Follow Friday

On Slate's new internet culture podcast ICYMI, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher "gaze deep into the online abyss—and tell you what's gazing back." They've covered topics like Clubhouse, millennials vs. Gen Z on TikTok, and the controversial music video for Lil Nas X's song Montero (Call Me By Your Name).

On today's episode of Follow Friday, Rachelle and Madison talk with Eric Johnson about who they follow online, and why. Topics include: Joe Biden's dogs, the War of the Roses, The West Wing, the only person who's good at Twitter dunks, and the "Sapphic looks" of Cate Blanchett.

Follow us:

- Rachelle is @heyydnae on Twitter

- Madison is @4evrmalone on Twitter and Instagram

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Rachelle and Madison follow:

- Brandon Taylor

- Christina Tucker

- Jasmine Sanders

- The Queer Cate Blanchett Lookbook

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Katherine Chang and Purple Planet Music.

At the Los Angeles Times, tech journalist Johana Bhuiyan writes about privacy, surveillance, and how the actions of companies like Google and Amazon impact real people. And just like the rest of us, she's trying to avoid getting even more addicted to her phone.

"I have not allowed myself to download TikTok except for once," she says. "And it was like a three-day binge."

On today's episode of Follow Friday, Johana talks with Eric Johnson about her trusted source for funny TikToks that ensures she never needs to download the app again; a talented young rapper who's also working on COVID vaccines; and why she's "going to be a reporter til I die."

Follow us:

- Johana is @JMBooyah on Twitter and Instagram

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Johana follows:

- Aminatou Sow

- Ruby Ibarra

- Kashmir Hill

- Ahmed Ali Akbar

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Check out our sponsor, OnMail: onmail.followfridaypodcast.com

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Katherine Chang, starfrosch, and Purple Planet Music.

As the co-host of two popular podcasts — the movie discussion show the /Filmcast and the tech-focused Engadget Podcast — Devindra Hardawar has his finger on the pulse of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. But to understand those rapidly changing industries, he follows critics and academics who have smart, original takes on what's next.

On today's episode of Follow Friday, Devindra talks with Eric Johnson about the state of representation in Hollywood, the impact of Parasite's Best Picture win last year, why so many people are obsessed with the mythology-based video game Hades, and the person on Twitter who has helped him stay sane throughout the pandemic.

Follow us:

- Devindra is @Devindra on Twitter

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Devindra follows:

- Valerie Complex

- Karen Han

- Myles McNutt

- Zeynep Tufekci

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Katherine Chang and Purple Planet Music.

What is it like to be the most popular person on Twitter for a day? Comedy writer Zack Bornstein can tell you — he's been that person three times, thanks to his jokes about politics and current events that frequently go viral.

"Finally some good news," he tweeted in June 2020, on one of those three days. "Scientists discovered a treatment that can reduce COVID19 transmission by 70%, and its just a piece a cloth you wear in front of your dumb f**king face."

On today's episode of Follow Friday, Zack talks with Eric Johnson about the funny people he wants to be friends with, why comedians like to work together, and the real government official who looks like he "could pick you up by your throat and lift you off the ground in a movie."

Follow us:

- Zack is @ZackBornstein on Twitter and Instagram

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Zack follows:

- Patti Harrison

- Ben Marshall

- Jess Dweck

- John Fetterman

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Purple Planet Music.

New York Times columnist Kevin Roose is best known for writing and podcasting about online extremism and disinformation. But his new book, Futureproof, is a practical guide that offers "9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation," making it a sort of self-help book for people who don't want to be replaced by robots.

"I was talking to someone yesterday and they said, did you write a self-help book?" Roose says on today's episode of Follow Friday. "And it's like, well, literally yes. I was trying to help myself."

He also talks with Eric Johnson about the risk of "becoming a monster" on Twitter, why a Facebook page for Christian moms makes him jealous, and the celebrity entrepreneur he's embarrassed to admit he follows. Plus: Why you should take a nap after this podcast is done.

Follow us:

- Kevin is @kevinroose on Twitter

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Kevin follows:

- Astead W. Herndon

- The Horse Mafia

- The Nap Ministry

- Gary Vaynerchuk

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Purple Planet Music and Katherine Chang.

On Alie Ward's comedy/science podcast Ologies, she interviews real experts in topics like trees (dendrology), decluttering (oikology), and crow funerals (corvid thanatology). She's also a host of the Netflix show 100 Humans and a correspondent on the long-running CBS show Innovation Nation with Mo Rocca.

