Cringe Benefits

Hello friends and subscribers! We're going on a brief production hiatus to put more work into all the structure behind the scenes that will keep Cringe Benefits running into the future. We'll see you in a few months! SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Buckle up and get ready to break 88: this week's episode's a lightning-fueled time warp to the glorious 80s and everyone's favorite feel-good franchise, Back to the Future. We're joined by activist and lawyer Brandt Kincaid to interrogate (ha) this classic time trip from all sides: why is it the best? Where did Crispin Glover go? Where did Tom Wilson disappear to? Why does this film have so much sexual assault? Why does this film have so few people of color? What is this "Power of Love" we keep hearing about, and why do we find it in the Old West? All this plus pets, spouses, theme park rides, and the true origins of Doc and Marty's friendship.  SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Brandt KincaidBrandt is Not on Social Media. Honestly, we applaud this excellent choice.  Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

We're on a wee holiday break this week, but Cringe Benefits will be back with an all new episode next Monday! In the meantime, we wanted to wish you the very best of all possible things in the New Year.Support Sally's Surgery with Robin Campbell! Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Robin CampbellTwitter:  @robinathefirstInstagram: @robinathefirst Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

How do you measure a show's worth of cringe? We do our best to find out in the thrilling conclusion to our two-part series on the musical that defined a generation of theater punks, "RENT." Last episode was all about what we loved then, but this week is all about what we know now: the moral weight of being a sellout, the deadly dogma of  struggling for your art, the offstage drama of Allison "Muffy" Coffin, and what a girl wants (certainly not Roger, who is the absolute worst). Not to worry, though: we measure this show with love. SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:Instagram: Sally Campbell, the Best DogNewsweek: Love Among the RuinsBookshop.org: RENT by Jonathan LarsonMarfan.org: What is Marfan SyndromeLady Geek Girl: Sexualized Saturdays - Queer Stories are Tragic StoriesThem.us: Sarah Schulman Explains How Rent Straightwashed Queer Lives and AIDS ActivismOut.com: Angel’s Gender Identity Is RENT's Most Enduring MysteryVox.com: How do you measure 20 years of Rent backlash?  SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible!We are live on the Internet - come be our friend! Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Robin CampbellTwitter:  @robinathefirstInstagram: @robinathefirst Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde 

This week we're joined by theater geek and musical theater expert Robin Campbell for long look at the catalyst of every theater kid's grunge phase, 90s musical RENT. You'll hear Part One of our thrilling conversation this week, in which we talk about the origins of the musical and its impact on us as people and artists, before turning our focus on the  common pitfalls of portraying HIV/AIDS in popular culture, the intersection of drag and gender, and the real villain of the musical (hint: not Benny.) SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:Instagram: Sally Campbell, the Best DogBookshop.org: RENT by Jonathan LarsonMarfan.org: What is Marfan SyndromeLady Geek Girl: Sexualized Saturdays - Queer Stories are Tragic StoriesThem.us: Sarah Schulman Explains How Rent Straightwashed Queer Lives and AIDS ActivismOut.com: Angel’s Gender Identity Is RENT's Most Enduring MysteryVox.com: How do you measure 20 years of Rent backlash?  SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible!We are live on the Internet - come be our friend! Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Robin CampbellTwitter:  @robinathefirstInstagram: @robinathefirst Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Cringe Benefits is back with a visit from actor, comedian, and improvisational all-star Mike McShane to talk about a little bit of everything through the lens of the legendary lone vigilante, Batman. This episode cuts a wide swath through the dark history of America's mental health system and the Dark Knight's mental health, women in comics and women in crime, and the ethics of keeping billions of dollars and a Boy Wonder in a cave under your mansion. SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:The Swaddle: The Batman‑Joker Universe Offers a Crucial Platform to Talk About Mental Health by Pallavi PrasadLeftover Salad: BatmanYouTube: Wayne Thanksgiving - SNL SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible!We are live on the Internet - come be our friend! Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Mike McShaneIMDB:  Mike McShaneTwitter: @thismikemcshane Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Welcome back to the bayou for Part 2 of our conversation with Regina Renée Russell about Disney's failed foray into cultural diversity, The Princess and the Frog. On the docket this week: what Hollywood gets wrong about voodoo, Charlotte LaBoeuf and the troublesome trope of Good White People, the long history of Black characters as animals, and more.  SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Regina Renée RussellTwitter: @reginarenee594Instagram: @reggirenee Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

This week we are thrilled to welcome back friend of the pod Regina Reneé Russell for a deep dive into Disney's last hand-drawn movie musical The Princess and the Frog, and let us just warn you: it is worse than you remember it. This week we'll cover the empty spaces in the Disney Princess Cinematic Universe, the many missteps in the journey to the first Black Disney Princess, and the many crimes against Tiana and the girls who would idolize her. There is not enough time for all of it, but don't worry: we'll be back next week with more.  SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Regina Renée RussellTwitter: @reginarenee594Instagram: @reggirenee Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

