Culture Study Podcast

Why do men wear shirts under their shirts? Are you forever doomed to wear the same clothes as your 32-year-old self? Why isn't male fashion more fun? Why are all these moms still buying clothes for their adult children? WHY IS EVERYTHING IN EARTH TONES? This week we welcome Jason Diamond to the show to answer all these questions — with side trips into slutty dad jorts, aspirational dad fashion, the joys of good tailoring, what it feels like when you put on something and really feel yourself, and just generally figuring out your style as an adult. This one's very fun and very funny — a perfect summer listen.Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Start your risk-free trial of the Mill food recycler at mill.com/cultureAdd Graza Olive Oil to your summertime patio party arsenal. Visit https://graza.co/CULTURESTUDY and use promo code CULTURESTUDY today for 10% off of the TRIO!Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to https://www.wildalaskan.com/CULTUREYour dog deserves the best. Get 60% off your first box of Ollie at ollie.com/culture, and enter code CULTUREJoin the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Chances are high that you've heard about the way that “private equity” has acquired, hollowed out, and bankrupted some service, product, or company you depend on. For years, I understood the work of private equity only in the vaguest terms — that it was bad, and that it f*cked stuff up. I had to learn a lot more when I was writing Can't Even, because private equity acquisitions are one of many reasons work has become a burnout factory for so many. But I didn't fully understand the breadth and the depth of private equity's impact on our current economy until reading Megan Greenwell's Bad Company — which she started writing after resigning from her position of editor-in-chief of Deadspin after private equity acquired the site and began excavating and eliminating the very core of what it made it work. In today's episode, Megan joins me to answer your questions about how private equity actually works, how it affects industries, what companies it's historically targeted and who it's targeting now (hello, dental and vet care!) This episode will make you feel like you understand a structuring reality of our culture better — and will also help you understand why so many experiences and services just feel shittier. It's a hellscape of an episode but a deeply enlightening one! Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Get 15% off your order at ZBiotics.com/culturestudy, promo code CULTURESTUDYGet better sleep, hair and skin with Blissy and use CULTUREPOD to get an additional 30% off at blissy.com/CULTUREPODGet $75 off a Mill food recycler at mill.com/cultureGet rid of the Sunday Scaries by signing up for the Raw Signal Group newsletter at worldssecondbestnewsletter.comJoin the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

People often ask me why I care so much about parenting when I am not, myself, a parent. This question is always so weird to me — of course I care about parenting norms, because I'm surrounded by parents! The choices that parents make (in the voting booth, as consumers, as community members, as friends) have so many direct and indirect effects on my life and everyone's lives. Plus I'm always interested in how people try and make sense of a ton of contradictory information and “best practices” about how to be in the world, and whew, that is contemporary parenting right now.I'm so pleased that Melinda Wenner Moyer, author of Hello, Cruel World!, agreed to join us to unpack your questions about contemporary parenting trends — she is so good at balancing empathy (for why we gravitate towards certain strategies) with reassurance (less is almost always more). So if you want to talk about the weird ways gentle parenting rhetoric has seeped into the playground, the pressure to overschedule, and the deeply annoying professionalization of kids' sports, whew is this the episode for you. And if you're not a parent but affected by parenting practices: you'll also find so much here. This week's discussion is gonna be a good one.Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Raw Signal Group: If you're a manager doing good in the world, and you want a better toolkit for how you're showing up for your community, go to worldsbestmanagementtraining.com to find out moreMake the switch to Blueland today! Get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/cultureHead to Ollie.com/CULTURE, tell them all about your dog, and use code CULTURE to get 60% off your Welcome Kit when you subscribeArticle is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. Visit ARTICLE.COM/culture and the discount will be automatically applied at checkoutJoin the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Is it weird that I really love talking about all the ways the formative culture of my teens screwed me up? Maybe it's just cathartic — talking with someone else who's spent time in the postfeminist ideological trenches, trying to unpack all of the contradictory messaging about who we should be and how we should act. Sophie Gilbert has been deep in that muck for years writing her new book, Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves, and is here to help answer your excellent questions on how all of this took root in the ‘90s, the slutty cool baby girl ideal, the weird dude raunch movies, why we don't know how pants are supposed to fit, the abomination of Bride Wars, and much, much more. Listen and let's navigate all this accumulated sludge together. Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Get 40% off Beam's Dream Powder at shopbeam.com/CULTURE and use code CULTURE at checkout.Go to zbiotics.com/CULTURESTUDY and use CULTURESTUDY at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to Zocdoc.com/CULTURE to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

