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"content": "\u003cp>Offspring drummer Pete Parada received an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CSE_rkVnIgL/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">outpouring of support\u003c/a> earlier this week after he announced he would be unable to tour for the foreseeable future. In an emotional Instagram post, Parada said that a medical condition he has been living with since childhood—\u003ca href=\"https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Guillain-Barr%C3%A9-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guillain-Barré Syndrome\u003c/a> (GBS)—prevented him from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, and that his band now considered him “unsafe” to work with. GBS is a rare and incurable condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack its nerves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Given my personal history and the side-effect profile of these jabs,” Parada wrote, “my doctor has advised me not to get a shot at this time. Unfortunately for me (and my family—who is hoping to keep me around a bit longer), the risks far outweigh the benefits.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent figures suggest there may an increased risk of suffering a bout of GBS after receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. “There have been 100 preliminary reports of GBS following vaccination,” the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-july-13-2021\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FDA reports\u003c/a>, “after approximately 12.5 million doses administered.” However, there is \u003ca href=\"https://health.clevelandclinic.org/guillain-barre-syndrome-and-covid-vaccine/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">no evidence\u003c/a> that the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines carry increased risks for GBS patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CSE_rkVnIgL/\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Since I am unable to comply with what is increasingly becoming an industry mandate,” Parada wrote, “it has recently been decided that I am unsafe to be around, in the studio, and on tour. I mention this because you won’t be seeing me at these upcoming shows. I also want to share my story so that anyone else experiencing the agony and isolation of getting left behind right now knows they’re not entirely alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By Wednesday, Parada’s post had been liked almost 18,000 times, and prompted comments of love, support and vaccine-related outrage. One fan wrote, “The fear, the manipulation and coercion around [vaccines] are truly what is frightening.” Five Finger Death Punch drummer Charlie Engen commented that it was “sickening you even have to explain yourself.” Bad Wolves vocalist Tommy Vext called Parada’s predicament “a fucking disgrace,” and opined that “this all feels like the beginnings of a medical apartheid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those are strong words in a live-music landscape that is still accommodating unvaccinated people. Parada’s announcement (and the outpouring that it prompted) directly followed a weekend in which 100,000 fans a day—including the unvaccinated—descended on the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. Ticket holders without vaccines were permitted at the event with proof of a negative COVID test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/lollapalooza/status/1420865743269339143\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weekend before, Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival attracted daily crowds of 75,000 and had zero COVID-related restrictions for entry. “Fans will have the choice, whether or not they want to be vaccinated or mask,” festival co-founder \u003ca href=\"https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-gardens/article252927603.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tariq Cheriff told the \u003cem>Miami Herald\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. “That’s basically what we believe in. You got the choice and that’s it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13900368,arts_13900770']While some of America’s most popular festivals—including Coachella, Burning Man and SXSW—have opted to postpone until 2022, many others are still forging ahead this year. COVID restrictions for attendees at each event vary and are at the discretion of the organizers. So, for example, while Napa’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/health-safety/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BottleRock\u003c/a> will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfoutsidelands.com/health-and-safety/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Outside Lands\u003c/a> is—for the moment, at least—merely saying it “will follow the recommended health and safety guidelines put forth by the authorities.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.sterngrove.org/covid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stern Grove\u003c/a> says it will have a reservation-only policy and a perimeter, but no requirement to show vaccine status at this time. It is unclear what restrictions will be in place for performers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for music venues, in California at least, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) reports that most of the music venues checking vaccine cards are also accepting negative COVID tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Parada claimed that his decision to not get vaccinated was a medical one, he also shared clear anti-vax opinions later in his post. “I do not find it ethical or wise,” he wrote, “to allow those with the most power (government, corporations, organizations, employers) to dictate medical procedures to those with the least power.” Parada continued: “If it looks like half the population is having a shockingly different reaction to these jabs than was expected—it’s probably because their life experiences have actually been shockingly different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the music industry scrambles to bring back live music, the very least fans and musicians should be doing before heading out to venues is getting vaccinated and/or checking their COVID status regularly with tests. Even then, an abundance of caution should still be exercised. The Netherlands’ Verknipt festival, which took place in mid-July, offers a cautionary example. The two-day outdoor festival required proof of vaccine or a negative test to enter, but still led to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/15/music-festival-in-holland-leads-to-over-1000-covid-infections.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1,050 COVID infections\u003c/a>—5% of attendees caught the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make no mistake, the social and personal freedoms we have successfully wrangled back in recent months are a direct result of the vaccine rollout. What most threatens those freedoms now is the highly transmissible delta variant which, data proves, vaccines protect against. (“The rate of breakthrough cases reported among those fully vaccinated is well below 1% in all reporting states,” according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/well/live/covid-delta-variant-vaccine-symptoms.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.) The larger barriers to the freedom of immunocompromised people aren’t COVID safety measures—they’re the dangers posed by a virus that spreads further and faster the less people are vaccinated.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While some of America’s most popular festivals—including Coachella, Burning Man and SXSW—have opted to postpone until 2022, many others are still forging ahead this year. COVID restrictions for attendees at each event vary and are at the discretion of the organizers. So, for example, while Napa’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/health-safety/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BottleRock\u003c/a> will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfoutsidelands.com/health-and-safety/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Outside Lands\u003c/a> is—for the moment, at least—merely saying it “will follow the recommended health and safety guidelines put forth by the authorities.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.sterngrove.org/covid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stern Grove\u003c/a> says it will have a reservation-only policy and a perimeter, but no requirement to show vaccine status at this time. It is unclear what restrictions will be in place for performers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for music venues, in California at least, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) reports that most of the music venues checking vaccine cards are also accepting negative COVID tests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Parada claimed that his decision to not get vaccinated was a medical one, he also shared clear anti-vax opinions later in his post. “I do not find it ethical or wise,” he wrote, “to allow those with the most power (government, corporations, organizations, employers) to dictate medical procedures to those with the least power.” Parada continued: “If it looks like half the population is having a shockingly different reaction to these jabs than was expected—it’s probably because their life experiences have actually been shockingly different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the music industry scrambles to bring back live music, the very least fans and musicians should be doing before heading out to venues is getting vaccinated and/or checking their COVID status regularly with tests. Even then, an abundance of caution should still be exercised. The Netherlands’ Verknipt festival, which took place in mid-July, offers a cautionary example. The two-day outdoor festival required proof of vaccine or a negative test to enter, but still led to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/15/music-festival-in-holland-leads-to-over-1000-covid-infections.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1,050 COVID infections\u003c/a>—5% of attendees caught the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make no mistake, the social and personal freedoms we have successfully wrangled back in recent months are a direct result of the vaccine rollout. What most threatens those freedoms now is the highly transmissible delta variant which, data proves, vaccines protect against. (“The rate of breakthrough cases reported among those fully vaccinated is well below 1% in all reporting states,” according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/well/live/covid-delta-variant-vaccine-symptoms.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.) The larger barriers to the freedom of immunocompromised people aren’t COVID safety measures—they’re the dangers posed by a virus that spreads further and faster the less people are vaccinated.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>In God-Just-Shut-Up-Already news, that white lady who made an unhinged call to cops about the man who was birdwatching while Black is back! And—wouldn’t you know it—she’s defending all that dog choking and racism she did in Central Park last summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you need a refresher, this is what that looked like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0FByIEijXI\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appearing on the \u003ca href=\"https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/the-real-story-of-the-central-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Honestly with Bari Weiss\u003c/em>\u003c/a> podcast this week, Amy Cooper phoned in from an undisclosed location to say that, “It’s been a hard year of having to stay silent and watch things be said across the world that were untrue.” Cooper then doubled down on the Scary Black Man narrative that she used during her call to the cops in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13881138']“Suddenly, I heard this loud booming voice behind me,” Cooper said, “screaming something to the effect of ‘Get out of here’ or ‘You shouldn’t be here’—something like that. Whenever you hear something loud, you naturally just startled a little bit. And I turned around and immediately saw this man standing there looking, you know, like he’s very annoyed that I’m in there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cooper continued: “And then he utters something that sounds to me like a threat. That he’s going to do something to me that I’m not going to like … I’m trying to figure out, ‘What does that mean?’ … Is this guy going to lure my dog over and hit him with his bike helmet? … And if I end up over there, am I going to get hit with this bike helmet?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later still, Cooper says: “It’s really weird because he’s still standing there, you know, same very physical posture, and suddenly out of him comes this voice from a man who’s been very dominant towards me. Suddenly, you know, almost this victimized voice, saying, ‘Don’t come near me. Don’t come any closer.’ Almost like he’s terrified of me. To me that’s even more terrifying now because you’ve gone from screaming at me—if you kept screaming at me, at least it was consistent, but now his whole verbal demeanor has changed. That made no sense to me whatsoever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of her decision to call 911, Cooper says: “I’d looked around. I’d explored all my options. I tried to leave. I tried to look for anyone who was around. There was no noise, no sound. And it was, you know, it was my last attempt to, sort of, hope that he would step down and leave me alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the 80-minute podcast, journalist Kmele Foster offers several nuggets of info that the listener is supposed to treat as astonishing revelations, but only offer broader context to the incident. These include the fact that the 911 call Amy Cooper made was almost inaudible to the dispatcher on the other end of the line, so she had to keep repeating herself. In addition, Cooper talks about a sexual assault she endured in her teens that she says impacted her emotional response in the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Foster spends some time establishing that Christian Cooper was sick of dog walkers in the birding areas of Central Park. There is an audio clip featured in the podcast of Christian Cooper speaking at a community meeting on the matter. Foster also says he found two other people who Christian Cooper had admonished for walking dogs off leash, who said they had felt threatened by him in the park. (Neither wanted to speak on the record.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13882681']All of which is interesting, but fails to answer the most important question of all: Why did Amy Cooper stay in the park, with a man she says was afraid of, when he was specifically asking her to stay away from him? Why did she opt to move closer to him, when she had already retrieved her dog? And why did she call the cops, instead of walking away when she had a clear opportunity to do so?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We already knew the answers to all of those questions; the fundamentals of this story remain unchanged. The fact that Amy Cooper is now trying to persuade us otherwise (after issuing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUQWd4q3tjA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">an apology for her behavior\u003c/a> in May 2020) only serves to make this entire incident even worse.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In God-Just-Shut-Up-Already news, that white lady who made an unhinged call to cops about the man who was birdwatching while Black is back! And—wouldn’t you know it—she’s defending all that dog choking and racism she did in Central Park last summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you need a refresher, this is what that looked like:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/W0FByIEijXI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/W0FByIEijXI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Appearing on the \u003ca href=\"https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/the-real-story-of-the-central-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Honestly with Bari Weiss\u003c/em>\u003c/a> podcast this week, Amy Cooper phoned in from an undisclosed location to say that, “It’s been a hard year of having to stay silent and watch things be said across the world that were untrue.” Cooper then doubled down on the Scary Black Man narrative that she used during her call to the cops in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Suddenly, I heard this loud booming voice behind me,” Cooper said, “screaming something to the effect of ‘Get out of here’ or ‘You shouldn’t be here’—something like that. Whenever you hear something loud, you naturally just startled a little bit. And I turned around and immediately saw this man standing there looking, you know, like he’s very annoyed that I’m in there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cooper continued: “And then he utters something that sounds to me like a threat. That he’s going to do something to me that I’m not going to like … I’m trying to figure out, ‘What does that mean?’ … Is this guy going to lure my dog over and hit him with his bike helmet? … And if I end up over there, am I going to get hit with this bike helmet?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later still, Cooper says: “It’s really weird because he’s still standing there, you know, same very physical posture, and suddenly out of him comes this voice from a man who’s been very dominant towards me. Suddenly, you know, almost this victimized voice, saying, ‘Don’t come near me. Don’t come any closer.’ Almost like he’s terrified of me. To me that’s even more terrifying now because you’ve gone from screaming at me—if you kept screaming at me, at least it was consistent, but now his whole verbal demeanor has changed. That made no sense to me whatsoever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of her decision to call 911, Cooper says: “I’d looked around. I’d explored all my options. I tried to leave. I tried to look for anyone who was around. There was no noise, no sound. And it was, you know, it was my last attempt to, sort of, hope that he would step down and leave me alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the 80-minute podcast, journalist Kmele Foster offers several nuggets of info that the listener is supposed to treat as astonishing revelations, but only offer broader context to the incident. These include the fact that the 911 call Amy Cooper made was almost inaudible to the dispatcher on the other end of the line, so she had to keep repeating herself. In addition, Cooper talks about a sexual assault she endured in her teens that she says impacted her emotional response in the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Foster spends some time establishing that Christian Cooper was sick of dog walkers in the birding areas of Central Park. There is an audio clip featured in the podcast of Christian Cooper speaking at a community meeting on the matter. Foster also says he found two other people who Christian Cooper had admonished for walking dogs off leash, who said they had felt threatened by him in the park. (Neither wanted to speak on the record.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>All of which is interesting, but fails to answer the most important question of all: Why did Amy Cooper stay in the park, with a man she says was afraid of, when he was specifically asking her to stay away from him? Why did she opt to move closer to him, when she had already retrieved her dog? And why did she call the cops, instead of walking away when she had a clear opportunity to do so?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We already knew the answers to all of those questions; the fundamentals of this story remain unchanged. The fact that Amy Cooper is now trying to persuade us otherwise (after issuing \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUQWd4q3tjA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">an apology for her behavior\u003c/a> in May 2020) only serves to make this entire incident even worse.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Mattel's Barbie Turns Women of Science, Including COVID Vaccine Developer, Into Dolls",
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"content": "\u003cp>British vaccinologist Sarah Gilbert now has a new accolade: It’s a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll made in her image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Oxford University professor helped lead the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. Last month, she was given a damehood, and now, she shares her hairstyle, professional wardrobe and dark-rimmed glasses with Mattel Inc’s new doll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1423101451757314049\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gilbert told \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/04/vaccinologist-barbie-prof-sarah-gilbert-honoured-with-a-doll\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The Guardian\u003c/em>\u003c/a> she first found Mattel’s recognition “very strange” but hopes it inspires other young women around the world to work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers (STEM).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13815050']“I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into STEM careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realize how vital careers in science are to help the world around us,” she said. “My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Six women are being honored with Barbies\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Gilbert is one of the six women Mattel Inc has recognized as role models in the fight against COVID-19. According to the \u003ca href=\"https://corporate.mattel.com/news/mattel-once-again-says-thankyouheroes-by-supporting-first-responders-childrens-foundation-and-honoring-global-frontline-medical-workers-with-one-of-a-kind-barbie-dolls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">toymaker\u003c/a>, the five other honorees are U.S. health care workers Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz and emergency room nurse Amy O’Sullivan, Canadian doctor and advocate against systemic racism in health care Chicka Stacy Oriuwa, Brazilian biomedical researcher Dr. Jaqueline Goes de Jesus and Australian doctor and protective gown developer Kirby White.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Barbie recognizes that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel. “To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She added that she hopes the new launch “inspires the next generation to take after these heroes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900776\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900776\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/gettyimages-1233399583_wide-54f2a2a572a81f2012b31b54adae9af61ebd3bd3-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah Gilbert, co-developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, has been honored with a Barbie doll in her image.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah Gilbert, co-developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, has been honored with a Barbie doll in her image. \u003ccite>(Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine co-developer has been producing and testing vaccines for over a decade, according to her \u003ca href=\"https://www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/find-an-expert/professor-sarah-gilbert\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Oxford University profile\u003c/a>. And just last month, the now widely available vaccine \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/UniofOxford/status/1421096992881659910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1421096992881659910%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fworld%2F2021%2F08%2F04%2Fvaccinologist-barbie-sarah-gilbert-coronavirus%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">set a distribution\u003c/a> milestone of 1 billion doses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of this year, only \u003ca href=\"https://www.stemwomen.co.uk/blog/2021/01/women-in-stem-percentages-of-women-in-stem-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">35% of STEM students are women\u003c/a>, according to STEM Women, a U.K. organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in the STEM workforce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem> Xcaret Nuñez is an intern with NPR’s News Desk\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Mattel%27s+Barbie+Turns+Women+Of+Science%2C+Including+COVID+Vaccine+Developer%2C+Into+Dolls&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Gilbert told \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/04/vaccinologist-barbie-prof-sarah-gilbert-honoured-with-a-doll\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The Guardian\u003c/em>\u003c/a> she first found Mattel’s recognition “very strange” but hopes it inspires other young women around the world to work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers (STEM).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into STEM careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realize how vital careers in science are to help the world around us,” she said. “My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Six women are being honored with Barbies\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Gilbert is one of the six women Mattel Inc has recognized as role models in the fight against COVID-19. According to the \u003ca href=\"https://corporate.mattel.com/news/mattel-once-again-says-thankyouheroes-by-supporting-first-responders-childrens-foundation-and-honoring-global-frontline-medical-workers-with-one-of-a-kind-barbie-dolls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">toymaker\u003c/a>, the five other honorees are U.S. health care workers Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz and emergency room nurse Amy O’Sullivan, Canadian doctor and advocate against systemic racism in health care Chicka Stacy Oriuwa, Brazilian biomedical researcher Dr. Jaqueline Goes de Jesus and Australian doctor and protective gown developer Kirby White.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Barbie recognizes that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel. “To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She added that she hopes the new launch “inspires the next generation to take after these heroes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900776\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900776\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/gettyimages-1233399583_wide-54f2a2a572a81f2012b31b54adae9af61ebd3bd3-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah Gilbert, co-developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, has been honored with a Barbie doll in her image.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah Gilbert, co-developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, has been honored with a Barbie doll in her image. \u003ccite>(Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine co-developer has been producing and testing vaccines for over a decade, according to her \u003ca href=\"https://www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/find-an-expert/professor-sarah-gilbert\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Oxford University profile\u003c/a>. And just last month, the now widely available vaccine \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/UniofOxford/status/1421096992881659910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1421096992881659910%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fworld%2F2021%2F08%2F04%2Fvaccinologist-barbie-sarah-gilbert-coronavirus%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">set a distribution\u003c/a> milestone of 1 billion doses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of this year, only \u003ca href=\"https://www.stemwomen.co.uk/blog/2021/01/women-in-stem-percentages-of-women-in-stem-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">35% of STEM students are women\u003c/a>, according to STEM Women, a U.K. organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in the STEM workforce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem> Xcaret Nuñez is an intern with NPR’s News Desk\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Mattel%27s+Barbie+Turns+Women+Of+Science%2C+Including+COVID+Vaccine+Developer%2C+Into+Dolls&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "This Sequel to a Beloved Game Has the Style—But 'NEO' Lacks a Little Substance",
