Material Girls

We're thrilled to be joined by Anne Helen Petersen for this episode about the popularity of athleisure! If you don't already know, Anne Helen Petersen (she/her) is the incredible writer, journalist and recovering academic behind the beloved newsletter Culture Study. She is the host of a brand new podcast of the same name and the author of four books, most recently Out of the Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working From Home (co-written with Charlie Warzel) and Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. Together we begin with a history lesson from Hannah about WWII's effect on the fashion industry, particular women's clothing and the rise of spandex. Hannah offers some insight from cultural critic Jia Tolentino and her essay, "Athleisure, barre and kale: the tyranny of the ideal woman." We then move on to some helpful framing from theorist Michelle Foucault, sociologists Daniel Nehring and Anja Röcke, and feminist scholars Julie Brice and Holly Thorpe. We talk neoliberalism, fatphobia, and, of course, our culture's obsession with optimization. We end with an honest discussion about the role of pop culture analysis in helping us navigate the murky waters of ideology. We loved having Anne on the show and if you like this episode, we recommend heading to patreon.com/ohwitchplease for more! Anne joins us for two perks you DO NOT want to miss. And of course, you can find more of Anne's specific, timely and thoughtful writing all over the internet @annehelenpetersen!You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease! ***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode, we're joined by the incredible Karen Tongson, Professor of Gender & Sexuality Studies, English, and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. She is the author of Why Karen Carpenter Matters and Relocations: Queer Suburban Imaginaries. Her newest book, normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV That Soothes Us provides theory for this episode about the beloved TV show, Gilmore Girls. We begin with a discussion of the early 2000s postfeminist Bush era that defined the early days of Gilmore Girls. Karen then offers some insight into the viewing practices of queer adults who have returned to this show en masse over the last two and a half decades since its pilot aired. We talk about the appeal of the Gilmore girls themselves, the tragedy of Lane Kim's journey into adulthood, the conservative reproductive politics that shape the show and the phenomenon of queer viewers finding both a pleasure and a shame in consuming sentimental content that showcases a fantasy of assimilation and acceptance.normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV That Soothes Us (NYU Press) was released in November 2023 and is available now! You can find more of Karen on her two podcasts, Waiting to X-Hale and The Gaymazing Race, and on [email protected]'ll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember about fifteen years ago when we all went a little nuts for sweet potato fries? What was going on there? Well it turns out, that beloved appetizer was more than a tasty treat circa 2007. In this episode, Marcelle leads Hannah through research about the “orange-flesh sweetpotato” and its relationship to GMOs, cash crops, fat phobia and food imperialism. She pulls on the work of Joe Kobuthi for an analysis of food systems that informs her understanding of the sweet potato's zeitgeist-y moment.and she ends with a thesis that's got quite a bite to it.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you play D&D? Do you have a friend who does, but you don't totally *get* what it is? Did you see the recent film Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and think "wow, that role playing game went MAINSTREAM!?" Then this episode is sure to satisfy your curiosity about this zeitgeisty game! Hannah, who herself plays D&D, leads Marcelle through a history of the tabletop role-playing game created by Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax, tracing its origins all the way to Dungeons & Dragons 5E (the most recent edition). They then use ludology, the study of games and gaming, to understand the unique role D&D has at the intersection of gaming and narrative. And then, as always, the episode is wrapped up with a beautifully tied together thesis (from Hannah) about the transformation, or rather, realization of the game through the radical acts of people playing it. To learn more about the research that went into today's episode, be sure to follow Witch, Please Productions on Substack at https://ohwitchplease.substack.com! And if you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.*We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was so much more to say about Wonka and Twilight. In Part I of this bonus episode (aka a 'Material Concern' episode), we talk about fatphobia in children's literature, the "representation" of indigeneity in Stephanie Meyer's the Twilight Saga, and so much more. If you enjoy this episode, head over to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease for Part II! The rest of the conversation is available at all our tiers. For just $5 USD/month you'll have access to the rest of this conversation, all the bonus perks we've already released, and Hannah McGregor's new video podcast, Making Worlds.And, if you liked this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in one week for a regular episode!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob or some secret third option?**Marcelle asks this question only at the very end of the episode, and you know why? Because there is so much more to discuss when it comes to Stephanie Meyer's Twilight. And who better to dig into this novel's plot and place in pop culture than Jackson Bird (he/him) who, over fifteen years ago, was a Twi-hard. If you frequent fan spaces, you might know Jackson through his previous work with Harry Potter Alliance or his very popular Youtube channel. Or perhaps you know him from guest spots on the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, his own (now retired) podcast Transmission, his 2017 Ted Talk (How to Talk and Listen to Transgender People), or his book, Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place. Or maybe he's a new person to you, in which case, you're welcome — he rocks!In this conversation, Marcelle, Hannah and Jack discuss what was going on in 2005 that primed Twilight for such wide success. They ask: Why were young readers so hungry for a character like Bella? What does the plot of the novel suggest about the reading appetite of millennial readers coming of age in an era defined by impossible beauty standards and purity politics? When we refuse to disregard the interests, passions and literary preferences of young people, what can we discover about one another, our culture and ourselves?To learn more about the research that went into today's episode, be sure to follow Witch, Please Productions on Substack at https://ohwitchplease.substack.com! And if you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.