Welcome to Adoption Pop! where a podcast journalist, a filmmaker, and a cultural critic burst pop culture's favorite adoption tropes. Each episode, we'll dive into movies, TV, and reality shows, from prestige dramas to the classics, to ask what these stories are really saying, and not saying, about adoption. And we'll get real about representation: how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves.
Adoption Pop!
Claim This Podcastby Haley Radke, Kristal Parke, and Sullivan Summer
5.0(7 reviews)
28 episodes
Updated Daily
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Podcast Overview
Welcome to Adoption Pop! where a podcast journalist, a filmmaker, and a cultural critic burst pop culture's favorite adoption tropes. Each episode, we'll dive into movies, TV, and reality shows, from prestige dramas to the classics, to ask what these stories are really saying, and not saying, about adoption. And we'll get real about representation: how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves.
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Publishing Since
11/18/2025
1 verified contact email on file for Adoption Pop!
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Recent Episodes
June 3, 2026
Annie (1982) – Adoption on the Big Screen
<p dir="ltr">E026 | Annie (1982) – Adoption on the Big Screen</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">We think you're gonna like it here on this episode of Adoption Pop! We're just thinkin' about 10-year-old Aileen Quinn in the role that would make her a star—in the film that became the blueprint for a better life. The 1982 big screen adaption of the 1977 Tony-winner, Annie was not well received by critics upon its release. It has just a 50% Rotten Tomatoes score, proving, if nothing else, that no one cares for you a smidge when you're in an orphanage. Give the maid the night off, and turn the kitchen light off—let's go to the movies with podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Annie (1982) was written by Carol Sobieski and directed by John Huston. It was based on the 1977 Broadway musical by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan. The cartoon strip, Little Orphan Annie is by Harold Gray. More on him below.</p> <p dir="ltr">This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on June 3, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon:</p> <p dir="ltr">At the time of this recording, the legendary Carol Burnett is 93 years old.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 1998 hip hop artist Jay-Z sampled "<a href= "https://youtu.be/LH6MstVxehQ?si=2jtqJT27xEl3S3dD">It's the Hard Knock Life</a>" from the 1977 musical for his song, "<a href= "https://youtu.be/lpZgKI97K1M?si=-AwO96r_eV7OSrj_">Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)</a>." It peaked at number 15 on Billboard's Hot 100, and was named by VHI as number 11 on their list of <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2cZ8rTnWpVw4YoWPxAgHbe">100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Actor Albert Finney was a cool 46 when he played bald billionaire Oliver Warbucks in Annie. (Sullivan regrets not calling out Kristal's hypocrisy on this one, because she distinctly remembers Kristal dogging bald men back on <a href= "https://adoptionpop.com/love-is-blind-uk-season-1-2024-adoption-on-reality-tv"> Episode 11</a>: Love is Blind Season 1 UK (2024). But we guess that's what show notes are for.) </p> <p dir="ltr">The song "Maybe" was made for adoptee resonance. In case you need it, <a href= "https://youtu.be/vrr3EmaF3gA?si=kgDNU2zdnKcd2EDF">here's a refresher</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Harold Gray, creator of the comic strip Little Orphan Annie, does not appear to have had any connection to adoption. According to <a href= "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Gray">Wikipedia</a>, he could trace his ancestry back to the 17th century, and his <a href= "https://www.nytimes.com/1968/05/10/archives/harold-gray-creator-in-1924-of-little-orphan-annie-dead-comicstrip.html"> May 10, 1968 New York Times obituary</a> mentions two wives, but no children. The Times also reports that Little Orphan Annie was modeled after a "street urchin" Gray met in Chicago. He made his cartoon Annie an orphan, "so she'd have no family, no tangling alliances, but freedom to go where she pleased."</p> <p dir="ltr">The book Annie is by Thomas Meehan. The audio version is narrated by Annie Potts. Five stars. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kristen Martin, The Sun Won't Come Out Tomorrow: A Dark History of American Orphanhood (2025)</p> <p dir="ltr">John Huston, An Open Book (1980)</p> <p dir="ltr">Evelyn Keyes, Scarlett O'Hara's Younger Sister: My Lively Life In and Out of Hollywood (1977)</p> <p dir="ltr">Stanley Green, Broadway Musicals Show by Show, Ninth Edition (2019)</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen.</p> <p dir="ltr">We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our <a href= "https://adoptionpop.com/">website</a>, <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/adoptionpoppodcast/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@adoptionpop">TikTok</a>, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLraFKUgqhSF3BWagNt9Grw">YouTube</a>, <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZXqHStGmjCTKSAxUzCWpY?si=77fe1fcb532c4a1f"> Spotify</a>, and <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adoption-pop/id1853725752">Apple Podcasts</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at <a href= "http://adopteeson.com/">adopteeson.com</a> and on <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/haleyradkepodcaster">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/haleyradke">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@haleyradke">TikTok</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at <a href= "https://kristalparke.net/">kristalparke.net</a>, on <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/people/Because-Shes-Adopted/61551013663413/"> Facebook</a>, <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/">Instagram</a>, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial">YouTube</a>, and <a href= "https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial">TikTok</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at <a href= "https://sullivansummer.com/">sullivansummer.com</a> and on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesullivansummer/">Instagram</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">We love you Miss Hannigan.</p> <p> </p>
May 27, 2026
Jersey Shore Family Vacation Season 8 (2025) – Adoption on the Small Screen
