this film. It lost points due to the rhetoric surrounding colonization, racist slur usage, inconsistent ordering of segments, uncomfortable relationship portrayals in “Once Upon a Wintertime,” and upsetting treatment of Little Toot in the similarly named short. Like the other segmented films of this era, I will not be considering points based on whether or not the Bechdel Test is passed as character voice roles are few and far between to begin with. Melody Time’s music, despite its status as a musical film, was not memorable, so it lost an additional point in this category.

Summary of the film under the cut.

Melody Time contains seven segments: “Once Upon a Wintertime,” “Bumble Boogie,” “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed,” “Little Toot,” “Trees,” “Blame It on the Samba,” and “Pecos Bill.” The opening segment, “Once Upon a Wintertime,” depicts a couple in a horse-drawn carriage traveling about a small town in the winter. They go ice skating, but the man in an attempt to show off covers his partner in snow and ice. She storms off, accidentally moving towards an area with fragile ice. The ice beneath her breaks and the previously frozen over river turns into  raging rapids, and she almost goes over a waterfall. However, her partner, the horses from the carriage, and a couple of rabbits jump to her rescue, pulling her onto the snowy bank and out of danger. She forgives her partner afterwards and it is implied the two go home a happy couple. “Bumble Boogie” features a bumblebee who is being bombarded with jazz music by somewhat sentient instruments. “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed” is a well known United States tale that is retold through the lens of Disney. The protagonist is Johnny Appleseed, a young man with a bunch of apples who has no idea what to do with them. He wants to be a pioneer because he thinks that is a fun life in which he can make a difference, but his guardian angel cautions him against this. Instead, he should use his gift of an excessive amount of apples and spread them about the world. So Johnny sets off on an adventure to grow apples across the United States. He encounters a large group of animals along his way, which are initially either aggressive towards him or cautious of him, except for a skunk. Johnny befriends the skunk, and when all of the other animals realize he is a kind person who will not attack them, he befriends them too. Johnny and the animals travel together planting apples wherever they go. At one point they walk into a party where they see a bunch of people singing and dancing together over apples. Throughout the rest of the segment, Johnny is seen aging from a young boy to an old man. At the end he leans up against an apple tree to rest with the animals, and his soul leaves his body. His guardian angel encourages Johnny to walk off with him, but Johnny is apprehensive about leaving the animals, apple trees, and people behind. His guardian angel says that he can plant apple trees in heaven, but for Earth his job is done. The camera pans out, connecting Earth’s apple trees to the clouds in the sky. “Little Toot” is the story of a small tugboat by the same name of the segment. He is a bothersome little fellow who gets on the nerves of his father, Big Toot, and everyone else in the marina. At first, they imprison him to stop him from causing trouble, but when that is not enough, Little Toot is banished to the open ocean. While out and about the sea, Little Toot is met with a huge thunderstorm where he encounters a sinking ship. He successfully brings the ship back into the marina, and is praised for his heroism. “Trees” is a musical piece centering on the beauty, mortality, and holiness of trees. It commends trees for their natural presence and innate sanctity. “Blame It on the Samba” begins with Donald Duck and José Carioca walking around, “having the blues.” The two depressed birds are coerced into a cafe by the Aracuan Bird, another character from The Three Caballeros. Then the samba begins, a complicated dance number in which Donald and José cure their depression by drinking and dancing on an organ being played by a beautiful woman. The final segment, “Pecos Bill,” is the most plot-driven. It begins with a group of live-action cowboys explaining tall tales to their kids. One girl asks “why do the coyotes howl at the moon” to which one of the cowboys responds that “it all has to do with the story of Pecos Bill.” The story begins with a group of pioneers who have many children, one of which falls out of the wagon as a baby. Hungry and alone, this human baby is taken in by a coyote, who raises him with her pups. In his youth, Bill learns how not only to survive in the Western desert, but also how to dominate it. One day he sees a young horse being preyed upon by some hungry vultures. After saving the horse, known as Widowmaker, Bill travels the entire West completing various challenges and tasks. He eliminates drought, scares away bandits, and pushes a group of Indigenous people out of their homes. Bill then meets a woman riding a catfish named Slue-Foot Sue. Bill and Sue fall in love and get married. However, Widowmaker is exceptionally jealous. So much so that he throws her into the sky and stops Bill from saving her with his lasso. It is then announced that Sue landed on the moon. The tale concludes with Bill riding around on Widowmaker howling at the moon with the other coyotes, longing for Sue’s return.

