May 14, 2008
John Kass: We're Just Not That Into You
Try to imagine John Kass writing, and the Tribune publishing, a column that's all about how black people have terrible taste, and can you believe what some of them like, and no white person should have to sit through black-themed movies—not that they'd ever want to! ack! God forbid!—and how white people are constantly getting dragged, against their will, to movies that make them want to "peel their skin off and roll around in salt—and if not salt, then ...a bathtub of lemon juice and slit our wrists" by their stupid black friends.
That column would never run.
But a story about the Sex and the City movie that says "Women Just Don't Get It" is fine.
Kass's column today plays on obnoxious, irritating stereotypes of women—ironic, because it's about how badly Kass doesn't want to see a film that one could argue plays on obnoxious, irritating stereotypes of women. I know Kass is joking with "Because no man should feel the agony of this film." I know he's being silly; I know it's his job to be occasionally hyperbolic and provocative. It's fine if he doesn't want to see a movie about "four terrifying, rich, aging, elitist women," though I'm not sure what "aging" has to do with anything, given that everyone alive is aging, except for Karl Lagerfeld, but he drinks urine. But his whole women-are-controlling, can-you-believe-how-much-they-love-shoes schtick is insulting. It's exhausting. And a story that played on similarly derogatory, asinine associations about any other group—a religion, race, class, ethnicity—would never be written off as just a joke.
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This show, and movie, is what you make of it. Unfortunately too many people cannot distinguish it from reality and strive to attain its self-indulgent urban "fabulousness".
Comparisons to racism? Are you kidding?
Other than that, I would agree that the Kass column was a bit harsh. I used to watch that show with an ex-girlfriend and thought it was OK.
I just don't get the $500 shoe thing, though, especially when they have silly four inch heels. To each his (her!) own.
Sheesh, lighten up. I'm no Kass apologist, but I really didn't read this as an attack on women everywhere. SATC is not exactly a feminist manifesto anyway, slutty behavior by one of the characters included.
As far as the women love shoes "dig" goes - Kass certainly didn't invent that as a special insult toward women everywhere for his column. It is a HUGE theme in SATC itself. There were many, many episodes that revolved around expensive shoes.
Margaret
Give me a damn break! Your really reaching. I could say the same thing about a lot of things black people say- how if a white person said it it'd be racist- but something tells me you don't agree with that notion.
Is it also OK for woman to talk about silly men and how dumb they are- kind of like how sex and the city is mostly that type of talk??
your ridiculous.
Margaret, I agree with you 1000%. As soon as I saw the headline and tag I wanted to tell the dude to F off. I know plenty of guys who like SATC. If you don't want to see it, just don't see it! Why the Tribune thought it was worthy of being their featured article I will never know. Then again, it is the Tribune...
I always say Hell Have no fury like a white Goo Goo Liberal!
John Kass, as a progressive writer could most certainly write a column about how Black fashion tastes and spending patterns are often predicated on historic circumstances based upon centuries of oppression, just like people of all colors including white people, write well reasoned and thoughtful books on this subject.
But it doesn’t take a PhD from Vassar
to understand that Sex in the City is written from a sad flawed pseudo-feminist wealthy narcissistic white women’s perspective.
Ohhh Margaret, did you really think that just because so many white trixie girls indoctrinate themselves to become rabid Cubie/sports freaks as a yuppie pheromone to impress/attract Joe Frat boy, that Joe Frat boy would reciprocate by liking yuppie white women mindless drivel like Sex in the City? They don’t have to like what you like because they are at the top of the food chain.
So go have your "girls night out" to see your silly little girl movie, just make sure you’re home in time to cheer Monday night foot ball with your guy Joe Frat Boy.
Charmed as always,
Yer Spook
I've got to agree with Kass on this one.
I would rather be boiled in oil than see this movie. I hate the show.
Being female, I guess I'm in the minority, but the few times I've tried to watch it after around 10 minutes or so I changed the channel.
