Simply the Bess

Besser than all the rest.

[catchymemes]

[hustlerose]

nobody has been bullied for being a nerd since like 1990 and star wars and superheroes and video games have been mainstream to the point of oversaturation for like 20+ years now and adult man babies still have a persecution complex. may divorce be with you 

[fuckyeahgreatplays]

The Boys in the Band Get to Broadway. Why Not the Girls?

“The Prom” is the rare show with lesbian themes to reach theater’s biggest stage. Gay women deserve more than drawing their own conclusions about Princess Elsa and Scout Finch.

The discrepancy between the visibility of gay men and the invisibility of gay women is frustrating, but sadly not all that surprising.

To begin with, if female writers, composers and directors are underrepresented on the biggest American stages, then gay ones have their work cut out for them. It’s like being hit by theatrical double jeopardy.

Then there is the common wisdom that Broadway, and by extension theater, is the province of gay men. This is partly because they are assumed to have a greater disposable income, and partly because of a perceived sense of ownership.

As the Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones recently wrote, in reference to Mr. McNally’s lifetime achievement award speech at the Tonys, “They were the ones who composed most of the musicals, choreographed most of the dance numbers, wrote a whole lot of the plays. They ran things, too. And they were most of the critics. (They still are.)”

Two gay playwrights made their Broadway debuts in the spring of 2017, for instance. But while it took Joshua Harmon a mere five years to go from “Bad Jews” at the pocket-size Roundabout Underground to “Significant Other” on Broadway, a quarter century elapsed between Paula Vogel’s first major production, “The Baltimore Waltz” (included in the Rattlestick series), and her finally being eligible for a Tony with “Indecent.” Many awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for “How I Learned To Drive,” did not speed the process.

This comparison is not meant to disparage Mr. Harmon, but to point out a galling discrepancy. Gay stories are assumed to have a relatable universality — and thus a commercial appeal — that is not as easily granted to lesbian stories.

[simplythebess]

I’ll add that this is just in general true for queer representations of all kinds (that cisgender white men get the most representation). The same disparity be seen in movies, TV shows, and books. It’s certainly true for theatre, where the most popular plays with queer female characters before 2000 were The Children’s Hour, where the character who is probably queer kills herself, and Stop Kiss, where the women are gaybashed while kissing. Luckily we now have Fun Home, Indecent, The Prom, and some others, but not nearly as many. 

[mxnrique]

Juice by Lizzo would be as big as Uptown Funk if society didn’t hate fat black women

[richbourger-deactivated20200702]

If you haven’t seen the video, go give it some love, she is so talented and this song is so good omg

[whimsicalpersephone-deactivated]

uptown funk has nothing on this bop

[tange1a]

Okay but honestly ya, this song is a fucking bop and is so much better than uptown funk or finesse. It’s just a feel good in your skin type of song.

[neutralangel]

I had high expectations and this exceeded them wildly.

[millennial-review-deactivated20]

Iconic.

[femsmirk]

[insaiyan7]

Their names, ranks and kills in case people went to know;

First row – Guard Staff Sergeant, VN Stepanova: 20 kills, Guard Sgt JP Belousova: 80 kills, Guard Sgt AE Vinogradova: 83 kills.

Second row – Guard Lieutenant EK Zhibovskaya: 24 kills, Guard Sgt KF Marinkin: 79 kills, Guard Sgt OS Marenkina: 70 kills.

Third row – Guard Lieutenant NP Belobrova: 70 kills, Lieutenant N. Lobkovsky: 89 kills, Guard Lieutenant VI Artamonova: 89 kills, Guard Staff Sergeant MG Zubchenko: 83 kills.

Forth row – Guard Sergeant, NP Obukhova: 64 kills, Guard Sergeant, AR Belyakova 24 kills.

Total number of confirmed kills: 775. Photo taken in Germany, May 4, 1945.

[dicapito]

And this hasn’t been made into a movie or mini series?

