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The Biggest Takeaways From SXSW’s Whiskey-Focused ‘The Spirit Of Women’ Panel

women in whiskey
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I’ve covered SXSW for nearly ten years, and it never disappoints. It’s the one place where you could’ve caught early-career Kendrick Lamar in 2011 and also received encouragement in 2016 from then-President of the United States Barack Obama through his stirring keynote conversation with The Texas Tribune’s former CEO and editor-in-chief, Evan Smith.

Indeed, SXSW’s humble, tiny music festival roots, which began in 1987, have grown into the behemoth it is today. But for residents of the city, “South By” is deeper than witnessing band debuts and attending film premieres. You can now contribute to cultural conversations of the moment and explore “what’s next,” culturally speaking. The Gabby of nearly a decade ago attended with the mission of interviewing musicians and downing free booze (hey, I was a young 20-something, okay?!); and while I still love a good live showcase and a free cocktail, I’ve had the privilege of sharing the stage with dynamic voices in sustainability (2023), and, this year, I lead the conversation between three leading ladies in whiskey.

On Friday, March 8, 2024, the opening day of SXSW, I moderated a panel titled The Spirit of Women, aptly tying in with the namesake film produced by panelists and director Leigha Kingsley. We were also joined by award-winning Master Distiller and Co-Owner of Forbidden Bourbon Marianne Eaves (who’s also recognized as Kentucky’s first female master distiller) and another fellow multi-award-winner, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey’s Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler. The panel’s mission was to draw attention to the women in whiskey who are overcoming stereotypes and opening doors for other women seeking a career within the industry.

For those who missed our conversation, check out my three biggest takeaways from The Spirit of Women panel, below.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

1. “We Know What The Hell We’re Doing!”

The Spirit Of Women SXSW Panel
Izzy Nuzzo @izzynuzzophoto

As I mentioned, Eaves is recognized as Kentucky’s first female master distiller. While Butler is the first known Black female master blender in whiskey — ever — which also led to being the first female awarded the Master Blender of the Year at Whisky Magazine’s American Icons of Whisky Awards in 2021 (she won the award in 2022, as well).

Speaking of her accomplishments, Butler said: “I’m not boastful, but those things have merit. So, we should not backpedal from our awards, accolades, knowledge, and strength. We must stand up boldly and proudly.”

In a historically white and male-dominated industry, being a first is no easy feat. But as Butler underscored throughout the discussion, success is truly the great equalizer.

“When you’re good at what you do, it shows up and can’t be denied,” she said. “With Uncle Nearest being the first all-female executive team in the industry, we have proven that women should have a respectable place in the spirits industry.

Speaking of the Uncle Nearest brand, she added: “We’re the fastest-growing American spirit in history, and that did not happen by accident. I was a bit reluctant in the beginning because I was so new, but I know what I’m doing, and our record proves that I know what I’m doing.”

Bottom line:

Stand in your truth and be proud.

2. “Men In High Positions Can Be Great Allies.”

The Spirit Of Women SXSW Panel
Izzy Nuzzo @izzynuzzophoto

Eaves, who has a chemical engineering degree and has been working in whiskey for over a decade, initially went through a master taster training program through one of the world’s largest spirits and wine companies, Brown-Forman. Describing her start in the industry, she shared a couple of jaw-dropping experiences of feeling marginalized that date back as recently as 2015.

First, she mentioned that when she worked with Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris at a new product release event, a gentleman introduced himself to Morris with a strong handshake before looking at Eaves and saying, “You’re the taster girl.” Tactfully yet firmly correcting the man, Morris proudly stated, “No, she’s the master taster.”

“In that moment, I felt like [Morris] was also correcting me,” Eaves said. “So, as Victoria said, we don’t need to back down from what we have achieved and what we’ve earned.”

The second incident, which was more public, occurred when Eaves transitioned from Brown-Forman to the former Old Taylor Distillery – now Castle & Key – where she took the master distiller role.

