Claire and Siobhan are ready to defend some of their hottest pop culture takes. From things that are current, to the things they've been stuck on for years, this is the show that asks: what pop culture hill are you willing to die on?
Basketball is Cool, the Forest Whitaker Cinematic Universe, the Problem with (the Original) "Top Gun", and Re-Visiting "Go Set a Watchman"
Hey y'all! It's been a bit, but we're back. Before we jump in, this episode was recorded a few weeks ago, before the Supreme Court officially overturned Roe v Wade last week, so you won't hear it addressed. But as you listen we encourage you to find a way to take action and, if you're financially able, to please donate to great organizations working to protect reproductive health and access to safe abortions, such as The Yellowhammer Fund (https://www.yellowhammerfund.org/) and the National Network of Abortion Funds (https://abortionfunds.org/about/) (this is also a great resource to find local resources (https://abortionfunds.org/funds/) in your state).
On today's episode, we're diving into why Siobhan has decided "basketball is cool" from her time watching this year's NBA playoffs, Claire introduces us to the FWCU (the Forest Whitaker Cinematic Universe). Then, Siobhan deep dives into her problem with the original Top Gun's cult following, and Claire breaks down what she thinks everyone actually didn't like about Go Set a Watchman.
22 Apr 2022
The Week's Worst Take, "Everything Everywhere All At Once", Scammers in Culture, and Why "Wishbone" Slaps
WE'RE BACK AND IT'S FRIDAY! We've got a jam-packed episode this week, featuring the worst pop culture take that Siobhan found on the Internet, as well as Claire's spoiler-free, rave review for "Everything Everywhere All At Once". Then, we get into some big hills with conversations about how millennials are driving a wave of scammer content in pop culture, as well as why Siobhan thinks the PBS series "Wishbone" is a better introduction to literature than any high school class you've taken.
Content Warning: During the first mini-hill of the week and during our hill about scammer culture, there are brief mentions of rape and assault. While these are not topics we spend a great deal of time on in the context of the conversation, we wanted to ensure our audience was made aware of them ahead of listening to the episode.
Links!
"How Everything Everywhere All at Once makes the multiverse for everyone (https://ew.com/movies/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-makes-multiverse-for-everyone/)" by Christian Holub, Entertainment Weekly
"In 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' Intergenerational Trauma Is a Black Hole (https://jezebel.com/in-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-intergenerational-1848789205)" by Kylie Cheung, Jezebel
"How Scammers Became Accidental Antiheroes Of The Girlboss Era (https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/female-scammers-became-accidental-girlboss-heroes)" by Alice Porter, Refinery29
"Our Obsession With Scam Culture Raises Major Issues About The Ethics Of Entertainment (https://www.marieclaire.com.au/scam-culture-obsession-entertainment-ethics)" by Lucy Cocoran, Marie Claire
"From Fyre festival to Hustlers: why are we so obsessed with scammers? (https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/aug/28/fyre-festival-hustlers-holmes-obsessed-with-scammers)" by Adrian Horton, The Guardian
"Con artists and disruptors – TV's latest obsessions (https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220308-con-artists-and-disruptors-tvs-latest-obsessions)" by Caryn James, BBC
"The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People_Could_Fly)" by Virginia Hamilton
6 Apr 2022
Bridgerton! Aries Season! The Best Book to Movie Adaptations and Reality Dating Shows
Another week, another set of pop culture hills! This week we're covering the new season of Bridgerton and why "malicious compliance" is the theme of Aries season. Then, we get into a dual of "bests" beginning with Siobhan's pick for the best book to movie adaptation, along with Claire's pick for the best reality dating show!
Cool links:
"How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life (https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html)" by Jon Ronson, New York Times Magazine
"From the dreamy to the disappointing: We've ranked all of the Australian Bachelors (https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/the-bachelor-australia/best-bachelor-australia-63469)" by Alex Lilly, Now to Love
29 Mar 2022
Your Official 2022 Emergency Oscars Recap!
Surprise! Sometimes pop culture doesn't wait for a regularly scheduled podcast, so Siobhan and Claire are here with their burning takes on Oscar night. They break down the winners across categories, deliver takes on this year's films, and, of course, discuss the moment everyone has been talking about. It's an emergency podcast, so listen NOW!
24 Mar 2022
Turning Red! The Linda Lindas! The Best Movies About Music and Wordle Controversy
We're back! After a brief hiatus to regroup, we're back to climbing up our own pop culture hills. Today, Claire and Siobhan weigh in on Disney's 'Turning Red' and the brilliance of The Linda Lindas. Then, Claire believes she's found the greatest movie ever (EVER) about music, and Siobhan thinks this Wordle controversy is ridiculous. Get on in here and listen!
Links:
"How Did Pixar’s Delightful ‘Turning Red’ Become the Target of Sexist, Racist Controversy? (https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-did-pixars-delightful-turning-red-become-the-target-of-sexist-racist-controversy?ref=scroll)" by Fletcher Peters, Daily Beast
"Pixar’s Turning Red is an unlikely culture war battleground (https://www.vox.com/culture/22981394/turning-red-reviews-controversy-reactions-parents)" by Aja Romano, Vox
"20 Years Ago 'Josie And The Pussycats Flopped', But Its Soundtrack Deserves Another Listen (https://www.stereogum.com/2122173/josie-and-the-pussycats-at-20/columns/sounding-board/)" by Phil Freeman, Stereo Gum
"What 'Josie and the Pussycats' Taught Me About Capitalism, Government Mistrust, And Halter Tops (https://bust.com/movies/195815-josie-and-the-pussycats.html)" by Emma Davey, Bust
"'Josie and the Pussycats' Was Far Ahead of Its Time (https://www.glamour.com/story/josie-and-the-pussycats-anniversary)" by Elizabeth Logan, Glamour
"The 10 Best Movies About The Music Industry, Ranked (https://screenrant.com/best-movies-about-music-industry/)" by Nick Janks, SCREENRANT
Wordle Twitter Thread (https://twitter.com/mjshally/status/1495458810177245184)! - @mjshally
Another Wordle Twitter Thread (https://twitter.com/sarahlawsky/status/1495387733702979592)! - @sarahlawsky
24 Feb 2022
"That's Not My Name", a Pop Punk Masterpiece by Hanif Abdurraqib, and a Juno Debate!
