Popcorn

About Popcorn

I'm interested in popular culture: the set of practices, beliefs, and objects that embody the most broadly shared meanings of a social system, including media objects, entertainment and leisure, fashion and trends, and linguistic conventions, among other things. I'm not so much interested in fashion - anyone who's ever met me in person will verify that - but I'm curious about how we got to where we are, in terms of literature, linguistics, language, and trends in entertainment and social culture, and I'm curious about how faith fits into the picture as well.

Publisher

Steve Drost

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Mar 2020

Latest episode

27 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Jun 2026

   Harold and Nadine Again

   About six years ago, I wrote something about Harold Lauder, Frannie Goldsmith and Nadine Cross from Stephen King's The Stand. I wanted to get back to that and look at some of those characters, and others, in a little more depth.

2. 

   9 Sept 2024

   Czech, please!

   The history of beer brewing inthe Czech Republic is not exactly straightforward, but the results have been amazing.

3. 

   24 Jun 2024

   Getting serious about beer

   Borne of the flowing water, Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag, Borne of the flowing water, Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag, Having founded your town by the sacred lake, She finished its great walls for you, Ninkasi, having founded your town by the sacred lake, She finished its walls for you, Your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud, Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake. Ninkasi, your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud, Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake. You are the one who handles the dough [and] with a big shovel, Mixing in a pit, the bappir with sweet aromatics, Ninkasi, you are the one who handles the dough [and] with a big shovel, Mixing in a pit, the bappir with [date] - honey, You are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven, Puts in order the piles of hulled grains, Ninkasi, you are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven, Puts in order the piles of hulled grains, You are the one who waters the malt set on the ground, The noble dogs keep away even the potentates, Ninkasi, you are the one who waters the malt set on the ground, The noble dogs keep away even the potentates, You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall. Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall. You are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats, Coolness overcomes, Ninkasi, you are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats, Coolness overcomes, You are the one who holds with both hands the great sweet wort, Brewing [it] with honey [and] wine (You the sweet wort to the vessel) Ninkasi, (...)(You the sweet wort to the vessel) The filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound, You place appropriately on a large collector vat. Ninkasi, the filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound, You place appropriately on a large collector vat. When you pour out the filtered beer of the collector vat, It is [like] the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates. Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the filtered beer of the collector vat, It is [like] the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates.

4. 

   2 Oct 2023

   113 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

   Beer may not be proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy, but I'm happy when I drink beer.

5. 

   18 Oct 2021

   What's your story?

   The stories we tell each other about each other - and ourselves - are powerful indicators of what's important to us, and they help round out the sharp edges of our lives.

6. 

   16 Jul 2021

   Whence We Draw Our Identity

   Whether we realize it or not, language is at the core of our identity.

7. 

   10 May 2021

   Write What You Know

   What does Stephen King know about life?

8. 

   2 Nov 2020

   Can a Christian Enjoy Stephen King?

   Redemption - and hope - can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.

9. 

   11 Oct 2020

   Religious Themes in Blade Runner

   They may not have been intentional, but they're there.

10. 

    29 Jul 2020

    Everything Wrong With The Stand in 20 minutes or Less

    The Stand is a great horror story, but it's certainly not without its flaws.

11. 

    6 Jun 2020

    Eldon Tyrell Is Kind Of a Jerk

    Blade Runner: Dr. Eldon Tyrell is not the kindly old man he first appears to be.

12. 

    1 May 2020

    The Dark Man

    Everything you never wanted to know about Randall Flagg in 20 minutes or less.

13. 

    22 Mar 2020

    Coronavirus, Stu and Frannie, and Dark Christianity

    Some perspective on coronavirus, Stu and Frannie, and "dark Christianity," (whatever that means).

14. 

    14 Mar 2020

    Nadine Cross and Harold Lauder

    Talking about the bad guys - Nadine Cross and Harold Lauder are a match made in somewhere I don't want to be.

15. 

    7 Mar 2020

    Introduction to The Stand

    This episode concerns itself with Stephen King's book "The Stand." It is the first of what I hope will be a series of episodes about this book and about King's books in general. From there, I plan to broaden the subject to include other books and pop culture works - film, television, and maybe even music.

Contact Popcorn

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.