Low Culture Boil

In this episode Amber and Rax talk about Thomas Kinkade. You might not recognize the name but you have seen his paintings hanging in AirBnb's or at your friend's grandma's house, or on a hallmark card. He is known as "The Painter of Light" because he called himself that and trademarked it. Why was this kitsch painter so hated by the art world? Why was he so loved by the masses? What did he have against Winnie the Pooh? All that and more in this free ep! For more episodes join our patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Author Greg Mania joins the girls in this salute to the gayest chain restaurant, Applebees! Did you know this restaurant used to be called T.J. Applebee's Edibles and Elixirs? Did you hate learning that as much as we did? Also, we reveal what dish Applebees cooks say never to order! Please don't be spinach artichoke dip, please don't be spinach artichoke dip...

What made these little plastic ponies so popular with girls and this cartoon for girls so popular with men? Amber and Rax dive into it with the magic of friendship in this episode! They talk about the true creator of My Little Ponies (Bonnie Zacherle, obvi), BronyCon, and Pester Power. Which reminds us, please bother your parents to sign up for our patreon! This episode is also in video form on our YouTube! https://youtu.be/Nu1Xy2Rfgj4

Hustler magazine: close-up images of pussy, or First Amendment champion content? Larry Flynt: disgusting misogynist, or hero of journalistic integrity? In part one of our two parter on the magazine's legacy, we talk history, lawsuits, and what happened when Rax brought her copy of Hustler to the public library to research this episode. Also, a very special, extra incensed Gripe Zone!

Have you ever craved a dusty train ride to a sandy beach full of mosquitos and biting flies? If so, early Atlantic City might have been for you! In this episode Amber and Rax talk about the Lenape people convinced to leave for some finished goods, the first family to live there year round and Pitney, the doctor who fought God to turn a dusty swampy beach into a health resort? They also talk about the freed slaves who worked at the resort and made it THE destination for working class Philadelphians. This is just the start, tune in Thursday for pt. 2, available to patrons only (patreon.com/lowcultureboil) This ep's video is also on our YouTube! https://youtu.be/Cc7-fJnjXzk

Amber talks with friend and comedian Chanel Ali about MTV's reality show/cautionary tale, Teen Mom. Make yourself a nice meal and take some solace in the fact that you aren't a teen mother right now, unless you are, in which case watch for lessons. Huge shoutout to Tyler, of Catelyn and Tyler, who just got a vasectomy. Other teen dads, take note. If you want to hear more Amber and Chanel you can check out their former podcast Daddy-Less Issues on Spotify or iTunes.

Rax and Amber are joined by film critic Jourdain Searles of Bad Romance Pod to show some love to the official Genre For Girls. When's the last time they even showed a romcom at a movie theater? What's your favorite romcom? Have they always been this maligned? All this plus the Gripe Zone today!

Fun fact: Rax failed to get a job here when she was 19. Actually, everything about the history of Hooters could be relayed in "fun fact" form, from the story of its founding to the rules its famous Hooters Girls have to obey on the clock. Just how did these guys get the idea to pair chicken wings with push-up bras? (Goes great with a side of our Sexy Scissors episode!)

(NYC culture-boilers, have you bought your tickets for our live show at Bushwick Public House on 5/11 yet? $12 for chads and gladiators who buy in advance, $15 for haters and losers who wait to get theirs at the door!) Amber and Rax are joined by comedian and writer Ellory Smith to talk about two of the missing links of reality TV, Flavor of Love and Rock of Love. Listen to hear about our shared love of good street finds, VH1s series of celebrity reality shows, and who's love we would rather be competeting for between Bret Michaels and Flavor Flav. As a wise woman once said, don't threaten us with a good time.

Rax and Amber are joined by quickie author Lily Lady to pay tribute to that motherlode of trash culture, the Real Housewives franchise. Tune in to hear about Rax's humiliating experience on Watch What Happens Live, plus anti-snoring discrimination, a dissection of the "real" self of reality TV, and airplane gripes.

Late post, but great post! In this episode Amber talks to Matt Christman about their favorite structured reality program, Shark Tank. They talk about the Sharks, which ones they would get into business with and which ones they would... Mostly it's a love letter to Kevin O'Leary, AKA Mr. Wonderful.

