Prompted by the release of new album Folklore and the 2020 documentary Miss Americana, Mark, Erica, and Brian speak with guest Amber Padgett about her love of Taylor, ranking the albums/eras, Taylor as songwriter/puppetmaster, why the hate, weird levels of fan engagement, double standards in expectations for female artists, and more. Like all of our discussions, this one is … [Read more...] about PMP#58: “TAYLOR SWIFT RULES!” (Conversation with a Swiftie)
pop culture podcast
PMP#4: “Chernobyl” and the Art of Suffering
On the HBO mini-series Chernobyl. Mark, Erica, and Brian first get into the various degrees of looseness in something's being "based on a true story." Does it matter if it's been changed to be more dramatic? We then consider the show as entertainment: Why do people enjoy witnessing suffering? Why might a drama work (or not) for you? We also touch on Game of Thrones, The … [Read more...] about PMP#4: “Chernobyl” and the Art of Suffering
PMP#3: CONFORM w/ Yakov Smirnoff
Is media trying to brainwash us into being ALL THE SAME? Are the excesses of the mob scaring us into conformity? And does this in turn keep us from being actually creative, with healthy relationships? Mark, Erica, and Brian muse on cultural homogenization and a few sci-fi takes on forced sameness and then bring out our first celebrity guest, beloved comedian and now … [Read more...] about PMP#3: CONFORM w/ Yakov Smirnoff
PMP#2: Binge Watching
What counts as binge watching? Why do we do it? Is it bad for us? Mark, Erica, and Brian reveal their watching habits (growing up and now) and marvel at crazy-high stats about how much people watch. We think about what people get out of this activity, what shows work do and don't taste good in bulk, and whether watching is best done in solitary despair or as a bonding … [Read more...] about PMP#2: Binge Watching
PMP#1: Pop Culture vs. High Culture
What is pop culture? Does it make sense to distinguish it from high culture, or can something be both? Meet Mark, Erica, and Brian in this first attempt at a conversation together, featuring a special appearance by our editor Tyler. We touch on opera, The Beatles, Fortnite, 50 Shades of Grey, reality TV, and more. Some of the articles we bring up in our discussion … [Read more...] about PMP#1: Pop Culture vs. High Culture