Meaning What

The way people talk about fine art sucks, but it doesn't have to. Join Mason Hershenow (photographer and educator) and Sean Ang (chef and musician) as they discuss the art world in a truly groundbreaking way: like real people. Welcome to Meaning What, a space for conversations missing in contemporary art and culture. New episodes every other Thursday.

Recording Woes 11/21/2024

Recording Woes No new episode this week because of audio problems. Next episode drops December 5th. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/34072606

The Death of the Author 11/07/2024

The Death of the Author This week, Mason and Sean discuss Roland Barthes' influential 1967 essay "The Death of the Author"—how it is misunderstood by the chronically online and how it is a useful and important in understanding the art that we consume. We also discuss abandoning your heroes, parasocial relationships, songwriting and what it can tell us about the differences between Taylor Swift and Mitski, and remind you that—statistically—someone you love has purchased an album by Nickelback. ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/33825547

The Hell We Live In 10/24/2024

The Hell We Live In On today's episode, Mason and Sean talk about how the very same companies driving the "A.I." "revolution" are unravelling all aspects of life and culture. As you probably already guessed, we don't think it's a good thing. But, maybe there are legitimate uses? Maybe!? We also discuss autocorrect, photographers on Threads, how Microsoft wants to buy Three Mile Island, and the fact that we need a fact checker/producer. ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/33593317

A.I. Art and Why It's Garbage 10/11/2024

A.I. Art and Why It's Garbage On today's episode, Mason and Sean continue the conversation about artificial "intelligence" by turning the eyes on the art world and all the ways that procedurally-generated slop is beginning to pollute modern culture. We also discuss the difference between vocaloids and vtubers, our feelings about Woody Allen's movies, and why your five year old will never measure up to Felix González-Torrez. And make sure to stick around during the commercial break for extra content! ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang and Lincoln Hershenow Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/33414132

A.I. with John Matter 09/26/2024

A.I. with John Matter Today we are rightsizing the org with a returning guest: self-described lapsed-physicist John Matter. John joins us to discuss the rise of machine learning and artificial "intelegence", and why it's not much more than fancy math. We also discuss corpo speak, end-user agreements, and some fun trivia about the . You can find more of John (including his excellent cats) on . ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/33209667

Criticism Part 4 – Why Criticism Matters 09/12/2024

Criticism Part 4 – Why Criticism Matters Here it is, the final episode in our first mini series. Here we wrap up our discussion about media criticism, reaffirm our stance on Ronald Regan, and kick off Sean’s promissing political career as a classic American moderate. There is also discussion about Chuck Berry, Matchbox Twenty, and just how cool Mason wasn't in high school. ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/33015682

Criticism Part 3 – Other Media 08/29/2024

Criticism Part 3 – Other Media Mason went to a 9:45am showing of Deadpool & Wolverine a few days after this recording. ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang & Lincoln "Link" Hershenow Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/32787902

Criticism Part 2 – Pop Music 08/15/2024

Criticism Part 2 – Pop Music In part two of our series on criticism, Mason and Sean discuss the world of popular music and how social media and internet culture is shaping what we listen to and the industry that produces it. There are a few tangents, but we get there in the end. Everything is good and everyone behaves reasonably, especially hardcore fans on the internet. ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/32536477

Criticism Part 1 – Review Culture 08/01/2024

Criticism Part 1 – Review Culture We finally renewed ourselves for a third season, and we're kicking it off with a four-part series on criticism's place in the contemporary media landscape. In this first episode, Mason and Sean discuss how review culture—Yelp, Letterboxd, Amazon product reviews, etc.—has bled into culture writ large. Spoiler: the results aren't great consumers! Meaning What is now available every other Thursday, wherever you get podcasts. Go tell somebody! ——— Meaning What is a product of it's no sam studios Created by Mason Hershenow Produced by Sean Ang Edited, scored, and mixed by Mason Hershenow /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/32358767

