‘The Simp’: A Delightful and Painfully Accurate Depiction of Identity Politics, Absurdity, and Caucasity in Hollywood

There was a cathartic validation while reading Roshan Sethi’s debut novel, The Simp, a searingly realistic tale about the absurdity of Hollywood in all its white splendor. The Simp follows the aforementioned Raj, an unemployed actor who lands a job as an assistant to...

The Spectacular and Sensitive Silliness of ‘Maddie’s Secret’

In 1986, a movie titled Kate’s Secret was released on NBC. It was an era t ripe with primetime lineups that included movie-of-the-week programming and specific networks promoting a “very special episode” of the latest hit TV show. There are scenes from Kate’s...

‘Stop! That! Train!’ and Hollywood’s Desperate Need for Stupid Fun Cinema

The first footage of Stop! That! Train! that I saw was a visual gag where train stewardess DeeDee (Jujubee, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 2, All Stars season 1 and 5, UK vs the World series 1) directs a passenger to their seat, saying, “You’re sitting next to the...

“Panic at the Disco” Part I: ‘Here Lies Love’ and How Art About Political Trauma Can Harm and Heal a Community

“Panic at the Disco” is a new essay series that unpacks the impact of the Center Theatre Group’s new production of Here Lies Love. The critical journey will explore the complexities of artistic depictions of traumatic events and cultural figures in history and how...