The Mean Girl Trope, Explained

[@thetake]

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[@SuiLover]

Are we expect to see the "Bad Boy" trope? because I've no clue/idea on why most female viewers loving bad boys but like the infamous saying: "Nice guys finish last." But that said the BB trope must not be glamorized/worshiped.

[@maymay5812]

Just want to say to the team who compiled this. You did an excellent job in all aspects. Well done.

[@joycerhythms]

PLEASE ! PLEASE ! PLEASE ! PLEASE ! Do "Catherine the Great" HBO series

[@seonginkang8316]

what movie is 3:13??

[@thom_cat8883]

I signed up for the supposedly "free trial" with MUBI and they IMMEDIATELY charged me anyway. They also have this weird/difficult to find disclosure on their website that states that they will not refund you your money under ANY circumstance. I get that you guys are getting paid by them, but their business practices are unethical. Avoid signing up if you haven't already. You WILL DEFINITELY be charged, plus you can watch most of their movies elsewhere. They don't have a decent or unique selection of films to choose from.

[@rebeccacall6486]

fascinating how the mean girl is by far the most memorable, interesting character in every single example used here

[@pablolindez7894]

Everyone low key loves mean girls.

[@britt1953]

Pablo Lindez I only like a mean girl if they’re my friend lol. I typically hate mean people

[@luciddreams7540]

@@britt1953 I don't get the logic. If you typically hate mean people, why would you even have a friend, or stay friends with, a mean girl? Aren't you usually only friends with people you like?

[@nadia3198]

@@luciddreams7540 I think it's that you get to see more to them than their being mean. Personally, I somehow became friends with someone who could be considered mean(more like snarky tbh). Understanding her helped me be less judgemental/more understanding of people I thought were like her. Obviously there are actually terrible people who are ill intentioned. But I usually won't come to that conclusion after one interraction

[@calyyygrazie8]

Everybody is talking about troy and sharpay but i cant remeber who troy is. On the other hand, i clearly remember Sharpay

[@ShainaCilimberg]

I like they also included Janis Ian as a mean girl. I thought she was mean as well, dragging some newbie into her drama

[@ruthlinnelbautista.4725]

Totally true

[@arielwebb1523]

I agree. In the musical she gets to sing “I’d rather be me” and I don’t think she earns it. In both the Musical and the Movie she acts like a victim when she gets ‘screwed’ over but really she is absolutely using Cady to destroy her own enemy and she gets mad when she doesn’t immediately change the system. I think Cady should sing the song because that’s the lesson she learns. I think they only have it to Janis because Barret Gilbert Weed has such a set up fandom. Sorry. Rant.

[@Lillith192]

She does admit to Cady in the movie that "at least Regina and I know we're mean, but you pretend to be so innocent."

[@indiamarie2952]

In my opinion she was more mean to cady than Regina was, Regina actually had interest in cady whereas janis just wanted to use her from the start to be mean to Regina lmfao

[@bailey7792]

@@indiamarie2952 But her master plan wasn't initially to use Cady. They WERE real friends until the lunch table scene.. when she figured out she could use Cady

[@sarae9627]

This is why I like Cher from Clueless and Elle from Legally Blonde. They're popular and a bit spoiled however they have good intentions and don't have long-term pent up anger. They are the types of 'popular girls' young impressionable girls should be idolizing.

[@malenadraper8805]

Yeah! And they embody the same good characteristics of the mean girls, such as confidence and ambition. Cher for example knows how to get good grades just by convincing the teachers she deserves more. I know high schools give good grades for those who get the answers right, but I think her way of managing people shows lots of charisma and interpersonal intelligence

[@giseleaugustine194]

PREACH

[@aubreysong]

Yep, good intentions and don't have long term pent up anger. Mentally stable stuff. Sadly, the only way I can do or achieve that is get away from society, or take time for my self to get away from public judgement for some time. Irony thing is, this covid quarantine stuff makes my mental health feels better. Though I actually like being social and hang out with others, but when people start to categorizing me and somehow I feel I'm not like their good expectation (their attitude changed towards me), my mood start to downhill. In the end of the days, in these society chaos, I just want to be a good person, and remain to be a good person until I die.

[@auliahutami4848]

Yeah they're the top tier queen bee. So beautiful both outside and inside

[@Really_Roby]

Not idolizing, but admiring.

[@marianatorres2518]

I need a whole analysis of Sharpay Evans by this channel.

[@aliceharrison2850]

Mariana Torres agreed

[@katiecubbedge6432]

Watch film theory!!

[@brettkimura]

Girl, yes!

[@siphokaziubisi6944]

I'm saying it louder for the people at the back... WATCH FILM THEORY... - @Katie Cubbedge

[@lucypreece7581]

Mat Pat got there first.

[@walidzarrad1430]

I honestly feel like Cher from Clueless could have been a mean girl if she wanted to. She has the money, the looks, the wit, and the understanding of how the social hierarchy works. Except she didn't want to. She only ever attacked the school mates who, from her perspective, hurt her. Maybe this is because her father raised her with positive affirmations rather than toxic expectations. In any case, it was interesting for me to watch this video right after rewatching Clueless, I kept seeing how Cher has the mean girl's personality traits and privileges, except she chose to channel this potential in a positive way. Clueless really did THAT.

[@malenadraper8805]

Yeah. Basically because the movie is based on a book (Emma), where the main character is a matchmaker, I guess she was meant to be a girl who was bored, not angry, and also, good. She noticed the people in her life (her teachers, her best friend relationship, the outcasts such as the newbie and the skater guy) and how they had great and different personalities. When she got bored, she didn’t bully others, she helped raise food and supplies for those involved in that storm. She was a good person!

[@riyadhillon7935]

@@malenadraper8805 Wow, I didn't realize that! That's actually so cool to see how a character like Cher with those same characteristics channeling and using her talents for good. It's refreshing.

[@jojoyayathereal]

Hello sorry for my bad spelling here is what I mean Like if you want to empower, have some good movies on this like kll bill or blade. Also female hero movie existed for 40+ years and not all had revealing clothing and these did not flop. So do not act it is the first female hero movie and plenty of men liked it and by the sjw logic why did kll bill or the mother in star wars like alien movie not flop buy why by your logic, thethe 90s was more mysoginist than 2018? Also sure some trolls did ruin bop and CMvl but why? Sure some dislike women but like why did they not ruin black widow, Suicide Squad and Manny other female lead movie of 2019 and 2020 or openly say they are intolerant just like in the 2016 and 2012 election. Because troll hater her because of something If you just want a good movie then black panther Supergirl's batman or captain America will do but will not be empowered cu it is unrealistic however like all bill and blade are empowering. Also disliking feminist movies does not mean you hate all feminist because people might think movies on the ocean or ALTA are bad but that does not mean you hate either of them. And a strong female lead movie has to have a strong female lead but a fmeinist movie can have a male lead because men can be feminist and it just need stong women and a equality narrative. Like if you make a female lead movie with a budget of 20$ or For example, Harly quin is a stereotype of women and Captian marvel is unrealistic. and people hate it. it is because of this or that, not because it is female lead Also this is one of the reason people like Margaret Thatcher and Obama got elected because if you do call everyone who did not vote for you offencive people will not like you. And people will think you are either extreme or consented more on apercances and if you wan to find out who is offencive, find the political views of the audience. Also just because you made a feminist movie does not mean you are immune to criticism and everyone who did not like it is biggoted because then everyone who did not vote for Obama and the entire democratic back in 2008 and 2012 was offensive.

[@llamasarus1]

That's what I didn't like about Clueless. It was like Barney the Dinosaur for teenage girls. There was no mean sprited conflict for me to get interested in.

[@kiranjitKaur61]

​​@@llamasarus1Yes. That is precisely why I am not interested in viewing the 'Clueless' Film. Rather.

[@kuchiki283]

“You’re an awful person” “Maybe, but i’m rich and i’m pretty so it doesn’t really matter”

[@penelope3995]

yup. And there’s still people who don’t think pretty privilege exists

[@beansontoast1759]

raspberry subs fr

[@adinab478]

Chanel is hilarious😂

[@Ray03595]

Well she's not wrong

[@missprettyschannel]

🤷‍♀️i mean i get free stuff most of the times the funny😂 part i never even asked for them to begin with👀she's 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖 telling the truth 😪except the part where i'm not rich💔

[@rosegoldrose6249]

Bruh imagine all these iconic mean girls in one school. I bet it will burn.

