The New York Times Presents

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

FX and Hulu have teamed to launch The New York Times Presents, a 10-episode monthly documentary series set to premiere at 10 PM Friday, July 10....

The New York Times Presents hails from the same creative team as The Weekly and also will feature breaking news, investigations and character-driven stories and features reporting from journalists at The New York Times...

The first The New York Times Presents documentary, titled “They Get Brave” will look at the lives of doctors and nurses in New York City at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia, John Pappas and Lora Moftah produce and direct.

Other subjects include a profile of Dominic Fike, a young musician who is plucked from obscurity and given a $4 million record deal; and a documentary about the killing of Breonna Taylor by police in Louisville, Kentucky. From award-winning director and producer Yoruba Richen and New York Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi, a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, the film will explore Taylor’s life and investigate the circumstances of her death.

 

[formerlyfreedom]

Welcome to the spot on Primetimer to discuss The New York Times Presents. A few housekeeping notes;

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[formerlyfreedom]

Episode 1:  They Get Brave

As the coronavirus ravages more and more American cities, we look back to the place hit hardest: New York City. Doctors and nurses documented their lives, capturing awe‐inspiring resolve in the face of a breakdown in the health‐care system.

Aired Friday, July 10, 2020.

[formerlyfreedom]

Episode 2: This is Dominic Fike: The Next Big Thing?

The making of a pop star in 2020: A young musician is plucked from obscurity and given a $4 million record deal. Meet Dominic Fike as he prepares for his first international tour and makes his debut album.

Airing Friday, August 7, 2020.

[Cara]

So did anybody watch the latest one about Britany Spears? I’m not sure what to think. It seemed very one sided. I think this is probably a situation where there are two sides and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I suspect there is a legitimate reason the court will not drop the Conservatorship. Those people protesting outside the courthouse aren’t  doing anything to help her. 

[Enero]

2 hours ago, Cara said:

So did anybody watch the latest one about Britany Spears? I’m not sure what to think. It seemed very one sided. I think this is probably a situation where there are two sides and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I suspect there is a legitimate reason the court will not drop the Conservatorship. Those people protesting outside the courthouse aren’t  doing anything to help her. 

Not surprising, but I was most disturbed by the misogyny in how she was treated at the height of her career. Reporters asking about her virginity, asking her about her breast, taking pot shots at her image being innocent, but not so innocent. I have never heard of reporters asking her male counterparts the same questions i.e. whether they’re sexually active, the size of their penis etc. The snippet from the Justin Timberlake interview, where he admits to sleeping with her, was disgusting.  Also, the relentlessness of the paparazzi was ridiculous. The one pap talking about “she never told us to go away” needed to be throttled. It was a flimsy excuse to justify what was essentially harassment and stalking.

All that said, I agree I think this was a bit one sided. She was spiraling in 2007 and as a result got into some very concerning situations, specifically with Sam Lufti. So I can see why her dad stepped in to take control of the situation. I wonder why her mom who according to this documentary was the parent whom she was closest didn’t step and do what her father did? It seems like she's been on the sidelines throughout this situation and only recently started to become involved.

I’m not sure what to think about this situation. It seems like a mess. I'm not ready to say the conservatorship is needed, but I’m also not ready to say it should go away. This documentary raised some interesting questions, but failed to provide enough information, for me at least, to have an opinion on what should happen. Like the lawyer in the documentary said “we don’t know what we don’t know.” And when you don't know its impossible to have an informed opinion.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Enero

[peachmangosteen]

I agree that it's hard to know whether or not her having a conservatorship in general is necessary but I feel like I have enough info to see that her dad absolutely should not be her conservator.

4 hours ago, Enero said:

Not surprising, but I was most disturbed by the misogyny in how she was treated at the height of her career.

Yea, I think that was the biggest takeaway from this. The media did her (and all the famous women of that time) so fucking dirty.

[MicheleinPhilly]

18 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I agree that it's hard to know whether or not her having a conservatorship in general is necessary but I feel like I have enough info to see that her dad absolutely should not be her conservator.

This is where I am with this. While there is a part of me that thinks, "She's 39 years old and isn't suffering from dementia or incapacitated in any way" I know nothing about her other than what has been presented to me via the media. But if there is any parent that should have some role in a convervatorship, I think it is glaringly obvious it shouldn't be her father. 

I've always been a fan and have followed her career pretty closely (not like the kids protesting outside of the courthouse closely but closely enough) and was always saddened by the way she was treated. Way back when I even wrote a nasty gram to Entertainment Weekly regarding their coverage of her and they printed it. #ShiningLifeAchievement

Having some of the worst of it condensed into a single episode was almost too much. I found it all incredibly sad. 

