1 00:00:07,670 --> 00:00:10,310 S1: Hey, I'm Osman Farooqui and this is The Drop, a 2 00:00:10,310 --> 00:00:13,130 S1: culture show from the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, 3 00:00:13,130 --> 00:00:15,319 S1: where we dive into the latest in the world of 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,779 S1: pop culture and entertainment. Me with Thomas Mitchell and Mel Cambrai. Folks, 5 00:00:20,780 --> 00:00:22,640 S1: what's good? What's good? What's Goody? 6 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,779 S2: Great intro. I really enjoyed it. You know, we're we're 7 00:00:26,780 --> 00:00:29,360 S2: cruising through the week. It's obviously a very, very big 8 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,779 S2: and interesting week. But yeah, you're fresh from seeing a 9 00:00:32,780 --> 00:00:33,770 S2: very long movie. 10 00:00:33,979 --> 00:00:35,750 S1: Well, this is this is where I've got to start 11 00:00:35,750 --> 00:00:38,690 S1: with a bit of a mia culpa to our wonderful listeners. 12 00:00:38,690 --> 00:00:42,080 S1: I did announce on the show last week that we 13 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,630 S1: were going to be talking about Killers of the Flower Moon, 14 00:00:44,630 --> 00:00:48,680 S1: the new Martin Scorsese film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert 15 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:53,150 S1: De Niro. The film, which I watched on Tuesday night, 16 00:00:53,420 --> 00:00:57,220 S1: is actually not out for everyone else until October 20th. 17 00:00:57,230 --> 00:01:00,350 S1: So next week kind of thought, why don't we wait 18 00:01:00,350 --> 00:01:03,920 S1: to talk about that one when other people can actually 19 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,350 S1: see it? Otherwise, I feel like we'll just get everyone 20 00:01:06,350 --> 00:01:08,750 S1: excited and revved up and then they'll have nowhere to 21 00:01:08,750 --> 00:01:12,440 S1: take all that energy for a week. That that makes sense, right? 22 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,660 S3: Sure does. Seems quite sensible. 23 00:01:16,459 --> 00:01:17,360 S2: He's a sensible guy. 24 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,000 S1: The good news is I have a lot to say 25 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,340 S1: about this film, which I'm very excited about. 26 00:01:22,550 --> 00:01:24,260 S3: That does not surprise. 27 00:01:25,910 --> 00:01:27,679 S1: And I think I will try and in fact say 28 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,470 S1: it a second time before we cover it off next 29 00:01:30,470 --> 00:01:34,039 S1: weekend so I can just really refine my take. 30 00:01:34,069 --> 00:01:36,199 S3: We can't wait. We want both versions. Yeah. 31 00:01:36,470 --> 00:01:38,510 S2: I want the I want the hot take and then 32 00:01:38,510 --> 00:01:39,860 S2: the slightly more distilled. 33 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,950 S1: Well, even though that movie is not out till next week, 34 00:01:42,950 --> 00:01:45,589 S1: there is something else happening this week that we thought 35 00:01:45,590 --> 00:01:49,850 S1: we should hook our conversation on this Saturday, Australians are 36 00:01:49,850 --> 00:01:53,210 S1: going to be voting in the first referendum the country's 37 00:01:53,210 --> 00:01:57,440 S1: held since 1999 and that means that it's the first 38 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,200 S1: that many of us, including the three of us here, 39 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,700 S1: have ever voted in. The referendum, is about enshrining an 40 00:02:04,700 --> 00:02:08,810 S1: Indigenous voice to Parliament into the Australian Constitution. And look, 41 00:02:08,810 --> 00:02:10,730 S1: if you feel like you don't know enough about the 42 00:02:10,730 --> 00:02:13,550 S1: issue or the campaign or where it's all going, the 43 00:02:13,550 --> 00:02:16,040 S1: three of us are probably not your first port of call. 44 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,580 S1: I recommend you check out our excellent coverage on the 45 00:02:20,210 --> 00:02:23,660 S1: age websites. There's a lot of really good, smart, detailed 46 00:02:23,660 --> 00:02:27,950 S1: stories there covering off all sides of the campaign. What 47 00:02:27,950 --> 00:02:31,010 S1: we did think was worth covering, given that we are 48 00:02:31,010 --> 00:02:34,579 S1: in fact a culture show. Is the engagement or perhaps 49 00:02:34,580 --> 00:02:40,070 S1: lack of engagement from significant Australian cultural figures and celebrities, 50 00:02:40,070 --> 00:02:42,380 S1: which I think is a good jumping off point for 51 00:02:42,380 --> 00:02:47,179 S1: a broader conversation around how celebrities involved themselves in politics 52 00:02:47,180 --> 00:02:50,600 S1: these days, the benefits, the risks and how we as 53 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,100 S1: audiences like feel about the whole situation. I thought maybe, Thomas, 54 00:02:55,100 --> 00:02:58,549 S1: we could start this conversation with a piece you wrote 55 00:02:58,550 --> 00:03:00,500 S1: just this week, which is looking at some of the 56 00:03:00,500 --> 00:03:05,180 S1: biggest Australian celebrities at the moment and what they're saying 57 00:03:05,180 --> 00:03:08,150 S1: about this issue compared to other issues and why you 58 00:03:08,150 --> 00:03:10,459 S1: thought it was interesting to to look at them. 59 00:03:10,460 --> 00:03:12,830 S2: Yeah. So I think it was one of those stories 60 00:03:12,830 --> 00:03:16,190 S2: that started with a conversation, basically, you know, whenever these 61 00:03:16,190 --> 00:03:18,950 S2: kind of big political issues come up, I think there 62 00:03:18,950 --> 00:03:23,880 S2: is a. Maybe like a frustration with celebrity endorsements or 63 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,940 S2: celebrity activism or anything kind of in that space. But naturally, 64 00:03:26,940 --> 00:03:29,639 S2: you know, we do look to some of our big 65 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,130 S2: cultural exports to see what they think or to hear 66 00:03:32,130 --> 00:03:34,530 S2: what they think as a point of curiosity. And I 67 00:03:34,530 --> 00:03:37,830 S2: guess like in the context of the last few years, 68 00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:40,260 S2: someone like a Margot Robbie, a Chris Hemsworth, like Chris 69 00:03:40,260 --> 00:03:42,720 S2: Hemsworth was like the literal face of Australian tourism. Here's 70 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:46,350 S2: someone that you know is very actively involved in this country, 71 00:03:46,350 --> 00:03:49,950 S2: lives in Byron Bay, and it actually started with talking 72 00:03:49,950 --> 00:03:54,300 S2: about the 2017 same sex marriage plebiscite, which, you know, 73 00:03:54,300 --> 00:03:57,420 S2: different very different issue to the referendum, but in a 74 00:03:57,420 --> 00:04:01,050 S2: similar space. And probably the last big public decision Australia 75 00:04:01,050 --> 00:04:03,330 S2: had to make as a country and it was very 76 00:04:03,330 --> 00:04:08,310 S2: much an issue that saw these famous people like absolutely 77 00:04:08,310 --> 00:04:11,339 S2: like jump in and get involved and be very public facing. 78 00:04:11,340 --> 00:04:14,910 S2: They were Instagram posts and again, we're talking like this 79 00:04:14,910 --> 00:04:16,529 S2: is how the conversation started was like, Oh, remember Chris 80 00:04:16,529 --> 00:04:18,990 S2: Hemsworth posted on his Instagram telling everyone to vote yes. 81 00:04:18,990 --> 00:04:21,360 S2: And I went back through, you know, through his feed 82 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:22,620 S2: and had a look in there. It was like this 83 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:25,230 S2: very public post being like, Hey, everyone, Like Australia is 84 00:04:25,230 --> 00:04:26,790 S2: a great country and we all love each other and 85 00:04:26,790 --> 00:04:28,580 S2: love is love and and we're a country. I think 86 00:04:28,740 --> 00:04:30,930 S2: we're a country of equality. And so here's the link 87 00:04:30,930 --> 00:04:33,090 S2: and make sure you vote. And from there, it kind 88 00:04:33,089 --> 00:04:35,340 S2: of led to a conversation about, like all the really 89 00:04:35,339 --> 00:04:38,370 S2: famous Australians that got involved. So it was like Margot 90 00:04:38,370 --> 00:04:41,550 S2: Robbie did the same thing. Russell Crowe tweeted, Kylie Minogue 91 00:04:41,550 --> 00:04:43,710 S2: was very you know, she's a long time supporter of 92 00:04:43,710 --> 00:04:46,170 S2: that community. She was very involved in the same sex 93 00:04:46,170 --> 00:04:48,989 S2: marriage plebiscite and then kind of was like, Oh, it's 94 00:04:48,990 --> 00:04:52,020 S2: weird that we haven't heard from any of these people 95 00:04:52,020 --> 00:04:55,230 S2: on the referendum. Now, of course, like, you know, we 96 00:04:55,230 --> 00:04:57,330 S2: don't we don't need to hear from them. Like how 97 00:04:57,330 --> 00:04:59,850 S2: they feel isn't going to influence us. It's more interesting 98 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,900 S2: like why they haven't spoken up. And that was kind 99 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:06,599 S2: of where the conversation kicked off and the story began. 100 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,940 S2: And yeah, like, you know, we did approach all these 101 00:05:08,940 --> 00:05:11,700 S2: people's teams for comment and didn't kind of hear back. 102 00:05:11,700 --> 00:05:14,099 S2: But yeah, it was just it was very noticeable. And 103 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:17,190 S2: I guess curious jumping off point that someone like Margot Robbie, 104 00:05:17,190 --> 00:05:21,390 S2: Chris Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Kylie Minogue, like very ultra famous 105 00:05:21,390 --> 00:05:24,930 S2: Australians who have a track record of using their platforms 106 00:05:24,930 --> 00:05:27,150 S2: to speak out on issues that matter both to them 107 00:05:27,150 --> 00:05:29,880 S2: and matter to their country. And yet, yeah, when it 108 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,550 S2: comes to the referendum, we haven't heard from any of them. 109 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,550 S1: It's certainly been something that a lot of people have 110 00:05:35,550 --> 00:05:37,799 S1: asked me about. I don't know whether because of my 111 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,740 S1: job or whatever people have said, Do you know why 112 00:05:40,740 --> 00:05:45,810 S1: it seems like so few big name, particularly non-Indigenous Australian celebrities, 113 00:05:45,810 --> 00:05:49,680 S1: are like not weighing in to this debate? It's probably 114 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,790 S1: worth acknowledging that, like a lot have. I think Adam 115 00:05:53,790 --> 00:05:57,240 S1: Briggs most notably that Yorta Yorta man and rapper. I mean, 116 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,380 S1: he has been single handedly, I think, kind of carrying 117 00:06:01,380 --> 00:06:03,810 S1: the can for a lot of other people in the 118 00:06:03,810 --> 00:06:07,179 S1: entertainment industry. His most recent video he made with Nash 119 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,100 S1: Edgerton and Jenna Owen and Vixens, The Friday Night Gang, 120 00:06:11,100 --> 00:06:13,589 S1: I think it's clocked up more than 5 million views. 