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Lake Bell

SF Radio 8.20 Sacred Sexuality in PAM & TOMMY

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In the ‘greatest love story ever sold, Hulu’s Pam & Tommy tells the story of the theft and release of the celebrity couple’s sex tape back in the late 1990s. Beginning with the energy of a raunchy comedy, the series gradually shifts its perspective into something much more poignant and (dare I say it?) powerful in its conversations about gender and sexuality. This week, Amanda Jane Smith and Miriam Ibrahim return to have an honest discussion surrounding the nature of ‘gaze’ and the relationship between consent, sexuality and pornography.

You can stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

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Pam & Tommy: What are You Looking At?

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‘What are you lookin’ at?’

Taken from Hulu’s limited series, Pam & Tommy, this may seem like a simple, throwaway line but it actually asks a much deeper question about the way we view our celebrities and each other. Smartly written and executed, this is a show about power and control… and it all starts with the way we look at one another.

Set in the days just prior to the internet explosion, Pam & Tommy is based on the events surrounding the release of Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan)’s infamous sex tape. After a disgruntled contractor (Seth Rogan) steals the tape from their home, the intimate personal moments of one of Hollywood’s power couples became a global phenomenon that had everyone talking. 

Created by Robert Siegel, Pam & Tommy begins as an energetic heist series but becomes a powerful and poignant commentary on the destructive power of toxic masculinity. While there are moments where the narrative threatens to unravel into soapy madness, the performances by James and Stan are so convincing that they immediately pull the viewer back into the story. Together, their chemistry is palpable. The push and pull between them has an electricity that works in almost every moment they are together onscreen. 

As the violently erratic Tommy Lee, Stan is utterly unrecognizable and leans fully into the performance. However, its James who is absolutely mesmerizing. With each passing episode, James shows an increasing strength that is both powerful and compelling. Although she portrays Anderson with patience and grace, James fuels her with a quiet rage that simmers underneath. There is a fire and fury in her performance that demands attention. (Incidentally, while Tommy Lee has reportedly given the series his blessing, Anderson has declined to officially support it.)

Whether one realizes it or not, the release of Pam and Tommy’s sex tape was a game-changing moment in the way that our culture consumes both sexuality and celebrity. However, rather than use the series to satirize its subjects, Siegel and his team see this as an opportunity to deconstruct the damage caused by the male gaze. 

Admittedly, at the beginning of the series, the show feels imbalanced. For a show called Pam & Tommy, there’s a surprisingly heavy emphasis on Tommy over Pam in the first few episodes. As a result, it feels like the wrong story is about to be told.

But that’s part of the point.

What makes Pam & Tommy so interesting is that is more invested in putting our cultural obsession with sexuality on trial and, most specifically, the male gaze. As the series begins, there’s a heavy emphasis on the male perspective. Rand can’t handle working as Tommy’s contractor and wants to screw over the guy who was doing the same to him. Tommy’s career is struggling as the music scene transitions to a grunge market. Uncle Miltie makes fast money exploiting sexuality and sees an opportunity to do so at Tommy’s expense. From the outset, this very clearly a man’s world and they are taking the lead within it.

Because that’s what men do, right? Take control.

However, as Pam & Tommyprogresses, there’s a dramatic shift in the series’ voice. The presence of strong women directors like Lake Bell, Gwenyth Horder-Payton and Hannah Fidell behind the camera provide the necessary perspective to shape the show’s view of sexuality in a healthier manner. What’s more, James’ Anderson begins to move increasingly into the forefront and the conversation surrounding the toxicity of the male gaze becomes more prominent. Whether it’s Anderson’s producers on Baywatch or the way that their tape is consumed so rapidly, the harm caused by the oppressive masculine view is increasingly obvious. To them, Pam is little more than the sum of her features and it silences her voice. 

As such, the devastation by the release of the infamous tape is far deeper than making a few dollars. Made as a celebration of their love and for their eyes only, their tape became a weapon that was used against them. With each viewing, the tape reinforces the culture’s dangerous celebration of Lee as sexually powerful and criticism of Anderson as sexual property. Seeing their personal and private moments changes the way that the public values them.

