Pop Syllabus

Welcome to another week in pop culture, where nothing is calm and everything is a headline. In this episode, Christiana flips through the latest tabloids and magazines, breaking down celebrity chaos, unhinged headlines, and the editorials everyone can’t stop talking about. Sydney Sweeney, Doja Cat, Timothée Chalamet, Anne Hathaway, and more all show up in this week’s rundown as Christiana shares her hot takes on what’s worth the hype and what’s just noise. Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack   Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:50 Sydney Sweeney’s “Magazine Milkies” Moment 02:59 Sofía Vergara’s Sketchy Skechers Ad 03:54 Sydney Sweeney’s Viral Lingerie Editorial 08:15 Why Everyone Is Suddenly Obsessed With Tyriq Withers 10:04 Twilight Taylors 10:22 Is Robert Pattinson the New Leonardo DiCaprio? 12:40 Teyana Taylor as Lady Liberty 14:26 Inside the “MAGA Land” Editorial 21:54 Doja Cat on Vogue 24:48 India’s Growing Influence on Pop Culture 27:10 Bhavitha Mandava, Versace & Fashion’s Rising New Faces 29:08 Jelly Roll’s Weight Loss Transformation 34:20 Sarah Michelle Gellar’s People Magazine Cover 35:48 The Royal Roundup: Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle & More 37:22 Anne Hathaway’s Best Oscars Look 38:14 Sarah Michelle Gellar Is Making a Comeback 40:19 Harry & Meghan “Exiled” From Hollywood? 43:21 Christiana’s Top Magazine Recommendation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Hollywood, everyone wants a “perfect” face, but the goal now is to make it look like nothing was ever done. But behind that natural look is a growing set of procedures most people would never recognize. Today, Christiana sits down with Double Board Certified Facial & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon Dr. Carl Truesdale to understand what’s driving Hollywood’s obsession with undetectable plastic surgery, from subtle lifts to revision procedures, as well as how cosmetic work among men and AI are shaping today’s beauty standards. Dr. Truesdale’s website  Follow Dr. Truesdale: Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:02 Meet Dr. Carl Truesdale  02:07 How Dr. Truesdale got into cosmetic surgery  03:50 Cultivating a diverse practice with cultural competency  09:05 The costs of cosmetic surgery  10:01 Thread lifts, fillers and botox  12:20 How Dr. Truesdale contributes to beauty standards and pressures  15:00 Psychological shifts for patients 17:00 Patients who are unhappy after their procedures   18:55 Dr. Truesdale on sharing his work on social media  21:46 Not being able to share the work he does for some celebrities  22:58 Celebrities who don’t share that they have had work done  25:20 Karama Brown  25:38 Lower blepharoplasty 26:06 Men getting plastic surgery  30:08 Looking younger longer  31:24 Revision surgeries   34:17 Knowing when to operate and turning patients away  34:57 Mid-facelifts  35:45 Responding to those who say plastic surgery is bad  39:10 A rapper whose “friend” paid for her cosmetic work  40:41 The future of plastic surgery, AI, and beauty standards  46:02 Christiana requests a free consultation from Dr. Truesdale   47:30 Dr. Truesdale doing his parents’ plastic surgery  49:00 Where you can find Dr. Truesdale online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Non-monogamy is everywhere right now, and so are the opinions about it. In today’s episode, Christiana sits down with psychologist and Chapman University Professor Dr. Amy Moors to unpack open relationships, ethical non-monogamy, and why more people are exploring love outside the traditional mold. Dr. Amy Moors research Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] 01:07 Meet Dr. Amy Moors 03:31 Defining non-monogamy  04:30 Defining polyamory and open relationships  05:50 Different types of polyamory  07:06 Who engages in consensual non-mongamy? And how common is it? 10:25 Loving multiple people 14:10 Stigmas towards people who practice consensual non-monogamy  17:35 Christiana’s familial experiences with polygamy  21:35 Both monogamy and non-monogamy can be messy  22:40 How societal inequities show up in relationships  25:19 Lindy West, millennial feminism, and trad wives 27:04 Gender ratios among non-monogamous couples 28:10 Measuring “success” among non-monogamous relationships  31:01 Couples who open their relationships after being monogamous  34:20 Why is non-monogamy seemingly everywhere?  39:18 Americans don’t like to talk about sex  41:45 LGBTQ+ couples and non-monogamy  44:28 Learning from people who practice non-monogamy  46:16 Non-monogamous parents and their children  53:20 Non-hierarchical polyamory  55:30 Finding the time to sustain non-monogamous relationships    57:42 The future of consensual non-monogamy 01:04:30 Where to find Dr. Moors’ work  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter where you find yourself on the internet, celebrities’ lives are constantly in front of us, but who’s actually a star and who’s just famous? From icons like Beyoncé to rising names like Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney, Christiana sits down with award-winning reporter and podcaster Sam Sanders to play “star, celebrity, or famous person” and break down what really makes someone last in pop culture. Follow Sam: Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#SugarBaby culture is everywhere online. But why is it making such a big comeback now? As money gets tighter and “SugarTok” gains traction, conversations around sugar dating and hypergamy are becoming more mainstream. Christiana sits down with Cornell lecturer Dr. Megan Sawey to examine what’s driving the trend and what it means for modern dating. Megan’s research on sugar dating Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] 01:17 Meet Dr. Megan Sawey 