STARGIRL

This week we're joined by Dr. Aumatma Simmons, a naturopathic doctor and double board-certified endocrinologist, and the founder of the Holistic Fertility Institute and Madre Fertility. Dr. Aumatma shares her journey from conventional to naturopathic medicine, research that complicates the prevailing myth of mid-30s fertility dropoff, her views on traditional intervention models (egg freezing, IVF, etc.), simple things that people can do to support their fertility (read: Vitality), and why she views fertility as the optimal lens through which to assess health

Lily Sperry is a writer and brand consultant. She runs the newsletter Health Gossip. In this magical episode, we discuss the origins of her project, the larger esoteric fairy-girl moment we're living through, and why creation is the ultimate antidote to ennui. Plus, Lily shares her definition of “health” as maintaining a “clear channel,” and we reflect on the benefits of not centering our days around consumption, why New York can feel hostile to femininity, and the connection between femininity and fertility. Thank you Lily for your wisdom and grace! Links:Health Gossip on Substack@health.gossip on InstagramLily on Instagram

*Full episode on Patreon*Checking in after a busy fall season... in this month's letter, I reflect on the current biggest sources of meaning in my life (work, creative partnership, my marriage, dance, and spirituality), voice my desire to be a formal student again, get nostalgic for the first time I encountered D'Angelo, and keep the good vibes going after the STARGIRL party last week. Sending love XOXO!

This week we welcome the writer Marisa Meltzer back to STARGIRL to discuss her new book It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin (out this week!). We discuss the myth of Jane Birkin and Marisa's project to animate her beyond a 2D moodboard figure, and use Jane as a vessel to revisit classic STARGIRL conversations such as Artist vs. Muse, Narrative Control, and Nature vs. Artifice. We discuss Jane's lifelong Lolita energy, character as a mother, natural aging process, and comfortability as a vessel for others' creative and sexual projections.Plus, I reflect on seeing Addison live after 5+ years of indulging my fixation in my imagination, give my take on the various Showgirl vibes in culture right now, and answer the elephant in the room: Is Jane Birkin a Stargirl or an It Girl?Discussed:It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin, Marisa Meltzer (2025)Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Life of Emily Weiss's Glossier, Marisa Meltzer (2023)STARGIRL episode on Emily Weiss with Marisa (2023)“Do the right thing Addison Rae…” @_artsartsarts on X“Addison Rae Wants More Than Virality” Alex Hawgood, W Mag (2025)Alix Earle on DWTS (so good!)“Margaret Qualley Manifested This Cover Story” Willa Bennett Cosmopolitan (2025)The Power Notebooks, Katie Roiphe (2020)“Why I Got a Neck Lift at 41 Years Old” Sophie Pavitt in The Cut (2025)Jane B. par Agnes V. (1988)

*Full episode on Patreon*Occasioned by her recent return to Outdoor Voices, this week we go long on Ty Haney. We examine Ty's original mission to separate exercise from performance (and how that was internalized as a “demand” to “play”), revisit the tired, left-of-basic criticism that fitness is classist, catch up on Ty's various Futurist ventures in her time away from OV, and analyze OV's attempt to stay relevant as sportswear fashion trends evolve. Plus, urgent conversations such as: Is Ty's Web3 Cowgirl vibe landing? Does fangirling over Elon Musk in 2025 need to *mean anything*? Why is my cultural imagination surrounding Austin, TX circa 2016 so vivid?Mentioned:STARGIRL episode with Lauren Gerrie - a must-listen for the soul

Welcome Lauren Gerrie, a true downtown icon and "The Body Series" embodied ;) Lauren is the co-founder of MOVES dance class, a culinary artist (and formerly Marc Jacobs' personal chef), a figure model, and so much more. Today she shares her wisdom: how dance helps us to re-inhabit sensuality and freedom, why being in tune with your cravings > following “food rules” and trends, why expensive convenience is not your best life, and the importance of rituals that elate and unify. Above all, Lauren is a joy seeker: living proof of all things vital and wild.

The scroll always stops for Miss Victoria Paris! In this Feel Good episode, we explore Victoria Paris' explosion onto the cultural consciousness and how she became the playbook of how to blow up on TikTok. We reminisce about her early content (inventive workout GRWMs, death by Stairmaster, Suede Brooks, her obsession with her “low ass,” etc.), trace her style and lifestyle evolution, examine the backlash over her spending, weight loss, and 24/7 approach to streaming, and fawn over her cute ass girlfriend Nico

*Full episode on Patreon*Happy end of Summer! In this month's letter, I offer my observations on the only cultural conversations that have captured my attention in 2025: New New Spirituality & Overall Metaphysical Vibes: Astrology's mounting cultural importance, the craze around this year's 8/8 portal, wavy ranch-y fashion, psychedelics, the non-toxic movement, push toward natural fibers, etc. The Politicization of Fitness: The growing interest in fitness is accompanied by a certain strain of panic about the “dark side” of a cultural value around health, fitness, and the body. Plus, the binary of Body as Machine vs. Body as Garden and how you can tune inward to sensation before exploding outward from neuroses…The Mythos of the Modern Conservative Women: I've been fascinated by the media's obsession with “defining” and “understanding” the modern conservative woman. What's going on here?Then, I give an update on my capital-h Healing Summer and invite you into a fall of spaciousness, routine, and uber clarity… Links:Gabi (sigh swoon) on 8/8 portalSTARGIRL Ep. 39 where I predicted this metaphysical folkloric return“Pop's Prosperity Gospel: How Addison Rae Ushered In a New Spiritual Style” Biz Sherbert in AnOther Mag“Zen and the Art of Being Jennifer Aniston” Julie Miller in Vanity Fair “2024 was the year of the Chad” Angelica Frey interviewed me about physique posting for Fast Company “Is Pilates Political?” Calum Marsh in the New York Times “Getting Fit is Great — But It Could Turn You Into a RightWing Jerk” Zoe Williams in The Guardian“Can President Trump Run a Mile?” Zach Helfand on the return of the Presidential Fitness Test in the New Yorker“Demin, Dating, and Conservativism: Inside a ‘Make America Hot Again' Party” Mandy Taheri in NewsweekSydney Sweeney for Bai Coconut Water… why

