Something New with Kenice Mobley

it does in this movie. It does. They let go, they let flow, They do it, and then a bunch of stuff happens and you can feel whatever way about it you want. My other intro option was going to be me asking you if you would like to landscape my backyard? Yes, which is a sexual euphemism, yes for playing with my butt. Yes, I would love to quote unquote landscape your backyard. Cool, But I'm going to have my gigantic, stinky dog around and I'm gonna keep being like,

you have to come to a garden with me? Is that cool? Is that right? I love that. I can't wait. Yeah, okay, well then we'll do that. Awesome anyway, Hi, welcome to the Bechdel Cast. My name is Caitlin Darante. My name is Jamie Loftus, and this is our podcast where we take an intersectional feminist look at your favorite movies. Yeah, we used the Bechdel Test as a jumping off point for discussion on this damn podcast. But Caitlin, what what

is that? What is whiz? I'll tell you it is a media metric sometimes known as the Becktel Wallace test, created by queer cartoonist Alison Bechtel in her comic Likes to Watch Out For just as a kind of one off joke. Is It originally appeared in her comic but has since been kind of co opted into this media metric that is pretty widely used, including us on this show. Um,

and there are many variations of the test. The one we use is this, two characters of a marginalized gender have to have names, they have to speak to each other, and the conversation has to be about something other than a man. And ideally it's a narratively substantial conversation. Yes, which spoiler alert for this movie. There's plenty of it,

but some of them are kind of funny. We have some funny passes in this one, and I'm excited to talk about them with are amazing returning guest, the All Timer. Let's get her in here. I think your sixth appearance on the show. Yes, this is my sixth appearance, Beteans. I've been following, and I know that Lacy Mosley has five and she doesn't know me, so this is completely in my head in one sided. But I was like Mosley the Mobli, I'm gonna win in your first place.

I'm there, and I'm there for the pay per view like that would be great. Um, But let's introduce you properly. She's a comedian. You've seen her on the Tonight Show. Her album follow up question just came out. It's Kennis Mobile. Hi. Hello, it's so nice to see you guys. Welcome back. Great to see you too. I can't believe we I mean, just a little peek inside Kennis's life for the listeners. We're catching Kenise fresh off a trip to Margaritaville. So yes,

truly the best. I'm sure you're in high spirits, never felt better in your life. There were so many because it's in Times Square, it's like up several levels and at every escalator there was a person who just shouted at us, welcome to Margarita then, so it was very clear where we were that here was a light show on the hour where they play this on Margarita Ville. There's a statue of liberty. She's holding something and it turns out it can be a glass of what margaritas.

And so there's a whole projection thing. There's whales and dolphins. It's it's a lot. It's a lot of restaurant, is what I will say. It's so much restaurant, because I mean, I guess that there's a lot of reasons. But one of the reasons I know you haven't had your food yet is to distract you from how disgusting the food is. Fired Honestly, that's fair because when you look at the menu, they have a little warning triangle with a salt shaker in it if the amount of sodium in the meal

is more than your daily allowance of sodium. And most of the meals have this warning of sodium next to it because most of them, if you eat this, it will exceed your daily amount of sodium that you should be having. I really love garbage so much. I just love trash in the mouth that is wonderful. Thank you for that information. I've seen as triangles and I've just blazed past them, never looked at what they were for your What a treat there? For your death? Yes? For there?

Why I'm losing years of my life happily too ready to go? Yeah, willingly. Um. I don't think I've ever been to a Margaritaville. Time, there's one, there's one a city walk. We could go any time. Oh my gosh, I know I've seen it. I've seen it every damn time I've gone to Universal Studios Hollywood, which has been twenty times. And where are you where are you going? Are you going to Oh you're a millionaire going to Bubba Gum? No. I usually eat Cletus's Chicken Shack at

Simpson's World in the Park. Yeah, I see. Well, you know, it's not it's not great to hear. It doesn't feel good to hear. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I think I got a burger with you in the Simpsons restaurant. You probably went to Krusty Burger. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've never gotten food in Simpson's Land. That's fascinating. I was trying to think of what the Universal hot dog is They don't really have a signature one, but in Orlando, because I went to both city walks last year because

I really do love garbage in the mouth. And in Orlando they have a huge outdoor restaurant called the hot Dog Hall of Fame where you can get a foot long hot dog. You get hot dog with shrimp on it. Yeah, you get a lot of nasty little things. Why would you do that? You really shouldn't do that. When I ordered the shrimp pot dog, they were like, we don't serve a lot of these, and it's like, all right, bring it and perfect transition. I was like, there's no

hot dogs in this movie. So that wasn't a transition of any sort. However, we have a movie to discuss. It's two thousand six. Is something new? Yes? Indeed, what is your history with this movie? So? I think I saw this movie in theaters. I've owned this movie on DVD since two thousands six, I would to say two thousand seven when it came out on DVD. Based on this movie and other properties, I assumed that being a woman in your thirties meant that you automatically had a

group of for female friends. That was just part of it because it's this, it's sex in the city, it's girlfriends, it's living single, all of these things. It's like, there are four women, obviously one of them is a little hornier than the others, and they all hang out. Why why are they friends? Were never sure, that's not clear how they became friends. What they have in common? I

don't know. They all have rich people jobs. They all have fantastic jobs in this movie, accountant, doctor, judge, some probably a foe. Yeah, a fourth thing, yeah, a fourth fancy thing. I love. I do love like all the shows you're describing. I and I went on a full girlfriend's binge during the lockdown. But I love like the the like sex and the city. Girlfriends like around the table just saying kind of like confusing things to each other about their like are we dying? Is life we're living?

Or not? And you're like, yeah, yeah, totally. They have those conversations. But like, I could not answer in girlfriends, what are their shared interests, what do they like to do? What is the joy in their lives? I don't I don't know. I'm trying to remember which pair of characters

and girlfriends. There's like at some point in the series, there's like a contradiction of like how they met, Like they say they met in one way in season one, and then in season three for plot reasons, it's totally different. I'm like, Oh, I guess I don't know. We live in a void. They didn't know that I would have access to knowing the mistake in the future. Yeah, I feel like the friendship in in this movie too, the Four Friends is similarly I don't know, underdeveloped. So, Kenneth,

you saw this in theaters, you bought the DVD. You have a long history with the movie. Yes, I liked it, and I still like parts of it, but parts of it are like I think we're past this right, like hopefully as a society we're not like, oh what map Also, and we'll get into the synopsis of the film, Caitlin,

I'm so excited for your wrap up. But in the first what is it fourteen minutes, when we've established through the characters and everything, when they meet for a blind date at a Starbucks Starbuck God, I was like, strike fucking one and it's busy. It's a busy Starbucks, and they're like, this is where we go on our first date in side the way. That made me like angry, like vier really because they're in Los Angeles where there are tons of restaurants and cafes, but they choose Starbucks.

It was painful. I have to imagine it was like, oh, we will get money from Starbucks to help fund the budget of this movie if we have. I don't know that for sure, but I have to imagine. I feel like it would have had to offend because they showed the legs, they kept cutting back to the yes, they kept reminding you, and then like that the logo is

always facing the front. I'm like, okay, this is product placement, but why would you make it such a busy I mean they're like, oh, in Starbucks is so popular right now, so of course there's gonna be a lot of people there. But you're like, this seems like a really stressful. It didn't make me want to go on a date at Starbucks.

I feel you would if you were Sunlight Kaitlin. It kind of looked like the Starbucks near your house to me a little bit, thank you, and I didn't like it was really, do you mean the Starbucks in Los Filas, which is called out by name in this movie that neighborhood because he's like, oh, I just finished up a landscaping job in Los Filas. Not to docs myself, but that is the neighborhood I live in, so brag. I've been to that Starbucks. It was fun. It was like

all the other ones too busy anyway, busy. There's it's so funny, like the reasons that the movie is telling you that this couple may not be compatible when there's so many reasons available, We're just like, why not these people? But you're a long time you're a long time viewer of something new, a long time viewer of this film. Yes, yes, okay, Jamie,

what about you. I've known about this movie for a long time, but I had never seen it before we were prepping for this episode, and I'm excited to talk about it. I feel like it's like there's I don't know, there's a lot of there's a lot of interesting stuff here. And I also agree with you Kenez for your like, you know, you can feel the oh six on this movie pretty heavily. I appreciate what it's trying to do, and it's doing a lot of it in a in

a pretty dated way. But I'm excited to talk about it. Caitlin, what how? What was your history with something New sam as yours? I hadn't seen it before prepping, and I don't even know if it was really on my radar until we started getting requests for it at some point during the show. But uh, yeah, there's a lot to talk about, and I'm excited to get into it. I was. I knew about this director because she's a very iconic

music video director Sanahamry. Yeah, I knew her from music videos but also Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants to an extremely traveling pants movie. Yeah, extremely traveling movie. Yeah, but she I mean, if you look at her music video resume, holy sh it, it's like she's started in her like early twenties directing Mariah Carey videos. Made a bunch of those. Then did Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland, Jay Z, The A Teens, that's a deep cut, Solange, Prince Seal, Jada Kiss like