Rax and Amber dig into the surprisingly luxurious past of instant noodles. Did you know they were originally sold as a fun novelty food for rich people? Or why they're so quick and easy to cook? Or what percentage of rodent parts they're legally allowed to contain? Find out today!

This week Rax and Amber dive into glitter and why loving it is a sign of intelligence actually. Did you know glitter is sometimes put in animal feed to study their feces? There is also glitter you can put in cereal if that bowl of Fiber One is bumming you out. Or how about a glitter capsule for, well, listen to the ep for that one. Or watch it on our YouTube channel to see our glitter outfits: youtube.com/lowcultureboilpodcast

Rax and Amber are joined by writer Chingy Nea (@thegaychingy) to chat about history's campiest backstage melodrama, Showgirls. Is it weird not having anyone come on you? Let's find out! Subcribe to our patreon to to hear the whole episode: patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Amber and Rax talk about THE classic hostess snack, Twinkies. Invented by an enterprising baker in 1930 trying to find another use for the strawberry short cake tins when strawberries were not in season. Did you know twinkies was orininally filled with a banana cream? Or that they are named after shoes? If not, have no fear, Amber and Rax cover tons of Twinkie history, including the Twinkie Defense, the Twinkie Diet and the Twinkie the Kid. What's your favorite junk snack food? More importantly, what are your food plans for the apocalypse? We hope it's not twinkies. 🧁😋

Rax is joined by Vox's Rebecca Jennings to talk about her recent story on TikTok's hostile takeover of fashion and trend forecasting. Are the kids really dressing like clowns, apocalypse survivors, and Bridgerton characters these days? Should we really plan to accommodate two dozen new fashion trends per month? Is a vibe shift really coming? (And with this, Rax's solo reign over the pod is over! LCB will soon be back to its regularly scheduled many-girled content! Thanks for hanging out with me everybody 💋)

Rax takes over for the day to talk to journalist Dave Infante about his experience in the Miller Lite...metaverse bar? Will the future be full of bars where you can't even drink? Is the outer limit of Web3's imagination really a virtual dive bar spattered in virtual filth? And what is the official Low Culture Boil position on the metaverse? (Anti, but Dave has other thoughts!) All this plus the usual anti-capitalism on this week's free episode 🍻

Why do we hate pigeons? Is it because they don't give a flying rat's ass about our designated boundaries? Or perhaps it's that they remind us of our animal nature? In this episode Amber and Courtney get into the history of our relationship with these little iridescent workers and why they deserve your respect.

The gals continue with the part 2 of fad diets. This ep they cover arsenic pills, the vogue grapefruit diet, slimfast and more! If you do the full 30 you are never full. Rax, Courtney and Amber are here to tell you all about it. To see Vera's guest spot watch the ep on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_XaGy-_b2aw

"Marry and Reproduce!" "Obey!" "Conform!" These are just a few suggestions the humanoid aliens from the 1988 movie They Live have for reaching your highest potential in a capitalist utopia. That's right, this week the ladies dive into the Rowdy Roddy Piper action-sci-fi-western magic that is John Carpenter's They Live and boy do they have a good time giving the ol' bird to President Regan. Interested? No? Well then let's have a nine minute fight about it! Subcribe to our patreon to to hear the whole episode: patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Get ready for a romp as the gals take on the exciting history of rompers (and jumpsuits, catsuits, onesies, etc.). If you've ever wondered why babies and mechanics both love wearing bottoms connected to their tops, then this episode is for you. Strap in and buckle up your siren suit buddy, cause we're gonna drive down fashion highway To see all the fashion pics, check out the ep on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hmRLEoPxcwk And join our patron for our bonus ep every week! patreon.com/lowcultureboil

The gals continue with the part 2 of fad diets. This ep they cover arsenic pills, the vogue grapefruit diet, slimfast and more! If you do the full 30 you are never full. Rax, Courtney and Amber are here to tell you all about it. Hear the full ep on our patreon: patreon.com/lowcultureboil

In this episode the gals talk about the history of fad diets and why they are so popular in the US. Who doesn't chew every bite 118 times exactly? In fact this topic is so meaty that the LCBabes decided to portion control and split it into two parts. Part two will be released Thursday for patrons only! Subscribe here to hear it: www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil And check out the video for this ep on our youtube channel: youtube.com/lowcultureboilpodcast

It takes only 7 ingredients to make this mystery meat that is eaten accross the globe. It's magic and yet we look down on it. In this episode Amber and Courtney talk about THE meat of WWII, SPAM.