[MaggieG]

On Britney, I definitely think that a conservatorship was needed at the time that it happened. She was spiraling hard with everything happening and at that time mental health wasn't discussed very openly. I can only hope that whatever mental health issues she suffered then, she has gotten help with it in the last 12 years. But during her conservatorship, she was able to record and release new music, tour and do the residency. So I would say at this point she should be able to control her own life, but I agree that we just don't know.

19 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I agree that it's hard to know whether or not her having a conservatorship in general is necessary but I feel like I have enough info to see that her dad absolutely should not be her conservator.

Yea, I think that was the biggest takeaway from this. The media did her (and all the famous women of that time) so fucking dirty.

Agree on both of these. I remember the stories that came out after she shaved her head. She was clearly suffering and everyone just made fun of her. That Family Feud episode was hard to watch. I can't believe it was ever acceptable to ask an 18/19 year old girl if she was a virgin in a press conference. And you know she had to give the "I'd like to stay a virgin until marriage" line because if she had said she wasn't a virgin, she would have been vilified and slut-shamed. 

[peachmangosteen]

4 hours ago, MaggieG said:

I remember the stories that came out after she shaved her head. She was clearly suffering and everyone just made fun of her. That Family Feud episode was hard to watch. I can't believe it was ever acceptable to ask an 18/19 year old girl if she was a virgin in a press conference. And you know she had to give the "I'd like to stay a virgin until marriage" line because if she had said she wasn't a virgin, she would have been vilified and slut-shamed. 

Ed McMahon asking her if she had a boyfriend and saying 'What about me?' to her when she was 10 fucking years old. 

Like @MicheleinPhilly said, it was so sad to watch. And horrifying. And rage-inducing.

[BrownBear2012]

On 2/10/2021 at 6:43 PM, peachmangosteen said:

Ed McMahon asking her if she had a boyfriend and saying 'What about me?' to her when she was 10 fucking years old. 

Like @MicheleinPhilly said, it was so sad to watch. And horrifying. And rage-inducing.

OMG!!! That was creepy as hell. Even little girl Britney knew it was gross. Ed McMahon was probably sloshed when he said that...he was always sloshed on Carson...still no excuse for his Jeffrey Epstein behavior...disgusting.

[BrownBear2012]

On 2/9/2021 at 2:25 PM, Enero said:

Not surprising, but I was most disturbed by the misogyny in how she was treated at the height of her career. Reporters asking about her virginity, asking her about her breast, taking pot shots at her image being innocent, but not so innocent. I have never heard of reporters asking her male counterparts the same questions i.e. whether they’re sexually active, the size of their penis etc. The snippet from the Justin Timberlake interview, where he admits to sleeping with her, was disgusting.  Also, the relentlessness of the paparazzi was ridiculous. The one pap talking about “she never told us to go away” needed to be throttled. It was a flimsy excuse to justify what was essentially harassment and stalking.

All that said, I agree I think this was a bit one sided. She was spiraling in 2007 and as a result got into some very concerning situations, specifically with Sam Lufti. So I can see why her dad stepped in to take control of the situation. I wonder why her mom who according to this documentary was the parent whom she was closest didn’t step and do what her father did? It seems like she's been on the sidelines throughout this situation and only recently started to become involved.

I’m not sure what to think about this situation. It seems like a mess. I'm not ready to say the conservatorship is needed, but I’m also not ready to say it should go away. This documentary raised some interesting questions, but failed to provide enough information, for me at least, to have an opinion on what should happen. Like the lawyer in the documentary said “we don’t know what we don’t know.” And when you don't know its impossible to have an informed opinion.

I think Britney wasn't well served by her family nor the people that were hired to manage her career. No one protected her from the paparazzi, no one managed her PR properly, no one seemed to be spokesman for her when she needed it the most. Her family was unsophisticated in the ways of show business and clearly, her father, was not interested in her career or even in her well being...he viewed Britney as his personal cash machine. No one stepped in to give interviewers perimeters for an interview with Britney...what was off limits to ask her and what would be OK to ask her...Diane Sawyer's interview was cringeworthy. She wasn't well served by the people being paid to look after career as well her personal well being. As for the conservatorship...it's appalling that her father is still a co-conservator. I've read up on him and his involvement with some evangelical minister's wife and the control she has also had on the conservatorship and her part in the take over. It's very shady stuff...Britney's Dad is shady as hell. Her mom didn't fight for her daughter as much as she should have...I think her involvement now is a good thing but her Dad is still the one calling the shots. Best tactic Britney employed was to strike...no more working until this is resolved. When the day comes and she is allowed to look at the books and see where all money went, I'm sure she will need a legal team to deal with it and I hope that they hold Jamie Spears accountable.

