WEBVTT 1 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:26.000 We're Time of Lorenzo and this is the Pop Style 2 00:00:26.039 --> 00:00:28.559 Opinion Fest Tble Kittens, Welcome back to another edition of 3 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:31.160 the Pso. I am the Tea and your Tela, Tom Fitzgerald, 4 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:32.960 and I'm here with the Low and your Tela, Lorenso, 5 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:35.359 my cousin, I love the husband day, how are you 6 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:36.039 love the husband? 7 00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:38.079 I'm wonderful, fantastic. 8 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:40.880 We are doing this a little late because and that 9 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:44.880 was on purpose, because we wanted to wait until we 10 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:47.719 could see a preview of the Devil Wears product too, 11 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:51.840 so we could do a whole fashion themed podcast. But 12 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:54.719 that means we're actually dropping two podcasts today on Friday, 13 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:58.719 because later today we're also doing The Bitter Kitten Movie Club, 14 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:02.439 which will be focused on Zola. So I'm going to 15 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:07.760 try and keep these conversations a little the feeling a 16 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:10.439 little different because Zola, the bittercit and Movie Club, I 17 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:13.799 mean that's more of a just a loose conversation about 18 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:16.200 a bunch of different things. But with the Devilwares brought 19 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:19.760 it too. For this podcast, I wanted to try and 20 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.000 do more of a strict more of a straight up review, 21 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:27.159 So we're going to review it. We're going to not 22 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:31.159 spoil it until like the last ten minutes of this podcast. 23 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:38.519 Pardon me, still getting over that cold. But before we 24 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:40.719 do that, we're going to talk a little bit about 25 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.359 the Metcala this year. We talk about the Metcala every year. 26 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:46.840 We are sort of the go to guys when people 27 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:50.719 want quotes and stuff about the Metcala, And this year 28 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:54.560 I thought we would unpack a little bit of the 29 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:59.599 politics of the situation, because you cannot talk about anything 30 00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:04.280 anymore or without politics entering the equation. So let's start 31 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:09.919 off with this, Lorenzo, why don't you use your fashion 32 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:13.919 expertise and just give us an overview of the Metcala 33 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:15.879 and what it is and what it's about. 34 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:22.680 So the Metcala is a gala event that when and 35 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:25.639 a wind Tour decided to put together h to raise 36 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:27.759 money for the Costume. 37 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:29.680 Institute of the Metropop Museum. 38 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.360 Yeah, Park, so she he needed money and she she 39 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:35.479 was trying to come up with ideas to help them. 40 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:39.680 So she decided, why don't I, you know, put together 41 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:43.400 this gala with celebrities and fashion and all that, because 42 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:45.719 people are always interested in that no prey money to come. 43 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:46.680 And that happened. 44 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:49.639 I think that. I'm not sure she originated the Metcala. 45 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:50.240 I don't think so. 46 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:52.759 I think I don't think she originated Torue. 47 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:56.159 She took it over because again, they needed money, uh, 48 00:02:56.199 --> 00:02:58.639 and they needed like celebrities, they need people that we 49 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:00.280 you know, worship. 50 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:02.599 And she is one of the chairs of the Costume 51 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:05.319 Institute at the metropolit Museum of Art. And the reason 52 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:09.800 I'm laying this groundwork is, you know, most people just 53 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:12.159 don't have an understanding of what the met Gala is, 54 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:17.360 and they think it's just this parade of insanely wealthy 55 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:21.759 people wearing insanely expensive outfits, and all of that is 56 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:28.919 largely true, but it's not simply ostentation for ostentation's sake. 57 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:34.280 It is a fundraiser for an actual art museum, and 58 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:38.159 because of the nature of that museum, because the Costume 59 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:42.280 Institute deals with fashion, Yeah, it's a fashion oriented event. 60 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:45.319 And over the years it has become more and more 61 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:50.159 of a high fashion sort of parade. I mean, back 62 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.520 in the seventies, before I think and A. Winter was 63 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:57.599 in charge, it was just your average New York City museum. God. 64 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:01.000 I mean, there's still a lot of rich people attended 65 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:02.639 the event. That we don't even know who they are, 66 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:04.759 and they right, it's not all celebrity now, it's not. 67 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:07.000 I mean, we focus on the celebrities, but you know, 68 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:10.199 there's a ton of people, rich New Yorkers who pay 69 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.360 good money to attend the gala because it's something they 70 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:16.600 do and they wear their culture and everything, and we 71 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:18.600 never hear from them. We don't know anything about them. 72 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.879 But they do pay good money to attend the event. 