121 00:06:13,740 --> 00:06:17,010 S4: So confusing out there. I read online that indigenous people, 122 00:06:17,010 --> 00:06:17,880 S4: they don't even want it. 123 00:06:18,089 --> 00:06:19,290 S5: 80% of us do. 124 00:06:19,350 --> 00:06:21,870 S6: Okay. But I saw a video of an indigenous person 125 00:06:21,870 --> 00:06:24,180 S6: saying that it doesn't go far enough and I'd personally 126 00:06:24,180 --> 00:06:25,440 S6: like it to go far enough. 127 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,600 S4: Me too. I'd like to go far enough for indigenous people. 128 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:28,140 S4: For them. 129 00:06:28,589 --> 00:06:32,460 S5: Okay. So you would vote no to this progress so 130 00:06:32,460 --> 00:06:36,510 S5: that we can reconvene at an undisclosed point in the 131 00:06:36,510 --> 00:06:39,210 S5: future and then go far enough? 132 00:06:40,110 --> 00:06:41,640 S4: Yes, that makes sense to me. 133 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:42,270 S6: Finally, some. 134 00:06:42,270 --> 00:06:42,900 S7: Sense. 135 00:06:44,190 --> 00:06:47,039 S5: So what about the voice? Doesn't make sense. Like just, 136 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,130 S5: you know, what would be far enough? What are your thoughts? 137 00:06:52,830 --> 00:06:58,110 S6: I've heard that it could divide the nation. How? Okay. 138 00:06:58,110 --> 00:07:01,140 S6: So I have read something online about just the nature 139 00:07:01,140 --> 00:07:03,270 S6: of democracy in general. 140 00:07:03,660 --> 00:07:07,200 S4: Yes, because it's patronising to indigenous people and I would 141 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,020 S4: hate to patronize an Indigenous person. 142 00:07:10,500 --> 00:07:13,650 S5: Okay, so it doesn't go far enough, but then it 143 00:07:13,650 --> 00:07:17,740 S5: also goes too far. Yes, because democracy? 144 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:18,300 S6: No. 145 00:07:19,590 --> 00:07:20,460 S5: Have you googled it? 146 00:07:21,700 --> 00:07:25,030 S1: Like he's held a concert in Shepparton around this stuff. 147 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,210 S1: Baker Boy joined that. Paul Kelly has also been part 148 00:07:28,210 --> 00:07:31,420 S1: of that group with Briggs Ball. Kelly's released a song to. 149 00:07:31,420 --> 00:07:36,400 S1: So there is a core of musicians that have been 150 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:40,660 S1: very highly active and vocal on this issue. But Mel 151 00:07:40,660 --> 00:07:43,330 S1: like I mean Paul Kelly, who's someone who's got this 152 00:07:43,330 --> 00:07:47,530 S1: long history with First Nations people in this country speaking 153 00:07:47,530 --> 00:07:50,470 S1: up in support of the voice is, you know, not 154 00:07:50,470 --> 00:07:54,010 S1: that surprising. It does feel surprising to me that there 155 00:07:54,010 --> 00:07:55,840 S1: are so few others. What do you think? 156 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,870 S3: I don't know if it's necessarily surprising to me because 157 00:07:58,870 --> 00:08:00,910 S3: I think there's a few issues going on here. I 158 00:08:00,910 --> 00:08:03,700 S3: think one is like a practical thing in that because 159 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:06,130 S3: of the strikes, a lot of these people aren't in 160 00:08:06,130 --> 00:08:09,820 S3: front of cameras and journalists who would in other situations 161 00:08:09,820 --> 00:08:12,220 S3: be putting the question to them in other interviews. So 162 00:08:12,220 --> 00:08:15,610 S3: you're not getting those kind of soundbites being played out 163 00:08:15,610 --> 00:08:17,770 S3: from them. So I think that's one issue. The other 164 00:08:17,770 --> 00:08:20,290 S3: one is I think there's a perception that this referendum 165 00:08:20,290 --> 00:08:23,410 S3: is not easy or as easy to talk about in 166 00:08:23,410 --> 00:08:26,050 S3: the way that the same sex marriage was. So it 167 00:08:26,050 --> 00:08:28,570 S3: can't be kind of pithily summed up in a cute 168 00:08:28,570 --> 00:08:31,960 S3: Instagram caption with a photo of a star with a 169 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,000 S3: rainbow on their face in the way a lot of 170 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,610 S3: those posts were. So I think there's that perception. So 171 00:08:36,610 --> 00:08:38,890 S3: I think there's maybe this idea they have that they're 172 00:08:38,890 --> 00:08:42,880 S3: not constitutional experts. And if you weigh into something like this, 173 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,760 S3: they might have a gotcha moment when they're asked about 174 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,670 S3: the details of it. Whereas speaking about equal love, I 175 00:08:48,670 --> 00:08:51,310 S3: think has a perception that it is a universal subject, 176 00:08:51,309 --> 00:08:53,620 S3: that everyone has a right to and can talk about. 177 00:08:53,890 --> 00:08:55,750 S3: And the other thing I think, too, is maybe there's 178 00:08:55,750 --> 00:08:59,620 S3: a bit of a glass houses situation here. I think 179 00:08:59,620 --> 00:09:03,069 S3: if you stand up for the voice, then maybe people 180 00:09:03,070 --> 00:09:06,310 S3: might ask the question, well, if this isn't tokenism, what 181 00:09:06,309 --> 00:09:09,010 S3: are you doing to help indigenous people? Like are you 182 00:09:09,010 --> 00:09:11,200 S3: bringing them onto your set? Are you bringing them into 183 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,320 S3: your films like you have such a platform? What else 184 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:16,569 S3: are you actually doing? Of course, the voice is one 185 00:09:16,570 --> 00:09:18,939 S3: thing and supporting the voice is a big statement, but 186 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:20,830 S3: I think it then does open you up to questions 187 00:09:20,830 --> 00:09:23,199 S3: that maybe some of these people are uncomfortable and not 188 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,300 S3: ready to talk about and address. 189 00:09:25,570 --> 00:09:27,520 S1: The really good points. And I think it is helpful 190 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,480 S1: to separate out some of the, I guess, categories of 191 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,140 S1: reasons why we are not seeing the kind of groundswell 192 00:09:35,140 --> 00:09:38,079 S1: of celebrity support for a campaign like this. I think 193 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,290 S1: the comparison with same sex marriage is an interesting place 194 00:09:41,290 --> 00:09:44,020 S1: to start comparison in terms of like what is similar 195 00:09:44,020 --> 00:09:46,510 S1: and what is different. And I think there's been quite 196 00:09:46,510 --> 00:09:48,309 S1: a few good pieces about this in the last couple 197 00:09:48,309 --> 00:09:53,890 S1: of weeks. The same sex marriage plebiscite was sort of 198 00:09:53,890 --> 00:09:58,480 S1: the final domino, the final hurdle after like a decades 199 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:03,880 S1: long campaign for very specifically the legalisation of same sex 200 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,880 S1: marriage that had had popular public support for a very 201 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,410 S1: long time, that even had majority support within both major 202 00:10:11,410 --> 00:10:14,470 S1: parties in Parliament. But due to, I guess, you know, 203 00:10:14,500 --> 00:10:18,520 S1: very specific and boring factional stuff going on in the 204 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,290 S1: Liberal Party at the time, wasn't able to just be 205 00:10:20,290 --> 00:10:23,770 S1: legislated without the plebiscite. So you could kind of make 206 00:10:23,770 --> 00:10:27,339 S1: the case that the celebrities coming out at that stage 207 00:10:27,340 --> 00:10:30,550 S1: were less taking a risk and less kind of being 208 00:10:30,550 --> 00:10:34,000 S1: seen as thought leaders on this issue and more just saying, well, 209 00:10:34,510 --> 00:10:36,670 S1: everyone's going to vote for this thing. I guess I 210 00:10:36,670 --> 00:10:38,949 S1: want to be recorded in history as being on the 211 00:10:38,950 --> 00:10:41,740 S1: right side. And of course, there is also the point 212 00:10:41,740 --> 00:10:46,900 S1: that more Australians, because of the way that our society works. 213 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:52,620 S1: Know of or have close friends and family members who 214 00:10:52,620 --> 00:10:57,950 S1: are part of the LGBT community. And I mean Australia. 215 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,000 S1: People don't want to talk about this. They don't really 216 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,910 S1: like delving into the reasons behind this. But Australia is 217 00:11:02,910 --> 00:11:05,460 S1: a very racially segregated country still, particularly when it comes 218 00:11:05,460 --> 00:11:08,010 S1: to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. And so there 219 00:11:08,010 --> 00:11:11,160 S1: isn't that same level of, well, I want my cousin 220 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,080 S1: to be able to get married, I want my sister 221 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,510 S1: to be able to get married. And so that probably 222 00:11:15,510 --> 00:11:21,090 S1: overlaps with celebrities also. But I feel like when it 223 00:11:21,090 --> 00:11:23,820 S1: comes to certain figures, like Russell Crowe was a really 224 00:11:23,820 --> 00:11:28,530 S1: interesting one, right, who owns the South Sydney Rabbitohs and 225 00:11:28,530 --> 00:11:33,809 S1: has I think historically considered himself a supporter of the 226 00:11:33,809 --> 00:11:38,040 S1: Indigenous community in Australia. I wonder why someone like him 227 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,490 S1: feels like he's not ready to speak up. 228 00:11:41,610 --> 00:11:43,830 S2: Yeah, I think so too. Especially like I mean if 229 00:11:43,830 --> 00:11:46,830 S2: we're being kind of a little bit cynical, you know, 230 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,770 S2: Russell Crowe is in like the twilight of his career. 231 00:11:49,770 --> 00:11:53,339 S2: He also has like big don't really give a fuck energy. Like, 232 00:11:53,340 --> 00:11:56,939 S2: you know, Margot, for instance, she's like on the up, like, 233 00:11:57,090 --> 00:11:58,920 S2: it's all happening. I could see that perhaps you could 234 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,900 S2: make the argument she has more to lose than Russell Crowe, 235 00:12:00,900 --> 00:12:02,490 S2: but Russell Crowe like also, if you go on to 236 00:12:02,490 --> 00:12:04,709 S2: Russell Crowe, his Twitter feed, it often feels like he's 237 00:12:04,710 --> 00:12:07,469 S2: sitting somewhere in Italy, like smashing a dart and just 238 00:12:07,470 --> 00:12:10,560 S2: firing off tweets. So, like, I am kind of surprised. 239 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,280 S2: And again, we don't like it's worth saying we don't 240 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,640 S2: know how any of these people would vote anyway. But 241 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:19,290 S2: I think reading between the lines, you might be able 242 00:12:19,290 --> 00:12:20,880 S2: to make the assumption, knowing what we know of these 243 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:22,830 S2: people and looking at some of their past, you know, 244 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,190 S2: stances and and events in their life, perhaps a lot 245 00:12:26,190 --> 00:12:29,010 S2: of them would have voted yes. And I do think 246 00:12:29,010 --> 00:12:31,770 S2: it's interesting to then be like, okay, well, there also 247 00:12:31,770 --> 00:12:35,730 S2: could be a consideration that given the increasingly, I would say, 248 00:12:35,940 --> 00:12:40,319 S2: toxic relationship that people have with like celebrity endorsements, that 249 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,110 S2: can be like a bit of a death knell for 250 00:12:43,110 --> 00:12:45,809 S2: a cause. Maybe they've been like, if I come out 251 00:12:45,809 --> 00:12:48,929 S2: with my big Instagram post or my big tweet, like, really? 252 00:12:48,929 --> 00:12:52,170 S2: I'll just like, do more harm than good. And, you know, 253 00:12:52,170 --> 00:12:54,810 S2: the Vote Yes campaign is already kind of behind the 254 00:12:54,809 --> 00:12:57,150 S2: eight ball a little bit. So maybe, you know, some 255 00:12:57,150 --> 00:12:58,350 S2: of these guys could be helping behind the scenes. And 256 00:12:58,350 --> 00:12:59,280 S2: we don't know that. 257 00:12:59,790 --> 00:13:02,429 S1: The idea of like what the purpose of a celebrity 258 00:13:02,429 --> 00:13:05,340 S1: endorsement is, is interesting. I was just saying before, Mel, like, 259 00:13:05,340 --> 00:13:08,550 S1: I wonder whether the Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie and 260 00:13:08,550 --> 00:13:12,930 S1: Kylie Minogue stances during the same sex marriage debate actually 261 00:13:12,929 --> 00:13:15,089 S1: changed minds or whether they just wanted to be seen 262 00:13:15,090 --> 00:13:17,310 S1: to be nailing the colours to the mask. I mean, 263 00:13:17,309 --> 00:13:20,069 S1: do you think or can you think of examples where 264 00:13:20,070 --> 00:13:25,199 S1: celebrity involvement in key social issues has actually made you 265 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,479 S1: or people, you know, be like, Oh wow, Yeah, Now 266 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:29,340 S1: I guess I do care about this issue. 267 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,540 S3: Yeah, it's interesting. I think it's nearly impossible to measure 268 00:13:33,540 --> 00:13:37,290 S3: the link between a celebrity endorsement and the kind of 269 00:13:37,290 --> 00:13:40,770 S3: political changes and to be able to measure fully their 270 00:13:40,770 --> 00:13:43,829 S3: political power. But I do think we are at a 271 00:13:43,830 --> 00:13:46,439 S3: time where they have the biggest fan base they've ever 272 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,260 S3: had media reach like they've never had before, and access 273 00:13:49,260 --> 00:13:52,860 S3: actually to political players that they haven't had in the past. 274 00:13:52,860 --> 00:13:56,040 S3: And I think celebrities are they have always been political, 275 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,170 S3: but I think they are becoming more political, not just 276 00:13:58,170 --> 00:14:01,530 S3: with the electoral polls like I mean, obviously, Oprah Winfrey 277 00:14:01,530 --> 00:14:04,590 S3: is the famous example who came out in 2008 and 278 00:14:04,590 --> 00:14:08,130 S3: supported Barack Obama. And people still talk about the Oprah effect. 279 00:14:08,130 --> 00:14:11,460 S3: But you see like Kim Kardashian West is kind of campaigning. 280 00:14:11,460 --> 00:14:14,970 S3: She's getting meetings with Donald Trump about capital punishment. You see, 281 00:14:14,970 --> 00:14:17,819 S3: Jada Pinkett Smith is in front of Congress talking about 282 00:14:17,820 --> 00:14:22,230 S3: human trafficking. Selena Gomez is writing about migration issues. I 283 00:14:22,230 --> 00:14:26,490 S3: think celebrities are more political. Does it amount to political change? 284 00:14:26,490 --> 00:14:30,330 S3: I don't know. What I do think is that it 285 00:14:30,330 --> 00:14:33,750 S3: does change how people view the celebrity probably more than 286 00:14:33,750 --> 00:14:37,830 S3: it changes how they change the public's perception. But in 287 00:14:37,830 --> 00:14:40,800 S3: saying that, I do think they have the ability to 288 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,000 S3: access a demographic, particularly in the voice referendum, that is 289 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,610 S3: probably not as much part of this debate as maybe 290 00:14:47,610 --> 00:14:49,320 S3: they were in the same sex marriage. Like I feel 291 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,560 S3: like the voice discussion is really playing out in the 292 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,190 S3: political sphere with the political political party. What do they 293 00:14:56,190 --> 00:14:56,580 S3: call them? 294 00:14:56,580 --> 00:14:57,900 S8: The glitterati? 295 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:00,570 S3: Yeah, I think it's really playing out in a political 296 00:15:00,570 --> 00:15:03,690 S3: sphere and it hasn't had the same kind of social movement, 297 00:15:03,930 --> 00:15:06,420 S3: social media movement that the same sex marriage debate did, 298 00:15:06,420 --> 00:15:09,690 S3: or other political movements like me too, and Black Lives Matters, 299 00:15:09,690 --> 00:15:11,790 S3: where you saw celebrities get on board. So I do 300 00:15:11,790 --> 00:15:13,890 S3: think it is a missed opportunity because I think big 301 00:15:13,890 --> 00:15:18,840 S3: names could reach younger audiences who should feel empowered to 302 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,390 S3: vote in this referendum and who should feel that they 303 00:15:21,390 --> 00:15:23,460 S3: own this discussion, whereas I think it's not playing out 304 00:15:23,460 --> 00:15:25,950 S3: there as much. And so I think that's unfortunate. 305 00:15:25,950 --> 00:15:27,660 S2: And that's what I think is interesting about like the 306 00:15:27,990 --> 00:15:30,000 S2: Briggs video, the far enough video, which, as you said, 307 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,430 S2: is gone kind of viral now. It did feel like 308 00:15:32,430 --> 00:15:34,380 S2: it came late in the game, but it's such a 309 00:15:34,380 --> 00:15:36,060 S2: great video. And that I think, has been a big 310 00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:38,550 S2: gateway for a lot of people because you've seen I mean, firstly, 311 00:15:38,550 --> 00:15:41,250 S2: like a lot of young people love Briggs and it's 312 00:15:41,250 --> 00:15:44,280 S2: gone off on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube and it's 313 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,170 S2: been shared by I've seen that video shared by. I 314 00:15:47,170 --> 00:15:50,140 S2: more people like kind of like high profile people in 315 00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:52,420 S2: the last two weeks than anything else I'd seen by 316 00:15:52,420 --> 00:15:55,120 S2: like famous people inserting themselves into the voice debate over 317 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,370 S2: the last six months. So that was like a big 318 00:15:57,370 --> 00:16:00,280 S2: gateway for people, I guess, like for famous people who 319 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:01,570 S2: didn't really know what they wanted to say, it was 320 00:16:01,570 --> 00:16:03,550 S2: easy for them to share the Briggs video and be like, 321 00:16:03,550 --> 00:16:05,340 S2: This is how I feel and I'm supporting the cause. 322 00:16:05,350 --> 00:16:07,540 S2: But like, yeah, that that I think opened up the 323 00:16:07,540 --> 00:16:08,980 S2: avenue for a lot of people. And we did see it, 324 00:16:08,980 --> 00:16:11,860 S2: you know, I guess famously now it got Reshared by 325 00:16:11,860 --> 00:16:15,850 S2: Taika Waititi to, you know, a Chris Hemsworth collaborator and 326 00:16:16,180 --> 00:16:18,610 S2: someone who does speak out a lot on especially indigenous 327 00:16:18,610 --> 00:16:21,730 S2: issues being from New Zealand. And then then it was 328 00:16:21,730 --> 00:16:26,260 S2: reshared by Jason Momoa of Aquaman fame, who is not, 329 00:16:26,260 --> 00:16:28,780 S2: you know, obviously part of this debate here in Australia. 