Taking another cue from Rax's book, team LCB covers the musician Meat Loaf. His Wagnerian performances and complete earnestness are not only his trademark, they just might make him an irony-proof subject. The gals go deeper into the idea of ironic engagement with art, what it protects us from, and what it inhibits. Beyond that, Meat Loaf also turns out to have the soul of a poster and a soap opera-worthy origin story for his prodigious talent. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

"It's a party in my mouth...and everyone's invited!" a wise man once said, probably drinking a White Claw. Yes, folks, Team LCB is taking on our bubbly, boozy beverages. They tackle the particulars of what makes this new wave of effervescent ecstasy so blandly appealing, why millenials are so fond of it, the heroic predecessors like Zima, and a surprisingly well-unionized industry. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

The girls delve into the history of America's dumbest decoration and try to answer the age-old question: are you a worse person if you have bumper stickers? Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Gordon Ramsay: Arbiter of Justice, or merely a Belligerent Briton? The full crew gets the full Kitchen Nightmares experience. They talk the false confidence of every restaurant owner on the show, the infamous and inexplicable "Dillon's" episode, the excellently employed usage of "tosspot", Rax's exploits in the industry, and more. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Rax and Amber are joined by the very funny Taylor Garron to talk about Bratz Dolls! They talk about how this doll had some dad's writing blog posts on the early internet because they were "too sexy". And US consumer's discovery that toys that cost 9.99 are made in sweat shops. For access to our bonus eps once a week become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Insane Clown Posse might be known less for their music than their legion of fiercely devoted fans: the Juggalos. In this final year for the Gathering of the Juggalos, Team LCB goes into their origins, their traditions, controversies, and more. Why are they so maligned by the media? Do acts of community service and support offset some of their more questionable antics? And will Rax share her fabled Faygo brisket recipe? Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

The Trash Three start off the new year by watching "Beanie Mania", the HBO Max documentary chronicling the temporary insanity where 90s collectors went all-in on Beanie Babies. Our hosts talk the Willy Wonka mind behind the craze, the nuances of a BB's "retirement", their own love of the little stuffed sacks, and, of course, capitalism. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Courtney and Amber close out the year with their favorite trash picks as of late. We're talking a latte the equivalent of drinking a Yankee Candle, the new Matrix, inexplicable Swedish family traditions, sparkly dresses, the works! Thank you trash patrons for a delightfully tacky year! Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Take a trip with Amber and Courtney to the happiest, most aromatic, oil-soaked place on earth: Yankee Village. Yup, the gals get into Yankee Candles! There is perhaps no more audacious a leap from the utilitarian to the excess pleasure than the Yankee Candle, which crackles when lit due to all the additives. What's your flavor— Pink Lady Slipper? Silvery White Winters? Come on an olfactory journey with us and find out! Become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

For LCB's second live show, Rax and Amber— joined by Sean KB and Matt Christman—hold court and devote an entire hour to griping about the plague that is SantaCon. Highlights include: SantaCon's Anarchist origins in Denmark, slyly puking into your own hand in an UberPool, the SantaCon creeds, and a running commentary from the Big Man himself. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultlureboil

Yes, it's everyone's favorite non-tabloid tabloid. But beyond the "Sexiest Man Alive" shtick and royal baby updates, we find a publication that has, dare we say, some semblance of a moral code? Nahh, but they pay out the ass for content! Poet Melissa Lozada-Oliva joins us to talk coming-of-age with People, the magazine's enduring relevance, and we all say goodbye to a dear friend in a special Gripe Zone. Become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Rax and Amber take on the furry, slimy, ethereal, spooky, enigmatic world of cryptids. Pursuing their Cryptozoology degrees at (unaccredited) universities, our hosts explore what actually qualifies as a cryptid (is God one?), why we presume to know these creatures' intentions, an indignant Arthur Conan Doyle publicly stanning fairies, and more! Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Rax and Amber are joined by Daniel Lavery to talk the phenomenon of self-help books. While some are tried-and-true classics, like AA's The Big Book, others offer more dubious advice that really make "take what works, leave the rest" impossible. What makes self-help books work? Are they all just designed to indulge an impulse that works for a moment, but ignore a more holistic approach? Do we really have to journal so much? Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Black Mirror became trite, so some ingenious English producers decided to fast-track our dystopian descent with the reality show "The Circle". Amber is joined by Matt Christman, noted "Circle" fan, to talk the show's twists and turns (raids! blocks!), creepily segregated group activities, the nuances of yelling at the TV, and, of course, cat fishing. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Courtney is joined by American Prestige's Danny Bessner for a rundown of their favorite trash on film and television right now. From Ghostbusters: Afterlife to Succession, the dynamic duo talks about the vitality of movies in this current era, consuming high culture in a capitalist context, why Americans need their own versions of English shows, and more! Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Rax and Courtney brave a screening of Food Network's first original Christmas story, "Candy Coated Christmas". Set in Peppermint Hollow, a world without race and class (but with every mint-forward food imaginable), this soulless story is notable more for its subtle Evangelical messages than its cinematic flair. Rax and Courtney break down the flick and all it says about Food Network's pivot to Hallmark-adjacent movies. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

