How Do You Like It So Far?: My Ten Favorite Episodes
/How Do You Like It So Far?: My Ten Favorite Episodes
Two and a half years ago, Colin Maclay (the head of the Annenberg Innovation Lab) and I began to experiment with podcasting, seeking to tap our networks of contacts (fans, activists, journalists, critics, industry insiders, and academics) to provide some commentary on popular culture in a changing world.
We called it How Do You Like It So Far? as a provocation -- initially seeking comments on our experiment but later, asking us to reflect on the choices we are making about the nature of contemporary culture and politics. We’ve produced these podcasts using the facilities of the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and working with teams of student producers.
Our initial model had clusters of episodes focused on specific releases (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Black Panther, Ready Player One) but we soon decided that we wanted to do a series of one-off episodes reflecting on a broader range of topics. Sometimes, we’ve done a cluster of related topics -- such as a series on the importance of getting more cultural critics of color or an ongoing focus on the nature of podcasting as a medium. Our most popular episodes have often dealt with popular culture outside the United States, reflecting the reality that we have a solid transnational listenership.
I wanted to take this occasion to celebrate, belatedly, our 50th episode, and to share with my blog readers some of my favorite episodes. I’ve restricted myself to ten which I felt reflect the range of what the podcast tries to do, but it’s painful to stop here since there’s so many great conversations that I did not include. My hope is that this list may entice you to try something and you will stick around for more.
Understanding Comics with Scott McCloud
This is the first of a series on comics, Here, McCloud, who has been a key figure in comics studies for almost three decades, takes us on an expert guided tour of the medium, its history, and how it is changing in response to shifts in technology, audience demographics, and industry practices. I will be honest: we geeked out a little on this one, but the conversation stays lively and accessible throughout.
The Great Eastern with Howard Rodman
Howard Rodman wrote an amazing book, which remixes Jules Verne and Herman Melville, This episode ended up a celebration of the late 19th century novel, but more than that, a reflection about the choices artists make about what to preserve from the past and which statues need to be knocked off their basel
Memes to Movements with An Xiao Mina
Memes are being deployed as a tool for political and cultural expression world-wide and this conversation took a global approach, comparing meme culture in China and the United States, discussing why cat memes are so popular and why goat memes are on the rise.
Radicalized with Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow is a science fiction writer, but he’s also a policy wonk, a new media activist, and a blogger. Be forewarned that this episode will make your head explode as his thoughts shoot out in all directions, starting with his recent collection of short stories, Radicalized.
Exploring the Dark Fantastic with Ebony Thomas
Ebony Thomas thinks about the stories we tell our children about race. She cares deeply about an imagination gap as some children enter worlds full of magic and others remain trapped in harsh realities. This episode is full of insights for parents and teachers, but also for writers and publishers, about the importance of fantasy and dreaming for all children.
Taking Risks: Comedy as a Tool for Social Justice
Caty Baroom Chattou and I met through the production of this episode, which we recorded in the basement of the Library of Congress. From her start working with Norman Lear to her recent partnership with Hasan Minaj, she shares her experience bringing comedians and activists together to think about how to use jokes to help change the world.
Critics of Color with Eric Deggans
This was the culmination of a series we recorded about the shortage of cultural critics of color to help interpret and advocate for the more diverse and inclusive mediascape we all hope to see. Eric Deggans, NPR’s television critic and fellow member of the Peabody jury, describes his role as a critic who has written about music and television and who has sometimes struggled with the ethics of when he should say bad things about minority artists.
Emily Andras, Mauren Ryan and Louisa Stein on Fans, Producers, and Queer Bating
This episode started with an email from a listener who wanted to weigh in about “queer baiting,” the practice of producers stringing along fans with promises of ships that are never going to arrive. To address her question, we pulled together a producer, a critic, and a academic, all of them fans, all of them passionate about the best way to build and sustain fan followings around cult programs.
Hye Jin Lee and Cristina Visperas on the Global Fandom of Hip Hop
More and more of my students are passionate about K-pop, and not simply those who come from Korea or its neighboring countries. Curious to learn more, Colin and I invited two of our USC colleagues who know a lot about this genre of music and the fan cultures that have grown up around it. This became one of the most popular episodes of the show ever.
Black Panther, Comics, and the History of Marvel
We invited comics critics Ramzi Fawaz and Rebecca Wanzo to come together and share their reflections on Black Panther, then newly released. The two barely stopped for breath as they reflected on what made this Marvel movie such a game-changer and how it fits within the larger history of the superhero genre.
Ahmed Best on Race and Star Wars
Our very first episode remains one of our favorites as Ahmed Best (the actor who played Jar Jar Binks) shares his thoughtful and informed reflections on the history of racial politics in and around Star Wars.
We continue to produce one episode a week when classes are in session. There’s a lot more where this comes from. Check us out and let us know how you like it so far.
