Hannah Ferrier from Below Deck Mediterranean has said that “there’s nothing that can be done” about sexual assault on privately owned superyachts – something she’s sadly experienced first-hand.

Below Deck has recently taken the world by storm. The popular reality show that revolves around the lives of superyacht crew members during charter season has even spawned multiple spinoffs including Below Deck Down Under and Below Deck Mediterranean.

However, there’s a dark side to superyachting, as recently revealed by Hannah Ferrier, – the Chief Stewardess from Below Deck Mediterranean – that Below Deck rarely explores. During an appearance on The Will & Woody Show, Hannah was first asked about what a yacht like the one David Beckham was recently spotted on would offer.

To which Hannah responded, “On a yacht like that you would have, just basically, anything you wanted, whenever you wanted.” This led co-host Will McMahon to question whether this included sex and whether wealthy superyacht owners and guests feel entitled to sex from staff members. And Hannah didn’t hold back with her reply.

“Oh definitely! There’s lots of talk in our industry about that sort of stuff because, you know, I think when people get that rich… Like, I’ve been propositioned a lot. But at the end of the day, I’m there just doing a job. I’m not there for that.”

Hannah Ferrier

Hannah then went on to say that on chartered yachts, sexual harrassment and sexual assault are not tolerated. But on private yachts, the behaviour is harder to stamp out.

“The crazy thing is if it’s a chartered yacht, like you see on Below Deck, then obviously the guest gets spoken to and reprimanded. Whereas if it’s a privately owned yacht because it works under international waters, it’s basically, you can go to the Captain, and it’s basically like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry that happened to you but, like, there’s the gangway. See you later.’ And there’s nothing that can be done about it.”

Hannah Ferrier

Hannah went on to say that she had experienced this kind of encounter first-hand but was luckily saved by a “working girl” (sex worker) who was hired to be and work aboard the superyacht.

“I had a very bad situation where I was physically assaulted on a boat and I left… When it’s privately owned, it’s either, like, you put up with it or you leave. And the crazy thing, it was actually one of the working girls that kind of saved me in the situation I was in. She kind of came down the stairs and saw what was happening and got him, like, off me.”

Hannah Ferrier

Hannah even suggested that it’s not just because the incident occurred in international waters that the man who assaulted her wasn’t ever reprimanded. The Below Deck star implied that because of his immense wealth (she confirmed that he was “definitely” worth billions of dollars) and power, he was untouchable.

“Um, you wouldn’t call the police on this guy…”

Hannah Ferrier

Of course, most of us mere mortals who dream of owning a superyacht wouldn’t dare to behave in such a disgusting manner. It’s true what they say; money is wasted on the rich.

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The post ‘Below Deck’ Star Reveals The Dark Side Of Working On A Private Superyacht appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Buoy Project – funded by the Australian Government’s ​​Medical Research Future Fund – is aiming to prevent male suicide in Australia. DMARGE spoke to Dr Zac Seidler, one of the chief investigators on The Buoy Project, to learn more…

Thankfully, mental health is no longer the ‘taboo’ subject it once was. However, Australia – as well as the rest of the world – still has a long way to go.

For example, almost a third of Australians think ‘positive thinking’ is a viable way to improve their mental health (it’s not) and almost all Aussies refuse to cut out alcohol even though doing so would improve one’s mental health.

Plus, Australia’s male suicide rates are through the roof; on average, seven men a day die by suicide in Australia. Just look at NRL legend Paul Green, who sadly took his own life a few weeks ago.

This is why The Buoy Project was launched. The Buoy Project – which ultimately aims to prevent male suicide – is a collaboration between five universities and 14 community organisations (including Lifeline) and was funded by the Australian Government’s ​​Medical Research Future Fund.

DMARGE spoke to Dr Zac Seidler, one of the chief investigators on The Buoy Project, to learn more about the project and how the project plans to reduce male suicide rates in Australia.

“Our key goal as researchers is to better understand male suicide, how it happens, and why, so that we can learn how to prevent it. At the core of The Buoy Project, is stopping men [from] dying too young by researching interventions across the country that go to where men are and give them the space and place to connect with each other.”

Dr Zac Seidler

Dr Seidler is personally passionate about preventing male suicide and believes that prevention is a completely achievable task if researched properly – which is why he got involved with The Buoy Project.

