Tuesday, March 3, 2009
City / Media Today in Alleged Cultural Appropriation
Posted by David Schmader on Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 3:01 PM
First, this submission to I, Anonymous:
Dear group of Grey hipsters + girl: I heard you loudly congratulating yourselves for having been to the Wild Rose, and even liking it (except for your lady friend, who doesn't want "them" hitting on her). Most of us don't even really like the Rose, but you know what? THAT IS OUR ONE BAR. We have ONE. You have approximately one billion places to sit around and talk about how much better Portland is than Seattle, how much you wish you could have babies with your fixed-gear, or whatever it is you talk about when you're not laying claim to the few places that people go specifically to not see scraggly beards or otherwise smug white indie dudes. Your love of Taco Tuesdays doesn't show you're down with lesbians. It's called cultural appropriation. Please get back on your bike, and go back to Linda's.
Then, this fat, hairy, bewanged-and-bodystockinged spin on this (mildly NSFW) image, shot by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair, which I could not love more.
Back in the Clueless days, I wanted to be Alicia Silverstone so I could slow-dance with Paul Rudd. Now, I want to be Paul Rudd, so I could nuzzle a leotarded Seth Rogen, the world's dreamiest Canadian Jew. (Thanks to Towleroad for the pic.)
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1
http://jezebel.com/5163547/other-ladies-…
which I could not love less. Interesting discussion of the photo in above link.
which I could not love less. Interesting discussion of the photo in above link.
2
Ugh, that's a terrible picture.
If they'd actually gone naked, I'd have some respect for it. As it is, it comes across as stupid and chickenshit.
If they'd actually gone naked, I'd have some respect for it. As it is, it comes across as stupid and chickenshit.
4
oh waa, There aren't any Black, Mexican or straight women suffrage bars neither. its called integration get over it.
Your here, your queer, your whining.
Your here, your queer, your whining.
5
What's a "Grey" hipster? Is that like a "silver fox?" And, if so, do they usually travel in packs?
Also, Seth Rogan, I agree, very cute, but the dreamier Paul Rudd can nuzzle me any day...
Also, Seth Rogan, I agree, very cute, but the dreamier Paul Rudd can nuzzle me any day...
6
@1 hmmm... i didn't see the shot as the boys mocking the girls, but rather mocking the expectations. you see the guys, and think, that's silly, people shouldn't pose like that. then you see the original, and say, ah yes, people shouldn't have to pose like that. the fact that they aren't naked is what leads me to believe they aren't mocking the women specifically. the suits seem so fake and obvious. maybe i'm wrong about this, though.
8
grey is a bar/artspace on 11th. i'm not sure it's a place where the hipsters hang out, though. unless we are defining the belltown and bridge&tunnel crowd as hipsters now.
though, i should add, everyone i've encountered at grey has always been very friendly to me. seems like a decent place, and i'm not sure why that was included as an adjective to modify the tired "hipster" insult. i'm left understand both words, in context, and still not knowing what sort of person they are actually referring to. usually hipsters - love them or hate them - are fine with all sexual orientations.
though, i should add, everyone i've encountered at grey has always been very friendly to me. seems like a decent place, and i'm not sure why that was included as an adjective to modify the tired "hipster" insult. i'm left understand both words, in context, and still not knowing what sort of person they are actually referring to. usually hipsters - love them or hate them - are fine with all sexual orientations.
9
@6
I think the point would have been made better had they also been naked. As one of the comments said, and I agree, if you're going mock something, go all the way (full monty!)
I think the point would have been made better had they also been naked. As one of the comments said, and I agree, if you're going mock something, go all the way (full monty!)
11
@5, 7, 8
OHHHHH, wait now I get it. This person overheard these people while she was at Grey, hence the term "Grey hipsters." What she meant was "hipsters at Grey."
OHHHHH, wait now I get it. This person overheard these people while she was at Grey, hence the term "Grey hipsters." What she meant was "hipsters at Grey."
12
See I really want to go to the Rose more often because I love hanging with lesbians and their food is delish! But we don't because we don't have a lesbian to escort us bearded gay boys in there. We've even thought of taking out a craigslist ad that goes something like: "Two gay bears seek lovely lesbian to escort us to the Wild Rose so that we can eat their food. We will buy you beer and provide sparkling conversation. PLEASE LET US EAT at THE ROSE."
(is being totally serious)
(is being totally serious)
16
Should have gone naked. With that pose, the only one whose junk would be visible is Jason Segel, and he flashed his junk in Forgetting Sarah Marshall anyway.
Also, Seth Rogen is adorable, but Paul Rudd is fucking hot.
Also, Seth Rogen is adorable, but Paul Rudd is fucking hot.
17
I'd rather be Seth Rogan. Getting nuzzled by Paul Rudd, and a naked Jason Segel. Mainly Jason Segel. RAWR.
18
I don't recall having any problems with the service at the Wildrose when we went there a month or so ago.