This week we're joined by Kaila Yu, author of the new book Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty.Kaila tells her story: from growing up in Southern California idolizing pinup models to working in the import car scene to appearing in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and touring internationally with the girl band Nylon Pink. We discuss the concept of the Asian fetish as it exists in pornified mass media vs. real-world relationships, its roots in American military occupation, and the genesis of the ABG trope, influence of Stargirl Sung Hi Lee, Sam Rockwell's monologue from White Lotus, and more. Kaila also shares her ultimate dissatisfaction with performing an object of desire, how she got sober, and how she's re-inhabited her body after decades of alienation from it. Big thank you to Kaila for all that you shared

Welcome to the first installment of my newest episode type, Client Testimonials, where you hear directly from my incredible personal training clients about their experience working with me as a coach.This week we hear from Miss Meghan, a true dream client based in Austin, TX. Meghan shares her full glow-up story: moving beyond her lifelong junk food habit, getting out of chronic pain, losing weight and lowering her blood glucose levels, building comfortability in the gym, feeling better naked and in her clothes, all while consistently building strength. We also discuss the perspective shifts inherent to a devotional gym routine: We debunk the idea of “fitness culture” as a bland normie influencer zone (it's actually an earnest and sensual freakshow), explore how it feels to anchor yourself to a new definition of glamour more rooted in health, and discuss the agency and liberation that comes from calorie awareness (no, learning what you're putting in your body doesn't have to be a neurotic, restrictive, isolated hellscape). Thank you to Meghan for your time and all that you shared

This week we tackle ingénue Margaret Qualley with the help of my friend and the writer/trend forecaster Holly Friend. We analyze Margaret's recent re-introduction as an explicit sex object (The Substance, her Bond Girl potential, etc.), and the many intertwined celebrity dramas that make up her myth. We explore her ugly duckling origin story, insistence on her own girlishness, luminous elven beauty, infamous lip bite, and career ambitions, and dive into the Dream/Threat latent in her marriage and creative partnership with Jack Antonoff. Subscribe to Holly's new Substack Recurring Character and follow her on IG!Discussed:Margaret Qualley alter ego “Lace Manhattan” releases new musicLena Dunham on Girls Rewatch podcastBlonde Margaret hamming it upMargaret's infamous Kenzo World campaign“Lights! Camera! Margaret!” profile in i-D (2025)“Margaret Qualley is a Maverick in the Making” AnOther Mag (2022)W Mag photoshoot with Margaret and Mikey Madison (2020)Margaret Qualley Once Upon a Time in Hollywood TikTok edits“Crush” Rachel Antonoff SS14 campaign“Tiny Moves” Bleachers music video (2024)

*Full episode on Patreon! Join the STARGIRL Patreon for access to exclusive content

Happy Addison Week! In this special episode we return to the original Stargirl Miss Addison Rae to review her debut album Addison, out last week. We talk audiovisual worldbuilding, heavy-handed references, her first real live performances, plus the attendant media rollout, Internet hysteria, and collective impulse to claim that we saw her first. We also circle back to the Artist vs. Muse debate, and I argue that her uniquely uncomplicated portrayal of her own sexuality has the power to heal internalized misogyny in 2025. We end on the question, “How does watching Addison make you feel?” and hear some responses from listeners from “little girls playing mermaids” to “embodied sensual force.” Hell yes!*Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon for access to exclusive episodes and more!*Discussed:STARGIRL episodes: Addison Rae Part I (May 2022), Addison Rae Part II (December 2024)Podcast interviews: Popcast, Zane LoweAddison by Caroline Tomkins for the NYTAddison profile in ELLEAddison album reviews: Pitchfork, the New Yorker“Body Doubles and Aquadisease” Nymphet Alumni

Lauren Kanski is the founding coach on Ladder, a strength training app that offers progressive overload training in a variety of modalities. In the five years I've followed her on Instagram, Lauren has had a tremendous and direct influence on my life: from getting me curious about the kettlebell to connecting me with leading voices in the health and fitness industry to inspiring me to embark on a career in fitness myself. She is a real-life Stargirl and was born to lead. In this episode, we discuss Lauren's unique path in the fitness industry (from pre-med to teaching yoga to grinding as an Equinox trainer to founding one of today's leading fitness apps), her tough love attitude as a coach, why calorie awareness is vital to long-term weight management, and her journey with sobriety, her marriage, and her faith. Huge thank you to Lauren for this beautiful and heartfelt episode.

