This week, Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler and Karen Tongson are joined by Katherine Spiers, host of the podcast Smart Mouth, which asks people about their favorite foods. The gang will discuss international travel and all the best things that come from it, including people, food and pop culture.
Katherine is all about the actress Jameela Jamil, who criticized Kim Kardashian for advertising appetite suppressing lolly-pops, in spite of the wrath that Jamil may incur. Margaret is all about the first episode of Patrick Melrose, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a heroine addicted man whose life is hard to watch, but who is so strongly portrayed that it’s hard to look away. Guy is all about the Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary RBG, which he hopes will finally help people understand why she was such an important woman. Karen is all about the recent series finales, even the ones for shows that aren’t confirmed to return and ended on huge cliffhangers like NBC’s Timeless.
It’s going to be Summer soon and that means peak travel season is almost here! The panel will discuss some of their favorite places to travel abroad, what they look for when they have two weeks to spend in a new location and
With Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Karen Tongson and Katherine Spiers .
That’s My Jam:
Katherine Spiers - Charlie Puth - Done For Me.
Karen Tongson- Backstreet Boys - Don’t go Breaking My Hear
Margaret Wappler - Henry Green - Something.
Guy Branum The We Knows Parenting podcast.
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. Edited by Julian Burrell.
This week, Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler and Karen Tongson are joined by novelist Mallory O’Meara, host of the Max Fun Podcast Reading Glasses. The gang will discuss books and reading habits.
Mallory is all about is all about the book Text Me When You Get Home, which looks into the myth that women aren’t meant to be friends with other women. Margaret is all about the podcast The Habitat, which tracks people as they live out a simulated mission on Mars to learn that no matter which planet you’re on, living with strangers will always annoy you. Guy is all about the film The Dressmaker, which he fell in love with the only way he knew how: by reading the Wikipedia article. Karen is all about the surprisingly affecting Netflix documentary The Rachel Divide.
In honor of Summer reading season being on the horizon, the panel will discuss what books, magazines and articles have caught their eye lately. Plus they’ll talk about where and how often they love to read, and Mallory will share one book that she absolutely can’t stand.
With Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Karen Tongson and Mallory O’Meara .
That’s My Jam:
Mallory O’Meara - A Perfect Circle - Hourglass.
Karen Tongson- Tears for Fears - Ideas As Opiates
Margaret Wappler - Madonna - Borderline.
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. Edited by Julian Burrell.
This week, Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler and Andrew Ti are joined by British actor and comedian Humphrey Ker. The gang takes a look at the biggest transatlantic pairing of the year: The Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Humphrey is all about Eurovision, the global music competition that showcases some of the best singing--and host banter--in the world. Margaret is all about the podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones, which tells the history of country music, warts and all. Guy is all about The Party, a movie he was certain he would hate, but it flipped his expectations in the best possible way. Andrew is all about the cancellation and swift revival of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The panel will discuss the upcoming Royal Wedding, why this sort of extravaganza captures the attention of a global audience and why it was worth a Lifetime TV movie.
With Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Andrew Ti and Humphrey Ker.
Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler and Andrew Ti are joined by novelist Edan Lepucki. Together, they’ll take a look at our favorite bad moms, and grapple with how they're portrayed in popular culture. It turns out that being in the golden age of television could also mean the golden age of the portrayal of matriarchy in pop culture.
Edan is all about the novel Blue Bird Blue Bird by Attica Locke, which she says is filled with the best kind of thriller tropes. Margaret is all about the Netflix series The Letdown, a show that features all the joy of motherhood… and just the right amount of its dark side. Guy is all about Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher’s new comedy special The Honeymoon Tour, a three-part piece that features one of the scariest and greatest things a comedian can attempt: interacting with the audience. Andrew is all about Childish Gambino’s music video This is America, including the analysis and backlash to the analysis.
The panel will discuss how they feel the portrayal of motherhood in pop culture has evolved over the years, in everything from Fresh Off the Boat and Transparent to Tully and Carrie. Plus, they’ll explain some of the damaging tropes of mothers on TV, and which shows are finally starting to get it right.
With Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Andrew Ti and Edan Lepucki.
That’s My Jam:
Edan Lepucki - Gino Paoli - Sapore di Sale.
Andrew Ti - B.B. King & UGK (mixed by AMERIGO GAZAWAY) - Make Love To My Car
Margaret Wappler - Kacey Musgraves - Space Cowboy.
Guy Branum - Troye Sivan - Bloom.
You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. And you can follow us on Instagram as well.
Produced by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org. Edited by Julian Burrell.
This week, Guy Branum, Karen Tongson and Margaret Wappler are joined by Andrew Ti, host of the “Yo, Is This Racist?” podcast. They take a look at HBO’s West World</a>. Season Two just got started and the team is fairly certain it will be just as complicated as the first.
Karen is all about Alexis Bledel in Handmaid’s Tale Season 2, even though it puts a character she cares about though even more difficulties. Margaret and Guy are all about Michelle Wolf’s routine at The White House Correspondent’s Dinner and are very confused about the outrage that’s surrounded it. Andrew is all about Avengers: Infinity War even though he didn’t quite understand the storytelling subtleties of the plot.
The panel will their discuss what they think of Scandal; everything from the finale, how closely they’ve watched the show since it started and where Olivia Pope fits in with the pantheon of women anti-heroes on TV.
With Karen Tongson, Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler and Andrew Ti.
That’s My Jam:
Karen Tongson - Maroon 5, SZA - What Lovers Do
Andrew Ti - The Higher Brother - Made in China
Margaret Wappler - The Pointer Sisters - Automatic.
Guy Branum - Kacey Musgraves - High Horse.
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.