The documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017) explores a fascinating case of “Munchausen syndrome by proxy” (aka factitious disorder imposed on another), an abusive situation whereby a parent or guardian forces an imagined illness onto a vulnerable dependent. As a result, the once-healthy person often becomes sick from forced treatments and/or unnecessary medication.
While any brief description of The Florida Project (2017) may paint the setting and characters as delinquents engaged in a destructive lifestyle, what makes this film beautiful are the extraordinary acts of kindness, love, and mutual support. For example, arguments between characters often later give way to sharing cigarettes and other small acts of compassion. This demonstration of empathy is evident in director Sean Baker’s other films as well, most notably Tangerine (2015).
Refinery29, 2019, 16:14… On this episode of Shady, our host Danielle Cadet is looking to get to the bottom of the Black maternal and infant mortality rate in America. She consults experts and well as those affected by this nation-wide crisis. Watch Shady to get a better understanding of what needs to change.
The Atlantic, 2019, 13:28… Paul and Hava met at a performing-arts social event for people with intellectual disabilities. With the assistance of their parents, they went on a few successful dates. The connection was immediate. After some time, they decided to make their strong, loving bond official. The couple made each other so happy that their parents saw no good reason to deny the proposal. The group homes where Paul and Hava lived, however, stood in the way of the couple’s union. “They want us not to get married—not to live together,” says Paul in a new short documentary.
Vice News, 2019, 5:46… A Miami-based startup called Papa provides what they call a “grandkid on demand” service, where they send a vetted college-age person or young adult for companionship and transportation to seniors in need. Clients can use the app, but Papa’s average customer is 75 years old, so most people just call in for the service.
Quartz, 2019, 7:40… Japan is tackling gender inequality with a "hunky dads" campaign. Japan’s workforce is shrinking and aging. To keep its economy growing, it needs more of its citizens to work, which means getting more women into the workplace. Nearly half of Japanese women quit their jobs after the birth of their first child. To get mothers back to work, Japan’s government has focused on encouraging men to more fully share household responsibilities. The government started a campaign called the “ikumen” project.
The New York Times, 2019, 5:29… Being a mother and a champion was a crazy dream. But it didn’t have to be. Olympic runner Alysia Montano had accomplished all her dreams but one: being a mom. When she finally went for it, she faced her biggest challenge yet — her sponsors. When Montano approached her sponsor to announce her pregnancy, they told her that they would just pause her contract. She famously ran a national championship and eight months pregnant to prove that pregnant women could compete. Now, she’s speaking out so that no one has to suffer like she did.
CBS Sunday Morning, 2003, 6:15… It's not an Olympic sport (yet), but as correspondent Bill Geist discovered, adherents of extreme ironing go to herculean extremes as they wield their irons in ever-more challenging situations, pressing on in their quest to remove wrinkles. Originally broadcast on "Sunday Morning" November 7, 2003.
Vox, 2019, 7:24… At-home DNA ancestry tests have become hugely popular in recent years. More than 26 million have taken one of these tests. If their marketing is to be believed, they can help you learn where your DNA comes from, and even where your ancestors lived. But the information that can be inferred from your DNA is actually much more limited than testing companies are letting on. And that has lead consumers to misinterpret their results — which is having negative consequences.
Saturday Night Live, 2018, 1:45… A commercial advertises GE’s new line of home appliances made for men. #SNL #JasonMomoa #MumfordAndSons #SNL44
Inside Edition, 2017, 3:20… What is intended to be a gag gift has been used by some woman to convince their boyfriends they are having a child. The website FakeABaby.com has everything one needs to fool someone into thinking they are pregnant, but what has followed in some cases is no laughing matter.
Inside Edition, 2018, 3:16… Child safety standards have changed over the years. And that's a good thing, because InsideEdition.com has unearthed a number of cringe-worthy examples of how not to care for a child. These include putting a little boy in a cage with a bunch of lions, using your young daughters as props for your knife-throwing act and having your infant hold your skeet-shooting rifle. With antics like these, making it to adulthood may be questionable.
Vice News, 2018, 7:12… If you keep up with the world of competitive spelling, you've noticed the 10 year winning streak of South Asian-Americans. Kids from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have simply dominated the competition, and the South Asian Spelling Bee circuit has a lot to do with that. Launched in 2008, the South Asian Spelling Bee is an elite circuit whose alumni account for a decade of spelling dominance in the nation's most competitive spelling competition.
ABC News, 2018, 7:27… The makers of Real Doll (the most like-life sex dolls) have built AI into their latest models, creating a conversation partner akin to Siri, Alexa, and other digital assistants. This development is not surprising given that digital technology has been infiltrating our love lives for years.
Vice, 2016, 22:11... VICE UK Correspondent Gavin Haynes has come to the United States to determine what masculinity means to the American man. Though stereotypically masculine acts like fraternity hazings, monster truck rallies and food competitions still persist, there is a growing movement of men who are coming together to challenge these conventions and redefine machoism. Gavin meets with a host of these men, including a competitive eater, a troupe of stay-at-home-dads and a radical men's group hosting a slumber party in the woods, to survey the evolution of American masculinity for himself.
Vox, 6:01... Dating as we know it didn’t really start until the Industrial Revolution when young people left farms and small towns to flock to cities for work. They got jobs in factories, bars, and restaurants and being away from their families for the first time offered them the freedom to mix and match with other young people. Ever since then the way single people have gotten together has been dictated by the ups and downs of the economy in the United States.