73 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:24.399 And so do the fashioned houses too. 74 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:26.480 If you want to explain that they buy table. 75 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:28.759 Yeah, because people think, oh, you know, all these anybody, 76 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:31.800 all these people come for free, but not not really. 77 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:34.279 I mean the houses pay a lot of money for 78 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:37.120 a table, and what they do is that they sort 79 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:38.199 of suggest who they. 80 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:40.519 Want to say, like hundreds of thousands of dollars for 81 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:40.920 a table. 82 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:43.439 Yeah, So what they do is they suggest in terms 83 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:45.879 of celebrities who they want at their table, and they 84 00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:48.439 they sort of have a discussion with that with Vogue 85 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:51.920 and a win tour, and she kind of approves or 86 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.680 not who should be attended. Event I have to say 87 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:57.879 she has become more and more flexible about that because 88 00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:01.399 now we have the Kim Kardashians, you know, attending event 89 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:03.800 and at one point, I mean, you wouldn't even think 90 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:05.920 of someone like Kim Kardashi and a teddy. But anyway, 91 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:11.319 now they're regulars. So but she sort of like suggests 92 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.639 people to the to the designers anyway. So that's why 93 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.319 you have tables, and that's why you have a bunch 94 00:05:19.319 --> 00:05:22.120 of people wearing the same designer as a group because 95 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.680 they got invited by the fashion house and they go, 96 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.319 of course, because they're promoting and he's usually people promote 97 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:31.120 you know, hot people like you know, very you know 98 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:32.079 hot and Trandy. 99 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:35.360 Yeah, I mean, designers are not going to pick just anybody. 100 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:38.040 They're going to want people that are going to you know, 101 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:40.279 sell their brand. And that is the other thing is that, 102 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:43.519 you know, most of the celebrities are there upon an 103 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.399 invite by a specific designer or design house, and then 104 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:48.959 they are wearing stuff from that design house. 105 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:50.079 They have to wear a designer. 106 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:52.879 Yeah, that's a common misunderstanding is like, well, why didn't 107 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:54.839 they wear this or why didn't they wear that? They're 108 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:57.639 only there on an invite from a designer and they 109 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:00.399 have to they pretty much have to wear well, let 110 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:03.800 me just they're not handed clothing to wear I mean, 111 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.720 they collaborate with the designer, but they are at the 112 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:09.720 mercy of that. They can't be invited by you know, 113 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:11.759 I don't know Chanel and decide to show up in 114 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:13.319 Mark Jacobs. That's not how it works. 115 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.279 I'm sure Conna story is going to be there, where 116 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.519 is Saint Laurent. And so that's that's how it works. 117 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:21.639 They get to pick what they wore. Oh of course, 118 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:25.920 you know, with the help of their silas. That still works. 119 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:28.439 But they have to wear the designer. And you know, 120 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:30.839 I mean if Chanelle told me you have to wear Chanel, 121 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:33.040 or you know, Tom Brown said you have to wear 122 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:34.399 Trump Brow, of course I wear. 123 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:37.800 But nobody's showing up in something they didn't want to wear, 124 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:39.519 something that they were forced in to wear. 125 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:42.480 That's true. And sometimes it's stuff from the latest collection 126 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:44.800 or sometimes most of the time it's custom design. 127 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:47.600 So it's almost always custom. I mean, no one's going 128 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:50.199 to walk in wearing something they just just walked a runway. 129 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:53.319 They're going to walk in wearing something outrageous that was 130 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:56.759 made just for them. And in the in the years 131 00:06:56.759 --> 00:06:58.319 that we have been covering and I think we've been 132 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:03.720 covering the Mecalla about fifteen years now, the idea of 133 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:08.959 looks going viral has permeated the whole thing. It's about 134 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:12.040 showing up and becoming the viral look at the night. 