For each of these culture-of-place episodes, we look for someone who both adores a place, are very much a product of that place… and are also very much at home talking s**t about that place. They see its difficulties, drawbacks, and hostilities clearly — and can hold all of that alongside their deep and abiding love for the place. And that's Gustavo Arellano, who's been writing about SoCal culture with verve and humor and great skill for decades. (Such great skill that just a week after we taped this episode, he was named as a finalist for this year's Pulitzer Prize in commentary). I can't wait for you to join us as we talk about making dioramas of missions out of sugar cubes, car culture, conspiracy-curious crunchy-fascists in Orange County, and so much more. Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to https://www.wildalaskan.com/CULTUREHead to moshlife.com/CULTURE to save 20% off and get FREE shipping on the Best Sellers Trial PackGet $75 off a Mill food recycler at mill.com/CULTUREStop putting off those doctors appointments and go to Zocdoc.com/CULTURE to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

This isn't a bleak episode about period pain. Yes, we talk a LOT about death cramps — and all sorts of other symptoms that accompany menstruation. But we also talk a lot about how ridiculous it is that we don't talk about these things — at least not publicly, and often not even with our close friends and family members. Kate Helen Downey, host of the incredible new podcast Cramped, joins me to talk very openly about all the things we usually don't talk about and why. I learned so much in this episode. But I also laughed a lot, too. Pain isn't funny, but hanging out with others who get it — it's like a giant, glorious sigh of relief.Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Get $75 off the Mill food recycler at Mill.com/CULTURE.Ancient Nutrition is offering 25% off your first order when you go to AncientNutrition.com/CULTURE.Head to Graza.co and use promo code CULTURE to get 10% off of TRIO which includes Sizzle, Frizzle, and Drizzle, and get to cookin' your next chef-quality meal!Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Tove Danovich is the person to talk to about raising backyard chickens — at least if you want to talk about the culture and discourse swirling around raising backyard chickens. When the current administration started messaging that everyone should consider countering rising egg prices by raising some chickens in their backyard, Tove and I wanted to do an episode about what people are really talking about when they talk about getting backyard chickens. This is an episode about chickens, in other words, but it's actually an episode about ‘wellness,' regulation, MAHA, homesteading, the very real joy of being a steward to animals, and so much more. If this doesn't immediately strike you as your thing, I hope you'll give this nuanced discussion a chance.Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Head to Ollie.com/CULTURE, tell them all about your dog, and use code CULTURE to get 60% off your Welcome Kit when you subscribe today!Get 15% off OneSkin with the code CULTURE at https://www.oneskin.co/Make the switch to Blueland and get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/cultureJoin the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Tate McRae is one of the most popular artists in the world — but millions of my peers have only the faintest idea of who she is. Alternately, they're baffled by her. Is she Britney rebooted? Is she talented? What does she mean? Does it matter? After listening to Reanna Cruz guide listeners through McRae's sound on Switched on Pop, I knew I wanted them to come on the show and work through more of McRae's image. We talk about her sound, of course, but also consider her through the lens of her Canadianness, her Gen-Z-ness, her ‘organic' songwriting success on YouTube, and her popular girl vibes.Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Article: Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit ARTICLE.COM/culture and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.Zbiotics Sugar-to-Fiber: Go to zbiotics.com/CULTURESTUDY and use CULTURESTUDY at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. ZBiotics has a 100% money-back guarantee, so if you're unsatisfied for any reason they will refund your money, no questions asked.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

Here at Culture Study we're launching a new series on culture of place — it could be a state, a region, a city, so long as it has place-ness. The first in the series features Josh Gondelman, one of the place-iest comedians I know, and exactly what we're looking for when it comes to co-hosts in this series: people who love a place dearly, who are deeply intimate with its peccadilloes, but who can also generate some analytical distance from that place as we talk about insider/outsider dynamics, how race and class intersect with a place's understanding of itself, accents, tells, code-switching, cliches, and so much more. For this episode, listeners gave us so many excellent questions — from three-way beef and the allure of Dunkin, to how a city does or does not jettison a racist reputation. And because our co-host is Josh, it's also very funny. I can't wait to argue (with grace) about Boston in the comments with all of you. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.comThank you to the sponsors of today's episode!Get 15% off OneSkin with the code CULTURE at https://www.oneskin.co/Ancient Nutrition is offering 25% off your first order when you go to AncientNutrition.com/CULTURE To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

So many of you have been asking for an episode on plastic surgery culture for so long — but I knew I couldn't do it until I had the perfect co-host. Someone deeply familiar with the allure and contradictions that infuse the world of plastic surgery… but also conversant in plastic surgery as a form of gender and class performance. I needed Arabelle Sicardi — and was so thrilled when they agreed to come on the show. This conversation will take you to some very unexpected places: it will challenge you, alarm you, and I can promise you'll never look at Elon Musk the same again. This is one of my favorite episodes we've recorded — I think you'll quickly see why.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.comThank you to the sponsors of today's episode!Celebrate Earth Month and make the switch to Blueland today. Get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/cultureStop putting off those doctors appointments! Go to Zocdoc.com/culture to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Whether you've been deep in the fanfic world for years or have only heard others talk about it — we've worked really hard to make this episode for all of you. Yes, you might have to hear someone define what slash is (very useful for newbies!) but then we go deep on how fanfic is influencing genres, general fanfic mainstreamification, how and why AU (alternative universe) fics work more or less effectively with different texts, and, best of all, WHERE TO FIND THE GOOD STUFF.This is a classic case of the Culture Study Pod making the argument that even if you're not super into a cultural object/phenomenon (and especially if you are) there is so much interesting stuff to talk about — you just have to the find the right people, like our brilliant cohosts Emily and Vee, avid fanfic writers (and theorists) and cohosts of Mind the Tags.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.comThank you to the sponsors of today's episode!Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/CULTURE and use promo code CULTURE today for 10% off of TRIO!Dogs deserve the best, and that means fresh, healthy food. Head to Ollie.com/CULTURE, tell them all about your dog, and use code CULTURE to get 60% off your Welcome Kit when you subscribe today! To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