Season 3 begins August 1st! 07/31/2024

Season 3 begins August 1st! Tell your friends! Tell your lover(s)! Tell your friend(s)'s lover(s)! Every other Thursday, wherever you get podcasts. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/32359337

Point Break 07/29/2021

Point Break Vaya con dios. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19965953

BONUS: Thanks India! 07/27/2021

BONUS: Thanks India! Hi! This is a Patreon preview! /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19941104

Spy Movies 07/22/2021

Spy Movies Goooold-fingahhhhhh!! /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19892981

East, West, & Twelve Bronze Heads 07/15/2021

East, West, & Twelve Bronze Heads Break treaties, loot cities, kidnap pekingese! /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19816682

Hudson River School & Manifest Destiny 07/08/2021

Hudson River School & Manifest Destiny It's all propaganda, baby! /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19742240

Play Up – Hiatus 07/03/2021

Play Up – Hiatus An important message from Christopher Scott McNeill /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19693721

Apple Podcasts 07/01/2021

Apple Podcasts As American as Tim Apple. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19667390

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 06/24/2021

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Sleep badly. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19588946

Pirates of the Crystal Void 06/21/2021

Pirates of the Crystal Void Apple put us back on iTunes just in time for us to pull this stunt. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19545593

Fine Art & Queer Censorship 06/10/2021

Fine Art & Queer Censorship Apple suddenly delisted us following this episode. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19425254

Listen Now! – K-Pop 06/05/2021

Listen Now! – K-Pop Welcome to Listen Now!, a monthly mini-podcast from it's no sam studios hosted by Meaning What producer and cohost Sean Ang. This week, Sean provides a crash course in K-pop and the ways it reimagines and subverts Western popular music, often creating something entirely new in the process. Join our Patreon and help us continue making this podcast. https://patreon.com/meaningwhatpod ——— Listen Now! is a product of it's no sam studios Created and hosted by Sean Ang. Produced by Mason Hershenow, Sean Ang, and Chris McNeill. Edited and mixed by Mason Hershenow. Theme music by Mason Hershenow. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19362923

Welcome to Pride Month 06/03/2021

Welcome to Pride Month Thanks, gay friends. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19338251

Minari 05/27/2021

Minari Grapes of Wrath in reverse. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19258208

Kathleen Larsen 05/20/2021

Kathleen Larsen An intervention Sean scheduled for themself, apparently. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19170431

Asian Culture in Western Art 05/13/2021

Asian Culture in Western Art Mason would like to apologize for his unfair caricature of a Capitol Records executive. Wait...nevermind, no he wouldn't. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19089161

Play Up – To the Moon 05/08/2021

Play Up – To the Moon "Outer...SPACE!" - Adam Driver, 'Inside Llewyn Davis,' 2013 /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19027148

Chinatown 05/06/2021

Chinatown No, this is not about the 1974 Jack Nicholson film. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/19000601

Blazing Saddles! 04/29/2021

Blazing Saddles! "We must protect our phoney-baloney jobs, gentlemen!" /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/18905312

The Oscars 04/23/2021

The Oscars Everybody be nice and tell the studio executives how talented and important and handsome they are. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/18831968

Listen Now! – Serpentwithfeet 04/17/2021

Listen Now! – Serpentwithfeet Welcome to Listen Now!, a monthly mini-podcast from it's no sam studios hosted by Meaning What producer and cohost Sean Ang. This week, Sean discusses the work of Serpentwithfeet and his important role in challenging thematic and sonic conventions in R&B and pop music, as well as his influence as an openly queer voice in a stubbornly conservative industry Songs featured: Follow us on , , and sign up for the . ——— Listen Now! is a product of it's no sam studios Created and hosted by Sean Ang. Produced by Mason Hershenow, Sean Ang, and Chris McNeill. Edited and mixed by Mason Hershenow. Theme music by Mason Hershenow. /episode/index/show/meaningwhat/id/18756212

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