[This video contains discussions of eating disorders and body image.]
I just have a lot of feelings. About Mean Girls. And Renee Rapp.
INSTA/THREADS: kaicedcoffee
TWITTER: KGDelmare
Written, narrated & edited by Kai Delmare
RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL VIEWING:
let’s talk about the rise of ‘-core’ and ‘girl’ aesthetics by @gremlita https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMnfI8xkJ1s
blueberry milk nails & the manufactured trends of tiktok by @jordanatheresa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDeHrW7kBfg
ARTICLES SHOWN/CITED:
RENEE RAPP COLUMN (AMY KAUFMAN): https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-09-24/for-real-renee-rapp-snow-angel-mean-girls-sex-lives-college-girls
RENEE RAPP ED ARTICLE (CARLOS DE LOERA: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-08-24/renee-rapp-says-body-shaming-impacted-eating-disorder
MEDA LITERACY NOW: https://medialiteracynow.org/challenge/what-is-media-literacy/
SIGMA MALES (BIANCA LONDON): https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/sigma-male
ALPHA MALES IN WOLF PACKS (STEPHANIE PAPPAS): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-alpha-wolf-idea-a-myth/
LITERALLY ME CHARACTERS (AZNEEF CHOWDHURY): https://www.thedailystar.net/shout/news/the-distressing-reality-literally-me-characters-3265686
GENDER STEREOTYPES (GENDER QUALITY LAW CENTER): https://www.genderequalitylaw.org/gender-stereotyping
MEN AND GENDER ROLES (DAVID M. MAYER): https://hbr.org/2018/10/how-men-get-penalized-for-straying-from-masculine-norms
TRAD WIFE INFLUENCERS (NICOLE FROIO): https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktoks-trad-wives-are-pushing-a-conservative-agenda-for-women-2022
ALPHA MALE INFLUENCERS (ANGELINA JAYA SIEW): https://themedium.ca/alpha-male-influencers-are-the-poster-boys-of-modern-day-misogyny/
BIMBOTOK (SOPHIE HAIGNEY): https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/opinion/bimbo-tiktok-feminism.html
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF COMPLEX FEMALE CHARACTERS (RAYNE FISHER-QUANN): https://internetprincess.substack.com/p/standing-on-the-shoulders-of-complex
STANLEY CUP TREND (PARIJA KAVILANZ): https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/04/business/stanley-cup-valentines-day-target/index.html
WHY AMERICANS ARE LONELIER (PBS NEWSHOUR): https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-americans-are-lonelier-and-its-effects-on-our-health
THE AESTHETIC SOCIETY NATIONAL DATABANK STATISTICS 2020-2021: https://cdn.theaestheticsociety.org/media/statistics/2021-TheAestheticSocietyStatistics.pdf
FILMING STRANGERS IN PUBLIC (SHIVANI DUBEY): https://mashable.com/article/filming-strangers-in-public-ethics-tiktok
CHILI NEIGHBOR (WAPO): https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/11/18/chili-neighbors-twitter-etiquette/
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Pinned comment trivia: most of this movie was filmed in Toronto, so the ensemble is filled with Canadian actors who are usually known for voiceover work. Gretchen's boyfriend Jason is played by Daniel DeSanto, who you might recognize as Carlos from Magic Schoolbus. Glen Coco is played by David Reale and Julia Chantrey plays Amber (who made out with a hot dog one time).
