Episode 147: Brett Kavanaugh, Fraternity Hazing, and the Natural Beauty Industry

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the drama surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s upcoming Supreme Court confirmation, fraternity hazing, and the booming natural beauty industry.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Conservative Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s candidacy is being marred by sexual assault allegations. Natalia recommended Anita Hill’s New York Times’ op-ed about the historical echoes with her own experience.

• The hazards of fraternity hazing are back in the news after the death of a student at the Riverside campus of the University of California. Natalia recommended Nicholas Syrett’s book The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities and Paula Fass’ The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s. She also suggested Caitlin Flanagan’s Atlantic article on the symbiotic relationship between fraternities and universities.

• “Natural beauty” is an ill-defined, but booming, segment of the beauty industry. Niki recommended Upton Sinclair’s 1906 book The Jungle and Natalia recommended Kathy Peiss’ book, Hope In a Jar: The Making of America’s Beauty Culture.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Dave Philipps’ New York Times article, “A Breakthrough for U.S. Troops: Combat-Ready Pizza.”

• Neil reflected on Noah Nash’s Military Times article, “These Four-Legged Military Heroes Will Soon Have An Award All Their Own.”

• Niki shared Julia Moskin’s New York Times article, “Ranch Nation.”  

Episode 146: Crafting, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and the Marshmallow Test

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the new reality show Making It, the 2008 financial collapse ten years later, and the death of Walter Mischel, the social psychologist who created the “marshmallow test.”

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Making It, a crafting competition show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, is widely considered a welcome break from the cutthroat culture of reality television and of politics. Natalia recommended this American Conservative article on the limits of television crafting.

• Ten years after the economic crash of 2008, its effects are still felt. Natalia cited M.H. Miller’s New York Times essay, “I Came of Age During the 2008 Financial Crisis. I’m Still Angry About It”. Neil recommended the New York Times’ entire Sunday Business section’s retrospective on this topic.

• Social psychologist Walter Mischel, best known for orchestrating the “marshmallow test” that famously connected children’s ability to delay gratification with their long-term prospects for success, has died. Natalia referred to Oscar Lewis’ 1961 book, Children of Sanchez: Autobiography of a Mexican Family.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Stanford University’s decision to remove the name of Junipero Serra from a major building and street.

• Neil reflected on Sigal Samuel’s Atlantic article, “The Sex-Abuse Scandal is Growing Faster Than the Church Can Contain It.”

• Niki shared Nadra Nittle’s Vox article, “Students Are Waging War On Sexist and Racist Dress Codes – And They’re Winning.”  

Episode 145: Nike's Colin Kaepernick Ad, the Anonymous New York Times Op-Ed, and Robin Leach

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss Nike’s controversial signing of Colin Kaepernick as the face of their Just Do It campaign, the anonymous New York Times op-ed written by a senior Trump administration official, and the recent death of Robin Leach.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Colin Kaepernick, best known for “taking a knee” to protest racism and police brutality in America, is the face of Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. Natalia wrote about the announcement in the context of Nike’s history of adventurous branding at The Washington Post and referred to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s tweets about the implications of brands capitalizing on political polarization.

• The New York Times published a rare, anonymous op-ed from a senior official in the Trump administration. Natalia referenced Dahlia Lithwick’s comments on Trumpcast and Jordan Taylor’s Washington Post essay about the role of anonymity in American political history.

• Robin Leach, best known as host of the 1980s television show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, has died. Niki referred to David Brooks’ 2000 book Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Ted Cruz’ warning that Democrats would bring “tofu, silicon, and dyed hair” to Texas.

• Neil reflected on the gendered dynamics in the new film Crazy Rich Asians.

• Niki shared Michael Rosenwald’s Washington Post article, “Roe v. Wade’s forgotten loser: The remarkable story of Dallas prosecutor Henry Wade.”

Episode 144: John McCain, the Catholic Church Scandals, and Loneliness

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the life and legacy of Senator John McCain, the recent scandals in the Catholic Church, and the latest panic over loneliness.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Senator John McCain, a leading light of the Republican Party, died last month of brain cancer. Natalia referenced this critical assessment of McCain’s career and character in Rolling Stone.
• The Catholic Church in the United States is racked with scandal as revelations of decades of abuse – and of cover-ups – are coming to light. Niki cited the Boston Globe’s 2002 reporting of the “Spotlight” series that uncovered abuses at the hands of clergy in Boston-area parishes. Natalia recommended historian William Cossen’s “Made By History” at the Washington Post piece about the increased power of the clergy in the wake of church scandals and Christine Kenneally’s Buzzfeed investigative report of abuse at a Catholic orphanage in Vermont.
• Talk of a “loneliness epidemic” has become epidemic itself. Niki referenced Robert Putnam’s landmark 2000 book, Bowling Alone. Natalia recommended the Call Your Girlfriend podcast’s episode about female friendship.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed her “Made By History” at the Washington Post piece, “As Swimsuit Season Ends, Pursuit of the ‘Bikini Body’ Endures.”
• Neil shared Ben Zimmer’s Wall Street Journal article, “The History of the Dogcatcher Insult.”
• Niki reflected on the historical significance of TV Guide as a form of conservative media.

Bonus Episode 6: Omarosa

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the release of Unhinged: An Insider’s Account of the White House, a new book by former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

·         Former White House Staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman has released a book about her time in the Trump White House. Natalia recommended Leah Wright Rigueur’s book The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics and the Pursuit of Power and Niki suggested her review of Manigault Newman’s book in Cosmopolitan.

We will be back in September with new episodes!

Episode 143: LIVE! Latinos in the Hamptons, Grift, and Rosé Wine

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the history of Latinos in the Hamptons, the problem of grift in Washington, and the sudden popularity of rosé wine.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Latino immigration has transformed Eastern Long Island. Natalia referenced this New York Times article on the political tensions caused by this demographic shift.
• Trump administration Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross is being sued for bilking millions from his business associates. Natalia recommended Emily Jane Fox’s book BORN TRUMP: Inside America’s First Family.
• Rosé wine has become the lifestyle drink of the moment. Neil referenced the rosé shortage in the Hamptons in 2014, which received national press.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the apology by Los Angeles County for forcibly sterilizing Latina woman from 1968-1974.
• Neil commented on how airlines are cracking down on passengers who take advantage of their policy for emotional support animals.
• Niki recommended Ann Deslandes’ JSTOR Daily article, “The Bold Future of the Outer Space Treaty.”

Episode 142: Institutionalizing Children, Referees, and Charlottesville

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the history of the institutionalization of children, the thankless job of refereeing youth sports, and the legacy of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, one year after the Unite the Right rally.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Coverage of family separation is revealing many abuses visited upon children detained in state facilities. Natalia mentioned this WNYC history of immigration detainment and this PBS retrospective on deinstitutionalization. She also recommended journalist Alex Beam’s book Gracefully Insane and this ProPublica coverage of the organizations that operate shelters.
• Violence against youth sports referees has become disturbingly common. Natalia cited the work of sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman on competitive childhood, including this Atlantic article.
• One year ago, violence in Charlottesville captured national attention. Niki has released a podcast series, A12, considering these events one year out. Niki also recommended historian Kathleen Belew’s new book, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Gustavo Arellano’s Los Angeles Times article, “Of Course Latinos Can Assimilate Into American Society. Just Look at Whittier.”
• Neil discussed the JSTOR Daily article, “The Complicated Politics Of… Refrigerators.”
• Niki shared Tyler Parry’s article for Black Perspectives, “A Brief History of the ‘Black Friend’.”

Episode 141: Sacha Baron Cohen, the Yoga Vote, and Middle Children

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate Sacha Baron Cohen’s new show, the viability of a “yoga vote,” and the demographic shift bringing about the disappearance of the middle child.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• British prankster and social critic Sacha Baron Cohen has a new show, “Who Is America?” Niki recommended this New York Times article comparing the tactics of conservative James O’Keefe to those employed by Baron Cohen. She also referred to this Smithsonian magazine article about turn-of-the-century undercover women reporters.
• Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio told The Intercept he would court “the yoga vote” should he run for president in 2020. Natalia referred to a conversation on the 538 Blog that dismissed “the yoga vote” as today’s “soccer mom.” Natalia also recommended Michelle Goldberg’s book The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi and the “Bikram” series produced by ESPN’s “30 For 30” podcast.
• The middle child “is going extinct,” announced The Cut recently. Niki recalled Paul Ehrlich’s 1968 book, The Population Bomb, while Natalia recommended Julia Belluz’ Vox article that contextualized these findings in broader demographic shifts.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared Brian Feldman’s New York magazine article, “The Most Important Video Game on The Planet.”
• Neil discussed the miniseries “A Very English Scandal.”
• Niki recommended Alexis Madrigal’s Atlantic article, “Why No One Answers Their Phone Anymore.”

Episode 140: Treason, Accents, and Outdoor Play

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the definition of treason, the significance of linguistic accents, and a new practice of prescribing outdoor play.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• President Trump’s behavior at his joint press conference with Vladimir Putin has earned him the epithet of “traitor” by many critics. Niki referenced this article at the Washington Post’s “Made By History” by Gail Savage.
• Roberto Rey Agudo’s New York Times op-ed made the provocative case that “Everyone Has an Accent.” Natalia referred to this Bustle article about “the chameleon effect,” and Neil cited this Chicago Reader article about the Chicago accent. Natalia recommended this New York Times article about Hollywood dialect coaches and the rise of accuracy in portraying regional accents onscreen.
• Some doctors are writing prescriptions for children to engage in outdoor play.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared about the launch of the new feminist press, Dottir, and one of its first titles, a children’s book called Not My Idea.
• Neil discussed the history of double negatives.
• Niki commented on the death of John Stormer who she wrote about in her Washington Post “Made By History” article, “How The Right Became Addicted to Conspiracies.”

Episode 139: Thai Cave Rescue, Breastfeeding, and Fleece Vests

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the children rescued from a Thai cave, the Trump administration’s approach to breastfeeding policy, and the fleece vests that have become a staple uniform of the finance industry.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• A Thai boys’ soccer team was rescued from a flooded cave as the world watched. Niki referred to comedian Stephen Colbert linking the rescue to the Trump administration’s family separation policy. She also commented on the longstanding media fascination with stories of being trapped underground; Natalia commented on how the trope shows up in literature, such as Edgar Allan Poe’s 1846 story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” and Neil mentioned it as a theme of the Netflix show, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” a program we discussed on Episode 30.
• The Trump administration shocked many when it moved to weaken an international breastfeeding resolution. Natalia recommended Suzanne Barston’s book Bottled Up: How the Way We Feed Babies Has Come to Define Motherhood, and It Shouldn’t, historian Jessica Martucci’s Back to the Breast: Natural Motherhood and Breastfeeding in America, and her own article at the Society for U.S. Intellectual History Blog.
• The Instagram parody account @midtownuniform has brought attention to a new sartorial staple of the Wall Street set: the fleece vest. Natalia cited this Wall Street Journal article on the finance-industry fashion of the show Billions.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Dan Nosowitz’s Atlas Obscura article, “Why Are There Palm Trees in Los Angeles?”
• Neil discussed the origins of 911 telephone service and its racist misuses which he wrote about for the Huffington Post.
• Niki spoke about Joe Heim’s Washington Post article, “Sacred Ground: Now Reclaimed: A Charlottesville Story.”

Episode 138: Democratic Socialists, Court Packing, and Audiobooks

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the rise of Democratic Socialists, plans for packing the Supreme Court, and the increasing popularity of audiobooks.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Thanks to the recent upset victory of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez in a New York Democratic primary, socialism appears to be having a new moment in American politics.
• Justice Anthony Kennedy has stepped down, prompting a conversation about whether “packing” the Supreme Court is an advisable strategy for progressives. Natalia cited historian William Leuchtenberg’s Smithsonian Magazine article on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s attempt to pack the Supreme Court.
• The popularity of the audiobook is challenging publishers to think differently about how people consume literature.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended Judith Newman’s New York Times essay, “He’s Going Back to His Former Wife. Sort Of.”
• Neil discussed the cultural significance of the “Trumpy Bear” toy.
• Niki recommended Jessica Gingrich’s Gastro Obscura article, “The Ornate Ice Cream Saloons That Served Unchaperoned Women.”

Episode 137: Civility, Gays and Gyms, and Mr. Rogers

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate recent claims that the Left is destroying civility in politics, the LGBTQ+ history of American gym culture, and a half-century of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• When White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave the Red Hen restaurant by its owner, many decried the incident as evidence of a decline in civility. Natalia cited historian William Chafe’s book Civilities and Civil Rights. At Vox, Niki wrote about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s own history of being called “uncivil.”  
• An Indianapolis CrossFit location recently canceled a workout intended to celebrate Pride Month, and backlash was swift. Natalia wrote about the history of LGBTQ+ culture and American gyms for Slate and also cited historian David K. Johnson’s Journal of Social History article on male physique magazines. She talked more about the issue recently on the All About Fitness with Pete McCall podcast. Neil noted recent Past Present episodes on the “gayborhood” and the “twink” were relevant to this segment’s discussion.
• A new documentary takes a retrospective look at Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fifty years after its release. Natalia cited Aisha Harris’ review in Slate.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia talked about Brooke Hauser’s biography of Helen Gurley Brown, Enter Helen: The Invention of Helen Gurley Brown and the Rise of the Modern Single Woman.
• Neil discussed the life and legacy of Koko the Gorilla, who recently died at 46.
• Niki recommended Anne Ewbank’s Atlas Obscura article, “The Tragic Roots of America’s Favorite Cherry.”

Episode 136: Anthony Bourdain, Family Values, and Ageism

In this week's episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the legacy of Anthony Bourdain, the end of “family values” conservatism, and ageism as a form of discrimination.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The late Anthony Bourdain helped define the now familiar figure of the “celebrity chef.” Niki referred to Bourdain’s books Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw as reshaping the genre of food writing. Natalia cited Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food as other works that helped Americans conceive of food as a lens on politics and society.
• "Family values,” long a familiar trope of conservative American politics, appears under threat in the Trump era. Neil wrote in Slate about how and why this era has come to an end. Neil recommended historian Seth Dowland’s book, Family Values and the Rise of the Christian Right. Natalia cited her own book, Classroom Wars: Language, Sex, and the Making of Modern Political Culture, on how family values politics have always been racialized.
• Ageism is an often under-acknowledged cause of discrimination. Natalia commented on how the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) barred workplace age discrimination and cited a recent Atlantic interview with a man who was laid off in his fifties. Natalia also recommended Ashton Applewhite’s writing on age and ageism at the This Chair Rocks Blog.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia talked about Jesse Singal’s controversial Atlantic article, “When Children Say They’re Trans.”
• Neil recommended Pose, a new show on the FX Network.
• Niki discussed Nathan Truesdell’s Atlantic video, “The Balloonfest That Went Horribly Wrong.”

Episode 135: U.S.-Canada Relations, Kate Spade, and A.P. History

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the historical relationship between Canada and the United States, the legacy of the late designer Kate Spade, and the controversy over proposed changes to an Advanced Placement history course.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Relations between longtime allies the United States and Canada appear to be souring after the G7 summit. Natalia cited this article describing the last such tension during Richard Nixon’s presidency.
• Designer Kate Spade’s suicide prompted an outpouring of grief among those who remember the black bags that made her famous as a totem of life in the 1990s. Natalia cited this Racked article about the success of the brand as well as this Columbia Journalism Review article about the class myopia of the New York Times’ coverage of Spade’s life and influence.
• Many history teachers are angry about changes to an Advanced Placement world history course.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia talked about a homophobia scandal at Crossfit.
• Neil discussed the new film RBG.
• Niki recommended the new database Women Also Know History.

Episode 134: Masterpiece Cakeshop, Presidential Pardons, and Separated Families

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, Donald Trump’s use of the presidential pardon, and the American tradition of separating families.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. Neil referred to Tisa Wenger’s book Religious Freedom: The Contested History of An American Ideal and Sarah Posner’s Nation article about the conservative Christian advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom.
• President Trump has legal scholars thinking about whether a president is legally permitted to pardon himself. Natalia cited this Washington Post article by Laurence Tribe, Richard Painter, and Norman Eisen arguing a president cannot pardon himself. Niki cited Bob Bauer’s Lawfare article about the larger demagogic nature of Trump’s presidency.
• The Trump administration has intensified a policy separating families at the U.S.-Mexico border. Niki cited historian Martha Jones’ Medium slideshow about the history of separating enslaved families. Natalia cited historian Walter Johnson’s book Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market and Niki recommended historian Heather A. Williams’ Help Me to Find My People: The African American Search for Family Lost in Slavery.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia talked about Hilary Levey Friedman’s USA Today article, “Good Riddance to the Miss America Pageant, But Did We Have to Lose Fitness Too?”
• Neil discussed the German TV show Deutschland 83, now available on Hulu.
• Niki recommended Yoni Appelbaum’s Atlantic article, “Which America Is Trump Celebrating?”

Episode 133: Twinks, a Manhattan Con Artist, and the Ford Mustang

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate the rise of the “twink” aesthetic, Manhattan con artist Anna Sorokin/Delvey, and the cultural endurance of the Ford Mustang.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The New York Times has declared “the age of the twink.” Neil referred to this 2003 New York Times article on the “metrosexual.” Natalia recommended this Slate article on the continued relevance of the notion of a gay aesthetic.
• The long con of Anna Delvey, who duped the downtown Manhattan set, has readers rapt. Natalia referred to this Vanity Fair article by one of her dupes. Niki cited Maria Konnikova’s book The Confidence Game: Why We Fall For It Every Time and Natalia cited Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed.
• Ford Motors is phasing out passenger cars, save for its iconic Mustang. Natalia recommended this WIRED article on the history of America’s favorite sports car.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed Matt Lebovic’s Times of Israel article, “Who Was Anne Frank’s Gay Uncle Walter?”
• Natalia talked about the Netflix documentary One of Us.
• Niki shared the site African American Historic Sites Database.

Episode 132: Incels, Mormonism and Race, and Millennials and Personal Finance

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the “incel” community, the role of race in Mormon history, and the thrift-shaming of millennials.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• In the wake of a Toronto terrorist attack, “incels,” or involuntary celibates, are gaining attention. Niki referred to this New York Times article about Jordan Peterson. Natalia cited Jia Tolentino’s New Yorker article on the origins of incel rage, Ross Douthat’s New York Times op-ed raising the possibility of the redistribution of sex, and this Washington Post column by historian Melissa J. Gismondi. Niki referred to this paper by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers.
• A hoax letter claiming the LDS Church was apologizing for its history of racism upset many. Natalia cited historian Sarah Barringer Gordon’s book The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth Century America as well as historian Max Perry Mueller’s book Race and the Making of the Mormon People, which he discussed in an interview in The Atlantic. Neil referred to Linda Sillitoe’s book Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders.
• Financial planning recommendations to millennials are increasingly met with internet outrage. Natalia cited Rebecca Onion’s Slate article on the history of the thrift education movement, and Niki referred to historian Louis Hyman’s book Debtor Nation.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed the Guardian article, “Anne Frank’s ‘Dirty’ Jokes Found on Diary Pages She Covered Over.”
• Natalia talked about Historians on Hamilton: How a Blockbuster Musical is Restaging America’s Past, a new book edited by Claire Potter and Renée Romano.
• Niki shared this history of commercial flight in the 1930s and this WBUR segment on “What Happens When Someone on Your Flight Has a Medical Emergency.”

