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On 2 August, 2023, singer Lizzo was named in a lawsuit that accused her of creating a hostile work environment. Three former dancers allege the pop star subjected them to sexual and racial discrimination, fat shaming and physical and emotional abuse.
Lizzo argued that case should be dismissed under California’s anti-SLAPP statute — a special law that makes it easier to quickly end meritless lawsuits that threaten free speech. Her lawyers argued that the accusers were using the lawsuit to “silence” that freedom.
On February 2, a Los Angeles judge denied Lizzo’s motion to toss out this lawsuit dismissing certain accusations, but allowing the case as a whole to move forward toward a trial. The ruling rightfully signals that Lizzo, or any celebrity, is not protected from this sort of inexcusable conduct merely because she is famous, or a woman for that matter.
Whatever the truth is behind the allegations against Lizzo, more importantly, this case is a primary example that abuse can exist anywhere, and we can’t pretend that women can’t be abusers, too.
The idea that any woman, could be as capable as a man — making other people’s lives miserable, or even of sexual harassment, shouldn’t surprise us as much as it invariably does. Unfortunately, sisters are not always sisterly. Sexual harassment and abuse by women may be rare, but it’s not nonexistent.
Anyone can be afraid of the professional consequences of rejecting a boss. Anyone can be made to feel humiliated, or anxious about coming in to work because of what they’ll have to pretend they are comfortable with. And women, of course, can also be sexually harassed and abused by other women. Even now, the possibility still rarely enters into our assumptions. But what’s glaring is it is ingrained in us to see men as the problem and women as the answer, no doubt because so often that is how it pans out.
But anyone can behave badly, especially in the entertainment world where the kind of toxic, high-pressure environments where people with power are indulged in abusing it, so long as they’re getting the results they want. Harassment is ultimately an abuse of power, and these days power doesn’t always lie where it did.
Although we champion her, Barbie presides over a make-believe world, while in the real world the same old assumptions and pressures create the conditions under which some women thrive and others don’t. The only power that really counts, at work or in private life but especially in the entertainment world that hypocritically blurs the two, is the power to say no to something personally uncomfortable without having to live in fear of the consequences.
In 2013, actress Emma Roberts was arrested for beating up her then boyfriend Evan Peters. She broke his nose and bit him. Peters forgave her, did not want to press any charges, and ended up publicly comforting her as she was crying not long after the incident. It was reported that they were working to move past the incident. Roberts and Peters ultimately broke off their engagement, however, her career never really suffered and she stars in the new film Madame Web.
Think about if Peters had broken Roberts’ nose and bit her. As a society, the view of the entire situation would be different. We have to be careful in believing that forgiveness means that no abuse actually took place, when in fact, that is not the case. It is very common for victims of abuse to forgive their perpetrators. Men are no different to women.
In 2009, Elin Nordegren, Tiger Woods’ then wife, had allegedly found text messages on his phone that proved he was cheating on her, so she struck him with a nine iron, causing him to spit blood, scratched his face, and smashed out the windows of his car as he tried to get away. After he crashed, she panicked and made up a conflicting story on the spot. Tiger Woods had to undergo plastic surgery from the injuries she inflicted.
This particular ordeal provided us with an ugly glimpse into the behind-the-scenes life of, at the time, Nike’s golden child — the man who could do no wrong; the man who was feared on the golf course, and adored by us all, was suddenly human. This single, unfortunate incident made Tiger Woods just another man going through hard times with his wife, and that is how it ended. For the most part, women praised Nordegren for making Woods pay for cheating. He never pressed charges against the mother of his children, and she ultimately moved on with her life better than ever.
We have come to a place where we accept that most celebrities have the resources to stay out of jail, and attain counsel. Being a celebrity can influence decisions. Yet, in these two cases, the men showed pity on the women and quickly forgave them, almost in an effort to make the incident go away just as fast. Maybe the men assumed that nothing would happen to the women anyway; that domestic violence against them wouldn’t be taken seriously; that they would rather protect their image then take it any further.
After news breaks regarding celebrity scandals, people soon forget and move on to whatever the next big news story is. As a society, we need to expand our view of what abuse looks like in the entertainment world when perpetrated by women. They need to be taken more seriously. In the grand scheme of things, it truly benefits us all when they are.
On 2 August, 2023, singer Lizzo was named in a lawsuit that accused her of creating a hostile work environment. Three former dancers allege the pop star subjected them to sexual and racial discrimination, fat shaming and physical and emotional abuse.
