Episode 120: Black Panther, Adam Rippon, and Plastics

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the blockbuster film Black Panther, the ascendancy of Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, and the preponderance of plastics in contemporary life.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The release of blockbuster film Black Panther is being hailed as a watershed moment in African American, and mainstream, popular culture. Niki and Natalia both referenced Laurence Ware’s New York Times article on black nerds.
• Figure skater Adam Rippon has attracted media attention for using his platform to defend LGBTQ rights. Natalia mentioned this episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour featuring journalist Sam Sanders describing what it’s like to cover the Olympics. Niki referenced this Newsweek article about the “frozen closet” and Natalia commented on this New York Times article about disordered eating among male figure skaters.
• The Anglican Church is recommending that people give up plastics for Lent. Natalia noted the role of plastics in the 1967 film The Graduate and Niki referred to this Washington Post article on the magnitude of plastic pollution in in the United States.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil shared historian Josh Clark Davis’ Atlantic article on the FBI crackdown on black-owned bookstores.
• Natalia discussed this Sexing History podcast episode on the sexual harassment of flight attendants.
• Niki commented on Fergie’s rendition of the national anthem at the NBA All-Star Game and shared Cindy Boren’s Washington Post article that placed it in the context of poorly regarded national anthem performances.

Episode 119: Presidential Portraits, Down Syndrome, and Sanitation Workers

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate the release of the Obamas’ presidential portraits, the first Gerber Baby with Down syndrome, and the storied history of the sanitation worker.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The presidential and First Lady portraits of the Obamas have been released to more fanfare than is customary. Neil mentioned Obama White House photographer Pete Souza’s Instagram account and his recently published book of photos of President Obama. Niki commented on Andrew Jackson’s official portrait by Ralph E. W. Earl. Natalia referenced this Slate interview with art historians about the Obama portraits.
• The Gerber Baby, for the first time, has Down syndrome. Natalia shared David Perry’s Pacific Standard article advocating Gerber go further in working toward disability rights and the historical timeline written by the National Association for Down Syndrome.
• Sanitation is dangerous, crucial work, as a recent New York Times op-ed argued. Natalia cited Kiera Feldman’s Mother Jones article about the history of the industry, and Neil discussed Martin Luther King Jr.’s involvement in the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike, including his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed William R. Black’s Atlantic article, “Abraham Lincoln’s Secret Visits to Slaves.”
• Natalia shared the podcast Atlanta Monster.
• Niki talked about the history of marshmallows as chronicled in Jesse Rhodes’ Smithsonian article, “It’s a Marshmallow World.”

Episode 118: The Nunes Memo, the Stock Market Fall, and the 2018 Winter Olympics

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the Nunes memo and the GOP’s attack on the FBI, the recent stock market plummet, and the prospect of Korean reconciliation through the Winter Olympics.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• #ReleasetheMemo took over Twitter last week. Niki cited this Politico piece explaining “computational propaganda” that helped spread it. Natalia referred to the episode of Trumpcast that further explained how the meme went viral.
• The stock market recently plummeted over one thousand points. Neil discussed President Obama’s spokesperson Jay Carney’s observation that the Obama White House deliberately never took credit for the health of the stock market.
• The Winter Olympics kick off in PyeongChang, South Korea this week, prompting many to wonder about its political impact on the region. Natalia cited Heather Dichter’s Made By History essay about the Cold War era precedents for this year’s contest as well as a Backstory episode about the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” She also recommended David Wallace Adams’ classic Education for Extinction for its exploration of the politics of sport.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil shared Daina Ramey Berry’s New York Times article, “Beyond the Slave Trade, the Cadaver Trade.”
• Natalia commented on historian Brooke Blower’s book Becoming Americans in Paris.
• Niki discussed Tyler Huckabee’s Washington Post article, “The Radical – But Gentle – Faith of Mister Rogers.”

