Leigha Curcio '22 Euphoria season 2 has just dropped, starting on January 9th with the first episode and proceeding to premiere one new episode weekly from then. This leads us to three total episodes as of writing.
Euphoria is a well-known series based on Rue’s narration of events going on around her. However, we see from the first season Rue struggles with multiple mental disorders and is involved with substance abuse. This continues through season two except Rue’s addiction is worse than when it began. This leads us to the main question: “Is Euphoria glamorizing addiction/ substance abuse?” Now of course the audience for this is TV-MA, meaning mature adult, and has TWs before the show begins. However many younger viewers are watching this heavy felt show and it can be causing them to see these real life problems as glamorized fun. Since Rue is the narrator of the show, we don’t see the negative sides of drug abuse. We only see the good because from her perspective drugs aren’t bad. Going back to season one, Rue had overdosed but continues to take substances. Not only does the series show the negatives of drugs, but it’s actually pretty normalized throughout the show to abuse substances. In season 2, episode 3 Rue gives a Powerpoint on how to get away with being a drug addict which is followed by her giving tips to the audience watching. These tips include manipulation and gaslighting. This is similar to season one where she gave tips on how to pass a drug test, proving that it’s okay to take drugs as long as you get away with it no matter what you need to do. We also constantly hear Rue saying that drugs help her mental disorders. This manipulates the audience into thinking what she's doing is okay and not harmful. Whenever we see a character under the influence in the show it’s followed by artistic scenes creating a literal Euphoria effect. This can cause people to get curious to either see what substances are really like or to copy the feeling they get from the show. Although drugs may give this effect of problem free and exciting feelings, they don’t last forever and won’t solve any problems, which the series fails to show. This series may be glamorizing drugs but it does a great job showing real life problems such as depression, anxiety, dissociation, OCD, physical abuse, absent parents etc; so although this show might be overlooking drugs and making them seem better than what they are, the show is relatable in another sense. Therefore, the audience watching should be cautious to be in the right mentality to watch this series. Euphoria is only glamorizing drugs if the audience doesn’t understand the reality of them, hence why the show needs their viewers to be mature adults and not let the series fall into the hands of younger viewers.
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Harry Styles and Billie Eilish Headlining This Year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival1/30/2022 Anita Perez '24 Coachella is back for the first time since 2019, headlined by Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Ye (formerly known as Kanye West). Billie Eilish will be the youngest ever headliner. Joining the headliners this year are artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Conan Gray, Wallows, Doja Cat, FINNEAS, Joji, Big Sean, and Måneskin. Coachella 2022 will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and each headliner will perform on two separate weekends. Harry Styles will be a featured headliner on April 15 and 22, Billie Eilish on April 16 and 23, and Ye on April 17 and 24. The event was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns and was originally meant to be headlined by Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, and Rage Against the Machine, none of which are appearing this year. Fans of every artist are eager to see the performances they give, but fans of both Harry Styles and Billie Eilish are some of the most remarkable. Fans across social media have been expressing their excitement and predictions. One Instagram user [@kimberly.reteguin] says in a comment, “I’M SCREAMING MY LUNGS OUT.” Many fans also speculate that Styles will be releasing new music before the festival. @baeznanda on Instagram wrote in a comment, “OMG ‘new music’ is around the corner!” Giana Capialbi ‘24 says, “I’m so excited for Harry to be performing. It’s a new chance to see him live apart from his tour, and I hope he does something new with it. It was an interesting choice because it’s not exactly his style, but I’m so happy either way. I’m also really excited to see Billie back at Coachella because in the past she’s been great, and I want to see what she does again!” Victoria Verrecchio ‘24 says, “I’m so excited to see what Harry does with it. Considering I’ve been to one of his shows, his outfits, his stage presence, and the way he brings his music to life is something you can only see at a Harry Styles show. I have such high expectations for all of the Coachella performances and I can’t wait to see how they’re exceeded.” As there hasn’t been a proper Coachella festival in two years because of COVID-19, people cannot wait to see all of the artists they love perform. Not only is Coachella a big event for the music industry, but it also signals that the world is returning to how it used to be. Nina Shulzhenko '24 Some of the latest fashion trends are being supported by our favorite celebrities. People like Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, Rachel Zoe, or Kendall Jenner all follow up on the latest trends, and sometimes even start them up. Here are some of the ongoing fashion trends that have been on top for years to help you stay fashionable.