“Male suicide is preventable, it’s just that to date we really haven’t sought to understand it in all of its complexities. As a psychologist working on the frontline, I want to make sure we are doing our utmost as a community to create scaffolding for these guys to make sure they feel heard, and to keep them safe.”

Dr Zac Seidler

The Buoy Project has just begun testing seven different suicide prevention programs designed for boys and men via a series of randomised controlled trials. Once the trials are complete, the team will conclude how effective they were and will model what would happen if the effective programs were rolled out nationwide.

It’s an initiative DMARGE fully backs but The Buoy Project isn’t due to be completed until 2024, so what do men suffering from mental health issues and suicidal thoughts do in the meantime? Dr Seidler highly recommends talking to at least one person – whether that be a trusted family member/friend or a professional – about what you’re going through.

“A problem shared is a problem halved. It’s not always easy to find the words to describe what’s happening to you, but in my experience, you only benefit from finding a trusted person in your life to talk to about this stuff. If you let it run rampant in your mind without any external information, it calcifies and becomes more and more difficult to see a way out.”

Dr Zac Seidler

“Reach out, check in regularly, seek professional support and get the help you deserve. Some guys going through this think that they need to suffer in silence, alone, but the reality is that support is there, it works and things can definitely get better if you put your hand up and admit to yourself and others that you might be struggling.”

Hopefully, the programs The Buoy Project are currently trialling are successful at preventing male suicide and are then implemented across Australia. And if not, at least The Buoy Project is creating more awareness and will encourage more to try and help the current (and tragic) male suicide rate.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, please contact Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Suicide Call Back Service, MensLine Australia or see your GP for help. And if you wish to learn more about The Buoy Project, click here.

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The post Australian Government Funding Landmark Male Suicide Prevention Project appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Toyota HiLux has long been Australia’s best-selling ute – but have you ever wished that the Hilux was a bit bigger and could tow a little more? Well, you’re in luck, as Toyota’s revealed plans to bring the Tundra full-size pickup truck Down Under.

Toyota has sold many different utes in Australia over the years, from the entertainingly-named Toyota Stout and ute versions of the Crown sedan to trayback variants of the venerable 70 Series LandCruiser. But it’s the HiLux that has proven to be the most enduring success for the Japanese brand in Australia.

The legendarily tough ute isn’t just Toyota’s best-selling model in Australia, but it’s been the best-selling car bar none in the country since 2016 – a testament to Toyota’s sterling reputation for reliability.

Yet one area in which the HiLux has always fallen short compared to its rivals, such as the Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max, is towing capacity. On a less practical note, the HiLux lacks the same sort of ‘cool factor’ that the Ranger, the HiLux’s biggest competitor, has in spades.

Perhaps that’s why Toyota wants to bring the super-capable and super-sized Tundra Down Under, announcing they’re teaming up with Walkinshaw Automotive Group for Tundra to re-engineer the truck in right-hand drive (RHD) and evaluate the vehicle against Australia’s severe local conditions and tough customer use.

Unlike the HiLux, which is mostly manufactured in right-hand drive countries like India, South Africa and Thailand, the Tundra is exclusively made in San Antonio, Texas, and predominately for the North American market. Toyota says this partnership to bring the big American truck here will represent one of the most thorough development projects undertaken for a vehicle program of this type in Australia.

Walkinshaw, which is the parent company of the old Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) operation, is one of the most experienced RHD re-engineering outfits in Australia. When Holden shut down, HSV rebranded as General Motors Special Vehicles (GMSV), which now imports and converts the Chevrolet Silverado truck and Corvette sports car to RHD.

RELATED: ‘Tradie Approved’ Cars Fast Becoming Unlikely Status Symbols For Australian Men

In a press release this morning, Toyota Australia has confirmed that prototype testing on public roads will begin in September later this year. Then, from Q4 2023, Toyota will deploy approximately 300 of its cars all around the country as part of the final stage of the RHD re-engineering program, to get a handle on Australia’s diverse and challenging driving conditions.

The re-engineering process will include the adoption of key components from Toyota’s comprehensive global parts catalogue, including the steering column and rack, accelerator, brake pedals and shift lever from the new 300 Series LandCruiser, Toyota Australia confirms.

They’ve also stated that these Australia-bound Tundras will be powered by a single twin-turbo 3.5L petrol hybrid V6 engine – which all but confirms that only higher spec levels of the Tundra such as Platinum, TRD Pro and Capstone will be offered here.