Episode 117: The Flu, Chief Wahoo, and Female Pain

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the flu, the fate of the Cleveland Indians’ mascot Chief Wahoo, and the normalization of female pain.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• 2017-18 is set to be one of the worst flu seasons in recent history. Natalia cited John M. Barry’s work at Smithsonian Magazine and in his book The Great Influenza. She also cited Derek Beres’ essay about homeopathy in Public Seminar.
• The Cleveland Indians will abandon the controversial Chief Wahoo logo next year. Natalia cited Andrew McGregor’s Washington Post piece on athletic “safe spaces” for conservative politics as well as Philip Deloria’s book Playing Indian. Niki referenced the National Coalition of American Indians video “Proud to Be.”
• Lili Loofbourow’s essay on female pain, “The Female Price of Male Pleasure,” went viral. Natalia cited a Healthline article about the “husband stitch” as well as John D’Emilio and Estelle Freedman’s book Intimate Matters.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed the creation of a new literary award, the Staunch Book Prize.
• Natalia commented on Dr. Jen Gunter’s medical blog, in particular her account of Gwyneth Paltrow’s New York City event.
• Niki shared this Guardian article about the bloodthirsty history of the nature documentary.

Episode 116: Homeschooling, Government Shutdowns, and Tide Pods

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the role of homeschooling in an abuse case in California, the recent government shutdown, and why people are eating Tide Pods on social media.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• A horrific case of child abuse in California has renewed debate about homeschooling. Natalia cited political philosopher Rob Reich’s scholarly article on homeschooling.
• We debate the recent government shut down.
• What started as an internet joke about eating Tide Pods has become a real-life fad. Natalia referred to this JStor Daily article about the sexualization of the supermarket.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the New York Times article, “Young Fitness Fogies Ditch $40 Classes for Hoops, Laps, and Jogs.”
• Neil discussed the Huffington Post article, “Even Breathing is a Risk in One of Orlando’s Poorest Neighborhoods.
• Niki discussed Catherine Kerrison’s Washington Post article “How Did We Lose a President’s Daughter?”

Episode 115: Tonya Harding, Prison Book Bans, and the Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate Tonya Harding’s comeback, book bans in prison, and the 20th anniversary of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• I, Tonya, is now in theaters and has prompted a new wave of interest in the 1990s scandal involving skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. Natalia referenced Chloe Angyal’s New York Times piece on “gymnastics feminism” and Niki referred to the 1995 book Women on Ice: Feminist Responses to the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding Spectacle.
• Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow was effectively banned from New Jersey jails, raising questions about how such decisions are made. Niki referred to another banned book, Douglas Blackmon’s Slavery by Another Name. Natalia mentioned Heather Thompson’s book about the Attica Uprising, Blood in the Water.
• It has been twenty years since the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal. Natalia referred to Lewinsky’s 2014 interview in Vanity Fair and her TED talk on cyberbullying. Niki wrote about how the Lewinsky scandal shaped modern American politics in her column for The Age.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared the Amazon Originals show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
• Neil discussed this Atlas Obscura article on when the Soviet Union paid Pepsi in warships.
• Niki commented on the New York Times article on how an African-American character, Franklin, was introduced to the Peanuts cartoon.

Episode 114: Alt-Right Asian Fetish, Temporary Protected Status, and Raw Water

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the Asian fetish of some alt-right white nationalists, President Trump’s plan to revoke protections for Salvadorans, and the raw water craze.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• White nationalism is not necessarily incompatible with heterosexual romantic attraction to Asian women, Audrea Lim wrote in the New York Times. Niki referred to Asian women’s complicity in this dynamic as akin to that of alt-right women more broadly, as discussed in Harper’s. Natalia and Niki referred to this Plan A article explaining how anti-Asian gender stereotyping also marginalizes Asian-American men. Niki referred to Jeffrey Guo’s reporting in the Washington Post that it wasn’t unique drive among Asian-Americans that made them a “model minority”, but the gradual diminishing of anti-Asian racism. We all recommend Ellen D. Wu’s book The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority.
• The Trump administration has announced that it will revoke “Temporary Protected Status” for nearly 200,000 Salvadorans who benefit from it. Niki cited Carly Goodman’s Washington Post article pointing to the origins of TPS.
• “Raw water” is all the rage among a certain subset of the wellness world, reported publications from the New York Times to the National Review. Natalia cited Tamara Venit Shelton’s Public Seminar article about the origins of the obsession with “natural living.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Kathleen Kelly Janus’ new book Social Startup Success.
• Neil discussed the controversy over this New York Times obituary of LDS president Thomas Monson. He also referred to this catalog of all obituaries of LDS presidents.
• Niki shared this New York Times article about #MeToo pioneer Patricia Douglas.

