Certain things come out of nowhere and make me feel, suddenly, very old. The realisation that a movie I remember clearly being released is now 30 years old is a big one.
The other thing that makes me shake my head and start to welcome the approaching sweet embrace of old age is hearing about pop culture things. Without exception, it all seems like idiotic shite that needs to die in a fire.
The latest thing I have become aware of that makes me shake my head and go and put the kettle on is “Looksmaxxing”.
My first thought was that, 30 years ago, we just called that “taking care of yourself”.
Then I found out about an upcoming Disney+ docu-series on the phenomenon and I realised there was a darker rabbit hole here.
Somebody calling himself “Clavicular” appears to be involved.
The rule of the universe is that if you aren’t a rapper or an Outposter, then having some kind of jolly jack pirate name immediately marks you out as somebody to be mocked, so he’s not off to a good start.
Apparently back in February the makers of this documentary tried to film this “Clavicular” without permission so he had a hissy fit and flounced off to get a cease & desist order.
Now a new story in The Hollywood Reporter has revealed more information on the documentary.
It is a three-part true-crime documentary called Get Huge: Looksmaxxing to Death.
It turns out that it wasn’t all about “Clavicular” after all. Bad luck!
The show is instead focussed on a mysterious death in Thailand that has nothing to do with him. It is, instead, an:
“…unflinching portrait of masculinity in the influencer age, where extreme biohacking, online performance and a series of suspicious deaths converge.”
Crikey! I had no idea remembering to shower every day was so dangerous!
The official synopsis is even moodier:
“Deep in the manosphere, an underground movement promises to unlock human potential – bulging muscles, bigger penises, eternal youth.
At its centre is Dr Tony Huge, a guru pushing homemade biohacks on a devoted following willing to risk everything for the cause.
When Leo & Longevity, a penis-enlargement expert and one of Tony’s closest allies, is found dead in Thailand, alpha-male influencers become online sleuths, running wild with theories and questioning Tony Huge and his right-hand man, Connor Murphy.
Soon, a darker pattern emerges: Leo isn’t the first of the inner circle to die under mysterious circumstances. Will he be the last?”
Suddenly this sounds like one of those podcasts women listen to that gets them all over-excited, and not in a good way.
The series debuts on November 10th on Hulu in the US and Disney+ everywhere else.
Meanwhile, I go back to thinking that maybe this current generation weren’t beaten enough as children.
