Informed Attraction

Happy Halloween! Aubrey and Mackenna recently watched A24's Crystal Lake and wanted to talk about it. We talked about the Friday the 13th movies a little bit last year in our Slasher Series and Aubrey (a big fan of Jason) really wanted to cover this prequel series. Mackenna learned a lot about what happens in the first Friday the 13th movie and we've got a lot to say about wigs and children! Enjoy...

You read that right. If you are being Jennifer Check for Halloween and you have pom-poms, you better unhinge your jaw, swallow them like a snake, and then pick up a color guard flag. This week, Mackenna and Aubrey are joined by Paul and Erika from That Aged Well to discuss Karyn Kusama and Diablo Cody's Jennifer's Body. This movie was made by women for women and girls and yet... the marketing folk...

The world according to... us? This week, Mackenna and Aubrey are discussing Stephen King's story Carrie and its many adaptations. You will all be so shocked to hear that we have a lot of big feelings about the fact that Carrie is supposed to be fat and yet, we've never gotten a fat Carrie on film. And thus, the big question we are asking this episode is... why is that? Why don't any of these direc...

Today, we are continuing our conversation about Frankenstein with a discussion of its major adaptations. Mackenna and Aubrey (primarily) discuss Frankenstein (1931), Young Frankenstein (1974), Frankenstein (2025) and the National Theatre adaptation of Frankenstein from 2011. We talk a lot about the choices all of these notably male adaptors made in translating Shelley's work and what we'd like to...

Happy spooky season! Today, we are kicking off a two part series on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Mackenna and Aubrey discuss the book and its major themes. And everyone will be shocked to hear that they spend a lot of time talking about masculinity and the male loneliness epidemic. But also, we spend a good bulk of the essay talking about Susan Stryker's essay about transgender rage. Thank you to...

Today, we pick up with the other Gilmore Girl: Rory, a girl who probably should have just been a literature professor, but instead stole a boat. We talk through her relationship with her mother, her friends (namely, Paris and Lane), and all the boys she dated and spoilers, did not end up with! Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd) Logo d...

I was a little chilly when I went outside today, which means it is time for Gilmore Girls! Over the next two episodes, we will be talking about the two titular Gilmore Girls. Today, we are starting with Lorelai Gilmore, a mother and a mommy. We talk through her relationship with her daughter, her parents, and all the boys she's kissed before. And Aubrey uhhhh really loves Max Medina.   **The previ...

Nice. Last week, we discussed the relationship between beauty and representations of parents in media. This week, we're getting stupid with it. Aubrey and Mackenna are joined by the good lads from Breaking Mayberry to place four hot fictional parent couples into a bracket to answer the question: which couple would be the best to have a threesome with? And I'm gonna be real... I don't think you're...

This week, Mackenna and Aubrey examine the question "why are so many parents on TV hot?" And why does Hollywood love to kill off a mom? They also dissect how media uses attractiveness to inform the audience about how good of a parent someone is. And they pitch a hot new TV show starring Aubrey and [redacted hot Hollywood man.] This is a real grab bag of an episode, folks, so get grabbin'!  Hosted...

This a Marathon stan podcast now. Besides that, Aubrey and Mackenna are joined by Josh Boerman of The Worst of All Possible Worlds and Ill Conceived to discuss where the internet is now in regards to women in gaming. They discuss The Last of Us, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Marathon, Baldur's Gate III, and a whole host of other games. And unfortunately, Mackenna and Josh teach Aubrey who Asmongold...

Mackenna yells a lot into the microphone this week. Which is surprising because this week's topic is the completely uncontroversial conversation surrounding women in video games. We track the hot girls of the video game boom of the 90s (like Tomb Raider's Lara Croft) through the downfall of booth bathes all the way to the rise of the alt-right, aka a little thing called Gamergate.  Hosted by: Mack...

This week, we are joined by Mackenna's friend and actual ex-Mormon, Peyton Flake, to talk about how mormons have influenced and been depicted in the media. We run through some thoughts on Twilight, Big Love, Under the Banner of Heaven, Sister Wives, The Book of Mormon, Dancing With the Stars, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. It's a TV grab bag with LDS flair. And Mackenna learned just how ANN...

My brothers in Christ, welcome to a nearly two hour podcast just about special Mormon underwear. Just kidding! (We will touch on the undies though.) This week, Aubrey launches into a series about the Church of Latter Day Saints aka the Mormons. We give a brief history of Mormons in the United States as well as an intro to what Mormon culture is like. And Mackenna finally gets to scream about one o...

Hello! Happy Monday! Wow, we're back just in time for your commute. This week, Mackenna and Aubrey are talkin' hair, body hair specifically. Aubrey walks us through a detailed history of body hair removal practices throughout time. They also discuss trends in facial hair, whether it is woke and based to be a hairy woman, and is shaving your legs participating in pedophile culture? Tbh, we get raun...

This week, we are wrapping up our convo of the Muppets (for now!) by talking about the #1 Diva, Miss Piggy, and her commitment-phobe boyfriend, Kermit the Frog. We talked with comedian Andie Fuentes about what makes Kermit and Piggy attractive and why we root for them despite them being... kind of toxic?? Also, we assert who has that "Piggy energy" in real life. Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/t...

Listen, last week, Mackenna got really in their feelings about Gonzo, so this week we are doing a DEEP and SCIENTIFIC and OBJECTIVE look at a very VITAL question: what makes a Muppet hot? To answer this question, we are joined by puppeteer and Muppet fanatic, Kenjiro Lee. We dissect the rules of attractiveness in the Muppetverse and then tier list a whole bunch of these dogs, frogs, and whatevers....

Thank Kermit, we are finally talking about muppets. As a post-Pride episode, we're yapping about why so many non-binary folks identify with Gonzo. And uh-oh, we get extremely personal about Mackenna's gender and sexuality. Plus, a special guest appearance by Gonzo and Camilla! Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd) Interstitial starring A...

...I mean, it's not even a competition. This week, Mackenna and Aubrey are comparing and contrasting two pieces of media inspired by the Mary Kay Letourneau case: That's My Boy, a raunchy Adam Sandler movie that thinks being abused by an older woman makes you a celebrity, and May December, a movie about how good of an actor Charles Melton is.  TW: major discussion of sexual abuse of a minor throug...

This week, Aubrey is putting on her true crime hat to discuss the case of Mary Kay Letourneau. Letourneau was an American teacher sexually abused and subsequently married one of her students. The story became a tabloid frenzy and we wanna figure out why. This series will ultimately be about the treatment of male victims of sexual violence by the media and by society. So, you can imagine why this e...

Wrapping up our Batman series, this week, Mackenna and Aubrey discuss the Gotham City Sirens: Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. We dive deep into the history of each character, as well as their similarities and differences. The big question this week is why can't a woman just be a villain? Also... happy pride Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are gay.  Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack...

Na na na na na... NIGHTWING! This week, Mackenna runs through the history of Dick Grayson, from his days as the Boy Wonder Robin to being absolutely caked up at Nightwing. But also... we've got some tangents to go on. Mackenna and Aubrey got together to watch Batman Forever and Batman & Robin together and they HAVE SOME THOUGHTS. Also, who the heck is Devin Grayson? Content Warning: discussion...

Na na na na na... BATMAN! This week, Mackenna and Aubrey launch into a series about the Dark Knight and the people of Gotham. And let me just tell ya: we're getting academic with this one. Mackenna presents a brief history of Batman, as well as their argument for what he teaches us about masculinity and the body as performance. Is becoming Batman a trauma response? Probably. Also, Aubrey has some...

This week, Mackenna and Aubrey are joined by actor, rom-com expert, and cheese educator Anne-Marie Pietersma to talk about The Ugly Truth (2009). Three femme people attempt to answer the question: are men really simple? Honestly, y'all, we're so confused by this movie, but at least Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler were there. Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffe...

This week, Mackenna was very brave and watched Wedding Crashers (2005). We talk a lot about what commonalities romcoms made for men share and honestly, why many men struggle with intimacy in both their romantic and social relationships. A lot of yelling about boys in this one, folks! Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd) Logo design: Fre...

This week, Aubrey presents her case for the core reason as to why some men claim to not like romcoms: the patriarchy. (Wow, everyone is so shocked.) We walk through the history of the romcom and the classic arguments men might make for why they don't enjoy the genre. A lot of love for 13 Going On 30 and Made of Honor in this one, folks! Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Au...