At the same time, it’s worth noting that Pam & Tommy more than earns its R-rating, especially in the absolutely wild second episode. (After all, sexuality is core to the conversation here.) However, that more graphic content gradually disappears as the series takes its use of sexuality more seriously. In a show about exploitation, Pam & Tommy also wants to ensure that it does not become part of the problem.

In fact, what Pam & Tommy does so well is remind the viewer that this was a video that none of us were ever supposed to see. For example, as each man stares deeply at their screen to watch Pam & Tommy’s most intimate moments, the series leaves the monitors off to the viewer. We hear the tape—but we are not allowed to see it for ourselves. In a brilliant choice by the showrunners, the series keeps the viewer at a safe distance from the visuals. (In fact, the only times where the tape can be viewed at all are in moments when the couple watch it themselves.) The series never condemns the couple for making the tape but refuses to allow us to participate in watching it.

In many ways, it’s heart-breaking that the real Anderson has declined to sign off—or even comment—on the series itself. Perhaps the details of the events are incorrect. Perhaps they simply wanted to put this chapter of their lives behind them. Whatever the reason, her lack of involvement is somewhat of a shame. (And arguably bites back at the nature of consent as well.) Despite its pop-fueled energy, this depiction of Pam & Tommy never feels as salacious as it could have been told. 

If anything, it feels more like a public apology.

While the series never judges the industry itself, it makes a point of identifying the toxicity that is created when consent is ignored. Coming at a time when celebrity cellphone hacks are common and privacy is at an all-time low, Pam & Tommy suggests that the real poison in our culture comes when we choose the body over the soul. It acknowledges that Pam and Tommy are real people and, if anything, we are in the wrong for viewing them as any less. 

For all of these reasons, Pam & Tommy becomes much more than simply a dramatic representation of a sexual scandal. Showrunner Siegel and his team have instead used the trauma of one couple to explore problems that extend far beyond one tape or moment in history. Through Pam & Tommy, they remind us that what we’re looking at changes the way we see the world.

The first three episodes of Pam & Tommy stream on Hulu and Star+ on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022 with new episodes following weekly.

Cryptozoo: Acceptance and [Animated] Reality

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Set in a world where humans and mythical creatures call cryptids exist together, Cryptozoo follows Lauren (Lake Bell), a woman who has built a zoo specifically designed to showcase these otherworldly beings to the world. When Lauren hears of a military plot to capture a dream-eating legendary creature called a Baku, she partners with a cryptid named Phoebe (Angelika Papoulia) and sets out to rescue the beast and return it to her zoo.

Written and directed by Dash Shaw, Cryptozoo is a wild and mostly compelling look at the things that divide us and what it means to bring people together. Despite emphasizing adult themes, Shaw’s animation feels both unique and familiar. With a style reminiscent of children’s books, there’s a different kind of beauty to the film as its details and bright water colours highlight the innocence and joy of nature. However, the film’s tone also leans into something far darker and more mature. As such, Shaw never allows you to get comfortable with the area either. Animated sexuality, violence and more highlight the edgier aspects and ground the film within the real world. The result is something both intriguing and off-putting as the viewer remains dazzled by its style yet never fully comfortable either.

Admittedly, the animation here feels far more remarkable than the performances of its voice cast. Although the film has some incredible talent, vocal work here doesn’t particularly excite. (Although Angelika Papoulia turns in some solid work as the earnest and frustrated Phoebe.) 

What is most interesting about Cryptozoo though, is its commentary on the nature of acceptance. Although the development of the Cryptozoo began with the intention to bridge the gap between humans and cryptids, the facility has not accomplished its goal. Instead, the zoo’s middle ground philosophy has actually offended both sides. On the one hand, there are those who despise all cryptids and seek their destruction. (“People fear what they do not understand,” we’re reminded.) This sort of hatred is openly toxic. On the other hand though, when held up against Phoebe’s earnestness, the more subtle danger may stem from Lauren herself. 

