Pop Syllabus
Pop Syllabus with Christiana Mbakwe Medina·37 episodes·Weekly
Quick Facts
From the show
Host Christiana Mbakwe Medina — part messy news anchor, part guerilla academic — answers the big cultural questions with an expert guest weekly.
Episodes
Latest Episode
September 23, 2026 · 1h 14m
September is for back-to-school, changing weather, and apparently a LOT of celebrity magazine covers. For the Season 1 finale of Pop Syllabus, Christiana picks up the September issues and takes us inside their biggest covers and most interesting stories. From Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere on Vogue to Rihanna, Usher, Charli XCX, and a powerful Essence cover celebrating Black women, she explores what these magazines choose to put on their covers, what they leave inside the pages, and what it all says about pop culture right now. Thanks to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards, for supporting today's episode: Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@ If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@ 01:30 Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere on the cover of US Vogue 02:42 Regime change at Vogue 03:30 Nepo babies 06:00 US Vogue cover 07:16 Rihanna on the cover of Elle 09:35 Rihanna’s relationship with Dior 10:47 Elle editorial with Rihanna 12:08 Jermey Strong on the cover of GQ 14:21 GQ editorial with Jeremy strong 16:33 Nicole Kidman on the cover of British Vogue 18:43 Brad Pitt on the cover of Esquire 20:04 Esquire editorial with Brad Pitt 26:18 Sanaa Lathan, Nina Compton, Mara Brock Akil and Nikole Hannah-Jones on the front cover of Essence 27:50 Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on the back cover of Essence 28:09 America at 250 30:00 Seeing Black women with mature skin and gray hair 31:30 Isan Elba 32:01 Hair styles and product recommendations in Essence 35:38 Mardi Gras 36:00 Essence editorial with Sanaa Lathan, Nina Compton, Mara Brock Akil and Nikole Hannah-Jones 37:19 Terrence Jenkins and Mikalah Sultan 39:12 Essence editorial with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson 40:57 “Letters to America” in Essence 41:30 Afro-optimism 41:52 The American flag and who gets to own it 44:20 Christiana’s relationship with England and the English flag 46:19 Black women and reproductive health in Essence 46:42 Usher on the cover of Architectural Digest 49:25 A feature on decorative plates in Architectural Digest 49:58 Usher’s Architectural Digest feature 52:58 Charli XCX on the cover of Rolling Stone 54:40 George Michael feature in Rolling Stone 55:00 Comparing Rolling Stone to other magazines 55:13 Shaboozey in Rolling Stone 55:40 James Comey profile in Rolling Stone 57:00 Charli XCX editorial in Rolling Stone 57:40 Afroman in Rolling Stone 59:00 Keke Palmer editorial in Rolling Stone 01:00:18 Adam Friedland in Rolling Stone 01:00:42 The Legend of the Plaster Caster in Rolling Stone 01:02:16 A man who wants to help people print guns in Rolling Stone 01:02:30 Assessing Rolling Stone 01:03:12 Star Magazine 01:10:00 How to keep up with Christiana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
More Episodes
Sep 16, 2026 · 1h 11m
Forget the stereotypical image of ADHD. For many women, it looks a lot different. This week, Christiana sits down with Corinne the Coach to explore why women and girls are so often overlooked, why women of color face even greater barriers to diagnosis, and how ADHD can impact everything from mental health and shame to motherhood, money, and work. Corinne also opens up about her own diagnosis, navigating medication, and building a business while neurodivergent. Corinne’s website: https://corinnethecoach.life/ 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 01:43 Corinne’s ADHD diagnosis 06:45 Why it takes longer for girls and women to get diagnosed with ADHD 11:30 Different types of ADHD 16:30 Underdiagnosis among girls and women of color 22:15 How ADHD can be related to eating disorders and substance abuse 26:58 Skepticism around women of color having ADHD 29:30 Signs that a woman may be struggling with mental health challenges 31:45 How women hide their shame 35:12 Strains on mothers 38:58 How Corinne started her business while being neurodivergent 39:50 How ADHD keeps people impoverished 41:04 Taking medication for ADHD 48:00 Corinne’s experiences with ADHD medication 54:45 How we can support the people in our lives who might have ADHD 01:08:21 How you can find Corinne the Coach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 9, 2026 · 43m
We love to talk about motherhood like there’s a right way to do it. But the rules have never been as simple as they seem. This week, Christiana sits down with WIRED senior culture writer and author of One Bad Mother Ej Dickson to explore the cultural history of the “bad mom,” from the “welfare queen” to today’s MAHA moms, momfluencers, tradwives, and stage moms. They unpack why the ideal of the “good mother” has always been complicated, why dads seem to get a much easier assignment, and how motherhood became one of our favorite ways to police women. Follow Ej: Instagram Ej’s website: https://www.ejdickson.com/ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 2, 2026 · 1h 16m
