Check Out These Inspiring Portraits From the Ms. Senior America Pageant

July 9, 2015, 9:00 am

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"I've always been intrigued by the pageant concept and the participants," photographer Everett Meissner tells us. "The idea of putting yourself out there to be judged on your appearance, personality and talent is something I think most people try to avoid in their lives." Meissner recently shot a photo series called "Senior Beauty Pageant," featuring AARP-approved beauty queens vying for the tiara instead of twentysomething college students. His images were taken at the Ms. Senior Massachusetts pageant, part of the Ms. Senior America pageant where all participants have "reached the 'Age of Elegance'" (or are 60-years old or more). Below, we take a look at several photos from Meissner's series and hear what he learned about the pageant experience and aging gracefully.

"While doing some research I discovered the Senior America Pageant, which I didn’t know existed. I thought it would be an interesting project to shoot in the sense that there seems to be a tremendous amount of pressure on women these days to look as young as possible and here's this pageant celebrating their age."

"The pageant was held at Holyoke High School in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was the state finals for Miss Senior Massachusetts. I took the portraits in a hallway of the high school during the event. I thought of several different ways to photograph them, but in the end I decided to eliminate the environment with the white background so the viewer would be forced to just focus on these women. I photographed the contestants between their time on stage and also the past winners who were participating in the event."

"My original thought [for this series] was not to name the photos so it's more about the idea of older women competing in a pageant than certain individuals."

"We talked about age and beauty and what I picked up on the most was how often the women would compliment each other. While I was shooting someone, their friend would say something like 'doesn’t she look good! You know she’s 80!' or whatever their age was. It was a very supportive atmosphere."

"I was shooting a previous winner who was one of the older women there, and while she was getting ready for me to photograph her she said 'oh wait' and moved the slit in her dress a little to expose some leg. I thought that was great and took that as her showing she's still got it."

"Ruth Harcovitz was great to photograph and ended up winning the pageant. She will now advance to the Nationals."

"I came away thinking these women are pretty badass. They were very confident and direct. When you spoke with them, you would get the sense that they were very proud of themselves and their age. They were direct when they wanted to do something a certain way."

"I found their attitudes inspiring. Instead of slowing down and letting life pass them by these woman are charging forward in life."

---

Brenmar and UNiiQU3 Release an Awesome New Video for "Hula Hoop"

July 9, 2015, 9:10 am

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For those not already in the know, Brenmar and Jersey Club Queen UNiiQU3's incredible "Hula Hoop" is pretty much the best turn-up track ever created. So it's only appropriate that the newly released visuals for said song are just as buoyant and brilliant as the club-ready banger itself. 

An ode to hip-hop-descended club gyration, the accompanying hula hoop tricks are strangely mesmerizing in their intricacy. All aided by quick cuts, staccato progressions and a titillating light-up hoop sequence at the end, "Hula Hoop" is probably one of the flyest features we've seen in a long time. Watch the video below.

Rock stars whose opinions on Kanye matter more than David Crosby and the Dude from Slipknot: A List

July 9, 2015, 9:45 am

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At Glastonbury, Kanye West called himself the greatest living rock star on the planet. This seems like a pretty uncontroversial statement, honestly (especially for people who get Kanye), unless you are a sad man like, say, that dude from Slipknot or David Crosby -- who, to be fair, was once a legitimately interesting and successful musician, but has now slid into a new career phase where he "complains about Kanye" because he "doesn't play an instrument" which okay, cool. In no particular order, here are several list of rock stars who are bigger than either the Slipknot guy or David Crosby, but less big than Kanye -- helpfully divided into categories:

Real, Critically-Acclaimed Musicians

• Literally every single respected artist who has not gone out of their way to say something stupid about Kanye, a list too long to recount here.

Musicians Who Are Not Particularly Well-Respected But Are Better Than Slipknot Dude And David Crosby

• All members of KoЯn
• Smash Mouth guy, as long as he has the bread roll with him
• The guy with the flamethrower guitar from Mad Max
• Chad Kroger
• Tommy Lee
• The Blue Wiggle
• Fred Durst
• Meat Loaf

Inanimate Objects And People Unrelated To Music

• Bill Nye talking about geology
• The Pokémon Geodude
• This coffee table
• The Thing
• A pebble that got into my shoe this morning
• Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Thank you and good night!

2Chainz is Being Sued for Calling a Woman a "Thot"

July 9, 2015, 10:30 am

≫ Next: A Chat With the Blue-Lipped Male Model from Margiela's Gender-Bending Show

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2Chainz is being sued for calling a woman a "thot." You can see a viral video in which the rapper repeatedly calls Christine Chisholm the sexist slang term after a show and apparently it led to a substantial decrease in Chisholm's quality of life.

