First Open Thread launched today — look for them every Wednesday!
After Sarah compares experiencing a Dallas rainstorm to being in a tampon ad, and Nancy recalls the 900+ fires burning simultaneously during the LA riots, Smoke ‘Em gets down to the business of beauty. It might only be skin deep, but what happens when that skin is damaged? When you no longer look like yourself, and it was your looks that made you millions? Such is the case with 90s super-model Linda Evangelista, who underwent a body contouring procedure, only to have it go terribly wrong, with repercussions apparently lifelong. Evangelista’s appearance on the cover of British Vogue, with her physical deformities hidden and the tagline, “I’m trying to love myself as I am,” has, predictably, sparked controversy, the NYT’s Vanessa Friedman writing that while Evangelista was “being true to her own dreams and perspective,” Vogue’s failure to reveal all was a missed step in the culture’s move away from “old-fashioned gender roles.” Jezebel’s Audra Heinrich’s claimed that while she was “deeply saddened for Evangelista, I’m more enraged with British Vogue, who bungled an opportunity to depict reality and instead, opted for fantasy yet again,” a comment that had readers scurrying to Heinrich’s Instagram and asking, practice what you preach much?
After Nancy goes on a rant apparently hot enough to melt down Sarah’s computer, they discuss “quiet quitting.” Is it good, bad, a sign of progress, not a story at all?
Nancy has a question for Sarah: how does she feel about seeing men without their shirts on*? Sarah uses the word “yawp,” a very strange Whitman reference, which clears things up not at all.
Then it’s on to the hot boxes, where dismemberment and dark comedy live!
Episode Notes:
“Heavy Rains Flood Streets Across the Dallas-Fort Worth area” (NPR)
“When and Where Are Tornadoes Most Common in Texas?” (KXAN) Spoiler: The answer to “when” is mostly April-May, and the fact that Sarah doesn’t know this is evidence of what a coddled modern city-slicker she is.
“Back In Bloom: The Rebirth Of The Indomitable Linda Evangelista” by Sarah Harris (Vogue)
“Linda Evangelista and the Fantasies Fashion Sells,” by Vanessa Friedman (New York Times)
“British Vogue Did Wrong by Linda Evangelista,” by Audra Heinrichs (Jezebel)
Steven Meisel (Art + Commerce)
Casablancas: The Man Who Loved Women, founder of Elite modeling agency, from where Evangelista shot to fame (official trailer)
“Choice Feminism: New and Hip, but Not Necessarily Good” (F-Word Magazine)
Sarah Hepola Explains Her New Column, the Smart Blonde (D Magazine)
“‘Quiet quitting’ isn’t really about quitting. Here are the signs,” by Taylor Telford (Washington Post)
What’s in your hot box?
Nancy: “House of the Dragon” official trailer (HBO)
Sarah: “The Dark Side of Comedy” official trailer (Vice)
Outro song: “The Fall Fashions” by the Deathray Davies
*exception makes the rule — smoke ‘em
31. The Fashion of Feminist Crank