This is a cautionary tale. These child entertainers often become victims of predatory people within the industry. People tasked with taking care of these young people who actually steal not only their money and financial futures but also, sometimes, their innocence and vitality. Sometimes these predators are family members...the people that children need the most to be their protector and provider of a safe place to fall. Some of these kids take to drugs and alcohol to self medicate and some become depressed and fade into oblivion...and some die from overdoses or suicide. After viewing this, I have to give Taylor Swift's family and her "people" kudos for handling her career up until her adulthood in a pretty admirable way. With exception of the Scooter Braun situation, she has been able to navigate the waters of celebrity and the music industry pretty well and now as an adult, seems to have a good handle on the business end of it. It's too bad it didn't happen this way for Britney.

[ALittleShelfish]

A probate conservatorship is supposed to be a last resort.  There are many other ways her situation could have been handled.  The NYT Presents left out a lot - but to cover every angle in this, it would have taken 10 hours.   

As for why the courts won't just drop the conservatorship... the only person that would benefit would be Britney herself.  There are way too many people making money from her situation.  Lawyers on both sides are paid by her.  They'll only stop when they've drained her money.  No one in this "hybrid business model" (exact words from the former co-conservator of her estate) continues to get a paycheck when she is free and on her own.  I'll never understand how the biggest pop star of the early 2000s never had proper management.  

Looking at people who *actually* behave badly in Hollywood, none of them are put in conservatorships like this.   Make it make sense, California Probate Courts.

[DangerousMinds]

If Britney is stuck in this situation , why isn’t someone like Kanye?

Edited February 17, 2021 by DangerousMinds

[ALittleShelfish]

11 hours ago, DangerousMinds said:

If Britney is sick in this situation , why isn’t someone like Kanye?

EXACTLY.  The woman who arranged for Britney's c-ship already has Kardashian ties, so I'm very surprised we didn't hear of attempts to make it happen.  Maybe Kris or Kim are actually too smart to have this act pulled on them.  Kim might actually raise questions that Jamie Spears would never ask.

[Sweet-tea]

On 2/16/2021 at 12:26 PM, ALittleShelfish said:

A probate conservatorship is supposed to be a last resort.  There are many other ways her situation could have been handled.  The NYT Presents left out a lot - but to cover every angle in this, it would have taken 10 hours.   

As for why the courts won't just drop the conservatorship... the only person that would benefit would be Britney herself.  There are way too many people making money from her situation.  Lawyers on both sides are paid by her.  They'll only stop when they've drained her money.  No one in this "hybrid business model" (exact words from the former co-conservator of her estate) continues to get a paycheck when she is free and on her own.  I'll never understand how the biggest pop star of the early 2000s never had proper management.  

Looking at people who *actually* behave badly in Hollywood, none of them are put in conservatorships like this.   Make it make sense, California Probate Courts.

I agree. There is a lot more to the story that was left out—A LOT MORE—including how that Lou woman and others are shady and are making money off Britney. It’s unconscionable. It makes no sense to claim she’s not able to manage her own finances and affairs and then have her doing shows, releasing albums, etc. And her dad and the lawyers are making a percentage of her profits, so they have an interest in keeping her working so they can get rich. It’s disgusting. Her dad is known to be an alcoholic who is active in his addiction and irresponsible. It’s also known that she doesn’t have a good relationship with him, so why on earth would he be put in charge of her? 

They left a lot of stuff out about how Britney wasn’t even allowed to attend the initial hearings and wasn’t allowed to pick her own representation! And she’s paying for all of this. It’s disgusting. It’s as that one lawyer said. He thought Britney clearly seemed able to speak for herself and hire representation, but then the judge discounted it all. That decision changed things dramatically for Britney, because now others are making all the decisions for her. Who is really looking out for her best interests? 

I don’t believe she has dementia. My father has dementia and is memory care. I am his POA. My sister is trying to get guardianship/conservatorship for my mother, who is in bad shape and also have dementia. I don’t make a dime taking care of my father. I manage his finances and  all his affairs and don’t take a cent for myself. 

I have some experience with this and believe what is being done to Britney—what has been done—is horrible. I don’t understand why her mother has taken a back seat either. I also don’t believe her mother is a saint. She pushed Britney into the business when she was just a child. Oh sure, she’ll say how much Britney wanted it. Perhaps she did but she was a child. A child should not be supporting her parents! They moved so Britney could be a star and become the money-maker for the family. That was the first problem right there. 

I’ve read her sister, Jamie Lynn, has also tried to attach herself to all of this. I really don’t think any of these people care about Britney. They just want her money. It’s sickening. 

At the end it said the NYT wasn’t even sure Britney has received their messages, and that’s just one example of what is going on. She’s been silenced and has had her freedom taken away. She’s not even cleared to drive without permission and she has to have someone with her at all times. Why? 

There are also other docs I’ve seen that go into more depth and talk about how Britney is not allowed to talk about the conservatorship. Shut her up, shut her down, silence her and keep the money rolling in. 