I used to really like her..when she was on Broadway> I was a huge fan of bootleg clips on YouTube. Then, I actually SAW the musical and it was EXTREMELY disappointing. Although the music was catchy it was very basic, and the plot was not only all over the place but it didn't make any sense. They got rid of a lot of the lines that showed just how awful all of the characters were in favor of more politically correct lines (no more lesbian jokes, no more fat jokes, etc etc, I say this AS a lesbian) so not only did the character development not make any sense, but the newer jokes fell really flat. The plotline with Regina accidentally exposing herself didn't really track, it felt like old people trying to relate to a younger audience (this is not ANYTHING like what high school is like now, even though the whole premise of the new film claims to be set in 2023). Then, when they announced they were turning it BACK into a movie, I was confused and upset, because it wasn't necessary and it wasn't going to be good. Now here we are, Aaron isn't hot, Cady isn't Cady, Karen isn't blonde, Gretchen's hair isn't big, and for some reason RENEE PLAYED REGINA AS A FUCKBOY. Regina's whole strength lies in her femininity, she uses her charm and feminine grace to manipulate and mentally harm. It really pisses me off that Renne's version is now so manish and masculine. Her voice is like…very deep and belty, her mannerisms are very "girlboss" and such, and it just doesn't feel like Regina at all. Don't even get me STARTED on the costuming, wth were they thinking, Regina would NEVER wear Doc Martens. It's just overall a bad adaptation of the original, but then again, the whole musical was pretty bad, from a plot standpoint at least. So yea, the casting of the movie sucked ass, the costuming sucked ass, and the source material wasn't strong from the beginning, plus they never marketed it as a musical.
This video is perfectly put together!! Can't wait for it to gain more views.
Look I love Renee as a singer and Renee is great as Regina in 2024 but as a mid 20’s Woman nothing will ever replace the Original Mean Girls the 2024 version was very Watered down and less Vulgar than the Original Mean Girls in 2004 nothing will ever replace that and I agree they are not dressed the same the plastics are supposed to be dressed more vulgar that being said what I don’t agree with is people shaming Renee for playing Regina just cause she’s not as skinny as Rachel that’s really rude and ridiculous both are wonderful as Regina!! That being said I will always pick the Original Mean Girls over the remakes but that doesn’t mean I won’t watch the remakes I didn’t hate the remakes so I plan to watch them anyways but nothing will ever Beat the original!!!
All I see is love towards Renee lmao. Everybody loves her and supports her.
If you wanna be like Regina George… you’ve got issues
Renee Rapp also appeals to a fair amount of queer women. You have no idea how many lesbians and bi women say that they're seeing the movie for the "plot", aka her looks. I think the fact that she doesn't fully appeal to straight guys is also another piece of the backlash.
I think Renee's a great Regina. She both confident and talented. I just wish that they styled her a lot better, but I think that about the cast as a whole, not just her.
I personally feel a bit antagonized that in the Mean Girls musical that just released this weekend that people are constantly praising the Regina Georgia actress mainly (I have seen the original movie and grew up with it)
I guess I am a little triggered by it cause of how I was bullied a lot and when I see the bully character being praised it signifies to me that people love bullies because of how “bad and rebellious they are” and how those same “bad and rebellious people” have hurt me repeatedly in school and seeing Regina Georgia get praised makes me think people like and are interested in bullies more than the people they hurt and maybe that affects how people submit to bullies IRL and they seemed romanticized in fiction when people love and praise them and maybe reflect how they respond to bullies irl.
Some will say I’m reaching and it’s just a movie and I’m taking it too seriously, I ask if a pet abuser (using the word abuse because bullying is and can be a form of verbal abuse) considered was being portrayed, would anybody praise or like that character would there be open space for that? Would they be able to separate fiction from reality? Wouldn’t that character be rightfully hated on and not given praise other villains/antagonists are given because of how disturbing they are and how it feels too real for people that love pets and they aren’t able to separate that?
I enjoy both the original and the musical, don’t get me wrong. I watched and enjoyed the original a few times but this is just what comes to mind.
WAS THAT THE SCOUT BONK SOUND EFFECT WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY YHE BUS???
ok the amount of references in this video…the pfp…you’re me slightly to the left I’m so scared
ok the amount of references in this video…the pfp…you’re me slightly to the left I’m so scared
Reneé was absolutely perfect as Regina! I don't know how people could hate her interpretation.