This week we're joined by internet sensations Amelia and Evan of Girls Rewatch podcast to discuss Lena Dunham, two years after we first knighted her as an original Stargirl. We discuss Lena's work and life post-Girls (Sharp Stick, her new show Too Much, and her marriage, chronic illness, and perma-hibernation mode) and assess the past 10 years of self-conscious scripted comedy (White Lotus, Broad City, Fleabag, Sex Lives of College Girls, Severance, Insecure, And Just Like That, etc.). We also analyze Gen Z's reclamation of Marnie and reminisce about the Dream of mid-2010s creative Brooklyn advanced by the best TV show of all time. Listen to / watch / follow Girls Rewatch podcast, and follow Amelia and Evan

This week we travel back in time 100 years (!) to meet Edna St. Vincent Millay, girl poet and emblem of 1920s Greenwich Village bohemia. We are joined by the writer (and my former professor) Kate Bolick, who wrote extensively about Millay in her 2015 book Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own. We discuss Edna's passionate free spirit, her tragic end, and the self-renewing Dream of writerly collaboration in downtown New York. More importantly, we discuss the age old question of how to build a sustainable life as a woman artist — how to define “meaning” vs. “noise” for yourself, and how to live it out with poise.Discussed:Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own, Kate Bolick (2015)“All the Single Ladies” Kate Bolick in The Atlantic (2011)Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, Nancy Milford (2002)“How Fame Fed on Edna St. Vincent Millay” Maggie Doherty in The New Yorker (2022)The Long Winded Lady (collection of essays by Maeve Brennan in The New Yorker)

*Full episode on Patreon*This week we go long on the evolution of Julia, the woman behind the cult YouTube channel Itsblitzzz. We reflect on the many lives she's lived in her 15+ years online: DIY T-shirt reconstruction guru, yatted nightlife star, Los Angeles ASMR artist royalty, full on mommy blogger, and more. We also explore her fans' somewhat nihilistic but understandable grief over the fact that she no longer represents a scene kid cultural underbelly, the line between being a Cool Loner and plain agoraphobic, and what you lose / gain as you grow up and life gets smaller.

Welcome back to the next episode of The Body Series, where we go deep on all the best STARGIRL themes: embodiment, warring conceptions of “health” and “fitness,” and what a “mind-body connection” looks like in practice.Today we're blessed by Sasha Hanway, a coach on the Ladder app and a certified personal trainer, yoga teacher, breathwork and meditation coach, and holistic nutrition coach. We go Back to Basics mode: the importance of building and maintaining muscle as you age, why progressive overload is the most effective way to train, why people tend to overcomplicate nutrition, and how all of this plays a role in the current metabolic crisis we face in the United States.Sasha also shares her experience navigating social media as a fitness influencer, her duty to share reputable studies and research, and how to find trusted voices in the sea of online fitness content.As a former college athlete, Sasha has always loved movement, but it was progressive overload strength approach combined with deep core work that truly transformed her body. She's on a mission to help women shift their mindsets to take up space and be bold: to nourish themselves and fall in love with their bodies and movement. Her program ALIGN, found on the Ladder app, blends mindfulness, strength, yoga, mobility and deep core work, and has helped thousands of women transform their bodies and their relationship with exercise. Sasha is also a recreational runner, surfer and lives in the PNW with her husband, stepson, and rescue cat Baby Ru. Follow Sasha on IG and work out with her on Ladder!Links:“Fitness startup Ladder comes for Peloton for allegedly copying their app” Sarah Perez, TechCrunch (2024)Other voices I love on these topics: Lauren Kanski, Kelly LeVeque, Dr. Peter Attia, Dr. Casey Means, @GlucoseGoddess, @feelwellbyannaBook a free personal training consult call with Emma! (Note: I am not currently accepting new clients, but feel free to get in touch and I'll add you to the waitlist!)

This week we delve into the relentless and perverted mind of Catherine Breillat, the French filmmaker and novelist who has disturbed audiences for 50 years. Broadly consideredcinéma du corps,Catherine's movies explore the grotesqueness of sex and the body, depraved sexual longing, petulant, manipulative, and erratic women, and fraught and often violent sexual encounters.In this episode, we explore Breillat's ability to craft characters we can't stand, invert the expected power dynamics between men and women, and engender such a visceral response from her audience. We also review her many capital-c Controversies and discuss how her insistence on women's manipulative tendencies works so well in art and… less well in real life. Plus! More on Ripe / Dead psychology, a rant on Margaret Qualley from Holly, and a rave on Eileen Kelly / @killerandasweetthang from Linnea Grace. Mentioned:STARGIRL Episode 50: The Body Series with Eloise Skinner CRUSH Rachel Antonoff SS 2014 short (Margaret Qualley prototype foreshadowing…) Movies by Catherine Breillat:A Real Young Girl(1976),36 Fillette(1988),Romance(1999),Fat Girl(2001),Sleeping Beauty(2011),Abuse of Weakness(2013),Last Summer(2024)“Catherine Breillat's Unselling Cinema of Desire” Victoria Uren (2025)Catherine Breillat's response to allegations of sexual misconduct“State of Grace: Catherine Breillat on Last Summer” interview with Grace Byron inScreen Slate(2024)

This week we go back to basics and investigate what one of the world's hottest young women has to teach us about our own self hate (!). We revisit the classic STARGIRL paradigm of Ripe vs. Dead and examine the latent Threat of Dead beauty, and traverse Lily-Rose's metaphorical potential as a descendant of Hollywood Royalty, ready and willing sex object, and generational leader in her own right.We also revisit our conversation about the simultaneous crumbling of and longing for trusted institutions via a few current events: the LA fires and David Lynch's passing, the TikTok ban fakeout, and President Trump's inauguration. Plus! A Rave on classic and beloved Stargirl Sky Ferreira, from Helen

