Cosmopolitics

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Cancel culture? Cancel cancel culture? That new show that just hit Netflix? Your fave is trending on Twitter? Every week, opinion writer Deborah Kwon talks about it all. Cosmopolitics is here to honestly dissect, criticize, and love all things pop culture & arts.

The Daily


    • Feb 3, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 24 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Cosmopolitics

    New York, New York, it's a helluva town

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2023 25:03


    New York City. Even just that name sparked an idea in your head, didn't it? Freshly back from her short trip in Manhattan, Deb sits with Abi to talk all about the position and meaning of New York in the public consciousness — and, naturally, they talk some about the dating app experiences in New York vs. Seattle (one has more rizz, you could say).

    Spotify Wrapped and 9/11

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2023 19:27


    Deb and Abi get *serious* and talk about post-9/11 culture when it comes to trends, but not before they both go through their Spotify Wrapped and have revelations about themselves and their listening habits.

    Swipe right, plan a date, get cuffed

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2022 26:08


    Happy cuffing season! Deb and Abi talk Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, Yik Yak, and Chicago: the big 5 dating apps.

    In or out: Wife guys

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2022 20:01


    Welcome back to Cosmopolitics! Deb is here with new co-host Abi Lee to talk all about the Try Guys and create a certified unsafe space for wife guys, with tangents about Asian identity on the side.

    A Gay Finale

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2022 28:28


    For the spring quarter finale of Cosmopolitics, Deb and Sarah watched (binged) the new Netflix series “Heartstopper.” They talk queer joy, high school reflection, representation, and tons more, while raving about “Heartstopper.”

    Diversity Is Good, Actually

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2022 13:08


    This week, Deb and Sarah talk about casting, retconning, and the casting update in the upcoming Percy Jackson series.

    ‘Don't Look Up' Could Have Been 30 Minutes Long

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2022 34:30


    This week, Deb and Sarah decided to simply waste time. AKA, they watched “Don't Look Up,” which is apparently almost two and a half hours long. This movie could have been really good for the climate change discussion, but instead it was literally everything else — and Deb and Sarah have tons to say.

    Talking ‘Turning Red'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2022 20:15


    Deb and Sarah are back for another quarter of Cosmopolitics, and they finally watched “Turning Red” (like 10 minutes before they recorded this episode). Check this for their instant thoughts on the 2000s vibes, youth cringe moments, AAVE, and the mother-daughter relationship seen in “Turning Red”.

    Squid Game (Featuring the Arts Editors)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2022 44:59


    Deb sits down with The Daily's Arts + Culture editors Josh and Anna to talk all things Squid Game. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it even still relevant? Find out all this and more on a special episode of Cosmopolitics!

    Queering the Straights' Movies

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 48:24


    You've heard of Top 10 Worst LGBTQ+ Films and Top 10 Best LGBTQ+ Films, but today, Deb and Sarah bring you a ranking of the most queer straight films. Listen for their takes on everything from “Cars” to “Thor: Ragnarok” to “Mean Girls.”

    How To Have A Relationship With ‘Harry Potter' & ‘Percy Jackson' in 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2021 30:15


    This week, Deb & Sarah talk “Harry Potter” and “Percy Jackson.” There's a lot to love and hate — especially with the series written by she-who-shall-not-be-named. Listen on to get the scoop on the merits and messiness of both series and how to enjoy (or not enjoy) problematic entertainment.

    Shang-Chi, Montero, and the Politician-Celebrity Complex

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2021 35:40


    Happy irl fall quarter! We're so excited to be back and release our first episode of the quarter — which actually took place with both of us in the same room, instead of a tech issue-heavy Facetime call. This week, we talk all about Marvel's “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” Lil Nas […]

    Copaganda

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2021 31:21


    To finish off spring quarter, Deb & Sarah take a deeper dive into cop propaganda, a.k.a copaganda, exploring the presence of cops beyond just the cop and true crime genres, and copaganda's impacts on real world perceptions of cops.

    Diversity Dissonance in Hollywood

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2021 52:08


     Deb & Sarah pass the Bechdel test, but what about most movies and TV shows? They talk all the good and bad of diversity in entertainment. Also, why is Kevin Costner in all the white savior movies? Fair warning, this is a spoiler-heavy episode: The Good Place, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Get Out, and […]

    And the Award for Putting the Cult in Culture Goes To…

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2021 33:36


    We're breathing in the fading, sort of rancid Oscars air this week to talk all things celebrities and stan cult(ure). From a throwback to that cringe “Imagine” cover last year to celebrity worship syndrome, join Deb & Sarah for a conversation about it all. Recommendation for stans: take a deep breath before listening.

    Marvel Characters: Where They Are Now

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 33:39


    With Wandavision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and more coming out this year, Deb and Sarah have fun this week assigning superlatives and politics to various Marvel characters, while reminiscing on past films.

    Girl Power in Children's Shows: Empowering or Subtly Sexist?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2021 48:37


    Spring is the season of new beginnings, and what better way to celebrate than Cosmopolitics being back? This week, Deb is joined by her new co-host Sarah Kahle, and they talk all about sexism in our fave Disney shows and how a lot of it might not have actually been “feminist AF.”

    What’s Something That Feels Like A Villain But Isn’t A Villain?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 21:09


    After spending a bit too much time on Disney+, Deb has a bone to pick with the way villains are portrayed in children’s shows, as well as how this fits into the national discussion of systemic issues and injustices.

    Inclusive Representation Includes Relationships

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 37:46


    Representation in entertainment and politics is always a hot topic. Particularly with books, movies, and shows, what’s also relevant is the dynamics of relationships. This week, Deb talks to Daily writer Tiasha Datta about their favorite (and least favorite) representations of identities in popular shows and movies.

    Celebrities Say “Vote”

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2020 15:13


    The general election has finally arrived and is semi-over. This week, Deb has some thoughts on voting, the celebrity advocacy for voting, and community care.

    So You Want To Talk About Pretty Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2020 48:50


    In an age of heightened social consciousness & aesthetically-pleasing infographics, how much meaning do terms like “BLM” & “ACAB” truly have? In this episode, Deb talks to fellow “pretty-online” UW sophomore Em Dickson about dating apps, social media, and the politics of being “woke.”

    The Week’s Highlights & Megan Thee Stallion

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2020 20:15


    Deb is joined by the dead silence of her room as she talks about a few highlights in the last week from the world of pop culture and entertainment. She also digs into why “Protect Black Women” isn’t just a slogan.

    Okay, I’ll bite: What’s Avatar: The Last Airbender?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2020 31:35


     Deb is joined by freshman Ava Lim to rave and dig into the pandemic fan-favorite “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” and what’s a discussion about Avatar without also poking at its ugly stepsister: the live action Avatar movie.

    On the State of LGBTQ+ Representation in Entertainment

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2020 35:01


    Deb introduces what Cosmopolitics is all about, and in the spirit of October being LGBT History Month, she talks queer entertainment and representation with senior Angie Ngo.

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