Digital News – Demi Pappas

Cowboy, Take Me Away to the 2022 Country Music Awards

By Demi Pappas

Country legend Carrie Underwood posing on the CMA Awards red carpet. Source:Getty Images.

The 56th Annual Country Music Awards were everything country music’s biggest night should be: sparkly cowboy boots, charming country singers, and breathtaking performances.

Airing live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the 2022 CMA Awards boasted a jam-packed celebrity lineup full of A-list performers and rising stars. Among the night’s 15 performers were Morgan Wallen, Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry (a duo performance), Reba McEntire, and Zac Brown Band. It was amazing in and of itself that the show was able to elapse only 180 minutes.

The much anticipated hosting duo of football icon Peyton Manning and country music veteran Luke Bryan did not disappoint. The easygoing Bryan played perfectly off of Manning, who’s clever humor and hilarity makes him a beloved broadcaster on “Monday Night Football.”

The show opened with a special tribute to the late Loretta Lynn, the songwriter who helped lay the foundation for women in the country music industry. Fittingly, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, and Miranda Lambert sang “Coal Miner’s Daughter” to honor the country music icon.

Music Video of the Year went to singer Cody Johnson – and the video’s director Dustin Haney– for his song“Til You Can’t.” Johnson notably beat out Taylor Swift’s beloved video for “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).”

Collaborators Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, and Matt Jenkins won the covetable Song of the Year and Single of the Year categories with “Buy Dirt.” Album of the Year went to North Carolina native Luke Combs for Growin’ Up. His third studio album, Growin’ Up is an intimate portrait of an artist maturing in both life and in his career.

New Artist of the Year was Hardy, who began his career behind the scenes, co-writing hit songs such as Florida Georgia Line’s “Simple” and Morgan Wallen’s “Up Down.” In October of 2018, Hardy began his meteoric rise as a performer with his debut EP, This Ole Boy.

Vocal duo of the year went to Brothers Osborne, while Vocal Group of the Year went to the charismatic crooners Old Dominion in what is their fifth consecutive win in this category. The “Tennessee Whiskey” singer Chris Stapleton won Male Vocalist of the Year, and Lainey Wilson won Female Vocalist of the Year.

The standout performance of the show, though, was undeniably Carrie Underwood. The singer premiered her new single “Hate My Heart” in a glittery, bejeweled fringe leather one piece. Yes, you read that right.

17 Films for a Beautifully Cinematic Autumn

By Demi Pappas

Georgetown is in peak fall mode. Its cobblestone streets are carpeted with brown leaves. Pumpkins are on every doorstep. On Healy Lawn, students lounge under orange trees and throw frisbees; dogs play fetch with owners and new friends, and winter coats begin to make their first appearance.

It’s the perfect time to sit back, drink something pumpkin spice, and celebrate these autumn vibes with these quintessential fall films. Here are 17 films to elicit those cozy fall vibes.

Halftime on the Hilltop

Georgetown Soccer Dominates, Astros do some light dusting, and Victor Wembenyama impacts the NBA before he even enters it.

Halftime on the Hilltop and its sports writers are back! Well, sort of. Hoya writers Julia Cannamela and Demi Pappas are joined by columnist Tim Brennan (MSB ’24) and his three roommates Eric Fava (SFS’24), Alex Cha (COL ’24), and Josh Kaminski (COL ’24).

There’s a quick update on Georgetown Men’s Soccer and Basketball. Shoutout to goalkeeper Ryan Schewe, who was named the Division National Player of the Week a day after the episode was recorded. We discuss the NFL as the league enters Week 8, Demi is forced to defend her Houston Astros against a mob of Yankee enthusiasts, and Tim tells you everything you need to know about the NBA’s next big thing: Victor Wembenyama. As a bonus, the group floats by some potential segments, so sound off in the comments for your favorite.

UPDATED, SHORTENED VERSION: THE NFL & TOM BRADY

“This is Love” and “Reply All” Podcast Review

By Demi Pappas

I am not embarrassed to admit that I am a podcast nerd. I am proud, even. In 2022, asserting that you like podcasts is akin to pronouncing that you love the musical “Hamilton:” it’s basic. But in 2015, when I was in the seventh grade, the podcast landscape was not oversaturated. It was niche. For the past seven years, long form interview shows and narrative storytelling have accompanied me on long runs on the treadmill, busywork study sessions, chores, and trips to the grocery store. I am the young adult I am today because of shows like “This American Life,” “Revisionist History,” and “Armchair Expert.”

That being said, the podcast world is vast, and I had the pleasure of listening to two new stories from shows I had never heard of before: episode 31 of “This is Love,” entitled Something Large and Wild, and episode 158 of “Reply All,” named The Case of the Missing Hit. Here’s what I thought.