The suit, in which Chisholm seeks $5 million, claims that she lost her job and had to endure consistent harassment as a result of the video. As silly as this seems, there are a lot of related issues involved, including responsibility for images or video that winds up reaching a broader audience, sexism, and in what circumstances you can sue for being recorded. Why couldn't this have involved Tity Boi's nemesis, Nancy Grace? While we ponder these questions, watch 2Chainz eat the world's most expensive burger:

A Chat With the Blue-Lipped Male Model from Margiela's Gender-Bending Show

July 9, 2015, 11:00 am

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photo by Yannis Vlamos 

"Everyone seems really positive," model John Whiles said. "My dad sent me a text telling me that I'm 'at the cutting edge of fashion'."

And he's right of course, seeing as how the 23-year-old British model, who's worked for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Paul Smith, walked in a headline-making show: Maison Margiela's gender-bending couture collection designed by John Galliano in which the designer cast three male models (including a blue-lipped Whiles) to walk the catwalk in women's garments.

Whiles said the fall 2015 couture casting was somewhat of a surprise.

"I believe that the boys in the show were specifically requested, but I have no idea why I was chosen," he said, adding later that it was all extra exciting as, "there was no attempt to make the [male] models appear feminine other than putting us in dresses" -- a point also made by observers who noted that visible leg hair was probably one of the few blatant indicators of the show's male casting.

Sporting a bold Yves Klein blue turban and matching lip, Whiles walked the show along with fellow models Roan Louch and Carl Hejm Sandqvist, tearing up the runway in heels that he said were admittedly difficult, despite not being the stilettos his female counterparts donned.

"I've never worn heels before," Whiles said. "I'm not looking forward to the video of the show being released and revealing my total lack of grace."

photo by Rex Shutterstock

Gender-fluid fashion shows have been more prominent in recent seasons, and though Jean Paul Gaultier led the charge with his casting of drag queen/Eurovision darling Conchita Wurst and transgender model Andreja Pejiç a few years ago, this renewed emphasis and interest in androgyny seems to be less about shock tactics and more about reflecting actual societal change.

Cast by Shaun Beyen, this season's show also kept in line with Margiela's bent toward challenging societal conventions -- and while Galliano's take may not address commodification and capitalism in the same way as Martin Margiela's original designs, there may be something brewing beneath the surface in regards to gender-fluid casting and the cost differential between women and men's clothing. After all, it's well established that women are consistently chargedandtaxed more for bags and clothes. 

As a veteran of several campaigns, Whiles says it's a change he'd love to see fully embraced by the fashion world (and society for that matter) -- and hopes it will lead to him being cast in a wider range of womenswear shows -- even if actually wearing the make-up wasn't particularly enjoyable.

"As far as I could find out, the blue on my lips was actually poster paint," he said. "And I had it on for about 5 hours before the show. It was quite unpleasant."

NYC Goes 3D: Shayne Oliver, Asspizza & More in F. Virtue's Surreal Video for "Orange Juice"

July 10, 2015, 3:25 am

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New York-based rapper F. Virtue's new 3D video for "Orange Juice" is pretty much a VFiles fantasy come to life.

Featuring cameos from the likes of Mike the Ruler and Hood By Air's Shayne Oliver, the surreal Paolo Forchetti-directed visual addresses the all too real danger of NYC's "whirlpool culture" -- where things end up being more about name-drop networking than art itself.

Brimming with Nasir Mazar one-pieces, Moschino head-to-toe, HBA necklaces and a few too many fuccbois, there's a question of what exactly is real in this virtual world of influencers and arbiters of cool. 

After all, it is song about "an artist who started out real, but lost themselves in the fantasy" -- a

relatable feeling for anyone who's spent a significant amount of time brushing elbows in New York -- or as I like to call it, the smallest city of 8 million. 

Watch the video below.

10 British Denim Brands We're Loving Right Now

July 10, 2015, 4:00 am

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"I want to die with my blue jeans on," Andy Warhol once declared, just one of many cultural icons loyal to the sturdy twill uniform. And while like Warhol's pop art, jeans might be forever linked to images of Americana, across the pond there's a slew of small-scale British brands leading the way in pioneering, independent denim design. This year's LVMH Prize went to one such designer -- Marques'Almeida -- who beat out a field of competition that included another rising London-based denim talent, Faustine Steinmetz. Below, we look at these two brands along with eight others that are creating the coolest denim designs right now, everything from fuss-free utilitarian basics to the shredded and threaded, and more.