Although Lauren adores cryptids and sees them as valuable parts of the world that need to be cherished, her zoo still creates barriers. To her, the zoo is a “necessary stepping stone” to acceptance. Allow people to see them in captivity and they’ll know that they’re not so bad, she reasons. However, whereas Lauren’s vision seems noble, it falls short when partnered with Phoebe’s more hopeful dream. Despite the hopes behind the development of the zoo, Phoebe argues that acceptance doesn’t come at a distance. As a medusa-like character who wants to marry a human, she doesn’t believe that she should have to hide who she is in order to make others comfortable. To Phoebe, the goal is simply to live in peace with others. As a result, Phoebe’s more wholistic dream of togetherness exposes the fact that Lauren’s vision falls short. (In fact, it borders on segregation.) In this way, the film becomes a metaphor for acceptance of others, despite the differences that intimidate us.

Beautifully crafted and executed, Cryptozoo is certainly one of the more creative animated ventures this year. Though, its mature storytelling is what sets it apart. This is not your typical animated fare. Shaw has very specific cultural conversations that he wants to explore and he willing to lean into the darkness in order to do so.

Cryptozoo is available on demand and in select theatres on Friday, August 20th, 2021.

I Do… Until I Don’t: Is Marriage Dead?

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I Do… Until I Don’t follows a filmmaker named Vivian (played by Dolly Wells), as she’s making a documentary about marriage and its challenges.  She focuses her film on three dysfunctional couples – Lake Bell and Ed Helms, who are trying to have a baby, Amber Heard and Wyatt Cenac, who have more of an open relationship, and Paul Reiser and Mary Steenburgen, who have been married for a while, determined to prove that the concept of marriage is outdated. However, as their family struggles rise to the surface, each couple is forced to re-examine their relationships and challenge Vivian’s assumptions about the nature of marriage itself.

Written and directed by Lake Bell, the film has a solid cast (Where have you been, Paul Reiser?) and a unique tone.  By blending comedy and drama with documentary elements, the film seems to defy many of the normal conventions associated with any specific genre. What’s more, it also proves to be an interesting exploration of the nature of relationships.  Though the comedy and drama are obviously heightened circumstances (as they often are in such films), the dialogue between the couples still somehow feels authentic. In a credit to Bell’s writing, the arguments, mistrust, and even moments of grace that break in between couples manage to feel grounded in reality. In doing so, the film is able to effectively explore the complexities of relationships in a way that actually demonstrates the value of spending your life with another person.

While countless other films have looked at the ‘ups and downs’ of relationships, I Do… set itself apart by intentionally looks at marriage as a concept. Through Vivian, Bell focuses her lens on the question of whether or not marriage is an outdated idea or a remnant of an oppressive culture.  (After all, as Vivian would argue, shouldn’t all contracts have an expiry time?) As a pastor, I found it refreshing to see a film that reminds us the importance of honoring our commitments to one another, even when things get hard. While views on marriage have changed in recent decades, I Do… reminds us that there remains value in the concept itself, allowing for vulnerability and support between partners.

Without any spoilers, it was also interesting to see how Bell shows the value of marriage without pushing against those who choose to remain single.  Too often, rom-coms give the impression that ‘finding your soul mate’ is the only important thing in the world but Bell manages to avoid this trap by admitting that it isn’t for everyone as well. (Incidentally, this argument again points back to the seriousness of marriage itself.)

While the story for I Do… Until I Don’t can struggle at times, solid performances from the key cast and its unique structure help the film to remain entertaining. However, in the end, the real value of the film lies in its deliberate exploration relationships at a time when our culture takes it for granted.

I Do… Until I Don’t is in theaters now.

“I Do… Until I Don’t” Producer Amanda Marshall on Spinning a Different Story

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As Vice President of Cold Iron Pictures, producer Amanda Marshall admits to being most passionate about projects that tell stories in unusual ways.  Having had indie success with films like Diary of a Teenage Girl and Swiss Army Man, Marshall’s goal is to find projects that push back against the norm.

“I look for something that I haven’t seen before, even if it’s a world that, on the surface, maybe we have,” she proposes.  “Like with Diary of a Teenage Girl, the story of a young girl sleeping with an older man is one that’s been told before but what drew me to that was the perspective.  And I hadn’t seen it told from that perspective before and that was what was exciting for me.”