19
I will be escorting anyone who wants food to the Wild Rose, drinking the beer paid for by my friendly 'scorts, then going to Grey and hitting on every girl there. Then home to snuggle with Seth and Paul.
BEST TUESDAY EVER.
BEST TUESDAY EVER.
20
The photo would be better with just Rudd, Rogen, and Segel. First, those three are hot, cute, and adorable. Second, the staging would simply be better and would more closely mimic the Ford, Johanssen, Knightley photo.
21
I'm surprised there are bars that want to turn away patrons ... it's not like this is their most profitable year ...
22
Dear David,
1)Too many topics in one post! Ai yi yi!
2)The boys wimped out, (also, Leibovitz/Vanity Fair) They should be nude.
3)Shouldn't that be, Thanks VANITY FAIR? You might have saw it on Towleroad, but it's Vanity Fair's picture...
1)Too many topics in one post! Ai yi yi!
2)The boys wimped out, (also, Leibovitz/Vanity Fair) They should be nude.
3)Shouldn't that be, Thanks VANITY FAIR? You might have saw it on Towleroad, but it's Vanity Fair's picture...
23
Jesus, Jonah Hill looks exactly like a young Chris Penn.
Paul Rudd remains ageless as ever. I aspire to his eternal boyish looks.
Paul Rudd remains ageless as ever. I aspire to his eternal boyish looks.
26
The point here is being missed. Regardless if they're hipsters or straight girls out for their Bachelorette Party, the Rose is one of a handful of places where queer women can go and be just that, queer women who love other queer women.
As the Hill becomes more and more 'straight', it's important that at least some queer-safe spaces are retained, and specifically, women safe spaces. I can't even count the number of times I've gone out to R Place and seen more heterosexual couples than queer folks.
It's not that we don't like you- just let us have our damn space!
@12-- I know I sound angry, but I'm really not and I'd totally respond to your CL ad! do it!!
As the Hill becomes more and more 'straight', it's important that at least some queer-safe spaces are retained, and specifically, women safe spaces. I can't even count the number of times I've gone out to R Place and seen more heterosexual couples than queer folks.
It's not that we don't like you- just let us have our damn space!
@12-- I know I sound angry, but I'm really not and I'd totally respond to your CL ad! do it!!
30
I think the "safe space" comment is particularly valid because this group went there, but then the heterosexual woman in the group expects and loathes getting hit on by the patrons. I mean, I guess it is also a valid concern for homogeneity to create a safe space and commercial venues are the new public arenas (Not literally, but for all practical purposes, especially in North America, jesus).
So, um, people who are non-queer women, you can come but show so damn respect, and maybe we won't publicly shame you for being an ass elsewhere. Asshat!
So, um, people who are non-queer women, you can come but show so damn respect, and maybe we won't publicly shame you for being an ass elsewhere. Asshat!
31
errr, I don't know what you all are on about with the "they should be naked", isn't the whole point of the satire of the picture that they are in flesh stockings? Making fun of the nude-but-not showing anything leibovitz style...
And word to the safe spaces comments. And to anyone who might claim that it's still a safe space with a substantial number of non-queers in it, one of the most important aspects of a safe space is what @26 says, being able to go and just be queer, i.e. be comfortable in hitting on the people around you because you can assume they are queer too.
And word to the safe spaces comments. And to anyone who might claim that it's still a safe space with a substantial number of non-queers in it, one of the most important aspects of a safe space is what @26 says, being able to go and just be queer, i.e. be comfortable in hitting on the people around you because you can assume they are queer too.
32
this is exactly why there is only one lesbian bar in seattle - being mean to allies is bad for the community and bad for business. as a queer woman, i feel welcome in every gay-boy bar on the hill, even the eagle! get over yourselves hipster dykes.
33
@31: But in the original, the women ARE nude. How is it making fun of Leibowitz's style to put the men in body stockings for this parody? That makes no sense. It's just a cop-out.
34
@33: Wait, you know Leibovitz did the original with the nude women as well as this new one with the non-nude men, right?
35
Okay. So now I've gone back and looked at the orginal cover from 2006. Is Annie Leibovitz losing her touch? How does she make Scarlett Johansson - NAKED Scarlett Johansson - look pasty and not that attractive? That is a serious problem.
Then the spoof shot. The composition is bad. What happened to the edges? Surely Vanity Fair can afford to buy a bigger backdrop. There's also that orphan foot in the bottom right corner of the frame. The addition of Jason Segel makes the arrangement of the figures awkward. I feel like with those lights and those models, I could take a better picture than that one.
Then the spoof shot. The composition is bad. What happened to the edges? Surely Vanity Fair can afford to buy a bigger backdrop. There's also that orphan foot in the bottom right corner of the frame. The addition of Jason Segel makes the arrangement of the figures awkward. I feel like with those lights and those models, I could take a better picture than that one.
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