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FILM

Stop Putting Jared Leto in Movies

Jared Leto will reprise his role as The Joker in Zach Snyder's "Justice League." Below, read one whistleblower's unheeded warning.

Jared Leto @ The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit Celebrating the Opening of Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty - The Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC

Photo by Carl Timpone/BFA.com/Shutterstock

There's a big problem with the trailer for Morbius, Sony's upcoming Marvel outing that is definitely not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe even though it has Michael Keaton reprising his role as Vulture (please let us keep our license, Disney!).

See if you can spot it.

MORBIUS - Teaser Trailerwww.youtube.com

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CULTURE

Vulture Dehumanizes Drag Queens with Random Ranking

Unfortunately, New York Magazine overlooked the depth of those underneath the makeup, even dwindling some down to a footnote.

When New York Magazine began releasing photos of international drag sensations, many fans were excited to read profiles on the artistic geniuses.

Unfortunately, Vulture's coverage reminded many that a RuPaul's Drag Race bubble exists and not everyone respects the Queens for the artists they are. Instead of treating the magazine's cover stars like those prior, the publication ranked the performers, classifying them as either Top Tier or Bottom Tier. The reductive representation offered no further insight on the fascinating queens—who they are beyond surface level accomplishments or individual placements on the show. While Drag Race is a launchpad for hundreds of queens, Vulture failed to appreciate the profundity of the new generation of Instagram and reality TV celebrities.

The lives of drag performers tend to be disregarded, with fans favoring the spectacle and on-stage characters. This is a reminder that queens embody a type of expression that both embraces and rejects gender to cultivate a new narrative and understanding of personhood. Drag culture is a celebration of self and the ability we have to truly be ourselves. Unfortunately, Vulture overlooked the depth of those underneath the makeup, even dwindling some down to a dehumanizing footnote.

Queens photographed for the publication reacted swiftly, taking to Twitter to criticize the written content and the photos' lighting.

Although Martin Schoeller is known for his up close, unedited style, the article did not match the quality of the photos. Willam Belli (of Drag Race and television fame) called out the journalistic integrity of Vulture's editors, claiming none of the subjects were informed they would be ranked.

If journalists bothered to look beyond the accessible information on a drag queen's career, each artist's influence on our cultural consciousness would be more recognized. In turn, they could become championed members of our society, surpassing Pride coverage and queer-oriented events (ahem Met Gala). Uplifting their stories year round (outside of the reality show format) would increase the number of pivotal voices allowed to transform our culture. If it wasn't obvious enough, these entertainers have contributed to a shift in Western society and impacted younger generations for good: Gen Y and Z are more inclusive and expressive than past generations, which will inform the future, with or without journalistic appreciation. Vulture should know better.

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CULTURE

The Six Hottest Comedians from NYC's Burgeoning Alt-Comedy Scene

NYC's comedy-verse, once a bastion for a revolving door of homogeneous dudes, is shifting in a new direction––gayer, funnier, and more inclusive. You might think that the rise of online comedy would render live performances obsolete, but New York's alt-comedy scene is thriving with a new generation of LGBTQ and POC comics taking center stage.

Sure, a viral tweet might help launch someone's career, but more often it's the community that uplifts and supports its members' work via podcasts or show appearances and creative collaboration. NYC's comedy scene is a pretty inspiring showcase of solidarity in an otherwise cutthroat entertainment industry. Here are six acts that you should know if you don't already:

Ayo Edebiri

As an improv-er, standup comedian, and published New Yorker writer, Ayo Edebiri makes comedy look effortless. Her bubbly stage persona is tempered by her dark outlook on modern urban life. She's such a joy to watch that you might not even notice the existential dread creeping up on you! As she bounces around the stage, her whip-smart material covers all the basic tenets of the cultural zeitgeist––gentrification, uniq-lo joggers, and Mark Ruffalo's extensive filmography.



Jaboukie Young-White

If you haven't heard of prodigious comedian Jaboukie Young-White, what are you even doing? Hailing from Chicago, Jaboukie has made a name for himself this past year after being added as a correspondent to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, as well as making a standup appearance on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, where he came out to his parents as gay. JY-W gained popularity on Twitter, where he offers some of the freshest takes on millennial culture. Though he draws a lot of his material from feeling alienated, his content sheds light in a way that makes people feel a little more connected. From talking about gay bugs to health insurance, he never seems too worried. In many ways, Young-White represents a new generation of comics democratically elected by the internet. Lots have caught on to the hype– he's written for Big Mouth and American Vandal, and made appearances on Crashing and Rough Night. Currently, there are talks of him starring alongside Dumplin' star Danielle Macdonald in Bo Burnham's next project. We wouldn't be surprised if there's a Netflix Special somewhere in his future.


Larry Owens

Larry Owens is the alt-comedy scene's bona fide Sondheim aficionado. He's a beacon of light among the sometimes dreary, self-effacing standup sets. Owens can dive into classic standards just as easily as One Direction hits, all the while mixing in riffs on everyday life struggles in between. His self-assured diva energy reminds me of Tituss Burgess' portrayal of Titus Andromedon in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. With an angelic voice and serious comedy chops, Owens is the ultimate hilarious, musical package.

