Dr. Vaughn Joy
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gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Dr. Vaughn Joy
@gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
10K followers 3.1K following 1.8K posts
UCL PhD in Christmas Film History • MA in Comic Books • MPhil in Demons • Creator of https://blackwhiteandread.com/ • Author of Selling Out Santa: Hollywood Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy (2025) • Wife of My Favorite Person • she/her
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gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
The Blob (1958) is a crazy film about a monster who throws a puppy at a space specimen to save herself and also a lot of 50s stuff and the existential crisis of climate change.

But it's largely about Jane pretending to give a shit about a dog.
No one believes Steve and Jane except other teenagers and kids. One cop is like “the kids in town are making it up because I served in probably Korea and they don’t think I’m man enough and they want to see if they can fool my clever veteran brain” and another cop is like “Bert, you good? Maybe you should talk to someone, you know?” But the head cop is a softy who comes around to believing the kids after they set off an air raid siren to wake up the town in the middle of the night, which, let’s be real, that’s terrifying. This film is set in 1957. This is peak nuclear age and if you heard the air raid siren, even with all the car horn honking and emergency services alarms they also triggered, you would not be going outside to see what the commotion is right? You’d be like “oh this is Armageddon, I’m gonna check on MY DOG, JANE.”
November 2, 2025 at 12:30 AM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Spooky Biscuits says it's a treats only Halloween 🎃

Be kind and loving to everyone you meet today! There are enough tricks in this god forsaken hellscape.
Slightly blurry picture of a tabby mackerel cat showing her white patchy belly on a couch
October 31, 2025 at 11:58 AM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
As a reminder:

On BW&R, we have a resource list of publications where scholars can pitch their op-eds, essays, reviews, excerpts, and more! If you run such a site/podcast/blog/publication and accept pitches, please let me know so I can add you to the list!

blackwhiteandread.com/pitchables/
Screenshot of the linked webpage on Black and White and Read All Over. The penguin logo sits at the top above the menu and the Pitchables page has the list of resources hyperlinked
October 29, 2025 at 4:37 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
I would never be associated with such an un-American organization.
A white button pin with black typewriter text that reads "I am not now nor have I ever been a member of HUAC" pinned to a houndstooth patterned purse
October 29, 2025 at 3:54 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Our perfect baby Biscuits is too damn smart. She attacks the string her piñata is attached to and she indulges us for a minute or two of laser pointer before walking over to headbutt the hand holding the pointer so she can have her treats. Girl's a little genius.
A tabby mackerel cat lying on a beige carpet. Her pink nose is surrounded by a white patch and her white capped paw is slightly visible under her as she looks just down from the camera
October 28, 2025 at 12:24 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
🚨🚨🚨 Good News Alert 🚨🚨🚨

Our little Biscuits had her first vet appointment yesterday and she has lost .2 pounds since we got her from the shelter almost a month ago. We play every day and she's happier and more energetic every day and the vet said we're doing right by her 🥹 our healthy little baby.
A tabby mackerel lying on her side next on a beige carpet to a wood table. The cat has a white belly and is in the act of reaching towards a rainbow colored piñata toy on a string. A tabby mackerel lying on her side next on a beige carpet to a wood table. The cat has a white belly and is longingly looking towards a rainbow colored piñata toy on a string (off camera). The same tabby mackerel cat is now attacking the rainbow piñata
October 23, 2025 at 1:25 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
This was a tweet from a thread back in 2022 that feels apt right now.

