Pop Rocket Ep. 203 Bravo’s Dirty John & Our True Crime Obsession w/ Sarah Kessler
Release Date: 12/08/2018
The Final Episode
Pop Rocket
**Warning - this episode contains lots of tears** For the final episode of Pop Rocket, the panel convene to give listeners one last All About, one last Jam, and they look back at the past four and a half years, and all the various milestones they’ve shared with one another and their listeners while doing the show--marriages, deaths, birth, book deals, finding a new home, and so many other memories. It’s raw. It’s wonderful. In addition, we’ll hear phone calls from listeners and friends of the show about what Pop Rocket meant to them. Plus, Guy shares the best abortion joke he’s ever...
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Ep 224 - What’s in the Cards for the Pop Rocket Panel w/ The Oracle of LA
Pop Rocket
**Angelenos: Tonight (May 17th) at 7pm Guy and Karen will have a conversation about at in West Hollywood.** In this penultimate episode, the Pop Rocket panel seeks guidance from The Oracle of LA, Amanda Yates Garcia. Each panelist pulls a card from the Oracle’s tarot deck, and gets an individual reading. What’s next for everyone? The answer’s in the cards. Also, Karen Tongson tells us about her phone call with Elizabeth Warren this week. Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren called Karen Tongson on the phone. Personally. Listen to hear how it went down. If you...
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Ep 223 - Charlie Says with Screenwriter Guinevere Turner
Pop Rocket
This is the first of our three final episodes, and we’re joined by screenwriter Guinevere Turner (,) whose latest film just came out today, May 10th. As “budding cult-ologist” MagWaps notes, “if you think you’ve heard everything on the Mansons, trust me, this movie takes a different view.” Having , Guinevere was able to draw from her experiences and insight to tell the story from the point of view of the women who were targeted and groomed by Manson, and killed for him. It’s a fascinating discussion. Plus, the panel convened once again to vote on another Pop...
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Ep 222 - Game of Thrones w/ Laura Krafft & Sarah Kessler
Pop Rocket
First off, you're welcome Game of Thrones fans. This is a super-sized Pop Rocket loaded with theories, speculation, and yes, even love. While Wynter and Karen were away, Margaret and Guy tapped two die-hard fans for a full-on discussion of the series and their thoughts now that the first two of the last six episodes have aired. Assembled in the studio this week: Guy "I've read all the George R.R. Martin books in the series" Branum Sarah "I'm in a viewing group with a gaggle of lesbians and their gaybies" Kessler Laura "I prepared delicious direwolf-shaped crackers" Krafft Margaret "I host GoT...
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Ep. 221 - The New Negroes & Black Sketch Comedy
Pop Rocket
This week Wynter and Karen chat with Ellington Wells, a comedian and writer on Comedy Central’s brand new sketch show The New Negroes with Open Mike Eagle and Baron Vaughn. The panel takes a look at how black sketch comedy has involved and Wells tell us what Robert Townsend TV special inspired Vaughn to create a show with a similar sensibility. All Abouts Wynter: Karen: Season 4 of Ellington: That's My Jam Ellington: Guy: Wynter: Karen: With , , Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can!...
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Ep. 220 - Killing Eve & the Asian Woman with Amazing Hair
Pop Rocket
**ANNOUNCEMENT: The nomination process is now open for the next Pop Rocket Seal of Approval. This quarter we’re looking for veterans with a large body of work who have been underappreciated and haven’t received the acclaim that their body of work and stellar character deserve. If you want to submit a name, you must call and leave a message on Guy’s mom’s voicemail to tell us who you’d like to nominate and why. That number is: 530-237-4108** This week we’re joined by food writer Tien Nguyen whose love of food is only rivaled by her admiration of Sandra Oh, an Asian woman with...
