**Warning - this episode contains lots of tears** For the final episode of Pop Rocket, the panel convene to give listeners one last All About, one last Jam, and they look back at the past four and a half years, and all the various milestones they’ve shared with one another and their listeners while doing the show--marriages, deaths, birth, book deals, finding a new home, and so many other memories. It’s raw. It’s wonderful. In addition, we’ll hear phone calls from listeners and friends of the show about what Pop Rocket meant to them. Plus, Guy shares the best abortion joke he’s ever heard. Lastly, Wynter and Karen reveal their new, upcoming podcast, and how you can stay in touch with them beyond Pop Rocket. ALL ABOUTS Margaret: Broad City series finale Karen: Gentleman Jack Wynter Veep Guy: Long Shot That's My Jam Margaret: George Harrison-If Not for You Karen: The Postal Service - Such Great Heights Guy: Christine Anu, David Hobson - Now Until the Break of Day Wynter: Sid Vicious - My Way   Announcement Karen Tongson and Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh have a new podcast in the works called Waiting to X-hale     Waiting to X-hale Podcast   Waiting to X-hale is a brand new woman-of-color driven podcast hosted by Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, and Karen Tongson, revisiting the pop culture and transformative social issues that defined Generation X. Our discussions, debates, and instructional interludes will let you see your favorite (and least favorite) aspects of GenX culture in a way that sheds new light on both then, and now. A special preview episode is dropping in early June with regular episodes recurring after Karen returns from her book tour in July. For more information, sign up for the Waiting to X-hale newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter: @waiting2xhalepd With Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.  

Pop Rocket

The Final Episode

**Angelenos: Tonight (May 17th) at 7pm Guy and Karen will have a conversation about Why Karen Carpenter Matters at Book Soup in West Hollywood.** In this penultimate episode, the Pop Rocket panel seeks guidance from The Oracle of LA, Amanda Yates Garcia. Each panelist pulls a card from the Oracle’s tarot deck, and gets an individual reading. What’s next for everyone? The answer’s in the cards. Also, Karen Tongson tells us about her phone call with Elizabeth Warren this week. Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren called Karen Tongson on the phone. Personally. Listen to hear how it went down. If you were as impressed with Amanda’s reading as the panel was, you can subscribe to her podcast Strange Magic. Lastly, if anyone wants to ask the panelists for advice--about anything!--you’ve got less than 24 hours to call and leave a message with Guy’s mom: (530) 237-4108 That's My Jam Margaret: Weyes Blood (Natalie Mering) -A Lot’s Gonna Change Guy: Carly Rae Jepsen - Cut to the Feeling Karen: Vampire Weekend (wth Danielle Haim) - We Belong Together Song: IN: 1:38 - Fade 2:19 Amanda: Alice Coltrane -Govinda Jai Jai With Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, Amanda Yates Garcia, The Oracle of LA Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep 224 - What’s in the Cards for the Pop Rocket Panel w/ The Oracle of LA

This is the first of our three final episodes, and we’re joined by screenwriter Guinevere Turner (American Psycho,Go Fish) whose latest film Charlie Says just came out today, May 10th. As “budding cult-ologist” MagWaps notes, “if you think you’ve heard everything on the Mansons, trust me, this movie takes a different view.” Having grown up in a cult, Guinevere was able to draw from her experiences and insight to tell the story from the point of view of the women who were targeted and groomed by Manson, and killed for him. It’s a fascinating discussion. Plus, the panel convened once again to vote on another Pop Rocket Seal of Approval. The final three nominees were Sandra Oh, Toni Collette and Catherine O’Hara. There are two more Pop Rocket episodes to go in its nearly five-year run. If you’d like to share with the panelists what this show meant to you, or tell them about your favorite episodes, you can call Guy’s mom and leave a message at: (530) 237-4108 You can also email poprocketpodcast@gmail.com a recording of your message made with your phone’s voice memo app. If you haven’t already, please make sure to follow all four panelists on social media. You can find their Twitter handles below. That's My Jam Margaret: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues Guy: John Cale - Paris 1919 Karen: Heart - Never Wynter: Tame Impala - Borderline Guinevere: King Princess - 1950 With Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, Guinevere Turner Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep 223 - Charlie Says with Screenwriter Guinevere Turner

