Advertise on podcast: How do you like it so far?

Geri Gay Professor of Communication at Cornell University and founder of the Data & Society Research Institute, danah boyd, joins us to talk about data and the US census. danah covers census history and its importance in the datafication of the US populace for congressional representation, redistricting and directing trillions of dollars of federally funded programs. She gives us an incredible window into the 2020 and 2030 decennials through her ethnographic work with the Census Bureau, featured in her new book, Data Are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census. Along with Mizuko Ito and Henry Jenkins, boyd co-authored Participatory Culture in a Networked Era: A Conversation About Youth, Learning, Commerce, and Politics. She also wrote It’s Complicated: The Social Life of Networked Teens.   In the wide-ranging conversation, danah speaks about the difficulties of acquiring data and what makes it legitimate. She delves into the many political tensions around the census and how a wide range of actors interact with those tasked with making the decennial census. We end by reflecting on how the census connects to motivations for political movements and change amongst the people it affects the most. Since the show was recorded, the Administration has proposed significant changes for the 2030 decennial census and there’s more information in the links below.   Here are some references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper. Learning Resources: Data Are Made, Not Found A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census by danah boydThe American Census: A Social History by Margo J. AndersonDemocracy's Data The Hidden Stories in the U.S. Census and How to Read Them by Dan BoukToday’s Census News Is A Big Deal by danah boyd in Made Not Found (9/2026)​​American Democracy Depends On The Census. Trump Is Undermining It. by danah boyd in The Guardian (9/2026)Independent Census Scientific Advisory Committee recommendations (9/2026)National Conference on Citizenship Primer on Census DatarThe Population Bomb [Amazon link, Wikipedia entry]Voting Rights Act (1965)FERPAParticipatory Culture in a Networked Era: A Conversation on Youth, Learning, Commerce, and Politics by Henry Jenkins, Mizuko Ito, danah boyd [Amazon link]People & Organizations: Wilbur RossHerman HollerithUnited States Census Bureau IBMBureau of Labor Statistics Data Users Advisory CommitteeCensus Advisory CommitteesU.S. Department of CommerceNational Public Radio census (and more) reporter extraordinaire, Hansi Lo-WangThe Census ProjectFair CountJohn TantonFranz KafkaKris KobachThomas HofellerJohn EastmanMonument to the Unknown BureaucratMedia & Events:  “Hotel California” (song)United States SemiquincentennialJenga (game)Get Counted, NYC! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Lin-Manuel Miranda Teach on the 2020 Census (PSA)Everybody Counts, featuring Ed HelmsCensus Taker vs. Old Lady - SNLOpportunities for Action: Comment on proposed changes to Census by 10/13/26 at Regulations.gov Census Counts  (current campaign)Hands Off Our Census (current campaign) –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

MIT Media Lab’s Mitchel Resnick speaks with us about the development of his Lifelong Kindergarten research group and their efforts to affect the educational landscape through creative technological activities. Throughout the conversation, we describe the shifts in academic environments, starting from the free-form, highly imaginative kindergarten rooms to the stricter halls of higher learning. Mitch relates these changes to different uses of technology within the classroom setting and the differences in learning methods. He emphasizes that participatory uses of technology, such as remixing media or sharing projects, invite creativity and community for students. We compare Mitch’s practices to those used by fandom and liken them to building LEGO masterpieces without instructions; both emphasize the sharing of information and building communities. This conversation with Mitch is filled with the hope that curiosity and creativity will keep people as lifelong learners.       Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: Lifelong Kindergarten MIT Media Lab Mindstorms (book) Scratch platform OctoStudio A New Guide for Building Neurodiversity Oases for Connected Learning through Role Playing Games, FabLabs, Minecraft, BTS Fandom, and More (article) Pointing at the Wrong Villain: Cass Sunstein and Echo Chambers (article) #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media (book) Start with Questions: The Classroom as Design Studio (book) People & Places: Stewart Brand Natalie Rusk Seymour Papert  Henry writes about Papert’s “Samba Schools” Jean Piaget Tod Machover Mizuko Ito West Coast Computer Faire Samba school Reggio Schools David Weinberger Cass R. Sunstein Karen Brennan James Paul Gee Media: LEGO LEGO Mindstorm Kits [history, shop link] The Hundred Languages of Children (poem) The Sims [videogame franchise] SimCity –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