Mondy Kravitz. I saw Joss Stone, remember her, she did the super Base music video. Like Okay, she makes a lot more sense. I did not know her history as a music video director. But the things I think I like the most about this movie and its direction are very like music video type of style. So this makes me very very happy. I thought that the sex scenes in this movie were very music video in a way that I thought was fun. Like. I was like, oh,

we're doing foot stuff, yeah, yeah, yeah. And she's done a ton of T I think she does mostly TV. Now she did a ton of Empire and shameless like she's working. Indeed, shall I do the recap? Let's do it? Okay, Actually, let's take a quick break first and then we will come right back and we are back. Also Christina Aguilera and staying sorry. It just like she's directed so many music failures. Um, okay, here is the recap of something new. We open on a wedding where the groom and guests

abruptly leave. Ken you McQueen. That's Sona Lathan at the altar. But it was just a dream. Ha ha. Ken Youa wakes up. We are in Los Angeles ever heard of? It is Valentine's Day. She has a busy work day but no romantic evening plans. At work. Her friend or her colleague, Leah, tries to set her up on a blind date with this guy named Brian, but Kenya is like pass Yeah. She then goes out. She never yells at Leah for setting it up at a Starbucks. Yeah. I really feel like we should have gotten a follow

up with Leah. Was like, Okay, what are you? What were you thinking? Man? The first eight thing kisses me off. But I do like And I took Caitlin's screenwriting class because Caitlin is a wonderful teacher, and we talked about developing character in the first section of the script, and I do like how they do very quickly established that obviously she wants to be married, that her life is a certain way. She wakes up and it's just disappointment on her face. Um, which begs a very important question

that I will get into later. Lot. This woman likes nothing, This woman has no interest in this woman. There's nothing about this woman except she is an accountant. That's all you need to know about her. She's an accountant. We do hear a lot about what she doesn't like and not a lot about what That was something that I was like, I kept way to be like, Okay, what is her secret passion or like why does she it

seems like she really enjoys her job. What about it? Like, what got her into it and no, but we don't learn a lot about what she likes. She's she I don't know. But then it's weird because it's like she's introduced like a more optimistic character where she's like, I believe that I am going to get love. But then it's like, but I don't know. It's bizarre. But then she rejects love all the time. I mean, I love that,

I love Oh, we're rejecting the call. Yeah, of course you're gonna want to reject the call in what ways? Is like? That's the thing like the options where it's like her before they meet at the Starbucks, she runs into these black guys who are standing outside, and it's like all the options are bad? Like what love is she turning down? That was like reasonable, and we were

led to leave believe that she's unreasonable. It's just like, no, she doesn't want to date the guy with the super long pinky nailed that probably does a lot of cocaine. It's it's literally, I mean, if that was if we were supposed to believe she was unreasonable for not wanting to date any of the men at that extremely busy Starbucks, I don't know what to tell the world like it's that is a very common experience, and yeah, I thought

it was. It's funny. Movie is weird? Oh the first I was going to say that the first very funny two thousand and six Bechtel test pass Um is her talking to Leah about wedding dresses and Kenya telling Leah that she should choose a dress that she likes better. That means that she'll be very uncomfortable in it. And I was like, well, it does pass, but but at

what cost? Okay? So then Kenya goes out with her three friends because all adult women have exactly three friends and they all hang out together all the time, and who knows how they met, yeah, or what they have in common as far as interest in um. But her friends are Susanette played by Golden Brooks, Cheryl played by Wendy Rickel Robinson, and Nedra played by Taraji p Henson. They talk about how they are among the black women

who are educated professionals who are also unmarried. Kenya's friends criticize her for having standards that are too high because she has this list of criteria for her ideal black man. I went to a historically black college and I remember, like the first week of college, in some sort of big presentation someone did tell us and historically black college the ratio is often more women than men. At my

college specifically it was eight to one. And yes, they were like, you, black women are getting degrees, which means that if you are unmarried by the time that you are thirty five, you are more likely to die in a plane crash than to ever get married. That and just underlining that starting when I was eighteen, just making sure I was aware, Hey, you're choosing education and therefore ten years old, just so you know. Oh my gosh,

that is so aggressive and despicable. I thought it was interesting that like that because it reminded me of I'm trying to remember is it Sleepless in Seattle where Carrie Fisher is Megryan's friend, where they brought up another statistics And the thing is most of those statistics are made up to scare women and make them feel bad like that.

I remember, like famously, there's like a something like you're more likely to be killed in a terrorist attack than get married after thirty something was like a famous but that was like on the cover of like Life magazine in like the seventies or eighties, Like it's just like, we just need to make women feel as bad as possible, so they'll date these garbage men that the lower the standards. Yes, it sucks. Let us be garbage. That's what men are saying to me. And then I'm like, yes, let's go

to Margaritaville. Oh my god, he paid for my dinner at Margaritaville. He's a keeper. Yeah, I love him. But I thought it was interesting that this scene gets more specific and like talks about black women in their thirties specifically, but they never I was waiting for them to bust the numbers, but then the number just kept getting more specific in a way that was more aggressive towards them,

and then the scene ended. I was like, oh no, right, um So, because Kenya's standards are so high, her friends encourage her to be more open minded. They say, let go let flow. That's like the new motto of all

the gals in the group. Sounds like a tampon commercial, but I was like, I'll let's roll with this or let go stop flow would be tampas stop flow, maybe a bad tam um So, because Kenya decides to take her friend's advice, she decides to go on this blind date after all, and it ends up being with this

guy named Brian played by Simon Baker. But she's immediately uncomfortable, perhaps because she's at the most crowded Starbucks of all time, but she's uncomfortable and she leaves almost immediately, and you get the sense that the reason is that she is not interested in dating a white man. Then she goes to Leah's engagement party and she's like, Wow, this landscaping is amazing. I want landscaping like this from my backyard. Yeah, I guess who's there. It's Brian and he's like, I

heard you like my landscaping. I love her. They have like five different meat cutes and they're all boring, like it's like we met at Starbucks. She liked by landscaping, Like, guys, we gotta find a better meeting story. And she's having like a panic attack at each one because he's like, I heard you like my landscaping and she's like, um, never mind, I have to go. But she decides to hire him for his services, so he shows up. He starts brainstorming ideas, but she continues to be you know

quote unquote high strung. At one point, a spider gets in her hair or she thinks a spider is in her hair, and she like has a meltdown. Basically she's just not really being her best self around Brian. Well, to be fair, before that spider thing happens. This is something Brian does a lot where it's like I think I was like, oh, this is very like oh six slightly coercive romance where he's like, you're coming to this garden with me and she's like, no, I'm not as

two pm. I am at work. I'm working right now. And he's like you're coming to this garden with me, and she's like, I guess I'm going to this garden with you, and then that's kind of how they go on all of their day. The way later he's like, and now you're going hiking with me, and she explicitly was like, like on a date because if it's a date, I'm not interested. And he's like, it's it's just you're hiking with me, and she's like, well, I fucking hate hiking,

so I don't want to go. And also the clothes they both wear while they're hiking are not appropriate hiking wear. He's really like Brian. I feel like, really is like living up to the vibe that his name gives. He's really Brian ing out because he's just like a weird guy truly. Okay, So meanwhile, at work, Kenya is being considered for partner. I it took me a while to figure out what her actual job was. She's an accountant, right,

but I didn't know. I didn't know accountants could be partners, right, And she works in the place firm and partners. I think I don't know anything of that. I was like, is that true? Because I was like, I I just wrote down like might be a question mark, don't know firm equals partners, Like does everything that's business work exactly

like a law firm? I thought she was a lawyer for a while, but then they sam saying accounting, well, because the firm that she works at sounds like the name of a law firm, because it's just a bunch of people's last names. I don't remember what they are, but her mom makes it's something like her mom is like, yeah,

you work at Pippity Poppity and Boop or something. It's Alfrey Wooter too, and you're just like it's I was I I love her so much, and I was also like, wow, they really gave her a pretty thankless mom role here, where she's like, my daughter has to get married and like that's all of the lines. And then she's like, brb, I gotta go shopping because I love shopping. Yes, and

then there I'm sorry, everything's kind out now. But it's always, like in rom comms, or like any coming of age ish story for women, the dad always gets the cathartic speech. He always gets to be like the reasonable one. And I love the dad character in this movie, but I was also like, it's always the dad that's like, my baby deserves the world. And she's like, uh, you're right, I'm gonna go find Brian and put him in a Mariachi suit. We'll get to it. But why over a

T shirt? Over? Yeah? Is this necessary? Um? Okay, So she's an accountant, we think, and she's considered doesn't matter at all what she does, not quite. I mean, in the grand tradition of women in rom coms having jobs that you're like, is that a job this movie very

much follows. At least she's not a curator at a museum or works at a fashion magazine, or an undercover journalist at a fashion magazine must sleep with the scoop y, so her being made partner is contingent on this account she's working on for this guy named Pino, but he doesn't seem to trust that Kenya can do a good job because he's racist and also probably sexist. Probably back at home, Brian has started doing the landscaping job. Kenya

is looking at his muscles. Then her brother Nelson played by Donald Fazon, shows up and he's like, you need a boyfriend. He jumped scares into the movie. It's the most Donald's entrance ever because he's just like a pane of glass. They're like, oh, it's turk, yeah, right, And then he shows up with his girlfriend and the run joke there is that every scene he's in he has a different girlfriend, but he shows up with the first girlfriend.