That red headed woman...my GOD!!!!!! Does she ever stop bitching? SJP...why does she insist on dressing like an overgrown Pippilongstocking?
The dialogue, the story lines....just beyond the pale unrealistic and uninteresting. I just could never buy a guy's guy like Christopher Noth going for a grown woman whose life is about clothes and shoes and who dresses like an adolescent with a hormonal imbalance.
The one thing I really did like about the show, however, was the opening music.
I really try to stomach this show, but there's nothing that's going to make me interested in a Troll doll that dresses like a cat lady with an inheritance.
The show? Pedestrian at best... mostly emotionally masturbatory and cloying. Overall, it was little more than a convenient excuse for a few girlfriends to get together split a few bottles of wine once a week.
The movie? You're kidding yourself if you don't think that there are boyfriends everywhere that are going to be forced -- yes, forced -- to go see it.
Kass? A bit of knuckle-dragger with a spotty sense of humor and an inflated ego. But he's dead-on with this one: Boyfriends and husbands have just as much right to refuse to go see Sex and the City as girlfriends and wives do to refuse to see [stereotypical dude movie here]. Fiancees, however, must see both: There's other people's money on the line.
Regardless, lighten up, Margaret. I hope for your sake that it wasn't any kind of affinity for the hackneyed, intellectually insulting, mass-audience tripe that is SATC that caused you to go all Richie M. on Kass's ass.
Right on. Articles like Kass' are symptomatic of the prevailing attitude that there's stuff that everyone likes and then there's stuff that women like and unless you're a woman you must ignore or demean things like "chick flicks." If they made an Entourage movie, would we call it a "dick flick?" I think the two shows are comparable in that they both feature adultolescents living fantasy lives. But because Entourage is about the lives of five men instead of four women it's regarded as having universal appeal.
And I think Margaret's also right to compare this instance of sexism to racism - would the Trib ever publish a Kass editorial about how unreasonable it is for a black individual to ask their white friend to go see a Tyler Perry movie?
Oh please.
One party forcing (guilting, spite-ing, passive-aggressive-ing) another into going to see a movie is reprehensibly obnoxious, irrespective of the demographics involved.
And one more thing:
Please let's not be so silly as to pretend that SATC wasn't itself one giant (bordering on offensive at times) stereotype. Given that SATC is the root issue here, the self-righteous indignation about stereotypes -- especially male-female relationship stereotypes -- seems laughably absurd and more than a little childish.
The truth of SATC is that it's actually about four gay men, but since that show wouldn't have gotten anywhere on TV, the casting was changed to four women.
The creator of the show is gay & so were most of the writers.
They just used the title & a few details of Bushnell's book.
I 100% agree, Margaret. I was raging when I read that piece of shit column today. A good friend of mine pointed out today that Kass is nothing but a wannabe Mike Royko. At least when Royko was offensive it was amusing.
And, for the record, who the fuck is John Kass to tell women what they can spend their money on? I would rather shave off my nipples than read his column again.
Oh, and whatever anyone's opinions are about the show itself doesn't change the fact that Kass is a sexist jag.
Nor does Kass's (supposed) sexism change the fact that the show is utter trash, guilty of perpetuating more numerous and more facile stereotypes than Kass could ever hope to.
Hey Red Eye Jen, if you shave off your nipples how will you think?
F*ck you for getting all Susan B. Anthony on a backwards stupid A*S TV show/Movie that celebrates vapid narcissistic white women of
privilege. john Kass is the ONLY writer for a daily paper that takes on the power structure in this city, so watch who you call a sexist jag, you stupid jag.
Yea and people b.s about me playing the race card! I gave Margaret a break on the race piece, but you go stick your 100% agreement, moron.
Hey douche, maybe I would be offended if you could write a coherent sentence.
And if you want to find people who REALLY take on the power structure of this city, read something other than the Trib.
I don't give a shit how vapid and narcissistic the women on Sex and the City are, what the fuck do you know about the women who watch the show recreationally? There is a whole lot of trash TV out there and that is certainly not the worst of it.
It was complete bullshit to turn a woman's desire to watch a fucking movie into not knowing about men’s needs, “desires,” or “deepest hidden longings."
Does everything have to be about what men want? Since when did a woman need to be satisfying a man even when it comes to their cinematic choices. I have sat through countless trailers for shit action movies loaded with half-naked women serving no role other than eye-candy for the frat boys who choose to see the movies. Can I have a card that gets me out of seeing that shit?
If you are going to be offended by “vapid narcissistic white women of privilege,” maybe you should consider being offended by white men once again making women feel guilty for the choices they make in their own lives with their own money.
Creature.
Hey Red Eye Reading Jen
YOU have the unmitigated gaul to
say that my sentence lacks cohesion while passing off your last utterly( sad) stupid “comment” as some that resembles cohesion!!!!
Clearly I read ALOT. You Moron, clearly don’t or you wouldn’t say what you just said. And f course I’m Not surprised that you“
“don't give a shit how vapid and narcissistic the women on Sex and the City are”
Of course you don’t! Why you’re just another stupid American wallowing in the trash, all proud of yourself!. The other stuff you wrote is just too stupid to even address. But I will say this you’re a sack of sh*t intellectual coward. You make me sick. Generally its only progressive women who write about the damage of Sex in the City. Finally a “blue color( origins) white male
begins to deconstruct it albite on a more “grass roots” level, but because you actually like the stupid show, you have to lie and attack him as “sexist” to protect your self centered shallowness by hiding behind a weak feminist argument. Its called
INTERNALIZED oppression. Look it up. People like you are why the few people who take risk to tell the truth get written off and branded as “politically correct”!
And for your information. I use to watch the show COPS, but I stopped because even though I liked the show, I knew I was only supporting the perception of criminalization of another race.
p.s and I'm sure the white male power structure loves the show! Who do you think makes those prada bags and shoes that poor and barely making it girls and women are doing every thing under the sun to get so they can feel "real"? And of course look good for men!
It's funny to see the sexism angle on a show/movie about a bunch of materialistic jerks who've all got a major knight in shining armor complex. What a joke. We're such modern women, we're wild and independent but we pine for a tolerable investment banker to someday pop the question.....ungh!
Spook: "Clearly I read ALOT".
Apparently not enough to realize that "ALOT" is actually two words.
When it comes to black people, Kass usually just likes to tell them what they should think and how they should act.
Kass is a huge racist and misogynist.
He's a throwback. To 1950. He's like one of the upper management types in The Apartment.
He's no Royko. Royko wasn't the self proclaimed protector of the white male power structure.
Royko was more than happy to challenge people's assumptions. Kass wants to return us to the happy times of the 50's when women weren't "elitist" because they were stuck in the kitchen raising babies and making dinner for their husbands. And black people were crammed into tiny ghettoes and not talked about.
Kass is scumbag of the highest order.
Margaret, thanks for yet again reminding us again why you are the editor of a Bush League blog and for continuing to perpetuate the stereotype that bloggers are not 'real' journalists.
I turn on my computer with a great insult ready to fire. Only to see Plum Plum not even an adversary worthy of the time of day, let alone my prepared Shakespearian assault, shoo boy, go play.
Navin,
Seriously, for all the time that our marry band of truth tellers, have been assaulted and libeled
with the insidious “politically correct”label THIS is the first time that I've ever ecountered “political correctness” on Chicagoist.
Seriously a certain editrix needs to apologize!
Just like Sudo did when he made that date rap comment.
Something is rotten in the state of Chicagoist!
Exactly... the whole premise is a stereotype. But God-forbid that Kass (who is quite a douche himself, sure) or anyone else uses a similarly facile and played male-female-relationship stereotype. Then we have to press the "I'm So Outraged!" button.
What a joke.