“People questioned my right to do that,” she explained. “They saw the bourbon industry as a fraternity. And even – without naming names – the most prominent distillers’ organization in the state of Kentucky had called the two founders of the distillery and asked them, ‘What are you going to call her? She’s not a master distiller.’”

After fixing my face (I have a terrible poker face) and getting through the initial outrage of that story, I was relieved to hear that another upstanding man in whiskey spoke up for her. Who was it? Award-winning author, journalist, and podcaster Fred Minnick.

“Fred stuck out his neck for me, and he continues to do so,” Eaves noted. “I feel so grateful that from the beginning of my journey — even back when I was a master taster at Brown-Forman — he’s had my back. It was on a panel much like this, of master distillers, all older white men on the stage, and Fred announced to the entire crowd that there is a new master distiller, and her name is Marianne, and she has just taken over at the Old Taylor Distillery.”

Eaves said their distillery team hadn’t even announced the new name, let alone her title. Minnick also didn’t tell Eaves beforehand he planned to make that announcement.

“I don’t think I had actually decided with my partners that I was going to take that title,” she told the crowd at SXSW. “But it took me back to that moment with Chris Morris… I was like, ‘Now I get to decide.’ If I say, ‘Oh, no, he was wrong. I’m just a distillery manager’ then, all that progress that I made, my effort in the industry and the products I created, and all kinds of work I did, would be diminished. And I didn’t want to do that.”

Bottom line:

Don’t be afraid to step into your shine and own your accomplishments and when people in power are eager to amplify that — let them!

3. “Never Tell Yourself ‘No’ Because The World Will Tell You This Enough.”

The Spirit Of Women SXSW Panel
Izzy Nuzzo @izzynuzzophoto

In 2022, The Spirit of Women film was shortlisted as one of the “Top 20″ projects from over 55 country submissions to Breaking Through the Lens, a female directing program in partnership with the Cannes Film Festival. The film, which is about 85% complete, shares the stories of Eaves and Butler, plus Peggy Noe Stevens (the world’s first female Master Bourbon Taster and one of only nine women inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame) and the late Margie Samuels, who pioneered the legacy that is Maker’s Mark.

Without dropping too many spoilers, I can say that the film will also share other captivating narratives of women in whiskey — ranging from distillers and tasters to DEI consultants and more. As you might imagine, I’m very excited about it.

Kingsley, although hailing from Kentucky — known for its rich bourbon heritage — didn’t realize women’s integral role in whiskey’s past and present until seeing the cover of the June 2021 issue of American Whiskey Magazine.

“I was standing in the middle of Whole Foods and saw American Whiskey Magazine featuring Fawn Weaver and the entire female executive team of Uncle Nearest on the cover,” she says. “I had never seen four women on the cover of a whiskey magazine — and I grew up in Kentucky surrounded by bourbon and whiskey! I was like, ‘How do I not know about this?’”

The magazine cover compelled Kingsley to take a deep dive into the history of women in whiskey and subsequently birthed the idea of The Spirit of Women documentary — initially a step outside her comfort zone.

“I don’t come from the documentary film world,” she says. “I come from film and television in the narrative world, but I was inspired when I learned how vital women’s roles have been in whiskey and bourbon — which hadn’t been spotlighted in mainstream media. In fact, this is the very first documentary ever made dedicated solely to women in the world of whiskey and bourbon. It really moved me.”

Filmmakers behind documentaries must be incredibly passionate about the story they’re presenting, especially since it’s often difficult to raise capital. Added to the funding hurdle is getting people on board with your film’s concept. Kingsley told the audience about the amount of “Are you kidding?” feedback she got when telling people about the goal of making a documentary about women in whiskey. Yet, she’s getting the last laugh — The Spirit of Women is slated for release this fall. She stated, “This film taught me that women can literally do anything. They can make the impossible possible — and I get really emotional about it — but making the impossible possible is what these women have done. And it’s incredibly rewarding to see that happen and be able to tell this story.”