This week we go back to basics and investigate what one of the world's hottest young women has to teach us about our own self hate (!). We revisit the classic STARGIRL paradigm of Ripe vs. Dead and examine the latent Threat of Dead beauty, and traverse Lily-Rose's metaphorical potential as a descendant of Hollywood Royalty, ready and willing sex object, and generational leader in her own right. We also revisit our conversation about the simultaneous crumbling of and longing for trusted institutions via a few current events: the LA fires and David Lynch's passing, the TikTok ban fakeout, and President Trump's inauguration.  Plus! A Rave on classic and beloved Stargirl Sky Ferreira, from Helen

*Full episode on Patreon* Today we travel back in time to the early 2010s and delve into the moody, mysterious soundscape of Kelela, the singer and dance music producer who soundtracked my early twenties. We explore her evolution from Muse to a handful of forward-thinking, UK-based producers to an Artist in her own right, why she stands above the scores of more famous Alt R&B artists (FKA Twigs, Solange, SZA, Tinashe, etc.), and the ways she's employed more Narrative Control in recent years by explicitly defining her audience and who she will and won't work with. We also check in on the Club — the rules of it, who it is and isn't “for," and whether or not it's meaningfully alienating... anyone in 2025. PLUS! This episode features exclusive voice notes from my husband, weirdo music nerd, and former club kid, David

Happy New Year! In this episode of The Body Series, I share my entire fitness journey: Growing up as a ballerina to college weight gain, inactivity, and depression, finding weightlifting and getting my sh*t together, getting injured, experimenting with different styles of training, and eventually becoming a personal trainer.  I also explore the various mindsets and motivations I've had with working out, examine online fitness content vs. IRL gym culture, and opine on how we could make the gym feel sexier with different tropes, narratives, and interior design :) I believe that getting fit is a site of huge personal transformation. Doing so completely changed my identity, helped me build self trust, and even made me a stronger and more original thinker.  I have a few more 1:1 personal training spots open for both in-person (NYC) and virtual clients. Book a free 30-minute consult call with me to learn more! If you're into these ideas, check out the following: The Body Series with Dr. Cameron Yuen The Body Series with Jordan Castro My guest episode on Nymphet AlumniMy interview in Fast Company on the rise of body-centric imagery in consumer products

Happy Holidays! In this Christmas Special, we enter the timeless, charmed world of Dame Julie Andrews and my favorite movie of all time, The Sound of Music. We explore how Rodgers & Hammerstein evolved and elevated the musical as a form, the grand folk ideal of Maria von Trapp (vs. the self-conscious twee heroines of the 2010s), the actually-very-adult lessons of The Sound of Music, and the Dream / Threat of Unassailable Goodness.  My word for 2025 is Majestic — see you there ✨ Discussed: The Sound of Music (1965) “Audrey and Her Sisters” Wayne Koestenbaum in London Review of Books (1997) Julie Andrews on Julia Louis Dreyfus podcast (2024) “Maria von Trapp: The Preeminent Manic Pixie Dream Girl” Sophie Gilbert in The Atlantic (2015) Zendaya X On Running in the Alps

*Full episode on Patreon* To celebrate the end of a wild year, we've got a special, 2-in-1 episode for y'all: First, Addison Rae Part II: A return to the crux of the STARGIRL project. I delve deep into my ever-evolving, sort of twisted relationship with Addison Rae and reflect on how, when I first intercepted her in 2020, she alerted me to how far I had strayed from what I actually valued and wanted in my life. This is STARGIRL theory of the universe at its best: When we let our fixations be a guiding light, rather than something to repress or indulge ironically, we shed layers of cope and allow ourselves to actually emerge and evolve. Then, we look back at the dominant STARGIRL conversations of 2024: Spirituality, Health and Fitness, Feminine Caricature, and Nostalgia for / Mistrust of Institutions. Of note: the return to New Age dirty hippie vibes; animal based diets; the revived interest in fitness and athleticism; Brat; “Aquamarine,” modern dance, and Lexee Smith; Wicked, the totally delegitimized “arbiters of health,” Luigi….. And more.  Plus, Rants / Raves on Emma Chamberlain (c/o @tuylor) and Scout Dixon West (c/o Madeleine). Discussed: “As Time Goes By” Saint Laurent video starring Addison Addison + rude reporters at Vanity Fair Oscar Party (2022) “Grottocore” Daisy Alioto for DIRT (2024) “The Architect” Kacey Musgraves as Gwyneth in famous Goop cover Ballerina Farm feature in Evie magazine  “Aquamarine” music video Horton technique trending sound on TikTok

This week we welcome Miss Biz Sherbert and traverse the personal and cultural impact of Scarlett Johansson, perhaps the greatest sex symbol of the 21st century. We discuss the allure of pre-cultural fragmentation Hollywood, the coveted spot of Box Office Megastar X Indie Darling, and how the earthiness and wit that ScarJo pioneered got transmuted into a sarcastic hyper-relatability a la Jennifer Lawrence (shiver).  We also explore what makes ScarJo distinct among the hoards of perky blondes we roll our eyes at (Reese Witherspoon, Blake Lively, Cameron Diaz, etc.), and question if a ScarJo “lineage” is even possible. Biz Sherbert is a writer with a focus on image-making, the internet, and identity. Follow Biz on Instagram and listen to Nymphet Alumni! Discussed: Ariana Grande and Michelle Yeoh being weird af at the 2024 Oscars ScarJo on Letterman at age 13  Anywhere I Lay My Head, ScarJo's musical debut (2008) Scarlett Johansson Is the Sexiest Woman Alive, Esquire (2006) Scarlett Johansson Is the Sexiest Woman Alive, Esquire (2013) scarlett johansson shutting down sexist comments for 5 min straight ScarJo on the Goop podcast Scarlett Johansson Summons Her Superpowers, Gentlewoman (2021)Isaac Mizrahi Groped Scarlett Johansson at the Golden Globes in 2006  