Lizzo argued that case should be dismissed under California’s anti-SLAPP statute — a special law that makes it easier to quickly end meritless lawsuits that threaten free speech. Her lawyers argued that the accusers were using the lawsuit to “silence” that freedom.
On February 2, a Los Angeles judge denied Lizzo’s motion to toss out this lawsuit dismissing certain accusations, but allowing the case as a whole to move forward toward a trial. The ruling rightfully signals that Lizzo, or any celebrity, is not protected from this sort of inexcusable conduct merely because she is famous, or a woman for that matter.
Whatever the truth is behind the allegations against Lizzo, more importantly, this case is a primary example that abuse can exist anywhere, and we can’t pretend that women can’t be abusers, too.
The idea that any woman, could be as capable as a man — making other people’s lives miserable, or even of sexual harassment, shouldn’t surprise us as much as it invariably does. Unfortunately, sisters are not always sisterly. Sexual harassment and abuse by women may be rare, but it’s not nonexistent.
Anyone can be afraid of the professional consequences of rejecting a boss. Anyone can be made to feel humiliated, or anxious about coming in to work because of what they’ll have to pretend they are comfortable with. And women, of course, can also be sexually harassed and abused by other women. Even now, the possibility still rarely enters into our assumptions. But what’s glaring is it is ingrained in us to see men as the problem and women as the answer, no doubt because so often that is how it pans out.
But anyone can behave badly, especially in the entertainment world where the kind of toxic, high-pressure environments where people with power are indulged in abusing it, so long as they’re getting the results they want. Harassment is ultimately an abuse of power, and these days power doesn’t always lie where it did.
Although we champion her, Barbie presides over a make-believe world, while in the real world the same old assumptions and pressures create the conditions under which some women thrive and others don’t. The only power that really counts, at work or in private life but especially in the entertainment world that hypocritically blurs the two, is the power to say no to something personally uncomfortable without having to live in fear of the consequences.
In 2013, actress Emma Roberts was arrested for beating up her then boyfriend Evan Peters. She broke his nose and bit him. Peters forgave her, did not want to press any charges, and ended up publicly comforting her as she was crying not long after the incident. It was reported that they were working to move past the incident. Roberts and Peters ultimately broke off their engagement, however, her career never really suffered and she stars in the new film Madame Web.
Think about if Peters had broken Roberts’ nose and bit her. As a society, the view of the entire situation would be different. We have to be careful in believing that forgiveness means that no abuse actually took place, when in fact, that is not the case. It is very common for victims of abuse to forgive their perpetrators. Men are no different to women.
In 2009, Elin Nordegren, Tiger Woods’ then wife, had allegedly found text messages on his phone that proved he was cheating on her, so she struck him with a nine iron, causing him to spit blood, scratched his face, and smashed out the windows of his car as he tried to get away. After he crashed, she panicked and made up a conflicting story on the spot. Tiger Woods had to undergo plastic surgery from the injuries she inflicted.
This particular ordeal provided us with an ugly glimpse into the behind-the-scenes life of, at the time, Nike’s golden child — the man who could do no wrong; the man who was feared on the golf course, and adored by us all, was suddenly human. This single, unfortunate incident made Tiger Woods just another man going through hard times with his wife, and that is how it ended. For the most part, women praised Nordegren for making Woods pay for cheating. He never pressed charges against the mother of his children, and she ultimately moved on with her life better than ever.
We have come to a place where we accept that most celebrities have the resources to stay out of jail, and attain counsel. Being a celebrity can influence decisions. Yet, in these two cases, the men showed pity on the women and quickly forgave them, almost in an effort to make the incident go away just as fast. Maybe the men assumed that nothing would happen to the women anyway; that domestic violence against them wouldn’t be taken seriously; that they would rather protect their image then take it any further.
After news breaks regarding celebrity scandals, people soon forget and move on to whatever the next big news story is. As a society, we need to expand our view of what abuse looks like in the entertainment world when perpetrated by women. They need to be taken more seriously. In the grand scheme of things, it truly benefits us all when they are.
Are you ready for the Jane Austen RPG you didn’t know you needed? Because 9th Level Games is delivering mashup magic with Sentai & Sensibility. Think of it like regency romance meets Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Or, as the game makers put it, Bridgerton meets Kaiju. It’s a beautiful combination on paper, isn’t it? The mashup, which we first saw at Dicebreaker, looks intriguing beyond paper too, as you can see in 9th Level Games’ successful Kickstarter campaign. Take a look at this art of Mx. Cedar Abode, the Golden Ranger.