USC professor of English, gender & sexuality studies, and American studies & ethnicity, and chair of the Department of Gender & Sexuality Studies Karen Tongson and NYU Assistant Professor of History Adrian De Leon join us to talk about their adoration of baseball and reality TV. Using their piece “Both Sides Now: On the 2025 World Series,” we discuss the affective and cultural dialogues sports media creates. Karen and Adrian draw from their own Filipino upbringings and fandom of the MLB to showcase the complexities between corporate actions, fan desires, and the influence of imperialism in athletics. We then relate the creation of narratives and societal reflections in sports to reality TV shows like The Amazing Race and Traitors. The conversation culminates in a description of how sports fandom and reality TV watchers are more strongly alike than others think. Karen and Adrian suggest that people both enjoy and be critical of sports and reality TV because they can assist with understanding the world around us. Or, they can help us laugh at social rules within romantic relationships or sports rituals.  Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: Both Sides Now: On the 2025 World Series The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race Relocations: Queer Suburban Imaginaries Journal of Popular Music Studies The Filipino National Anthem Tender Labour Migrant Care Work, Filipina/o Young People, and Family Life across Borders Glenn Burke, 1st openly gay MLB player, is shunned no more — 40 years after coming out Henry writes extensively about reality television in his book, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide People & Places: Fernando Valenzuela Alejandro Kirk Vince Carter Tracy McGrady Edwin Encarnación Glenn Burke Andy Pages Tyra Banks Kristen Kish Yam Yam Arocho Eric Nam Joe Hendry Cody Rhodes Martin Luther King Jr. Malcom X Jackie Robinson Chavez Ravine Natalia Molina Lebron James Caleb Williams Alysa Liu Amber Glenn Jalen Hurts AJ Rafael Jeremy Passion Gabe Bondoc Jonathan Leal Miguel Rojas Manny Pacquiao George Eliot Hank Aaron Kendrick Lamar Drake  Kylie Kelce Jason Kelce Travis Kelce John Cena Stone Cold Steve Austin Media: 2025 MLB World Series MLB  NFL NBA Traitors (US) The Traitors Official Podcast American League Division Series The Real Housewives franchise  Bravo TV Joey Bautista's bat flip Kawhi Leonard’s Iconic Buzzer-Beater vs 76ers All-Star Baseball (Video game) Strat-O-Matic Top Chef Iron Chef (Japan) [YouTube, Wikipedia] Survivor The Amazing Race The Gaymazing Race (podcast) 2026 Olympics Alysa Liu Gold Medal CAN vs USA Women’s Hockey US vs CAN women’s hockey rivalry WWE Smackdown (TV show) AEW Pope and Chicago Bears memes [Instagram, TikTok] Heated Rivalry See even more links for this episode on our website! For another perspective on reality television, check out our earlier episode with Diane Winston on Religion and Reality Television –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

University of Chicago Assistant Professor in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies, AE Stevenson and Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Studies Brooklyne Gipson join us to talk about digital Black feminism online. We start our discussion with America’s relations with the platform TikTok, and how it is a large social media site for Black creators. We then explore how to define community and culture, especially for Black people online, in a world resistant to progress. Building from this, AE and Brooklyne discuss how certain communicative practices in the Black community focus on storytelling as a vehicle for critical thought rather than a lack of media literacy education. This leads to the larger topic of online discourse around the films Sinners and One Battle After Another. We end with dissecting how the recognition of, or lack thereof, Black culture affects people’s views of these films. Although they both feature Black actors, they interact with culture very differently. Ultimately, we push for an awareness of the multilayered discussions of media seen as progressive or discursive. They should think about what cultures and communities are being featured and how.        Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code Algorithms of Oppression  Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness Renegades: Digital Dance Cultures from Dubsmash to TikTok Digital Pleasure and Danger: A Roundtable Discussion N****s on the Internet: Scenes of a Black Social Life (Dissertation) Sites of Chaos: Scenes of a Black Social Life (book in progress) he Black Mirror World: Racialized Disinformation and Misogynoir Online (book in progress) The Comet (1920) [short story, article] The Souls of Black Folk Black Oscars: From Mammy to Minny, What the Academy Awards Tell Us about African Americans People & Places: Ruha Benjamin Ryan Coogler Teyana Taylor Safiya Noble Simone Browne Jasmine Crockett Centinela Drive-In Steve Jobs Charli D'Amelio Leonardo Chiariglione Toni Cade Bambara W. E. B. Du Bois Denzel