24 Comments
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Timothy W Keller's avatar

A few decades back Arianna Huffington wrote a fairly definitive book about Picasso. And if the book is to be believed, than yes he was most definitely an asshole.

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

HAHA, I will look for that book!

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Jason Smith.'s avatar

Yes, a real misogynist.

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Jenn H's avatar

I just want to say, about the last several videos in general, thank you for disproving the impression that Los Angeles is a place where people don't walk and can't take walks!

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

Yes, I am a big walker and I love walking around L.A. I didn't do that for the first ten years or so living here. I would drive to the grocery store which was only a few blocks away. CRAZY. Now I walk all over and love it.

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Merrill Markoe's avatar

I was at LACMA on Friday too! But we didn't go to Picasso...we saw the Dutch collector antiquities exhibit and also one on woven stuff. And then we had lunch!

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

WHAT???? OMG! I wish I had run into you, that would have been so fantastic!

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Merrill Markoe's avatar

I love LACMA. I hope that behemoth structure that is going up is incredibly great.(I also love The Getty)

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Mindy's avatar

Fun to hear about your week! I would so love it if you would note in writing the books and movies you talk about in your Saturday summary so I could quickly look at what you’re recommending as good. I also really enjoyed The Dog of the South and went on to read other Charles Portis stuff. I suppose I should be keeping a pad and pen close by when I’m listening to the SSS so that I could note them myself, lol. 😆

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

I will do that next time!

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Mindy's avatar

Yay! Thank you!!

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Amanda Murphy's avatar

Better late than never 😁 Another good summary. Exciting start.

I’m going to look for the book, her life sounds amazing, plus I’ve heard tales of Omar Shariff so I’m curious what she has to say.

Good iMovie skills 👍🏾

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

Yes, Omar Shariff! He was quite the.... lover of ladies. Let's put it like that.

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Amanda Murphy's avatar

That’s what I heard…😀

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Jason Smith.'s avatar

You had quite the adventure today. Crazy stuff. Love the V.U.

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

I know! Crazy. The sex worker yelling at me really shook me up though. I feel bad to even do that walk again.

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Eve Keller's avatar

So delightful, thanks.

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Andrew Smith's avatar

Although I enjoyed the walk last week, the interruption and description were solid too (especially since it created a sidebar story). Thanks for sharing some great art again, too!

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David Williams's avatar

Good one. Thanks.

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Em Allyn®️™️'s avatar

When you said you might encounter sex workers I was concerned about you filming! It could put you in a lot of danger not just from the workers but more scarily their clients... I think maybe the lack of representation of street sex workers of asian heritage may be that their clients generally seek them out in spas and massage settings? I don't know much about it but I do think that you were correct when you said there are specific and varied "types" sought by the paying customers!!!!! Since it is fully unregulated, it's more capitalist than anything...

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

Yes, I was being a bit stupid there. I'm glad I stopped when I did. I wish I was confident enough to ask one of the women if I can pay for half an hour and just talk. But I don't know how that would go - I am just curious. I think prostitution should be legal and regulated. I think most women who end up in the sex trade have no better options. Some may love it, but it's hard to think it's an enjoyable profession when you see them out there, sometimes in the cold, just the whole vulnerable aspect of it, waiting to lure a car to you and who knows who is inside? Ugh.

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Em Allyn®️™️'s avatar

Side note. I really appreciate your use of "sex workers" instead of the pejorative "pr*stitutes" which STILL gets thrown around way too regularly. Especially with so much true crime content that features the commentary of law enforcement. Law enforcement who calls these people "girls" like it's 1954.

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Julia Sweeney's avatar

I know! "Girls" It was even hard for me not to say "girls"! Mostly because they are so young. I hate the word pr*stitute too. Sex Worker is perfect. That's what they're doing, working. And the work they do is sex. So, perfect. I hate how it is an assumption that sex workers are "bad." This is obviously just what happened to them for a variety of reasons, and it's mostly because it's the best option out of a lot of bad options.

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Em Allyn®️™️'s avatar

I have lots of thoughts and ideas about all this stuff! I think most of the workers you are seeing on your walks are people who are probably somehow in a bad way to be living such a risky life. But, sex work is not necessarily always something that is a last resort! Especially in recent decades and even just the last several years because of the rise of OnlyFans, the risks for certain types of sex work have been diminished in many ways. The really big issue for all sex workers is the danger that results from the fact they are "breaking law" because that puts them in a much more vulnerable position. It's just like how the treatment of drug use as a crime leads to far more negative outcomes for users than when it is legalized/decriminalized. When you are harmed while engaging in something "illegal" then you have no recourse for getting assistance from "authorities."

Also how is it legal to perform paid sex acts for "entertainment" i.e. porn/sex clubs etc. but performing paid sex acts privately is not? Additionally the system invests far more energy in persecuting/prosecuting the PROVIDERS as opposed to the CONSUMERS. Which is pure INSANITY to say nothing of how MISOGYNIST it is, when the reality is there would be no sex workers at all if there were no sex BUYERS. UGGGGHHHHH

Like, these sin taxers ought to spend way more effort helping persons who are being forced to do sex work than they do hassling persons who are choosing to do it.

I don't know if any of the people you see would take you up on your interest in a chat, but, if you ever want to grab coffee/lunch/boba or just meet up at the Tar Pits, I have lots of more insights to share with you! :) just let me know! I'm a fan of yours and a fellow comic...

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