Episode 113: African-American Intellectuals, Southern Democrats, and LaCroix Sparkling Water

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss a feud between African-American intellectuals Cornel West and Ta-Nehisi Coates, the electoral prospects for southern Democrats, and why LaCroix Sparkling Water has become an obsession.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Cornel West published a blistering takedown of Ta-Nehisi Coates in The Guardian. Niki referenced Michael Eric Dyson’s critique of West in The New Republic and Natalia referred to Matthew Clair’s essay in Public Books about the origins of the desire among liberal white audiences to hear “authentic” black voices, but only in certain ways. Niki referenced Tressie McMillan Cottom’s blog post where she argued that Coates and West are fundamentally different as thinkers.
• Doug Jones’ win against Roy Moore in Alabama was astonishing given the political leanings of the region. Neil referred to his own post in Public Seminar in which he argued the election was more a loss for Moore than a victory by Jones. Niki referred to Matthew Lassiter’s Silent Majority: Suburban Politics in the Sunbelt South and Kevin Kruse’s White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism, both of which detail the slow process by which the long-Democratic South became almost wholesale Republican.
• LaCroix Sparkling Water is all the rage among coastal tastemakers these days, though it has Midwestern roots, as Vox reports. Niki recommended the Gastropod podcast to delve deeper into the history of seltzer.  

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed allegations of sexual assault against Russell Simmons.
• Neil recommended Sarah Rose’s book For All the Tea in China.
• Niki shared why KFC is a popular Christmas meal in Japan.

Episode 112: "Cat Person," Black Maternal Mortality, and Elf on the Shelf

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the viral New Yorker short story “Cat Person”, the disproportionately high maternal death rate among black women, and the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Kristen Roupenian’s New Yorker short story “Cat Person” went surprisingly viral last week. Natalia cited Laura Kipnis’ Unwanted Advances to dissuade readers from equating bad and coercive sex. Natalia cited Jennifer Weiner’s New York Times op-ed about the snobbery often directed at her career writing “chick lit.” Neil recommended Roupenian’s interview with Deborah Treisman.
• ProPublica published a damning article highlighting the many reasons black women die in pregnancy and childbirth. Neil recommended anthropologist Carolyn Rouse’s book Uncertain Suffering: Racial Health Care Disparities and Sickle Cell Disease, and Natalia recommended Alondra Nelson’s Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Medical Discrimination and Susan Reverby’s Examining Tuskegee: The Infamous Syphilis Study and its Legacy.
• We discussed the newest Christmas tradition – the now decade-plus old Elf on the Shelf.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed the history of the claw foot tub.
• Natalia commented on the new PBS documentary, Pervert Park.
• Niki shared The Cut article, “The Life and Death of a Radical Sisterhood.”

Episode 111: Etiquette Books, a Royal Engagement, and National Monuments

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate the resurgence of etiquette books, the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal engagement, and President Trump’s decision to limit the size of two national monuments.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Etiquette books are making a comeback, and we referenced this New York Times roundup of new titles by Judith Newman. Natalia cited Richard Bushman’s classic book, The Refinement of America: Persons, Houses, Cities and Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road.
• Prince Harry is getting engaged to biracial American actor Meghan Markle. Natalia cited this Washington Post article critiquing American’s fascination with British royal culture.
• President Trump reduced the size of two national monuments, breaking with presidential precedent and angering many. Natalia cited Federico Finchelstein’s new book From Fascism to Populism in History. Neil cited the role of outdoor recreation companies in resisting this move and Natalia cited Tom Sugrue’s article “America’s Real Estate Developer in Chief” in Public Books.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil commented on Steve Bannon’s attack on Mitt Romney.
• Natalia discussed the new Netflix documentary, Voyeur.
• Niki shared the Vox video, “The U.S. Medical System Still Haunted By Slavery.”

Episode 110: Time Inc., Massage Envy, and Net Neutrality

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the purchase of Time Inc. by the Meredith Corporation, sexual assault claims at a chain of massage spas, and net neutrality.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Time magazine and its adjacent properties shaped a generation of journalism. Niki referenced Alan Brinkley’s biography of its founder, Henry Luce. Natalia cited Niki’s book on the rise of conservative media, Messengers of the Right.
• A Buzzfeed news article by Katie J.M. Baker reported 180 sexual assault cases at Massage Envy, a large chain of massage therapy spas. Natalia referenced an article in Massage magazine emphasizing why “massage therapist” (not masseur/masseuse) is now widely used.
• Net neutrality is under threat. Neil historicized the amorphous idea using this Cnet piece; Niki referenced Danny Kimball’s Washington Post article about the concept’s historical precedents.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed this New York Times magazine issue on “Life After Driving.”
• Natalia commented on Michelle D. Brock’s Washington Post article historicizing the term “witch hunt.”
• Niki shared Martha Jones’ Washington Post article about why “Pocahontas” is a slur against mixed-race people.