Billionaires and their oligarchic puppets just destroy things because they can, because they have to leave their mark so we're forced to acknowledge their existence long after they're buried and the rest of us tried to move on.
Tweet from me from 5 Sept 2022 reading It's more profitable and legal to just like destroy one of the oldest studios in Hollywood so they're doing it with absolutely no chagrin or hesitation or concern for what this does to art and media and culture.
October 21, 2025 at 2:03 AM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Alt text continued:
Kringle's fear that both he and his beloved holiday had been rebranded into something unfamiliar by unknown economic forces echoes a social and political fear of widespread change and also carries the implication that the Christmas he had known and loved before had always been a stable, consistent American tradition. While Kringle's concerns of social change are entirely accurate to the post- war moment, the idea of the holiday's consistency is a misconception and a crucial one to understanding how the frame of mind that is Christmas is so intimately bound with dominant American narratives and attitudes of any given era. Particularly, in Hollywood's polished portrayals of an already idealized version of Amer- icana, Christmas reflects America's contemporary proclaimed values wrapped in tinsel and bows for an audience willing and eager to retreat into an escapist fantasy of ostensible goodwill despite any major challenges of their times. In 1947, this was never truer nor more accurate, though Miracle's Kringle could not have known how drastically American Christmas as a mentality was about to change as a direct result of the political, cultural, economic, and social moment imminently bearing down on Hollywood.
October 20, 2025 at 12:23 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
In exactly 4 weeks, SELLING OUT SANTA: HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS FILMS IN THE AGE OF MCCARTHY will be released, and I'm so excited for you all to read it. Here's the first two paragraphs (alt text continued in comments):
Screenshot of the first page of the introduction to my book Selling Out Santa: Introduction "Christmas isn't just a day. It's a frame of mind. That's what's been changing." - Kris Kringle, Miracle in 34th Street 1947 American Christmas is and has always been a frame of mind, not only for the individual but for the national audience as well. In the holiday classic Miracle on 34 Street (1947), the heartwarming Santa Claus figure Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) voices concern for the ways in which Christmas has been changing in his contemporary 1947 world. Little did Kringle know, he had already been bought and sold not only by RH. Macy who hired him to sell overstock toys in the Manhattan department store as the face of Christmas, but also by Hollywood where Christmas was increasingly being seen as a marketable, lucrative frame of a uniquely American post-war mind. Through this festive frame, a post-war, early Cold War Hollywood deconstructed and reconstructed deeply American ideas and traditions, selling Santa out to prevailing ideas of commercialism, dispelling Dickens's collectivist spirit in favor of individualist seclusion, and condemning Capra's populist hall marks to a fate worse than a stocking full of coal.
October 20, 2025 at 12:23 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Also, at the Martha's Vineyard protest in Vineyard Haven, there were an estimated 2,000 people which is 10% of the year-round population. But that's what you get on an island with such a rich diverse cultural history.
A protest sign reading "this is what patriotism looks like! We the people must Resist!" In black, white, red, and blue inks with an American flag drawn above resist. Next to the poster is a white lamp post with a black lamp
October 18, 2025 at 7:58 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
If you're thinking of not reading or sharing this:

Every word in "some of our foremost thought leaders" is a different link to a different Republican who quoted or praised Hitler including, of course, the youngest of Republicans, 79yo Donald Trump.
Look, I’ll be the first to admit that some of the texts are a bit unsavory. I’ll even concede it’s probably bad to suggest that people who disagree with you are “going to the gas chamber.” But who among us hasn’t said something regrettable as a mid-career youth? If we canceled anyone who gave Hitler offhand praise, our country would be bereft of some of our foremost thought leaders. We don’t need to cherry-pick the remarks of a college group chat, which is essentially what this is, given that most attendees received a college degree within the last two decades. The real story is what’s happening on the actual campuses, where antisemitic Leftists are violently holding signs. Every day, you have cruel eighteen-year-old Democrats—beefy, middle-aged adults—shoving their cruel views down the throats of eighteen-year-old conservatives—defenseless little toddlers, green shoots fresh out of the Garden of Eden. It’s enough to make you sick.
October 17, 2025 at 1:18 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
With your help, I've already been able to expand this resource significantly in under a day. Please keep sharing sites you love to read, places you can publish your expertise, and podcasts open to pitches so we can help our colleagues get their work out to the public!
Screenshot of linked webpage with sites, magazines, and podcasts open to accepting pitches for public scholarship
October 15, 2025 at 3:53 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
If I have to use the cat to promote public scholarly resources, I will.

