Centered Subject

A cacophonous mini-ep, in which Yelena calls Emily to read a press release for Y's upcoming show at Actual Size LA. The discordant mixture of sounds includes a fan, stifled laughter, and a brief discussion of being in/without nature and hybridization of art and academia.

On the 4th of July, Yelena reports from the scene of a 6.6 earthquake and Jenny returns with ice cubes as she starts her neoliberal penance for America. There is discussion of generational divide among the electorate, aging, and magical thinking. Proposed action items include a collective spell by Libras against surveillance capitalism and using customized Nike sneakers to bridge the polarized media divide.

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Clinging to humanity despite harrowing news from The Internet, Jenny Campbell and Yelena Zhelezov make a podcast every Thursday. Frequently discussed: tech, nature, fine arts, human behavior, Soviet memories, sharing economy, with music by Julia Holter.

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Anthropologist Emily Curtin joins Yelena as they travel through the 4th wall in Fleabag, cope with being addressed by inanimate objects, weigh in on the cultural milieu of the American smile and discover emoji porn. Emily reflects on doing fieldwork in Belarus and Yelena reads from "Dreamworld and Catastrophe: The Passing of Mass Utopia in East and West" by Susan Buck-Morss.

Watching Chernobyl brings out Yelena’s recollections of radioactive Soviet childhood in 1986 Minsk. After considering socialism, climate change and Geiger counters, both J and Y get nervous. Jenny seeks solace in the language of mushrooms.

Y and J get ready for the summer with a timely discussion of inflatable couture, glass bodies and parties. Jenny reminisces about zen retreat failure and discloses her sweaty Sophia Loren fantasy. Yelena shares an espionage tale involving Lenin, gluten and dairy.

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Danielle Lessovitz stops by the pod to talk about Port Authority, her new feature film that just premiered at Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard). A complex love story set in New York’s Kiki ballroom scene, Port Authority stars Leyna Bloom, the first trans actress of color in a Cannes selection. The episode gets personal as we discuss falling in love, waiting at train stations and class conflict; Jenny reads from “A Lover’s Discourse” and Yelena embodies “June gloom”.

Bonus: Our take on “Women are happier without children or a spouse, says happiness expert”

A Lover's Discourse, by Roland Barthes

Port Authority, dir. Danielle Lessovitz

Jenny and Yelena consider electoral advertising tactics, lying, and the perils of sharing economy. Bonus! Fake blood and tales of Belarusian forests.

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Trump's FB/IG ad library

Belovezhskaya Pushcha, where bisons live

Travels in Hyperreality : Essays by Umberto Eco

The Precariat : The New Dangerous Class by Guy Standing

Lying by Sam Harris

Reflecting on recent news of whale espionage, Jenny and Yelena human-shame, discuss sentience and prey fantasies, and cover everything in feathers.

Quoted: Martin Buber, Henry Beston, Caitrin Kelper, Werner Herzog. The ghost of Susan Sontag makes a fleeting appearance.

Just in time for the International Workers' Day, Jenny and Yelena bring you another diligent conversation. Parsed: memories of parades, the Decadent Work Ethic, true leisure through shoes, play and political pyramids.