What was supposed to be a celebration of music and the city of Houston turned deadly at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival earlier this month. Ten people died after a crowd surge, and hundreds more were injured. Inevitably, people are looking for someone to blame — and Travis Scott is the most obvious target. But it’s more complicated than you might think. 
You’ll hear from:
Joey Guerra, music critic for the Houston Chronicle            
J. Christopher Hamilton, entertainment attorney, author and professor at Syracuse University
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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key.  
Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

Is Travis Scott to Blame for the Astroworld Tragedy?

TV, movies, music, sports, culture — so much to know, so little time. That’s where we come in. Every week, Pop Cultured with theSkimm dives into the stories you can’t stop thinking about. Coming October 12, with new episodes every Tuesday.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Sadly, we’re saying goodbye to Pop Cultured. In the last year, we’ve done some memorable pop culture deep dives (think: Queen Bey’s “Renaissance” and the history of house music) and broken down some of the biggest stories in the news (like: the Oscar’s slap and Serena retiring as the GOAT). We’ve also had some amazing conversations along the way. 
So, it’s only right that we end the show the way it began: talking about why these stories matter.
TV, movies, fashion, sports, and just about everything we consume can be pop culture, and looking at it can tell us a lot about what’s going on in society.
Today, we take a look back at some of our favorite moments on the show — from Dwyane Wade totally flubbing questions about his wife Gabrielle Union to that time Bridget got an astrology reading that told her when she’ll find love.
Then, we chat with some of our favorite show guests on why pop culture is important to them — and the world.
You’ll hear from:


Sabrina Razack, PhD candidate who studies and writes about the intersection of sports, gender, and race. Find Sabrina’s curriculum at teachbeyondaboundary.com. 


Sharon Kwon, psychotherapist, social worker, writer, and mental health advocate. Learn more about Sharon’s practice at sharonkwon.com.  


Daric L. Cottingham, freelance culture and entertainment journalist. Check out Daric’s work at dariccott.com.


Bethonie Butler, TV and pop culture reporter for The Washington Post. Read Bethonie’s latest articles for washingtonpost.com. 

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

A Last Love Letter to Pop Culture

Don’t know about you, but we’re still processing everything that went down at the VMAs — from that totally weird Johnny Depp appearance (can we call it that?) to Lizzo responding to haters. Again. 
We’re also going to break down the Olivia Wilde–Shia LaBeouf beef, the Euphoria season three drama, and the latest thing to fall out of Chris Rock's mouth.
And finally, with all eyes on NASA this week, we’re going back to one of our favorite episodes of this show, where we dug into our pop culture obsession with space. 
You’ll hear from:


Dr. Teasel Muir Harmony, curator of the Apollo Spacecraft Collection, professor at Georgetown University and author of  Apollo to the Moon: A History in 50 Objects.  


Swapna Krishna, journalist covering space, tech, and pop culture at outlets such as Engadget, StarTrek.com, The Verge, and more. Co-host of the podcast Desi Geek Girls. 


Eric Kohn, New York–based Executive Editor & Chief Critic at IndieWire.

Lizzo Calls Out the Haters and Hollywood's Love Affair with Space

We’re kicking it off this week with a rundown of a big win for HBO Max (House of the Dragon, we’re looking at you) and a whole lot of cringe. A plantation wedding, Bennifer? Really?
Then, it’s a conversation with The Juggernaut’s Ishani Nath about Indian Matchmaking, and why she says the Netflix show about arranged marriages is still a hate watch. We get into what the series gets right, what it’s still getting wrong in season two, and why Sima from Mumbai fires up so many feelings. 
And finally, the VMAs are right around the corner. But who even watches music videos any more? We talked to Rolling Stone writer Claire Shaffer about the rise, fall, and rebirth of the medium — from the big-budget heyday of Michael Jackson’s ’80s to the boy bound countdowns of TRL to today’s YouTube-ready viral sensations. 
You’ll hear from: 
Ishani Nath, culture editor for The Juggernaut
Claire Shaffer, freelance writer for Rolling Stone
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Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts


Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong and producer Alaisha Key. Additional production help from Blake Lew-Merwin. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

Indian Matchmaking and the Rebirth of the Music Video

First, it’s the Pop Five: Megan Thee Stallion’s new album “Traumazine” is just what the hot girls need as we transition into fall. Rihanna’s boo A$AP Rocky might be in big trouble, and Real Housewife Kathy Hilton is facing backlash from Lizzo fans. And we’re getting nostalgic over Brandy’s “Cinderella” turning 25. 
Next, Jennette McCurdy’s new memoir is making us rethink some of our childhood faves. We Skimm (in under four minutes) what we’re learning about the era at Nickelodeon that brought us "iCarly."
And since we’re looking back, we’re celebrating the GOAT: Serena Williams. The tennis phenom recently announced that she’s retiring, so we talked to a writer about Serena’s career, legacy, and lasting impact on women’s sports. 
You’ll hear from:
Sabrina Razack, PhD candidate who studies and writes about the intersection of sports, gender, and race                                            
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Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts


Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key. Additional production help from Blake Lew-Merwin. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

Jennette McCurdy Speaks, Serena Retires As the GOAT

First up, say goodbye to #Kete, folks. Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson called it quits after just nine months of dating. Get the rundown on the biggest breakup of the summer and Kanye’s reaction. 
Plus, find out why Megan Thee Stallion’s boo Pardi seems a little upset with The Rock? And did a couple really find love in the Popeye’s parking lot?
We quickly break it all down in this week’s Pop Five stories. 
Then, we Skimm (in under four minutes) what the heck is going on with the Warner Bros. Discovery merger that killed "Batgirl" — and how this new marriage may affect your streaming options.
And since we kinda have relationships on the brain, we’re diving deeper into dating app fatigue. (Yes, it’s a real thing!)
We spoke with a reporter who’s done research on the topic to understand what it is, what the signs are, and what you can do if you’re tired of swiping.
You’ll hear from:
Jessica Klein, contributing reporter for the BBC                                                
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Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts


Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key. Additional production help from Blake Lew-Merwin. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

Is Travis Scott to Blame for the Astroworld Tragedy?

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