Where is the Janet Jackson Documentary?
Where is the Janet Jackson Documentary?
Fancy bath caddies, nonbinary identity, and a disco playlist.
Babes,
Short little letter because next week will be a *very* juicy Valentine’s special, but I only have one thought on my mind, and that is Janet Jackson.
As we all know, yesterday was Janet Jackson Appreciation Day, and I am realizing we are long overdue for the definitive Janet documentary. I understand an unauthorized one was made back in ‘07? But I’m talking prestige. I’m talking the HBO treatment. If we’re out here making docs about Britney, Katy, Gaga, Taylor, then we damn well can make one about the legacy of Janet. There is also so much to mine from her experience in the public eye (and then retreat from it), which Black cultural historians have been talking about for ages.
The closest thing I think we have is this Still Processing ep which dissected her career within the context of the systemic racism and misogyny that led to her excommunication from entertainment following the ‘04 SuperBowl. I’ll give it a re-listen while I wait for this call to be answered.
Xx Fran
some things that brought me joy this week
1. Thanks to the absolutely abhorrent lack of music knowledge displayed on last week’s Drag Race, I have fine-tuned my disco(ish) playlist. Anything I should add?
2. My friend Tre’vell wrote a piece about the complexities of nonbinary-ness as the label popularizes. I’m sure many of you know someone who identifies as nonbinary, but does not identify as trans. Tre’vell very incisively picks through the nuances of that identification in an honest way that doesn’t really seek any kind of resolution. As someone whose gender is an ongoing project, I don’t think I’ve ever read something so cathartic and reflective about my own fluidity.
3. I am now the proud owner of a hinoki bath tray. The Japanese cypress tree is one of my favorite scents ever and this tray gives off a beautiful spa smell. So excited to take this bad boi for a steamy spin.
4. This recommendation comes from a darling Zommy subscriber! The BAAITS 10th Anniversary Two-Spirit Powwow Stream is a queer indigenous dance circle providing sacred space for all spirits. It is gorgeously programmed, very accessible, well produced, and chockful of learnings — for a morsel, skip to 47:00~ for an explanation of the conch shell as a sacred object of queerness and ceremony. I’ve loved having this on in the background while I work.
5. Brontez Purnell’s 100 Boyfriends is a book designed for my horny emo sensibility. A novel in stories, Brontez spins a series of sexual encounters with, well, not-really boyfriends. “They were all like pieces of bubblegum you chew hours after the flavor leaves and that you accidentally swallow, and then (supposedly) sit in your guts for seven years.” Smart! Sensitive! Gratuitous! Sexy! And a quick read too.
6. I loved this oral history of Whitney Houston’s National Anthem. It was so thoughtful and helped me understand the complexity of what Whitney did on the musical and cultural level. If you haven’t already, the Whitney doc also has an incredible background story on the performance — specifically that she only listened to the arrangement *once* before doing the pretape in ONE TAKE. A god.
7. I know this is gratuitous plug, but my podcast truly makes me so joyful y’all. After a very long pandemic-induced hiatus, Food 4 Thot is dropping new episodes every week of February to celebrate four years of slutty goodness. Each episode focuses on a stage of desire: Fantasy, Attraction, Courting, and Sex! I’ve missed my Thots! Give ‘em a listen!
this week’s action
My friend Kia is on a quest to feed her community through an ambitious and creative mutual aid effort. As someone who has eaten Kia’s food, watched her glow up over and over, and shared space with her radiant joy, I cannot even begin to describe how contributing to her effort is worth your while.