Bottom line:

Always bet on yourself. Simple as that. (Also, check out the magazines when you’re at the grocer, you never know when inspiration will strike!)

4. Final Thoughts

The Spirit Of Women SXSW Panel
Izzy Nuzzo @izzynuzzophoto

We ended the discussion with a whole lot of appreciation.

“There was a minute when I wasn’t really feeling doing women-only panels,” Butler said. “But this is empowerment. I get to share the stage with three powerhouses. You get to share a tiny bit of yourself with other women, and some handsome fellas too.”

I, too, usually resist the “women-only” discussions as they feel a bit dated and counterproductive (less chat, more action). However, this panel felt different as audience members, regardless of gender, took the platform to ask great concluding questions and praise the panelists.

No male bashing, no complaining – just uplifting stories and lessons learned and shared, along with Eaves’ high-proof closing statement that resulted in a collective cheer: “Don’t make assumptions about people, about women in particular, that we want the softer, sweeter, weaker product. We want the high strength. We want something spicy. So, that’s something that I would encourage y’all to walk out of this room with.”

Amen (and I’ll drink) to that.

Click here to listen to the full audio recording of “The Spirit of Women” panel.

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aespa Will Bring Their UK Concert To Theaters Around The Globe With ‘aespa: World Tour In Cinemas’

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Uproxx’s March 2023 cover stars aespa will be bringing their UK show to movie theaters with their new concert film, aespa: World Tour In Cinemas. The K-pop girl group filmed it last September during their show at The O2 Arena, as part of their SYNK: Hyper Line Tour.

Along with footage of the concert, it will include interviews with the four band members and take fans inside their rehearsal process.

To get tickets to aespa: World Tour In Cinemas, they will go on sale on March 27 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT. The film is set to hit theaters on April 24 and 27.

“Since this is our first world tour, it will always hold a special place in our hearts as it gave us the opportunity to see MYs from all over the world,” aespa said in a statement. “‘Til we meet again… we hope you enjoy our first concert movie and keep an eye out for the exclusive content behind the scenes.”

Yesterday, aespa was also revealed to have a new collab with Tokimonsta called “Die Trying,” which will appear on a special Songs Of Rebellion EP for Netflix’s Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.

For more information on aespa: World Tour In Cinemas, including to find theaters playing it, visit the official website here.

aespa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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60-year-old walks for hours on end to create epic snow art with just his feet

Simon Beck didn’t set out to become a world-renowned snowshoe artist, yet here he is. The former cartographer was trained in engineering at Oxford, but has spent the past ten years making jaw-dropping art in the snow and sand using only his feet.

Beck uses geometrical and geographical tools to plot out his designs, but it’s still baffling to see him walk exactly where he needs to to create them. His designs can take 12 hours of walking or more, and he’ll take around 40,000 steps for an average-sized piece. It’s beautiful, it’s creative, it’s exercise—and it’s fleeting.


Being made out of snow and sand, which are constantly being blown or washed away, Beck’s artwork doesn’t last. Such is the nature of creating art in nature, but that doesn’t bother him in the slightest. “Most people will only ever see most of the world’s artwork as photographs,” he said in an article in Artsy. “Even with the Mona Lisa—probably only a minority of people have actually seen the real thing, but everyone’s seen a photograph of it.” As long as Beck gets a photo of his massive designs, it’s all good.

And the photographs are truly something to behold. Check out some of his snow creations on Facebook and Instagram.

One of the challenges of working in the snow is that conditions can change throughout the creation of a piece. Snow might melt or become exceptionally icy.

Or, other people might not realize what is happening and inadvertently mess up your work. For instance, there’s nothing to stop a skier from plowing right through a design.

Beck’s sand drawings offer a different kind of challenge. Timing out the tides and dealing with the wind—as well as other beachgoers—makes sand art tricky, but the final product is totally worth it.

