Still Processing artwork

Still Processing

158 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 8.8K ratings

Wesley Morris and J Wortham are working it out in this weekly show about culture in the broadest sense. That means television, film, books, music — but also the culture of work, dating, the internet and how those all fit together.

Listen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp

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Episodes

America Has a Problem

December 06, 2022 21:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MB

Today: The undoing of Kanye West. “We’re in deeply vile territory, and I can’t make intellectual sense of that,” Wesley Morris says about West, who now goes by Ye. In 2004, when Ye released “College Dropout," he seemed to be challenging Black orthodoxy in ways that felt exciting and risky. But over the years, his expression of “freedom” has felt anything but free. His embrace of anti-Black, antisemitic and white supremacist language “comes at the expense of other people’s safety,” their hum...

Plastic Off the Sofa

November 29, 2022 21:00 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MB

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” came into theaters with a huge responsibility: It had to address the death of Chadwick Boseman, the star of the first “Black Panther” movie, who died of cancer in August 2020. Wesley and J discuss how the film offers the audience an experience of collective grief and mourning — something that never happened in the United States in response to the losses of 2020. They interrogate what it means that this gesture of healing came from Marvel and Disney, a corpor...

I'm That Girl

November 22, 2022 21:00 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MB

Beyoncé’s latest album, “Renaissance,” showcases a pop star letting go of all expectations. Wesley and J go deep into the album and this new era of Beyoncé. It’s an era of play, freedom, comedy and queerness — unlike anything we’ve ever heard from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter before.

New Foundation

November 15, 2022 21:00 - 32 minutes - 29.3 MB

Wesley and J discuss the push to “return to office” — and what it means for their lives, as well as American culture as a whole. What have 50 years of workplace sitcoms, from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” to “Abbott Elementary,” taught us about our romance with the office? And what do TikTok parodies and the TV show “Severance” get right about the history of labor in America? In this period of returning to so-called normalcy, Wesley and J reflect on how we can ensure that the lessons of the ea...

Summer Renaissance

November 08, 2022 21:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MB

Donna Summer’s 1977 hit “I Feel Love” is the inspiration for the final track on Beyoncé’s new album, “Renaissance.” Summer became the queen of disco in the ’70s, but her catalog goes much further than that. You can hear her legacy in decades of electronic and R&B. “She is an architect of the pop culture we experience today,” J says. In this episode, J and Wesley revisit her 1982 album, “Donna Summer” — and explore why, out of all of her music, this self-titled album is the most distinctly D...

Alien Superstar

November 01, 2022 20:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MB

J Wortham and Wesley Morris are back, just in time for Scorpio season. Ever since they watched Jordan Peele’s latest film, “Nope,” together over the summer, they haven’t been able to stop talking about it. The film stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as siblings whose family horse ranch is threatened by an otherworldly creature. But instead of escaping or destroying the monster, they are determined to take a picture of it. Why is proof so important? And what does it mean to be believed?  T...

We Belong Together

June 16, 2022 10:00 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MB

Reunited at last, J Wortham joins Wesley Morris in the studio for the last episode of the season. They reflect on the challenges of being apart for almost a year while J was on book leave. How did J deal with the inevitable stretches of loneliness? How do you re-enter your home and your relationships after so much time away? J and Wesley discuss how they managed to stay connected over the past year, and the role of community and intimacy in moments of tragedy.

When Your Neighbor’s the Highway

June 09, 2022 21:14 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MB

Today, Wesley leaves the studio – and goes home. He embarks on a journey that involves a car named Khad'ija, a tireless 92-year-old activist and one Chinatown. Last year, President Biden signed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill into law. One part of the initiative especially struck Wesley: the federal government’s acknowledgment that its mid-century push to build a massive highway system had caused suffering. Wesley started thinking about a highway that he sometimes crossed as a kid in Phila...

‘This Is How We Do It’

June 02, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MB

It’s an unforgettable hip-hop relic, a jam whose opening six words alone make you want to party. Wesley has heard “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan countless times since he was a teenager, but it wasn’t until hearing it recently at the gym that he had an epiphany: It’s a country song. It belongs to a long tradition of country music that expresses love and respect for one's hometown.  Wesley explores other songs that have changed in meaning for him over the years (like “Losing My Reli...