[raceforthecrown]

Racial Representation, Concluded

One of Disney’s newer princess movies, Moana, also came under fire for some racial stereotyping. Even though Moana wanted to sail far away to explore and there was no male love interest in the movie, Disney did not make a movie that was faultless. One critique states, “The film’s male mythological figure, Maui, a demigod of South Pacific legend, has also been criticised for being too big and bulky, and giving a distorted view of Polynesians (Brook).” This misrepresentation could influence the way children think of male Polynesians. Even though it is an animated movie with fictional characters, it still could make an impression on young children who will now associate that image with Polynesians.

Regarding Moana herself, one conservative critic had the following opinion: “Debbie Schlussel sees a thicker framed Moana as one more example of political correctness gone too far. ‘I think it tells girls that they don’t have to be fit,’ she says. ‘I think it’s setting up girls for unhealthy lives in the future and also for disappointing romantic lives.’ (Brook).” Moana is a perfectly healthy-looking female, but this contrasts with the classic era of princesses who were rail-thin with disproportionately long limbs and seemingly “perfect” appearances. Shifting to a more realistic-looking character has now made critics feel that this would be detrimental to children’s thoughts of body image. However, did they make those same arguments when the characters were unattainably skinny and perfect in every way? And if a white princess was created with a fuller figure than its predecessors, would that cause as much of a stir? That remains to be seen.

Another princess movie that could negatively impact children’s views on bodies and culture is Mulan. The first Chinese princess, Mulan, was strong-willed and more masculine than other princesses. Most of the previous princesses “were all beautiful, graceful, had special connections with animals/nature, were talented singers and were white (Russell 9).” This was the previous stereotype of princesses. However, in Mulan, there were stereotypes in other ways. “Mulan, for example, is widely criticized for its elevation of individualism (Dong, 2006), racist and cultural slurs against Chinese culture, and its negative impact on children through encouraging such racial stereotyping (Artz, 2004). A film clip that helps raise the consciousness of viewers is a playing of a song with the words, ‘Men want girls... with good breeding and a tiny waist.’ (van Wormer, and Juby 584).” This is degrading not only to women but to Asians who wanted to watch the movie and be presented respectfully, not to be seen as predatory and judgmental. Though the original Disney movie was culturally significant, it came out in a film era when people of color were routinely tokenized (Chen). Again, Disney had good intentions but did not execute it well.

Even though Disney tried to become more inclusive, it did not excel in all ways. “Despite the emergence of more empowered Disney heroines, they often don’t get the same coverage as their traditional counterparts – particularly in Disney’s merchandise (Brook).” There is much more merchandise with the white princesses on them than with the newer princesses. It may be because they are the “original” princesses, but there is an inequity of race in the merchandise. Jasmine is commonly featured with the original group of white princesses, but she is not really a princess as we know some like Cinderella and Ariel to be, since they had their own movies made about them and Jasmine was mostly a supporting character. For princesses like Mulan, Pocahontas, and Tiana not to have an equivalent amount of merchandise with them on it seems like a discrepancy based on race since new princesses like Rapunzel from Tangled and Merida from Brave appear on merchandise more frequently as well. “‘If you look at the Disney’s line of products, like lunch boxes and t-shirts, you see Belle, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty often standing together. Even though princesses like Pocahontas and Mulan are technically still part of the line they’re very rarely included in those type of products,’ explains Condis. (Brook).” Overall, Disney is doing much better in including princesses of all races, but they can do better in accurately representing people of all cultures and races.

Citations:

Brook, Tom. “The Controversy behind Disney's Groundbreaking New Princess.” BBC Culture, BBC, 28 Nov. 2016, https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20161128-the-controversy-behind-disneys-groundbreaking-new-princess.

Chen, Brian X. “'Mulan' 1998: A Moment of Joy and Anxiety for Asian-American Viewers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Sept. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/movies/mulan-animated-1998.html.

Gehlawat, Ajay. “The Strange Case of The Princess and the Frog: Passing and the Elision of Race.” Journal of African American Studies, vol. 14, no. 4, Dec. 2010, pp. 417–31. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-010-9126-1.

