Latest news with #Johanssen
Atlantic
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
The Couples Are Talking Past Each Other on SNL
There's a low-stakes thrill in eavesdropping on strangers from afar, especially if the exchange descends into chaos. Yet a sketch in last night's season finale of Saturday Night Live —which revolved around two couples at a bar boisterously fighting for a preferred table as two men watched nearby, whiskies in hand—raised the stakes of voyeurism in fascinating ways. The sketch begins with Ego Nwodim and Marcello Hernández 's characters having glasses of wine at a bar; she is ready to move in after three weeks of dating, and he is sweatily trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. He gets a break when another woman, played by this week's host, Scarlett Johanssen, insists that their table belongs to her and her man—played by musical guest Bad Bunny. After Nwodim urges Hernández to defend her honor, he gets in Bad Bunny's face—shouts, ' Ay! '—and they erupt in loud Spanish. But here's what he really says: 'I'm sorry, but my woman is a pain in my ass!' Picking up on the stray mention of ' culo,' Nwodim jumps in: 'That's right, he's about to beat your ass!' The table argument is a flimsy premise, but it establishes Johanssen's character as territorial and, crucially, inspiring terror in her paramour. Instead of demanding the table, Bad Bunny commiserates with Hernández: 'Well mine too—and I'm afraid of her!' He looks back at Johanssen nervously, then confesses: 'I know we're not supposed to say that women are crazy. But this one? She's crazy!' Hearing him say ' loca,' Johanssen chirps up: 'Do you hear that? He's gonna go loca on you!' Meanwhile, the eavesdropping barflies (played by Andrew Dismukes and James Austin Johnson) look on with glee at what looks like a raging bar fight: 'I feel like I'm watching a telenovela,' Johnson says, scratching his chin and practically licking his chops. Dismukes hopes it'll end in a 'slap and kiss': 'See in their culture, the line between passion and violence is paper thin.' Johanssen's botched attempts at Spanish ('I'm about to asparagus nothing more and your ankle!') make for good comedy, but the sketch's best work isn't done by the peeved girlfriends or the barflies' misbegotten commentary. Instead, it lies in the gap between what these non-Spanish speakers are confidently reading into the situation, casting these men as macho Latino guys in some exotic melodrama, and what the men are actually saying. They're not only misunderstanding the words; they're missing the subtext. And so might some viewers. For these onlookers, the boyfriends are assuming archetypal roles that are completely at odds with how they actually feel, and their conversation deepens into a heart-to-heart between two strangers who don't know how to quit a relationship they know is bad for them. As the argument grows more heated between Nwodim and Johanssen, Bad Bunny reassures her: 'Baby baby baby, you're talking about asparagus. Let me handle this.' He lets out a little 'heh'—in a moment that displays his natural comedic timing. Instead of puffing his chest out, he goes even deeper with Hernández: 'Why do you think we have such bad luck in love?' he cries out. Hernández takes the opportunity to confess a hard truth about himself, bellowing: 'Honestly, I think I seek it out!' In fact, the sketch is even more nuanced than non-Spanish-speaking SNL viewers will know, in part because of the live show's limitations. The terse subtitles elide the subtleties of Hernández and Bad Bunny's banter in Caribbean-inflected Spanish. (Hernández is Cuban and Dominican, and Bad Bunny is Puerto Rican.) When Hernández admits that 'in his heart, I think I want a woman who's off her rocker'—his literal phrase is 'crazier than a coffee maker'—the subtitles neuter the sarcasm entirely, reading: 'Because deep down I want a woman who is not mentally stable.' At other points the subtitles arrive too late, for instance making Bad Bunny's expertly delivered lament—'Instead of thinking with our head, we think with the other one!'—land with a slightly awkward thud. Some parts of their dialogue aren't even translated, such as when Bad Bunny says: 'I feel you, brother.' The gag at the end is that no one gets the table at all. Hernández and Bad Bunny agree that there are some perks to their current circumstances, particularly in the bedroom. They cackle and bro-hug, confusing Johanssen. 'Why are you two laughing? What did you just say?' She didn't know what was going on after all, because just like the barflies, she thought she was watching a telenovela: A machista argument about honor, resulting in blows and a triumphant return to their favorite two-top. On the surface, this is just another SNL sketch about messed-up relationships and whether straight men are okay. But in its deliberate and inadvertent mistranslations, it also poses an intriguing question to its audience: How much truth can we really discern from a stranger that we watch from across the distance of a bar table or a language barrier? Nothing much, it turns out.
The Star
23-04-2025
- The Star
Why toxic masculinity is gaining prominence and influencing young people
Toxic masculinity peddled by online influencers is becoming increasingly prominent, experts say, buoyed by the resurgence of far-right ideology and a virulent backlash against feminism. In March, a 26-year-old man was jailed in Britain for killing his ex-girlfriend, her sister and her mother with a crossbow and knife in 2024. Kyle Clifford's trial heard that he had watched videos by self-proclaimed misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate hours before the horrific murders. Tate has more than 10 million followers on X and is popular with young men on the platform, where he shares his violent vision of masculinity. While Tate was banned on Instagram and TikTok for his misogynistic tirades, his X account was restored by Elon Musk when the billionaire bought the platform in 2022. Now, the British-American figurehead of the online masculinist movement has left Romania for the United States with his brother Tristan, despite facing rape and human trafficking charges in Bucharest. The two brothers are now in Florida, where a criminal investigation has been opened against them. According to Jacob Johanssen, associate professor of communications at St Mary's University in London, there has been 'a normalisation of misogyny, rape culture and violence against women and girls'. The rise of the so-called 'manosphere' – made up of online forums and communities that promote masculinism and misogyny – is 'intrinsically linked to the growth of right-wing populism across many parts of the world', Johanssen said. Men 'alienated' With some policies against diversity and inclusion hailed by hard-right politicians in several countries, the 'anti-woke' rhetoric is gaining ground. 'What we're seeing is a new dynamic,' said Joshua Thorburn, a doctoral candidate at Australia's Monash University researching online misogyny, adding that there is now 'more visibility' for such ideas. While some feminist researchers have long warned of an impending conservative backlash against advances in women's rights, experts point to a crisis in masculinity. 'We live in an unstable and precarious world and men, as well as everyone else, face many problems today. They feel alienated,' according to Johanssen. This, experts say, is where the manosphere comes in, with its online forums and YouTube channels. 'The different communities in the manosphere function like self-help groups for men where they can discuss issues such as mental health, vulnerability or loneliness,' Johanssen said. 'But at the same time, those spaces also contain very toxic discussions of misogyny and sexism.' Understanding boys and young men According to Thorburn, a large section of manosphere content also 'relates to things a lot of young men may be looking for online, such as dating advice, health, fitness advice and financial advice'. 'A young man or teenager may not be explicitly searching for misogynistic content when they first encounter a manosphere influencer's content or a manosphere community,' he said. A 15-year-old Londoner called Alistair said he enjoys this kind of content. He is a fan of the YouTube channel and podcast FreshandFit, which describes itself as dedicated to 'men's self-improvement'. However, in addition to videos on how to achieve dream muscles, other segments discuss why 'women are so hypocritical' or why men and women 'could never be equal'. Alistair, who is also a fan of Andrew Tate, does not see any issue. 'It's about sport and how to make it in life,' the secondary school pupil said. 'Where's the harm?' The British television series Adolescence has won praise recently for its exploration of the subject through the story of a 13-year-old boy who murders a schoolgirl, influenced by online misogyny. The screenwriters said they were inspired by several real-life events and hoped the show could help audiences understand how boys and young men are influenced by the manosphere. – AFP Relaxnews
Express Tribune
21-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Toxic masculinity is back
Andrew Tate uses X to share his violent vision of masculinity. Photo: AFP Toxic masculinity peddled by online influencers is becoming increasingly prominent, experts say, buoyed by the resurgence of far-right ideology and a virulent backlash against feminism. In March, a 26-year-old man was jailed in the UK for killing his ex-girlfriend, her sister and her mother with a crossbow and knife in 2024. Kyle Clifford's trial heard that he had watched videos by self-proclaimed misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate hours before the horrific murders. Tate has more than 10 million followers on X and is popular with young men on the platform, where he shares his violent vision of masculinity. While Tate was banned on Instagram and TikTok for his misogynistic tirades, his X account was restored by Elon Musk when the billionaire bought the platform in 2022. Now, the British-American figurehead of the online masculinist movement has left Romania for the United States with his brother Tristan, despite facing rape and human trafficking charges in Bucharest. The two brothers, outspoken supporters of US President Donald Trump, are now in Florida, where a criminal investigation has been opened against them. According to Jacob Johanssen, associate professor of communications at St Mary's University in London, there has been "a normalisation of misogyny, rape culture and violence against women and girls". The rise of the so-called "manosphere" – made up of online forums and communities that promote masculinism and misogyny – is "intrinsically linked to the growth of right-wing populism across many parts of the world", Johanssen told AFP. Men 'alienated' With Trump's offensive against diversity and inclusion policies, hailed by hard-right politicians in several countries, "anti-woke" rhetoric is gaining ground. In January, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg called for a return to "masculine energy". "What we're seeing is a new dynamic," said Joshua Thorburn, a doctoral candidate at Australia's Monash University researching online misogyny, adding that there is now "more visibility" for such ideas. While some feminist researchers have long warned of an impending conservative backlash against advances in women's rights, experts interviewed by AFP point to a crisis in masculinity. "We live in an unstable and precarious world and men, as well as everyone else, face many problems today. They feel alienated," according to Johanssen. This, experts say, is where the manosphere comes in, with its online forums and YouTube channels. "The different communities in the manosphere function like self-help groups for men where they can discuss issues such as mental health, vulnerability or loneliness," Johanssen said. "But at the same time, those spaces also contain very toxic discussions of misogyny and sexism." 