Speaker 1 00:00:06 Hi, and welcome to season two of does this make me look old, a podcast about aging as gracefully as possible when you're just not ready or too
Speaker 2 00:00:14 Middle aged friends, one middle-aged friend and one friend who seems to be diluted about her age, who wants to discuss topics around aging as they're starting to become more relevant to us, whether one wants to admit that to themselves or not.
Speaker 1 00:00:29 Yes, well I'm SIM and anthropologist at heart Dory from finding Nemo in spirit and basically never going to be the type to Everett,
Speaker 2 00:00:38 Maybe to be moved. And I'm sure a physician interested in the science and medicine around aging, but also interested in how society and the media look at aging. And if that means that I have to take the hit by reading gossip, blogs to find out I will do so
Speaker 1 00:00:51 This season, we channel our love for pop culture and talk about shows, books, people, everything, all through the lens of getting
Speaker 2 00:01:00 We'll be covering topics such as how sexuality changes as you age aging as a disease, and even how sex and the city approaches aging. Now that Carrie is in her fifties
Speaker 1 00:01:09 Throughout it all. We chat Lance and laugh butter own adult illness.
Speaker 2 00:01:14 So join us as we navigate our second quarter-life crisis.
Speaker 1 00:01:20 Hi, and welcome to this week's episode of does this make me look old? I'm sad. And with me, we have a very raspy still ship.
Speaker 3 00:01:30 Oh my God. Hi. Yeah. COVID is nothing to laugh about.
Speaker 1 00:01:35 Sorry. I'm not laughing at you. No, actually I'm not laughing at you.
Speaker 3 00:01:42 Oh no, it's fine. I know, I know. I keep thinking that I'll wake up one day and my voice will go back to normal, but like, I don't even know. And you know, the crazy thing is, is that the other day I was listening to our pod. Yes. I sometimes listen to our pod and like, I was like, oh, who is that person who actually has a normal voice? It feels like I've had this forever. It's just, although I was telling, I was telling SIM this offline, but my car finally recognizes me at a lower pitch. I'm convinced that that I'm convinced it's sexist.
Speaker 1 00:02:15 I think it is actually because after you told me that story, I tried it with Google AI, like, you know, like, Hey Google, like on my phone lowered my register and sure enough, it actually picked it up right away. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:02:31 Yeah. I'm telling you, I think that they test it on male voices only. I think like our pictures are too high and then just like, doesn't recognize it. Don't get me started about how many times I've yelled at the AI in my car. It's it's unreal. But now, now she recognizes me. Now she say, oh, Nope, not at all, but a woman,
Speaker 1 00:02:58 Whatever you don't care, she'll wait around.
Speaker 3 00:03:01 Yeah, exactly. Why should I cater to you? Your female?
Speaker 1 00:03:08 I have to say does sound better than it did a few weeks ago.
Speaker 3 00:03:12 Okay. That's good. That's what people have been telling me, but sometimes I think they're just saying that to make me feel.
Speaker 1 00:03:16 No, no. So it's like you start off raspy, but then your normal voice sort of starts seeping in a little bit and then it goes back. So I think it's still sort of modulating itself, but it's breaking, breaking through it's breaking
Speaker 3 00:03:29 It'll eventually come back. Yes,
Speaker 1 00:03:31 Exactly. Oh, gosh. So do you want to, I was actually going to say, do you want to introduce the topic that we are going to talk about today?
Speaker 3 00:03:40 Sure. Yeah. So we're still continuing with the whole sex in the city reboot and just like that. And so this week we're going to talk about the fact that, and just like, that has been, it has been trying to address some of the comments that were made in the past about how the cast was very, very, I guess, flat in terms of its diversity. It didn't have very many people of color or even P like, or, you know, or like it would address kind of gender identity issues, but like very kind of in passing and not very, and not in a very, like, what's the word I'm looking for? Like very progressive way, but like, and I'm sure our listeners are wondering. Yeah, but what does that have anything to do with aging? So our question today is did, and just like that deal with the sort of diversity issue in a good way. And in dealing with it, the sex and the city women have been kind of, when I say women, I do mean women. Like not, you know, like not the non binary characters in it. Like, it's just like the three main characters who are like, obviously they gender identify as women. Um, well actually, no, I was going to say CIS women, but that's not true. Um, so anyway, all this to say, would those women in this day and age have issues with diversity as portrayed in the show?
Speaker 1 00:05:09 Yes. I think that, uh, you know, you're right. Um, and, and I remember one of my main issues when I first started watching and just like that, I mean, mind you, it, it has settled in a little bit for me, but I, maybe it was the fact that they were trying to introduce to first of all, too much wokeness, I'm going to say it in a very condensed period of time. Yeah. And so the way they were doing it felt incredibly unnatural to me.
Speaker 3 00:05:41 Yeah. It was like too much too fast.
Speaker 1 00:05:43 It was too much too fast. But ironically, my complaint is that it shouldn't have been such a jolt to them in the first few episodes.