Why couldn’t Britney comment on this show? Why couldn’t they interview her? Why couldn’t they even know that she received their message? Because she’s being controlled by her handlers in order to maintain the status quo. 

I think she had some substance abuse in her past and is likely on a lot of prescription medication now, probably due to her handlers. But there are plenty of celebrities with substance abuse issues that don’t lose their freedom like this. This is another whole level of horrible!

Edited February 22, 2021 by Sweet-tea

[DanaK]

This was an interesting doc and very informative, yet not informative enough, and raised a lot of questions about why the conservatorship is still happening and why Spears is being so controlled yet still allowed to perform. I don’t know if fans (namely of the FreeBritney movement) should get so involved in a celebrity’s life especially when there’s so little information on the conservatorship, but enough questions were raised by the episode that perhaps more people in positions of power will look further into this situation because something isn’t kosher about it 

Edited February 22, 2021 by DanaK

[DanaK]

In a good bit of timing, the Hollywood Reporter interviews the documentary’s filmmakers about how and why they made it https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/framing-britney-spears-filmmakers-talk-ethical-challenges-of-portraying-complicated-star

[DanaK]

In an update on the various points the Britney Spears doc raised, Britney has been allowed 2 hearings in court and she objected to the conservatorship and her dad's involvement and said she was being used and abused by nearly everyone in the conservatorship, most especially her dad. Various entities, including the Bessemer Trust, have resigned and Britney has been allowed to hire her own lawyer, who has started working on the case. Needless to say, her dad has denied any abuse from himself

[DanaK]

I forgot to note that the Britney Spears doc got a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Documentary. Also the doc filmmakers were interviewed by the Hollywood Reporter, which was posted today. Among other things, Britney apparently has been trying to get out of the conservatorship for several years now according to confidential documents they got a hold of, plus they are thinking about doing a followup. Note that the article has a link to an earlier investigative story by the filmmakers about the conservatorship that was published the day before Britney's court date https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/framing-britney-spears-filmmak-layers-of-conservatorship-battle-more-story-1234983613/

 

[DanaK]

FX has ordered additional documentary films for the series. The next film, titled "Move Fast and Vape Things" will premiere in September and will be about the company Juul and the issues it has faced since it started selling vaping products http://thefutoncritic.com/news/2021/07/27/fx-extends-deal-with-the-new-york-times-orders-additional-documentary-films-under-the-new-york-times-presents-banner-22213/20210727fx01/

[DanaK]

Quote

THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS: MOVE FAST & VAPE THINGS 
Premiere Date: September 17, 2021 

Genre: Documentary Feature 
Synopsis: Two Stanford graduate students had an inspired idea and an idealistic mission: create an e-cigarette that would help millions of people stop smoking. How did the founders of Juul lose their way and end up accused of addicting a whole new generation?

[DanaK]

New surprise NYT/FX doc “Controlling Britney Spears” just announced on Good Morning America and dropping tonight at 10pm on FX and streaming on Hulu. Insiders come forward to tell about the surveillance that controlled Spears under her conservatorship

Set it for at least 90 minutes if you have to manually set your DVR. 

New York Times article on the doc https://www.nytimes.com/article/controlling-britney-spears.html

Edited September 24, 2021 by DanaK

[DanaK]

FX's press release on the new Britney doc for those who can't access the NYTimes http://thefutoncritic.com/news/2021/09/24/fx-and-hulu-to-debut-new-documentary-film-the-new-york-times-presents-controlling-britney-spears-601014/20210924fx01/

[DanaK]

The new Britney doc was eye opening though not that surprising given what we’ve already seen plus what we’ve heard from Britney herself. Obviously you have to take everything with a grain of salt and the truth is likely somewhere in the middle, but it certainly seemed to a lot of us that Britney seemed over-controlled all these years and a lot of people felt the conservatorship itself was probably overkill. Kudos to the filmmakers for making a follow up doc to Framing Britney Spears

[Sweet-tea]

On 9/2/2021 at 7:09 PM, DanaK said:

Quote

THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS: MOVE FAST & VAPE THINGS 
Premiere Date: September 17, 2021 

Genre: Documentary Feature 
Synopsis: Two Stanford graduate students had an inspired idea and an idealistic mission: create an e-cigarette that would help millions of people stop smoking. How did the founders of Juul lose their way and end up accused of addicting a whole new generation?

Just finished it. Wow, it was very informative and interesting. I had no idea how vaping got started, but I've noticed I see it everywhere. 

I didn't understand the ending sentence about the FDA application still pending. The products are still on the market, so they're able to sell them without FDA approval?

[DanaK]

23 hours ago, Sweet-tea said:

Just finished it. Wow, it was very informative and interesting. I had no idea how vaping got started, but I've noticed I see it everywhere. 

I didn't understand the ending sentence about the FDA application still pending. The products are still on the market, so they're able to sell them without FDA approval?