Episode 131: The Israeli Embassy, Tom Wolfe, and Sports Gambling

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate the movement of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the life and legacy of the late author Tom Wolfe, and the legalization of sports gambling.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• President Trump officially moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and violence in Gaza ensued. Neil wrote about Trump’s stance in his Huffington Post column this week. Natalia recommended this Tablet article breaking down the context for the violence in Gaza.
• “New Journalism” pioneer Tom Wolfe died this week. Natalia cited two of her favorite Wolfe works, Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and Bonfire of the Vanities and recommended this Atlantic piece chronicling the neologisms Wolfe has coined.
• A Supreme Court ruling has lifted a ban on sports betting. Neil cited this NPR piece on the potential implications of the decision for college and amateur athletes.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil discussed the news that the Salt Lake Tribune has laid off a third of its newsroom.
• Natalia talked about the show “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and Laura Ansley’s analytical essay at Nursing Clio, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Feminism, Mental Health, and Musicals Meet on the Boob Tube.”
• Niki shared Diane Peters’ JSTOR Daily article, “Treadmills Were Meant to be Atonement Machines.”

Episode 130: "This is America," NRATV, and Instagramming Museums

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate Childish Gambino’s viral video “This is America,” the launching of NRATV, and how Instagram is changing museums.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, generated major buzz with the release of the song and video “This is America.” Natalia referred to the various articles including this Washington Post piece that attempt to decode the richly allusive video. Contextualizing this work in the recent comments by Kanye West that “slavery was a choice,” Niki recommended this Washington Post piece by historian Leah Wright Rigueur and Natalia referenced this New York Times article by activist dream hampton as well as this GQ article.
• The National Rifle Association now has a television presence, NRATV, which promotes a pro-Trump politics and worldview.
• The popularity of sites like the Museum of Ice Cream shows how Instagram is changing how we consume culture. Natalia referred to historian Lawrence Levine’s classic book Highbrow, Lowbrow, Amanda Mull’s Eater article on Instagram’s effect on food consumption, and Will Storr’s book Selfie on the narcissistic currents that inspire our moment.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil commented on the brewing controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention about Paige Patterson’s statements about women.
• Natalia shared Britni de la Cretaz’ Racked article, “’Honoring’ Female Baseball Players with the Lipstick They Were Required to Wear.”
• Niki recommended Alan Taylor’s photographic essay in the Atlantic, “A Look Back at Kilauea's Spectacular 1969 to 1974 Mauna Ulu Eruption.”

Episode 129: the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the Golden State Killer, and Remembering the Holocaust

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the Golden State Killer, and the news that Americans are forgetting the Holocaust. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• At this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, comedian Michelle Wolf caused controversy. You can watch Wolf’s full performance here. Niki referenced Megan Garber’s Atlantic article, “The Slow, Awkward Death of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.” Natalia cited this Columbia Journalism Review article noting that some members of the WHCA are opting to bring journalism students rather than celebrities to the event.
• The Golden State Killer, who claimed fifty victims in the 1970s and 80s, has been apprehended thanks to DNA evidence. Neil recommended Sarah Zhang’s Atlantic article explaining how police investigators used genealogy websites to find the killer. (We discussed genetic testing websites on Episode 90.) Niki referred to Michelle McNamara’s posthumously published I’ll Be Gone in the Dark that helped solve the crime, and Neil referenced McNamara’s Los Angeles magazine article about how the serial killer terrorized California. Natalia recommended the Atlanta Monster podcast that chronicles a serial killer who victimized that city.
• A troubling report suggests Americans are decreasingly aware of the scale of the Holocaust. Natalia discussed Rebecca Onion’s Slate article historicizing this apparent illiteracy. Niki cited this Atlantic article considering Poland’s relationship to its role in the Holocaust along with Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands and Jan Gross’ Neighbors.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil shared Dana Goldstein’s New York Times article, “Teacher Pay is So Low in Some U.S. School Districts That They Are Recruiting Overseas.”
• Natalia discussed Kyle Swenson’s Washington Post article, “Harold Bornstein: Exiled from Trumpland, Doctor Now ‘Frightened and Sad’.”
• Niki discussed Pamela Burger’s JSTOR Daily article, “The Bloody History of the True Crime Genre.”