Speaker 3 00:05:53 Exactly. I think I okay. Yeah. I know. I totally agree with, so, okay. So for people who haven't watched the show, we'll just give you
Speaker 1 00:06:00 Again. We'll have yet again, boilers. These are, yes.
Speaker 3 00:06:06 This is not a spoiler free zone.
Speaker 1 00:06:09 No, we do not always.
Speaker 3 00:06:15 Exactly. So anyway, with regard to the show, they've introduced some new characters into the sex and the city universe let's call it. Some of whom are people of color. So there's, what was it? Lisa? Todd Wesley, right? That's Charlotte's new friends. Okay. Anyway, LTW, I think they call her. So she's Charlotte's friend. She is African American or black. Then there's also like Miranda's friend who is Naya. I don't remember her last name, but she's like a law professor, but she's also black. And then Sima Patel. Who's Carrie's friends. She is of Indian descent. And then there's Che, there's actually a few there's. So then Carrie works with Diaz who is nonbinary and, uh, Mexican Irish. And she, uh, sorry. She, they, oh, see, I need to, I need to work on this too. So anyway, so they are, I think they are based on the act, the actor who was also Mexican Irish. So Sarah Ramirez, so, uh, who used to be on Grey's anatomy played, um, Cassie. Who was it? Was it Cassie Kelly? No, I don't know. I didn't really watch grace. I just remember she was the orthopod. That's all I remember. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:07:30 And just for the record, I'm Sima Patel's real name is Serita Choudhry.
Speaker 3 00:07:34 Yes. Yeah. So then, so, okay. So Che Diaz, Sima Patel, Naya, and, uh, Lisa Todd, Wesley. And then, um, oh, and then Jackie, who works with Carrie and chase. So he's, um, he, I'm going to say Asian because I'm not sure if he's east Asian or Southeast Asian, but he's Asian of Asian descent and, um, I think that's it, isn't it.
Speaker 1 00:08:02 Yeah. Overall
Speaker 3 00:08:03 I think those are the main characters. Yeah. Yeah. And so it's interesting because like
Speaker 1 00:08:11 They introduced those individuals by the way, but it was just the three women's reactions to certain things around them or surround, you know, surrounding those encounters that,
Speaker 3 00:08:25 Yeah. So it's the other thing I find really interesting is that they use Miranda and Charlotte as the foils for comedy. Did you notice that with character, there was nothing, they know everything seemed to go smoothly and she was totally fine with the fact that like she was dealing with a woman of color, but like, yeah. So Charlotte,
Speaker 1 00:08:43 I expected that is how I expected Miranda and Charlotte and Charlotte Miranda is a lawyer, corporate lawyer, New York, Charlotte. I get like, you know, you're a homemaker, you gave up your career, your F you know, like you're literally the Stepford wife character. Right. So fine. If you happen to not know weirdly enough, weird as it may seem to me, you may not know other people of color in LA, even though you live in New York city. And even though you guys like now, you guys are all privileged and have a lot of money, but when, you know, you guys started back in the day, you know, first of all, that would, it would have been nice to have seen you develop some of these friendships back then, but nevermind. Um, you know, you haven't actually done it, but to not understand the context and, and, and play it off for laughs to the degree that they did, there's like the scene with Charlotte, trying to find another black couple to invite them for your series. You've never had a black friend come over for dinner before.
Speaker 3 00:09:51 I know it's well, okay. So, okay. I know you're cutting Charlotte a little bit of slack because she hasn't, you know, like, yeah, she is, she now basically a state stay-at-home mom. Right. But the thing is, is I would actually think that she would have more interaction with people of color because her kids are now in their teens, which would mean that she would have been exposed to people and their parents like, should be exposed to kids. Oh.
Speaker 1 00:10:20 With, with, with her friend. Like,
Speaker 3 00:10:23 And then what I find strange is that now she's making friends with the black woman when like all this time sh like she and her kids have been growing up with other people in the school city,
Speaker 1 00:10:34 New York city,
Speaker 3 00:10:35 There was like 10, 15 years where you just didn't ever have like any interaction with anybody of color in your
Speaker 1 00:10:44 Right. Oh yeah. I remember our neighbors. We were going to have lunch with them or dinner with them, but how do you not develop friendships or, or acquaintances enough? Like she, you know what I mean? Like,
Speaker 3 00:10:56 Aren't you part of like, aren't you part of like parental groups at all? And none of them have been people of color. Like, it makes no sense to me
Speaker 1 00:11:05 Renda too. Right? Like where the whole encounter of first of all, her ageist attitude, I guess. Right. Where, when, you know, when she mistakes, the professor. Okay.
Speaker 3 00:11:18 Oh, no, that wasn't ageist. That was that I didn't, I didn't think that was ages. I thought that that was the, like, she just, that she just didn't recognize that woman as a professor, right? Oh, it was ageist. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:11:35 But she thought, but
Speaker 3 00:11:36 It came up as,
Speaker 1 00:11:39 It will definitely came off as racist. So I wasn't even going to go there yet. Right. But even though from an each perspective, I thought that maybe it was a little bit like, cause she didn't look as, I don't know, maturely my interpretation of it.