[@Firespawnable]

Can someone make an AU video edit where all the mean girls are at the same school??? 😍😍😍

[@ouijastoner]

Firespawn gonna do it rn

[@Firespawnable]

@@ouijastoner when you make the video link it here so everyone can watch it 😁

[@ootwpublishingmedia7894]

@@Firespawnable commenting so I hopefully find it later

[@alishiagriffin3371]

@@ouijastoner ooh I'd love to see it!

[@monicacreator3168]

We talk about Blair, but Serena was definitely a mean girl too. Just more low key.

[@twice_velvet]

Serena wasn't really mean, she was selfish. everything she ever did was for her own benefit and impulse.

[@monicacreator3168]

@@twice_velvet yes and people constantly fought for her. She didn't have to lift a finger, unlike Blair, because she knew people would fight for her.

[@twice_velvet]

Monica Creator that's probably one of the most frustrating parts of gg

[@mariatxxxc]

I hated Serena so bad! Blair at least made huge efforts to get what she wanted while Serena was miss perfect and got away with everything

[@godsandmonsters4601]

I agree in the later seasons, but when they were all still in high school Blair was pretty much a bully and made people feel like sh*t for no reason. Serena could be a real bitch but I feel like when she was mean to someone, she had good reasons.

[@sabrinaarellano1489]

Sharpay wasn't mean! Her world was being taken away by someone who didnt even care about theater!

[@a.d.w8385]

She was mean, sneaky and manipulative. She did her brother dirty.

[@ixzhel3699]

well if someone that didn't even care about theater was better than her in t h e a t e r then she was not that good

[@giovannaflorentin5207]

actually troy was the worst

[@sabrinaarellano1489]

@@giovannaflorentin5207 he really was

[@sabrinaarellano1489]

@@ixzhel3699 honestly everyone was behind Gabriela and Troy once they made it "cool." I think that's why they did so well. Nobody paid attention to Sharpay because they just didn't generally pay attention to theater at all. You get me? But I just root for both sides of the story.

[@emmeoliver5007]

Sharpay is the biggest example of this. She is not the Villain, she genuinely cares about the musical and works hard to get what she wants but she’s viewed as bossy and rude. But Troy on the other hand is self centered throughout the whole movie but because he’s a young man aspiring to play basketball in college he’s seen as being motivated and willing to chase his dreams. Sexism plays a huge role into forming a mean girl and again sharpay has attitude but she is not that mean!

[@laisfrederick5470]

Sharpay manipulated the audition & treated her own brother badly. She acts like she was the right for the musical.

[@KookiesNolly]

I'm not saying that Sharpay was perfect but Troy has been going under the radar for way too long!!!!

[@KookiesNolly]

NPC Trailer Switch, Celebrity NPC I never said it has to do sexism tho 🤨

[@KookiesNolly]

@NPC Trailer Switch, Celebrity NPC LMAO That wasn't my comment.

[@user-qx2kb9jl4y]

Lais Frederick bruh srsly, her own Brother betrayed her and get her off her own show so that Gabriella and Troy could sing together after all her training. How did she treat her own brother badly? Yah she’s bossy but that does not make u a bad sibling. She didn’t manipulate shit, she was just really defensive about it since she was the co president and her and her Brother are the only 2 people that were passionate about acting, not just a hobby to them. It says it all on the wiki. She was furious when Gabriella got the part cuz that was what she was passionate abt and some new girl that is not even passionate abt it, and turned up late , and got the part. Who wouldn’t be mad?

[@KaylaNoelle1]

I also feel like a lot of it is a fantasy some men like to have that the super hot girl who turned them down is actually evil. This is why I found Cher from Clueless really refreshing. She’s rich, pretty, and smart which means that she’s ended up in the popular girl role but she’s a bit socially awkward and she’s very well-intentioned and fundamentally kind.

[@xRaiofSunshine]

Absolutely.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

Honestly out of all the teen flicks out there, Cher was probably the most realistic portrayal of the rich popular girl. At least in my experience in high school anyway, most of the popular girls are relatively nice, smart, and hard working. Worst case scenario, they may be a little stuck up, but for the most part, they're pretty nice people. They're just like everyone else though, and I don't think anyone at my school found them untouchable or anything like that. I'd say that that there were plenty a mean popular girls (more Regina George-like rather than Cher-like) in elementary or middle school, but most of them ended up not nearly as popular as they transitioned into high school. Mostly because as kids get older, they no longer want to deal with their bullshit I'm guessing.

[@Animefreak242]

Yes. She's a smart blonde

[@ADHDBunyip]

I agree. Clueless was a really fun and interesting modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Emma". They did an outstanding job with that film and with Cher's character.

[@a.n.8844]

THIS

[@BuBs1970G]

When you were a kid: Sharpay is evil! When you got older: Sharpay was just ambitious

[@laughlive8835]

Nope! I still believe Sharpay is the bad guy as an adult. Your excuses for why she isn’t the bad guy makes no sense. First, Troy & Gabriella were just passionate about theatre. Troy went to college so he could play basketball & be in musicals. Gabriella was partly sad about leaving high school bc she was going to miss being in musicals. However Sharpay got easily mad at them for being interested in the same thing as her which was unreasonable. It’s ok to be ambitious but to be downright demeaning, rude, disrespectful, and irritating is not ok. Second, the way she treats Ryan is unacceptable. She treated him like he was a sidekick and wasn’t as talented when Ryan was able to write & choreograph an entire play by himself at just 18. She also got mad at him when he called her out on her awful behavior and wasn’t understanding when he started developing passions in life that didn’t revolve around her. Sure her giving her award to him was alright but it was Ryan’s award to begin with since she did nothing to deserve it. Also even after that small show of kindness she doesn’t learn from her mistake and changes her ways. Instead she goes back to being a bully and treating Ryan like a sidekick. Honestly if you believe Sharpay isn’t the bad guy in HSM obviously you didn’t watch the movie correctly.

[@o.m9514]

True.

[@ines3770]

I've always loved Sharpay

[@wonyo1086]

nah, i loved sharpay ever since i was a kid

[@laughlive8835]

@ROSE ARWEN MARGARET R MIRASOL what? My point was Sharpay is the bad guy in HSM. Ambitious or not she was still a mean person

[@sibyllep.b.9721]

To quote one iconic queen 'You can't make people love you, but you can make people fear you'. I think this sums up the problem that to be a successful and powerful women, you have to act like a b*tch. Either you are a mean queen or you are a nice nobody, there is nothing in between. Or at least that's what some movies tried to tell us

[@MadameTamma]

elChihuahua which doesn’t always translate into the real world. For example Unlike her character Miranda, Meryl Streep is so widely loved in Hollywood because shes a professional who’s dedicated to making a great working environment. Even in bad experiences she doesn’t bad mouth the people around her, which is (one of) the reasons she got the reputation of the actress everyone wants to work with

[@TheMerovingienne]

"They all want me as a friend or a fuck. I'm worshipped at Westerburg...and I'm only a junior."

[@neosoontoretro]

@elChihuaha I don't just think this is what media tells us, it's also what society tells us as well. That in order to be successful you have to be mean, ruthless, cunning, and cold. It's the reason why audiences celebrate anti-heroes such as Tony Soprano, Walter White, and Don Draper while completely missing the point of those cautionary tales. Mean girls in media and in real life may receive more vilification than their male counterparts due to sexist/chauvinist society but I don't think we should fool ourselves into thinking they don't actually exist. Or that mean girls are something girls and women should aspire to be let alone make excuses for them, however if lived experiences tells them you have to be cruel in order to get ahead then nothing will convince them otherwise. So yeah, you shouldn't have to be mean in order to be successful, but the real world may disagree.