Botox, filler, beauty trends, and the pressure to keep up with it all. This week, Christiana sits down with NYT columnist and UNC Chapel Hill professor Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom to explore how beauty culture is changing around the world, why our appearances carry so much power, and what happens when the rules of beauty keep changing. Follow Tressie: Instagram Thanks to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards, for supporting today's episode: https://joinbilt.com/popsyllabus 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 01:37 Meet Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom 03:45 Sculpt and how beauty norms became what they are right now 06:12 The democratization of plastic surgery and injectibles 09:06 Beauty and ugliness as structural concepts 13:14 The end of body positivity a return to whiteness 15:13 How technology has changed time, our attention, and beauty norms 16:55 Peptides 19:45 How what is seen as beautiful has changed 21:00 Thinking of ourselves as scientific compositions 22:05 Grappling for community 22:39 Discourse around “the Black community” 24:15 Ethnic rhinoplasty 25:51 The death of the natural hair movement 26:30 What is Black beauty now? 27:10 The homogeneity of beauty 30:14 How the formula we were taught for a good life isn’t working and cruel optimism 35:26 Observing neutrally and knowing our choices aren’t neutral 39:10 The cost of resistance and choosing our defeats 42:49 Bracing for impact 45:00 Black women being punished 45:40 Conservative movements among white women and where white women go next 49:55 “One Household, One Vote” and women retreating from the workplace 52:30 Late-stage capitalism and AI will come for everyone, including men 54:00 Men committing Interpersonal violence 55:30 Going analog 56:38 How Tressie approaches reading and engaging with ideas 01:01:22 What Tressie is turning to for nourishment and delight 01:06:25 What Tressie is working on now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 26, 2026 · 1h 23m
Divas! We all love them, and we all have very strong opinions about who deserves a spot in our personal top 3. So this week, Christiana sits down with journalist, culture critic, and the NFL’s first LGBTQ+ brand ambassador Ryan Mitchell to bring back our signature pop culture rubric and rank the biggest divas of the 2020s. But who will take the crown? Listen in to find out. Follow Ryan: 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 00:00 Intro 00:13 Meet Ryan 05:00 Showing up as a Black queer fat person 07:20 Growing up in the South 08:22 Ryan’s role as the NFL’s first queer ambassador 12:12 Navigating the current conservative backlash 15:02 How to show up for queer folks right now 19:02 How pop culture brings people together 22:20 The definition of a “Diva” 27:20 How Christiana made this 2020s diva list 29:17 The “general population” category for 2020s divas 30:10 The “technicalities” category for 2020s divas 30:48 The “sleeper divas” category for 2020s divas 32:50 Attitude as part of the criteria 36:00 Ariana Grande 47:27 Billie Eilish 55:14 Chappell Roan 59:00 Celebrities are still humans 01:00:35 Olivia Rodrigo 01:02:50 Sabrina Carpenter 01:04:43 Olivia Rodrigo 01:05:55 Beyoncé 01:12:26 Charli xcx 01:19:29 Cleo Sol and Syd 01:19:37 Yebba 01:20:40 PinkPantheress 01:20:54 SZA 01:20:59 Doechii 01:21:03 Where you can find Ryan Mitchell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 19, 2026 · 1h 3m
Only a small percentage of women are naturally blonde, yet blonde hair has become one of the most powerful symbols of beauty and privilege in American culture. This week, Christiana sits down with Sarah Mesle, USC professor and author of Tangled: Seven Iconic Moments in White Women's Hair and What They Tell Us About Power, Pleasure, and Complicity, to examine the cultural politics of white women’s hair. Through stories of blonde privilege, Britney Spears, and Princess Diana, Sarah explains how hair reveals the complicated relationship between beauty, identity, and power. Sarah’s website: https://sarahmesle.com/ Follow Sarah: 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 1:26 Meet Sarah 1:47 Hair and white feminine power 3:50 Sarah’s interest in hair 5:08 White visual performances and whiteness as a currency 8:50 January 6th uprising 10:40 Partisan aesthetics 13:50 Princess Diana and women with short hair 18:43 Blonde hair 20:58 JoJo Siwa 21:33 Maternal love and white resource hoarding 22:40 White mothers giving their daughters elaborate hair styles 25:00 Blonde privilege and the value of the currency of whiteness 27:47 How Black women are treated depending on their hair styles 29:30 Class and white women’s fear of “trashiness” 32:40 Relationship between white women’s hair and thighs 33:30 Thin hair 35:17 Long hair and the women surrounding Trump 36:06 Picking white women to focus on in “Tangled” 40:32 Britney Spears 45:50 Complicating the idea that there are victims and villains 47:00 Cruel optimism 48:10 Gwyneth Paltrow 51:00 Opting out and diverging from the norm 54:30 The game is rigged 55:20 What’s next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 12, 2026 · 1h 35m
