Elizabeth Wurtzel Wasn’t Sorry About Anything
The memoirist helped set the stage for an entire era of confessional writing.
Taylor Swift And The End Of An Era
Love her or hate her, Taylor Swift embodied the contradictions of the decade in pop music.
"Bombshell" Wants Us To See The Women Of Fox News As Heroes
By failing to contextualize their race and class, Bombshell overlooks how complicated the real women who ousted Roger Ailes are. (Contains spoilers.)
Harry Styles Knows How To Play The Stan Game
Unlike a lot of other men in pop, Styles’ willingness to indulge in fan service — and laugh at it — is what makes him such an effective star.
Susan Sontag’s Queer Life
Reflections on Susan Sontag have yet to fully reckon with how fundamentally queerness shaped her writing and her life. Benjamin Moser’s controversial new biography Sontag finally begins that conversation.
“Below Deck” Is The Perfect Reality Show For The Age Of Millennial Burnout
Below Deck stars hot, relatable service workers subjected to the whims of the 1 percent. Is it any wonder it’s become Bravo's underdog hit?
This New Hulu Documentary Exposes The Underside Of The Influencer Business
Jawline on Hulu chronicles the real work that goes into the business of being an influencer — but it struggles to grapple with bigger questions about a new and troubling industry.
Is Billie Eilish Really That “Weird”?
The teen singer transitioned from streaming darling to full-fledged pop star this summer. But is her success as groundbreaking as it seems?
In Defense Of Celebrity Stunt Weddings
Wedding content has been one of the biggest ways that mainstream culture celebrates white hetero femininity, so of course women from Elizabeth Taylor to Tana Mongeau have used it to their advantage.
Let’s Stop Pretending Celebrity Dadbods Need Defending
Are Nick Jonas and Jason Momoa really being body-shamed?
Before They Failed “The Squad,” Democrats Failed Other Women Of Color
Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other first-term members of Congress are calling attention to a toxic legacy of racism within the Democratic Party.
MTV's New Dating Show Actually Gets Queer Dating
The sexually fluid season of Are You the One? explores the complexities of gender and desire in a way rarely seen on reality TV — or in pop culture, period.
Searching For The Real Britney Spears
The fan battle to #FreeBritney raises uncomfortable — and maybe unanswerable — questions that have long plagued her brand.
Katy Perry’s And Taylor Swift’s Flops Are Bad News For Big Pop
Two of pop’s biggest superstars seem unwilling to take any interesting risks.
Elton John's Real Life Is Still More Interesting Than "Rocketman"
Rocketman, though it at least acknowledges the queer nuances of Elton John’s life, shows how limited Hollywood’s approach to gay celebrity stories still is.
There’s No One To Root For In The James Charles Beauty YouTuber Drama
Vlogger Tati Westbrook invoked anti-gay stereotypes to make a case against James Charles.
This New Documentary Shows Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Before She Was AOC
The Netflix documentary Knock Down the House revolves around Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which is its main selling point — but also a limitation.
Wendy Williams’ Divorce Drama Has Put Her In The Hot Seat
The longtime talk show host has become the kind of scandal-plagued celebrity she usually gossips about on her program.
Why The Jonas Brothers' Comeback Is Working
Years after Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas first conquered tween hearts, they’re the first boy band to reach No. 1 in almost two decades. What’s changed?
"Dirty John" And "Escape At Dannemora" Strain The Limits Of Prestige True Crime
In the scramble to extract big meaning (and meaty roles) from true crime stories, scripted series like Dirty John and Escape at Dannemora may make them less interesting.