“This is Love:” Episode 31, Something Large and Wild

The perfect mood to listen to this episode is one of serenity: it’s a slow, reflective story, the sort that is best for a rainy day.

Host Phoebe Judge helps tell the tale of long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox’s transformative swim with a baby whale. The way the story grows on you mirrors Cox’s increasing understanding of the situation and comfort with her aquatic friend: at first, trepidation and confusion. Then, enlightenment, warmth, and ultimately peace.

Lynne’s narration is superb. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for host Judge, who sounds more like a caricature of a podcast host than a real one (Think Tina Fey’s character Cinda Canning in “Only Murders in the Building”). Judge’s voice is droll and too monotone: she ungraciously interrupts Lynne’s raw emotion.

Still, the story is incredibly heart-warming, and flows seamlessly. The one hiccup in plot was in the opening minutes. The producers introduced the story in a very ambiguous fashion, no doubt an intentional choice, but one that leaves the listener confused for too long (what is Lynne doing? For the first few minutes, I did not realize Lynne was even swimming for exercise).

“Reply All:” Episode 158, The Case of the Missing Hit

In “The Case of the Missing Hit, host PJ Vogt tells co-host Alex Goldman the winding saga of The Case of the Missing Hit,” in which a California man is “haunted” by the memory of a pop song from his youth. He can remember the lyrics and the melody, but not the song. He can’t find it on the internet: it has virtually disappeared. Enter PJ.

The episode itself is meta: the song begins to consume PJ and those working to uncover its origins – and it also consumes the listener. Just as PJ was annoyed by his obsession with the song, so was I. It became almost unbearable. I am surprised I finished it myself. Writing about it even vexes me.

Nevertheless, even with my annoyance, I was still pulled in. I was hooked: who wrote the song? Had the man made it up or was it really real? I won’t spoil it, so you’ll have to find it out for yourself. If you can finish it.

The Calm Before the Storm of a Greek Wedding

By Demi Pappas

The wedding party gathered around the nave of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The parish was founded in 1917, and the Cathedral itself was renovated just years before in 2020.

Gus Pappas, father of the bride, shares a moment with his daughter Lexi Pappas before practicing their walk down the aisle. Pappas holds a bouquet of gift ribbons from her wedding shower.

Father Tom Tsagalakis anoints the bride and groom as *koumbara* Melina Sitaras looks on. As the father of the groom, Father Tom was overjoyed to be marrying his son. “Getting married in the Greek Orthodox Church is not a ceremony, but a sacrament,” Father Tom said. “I have no doubt that I will be shedding a lot of tears tomorrow.” In the Greek tradition, the *koumbara* is the is the female sponsor of the couple. During the sacrament, the *koumbari* is responsible for exchanging the rings and the *stefana* (the crowns).

Maria Tsagalakis, sister of the groom, dozes off after getting her hair and make-up done. “I definitely messed up my bun up-do after that nap, but it was so needed,” Tsagalakis said. “I had Kelsey [the hair stylist] do a touch up before we left for the church.”

The wedding kit brought by makeup artist Jentry Kelley. Kelley, who has done hundreds of wedding, always arrives with a suitcase full of make-up for every skin tone and color palette.

Mother of the bride Pamela Pappas coos at a picture of Jentry Kelley’s youngest son.

The bride (left) Lexi Pappas lounges with bridesmaid Lizzie Bettis (right) as her hair curls. Moments before, Pappas had flipped to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on the TV. “It’s good background noise,” Pappas explained. “We are a big movie family, so it’s only fitting that we have one on while I get ready for my wedding.”

Bridesmaid Lizzie Bettis gets her makeup done by makeup artist Jentry Kelley. Kelley, who owns and operates her own cosmetics company, arrived at 7 a.m. to start makeup on 12 members of the wedding party, including the bride.

The view from Hotel Zaza’s 12th floor penthouse. Situated in the heart of Houston’s Historic Museum District, Zaza neighbors The Museum of Natural History, Herman Park, the Houston Zoo, and Rice University. In the distance is Houston’s Medical District, one of the top medical centers in the country.

The *stefana* (crowns) and the *lambathes* (wedding candles.) The two are integral to the sacrament of marriage in the Greek Orthodox Church. The service begins with the lighting of the lambethes, which represent the willingness of the couple to receive Christ. The highlight of the service is the “The Crowning,” in which the *stefana* are placed on the bride and groom’s head. The *stefana* symbolize the unity of the couple.

