Recent Episodes
Episodes loading...
Recent Reviews
-
weespeshWhat the prior reviewers š said about the Baby Teindeer takeMuch more I could say here, but these other folks who wrote in got it covered. I found Baby Reindeer strikingly honest. It resonated with similar experiences of abuse and sexuality (related and separately) in my life and lives around me. To suggest Donny was dating or leading on his abuser, even that the abuser was gay (he identifies out loud as pansexual during the show), or that Donnyās confusion post-assault is implying gay contagion ā felt like very simplistic, borderline incorrect reads of a show that is not at all simple. Despite the hostsā claims of not wanting to police sexuality, this episode perpetuates a tired narrative that bi or questioning folks are betraying the queer cause. And assuming that Jessica Gunning wonāt get opportunities because sheās fat is an insult to the live wire of talent she brings to this show. Baby Reindeer is a story about the authorās self-hatred. The hosts seem to miss that and need it to be About queerness or About body size; I loved that those features, like they are in so much of real life, were just details in that story. And like a lot of real life, the story is messy. This has been the most popular show on Netflix for weeks. Please have more than two people review it.
-
jjmaherLong time Fan but Baby Reindeer episode disappointingI love your show and I donāt always agree with your takes, thought mostly I really appreciate and love your views, humor and banter. That being said, I was incredibly bothered by the Baby Reindeer episode. I get that we all have our particular views and triggers, but I think you should have included voices of those who have actually experienced sexual trauma. I am a survivor and I found his portrayal of his experience deeply reassuring as I had a similar experience. Whether the perpetrator of the trauma is considered āstraightā or āqueerā or āgayā, the consequences are nearly identical for many. You act out replaying and repeating the trauma over and over. I spent years having dangerous and maladaptive essentially non-consensual sex as a subconscious way to gain back control or convince myself that it was fine because I really did want that to happen. His character did the same thing. Also sexuality is way more complex than you are born gay or straight and all of our experiences throughout our lives into the choices we make. Sure some people are just what they are but some people are different because in addition to their inherited sexuality, their trauma and experiences inform them. I felt so deeply seen by this character and hadnāt seen such since Flea Bag. I understand that in the past, queerness was used against people and stigmatized and some people still today see it as a disease and that all queer folk are predators. So I get the knee jerk tendencies to see this from that point of view, but thatās not what this is. This man was sexually groomed and assaulted and it just happened to be by a queer man who tried to gaslight him into thinking it wasnāt that. There are queer predators and to verge on saying that he wasnāt assaulted or that by hanging out with the guy and willingly taking his drugs he was āconsentingā is beyond gross and irresponsible. No one who is unconscious or under the influence can consent unless thereās some prior verbal agreement about it. There was clearly none. I really wish you had included other people in this review that might have more insight into what an actual victim of assault may go through. Also, Iām a larger cis woman and spent many years feeling bad about my body and itās only in the last few years that Iāve come to really love and embrace my body and I didnāt perceive and of the fat phobia you all brought up around the stalker character and trust me, Iām highly sensitized to these types of things having lived in a larger body my whole life. In my mind she just happened to be a larger woman with major issues. I didnāt feel she was made to be the butt of any joke. There are plenty of people in the world that find larger people sexually and otherwise attractive so I donāt see any reason to interpret her size as fat phobic, especially if thatās just how the person in real lifeās body happened to be. Give your track record, I would have expected better in terms of reviews and addressing the complexity of the issues presented. It sounds like Guy watched the show, was clearly offended and wanted somewhere to vent. I donāt think this was the place for such a one sided rant. Otherwise, I really love everything you do. Keep up the mostly amazing work.
-
pastabowHuge fan but the baby reindeer takes were insaneThe take on baby reindeerās grooming and gay culture was WILD. To answer the question, YES if the person was a woman, it still wouldāve 100% been grooming and seen as that. I am beyond disbelief at the takes in this episode. Step back and realize this was not about your life - itās Gaddās life and his story. He WAS 100% groomed and abused and if it was by a gay man, then it was and thatās reality. Making inferences that Gadd somehow led this abuser on and āwho knows if he ever specified if he wanted a purely platonic relationshipā and āhe sure wanted SOMETHING from hanging around the abuser!!ā IS VICTIM BLAMING. SHAME ON YOU.
