Pop Culture Debate Club with Ronald Young Jr.

This week, we’re excited to introduce you to Evil Genius from the BBC.   Was she a tyrant in a tall hat – or the original girlboss, defying gravity and public opinion? Was she a product of her environment who experienced prejudice, and even if she was, does that allow her to terrorise Oz?   Emmanuel Sonubi, Joe Sutherland and Jess Fostekew join the great and powerful Russell Kane to decide if Elph...

Which classic Black film is better: Coming to America or Friday? It’s the final episode of Season 1 and it only felt right to bring back Nichole Hill and Jonquilyn Hill to settle their best-of-three series. Nichole says Coming to America is a more complete film with visionary casting featuring extraordinary songs. Jonquilyn says Friday is so ingrained in our culture that people quote it without ev...

Which comedy TV show is better: Wild ‘N Out or Def Comedy Jam? Writer and performer Carma Anderson and storyteller and director Jameer Pond return for their winner-takes-all third debate. Jameer says Wild ‘N Out is a comedic institution that is more wide-ranging and versatile than Def Comedy Jam. Carma argues the superstars that came out of Def Comedy Jam have profoundly impacted culture and influ...

This week, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know from Lemonada Media. Hosted by comedian Hasan Minhaj (from The Daily Show and Patriot Act), he sits down with some of the biggest names in politics, culture, and tech.  Hasan asks the tough questions, some thought-provoking, some straight-up absurd—but all of them come from a real place of curiosity. Every episode is tailored...

Which action movie franchise is better: Mission: Impossible or The Fast and the Furious? Journalist and podcaster Sam Sanders says the answer is The Fast and the Furious while writer Audrey Cleo Yap argues for Mission: Impossible. Audrey likes that the Mission: Impossible franchise centers on Tom Cruise, who she says is the last true action star. Sam prefers that The Fast and the Furious includes...

What’s the best way to watch TV shows: binge watching or weekly watching? Podcast hosts Greta Johnsen and Anna Sale square off this week. Greta says that binge watching is inherently superior because she believes in full unfettered access to information when you want it. Anna counters that weekly watching is the platonic ideal of TV watching and is what the TV gods intended when they created TV. A...

Which artist is better: Alanis Morissette or Fiona Apple? Radio and podcast hosts Jenny Eliscu and Julia Cunningham take on this nostalgic alternative rock battle. Julia argues that “Jagged Little Pill” hits her just as hard at age 40 as it did at age 10, which is a remarkable feat for an artist to achieve. Jenny says Fiona has gotten better with each album she’s released, and her willingness to b...

Which film score composer is better: John Williams or Hans Zimmer? Two musicians, Bobby Lopez and Jonathan Coulton, join Ronald Young Jr. today to settle the debate. Bobby says John Williams is the most prolific and influential film composer of the 20th century, who continued his prolific career well into the 21st. Jonathan argues that Hans Zimmer excels at making music that enhances and supports...

We’re excited to introduce you to Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan, a new show from Lemonada Media. As Meghan, Duchess of Sussex builds out a business of her own, she’s getting advice and insights from a handful of amazing women who have scaled small ideas into successful companies. These fly-on-the-wall conversations will no doubt inspire anyone who’s interested in turning their own en...

Which Law & Order: SVU character is better: Olivia Benson or Elliot Stabler? Liza Treyger and Kara Klenk, hosts of That’s Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, are on the case. Liza says Benson has better communication, better vibes, better patience, and the better wardrobe. Kara counters that Stabler is so dedicated to the job that he neglects all other people and things in his life, from his family to his...

Which filmmaker is better: Steven Spielberg or Christopher Nolan? X-Ray Vision co-hosts Jason Concepcion and Rosie Knight complete their debate trilogy with this cinematic clash. Jason argues that Spielberg redefined cinema by establishing the blueprint for the modern blockbusters that dominate summer releases. Rosie counters that Nolan also redefined cinema by taking that blockbuster blueprint an...

Who is better: Nicolas Cage or John Travolta? Text Me Back co-hosts Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays return for this live debate from On Air Fest! Lindy argues that Cage has much more range on-screen and is far less controversial off-screen. Meagan (who used to run a John Travolta hate page on MySpace) points out that Travolta is a triple threat: Oscar-nominated actor, dancer, and singer with fo...