This week we Return to the Cringe with special guest Joe Raik and the conclusion of our conversation about The Lord of the Rings! Last week we leaned heavily on our love and affection, so of course this week will be a closer look at what parts of Middle Earth make us flinch: the narrative importance of blood purity, the flatness of the female characters, and Frodo's fan base amongst the alt-right against Tolkien's record on racism. On the bright side, we make time for Ultimate Boyfriend Samwise Gamgee and the many memes of our childhood. SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:PodCastle.com: Senator Bilbo by Andy DuncanRadioLab: The Ring and INational Geographic: There’s No Scientific Basis for Race—It's a Made-Up Label by Elizabeth KolbertSlate: Bilbo Baggins is a Girl by  Michelle Nijhuis SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Joe RaikWatch Joe in the New Webseries DEAD ENDERS Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Time to take a long expected journey with actor and director Joe Raik as we delve deep into JRR Tolkein's seminal masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. As is fitting a saga of this stature, we simply couldn't complete our quest in one episode. This week we'll start with our childhood memories, our favorite moments, and we'll just dip our toes in the shallow end of the cringe pool when we talk about Middle Earth's racial politics. SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:Reddit: Hilarious 50th Anniversary Edition of 'The Hobbit' (Abby's Elementary School Copy)LATimes: J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Fall of Arthur’ and the path to Middle-Earth by Elizabeth HandRevisiting Race in Tolkien’s Legendarium: Constructing Cultures and Ideologies in an Imaginary World by Dimitra FimiFrom the Mailbag: The Unbearable Baggage of Orcing by N. K. JemisinBookshop.org: The Elizabethan World Picture by E.M.W. TillyardPodCastle.com: Senator Bilbo by Andy DuncanRadioLab: The Ring and I SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Joe RaikWatch Joe in the New Webseries DEAD ENDERS Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Strap on your happy helmets, kids: you're gonna need them. This week, Abby is joined by actor, pop culture afficionado, and true crime nerd Nate Betancourt for a granular gaze at that iconic Nicktoon of the 1990s, Ren & Stimpy. Come with us for an extremely geeky discussion about the history of animation, the evolution of Nickelodeon, and the lasting impact of Spumco's particular style, followed by a harsh and flinch-worthy look at the rise and (well-deserved) fall of John Kricfalusi. Be advised: things get dark, gritty, and not at all suitable for children. CONTENT WARNING: The following episode contains extensive discussion of the sexual abuse of children and the methodology of sexual predators. While not graphic in nature, this discussion might be upsetting for some listeners. This material begins at 33:30, and continues through the end of the episode.   SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:Buzzfeed News: Drawing the Line - The Disturbing Secret Behind An Iconic Cartoon: Underage Sexual Abuse by Ariane LangeVariety: ‘Ren & Stimpy’ Creator Slammed for ‘Apology’ to Underage Girls by Gene Maddaus SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible!We are live on the Internet - come be our friend! Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Nate Betancourtwww.NateBetancourt.actorInstagram: @nate_no_chaser Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

In a world looking for sex-positive, feminism-forward entertainment, we couldn't help but wonder: was Sex in the City one giant step for women, or a giant leap back for womankind? To help us answer that question (spoiler: it's the second one), we're joined by Tsebiyah Mishael Derry, a poet, actor, singer, and New York native with more than a little to say about this show's rocky record on racism, homophobia, toxic heteronormativity, and New York real estate.   SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS:Vanity Fair: Being One of the Only Black Actresses on Sex and the City Was a “Surreal” Experience by Yohana DestaFlare: Looking Back, Sex and the City Was Seriously Problematic for Black Women by Tari NganguraIndy100: Sarah Jessica Parker admits Sex and the City failed LGBT+ peopleby Mimi LaunderMedium: Reefer Madness: The Racist Origins of Marijuana Prohibition by Natalie Papillion SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Tsebiyah Mishael Derrywww.Tsebiyah.comTwitter: @TsebiyahFacebook: @TsebiyahInstagram: @Tsebiyah Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

This week, Abby is joined by actor, producer, and filmmaker Alexandra Goodman to discuss Kenneth Branagh's cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Join us for a rollicking romp through the Claudius conundrum, where we stand on Branagh v. Thompson (the answer should not surprise you), and of course, Keaton and Keanu. Supplemental Links:LATimes: Helena Bonham Carter forgiven by Emma Thompson for Branagh affair  by Nardine SaadHarper's Bazaar: Emma Thompson’s husband Greg Wise was convinced by a psychic he would end up with Kate Winslet SPONSORS:Start Your Free 30-day Trial of Audible Today! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Alexandra Goodmanwww.AlexandraGoodman.xyzFollow RED BIRD on FacebookFollow THE SQUARE ROOT on Facebook Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Welcome to the Hellmouth: actor Becca Musser is here with host Abby Wilde to take us through this forbidden favorite of both of their childhoods. What did we ever see in Xander Harris? What was going on behind the scenes? Can we agree that Willow Rosenberg is the best of all things? (We can.) And most of all: what does it mean to be a strong female character? SUPPLEMENTAL LINKSWomen's Republic: The Problematic Feminism of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by F. R. KesbyThe Wrap: Joss Whedon Is a ‘Hypocrite Preaching Feminist Ideals,’ Ex-Wife Kai Cole Says by Kai ColeScreenRant: All The Joss Whedon Abuse & Misconduct Allegations Explained by Sandy SchaeferAV Club: Buffy’s James Marsters on the hardest day of his professional life by Esther Zuckerman SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Becca MusserFacebook: Becca MusserInstagram: @platypusinspaceRosedale Shakespeare Presents "The Gaming of the Shrew" Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde 

