This week, contributors Rena Karefa-Johnson and Matt Ruby return to discuss the politics on display at the 69th Annual Emmy Awards -- mainly Sean Spicer’s appearance and how that relates to conversations about “normalization” and issues of diversity and representation in relation to some historic wins by nominees of color and comments by Issa Rae, creator and star of HBO’s Insecure. We’re also joined by Charles Hinshaw to discuss the recently released movie, mother!, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Along the way, we’ll also hear from Radio Dispatch’s John Knefel with his thoughts on Senator Bernie Sanders’ proposed Medicare-For-All bill; we’ll hear from a woman named Ayanda about her experience of discovering friends of hers were Trump supporters; and we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by Brooklyn synth-pop outfit gobbinjr from an episode of BTR Live Studio set to be released next week.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

Also mentioned in the episode:

“Sean Spicer and the Lubrication of Fame” /// Matt Ruby

“Sean Spicer’s Emmys 2017 Cameo Is What Normalization Looks Like” /// Teen Vogue

00:00 - Intro

01:26 - Politics at the 69th Annual Emmy Awards

02:32 - Matt Ruby on Sean Spicer and the Lubrication of Fame

03:53 - Group chat on Sean Spicer’s Emmy appearance

09:29 - Which is more offensive? Spicer’s at Emmys or his fellowship at Harvard

13:50 - “Normalization” (and Lauren Duca’s article on Spicer)

19:44 - Diversity and representation at the Emmys

20:28 - Issa Rae says she’s “rooting for everybody black” / Tucker Carlson throws a fit

35:25 - Shonda Rimes finds the Emmy firsts "embarrassing”

44:09 - 1st Person: Ayanda // Realizing Friends Were Trump Supporters

48:28 - Movie Review: ‘mother!’ w/ Charles Hinshaw

51:27 - Movie Chat: ‘‘mother!’ (spoiler alert)

70:36 - John Knefel // BernieCare For All

73:58 - “fake bitch” (BTR Live Studio, 2017) - gobbinjr

77:40 - Outro / Credits

78:25 - Finish.