Two extraordinary things happened on Sunday: 1) Kendrick Lamar livened up a noncompetitive Super Bowl with a halftime show that people will discuss for years to come; and 2) Doug didn’t watch it. In fact, he blew off the whole event, mostly as an experiment to test the limits of his FOMO.
Weirdly, there wasn’t any. Whatever was worth watching could be watched later, without Tom Brady’s overpriced, braying platitudes. And the halftime show was almost as amazing as the polarized response to it. If you didn’t like or understand it, maybe it wasn’t for you. In a pluralized society, not everyone is like us. Why you gotta yuck someone else’s yum?
When you age out of that 18-49 demographic, however, it gets easy to think that not much of popular culture is for you. You might feel extra pressure to keep up, just to feel relevant to modern discourse—especially when your kids and stepkids are involved. How else can you be a source of comfort to those unfortunate Swifties who just learned what it’s like when your team gets smacked around in the big game?
We also talk about the sad state of modern men, the wisdom of a lesbian gym teacher, and why Steely Dan regulates Magda’s brain.
Other links:
Childish Gambino’s This Is America and all of its messaging
A lesson plan for understanding Kendrick’s halftime show
How the production team put the show together
Josh Johnson explains The Beef
How In Living Color changed the Super Bowl Halftime Show
Was Prince’s show better? You be the judge.
Michael McDonald breaks down his vocals on Steely Dan’s “Peg”
Behind the meaning of Steely Dan’s band name
Doechii’s ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL
When Harry and Sally pitched mayonnaise at Katz’s Deli
Watch Yacht Rock on HBO
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