We help you make sense of the cultural drama blowing up the internet. Every Wednesday, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud (Buzzfeed) is joined by Kevin Fallon (The Daily Beast) and Amil Niazi (Refinery 29, The Cut) to dissect and debate the biggest pop culture stories of the week.
From our friends at the award-winning CBC show Q with host Tom Power comes a brand new podcast called The Q Interview. It’s an intimate look at big conversations with some of the most inspiring artists and creators of our time. Hear about the joke that got Jerry Seinfeld his first big laugh onstage, how Simu Liu landed his role as a Marvel superhero, and much, much more. Find more episodes at smarturl.it/theqinterview
A new documentary about LuLaRoe has everyone talking about the sinister aspects of pyramid schemes. And: people have very strong opinions on the personal life of comedian John Mulaney — is this level of investment unhealthy? Or is this the very point of celebrity?
How did Ted Lasso, the nicest show on TV, develop a backlash for being… TOO nice? Plus: how did an advanced copy of a novel become the hottest item of the summer? We unpack the buzz around Sally Rooney’s new book. With Elamin Abdelmahmoud, Kevin Fallon and Amil Niazi.
Pop Chat is back for a second season! Every Wednesday, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud will be joined by entertainment reporter Kevin Fallon and culture writer Amil Niazi to debate, discuss and work through the biggest cultural stories of the week. Coming to your feed September 8.
Were you once rooting for Rihanna and Drake? Of course you were. Who wasn’t. Now Rihanna got rid of the matching tattoo she had with Drake — and people are upset! We get into celebrity tattoos and why we care about them. And: the movies that will save us this summer! Starting with, of course, F9. And because it’s the last episode of our season, a very special edition of Drop It In The Groupchat!
Britney's testimony in her conservatorship case left the world horrified. Writer Angelina Chapin has been reporting on the #FreeBritney movement, and she walks us through the key takeaways and what's next for Britney.
People can’t stop thirsting after Chris Meloni — we get into how we got here (probably lots of squats). Then: Victoria’s Secret wants to tell a different story. Is anyone buying it? Plus: From the bottom of Britney’s heart, we’re finally going to hear from Britney — we discuss the evolution of the #FreeBritney discourse. Note this episode was recorded before Britney took the stand and does not get into details of her testimony.
We’re getting ready for a hot intellectual property summer: Loki, Black Widow, Cruella, Fast and Furious NINE. These projects are not new per se — they’re splinters off of already bankable projects. Some say this reliance on what’s safe is killing Hollywood’s creativity. Is that true? Plus: with Riz Ahmed bringing attention to Islamophobic stereotypes in film and TV, we get into the relationship between one-dimensional tropes and the real world, and where change is necessary.
Naomi Osaka is setting boundaries, and in the process transforming the conversation about sexism in tennis. And Bo Burnham has been trapped Inside, like the rest of us — we get into his transcendent comedy special and why we don’t need any more pandemic art.
Mare of Easttown had us all glued to our TVs on Sunday nights like it’s 2003 all over again. How did that happen????? Is binging 12 hours of TV in one day done now? Are we back to the days of appointment viewing? Also, did you watch that Friends reunion? Was it satisfying? Because it could be the future of TV reunions.
The Pop Chat panel makes sense of that tragic final episode of the HBO hit! Spoilers ahead!
God, it's brutal out here. Olivia Rodrigo's new album landed to acclaim from fans and critics alike — but it's also making some people feel old. We unpack what's going on there. And how is Prince Harry so good at using the established rules of celebrity? And why is his brother.............not?
While Ellen's departure signals we may be done with a certain tone of talk shows, Ziwe's new show tells us we're in a new era of what we want talk shows to be. Plus: Mare of Easttown and TV's recurring obsession with murdered young women (and the tortured detectives who have to solve the case).
Ben Affleck torments us. One moment, he's the tragic guy sending videos to women who unmatch him on dating apps. The next, he's (maybe?) back with Jennifer Lopez, and we're all freaking out. Hate it or love it, Ben Affleck is one of the most compelling celebrities working right now — and we're going to get INTO IT.
Why is Gen Z calling millennials "Cheugy?" What does it even mean? We get into the newest battle in the generation wars. And then, pals, it is time to talk about NFTs. So sorry, we know you've been putting this off as long as you can, but now that a meme has sold for half a million dollars, we discuss how we got here, and how NFTs might reshape the online world.