I haven't watched the doc yet, but I'm guessing yes; in fact, the FDA has investigated them a few times

Edited September 26, 2021 by DanaK

[Sweet-tea]

On 9/25/2021 at 8:39 AM, DanaK said:

The new Britney doc was eye opening though not that surprising given what we’ve already seen plus what we’ve heard from Britney herself. Obviously you have to take everything with a grain of salt and the truth is likely somewhere in the middle, but it certainly seemed to a lot of us that Britney seemed over-controlled all these years and a lot of people felt the conservatorship itself was probably overkill. Kudos to the filmmakers for making a follow up doc to Framing Britney Spears

I think it goes way beyond over-controlling her. I’ve watched some other documentaries that go into the details of the financial arrangements and other matters, all benefiting her father, her manager and other people who supposedly are there to “help” her. This includes the lawyers, which for almost the entire period were court-appointed, not chosen by Britney.  

They exploited and abused her for years. They kept her under surveillance, listened to her phone calls, read her text messages and emails and made her get an IUD against her will. Her dad committed her to a mental facility against her will. They worked her like a dog so they could make more money. 

It is shameful what was done to her. Her father never should’ve been appointed as the conservator. That was the first mistake. Then to give him a percentage of her income was setting the stage for corruption. The more she worked, the more he and her manager and others made. The second mistake was not reviewing the status ever year, which is required in the state I lived in when I looked into it for my mother. 

The third mistake was not allowing Britney at any of her own hearings or even letting her choose her own attorney. All because she was supposedly “not competent” to attend. So how does the judge know that? He took the word of Britney’s father, manager, lawyer… whatever. All people who have a vested interest in continuing the arrangement. 

When we had a hearing for my mother, who was 83 and in bad shape, the judge repeatedly told the attorney to do everything in her power to be sure my mother attended. She said she wanted to hear from her first-hand and be able to assess her ability to understand what was happening. This should’ve been done with Britney, but until a few months ago she wasn’t even given a chance to speak for herself. 

If I were her, I’d never speak to any of the family members again. I’d also consider suing them for all the money they coerced and extorted from her. 

 I hope she finally gets released from this conservatorship, which has played out more like being on house arrest. 

As the reporter says in this documentary, the normal standard for a conservatorship is someone who cannot care for themselves, usually an elderly person with dementia or severe illness. This happened to my mother. If people who’ve had mental illness and addiction issues were all put under conservatorship, there would be millions upon millions. There aren’t because it’s supposed to be the very last resort. The court is stripping away many of the basic freedoms we have as citizens, so the burden is very high. 

So what did they do? Give the control to her father, a person known to have alcohol issues and abusive behavior going back to when he was married to Britney’s mother. And they didn’t even require him to take random alcohol test, only scheduled ones. Those are very ease to pass as alcohol doesn’t stay in your system very long. 

It’s shocking and horrible. I hope Britney is able to walk away from all of this into a better life: her own life. 

And I wasn’t even a Britney Spears fan. I’m much older so her music wasn’t my thing. 

Edited October 27, 2021 by Sweet-tea

[DanaK]

1 hour ago, Sweet-tea said:

I think it goes way beyond over-controlling her. I’ve watched some other documentaries that go into the details of the financial arrangements and other matters, all benefiting her father, her manager and other people who supposedly are there to “help” her. This includes the lawyers, which for almost the entire period were court-appointed, not chosen by Britney.  

They exploited and abused her for years. They kept her under surveillance, listened to her phone calls, read her text messages and emails and made her get an IUD against her will. Her dad committed her to a mental facility against her will. They worked her like a dog so they could make more money. 

It is shameful what was done to her. Her father never should’ve been appointed as the conservator. That was the first mistake. Then to give him a percentage of her income was setting the stage for corruption. The more she worked, the more he and her manager and others made. The second mistake was not reviewing the status ever year, which is required in the state I lived in when I looked into it for my mother. 

The third mistake was not allowing Britney at any of her own hearings or even letting her choose her own attorney. All because she was supposedly “not competent” to attend. So how does the judge know that? He took the word of Britney’s father, manager, lawyer… whatever. All people who have a vested interest in continuing the arrangement. 

When we had a hearing for my mother, who was 83 and in bad shape, the judge repeatedly told the attorney to do everything in her power to be sure my mother attended. She said she wanted to hear from her first-hand and be able to assess her ability to understand what was happening. This should’ve been done with Britney, but until a few months ago she wasn’t even given a chance to speak for herself. 

If I were her, I’d never speak to any of the family members again. I’d also consider suing them for all the money they coerced and extorted from her. 

 I hope she finally gets released from this conservatorship, which has played out more like being on house arrest. 