One of the most popular fashion trends for a while has been hoodies under blazers. Kendall Jenner participates in this trend a lot, wearing this outfit for different occasions in varying colors and brands. One of her most popular ones is the Gucci hoodie under a bright red blazer from Magda Butryum. She wore this for Paris Fashion Week back in 2017. Although this was a couple years ago, she was seen wearing a hoodie and blazer in late 2021, dropping by FWRD’s headquarters. Currently, a really popular style worn by not only celebrities, but teenage girls, is corsets. Corsets were a style worn by women in the 1500s and 1600s to have a smaller waist over layers of the thick dresses they wore. Today, they are either worn by themselves, over thin and short dresses, or over a shirt. Kim Kardashian is one of the many celebrities that often participates in this trend. She usually pairs her corsets as a monochrome outfit matching her shoes and pants. One of her most famous outfits is her 2019 Met Gala corset dress. This was a custom made piece made by the designer himself, Mr. Pearl. The dress was a light brown, almost nude color, with a button down design and diamonds hanging from the sleeves and torso of the dress. The thing that pulled this dress together is the cinched waist look made by the corset built into the dress. Kendall Jenner took part in the crop tops with wide length pants trend. This trend was made to be a cute and comfortable option for a casual day out. The beauty in this that, depending on how you style it, you can make this casual outfit look classy or fancy, while also being in your comfort zone. Kendall was seen wearing this outfit on a casual day running some errands. She paired a Johnathan Simkhai oil spill framed pink crop top with blush pink Solace London Stellis trousers. Although very humble and casual, this entire outfit cost around $3,000. Victoria Verrecchio '24 On Dec. 13, 2019, singer-songwriter heartthrob Harry Styles released his second solo studio album, Fine Line. He performed an album release show that same day at the Forum in Los Angeles, California, but now a complaint about that concert is being brought to light.
A woman who attended the concert is just now coming forward about a fatal injury she says she experienced while the show was going on. The plaintiff claims that the Forum failed to provide safe seating, effective security and the control of the crowd was out of anyone’s hands. The lawsuit documents from the plaintiff’s side from Styles’ Dec. 13, 2019 performance: “a large crush of fans surged toward the stage, another concert [goer] landed on plaintiff and plaintiff was crushed by other concert goers as she fell to her hands and knees causing her serious injury.” The injuries she allegedly suffered from the show: “Injury to her body and shock to her nervous system, all of which caused and continue to cause her great physical, mental and nervous pain and suffering. Moreover, plaintiff suffers permanent chronic and debilitating injuries that have significantly diminished her quality of life.” Yet, Harry Styles is not once mentioned in these lawsuits. In March of 2020, the Forum was sold to the owner of the basketball team the Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Ballmer. Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp., Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., Ticketmaster, Live Nation, Stubhub and Eighteentwentysix were the owners of the Forum at the time. An MSG Entertainment spokesperson came out with a statement to Variety declaring that they “just received this complaint and are looking into the matter.” On the contrary, delegates for the Forum, Ticketmaster, Live Nation, Stubhub, Eighteentwentysix and Styles himself have yet to respond to this. Isabella Wren '22 Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds (45) is a beloved actor who has starred in popular films such as Deadpool, Red Notice, Green Lantern, 6 Underground, etc. He is a fan favorite in his hometown of Vancouver and across the United States. Especially popular with female audiences, he was rated sixth out of the most handsome men in Hollywood.
He also did a lot to give back to the community of his hometown. He donated a $500,000 Covenant House in Vancouver and Toronto for kids without homes. He also donated $1 million to food banks in America and Canada, along with many other organizations and other celebrities. He has released four films in 2021 which are must-sees.
These are some upcoming projects that are soon to be released in 2022 on Netflix.
“Finished our first week on The Adam Project. In addition to taking these two photos, @netflix will be happy to know we also shot some of the film. Happy to be back in the sturdy arms of my friend, life coach and director, @ShawnLevyDirect.” - Ryan Reynolds Twitter account. There are rumors about Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Reynolds all starring in an upcoming movie called IF. If you are unaware who Steve Carell is, he starred as Michael Scott in the show The Office, and was seen in many other comedy movies such as Anchormen. John Krasinski played Jim in The Office with Carell as well, and was a director and starred in the movie A Quiet Place. These three men all portray hilarious and sarcastic characters, which is making fans very excited to learn more about the project. Kayla Leon '24 That’s right. Your favorite time of the year is here: Hallmark Movies! Everyone loves Hallmark movies while watching it with your family and friends, drinking hot chocolate, having some laughs, and even some cries. This time of the year is the most fun and most exciting.