On occasion, Beck even uses his art to make statements about issues in the world. For instance, there are 81 triangles in this drawing, but he says he left 77 unshaded to represent “the 77 countries where LGBT people are given a hard time.”

Beck has created most of his 300-plus land drawings in Europe. However, he will be spending two weeks of January 2020 in Silverthorne, Colorado, where he will create between five and 15 of his iconic works of snow art.

ABC News did a segment on Beck and his work, where he explains a bit of his process and how he uses a ski pole to measure parts of the design. Watch and enjoy:

Simon Beck has become a global sensation for his installations made by stepping through snow with snowshoes and a ski pole.

This article originally appeared on 01.01.20

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Non-Americans are sharing the ‘dead giveaway’ someone is American and they are pretty right

One of the most interesting things about traveling the world is noticing how people from your country are a bit different from the place you’re visiting. In America, you’re mostly around fellow countrymen so it’s hard to notice the things that make us stand out.

But when you travel abroad, you quickly notice that no matter how hard you try to blend in, there are a lot of dead giveaways that show people you’re from the states that go way beyond your accent.


A Reddit user named ILoveTallWomen asked the online forum “Non-Americans of Reddit, what is a dead giveaway that somebody is American?” to see what they think makes us stand out. “I’m not American and am curious about what other foreigners think,” they added.

There was one answer that people in the thread repeated over and over again—Americans are very friendly people. Countless commenters noted that Americans will approach anyone and start up a conversation. As a person from the U.S., I think that’s a positive stereotype. There’s nothing wrong with being overly friendly.

​People also noted that Americans tend to carry themselves with a lot of confidence and have an abundance of infectious enthusiasm.

On the negative side of things, a lot of people also noted that Americans are loud and have questionable fashion sense. We stand out abroad because we love staying comfortable by wearing white socks and sneakers on just about any occasion.

Maybe we’re happy because our feet don’t hurt?

Here are 17 of the best responses to the dead giveaways that someone is American.

Upworthy Podcast: Dead Giveaways Someone is American

On a recent episode of Upworthy Weekly, hosts Alison Rosen and Tod Perry discuss the internet’s hottest, most uplifting and most amusing topics – including d…

1.

The most popular poster shared a list:

  • Wearing sneakers with anything
  • Big smiles, firm handshakes
  • Lots of Northface products
  • Renting Segways for sightseeing tours (sometimes using those on cobblestone)
  • Using big adjectives generously (“Wow, your aunt’s kidney stones sound awesome!”, “This Euroshopper beer tastes great!”)
  • Clapping and cheering
  • Telling one’s whole life story within 15 minutes of meeting them
  • Loving stories and narratives in general (which makes them fun companions) — [Deleted]

2.

“Apart from the accent? Mostly its the ‘prepared for anything’ look they have about them (fanny pack, backpack, bottled water, camera pouch) compared to various other tourists – Asians tend to herd together for safety, while Europeans vary between blend-right-in Scandinavian to designer-brands-everywhere French and traffic-laws-are-for-others Italian. But Americans are the only ones who seem to view a perfectly civilised, modern city like some kind of uncharted jungle that doesn’t have places to shelter in the rain or buy cheap bottled water.” — Yorkshire_Pudden

3.

“Incredibly loud but incredibly friendly.” — kevio17

4.

“I asked my wife (Japanese) she said ‘In Japan I can spot Americans by the way they dress. Compared to Europeans, Americans tend to lack fashion sense.'” — RegionFree

5.

“When you can hear them before you see them.” — C1t!zen_Erased

6.

“‘On the streets they are instantly recognizable. They walk in an ugly indifferent manner, usually with their hands in their pockets. Or they’re leaning against a pole or wall with a newspaper in their hand and gum in their mouth. According to the people who met them they are more human than the English, for example, whenever someone needs help they do it quicker and better than the English.’ — My Grandpa in the Netherlands. In a letter to his sister. June 4th 1945.” — MidnightWineRed

7.