-
simkoktPlastic surgery?Love this show! Longtime listener! Canāt get enough. I just finished your episode on Fall Guy and I couldnāt help but wonder - how do you all feel about actors in Hollywood getting plastic surgery? In this case Iām thinking of Emma Blunt but itās fairly hard to escape at this point - most actors get something done to their face whether itās filler or Botox or a nose job or other. I have an uncanny valley reaction to plastic surgery and find it so very distracting. Iām either fixated on the plastic surgery that I know an actor has had OR Iām thinking about whether or not someone has had work done because they all look so stinking young. Itās getting to the point where I canāt even stand Hollywood films anymore because everyoneās face looks so strange or strangely unaged. Please discuss!!!
-
callheralaskaLong time listener, first time reviewerIāve been listening to PCHH for a very long time and still find it fresh and enjoyable. I love their daily format with rotating hosts; it brings so many voices and perspectives to the media Iām consuming. Team PCHH forever!
-
AW624Baby Reindeer ReviewLongtime devotee of this podcast. But Iām struggling with this episode. Calling the depiction of his sexual assault as playing into gay panic? He was drugged and raped while unconscious and its referred to as the abuser āhitting onā and ādatingā the main character? What theā¦?
-
EagmadgLove the show!Helps me keep up to das on shows, etc.
-
elysian012Hot Ones!What a surprise covering the Conan OāBrien Hot Ones episode! Loved it!
-
dunkerliciouslove Glenās hot takesI love Glen Weldonās hot takes on pop culture, only because he says it in such a way that makes me laugh every time! He always sounds so exasperated to discuss his ācontroversialā opinion that tends to hit the mark. He reminds me of a quirky English professor. :)
-
Prelley KinceGreat podcastReally enjoy the hosts. Great insights and wonderful banter.
-
AP-OncUnadulterated baloneyHappened to get linked to this show via Apple Podcast app & listening to Strike Force Five. I checked out this show's episode on Strike Force Five (and the reports of trouble on The Tonight Show set) - only to be subjected to some male commentator turn it into how awful late night tv hosts are, playing the race card because Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, etc. are all middle-aged white men, and that even the announcer & sponsor of Strike Force Five are in the same demographic. This is all unadulterated "spin" baloney and the reason I'm not a NPR monthly donor any more. I'm not "sustaining" that woke culture anymore.
-
Comfycozy999A little less criticismI listen to this podcast pretty religiously during my work week to start my morning. I really love hearing the diverse opinions on various forms of media. Howwever, I feel more and more lately, there's nothing that this team really likes. I feel there's a lot of dissatisfaction in their critiques and I wonder if anything is ever good enough for them. I really love the hosts, but maybe lighten up a bit.
-
CarHar788Bad fitting of hostsWhy would you host a podcast about a movie you havenāt even seen?
-
Sunny WunderQuiet on SetI usually really enjoy your show but todayās show could have included an expert on child abuse explaining the damage that happens to children as they grow older. Although you did comment on the fact that thereās something wrong with the system, I wouldāve liked more discussion on the responsibility of the network. It is encumbered upon all of us to ensure that there are guard rails in place (such as regulations and stringent laws) to protect all employees and especially children from abuse. We can no longer afford to put profit over humanity. Before we didnāt have the research that examines the damage that happens to children experiencing abuse but we have that research now.
-
David_888111Antisemitism on displayThe reviewersā gleeful adulation of Jonathan Glazerās Oscar acceptance speech is almost as offensive and troubling to many Jews as the speech itself. While Aisha called his words āpowerful,ā many Jews saw his ārefuting of his Jewishnessā just the newest step in the millennia-long effort to compel Jews to erase themselves - renounce your heritage, your faith, etc. Jews should not need to refute themselves to make people feel better about the Israel-Gaza war. Secondly, Lindaās point that Glazer didnāt need to āstretch to make that connectionā between Auschwitz and Gaza is disgusting. 1 million Jews were forcibly deported to and gassed at Auschwitz (and 6 million killed overall in the Holocaust). While the Gaza situation is horrible, deaths are occurring in context of an overall war that Palestinian political leadership (Hamas) initiated; you can condemn death in both cases without equating the two. The podcast doesnāt need to wade into politics at all. But since youāve decided this is a political podcast, please expect legitimate criticism and condemnation of your antisemitic biases going forward.
-
SpongeBobbyHil589PoppycockPretentious pop npr npc
-
Bridge0614Pop Culture Happy Hour is the bomb!I listen to most of these. Fabulous commentary and has introduced me to movies, shows and books. Love it!
