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ILLUSTRATION BY: ELOISE OWEN/THE HOYA
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
Children’s Media Start To Embrace Queer Storytelling KIRSTEN GARINO Hoya Staff Writer
When ABC’s “Modern Family” introduced an LGBTQ family as a regular feature of the series 10 years ago and became one of the first shows on broadcast television to do so, only 3% of scripted characters on broadcast shows were LGBTQ. Since then, LGBTQ representation has grown and continues to grow: The percentage of series regulars who identify as LGBTQ has reached an all-time high of 8.8% in the past year, according to a 2019 GLAAD report. Next week, Netflix will mark another milestone for LGBTQ representation on the small screen, as the animated children’s series “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power” debuts its first nonbinary character, a shapeshifting mercenary named Double Trouble. “She-Ra” follows in the footsteps of several other children’s programs that have recently sought to diversify through the inclusion of openly gay characters and age-appropriate LGBTQ romances. The recent uptick in LGBTQ representation in children’s entertainment signals an increasingly inclusive culture and media landscape. Nevertheless, a deficit remains in the representation of people of all marginalized groups with fairness and nuance.
TRANSFORMING TELEVISION
Representation of LGBTQ people in popular media has advanced greatly over the past several years, in part because of a greater social acceptance of diverse network programming. The last five years have seen an increase in LGBTQ representation in television and in the diversity of stories being told, according to April Sizemore-Barber, a professor in the women’s and gender studies program. “Things have definitely improved in the past five years, especially, just measured on how many different representations and genres depict LGBTQ stories and how many different types of stories are told,” SizemoreBarber wrote in an email to The Hoya. Public response to LGBTQ representation in children’s media has generally improved but has historically been a flashpoint of disapproval. In 2005, PBS was met with backlash over an episode that was planned to air from “Postcards from Buster,” a spinoff of “Arthur.” In the episode, Arthur’s best friend Buster visits a diverse array of liveaction families, including a lesbian couple. PBS decided not to air the episode from airing after then U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings requested PBS return public funds used for the episode. Fourteen years later, however, the season 22 premiere of “Arthur” in early 2019 featured the same-sex wedding of Arthur’s teacher Mr. Ratburn and saw much more positive reception from the public, especially on social media. PBS-affiliate stations in Alabama and Arkansas, however, refused to air the episode, citing concerns that parents would not be aware of the episode’s content beforehand. Along with Arthur’s inclusion of LGBTQ characters, other programs have also re-
ceived acclaim for their treatment of LGBTQ storylines. Both “Steven Universe” and “Andi Mack” have received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming, which recognizes media with particularly inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community. “Steven Universe,” an animated program produced by Cartoon Network that began running in 2013, focuses on the adventures of a young boy named Steven and the all-female team of superhumans called the Crystal Gems. Throughout its run, “Steven Universe” has depicted multiple lesbian romances, as well as a nonbinary character who uses they/them pronouns. In 2018, an episode of “Steven Universe” featured the wedding of Ruby and Sapphire, two of the show’s central female-presenting characters, becoming the first animated program in history to depict a queer wedding. Disney Channel also made history last year with its live-action series “Andi Mack,” which features the network’s first openly gay protagonist, a boy named Cyrus Goodman. The show featured a touching coming out scene in early 2019, five years after the network featured its first openly queer characters, a lesbian couple on an episode of “Good Luck Charlie.” Cyrus’ historic scene marked the first time a character on Disney Channel spoke the words, “I’m gay.” Such progress produces far-reaching effects for people both inside and outside of the LGBTQ community, according to Sizemore-Barber. “Until very recently, LGBTQ people would look to media and not have any representation or would only have a negative stereotype to identify with,” Sizemore-Barber wrote. “This absence of stories leads to ignorance among members of the general
DISNEY CHANNEL
Mainstream networks like Disney Channel have made strides in increasing representation, making space for queer characters to take starring roles in shows like “Andi Mack.”
CARTOON NETWORK STUDIOS
Shows like “Steven Universe” have introduced entire casts of characters with identities that vary across gender and sexuality spectra. These shows normalize queer identities for their young audiences by incorporating inclusivity into their plotlines.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019 public (who don’t see LGBTQ stories represented) and isolation for those who identify as LGBTQ and are implicitly told that they don’t exist.” The lack of LGBTQ representation for children creates a struggle common to the LGBTQ community, according to Jenny Xu (COL ’21), communications director of Georgetown University Pride. (Full disclosure: Xu previously served as a member of The Hoya’s editorial board.) “I questioned for so long, and it was such a difficult process of struggling with that within myself because I didn’t have any representation when I was younger,” Xu said. “I just thought it was wrong. If I never saw this, how could I be it, you know?”
REPRESENTATION MATTERS
Early exposure to media can significantly affect childhood development. Media is one of the primary ways children are informed about the world around them, and studies have estimated that children under the age of 8 spend an average of 2.25 hours immersed in digital media daily, a figure that only grows as technology becomes more ubiquitous, according to a 2017 report from Common Sense Media. Children generally approach media in search of figures they can relate to, according to Sandra Calvert, a Georgetown psychology professor who specializes in children’s media exposure. As early as preschool, children may be sensitive to gender norms represented in the media they consume, Calvert said. “Boys especially are looking for more boylike characters, you know, who are adventurous and superheroes, and girls are a little less likely to only go for one gender as their favorite than boys are,” Calvert said in an interview with The Hoya. “This kind of shifts around ages three, four to becoming more gender stereotyped and where kids are looking for somebody like them.” Media can strongly influence the development of identity and understanding of other people’s identities, according to Sizemore-Barber. “From childhood, we are exposed to media that tells a particular type of (age-appropriate) story—think Disney movies and rom-coms— which normalizes particular relationships and identities,” Sizemore-Barber wrote. The development of a healthy self-esteem and a strong sense of identity are closely tied to viewers’ ability to see people from their own backgrounds represented in a positive way, according to Sizemore-Barber. “Wanting to see yourself represented and your stories told and affirmed is one of the most basic ways people come to understand their value and place in the world,” Sizemore-Barber wrote. Public attitudes toward the LGBTQ community have evovled rapidly since “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” became the first broadcast television show to feature a gay series regular in 1997; many attribute this rise to the large increase in LGBTQ representation in popular media. The increased positive representation of the LGBTQ community has the potential to affirm the existence of members’ identities and help audiences attain greater understanding of LGBTQ identities, according to Isabel Janovsky (COL ’23), a deputy of GU Pride.