Russell, Brooklyn, "Disney Minority Heroines: A Rhetorical Analysis of Race, Gender, and American Politics" (2018). Open Access Theses. 1588. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_theses/1588

van Wormer, Katherine, and Cindy Juby. “Cultural Representations in Walt Disney Films: Implications for Social Work Education.” Journal of Social Work, vol. 16, no. 5, Sept. 2016, pp. 578–94. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017315583173.

[naturalrights-retard]

In an attempt to quell a backlash among Bud Light drinkers, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth stated on Friday: “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.” Anonymous sources within the company claimed that “no one at a senior level” was aware of the promotional campaign.

Whitworth’s statement echoes the words of Disney CEO Bob Iger in November 2022, following Disney’s vow to fight a parents’ rights law in Florida that barred the teaching of sexual topics in school for children in third grade or younger. While speaking to employees shortly after taking the helm from fired CEO Bob Chapek, who made the decision to fight the Florida law, Iger said, “I was sorry to see us dragged into that battle, and I have no idea exactly what its ramifications are.”

These companies followed in the political footsteps of Major League Baseball, Delta Airlines, and Coca-Cola, who in 2021 fought a voter-ID law in Georgia, alleging that it amounted to racist voter suppression. In the wake of the controversy, a Rasmussen poll found that 37 percent of responders said they were less likely to buy Coca-Cola products, while 25 percent said they were more likely, because of the company’s political stance, which caused the nickname “Woke-a-Cola” to go viral. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, 79 percent of voters, including a majority of both Democrats and Republicans, support voter ID laws.

“At this point, it’s clear that corporations are going to be risking customers, employee engagement, and relationships with shareholders if they decide to drive a particular political agenda with their brand and resources,” Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), told The Epoch Times. “There are definitely negative consequences to businesses continuing to go down this path of choosing one side or another in these political debates.”

A 360-Degree Pressure Campaign

Progressives often pressure CEOs to steer companies into the political arena through a system of internal and external pressure. Activist campaigns from employees and outside nonprofits ultimately swayed Chapek to oppose the Florida parents’ rights law, despite his initial hesitation.

Elsewhere, employee and nonprofit campaigns at Netflix attempted to pressure its executives to cancel comedian Dave Chapelle’s show, “The Closer,” claiming that his jokes offended transgender people.

The nonprofit organization Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) stated: “Netflix has a policy that content ‘designed to incite hate or violence’ is not allowed on the platform, but we all know that anti-LGBTQ content does exactly that. While Netflix is home to groundbreaking LGBTQ stories, now is the time for Netflix executives to listen to LGBTQ employees, industry leaders, and audiences and commit to living up to their own standards.”

Read more here...

[stagemanagerssaygo]

Heaven and Hell: or my experience being a person of color in Disney’s Hyperion Theater

by Cooper Howell

Heaven and Hell: or my experience being a person of color in Disney's Hyperion Theater. #holdingtheateraccountable Im just gonna go ahead and be straight up. This is pretty scary to share. HEAVEN: Once upon a time Liesl Tommy cast me as Prince Hans in Frozen: Live at the Hyperion. And I was gooped. GOOPED. There was nothing in my prior history that gave any indication this was possible. Up until then every role I played had to do with my race. Every. Single. One. And even ones where it didn’t (Shakespeare or classical pieces mostly) I was always made aware that the novelty of me being a poc in that role that gave me the part. So much did I not expect to get this part that when I got the callback I rolled my eyes and didn’t take the actual callback seriously. I mean, there was a zero percent chance that Disney would ever let me play a Prince, especially when the dude in the movie is a ginger. But then I got it. And immediately everything I thought was possible about my career changed. My whole life I’ve never inwardly felt black. I’ve never inwardly felt white. I’ve always felt like I was Cooper, you know, on the inside. But whether it was every single white human in Utah reminding me that I was “the whitest person they ever knew/saw” (which DIDNT mean how white my skin was. It was how white I ACTED) or Mr. Johnson, my 7th grade drama teacher, telling me that he “wanted to put Velcro on the ceiling to see if I’d stick” or Mr. Smith, my high school drama teacher, saying “finally we can do black shows” as soon as I entered high school and then not casting me in roles because of the "optics" of it, or even my best friend in high school Tanner Harmon who called me "blackie", I was always reminded that I was an other. So imagine getting paid good money to put on that $10,000 costume and waltzing out to 4000 people a day to play a really amazing part. A fantastic, evil, complicated, person who sings a killer duet and then grabs the show by the throat with a vicious about-face monologue... and not once was my race ever mentioned cuz it didnt matter. What was being prized was Cooper, my talent, not my skin color that I never asked for. Heaven. Liesl MADE SURE, almost overly sure, that the poc’s in the cast felt equal. The kingdom of Arendelle, after all, is a make believe place. It can be whatever. From having Disney executives come and tell us that they were happy to have us there, to side conversations with John Lasseter, we were made to feel overly welcome playing the parts we were playing. She encouraged us to dive deeper into the script of a cartoon that I didnt really think much of until I was in it. We were encouraged to ask why. We felt seen as talent and not commodities. There were, of course, detractors. Gosh, I remember people at a party of cast members from "Mickey and the Magical Map" another show at Disneyland which features a princess and the frog number and many of those casts mates angrily claiming that “if that black girl Tiana Okoye can play Elsa than I should be able to play Princess Tiana” and then looking at me to confirm that was okay to say, not realizing that a) she’s one of my best friends, b) that I’m in the show with her also playing a role that wasn't created to be a poc, c) how racist that sounded, and d) why there's a difference there and why that wouldn't make sense. On Liesls final night I came up to her and said “I don’t know why you did it but thank you so much for casting ME in this part” to which she replied “you mean why would I cast a handsome, talented person in this role?” And I stuttered something like “well, I mean, I’m black. You know...” to which she tilted her head to her side and said “no. I don’t know why. Tell me why that matters.” And I had no answer. Seeing that I had no answer she smiled. That was the answer. There was no reason. On the spot my outlook about myself changed. Windows into what I thought was possible for me opened. -------------------------------------- HELL: And then Liesl went back to NYC and she was replaced by a man named Roger Castellano as show director. Rogers task, he told us on the first day, was to "change the show". We were not told what needed to be changed or even why, but that changes were on the horizon. You've got to understand: to a full cast of actors who had just spent more than three months dissecting a 60 page Disney script with a Tony nominated director like it was Shakespeare, we were initially emotionally/mentally/spiritually resistant to changes. But then it became clear that the spirit of collaboration was over, and the show changes were to be given without the same care, consideration, and thematic explanation of why they were being made. Everyones initial reaction was to push back, but when people who questioned their notes or their changes started getting days removed their schedule or being replaced entirely by a new actor, the Hyperion theater became a place where no one was allowed to speak out. Injustices were happening left and right and no one felt they could do anything for fear of losing their livelihood. And that's when the Frozen: Live at the Hyperion became a living hell. In my first note session with Roger he pulled me into a room with Domonique Paton, my best friend and incredible costar who played princess Anna in the show I was in. She just so happens to also be black. Almost all of Prince Hans’s scenes in the show are with her character and so most of my notes would be primarily based on those interactions with her. Earlier in the day I performed with a different (white) actress but it was the show with Domonique that I had a note session about. Imagine my surprise and dismay when, with how Liesl set up the show experience, we were told this: “WHEN THE TWO OF YOU PERFORM THE SHOW TOGETHER ITS TOO… URBAN.” Urban. What else could that have meant, do you think? He could have said maybe “too contemporary” emphasizing that we were maybe too modern in our speech patterns or movements. We weren’t. He could have said “too lax” or “too loose” meaning that maybe we were being unprofessional and goofy up there because we’re really good friends. We were not. The best me and Ms. Paton could think of was a 8 count moment of improv dance that me and Domonique decided to use as a synchronized moment of unity. It happened to fall on the line “our mental synchronization can have but one explanation” and thought, with the freedom that Christopher (the original choreographer) had given us, was appropriate, especially considering everyone behind us was doing the robot. As in the 80s robot. But he didnt clarify. He just said “WHEN THE TWO OF YOU PERFORM THE SHOW TOGETHER IT’S TOO… URBAN” And when asked what he meant he smiled with a little shrug and said "you can figure that out. You're smart." And thats how I became Black Hans