We all have them — the stories that shaped us. The book that made us feel seen, the movie we’ve watched a hundred times, the TV show that feels like home, the song that’s forever tied to a moment in our lives. Today, we’re each bringing one of each — one book, one film, one show, one song — and unpacking why they’ve stuck with us all these years.

You may have noticed the quiet cancellations of some of your favorite shows – The Recruit, Glow, The Society – each shelved without explanation, fanfare, or happy endings. While these stung, recent headlines hit harder: CBS pulling the plug on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the cancellation of E-News, and the shutdown of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the financial backbone of NPR and our friends at Sesame Street and other PBS shows.

From Superheroes to dinosaurs, from John Wick kicking ass to dragons taking names, there’s no shortage of big budget films in theatres.  But in the past few years, you may have noticed a change on the posters. a bolder footnote saying “Filmed for IMAX” or “Edited for Dolby” or maybe you look on AMC and wonder why something is cheaper in “laser”. 

Today, we’re breaking down premium movie formats - E-List style. 

It's a hot E-List summer, and we are deep in the villa.

Today we’re diving into the glossy, chaotic world of Hollywood publicity – the smoke and mirrors behind your favorite headlines, red carpet moments, and suspiciously timed breakups. From fake relationships to Super Bowl shockers, we're talking about the stunts that dominate your For You Page and get publicists either fired... or famous.

Have you ever been watching TV and said to yourself, “I wish I could make TV of anything in my head”...well, do we have great news for you!

Normally we talk Film and TV, but since Megan and Malaika can’t seem to shut up about how people need to read these days, let’s go back to basics. Without the fundamental storytelling skills ripped from literature, there would be no writing of prestige TV shows like Game of Thrones or The Handmaid’s Tale, and certainly no shows like Bridgerton or Heartstopper. While books aren’t always made into TV shows, you can bet your bottom dollar that every writer of your favorite shows started out as a reader. Literacy, book bans, and the benefits of sounding out words - let’s break it all down, E-List style.

You may remember the time Elmo pulled out his iPhone to tweet us a simple question, “How are you doing?”—and what followed was a collective mental breakdown from the PBS-raised generation. The kids are not okay.

As spring settles into summer and new blockbusters hit theatres, we couldn’t help but wonder - are Rom-Coms a dead genre? While  we are still rewatching classic Romantic Comedies, the production of new theatrically released films seems kaput. While streaming services like Netflix and Max still churn out the occasional “return-to-form” Rom-Com, they are always perceived as DOA, until proven otherwise. So, let’s break down an underrated genre - E-list Style.

The week we recorded this episode, the Trump administration had just implemented tariffs that sent the US economy in a tailspin. The stock market lost over 6 trillion dollars in value, economists are predicting a 25-60% chance of a recession, and eggs are still very expensive.

But for an industry that has been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic, how will this affect entertainment? What changes will come to struggling theaters and over-inflated streaming services? How have different economic disasters affected the Entertainment Industry in the past and what does it mean for the future?

Disney—once the home of pure magic, happily-ever-afters, and dreams coming true—now seems to be stuck in a never-ending PR nightmare. From live-action remakes that no one asked for to diversity initiatives that have sparked both applause and outrage, the House of Mouse is caught in the middle of a culture war. Today, we’re diving into Disney’s DEI dilemma, the Snow White controversy, and what this all says about the future of Hollywood. Let’s break it all down—E-List style.