Happy Thanksgiving! This week we investigate the Queen of Home Arts, Martha Stewart herself. We get inside the late ‘80s suburban decadence of Martha Stewart Living, and examine the Dream / Threat of Northeastern WASP-y frigidity. We also situate Martha in a lineage of STARGIRL domestic goddesses (Gwyneth Paltrow, Alison Roman, Ballerina Farm), explore the weirdness of transforming the Home into a stage, and reflect on who we “inherit” domesticity from in our modern era.  Discussed: *Announcement: Emma is accepting more 1:1 personal training clients! Book a free consult call here. Martha, Netflix documentary (2024) “The Promises Martha Stewart Made — And Why We Wanted to Believe Them,” Joan Didion in the New Yorker (2000) Set of Martha Stewart Living on the famed Turkey Hill Road Martha's banana bread recipe – the best! “The Making of Book 100” The Martha Stewart Podcast (2024) The 2024 Alison Roman Thanksgiving Special

Announcements: Emma is officially taking on more personal training clients, both in person and virtual! Book a free consult call to learn more here. Listen to Emma as a guest on Nymphet Alumni! A true career high.  The next STARGIRL virtual event will be Sunday, December 8 at 4pm New York time. Subscribe to the Patreon to join in! The Body Series returns this week with my dear friend Molly, a licensed social worker, who shares her experience working as a therapist in NYC. We discuss the cultural fatigue around therapy speak and “trauma,” how CBT, DBT, Attachment Theory, etc. got subsumed into (and weaponized by?) mainstream discourse, and the current trend toward somatic healing practices. We also explore the downsides of overidentifying with diagnoses, and put Molly's expertise in conversation with past Body Series guests, Emmeline Clein, Eloise Skinner, and Sloane Elizabeth. Discussed: “Overanalyzed: A series about how we fell out of love with therapy”, The Cut (2024) “Tell Me Why It Hurts” on The Body Keeps the Score, NY Mag (2023) Past The Body Series episodes: Emmeline Clein, Eloise Skinner, Sloane Elizabeth

Am I a Nicki fan? This week I'm joined by my friend Enzo Escober for a proper nostalgia trip. We reminisce about the ways that Nicki's unprecedented, cartoonish female aggression served as real catharsis during our hormonal teenage years, and why her mode of pure id is so endlessly appealing. We also discuss Nicki's contributions to 2010s Plasticity, the “Black Gaga” comparison (incorrect), and how it feels to watch her kick, bite, and scream to avoid passing the torch.  Enzo Escober is a writer and critic from Manila. He has been published in Guernica, Slate, The Drift, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. He is the co-host of Diva Discourse, a podcast about Beyoncé, and lives in Brooklyn.  Discussed:  “Nicki Minaj: Cheeky Genius,” profile in GQ (Taffy Brodesser-Akner, 2014) Nicki on Good Morning America (2011) “Broke people should never laugh” Queen Radio soundbyte “Prague” soundbyte Clip from MTV documentary Sophia Grace singing “Super Bass” on Ellen  Painting-like photo of Cardi B w/ shoeless foot Nicki on Trump in Rolling Stone: 1, 2 

*Full episode on Patreon* In this month's letter, we look at a handful of digital assets that have caught my attention this week (and affirm the STARGIRL worldview): Zendaya for On Running, Livvy Dunne's first arty editorial, and our first BTS look at Sydney Sweeney beefed up as a boxer. I also discuss Ariana Grande on SNL and explain why none of the Pop Princess contenders (Charli, Chappell, Sabrina, Tate, Camila) are Stargirls. Plus, an emo recap on my wedding, which was maybe the happiest I've ever been in my life. Discussed: Zendaya x On partnership announcement (June 2024) Short film: “Zendaya's fresh perspectives on movement” The Zendaya Edit (capsule for On) “The Body Is Art” FKA Twigs x On at London Fashion Week Livvy Dunne x FLAUNT magazine photos “No Room for Complacency in the Uncharted Stratosphere,” profile of Livvy in FLAUNT by Megan Armstrong, photos by Katherine Goguen, styling by Dylan Wang Sydney BTS shots as boxer Christy Martin GirlBossTown on TikTok predicting Sydney's Charlize Theron Monster arc last February Sydney x Dr. Squatch (this was a No for me)

This week, I chat with Kristen Lynch, a business and mindset coach (and my former yoga teacher!) who helped me take STARGIRL to the next level. Through mindset and marketing support, Kristen helps her clients turn their “passion project” into a real deal business — we discuss the importance of investing in yourself and why you have to legitimize yourself to yourself first. For Kristen (and now for me), this all ties into larger self-concept work: how you treat and relate to your body, move through the world, and co-create with the universe to step into your gifts and provide real service to the people who need your work. Kristen is a business coach for early-stage, soulful women entrepreneurs. She's had dozens of raving testimonials, been featured on global brands, & become internationally-charted as the host of the Lead Her podcast. Follow Kristen on Instagram Subscribe to her podcast, Lead Her Sign up for her free Legiz Biz email series Lean more about 1:1 coaching