As the reporter says in this documentary, the normal standard for a conservatorship is someone who cannot care for themselves, usually an elderly person with dementia or severe illness. This happened to my mother. If people who’ve had mental illness and addiction issues were all put under conservatorship, there would be millions upon millions. There aren’t because it’s supposed to be the very last resort. The court is stripping away many of the basic freedoms we have as citizens, so the burden is very high. 

So what did they do? Give the control to her father, a person known to have alcohol issues and abusive behavior going back to when he was married to Britney’s mother. And they didn’t even require him to take random alcoholic test, only scheduled ones. Those are very ease to pass as alcohol doesn’t stay in your system very long. 

It’s shocking and horrible. I hope Britney is able to walk away from all of this into a better life: her own life. 

And I wasn’t even a Britney Spears fan. I’m much older so her music wasn’t my thing. 

I think the more I’ve heard, the more I side with Britney. It’s especially grievous that her father and others were allowed to make money from this. They treated it like a money making enterprise and the fact that they had Britney make albums and go on tour while claiming she was incompetent and couldn’t run her own life is just beyond...I can’t even find the words. I didn’t understand why Britney’s lawyer didn’t immediately push to end the conservatorship, but I understood once it was explained that keeping it going with someone else in charge for now allowed them to legally investigate the behavior of the previous people, namely Jaime, who I hope gets the book thrown at him, along with his cohorts.

i don’t understand how the courts allowed this to go on for so long. Something needs to be investigated there and it sounds like California recently passed a law to strengthen the rights of conservatees but more clearly needs to be done

Britney has been very vocal lately about blaming her whole family for hurting her and letting her down so I don’t think she’s going to forgive very easily

[Sweet-tea]

Her previous lawyers were really working for her father. That’s part of the problem. She had no one advocating her. No one looking out for her best interest. And they wouldn’t let her pick anyone, so the cycle continued. 

It’s horrible. I don’t know how the court couldn’t see what was going on. 

[DanaK]

The next doc is “Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson” on Friday November 19 at 10pm ET on FX and Hulu. It covers the fallout from her Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction

https://tvline.com/2021/11/01/janet-jackson-super-bowl-wardrobe-malfunction-hulu-documentary/

[Spartan Girl]

On 11/1/2021 at 6:50 PM, DanaK said:

The next doc is “Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson” on Friday November 19 at 10pm ET on FX and Hulu. It covers the fallout from her Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction

https://tvline.com/2021/11/01/janet-jackson-super-bowl-wardrobe-malfunction-hulu-documentary/

Watched it. All the clips of how everyone ripped on Janet do not look good in the harsh light of day. 

[Sarahsmile416]

12 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Watched it. All the clips of how everyone ripped on Janet do not look good in the harsh light of day. 

One of the worst was her interview with David Letterman later.  Seeing her face, how he kept needling her, how uncomfortable she was, down to his comment about how she smelled made me sick to my stomach.  
 

As they said, the pound of flesh they exacted from her cannot be rectified - not by Justin Timberlake’s apology much much MUCH too late nor the outing of Moonves as a sexual predator.  
 

I finished this episode profoundly upset…but I’m glad the problematic nature of the backlash is finally seeing the light of day 

[DanaK]

Next doc: "To Live and Die in Alabama", Friday, Dec 3, 10pm

"Three police officers died in a shootout at a drug house in Alabama; one man was sentenced to death for the shootings, even though he was never accused of even touching the murder weapon; this is the story of Nathaniel Woods."

[DanaK]

Next doc: “Elon Musk’s Crash Course” (about Tesla’s self driving cars not quite working as well as Musk keeps claiming) on Friday, May 20 at 10pm ET http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/04/25/fx-sets-the-new-york-times-presents-documentary-film-elon-musks-crash-course-553315/20220425fx01/

[DanaK]

Next doc: “Superspreader”, premiering on Friday, August 19 at 10pm ET on FX and Hulu. The doc looks at a doctor who is probably the most influential spreader of Covid misinformation online

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2022/07/27/fx-sets-the-next-documentary-film-from-the-new-york-times-presents-superspreader-153215/20220727fx01/

[DanaK]

On 11/20/2021 at 10:05 PM, Sarahsmile416 said:

One of the worst was her interview with David Letterman later.  Seeing her face, how he kept needling her, how uncomfortable she was, down to his comment about how she smelled made me sick to my stomach.  
 

As they said, the pound of flesh they exacted from her cannot be rectified - not by Justin Timberlake’s apology much much MUCH too late nor the outing of Moonves as a sexual predator.  
 