1. Marques'Almeida

Marques'Almeida, the brainchild of Portuguese designers Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida, launched in 2011 and quickly gained international cult status for a contemporary grunge aesthetic inspired by subcultures and icons of their youth (think: Riot Grrrls, Corrine Day photography, PJ Harvey). Easily recognized by signature frayed edges, flap pockets and one-shouldered cuts, the brand has fostered a new era of slashed hems and ragged folds, in a range of washed indigo and primary colors. Rihanna is a fan, as is Solange Knowles, Ciara, Cassie and Elena Perminova. Its lived-in look now comes sparkled in Swarovski glitter and jewel embellishment, anchored in glorious '90s nostalgia.

2. Faustine Steinmetz

Born in Paris and now based in London, Faustine Steinmetz uses hand-woven techniques to create her threadbare fabrics and rugged rips. Basic silhouettes are given a teen-dream remix -- jeans come hand-felted or painted in thick silicone, while playfully exaggerated stitching gives a trompe l'oeil effect. It's a youthful joie de vivre that pulls on her Parisian heritage and London surroundings, with each piece laboriously spun on a handloom that can take up to one week to make. It is a precious and meticulously time-consuming approach using recycled fabrics and sustainable yarn, and as a result, very few samples are made. However while small in number, Steinmetz is mighty in impact.

3. Bethnals

Bethnals is a completely unisex range of utilitarian denims that aims to blur the boundaries of age and gender with their line of skinny and boyfriend-cut shapes. Inspired by the diverse melting pot of cultures found in London, the brand was created by self-confessed denim addict Melissa Clement, a former denim buyer for Topshop who has worked within the industry for 14 years. The label was originally funded by Kickstarter, before being picked up by East London jean-hub Bad Denim and recently opened its flagship store within London's Spitalfields. The brand champions classic, timeless shapes, with a look book that carves a dreamlike androgyny: washed denim jackets, white shirts, baseball stripes and fuss-free cuts.

4. Frame Denim

With a celebrity following including Miranda Kerr, Heidi Klum, Kate Bosworth, and Alessandra Ambrosio, Frame Denim is perhaps the biggest heavyweight on our denim list. The brand was conceived in 2012 by Swedish duo Erik Torstensson and Jens Grede, also responsible for London's creative powerhouse, The Saturday Group, an enterprise of twelve diverse companies covering digital, e-commerce and brand management. What launched as a singular pair of jeans (Le Skinny, 2012) has become an international denim dynamo with a loyal super-fan following and a collaborative line with Karlie Kloss (Forever Karlie), which evolved after she complained to the designers about her frustration at finding a denim long enough for her 'legs for days' frame. Voilà, they created a pair, and a new model-designer collab was born.

5. Wåven

Wåven seamlessly fuses Scandinavian design with a London edge, with their sleek line of classic jeanswear that includes shirts, jackets and trousers. The brand launched in 2014, gaining fast popularity for their relaxed clean cuts, loose box shapes and neutral color palette, before being picked up by Urban Outfitters and Topman. Head over to their Tumblr for a beautifully curated moodboard of influences and styling.

6. IDA

Sydney-native Ida Thornton moved to the UK in the late '90s, before opening her first Donna Ida denim boutique in 2006 after noticing a frustrating gap in the market for durable, comfortable denim. The Jean Queen now owns two stores in Chelsea and Belgravia, stocking brands including J Brand and Current/Elliott, along with her own line of IDA denims -- a high-waisted fit inspired by iconic women from Bardot to Hepburn. She also runs denim clinics, to assist women in sourcing their favorite fit, and is a patron for Jeans for Genes, a charity fundraiser based in the UK and Australia.

7. MiH Denim

MiH Denim originally made its name during the 1970s, launched by Tony O'Gorman under the moniker Made in Heaven, and quickly became known for its flattering leg-lengthening, playful styles and iconic dove motif. Four decades later, his goddaughter Chloe Londsdale reestablished the brand in 2006, placing a contemporary twist on its retro archive designs. The brand is once again thriving, in a vast range of styles and washes, from dark indigo flares and distressed boyfriend cuts to stonewash overalls and patchwork skirts, favored by the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Natalia Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Katie Holmes.
 
8. Aries

The streetwear brand was founded by Sofia Prantera and Fergus "Fergadelic" Purcel, who met in the early '90s at London's iconic skate store, Slam City Skates. Their haute-couture skate-girl look throws graffiti prints and graphic rainbow streaks in with relaxed androgynous cuts and micro minis, referencing a pop-cultural cross-blend of rave, punk and grunge for their undone D-I-Y glamour. 

9. KÉJI  

Newly launched KÉJI places a modern spin on industrial workwear. The brand was founded by Katie Green, a Hong Kong native who currently designs her utilitarian denims from an East London studio. The result is an Anglo-Japanese blend of boxy, drawstring jackets, voluminous trousers and kimono sleeves, underpinned by '90s minimalism. Each piece is created using non-stretch heavy denim sourced in Japan, designed for endurance and longevity.