But he's like, hey, sister, you need a boyfriend. And also you went on a blind date with a white guy. That's disgusting. How did you know that? Right? It was a spy at the Starbucks. I didn't even think of that. How did you know that? How do you know? Bizarre character? Um? Anyway, so Kenya and her brother Nelson meet up with their

parents to celebrate their mom's birthday. They go to this dance performance that's very sensual and it's and it seems which kind of an awkward thing to see you with your parents, especially because it seems to awaken something in Kenya. This dance makes her horny. I mean, it's a really beautiful I was trying to look. I couldn't find I looked. I was like, who are those dancers? What dance company is that? Can I watch more? Couldn't figure it out.

But and then that was I mean, that's also a very mu You're like, oh, of course she directed music videos that was like a sexy music video in the middle of the movie, Yeah, that's great like that, And when it's showing the showcase, like the close up of Brian's muscles as he's working, all those like little touches that have like artistry in what is otherwise a very traditional rom com. I liked those a lot. I really

I love a music video to direct or pivot. It just works, except when it's mcg You didn't like Charlie's Angels one into you didn't like those? I mean I do. I do have a huge soft spot for Charlie's Angels one I will, I have to admit, but I can't. I can't. I can't vouch for mcg. I don't have enough vouch Um. Was there not a kind of random dance scene in the episode that we covered with you can before this one and she's got to have it? Isn't there a scene where like they watch a dance?

It sounds familiar? Yes, it's because the whole most of the movies in black and mike, except for this dance in color. Yeah, yeah, oh yeah, I have a very different like filmed dancing. But yeah, wow, Okay, I'm sensing patterns. Listeners think nice mobile dance break, think it make that a thing started, the new merch coming out. So I look at them. Let's get the ball rolling on, Let's make it happen. Okay. So she's hoarding now because she watched this dance. Then one night Brian is working late

on her backyard. She orders them take out. They have some wine together. They talk about romance and dating and she's like, I prefer dating black men, and he's like, well, I like all women, and she's I like that. She kind of in a way that I felt I agreed with. She was like, oh you you know, she's like or She's like, oh, so you're like a player, he's a ship. Yeah yeah. And he's like, no, no, that my mom. I'm just I'm just Brian. Don't worry about your right.

And then there's the scene where he makes her go hiking despite her many protests, and it gets romantic because it starts pouring rain, so they need to like go to a tree and and kiss. Yeah, that's necessary in the rain. So got it, got it. But as he's dropping her off back home, she's like, this is not going to go any further by. But then he comes into her house and they kiss passionately and they have sex. He paints or tow nails. Yes, I was like he does,

he does? He like? I was like, wow, wiki feet was just not around then it because I just don't think you would see that in a movie today. Jamie, are you on wiki fee? I am on? I have five stars? Thank you for asking five stars. Yeah, Caitlin, are you on wiky feet? I've never looked, but I don't imagine I am. But I don't know. I'm on wiky feet and I'm so mad that I'm only three and like a quarter stars my feet are apparently that's what the Internet has voted that I have bad feet.

Yes see, I would like to just pose it. My feet are pretty gross and they seem to like that. So it may just be a compliment to your feet because I have like little like I call them hobbit feet. They're just like they don't have a real shape. They're flat, They're just like a weird triangle that's at the base of their giant toughs of fur on them like hobbits. Yeah. Yeah, I don't want to get into it. That's that's that's besides the point. But yeah, I've got habit feed in

there for three point to five or something that. Yeah, I mean, I've got I got hair on my toes, but they just don't give a ship. There's a there's a new uh, there's a new foot website someone told me about called girl foot dot com, which just feels two on the nose. Yeah. I checked and it's real and got a page there to you're gonna look at it after this. See if I'm on there, see if I'm similarly lowly ranked. Come on, I hope you're pulling a five over on girlfoot. Who knows what they're doing

over there. I'm gonna have to like hire a photographer to take photos of me with my feet in it just so that I can get a higher foot rating on Wiki feet. Maybe that's and then you're playing right into their damn it feet. You're playing right into the soles of their feet. Wow, that's exactly what they want. Okay. So meanwhile in the movie, Kenya and Brian have had sex. The next morning, they're doing pillow talk and he asks

about her hair. He's not sure how weaves work, and this prompts her to realize that this relationship with this white guy and their cultural differences will never work. So she tells him to leave, and she also fires him as her landscaper. That don't do that, employers. It does seem like he's almost done. He does, yes, yeah, And then her friends are like, Kenya, if he can dick you down, well, who cares if he's white, Go for it,

Let go, let flow. I love that the white is the problem, not the doesn't listen when I say I don't want to do things, or the fact that he like lets his he brings his dog to work. I don't know, there's lots of issues. He's also the white thing, the white thing. He's extremely condescending to her on many occasions. Yeah, he's like coercive and the activities that he wants her to do, just like all this stuff. They don't even know each other well. And he's like, yeah, you're too uptight,

and she says, does it show? And I don't know why that made me so mad, like saying, bitch, you don't know me what you're talking about. Also, are you doing your job, Like, get out of my house some of your business? Maybe alone, it's nighttime? Why are you here? I really hated how he talked to her about her hair. And then but and then, like every time he does something like that, he'll then be like what you're like why? And I have a whole list what do you mean?

So her friends are like, but he's got a good dick, so who cares? And so she decides to keep seeing him. I'm sorry, if the dick was bad, could she still be racist? It's like, if the dick is bad, you're right, Kenya, just right off white boys entirely that one. The whole thing is bad. Get rid of it. Who knows um. She decides to keep seeing him. She also has her we've taken out. Then there's a montage of them being cute and romantic together. This is when he paints her toenails.

They go to a comedy show where some Moore is doing stand up. She does a whole set. She does a whole set, very funny. Sett as laughing, but some of her friends are skeptical about Kenya being with a white guy, especially Walter played by Mike Epps. And also there's a scene where Kenya has to explain the Black tax to Brian, where because of systemic racism, black people have to work twice as hard just to prove they

are equal. And he's like, what, I had no idea, And then he did, oh he did the Brian thing where he where he's like are you sure, are you sure you're not being dramatic or like are you sure you're not like paranoid paranoid? Oh my god. He literally like, are you sure you're not being hysterical? And she's like, no,

I'm not, and he's like, okay, You're like sure. Look and Brian, there's just so many reasons to not to not be reading for Brian really both of them, to be honest, like she has a nothing personality, he's kind of a person. Do they deserve each other? Maybe I did write that. I was like, these people are too different flavors of boring and like they want to like something that does I don't know. Sometimes I'm like, this is probably something I've done where you're like, wow, a

different kind of boring than me. It must mean that's interesting. And then you're like, no, it's just not my boring. It's that person's too, and that can work. Two borings cancel out and make an interesting. Um. He's like, have you ever heard of like aquamarine paint. I'm like, oh my god, these two. And she's like, no, I'm too boring. I only like beige, and we're like, beige is my favorite. It's silly, okay. So then Kenya throws a housewarming party.

Her brother Nelson is trying to set her up with this guy Mark played by Blair Underwood, who Nelson had invited to the party. So they meet and Mark asks her out, but she's like, I don't know. Meanwhile, Kenya is starting to question her relationship with Brian, especially when he brushes her off to talk about race and the microaggressions she's experiencing at work. There's this scene in a grocery store where she gives a few monologues that I

want to examine more closely. But basically, they break up. So Kenya goes out with Mark and they hit it off and they have a lot in common. But a couple of weeks later, Brian shows up and apologizes to Kenya. He wants to make things work, but she's like, nah, I met someone. He says, I love you. He does say, he really goes for it. How long were they dating? I'm sorry? How long did this landscaping job take for him to say that, I'm sorry? Breckyard is not that big.

I don't understand. Maybe a few weeks, I'm not sure. Maybe, And then he puts the most two thousand six looking fountain I've ever seen in my life, Like the kind of fountains he was installing. They're looking pretty rough these days, they're they're looking kind of old. Yeah. Yeah. So she keeps seeing Mark, but something doesn't feel quite right. He's perfect on paper, but she doesn't feel any spark, so she breaks up with him. How long because they meet

him like her parents meet him. How long are they dated? The timeline for everything is very oh what, I'm not sure, and Kenya's friends are like, well, if you felt that spark with Brian, then maybe reconsider. But Brian has gotten back together with his ex girlfriend Penelope. Then at work, Kenya has made partner after she stands up for herself.

She like, does I think that there's like a micro second of tension where she stands up for herself during a meeting where she's once again being treated in a very racist, misogynist way, and then she goes back and you're like, oh, I like I honestly I was. I kind of I liked that she did get the promotion and it went the correct roum com way, because I was like, if she leaves her, I would be so

pissed for her. But then she does. She a you know, the the guy never apologizes for being racist the whole movie, but he's like, hey, your partner, so I guess I'm redeemed and whatever my name is, and you're like, all right, right. Then Kenya goes with her family to a cotillion, which is something I only know about because Rose talks about it in Titanic She's like it was gonna be an endless parade of parties and cortillions, and I was like, wow, that must mean fancy party. Yeah. Yeah, I think my

sister did that. Really, Yes, my older sister, not my twin sister, because that would be messed up before. It's like she got to do it and they were like, now, we don't think you need to be introduced to society in such a way. So yeah, but my older sister did it. She had a white cotillion dress, long gloves, there was a guy, there was lots of conversations around it. Yeah.