While this is all very exciting, it doesn’t mean that RHD Tundras for Australia are a totally done deal, with Toyota Australia flagging there are further checkpoints in Toyota’s global approval process before its retail introduction can be confirmed.

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“This project shows just how serious we are at Toyota about quality, and a RHD Tundra will not be available for sale in Australia, until we are totally satisfied,” Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley says.

“We are really excited to get such a significant project to this stage, and look forward to seeing development prototypes on our roads and test tracks in the weeks and months ahead.”

Sean Hanley

It’s also worth pointing out that while the most expensive HiLux currently offered in Australia will set you back less than AU$70,000, any Tundra is likely to retail for well over AU$100,000 here, just like other similarly imported RHD-engineered utes.

If the Tundra project does come to fruition, it’ll join the ranks of an increasingly large number of American-made full-size pickup trucks being sold in Australia, including the aforementioned Silverado as well as the Ford F-Series, GMC Sierra, Dodge RAM and Nissan Titan.

The real question is this: will the Tundra cannibalise HiLux sales, or attract a completely new set of buyers? We’ll have to wait and see… 

• New Toyota LandCruiser Proves Australians Don’t Need V8s Anymore
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The post Toyota Brings HiLux Killing Truck To Australia appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Hangover-induced anxiety, otherwise known as hangxiety, is a genuine phenomenon that occurs the morning after a particular booze-filled night. It doesn’t affect everyone who drinks heavily, but is something you may have previously experienced but just put down to simply being hungover.

There are certain signs to look out for and several theories as to why hangxiety may occur for you. Plus, there are some potential cures to banish your anxiety demons away.

So, what is hangxiety, how long does it last and what are the cures? Read on to find out.

What is hangxiety?

Hangxiety is the abbreviated term for hangover-induced anxiety. Hangxiety is different to a common hangover, which has the symptoms of a headache, nausea and displeasure for sunlight. It is also different to anxiety, which can be a persistent and debilitating condition someone can suffer from.

Hangxiety, meanwhile, is where you experience symptoms of anxiety after a heavy night of drinking. You may already be someone who suffers from anxiety in regular situations, and if this is you, there is a good chance you will also suffer from hangxiety.

What causes hangxiety?

Research is relatively thin on the ground when it comes to certified causes of hangxiety, but according to Healthline, some experts in the field of anxiety have begun to detail some possible theories.

Social anxiety

One of the most common theories for the occurrence of hangxiety is related to social anxiety. If you’re someone who tends to be shy in social situations, but finds they loosen up and feels more confident after a few drinks – it’s not called liquid courage for nothing – then hangxiety can creep in the next morning when you think about the things you did.

A 2019 study using 97 participants found hangxiety was prevalent among highly-shy participants the morning after a night of drinking.

The likelihood that you wouldn’t have done or said what you did had you been sober, is going to be high. This can cause you to feel anxious about how you acted the night before, in addition to experiencing symptoms of a hangover.

The addition go hangover symptoms, such as a headache or feeling nauseous, can also cause to feel anxious because you don’t want the symptoms and you don’t know how to cure them.

Emotional withdrawal

Similar to how alcohol can help you overcome your dislike of social situations, it is also often used as a medium to numb any physical or emotional pain you’re feeling. We’re surely all taken a shot of tequila or opened a bottle of wine when we’ve been dumped or a close friend has annoyed us.

We turn to alcohol because it releases endorphins, which makes us feel good. However, the feel good feeling is only temporary, as your levels of endorphins naturally decrease over the course of several days after they’ve been released.

This comedown, so to speak, which you will likely start to feel the day after drinking, combined with the resurfacing of the feelings you wanted to numb in the first place, can be a cause of hangxiety.

Dehydration

Something many of us have also likely experienced the morning after a few drinks is dehydration. You might even experience it even if you feel like you drank plenty of water. But, studies – such as this one from 2018 – found that dehydration can cause depression and anxiety.

If your alcohol consumption still outweighs your water consumption, you may be dehydrated and not realise. This dehydration can then cause hangxiety.

Sleep-deprivation

Sleep-deprivation has been found to be a cause of a higher risk of anxiety and depression, and, unsurprisingly, a late night of drinking will likely see you fall into bed in the early hours. If you don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, and instead wake up after just 3 or 4, then your risk of suffering from hangxiety also increases.

Medication

Medication and alcohol rarely pair well together. If you’re taking anxiety medication or any other prescribed medication, then be sure to check the label to see if it’s safe to drink alcohol. If you neglect to the read the label and sink a few beers, then you could be at risk of suffering from side-effects, or your medication simply won’t work.