10. Story mfg

Story mfg plays the denim slow game -- a thought-to-thread concept founded by Katy Katazome and Bobbin Threadbare, which pulls together innovative weaves and washes to create their vintage-inspired denim pieces, which shun traditional, non-environmentally friendly techniques. The brand experiments with textile production and ethical dye methods and most recently set up shop in a suitably unconventional houseboat on Regent's Canal. Each wistful piece comes with a story -- a denim journey that you can track fully on their website.

Yasss Teen: Start Following Model and Instagram Star Josie Canseco

July 10, 2015, 5:02 am

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The upcoming generation of teens is full of kids who are stars to each other, but inhabit practically a different social universe from adults. They're building their own social media followings on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, you name it -- but to what end? For the olds among us: who are these teens, and how can we be as cool as them? Get to know the most fascinating teens on the internet in our new feature, Yasss Teen.

suga suga💸

A photo posted by Bb Jos (@josiecanseco) on Dec 15, 2014 at 3:25pm PST

"I never rely on anyone else. I never count on anyone else, and I don't really trust anyone else. I do what I want, I do what I please, I do what makes me happy. I'm gonna have my fun," says Josie Canseco in her biography for the YouTube reality show @SummerBreak. And judging from her 2015, it seems like Canseco is set on keeping her promise to have her fun. From having some of the most popular Instagrams of Coachella (to the point where a wide-eyed BuzzFeed post singled out Canseco and a friend, at a festival already designed to produce mountains of indistinguishable social coverage) to vying for a spot in Sports Illustrated's 2016 Swimsuit Edition, she's been enjoying herself -- in public, for 152,000 Instagram followers and @SummerBreak's over 380,000 subscribers.

The daughter of former Oakland A José Canseco, who himself has the distinction of possessing one of the best, most insane early celebrity Twitter accounts, Josie (who describes herself as "super independent") seems intent on making a career for herself as a model and actress, though she clearly has no intentions of distancing herself from her famous father. 

I'm gonna make it for us daddy im gonna make our name powerful again and support us and change the way people talk @JoseCanseco I love you

-- Jos (@JosieCanseco) October 29, 2014

We talked to the 18-year-old model, who has been in campaigns for Aeropostale and Urban Outfitters and featured in Teen Vogue and Town & Country, about her social media habits and online history. 

When did you start using Instagram?

I started using Instagram when I was a freshman in high school. I remember at first I thought it was kind of dumb and didn't want to join the bandwagon of having one, but I gave in and now realize how important it is when spreading word of your image. 

How much of your daily routine is spent on your social media presence? 

I'm usually always checking through my social media feeds because it's something that keeps me busy, especially when I travel.

How has your social media presence helped (or hindered) your career? 

My social media presence has definitely helped my career being that nowadays, a lot of clients like to work with people with bigger followings. Of course, everyone has their own opinion and I'm sure some people have seen an account of mine and said, "I don't want to work with her," for whatever reason, but at the end of the day, from what I'm aware of, it's only helped with getting jobs.

Do you have a goal for what you want to accomplish with it? 

Not exactly... My social media accounts aren't too focused on work and gaining a following. I usually post whatever I feel like posting, whether I think people will like it or not. Of course, the more followers the better, but I don't base my posts around gaining followers. I want to inspire people to live a fun life with good people. 

What kind of relationships have you formed over the internet? Friendships? More? 

I've definitely made some interesting friends through Instagram and Twitter! It's a funny story, but the way I met one of my ex-boyfriends through a "man crush Monday" on Twitter! I thought he was the most handsome guy, and posted him as my #mcm. He saw it and followed me and eventually we hung out and really grew to like each other. It's crazy the way the Internet works nowadays.

Who are your favorite teens online? 

I'd have to say my top favorite social media star is Christian Delgrosso. He has the funniest vines and the most relatable tweets. His personality is probably one of the best I've ever seen, at least from what's shown through his work. 

Be happy. Be loving. Be spontaneous. Be expressive. Be weird. Be carefree. Be generous. Be grateful. Be open. Be alive.

-- Christian Delgrosso (@christiand) July 6, 2015

How would you describe your brand online? 

I'd describe my brand as very free-spirited and candid. I love capturing moments that remind you of images from back in the '90s, but I also mix in some of my work, with some of my vacations and experiences I've had. It's hard to really say what my brand exactly is, because I don't focus on one certain idea. 

How do you feel about your father's social media presence? 

It's very controversial. I love my dad and support him forever, but sometimes he gets a little wild and carefree and posts the most random stuff. I respect him because whether people love it or hate it, he doesn't care. He taught me that people are always gonna talk and have their own opinion, so just do your own thing. 

What's the coolest thing that's happened to you because of the internet? 