"headTitle": "This Sequel to a Beloved Game Has the Style—But ‘NEO’ Lacks a Little Substance | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Just seconds ago, you were walking across the city street. You headed to the ramen shop for a quick bite. You open your eyes, delirious and confused, and find yourself collapsed in the middle of the crosswalk. People are walking right past you as you reach out for help. No one can see you. In your pocket you find a black pin with an ornate skull and crossbones design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2007, co-developers Square Enix and Jupiter released \u003cem>The World Ends With You \u003c/em>for the Nintendo DS, an inventive Japanese role-playing game unlike anything that came before it. The story takes place in a sort of Limbo version of Shibuya, Japan, an alternate dimension in between life and death where you compete with other players in the Reaper’s Game—a chance at redemption, a second chance at life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900631\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900631\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-800x450.png\" alt=\"A moment of gameplay that asks: Just what is the "Reaper's Game"?\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Just what is the “Reaper’s Game”? \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>A second chance, in the game and in the real world\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>14 years later, Square Enix and new development partner, h.a.n.d., give gamers a second chance to enjoy the stylish, loud and ominous world of Shibuya in \u003cem>NEO: The World Ends With You\u003c/em>. The sequel to the 2007 masterpiece follows a new cast of manga-esque characters as they fight for their lives or face permanent erasure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>NEO\u003c/em> opens with our protagonists, best friends Rindo and Fret. The two find themselves in a Shibuya that feels… off. Their phones start sending them strange notifications about daily missions, and they meet eccentric characters that reveal sinister details about this alternate dimension. And perhaps the most bizarre are the monsters that roam this “other” Shibuya; animal-like creatures with limbs that resemble graffiti that’s been yanked out of the city’s dark alleys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900632\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900632\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-800x450.png\" alt=\"Fighting the beasts known as Noise.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fighting the beasts known as Noise. \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13889311']These artistic beasts are called Noise, and it’s an ideal name considering that the game places a significant emphasis on music. Takeharu Ishimoto, the composer for both games, has expertly crafted a soundtrack unlike any I’ve heard in a video game. He blends elements of rock, pop, hip-hop, electronica and even metal to evoke the vibrations of Shibuya. \u003cem>The World Ends With You\u003c/em> punches you as you play; the hip-hop beats add a tangible energy and the rock has me tapping my feet as I fight Noise. Ishimoto also includes lyrics in his in-game masterpieces, and it’s a great choice; it forces players to focus on his creation while they play. Rather than tune out the music like you might in a game \u003cem>without \u003c/em>lyrics, it encourages you to listen and absorb as you slink through Shibuya’s corridors.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Fashion plays a big role this time, too\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Beyond music, \u003cem>NEO \u003c/em>shares a lot with its predecessor, as you might expect from a sequel. Square Enix retained the incredibly detailed anime art style that \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/the-world-ends-with-you-street-fashion-japan-harajuku/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">plants you directly into Japanese culture and fashion\u003c/a>. The main and supporting characters all have distinct looks, whether they’re sporting big belt buckles or brightly-colored hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900633\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900633\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-800x450.png\" alt=\"The game has a vibrant economy of food and clothing shops where you can get items that change your stats.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The game has a vibrant economy of food and clothing shops where you can get items that change your stats. \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fashion weaves its way into other aspects of the game, too. Similar to other RPGs, dressing your character often comes with stat boosts. Wearing a certain pin or hat or shirt may grant you different combat abilities, extra health points or attack power. But unlike more basic RPGs, clothing in \u003cem>The World Ends With You \u003c/em>is branded; you aren’t just wearing an “assassin’s cloak,” you’re wearing in-game brands like Joli bécot or ConyxCony. It makes the items you buy more memorable while still maintaining their normal video game function.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13893837']\u003cem>The World Ends with You \u003c/em>got a major graphics upgrade in \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, which was to be expected on more powerful consoles (Switch and PS4) and 14 years of development. \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>‘s Shibuya is far sharper than its predecessor, and the pixelated borders from before have been smoothed out. I played \u003cem>NEO \u003c/em>on the Switch, and it looks great, both when the Switch is docked and in handheld mode. At times, \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em> lagged a bit when the Switch was docked, but it didn’t bother me too much during my hours with the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>But the improved graphics don’t necessarily mean a better game\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The upgraded graphics really shine in \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>‘s combat. It went from clunky and two-dimensional to 3D and dynamic. Using your psychokinetic abilities in a fight is a joy, especially when you find out how many synergies there are between your characters. When I first started playing \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, I thought the fights were a little repetitive, but as I learned how to time my attacks and use the correct abilities, it made fighting the same enemies entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900634\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900634\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-800x450.png\" alt=\"Improved graphics make the combat scenes really pop.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Improved graphics make the combat scenes really pop. \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Despite its graphic overhaul and combat improvements, \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em> doesn’t \u003cem>quite \u003c/em>capture me like the original \u003cem>The World Ends With You\u003c/em>. In the sequel, the main characters are cliche; Rindo is unconfident and indecisive, Fret is maybe a bit too happy-go-lucky, and Nagi (she joins the team later) adds the occasionally funny, but mostly annoying quip. In the original, Neku, the brooding, headphone-donning teen, learns compassion as he’s forced to forge relationships with other players or risk permanent death. It felt like the stakes were higher in the first installment, like you actually needed to complete your missions or meet your doom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sequels are better than remasters. I’m glad Square Enix and h.a.n.d. gave us this revival after 14 years—but at the same time, I wanted what the \u003cem>original\u003c/em> game gave us: memorable characters and a gripping story with twists and turns. I’m grateful for the improved graphics of \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, but if I had to take shoddier graphics with a better story, I would. I want to feel the way I did 14 years ago, and while I did like \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, it didn’t drag me into an ominous world filled with eccentric Reapers and deadly Noise as ruthlessly as the original did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Keller Gordon is a columnist for \u003c/em>Join The Game\u003cem>\u003cem>. Find him on Twitter: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kelbot_\">@kelbot_\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=This+Remake+Of+A+Beloved+Game+Has+The+Style+%E2%80%94+But+Lacks+A+Little+Substance&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Just seconds ago, you were walking across the city street. You headed to the ramen shop for a quick bite. You open your eyes, delirious and confused, and find yourself collapsed in the middle of the crosswalk. People are walking right past you as you reach out for help. No one can see you. In your pocket you find a black pin with an ornate skull and crossbones design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2007, co-developers Square Enix and Jupiter released \u003cem>The World Ends With You \u003c/em>for the Nintendo DS, an inventive Japanese role-playing game unlike anything that came before it. The story takes place in a sort of Limbo version of Shibuya, Japan, an alternate dimension in between life and death where you compete with other players in the Reaper’s Game—a chance at redemption, a second chance at life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900631\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900631\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-800x450.png\" alt=\"A moment of gameplay that asks: Just what is the "Reaper's Game"?\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/eventscene_wide-15dad0a1d2dcf4b46084dd013de59f74cfb29804.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Just what is the “Reaper’s Game”? \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>A second chance, in the game and in the real world\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>14 years later, Square Enix and new development partner, h.a.n.d., give gamers a second chance to enjoy the stylish, loud and ominous world of Shibuya in \u003cem>NEO: The World Ends With You\u003c/em>. The sequel to the 2007 masterpiece follows a new cast of manga-esque characters as they fight for their lives or face permanent erasure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>NEO\u003c/em> opens with our protagonists, best friends Rindo and Fret. The two find themselves in a Shibuya that feels… off. Their phones start sending them strange notifications about daily missions, and they meet eccentric characters that reveal sinister details about this alternate dimension. And perhaps the most bizarre are the monsters that roam this “other” Shibuya; animal-like creatures with limbs that resemble graffiti that’s been yanked out of the city’s dark alleys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900632\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900632\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-800x450.png\" alt=\"Fighting the beasts known as Noise.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/pignoise_wide-955d5522aa3d67a9a4e8ee81b226697943103790.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fighting the beasts known as Noise. \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>These artistic beasts are called Noise, and it’s an ideal name considering that the game places a significant emphasis on music. Takeharu Ishimoto, the composer for both games, has expertly crafted a soundtrack unlike any I’ve heard in a video game. He blends elements of rock, pop, hip-hop, electronica and even metal to evoke the vibrations of Shibuya. \u003cem>The World Ends With You\u003c/em> punches you as you play; the hip-hop beats add a tangible energy and the rock has me tapping my feet as I fight Noise. Ishimoto also includes lyrics in his in-game masterpieces, and it’s a great choice; it forces players to focus on his creation while they play. Rather than tune out the music like you might in a game \u003cem>without \u003c/em>lyrics, it encourages you to listen and absorb as you slink through Shibuya’s corridors.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Fashion plays a big role this time, too\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Beyond music, \u003cem>NEO \u003c/em>shares a lot with its predecessor, as you might expect from a sequel. Square Enix retained the incredibly detailed anime art style that \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/the-world-ends-with-you-street-fashion-japan-harajuku/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">plants you directly into Japanese culture and fashion\u003c/a>. The main and supporting characters all have distinct looks, whether they’re sporting big belt buckles or brightly-colored hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900633\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900633\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-800x450.png\" alt=\"The game has a vibrant economy of food and clothing shops where you can get items that change your stats.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/threads_shop02_joli_becot_wide-342463daf4daf423ce40c40b58e7f472a344ccfe.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The game has a vibrant economy of food and clothing shops where you can get items that change your stats. \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fashion weaves its way into other aspects of the game, too. Similar to other RPGs, dressing your character often comes with stat boosts. Wearing a certain pin or hat or shirt may grant you different combat abilities, extra health points or attack power. But unlike more basic RPGs, clothing in \u003cem>The World Ends With You \u003c/em>is branded; you aren’t just wearing an “assassin’s cloak,” you’re wearing in-game brands like Joli bécot or ConyxCony. It makes the items you buy more memorable while still maintaining their normal video game function.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cem>The World Ends with You \u003c/em>got a major graphics upgrade in \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, which was to be expected on more powerful consoles (Switch and PS4) and 14 years of development. \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>‘s Shibuya is far sharper than its predecessor, and the pixelated borders from before have been smoothed out. I played \u003cem>NEO \u003c/em>on the Switch, and it looks great, both when the Switch is docked and in handheld mode. At times, \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em> lagged a bit when the Switch was docked, but it didn’t bother me too much during my hours with the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>But the improved graphics don’t necessarily mean a better game\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The upgraded graphics really shine in \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>‘s combat. It went from clunky and two-dimensional to 3D and dynamic. Using your psychokinetic abilities in a fight is a joy, especially when you find out how many synergies there are between your characters. When I first started playing \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, I thought the fights were a little repetitive, but as I learned how to time my attacks and use the correct abilities, it made fighting the same enemies entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13900634\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13900634\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-800x450.png\" alt=\"Improved graphics make the combat scenes really pop.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-800x450.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-1020x574.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/p14_01_wide-e86e9270b181bcc70a54d7f263661a72e1656ca1.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Improved graphics make the combat scenes really pop. \u003ccite>(Square Enix)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Despite its graphic overhaul and combat improvements, \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em> doesn’t \u003cem>quite \u003c/em>capture me like the original \u003cem>The World Ends With You\u003c/em>. In the sequel, the main characters are cliche; Rindo is unconfident and indecisive, Fret is maybe a bit too happy-go-lucky, and Nagi (she joins the team later) adds the occasionally funny, but mostly annoying quip. In the original, Neku, the brooding, headphone-donning teen, learns compassion as he’s forced to forge relationships with other players or risk permanent death. It felt like the stakes were higher in the first installment, like you actually needed to complete your missions or meet your doom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sequels are better than remasters. I’m glad Square Enix and h.a.n.d. gave us this revival after 14 years—but at the same time, I wanted what the \u003cem>original\u003c/em> game gave us: memorable characters and a gripping story with twists and turns. I’m grateful for the improved graphics of \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, but if I had to take shoddier graphics with a better story, I would. I want to feel the way I did 14 years ago, and while I did like \u003cem>NEO\u003c/em>, it didn’t drag me into an ominous world filled with eccentric Reapers and deadly Noise as ruthlessly as the original did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Keller Gordon is a columnist for \u003c/em>Join The Game\u003cem>\u003cem>. Find him on Twitter: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kelbot_\">@kelbot_\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=This+Remake+Of+A+Beloved+Game+Has+The+Style+%E2%80%94+But+Lacks+A+Little+Substance&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "The Music Industry is Holding DaBaby Accountable",
"headTitle": "The Music Industry is Holding DaBaby Accountable | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Despite multiple apologies, rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/735842489/dababy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DaBaby\u003c/a> continues to face criticism—and cancellations—for homophobic comments he made during the Rolling Loud festival in late July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dua Lipa, who features the rapper on her mega-hit song “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVcZfQe-Kw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Levitating\u003c/a>,” was among those who \u003ca href=\"https://variety.com/2021/music/news/dua-lipa-dababy-homophobic-remarks-1235028796/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">quickly criticized\u003c/a> him. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/30/entertainment/dababy-elton-madonna-backlash-trnd/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elton John and Madonna\u003c/a> also lambasted DaBaby and railed against misinformation in his comments about HIV.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the Miami performance, he \u003ca href=\"https://www.capitalxtra.com/news/what-did-dababy-say-homophobic-speech-rant-rolling-loud-festival-miami-video/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">had told\u003c/a> the audience: “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two or three weeks, put your cellphone light in the air.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Music festivals including Lollapalooza, The Governors Ball and \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/aclfestival/status/1422573740311863300?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin City Limits Music Festival\u003c/a> canceled his appearances, and he lost a sponsorship deal with the clothing brand BooHoo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DaBaby has grown into a \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/fresh-off-snl-performance-dababy-brought-his-hits--and-sketches--to-dc/2019/12/09/24e27f86-1a9c-11ea-977a-15a6710ed6da_story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">critical\u003c/a> and commercial superstar in recent years, reigning over a powerful audience with his millions of followers on social media. He has won BET Awards and been nominated for Grammys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The swift fallout from his remarks could signify a change in attitudes toward what the music business will tolerate when it comes to explicitly offensive and exclusionary language from some of its biggest stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think there’s definitely a new moment,” says Brown University professor \u003ca href=\"http://www.triciarose.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tricia Rose\u003c/a> who has written two books on hip-hop.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>DaBaby has been accused of bad behavior before\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>While Rose believes the festivals are doing the right thing by removing DaBaby from their rosters, she also sees more than a hint of hypocrisy in the organizers’ actions. She notes that the music industry has long tolerated and profited from artists like DaBaby, who has been \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/hip-hop-and-rap-arrests-us-news-dababy-eddf29e3456162fefbfb6b099f467c68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">accused\u003c/a> of bad behavior before this incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same Rolling Loud festival, for example, he followed \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/728754756/megan-thee-stallion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Megan Thee Stallion\u003c/a>‘s performance by bringing rapper Tory Lanez on stage, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/10/08/921902926/rapper-tory-lanez-charged-in-megan-thee-stallion-shooting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stallion alleges shot her in the foot\u003c/a> last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13859570']“There’s many artists who are promoted by the industry, who are celebrated by the industry because of their, quote, unquote, edgy extreme behavior. That is a longstanding pattern that has not abated in any way,” Rose says. “Then when they step out of line about when and how they actually live into that identity, then there’s all this sort of ‘We’re all about peace, love and happiness.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the uproar, DaBaby has tried to be about peace and understanding in his efforts to counter the fallout. In his second \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFMMBbpc3F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">apology\u003c/a>, he wrote, “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you have a chance to grow, educate and learn from your mistakes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Apologizing is one step; making amends is another\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.kevinpowell.net/about.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Powell\u003c/a>, who’s written extensively about hip-hop and toxic masculinity in American culture, says the language in DaBaby’s apology is important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe in counsel culture, not cancel culture,” says Powell. “Do we just want to keep canceling people out because of their racism, their sexism and homophobia, transphobia? Or do we actually want to educate people so we become a more educated populace so this does not become a normalized thing?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Powell hopes DaBaby will do a lot more than just apologize for his behavior to protect his career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has to be serious. No matter who you are you have to be serious about making amends. You have to become an advocate for women and girls. You have to become an advocate against homophobia and transphobia. You have to make amends by your actions or your deeds. It can’t just be an apology just because you’re trying to save your career,” Powell adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The uproar underscores how cultural attitudes about sexuality in pop music are changing. Right now, the openly gay rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/718208340/lil-nas-x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lil Nas X\u003c/a> has two hit songs and was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/magazine/lil-nas-x.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recently profiled\u003c/a> in \u003cem>The New York Times Magazine\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Powell and Tricia Rose believe his success signals progress, but they also say the work toward a more inclusive music industry is far from over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=The+Music+Industry+Is+Holding+DaBaby+Accountable&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "After making homophobic comments during a performance, rapper DaBaby has been criticized and dropped from multiple festivals.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Despite multiple apologies, rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/735842489/dababy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DaBaby\u003c/a> continues to face criticism—and cancellations—for homophobic comments he made during the Rolling Loud festival in late July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dua Lipa, who features the rapper on her mega-hit song “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVcZfQe-Kw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Levitating\u003c/a>,” was among those who \u003ca href=\"https://variety.com/2021/music/news/dua-lipa-dababy-homophobic-remarks-1235028796/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">quickly criticized\u003c/a> him. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/30/entertainment/dababy-elton-madonna-backlash-trnd/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elton John and Madonna\u003c/a> also lambasted DaBaby and railed against misinformation in his comments about HIV.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the Miami performance, he \u003ca href=\"https://www.capitalxtra.com/news/what-did-dababy-say-homophobic-speech-rant-rolling-loud-festival-miami-video/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">had told\u003c/a> the audience: “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two or three weeks, put your cellphone light in the air.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Music festivals including Lollapalooza, The Governors Ball and \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/aclfestival/status/1422573740311863300?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin City Limits Music Festival\u003c/a> canceled his appearances, and he lost a sponsorship deal with the clothing brand BooHoo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DaBaby has grown into a \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/fresh-off-snl-performance-dababy-brought-his-hits--and-sketches--to-dc/2019/12/09/24e27f86-1a9c-11ea-977a-15a6710ed6da_story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">critical\u003c/a> and commercial superstar in recent years, reigning over a powerful audience with his millions of followers on social media. He has won BET Awards and been nominated for Grammys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The swift fallout from his remarks could signify a change in attitudes toward what the music business will tolerate when it comes to explicitly offensive and exclusionary language from some of its biggest stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think there’s definitely a new moment,” says Brown University professor \u003ca href=\"http://www.triciarose.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tricia Rose\u003c/a> who has written two books on hip-hop.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>DaBaby has been accused of bad behavior before\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>While Rose believes the festivals are doing the right thing by removing DaBaby from their rosters, she also sees more than a hint of hypocrisy in the organizers’ actions. She notes that the music industry has long tolerated and profited from artists like DaBaby, who has been \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/hip-hop-and-rap-arrests-us-news-dababy-eddf29e3456162fefbfb6b099f467c68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">accused\u003c/a> of bad behavior before this incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same Rolling Loud festival, for example, he followed \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/728754756/megan-thee-stallion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Megan Thee Stallion\u003c/a>‘s performance by bringing rapper Tory Lanez on stage, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2020/10/08/921902926/rapper-tory-lanez-charged-in-megan-thee-stallion-shooting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stallion alleges shot her in the foot\u003c/a> last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“There’s many artists who are promoted by the industry, who are celebrated by the industry because of their, quote, unquote, edgy extreme behavior. That is a longstanding pattern that has not abated in any way,” Rose says. “Then when they step out of line about when and how they actually live into that identity, then there’s all this sort of ‘We’re all about peace, love and happiness.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the uproar, DaBaby has tried to be about peace and understanding in his efforts to counter the fallout. In his second \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFMMBbpc3F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">apology\u003c/a>, he wrote, “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you have a chance to grow, educate and learn from your mistakes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Apologizing is one step; making amends is another\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.kevinpowell.net/about.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Powell\u003c/a>, who’s written extensively about hip-hop and toxic masculinity in American culture, says the language in DaBaby’s apology is important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe in counsel culture, not cancel culture,” says Powell. “Do we just want to keep canceling people out because of their racism, their sexism and homophobia, transphobia? Or do we actually want to educate people so we become a more educated populace so this does not become a normalized thing?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Powell hopes DaBaby will do a lot more than just apologize for his behavior to protect his career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has to be serious. No matter who you are you have to be serious about making amends. You have to become an advocate for women and girls. You have to become an advocate against homophobia and transphobia. You have to make amends by your actions or your deeds. It can’t just be an apology just because you’re trying to save your career,” Powell adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The uproar underscores how cultural attitudes about sexuality in pop music are changing. Right now, the openly gay rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/718208340/lil-nas-x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lil Nas X\u003c/a> has two hit songs and was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/magazine/lil-nas-x.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recently profiled\u003c/a> in \u003cem>The New York Times Magazine\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Powell and Tricia Rose believe his success signals progress, but they also say the work toward a more inclusive music industry is far from over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=The+Music+Industry+Is+Holding+DaBaby+Accountable&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Wednesday is set to be an important day in court for Britney Spears. Since her \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1009858617/britney-spears-transcript-court-hearing-conservatorship\">searing open testimony\u003c/a> describing life under her conservatorship, there’ve been some big changes to her legal situation. A wealth management company, Bessemer Trust, which had been set to take over as co-conservator for Spears’ estate, requested to resign. Her court-appointed attorney Sam Ingham also requested to resign, “effective upon the appointment of new court-appointed counsel.” Her mother, Lynne Spears, has also requested that Britney Spears be allowed her own private lawyer. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But one thing that hasn’t happened in the last few weeks is anyone filing a motion to either end the conservatorship or remove her father, Jamie Spears, as a conservator. Something Spears made explicitly clear in her statements that she wanted. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1009726455/britney-spears-conservatorship-how-thats-supposed-to-work\">Conservatorships and guardianships\u003c/a> are tricky and ending them can be difficult. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nina Kohn, a law professor at Syracuse University who specializes in elder law, says that the Spears case has exposed some of the national problems with guardianship and conservatorship, including “how difficult it can be to get your rights restored if you’ve been judged incapacitated,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what options does Britney Spears legally have? \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>“I honestly didn’t know that.”\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>During Spears’ testimony, she revealed that she didn’t even know ending the conservatorship was an option. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ma’am, I didn’t know I could petition the conservatorship to end it. I’m sorry for my ignorance, but I honestly didn’t know that,” she told the judge. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She can, and in fact, so can other people on her behalf. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1861.&lawCode=PROB\">California Probate Code Section 186\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://california.public.law/codes/ca_prob_code_section_1861\">1\u003c/a> states that a petition to end a conservatorship may be filed by the conservator, the conservatee, or “The spouse, or domestic partner, or any relative or friend of the conservatee or other interested person.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(“Interested person” is a bit of a squishy term. Kohn says that any fan couldn’t necessarily file a petition on Spears’ behalf, but it’s meant to recognize diverse family and friendship connections that don’t require blood or any time of formal recognition.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From there, Spears would have to show proof that she can take care of herself both personally and financially. Which is the hard part — for instance, how do you show you’ve been able to pay your bills when you haven’t been allowed to pay your bills? Kohn says that states like California put the burden of proof on the individual. “And that’s especially a problem because the person subject to conservatorship or guardianship is already disadvantaged by the bias and stigma created by the initial determination that they lack capacity,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The court can give the conservatee more power … if it chooses \u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>But even if the court was uncertain about Spears’ capacity, it does have the ability to grant her back some power over her money, says Ken Heisz, a partner at Gorman & Miller, who’s written about the opportunities for\u003ca href=\"https://www.naela.org/NewsJournalOnline/OnlineJournalArticles/OnlineMarch2021/Conservatorships.aspx?subid=1191\"> financial abuse in conservatorships\u003c/a>. This wouldn’t terminate the conservatorship, but it would give the conservatee more opportunities and authority to make decisions. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And those decisions can “be submitted to the court for the court to view,” says Heisz. That way a conservatee can start to prove that they’re able to take care of themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The court actually has a lot of power in these situations. Kohn says that even if Spears never files any petition to end the conservatorship the court has the power to do so itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California also has probate court investigators, says Heisz. And their job is to periodically go out and visit with the conservatees, spend time with them, and submit a report to the court. While these reports are sealed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/arts/music/britney-spears-conservatorship.html\"> \u003cem>The New York Times has reported\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that Spears told a court investigator back in 2016, that the conservatorship had “too much control” over her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>An opportunity for broader change?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>While Spears’ remote appearance in front of the court was a turning point in her case, Heisz hopes that this option could be used more widely in other guardianship or conservatorship cases. Conservatees are often infirm or frail, making public appearances in front of a judge difficult and burdensome. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But the pandemic has made judges and attorneys more comfortable with Zoom-type hearings,” says Heisz. “And requiring such would be a safeguard against the occasional rogue attorney or conservator who are telling the court something different than what the conservatee wants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kohn also hopes the attention to the Spears case will bring momentum into changing current guardianship and conservatorship laws nationwide. Kohn had a hand in drafting\u003ca href=\"https://www.guardianship.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/UGCOPPAAct_UGPPAct.pdf\"> model legislation\u003c/a> by the Uniform Law Commission that would reform laws to make it harder to impose guardianships and conservatorships, and easier to modify or end them. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Spears’ case might seem odd and outrageous, Kohn says for people working on these issues every day, “it’s really just showcasing problems that are very familiar and very well known.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Spears%27+Case+Goes+Back+To+Court+%E2%80%94+Here%27s+What+Could+Be+Next+For+Her+Conservatorship&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Wednesday is set to be an important day in court for Britney Spears. Since her \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1009858617/britney-spears-transcript-court-hearing-conservatorship\">searing open testimony\u003c/a> describing life under her conservatorship, there’ve been some big changes to her legal situation. A wealth management company, Bessemer Trust, which had been set to take over as co-conservator for Spears’ estate, requested to resign. Her court-appointed attorney Sam Ingham also requested to resign, “effective upon the appointment of new court-appointed counsel.” Her mother, Lynne Spears, has also requested that Britney Spears be allowed her own private lawyer. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But one thing that hasn’t happened in the last few weeks is anyone filing a motion to either end the conservatorship or remove her father, Jamie Spears, as a conservator. Something Spears made explicitly clear in her statements that she wanted. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1009726455/britney-spears-conservatorship-how-thats-supposed-to-work\">Conservatorships and guardianships\u003c/a> are tricky and ending them can be difficult. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nina Kohn, a law professor at Syracuse University who specializes in elder law, says that the Spears case has exposed some of the national problems with guardianship and conservatorship, including “how difficult it can be to get your rights restored if you’ve been judged incapacitated,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what options does Britney Spears legally have? \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>“I honestly didn’t know that.”\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>During Spears’ testimony, she revealed that she didn’t even know ending the conservatorship was an option. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ma’am, I didn’t know I could petition the conservatorship to end it. I’m sorry for my ignorance, but I honestly didn’t know that,” she told the judge. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She can, and in fact, so can other people on her behalf. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1861.&lawCode=PROB\">California Probate Code Section 186\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://california.public.law/codes/ca_prob_code_section_1861\">1\u003c/a> states that a petition to end a conservatorship may be filed by the conservator, the conservatee, or “The spouse, or domestic partner, or any relative or friend of the conservatee or other interested person.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(“Interested person” is a bit of a squishy term. Kohn says that any fan couldn’t necessarily file a petition on Spears’ behalf, but it’s meant to recognize diverse family and friendship connections that don’t require blood or any time of formal recognition.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From there, Spears would have to show proof that she can take care of herself both personally and financially. Which is the hard part — for instance, how do you show you’ve been able to pay your bills when you haven’t been allowed to pay your bills? Kohn says that states like California put the burden of proof on the individual. “And that’s especially a problem because the person subject to conservatorship or guardianship is already disadvantaged by the bias and stigma created by the initial determination that they lack capacity,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The court can give the conservatee more power … if it chooses \u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>But even if the court was uncertain about Spears’ capacity, it does have the ability to grant her back some power over her money, says Ken Heisz, a partner at Gorman & Miller, who’s written about the opportunities for\u003ca href=\"https://www.naela.org/NewsJournalOnline/OnlineJournalArticles/OnlineMarch2021/Conservatorships.aspx?subid=1191\"> financial abuse in conservatorships\u003c/a>. This wouldn’t terminate the conservatorship, but it would give the conservatee more opportunities and authority to make decisions. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And those decisions can “be submitted to the court for the court to view,” says Heisz. That way a conservatee can start to prove that they’re able to take care of themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The court actually has a lot of power in these situations. Kohn says that even if Spears never files any petition to end the conservatorship the court has the power to do so itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California also has probate court investigators, says Heisz. And their job is to periodically go out and visit with the conservatees, spend time with them, and submit a report to the court. While these reports are sealed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/arts/music/britney-spears-conservatorship.html\"> \u003cem>The New York Times has reported\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that Spears told a court investigator back in 2016, that the conservatorship had “too much control” over her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>An opportunity for broader change?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>While Spears’ remote appearance in front of the court was a turning point in her case, Heisz hopes that this option could be used more widely in other guardianship or conservatorship cases. Conservatees are often infirm or frail, making public appearances in front of a judge difficult and burdensome. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But the pandemic has made judges and attorneys more comfortable with Zoom-type hearings,” says Heisz. “And requiring such would be a safeguard against the occasional rogue attorney or conservator who are telling the court something different than what the conservatee wants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kohn also hopes the attention to the Spears case will bring momentum into changing current guardianship and conservatorship laws nationwide. Kohn had a hand in drafting\u003ca href=\"https://www.guardianship.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/UGCOPPAAct_UGPPAct.pdf\"> model legislation\u003c/a> by the Uniform Law Commission that would reform laws to make it harder to impose guardianships and conservatorships, and easier to modify or end them. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Spears’ case might seem odd and outrageous, Kohn says for people working on these issues every day, “it’s really just showcasing problems that are very familiar and very well known.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Spears%27+Case+Goes+Back+To+Court+%E2%80%94+Here%27s+What+Could+Be+Next+For+Her+Conservatorship&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "What's Making Us Happy: A Guide For Your Weekend Watching, Listening and Reading",
"headTitle": "What’s Making Us Happy: A Guide For Your Weekend Watching, Listening and Reading | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>It’s been a hot week full of court documents and news drops. And now, we’re ready for a calmer and cooler break with time to breathe. And fortunately, we’ve got recommendations for podcasts, binge-able television and good reading for your holiday weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"https://www.netflix.com/title/80991848\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Sex/Life,\u003c/em>\u003c/a> Netflix\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Netflix has a show called \u003cem>Sex/Life \u003c/em>and the reason I am interested in it is that it is yet another example of Netflix’s strange positioning in the streaming wars. It’s sort of like if you took\u003cem> Fifty Shades of Grey \u003c/em>but actually put sex in it, but then also overlaid a Lifetime movie on that. It has that feeling of softcore Showtime from the ’80s. It’s funny as hell, and campy, and silly… and you know, they don’t make movies like that anymore—your \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108162/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Sliver\u003c/em>s \u003c/a>and your \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Basic Instinct\u003c/em>s\u003c/a>—your sex thriller or your disaffected housewife infidelity film.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ’90s had a whole world of that and Netflix is weirdly jumping in that pool and maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Maybe streaming is bringing back a diversity of programming—like all these little genres that kind of fell away under the Marvel steamroller. So I can’t recommend \u003cem>Sex/Life,\u003c/em> necessarily—but I’m happy that the streaming wars are still bringing us new things. I like that we’re in that moment. \u003cem>– Audie Cornish\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x580mowu5Gs\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The Jean Smart Renaissance\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>What’s making me happy is the Jean Smart-ification of HBO. The fact that she stars in the amazing comedy\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996117911/hacks-a-comedic-generational-divide-gets-bridged-jean-smartly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> \u003cem>Hacks.\u003c/em>\u003c/a> She’s got a juicy, completely different role in the drama \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/05/30/1001577416/mare-of-easttown-your-finale-questions-answered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Mare of Easttown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. She killed it in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2019/10/18/770754377/who-watches-this-watchmen-i-will-and-you-should\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Watchmen\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Jean Smart has been doing the work for decades. I was a fan back in the \u003cem>Designing Women\u003c/em> days. She was incredible in the season of \u003cem>Fargo\u003c/em> where she played the mother of a Jewish organized crime family. She is \u003cem>such\u003c/em> a good actor with such a wide range. And right now she’s everywhere and I’m thrilled about it. Give me more Jean Smart—comedy, drama, thriller. I don’t care. All of it. I’ll take it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is an \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT1qxLIMW8Y&t=81s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">amazing YouTube video\u003c/a> in which the comedian Megan Stalter—who has a bit part in\u003cem> Hacks\u003c/em> and is also having a moment—interviews all the members of the cast of \u003cem>Hacks\u003c/em> and just bulldozes them and does her thing and there is a genius moment where she’s interviewing Jean Smart and it becomes clear that she is confusing Jean Smart with Kim Cattrall from \u003cem>Sex in the City\u003c/em>. And to see Jean Smart’s reaction in the moment, it’s perfect comedy.\u003cem> — Ari Shapiro\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpE4893PxqE\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jay.nedaj/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@jay.nedaj\u003c/a> on Instagram\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>There’s this guy named Jay Nedaj on Instagram. He has this cornucopia of wigs and outfits, and I came across this video he did where he was reenacting ’90s girl group videos and all the tropes of those videos—the wind blowing the hair and the shifting, the posing they do in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQgd6MccwZc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">“Say My Name.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lately he has been doing these great videos, to try and get the attention of Beyoncé. He is just taking clips from her various live performances and he’s in his living room—sometimes his dog is in the background just being like, “What are you doing?” And he’s just lip-syncing these moments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It really just makes my heart warm. I love seeing all of the different outfits and the commitment. It’s desperate and it’s also just filled with so much love. I highly recommend if you’re a Beyoncé fan and also love random parodies of Black movies and TV shows and Black music—follow\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jay.nedaj/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Jay.nedaj. \u003c/a>\u003cem>— Aisha Harris\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/CQuf18ajNIr/\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>New ways to discover music at NPR.org and Arooj Aftab’s album, \u003cem>Vulture Prince\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>NPR Music just launched a new blog called\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/series/1002643619/now-playing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Now Playing \u003c/a>where you can get quick recommendations of new songs. We’re trying to take the fire hydrant of new music and turn it into a fire hose of new music. I’ve been contributing to that—everybody at NPR Music has—and there’s tons of great music there already.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also just launched a package with \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/30/1011549351/npr-musics-favorite-albums-of-2021-so-far\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the best music of the year so far, \u003c/a>which gave me a chance to finally write about my favorite album of 2021—\u003cem>Vulture Prince \u003c/em>from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/989059064/arooj-aftab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Arooj Aftab\u003c/a>. She was born in Pakistan, and is based in Brooklyn, and she’s kind of reimagined South Asian music. She grew up listening to singers like\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15892051/nusrat-fateh-ali-khan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan\u003c/a>, and she creates these absolutely hypnotic and breathtaking songs. I have been marinating in this album for days, and days, and days now. —\u003cem> Stephen Thompson\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCUFC-ULdOk\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>And a couple more bonus picks from Linda Holmes:\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://theplotthickens.tcm.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>\u003cstrong>The Plot Thickens\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> podcast, with Julie Salamon\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>Julie Salamon’s book \u003cem>The Devil’s Candy\u003c/em>, about the making of the movie \u003cem>The Bonfire of the Vanities\u003c/em>, is a favorite of mine. I was delighted to hear that Salamon herself was making and narrating a new season of the Turner Classic Movies podcast \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-plot-thickens/id1504732282\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The Plot Thickens\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, which tells the story in podcast form. The first episode is entertaining—and just as juicy as the book.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Ryan_Ken_Acts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>@Ryan_Ken_Acts\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> on Twitter\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nOne of my favorite recent Twitter follows is \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Ryan_Ken_Acts?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryan Ken\u003c/a>, a master of the “looks easy to get right, is actually hard to get right” captioned video comedy format. Their stuff is often not just funny, but provocative and insightful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYNHTDQuvpMLCewEAAAAG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>All That Glitters,\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> HBO Max\u003c/strong>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>Last weekend, I binge-watched the HBO Max (originally BBC) show \u003cem>All That Glitters\u003c/em>, which is meant to be the jewelry-making equivalent of \u003cem>The Great British Baking Show \u003c/em>or \u003cem>The Great Pottery Throw Down \u003c/em>or the glass-blowing show \u003cem>Blown Away\u003c/em>. While it didn’t thrill me quite as much as some comparable programs do, it was a very enjoyable afternoon of viewing, and I know a lot more about bracelets than I used to.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBPzxmxf9ig\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a36894026/john-benjamin-hickey-pride-interview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>“John Benjamin Hickey Is Still Figuring Out What It Means to Be an ‘Elder’ “\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> by Dave Holmes, \u003c/strong>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Esquire\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThe terrific actor John Benjamin Hickey \u003ca href=\"https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a36894026/john-benjamin-hickey-pride-interview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">talked to the terrific writer\u003c/a> Dave Holmes for \u003cem>Esquire\u003c/em> about getting older as a gay man, and their conversation is a great read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>There’s more where this came from! Five days a week, \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510282/pop-culture-happy-hour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Pop Culture Happy Hour\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510282/pop-culture-happy-hour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe here >>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=What%27s+Making+Us+Happy%3A+A+Guide+For+Your+Weekend+Watching%2C+Listening+And+Reading&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s been a hot week full of court documents and news drops. And now, we’re ready for a calmer and cooler break with time to breathe. And fortunately, we’ve got recommendations for podcasts, binge-able television and good reading for your holiday weekend.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"https://www.netflix.com/title/80991848\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Sex/Life,\u003c/em>\u003c/a> Netflix\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Netflix has a show called \u003cem>Sex/Life \u003c/em>and the reason I am interested in it is that it is yet another example of Netflix’s strange positioning in the streaming wars. It’s sort of like if you took\u003cem> Fifty Shades of Grey \u003c/em>but actually put sex in it, but then also overlaid a Lifetime movie on that. It has that feeling of softcore Showtime from the ’80s. It’s funny as hell, and campy, and silly… and you know, they don’t make movies like that anymore—your \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108162/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Sliver\u003c/em>s \u003c/a>and your \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Basic Instinct\u003c/em>s\u003c/a>—your sex thriller or your disaffected housewife infidelity film.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ’90s had a whole world of that and Netflix is weirdly jumping in that pool and maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Maybe streaming is bringing back a diversity of programming—like all these little genres that kind of fell away under the Marvel steamroller. So I can’t recommend \u003cem>Sex/Life,\u003c/em> necessarily—but I’m happy that the streaming wars are still bringing us new things. I like that we’re in that moment. \u003cem>– Audie Cornish\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/x580mowu5Gs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/x580mowu5Gs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>The Jean Smart Renaissance\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>What’s making me happy is the Jean Smart-ification of HBO. The fact that she stars in the amazing comedy\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996117911/hacks-a-comedic-generational-divide-gets-bridged-jean-smartly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> \u003cem>Hacks.\u003c/em>\u003c/a> She’s got a juicy, completely different role in the drama \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/05/30/1001577416/mare-of-easttown-your-finale-questions-answered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Mare of Easttown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. She killed it in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2019/10/18/770754377/who-watches-this-watchmen-i-will-and-you-should\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Watchmen\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Jean Smart has been doing the work for decades. I was a fan back in the \u003cem>Designing Women\u003c/em> days. She was incredible in the season of \u003cem>Fargo\u003c/em> where she played the mother of a Jewish organized crime family. She is \u003cem>such\u003c/em> a good actor with such a wide range. And right now she’s everywhere and I’m thrilled about it. Give me more Jean Smart—comedy, drama, thriller. I don’t care. All of it. I’ll take it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is an \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT1qxLIMW8Y&t=81s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">amazing YouTube video\u003c/a> in which the comedian Megan Stalter—who has a bit part in\u003cem> Hacks\u003c/em> and is also having a moment—interviews all the members of the cast of \u003cem>Hacks\u003c/em> and just bulldozes them and does her thing and there is a genius moment where she’s interviewing Jean Smart and it becomes clear that she is confusing Jean Smart with Kim Cattrall from \u003cem>Sex in the City\u003c/em>. And to see Jean Smart’s reaction in the moment, it’s perfect comedy.\u003cem> — Ari Shapiro\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/QpE4893PxqE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/QpE4893PxqE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jay.nedaj/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@jay.nedaj\u003c/a> on Instagram\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>There’s this guy named Jay Nedaj on Instagram. He has this cornucopia of wigs and outfits, and I came across this video he did where he was reenacting ’90s girl group videos and all the tropes of those videos—the wind blowing the hair and the shifting, the posing they do in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQgd6MccwZc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">“Say My Name.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lately he has been doing these great videos, to try and get the attention of Beyoncé. He is just taking clips from her various live performances and he’s in his living room—sometimes his dog is in the background just being like, “What are you doing?” And he’s just lip-syncing these moments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It really just makes my heart warm. I love seeing all of the different outfits and the commitment. It’s desperate and it’s also just filled with so much love. I highly recommend if you’re a Beyoncé fan and also love random parodies of Black movies and TV shows and Black music—follow\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jay.nedaj/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Jay.nedaj. \u003c/a>\u003cem>— Aisha Harris\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003ch3>New ways to discover music at NPR.org and Arooj Aftab’s album, \u003cem>Vulture Prince\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>NPR Music just launched a new blog called\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/series/1002643619/now-playing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Now Playing \u003c/a>where you can get quick recommendations of new songs. We’re trying to take the fire hydrant of new music and turn it into a fire hose of new music. I’ve been contributing to that—everybody at NPR Music has—and there’s tons of great music there already.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We also just launched a package with \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/30/1011549351/npr-musics-favorite-albums-of-2021-so-far\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the best music of the year so far, \u003c/a>which gave me a chance to finally write about my favorite album of 2021—\u003cem>Vulture Prince \u003c/em>from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/989059064/arooj-aftab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Arooj Aftab\u003c/a>. She was born in Pakistan, and is based in Brooklyn, and she’s kind of reimagined South Asian music. She grew up listening to singers like\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15892051/nusrat-fateh-ali-khan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan\u003c/a>, and she creates these absolutely hypnotic and breathtaking songs. I have been marinating in this album for days, and days, and days now. —\u003cem> Stephen Thompson\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/oCUFC-ULdOk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/oCUFC-ULdOk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>And a couple more bonus picks from Linda Holmes:\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://theplotthickens.tcm.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>\u003cstrong>The Plot Thickens\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> podcast, with Julie Salamon\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>Julie Salamon’s book \u003cem>The Devil’s Candy\u003c/em>, about the making of the movie \u003cem>The Bonfire of the Vanities\u003c/em>, is a favorite of mine. I was delighted to hear that Salamon herself was making and narrating a new season of the Turner Classic Movies podcast \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-plot-thickens/id1504732282\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The Plot Thickens\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, which tells the story in podcast form. The first episode is entertaining—and just as juicy as the book.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Ryan_Ken_Acts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>@Ryan_Ken_Acts\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> on Twitter\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nOne of my favorite recent Twitter follows is \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Ryan_Ken_Acts?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ryan Ken\u003c/a>, a master of the “looks easy to get right, is actually hard to get right” captioned video comedy format. Their stuff is often not just funny, but provocative and insightful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYNHTDQuvpMLCewEAAAAG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>All That Glitters,\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> HBO Max\u003c/strong>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>Last weekend, I binge-watched the HBO Max (originally BBC) show \u003cem>All That Glitters\u003c/em>, which is meant to be the jewelry-making equivalent of \u003cem>The Great British Baking Show \u003c/em>or \u003cem>The Great Pottery Throw Down \u003c/em>or the glass-blowing show \u003cem>Blown Away\u003c/em>. While it didn’t thrill me quite as much as some comparable programs do, it was a very enjoyable afternoon of viewing, and I know a lot more about bracelets than I used to.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/MBPzxmxf9ig'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/MBPzxmxf9ig'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a36894026/john-benjamin-hickey-pride-interview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>“John Benjamin Hickey Is Still Figuring Out What It Means to Be an ‘Elder’ “\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> by Dave Holmes, \u003c/strong>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Esquire\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThe terrific actor John Benjamin Hickey \u003ca href=\"https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a36894026/john-benjamin-hickey-pride-interview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">talked to the terrific writer\u003c/a> Dave Holmes for \u003cem>Esquire\u003c/em> about getting older as a gay man, and their conversation is a great read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>There’s more where this came from! Five days a week, \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510282/pop-culture-happy-hour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Pop Culture Happy Hour\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510282/pop-culture-happy-hour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Subscribe here >>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=What%27s+Making+Us+Happy%3A+A+Guide+For+Your+Weekend+Watching%2C+Listening+And+Reading&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "June 30 Was a Devastating Day For Women Everywhere",
"headTitle": "June 30 Was a Devastating Day For Women Everywhere | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Bill Cosby is free. He’s \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-5c073fb64bc5df4d7b99ee7fadddbe5a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free on a technicality\u003c/a>, despite 60 women coming forward and repeatedly sharing their \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecut.com/2015/07/bill-cosbys-accusers-speak-out.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">harrowing and credible stories\u003c/a> with the whole world. He’s free despite his own incriminating testimony. He’s free after serving only three years in prison despite a whole lifetime of allegedly drugging and raping and traumatizing women. He is unapologetic and unrepentant, and he is free. \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-13882786\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/Rae-Alexandra-KQED_180_final.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/Rae-Alexandra-KQED_180_final.jpg 180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/Rae-Alexandra-KQED_180_final-160x176.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also free, we learned as of yesterday, is James Franco, who finally wheedled his way out from under sexual misconduct and fraud allegations. He agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by former students for over $2.2 million, three years after the women first accused him of sexually exploitative practices during acting lessons he held at the Studio 4 school. Franco’s former co-stars, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/106415/will-hbo-give-james-franco-yet-another-pass\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ally Sheedy\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://people.com/tv/busy-philipps-says-bully-james-franco-pushed-her-to-the-ground-while-filming-freaks-and-geeks/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Busy Philipps\u003c/a>, both spoke out about their own awful experiences with the actor. At this point, even his one-time best friend Seth Rogen \u003ca href=\"https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/seth-rogen-james-franco-sexual-misconduct-accusations-1234950486/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">has disowned Franco\u003c/a>. But, just like Bill Cosby, Franco is free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dylan Farrow described the Cosby and Franco outcomes as a “travesty,” and summed up the feelings of frustrated women everywhere \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/RealDylanFarrow/status/1410334656591917056\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Twitter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>It is a perfect example of how not just our society, but our justice system, continually fails survivors of sexual assault. For those that question … survivors about the reasons and timing of coming forward, I hope that today will serve as a teachable moment on empathy, on why it takes years—if ever—for someone to disclose their abuse. Many survivors will look at the events of today and decide it’s not worth it; that even when justice is served, it can be taken away … My heart goes out to the survivors today and every day.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13899317']To make matters worse, also on June 30, Britney Spears was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/30/1012027100/judge-denies-britney-spears-request-father-removed-conservator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">denied freedom from her conservatorship\u003c/a>. This despite her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13899317/britney-spears-full-statement-to-the-court-in-her-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">disturbing testimony\u003c/a> detailing the myriad ways her life is restricted, controlled and, frankly, not her own. Spears bravely stood up in a court, pleaded with a judge to help her (because, among other things, she says she is being forced to keep using birth control against her will) and, despite an outpouring of public support, it all came to naught. Britney Spears is not free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If American women had ever been in any doubt about who the legal system in this country protects, June 30 let us know, loudly and clearly, three times in a row. If any of us had been laboring under the assumption that things were improving for women in the post-#MeToo landscape, June 30 shut that hope right back down, over and over again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the years since the hashtag exploded onto the cultural landscape in 2017, much has been made of the #MeToo movement and the ways that it “targets” men. But the truth of the matter is that even after hundreds of thousands of women publicly revealed their traumas; even after famous women named and shamed their attackers, the only two high-profile abusers punished in a court of law post-#MeToo were Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein. (We almost got Jeffrey Epstein too, but we all know how that turned out.) We understood them to be only the two most obvious, most egregious serial predators. And what that quietly told women everywhere was that, in order to bring down a rapist in a court of law, scores of women have to be victimized first. If you happen to get raped by a man who doesn’t rape scores of other women? Well, good luck and godspeed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, of course, one of the only two legal victories we were clinging to for the sake of hope, sanity and some semblance of justice is suddenly null and void. Because a fairly feeble technicality (three justices dissented) was given priority over the lives, physical and mental welfare, and interrupted careers of 60 women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13892800']That means our only remaining proof that justice might prevail in matters of sexual assault is Harvey Weinstein. And despite his 23-year prison sentence, his case reeks of injustice too. Because while Weinstein was convicted of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act, those were only two of the five charges that he faced. In the wave of relief that followed his two convictions, America somehow managed to forget the fact that he was found \u003cem>not\u003c/em> guilty on three other charges. An astonishing outcome, given what we’d been told, repeatedly, about the man on trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weinstein was found not guilty of first-degree rape, defined in the state of New York as “\u003ca href=\"https://criminaldefense.1800nynylaw.com/new-york-penal-code-130-35-rape-in-the-first-degree.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">engag[ing] in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion\u003c/a>.” This despite Jessica Mann’s harrowing testimony that, “The more I fought, the angrier he got.” He was also found not guilty of two counts of predatory sexual assault. Annabella Sciorra appeared in court specifically in support of those charges. She testified that she was raped by Weinstein after he forced his way into her apartment. “I was punching, I was kicking him, I was trying to take him away from me,” she said. Apparently the jury didn’t believe her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in Weinstein’s case, the overwhelming reality of just how hard it is for women to get justice in this country is writ large. But at least Harvey Weinstein isn’t free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That feeling of outrage that washed over us when Cosby was released yesterday isn’t new, of course. We feel it every time we think about \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Blasey_Ford\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christine Blasey Ford\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Hill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anita Hill\u003c/a> and the victimized students of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunting_Ground\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Hunting Ground\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and the female soldiers of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_War\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The Invisible War\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. We feel it when we think about \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_v._Turner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brock Turner\u003c/a>. And we definitely feel it every time we remember all the men who were “#MeToo-ed” but \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13892800/allen-v-farrow-is-the-most-damning-indictment-of-woody-allen-yet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">never faced criminal charges\u003c/a>, and are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13889064/johnny-depps-uk-libel-case-failed-and-his-us-one-is-likely-doomed-too\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">still working\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I sound depressed and despondent and hopeless, it’s because I am. Like most women in this country, I am tired. I am tired of men getting away with it. I am tired of flimsy punishments that don’t fit the crime. I am tired of hearing women relive their traumas over and over again, only to be tossed the smallest consolation crumbs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I didn’t want to write this essay. I really didn’t. The truth is, I started it back in February 2020 after Weinstein’s three not-guilty verdicts. But I stopped because, at the time, it felt more important to let American women have a moment of vindication. Then on June 30, the truth screamed at us from every corner of the news: the American legal system does not care about the lives of women. Not really. Not enough. And when it can so swiftly take away one of the small slivers of justice that was so hard won, we’re allowed a moment to grieve too.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Bill Cosby is free. He’s \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-5c073fb64bc5df4d7b99ee7fadddbe5a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free on a technicality\u003c/a>, despite 60 women coming forward and repeatedly sharing their \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecut.com/2015/07/bill-cosbys-accusers-speak-out.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">harrowing and credible stories\u003c/a> with the whole world. He’s free despite his own incriminating testimony. He’s free after serving only three years in prison despite a whole lifetime of allegedly drugging and raping and traumatizing women. He is unapologetic and unrepentant, and he is free. \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-13882786\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/Rae-Alexandra-KQED_180_final.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/Rae-Alexandra-KQED_180_final.jpg 180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/Rae-Alexandra-KQED_180_final-160x176.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also free, we learned as of yesterday, is James Franco, who finally wheedled his way out from under sexual misconduct and fraud allegations. He agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by former students for over $2.2 million, three years after the women first accused him of sexually exploitative practices during acting lessons he held at the Studio 4 school. Franco’s former co-stars, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/106415/will-hbo-give-james-franco-yet-another-pass\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ally Sheedy\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://people.com/tv/busy-philipps-says-bully-james-franco-pushed-her-to-the-ground-while-filming-freaks-and-geeks/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Busy Philipps\u003c/a>, both spoke out about their own awful experiences with the actor. At this point, even his one-time best friend Seth Rogen \u003ca href=\"https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/seth-rogen-james-franco-sexual-misconduct-accusations-1234950486/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">has disowned Franco\u003c/a>. But, just like Bill Cosby, Franco is free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dylan Farrow described the Cosby and Franco outcomes as a “travesty,” and summed up the feelings of frustrated women everywhere \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/RealDylanFarrow/status/1410334656591917056\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Twitter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>It is a perfect example of how not just our society, but our justice system, continually fails survivors of sexual assault. For those that question … survivors about the reasons and timing of coming forward, I hope that today will serve as a teachable moment on empathy, on why it takes years—if ever—for someone to disclose their abuse. Many survivors will look at the events of today and decide it’s not worth it; that even when justice is served, it can be taken away … My heart goes out to the survivors today and every day.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>To make matters worse, also on June 30, Britney Spears was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/30/1012027100/judge-denies-britney-spears-request-father-removed-conservator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">denied freedom from her conservatorship\u003c/a>. This despite her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13899317/britney-spears-full-statement-to-the-court-in-her-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">disturbing testimony\u003c/a> detailing the myriad ways her life is restricted, controlled and, frankly, not her own. Spears bravely stood up in a court, pleaded with a judge to help her (because, among other things, she says she is being forced to keep using birth control against her will) and, despite an outpouring of public support, it all came to naught. Britney Spears is not free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If American women had ever been in any doubt about who the legal system in this country protects, June 30 let us know, loudly and clearly, three times in a row. If any of us had been laboring under the assumption that things were improving for women in the post-#MeToo landscape, June 30 shut that hope right back down, over and over again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the years since the hashtag exploded onto the cultural landscape in 2017, much has been made of the #MeToo movement and the ways that it “targets” men. But the truth of the matter is that even after hundreds of thousands of women publicly revealed their traumas; even after famous women named and shamed their attackers, the only two high-profile abusers punished in a court of law post-#MeToo were Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein. (We almost got Jeffrey Epstein too, but we all know how that turned out.) We understood them to be only the two most obvious, most egregious serial predators. And what that quietly told women everywhere was that, in order to bring down a rapist in a court of law, scores of women have to be victimized first. If you happen to get raped by a man who doesn’t rape scores of other women? Well, good luck and godspeed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, of course, one of the only two legal victories we were clinging to for the sake of hope, sanity and some semblance of justice is suddenly null and void. Because a fairly feeble technicality (three justices dissented) was given priority over the lives, physical and mental welfare, and interrupted careers of 60 women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That means our only remaining proof that justice might prevail in matters of sexual assault is Harvey Weinstein. And despite his 23-year prison sentence, his case reeks of injustice too. Because while Weinstein was convicted of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act, those were only two of the five charges that he faced. In the wave of relief that followed his two convictions, America somehow managed to forget the fact that he was found \u003cem>not\u003c/em> guilty on three other charges. An astonishing outcome, given what we’d been told, repeatedly, about the man on trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weinstein was found not guilty of first-degree rape, defined in the state of New York as “\u003ca href=\"https://criminaldefense.1800nynylaw.com/new-york-penal-code-130-35-rape-in-the-first-degree.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">engag[ing] in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion\u003c/a>.” This despite Jessica Mann’s harrowing testimony that, “The more I fought, the angrier he got.” He was also found not guilty of two counts of predatory sexual assault. Annabella Sciorra appeared in court specifically in support of those charges. She testified that she was raped by Weinstein after he forced his way into her apartment. “I was punching, I was kicking him, I was trying to take him away from me,” she said. Apparently the jury didn’t believe her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in Weinstein’s case, the overwhelming reality of just how hard it is for women to get justice in this country is writ large. But at least Harvey Weinstein isn’t free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That feeling of outrage that washed over us when Cosby was released yesterday isn’t new, of course. We feel it every time we think about \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Blasey_Ford\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christine Blasey Ford\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Hill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anita Hill\u003c/a> and the victimized students of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunting_Ground\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Hunting Ground\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and the female soldiers of \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_War\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The Invisible War\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. We feel it when we think about \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_v._Turner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brock Turner\u003c/a>. And we definitely feel it every time we remember all the men who were “#MeToo-ed” but \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13892800/allen-v-farrow-is-the-most-damning-indictment-of-woody-allen-yet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">never faced criminal charges\u003c/a>, and are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13889064/johnny-depps-uk-libel-case-failed-and-his-us-one-is-likely-doomed-too\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">still working\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I sound depressed and despondent and hopeless, it’s because I am. Like most women in this country, I am tired. I am tired of men getting away with it. I am tired of flimsy punishments that don’t fit the crime. I am tired of hearing women relive their traumas over and over again, only to be tossed the smallest consolation crumbs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I didn’t want to write this essay. I really didn’t. The truth is, I started it back in February 2020 after Weinstein’s three not-guilty verdicts. But I stopped because, at the time, it felt more important to let American women have a moment of vindication. Then on June 30, the truth screamed at us from every corner of the news: the American legal system does not care about the lives of women. Not really. Not enough. And when it can so swiftly take away one of the small slivers of justice that was so hard won, we’re allowed a moment to grieve too.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "'Zola' Takes a Twitter Thread and Turns It Into a Fever Dream on Film",
"headTitle": "‘Zola’ Takes a Twitter Thread and Turns It Into a Fever Dream on Film | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>There are eyes, and then there are Taylour Paige’s eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Zola\u003c/em>, a crackling, absurdist road trip movie inspired by a crackling, absurdist Twitter thread, the camera’s gaze is frequently drawn to the bodily form—a stripper’s smooth, exposed curves; a man’s languid, exposed junk; lips being painted a deep cherry red; long, slender fingernails clinking against a window.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But then there are Paige’s eyes, which convey more in a shift, squint, or roll than some performers can with their entire corporeal being. Those glances, those \u003cem>looks\u003c/em>, are the delectable amuse-bouche in this feast of storytelling, and a grounding presence for the viewer amidst all the madness and weirdness that ultimately unfolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hold up—\u003cem>insert brief freeze-frame here—\u003c/em>allow me to back up and explain. In 2015, a Detroit waitress and exotic dancer named A’Ziah “Zola” King crafted a viral, vivid \u003ca href=\"https://imgur.com/a/WDwyW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">148-tweet thread\u003c/a> recounting a wild trip she took to Tampa, Fla. upon an invitation from Jessica, a white woman and fellow exotic dancer she’d known for exactly one day. The story involved a cast of indelible characters, including Jessica’s pimp Z, a menacing dude who would suddenly possess an “African accent” during fits of rage, and Jessica’s boyfriend Jarret, an awkward, pitiful guy who just wanted her to stop being a sex worker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet Zola herself was undoubtedly the star of this story. From that very first opening line, accompanied by selfies of the author and Jessica together, it was obvious she has a bold personality and a spiky way with words: “Y’all wanna hear a story about why me and this b—- here fell out???????? It’s kind of long but full of suspense.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And now Zola’s comedy of errors has been dramatized for the screen, directed by Janicza Bravo, who co-wrote the script with Jeremy O. Harris. Their \u003cem>Zola \u003c/em>wisely takes its cues from the source, hewing closely to the main plot twists and turns, sometimes quoting King’s Tweets directly. Names have been changed: Jessica is now Stefani (Riley Keough), Z is now X (Colman Domingo) and Jarrett is now Derrek (Nicholas Braun). But these colorful characters build on the energy of that thread, playing even more vividly than you might have imagined them in your head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24KbaKlCDDI\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stefani is bombastic, spilling forth with an over-the-top “blaccent”—perhaps Keough is channeling Bhad Bhabie, the white rapper and celebrity who became known as the \u003ca href=\"https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/02/what-is-cash-me-outside-howbow-dat-meme-from-dr-phil.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">“Cash me outside” girl\u003c/a> after an infamous appearance on \u003cem>Dr. Phil—\u003c/em>that is at once inviting and ominous. From the get-go she seems suspect, a little too friendly and overly familiar when first encountering Zola, her waitress at a sports bar-type establishment. (Her first comment to Zola is an unfiltered compliment of her breasts.) And Zola herself seems wary of this whirlwind of a woman—again, it’s all there in the eyes—but you can also see how someone like her might be seduced into traveling across the country with a complete stranger like Stefani, who promises a windfall of cash for a night or two of dancing at a club. It’s because of the money, yes, but it’s also because of the possibility for adventure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13898815']Of course, if you recall the Tweets that started it all, you’re aware Zola isn’t so much seduced as she is bamboozled by Stefani, and once they’ve reached the south, things quickly go south. In the vein of plenty of movies set in Florida—especially \u003cem>Spring Breakers\u003c/em>, another tale of young white women gone ratchet—there’s always a sense that danger; the truly bizarre, or some combination of the two, is lurking around every corner. There’s a surrealistic quality to the aesthetic, the camera’s lens emitting a haze evoking both humidity and a dream-like state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Writer-director Janicza Bravo and co-writer Jeremy O. Harris find a distinct, playful rhythm in nearly every image, sound, and piece of dialogue. Text message exchanges don’t appear onscreen as they would on a phone, but instead are spoken aloud by the actors in a borderline-mono-tone as they type and recite at the same time; it suggests the zombifying role technology plays in our lives even as it carves out more avenues for connection. As if mimicking re-tweet and share buttons, dialogue, imagery, and sounds are often repeated, layered side by side or intermittent. (One striking motif depicts Zola posing and preening in a hall of mirrors, her many reflections spanning the entire frame).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as Paige’s Zola narrates the adventure, she echoes the real-life Zola’s written cadence, delivering some of the film’s funniest moments as she reacts to her increasingly worrying surroundings. A movie like this could easily turn into a tale where the protagonist is merely a bystander along with the viewer, with everything happening \u003cem>to \u003c/em>her and no sign of agency or personality in sight. But again, I come back to Paige’s performance and how so much of it rides on what she does with those eyes, and not what she says. You know how there are some people who suck at making a poker face—the ones who just can’t possibly suppress the expressions that stream across their face no matter how hard they try? That’s Zola. During one of the movie’s recurring freeze-frame moments, Zola advises us to “watch every move” Stefani makes going forward. The same should be stressed in regard to Zola, who seems to instinctively know when to sit back and observe, when to assert herself, and when she needs to be worried. It’s all there on her face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13899532\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13899532\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/zola-5033f45e6ba789860df90780db58ea54dc1d49aa-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"Taylour Paige stars as the on-screen incarnation of Zola.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taylour Paige stars as the on-screen incarnation of Zola. \u003ccite>(A24 Films)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The real-life Zola was reportedly involved behind-the-scenes, \u003ca href=\"https://www.vulture.com/article/aziah-zola-king-profile.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">approving the script\u003c/a> and receiving an executive producing credit, a move that seems to have kept the film from the very real danger of being exploitative of King’s story. It also helps that Bravo and Harris are an ideal match for this narrative, as both creators possess styles tending to revel in the discomforting and disorienting as a means of saying the quiet, horrifying parts people are not “supposed to” reveal out loud. (See \u003cem>Lemon\u003c/em>, Bravo’s subversive directorial debut interrogating an insidious brand of white male intellectualism; and \u003cem>Slave Play\u003c/em>, Harris’s polarizing, Tony-nominated Broadway debut bluntly confronting modern interracial relationships.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13898794']These perspectives help bring \u003cem>Zola \u003c/em>into a realm beyond clever Twitter adaptation, and center her point of view as an illustration of the precarity of existing as a Black woman in the world. When Zola does choose to assert herself and make her feelings known—”This is messy! \u003cem>You \u003c/em>are messy!”—she’s routinely dismissed and ignored by the others. It’s an extreme representation of a common feeling many Black women have felt at one time or another: How you can be taken advantage of and told everything is fine when you know in your gut that it’s not; can be told you’re overreacting to something that’s happening to you when you know you’re supposed to feel this way. In fact, it’s \u003cem>good \u003c/em>and \u003cem>smart \u003c/em>to feel this way, because that’s how you preserve yourself. Zola’s whirlwind dalliance with Stefani and her associates plays like a fever dream doubling as an allegory for gaslighting. It’s a jolt when, at a pivotal point, she wonders aloud, “Who’s looking out for \u003cem>me\u003c/em>?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The third act stumbles a bit over typical third-act problems—how to maintain momentum and surprise after so much build amidst twists and turns?—and the ending feels to me a bit abrupt. But it’s a small price to pay for entering this realm and experiencing it through Zola’s eyes, in all its richness. It may have taken several years to shift from tweet to screen, but it’s well worth the wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=%27Zola%27+Takes+A+Twitter+Thread+And+Turns+It+Into+A+Fever+Dream+On+Film&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There are eyes, and then there are Taylour Paige’s eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Zola\u003c/em>, a crackling, absurdist road trip movie inspired by a crackling, absurdist Twitter thread, the camera’s gaze is frequently drawn to the bodily form—a stripper’s smooth, exposed curves; a man’s languid, exposed junk; lips being painted a deep cherry red; long, slender fingernails clinking against a window.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But then there are Paige’s eyes, which convey more in a shift, squint, or roll than some performers can with their entire corporeal being. Those glances, those \u003cem>looks\u003c/em>, are the delectable amuse-bouche in this feast of storytelling, and a grounding presence for the viewer amidst all the madness and weirdness that ultimately unfolds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hold up—\u003cem>insert brief freeze-frame here—\u003c/em>allow me to back up and explain. In 2015, a Detroit waitress and exotic dancer named A’Ziah “Zola” King crafted a viral, vivid \u003ca href=\"https://imgur.com/a/WDwyW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">148-tweet thread\u003c/a> recounting a wild trip she took to Tampa, Fla. upon an invitation from Jessica, a white woman and fellow exotic dancer she’d known for exactly one day. The story involved a cast of indelible characters, including Jessica’s pimp Z, a menacing dude who would suddenly possess an “African accent” during fits of rage, and Jessica’s boyfriend Jarret, an awkward, pitiful guy who just wanted her to stop being a sex worker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet Zola herself was undoubtedly the star of this story. From that very first opening line, accompanied by selfies of the author and Jessica together, it was obvious she has a bold personality and a spiky way with words: “Y’all wanna hear a story about why me and this b—- here fell out???????? It’s kind of long but full of suspense.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And now Zola’s comedy of errors has been dramatized for the screen, directed by Janicza Bravo, who co-wrote the script with Jeremy O. Harris. Their \u003cem>Zola \u003c/em>wisely takes its cues from the source, hewing closely to the main plot twists and turns, sometimes quoting King’s Tweets directly. Names have been changed: Jessica is now Stefani (Riley Keough), Z is now X (Colman Domingo) and Jarrett is now Derrek (Nicholas Braun). But these colorful characters build on the energy of that thread, playing even more vividly than you might have imagined them in your head.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/24KbaKlCDDI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/24KbaKlCDDI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Stefani is bombastic, spilling forth with an over-the-top “blaccent”—perhaps Keough is channeling Bhad Bhabie, the white rapper and celebrity who became known as the \u003ca href=\"https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/02/what-is-cash-me-outside-howbow-dat-meme-from-dr-phil.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">“Cash me outside” girl\u003c/a> after an infamous appearance on \u003cem>Dr. Phil—\u003c/em>that is at once inviting and ominous. From the get-go she seems suspect, a little too friendly and overly familiar when first encountering Zola, her waitress at a sports bar-type establishment. (Her first comment to Zola is an unfiltered compliment of her breasts.) And Zola herself seems wary of this whirlwind of a woman—again, it’s all there in the eyes—but you can also see how someone like her might be seduced into traveling across the country with a complete stranger like Stefani, who promises a windfall of cash for a night or two of dancing at a club. It’s because of the money, yes, but it’s also because of the possibility for adventure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Of course, if you recall the Tweets that started it all, you’re aware Zola isn’t so much seduced as she is bamboozled by Stefani, and once they’ve reached the south, things quickly go south. In the vein of plenty of movies set in Florida—especially \u003cem>Spring Breakers\u003c/em>, another tale of young white women gone ratchet—there’s always a sense that danger; the truly bizarre, or some combination of the two, is lurking around every corner. There’s a surrealistic quality to the aesthetic, the camera’s lens emitting a haze evoking both humidity and a dream-like state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Writer-director Janicza Bravo and co-writer Jeremy O. Harris find a distinct, playful rhythm in nearly every image, sound, and piece of dialogue. Text message exchanges don’t appear onscreen as they would on a phone, but instead are spoken aloud by the actors in a borderline-mono-tone as they type and recite at the same time; it suggests the zombifying role technology plays in our lives even as it carves out more avenues for connection. As if mimicking re-tweet and share buttons, dialogue, imagery, and sounds are often repeated, layered side by side or intermittent. (One striking motif depicts Zola posing and preening in a hall of mirrors, her many reflections spanning the entire frame).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as Paige’s Zola narrates the adventure, she echoes the real-life Zola’s written cadence, delivering some of the film’s funniest moments as she reacts to her increasingly worrying surroundings. A movie like this could easily turn into a tale where the protagonist is merely a bystander along with the viewer, with everything happening \u003cem>to \u003c/em>her and no sign of agency or personality in sight. But again, I come back to Paige’s performance and how so much of it rides on what she does with those eyes, and not what she says. You know how there are some people who suck at making a poker face—the ones who just can’t possibly suppress the expressions that stream across their face no matter how hard they try? That’s Zola. During one of the movie’s recurring freeze-frame moments, Zola advises us to “watch every move” Stefani makes going forward. The same should be stressed in regard to Zola, who seems to instinctively know when to sit back and observe, when to assert herself, and when she needs to be worried. It’s all there on her face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13899532\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13899532\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/zola-5033f45e6ba789860df90780db58ea54dc1d49aa-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"Taylour Paige stars as the on-screen incarnation of Zola.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taylour Paige stars as the on-screen incarnation of Zola. \u003ccite>(A24 Films)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The real-life Zola was reportedly involved behind-the-scenes, \u003ca href=\"https://www.vulture.com/article/aziah-zola-king-profile.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">approving the script\u003c/a> and receiving an executive producing credit, a move that seems to have kept the film from the very real danger of being exploitative of King’s story. It also helps that Bravo and Harris are an ideal match for this narrative, as both creators possess styles tending to revel in the discomforting and disorienting as a means of saying the quiet, horrifying parts people are not “supposed to” reveal out loud. (See \u003cem>Lemon\u003c/em>, Bravo’s subversive directorial debut interrogating an insidious brand of white male intellectualism; and \u003cem>Slave Play\u003c/em>, Harris’s polarizing, Tony-nominated Broadway debut bluntly confronting modern interracial relationships.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>These perspectives help bring \u003cem>Zola \u003c/em>into a realm beyond clever Twitter adaptation, and center her point of view as an illustration of the precarity of existing as a Black woman in the world. When Zola does choose to assert herself and make her feelings known—”This is messy! \u003cem>You \u003c/em>are messy!”—she’s routinely dismissed and ignored by the others. It’s an extreme representation of a common feeling many Black women have felt at one time or another: How you can be taken advantage of and told everything is fine when you know in your gut that it’s not; can be told you’re overreacting to something that’s happening to you when you know you’re supposed to feel this way. In fact, it’s \u003cem>good \u003c/em>and \u003cem>smart \u003c/em>to feel this way, because that’s how you preserve yourself. Zola’s whirlwind dalliance with Stefani and her associates plays like a fever dream doubling as an allegory for gaslighting. It’s a jolt when, at a pivotal point, she wonders aloud, “Who’s looking out for \u003cem>me\u003c/em>?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The third act stumbles a bit over typical third-act problems—how to maintain momentum and surprise after so much build amidst twists and turns?—and the ending feels to me a bit abrupt. But it’s a small price to pay for entering this realm and experiencing it through Zola’s eyes, in all its richness. It may have taken several years to shift from tweet to screen, but it’s well worth the wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=%27Zola%27+Takes+A+Twitter+Thread+And+Turns+It+Into+A+Fever+Dream+On+Film&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Chris Crocker, 'Leave Britney Alone' Video Creator, Reflects on What's Changed",
"headTitle": "Chris Crocker, ‘Leave Britney Alone’ Video Creator, Reflects on What’s Changed | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Over the last few days, it’s been said \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/morninggloria/status/1407829193648349187\">a lot\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/DoctoralBarbie/status/1408138243196035073\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Twitter\u003c/a>: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mckinneykelsey/status/1408038398229729287\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">“Chris Crocker was right.”\u003c/a> But as Crocker explained during a recent interview with NPR, they don’t want to be right—and it’s not about them at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2007, Crocker, then only 19 years old, sat down in front of their camera to film a video that would become a major part of pop culture history. It would also become a stark illustration of just how much needed to change back then, and how much things still need to change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a video that grows increasingly emotional, Crocker outlined everything Spears had gone through recently—deaths in her family, a divorce, a custody battle—and tearfully pleaded with the world to “Leave Britney alone,” a rallying cry that led to ridicule at the time but has now, 14 years later, become the general consensus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Do we really want to see a 25-year-old woman leave behind two children and die?” Crocker asked into a grainy camera. “Have we learned nothing from Anna Nicole Smith? I know it’s hard to see Britney Spears as a human being but trust me, she is. She’s a person.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-opIb0Osvo&t=1s\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Crocker made the video, Spears was getting lambasted online for everything from her VMAs performance to her personal life. She’d shaved her head earlier that year, a moment which the paparazzi captured in invasive photos that were splashed across tabloid covers for months. Crocker had even seen suicide countdowns online targeting Spears, they told NPR—a breaking point for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it wasn’t just about Britney Spears. Her treatment online and by the media struck a nerve for Crocker because Spears’ situation was mirroring difficulties in their own life. Their mother was homeless after having returned home from the military and serving in Iraq. She was struggling with severe PTSD and Crocker, who was raised by their grandparents, was pleading for their family not give up on her, they said. Just like they would later plead with the world not to give up on Britney, someone they described as a Southern, free-spirited woman, and who reminded them so much of their own mother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was trying to fight for my other family members to still believe in [my mom],” they said. “I was begging them to give my mom a chance, and so there was a parallel in my life, that sort of tension of why I was defensive over a misunderstood woman, because my mom had me at 14 years old, you know, and she was very misunderstood. And I, in some ways, felt like I had to protect my mom and fight for her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13899438\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13899438\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"#FreeBritney activists protest at Los Angeles Grand Park during Spears' June 23 conservatorship hearing.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">#FreeBritney activists protest at Los Angeles Grand Park during Spears’ June 23 conservatorship hearing. \u003ccite>(Rich Fury/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>2007 was a different, much harsher world\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Today, none of what Crocker said in that video would be deemed problematic, and in fact, would be in-line with many recent calls for the public and the media to treat celebrities with more empathy. But back then? Crocker was lambasted publicly and there seemed to be no end to it—for years. They were mocked by late night talk show hosts and parodied on shows like \u003cem>South Park\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was jarring for Crocker, who, before that video, had made comedic videos that were popular but had never experienced anything like what happened in the wake of the “leave Britney alone” post. That video got more attention than anything they’d ever posted before—even though they didn’t actually say anything the least bit controversial, they pointed out. Because there shouldn’t be anything controversial or funny about suggesting more empathy for a woman going through a difficult time in her life, all while under an unmoving, unforgiving spotlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I always felt that if people just read the transcript and didn’t pay attention to how I looked or that I was screaming and just read what I said, there’s nothing comical about it,” Crocker told NPR. “Like I was listing the fact that Britney had lost her aunt. She was going through a divorce. She just had kids and, you know, I was scared she had post-partum [depression] or something. Like there was nothing funny about anything I was saying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_111253']Despite the truth of that statement, Crocker became a punching bag for everyone from stand-up comedians to anonymous online commenters, and the hits came from all sides. Sometimes, they explained, those hits were literal. It wasn’t uncommon for Crocker to go to local bars and get attacked by people who didn’t like them or the video, and the attacks were often rooted in transphobia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were numerous, I mean \u003cem>numerous\u003c/em> occasions,” they explained. “There were situations where like, there were men trying to chase after me to beat me up and I got away. And there were other situations where I was literally just standing there and someone walks up and smacks me across the face.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crocker recalled during that instance that the man got kicked out of the bar, only to wait outside for two hours for them to come out and jump them on their way to the car. He physically attacked them, ruthlessly beating them, all while calling them an “embarrassment to the community,” they said. It was a violent act, one that was likely an extension of their assailant’s own struggles with self-acceptance, they explained. (“Not that that makes it OK, obviously,” they added.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as for the generally negative response the video received at the time?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Still, to this day, people still make memes and make fun of that video,” Crocker, who is now 33, said. “So I’ve had to really realize it’s not about me, it’s just about how society gets really uncomfortable with truth that they’re not willing to accept from the messenger. I think no one now can argue with what I said—they just didn’t like the messenger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>This is not an ‘I told you so’ moment\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>It was a difficult time in Crocker’s life, to have so much negative attention focused on them at the age of 19, and it led to a diagnosis of complex PTSD. But if you’re wondering if Crocker feels vindicated now, with the influx of people on social media saying that they were right and they deserve an apology? The answer is an emphatic no, and they would argue that there’s no place for any kind of vindication at all, not when Spears herself continues to suffer, as she has done silently for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no way to feel vindicated about it because the entire point of making the video was for her to be happy and free and to know that in real time, at this very minute, she still is not?” they said. “Overall, it’s still not about me. And I think people like to retroactively clap for me or say they should have listened, but I’m more interested in people self-reflecting on why they didn’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Listen, at the time, I think it had much more to do with how I looked and how I was saying it,” they explained. “And it’s hard to feel vindicated when she’s still trapped.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13899317']Spears herself confirmed her situation in shocking detail during her recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13899317/britney-spears-full-statement-to-the-court-in-her-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">conservatorship hearing\u003c/a>. In a passionate statement to the court, Spears expressed her anger at the way her life is now and how others have been allowed to treat her for so long. She’s unable to control her own finances. Her handlers control her every move. She isn’t even allowed to ride in her boyfriend’s car, and even though she wants to get married and have children, she isn’t allowed to remove her IUD—an especially sickening detail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Spears made clear during her statement, she has had enough of being silenced: “I have the right to use my voice and take up for myself,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Crocker, it’s the only upside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To hear all these lists of just the different things she’s having to endure made me so angry on one hand, and then on the other end, my heart was just so happy that she’s able to say all of this, and with such conviction,” Crocker said. “I really think most people are weary of any statements on social media or anything because we don’t know if she can control that or not. You know, hearing her say ‘No, I want the public to be able to hear this,’ and then go on and be so empowered … I was just so happy for her. But I did get emotional. I think, like a lot of people, it was just really hard to hear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fans of Spears have gathered together over the years to fight for her freedom as part of the “Free Britney” movement, and what some may have thought to be another internet conspiracy theory turned out to be disturbingly true. Spears herself had claimed over the years that nothing was amiss in her life, but she recently took to \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CQhP9A7gIzE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram\u003c/a> to confirm that those statements were a type of “fairy tale,” something she did out of pride and embarrassment at what had been happening to her, she explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>This is Spears’ time to finally have her voice heard.\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The “Leave Britney Alone” video was posted online 14 years ago. In 2007, Spears’ mental health was used as fodder for many a late-night talk show monologue. An intensely vulnerable moment became a Halloween costume, a caricature crafted out of someone else’s trauma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And 14 years later, Crocker’s message is the same: leave Britney Spears alone. But not just Britney, either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just think that if this doesn’t prove anything else, it proves that the de-humanization of people and celebrities [is a problem]. Because they think that [because] they have money and that their lives are perfect and they’re a part of some super elite groups, it makes their problems go away. It doesn’t,” Crocker said. “Fame doesn’t change anything. Money doesn’t change anything. And it brings a lot of vultures and controlling, weird people around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And as I said in ‘Leave Britney Alone,’ she’s just a human,” they continued. “And I think that was the issue then. It’s that her fame was so huge that it made people dehumanize her. They were not able to see Britney Spears as just a person. And I think now that seems like a normal thing to say, but back then, it was radical.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13886236']It’s not just Spears who needs to be treated with more empathy—it’s everyone. But in reality, it can get complicated. While we are in an age of increased mental health awareness, we’re also living in a time where the specter of being “canceled” can result in feeling as if there’s not very much room for mistakes and growth, Crocker explained. So where does that leave us?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think being aware of the nuances and complexities of just being a human is what it all goes back to,” they said. “If we’re mental health advocates, we have to just as equally be able to see people as complex beings.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What Crocker wants people to do is this: Take the energy that’s being used to applaud them on social media, and direct it to where it really belongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t really know how to [react] when people are always like, ‘Chris Crocker is right,’ because that’s not really the point,” they reiterated. “It’s sort of like, every time [Spears] in the headlines, they want to retroactively clap for me, and it’s not that I don’t appreciate people being kind, it’s just that it’s not about me. So if they could use that energy to keep it about what she has to say, that’s what’s important.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for Spears, her legal battle may be just beginning. At the close of her latest hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny, who referred to Spears’ statement as “courageous,” instructed Spears to formally petition for an end to her conservatorship, according to an earlier NPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/23/1009416566/britney-spears-speaks-her-mind-at-last-in-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spears’ next hearing is scheduled for July 14, \u003ca href=\"https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/britney-spears-bombshell-conservatorship-hearing/story?id=78462841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ABC News\u003c/a> reports. While it’s unclear how her case will ultimately play out, one thing is certain: Britney Spears is speaking up, and it’s time for all of us to listen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Chris+Crocker%2C+%27Leave+Britney+Alone%27+Video+Creator%2C+Reflects+On+What%27s+Changed&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Over the last few days, it’s been said \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/morninggloria/status/1407829193648349187\">a lot\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/DoctoralBarbie/status/1408138243196035073\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Twitter\u003c/a>: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mckinneykelsey/status/1408038398229729287\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">“Chris Crocker was right.”\u003c/a> But as Crocker explained during a recent interview with NPR, they don’t want to be right—and it’s not about them at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2007, Crocker, then only 19 years old, sat down in front of their camera to film a video that would become a major part of pop culture history. It would also become a stark illustration of just how much needed to change back then, and how much things still need to change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a video that grows increasingly emotional, Crocker outlined everything Spears had gone through recently—deaths in her family, a divorce, a custody battle—and tearfully pleaded with the world to “Leave Britney alone,” a rallying cry that led to ridicule at the time but has now, 14 years later, become the general consensus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Do we really want to see a 25-year-old woman leave behind two children and die?” Crocker asked into a grainy camera. “Have we learned nothing from Anna Nicole Smith? I know it’s hard to see Britney Spears as a human being but trust me, she is. She’s a person.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/W-opIb0Osvo'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/W-opIb0Osvo'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Crocker made the video, Spears was getting lambasted online for everything from her VMAs performance to her personal life. She’d shaved her head earlier that year, a moment which the paparazzi captured in invasive photos that were splashed across tabloid covers for months. Crocker had even seen suicide countdowns online targeting Spears, they told NPR—a breaking point for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it wasn’t just about Britney Spears. Her treatment online and by the media struck a nerve for Crocker because Spears’ situation was mirroring difficulties in their own life. Their mother was homeless after having returned home from the military and serving in Iraq. She was struggling with severe PTSD and Crocker, who was raised by their grandparents, was pleading for their family not give up on her, they said. Just like they would later plead with the world not to give up on Britney, someone they described as a Southern, free-spirited woman, and who reminded them so much of their own mother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was trying to fight for my other family members to still believe in [my mom],” they said. “I was begging them to give my mom a chance, and so there was a parallel in my life, that sort of tension of why I was defensive over a misunderstood woman, because my mom had me at 14 years old, you know, and she was very misunderstood. And I, in some ways, felt like I had to protect my mom and fight for her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13899438\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13899438\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"#FreeBritney activists protest at Los Angeles Grand Park during Spears' June 23 conservatorship hearing.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/gettyimages-1325137878-3d897352c5071fcd5dc50de654367731361a5a5f-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">#FreeBritney activists protest at Los Angeles Grand Park during Spears’ June 23 conservatorship hearing. \u003ccite>(Rich Fury/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>2007 was a different, much harsher world\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Today, none of what Crocker said in that video would be deemed problematic, and in fact, would be in-line with many recent calls for the public and the media to treat celebrities with more empathy. But back then? Crocker was lambasted publicly and there seemed to be no end to it—for years. They were mocked by late night talk show hosts and parodied on shows like \u003cem>South Park\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was jarring for Crocker, who, before that video, had made comedic videos that were popular but had never experienced anything like what happened in the wake of the “leave Britney alone” post. That video got more attention than anything they’d ever posted before—even though they didn’t actually say anything the least bit controversial, they pointed out. Because there shouldn’t be anything controversial or funny about suggesting more empathy for a woman going through a difficult time in her life, all while under an unmoving, unforgiving spotlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I always felt that if people just read the transcript and didn’t pay attention to how I looked or that I was screaming and just read what I said, there’s nothing comical about it,” Crocker told NPR. “Like I was listing the fact that Britney had lost her aunt. She was going through a divorce. She just had kids and, you know, I was scared she had post-partum [depression] or something. Like there was nothing funny about anything I was saying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Despite the truth of that statement, Crocker became a punching bag for everyone from stand-up comedians to anonymous online commenters, and the hits came from all sides. Sometimes, they explained, those hits were literal. It wasn’t uncommon for Crocker to go to local bars and get attacked by people who didn’t like them or the video, and the attacks were often rooted in transphobia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were numerous, I mean \u003cem>numerous\u003c/em> occasions,” they explained. “There were situations where like, there were men trying to chase after me to beat me up and I got away. And there were other situations where I was literally just standing there and someone walks up and smacks me across the face.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crocker recalled during that instance that the man got kicked out of the bar, only to wait outside for two hours for them to come out and jump them on their way to the car. He physically attacked them, ruthlessly beating them, all while calling them an “embarrassment to the community,” they said. It was a violent act, one that was likely an extension of their assailant’s own struggles with self-acceptance, they explained. (“Not that that makes it OK, obviously,” they added.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as for the generally negative response the video received at the time?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Still, to this day, people still make memes and make fun of that video,” Crocker, who is now 33, said. “So I’ve had to really realize it’s not about me, it’s just about how society gets really uncomfortable with truth that they’re not willing to accept from the messenger. I think no one now can argue with what I said—they just didn’t like the messenger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>This is not an ‘I told you so’ moment\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>It was a difficult time in Crocker’s life, to have so much negative attention focused on them at the age of 19, and it led to a diagnosis of complex PTSD. But if you’re wondering if Crocker feels vindicated now, with the influx of people on social media saying that they were right and they deserve an apology? The answer is an emphatic no, and they would argue that there’s no place for any kind of vindication at all, not when Spears herself continues to suffer, as she has done silently for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no way to feel vindicated about it because the entire point of making the video was for her to be happy and free and to know that in real time, at this very minute, she still is not?” they said. “Overall, it’s still not about me. And I think people like to retroactively clap for me or say they should have listened, but I’m more interested in people self-reflecting on why they didn’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Listen, at the time, I think it had much more to do with how I looked and how I was saying it,” they explained. “And it’s hard to feel vindicated when she’s still trapped.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Spears herself confirmed her situation in shocking detail during her recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13899317/britney-spears-full-statement-to-the-court-in-her-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">conservatorship hearing\u003c/a>. In a passionate statement to the court, Spears expressed her anger at the way her life is now and how others have been allowed to treat her for so long. She’s unable to control her own finances. Her handlers control her every move. She isn’t even allowed to ride in her boyfriend’s car, and even though she wants to get married and have children, she isn’t allowed to remove her IUD—an especially sickening detail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Spears made clear during her statement, she has had enough of being silenced: “I have the right to use my voice and take up for myself,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Crocker, it’s the only upside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To hear all these lists of just the different things she’s having to endure made me so angry on one hand, and then on the other end, my heart was just so happy that she’s able to say all of this, and with such conviction,” Crocker said. “I really think most people are weary of any statements on social media or anything because we don’t know if she can control that or not. You know, hearing her say ‘No, I want the public to be able to hear this,’ and then go on and be so empowered … I was just so happy for her. But I did get emotional. I think, like a lot of people, it was just really hard to hear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fans of Spears have gathered together over the years to fight for her freedom as part of the “Free Britney” movement, and what some may have thought to be another internet conspiracy theory turned out to be disturbingly true. Spears herself had claimed over the years that nothing was amiss in her life, but she recently took to \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CQhP9A7gIzE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram\u003c/a> to confirm that those statements were a type of “fairy tale,” something she did out of pride and embarrassment at what had been happening to her, she explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>This is Spears’ time to finally have her voice heard.\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The “Leave Britney Alone” video was posted online 14 years ago. In 2007, Spears’ mental health was used as fodder for many a late-night talk show monologue. An intensely vulnerable moment became a Halloween costume, a caricature crafted out of someone else’s trauma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And 14 years later, Crocker’s message is the same: leave Britney Spears alone. But not just Britney, either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just think that if this doesn’t prove anything else, it proves that the de-humanization of people and celebrities [is a problem]. Because they think that [because] they have money and that their lives are perfect and they’re a part of some super elite groups, it makes their problems go away. It doesn’t,” Crocker said. “Fame doesn’t change anything. Money doesn’t change anything. And it brings a lot of vultures and controlling, weird people around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And as I said in ‘Leave Britney Alone,’ she’s just a human,” they continued. “And I think that was the issue then. It’s that her fame was so huge that it made people dehumanize her. They were not able to see Britney Spears as just a person. And I think now that seems like a normal thing to say, but back then, it was radical.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>It’s not just Spears who needs to be treated with more empathy—it’s everyone. But in reality, it can get complicated. While we are in an age of increased mental health awareness, we’re also living in a time where the specter of being “canceled” can result in feeling as if there’s not very much room for mistakes and growth, Crocker explained. So where does that leave us?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think being aware of the nuances and complexities of just being a human is what it all goes back to,” they said. “If we’re mental health advocates, we have to just as equally be able to see people as complex beings.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What Crocker wants people to do is this: Take the energy that’s being used to applaud them on social media, and direct it to where it really belongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t really know how to [react] when people are always like, ‘Chris Crocker is right,’ because that’s not really the point,” they reiterated. “It’s sort of like, every time [Spears] in the headlines, they want to retroactively clap for me, and it’s not that I don’t appreciate people being kind, it’s just that it’s not about me. So if they could use that energy to keep it about what she has to say, that’s what’s important.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for Spears, her legal battle may be just beginning. At the close of her latest hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny, who referred to Spears’ statement as “courageous,” instructed Spears to formally petition for an end to her conservatorship, according to an earlier NPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/23/1009416566/britney-spears-speaks-her-mind-at-last-in-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">report\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spears’ next hearing is scheduled for July 14, \u003ca href=\"https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/britney-spears-bombshell-conservatorship-hearing/story?id=78462841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ABC News\u003c/a> reports. While it’s unclear how her case will ultimately play out, one thing is certain: Britney Spears is speaking up, and it’s time for all of us to listen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Chris+Crocker%2C+%27Leave+Britney+Alone%27+Video+Creator%2C+Reflects+On+What%27s+Changed&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Britney Spears' Full Statement to the Court in Her Conservatorship Hearing",
"headTitle": "Britney Spears’ Full Statement to the Court in Her Conservatorship Hearing | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Britney Spears is asking a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/23/1009416566/britney-spears-speaks-her-mind-at-last-in-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">end her 13-year conservatorship\u003c/a>, saying she is being exploited, bullied and feeling “left out and alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below is a transcript from a leaked audio recording of part of Spears’ court statement Wednesday \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVrhKBhMrEI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">posted on YouTube\u003c/a> and verified by NPR.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Britney Spears:\u003c/strong> I will be honest with you, I haven’t been back to court in a long time because I don’t think I was heard on any level when I came to court the last time. I brought four sheets of paper in my hands and wrote in length what I had been through the last four months before I came there. The people who did that to me should not be able to walk away so easily. I’ll recap: I was on tour in 2018 I was forced to do. My management said if I don’t do this tour I will have to find an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny: \u003c/strong>Ms. Spears, Ms. Spears. I hate to interrupt you, but my court reporter is taking down what you’re saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>OK.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>And so you have to speak a little more slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears:\u003c/strong> Oh, of course. Yes. OK. I apologize. Great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>So we hear and make a record of everything you’re saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears:\u003c/strong> The people who did this to me should not get away and be able to walk away so easily. Recap: I was on tour in 2018. I was forced to do. My management said if I don’t do this tour, I will have to find an attorney and by contract my own management could sue me if I didn’t follow through with the tour. He handed me a sheet of paper as I got off the stage in Vegas and said I had to sign it. It was very threatening and scary and with the conservatorship, I couldn’t even get my own attorney. So out of fear, I went ahead and I did the tour. When I came off that tour, a new show in Las Vegas was supposed to take place. I started rehearsing early, but it was hard cause I’d been doing Vegas for four years and I needed a break in between.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But no, I was told this is the timeline and this is how it’s gonna go. I rehearsed four to four days a week, half of the time in the studio and a half of the other time in a Westlake studio. I was basically directing most of the show with my whereabouts, where I preferred to rehearse and actually did most of the choreography, meaning I taught my dancers my new choreography myself. I take everything I do very seriously. There’s tons of video with me at rehearsals. I wasn’t good. I was great. I led a room of sixteen new dancers in rehearsals. It’s funny to hear my manager’s side of the story. They all said I wasn’t participating in rehearsals and I never agreed to take my medication, which my medication is only taken in the mornings, never at rehearsal. They don’t even see me. So why are they even claiming that?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13899215']When I said no to one dance move into rehearsals, it was as if I planted a huge bomb somewhere and I said, no, I don’t want to do it this way. After that, my management, my dancers and my assistant of the new people that were supposed to do the new show all went into a room, shut the door and didn’t come out for at least forty five minutes. Ma’am, I’m not here to be anyone’s slave. I can say no to a dance move. I was told by my—at the time—therapist, Dr. Benson, who died, that my manager called him and then that moment and told him I wasn’t cooperating or following the guidelines in rehearsals. And he also said I wasn’t taking my medication, which is so dumb because I’ve had the same lady every morning for the past eight years give me my same medication and I’m nowhere near these stupid people. It made no sense at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was a week period where they were nice to me and they said, “I don’t want to do…” And I told them, “I don’t want to do the…” They wait, no. They were nice to me. They said if I don’t want to do the new Vegas show, I don’t have to ’cause I was getting really nervous. I said “I can wait.” It was like, they told me I could wait. It was like lifting literally two hundred pounds off of me when they said I don’t have to do the show anymore cause it was… I was really, really hard on myself and it was too much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I couldn’t take it anymore. So I remember telling my assistant, “But you know what, I feel weird if I say no. I feel like they’re going to come back and be mean to me or punish me or something.” Three days later, after I said no to Vegas, my therapist sat me down in a room and said he had a million phone calls about how I was not cooperating in rehearsals and I haven’t been taking my medication. All of this was a false. He immediately the next day put me on lithium out of nowhere. He took me off my normal meds I’d been on for five years. And lithium is a very, very strong and completely different medication compared to what I was used to. You can go mentally impaired if you take too much, if you stay on it longer than five months. But he put me on that and I felt drunk. I really couldn’t even take up for myself. I couldn’t even have a conversation with my mom or dad really about anything. I told them I was scared and my doctor had me on… Six different nurses with this new medication come to my home, stay with me to monitor me on this new medication, which I never wanted to be on to begin with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There were six different nurses in my homes and they wouldn’t let me get in my car to go anywhere for a month. Not only did my family not do a goddamn thing, my dad was all for it. Anything that happened to me had to be approved by my dad. And my dad only… He acted like he didn’t know that I was told I had to be tested over the Christmas holidays before they sent me away when my kids went home to Louisiana. He was the one who approved all of it. My whole family did nothing. Over the two-week holiday, a lady came into my home for four hours a day, sat me down and did a psych test on me. It took forever, but I was told I had to then. After that I got off… wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was told I had to then, after I got a phone call from my dad saying after I did the psych test with this lady, basically saying I had failed the test or whatever. Whatever. “I’m sorry, Britney, you have to listen to your doctors. They are planning to send you to a small home in Beverly Hills to do a small rehab program that we’re going to make up for you. You’re gonna pay sixty thousand dollars a month for this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I cried on the phone for an hour and he loved every minute of it. The control he had over someone as powerful as me, as he loved the control to hurt his own daughter. One hundred thousand percent. He loved it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I packed my bags and went to that place. I worked seven days a week, no days off—which in California, the only similar thing to this is called sex trafficking, making anyone work—work against their will. Taking all their possessions away—credit card, cash, phone, passport card—and placing them in a home where they work with the people who live with them. They all lived in the house with me, the nurses, the 24/7 security. There was one chef that came there and cooked for me daily during the weekdays. They watched me change every day, naked. Morning, noon and night. My body… I had no privacy door for my room. I gave eight gallons of blood a week. If I didn’t do any of my meetings and work from eight to six at night—which is ten hours a day, seven days a week, no days off—I wouldn’t be able to see my kids or my boyfriend. I never had a say in my schedule. They always told me I had to do this. And ma’am, I will tell you, sitting in a chair ten hours a day, seven days a week, it ain’t fun. And especially when you can’t walk out the front door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that’s why I’m telling you this again two years later, after I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy. It’s a lie. I thought I just… Maybe I said that enough, maybe I might become happy because I’ve been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized, you know? Fake it ’til you make it. But now I’m telling you the truth, OK? I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the reason I’m telling you this is because I don’t think how the state of California can have all this written in the court documents from the time I showed up, and do absolutely nothing. Just hire, with my money, another person to keep, and keep my dad on board. Ma’am, my dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, and my management who played a huge role in punishing me when I said, “No, ma’am, they should be in jail.” Their cruel tactics working for Miley Cyrus. If she smokes on joints and stage at the VMAs, nothing is ever done to this generation for doing wrong things. But my precious body, whose work for my dad for the past fucking thirteen years, trying to be so good and pretty. So perfect when he works me so hard, when I do everything I’m told, and the state of California allowed my ignorant father to take his own daughter, who only has a role with me if I work with him. They set back the whole course and allowed him to do that to me? That’s given these people I’ve worked for way too much control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also threatened me and said if I don’t go, then I have to go to court and it will be more embarrassing me if the judge publicly makes you go, “The evidence we have, you have to go.” I was advised for my image. I need to go ahead and just go and get it over with. They said that to me. I don’t even drink alcohol. I should drink alcohol, considering what they put my heart through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_105661']Also, the Bridges Facility, they sent me to none of the kids. I was doing this program for four months. So the last two months I went to a Bridges Facility. None of the kids there did the program. They never showed up for any of them. You didn’t have to do anything if you didn’t want to. How come they always made me go? How come I was always threatened by my dad and anybody that persisted in this conservatorship? If I don’t do this, what they tell me—enslave me to do—they’re going to punish me. The last time I spoke to you about just keeping the conservatorship going and also keeping my dad in the loop made me feel like I was dead. Like I didn’t matter. Like nothing had been done to to me. Like you thought I was lying or something. I’m telling you again, because I’m not lying. I want to feel heard and I’m telling you this again so maybe you can understand the depth and the degree and the damage that they did to me back then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I want changes and I want changes going forward. I deserve changes. I was told I have to sit down and be evaluated again if I want to end the conservatorship. Ma’am, I didn’t know I could petition the conservatorship to end it. I’m sorry for my ignorance, but I honestly didn’t know that. But honestly, which I don’t think I really want to be evaluated. I’ve done more than enough. I don’t feel like I should even be in a room with anyone to offend me by trying to question my capacity of intelligence, whether I need to be in this stupid conservatorship or not. I’ve done more than enough. I don’t owe these people anything. Especially me, the one that has roofed and fed tons of people on tour, on the road. It’s embarrassing and demoralizing what I’ve been through. And that’s the main reason I’ve never said it openly. And mainly I didn’t want to say it openly because I honestly don’t think anyone would believe me. To be honest with you, the Paris Hilton story on what they did to her, at that school, I didn’t believe any of it. I’m sorry, I’m an outsider. And I’ll just be honest, I didn’t believe it. And maybe I’m wrong. And that’s why I didn’t want to say any of this to anybody, to the public, because people would make fun of me or laugh at me and say, “She’s lying. She’s got everything. She’s Britney Spears.” I’m not lying. I just want my life back. And it’s been 13 years and it’s enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s been a long time since I’ve owned my money, and it’s my wish and my dream for all of this to end without being tested. Again, it makes no sense whatsoever for the state of California to sit back and literally watch me with their own two eyes, make a living for so many people and pay so many people—trucks and buses on tour, on the road with me—and be told I’m not good enough. But I’m great at what I do. And I allow these people to control what I do, ma’am, and it’s enough. It makes no sense at all. Now, going forward, I’m not willing to meet or see anyone. I’ve met with enough people against my will. I’m done. All I want is to own my money, for this to end, and my boyfriend to drive me in his fucking car. And I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I also would like to be able to share my story with the world and what they did to me instead of it being a hush-hush secret to benefit all of them. I want to be able to be heard on what they did to me. By making me keep this in for so long is not good for my heart. I’ve been so angry and I cry every day. It concerns me. I’m told I’m not allowed to expose the people who did this to me. For my sanity, I need you to the judge to prove me to do an interview where I can be heard and what they did to me. And actually, I have the right to use my voice and take out for myself. My attorney says I can’t. It’s not good. I can’t let the public know anything they did to me. And by not saying anything is saying it’s OK. I don’t know what I said here. It’s not OK. I would actually… I don’t want to interview. I’d much rather just have an open call to you for the press to hear, which I didn’t know today we’re doing, so thank you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of having an interview, honestly, I need that to get it off my heart. The anger and all of it. That’s happening. It’s not fair. They’re telling me lies about me openly. Even my family. They do interviews to anyone they want on news stations. My own family doing interviews and talking about the situation and making me feel so stupid. And I can’t say one thing. And my own people say I can’t say anything. It’s been two years. I want a recorded call to you—actually, we’re doing this now, which I didn’t know that we were doing this—until the public knows what they did me. I told my… I know my lawyer Sam has been very scared for me to go forward because he’s saying if I speak up, I’m being overworked in that facility, that rehab place, that the rehab place will see me. He told me I should keep it to myself. I would personally like to… Actually, I know I’ve had grown with a personal relationship with Sam, my lawyer. I’ve been talking to him like three times a week now. We’ve kind of built a relationship, but I haven’t really had the opportunity by my own self to actually handpick my own lawyer by myself. And I would like to be able to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would like to also… The main reason why I’m here is because I want to end the conservatorship without having to be evaluated. I’ve done a lot of research, ma’am, and there is a lot of judges who do end conservatorships for people without them having to be evaluated all the time. The only times they don’t is if a concerned family member says something’s wrong with this person and consider an other- otherwise. And considering my family has lived off of my conservatorship for thirteen years, I won’t be surprised if one of them has something to say. Go forward and say, “We don’t think this should end. We have to help her.” Especially if I get my fair serve and turn in exposing what they did to me. Also I want to speak to you about at the moment my obligations, which I personally don’t think at the very moment, I owe anybody anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have three meetings a week I have to attend no matter what. I just don’t like feeling like I work for the people whom I pay. I don’t like being told I have to, no matter what, even if I’m sick. Jodi, the conservator says I have to see my coach, Ken, even when I’m sick. I would like to do one meeting a week with a therapist. I’ve never, even before they sent me to that place, had two therapy sessions. A therapy session and one therapy session with my… I have a doctor and then a therapy person. What I’ve been forced to do illegal in my life, I shouldn’t be told I have to be available three times a week to these people I don’t know.