Elf (2003): Adoption on the Big Screen

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear! Whether it's your first time watching this holiday classic, or your fiftieth, you've probably never watched Elf like this before. Podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer–all adoptees themselves–explore the adoptee experience alongside adoptee Buddy the Elf, including adoptee terminology, biological parent fantasies, cultural identity struggles, and more.

Elf (2003) was written by David Berenbaum, directed by Jon Favreau, and produced by New Line Cinema.

This episode aired on December 10, 2025. In it we discussed and/or relied upon:

Back to the Future, directed by Robert Zemeckis, Universal Studios (1985). The infamous "Calvin Klein" scene is here.

Barbara Bisantz Raymond, The Baby Thief (Grand Central Publishing, 2009)

Criminal Episode 110 "Baby Snatcher" (March 15, 2019)

Flagrant Clips @flagrantclips on YouTube, Interview with Peter Dinklage (August 7, 2024)

Mia Elkins, "Elf: Meet the man behind the movie," The Merionite (December 16, 2024)

Neil Miller, "40 Things We Learned from Jon Favreau's 'Elf' Commentary," Film School Rejects (December 23, 2011)

Patrick Cremona, "Elf screenwriter on its lasting legacy: 'It's something that's rare and special,'" RadioTimes.com (December 23, 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time

Shania Twain, "Whose Bed Have Your Books Been Under," The Woman in Me (1995)

The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen.

We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Cultural critical Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

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