Info

Pop Rocket

Pop culture discussion with Guy Branum, Wynter Mitchell, Margaret Wappler and Karen Tongson
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Pop Rocket
2019
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: February, 2017

A high-octane weekly discussion of the pop culture we all love to love.

Join host Guy Branum and panelists Wynter Mitchell, Karen Tongson and Margaret Wappler for smart, funny, sometimes sweary chat about everything great in entertainment.

Combining comic, journalistic, academic and digital media expertise, the Pop Rocket team will keep you up-to-date on what's most exciting in pop culture this week.

MaximumFun.org

Feb 28, 2017
This is a rush edition of Pop Rocket focusing on The Oscars. Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Karen Tongson and special guest Chris Schleicher waste no time in dishing on cinema's biggest night. They skip the "all abouts" and jams and get right to the WTF of it all--the best picture debacle, Casey Affleck and Brie Larson, bad hair, bad clapping and Hacksaw Ridge. Plus, we'll get to the bottom of why Margaret Wappler wants to be Taraji P. Henson's eyebrows when she grows up.
 
Guy Branum explains why he has a problem with standing ovations, and reveals a fact about director Ezra Edelman (OJ Made in America) that blew him away.
Margaret Wappler hearts Natalie Portman's performance in Jackie and, apparently, Taraji P. Henson's eyebrows.
Karen Tongson analyzes the ways Moonlight was successful in moving the lens away from gay white people.
And Chris Schleicher gets all Zapruder film in breaking down the Best Picture fiasco and gives us his theory about Faye Dunaway.
 
Dive in!
 
Guy BranumKaren Tongson, Margaret Wappler, and Chris Schleicher
You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and sug.gest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter.
 
Other Links:
Viola Davis' acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress
Elaine Stritch's 2004 Emmy's Speech
 
Produced by Christian Dueñas and Kara Hart for MaximumFun.org
Feb 23, 2017

This week Guy has returned from New York and the gang is back together to talk about legal dramas! They talk about the new CBS All-Access series The Good Fight, their favorite legal dramas of all time, and they get real about which TV or movie lawyer they would want to represent them in court. Wynter talks about her love for true crime, Margaret tells us what The Accused got right, and Karen talks about a Barbara Streisand classic. Plus we learn why Guy is currently obsessed with Calypso music and which documentaries you should be seeing this weekend. As with every week, we find out what the panel is all about and why jams they cannot stop listening to.

 

Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Wynter Mitchell, and Margaret Wappler

 

Jams:

 

Margaret Wappler -  Room 29 - Jarvis Cocker and Chilly Gonzalez

Wynter Mitchell - I Feel It Comin' - The Weeknd

Karen Tongson - It Ain't Me - Kygo, Selena Gomez

Guy Branum - No Wuk For Carnival - Lord Kitchener

 

Each week we’ll add everyone’s jams to this handy Spotify playlist.

 

You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter.

 

Other Links:

James Baldwin on the Dick Cavett Show

James Spader on Boston Legal

 

Produced by Christian Dueñas and Kara Hart for MaximumFun.org.

Feb 16, 2017

This week, Guy is in New York but not to fear! Margaret Wappler fills in as host with Wynter Mitchell and Karen Tongson to talk about music’s biggest night, The Grammys. They talk about everything, from the production to the performances to the winners and almost more importantly, the losers. Music critic for outlets like Slate, NPR, and Pitchfork Chris Molanphy pops in to provide context about The Grammys and to deliver his opinion on the results. Plus the panelists share what they’re all about this week, and what they can’t stop listening to.

Karen TongsonWynter Mitchell, Margaret Wappler, and Chris Molanphy

Jams:

Margaret Wappler - Kourosh Yaghmaei - Leila

Wynter Mitchell - Bambaata - Unconditional

Karen Tongson - Prince - Starfish and Coffee

 

Each week we’ll add everyone’s jams to this handy Spotify playlist.

 

You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter.

 

Other Links:

Buffalo Bill’s Dance Scene

Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond -  You Don’t Bring Me Flowers

Vic Berger- Donald Trump’s Huge Announcement

Vic Berger - Jim Bakkers Buckets

Produced by Christian Dueñas and Kara Hart for MaximumFun.org

Feb 8, 2017

Guest host Jordan Morris sits down with Karen, Margaret, and Guy to talk about their favorite topics brought up in the official Pop Rocket Facebook group! They talk chicken nuggets, indie comic books, and Beyonce’s pregnancy photos. Guy chats about Mary Tyler Moore, Karen can’t get enough K Stew and Jordan loves Jen Kirkman’s newest Netflix special. And of course, some jams to top it all off.

With Jordan Morris, Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, and Karen Tongson

That's My Jam: 

Jordan Morris - Pigeon John - She's Loud

Margaret Wappler - Cherry Glazerr - Told You I'd be with the Guys

Guy Branum - Kids in the Hall - Buddy Cole Sketch

Karen Tongson - Team Dresch - Freewheel

 

Each week we'll add everyone's jams to this handy Spotify playlist

You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter

 

Produced by Christian Dueñas and Kara Hart for MaximumFun.org

Feb 2, 2017

Jordan Morris sits in for Guy and is joined by Margaret, Wynter, and Karen to talk about the Oscar nominations announced last week. Guy Branum calls in to discuss Annette Bening’s performance in 20th Century Women. All that, plus everyone’s jams. It's a jam-packed show this week, friends.

With Jordan Morris, Margaret Wappler, Karen Tongson, and Wynter Mitchell

 

That's My Jam:

Margaret Wappler - Laura Marling - Soothing

Karen Tongson - india.arie - Heart of the Matter

Wynter Mitchell - Thundercat - Show Me the Way

Jordan Morris - Masked Intruders - Crime Spree

Each week we'll add everyone's jams to this handy Spotify playlist

You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or on Twitter, we're @PopRocket

Produced by Christian Dueñas and Kara Hart for MaximumFun.org

 

1