In The Heights, from Crazy Rich Asians director Jon Chu and based on Lin Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes’ Tony-award winning musical, is a slice of summer joy with a colourism problem. The glaring omission of Afro Latinx cast members in a film set in the New York neighbourhood of Washington Heights, which has a predominantly Dominican Republican population, has been called out as erasure. The filmmakers say they’re aware of it and discussed it, so why this outcome?

BW+BL debrief on the latest revelations out of Britney Spears ongoing challenge to her 13-year conservatorship. “This conservatorship in abuse,” Spears told a Los Angeles court. “I want my life back.”

And ABC sport broadcaster, former AFL footballer and audience favourite Tony Armstrong joins SE for a 360 conversation on sport, media, race and representation, and his current cultural preoccupations.

Also: a look at allegations of toxic workplace culture at Sony Music Australia

Show notes:

Britney Spears speaks: www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-24/britney-spears-tells-judge-conservatorship-abusive/100239606

Guardian Australia investigation of Sony Music Australia: www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jun/21/sony-music-australia-allegations-toxic-work-culture

In The Heights colourism: www.theroot.com/lets-talk-about-in-the-heights-and-the-erasure-of-dark-1847064126

Tony’s Terrible News: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3rRBof81TU

Live, werk, pose! Steven Canals, co-creator, executive producer, writer and director of Pose gets deep and meaningful with BL + BW, reflecting on the end of the award-winning series which has been hailed as groundbreaking for trans representation. Steven shares what it was like to be in the room when Billy Porter shared his HIV status with the cast and crew of Pose, and his view of the current TV landscape.

Also, what do we think about the news that a Hollywood feature on the Christchurch terrorist attacks is in the works? The overwhelming early reaction has been ‘too soon’.

And: our nostrils are flared, our orifices clenched at legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin’s return to CNN.

Show notes:

Suspension of Jeffrey Toobin: https://www.vice.com/en/article/epdgm4/new-yorker-suspends-jeffrey-toobin-for-zoom-dick-incident

Pose series finale recap: https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/pose-series-finale-recap-billy-porter-fx-1234989297/

They Are Us film makers defend motives :https://deadline.com/2021/06/they-are-us-new-zealand-muslim-tragedy-producers-defend-motives-jacinda-ardern-rose-byrne-1234775194/

Rose Byrne to play Prime Minister Jacinta Arden in They Are US: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rose-byrne-jacinda-ardern-andrew-niccol-cannes-they-are-us-new-zealand-mosque-shooting-1234965908/

Mohamed Hassan's response on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mohamedwashere/status/1403108587740798982?s=20

Petition calling for shut down of They are us: https://www.change.org/p/filmnation-entertainment-shut-down-they-are-us-movie-which-side-lines-victims-of-the-march-15th-terrorist-attack?recruiter=1210874702&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=402d83f0-cba1-11eb-a45a-3d4cec3f6e2a

“Everything Housewives becomes Housewives” is the mantra of Real Housewives recapper, scholar and journalist Brian Moylan. Brian’s New York Times bestselling book, The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives is drenched with detail. It answers fans’ burning questions and charts the rise of the Bravo television franchise. Brian joins BL + BW for an extended chat about table flipping, boat rides from hell and who pays for the trips?

OK, see you: Kim’s Convenience cast members Simu Liu and Jean Yoon have gone public with allegations of systemic dysfunction behind the scenes of the hit sitcom. How does this affect our viewing of the beloved show?

Also, Lorde’s solar-powered bum is giving us life this winter and BL meditates on Mad as Hell’s full frontal nudity.

In the highly anticipated Friends reunion, the original cast gets together for just the second time since the hit sitcom ended in 2004. They were on a break! BW reflects on the seemingly random assortment of celebrity cameos who dropped in to talk about how much they loved Rachel, Ross, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler and Joey, and what, if anything, we learned from the whole episode.

Spoiler warning. The Mare of Easttown finale left us feeling devastated, satiated, hollowed out, pensive, wishing for more Mare! BL + BW take their final opportunity to talk Mare, cheesesteaks, Guy Pearce and murder durdur.

Pallavi Sharda left Australia for Bollywood to chase acting opportunities she couldn’t find at home. Now she’s back in front of Australian audiences, most recently in ABC’s Retrograde and the Audible podcast Slushy. BL talks to Pallavi about her career path and what’s next. 

Also, yes we do talk about the Channel 9 snowstorm, er, Covid vaccine ad.  

Show notes:

Singapore COVID-19 vaccine ad: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-03/singapore-government-releases-campaign-ad-to-promote-vaccine/13327404

Friends reunion: https://binge.com.au/shows/show-friends-the-reunion!10539

Pallavi Sharda: https://www.instagram.com/pallavisharda/

Slushy podcast: https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Slushy-Audiobook/B093R3GVVP

NYT Kate Winslet profile: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/31/style/mare-of-easttown-kate-winslet.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

Malcolm Spellman, showrunner and head writer of the MCU’s The Falcon and The Winter Soldier talks to BW about his approach to infusing contemporary politics into the superhero TV series. 

BW + BL read the entrails of Drag Race Down Under’s latest expulsions and surprise returns.

No Mare of Easttown debrief this week, but BL + BW talk through Andrew Yang on Ziwe, the joy of Art Works on ABC TV Plus, and the third season of Master of None.

Show notes:

Ziwe with Andrew Yang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV67dJGXACQ

The Guardian review of Friends Reunion: https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1391897869137887234?s=20

Junkee outlines Drag Race Down under episode 4- Art Simone returns: https://junkee.com/rupauls-drag-race-down-under-s1e4-recap/295724

The Linda Lindas performing Racist, Sexist Boy live at the Los Angeles Public Library: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPExF-YrYl5/

Montaigne talks about working through the disappointment of the cancelled 2020 Eurovision Song Contest to come through with a new song, Technicolour, for the 2021 competition, and the process of competing via video from Australia.

Happy 20th, Shrek, it’s time to celebrate millennial culture. Hannah Reich mounts an impassioned defense of the Academy Award-winning film in the face of unappreciative critics.

Finally, BL reviews Underground Railway, the 10-part Barry Jenkins-directed adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel, and *spoiler alert* we pour out a Rolling Rock for Det. Colin Zabel, now resting in the big wawa in the sky.

Show notes:

Montaigne's Eurovision performance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX_y759_F_U

Mare of Easttown explainer: www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-20/mare-of-easttown-kate-winslet-tv-miniseries/100145988

Kate Winslet talks wawa, gobbler hogies and : recycling with Guy Pearce: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lTpXcMABmZkeatdNz23aJ?si=X_Gkx1E4QzORUUzGzIV8oA&nd=1

Angourie Rice on the Screen Show: www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-screen-show/angourie-rice,-pablo-larrain,-alice-rohrwacher/13340690

The Underground Railroad: www.primevideo.com/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.f2bbc210-d908-9560-2a0c-2d8a527c2020?ref_=dvm_pds_tit_au_dc_s_g%7Cm_DGDjjO4Wc_c521246635845

ABC Top 5 Residency: www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/top5/

Cheesesteaks, vaping, wawa coffee and a Philly 40. Kate Winslet as gritty, grizzled, hard bitten grandma detective Mare Sheehan is out to solve a murder durdur, while juggling many commitments including a fling with hot Guy, Pearce. 

BL demonstrates his encyclopedic knowledge of RuPaul’s Drag Race queens AND hear from very special guest, Michelle Visage, RuPaul’s ride or die, and currently judging Drag Race Down Under. 

Let’s get loud because Bennifer is rebooting and BW is feelin’ so good. Love don’t cost a thing and we’re all wondering if Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck will go the distance this time around.

Also, whomst is cheugy?

Show notes:

Gwyneth Paltrow on Smartless podcast: https://smartless.simplecast.com/episodes/gwyneth-paltrow

Explainer on all things Drag Race Down Under: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-01/rupaul-s-drag-race-down-under-drag-queen-reality-tv/100091256

Kate Winslet on Mare of Easttown and Mildred Pierce: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/05/kate-winslet-hbo-mildred-pierce-producer-mare-sheehan-interview-1234634521/

Are you cheugy? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/style/cheugy.html

A special episode of Stop Everything recorded live at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, in front of a real-life, 100% capacity crowd at Carriageworks.

BL + BW appeared with two special guests: Carly Findlay, the editor of Growing Up Disabled in Australia, and Sam van Zweden, the author of Eating With My Mouth Open. We discussed the body, disability, fatness – and the medicalisation, language and politics around these things.

If you need support or to talk to someone. The Butterfly Foundation is a site where you can find resources for eating disorders and body image: www.butterfly.org.au

Lifeline is also available 24 hours: https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Show notes:

Carly Findlay: https://carlyfindlay.com.au/

Sam van Zweden: https://samvanzweden.com/

Megan Jayne Crabbe aka body posi panda: https://www.instagram.com/bodyposipanda/

Lindy West, author of Shrill: https://www.lindywest.net/

Audio producer, podcaster and romance aficionado Rudi Bremer talks us through the bodice ripping Netflix smash hit Bridgerton.

Influencers, podcaster, entrepreneur, reality TV cast member and author Flex Mami talks to us about life as Flex Mami

Show notes:

What would Danbury Do? A Bridgerton podcast: https://www.bridgertonpod.com/

All about Flex Mami: https://www.flexmami.com/

Shonda Rhimes on Rege-Jean Page departure: https://www.vulture.com/2021/04/shonda-rhimes-talks-reg-jean-page-leaving-bridgerton.html

Shari Sebbens is a Sapphire, a Marvel Comics character and director of the Australian debut of Seven methods of killing Kylie Jenner, an award-winning play about Twitter, racism, and the hot mess of life online and irl. Shari talks to BW about how this Black British work resonates in the Australian context, digital blackface and more.

Season 13 of Master Chef has us ugly crying into our congee and renewing our faith in humanity; BW + BL ponder what milkshakes can’t teach us about consent; and finally, a debrief on what happened in the week since BW’s column on Bluey was published.

To paraphrase Master Chef judge Melissa Leong — we invite you to listen.

Show notes:

Milkshake consent: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-20/nsw-premier-state-politicians-slam-milkshake-consent-video/100081296

Master Chef: https://10play.com.au/masterchef/articles/masterchef-australia-2021-meet-the-top-24-contestants/tpa210420vyjtp

Seven methods of killing Kylie Jenner: https://www.darlinghursttheatre.com/sevenmethods

ABC Everyday column on Bluey: https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/can-bluey-show-be-more-representative/100042084

Stop Everything! At Sydney Writers Festival: https://www.swf.org.au/festivals/festival-2021/abc-radio-national-live-stop-everything/