That art is only a sampling of what Sentai & Sensibility has to offer. You will play a member of the Regency elite with the usual bustling social calendar that comes with the position. Everything is business as usual until a Kaiju appears and threatens everything. Then you and your Sentai of Rangers transform into a unit of suited heroes, a la Power Rangers. You will work to defend your precious society from a sneaky organization called the Syndicate.
Excuse me whilst I execute a dramatic Regency faint to express how much I adore this concept.
Each player creates a Sentai Warrior and a type of role: the Premier, the Ronin, the Hussar, or the Dragoon. The type of hero will dictate which die the player will roll, as well as other strengths. Get all the details you need from the Kickstarter page. You still have a handful of days to back the campaign and claim an early spot in the Sentai & Sensibility fandom. Levels include PDF version, physical books, and a deck of companion cards.
The post Jane Austen Meets Kaiju in SENTAI & SENSIBILITY RPG appeared first on Nerdist.
If its leading 13 nominations are any guide, Oppenheimer is going to have a big night at the Academy Awards on March 10. Christopher Nolan and his cast and crew aren’t the only ones who could be in for a special evening, though. Nerds like us could also have plenty of reasons to celebrate, too. Many genre films, geeky movies, and pop culture stalwarts earned nods across various Oscar categories. Which ones? We already told you that, but now we’re here to really get you ready for Hollywood’s biggest event. We’ve put together a list of where you can watch every nerdy nominee ahead of the Oscars telecast.
Barbie – Stream on Max
Mattel might have produced Barbie, a movie based on its own toy, but there’s no doubt it still qualifies as a true nerdy film. From Weird Barbie to “I’m Just Ken,” this was right up our alley. (An alley millions and millions of others also love, too.)
You can see why it earned more than a billion dollars at the box office and eight nominations over at Max. That’s also where you can see why it’s so absurd that director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie didn’t earn recognition in their individual categories.
Oppenheimer – Stream on Peacock (Starting February 16)
Christopher Nolan has plenty of nerd cred to last a lifetime. Only he’s not why Oppenheimer makes the cut for this specific list. That honor goes to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The combined shared release power of Oppenheimer and Barbie created an organic pop culture event. The films reignited a passion for movie theaters that brought together both diehard and casual cinema fans alike.
Oppenheimer turned everyone into a movie nerd, and you can be one too by streaming the favorite to win Best Picture at Peacock.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Stream on Netflix
The Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse showed us “anyone can wear the mask.” However, if you want to stream its sequel, you need a Netflix account. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, our prediction to win 2024’s Best Animated Feature category, is available at the site. At least, that’s where you’ll find this gorgeous film in this universe.
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny – Stream on Disney+
Harrison Ford’s farewell to his iconic character brought him on an adventure through time itself. If you have time to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny before the Academy Awards, you can watch the Oscar-nominated film on Disney+. The film earned the legendary John Williams a nod for Best Original Score, his 54th Oscar nomination (the most of anyone alive and second most ever).
The Creator – Stream on Hulu
We called Gareth Edwards’ The Creator “one of the most visually impressive science fiction movies” ever made. Clearly, the Academy agreed. It earned a nomination for Best Visual Effects, as well as one for Best Sound. You can see (and hear) why at Hulu, where the John David Washington-led film is streaming.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Stream on Paramount+
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning has dropped “Part One” from its title. But just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, one of the best action movies ever is just as incredible under any other title. It was also good enough to earn Oscar nominations for both VFX and Sound. Find out why at Paramount+.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 – Stream on Disney+
James Gunn has left the MCU behind to lead the new DCU, but he bid farewell to Marvel Studios with a moving goodbye. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the group as we know it an emotional sendoff. But the Guardians’ story isn’t over just yet. Their swan song is up for a Visual Effects Oscar in 2024. It’s also available to watch at Disney+.
Godzilla Minus One – Watch in Theaters
Godzilla Minus One looks like it must have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make. Yet somehow, it had an operating budget under $15 million. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences found that just as impressive as the rest of us, nominating the film for Best VFX. That’s not the only reason to see this fantastic movie, though. You can see why it was a word-of-mouth hit in the U.S. by checking out the movie on the big screen in theaters.
The Boy and the Heron – Watch in Theaters
Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki could direct an animated insurance commercial, and we’d stop everything we’re doing to see it. Multiple times. Instead, he gave us something far better, a beautiful story that might be his final animated film ever. If you want to see why the iconic director’s The Boy and the Heron is also his most successful in America, ever, you can watch this Oscar-nominated adventure in movie theaters.
