Episodes

This week on Pop Culture Confidential, Christina talks to one of her personal favorites, author David Sedaris! Sedaris, a contributor to the New Yorker and This American Life, has sold 12 million copies of his books. His personal essays and reflections have entertained, enlightened and sometimes even shocked readers for decades. His latest book of essays ‘Calypso' is hilarious and charming and it beautifully deals with aging, loss and love. In our conversation, while on book tour in Stockholm, Sedaris reflects on his hatred of American service banter, his mothers alcoholism and his mentally ill sister Tiffany's suicide just a few years ago. He talks about his thoughts on his father who is a Trump supporter, how he and long-time love Hugh complement each other after so many years together and much more! ‘Calypso' is available now.  Published in Swedish by Mondial.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential we talk about a legend,  a role model, and a real bad ass, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. My conversation is with someone who knows her very well, Daniel Stiepleman. Stiepleman is the screenwriter of the movie “On The Basis Of Sex", based on a major part of her life,  and he also happens to be Justice Ginsburgs nephew. We talk about the case at the center of the movie, his aunts first reaction to Mr. Stiepleman wanting to write her story, her notes on his screenplay, and more.  "On The Basis Of Sex "is directed by Mimi Leder (The Leftovers) and stars Felicity Jones as Justice Ginsburg and Armie Hammar as her husband Martin Ginsburg. The film premieres in Sweden on International Women's Day , March 8th , and is out in the theaters in the US.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential journalist …

Welcome to our 2019 Oscar prediction special! We are thrilled to welcome back to the show the New York Times Carpetbagger columnist Kyle Buchanan, who covers every aspect of award season. Join us as we discuss this crazy Oscar season and predict the winners. Follow Mr. Buchanan on twitter @kylebuchanan

This week we are joined by Rachel Leah (writer at Salon.com covering culture, race and criminal justice) for a conversation on some difficult topics but also about what may be the beginnings of a cultural shift. Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, R Kelly, Michael Jackson, Bryan Singer… Recently there’s been a wave of shocking articles, exposés and documentaries about allegations of sexual misconduct by high profile artists and industry titans. Allegations that have dogged them for years, sometimes even for decades. How can it be possible that these allegations have been industry, and even public, knowledge for years and still their careers flourish? But has the #Metoo movement allowed for more survivors to come forward with their stories when the justice system seems to often have failed them? And what does this mean going forward? Rachel Leah has been covering these topics extensively and joins us this week for an in-depth conversation.

Episode 131: Tony McNamara, screenwriter "The Favourite" by Pop Culture Confidential

On the show this week the director and the producer of "Ralph Breaks the Internet”, the Oscar buzzed and critically acclaimed sequel to "Wreck-it Ralph"! Rich Moore (The Simpsons, Futurama, Zootopia) and Clark Spencer (Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia) join us to talk about developing their new movie, what they discovered about the darker side of the internet during their research process, Rich Moore’s legendary work on The Simpsons and what he learned about animation and satire, iconic characters from Lisa Simpsons to Vanellope to Disney princesses and much more. Plus TV and film critic Candice Frederick (The New York Times, The Guardian)on some of her most anticipate shows on TV this spring and some very interesting female protagonists we have coming our way.

A new year, and a new Oscar race! Film critic, wr…

On a very special edition, Pop Culture Confidential went to London to meet the cast and director of the magical new movie “Mary Poppins Returns”! Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily Mortimer, Ben Whishaw and director Rob Marshall on the making of this sequel, 50 years in the making!

When HBO and David Simon hired an intimacy coordinator/director to choreograph and monitor the on-set sex scenes on his show ‘The Deuce’ it started a lot of interesting conversations. We wanted to know more! On the show this week, one of the co-founders of ‘Intimacy Directors International’, Executive Director Tonia Sina. An intimacy director acts as an advocate for the actors, keeping actors physically and psychologically safe when acting in scenes of an intimate nature. As stunt coordinators have long done for fight scenes.  Tonia Sina is the Executive Director of ‘Intimacy Directors International’ a nonprofit she cofounded in 2016. Ms. Sina has been researching intimacy for the stage and sexual harassment in the industry since 2004 and  she also advises Universities on their curricula to help avoid harassment and abuse in academia.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential it's all about rage! Joining us is Soraya Chemaly, author of the provocative, infuriating and inspiring new book  “Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger.” Ms Chemaly has written for Time magazine, The Guardian and The Atlantic. She is an activist and the director of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project. In our interview we talk about her new book, her research into women’s anger and rage, how women are taught and conditioned by society to suppress anger and how it can be a powerful tool in our lives. We talk about recent events such as how Serena Williams was penalized at the U.S. Open for arguing with the umpire, the Kavanaugh hearings, Jordan Peterson and so much more.

This Halloween week writer and critic Alicia Lutes joins me to dissect some of the new horror hits on film and TV. We cover Jaime Lee Curtis' return for her final confrontation with Michael Myers in ‘Halloween’, Luca Guadagnino's reboot of Dario Argento’s ‘Suspiria' and the Netflix hits ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and ‘The Haunting of Hill House’. PLUS This week marks the US premiere of  ‘Boy Erased' starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Lucas Hedges. We revisit our interview with Garrard Conley, author of the memoir 'Boy Erased’, and survivor of gay conversion therapy.