Speaker 3 00:11:57 Yeah. So, so what, from what I remember of that scene, what had happened was Miranda came into, um, basically a S like a circle of seats and she was sitting in the professor's chair and then like every, all her students, all the other students said, no, no, no. That's where this professor sits. You have to find another chair. So she finds another chair. And then when the professor actually comes in and so the professor is like a black woman, she says, oh no, that's where the professor sits. And so then it comes off a little bit racist. And then, but then when she's like, well, I'm the professor. And then she said, oh, no, I didn't recognize you because of your hair. And so then it sounds even more racist, like, so like, so I didn't think it was an age thing at all. Like it was,
Speaker 1 00:12:46 I think,
Speaker 3 00:12:46 Like it's just a misunderstanding. I think it was just a misunderstanding on Miranda's part, but the way that she like explained what was happening, just made it sound very racist.
Speaker 1 00:12:55 No, for sure. I think the ages for me, it felt like where she was talking about the hairstyle and, and the racist element aside, which I was going to go to next. But, but yeah, but it was also like, you know, like her picture in the website was, I guess more, I don't know, to me, I guess it, it came across as like, you know, more professors slash more mature or whatever. Right. So she couldn't actually put that this person was the professor, even though she had looked her up and seen her picture on the website, you know? So the racist element is of course there, um, which, you know, is another issue. But for me, like I did take it to mean that what, like, she's not allowed to change up her hairstyle or looks like different, you know, from what her overall picture was. And then Nikki, no professors pictures, usually on websites, I guess I was picturing something a little bit more serious, you know, whereas her personality, um, the professors, you know, personality was a little bit more vibrant, her style and everything. So maybe that's why I was, I interpreted.
Speaker 3 00:14:03 Yeah, no, no, I didn't interpret it like that at all. I, it cause like, I, I think if, because I am in academics, like I don't actually have any, like, I don't have any preconception of what a professor should look like really, because like, we all look very different,
Speaker 1 00:14:17 So no, you're absolutely right. Right. But, but I, to me, like the, that whole encounter played off in both a racist and a little bit of an ageist way.
Speaker 3 00:14:28 Yeah. Whereas I didn't pick up on anything ages. I think of it. Like, and I think like her comment about the hair, which may be true, like it could be a different hairstyle. Like it just comes off like sh I don't think she should have mentioned it at all, just because yeah. Like it just like, I don't understand. I don't even understand why I understand how you could, like, not recognize somebody because they have a different hairstyle. It's just very strange. Like the whole thing was very strange.
Speaker 1 00:14:58 It was just very awkwardly done. And, um, you know, and I think that's what brings us to this week's topic. Right? Like, as in, how do you get to be in your fifties, I'm living in one of the most multicultural, vibrant cities in the world and then have such awkward cringe-worthy encounters with people of color or other diverse dimensions, you know? Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:15:33 I know. I find that the gender identity issues, I look and see, like I can see because people end up kind of staying in their own little social circles and that might not include people of different gender identities, but race is a little bit straight.
Speaker 1 00:15:47 No, but even that one though, right. This is where like, they've like Carrie's best friend, um, Stanford. Yeah. Um, and, and what's, um, Anthony. Yeah. Charlotte's best friend. So they're from, you know, the queer community. So how would these issues not have been discussed with their best friends and how it's impacting them, especially with the stuff that's happened over the last 10 years.
Speaker 3 00:16:13 That's true. But then that, that, that assumes that Anthony and Stanford are friends with people who are transgendered. No,
Speaker 1 00:16:21 No, but at least you're right. That does. But, um, and maybe they are not, but what they, but what overall the issues at some point in some shape or form not have come up and on dinner?
Speaker 3 00:16:35 I mean, yeah. Maybe, maybe not. I mean, like, you don't know what, you don't know, the conversations people are having at dinner, like whether or not they're comfortable bringing that up in like in discourse. Right. Like, so I don't know that I don't know the gender identity issues. I don't know the race ones that were a little strange. Like I feel
Speaker 1 00:16:56 Friends, chef that we just have the most random topics that are covered To like, you know,
Speaker 3 00:17:06 Exactly. Well, the thing is, is that you don't know what people are comfortable talking about with other parents.
Speaker 1 00:17:11 That is true. I think maybe, I mean, I guess I'm trying not to be too hard on this, but the whole diversity aspect of how they introduced so many multiple topics all at the same time, trying to make it that, oh, look, we're landing on the right side. Yamaha, we're making a few mistakes along the way because we're old and we didn't know any better, but you know, I think that's how it came across. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:17:36 Yeah, exactly. I think that's, that's my issue with it is just that, like, are you saying that it's like that because they're in their fifties and they're stuck in their ways? Like, I didn't understand that.
Speaker 1 00:17:46 Yeah. How do you not keep up with all that?