-
Piggers_R1985excellent!I listen to every episode! Great hosts, commentary and content! Keep up the fantastic work!!!
-
PintresterThe best!Absolutely love the PCHH crew and their coverage.
-
Cannot enter a nicknameOppenheimerLos Alamos is in the mountains, not the desert.
-
A podcast addictPlatonic LoveLove your show, your banter, your respect for each other (even though I donāt always agree.) I was yelling at you while listening last week and you didnāt hear me. And I havenāt been able to let it go. The most remarkable portrayal of a platonic relationship of pure love Iāve ever seen on TV is between the marvelous Mrs. Maisal and her manager/friend Susie. It had ups and downs and even a break up. And yet. Decades into the future in one of the best endings (spoiler alert) of any series, Miriam and Susie are living on opposite coasts but watching a game show together through a phone call, laughing, being silly and clearly connected by a life long love. Perfection.
-
Jeff SawyerJust smart enough, just long enoughImagine Congress addressing disagreements with such civility and wisdom. PCHH inserts a snippet of smarts into otherwise dumb days.
-
miri whatthehellmannLike listening to old friends!Nobody has time to see every new movie, tv show, concert, or read every new book. With this podcast I get to feel up to date on whatās in the zeitgeist and can get a sense of whatās worth checking out. I also love hearing the hosts varying opinions after Iāve watched/read/listened to the subject. I have been listening to PCHH since it started (over 10 years ago now?!)
-
Potatopotahto00Love this show!One of my favorite podcasts, and a great way to learn about new movies and shows. PLEASE do In the Know show on peacock! šš cmon itās about npr! š¤£š¤£
-
ACY SGWho Hires these PeopleThese hosts are weak on insight and strong on asserting their views in terms of their identities, e.g. "As an [insert identity here], I found this show to be problematic," etc. Their views are predictable, praising shows that feature identities they deem important, and never failing to laughingly dismiss all things white, straight, and male. I'm a left-leaning liberal who shares most of their views, but I find myself tiring of the narrow bandwidth of their discussions and the lack of intellectual substance or expertise in cultural criticism. Marvel populism and identitarian groupthink make me realize the degree to which the defunded, corporatized NPR has lost its way. All that said, Stephen Thompson rules and for him I must continue listening.
-
PeeWeeCGGreat Podcast Covering A wide breadth of mediaShort, snappy, well thought out reviews of a wide breadth of culture. I worry about the folks doing one star for a single episode or for not liking something as much as they did. Itās ok to like or dislike different things and make a case on it as thatās how one has a metered discourse. Just try listening to a different episode or try reviewing based on actual podcasting elements like audio quality, production, diversity of voices based on subject matter and the host knowledge base, etc. Thereās no point in doing 1 star for most things itās unwarranted most the time. If you donāt care for it go listen to something else for free or go create something else yourself instead of spreading negativity.
-
rachieoliviaGrammy Episode was pretty hatefulIām a huge fan of Pop culture Happy Hour, but I just listened to the Grammy episode and it was incredibly disappointing. Iām not a huge Swiftie by any means, but the guests on the episode were being downright hateful. Iām sorry that Taylor Swift is mega famous and has won lots of awards for albums that are quite popular, but thatās not really her problem. Like a previous commenter said, we donāt pull this āover-saturatedā or āpeakā commentary when itās about male artists, so why do we think itās okay to do it now? Disappointed in that episode and disappointed that people seem so primed to hate her for no real justifiable reason.
-
LexPNWUsed to be a fan, then they started Taylor hatingI used to listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on the regular, but the latest episode covering the Grammys has turned me off completely. These high-minded critics are tearing down a global treasure because they think theyāre too cool to admire one of the most talented songwriters / performers / directors / artists of our time. Pop Culture Happy Hour? More like Trash Talk Hater Hour. They can take their hate and keep it, Iām going to spend my listening time elsewhere.
-
susanebereDisappointedIn the women shooting down Taylorā¦Iām a boomer and I think she is a saintā¦itās her giving soul, her business aptitude are a greater than weāve experienced. I love Miley tooā¦I loved them all actually. Celebrate them all.
-
Josephina84The Taylor hate isn't a good lookHave we ever as a society asked if a male performer's career has reached a "peak" and that were "saturated" by them? So gross you guys...and I'm a long time listener. Taylor speaks to people. She produces a monoculture that makes people feel seen and loved. Dampening joy is nasty business. Usually you don't have that look. I was shocked.
