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Pop Rocket

Pop culture discussion with Guy Branum, Wynter Mitchell, Margaret Wappler and Karen Tongson
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Now displaying: March, 2018

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

Mar 28, 2018

This week, Karen Tongson and Margaret Wappler are joined by clinical psychologist and actress Megan Auster-Rosen to discuss therapy in film and television shows.

Margaret Wappler is all about High Maintenance on HBO and the show’s weed dealer/confidant The Guy. Megan is all about Parkland student, Emma Gonzalez and her six minutes of silence, dedicated to the victims of the shooting at Stoneland Douglas High School. Karen is all about the NBC drama, Rise, even though it falls into some unfortunate tropes of the white man passing over the qualified woman of color for the job.

The panel will explain their first experiences with therapy in their personal lives. Then, they’ll get into therapy in such movies and shows like Big Little LiesMeet the Fockers, Crazy Ex-GirlfriendThe Sopranos and more. Plus, Megan will give her professional opinion on the benefits and downsides of TV therapy shows like Dr. Phil.

With Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler and  Megan Auster-Rosen.

That’s My Jam:

Megan Auster-Rosen - Alicia Keys - No one

Karen Tongson - Lovin' Spoonful - Butchie's Tune.

Margaret Wappler - Peter Gabriel - Come Talk to Me

Each week we’ll add everyone’s jams to our Spotify playlists.

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 Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Mar 22, 2018

This week, Guy, Karen, Wynter and Margaret bare their souls and confess their problematic faves. Not sure what that means? Don’t worry. They break it down.

Wynter Mitchell is all about Cynthia Nixon running for governor of New York. Margaret Wappler is all about Nina Riggs’ memoir The Bright Hour. Karen’s digging CBS All Access’ The Good Fight, and Guy has just discovered The Supersizers Go

With Karen TongsonGuy BranumMargaret Wappler and Wynter Mitchell.


That’s My Jam:

Margaret Wappler - Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times
Karen Tongson - Tove Styrke - I Changed My Mind

Guy Branum - Topsy Turvy - Three Little Maids (The Mikado)

Each week we’ll add everyone’s jams to our Spotify playlists.

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 Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Mar 14, 2018

This week, Guy, Karen, Wynter and Margaret tackle A Wrinkle in Time and time travel tropes in TV and film.

Margaret Wappler is all about the New York Times publishing the obituaries they overlooked going back to 1851, people like Ida B. Wells and countless others. Karen is all about defending her Pinoy brother Bruno Mars from YouTuber and activist Seren Sensei, who thinks Mars appropriates black culture. Guy Branum comes late to the Insecure party, but he’s seen the light and apologizes to everyone who insisted he should watch the show. Wynter is all about Hypothetical, the OJ Simpson special that, for whatever reason, recently aired.

Margaret and Karen both saw A Wrinkle in Time and share their thoughts on the film. Then the gang delve into time travel, and make some profound realizations. If you want to hear about Outlander or Doctor Who, sorry. But if you want to hear their thoughts on Time Traveler’s WifeBill & Ted’s Excellent AdventureBack to the FutureQuantum LeapThe Arrival and lots of other titles, you’ll be in luck!

With Karen TongsonGuy BranumMargaret Wappler and Wynter Mitchell.

That’s My Jam:

Margaret Wappler - Teena Marie - Deja Vu
Karen Tongson - Tracey Thorn - Dancefloor
Wynter Mitchell - James Bay - Pink Lemonade
Guy Branum - The 5th Dimension - Aquarius

Each week we’ll add everyone’s jams to our Spotify playlists.

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 Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Mar 8, 2018

It’s another fun-filled Pop Rocket. This week, special guest Chris Schleicher is all about the Best Documentary Short Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405; Margaret Wappler is all up in season three of Unreal; Karen Tongson wanted to be about Unreal, but Wappler stole her thunder so Karen tells us about the new show Good Girls, and Guy Branum is all about the Great White Way, fresh off his trip to New York with his niece.

Then the gang delve into Oscar talk, sharing tips on how to guess the most wins on the ballot, how they each watched the awards show and all the hot takes they have. There’s just the right balance of reverence and cattiness.

With Karen TongsonGuy BranumMargaret Wappler and Chris Schleicher.

That’s My Jam:

Margaret Wappler - Sufjan Stevens - Visions of Gideon
Karen Tongson - Jackson Brown - Somebody’s Baby
Guy Branum - from Don’t Even Know It - Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Chris Schleicher - BeBe Zahara Benet - Drag Up Your Life

Each week we’ll add everyone’s jams to our Spotify playlists.

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 Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

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