Brow Beat

The Feminist Bookstore That Portlandia Films in Really Hates Portlandia Now

Candace and Toni, Portlandia favorites.

IFC

One of the more beloved recurring sketches in the IFC series Portlandia, “Women and Women First,” is going to have to find a new feminist bookstore. In a very strongly worded statement, the staff of In Other Words—the Portland bookstore Portlandia has shot footage in over the past six years—announced that they were severing ties with the production on their website. And they won’t be changing their minds anytime soon: According to Stereogum and other sources, a “Fuck Portlandia” sign is now hanging in the bookstore window. (This is also the official title of the statement.)

Feminist bookstore owners Toni (Carrie Brownstein) and Candace (Fred Armisen) have been around in the Portlandia universe since the show’s earlier, web-based incarnation. Most episodes featuring them have mined humor from their strict prohibition of gender bias and designated restroom use, among other things, but the show made it a point in recent years to dig a little deeper. The Season 5 premiere “The Story of Toni and Candace” was an episode-length origin story, featuring the pair memorably donning ’90s pantsuits and pumps, while Season 6’s “First Feminist City” found the duo railing against Portland’s designation as the most feminist city in America.

Unfortunately, In Other Words stopped being amused with the show’s perspective a while ago. “This was a direct response to a particular egregious filming of the show in our space which saw our store left a mess, our staff mistreated, our neighbors forced to close and lose business for a day without warning, and our repeated attempts to obtain accountability or resolution dismissed,” the statement said. “It was also a direct response to a show which is in every way diametrically opposed to our politics and the vision of society we’re organizing to realize.” Other major points were organized by subheadings: “Being on Portlandia Doesn’t Make Us Money,” “This Show Sucks,” and “Gentrification Isn’t a Joke.”