I used to be listening to a call-in episode of one in all my favorite podcasts lately, Who? Weekly, once I heard my very own voice.
This shouldn’t have been a shock as a result of I had referred to as in and left them a voice message, but it surely was. For those who haven’t heard it, Who? Weekly is a celeb and popular culture podcast hosted by ex-entertainment journalists and writers Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, the place they delve into the world of C and D and E and F listing celebrities, labelled “Whos”.
My name, performed on the present, was concerning Ashley Tisdale, who chances are you'll recognise from the Disney Channel within the 2000s or Sharpay from Excessive College Musical.Or chances are you'll not. She’s a “Who?”
Having my name performed on Who? Weekly was an achievement and I instantly messaged pals who I knew could be excited. Afterwards, I realised that everybody I had contacted about Tisdale, or who had messaged me about Tisdale, was somebody chances are you'll not anticipate.
They're achieved authors and journalists and TV writers. Comedians, public servants and legal professionals. The Who? Weekly Fb group is stuffed with individuals with jobs I believed solely actually existed in motion pictures – employees writers on the New Yorker, architects and archeologists and historians and the like. A few weeks in the past a lawyer referred to as in to present some details about Olivia Wilde receiving papers from Jason Sudeikis whereas on stage.
You may surprise what all of those good, politically engaged persons are doing listening to a podcast that does deep dives on actuality stars and the exact actions of Rita Ora, but it surely’s not simply this podcast.
The viewers for an additional of my faves, Bitch Sesh, a Actual Housewives recap podcast, is the same demographic. Hosted by comedy actors and writers (and technically Whos) Casey Wilson and Danielle Schneider, they get into the nuances of every Actual Housewives franchise together with company such because the extremely vivid comic Ziwe, and author and professor Roxane Homosexual.
These are good individuals, who as a substitute of (or in addition to) studying sonnets and listening to opera (or no matter you individuals do), permit themselves to not solely get pleasure from trash – however get invested in it. They're what I’ve determined to name “raccoons”. Sensible but obsessive about scrabbling into trash with their little paws, in search of a yummy deal with. I contemplate myself among the many raccoons, with a powerful reminder that “good” is a spectrum.
Who? Weekly focuses on what the celebs are as much as however the scaffolding of the present is about superstar tradition. It’s speaking about actuality stars and TikTok stars and the machinations of how these individuals achieve their fame and desperately attempt to maintain it. It encourages us to consider the altering panorama of superstar, which shifts dramatically and infrequently. Bitch Sesh opens up discussions about race, class and misogyny.
It’s not dumbed down, and it really works as a result of all the hosts and company are switched on, humorous and engaged. The good in all of that is essential, as a result of it prevents issues from tipping into the darkish and ruinous components of superstar parasocial tradition. However don’t get it twisted, we aren’t there as undercover good individuals pretending to have enjoyable whereas secretly studying.
We aren’t opposite-Elle Woods. We're fortunately listening to humorous dissections of a Actual Housewives reunion episode, or an extended dialogue about if Sliding Doorways the idea is extra well-known than Sliding Doorways the film.
This, after all, is not only restricted to those two podcasts. Whether or not it’s Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang on Las Culturistas counting down a listing of their favorite songs in “The 300 Songs Of The Nice International Songbook” (Fergie’s M.I.L.F. $ is quantity 18), or somebody on TikTok predicting superstar births utilizing clues from tabloids – good and trashy (and enjoyable) is in every single place.
That's one other one of many essential components wanted to make a raccoon. A part of having enjoyable on this approach is permitting your self to cease caring about seeming good or seeming cool, and to get genuinely invested. Raccoons don’t really feel the necessity to keep away from issues different individuals (positively a few of you studying) may look down their noses at as a result of it isn’t refined sufficient. And we'll by no means choose you for no matter trashy factor you may maintain as much as us in your paws.
I can’t converse as to why all the different raccoons have ended up within the trash with me, however I do assume it feels good (and higher and higher) to focus vitality and have enjoyable and use your mind to consider present occasions that aren’t deeply miserable.
On one in all her current TV episodes, the aforementioned Ziwe says: “Generally I don’t like to consider issues, after which I don’t really feel dangerous in any respect.” A sentiment that goes shut, I believe, to explaining a few of this. But it surely’s additionally about neighborhood, it’s one thing to attach over, to chuckle about.
Importantly, raccooning just isn't being executed satirically or cynically.
My good friend with a high-powered company job who threw a Taylor Swift celebration for the rerelease of Purple? She loves Taylor Swift, as does everybody who went (together with a bit editor at this very information outlet) screaming alongside to songs with out worry of judgment. No haters allowed.
On one aspect we've the web, the place everyone seems to be cynical, and earnestness is mocked and derided, and when you like one thing you can find 10,000 individuals to say why you shouldn’t. On the opposite aspect we've the old style, the individuals who moan that the demise of society is being brought on by the Kardashians.
Us raccoons? We meet within the center, close to the bins – and we’re having a good time.
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