You Just Have to Laugh

If only Sam Levinson had this kind of power.

A Digital Fix piece, written by Charlotte Colombo, claims that Levinson’s HBO series “The Idol” has set back the feminist movement by “at least a decade.” Hilarious.

Of course, it’s a baity title for a write-up that feels as airy as a corn puff.

You already know where I stand when it comes to “The Idol.” I saw the first two episodes at Cannes and thought they were delightfully unhinged.

Meanwhile, Colombo thinks the show is a gray sprinkle on a rainbow cupcake. It has miles to go before it reaches mediocre. The show represents everything that is wrong in society.

So much of the filming is dedicated to capturing Jocelyn in the most sexually-charged way possible; you’re left with no doubt that it’s a show almost entirely catered to the male gaze.

Wait, what’s wrong with the male gaze?

If nudity and sexuality are that important in telling a story, they should apply to all characters — not just the women who seductively pout to the camera.

Yes. We absolutely need Hank Azaria, Dan Levy and Eli Roth to strip butt naked and show us their junk. It’s a must.

Listen, I’m not saying “The Idol” is the second-coming, but it’s a well-made and entertaining piece of provocative pop art. There’s a rush in watching Levinson not give a f*ck. That means something these days.

It’s fascinatingly self-indulgent act on the part of Levinson. Drugs, dirty dancing, nihilism, narcissism and lots of sex. All shot in vibrantly stylized frames.

The audience is encouraged to hate the intimacy coordinator on-hand during Jocelyn’s photoshoot because he commits the cardinal sin of trying to safeguard her. Just look at him, suggesting Jocelyn might feel pressured to show her nipples. What a loser, right?

Jocelyn doesn’t want the intimacy coordinator. She asks to have him taken out. It’s her choice. That’s why he’s locked in the bathroom by her people.

Continuing on.

It’s catered towards those who relish in the exploiting. As it swings between being reminiscent of porn, angsty Lana Del Rey Tumblr posts, and anti-SJW YouTube videos, guess how many women were involved in writing and directing The Idol? Zero.

I love Lana Del Rey’s Tumblr posts.

As it goes, and if the rating stands, “The Idol” is set to be the worst-reviewed show in HBO history. It currently has a 27% rotten rating, not to mention its 24 Metascore. I believe the transgressive nature of “The Idol” has riled critics up.

Christina Newland from iNews describes the show as “one of the most unapologetically chauvinistic, superficially glossy, try-hard-provocative pieces of media in recent memory.”

“The Idol” isn’t supposed to be a treatise on how the music industry operates, it’s pure fantasy, and that’s what critics don’t seem to be getting. It’s trashy entertainment, albeit shot in visually slick fashion.