[@catharticmemefairy2088]

who

[@seli3631]

There is a between Cuz im both

[@melikec6996]

The "antagonists" are the most interesting lol Idk why but I like them the most

[@aphro123star]

Yup! And the best is when they're more than just mean girls, it gives their character a whole other level of depth which makes them more interesting than the "goody goody ms. Perfect" protagonist

[@melikec6996]

Parps yes right? I like how complex they are and most of the time have a background story

[@trinaq]

Seconded, I wish that more stories could have the Mean Girl be the protagonist, and show what REALLY makes them tick. Their antics are usually more entertaining than our heroine's, most notably Sharpay from the "High School Musical" trilogy. 👛💄💅

[@RomanZolanski123]

It’s simple. Antagonists push the story along. The protagonist normally just goes along for the ride for most of the way.

[@that_goth_bitch3899]

Same here. I remember back when I was a little kid where everyone else loved Simba, I loved scar. Where everyone else loved the little mermaid I loved Ursala. Where everyone else loved Batman I ADORED the Joker and Harley Quinn especially in the animated series.

[@inesmarco2262]

I really wondered about the "mean girl" in other cultures. I feel like it's really an american pop culture trope that doesn't seem to exist in my french culture. It never felt "real" to me, I personally never met a girl like that

[@Feliciatanktop]

Inés Marco my dad is Nigerian and he told me that the mean girls at his school were the Prefects and if they didn’t like you you would get straight bullied. Idk how it is now because that was back in the early 70’s

[@kotorisam6320]

Here in Mexico is like they're superficial, but also atlhetic, still they at first are like "yeah we like you" and then they just tell you awfull things out of nowhere and everyone is like "your're right that person is a weirdo", so i think they get in the "mean girl" trope ?

[@morticiaaddams2265]

Je pense ça doit dépendre de l'époque, parce qu'à partir d'un certain moment la culture française s'est assez américanisée (dû justement aux films/séries, etc..) Et on a pu constater quelques similarités avec la "société américaine" représentée dans ces médias avec la société française présente aujourd'hui.

[@kimifw58]

I've seen this trope in Totally Spies and Miraculous Ladybug.

[@maryam6211]

Bruh I lived in Saudi Arabia and this trope exists there too

[@lindai6988]

I never encountered a ‘mean girl’ at school, girls are sometimes mean to others but they are also sometimes nice, they are never just one thing

[@madisonh.2166]

Idk about that one linda

[@lindai6988]

Forever _Kawaii just been my experience

[@kennethgray4679]

I actually found "the mean girl" to be more present in my workplaces than high school. At every workplace I've been at there's been the one who lies and fearmongers to keep everyone scared and in line while still upholding this image of sweetness. In high school it was a lil more mixed and matched and there was no clear "mean girl".

[@rachelwolf6297]

There were definitely "mean girls" at my schools. There was even a burn book hidden in my middle school bathroom. But these girls weren't just mean. The one thing they all had in common was that they were overachievers. They were honors students and active in the school and community. I firmly believe that they behaved the way they did as a way of trying to keep a stranglehold of control. Some girls become bulimic, some become bullies.

[@lindai6988]

Kenneth Gray you’d think adults would be above bullying

[@crazyinvaderfangirl1]

OK except Sharpay wasn’t mean and she was correct the whole time.

[@dulcemuniz1239]

And in the end she earns the future she wants. Sharpay gets her own movie and in it becomes the actress she always wanted to be.

[@KookiesNolly]

the real villain in those movies was Troy. Don't change my mind. He kept ruining stuff for everyone, especially in the second movie, just cause he wanted to get his dick wet or sumn.

[@lailadobb9221]

Seen MatPat’s HSM theory, believed it, Stan it!

[@kayhope2602]

@@KookiesNolly The real villain is Chad

[@briannaabel8854]

Kay Hope What did chad do?

[@Sarah-ue1ew]

i love how the video addresses how mean girls develop a toxic coping mechanism but it sounds like they’re sympathizing/defending them. back in middle school these 4 girls would bully me endlessly for my looks and social skills, i was extremely suicidal at that point in my life and excusing their behavior because it comes from a place of feeling trapped is poor justification when it severely damages other people.

[@trinaq]

I love how more movies and TV shows are humanizing Mean Girls, and having them exhibit qualities which show them to be simply trapped by the social system, and their diva attitude is merely enforced by the society around them. "The Breakfast Club" in particular pointed out that the "Queen Bee" isn't actually in charge at all, and Claire is miserably forced into the behaviour that she's so notorious for. 👛💄

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

Trina Q I never really considered Claire a mean girl in the traditional sense but in hindsight she definitely fit the description - good catch

[@Rosy2468]

@Dalle Smalhals and you're weak.

[@philim9267]

Trina Q I see your comments on almost every video I watch 😂😂😂 but I always end up agreeing with what you have to say, so please keep commenting

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

In real life, such girls ruin lives, tell suicidal kids to kill themselves, use sexism and racism to compel self hate, and they end up on Facebook smiling with their middle class families raising the next generation.

[@spacecowboybunnies5890]

Dalle Smalhals oh wow it’s as if everyone is a person and have their own problems?

[@savanna7719]

it’s funny how blair was the “mean girl” but still is to 99% of gossip girl fans their favorite character🤷‍♀️

[@princeofjinhae]

Savanna 77 she is the only “mean girl” that I rooted for lol I wanted her to be happy so bad

[@s.l.3281]

The whole show was mean, spoiled people. And a generation of girls idolized these women... Lots wrong with society.

[@savanna7719]

sleeuka the thing is your right they are spoiled extremely spoiled but the reason i personally like this show is it shows luxury has a price and you see these people go through so many real problems especially Blair i mean her dad left her mom for another man her bestfriend had sex with her bf and left to boarding school without a word she has a eating disorder and obvious anxiety from the pressure put on her and even went through an actual depression so yeah they are spoiled and can be mean but a lot of girls can relate to blair because of these very real problems she goes through during the show and how much she grows like she has crazy good character development so i don’t think people should be very quick to judge her

[@aditib5635]

That's because she had a lot of other qualities they wanted...Ambition, beauty, fashion sense, power. So they excused her bullying and how she tormented the other people for no reason. Blair is honestly a horrible character.

[@adapienkowska2605]

Because she one of the few characters that became less mean as time passes.

[@thehippiecatholic]

This was interesting for me because I was bullied by mean girls my entire life. Mean girls and the bitter women who raised them. And I have trauma from it, trauma that I’m just starting to process. Though I understand in the broad scheme of things, mean girls are really just miserable people too, but sometimes when I watch stuff that points that out too early, it’s almost akin to saying “forgive your abuser”. When I was in school as a little girl, I was sent to counselors because they saw how bad the bullying was. But the coping tools provided in the sessions were these: don’t say anything, just walk away. They’ll get bored. And they never did. Or think about the bully’s needs. It was always about their needs, about their power and their say over my life and never mine. (TRIGGER WARNING) Then people wonder why bully victims take their own lives because they lived their lives feeling like it was never theirs in the first place. Everyone was worried about the mean girls’ needs, while glossing over mine and basically just telling me to shut up and take it because “they’re so damaged”. No. They had no right to damage other people. It was abuse. And it’s left scars I don’t know will heal. This was a really well written video essay and I love this kind of content, keep up the great work 💕 and I support any of you who have been victimized by toxic masculinity and toxic femininity.

[@DefineMorena]

🙌🏽

[@thehippiecatholic]

Grace Osas ❤️

[@elbywoggit6896]

Thank you! I see far too many people online asking us to see the "mean girl" as the victim when the damage she does is real and lasting to us Lesser Thans. The pressure to conform to what you term "toxic femininity" that ultimately perpetuates patriarchy and classism is absurd, and those of us that rebel have to sit here enduring people telling us we're trying to be the "not like other girls" trope.

[@thehippiecatholic]

Elby Woggit right! It’s like I wish the former mean girls well, but they’re responsible for their own healing and their own actions. A victim is not meant to have their healing hinder on the whims of their abusers.

[@boopboop9356]

I hate that stupid advice that teachers and school staff gave. No, you should stand up for yourself, that's what ends the bullying, not passivity.

[@WindowsXPFrog]

I wouldn’t necessarily call Sharpay from High School Musical a typical “mean girl”

[@trinaq]

Me neither, despite the movies constantly painting her to be the villainous antagonist, the worst thing she does is ... try to help out the shy new girl at her school?!😮

[@miche8868]

@@trinaq by...moving the callback date to make it impossible for her to both go to her academic decathlon and the callback? by making numerous passes at her boyfriend and ruining a good chunk of their summer vacation? by committing fraud and accepting an early graduation program without gabriella's input at all?