Speaker 3 00:17:49 And the other thing was, was that like Charlotte has a daughter who is a person of color, like Lily is
Speaker 1 00:17:57 Nice. Was that with all the Asian hate stuff that happened.
Speaker 3 00:18:01 Exactly.
Speaker 1 00:18:05 Exactly. Who is this? So, so privileged. And if that is what it is like, um, that echelon of society, like, oh my God, like I have no words, but again, it's New York, you know?
Speaker 3 00:18:21 Yeah. I don't know. It's a bit it's yeah. That I find a bit strange. Like I think it's just like, I don't understand why, why they wouldn't have well, I think, okay. Okay. I think that, I feel like it's a bit disingenuous because I have a feeling that these women probably would have, like, you know, these women probably would have come into contact with people of color, like multiple times over the course of their lives in various aspects. Right. But then like the question of whether or not they would make friends with them is another issue. But that issue. Yeah. But then like, but I guess my thing w I guess my issue with it is that like, yeah, a lot of this is probably being done to service the show, a to address those comments about the fact that, like, it wasn't very diverse in the past.
Speaker 3 00:19:11 And then B to actually, like, I don't know, like use the women in ways to kind of educate the public about these issues. It's just that it was done in such a cringy way. Like, I think that was my problem with it was, it was like, I guess they were doing just for comedic effect. They were doing the comedic effect. And it wasn't, I didn't think there was, there should have been other ways of kind of dealing with it. Like, I don't know. It's funny. Cause I was listening to the, I was listening to the writers podcast about this. And so it's basically got like, um, Michael Patrick King and uh, who's the show runner as well as like the other writers in the group. Oh. And actually their writer's room was quite diverse. So there's, there was a two, two black women, one who is from the queer community and then there's, and I'm sure this is how they were able to, you know, put a lot of like the Indian culture into Sima's character was because one of them is actually Indian.
Speaker 3 00:20:10 So that was nice to see, like at these, like the writer's room was just as diverse as the characters on the screen. Um, and I think like, at least with like the transgendered issues that they kept bringing up, at least Michael Patrick King, like tried to do the work of like talking to people in that community in order to see whether or not like what they were writing was like was okay. Right. Because like, I think one of the things that I actually appreciated was like, I think there's one line that Chad does in their quote comedy routine don't even get me started with a comedy. It's just oh, anyway, whatever. Um, but like my cause I don't know. Did you find any of what Jay was saying? Funny. It seemed like a Tony Robbins. Like, it seemed like a Tony Robbins concert, not concert, but like Tony Robbins talk, but for like the queer community, it was really bizarre. Like,
Speaker 1 00:21:03 Yeah. Yeah. I, I, yeah. I don't know why they decided to make her up community
Speaker 3 00:21:08 Comedian. Yeah. I know. I was just side, meaning me, her like, uh, I don't know, like a life coach type or something like that would have made
Speaker 1 00:21:17 Like the podcast star that she is like, maybe she's, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:21:21 I know he was really like, I'm like, none of this is like standup comedy material anyway, whatever. But like the one thing that they did bring up in the writers room and on the show was the fact that like, if there is a transgendered person in the show, it's always like one person and they're always sad. Like something happens to them and it's always sad. And I think it's true. Like I remember like when I was like, especially in the nineties, whenever you'd watch like queer film, like if there's a transgendered person, like something bad would always happen to them. And they were always, it was always the most depressing storyline. And I was just like, oh, this is like, really? It's not cool.
Speaker 1 00:22:00 Yeah. Listen, there's a lot to unpack and there's a lot to adapt to. Right. Like when you reboot a show, how many years? 15 years later. 20 years later.
Speaker 3 00:22:14 Yeah. I feel when, well, I mean, I dunno it's hard because they had the movies in between, right?
Speaker 1 00:22:21 Yeah. So, so yeah, so anyway, let's, let's say 15 for a nice number there, but, um, you know, so there is a lot to sort of make sure, you know, update, I guess, you know? Um, and so you have to do it in a plausible way cringe-worthy or not, you know, as it was. Um, but I have to say one of my favorite aspects of it,
Speaker 3 00:22:45 But like,
Speaker 1 00:22:46 Um, uh, you know, or additions, if you will, is the storyline of S um, Sima Patel. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:22:54 Yeah. She is.
Speaker 1 00:22:56 She's
Speaker 3 00:22:57 She's,
Speaker 1 00:22:59 She's just so fabulous. And I'm not saying this just because she's brown, although it may come across this way, so
Speaker 3 00:23:06 We might be a little bit biased,
Speaker 1 00:23:08 But I'll actually like, um, Jimmy, Jimmy's funny. Yeah. He's super funny. Um, but
Speaker 3 00:23:16 They had very little, like, he had very, I don't know, I find it really weird because they kind of only sprinkled him in once or twice. And then suddenly he's like, got this big thing at the end and I was just like, huh, we didn't actually see very much of him.