Biscuits lives for public scholarship. She loves when you get your work and voice out there. She loves it more than sleeping on her back like a little freak while looking up to you for sharing your expertise with the world.
A mackerel tabby cat lying on her back on the carpet with white paws and belly face up.
October 15, 2025 at 1:58 AM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
It's live now! Please visit our Pitchables page at this link and if you have a site, magazine, podcast, or other platform for scholars to pitch their public work to, please let me know in comments or via email at bwandread@gmail!

blackwhiteandread.com/pitchables/
Screenshot of the linked webpage on my public scholarship website Black and white and read all over. The page is titled Pitchables with links to sites where scholars can pitch their work and expertise, separated into written publications and podcasts
October 14, 2025 at 9:47 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Bad faith media literacy is even worse than no media literacy because he's deliberately trying to reframe heroes and villains in language that sounds smart and challenging of the source text for people without the media literacy skills to know this is a bad faith propagandistic take. What a dick.
Post from me reading Anyway media literacy is a survival skill now. Thems the breaks
October 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
This week's review is a monster in itself, winding through my thoughts of a crystalline structure of the cultural lives of ideas. So, if any of you feel that you do not care to subject your nerves to such a strain, now's your chance to uh, well, — I warned you!
blackwhiteandread.com/monster-mash...
Poster for James Whale's 1931 Frankenstein, tagline The Man Who Made A Monster Down the left side and across to the right are illustrated headshots of characters in the film including Boris Karloff as the creature and Mae Clarke illustrated in a full body pose in a wedding dress
October 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
LOUDER.

also
Post from me saying Anyway, media literacy is a survival skill now. Thems the breaks
October 8, 2025 at 10:28 AM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
The Frollo stand among us need to take a hard, deep look in the mirror before Portland burns like Paris.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is an excellent film to share with your young ones and a perfect one to help broach difficult conversations of media analysis
blackwhiteandread.com/monster-mash...
Now, I am not a religious person personally, but I have so much admiration of true faith. Frollo is a fascist cunt. He is not a religious person; he hides behind religion and the law to commit genocide, and God (spoiler) gets his ass in the end in a beautiful display of poetic justice. The film reinforces this idea that evil doers can wrap themselves in unjust laws and bible quotes to shield themselves from criticism and twist their own minds into thinking the inhumanity they perform every hour is righteous despite all evidence to the contrary. This past week, Da Chicago Pope got MAGA's ass when he clapped back to their bullshit by saying it's not really pro-life to oppose abortion, back the death penalty, or support the "inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States.' Get 'em, Leo. Obviously Da Pope is now facing horrid abuse from the Frollo stans among us, but it gives me real hope to think about Da Pope confronting them directly. We know they're Frollo stans, but would they see themselves that way?
October 6, 2025 at 2:02 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
This week, I was prompted to review The Hunchback of Notre Dame from a genre perspective and I realized it's probably the film I would most recommend for everyone right now, young and old alike.

Frollo is a genocidal potential rapist who gleefully orders law enforcement to murder innocent civilians
And you might be like, “V, what the fuck? You just said that this is a phenomenal film for kids? Are you some kind of sick fuck like Disney filmmakers in the 1990s?” And, yea, kinda. How many moments in reading just that little synopsis did you go “well that sounds familiar”? A rapist leader threatening to round up and imprison innocent people because they’re different, because they live lives untethered to his own “norms”, because they dare to enjoy being human, because they provide for themselves and their families by creating art and music, because they promote self-expression, kindness, generosity, and justice? Sounds like something to warn against and to teach kids young that that’s the worst, most evil motherfucker Disney could think of.
October 5, 2025 at 12:16 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
This week for the first in my Spooky Season Monster Mash series, I watched a movie with the scariest monster I can think of: Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame in which the monster wraps himself in unjust laws and bible quotes to commit genocide and assault.
blackwhiteandread.com/monster-mash...
Poster for the animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). From the top of the bell tower, we see between the bells down into Paris blazing in orange. Quasimodo sits on the ledge reaching out for a dove.
October 4, 2025 at 8:04 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
I promised myself I wouldn't spam Bluesky with Biscuits, Formerly Known as Queen B when we got her 4 days ago, but she's doin Thriller 🥹
A mackerel tabby cat on a grey blanket with white paws and patches on her belly and nose. Her belly is exposed and her arms and neck are bent like she is dancing to the Michael Jackson song Thriller A close up of the same cat with arms bent over her face as though, again, she is dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller
October 2, 2025 at 1:42 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
Can we just admire Jane Fonda, please? She is a true patriot, inspiration, and role model.

"When I feel scared, I look to history. I wish there were a secret playbook with all the answers — but there never has been. The only thing that has ever worked — time and time again — is solidarity."
Text from the Variety article on the sub quoted piece: In a letter inviting her peers to join the re-established group, Fonda writes: "I'm 87 years old. I've seen war, repression, protest, and backlash. I've been celebrated, and I've been branded an enemy of the state. But I can tell you this: this is the most frightening moment of my life. When I feel scared, I look to history. I wish there were a secret playbook with all the answers — but there never has been. The only thing that has ever worked — time and time again — is solidarity: binding together, finding bravery in numbers too big to ignore, and standing up for one another."
October 1, 2025 at 7:04 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
This is going to be my new go-to reaction for every news piece from the entertainment industry from now on.

Please, please, please make sure your students/children/young people are practicing media literacy skills. Have fun but critical conversations with them about what they are consuming.
A post from me saying "Anyway, media literacy is a survival skill now. Thems the breaks"
September 29, 2025 at 3:15 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
That kind of meeting of panicked film executives reacting to unexpected federal escalations happened in November 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York and gave us the Hollywood Blacklist.

If you've never read it, I highly recommend taking a look. It's all terrible, but my favorite part is:
Scans of the Waldorf statement Members of the Association of Motion Picture Producers deplore the action of the 10 Hollywood men who have been cited for contempt by the House of Representatives. We do not desire to prejudge their legal rights, but their actions have been a disservice to their employers and have impaired their usefulness to the industry. We will forthwith discharge or suspend without compensation those in our employ, and we will not re-employ any of the 10 until such time as he is acquitted or has purged himself of contempt and declares under oath that he is not a Communist. On the broader issue of alleged subversive and disloyal elements in Hollywood, our members are likewise prepared to take positive action. We will not knowingly employ a Communist or a member of any party or group which advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States by force or by any illegal or unconstitutional methods. In pursuing this policy, we are not going to be swayed by hysteria or intimidation from any source. We are frank to recognize that such a policy involves danger and risks. There is the danger of hurting innocent people. There is the risk of creating an atmosphere of fear. Creative work at its best cannot be carried on in an atmosphere of fear. We will guard against this danger, this risk, this fear. Second page of Waldorf statement To this end we will invite the Hollywood talent guilds to work with us to eliminate any subversives: to protect the innocent; and to safeguard free speech and a free screen wherever threatened. The absence of a national policy, established by Congress, with respect to the employment of Communists in private industry makes our task difficult. Ours is a nation of laws. We request Congress to enact legislation to assist American industry to rid itself of subversive, disloyal elements. Nothing subversive or un-American has appeared on the screen, nor can any number of Hollywood investigations obscure the patriotic services of the 30,000 loyal Americans employed in Hollywood who have given our government invaluable aid to war and peace.
September 29, 2025 at 2:51 PM
gvaughnjoy.bsky.social
An angel.
A mackerel tabby with white paws and nose lying down on carpet while biting a feather toy
September 29, 2025 at 11:59 AM