This week, Siobhan talks about how a TikTok trend with a catchy song led her to explore the subtle ways that mispronouncing names can impact identity and self-perception. Then Claire jumps in to highlight the essay "Fall Out Boy Forever" from Hanif Abdurraqib's They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, and how perfectly it captures pop punk nostalgia. Finally, Claire and Siobhan both come to the table to discuss "Juno" and settle an age-old debate about what exactly Diablo Cody wrote about choice. It's a week of deep discussion that lead to some hot takes, so dive on in!
Cool links!
@420doggface208's Iconic TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@420doggface208/video/6876424179084709126?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.tiktok.com%2F&referer_video_id=6876424179084709126&refer=embed)
"They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us (https://bookshop.org/books/they-can-t-kill-us-until-they-kill-us/9781937512651)" by Hanif Abdurraqib
"'Juno' tackled teen pregnancy and abortion. The woman behind the film says she wouldn’t write it today. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/17/juno-diablo-cody-georgia-alabama-abortion-bans/)" by Allyson Chiu, Washington Post
"Diablo Cody Talks About Juno & 'Pro-Life' Reaction To It (https://www.themarysue.com/diablo-cody-talks-juno-reactions/)" by Princess Weekes, The Mary Sue
"'Juno': Pro-Life or Pro-Choice? (https://nypost.com/2007/12/12/juno-pro-life-or-pro-choice/)" by Lou Lumenick, New York Post
"'Juno' Writer Says It's Definitely Not An 'Anti-Choice Movie' (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/juno-writer-says-it-was-absolutely-a-pro-choice-film_n_58eb565ae4b058f0a0305501)" by Sara Bobltz, HuffPost
10 Feb 2022
Sex and the City Reboot, Fantasy Hotness, SERIAL's Legacy, and the GOAT Love Declaration
This week, Claire kicks us off by talking about how keeping Carrie Bradshaw as the villain is the only thing "And Just Like That..." got right about the world of Sex and the City. And speaking of world building! Siobhan has decided Henry Cavill is hot, but only in The Witcher. Then, we turn back the clock to revisit two lasting pieces of pop culture: SERIAL's impact on the world of podcasts, and why Parks and Rec has the greatest declaration of love... ever. It's another week of hot takes, so jump on in!
26 Jan 2022
Dabbling with Camera Turns, the Death of Celebrity Profiles, and in Defense of Don't Look Up!
We're back!! Siobhan advocates for dabbling in a world that wants focus, and Claire declares "Abbott Elementary" star Tyler James Williams the "sitcom camera turn" champion. Then, the case for why celebrity profiles are dead, and Siobhan liked Don't Look Up!
Cool links for follow-up:
Frank Sinatra Has a Cold (https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxqbHMxMDZpbnRyb3RvZG9jc3R1ZGllc3xneDo1ODNmOWIyYmM0NjVjODZl)
The Undoing of Joss Whedon (https://www.vulture.com/article/joss-whedon-allegations.html)
On “Succession,” Jeremy Strong Doesn’t Get the Joke (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/12/13/on-succession-jeremy-strong-doesnt-get-the-joke)
Lena Dunham on Her First Film in a Decade, Youthful Blind Spots and Hope to Reboot “Girls” (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/lena-dunham-interview-sharp-stick-girls-reboot-1235076390/)
Why Are People So Mad About “Don’t Look Up?” (https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2022/01/dont-look-up-satire/621256/)
“Don’t Look Up” Is a Primal Scream of a Film (https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/12/dont-look-up-adam-mckay-netflix-movie/621104/)
“Don’t Look Up” Review: Tick, Tick, Kablooey (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/movies/dont-look-up-review.html)
14 Jan 2022
Dissecting Romances and Dragging Inside Out
Siobhan and Claire get back up on their hills to debate what to make of the Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian romance. And speaking of romance! Claire defends the romance novel, and questions why "chick lit" isn't taken seriously as a viable piece of our culture, but not before Siobhan breaks down everything she dislikes about Pixar's "Inside Out."
Links:
10 Facts About the Romance Novel (https://amypennza.com/10-facts-about-romance-novel-industry/)
Romance Is a Billion-Dollar Literary Industry. So Why Is It Still So Overlooked? (https://www.glamour.com/story/romance-is-a-billion-dollar-industry)
8 Dec 2021
A Hill About Harry and Sally, Adults Playing Teens, and Our FIRST EPISODE!
IT'S FINALLY HERE! The first episode of Pop Culture Hill is LIVE, and Claire and Siobhan are jumping right in with some pop culture hills they'll fight to defend. First, in "Hills of the Week" we learn why Garcelle Beauvais is Siobhan's REAL center diamond on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and why one subplot in Ted Lasso's second season nearly ruined it all for Claire. Then, Claire accuses everyone of missing the point of When Harry Met Sally, and Siobhan breaks down the problem with adults playing teens on all the shows we love. It's an ACTION-PACKED first episode, y'all!
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