Episode 76: Deconstructing Pop Culture Icks with guest Julia Washington (Pop Culture Makes Me Jealous)

Medium Lady Talks

Hello, Hi! In this episode, I interview Julia Washington @popculturemakesmejealous, a writer, producer, and podcast host based in California. Julia hosts two podcasts, "Pop Culture Makes Me Jealous," where she analyzes pop culture through the lens of race and gender, and "Jelly Pops Book Club," where she compares books to their screen adaptations

During the interview, we chat about various pop culture themes, such as representation and systemic oppression in Disney films like "The Little Mermaid". Julia's podcasts encourage using pop culture to explore identity and perspectives rather than using it as a means of escapism. Sometimes, while indulging we come across the “pop culture icks” and have to reconcile enjoying something while thinking critically about it.

I know you’ll be inspired as I am to hear Julia’s insights into the comfort and excitement that pop culture brings and her belief in using it to deepen self-discovery.

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Julia’s three pop culture recommendations for the Medium Lady audience:

Movie: Moonwalker (1988) Michael Jackson’s experimental film about fandom available on YouTube

Television: High Fidelity (Hulu Original) This underrated show (2020) is a television adaptation of the film (2000) adapted from the book (1995) by Nicholas Hornby.

Book: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett an acclaimed novel about two estranged twins who build very different lives for themselves based on their chosen communities.

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Also mentioned

• Still Comfy on YouTube (hosted by Julia and Natalie Katona host of “To all the Men I’ve Tolerated Before”
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s Mr. Yunioshi (a Japanese character played by Mickey Rooney (a white actor)
• Blindspotting on Starz
• Based on a True Story on Peacock and Crave TV

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Music is Climb by The Ghost in Your Piano. I'm grateful for its use via creative commons license.