Will Simp For Bridgerton
Hump Day Motivation 2/17/21
Welcome to the Hump Day Motivation (HDM), a bi-weekly edition of ‘Gangletown’ about thirst and culture to get us through those rough mid-week moments.
The HDM is typically released every other Wednesday for full-access subscribers only, but I thought everyone could use a pick me up today. If you don’t have full-access to Gangletown, subscribe below *OR* reply to this e-mail.
1. KIMP WILL SIMP FOR BRIDGERTON
I started watching Bridgerton.
Have you seen Bridgerton? Probably. Apparently, it is the most popular Netflix series ever.
The whole thing's nuanced plot is much too complicated to explain at length, but, at its core, Bridgerton is about love. Or, if not love, society. If not society, obscenely hot rich people trying to fit it in (read: bonertown), but not being allowed to because of society.
I am not ashamed to admit my love for frothy entertainment. Bridgerton is decidedly frothy, among other things.
It is easy to understand why the program has become such a sensation.
I don’t want to discount the great work done in the show, though. There are elements of design, writing, costumes, music, hair, and make-up that deserve celebration.
On that note, I’m proud to share that the honorable mention for this week’s Dzaddy is - of course - Golda Rosheuvel, who plays Queen Charlotte. This woman is the Moira fucking Rose of whatever old-timey-English era we’re flittering about in on this show, and she deserves - NAY! Demands! - praise. Praise her! Praise her and the pure unadulterated magnificence of the lewk pictured above.
Wig? Of course.
Two wigs?!
THESE two wigs?
Wig wig wig.
She is doing the work, and we are none of us worthy.
…But who am I kidding? It’s Hump Day, and we’re all thirsty AF! The man playing the Duke - Regé-Jean Page (pictured above [and above {and above *and below*}]) - is pouring alllllllllllll the drinks.
For his most generous and delicious contributions to the field, we of the Gangletown University Society of Thirst Scholars do bequeath Regé-Jean Page with the most esteemed Honorable title DILFoftheWeek, Von Fancy Dick IV.
2. “You’re making really loud mouth sounds…”
I have a great marriage. Really. Blaine is a damn good husband. That said, we’ve been around each other in our Covid-era routine a lot, and sometimes little things get under the skin. Sometimes, little peeves happen. Last week, for example, we were sitting next to each other on the couch, and the sound of his chewing really got to me. I could hear every slosh, click, and crunch. I looked at him, ready to pick a fight about it as if it were some personal assault, and said, “You’re making really loud mouth sounds…”
Reader, I can be a little dramatic sometimes.
Literally, five minutes later, I read Phillip Picardi’s “Fruity” substack post - A Valentine’s Day with Nowhere to Go - in which he discusses a similar situation happening with his fiancé. It was a great reflection for the moment and helped turn that small terseness moment into a quick laugh. The piece is quick and hearty, so check it out when you can.
All of this to say, I’m grateful Blaine hasn’t divorced me.
3. LOVECRAFT COUNTRY, S1 E1
I am famous for many reasons, as you well know, and one of those reasons is that I love to watch between one and three episodes of a show, then not finish it. Even the season’s jewel Bridgerton almost fell victim to this hostile behavior. I’m not great at doing T.V. I’ve made my peace with that.
This said, Blaine and I finally watched the first episode of Lovecraft Country. It was absolutely incredible. Like, the kind of twisty turn-y drama that only comes along every once in a while. The principal cast is exquisite (and stupid hot!), and when shit really goes down (I won’t add spoilers) in the second half of the episode, I literally welled up with tears. Not because I was sad, but because I loved the left turn we’d taken.
Since watching that episode, we haven’t come back for episode two, and I’m going to request that y’all gangles out there check in to say, “Hey! Go finish that beautiful, weird, sexy, [redacted], tv show!!”
Is anyone else watching this? Does anyone else want to “book-club” it ep-by-ep with us?
4. LOL, COOKING
Remember a couple of weeks ago when I talked a big game about cooking with recipes? Y’all, I suck at this! I’ve done some cooking, but only out of necessity. This weekend, I’m going to get back on the saddle.
What is something I should try and cook that is complicated enough that it needs a recipe but is not so overwhelming that I’ll order a burrito instead?
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I agree with literally every single word you wrote about Bridgerton, phew the Duke 🥵
I think you were asking for a like dinner recipe but this citrus cake was the first thing I thought of — not too complicated, and flexible and delicious https://tenderly.medium.com/a-sunny-citrus-cake-to-brighten-up-your-winter-doldrums-53a8a6064a8f