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“It would also help parents to come to terms with their kids being different from how they expect them to be. If you diversify children’s media — because parents also watch a lot of that — that’ll make it maybe seem like straight isn’t the only option,” Janovsky said.
MIND THE GAPS
While representation particularly in television has progressed greatly over the last several years, diversity in children’s media still has a ways to go. The stories children are told feature characters overwhelmingly white, cisgender and heterosexual, which can reinforce ideas that people who are not white and straight are not worthy of being talked about. A 2017 study from Tufts found from a sample of 1,500 animated characters on children’s television that just 11.6% were Asian or Asian American, 5.6% were black and 1.4% were Hispanic or Latinx. The same study found that under one-third of characters in animated television are female. A similar 2018 study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison that sampled 3,653 picture books found that less than one-third featured protagonists of color. Children’s books about animals and inhuman objects were also more common than children’s books about people of color. A 2015 GLAAD report also found that, even as queer representation increased, the majority of queer characters on broadcast television were still white and male. Although an increase in diverse representation is essential to creating parity in media, the quality of the representation also matters. LGBTQ storylines are still often stereotyped and used as plot devices, even in adult media, according to Sizmore-Barber. “A few years ago it seemed like every show with a lesbian character killed her off, often to support the ‘growth/storyline’ of a straight male protagonist,” Sizemore-Barber wrote, referring to a trope that has commonly been referred to in pop culture as “Bury Your Gays.” Bisexuality in particular is commonly handled without nuance and in ways that contribute to bisexual erasure, the notion that sexualities outside the binary of gay and straight do not exist, according to Sizemore-Barber. “Bisexual women’s sexuality is still used as a titilating minor plot point,” Sizemore-Barber wrote. “Bisexual men are generally not portrayed at all or are portrayed as gay and in denial.” Despite current flaws in LGTBQ representation, many shows have created complex queer characters whose identity is more than their queerness and who play substantial roles in narratives, which is an important milestone, according to Xu. “That is a really great step because when you have the gay sidekick who just says a few funny lines — yeah, sure, that’s representation, but it still kind of makes a mockery of the identity; it still tokenizes the identity,” Xu said. Representing LGBTQ characters who are important to the plot and who have identities outside of their sexuality is key to achieving parity in media, according to Xu. “If people exist in our world, and people identify as LGBTQ, there’s more to them than that,” Xu said. “So that should be reflected in the media, and I’ve been seeing that in more and more shows and movies.”
TOP: 9 STORY MEDIA GROUP, BOTTOM: DREAMWORKS ANIMATIONS TELEVISION
Even as some children’s media begin to increase representation, most struggle to showcase diverse characters of different ethnicities and identities in an engaging manner.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
ALBUM REVIEW
Kanye Hits Musical, Egotistical Low on ‘JESUS IS KING’
‘JESUS IS KING’
KANYE WEST ZAIN SANDHU Hoya Staff Writer
Since the onset of his musical career, Kanye West has consistently toed the line between performance art and outright ineptitude. From stunts such as his famous “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” comment to storming the stage during Taylor Swift’s VMA speech in 2009, the Chicago rapper’s transgressions have largely been tolerated because of the excellence of his earlier work. In 2018, Kanye took to Twitter to profess his support for Donald Trump and appeared on TMZ, proclaiming slavery as a choice within the same month. These outbursts document how his own politics have changed and put him at odds with the fanbase that gave him his initial success. Now, after a series of invite-only Sunday Service events, a number of delays across the last few months and an entirely scrapped album, Kanye West has finally released his album “JESUS IS KING.” While the project is not without its shining moments, West’s ninth studio album proves that perhaps the cultural icon we once knew is no longer able to obscure his public foolishness under the
defense of good music. “JESUS IS KING,” undoubtedly an extension of West’s recent development as a born-again Christian, marks a shift in the artist’s discography from the secular to the devoutly religious. Although this shift may feel abrupt, it should not come as a surprise. Through tracks like “Jesus Walks” and “Ultralight Beam,” on Kanye’s previous albums and the names of two of his children, Saint and Psalm, West has demonstrated a penchant for religious content before. The problem with “JESUS IS KING” does not lie in its gospel-inspired content, however, but rather in its poor execution. Sonically, the album is a mixed bag. The tracklist contains strong moments, such as the rallying cry of a choir chanting hallelujah on “Selah,” and the electric and bouncy instrumentation on “On God.” “Follow God,” the album’s standout track, similarly gives the listeners Kanye at his best, riding a soul sample-based beat and delivering punchy one-liners, even featuring a classic “Yeezus-esque” scream at the end. Almost all of these powerful moments, however, are overshadowed by a distinct feeling of incompleteness and scarcity that