Episode 109: Bill Clinton, the NYC Subway, and GOP's Tax Plan

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the recent reckoning with Bill Clinton’s legacy, the state of the New York City subway, and the new tax reform measure.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Conservatives and liberals alike are reevaluating Bill Clinton’s legacy in terms of the sea change in attitudes about sexual harassment and assault. Niki referred to Clinton’s 2012 speech at the Democratic National Convention. Natalia cited Estelle Freedman’s book Redefining Rape: Sexual Violence in the Era of Suffrage and Segregation.
• A New York Times article recently asked how and why the New York City subway system is in such disrepair. Natalia recommended Clifton Hood’s book 722 Miles: The Building of Subways and How They Transformed New York. Neil referred to Kim Phillips-Fein’s book on 1970s New York, Fear City: New York’s Fiscal Crisis and the Rise of Austerity Politics.
• A new tax reform bill has passed the House. We discussed the history of the GOP and tax reform. Niki referred to Molly Michelmore’s book Tax and Spend: The Welfare State, Tax Politics, and Limits of American Liberalism. Natalia mentioned Bruce Schulman’s recent Washington Post article.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed the new film Wonder.
• Natalia discussed the podcast Ear Hustle.
• Niki discussed the history of green bean casserole.

Episode 108: Liz Smith, Interracial Friendships, and Roy Moore

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate Liz Smith and the history of gossip columns, whether interracial friendships are possible, and evangelical responses to Roy Moore’s pedophilia scandal.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Gossip columnist Liz Smith passed away this month, prompting us to historicize the genre she helped establish. Natalia referenced this Vanity Fair group interview of Page Six writers and editors and pointed to Anne Helen Petersen’s article about Rona Barrett.
• This New York Times op-ed by Ekow Yankah doubted whether interracial friendships are truly possible in this historical moment. Niki referred to Jamelle Bouie’s Slate essay “There Is No Such Thing as a Good Trump Voter.” Neil cited this study showing the greater diversity of African-Americans’ social networks than those of white people. Natalia referred to Brittney Cooper’s Salon essay about the limits of her friendships with white people. Niki commented on “the talk” and Natalia recommended this Public Seminar essay by historian Ed Baptist.
• Family values champion Roy Moore has been accused of pedophilia and many are surprised that evangelicals are standing by him. Natalia referenced this New Yorker article that reports that Moore often cruised for teen girls at an Alabama shopping mall, and this New Republic article that highlights how teen girls are often sexualized in evangelical cultures. Niki referenced this MSNBC segment in which Moore’s lawyer intimated that Muslim cultures condone child marriage. Neil, who has written about the limits of understanding white evangelicals through a political lens, also referred to a piece he wrote for Religion & Politics before the election last year on how the religious right moved from “outside activists” to “inside operatives.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed Trump’s recent lifting of a trophy-hunting game ban. (Note: Since our recording, President Trump has put the ban reversal on hold.)
• Natalia discussed Lara Freidenfeld’s Nursing Clio essay questioning all forms of “perfect motherhood.”
• Niki discussed this Jezebel article about the 1936 advice manual Live Alone and Like It, the subject of Joanna Scutts’s new book, The Extra Woman.

Episode 107: Democratic Wins, Twitter, and The Snowy Day

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the Democratic wins in the recent off-year elections, the doubling of Twitter’s character limit, and the release of a postage stamp based on Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Democrats won in a “blue wave” in the recent off-year elections. Natalia referenced this Roll Call article showing how the parties of sitting presidents have historically come up short in off-year and midterm elections.
• Twitter recently extended its character limit to 280 characters, prompting us to consider the history of the medium. We referenced Mashable’s Twitter history timeline and Natalia cited Julia Turner’s New York Times magazine article that highlights the linguistic effect of the hashtag on modern speech. Niki referred to Alan Brinkley’s biography of publisher Henry Luce.
• Peter, the Black protagonist of Ezra Jack Keats’ classic children’s book is now on a postage stamp. Neil recalled reading The Snowy Day as a child. Natalia also commented on another famous children’s book from the era, Corduroy. Niki referenced Daksha Slater’s Mother Jones article on “The Uncomfortable Truth About Children’s Books.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the documentary Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.
• Neil discussed the slime craze among American kids.
• Niki discussed the new movie The Florida Project.

