Characters

Does Reality TV Demand Trauma?

I've been noticing lately reality casts being prompted to "open up" - from Ladies of London to the most recent episodes of Real Housewives of Rhode Island. We're talking about these "forced trauma bonding" activities - what they do to actually bring casts together, and what they do to humanize the "characters" to the audience. We'll also reference Real Housewives of Atlanta and Beyond the Villa as we question: how much performance is necessary on shows today? How much "opening up" really must happen on television today? Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro to "trauma prompts" 02:10 Ladies of London - Misse 04:35 RHORI - Liz's unmasking dinner (ep 6) 08:41 RHORI - Alicia and Jo-Ellen's walk (ep 7) 09:30 Audience impact 11:35 RHOA - Pinky Cole 11:57 Preforming for TV - Beyond the Villa 12:28 Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Living with Lions: The Story Behind the Most Dangerous Film Ever Made

Tippi Hedren infamously had a full grown, 400-pound male lion named Neil living in her home for years in the 1970s. As she and her then-husband Noel Marshall set out to make Roar, a film that would hopefully support big cat conservation, they began acquiring big cats themselves (and living with one). Photos in Life Magazine of Neil the Lion sleeping in bed with her daughter Melanie Griffith still live in our imaginations. Roar went on to be what is today referred to as the most dangerous film ever produced - with over 70 cast and crew members injured by the 40+ exotic animals on set. We'll discuss today the film, the chaos, and Tippi Hedren's big cats today at Shambala Preserve. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:26 Tippi Hedren 02:23 Tippi and Noel Marshall go to Mozambique 03:37 Roar concept 04:48 Life magazine photos 07:13 Roar production 09:52 Roar release 11:11 Shambala Preserve 14:00 Reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Running Point, The Real Isla Gordon

I'm loving Netflix's Running Point , which just aired its second season. Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, the president of her family's professional basketball team. We're talking today about the real woman who inspired the character of Isla - Jeannie Buss, former president of her family's organization, the Los Angeles Lakers. We're overviewing the parts of Jeannie's life that loosely inspire the show, and what she has said about serving as Executive Producer on this Netflix show. We're also getting into what I think makes this show so great - the humor, the family dynamic, and the representation of an unapologetic woman in charge. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:21 Jeannie Buss, re: Isla Gordon 05:13 Isla Gordon, flawed characters 06:52 Sibling dynamic 08:41 Relationship with media 09:01 Engagement storyline 10:29 Humor 11:26 Friendship with Ali Lee (Brenda Song) 12:16 We need more Islas 13:09 Favorite characters - Links mention: ESPN, 2017: How did the Lakers get here? The inside story of the Buss drama [https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18840779/the-story-los-angeles-lakers-owner-jeanie-buss-tough-decision] Netflix, 2025: How to Run an NBA Team: Meet Running Point’s Real-Life Inspiration, Jeanie Buss [https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/running-point-jeanie-buss] https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/running-point-jeanie-buss Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Ladies of London: What Made for a Superstar Reboot

The first season of Ladies of London: The New Reign has just wrapped with glowing reviews! We're digging into what made this reboot so well-received: the strong ties among the group, friendships arcs, and the value of cast connections over wealth. We're also discussing the origin of the "light" conflict (the spiraled, into Margo vs Mark) and the resolution of Kimi and Misse's dispute. This show feels oddly nostalgic because everyone seems to be having fun! Would love to hear your thoughts on what made the first season of this reboot so great. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:59 Drivers of Success 02:48 Emma 04:02 Martha 05:47 Cast trip to Longleat 09:04 Is Margo performing for cameras? 09:40 Conflict, the need for a "common villain" 12:11 Friendship arc: Margo and Martha 13:45 Friendship arc: Kimi and Misse 16:43 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Cerulean Sweaters: Impact + Cultural Shifts of The Devil Wears Prada

In celebration of The Devil Wears Prada 2's release this weekend, a sequel twenty year after the original release, we're revisiting Miranda Priestly's "cerulean blue sweater" monologue. The scene serves as our lens to understand the themes of the original film: ambition, identity, and conformity, during the height of the girl boss era. We're discussing how our reception of these themes and the characters have changed in twenty years - when did the "real villain" become Andy's boyfriend, and the tyrannical boss become an icon simply of a competent woman working hard? How much of ourselves must we truly give up to get ahead in the workplace? Plus, I am sharing my thoughts after seeing the sequel! The decline of print media, callbacks to the original film, and what the film says today about how much "choice" we truly have. Find me everywhere: linktr.ee/literallylaurad Miranda Priestly's Cerulean Sweater monologue linked here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rDTRuCOs9g Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Your input requested! Help me improve the platforms 04:52 Miranda's Cerulean Sweater Monologue 07:08 The Devil Wears Prada as a time capsule 09:08 Audience reception in the girl boss era 10:36 What the film said about culture 12:08 The Devil Wears Prada 2 review + thoughts 15:34 What is the sequel asking about culture? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]