a cautionary tale.
a few thoughts on "swarm" + reads & vibes for your weekend.
Hi friend! Happy Friday! We’ve made it through another week! That is cause for celebration, so cheers to you. Let’s jump right in.
thoughts at large.
Friend, I’ve been so behind on my shows because I’ve traveled A LOT this month! I’ve barely been home! Please believe that I’ve been grateful to sleep in my own bed, and back into my routine.
I watch shows for decompression. It’s exciting for me - because I’ve always been a storyteller. When I feel like I’m far from my storytelling roots, watching a good show reminds me of the possibilities that can come from taking a good story idea and executing it. Pray for me - and hold me accountable. I’ll be back to writing soon. That’s another story for another day though.
Today, I want to talk about a show that I binged this week - I told you about it in last week’s newsletter. It’s Prime Video’s “Swarm”, created by Janine Nabers & Donald Glover. It’s a trippy look at a fan who is dangerously obsessed with a pop star (who is not so loosely based on Beyoncè.)
I posted on my IG story the other day that I felt like the show was genius - but not in the way that you might think. Some of the content is downright disturbing, gory, and hard to watch. And while it’s not based on a true story - the genius of it is that it COULD be a true story.
For me, SWARM is a well-developed & entertaining WARNING.
In America, and particularly in Black American culture, we’ve become obsessed with celebrity culture. You may be thinking to yourself, Andrea… it’s not that serious.
But it is. We’ve allowed ourselves to get so engrossed in celebrity culture and fandom that someone like Dre (the main character in Swarm) doesn’t seem that far off to me. While we haven’t heard any stories yet of a superfan or a STAN avenging their favorite artist - there have been plenty of things that have happened online that let me know we’re not too far off. Fans will dox people who say things that they don’t agree with, or beef with other fanbases. Fans have stalked their favorite celebrities. It’s weird. And we’re setting a crazy precedent by continuing to feed into it.
Do you know that The Shade Room is one of the LARGEST Black-owned media companies in the world? The Shade Room… which started as an Instagram “tea” page, is one of the most powerful forces in Black media today. And why? Because people love mess, and celebrity gossip! More often than not - the Shade Room content isn’t even that bad, but it’s the comment section that scares me the most. People say things online that they would NEVER say to someone in person. With the pandemic and the growing remote work population, I would venture to say that we’re in the most connected, but disconnected era ever.
What’s the solution? Friend, if I knew, I would have probably done something about it by now. What I’ve done to protect and check myself from getting too deep in celeb culture:
I unfollowed The Shade Room last year. No shade to them, but shade. It’s toxic.
I audited who I follow and engage with on socials. I got rid of negative/messy accounts and started following positive accounts, and people who share information without the mess.
I consume celebrity content in doses. As a media person, it’s challenging because I like to stay in the know. But I’ve started to be okay with not knowing sometimes. Everything isn’t for everybody.
I started this newsletter to share the things that I’ve learned and get things to you in a way that’s accessible and informative. I hope that it’s also fun.
I go outside. I’ve been more intentional about talking with my friends and doing things in the real world.
We have to do better for the next generation. The disconnection will only get worse, and if we don’t do our part.
Did you watch Swarm? If so, leave me a comment and let me know what you think, or if you’re reading this in your inbox, just hit reply. I want to hear from you.
need you to know.
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TikTok’s CEO testified before Congress this week. There are a lot of lawmakers who are interested in seeing the platform banned in the US. The reasoning they’re giving - blaming it for the decline in teens’ mental health - is weak, however. I could see why it might need to be banned - security is a major issue. This week there has been a whole campaign from TikTok on its benefits for America - the CEO even made a video in a hoodie & jeans. That was by design. Read more here.
A Michigan judge has approved a $625 million settlement for the residents of Flint, after nearly a decade of dealing with contaminated water. This is the largest legal settlement in state history. Read more here.
CashApp was accused of fraud this week, which sent the stock of its parent company, Block, tanking. It literally dropped 15%. The findings of the report suggest that the company has engaged in predatory tactics to reel in people of color, and been a safe haven for people conducting criminal enterprise. I’m shaking my head. Read more here.
Google launched their AI bot called Bard this week. It’s being positioned as a competitor for ChatGPT. An AI expert said that the bot told him it was trained using G-Mail data, which Google denies. Let me find out they’re using our email content to mine for an AI brain! Read more here.
reads + vibes.
Beyoncé, Adidas Mutually Agree to Part Ways via The Hollywood Reporter (No more Ivy Park + Adidas)
The Battle For BET - via Vulture (on Tyler Perry, Byron Allen & Diddy’s potential to buy BET)
Questlove Has a New Creative Pursuit: Publishing - via New York Times (Questlove is a musical icon, and is now trying his hand at publishing.)
Telfar’s Live Pricing ≠ More Expensive Clothes - via Highsnobiety (Telfar is presenting an opportunity for customers to get pieces for wholesale prices.)
Love Is Blind is back! Let me know if you decide to watch it. The first few episodes are available on Netflix today.
Remember when Mo’Nique sued Netflix? Well her comedy special is coming soon. The trailer dropped this week, and I’ll probably be tuned in. If there’s one thing Mo’Nique is going to do… it’s tell a good joke. It’ll be available on April 4th.
I enjoyed this episode of the Earn Your Leisure Podcast with Tabitha Brown. If you need some encouragement - her story is great. She talks about how she’s been able to create a growing empire around simply being herself. That’s goals!
I added a few new (and not so new) tracks to The Update Weekly Playlist. There’s new music from Victoria Monet, Keke Palmer, Ciara, Flo & more. You can grab it here: Apple | Spotify.
I’m working on an expansive list of events for the summer - as it seems like everyone is going on tour this year! I planned to drop it this week, but it needs a couple more edits. Come back next week to grab it.
That’s all for this week my friend! Have a great weekend!