[random-person-number-52]

The cool thing is, there’s still one person missing: Lyudmila Pavlichenko.

She was one of the deadliest snipers of World War II, and is regarded as one of the deadliest snipers of all time. Over the course of one year (June 1941-June 1942) she racked up a count of 309 kills, 36 of which were enemy snipers. Her prescence in the picture alone would have brought the total number of kills from 755 to 1064.

Goddamn.

[strengthins0lidarity]

Icons.

Every one of them.

[simplythebess]

[intercal]

The doctor was unable to separate the art from the artist. I’m so sorry.

[sharp-tender-shock-deactivated2]

Time of death of the author: 3:32pm

[fuckyeahhistorycrushes]

Lilyan Tashman (1896-1934). An actress known for her comedic roles, she was also a pretty well-known lesbian who was very popular with the Hollywood set for her good looks and love of a good party. She was married twice, but those were well-understood to be “lavender marriages” to gentlemen who also needed to appear straight. She died of cancer at a young age, so we don’t get to see what she would have done as the movie industry and societal views changed in the future decades. She looks like Grace Kelly in some pictures, which are also beautiful, but I like the ones that seem to show more of the twinkle in her eye.

[simplythebess]

I listen to a lot of True Crime podcasts (okay, a lot of podcasts in general), and I often get asked about my favorites. I have seen the usual lists, and I too love My Favorite Murder, Up and Vanished, In the Dark, Casefile, and Generation Why (and also the now-defunct Thinking Sideways). But there are several of my favorites that I don’t often see on lists, so I’m here to shout them out for all of the things they’re doing that make them stand out from the crowd. In no particular order, here they are:

CRIME JUNKIE: Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat are best friends who are just really great researchers and storytellers. This is my one and only Patreon podcast, because I find that I wanted more. Specifically, I am a fan of how they tell even the stories I know in ways that make me hear them anew, with a careful balance of facts and speculation. Stay tuned for their “pruppet of the month” feature in which they share stories of adopted dogs once a month, which they generally can’t get through without getting choked up. 

ACCUSED: This is the only podcast on this list not actively making episodes, but the two seasons that exist are so good that I had to include it. (Supposedly Season Three is in the works, and I remain subscribed and hopeful.) Each season is a deep dive into a single case led by Cincinnati Inquirer reporter Amber Hunt. Real journalists can be some of the best stars of the podcast world, and Hunt is a great example of this. The production value is great, as is the research, and Hunt does a beautiful job of telling a long-form story in a way that hold together and keeps your interest.

REAL CRIME PROFILE: It always surprises me that RCP isn’t on more lists. With a victim-centered approach and hosts with serious credentials, this podcast responds to famous cases as they are portrayed in the media, with the real-life profilers who host the podcast, Jim Clemente (former FBI profiler and NY Prosecutor) and Laura Richards (former New Scotland Yard and head of the Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service), breaking down what assumptions are true and false when it comes to crime. Third host Lisa Zambetti serves as the resident non-expert who keeps the conversations grounded in a realm that non-profilers can understand. I have learned so much from this one, and it’s given me an entirely new way of thinking about cases I thought I really understood.

SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING: The Canadian Broadcasting Service does a really wonderful job with true crime, but this is my absolute favorite of their podcasts. Each season takes a deep look at a different case, with a bonus for the most polite reporters around. I am very impressed at how host David Ridgen manages to ask incredibly difficult questions in such a friendly way, and he often gets amazing results from doing so. Each and every season is excellent and I look forward to the next.

SMALL TOWN DICKS: I can never figure out if this is the worst or best name for a podcast, but I do know that it’s excellent. Actor-hosts Yeardley Smith (voice of Lisa Simpson) and Zibby Allen are friends with identical twin detectives Dan and Dave, who work in “Smalltown, USA.” Their anonymity allows them to share the details of their most memorable cases, with names and relationships changed, complete with 911 calls, interview tapes, and other primary sources. They also invite their detective friends to share, and the result is a really fascinating portrait of a crime without excessive concentration on each participant’s backstory. Instead of being obsessed with trying to figure out a specific crime, this podcast shows you how detectives make sense of what they find when they come upon a scene you wouldn’t hear about from a national news source.

DEATH IN ICE VALLEY: A co-production from BBC and NRK, this journalist-led podcast boasts some of the best sound design that I’ve ever heard in this medium. This is the story of the unidentified Isdal woman, who was found burned in a valley in Norway in 1970. Her last days were surrounded by mystery and this podcast compiles a great deal of information and lays it out in a compelling manner without jumping to conclusions. It is very hard for podcasts to handle unresolved cases in a long-form way, but Death in Ice Valley manages to do it gracefully. They have just released an update episode, and though they are not actively making new episodes, it seems they are not yet finished.

[make--it--gayer]

[catchymemes]

The Queen Wore a ‘Green Screen’ Outfit and the Internet Went to Town

https://www.boredpanda.com/queen-elizabeth-green-screen-outfit-funny-photoshop-battle/

[purplexedhuman]

Pride Month Celebration: It doesn’t matter where you live, how old you are, whether you’re out, in the closet, or still figuring it out. You are part of a huge, diverse, beautiful community. We are not alone.

[catchymemes]

[drcgonhide]

Visit Original Link

The mashup you never thought would work

[dieharddaae-24601]

Congratu-fucking-lations.

[oneforcasual-oneforbest]

I would pay so much to have this as a ringtone I’m not even joking.

[theatreortheater]

Why?????

[calamitycons]

The face I made while listening to this was so visceral I had to draw it before reblogging it

[junovoltage]

@sillygooseface TORI I’M CRYING PLEASE LISTEN

[sursumursa-deactivated20180131]

Well. That was indeed a thing that happened.

@lindsayetumbls @elisaintime @nellachronism

(Would’ve been better with a different version of POTO but it’s irrevocably stuck in my head so…eh.)

[smiling-grouch-deactivated20241]

Holy shit.

[smiling-grouch-deactivated20241]

[memesandlaughs]

[cloacacarnage]

i know its the mets, but this is the coolest shit i’ve ever seen a human being do

[futureblackwakandan-deactivated]

Wtf????

[theryanproject]

Smoove with it too 

[meqabitch-deactivated20200901]

This is the kind of shit you see in anime that shows that a certain character is stronger than other characters. 

[bankuei]

“Pathetic.  You can’t even hold the bat you dare step to the plate? Have you no respect for the sport?”

[pardonmewhileipanic]

reminds me of this gif

[sueanoi]

[batter-sempai]

Baseball players are to be feared

[cynosurecosplay]

[thenamesdede]

Reblogging for the last one

[saito-91]

^Same for me

[amuzed1-deactivated20241106]

They just kept getting progressively more “woah”

[scp2008]

much woah

[lord-blongus]

Oh my god this is a lucky universe

[cleoselene-deactivated20260315]

every time this post comes around, my favorite part is the “I know it’s the Mets” qualifier at the beginning lmao like how baseball that this zillion note posts starts with “sorry for putting this hellteam on your dash, bUT”

[tmirai]

This is such an interesting dissection of a very common trope in writing female characters that I never really thought about before, but it’s so prevalent and so obvious and so fucking disgusting.

[stregaomega]

watch this. No. Seriously. Watch this.

[barbie-shoes]

Holy shit. Never even thought about this. But it’s so real

[heywriters]

Imma just reblog this like, once a year, until it stops happening so much.

[bookishdiplodocus]

I didn’t realise it was this prevalent.

Watch this, please, and stop using this trope.

[mickiperspicacious]

This is why the men got all offended at Chris Hemsworth’s character in the Ghostbusters remake. He’s literally this trope, just a dude instead. 😂

[hydro-homies]