And a Britney Song Was On …

June 02, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MB

"This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan is an unforgettable hip-hop relic, a jam whose opening six words alone make you want to party. Wesley has heard this 1995 hit countless times since he was a teenager, but it wasn’t until hearing it recently at the gym that he had an epiphany: It’s a country song. It belongs to a long tradition of country music that expresses love and respect for one's hometown.  Wesley explores other songs that have changed in meaning for him over the years (like “Lo...

Sweat Equity

May 26, 2022 10:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MB

When Wesley was 11, he wanted to be just like Sandra from the sitcom “227,” played by Jackée Harry. Sandra was sassy, boisterous and always got what she wanted. But it took reading Margo Jefferson’s latest book, “Constructing a Nervous System: A Memoir,” for Wesley understand the complexity of this memory. On today's episode, Wesley and Margo Jefferson sift through their most deep-rooted, and sometimes difficult-to-explain cultural influences. Why did Margo adore the scatting of Ella Fitzger...

Can Athletes Ever Be Movie Stars?

May 19, 2022 20:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

What happens when athletes decide to act? And what doesn’t happen? Wesley Morris and Bill Simmons, sportswriter and founder of The Ringer, break down the history of athletes in movies. They start with Jackie Robinson playing himself in 1950, discuss the Blaxpoitation-era stars and make their way to the ’90s, from “He Got Game” (where Ray Allen turns in a solid performance opposite Denzel Washington, directed by Spike Lee) to “Space Jam” (the less said, the better). They trace this phenomenon...

Keanu

May 12, 2022 20:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MB

Wesley wants to get to the bottom of Keanu Reeves — and to understand “why we get so much out of a movie star who appears to give us so little.” He’s joined by Alex Pappademas, the author of “Keanu Reeves: Most Triumphant: The Movies and Meaning of an Irrepressible Icon,” to solve this mystery. They discuss Keanu’s three-decade acting career, how he became the internet’s adorably tragic boyfriend and why we are seeing ourselves when we look at the actor. Click here for more information abou...

Sex, Death & Bunnies

May 05, 2022 20:21 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

"Fatal Attraction" came out in 1987 when Wesley was 11, and it made a permanent impression on the way he thinks about certain aspects of lust and suspense. With Jenna away on book leave, he welcomed Parul Sehgal, a staff writer at The New Yorker, to the show. Both Wesley and Parul watched “Fatal Attraction” over and over as preteens, and they’ve rewatched it multiple times in the years since. As they break down the most powerful scenes, they are reminded of the loss of high-stakes sex onscre...

Where'd All the Method Acting Go?

April 28, 2022 20:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MB

In the 20th century, method acting was everywhere. Actors went to extreme lengths to inhabit the complicated psyche of a character, sometimes making audiences deeply uncomfortable. Think Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull” or Marlon Brando in “Apocalypse Now.” But in 2022, in our heyday of superhero blockbusters and bingeable story lines, the Method seems to be fading away. Wesley invites Isaac Butler — critic, historian and author of “The Method: How the 20th Century Learned to Act” — to dissec...

Skip Intro

April 21, 2022 20:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

Wesley worries the “skip intro” button is killing the TV theme song. He takes his concern to his friend Hanif Abdurraqib, a poet, music critic and MacArthur “genius grant” winner. Together, they explore their childhood memories of “Good Times,” “The Wonder Years” and “The Jeffersons.” Then, producer Hans Buetow unearths a rendition of a theme song that blows their minds — and they vow never to hit “skip intro” on it. We have a special request: Can you identify the choir that is singing the ...

American Top 40

April 14, 2022 20:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB

Wesley has been obsessed with lists since he was a child — think Casey Kasem’s American Top 40, the Academy Awards and Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Albums of All Time. Now, he wants to think more seriously about expanding what we call the canon, making sure more people have a say in which works of art are considered great, enduring and important. For guidance, Wesley sits down with Daphne A. Brooks, an academic, critic and music lover, to ask whether expanding the canon is even the right way to ...

A New Season of 'Still Processing'

April 07, 2022 20:00 - 4 minutes - 4.53 MB

We’re back with a new season on April 14! Jenna Wortham is on book leave, so Wesley Morris will be taking on solo hosting duties for much of this spring. He will be joined by a stellar cast of guests, including Daphne Brooks to talk pop culture hierarchies, Hanif Abdurraqib to examine television theme songs (and that polarizing “skip intro” button) and Bill Simmons on what happens when athletes try to act. We can’t kick off this season, however, without first hearing about what Jenna has bee...

'Before I Let Go'

May 20, 2021 20:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MB

When the three opening notes of the song hit, there’s only one thing to do: Find your people and dance. Today, we’re talking about “Before I Let Go,” by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, and the song’s unique ability to gather and galvanize. It wasn’t a huge hit when it came out in 1981, but it has become a unifying Black anthem and an unfailing source of joy. We dissect Beyoncé’s cover, and we hear from friends, listeners and the Philadelphia DJ Patty Jackson about their memories of the class...

The People in the Neighborhood

May 13, 2021 20:00 - 39 minutes - 36.1 MB

A powerful — and revealing — aspect of the Derek Chauvin trial was the community it created out of strangers. Week later, we’re still thinking about the witnesses, and the way they were connected in telling the story of how George Floyd lost his life. This phenomenon is reflected in works of art, like Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” which explores the conflict inherent in a community. You can find more info on today's episode here. 

We, Tina

May 06, 2021 20:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MB

She’s simply the best. A new documentary on HBO (called, simply, “Tina”) explores Tina Turner’s tremendous triumphs, but we wanted to go deeper. We talk about how her entire career was an act of repossession: Taking back her name, her voice, her image, her vitality and her spirituality made her one of the biggest rock stars in the world, even in her 50s.  You can find more info about today's episode here, and follow Wesley’s playlist of his top Tina Turner songs.  Also, Jenna and Wesley wa...

Cathy Park Hong

April 29, 2021 20:00 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MB

The Asian-American poet wants to help women and people of color find healing — and clarity — in their rage. Hong's book of essays, “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning," came out in February 2020, and it’s taken on new urgency with the rise in anti-Asian violence and discrimination during the pandemic.  You can find more info on today's episode here. And check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our series on Asian-American racism from 2018.       

Lil Nas X? Not Sorry!

April 15, 2021 20:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MB

Social media apologies have become the standard celebrity response to internet outrage. But why do they feel so deeply inadequate? Jenna and Wesley dissect a new spate of public apologies from the last year. And they look to the activist and writer adrienne maree brown for an example of a “fully evolved” apology. You can find more info about today’s show here. And in our April 29 episode, we’ll be discussing the book “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning” by Cathy Park Hong. Read it ...

40 Acres and a Movie

April 08, 2021 20:00 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MB

Disney owns a piece of every living person’s childhood. Now it owns Marvel Studios, too. Jenna and Wesley look at depictions of racist tropes and stereotypes in Disney’s ever-expanding catalog. The company has made recent attempts to atone for its past. But can it move forward without repeating the same mistakes? You can find more info about today’s episode here. And in our April 29 episode, we’ll be discussing the book “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning” by Cathy Park Hong. Send ...

No Country for Any Men

April 01, 2021 20:00 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MB

“Promising Young Woman” is one of this year’s major Oscar contenders. It’s a dark revenge fantasy that asks a sweeping moral question: What if there are no good men? Wesley and Jenna go deep into the film and consider what it gets right — and wrong — about sexual assault and justice. Beware: There will be spoilers. You can find more info about today’s show here. And in our April 29 episode, we’ll be discussing the book “Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning” by Cathy Park Hong. Read i...

Now That's What I Call a Bridge!

March 25, 2021 20:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MB

“Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo makes Wesley nostalgic for his favorite part of a song: the bridge. Bridges used to be a core feature of popular music, but they’ve become an endangered species, right next to the sitcom laugh track. While Wesley laments the demise of the bridge, Jenna points out that TikTok has given us new ways to experience the best part of a song.  You can find more info about today’s episode here, and follow our playlist of Wesley and Jenna’s favorite bridges. 

