Sorry to Bother You is a science fiction comedy and the brainchild of Boots Riley. Written and directed by the rapper turned screenwriter and director, the film is a reflection of an American past, and also a satirical depiction of similar phenomenons we experience today, like capitalism, racism, and the need to play a role to get ahead in life. The setting may be in the 70s, but like most things, the more they change, the more they stay the same.
Lakeith Stanfield (Get Out, Atlanta) plays Cassius "Cash" Green, a down-on-his-luck brotha that eventually lands a telemarketing job and finds that the fastest way to success is to put on his "white voice"--raise your hand if you have one of those. Cassius takes the job to impress his girlfriend Detroit, played by Tessa Thompson (Dear White People, Creed). If you seen any of the trailers, you know it's definitely going to be funny af. Recently, the stars of Sorry To Bother You sat down exclusively with TheYBF to talk about the film, what they want fans to take away from the satirical comedy, and their own perceptions of the pitfalls of social media.
Stanfield says that he hopes viewers come into the theaters open-minded and find their own ways to relate to and understand the underlying message: the way to growth is through failure. Stanfield said:
"My hope is that people come to the story with an open mind and are able to receive and retain whatever they feel personally...I can say what I took from Cassius, just reinstating the idea to remain steadfast and tenacious in your pursuit of not only higher and better things for yourself, but also a sense of self and identity in the world. And just be willing to fail so you can grow. So I hope people can see the parallels between those things."
Everyone has social media nowadays, and while we all have our own relationships with our social feeds, many of us are feeling the harmful effects of the forever churning news cycle. Thompson tells TheYBF.com that although there are some benefits to social media, the "clickbait culture" is causing a sort of disconnect from the real world.
"In terms of dehumanization, social media is incredible for being able to disseminate information and create community, but I think we also get into a space where we're bombarded with images and we feel disconnected from the fact that they are happening [in actual] in this clickbait culture."
From police brutality, overt racism and gruesome violence, to the heart-wrenching realities of everyday people in America and around the world, some of us are becoming desensitized while others are experiencing real symptoms of PTSD. A recent study revealed that "Black Americans' mental health suffers from recurring exposure to police killings of unarmed black men and women."
There are also other costs associated with this continuous overexposure. According to Stanfield, we are adapting to these and other images at a rapid pace:
"I think if you show people images enough, human beings become comfortable with things after a while and we adapt...We've always had to adapt but now there's less censorship."
This adaptation is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, with a carefully curated timeline, the images and messages you scroll through can have a measurably positive impact on your mental and spiritual health. On the other edge, it's almost impossible to escape the increasingly violent and disheartening news cycle that shows, oftentimes in graphic detail, the very real world we live in.
The internet is a place where you can literally be whoever you want to be and say almost anything without any real consequences. Stanfield himself has been the subject of his own post-and-delete moment that caused him to feel the wrath of those who felt he was being homophobic and insensitive, he now realizes that adaptation hasn't made people any less sensitive. He also advises that we all should put the phone down more.
"But, the internet is also a place where you can be insensitive and that's OK because you're removed from the experience. So you can say and feel and do things that you wouldn't do in real life. So in a sense, it feels like people are becoming less sensitive but I don't think that's the case. People are more sensitive, but now we just have these avenues that we can explore and safely not have to come into contact with these things. So, I say spend less time on the internet everyday and get back on the ground."
Sorry to Bother You hits theater in limited release today, July 6 and nationwide on July 13.
*Featured image by Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
