Pop Cult

About Pop Cult

Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Vicky Jessop

Category

arts · arts · arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 May 2026

Latest episode

3 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

7 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Jul 2026

   What's the deal with motherhood and celebrity?

   Caro Claire Burke's book Yesteryear has become one of the hottest fiction releases of the year. But what does that say about where society is right now? With Anne Hathaway (herself now expecting a child) attached to the TV adaptation of the satirical/ tradwife project, perhaps it's time to examine what our own attitudes are towards mothers, celebrity mothers, and mommy bloggers. Plus: Vicky rants about her dislike of never-ending TV spinoffs (hello, House of the Dragon) and we examine Olivia Rodrigo's new Daisy Chain Fields within the lens of its forebear, the revolutionary (and now mostly forgotten) feminist festival extravaganza that was Lilith Fair. Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   25 Jun 2026

   Does fashion have football fever?

   Football is scoring fashion goals on and off the pitch during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From kits touted as the new must-haves to footballers on the FROW, we've come a long way from Baden-Baden when the 2006 WAG takeover was regarded as the height of poor taste. Vicky and India discuss how fashion went from deriding football fans to actively courting them, along with the unstoppable rise of Posh and Becks and the current weirdness around the England Flag as a symbol. Plus, should pop stars be subject to the stinky nappies of barrier campers? And a double bill of celebrity memoirs that deal with cults and unreliable narrators. Links: Gaffer Magazine, https://gaffer.world/ Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   12 Jun 2026

   Are we allowed to talk about Ariana Grande?

   Ariana Grande kicks off her Eternal Sunshine tour, and the early fan photos finally spark a conversation about how perilously thin she looks. But when a star doesn't want her body to be a topic of discussion, how can we talk about what's happening in front of our very eyes? Vicky and India discuss stan culture and concerts as pilgrimages, with digressions on Phoebe Bridgers' phone-free gig, CMAT's clapback at the body police, and the tragic story of trailblazing drummer Karen Carpenter. N.B. This was recorded before the news of the breakup with Links to read more: Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo look scarily thin – and it makes me uncomfortable, The London Standard: https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/wicked-ariana-grande-cynthia-eviro-thin-b1193895.html Supper skinny celebs, AntiSocial on BBC Radio 4: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002v05c Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   4 Jun 2026

   Has Botox ruined acting?

   On the face of things, Hollywood and Botox go together like Leonardo DiCaprio and dating younger women. But is that really the case? After a spate of negative headlines about both Botox'ed up stars (Anne Hathaway, that woman in Euphoria) and those who have chosen to go Botox-free (Catherine Zeta-Jones), we dive into the thorny issue of beauty and womanhood. Why do stars feel compelled to get Botox? And what does the current spate of tweakments mean for the way we watch films? Are we cursed to suffer through iPhone face forever? Also in: India dives into Paralives, her new Sims-like obsession, and we discuss the issue of Pride, and why big brands seem to be turning away from it. Apart from Levis, of course. Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   29 May 2026

   Why has Olivia Rodrigo's babydoll dress set off a moral panic?

   In May, Olivia Rodrigo wore a babydoll dress to perform at a concert in Barcelona and the internet lost its mind. Was her dress indeed "paedobait"? Was it unnecessary? Or are we, as ever, taking things wildly out of context? Vicky and India delve into the complex and political history of babydoll dresses and moral panics, as well as the horror movie phenomenon that is Obsession, and the return of 90s it-magazine The Face. Links to read more! The babydoll is back – and so is the moral panic, The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2026/may/21/the-babydoll-is-back-and-causing-all-manner-of-moral-pontification (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2026/may/21/the-babydoll-is-back-and-causing-all-manner-of-moral-pontification ) Olivia Rodrigo’s Baby-Doll Dress Was a Rorschach Test, The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/05/babydoll-dress-olivia-rodrigo/687206/ ( https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/05/babydoll-dress-olivia-rodrigo/687206/) Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   21 May 2026

   Euphoria and The Politics Of Humiliation

   How could we discuss pop culture and not mention Euphoria? As the HBO juggernaut approaches the end of its (highly divisive) third season, we sit back and unpack what all those sex scenes, OnlyFans moments and mutilations actually mean. Is it art? Or does the show have a humiliation problem - especially when it comes to its female characters? All that on episode two, as well as India's thoughts on the Devil Wears Prada 2, fast fashion giant Shein buying Everlane and much more... For people who wanted to do some extra reading: Exposing Nxivm, BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct4qg2 (https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fprogrammes%2Fw3ct4qg2&data=05%7C02%7C%7C17d3cd259c894cbea72e08deb5fdc207%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639148298631989947%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oZRtC5fRJcz7ElruCw%2F1RrKfm4iiH7T5Z%2BG3CfOQq7E%3D&reserved=0) Everlane is Selling Out... to Shein, Puck https://puck.news/everlane-is-selling-out-to-shein/ (https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpuck.news%2Feverlane-is-selling-out-to-shein%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C17d3cd259c894cbea72e08deb5fdc207%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639148298632002586%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=xfO2JRv5%2FWZ9eT0MOTvKeeboGoNF9v5ArpiNo7fpZa8%3D&reserved=0) The Idol: How HBO's Next Euphoria Became Twisted 'Torture Porn', Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/the-idol-hbo-next-euphoria-torture-porn-the-weeknd-sam-levinson-lily-rose-depp-blackpink-jennie-1234688754/ (https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Ftv-movies%2Ftv-movie-features%2Fthe-idol-hbo-next-euphoria-torture-porn-the-weeknd-sam-levinson-lily-rose-depp-blackpink-jennie-1234688754%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C17d3cd259c894cbea72e08deb5fdc207%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639148298632014560%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JjgMhewnMhgWMXHvVfgQ0YTkXypHpM3ExPm5%2BkqsC4o%3D&reserved=0) The Guardian's The Idol review https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jul/03/the-idol-finale-review-one-of-the-worst-programmes-ever-made Euphoria season 3 is a celebration of female degradation, Dazed https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/70086/1/euphoria-season-3-celebrates-degradation-women-sex-work-fentanyl (https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/70086/1/euphoria-season-3-celebrates-degradation-women-sex-work-fentanyl) Sound Alex Koff, Carnaval - Pixabay Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   16 May 2026

   Can Billionaires Buy Taste?

   Jeff Bezos bought Lauren Sánchez the Met Gala – with a Schiaparelli dress and styling by Law Roach. Silicon Valley is suddenly desperate to acquire the cultural cachet of good taste. But is a cinched waist a waste of resources? Plus, smuggling apricots into the Bafta TV Awards 2026, the trouble with Eurovision, and a campaign from Charli xcx to make rock music (and smoking) cool again. Vicky Jessop and India Block invite you to join the pop cult. Join the Pop Cult We’re India and Vicky, two journalists who love to talk about anything and everything – but most often pop culture. What makes society tick? What does the Met Gala say about the state of capitalism? And would we make good tradwives (bread: yes. Subjugation: no)? Join us as we plunge into the murky depths of the internet in our quest for answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.