Arka Mukhopadhyay
In Adam McKay’s thought-provoking satirical comedy ‘Don’t Look Up,’ the apocalypse is all-encompassing. Not only is there a planet-killer comet headed towards Earth, but the media is opposed to the potentially distressing story. Nobody listens to Dr. Mindy, and people dub Kate, the discoverer of the catastrophe, as a cynical doomsday prepper. But when the President disrupts cable TV to announce the grave threat, people lose their calm. Now everyone wants a bite of the comet.
For business mogul Peter Isherwell, the bite becomes a bit too literal. The star-studded venture comprises Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothee Chalamet, and Meryl Streep. Moreover, Tyler Perry teams up with Cate Blanchett to infuse life into the news panel of The Daily Rip. However, after watching the movie in its entirety, you must wonder whether the news channel is real. Also, are the anchors based on real-life television personalities? Let us find out! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Is The Daily Rip a Real News Channel?
The President (Meryl Streep) and her cabinet dismiss the worries of Mindy, Kate, and Teddy. According to them, the comet is possibly a fringe conspiracy, and even if there is a comet, they do not know whether the object will collide with Earth. Dr. Mindy attempts to place his mathematical findings in the meeting, but the data only bores the President. Thankfully, Kate’s journalist boyfriend knows Abdul Grelio from the ‘New York Herald.’
Following the boost of Grelio’s article, and thanks to the prompt reaction from the scientific community, they get a shot at the popular breakfast TV program ‘The Daily Rip.’ Professor Mindy and Kate visit the office, and they are seemingly excited about the interview. Meanwhile, pop icon Riley Bina (Ariana Grande) takes away much of the spotlight, speaking about the nasty breakup with her boyfriend. They reunite on live television, which takes away most of the rating.
Meanwhile, the astronomers’ alarms remain far from stirring up a storm. The inclusion of the television show extends the satire to media companies and their aversion to news that is distressing and saddening. Having said that, ‘The Daily Rip’ is mostly make-belief. It has no concrete counterpart in real-life television. However, it adds a realistic angle to the story by depicting how media subdues or amplifies specific concerns according to their viewership.
Are Jack Bremmer and Brie Evantee Based on Real News Anchors?
Anchors of the channel ‘The Daily Rip’ are Brie Evantee (Cate Blanchett) and Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry). While Jack is interested in aliens, Brie embarks upon a liaison with Dr. Mindy. While we do not know much about Jack, Brie divulges to Mindy in an intimate moment that she comes from the aristocracy, has three masters, two divorces, and two Monet paintings in her collection. She also claims to have slept with two U.S. Presidents. However, there is no real-life counterpart of her character.
Jack Bremmer is also fictional. However, the portrayal is realistic since it is not a big thing for an elite media anchor to own two Claude Monet paintings. Moreover, her salacious claim of sleeping with the U.S. presidents is also not shocking since Presidents have often allegedly kept affairs out of their marriages. From Thomas Jefferson to Warren Harding, several presidents faced such allegations. Therefore, the story, albeit fictional, seemingly mingles imagination and reality quite seamlessly.
Read More: Movies Like Don’t Look Up