When you're a theater kid, you're a theater kid all the way: this week, playwright and screenwriter Monet Hurst-Mendoza (The Kilroys, Law & Order: SVU) and I take a trip down memory lane in a redux of West Side Story. Turns out we have plenty to say about cultural misappropriation, truly terribly brownface, and some ham-fisted dramaturgical racism. All this plus Broadway politics in the 50s, Hollywood culture in the 60s,  and why you shouldn't sleep with your brother's murderer. Supplemental Links:NPR: The Real-Life Drama Behind 'West Side Story' by Sara FishkoNYTimes: Let West Side Story and its Stereotypes Die by Carina del Valle SchorskeThe Hollywood Reporter: Steven Spielberg Met With Puerto Ricans About 'West Side Story' Concerns by Seth AbramovitchHuffington Post: Rita Moreno’s Shocking Anecdote About Her ‘West Side Story’ Makeup by Carolina Moreno SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Monet Hurst-MendozaTwitter: @MonetSimone Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Let the great race begin! This week I'm joined by author, playwright, and director Laura Pittenger for a breakneck journey through Jules Verne's classic novel, "Around the World in Eighty Days," with scenic detours through its adaptations for the screen and the PC. Join us as we traverse such exotic locations as, well, the white-gaze concept of "exoticism," the ever-present grasp of the British empire, yet another damsel in distress, and of course, brownface. Supplemental Links:Laura's Copy of "Around the World in Eighty Days" Wikipedia: Meg JayanthBookshop.org: "Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World" by Matthew Goodman SPONSORS:Click here for your free 30-day trial with Audible! We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Laura Pittengerwww.LauraPittenger.com Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

Cowabunga, dude! (I had to.) This week Abby is joined by guest Zev Hurwich of Aeaea Podcasting and HurwichCraft.com for a trip through time to the nostalgic 90s with your friends and mine, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Join us as we surf the sewers of unfortunate voice acting, comic book sexual politics, and bringing a katana to a gun fight.  We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Zev HurwichTwitter: @AeaeaPodcastingwww.aeaea.cowww.hurwichcraft.com Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @abbywilde 

This week, Abby is joined by New York-based actor, writer, and director Regina Renée Russell to follow their hearts through the 1994 Don Bluth classic, Thumbelina. The following interview includes but is not limited to discussions of stranger danger, Broadway legends, the distressing effects of perpetual damselment, and how fairy tales can indeed be feminist (but...not this one). Supplemental LinksNYTimes: Thank Heaven for Charo YouTube: Charo TV Special 1976 YouTube: Carol Channing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" 1989  We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: @CringeBenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Regina Renée RussellTwitter: @reginarenee594Instagram: @reggirenee Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

This week Abby is joined by comedian, podcaster, and mental health writer Reed Brice to talk about Gen X comedy's Canadian bad boys, The Kids in the Hall. Join us for a brief dissertation on gender, queer identity, mental health, how jokes work and why they matter. Y'know: simple stuff.  We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cringebenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Reed BriceTwitter: @ThatDangDingusInstagram: @thatdangdingus Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

This week, Abby is joined by New York theater-maker Laurel Andersen to talk about that classic tale of pride (or is it prejudice?), You've Got Mail, a movie that's luckily managed to age a bit better than its titular technology. Join us as we parse this 90s rom-com's myriad problems with emotional infidelity, cutthroat capitalism, the only people of color in New York, and more than a few mind-blowing moments.  We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cringebenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Laurel AndersenTwitter: @LaurelMRCInstagram: @laurelmrchttps://www.laurelandersen.com/ Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde

This week Abby is joined by Melissa Slaughter, a producer at Pineapple Street Studios and one of the hosts of the podcast, We're Not All Ninjas. Join them as they dive into the storybook world of 1980s home rental classic, The Princess Bride, where their journey will take them through the perilous lands of bad relationship models, brownface casting choices, the forgotten paradise of Blockbuster, and more.  We are live on the Internet - come be our friend!Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cringebenefitsTwitter: @CringeBenefitsInstagram: @cringebenefits Guest: Melissa SlaughterTwitter:@NotAllNinjasPodInstagram: @NotAllNinjasPod Host/Producer: Abby WildeTwitter: @AbbyWildeInstagram: @AbbyWilde