What happens when the gender roles are reversed in Robin Thicke's smash hit Blurred Lines? Thanks to a parody by the Seattle-based "boylesque troupe" (whatever that is) Mod Carousel, we now have a rough idea, and it proved an interesting experiment.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, Caela Bailey, Sydni Devereux and Dalisha Phillips recreated the vocals of Thicke, Pharrell and T.I. respectively, while Carousel's members pranced around like walking sex toys.
According to director Diane Martel, Thicke's video was supposed to depict virtually nude models "subtly ridiculing" the men, thereby putting them in a position of power. However, many felt the video did little to detract from lyrics that objectified women and blurred the lines of what comprises consensual sexual attention.
In fact, Mod Carousel's own video was borne out of such concerns with the original:
"It's our opinion that most attempts to show female objectification in the media by swapping the genders serve more to ridicule the male body than to highlight the extent to which women get objectified and does everyone a disservice."
The result feels markedly different than the original. More playful and overtly camp, the edgy sexiness is all but lost thanks to some silly props (horsey, anyone?) and the fun vibe adopted by strong female vocalists.
What do you think of Mod's version? Does the role reversal cause you to view the original any differently?
How long have you got left with your loved ones? A new app aims to satisfy the morbid curiosity in its users by predicting the answer. On the face of it, See Your Folks sounds like an innocuous, even inspired idea. Still, it's not quite as creepy as this funeral-friendly service.
According to an article in Slate, the interface of SYF is deceivingly soothing with its "gentle font" and "blue-sky background dotted with fluffy white clouds."
Five women from Ontario are attempting to make history—by swimming the length of Lake Ontario. The ladies, ages ranging from 18 to 61, will undergo the swim relay of 305km over the next five days.
Their epic journey began at Kingston, and wraps up in Burlington on Saturday.
While the women are all stellar swimmers in their own right, Colleen Shields, 61, Nicole Mallette, 48, Samantha Whiteside, 23, and Rebekah Boscariol, 18, have teamed together for the swim across Lake Ontario.
Alone, each woman has managed a solo swim of around 50km, yet according to an article in the CBC such a relay across the length of Lake Ontario has never been achieved.
The real challenge for the women is not the distance but the temperature. The team has been training in the Lake since June to get their bodies used to the chilly waters.
"We started off training in 54 degree [12 C] water," said Mallette. "Take your shower that you normally have, put it on cold and multiply that by 10." Brrr, indeed.
The women are braving goosebumps and teeth chattering galore for a good cause. Proceeds from the swim will go to Because I'm a Girl, a charity promoting gender equality and girls' rights. If the Speedo fits... These aren't the only swimming superstars who made waves.
Wishing you the best of luck! We're behind you all the way (metaphorically speaking, of course).
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