Parenting and working in a pandemic has meant giving up on the idea of limiting screen time. It's the only way to stay sane. And though the 13th season's RuPaul's Drag Race just ended, next week another spinoff will launch. We look back at how the show has changed the performance of drag, and reflect on the people this leaves behind.
It was the first Oscars ceremony of the pandemic and what a ceremony it was. From heartfelt speeches that went long to Glenn Close's surprise knowledge of Da Butt and of course THAT ending, the Pop Chat panel makes sense of Hollywood's biggest night.
Amazon’s new series, “Them,” is superficially in the vein of Jordan Peele’s horror. But in practice, it’s a series obsessed with showing Black trauma. Who is the audience for this? Plus: the Oscars are this weekend. Remember the Oscars? Yeah, alright, we don’t either. We talk about what to expect.
We now have to spend hours looking at our faces in screens. The result? A noticeable uptick in plastic surgery, injectables, veneers... basically, all the ways we can change our faces. Is this reality here to stay? Plus: Netflix, baby, what is you doing? Why are these the top movies? Is the problem the algorithm? Or is it... us?
From Demi Lovato to Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, pop stars are turning to the documentary format to take control of their narrative. Is it working? And Lil Nas X had 'em shook with his new video. What the controversy over his devil lap dance says about us right now. With special guests Laura Snapes, deputy music editor at the Guardian and Craig Jenkins, music critic for New York Magazine. Trigger Warning: This episode mentions sexual assault.
David Dobrik is one of the most famous YouTubers on the planet. But after allegations of sexual misconduct against him and members of his Vlogsquad surfaced, it’s raising questions about whether the power of YouTubers should be regulated. Plus: the last season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians is here — what’s the legacy of the show?
So the stans did it. Fans manifested Zack Snyder's cut of the Justice League movie into existence, and now the rest of us have to contend with an exhausting four-hour epic. We get into why the Snyder Cut may soon be forgotten, but its release may well change streaming. Plus: we discuss the hypersexualization of Asian women in Hollywood, and anti-Asian racism with guest Tanya Chen.
The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing people he didn't exist. The greatest trick Boomers ever played was convincing young people they should fight each other. What is going on with all this Millennials vs Gen Z cringey content? How did this generational TikTok war even start? And how do Gen Xers avoid getting dragged? We also talk about the high and low points of the Grammy awards, and that awkward Billie Eilish moment.
As if there’s another story this week. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made some shocking revelations when they sat down with Oprah. It’s a lot to digest — so let’s do it together. We also dive in to the WandaVision finale and why the series expands what audiences expect from Marvel.
Gimlet Media wanted to cover the juicy scandal at Bon Appetit. Instead, it flung itself into its own scandal — one that left its crowning jewel podcast “Reply All” paused, raising questions about where it goes next. We discuss how we got here, and what it takes to get serious about meaningful diversity in media.
A new, heavily-edited Kendall Jenner photo has shocked the internet. We get into how the Kardashians have prompted new conversations about unhealthy beauty standards. We also discuss HBO's new documentary, Allen v. Farrow, and whether it could be the catalyst to force Hollywood to stop working with Allen. With special guest Scaachi Koul.
Taylor Swift is re-recording her albums to take back control over her music. A new documentary about Britney Spears reveals how the narrative about the pop star's life has never been accurate. This week, we dive deep into how the music industry machine exploits young pop stars — and how that may be changing. Featuring special guest Laura Snapes, deputy music editor for The Guardian.
Nominations for "Emily In Paris," while ignoring "I May Destroy You"? What is even going on at the Golden Globes? And what does it say about Hollywood's chronic blindspots? We also talk about the allegations against Marilyn Manson and what they reveal about abusers who are allowed to flourish out in the open, while victims get overlooked.
What are you rewatching right now? The pandemic has made us turn to the past. Whether it's through watching old shows or anticipating reboots of classics, we untangle the draw of nostalgia. With special guest Sarah Marshall, the host of the incredible podcast You're Wrong About. We recorded this one live at the Hot Docs Podcast Festival!
How did a song by a relative unknown force its way to No. 1? We talk about Olivia Rodrigo’s "drivers license" and what its climb says about TikTok’s power in the music industry. Is this the norm now? Are you getting old? Here’s your existential crisis.