'Tricking' young men According to Thorburn, a large section of manosphere content also "relates to things a lot of young men may be looking for online, such as dating advice, health and fitness advice, and financial advice". "A young man or teenager may not be explicitly searching for misogynistic content when they first encounter a manosphere influencer's content or a manosphere community," he said. AFP spoke to a 15-year-old Londoner called Alistair who said he enjoys this kind of content. He is a fan of the YouTube channel and podcast FreshandFit, which describes itself as dedicated to "men's self-improvement". However, in addition to videos on how to achieve dream muscles, other segments discuss why "women are so hypocritical" or why men and women "could never be equal". Alistair, who is also a fan of Andrew Tate, does not see any issue. "It's about sport and how to make it in life," the secondary school pupil told AFP. "Where's the harm?" In recent weeks, the British television series Adolescence has won praise for its exploration of the subject through the story of a 13-year-old boy who murders a schoolgirl, influenced by online misogyny. The screenwriters said they were inspired by several real-life events and hoped the show could help audiences understand how boys and young men are influenced by the manosphere. In a speech on Wednesday, former England football manager Gareth Southgate slammed "toxic" influencers who "trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance... and that the world, including women, is against them". AFP
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Return of the alpha male: Why toxic masculinity is gaining prominence
Toxic masculinity peddled by online influencers is becoming increasingly prominent, experts say, buoyed by the resurgence of far-right ideology and a virulent backlash against feminism. In March, a 26-year-old man was jailed in the UK for killing his ex-girlfriend, her sister and her mother with a crossbow and knife in 2024. Kyle Clifford's trial heard that he had watched videos by self-proclaimed misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate hours before the horrific murders. Tate has more than 10 million followers on X and is popular with young men on the platform, where he shares his violent vision of masculinity. While Tate was banned on Instagram and TikTok for his misogynistic tirades, his X account was restored by Elon Musk when the billionaire bought the platform in 2022. Now, the British-American figurehead of the online masculinist movement has left Romania for the United States with his brother Tristan, despite facing rape and human trafficking charges in Bucharest. The two brothers, outspoken supporters of US President Donald Trump, are now in Florida, where a criminal investigation has been opened against them. According to Jacob Johanssen, associate professor of communications at St Mary's University in London, there has been "a normalisation of misogyny, rape culture and violence against women and girls". The rise of the so-called "manosphere" -- made up of online forums and communities that promote masculinism and misogyny -- is "intrinsically linked to the growth of right-wing populism across many parts of the world", Johanssen told AFP. - Men 'alienated' - With Trump's offensive against diversity and inclusion policies, hailed by hard-right politicians in several countries, "anti-woke" rhetoric is gaining ground. In January, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg called for a return to "masculine energy". "What we're seeing is a new dynamic," said Joshua Thorburn, a doctoral candidate at Australia's Monash University researching online misogyny, adding that there is now "more visibility" for such ideas. While some feminist researchers have long warned of an impending conservative backlash against advances in women's rights, experts interviewed by AFP point to a crisis in masculinity. "We live in an unstable and precarious world and men, as well as everyone else, face many problems today. They feel alienated," according to Johanssen. This, experts say, is where the manosphere comes in, with its online forums and YouTube channels. "The different communities in the manosphere function like self-help groups for men where they can discuss issues such as mental health, vulnerability or loneliness," Johanssen said. "But at the same time, those spaces also contain very toxic discussions of misogyny and sexism." - 'Tricking' young men - According to Thorburn, a large section of manosphere content also "relates to things a lot of young men may be looking for online, such as dating advice, health and fitness advice, and financial advice". "A young man or teenager may not be explicitly searching for misogynistic content when they first encounter a manosphere influencer's content or a manosphere community," he said. AFP spoke to a 15-year-old Londoner called Alistair who said he enjoys this kind of content. He is a fan of the YouTube channel and podcast FreshandFit, which describes itself as dedicated to "men's self-improvement". However, in addition to videos on how to achieve dream muscles, other segments discuss why "women are so hypocritical" or why men and women "could never be equal". Alistair, who is also a fan of Andrew Tate, does not see any issue. "It's about sport and how to make it in life," the secondary school pupil told AFP. "Where's the harm?" In recent weeks, the British television series "Adolescence" has won praise for its exploration of the subject through the story of a 13-year-old boy who murders a schoolgirl, influenced by online misogyny. The screenwriters said they were inspired by several real-life events and hoped the show could help audiences understand how boys and young men are influenced by the manosphere. In a speech on Wednesday, former England football manager Gareth Southgate slammed "toxic" influencers who "trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance... and that the world, including women, is against them". adm/alm/aks/lcm/bc