Hallmark movies specialize in movies about single women or men who find love during Christmas. Hallmark movies make kids, teens, and adults believe in being happy and in love. These movies give hope and fun expectations during Christmas time. Many of you know that actress Candace Cameron Bure, who grew up on both Full House and Fuller House, has been in 29 Hallmark movies. These movies are many people’s favorites, and the channel is top-rated for their fun and kid-friendly movies. Hallmark Channel was founded in 2001 by Crown Media Holding. The love is so real and alive. These movies portray that people should spend Christmas with family, friends, and the people they love. At the end of every movie, there is an important message or theme. These movies offer so much fun, humor, drama, and romance. One couple in a Hallmark movie even got married in real life. I think if you haven’t seen any Hallmark movies, run to your TV and turn on channel 565. These movies tell you not to be alone during Christmas and find someone to brighten your day like these Hallmark movies brighten everyone else’s. Olivia Mola '23 Friday December 10th, tickets for Olivia Rodrigo’s first ever world tour went on sale globally. The demand for tickets was so high that the only way to acquire one was by signing up through Ticketmaster to become a “verified fan”. No general sale was held, so without receiving a presale code your chances of getting tickets were slim. Due to the small size of the venues and large size of her fan base, it was no surprise when fans across the internet were disappointed by their failure to secure tickets.
Once the clock struck ten o’clock on the 10th, dedicated fans entered a frenzy trying to get tickets for Rodrigo's long awaited tour. Not only did Ticketmaster crash, but there were multiple accounts of fans not being able to get onto the site at all. After about an hour, scalpers had already begun selling tickets for prices about 10 times the original cost. Students ranging from freshwomen to seniors were all invested in the prospect of her tour just as they are her music. Junior Olivia Lieto luckily received a presale code and tried her hand at getting tickets. After the sale she told me, “Ticketmaster was completely disorganized and had so many people on their site so staying in the queue felt like it would end up being a waste of time.” This was the experience for many Fontbonne students and even teachers who tried participating in the sale. Although Rodrigo was famous prior to the release of her debut album, the singer-songwriter was propelled to astronomical heights and exploded within the music world when her debut single “Drivers License” dropped in January 2021. When her album Sour dropped in May, it broke dozens of records, including the biggest opening week for an album by a female artist in Spotify history, most streams in a day/ week for a non holiday song on Spotify, and more. Just days before announcing her tour, Rodrigo got nominated for six Grammys in categories including song of the year and album of the year. 2022 marks the return of live music as dozens of artists prepare to go back on tour. Artists such as Adele, Dua Lipa, Shawn Mendes and more have announced their plans to go on tour for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. With the announcement of Sour: The Tour, Olivia too joins the ranks of artists trying to return the world back to normalcy. With the looming success of this tour the future of Rodrigo’s career is only looking brighter. Anita Perez '24 Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home is already breaking both international records and the internet before its United States release.
The movie’s initial trailer itself, which was released in August, amassed 355.5 million views in one day, and now has the title of the most viewed movie trailer within 24 hours. The movie has made $44 million on its opening day, and it’s expected to make $200 million within the first three days of its domestic release. Most movies that have been released since the pandemic haven’t had the biggest audiences, but now it’s impossible to find tickets. It’s nearly impossible to find a theater that doesn’t have the movie sold out. The movie is also an internet sensation, with fans sharing their theories and predictions. Marvel fans are highly anticipating which of their favorite characters will appear. Spider-Man/Peter Parker is played by actor Tom Holland, but fans think that actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions of the character may make an appearance. No Way Home will answer questions that fans were left with in its predecessor Far From Home, where Peter Parker’s identity is revealed. In the trailers, he enlists the help of Doctor Strange, and they accidentally open up what is called the Multiverse, which introduces villains from all three Spider-Man universes. This is what is sparking all of these fan predictions and the hype surrounding the film. Giana Capiabli ‘24 says, “I am so excited for this movie. Peter Parker is one of my favorite characters, and this movie is supposed to be huge, I can’t wait to see it. And if Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire are in it, that would be so amazing.” Gianna Felicia ‘24 says, “I’ve been hearing so many rumors that all of the three actors who’ve played Spider-Man are going to be in it, and I’m so excited to see what happens. I definitely think they’re all going to be in it, and I also really hope we see Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy too.” All of the fan’s questions will be answered when Spider-Man: No Way Home hits American theaters on December 17. The excitement is already built so high, and the whole world is running to see what really happens. The movie has a lot of expectations to live up to, but based on the trailer alone, it will certainly be a global phenomenon. Nina Shulzhenko '24 For years, schools have been banning books to keep children from reading things that some would describe as inappropriate. People argue and say that banning these books is plain foolish, but that doesn’t stop schools from doing so. In late November, NPR described a recent trend of books increasingly being banned in schools nationwide.
One of the banned books that caused a huge outrage worldwide is the Harry Potter Series. Schools believe this magical book filled with secrets and mysteries can actually carry the power of giving schools evil spirits. Some of the spells that our golden trio casted are believed by some to be actual spells that can cast bad luck or evil lingering spirits into the person who reads them. This series is also challenged because author J.K. Rowling was blamed for comments on Twitter and elsewhere that were deemed transphobic by some. In the past and even today, The Catcher in the Rye has also been banned from many American schools because administrations believe the book was part of a communist plot. They think that the book is used to lure the people reading it into supporting communism. Other complaints blatantly said it was a bad book and shouldnt be given out at school libraries. This book was written in 1951, which causes people to argue that that wasn't the intention of the book, but that's the way it was perceived by many readers. It was called a false accusation from many. Huckleberry Finn, a classic worldwide bestseller, was also banned from schools. The reasoning for this is the belief that the book was too mindless and trashy. People believe that the book includes racist terminology and irreligious actions that schools don't want to support and let their kids read. This book was written in 1883 and was recently removed from some schools. People were outraged, believing the language used in this book was only there because it was written in a period of time where this was acceptable in society. Every year, the English department at Fontbonne Hall celebrates Banned Books Week, taking a stand against literature being banned and challenged. Many of the books offered in English curricula here are banned elsewhere - for example 1984, The Great Gatsby and A Handmaid’s Tale. Victoria Verrecchio '24 On Nov. 24, 2021, one of the biggest award shows for the music industry, better known as the Grammys, released the nominations for the many categories filled with all of your favorite artists. The 64th annual Grammy Awards will be held on Jan. 31, 2022 and will be hosted by Trevor Noah, who hosted the previous Grammys as well.
This Grammy season, Jon Batiste is in the lead, receiving a whopping 11 nominations in total. Batiste has nominations for some of the biggest categories such as Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best R&B Album. First runners up Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R are all tied for eight nominations each. Third place for nominations is Billie Eilish and newest pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo, all from her debut album, Sour. The biggest categories at the Grammys are Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. Justin Bieber, Jon Batiste, Billie Eilish, Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo all dominate these categories, while Rodrigo is also nominated for Best New Artist. With all of the extremely talented artists in every category, it’s anyone’s game to win. Justin Bieber’s Justice, Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, Taylor Swift’s Evermore, Jon Batiste's We Are, Doja Cat’s Planet Her, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga’s Love for Sale, H.E.R’s Back of my Mind, Lil Nas X’s Montero, Kanye West’s Donda, and Olivia Rodrigo’s smash hit debut album Sour are all fierce competitors in the Album of the Year category. Every single one of these albums have made such big impacts in the music industry this past year, and any of them have a clear shot at winning big. Anita Perez ‘24 says “I think Love for Sale is definitely going to win for album of the year this year. Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga have such a good chance at winning. They’re an unstoppable duo.” On the contrary, Alexandra Somerville ‘24 shared her opinion on who she thinks will win when she says, “I think that either Donda or Sour is going to take it. Kanye and Olivia both did phenomenal jobs on their albums and it's hard to choose just one.” Until Jan. 31, 2022, the winners of these categories will be a mystery and a fun debate to have with your friends over your favorite songs, albums and music videos. When the 64th Annual Grammy Awards airs, prepare to see your favorite celebrities all glammed up and anticipating their Grammy wins, especially when some artists are there for the very first time. |