e333. Twisters, Titanics, & Terror: Deconstructing Disaster Narratives

If one of the the primary functions of books and movies is to help us escape from the adversity of day to day life, then why do we have so many of them that are basically about what if our modern problems became not only inescapable, but became the absolute worst case scenario of themselves…

e332. The 4th Wall Bounce: The Reflexivity of Media and Culture

So here’s a weird question for you… in a TV show like Batman, do the regular people know the phrase “dynamic duo?” In the movie Amazing Spider-Man Peter Parker uses the theme song from the 1960s Spider-man cartoon as his ringtone… but what song does he think that is? If two TV shows cross over,…

e331. Understanding the Syllabus: Learning Frameworks and Inclusive Practices

We’re quickly running out of summer and as we do the new school year is even more quickly approaching. That means, for those of us who teach classes… or who take classes, we’re starting to get busy with preparations, hoping to get them all done before the last minute. If you’re a professor, like Mav,…

e330. The Immortal Legacy: Aging Actors and Endless Franchises

If you’re a fan of geek media, you likely noticed two important things from Marvel Studios last week. One was the long-awaited release of Deadpool & Wolverine. The second was the San Diego Comicon surprise that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to take on the role of Dr. Doom.…

e329. Biographies, Blockbusters, And Biden! What a Week!

It’s been a hell of a week. Ok, let’s face it… it’s been a hell of a summer. This is a pop culture show and so we try to stay current on what’s happening, but the world has been moving so fast that we have been trouble keeping up, so on this week’s show, Mav…

e328. What’s the Deal with Presidential Assassinations?

It’s been a weird week of American politics. And we can’t really keep up. Yeah, we know something big happened this week (the whole shakeup of the democratic nomination) but we recorded this episode last week after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. It oddly feels like old news now. But the thing is, we’re…

e326. From Mr. Ed to the Minions: Pop Culture Across Generations

Every once in a while we like to do something really different on the show. This is one of those times. Since the team is all on vacation in various places this week, Mav decided to record a show on the road. So, in this episode he sits down with his mom, Lynn, and her…

e325. So You Have To Write a Prospectus? Now What Is It, Exactly? (and can an ointment clear it up?)

One of the best parts about being an academic is that you “get summers off.” One of the worst parts of being an academic is “your off days are just a time to do more homework.” That’s where Monica is, as she is currently knee deep in trying to write her PhD prospectus. But that…

e324. Unpacking Bridgerton Season 3: Penelope, Queerness, and Fandom Reactions

It’s that time again… we’ve had another year of Bridgerton and of course we had to analyze it. Think about it, it’s a show about British regency society. In some ways this might be the most cultured and sophisticated thing we ever do. Also, there’s a lot of sex. On this week’s episode of VoxPopcast,…

e323. The Complex Legacy of Barbie: Gender, Fashion & Identity

So how about that Barbie? No, not THAT Barbie… we did a show on the movie last year. No, what we want to talk about is enduring legacy of the concept of Barbie. Starting with the doll and going through to the movie, Barbie is just… always there. Or at least she has been for…