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Ep 219 - 1991 in Music
Pop Rocket
Take a trip down memory lane with Wynter, Karen and Margaret as they revisit 1991 in music. If you’ve ever been curious what song was playing when Karen experienced her first same sex kiss, tune in. If you grew up in the nineties, this episode will bring you back to that moment in time. If you spent your formative years in the aughts, and want to experience the 90s vicariously through Pop Rocket, the panel goes into great detail about what makes 1991 such a pivotal epoch, giving us grunge, new jack swing, schmaltzy ballads and music fans that could embrace Nirvana, Boys II Men, C+C Music...
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Ep 218 - Jordan Peele’s Us
Pop Rocket
Pop Rocket’s come early this week! Alonso Duralde guest hosts for this, our second week of the MaxFunDrive. The deadline for supporting this show is fast upon us, so if you haven’t yet become a new or upgrading member, do it now! Go to . You can donate while listening to this special Thursday edition of the show. This episode has something for everyone--sapphic sisters, metal heads, Hallmark Channel enthusiasts and, of course, horror buffs. One note of caution: There are spoilers, so if you haven’t yet seen Us, and you want to see it before learning about any of its twists and...
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Ep. 217 - Pop Rocket Goes to USC to Teach the Kids Why Pop Culture Matters
Pop Rocket
It’s the first live episode of Pop Rocket. Professor Karen Tongson invited the panel to give a lesson on why pop culture matters, with a focus on the past decade. You’ll learn what pop culture of the 2010s will last, and what culture won’t be remembered. Plus we’ll hear from some of Karen’s students, including a special jam brought to the show by Clayton. You won’t want to miss this must-listen episode! All Abouts Margaret: Karen: Wynter: That's My Jam Margaret: Clayton: Wynter: Karen: , , , Did you know that you can now call...
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Ep. 216 - Lady Vengeance: From Bobbit and Beyond
Pop Rocket
In honor of Women’s History Month, the panel lives vicariously through women who sought revenge, from Lorena Gallo (formerly Bobbit), to Thelma & Louise. They touch on their favorite films centered around women seeking revenge...or, perhaps more accurately, justice. All Abouts Margaret: Karen: “Operation Varsity Blues”, aka the Wynter: Guy: That's My Jam Margaret: Guy: Wynter: Karen: With , , , Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give...
info_outlineWe're getting down into the down and dirty story Dirty John, the new Bravo show based on the LA Times and Wondery podcast of the same name. Joining us in the discussion this week is media scholar and TV critic Sarah Kessler who happens to also be married to our very own Karen Tongson. Dirty John is the true crime story about Debra Newell, a successful Orange County businesswoman who seemed to have everything going for her except when it came to love. In her middle age, she began online dating and met this guy who her two daughters found extremely shady. Obviously, throughout the course of the limited series starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana, she and we find out why.
We take a deep dive into what it is that titillates and draws us into the dark and disturbing world of true crime. The panel takes a look at podcasts like Teacher's Pet, Serial and Bear Brook, among others, as well as shows such as Making a Murderer, Lifetime’s A Woman Scorned and the sensational, made-for-tv accounts of the most notorious serial killers. What does true crime tell us about women and what does it tell women to watch out for? Find out!
List of All the True Crimes Stories Referenced in the Episode
Serial
Bear Brook
Teacher's Pet
Atlanta Monster
Star 80
Fall of a Titan: The Steve McNair Story
In the Dark
Crime & Scandal: Chris Watts
All Abouts
Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh is all about the interpersonal dynamics at play at H.W. Bush’s funeral.
Sarah Kessler is all about My Brilliant Friend on HBO based on the bestselling series by Elena Ferrante.
Karen Tongson is all about a recent stand-up set she saw of Aparna Nancherla.
That's My Jam
Sarah Kessler - Stereolab - Outer Accelerator
Wynter - Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm
Karen Tongson - Juliana Hatfield - A Little More Love
With Karen Tongson, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, and Sarah Rebecca Kessler.
Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108
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Produced by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org. Edited by Shana Daloria.