This week we welcome K-pop expert and fanatic Alexi Alario, the co-host of Nymphet Alumni, to analyze Miss Jennie Kim ♡ We discuss how Jennie sets herself apart from her BLACKPINK peers, her craving for multi-hyphenate Western relevance, and why the “lazy Jennie” narrative makes her even more stannable. We also dissect her perfect neotenous face, Calvin Klein billboards, and incoherent budding solo career.

Mentioned:

Alexi’s episode of Stan Accounts, the MTV-produced docuseries on K-pop fans

“Lazy Jennie”

DDU-DU DDU-DU music video

You & Me performance video

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Video of Wonyoung and Sydney Sweeney…

K-Pop Masterclass, Nymphet Alumni episode

Follow Alexi <3

Listen and subscribe to Nymphet Alumni 0:-)

Welcome back! Today we discuss Zendaya, arguably the most celebrated Face of Young Hollywood and one of my favorite people to watch move. We discuss all that's demanded of her liminal space of race, her incredible lankiness, the attempted "queering" of her relationship with Tom Holland, and what's beneath the understanding of her as a "safe" celebrity.

Mentioned:

"Zendaya Holds Court" ELLE magazine shoot

Euphoria deleted scene w/ Angus Cloud

BTS video w/ Storm Reid

This week I'm joined by Marisa Meltzer, longtime beauty industry chronicler and the author of the new book Glossy: Beauty, Ambition, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier. We make the case for Glossier as *the* millennial brand, and discuss Emily's guarded, cipher-esque persona, and chat about how the "girlboss" tag is more apt than modern feminist criticisms give it credit for.

Mentioned:

Glossy, Marisa's new book on the subject

"The Story Behind Glossier" Marisa on The Run Through with Vogue

"Milky Jelly Hotline Special ft. Marisa Meltzer" Every Outfit podcast

"The Real Story Behind Glossier with Marisa Meltzer," Forever35 podcast

"Where Have All the Girlbosses Gone?" Marisa in Vanity Fair

NYT review of Glossy

Washington Post review of Glossy

The Guardian review of Glossy

Big one today! This week we discuss Hannah Neeleman, the first generation farmer and marketing genius behind Ballerina Farm. We discuss the many Dreams/Threats evoked by her particular brand of Harmony: effortless health, graceful motherhood, the family as a social unit, etc. I push back on the angry fixations on her stove, her husband’s family money, and her “lack of agency,” and salute her reverence for performance as a craft in itself. Buckle up!

Discussed: 

@BallerinaFarm on Instagram

We Took The Train, Hannah’s old blog from the Brazil days

“Performing the American Pastoral,” Binchtopia podcast on Ballerina Farm

“Motherhood, Pig Farming, and Homeschooling with Hannah of Ballerina Farm” The Momforce Podcast

“Pursuing Your Dreams- From Julliard-Trained Ballerina to Small-Town Farmer with Hannah Neeleman” Just Ingredients podcast

“Ballerina & Business Guy Go Full Hog” Couple Co. podcast

“The Edenic Allure of Ballerina Farm” Culture Study, Anne Helen Peterson’s Substack

“Is Tradwife content dangerous, or just stupid?” Kathryn Jezer-Morton in the Cut

“The Crunch-to-Alt-Right Pipeline” Kathleen Belew in the Atlantic

This week we’re throwing some paint at the wall! I check-in on the aimlessness of my summer energy, reorient, and give a preview of my top 3 Urgent Themes for Fall: Doing Things, the question: How am I treating my body?, and Campy Femininity. I also give my official stance against feminine fragility, and usher in a new era of capability and resourcefulness. Let’s get it!

Discussed:

“Outdoor Voices Founder Ty Haney Has Moved On. Mostly.” Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, The Cut

@BallerinaFarm on IG

Addison’s A.R. album release party vibes

Tinx remixing Addison’s “2 die 4” https://soundcloud.com/tinxlucas/addison-rae-2-die-4-tinx-lucas-remix 

“The Alix Earle Effect” ELLE writing Veronique Hyland, photos Tyler Joe, styling Sarah Zendejas

“Zendaya Holds Court” ELLE writing Clover Hope, photos Steven Klein, styling Law Roach

Julia Fox for Victoria’s Secret

Today we return to the subject of Caroline Calloway with CC herself! We discuss the difficulty of self-publishing, the over-simplification of her "revenge" narrative, being a lifelong loner, the worst of her times in New York, and what she sees as her true "craft." Plus, Caroline runs herself through the STARGIRL paradigms and gets an A+ !

