Pop Syllabus

September is for back-to-school, changing weather, and apparently a LOT of celebrity magazine covers.

For the Season 1 finale of Pop Syllabus, Christiana picks up the September issues and takes us inside their biggest covers and most interesting stories. From Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere on Vogue to Rihanna, Usher, Charli XCX, and a powerful Essence cover celebrating Black women, she explores what these magazines choose to put on their covers, what they leave inside the pages, and what it all says about pop culture right now.

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01:30 Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere on the cover of US Vogue 

02:42 Regime change at Vogue 

03:30 Nepo babies 

06:00 US Vogue cover 

07:16 Rihanna on the cover of Elle

09:35 Rihanna’s relationship with Dior 

10:47 Elle editorial with Rihanna  

12:08 Jermey Strong on the cover of GQ 

14:21 GQ editorial with Jeremy strong

16:33 Nicole Kidman on the cover of British Vogue 

18:43 Brad Pitt on the cover of Esquire

20:04 Esquire editorial with Brad Pitt

26:18 Sanaa Lathan, Nina Compton, Mara Brock Akil and Nikole Hannah-Jones on the front cover of Essence 

27:50 Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on the back cover of Essence 

28:09 America at 250 

30:00 Seeing Black women with mature skin and gray hair 

31:30 Isan Elba 

32:01 Hair styles and product recommendations in Essence 

35:38 Mardi Gras 

36:00 Essence editorial with Sanaa Lathan, Nina Compton, Mara Brock Akil and Nikole Hannah-Jones 

37:19 Terrence Jenkins and Mikalah Sultan

39:12 Essence editorial with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

40:57 “Letters to America” in Essence

41:30 Afro-optimism 

41:52 The American flag and who gets to own it 

44:20 Christiana’s relationship with England and the English flag

46:19 Black women and reproductive health in Essence 

46:42 Usher on the cover of Architectural Digest

49:25 A feature on decorative plates in Architectural Digest

49:58 Usher’s Architectural Digest feature 

52:58 Charli XCX on the cover of Rolling Stone 

54:40 George Michael feature in Rolling Stone

55:00 Comparing Rolling Stone to other magazines

55:13 Shaboozey in Rolling Stone

55:40 James Comey profile in Rolling Stone

57:00 Charli XCX editorial in Rolling Stone 

57:40 Afroman in Rolling Stone

59:00 Keke Palmer editorial in Rolling Stone

01:00:18 Adam Friedland in Rolling Stone 

01:00:42 The Legend of the Plaster Caster in Rolling Stone

01:02:16 A man who wants to help people print guns in Rolling Stone

01:02:30 Assessing Rolling Stone 

01:03:12 Star Magazine

01:10:00 How to keep up with Christiana

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Forget the stereotypical image of ADHD. For many women, it looks a lot different. 

This week, Christiana sits down with Corinne the Coach to explore why women and girls are so often overlooked, why women of color face even greater barriers to diagnosis, and how ADHD can impact everything from mental health and shame to motherhood, money, and work. Corinne also opens up about her own diagnosis, navigating medication, and building a business while neurodivergent.

Corinne’s website: https://corinnethecoach.life/ 

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01:43 Corinne’s ADHD diagnosis 

06:45 Why it takes longer for girls and women to get diagnosed with ADHD

11:30 Different types of ADHD 

16:30 Underdiagnosis among girls and women of color

22:15 How ADHD can be related to eating disorders and substance abuse

26:58 Skepticism around women of color having ADHD 

29:30 Signs that a woman may be struggling with mental health challenges

31:45 How women hide their shame 

35:12 Strains on mothers

38:58 How Corinne started her business while being neurodivergent 

39:50 How ADHD keeps people impoverished 

41:04 Taking medication for ADHD 

48:00 Corinne’s experiences with ADHD medication 

54:45 How we can support the people in our lives who might have ADHD

01:08:21 How you can find Corinne the Coach

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We love to talk about motherhood like there’s a right way to do it. But the rules have never been as simple as they seem.

This week, Christiana sits down with WIRED senior culture writer and author of One Bad Mother Ej Dickson to explore the cultural history of the “bad mom,” from the “welfare queen” to today’s MAHA moms, momfluencers, tradwives, and stage moms. They unpack why the ideal of the “good mother” has always been complicated, why dads seem to get a much easier assignment, and how motherhood became one of our favorite ways to police women.

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Ej’s website: https://www.ejdickson.com/ 

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Botox, filler, beauty trends, and the pressure to keep up with it all. This week, Christiana sits down with NYT columnist and UNC Chapel Hill professor Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom to explore how beauty culture is changing around the world, why our appearances carry so much power, and what happens when the rules of beauty keep changing.