Episode 106: Kevin Spacey, Company Towns, and the Reformation

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate Kevin Spacey’s coming out amid charges of pedophilia, the 21st century company town, and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• When a Buzzfeed article reported that actor Anthony Rapp, at age fourteen, had been assaulted by Kevin Spacey, Spacey responded by coming out as gay. Niki referred to longstanding rumors about Spacey’s sexuality, including a 1997 Esquire cover story that hinted about his “secret.” We all referred to the longstanding stereotype of homosexual-as-pedophile promoted by the 1961 public service announcement film Boys Beware, which we have referenced on other segments.
• Google is developing a stretch of the Toronto riverfront, the New York Times reported. Natalia referenced a Smithsonian magazine article that explains that company towns have historically had both utopian and dystopian qualities. Natalia also referred to the informal use of the term “company town” to describe a town dominated by a single company, such as the role of Maytag in Newton, Iowa, described in an NPR segment.
• The Protestant Reformation just turned 500. Neil referenced Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and the Five Solas that undergirded the Reformation.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed the end of the New York City cabaret law.
• Natalia discussed the #MeToo movement in the pornography industry.
• Niki discussed Errol Morris’ New York Times book review of Peter Manseau’s The Apparitionists.

Episode 105: JFK Files, Joni Mitchell, and Anxiety

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate the declassification of the JFK files, Joni Mitchell, and our age of anxiety.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• In light of President Trump’s announcement that “he” would declassify a substantial chunk of the files surrounding the JFK assassination, we discussed the history of conspiracy theories around this event. Natalia and Neil cited Max Holland’s 1994 Reviews in American History article that explored why conspiracy theories proliferated so over JFK’s assassination.
• David Yaffe’s new biography of Joni Mitchell has reinvigorated interest in the folk singer widely considered a musical genius. Niki referenced The Ringer article explaining “fear of a female genius.” Natalia referred to Zadie Smith’s analysis of Mitchell’s unique poignancy born in part of her use of “complicated chords.”
• The New York Times recently published a longform article highlighting the extreme anxiousness of contemporary American teenagers. Neil referenced Scott Stossel’s Alternet article on the long history of anxiety and Natalia cited Ruth Whippman’s book America the Anxious.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the new podcast Sexing History, highlighting their recent episode on the Mark Eden breast-enhancement device (on which she is interviewed).
• Neil commented that the sitcom Will and Grace is back on the air.
• Niki discussed Sarada Peri’s Washington Post - Made By History article about the cost of sidestepping the Presidential Records Act.

Episode 104: Girl Scouts, #MeToo, and HIV/AIDS

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the Girl Scouts in light of the Boy Scouts’ recent decision to admit girls, #MeToo activism, and how Michael Friedman’s recent death of HIV/AIDS helps us understand the illness in historical context.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• We discussed the decision by the Boy Scouts to admit girls’ and the resistance of Girl Scouts leadership to the idea that this is a step forward for gender equality, as explained in this New York Times op-ed. Neil referenced the Girl Scouts’ longstanding commitment to progressivism. Natalia recommended this Atlantic article about what the Boy Scouts’ resistance both to admitting gay scouts and girl scouts teaches us about masculinity.
• When Alyssa Milano implored women Twitter to answer “me too” to signal their having been sexually assaulted, she touched off a new wave of hashtag activism. Natalia referenced the longer history of “me too” – it was created a decade ago by Tarana Burke – and commented how contributions of people of color are often erased. Niki recommended David Karpf’s The MoveOn Effect as a useful way to understand hashtag activism. Natalia recommended feminist Carol Hanisch’s On the Issues article about the continued salience of consciousness-raising to the feminist movement.
• Michael Friedman’s death of HIV/AIDS in 2017 came as a shock to many who think of the disease as chronic, but no longer fatal. In chronicling how the disease has stigmatized gay men, Niki recalled conservative William F. Buckley’s proposal that HIV-positive gay men have their status tattooed on their buttocks. Natalia referenced a Smithsonian article on the fear-mongering approach of 1980s and 1990s public health campaigns around HIV/AIDS, as well as a useful New Republic piece explaining why the United States was hit harder than western Europe by the virus.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed a Racked article explaining a new fashion trend: menocore.
• Neil commented on the latest wave of resistance in schools to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.  
• Niki discussed historian Claire Potter’s Washington Post article on the relevance of Andrea Dworkin to understanding the Harvey Weinstein debacle.