Bridesmaid Amanda Taylor laughs as ring bearer Finn Magee gleefully gifts her with an arm sleeve of scented stickers. Only 4 years old, Magee was bribed the entire weekend with various sweets and trinkets. “At first, he was averse to being the ring bearer because he thought he was the one getting married,” his mother Summer Magee said. “Once we cleared that up, it was just a matter of getting him to focus and not run around the church screaming like a banshee. During the wedding, we ended up not putting the rings on the pillow because it would have been too stressful — no one trusted Finn, including me. He did do a great job walking down the aisle.”

The Late Queen Elizabeth II’s Takeover of TikTok

The Royal Family looks on as Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin passes by during the late monarch’s funeral procession. Source: Vanity Fair.

For three weeks now, international news has revolved around the death of Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Go to any corner of the internet and you’ll find eloquent tributes, think-pieces, and memoriams dedicated to the late Queen.

And then there is the corner that is TikTok.

As the current arbiter of pop culture, the video-creation app is flooded with royal family related content. The hashtag “#queenelizabeth” has over 16.9 billion views. The videos range from mournful to light-hearted to silly, the latter of which spawn even more jokes about how dreadful it is to be parodying such a thing.

One TikTok, posted from the account @RoyalDiscosure, is a close-up of young Princess Charlotte whispering to her brother Prince George “When the car comes you need to bow” as their great-grandmother’s hearse passes. Sad instrumental piano music plays in the background. Another shows the Royal family’s mournful march behind the Queen’s coffin inside Westminster Abbey.

Traditional broadcasters like Good Morning America are even going viral. One video from the show’s TikTok account features Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis, Sandy and Muick, and her pony Emma, somberly awaiting her coffin at Windsor Castle.

Inevitably, there are those that poke fun. The aptly named account @notsoseriouss lauds Meghan Markle’s outfit tributes to the late Princess Diana while simultaneously disparaging the “bland” clothes of the rest of the Royal Family. One employs the ubiquitous “outro” trend, with the song playing as the Queen’s coffin reaches its final resting place.

Despite all the antics, the most popular are those of Queen Elizabeth II herself. Clips displaying the Queen’s quick wit and sense of humor have gone viral. In one, set to an upbeat pop song, the Queen makes silly faces and induces laughter with quips like “It’s much smaller isn’t it,” in reference to her bejeweled crown. A fan of these off-mic moments, Georgetown senior Katherine Jacobe has enjoyed learning about the late Queen.

“My entire For You Page was videos about her, her life, her death, the royal family,” Jacobe said. “It was honestly really nice. I never followed the royal family, so it gave me a little glimpse into Elizabeth and what she’s meant to everyone these past 75 years.”

There is an inherent irony in this obsession. It’s been over 200 years since Americans fought for freedom from the British crown, and yet, the nation remains fully entranced by the royal family’s drama. One of Netflix’s most popular shows to date is The Crown, a historical drama series about Queen Elizabeth II. Kate Middleton and her sister-in-law Meghan Markle frequently grace the cover of tabloid magazines (Middleton appeared on six US Weekly covers in 2011 alone).

The death of an international icon precipitates a collective mourning. In their wake, they leave behind a media frenzied by the event and a public fascinated with the story. From political figureheads to actors and athletes, it’s a narrative that can unify a nation, unify a world. I was only seven years old when Michael Jackson died. Nonetheless, I remember the exact moment I found out (dinner at my family’s summer vacation in Florida – my mother cried and my father was in disbelief.)

It makes one wonder: why do we become so engrossed with the death of people who are effectively strangers? Perhaps it’s because of what they stood for, what they meant to us as individuals. Or perhaps it’s because death is the great equalizer. International icons – however much wealth, stature, or power they may wield – all have lives that come to a close in the end.

Regardless, it sure does make for a good TikTok.

Bullet Journals: The New (ish) Planner on the Block

By Demi Pappas

Georgetown senior Christine Ji’s bullet journal spreads. Courtesy of @crispy.study on Instagram.

For students, back-to-school is a phrase synonymous with stress: stress about upcoming papers, never-ending readings, and impending deadlines.

Enter in the planner, the companion to said time of year. The planner has many names (agenda, calendar, journal, etc.) and takes many forms. It can be a meticulously organized Google calendar, a haphazard sticky note, or a physical book. Sometimes it is a combination. But for most, the planner is online.

Roughly 70% of adults rely on a digital calendar. This statistic is probably closer to 90% at Georgetown, where Google Calendar, affectionately known as GCal, rules supreme. Whether it be for a club meeting, a quick coffee, or even (the horror!) a date, GCal invitations are ubiquitous among Hoyas. And when it comes to the stray thought or two, the Apple notes app is sufficient. Peter Deck, a 21 year old in the School of Foreign Service, is a strong believer in the power of GCal.