330 00:16:28,780 --> 00:16:32,830 S2: But again, he's also of Polynesian descent and both of 331 00:16:32,830 --> 00:16:36,400 S2: them though got like absolutely rinsed in the comments like, 332 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,400 S2: you know, especially given they're not from Australia and not 333 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,360 S2: going to be voting in the referendum. But, you know, 334 00:16:41,410 --> 00:16:43,510 S2: it did latch on to an audience and people started 335 00:16:43,510 --> 00:16:45,520 S2: to share it. So Barber shared it on her to 336 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:48,350 S2: her millions of followers. But turn comments off and and 337 00:16:48,370 --> 00:16:50,220 S2: so I guess that's been an avenue for people to 338 00:16:50,230 --> 00:16:53,440 S2: to get across this issue but yeah like I guess 339 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:54,670 S2: that's been like a good avenue for people to get 340 00:16:54,670 --> 00:16:55,510 S2: across this issue. 341 00:16:56,140 --> 00:16:59,950 S1: Yeah. And I think that question of who these celebrities 342 00:16:59,950 --> 00:17:04,210 S1: could reach and and perhaps like hearing you discuss that, Mel, 343 00:17:04,210 --> 00:17:06,520 S1: makes me think that someone like Margot Robbie and someone 344 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:11,379 S1: like Chris Hemsworth, Tom is like, more helpful now than 345 00:17:11,380 --> 00:17:14,590 S1: they were in the same sex marriage debate. Like, I 346 00:17:14,590 --> 00:17:17,320 S1: feel like there was such a you know, not to 347 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:19,179 S1: diminish the campaign and the work that a lot of 348 00:17:19,180 --> 00:17:23,230 S1: activists put in to actually getting the vote out on that. 349 00:17:23,230 --> 00:17:26,170 S1: But that was a debate that the community was already 350 00:17:26,170 --> 00:17:29,500 S1: ahead of the politicians on that one. Whereas the polling, 351 00:17:29,500 --> 00:17:33,250 S1: the research, the conversations, the evidence we have with the 352 00:17:33,250 --> 00:17:36,520 S1: referendum on the voice to Parliament is that there is 353 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,580 S1: a lack of understanding, there's lack of engagement, there's confusion 354 00:17:39,580 --> 00:17:41,649 S1: and there's confusion from a whole bunch of people that 355 00:17:41,650 --> 00:17:44,859 S1: are open to receiving messages from someone like Margot Robbie. 356 00:17:44,859 --> 00:17:46,899 S1: Like a lot of young people, I think you're spot on. 357 00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:50,770 S1: Tom It's like so much of the official yes campaigning, 358 00:17:50,770 --> 00:17:54,790 S1: particularly their first ads, did not seem aimed at young, 359 00:17:54,790 --> 00:17:58,240 S1: confused people. That first ad that had the John Farnham 360 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:00,460 S1: video in it. I'm like, firstly, John Farnham is not 361 00:18:00,460 --> 00:18:03,190 S1: really someone that speaks to people under the age of 50, 362 00:18:03,190 --> 00:18:06,340 S1: even though the song is a banger. The ad was 363 00:18:06,340 --> 00:18:09,879 S1: focused on this like boomer white dad in kind of 364 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,300 S1: suburban Queensland and sure might have had an impact on 365 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:15,820 S1: some people. But the Briggs video and that sort of 366 00:18:15,820 --> 00:18:19,210 S1: stuff is hitting people of our generation maybe a little 367 00:18:19,210 --> 00:18:21,820 S1: bit older, maybe a little bit younger, who just feel confused. 368 00:18:21,820 --> 00:18:23,620 S1: And I feel like they're the kind of people that 369 00:18:23,619 --> 00:18:25,540 S1: if Margot Robbie did come out and say, Hey, guys, 370 00:18:25,540 --> 00:18:28,000 S1: remember me? I'm like the biggest celebrity in the world 371 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,330 S1: right now, let alone Australian. I'm from Queensland. We have 372 00:18:31,330 --> 00:18:33,850 S1: got an issue with the way we have treated Indigenous 373 00:18:33,850 --> 00:18:36,430 S1: people in this country going back to 1788. I want 374 00:18:36,430 --> 00:18:38,560 S1: you to think about that and like vote yes or whatever. 375 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:39,910 S1: I feel like that would have an impact. 376 00:18:39,910 --> 00:18:42,520 S3: I completely agree. And the impact of the Briggs video 377 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,340 S3: is evidence of that. Like it was smart, it was clever, 378 00:18:45,340 --> 00:18:48,430 S3: it was succinct, it was non-judgmental. And I really do 379 00:18:48,430 --> 00:18:50,920 S3: think it made people who might have previously felt that 380 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,200 S3: they weren't really across this topic or part of this 381 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,660 S3: topic feel like they were part of it and had 382 00:18:55,660 --> 00:18:57,220 S3: a right to be part of it and a right 383 00:18:57,220 --> 00:18:59,800 S3: to vote and got people excited about voting. I think 384 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:01,510 S3: in a way that we did see with the same 385 00:19:01,510 --> 00:19:03,340 S3: sex marriage. But I don't think we've really seen with 386 00:19:03,340 --> 00:19:04,359 S3: this referendum. 387 00:19:04,869 --> 00:19:09,160 S1: Why do we think then that they are reluctant? Like, 388 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:10,719 S1: does it have to go to this point that you 389 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,419 S1: made Thomas about Taika Waititi and James Mill in the 390 00:19:13,420 --> 00:19:16,510 S1: comments like when others when Australians have posted about this, 391 00:19:16,510 --> 00:19:18,460 S1: you made the point in your piece and Gary Rice, 392 00:19:18,460 --> 00:19:21,970 S1: the Australian actress, they've been slammed so much. Presumably these 393 00:19:21,970 --> 00:19:25,060 S1: celebrities or their managers are being like, Well, this is 394 00:19:25,060 --> 00:19:27,219 S1: a really divisive one. Like we are on a hot 395 00:19:27,220 --> 00:19:31,720 S1: streak right now. We just don't want middle Australians who 396 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,330 S1: don't support the voice to turn off you and therefore 397 00:19:34,330 --> 00:19:36,820 S1: cost you money. Is it as simple as that? 398 00:19:36,820 --> 00:19:39,100 S2: Like, I think it probably is depressing as it seems. 399 00:19:39,109 --> 00:19:41,380 S2: I think Mel made a really good point in that, 400 00:19:41,380 --> 00:19:44,500 S2: you know, because of the SAG strike and stuff, they 401 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:47,619 S2: are able to skate along without having to face questions 402 00:19:47,619 --> 00:19:49,359 S2: where it is then like forced upon them and they 403 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,550 S2: have to take a position and, you know, I guess 404 00:19:51,550 --> 00:19:54,820 S2: Margot Robbie is not on Instagram, she's not on social 405 00:19:54,820 --> 00:19:58,960 S2: media anymore. She was at the time of same sex marriage. Yeah, 406 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:00,850 S2: I think ultimately it does come down to that. Like 407 00:20:00,850 --> 00:20:02,889 S2: this is an easy one. You can almost hear the 408 00:20:02,890 --> 00:20:06,399 S2: conversation if you're a Chris Hemsworth and maybe you're sitting 409 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,650 S2: in your house at Byron Bay and you're like, Oh, 410 00:20:08,650 --> 00:20:10,540 S2: maybe I will Like because the other thing is I 411 00:20:10,540 --> 00:20:14,139 S2: actually got an Instagram message this morning. This stranger on 412 00:20:14,140 --> 00:20:16,780 S2: the Internet was like, loved your article. It's very rare 413 00:20:16,780 --> 00:20:19,390 S2: for me to get one of those and basically like listed. 414 00:20:19,390 --> 00:20:21,100 S8: All the different yeah. 415 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:26,560 S2: Listed all the different like interactions and engagements and relationships 416 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,020 S2: Chris Hemsworth has got with the indigenous community, including getting 417 00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:31,510 S2: this massive mural painted at his house in Byron Bay. And, 418 00:20:31,510 --> 00:20:34,180 S2: and you know, like, I just can't help but feel 419 00:20:34,180 --> 00:20:36,850 S2: I know that I assume he's going to vote yes. 420 00:20:36,850 --> 00:20:38,859 S2: And I like to think that maybe if he was 421 00:20:38,859 --> 00:20:40,689 S2: sitting in his house and being like, okay, I'm going 422 00:20:40,690 --> 00:20:42,280 S2: to check this post up, you can almost hear the 423 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,950 S2: conversation where his manager is like, Do you really think 424 00:20:44,950 --> 00:20:47,530 S2: this is the best thing for you to do right now? 425 00:20:47,530 --> 00:20:50,920 S2: It's clearly a very contentious issue. People are clearly very divided. 426 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,800 S2: Like if you just don't say anything, then you can't 427 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,429 S2: really be like, no harm, no foul. And depressingly, it 428 00:20:57,430 --> 00:21:00,400 S2: is probably the situation for a lot of these guys. Like, 429 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:02,800 S2: as we said, the same sex marriage plebiscite as a 430 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,629 S2: point of comparison, that was easy. It was an easy 431 00:21:04,630 --> 00:21:07,240 S2: win for them, like everyone was already on board and 432 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,280 S2: the optics of it were great, whereas this is like 433 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,640 S2: messier and cloudier and if they just don't involve themselves, 434 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,889 S2: then they can't kind of like trip over. 435 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:18,070 S1: How do we feel about that? Because if we say 436 00:21:18,070 --> 00:21:22,600 S1: that a celebrity's opinion on a social issue matters because 437 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,209 S1: they're an artist and they're engaged in these kinds of 438 00:21:25,210 --> 00:21:28,000 S1: conversations and we kind of want to look up to 439 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,090 S1: them as role models, but they are only willing to 440 00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:33,220 S1: do it when there is no risk to them. Does 441 00:21:33,220 --> 00:21:37,390 S1: that not potentially demean or undermine any future intervention they 442 00:21:37,390 --> 00:21:39,970 S1: may make? Right. Because it sort of seems like, well, 443 00:21:39,970 --> 00:21:42,070 S1: you only want to do it when it might benefit 444 00:21:42,070 --> 00:21:45,399 S1: you to associate yourself from a positive grant or of 445 00:21:45,430 --> 00:21:48,700 S1: public support, but you're not willing to actually stick your 446 00:21:48,700 --> 00:21:50,649 S1: neck out when so many others like you think Briggs 447 00:21:50,650 --> 00:21:54,159 S1: isn't copping shit like Briggs, despite being an indigenous rapper, 448 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,360 S1: probably has a lot of fans. Or people who did 449 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:58,790 S1: listen to his music who might not anymore because of 450 00:21:58,790 --> 00:22:01,159 S1: his stance on the voice, he's copying death threats and 451 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,619 S1: all sorts of shit in social media. I feel like 452 00:22:04,580 --> 00:22:09,200 S1: I just feel like Chris Hemsworth, like maybe you lose 20% 453 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,199 S1: of the people going to watch a Netflix. You're fine, right? 454 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,810 S1: Like that's and I guess, you know, this is a 455 00:22:14,810 --> 00:22:17,510 S1: difficult one because I don't think any of us really 456 00:22:17,510 --> 00:22:21,649 S1: have a right to demand celebrities say X, Y or Z. 457 00:22:21,650 --> 00:22:23,720 S1: But I think what I'm trying to get at is 458 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,300 S1: if you are willing to weigh in on some issues 459 00:22:26,300 --> 00:22:29,300 S1: because you think that they are risk free and make 460 00:22:29,300 --> 00:22:31,879 S1: you look good, but you're not willing to do it 461 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,369 S1: on the riskier stuff that you probably agree with. I 462 00:22:34,369 --> 00:22:36,619 S1: kind of don't want to hear from you again because 463 00:22:36,869 --> 00:22:39,080 S1: it just seems like you're just playing the game to 464 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:39,890 S1: benefit yourself. 465 00:22:39,890 --> 00:22:42,830 S2: Yeah, I kind of agree Like it. Like as we 466 00:22:42,830 --> 00:22:44,930 S2: discussed before, these are people that all have a long 467 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:47,690 S2: track record outside of the same sex marriage thing of 468 00:22:47,690 --> 00:22:50,630 S2: like speaking up about issues that do matter to them. 469 00:22:50,630 --> 00:22:54,169 S2: And so it's not a situation where they've never inserted 470 00:22:54,170 --> 00:22:56,030 S2: them into any kind of political debate. And so to 471 00:22:56,030 --> 00:22:58,520 S2: demand they have a stance on this would be unfair. 472 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,460 S2: Like these are people who do speak up. And so, yeah, 473 00:23:01,460 --> 00:23:03,530 S2: if it does feel like, okay, I'm picking and choosing 474 00:23:03,530 --> 00:23:05,810 S2: here and you know, the annoying thing and inevitable people 475 00:23:05,810 --> 00:23:08,929 S2: will listen to this and think this, you know, the 476 00:23:08,930 --> 00:23:11,540 S2: kind of hot take from audiences is like, well, who 477 00:23:11,540 --> 00:23:13,760 S2: cares what celebrities think? And of course, like, I don't 478 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,010 S2: like what Chris Hemsworth thinks about the referendum is not 479 00:23:16,010 --> 00:23:17,899 S2: going to change how I vote. But I think what 480 00:23:17,900 --> 00:23:20,869 S2: is interesting and worth discussing is like, why might these 481 00:23:20,869 --> 00:23:23,600 S2: very high profile celebrities who do do this in the 482 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,359 S2: past feel like they can't this time around? And I 483 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,060 S2: guess it speaks to the bigger issue of this referendum 484 00:23:29,060 --> 00:23:31,970 S2: is that there is a confusion and an optics problem. 485 00:23:31,970 --> 00:23:34,460 S2: And it's kind of like hamstringing everyone. 486 00:23:34,670 --> 00:23:36,650 S3: Well, I do also think it is like a very 487 00:23:36,650 --> 00:23:39,800 S3: individual choice for an artist to make about whether they 488 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,399 S3: want to be a political player. It's an artistic choice, 489 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,040 S3: I think in the sense that when you become an 490 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,580 S3: artist with a high profile outside of your art, it 491 00:23:49,580 --> 00:23:53,540 S3: inevitably changes how people view your art. Like you can't 492 00:23:53,540 --> 00:23:56,689 S3: separate this power text that surrounds the art. When Barbie 493 00:23:56,690 --> 00:24:00,170 S3: becomes political, it changes how we view Barbie and vice versa. 494 00:24:00,170 --> 00:24:02,540 S3: So it's I think it could be partly an artistic 495 00:24:02,540 --> 00:24:05,210 S3: decision that these people are making because it does shape 496 00:24:05,210 --> 00:24:07,699 S3: how their work is viewed. And I do think it 497 00:24:07,700 --> 00:24:10,610 S3: is a moral question as well for them about how 498 00:24:10,609 --> 00:24:12,800 S3: they want to use the power and they the reach 499 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,290 S3: that that they have. So I think there's probably some 500 00:24:15,290 --> 00:24:17,540 S3: other factors playing into it as well as the issue 501 00:24:17,540 --> 00:24:21,650 S3: specifically related to the yes vote about when an artist 502 00:24:21,650 --> 00:24:23,360 S3: decides to become political. 503 00:24:23,450 --> 00:24:26,000 S1: Yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense to 504 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,000 S1: I think just to your point, Thomas, of people saying like, 505 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,930 S1: who cares what celebrities think? Like there's such an irrelevant 506 00:24:32,930 --> 00:24:36,260 S1: question because we do care. Like we literally can't we 507 00:24:36,260 --> 00:24:39,500 S1: we follow these people more than we follow politicians and 508 00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:42,260 S1: like real thought leaders or whatever. Like you gave the 509 00:24:42,260 --> 00:24:46,520 S1: great example, Mel, of Oprah in the Obama campaign, even 510 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,880 S1: going back a few months to the launch of the 511 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:53,180 S1: actors strike, like, sure, that was an issue that involved 512 00:24:53,180 --> 00:24:56,420 S1: the actors. But when Fran Drescher gave that speech about, 513 00:24:56,420 --> 00:24:59,870 S1: like you know, AI is coming and big capitalism is 514 00:24:59,869 --> 00:25:03,950 S1: destroying society, that resonated with people. When Margot Robbie was 515 00:25:03,950 --> 00:25:06,710 S1: asked about it at a red carpet that resonated with 516 00:25:06,710 --> 00:25:09,230 S1: people like we do listen to these people when they 517 00:25:09,230 --> 00:25:13,879 S1: talk about issues. I think you're right, Mel, that it 518 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,780 S1: is ultimately an artistic decision for them. And again, like 519 00:25:17,780 --> 00:25:20,210 S1: I guess I'm not even really saying I wish Margot 520 00:25:20,210 --> 00:25:22,190 S1: Robbie had done X, Y and Z. I wish Chris 521 00:25:22,190 --> 00:25:25,280 S1: Hemsworth had said something, but I don't think this is 522 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:27,470 S1: going to be the last time or the last issue 523 00:25:27,470 --> 00:25:32,540 S1: that this conversation arises around. And it just does sort 524 00:25:32,540 --> 00:25:35,900 S1: of feel like viewed in the broader context and all 525 00:25:35,900 --> 00:25:39,449 S1: the things that we've raised that. And I'm happy for 526 00:25:39,450 --> 00:25:40,709 S1: you guys to call me out if you think I'm 527 00:25:40,710 --> 00:25:44,400 S1: being too, like, too cynical about these guys. It just 528 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,879 S1: feels like we'll do it when it's easy and risk free. 529 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:50,850 S1: But when things get a bit tricky or a bit messy, 530 00:25:50,850 --> 00:25:53,129 S1: we just are happy to just sit this one out. 531 00:25:53,130 --> 00:25:57,630 S1: And I don't know how much I respect that as 532 00:25:57,630 --> 00:25:58,590 S1: a perspective. 533 00:25:58,859 --> 00:26:01,440 S3: I completely agree with you, but I think celebrity as 534 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:06,119 S3: a concept, like a celebrity is created by the dominant ideology. Really. 535 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:09,450 S3: Like that's what gives them their power is mass appeal. 536 00:26:09,450 --> 00:26:11,669 S3: And so I guess that is why they don't want 537 00:26:11,670 --> 00:26:13,890 S3: to speak out. And that is why they reinforce the 538 00:26:13,890 --> 00:26:17,280 S3: kind of dominant ideology is because that's where they get 539 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,070 S3: their power from. So it's a two way street. 540 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:21,780 S1: Yeah, it's a good point. It's easy to blame Margot 541 00:26:21,780 --> 00:26:23,970 S1: Robbie and Chris Hemsworth when it's like, well, actually, Australia 542 00:26:23,970 --> 00:26:26,909 S1: is probably on current polling most likely to emphatically say 543 00:26:26,910 --> 00:26:30,300 S1: no to this thing. And the racist sort of criticism 544 00:26:30,300 --> 00:26:32,460 S1: to people who have spoken up and, you know, the 545 00:26:32,460 --> 00:26:35,940 S1: non racist criticism as well, like this is a societal problem. 546 00:26:35,940 --> 00:26:38,129 S1: Is your point not just one about these guys? 547 00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:40,680 S2: Yes. I mean, obviously, I think this whole conversation needs 548 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,710 S2: that context. But I think what is interesting for me, 549 00:26:43,710 --> 00:26:45,240 S2: like I don't think we need to get into a 550 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,690 S2: situation where every time there's a major political issue, we 551 00:26:48,690 --> 00:26:50,880 S2: need like someone calling the celebrity so we can make 552 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,770 S2: sure we all know what they think about every single 553 00:26:52,770 --> 00:26:55,139 S2: issue like that. That to me is not the situation. 