Minority Mindset

In a video shared on social media on July 1st, McElhenney/Mac expressed his reasoning behind the name change, stating that it aims to reduce confusion about the correct pronunciation and spelling of “McElhenney”, while acknowledging that it might come off as somewhat arrogant. He mentioned that a significant portion of his time has been wasted due to people mispronouncing or misspelling his name, costing him valuable days of his life. Furthermore, he pointed out that many generations have altered the spelling and the current one was simply bestowed upon his ancestor by an official with authority over naming conventions. He also mentioned that most people already refer to him as “Rob Mac” in everyday conversation. Interestingly enough, while many recognize him as “that guy from It’s Always Sunny”, his character on the show shares the name Mac (originally “Fat Mac”). The new season of It’s Always Sunny premieres on July 9th, leading some to speculate that this name change might be a promotional strategy for the show. However, it seems unlikely given the timing and context of his explanation.

Five years after the initial release, we now have “The Old Guard 2”, directed by Victoria Mahoney. Despite being given the green light shortly following the debut film, it faced various setbacks and wasn’t released until recently (production was reportedly completed in 2022). This delay might confuse those who may have forgotten about “The Old Guard” or chose not to watch it initially, as this sequel continues directly from where the first movie ended. The narrative begins with the recovery of an ancient iron maiden containing Quynh (Veronica Ngo), who was thrown into the sea centuries ago. She, of course, was a former partner and fellow warrior to Andromache, also known as Andy (Charlize Theron), our group’s apparent immortal leader. The appearance of Quynh was hinted at in the closing scenes of the first film, where her tale added a somber depth to Andy, who was tormented by guilt over her inability to locate her. Keep in mind that these beings cannot die, but they do feel and experience pain, so Quynh was trapped at the bottom of the sea, repeatedly drowning and reviving, hundreds of times a day for hundreds of years. The implication was that she had lost her sanity in unimaginable ways beneath the waves.