On this episode of Follow Friday, Ward talks with Eric Johnson about unfortunate bird names, the comedian she's afraid to befriend, the time she angered her now-fiancé by calling him a "green banana," and why the corner is the gayest part of the house. Plus: How Ward, as a professional science communicator, tries to promote scientists from under-represented backgrounds.

Follow us:

- Alie is @alieward on Twitter and Instagram

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Alie follows:

- Corina Newsome

- Chris Fleming

- Jarrett Sleeper

- Very Gay Paint

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Purple Planet Music, starfrosch, and Katherine Chang.

Chelsea Rebecca wants you to know that "people who love horror aren't all total sickos." She's the co-host of the hugely popular YouTube channel Dead Meat, along with her fiancé James Janisse, and previously starred in the comedy-video series Drunk Disney and other shows made by the comedy group Practical Folks.

On this episode of Follow Friday, Rebecca talks with Eric Johnson about the famous horror actor she has a crush on, why she's so transparent about her political leanings online, and the internet "rite of passage" of being strafed by a right-wing quasi-celebrity. Plus: Why it's easier to love pro wrestling when you don't know too much about it.

Follow us:

- Chelsea is @carebecc on Twitter

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Chelsea follows:

- Patrick Wilson

- Eat the Rich

- Nick Skardarasy

- Jo Graham

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Purple Planet Music, starfrosch, and Katherine Chang.

Tre'vell Anderson is on the front lines of how the media is evolving: The former LA Times film reporter now writes for the queer culture magazine Xtra and co-hosts a podcast about "the people, places and things we're fans of, but sometimes have some 'anti' feelings toward," called FANTI. They also use non-binary gender pronouns (they/them) and lead the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.

On this episode of Follow Friday, Anderson talks with Eric Johnson about better media representation for Black and queer people, how artists are forcing a conversation about identity, and why they have a "love/hate" relationship with their podcast co-host. Plus: The story of a trans woman whose cooking skills got her out of jail.

Follow us:

- Tre'vell is @TrevellAnderson on Twitter and @rayzhon on Instagram

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Tre'vell follows:

- Shar Jossell

- Alok V Menon

- Texas Isaiah

- Jarrett Hill

Rate Follow Friday: LoveThePodcast.com/FollowFriday

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Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Purple Planet Music, starfrosch, and Katherine Chang.

By day, Jenn Takahashi does PR for companies like the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel. But by night — or maybe also by day, we don't know her schedule — she is the "chief lurker" behind Best of Nextdoor, which posts high-quality neighborhood drama to hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram.

On this episode of Follow Friday, Takahashi talks with Eric Johnson about giving Law & Order: SVU star Ice-T his first bagel, the untimely demise of Google Reader, the best dog breed, and meme thieves. Plus: Air-fried hot dogs!

Follow us:

- Jenn is @jenntakahashi on Twitter and Instagram

- This show is @followfridaypod on Twitter and Instagram

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Jenn follows:

- Ice-T

- Danny Groner

- Matt Nelson

- Kale Salad

Subscribe to Follow Friday on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Overcast

Pocket Casts

... or your favorite podcast app!

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by Purple Planet Music, starfrosch, and Katherine Chang.

Ryan Broderick understands the internet better than you do, probably. After being fired from BuzzFeed last year, he launched an independent email newsletter called Garbage Day, which documents and explains the fun and strange and sometimes disturbing things people are posting online. Broderick also hosts the internet culture podcast The Content Mines with British news editor Luke Bailey.

On this episode of Follow Friday, Broderick talks with Eric Johnson about why it's a mistake to assume people are lying online, the implausible fact that email newsletters are cool now, and why making ska music in your bedroom is incredibly cool. Plus: Goblincore!

Follow us:

- Ryan is @broderick on Twitter

- This show is @followfridaypod on Instagram and Twitter

- Eric is @heyheyesj on Twitter

Who Ryan follows:

- Hussein Kesvani

- Casey Newton

- Ska Tune Network

- Morgan Sung

Subscribe to Follow Friday on:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Overcast

Pocket Casts

... or your favorite podcast app!

Theme song written by Eric Johnson, and performed by Yona Marie. Show art by Dodi Hermawan. Additional music by starfrosch and Katherine Chang.