*AND, if you want to participate in our Q&A episodes, be sure to follow us on Instagram @ohwitchplease to submit your inquiries! **Team Bella!?!***Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're so excited to announce that our new show, Making Worlds, begins January 25th!This video podcast, hosted by Hannah McGregor (maybe you know them?!?), will be released monthly via our Patreon. In each 30ish-minute episode, a guest will bring Hannah a text that has helped them imagine the liberatory possibilities of another world. We’re talking sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction! Hot!!!! Our first episode? Why it simply had to be about Our Flag Means Death! What says liberatory possibility more than gay pirates!? And, we're really lucky to have writer Hope Rehak as our first guest. That name sound familiar? Well that's probably because she's kind of beloved on the internet for, among other things, her OFMD content! She's also Coach's sister. :)The episodes we’ve recorded so far have been full of passion, enthusiasm, and genuine joy and we can’t wait for you to see them. Audio-only versions will be available on Patreon as well, but you should tune into the video versions if you’re able. Hannah’s makeup is worth it.Want to see our logo? Subscribe to our Substack or our Youtube channel. Want to get access to the show? Become a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease for just $54 USD/year. Have questions about what's going on with our other to-be-launched show Gender Playground? Answers are in the Substack!Special thanks to Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle who wrote our theme song!Used by permission. All rights reserved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, we're joined by the incredible Leena Norms (she/her) to talk about Timothée Chalamet's latest venture: Wonka.This holiday blockbuster from director Paul King (Paddington, Paddington 2) made many people on the internet cringe even before it's release in mid December. It was notably in the *discourse* through memes and tweets that suggested Kylie Jenner perhaps got 'the ick' from Timmy's performance. The good news is that Marcelle, Hannah and Leena went to go see the movie opening weekend, so you don't have to! Unless, like Marcelle, you want to see it TWICE.In this conversation, Marcelle, Hannah and Leena discuss Netflix's collaboration with the Roald Dahl Story Company (and Taika Waititi's connection!), Dahl's legacy in Britain's cultural imagination, and the lengths studios go to keep his work relevant to new audiences despite the rampant fat phobia and antisemitism within his texts. They talk Noodle, the notable absence of chocolate from the film's marketing, the Jewish writers behind the script, and, of course, Hugh Grant the Oompa Loompa.To learn more about the research that went into today's episode, be sure to follow Witch, Please Productions on Substack at https://ohwitchplease.substack.com! And if you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.****Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Witch, Please Productions is on break for the holidays! Of course we still wanted to put some fun content out while we’re away from our computers, so we recorded a holiday bonus that features Gaby, Zoe, Hannah, Marcelle and Coach mostly speaking over one another while they attempt to play Material Pursuit — a game of trivia that Marcelle created by pulling on content from Material Girls and our previous show, Witch, Please. If you want to listen to the whole thing, you can! For free! Just head to patreon.com/ohwitchplease and you’ll see the UNLOCKED post. It’s titled: Merry-terial Girls: An Incomprehensible Holiday Bonus!Thank you so much for your support as we transitioned to our new show this year. We’re so excited for more Material Girls in 2024 — and a couple of fun surprises we have up our sleeves, too!Happy holidays!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of Marcelle's favorite books is The Night Circus, so she decided to be brave and do an entire episode about the best-selling fantasy novel by Erin Morgenstern. Why brave? Well because sometimes it's hard to think critically about something you love! We all know that. ;) This episode, Marcelle leads us through a quick chat about how the book was set up for success in 2011, followed by some theory about reading ecosystems from Book Was There: Reading in Electronic Times by Andrew Piper. And then, of course, she applies her brilliant mind to a brilliant thesis!If you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.****Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hit our fundraising goal for Palestine Children’s Relief Fund in October and this is the bonus episode we promised as a thank you for your support. As of today, you, our listening community, have raised $8900 — and our goal was $5000! That’s incredible and we’re so grateful for your resource sharing and messages of solidarity. This bonus episode is a conversation between Marcelle and Hannah about a paper Marcelle published in 2015 called Comic relief: the ethical intervention of 'Avodah 'Aravit (Arab Labor) in political discourses of Israel–Palestine. The text of the article available for you on our episode page at ohwitchplease.ca. You can read it by heading to our site, or just listen to Marcelle read the abstract in the opening part of the episode. Here is the direct link: https://www.ohwitchplease.ca/all-episodes/materialgirls-sitcomandreframingisraelpalestineAs a heads up, this paper was written in 2014 in response to anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism in North America. That racism wasn’t new in 2014, and it remains powerful and widespread today, amplified by the mainstream media’s dehumanizing portrayals of Palestinians in its coverage of the so-called “Israel-Hamas war.” Marcelle's conversation with Hannah is very much about that racism and that dehumanization; about the discourses that perpetuate dehumanizing stereotypes about Palestinians and Arabs. You may not have the spoons for this conversation right now, and that’s ok! It’ll be here for you when you’re ready, and you’re always welcome to pass the episode along to someone who’s looking for more information about the crisis.Thanks again for supporting Witch, Please Productions and our collective contribution to the urgently needed financial aid for Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. The link to contribute is here: https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/ohwitchplease. We'll be back next week with an episode about pop culture. ***Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.Show less Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At Material Girls, we’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of using social media for social change and what those calls imply about the role of social media in our collective imaginations. And so, in the spirit of always historicizing, we recorded this episode to look back on the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 and, specifically, to an online event known as Blackout Tuesday.If you were one of the people who posted a black square on your Instagram account — or someone who thought about it but didn't — this episode is for you! Hannah offers some really helpful insight pulling on Jia Tolentino's essay, "The I in Internet," the work of sociologist Irving Goffman, Montreal-based scholar Kelsey Blair and Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein. Together, Hannah and Marcelle dig into what it means that our social media tools, regardless of how they are used, are corporately-owned.To learn more about Hannah's research for this episode and to read Witch, Please Productions' statement on Israel and Palestine, head to https://ohwitchplease.substack.com/.And, if you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.****Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had to talk about Taylor Swift more — especially as so many of you had great comments, feedback and specific inquiries! We structured this bonus like our usual Patreon-only Q&A episodes, except this time we only answered questions you submitted about Ms. Taylor Allison Swift. We talk Gay-lore, billionaires, private jets, the Jets and holding many feelings at once.Part II of this bonus will be available on Patreon this week to all of our tiers! Join today for just $5 USD/month to get the rest of the conversation in your feed and for all the bonus perks we've already released! Head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease!And, if you liked this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in one week for a regular episode!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're so lucky to be joined this episode by Erin Keif (she/her) of the beloved Headgum podcasts Hey Riddle Riddle and Sitcom DnD. If you're a fan of Les Mis, or any musical, you'll appreciate this really special episode that covers Stuart Hall's theory of encoding/decoding, while also getting into the lyrics and musicality of the megamusical: Les Misérables. Hannah guides Marcelle and Erin through a history lesson that covers Thatcherite England and defunding of the arts in the 70s and 80s, while bringing her own relationship to Claude-Michel Schönberg's music and Alain Boublil's lyrics into the conversation. Erin, a musical enthusiast (among other things), brings some much-needed levity (as well as a catchphrase) to a discussion that touches on some more difficult themes including: death, parental loss, and violence against the oppressed. If you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Given last week's release of 1989 (Taylor's Version), we just had to have Swiftie and Tay-lore expert Margaret H. Willison (she/her) on the show to talk about one of the (if not THE) most influential pop stars of the last decade. We start with a conversation about Taylor as an artist and Margaret provides context to help us understand how and why Taylor's Eras Tour and the 10 studio albums that led to it have created such a buzz. Then Marcelle leads Hannah and Margaret through Lauren Berlant's theory of intimate publics with an eye towards the Swiftie fandom and Taylor's fluid feminist politic. We finish the episode with Marcelle's incredible thesis and a discussion about capitalism, what makes an icon and what might be next for Swift.Margaret H. Willison is a frequent guest on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, a freelance writer and cultural critic, and one of three women behind the beloved Substack Two Bossy Dames. She is a friend of the show and if you want to know more about her, you can find her @MrsFridayNext on Instagram!If you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is Star Wars so popular? What were the material conditions that set the first film, A New Hope, up for success in 1977? What can a Marxist critique help us understand about the film?In this episode, Marcelle leads Hannah through a conversation about one of her favorite franchises by first taking a close look at George Lucas's politics and the state of Hollywood in the 1970s. Marcelle and Hannah then think through the movie's seemingly progressive narrative — and the way it's been co-opted by people of all political views. Pulling on the work of Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, Marcelle offers a Marxist reading of the film's lasting legacy and asks: what is conservative about the film? How does the film work to undermine and/or reinforce the ideology of repressive state apparatuses?If you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we talk about Bridgerton with a very special guest — Vanessa Zoltan. We discuss Bridgerton the book series and its move into the mainstream through the Shondaland adaptation on Netflix. Vanessa gives us some insight on romance fiction as a genre and Hannah leads us through theory from Janice Radway's book Reading the Romance. If you like Romance novels and/or juicy television, this episode is for you! We think through the radical possibilities of romance reading, how we can make sense of certain recurring tropes and what we may learn from the rise in romance reading since 2020. Come for the theory, stay for Hannah saying Vanessa's life is a combination of "stern daddy" and "chaotic women." To learn more about Vanessa Zoltan, you can head to notsorryworks.com or vanessazoltan.com. If you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had to talk about Avatar more — especially James "horny for the ocean" Cameron. We structured this bonus like our usual Patreon-only Q&A episodes, except this time we only answered questions you submitted about Cameron's blockbuster hit. We talk colonialism, pony tails and doing whatever Coach tells us to! Thanks for submitting such thoughtful questions.Part II of this bonus will be available on Patreon this week to all of our tiers! Join today for just $5 USD/month to get the rest of the conversation in your feed and for all the bonus perks we've already released! Head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease!And, if you liked this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in one week for a regular episode!