Culture in America is changing, and people are being more open about their dislike for a lot of the things that Hollywood has been doing. So instead of adjusting and giving fans the kind of entertainment they’d enjoy, Hollywood’s masterminds have switched to using a code phrase that signals like-minded individuals while fooling everyone else into thinking there’s some hope they may make something the average viewer might enjoy.
Before they started using this code, everything was out in the open. Disney would gleefully announce they were gender-swapping your favorite character, or rewriting your favorite franchise to fit their current political preferences, and then act offended when nobody liked it. Whether I personally liked what they were doing or not, the honesty was appreciated.
Then South Park started making fun of them. I don’t think it’s possible to overestimate just how important that show’s 2023 episode “Joining the Panderverse” was. In that episode, Trey Parker and Matt Stone attacked Disney with the same vicious vigor they’ve recently and successfully directed at Donald Trump.
Cartman’s refrain of “make it a chick and make it lame” hit close to home because that’s exactly what Disney had been doing, and everyone had been too afraid of cancel culture backlash to say it. South Park fears nothing.
They’d been outed. People knew what was up. So the Hollywood delusionals who’ve been ruining everything couldn’t openly say “hey, let’s make this beloved character a woman” anymore. Their choices were either to change what they were doing or lie about it. They’ve chosen to lie about it.
To cover their tracks, Hollywood’s true believers have begun using this code phrase: “Especially right now with what’s going on in the world.”
“Especially right now with what’s going on in the world.”
It’s just vague enough that those who aren’t paying attention might assume these words mean something good. Because what is going on right now? If you’re a middle-class family struggling to make ends meet in Belton, Texas, what’s going on right now is the high property taxes and the failing education system. And if someone were actually to make a program commenting on that, you’d probably think that was pretty awesome.
Except that’s not what they mean at all. They don’t know what’s going on right now with you, and they don’t care. What’s going on for them is fighting desperately to protect some weird sort of fringe ideology that, according to recent polling, nearly 90% of the people in their audience want nothing to do with.
“Especially right now with what’s going on in the world,” is Hollywood’s new way of saying “make it a chick and make it lame.”
Earlier this week, Ben Stiller said he wants to make a Star Trek movie. He explained his plan this way: “Especially right now with what’s going on in the world… It’s an important time to have Star Trek movies out in the world.”
What Ben Stiller actually means is: I want to burrow into Star Trek and wear it like a skin suit while I use it to project my personal political ideology on you. I know if I were up front about it, you’d turn off your television and call me a lunatic.
With what’s going on in the world right now, I don’t think that code phrase is going to help. Everyone’s on to them, and no one’s listening anymore. Stop lying, stop trying to trick us into embracing your weird ideas and let us have our own weird ideas. Get back to focusing on good writing. That’s always been more important than your message.