Ali is slowly starting to join the 21st century. We talk about the use of apps from cash apps to rideshare and food delivery. We talk about the effect on labor and on our daily lives. We discuss the reality of data-collection and how we have opted for convenience over any other consideration. Our tech...

Currently Nerdy

Apps, Bill Cosby, and Britney Spears

In our new episode we talk about the recent discussion about Batman’s willingness as a lover. Twitter was abuzz with news that DC intervened to cut a scene where Batman performed oral sex on Catwoman. We discuss the rationalization of DC specifically in regards to wanting to sell merchandise and how capitalism shapes cultural productions....

Batman and Sexuality

In this episode we dive into the world of streaming, vlogging, and twitch. We talk about a recent 24 hour livestream and the potential money generated from it. We discuss the emergence of the phenomenon and the potential sociological reasons for why streaming, vlogging, and similar voyeuristic activities have become popular. Diz talks about watching...

Twitch and Streaming

In light of the recent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes we take the time to explore the role of media in perpetuating stereotypes and bigotry towards those of Asian descent. We discuss the failure in understanding the actual diversity of Asia especially as most Americans don’t even understand the different between varieties in cultures, languages,...

Anti-Asian Stereotypes in Media

Spurred by the weird character arc of Tom Branson from Downton Abbey, we examine other characters who have the opposite of a glow up. We add Bron from Game of Thrones to this lit along with Brita from Community. We distinguish the difference between characters that have the opposite of a glow up and horrible...

When good characters go wrong and Live Actions

In this episode we talk about the controversy around Pornhub purging its website of non-verified content creators. We discuss the context of Nicholas Kristof’s article, the role of corporations putting pressure on Pornhub, and the ramification of their decision. We talk about the dangers of user-generated pornography particularly around revenge porn. We discuss the implications...

Pornhub, Sex Work, and Labor

2021 is shaping out to be wild. Today we talk about the rise of the redditers against the hedge-funds. We discuss the stockmarket crisis around GameStop, bitcoin, and the impact of apps. We dive into how reddit organized a massive uprising against hedge funds, using their own unfair tactics against them. This leads us to...

Reddit vs Hedge funds, GameStop, & Robinhood

Today we talk about the the culture of wrestling and the Undertaker. We examine his comments and claims about how wrestling has gotten softer by highlighting the toxic, racist, and cruel working conditions of past years. We talk about the history of masculinity and how it is constructed historically and changes over time. We talk...

Wrestling, the Undertaker, & QAnon

In our first podcast of 2021 we catch up on all that has happened in the past few weeks. We talk about the failed insurrection, subsequent political quagmire, and the reality that our problems as a nation aren’t going away anytime soon. We discuss the surreal experience of living through the insurrection, we analyze how...

Insurrection and Disney

We dive into the viral news of possible alien contact. We discuss how in recent years there has been an increased revelation around aliens and UFO’s starting with the the Defense Department revealing video and audio of pilots witnessing UFO’s. We then talk about the latest revelation by an Israeli government official which claims aliens...

UFO’s, Aliens, and Intergalactic Federation

Game of Thrones only ended a year ago and yet we’ve collectively agreed to forget about. Today we discuss how the show went from a global cultural phenomenon to disappearing in a short period of time. We compare it with other highly popular series with cultural impacts and debate whether any other show managed to...

Revisiting Game of Thrones

We start this podcast off talking about the WWE situation with Zelina Vega. We discuss how WWE was at the forefront of the current labor situation by designating wrestlers as contractors rather than employees and the relation this has to Uber, Doordash, OnlyFans, and other gig-economy jobs. We chat about the danger of the new...

Apps, Spying, and Muslim Pro

It’s time for our post-election coverage. We discuss the historic 2020 presidential election in all its messy glory. We talk about the campaign leading up to election day, we analyze the polling, and examine the outcome. We discuss Trump’s unwillingness to concede, the experience of living through the painstaking counting in swing states, and the...

Election 2020

We take on the popularity of Khabib among immigrant and Muslim communities and discuss his connection to dictators. We analyze the need for strongmen-type heroes and what it reveals about masculinity and feeling powerless. We breakdown Borat and his satire focusing on the ways he reinforces stereotypes even as he’s claiming to expose the powerful....

Khabib, Borat, and France

As we survive a pandemic we discuss the future of a vaccine. We talk about flu shots and what we would do is vaccines were made available. We then discuss the casting of Kamala Khan in the upcoming Disney+ live action Ms. Marvel. We talk about the role of Muslim and South Asian representation and...