The Futility of “Forever Wars”; How COVID Changed TV; Actually, the Monkees Were Good

Plus: The Teen BFFs of PEN15 Test-Drive Beauty Products View in your browser | Update your preferences A SPECIAL EDITION OF COCKTAIL HOUR August 19, 2021 EXTENDED STAY The Rise of the COVID Bottle Show By Whitney Friedlander In single-location series like The White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers, you can check out any time you want—but you can never leave. Read More If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for "Cocktail Hour" here. IN CONVERSATION Rep. Barbara Lee on the Futility of "Forever Wars" By Abigail Tracy In 2001, Lee was the only congressperson to vote against authorizing George W. Bush to use military force in Afghanistan. She's stuck to her guns as the political landscape has shifted to align with her views—and she has some thoughts on Joe Biden's withdrawal. Read More COUNTERINTUITION The Most Influential Pop-Rock Band Ever? The Monkees! By Mark Rozzo As Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz embark on a farewell Monkees tour, one could argue that the group was seminal, peerless—and a Rosetta Stone for every pop band ever after. Read More IN OUR WORDS “Also f--ked up? That Fox hosts obviously know [vaccines work] and are personally following COVID protocols off the air, but assume their viewers are stupid enough to buy that they're all in this together.” — Bess Levin on the Fox News employee vaccine mandate Read More PIERCING INSIGHT Navel-Gazing: Britney Spears, Belly Buttons, and Me By Sonia Saraiya For teenage girls in the late '90s, baring your soul meant baring your midriff. Read More BEAUTY The Teen BFFs of PEN15 Test-Drive Back-to-School Products By Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine, the show's cocreators and stars, slip into character to review lip gloss and perfume fit for Y2K-era teens. Read More FROM THE ARCHIVE Into the Valley of Death By Sebastian Junger Six years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington accompanied a platoon on its painfully slow advance into the deadly Korengal Valley, a strategic passage wanted by the Taliban and al-Qaida. Read More This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2021. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.