135 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:18.439 So in some respects, and I think probably Anna Winter 136 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:20.839 doesn't love this, but you know, she's got to do 137 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:24.399 what she's got to do to raise their money. In 138 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:29.560 some respects, it has become an anti fashion event, you know, 139 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:33.240 inadvertently becoming an anti fashion because it's not about fashion, 140 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:38.439 and it's not about self expression. It's just about you know, spectacle, 141 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:42.279 you know, and these people are showing up in things 142 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:46.360 that are just more akin to a costume design, like 143 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:48.279 something that you would wear on stage to perform a 144 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.079 pop song, than it is an actual piece of fashion. 145 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:54.959 I mean these are very expensive costume costumes, very expensive 146 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:59.439 garments and everything, jewelry. I mean, everybody gets involved and 147 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:02.399 spend a lot of money. And then people always talk 148 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:03.959 about the theme. I mean, ei they're going to be 149 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:07.160 wearing the theme or theme inspired. You don't have given 150 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:09.879 up on this one, but they don't. And the thing 151 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:11.879 is that it's not a dress code. The theme is 152 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:13.560 for it's actually for the exhibit. 153 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:17.160 I just explained that, yeah, it's the press will constantly 154 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:21.040 refer to the Mecala's dress code, and that's wrong. The 155 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:23.680 dress code of the Metcala is formal. That's it. That 156 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:27.639 is the dress code. It is not a costume party 157 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:30.519 where you all have to show up according to some 158 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:34.039 sort of theme. Generally though, that is how it has 159 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:37.639 evolved over the years. It's technically you don't like when 160 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:40.080 someone shows up in a in a nice dress, people 161 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:42.679 are like, oh, she didn't you know, get the memo whatever, No, 162 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:47.639 she opted to just dress nicely. Right, You don't have 163 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:50.679 to dress according to the theme, and a winter herself 164 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:57.120 almost never does she something right. The theme this year 165 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:01.080 is Fashion is Art, and that is based on as 166 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.080 it is every year. The theme every year of the 167 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:06.759 Mecala is based on whatever exhibit is currently running in 168 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:10.759 the Metcala, and the current exhibit is costume Art. So 169 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:14.080 I think this theme is one of the broadest ones 170 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:17.919 they've ever done. Like, fashion is Art, Okay, well you're 171 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:20.440 going to show I guarantee someone's going to show up 172 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:23.919 like wearing some painting or something like that, or or 173 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:26.600 a gilt frame or some goofy s thing like that. 174 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:29.480 But for the most part, I think and I think 175 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:33.559 this might have been Anna's ploy here, is that she 176 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:37.679 deliberately made it so broad in the in the hopes 177 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.279 that people would show up in fabulous looks, not in 178 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.440 these like clown car looks. 179 00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:45.399 I have to say the exhibit itself, it's is always fantastic. 180 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.320 We've been to a couple and it's really interesting. If 181 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:49.879 you're in New York and you want to see the 182 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:54.600 actual exhibit, it it's worth a visit because it's beautiful 183 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:58.919 gowns or beautiful garments that you know, that they pick 184 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:01.159 for the exhibit. They tell, you know, they tell the 185 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:05.320 whole story about the theme and everything. So it is 186 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:09.080 interesting and I and it, like we said, it, you know, 187 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.399 raised a lot of money and it's an event that 188 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:14.399 everyone talks about the next day. And celebrities love it. 189 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:16.759 Of course because they get all the attention. They're not 190 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:19.200 going to follow the theme and they don't have to 191 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.759 because you know, I've already said that celebrity in general, 192 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:25.399 they want to look hot and sexy. Yeah, that's the 193 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:28.279 bottom line here. They want to look young and hot 194 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:33.639 and sexy. So so if the theme doesn't, you know, 195 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:35.799 help them with that, help them with that. They're not 196 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:37.000 going to do it. They're not going to do it. 197 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:40.720 They're gonna wear their shear, you know, embellished, you know things. 