Pop Culture Confidential

The show must go on----from home! Journalist and TV critic Jen Chaney (New York Magazine, NY Times) joins me to talk about how the late night talk shows are tackling their productions during the Coronavirus epidemic.  The TV and Film industries are changing minute by minute as the Covid-19 outbreak shuts down productions and wreaks havoc on the industries and the people working in them. And it’s a new situation for the late night talk shows as well; Kimmel, Fallon, Colbert and the rest are finding other ways to keep their shows going. Many are broadcasting from their homes while in self-isolation: via iPhone, with the help of their kids, with guests on Skype. I talk to Jen Chaney about how this experiment is going and what it means for the future of late night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are honored to have disability rights activist Judith Heumann on the show. Ms Heumann is the author of “Being Heumann” (together with Kristen Joiner) and stars in the new Netflix documentary “Crip Camp”, exec produced by Michelle and Barack Obama. She talks to us about how her experiences; like contracting polio in 1949, being denied the right to attend school at age five, facing discrimination in life and work, have shaped her activism and civil rights work. Judith Heumann is an internationally recognized leader in the disability rights community. She served in the Clinton Administration as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and she was appointed by President Obama as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights. “Being Heumann” is on Amazon now and “Crip Camp” premieres on Netflix March 25th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Epi 166 An update w/ Erik Anderson: the state of the film industry, movies abt self-isolation & more by Pop Culture Confidential Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Pop Culture Confidential the great writer/producer Ed Burns. Burns, a former Baltimore detective and public school teacher, has together with David Simon written and produced some of TVs greatest shows, including "The Wire”. The Philip Roth novel "The Plot Against America” (published in 2004) imagines an alternate American history told through the eyes of a working-class Jewish family in New Jersey. The story follows the family as they watch the political rise of Charles Lindbergh, an aviator-hero and xenophobic populist, who becomes president and turns the nation towards fascism. Now writers/producers David Simon and Ed Burns have taken on the book and made a 6 hour HBO miniseries starring Zoe Kazan, John Turturro and Winona Ryder. We talked to Ed Burns about the series, why Donald Trumps’s presidency makes the show so urgent right now,  the future of democracy and so much more.  “The Plot Against America” premieres on HBO on March 16th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc

Very happy to welcome back the Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch.com, Erik Anderson AND to announce our new collaboration! We will be collaborating on some interviews, podcast episodes and more. On this week’s show Erik and Christina have an interesting conversation about some of the most pressing news affecting the entertainment industry right now; the Weinstein verdict and the Polanski protests at the César awards. How the Corona/Covid-19 virus is affecting the entertainment industry, upcoming film festivals and more. And how pop culture, movies and TV reflect our times, in good times and bad. We talk about how the new thriller ‘The Invisible Man’ is an intelligent parable on abusive relationships and believing women and why Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Contagion’, from 2011, is one of the most streamed movies right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We feel the need for speed!! On the show this week actor Rick Rossovich who played Ron ‘Slider’ Kerner, wingman to Val Kilmer’s Iceman in Top Gun (1986). Mr. Rossovich talks about his career, his experiences on Top Gun, the myths and legacy of the franchise, his work in TV and more! All leading up to this summer and the release of Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel 33 years in the making! Will we see him in The new movie on June 26th 2020? Well, we will just have to wait and see. Grab your Ray Bans and catch this interview now! Rick Rossovich has starred in some of the most pop culturally iconic films and TV shows ever: The Lords of Discipline, Streets of Fire, The Terminator, Steve Martin’s Roxanne  and Navy Seals . He played Dr. John 'Tag' Taglieri on ER and, and spent two years playing Lt. Anthony Palermo on Pacific Blue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are thrilled to bring you this special and personal conversation with actor Alicia Vikander! She talks to us about starring as feminist icon Gloria Steinem in the upcoming film ‘The Glorias’ (directed by Julie Taymor), about how she has has found her voice and what she wants to do with her Hollywood power! After more than a decade in the industry, and post Oscar-win, Alicia Vikander speaks to Christina about how she is learning to take small breaks and how cooking helps! About her focus and how she and Steinem connected in personal ways. How, early in her Hollywood career, an actress spoke up for her in an uncomfortable, sexist situation and how much that taught her. And how she wants to use her voice and her power to play women from all angles and all dimensions and to get smaller movies with interesting writer/directors off the ground, like her upcoming film ‘Blue Bayou’. And much more! ‘The Glorias’ premiered at Sundance and will out later this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.