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you love James Cameron's Avatar upon its release in 2009? Have you since watched it and thought, huh, now what were we thinking 14 years ago? Were you critical of it from the start? Baffled by the public's interest in colonialism and hot blue aliens? Then this episode is for you.Tune in for a conversation about this beloved sci-fi blockbuster. Hannah leads Marcelle talk colonialism, sexism, marketing budgets and how the interests of white dude billionaires drives our reality. Together, they discuss Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin’s iconic 2000 book Remediation: Understanding New Media to better understand hypermediacy's role in this film's success. Ultimately, Hannah comes to some BIG conclusions about this movie and it's lasting impact on not just the zeitgeist, but also our literal planet earth. That's right! There are some pretty devastating ecological impacts of CGI and VFX — and in case you were wondering, yes, this episode is also a lesson on irony!If you like our show, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we’re asking why ‘goblin mode’ is so danged zeitgeist-y such that in 2022 it became the Oxford English Dictionary's Word of the Year. Joined by McKayla Coyle (they/them), author of Goblin Mode: How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck, we dig into the term that took twitter by storm last year. Hannah leads Marcelle and McKayla through a discussion on 'the abject,' a concept from Bulgarian-French feminist philosopher Julia Kristeva. We talk about the racialized and ableist construction of bodies and boundaries — and how that may help us understand the radical potential of going 'goblin mode.'To learn more about McKayla Coyle, check out their Instagram, Bookstagram, Spotify (particularly their 1D ultimate jams playlist) and their website https://www.mckaylacoyle.com/.If you like this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes the Fab Five so fab? In this episode, Hannah leads Marcelle through a discussion of contemporary masculinities and their commodification via pop culture! They talk neo-liberalism, self-care discourse and the interplay of Trump's rise to power and "reaching across the aisle" through entertainment. Hannah pulls on theory from the late Lauren Berlant for a lesson on intimate publics and 'cruel optimism.'This episode is for you if you:watched the original Queer Eye for the Straight Guyenjoy the reboot of Queer Eyehate the rebootthink Antoni is a hunkdon't think Antoni is a hunkcare about the commodification of progressive idealsIf you like this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had to talk about the Barbie movie! We structured this bonus like our usual Patreon-only Q&A episodes, only this time we only answered questions you submitted about Greta Gerwig's blockbuster hit. We talk mainstream feminism, satire, the limits and possibilities of camp, aesthetics and so much more! If you needed a hearty discussion about the movie after viewing it as a thinking person in 2023, then we have you covered! Thanks for submitting such thoughtful questions.Part II of this bonus is available on Patreon to all of our tiers! Join today for just $5 USD/month to hear the rest of the conversation! Head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease!And, if you liked this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!Note: Hope Rehak's Newsletter, mentioned in this episode, is called Obsessions This Week!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in one week for a regular episode!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had to talk about Barbie! This episode is all about Barbie dolls and way they took over the toy industry in the 90s. We've since recorded an episode about the movie which will be available on our Patreon in the coming weeks.For now, please enjoy this episode that touches on liberal feminism, petro-capitalism, the history of Big Plastic, Barbie (the metonym!) and so much more. Over the course of an hour, Marcelle leads Hannah through a theory-informed breakdown of why Barbie, created in 1959, had her biggest moment in the early 90s and how we might begin to make sense of discourse surrounding Greta Gerwig's blockbuster, Barbie — the movie.If you like this episode, please share it with family and friends! Word-of-mouth is the primary way we reach new listeners who are interested in feminist materialist critique, pop culture and laughing at and from within *the discourse.* Share the show today!***Material Girls is a new show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's here! Welcome to the first episode of Material Girls, a scholarly podcast about pop culture co-hosted by Hannah McGregor and Marcelle Kosman.This show aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.In this pilot episode, Marcelle leads us through a discussion of Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, and a mini lecture on tender masculinity. She pulls on theory from bell hooks, Robert Morrell, Chris Haywood and Thomas Johansson (among others) and ultimately makes a claim that Hannah dutifully picks apart — in a totally academic, non-bullying way!!!We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, be sure to check out all the bonus content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease!*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on thealbum “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Material Girls! A new show from the team behind the beloved podcast, Witch, Please. Every episode you'll get your pop culture fix with some academic theory added to the mix. Join feminist scholars Hannah McGregor and Marcelle Kosman for episodic dives into the zeitgeist. Together they ask the materialist question "why this, why now?" about books that are on everyone's nightstands, songs that are on rotation, movies that have captured Twitter discourse — and so much more. Subscribe to the feed and get ready for the pilot episode coming July 25th! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well Witches... we're here, at the end of Witch, Please the podcast. If you've been following us on Instagram, then you know that we are so grateful for the last eight seasons AND we're so excited for our new flagship show: Material Girls, a scholarly podcast about popular culture.You'll notice that, much like our usual Wrap Up episodes, this final episode is pure chaos. We were lucky enough to record this final Witch, Please episode in person which means what we lack in sound quality and coherence, we (hopefully) make up for in glee and games. Tune in for the giggles, stay for the Devastating Fun Facts™ and listen to the very end for a blooper Coach decided to keep in.We hope this is a fun episode for you but fear not, we'll be back in two weeks with **serious theory** in our pilot episode of Material Girls. And heads up! We're keeping our Witch, Please feed, so stay subscribed to be notified when Material Girls drops! If you're wondering about our other show, Gender Playground, you can head over to ohwitchplease.ca/gender-playground to learn more.AND if you want to be a part of this next chapter featuring more perks and more content than ever before, head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease to support Witch, Please Productions, feminist media for a radically* inclusive world. We need your support now more than ever!*fuck terfs we're taking back radical*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our final regular episode, we decided to revisit Fan Studies! We begin with a review of our episodes on Foucault and authorship, Michel de Certeau and the tactics of the disempowered, Jane Tompkins and circulation and Michael Warner's idea of discourse publics. Even though it's our last regular Witch, Please episode, don't be fooled, our Transfiguration segment is a HEADY one and Hannah leads us through mind-bending theory about affective economies and affective economics (two different things!!). If you like feminist theory, you'll love the discussion of Sara Ahmed's 2004 article “Affective Economies," and if you're a media theory nerd (which we suspect you may be...), you'll appreciate when Hannah brings Henry Jenkins into the mix to think about the relationship between media industries and fandoms.Ultimately, the conversation, inevitably, gets a bit meta and we apply our newly discovered/uncovered/learned theory to the test with a discussion about the changing face of the Harry Potter fandom, the fandom around Witch, Please the podcast and the radical possibilities AND limits of both.For this episode, we invited our Faculty Club to join in for OWLS so if you hear some unfamiliar voices and brains at work, that's why! Big shoutout to our Faculty Club (a high Patreon tier) for helping us with this last episode and for the financial support. You're why Coach has the hours to add so many sound effects. Hoot, hoot. ***Hey you! We're launching a new show called MATERIAL GIRLS! We've shared our first two episodes on Patreon to get the input of all our Patreon supporters as we develop the series which will launch this summer after we wrap up the Appendix Season. Join our Patreon today to listen to the first episode of our new show and to get access to a ton of audio perks like unedited audio, bloopers, comics, Q&As, and so much more! Become a supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. We need your help to start this next chapter of Witch, Please Productions! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're thrilled to share the pilot episode of Gender Playground!Gender Playground is a new show from Witch, Please Productions and is co-hosted by longtime friends Marcelle Kosman and Raimi Marx. This podcast is all about gender-affirming care for the kids in your life, and YOU are the intended audience! Whether you're a caregiver, parent, family-member, chosen-family-member, teacher, doctor, childcare professional, or just someone who wants to create a more loving world for kids, this show is for you!This first episode is about gender expression and gender euphoria. In it, Marcelle and Raimi talk about Marcelle's daughter playing dress up, Marcelle's desire to balance her daughter’s creative freedom and safety, and what caregivers can do to better expand their own imaginations around gender and self-expression within and beyond the binary.For more resources and information about today's topic(s), head to ohwitchplease.ca/gender-playground!Note: We briefly touch on the current panic around "permanence" and although we don't name the buzzword "detransition" in this episode, we are aware that it's used in mainstream discourse to limit access to gender-affirming and life-saving care for trans and nonbinary youth. We will touch on this topic more in the following episodes and we plan to dedicate a full episode to it once we can sustain the show past our mini-season.Until then, head to ohwitchplease.ca/gender-playground for some useful research on the low rate of detransition.Links to the Recommendations from Our Pilothttps://www.flamingorampant.com/https://jesslove.format.com/picture-bookshttps://booksaremagic.net/item/oh62l0dfkY5ldh2RwcbyWghttps://socialjusticebooks.org/sparkle-boy/https://modernrascals.ca/Heads up! We’re trying to reach $7000/month in Patreon support by August 1st to ensure the sustainability of this new podcast! We’ve produced a mini-season of four episodes to test whether there’s an audience for the show. With financial support from our listeners, we’ll be able to produce new episodes that continue tackling this complex issue from a place of joy and love.Join our Patreon today to get access to the following three episodes released over the next few weeks and to show your support of this show. Head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease, find a tier that works for your budget and DM us to let us know you joined in support of Gender Playground! Thanks for listening. We really hope you enjoy the show!Special thanks to the folks that made this episode and its accompanying resources happen: Reese Carr, Erik Magnus, Gaby Iori, Zoe Mix, Hannah McGregor, Hannah Rehak and AJ Jaramaz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, Hannah and Marcelle are joined by comedian and podcaster Ely Kreimendahl (she/her) for a discussion about shame, relationships, being adults and podcasting! If you haven't already fallen in love with Ely's show, Shame Spiral, check it out! Now is the time! We'll be back in two weeks with a regular Witch, Please episode that adds to the Appendix! Note: This conversation was recorded in February 2023!Enjoyed the episode? Get more bonus content just like it on Patreon! You can become a supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content include episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Nia (they/them) for a conversation about critical adoption studies — a field of scholarship that explores adoption as a legal, political, and economic institution that severs and creates familial bonds. We begin with a review of our episodes on motherhood, class, feminist literary theory, queer theory, critical race theory and the nation-state before heading into a chat about narratives of adoption. Through a closer look at the way Harry and Voldemort are both positioned as orphans with vastly different destinies, we consider how their unique relationships to kinship, motherhood and reproduction inform our understanding of them as a hero and a villain, respectively. ***HEY!!! We're launching a new show! We've shared our pilot on Patreon to get the input of all our Patreon supporters as we develop the series which will launch this summer after we wrap up the Appendix Season. Join our Patreon today to listen to the first episode of our new show and to get access to a ton of audio perks like unedited audio, bloopers, comics, Q&As, and so much more! Become a supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're so excited to be joined by Aubrey Gordon (she/her) for an episode about anti-fatness in the Harry Potter series. We begin with a quick review of disability studies, monstrosity, and sentimentality before jumping into a conversation about anti-fatness, body positivity and fat liberation. Aubrey is the co-host of (beloved podcast) Maintenance Phase and the author of What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat and "You Just Need to Lose Weight" and 19 Other Myths About Fat People. With her help, we talk about the relationship between eugenics, white supremacy, mass media (specifically young adult fiction) and anti-fatness as it shows up in our relationships, the books we read, our political landscape and beyond.If you've been waiting for us to do a deep-dive on Dudley, then this episode is for you! What can we make of his forced dieting throughout the series? What ideology underpins the characterization of Petunia as it relates to her son's weight? Why do we read Molly Weasley's parenting differently? We also discuss Hagrid, Madame Maxime and Horace Slughorn as they align with familiar stereotypes of fat people. We love Aubrey and we figure you're already a super-fan! Still, it's worth noting that if you want more Aubrey you can learn more about her at her website, check her out on Twitter or Instagram, read her books, and listen to her incredible podcast with Michael Hobbes, Maintenance Phase.