Pop Literacy Podcast
1) The Scoop on Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions with Author and Professor Francesca T. Royster
Francesca T. Royster’s Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions is a vital read that helps us to understand how country music got whitewashed, stripping it of its distinctly African American ori...Show More
2) Michael Ausiello and the Making of Spoiler Alert
TV journalist Michael Ausiello wrote a 2017 memoir called Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies that detailed his 13-year relationship with his husband Kit Cowan, who, in a devastating turn, was diagnosed with...Show More
3) Life’s Work: A Memoir, from One of TV’s All-Time Greatest Writers
Consider this a Pop Literacy year-end gift: the recommendation of a deeply engrossing read for the average book fan, an extra fantastic read for writers of all mediums and genres, and a round-up of so...Show More
4) And It All Started with The Big Bang (Theory)
The Big Bang Theory ran for 12 seasons, 279 episodes, on CBS, and continues to be a pop culture presence with its frequent re-airings on cable, permanent home on HBO Max, and its spin-off life with th...Show More
5) Black Hollywood with Carell Augustus
Carell Augustus’s brilliant and beautiful photography book Black Hollywood reimagines, and restages, iconic Hollywood moments from the likes of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Singin’ in the Rain, and Mission...Show More
6) The Tragedy and Triumph of George Michael, with James Gavin
James Gavin’s stunning biography of pop star George Michael—simply entitled George Michael: A Life—dives deep into an enigmatic, charismatic figure who dominated pop music in the 1980s and ‘90s, but n...Show More
7) Summer Rerun | The ‘Jenny from the Block’ Video: A Historical Analysis
The episode originally aired July 23, 2019. Jennifer Lopez turns 50 this month and is at the top of her game: dancing her way through an international tour, engaged to baseball superstar Alex Rodrigue...Show More
8) Summer Rerun | Will 1990s Nostalgia Always Be the Best Nostalgia?
This episode originally aired March 4, 2019. It was the decade of “The Macarena,” the O.J. Simpson trial, the teen pop boom, VHS tapes, and Nintendo. It was also before 9/11 and Columbine, a time when...Show More
9) Summer Rerun | The State of the Boy Band
This episode originally aired April 8, 2019 Boy bands as we know them have been around since New Edition got together in 1978—and now, they’re bigger than ever, thanks to online fandom. New Kids on th...Show More
10) Summer Rerun | 2000s Nostalgia: Yes, It’s Happening
This episode originally aired February 19, 2019. AOL Instant Messenger, the first iPods, Paris Hilton, emo, Mean Girls, The O.C., low-rise jeans… Now that it’s 2019, it’s time to prepare for a wave of...Show More