Burst Your Bubble

For decades, romantic comedies have given audiences an incorrect idea of how romantic relationships should work. How you should ask someone out, woo …

We can probably all think of examples of stereotypes in pop culture, but what happens when the original content is edited multiple times and years …

Recently there was a viral video of Andrew Johnson, a black teen who was told by a white referee that he could either cut his locs or forfeit his …

The term "spicy Latina" has dominated Latinx representations in pop culture since the 1940s. Today we have Modern Family and Sofia Vergara, where she …

Conversion therapy shows up a lot in pop culture, but how is it shown? As a comedy? As a drama? What time period does the story takes place in? …

BoJack Horseman might be a wonderful show, but it's not without its flaws. Let's talk about why representation is important, how using white actors …

It's another Halloween episode! This time we're going to focus on Candyman, a 1992 film that plays off a white, middle class audience's fear of "urban society": their fears urban housing projects and the residents …

It's Halloween season so let's talk about something spooky, creepy, and disturbing, like how the 1973 horror film The Exorcist perfectly packaged anti-Arab sentiment, Islamophobia, and xenophobia to its audience.

Art by …

For one week in 1968, singer and activist Harry Belafonte guest hosted the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. Belafonte and his guests talked about the Vietnam War, poverty, native rights, race, and interracial …

I have a love/hate relationship with Orange is the New Black. While you could argue that the show has a diverse cast of characters bringing …

First published as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has turned into a cultural phenomenon, from plays …

PSA: I just moved from Massachusetts to California, and instead of creating a subpar episode, I decided to rebroadcast the first ever Burst Your Bubble episode for you to enjoy.

In this episode, we'll talk about HIV, …

Although it was only on TV for less than a full season, Firefly has become a cult classic. And while I'll admit that I'm a fan of the show, there's …

What do you think of when you think of MTV? Reality TV? TRL? Beavis and Butt-head? Because depending on when you started watching MTV you might …

Whether you have or haven't seen the 1983 film Scarface, you'll agree it has its place in pop culture. It's referenced in film, TV, and music; you …

Let's talk about the two sides of Roseanne: the fictional Roseanne Conner and the real life Roseanne Barr. What do representations of race and gender presentation mean on a show when so closely linked to a woman who …

Yes, the movie Clueless is problematic, but where to start? From class and race to gender and sexuality, there's something everyone can hate.

Art by Jeremy Ferris.

New episodes released the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the …

Let's talk about whitewashing, Natives in pop culture, and Iron Eyes Cody.

Art by Jeremy Ferris.

New episodes released the 2nd and 4th Thursday of …

Let's talk about the Rolling Stones and their sexist ad campaign for their 1976 album Black and Blue.

Art by Jeremy Ferris.

New episodes released the …

For this episode we’re going to talk about Good Times and how it was truly a product of its time. From Black Power to the Moynihan Report, the show …

Want to ruin even more childhood nostalgia? Let's talk about The Jungle Book, colonialism, imperialism, and racism.

Art by Jeremy Ferris.

New …

Let's talk about the Americans with Disabilities Act, actors without disabilities portraying characters with disabilities, and the rise of those …

In today's episode we're going to talk about how the writers of The Little Rascals were influenced by popular media of the time: the Inglewood Raid …

Another time when I get to say that I love radio, but I don't have to love its history. Let's talk about Jews on the radio in the 1930s - from sounding Jewish to anti-semitism to assimilation. Art by Jeremy Ferris. New …

For this episode, we’re going to talk about the 1998 film The Siege and how it portrays Arabs and Muslims as terrorists and Islam as a violent …

Let’s talk about Yusuf Hawkins, the black teen Spike Lee dedicated Jungle Fever (1991) to and how his story influenced the movie. Art by Jeremy Ferris. And for this episode there’s a special Spotify playlist on music …

In today's episode we're going to talk about the TV show Highway to Heaven, its 1984 episode titled "Dust Child," and its connection to the Vietnam War and anti-Vietnamese sentiment in the 1980s. Art by Jeremy Ferris. …

It's Halloween! And to celebrate there will be two episodes on monsters in pop culture and the -isms and -phobias that they represent. First up: …

For this episode, we're going to talk about U.S. foreign policy and how it shaped Hollywood's representation of Latin America in the 1940s, creating …

Let’s talk about the 1970s oil crisis, unions and blue collar workers, and how the failing American car industry gave rise to anti-Japanese …

In today’s episode we’re going to analyze the 1992 film Thunderheart and look at the very history that influenced it: the 1970s Native Movement - …

I love radio, but I don't have to love its history. Let's talk about how minstrelsy, blackface, and stereotypes shaped radio and helped frame the first sitcom to star a black star. Art by Jeremy Ferris. New episodes …

In this episode we're going to look at Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. You might want to rewatch it and see for yourself the -isms and -phobias that rear their ugly heads: racism, xenophobia, sexism, and general …

On today's episode we'll talk about the 1966 board game What Shall I Be? The Exciting Game of Career Girls and its connections to sexism, feminism, and the women's liberation movement. Art by Jeremy Ferris. New episodes …

In this episode, we're going to talk about a cartoon from 1945, its stereotypes of Native people, and some history of the California Gold Rush.

So maybe you've seen Hairspray (1988) or one of its adaptations. Maybe you know the lines by heart or the songs in the musical, but do you know its history? On this episode, let's talk about Baltimore, segregation, and …

Last episode you got to learn all about Anna May Wong, and this episode we're finishing up the cliffhanger! You'll hear about how American views about the Chinese and Chinese Americans shifted in the 1930s and WWII. Art …

Are you ready for the newest release? In this episode we're going to talk about whitewashing, yellowface, anti miscegenation, and Anna May Wong. Art by Jeremy Ferris. New episodes released the 2nd and 4th Thursday of …

Let's talk about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the 1971 and 2005 film adaptations, and race. Art by Jeremy Ferris. New episodes released the 2nd …

In this episode, we'll talk about HIV, AIDs, and Captain Planet's 1992 episode "A Formula for Hate." Art by Jeremy Ferris. New episodes released the …