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_111253']I’m talking to you today because I feel again, yes, even Jodi is starting to kind of take it too far with me. They have me going to therapy twice a week and a psychiatrist. I’ve never in the past had… They had me going, yeah, twice a week and my doctor goal. So that’s three times a week. I’ve never in the past went to see a therapist more than once a week. It takes too much out of me going to this man I don’t know. Number one, I’m scared of people. I don’t trust people with what I’ve been through. And the clever set up of being in what’s like, one of the most exposed places in Westlake, which today—yesterday—paparazzi showed me coming out of the place, literally crying in there. It’s embarrassing and it’s demoralizing. I deserve privacy when I go. I deserve privacy when I go and have therapy either at my home, like I’ve done for eight years—they’ve always come to my home—or when the Dr. Benson, the guy—the man that died—I went to a place similar to what I went to in Westlake, which was very exposed and really bad. OK, so wait, where was I? It was like, it was identical to Dr. Benson who died. The one who illegally—yes, one hundred percent—abused me by the treatment he gave me to. And to be totally honest with you, I was so…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>Ms. Spears, excuse me for interrupting you. But my reporter says if you could just slow down a little bit because she’s trying to make sure she gets everything that you’re saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>OK, cool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>And so if you just…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>OK.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>So that would be great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>I have been through—and the clever set up in Westlake is identical to Dr. Benson who died, the one who illegally—yes, one hundred percent—abused me by the treatment he gave me. And to be totally honest with you, when he passed away, I got on my knees and thanked God. In other words, my team is pushing it with me again. I have trapped phobias being in small rooms because the trauma locked me up for four months in that place is not OK for them to send me—sorry, I’m going fast—to that small room like that twice a week with another new therapist I pay that I never even approved. I don’t like it. I don’t want to do that. And I haven’t done anything wrong to deserve this treatment. It’s not OK to force me to do anything I don’t want to do. By law, Jodi and this so-called team should honestly… I should be able to sue them for threatening me and saying if I don’t go and do these meetings twice a week, we can’t let you have your money and go to Maui on your vacations. You have to do what you’re told for this program and then you will be able to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it was very clever. They picked one of the most exposed places in Westlake knowing I have the hot topic of the conservatorship, that over five paparazzi are going to show up and get me crying coming out of that place. I begged them to make sure that they did this at my home so I would have privacy. I deserve privacy. The whole conservatorship from the beginning, once you see someone, whoever it is in the conservatorship, making money, making them money and myself money, and working. That whole statement right there, the conservatorship should end. There should be no… I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship if I can work and provide money and work for myself and pay other people. It makes no sense. The laws need to change. What state allows people to own another person’s money and account and threaten them and saying, “You can’t spend your money unless you do what we want you to do.” And I’m paying them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ma’am, I’ve worked since I was 17 years old. You have to understand how thin that is for me. Every morning I get up to know, I can’t go on somewhere unless I meet people I don’t know every week in an office identical to the one where the therapist was very abusive to me. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. And now we can sit here all day and say, “Oh, conservatorships are here to help people.” But ma’am, there’s a thousand conservatorships that are abusive as well. I don’t feel like I can live a full life. I don’t owe them to go see a man I don’t know and share him my problems. I don’t even believe in therapy. I always think you take it to God.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I want to end the conservatorship without being evaluated. In the meantime, I want this therapist once a week. He can either come to my home… No, I just want him to come to my home. I’m not willing to go to Westlake and be embarrassed by all these paparazzi; these scummy paparazzi laughing at my faces while I’m crying. Coming out and taking my pictures as all these white, nice dinners where people drinking wine at restaurants, watching me from these places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They set me up by sending me to the most exposed places. And I told them I didn’t want to go there because I knew paparazzi would show up there. They only gave me two options for therapist, and I’m not sure how you make your decisions, ma’am, but this is the only chance for me to talk to you for a while. I need your help. So if you can just kind of let me know where your head is. I don’t really honestly know what to say, but my requests just are to end the conservatorship without being evaluated. I want to petition, basically, to end the conservatorship, but I want it to be petitioned. And if I don’t want to be evaluated, to be sat in a room with people for hours a day like they did me before—and they made it even worse for me after that happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I just, I’m honestly new at this and I’m doing research on all these things. I do know common sense and the method that things can end it. For people, it has ended without them being evaluated. So I just want you to take that into consideration. I’ve also done research and wait… Also took a year during COVID to get me any self care methods during COVID. She said there were no services available. She’s lying, ma’am. My mom went to the spa twice in Louisiana during COVID. For a year, I didn’t have my nails done. No hair styling and no massages, no acupuncture, nothing. For a year. I saw the maids in my home each week with their nails done different each time. She made me feel like my dad does—very similar, her behavior. And my dad, but just a different dynamic. Team wants me to work and stay home instead of having longer vacations. They are used to me sort of doing a weekly routine for them and I’m over it. I don’t feel like I owe them anything at this point. They need to be reminded they actually work for me. They trick me by sending me to the… OK, I repeated myself there. OK.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, I was supposed to be able to have a friend that I used to do AA meetings with. I did AA for two years, I have like, you know, I did three meetings a week and met a bunch of women there. And I’m not able to see my friends that live eight minutes away from me, which I find extremely strange. I feel like they’re making me feel like I live in a rehab program. This is my home. I’d like for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. And I want to meet with the therapist once a week, not twice a week. And I want him to come to my home because I actually know I do need a little therapy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was told, hold on. I think that’s… Oh, and I would like to progressively move forward and I want to have the real deal. I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told right now in the conservatorship, I’m not able to get married or have a baby. I have an IUD inside of myself right now, so I don’t get pregnant. I wanted to take the IUD out so I could start trying to have another baby. But this so-called team won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out because they don’t want me to have children… any more children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So basically this conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good. I deserve to have a life. I’ve worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two- to three-year break and just, you know, do what I want to do. But I do feel like there is a crutch here, and I feel like I feel open, and I’m OK to talk to you today about it. But I wish I could stay with you on the phone forever, because when I get off the phone with you, all of a sudden, I hear all these no’s. “No, no, no.” And then all of a sudden I get… I feel ganged up on and I feel bullied and I feel left out and alone. And I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody does by having a child, a family, any of those things. And more so. And that’s all I wanted to say to you. And thank you so much for letting me speak to you today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Read+Britney+Spears%27+Statement+To+The+Court+In+Her+Conservatorship+Hearing&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Britney Spears is asking a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/06/23/1009416566/britney-spears-speaks-her-mind-at-last-in-conservatorship-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">end her 13-year conservatorship\u003c/a>, saying she is being exploited, bullied and feeling “left out and alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below is a transcript from a leaked audio recording of part of Spears’ court statement Wednesday \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVrhKBhMrEI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">posted on YouTube\u003c/a> and verified by NPR.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Britney Spears:\u003c/strong> I will be honest with you, I haven’t been back to court in a long time because I don’t think I was heard on any level when I came to court the last time. I brought four sheets of paper in my hands and wrote in length what I had been through the last four months before I came there. The people who did that to me should not be able to walk away so easily. I’ll recap: I was on tour in 2018 I was forced to do. My management said if I don’t do this tour I will have to find an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny: \u003c/strong>Ms. Spears, Ms. Spears. I hate to interrupt you, but my court reporter is taking down what you’re saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>OK.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>And so you have to speak a little more slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears:\u003c/strong> Oh, of course. Yes. OK. I apologize. Great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>So we hear and make a record of everything you’re saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears:\u003c/strong> The people who did this to me should not get away and be able to walk away so easily. Recap: I was on tour in 2018. I was forced to do. My management said if I don’t do this tour, I will have to find an attorney and by contract my own management could sue me if I didn’t follow through with the tour. He handed me a sheet of paper as I got off the stage in Vegas and said I had to sign it. It was very threatening and scary and with the conservatorship, I couldn’t even get my own attorney. So out of fear, I went ahead and I did the tour. When I came off that tour, a new show in Las Vegas was supposed to take place. I started rehearsing early, but it was hard cause I’d been doing Vegas for four years and I needed a break in between.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But no, I was told this is the timeline and this is how it’s gonna go. I rehearsed four to four days a week, half of the time in the studio and a half of the other time in a Westlake studio. I was basically directing most of the show with my whereabouts, where I preferred to rehearse and actually did most of the choreography, meaning I taught my dancers my new choreography myself. I take everything I do very seriously. There’s tons of video with me at rehearsals. I wasn’t good. I was great. I led a room of sixteen new dancers in rehearsals. It’s funny to hear my manager’s side of the story. They all said I wasn’t participating in rehearsals and I never agreed to take my medication, which my medication is only taken in the mornings, never at rehearsal. They don’t even see me. So why are they even claiming that?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>When I said no to one dance move into rehearsals, it was as if I planted a huge bomb somewhere and I said, no, I don’t want to do it this way. After that, my management, my dancers and my assistant of the new people that were supposed to do the new show all went into a room, shut the door and didn’t come out for at least forty five minutes. Ma’am, I’m not here to be anyone’s slave. I can say no to a dance move. I was told by my—at the time—therapist, Dr. Benson, who died, that my manager called him and then that moment and told him I wasn’t cooperating or following the guidelines in rehearsals. And he also said I wasn’t taking my medication, which is so dumb because I’ve had the same lady every morning for the past eight years give me my same medication and I’m nowhere near these stupid people. It made no sense at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was a week period where they were nice to me and they said, “I don’t want to do…” And I told them, “I don’t want to do the…” They wait, no. They were nice to me. They said if I don’t want to do the new Vegas show, I don’t have to ’cause I was getting really nervous. I said “I can wait.” It was like, they told me I could wait. It was like lifting literally two hundred pounds off of me when they said I don’t have to do the show anymore cause it was… I was really, really hard on myself and it was too much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I couldn’t take it anymore. So I remember telling my assistant, “But you know what, I feel weird if I say no. I feel like they’re going to come back and be mean to me or punish me or something.” Three days later, after I said no to Vegas, my therapist sat me down in a room and said he had a million phone calls about how I was not cooperating in rehearsals and I haven’t been taking my medication. All of this was a false. He immediately the next day put me on lithium out of nowhere. He took me off my normal meds I’d been on for five years. And lithium is a very, very strong and completely different medication compared to what I was used to. You can go mentally impaired if you take too much, if you stay on it longer than five months. But he put me on that and I felt drunk. I really couldn’t even take up for myself. I couldn’t even have a conversation with my mom or dad really about anything. I told them I was scared and my doctor had me on… Six different nurses with this new medication come to my home, stay with me to monitor me on this new medication, which I never wanted to be on to begin with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There were six different nurses in my homes and they wouldn’t let me get in my car to go anywhere for a month. Not only did my family not do a goddamn thing, my dad was all for it. Anything that happened to me had to be approved by my dad. And my dad only… He acted like he didn’t know that I was told I had to be tested over the Christmas holidays before they sent me away when my kids went home to Louisiana. He was the one who approved all of it. My whole family did nothing. Over the two-week holiday, a lady came into my home for four hours a day, sat me down and did a psych test on me. It took forever, but I was told I had to then. After that I got off… wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was told I had to then, after I got a phone call from my dad saying after I did the psych test with this lady, basically saying I had failed the test or whatever. Whatever. “I’m sorry, Britney, you have to listen to your doctors. They are planning to send you to a small home in Beverly Hills to do a small rehab program that we’re going to make up for you. You’re gonna pay sixty thousand dollars a month for this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I cried on the phone for an hour and he loved every minute of it. The control he had over someone as powerful as me, as he loved the control to hurt his own daughter. One hundred thousand percent. He loved it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I packed my bags and went to that place. I worked seven days a week, no days off—which in California, the only similar thing to this is called sex trafficking, making anyone work—work against their will. Taking all their possessions away—credit card, cash, phone, passport card—and placing them in a home where they work with the people who live with them. They all lived in the house with me, the nurses, the 24/7 security. There was one chef that came there and cooked for me daily during the weekdays. They watched me change every day, naked. Morning, noon and night. My body… I had no privacy door for my room. I gave eight gallons of blood a week. If I didn’t do any of my meetings and work from eight to six at night—which is ten hours a day, seven days a week, no days off—I wouldn’t be able to see my kids or my boyfriend. I never had a say in my schedule. They always told me I had to do this. And ma’am, I will tell you, sitting in a chair ten hours a day, seven days a week, it ain’t fun. And especially when you can’t walk out the front door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that’s why I’m telling you this again two years later, after I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy. It’s a lie. I thought I just… Maybe I said that enough, maybe I might become happy because I’ve been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized, you know? Fake it ’til you make it. But now I’m telling you the truth, OK? I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the reason I’m telling you this is because I don’t think how the state of California can have all this written in the court documents from the time I showed up, and do absolutely nothing. Just hire, with my money, another person to keep, and keep my dad on board. Ma’am, my dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, and my management who played a huge role in punishing me when I said, “No, ma’am, they should be in jail.” Their cruel tactics working for Miley Cyrus. If she smokes on joints and stage at the VMAs, nothing is ever done to this generation for doing wrong things. But my precious body, whose work for my dad for the past fucking thirteen years, trying to be so good and pretty. So perfect when he works me so hard, when I do everything I’m told, and the state of California allowed my ignorant father to take his own daughter, who only has a role with me if I work with him. They set back the whole course and allowed him to do that to me? That’s given these people I’ve worked for way too much control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also threatened me and said if I don’t go, then I have to go to court and it will be more embarrassing me if the judge publicly makes you go, “The evidence we have, you have to go.” I was advised for my image. I need to go ahead and just go and get it over with. They said that to me. I don’t even drink alcohol. I should drink alcohol, considering what they put my heart through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Also, the Bridges Facility, they sent me to none of the kids. I was doing this program for four months. So the last two months I went to a Bridges Facility. None of the kids there did the program. They never showed up for any of them. You didn’t have to do anything if you didn’t want to. How come they always made me go? How come I was always threatened by my dad and anybody that persisted in this conservatorship? If I don’t do this, what they tell me—enslave me to do—they’re going to punish me. The last time I spoke to you about just keeping the conservatorship going and also keeping my dad in the loop made me feel like I was dead. Like I didn’t matter. Like nothing had been done to to me. Like you thought I was lying or something. I’m telling you again, because I’m not lying. I want to feel heard and I’m telling you this again so maybe you can understand the depth and the degree and the damage that they did to me back then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I want changes and I want changes going forward. I deserve changes. I was told I have to sit down and be evaluated again if I want to end the conservatorship. Ma’am, I didn’t know I could petition the conservatorship to end it. I’m sorry for my ignorance, but I honestly didn’t know that. But honestly, which I don’t think I really want to be evaluated. I’ve done more than enough. I don’t feel like I should even be in a room with anyone to offend me by trying to question my capacity of intelligence, whether I need to be in this stupid conservatorship or not. I’ve done more than enough. I don’t owe these people anything. Especially me, the one that has roofed and fed tons of people on tour, on the road. It’s embarrassing and demoralizing what I’ve been through. And that’s the main reason I’ve never said it openly. And mainly I didn’t want to say it openly because I honestly don’t think anyone would believe me. To be honest with you, the Paris Hilton story on what they did to her, at that school, I didn’t believe any of it. I’m sorry, I’m an outsider. And I’ll just be honest, I didn’t believe it. And maybe I’m wrong. And that’s why I didn’t want to say any of this to anybody, to the public, because people would make fun of me or laugh at me and say, “She’s lying. She’s got everything. She’s Britney Spears.” I’m not lying. I just want my life back. And it’s been 13 years and it’s enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s been a long time since I’ve owned my money, and it’s my wish and my dream for all of this to end without being tested. Again, it makes no sense whatsoever for the state of California to sit back and literally watch me with their own two eyes, make a living for so many people and pay so many people—trucks and buses on tour, on the road with me—and be told I’m not good enough. But I’m great at what I do. And I allow these people to control what I do, ma’am, and it’s enough. It makes no sense at all. Now, going forward, I’m not willing to meet or see anyone. I’ve met with enough people against my will. I’m done. All I want is to own my money, for this to end, and my boyfriend to drive me in his fucking car. And I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I also would like to be able to share my story with the world and what they did to me instead of it being a hush-hush secret to benefit all of them. I want to be able to be heard on what they did to me. By making me keep this in for so long is not good for my heart. I’ve been so angry and I cry every day. It concerns me. I’m told I’m not allowed to expose the people who did this to me. For my sanity, I need you to the judge to prove me to do an interview where I can be heard and what they did to me. And actually, I have the right to use my voice and take out for myself. My attorney says I can’t. It’s not good. I can’t let the public know anything they did to me. And by not saying anything is saying it’s OK. I don’t know what I said here. It’s not OK. I would actually… I don’t want to interview. I’d much rather just have an open call to you for the press to hear, which I didn’t know today we’re doing, so thank you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of having an interview, honestly, I need that to get it off my heart. The anger and all of it. That’s happening. It’s not fair. They’re telling me lies about me openly. Even my family. They do interviews to anyone they want on news stations. My own family doing interviews and talking about the situation and making me feel so stupid. And I can’t say one thing. And my own people say I can’t say anything. It’s been two years. I want a recorded call to you—actually, we’re doing this now, which I didn’t know that we were doing this—until the public knows what they did me. I told my… I know my lawyer Sam has been very scared for me to go forward because he’s saying if I speak up, I’m being overworked in that facility, that rehab place, that the rehab place will see me. He told me I should keep it to myself. I would personally like to… Actually, I know I’ve had grown with a personal relationship with Sam, my lawyer. I’ve been talking to him like three times a week now. We’ve kind of built a relationship, but I haven’t really had the opportunity by my own self to actually handpick my own lawyer by myself. And I would like to be able to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I would like to also… The main reason why I’m here is because I want to end the conservatorship without having to be evaluated. I’ve done a lot of research, ma’am, and there is a lot of judges who do end conservatorships for people without them having to be evaluated all the time. The only times they don’t is if a concerned family member says something’s wrong with this person and consider an other- otherwise. And considering my family has lived off of my conservatorship for thirteen years, I won’t be surprised if one of them has something to say. Go forward and say, “We don’t think this should end. We have to help her.” Especially if I get my fair serve and turn in exposing what they did to me. Also I want to speak to you about at the moment my obligations, which I personally don’t think at the very moment, I owe anybody anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I have three meetings a week I have to attend no matter what. I just don’t like feeling like I work for the people whom I pay. I don’t like being told I have to, no matter what, even if I’m sick. Jodi, the conservator says I have to see my coach, Ken, even when I’m sick. I would like to do one meeting a week with a therapist. I’ve never, even before they sent me to that place, had two therapy sessions. A therapy session and one therapy session with my… I have a doctor and then a therapy person. What I’ve been forced to do illegal in my life, I shouldn’t be told I have to be available three times a week to these people I don’t know.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>I’m talking to you today because I feel again, yes, even Jodi is starting to kind of take it too far with me. They have me going to therapy twice a week and a psychiatrist. I’ve never in the past had… They had me going, yeah, twice a week and my doctor goal. So that’s three times a week. I’ve never in the past went to see a therapist more than once a week. It takes too much out of me going to this man I don’t know. Number one, I’m scared of people. I don’t trust people with what I’ve been through. And the clever set up of being in what’s like, one of the most exposed places in Westlake, which today—yesterday—paparazzi showed me coming out of the place, literally crying in there. It’s embarrassing and it’s demoralizing. I deserve privacy when I go. I deserve privacy when I go and have therapy either at my home, like I’ve done for eight years—they’ve always come to my home—or when the Dr. Benson, the guy—the man that died—I went to a place similar to what I went to in Westlake, which was very exposed and really bad. OK, so wait, where was I? It was like, it was identical to Dr. Benson who died. The one who illegally—yes, one hundred percent—abused me by the treatment he gave me to. And to be totally honest with you, I was so…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>Ms. Spears, excuse me for interrupting you. But my reporter says if you could just slow down a little bit because she’s trying to make sure she gets everything that you’re saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>OK, cool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>And so if you just…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>OK.