This is such a delight of an episode! We've been wanting to do a big cookbook conversation since the start of the podcast, and when America's Test Kitchen emailed to see if we'd be interested in talking to Sarah Ahn about Umma— the cookbook she put together with her mom (!!!) documenting the Korean recipes that have defined her past and present life— we were thrilled. We just wanted one more layer: what if we had a cookbook editor as well? Enter: Adam Kowit, editoral director of all books at America's Test Kitchen. You're going to learn so much about the making of this cookbook (which, as you'll see in the episode, I cannot shut up about) but also how cookbooks just generally go from a handful of recipes to an actual text. Again: what a delight, and I can't wait for your thoughts. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

It feels weird to call yourself a “None,” but according to demographers, that's what I am: one of millions of Americans who understand themselves as “religiously unaffiliated.” That means atheists, agnostics, and people who answer “nothing in particular” when asked if they practice a religion. Today, Nones make up 28% of the U.S. population — up from 16% in 2007. But just because you're religiously unaffiliated doesn't mean you don't want some of the things that often come with religion: ritual, community, ethics, care. So what does that look like? How do we find it while also avoiding culty wellness s**t? Fellow None (and atheist Jew) Vanessa Zoltan, who's currently teaching a class at Harvard on spiritual care for the non-religious, is here to help answer all your questions. (Also note: this one's for Nones and Non-Nones, people with a lot of religious experience and people with very little, people repelled by religion and people hungry for it. It might not seem like something in your wheelhouse, but if you're interested, broadly, in ideas about friends, community, how to have serious conversations, and why people get really really into Crossfit, you're going to love it) Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Why does every person who runs marathon want to convince you that you too could run one? What makes running clubs so intimidating? When people get into running, why can't they shut the hell up about it? I've asked avowed non-marathoner Raziq Rauf, author of the newsletter Running Sucks, to help address all of your running culture related questions. Yes, we're both runners; but we're also both runners who are very willing to admit that running does often suck — and also willing to interrogate the cultures (of performance, of optimization) that percolate around it. (Plus: why academics get so into running, how people use Strava as a social/dating app, and how to find people who run your pace!) Raz might have even convinced me to try a running club. Maybe. Okay probably not. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.comThank you to the sponsors of today's episode!Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare high quality, in-network doctors AND click to instantly book an appointment.Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to Zocdoc.com/CULTURE to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.Take your food to the next level with Graza Olive Oil. Visit https://graza.co/CULTURE and use promo code CULTURE today for 10% off of TRIO! To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

When With Love, Meghan — the Netflix lifestyle show starring Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex — first came out, I knew the only way I wanted to even touch that discourse was by talking about the show, as a show. How does it conform to or reject our understanding of what a lifestyle program should look it? What's Meghan's twist? And what's going on with the (predictably) weird way I knew people would respond to it?Luckily, Lilah Raptopolous — cohost of one of our most popular episodes ever, on figuring out what to make in the world of infinite recipes — wanted to talk about all the same stuff. Namely: is this an aspirational show? A relatable one? Does it have to be one or other other? Why did Netflix make such weird editing choices? How do we balance a protective impulse of Meghan, given all the very real sh*t she's endured, with an understanding that some of the decisions on this show are just odd?Lilah, Melody, and I tried to be really thoughtful in the way that we approached this discussion — and I think you'll hear that in episode. (In many ways, a podcast is the perfect place to have this sort of complicated, dynamic discussion). With that said: if you're not in the mood to hear analysis of some of the show's shortcomings, this might not be the episode for you. But if you want to sort through your own feelings (or just want to hear us sort ours!), I think this episode's pretty great — in large part because your questions were so layered and good.Today's episode is sponsored by Ollie. Dogs deserve the best, and that means fresh, healthy food. Head to Ollie.com/CULTURE, tell them all about your dog, and use code CULTURE to get 60% off your Welcome Kit when you subscribe today! Plus, they offer a Clean Bowl Guarantee on the first box, so if you're not completely satisfied, you'll get your money back.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Visit culturestudypod.substack.com To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

This all started with my desire to do a Paul Mescal episode. A listener suggested we ask Caroline O'Donoghue — author of The Rachel Incident, host of Sentimental Garbage, noted Irish person — to be co-host. We reached out, and (gasp!) she responded that she didn't actually know that much about Paul… but would be more than happy to do an episode about the “Irishification of pop culture.” Since my interest in Irish men (and movies, books, music, television, poetry) by no means starts with Paul Mescal, I was thrilled. And let me tell you: this episode is fascinating. Hilarious, expansive, weird — and I promise you it will make you see Irish Pop Culturification in a different way (and perhaps appreciate Paul Mescal even more). It will certainly make you appreciate Caroline O'Donoghue, who made me laugh on mic more than any previous co-host. She's brilliant, and this episode is so weird and good (one of those ones where we finished recording and Melody and I immediately texted each other: AMAZING). As always, I can't wait for your thoughts — come join the conversation in the comments!Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

If you're a historical romance person, all I need to say is: Sarah MacLean is here, and she is answering all the questions. If you're not a historical romance person, I'll spell it out a little more: Sarah MacLean is one of the most popular writers of historical romance today — and she's also the cohost of the incredibly popular podcast Fated Mates. She's a very good pod conversationalist, which is one of many reasons we wanted to have her on the show (that and I knew it would make Melody faint if she said yes). We talk about how the conventions and constrictions of the historical genre allow for feminist play and provocation, how historicals handle virginity, why author's first books are so often the most compelling, and so, SO much more. If you're a longtime fan (of the genre, of Sarah), you're going to absolutely love this; if not, we've got so many recommendations for starting points. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we enjoyed recording it! Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Last month, I published an interview in the newsletter with Dana Miranda about “budget culture” — and it became one of the most popular (and discussed) interviews I've done since I first launched the newsletter. At the time, I asked for questions for Dana about specific myths of budget culture for us to unpack. We got dozens of those — plus a bunch of compelling follow-up questions, like “what's the difference between knowing how much money goes in and out of your account and ‘budget culture'” and “is YNAB budget culture?” We tackle all of that and much, much more, with a bonus prolonged guest appearance from Melody about her experience with Dave Ramsey (which included cutting up her credit card in front of her class and sparked the worst fight of her marriage). I loved this conversation and have been thinking about it for weeks; I think you will too. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

I love old movies — but I didn't always! In fact, I needed many years of directed classwork to fall in love with them. But if you're not in the mood to pause your life and take on significant graduate debt, THERE ARE STILL OPTIONS, and Margaret H. Willison and I are here to offer them. In this episode, we offer specific suggestions to listeners based on short lists of their (recent) film favs, talk about “aesthetic friction” and how to overcome it, strongly invite you to put your phone in the other room, and travel all over film history in a very earnest attempt to help you find your own entry point into the expansive mansion that is “old movies,” broadly defined. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

What makes something ~Dad~? Is it pleated Dockers? A worn baseball cap? Asking (again) if you've checked your oil? Incompetency in the domestic sphere paired with competency outside of it? I've long loved thinking through both the serious and the ridiculous of Dad Culture, and for today's episode, we have an actual scholar of it (Phil Maciak, currently hard at work on a Dad Culture book) to unpack the history and theory of Dadness, including: do you have to be a dad to be part of Dad Culture (no) is Dad Culture just white middle-class boomer dads (also no) and is Bandit from Bluey too good of a Dad (maybe). Listen on, and let's Dad It Up. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

I know a lot about historic Hollywood feuds. I could do an entire episode just on the magazine covers featuring Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds circa 1959. But to do any episode on Celebrity Feuds right — particularly one that airs just days before Kendrick Lamar performs at the Super Bowl — I knew I needed a different sort of celebrity feud expert. When Joel Anderson, host of three blockbuster seasons of Slow Burn (including a canonical one on Biggie + Tupac), agreed to come on the show, I legitimately let out a little scream of delight. He has so much knowledge, context, and perspective; this episode is a dream come true. ***Note: This episode was recorded before the Grammys, and we didn't correctly predict Beyonce's AOTY win nor Kendrick Lamar's FIVE awards for “Not Like Us.”***Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

We're at the point where we know a b******t attempt to commodify our burnout when we see it. No one's buying the self-care spiel the bath bomb companies are selling us. But the rhetoric of self-care has crept into the workplace, family dynamics, and TikTok therapy speak, usually divorced from any critique of the systems that make self-care feel necessary in the first place. Pooja Lakshmin MD, author of Real Self-Care, joins the pod to answer your very smart questions about contemporary self-care in workplace trainings, in conversations encouraging everyone to GET A HOBBY!, and in advice to perfectionist women to “lower the bar.” Pooja is so clear-eyed and compassionate — and I think this episode will make you feel seen and challenged. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

I grew up skiing at a mid-size mountain in the middle of Idaho. I wasn't ever an athletic kid, but skiing — it made me feel fast and really good at something. I loved it: the routine, the long slog to the mountain, the Cup of Soup for lunch, the crappy hotels, the freedom. But the ski culture that I grew up with is largely gone, at least in the U.S. — and I've spent the last few years coming to terms with how industrial shifts, climate change, conglomeration, the explosion of the unregulated short-term rental market have changed not only who can learn to ski, but who can keep doing it. Heather Hansman, author of Powder Days, is the perfect co-host to grapple with your questions about the future of skiing, ski towns, and ski culture, including all the business nitty-gritty (and a frank discussion of what can make ski people so annoying). This is a ski conversation, but it's also a conversation about housing, and class, and city planning — and the commodification of hobbies. I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Let me start with this: this is a dream interview. If, like me, you spent a lot of time in the 2000s and 2010s reading about celebrity online, Go Fug Yourself was an essential part of your online diet. Heather and Jessica were simply unrivaled when it came to celebrity fashion in general and red carpet fashion in particular. I idolized them the same way I idolized Lainey Gossip — both of whom I read alongside all of my graduate texts in star studies. The problem with those star studies is that they were always rooted in the past. But The Fug Girls and Lainey, they were doing the analysis now, on celebs who were desperately (and often unsuccessfully) attempting to navigate the new, digital gossip landscape — and that's how they became part of my dissertation, on the history of celebrity gossip, themselves. That's why it's such an absolute f-ing treat to talk to Heather and Jessica about the present and future of celebrity gossip: they have the context. They know the history. We talk about Deuxmoi, sourcing, blinds, accounting for past shittiness, so much. Melody had to jump in like 17 times to make us explain various peak 2000s gossip terms here, so if you were part of that universe (HELLO, TOOTHY TILE) you will love this episode — but if you weren't, and you just appreciate an introspective look at how celebrity discourse works, you'll love this, too (in part because Melody made us explain stuff, she's the best). Note: This episode was recorded just before the Blake Lively/New York Times bombshell so don't get mad that we don't mention it!! Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

Thrifting has a smell, but it also has a feel. For me, the feel is of thick, almost indestructible rayon weaves; of dense, mothbally wool; of slick, ancient crinoline; of stiff and generously cut denim. It was the feel of handstitching on a dress made from a pattern, or a cracked logo on a company picnic shirt from 1975. It was not the feel of shopping at Forever 21, even though the prices were approximately the same. Like so many of you, at various points in my life I've relied on thrift stores for resilient everyday clothes and delightful dress-up/costume accoutrements. But thrifting has changed dramatically over the last fifteen years — and it's never been more popular. In this episode, Kelsey Vlamis and I break down all the reasons for its its transformation, from the rise of fast fashion to influencers making haul videos. Plus: there's a thrifting mystery we'd love to solve; listen and see if you can help us! Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

No matter where you spend your time, online or off, you've encountered some form of therapy speak. Maybe it comes from a friend who loves processing their therapy with others; maybe it suffuses your TikTok FYP; maybe your friends or family members have been using it to try and describe how they're trying to foster and maintain healthy relationships; or maybe you've just been keeping up on the latest celebrity gossip. It's everywhere — and as you'll find in this episode, tracing its proliferation will lead you in so many fascinating (and complex!) directions. I'll be real: I knew this episode would be interesting; I didn't know it would be this interesting. As soon as I heard about the new podcast Bad Therapist — cohosted by psychotherapist Ash Compton and New Yorker journalist Rachel Monroe — I knew they'd be the perfect people to help answer all of your questions about therapy speak. This is complicated s**t! We're talking about language that is often super useful to people… but can also be weaponized (GAH, THERAPY SPEAK) to inoculate those using it from critique. Weirdly, I feel like it's the perfect New Year's Day episode? I can't wait to hear your thoughts about all of it. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

As an Registered Auntie, I get to watch kids' toy trends from the backseat. I've bought annoying things (sorry, parent friends) and learned how to play new things (Beyblades, I rule) and passed down precious things (all of my My Little Ponies from the ‘80s). We could talk forever about the merits of various toys, past and present, but your listener questions this week underline that there's also a tremendous amount of anxiety and class signaling absorbed by kids' toys. So this episode, featuring toy expert Youngna Park, has it all: light nostalgia, unpacking the obsession with wooden toys, getting to the heart of why grandparents give “junky” gifts, and, of course, talking about what kids actually like when it comes to toys. If you didn't have Big Toy Feelings before, you will after this one. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Sometimes we do episodes where I know a fair amount about the subject and end up on a three minute digression about picture palaces. And sometimes I've only started to learn about a topic — or read within a genre — and am absolutely thrilled to spend an hour listening to someone else's expertise. That's what we're doing today with queer romance writer Adib Khorram: tackling your questions on everything from how to feel about queer romance written by straight people, why so many romance plots are M/M, where to find great trans romance, and so much more. And as with every episode in our romance series: you do not have to be an avid romance reader to find all of this interesting. (Although this episode might get you interested in becoming an avid romance reader!) Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

What is Quince and why is it everywhere? Who is running Albion Fit? Who buys clothes at Altar'd State? Why is Madewell so sad? This is an explainer episode, but it's also a brands-feelings processing episode, because any time millennials try and talk about how J.Crew or Madewell has changed, they're also talking about how their own feelings about fashion have changed. And no one understands the rhythms of brands quite like Caroline Moss, the host and curator of the Gee Thanks Just Bought It extended universe. Listen as we attempt to answer all of your WTF-is-going-on-with-this-brand questions and hold space, as it were, for all of you big brand feelings… and tell us what brand still mystifies you! Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Sometimes I forget just how many classes I took on the history of cinema — or that I used to teach a class on it! — but then I have a conversation like the one you're about to listen to and remember: oh right, I am a huge film history dork. This episode, featuring the brilliant Hannah McGregor, travels all over the past, present, and future of the blockbuster, from the theory of the “whammy,” to Hannah's book on Jurassic Park, from Barbie to Twisters, from why we started going to the movies to why we've (largely) stopped. It's a ROMP and incredibly listenable — perfect for wherever you're driving or to have on in the background while you chop one million brussels sprouts.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

I could talk about Nicole Kidman for hours. Very few Hollywood actors have had careers this varied, this delightful, this weird — oh, and she's also been married to Tom Cruise. She manages to be both chronically underestimated and overrated, and she's recently found herself in a slew of roles where she embodies a slew of different rich white ladies, each miserable in their own specific ways. For this episode, I'm joined by the great Sam Sanders to talk about our own Kidman Syllabi and answer your questions about her most recent roles, (not) aging onscreen, and what makes her such an effective miserable rich person. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Almost all of the public conversations about sex testing and sports — or, more to the point, who should be allowed to participate in women's sports — are pretty bad. In many if not most cases, they're outright transphobic; even in the “best” cases, they're still pretty ham-fisted. But Rose Eveleth is having a very different sort of public conversation about sex testing in their new podcast, Tested — one that looks to the way these tests affect the athletes subject to them, and how the concept of fairness in women's sports has become so fraught. For today's episode, Rose answers your questions about the history of women's sports gender panic, why men aren't subject to the same sex testing, and how the Paralympics imagines “fairness” in profoundly different ways. I absolutely loved this conversation. I think you will too. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

“Most people who complain about BookTok have never seen a BookTok.” Alyssa Morris drops that insight about two-thirds of the way through the episode, and it's such a good point that I almost want to make it the title of the episode. Most people have an idea of what BookTok is (people talking about books on TikTok) but no real understanding of the immensity of BookTok. It's talking about what you've read, sure, but it's also about recommendations, and performance, and the aesthetics of reading culture — and the criticisms of it have a lot more to do with weird ideas about what reading (or talking about reading!) “should” look like. If you're interested in reading culture, you'll be interested in this episode — full stop. Let it surprise you! And make sure to check out Alyssa's BookTok newsletter, which has quickly become one of my favorite reads of the week. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

A podcast episode on the state of podcasting? Classic Culture Study Pod. At this point in my career, I've been interviewed on hundreds of podcasts, been adjacent to the production of dozens, been the host of three pods, and even watched a fourth pod go through two years of production only to get axed. The podcasting world is so dynamic, so weird, and so complicated… and industry analyst and critic Nicholas Quah is the best person to talk about its shifts, its future, and the best stuff coming out RIGHT NOW. You asked so many good questions (about ads, about funding structures, about editing) that Nick and I did our best to answer — but I also can't wait to hear your follow-ups, because this world is ever-changing. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

You might look at the question in the title of this episode and think: duh, it's because we're weird about death. But cancer is so common, with so many different variations, with so many ways it can touch your life, in ways immediate and lasting… that of course we've figured out ways to be weird about it. Of course there are bizarre metaphors, of course we don't have space for the messy, extended work of recovery; of course there are bizarre tropes and plot lines intended to make cancer more understandable which just make so many people feel like they're “failing” at cancer when their own experiences don't fit the popular narrative trajectory. Dr. Stacy Wentworth is an oncologist, the author of the newsletter Cancer Culture, and the host of Less Radical, a new podcast about the surgeon who revolutionized breast cancer treatment — and changed the way we understand cancer today. And I knew she'd be the perfect person to talk about the way we talk about cancer, all the weirdness that can accompany it, and how that discourse has changed over time.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

You know that feeling when you and a friend get weird and detailed and hilarious about something you deeply (and maybe irrationally) hate, or find ridiculous, or can't stomach in your vicinity? It's one of my favorite versions of friendship intimacy — talking s**t about something you shouldn't dislike nearly as much as you do, because that thing is relatively trivial, but that doesn't mean that the thing itself doesn't make you want to bang your head against the wall. And that's what this week's episode is: talking about all of your strong opinions about trivial s**t. Our co-host, Krista Burton, came up with the idea — because it's a regular feature of her excellent and always entertaining newsletter (O Caftan My Caftan!). So join us as we talk about your strong opinions about gnomes, “journey” and “season,” boarding planes, late-in-life-lesbian-Tok, calling your romantic person “partner,” mullets, and a very juicy/useful AAA section about almond boomers. I can't wait to talk even MORE about all of your strong opinions about trivial s**t in the comments. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

What's the difference between a conspiracy theory and gossip? When does joking around about Kate Middleton's abduction turn into something much darker? Are women actually more susceptible to contemporary conspiracy theories — or are we just finally paying attention to it? Cristen Conger, host of the new podcast Conspiracy, She Wrote joins me to talk about Taylor Swift's evil twin, Beyoncé's illuminati connections, Katie Holmes getting impregnated by Scientology aliens, sex trafficking panics, and how to talk to someone when they start directing a conspiracy theory your way. We go deep down the wormhole in this one, friends, but I think you're gonna love it. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

You can almost hear the producers trying to sell this show to Hulu: It's hot Mormon moms… who are also swingers. Turns out only one of them was “swinging,” and the swinging was (in her words) “soft.” But it was enough to get Hulu — and now, millions of other viewers — on board with Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which tracks the interlocking stories of eight Mormon influencers in Utah. Like so much of contemporary reality television, this show is glossy, melodramatic, unhinged, and addictive. It's entertainment, sure, but it's also a way for us to think through some of our own understandings of marriage, sex, friendship, religion, and feminism — which is exactly what Sara Petersen and I try to work through in this episode. That, and whether Dakota is a paid actor. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

We've had listeners asking us to do an episode on sapphic pop for months now, and were trying to figure out who we wanted to co-host. Then Melody sent me a text: I FOUND THE PERFECT PERSON. That person is Trish Bendix, who just published a sprawling look at the past and present (and popularity) of sapphic pop, from Big Momma Thornton to Chappell Roan. I absolutely loved this conversation, where we did our very best to answer your questions about everything from the ‘80s sound in contemporary sapphic pop to Jojo Siwa “inventing” the genre. Plus we talk about “Constant Craving” at least three times (which Melody had never heard!!!!) Make sure you check out the show notes to links to all the songs we mention in the episode. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

This is a dream come true of an episode: we got the owners of The Ripped Bodice to talk to us about all the ins and outs of running a romance-only bookstore. We talk about everything from the genesis of their annual State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report to their fav recommendations for tweens and teens …..and how they deal with “vintage” romances in the store. I found everything about our discussion fascinating — plus, if you're a paid subscriber, you get very good advice on how to recommend books to others! To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

This episode is the Culture Study Podcast's version of a Just Trust Me. It's difficult to describe exactly WHY it's so good, just that after we finished recording (with Lilah Raptopoulos, host of the podcast Life and Art) Melody and I both immediately texted each other with: SO GOOD!!! The episode is ostensibly about figuring out how to cook in the world of infinite recipes, but it's also about how we pass down recipes (or gatekeep them), recipes as a form of memory making (and retrieval), recipes as heritage… capped off with some practical advice about how to organize the recipes you do have (and how to ascertain if a recipe is “good”). I can't wait for you to listen, and if you don't think you're a person that invested or interested in recipes: just trust me. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

We're more than twenty years into the current reality boom — and things are getting complicated. What are the unspoken and spoken ethics of signing up to become a reality star? What resources (about harassment and protection, about brand deals) should be made available to anyone who signs a reality contract? Are reality stars scabs during strikes — and should they unionize? WHAT MAKES THESE MELODRAMAS SO COMPELLING? WTF IS SCANDOVAL??? Hollywood correspondent Natalie Jarvey joins me to talk through it all. (And just to be clear, even if you're not a huge reality television person, this episode has something for you — I watch very little but I'm very invested in reality melodrama reality labor as labor) To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Jennifer Romolini is one of my favorite thinkers about ambition, and workism, and the stories we tell ourselves about what we must endure in order to find a modicum of security and pride — and she also happens to be a true scholar of all things Ben Affleck. Months ago, I asked her to come on the podcast to talk about the intersection of Affleck and ambition, but we held the episode for a bit to give it some distance from the (also excellent!!) J.Lo episode. But we'd had it scheduled for today for several weeks — and I'm writing this intro just hours after the news broke that Lopez had filed for divorce. The good news is that everything Jenn and I talk about re: Affleck's star image, ambition, striving, his relationship to stardom just generally — all of that still holds true. Just ignore the part when I say that I don't think they're going to get divorced. And I can't wait to hear your thoughts. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

TikTok is filled with wonders. It's SO weird. It can make you feel like the algorithm is telling you something you don't even realize about yourself….or it serve you a whole bunch of cyst draining videos. In order to answer your questions about WTF is happening in your feed, I knew I needed a weird internet aficionado who also understands the way our tech platforms actually work. I needed Katie Notopoulos. Join us as we talk about the parallel dimension that is TikTok Live, the difference between Reels and TikTok content, those bizarre “bugs all over me” videos, nail tapping ASMR, the clean girl aesthetic, and SO MUCH MORE. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Trad Wife Discourse is everywhere. It's been everywhere for a while, in part because it offers a twisted fantasy of ease to women who are attempting to negotiate life, and family, and career in a society whose policy is actively hostile to women working outside the home. But I've seen a spike in interest in the ramp-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where a Trump victory — paired with the explicit goals of Project 2025, J.D. Vance, and Christian Nationalism in general — will make trad wife life just, well, life. It doesn't happen overnight. It happens incrementally, as choices are very slowly taken from you, or made more attractive. To get to what lures women into this life, and just how difficult it is to escape, I wanted to talk to someone who gets it in a way that those lurking in the Instagram comments simply cannot. So today we're talking with Tia Levings, who left her trad wife life and, through a bunch of therapy and processing and support, figured out how she wanted to tell her story. Content Warning: In our conversation, we talk explicitly about emotional and physical abuse and coercion. If you're not in a place where you want to listen to that discussion, I'd suggest skipping this episode. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

How do the politics of taste and HGTV shows intersect? Why do we watch, why do we feel the way we do when we watch, and how is taste shaped in the process of watching? When Jonathan Menjivar, host of the fantastic podcast Classy, told me he wanted to talk all things HGTV, I was thrilled. In this episode, we discuss the aesthetics of “quiet luxury,” Ben and Erin Napier vs. Chip and Joanna Gaines, the newly ubiquitous neo-farmhouse look and so much more. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

A seven-part Netflix docuseries on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders called America's Sweethearts? Oh my god, WHAT a rich text. The uniform, the dances, the body norms, the coded language, the particular feminine ideals, the intersections with Texas culture and evangelical culture — there's just so much there. And I was thrilled when Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford, two of the co-hosts of the indispensable Vibe Check, agreed to help answer all of your (excellent) questions. (We couldn't get the rights to Thunderstruck, but you can just imagine it playing over the intro and on repeat forever.) Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

How are romance writers — and the recent romance boom — chipping away at the norms of Big Publishing? Does self-publishing lead to more diverse authors and characters? How has Amazon both expanded and limited the market? That's what we're grappling with in today's episode. Back in June, romance novelist Nisha Sharma broke down all the tropes and trends of contemporary romance. Next month, we'll have the owners of a romance bookstore explaining the the big (and complicated) business of romance-only bookselling. And today, we have Christine Larson, author of Love in the Time of Self-Publishing, walking us through the labor dynamics of romance publishing. If you like thinking about different ways of organizing labor, you'll find all of this fascinating — and if you're a romance fan, it'll make you think a lot about which books end up in front of you and why. You're gonna love it.Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

J.Lo is, as we say in the Culture Study universe, a rich text. There is so much history, so many layers of accumulated meaning, so many relationships, and so little in terms of actual revelations. She gives so much and yet offers so little! Chelsea Devantez is a celebrity memoir aficionado, a humor writer, and a newly-minted J.Lo scholar — and the absolute perfect co-host to unpack all of your J.Lo questions, like why does Mariah hate her, why can't she and Ben be happy, what the hell is going on with the new movie, and what does she actually want? Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com

Why do jeans make us FEEL THINGS? I mean, I have a lot of feelings about the “going out top,” but at least I no longer have to deal with it. Jeans, they're still here in my wardrobe, making me feel uncool. It's the actual garment, sure, but it's also a garment in constant fashion flux — and almost always designed to fit one sort of (thin) body. There's no one better to talk about big jeans feelings than Virginia Sole-Smith, who's written a four-part series on ‘jean science' and the relationship between jeans production (and jeans ‘norms') and anti-fatness. Whether you're clinging to your comfort jeans or trying to figure out what shoes to wear with a barrel leg or banishing jeans from your closet, this episode is for you. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit culturestudypod.substack.com/subscribe

Most people I know think the monarchy — any monarchy — is pretty ridiculous. And yet: most people I know also know a lot about Meghan Markle and followed the #whereiskate conspiracy theorists at least part way down the rabbit hole. They're rich celebrities, sure, but they're also embodiments of empire in decline — and I wanted to think through how royal fascination manifests differently depending on where you live, how you were raised, and identification (or lack thereof) with “your” generation of monarch. Hannah McGregor and Marcelle Kosman are scholars, podcast hosts, and Canadians — and the perfect people to navigate all of your questions about colonial hangovers, misogynoir and Team Meghan vs. Team Kate, and when and how we'll actually see an end to the monarchy. I loved this conversation, and I think you will too. Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world. If you're already a subscriber-- thank you! Join us in the discussion thread for this episode! Got a question or idea for a future episode? Let us know here. To hear more, visit culturestudypod.substack.com