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Staging a protest to market a video game: “Just say Infer-NO!” 

Virginia Weaver, Senior Staff Writer   Microwaved Beef is a column by Virginia Weaver that reflects on flashpoints from the last few years in the culture wars. The rapid pace of contemporary discourse makes it easy to forget critical moments and trends that have defined our social and academic lives. Microwaved Beef brings those moments back into the spotlight.  In June 2009, around 20 protesters gathered outside the Los … Continue reading Staging a protest to market a video game: “Just say Infer-NO!” 

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Tender is the Flesh is…Fine 

Ezra-Oscar Franchi, Arts & Entertainment Editor  There’s no better genre than horror. I mean it, and no, I’m certainly not overhyping it. Horror is a woefully misunderstood genre, especially among avid readers of other genres who recognize lowbrow authors like Stephen King and James Patterson as the alphas of the literary pack. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve argued with other horror enthusiasts over the poor quality of their works—I mean, these … Continue reading Tender is the Flesh is…Fine 

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Sorry, English Majors—Wuthering Heights (probably) Isn’t Going to be Good. 

Ezra-Oscar Franchi, Arts & Entertainment Editor  Charli XCX and John Cale’s song “House” was made for the upcoming Wuthering Heights soundtrack (you know, the one that goes, “I think I’m gonna die in this…house?”). This comes as a surprise to me, because despite being an avid participant in literary and cinematic social circles and online communities, I’ve only seen this song used in memes. In fact, I haven’t seen much marketing for (or talk about) Wuthering Heights at … Continue reading Sorry, English Majors—Wuthering Heights (probably) Isn’t Going to be Good. 

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When fanfiction hub AO3 “tagged” out 

Virginia Weaver, Senior Staff Writer   Microwaved Beef is a column by Virginia Weaver that reflects on flashpoints from the last few years in the culture wars. The rapid pace of contemporary discourse makes it easy to forget critical moments and trends that have defined our social and academic lives. Microwaved Beef brings those moments back into the spotlight.  Founded in 2009, the website Archive of Our Own (commonly … Continue reading When fanfiction hub AO3 “tagged” out 

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No, I’m not a Human—How a Video Game Questions Your Morals 

Ezra-Oscar Franchi, Arts & Entertainment Editor   What’s your proximity to being the “Other?” Seeking to answer this question, the Russian-based independent game development studio Trioskaz released their hit horror game No, I’m not a Human. The game bears striking similarities to the indie game Mouthwashing, also published by the label CRITICAL REFLEX.  Well, first, what is the “Other?” There are plenty of literary definitions for it, but to stay brief, the Other is a minoritized … Continue reading No, I’m not a Human—How a Video Game Questions Your Morals 

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The Gay Hockey Representation You Didn’t Know You Needed 

Ezra-Oscar Franchi, Arts & Entertainment Editor  In mid-January, hockey star Jesse Kortuem shocked the internet after posting a lengthy, emotional coming-out post on Facebook—and the Canadian sports romance Heated Rivalry might deserve some credit.  Though it’s been available to stream on HBO Max since November, the MLM sports romance has recently picked up steam following Jesse Kortuem’s post, prompting queers all over the internet to remind people that representation matters.  Originally based on the Game Changers novel … Continue reading The Gay Hockey Representation You Didn’t Know You Needed 

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Burlap Circus’s Album ‘Avenue’ Succeeds Where Many Indie Contemporaries Fail 

Piper Summey  Some would say the indie music scene becomes less “indie” with every passing day. As many artists from this genre break into the mainstream, each one sends their own wave of copycats through the underground who—in attempt to reach the heights of the artist they admire—end up reducing themselves to mere tribute bands due to their over-devotion to their idol’s signature sounds, immortalized only in the form of “Mitski type beat” playlists. However, at a time when it’s so easy to fall into the over-saturated sphere of bands attempting recreate the … Continue reading Burlap Circus’s Album ‘Avenue’ Succeeds Where Many Indie Contemporaries Fail 

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The Allure of Loyalty Tests 

Jenay Moncrieffe  Over the past couple of years, loyalty tests have become a popular genre on YouTube. These loyalty tests involve testing whether one’s partner is cheating. Many people enjoy the content for the elaborate scenarios that tempt one’s partner to cheat, without realizing it is all a test. These elaborate scenarios provide viewers with an easy way to unwind after a long day.   One of the … Continue reading The Allure of Loyalty Tests 

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Silas Carpenter’s The Big Idea: A Case Study in Marketing Music on TikTok  

Piper Summey  On September 5th, Silas Carpenter released one of my favorite albums of the year: a thirty-seven-minute record packed with thirteen witty yet profound lyrical explorations of love and heartbreak, dreams and nightmares, ego and insecurity, all set over instrumentals that range from moody and melancholic indie tunes to breezy-but-sometimes-gritty rock ‘n’ roll jams, pulling inspiration from pop prodigies like The Beatles and acclaimed songwriters like … Continue reading Silas Carpenter’s The Big Idea: A Case Study in Marketing Music on TikTok  

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Fame vs. Talent: Should Films Only Cast ‘Real’ Actors? 

Bronwen K. Bradshaw, Arts & Entertainment Editor  The first season of Ryan Murphy’s legal drama All’s Fair just hit Hulu streaming with mixed, mostly negative reviews. The show follows a successful divorce lawyer and her team at an all-female law firm. The show stars Oscar nominees Glenn Close and Naomi Watts, both great actors who entice viewers to take an interest in the show’s premiere. However, the … Continue reading Fame vs. Talent: Should Films Only Cast ‘Real’ Actors?