I finished this episode profoundly upset…but I’m glad the problematic nature of the backlash is finally seeing the light of day 

The amount of anger and hysteria directed at Janet was not remotely justified looking back (and probably not even then) about such a quick flash of accidental nudity. And Mooves being out front getting his pound of flesh from Janet when he was secretly harassing women is just horrible. At least he got his justifiable Karma when his bad acts were revealed. That Janet managed to come back from all that is a testament to her hard work and talent

[Spartan Girl]

Anyone watching the “Superspreader” episode about “Dr.” Mercola tonight? This is going to be a tough one to get through. Him and everyone else like him are a bunch of know-it-all-no-nothing QUACKS.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[DanaK]

2 new documentaries have been announced to be broadcast in the next few months:

"Sin Eater" is a 2 part documentary about notorious Hollywood P.I. Anthony Pellicano. It will premiere on Friday March 10 on FX and Hulu at 10pm ET with the 2 parts being shown back to back

"The Legacy of J Dilla" is a documentary feature about prolific musician, producer and visionary J Dilla. It premieres Friday, April 10 on FX and Hulu at 10pm ET

I wish I understood why FX shows these so late in the evening

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2023/01/12/fx-sets-premiere-dates-for-first-wave-of-new-and-returning-series-in-2023-233213/20230112fx01/

 

 

[DanaK]

Next documentary is "How to Fix a Pageant", on Friday, September 29 at 10pm. Info at the end of the article. No info on exactly what it's about

https://deadline.com/2023/08/a-murder-at-the-end-of-the-world-premiere-date-fx-1235521365/

[DanaK]

The below article has a synopsis for "How to Fix a Pageant":

Quote

Follows the rigging scandal and contestant revolt that took place as Miss USA and its parent company, Miss Universe, came under female ownership for the first time, as well as the legacy brand’s attempts to increase profitability by embracing women’s empowerment. The documentary feature is produced and directed by Nicole Rittenmeyer, with reporting by Lauren Herstik.

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/fx-fall-premiere-dates-fargo-season-5-murder-at-the-end-of-the-world-1235698538/

[ALittleShelfish]

2 hours ago, DanaK said:

Next documentary is "How to Fix a Pageant", on Friday, September 29 at 10pm. Info at the end of the article. No info on exactly what it's about

https://deadline.com/2023/08/a-murder-at-the-end-of-the-world-premiere-date-fx-1235521365/

I have a friend who is pretty prominent in the pageant world and she has been involved in lawsuits and all kinds of crazy messes due to the corruption in all of the various groups.  I am definitely adding this to my watch list.  Pageants on their own don't interest me, but the behind the scenes messiness absolutely has my undivided attention.  

[DanaK]

Next doc is “Broken Horses”, about the problems in the horse racing industry, coming up in 2024

Press release and teaser

 http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2023/12/14/fx-sets-the-new-york-times-presents-broken-horses-225410/20231214fx01/

Edited December 15, 2023 by DanaK

[DanaK]

It's not clear if this upcoming FX doc is under "The New York Times Presents" banner, but it is co-produced by The New York Times, so for now, I'll put it here.

"Spermworld" will be shown on FX on Friday March 29 at 10pm ET and stream on Hulu the next day.

Synopsis:

FX's SPERMWORLD, a documentary feature directed by Lance Oppenheim, produced by The New York Times and Edgeline Films, and inspired by the Times' article "The Sperm Kings Have a Problem: Too Much Demand" by Nellie Bowles, will premiere on Friday, March 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX and stream the next day on Hulu.

SPERMWORLD is a road movie set inside the new wild west of baby making - online forums where sperm donors connect with hopeful parents. Against the landscape of roadside motels, abandoned shopping malls and suburban bathrooms across the country, the film follows intimate encounters between donors and recipients as they exchange more than just genetic material. SPERMWORLD examines how our fantasies about partnership and parenthood shape our deepest desires. What emerges in this new feature-length documentary directed by Lance Oppenheim is an incisive portrait of the search for human connection in an increasingly alienating world.

Full press release http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2024/01/17/fxs-spermworld-feature-documentary-on-the-unregulated-online-marketplace-for-sperm-premieres-friday-march-29-136113/20240117fx01/

 

[DanaK]

On 12/14/2023 at 7:49 PM, DanaK said:

Next doc is “Broken Horses”, about the problems in the horse racing industry, coming up in 2024

Press release and teaser

 http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2023/12/14/fx-sets-the-new-york-times-presents-broken-horses-225410/20231214fx01/

This doc is premiering on FX on Friday April 26 at 10pm and streaming next day on Hulu

https://www.givememyremote.com/remote/2024/02/09/fx-spring-2024-premiere-dates/

[DanaK]

On 1/17/2024 at 1:45 PM, DanaK said:

It's not clear if this upcoming FX doc is under "The New York Times Presents" banner, but it is co-produced by The New York Times, so for now, I'll put it here.

"Spermworld" will be shown on FX on Friday March 29 at 10pm ET and stream on Hulu the next day.

Synopsis:

FX's SPERMWORLD, a documentary feature directed by Lance Oppenheim, produced by The New York Times and Edgeline Films, and inspired by the Times' article "The Sperm Kings Have a Problem: Too Much Demand" by Nellie Bowles, will premiere on Friday, March 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX and stream the next day on Hulu.