[@RomanZolanski123]

Michelle F yeah this sharpay defense thread is a bit weird. She was definitely a bully. She treated her own brother like shit sometimes lol

[@claireindigo1200]

Agreeed

[@creaturesoul4469]

Even if Sharpay could be considered a “mean girl” she’s probably the most tame one out there. Like yeah she did some bad stuff, but I don’t think she ever really crossed the line into life ruiner like a lot of others. Making the callback date to the same day as their other events is kind of crappy, but really if you’re going to be part of theater you need to be committed 100%. You can’t miss practice or performances because you have somewhere else to be and odds are their other events would have clashed with theater practice at some point. You especially can’t be the damn lead role and miss any practices. The idea of someone like Gabriella who hates having attention drawn to her and has no theater experience be a lead role over someone like Sharpay who’s been doing this her whole life is kind of ridiculous in the first place. For the whole hitting on Troy thing, that’s also crappy, but she was pretty nice about trying to get him to like her. Even with the restrictions of it being Disney, Sharpay could have tried to make Gabriella look bad like most boyfriend stealers do, but she didn’t. She tried wooing Troy with an opportunity to get into a good college and a job, she was trying to make herself look desirable, not drag her competition down or blackmail Troy. Plus, all she wanted in return was for Troy to perform a song with her, that really doesn’t sound unreasonable to me. I’d say that Sharpay’s biggest flaw was mistreating Ryan, but I also think that they went too far by ruining her chance to go to Juliard. They messed up her life long dream out of petty revenge. She might have deserved to be embarrassed and taken down a peg, but she didn’t deserve to have her chance at her dream college ruined. So yeah I’d say Sharpay is mostly just too self centered, but I also blame the HSM writers because she seems to learn to be more considerate every movie and then goes back to being selfish again in the next movie because they can’t think of a new “villain”

[@mshara1]

That was surprisingly honest and deep.

[@lilahesse1774]

this channel is always on this level, I love it

[@trinaq]

Likewise, that's always what you get from this channel, and that's why we adore it!💖

[@AvgJane19]

Surprisingly? That's this whole channel

[@littleoreo7717]

Ikr?

[@AddBowIfGirl]

mshara1 Very white-centric though. And Sharpay was completely misinterpreted.

[@rosettachristopher6981]

Regina was the only mean girl I have rooted for. She was so well written and the definition of an accomplished dictator who's charisma and beauty covered her schemes.

[@selinsever8206]

She acts like being a virgin or being gay, lesbian or bi is something bad, like she is the worst charakter

[@mysterymeme6141]

@@selinsever8206 that doesn't make her lees of a well written character tho.

[@papaxota4725]

@@selinsever8206 wow a villain is a bad person

[@kiranjitKaur61]

​@@selinsever8206Thou art the worst character for liking lbtq persons. Rather. Thou art a radical dull off-putting freak akin unto they. Regina George is Pretty and Perfect ! Unlike thee and thy kind. I and Regina George art Conservative within the correct ways and Cool and Interesting - hence ourselves art Popular within the World and with the Gods. !*

[@kiranjitKaur61]

Regina George is Pretty and Perfect ! Unlike the dull radical lbtq supporters and promoters. I and Regina George art Conservative within the correct ways and Cool and Interesting - hence ourselves art Popular within the World and with the Gods. !*

[@frosch6532]

😂😂😂. Damians “ gasp” when Caty breaks the crown will never NOT be funny 🤣💯✋🏻

[@nikonijn]

sweet summer Childe it's cady

[@picklepirate]

haha I know right. He's so cute

[@frosch6532]

Haylie R. Wilson totally!👌🏻🥰

[@ep8246]

Power revales it does not corrupt. It gives you the freedom to show your true colors. Many that seek it hide while climbing up only to reval their true disgusting nature when they are on top thinking themself unstoppable

[@emilyhong2311]

Eva Fiskeman They’re also usually the products of a society where doing so is the only way you (at least appear to) avoid a life of licking someone else’s heel. Power might not corrupt its wielder, but it sure as hell corrupts everyone around them.

[@SikaR88]

Yes. Nicely written. David Brin said “ it is said that power corrupts. Actually it is more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power”...damn

[@usagi18]

On the other hand, if a good person goes to the top, they at least help out the ones who helped them get there

[@corsariocapitao]

I disagree. Your experiences change as you gain power (be it money or influence) and as your reality changes, your new life molds you differently. Power shapes your personality in a way that is different than what it used to be. yes, some people manage to keep their heads on their sholder after gaining power, but most people never received any guidance to deal with it. It's a nice quote but it doesn't take into account that with power comes great changes in your life. It's not true that you always remained the same and you were always like that before.

[@skurinski]

its REVEAL not reval.

[@allurajane4979]

One thing I hate is how a lot of people idolize mean girls and view them as icons. I get that they can be interesting characters but sometimes people will go as far as saying that they did nothing wrong, and as a person who has been bullied by many mean girls this just rubs me the wrong way.

[@kindadecent9754]

Only if they do IN REAL LIFE. Regina George is a great villain and there’s nothing wrong with rooting for interesting antagonists. People love villains like the Joker, Darth Vader, Loki, etc. sorry you were bullied though, that’s terrible

[@selinsever8206]

@@kindadecent9754 She acted like being a virgin or gay, lesbian or bi is something bad, like she is the worst charakter

[@selinsever8206]

Yess, finally someone understands me, thank you and this is the comment of the year!!!

[@All-ze9cl]

fr, the only reason i love characters like chandler and regina are bc they're funny and iconic, not that their good people

[@kiranjitKaur61]

​@@selinsever8206Being lbtq is indeed absolutely awful. Rather. That is why so that Regina George is rather Flawless ! Indeed. * Lbtq supporters art radical dull off-putting freaks. Whereas Regina George is Cool and Interesting and is rather akin unto my being. I am naturally a born Man Lover. I do not care about other females particularly. I am a Real Woman.

[@archer1949]

The best “Mean Girl” character arc I’ve seen was Cordelia Chase in Buffy and Angel.

[@Isafoodie]

Yess! I love her character development

[@rb5078]

One of the best character arcs of all time!

[@fraupfefferschote3663]

I came here to mention her aswell. The perfectly redeemed mean girl.

[@caitlin329]

Yes I was waiting for her to be mentioned!

[@SonyaEthelMUA]

I used to think she was so mean until I watched Buffy again recently. Alot of the time she was just honest 🤣

[@loverrlee]

Just because they’d do better “in the real world” doesn’t mean it’s good. If everyone was nicer “the real world” as a whole would be a better place. Being cruel doesn’t make you happy, it makes you (and everyone else around you) unhappy. Being kind makes you (and everyone else) happy.

[@njc1304]

Right, Elle Woods had all of the perks of popularity yet was a kind and loveable character. The Mean Girl just doesn't have the brain to act like a real alpha.

[@marlenasien8793]

@@njc1304 Male Alphas and Female Alphas act differently. Look up the difference.

[@marlenasien8793]

Yes, we live in a sick, diseased world. In this world those with Narcissistic, or even Psychopathic traits are rewarded, while those who are overly caring and emotional, Empathic and sincere, just get torn apart.

[@tuttochiaramentechiaro]

THIS.

Did you think that that’s what this video was saying?

[@DUSnM]

Blair might have been rich but she had to work for everything that brought her happiness, the Humphrey's were supposed to be poor but they had a great education and a nice living space not to mention the kids kinda always lucked out and got what they wanted despite them acting prideful, foolish, and mean. Selena wasnt mean, just selfish without realizing it......she got angry everytime something didnt work out for her, she kinda got everything handed to her.

[@georgiumsidusalien2943]

serena was soo toxic

[@selinsever8206]

Blair didnt really worked hard, she manipulated, sabotaged and blackmailed others and even the teachers

[@audraclark2636]

One idea that I've heard before when it comes to the mean girls and why they have such a hatred for their "victims" (usually the protagonist) is that they see a vulnerability in them that they despise in themselves so they hurt these people as a way of punishing them for being "weak". To me the best example of this is Chris in "Carrie".

[@injieanis4581]

I always had this view that the reason popular people are mean to those they consider beneath them is because they are disgusted with them. Disgusted of their looks, demeanor, views and generally about their existence. The same we react when we see a cockroach. The cockroach won't really bite us but would go its own way. But we would so freak it over it that we would stomp it. And, even worse, we actually feel better when it's dead. And they aren't quite broadminded or have anyone expanding their world views. Many of the bullies I have come across aren't really mean because of their insecurities or lack of access to letting out aggression. It's often their perceived disgust and that they feel better in stomping out that disgust. That was Chris in Carrie for me

[@elbywoggit6896]

@@injieanis4581 Finally someone nails it. It's all about feeling better-than the cockroach, whoever happens to be in the cockroach role at the time. Stomping the cockroach is a display of power, and eliminating a thing you wish didn't exist in this world.

[@germanacola2234]

When I read the book Carrie I think that Chris was like Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones she is just a dumb spoiled bitch but when Carrie is trying to kill her Chris is a coward she is terrified and beg Billy to not kill her. I think the best portrayal of Chris were Nancy Allen and Emilie De Ravin Emilie shows a human side of Chris

[@Ari-yy7pm]

Or Heather, who said she was teaching people real life

[@mikamika8445]

Interesting how Dan the outcast was gossip girl the main bully.

[@LiluNoG]

Resentment towards populars

[@glitterydesire8735]

I feel like make villains are usually the outcast and/or jock

[@_Sakidora_]

That never really made much sense.

[@mochamuneca8093]

But like some of these ‘mean girls’ are more like caricatures. The most accurate is Regina imo 🤷‍♀️

[@despinasgarden.4100]

Regina is the most realistic one by far

[@sujanlama9499]

We neee a sole Blair Waldorf video essay! 👑

[@emd4682]

Forgot the meanest of them all: Alison DiLaurentis

[@tamararhymeswithcamera6539]

She did make a cameo.

[@palaciospalacios9319]

Alison is one the top mean girls

[@tool-enjoyer666]

Probably cause shes a flat character from a very bad show...

[@palaciospalacios9319]

@@tool-enjoyer666 no, she's not, believe me, pll is far from being one of the bests tv shows there, but Alison is a well developed character, or well, at least she's better developed than Cheryl Blossom

[@ansri24]

Palacios Palacios lol Cheryl Blossom actually lost her brain cells, she’s crazy now.

[@racheldawn_7]

I always respected the mean girls. They're smart enough to beat the system and since there always had to be a moment where you saw the cracks in their masks, they tended to be the most complex characters. This was a GREAT analysis and I'm glad they didn't villainize this trope.

[@adiba_lekha]

Yeah I think it describes Regina George but if you look carefully most teenage drama films now-a-days have just bullies for mean girls like there's no complexity to her character example :the mean girl in THE DUFF

[@mm4843]

(I’m late i know) i will aways respect the mean girls except when they’re just RUDE and put another girls down to make themselves better. There’s the mean girl who’s likeable, but there’s the one who’s just insufferable

[@shmeepness1700]

You respect bullies?

[@Dolphinboi]

@@adiba_lekhayou’re a bully and a mean person

[@rorygilmore2470]

i think they should’ve used Alison DiLaurentis in this video.

[@missamyiahh3357]

Gomez Addams for sure

[@sabrinac8453]

Everybody forgets her

[@marieke900]

they did

[@evasummers7454]

Ikr! She's an amazing mix of JD and Regina George and she just gets forgotten so much

[@charlestoti2252]

She was a sociopath more than a mean girl

[@jennajune2101]

No girl wants to be the “mean girl”, except every girl has been a mean girl at least once in their life, in at least one scenario. It’s proven in the ‘Mean Girls’ scene when Tina Fey asks the group of girls “who’s ever had a girl say something bad about you behind your back?” & everyone raised their hand.

[@Rainjojo]

I’ve been bullied by mean girls during middle school, but what I hate about this trope is how they let the victim not stand for themselves till the end or if someone else stands in. If someone were to ever harm or sabotage me in some way I’d be throwing hands, idc what the school has to say 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@aphro123star]

There will never be a more iconic mean girl like Queen B ever again🙌😍

[@trinaq]

Seconded, Blair Waldorf was THE IT girl of the 2000's!👑🐝

[@khaliaward1771]

@@trinaq Regina is a lot smarter and more iconic imo. Blair gets really flat at times and doesn't ever take up for herself when it comes to men taking advantage of her. She never really gained that throughout her character development sadly. Regina is practically a evil genius.

[@sonjaimmonen6610]

I'd say Blair is the iconic Queen B, but Regina is the iconic mean girl. Blair was a leader, who was able to use her intelligence and influence for a greater good (and also petty evil). The fact that she had true friends and loyalty to a group of people she was unable to rule over, softened her mean girl side. It made her nicer, but also vulnerable. Regina was alone in her role as the queen of the school, which allowed her to be meaner, as the only thing she had in school, was her position and she was not willing to let it go. Also we are not shown or told, what is left after Regina is able to channel her anger better, so we can't really see another side to Regina, leaving us seeing her as the mean girl. We see the nicer side of Blair and her development into an adult, who is able to mature from her high school ways, even if not fully let go of them.

[@0805gg]

✨SadCat✨ yes the girl who let Cady trick her into eating weight-gain bars will totally “mop the floor” with Blair (sarcasm) I love both characters but Blair dealt with her own Cady (aka little J) and she won her war. Can’t say the same about Regina 😬

[@sonjaimmonen6610]

@@OnlyLilynn44 Regina would win the first round, but Blair would win in the long run, because she would take the same route as Cady and Janice took and cut off Regina's resources.

[@marialenai.5111]

I love mean girls in movies/tv series but i'm sure that in real life i wouldn't.

[@blisszagar1640]

Same.

[@민하늘-i8o]

Same

[@emilymatthews2990]

Agreed.

[@shamalaymugunthan7914]

The best mean girl. DRACO MALFOY.

[@ruturajshiralkar5566]

Pansy Parkinson

[@mm4843]

There are a lot of mean girls we can like, but Draco is an exception. He’s just not likeable at all. He’s the “mean girl” that i want to punch and throw from a cliff

[@rs_noncreative8332]

i love your username-

[@ronmin_yoongi3200]

Underrated comment:-)

[@shamalaymugunthan7914]

@Lilac Draco is my favorite character because he is intresting. Some people can actually see past his "bully" persona. He's complicated and intriguing. Just because you can't see the actual character doesn't mean you can assume everyone likes him because of his looks.

[@vitaminK1121]

The world IS mean...and those girls are also mean. They don't get a pass. Everybody's gotta own their ish.

[@prajnajois4065]

Preach! I'm tired of hearing people blame the society and the system for everything. Our being a part of a system doesn't take away our power to choose, at least not in the long-term.

[@justcallmeteacup4711]

I don't think this video is insinuating they deserve a pass but rather explaining how they got there in the first place. Most personality problems people have are a result of failed potential and poor raising in their childhood. Doesn't mean they're any less mean and cruel and that we should allow them to be that way. If anything, these kinds of analyses allow those people to look within themselves, find the root of the problem, and hopefully change for the better

[@mimiwimi7917]

this video explains that the world is mean. it isn’t mean girls that made it that way, in actuality it’s the opposite. mean girls are better at adaptation to the mean world they lived in (i.e. their successful parents) it’s the reason why they don’t get called out in although everyone despises them, it’s because at the same time it’s survival of the fittest and all they really are, is just the fittest

[@s.l.3281]

@@mimiwimi7917 yet even the unadapting non-mean people survive to pass on their genes... All mean people do is make the world more unbearable for all, and as the video said, they even make ir unbearable for themselves. We should all be raising our kids to change the world for the better, not raise them to bully the kids who do.

[@eleaniponce6447]

I mean its technically how life is.. there will always be a mean person in this world just like a nice person... because at the end one isnt actually on top of the other, they’re traits we all have so.. its something that we all have naturally just others use it and others dont.. its a choice

[@ninapenske1415]

The insult to mean girls everywhere putting Riverdale in the thumbnail 🤮

[@hamdialihassan1048]

Nah I disagree. Even though the show is a hot pile of bullshit (stopped in the middle of season 2) I never thought Cheryl Blossom was a bad character. She’s a good actress and well fleshed out character.