Washington Lupita Nyong'o Michael B. Jordan Nia DaCosta Sonja Norwood (wickdconfections) Leonardo DiCaprio Timothée Chalamet Sam Raimi Kevin Samuels Andrew Tate Candace Owens Charlie Kirk Erika Kirk Nicki Minaj Steve Bannon Paul Thomas Anderson Maya Rudolph Minnie Riperton Media: Michael B. Jordan Wins Best Actor | 98th Oscars Speech (2026) Sinners (2025) One Battle After Another (2026) Twister (1996) #OscarsSoWhite and The Legacy of Halle Berry by Be Kind Rewind Scream franchise Scream (1996) Scream 7 (2026) Scary Movie franchise Scary Movie (2026 film) Black Panther (2018) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) Bugonia (2025) Magnolia (1999) Punch-Drunk Love (2002) Inherent Vice (2014) Phantom Thread (2017) Licorise Pizza (2021) Moonlight (2016) James Bond series Live and Let Die (1973) Oregon Trail (game) Lex Marie artwork A Thousand and One (2023) From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) The Jazz Singer (1980) TikTok finalizes deal to form new U.S. unit with major American investors Is the new US TikTok safer? Candace Owens takes on Erika Kirk in 'The Bride of Charlie' Erika Kirk Accidentally Mixes Up 'Grift' Instead of 'Grit' in Awkward Moment at Turning Point USA Event Vine TikTok YouTube Wickdconfections Black American recipe series Exalted (book) –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

Showing her love of movies, Izzy from Be Kind Rewind chats with us about her process of creating video essays and connection to researching actresses in the Hollywood system. We discuss how her fannish love of TCM films turned into a passion for making videos and navigating complex topics often overlooked or simplified into gossip. Diving deeper into this, Izzy speaks about her recent video on actress Merle Oberon’s race as it relates to William Wyler’s Wuthering Heights (1939) and its latest adaption by Emerald Fennell. There we discuss how the construction of stardom and the text of a piece impact readings of race as a racialized work attempts to become de-racailized by directorial choices. Using her Vanessa Redgrave video, Izzy also talks to us about the Oscars,its relationship to politics, and how it impacts actresses. We end this longer epsiode with a hint of the future for Be Kind Rewind and our 2026 Oscar predictions. Afterwards, Samantha and Henry give their Oscar predictions in every category. This episode is filled with fun, fandom, and just a touch of Hollywood magic! We get into what passions drive a video essayist and the interesting topics that can happen about the film industry if we are not strictly going by salacious headlines. It is an episode that not only asks viewers to watch more films but, also challenges them to think about the wider implications of the moving image.   Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Some Suggested BKR Videos: YouTube [Channel Link] Nebula [Channel Link] Merle Oberon and the Whiteness of Wuthering Heights Why Vanessa Redgrave Gave the Most Controversial Oscar Speech Ever How Carrie Fisher Blurred Fact and Fiction  Performing Authenticity: The Cinema of Lady Gaga Sofia Coppola and The Godfather Part III Disaster How Michelle Yeoh Went from Bond Girl to Best Actress Oscar Winner in the American Media The Feud of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford | 1963: Pt. 2 Academic/Educational readings and resources: Black Oscars: From Mammy to Minny, What the Academy Awards Tell Us about African Americans Hardcover  WMC Investigation 2026: Gender and Non-Acting Oscar Nominations - Full Report Why Analyze Inclusion at the Oscars? Hollywood Diversity Report JSTOR Hollywood Babylon People & Places: Lindsay Ellis Princess Weekes Emerald Fennell Merle Oberon Vanessa Redgrave Lady Gaga Sophia Coppola Diane Keaton Ryan Murphy Betty Davis Joan Crawford Laurence Olivier Nicole Kidman Vivien Leigh Anna May Wong Hattie McDaniel Rock Hudson Cole Escola Michelle Yeoh Teyana Taylor Wunmi Mosaku Jessie Buckley Jamie Lee Curtis Chon A. Noriega Karina Longworth Liza Minnelli Judy Garland Yoko Ono Samuel Goldwyn William Wyler Lana Turner Lupe Velez Media: TCM Oscars The 98th Academy Awards (2026) Wuthering Heights (1939 film) Wuthering Heights (2026 film) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Did Yoko Break Up The Beatles?  Sadly, Wuthering Heights Discourse Is That Deep 1978 Oscars Vanessa Redgrave Win  Kanopy Criterion Channel Tubi Little Gold Men podcast Film Comment podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast Funny Girl (1968) Moulin Rouge! (2001) Bad Cinderella Gone With The Wind (1939) It Happened One Night (1934) Sinners (2025) One Battle After Another (2025) Hamnet (2025) The Godfather Part III (1990) Hollywood (TV mini series) Feud (TV series) You might also enjoy our previous Oscar Themed episode and the Oscar Watch series Henry is currently running on his blog.  –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

