Midlifing
Two friends Lee and Simon have serious conversations about silly things, and silly conversations about serious things. Together they dig into the pleasures, absurdities and imperfections of being human.
Midlifing
280: The Uncomfortable Truth About Liking Things
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What do you do when someone asks if you liked something and the honest answer is "it's just not for me"? Simon and Lee explore how taste works – how it forms, how it shifts depending on who's in the room, and why saying something is "shit" is often just laziness dressed up as confidence. Along the way: sharks on planes, Pina Bausch via Tilda Swinton, Coldplay's complicated legacy, and a standing ovation nobody stood for.
Mentioned
- "Thrash" -- shark/hurricane disaster film; Lee watched it on a plane back from Lisbon, wriggling in his seat
- Glen Powell -- actor; appears in the romcom "Set It Up"
- Zoe Deutch -- actor (Lea Thompson's daughter); co-stars in "Set It Up"
- "Set It Up" (2018) -- romcom Simon watched for distraction, possibly a rewatch
- Peter Jackson's Beatles documentary "Get Back" -- referenced as an 8-hour documentary
- Akram Khan -- British-Bangladeshi choreographer; front-row sweat anecdotes, early career shows
- Coldplay -- band; discussed at length re: cool, taste, and politics
- Chris Martin -- Coldplay frontman; known for writing political slogans on his hands
- Snow Patrol -- band; used as a cool/uncool comparison with Coldplay
- Radiohead -- band; controversy over performing in Israel
- Nick Cave -- musician; mentioned alongside Radiohead re: Israel performances
- Wim Wenders -- German film director; made the Pina Bausch documentary "Pina"
- "Pina" (2011, dir. Wim Wenders) -- documentary about Pina Bausch; Lee found it very boring
- Pina Bausch -- German expressionist choreographer; subject of the Wenders documentary
- "Cafe Muller" -- famous Pina Bausch dance-theatre piece
- "Suspiria" (2018) -- Tilda Swinton plays a Pina Bausch-like character; Lee's recommended alternative to the documentary
- Tilda Swinton -- actor; plays the Pina Bausch character in Suspiria
- Diana Nipsa -- choreographer; created "Hornfuckers," seen by Lee and Bob in Lisbon
- "Hornfuckers" -- dance piece by Diana Nipsa; front-row experience, disputed standing ovation
- "Jay Kelly" -- George Clooney ensemble film about acting and its absurdities; Simon watched it with his sister and niece
- George Clooney -- actor/director; made "Jay Kelly"
Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net.
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