I dunno! What I love about the queen bee trope is their imperfections. I'm not a Regina Girly myself, but I'm a Blair Waldorf girly all the way. I love how Blair has many moments, sometimes she on top, some otehr times she is paying the price of her misconducts, but the series also provides enough material how she is the way she is. Her parents, fake friends, society expectations and encouragements, how Serena gets everything easily while she has to battle for everything. I don't believe Regina has enough contextualization though. Like Blair fights against people on her levle of everything: status, money, beauty, privilege. Regina falls from grace rather easily and she never bothers to truly go back. Blair went rhrough several ups and downs. And that's what I LOVE about her. Blair IS relatable. She has powers I'll never have, but she also gets insecure, messes up, doesn't know how to handle her emotions and pays the price for it, and a lot more. I used to be more toxic when I was a teenager, but life is an amazing teacher. We quickly learn there tihngs we simply can't get away with. I believe reality will teach us reality, so fiction can discuss some of the most wild thoughts and ideas we, humans, would EVER have. I believe the younger Zoomers will find their way back into society eventually. There a saying ehre in Brasil that only makes sense in Portuguese, but I'll any way "A vida não é serpente, mas ela cobra"
I saw the movie she has powerful vibe to her and comes off so cool I love the cast the whole movie was so funny ❤ I liked it
I’ve seen the movie musical, it was great. I think that it really reflects how school works NOW
people need to stop saying "this will never be better than the original". Once again, that isn't what they are trying to do. This isn't a reboot, this is a movie version of the musical. And the musical isn't a reboot. There goal isn't to make it better.
anyway nice video!
Is your thumbnail supposed to say "in my villain ERA,"? not "error"? Boneappletea?
8:55 it’s like the whole sharpay thing
Renee is the standout of the movie
One Renee Rapp is a goddess and i love her sm. Two She has the talent and the attitude to play this role. Three SIZE DOES NOT MATTER she is absolutely stunning and i cant believe people would be so rude. Four I love regina she’s probably my fav character but i can realize shes a bitch and a bad person i see no point in defending her if almost everything she does is harmful to someone.
11:09 To quote the opening number of the stage version of American Psycho, Everything you hear is just a dream he's selling, and these people bought it all, even when he was selling out. (Please listen to the American Psycho musical, it's great.)
amazing video! Just subscribed! Would love more videos like this! Would love to see you speak on Megan Fox and Jennifers Body!
Honestly she’s so perfect but I feel like the reason why the reboot didn’t hit was because THE COSTUMES WERE DONE SOOOOOOOOOOOOO DIRTY Regina’s personality is also portrayed through her outfits, and I feel like the outfits in the new mean girl was a HOT A$$ MESS because why was she wearing pants with dock martins 💀, Regina is built off mini skirts, the color pink and sparkly jewelry with high heels. The new reboot in terms of outfit tried to gen z style I guess, which really didn’t hit.
Ykno i kinda sectioned off the idea of it mostly being gamer dudes who see a normal woman and describe her mannish….but im now seeing ppl describe Rapp's Reginas such… I think the nostalgia googles need to be cut off because the lack of circulation is getting to ppls heads.
Honestly, even though I hate how much they changed from the original movie AND the musical itself, my main complaint with Regina is one how they completely ignored Karen and Gretchen for her and her tomboyish styling, but that’s not Renee’s fault. Renee was probably the best part of that movie despite how much I hated it.
I think what's so interesting is that while regina is the epitome of successful femininity, she's still powerful and in control in a femme way (which goes against older gender stereotypes of femininity – eg that the woman should be nurturing and gentle)
This is a really well put together video essay, you are so insightful and thoughtful
It's probably just me being a theater nerd: but the mean girls reboot being the MUSICAL was such a massive exciting surprise for me!!
Anyways, People saying Renee was not "worthy" of Regina need to SEE her, ive seen some of her in the musical and in the movie it was cranked UP and i LOVED it!!!
How do you only have 715 subscribers?? u deserve way more
It's not a remake of the movie It's a movie version of the musical
This is a brilliant video essay. That is all