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Pop Culture

Man rewatches shows from his childhood and his recaps of the bonkers storylines are priceless

Rob Anderson's hilarious recaps of shows like "Mighty Ducks," "Beethoven," and "7th Heaven" might make you wonder how they got made in the first place.

90s movies, 7th heaven, beethoven, princess diaries
@hearthrobert/TikTok

These plots makes zero sense.

While there are no doubt some timeless classics from our childhood that remain every bit as amazing as we remember, many are straight-up cringey upon a later viewing. Really, it’s to be expected as societal viewpoints change…sort of a marker of how far we’ve collectively come.

And so, what do we do with these problematic pieces of old-school pop culture? Well, we can certainly update them to better reflect a more modern attitude, but that also comes with a set of potential problems. Or we could simply never watch them again. Certainly an option given all the content out there. But then we might miss an opportunity to better understand what seemed to work for the mainstream then, and why it doesn’t work now.

And then there’s the third option—allow ourselves to be entertained by their cringiness.

That’s certainly the route taken by Rob Anderson. Over on TikTok, Anderson has taken ultra-popular movies and television shows from his childhood and given them hilarious recaps capturing how absurd some of the storylines are.

Take, for example, "Beethoven." Remember, the cute story about a family who adopts a stray Saint Bernard?

Yeah, as Anderson will kindly remind you, this movie is actually “so messed up.”

@heartthrobert I did NOT rememeber the plot of the movie Beethoven. #90s #90skids #90skid #90sthrowback #90smovies ♬ original sound - Rob Anderson

Not only is the family the “worst owners ever” by never bothering to train Beethoven so he won't hop onto tables (dumb, but okay), but the dad actually convinces his wife to stop being a stay-at-home mom and start working for him (wait, what?) and, get this, the antagonist is a veterinarian who is secretly hired to test out bullets by shooting dogs in the head (WHOA WHOA WHOA).

How about “The Princess Diaries,” the movie that introduced us to Anne Hathaway and rightfully had Julie Andrews playing a queen?

After watching Anderson’s video, you’ll agree that this popular flick actually “makes no sense.”

First off, a single mom, who’s a mediocre artist at best, lives with her daughter in a beautiful three-story house in San Francisco. Okay, yes, not feasible, even in the 90s. But Hollywood often does that. Big whoop.

It gets weirder though, as Anderson notes that in this story, the fictional country of Genovia will somehow cease to exist without Hathaway taking the throne. Not to mention her character is bullied post-makeover for “being hotter,” gets in trouble with the principal for being royalty and somehow “doesn’t know what fire is.”

@heartthrobert

The Princess Diaries makes no sense

♬ original sound - Rob Anderson

The biggest grievance might be towards the end, when people from all over the world gather to celebrate the Genovia Independence Ball at the San Francisco consulate.

“It’s like the U.S. Inauguration happening at our Embassy in Dublin,” Anderson jokes.

Anderson actually has an entire series dedicated to the faith-based family drama “7th Heaven.” Because, let’s face it, there’s just so much to talk about, from “taking in a homeless girl as a pet,” to flipping the bird being treated like the most catastrophic thing imaginable. Yes, these were actual storylines we have all tucked deep in the recesses of our subconscious.

Here are a few for your viewing pleasure.

@heartthrobert Replying to @Wayne Holmes The cringiest 7th Heaven episode yet. #7thHeaven #90s #90sthrowback #90skids #90skid #90stv ♬ original sound - Rob Anderson

Anderson’s recaps hold no punches, but at the same time are a completely lighthearted way of pointing out how ridiculous certain things from our childhood are. Sometimes, instead of getting miffed at that which is problematic, we can simply give ourselves a good laugh.

Care to see even more recaps of unhinged 90s movies? Follow Anderson on TikTok.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


@drjasonisfresh/TikTok, Representative Image from Canva

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