Preach Rev. Preach! Praises be ta da lawd Jeseeeus!
p.s
Rev, I'll be running late for Church this Sunday, so don't look for me ;-)
I cant believe anyone cares about this its a frickin movie. It is ment as an escape and to entertain, and to make money for its creators. Im not a big fan of the show and I wont see the movie but the new Harold and kumar flick looks entertaining so I might see that.
Navin wins the day.
I agree with Margaret.
obnoxious, irritating stereotypes of women
Which is exactly what the characters of the show are, role models for shallow white urban women hoping to -fuck up- the ladder to wealthy prince valiant at the top and get the house in the country. Women as a whole are *not* like these people, thank god. As for issues of feminism or sexism, this show's certainly a couple steps back. Seriously every person these women encounter is some kind of token stereotype.
Spook...the social and cultural issues you bring up are real, and true. But you have to admit, that if the show Sex in the City did not exist, then those issues you bring up would still be around.
I guess what I am saying is that you come off as is this show either created the issues you bring up, or fuel the issues you bring up. In both cases the answer is "no".
This show touches your cultural and social issues around the 7th or 8th degree, if that.
My man Spook, fight the fight that changes the status quo. Don't waste your energy and time on something as insignificant as an HBO comedy show.
P.S. You got the Red Eye jab in, now remind us how you are from New York.
P.S.S. How can you comment on Sex in the City when children are starving (see the Jesse Jackson Jr. article to understand the "zing")
....."what I am saying is that you come off as is this show either created the issues you bring up, or fuel the issues you bring up. In both cases the answer is "no"
Nope Irishman the answer is YES! Especially in the second case, its most certainly fuel like David Bowie said “putting out fire with gasoline”, son!
Sex in the City is a very important albeit a microcosm of our cultural materialistic decay! In these times such TV shows serve as some of the biggest mass disseminators of hyper consumer behavior and culture to our decaying intellectual minds. And women and other minorities are the most vulnerable. These shows are like billions of materialistic shallow vapid cultural glowing buoys attracting a growing number of mindless and hollow souls a drift and lost at sea! Look at these Chicagoist female commentators here, trying to act all grown up like women, but nothing more than little girls fluttering around Sex in the City like moths in the night. Or like the slow walking zombies returning to the shopping Mall. They don’t know why they do it, but I sure do!
But fear not Irishmen I got something major in the works on the ground that would make your Irish Folk & Kin,like Mary Harry "Mother" Jones proud, so have a shot of Jameson's for your boy Spook tomorrow
Faith and Begora,
Yer Spook
Spook,
jameson is for sipping not shooters. but friday is close and no sun in sight. Someone slap Al gore where is the damn global warming.
p.s
Irishman
Even the worst New York paper,the Post, is infinitely better than the Red Stupid Eye!
And if I was in The NYC at this very moment, I'd go get me one and a bomb pop from a bodega, son. And I'd eat it on a stoop cause ide(sic) be HOT out side, son. In Brooklyn, son, word up.
And some keeed(sic) on the next stoop over would be blasting Wu Tang Clan on a huge radio, son!
whachew no bout dat!
WHAT A MINUTE!!
Spook, i have read your posts before. Your posts are very entertaining, and you do make me think.
HOWEVER, I just remembered...you have posted here before that you do not watch TV!!!
HOW can you comment on "Sex in the City" if you claim you do not watch TV?!?!
Spook...please advise.
P.S. The jameson is flowing tonight my man! :-)
Bravo to Navin & Rev Slappy. The voice of reason.
SATC does more to perpetuate bad female stereotypes than Kass ever can.
whatever the relative value of a tv show like satc, the attitudes of some people here toward women are quite apparent.
Do you all hate your mom's too? Or just that bitch who wouldn't sleep with you at the bar?
I love my mom,
Bigger question though: Why do you hate "Toyota" and "BT" And what is "BT"?
That bad techno artist?
Bacon & tomato perhaps?
I love my mom and my girlfriend and all women. And I find misogyny disgusting and reprehensible.
But I also think that there's a time and place for outrage and this -- very, very clearly -- isn't one of them.