I'd say the coolest thing to happen thus far is being contacted for a big music video coming out soon. 

Do you think you'll ever stop using these networks? 

Yes, absolutely. Social media is big to me right now, but everything dies down eventually, and I'm the type of person that loves change. 

What are the most popular apps within your friend circle? 

I'd say the most popular apps that my friends and I all use are Instagram, Postmates, Soundcloud, Twitter, and Snapchat. 

Do you prefer using social media for work (like the @SummerBreak YouTube show) or for personal use? 

I prefer using it for personal use, but of course I mix in a good amount of work as well. If I have work coming out that I really like and want to be represented by, I'll post it. For the most part, I like having an adventurous "theme" to my Instagram.

---

ODing On Fun: Everything We Saw and Heard At This Week's Art Openings

July 10, 2015, 5:30 am

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Summer in the city has felt pretty nice the last few weeks -- equality, independence, summer Fridays -- and we took any excuse to attend a party and binge on art. From tropical getaway group shows to guilded cherries in gallery cocktails, this week and last's art offerings were more festive than the typical white walls-and-wine stuff.

Susan Cianciolo's kits at Bridget Donahue Gallery

At Lower East Side's Bridget Donahue gallery, and in conjunction with Gladstone Gallery, a solo show by artist and fashion designer Susan Cianciolo welcomed guests for a talk and performance paying homage to her costume design on Jack Smith's production of Hamlet in Germany in 2012. The performers wore Cianciolo's ethereal tactile garments and moved around a room full of boxes, or "kits," that the artist created as time capsules and diaries of her practice that has spanned almost 20 years. The crowd was diverse, with fashion and art types remembering her collections of the late '90s (that included a collaboration with Chloë Sevigny) and milling around the room drinking cocktails inspired by the lavish event. The drinks each had a gold leaf cherry garnish, created by Arley Marks, the mixer behind the lavish cocktails at Dimes and Mission Chinese.

Installation shot of Salon 94's Tiger Tiger

The night continued at a party for the release of a new zine by Minerva, an art podcast through Know-Wave, Oh Wow gallery's online radio station. The podcast is hosted by four hilarious women of the art world (Fabiola Alondra, Anna Furney, Erin Goldberger and Jane Harmon), who interview and play music with a slew of well known artists, many of whom were in attendance, including Marilyn Minter, Justin Aidian, Leo Fitzpatrick and Jeanette Hayes. Eating gold and hanging with the elite, we could get used to this...

Torsos & Buckets at Salon 94 Freemans Alley

And we did. The weekend festivities stretched far into the week, with a double opening at both Salon 94's downtown locations. Tiger Tiger, a vibrant group show at the Bowery location featuring Michael Asif, Yutaka Sone, Katherine Bernhardt, Nikki Maloof and more, took us on safari with the jungle-themed works of our dreams -- complete with mojitos. Eventually the crowd moved around the corner and down a narrow street to the Freeman Alley location, where LA-based artist Amy Bessone's large ceramic female torsos and Matthias Merkel Hess's utilitarian pottery buckets gave a sudden, and necessary, sobering. It was a reminder that after all this fun, it was time to go home.

Troll DJs Replace EDM Drops With Spandau Ballet and It's Awesome

July 10, 2015, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Here's Drake as Bieber, Kanye and More in HIs New Video for "Energy"

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Hardstyle adherents, beware -- EDM DJs replacing the drop to mess with their audiences has gone viral thanks to a rascally DJ duo who call themselves...Mashd N Kutcher. Even worse/better, it's with Spandau Ballet's new wave classic 1983 "True."

And sure, while you may not fully appreciate the seminal club classic that is Spandau Ballet's "True," I can tell you that you're definitely way worse off.

Either way, (the still dreamy) Spandau Ballet are pretty happy that their classic karaoke jam/'80s middle school dance staple is experiencing a troll-vival, saying, "It keeps coming full circle...It is great to see the original making a comeback on dance floors around the world." 

And of course, the best part of it all is that collective "AUUGHHUGHs" accentuated with a few stray wails of what actually sound like legitimate grief. Some more LOLs below from a few other new-wave loving producers.

[h/tStereogum]

Here's Drake as Bieber, Kanye and More in HIs New Video for "Energy"

July 10, 2015, 7:00 am

≫ Next: KoЯn Give Us Nü Яemix of Яihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money"

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Okay admission time. I downloaded/signed up for Apple Music based solely on Drake's drop of his video for "Energy" -- and I can tell you, it is 100% worth it.

Utilizing some weird face-switching technology, Drake amasses a plethora of celebrity identities as he laments the haters trying to drain him of his energy. Spoofing everything from Justin Bieber's Calvin Klein ad to O.J. Simpson's car chase to the normally untouched Oprah, it's an oddly hilarious, slightly off-putting smorgasbord of space-age sci-fi meets contemporary pop culture. 