It just means that there's pictures in my mom's house of my older sister in a cool dress and a lot of other black teenager is just trying to be fancy. It is like a teenager thing, right, because you're like a debut, you're being debuted. All these people in this movie seem to be adults, so it's like they're attending it because I think it's like in a community event. Um, but I don't think she's not supposed to be in this like wave of people who are being introduced to society.

I don't think. Okay, I get it, no, because she because she shows Brian a picture of herself when she was debuted, when she was a teenager, so I think, yeah, she's it's like she's attending as a community member. Because then they also show like just a random music video e montage of teenagers walking down the being like I'm a woman, now you can marry me or whatever it's supposed to me. And I don't is that is how what it's for. I don't quite understand. I think it's

the same thing as that. Yeah, it's like, Okay, these are the seasons eligible ladies who are fresh and new. Um look at these umber of women who are fresh and new. Pick one marrier. I don't know. These are the people who was acceptable to have kids with. Don't have kids with other people. They're gross. Poor people are gross. Get him out of here. Um. So. And then at this cortillion, Kenya is getting drunk and she's like loudly

roasting it. She's like, good luck finding love, and she's kind of like calling out the classism of it all. And then she goes to the bathroom and starts crying because she misses Brian or something. How long ago did they break up? I don't know what timeline unclear. And then her dad comes into the restroom and he's like yeah. But then he's like, I'm a doctor because another woman comes into the like ladies restroom, and he's just like, I've seen it all, I've done it all. I'm a doctor.

I can be here, um, And so her dad is like, look, love is an adventure. I can tell that you love Brian, so go do something at out it. So Kenya gets in her brother's Jaguar or something and she races off. She finds Brian and she's like, you're the one that I want. I can be myself around you, and you love me the way I am. Isn't he dating someone at this time? Yes, he's still with Penelope, I think. But she's like I love you and he's like, well, I love you too, and I never stopped loving you.

And then they kisskis kiss, why are you? Penelope's like she's like, I was minding my own business and you came back into my life. What. Yeah, it is bizarre that he gets back with his long term ex like that's yes, that's a hard left. That's a hard don't do that, Brian. Grow up, Brian. So they kiss and then she brings him back to the cotillion and they dance and then they cut to their wedding the end. So let's take a break and we will come back

to discuss, and we're back where to start? I mean, I just wanted to start by like shouting out like the key creatives in this movie. So we do have we have. We've already given the full list of works from Sanahamri, who is really cool. She also has I didn't know anything about her background, but she's um, she's Moroccan by birth, she's half Jewish. She's like, she's got a really multicultural background, and she's a music video director.

But this is like, it's a you know, it's a movie about black women in their thirties made by women of color around that age, even though the director wasn't even thirty, which made me feel great about myself. We also have a kind of like legendary TV writer who is also a black woman. Her name is Chris Turner. I didn't know her by name, but she wrote on

kind of every show for a while. She wrote on Everybody Hates Chris, she wrote on Sister Sister, she wrote on The Cosby Show, she wrote on Living Single, so she had the four Friends uh system down already. I'm also seeing Bernie Max Shew Bernie Mac show, Whoopee Home Economics. She's working right now, so she's like a legendary. She's

mostly in TV. But I just thought it was cool that it was like, oh, this is what we talked about all the time of like random white guys or white women taking the reins on stories that don't that aren't theirs. Um so and how you can tell and for this movie, I mean, it is trying to do some stuff and I think it probably would have been kind of groundbreaking for two thousand six. Um. Luckily we

have moved past we had this, and that's encouraging. Um because like mainstream rom coms skew so white and so there's kind of it wouldn't occur to anyone, like any of the characters to address anything like racism, because like rom coms operate on a premise of there needs to be something keeping these characters from being fully together until the very end, something needs to be getting in the way, and oftentimes, especially with like hyper white rom coms, it

will be like a lie or a misunderstanding or a bet. Think of like how to lose a guy in ten days while you were sleeping, those like teen rom coms of the nineties, like ten Things I Hate About You, or She's all that. There's all these like kind of very contrived, like very like movie things that never happened in real life, or like a person that's like most of the j Lo ones, except it made in Manhattan. It's class Where is it a lie? Is she lying

and made in Manhattin? Is she pretends? Yeah, she's pretending to be rich. Yeah, she's pretending to be a lady who's staying at the hotel versus lady who works there. She wasn't visible before, but now because she's that's the person, but wearing a nice coat, she is fancy and therefore

deserving of love. Yes, right, the class based lie. Yes, So it's always things like that, whereas in this movie, the thing that's getting in the way is far more grounded and realistic, and it happens in real life, which is like tension from being in an interracial relationship. Does the movie handle this amazingly well? I would say probably not.

It could go but yes, right, I think we've had as a society much better conversations about race, We're not done, but had better conversations around it, and so the expectations are also different, because surely if today a man was like, I don't know, maybe you're being sensitive, I'd be like, fuck you off. Like it's it is. There is still like the classic round com implication that like he quote

unquote fixes her with his mediocre coercion tactics. I was like, with his magic penis, he had colored to her life, right. But yeah, it was very rare for a rom com from the mid two thousand's to address things like microaggressions and white privilege and things like that, so I was surprised that it was having those conversations. For me, this movie felt like, I don't know, it felt like two things being true at one time. A lot of the times we're like in Oh six, I can't think of

another movie that was even attempting this discussion. I like that it's being at one what is it Guess Who? With Asidon Coultcher and Bernie Mac. Oh my god, I where they are similarly dealing with a white guy, black girl Bernie Mac as the father. But it is not good. I was going to say something more educated than that, but genuinely. That movie is not good, nor did it say anything particularly meaningful about the black experience. It's just they've swapped it because it's supposed to be like a

new version of Guests Who's Coming to Dinners? And while that one was supposed to like push boundaries and be a conversation starter, this one was not that. Yeah, I don't think anyone really remembers guests who and they shouldn't. I do remember Ashton Coultcher really was working back then. I feel like he didn't deserve to meet Bernie mac but that's my opinion. And then Zoe Zoey saw Donna is, Yeah the woman that marry Ashton, could your be serious

and his dreams in two thousand and six? Maybe that was maybe he was punked and she was just center stage what and she was Wow, she was crossroads? How times have changed? Well in comparison? If that, then something new is groundberg breaking, revolutionary, never been done before. Um,

but I do like it was. I wanted to go back to like how this movie was reviewed or like received at the time, because it seemed to be received pretty well and again, like another gigantic issue of the two thousand's and still today, but less so than before.

It's like you still have just vastly majority white movie critics, and so all of us needs to be taken with a gigantic grain of salt because you're like, well, I don't know how we should feel about how you know, Roger Ebert feels about this topic, although he gave this movie a terrific review three and a half out of four stars, because to me, this is the same level

as Silver Linings Playbook. In Silver Linings Playbook a lot of awards, and to me, I put those on these on the same footings where there's uh, salsa dancing competition, we have seventies episode of The Brady Bunch. What are you talking about? UM? I think that, Like, the movie was received pretty positively. I mean, it was received as a rom com of like, this is a really like

I've never seen a rom com explore these themes. But but the tone of a lot of the reviews, I just like, I don't feel good or bad about it. But I was like, that's interesting, Like they all mentioned like I've never seen this topic even attempted in this genre before, and I was like, oh, I guess that, Like, yeah, that that is a big thing. But also we can

hold the truth of Brian socks. Okay, Brian sucks, but m Kenya also kind of subs dude, Like, think of your friend groups, none of you would hang out with her because she doesn't have any interest or a perspective or a visual style or and she's nothing outside of that. She works really hard, which is great, But what did she what do he like? Is she funny? She loves beige and she hates the color red and dogs when

she's self identified as beige. I was like, that is a bold move because most people, like, even if you are personality beige, don't usually admit it, Like you think you're interesting, right right? Everyone thinks they're interesting. But but I don't think that. I don't think that Kenya really thinks that about herself. But it also doesn't seem like a concern, Like she's just like I am who I am,

which is beautiful. But also like Brian wants to change her. Yeah, I don't know does he like her or does he like the changed version of her that he hopes to create? Good question, But I also like personality beige as a description of a type of person, and I will be using it moving forward, just like him personality page. Um yeah, but yeah, can we go through the ways that he is a shitty person, because he's often talking to her

in a way that's very judgmental, condescending. He's doing the kind of like, you know, the the gas lighty thing of like, are you sure you're not just being paranoid? People are being racist to you? Yeah? Oh you need to relax. Yeah, let me see. Okay. So, so this is the scene where I think they're like having take out together in her house. He comments on all of her like walls and furniture and everything being so beige, and I ask you, yeah, I hate yeah, And and

he's like, when are you gonna paint? When are you gonna bring some color in here? Colors are exciting and bold, And she's like, well, I'm not bold, I'm boring. He's like, I don't even think you know who you are. You haven't taken the time to get to know yourself because always working. You don't excuse you frostrating, right, sir. He's very like, I don't know. Yeah, he's very like thinks he knows her way better than he does immediately, which

she pushes back on. She's like, yeah, you don't know me, but I guess I was having trouble getting into my two thousand six brain in certain moments where I'm like, how am I supposed to feel about her in this moment? Because it's obvious that, like the script and the movie

are very on her side. We're seeing things generally through her perspective, So I don't think at any point you're supposed to be like, I don't like her, But there's moments where I'm like, are we supposed to think she's being unreasonable right now by like telling Brian who's telling her who she is and like what she should do? Like I feel like we were supposed to think she's been she needs to loosen up because look at this. Look at this, Brian, And you're like, I don't know.