[@palaciospalacios9319]

I knoooww

[@missgiroud97]

@lockstam But she isnt charming like thr others one and there isnt so iconic, so, dont deserve a place among B and Regina. They should put Heather, at least.

[@atinyevil1383]

This was unnecessary. She fits the theme they were going for regardless of whether or not people like the show.

[@khaliaward1771]

Cheryl had some of the most character development out of all of these girls tho. She was a lot more well-rounded than them. I hate Riverdale too (for sexualizing the idea of teenage girls) however I have to give it to them for character development when it came to Cheryl.

[@kilimanjaro5537]

Regina George is my favorite mean girl though 🤷🏾‍♀️😂

[@deadaccount2212]

Same!!!!

[@switchbladeromance1466]

I have the same hair as her ..the exact same..freaky....I'm mean sometimes but only with annoying stupid people who are "Clueless"😘😘

[@selinsever8206]

She acts like being a virgin or gay, lesbian or bi is something bad, like she is the worst charakter

[@afshanoorulain7360]

@@selinsever8206 she's a mean girl , do you want her kiss people like an angel ? People find villains interesting too , you here everywhere commenting the same thing over and over again .

[@kiranjitKaur61]

​@@selinsever8206The fact that Regina George is Anti lbtq is what doth make her overall a Perfect character. Regina George is Cool and interesting within every aspect. Unlike the lbtq supporting radical freaks of the World. *

[@bouncyshak]

Please do a full analysis of Cruel Intentions!!

[@AvgJane19]

+

[@threshingsong]

The fact that Cordelia Chase, the most complex and iconic mean girl to ever appear onscreen, is not even mentioned in this video is a travesty

[@Marina-zz2ko]

Sofia I’m not trying to be funny, but who?

[@robbyten100]

@@Marina-zz2ko from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later Angel

[@rb5078]

Agreed!

[@lahalhalha]

Cordy was a such a bitch but was also super sensitive.

[@darkservantofheaven]

At the same time she had hidden depths, when the time came, she showed her heart when another is hurt. Example, when Buffy was powerless for a short time, Cordelia was sensitive to her fear giving her a ride home. At the same time, she really did love Xander, (not sure why, ) But Xander ignored her for his concern for Willow (But acts irresponsible by casting a spell when she broke up with him) plus he cheated on her with Willow and the show kind of crapped on her (she gets impaled) her role gets dimished and made her more of a bitch (other than her few centric episodes, showing her bravery

[@junejunejuniejune]

I saw all my high school mean girls in my college psych class, and they were all studying to be nurses. God help the people they will care for, these girls had a very underdeveloped sense of empathy. Nursing is a very important, and respectable profession, but I wonder if it speaks to their lack of personal identity that made them all sign up for the same thing.

[@allisonfitzmaurice6948]

Hot take: Scarlett O’Hara is the O.G. Mean Girl.

[@kerchewy2571]

You mean heathers

[@nadiarivera8269]

Scarlett O'hara stole all her sisters boyfriends and constantly smooched and constantly tried to steal Ashley from Melanie. She also lied and almost caused a massacre in a black neighborhood. Married 3 times for sheer ambition and gold-digging, but she was the greatest. She would have been miserable with Ashley because there was no one ever good enough for Scarlett.

[@allisonfitzmaurice6948]

Nadia Rivera So true I love that women but reading through the second time, I’m much more aware of her true character and flaws

[@ioanaiordache4721]

So true. But i still love her

[@arlyntobady]

What movie?

[@user-dj4eq2ki7c]

Can't believe that Quinn Fabrey wasn't mention in this lmao. The fall of the most popular girl on her school.

[@princessmia66]

Alina right?

[@radiyasidialiyu9281]

Which movie

[@amparogarcia3961]

@@radiyasidialiyu9281 it's from glee( a series)

[@michonnewalker4246]

Right, Quinn Fabrey is a queen

[@naturalbodyandskincare9965]

The common movie concept that ‘the mean girl suffers with an insufficient future’ and ‘the nerd is granted with a promising future’ is a very false narrative only used to satisfy viewers. Especially viewers that are victims to mean girls - or have been in the past. In real life, most mean girls often do incredibly well in school and life - with the top grades and an extremely autocratic attitude, one will expect to be successful in life. And as a teacher and careers advisor , that’s usually the case. Unfortunately, the ‘nerds’ are gifted in school - but so are the mean girls. But means girls having that autocratic attitude often puts them a step ahead of the ‘nerds’ academically, socially and professionally. So the ‘nerds’ end up having amazing degrees; but no work experience - no experience in roles of leadership. No networks. Terrible interviewing skills. Poor CVs. Terrible communication skills etc. That’s why many ‘nerds’ end up working underpaid jobs completely unrelated to their degree. Whilst the ‘mean girls’ end up very successful - many CEO roles. One thing I’ve noticed is that many ‘mean girls’ end up owning medical practices. A very common trend I’ve noticed during my 50 years as a careers advisor

[@vickyy.7544]

no wonder so many people say the “mean girl to nursing” pipeline is real😅

[@LM-he7eb]

This is a lie. Mean girls become teachers, retail workers, call center agents, nurses, thug wives or/and network-marketers (With the odd case of social media influencers). Not petroleum engineers, neither accountants, nor lawyers. Most nerds get internships in college because their lecturers referred them & end up with proper jobs. They're interviewed by other nerds, who are able to pull the best out of them. When interviewing for software engineering, we don't expect programmers to be well-spoken people, hence the psychometric tests & work-tests. Mean girls can't navigate work environments were knowledge & skills matter. Unless they're in the fashion or/and entertainment industry

[@rtwmbn]

How fetch.

[@trinaq]

True, how extremely very!💗

[@AD-eg9cw]

Stop trying to make that happen.

[@taezinb2732]

stop trying to make fetch happen that's never gonna happen!!

[@wassup8382]

What is FeTcH??

[@jenster29]

@@taezinb2732 irregardless

[@liaesegafos915]

Cordelia from Angel and Buffy isn't even mentioned but she's literally the most important example with the best character arc ever

[@cordeliachase601]

Lia Esegafos Exactly! She grows up so much too. And she talks about how mean she was. “Tact is just not saying true stuff.”

[@aliibilli]

I really love that you mentioned about how certain people only peak in highschool while us nerds and losers grow out to be better humans or something along those lines...

[@lizethgutierrez9397]

We need a Blair Waldorf video!!!! Thank you.

[@mystii8134]

In my high school I didn’t even know there was a popular group until almost two years through high school. And I just thought of them as ridiculously annoying.

[@winterrose9441]

blair waldorf needs her OWN VIDEO

[@cutienerdgirl]

I hate the way they're trying to frame being mean as a good thing when being mean can cause lasting hurt to the people around you, cause less people to want to collaborate with you, and does no better for you in adulthood than being regularly assertive. Being mean isn't the only way to get ahead in life nor does it benefit you in the long run. If you watch Gossip Girl you'd see that Blair Waldorf didn't even achieve her goals because of her meanness and childish antics way into her adulthood, her career path suffered and she lost her dream job. Many people have garnered success whilst being respectful.

[@dakilangcornedbeef]

I don't think they're trying to make it seem mean=good. More like, stating the reasons as to why they act like that.

[@shanikakelly7643]

They saying the mean girl character have some good qualities but chose to use it negatively. Like ambition, charisma, having a high intelligence... etc.

[@njc1304]

@@dakilangcornedbeef not really, look at all the comments. People admire and want to emulate this behavior. People have come to not only accept but glorify meanness.

[@dakilangcornedbeef]

@@njc1304 yes. i was talking about the video not the people's reactions. thats entirely up to them.

[@njc1304]

@@dakilangcornedbeef 15:30 ➡️ excuses the mean girl therefore promotes her behavior. 😁 My tone is friendly, I toats get where you're coming from.

[@annarose932]

Could you do a analysis of Over The Garden Wall, looking at how the story depicts secrets and the truth being uncovered.

[@user-uv6if1jb4f]

Yes! Over the the garden wall!!

[@solarium_self]

Yessssssss

[@tashietherat7328]

YES!!!!!

[@michonnewalker4246]

Yes

[@romang3623]

Although I do feel like you make a couple of very interesting points, saying that the world is mean and the mean girl just knows how to play it doesn't sit too well with me. It shifts too much blame away from the indevidual and onto society. Yes, the world has its fair share of shitty people and injustice. But suffering is never a justification to make others suffer too. After all, the mean girl (like all of us) is a part of the society that causes her unhappiness and takes a part in shaping it by her behavior. We all can choose to perpetuate systems of suffering and oppression because we belive that's just the way the world works or we can do something about it. Blaming society for who we are is just lazy.

[@hollywoodshopaholic]

Yeah, that part made no sense to me. We all have a responsibility to try to be the change we want to see in the world.

[@blueswan7655]

The only unrealistic thing about the mean girls is that they’re always stylish and glamorous. Not the case in my school 😂

[@elmoworld850]

In my experience, most of the "mean girls" were ugly and/or bitter. They were like Jade West from Victorious. Some of the pretty girls were kinda conceited because you can definitely sense that they think they are better than you although they wouldn't say that to your face. Some of them were really nice.

[@anotherrandomguy8871]

@@elmoworld850 True. In my experiences, most of the mean girls were rather average looking. The only lie here is that is that the bullies are not always white blond women, though granted, at my school white blond people are more than 50% of my school population tbh.

[@atinyevil1383]

I really appreciate your use of the Chanels from Scream Queens. They’re overlooked, but I feel they’re very interesting as characters and quite iconic.

[@indiamarie2952]

I never understand why they’re soo hateful and mean to a girl who is seen as “less than” them like why are you so mad if you’re sooo glamorous?

[@RH-xp7ju]

The mean girl in my school is gorgeous, wealthy and popular, but she acts like such an awful person to those less popular than her. I honestly wonder what she has to gain from it

[@kindadecent9754]

@@RH-xp7ju power hungry and/ or deep insecurities that she sees in those she bullies to distance herself from them. She may even try to fool herself into thinking that she’s above them but deep down she knows they have way more in common than she’d like to admit

[@eviedegrandpre5268]

It’s probably insecurity. Even very beautiful women do this to other women because they may not think of themselves as beautiful (even tho they are) and will take out on someone who might be seen as competition

[@jadziawynter9241]

Please do character studies on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Mean Girls!!!!!

[@JeffPants]

I've never really thought of Cheryl Blossom as a mean girl, more like a drama queen in mean girl drag. For the most part, her classmates generally get along with her, and they're more likely to roll their eyes at her than be intimidated by her. Besides, she can't hide behind secret pain, since the pain of losing her brother is the inciting incident of Riverdale and thus out there for everyone to know about.

[@michonnewalker4246]

Cheryl is a drama queen and a psycho

[@wuwuink]

I still love the way Regina just SMACKS everyone in sports.

[@selinsever8206]

She acts like being a virgin or gay, lesbian or bi is something bad, like she is the worst charakter

[@KL-ki8db]

@@selinsever8206 Character*

[@kiranjitKaur61]

​@@selinsever8206Thou art a freakish off-putting weirdo. Radical lbtq supporters such as thou art the worst characters. Ugh ! Whereas Regina George is rather Perfect and Cool ! * I and Regina George art Anti lbtq and hence art exciting and Cool and Popular.

[@kiranjitKaur61]

Radical lbtq supporters art the worst characters. Ugh ! Whereas Regina George is rather Perfect and Cool ! * I and Regina George art Anti lbtq and hence art exciting and Cool and Popular.

[@annarose932]

Could you do a analysis of Gravity Falls, looking at either why Mabel is so popular or how Bill is the perfect villain and is quite a different villain for Disney.

[@MegaKaitouKID1412]

Honestly, I think what makes Mean Girls so good is that it really is just a realistic portrayal of "Girl World". There are mean people on all sides, there's girl fighting in every group, every clique has their own problems, and at the end of the day, even Regina George was just a child who was working through learning to handle her own emotions in a healthy manner.

[@alicejones5312]

These “*insert trope*, explained” ARE SO SMART I FREAKING LOVE THEM UGH

[@MariaJoseRangelUwU]

Blair Waldorf was my favorite character pf the show. I thought she was just a very good character and her story is just very interesting

[@Mambo1061]

You make valid points, but I still don’t agree that tragic backstory=all harmful actions automatically excused. Kudos anyhow ✌️

[@mugglepotato]

I think kindness, empathy and humility should be taught to all children, because even the view in society that wealthier people are better is wrong. The society IS messed up. So that is the challenge in life, to strive to be good and just in a society that doesn't let you

[@Stellaudemba]

"I have an army to build , a school to takeover and girls to blackmail " best outro 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@thesourpatchkidd579]

Rachel Berry was another mean girl in the same way Janis Ian was. Her relative unpopularity, constant bullying, talent, and self depreciating comments about her looks served as a veil for her truly vicious behavior. She actively pursued Finn knowing he had a girlfriend, sent Sunshine to a crackhouse just because she was talented, constantly undermined her club members and treated them like tools, put herself and her ambition ahead of everything and everyone, obsessed over her image, somehow managed to be incredibly insecure and vain, was vindictive and manipulative and mean and overall a horrible person. Honestly she was more of a mean girl than Quinn or Santana.

[@itatchi8827]

She's often white and rich, confident and powerful

[@march9177]

the white part depends on the country.

[@WinxMagicalHero]

@@march9177 in movies she’s usually white

[@michonnewalker4246]

@Itatchi, Alison DiLaurentis is not rich but she is confident and powerful

[@bal9944]

And beautiful

[@benjaminkuti2009]

Honestly, I learn so much from these KZbin content creators

[@stars-and-clouds]

About the ending bit... I don't think just because they're impressionable young girls they can be excused for being cruel, mean and clearly hurtful to others only because it gives them the success and position valued by our society. The world is bad but that doesn't excuse their actions. Even if they're the victim or have been put into the position they are in, their bad actions won't become okay or acceptable. P.s No hate, I loved this video and this channel, just voicing my opinion on the last line.

[@m0m055]

YJ At no point, at absolutely no point, the video excuses cruelty and aggression to other people. All they do is explain it.

[@badgalirri]

Mean girls are all that in school but then when we all grow up, usually they're a nobody and not even that pretty anymore.. not neccesarily ugly, but nothing special for sure. I was quite the ugly, chubby, bullied outcast in school but today, in my 20's, I'm honestly way more beautiful, sexy, fit and cultured than the old mean girls from school are today. Idk about others but I'd rather have my shine on in my 20's than when I'm 14.

[@Really_Roby]

Yeah. Peaking early in life just means you'll probably be miserable after and for longer. It's actually quite sad. I'd rather be the nerd who works hard and then has lots of money later in life and just chills, not having put value in things that don't even last.

[@pbarteau8698]

Paris in Gilmore Girls is such a good variation on this trope.

[@elbywoggit6896]

Exactly. She's mean but her power derives from intelligence, drive, and privilege. And they write her as a human rather than a force of nature that the protagonist must fight against.

[@lynxminx4]

A refreshingly sympathetic take on bullies.

[@DanielaSerodio]

OMG. I absolutely love this Take. Just a few days ago, my 11 yo niece was telling me about a friend of hers that had purposely excluded her from social events and spreading rumours about her after misunderstanding an action from my niece. At the time, I didn't know how to explain the complicated world of human relations and how to difficult it is for girls to navigate through it, especially as they start to grow up and become more aware of the "adult world" and all its flaws and expectations. I feel like this video has given me a lot of tools to address this issue with her... starting with the concept of relational aggression and the underlying causes to it. Honestly, as a long-time subscriber, I can't tell you enough how amazing your content is. If life informs art and art informs life, there's so much to learn about what movies say about us as individuals and the society we live in.

[@quirkyroblox343]

Cheryl blossom is my fav mean girl because the riverdale writer did a really good job with her (surprisingly) . She isn’t just mean for the sake of being the mean girl , they slowly reveal the reasons like her suppressed sexuality and how her family hates her and the only person in her family she loved (her brother Jason) was murdered by her own father.