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01:37 Meet Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom 

03:45 Sculpt and how beauty norms became what they are right now

06:12 The democratization of plastic surgery and injectibles 

09:06 Beauty and ugliness as structural concepts 

13:14 The end of body positivity a return to whiteness 

15:13 How technology has changed time, our attention, and beauty norms 

16:55 Peptides 

19:45 How what is seen as beautiful has changed 

21:00 Thinking of ourselves as scientific compositions 

22:05 Grappling for community 

22:39 Discourse around “the Black community” 

24:15 Ethnic rhinoplasty 

25:51 The death of the natural hair movement 

26:30 What is Black beauty now?

27:10 The homogeneity of beauty 

30:14 How the formula we were taught for a good life isn’t working and cruel optimism

35:26 Observing neutrally and knowing our choices aren’t neutral 

39:10 The cost of resistance and choosing our defeats 

42:49 Bracing for impact 

45:00 Black women being punished 

45:40 Conservative movements among white women and where white women go next

49:55 “One Household, One Vote” and women retreating from the workplace 

52:30 Late-stage capitalism and AI will come for everyone, including men

54:00 Men committing Interpersonal violence

55:30 Going analog 

56:38 How Tressie approaches reading and engaging with ideas

01:01:22 What Tressie is turning to for nourishment and delight 

01:06:25 What Tressie is working on now

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Divas! We all love them, and we all have very strong opinions about who deserves a spot in our personal top 3. So this week, Christiana sits down with journalist, culture critic, and the NFL’s first LGBTQ+ brand ambassador Ryan Mitchell to bring back our signature pop culture rubric and rank the biggest divas of the 2020s. But who will take the crown? Listen in to find out.

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00:00 Intro

00:13 Meet Ryan

05:00 Showing up as a Black queer fat person 

07:20 Growing up in the South 

08:22 Ryan’s role as the NFL’s first queer ambassador 

12:12 Navigating the current conservative backlash

15:02 How to show up for queer folks right now 

19:02 How pop culture brings people together 

22:20 The definition of a “Diva” 

27:20 How Christiana made this 2020s diva list 

29:17 The “general population” category for 2020s divas

30:10 The “technicalities” category for 2020s divas

30:48 The “sleeper divas” category for 2020s divas 

32:50 Attitude as part of the criteria 

36:00 Ariana Grande

47:27 Billie Eilish 

55:14 Chappell Roan

59:00 Celebrities are still humans 

01:00:35 Olivia Rodrigo

01:02:50 Sabrina Carpenter

01:04:43 Olivia Rodrigo

01:05:55 Beyoncé

01:12:26 Charli xcx

01:19:29 Cleo Sol and Syd

01:19:37 Yebba

01:20:40 PinkPantheress

01:20:54 SZA

01:20:59 Doechii

01:21:03 Where you can find Ryan Mitchell 

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Only a small percentage of women are naturally blonde, yet blonde hair has become one of the most powerful symbols of beauty and privilege in American culture.

This week, Christiana sits down with Sarah Mesle, USC professor and author of Tangled: Seven Iconic Moments in White Women's Hair and What They Tell Us About Power, Pleasure, and Complicity, to examine the cultural politics of white women’s hair. Through stories of blonde privilege, Britney Spears, and Princess Diana, Sarah explains how hair reveals the complicated relationship between beauty, identity, and power.

Sarah’s website: https://sarahmesle.com/ 

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1:26 Meet Sarah 

1:47 Hair and white feminine power

3:50 Sarah’s interest in hair

5:08 White visual performances and whiteness as a currency 

8:50 January 6th uprising

10:40 Partisan aesthetics 

13:50 Princess Diana and women with short hair

18:43 Blonde hair 

20:58 JoJo Siwa

21:33 Maternal love and white resource hoarding 

22:40 White mothers giving their daughters elaborate hair styles 

25:00 Blonde privilege and the value of the currency of whiteness

27:47 How Black women are treated depending on their hair styles

29:30 Class and white women’s fear of “trashiness” 

32:40 Relationship between white women’s hair and thighs 

33:30 Thin hair 

35:17 Long hair and the women surrounding Trump 

36:06 Picking white women to focus on in “Tangled” 

40:32 Britney Spears

45:50 Complicating the idea that there are victims and villains

47:00 Cruel optimism 

48:10 Gwyneth Paltrow 

51:00 Opting out and diverging from the norm 

54:30 The game is rigged 

55:20 What’s next? 

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This week, writer and YouTuber Blue Telusma joins Pop Syllabus for a wide-ranging conversation on modern relationships, gender dynamics, and what Love Island reveals about our culture. Best known for her sharp commentary on the hit reality series, Blue and Christiana explore everything from dating and accountability to race and media. Then, the two debut our new Pioneers, Builders & Innovators game, weighing in on cultural figures from Joe Rogan and Tyra Banks to Jay-Z, Madonna, Kim Kardashian, and Kris Jenner.