They do that from the very beginning. When she does look at her calendar and it's just thing after thing after things, they're like, wow, look how uptight the bitches instead of like she's important and busy, just like a genre wide trope of like it reminded me of a movie I barely remember, but it's like the strongest I've

ever felt this trope. The Sandra Bullock two weeks notice where she's like, I'm I need to be forced to be married because I'm I'm so at work, and you're just like, yeah, the trope of a woman can't have a romantic life because she already has a job. You can't have both, and you gotta be a little worse at your job so that men will like you because they're not going to like you as this confident, successful woman. No, stop that, that's gross. Stop it. You got to be

less less. Dial it back. So a few moments later, in this same conversation, in the same scene, he says something like, I take it you don't date white guys, and she says, I happen to prefer black men. It's not a prejudice, it's a preference. And then he responds with, sure, it's your preference to be prejudice. First of all, you can't be prejudice or racist against the fucking oppressive class,

Like you can't that, it's not how it works. And then he's like, oh, your prejudice because you don't like white people who have been actively oppressing you for your entire life and all of existence. And then he does make this little face he makes this. I just I went back and watched it again. He makes this, he makes his little face with that. To me was like he's like, I just blew her fucking mind. And it's like,

oh my god. There's two things going on there. There is like I don't think it's great for you without any sort of background in it or knowledge to say like, oh, there's an entire race of people and I don't date them. I don't think that's great. But if most of your interactions do involve like, oh, yeah, I explain what my life is as a woman of color, and they're like, maybe you're just being paranoid. I think that's like if you are doing some thing besides that, then yes, maybe

she should consider you. But why should she consider you If you don't think her experience is valid? Why should she consider you? She does all the time constantly. His whole thing is here's how you are, but here's how you should be. And when you say anything, I'm not gonna listen. I'm not gonna believe you. I'm not going to validate anything. And it's like, why would she want that?

But but she does, apparently because they get married at the end, they do she says, I can be diminished for the rest of my life, but you know what, it's worth it because I had a day. I had a day where I wore a fancy dress and it means that I'm valid. Baby. We're doing this for all, for the for the roast of Brian, and partially Kenya's personality that we're about to unleash. I will say the freeze frame shot this movie ends on what a beautiful picture.

They really are both so hot and you're just like, Wow, they're attractive people. That's a picture that I would scroll pass on Instagram and be like, I want what they I get it. But also is that the piece that I'm missing because the only thing I think they have in common is that they are hot. They're both hot. Yeah, well that's I mean, that's a classic rom that all the sexies equals one. Two sexies who are geographically near each other equals love, according to rom coms. The outside

of that, what do they have in common? Yeah they don't. What do they like? He likes hiking, he likes gardening, he likes his dog. She doesn't like any of those things. She likes the dog. By the end, that is the change that's the one change which I think it's a mistake. You're letting a dog in your house like this. I'm sorry. I know you both feel differently, but no, that's gross. It's already felt. The animal that like walks right by its own ship, Are you kidding me? And it's gonna

walk with its bear paws? But look at Max, he's cute. I like, she bought a house in Los Angeles, like you,

you can't let anyone. First of all, I was, I was really, I was like, wow, she must be making good money as accountant partner, and and it's cool that they like And I don't know, there are parts of this movie I liked where it's like you see the most of the movie happens in like Baldwin Hills, and you see like historically black areas of l a that aren't shown in movies a lot, and like that part, and then and then her house is so cute, And then I was like, yeah, I don't let especially like

a new boyfriend's big stinky dog. I like dogs, but only if it's mine, Like, if it's yours, it shouldn't be at the house. If it's mine, it's got to be at the house. Wow, a brave stance to take, But to your point, I did. That's one thing that I the reason why I bought this movie. The reason why I've seen this movie several times is because it did have a lot of things in it that I hadn't seen before. So, like I lived in Los Angeles for a period of time, I hadn't seen Baldwin Hills

represented in this way. I hadn't seen a movie where it was like for black professional women like doing stuff. I hadn't seen a lot of that before. So in that way, for me, it was sorry, something new. But now I do think that stuff is dated. Yeah, yeah, for sure. But yeah, you do see representation of characters and situations you don't normally see, especially for this era. Like a main character who is a black woman with

like a white collar job. She's rich, she's successful. All of her black friends and her family members have white collar jobs, their doctors, their lawyers, their judges. She knows her worth as a professional, even though other people around her are constantly questioning it, like that client guy. But

like she knows her value. She never like questions that she knows her skills as relates to her as an accountant at Pippity Poppity Boop, the account that I did feel like at the end of what what did what did you all think? Over this? We're at the and she stands up for herself at work, and it's like a good scene, and you're like, Okay, she got what she wanted out of that, Like she is gonna have this job on her own terms, and she's gonna have two days off a month, and that was a huge

win for look at her advocating for herself. She gets four day hours with which to be a human being. The rest you guys own, she really girl boss way out of that one. But but I felt like, again like I was trying to figure out. I was like, how does the movie want me to feel in this moment?

I felt like it was like, Wow, because of Brian's love, I'm able to stand up for myself now, which doesn't even track with their relationship, Like it just was like, yeah, I guess that this is what happens in two thousand six rom coms at this point. But it's like I liked the read of that scene where she's like spent a lot of the movie figuring out what she wants and what she doesn't want and like what she will accept his treatment and what she won't, even though accepting

Brian makes no sense. Um, if your standards are are raising throughout the movie. But I don't know. I felt like it was like, oh, and because Brian's Dick taught me so much, I can now stand up for myself at accountants And I don't know, but I couldn't tell. No, I don't that. I feel like that that makes me not question that you don't believe my experience. That's a magical that's I don't think I've had dick that does that. No, I've yet dick that makes you feel confident. Interesting. But

I agree with you, Jamie as far as that the way. Sorry, I'm looking something up on girl foot. Um No, but I know what you mean. I think that that is the intention of the movie. Like he broke her out of her shell, like he he does the whole Jack Dawson thing to Rose where it's like I'm a free spirit and I am helping you to open up blah blah blah, even though she has her friends to do that. Whatever.

But going back to the part that feels dated to me about like this representation of these like rich and successful black people. Is that that is accompanied by a lot of classism, where like Donald Fazons like, oh, I'm not going to shake hands with him, he's the help. Cheryl her Kenya's friend starts dating Mike Epps, who is I'm not exactly sure his job. I don't know if he's like a fancy chef or if he's like a

line cook. I don't feel is unclear in this movie, but she perceives him to be lower class because she's like, oh, how come the only guys who like me are the ones like wearing an apron and a named They end up getting together and I think getting married. But I guess what I'm saying is I think there could have been a more interesting intersectional approach to this, just kind of like romance and just like interpersonal relationships in general. But they are classist in a way that I tend

to associate more with rich white people. I mean, anyone can be classist. The point is, I think that those characters attitudes would be handled differently if this movie came out today. Yes, agree, because I think we do have

more class consciousness and it is very frustrating. Um. I was raised of course not only in a black home, but a religious black home, and like a lot of my family is still Republican, but there is this very deep tie to know we are going to prove racist wrong by out capitalist ng them, and so we're gonna We're like, if we have more money, we show that we are valuable and that we are not the thing

that racists think we are. If we do this elaborate sharade, which is what Casilians are, where it's like we're like society too, if we can do this just as well, like we're and I'm like, let's step away from that. Maybe we have value because they're human beings. We don't have that value because we're wealthy. It's a frustrating thing that they do, and I think specifically in the early two thousands where it's like, Okay, we want to show black people, but we don't want to fall into stereotypes.

So all of them have to be kind of perfect, all of them have to be professional, all of them have to have money, all of them have to be in this way because that shows we've advanced versus that shows some really flat characters like Kenya, Like that's how you get I love beige interesting, and I don't necessarily like blame the characters for having that kind of mindset of being like, we have to be like the richest people in the community to prove our worth because we've

all been brainwashed by capitalism, and certainly in two thousands six, like there was not that much challenging of class, at least in the main strand exactly, I'm thinking of Paris Hilton wearing a shirt that has stop being poor, and that was like, God, what probably that's about. Yeah, so I get that happened because we were all poisoned by the sickness that is capitalism. But but yeah, I'm glad that we are stepping away from that to some degree.

And when you when you like put the sort of like the racing class intersection of this movie the way you just did conu it's weird because it's like, I don't know, I'm like, maybe it just is the time that this was written and released in, because it's not like this movie isn't set up to have that discussion. It's just like, because this movie is trying to have a lot of discussions, you know, to varying degrees of success.

