Culture & Criticism
Let’s Talk About The Ending Of “The White Lotus”
The summer’s most talked-about show exposes the insidious power of wealth and whiteness. That’s what makes it so watchable. (Spoilers, obviously!!!)
Shannon Keating
Aretha Franklin Deserved Better Than "Respect"
The film touches upon the major moments of Franklin’s life, but does not coalesce into a fulfilling narrative.
Michael Blackmon
The Fire In Paradise Paints A Grim Picture Of Our Future
Lizzie Johnson’s new book about the 2018 Camp fire in Northern California chronicles our nightmarish present — and future — with climate change–driven massive wildfires.
Jessica Garrison
Binging With Babish Made These 17 Movie Meals Real — And Edible — And Now I'm Hungies
Apparently, according to Babish, the gray stuff is delicious.
Ehis Osifo
Don’t Piss Off Trisha Paytas
For nearly 15 years, Trisha Paytas has been one of YouTube’s most prolific and complicated creators. Now they say they’re done trolling — or are they?
Scaachi Koul
Does It Matter If Kanye Ever Releases “Donda”?
At this stage of Kanye’s career, and on such a personal project, his enemy is not time or process, but finality itself.
Elamin Abdelmahmoud
Netflix’s “Cocaine Cowboys” And The Trouble With Narco Dramas
A new docuseries weaves outrageous details into a bingeable series, but it overlooks the darker sides of the drug trade. (Spoilers ahead.)
Alessa Dominguez
Here Are All The Books Being Released In August 2021 That BuzzFeed Read And Loved
These are the books we can't stop raving about.
Farrah Penn
Fans Loved Amanda Kloots’ Vulnerability. Then Her Memoir Came Out.
One of the first major memoirs of the COVID era reveals how different the pandemic has been for the wealthy and well-connected.
Shannon Keating
My Phone Doesn’t Realize My Mother Is Dead
Technology has made avoiding painful memories impossible.
Karolina Waclawiak
Here’s To The Stripper Heel
Designed for visual impact and endurance, the stripper heel has defied stigma to shine on the red carpet, the runway, and the silver screen.
Marie Lodi
9 New Paperbacks You Won't Be Able To Put Down
From literary fiction to YA, here are some fantastic books out in paperback this month!
Tomi Obaro
Before My Boyfriend Died Suddenly Last Year, We Were Two Writers In Love
My late partner, the writer Anthony Veasna So, sold his acclaimed short story collection “Afterparties” while he was still in school. But before he became famous, we were just two queer kids in love at Stanford.
Alex Torres
Sex Parties Are Back
“What could be more like living your life to the fullest than going to a sex party?”
Hallie Lieberman
Bennifer 2.0 Is The 2000s Reboot We Needed
The fascination with J.Lo's renewed romance with Ben Affleck is a testament to the enduring appeal of her celebrity.
Alessa Dominguez
These Gen Z Women Think Sex Positivity Is Overrated
“I get that it was necessary and a response to repression... but it feels somewhat passé now.”
Madeleine Holden
Black Gay Porn Stars Tell The Truth About Creaming
Creaming has become a point of pride for some Black gay adult performers, but the trend is not without potential danger.
Michael Blackmon
What Simone Biles Did At The Olympics Is Revolutionary
The gymnast’s decision to withdraw from some of her competitions at the Tokyo Olympics shows how much talking publicly about mental health has lost its stigma.
Elamin Abdelmahmoud
21 YA Novels With Disabled And Chronically Ill Characters
Check out these YA reads for Disability Pride Month.
Margaret Kingsbury
It’s Time For Hickeys To Come Back
Sure, they can be a sign of youthful recklessness. But they can also be a sneaky-fun expression of sexuality for adults.
Sadaf Ahsan
A Mother Leaves Her Family To Live In A House Of Her Own In This Fiction Excerpt
Read an excerpt from <i>Wayward</i>, BuzzFeed Book Club's August pick.
Dana Spiotta
Scheduling Sex Is Pretty Common, Actually
There are plenty of reasons to do it. We’re just not talking about why.
Anne H. Putnam
This Man Does Not Make Poppers
For decades, poppers have been the go-to sex drug for gay men. But where do they come from?
David Mack
How Phone Sex Relieved My Anxiety
My inner good-time girl was dying, and phone sex was how I revived her.
Fancy Feast
Can FBoys Be Reformed? A New HBO Show Asks (And Doesn’t Answer)
The conceit suggests a promising shamelessness, but this new dating show falls flat. (Spoilers ahead.)
Alessa Dominguez
Sundown Towns Are Still A Problem For Black Drivers
“It’s when you veer off to the back roads that don't connect to the highway, that's when you find yourself in trouble."
Ade Onibada
22 Novels Featuring Characters With Disabilities And Chronic Illnesses To Read
From compulsive thrillers to heartwarming romances, read these books in support of Disability Pride Month.
Margaret Kingsbury
How “The Real Housewives” Got Political
As Housewives captures a chaotic political moment, the iconic franchise is demonstrating how much reality television has changed — and how much it hasn’t.
Alessa Dominguez
Loneliness Makes Us Nostalgic For A Past That Never Existed
Every generation idealizes the past, yearning for more connection and community.
Kristen Radtke
What Winston Marshall’s Departure From Mumford & Sons Reveals About The Band’s Brand
The band’s banjoist, quit over his endorsement of controversial right-wing pundits. But Mumford & Sons has always had an unsettled relationship to traditional masculinity.
Elamin Abdelmahmoud