And if that isn't enough to sell you, we took the liberty of screenshotting some pertinent visuals for y'all. Watch it over at Apple Music (of course) and see how many spoofs you can spot.

KoЯn Give Us Nü Яemix of Яihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money"

July 10, 2015, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Chatting With the Guy Behind Wildly Popular Absurdist Vine Account, Valium Village

≪ Previous: Here's Drake as Bieber, Kanye and More in HIs New Video for "Energy"

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On the heels of the Kelly Clarkson version of Rihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money," KoЯn have given RiRi's revenge fantasy jam the nü-metal treatment, complete with crunchy riffs and a literal sonic punch of incessant, red-lining drums. Warning: "Overwhelming" is probably an understatement.

[h/tRolling Stone]

Chatting With the Guy Behind Wildly Popular Absurdist Vine Account, Valium Village

July 10, 2015, 9:10 am

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"major sass alert"

While 23-year-old Michael Bellizzi may earn a living editing a reality show in Chelsea, he moonlights as the mayor of the wonderfully absurdist Vine account "Valium Village." The town, located at the intersection of '90s-era after school specials, hellish sex ed videos and online ephemera, exists wholly in six-second clips, in which an eccentric cast of characters go on blind dates, discuss music, and endure the mundane realities of teen suburbia. It's both demented and unexpectedly captivating, with teens stiltedly talking about sex and condoms, couples discussing football, and robot-like men giving dating tips. We talked to Bellizzi about the residents of Valium Village, what led him to create the Vine account, and where he gets his material, below.

"sex talk"

Could you tell us about the idea behind Valium Village?

Very few people in my life share my sense of humor, so naturally they've been turned off by the types of videos that I watch. I thought to myself that there's no way that I'm the only one that relates to this stuff, and apparently I was right.

As far as what inspires me, or what inspired me to start the account, I would just say, life really -- surviving high school, growing up in a small suburban town, working at the local supermarket. I think I realize that people really like this content because it's so eerily true to life. There's just something to laugh at, and all these situations are so mundane, but they're so relatable at the same time. I always look in the comments; all these teenage girls are saying "oh my god, that's so you," or "oh my god this is just like Tiffany's mom!" It's funny to me that they can relate to the content because it's so bizarre.

"word travels fast"

Yeah there's something kind of uncanny about it, when you start watching them. Valium Village has a specifically Midwestern feel to it -- was that intentional?

Yeah, that was my hope. I always felt like it would be some small Midwestern town. And the reason why I chose the name 'Valium Village', it's interesting -- I originally called it 'Underwater Tea Party,' and it just dawned upon me one day when I was walking off of the subway and was like "no, Valium Village," and I changed the name. Valium, the drug, treats anxiety, so I was watching these videos and looking at the characters, and they're so subdued in the way that they talk -- they talk so slowly. I pretend sometimes that it's an actual town that they all live in.

When did it all begin?

It started in December of last year, and later I got into this high school melodrama stuff I called "Valium High." It's like a series within the series. But I post anything that I feel like matches the general tone, dreary tone.

"gotta have that bling" (aka how to dress hip-hop tutorial)

Where do you find this crazy material?

That's the age-old question. I get tons and tons of messages everyday.

Are you willing to reveal your sources?

Well it all began at my public library, and I thought to myself "gee, I wonder if they have all those awful movies that they made us watch in health class." It started with that, but then I was really just combing through the Internet -- like the public domain -- which has a lot of great stuff, and Chinese streaming sites. It's actually a really complicated process: it takes me hours upon hours of viewing these awful videos until I find something that I think is worth sharing with my followers.

Speaking of which, you've got over 300,000 now! What's your reaction to the massive popularity?

I did not anticipate this at all, but I'm so glad that people are enjoying the content and that I can make people laugh. I'm always reading on Twitter "I don't understand this? What is the point of this?" That's sort of the point to me: there is no point.

Going back to when you said Valium Village could be a 'small Midwestern town', if you had to put a state to it, what state do you think it would be in?

Montana.

That was quick.

Like dead-center in the middle of Montana. No other towns around it.

"Nina finds the man of her dreams"

Do you have a favorite Valium Village vine?

It's "Nina finds the man of her dreams." It's just these people in this weird room, and this woman -- I named her Nina (that's not her actual name, I don't think they mention her name) -- and she's always going on blind dates with different men. I post her a lot, and she kind of became the star of the account: everyone's always demanding "we want more Nina!" She's the focal point -- I always fall back on her and bring her back into the show.

I love how you have these recurring characters. Do you mine the same series?

