Ideas worth saving

October 16, 2013 11:06 AM

Donald Glover posts a series of somethings to instagram. A cry for help from a troubled star? Poetry? Song Lyrics? Sad and beautiful no matter how you slice it. (slhuffpo)
posted by ericbop (58 comments total)

Looks like he's just sharing.

No big deal.
posted by General Tonic at 11:08 AM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

I saw these before and thought they were charming and personal, if a little light.

"Cry for help"? Come on. These are all perfectly reasonable fears - the sorts of things any person might worry about if they had trouble getting to sleep one night.

I note the handwriting is also quite precise....
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 11:08 AM on October 16, 2013 [8 favorites]

Over sharing is over caring.
posted by 2bucksplus at 11:10 AM on October 16, 2013

Hope he's okay.
posted by cashman at 11:12 AM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Looks a lot like non-anonymous Postsecrets.
posted by michellenoel at 11:13 AM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

"Adultish Gambino" would have kept it off of Instagram.
posted by Optamystic at 11:13 AM on October 16, 2013 [5 favorites]

Ok, I'll bite: What do you masturbate to, Donald Glover?
posted by bondcliff at 11:16 AM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yes. (Now I'M oversharing).
posted by Optamystic at 11:16 AM on October 16, 2013 [7 favorites]

This just in: Donald Glover is human, or a reasonable facsimile thereof.
posted by Halloween Jack at 11:17 AM on October 16, 2013 [4 favorites]

Residence Inn Marriott is definitely a celebrity cry for help.
posted by Kabanos at 11:19 AM on October 16, 2013 [7 favorites]

It's real, is what it is.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 11:19 AM on October 16, 2013

Ok, I'll bite: What do you masturbate to, Donald Glover?

I've misheard he loves dongs.
posted by General Tonic at 11:20 AM on October 16, 2013 [5 favorites]

This is the darkest timeline.
posted by brain_drain at 11:25 AM on October 16, 2013 [27 favorites]

Nothing that any reasonably self-aware person hasn't thought from time to time. Only he just shared them, which lessens the burden on all of us, I suppose.

Good luck, Donald Glover. We'll be waiting right here for you, whenever you're ready.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:30 AM on October 16, 2013 [5 favorites]

I too don't think they're a cry for help. I think they're the honest scribblings of an awesome person who is overwhelmed with things to some degree, but is still hopeful. For me, it's nice seeing famous people be human, instead of the characters they play on TV.
posted by Kitteh at 11:35 AM on October 16, 2013 [10 favorites]

Beautiful.
posted by svenni at 11:39 AM on October 16, 2013

Oh Donald, it's way worse than that. You are only scratching the surface. No matter how bad you think things are, if you look close enough you'll find it even more fucked up.

Now do you want to go on, or not?

This comment may, or may not be helpful.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 11:40 AM on October 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

- And it is quite assuring to see someone as successful as Donald struggle some of the same fears as you.
posted by svenni at 11:40 AM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

"...an awesome person who is overwhelmed with things to some degree..."

Imagine if Heath Ledger had stepped back from his being overwhelmed. Far from being 'a cry for help', this just shows good sense, to remove yourself from the craziness, and focus on what really matters.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:45 AM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

This looks like a job for an open letter written by a fellow celebrity!
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:50 AM on October 16, 2013 [14 favorites]

This is precisely why my journal is handwritten and kept locked in my desk.
posted by tommasz at 11:51 AM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Why doesn't he just talk Mel Gibson, they did all those movies together, they're buds right?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:07 PM on October 16, 2013 [8 favorites]

And it is quite assuring to see someone as successful as Donald struggle some of the same fears as you.

Yeah, it's actually really nice to see a celebrity type expressing the same kind of late night, what am I doing with my life anxieties everybody else has. Though I don't know what he means by not wanting to be Tyrese. He...doesn't want to be a super hot underwear model with marginal success in acting? Did Tyrese have an aborted musical career or something?
posted by yasaman at 12:14 PM on October 16, 2013 [4 favorites]

Did Tyrese have an aborted musical career or something?

Basically everyone in the Fast and Furious movies had a musical career of some length or other.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:16 PM on October 16, 2013

This is either totally normal or I need to "cry for help" too.
posted by brundlefly at 12:16 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Note: I'm not saying which is correct.
posted by brundlefly at 12:16 PM on October 16, 2013

I don't really follow celebrities, so forgive me if I've made a scandalous misjudgment, but Donald Glover has always seemed like a pretty cool guy to me. Instagram gets blocked at work, but I took a squinty look at the pics on my phone, and the fears all seemed like normal person trying to grow up kind of fears.

Donald, man, it's gonna be OK. Here's a hug, you scamp.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 12:25 PM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

Ok, I'll bite: What do you masturbate to, Donald Glover?