***HEY YOU! We're launching a new show! We've shared our pilot on Patreon to get the input of all our Patreon supporters as we develop the series which will launch this summer after we wrap up the Appendix Season. Join our Patreon today to listen to the first episode of our new show and to get access to a ton of audio perks like unedited audio, bloopers, comics, Q&As, and so much more! Become a supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As you know, we love to laugh! That's why we were thrilled when a brilliant listener, Dix McDevitt (she/her), pitched us an episode about giggling in the Harry Potter series. In Revisions, we talk through Disability Studies, Queer Theory and Trans Studies to prepare for a framework devised by Dix herself about diegetic, semi-diegetic and non-diegetic laughter. Intrigued? You should be! This episode made Coach gasp in awe many times over and had Hannah and Marcelle laughing even more than usual. Tune in for a conversation about Harry's various responses to all kinds of laughter — and his particular distaste for giggling girls.Did you know that we're launching a new show? WELL WE ARE! We've shared a pilot on Patreon to get the input of all our Patreon supporters as we develop the new show! Have strong opinions? Know what you like in a podcast? Want to help us co-create the next iteration of our show? JOIN TODAY and you can be part of that dialogue AND you can get access to a ton of audio perks like unedited audio, bloopers, comics, Q&As, and so much more! Become a supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We said we would and so we did! Here is our episode on l'auteur! In this episode, Marcelle leads us through a brief Revisions segment because there is just too much to get into! We talk ideology, discourse, structuralism, celebrity and capitalism before heading into a chat about two dead French guys (Barthes and Foucault) and 'the death of the author." Then in Owls we put our theory to work as we think through J.K. Rowling's presence in the circulation of the Harry Potter series and the way new technologies of publishing have changed the scope of her "author function."If thinking about "the author" makes you crave a great way to say fuck transphobia and transphobes, please donate to our fundraiser for Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre — an organization that's been directly affected by JKR's transphobia. You can find the link here and on our website ohwitchplease.ca. We're halfway to our goal of $5000 by April 30th. We can do it with your help!Also, did you know that we're launching a new show? WELL WE ARE. We've been talking about it a bit over on Patreon and that's where you should go if you want to be totally clued in to the happenings at Witch, Please. But, to give you a taste, here's what you need to know: We're launching two pilots in the next month on our Patreon to get the input of all our Patrons regarding which show we should keep making! Have strong opinions? Know what you like in a podcast? Want to help us co-create the next iteration of our show? JOIN TODAY and you can be part of that conversation AND you can get access to a ton of audio perks like unedited audio, bloopers, comics, Q&As, and so much more! Become a supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, Marcelle is joined by Michelle Thompson to discuss Hogwarts Legacy! If you've been curious about this game and the shitstorm surrounding it, think of this convo as your primer! We'll be back in two weeks to add to our Appendices. If you want more of Michelle, check out her podcast Never Was a Gamer! If you want to watch Stephanie Sterling's full video about Hogwarts Legacy, check it out here!Enjoyed the episode? Get more bonus content just like it on Patreon! You can become a supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content include episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we bring in a guest, Niki Fitzgerald (she/her), to talk about Witch Hunts. Niki is an NHS doctor specialising in Care of the Elderly and General Internal Medicine. She has recently completed her Masters in Applied Medical Humanities and her dissertation was titled Is Medicine Obsolete? An Abolitionist Feminist Reimagining with Flourishing and Care. Niki joins us for a rich conversation about the shift from feudalism to capitalism which corresponded with the Witch Hunts of the 16th and 17th century. She gives us some really helpful new context to better understand the long history of female subjugation — and some new tools for making sense of Wendelin the Weird from the Wizarding World! If you liked our episodes on Class, Magical Capital, Feminist Theory and the Nation State, you will love this episode!Longtime listener? Help us produce this show by supporting us on Patreon! You can become a supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content include episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to our Appendix Season — a chance to look at the Harry Potter series as a whole.In this episode we bring in a guest, Andrea Dara Cooper (she/her), to talk about Holocaust Studies. Andrea is Associate Professor and Leonard and Tobee Kaplan Scholar in Modern Jewish Thought and Culture at UNC-Chapel Hill — and she is the author of Gendering Modern Jewish Thought (Indiana University Press, 2021). Tune in for a conversation about the function of allegory in Harry Potter. When does it work in this series? When does it fall short? What are the political implications of relying on the Holocaust to make new meaning in a fantasy world both chock full of stereotypes and severely lacking in diversity? If you enjoyed our episodes on Animal Studies, Eugenics, and Werewolves as Metaphor (just to name a few!), this is required listening!Note: Hannah's computer crashed while recording so we apologize for the poor quality of her sound! Help us produce this show by supporting us on Patreon! You can become a supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content include episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our Appendix Season — a chance to look at the Harry Potter series as a whole. To kick it off, we're revisiting Sentimentality with a deep dive into Beth Driscoll’s book The New Literary Middlebrow! "But middlebrow is not synonymous with sentimentality?!??!" That's right, but by halfway through this episode you'll understand