"Christian Girl Autumn", like many-a-meme, quickly took on a life of its own. But did we ever stop to ask what was behind the joyful trolling, the face tune dunking, the ironic celebration? Rax and Courtney get into it with the meme— what does the irony betray, what comes from latent misogyny, who is the proverbial Christian Girl, and more. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

The second part of our deep dive into Taylor Swift finds the gals musing on the Taylor/Kanye beef— was it real? Were both parties milking it for their own respective brands? Was it a 30 Rock cutaway come to life? This plus some Deep Thoughts on Taylor's ability to look within, her uncanny ability to reveal our own modern sense of self, and more! Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Rax, Courtney, and Amber take a deep dive into Taylor Swift™, for whom Autumn never ends. Born wealthy, branded young, and beloved by millions, the prolific country-turned-pop star leaves little to chance, but does her immaculately manicured image betray larger issues of being a millenial and a celebrity? Or is it simply an artist controlling aspects of her life previously managed by others? Become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Find you a bootlegger, grab some hooch, and take a trip down a 600 foot long dirt road that eventually becomes the Sunset Strip, home of the seedy and glamorous between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills— Vegas before Vegas, baby! Rax and Amber go into the history, some of the notable spots, and the modern experience of strutting down such a historically party-laden plot of land! Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Rax and Amber take us on a journey into the world of strippers. What's a house mom? Is a mean whale worth it? Can you respectfully dance for a funeral party? Learn the lingo, the obscure state laws, the customer profiles, and tips for the aspiring stripper from two bona fide vets of the industry! Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Taking another cue from Rax's book, team LCB goes into the musician Meat Loaf. His Wagnerian performances and complete earnestness are not only his trademark, they just might make him an irony-proof subject. The gals go deeper into the idea of ironic engagement with art, what it protects us from, and what it inhibits. Beyond that, Meat Loaf also turns out to have the soul of a poster and a soap opera-worthy origin story for his prodigious talent. Become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Team LCB takes the introduction of Rax's newly-published book Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer, and hashes out the finer points of the word itself: "tacky"! From a 19th century pejorative about Yankee carpetbaggers to a 21st century pejorative about bad taste, "tacky" is nestled somewhere between sincere, gauche, accessible, and rejected, a state beyond the gatekeepers, beyond societal approval, beyond irony: "Tacky is about becoming," says Rax. Buy the book today! Become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Run down to the corner apothecary, head to the fountain, and grab yourself a tall glass o' Cocaine Cola— We're doing soda, folks! Team LCB goes into its origins (from one Mr. STILLWATER), ingredients, the myriad brands that came from the carbonated product explosion, cola classism, regional dialects, and more! Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

Team LCB makes the rare trip into the current Online Discourse™ and tackles issues found in a pile-on of an otherwise innocuous tweet. Is it always more cost-effective buying groceries and prepping your own food vs takeout? The gals muse on labor distribution, access and education, misleading recipes, home economics, and more on deciding modes of mastication. Buy Rax's book Tacky today! https://bit.ly/3bDIM6E Become a trash patron! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil

The ancient pumpkin: Did dinosaurs eat it? Where did it come from? Are continents real and does Courtney know how many there are? Team LCB answers these pressing questions as well as tackling the history of jack o'lanterns, punkin chunkin competitions, pumpkin pyramids, and the grand American tradition of carving pumpkins with a gun. Become a trash patron today! www.patreon.com/lowcultureboil