I am devouring (binge-watching of course) The Morning Show on Apple TV. What a trip to watch Jennifer Aniston killing it, as the beastly narcissistic Alex Levy- an interesting deviation from her usual, kind and highly lovable on and off screen personas.
Reese Witherspoon’s character, Bradley Jackson, is Alex’s on-air partner and ongoing source of vexation. She is absolute badass and wholesome, pure of heart. Bold, rough around the edges, living out loud- unapologetically transparent and challenging. Unafraid of conflict, resolution, compromise, and direct communication. She is passionate, ethical, and comfortably imperfect.
As I reviewed my 2019 miniseries binge history, I made a list of my heroes: those whose lives courageously bump hard against a type of righteous and ruthless narcissism, which seems to have been nearly normalized.
Peggy Olson – Mad Men
Zoe Barnes – House of Cards
Jesse Pinkman (I know, he is a meth dealer and murderer) – Breaking Bad
OfFred – Handmaid’s Tale
Cullen Bohannon – Hell On Wheels
Reyna James – Nashville
Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tami – Friday Night Lights
Each reminds me of who I was born and in recovery, am now striving to be: wholesome, humble, courageous truth seeking and speaking – willing to ask difficult questions and make unpopular statements, typically at great cost to themselves—Willing to be awkward and incorrect–choosing to sacrifice themselves rather than others- all without claiming credit or victimhood.
AND having their asses kicked repeatedly, does not motivate even the slightest consideration to compromise principles and morals.
Who are your on(or off)-stage heroes and why? I am now beginning a list of writers and activists whom I appreciate also for similar reasons. I hope to post soon. Anne Lamott way at the top, fusho. My favorite humans are merciful, kind, willing and able to admit when they have messed up. They possess the fortitude and good will to do the work of repairing. My heroes are compassionate, sensitive, reflective, benevolent—and messy.