I try and salvage as much as I can, and since I'll do like part 1 and part 2 (like with the pregnancy), or people won't expect it and I'll revisit a story that was posted like 3 months ago -- don't be surprised if you see their faces again.

Where do you want to take Valium Village in the future? It's kind of hit its stride right now -- do you want to continue that, or take it in a new direction?

I'm going to continue with Valium Village. I need to give the people what they want and I'm going to release full-length videos, so they get something beyond the 6 seconds. I studied documentary film in college, so -- and this is kind of a tease -- don't be surprised if an all-original spinoff series comes out of this. I have the resources for it -- I have a lot of friends who studied acting in school and I went to an arts college, so I'd be interested in pursuing a spin-off with some of my own original content.

The New Season of Arrested Development Starts With the Murder of Our Dreams

July 10, 2015, 9:31 am

≫ Next: The Drakeover: Majid Jordan Get a Little Help From Drizzy on "My Love"

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San Diego Comic-Con is the site of dreams both created (in stoking the flames of anticipation through snippets of footage recalling long-past pop culture experiences) and destroyed (literally everything else about it). In one fell swoop, actress Jessica Walter (Arrested Development's Lucille Bluth) managed to do both, by teasing one of the saddest, most beautiful inevitable culture objects of the modern era: season five of Arrested Development, which we already know is a bad idea. (In case it wasn't obvious, spoilers to follow.)



Apparently, season five picks up where season four left off -- with Buster being arrested for the murder of Lucille Austero, a.k.a. Lucille 2. This suggests that, not only will the new season not start with the most interesting part of the end of season four (George Michael punching his father in the face), it will also have another long trial to cram in legal jokes about Judge Reinhold, maritime law, and Captain Hook, all of which have been in the popular comedy lexicon for years.

Hooray for unnecessarily drawing out beloved television shows!
 

The Drakeover: Majid Jordan Get a Little Help From Drizzy on "My Love"

July 10, 2015, 10:00 am

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As if you didn't have enough Drake-related news today, Drizzy has graced OVO signees Majid Jordan with his presence on their smouldering new track "My Love." 

Right on the heels of yesterday's 20-minute Soundcloud mix "[I]," the dapper duo composed of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman croon against muffled bass and a woozy synthline, asking why you wanna be their love. Damn.

Listen to the slow burn below.

---

The Best, Worst and Weirdest of the Week

July 10, 2015, 11:44 am

≫ Next: SYN: The New Film by London Brand Ada + Nik

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Dumbest Fake Controversy of the Week:Ariana Grande's Donut-Gate. So she licked a donut and put it back, big deal! At least she didn't double dip a chip! -- Abby Schreiber


Most Insane You-Can't-Un-See-This-Music-Video of the Week:Drake's new video for "Energy" in which he face-morphs into everyone from Miley to Oprah to Justin Bieber and so many more. -- A.S.

Shade of the Week:Morrissey's withering remarks about Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran in which he said, "It's very rare that a record label does something for the good of music. Thus we are force-fed such as Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, which at least means that things can't possibly get any worse." Damn. -- A.S.

(photo via Instagram)

Headline of the Week That's Most Likely to Be Skewered By Jay Leno:"The Gwyneth Paltrow Guide to Yawning."-- A.S.

Most Gru-some Branding: Kotex Puerto Rico uploaded a promotional photo of Minions-themed tampons to their Facebook page. The tampons featuring Kevin, Stuart, and Bob (apparently they have names) are not for sale though, so no need to lose all faith in humanity just yet. -- Taylor Silver

Best Blue Raspberry-Related News: Tomorrow is free Slurpee day at 7-Eleven. Tomorrow is also July 11th. 7/11. Get it? Ok, moving on. -- T.S.

Most Important Architectural News: A skyscraper is being built in Australia in honor of Beyoncé. The architects said that the building's design was inspired by Queen Bey's body in the "Ghost" music video. -- T.S.

Baddest Bitch of the Week: Patti LuPone, who's currently starring in Shows for Days on Broadway, confiscated an audience member's phone this week. The woman was apparently texting throughout the entire first act, so LuPone decided to teach her one hell of a lesson on theater etiquette. -- T.S.

Strangest Canadian Antics: Yesterday, after a few tweets about a dead raccoon in Toronto circulated, people began creating a touching memorial in honor of it. After a few hours, the late raccoon lay next to flowers, candles, and handwritten letters. -- T.S.

Coolest Emerging Pop Act: World's Best Grandmas, indeed. Japan has a new geriatric "girl group." Hailing from a remote island in southern Japan, the 33-member strong KBG84's oldest member is 97 and uses a walker. They're also currently on a sold-out national tour performing their hit song "Come On and Dance."-- Sandra Song

Worst PR Pitch: Naming your album the same thing as Lil Wayne's isn't fooling anyone, Prestley. Smh. -- S.S.

Most Relatable Pope: Once again proving that he is the flyest Pontiff there ever was, our man Francis co-opted a Bolivian Burger King as his dressing room en route to mass. Insert "Deep Friar" joke here. -- S.S.

Biggest Celebrity Scam: Tom Selleck has apparently been stealing a ton of water from California during the drought. Someone call Magnum, H2O. -- Eric Thurm

Best Ironic Petition: This Change.org petition to change the name of Cracker Barrel, because it's offensive to "European-Americans." Well played. -- E.T.

Most Fire Mixtape By an Important Writer:Africa in Your Earbuds 64, a mix made by Teju Cole as part of an ongoing series, with an accompanying essay in The Paris Review. It's lit. -- E.T.

SYN: The New Film by London Brand Ada + Nik

July 9, 2015, 9:06 am

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Nik Thakkar is one half the London menswear team Ada + Nik and a regular on list of the sexiest men of social media. Nonetheless, he stays behind the camera in SYN, a new film he's and his partner have directed. Syn means 'with' in Greek and the film is a dark, arty work starring Duran Fulton Brown speaking in poetic verse penned by the designers and B.A. Zanditon. This fifth short film by Ada + Nik is also part of their ongoing collaboration with Hollloway Prison (where Lady Diana Mosley was imprisoned in WW II) and London College of Fashion which teaches inmates to make bespoke clothing in hopes they'll be able to use these skills to find work once they leave prison. Fashion for a good cause!

The Sunday Funnies

July 12, 2015, 2:40 am

≫ Next: Future (or a Future Fan) Bought OGMaco.com

≪ Previous: SYN: The New Film by London Brand Ada + Nik

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Serena's "yes, you were saying" face here deserves its own trophy. [AfternoonSnoozeButton]


A bearded David Letterman made a surprise appearance at Steve Martin and Martin Short's show, "A Very Stupid Conversation," in San Antonio to read a top 10 list of interesting facts about Donald Trump.
 
Where there's love, there's hope. And potatoes. [LaughterKey]
 
Cucumbers shall inherit the earth. [FYeahDementia]


Troll DJs have been replacing their bass drops with Spandau Ballet and It's Awesome. More videos here.
 
Yeah. [AfternoonSnoozeButton]

Ya neck.[Mlkshk]

My god, what have we done? [LaughterKey]

And we'll call it "Here, You Need Some Walking Around Money" pass. [AfternoonSnoozeButton]

This pizza could drive in 8th grade. [TheClearlyDope]

What if this is what you see when you die? [FYouNoFMe]

Bounce, bounce, bounce. [FYeahDementia]


Tennis fans watching Wimbledon in the Midwest were treated to this bizarre ad featuring Will Ferrell drunkenly selling "Bagpipes O'Toole Scotch-Flavored Vodka." [FunnyOrDie]
 Goodnight! [AfternoonSnoozeButton]

Future (or a Future Fan) Bought OGMaco.com

July 13, 2015, 4:15 am

≫ Next: Hari Nef & Petra Collins Join Season Two of "Transparent"

≪ Previous: The Sunday Funnies

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At some point in the recent past, Future made his move. Or, at least, a big Future fan did -- by buying OGMaco.com and having the rapper's (apparent) website redirect to a page that reads, displayed in its entirety:

Sadly, calling the number listed resulted in an error message, but hopefully a serious buyer will come along and resolve this for the Future Hive. The move appears to be in retaliation for a series of tweets Maco sent criticizing Future for normalizing drug use.

I love Future but I also understand Future has destroyed countless lives by making it cool to be a drug addict. 56 Xans isn't cool.

-- OG Maco (@OGMaco) July 9, 2015

So yeah, OG Maco got himself in hot water by tweeting some silly stuff, but that's really none of our business.

Hari Nef & Petra Collins Join Season Two of "Transparent"

July 13, 2015, 4:30 am

≫ Next: French Singer Petite Meller Is Winning Over the Music and Fashion Worlds One Rouged Cheek at a Time

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A photo posted by @jillsoloway on Jul 7, 2015 at 11:51am PDT

As if you needed another reason to love Transparent, the groundbreaking Amazon original is bringing on Beautiful Person Hari Nef and photographer Petra Collins to their set for season two.

Following one family after their father (none other than the excellent Jeffrey Tambor) comes out as trans, it's been met with rave reviews for its insightful and intimate, yet hilariously relatable take on the topic -- and creator Jill Soloway has amped up the anticipation even further by Instagraming images of both Nef and Collins over the past few days. Fall can't come fast enough.

The birth of #fussypuss #transparenttv #betransparent

A photo posted by @jillsoloway on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:32pm PDT