J. Apollo
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japollo81.bsky.social
J. Apollo
@japollo81.bsky.social
New Yorker. Pop culture nerd. Try Jesus, not me. The best friend you'll never have. He/Him/His. 🏳️‍🌈
Quick note!

Starting today, I’ll be shifting back to paywalling new @medium.com essays for 3–5 days before sharing free links.

Think of it as an exclusivity period for the devoted.

Struggling artists need money -- and love. But mostly money. 🫶

#WritingCommunity #MediumWriters
November 12, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Hey, James (I think). I did reply! That's strange.
November 12, 2025 at 4:27 PM
In the #RyanMurphy machine: dramatic divorces, flashy sets, buzzy cast… and zero love from critics.

Tomorrow on @medium.com, I ask, who really suffers when “representation” is just a prop in a brand? 🤨

#AllsFair #RepresentationMatters #MediaAccountability #KimKardashian #QueerMedia #LGBT #LGBTQIA
November 5, 2025 at 1:33 AM
[3/end]

My new @medium.com essay, “Representation, Inc: The Reality of Ryan Murphy’s Extraordinary Exploitation Machine," drops tomorrow.

It’s sharp. It’s messy. It’s overdue. 🖋️

(📷: ScreenRant)

#RepresentationRewritten #PopCulture #MediaAnalysis #WritingCommunity #MediumWriters
November 4, 2025 at 7:29 PM
[2]

It’s not just who we see on screen - it’s why we’re seeing them.

When tragedy becomes content and representation becomes a brand, everyone suffers.

#MediaAccountability #Hollywood #TrueCrime #RyanMurphy #AllsFair #PoseFX #LGBTQ
November 4, 2025 at 7:28 PM
[1] 📅COMING TOMORROW📅

Ryan Murphy built an empire on spectacle - a universe of trauma, queerness, and “representation.”

But somewhere between the spotlight and the script… the real stories got lost. 💔

#RyanMurphy #TVCritique #RepresentationMatters #AllsFair #Glee #AmericanHorrorStory
November 4, 2025 at 7:27 PM
November 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
You did!
October 31, 2025 at 4:17 PM
October 21, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Gwen Stefani’s latest controversy isn’t just about who she follows - it’s about who she’s become.

New @Medium.com essay, 'From Harajuku to Hard Right?,' coming in the hour.

#GwenStefani #PopCulture #MusicCulture #Opinion
October 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
KILL IT WITH FIRE.
October 12, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Y’all were right. It wasn’t too soon at all. 😏
October 6, 2025 at 1:49 AM
[1/2] Life goes on, but #TwistedAngel still hits. 💔✨

Singer #LeAnnRimes released one of her boldest, most misunderstood albums 23 years ago today (10/1/02).

I revisit the chaos, backlash, and brilliance in a @medium.com retrospective.

#MediumWriters #Music #2000s

medium.com/counterarts/...
October 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM
“If I had a stiff one, you’d be all on that…”

This stays in rotation. 💜
September 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
What’s your sign?
September 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM
[2/3]

Model and podcast host #KamieCrawford wasn't just Nev's new sidekick - she reinvigorated 'Catfish' with empathy, humor, and a level of insight Nev couldn't match.

And how did he thank her in his farewell?

Well... he didn’t.

#CatfishMTV #Misogynoir #NevSchulman
September 24, 2025 at 10:12 PM
[1/3]

After 12 years and almost 300 episodes, #CatfishMTV has snagged its last internet creep. 🗙🗙🗙

But a final goodbye from host #NevSchulman revealed something far uglier than the show ever captured. 🧵

#Catfish #KamieCrawford #BlackVoices #Television
September 24, 2025 at 10:03 PM
#WhitneyHouston was The Voice.

But nearly 15 years after her passing, her legacy is tangled up in bad remixes, holograms & questionable merch.

Later today on @medium.com, I dive in and explain how we can do better in preserving her legacy. 🎤💜

#BlackVoices #MediumWriters
September 23, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Sept. 10 was my mom’s death anniversary. It’s also the day I watched #CharlieKirk get shot online.

Traumas collided. People took sides. Old questions arose.

Coming sooner than you think to @medium.com.

#BlackVoices #BlackWriters
September 13, 2025 at 1:28 PM
How do you answer the phone?
September 11, 2025 at 8:50 PM
[3/end]

So, what happens when those we consider heroes do more harm than good?

On Wednesday, I get a bit personal, a little messy, but mostly honest.

Sometimes, we need to be our own heroes. See you then.

@medium.com #MediumWriters #Television
September 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
[2]

Oddly enough, it involves 'Heroes' - that old NBC series.

A Black actor, #LeonardRoberts, just wanted to work. Unfortunately, multiple white people kept him from doing so...

... including the person I once considered a hero.

#BlackVoices #BlackWriters #MediumWriters
September 9, 2025 at 1:06 PM
[1]

Ever outgrow your heroes? 👀 Yeah... same.

This Wednesday, I’m dropping an essay on @medium.com about TV, journalism, race - and the moment I realized my hero wasn’t who I thought they were.

#TVTwitter #PopCulture #MediumWriters
September 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Fools’ Fall is officially in play here in #NYC. 🥵🥵🥵
September 5, 2025 at 6:53 PM
... as Ryan Evans from 'High School Musical'?
September 3, 2025 at 4:52 PM