First off, you're welcome Game of Thrones fans. This is a super-sized Pop Rocket loaded with theories, speculation, and yes, even love. While Wynter and Karen were away, Margaret and Guy tapped two die-hard fans for a full-on discussion of the series and their thoughts now that the first two of the last six episodes have aired. Assembled in the studio this week: Guy "I've read all the George R.R. Martin books in the series" Branum Sarah "I'm in a viewing group with a gaggle of lesbians and their gaybies" Kessler Laura "I prepared delicious direwolf-shaped crackers" Krafft Margaret "I host GoT viewing parties at my house" Wappler This episode will reveal which Game of Thrones character Guy has dressed up for--TWICE!--for Halloween. Sarah finds one GoT character extremely annoying, and it's not Bran. Laura pines for a Winterfell man she fears will die in the next episode, and Margaret is pretty sure she knows who will take the throne. This was a raucous, expansive conversation that will both delight and frustrate Game of Thrones fans. All Abouts Margaret: The podcast Going Through It hosted by Ann Friedman Guy: Chasten Buttigieg’s Twitter account Sarah: Dr. Pimple Popper, now on Hulu Laura: The FX show What We Do in the Shadows That's My Jam Guy: Lizzo - Better in Color Margaret: FKA Twigs - Cellophane Sarah: Rusted Root - Send Me on My Way Laura: Stone Roses - Fool’s Gold With Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Sarah Kessler, Laura Krafft Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108 You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep 222 - Game of Thrones w/ Laura Krafft & Sarah Kessler

This week Wynter and Karen chat with Ellington Wells, a comedian and writer on Comedy Central’s brand new sketch show The New Negroes with Open Mike Eagle and Baron Vaughn. The panel takes a look at how black sketch comedy has involved and Wells tell us what Robert Townsend TV special inspired Vaughn to create a show with a similar sensibility. All Abouts Wynter: No Good Nick Karen: Season 4 of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Ellington: Britney's Gram podcast special episode That's My Jam Ellington: Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho Guy: BTS (방탄소년단) IDOL (Feat. Nicki Minaj) Wynter: Nat King Cole - Harlem Blues Karen: An Luu - Pourquoi tu me fous plus des coups? With Karen Tongson, Ellington Wells, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108 You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep. 221 - The New Negroes & Black Sketch Comedy

**ANNOUNCEMENT: The nomination process is now open for the next Pop Rocket Seal of Approval. This quarter we’re looking for veterans with a large body of work who have been underappreciated and haven’t received the acclaim that their body of work and stellar character deserve. If you want to submit a name, you must call and leave a message on Guy’s mom’s voicemail to tell us who you’d like to nominate and why. That number is: 530-237-4108** This week we’re joined by food writer Tien Nguyen whose love of food is only rivaled by her admiration of Sandra Oh, an Asian woman with amazing hair. We talk about Oh, her hair and why Killing Eve is killing it for the panel. Why is this show unlike any other in the spy genre? The panel has a lot of insight on this. Also, Wynter admits she was wrong for not embracing the show sooner. All Abouts Karen: Survivor Season 38: Edge of Extinction Wynter: Wynter is all about Joe Bob Brigg’s show The Last Drive-In on Shudder Tien: Kim-Joy’s new cookbook Baking with Kim-Joy   That's My Jam Karen: Weyes Blood’s “A Lot’s Gonna Change” Wynter: Moon Boots - Keep the Faith Tien: Aretha Franklin - Jumpin’ Jack Flash With Karen Tongson, , Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, Tien Nguyen Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108 You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep. 220 - Killing Eve & the Asian Woman with Amazing Hair

Take a trip down memory lane with Wynter, Karen and Margaret as they revisit 1991 in music. If you’ve ever been curious what song was playing when Karen experienced her first same sex kiss, tune in. If you grew up in the nineties, this episode will bring you back to that moment in time. If you spent your formative years in the aughts, and want to experience the 90s vicariously through Pop Rocket, the panel goes into great detail about what makes 1991 such a pivotal epoch, giving us grunge, new jack swing, schmaltzy ballads and music fans that could embrace Nirvana, Boys II Men, C+C Music Factory and REM at once. As an added bonus, we created a Pop Rocket 1991 Mixtape that you can listen to on Spotify. All Abouts Margaret is on thatPen15 tip, and reliving those awkward middle school years via Maya and Anna Karen is all about the season three episode of This Is Us, entitled R & B Wynter has fallen hard for Celine Dion after attending an event with the Québécoise chanteuse to promote her new album and tour That's My Jam Karen: Cathy Dennis - Too Many Walls Wynter: Tame Impala - Patience Margaret: Billie Eilish - Bad Guy Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108 You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced and edited by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep 219 - 1991 in Music