To those who make contact. . . This week we tackle the original New Age spiritual guru, our beloved Marianne Williamson. We delve into her decades-long search for Maximum Aliveness, and discuss the principles that have most profoundly affected me in her work: personal responsibility, surrender, inner peace, and a belief in the miraculous.  Discussed: The Money Game “The Body Is Art” FKA Twigs x On Running at London Fashion Week A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson (1992) A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever, Marianne Williamson (2010) “Marianne's Faithful,” Leslie Bennetts in Vanity Fair, 1991 “The Divine Miss W,” Susan Schindehette in People Magazine (1992) “Marianne Williamson Is Campaigning for a Miracle,” Amanda Fortini in ELLE (2014) “Emotional Self-Sufficiency” lecture by Marianne given in 1988

*Full episode on Patreon* Felt called to share how I'm thinking about the election and, more existentially, about the value of “patriotism” and how I show up in my tiny corner of the Garden.  Discussed: On Patriotism, Reverend Orville Dewey (1859) RFK, Jr. addresses the nation (2024) Interview with Dr. Casey and Calley Means, The Tucker Carlson Show (2024) Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, Casey Means, MD (2024) Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity,  Peter Attia (2023)

*Full episode on Patreon* *Announcement* Sign-ups are live for STARGIRL in-person events in September! STARGIRL Yoga 2.0 Sunday, September 8 at 10am in Fort Greene. Meetup + 60-minute, all-levels, by-donation yoga class. Reserve your spot here! 2. Intro to Strength Training Series Every Tuesday in September, 6-7pm at RS Strength in Brooklyn. This is a 4-week, progressive program introducing you to the foundational movement patterns (deadlift, squat, kettlebell swing, strict press, etc.) using kettlebells. Jump in at any point! Sign up on ClassPass here! Show notes: Welcome back to the next episode of The Body Series! Today we have Dr. Julia Morgan, a sports chiropractor and fitness coach, and a huge inspiration for me as I've stepped into a new career as a personal trainer. Julia talks about her path from chiropractic work to strength training, and offers some expertise about the unique value of training with kettlebells. She also shares her experience as a fitness influencer, joining business forces with her husband, and building confidence through movement. Follow @drjuliamorgan on Instagram Check out Kettlebell Coach University (signups for their next Level 1 certification open 9/9!) Download Julia's 6-week Bridal Bootcamp program

Happy 50th episode! This week we tackle Livvy Dunne, the LSU gymnast and social media star. Dunne is currently the highest-earning female college athlete (valued at $3.9M in NIL sponsorships alone) and has a chokehold on young men in America. We unpack the skepticism about her athletic abilities vs. sex appeal, fit her into a lineage of Buoyant Blondes (Kate Upton let's go!), and feel out a new spectrum: fashion intellectualism vs. Feeling Good Naked. Omg! Discussed: “Diet Pepsi” Addison's new music video Lexee Smith “When Kitty Met Kat” video “The Money Game” new show on Amazon Prime about LSU and NIL  On3 NIL rankings rankings “It's Livvy Dunne's World” profile in Elle by Kayla Webley Adler (2023) Sports Illustrated cover story on Livvy and Angel Reese (2023) Livvy in SI Swim (2024) Olga Korbut's “Dead Loop” uneven bar routine (1972 Olympics)

*Full episode on Patreon* This month, we rehash the recently upwelled Ballerina Farm discourse, and I talk about what she represents to me: not a “trad wife” (outdated, meaningless term), not a hard-headed business woman, but a secret third thing. Discussed: “Meet the queen of the ‘trad wives' (and her eight children)” Megan Agnew in the Times “My day with the trad wife queen and what it taught me” Follow-up article by Megan Agnew Inspired / ridiculous TikTok edits of Hannah dancing on the prairie: here, here, here Egg apron video Hannah's response: IG Reel and full statement Christian influencers we been watching: Cecily Bachmann, Josie Conely, Lunden & Olivia on TikTok

*Full episode on Patreon* Eloise Skinner is a psychotherapist, author, and fitness instructor whose work focuses on existential themes, embodiment, and wellbeing. In this episode of The Body Series, Eloise explains the principles of existential therapy, how she's built a life that combines her many varied interests (law, spirituality, therapy, fitness, dance, modeling, etc.), how our fundamental sense of trust in the world reflects our sense of safety in our bodies, and what Eloise calls "the pursuit of aliveness." Follow Eloise on Instagram and TikTok! Discussed: Eloise's TEDTalk But Are You Alive?Eloise's most-recent book

*Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!* Announcements: 1. STARGIRL in-person event is happening! Sunday, July 28 at 10am in Williamsburg (exact location details will be emailed out), a meetup and all-levels yoga class in NYC! Fill out this Google Form to RSVP Space is limited, so serious responses only please 2. Submit your Rants and Raves! Record a 0:30 - 2:00 hot take on a Stargirl of your choice, and email it to me at stargirldirect@gmail.com. I'll play my favorites in forthcoming episodes! Show notes: This week, I'm joined by Holly Friend, a writer and trend forecaster based in London. We delve into the perverted world of Ottessa Moshfegh, one of the most commercially successful fiction writers of the last 10 years. We discuss how she unwittingly predicted / defined a cultural moment with My Year of Rest and Relaxation, her apparent obsession with self-mastery and anti-victimhood, unique sobriety narrative, and how her gross, sensory world compares to Sally Rooney's romantic, cerebral one. Holly Friend is a writer and futurist based in London. She makes sense of the world through identifying trends and narratives, which does as a freeland cultural strategist for brands, and as a fiction writer. Follow Holly on Instagram! Discussed: Diva Discourse, a Beyoncé podcast by my friends Shaan and Enzo Kim is producing and featuring in an upcoming docuseries on Liz Taylor “#TurnOutForWhat” Rock the Vote campaign video (2014) Books by Ottessa: Eileen, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Lapvona, Homesick for Another World “Ottessa Moshfegh Is Praying for You” Andrea Long Chu in Vulture Ottessa on the Bret Easton Ellis podcast Interview with Ottessa in the Guardian “Jailbait” essay by Ottessa in Granta

