Pop Culture Confidential

We love it when Erik Anderson (Editor-in-Chief of Awardswatch.com) joins us to talk about all the latest news! This week we talk about Christopher Nolans ’Tenet’, cancelled premieres and possible international release. And it’s a great year for documentaries: we talk about a few that have really moved us: ‘John Lewis: Good Trouble’, ‘Disclosure’ and ‘Welcome to Chechnya’. PLUS what going on with celebrities in quarantine? We we wonder about the #FreeBritney movement and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith discuss the state of their marriage at their Red Table. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An exclusive hour with actor Brian Cox! Mr Cox joins us to talk about his incredible portrayal of Logan Roy on HBO’s Succession, who he jokingly calls his “evil twin”. We go deep into the making of the show, his thoughts on Logans motivations, emotional scenes with Jeremy Strong and much more. Plus Mr Cox childhood, background and prolific career in roles such as Hannibal Lecktor in Manhunter and Robert McKee in Adaptation. And of course what he knows about Succession season 3! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Sam Feder joins us to talk about his critically acclaimed documentary 'DISCLOSURE: Trans Lives on Screen', streaming now on Netflix! The doc looks at transgender representations in film, television and media through interviews with trans actors, artists and activists including Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Jen Richards and Chaz Bono. A history filled with with stereotypes, tropes, heartbreak, bravery, and progress Sam Feder talks to Christina about trans representation through Hollywood history (from DW Griffith, to Ace Ventura, The Crying Game, to Pose) , working with an almost all trans crew, the paradox of visibility, his thoughts on J.K Rowlings' anti trans sentiments and how she should really see Disclosure and so much more. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erik Anderson, chief editor of Awardswatch.com, joins us again to bring us up to date on the ever changing industry news, the Oscar date changes and new rules. Plus some of the summers hottest movie premieres: Da 5 Bloods, Shirley and The King of Staten Island. And what’s going on with Chris Nolans Tenet? All this and more, listen now! Erik Anderson twitter @awards_watch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award winning host, author and executive producer Padma Lakshmi joins us this week! We talk about her excellent new documentary series 'Taste the Nation' (Hulu). Here she takes us on a journey across the US exploring the diverse food culture of various immigrant groups the shape America. Padma Lakshmi also talks to us about her own story, her mother who left India for NYC and how this has shaped her, living an honest life, Top Chef and so much more. Join us! Taste the Nation premiers on Hulu , June 18th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are thrilled to welcome Karina Longworth to the show! Longworth is the creator and host of the now iconic podcast 'You Must Remember This'. Her excellent new season is called ‘Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman’ about the interesting and huge life of the Oscar nominated production designer, writer and producer Polly Platt. In our interview we talk about Polly Platt’s unfinished memoir, Platt’s marriage to and collaboration with Peter Bogdanovich, who had an affair with Cybill Sheperd during the filming of The Last Picture Show, and how Platt resonates in the industry much more than she has ever been given credit for. Also about Karina Longworths road to starting You Must remember This, how reporting on Hollywood is broken and so much more twitter @RememberThisPod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Deggans, media analyst (NPR/NBC) and author of ‘Race-Baiter: How The Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation’ joins us to talk about yet another case of police brutality that has shocked the world, Trumps response and a system that allows for racism and violence to keep happening. You will find Mr Deggans article “A Tale of Two Videos: Why the Images of George Floyd Dying Broke the Nation” here; https://ericdeggans.tumblr.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erik Anderson, chief editor of Awardswatch.com, joins us for a summer movie preview! 2020, a very uncertain summer in the midst of the Corona pandemic BUT hopefully it can bring us a whole bunch of interesting and anticipated movies, both to VOD and in theaters! Will Christopher Nolan save the summer by being the first to open wide on July 17th? Spike Lee's trailer for Da 5 Bloods looks great! The Hamilton movie out a full year early. What can we expect to see, what will be pushed. And what about the rumors that the Oscars will be postponed?! All this and more, listen now! Erik Anderson twitter @awards_watch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Oscar nominated director and executive producer Lenny Abrahamson (Frank, Room, The Little Stranger) joins us to talk about his critically acclaimed and audience beloved series Normal People, an adaptation of the Sally Rooney novel. We talk about young love, sexual consent, the intimacy between the characters , the controversy, a possible continuation of Marianne and Connell's story and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The man, the myth, The Jesus! Actor/writer/director John Turturro joins us to talk about his new movie ‘The Jesus Rolls’! As well as creating the iconic character with the Coen brothers, about the underachievers, the dreamers, the ‘passione’ and so much more. From 'Do the Right Thing' ,'Barton Fink', to 'Quiz Show’  and 'The Big Lebowski’  Mr Turturro has brought to life some of the most memorable characters in cinema history. On TV he starred in 'The Night Of 'and most recently as Rabbi Bengelsdorf  in Davids Simons' HBO miniseries  'The Plot Against America' based on the Philip Roth novel.  'The Jesus Rolls' premieres in Sweden on May 8th and is available to rent or buy on VOD in the US Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Screenwriter, playwright and five time BAFTA award winner Jack Thorne joins us to talk about his new Netflix series ‘The Eddy’, directed by Academy Award winner Damien Chazelle. Also, how E.T. impacted his writing and life, writing the smash hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for the stage, his process, crossing all genres, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief of Awardswatch.com, joins us for a special update and a break down of the new rules presented by the Academy! This Oscar year the Academy will allow VOD releases to qualify while major theaters are closed, they are changing the rules on awards campaigning, combining the two sound categories and more! Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Director Jason Hehir joins us to talk about “The Last Dance” his series that, this week, became the most in-demand documentary in the world! “The Last Dance” is a brilliant deep dive into  Michael Jordan,  the Chicago Bulls' dynasty and the final championship season in 1997-98. It features never before seen footage and exclusive interviews with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, coach Phil Jackson, Magic Johnson, Presidents Obama and Clinton and many more. Airing on @ESPN and @NETFLIX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Deggans, TV critic and media analyst at NPR joins us to talk about the state of television in the Corona age. Netflix stunning growth, how the broadcasters are fairing, the “at home” format like 'SNL at home', the shutdowns and what to expect going forward. Plus what we should be watching now, his best tips, the Michael Jordan doc series The Last Dance, the incredible season of Better Call Saul, Bad Education starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney and more. Twitter @Deggans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Icon Holland Taylor joins us this week! Ms Taylor has a long career in the theatre and on Broadway. She’s starred in films like ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘Legally Blonde’ and on television in shows like ‘Bosom Buddies’ with Tom Hanks, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and she won an Emmy for her role on ‘The Practice’.  Recently we saw her in Jay Roachs’ ‘Bombshell’. Now she's starring in Ryan Murphys, much awaited, new Netflix series ‘Hollywood' as studio exec Ellen Kincaid. The cast also includes Broadway icon Patti LuPone, Darren Criss and Queen Latifah. Producer Janet Mock recently described the show like this:  "HOLLYWOOD is a love letter to our little industry town where dreamers dwell, stars are born, and magic transcends reality.” ‘Hollywood’ premieres on Netflix May 1st, 2020 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the award winning Italian journalist Alessio Lasta reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic,  in Northern Italy, is like nothing he has ever done before. It's like fighting a war with an invisible enemy,  he says. Mr. Lasta is the the Milano based correspondent for the weekly, political talk show "Piazzapulita" on channel La7,  one of the most viewed talk shows in Italy. His reports from inside the intensive care units were seen in Italy and around the world, and they changed the perception of the Covid 19 pandemic In our conversation we talk about how, and when, he first started to realize that the pandemic had overwhelmed the region, the personal stories he has encountered, how he works, the lockdown, Italy’s phase-2 and how the stories he has reported on have affected him tremendously. Alessio Lasta has reported for Rai and Mediaset. He has reported on the Italian bank crisis, right wing extremism and is the author of the book "La più bella. La Costituzione tradita. Gli italiani che resistono", published

Journalist and author Chris Smith (Vanity Fair, NyMag) joins us to discuss Trumps press briefings, his claims to have “total authority” and his relationship to the media during the Corona pandemic. Plus , Mr Smith has followed and written extensively about NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and talks about his background, his relationship to Trump and how he is handling the crisis. Chris Smith is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair, New York Magazine and his recent book, The Daily Show (The Book), is a New York Times Bestseller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We had the best time talking to actor Steve Schirripa (Sopranos, Blue Bloods) who played one of our favorite characters on The Sopranos, Bobby ‘Baccala’ Baccalieri; the big hearted wise-guy, Uncle Juniors caretaker who later married Tony Soprano’s sister Janice. In the conversation Mr Schirripa takes us back to filming the first scene with the the great James Gandolfini and the rest of the crew, how Bobby changed over the arc of the series, creator David Chase attention to detail and and how he found out about Bobbys death. And, about his new podcast! Sopranos co-stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa host the definitive Sopranos re-watch podcast. More info here: www.talkingsopranos.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We had such a great conversation with actor, writer, theatre director and arts educator Arian Moayed! We talked about Mr Moayed's background, acting and healing through the arts and, of course, his terrific performance as Stewy Hosseini on HBO's ‘Succession’… SO many great Succession stories, it will blow your minds!  Behind the scenes of the show, great anecdotes, and good tales of Stewy and the dysfunctional Roy family! The Iranian born, Chicago bred, Tony nominated Arian Moayed (The Humans, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) is the co-co-founder of Waterwell, multimedia theater company that also teaches drama to hundreds of public school students in the New York area. He will star in Shonda Rhimes upcoming Netflix series ‘Inventing Anna’ and, of course, ‘Succession’ season 3 BONUS!!!! On PCC Premium this week 10 minutes of bonus material; an extra deep dive into a Succession scene with Arian Moayed! Become a member here: popcultureconfidential.supportingcast.fm Thanks for your support! Learn more abo

On this episode Christina Jeurling Birro and Erik Anderson (AwardsWatch) discuss some big industry news during these hard pressed and ever changing times: China reopened, then quickly shut down the countries movies theaters, the new landscape of television that’s on the internet and more. We talk about how New York Governor Cuomo’s press briefings are striking a nerve. And what else are we watching and looking forward to? From the entertaining new show Making The Cut/Project Runway, to the excellent season three of Ozark to the new series Tales from the Loop. Plus we take a real deep dive into the Netflix doc everyone is watching ‘Tiger King’! Erik Anderson www.awardswatch.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices