we say farewell to summer in the northern hemisphere with a love island chat, debate our pick for song of the summer, and go over the impact of memes on the upcoming election in the united states.

A very happy pride month recap everyone! This June we saw the dominance of Sabrina Carpenter, the beginning of the Love Island series, and a new meme in the form of Justin Timberlake's mugshot. There's a lot to talk about for this episode and we hope you enjoy.

follow us on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@XYZPod23

follow us on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/xyzpodzyx/

tish's instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/echoechotish/

our instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theclowntownttv/

how to help places in need -

the drc:

https://friendsofthecongo.org/

gaza:

https://linktr.ee/fundsforgaza

sudan:

https://eyesonsudan.net/

yemen:

https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/

may was jam packed with pop culture news! we saw the biggest rap beef in recent memory emerge between kendrick lamar and drake; the met gala of 2024 sparked a "digitine" and mass blocks of celebrities (Blockout 2024) for not speaking up against genocide; jojo siwa taunted our feeds yet again as she got drunk at EPCOT. we'd love to hear your thoughts on everything we chat about for this may recap.

blockout 2024:

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/celebrity/blockout-celebrities-blocklist-digitine-digital-guillotine-israel-palestine-gaza-hamas-b1157950.html

kendrick vs. drake, song by song breakdown:

https://www.vulture.com/article/drake-kendrick-lamar-feud-explained.html

kendrick vs. drake overall:

https://www.billboard.com/lists/drake-kendrick-lamar-beef-timeline/

follow us on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@XYZPod23

follow us on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/xyzpodzyx/

tish's instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/echoechotish/

our instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theclowntownttv/

how to help places in need -

the drc:

https://friendsofthecongo.org/

gaza:

https://linktr.ee/fundsforgaza

sudan:

https://eyesonsudan.net/

yemen:

https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/

april was the month of jojo siwa's memeification. coachella and stagecoach made us cringe at influencers, "nasty" by tinashe is in the running for song of the summer, and that movie with zendaya and the two twinks was released. let's chat about all of this and more in our recap for april 2024.

follow us on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@XYZPod23

follow us on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/xyzpodzyx/

tish's instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/echoechotish/

our instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theclowntownttv/

how to help places in need -

the drc:

https://friendsofthecongo.org/

gaza:

https://linktr.ee/fundsforgaza

sudan:

https://eyesonsudan.net/

yemen:

https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/

follow us on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@XYZPod23

follow us on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/xyzpodzyx/

tish's instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/echoechotish/

our instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/theclowntownttv/

how to help places in need -

the drc:

https://friendsofthecongo.org/

gaza:

https://linktr.ee/fundsforgaza

sudan:

https://eyesonsudan.net/

yemen:

https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/

SOURCES:

movies

love lies bleeding

dune part two

tv shows

the program

quiet on set

the regime

x-men '97

shogun

music

ariana grande

kasey musgraves

flo milli

tierra whack

video games

princess peach: showtime

snufkin: melody of moomin valley

general:

marilyn monroe ai

queer eye bombshell article

j-lo movie

willy wonka glasgow experience

kate middleton

the hideous circus of the royal family

february was... a lot. it was the origin of the reesa teese 52 part tik tok special "who tf did i marry" and hosted both the grammy's and the super bowl. the "madame web" movie forever became part of the meme film canon.

but it also outed several alleged elite predators (like vince mcmahon), was a time of protests against abuses of organizations such as scientology and the apple corporation, and showed how events like the super bowl are timed with state sponsored violence in palestine (rafah). it showed how much life - beautiful and harmful -

let's get through all of the good, the bad, and the disgusting together, with the hope that this brief respite can bring us the hope to keep going, both for ourselves and for the collective good.

HOW TO HELP

The DRC

Sudan

Palestine

Yemen

SOURCES

QUICKFIRE

Movies

Bob Marley: One Love

Madame Web

TV Shows

Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Avatar Live Action Remake

Video Games

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster ⁠

⁠Mario Vs. Donkey Kong⁠ (2024, Switch)

⁠Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth⁠

Music

The Grammy's

PREDATOR LIST

Joe Biden

Vince McMahon

Christian Horner (1)

Christian Horner (2)

MAIN DISCUSSION

General Pop Culture

Ben Shapiro's "Rap"

Gina Carano vs. Lucasfilm / Disney

Elmo's Tweet

Anti-Scientology Protesting

Lewis Hamilton Joins Ferrari

Who Tf Did Reesa Teese Marry?

Super Bowl and Violence in Rafah

Super Bowl Views

The Distraction of the Super Bowl

How We'll Remember This Super Bowl

Rafah Massacre

2024 kicked off to a wild start. Award Season is in full swing, documents from the case against Epstein were unsealed, and Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj had some of the biggest beef we've seen in recent history. We chat about all of that in more for our recap for January.