Troy and Abed slashfic. That he writes himself. On hotel stationary.
posted by burnmp3s at 12:29 PM on October 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

I don't have any certainty of what Donald Glover is going through, but it strikes me that this sort of sharing of insecurities is sort of a big thing in not-on-the-radio hip hop right now, which is precisely what Donald does. I mean, none of the things that Glover admits to here would be out of place in a Kid Cudi or OFWGKTA track, or a Childish Gambino one, for that matter.

So I suspect that this is just Glover doing what hip hop artists are doing right now, but if I were his friend I'd still give him a call to make sure that he's doing ok.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 12:29 PM on October 16, 2013 [14 favorites]

Wow we're exactly the same! I'm pretty sure Dan Harmon hates me too!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:30 PM on October 16, 2013 [4 favorites]

Parasite Unseen has it, I think. This really isn't out of place within the new trend of 'confessional hip-hop' or whatever you'd like to call it. Frank Ocean made waves throughout and beyond the rap community with his letter that was very open about his sexuality and feelings. It was much more substantial than this, but it seems of a piece. Drake is arguably the most popular rapper of the moment and he's also forthcoming and confessional in the same way. Welcome to Post Secret Hip Hop.
posted by naju at 12:43 PM on October 16, 2013 [4 favorites]

Ok, I'll bite: What do you masturbate to, Donald Glover?

My guess is going to be Reading Rainbow.
posted by orme at 12:47 PM on October 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

I liked it better when men were afraid to show emotion.
posted by ChuckRamone at 12:51 PM on October 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

Parasite unseen for the yup.

the format of the first several looked suspiciously like noodling at song lyrics. the last couple start to look like maybe he's getting around to something. the last bit on the last page is kind of quietly brilliant in that way that ordinary people can have when they turn off their censors.
posted by lodurr at 12:52 PM on October 16, 2013

So I suspect that this is just Glover doing what hip hop artists are doing right now, but if I were his friend I'd still give him a call to make sure that he's doing ok.

Yeah, this. Also as much as I agree that these are all normal feelings everyone has had at one time or another, sometimes those times still suck, so, while "cry for help" doesn't seem like what's happening, hope he has people to lean on.
posted by sweetkid at 12:53 PM on October 16, 2013

Frank Ocean made waves throughout and beyond the rap community with his letter that was very open about his sexuality and feelings. It was much more substantial than this, but it seems of a piece.

Yeah, I definitely felt there was some continuity between this and Frank Ocean's letter. Ocean's letter was admittedly way better written, but I assume Ocean put more effort into it than Glover's hotel stationery rambling. For all that this kind of thing can feel uncomfortably voyeuristic and overly confessional sometimes, there's a real beauty in lines like Glover's "You're always allowed to be better. You're always allowed to grow up. If you want," and Ocean's "By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless."
posted by yasaman at 1:03 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

I liked it better when men were afraid to show emotion.

Those were the days - we left a trail
of broken men who proved too frail.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 1:28 PM on October 16, 2013 [6 favorites]

I liked it better when men were afraid to show emotion.

You're just saying that to hurt me!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:36 PM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

This looks like a job for an open letter written by a fellow celebrity!

What doesn't?
posted by yoink at 1:55 PM on October 16, 2013

Celebrity shows genuine emotion on twitter.

Should we be worried?
posted by Authorized User at 2:06 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

I liked it better when men were afraid to show emotion.

"What happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type. That was an American. He wasn't in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do. See, what they didn't know was once they got Gary Cooper in touch with his feelings that they wouldn't be able to shut him up!"
posted by Doktor Zed at 2:50 PM on October 16, 2013

In addition to the clear affinity with current emo (for lack of a better word) hip-hop, this wouldn't really be out of place on Dan Harmon's blog (with some added drunken gruffness). Traveling Wilbury's of pain, and all that.
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 2:52 PM on October 16, 2013

Maybe these are just notes that he found in the bedside table at the Marriott?
posted by turbid dahlia at 2:55 PM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

Why doesn't he just talk Mel Gibson, they did all those movies together, they're buds right?

Easy mistake to make - you're thinking of Crispin Glover.
posted by petebest at 3:03 PM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

Easy mistake to make - you're thinking of Crispin Glover.

I think you're thinking of Savion Glover.
posted by ericbop at 3:05 PM on October 16, 2013

Yes, personal suffering is our universal trait. Sharing one's suffering in a way that is authentic, helps us all to feel less lonely - including the one who shares. In this case, it also goes to show that material or status-related success can take one only so far.
posted by Vibrissae at 3:19 PM on October 16, 2013

I wonder how many people involved with Community would list "Dan Harmon hates me" as one of their worries.
posted by roll truck roll at 3:24 PM on October 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Sad and beautiful no matter how you slice it.