“North Face jackets. I went to college in the US (I’m not American) and when I went home for my first winter break wearing my brand new North Face jacket my friend asked me if I was given American citizenship with the purchase.” — merbonobo

8.

“I’m English, but I’ve lived here for 14 years. It’s pretty obvious just from your demeanour. Americans generally are more confident in the way they present themselves, most other countries tend to be more reserved. Walk into a room full of different nationalities, I guarantee the American person will be the first to introduce themselves. It’s a confidence thing, and I admire it.” — zerbey

9.

“When I was visiting Germany in college, a girl said to me, ‘Do you know how I know you’re an American? You wear white socks.’ Needless to say, I haven’t worn white socks since.” — ars3nal

10.

“We (Americans) describe distances in driving time, as opposed to miles or kilometers. My European relatives always make fun of me for having no clue how far away the next town is, but knowing exactly how long it takes to get there.” — hbombs86

11.

“Canadian here…the dead giveaway is when they call me ‘honey’ or ‘sweetie’ or ‘darling.’ I fucking love Americans and I love those terms of endearment!— AraEnzeru

12.

“Dead giveaway: They’re surprised we can drink a beer (or any alcohol) in public in my country.” — P1r4nha

13.

“European here … there’s a noticeable trend among Americans to wear jeans, t-shirts, and hooded sweaters when they’re abroad. Lots of branded goods too (North Face, A&F, Hollister, Ed Hardy mostly). And in summer, a great percentage of the cargo-shorts-wearers are Americans. But among all that, visible tattoos on otherwise ‘normal-looking’ people (i.e. not looking like street thugs) are a common indicator too. Americans love tats.” — I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA

14.

“In WWII, my grandpa’s company had a problem with German spies. At night the guards could not tell if intruders were returning patrols or enemy soldiers; especially since the spies spoke with flawless American accents. Before opening the gates, they tried asking questions like “What’s the capital of Nebraska?” but it didn’t always work since the Germans were highly trained and could answer most of the trivia questions. Finally, they stumbled upon a simple but effective test. They would ask them to sing the 4th verse of the Star-Spangled Banner. He told me ‘If they start singing, then you shoot ’em. No American knows the 4th verse.’ Turns out the whole song had been included in one of the German espionage training manuals.” — [Deleted]

15.

“They ask you what you do.” — Askalotl

16.

“They say ‘like’ a lot and seem to start sentences with ‘so’ for no apparent reason. Good bunch, though.” — [Deleted]

17.

“MM/DD/YYYY.” — dusmeyedin

This article originally appeared on 2.20.23

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People are sharing ‘hard-hitting’ life lessons they wish they’d learned earlier

Sometimes life feels like a nonstop string of lessons we need to learn in order to be the best humans we can be. And much to our frustration, some of those lessons get repeated over and over, and some of our learning comes far later than we wish it would have.

Learning firsthand is often necessary for our own growth, but sometimes we can glean wisdom from what others have learned, especially folks who have been around a while. Older doesn’t always mean wiser, but there are some things that age and experience offer that can be useful for younger people to pay heed to.

A Reddit user posted on Ask Reddit, “What’s a hard hitting life lesson you learned way too late in life?” and people chimed in with some valuable insights. Some of the answers clearly came from a place of feeling hurt or beaten down, but the most popular answers are little gold nuggets we may have seen but not picked up ourselves.