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1:18 Meet Blue Telusma

5:28 The Diaspora Wars Explained

6:10 Dating Nigerian Men and Blue's Dating Experience

10:16 "Good Women Aren't Having Babies Anymore"

15:45 Partnership vs. Companionship

22:05 Dating as an Unambiguous Woman

27:37 What Love Island Gets Wrong About Race

36:20 Calling Out Women vs. Challenging the System

38:55 The Ego Tantrums Taking Over Love Island

40:38 Has Reality TV Normalized Dysfunction?

45:45 Pioneers, Builders & Innovators Game

52:12 Joe Rogan: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator?

57:18 Tyra Banks: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator?

1:07:13 Jay Z: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator?

1:11:45 Madonna: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator?

1:15:58 Kim Kardashian & Kris Jenner: Pioneers, Builders, or Innovators?

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The royal family has mastered the art of staying in the spotlight. For generations, they’ve been a source of fascination, controversy, and endless conversation. But why do we keep coming back to the Crown?

In this episode, Christiana sits down with NY Times bestselling author of Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, TV writer, producer, and royal commentator Omid Scobie to break down the monarchy as the ultimate pop culture phenomenon.

After 13 years covering the royal beat, Omid shares what he’s learned about the institution, the media machine behind it, the scandals that shaped public opinion, and why the world remains obsessed with the royals.

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Explore Omid Scobie’s Books on the Royal Family

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1:14 Meet Omid Scobie

3:40 Inside the Royal Beat

5:54 Why Britain Created WAG Culture

6:50 Meghan, Harry & the Palace

13:28 How the Press Built Meghan's Narrative

17:46 Why Americans See the Royals Differently

19:46 What Makes Someone a Royalist?

21:21 Kate's Cancer Announcement

23:28 Why Royal Women Face More Scrutiny

26:31 Why Meghan & Harry Became Easy Targets

30:08 Writing Endgame

36:17 Inside the Royal Feuds

39:32 America's "Royal Families"

43:49 Can the Monarchy Ever Change?

46:13 Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal

52:14 King Charles, Trump & Politics

55:27 Harry vs. William

58:17 Behind Palace Dynamics

1:04:51 The Monarchy's Diversity Problem 

1:09:24 The Royals in 2027: What's Next?

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Millions of people watch The Real Housewives, but few know what it's really like to be one. 

In this episode, Christiana sits down with former Real Housewives of Potomac star and Miss USA 2013, Candiace Dillard Bassett, for an honest conversation about fame, friendship, IVF, marriage, and what it actually takes to survive one of television's biggest franchises.

Follow Candiace: Instagram 

Read Christiana’s Substack essay on why The Real Housewives is the dark mirror we deserve:

https://popsyllabus.substack.com/p/why-the-real-housewives-is-the-dark 

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01:16 Meet Candiace Dillard Bassett

02:17 Why Candiace became a Real Housewife

03:30 Candiace’s familial privilege  

05:20 Black American Princess (BAP) culture 

06:00 Feeling shame about growing up privileged 

10:00 From beauty pageants to Real Housewives

13:38 Crying as a Black woman on reality TV

18:49 Candiace and Monique Samuels’ friendship breakup

20:45 Drew Sidora’s salary leak and the economics of being a Real Housewife

29:44 The psychological toll of being on Real Housewives 

33:00 Going through IVF

37:08 On returning to Real Housewives

39:14 Colorism on reality TV

43:44 Candiace’s first test scene

45:10 Candiace’s longstanding relationships from the show

45:30 The Traitors season 4

48:08 What’s next for Candiace

54:20 Candiace’s marriage with Chris Bassett

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Are GLP-1s changing our relationship with our bodies? The science says yes, but not in the ways you might think.

In this episode, Christiana sits down with Dr. A. Janet Tomiyama, health psychologist, UCLA professor, and director of the Diet, Stigma, and Health (DiSH) Lab, to examine how GLP-1s are redefining body positivity, exposing the persistence of weight stigma, and raising bigger questions about who gets to be accepted and why.

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1:25 Meet Janet

3:53 What Japan and Nigeria Reveal About Weight Stigma

5:55 Is Weight Really About Willpower? The Science of Genetics & Dieting

7:56 Should Governments Pay for Weight Loss?

9:37 Why Most Diets Don't Work Long-Term

15:41 How Culture Shapes the Way We Eat

20:21 Why Bigger Bodies Once Represented Wealth

24:29 What Is "Food Noise"?

29:01 The Hidden Reality of Eating Disorders in Black Women

32:14 GLP-1s, Grief, and the Identity Shift No One Talks About

36:41 Who Gets Access to GLP-1s?

42:21 The Risks and Unknowns of GLP-1 Medications

49:03 Are GLP-1s a Lifetime Commitment?

51:28 Raising a Family in a Weight-Obsessed World

56:14 Should Parents Put Their Kids on GLP-1s?

1:01:21 Why Body Neutrality May Be More Realistic Than Body Positivity

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