198 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:44.639 I think generally the fashion at the metcala is more 199 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:49.279 out is the most outrageous red carpet in America. Right 200 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.720 on the calendar every year it out does you know, 201 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:56.879 the the Oscars and various other galas and stuff. One 202 00:10:56.919 --> 00:10:59.080 of the things I wanted to just briefly touch on. 203 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:03.639 We went to the Whitney Gala in two thousand and nine, remember, 204 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.799 and I just want to offer that as an example 205 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:11.639 of what is a quote unquote normal, not over the 206 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:14.919 top sort of benefit for a museum. I think the 207 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:17.559 Whitney Gala still happens. I think they still have it 208 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.360 every year. We were This is so weird. I was 209 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:23.639 thinking about this last night. Very early in our careers 210 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:26.759 because blogging was like exciting and the fashion world was 211 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:29.320 embracing it. And I mean part of that was had 212 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.519 to do with our early success. But do you remember 213 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:35.919 like Versus literally Versace and Dulce and Gabana were like 214 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:38.840 pursuing us for things. Remember they said, Dulce Cabana sent 215 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:41.919 us wallets and everything, and it was the Versace people. 216 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:45.320 Versace Dona Talla Versace was hosting the Whitney Gala that 217 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:49.480 year and their people asked us to come and cover 218 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:51.919 it for them, which we did. It's it's a very 219 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:53.000 old post on our site. 220 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:56.639 Yeah, but a lot of famous people were there. 221 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:59.559 But it was so low key. Yeah, it was not 222 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:02.720 the gala. They were all sitting around on couches. Everyone 223 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:06.120 was wearing nice, mostly nice clothes, but it wasn't it 224 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:09.279 wasn't what this what the And I'm only offering this 225 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:14.000 up as as a point that museum galas are very 226 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:19.279 normal in New York. They generally do get some celebrities. 227 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:21.000 Even if it's not movie stars, they're going to wind 228 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:25.759 up getting Broadway stars and television stars. But they they're 229 00:12:25.799 --> 00:12:28.960 not always right. The mechala is on a completely different level, 230 00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:32.039 and it's sort of why the mecala always gets so 231 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:36.360 much I don't know, blowback, and that's one of the 232 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.840 things I do want to talk about. But before we 233 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:42.039 go to the break, I did want to note, because 234 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:44.600 we didn't bring this up, the coach chairs this year 235 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:49.000 are Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams, so it should 236 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:50.320 be a very stylish. 237 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:52.919 They're going to be wearing something interesting, gorgeous. 238 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:55.759 I don't think Beyonce might be wearing something a little 239 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:57.600 over the top, but I think most of the all 240 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.679 three of them are going to wind up wearing very, 241 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:02.240 very chic looks. I actually can't wait to see what 242 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:03.279 Nicole Kimman's gonna work. 243 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:06.159 That's a little bit back to the Whitney Galla you mentioned. 244 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:09.399 I remember Jennifer Hudson. She was there, yes, and she 245 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:13.240 was wearing Versachi Couture, Tellia Versaci and I remember looking 246 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:18.039 at her gown and just being stunned by it because 247 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:20.919 it was so gorgeous. My point is that these things 248 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:24.480 in person look so so different, much better, and I 249 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:27.200 you know, what you see in a picture is just 250 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:29.600 half of the beauty of it. And I think that's 251 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:33.000 the stylist job, to make sure that you know, when 252 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:36.480 you see that stuff in a picture, it should sort 253 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:38.720 of That's how they should pick the garments. That's my point. 254 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:43.559 I think they should take photographs into consideration when they 255 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:44.559 picked those things. 256 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:46.759 Because when we went I'm sorry, guh, go ahead, when 257 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:48.519 we went to the Whitney Galla that was two thousand 258 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:53.120 and nine, I believe, and I remember that sort of 259 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.039 informed all of our red carporate coverage since then, because 260 00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:01.559 we try to talk about how it looks pictures, because 261 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:04.399 that is the point of a red cart But maybe 262 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:07.360 it looked stunning in person, but the point is a 263 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:09.679 million people are going to see the pictures and only 264 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:13.559 one hundred and fifty so in person. So and we 265 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:16.519 try and rate what we're looking at from that perspective, 266 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:19.120 with the knowledge that a lot of this stuff probably 267 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:22.559 looks stunning and most high fashion stage does they do. 268 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:26.759 But if it doesn't photograph, well it has failed. Anyway, 269 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:30.000 let's take a short break. 