Here are some of the top answers:


1. It’s okay to say “no.”

“The importance of setting boundaries and saying no. Turns out, people won’t love you more for sacrificing your own well-being to please them. Wish I had known that sooner, would’ve saved a lot of unnecessary stress and burnt-out moments.” – HappyPenguin112

“”No.” is a complete and perfectly acceptable sentence. I struggle with this myself regularly.” – phlostonsparadise123

“If anything, setting boundaries and saying no will earn you MORE respect than saying yes.” – Nonrandomusername19

There are so many benefits to learning to say no. Even just the time saved alone from things that don’t serve you.” – LilyLove_xoxo

2. Work-life balance isn’t negotiable.

“Work life balance is critical, and hustle culture is stupid. The only people who notice all those extra hours you put in at work are your family and friends.” – GigabitISDN

“‘I work 80 hours a week!’ ’40s are nothing’ Yep. Yep… that’s why your wife divorced you and you never see your kids. Because you put your job over them.” – slamuri

“Seriously. I had a CAREER. I trained up within the company, I got certified as a professional in the industry, and I was doing well and was well liked. It was a crazy busy and high paced job though, and I wasn’t able to stay on top of it all without giving myself to it almost constantly. Checking emails at home, and even my time off that was time with my family turned into time spent panicking about work and how I will get everything done and make everyone happy.

I couldn’t stand it anymore and abruptly left the industry. Now I have a better paying job that is more my speed, a true 8 hour day, and doesn’t take any of my personal time. Never let work take over your life; it’s just work. All it does is give you the money you need to do life. Don’t let it absorb your happiness.” – BoobySlap_0506

3. Don’t assume everyone will think or react the way you do.

“Quit expecting you from other people.” – goddess_of_fear

“I’ve heard it as: Never assume other people’s brains work the same way your brain works. Because they don’t.” – Invisig0th

“My version is don’t expect yourself in others. Biggest stress reliever of all time!” – iam_caiti_b

“My hardest time with this is work ethic. I was taught to have pride in every job you do- no matter how small the task, do it to your best ability.

I expect this from everyone around me as it’s such a basic premise to do things well and extremely frustrating when someone does a job haphazardly.” – Top_Chair5186

4. Stop comparing.

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – assinmysock

“I’d be a lot further in life if I had stopped trying to keep up with the Joneses.” – abearmin

“Stop comparing where you would’ve been if you’d done things differently, with where you are. Just enjoy where you are. :)” – Yet_One_More_Idiot

“Or, as my grandma would say, ‘There will always be someone prettier, smarter, richer, etc. than you. Think about what you HAVE rather than what you don’t have and you’ll be much happier.’ She was right.” – SweetIcedTea73

5. Just say no to the smokes.

“Smoking isn’t worth it.” – SweetIcedTea73

“Yyyyep! I’m watching my dad slowly after smoking his whole life. Just avoid that sh*t.” – piespiesandmorepies

“Stop for your children. They need you more than you need the nicotine and lung cancer. You’ve got this.” – techzeus

“This is the one folks.” – Pun_dimen

What lesson do you wish you had learned earlier?

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Chocolate lab is not in the mood for pets and his reaction is leaving people in stitches

Sometimes we’re not in the mood to be touched, and the same goes for our pets. While cats are notorious for snubbing humans who dare to touch them without explicit affirmative consent for exactly 3.5 pets, dogs are different. Dogs like to get head scratches, butt pats and for some reason slapped on the ribs somewhat aggressively. I don’t know why dog owners do the last one but I’ve seen it enough to think it’s a thing that dogs enjoy.

The point is dogs generally want you to pet them as often as humanly possible and until it feels like your arms are going to fall off. They try to climb up on your lap because being as close to your cornea as their snouts will allow is comforting to them. But apparently, dogs also get into moods where they don’t want to be touched by their humans.

Weird, right? A chocolate lab on TikTok is simply not in the mood for pets and his reaction to his owner attempting to pet him has commenters in stitches.


The dog, Colby, looks as if he’s trying to relax when you see his mom’s hand reach out to pet him. He doesn’t break eye contact with his human, Morgyn Seigfried, as he gently pushes her hand away with his back foot. She tries several times, and each time Colby has the same response.

“Let’s not make this more embarrassing than it has to be,” one commenter wrote.

“He said pet me…WITH YOUR EYES,” another person said.

