Even since designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain took their own lives within a matter of days, a rousing discussion of depression, related mental health issues and their collective shunning by popular culture has flourished. Comedian Michelle Wolf entered the fray on Sunday with the latest episode of her Netflix show The Break. “Depression is a disease and I’m not an expert on mental health by any means,” she said. “Let’s make it okay to admit you’re not doing great, and really listen to people when they admit they aren’t either.”
Jokes abound throughout the nearly six-minute clip, but Wolf uses them to bolster her central argument about de-stigmatizing depression instead of making light of Spade and Bourdain’s circumstances. To accomplish this, she turns to Martha Stewart’s social media feed, which recently featured what the home design icon dubbed her “first good selfie,” and the appearance of celebrity happiness. “In the spirit of our one true god, Martha Stewart, I propose we start with our selfies. Next time you post a selfie,” Wolf explains, “use the hashtag #IFeelALittleBad.”
“In the spirit of being honest, post the number of times you tried taking the photo,” she jokes. “If we can admit that we’re not always happy and our lives may not be as perfect as they appear, maybe it’ll pave the way for us to talk more openly about things like depression.”