Self-indulgent, no matter how you slice it.
posted by crossoverman at 4:28 PM on October 16, 2013

Brandon Blatcher: "Why doesn't he just talk Mel Gibson, they did all those movies together, they're buds right?"

No no no, you're thinking Danny Glover. This is Corey Glover.
posted by symbioid at 4:31 PM on October 16, 2013

Man, Community has been one troubled show. I'm sad to see him go now that Harmon's coming back, but since he seems to have a real fear of Dan Harmon's opinion of him, I think he's making the right decision. I just wish it weren't so.

(Still pissed off that he's not the new Peter Parker)
posted by tzikeh at 4:42 PM on October 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

It's kind of funny, I read an interview a while back talking about his rap career. He mentioned that he was sort of ashamed of his self-doubting, Drake-wannabe (to paraphrase Glover himself) earlier material.

As a tangentially related aside: When Drake first hit the hip hop scene.. well.. when I first noticed Drake on this hip hop scene.. I remember thinking "Wow, that dude looks a lot like that kid from Degrassi: The Next Generation." but being too afraid of people thinking that I was being ignorant and I-can't-tell-them-apart-esque to actually inquire if Drake and Aubrey Graham were the same person.
posted by mediocre at 4:42 PM on October 16, 2013

Still pissed off that he's not the new Peter Parker)

Aah now I am too
posted by sweetkid at 5:27 PM on October 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

(Still pissed off that he's not the new Peter Parker)

wait, that was actually a possibility? I've heard it before but assumed it was a joke.

That would be awesome. I might actually watch a spiderman movie for that.

[/closeted spiderman nerd]
posted by lodurr at 7:24 AM on October 17, 2013

"I'm afraid people think I hate women."

I cannot imagine where they would have gotten that idea, besides from the lyrics to songs you have written and released that almost exclusively talk about women as interchangeable, disposable fucktoys of varying races and "thickness" who only want you for your money.

I feel for anybody's who's going through a dark night of the soul, and better this than another homophobic outburst asserting his own masculinity, I guess, but I don't have a lot of time for Donald Glover. I hope he finds some peace, but I hope he finds a lot of things.
posted by Zozo at 7:55 AM on October 17, 2013 [3 favorites]

@danharmon has, unsurprisingly, commented about instagram.com/childishness in one of those disjointed conversations Twitter facilitates:

beef strogi (@imjustabutt): Also "I'm scared @danharmon hates me". That was really deep I'm scared of that too.

Dan Harmon (@danharmon): @imjustabutt Listen, I've been hated by Dan Harmon for 40 years, it's nothing to be scared of.

Surely, Bassey (@Basseyworld): @danharmon we already lost a young talented black actor. We the Negro coalition are taking no chances.

Dan Harmon: @Basseyworld To the extent that you're a coalition, didn't he also say he thinks YOU hate him? Anyway, he's fine, we texted.

Surely, Bassey: @danharmon That was actually said in jest but the concern for him was real. I'm not sure why you're being glib.

Dan Harmon: @Basseyworld I'm not sure why you're not being glib, but I would guess it's because you care, which is the same reason I'm glib.

Dan Harmon: @Basseyworld Weirdly, I didn't see anything negative about that stuff. A passionate brain on paper. We beat anxieties by wearing them.

In short, forget it, Jake; it's the Internet.
posted by Doktor Zed at 8:05 AM on October 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

I cannot imagine where they would have gotten that idea, besides from the lyrics to songs you have written and released that almost exclusively talk about women as interchangeable, disposable fucktoys of varying races and "thickness" who only want you for your money.

Oh, wow - and then I googled "Donald Glover misogyny" and, yeah. Way to disappointment me actor that is leaving a show I used to like.
posted by crossoverman at 3:52 PM on October 17, 2013

By our own Linda_Holmes: Present Tense: Allie Brosh, Donald Glover and Hurting Right Now.

(Cross-posted in the most recent Allie Brosh thread too.)
posted by purpleclover at 3:10 PM on November 2, 2013

That post by Rob Delaney mentioned there is good, too.

I describe the physical symptoms because it helps to understand that real depression isn’t just a “mood.” These two episodes were the most difficult experiences of my life, by a wide margin, and I did not know if I would make it through them. To illustrate how horrible it was, being in jail in a wheelchair with four broken limbs after the car accident that prompted me to get sober eight years ago was much, much easier and less painful. That isn’t an exxageration and I hope it helps people understand clinical depression better; I’m saying that I would rather be in jail in a wheelchair with a body that doesn’t work than experience a severe episode of depression.

posted by Rustic Etruscan at 4:48 PM on November 2, 2013