pervades “JESUS IS KING.” All but three songs on the album are underdeveloped, and songs such as “Use This Gospel” or “God Is,” which have the potential to be genuinely soulful and captivating, sound frustratingly half-baked because of their short runtime and choppy arrangements. The album’s first track, “Every Hour,” features zero lyrics or production from the rapper himself, arguably the weakest ever opener to a Kanye album. The bar is set high when it comes to West’s opening songs, which include “Good Morning” from his 2007 work “Graduation,” and “Dark Fantasy” from his 2010 album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” but this opener functions as still a rather impersonal start to a record that intends to center around one man and his personal connection to God. In fact, on “JESUS IS KING,” Kanye sounds as if he has reached new levels of disinterest. On “Hands On,” his verse in the track’s latter half spills out lazily, like a high school student freestyling without finesse, and “Closed On Sunday” compares a love to the Christian-owned Chick-fil-A, making the listener wonder whether they are hearing a Kanye West album or a children’s parody of one. It is hard to read this album as a genu-
ine attempt on Kanye’s part to seriously reconcile his religion with the genre of hip-hop. This insincerity stems partially from the lack of effort in creating meaningful lyrical content he seems to have demonstrated on “JESUS IS KING,” but also from the exploitative nature of his recently developed connection to the black church experience. For this reason, “JESUS IS KING” does not feel like a redemption. Instead, it translates as a soulless commodification of religious experience for his own ends, a superficial attempt at apologizing to the black community for his embrace of a president that few in that community want anything to do with. On “Selah,” Kanye raps, “Before the flood, people judge / They did the same thing to Noah,” with the same arrogance as someone using the presence of a higher power to deflect criticism and justify controversy. This line is a far cry from a man who is genuinely looking for a higher power to make sense of the world and more closely reflects one simply finding a new channel for his arrogance without the musical prowess to back it up. Perhaps “JESUS IS KING” is evidence of the fact that the man who is so desperately seeking redemption isn’t so deserving of it after all.
LEFT: @KANYEWEST/TWITTER, RIGHT: @JIMMYKIMMELLIVE/TWITTER
Kanye West’s long-delayed album “JESUS IS KING” showcases just how far he has fallen, musically and mentally. Though the album features the usual stellar production and inspirational gospel-backed vocals that listeners have come to expect from West, the overblown religious image of his own artistry and comical lyrical content doom this latest release.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
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ALBUM REVIEW
Rex Orange County Lacks Nuance in Monochromatic Album ‘Pony’
Rex Orange County HALEY RESNICK
Special to The Hoya
In his third album, “Pony,” Rex Orange County provides a heightened sense of vulnerability and emotion that listeners witness for the first time. His struggles with love, change and friendship are laid bare, and the artist holds little back in this honest 10-track alternative album. Creatively mixing instruments and sounds with unconventional combinations of trumpets and acoustic guitars, Rex Orange County’s “Pony” combines his innovative musical talent and exploration of personal musings, even if these musings start to repeat themselves as the album plays on. The album presents an artist honing his craft but also serves as a reminder of the pitfalls of making an album overly one-note. Twenty-one-year-old Alexander O’Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, first
gained recognition in 2016 when rapper Tyler, the Creator sent him a message on SoundCloud. From there, Tyler brought Rex to Los Angeles to collaborate on his upcoming album “Flower Boy.” Rex then got a part in the opening track of the album “Foreword” as well as “Boredom,” one of Tyler’s most popular songs. Rex released two albums prior to “Pony,” “bcos u will never b free” in 2016 and “Apricot Princess” in 2017. In the two years since, Rex has been mostly quiet and under the radar. On the release day for “Pony,” Rex acknowledged his disappearance on Instagram and admitted the past two years have been tumultuous for him, but that he has finally found peace and contentment. The first track “10/10” reflects that growth and is one of the only happy songs on the album, presenting a tale of reflection and hope. Rex acknowledges dealing with pain and believes he can start living life optimistically again but then quickly turns to detailing his
hardships for the rest of the album. While “Stressed Out” discusses the friends in Rex’s life and whether or not they are genuine friends, “Every Way” depicts a vulnerable version of the artist begging his girlfriend to comfort him. With a piano accompanying Rex’s passionate vocal lyrics, “I cry in front of you, and it’s very necessary, babe,” he portrays himself as helpless and emotional throughout the album. Listening to “Pony” feels like reading Rex’s journal or sitting in on his therapy session. The emotions sound raw and intense, but therapy sessions do not always make for enjoyable albums that match the mood of his previous works. Ultimately, “Pony” departs from Rex’s previous two albums. Although it still combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, and pop, the depressing content of “Pony” dominates the mood for the entire record. Rex wrote “Apricot
Princess” with the intention of trying to keep things positive; “Pony” appears the opposite. “Pony” lacks the upbeat, youthful qualities found in Rex’s earlier songs that have earned him acclaim and made him the standout collaborator on Tyler’s “Flowerboy.” Thirty minutes of intense exploration of Rex’s depression, while valid, becomes tiresome because it begins and ends at his sadness without any sort of resolution offered or developed. “Pony” proves what Rex’s previous two albums already indicated: He is highly skilled in his lyric writing, music composition and album production, which all stand out in a crowded alternative field. Although “Pony” is dominated by depressive emotions, Rex’s potential is undeniable. Rex Orange County continues to show tremendous potential, but until he complexifies the emotions that underlie his artistry, “Pony” will remain an album that lacks versatility and timelessness.