This knowing that your medication may not be working – particularly if it’s anti-anxiety medication – can cause greater levels of anxiety the morning after.

How long does hangxiety last?

There is no specified time period for the effects of hangxiety. However, symptoms of anxiety related to alcohol consumption will likely last as long as a hangover, which is usually up to 24 hours.

Following the end of a hangover, any anxious feelings you feel will fall under ‘normal’ anxiety.

How to cure hangxiety?

As previously mentioned, hangxiety is a result of alcohol consumption. So, cures for the physical symptoms of hangovers can also help. These can include:

• Drinking plenty of water throughout the day
• Eating light foods such as dry toast, bananas or crackers
• Going back to sleep, perhaps with the aid of relaxing music or an essential oil aroma diffuser
• Taking over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen or Panadol

Other potential cures can be those of a more mindful nature to help alleviate the anxiety symptoms you’re experiencing. These can include:

• Meditation – a guided meditation may help, and while it’s usually recommended to sit upright, you can still perform a meditation while lying down in your bed.
• Taking slow, deep breaths. You can even try inhaling slowly, holding your breath for a few seconds, before exhaling completely in a slow and controlled manner. 
• Thinking about the previous night’s events – It may sound counterintuitive, as it could be the thought of what happened that causes your hangaxiety. But, thinking carefully about what you may have done or said the previous night, and then thinking if anyone actually noticed, or remembers anything you said.
  If you feel up to it, you can take these thoughts a bit deeper and consider “why do I feel anxious about saying XX?” “Why do I feel anxious about behaving in XX way?”

How to prevent hangixety?

Because hangxiety is caused by alcohol consumption, the easiest prevention tactic to prescribe would be to not drink. While there are some great non-alcoholic beverages now available, we’re all human at the end of the day, and an alcoholic drink can give us a good time.

So, aside from not drinking at all, you should at least try to avoid drinking on an empty stomach, either by eating something substantial before you drink, or snacking whilst you’re drinking. It’s also recommended to drink some water after every alcoholic drink you have to help dilute the effects of it and keep you hydrated.

Something that may be tricky for some, but can have a positive effect, is to set yourself a limit of how many drinks you’re going to have. You may have good experience and know how many drinks it takes to really send you over the edge and cause a horrendous hangover the next morning. Conversely, you may also know how many drinks will still have you feeling fine the next day.

Hangxiety, for the most part, should be a short-term experience that only lasts as long as your hangover. However, for some, feelings of anxiety will continue and it can be all too easy to turn back to alcohol to relieve the pain.

If you find you do suffer from constant or persistent anxiety, then you should seek out professional help, either with a therapist or a healthcare professional.

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The post What Is Hangxiety? Why You Feel Anxious After Drinking appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Dave Franco has long been overlooked by his more successful brother James… But one thing’s for sure: Dave is the much better dresser, as his latest fit demonstrates.

The 37-year-old actor, who is the youngest of the three Franco brothers (James is 44 and Tom, the often forgotten Franco, is 42), is also the most distinct looking, thanks to his strong browline and more conventionally handsome appearance.

He’s also easily the most stylish. Just take this dark pastel blue suit and Hawaiian shirt combo he was spotted rocking earlier this week in Los Angeles. Impeccably tailored and oozing strong summer vibes, it’s the perfect LA leisure suit look.

It also kind of reminds us of the scrubs he used to wear back when he was in, well, Scrubs… Can’t believe that show’s been off the air for over a decade.

In any case, fits like these make the stoner-iffic outfits his older brother James likes to rock look juvenile in comparison.

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It seems Dave has a real thing for patterned shirts, too. The youngest Franco was also recently spotted at a special screening of Spin Me Round – a romantic comedy thriller starring his wife, Alison Brie – where he wore a subtle yet striking checkerboard-patterned rayon top. Looks killer.

Why have we been sleeping on Dave Franco’s style for so long?

How To Get Dave Franco’s Style

As mentioned above, Franco has a thing for loud, patterned short-sleeve shirts – but they’re always tailored fairly slim. No boxy, billowy Hawaiian shirts here. He’s not afraid to pair casual shirts with more traditional/formal pants or even with suits.