07:20 Understanding hypergamy and dating up  12:29 Sugar dating in relation to sex work  17:55 Sugar dating as an entrepreneurial endeavor  31:50 Sugar dating and the digital intimacy economy  33:50 Sugar dating and politics   37:20 How sugar dating is portrayed as heteronormative in media and marketing  41:45 Sugar daddies and how sugar dating is regulated  45:20 Sexual racism and sugar dating 48:28 Sugar dating for men vs. women 51:07 The future of sugar dating and hypergamy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The internet didn’t just change sex. Sex built the internet. So who actually gets credit for shaping the digital world? Today, Christiana speaks with Mindy Seu, author of A Sexual History of the Internet, to unpack how sex, desire, and the labor of sex workers quietly built the foundations of the internet, and why that history is still left out of the conversation. Follow Mindy on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  00:56 Meet Mindy Seu 01:32 Cyberfeminism 05:04 How sex and sex workers have influenced the evolution of the internet  10:10 Sex workers and cryptocurrency 12:05 Defining “sex work” 23:36 Why don’t more people know about the sexual history of the internet? 26:40 The physicality of technology   32:26 Female body parts named after men  33:51 How technology and the sex industry are influencing each other  35:36 How the sexual nature of the internet is affecting girls and women  38:31 Digital black books for sex workers 39:30 Sex workers currently experimenting with technology and artificial intelligence 42:05 OnlyFans 45:54 The internet as a utopic fantasy space  47:30 The future of the internet and AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re a Swiftie, this episode is for you. Today, Christiana sits down with professor and author Misty Heggeness to break down her book Swiftnomics and how Taylor Swift turned fandom into a $4 billion touring empire, and what it reveals about consumption, influence, and the rise of a new economic model led by women. Misty’s website: https://www.mistyheggeness.com/  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  00:42 Meet Misty Heggeness 04:07 Swiftynomics and studying Taylor Swift as an economic muse  09:20 How do we scale swiftynomics?  11:13 Women creating space for other women  15:08 Swiftnomics vs. Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” movement  18:00 “Pearl clutchers” vs. “granolas”  20:00 Women leaving the workforce and being economically sidelined  31:44 “Masterminding” the systems 36:08 Hoarding wealth  42:45 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 49:40 The future of Swiftynomics  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like, why did the “Valley Girl” become America’s favorite punchline? Today, Christiana sits down with journalist and author, Koa Beck, to talk about how the Valley Girl stereotype took off in pop culture, why it has been so misunderstood, and how it reflects America’s bigger anxieties about young women and femininity that still shape how we see them today. Follow Koa: Instagram  Subscribe to Koa’s Substack Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] 00:28 The Valley 01:25 Defining the “Valley Girl” 05:03 Valley speak and the valley girl accent 08:10 From the valley girl to the modern day influencer 17:35 The history of the Valley Girl 24:31 Why the trope of the “Valley Girl” is white  26:44 Why the valley stereotypes are associated with girls 31:00 How the concept of the “Valley Girl” became negative 40:00 The Valley Girl and sex  44:29 The Valley Girl and influencer culture 48:19 The future of the Valley Girl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colorism isn’t new. It’s the curse embedded in Hollywood’s DNA. Today, Christiana sits down with scholar-activist Dr. Yaba Blay to unpack how colorism operates behind the scenes of pop culture, why lighter skin is still centered, and how these hierarchies shape everything from stardom to self-worth. Follow Dr. Yaba Blay: Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  00:37 Defining “colorism” 03:30 The relativity of colorism  06:04 How colorism functions in Hollywood  08:15 A history of colorism and skin bleaching  12:50 Gender bias and colorism in entertainment  17:02 Beyonce and colorism in the music industry  28:40 Moments that feel like societal shifts 33:00 How skin bleaching has transformed  37:00 Understanding the context around why people bleach their skin  42:55 Hair trends among Black women  51:00 Questioning society and capitalism (not just the individual)  54:20 What choices can we make in light of colorism? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looksmaxxing is the internet’s latest male self-improvement trend — where your jawline is a strategy and your face is a project. Today, Christiana sits down with Associate Professor of Sociology at Dalhousie University, Dr. Michael Halpin, to explain what looksmaxxing really is, why cosmetic surgeries are on the rise, and how this corner of the Manosphere is reshaping masculinity and the way men see women. Dr. Michael’s research on looksmaxxing: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hn3HDozK8_GMWOVtv3do3joZ4Guyxlpp/view  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  03:35 Defining “looksmaxxing” 09:45 Who is looksmaxxing?  11:00 Lookism and why boys and men are looksmaxxing  14:50 How looksmaxxing and its harmful impacts are spreading beyond the manosphere 20:42 The PSL scale  24:40 How looksmaxxers and incels are subcultures within the manosphere 40:38 What can be done to stop harmful looksmaxxing  44:00 Looksmaxxing as an emerging health crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost a year later, Sinners is still unforgettable, and Wunmi Mosaku’s Annie stole our hearts. But behind the performance was a woman navigating first-time motherhood, career crossroads, and big life choices.  