We wanted to share an episode of one of our favorite new podcasts, Our Ancestors Were Messy, hosted by one of PCDC's favorite guests: Nichole Hill. A Victorian Era love triangle rocks the elites of DC and the Washington Bee newspaper is on the scene, thrilled to cover every scandalous detail! To learn more about the show and keep in touch, check out https://ourancestorsweremessy.com. To access bon...

Which is better: calling or texting? Comedians Selena Coppock and Chelsea White return to argue this one out. Selena peppers her argument with nostalgic props and says – at the risk of sounding like a Boomer – that calling is more efficient and you don’t have to feel like you’re always available like you do with texting. Chelsea counters that texting is actually the more efficient form of communic...

Which card game is better: Uno or Spades? Comedian and podcast host Abe Gatling and comedian and writer Talib Babb square off in today’s debate. Abe touts Uno’s “unmatched inclusivity” as the main reason it’s the superior card game. Talib says what’s great about Spades is that if you have a deck of cards you can play it. Plus, he adds, the teamwork element builds character. Which game will Ronald...

Which Larry David show is better: Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm? Our most heated debaters – writer and performer Carma Anderson and storyteller and director Jameer Pond – return to settle this question. Jameer says Curb would never have been made without the success of Seinfeld, whose stars and guest stars became TV icons. Carma agrees with Jameer, and argues that Curb builds on Seinfeld’s soli...

Pop Culture Debate Club will be back with a new debate next week. Today, we wanted to share an episode of a BBC podcast we think you'll enjoy. You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past.   Greg Jenner is joined in 19th-Century America by Dr. Michell Chresfiel...

Which actor had the better childhood career: Macaulay Culkin or Elijah Wood? Text Me Back co-hosts Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays battle it out today. Lindy argues that Macaulay’s childhood career undoubtedly has had the bigger impact on popular culture. Meagan counters that Elijah’s 90s repertoire proves his superior range as an actor, and foreshadows his more successful adult career. Ronald...

We couldn't let the big SNL50 weekend pass without revisiting our debate pitting Saturday Night Live against In Living Color. So without further ado ... which sketch comedy show is better: Saturday Night Live or In Living Color? Writer and performer Carma Anderson says it’s SNL while storyteller and director Jameer Pond votes for In Living Color. Carma says SNL’s longevity is proof of its superior...

Which fantasy series is better: Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones? X-Ray Vision co-hosts Rosie Knight and Jason Concepcion are back to tackle today’s topic. Rosie says that J.R.R. Tolkien, as the father of modern fantasy literature, has created an entire universe that is enjoyed by people of all ages, and which provides an accessible entry point for those new to fantasy. Jason argues that Game...

Which version of The Office is better: UK or US? Comedian, actor, and writer Liam Williams takes on radio and podcast host Julia Cunningham in today’s debate. Liam points out that The Office UK reinvented sitcom comedies and is the original series, making the US version inherently derivative. Julia counters that the US version improved upon the original, creating a show that remains incredibly pop...

This week we're featuring one of our favorite debates. Which phone is superior: the iPhone or the Android? Taking the side of iPhones is actor and comedian Langston Kerman, while fellow actor and comedian Baron Vaughn is Team Android. And here to adjudicate is Ronald Young Jr. Langston says iPhones look better, are easier to use, and that the majority of Americans agree with him because iPhones ar...

Which film score composer is better: John Williams or Hans Zimmer? Two musicians, Bobby Lopez and Jonathan Coulton, join Ronald Young Jr. today to settle the debate. Bobby says John Williams is the most prolific and influential film composer of the 20th century, who continued his prolific career well into the 21st. Jonathan argues that Hans Zimmer excels at making music that enhances and supports...

Which wedding film is better: Father of the Bride or The Wedding Planner? Squaring off in today’s debate are the hosts of the Betches Brides podcast: Chelsea White and Selena Coppock. Chelsea says The Wedding Planner has an all-star cast and flips the wedding movie genre on its head by focusing on the person planning the wedding, not the person in the wedding. Selena argues that Father of the Brid...

  Which daytime talk show host reigns supreme: Oprah Winfrey or Wendy Williams? This debate features returning guests Jonquilyn Hill and Nichole Hill, with Jonquilyn taking up for Team Wendy and Nichole repping Team Oprah. Jonquilyn says that Wendy is unabashedly authentic who will always tell you her truth without any pretense. As for Oprah, Nichole argues that she’s extraordinarily successful in...