270 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:31.120 Oh. 271 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:33.799 Also, Zoe Kravitz is the host committee head, although I 272 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:35.919 don't know what that means different from the co chairs. 273 00:14:36.039 --> 00:14:38.559 I think there's just like levels to it. And then 274 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:42.519 the honorary chairs are Jeff and Lauren Bezos and that 275 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:44.679 we're going to talk about when we get back. We'll 276 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:45.240 be right back. 277 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:48.519 We're back. 278 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:50.799 And one of the reasons I wanted to talk about 279 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:53.240 the mcalla aside in the fact that we generally do 280 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:54.879 aways talk about it. Yeah, I think we do a 281 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.159 little short podcast on it every year, is we started 282 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:01.840 getting emails about I hope you guys aren't covering it 283 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:04.240 this year because of Jeff and Lauren Bezos. 284 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.279 Oh honey, I have. 285 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:11.000 Yeah, we're going to unpack a lot of this. Here's 286 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:16.919 the thing. And this does get to a question that 287 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:21.960 has plagued us since the beginning of our blogging careers, 288 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:28.320 which is it's not a question, it's an issue. Readers 289 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:34.879 often mistake their choices for our choices, and instead of 290 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:38.519 a reader saying I am not going to read anything 291 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:42.519 about the Bezos Metcala, they instead reach out to writers 292 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:45.200 and say you should not be writing about this, And 293 00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:48.720 that's actually a total reversal of it. You are the 294 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:50.600 one that should make a choice as to whether or 295 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.000 not you're going to read certain things or support certain things. 296 00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:56.919 Reaching out to writers who cover those things and telling 297 00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:59.679 them not to cover them is pointless. 298 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:01.919 I also want to emphasize that we have our limits. 299 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:03.960 It's not like we cover everything anything. I mean, we 300 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:07.559 don't cover those people anymore, you know, like Millennia and 301 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:09.519 all these people. So my point is that we have 302 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.440 some principal fear. It's just that when it comes to 303 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:14.600 the metal, I mean, come on, well. 304 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:19.200 Here's my Yeah, there are certain dates on the calendar, 305 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:21.399 certain months of the year that if you're in our 306 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:25.960 line of work, they are essential to our line of work. 307 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.240 Like we have to cover award season, we have to 308 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:31.840 cover the Oscars, we have to cover the Metcala, we 309 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:34.240 have to cover the can Film Festival, we have to 310 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:39.039 cover the Venice Film Festival. If we don't cover these things, 311 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:41.639 we are in effect saying we're not the person who 312 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.759 covers this, like we're just not and that you know, 313 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:47.159 we've set ourselves up. It's been twenty years of work, 314 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:50.159 but we have set ourselves up as two of the 315 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:54.360 leading voices in red carpet commentary in the world. LeMond 316 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:58.080 just did an interview with us and actually said that 317 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.639 that we were like leading voices in the and you know, 318 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:04.079 I do say that. I'm like, I do say that 319 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:06.119 to brag. I'm not even going to up front like, yeah, 320 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:08.039 I'm saying that to brag, but it's also the truth, 321 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:10.359 Like we worked very hard to establish ourselves. And the 322 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:13.880 thing is, it's one thing. If you want to contact 323 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:17.599 I don't know, Vogue or Cosmo and tell them that 324 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:21.039 they shouldn't cover it, that's a mainstream media piece and 325 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.720 maybe you can, yeah, maybe you can work something. But 326 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:29.480 I get offended when people go after the smallest possible 327 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:32.680 publishers and tell them you better not do this or 328 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:35.160 I'm going to stop reading you and hands in the 329 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:37.359 air like okay, I guess you're going to stop reading me. 330 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:41.279 But this is my job and the other I mean 331 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:44.920 just removing all of that from it, do you. I mean, 332 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:48.480 Jeff and Laaren Bezos are two of the biggest names 333 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:53.440 in the oligarchy sphere, but every single year at the 334 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:57.599 met gala, there are billionaires there every single year. Like 335 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:00.759 that's it's rich people. It's a gala for rich people. 