-
dedeferreHow disappointingVanderpump rules?! New low šš¾šš¾
-
KjsalmonLove hearing their takeI really enjoy hearing the groupās take on specific TV shows and movies. I often find new shows to watch that I hadnāt heard of before listening to the episode. I also like that often each person has a different opinion and offers another view.
-
IcyChick289Like listening to friendsI love that they cover low-brow (hello Below Deck, my guilty pleasure) and high-brow. Always a good discussion and they do a great job pulling in guest hosts.
-
cet blaineMaestroFirst off, thank you Anastasia for recognizing the subtleties and beauty of this film. The other two hosts have zero understanding of what the film was trying to convey and seem erudite and pretentious, caught up in trolling Bradley Cooper. How could they not even mention the most stunning scene in this film, where Cooper conducts the London symphony orchestra for over 6 minutes and moved me and others to tears? The beauty of that segment was one of the most entrancing moments on film I have ever seen. To focus on REM in the car and criticize the music supervisor???? Dear god. The professorial snobbery reeks to high heaven on this pod. And for that you get a 1 star. WILL NOT RECOMMEND
-
JMS32205Too much of a pretentious vibe to be enjoyableI wanted to like the show as Iāve heard Aisha on other podcasts and enjoyed her. But this show is too buried in the āartsy fartsyā.
-
sjdhsjsxjjsWonka EpiCandace Lim absolutely killed me. I loved her confident delivery.
-
Not Just JoeWhy havenāt you reviewed Godzilla Minus One?Why havenāt you reviewed Godzilla Minus One? It has been more culturally significant and financially successful than so many of these other things.
-
flangeslammerhigh minded for the tiktok generationthey reviewed saltburn and called it Talented Mr Ripley mashed up with Parasite and immediately lost all credibility they might have been holding onto. no matter who is on the show, they insist on dealing away depth or meaning for bubbly banter that ultimately means nothing while patting eachother on the back.
-
Gabriel NuezEpisode 1746Love this episode. Felipe and Anna had me in tears
-
happygalManipulative advertisingI like your podcast and have listened for years, but Iām not ok with the recent trend of your reading an advertisement, verbatim, twice. Iām not here to be brainwashed and if you donāt stop this practice soon Iāll have to unfollow. Hope you care.
-
JO Robinson1EnjoyThis is a good show for the most part, the reviews are honest and informative.
-
Elissa 83Several years of bummer cityI used to be a huge fan of pop culture happy hour when it was two days a week. I really think that since the switch it has been leaning into its worse tendencies. I want to know if something is good before I hear commentary on its social impact. The episode about American Born Chinese put the nail in for me. I would much rather hear about things the hosts love and why then the million things that they consider problematic. Life is problematic. So is good art.
-
LuyonceJust okMeh
-
YussssssssssddssThis show has gone downhillItās kinda cringey how much they like a show about teenagers having sex that literally shows the characters who are supposed to be simulating underage children nude. Gross. Leave the kids alone creeps
-
EstherH85#Quick rundowns I love thisso good. A++
-
Ms_BonesThe Beaches Are Keeping My Fall Days SunnyThank you, Stephen Thompson. The recommendation of The Beaches album was solid. I listened to it all the way through and already have at least three songs stuck running around on repeat. Me & Me and Everything is Boring are so fun, and who doesnāt love to Blame Brett? Iām not always one to try out new stuff, so Iām glad that when I did, it was with zero regrets.
-
LucaNPRLove itLove the show, it has an interesting take on the various topics it covers. It helps me make a decision if to invest time in a certain show, movie, concert and anything in between. On the downside, I am a paid subscriber but lately I have been finding commercials breaks even if I would have expected not to have any.
-
ColeBritneyGreat Swiftie episodeI really enjoyed listening to your Taylor Swift episode. I would consider myself a Swiftie, and I donāt get to see the show until next year in Indianapolis. But your panel got me really excited for next year.
-
Juneā momReturn to once a week formatI used to love this show but really since they transitioned to the multiple episodes per week format the content has been completely uninteresting to me ( so much comic book / super hero content!!) .
-
ABCorcoranWhat happened to this podcast?Used to be great. Insightful, funny, charming, interesting. Is it just the lack of good films and shows out there? Every episode gets lamer and lamer with less interesting projects and less insightful commentary. I went from a daily listener to MAYBE listening once very few weeks. Shame.
Similar Podcasts
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.