The N-Word

March 18, 2021 16:04 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MB

It’s the episode we’ve been wanting to make for years. In our season premiere, we’re talking about the N-word. It’s both unspeakable and ubiquitous. A weapon of hate and a badge of belonging. After centuries of evolution, it’s everywhere — art, politics, everyday banter — and it can't be ignored. So we’re grappling with our complicated feelings about this word. You can find more information about today's episode here. 

The Return of Still Processing

March 11, 2021 21:00 - 2 minutes - 2.4 MB

We’re back with a new season on March 18! Join culture writers Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris in the juiciest group chat, the coziest diner booth, the crowded kitchen at a house party with the best snacks and the real talk. Each week, they’ll come together to talk art, identity, politics, the internet — whatever they’re grappling with. Subscribe for deep chats, uncomfortable but necessary conversations and incisive takes on the cultural landscape. New episodes come out every Thursday.

Best of the Archives: Whitney Houston (2017)

February 25, 2021 20:55 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

We’re preparing to drop a whole new season this spring. In the meantime, we want to make sure you’ve had a chance to hear some of our all-time favorite episodes. Like this one, about Whitney Houston. It’s been nine years since Ms. Houston died. She was one of the biggest pop stars of her time, but she’s often remembered as a tragic figure. In this episode, we argue that her music is much more important than any of the scandals. When we listen to some of her best performances, we remind ourse...

Best of the Archives: Whiteness in America (2017)

February 18, 2021 21:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MB

When “Hillbilly Elegy” showed up on Netflix last November, it was just the latest in a series of media attempting to explain whiteness to its audience. We’re revisiting a better (though not perfect) example: the podcast “S-Town.” Check out our episode from 2017 while we prepare for a new season of Still Processing — coming to you in March. 

Best of the Archives: Psychobros (2019)

February 11, 2021 21:00 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MB

Not long ago, Harry Styles graced the cover of Vogue magazine in a dress. It was just one example of how traditional ideas of masculinity have been expanding — on the runway and in culture. In our episode “Psychobros” from a couple of seasons ago, we appreciated another man in a dress on the front page of a magazine: Brad Pitt on the cover of Rolling Stone, published just as the movie “Fight Club” came out in 1999. It’s one of our favorite past episodes coming your way … while we're getting ...

Best of the Archives: Aretha Franklin (2018)

February 04, 2021 21:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MB

Next month we’re starting a whole new season of shows! Yes, in March! We’re thrilled. While we’re getting ready, we selected four of our favorite past episodes for you to enjoy. This first one is about one of the greats: Aretha Franklin.  A singer, writer, arranger, pianist, performer and more, Ms. Franklin channeled both the difficult and beautiful aspects of American culture to make the songs that have scored our lives. She left a legacy of virtuosity and swagger that will live on — both ...

Sweet, Sweet Fantasies, Baby

November 12, 2020 21:25 - 32 minutes - 31.4 MB

With the election (nearly) resolved, we have a moment to step back and look at what fantasies our country is built upon. From the role of president, to the threat of another civil war to the soul of the country itself, we’re all harboring some kind of fantasy that we should probably interrogate.

'Waiter, There's a Fly in Our Bubble'

October 29, 2020 20:00 - 37 minutes - 36 MB

With a monumental election on the horizon, we want to bring up a few recent events that show some sort of truth amid the confusion. From the NBA bubble to the fly in Mike Pence’s hair to HBO's “Lovecraft Country”, these are moments that point us beyond the present, to be our best and greatest selves. Discussed this week: “Scandal” (Season 4, Episodes 9-12, ABC, 2015) The N.B.A. bubble The vice-presidential debate (Oct. 7, 2020) “Lovecraft Country” (Episode 7, HBO, 2020) Sun Ra More Su...

Ziwe May Destroy Hamilton

July 23, 2020 18:13 - 37 minutes - 35.9 MB

“Hamilton” is back in the mix, but the flavor has changed from beloved historical blockbuster to “wait, that’s what this is?” Elsewhere, in new works like “Baited,” on Instagram Live, and “I May Destroy You,” on HBO, Black women are getting personal in ways that are expanding our palates for discomfort. Discussed this week: “Hamilton” (written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney+, 2020) “Baited” on Instagram Live Ziwe Fumudoh “I May Destroy You” (written by Michaela Coel, HBO, 2020) Native L...

Reparations for Aunt Jemima!

July 16, 2020 16:35 - 34 minutes - 33.1 MB

When Quaker decided to take Aunt Jemima off the red pancake box after 131 years, did it also try to scrub the legacy she represents? And what sort of compensation is appropriate — and to whom — from a brand that maintained that image in public for so long? Discussed this week: “Aunt Jemima Brand to Change Name and Image Over ‘Racial Stereotype’” (Tiffany Hsu, The New York Times, June 2020) “Aunt Jemima: I’se in Town, Honey” (Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University...

So Y’all Finally Get It

July 09, 2020 19:36 - 25 minutes - 25.7 MB

Excerpts from our June 12 live event, where we caught up about the uprisings and resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. This is the first of three special summer episodes. Discussed this week: Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris in a live New York Times event (June 12, 2020) “‘Cops,’ Long-Running Reality Show That Glorified Police, Is Canceled” (The New York Times, June 2020) “LEGO Pulls Back Police Playset Affiliate Marketing Amid George Floyd Protests” (ToyBook, June 2020) “NASCA...

New Loop, America

May 14, 2020 20:43 - 39 minutes - 37.7 MB

In our final episode from our living rooms, we visit the dystopia of “Westworld” and the utopia of “Hollywood” to see if we can glean anything about what might be in store on the other side of this pandemic — and about who we want to be. Discussed this week: “Westworld” (HBO, 2016-20) “Hollywood” (Netflix, 2020) Ryan Murphy “The Stepford Wives” (directed by Frank Oz, 2004) “The Stepford Wives” (directed by Bryan Forbes, 1975) The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 “Love Jones” (d...

Does This Phone Make Me Look Human?

May 07, 2020 18:29 - 40 minutes - 38.8 MB

Covid-19 isn't "the great equalizer" – except when it comes to making us need our devices more than ever. Screens have revealed superstars as civilians, and turned sitcom grouches into teddy bears. Basically: We’re ready to be more open with one another. Discussed this week: “Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration” (Broadway.com) “The ‘Credibility Bookcase’ Is the Quarantine’s Hottest Accessory” (Amanda Hess, The New York Times) Randy Rainbow’s YouTube Channel “A Pa...

Fiona Ex Machina

May 01, 2020 00:12 - 35 minutes - 34.2 MB

"Fetch the Bolt Cutters" is Fiona Apple's master class in channeling frustration and anger into what can only be called wisdom. Also, we hear from listeners all over the planet, sharing how they are taking care of the people in their lives. Discussed this week: "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" (Fiona Apple, 2020) Fiona Apple on the VMAs in 1997 "Regret" (Fiona Apple, "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do", 2012) "Cr...

Halle Berry? Hallelujah.

April 23, 2020 21:57 - 1 hour - 97.7 MB

We’re trying something new this week. We want you to watch a movie with us, and not just any movie, but the 2004 superhero bomb “Catwoman,” starring two of our favorites: Halle Berry and Sharon Stone. We’ve got fun facts, some questions and a little bit of, um, cattiness. Discussed this week: Catwoman Halle Berry Sharon Stone Benjamin Bratt Alex Borstein Pitof

How to Learn From a Plague

April 16, 2020 18:15 - 33 minutes - 32.3 MB

Activists stood up against the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s, but the tools they used to make themselves heard are unavailable during our coronavirus pandemic. Still, many of that era’s strategies and warning signs seem alarmingly relevant now. Discussed this week: “How to Survive a Plague” (directed by David France, 2012) ACT UP New York “How ACT UP Remade Political Organizing in America” (David France, The New York Times, April, 2020) “‘A Tragedy Is Unfolding’: Inside New York...