why Hannah had to bring in Driscoll's writing for a broader conversation about the appeal and mainstream success of the Harry Potter series. If you liked our previous episodes on Sentimentality and Eugenics, you'll love this first-ever Appendix Season episode! Start this season off right and join our Patreon! You can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content include episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're on a break! Please enjoy this episode of #WitchPleaseTellMe, a monthly Patreon perk we're sharing with you in between seasons! We'll be back in two weeks with our first episode of Season 8, "The Appendix Season." Until then, please enjoy a rambling, fun and chaotic episode featuring the entire Witch, Please Team (Hannah, Marcelle, Coach, Zoe and Gaby). You'l hear all about our plan for Season 8, along with way too many intimate details about everyone's relationship to parasociality (other stuff, too!)If you like this episode, hop over to Patreon and become a supporter for just $5/month to hear the rest! If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. For access to our transcripts, visit ohwitchplease.ca. To stay in touch, follow us everywhere @ohwitchplease. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we wrap up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and thus Season Seven of Witch, Please. We talk about Hermione and Ron's sex life in Granger Danger and the history of white wedding dresses in Lewk Book. And, of course, we round out the episode with Marcelle's Devastating Fun Facts TM. This may be the end of Season Seven. but don't fret. We're going to be back in a few weeks for our eighth season (still about Harry Potter) that we've affectionately and aptly titled "The Appendix Season." Listen to the episode to hear more about what we have planned (hint: lots of special guests!). As always, you can become a Patreon Supporter for more perks and bonus content. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. For access to our transcripts, visit ohwitchplease.ca. To become a Patreon supporter head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease.To stay in touch, follow us everywhere @ohwitchplease. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'll be back in two weeks for our final Season 7 Wrap-Up Episode, but this week we're sharing a bonus interview from Patreon. We were so honored to have been joined by Kiana and Vicky in December for a conversation about Women for Iran (formerly Women for Liberty of Iran) an organization comprised of Iranian women supporting the people of Iran from the UK. In this conversation, Kiana and Vicky answer Hannah and Marcelle's questions (ones you may have, too) about the state of the protests in Iran, what context we need to understand the ongoing revolution, why the death of Mahsa Amini marked a turning point for the movement and how we might be able to support the ongoing fight for justice.Please take a listen and be sure to follow @WomenForIran on Insta and Twitter! For more information about Women for Iran, you can click here. Kiana also recommends this Twitter account and this news outlet for updates. Note: This episode was recorded in early December. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're finally here, Witches — at our long-awaited House Elves episode. We've been talking about Dobby, Kreacher, Winky and the general house elf population for so many seasons and we finally have a perfect guest joining us for discussion. Jessica Marie Johnson (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Johns Hopkins University and a Fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Studies at Harvard University. She is also the Director of LifexCode: Digital Humanities Against Enclosure. Jessica is a historian of Atlantic slavery and the Atlantic African diaspora. She is the author of Wicked Flesh: Black Women, Intimacy, and Freedom in the Atlantic World, and, if you believe it, she used to babysit Coach!If you're a longtime listener of the show, please consider becoming a Patron before the New Year. We're hoping to reach 1000 patrons by January 1st and we're really close! For just $2 USD/month you can help us pay our producer, our apprentice, ourselves, our website costs, etc. Patreon support is simply what what makes producing this show possible. If you find yourself with a spare $24 this year, we'd be really grateful for your financial support. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, please leave us a review instead! Reviews help more listeners find us and that's a huge help! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wise words of Lizzo, it's about damn time! Our latest episode is all about Sentimentality, an 18th century philosophical intervention that emerged in opposition to rationality. Hannah (whose recent book, A Sentimental Education, is all about this topic) guides the episode. We revisit our discussions on Orientalism, Animal Studies and Print Culture, before jumping into an overview of what Sentimentalism is all about— and how we might read Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows as a novel written in that literary tradition.If you like thinking about character development, intersectional feminism and the power (or lack thereof) of the written word, then this episode is for you! We also get a little meta and think through how books become sentimental for a reader. For example, how a series about friendship and the fight between good and evil inspires two lady scholars to make an entire podcast about it for a dedicated listenership of people 25 years after it was first published. Just as an example!!If you're a longtime listener of the show, please consider becoming a Patron this time of year! We're hoping to reach 1000 patrons by January 1st and we're really close. For just $2 USD/month you can help us pay our producer, our apprentice, ourselves, our website costs, etc. It is truly what makes producing this show possible. If you find yourself with a spare $24 this year, we'd be really grateful for your financial support. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, please leave us a review instead! Reviews help more listeners find us and that's a huge help! We have aa lot planned for the New Year (including merch now available on our website ohwitchplease.ca), so be sure to follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected.Special thanks to our Witch, Please team: Gaby Iori, Erik Magnus, Zoe Mix, and Hannah Rehak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re taking a little break to gear up for the holiday season. So instead of enjoying a regular episode, please enjoy this episode of Comfort Creatures, a podcast hosted by Ella McLeod and Alexis B. Preston. Comfort Creatures is a show from Maximum Fun — the folks who brought you classic podcasts like My Brother, My Brother and Me, Still Buffering, The Adventure Zone and many others. In this show, Ella and Alexis bring on guests to chat about pet ownership and the power of furry friends! We were lucky enough to be guests on Comfort Creatures back in August and we had such a good time. Of course, that means we talked for far too long and so the episode was broken up into two episodes.This is Part One. After the episode if you want to hear Part Two, head over to their show feed wherever you catch your podcasts and check it out.We’ll be back in two weeks for another episode about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.To support the show, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for extra perks and bonus content including episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected.Special thanks to our Witch, Please team: Gaby Iori, Erik Magnus, Zoe Mix, and Hannah Rehak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into eugenics, a nineteenth-century pseudosciences that justified a lot of racist, ableist, and generally violent oppressive behaviours. We review our conversations about class, critical race theory, disability, neurodivergence, and trauma from our episodes with K. Alex, Jess Battis, Tea Garbeza, Lucia Lorenzi, and Addie Merians, before taking a close look at Cecily Devereux's Growing a Race: Nellie McClung and the Fiction of Eugenic Feminism. Tune in OR skip this one if that would be better for you! Take care of yourself first! We'll be back in two weeks with another episode about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.To support the show, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for extra perks and bonus content including episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected.Special thanks to our Witch, Please team: Gaby Iori, Erik Magnus, Zoe Mix, and Hannah Rehak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Potts is back to talk about resurrection! We first revisit theory Matt introduced to us last season on our episode about "the soul" and then consider the nature of Harry's death in the Deathly Hallows. What can we make of Harry's sacrifice? The scene in King's Cross? The conviction of the series and... (Matt said it first...!) the conviction of the New Testament! Tune in for an episode about zombies, Jesus, and Harry Potter.To support the show, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for extra perks and bonus content including episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected.Special thanks this week to AJ Jaramaz (who edited this episode) along with our Witch, Please team: Gaby Iori, Erik Magnus, Zoe Mix, and Hannah Rehak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with a new episode on New Media! To begin, we revisit Print Culture, Critical Archival Studies and the work of Canadian theorist Marshall McLuhan before jumping into a conversation about the phonograph! Well, kind of... We take a look at Lisa Gitelman’s book Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture, to better understand how new technologies are normalized and made familiar such that we forget information is being mediated at all. We talk about Potterwatch radio, Dumbledore's deluminator, horcruxes, patronuses and more while taking a very close look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.To support the show, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for extra perks and bonus content including episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey Witches! We'll be back on Tuesday with our regularly scheduled episodes, but we thought we'd give you the promised sneak peek at Hannah's new book A Sentimental Education. On September 22, Hannah launched her book at Iron Dog Books through a conversation with Minelle Mahtani (Associate Professor at the Institute for Social Justice at UBC) and Lucia Lorenzi (artist and recovered academic). In this bonus episode, you'll find that conversation as well as a sneak peek of the audiobook version of A Sentimental Education (which is now available on Kobo). If you'd like to learn more about Hannah's writing, you can check out her website hannahmcgregor.com or head over to your local bookseller to scoop a copy of A Sentimental Education! You can always order it online as well anywhere you find books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maia Kobabe (e/em/eir) has been censored enough! We're putting this exclusive bonus interview out to the public because it was just so dang fun to record and Maia is a true gem who deserves as big an audience as we can give em. We'll be back with regular episodes in two weeks (October 18th).If you don't already know Maia, e is the author of Gender Queer and the brilliant mind behind other zines, comics, and social commentary sprinkled throughout the internet. You may recognize Maia from Instagram, Tumblr, or from the loud and constant conservative backlash around eir memoir since its publication in 2019. As you'll hear in this bonus interview, Maia is a gift to the fan communities e occupies — and e is a fan of our show (which is just a really nice thing we get to talk about a bit). To get to know Maia better, check out eir book reviews on Goodreads and Storygraph. Or take a look at eir work on Patreon and Tumblr. Happy listening and a very happy belated Banned Books Week! What a way for us to celebrate! We're honored!If you want more Patreon exclusive content, become a supporter here for as little as $21.60/year: patreon.com/ohwitchplease Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We continue our journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with another special guest, Erin Wunker! Erin is a settler scholar and an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Dalhousie University in Halifax Nova Scotia. She is the author of Notes from a Feminist Killjoy: Essays on Everyday Life and the forthcoming Routledge Introduction to 20th and 21st Century Canadian Poetry. She join us for this episode to talk about mothers in the Harry Potter series! We discuss how motherhood has been constructed over the last few centuries and what we can learn from the characterization of Petunia Dursley, Molly Weasley, and Lily Potter. We also think through subversive modes of motherhood and representations of care throughout the book, looking at Hagrid in particular.To support the show, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for extra perks and bonus content including episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We continue our journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with a special guest, Shira Lurie! Shira joins us to discuss historical memory in the Wizarding World. We're talking statues, stories, memorials and archives. If you enjoyed our episodes on Critical Archival Studies, Chosen One Narratives, Hauntology and Life Writing, then you'll love this episode! You can follow Shira Lurie on Twitter @ShiraLurie.Help us kick off Season 7 by joining our Patreon! You can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content include episodes, interviews, bloopers, comics, merch and more. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.