General

Interracial Relationships in Pop Culture – IP 138

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Why is it still rare to see a romantic relationship between a black man and a white woman on TV? Is Netflix more progressive depicting interracial relationships than other networks?  How did the casting of a Cheerios commercial ignite a racist backlash?

In this week’s episode, we chat with Lori Tharps, a former Entertainment Weekly and Vibe Magazine writer, novelist and Associate Professor of Journalism at Temple University about how interracial relationships are portrayed on film and TV.

Lori breaks down the positive and negative aspects about the depiction of some of the more memorable interracial relationships in pop culture including Tom and Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard and Aziz Ansari’s love interests in Master of None.

Then, Amita gives her rating and review of Jose James’ latest covers album Lean on Me and sells Sean on a new single from her multi-talented fantasy husband- Riz MC aka Riz Ahmed.

Links:
Follow Lori on Twitter & Instagram
Lori’s blog- My American Melting Pot

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org

Riz MC- “Mogambo”

Women in the Director’s Chair: A Conversation with Queen Sugar’s DeMane Davis – IP 137

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

In this encore episode,  we speak with DeMane Davis, the director of the hit OWN series Queen Sugar. We chat with DeMane about the unique way she connected with Ava DuVernay to get the opportunity to work on the series and also discuss how she approached directing the premiere episode of the most recent season.

DeMane also discusses her new role as the series Producing Director and the responsibilities and creative challenges that come with the job. And she also dissects one of the most emotionally impactful moments of Season 3  – of course we’re talking about that infamous paternity test reveal scene!

Plus, Amita gives her rating and review of Sean’s Big Sell – Angelique Kidjo’s cover of the Talking Heads hit- “Once in a Lifetime” and sells a powerful TED Talk from Tracee Ellis Ross in the midst of the #MeToo movement.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org

Netflix Goes for the Oscar, How to Watch a Movie, Jose James Covers Bill Withers – IP 136

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

This week we tackle the age old, innuendo laced question – ‘Does size matter?’ Our resounding answer is – ‘yes!’ – especially when it comes to the size of the screen on which one watches feature films. This week news broke that Netflix is considering releasing Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma and the Coen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs in movie theaters before these films play on its streaming service. This would be an unprecedented move by the media behemoth that might give these movies a much better chance of getting some awards love.

Is a movie still a ‘movie’ if it plays on your tablet before it hits theaters? Is the motion picture academy ready to change the way it defines films? Should movie directors have a say in how their works are distributed? We tackle all of these issues in this episode and discuss our ideal way of watching movies (fyi – if it’s The Conjuring 2 Sean likes it in the dark, on his couch).

Plus – Sean reviews Jameela Jamil’s “I Weigh” movement and Big Sells Amita a new Bill Withers cover by the great vocalist Jose James.

Links:

Watch the trailer for Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma

Watch the trailer for The Coen Brothers The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Listen to Jose James’ rendition of Bill Withers’ ‘Hope She’ll be Better’

I Weigh Instagram feed

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on Maximumfun.org

Music Matters: An Interview with Music Supervisor Matthew Hearon-Smith- IP 135

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Ever wonder how some of your favorite songs in films and TV shows are chosen? This week, Sean sits down with Music Supervisor Matthew Hearon-Smith, who has selected songs for the award winning films Tangerine and The Florida Project and also has curated the soundtracks for various television shows including Viceland’s My House. We discuss his process for finding the right song for the right moment and how he collaborates with directors and showrunners to create the mood for specific scenes.

Then, we share some of our top picks for popular songs that have been featured in films and TV programs that have been embedded in our brains ever since.

Plus, Amita gives her rating and review of Sean’s Big Sell- Fantastic Negrito’s latest album, Please Don’t Be Dead and big sells an honest and revealing interview from “The Good Place” actress Jameela Jamil about the standard of beauty that women have been held up to and how she’s trying to rise above to help women love themselves for who they are, as they are.

Links:

Matthew Hearon-Smith’s IMDb

Matthew Hearon-Smith’s Website

Matthew Hearon-Smith’s Twitter

Sense8‘s use of the song- “What’s Up?”

Blue Velvet’s use of the song – “In Dreams”

Blue Velvet’s use of the song – “Blue Velvet”

Captain Fantastic‘s use of the song- “Sweet Child o’Mine”

Little Miss Sunshine‘s use of the song- “Super Freak”

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on Maximumfun.org

Fall TV Preview & Primetime Emmy Predictions with Norman Baker – IP 134

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

September has arrived and Fall is right around the corner! (Yeah, we said it, FALL! Where does the time go!?)

So, we’re getting you ready for the Fall TV season with special guest Norman Baker- who, as a self-proclaimed ‘Pop Culture Genius’, utilizes his entertainment prowess every day as a Senior Producer on The Wendy Williams Show. We find out what it takes to put together the Hot Topics segment of the popular daytime talk show and what inspired Norman to get into television production.

Then, Norman shares which new Fall TV shows he is looking forward to checking out including ABC’s A Million Little Things, CBS’s Murphy Brown and The CW’s All American and then we discuss who will win and who should win Best Comedy and Best Drama at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards.

Plus, in this week’s Big Sell, Sean gives his rating and review of Ibeyi’s “River” music video and shares a new album by soul/rock artist, Fantastic Negrito, who also performed at this year’s AfroPunk festival.

Follow Norman @normmaker on Twitter and Instagram

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on Maximumfun.org

Shining a Light on Cinematography: A Conversation with Graham Willoughby – IP 133

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

If you’ve ever been struck by the beauty that fills the screen while watching a particular film or television show you have the cinematographer to thank. The cinematographer – or Director of Photography – is responsible for helping the director achieve their vision; and whether the goal is to create an eye catching effect or to simply make natural light look ‘natural’ on film, the cinematographer commands a unique combination of creative intuition and technical expertise to achieve success.

