Ep. 38: Just Can’t [The] Help It

06/12/20 • 86 min

Wynter returns this week, as we welcome special guests Renee Bever (artist, co-host of Attack of the Queerwolf), and Tavia Nyong’o (author, Professor of American Studies at Yale). The panel catches up about how they’ve been participating in the national uprisings, while reflecting on some of the media moments, both head-scratching, and inspiring over the last week, from the Dems draped in kente cloth, to “You About to Lose This Job,” the unofficial anthem of the movement. Wynter also digs deep into the “Bon Appetit Revolt,” a developing story at the time we recorded. The panel devotes some deep conversation to “good civil rights movies” vs. really shitty ones, as well as films about race relations that are frozen in their historical moment. Nuo-lingo goes meta to explore when certain slang terms are appropriate or appropriation, and there are several songs of the week to get you to the next protest.

Instead of another plea to contribute to us this week, we ask that you contribute to the social justice organizations of your choice, especially those promoting peace, and racial, gender and sexual equality. We, and our guests this week recommend the following:

Previous Episode

Ep. 37: American Uprising

We stand with the Black Lives Matter movement in advocating for racial justice, and against police violence. Wynter and her family have also suffered a personal tragedy, so this episode is in somber observance of this, as well as our current national events. Queer scholars & activists, Homay King and Jeanne Vaccaro join Karen to offer reports and resources for social justice actions, including ways of contributing for those who cannot participate in street actions. They discuss the media coverage of protests, race, and the pandemic, while reflecting on how race, feminism and LGBTQ politics intersect, or fail to, in “pride month” media and entertainment, including the recent Hulu original series Mrs. America. Nuo-lingo focuses on the concept of “mutual aid” and what it truly means, while the panelists offer resources for what to read, what to watch, and how to educate yourselves & others about race, justice, and sexuality in America.

Black Visions Collective (BLVC) “believes in a future where all Black people have autonomy, safety is community-led, and we are in right-relationship within our ecosystems. (https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/)

ABC (Act Blue Community Bail Funds) where you can split a donation between up to 40 community bail funds all over the country, from Louisville to Hawaii, Baltimore, NOLA, CA, Memphis, Chicago, as well as bail funds established by organizations like the LGBTQ freedom fund. (it’s a long URL, so look on our Patreon Page) https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd?fbclid=IwAR2x8YYMubmjvUldt3XWQ2h9AJKkV5oEhjPqE4Zkdxpmv-szyPCa1lYcs8Y

BLM Global Network: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Philadelphia Community Bail Fund: https://www.phillybailout.com/

Reclaim Philadelphia: https://www.reclaimphiladelphia.org/

The Philadelphia Cultural Fund: https://www.philaculturalfund.org/

What we talked about this week:

Next Episode

Ep. 39: Together Again to Talk Gen Z with Guy Branum & Margaret Wappler

Wynter and Karen reunite with their former podmates Guy Branum and Margaret Wappler in this supersized episode fundraising for G.L.I.T.S and SummaEverything! The fierce foursome indulge in a deep catch-up about everything from the demise of the “girl boss,” to 90 Day Fiance and Top Chef All Stars (Margaret even cameos at a boozy brunch in one of the episodes), all while processing the pop culture in the last year that they’ve missed talking to each other about since they wrapped Pop Rocket in May 2019. The gang puts their Gen X heads together for an analysis of Generation Z, who are revved and ready to lead the revolution. Plus, Nuo Lingo tips us off to what’s become of the influencer class, and our beloved guests bring us home with two radiant songs of the week. Instead of another plea to contribute to us this week, we ask that you contribute to the social justice organizations of your choice, especially those promoting peace, and racial, gender and sexual equality. We, and our guests this week recommend the following:

G.L.I.T.S. - https://www.glitsinc.org/donations

SummaEverythang - https://summaeverythang.org/