He also likes to pair casual shirts with similarly slim-tailored cropped hem trousers, while also opting for loafers or oxfords sans socks. Indeed, he seems to very rarely wear socks, even with sneakers. Guess he likes to show off his ankles.

The end result is a retro-meets-modern aesthetic. Franco’s quiff hairstyle also adds to that aesthetic, and it’s a rather winning one: it’s dapper yet relaxed all at once.

Sneakers with suits are another common Dave Franco style move. He’s a big fan of white Common Projects. Pairing clean white sneakers with a suit is a classic smart casual play (as well as a more comfortable alternative to dress shoes, ‘natch).

As you can see, he doesn’t mind a rocking a single-colour fit, either – but notice how he’s offset his pistachio green outfit above with his white sneakers, which breaks up the colour so it’s not too intense. The same goes for that black shirt’s blue flowers.

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Franco’s latest film, Day Shift, is a quirky take on the vampire movie genre where he stars alongside Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg, and is currently out on Netflix.

He’s also been busy behind the camera lately: acting as executive producer on the biopic series Pam & Tommy, and both writing and directing the upcoming rom-com Somebody I Used to Know, which stars his wife Alison Brie.

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The post Dave Franco Proves He’s The Best-Dressed Franco Brother With Latest Fit appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The variety of entertainment we have at our earlobes at 40,000ft is remarkable. What’s even more remarkable though, is this: despite having our own headsets (and an abundance of choice of entertainment, from documentaries and soaps to all sorts of critically acclaimed films) many people prefer to watch the latest action flick on someone else’s screen, rather than pick a movie of their own…

People whinge something chronic about flying. But when you stop to think about it, long haul travel is one of life’s greatest pleasures. No-one can contact you, no one expects anything of you and you have your every basic need attended to on a tray.

But when it comes to in-flight entertainment, there is one strange habit many travellers are fessing up to: watching movies on someone else’s screen. Despite being impractical, voyeuristic and unnecessary, it’s very much a ~thing~.

A quick browse of Twitter shows I am not alone in getting emotionally invested in the fates of The Rock and Kevin Hart in their latest action flick, over someone else’s shoulder and without the aid of sound. As a Twitter user called Will wrote in July: “There’s something about watching a movie on a plane on someone else’s screen, thirty seconds at a time, no audio only subtitles, just checking in every now and then and getting maybe 30% of it.”

I be doing this and become more invested in the movie than the person actually watching it lmao

— Jose | Ciggy (@JAP2898) July 16, 2022

He’s far from the only person to make this observation. Twitter user Maya Baccei loves a crane of her neck, too, writing: “I cannot focus on a movie on an airplane unless it is on someone else’s screen and I am also watching a movie and listening to music and reading a book.”

Hear, hear.

Then there’s Twitter user Tyler, who asks, “Why is their movie so much more interesting than the one I hand picked for me?” An important question indeed…

why is their movie so much more interesting than the one I hand picked for me

— tyler (@replylord) August 14, 2022

Others have even admitted to shedding a tear over someone else’s movie, as well as neglecting their own academic work to follow the plot of a film someone else has put on, and to ultimately coming to view movie watching on a plane as pointless unless it’s someone else’s choice.

on airplane watching west side story on mute on a tiny screen two rows ahead of me … gently shedding a tear

— Michael Breslin (@mischabreslin) March 14, 2022

Not just you! I do not miss, in any way, the experience of being on an airplane. But one highlight was always watching the movie on the screen of the person one row ahead on the opposite side of the aisle, and trying to imagine what’s going on.

— Rev. Dr. Everett Howe (@howe) January 17, 2022

what’s the point of watching a movie on a flight if it isn’t on someone else’s screen and not yours

— z (@spideysabers) December 30, 2021

I don’t put on a movie – instead I end up watching a movie on someone else’s screen – obviously with no sound . So no papers read and an awful movie experience https://t.co/yCMpSeGUXW

— Gordon Love (@gordon_love) January 3, 2022

There are even heartwarming stories of people on planes realising their seatmate was watching their movie, and turning their screens so that they could see it better. One Twitter user claimed: “A dude did that to me on the plane while I was watching JAWS and I just turned my computer towards him so he had a better view” while a Reddit user claimed in July: “I turn closed captions on when I’m watching a movie while travelling, in case someone else is watching my screen.”

There is even a Reddit thread where people share the “best movie you’ve watched for the first time on someone else’s plane screen,” with one commenter claiming: “I think I’ve seen the entire Harry Potter franchise without trying during a dozen or so international flights over the last few years.”

