Pop Syllabus

If you’re a Swiftie, this episode is for you.

Today, Christiana sits down with professor and author Misty Heggeness to break down her book Swiftnomics and how Taylor Swift turned fandom into a $4 billion touring empire, and what it reveals about consumption, influence, and the rise of a new economic model led by women.

Misty’s website: https://www.mistyheggeness.com/ 

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00:42 Meet Misty Heggeness

04:07 Swiftynomics and studying Taylor Swift as an economic muse 

09:20 How do we scale swiftynomics? 

11:13 Women creating space for other women 

15:08 Swiftnomics vs. Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” movement 

18:00 “Pearl clutchers” vs. “granolas” 

20:00 Women leaving the workforce and being economically sidelined 

31:44 “Masterminding” the systems

36:08 Hoarding wealth 

42:45 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

49:40 The future of Swiftynomics 
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Like, why did the “Valley Girl” become America’s favorite punchline?

Today, Christiana sits down with journalist and author, Koa Beck, to talk about how the Valley Girl stereotype took off in pop culture, why it has been so misunderstood, and how it reflects America’s bigger anxieties about young women and femininity that still shape how we see them today.

Follow Koa: Instagram 

Subscribe to Koa’s Substack

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00:28 The Valley

01:25 Defining the “Valley Girl”

05:03 Valley speak and the valley girl accent

08:10 From the valley girl to the modern day influencer

17:35 The history of the Valley Girl

24:31 Why the trope of the “Valley Girl” is white 

26:44 Why the valley stereotypes are associated with girls

31:00 How the concept of the “Valley Girl” became negative

40:00 The Valley Girl and sex 

44:29 The Valley Girl and influencer culture

48:19 The future of the Valley Girl
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Colorism isn’t new. It’s the curse embedded in Hollywood’s DNA.

Today, Christiana sits down with scholar-activist Dr. Yaba Blay to unpack how colorism operates behind the scenes of pop culture, why lighter skin is still centered, and how these hierarchies shape everything from stardom to self-worth.

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00:37 Defining “colorism”

03:30 The relativity of colorism 

06:04 How colorism functions in Hollywood 

08:15 A history of colorism and skin bleaching 

12:50 Gender bias and colorism in entertainment 

17:02 Beyonce and colorism in the music industry 

28:40 Moments that feel like societal shifts

33:00 How skin bleaching has transformed 

37:00 Understanding the context around why people bleach their skin 

42:55 Hair trends among Black women 

51:00 Questioning society and capitalism (not just the individual) 

54:20 What choices can we make in light of colorism?
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Looksmaxxing is the internet’s latest male self-improvement trend — where your jawline is a strategy and your face is a project.

Today, Christiana sits down with Associate Professor of Sociology at Dalhousie University, Dr. Michael Halpin, to explain what looksmaxxing really is, why cosmetic surgeries are on the rise, and how this corner of the Manosphere is reshaping masculinity and the way men see women.

Dr. Michael’s research on looksmaxxing: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hn3HDozK8_GMWOVtv3do3joZ4Guyxlpp/view 

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03:35 Defining “looksmaxxing”

09:45 Who is looksmaxxing? 

11:00 Lookism and why boys and men are looksmaxxing 

14:50 How looksmaxxing and its harmful impacts are spreading beyond the manosphere

20:42 The PSL scale 

24:40 How looksmaxxers and incels are subcultures within the manosphere

40:38 What can be done to stop harmful looksmaxxing 

44:00 Looksmaxxing as an emerging health crisis
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Almost a year later, Sinners is still unforgettable, and Wunmi Mosaku’s Annie stole our hearts. But behind the performance was a woman navigating first-time motherhood, career crossroads, and big life choices. 

On today’s episode, Christiana talks to Oscar-nominated Wunmi about her maternity brand Iyadé, self care, and lessons from a career-defining role.

Wunmi’s maternity brand’s website:.iyadebywunmi.com

Follow Wunmi on Instagram: @wunmimosaku

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00:36 Wunmi’s Oscar nomination

03:40 “Sinners” and how playing Annie changed Wunmi’s life 

08:40 Why Annie resonates with audiences 

14:57 Loving yourself 

18:45 Wunmi’s Golden Globe pregnancy announcement 

24:04 Creating Iyadé, a maternity clothing brand 

29:55 Being careful about who and what you invite in 

38:43 Admiring Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan’s acting

42:35 Self care 
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