Pop Syllabus

*/ ?>

Latest Episodes:

Are They a Star, Celebrity or Famous Person? with Zuri Hall Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

We're back with another round of our signature pop culture game, Are They a Star, Celebrity, or Famous Person?

This week, Christiana is joined by Emmy Award-winning TV host, Zuri Hall, to pull names from the bowl and weigh in on everyone from Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark to Cardi B, Dua Lipa, Timothée Chalamet, Anna Wintour, Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, The Weeknd, and more. They also get into the rise of influencer culture, the business of celebrity, and who has the staying power to become a true star. Ready to play?

Follow Zuri on Instagram

Zuri’s Substack

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com
1:36 Meet Zuri Hall

3:35 Zuri’s exit plan from Access Hollywood

9:36 The game begins

12:33 Angel Reese enters the chat

13:30 Angel Reese vs Caitlin Clark rivalry breakdown

15:41 Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio & Daniel Day-Lewis energy

18:03 Anna Wintour: the “mean boss” myth

19:41 Charli D'Amelio family drama

20:37 Celebrities vs influencers: who runs culture now?

26:44 Cardi B chaos & charisma

34:14 Dua Lipa wedding watch + love life

37:47 Billie Eilish era check

40:03 Bad Bunny takeover

41:43 The Weeknd enters the conversation

47:23 Zohran Mamdani surprise finale

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IVF, Pregnancy, and Home Birth at 45 with Jesse Golden Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

More women are having children after 40, but what does that actually look like when you are in it?

In this episode, Christiana sits down with Jesse Golden, CEO and founder of The Golden Secrets, to talk about her journey of trying for motherhood at 45, including IVF, miscarriage, and starting over later in life. She also opens up about home birth, treatment costs, community, and what it really means to redefine motherhood on your own terms.

Follow Jesse on Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

1:09 Meet Jesse Golden

2:53 Trying for motherhood again at 45

4:09 What it’s really like trying to get pregnant in your 40s

6:15 Navigating miscarriage and loss

10:04 Inside Jesse’s IVF journey

14:43 The real cost of IVF (financial and emotional)

19:44 Finding community as a woman giving birth after 40

22:14 What actually helps improve your chances of pregnancy

27:22 Is IVF the right path for you?

32:53 Egg freezing and what the future of IVF looks like

36:21 Exploring home birth later in life

40:13 Jesse’s home birth story

43:36 Staying grounded in your choices and your body

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pop Culture Debrief: Deconstructing Magazines Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

This week’s pop culture syllabus comes straight from the magazine rack!

In this solo episode, Christiana sits down to talk us through the latest from Women's Health, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and the juiciest tabloids, breaking down celebrity glow-ups, style statements, and luxury obsessions from names like Jay-Z, Anne Hathaway, Rita Ora, and more while unpacking what this month’s magazines are really saying about pop culture.

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

0:39 Rita Ora’s wellness era

3:12Inside Rita’s new look

7:00 The millennial facelift boom

13:55 Meghan & Harry tabloid drama

17:30 Ryan Seacrest’s face fears

19:17 Paris Hilton, theme queen

21:40 Crosswords: hot or not?

23:04 Jay-Z’s GQ takeover

23:39 Is Jay-Z channeling Basquiat?

28:12 Luxury ads everywhere

29:02 Pop culture’s iconic watches

32:22 Sketchers sketchy ads

34:06 GQ’s wedding rulebook

36:22 The life of Jay-Z

38:44 The Horology of HOV

45:38 Anne Hathaway’s Harper’s Bazaar moment

49:35 Chanel’s star-studded campaign

54:10 Bobbi Brown & beauty businesses

57:18 Ariana’s Swarovski sparkle

59:03 Inside Lulu Guinness’ whimsical home

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manthropology with Holly Solem Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Women spend a lot of time wondering what men really think about love and relationships.

In this episode, Christiana sits down with Holly Solem, advice columnist and creator of the social media series Manthropology, to discuss what she’s learned from interviewing men about dating, masculinity, and loneliness. They also play a game revisiting iconic fictional men in pop culture and how they shaped millennial women’s understanding of love and relationships.

Holly’s Vogue essay

Follow Holly on Instagram

Follow Mathropology on Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

01:19 Meet Holly Solem

06:20 Holly’s move back to LA

07:14 Creating “Manthropology”

11:28 What Holly has learned about men while making “Manthropology”

13:34 How men in LA compare to men in NY

14:45 How women absorb the shame of men

16:09 Misogyny in 2026

18:02 Platonic relationships between straight men and women

22:20 How Holly reacts during Manthropology interviews

23:20 White girlhood vs. Black girlhood

25:51 Fictional pop-culture men game

27:14 Chandler Bing from “Friends”

28:58 Ross Geller from “Friends”

29:39 Batman

30:50 Superman

32:24 Homer Simpson

34:10 Lawrence from “Insecure”

35:13 Big from “Sex and the City”

37:13 Don Draper from “Mad Men”

38:18 Walter White from “Breaking Bad”

40:13 Nick Young from “Crazy Rich Asians”

41:35 Prince Akeem from “Coming to America”

42:46 Austin Powers

43:37 James Bond

46:40 Wolverine

48:13 Adam Sackler from “Girls”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ranking Pop Culture Divas with Gerrick Kennedy Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

We’ve been calling women divas for years, but we still can’t agree on what the word actually means or who qualifies.

In this episode, Christiana sits down with music journalist Gerrick Kennedy, co-author of Brandy's new memoir, Phases, to do the impossible: rank the greatest divas across the 90s, 2000s, and 2010s and unpack what really earns someone the title.

Together, they debate the diva status of icons like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga, while making the case for a few overlooked sleeper divas along the way. By the end, it becomes clear that defining a diva is a lot harder than it sounds.

Gerrick’s book with Brandy: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/phases-brandy?variant=44324080779298

Gerrick’s book on Whitney Houston: https://gerrickkennedy.com/whitneyhouston

Follow Gerrick on Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

01:18 Meet Gerrick Kennedy

03:20 How Gerrick Built a Career in Music Journalism

06:33 The Time Gerrick Met Joe Jackson

11:18 Diva Ranking Game

13:19 Defining a “diva”

16:46 Ranking 90s divas

18:50 Brandy

27:07 Janet Jackson

29:22 Mariah Carey

34:07 Gerrick on Working With Brandy on Phases

36:16 The Patriarchal Control Behind Pop Divas

40:59 Ranking 2000s divas

42:11 Why Divas Have to Go Solo

48:59 Jennifer Lopez

55:59 Britney Spears

1:00:37 Amy Winehouse

1:05:01 Ranking 2010s divas

1:06:03 Lady Gaga

1:12:54 Rihanna

1:16:29 Tinashe

1:17:52 Beyoncé

1:23:56 Taylor Swift

1:25:39 The Next Generation of Pop Stars

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deconstructing the Kardashians with MJ Corey Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Whether you love them or hate them, it’s hard to argue the Kardashians didn’t completely change the way we think about fame. So how did this family go from reality TV to becoming the blueprint for modern celebrity and one of the most powerful forces in pop culture?

In this episode, Christiana sits down with author MJ Corey to talk about her book Deconstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto and trace the evolution of the Kardashians and what their success really says about them. Together, they do what the internet has always done best and overanalyze the Kardashians, getting into fame, branding, controversy, and where this endlessly fascinating family goes next.

Follow MJ on Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

00:52 MJ Corey’s first time watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians

03:08 Understanding postmodernism to understand the Kardashians

03:50 Kim Kardashian and ethnic ambiguity

04:55 Comparing the Kardashians to iconic American brands

08:50 Kris Jenner, the O.J. Simpson trial and revisionist history

13:00 The Kardashians, cultural appropriation and Black romantic partners

22:00 The Kardashians as early adopters of technology

25:25 The Paris robbery and trial

31:09 How the Kardashians will be remembered

32:15 Who will be Kris’ successor?

34:12 Predicting Kim’s future in politics

36:20 Which grandchild is most likely to be the next star?

37:40 Does Kim venture into podcasting?

38:10 Does SKIMS IPO?

38:28 How many more times will Kim Kardashian get married?

40:00 When will Kris Jenner retire?

42:04 What’s the future of Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet?

44:29 Which Kardashian is mostly likely to make a hard pivot?

48:30 MJ’s biggest prediction for the Kardashians/Jenners in the next five years

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Celebrity Couples Game with Erin Lim Rhodes May 27, 2026

Show notes

Celebrity couples today don’t just date, they trend, and every move instantly becomes part of the cultural conversation online.

In this episode, Christiana sits down with E! Entertainment host Erin Lim Rhodes to play our signature Celebrity Couples Game and debate some of pop culture’s most talked-about pairs, from Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, and more. Expect hot takes, chaotic rankings, and a few moments that will definitely have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about these couples.

Follow Erin on Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

01:03 Meet Erin Lim Rhodes

04:24 Erin’s move to Singapore

06:18 Getting hired by E!

11:46 “The Rundown” and using social media

18:29 The Celebrity Couples Game

19:30 Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner

20:43 Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade

24:36 Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra

28:40 Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

33:14 Olandria and Nic Vansteenberghe

36:28 John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

41:57 Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco

48:49 Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Conversation We Need About Womb Health With Dr. Kemi Doll May 20, 2026

Show notes

Womb health is still one of the most misunderstood areas of women’s care, especially for Black women.

In today’s episode, Christiana sits down with gynecologic oncologist and author of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing to walk us through fibroids, endometriosis, and the symptoms that are often dismissed, plus what women should be asking about care and diagnosis.

Dr. Kemi’s website

Follow Dr. Kemi Doll: Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

01:00 Meet Dr. Kemi Doll

03:40 How Dr. Doll’s background has informed her work

07:30 Understanding womb suffering

08:55 Black women with womb suffering getting misdiagnosed

10:47 Womb condition #1: heavy menstrual bleeding

23:40 Options for people with the BRCA1 gene

25:36 Womb condition #2: endometriosis

35:29 Teenagers and young women with womb suffering

39:05 Womb condition #3: fibroids

51:18 Womb condition #4: endometrial cancer

01:01:28 Advice for dealing with doctors and medical institutions

01:08:45 Combining holistic wellness with medicine

01:11:55 Setting boundaries in order to heal

01:13:00 Where to find Dr. Kemi Doll’s work

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pop Culture Debrief: Mess, Drama & Headlines (Christiana Solo Episode) May 13, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to another week in pop culture, where nothing is calm and everything is a headline.

In this episode, Christiana flips through the latest tabloids and magazines, breaking down celebrity chaos, unhinged headlines, and the editorials everyone can’t stop talking about.

Sydney Sweeney, Doja Cat, Timothée Chalamet, Anne Hathaway, and more all show up in this week’s rundown as Christiana shares her hot takes on what’s worth the hype and what’s just noise.

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

01:50 Sydney Sweeney’s “Magazine Milkies” Moment

02:59 Sofía Vergara’s Sketchy Skechers Ad

03:54 Sydney Sweeney’s Viral Lingerie Editorial

08:15 Why Everyone Is Suddenly Obsessed With Tyriq Withers

10:04 Twilight Taylors

10:22 Is Robert Pattinson the New Leonardo DiCaprio?

12:40 Teyana Taylor as Lady Liberty

14:26 Inside the “MAGA Land” Editorial

21:54 Doja Cat on Vogue

24:48 India’s Growing Influence on Pop Culture

27:10 Bhavitha Mandava, Versace & Fashion’s Rising New Faces

29:08 Jelly Roll’s Weight Loss Transformation

34:20 Sarah Michelle Gellar’s People Magazine Cover

35:48 The Royal Roundup: Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle & More

37:22 Anne Hathaway’s Best Oscars Look

38:14 Sarah Michelle Gellar Is Making a Comeback

40:19 Harry & Meghan “Exiled” From Hollywood?

43:21 Christiana’s Top Magazine Recommendation

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside Hollywood’s Obsession With “Perfect” Faces With Dr. Carl Truesdale May 06, 2026

Show notes

In Hollywood, everyone wants a “perfect” face, but the goal now is to make it look like nothing was ever done. But behind that natural look is a growing set of procedures most people would never recognize.

Today, Christiana sits down with Double Board Certified Facial & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon Dr. Carl Truesdale to understand what’s driving Hollywood’s obsession with undetectable plastic surgery, from subtle lifts to revision procedures, as well as how cosmetic work among men and AI are shaping today’s beauty standards.

Dr. Truesdale’s website

Follow Dr. Truesdale: Instagram

Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack

Merch available now!

Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com

If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments.

Email: hello@popsyllabus.com

01:02 Meet Dr. Carl Truesdale

02:07 How Dr. Truesdale got into cosmetic surgery

03:50 Cultivating a diverse practice with cultural competency

09:05 The costs of cosmetic surgery

10:01 Thread lifts, fillers and botox