Professor of Journalism at USC Annenberg, Robert Kozinets, and Henry Jenkins speak with us about their ongoing book series Frames of Fandom. Both authors explore how they met, their ever-evolving work in fan studies, and what inspired them to create a 16-book series. Both scholars discuss the complexity of fandom as it intersects with consumer culture and subcultures. They even ask if fandom itself can be considered a subculture or something akin to religion! The conversation ends with a discussion of accessibility to academic texts, their choice of writing personal ethnographies throughout the books, and the future of the book series.    Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: Frames of Fandom book series [Amazon Link] Netnography Unlimited Understanding Technoculture using Qualitative Social Media Research Influencers and Creators Business, Culture and Practice Convergence Culture Convergence Culture Consortium Textual Poachers People & Places: Led Zeppelin Camille Bacon-Smith Constance Penley Eric Arthur von Hippel Rogers Centre  Disneyland Haunted Mansion Jonas Brothers George Lucas Pop Mart JK Rowling Daniel Miller Michael Baxandall Angela McRobbie  Media: 2025 MLB World Series  1993 World Series CFL MLB Super Bowl LIX Labubu Reddit Facebook Star Trek Aurora monster models [Article on toys] Dark Shadows Universal Monster Films Famous Monsters of Filmland Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)  Strange Sports Stories [Article on the comic series] Space Jam (1996) Space Jam: A New Legacy Harry Potter HBO Magic The Gathering Monster Hunter Fortnite Dragon Ball  Ford Mustang Disney Bounding [Blog Guide] –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, Bertha Chin— Senior lecturer and the Director of the National University of Singapore’s Communications And New Media program— and Swapnil Rai—Associate Professor Film, Television and Media Associate Professor Communication and Media at the University of Michigan—join us to speak about the global streaming media landscape. From Bollywood to Hollywood, Rai and Chin dissect the complexity of media movements as both parts of cultural imperialism and the widening of fandoms. Both scholars lead us through discussions of the transnational circulations and development of series on streaming platforms, relating them to the wider topic of power relations within globalization. By the end, we are left to examine how we engage with transnational shows, who produces them, and how other countries have interpreted the same show. Is streaming the best way to be exposed to other cultures, or is it trying to mobilize the audiences and resources of other countries?  Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: Transnational Streaming Television Reshaping Global Flows and PowerNetworked Bollywood How Star Power Globalized Hindi CinemaCrowdfunding the Future Media Industries, Ethics, and Digital SocietyEating Fandom Intersections Between Fans and Food CulturesBollywoodizing Netfix or globalizing Hotstar? The cultural-industrial logics of global streaming platforms in IndiaModi vs. Wild: Celebritized Politics and the Mediations of a Spiritual StrongmanWhat Is Arthouse Cinema? A Guide to Movies Off the Mainstream Path [Article Link]Netflix Subscribers Statistics 2026 [Link]South Korean Panda discourse [News Link]People & Places: Venice International Film FestivalBerlin International Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalTrader Joe’sTed SarandosReed HastingsLori MorimotoJulia SonnevendMoo DengNarendra ModiBear GryllsVictor OrbanPriyanka ChopraLee Jung-jaeQuentin TarantinoSergio LeoneBong Joon HoDave ChappelleTakashi MiikeMedia: NetflixAmazon VideoDisney+ HotstarK-pop (music genre)The X-FilesDoctor WhoBBCSalaam NamasteParanormalNarcosSacred Games [book, Netflix]Gangs of WasseypurGangs of Wasseypur 23%Game of ThronesSquid GamesKPop Demon HuntersShin Ramyun Kpop Demon HuntersBon Appétit, Your MajestyBuffy the Vampire SlayerScooby DooFrankenstein (2025)Winter SonataMan vs.WildStar WarsStar TrekMortal KombatThe Acolyte The MechanismGrillo Vs. GrilloPatriot Act with Hasan MinhajRecord of Ragnarok [manga, TV show]Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025 Universal LanguageSukiyaki Western Django –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, we chat with Ethan Zuckerman— a Public Policy, Communication and Information professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst— about his views on the present political climate and major movements occurring in reaction to the Trump administration. From the anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis to memes on the internet to the Boston Massacre, we discuss the various forms of resistance the public can perform in the face of adversity. Zuckerman also delves into the historization of mass movements and how their retellings, or lack thereof, can shape how we perform and learn about resistance. We end by circling back to a discussion of memes and AI as they influence how America views current events. Zuckerman leaves us wondering what America looks like and how the celebrations will roll out as we hit its 250th birthday in 2026.  In particular, we explore what monuments and memorials might look like if they emerged bottom-up from the people rather than top-down from government institutions.    Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: How Right Wing Influencers Used AI Slop to Turn Renee Good Into a MemeGramsci’s Nightmare: AI, Platform Power and the Automation of Cultural HegemonyMistrust Why Losing Faith in Institutions Provides the Tools to Transform ThemDigital Cosmopolitans Why We Think the Internet Connects Us, Why It Doesn't, and How to Rewire It1984Historical Events or Celebrations: America’s 250th bicentennialBoston Tea PartyBoston Massacre1992 Los Angeles riots/ Rodney King RiotsWatergateLincoln Brigades Kent State shootingsPeople & Places: Alex PrettiRenee GoodRodney KingGeorge FloydGeorge Floyd MemorialEric GarnerElon MuskAlexander HamiltonAntonio GramsciJill Lapore – These TruthsHeather Cox RichardsonStone MountainNational Memorial for Peace and JusticeHarold Innis: Marble vs. PapyrusJames Mitchner on Kent StateMedia: The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail1776HamiltonMary Tyler Moore Anti-ICE statue [Link]JD Vance Couch Meme [News Link]US Tries to Take Greenland [News link]White House posts digitally altered image of woman arrested after ICE protest [News link]Grok “Woke Bias” [News link]Trump White House “Walk of Fame” Plaques [News link] –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, Mathew Klickstein , the host of Comic-Con Begins, and Emily Schindler, Senior Director of Learning and Engagement at the Comic-Con Museum, educate us on the history of and learning opportunities at San Diego Comic-Con. Mathew discusses how Comic-Con formed and why he documents that history in his podcast and his book, See You At San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture. Emily informs us about what is displayed at the Comic-Con Museum and the educational programs she runs. She describes the outreach and collaboration that happens between the museum and institutions around San Diego County.  At the heart of this conversation is the formation and nurturing of communities that occur because of Comic-Con. Mathew tackles this as a SDCC historian and Emily as an SDCC educator. By the end of the episode, we ask how the culture and construction of SDCC have changed since its inception. We also question what being part of the Comic-Con means and how it's preserved.  Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: See You At San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek CultureSlimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden AgeDiary of Anne FrankFandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected WorldConnected Learning InitiativeOnly at Comic-Con Hollywood, Fans, and the Limits of ExclusivityComic-Con KidsComic-Con MuseumComic-Con Museum Educational Access Program [Link]San Diego State University Comic Collection Comic-Con KidsPeople & Places: Barry AlfonsoJack KirbyStan LeeRay BradburyMarc SummersAtrhur Miller Rebecca MillerMartin ScorseseSteven SpielbergGeorge LucasFrancis Ford CoppolaAlfred HitchcockCharlie ChaplinPhil TippettRoger CormanStuds TerkelAlan LomaxCharlie LippencottElizabeth TaylorMizuko ItoErica HalversonCynthia LewisKurt SquireKevin SmithPamela JacksonMorgan SpurlockBalboa ParkDetroit Triple Fan FairLawrence Family Jewish Community CenterCannes Film FestivalSundance Film Festival The Academy MuseumGallifrey OneWonderConMedia: Comic-Con BeginsSega GenesisTurboGrafx-16Neo GeoNickelodeonDouble DareFood NetworkSiriusXMFrench New WaveStar WarsJurassic ParkFantastic Four (Roger Corman)Spider-ManFunkoKing KongMr. Scorsese [Apple TV]Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fans HopeDoctor WhoBBCDC ComicsMarvelMattelHasbroHanna-BarberaHarry PotterLord of the RingsGodzillaPokemonBeetlejuice Three's CompanyTrue BloodGame of ThronesUnofficial Comic Con Blog –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, we welcome Melanie Kohnen, an Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Media Studies for Lewis & Clark College, and Billy Austin Tringali, an Instruction Librarian at the Indiana University Indianapolis and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies (JAMS), to discuss the culture and function of pop-culture conventions (“cons”). Melanie shares her research on the encroaching influence of media companies on spaces such as San Diego Comic-Con, especially as they literally extend their promotions to outside of the convention center. Meanwhile, Billy speaks about his work running the annual JAMS@AX Symposium at Anime Expo and his own research regarding animanga content.  This conversation examines the intersection of academia and non-academic spaces, like fan events, and how media businesses build relationships with their audiences. Melanie and Billy explore how both academics and con-goers can experience conventions as fans and build a sense of community at these pop-culture events. They offer various modes of experiencing conventions and ways of accessing fans as part of larger promotional content. From Japan to the US, Billy and Melanie show us that conventions are places of scholarly work, fun, and play!    Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic Readings, Journals, and Resources: Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism“The experience economy of TV promotion at San Diego Comic-Con”“From Comic-Con to Amazon: Fan conventions and digital platforms”Journal of Anime and Manga Studies (JAMS)JAMS@AXMechademiaAnime and Manga StudiesSwarming SDCCManga in LibrariesAnime Con search website [link]Henry’s “Performing Our Collective Dreams: The Many Worlds of San Diego Comic-Con”Henry’s Frames of Fandom book seriesPeople and Places: Dr. Suzanne ScottJillian RudesMaria BonnFrenchy LunningMaria K. AlbertoEmilie WaggonerDr Zoe CrombieTheodore GournelosDr. Roman Gomez Physics of Anime lecture [video]Janine SunWerner HerzogBenedict AndersonRyan MurphyAnime ExpoSan Diego Comic-ConWonder ConDragon ConKingston Public LibraryComiku GirlsAnime BostonBoston Cosplay Human Death Match [link, video]Petco Park DashconRose City Comic ConGallifrey OneMagicConMedia: Abbott Elementary SDCC 2025 Abbott Elementary Block PartyPokémon [website, anime]Yu-Gi-Oh [card game, anime]Dragon BallTelevision Without PityHowl’s Moving CastleDemon SlayerWalking with DinosaursPeacemakerPeacefest SDCC 2025 [link, video]HBO MaxTubiPluto TVPsychGleeRocky Horror Picture ShowPlaystationMortal Kombat 1The Good PlaceSDCC Panel 2018 [video]SuperstoreSDCC Panel 2019 [video list]Magic the GatheringAvatar: The Last AirbenderCrunchyrollToho AnimationDelicious in DungeonDungeons and DragonsKimba the White LionYu Yu HakushoHouse of the DragonDr. Who –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, Professor Brian Hu from SDSU helps us tackle the world of Asian and Asian American cinema as they travel throughout various locales. Hu’s position as a film scholar and Artistic Director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival leads us through conversations about how people connect with and discover Asian culture. We touch on how regionality and heritage influence people’s interactions with Asian and Asian American media. We also discuss the shifting definitions of Asian American and how that plays out in AAPI/AANHPI film festival creation. Hu guides us through the process of film curation and circulation at AAPI/AANHPI film festivals. In the end, we ask Hu what to look forward to for the upcoming 2025 SDAFF on November 6-15.  Our discussion with Hu leaves us wondering what the future holds for Asian and Asian American media as global industries become more invested in Asian works like K-pop, anime, and Labubus.   Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic Readings: Worldly Desires: Cosmopolitanism and Cinema in Hong Kong and TaiwanIdentities in Motion: Asian American Film and VideoMaking Asian American Film and Video History, Institutions, MovementsDoogie Kameāloha, M.D.: Gen Z to AAPI Direct Marketing and Its Effects on Native Hawaiians (chapter) Pop Cosmopolitanism: Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence (chapter)Names and Locations: Payal KapadiaAnna May WongNancy KwanLisa LuJames ShigetaPeter X FengJun OkadaJohn WooDante BoscoIngyu OhDaniel Dae KimBruce LeeJackie ChanHayao MiyazakiStudio GhibliSatoshi KonBig Bang (group)Ang LeeSeafood CityFilm Festivals: San Diego Asian Film FestivalLos Angeles Asian Pacific Film FestivalCineconFestival de CannesBusan Film FestivalGolden Horse Film FestivalSan Francisco Silent Film Festival Berlin Film FestivalMovies, Shows, and Media: A Night of Knowing NothingGodzilla Minus OneUlanHard BoiledFlower Drum SongAll We Imagine As LightNe ZhaNe Zha 2The Untamed (TV Series)Pulp Fiction Chan is MissingButterfly (TV Series)The DebutUltraman seriesGundam seriesThe Fabulous Filipino BrothersSuperstore (TV Series)Destroy All MonstersThe MatrixJoy Luck ClubTFCHaikyu!! The Dumpster BattleCrunchyrollCrunchyroll partners with Delta AirlinesJust According to Keikaku memeNaruto (anime, manga)Animal Crossing Crazy Rich AsiansSinnersX-FilesMillenium ActressPerfect BlueTokyo GodfathersDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie - Infinity CastleDemon Slayer Infinity Castle US Box Office KPop Demon HuntersMy Neighbor TotoroThe Boy and the HeronParasiteSquid GamesTikTokCriterion Channel Hong Kong Action ClassicsCriterion Channel Asian American 80’sCriterion Channel Asian American Filmmaking 2000-2009 (user list of films from collection)TerminatorJames BondDrive My Car –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, we chat with Diana Leon-Boys— Assistant Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Communication Arts—about her lifelong work examining the navigation of girlhood through a Latinx lens. Her book Elena, Princesa of the Periphery: Disney’s Flexible Latina Girl extends conversations about minority representation and the complex relationship it has with child development. We host a dialogue between Diana’s research and Henry’s observations about boyhood in his book Where the Wild Things Were: Boyhood and Permissive Parenting in Postwar America. We discuss how both scholars pull from their own personal experiences growing up in America and how they interacted with their childhood media.  