Rachel Sennott

If you're a sad e-girl trying to Instagram a picture of a dead bird, Rachel Sennott will not hesitate to put you on blast. Her topical comedy targets all of the worst parts of millennial and influencer culture, never shying away from poking fun at herself. As a writer, standup, and actress, Sennott has written and starred in her own original shorts and appeared on HBO's High Maintenance. Whether she's exposing Bushwick fuckboys or gingham-clad influencers on a picnic, Sennott uses her interpersonal life to inform and fuel her unique brand of sardonic, self-aware humor.


Sydnee Washington

After Sydnee Washington spent a decade working as a bottle girl, she transitioned to the realm of standup comedy to offer a fresh perspective. She has her own show Death of a Bottle Girl and co-hosts TheUnofficial Expert podcast, where she offers insight on New York's nightlife scene. She's like the funny, more experienced older sister you never had. Now a resident of the alt-comedy scene, Washington presents her razor-sharp takes from her own vantage point as a queer black woman in the city.

Ana Fabrega

Ana Fabrega can do just about anything. Though she started off working in finance, Fabrega emerged as one of the most consistent (and funniest) members of the comedy scene. You may have seen her in Portlandia orHigh Maintenance, or perhaps you came across her through her 10-second videos on Twitter where she does micro-bits, impressions, and oddly specific characters. Now, Fabrega is working on the HBO show Los Espookys (co-written with Julio Torres and Fred Armisen). She may not be new to the scene, but she's definitely one to keep your eye on.



Sara is a music and culture writer who lives in Brooklyn. Her work has previously appeared in PAPER magazine and Stereogum.

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Soon-Yi Speaks

Wife of Woody Allen Opens Up to New York Magazine – Memories, Marriage, Misbehavior, and More

...And she has plenty to say.

Rarely heard from, Soon-Yi Previn is now stirring up quite the story in New York magazine and on the Vulture website. Interviewed by longtime friend of Woody Allen (Daphne Merkin), the piece delves into topics that are far from your everyday family affair.

The lengthy article highlights Previn's rocky relationship with her adoptive mother, Mia Farrow to the #MeToo movement to allegations against Allen from his daughter Dylan Farrow, and other difficult topics. Perhaps this is why Previn has remained silent so long.

The piece is entitled "Introducing Soon-Yi Previn." While we've heard her name for years – she has been married to Allen (35 years her senior) for 20 – most people don't know much about her, hence the "introduction." What we do know is considered by many to be controversial, as Farrow and Allen used to be a couple, with Allen in what can be described as a "father figure" role to Previn. (He is not her adoptive father, but was Farrow's partner when Previn was a child).

With so much to dig into and discuss with Merkin, Previn lays it all on the table. In essence, she gets into her (what she considers terrible) relationship with Farrow, describing an abusive (both mentally and physically) upbringing and less-than-maternal behavior brought forth by Farrow. Other children in the family recall a far different, and much happier upbringing. "None of us ever witnessed anything other than compassionate treatment in our home," a statement from seven of Farrow's children.

Then there's the allegations from Dylan Farrow, that Allen (her adoptive father) molested her at age seven. Previn suggests Farrow is using the height of the #MeToo movement to dredge up these decades' old allegations, designed to further drag Allen's name through the mud as actors pull out of productions and apologize for ever having worked with him in the first place.

Previn told the magazine, "What's happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust. Mia has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim. And a whole new generation is hearing about it when they shouldn't."

Brother Ronan Farrow, a journalist who helped bring the Harvey Weinstein scandal to light via his work in The New Yorker, stands by his sister Dylan and called the New York magazine piece a "hit job." "Survivors of abuse deserve better," he said. And as per USA Today, "Dylan Farrow, who says she was contacted by New York magazine, criticized the report for 'multiple obvious falsehoods.'"

Previn gets into her relationship with Allen, calling it "magnetic," and that he pursued her, not the other way around. After finding nude Polaroids of Previn in the early '90s shot by Allen, Farrow (who was still with Allen at the time) discovered their affair and spread the news like wildfire. Previn claims she "regrets" the way Farrow found out and it was "a huge betrayal on both our parts (Previn and Allen's), a terrible thing to do, a terrible shock to inflict on her."

Along with the details this New York magazine piece delivers, much of the shock lies in the reporting itself. A close friend of Allen writing the story, for some, makes it skewed from the start. Ronan Farrow wrote, "As a journalist, I'm shocked by the lack of care for the facts, the refusal to include eyewitness testimony that would contradict falsehoods in this piece, and the failure to print my sister's responses."

The magazine defended the story and its writer. Magazine spokesperson Lauren Starke explained, "Soon-Yi Previn is telling her story for the first time, and we hope people will withhold judgment until they have read the feature. Daphne Merkin's relationship to Woody Allen is disclosed and is a part of the story, as is Soon-Yi's reason for speaking out now. I would add that Daphne approached Soon-Yi about doing this piece, not vice-versa. We reached out to both Mia and Dylan Farrow for comment; Dylan chose to speak through her representative. The story is transparent about being told from Soon-Yi's point of view."

If you're interested in more of Previn's point of view, you can read the piece on Vulture. As Merkin sums up, "I find myself wondering whether Soon-Yi's voice — having finally been heard — will be listened to, much less change anyone's opinion. It's a gamble she's taken by speaking out, but then again, she's never been one to play it safe."

Melissa A. Kay is a New York-based writer, editor, and content strategist. Follow her work on Popdust as well as sites including TopDust, Chase Bank, P&G, Understood.org, The Richest, GearBrain, The Journiest, Bella, TrueSelf, Better Homes & Gardens, AMC Daycare, and more.

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