While some were imagining what the dog was saying internally, others just found it hilarious, especially because he uses his hind leg to reject the affection.

“Such a boss move to use the back leg and not the front paw,” someone wrote, complete with a crying laughing emoji.

“The fact that he used his rear leg makes the exchange even better,” another commenter said.

Colby is clearly over Seigfried’s need to touch him, as you can see for yourself below:

@morgynseigfried

looking me dead in the eye too 🥲 #dogsoftiktok #dogs #dogvideos #labsoftiktok #chocolatelab #labrador #dogsoftiktokviral #doglover #doglovers

This article originally appeared on 5.5.23

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Teacher brilliantly turns getting her period in front of her class into a teaching moment

Teachers are almost always teaching even when it’s not in their lesson plan.

Those that were born to be teachers find teachable moments everywhere and one woman found herself in one of those moments. Though this one was likely just a bit more personal than she probably would’ve liked.

Emily Elizabeth posted a TikTok video about how she found herself in a predicament in front of her classroom full of 10 and 11-year-old kids. The teacher explained that she was noticing a lot of commotion and whispering among the little girls in her class while she was wearing white pants. After reminding the girls to stay on task, the whispering continued, prompting Emily to be more direct.

That’s when one of the girls asked to speak with her privately dropping the bomb that no one that gets periods wants to hear in public.


“She goes, ‘I’m sorry Ms. Emily, but I just want to let you know that I think you might have got your period,'” the teacher recalls.

But instead of freaking out or being flustered, Emily decided to swallow her embarrassment and use the moment as a teachable experience. She promptly told the concerned girls that it was fine and that she had a change of clothes that she could wear. Just before excusing herself, the boys noticed something was wrong so they curiously asked. Emily informed them that she had gotten her period and while she was annoyed, she was perfectly fine.

One of the boys even sent her an email double checking that she was okay in a less public way. The sweet reaction from her class warmed her heart and the hearts of viewers.

“That boy who emailed…his parents must be incredible,” one commenter says.

“You set an excellent example! And to not hide it from the boys who asked because that would have spoken SO LOUDLY to the boys and girls about normalizing periods,” another writes.

“The email, you sound like an amazing teacher with an amazing group of kids,” someone says.

You can watch Emily tell the entire story below:

@emilyelizabeth.w

Let’s normalise talking about periods for girls AND boys … trying to find the silver lining 😅 #fyp #melbourneteacher #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife

This article originally appeared on 10.2.23

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Gwyneth Paltrow Confirmed To ‘Hot Ones’ That The Legend Is True: Bill Clinton Fell Asleep During One Of Her Movies

Gwyneth Paltrow Hot Ones
First We Feast/YouTube

Gwyneth Paltrow made her Hot Ones debut this week where the actress slash lifestyle guru fielded in-depth questions from host Sean Evans. Known for his killer research on each guest, Evans went right for an urban legend surrounding former President Bill Clinton.

As the legend goes, Paltrow was on hand for a special White House screening of her 1996 movie Emma. During the film, Clinton was rumored to have fallen asleep, so Evans asked if that actually happened. A laughing Paltrow confirmed that, yes, it’s true.

“He was snoring right in front of me,” Paltrow said as Evans started cracking up. “I was like, wow, I guess this is going to be a real hit movie. But it was, so f**k you, Bill Clinton!”

Speaking of hit movies, Paltrow also shared her thoughts on American Fiction writer Cord Jefferson’s Oscar speech where he called out Hollywood for dropping money on a $200 million superhero film instead of “20 $10 million movies.”

“I absolutely understand where he’s coming from,” the Marvel star said via Variety. “This big push into superhero movies … you can only make so many good ones that feel truly original, and yet they’re still always trying to reach as many people as possible, which sometimes hinders quality or specificity or real point of view.”

“I look back at some movies I made in the 1990s and think that just would not get made now,” she said. “You get more diversity of art when there is less at stake and people can express their true voice and make a film the way they want to make it.”