We explore how the proliferation and production of children's and family media shape ideas of adolescence. Diana and Henry relate this back to their roles as parents within an ever-evolving media landscape where funding for educational children’s content is dwindling. They further discuss how representation within media has changed over time and minority groups’ relation to it. This is where Diana brings in her newer projects about depictions of Quinceañeras and Día de los Muertos in TV and films. We are left to ask what the politics of childhood are and what reforms can be done with current children’s media. Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic Texts Diana Leon-Boys: Elena, Princesa of the Periphery: Disney’s Flexible Latina Girl Quinceañeras: Latinidades and Girlhood in Popular Culture Henry Jenkins: Where the Wild Things Were: Boyhood and Permissive Parenting in Postwar America The Children’s Culture Reader “Just a Spoonful of Sugar: Permissive Child-Rearing and Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins” “‘You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught’: The Whiteness of Permissive Culture” MIT Salute to Doctor Seuss Interview about the book Others: Centuries of Childhood: A Social History of Family Life Kids in the Middle: How Children of Immigrants Negotiate Community Interactions for Their Families Latina Teenhood: Intersectionalizing subjectivities in the post-network era. Crafting Public Opinion: The Effectiveness of China’s Media Control Policies under Xi Jinping Made to Play House: Dolls and the Commercialization of American Girlhood, 1830-1930   Advice Books: The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care Dare to Discipline    People, Places, Toys, and Holidays Philippe Ariès Dr. Vikki Katz Día de los Muertos Quinceañeras Benjamin Spock Margaret Mead Dr. Seuss Fred Rogers Stephanie Pérez Raquel Reyes [American Girl Doll] Samantha Parkington [Doll] Julie Andrews Walt Disney Disneyland and Disney World Paper Dolls FDR Sigmund Freud   Shows, Films, and Other Media Pee-wee’s PlayHouse Dennis the Menace [59-63’ show, Comics] Leave It To Beaver The Cosby Show One Piece [Anime, Manga, Live Action] Disney+ Encanto Coco Snow White [Animated, Live Action] Little Mermaid [Animated, Live Action] Chinese State Media sounded like Fox Media Rogue One Sesame Street Gordita Chronicles Baker and the Beauty Bluey Descendants film franchise On My Block Wednesday Mary Poppins Saludos Amigos Harry Potter film series Dora The Explorer  The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T. Mad Magazine  Classic Illustrated Gabby’s Dollhouse Quinceañeras episodes Super Sweet 16Wizards of Waverly PlaceDora the Explorer   News Defunding of PBS  Quinceañeras in Protest One Piece Flags in Indonesia –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

Neta Kligler-Vilenchik— Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem— and Ioana Literat— Associate Professor of Communication, Media, and Learning Technologies Design at Columbia University— discuss their book, Not Your Parents' Politics: Understanding Young People's Political Expression on Social Media. They create a dialogue around the ways young people engage with politics using social media, noting the differences between platforms and regions. Kligler-Vilenchik and Literat tie this into the 2016 and 2024 election cycles, along with international bureaucratic frictions. Both scholars tell us about their growing research on youth cultures’ interactions with politics and how those have shifted over time. They cover how younger people are often involved in politics, whether it be via fandom or other forms of civic imagination. They end by suggesting that these intersections between the younger generations and politics can be optimistically inspiring.   Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic Texts Not Your Parents' Politics: Understanding Young People's Political Expression on Social Media  [Oxford, Amazon] By Any Media Necessary The New Youth Activism [NYU Press, Amazon]  Fan activism and the Harry Potter Alliance [TWC] The Image War Moves to TikTok Evidence from the May 2021 Round of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict [Taylor & Francis Online] Dynamics of scale shift: Contentious places and hybrid activism on social media [Sage Journal] People Mentioned Joe Rogan Kamala Harris Donald Trump Barrack Obama Hillary Clinton Xi Jinping Nancy Pelosi Alexandra Pelosi David Hogg Lillian (Lilly) Boxman-Shabtai Taylor Swift Keren Tenenboim- Weinblatt TV, Films, and Other Media Captain America [IMDB] Harry Potter [IMDB] Donald Trump Speech LipSync [YouTube link] Extra Fun Tidbits + News Civic Paths [Website Link] Scratch Online Coding Community [MIT Site link] Fandom Forward [Link] Little Pinks [Article Link] South Korea President Removed From Power [Article Link] Romanian TikTok Election Scandal [BBC Link] Teen Activism Against School Shooting After Parkland [PBS Link] Slacktivisim [Article Link] Henry Jenkins on Emma