Pop Rocket’s come early this week! Alonso Duralde guest hosts for this, our second week of the MaxFunDrive. The deadline for supporting this show is fast upon us, so if you haven’t yet become a new or upgrading member, do it now! Go to our donation page. You can donate while listening to this special Thursday edition of the show. This episode has something for everyone--sapphic sisters, metal heads, Hallmark Channel enthusiasts and, of course, horror buffs. One note of caution: There are spoilers, so if you haven’t yet seen Us, and you want to see it before learning about any of its twists and turns, you should skip the discussion. If you HAVE seen it, brace yourself for the in-depth discussion. Does this movie live up to its hype? Is the symbolism in the movie effective? Why does Wynter think she has to watch it again? These questions, and more, will be answered. All Abouts Margaret is all about Amanda Deibert's defense of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill, in response to a negative article in Jezebel Karen is all about Scary Spice Mel B's confession that she hooked up with Ginger Spice, Geri Halliwell Alonso is all about Hallmark hiring the hosts of the Hallmark podcast The Bubbly Sesh Wynter is all about the Netflix Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt That's My Jam Margaret: James Blake - Power On Karen: Mel C. and Northern Star (feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes) - Never Be the Same Again Alonso: XTC - The Wheel and the Maypole Wynter: Lil Nas X - Old Town Road

Ep 218 - Jordan Peele’s Us

It’s the first live episode of Pop Rocket. Professor Karen Tongson invited the panel to give a lesson on why pop culture matters, with a focus on the past decade. You’ll learn what pop culture of the 2010s will last, and what culture won’t be remembered. Plus we’ll hear from some of Karen’s students, including a special jam brought to the show by Clayton. You won’t want to miss this must-listen episode! All Abouts Margaret: Out for Blood Karen: Shrill Wynter: The Fox-Disney merger That's My Jam Margaret: Lizzo - Cuz I Luv You Clayton: 4 Non Blondes - What’s Up Wynter: Beyonce feat. Frank Ocean - Superpower Karen: Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108 You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep. 217 - Pop Rocket Goes to USC to Teach the Kids Why Pop Culture Matters

In honor of Women’s History Month, the panel lives vicariously through women who sought revenge, from Lorena Gallo (formerly Bobbit), to Thelma & Louise. They touch on their favorite films centered around women seeking revenge...or, perhaps more accurately, justice. All Abouts Margaret: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM Karen: “Operation Varsity Blues”, aka the college admissions scandal Wynter: Free Solo Guy: Zumbo’s Just Desserts That's My Jam Margaret: Pistol Annies - Got My Name Changed Back Guy: Carly Rae Jepsen - Now That I Found You Wynter: Work - Charlotte Day Wilson Karen: Cate le Bon’s - I Just Wanna Be Good With Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108 You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep. 216 - Lady Vengeance: From Bobbit and Beyond

When she was 17, Dame Angela Lansbury quit her job at a department store to take a part in a movie, as 17-year-olds are wont to do. She played a young maid to Ingrid Bergman’s character in Gaslight, a film that garnered seven Oscar nominations and two wins, including one for Best Actress for Bergman. It’s the typical tale of a young actress trying to make it big and having to struggle, role after role after role after role, to hold her own on screen with the most celebrated actors in the world, on Oscar-winning film after Oscar-winning film. She’s now 93 years old and has been in the business for nearly eight decades, dominating the big screen, the small screen and the stage. For this episode of Pop Rocket, we felt it important to give Dame Lansbury’s career a discussion worthy of the legend that she is, and we couldn’t do it by ourselves. We needed to bring in the biggest Fangelas we could find outside of her immediate family: April Wolfe and S.A. Smythe, two individuals that get positively giddy noting which Murder She Wrote episodes comment on on colonialism and the prison industrial complex. You guys, this is such a great episode, and that’s not even including everyone’s All Abouts!

Ep. 215 - Dame Angela Lansbury with April Wolfe and S.A. Smythe

Matt Rogers joins us to help tidy up the Oscars. The 91-year-old institution has gotten a bit cluttered, so the Pop Rocket panel applies the KonMari Method to the Academy Awards. We’ll keep everything that sparks joy, and the rest will be dropped off at an Out of the Closet in a Hefty bag. Will the short film and animated short categories survive? What about song and dance numbers? Find out. Let us know if you agree with the panel, or take issue by sharing your thoughts in the comments section below. All Abouts Guy remembers his friend and beloved comedian Brody Stevens, who died by suicide last week. Wynter is all about Kind Hearts & Coronets. Margaret wants everyone to take a moment to appreciate actress and wordsmith Dame Emma Thompson for her recent letter to Skydance detailing why she will not work with John Lasseter. Karen Tongson is NOT about the speculation that Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are boffing. And for everyone going gaga over their duet, she reminds us of another live performance with off the charts chemistry, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond at the 1980 Grammys singing You Don't Bring Me Flowers Matt Rogers, the self-described “roller coaster bitch” is all about Hagrid Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure ride that’s coming to Disneyworld.

Ep. 214 - We Marie-Kondo the Oscars w/ Matt Rogers

We’ve got a SCREAMINGLY great episode this week as the wonderful Tananarive Due joins us in studio for a deep cinematic dive into the world of black horror. Tananarive Due is the UCLA lecturer whose class on Get Out--The Sunken Place--was crashed by non-student Jordan Peele . She is also the executive producer of Shudder’s very first original documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. The panel cover A LOT of ground. For horror buffs and cinephiles alike, this episode is a MUST-LISTEN. All Abouts Margaret Wappler - The Bodyguard on Netflix Karen Tongson -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLkEpO3k514 on Hulu Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh - Lorena on Amazon Prime 14:00 Tananarive Due - The Passage on Fox Jams Karen - Lion - You've Got a Woman Tananarive - Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two Wynter - James Brown - Living In America Margaret - Orion Sun - Stretch With  Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh Karen Tongson Margaret Wappler Tananarive Due Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108. You can let us know what you think of Pop Rocket and suggest topics in our Facebook group or via @PopRocket on Twitter. If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram. Produced by Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.

Ep. 213 - Horror Noire with Tananarive Due

Are you ready for the 64th most electrifying show in Hollywood? Well get ready because it’s here, in your podcatcher: The Fifth Annual Pop Tart Awards! The panel comes together to recognize the best of the best in TV, film and everything else entertaining. What will take home the Warm Blanket Award for fuzzy comfort entertainment? Who delivered the best performance of the year? Could the panelists find consensus on the best album of the year? Barely. Plus, a bona fide celebrity makes a cameo that...Will. Blow. Your. Mind. And if not, it will at least make you smile. Lastly, we encourage any and all winners of a Pop Tart to call in with your acceptance speech. Note, however, that if your speech runs long, we'll have to play you off with music. If you received an award, call us at: 530-237-4108. 

Ep: 212 - The Fifth Annual Pop Tart Awards!

On this week’s show, the panel play catch up. Each panelist was assigned to watch one film from this past year they missed when it was still in theaters. At the behest of Guy, Margaret watched Can You Ever Forgive Me. Karen Tongson was assigned Roma, but decided she wanted to check out Support the Girls, so Wynter was tapped for Roma instead. Lastly, both Wynter and Karen wanted to talk to Guy about A Simple Favor. Each panelist reported back. Who thought Roma was too slow? Did Margaret show enough love for her pick? And what did Karen appreciate most about the breastaurant drama? **Spoiler Alert** If you haven't seen Roma, you may want to skip that part of the discussion. All Abouts Margaret - Velvet Buzzsaw Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh - Russian Doll Guy Branum - Season 5 of Schitt’s Creek Karen Tongson - Showtime’s Black Monday That's My Jam Karen Tongson - Sylvan Esso - PARAD(w/me)E Margaret Wappler -  Maggie Rogers - Alaska Guy Branum - Liam Payne - Strip That Down Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh - Sampha - Treasure

Ep: 211 - Mega Movie Catch-up Edition

Weekly discussion of the culture we all love to love. Join host Guy Branum and panelists Wynter Mitchell, Karen Tongson, and Margaret Wappler for smart, funny and sometimes sweary chat about everything great in entertainment. Combining comic, journalistic, academic and digital media expertise, the Pop Rocket team will keep you up-to-date on what's most exciting in pop culture.

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Pop Rocket

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