Speaker 1 00:23:29 Yeah. I know. I'm like, I didn't realize you were such good friends, but anyway, but yeah. So SEMA, I am just like in love with her. Like, she's just amazing.
Speaker 3 00:23:38 I know, I know it
Speaker 1 00:23:40 Looks so effortless. Like she, like I loved when, um, you know, in that scene, uh, there was a scene where she takes, carry with her to an Indian clothes shop and she's like, let me show you our, you know, so, or whatever, you know, like fashion thing it was. And I really liked that because it was like, you know, there's this whole aspect of town that, you know, we like as a, like whatever cultural community you come from, you probably have that, especially in a city like New York. Right. Or at least I hope you do. Right. Like, so for, for us, like going to an Indian clothes shop, right? Like with saris and lingos and chola Cho Joel, Julie's got gurdwaras and Sharas and all of those outfits, you know, even if I don't want to, uh, and I get dragged down by my mom sometimes, but then when I see it represented, I feel all tingly and happy inside about it, you know? So it was quite nice.
Speaker 3 00:24:38 I think what I liked about Sima's character. So Hey, but what I was hoping from the, what I was hoping from the, the reboot was just to see these, like these characters, like navigating life now that they're in their fifties. And I feel like everybody, and I've, and I've seen this in reviews, everybody gravitates towards SEMA. And the reason is, is because she is living her best life in her life. I feel like the other three, even though I think it's, it's very strange, but like, I feel like SEMA is like this vibrant personality in her fifties and the other three are just kind of like muddling along, you know? Like,
Speaker 1 00:25:22 And how is it that none of them have figured out something positive about being 55.
Speaker 3 00:25:27 Exactly. I mean, I got Charlotte's actually okay. Like she's pretty. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:25:33 Uh, you know what? We should unpack this. I bet in a different episode, because both SEMA and Charlotte, um, are actually doing it right. Like sex in their fifties. But I want to talk about this and we'll save that for next next week.
Speaker 3 00:25:50 Yeah. Yeah. Well, we'll unpack the sex and the new sex in the city reboot, but overall, I mean, I guess, I guess overall I'm just really, I'm glad that they brought in people of people of diverse communities in the new reboot. It's just that I wish they had introduced them a little bit better. Like I feel like, I don't know. I just wish it hadn't been for comedic fodder. Um, although it's really funny because like, I think so Charlotte, so like, so I know you alluded to this, but like Charlotte wants to invite her new, her new friend to dinner, but then, um, she's worried that she's going to be the only, like they're going to be the only black couple at dinner. And so then she won, then she ends up like trying to invite her neighbor because the neighbors are like black as well.
Speaker 3 00:26:38 And, and like, and then Y so, um, but anyway, all that aside like that dinner falls through, and then what ends up happening is Lisa Todd, Wellesley invites Charlotte, and like, and her husband over for dinner. And they're the only white couple among all these black couples. Right. And, but then there was like this cringy scene where Charlotte mistakes, um, make mistakes, one woman for another, which is something that happens to people of color, like quite often. Right. And it was just like, oh, I know you, you're a blah, blah, blah. And it's just like, no, that's somebody else. And like, and it happens all the time, but I think like, that was actually like, that was written by one of the writers of color. Like I think they wanted to address that specifically. And I think it's really interesting because I thought like, you know, cause I thought like, oh, like that's a strange scene.
Speaker 3 00:27:29 Like why would they have put it in? But I think like what the writer was saying was that she kind of wanted, so you know how like Charlotte kind of goes on and on and it kind of becomes like super, super cringy. And then like, but the writer was just like, look, it happens just kind of own your mistake and move on, you know, because like, instead of like continuing to step into it, um, I think like one of the stories that the writer related was the fact that like, that happened to that, like she, she knew someone that happened to, and the woman who made the mistake was literally trying to convince the other woman she was wrong. No. Yeah. It was like, she mistook like, so she made this mistake and she's like, she mistook one woman for another woman. And then are
Speaker 1 00:28:15 You sure you're not Jane Smith?
Speaker 3 00:28:17 Yeah. So it was like, oh, you're Jane Smith. And then like, and the woman who's mistaken was like, no, I'm not Jane Smith. I'm like, you know, Daphne Smith. And then like, and, or like, I guess Daphne, Daphne foster lets me get another, they're not related. And like, and yeah. And then Daphne like is like, yeah, I'm not. And then the woman like was like, no, no, no, but your daughter definitely like goes to that school. Like, like definitely goes to like my child's school. And she was like, no, my dog, like you've mistaken me first. Now their person, my daughter goes to a totally different school and like, yeah. And like for like five, 10 minutes, this woman was like convinced, trying to convince her that she was wrong. It's like, I think she knows her daughter is,
Speaker 1 00:29:00 Well, I mean, have you had that happened because I've had that happen where someone thinks that I'm someone else like, um, you know, at work once I remember there was another, um, tiny brown girl or woman w I, I, you know, it was a few years ago, so probably girl. Um, and the number of times people would be like, oh, I saw you or that wasn't nice. And I'm like, no, that wasn't me. That was so and so, and, and, and, and, you know, she told me similar stories of how she was mistaken for me, um, quite a few times. So these were people who saw us every day, you know, on the same floor, you know? So, um, and that, that was just one of the funnier, you know, benign encounters. Right. Like, so yeah, no, I can see that, that being very frustrating, but, um, but yeah, no, I think like, you know, when it comes to diversity, my, my biggest problem was that, um, like you said, like the way they introduce the topics, because the way they did it made it seem like, like these women, these three women who are so plugged in, in, in, you know, into what's happening and what's not happening, or supposedly like, that's what the whole premise was.