<p dir="ltr">E025 | Jersey Shore Family Vacation Season 8 (2025) – Adoption on the Small Screen</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Before Bravo had a summer house in the Hamptons, MTV had a place on the Jersey Shore, where for six seasons Pauly D, J-Woww, Sammi Sweetheart, Vinny, Ronny, The Situation, and Snooki partied like it was the 2010s. The show spawned seven spinoffs, including Jersey Shore Family Vacation, back in summer 2026 for a ninth and final season. The gang is always up to something, including Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi who, last season, was up to reuniting with her birth mother for the very first time. Podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer have poofs and thoughts in equal measure on this one.</p> <p dir="ltr">This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on May 27, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon:</p> <p dir="ltr">If you, like Haley, struggle with the lingo, you can find a handy-dandy Jersey Shore dictionary <a href= "https://jerseyshore.fandom.com/wiki/Dictionary">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nicole speaks to her birth mother on Jersey Shore Season 8, Episode 2 "Running … for Pizza." </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://adopteeconsciousness.com/">The Adoptee Consciousness Model</a> offers ways to think about how marginalized groups develop awareness about oppressive systems and structures both as individuals, and importantly as a collective, in order to engage in activism for social justice. It was created by JaeRan Kim, Susan Branco, Grace Newton, Paula O'Loughlin, and Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.pamelaobr.com/">Pamela Slaton</a> is an adoptee, an investigative genealogist, and a DNA expert. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, "<a href= "https://youtu.be/o0p8N02Ws2o?si=amuLuE0Jw-NB6TrF">My Adoption Story</a>," YouTube</p> <p dir="ltr">"<a href= "https://youtu.be/wKCwjzdC9QQ?si=jZCKxTLgpOz2rcZX">Does Snooki Want to Meet Her Parents?</a>" Jersey Shore Family Vacation on YouTube</p> <p dir="ltr">"<a href= "https://youtu.be/BVgW0IzX6JY?si=-SyBM3wNsspuBrfw">Snooki Opens Up About Birth Mom Reunion, Next Steps</a>, " TooMuchInfo on YouTube</p> <p dir="ltr">The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen.</p> <p dir="ltr">We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our <a href= "https://adoptionpop.com/">website</a>, <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/adoptionpoppodcast/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@adoptionpop">TikTok</a>, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLraFKUgqhSF3BWagNt9Grw">YouTube</a>, <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZXqHStGmjCTKSAxUzCWpY?si=77fe1fcb532c4a1f"> Spotify</a>, and <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adoption-pop/id1853725752">Apple Podcasts</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at <a href= "http://adopteeson.com/">adopteeson.com</a> and on <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/haleyradkepodcaster">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/haleyradke">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@haleyradke">TikTok</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at <a href= "https://kristalparke.net/">kristalparke.net</a>, on <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/people/Because-Shes-Adopted/61551013663413/"> Facebook</a>, <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/">Instagram</a>, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial">YouTube</a>, and <a href= "https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial">TikTok</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at <a href= "https://sullivansummer.com/">sullivansummer.com</a> and on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesullivansummer/">Instagram</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cabs are here!</p> <p> </p>
May 20, 2026
Virgin River Season 7 (2026) – Adoption on the Small Screen
<p dir="ltr">E024 | Virgin River Season 7 (2026) – Adoption on the Small Screen</p> <p>What do you get when you take sweeping mountain views, added to a fictional town of 627 people, with a magical sprinkle from the vivid imagination of a showrunner who is also a proud adoptive parent? You get the wildly problematic, seventh season of the cozy Netflix drama, Virgin River. Listen in as podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer read between the lines of this Pop! Star favorite: thank you to Dalia, Lisa, and Karri for suggesting!</p> <p dir="ltr">Virgin River is based upon the books by Robyn Carr. Season 7 Episode 7, "It Takes a Village" was directed by Ruba Nadda, and written by Becky Hartman Edwards, Robyn Carr, and Ildiko Susany.</p> <p dir="ltr">This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on May 20, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon:</p> <p dir="ltr">Throughout this episode, Sullivan mistakenly refers to the showrunner as "Sean Patrick Smith," as he is named in one of the articles. His name is actually "Patrick Sean Smith." We apologize. (If only everyone were such sticklers for accurate representation). </p> <p dir="ltr">Nellie Andreeva, "<a href= "https://deadline.com/2026/03/virgin-river-season-7-cliffhanger-mel-jack-adoption-1236746739/">'Virgin River' Showrunner on Shocking Season 7 Life & Death Cliffhanger, Mel & Jack's Adoption Journey, Medical Utopia, LGBTQ Representation, & More</a>," Deadline (March 12, 2026)</p> <p dir="ltr">John Griffiths, "<a href= "https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/features/life-fathers">Life with Fathers</a>," televisionacademy.com (June 18, 2015)</p> <p dir="ltr">The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen.</p> <p dir="ltr">We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our <a href= "https://adoptionpop.com/">website</a>, <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/adoptionpoppodcast/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@adoptionpop">TikTok</a>, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLraFKUgqhSF3BWagNt9Grw">YouTube</a>, <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZXqHStGmjCTKSAxUzCWpY?si=77fe1fcb532c4a1f"> Spotify</a>, and <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adoption-pop/id1853725752">Apple Podcasts</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at <a href= "http://adopteeson.com/">adopteeson.com</a> and on <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/haleyradkepodcaster">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/haleyradke">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@haleyradke">TikTok</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at <a href= "https://kristalparke.net/">kristalparke.net</a>, on <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/people/Because-Shes-Adopted/61551013663413/"> Facebook</a>, <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/">Instagram</a>, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial">YouTube</a>, and <a href= "https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial">TikTok</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at <a href= "https://sullivansummer.com/">sullivansummer.com</a> and on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesullivansummer/">Instagram</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"> </p>
28 total episodes available
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This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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