Dropout Presents: Courtney Pauroso: Vanessa 5000
October 22, 2024 7:55 AM - Season 1 (Specials) - Subscribe
"Courtney Pauroso examines society's relationship with technology as sex robot Vanessa 5000." A one-hour Dropout Original live special, a one-woman show that starts off as comedy but goes some other places. Also available: an 11-minute behind-the-scenes video. Tags on Dropout's site: Dropout Presents, stand up comedy, improv, laughing, courtney pauroso, unhinged, dystopian, technology, robots, sexual fantasies. I'd add: cyberpunk, feminist, kink, music, scifi, clowning (Pauroso discusses how her clown experience feeds into this show). Mind the content notes on Dropout's site.
"Vanessa 5000" reminded me of Janelle Monae's work, Bo Burnham's "Inside", and the Murderbot books in how the artist addresses commodification, objectification, exploitation, interpersonal performance, the mediating effect of mass media on artists, and expectations performers and audience have of each other. An astonishingly vulnerable and skilled performance that must have been an astonishingly intimate experience for the live audience.
I am thinking that this ought to get nominated for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form in the Hugo Awards next year.
"Vanessa 5000" reminded me of Janelle Monae's work, Bo Burnham's "Inside", and the Murderbot books in how the artist addresses commodification, objectification, exploitation, interpersonal performance, the mediating effect of mass media on artists, and expectations performers and audience have of each other. An astonishingly vulnerable and skilled performance that must have been an astonishingly intimate experience for the live audience.
I am thinking that this ought to get nominated for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form in the Hugo Awards next year.
This was weird, entertaining, crazy, and maybe a little horny. That Goblin Mode was quite something else. I do love Dropout and all they do, and this one was turned up to 11.
posted by Marticus at 5:57 PM on October 23
posted by Marticus at 5:57 PM on October 23
BJ Colangelo writes, within a longer piece about Dropout ("Dropout shows us what the future of entertainment could be like if we actually value people over profits and creativity over pleasing the algorithm"):
"Courtney Pauroso: Vanessa 5000" might be the best thing I've seen all year — period. An absolute masterclass in physical satire, character work, and timing, Courtney Pauroso transforms herself into Vanessa 5000, a sex robot giving a demonstration to the audience that doubles as a dissection about relationships, the objectification of women, our overreliance on technology, performative sexuality, and the deep insecurities that fester within us all.posted by brainwane at 11:11 AM on December 18 [1 favorite]
This was mega weird, I wanted to stop watching, but was oddly fascinated
posted by eustatic at 4:12 PM on December 18
posted by eustatic at 4:12 PM on December 18
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
For folks who aren't yet Dropout subscribers, Dropout Presents has some clips of the show and behind the scenes on their YouTube shorts.
posted by katieinshoes at 6:55 AM on October 23 [2 favorites]