@REXORANGECOUNTY/TWITTER
“Pony” reveals a new side of Rex Orange County in which he diverges from his more optimistic, happy-go-lucky vibes showcased on his previous album, “Apricot Princess,” which cemented his immense popularity. But the darker shades of the album quickly become monotonous, though they boast some ardent lyrics.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
RECORD REWIND
The 1975 Shifts Perspective From Personal to Global Ellie Yang In the six years since Manchester band The 1975 released its first album, the band has expanded its subject matter, departing from the self-centered angst that defined its early tracks. Now, its music is still undeniably full of angst, but the band applies this uncertainty to all of society, not just individual relationships and experiences. This summer, I had the chance to examine The 1975’s third album, “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships,” in my column, but this release differs greatly in tone, scope and style from its earliest album, “The 1975.” The band has grown so much in the five years between the release of its first album in 2013 to its third; instead of looking back or focusing just on themselves, the band members
now envision the future, telling stories that transcend themselves by expanding their subject matter. The four members had been making music with one another with each other nearly every day for 10 years before they released their first album. By the time they were signed to a label and were preparing to produce a full-length album after releasing four singles and four EPs, the band members realized they had already written many songs that could be polished into album material. The long history that the members had built among each other explains why the band’s first album has the air of music that is self-centered and stuck in its own world; they had been sharing their social lives and emotional turmoil for a decade. Many songs simply illustrate scenarios between frontman Matty Healy and a girl that seems to flow out of the frontman’s memory: “When I’m closer to your height” in “Fallingforyou” and “And it’s so ironic / How it’s only been a year” in “You.” The band’s first album is profoundly personal, and this intimate view into the
members’ romantic lives skyrocketed them to fame and international acclaim. While a few months before, they were still wannabes finding opportunities to perform, the next second they had begun to tour around the world. The 1975 initially wrote about specific feelings from their own lives, like the delicate balance of trying to voice your desires with a partner only to fear that, by making your love known, your relationship will crumble. In songs such as “Sex” and “So Far (It’s Alright),” Healy reminisces on his past experiences without indulging an excessive sense of nostalgia. His honesty may have been acutely focused on himself and the band, but it still drew enough attention to launch his career. On the band’s third album, “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships,” released in 2018, the anxiety and uneasiness that pervade the artists’ personal lives gets blown to societal proportions. The band finally engages with a universe that is bigger than just the four members and their emotional folly on “Love It If We Made It,” one of the
tracks off their third album. The lyrics describe a world in deep trouble and reflect on what has gone wrong in the world: police brutality, youth violence and the advent of weapons of mass destruction. Fans could empathize with The 1975’s specificity at one moment, but now they see a band more in tune with the suffering of the world around them. My earlier column ended with the conclusion that The 1975’s third album could serve well as a transitional piece. As of writing this, the band has dropped three releases from its upcoming 2020 album, “Notes on a Conditional Form.” The latest release, “Frail State of Mind,” showcases the band returning to both its dreamy style and penchant for making its personal struggles public. The 1975 ventured from the personal to the global, but I worry whether the band will simply end up falling back on its old tricks without finding a new road to forge for the years to come.
Ellie Yang is a junior in the College. RECORD REWIND appears in print and online every other week.
BECOMING U
In Times of Hardship, Reach Out to Support Networks Nicole Marion The days are getting darker, the weather is getting colder and most news on the TV is anything but optimistic. Coupling this with the personal hardships and academic stressors that come with this never-ending ‘midterms season,’ it’s no wonder why October presents an absolute whirlwind for so many. Individually attempting to work through all the roadblocks life throws your way can be exhausting. Many times we choose to shoulder these issues on our own, and in the process, become closed off to the people who are most equipped to help us. We rarely allow ourselves to open up to those who care about us out of fear of being burdensome or a fear of being rejected. In the best cases, we end up feeling lonely and distressed.
In the worst cases, refusing to reach out for help can have more serious consequences. For many, it has become increasingly difficult to open up to others. Sometimes we close ourselves off because we want to preserve a certain image of ourselves. For the first 19 years of my life, I was determined to project the image of a close-to-perfect, happy-go-lucky girl. Admitting that I was really struggling with a problem would mean admitting that I had a weakness or a flaw. Not only is this type of thinking irrational, as there is no such thing as perfect, but it also actively inhibits you from making real and deep connections with those around you. Only presenting one side of yourself, even if it is the “perfect” side, leaves a whole part of you hidden from the world. Other times we refuse to reach out because we do not want to be a burden to others. When things got hard, I bit my tongue, convinced that talking about my hardships would only end up being more destructive than constructive. I was always there for my friends when they needed me, but I did not trust that they would stick around when I was the one asking for help. This led to lopsided friendships
throughout my life, most of which were unsurprisingly unsustainable. Opening up only to be pushed away is a valid and universal fear, but at the end of the day it seemed to be causing more harm than good. Arriving at Georgetown my freshman fall, I soon found it impossible to consistently hide the part of myself that was dealing with tough issues. Amid the challenges that accompany any major life transition, staying silent about what I was struggling with led me to push people away until I found myself feeling even more isolated and lost. As I started observing those around me, I realized it was not just me who felt this way. Many mental health conditions appear between the typical college ages of 1824, according to the JED Foundation, an organization that seeks to improve mental health among college students. Dealing with difficult life transitions, newfound independence and finding a new identity on campus is difficult for most students whether they are professionally diagnosed with a mental health condition or not. As time went on, it became clear that many of my friends dealing with such emotions were feeling the same hesitation to ask
for help. It was not until I actively started reaching out to those around me that I realized how valuable a resource they could be. Contrary to my beliefs, my friends did not leave; in fact, sharing more vulnerable and real parts of our lives ended up bringing us even closer. Leaving stigma and imagined consequences behind, I found that being honest about the problems I was dealing with led to healthier relationships with those around me and with myself. Reaching out for help is a scary step, but in the end, it is ultimately worth it. Opening up is terrifying, but staying quiet when you’re hurting is dangerous. While there may be various degrees of help needed — whether you just need a shoulder to cry on or a professional therapist — you should not feel ashamed for needing help. Being vulnerable and honest with yourself and with the people around you can change the way you interact with your community. At the end of the day, there will always be people who care and are willing to listen, no matter the circumstance.