and Domonique became Black Anna. My every moment onstage afterwards became about the optics of being a poc in that show. It was if I was suddenly made aware that I was LUCKY enough to be there and under any normal circumstances, or this new directors circumstances, me getting this part would have never happened. But the message was clear. It was especially clear when me and Domonique Paton shows together durastically decreased and made even more clear when the vast majority of the new hires were not people of color. But no one said anything. And made even MORE clear when, over the next few weeks, both Domonique and I got COPIOUS notes, ten times that of our coworkers that played the same parts. It was almost a game. In fact we did turn it into a game, seeing who would get the least amount of notes from him in a day. Our costars would even joke about it onstage with us, during the ballroom scene, and jokingly whisper "The shows been up 15 minutes. How many do you think you got today?" But no one said anything. And the notes were about all kinds of things. How we held our hand. If our inflections went up or down on a word. Which side of a couch we leaned on… which was fine! When you're an actor, thats the gig... until we started comparing our notes with the actors that played our same parts and none of them, NONE, would get the same notes. Our notes would be outrageously longer, the note sessions sometimes lasting 10/15 minutes. Others would get the “Oh hey, try doing this or that next time, okay bye” walk-by notes. Sometimes I would sneak into the audience and watch as some of the other Han's, some of whom changed lines, changed entire intentions of scenes, some of whom adding in all types of vocalizations and cackles and dance moves and what have you, and would receive ZERO notes. But I was watching them to see what was wrong with me. What was my performance missing? What am I actually doing to feel this singled out. And then I realized that the thing that was wrong with me was that I was a different color than the 5 other white Hans's they cast. And then I started getting notes about my penis. Most of the time these “penis sessions”, as I called them, were given in private rooms without another stage manager present. It was incredibly unpleasant and unprofessional. In fairness, those Prince Hans pants are TIGHT! And yes, Mr. Howell is indeed a party in the front and a party in the back, but so were a lot of those fellas. And thats where I put my foot down. If Disney was going to provide me with a costume it is not my responsibility to fix their problem, especially when other of my (white) costars had been given a dance belt for the same thing. But they never got penis notes. Private session notes about what their penis looked like in that show. Over and over again I was told to fix it, to not make it (my dick) so apparent, and that “if my daughter were younger I wouldn’t want her to come to a show you were performing at" all the more insulting considering his daughter, a cast member in the show, was a friend of mine and the loveliest person. He started demanding that I buy a dance belt. It was “my fault”, “my responsibility” …and thats where I took my stand. And then it really became hell. Penis sessions were now done out in the open. Once, he screamed at me, in the green room in front of all of my costars during lunch, about how incredible unprofessional I was, about how he was tired of seeing my dick, and that if I didnt go buy myself one I didnt deserve to be there anymore. Followed by a huge litany of notes. That doesnt compare to some of what Domonique went through and I invite her to share them if she’s willing. During this time I went to every stage manager in the building and told them about being singling out and about my penis. They all told me to write a complaint report and it would go to some place called "HR". Which I did. Numerously. More months passed. Nothing from "HR". Multiple cast members who witnessed my note sessions encouraged me to go to the HR themselves. I didnt honestly know what an HR was. As soon as it was explained to me by my allies even what an HR was I went to the head of HR at Disneyland herself and waited outside of her door. I asked her if she got any of my HR reports and she told me that she had received no HR reports from the Hyperion. Ever. And then asked me to fill out a HR form. As we went over it, she asked me some questions, and then set up a second meeting. On the second meeting she said that in order for my report to be given credence I would need witnesses to give their testimony. The witnesses, in fact the very people that told me to go to HR in the first place, said no. They didnt want to lose their jobs. In retrospect that might be the thing that hurt the most but, whatever... anyway, I was told "“well… without testimonies we’ll do an investigation and we’ll call you when we’ve completed it.” I never received a phone call. With absolutely zero protection from the stage managers from both the sexual harassment or my obvious racial targeting I (and others) were experiencing, not to mention that HR reports were doing nothing, aka not being forwarded, I thought about quitting. And when a white stage manager made a show mistake and laughed it off to the cast by saying an entirely offensive lynching joke, I quit. I didnt matter to Disney. How I felt and what I was being put through didnt matter. I was a commodity. My departure was unceremonious. Bizarre. 100% un-magical. I hung up my costume one last time and it was given to a new Hans, one who looked very much like me oddly, and stepped out of the theater. The park was playing “every wish your heart desires will come to you” and I remember laughing at how dead that song felt. The director has since moved on but still works as a musical theater director in Southern California. This one time 4 years ago I got to feel something other than my color for the first and only time in my professional career. It lasted from about March 2016 to July 2016 and never again since. I will never forget in those early days looking at all the beautiful princesses I got to woo and thinking “wow. I’m a prince right now.” Im sure that sounds stupid. But it didn't feel stupid. And a Disney prince! Yeah, a shitty prince kinda... I mean, he's a sociopath... BUT still a Prince! Especially special was being able to look in Dominique’s eyes and I could see the same glimmer of “can you believe we get to do this right now” reflected back. We never knew it was in the cards for us. My race always has and will always be part of my career equation and a determining factor of its projection. It will always be a determining factor in how im treated, by creatives, by people, by the those in authority over me, including the government and the police. #wasitmyskin