On today’s episode, Christiana talks to Oscar-nominated Wunmi about her maternity brand Iyadé, self care, and lessons from a career-defining role. Wunmi’s maternity brand’s website:.iyadebywunmi.com Follow Wunmi on Instagram: @wunmimosaku Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  00:36 Wunmi’s Oscar nomination 03:40 “Sinners” and how playing Annie changed Wunmi’s life  08:40 Why Annie resonates with audiences  14:57 Loving yourself  18:45 Wunmi’s Golden Globe pregnancy announcement  24:04 Creating Iyadé, a maternity clothing brand  29:55 Being careful about who and what you invite in  38:43 Admiring Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan’s acting 42:35 Self care  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Astrology is everywhere, blending spirituality, social media, and even AI apps that promise to read your future.  Today, Christiana speaks with astrology historian, Margaret Gaida, to understand how astrology shapes love, culture, and the hidden inequalities of the cosmic world. Margaret’s website: mghsci.wordpress.com/dissertation Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch⁠ available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: ⁠[email protected]⁠ If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠  02:20 Astrology in the East vs. West  03:30 Astrological predictions throughout history  07:45 The mothers of astrology  12:45 Why women and LGBTQ+ communities are attracted to astrology  18:32 Astrology and science  23:48 Big Zodiac, tech and AI 29:31 White influencers and astrology   41:04 “Space racism” and dating  44:50 Individualism vs. communities  47:40 The future of astrology in America  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Rachel Lindsay said yes to being on The Bachelor, she had no clue what she was getting herself into. Since then, she has gone from practicing lawyer, to The First Black Bachelorette, to media personality and author.  Today, Christiana and Rachel talk about Black women on reality TV and how she helped change the genre.  Follow Rachel: Instagram   Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Hiller was 49 when he won his first Emmy but, despite what many people think, he didn’t just come out of nowhere. He was a working comedian and actor for years before landing his breakout role on HBO’s Somebody Somewhere. On today’s episode, Christiana talks to Jeff about his book “Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success” and why none of us seem to feel like we’re adulting right.   Follow Jeff: Instagram   Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disney Adults are some of the most fascinating, layered, and hated subcultures in contemporary American life.  Today, Christiana speaks with Robbie Whelan, author of the forthcoming book House of Mouse, to understand the world of Disney Adults.  Follow Robbie: X Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack   Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glass skin, a 10-step-skincare routine and one of the fastest growing beauty categories in the world. Welcome to the church of K-Beauty!  Today, Christiana speaks with Elise Hu, author of Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital, the definitive book on how K-Beauty took over the world.  Follow Elise: Instagram | TikTok   Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack   Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re talking about “Big Wellness” - the business, its benefits, the grift? Whether we think it’s all a scam, or can’t wake up without a gorgeous green cup of matcha, wellness culture has changed our world forever.  To help us understand this phenomenon, Christiana speaks to Amy Larocca, journalist and author of How to Be Well: Navigating Our Self-Care Epidemic, One Dubious Cure at a Time. Follow Amy: Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack |  Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pop Syllabus is a show where host Christiana Mbakwe Medina deconstructs the zeitgeist and answers the big cultural questions. How did we swing from body positivity to thin-being-in? Why do so many people trust wellness influencers over medical doctors? And how did tech oligarchs become the new celebrities? Think of Christiana as a cross between a messy news anchor and guerilla academic. Each week, she and an expert guest will unpack a buzzy topic, and help us understand the moment while going through it. Pop Syllabus is produced by Nkiruka Productions and Companion Arts. Subscribe now on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts. MERCH OUT NOW! https://popsyllabus.com/ Sign up for Christiana’s Substack! https://popsyllabus.substack.com Follow us! Instagram:  @popsyllabus TikTok:   @popsyllabus   Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pop Syllabus is a show where host Christiana Mbakwe Medina deconstructs the zeitgeist and answers the big cultural questions. How did we swing from body positivity to thin-being-in? Why do so many people trust wellness influencers over medical doctors? And how did tech oligarchs become the new celebrities? Think of Christiana as a cross between a messy news anchor and guerilla academic. Each week, she and an expert guest will unpack a buzzy topic, and help us understand the moment while going through it. Pop Syllabus is coming soon! Subscribe now on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts. MERCH OUT NOW! Sign up for Christiana’s Substack! Follow us! YouTube | Instagram | TikTok Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] Pop Syllabus is produced by Nkiruka Productions and Companion Arts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices