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'Hacks' star Megan Stalter is back with her hilarious 'Hi Gay' videos poking fun at corporate Pride campaigns

Who wants a "sassy cinnamon" candle from the Butter Shop?!

megan stalter hi gay

Hi gay!

If you watch the comedy series “Hacks” on HBO, you probably know Megan Stalter as Kayla, the scene stealing, wackadoodle agent assistant with more fashion sense than common sense. But Stalter was making people laugh long before her television debut.

kayla hacks, meg stalter hacksGIF created by Ollivia Cooke on Tumblr 64.media.tumblr.com

The comedian is a well-known internet treasure for her hilarious “Hi Gay” video series, where she pokes fun at the sometimes tone-deaf attempts certain corporations make to appear more accepting or supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community … without practicing true allyship.

In June 2021, Stalter became a bona fide meme by playing a stiff-smiled employee of the (fake) Butter Shop "sashaying away with deals" for Pride Month for those that can “prove they’re queer.” The delightfully cringey video, which amassed 1.4 million views, is below:



The Butter Shop is back again for Pride Month 2022 and so too are the southern saleswoman’s failed attempts at courting “the gays.”


"Hi Gay! Happy Pride Month! We're back at the Butter Shop, queens, and we go goo-goo, ga-ga for gay," Stalter poorly reads from a script offscreen. She also assures audiences that “we're more lesbian than ever. We love lesbian, you queer thang."

Ceremoniously holding butter like a Statue of Liberty knockoff is a brilliant touch, I must say.

Stalter announces that the Butter Shop has brand new flavors to “slay the house down.” Personally, I’d go for the "sassy cinnamon.” But "hickory hickey from a guy," and "eat me out, amber, cheddar” are also options.

She then spews out “Hunky dory more like honky whore-y mama werk shake your thang sissy twerk doctor girl yassify that hoe,” before donning some rainbow-colored sunglasses.

This is a perfect example of how brands suddenly use rainbow colors or imagery to advertise rather than advocate, otherwise known as rainbow-washing. One of the more damaging aspects of rainbow-washing is that it often misleads people into thinking that they are helping to empower a marginalized community, when in actuality they are only helping corporations profit.

The underlying motto, as Stalter puts it, is “we think that gay people are okay. At least for the next 30 days.”

Of course, there are plenty of companies that authentically participate in allyship. The Urban List recommends checking to see if a company’s support is both measurable (having outcomes) and year-round, as well as if it addresses community issues, speaks up to impact anti-LGBTQI+ policy and legislation, and offers paid opportunities to the company's queer employees. That’s a great place to start.

Stalter has stumbled on her own brand of advocacy through her funny videos. The actress—who has been open about expressing her own bisexual identity as a previously avid churchgoer from the Midwest—understands the importance of normalizing and celebrating queer joy.

In an interview with The Advocate, she shared, “I light up when I see a gay character or a queer character. We’re so starved for it. Even though [representation] is evolving, and there is a lot more now than when I was growing up, there are some nights when I’m googling gay movies, just dying to see something where I feel represented. ”

Stalter added, “One of my favorite things about ‘Hacks’ is that there are all these queer characters and it’s just who they are. It’s not so focused on them coming out. It’s important for us to have those stories of coming out, and sad stories or triumphant stories. But it’s so important to have that representation of just, ‘oh, yeah, that’s one thing about me, but it’s not everything about me.’”

It doesn’t look like Stalter will be short of gay comedy anytime soon. The newly dubbed “Mariah Carey of Pride Month” is on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. It’s great viewing … whether you’re a “lipstick lesbian or a butch.”

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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