Episode 103: Harvey Weinstein, Pumpkin Spice, & the Dove Ad Controversy

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate alleged sexual predator Harvey Weinstein and the culture that enables him, the history of the pumpkin spice phenomenon, and the controversy over a Dove soap advertisement.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• We discussed the serial sexual assaults many women in Hollywood allege movie mogul Harvey Weinstein committed against them, reported in a New York Times story by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. Neil cited Ann Helen Petersen’s explanation in Buzzfeed of the way that women in Hollywood have used gossip networks to safeguard each other from Weinstein’s aggressions. Natalia referenced Rebecca Traister’s essay in The Cut about how not only changes in attitudes toward survivors of sexual assault but also an awareness of Weinstein’s waning power converged to make these allegations surface now.
• Starbucks has made the Pumpkin Spice Latte a fall fixture; we discussed the history of the phenomenon and of pumpkin (spice) itself. Natalia referenced Cindy Ott’s monograph Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon, in which she argues that pumpkins went from an undesirable last culinary resort in the colonial era to a symbol of the pastoral ideal in the nineteenth century and still today. Natalia and Niki also recommended the humorous McSweeney’s essay, “It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherf*&kers”.
• Dove, a brand that has distinguished itself with its body-positive messaging, caused a firestorm by releasing an ad that appeared to show a black woman becoming white. Niki pointed out that this is not the first time Dove has come under fire for its approach to race. Natalia recommended watching the full ad, rather than the screenshots that have circulated on social media. Natalia also recommended contextualizing the incident with Autumn Whitfield-Madrano’s book Face Value and an article at The Conversation about the racist history of skincare.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil commented on the sexist media coverage of the surprising loss of the U.S. men’s soccer team to Trinidad and Tobago, disqualifying them from the World Cup.  
• Natalia discussed Eminem’s anti-Trump freestyle rap at the BET Awards.
• Niki discussed the “interesting but wildly inaccurate” ideas about equal time on television for politicians expressed by President Trump in a series of tweets.

Episode 102: Bronx School Killing, Romance Novels, and Game Shows

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate a fatal stabbing at a Bronx high school, the history of the romance novel and its critics, and the evolution of the game show genre.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• We discussed the stabbing death of Matthew McCree, 15, at the hands of his classmate, Abel Cedeno, 18, at the Bronx public school, Urban Assembly, the first killing in a New York City school in two decades. Natalia cited Albert M. Camarillo’s theory of the “new racial frontier” that describes community and conflict in contemporary cities as one framework for understanding this conflict between a Puerto Rican and African-American New Yorkers. We also referenced West Side Story to emphasize the long-standing stereotype of Puerto Ricans as gangsters, a trope that has resurged in response to this incident. Niki highlighted the concept of the “school-to-prison pipeline” as important context to understand the criminalization of young men of color by the schools.
• Romance novels not only earn enormous profits, but also disdain from the literary establishment. For this reason, a long New York Times Book Review “roundup” of new titles in the genre made news.  Romance blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books was ambivalent, grateful for the publicity but critical of the choice of a writer who failed to acknowledge the complexity of the genre. Natalia commented on Kelly Faircloth’s more nuanced treatment at Jezebel and recommended scholar Janice Radway’s book on the different ways women read the genre.
• Monty Hall, host of the classic game show Let’s Make a Deal, recently died, an occasion to consider the genre he helped define in historical context. Niki pointed out how the quiz show scandals of the 1950s marked an era of far higher trust in public institutions. One signal theme of the modern era, Natalia commented, is the blurring between the genres of reality television and game show, evidenced by The Briefcase, among other programs.   

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil commented on the death of musician Tom Petty, and in particular on his relationship to the Confederate flag.
• Natalia discussed the Los Angeles Times’ series and podcast “Dirty John”, by Christopher Goffard, a gripping California narrative that also reminds us of the need to support longform, investigative journalism.
• Niki discussed “Before Vibrators Were Mainstream” in the Atlantic, which explored the feminist origins of the contemporary sex toy industry.

Flashback! Hawaii

In this week's flashback episode, we revisit our segment on the history of Hawaii.