Copied in its entirety here from Cooper Howell’s public Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10163696376095054&set=a.10151302685610054&type=3&theater

[clonehub]

How do you persevere with Star Wars? I've seen you post about the harassment you get. I've seen all the posts regarding Disney and Lucasfilm's issues with color--from the whitewashing to the colorblind casting to the harassment to the poor writing and vision. How do you continue to "enjoy" or engage with Star Wars? (/gen)

At this point the fans truly have ruined most of star wars for me--and the parts the fans didn't ruin, star wars writers w all their antics ruined it themselves. My fave childhood show (tcw) was ruined by racism in basically every season. And yeah I got racially/sexually harassed to hell and back, and stalked and had my blocks evaded and lied to/about. And I see how after like 7 years of there being a loud and aggressively racist portion of the star wars fandom, hardly anyone on the official star wars team is saying anything about it except to tack onto what Ingram herself said about being harassed--and I'm pretty sure that if she hadn't said anything, nobody would have. It's reactive, not preemptive.

It's why I hardly talk on here anymore. Did y'all know how much of the survey was filled with people who stalked my twitter and Tumblr yelling at me about something i posted? I have this paranoia that if I say the wrong thing, I'm going to get a mile long anon in my inbox or a DM or a call out or some kind of thinly disguised vague that completely misconstrues what I said, and I won't be able to defend myself. Idk how many of you follow my twitter, but people in that corner of the fandom can be so sensitive that they'll dogpile or start yelling at people for simply not liking the same thing they do. Beyond that, clonetwt is incredibly boring. I basically put up a front that makes me appear more patient w tbb and less critical of its many writing flaws, racism aside.

Wish I could say there's a Renaissance that'll bring me back the way the promise of s7 did, but not only is star wars mass producing very shitty or otherwise uninteresting projects rn, a lot of the story just....doesn't interest me. Idc about the EU or the OT or the ST. I've always been like this. Actually learning about writing and what makes a good story has really made me picky when it comes the stories I get into; a good idea doesn't equal good execution, and that's what like 99% of star wars is like lol

(it also doesn't help that I'm just picky in general: prequel era -> tcw -> clone troopers, specifically. I'm watching Kenobi out of boredom and minor curiosity)

the constant harassment that I and others faced, all the white people bearing down on me and my friends is what got one to leave the fandom and the other to delete entirely. Some are still here, idk how to reach out to and be friends w the newer people in the fandom (but I love your OCs mwah, and you all seem v cool), and some of the OG Milf brigade (long story) is still sticking around, but I can sense their protracted frustration with star wars as a whole and this fandom in particular. Star Wars fans are a genuinely unpleasant group of people. I only grudgingly describe myself as a fan and I've outright stated irl that I don't like star wars.

Which is a shame because it's the reason why I even wanted to be a writer and creator. But oh well.

[magnificent-nerd]

Muslim Supervillains: a tired stereotype

Image description: Supervillains clockwise from top left, Iron Man 1 (2008), The Boys TV (2020), Batman vs. Superman Dawn of Justice (2016), and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). Please note the frequent use of Yellow Filter.

I decided to list all the times Muslim and Muslim background actors and/or characters (also referred to as SWANA and/or MENA, which stands for South West Asia and North Africa, and Middle East and North Africa) have been given the role of 'supervillain' in live action superhero movies.

Spoiler: it's a lot.

It's also more times than any Muslim actors have appeared as 'good guys' in a superhero movie which, obviously, is really bad typecasting and overt racism.

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In chronological order:

Iron Man (2008)

The Ten Rings, a terrorist group made up of multiple MENA and Muslim groups, led by pantomime-level villain Raza (actor Faran Tahir), and also including actor Sayed Badreya among the supporting villains without names.

Sayed Badreya commented on being typecast and always killed in Hollywood movies in this GQ article: "I die in Iron Man," says Sayed Badreya. "I die in executive decision. I get shot by everyone." (x)

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Batman vs Superman (2016)

From the theatrical cut of the movie we have an unnamed African 'General' and some rando mercenaries/terrorists that Lois Lane interviews in Nairomi, Africa, referred to only as "the desert" throughout.

