A version of this story appeared in Pop Life Chronicles, CNN’s weekly entertainment newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.
Times have changed, and over the past few years it feels like there has been a reckoning when it comes to the treatment of women in Hollywood.
From Paris Hilton to Britney Spears to Janet Jackson and many more, we have been reevaluating the way female celebrities have been exploited, fetishized and disrespected.
Which leads us to this week’s newsletter.
Something to sip on…
Pamela Anderson is having a moment.
Both her memoir, “Love, Pamela” and her Netflix documentary, “Pamela, a Love Story,” dropped Tuesday, and I now feel like I have a whole new perspective on the “Baywatch” star.
There is so much more to her than a Playboy model who married rocker Tommy Lee and sparked the first viral video with their stolen sex tape. Said tape paved the way — whether you like it or not — in part for the celebrity of people like Hilton and Kim Kardashian.
Nor is Anderson just an actress who never got beyond roles that capitalized on her body, or the woman with five ex-husbands (including the aforementioned Lee; she also married one of them, professional poker player Rick Salomon, twice) and a penchant for falling in love hard and fast.
She is someone who survived childhood trauma and all the assumptions that come with the world seeing some of her most intimate moments. “I’m not a victim,” Anderson says in “Pamela, a Love Story.”
Based on both the documentary and the book, she’s come through with wisdom, humor and self-awareness — which I find impressive given how the industry chews up so many people (and then spits them out). Anderson is due an apology for the public humiliation and media scrutiny she has endured, but I appreciate the fact she appears to be doing just fine without one.
One thing to talk about…
Continuing with the theme of strong women in the spotlight, actor Lauren London is currently garnering attention for her role in the Netflix film, “You People.”
Now before you roll your eyes about this apparently polarizing reinterpretation of the 1967 classic “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” know this praise is for London, not necessarily the project.
She is not new to the scene, and many have appreciated her work since her breakout role in the 2006 film “ATL.” Others, however, know her as the partner of slain rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was tragically murdered in Los Angeles in 2019.
Their love story was one of the most celebrated in hip-hop and he was one of her biggest supporters. I can only imagine how bittersweet her success must feel right now without the love of her life to share it with.
You should listen to…
Shania Twain is much-revered in the world of pop/country music, so it makes sense that her new album is titled, “Queen of Me.”
But it’s apparently also a record about how she’s learned to treat herself like royalty: She talked about feeling “liberated” while making it during an appearance on the podcast “Making Space with Hoda Kotb.”
“I’m feeling positive and optimistic, but still at the same time unapologetic. I don’t feel like I need to explain myself as much,” Twain said. “But I feel very responsible, still. The ‘Queen of Me’ title for the album couldn’t be more fitting for where I’m at in my own mind.”
“Queen of Me” is out now.
The pandemic, along with the rise of streaming services, has certainly shifted the way we experience movies. Many people now say they prefer to watch from the comfort of their couches.
Is staying home bad for the movies? CNN’s Audie Cornish has an engaging interview with Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, about the state of cinema and the cultural necessity of going to the movies on a recent episode of her podcast “The Assignment.”
It’s a timely listen amid awards season, and worth it to discover whether Leonard can actually convince a reluctant Cornish to head back to the theater.
Cannot wait to watch…
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
If you missed the “Black Panther” sequel in theaters, don’t worry — Disney+ has got you covered.
The eagerly awaited film is a love letter to the late Chadwick Boseman, who played the titular T’Challa. (And let’s not forget, it also earned Angela Bassett a ground-breaking Oscar nomination.) So grab your popcorn and plenty of tissues, because Rihanna’s song “Lift Me Up,” which plays during the film’s closing credits, alone might break you.
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is streaming now.
‘The 65th Annual Grammy Awards’
Trevor Noah is returning to host music’s biggest night on Sunday, which will feature performances by artists including Lizzo, Harry Styles, Luke Combs, Sam Smith, Bad Bunny and Mary J. Blige.
Yes, it’s an awards show, but really it’s also a multi-genre music festival — there just happen to be trophies too.
The show will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. EST.