Frosted Flakes

April 09, 2020 18:24 - 39 minutes - 37.9 MB

Lions, and tigers and barely suppressed glee at criminal weirdos, oh my! What has big personalities, big issues and big cats? Netflix’s hit streaming show “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” We explore what the show says about America’s unique relationship to freedom. Discussed this week: “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” (Netflix, 2020) “Blue Caprice” (directed by Alexandre Moors, 2013) “The Wire” (HBO, 2002-08) “Breaking Bad” (AMC, 2008-13) “O.J.: Made In America” (ESPN...

Delicious Vinyl

April 02, 2020 18:39 - 40 minutes - 38.9 MB

Not all reboots deserve to exist. Lots of them aren’t even things we want. But the new "High Fidelity" on Hulu is the reboot we didn’t know we needed. Discussed this week: Barack Obama’s Twitter Cardi B’s Twitter and Instagram "Celebrity Culture is Burning" (Amanda Hess, 2020) "Oprah Talks Covid-19" (Apple TV+, 2020) Britney’s Instagram "High Fidelity" (directed by Stephen Frears, 2000) "High Fidelity" (Hulu, 2020)

A Pod From Both Our Houses

March 26, 2020 17:08 - 30 minutes - 30.1 MB

From our living rooms to yours, “Still Processing” is back. During this unprecedented time in our lives, we talk routines, dreams and what’s on our screens — or at least what will be on our screens. Because screens are all we have left. Discussed this week: “Darn That Dream” (Dinah Washington, 1954) The Brian Lehrer Show (WNYC) Working out with Mr. and Mrs. Muscle “Ra Ma Da Sa” (Amanbir Singh, 2017) The Wiz (directed by Sidney Lumet, 1978) High Fidelity (Hulu, 2020)

Got That WFH Setup Set Up

March 21, 2020 01:17 - 2 minutes - 3.75 MB

New episodes coming March 26! You’ve got a lot of time on your hands, and so do we. Let's spend it together <3.

Wake

November 07, 2019 11:00 - 45 minutes - 43.4 MB

We examine how HBO’s series “Watchmen” and Bong Joon Ho’s film “Parasite” bring to light the hidden histories that shape our modern lives. Discussed this week: “Parasite” (directed by Bong Joon Ho, 2019) “Watchmen” (HBO, 2019) “White Flights: Race, Fiction, and the American Imagination” (Jess Row, 2019) “In the Wake: On Blackness and Being“ (Christina Sharpe, 2016) We're going on hiatus, but we'll be back in your ears in early 2020!

Straws

October 31, 2019 08:00 - 38 minutes - 36.8 MB

California’s new legislation allowing college athletes to make money off endorsements. One step forward. The backlash against victims who came forward in the wake of #MeToo. Two steps back. Does big, sustainable change have to feel like grasping at straws? Discussed this week: “California Tells the N.C.A.A. to Share, and It Pitches a Fit.” (Michael Powell, The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2019) “The Toll of Me Too.” (Rebecca Traister, The Cut, Sept. 30, 2019)

Psychobros

October 24, 2019 10:00 - 42 minutes - 41 MB

We revisit "Fight Club" on the 20th anniversary of its release, and consider how the trope of the "psychobro" is showing up onscreen — in the new blockbuster “Joker” and HBO’s critically acclaimed series “Succession” — and off. Discussed this week: "The Unbearable Bradness of Being" (Chris Heath, Rolling Stone, Oct. 28, 1999) "Fight Club" (directed by David Fincher, 1999) "Joker" (directed by Todd Phillips, 2019) "Succession" (HBO, 2019) "Whistleblower Explains How Cambridge Analytica...

J.Lo

October 17, 2019 10:00 - 43 minutes - 42.1 MB

Jennifer Lopez is having a triumphant 2019. From her Motown tribute at the Grammys to the success of “Hustlers” to the announcement that she’ll be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show, she seems to be enjoying the fruits of her labor from about three decades in show business. So we want to know: is Jennifer Lopez finally getting her due? Discussed this week: “How Jennifer Lopez’s Versace Dress Created Google Images” (Rachel Tashjian, GQ, Sept. 20, 2019) “Hustlers” (directed by Loren...

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