“With Swiss Army Man is more obvious in its different-ness.  In fact, I think that sometimes, it can be easy to overlook that, at the core, it’s about something that’s very relatable and that’s how do we connect with other people and what is loneliness, shame and how do people process that.  That’s a story that we’ve seen but it was told in a very different way.  That was most important.”

“I don’t want to tell stories that, when you see the logline, you say ‘oh, it’s this story’? or ‘it’s that story?’  I want to tell stories that are a little bit different and maybe even a bit scary to a lot of other companies.  If it’s a little bit scary to other people, that’s probably something that we’d be interested in.”

With her latest film, I Do… Until I Don’t, Marshall believes that she’s found a story that explores relationships in an unconventional manner.

According to Marshall, “I Do… Until I Don’t follows [a filmmaker named] Vivian (played by Dolly Wells), as she’s making a documentary about marriage and whether or not it should be a seven-year contract with an option to renew.  She follows these three couples – Lake Bell and Ed Helms, who are trying to have a baby, Amber Heard and Wyatt Cenac, who have more of an open relationship, and Paul Reiser and Mary Steenburgen, who have been married for a while, and the stresses that come with that. It’s just a look into relationships and what makes them tick and what makes them worth fighting for.”

With a story that includes elements of comedy, drama, and documentary filmmaking, I Do… Until I Don’t is a film that doesn’t particularly fit neatly into any particularly neat categories.  However, Marshall believes that what’s most important to her is the film’s ability to connect with the audience.

“It’s a blend,” she reflects.  “I guess it’s a dramedy of sorts.  To me, what I am more drawn to as a producer, is perspective and I think that this movie can be very relatable. The couples are all very different but there’s something about each of them that I feel like, if you’ve been married for a while, which I have been, that you can see your own relationship and that’s what I appreciated about it.”

One of the most exciting prospects for Marshall was the opportunity to work with writer/director Lake Bell.  Having tracked Bell’s work for some time, Marshall was thrilled to finally be able to work with her, especially on a project that was so entertaining.

“I was already a big fan of Lake’s work, both as a director and writer, and after her first movie, wanted to do something with her,” she beams.  “When I heard about her new project, I went to a table read.  I thought it was hilarious!  I don’t think I’ve ever laughed that much at a table read before.  Some of the cast that is in the movie was at the table read – Lake, Ed, and Dolly were all there – and I just thought it was so funny that it was definitely something I wanted to be a part of.”

With a title like I Do… Until I Don’t, one might assume that the film’s perspective on marriage is mostly negative.  Still, Marshall believes that I Do… balances the challenges of life while emphasizing hopefulness as well.

“Lake likes to call it an ‘unromantic romance’,” she says. “I do feel it has a positive view of marriage but that it also acknowledges that there are ups and downs and that it can be a roller coaster ride. You have moments that you have to get through to come out the other side.  There are things that are worth fighting for.”

“I think you have to find a balance.  If you’re dealing with another person, you’re in it together.  You really have to give up some of that freedom but, yeah, I think it’s a balance, like everything in life.  You have to compromise.  I think that Vivian, the documentary filmmaker, is in a bitter, unhappy place so she sees the world in a very specific way, as I think all of our characters do at the beginning.  Your opinion can evolve.”

With so much conversation at the moment about the importance of a feminine voice in the film industry, Marshall believes that what matters most to storytelling is that the filmmaker be allowed to share their own perspective.  In light of this, one of the reasons that she was so interested in working with Bell was the clarity of her vision and voice.

“For me, I always say that I’m not genre-driven; I’m perspective-driven,” she begins. “So, to me, whether it’s male or female, what is important is the perspective of the filmmaker and the film.  [With this film,] I think Lake has a very specific perspective as a filmmaker and on the subject matter.  That’s what really drew me to the project.  I think it’s awesome to work with female filmmakers and I think she’s such a bad ass to watch her go from behind the camera to in front of it… so seamlessly (and often at the same time).  That was pretty great.  I do think that as a woman, as a mom and where she is in life that she definitely brought that to the table, both behind and in front of the camera.”

Through her desire to tell unique stories like I Do… Until I Don’t, Amanda Marshall continues to find projects that challenge our assumptions.

I Do… Until I Don’t opens in theaters on Friday, September 1st, 2017.