As we're talking about but like I think it's like cool and like ambitious and different of like a lot of the conversations this movie is at least attempting, but like Class isn't really one of them. And I feel like in certain moments it's like I don't know. I mean, I don't know in a way that felt like I think I understand what the writer is going for it, but it just kind of came off a little flat because you know, it's like Brian does have less money

than Kenya, it doesn't seem to generally bother him. But there is one scene where they're arguing about race, and it's also like this is unrelated, but that stage is very blue. Um. I was like, why is this seeing so blue? Grocery store lighting is famously so blue, so it's very music video lighting because you're like it's blue. Um. But they're arguing at the at the pharmacy in the scene where I hate Brian maybe the most, where he is saying like can we not talk about race today?

I just need the night off, and like you're just like, wow,

strike five for Brian. Um. But he sort of brings up he brings up class briefly in that discussion of like, well, I don't bring up class all the time and sort of equating these issues, and it's like it just feels like class is almost brought up as like, well, Brian's really oppressed too, and it's like, well, no, being a middle class white guy, like he's he's not like but it felt like the movie would sometimes try to approach a discussion like that, but then it never quite like

even started the conversation, so I don't even know how it really felt. I honestly felt the same way about gender not being woven into the conversation that to me, I feel like the women feel oppressed only because it's like no one loves me, I don't have a boyfriends, is that they aren't getting dates? Um. I mean, I

think it's open to interpretation. But for example, like when she's talking to that client in the recap, I was like, he's racist and also probably sexist, but like it seems like she was only ever speaking about him undervaluing her because she's black and not because she's a black woman, even though this guy is probably sexist also because he is trusting of only white men, right, It's like not like I was, I was kind of confused of where they not that I wanted more of her, but I

was kind of confused why we would introduce the character Leah if because I thought I was like, oh, maybe this is going to be a character of like how is a white woman treated in this work setting versus a black woman? But you never kind of see You only see Leah worrying about her wedding dress at work,

and I think you see her work. I don't know is she accountant to I don't know she just probably because the women in this story, aside from Kenya, we don't see them in the context of what they're actually doing for work. Nope, we only know of them as they relate to their relationships with men. So I do think this is not an excuse for the movie. But I do this is not a nude tests that exist. There are so many tests for movies out there, but

I do I run a what would my mom say? Test? Okay, if the movie has too many ideas going on, I think people like within our age range and younger or like, yes, we get all these, but my mom would be like, what was that thing about that other? Like I thought the story was about this one thing, So that I know this one thing, but then you added some other stuff in there. I don't know what are we talking about now, So I will say that just having one thing that it's talking about does lean it towards the

passing the will my mom like this test? My mom test yes? Well? And I also want to be like aware of like the fact that when movies are made by people marginalize in any way, there's always additional pressures of like you need to be saying this, this and this, and like I don't want to be a part of that problem of like why didn't this movie attack every single her sexual issue with black women's face. Why it's like, well,

shut up, you don't ask that of most movies. Um, I think that like the reason and also like listeners, if you disagree with the approach, like let us know, I think that the reason that it feels very relevant to this movie is because it seems to be this movie's agenda. But I agree with you and your mom's theoretical opinion of of like it seems like possibly like Chris Turner was like, I need to choose, you know, what am I going to focus on? And she chooses,

you know, race specifically to focus on. But I do, but it's like there was definitely room and and kind of like the characters were there to talk a little more about gender. I would love for one of them to have a passion, just sing passion. And there are a few things set up at the beginning of this movie that I feel like kind of fell to quote my favorite song from a Star is Born by the Wayside because of Brian, and I know that he's romantically

in the round call whatever. But it's like at the beginning, you set up that Kenya is an inherently optimistic character, which kind of seems to go away, and then you also set up this like friendship, this very two thousand's friendship dynamic, and as weird as that friendship dynamic is, and it's like the four women, you know, that could be a really fun dynamic to watch, but the movie kind of bails on that also, and then they kind of only come back to be like, come on, give

Brian a chance, or depending on the needs of the scene, come on, give Blair under what a chance? Like what, So they kind of bail on the girlfriend slash sacks in the city slash living single setup that we get at the beginning, and I kind of. I was bummed about that. I wanted more of it, and I wanted more. It's like you hired Alfrey Woodard and then you and then you did nothing with her. Come on, gave the

big speech to the dad. Yeah, yeah, okay, sorry. Just when you said that, I was like, okay, new reality show, guys, and this idea. Don't steal anyone who's listening. But it's a competition for four person friend group, okay. And we've got people, different contestants vying for the different roles. We've got to have one horny one, we've got to have one up tight one. We've got to have like all these different like one pragmatic, it's the it's the Ninja

Turtles groups. Like four types of people are all representatives ninja turtles, and they're often represented in these friend groups as well. So yeah, competition, show love it. I'm like to do the four friends exist for men? As my guess, Ninja Ninja Turtles falls into it. I don't think they value friendship, but they don't. I don't think they do that. Do men have friend groups that aren't just like this is cheese, This is cheese too. We went to college together.

That's as much as we've talked about it, that's it. And then I feel like the permutation of that that was in like kids media that I was really into in the Chee thousands, where like the three friends, the two girls and the one guy, and you had and then you had to end up with or the two guys in the one girl. I mean, because you have Harry Potter set ups versus Lissi McGuire setups. Okay, it's all making sense in my head. There's ven diagrams coming together.

I'll release my charge. I was thinking Dawson, Pacy, Joey. But yeah, yes, yes, the three the three friends, but that's the teenage setup. Once you're an adult, all the friends need to identify as the same gender, and they you can't remember how they met. That make one more. What we do? What do we do together? We drink together? That's it? What are you talking about? I did love it was there. There's I just love the amount of

gigantic wineglasses in this genre. But it was reminding me of like my days of watching Too Much Scandal where she was drinking Olivia Pope sized why, Like I just you're like, generally you don't fill the wine glass to the top. But in in rom coms, you do you do, and then you talk to your dad on the phone. Did you guys ever see the girl at the woman in the window across the street from the girl in the house or something like that. I don't remember the

full title. It was a long title. But Kristen Bell has like a glass of wine and empty is an entire bottle of wine into the glass and just walks around like delicately holdingness absolutely massive, completely full glass of wine. That's what all of these movies need. I support it. I really appreciate the rom com Poor, Heavy Poor. If I opened a restaurant, I'm not saying I will, but I would have that on the media would be you can have a size like a regular or a rom

com pour which is just like a huge glass of wine. Yeah, you have so many good ideas, this reality show, this wine bar slash restaurant, yep hire me um. I can try to make these things or I can just generate dumb ideas for you until the day you die. I want to go back to that grocery store scene because

I feel like Kenny is giving a couple. It's like a back and forth, but there are a few chunks where she's like kind of monologueing, and I felt it was she was like providing effective commentary, and it felt like this was like kind of the scene that like the movie was like this is what we want to say. But then also not because she gets married with him after like barely apologizing, so I don't know, it's confusing, but she says things like after Brian is like, I

don't want to talk about this tonight. It makes me feel uncomfortable, And she says, first of all, you don't have to talk about being white, because no one reminds you every day that you're white. The only time you guys know you're white is when you're in a room full of black people. I'm in a world full of white people, and every day they remind me that I'm black. And if I can't talk to you about my frustrations,

if I'm supposed to just keep that to myself. And then he interrupts her and it's like, well, you're a senior manager at of the whitest firms in the country. You graduated these like Ivy League schools, you own a home, you earn more money thancent of the country. He's like, no, I'm oppressed, and you're like yeah, and then he's like, you make more money than me, so yeah, tell me about your frustrations. He's like, being very sarcastic, and then

she says, you don't want to hear it. You don't want to hear about when I show up at an account meeting, they always have to regroup when they find out that I'm the one who is responsible for their multimillion dollar acquisition. They'd rather trust it to a file clerk who gets me my goddamn coffee. Again some more classism um because he's white, and do you know how insulting that is? And then she goes on to say, you know, I need to be able to talk to

you about this stuff. I'm not going to keep it to myself or deny who I am. He says all I wanted was a night off, and she says, well, that's what being black is, Brian, you don't get a night off. And he's like well, and then he and then he says, I'm never going to be on the right side of the war going on in your head to me, implying like this is all in her head. Brian is constantly calling her hysterical for experiencing systemic racism,

and I can't say, Brian. And then so he's like, you know what, I'm never going to be on the right side of this because I'm not black and I'm never going to be black. Also, after what a couple of conversations, you've decided there's no more I could learn. I'm done, and therefore I'll never get to the point where I understand other people or what they're going through. I can't. It's not possible, and it's unreasonable for you

to expect me to do these things. And the fact this, and then he later says he's like I'm sorry, Like he does apologize, but he's like, I'm sorry. Someone left work and I was like, so you did that? That was your response. I was having a bad day. So hey, if anyone walks off the job again, you're gonna have to deal with it. Just so you know what I'm marriage is gonna be like, it's gonna be under you. I'm gonna say some racist but it's because I had

a hard days. When I have a hard day, I get the night off from discussing racism with my girlfriend who's experiencing racism on a constant basis seems reasonable. And then at the end of that scene, the scene where he comes to her house and apologizes, he says, like to be fair, he says like, I may not always relate, but I can promise I will empathize, right, But then he says it would be a shame to let something so superficial get in our way, as if racism is superficial.

