Poppish

This week, two rousing motivational speeches from problematic men: we explore the origins of Patrick Henry’s revolutionary battle cry, “Give me liberty or give me death!” and Shia LaBeouf’s viral “Just do it” monologue. We get into the contexts in which these quotes came to be, and why we shouldn’t really take advice from these guys anyway, Plus: a painful day at the office, queening out with your...

When you are traveling towards a set destination, one of the keys is to make it there. No one knows this better than the renowned explorers we introduce you to today: Percy Fawcett and DJ Khaled. We’ll walk you through the events of their respective journeys through the Amazon Rainforest and the Port of Miami. One is documented only through letter and legend, the other covered live on Snapchat sto...

Not every product launch can be a success, and no one knows that better than the brands we’re talking about today: Coca-Cola and Snapchat. We discuss the rollout of New Coke and the 2018 Snapchat layout redesign, the public outcry that followed, and the effects on the businesses as a whole. Sometimes you don’t know what you have til it’s gone, and you have to yell at a corporation until they agree...

Is the hybrid of two animals greater than the sum of its parts? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We analyze the histories, characteristics, and strengths of two iconic animal combos: the mule and the labradoodle. Learn how a mule supersedes the donkey and the horse on almost every level, and why the creator of the labradoodle calls it his “life’s regret.” Plus: hopital summer continues, gallbladder su...

Let’s jet off to Europe, get our portraits done, and return to our loved ones with tales of our cultural adventures and wild parties! We’re comparing the British gap year known as the Grand Tour and the modern Instagram onslaught that is Euro Summer. For hundreds of years, young people have ventured to Europe in search of culture, knowledge, and stories to bring home about getting way too high in...

This week, we turn to our Christian sisters for guidance. Uncover the histories of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and Girl Defined, the causes championed by each, and how their legacies endure. It’s hard to be a god-defined woman in a culture-defined world, and no one knows this better than us. Plus: the great flockening, the trials of running late, and a celebration of our nation’s shared...

We’ve all been there: the trip finally makes it out of the group chat, only to become a complete disaster. This week we tell the harrowing stories of two groups that know this pattern all too well: The Donner Party and The Real Housewives of New York City. How did Lansford Hastings convince James Reed to travel a shortcut he himself had never tried? How did Ramona Singer convince Bethenny Frankel...

This week, we tell you the stories of how two iconic foods came to be and the genius minds behind them. Back up against the wall, Chef Caesar Cardini invented the Caesar Salad during a devastatingly FOMO-inducing July Fourth weekend in Tijuana and gave girls everywhere a reason to believe in dinner. Girlboss Sarah Hamouda turned her pregnancy cravings into a global dessert sensation with Dubai Cho...

This week we analyze the challenges of parenting in the public eye — especially when a famous parent messes up. We explore the wide range of public reactions to two infamous parenting mistakes: Michael Jackson holding his son Blanket over a balcony, and the drowning of influencer Emilie Kiser’s son Trigg. The public outrage over both incidents was swift, and we analyze how social media has changed...

It’s witch hunting season! This week, for our annual Love Island analysis episode, we compare fan investigations of Love Island contestants to the Salem Witch Trials. What compels us as humans to seek out the worst in others and demand punishment? And how do these investigations spiral out of control so quickly? We discuss the events of the Salem Witch Trials and ponder how such a tragic miscarria...

On this episode, we explore two instances of faces losing their identity in the pursuit of perfection: Jennifer Grey’s infamous nose job and the ongoing epidemic of Instagram Face. As women appear to be striving to get closer and closer to everyone having the same perfect face, how does this take away from individual identity and beauty? We look at Jennifer Grey’s career pre- and post-nose job (an...

This week we’re talking great escapes. Men backed into a corner and forced to break the rules to get out. Anneliese tells us about the 1962 escape from Alcatraz, and Ellie reminisces on the golden age of Bachelor Nation, when Colton jumped the fence. Who are we rooting for? Where are these men now? How did they pull it off? We’ll get into all of it. Plus: Ellie gets some unexpected mail, the stres...

As any good self help book will tell you, “no” is a complete sentence. Today we tell the stories of two icons who said drew a boundary, said no, and walked away from the opportunity of a lifetime. Philip Benizi was offered the chance to be literal Pope and he fled to a cave until the election was over to avoid the title. America’s Next Top Model contestant Natalie (maybe) made it to the semifinals...

Every once in a while, a woman gives birth in a way that really makes people stop and stare. In 1978, that woman was Lesley Brown, who gave birth to the first baby conceived via IVF. In 2009, that woman was Nadya Suleman, also known as the Octomom, who gave birth to octuplets and became a media sensation. Why did these births draw such intense public reaction? How did the media attention affect th...

My boyfriend? You don’t know him, he goes to a different database. We’re talking scary, imaginary, soul sucking intimate relationships this week: the mythology of incubi and succubi and the troubling trend of AI partners. How did these phenomena come to be and what are we to make of them? Whether it’s a demon that comes creeping in the night or a chain of code designed to praise you endlessly, the...

This week, we explore two methods of communicating the things that matter most: the Voyager Golden Records and the Instagram Photo Dump. These carefully curated collections help convey our way of life, our values, and what we know. We can’t for the life of us figure out how the Golden Record works, but we’re hoping if aliens find it they can figure it out. And also there’s love triangle tea. On th...

Could this meeting have been an emoji? A picture is worth a thousand words, so we’re analyzing two languages made up entirely of images: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Emojis. How do these tiny images convey so much meaning? How do we as users define and evolve this meaning over time? And what is the difference between :), :-), and (: ? All this, plus a psychological look at Bravo’s “Love Over...

Childless cat ladies, rejoice! This episode celebrates two important roles cats have held in culture across millennia: the stone lion statues of Imperial China and the bodega cats of New York City. These cats serve important functions for the buildings they protect and are beloved symbols of the community. We unpack the history both and what they mean to us today. Plus: Ellie narrowly escapes immi...

Let’s examine two letters that exposed hidden truths, shifted alliances, and ultimately, started wars: the Zimmermann Telegram and the Jersey Shore Note. Secrets came to light in the harsh black and white of ink on paper, and it changed everything. We tried REALLY hard to understand what a telegram is for this one, but we just couldn’t get there. How did these letters make their way into the hands...

A truce can be a beautiful thing, but it can also be fleeting. We explore two cases of short-lived truces: the WWI Christmas Truce in December of 1914, and Jelena’s brief rekindling in late 2017 before Justin’s engagement to Hailey Baldwin. How do we find peace in the midst of so much pain? And God dammit, why can’t we stick to it? All this and more on this week’s Poppish. Plus: Anneliese’s Brookl...

To celebrate one full year of absolute nonsense, we’re reflecting on the origins of the pod, taking listener questions, and reacting to some of your hot takes. It’s been such a fun year and we’re so grateful to everyone who’s come along for the ride! Here’s to another year of Poppish to come!

I think you guys might be doing unto others as you would have others do unto yourselves too much… This week we explore two codes by which you live one’s life: The Ten Commandments and Jemima Kirke’s Instagram Q&As. Both texts, handed down by God, give us a path to follow in an otherwise disordered and meaningless life. This episode contains spoilers for the Old Testament of the Bible. Listener...

Let’s look at two inventors who would go on to be tormented by their own creations: J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, and Dong Nguyen, creator of Flappy Bird. Both men achieved great success and recognition in their field, only to regret bringing their ideas into the world. This would lead to Oppenheimer being banned from President Truman’s office and Nguyen pulling Flappy Bird fro...

Put on your spelunking boots: we’re going underground. We’re telling two classic “trapped inside the bowels of the earth” stories: Baby Jessica and the Thai Cave Rescue. How did these children end up under the ground, and how the HELL are we gonna get them out? Everyone shows up in this one: the guy with no collarbones, the Thai navy seals, even Elon Musk. Did someone say dream blunt rotation?? Pl...

What does a girl have to do to get sent to an island around here?? We unpack two stories we’re deeply jealous of: prominent individuals who were sent away from society to heal/build and army. We’re learning all about the exiles of Napoleon (both of them!) and Pre-Reputation Taylor Swift. One moment you’re placing a glorious crown on your head/Grammy in your hand, the next no one even fucks with yo...