Speaker 1 00:30:20 Right. Exactly. They know the best restaurants. They go out all the time. They meet new interesting people all the time. And for them not to actually have an idea of how to deal with these kinds of encounters, like when you come across these issues, um, that was very, very hard to watch. It was. Yeah. And especially when you're like, um, you're old enough, you're established enough. You're from like, you know, like there's no way that it would have been this cringe-worthy for every aspect, whether it's, you know, a person of color and you're right. Like, you know, um, Carrie was the only person who didn't. Um, no, she's
Speaker 3 00:31:05 Leslie made friends with SEMA with nothing brought up with regard to culture, except for the fact that she was worried that she was culturally appropriating. Like she was appropriating Indian culture by wearing a, not a sorry. Langa but anyway,
Speaker 1 00:31:22 So even though they didn't say like, we'll go get you a, sorry.
Speaker 3 00:31:26 Yeah, exactly. I know people get, I know people have been up in arms about that, but anyway. Oh yeah. Yeah. There've been a lot of reviews that were like, not reviews, but like, I think there's like, I think Twitter was up in arms about the fact that like, they mistook, uh, sorry. They mistook a Langa for sorry. And it was just,
Speaker 1 00:31:44 There's no way they mistook it. She probably just picked the lingo of,
Speaker 3 00:31:48 No, I think they called it a, sorry, like that was the problem. But then like, it's really funny because I think they, they, I was reading this article about,
Speaker 1 00:31:58 Did they call it a story? Well, I
Speaker 3 00:31:59 Think they called it a sari shop, but all they showed were lingos. And then, yeah. But then, like I was re reading this. Yeah. They usually have both, I I've never seen a shop that doesn't sell both anyway. So then like, um, well, uh, but even if it, well, anyway, whatever, but, so I was like, I was reading this article where they were talking to Serita. Childry about like, uh, about hers. Her turn is my, as part of this new revival. And they brought that up. They were like, oh, what do you think about this whole, sorry, link debacle slash debate. And so it's so funny because Serita was like, I didn't even notice because I guess there were saris and lingos in the shop, but I think like, yeah, but the way they cut the scene, it only showed the lingos. And so then it became this big thing on social media, which, I mean, don't even get me started because I'm one of those olds was like, is this seriously something to be worried about? I mean, I'm just happy that they put like a S like a sorry, shop. Like that's an actual, sorry, shop. They actually went and found a sorry, shop, like in New York. And like, like that sells bridal, like where, and like, it's the real deal, you know, I'm just happy that there's like, I'm just being seen.
Speaker 1 00:33:16 Exactly. No, I'm very happy we're being seen. But, um, it was funny because I did notice that cause they, they sort of, you know, the Sima says, oh, let's go get you a sorry. And then the next scene, she's wearing a lingo. And I remember laughing because a lingo. So just for the listeners out there,
Speaker 3 00:33:37 Correct. Yes. They know what it is,
Speaker 1 00:33:42 A skirt and a top with, um, some sort of a veil that you sort of put not up, not Vale.
Speaker 3 00:33:48 It's kind of like a shock.
Speaker 1 00:33:50 Yes. Um, um, that you usually put reverses a, sorry, which is like this entire, like a
Speaker 3 00:33:55 Lot of fabric, it's one piece of fabric
Speaker 1 00:33:58 That you wrap around in a specific style
Speaker 3 00:34:01 And it's that traditional, like you usually see women wearing saris like in their day to day. Right? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:34:08 So, yeah. And, and, um, so when I saw her wear the lingo, I actually remember thinking, oh Gary, you didn't go pick a, sorry, you picked a lingo, but that's, but it wasn't like something to get it up in arms about to me. Right. It was more like, oh, she must have just preferred this one.
Speaker 3 00:34:27 Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I know the thing is, is that they have an Indian writer on board. Like, I don't think like they, I don't think they intentionally meant to like screw up, you know what I mean? So
Speaker 1 00:34:39 I think, yeah, like I wouldn't have noticed it either, because to me it would have been like, yeah, it's just an Indian outfit. That was the whole point of the interchange, right? Yeah, exactly. I got one the dress up in, in something gorgeous. That's all.