All reference to the General's actual name are only available in an extended/deleted scene. So, all in all, a very shallow depiction of these characters and merely used as a prop for the Lex Luthor angle.

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Venom (2018)

There is one baddie for the entire movie and he's played by Riz Ahmed, a British actor (just like the lead actor, Tom Hardy, is also British).

Riz Ahmed plays Carlton Drake, a somewhat stereotypical supervillain doctor who has basic and forgettable world domination goals for reasons.

Despite the fact Ahmed gives a great performance, and the fact that at least here is a MENA supervillain that isn't dressed or presented in any of the stereotypical ways these movies usually present MENA and Muslim supervillains, he is still a Muslim actor playing a one and done bad guy, and it's pretty two dimensional.

Technically he plays two supervillains in this movie, being the voice actor for his symbiote, Riot. He still dies, though.

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The Boys (2019 - 2020)

Alright so The Boys is a TV show, but I have to give it an honorable mention for such a spectacularly racist depiction of a Muslim supervillain character, who is not only badly written but barely appears onscreen for more than a couple of minutes in total at the end of season 1 (2019) and the first couple of minutes of season 2 (2020).

See my post on Naqib here.

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Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Arguably the most cartoonish and racist depiction of Arabs and Muslims as generic villains and baddies (since The Boys TV) with no motive other than to 'bomb stuff' for 'reasons', set against a generic White Savior narrative. (Yikes.)

I honestly don't think there is anything redeemable about this movie either, and I'm pleased it got fair drags from critics upon its release for multiple issues, not just the overt racism and Islamophobia. (x) (x)

But the fact that Warner Bros thought this racist depiction of Arabs and Muslims was okay to release in 2020 really says a lot about the racist state of Hollywood generally (but that's another post).

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There we have it!

That is a full list of Muslim supervillains (and in the case of Venom, a supervillain played by a Muslim actor).

And sadly that's also it for Muslim character representation in live action superhero movies. They are all bad guys!

(Wow, who saw that coming /sarcasm.)

Read on for side notes, and how upcoming Disney Plus show Ms Marvel isn’t going to automatically fix this industry wide problem when it has its own casting problems:

Side note: there has been a fleeting glimpse of a nameless background character here and there, but only once in a movie and twice in TV shows.

A couple of fleeting glimpses from nameless extras hardly makes up for all the Muslim supervillains we've had to see over the years.

For example, it took Marvel/MCU/Disney 13 years to show any Muslim characters onscreen at all, from Iron Man in 2008 all the way up to Disney Plus show Falcon and Winter Soldier (2021). Please see my post about how badly Disney failed at good rep for these nameless extras.

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Now, before anyone pipes up with 'but Disney Plus is bringing in Ms Marvel soon!', let me inform you that many of us are wary of and upset with Disney for their casting decisions, and many other problems to do with the Ms Marvel show (x) debuting in 2022.

One stand out problem is the casting choices which further perpetuates colorism.

Colorism means favoring white, light skinned, and western features in actors, therefore affecting the casting and depiction of SWANA, MENA, and Muslim characters, lending a distorted, white-washed, western, and Orientalist lens to SWANA and Muslim representation.

What we've seen so far with the Ms Marvel supporting cast (not the lead herself) is a cast made up of way too many non-Muslim and non-Pakistani actors to play Muslim and Pakistani characters.

Brown people are not interchangeable, yet studios (especially Disney) rely on the ignorance of western audiences to get away with this blatant colorism.

The Ms Marvel show also has light skinned, biracial, and even Christian actors cast to play monoracial, brown skinned, Muslim characters. That is not okay!

Yet of course, when it comes to the one character who will likely be the villain on the show (as he is in the comics, Kamran) the actor cast to play him, Rish Shah, is quite clearly darker skinned than say, Aramis Knight, also cast in the show to play another love interest to the lead, Kamala, and general good guy. This is colorism; brown skin = baddies, light skin = goodies.

Casting white and more western actors for the good guys, but brown and Muslim actors for the bad guys, is typical colorism and Islamophobia at play within the industry.

So, no: the Ms Marvel Disney Plus show won't 'fix' Islamophobia in superhero movies.

We still have a long way to go.

~*~

Have you spotted any Muslim, MENA, and SWANA characters in superhero media lately? Tell me!

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