Critical Hits & Misses #312

**grabby hands** GIMME

• Come on, man, can't women catch a break? This week, NPR's senior vice president of news was forced to resign over allegations of--what else--sexual harassment. Turns out that even a supposed bastion of liberalism can't avoid gross mishandling of female employee complaints. Everything is awful. 


• Disney is remaking its animated classic The Lion King, and in news that isn't awful for once, the star-studded (and very POC-filled) cast now officially includes Queen Bey as the voice of Nala, Simba's love interest. All hail the Queen of the Pride! 

For today's musical hit, have the fabulous Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things (aka Eleven) rapping a recap of season 1 of her show, because how could you NOT want to experience this?

Today's critical rolls: Have you seen Stranger Things 2 yet? What did you think? What did you  love/hate about it? And if you haven't, are you planning on watching it? Why or why not? 

Critical Writ has a super-duper strict comment policy that specifies a single rule above all others: we reserve the right to ban you for being a terribad citizen of the internet.

Critical Hits & Misses #238

• New York Times columnist David Brooks accidentally kicked the internet ant hill when he talked about taking a friend with only a high school degree to a fancy sandwich shop and she freaked out. While the whole episode is eyeroll-worthy, this article in the Washington Post discusses how fancy food can be a class divide, but that it has nothing to do with lack of education as Brooks seem to suggest. 


• NPR has a great list of the ten comics that changed the industry in a major way. 

For today's musical hit, we have No Doubt and "Just A Girl"

Today's critical rolls: Are you into fancy or ethnic food at all, or do you prefer simple and familiar? Are you willing to try out new foods?

Critical Writ has a super-duper strict comment policy that specifies a single rule above all others: we reserve the right to ban you for being a terribad citizen of the internet.

Critical Hits & Misses #232

The King of Rock & Roll... but also the King of Cultural Appropriation?

• NPR has a potent commentary on the indefensible nature of cultural appropriation, a response to the New York Times op-ed in which Kenan Malik attempted to suggest that cultural appropriation could be defended. 


• The Establishment blog has quite the post on Laci Green, a feminist hero, once a defender of the abused and a voice for Planned Parenthood, who has turned anti-feminist and is currently dating a Nazi. 

For today's musical hit, we have Lorde and "Liability"

Today's critical rolls: Have any of your heroes or cultural icons or feminist icons ever disappointed you, by going astray? Or maybe you used to look up to an actor or someone else, only to find out later that their politics or social stances are disappointing? Let us know!


Critical Writ has a super-duper strict comment policy that specifies a single rule above all others: we reserve the right to ban you for being a terribad citizen of the internet.

Critical Hits & Misses #128

• On Monday, February 20, 2017 America will observe President's Day, but our current president gives us little cause for celebration. As Trump and the GOP-lead Congress work to repeal the ACA and defund Planned Parenthood, women across America will need their services more than ever. Donate today so we can give Planned Parenthood a reason to celebrate this February 20th! Bonus points if we can raise enough to make a statement and annoy our fear-mongering leader.


• The AV Club has a short but fascinating piece on how the stars of HBO’s Veep are making politics funny in a time where we have nothing to laugh about.


• NPR discusses the Great Debate over what it means to be American, and how Budweiser's Super Bowl ad stokes the flames. 

For today's musical hit, we have Sharon Jones' "This Land Is Your Land"

Today's critical rolls: What did you do this past weekend?

Critical Writ has a super-duper strict comment policy that specifies a single rule above all others: we reserve the right to ban you for being a terribad citizen of the internet.

Critical Hits & Misses #82

• Autostraddle has a handy guide to how to protect yourself and your online info, in the time of Voldemort. (Critical Writ staff)


• Fresh off the success of the fabulous Disney film, Moana, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Dwayne Johnson team up yet again to bring us Millenials: The Musical, and EW has the deets! (Ivonne)

Remember what life was like before the world was plunged headlong into the Darkest Timeline? Tegan and Sara performed acoustically for NPR on the eve of the Trumpocalypse, and the resulting footage is a charming artifact of a more innocent time (Etienne):

1. If you were a wizard in the Harry Potter universe, what would your specialty be? What would you be doing for work?

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