336 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:03.200 Right. The beauty of having a site like ours is 337 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:05.720 that we are the owners and we make our decisions. 338 00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:09.240 Uh uh, you know, based on what how we feel comfortable, 339 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:12.680 you know, with anything, so like for I'll give you 340 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.960 an exhip, but don't Checkabana. I mean, they were horrible 341 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:18.039 people for a long time. There still are, but people 342 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.640 are wearing them and we have to report on that, 343 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:22.240 and we have to report on them. I mean, like 344 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:25.640 just because you know, I don't know recently and it 345 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:27.839 was that and had the way where she yeah she 346 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:31.519 wore uh do chagabuna. I believe anywhere everyone is wearing them. 347 00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:35.000 So we have to say this is by dot Chickabana. 348 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:38.039 We still I mean I avoid putting as you have noticed, 349 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:39.559 you guys have noticed, I don't put it like ed 350 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:42.319 campaigns or anything like that. I avoid as much as 351 00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:46.000 I can as we can. But sometimes if if a 352 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:49.359 major celebrity is wearing do Chakobana or any other brand 353 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:52.559 that you guys you know, don't don't agree with, I 354 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:54.720 mean we still have to say we can't. We still 355 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.200 have to cover. 356 00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:56.960 There was a long time where people are like, why 357 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.400 are you still covering them? I mean there was uh, 358 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:02.519 someone had to melt down in our comment section last 359 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:07.839 year because we were covering the opening of that film 360 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:12.079 with oh god, what's his name? Brad Pitt and Brad 361 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:14.079 Pitt and why are you covering Brad Pitt? Because he's 362 00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:17.599 problematic and he abused his children. And I'm like, yeah, okay, 363 00:19:17.640 --> 00:19:20.039 I get that, but my job is to cover film 364 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:23.160 premiers like this is a major film premiere. Blame it 365 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.400 on Hollywood that he still has a career, But don't 366 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:29.599 ask me not to cover a major premiere because you 367 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:32.519 don't like or because the per and listen, I've made 368 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:36.160 these choices. We both have there, we have severely cut 369 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:38.640 back on covering someone like Johnny Depp. I mean, oh, 370 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:40.880 granted he's not doing much with his life right now, 371 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.920 but we have covered him. We've covered Kanye, but because 372 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:50.240 these are very problematic people. But again, I didn't elevate 373 00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:53.240 these people. And sometimes you get that, you get why 374 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:55.160 are you giving this person a platform? And I'm like, 375 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.880 do you really think my little blog is giving Kanye 376 00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:00.400 a bigger platform? Like I'm not at it to this 377 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.279 at all, right. 378 00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:03.200 And just to finish so that we don't spend too 379 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:05.119 much time talking about this, I don't want you to 380 00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:08.559 feel sorry for us, but revenue in general for a 381 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:13.200 website plummeting are just getting smaller by the minute. So 382 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:16.200 we have to cover the stuff that we think will 383 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:20.000 attract a lot of attention. So yeah, that's that's, that's 384 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:20.519 how it is. 385 00:20:20.680 --> 00:20:23.680 I'm not even morally compromised or ethically compromised by this. 386 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:26.440 I do not support anything about Jeff and Lauren Bezos. 387 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:28.839 I think they're horrible people. I think they've done horrible 388 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:33.119 things to this country. But I'm not going to not 389 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:37.680 cover my the things that I'm probably not covering them. No, 390 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:39.799 we're not going to have much they're going to show 391 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:42.680 up on our site. But I'm not boycotting the Megala. 392 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:46.079 That's not something I'm going I mean, it would have 393 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:49.559 to be something far more controversial than an olive arch 394 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:51.640 showing up to get me to just completely. 395 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:56.799 I'm sure she'll be wearing something insanely outraged, but we're 396 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.799 not covering I mean, they attended to Vinity fear of 397 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:04.559 and we didn't cover it. Yeah anyway, now, but that's. 398 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:07.960 The bottom line is that this is our job. This 399 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:10.720 is one of the biggest events that we cover every year. 400 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:14.559 Like literally people come just to see what Tom and 401 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:18.079