Caroline on Twitter, IG

Buy SCAMMER

Today we welcome SATC superfan Callie Hitchcock to opine on the “ambling bravado” of Carrie Bradshaw, the beloved character created by Candace Bushnell in her column at the New York Observer and reimagined in HBO’s Sex and the City. We discuss the evolution of the character from seedy partygirl to prudish romantic, the blurring of Candace/Carrie/Sarah Jessica Parker, and what it means to uphold Carrie as an emblem of New York.

Discussed:

"Why Sarah Jessica Parker Keeps Playing Carrie Bradshaw," Rachel Syme in The New Yorker

"The Difficult Women of Sex and the City," Emily Nussbaum in The New Yorker

"It Girl, Interrupted" Candace Bushnell on Every Outfit podcast

"Sex Lives of Serious Journalists: He's a Feminist, She's a Real Man" Candace Bushnell in New York Observer (full column archive here)

"Candace Bushnell Is Back in the City" Q&A with Jia Tolentino in The New Yorker

"Cynthia Nixon Dismisses 'Bizarre' Fan Complaints About Miranda" Ryan Gajewski Hollywood Reporter

*Full episode on Patreon*

Today we go long on Miss Dasha Nekrasova, a podcaster/actress/director and the poster of our time 🫡 We discuss the genius of Red Scare, the tedious bleedout of Dimes Square discourse, and how Dasha's playfulness elevates her above the rotten lot of disaffected e-girls.

S/o to Ella @ellasimoneee for all of the help on this one!

Mentioned:

Girl Online, Joanna Walsh

"Red Scare Leans Into Nothing," Noreen Malone in the Cut

"Inside the New Right, Where Peter Thiel Is Placing His Biggest Bets" James Pogue in Vanity Fair

"Escape from Dimes Square" Will Harrison in The Baffler

MovieMaker Magazine shoot by Richard Kern

Welcome to my fitness manifesto! Today we explore the rise and reign of Lauren Kanski, a strength and fat loss coach (and my own personal guiding light regarding all things body, nutrition, movement, and longevity). We discuss the social status of fitness chicks, the grifter vibes of protein discourse, and how supreme interest in physical fitness is viewed as villainous.

Mentioned:

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, Peter Attia MD

RFK, Jr. on Rogan

Lauren on Strongest Self Podcast

⁠Lauren on Fuel You! Podcast⁠

Lauren on TripleFFFM Podcast

Lauren on Train With the Best Podcast

👉 FOLLOW (Instagram):

@lauren_kanski

@ash_lucy_wang

@drjuliamorgan

@hunter_crine

@lizplosser

@drgabriellelyon

@drjamesdinic

@dr.andychen

@thealanaragon

@jeana.aragon

@whitneyysimmons

@nikkiblackketter

@jazminegarcia

@cynthialeu

@jessglistening

*Full episode on Patreon*

Welcome back to STARGIRL, a show about girls who stand out! Today we ride the wave of Caroline Calloway's latest publicity cycle, centered on the long-awaited debut of her book, Scammer. We discuss CC's unwavering belief in her own destiny, the power/limits of villain/victim narratives, and how we never got to witness the magnetic, popular-girl character we were told to fear. We also explore the agony of watching someone try to extend their own messaging, and our waning interest in the forever-deferred payoff of her supposed narrative potential.

Discussed:

The Shift: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself, Tinx's NYT best-selling book!

The Transit of Venus, Shirley Hazzard

"I Was Caroline Calloway," Natalie Beach in The Cut

"Caroline Calloway Survived Cancellation. Now She's Doubling Down" Lili Anolik in Vanity Fair

"She Got Famous Calling Herself a Scammer. Is She Finally Making Good?" Olivia Messer in Rolling Stone

"The Essay That Started It All" excerpt from Natalie Beach's forthcoming book, Adult Drama

"The Death of the Muse: Emily Ratajkowski and the Right to One's Lens" my essay on the fusing of the artist&muse