IMDbitch Fest

What happens when you contractually obligate the winner (Kelly Clarkson) and runner-up (Justin Guarini) of the first season of American Idol to make a spring break musical together, you ask? Well wonder no longer, dear reader, because the answer is From Justin to Kelly (2003), a movie described by Kelly Clarkson herself as "real, real bad!" A crown jewel of our She's So Lucky season, episode 6 finds your hosts examining American Idol culture, 2003 texting culture, towel choreography culture, and an infamous skirt made entirely out of neckties (eat your heart out, Avril!). Come commit a little American idolatry on the shores of Fort Lauderdale with us and see if you agree with Rhiannon that a film whose star has begged that it not become a cult classic is ultimately "not that bad," or with Jo, who would say that it "is bad." 

Groovy baby, yeah!!! We won't beat around the bush: episode 4 of our She's So Lucky season takes us all the way back in time to 2002 for Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter's acting DEBUT in, you guessed it, AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER, directed by Jay Roach and starring...Mike Meyers...!

This episode finds your hosts rightfully unhinged as we attempt to walk a mile in Beyoncé's shiny platform boots and situate the very concept of Austin Powers within the zeitgeist of the 21st century, a conversation that includes real-time searches of "Dr. Evil tattoos," among other things.

Oh, and one more thing...BEHAVE!!!

The second installment of our She's So Lucky season is all about Mariah Carey, and somewhat about her first starring role in Glitter, a 2001 romantic musical drama directed by Vondie Curtis Hall and co-starring Da Brat, Terrence Howard, Tia Texada, and also somehow Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi! 

Sparing any lyrical puns about how Obsessed we continue to be with the topic of pop stars on film or how researching for a Mariah-centric episode was a shared Fantasy come true or how All [We] Want for Christmas Is You, we'll just say that this episode truly has it all: Em*n*m; 9/11; and a special reading by Jo Hylton from Mariah Carey's memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

What better or more obvious choice to bookend a season all about needing to talk all about Kevin (Smith) than CLERKS II (2006), which reunited audiences with the Quick Stop crew in the new millennium. In this retrospective episode, Jo, Rhiannon, and John reflect on lessons learned, opinions hardened, and what watching seven Kevin Smith movies in rapid succession does to the human mind, body, and spirit. While CLERKS II was certainly not Kevin's last tour through the View Askewniverse, it certainly is IMDbitchfest's!...for now. 

This week Kevin Smith had these three Jersey girls talking about his sixth film and first foray beyond the View Askewniverse: JERSEY GIRL (2004), starring Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, George Carlin, Jason Biggs, and, far too briefly, Jennifer Lopez. Listen along as we process this sweetie pie daddy-daughter comedy in context and contrast to everything we thought we knew about Kevin. Tangents in this episode include but are not limited to: Ben Affleck's seemingly Dunkin-soothed breakup, A Bear's Life magazine, and celebrity tweets you just can't unsee. 

Snoochie boochies! It's episode 5 of the We Need To Talk About Kevin extravaganza/intervention/season! This week, Jo, Rhiannon, and John travel even deeper into Kevin Smith's psyche with his 2001 Jersey-to-Hollywood buddy adventure comedy JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, starring the View Askewniverse ensemble. Join us and decide for yourself whether twenty years have aged this cinematic basket of inside jokes, celebrity cameos, and easter eggs like a fine wine or a fine weed. Snoogans! 

In this, the fourth episode of Season 4: We Need to Talk About Kevin, Kevin Smith had Jo, Rhiannon, and John questioning their faith as they reckoned with his 1999 religious ~fantasy comedy~ DOGMA. This unholiest of holy romps brings Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, George Carlin, Linda Fiorentino, Janeane Garofalo, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Salma Hayek, Alan Rickman, Jason Mewes, and literally Alanis Morissette together as Pastor Kevin's congregation of fallen angels, prophets, and misfits. Denounced by the Catholic Church as blasphemy before its release (@imdbitchfest vibes)...it's Dogma!