Gonzale’s Jacket and youth activism [Brown Journal of Public Affairs] –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, we welcome Abigail De Kosnik, an Associate Professor and Director of the Berkeley Center for New Media and the founder of Fan Link, and Jinyi Li, the technology chief of Fan Link, to discuss their groundbreaking platform connecting fandoms with education and activism. Abigail shares how Fan Link fosters media, racial, and gender literacy through creative fan-driven projects and real-world action, empowering fans to make a difference. The conversation also examines the differing fandom strategies used by Democrats and Republicans in the recent election. Abigail and Jingyi explore how fan communities can influence political narratives and inspire collective action, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of fandom and politics. Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: About our guest: Abigail De Kosnik | Research UC Berkeley Abigail De Kosnik Introduces Fanlink - News/Research - Berkeley Center for New Media Fandom + Piracy: Fandom & Race Panel - Events - Berkeley Center for New Media   Interesting Facts and Fan Events mentioned: Leslie Grace Says the 'Batgirl' Cancellation Felt 'Like Deflating a Balloon' The 27 Club: A Brief History The School for First Ladies Is Now in Session The Herald on the 2017 Trump Inauguration TV listing as Twilight Zone episode Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping film cast Dragon Con San Diego Comic-Con Japan Expo New York Comic Con Osaka Comic Con Hannibal   People mentioned: Braver Angels Congressman Hakeem Jeffries – Proudly Representing the 8th District of New York Bernie Sanders Official Website Stormy Daniels Official Website   Academic Essays Mentioned: New Audiences, New Textualities:  Anti-Fans and Non-Fans - Jonathan Gray, 2003   Hillary Clinton fans  fandom and fan politics in the Philippines,    Series, Films, and Podcasts mentioned: When Harry Met Sally… IMDB, “I’ll have what she’s having” [YouTube clip] Groundhog Day IMDB Hannibal on Prime RuPaul’s Drag Race on WOW Presents Plus and Paramount+ The West Wing on Max The Apprentice on Prime Listen to Call Her Daddy on Spotify Watch Friends on IMDb Watch Survivor on CBS, IMDb, and Netflix Watch The Bridge on IMDb and Apple TV Joe Rogan Check out our previous Episode 94: Curious Conversations Across the Divide with Mónica Guzmán –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].

In this episode, Jon Taplin— director Emeritus of the Annenberg Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California—joins us to discuss his early years working with Bob Dylan, to his recent research on tech billionaires' growth in legislative influence. Taplin historicizes the changes in media’s ties to politics between the McCarthy era to the 2024 election cycle.    The discussion delves into the power of music to spark political thought and changes in people’s connection to pop culture during difficult times. We ask whether the media landscape has become more nihilistic and if there is room for local community-driven efforts. Taplin leaves us questioning where the relationship between pop culture and politics will go in America, as the system seems to be limiting the powers of creativity and political disobedience.  Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic Texts The End of Reality: How Four Billionaires are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto [Amazon] Move Fast and Break Things: How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy [Amazon] The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-and-Roll Life [Amazon] People Mentioned Bob Dylan Edward R Murrow Rhiannon Giddens John Perry Barlow Elon Musk Jeff Bezos Peter Thiel Charlie Parker John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie  Paul Butterfield Blues Band  Mike Bloomfield Alan Lomax Shows, Films, and Other Media A Complete Unknown IMDB  Mean Streets IMDB  The Last Waltz IMDB Squid Game watch on Netflix Beast Games watch on Prime Ted Lasso watch on Apple TV+ Schitt’s Creek watch on  Double Indemnity IMDB Clipped watch on Hulu Breaking Bad IMDB Mad Men watch on AMC+ Succession watch on Max\The Wire IMDB Homicide: Life on the Street IMDB Hill Street Blues IMDB Matlock (2024) watch on Paramount+ Knives Out IMDB Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery watch on Netflix Columbo IMDB Grand Theft Auto [YouTube Clips of Trailers for GTA 1-6] The Sopranos IMDB  Newport Folk Festival of 1965 Bob Dylan Performance [YouTube clip] FanDuel [Website] Potluck [Website] Virginia Public Radio [Website] Extra Fun Tidbits + News What does “kayfabe” mean in wrestling? Criterion Channel “Dangerous Work: Cy Endfield, Film Noir, and the Blacklist” series  LA Fire Mutual Aid LA Community Combats Fires  Poker Face Is the New Columbo What does culture eats strategy for breakfast mean? Trump vs 60 Minutes Lawsuit and Paramount Merger with Skydance  Public Media Defunded  –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Share your via email at [email protected].