AITA for watching Wednesday when it was stolen?
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AITA for watching Wednesday when it was stolen?
The new Netflix record-breaker may not be all that it seems...
New Year, new stories!
Welcome back to the AITA Newsletter. We hope you had a very wonderful holiday season free of family drama! (But since you’re reading this newsletter, maybe you enjoy a little drama now and then….)
In any case, we’re back with new segments and fresh content for our blog-style newsletter. Keep reading, and don’t forget to check out the latest podcast episode (as of writing), the 420 ep! It’s quite a doozy. Is it any surprise Danny becomes more insane while high?
First up, it’s a new version of GTV, Guess The Verdict, newsletter style. Then it’s AITA Everywhere, our new segment where we discuss pop culture and the news through an AITA lens. And we’ll wrap up with Juice of the Week: a brother in law who brought cocaine around kids. Whoa.
Enjoy :)
Guess the Verdict
AITA for going on a trip with my family that my wife isn’t going on?
OP’s (26M) family surprised him and his two siblings with a ski trip for a post-holiday vacay.
OP’s wife was invited but she would have to pay for herself (which she can’t afford; we also learn her background is “dirt poor“)
OP’s parents have historically always asked the wife to pay for her own trips with them.
OP’s wife is upset.
My Guess:
NAH. Since this is an established pattern regarding family vacations, this should be the wife’s expectation; if you want to go on the trip, you have to pay for yourself. Otherwise, don’t expect to go. Spouses don’t have to do everything together, anyways.
Danny’s Guess:
NAH. Since OP grew up “dirt poor,” it’s not too surprising that the family doesn’t pay for his wife. Since there are two siblings, paying for spouses could theoretically double the cost of any trip. It seems like a big deal to OP and the wife should be able to find some way to entertain herself.
Community’s Guess:
Reddit Verdict: YTA
Top Comment:
“So, you are well aware that your parents are excluding your wife and you don't understand why she's so hurt and upset about this, especially when it's during Christmas? YTA.” - Prairiemountainzen
My final word:
Reddit always finds a way to make things as simple as possible, so simple that the mark is missed entirely. It was AFTER Christmas. And realistically, parents are allowed to give their kids gifts that don’t also get shared with their significant other. Money is real.
AITA Everywhere
AITA for watching Wednesday when the concept was STOLEN?
It’s no secret that Netflix’s new series, Wednesday has become extremely popular. Not only has it broken many of Netflix’s viewing records, but it has also inspired a dance trend on TikTok. Here are the facts:
Within two weeks of its Netflix debut, Wednesday was viewed 752.5 million hours.
It is listed as the 3rd most popular English-language Netflix show.
TikTok creators took Wednesday’s iconic dance choreography and set it to Lady Gaga’s song “Bloody Mary.” Lady Gaga herself has participated in the trend, earning 12.3 million views and 2.3 million likes.
So it’s a big deal, but here’s some juice: Addam’s Family fans speculate that Wednesday is ripping off a series of fan-made YouTube videos titled Adult Wednesday Addams.
Adult Wednesday had over 8 million views but was pulled from YouTube in 2015 due to copyright claims by the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation (owners of the rights to The Addams Family franchise).
After her videos were removed from YouTube, creator Melissa Hunter tried to get the rights and take her idea to TV, but was turned away and never got it off the ground.
Now, Netflix has released what appears to be a variation of Hunter’s idea: a young adult Wednesday, out on her own. The coincidence did not go unnoticed by fans, including Hunter who tweeted a response to Netflix’s announcement.
While this issue has not gained a ton of traction in the media, it is important to acknowledge that it sure is fishy. Some say its speculation, but (“her emails” voice) the timeline. It really does seem like Hunter came up with the idea, saw success, got suppressed, and now that the dust has settled, someone was like “well, actually, we can make money off of that.”
Art versus artist is always controversial. In this case, the viewers are not the assholes. Rather, Netflix and the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation is. Since Tee & Charles owns the rights to The Addams Family, they’re the ones that call the shots on the content that is made. They turned down Hunter and sold the rights to Netflix for a suspiciously similar idea. Wednesday wasn’t that good anyways. TBH, it probably would’ve been better if it was based on the popular fan original. Boo on you, Netflix. NTA dear viewers (and they are).
Juice of the Week
Dear Prudence: Help! My Brother-In-Law Drunkenly Left Cocaine Out at my Toddler’s Birthday Party
Who brings drugs to a 2-year-old’s birthday party? Apparently, this guy.
OP(F) has two children, ages 2 and 6. For the 2-year-old’s bday, OP and her husband hosted a party that was attended by OP’s in-laws, her husband’s sisters and their husbands.
One of the attending couples has two toddlers, ages 3 and 4, and a 9-month-old baby. The other couple does not have children.
During the party OP found a small bag of cocaine sitting on top of the trash can.
The childless brother-in-law confessed to having brought it for later in the week and accidentally dropping it, and apologized profusely.
BIL was drunk, and is a suspected alcoholic.
OP and her husband are quite angry with BIL. While the rest of the family wants to “forgive and forget,” OP and her husband are still extremely angry, and have a few notable concerns:
The children are young, and could have mistaken the drugs for sugar.
BIL put the children in danger by bringing narcotics and losing track of their location.
BIL’s drug use is concerning for both his own health and the health of the children he may interact with.
Are they in the wrong for being mad about this?
My Opinion:
As someone who has seen drug addiction in my family, and also as someone who works with children, being concerned and upset is valid. OP and her husband aren’t just angry because BIL put his children in harm’s way, but also because BIL is harming himself. Their anger comes from a place of caring for their whole family, not just the little ones (although putting the kids in danger crosses the line). The fact that BIL was drunk enough to lose track of his cocaine at a toddler’s birthday party is ridiculous. The family members that want to ignore this are enabling his addiction(s), which may continue to endanger the entire family.
NTA for being mad about this, and the rest of the family is.
Danny’s Opinion:
A classic Dr. Vega quote which cuts to the core: it’s a disorder when it causes disorder. Controversially, I’ll suggest both cocaine and alcohol can be used responsibly. That BIL lost track of his coke in a situation where doing so was a massive risk (to kids, no less) is sufficient for me to armchair psychologist it up, and slap a “substance abuse disorder” on BIL.
It’s no surprise that some family members would take BIL’s side. Indeed, the likely drug that caused this massive issue isn’t usually called a “narcotic”— it’s alcohol. Alcohol impairs your judgment and handling potentially dangerous things (like narcotics, guns, katanas or fire) while on this normalized drug and around children is bound to lead to massive, unnecessary risk.
The reality is that BIL’s behavior is absolutely unacceptable. And any family that seeks to normalize or excuse this behavior is filled with a-holes. Maybe I’m reaching, but to justify putting children in harm’s way screams to me that this is a family structure that is not ready to reckon with alcohol’s effects — whether it’s in this high-stakes situation or even more mundanely toxic moments.
Concurring with you, Jenna (newsletter writer), a whopping NTA and the BIL and family is.
See ya guys soon!
-Jenna