This week Pop Culture Confidential Oscar nominated screenwriter Luke Davies talks about adapting the addiction memoir ‘Beautiful Boy’ starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. As well as about his own painful and personal journal though a 10-year heroin addiction

This week on Pop Culture Confidential Oscar winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren talks about his incredible work on “First Man” Damien Chazelle’s new movie about Neil Armstrong. And: Gregory Ellwood covers movies and awards on The Playlist.net and is the host of the 4 Quadrant Podcast. Gregory joins us with an update on the Oscar race! From Lady Gaga’s star turn in “A Star is Born”, to Nicole Kidman’s in 2 powerful roles, Spike Lee is back and Christian Bale transforms himself, yet again, playing Dick Cheney in “Vice”… who are the frontrunners?

Episode 122 writer Constance Grady: the Kavanaugh hearings and reflections in popular culture. by Pop Culture Confidential

This week on the show our conversation with the award-winning Swedish director Björn Runge (The Wife). Glenn Close delivers a stunning, Oscar worthy performance in The Wife, a searing portrait of a marriage, intimately directed by Björn Runge. The film hits the zeitgeist on so many levels, particularly now at the height of the #timesup movement.  Björn Runge talks to us about marriage, compromises, how the film quite literally saved his life, working with his own wife editor Lena Runge, why he left the Swedish film industry after a frustrating period, working with the great Glenn Close and much more.

This week on Pop Culture Confidential we welcome a legend of cinema to the show, Paul Schrader! He is the screenwriter behind such films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ and writer/director of American Gigolo and Light Sleeper, to name a few. Paul Schrader joins me this week to talk about his career, Travis Bickle, male anger, faith, love, Bergman and his spiritually brutal new work of art, First Reformed.

Episode 119: TV Special Part 2. The creators of Netflix “Maniac”, Cary Fukunaga and Patrick Somerville + 2018 Emmys recap with journalist Alicia Lutes

This week on Pop Culture Confidential the dream team of Alan Yang (Master of None, Parks and Rec) and Matt Hubbard (Parks and Rec, 30 Rock) on their new series “ FOREVER” , starring another dream team, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armison. Amazon’s new series "Forever" is already getting rave reviews right out of the box. It’s a comedy, but also quite a serious look at a marriage stuck in a rut. And there is a serious twist that we are not allowed to mention! The series stars the former SNL duo Maya Rudolph and Fred Armison as the married couple June and Oscar. Catherine Keener also stars. We talk to Alan and Matt about ”Forever”, their comedy icons, marriage, when Paul Tomas Anderson visited the set and much more. ”Forever” is out now on Amazon Prime!

This week producer Todd Fisher on his excellent memoir "My Girls". This is a very personal story of his life with two iconic women: his mother Debbie Reynolds and sister Carrie Fisher. On their Hollywood life, tumultuous relationships and the huge pain of losing them both only 24 hours apart in December 2017. Todd Fisher, the son of ”America’s Sweetheart” actress Debbie Reynolds (Singing in the Rain) and singer Eddie Fisher grew up in Hollywood glamour. In our interview he talks about his childhood among Hollywood royalty, his great bond with sister Carrie, her meteoric rise to stardom with Star Wars, her struggles and how their mother formed their lives immensely.

On the show this week, the star of Spike Lees powerful new movie BlacKkKlansman, John David Washingto and showrunner, executive producer of the the new Lifetime/Netflix series “You”, Sera Gamble. John David Washington stars as Ron Stallworth in the critically acclaimed new movie BlacKkKlansman, based on a true story and directed by Spike Lee. Stallworth, a black police officer in Colorado Springs, infiltrated the KKK in the 1970s. Also this week prolific writer, producer and show runner Sera Gamble of shows such as Supernatural and The Magicians. Her new show ”You”, which she co-exec produces with Greg Berlanti, stars Penn Badgley and Elizabeth Lail is a “twisted love story in the social media age”. It premieres on Lifetime and Netflix on September 9th. Plus journalist Alicia Lutes on Louis C.K’s return to stand up after accusations of sexual harassment.

On this special episode of Pop Culture Confidential we have teamed up with Democrats Abroad to help spread the word to Americans overseas: your vote really counts in the very important 2018 US midterm elections! PLUS an exclusive interview with actor/director and expat Greg Poehler! Poehler , the creator of WELCOME TO SWEDEN a semi autobiographical sitcom and co production beteen TV4 Sweden and NBC, is now starring on YOU ME HER. You Me Her has just been renewed for its 4th and 5th season on the Audience Network and Netflix. We talk about how moving to Sweden lead him to a career back in Hollywood, following your dreams, why certain humor really does not translate, the privilege of voting in 2 countries and much more And Alex Lange, Chair of Democrats Abroad Sweden, guides us through the process of registering to vote and requesting your ballot as an overseas voter. Voter deadlines are upon us. Your vote really matters, be a part of this historic moment! To America voters abroad: on t…

Episode 114: “Boy Erased” Garrard Conley by Pop Culture Confidential

We are thrilled to be joined this week by an icon of American pop culture, the parody king and the coolest man with an accordion, ”Weird Al” Yankovic. He’s sold over 12 million albums, spoofed the biggest artists from Michael Jackson, to Nirvana, to Coolio, to Miley Cyrus. A career that spans four decades. Join us for a conversation about his musical process, capturing the zeitgeist, asking Kurt Cobain and Sir Paul McCartney for permission to parody their music, the pure magic of the accordion, how the industry has changed and being kind! http://weirdal.com And journalist Alicia Lutes (The Hollywood Reporter, The Nerdist, MTV) joins us again this week to talk about the much debated news about the changes coming to the Academy Awards.