I never used to read Jezebel, but now I read it all the time. It is a good go-to for gossip and news with a feminist bent. But then, I also get angry a lot by what I read there, because it seems to have an intense reactionary/normal bent as well. A disturbingly large amount of the comments are from grown women who write stuff like:
"No! NO!
I will not share my dolls with you.
They are mine. All mine. You go get your own."
*stamps foot and pouts*
That is, of they're not busy writing really long, anecdotal, boring personal statements about their life that tangentially relate to the featured article, which is often not so much an article as a photo of someone from Gossip Girl on the street wearing a slouch hat with a pun title. Also, apparently people who comment there refer to themselves as "Jezzies." Anyway, here are some examples:
Adorable Children Do Adorable Thing
Specifically, they're recreating classic album covers, like that of Abbey Road. The kids, who are between the ages of 10-12, are cute as pie — but give me some toddlers doing this, and then my ovaries will really coo.
Even if you think babies and kids are cute, do we really need individual posts to point out how some child models are being used? Apparently for a Disney advertisement? Ovaries cooing? How essentialist! Sometimes Jezebel is one step away from just posting Anne Geddes photos, and what's horrifying is that all the commenters seem to totally approve!
I will not share my dolls with you.
They are mine. All mine. You go get your own."
*stamps foot and pouts*
That is, of they're not busy writing really long, anecdotal, boring personal statements about their life that tangentially relate to the featured article, which is often not so much an article as a photo of someone from Gossip Girl on the street wearing a slouch hat with a pun title. Also, apparently people who comment there refer to themselves as "Jezzies." Anyway, here are some examples:
That is, of they're not busy writing really long, anecdotal, boring personal statements about
Adorable Children Do Adorable Thing
Specifically, they're recreating classic album covers, like that of Abbey Road. The kids, who are between the ages of 10-12, are cute as pie — but give me some toddlers doing this, and then my ovaries will really coo.
Even if you think babies and kids are cute, do we really need individual posts to point out how some child models are being used? Apparently for a Disney advertisement? Ovaries cooing? How essentialist! Sometimes Jezebel is one step away from just posting Anne Geddes photos, and what's horrifying is that all the commenters seem to totally approve!
Secondly, they hated on the new Lady Gaga video for its "mixed messages" and "bad acting" and being about "style over substance." What?! This video, btw, is totally amazing. Clearly it's got some tacky product placement, as well as some not that interesting crotch shots which I do think Lady Gaga needs to lose, but it horrifies me to know that whoever wrote this seems to have zero knowledge of campy B- movies, which are obviously what is being echoed/parodied/honored here. Style over substance and not being about the song, in a music video? How cutting! They don't even know why they don't like it, man! It certainly doesn't have anything to do with Leigh Bowery!
Also, a lot of commenters were angry over the "fake homoeroticism", but it's not like Girls Gone Wild style, she's making out with a legit-looking butch lesbian, which serves a totally different purpose. Also, Beyonce looks so beautiful with baby bangs. Also, Gaga wears cigarette sunglasses that have smoking cigarettes on them, and her hair is rolled up in Diet Coke cans. Also, she wears a telephone on her head made of hair. Also, the women's prison scenes are awesome. You must be made of stone not to appreciate this shit! Especially when you are appreciating seven year olds reenacting the cover of Abbey Road. The Beatles suck!!!
Also, a lot of commenters were angry over the "fake homoeroticism", but it's not like Girls Gone Wild style, she's making out with a legit-looking butch lesbian, which serves a totally different purpose. Also, Beyonce looks so beautiful with baby bangs. Also, Gaga wears cigarette sunglasses that have smoking cigarettes on them, and her hair is rolled up in Diet Coke cans. Also, she wears a telephone on her head made of hair. Also, the women's prison scenes are awesome. You must be made of stone not to appreciate this shit! Especially when you are appreciating seven year olds reenacting the cover of Abbey Road. The Beatles suck!!!
I loved that video too, and thought that people that whined were on crack. And that butch she made out with is my new hero.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a real (looking) butch! Not even a young one!
ReplyDeleteI really love reading the comments over at Jezebel when discussing such serious issues like Lady Gaga's new video. Did you happen to read the Lady Gaga vs. Taylor Swift post? The commenters go bananas over that shit.
ReplyDeleteThe comments are totally unbearable. I never read them.
ReplyDeleteI think Jezebel is really inconsistent - some of the longer posts are actually pretty hilarious and insightful. But I'm seeing more and more shallow hipster orthodoxy on there, especially in the fashion reporting.
ReplyDeleteMary - I just found this blog last night, as well as Fashion Museum, and I LOVE it. I'll be spending today reading through your posts, because they are all so awesome, and sending my readers over here with some major link love. Thanks for calling out bullshit trends!
I've totally been straddling the line: do I love her? do i hate her? But after "Telephone" I AM TOTALLY GAGA FOR GAGA!!! I am with you 100%, Mary. And to all the h8rs: at the very least Lady Gaga is bringing high concept back to pop, something we maybe haven't seen the likes of since, dare I mention it, the "Trapped in the Closet" series? Her whole aesthetic is so honed and tight. Also, kudos to B and her powermove to align herself with Gaga after so many critics condemned her for "playing it safe" after the Grammys. I like where this is headed...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alexandra! I agree, Jezebel can be good and insightful sometimes for sure. Their fashion stuff is uniformly terrible, though, especially their reviews of catalogues, which are always like, "Gee, I want this $300 sack dress so much. Whoops. I mean, here's a lame joke about it."
ReplyDeleteMegan, I agree about Beyonce bringing it! It was cool how they teamed up in a sisterhood type way but also Beyonce retained her own individual thing, as opposed to lot of videos where someone makes an appearance but just imitates the person whose video it is.