Speaker 3 00:34:51 Yeah. I mean, I guess, I guess people, people are just upset that they weren't specific about it. I get it. But like, I don't know. I don't know if it should bring down the show per se, you know, like anyway. Yeah. So I think that, uh, I'm, I'm just happy. I am happy that they've brought these diverse viewpoints. Oh. And I just, I just realized when I was talking about the three main characters, they are, they're out there, all white CIS women Swiss. And I, I meant to say that they're not necessarily all hetero because Miranda actually has a, gonna has an epiphany and realizes that, you know, she's, she's more on the queer side than completely hetero. So yeah,
Speaker 1 00:35:31 No, but, but overall I think the, the idea and the expansion for me works, you know, so I would hope for it to continue with less, um, crunch encounters, and more seamless encounters where, you know, it's just them interacting with these people and these issues coming up. But more as a,
Speaker 3 00:35:57 I don't think that'll be an issue cause like, honestly, that the cringy, like I think the CRE like the cringy kind of aspects of the show happened like really at the very beginning, which is, which is problematic because it kind of sets up the show to be, I don't know, like, it, it, it, it sets up the show to use comedy in order to bring up these issues, which I don't know if it was necessarily the right way to go, but honestly, as I was watching the show, it, it kind of settled in and like, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be as cringy later on, you know, like, even if like, if there is a second season, like, I don't think that this is going, like, I'm hoping that this is not going to be the way that they deal with it. Like if these women, if these women are making friends, like I have a feeling that, you know, like this is,
Speaker 1 00:36:42 Yeah, they're already interacting with each other and the other two friends. Right? Yeah. So there is that you're right. Um, but I do think that there are some opportunities. So for example, what you mentioned earlier, Charlotte, um, being a little bit more woke, given that she has a daughter who is Asian, I know
Speaker 3 00:37:02 Makes no sense.
Speaker 1 00:37:04 Yeah. So I would have expected, or I, I expect her to actually be a little bit more up and aware of some of these issues.
Speaker 3 00:37:13 Yeah, yeah. For sure. Uh, no, I, I totally agree. And like, I just don't, like, I just don't believe that these women have had children for almost two decades and just never come across like another parent of color, you know, it was just like, you've never been friends with a parent of color in 20 years. It's
Speaker 1 00:37:32 Just so
Speaker 3 00:37:36 Yeah. I know it makes no sense anyway. Yeah. Like all this to say that basically I think that they were just trying to use a very, very bad vehicle in order to introduce these issues. And hopefully they've kind of settled in and you know, it, you know, like may, may, I don't know, like, yeah, hopefully they've kind of cleared out all the kinks and like, now we can just kind of get into a good story. But, um, yeah. I, I think like it also, in some ways, I don't know, like, is it ageist in some ways for them to like assume that women of this age would be like that,
Speaker 1 00:38:13 That's it exactly right? It's like, why would these be? I think that's what I'm trying to sort of understand is like how, how, like, you know, but you're right. Like, was it like the writers thing? Like, oh my gosh, like, what are they projecting their own? I don't know their own parents or something, you know, like what's happening here. I
Speaker 3 00:38:34 Know. And one, like, actually it's really odd because like, if you, if you look at the writer's room, uh, the youngest ones are in their forties. So it's just like, what, like, you can't seriously think that these women in their like mid fifties are completely sheltered. Right. Like,
Speaker 1 00:38:52 I dunno to that degree unless they were projecting, I guess, you know, I can't even think like, because I'm like, seriously, like, no, I can't come up with anyone. It's all good. Even to not have like, to discount them, you kind of have to be aware of them.
Speaker 3 00:39:11 Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 00:39:13 You know what I mean? Even just sort of say, oh no, there's no such thing as racism. There's no such thing as this, you know, still
Speaker 3 00:39:19 You're aware of it. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I guess, I guess the one thing is, is that yeah, like I, it's funny because like Miranda did bring up the fact that she wanted to be an ally. Like she now becomes like, she's now in, in this, she's now taking this new course in, um, in higher learning, basically like with this professor, um, in like to learn more about human rights in order to be a better ally, which is like a great sentiment. But then at the same time, like she's just not, I don't know she was just going about it all wrong, but maybe I guess that's the thing it's just like, maybe they were showing like how hard it is to be a good ally or like, or maybe, you know,
Speaker 1 00:40:09 The other thing though, actually you reminded me of just now Miranda made a comment. And I remember thinking like, that's actually not true because every other professor there would also, there would be plenty of people in a campus that's your age? Cause she was like, oh, was it she who said it? Or was it Carrie? Like Carrie comes to see her in school, she's sitting in a step stoop. Um, she was like, I'm the only 55 year old here kind of a thing.
Speaker 3 00:40:39 And I'm like
Speaker 1 00:40:41 Actually inaccurate on every level.
Speaker 3 00:40:45 Yeah. I think
Speaker 1 00:40:47 In a university, I mean, she probably meant I'm the only 55 year old student. Yeah. Yeah. And I get that and I, I let it go because of that, in that sense, like I, I know what she meant, but there's no way you're the only 55 year. Like, do you know what I mean? Like there's no way you stand out, even with a book in your hand or reading something or working on something in a library or on the stoop, because in a university setting, you are going to run into people of all ages, you know?