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Penny: \u003c/strong>So that would be great.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Spears: \u003c/strong>I have been through—and the clever set up in Westlake is identical to Dr. Benson who died, the one who illegally—yes, one hundred percent—abused me by the treatment he gave me. And to be totally honest with you, when he passed away, I got on my knees and thanked God. In other words, my team is pushing it with me again. I have trapped phobias being in small rooms because the trauma locked me up for four months in that place is not OK for them to send me—sorry, I’m going fast—to that small room like that twice a week with another new therapist I pay that I never even approved. I don’t like it. I don’t want to do that. And I haven’t done anything wrong to deserve this treatment. It’s not OK to force me to do anything I don’t want to do. By law, Jodi and this so-called team should honestly… I should be able to sue them for threatening me and saying if I don’t go and do these meetings twice a week, we can’t let you have your money and go to Maui on your vacations. You have to do what you’re told for this program and then you will be able to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it was very clever. They picked one of the most exposed places in Westlake knowing I have the hot topic of the conservatorship, that over five paparazzi are going to show up and get me crying coming out of that place. I begged them to make sure that they did this at my home so I would have privacy. I deserve privacy. The whole conservatorship from the beginning, once you see someone, whoever it is in the conservatorship, making money, making them money and myself money, and working. That whole statement right there, the conservatorship should end. There should be no… I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship if I can work and provide money and work for myself and pay other people. It makes no sense. The laws need to change. What state allows people to own another person’s money and account and threaten them and saying, “You can’t spend your money unless you do what we want you to do.” And I’m paying them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ma’am, I’ve worked since I was 17 years old. You have to understand how thin that is for me. Every morning I get up to know, I can’t go on somewhere unless I meet people I don’t know every week in an office identical to the one where the therapist was very abusive to me. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. And now we can sit here all day and say, “Oh, conservatorships are here to help people.” But ma’am, there’s a thousand conservatorships that are abusive as well. I don’t feel like I can live a full life. I don’t owe them to go see a man I don’t know and share him my problems. I don’t even believe in therapy. I always think you take it to God.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I want to end the conservatorship without being evaluated. In the meantime, I want this therapist once a week. He can either come to my home… No, I just want him to come to my home. I’m not willing to go to Westlake and be embarrassed by all these paparazzi; these scummy paparazzi laughing at my faces while I’m crying. Coming out and taking my pictures as all these white, nice dinners where people drinking wine at restaurants, watching me from these places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They set me up by sending me to the most exposed places. And I told them I didn’t want to go there because I knew paparazzi would show up there. They only gave me two options for therapist, and I’m not sure how you make your decisions, ma’am, but this is the only chance for me to talk to you for a while. I need your help. So if you can just kind of let me know where your head is. I don’t really honestly know what to say, but my requests just are to end the conservatorship without being evaluated. I want to petition, basically, to end the conservatorship, but I want it to be petitioned. And if I don’t want to be evaluated, to be sat in a room with people for hours a day like they did me before—and they made it even worse for me after that happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I just, I’m honestly new at this and I’m doing research on all these things. I do know common sense and the method that things can end it. For people, it has ended without them being evaluated. So I just want you to take that into consideration. I’ve also done research and wait… Also took a year during COVID to get me any self care methods during COVID. She said there were no services available. She’s lying, ma’am. My mom went to the spa twice in Louisiana during COVID. For a year, I didn’t have my nails done. No hair styling and no massages, no acupuncture, nothing. For a year. I saw the maids in my home each week with their nails done different each time. She made me feel like my dad does—very similar, her behavior. And my dad, but just a different dynamic. Team wants me to work and stay home instead of having longer vacations. They are used to me sort of doing a weekly routine for them and I’m over it. I don’t feel like I owe them anything at this point. They need to be reminded they actually work for me. They trick me by sending me to the… OK, I repeated myself there. OK.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, I was supposed to be able to have a friend that I used to do AA meetings with. I did AA for two years, I have like, you know, I did three meetings a week and met a bunch of women there. And I’m not able to see my friends that live eight minutes away from me, which I find extremely strange. I feel like they’re making me feel like I live in a rehab program. This is my home. I’d like for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. And I want to meet with the therapist once a week, not twice a week. And I want him to come to my home because I actually know I do need a little therapy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was told, hold on. I think that’s… Oh, and I would like to progressively move forward and I want to have the real deal. I want to be able to get married and have a baby. I was told right now in the conservatorship, I’m not able to get married or have a baby. I have an IUD inside of myself right now, so I don’t get pregnant. I wanted to take the IUD out so I could start trying to have another baby. But this so-called team won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out because they don’t want me to have children… any more children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So basically this conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good. I deserve to have a life. I’ve worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two- to three-year break and just, you know, do what I want to do. But I do feel like there is a crutch here, and I feel like I feel open, and I’m OK to talk to you today about it. But I wish I could stay with you on the phone forever, because when I get off the phone with you, all of a sudden, I hear all these no’s. “No, no, no.” And then all of a sudden I get… I feel ganged up on and I feel bullied and I feel left out and alone. And I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody does by having a child, a family, any of those things. And more so. And that’s all I wanted to say to you. And thank you so much for letting me speak to you today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Read+Britney+Spears%27+Statement+To+The+Court+In+Her+Conservatorship+Hearing&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Britney Spears is Headed to Court to Address Her Conservatorship. Here's What to Know",
"headTitle": "Britney Spears is Headed to Court to Address Her Conservatorship. Here’s What to Know | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Pop star \u003ca href=\"https://www.britneyspears.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Britney Spears\u003c/a> hasn’t been in charge of her personal life or her finances for 13 years—that’s how long she has been in a court-dictated legal arrangement called a conservatorship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Wednesday, the artist will be speaking directly, albeit from a remote location, to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge about her situation. What exactly she intends to say in her appearance and what her goals might be are anyone’s guess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before then, here’s a quick look at what conservatorships are and why they exist, the specifics of Spears’ arrangements, the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/freebritney?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Ehashtag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#FreeBritney\u003c/a> movement and what Spears and others have said publicly—and privately—about her conservatorship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What is a conservatorship, and why does one get put in place?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Typically, legal and financial conservatorships are arranged for people who are unable to make their own decisions in their own best self-interest, such as in the case of an elderly person or someone with some kind of cognitive impairment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why does Britney Spears have one?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exact reasons that the 39-year-old Spears is under a conservatorship have not been publicly disclosed. She lost her autonomy 13 years ago, in 2008, after apparently suffering a mental health crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the time that Spears has lived under this arrangement, though, she has released four albums (two of which, 2008’s \u003cem>Circus\u003c/em> and 2011’s \u003cem>Femme Fatale,\u003c/em> achieved platinum sales); appeared as a judge on both \u003cem>The X Factor\u003c/em> and \u003cem>American Idol\u003c/em>; and had a four-year residency in Las Vegas that reportedly grossed close to \u003ca href=\"https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8491648/highest-grossing-las-vegas-residencies\">$138 million\u003c/a>. Those accomplishments don’t exactly line up with the typical profile of someone unable to look after themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What does Spears’ conservatorship cover?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Essentially, it controls all the major aspects of Spears’ life, including decisions regarding her financial, medical and personal well-being. The conservators also oversee visitation arrangements with her two teenage sons, who are under the full custody of her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003cem>Forbes,\u003c/em> Spears’ current net worth is around \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/02/17/britney-spears-net-worth-revealed--and-its-shockingly-low-compared-to-her-pop-peers/?sh=245268a518ac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$60 million\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who controls Spears’ conservatorship?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up until recently, both the financial and personal arms of the conservatorship were controlled by Spears’ father, Jamie Spears.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_111253']In 2020, her lawyer, Samuel D. Ingham III, stated in a filing that Spears “strongly opposed” her father as conservator and that she refused to perform if he remained in charge of her career. Spears asked the court for her father to be suspended from his role as conservator. (He had temporarily stepped away in 2019 for health reasons.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/02/11/967176455/judge-rules-against-britney-spears-father-in-conservatorship-dispute\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">overruled\u003c/a> an objection from Jamie Spears to having a third party help look after his daughter’s financial affairs. A wealth-management company, Bessemer Trust, is now a co-conservator for the financial side of Spears’ situation. But Jamie Spears is still the main conservator for all other aspects of Spears’ arrangement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why is Spears planning to talk to the court now?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in April, Spears’ legal team \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-los-angeles-britney-spears-arts-and-entertainment-73a26ccdfe9cb244aa7d894e0d585c4c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">asked\u003c/a> Penny to allow her to speak to the court directly about the conservatorship, and they agreed that June 23 would be the date for this to happen. At the time, Ingham did not disclose why Spears wants to speak or what she intends to say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Has Spears ever asked for the conservatorship to end?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up until now, Spears has never voiced a desire for the conservatorship to be removed completely—at least not publicly. In a court filing, she has \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/explaining-britney-spears-court-conservatorship-hearing-48451f0cb51d7c646a51f2e10e97fb61\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">stated\u003c/a> that the conservatorship “rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin” and allowed her to “regain her position as a world class entertainer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Tuesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/arts/music/britney-spears-conservatorship.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> reported that it had obtained confidential court records that purport to show that Spears has opposed the conservatorship privately for years. The \u003cem>Times \u003c/em>quoted a 2016 report from a court investigator assigned to Spears’ case, in which the investigator wrote that Spears told her that the conservatorship had “become an oppressive and controlling tool against her” and that she wanted the arrangement to end quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003cem>Times\u003c/em>, Spears told the court in 2019 that the conservatorship had forced her into a stay at a mental health facility, as well as into making public performances against her will. The article further reported that the conservatorship had dictated Spears’ friendships, her dating life and her spending habits, even preventing her from refinishing kitchen cabinets according to her taste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As early as 2014, the article states, Spears wanted to consider removing her father from his prime role in the conservatorship, citing his reportedly heavy drinking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Does Spears herself support the #FreeBritney movement?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Certain Spears fans have organized themselves into a grassroots movement—#FreeBritney—to help Spears regain autonomy over her life. The dynamics between Spears and her dedicated #FreeBritney fans are murky, as are her various declarations on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a court filing last September, her lawyer, Ingham, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54024740\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote\u003c/a>: “At this point in her life when she is trying to regain some measure of personal autonomy, Britney welcomes and appreciates the informed support of her many fans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the other hand, Spears to date has never publicly asked to be released from the conservatorship and regain her autonomy—which is the main goal of #FreeBritney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13892744']A very sympathetic \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> television documentary, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/article/framing-britney-spears.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Framing Britney Spears\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, debuted on FX in February. The project reckons with the way the media, comedians and the music industry itself characterized Spears during her ascent to global fame and during her later, very public struggles—and it also profiles some #FreeBritney activists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After it aired, Spears wrote \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tv/CND5B1RArtK/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f6fd8fa1-2de5-406e-a0e1-75ff7b683d26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Instagram\u003c/a>: “My life has always been very speculated [\u003cem>sic\u003c/em>] … watched … and judged really my whole life !!! … I didn’t watch the documentary but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in … I cried for two weeks and well …. I still cry sometimes !!!!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some #FreeBritney supporters don’t believe Spears writes her own Instagram messages, leaving them to speculate about the pop star’s true feelings. But Spears reportedly told \u003ca href=\"https://www.tmz.com/2021/04/02/britney-spears-writes-social-media-posts-instagram-framing-documentary/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">TMZ\u003c/a> in April that she writes her own captions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s next for Britney Spears?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unclear. In an\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CQPB1hmg6xV/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Instagram video\u003c/a> posted last week, a visibly jittery Spears professed to be answering fans’ most burning questions, including her shoe size and her favorite business trip (answer: “a trip to Italy [to] Donatella Versace. … She fined [\u003cem>sic\u003c/em>] and dined us”).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last question Spears put forward to herself was a crucial one: Would she ever return to the stage again?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have no idea,” she said. “I’m having fun right now. I’m in transition in my life, and I’m enjoying myself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Britney+Spears+Is+Headed+To+Court+To+Address+Her+Conservatorship.+Here%27s+What+To+Know&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Pop star \u003ca href=\"https://www.britneyspears.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Britney Spears\u003c/a> hasn’t been in charge of her personal life or her finances for 13 years—that’s how long she has been in a court-dictated legal arrangement called a conservatorship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Wednesday, the artist will be speaking directly, albeit from a remote location, to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge about her situation. What exactly she intends to say in her appearance and what her goals might be are anyone’s guess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before then, here’s a quick look at what conservatorships are and why they exist, the specifics of Spears’ arrangements, the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/freebritney?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Ehashtag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#FreeBritney\u003c/a> movement and what Spears and others have said publicly—and privately—about her conservatorship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What is a conservatorship, and why does one get put in place?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Typically, legal and financial conservatorships are arranged for people who are unable to make their own decisions in their own best self-interest, such as in the case of an elderly person or someone with some kind of cognitive impairment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why does Britney Spears have one?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exact reasons that the 39-year-old Spears is under a conservatorship have not been publicly disclosed. She lost her autonomy 13 years ago, in 2008, after apparently suffering a mental health crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the time that Spears has lived under this arrangement, though, she has released four albums (two of which, 2008’s \u003cem>Circus\u003c/em> and 2011’s \u003cem>Femme Fatale,\u003c/em> achieved platinum sales); appeared as a judge on both \u003cem>The X Factor\u003c/em> and \u003cem>American Idol\u003c/em>; and had a four-year residency in Las Vegas that reportedly grossed close to \u003ca href=\"https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8491648/highest-grossing-las-vegas-residencies\">$138 million\u003c/a>. Those accomplishments don’t exactly line up with the typical profile of someone unable to look after themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What does Spears’ conservatorship cover?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Essentially, it controls all the major aspects of Spears’ life, including decisions regarding her financial, medical and personal well-being. The conservators also oversee visitation arrangements with her two teenage sons, who are under the full custody of her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003cem>Forbes,\u003c/em> Spears’ current net worth is around \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/02/17/britney-spears-net-worth-revealed--and-its-shockingly-low-compared-to-her-pop-peers/?sh=245268a518ac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$60 million\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who controls Spears’ conservatorship?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up until recently, both the financial and personal arms of the conservatorship were controlled by Spears’ father, Jamie Spears.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 2020, her lawyer, Samuel D. Ingham III, stated in a filing that Spears “strongly opposed” her father as conservator and that she refused to perform if he remained in charge of her career. Spears asked the court for her father to be suspended from his role as conservator. (He had temporarily stepped away in 2019 for health reasons.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/02/11/967176455/judge-rules-against-britney-spears-father-in-conservatorship-dispute\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">overruled\u003c/a> an objection from Jamie Spears to having a third party help look after his daughter’s financial affairs. A wealth-management company, Bessemer Trust, is now a co-conservator for the financial side of Spears’ situation. But Jamie Spears is still the main conservator for all other aspects of Spears’ arrangement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why is Spears planning to talk to the court now?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in April, Spears’ legal team \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-los-angeles-britney-spears-arts-and-entertainment-73a26ccdfe9cb244aa7d894e0d585c4c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">asked\u003c/a> Penny to allow her to speak to the court directly about the conservatorship, and they agreed that June 23 would be the date for this to happen. At the time, Ingham did not disclose why Spears wants to speak or what she intends to say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Has Spears ever asked for the conservatorship to end?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up until now, Spears has never voiced a desire for the conservatorship to be removed completely—at least not publicly. In a court filing, she has \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/explaining-britney-spears-court-conservatorship-hearing-48451f0cb51d7c646a51f2e10e97fb61\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">stated\u003c/a> that the conservatorship “rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin” and allowed her to “regain her position as a world class entertainer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Tuesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/arts/music/britney-spears-conservatorship.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> reported that it had obtained confidential court records that purport to show that Spears has opposed the conservatorship privately for years. The \u003cem>Times \u003c/em>quoted a 2016 report from a court investigator assigned to Spears’ case, in which the investigator wrote that Spears told her that the conservatorship had “become an oppressive and controlling tool against her” and that she wanted the arrangement to end quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003cem>Times\u003c/em>, Spears told the court in 2019 that the conservatorship had forced her into a stay at a mental health facility, as well as into making public performances against her will. The article further reported that the conservatorship had dictated Spears’ friendships, her dating life and her spending habits, even preventing her from refinishing kitchen cabinets according to her taste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As early as 2014, the article states, Spears wanted to consider removing her father from his prime role in the conservatorship, citing his reportedly heavy drinking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Does Spears herself support the #FreeBritney movement?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Certain Spears fans have organized themselves into a grassroots movement—#FreeBritney—to help Spears regain autonomy over her life. The dynamics between Spears and her dedicated #FreeBritney fans are murky, as are her various declarations on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a court filing last September, her lawyer, Ingham, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54024740\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote\u003c/a>: “At this point in her life when she is trying to regain some measure of personal autonomy, Britney welcomes and appreciates the informed support of her many fans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the other hand, Spears to date has never publicly asked to be released from the conservatorship and regain her autonomy—which is the main goal of #FreeBritney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A very sympathetic \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> television documentary, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/article/framing-britney-spears.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Framing Britney Spears\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, debuted on FX in February. The project reckons with the way the media, comedians and the music industry itself characterized Spears during her ascent to global fame and during her later, very public struggles—and it also profiles some #FreeBritney activists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After it aired, Spears wrote \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tv/CND5B1RArtK/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f6fd8fa1-2de5-406e-a0e1-75ff7b683d26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Instagram\u003c/a>: “My life has always been very speculated [\u003cem>sic\u003c/em>] … watched … and judged really my whole life !!! … I didn’t watch the documentary but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in … I cried for two weeks and well …. I still cry sometimes !!!!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some #FreeBritney supporters don’t believe Spears writes her own Instagram messages, leaving them to speculate about the pop star’s true feelings. But Spears reportedly told \u003ca href=\"https://www.tmz.com/2021/04/02/britney-spears-writes-social-media-posts-instagram-framing-documentary/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">TMZ\u003c/a> in April that she writes her own captions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s next for Britney Spears?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unclear. In an\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CQPB1hmg6xV/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Instagram video\u003c/a> posted last week, a visibly jittery Spears professed to be answering fans’ most burning questions, including her shoe size and her favorite business trip (answer: “a trip to Italy [to] Donatella Versace. … She fined [\u003cem>sic\u003c/em>] and dined us”).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last question Spears put forward to herself was a crucial one: Would she ever return to the stage again?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have no idea,” she said. “I’m having fun right now. I’m in transition in my life, and I’m enjoying myself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPR\u003c/a>.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Britney+Spears+Is+Headed+To+Court+To+Address+Her+Conservatorship.+Here%27s+What+To+Know&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
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},
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"id": "baycurious",
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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},
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},
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"order": 8
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"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"order": 1
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
},
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"meta": {
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"source": "WNYC"
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
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"source": "NPR"
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
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