JLo at Obsessed Fest

Prime Video is in the business of romance. You might say that romance is their main business, considering how well romance series perform on the platform. Most of the romances are young adult stories, attracting young adult viewers who then blow it all up on socials but the fact of the matter is that it’s not just 20-somethings who are watching these shows. The series that’s had the most success, at least so far, is The Summer I Turned Pretty, and much of the core audience for the series was women between 35-50 who were feral over the love triangle. The same could also be said of Off Campus this year. There are women in their 40s who can’t stop texting me about it.

In response to the popularity of these series (often novel adaptions, and there are now several including Maxton Hall, Every Year After, and movies too, like the upcoming The Love Hypothesis, premiering in September), Prime is expanding the experience, not unlike what Bravo has done with BravoCon and their reality series library. It’s a smart idea, adding opportunities for engagement and content creation with influencers, podcasters, and other online personalities invited to interact with the talent from these shows … which mostly feature straight romances and not a lot of racial diversity so I appreciate that Benito Skinner and the cast of Overcompensating were given a spotlight at the inaugural Obsessed Fest this weekend.

I interviewed Benito and his best friend and creative partner Mary Beth Barone last year during JFL in Montreal – they were so fun and so nice and I’m thrilled that good things are happening for them, including season two of their series which they’ve been shooting in Toronto. Fun fact, the costume designer for Overcompensating is Hanna Puley who so many people now know from her work on a little show called Heated Rivalry.

By far the biggest name in terms of critical mass recognition at Obsessed Fest, though, was Jennifer Lopez. Always hustling! Obsessed Fest is obviously not halftime at the Super Bowl, LOL, but performing at a fan convention does align with JLo’s ambitions right now after what’s happened with “On The Floor”, related to Off Campus, and a “new generation” of people listening to what is now her most streamed track. The Queen of Romcoms is performing for romance lovers, these are her people. As for the outfit. It’s hideous. But that face card is cashing in on a demo that might sustain her as she gets closer to 60. Could end up being a really savvy move.

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Haven’t seen a moment between JLo and the Off Campus cast, at least not on the blue carpet but everyone understood the connection. Just a note here on Belmont Cameli, who plays Garrett Graham, because it’s another lesson about casting and social media. A little over a year ago, people were bitching about the Heated Rivalry casting, and look how that turned out. This happens over and over again and more often than not, the movie or the show comes out and nobody’s complaining anymore. I wasn’t feeling Belmont when the casting announcement was made but I wasn’t yelling about it either because I’m old enough to have learned this lesson: you have to see the person in character first. And Belmont, as we’ve seen, came through. He is so f-cking hot in his role and because of it he’s that much hotter in real life. The way he’s wearing that top and those pants… the casting director knew what she was doing.

 

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What else happened today…

On that note… Kathleen interviewed her former colleague Carley Fortune about Every Year After. (Refinery 29)

Last Friday at The Squawk, I wrote about the high degree of difficulty for actors who have and still worked on American soap operas. They are underrated and underappreciated! Movie actors are basically soft and spoiled in comparison. John Oliver has now become an actor on an American soap. Two actually. (Pajiba)

An obsessive investigation into what Taylor Swift will wear at her wedding. (The Cut)

When Walton Goggins saved Olivia Wilde’s life. (Entertainment Weekly)

 Courteney Cox is single again. (Celebitchy)