Or, you know, Bill Clinton falls asleep halfway through the film. That happens, too.

You can watch Paltrow call out Slick Willie at the 9:30 mark below:

(Via Variety)

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Remi Wolf Is Bursting With ‘Big Ideas’ On Her Newly Announced Album, Beginning With Her Feel-Good ‘Cinderella’ Video

Remi Wolf already had something to look forward to this spring, as she will join Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour as an opener on April 30. Now, the beloved pop singer is set for a big summer as well. On Thursday, March 21, Wolf announced Big Ideas will be released on July 12. The record will be her sophomore studio album following her 2021 Juno debut.

“Cinderella” is here as the lead single, and it arrives with a video co-directed by Wolf and Ragan Henderson. In it, Wolf is dressed in a jazzercize outfit and dancing freely in a Los Angeles field. Eventually, she’s joined by equally colorfully dressed dancers, and by the end of the video, viewers will almost certainly also be dancing.

“‘Cinderella’ is a lyrical collage of the ups and downs and mood swings and transient lifestyle I was experiencing while writing this album,” Wolf said in a statement, as per a press release. “Constant travel and rapid changes led me to feel such a rollercoaster of emotion — moving from feeling really insecure to feeling really good to feeling manic and depressed and then feeling OK again, while desperately craving a grounding figure to tell me I was doing a good job.”

The native Californian continued, “So, this song was me stepping in as my own fairy godmother, telling myself that I was in control. Sonically, I wanted the song to have a sense of ’70s nostalgia while still feeling like a record made today. And I wanted to make something where you can’t help but dance and move and feel good while listening. I recorded this at Electric Lady in New York at the beginning of 2023. I initially made the song with just myself and Solomonophonic — and then I was able to bring in some amazing horns players to round out the sauce.”

Watch the “Cinderella” video above, and check out the Big Ideas album cover art below.

Remi Wolf’s Big Ideas Album Cover Artwork

Remi Wolf Big Ideas album art
Ragan Henderson/Wyatt Knowles

Big Ideas is out 7/12 via Island Records. Find more information here.

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Is A ‘The Boondock Saints’ Revival Actually Happening?

Boondock Saints
Indican Pictures

Troy Duffy’s Boondock Saints (1999) isn’t a stellar movie, but the original film does have begrudging charm and does hold a place in cult-film history. After all, this was the project that had Willem Dafoe conducting a “firefight” and also made many Norman Reedus fans light up and follow him to the ends of the (apocalyptic) world with Happy Keanu in tow. Of course, Reedus has also become known for his Death Stranding turn and will appear in The Bikeriders alongside Tom Hardy and Austin Butler, but he’ll always be Daryl Dixon and, to a degree, Murphy MacManus.

Reedus and co-star Sean Patrick Flanery did appear in the followup, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2007), but it’s fair to say that many viewers might have erased that film from memory like the MacManus Brothers washed away the dirt of Ireland in a WTF shower scene. However, the franchise is apparently not dead. Really? Yes. Deadline reports that John Wick production house Thunder Road, is in the thick of things:

The rebirth of the 1999 cult favorite film The Boondock Saints is upon us. Thunder Road, the producer behind the John Wick films, has stepped in and joined rights holder Dragonfly Films to make what they are calling a reimagining of the action film franchise about the fraternal twin Irish brothers who raise holy hell to rid their Boston hometown of all criminals.

In the current configuration, Troy Duffy will step aside as directing, after creating and helming the original and the 2009 sequel The Boondock Saints: All Saints Day.

Both Reedus and Flanery are onboard, and the duo will welcome new “Saints” to their cause. At this time, the threequel does not have a director, and yep, it will not be Duffy. He will, however, apparently be writing “a series of books” to further detail the Saints’ stories. There’s no word yet on whether Dafoe will reenter the picture, but he did make a tiny appearance in All Saints Day, so never say never (do gratuitous violence).

(Via Deadline)