On this Pop Culture Confidential Oscar week special:  Predicting the Oscars with math, analytics and good old fashion statistics! Our guest is mathematician Ben Zauzmer. Mr. Zauzmer majored in applied math at Harvard University and works as a manager of baseball analytics for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He applied his knowledge to his passion: the movies, and he has created a complex mathematical model to calculate a nominee’s percentage probability of winning. His model includes different factors: historic data,  the film’s wins and losses at other awards shows leading up to the Oscars, the actors age, if they are playing a real character, box office etc. His predictions have been published in The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.  Ben Zauzmer is the author of the new book ‘Oscarmetrics, The Math Behind the Biggest Night in Hollywood’.  Available on Amazon. Follow Ben Zauzmer on twitter: @BensOscarMath Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s our 2020 Oscar predictions special!  We are thrilled to welcome Kyle Buchanan back to the show, for the 3rd year in a row. Mr Buchanan is the New York Times Carpetbagger columnist and reporter, covering every aspect of awards season. Join us as we predict the winners and discuss this years Academy Awards! Will 1917 or Parasite take Best Picture? Will there be upsets? So much to cover! Follow Mr. Buchanan on twitter @kylebuchanan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 159: Oscar week special! 'Citizen Canine', author Wendy Mitchell by Pop Culture Confidential Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OSCAR WEEK on POP CULTURE CONFIDENTIAL Award-winning set decorator Regina Graves (‘Blue Jasmine’, ‘I am Legend’, ‘The Knick’, ‘Gotham’, ‘Vinyl)’ joins us this week to talk about her work on Martin Scorsese’s epic new picture 'The Irishman’, premiering on Netflix this week. Regina Graves shares some the most fascinating aspects of her teams work and the massive endeavor that was ‘The Irishman’, with nearly 300 sets dressed. We talk how she collaborates closely with production designer Bob Shaw, with whom Graves has worked on multiple productions. The amount of detail that goes into finding or building pieces for, for example, Jimmy Hoffa's (Al Pacino) office set or for Russel Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and Frank Sheeran's (Robert De Niro) homes. How Martin Scorsese’s own family influenced the set decoration, the style of the Italian American gangster genre and so much more. And Regina Graves also talks about her latest production, the upcoming movie 'The Many Saints of Newark', the prequel movie to the Sopranos T

OSCAR WEEK on Pop Culture Confidential! Revisit our talk with the legendary production designer, and Oscar nominee Barbara Ling (The Doors, Batman & Robin, Falling Down, Less Than Zero). Barbara Ling talks to us about her incredible work on 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, turning back to clocks to 1969 and recreating some of LAs most iconic landmarks. From incredibly difficult face lifts on Hollywood Boulevard, to rebuilding Spahn Ranch, to how they used Tarantino’s massive memorabilia collection in their design work and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is SO much great TV coming in 2020 so we took a pause from all the film award season coverage to dive into some of the upcoming TV news! TV and film critic Candice Frederick (The New York Times, The Guardian, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar) joins us to talk about some of the highlights: High Fidelity starring Zoë Kravitz, Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Netflix show about her often controversial wellness company GOOP, big stars like Al Pacino and Cate Blanchett coming to the small screen, new sitcoms by Awkwafina and The Rock and, of course, Ryan Murphy is back with two new shows! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Pop Culture Confidential special! The great Thelma Adams (writer, critic, Oscar expert @GoldDerby ) joined us today, right after the Oscar noms were announced, to talk about our immediate reactions, thoughts and analysis. J Lo snubbed! Lot of love for Parasite, Jojo Rabbit and The Two Popes! The Irishman, Joker, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood still in the lead! Listen NOW. The heat is ON ahead of the Oscars on February 9th! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to PART 2 of our 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' special! This week are joined by the legendary production designer Barbara Ling (The Doors, Batman & Robin, Falling Down, Less Than Zero). Barbara Ling talks to us about her incredible work on 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, turning back to clocks to 1969 and recreating some of LAs most iconic landmarks. From incredibly difficult face lifts on Hollywood Boulevard, to rebuilding Spahn Ranch, to how they used Tarantino’s massive memorabilia collection in their design work and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our favorite guests returns to Pop Culture Confidential! Music Supervisor Mary Ramos has spent 27 years working with Quentin Tarantino, on every one of his films. Mary Ramos has expertly and painstakingly helped make Tarantino's soundtracks and epic musical choices a major part of his cinematic legacy. This week she talks to us about the incredible work she has done on his critical acclaimed new film 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood'. As always, in Tarantino’s films, the soundtrack on ‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’ is meticulously curated. And, as always, Music Supervisor Mary Ramos adds her genius to the mix. Ms Ramos talks to us about Tarantinos musical vision for the movie, his music room where they discuss all the details, her detective-like work tracking down the often forgotten tracks that the director wants and some incredible stories about working on this production! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Pop Culture Confidential favorite is back! Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch.com Erik Anderson joins us for a super fun and jam-packed episode about the MUCH talked about year-end releases: how bizarre is the new musical Cats? The controversy surrounding Clint Eastwoods new movie Richard Jewell. Sam Mendes new epic 1917 and Greta Gerwigs Little Women, where do they stand in the Oscar race? PLUS we analyze this weeks Golden Globe, SAG and other guild award nominations ahead of the Academy Awards! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning set decorator Regina Graves (‘Blue Jasmine’, ‘I am Legend’, ‘The Knick’, ‘Gotham’, ‘Vinyl)’ joins us this week to talk about her work on Martin Scorsese’s epic new picture 'The Irishman’, premiering on Netflix this week. Regina Graves shares some the most fascinating aspects of her teams work and the massive endeavor that was ‘The Irishman’, with nearly 300 sets dressed. We talk how she collaborates closely with production designer Bob Shaw, with whom Graves has worked on multiple productions. The amount of detail that goes into finding or building pieces for, for example, Jimmy Hoffa's (Al Pacino) office set or for Russel Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and Frank Sheeran's (Robert De Niro) homes. How Martin Scorsese’s own family influenced the set decoration, the style of the Italian American gangster genre and so much more. And Regina Graves also talks about her latest production, the upcoming movie 'The Many Saints of Newark', the prequel movie to the Sopranos TV series. ‘The Irishman’ is out in a l

An exclusive hour with director Jay Roach about his explosive, upcoming new movie ‘BOMBSHELL’! Emmy award winning director Jay Roach ('Austin Powers', 'Meet the Parents', ‘Recount', 'Game Change', ‘ Trumbo') joins us to talk about Bombshell, the story of the toppling of the former Fox News Chief Roger Ailes after more than 20 women accused him of sexual harassment. Charlize Theron produced the movie and stars as Fox host Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman is anchor Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie plays a composite character of several women interviewed for the film, who were victims of sexual harassment. John Lithgow plays Roger Ailes. In our conversation Jay Roach talks about the shocking abuses and toxic environment that permeated Fox News, the impact the stories had on him as a director, the powerful performances and transformations by the actors, how he and Charlize Theron discussed the portrayal Megyn Kelly, the political impact of the story and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon

Get ready for battle! With the help of Richard Lawson, chief critic @ Vanity Fair, Pop Culture Confidential guides you through the, so called, streaming wars! Already overwhelmed by the content streaming out there? Well, get ready for new streamers like Apple Tv +, Disney + and HBO Max. Richard Lawson talks to us about the industry changes. What to watch. Netflix Oscar chances and more! Follow Richard Lawson on twitter @rilaws Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices