How Drew Barrymore Went From Hollywood Darling to Scab in the Blink of an Eye

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Well, despite the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, awards season is in full swing. MTV’s Video Music Awards took place Tuesday evening, with Shakira’s historic Video Vanguard Award win, a nostalgic performance of “Itty Bitty Piggy” from Nicki Minaj with Lil Wayne, and much more.

But do you know who wasn’t on the main stage? Or even the extended game scene? Victoria Monet. Fans asked the industry veteran to perform her single “On My Mama” at the awards show, but unfortunately, that was out of her control. Monet tweeted, ‘My team was told it was ‘too early in my story’ for this opportunity, so we’ll keep working!’ If beginners like Olivia Rodrigo and Reneé Rapp (whom I really like) can hit the stage just one to two years after releasing their first projects, so can Victoria. Sorry not sorry!

The show lasted for what seemed like an eternity, bombarding viewers with filler performances and teleprompter incidents (to distract from the fact that there are no writers to help the show and jokes run smoothly). But what brought me reprieve was Selena Gomez’s response to Chris Brown who was nominated in the year of our Lord 2023. Now, do I think Selena should have been nominated for *checks notes* an Afrobeats award? Hell no, but she hasn’t been accused of assault multiple times, so I’ll get out of it.

Despite herself aversion to becoming a memeit was inevitable, especially since Gomez was sitting next to her best friend Taylor Swift, who had just been have the best time of your life. Swift, who won the Video of the Year award, recently made headlines amid a rumored entanglement with NFL player Travis Kelce. (If you know me, you know how I feel about this man.) I’ll reserve my comments – but I will to leave this TikTok make conversation. If you don’t know who his ex-girlfriend is, I suggest you look her up. Quickly.

Anyway, Happy Friday, Happy Latinx Heritage Month, and welcome to another edition of The Culture Catchall.

• To borrow a phrase from Tyra Banks: Drew Barrymore, we have your back! We all supported you! I have never in my life yelled at a girl like that! Our favorite Hollywood sweetheart is now being called yellow, after effectively crossing the picket line by taking over her eponymous talk show. “I own this choice“, she declared, as members of the public are kicked out for showing support for Hollywood workers. Earlier this year, Drew quit her hosting duties on the MTV VMA show in solidarity with her castmates. Today a vicious precedent has been set more daytime TV shows come back into the air. (On Friday, Drew posted an apology videobut his show will continue.)
• Just in time for the 2023-2024 NFL season, Disney and Spectrum have finally reached a distribution deal. While ESPN, FX and ABC stations are restored in major markets, eight networks will be left behind. Parents: your children, pre-teens and teenagers are unfortunately the first to suffer. Learn more about Deadline on the local networks and broadcasters concerned.
• In a explosive presentation, NBC News Internet reporter Kat Tenbarge shed light on accusations that “Rick and Morty” co-creator Justin Roiland used his fame to pursue young fans. Eleven women and non-binary people came forward, citing and providing “thousands of messages with Roiland from 2013 to 2022” – many of which became sexual exchanges. Some of these fans were 16 when Roiland allegedly contacted them. Please exercise caution as This item contains explicit language and graphic details.
• Hasan Minhaj: I can’t continue to defend you, Mr. Homecoming King. In a New York profile, the former “Daily Show” correspondent admitted to fabricating details about his stand-up scenes on various comedy specials, ranging from a false anthrax exposure scare to a contrived rejection story prom. Not only does this undermine Minhaj’s integrity, it raises doubts about his use of identity and oppression as vehicles to pursue comedy – when these traumatic events may never have happened to him. One can only wonder what shadow this now casts over other color comics. Read for you here.
• “Euphoria” producer and talentless hack Sam Levinson was accused of ripping off the visual aesthetic of a filmmaker and photographer. In an interview with Hungarian media outlet Punkt, director Petra Collins claimed that Sam approached her to direct the HBO series, saying he was “inspired” by her photos. Seems like pushing women out of opportunities is his MO (*cough* Remember Amy Seimetz, original creator of “The idol“?) I’d say something like, “I hate to say I told you so,” but then I’d be lying!
• The famous Gannett network is I’m looking for two journalists to exclusively cover Beyoncé and Taylor Swift at USA Today and The Tennessean. (Emphasis on “journalists”, not Middle-aged stans who manage Timothée Chalamet fan accounts.) Heads up, the lists come after Gannett eliminated countless roles in local news markets over the past two years. We love the lack of job security in the news! It is SO amusing! The daily beast has more details.

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