The news, obviously, sucks. How are Americans using popular culture to escape the stress and anxiety? Maya and Rebecca look at the movies and TV shows which seem to have struck a chord recently, then dive into their own personal favorites, discovering they have very different approaches to culture as self-care.

What is terrorism in the American cultural imagination? Is misogyny terrorism? Maya and Rebecca look at different types of violence intended to terrorize, and ask how we might expand and complicate the way our culture defines the concept of terrorism. Fun times!

Where in popular culture can we find the roots of the “incel” phenomenon? And are incels something new, or just a violent manifestation of our culture’s age-old misogyny? Maya and Rebecca delve into the world of online male supremacy to discuss these questions and more, and you bet your ass they’re drinking tequila for this one.

In part 2 of Maya and Rebecca’s discussion about Trump and mafia narratives, they examine how the character types of the “fixer” and the shady business mogul shed light on the public’s perceptions of Michael Cohen and Donald Trump — as well as their apparent perceptions of themselves.

Part one of a two-part series! Maya and Rebecca analyze how mafia narratives help explain Donald Trump’s political success.