554 00:26:55,140 --> 00:26:57,960 S2: But especially like when you get to the level of 555 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,810 S2: like a Chris Hemsworth or a Margot Robbie, inevitably you 556 00:27:00,810 --> 00:27:03,600 S2: become this weird, like unofficial ambassador for Australia. You go 557 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:05,400 S2: in every late night show. They're like, Oh my God, 558 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,680 S2: you're from Australia. Talk to me about Australian things like, 559 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:09,780 S2: like that is what happens when you're still because we 560 00:27:09,780 --> 00:27:12,720 S2: have this weird like, I don't know, cultural cringe about ourselves. 561 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:14,820 S2: When you become really famous and you are Australian, you 562 00:27:14,820 --> 00:27:18,420 S2: get this weird like ambassador label and this is a 563 00:27:18,420 --> 00:27:22,470 S2: big issue like a once in a generation issue regarding 564 00:27:22,470 --> 00:27:24,690 S2: the future of this country. And these people are very 565 00:27:24,690 --> 00:27:27,120 S2: happy to kind of like play that fun ambassador role, 566 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,070 S2: you know, like fucking Margot. Robbie will go on Vogue 567 00:27:29,070 --> 00:27:31,530 S2: and do 73 questions and talk about Vegemite and Tim Tams, 568 00:27:31,530 --> 00:27:34,500 S2: but like, this is a big issue that is like 569 00:27:34,530 --> 00:27:37,770 S2: impacting Australia and it probably is a really good time 570 00:27:37,770 --> 00:27:41,189 S2: for some of our most globally recognised Australians whose like 571 00:27:41,190 --> 00:27:45,119 S2: opinions would cause like waves and like say, they were 572 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,030 S2: all voting yes, positive press around the world. I do 573 00:27:48,030 --> 00:27:50,070 S2: think there is a bit more of a responsibility for 574 00:27:50,070 --> 00:27:52,640 S2: them to speak out given they do have a track record. 575 00:27:52,670 --> 00:27:55,170 S2: I don't need to hear from Margot and Chris on, 576 00:27:55,170 --> 00:27:57,450 S2: you know, what's happening in Gaza, but I do kind 577 00:27:57,450 --> 00:28:00,600 S2: of want to know where they position themselves. As, you know, 578 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,629 S2: very famous Australians who seem to be invested and giving 579 00:28:03,630 --> 00:28:05,369 S2: back to this country all the time, like, well, then 580 00:28:05,369 --> 00:28:07,500 S2: we're at a cross point here. Like, what do you think? 581 00:28:07,590 --> 00:28:10,650 S1: I think that's a really good point about how wound 582 00:28:10,650 --> 00:28:13,649 S1: up in Australian identity and the projection of Australian identity 583 00:28:13,650 --> 00:28:17,010 S1: and culture. Those two people in specific are and I 584 00:28:17,010 --> 00:28:20,430 S1: think Australia has a bad understanding of its history. The 585 00:28:20,430 --> 00:28:24,149 S1: world has an even worse understanding, like most international observers 586 00:28:24,150 --> 00:28:26,879 S1: of Australia think, we are literally just Margot Robbie and 587 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,550 S1: Chris Hemsworth's running around. And even though that's how I 588 00:28:29,550 --> 00:28:33,030 S1: think about YouTube, there is a lot more diversity and 589 00:28:33,030 --> 00:28:36,869 S1: complexity to Australian history. The other thing I wanted to 590 00:28:36,869 --> 00:28:40,800 S1: ask you guys about is from the start of this 591 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,730 S1: official campaign kicking off, there has been what I guess 592 00:28:44,730 --> 00:28:48,990 S1: observers have described as the progressive no vote, which has 593 00:28:48,990 --> 00:28:54,780 S1: had a lot of high profile, very respected indigenous activists 594 00:28:54,780 --> 00:28:57,780 S1: be a part of it. On Q&A just this week, 595 00:28:57,780 --> 00:29:00,990 S1: Natasha Wanganui, the actress who probably most famous from Rabbit 596 00:29:00,990 --> 00:29:05,100 S1: Proof Fence, she was on saying that she is a progressive, 597 00:29:05,100 --> 00:29:08,820 S1: no voter. She is going to vote no to the 598 00:29:08,820 --> 00:29:12,690 S1: referendum because she doesn't think that it goes far enough 599 00:29:12,690 --> 00:29:16,200 S1: in dealing with the significant problems she still sees embedded 600 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:20,230 S1: within Australia when it comes to Indigenous issues. I wonder 601 00:29:20,230 --> 00:29:23,680 S1: whether like that confusion or that that sort of like 602 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:26,680 S1: complex debate, like during the same sex marriage referendum, for example, 603 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:30,510 S1: there wasn't really a divergence of opinion from the LGBT 604 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,910 S1: community on this. And I wonder whether I'm not even wondering, 605 00:29:33,910 --> 00:29:35,560 S1: like I'm literally saying this because I know this from 606 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:40,030 S1: from some high profile people, not not Margot, Robin, Chris Hemsworth, 607 00:29:40,030 --> 00:29:42,550 S1: they're not texting me their views, but from like others 608 00:29:42,550 --> 00:29:45,220 S1: in the artistic space, they say that they feel a 609 00:29:45,220 --> 00:29:48,370 S1: bit confused because indigenous people that they look up to 610 00:29:48,370 --> 00:29:50,860 S1: and respect and try to get their opinions on are saying, well, no, 611 00:29:50,860 --> 00:29:53,920 S1: I'm on the no side. And so they feel a 612 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:56,230 S1: bit complicated. Do you guys think there's a layer of 613 00:29:56,230 --> 00:29:57,310 S1: that here as well? 614 00:29:57,580 --> 00:30:01,300 S3: Yeah, I definitely think that's playing into it because Hollywood 615 00:30:01,300 --> 00:30:06,040 S3: is traditionally more liberal in terms of its social progressiveness, which, 616 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,530 S3: as you mentioned, I think is why same sex marriage 617 00:30:08,530 --> 00:30:11,320 S3: was kind of uncontroversial for many of these big names. 618 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,650 S3: But I think the division within the left is a 619 00:30:14,650 --> 00:30:18,010 S3: big part of the problem and has confused the issue 620 00:30:18,010 --> 00:30:21,370 S3: and made it more contested. And Bruce's video kind of 621 00:30:21,370 --> 00:30:24,280 S3: spoke to that confusion as well. And I think there 622 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:27,790 S3: is a perception that what at its heart is a 623 00:30:27,790 --> 00:30:33,730 S3: relatively simple proposition has become publicly perceived as being way 624 00:30:33,730 --> 00:30:36,130 S3: more complicated than really what it is. And so I 625 00:30:36,130 --> 00:30:38,320 S3: do think that's part of the resistance to get involved. 626 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,600 S3: And as I mentioned at the start, I think there 627 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,240 S3: is this perception that it can't be summed up neatly 628 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,430 S3: and nicely and that if you take a stance, there 629 00:30:45,430 --> 00:30:48,160 S3: are questions you have to answer that maybe the answers 630 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:50,530 S3: aren't obvious to. And there is this sense that it 631 00:30:50,530 --> 00:30:53,530 S3: can't just become the equal love we all love. Love 632 00:30:53,530 --> 00:30:56,320 S3: that the kind of same sex plebiscite did. 633 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:58,900 S2: You don't want Chris Hemsworth to go like full commercial. 634 00:30:58,900 --> 00:31:01,350 S2: And then he's like, Yes, and then he's no, and 635 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:02,950 S2: he's hardened and cold. 636 00:31:02,980 --> 00:31:05,350 S1: The commercial thing. I mean, that was so weird. Like, 637 00:31:05,350 --> 00:31:07,450 S1: why did we make this guy the number one news 638 00:31:07,450 --> 00:31:08,500 S1: story for like two weeks? 639 00:31:08,500 --> 00:31:09,820 S2: And I must say it was funny. And I guess 640 00:31:09,820 --> 00:31:13,570 S2: this will, like, you know, speak to people's thoughts or 641 00:31:13,690 --> 00:31:15,880 S2: preconceived thoughts on celebrity activism stuff. But when I was 642 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:20,050 S2: writing this story, you know, looking at how which celebrities 643 00:31:20,050 --> 00:31:22,090 S2: had endorsed either side, and obviously there was, you know, 644 00:31:22,090 --> 00:31:24,730 S2: far more people in the vote Yes. Camp and then 645 00:31:24,730 --> 00:31:27,880 S2: on vote no, it was basically just Sam Newman and Kamal. 646 00:31:28,210 --> 00:31:32,110 S2: So yeah, I mean, and I guess that speaks to 647 00:31:32,140 --> 00:31:34,540 S2: to a broader issue and you know, the very easy 648 00:31:34,540 --> 00:31:38,440 S2: criticism for those like looking to attack the vote. Yes 649 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:40,090 S2: camp is that it is this kind of like preachy 650 00:31:40,090 --> 00:31:42,940 S2: elite thing and we saw Peter Dutton, you know, call 651 00:31:42,940 --> 00:31:45,610 S2: Ray Martin those exact words after Ray Martin kind of 652 00:31:45,610 --> 00:31:47,620 S2: had his fall from grace over the last week. So yeah, 653 00:31:47,950 --> 00:31:50,020 S2: it's an interesting issue. But I think one, we're talking 654 00:31:50,020 --> 00:31:52,390 S2: about it and there's always going to be this massive 655 00:31:52,390 --> 00:31:56,470 S2: intersection between big cultural issues and those who like contribute 656 00:31:56,470 --> 00:31:59,170 S2: to our pop culture sphere. So it's always worth talking about. 657 00:31:59,810 --> 00:32:01,820 S1: No, I'm glad we did. The last question I've got 658 00:32:01,820 --> 00:32:03,680 S1: for you guys on this one is how much do 659 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:07,460 S1: you think all of this this question around celebrities as 660 00:32:07,460 --> 00:32:09,950 S1: elite people that we should listen to, should they weigh 661 00:32:09,950 --> 00:32:12,110 S1: in on politics? How much do you think all of 662 00:32:12,110 --> 00:32:17,060 S1: the sort of negative vibes around this is down to 663 00:32:17,060 --> 00:32:20,750 S1: the imagined video that they did during the Covid? During 664 00:32:20,750 --> 00:32:21,910 S1: the Covid pandemic? 665 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:26,510 S2: I'm putting it like 80% plus. That kind of turned 666 00:32:26,510 --> 00:32:27,600 S2: me off for good actually, as well. 667 00:32:27,650 --> 00:32:29,450 S1: I feel like that was a tipping point, right? In 668 00:32:29,450 --> 00:32:32,240 S1: terms of just like sit this one out, guys. 669 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,960 S8: Imagine it every time. Every time you get a. 670 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:36,920 S3: Chance to sing. 671 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:38,900 S2: I know I actually can't watch a Gallagher film anymore 672 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:39,530 S2: because of that. 673 00:32:39,530 --> 00:32:42,120 S1: So were you watching a lot of Gal Gadot films. 674 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,240 S2: Gal Gadot Gal before that? 675 00:32:55,980 --> 00:32:57,990 S1: All right. Let's talk about some culture. Let's talk about 676 00:32:57,990 --> 00:33:02,760 S1: what we are reading, watching, listening to. This is our 677 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:05,910 S1: regular Impress Your Friends segment where we get to talk 678 00:33:05,910 --> 00:33:09,540 S1: about something that we've been smashing that we want to 679 00:33:09,540 --> 00:33:12,420 S1: share and make. You guys sound very smart. Mel, you 680 00:33:12,420 --> 00:33:14,790 S1: are one of the smartest people I know. Why don't 681 00:33:14,790 --> 00:33:15,630 S1: you take it away? 682 00:33:15,630 --> 00:33:16,830 S2: Why did you do that? 683 00:33:17,910 --> 00:33:18,600 S8: Would you call. 684 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:20,700 S3: Me a bright young woman? 685 00:33:20,790 --> 00:33:22,950 S8: Because that is the. 686 00:33:22,950 --> 00:33:25,080 S3: Book I am going to be talking about. It's actually 687 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:28,890 S3: called Bright Young Women. It's by Jessica Knoll. It's very buzzy. 688 00:33:28,890 --> 00:33:31,770 S3: It arrived on my desk with a fantastic cover. Old 689 00:33:31,770 --> 00:33:33,720 S3: magpie over here saw this. 690 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,100 S1: Oh, yeah. Thomas loves the. 691 00:33:35,110 --> 00:33:36,450 S8: Fact he saw the sparkle. 692 00:33:36,450 --> 00:33:38,100 S3: He took it off my desk, put it on his, 693 00:33:38,100 --> 00:33:39,480 S3: and I was like, Please hand that back. 694 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,670 S2: I'll tell you why, though. Because it's another one. The 695 00:33:41,670 --> 00:33:44,460 S2: algorithm has been pushing it upon me hard. It's all 696 00:33:44,460 --> 00:33:44,969 S2: over Instagram. 697 00:33:44,980 --> 00:33:48,360 S3: Yeah, it's been super buzzy. I won't give too much away. 698 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,060 S3: And I actually, I picked it up without reading the back, 699 00:33:51,060 --> 00:33:52,950 S3: without reading any reviews. I was like, I'm going to 700 00:33:52,950 --> 00:33:55,320 S3: go into this cold, which I've really enjoyed, so I 701 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:58,350 S3: won't give too much away. But it opens in Florida 702 00:33:58,350 --> 00:34:03,020 S3: State University, a sorority house where in the 1970s, Pamela, 703 00:34:03,030 --> 00:34:06,750 S3: head of the sorority, she wakes up at night. He's 704 00:34:06,750 --> 00:34:09,719 S3: a noise above her and then later on discovers two 705 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:13,590 S3: of her fellow sorority sisters have been killed and two 706 00:34:13,590 --> 00:34:17,100 S3: have been maimed. It sets on par the Pacey thriller, 707 00:34:17,100 --> 00:34:20,069 S3: but it is elevated above the kind of common thriller 708 00:34:20,070 --> 00:34:23,250 S3: by its exploration of how the world treats female victims 709 00:34:23,250 --> 00:34:26,370 S3: of crime. Jessica know that name might sound familiar to you. 710 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,080 S3: Did you guys watch The Luckiest Girl on. 711 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:29,070 S8: Netflix with the Mila? 712 00:34:29,070 --> 00:34:31,770 S3: Kunis Yeah, it was a bit of a weird movie 713 00:34:31,770 --> 00:34:34,649 S3: about this kind of high flying, glamorous New York writer 714 00:34:34,650 --> 00:34:37,589 S3: whose life unravels as she kind of addresses the trauma 715 00:34:37,590 --> 00:34:38,760 S3: from her past. But that was a. 716 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:40,530 S2: Bit of like a Netflix movie. 717 00:34:40,530 --> 00:34:41,040 S8: It was. 718 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,250 S3: Yeah. That was also Jessica Noble's books. So yeah, this 719 00:34:44,250 --> 00:34:46,319 S3: is a this is another one of hers. But I 720 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,049 S3: reckon this is the kind of beach book go to 721 00:34:49,050 --> 00:34:50,820 S3: for this summer. So yeah. 722 00:34:51,210 --> 00:34:53,400 S1: That's great. I can see that you guys have your 723 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,160 S1: beaches in Sydney and Melbourne. We've got Fitzroy Pool. I 724 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,170 S1: feel like this is going to be the one that 725 00:34:58,170 --> 00:34:59,940 S1: you see a lot there. It also sounds like it's 726 00:34:59,940 --> 00:35:01,529 S1: probably going to be adapted into something. 727 00:35:01,530 --> 00:35:03,120 S3: It already is. Yeah, they've. 728 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:03,810 S8: Sold the screen. 729 00:35:03,810 --> 00:35:05,850 S3: Right? So I think it's going to be another TV series. 730 00:35:05,850 --> 00:35:06,110 S8: Oh. 731 00:35:06,390 --> 00:35:08,400 S2: I can't wait to talk about that in like six months. 732 00:35:10,110 --> 00:35:12,029 S3: And that's it from the bright young women on the pod. 733 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:13,440 S1: Thomas, take it away. 734 00:35:13,770 --> 00:35:17,250 S2: I am coming to you with an erotic thriller, which 735 00:35:17,250 --> 00:35:20,700 S2: is obviously the sexiest genre. This one's really good. It 736 00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:22,800 S2: had a lot of buzz coming out of Sundance. It 737 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:24,960 S2: was actually picked up for a cool 20 million by 738 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:28,020 S2: Netflix at Sundance Film Festival this year. So basically it 739 00:35:28,020 --> 00:35:30,060 S2: is an erotic thriller, kind of in the vein of 740 00:35:30,060 --> 00:35:32,580 S2: like those great 80s and 90s thrillers that we love, 741 00:35:32,580 --> 00:35:35,400 S2: which are kind of having a resurgence right now. So 742 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,040 S2: it's directed by written and directed by Chloe Dumont. So 743 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:40,590 S2: you probably don't know her name, but she's it's weird. 744 00:35:40,590 --> 00:35:42,750 S2: She's basically directed a lot of like, she's like a 745 00:35:42,750 --> 00:35:46,380 S2: TV episode director, like, you know, jobbing director, I suppose 746 00:35:46,380 --> 00:35:48,420 S2: you would call her. So she's done like, Ballers. She 747 00:35:48,420 --> 00:35:50,580 S2: did that weird series. Clarice That was like The Silence 748 00:35:50,580 --> 00:35:52,739 S2: of the Lambs prequel. But she's got like a great 749 00:35:52,739 --> 00:35:56,340 S2: eye and I this I highly, highly recommend it to 750 00:35:56,340 --> 00:35:57,750 S2: you both. In fact, I texted you on the weekend 751 00:35:57,750 --> 00:35:59,430 S2: and told you to watch it, and neither of you did. 752 00:35:59,430 --> 00:36:01,470 S1: Do you know it's actually funny. So this is my 753 00:36:01,469 --> 00:36:04,140 S1: complaint about how the modern world works. Now, you did 754 00:36:04,140 --> 00:36:05,550 S1: text this to me and I think I was out 755 00:36:05,550 --> 00:36:08,670 S1: doing something and then the next day I'm like, someone 756 00:36:08,670 --> 00:36:12,719 S1: texted me something to watch, but I wasn't sure whether 757 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:16,440 S1: they hit me on like Instagram or Facebook Messenger or 758 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,710 S1: like Apple Messenger or the one thing I didn't think 759 00:36:19,710 --> 00:36:22,529 S1: about was WhatsApp, where you message me. It's very hard 760 00:36:22,530 --> 00:36:26,610 S1: in 2023, like messaging people. There's just a lot of. 761 00:36:26,610 --> 00:36:28,230 S2: Yeah, that's why I think if you're listening, then the 762 00:36:28,230 --> 00:36:30,779 S2: only place you could get your recommendations are from this 763 00:36:30,780 --> 00:36:32,130 S2: podcast in future. 764 00:36:32,130 --> 00:36:33,989 S3: Do you not have you don't use like a note. 765 00:36:33,989 --> 00:36:36,150 S3: I have like an ongoing notes on my phone where 766 00:36:36,150 --> 00:36:38,430 S3: I put down kind of recommendations. 767 00:36:38,550 --> 00:36:42,810 S1: No, I have like 75 live note documents. 768 00:36:42,900 --> 00:36:44,610 S8: I don't want to see the chaos. 769 00:36:44,610 --> 00:36:46,020 S2: And Osbourne's brain just like projected. 770 00:36:46,020 --> 00:36:46,779 S1: Onto it. Yeah it's. 771 00:36:46,830 --> 00:36:47,330 S8: It is. 772 00:36:47,530 --> 00:36:50,520 S1: It is either like recommendations or just like errant thoughts 773 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:51,960 S1: that come to my head or ideas for what we 774 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:53,610 S1: should talk about on the podcast. You don't want to 775 00:36:53,610 --> 00:36:54,810 S1: get into that conversation. There's like. 776 00:36:54,810 --> 00:36:55,680 S8: Seven hours of voice. 777 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,209 S2: Recording about killers of the Flower Moon. 778 00:36:57,210 --> 00:37:00,509 S1: Yeah, I do send voice notes to myself. Absolutely. Yeah. 779 00:37:00,900 --> 00:37:02,940 S2: Okay. So the movie is Fair Play. It is available 780 00:37:02,940 --> 00:37:06,150 S2: to stream on Netflix now. And basically we meet Emily 781 00:37:06,150 --> 00:37:08,670 S2: and Luke, so there's kind of like cool, hot young couple. 782 00:37:08,700 --> 00:37:10,620 S2: They get engaged at the very start of the film. 783 00:37:10,620 --> 00:37:14,160 S2: They work together at a really like high flying hedge fund. 784 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:17,910 S2: But basically company policy says you cannot have interoffice relationships. 785 00:37:17,910 --> 00:37:21,000 S2: So essentially they live and work together. But at work 786 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,719 S2: they are like not public about their relationship. Then there's 787 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:27,480 S2: a promotional opportunity at work. Luke believes it is his 788 00:37:27,630 --> 00:37:29,730 S2: for the taking. And then of course, it goes to 789 00:37:29,730 --> 00:37:32,970 S2: Emily and so begins this kind of like domino effect 790 00:37:32,969 --> 00:37:36,140 S2: of power play and it becomes this this weird like 791 00:37:36,150 --> 00:37:38,100 S2: psychosexual relationship that plays. 792 00:37:38,100 --> 00:37:40,320 S1: Out in this sounds both very sexy and thrilling. 793 00:37:40,330 --> 00:37:43,170 S2: Is, yeah, you will be aroused and thrilled, much like 794 00:37:43,170 --> 00:37:45,120 S2: I was. But no, it is really good. It stars 795 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:49,830 S2: Phoebe Dynevor from Bridgerton and Alden Ehrenreich, which I haven't. 796 00:37:49,830 --> 00:37:52,270 S2: He's from Solo, a Star Wars story which I haven't seen. Right. 797 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:55,680 S1: What are you talking about? Alden Ehrenreich. He's from Oppenheimer as. Well, 798 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:59,879 S1: he's the guy in Oppenheim. He's the assistant to the senator. 799 00:38:00,090 --> 00:38:01,920 S1: When Robert Downey Jr is doing his whole thing, he's 800 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:02,480 S1: trying to help him. 801 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:04,740 S2: He did look vaguely familiar. I didn't see Oppenheimer six 802 00:38:04,739 --> 00:38:06,630 S2: times like you, but like, he did look really familiar. 803 00:38:06,630 --> 00:38:08,640 S2: And and he's great. And and the film really hinges 804 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:12,080 S2: on these two. But basically, in summary, very sexy, erotic thriller. 805 00:38:12,090 --> 00:38:14,880 S2: Lots of hedge fund talk, people in offices getting angry. 806 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:17,279 S2: It's great. Perfect for the weekend. I smashed it and 807 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:18,750 S2: I think you guys will love it and your friends 808 00:38:18,750 --> 00:38:19,410 S2: will be impressed. 809 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:22,620 S1: That's a great a great sell on a great sounding film. 810 00:38:22,620 --> 00:38:25,230 S1: I'm very excited to watch. I think Alden Ehrenreich I 811 00:38:25,230 --> 00:38:27,660 S1: think I think he's pretty good. I think he was. 812 00:38:27,660 --> 00:38:30,719 S1: I think Solo was like his attempt to really go 813 00:38:30,750 --> 00:38:33,870 S1: massive and it didn't really work out. But I think 814 00:38:33,870 --> 00:38:35,910 S1: he was in that Coen Brothers movie as well, about 815 00:38:35,910 --> 00:38:39,719 S1: the golden age of of Hollywood. Like there was a 816 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:41,310 S1: there was like a two year period where every movie 817 00:38:41,310 --> 00:38:42,690 S1: was about the golden age of Hollywood. He was in 818 00:38:42,690 --> 00:38:45,360 S1: one of those and he was quite good. So I'm 819 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:48,510 S1: excited to see this one. Mine is also a movie. 820 00:38:48,510 --> 00:38:51,240 S1: This is a film that's been out for a couple 821 00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:53,340 S1: of months, but we haven't had a chance to talk 822 00:38:53,340 --> 00:38:55,680 S1: about it in depth on the pod, so I thought 823 00:38:55,770 --> 00:38:59,520 S1: we should rectify that. It is called Past Lives. It 824 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:04,020 S1: is stunning. It's written and directed by Canadian playwright Celine Song, 825 00:39:04,020 --> 00:39:07,890 S1: and it is her first ever feature film. And that 826 00:39:07,890 --> 00:39:11,070 S1: is infuriating because it is so good. Like it is 827 00:39:11,070 --> 00:39:16,140 S1: so taut and precise in terms of the writing, the directing, 828 00:39:16,140 --> 00:39:19,290 S1: the way it looks, the story, the emotional heft. It 829 00:39:19,290 --> 00:39:23,910 S1: is really astonishing. It basically follows this relationship between two 830 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:26,880 S1: childhood friends who meet in Korea as young kids when 831 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:30,000 S1: they're 12. Then the main character played by Greta Lee, 832 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,340 S1: who was also just phenomenal in this, and I think 833 00:39:32,340 --> 00:39:35,010 S1: getting a little bit of Oscars buzz, She moves to 834 00:39:35,010 --> 00:39:38,040 S1: Toronto with her family, then moves to New York. They 835 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:41,340 S1: reconnect 12 years later on the Internet in the peak 836 00:39:41,340 --> 00:39:45,480 S1: Skype era. A lot of like the Skype ringtone stuff 837 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:47,700 S1: is in this movie. And then they reconnect 12 years 838 00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:51,509 S1: later in person. And if you're a fan of, like 839 00:39:51,510 --> 00:39:55,529 S1: Noah Baumbach, Richard Linklater, kind of romance movies, Greta Gerwig, 840 00:39:55,530 --> 00:40:01,319 S1: you were going to love this film. It is about relationships, lust, 841 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:05,580 S1: what could have been identity culture like how you live, 842 00:40:05,580 --> 00:40:08,549 S1: what you live for, what love really is. I mean, 843 00:40:08,550 --> 00:40:10,950 S1: I'm getting a little bit carried away. It's like an 844 00:40:10,950 --> 00:40:13,560 S1: hour and 40 minutes, so it's not too long. I 845 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,049 S1: think there's a chance this movie, like there's a lot 846 00:40:16,050 --> 00:40:18,720 S1: of big movies out this year in terms of the Oscars, 847 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:20,790 S1: I think there's a chance this one sneaks in to 848 00:40:20,790 --> 00:40:25,080 S1: the best picture or best directed categories. The cinematography is 849 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,890 S1: also astonishing. I've never quite seen two cities like Seoul 850 00:40:28,890 --> 00:40:32,430 S1: in New York shot quite as beautifully as this one. 851 00:40:32,430 --> 00:40:34,020 S1: Really great film. Have you guys seen it? 852 00:40:34,020 --> 00:40:36,719 S2: I have not, but I must admit I've probably like 853 00:40:36,870 --> 00:40:40,820 S2: probably my top tier recommending friends have all universally recommended this, 854 00:40:40,820 --> 00:40:43,440 S2: so I know that I'm probably going to really enjoy it. 855 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:45,270 S2: And a friend of mine saw it recently, was like 856 00:40:45,750 --> 00:40:47,370 S2: walked out of the cinema and was like, I don't 857 00:40:47,370 --> 00:40:49,530 S2: I'm not a big crier in films, but I left 858 00:40:49,530 --> 00:40:52,740 S2: like really giving myself a good cry here. So yeah, 859 00:40:52,739 --> 00:40:54,570 S2: I mean, I'm very, very keen. 860 00:40:54,780 --> 00:40:57,029 S3: Yeah, have seen it. And it is as you've said, 861 00:40:57,060 --> 00:41:00,750 S3: was absolutely remarkable. A real treasure. It's so dreamy and 862 00:41:00,750 --> 00:41:04,830 S3: beautiful and poignant. And I think it is semi-autobiographical based 863 00:41:04,830 --> 00:41:07,500 S3: on her own kind of experience as well. But I mean, 864 00:41:07,500 --> 00:41:10,440 S3: what an astonishing debut. Imagine pulling that off your first 865 00:41:10,450 --> 00:41:11,219 S3: star first. 866 00:41:11,460 --> 00:41:12,840 S1: It made me so mad. I'm like. 867 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:13,500 S8: Get out. 868 00:41:13,500 --> 00:41:15,660 S1: Of it. Like, that is so good. And in terms 869 00:41:15,660 --> 00:41:17,670 S1: of like the crying, like there's lots of bits in 870 00:41:17,670 --> 00:41:20,400 S1: the movie that were both beautiful and sad. And I 871 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,860 S1: did a really good job of like, not crying. Do 872 00:41:22,860 --> 00:41:25,890 S1: you cry in movies? The movie? I sometimes do, yeah. 873 00:41:25,890 --> 00:41:27,570 S1: And the very end of the movie, I was just 874 00:41:27,570 --> 00:41:29,610 S1: I was like, No, I'm done, I'm out. I'm like, 875 00:41:29,610 --> 00:41:31,470 S1: I was weeping. I was like, that is beautiful. And 876 00:41:31,469 --> 00:41:33,390 S1: not not like it's not a spoiler. It's not like 877 00:41:33,390 --> 00:41:36,570 S1: anything particularly devastating or anything like that. It's just the 878 00:41:36,570 --> 00:41:38,700 S1: beauty of cinema. 879 00:41:38,700 --> 00:41:41,100 S2: Because you sobbed pretty hard at the end of Oppenheimer 880 00:41:41,100 --> 00:41:43,170 S2: because it was over. And then. 881 00:41:44,130 --> 00:41:46,020 S1: And then I realized I could watch it again straight away. 882 00:41:46,020 --> 00:41:46,500 S1: And I did. 883 00:41:46,500 --> 00:41:47,670 S2: And then it would be Morning. 884 00:41:47,670 --> 00:41:50,339 S1: Thomas and Mel, thanks for that chat. I think a 885 00:41:50,340 --> 00:41:52,710 S1: really good and important conversation. I think it's nice when 886 00:41:52,710 --> 00:41:55,440 S1: we get to bust out of just talking about a 887 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:59,430 S1: particular release and have these more meta conversations around what 888 00:41:59,430 --> 00:42:02,250 S1: the point and role of art and culture is. So 889 00:42:02,250 --> 00:42:02,970 S1: thank you so much. 890 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:03,660 S2: Thanks for having me. 891 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:10,810 S1: This episode of The Drop was produced by Kai Wong. 892 00:42:11,230 --> 00:42:14,200 S1: If you enjoyed listening to today's episode of The Drop, 893 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:16,870 S1: make sure to follow us in your favorite podcast app. 894 00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:19,779 S1: Leave us a review or better yet, share the episode 895 00:42:19,780 --> 00:42:23,319 S1: with a friend. I'm Osman Farooqui. See you next week.