Cancelled Culture Cancelled? Not Quite.

This week’s edition covers stories 
from May 9th to May 15th, 2024.

Today’s issue is 850 words, a 7–minute read.

Good morning readers, Isabella rising and shining here with you. 

We hope you enjoyed last week’s edition with tons of new content. Nick’s review led me to rewatch Challengers over the weekend, finding even more subtleties in the film that continue to blow my mind. On Sunday, I celebrated Mother’s Day with my family over a juicy and savory asado. This upcoming weekend I’m looking forward to seeing plenty of new art, music and food at the annual Art-a-Whirl! If you see me, holla at me!

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Reality Bites: Why We Can’t Relate to Out-of-Touch Celebrities

If you’ve been chronically online, you’ve seen that Gen Z is caring less and less about celebrity culture. It’s not that we think we’re better than them, or whatever. It’s like after the Met Gala last week everybody got the ‘ick’ knowing that tickets to one of the biggest events of the year cost $75,000 per ticket – yikes! Adding fuel to the fire, influencer and model Haylee Baylee (Hayley Kalil) used a soundbite from Marie Antoinette (2006) that said “Let them eat cake” in a video of her at the gala. She’s apologized since then, calling herself not elite but “a normal person”. One year ago she was featured on a video with Caleb Simpson touring her NYC apartment that costs her $17K a month – everything looking pretty normal over here… 

People are overloaded with information about seemingly much more important issues and causes around the world, like the war in Gaza, inflation, and the future of our children’s education. Some have even gone as far as to call it the “real life Hunger Games” because of the juxtaposition between celebrities in their $$$$ gowns while many protested outside. Online, people criticize the “out of touch” celebrities who post on social media showcasing their wealth while many struggle with housing, food access and more. In an era where authenticity and connection are on the rise, where popular TikTok trends revolve around everyday activities like cooking or painting, celebrities are so disconnected from the majority’s reality that they find it hard to connect with their audiences. Even JLo’s “Jenny From the Block” throwback feels inauthentic these days. Girl, it’s been over 30 years since you’ve been in L.A.! And over 27 years since she became massively famous with her films Selena (1997) and Anaconda (1997).

Simultaneously, we’re on the high rise of influencers. Damn, if I had a penny for every time I heard a young person say they’re trying to make money online – Damn, if I had a penny for every time I heard a young person say they’re trying to be an influencer…well, I’d still be broke to afford McDonald’s. But a report in 2023 showed that over 50% of Gen Z would jump on the chance, because why wouldn’t you? Influencers make about $4K-6K per month on average, while 30% of US jobs pay way less (about 86.67% less) and leave people overworked and struggling for basic necessities. 

We could go on forever, but here’s the point: brands and influencers, if you want a Gen Z follow, care about mental health, environmental, racial and gender equity causes. The online hate and celebrity cancellations? It’s because they’re not speaking out on LGBTQ+ rights or political activism. Thus, the ‘Blockout 2024’, an online movement to block celebrities, aims to teach them a lesson – and it’s working. Influencers who haven’t spoken on social issues have lost thousands of followers in the past week.

News Blitz: Childish Gambino’s Return, King Charles’ Curious Portrait, and Minneapolis Shines

In other news, Childish Gambino dropped the final version of his 2020 album, titled “Atavista.”  Meanwhile, King Charles’ new portrait has sparked mixed reactions.  The New York Times describes it as “Too Red, Too Vampiric, Too Sexy,” while others find it quite contemporary. On a brighter note, Minneapolis finally gets its due in The New York Times’ “36 Hours” series. Writer Ingrid K. Williams highlights must-see spots like Owamni, Indeed Brewing Company, Milkweed Editions, the Walker Art Center, and more!

Mural Mishap in Minneapolis: A Community Artwork Painted Over

In the local sphere, artist and art educator Gustavo Lira’s mural on 1851 Central Ave. NE was freshly painted black. Funded by a Great Streets grant from the city of Minneapolis, the mural took months of designing and painting. Aslam Jamal is turning the building into a Yemeni coffee shop called Qahwah House in the fall. He didn’t realize the work of art he was painting over was a community project representative of its Northeast community. Jamal planned to paint a new mural, which is why he initially painted over Lira’s work. However, he wished he had known the story and work behind Lira’s before he made his decision, according to MPR. This mural was also part of Mural Central, a collaboration with the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA). Seeing it painted and removed less than a week away from Art-A-Whirl was greatly disappointing to its neighbors. MPR’s story presents an issue for the readers to question the value of community-based and representative artworks on private and/or public buildings. Are businesses responsible to the surrounding communities to maintain valuable artwork and infrastructure that are intrinsic to their neighborhoods? What do you think? Read their full story here.

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Stay informed, stay connected. 

See you next week! 
Isabella and the NewPrensa team

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