Speaker 3 00:41:19 Exactly. I know. And the other thing is, is that like, aren't there, like isn't there anybody who goes and audits courses when they're retired, like right. I mean like,
Speaker 1 00:41:31 And other missed opportunity, and this is ageist. Is Miranda not actually trying to make friends with anyone in her class.
Speaker 3 00:41:39 Yes. Yes. That's true. I'm
Speaker 1 00:41:42 Sorry. You're you're friends with the professor now. And you just go for dinner with the drinks, with the professor. Exactly. You don't actually make an effort with someone like Carrie has given that sort of interaction with her downstairs.
Speaker 3 00:41:56 Yes. She tries to make friends with her.
Speaker 1 00:42:00 How many, all of this is kind of how I expect Miranda and Charlotte to also follow suit. Like how is it that you're so awkward about the age you're in and you're constantly throwing that your 55 in our faces. Right. But is it a good thing? Is that not a good thing? Is it a, we don't care thing and like, you know, and, and how is it that you only want to interact with other 55 year olds? Like it's true.
Speaker 3 00:42:28 Although, no, look okay. Like to cut, not that I've been cutting Charlotte, any slack, but the one thing I will cut Charlotte, some slack for is that like, she is very involved in her children's lives. I don't think that she's making friends with like some 20 year old person. Right. Like she's like her character, her character is about family and like, and so like, yeah, if she was going to make friends with a 20 year old, it would be with a 20 year old mother kind of like in that whole big little lies kind of situation where like they made friends with like Shaylene Woodley's character, like VAT. I can see, but like for Charlotte, but like, otherwise I can't see Charlotte just randomly making friends with a 20 year old. And the thing is, is that like Charlotte had like a lot on her plate in the terms of like one of her children deciding that they were like, not that they, that they were non binary. Right. Like, that's like, that's a lot to handle. I don't think she's going to be like, oh, let me go from, make friends with a 20 year old now, you know,
Speaker 1 00:43:23 Miranda, isn't a perfect setting. Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 00:43:25 Miranda's totally in that setting. Yeah. For sure. She could have totally gone for drinks with her classmates or anything, you know, like yeah.
Speaker 1 00:43:32 The fact that they don't think to ask her or feel comfortable or she goes, and she feels awkward. Like something, like if you're thinking about like showing the awkwardness of age or dealing or navigating life in their fifties, when you go back to school and yet they're not addressing that at all.
Speaker 3 00:43:50 Exactly. I know. I th I feel like that was a you're right. That's a big, missed opportunity.
Speaker 1 00:43:56 Huge missed opportunity. They talk about her getting an internship. Did you just get that internship because your professor wrote you a good recommendation? Like really like, like, I mean, I'm sure that's not the case. Like, she's probably a good student, but I mean, it, you know, like there's, that was another thing that occurred to me was because I'm like, you know, I would have actually gone down the road of did, like, she's already an established lawyer who, and who's getting this internship, like, did her past experience have something to do with it? You know? Um, it's, it's a very competitive one. And instead of giving it to someone who needs to build an experience, you're giving it to someone with an established in a different field, mind you, but like, they could have referred to it. They could have worked like, worked that in somehow, you know? Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:44:49 Yeah. I know. I think that, I think
Speaker 1 00:44:50 That they're just focusing on, oh, she's gonna go running and giving up her dreams. I gave up an internship or, you know, whatever. So yes, the judgment that Carrie was displaying, I am enforcing it in full force here.
Speaker 3 00:45:07 Oh yeah. Like, well, I mean, we'll probably get into this discussion if we, if we do end up talking about the sex in the new reboot, but yeah. Like, I, I actually had no issues with her and change, but
Speaker 1 00:45:22 Yeah. Everything for love.
Speaker 3 00:45:25 I was like, oh,
Speaker 1 00:45:29 I know it's not about Che at all. For me it's it could have been Steve or anyone else. Right. Like, you know, but, um, they, you know, I think it was just
Speaker 3 00:45:42 Save it. Let's save it for the next episode. I think that we'll, we'll, we'll have to, yeah. We'll have to talk about the sex and sex portion of this just in time for Valentine's day.
Speaker 1 00:45:54 Yeah. I do that on that note though. I think it's probably time we call this an episode.
Speaker 3 00:46:00 Yes, I think so. So find us on our website. It's completely, up-to-date now. Thanks to our awesome assistant Anna, shout out to Anna.
Speaker 1 00:46:11 You're awesome.
Speaker 3 00:46:13 Thank you so much for, um, getting our website up and running again. So yeah. So check us out on our website at, does this make me look old.com and then email us, does this make me look
[email protected] and sign up to our email newsletter on the site? Um, we'll send you updates as to when new pods are dropping. If there are any updates with regard to schedule changes, et cetera, and you can find us on social also on our website and yeah, I guess we'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 00:46:43 Bye.