That felt to me, I'm curious, okay, if I was, let me know if we were reading this the same way. I felt like there was a very like of the era color metaphor being made with Brian's arc and story specifically where he's like saying very surface level, but it's like he's using like kind of Sesame Street logic that is true, but ignores the complicated issues that I thought

this movie was supposed to be about. Where he's like, it's just the color of your skin, and you're like, yes, that is the Sesame Street lesson, but Kenya is talking about society, living in a society, and this isn't sesame Street. But then there are like Sesame Street like where he's like, you need more color in your life, like there's all these like color metaphors, and Ryan's constantly bringing them up,

and I never really know what he's talking about. And and then he's like telling her she's kind of being hysterical, and so it doesn't quite it never really scans that, like whatever, it didn't quite work for me. Yeah, the nail they have the nail nail polished scene. He okay, we don't know what he's talking about at first, and he says, I know you're sensitive about color, but we can just keep this a little secret. And you think maybe he's talking about their relationship and her being quote

unquote sensitive about color, referring to race. But then he's like, ha ha ha, I'm painting your toenails red and fake out, and like that's obviously the job. So was he good at this? I'm sorry that was like, like, is he painted a lot of toes before, because otherwise he's gonna be bad at it and you're gonna have to get rid of it. Right, he's a he's on wikifie. He's a COMPLICATID Okay, Okay, he's been practicing, okay, and that like I mean that, like it just feels like muddled metaphors.

Because that like works as a bad rom com metaphor of like you need like because that's like a lot of how I feel like we convince ourselves that, like a professional woman should be with a crummy guy, of like I opened your mind to like fun, you know, I'm like, that's so. I don't know why Knocked Up is the first movie that jumped to my mind of like, yeah, sure I fucking suck, but like, aren't it a good time? You're too uptight? So love me more color, more fun.

But because their story is so based in race as well, and like the mess, like the lessons they're learning are supposed to be grounded there, it just gets really like muddled and I don't know, it wasn't scanning for me quite right. I appreciate that there is a rom com that tries to tackle this subject matter. Again, there had been very few before this, and honestly not that many since um that directly address the tension that comes with

being in an interracial relationship. Again, the way this movie addresses it does feel very of the time, but I imagine that it lets a lot of people feel seen and represented, or like let their relationship feel seen on screen, and like we talk about stepping stone movies all the time, where it's like if this movie hadn't come out, who knows what wouldn't have been made? Or like because this movie was well received and it seems to be a pretty well loved movie, Like what did it make possible

for it to be made? You know? Outside of that? So I feel like, you know, it's like it's it's it's net good and it also I don't know. I was just even with like the precise setting of this movie and also with some of the themes of interracial relationships, I was like, oh, a lot of this is actually like similar themes are touched on in a better modern

way in like the later seasons of Insecure. I mean, but again, it's like if you can think of that few examples, like maybe there's I'm sure there's plenty that I just don't I didn't personally obsessively consume. But you know, it's like it's an under explored topic, but at least it's nice to know it's been explored better since. Yes, trying to think of a more delicate word than better,

I'm sure it exists. I think I think that is great. Yeah, I want to talk briefly about Mark, the Blair Underwood character, mostly to say that Mark such a dad. Every a lot of rom comes have this guy, the other guy who's not as cool, the flop. There was like a movie where Michael Showalter is directed it where it's like the Steve or the Something, but it's like I was left at the altar gets left. Yeah, I know about this movie. It's called Oh my gosh, what is it called.

The only joke I remember from it, if we're thinking about the same movie is a guy is talking to a woman and he's like, oh, I'll have my interns assistance interns assistant call you to schedule a date. And I was like, that's such a funny joke. But that's the remember the back the Baxter. Yeah, a Baxter is the nice doll guy in a romantic comedy who is dumped at the end of the story for the protagonist. I've never heard of this. This is a fun concept.

I wonder I kind of want to watch it. Maybe I'm thinking, what's the movie with Amy Poehler and Paul Rod they came together? Yes, maybe I'm thinking of that movie. Also, one of those guys is that show Walter or is it somebody who was in that group? Oh that one of those maybe a David Wayne perhaps, Yeah, the State people. I don't know. All of those movies are like all muddled in my brain. No, wait, that was show Walter. Okay, it might even be him that says the joke I'm

thinking of. But that might not be the movie I'm thinking of. I don't know. Michael Showalter is like, loves to comment on rom com trips. I wonder why why is that we should have him on the show. Yeah, Michael show Walter, explain yourself. Seems unusual for a man. But I'm I'm you know, I'm here for it. Chat Yeah, um mark. Though Blair Underwood, he tells a story to Kenya's parents about how he lied to her in order to trick her into hanging out with him, as if

it's a super cute story that does happen. Then her mom is also like, that is so cute. Thankfully Kenya breaks up with him right after that scene. But I was like, I mean, like, I've been in relationships where like, especially you know, if you go far back enough, I was like, I was in relationships in college where like the way that we started dating was like presented as this big joke and then you repeat it back to yourself.

Now you're like, that was fucking horrible. But where people not like, oh, we're like every story about how grandparents meet is like the most horrifying thing I've ever heard in my life. It's an attack. There's a wonderful I think it's like ClickHole or the Onion article about that. But yes, we were like, that's a crime. Now, Grandma don't don't like that, right, Like, he followed me for forty seven blocks until I agreed to go out with him. He slowly wore me down until I had no will

to live. And then that's why your grand your mother exists. My grandparents met via cat calling. I think I've told that story on the show before, though. Yeah. Uh my grandfother leaned out the window of his car and was like because my grandma was walking her baby sister in like a carriage, and then he was like, hey, is that your baby? And she was like no. Then he's like, let's go out because I want to put one in yet, and then like three months later he did or something.

I don't know. I haven't checked their fun math. They're dead. I can't ask um. But I did appreciate, Okay, getting back to the movie, I did appreciate that that was framed as a negative thing to have done in two thousand six, because I wouldn't expect I wouldn't necessarily expect that in a movie of this era. I liked when she was like, he is a black man, he knows something about black hair, hopefully, so for him to say I like your hair better this way in the weave

is like, huh, okay, I get the measure of this man. No, thank you, um, and I did. I felt connected to that. I liked that. Meanwhile, Brian in that scene where he's like, how does your hair work? I don't know, and she gets out set and then he says, sorry if I offended you, I just want to know what you look like completely naked. Shut up? Are you joking my ass? Brian? Shut up? It's like comical, I don't know, like they

framed it like it's a good thing that he said that. Yeah, but no, And then in the next scene she goes and gets her we've taken out, as if she's like, oh, he was right, I shouldn't have Do you guys know how much we'ves are that's an expensive proposition. Just on one. I'd be like, yeah, we'll talk as like the next cycle, because like this is like a time period commitment, and at the end of this time period commitment, I might consider that. But to go and get it cut out?

Did you just get it done? That's so much that's like wasting so much money. That's a process. Shut up. I really don't like. I mean, and this seems specifically aggressive because it's he does not fucking know what he's talking about and he doesn't have interest in really knowing

what he's talking about. But I really don't like when in any partnership, but it's like usually a man to a woman when they're it's like a racialized extension of like the like you look so much better without makeup, or like how I like to look at you, and how I tell you you're beautiful, as how you're most beautiful, the way you should do it if you feel beautiful, and it happens to involve something that I don't like, then that's not how you're beautiful, and it's like, well,

then you don't respect me. Stop. I think that he thought he was like, oh, I want to see you as you are. But it's like, no see her however she wants. She's comfortable being seen. You fucking loser, Brian. I swear to God, maybe Brian gets better. I've overtime, like in the way that, like so many people we know have gotten better on issues. Hopefully, maybe Brian gets better. But as Brian stands in two thousand six, he's not. He needs to step it up, not enough, really a lot.

But then and then it's like it's presented as and this often does happen, but like the burden is on her to educate him. Yeah, and it makes the changes. He's not changing his house layout, he's not getting his hair redund keeps bringing his dog inside. Yeah, she doesn't like sucking dogs. Stop bringing your dog around. You live somewhere, put it where you live. Yeah. So it's it's her burden to to educate him and to make him aware of all of this stuff that he's like willfully or

generally ignorant of. So that's a burden. She has the burden to like accommodate his standards. And oh, I I fine, I'll paint my walls because you think I should be not liking beige. Fine, I'll take out my weave because you want to see me with my natural hair. All this stuff, it's frustrating. She should not accommodate any of that. The burden should not have to be on her to

educate him about all this stuff. Also, okay, I did laugh at the scene where she so she tells him about the black tax and he's like, oh, I never thought about that. The next scene is the housewarming party she has that she has because he's like, yeah, you look like you need to relax. Shut up, Brian. But he's going around it's it's mostly black people at the party. You can tell that he feels out of place, and

he's like trying to, I don't know, make friends. Mike Epps yells at him because he's like, you're stealing my barbecue secrets. And so he goes over to another group of guys who are saying something like, oh, that wouldn't have happened if it was a white guy. That white guy would have gotten promoted. And then he tries to Brian tries to chime in and be like, oh, were you guys talking about the black tacks? And they're just like, what, leave us alone. Also, I love the idea to add

a black party. The only thing we talked about is blessed. It's a black party, so we talked about black stuff. You know, I did think it was very funny, how like, you know, everyone starts teasing him and making fun of him for because that was really fucking weird. And but then it's like this scene kind of leaves you being like, man, Brian's not fitting in, Like well maybe if he was being less fucking weird, there's a loss of a loser. Also in a situation like that, just shut up and listen, Brian.

