The Amanda Gorman spread in the May issue of Vogue, complete with two different covers, is, of course, stunning – not surprising, maybe, based on Gorman’s style (and the fact that she signed with IMG not long after her performance at the Presidential Inauguration launched her into the celebrity stratosphere) but definitely notable considering the many concerns people have had about Black women on Vogue’s covers in the recent past, including those shot by Annie Leibowitz, who also shot the Gorman spread. 

 

Inside, the feature (written by Doreen St. Felix, whom we adore,) is inspiring and charming, but we couldn’t help noticing it was full of references to all the things Gorman isn’t – that is to say, risqué, salacious, or in any way offensive – right down to her TV references including The Munsters. 

Obviously Gorman is an incredible person who, as the piece makes clear, had great support along the way to help her get to this point – but where’s all that talent and incredible brain power going to go next? We discuss the conflict between the pressures she’s under and the talent she has, and speculate on where she might want to go in the years to come, even if it doesn’t fit her current image. We also touch on a piece she did from The Moth; it’s included in the Vogue piece, and you can also see it here:

 

 

Then, it’s been at least a week or two since we last discussed Saturday Night Live. Bowen Yang had arguably his best appearance in a season full of highs when he appeared as the iceberg that sunk the Titanic. Even as we gloat in all the praise he’s very deservedly getting (he lived in Canada for five years, that’s enough for us to claim him as our own), it’s noticeable that not everyone gets the same kind of attention – especially if you are the person not getting the attention. 

After years of being overlooked in the press’s favourite moments, Chris Redd has decided to try a new tactic to deal with it: 

 

We discuss the pros and cons of this kind of ‘owning it’ and whether there are ways to use this technique in non-SNL workplaces – we especially want to hear from you if you’ve already been using it! 

Thank you for all your notes and mentions – hit us up with thoughts, comments, and pitches for what you’d like us to cover next time!