Poppish

Reporting drunk from the great NYC snowstorm of 2026, it’s Ellie and Anneliese. We each mixed a Buzzball, Beatbox, and Cutwater and then we hit record. We are so sorry for what followed.

We did our very best to explain and compare two revolutionary inventions: the Printing Press and the Glambot. We recited the facts we could, and we slur our way to the finish line.

We also catch up on TikTok influencer drama, feminism, and Minnesota. If you can, please donate here to help the people of Minneapolis fight back against ICE’s occupation there: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/

POPPISH’S 6 STEP RECIPE FOR SUCCESS:

Step 1: Change your name.

Step 2: Take on a transatlantic accent.

Step 3: Record “Ocean Eyes” in your brother’s bedroom.

Step 4: Share your testimony.

Step 5: Cut costs.

Step 6: Maximize profits.

Listen for more detail.

Are volcanoes pop culture? That question lies at the center of this week’s episode, wherein we unpack the terrifying eruptions of Mount Vesuvius (79 AD) and Whaakari (2019 AD). Two stories of volcanic disaster, one igniting tourism to Pompeii and one stopping tourism to White Island. If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that no matter how hard man tries to exert his control over nature, volcanoes gonna volcano.

Plus: it happened again at the post office, the battel of living with your bad tattoo, and learning what “homeroom” actually means.

This week, EVERYONE comes into a little wealth. James Marshall finds gold at Sutter’s Mill, a mysterious figure named Satoshi Nakamoto founds Bitcoin, Ellie gets a diamond ring, and Anneliese goes on a date with the creator of a brand new meme coin.

Before recounting the California Gold Rush from 4th grade memory (it doesn’t go as well as we hoped), Ellie tells the story of her recent engagement to fiancé-of-the-pod “Mike” (name has been unchanged to reject anonymity).

Then, just to be mean, we made Anneliese explain cryptocurrency even though a beautiful girl should never even have to hear the word ethereum. You may learn something, and we’re so sorry for that.

It’s up to each generation of women to destigmatize a new piece of the female form. In the 1920s, it was the knee. In the 2010s, bathed in the glowing optimism of the Obama administration, we pushed all the way to the nipple. Whether or not the nipple has been truly freed is still up for debate.

We unpack 1920s flapper fashion and the knee-painting fad that drew attention to shorter hemlines and discarded stockings, and the 2010s #FreeTheNipple movement that demanded equal rights for men’s and women’s chests to go bare

Plus: the stigma that surrounding the early days of ASMR, big light discourse, and the fake doctors we’ve seen lately.

Buckle your seatbelt and do NOT take it off until the pilot has turned off the seatbelt light, because we’re embarking on a Golden Age of Travel through two lumberjack tall tales. Whether you’re 63 axe handles tall or just regular height with a talent for speed climbing 90 feet in the air, you’ll find something to love in this rockin and choppin episode of Poppish as we tell you about obvious pairing Secretary of Transportation (and acting head of NASA) Sean Duffy and American (and Canadian) folk hero Paul Bunyan.

Walk with us through the woods as we lumber through Sean Duffy’s complex and wandering past, the origins of Paul Bunyan (why is Babe the Ox blue?), and the oft-overlooked lumberjack arts. Prepare to yell timber, because it’s going down.

Plus: Ellie’s trip to the Titanic VR experience (it ends the way you think), our favorite letters, and being changed for good.

For sale: Baby flipper, never worn. We explore the troubling world of child beauty pageants by examining 19th century Baby Shows and TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras. Let’s cheer on these tots as they, against their will, vie for titles such as “Best Dressed Baby” and “Ultimate Grand Supreme.”

If you are judged the most beautiful baby of them all, you’re entitled to prizes such as Princess Canopy Bed, fine housewares, cash money, and Mommy’s Approval. So chug that Tinker Tea and shake some ass, we’ve got a pageant to win!

Plus: the cartoon characters we find most bangable (extended cut), our uniquely terrifying experiences with Spirited Away, and life insurance incentives: have they gone too far?

All aboard to Trinket Town! We’re exploring the history and lore behind two keychain phenomena: Labubus and Lucky Rabbits Feet. How did they become so beloved? What is their role in culture today?

We are fascinated by how scared we are by these little plushie monsters and severed animal limbs. How can something so frightening be held so dear to so many? Is harnessing terror the whole point? Scarier still, are we Like Other Girls? We unpack.

Plus: Anneliese gets her big break, Monopoly has been updating their pieces and no one noticed, and we issue a heartfelt goodbye to the penny.

Oh no! We discussed our thoughts on the ethics of sex work on a hot mic! We hope we got it right and are aligned with the current feminist views we always strive to possess. We love all women and you can quote us on that.

We unpack two mutually beneficial romantic arrangements: the Dollar Princesses, Gilded Age American heiresses who married into European nobility, and Sugar Babies, who date old men so we don’t have to. Thank you, ladies!

Plus: Coca Cola tries again, we bought shoes, and we have a little bit of 9/11 fomo and it’s time we can all be open about that.

This week we talk about BOYS! In particular, the ones in The Beatles and One Direction. They were young, funny, and British, and we couldn’t get enough. We explore audience reactions to their fame and even call in an expert to speak to the Directioner experience.

This episode is dedicated to Liam Payne (1993-2024).

Plus: Lying to children, appreciating the beauty of fall, and a trip to Conjunction Junction.