Nicole Marion is a sophomore in the College. BECOMING U appears in print and online every other week.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
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Student Group’s Nike Webinar Connects Fashion, Business MEGAN WEE
Hoya Staff Writer
Fashion, sports and business intersect in incredibly dynamic and interesting ways, according to Nike marketing executive Ricky Schramm (COL ’07, MBA ’12), who participated in a Zoom conference webinar on Tuesday. Hosted by the Georgetown Retail & Luxury Association and moderated by Professor Jimmy Lynn, “GRLA Presents: Nike in the Digital World” offered business and fashion-inclined Georgetown University students the opportunity to learn firsthand from a marketing representative at one of the nation’s most powerful companies. Nike as a brand has been significant across Georgetown’s athletic history, Lynn said. John Thompson, who coached the Georgetown men’s basketball team from 1972-99, secured a historically significant Nike sponsorship for the up-and-coming Hoyas. Georgetown was key in merging culture and sports by having a hand in popularizing Nike due to the success of its players in marketing, according to Lynn. “After all, we’re the number one school for sports execs,” Lynn said.
“I grew up with Nike in the ’80s and ’90s, and I idolized some of our key athletes. That is where my relationship with the brand began,” Lynn said, citing Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi as the athletes he admired. The culture of cultivating and empowering athletes signed to Nike is something that is notable to Schramm, as the partnerships the brand has with its athletes is not just sponsorship but also access to coaching, mentoring and networking. This allows Nike to give a voice to the athletes they support, according to Schramm. “Back in the day, and still today, Nike was founded on being in service to athletes, positioning them to be better,” said Schramm. The prominence of power and influence within their athletes impacts their business decision-making, according to Schramm. “We’re working with local influencers on a day-to-day basis,” Schramm said. “We have about 20 athletes, such as Lebron James or Serena Williams, that have truly global influence. The meaning of celebrity is changing.” Nowadays, marketing tends to operate on a more micro level, showing
the evolution of marketing in terms of what it means to be a social influencer, according to Schramm. Nike also makes a point to target high school athletes across social media platforms, namely the video sharing app TikTok, which sees immense popularity among teenagers. This inventive use of social media allows for Nike to better target who they are trying to reach and where their audiences get their news from, said Schramm while wrapping up. Gaia Pipitone (SFS ’20), who is on the operations team of GRLA, said their first webinar was successful, and they hope to host more webinars in the future. According to Pipitone, planning the webinars are also relatively easier as they do not require speakers to be on-campus for these events. This event was supported by the undergraduate office, as well as the Global Business Initiative. Schramm studied English in his undergraduate years at Georgetown, serving as the captain of the men’s soccer team, and was drafted by D.C. United of Major League Soccer after graduation. He ultimately decided to go back to Georgetown to get his MBA at the McDonough School of Business to concentrate on marketing, citing that this gut
instinct told him to enter the field. “I’m from New York, so everyone that I was born and raised around went into finance or law, and Georgetown was always this way with a lot of people being from the Northeast,” Schramm said. “I thought maybe eventually Wall Street would have me in sales and trade. … I was kidding myself. By no means could I even spell equity.” Schramm talked about the paths that can be taken to work at Nike. He emphasized the importance of securing a 10-week internship at Nike’s campus in Oregon, even though it’s not a prerequisite, said Schramm. Professor Lynn also stressed leveraging LinkedIn to students’ advantage, especially given the strong alumni network for Georgetown. “Princeton grads want to help Princeton students, Stanford grads want to help Stanford students and Georgetown grads want to help Georgetown students,” Lynn said. Schramm encouraged every Georgetown student who aspires to a job like his, the conjunction of sports culture and fashion, to have a specific passion and pursue it. “There is no typical day working at Nike,” Schramm said.
RIGHT: AMY LI/THE HOYA, LEFT: @GRLA/INSTAGRAM
Georgetown Retail and Luxury Association hosted its first-ever webinar Tuesday, featuring Nike marketing executive Ricky Schramm (COL ’07, MBA ’12). Schramm spoke about the important intersections between the fashion and the sports worlds, emphasizing the value in forming business connections to advance a career in the industries.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
What to Do in DC
MUSIC
New Releases
STEVEN BOTSOE Hoya Staff Writer
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ZAIN SANDHU Hoya Staff Writer
‘SPOOKY TOUR’ OF THE HIRSHHORN NOV. 1 FROM 12:30 P.M. TO 1:30 P.M., FREE
At the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, you can participate in a “Spooky Tour” through the Hirshhorn’s most unsettling works that depict interpersonal violence and representations from the museum’s collections. This curated tour will highlight the creepier side of the Hirshhorn and accompany each piece with the historical context that informed each haunting work’s creation.
@ITSFRANKOCEAN/INSTAGRAM
@TAMEIMPALA/INSTAGRAM
FRANK OCEAN ‘DHL’
TAME IMPALA ‘IT MIGHT BE TIME’
After nearly three years of radio silence — save for the release of a few singles in 2017 — rapper and songwriter Frank Ocean has returned with “DHL.” The track, which is both sonically sparse and completely lacking any singing, is unusual for the artist but enjoyable nonetheless. The instrumental on “DHL” lulls forward rhythmically, accompanied by Ocean’s cloudy vocal delivery to create a hypnotic and calming atmosphere. It is unclear whether the track is part of a larger Frank Ocean project, but, if it is, it will undoubtedly chart new territory for the R&B star.