*Announcements!  The first STARGIRL in-person event is happening! Details will be announced on my Instagram first @emmaglennbaker — can't wait to share more and see you there!* In this week's episode, I introduce a brand new segment to the public: STARGIRL Rants and Raves! I welcome all listeners to send in a Rant or Rave on a Stargirl, person/persona you fixate on, or cultural event/moment that you love or hate. This first round was open to Patrons only, and we listen to my favorite three submissions here today! Here's how it works: Record a 0:30 - 2:00 minute-long voice note Email the audio file to me at stargirldirect@gmail.com Subject line should read “Rant / Rave” on [your subject]” In the email, please not e how you'd like to be attributed (full name, first name only, IG handle, etc.) Show notes: This week we tackle a classic Stargirl: Dame Elizabeth Taylor. I talk about the many elements of her myth that I somehow inherited—her violet eyes, “married eight times to seven men,” her health issues, etc. I decide that although Liz Taylor is indeed beautiful, prolific, and messy, her real singularity lies in her Sturdiness: She is womanly, down-to-earth, and robust. We also discuss Camille Paglia's incredible fixation on Liz, and leaf through Liz's memoir/self-help/recipe book about her own weight gain and loss, Elizabeth Takes Off. Plus, I finally acknowledge the Chappell Roan phenomenon, praise Addison for her underwater Dhanurasana, and challenge myself to discuss the election head-on, rather than roll my eyes and look away. We got this y'all! Discussed: “Sabrina, Chappell, and Charli are suddenly stars. Why now?” Mikael Wood in the LA times  Azaelia Banks on Chappell Roan Addison's underwater amazingness “Love of Country and Aloha Spirit with Tulsi Gabbard,” Jocko Podcast Excerpt from “Elizabeth Taylor: Hollywood's Pagan Queen,” Camille Paglia, originally published in Penthouse magazine (1992) Interview with Paglia on Liz Taylor, Salon (2011) Elizabeth Takes Off: On Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Self-Image, and Self-Esteem, Elizabeth Taylor (1987)

*Full episode on Patreon!* Happy July! In this month's letter, available to Dream / Threat-tier subscribers on Patreon, I give my final thoughts on "Brat Summer," dive into Azaelia Banks' recent Twitter run on today's poised-for-greatness pop stars, and ground down to the principles of manifestation/Law of Attraction that will get us all where we want to go.

*Full episode on Patreon!* In this episode of The Body Series, I interview Sloane Elizabeth, a food freedom coach and the founder of the Food Freedom Collective. She is a holistic wellness expert who helps women eat, move, and live with Love & Intuition and empowers women to stop dieting, obsessing, restricting, and playing small so that they can experience food and life freedom. She uses a unique and powerful combination of science and spirituality to help her clients heal and live their dream lives. Sloane is also a published author and has been featured on Food Network, The Doctors, SHAPE, Betches, and Authority Magazine. We discuss how intuitive eating is a result of healing (not something you do or perform), how restricting and overeating both stem from the same root wounds, and how Sloane navigates the saturated and highly charged online space around diet, weight gain and loss, and body image. Check out Sloane's website Download this free resource from Sloane on Masterclass Mentioned: STARGIRL profile in Coveteur by Katy Kelleher Sign up to take a free online yoga class with me in July! SKIMS for Team USA

*Full episode on Patreon!* Welcome to Part II of my conversation with my friend and the writer Shaan Sachdev. In this episode, we tackle Beyoncé as a Stargirl: how she handles controversy, deploys narrative control, and the Dream / Threat she represents. We discuss who she offends, and in which ways the jury is still out on her morality, despite her not being an edge-seeker in her personal life. We also wonder about what a Beyoncé successor would even look like, and worry about the decline of performance value in the singer-dancers of today. Plus, a very special announcement for our Patreon community! Beyoncé at Glastonbury (2011)  Read Shaan's work and listen to Diva Discourse Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!

Welcome to Part 1 of our Beyoncé special, with my friend and the Beyoncé evangelist Shaan Sachdev! This week, we take it all the way back to Wayne Koestenbaum's 2001 book The Queen's Throat, the seminal text on the Diva, fandom, and Vicariousness. We discuss the border between true Divadom and generalized cuntiness, and use Shaan's recent piece in the Wall Street Journal to discuss Beyoncé's supreme athleticism and what it means, then, to watch her age. Shaan Sachdev is a cultural critic and essayist based in New York. He writes about ontology, city life, and his two favorite Divas: Hannah Arendt and Beyoncé. He co-hosts Diva Discourse, a Beyoncé-centered podcast. Discussed: Tinx's podcast episode on weightlifting Alix Earle for Sports Illustrated Swim Kim Kardashian and Chloe Sevigny for Variety The Queen's Throat: Homosexuality, Opera, and the Mystery of Desire, Wayne Koestenbaum (2001) “Beyoncé the Athlete Is Adjusting to Midlife” Shaan in WSJ “The Key to Beyoncé's Lasting Success” Shaan in Slate “Beyoncé Is Finally Embracing Her Role as Fairy Godmother to the Gays” Shaan in The Daily Beast“Taylor Swift's Invisible Merchandise” Shaan in Salon

*Full episode on Patreon!* Cameron Yuen, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a performance physical therapist with a specialty in strength and conditioning, and the Director of Rehabilitation and Training and Bespoke Treatments in New York City. I worked with him in 2023 after I injured my lower back, and his coaching transformed both the way I approach training and my overall relationship to my body.  In this episode, we discuss the importance of strength, mobility, and motor control, how to approach injury and rehab, and simple ways to improve your health and longevity: resistance training, cardio, blood sugar management, sleep, and more. We also ask the question: Why is it important to have a healthy, well-functioning body? Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!