This week- Amita and Sean speak with Graham Willoughby, the cinematographer of a number of incredible documentaries including the Oscar winning 20 Feet from Stardom and the hit doc of the summer, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Graham discusses the road that led him to be one of the most sought after non-fiction DPs working today. He also discusses television projects he has worked on (Abstract, Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas) and how he manages to work in a number of different genres including music, biography and comedy.

And in the latest Big Sell, Amita reviews the Frank Ocean-centric podcast Dissect and Big Sells Sean a song and video combo by the group Ibeyi.

Check out Graham Willoughby’s Official Site

Follow him on Instagram @nationalpleasure

Check out Sean’s overly precious, non-collaborative Afropunk Warm Up 2018 Playlist

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org

The (Immediate) Future of Television: Highlights from the TCA Press Tour – IP 132

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

If you love Television, our report on the 2018 TCA Summer Press Tour is a must!

This week, the TCA (Television Critics Association) gathered to hear all of the major networks break news with casting announcements, plot line revelations and promises that their new and returning shows will be the peak-iest in this era of Peak TV.

We discuss the highlights of the TCA tour and breakdown what all of this news means for the television industry, and for fans of the medium. We’ll answer all of your binge-worthy burning questions including:

  • What are the new shows creating the most buzz?
  • How much money is Netflix planning to spend on original programming next year?
  • What are the details about the new Game of Thrones spin-off?
  • Which series will end after this season?

Whether you’re geeking out over Sir Patrick Stewart’s return to the captain’s chair in Star Trek or cheering Alex Garland’s reboot of a classic miniseries, this episode is for you!

Plus in this week’s Big Sell – Sean loves Chaka Khan – but how does he feel about the new song Amita Big Sold last week? Plus find out why he is Big Selling a podcast that combines info about trills, Gregorian chants and Frank Ocean.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org

Highlights from San Diego Comic Con, Aquaman, Jacob Banks – IP 131

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

San Diego Comic Con is the epicenter of genre fandom, the ‘make it or break it’ launching pad of potential box office blockbusters and the most intensely overwhelming adventure a fan of pop culture can experience. In this episode, we bring you a report straight from the convention with entertainment journalist and Editor-in-Chief at Den of Geek US- Mike Cecchini.

No matter what you’re interest- Mike has you covered with inside info and insight including:

  • His interview with the star of  Aquaman, Jason Momoa and the director of the film, James Wan
  • A report on which trailers created the biggest buzz and which he thinks are most likely to live up to the hype
  • A special ‘everything Amita wanted to know about SHAZAM! and was brave enough to ask’ history lesson
  • The latest on the Buffy reboot (guess what? Sean’s got some opinions on this one!)
  • The DCU streaming service app that is blowing our minds
  • And the groundbreaking comic books coming out this Fall

Follow Mike Cecchini and Den of Geek:

Mike’s Twitter

Den of Geek US’s Twitter

Den of Geek Website

Mike’s interview with James Wan and Jason Momoa from Aquaman

Plus in the latest installment of The Big Sell – Amita rates soul singer Jacob Banks and sells Sean a new song from an iconic diva.

Links:

Inside Pop’s Episode on the Divas Who Defined Us (Episode 67)

Jacob Banks Sings Unknown (To You) Live

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org

Behind the Scenes at DreamWorks with Tony Ducret, The Handmaid’s Tale, Barry, Love Is – IP 130

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

This week, we speak with Tony Ducret who works in the story department at DreamWorks Studios / Amblin Partners. Tony speaks with us about the path that brought him to DreamWorks via a an early career as a producer and showrunner in unscripted programming; a writer and director in the independent film world and a student at the prestigious Peter Stark Producing Program at USC. Tony talks to us about how he uses his diverse background to contribute to the story department at one of the most successful studios in Hollywood.

We chat about the current state of development in Hollywood and the journey a script makes from submission to greenlit film. Do smaller budget films have a better chance of getting produced than larger budget projects? How do studios choose from the thousands of submissions they receive each year? What are the hardest movies to make in 2018? Tony tackles all of these questions and we also get his take on his favorite current TV programs including The Handmaid’s Tale, Barry and Love is__.

You can follow Tony @DucretMedia on Twitter and Instagram.

Plus in this week’s Big Sell- Sean reviews Amita’s Movie Montage from our last episode and recommends a new singer who will be performing at this summer’s AfroPunk Fest in Brooklyn aka two days of musical nirvana!

Links:

First and Final Frames Part 1

First and Final Frames Part 2

First and Final Frames Part 3

Jacob Banks’ Official Site

Jacob Banks’ Frank Ocean cover

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org

Strong Black Lead, Sense8 Series Finale – IP 129

| insidepoppodcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Please note that this episode of Inside Pop is NOT sponsored by Netflix despite the fact that we’re celebrating the network’s content throughout the half hour!

First up – we examine the Strong Black Lead promo Netflix released at the beginning of the week. We discuss its impact, what iconic photo inspired it, who created it and yes – how it caused some controversy.

Then, Sean says good-bye to one of his favorite series of all time in a completely non-objective review of the Sense8 series finale. Sean will answer the following questions:

Did the cluster’s final synchronized bow meet all of his expectations? Did the finale provide a sense of closure? When is an orgy more than an orgy?

Plus Amita reviews Sean’s Big Sell from last week and sells him on a (say it like Oprah) MOOOVIE MOOOONTAGE!!!!

Links:

Find our more about A Great Day in Hollywood HERE

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @PopInsiders

Like us on Facebook

And you can also find us on MaximumFun.org