Critics at Large | The New Yorker
Critics at Large Live: The Year of the Flop
Dec 19, 2024
The hosts dive into a whirlwind of high-profile failures, from Coppola's costly flop "Megalopolis" to Kamala Harris's political missteps. They explore the fickle nature of celebrity fame and how social media affects success perceptions. Discussions about artistic flops reveal how failures can spark cultural dialogues and fan reactions while also highlighting the emotional turmoil artists face. The conversation embraces the idea that failure may lead to creativity and growth, turning disappointments into transformative opportunities.
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast discusses how high-profile cultural and political flops reveal significant insights about audience expectations and engagement dynamics.
- Despite their negative perceptions, flops can encourage artistic growth and resilience, offering creators valuable lessons for future endeavors.
Deep dives
Defining the Flop
A flop is characterized by having high expectations yet failing to deliver on them, creating a public spectacle of disappointment. The discussion highlights the distinction between a flop and a mere fizzle, with the former representing grand expectations that ultimately lead to failure. For example, the launch of the green energy enterprise in the HBO series 'Industry' serves as an illustration of such a flop, as it generated anticipation but ultimately fell flat. This notion of a flop intertwines with the cultural fabric of societal responses to art and media, emphasizing its impact beyond just the creators involved.
