Should Artists Cancel Concerts?, GOP Stuck in Electoral Corner, Hollywood Strike Has Big Implications

Is Andrew uncanceled this week? Only time will tell. It's protest week here at the show! What kinds of resistance are we seeing across the country and across industries? One of Andrew's faves, Orville Peck, recently announced that he would not be canceling shows in Tennessee due to current legislation restricting gender affirming care and drag shows. "You are not sticking it to these governments by not showing up, you are only hurting the communities.” Orville Peck isn't the only artist to be confronted with sociopolitical conflicts of interest: KORN, My Chemical Romance, Iron Maiden, Green Day, and The Killers have canceled shows in Russia over the last year in protest of Putin’s war. Should artists take a firm stance and NOT perform in states pushing anti-LGBTQ agendas? Republicans are finding themselves painted into an electoral corner after recent moves from a federal judge to retract FDA approval for the abortion pill, mifepristone. In the meantime, what can people who live in states with restricted access to abortion do? Does protesting make a difference in America? What does the act of protesting do for the cause and for the individual? People in affected states can consider community support opportunities, supporting organizations expanding access to contraceptives, consider employment opportunities with companies that have pledged to help their employees circumvent anti-abortion laws in their states, pursue obtaining a vasectomy, or if all else fails, look into moving. The resistance doesn't end there, y'all! The Writers Guild of America voted to authorize a strike this week, and the effects in the coming weeks and months could heavily impact our entertainment options. If such concerns as minimum pay, better residuals, and contributions to health and pension plans aren't addressed satisfactorily by May 1st, the writers strike will officially kick off. We reminisce about the last writers strike in 2007, when it felt like reality TV was the only TV. There's a reason for that! If the strike happens, viewers will feel the first impacts on late night talk shows, but scripted television will also suffer once it runs out of scripted content to shoot. This week's recommendations will keep you entertained and looking fly: Greta Van Fleet (Andrew), Resident Evil 4 Remake (Laura), and Wet N Wild breakup proof liner (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts: Trigger Warnings. After Cornell University recently vetoed efforts from the student body to require trigger warnings on course syllabi, we discuss the pros and cons of trigger warnings, and whether we think they are useful. Do trigger warnings infantilize students in an academic context? How can college professors exercise better sensitivity in the classroom? Are we now the olds that the kids talk about being out of touch? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices