The Macademia Nuts

With the release of the summer event movie “Twisters” imminent, the Nuts talk about their experiences with hurricanes and the impact of weather coverage in the media. They then discuss the Olympics, including Simone Biles' return to the Olympics and the social media beef between Biles and gymnast Michaela Skinner. The French pole vault incident is thoughtfully analyzed. Other topics include the career of Hawk Tuah Girl, the finale of House of the Dragon, the documentary Dirty Pop, and the game-based animated show Exploding Kittens. 

Women have dominated the internet this summer, including the Oilers flasher and the Hawk Tuah girl. The discussion of viral moments and the long-term success of internet sensations somehow turns to Taylor Swift. Summer viewing and summer vacation discussions lead to conversations about childhood memories of cassette tapes and using CB radios during road trips. In this final part of the conversation, the Nuts discuss the idea of creating a fictional segment for their podcast, including different ideas and characters based on stereotypes of professors. The hosts end the conversation by discussing recent box office numbers and sharing some humorous memes.

Justin Timberlake got a DUI, and Alec depended on very questionable sources on X for information about the arrest. Bridgerton season three was watched by all, and Lindsey was disappointed by the amount of saucy scenes, while Alec admitted he fast-forwards those. David and Lindsey are excited for ‘House of the Dragon’, though bracing themselves for potential letdowns, and Alec and Lindsey ate some crow for predicting a disappointing box office for 'Inside Out 2,’ which they both viewed in the theater with family, fueling its opening weekend success. Other conversations include Canadian sports and bacon, actor Glenn Powell and whether or not he is a Scientologist, and the disturbing true crime documentary 'Tell Them You Love Me' with its controversy surrounding facilitated communication.

The conversation revolves around the topic of end-of-year evaluations for academics, focusing on the anxiety and impact of student evaluations of teaching. David reads Lindsey her Rate-My-Professor reviews, and it gets awkward. Beyond professor stuff, the conversation covers a range of topics including teaching styles, late work policies, women's sports, Eminem's new single, and the Cybertruck. Finally, the Nuts discuss the potential for upcoming movie releases to succeed or fail in the current theatrical release market.

Netflix has announced that they will stream NFL Christmas Day games, and the Nuts are once again forced to eat crow. Well, maybe only Lindsey. The Nuts discuss the forthcoming event, and speculate on the impact of Taylor Swift and Jason Kelce's relationship on the event. Lindsey and Alec get carried away. Other topics include frustrations with streaming channel interface designs, and celebrity controversies for stars such as Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez and JoJo Siwa. The Nuts reflect on the difficulties faced by celebrities in the public eye.

Lindsey scratched an item off of her bucket list as she attended the Kentucky Derby last week, and David and Alec have lots of questions. Based on Lindsey’s experience and the recent Roast of Tom Brady broadcast live on Netflix, the Nuts discuss the possibility of Netflix entering the live sports streaming market. The potential of different sports markets and the challenges of Netflix’s model lead the conversation. David and Alec debate the merits of the recently released Jerry Seinfeld film Unfrosted, Lindsey apologizes to every single science fiction fandom, and the Nuts discuss their plans for an upcoming academic conference.

Taylor Swift's new album dropped, and of course the Nuts have to discuss it. The conversation explores the concept of long albums and the role of editors and producers in the music industry, as well as other creative industries. Other topics include summer classes, Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon, and other tragedies. The conversation then shifts to a discussion about a controversial documentary on Netflix called Ancient Apocalypse and recent comments made by Alex Jones. The Nuts express disinterest in internet debates as well as their frustration with being asked to provide immediate answers to complex questions, and they do so without being completely full of themselves.

The end of the semester approaches, and the Nuts have work to do. This week’s conversation begins with a collective discussion of the Amazon Prime documentary Red, White, and Wasted, which chronicles a low-income Florida family obsessed with mudding. Media discussions include the new Fallout series and the new Civil War movie. Baby Boomers are not okay, as the broadcast of Billy Joel’s concert on CBS was cut off too soon. A discussion of baby boomers hatred of self-checkout leads to the shocking revelation that both David and Lindsey shop for groceries in-store. Finally, the Nuts discuss Caitlin Clark, and Alec’s issues with the WNBA, which center on mascot names. 

Beyoncé has dropped her much anticipated album Cowboy Carter, and the Nuts wonder if this will finally net her the album of the year Grammy. Of course not all country fans agree, and the nuts discuss the origins and media systems that produce loyalty in the country genre. A discussion of influencer culture, and the modern impetus to sell to the highest bidder, makes the Nuts nostalgic for the grunge era. Somehow this leads to a discussion of the best Star Wars movie, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Amy Winehouse desert island scenarios, and Lindsey’s life with synesthesia.

This week’s current media makes this episode a bummer. A discussion of the documentary season Quiet on Set turns into a larger discussion about the culture of abuse in Hollywood. This leads to a discussion about the recent raid of P. Diddy’s homes, along with allegations of abuse and trafficking. Other topics include the public relations failures involving Kate Middleton’s health-related absences from public and the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Somehow, Zach Snyder’s Rebel Moon is a bright point of this episode.