SOURCES

General Jan Happenings

Kat Von D's Copyright Lawsuit

Starbucks x Stanley Cups Collab

McDonalds Statement on Gaza

Noah Schnapp Statement on Gaza

"Ugly Bride" Tik Tok

Logan Paul Crypto Updates

Mia Goth Battery Suit

Tides Turn Against G. Rose Blanchard

Megan vs. Nicki

Dave Chapelle and Ricky Gervais -

"Unfunny Business"

"Why 'Conservative' Comedy Sucks"

"When You're Starting to Run Out of Jokes"

"What's Happened to Stand Up"

Quickfire

Memes

Ice Spice's "Fart"

"Give Me Everything You've Got"

"I'm Kim K, Of Course I..."

TV

Fool Me Once (1)

Fool Me Once (2)

Traitors

The Brothers Son

American Nightmare

Movies

Society of the Snow

Night Swim

Mean Girls

Video Games

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Tekken 8

Palworld (1)

Palworld (2)

The Last of Us Part 2: Remastered

Music

Nicki Minaj's AI Art Cover

yes, and by Ariana Grande

Orquideas by Kali Uchis

Predator List

Newly Unsealed Epstein Documents

Main Discussion

"Barbie Snubs"

Tik Tok has changed the landscape of how we consume and interact with media. In this recap, we go over the biggest moments of December, many of which are connected to how Tik Tok has changed the game - both for better and worse. Nicki Minaj's album is trying to make as many viral sounds as possible, Lethal Comapay blew up because of Twitch and clips on Tik Tok, and victims of abuse are getting the influencer treatment (G. Rose Blanchard) or having their wishes ignored (Villi Fualaau). Let us know what you think on Instagram or on our Youtube.

QUICKFIRE

Misc Pop Culture:

Kanye's Apology

KPOP Idols and Starbucks

Apologies for Drinking Starbucks

Donald Trump's "Rot in Hell"

TV Shows:

Pokemon Concierge - The Verge

Pokemon Concierge - Paste Magazine

Percy Jackson Show

Rick Riordan on Israel / Palestine

Murder in Boston

Carol & The End of the World

My Life With the Walter Boys

Movies:

Godzilla - National Review

Godzilla - Forbes

The Color Purple

Boy & The Heron

American Fiction

Wonka

Renaissance: The Film

Ferrari

Leave the World Behind

Poor Things

Music:

Pink Friday 2

*disclaimer: we don't support Nicki Minaj because of her shutting down allegations of predatory behavior against her husband*

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Games:

Game Awards 2023

Avatar

Lethal Company

PREDATOR LIST

Vin Diesel

MAIN DISCUSSION

Lauren the Mortician / Her Lawyer

Matt Rife's Show

Matt Rife's Beef w/ A Child

Simone Biles' Husband

G. Rose Blanchard

Villi Fualaau Against May December

May December Review

we spend this bonus episode chatting about the biggest things that happened this year and voting for our superlatives for the 2023 pop culture yearbook. we go through moments like lash gate, the montgomery riverfront brawl, and the wga / sga strikes. let us know if you agree with our picks or what you would add on instagram!

yearbook link: https://valtheclown.itch.io/yearbook2023

our podcast instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xyzpodzyx/

our podcast youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@XYZPod23

val and gus's insta: https://www.instagram.com/theclowntownttv/

val and gus's youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRxMSa6erp24B16bBlEDptQ

tish's insta: https://www.instagram.com/echoechotishx/

tish's youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@echoecho4590

This November gave us a lot to think about. Floods of lawsuits alleging sexual assault against influential people came out, influencers thought it was "dystopian" that we asked them to influence, and a Taylor Swift concert led to two deaths in Brazil.

Will this be the end of idolizing celebrities and influencers? Or will we always find reasons to stan our favs, even if we know deep down they're wrong?

** Stay Informed with ⁠Genocide Watch⁠ **

SUPPORT PALESTINIAN VOICES

Motaz

Bisan

Joe

Eye on Palestine

Nour

Hind

Wael

SOURCES

Palestinian Genocide

Starbucks Child Labor in Brasil

Boycotting Cobalt Products for the DR of Congo

Squishmallow Founder's Zionist Stance

Video Games

Super Mario RPG

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

More on COD: MW III

Thirsty Suitors

The Last of Us

Movies

Saltburn - A Negative Take

Saltburn - A Positive Take

A Hunger Games Prequel

Priscilla

The Marvels

Other Movie Releases

TV

Dr. Who's 60th Anniversary Special

The Curse

First Part of The Crown's Final Season

Scott Pilgrim Take's Off

The Golden Bachelor Finale

Music

Pink Panthress's Heaven Knows

Sabrina Carpenter Gets a Catholic Official Fired

The Grammy Nominations

Alleged Predators

Russell Brand

Steven Tyler

Danny Elfman

James Charles

Colleen Ballinger

Jamie Foxx

Diddy

New York's Adult Survivors Act

Influencers Won't Influence to Stop Genocide

Brittany Broski

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift's films

Selena Gomez

Amy Schumer

Noah Schnapp

Melissa Barrera

Taylor Swift's Brasil Concert

AP News

Twitter Thread with First-Hand Testimonies