*Full episode on Patreon!* Celebrate two years of STARGIRL in this patron-only special episode, where we look back at the genesis of the project and check in on some of the Stargirls. We discuss Tinx as a DJ, EmRata as a mom, the race to represent “mainstream white America,” what the heck is up in New York, and more. Plus, breaking my silence on Addison's downfall and "the Girls and Gays" as a market segmentation. Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!

Helloooo!!! Today we're tackling the phenomenon of Paige Bueckers, college basketball star who has captured the nation's attention with her skill, swag, and heart of gold. I talk about her TikTok explosion, the sexuality that's projected onto her, and how her wholesome silly vibe makes me excited to be alive. Then, we'll hear from my little sister Nelly, a D1 runner who fills us in on all things NIL sponsorships, injury and recovery narratives, and the way Paige carries herself as a fun and faithful team leader. We also discuss the dynamic among the other top NCAA women's basketball players—Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, etc.—and Paige's choice to not declare for the 2024 WNBA draft. Follow Nell! Discussed:  Ann Manov eviscerates Lauren Oyler in Bookforum Paige and Janae Sims at the WNBA draft WNBA red carpet Amazing Paige videos: here, here, here, here Paige's speech at the ESPY Awards 2021

*Full episode on Patreon* This week we welcome the writer Tao Lin! We talk about how we live our lives—our exercise and caffeine routines, experiences with pharmaceutical vs. naturally-occurring drugs, seeking magic, conceptions of the afterlife, the healing powers of beef, and much more. We also chat about Tao's next book, on the environmental factors causing autism, and why it's scary to submit ideas to a public who's ready to tear you down. Follow Tao on Twitter! Discussed: Trip: Psychedelics, Alienation, and Change Tao's book (2018) “The Story of Autism: How We Got Here, How We Heal” Tao's essay Life After Life, Raymond Moody (1975)

This week we welcome my friend and writer/editor Alana Pockros to tackle the work and persona of Lauren Oyler. We discuss how Lauren seized authority as the millennial literary critic, how her abandonment of the “rules” makes her work difficult to engage with critically, her famous distaste for Vulnerability, the Berlin piece (...), and what it means to be both brave and mean. Plus, in my quarterly pulse check on Culture, I declare a massive return to all things folklore: earthy spirituality, magic, psychedelics, freak folk, boho chic, metal music, and more.  Follow Alana on Twitter!  Discussed: Evidence of the Folkloric Return: Joanna Newsom upcoming tour Timmy as Bob Dylan  Kacey Musgraves profile by Allison P. David in the Cut “The runway—not TikTok—brought back Boho Chic” Madeline Schulz in Vogue Business Rebecca Yarros books  Sotce and @sighswoon  Shanin Blake ayahuasca singer vibes Shawn Mendes + Hitomi: Page Six, Hola.com (lol!) Regarding Lauren Oyler: Lauren at SantaCon for VICE (2017) “The Miseducation of Lady Bird” Oyler in The Baffler (2017) “Ha ha, ha ha” Oyler on Trick Mirror in LRB (2020) “Lauren Oyler thinks she's better than you” Becca Rothfeld in Washington Post (2024) Interview with Lauren Oyler in Lit Hub (2024) Fake Accounts, Lauren Oyler (2021) No Judgment, Lauren Oyler (2024) “Dance Factory” Lauren in Harper's “What's Your Type?” Merve Emre in NYRB (2024) Rachel Comey x NYRB collab

*Full episode on Patreon* This week, we welcome the writer Emmeline Clein to discuss her new book, Dead Weight, a history of eating disorders. She explains how the medical establishment created a diagnostic hierarchy that feeds into the latent competitiveness of the disease, how the impulse to ritualize your diet can both life-affirming and self-destructive, and how cultural characters like Karen Carpenter, Mischa Barton, and Simone Weil shaped her adolescent vision of the type of woman she should be. Thank you Emmeline! Buy Dead Weight  Emmeline's website

Happy Spring! This week we explore the legacy of @treaclychild (RIP) in her ascent from Twitter darling to HBO executive producer (!!!). We explore why ironic self-debasement felt so electric in the late 2010s (and feels so boring now), the "Our Girl Made It" feeling, and what we lost as her persona drifted into caricature. Mentioned: Treadmill video Shiva Baby poster Weird moment after Balenciaga show?Polyester Zine shoot (2022)

*Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!* Hello, earth angels! This week Callie and I delve into the sensual world of our favorite YouTuber, @yaknowme_hitomi. We discuss her spiritual evolution from depressed NYC thrifter to fully realized health goddess, explore the Dream/Threat of the ethereal travel vlogger, and relish in our shared nostalgia for West Coast wanderlust circa 2013.  Mentioned: Follow Hitomi on Youtube and Instagram Hitomi's life story video (2017) Hitomi on Know Thyself podcast (2023) Follow Callie on Twitter and subscribe to her podcast, Nonfiction with Callie Hitchcock!