STARGIRL

Today we're joined by Sam Cummins of Nymphet Alumni to discuss the timeless American novelist Willa Cather. We talk about the needless politicization of Cather, why Nature is the ultimate identity cleansing force, and how frontier literature has evolved today.

Discussed:

Cather novels:

• O, Pioneers
• One of Ours
• My Ántonia 
• Death Comes for the Archbishop

Happy New Year! Today we take the opportunity to look back at how Gwyneth and Goop defined Wellness in the 2010s. I argue that while Goop lacked a soulful center, Gwyneth is working in the grand Esoteric tradition of seeking the sublime through one's relationship to the body. I look at the current aesthetic detritus of exercise culture, challenge the bad rap on “self-optimization,” and meet Gwyn in her New Age quest for Something Beyond.

Discussed:

Today we use Kim Kardashian and Skims to close out many open conversations of the year: the body, motherhood and domesticity, women megalomaniacs, athleticism as an editorial trend, and so much more. I argue that Skims is the most exciting, subversive contemporary *beauty brand* and *grand editorial project* of 2023, commend Kim for her commitment to her own point of view, knight her as a Free Thinker, and formally retire our paranoia around “Girl Culture.” 

Plus! A deep dive into Tate McRae: her revival of White Girl Hairography, confused visual identity, and the renewed thirst for pop stars who can seriously freaking dance 😻😻😻

P.S. Addison walked so Tate McRae could run… missing her always… see u in 2024  💫 

Discussed: 

Bianca Giaever was a local legend, a mythic figure whose forest nymph-like presence lingered in the walls of Garfield High School long after she graduated. I learned about her—her confidence, adventurousness, cleverness, and drive—within the first month of my freshman year, and witnessed hoards of girls (and myself) debase themselves to try to emulate her vibes. I kept tabs on Bianca well after high school, too, and, for a few key years in the 2010s, used her viral Vimeo videos to guide me down a vague path toward what I thought I might want to someday get up to.

This episode explores the charm and tyranny of my highschool’s outdoors club, Bianca’s artful devotion to The Mundane, and why it’s a lot easier to get over the excruciating disappointment of being yourself if you have a role model. 

Discussed:

Today we welcome YouTuber and general internet darling Sally Darr Griffin to tackle Taylor Swift. Discussed: Taylor's insidious creep toward total world domination, the Dream/Threat of a Girls' Girl, power hungry female celebrities, songwriting vs. performance value, the Swiftie microeconomy, Taylor's relentlessly out-of-step visual identity, and so much more. I also let SDG nerd out on her favorite fan theories... buckle up!

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