Earlier this year, Australian neo-psychedelic band Tame Impala released its first two singles in over four years following the release of its Grammy Award-nominated “Currents.” Most recently, the group announced the 2020 release of its forthcoming LP, “The Slow Rush,” accompanied by the release of a new single, “It Might Be Time.” The new track follows in the funk-inspired footsteps of its singles earlier this year, featuring a myriad of overlapping synths and stomping percussion. If this single is any indication, fans have much to be excited about for its album “The Slow Rush.”
@SELENAGOMEZ/INSTAGRAM
@IISWHOIIS/INSTAGRAM
SELENA GOMEZ ‘LOSE YOU TO LOVE ME’
KESHA FT. BIG FREEDIA ‘RAISING HELL’
“Lose You To Love Me” is the latest single from singer, songwriter and actress Selena Gomez. While Gomez has maintained a steady stream of guest appearances over the past couple of years, “Lose You” is the first official single of her own since her 2015 album “Revival.” The song, which is a slow and powerful ballad, is self-reflective yet ambiguous. Gomez is undoubtedly intentional with this ambiguity, and fans will be eager to speculate who she is singing about.
“Raising Hell” is Kesha’s lead single for her upcoming album, “High Road,” set to release in January 2020. Over a vibrant and buoyant instrumental, Kesha sings about causing trouble in a way that is quite powerful with New Orleans-based Big Freedia providing an energetic reprieve. After much of what Kesha has been through over the past couple of years involving her record label and producer, “Raising Hell” points to an empowering and uplifting change in direction for the singer.
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‘HALL-O-SCREEN PARTY: NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS’ NOV. 1 FROM 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M., FREE
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will be hosting its first “Hall-O-Screen Party,” a free screening event open to the whole Washington, D.C. community. The event is costume-friendly and begins with a dance class, in which participants will learn the moves to songs like “Monster Mash,” “The Time Warp” and more. Following the dance event, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” will be screened on the REACH Video Wall. Food trucks will provide food and refreshments throughout the event.
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THE KENNEDY CENTER
DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION AT THE MEXICAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE NOV. 2 FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M., FREE
On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Mexican Cultural Institute will be partaking in its annual public celebration of the Day of the Dead. This year’s Day of the Dead altar was prepared by Enrique Quiroz, a Mexican artist based in Washington, D.C., and will honor the victims of the El Paso shooting in August, as well as serve as a remembrance of prominent Mexican figures who passed away in 2019: artist Francisco Toledo, humanitarian Miguel León Portilla and singer José José. Additionally, the event offers the chance to enjoy pan de muerto and hot chocolate, folk dance performances and continuous screenings of “The Universe Apart” by Adele Schmidt, which is about the life and work of Toledo.
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HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN
MEXICAN CULTURE INSTITUTE
CAPITAL SKATE FEST
NOV. 2 FROM 3:30 P.M. TO 12 A.M., $9.40 PER ADULT, FREE FOR KIDS 12 AND UNDER
The D.C. Armory is hosting Capital Skate Fest, which will provide participants the opportunity to enjoy roller skating with others for as long as you like. The event kicks off at 3:30 p.m. with an all skate that lasts until 7 p.m., after which the adult skate begins, lasting until 12 a.m. The venue is split into two floors, for beginners and more advanced skaters, and those looking to rent skates should register in advance.
CAPITAL SKATE FEST/FACEBOOK
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
CONCERT REVIEW
THE HOYA
B9
THEATER REVIEW
Pond Mesmerizes With Theatrical Dreamscape
COURTESY ALLISON REAGAN
Georgetown University’s Nomadic Theatre production of the lighthearted but topical musical comedy “Firebringer” runs at the Gonda Theatre for the next two weekends. The show interlaces social commentary on the current state of humanity with the levity typically found in StarKid Productions to create an engaging viewer experience.
‘Firebringer’ Presents Humorous Take on Prehistoric Life SARAH KEISLER Hoya Staff Writer
Woolly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers and a bunch of ugly cavemen romp around the wilderness at the dawn of humanity: All are present in Nomadic Theatre’s production of “Firebringer” in the Village C Theatre. Directed by Maddy Rice (COL ’20), this musical comedy is pure fun. Its brilliantly silly physical comedy, combined with an energetic cast dynamic, creates a playful experience that will leave audience members belly laughing. The student cast and crew of “Firebringer” will bring the viewer to the Stone Age, complete with harmonizing cavemen and avian idol worship. The larger story focuses on a prehistoric tribe with classic prehistoric problems: constant foraging but little food, bloodthirsty animals that come out at night and the constant insecurity that comes from living in a cave. “Firebringer” rose to prominence from the viral “I don’t really wanna do the work today” clip of a cavewoman doing a sassy dance about laziness, and the show comes from StarKid Productions, a theater company founded at the University of Michigan that uses social media to make timely and comedic
plays. Zazzalil, played by Lily Cratsley (COL ’23), is a bright but lazy member of this tribe who uses inventions to avoid hard work. She discovers the spear and later fire. While new technology makes life easier for the tribe, the changes are met with resistance by tribe leader Jemilla, played by Grace Crozier (COL ’21), who is threatened by Zazzalil’s leadership and the ways in which these inventions will change their lives. The story examines the unexpected ramifications of human progress and the challenges humans face as we evolve. What makes “Firebringer” special is not its profundity, but rather its sense of fun. The piece never takes itself too seriously. From a kazoo player rocking out in the orchestra to a woman in an animal print tunic and bone necklace shouting profanity, the show manages to keep its tone lighthearted and entertaining. Music director Paul Rochford (COL ’20), playing himself, descends from the orchestra and tenderly caresses Zazzalil’s shoulder while wearing a leopard print sweater. The cast’s strong physical comedy and fastpaced, witty line delivery enriched the performance, filling it with laughs. The actors seemed to be having just as