“I use [it] everyday,” said Deck. ‘It’s how I keep track of my classes, meetings, extracurriculars, and anything else going on in my day. I also use it if I need to coordinate it to meet with other people.”

While the efficacy of online planners is undoubted, it can sometimes be overwhelming. Amidst this chaos is one blossoming trend: bullet journaling.

Developed by designer Ryder Carroll, the bullet journal (BuJo) is a method of personal organization. BuJos organize reminders, to-do lists, brainstorms, schedules, and any sort of personal matter ( e.g. finances, exercise, mental health) on blank pages called “spreads.” Or they can serve as landing spots for a “ brain dump”, a place to get anything out. First shared with the public in 2013, Bujos became incredibly popular through attention on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Pinterest.

The beauty of bullet journals is that they are customizable, inherently promote productivity and are a great way to express any creative energy. The New Yorker’s Anna Russell dubbed them as “a kind of mindfulness-meets-productivity trend.”

Christine Ji, a senior studying History, has been Bujoing since the beginning of college. Like the typical Georgetown student, Christine is overextended. She works for the McDonough School of Business school’s technology center, writes for The Voice and The Anthem, and is a member of The Georgetown Collegiate Investors, Grilling Society, and Skateboarding Club, not to mention her various summer internships and pursuits. Her Bujo quickly became a way to juggle these myriad activities. Ji started out with weekly and daily spreads, and soon spread her wings to more intricate spreads. With her instagram @crispy.study, she is somewhat of a Bujo influencer.

“I’lI usually do a monthly spread where I draw a calendar, list a set of goals for the month, and certain monthly recaps,” Ji said. “ Sometimes at the end of a month I’ll do a word splash of different events.”

Bullet journaling can also be an escape from the noise of technology, a way to declutter the mind. Experts cite the therapeutic nature. This is what Kate Gilles, a senior studying Finance and Management, cherishes the most about journaling.

“[My journal] has moved more towards a mix of a diary, planner, and a place to vent,” Gilles said. “It’s kind of my way to work through my emotions and put everything out there. There are sometimes gaps of three days or a week in my entries, but I like having something to reference. To look through it and see my physical handwriting is calming to me.”

Kate Gilles (right) studies with her roommate Judy Kim (left) in their Henle apartment. Courtesy of Kate Gilles.

Diaries are something of a lost art. Somewhere along the way, the word took on a formal connotation. With bullet journaling, one is unburdened by definitions or the technological limitations of an agenda app. Every sheet is a blank page, just waiting to be filled (or not).

To find inspiration for your bullet journal this semester, check out Pinterest or the countless blogs dedicated to bullet journaling. Supplies recommended by various Georgetown bullet journalers include Leuchtturm1917, MUJI, and Zebra Pen.

Julie Andrews, acclaimed actress, dies at 86.

A portrait of Julie Andrews from her 2019 interview with Glamour. Glamour

Julie Andrews died on Thursday, September 8th. The actress had been battling with breast cancer for two years. She died in the comfort of her London home, surrounded by her five children and grandchildren,

In her career spanning over seven decades, Julie Andrews accumulated myriad accolades, including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, and six Golden Globe Awards. The actress also received three Tony award nominations. Andrews was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth 11 for her contributions to the performing arts.

A child actress, Andrews made her Broadway debut in “The Boy Friend” in 1954. Showcased as “Britain’s youngest prima donna,” Andrews rose to fame in Broadway musicals such as “My Fair Lady” and “Camelot”. She achieved mainstream fame after starring in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Cinderella, a live CBS broadcast viewed by over 100 million.

Andrews will perhaps be most remembered by the two roles that would follow. In 1964, Andrews made her film debut in Walt Disney’s “Mary Poppins”, where she won the Academy Award for Best Actress and became a household name. In 1965, she starred as Maria von Trapp in the musical film “The Sound of Music”.

Julie Andrews is an actress that truly transcended time. Gracing the screen with her jovial wit, kindness, and headstrong nature, Andrews is beloved by every generation

Funeral arrangements are currently being arranged.

About Me

Reading (sorta) on the caldera in Santorini, Greece.

I am a junior at Georgetown University, majoring in Marketing and minoring in Journalism and Greek. I am a golden doodle mom, an avid reader, and a proud Astros fan. At Georgetown, I write (and podcast) for the Hoya sports section and work at the MSB tech center. If I’m not on campus, you can find me running on the Mount Vernon Trail. At home in Houston, I spend most of my time with my dog Leonidas (christened after the legendary Spartan King) and my Big Fat Greek Family.