So, why do we enjoy watching movies on other people’s screens? Though some people say there is an element of people-watching to it (one friend told me they once had a great time predicting what a businessman in his late 40s, wearing a crisp suit would watch, only for him to put on Twilight), I think the biggest two reasons we like watching other people’s movies on planes are the simplicity and the element of danger.

What do I mean by this? In terms of simplicity, much like we often struggle to commit to a movie on Netflix at home thanks to our phone, it’s nice to watch a movie on someone else’s screen on a plane because there is no pressure to continue watching it. You can zone out (and tune back in) at any time, you don’t have to fiddle with your screen and fast-forward advertisements, and it’s satisfying to guess at what’s happening, despite being unable to hear what’s being said.

the voyeurism of watching a movie on someone else’s screen just adds to the experience

— Eli (@K2_deli_news) July 25, 2022

As for danger, I think we often play it too safe with our movie choices. I’ll for instance, often watch movies I’ve already seen on a plane, rather than pick something new because I worry I might not like it. But other people who have different taste in movies might pick something new, fresh and interesting, that you would not have chosen yourself.

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Conversely, some people (wrongly) assume action flicks like Jungle Cruise are beneath them, either misjudging their own haughty taughty sense of taste or fearing their seatmate will judge them as ‘basic,’ denying themselves the pleasure of watching an action movie on a plane. But when stealing a glance at someone else’s screen, you have no such pressure, responsibility or qualms.

There you have it: that’s why I think movies ‘hit different’ when you watch them on someone else’s screen on a plane.

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The post In-Flight Movies Are Better On Someone Else’s Screen appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The mastermind behind Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Vince Gilligan has revealed that the hate fans feel towards Skyler White troubles him as the character “did nothing to deserve” it.

Fans of Breaking Bad, arguably the best show of all time, have been on somewhat of a rollercoaster for the last few months. First, it was announced that Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul would reprise their roles as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in the prequel series, Better Call Saul.

Then Giancarlo Esposito – the actor who plays Gus Fring – teased that a Breaking Bad spinoff focusing on his character was on the way. A few weeks after that, the bittersweet final episode ever of Better Call Saul aired and left fans feeling satisfied but saddened because it was over.

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan then broke everyone’s hearts and said Esposito was mistaken – no more shows or films set in the ‘Breaking Bad universe’ are on the way; a sentiment echoed by Paul.

And now Gilligan is defending the most hated Breaking Bad character: Skyler White. Skyler, played by Anna Gunn, was Walt’s wife in the series and during the original run, the character (and eventually Gunn herself) faced immense backlash.

In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Gilligan spoke about the backlash and why it “troubled” him.

“Back when the show first aired, Skyler was roundly disliked. I think that always troubled Anna Gunn. And I can tell you it always troubled me, because Skyler, the character, did nothing to deserve that.”

Vince Gilligan

Gunn has been rather outspoken about the hate her character received over the years. She wrote an op-ed for The New York Times in 2013, which details how she believes that the hatred for Skyler is rooted in sexism and misogyny – “Most people’s hatred of Skyler had little to do with me and a lot to do with their own perception of women and wives.”

Even Paul doesn’t understand the Skyler hate. In 2018, Paul asked EW, “Why did our audience not sympathise with this poor woman?” Gilligan thinks the answer lies in the way that Breaking Bad was presented – through Walt’s perspective.

“I realize in hindsight that the show was rigged, in the sense that the storytelling was solely through Walt’s eyes, even in scenes he wasn’t present for. [But] even Gus, his archenemy, didn’t suffer the animosity Skyler received. It’s a weird thing. I’m still thinking about it all these years later.”

Vince Gilligan

Perhaps if Gilligan changes his mind about creating more series set in the Breaking Bad universe, he can write a show about Skyler’s life after Walt. And maybe then, fans will finally no longer loathe the character. We won’t be holding our breath though…

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The post ‘Breaking Bad’ Creator Says Skyler White Did Nothing To Deserve All The Hate appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

After years in the doldrums, Ferrari seemed to have finally found a championship contender in Charles Leclerc – until a series of unfortunate events put a damper on his 2022 season. But maybe Leclerc’s 2022 title chances were doomed from the start…

The 24-year-old Monégasque emerged early in the season as reigning World Champion Max Verstappen’s biggest title rival (nosing out Lewis Hamilton thanks to the weakness of Mercedes’ 2022 car), even leading the championship fight for the first 5 races… But a series of blunders – some Ferrari’s fault, some his – have seen Verstappen overtake Leclerc in wins and points.