much fun as the audience with their high energy and enthusiasm, making everyone happy to be there. “Firebringer” boasts a strong ensemble from the main characters to the supporting roles. Schwoopsie, played by Kristen Hodgson (COL ’22), serves as the tribe’s resident comedian, and Hodgson lives up to the role: The actress left viewers in stitches after telling “the joke,” which she had recently invented. While “Firebringer” provided a fair amount of laughs, it also offered a poignant environmental message. Embedded in one-liners throughout the show was commentary about how humanity’s reckless search for comfort and luxury can easily overexploit the environment, which helped provide valuable stakes and timeliness for the conflict. When Zazzalil finally gets to share her discovery of fire with the tribe, the group quickly kills every woolly mammoth in the area, using torches to burn the animals on sight. When Ducker, played by Gabe Berkowitz (MSB ’20), tries to light his hat on fire, he ends up burning the tribe’s new huts and the surrounding forest to the ground. While the label of social commentary might be a stretch for the musical comedy, the piece flirts with
these topics in a not-so-subtle way without sacrificing the show’s main purpose of eliciting laughs. While Rice admits that the show “does not solve the world’s problems” in the director’s notes, “Firebringer” holds a mirror up to humanity in its purest form. The cavemen are reflections of the pitfalls and miracles of humanity today. For instance, Zazzalil’s tribe operates on the motto “We’re the best” — just as people today fail to recognize their own shortcomings. The tribe drops to the floor and worships Zazzalil when she brings them fire, just days after they stopped worshipping the duck. This display showcases how humans are too quick to idolize a hero. As the narrator says, “progress comes from the need to be lazy,” so too are today’s people inventing frivolous things to make our lives easier. This dichotomy of laziness and progress makes humanity great and terrible at the same time, capable of both brilliant creation and destruction. In the same way that “Firebringer” represents the duality of humankind, the play itself simultaneously manages to offer an important message against idleness while also relentlessly delivering one punchline after the other.
B10
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
CONCERT REVIEW
LEFT: EMMA GINSBERG FOR THE HOYA, @JONSI.AND.ALEX/INSTAGRAM
Duo Jónsi and Alex toured together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their experimental, ambient album “Riceboy Sleeps” at the Lincoln Theatre. The group traveled with a full orchestra that created sounds in inventive and unorthodox ways to immerse the audience entirely in sound, despite poor pacing during the middle of the show.
Ambient Music Fills Lincoln Theatre in Experimental Show EMMA GINSBERG Special to The Hoya
Ten years after its initial release date, duo Jónsi & Alex’s ambient album “Riceboy Sleeps” still provides a transient and beautiful auditory experience, in an emotional, intense and sound-focused live performance at the Lincoln Theatre. Although Jónsi Somers’ career began over 20 years ago with the band Sigur Rós, “Riceboy Sleeps” made waves in Belgium and the United Kingdom when it was released in 2009 alongside a visual picture book. The 2019 remaster of the album was released in July of this year, prompting this tour with the Wordless Music Orchestra, a genreless music group hoping to merge classical music with contemporary artists. “Riceboy Sleeps” was a bit of an unusual selection to play at the Lincoln Theatre, drawing a decidedly older and less indie crowd than its usual acts like Angel Olsen and X Ambassadors. However, the dark and emotional undertones of the music still fit within the theater’s repertoire. Ambient music itself presents a challenge to bring to the stage, as the interactive and energetic parts of typical live performances need to be eschewed in favor of droning trance-like musical quali-
ties. This creates a conundrum in which Jónsi and Alex Somers attempt to engage in a captivating performance while maintaining the essence of their sound. The two-hour performance began with a lengthy piece titled “All Animals,” which was released as an extra CD with “Riceboy Sleeps” in 2009, in which rainforest-like sounds accompanied swelling violins for a very experiential piece. Conductor Robert Ames was the primary focus of this particular song, since Jónsi & Alex never appeared on stage, opting instead to let Ames perform and prime for the crowd for their show, serving as an opener of sorts. His movements differed greatly from that of an average conductor, more closely resembling a slow dance that transfixed the audience. The animated performance of “All Animals” featured one of the most powerful moments of the show when the audience followed the lead of Ames as he cued the crowd to eat complimentary Pop Rocks that had been scattered throughout the theater. The result was a cacophony of popping around the theater that became an important component of the musical environment. After a brief intermission, Jónsi & Alex appeared on stage to perform “Riceboy Sleeps,” standing in the middle of the
orchestra, almost completely invisible to the crowd. The opening of the album moved the audience, as the swelling tones of “Happiness” were accompanied by faded lights and fog. When introducing this auditory experiment to the audience, Alex Somers said, “We hope this will create a really beautiful, swirly moment for you all.” The outcome most certainly met expectations. During the performance of “Happiness,” in particular, members of the orchestra created different noises to accent the music, such as whirling musical tubes or dropping rocks in front of a microphone, heightening the auditory experience. The immediate follow-up to this song, “Indian Summer,” showcased the vocal talent of Jónsi. His magnificent voice was truly the star of the piece and the high point of the show, leaving the audience in awe despite the prominence of the ambient sounds. Although the beginning of the showcase featured strong, emotional and interactive pieces from the instrumental pair, the excitement of the performance’s innovation began to die down rapidly after “Indian Summer.” The closing song in the showcase, “Howl,” brought back the sounds of
nature that the orchestra originally presented in “All Animals.” As the voices of the choir and the orchestral music swelled and dipped, loud frog croaks could be heard as an accompaniment to the sounds, bringing the musical performance full circle and reinvigorating the show in its last songs. The engaging performance Jonsi & Alex could put on was oddly only used at the front end of the show, causing the rest of the show to fall flat. At this point in the program, the songs flowed into one another almost too seamlessly, creating a lulling, drowsy effect that put a blanket over the audience. The music itself gradually faded, leaving only the croaking of frogs for the audience to hear while the orchestra slowly left the stage. Jónsi & Alex, as well as Ames, stood on stage for a moment among the bizarre noises before strolling off. Jónsi and Alex Somers, with Ames and the Wordless Music Orchestra, delivered a beautifully emotional, though somewhat inconsistent, performance of “Riceboy Sleeps” to the audience at the Lincoln Theatre. The concert promoted the pair’s new album, “Lost & Found,” and showed off the magic and immersion that live performances of ambient music can create.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
THE HOYA
B11
ALBUM REVIEW
‘SEXORCISM’ Boasts Sexualizing Energy, Lacks Originality ‘SEXORCISM’
BROOKE CANDY TIMOTHY MCNULTY Hoya Staff Writer
In underground club kid Brooke Candy’s studio debut “SEXORCISM,” physical pleasure triumphs in an ecstatic, extravagant and indulgent album. Candy creates a hypersexualized version of herself to challenge perceptions of female artists sharing their desires, but the record — despite its eye-popping explicitness — ends up at conclusions that other artists have already been delivering. An otherworldly, white-skinned siren clad in all leather squats topless, revealing three pairs of breasts on the album art of “SEXORCISM.” Here, Candy heightens her sexuality to its physical extreme to liberate herself from the restrictive politics that women face regarding their own sexual desires. Candy remains committed to her purpose throughout the record — hardly a minute goes by on the album’s 33-minute runtime in which sex or genitals are not mentioned. With tracks like “Drip,” “XXXTC” and “Cum,” Candy’s embrace of sex hits her listeners hard and without any hesitation; she is not trying to mask what she wants under the guise of subtle innuendo that simply wastes time getting to the point.
Instead, Candy takes cues from one of her contemporaries, independent rapper cupcakKe. Similar to cupcakKe’s more explicit songs like “Deepthroat” and “Duck Duck Goose,” though, Candy takes sex and transforms it by making outrageous, absurd comparisons that genuinely challenge the acceptability and respectability of sex. On “Drip,” Candy commands, “Call the police, this pussy’s illegal,” while “R.I.P.” sees Candy command her listener to “eat my pussy at my funeral” and posits “if you want to get me off, use a Jesus cross.” Candy sees no value in beating around the bush, and her lyrics cut right to the knee-jerk shocks that her artistry thrives off of. Lyrics like these make clear that “SEXORCISM,” despite its macabre and dark imagery, is intended to be a celebration of freedom and sexuality. Candy knows her audience, and her wide range of collaborators similarly lends the sense that “SEXORCISM” is more than just an album — it is a party. “SEXORCISM” then brings in some of the coolest — even if not the biggest — names in both alt pop and rap. Frequent collaborator Charli XCX shows up on “XXXTC” with a verse filled with ecstasy innuendo, rapidfire rapper Rico Nasty raises hell on “FMU” and rapper Ashnikko, best known for a
viral TikTok dance trend, spits a demonic verse on “R.I.P.” On “Rim,” the absurdity and camp of the album reaches its peak, only heightened by its collaborators: Candy takes on a mousey, high-pitched voice to sing sexually explicit lyrics while drag queens Aquaria and Violet Chachki provide whispered moans and exasperated phrases. In terms of being an actual song, “Rim” hardly delivers, but the song excels as fan service for the queer, sexfilled universe Candy lives in. The lightheartedness of the tracks make for fun listening, but their tones still ring so similarly to cupcakKe’s that it is difficult to avoid feeling like Candy simply treads familiar ground. Rap has been opened up by so many radical artists that even making jacuzzi jets points of erotic desire sounds slightly pedestrian. Given that few people stumble into this niche corner of hypersexual rap penned and delivered by powerful, confident women, Candy’s music fails to make itself stand out among other records in its small but critically acclaimed genre. Candy’s production falls into the same trap that her lyrics do and starts to feel overdone before it even finishes. The production on tracks like “Rim” and “Cum” finds
structure in deep beats grounded in house music, a genre of electronic music that developed in Chicago as an offshoot of disco. The inclusion of this genre sets Candy’s tracks firmly in the realm of an underground club, but the bouncy beats almost immediately harken to controversial but undeniably talented rapper Azealia Banks’ tracks like “Liquorice” and “The Big Big Beat.” This comparison would not immediately disqualify “SEXORCISM,” but Banks’ breakneck flow and relentless rapping outshine Candy’s own talent, making the similarity hurt the album. As a whole, “SEXORCISM” does important and exciting work in terms of smashing the patriarchal confines of the discourse around sex rooted in tastefulness and acceptability; Candy’s own autonomy takes a prominent and purposeful role in the album. However, Candy’s debut draws so heavily on the motifs of the artists that have been doing the same work that the novelty of “SEXORCISM” wears thin quickly. Candy has a powerful vision and the guts needed to deliver it. She just needs to carve out the future of the genre rather than staying safe, even if “safe” by this genre’s standards is outrageous for mainstream music.
@BROOKECANDY/TWITTER
U.S. rapper and frequent Charli XCX collaborator Brooke Candy’s latest album features provocative, unflinching lyrics that allow her star to shine. But her musical contributions do not add anything new to the admittedly niche genre of hypersexual rap, which artists like CupcaKke have mastered throughout the last few years.
ILLUSTRATION BY: SAMUEL NELSON AND ELOISE OWEN/THE HOYA