You need to learn things clearly, So shut up and learn, Yeah and listen. I did appreciate. I mean, it's like that there was with the people in Kenya's life. There was kind of like a spectrum of how people felt about Brian, where some people are like Brian, you know, is it my Cups is like the cook character, right, yeah, yeah, Walter. So I feel like he was generally on Brian's side because it was like more of like a class solidarity

thing of like he's a working guy. I like him, and then but he did first he had to come around on right. So it's like, you like the people in her life, are like thinking Brian is a prospect to different degrees, and so there is she is like surrounded by different opinions about it. But I guess just none of the opinions quite made sense to me because Brian sects. The one that did track the most for me was when her friends are like, you're not going

to marry him, except she does. But before that happens, they're like, if he can dick you down, who cares if he's white, You're not going to marry him. Just get it while it's there. I appreciate that, but but that was one of the only things we knew about Kenya really is that she didn't want a casual relationship. She wanted a serious relationship. Any other thoughts the movie.

I would like to see another movie by this director, because again I do like those music video like very visual touches, uh, and I would like to see what she does with them in another environment, hopefully that is a little bit more up to date. Yeah, I would like to see if she hasn't she's directed three movies, and then I think just kind of like really leaned into TV TV. I'm sure I've seen she she didn't episodely she did that. She did like a Sherlock adaptation.

I would love to see another movie from her, because she hasn't directed a movie since. Did anyone see the movie just right? It's another rom com with Queen Latifa and Common. I missed that one. I did a long time ago, but I haven't seen it, probably since he came out. I've never seen it. Well, the time has come for another movie. I'm ready and prepared. Good. I'll

tell her she's my friend now. Please let her know um, and also please to let her know that I really the super based music video was really important to me. Well does the movie pass the Bechtel test? It does? It does a bunch of different times. Not thoroughly, but a bunch of different times. The women do talk about men a lot, they do, but yeah, there's a few exchanges here and there. But it would pass more if

we had a better understanding of their friendship. For example, the four friends, what do they like to do together besides have like Galantine's Day drinks? Because I think the night that they meet up it's Valentine's Day. But then in the whole time they're just like, oh, we're unmarried. Were mid men and not with you losers, right, but again, if we yeah, if we had I was hoping for more scenes with them and just like getting a sense of their friendship. But when they are together pretty much

they only talk about men. But yeah, there are little exchanges here and there that passed. Yeah, I wish that again. And it's like, I guess we've said this a few times, but for the for the final time, I really wish that, um, the mother daughter relationship could have been used more effectively and in a less boring way. But what can you do? I guess you could do something, but he didn't. You

could do something different movie exactly. Yeah, it's a lot of her mom kind of criticizing her or being like when are you getting married? Or oh, you might be getting married to Blair Underwood. Oh my gosh, pop the champagne. She was crying, and it's like, are you going to congratulate her from making partner at her firm? Oh? And then the way Donald's facon said the doctor and the misses. I was like, Mmm, does she do what does she do? Does she have does she have jobs? We don't know,

we don't know. Im doctor in the message, yes, um our nipple scale a scale of zero to five nipples. Based on examining the movie through an intersectional feminist lens, I would give this. I'll give it a two point five because I think that for the time, it's attempting to have a conversation that a lot of movies and rom comms especially, we're not attempting to make. It was representation on screen of things that you don't often see

in mainstream movies, such as an interracial relationship. Where where in the tension that comes, Yeah, I have a master's depart Let you know that I appreciate it. Yeah, why I at it? Um? But the tension that often derives from an interracial relationship, especially one where one of the people is a white person with a lot of white privilege. I think it explores that relationship dynamic in interesting ways

that feel authentic. But I don't think that Brian redeems himself after the shitty things he says, or that he demonstrates enough growth for her to take him back at all, and making it seem like the choice was between Brian and Blair Underwood, which she simply could have continued looking for someone that she liked. Yeah, why does she love Brian? Also her speech at the end where she's just like, I think they tried to tell us why she left Brian. Well,

she's like that you haven't showed us. Yeah that and she's like, yeah, you probably think I'm neurotic and and ridiculous and blah blah blah all this stuff, but you let me be that way. I feel myself around you. And it's like, he doesn't let you be that way. He's been trying to change you the whole movie. What are you even talking about? He made you change your

house and your hair, and you're like life attitude. Yeah, right, So I'm not sure, but I think it's doing enough stuff that was like again, feels groundbreaking for the time that I'll do like a split down the middle two point five nipples. I will give one to Sona Lathan because I not her character in this movie because she's really so bland and beige, but as a performer as an actor, I love her a lot. Um. I'll split between Sana Hamri, the director and Chris Turner, the screenwriter

of the movie. And I will give my point five nipple to Max the dog because he's a cute Golden Retriever. He's nice. Um. I'm tending. Yeah, I guess I'll go down in the middle. I'm like tempted to give it like half a nipple higher only because it's like for its time again, like not just an under explored topic in movies, but like in this genre specifically. I guess outside of guess who for some reason to that. But that's like where of a comedy than a rom com.

Either way, either way, it feels I I'm glad it exists. I'm glad it exists. I don't know that I'll be like returning to it super often because I just really don't like Brian. Um, I don't. I weirdly don't even super duper mind that Kenya is kind of boring. I don't know. For some reason, I can deal with a boring character, but I can't. I can't deal with Brian.

Brian really bugs me. And I feel like because of for like modern audiences, at least the rom com tropes associated with Brian, which is like I accept you as you are, except change everything about yourself and like I'm I'm not listening, but I'm totally listening, babe. Like that kind of stuff undercuts what this movie's potential was, which was like, if if it was like illustrating like an emotionally healthy and equitable integracial relationship, that would have been

so cool. I just don't think that that's the relationship that we got here, and so that is ultimately a bummer. But I really, um like all the creatives involved, Like I like that this collaboration happened. I would be cool to see them work together again, this writer and director and puts an On Lathen in it again. Let's do it, let's let's take to it and yeah, I don't know. I guess I'll go two and a half. I'm tempted to give it three. And I guess whoever is editing

the Wikipedia these days? You could just kind of choose whatever feels right for you. Um, Ultimately, if someone, if someone wants to take you on a first date at a busy Starbucks, it's probably not the person for you. And also fire the friend that orchestrated that, which she did say, like she did say, Like, what the funk? Was she thinking? Yeah, yeah, I'll split my nipples. However, the math shakes out between in um the beisuaal and the aqua marine wall. There's two kinds of walls. In

this world famously, Yes, can he saw about you. I'm gonna give it three because I think it's important to remember that this came out the same year as Crash Oh wow, And when it comes to a conversation about race, this is way better than that. Yes, this doesn't make me literally pull my hair out. So I'm gonna give it three. And I'm going to give one to the musical sequence where they are watching a dance in Kenya

is getting horny. I'm gonna give one nipple to the scene where Simon peg is digging up earth and we're getting lots of close ups of rippling muscles. Simon Baker would yea, that's a different movie, different different vibe. Entirely. It was a start. I don't want to get into it. And then I want to give one full nipple to the little Mariachi costume that he has on in the end, because I know that that's gonna be funny. But I

was like, would snatch? So he wears it well except for the untucked in T shirt that he has the shirt, but his but looked good in those pants, and I think we've got to acknowledge that that's I'm fine, fine, I dropped the ball, I dropped the I liked, I liked seeing the I did. I wasn't sure what they were talking about. When she's like, do you know that guy? I was like, why is he going to come as well? But it was like, no, just steal his clothes? Cool

technically come on? Yeah, well, Cannie, thank you so much for coming back for a sixth appearance. Thank you for having me. Let's make it seven leven. What do you want to do it next week? Mar Um? Where can people follow you online? What would you like to plug? Tell us about your album? Okay, so you can follow me at Kennice Mobili on all the socials. I even signed up for Hive. I don't even know what people

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a fun album. It's been written up in a few places. It just got showcased on Ebony magazine, which we had Ebony come to the house every month and it was always on our coffee table, so that's a big deal for me. But it was on some other list to Paste magazine, et cetera. Um, so if you don't hate me here, you might like me there soralla endorsement. Everyone loves you. That is not true, but I appreciate you saying that we love you here on this zoom call

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two hundred at the this point. Uh. This past month we did the Pinocchio Wars, in which we covered all three and maybe even a fourth adaptations of Pinocchio that have come out in the past calendar year. Who knows why. You know Italian icon Pinocchio. He's back and I still

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there's so many other goodies. There's something you plug I guess it is. Now I'm plugging it. Awesome, all right, we're plugging it, and hey, don't forget Let go let flow. I'm about to go do that right into my toilet. I have to be so bad. I have to be so bad to you. I've been waiting. I was like, I wanted people like, but I have to be so bad. Okay, let's go let it flow. Bye bye, I'm letting it flow.