Verstappen is now a solid 80 points ahead of Leclerc with 9 races left in the season: not a completely insurmountable gap for Leclerc to close, but one that’ll be a serious challenge, particularly considering how on-form Verstappen is and how strong Red Bull’s car seems to be.

Yet history is not on Leclerc’s side, as WTF1 points out. The last 5 seasons have shown us that the driver who wins the season opener is doomed to come 2nd in the championship – which is not good news for Leclerc.

’17 – Vettel wins season opener – P2 in WDC
’18 – Vettel wins season opener – P2 in WDC
’19 – Bottas wins season opener – P2 in WDC
’20 – Bottas wins season opener – P2 in WDC
’21 – Hamilton wins season opener – P2 in WDC
’22 – Leclerc wins season opener – Currently P2 in WDC
pic.twitter.com/iazbDmgUSd

— WTF1 (@wtf1official) August 23, 2022

But as Mark Twain once wrote, “here are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” One only has to look back one more year to 2016 to see that this theory might not hold water – Nico Rosberg, who won the 2016 title, won the first race of the year. Same goes for Lewis Hamilton in 2015.

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Indeed, if you look back at every F1 season of the 21st century, there have been 11 years where the driver that won the first race of the season went on to win the championship, compared to only 5 years where the driver that won the season opener went on to come 2nd in the championship.

Although that statement in itself is a creative way to frame statistics, too…

The 2022 Formula 1 World Championship starts back up this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, with lights out scheduled for 11pm AEST on Sunday, 28th August.

Spa is a circuit that’s historically been quite kind to Leclerc – indeed, it’s where he won his first ever F1 race back in 2019, becoming the first Monégasque driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Fingers crossed he can win again.

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The post Crazy Formula 1 Stat Shows Charles Leclerc May Be Doomed appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The new prequel series House of the Dragon compares rather favourably to the original – Game of Thrones. Here’s why…

It’s safe to assume that fans of Game of Thrones still feel jilted over the controversial ending that was widely panned upon its release in 2019. So jilted that many may feel reluctant to watch Game of Thrones’ new prequel series, House of the Dragon.

To be perfectly honest, I was. And I began watching House of the Dragon begrudgingly. Boy, was I wrong. The first episode of House of the Dragon is actually good. In fact, it’s really good. From the opening scene, House of Dragons feels epic because it’s clearly leaning into the fantasy elements that only came in later Game of Thrones episodes; there’s no slow burn for the magic and mystical to arise.

For example, House of the Dragon shows dragons roaming free whereas dragons didn’t come to play in Game of Thrones until the final episode of Season 1 – and even then they were just babies.

But dragons aren’t all that make House of the Dragon great. In just one hour, the first episode makes viewers feel like they’re watching peak Game of Thrones. Wonderful dialogue, intriguing characters, an unwavering focus on who will sit on the Iron Throne, sly manipulation, brutal violence – the childbirth scene!!! – and graphic sex scenes; the things that made Game of Thrones so damn good are all present in the opening House of the Dragon episode.

Matt Smith’s flawless performance must also be acknowledged. Because Emilia Clarke did such an incredible job as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, prior to watching House of the Dragon I felt like it’d be impossible for another actor to turn in an equally good Targaryen performance. And yet, Smith’s Daemon Targaryen is extremely compelling and enjoyable to watch – even if it looks like he’ll be the series’ villain. Milly Alcock also does an admirable job as a young Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Plus, while casual viewers may not appreciate the small nods to Game of Thrones, diehards will feel extremely nostalgic and grateful for the few moments that honour the original show; when King Viserys revealed the “song of ice and fire” dream… chills!

So far, The House of the Dragon has the potential to be great; it could become the Better Call Saul to Game of Thrones’ Breaking Bad… AKA a worthy prequel that improves rather than destroys the original shows’ legacy.

All in all, House of the Dragon is definitely worth watching; even if you’re still nursing the wounds the Game of Thrones finale gave you. Although, let’s all hope the rest of the season is just as good and that House of the Dragon’s inevitable end isn’t as rushed or unsatisfying as its predecessor’s… You can watch the first episode of House of the Dragon on Binge.

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The post How House Of The Dragon Compares To Game Of Thrones appeared first on DMARGE Australia.