Poor Things – Watch In Theaters
We’re always excited for a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s seminal Frankenstein, but it’s even better when an original interpretation is as good as Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, starring Emma Stone. The movie earned the second-most 2024 nominations at eleven. While we expect the movie to hit streamers before the Oscars, if you want to watch it now you will need to see it in theaters or wait until it hits digital platforms on February 27.
Like all these Oscar-nominated nerdy films, it’s worth it.
Originally published on January 24, 2024.
The post Here’s Where You Can Watch 2024’s Nerdy Oscar Nominees appeared first on Nerdist.
If you’re anything like me, I get incredibly attached and invested in fictional characters. To this day, I cannot watch “The Mountain” and the “Viper” episode of Game of Thrones in its entirety because of the outcome. (Curse you, arrogant Oberyn!). To that end, I am tortured of memories, both wistful and bitter, about how so many characters never got to truly shine from a show being cancelled, or the character being killed off, or because writers had their head up their asses, or those same silly scribes might have had powdered noses from having too much fun in the Riverdale writer’s room. In any case, I decided I needed to rant a bit about some of my favorite characters whom I believe deserved so much more. Don’t be fooled though! My list is way longer than just these 5, trust me. Never doubt a nerd’s ability to hold on to many, many grudges.
Helga Sinclair – Atlantis: The Lost Empire
This sassy woman is one of my favorite animated characters of all time. Introduced to us as a militaristic personal assistant/lieutenant of deception, Helga represents what happens when you underestimate a gorgeous femme fatale. She was strong, self-assured, and had half a teaspoon of empathy more than the main big bad of the movie. (Which doesn’t say that much, but I LOVE HER OKAY?!) That kick she gave Roark aboard that hot air balloon at the end of the movie lives in my mind forever. I wish she returned in the sequel or at least had some kind of satisfying closure to her story. Along with Shego from Kim Possible, I’m pretty sure the Lieutenant was a part of many people’s queer awakening.
Anna Fang – Mortal Engines
”I don’t really do subtle.”-Anna Fang
Played by the gorgeous Jihae, Anna Fang was an unknown name to me until I watched the 2018 Mortal Engines movie. Now, the movie is garbage, but the one shining beacon within the bleak action film was the pilot and leader of a rebellion, Anna Fang. She ruled the skies on her plane, the Jenny Haniver, and terrorized slavers and imperialists alike. I would say the film is worth the watch, only to see how badass the renegade pilot is. Anna Fang’s characterization was so impactful to me that I wrote a whole article on just her. Read more here.
Saffron/Yolanda/Bridget – Firefly
Firefly is one of my favorite sci-fi shows, and I loved the plethora of guests actors we got from the ill-fated and short series. One of them was the incomparable Christina Hendricks. I don’t want to get too much into spoilers, but I highly recommend watching episode 6, “Our Mrs. Reynolds.” From the moment her duplicity was revealed, I found Saff/Yo/Bridge to be a compelling character. I would have loved it if the writers had time to dive more into her past. She was enigmatic, sure, but she was capable, ruthless, and quick to anger. She managed to incapacitate the crew of the Firefly before *almost* getting away with it. Getting punched in the face by Nathan Fillion’s character may have pricked her pride, but it’s better than a brutal death that she would have swiftly deserved. QTNA: Did she train as a companion? What is her real name? I NEED TO KNOW.
Ariel Eberhart – Grimm
Now, this character is a very niche reference. Back when I was in high school/undergrad, I really enjoyed the earlier seasons of the fairytale cop show, Grimm. One episode introduced a belly dancing snake lady. Portrayed by goodie-two shoes Disney kid actress, Danielle Panabaker, I remembered her being cool and WAYYYYYY better than Nick’s other love interests. Her story ended on a cliffhanger, and they never acknowledged her later due to my knowledge, which was a HUGE missed opportunity for an epic enemies-to-lovers plot line/Selina Kyle + Batman kind of vibe. It really is too bad; the steam and chemistry between Nick and Ariel was way hotter than what we got with anyone else.
Katerina Solensan – Cowboy Bebop
“Asteroid Blues” (the first episode of Cowboy Bebop) is devastating; a haunting ode to tragic love. It’s made morbidly complete by Katerina Solensan, the solemn beauty brought to God by her love for a doomed man. We follow Spike Spiegel, bounty hunter, try and capture Katerina and her drug-addicted partner, Asimov, before they’re killed by gang members they stole from. Hearing about Katerina’s hopes and dreams, even in the middle of a bloody, doomed landscape set the tone for the series. Is it a heart-wrenching episode? Hell yes. But Katerina showed us what happens when you choose to allow love to blind you until it’s too late.
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The post Characters Who Deserved More Screen Time appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.