[@maddylovesbooks]

Ur Mom I’m so annoyed they have messed her up with the whole digging Jason out of the grave thing

[@quirkyroblox343]

Maddy honestly I kinda love phsyco bitch cheryl blossom it’s kinda funny but in the next episode (ep 9) they are finishing that storyline I think they are finally burying him so hopefully normal Cheryl’s return is coming

[@michonnewalker4246]

Cheryl she is not a Mean Girl or a Queen, she a psycho here are some examples: she put a pig's heart in Josie's locker, she was cover in someone or something blood, She set her own house on fire, she tortures her own mother, she kept her dead brother's corpse in the house for weeks, she believe she was being haunted by her other twin who was in the womb Also she is obsessed with being number one she wanted to be the lead in both plays, she didn't wanted coach and she locker her in the closet just for doing her job, she thinks that the principal have no power over her because she is queen bee and she cheer with the new team of vixens even though she the coach I don't know why people like Cheryl.

[@FairyPrincessNia]

My own sister was the type of mean popular girl who tormented me, someone who was very much an outcast, and watching this was very eye-opening.

[@suhani5759]

I feel sorry for you! HOPE SHE GROWS AND TREATS YOU LIKE A GOOD LITTLE SISTER!!😍

[@ashleyyy640]

"There's always going to be a person laughing and somebody getting laughed at. The whole point of growing up is learning to stay on the laughing side." Probably the motto of every mean girls

[@tylerwatkins2923]

You know Euphoria on HBO I found it interesting how the female characters acted and were treated. BB and the others praised Kat for sleeping with that guy in Episode 1, but is ridiculed by the school when it turns out she was filmed, and the show treating calming as a good thing for her self esteem. Nate and the jocks casually look up Cassie's "slut pages which I didn't even know was a thing Jules wanting to "conquer feminity" through her one night stands. Nate definition on makes a girl "perfect" and other stuff

[@venus_envy]

Sounds like a lot of misogyny.

[@tylerwatkins2923]

@@venus_envy Exactly, a lot of female characters problems in Euphoria are because the males poor choices or influence.

[@yasdaiana]

Yeah, but the show doesn’t romanticize it. But about Kat being a Cam girl, I do think the show glorifies it and it’s lowkey problematic . I mean she’s underage after all.

[@isaacgray2909]

@@yasdaiana I don't think it's romanticizing Kat's being a cam girl. The show made it clear that her deciding to go for a promiscuous self is a negative thing because she only have sex with men to relieve her self esteem, not necessarily cause she's genuinely into it. This is evident when she's dismissive of Maddy and Maddy called her out on this saying Kat wasn't supportive like she used to be. Also, her being rude to that boy at the party comes off of her being insecure. What I'm trying to say is that Kat adopting this hyper-individualistic manner led to making her feel lonely and further endanger herself. Edit: To add in, Kat felt insecure about herself. So the only way she thought to gain her self-esteem is by throwing herself for men.

[@isaacgray2909]

I liked that Maddy is the subversive take on the "mean girl" archetype. She has every traits and attributes of the mean bitchy high school, girl but the show didn't used them to demonize her. That's just who she is, and Maddy shows some heart and empathy as she's willing to befriend with the main cast who's isn't like her instead of joining a clique.

[@angell1432]

Tina fey is one example of the mean girl who used her brightness and ambition to succeeded in life.

[@robertah2353]

And it’s good how much she self reflected as an adult

[@radiyasidialiyu9281]

Who is she

[@erinehinger956]

I remember watching Mean Girls and thinking this was my group of friends in middle school.

[@dragon_princess3937]

Lottie from princess and the frog could’ve been a mean girl but I’m so glad they made her a sweetheart

[@soyandoat4106]

While I could understand and empathize with why the mean girls act the way they do, i find it is problematic and downright harmful to just say they are the victim of “the system” and they are just really good at “living in it.” I wish you could have emphasized more on the fact that they most of the time deliberately hurt others. This shows that they lack in empathy, care, and respect to others’ feelings or thoughts. While you can brush it off and contribute their callousness to everything that goes wrong around them- their environment/“the system,” in the end they consciously CHOOSE to do harm to other people. I love your videos but I feel in this video you are persuading people to sympathize or even blindingly forgive these characters for all their wrongdoings when their deliberate actions could scar other characters for life. Why other characters could also transform into a bully but they do not do so? I am writing this because I learnt so much for your videos, and so many of them change or open my mind to many new ways of thinking/ understanding elements in movies. However, I am just afraid you are giving out the incomplete message, and it may distort sense of right and wrong for many viewers who have experienced bullies

[@amberf3044]

i completely agree i love all the other videos but i really dislike how the mean girl is being empathised with here and completely forgiven for being so mean to others. It’s almost glamourising being cruel to others just because you can, and especially to those who don’t have as much money

[@lilacdreams5966]

the video isn't saying their behaviour is ok its looking at the bigger picture of why they behave the way they do on a societal level

[@scoutboo]

The mean girls in movies/TV shows are often the fan faves because they usually get the best lines and are so entertaining. Plus there's more room for interesting character development if they end up changing for the better. My fave mean girl growing up was Cordelia from Buffy

[@grimtheghastly8878]

I would really love to see a teen drama that starts off as your typical mean girl story but the catch is that over the course of the story the mean girl and the new girl fall in love and develop a healthy and meaningful relationship where they learn the value of kindness, friendship, self-respect, and the importance of standing up for yourself and others in a society constantly trying to tear people down and keep them in line.

[@le5052]

Unpopular opinion: Heathers was about the flaws of society, not love

[@cool-zd3ev]

Sleep Deprived it’s common knowledge

[@christmansonpunk2927]

If anyone thought Heathers was about love they weren't paying attention

[@wooyeah1738]

ChristManson Punk That, or they’re into psychopaths

[@katphish30]

Literally every person who has ever seen Heathers knows that.

[@laurenconrad1799]

That’s not an unpopular opinion.

[@artsyswarley]

And yet every single example of "mean girl" shown in this video is the best character of every one of those movies and shows and they are the ones I always find my self rooting for in retrospect

[@annarose932]

Would love to see a Steven Universe analysis. Looking at how the series changed the cliche of the dead mother trope by having the identity and choices of Rose Quartz more grey.

[@VetkinaOlga]

I don't think SU even had the dead parent trope. I mean dead usually means absent. Yes, character usually misses their parent/parents and it affects them and they can uncover horrible family secrets and stuff, but parents as characters of their own are usually not there. Cause they're dead. But Rose is omnipresent in SU, she is as much of a main character as Steven, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl are. Almost every plotline dealing with Gems ties to Rose somehow. Steven gets to know her inside out as a person, he literally shares her memory and emotions, which is logical, cause she's part of him, she is just way more than "another dead mother" and not because she was always screwing up everything. Rather because she had said identity, we got to know her extremely well despite her being dead.

[@Meredith.A]

It's such a trip looking at the beauty trends eeveertyhing from the 80s to the 2010 has a natural classic look then all the more recent stuff it's like BAM heavy contour heavy lips etc.

[@kittykittykatt128]

Ikr

[@TheLunablackheart]

I want a film where the protagonist is the mean girl and comes out on top with good character development as well.

[@Kikua1612]

Minus the character development that happens all the time

[@matariki9818]

I was in high school's equivalent of the middle class and I befriended some of the popular girls later into adulthood. And I remember "Jeez, why was I ever jealous of these girls ?" Yes they were pretty at 15. Which resulted into guys much older hitting on them (like 24 y-old), pressuring them into sex when they would eventually date, catcalling them...most of them had eating disorders and absent parents, and they were actually miserable. I dated a guy who still hated those "evil mean girls" and I realized after we split that he was in fact upset that they would not pay attention to "nice guys like him in school" and he had himself turned into a bully while posing as a vuctim (kinda like Janis) Also Sharpay is definitely NOT a mean girl. A guy in her position would be passionate, ambitious and driven.

[@inkubator320]

She's mean my dude stop trying to defend people who are evil

[@cinnamontoastie2053]

*me being mad because I didn't see Heather C. on the thumbnail* *hears Heather Chandler*THERE she is

[@rosiegao9985]

”Mean Girls are about RAGE“, those who are forced into the shape of beauty and choose to become the beast. They transform competitively into manipulation because they've been kept away from the real battlefield, their paths to power have been cut. They fight sneaky because they are muted. Thank you so much for your analysis, it's so inspiring.