SPERMWORLD is a road movie set inside the new wild west of baby making - online forums where sperm donors connect with hopeful parents. Against the landscape of roadside motels, abandoned shopping malls and suburban bathrooms across the country, the film follows intimate encounters between donors and recipients as they exchange more than just genetic material. SPERMWORLD examines how our fantasies about partnership and parenthood shape our deepest desires. What emerges in this new feature-length documentary directed by Lance Oppenheim is an incisive portrait of the search for human connection in an increasingly alienating world.

Full press release http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2024/01/17/fxs-spermworld-feature-documentary-on-the-unregulated-online-marketplace-for-sperm-premieres-friday-march-29-136113/20240117fx01/

 

It looks like this will not fall under the New York Times Presents banner. It will get its own topic

[DanaK]

Next documentary: "Lie to Fly". It focuses on last year’s terrifying Alaska Airlines flight when a man, who turned out to be a professional pilot, Joseph Emerson, was accused of trying to crash the plane mid-flight after taking mushrooms because he feared seeking mental health treatment would ruin his career. The New York Times explores Joseph Emerson's story and follows a growing movement calling for reform of the FAA's strict rules around pilot mental health, which they claim leaves the public at risk. It will air Friday, August 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2024/07/10/fx-sets-premiere-dates-for-new-and-returning-series-934313/20240710fx01/

Edited July 10 by DanaK
updated synopsis

[DanaK]

Lie to Fly streams on Hulu August 24

[Bastet]

I recently discovered this series and have watched about half the episodes.  They do a great job exploring the bigger issues at play in all the stories.  One exception is the first Britney Spears documentary, which pretty much ignored the pervasive problems in the conservatorship process.  The follow-up was better, but they could stand to do a third now that she's free, and finally get into when it's supposed to be granted, and when it actually is.  Because there are still tons of people flapping their gums about "See, her dad was right" every time she does something that reveals she's a hot-ass mess.  People are allowed to be hot-ass messes without losing their rights!  That's not the standard.

(And with a family like that, and working in a toxic industry from the time she was a child, what was she ever destined to be other than a hot-ass mess?  Add in losing her freedom for the years when she could have possibly matured, and she never stood a chance of immediately emerging as a well-adjusted member of society.)

I liked the first one, about NYC healthcare workers at the height of the pandemic.  The attending who talked about having an epic meltdown and then feeling guilty about not being stronger, then worrying when her mentor committed suicide due to the same stress -- she really got to me.  Along with the pulmonologist who ramped up his efforts to create photo albums, so that if he died his daughter would have plenty to look at.

The one about superspreadors of misinformation was a hard watch; like the FDA head said, it has become a leading cause of death.  That lady who plans to treat her cancer recurrence with snake oil made me equal parts sad and angry.  I'm glad the rest of Mercola's followers they interviewed had come to their senses.

The latest one, about the movement to get the FAA to update its policies regarding evaluation of pilots with mental illness, was another great example of using one person's story as a launching pad to explore an important issue.

[DanaK]

18 hours ago, Bastet said:

I recently discovered this series and have watched about half the episodes.  They do a great job exploring the bigger issues at play in all the stories.  One exception is the first Britney Spears documentary, which pretty much ignored the pervasive problems in the conservatorship process.  The follow-up was better, but they could stand to do a third now that she's free, and finally get into when it's supposed to be granted, and when it actually is.  Because there are still tons of people flapping their gums about "See, her dad was right" every time she does something that reveals she's a hot-ass mess.  People are allowed to be hot-ass messes without losing their rights!  That's not the standard.

(And with a family like that, and working in a toxic industry from the time she was a child, what was she ever destined to be other than a hot-ass mess?  Add in losing her freedom for the years when she could have possibly matured, and she never stood a chance of immediately emerging as a well-adjusted member of society.)

I liked the first one, about NYC healthcare workers at the height of the pandemic.  The attending who talked about having an epic meltdown and then feeling guilty about not being stronger, then worrying when her mentor committed suicide due to the same stress -- she really got to me.  Along with the pulmonologist who ramped up his efforts to create photo albums, so that if he died his daughter would have plenty to look at.

The one about superspreadors of misinformation was a hard watch; like the FDA head said, it has become a leading cause of death.  That lady who plans to treat her cancer recurrence with snake oil made me equal parts sad and angry.  I'm glad the rest of Mercola's followers they interviewed had come to their senses.

The latest one, about the movement to get the FAA to update its policies regarding evaluation of pilots with mental illness, was another great example of using one person's story as a launching pad to explore an important issue.

The somewhat recent one about the deaths of racing horses was tough to watch and I'm not sure things will ever get fully fixed given the amount of money involved unless the industry crashes from their own greed