This week, writer and YouTuber Blue Telusma joins Pop Syllabus for a wide-ranging conversation on modern relationships, gender dynamics, and what Love Island reveals about our culture. Best known for her sharp commentary on the hit reality series, Blue and Christiana explore everything from dating and accountability to race and media. Then, the two debut our new Pioneers, Builders & Innovators game, weighing in on cultural figures from Joe Rogan and Tyra Banks to Jay-Z, Madonna, Kim Kardashian, and Kris Jenner. Follow Blue: 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 1:18 Meet Blue Telusma 5:28 The Diaspora Wars Explained 6:10 Dating Nigerian Men and Blue's Dating Experience 10:16 "Good Women Aren't Having Babies Anymore" 15:45 Partnership vs. Companionship 22:05 Dating as an Unambiguous Woman 27:37 What Love Island Gets Wrong About Race 36:20 Calling Out Women vs. Challenging the System 38:55 The Ego Tantrums Taking Over Love Island 40:38 Has Reality TV Normalized Dysfunction? 45:45 Pioneers, Builders & Innovators Game 52:12 Joe Rogan: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator? 57:18 Tyra Banks: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator? 1:07:13 Jay Z: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator? 1:11:45 Madonna: Pioneer, Builder, or Innovator? 1:15:58 Kim Kardashian & Kris Jenner: Pioneers, Builders, or Innovators? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 5, 2026 · 1h 16m
The royal family has mastered the art of staying in the spotlight. For generations, they’ve been a source of fascination, controversy, and endless conversation. But why do we keep coming back to the Crown? In this episode, Christiana sits down with NY Times bestselling author of Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, TV writer, producer, and royal commentator Omid Scobie to break down the monarchy as the ultimate pop culture phenomenon. After 13 years covering the royal beat, Omid shares what he’s learned about the institution, the media machine behind it, the scandals that shaped public opinion, and why the world remains obsessed with the royals. Follow Omid: Instagram Explore Omid Scobie’s Books on the Royal Family 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 1:14 Meet Omid Scobie 3:40 Inside the Royal Beat 5:54 Why Britain Created WAG Culture 6:50 Meghan, Harry & the Palace 13:28 How the Press Built Meghan's Narrative 17:46 Why Americans See the Royals Differently 19:46 What Makes Someone a Royalist? 21:21 Kate's Cancer Announcement 23:28 Why Royal Women Face More Scrutiny 26:31 Why Meghan & Harry Became Easy Targets 30:08 Writing Endgame 36:17 Inside the Royal Feuds 39:32 America's "Royal Families" 43:49 Can the Monarchy Ever Change? 46:13 Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal 52:14 King Charles, Trump & Politics 55:27 Harry vs. William 58:17 Behind Palace Dynamics 1:04:51 The Monarchy's Diversity Problem 1:09:24 The Royals in 2027: What's Next? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 22, 2026 · 1h 1m
Millions of people watch The Real Housewives, but few know what it's really like to be one. In this episode, Christiana sits down with former Real Housewives of Potomac star and Miss USA 2013, Candiace Dillard Bassett, for an honest conversation about fame, friendship, IVF, marriage, and what it actually takes to survive one of television's biggest franchises. Follow Candiace: Instagram Read Christiana’s Substack essay on why The Real Housewives is the dark mirror we deserve: https://popsyllabus.substack.com/p/why-the-real-housewives-is-the-dark 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 01:16 Meet Candiace Dillard Bassett 02:17 Why Candiace became a Real Housewife 03:30 Candiace’s familial privilege 05:20 Black American Princess (BAP) culture 06:00 Feeling shame about growing up privileged 10:00 From beauty pageants to Real Housewives 13:38 Crying as a Black woman on reality TV 18:49 Candiace and Monique Samuels’ friendship breakup 20:45 Drew Sidora’s salary leak and the economics of being a Real Housewife 29:44 The psychological toll of being on Real Housewives 33:00 Going through IVF 37:08 On returning to Real Housewives 39:14 Colorism on reality TV 43:44 Candiace’s first test scene 45:10 Candiace’s longstanding relationships from the show 45:30 The Traitors season 4 48:08 What’s next for Candiace 54:20 Candiace’s marriage with Chris Bassett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 16, 2026 · 1h 8m
Are GLP-1s changing our relationship with our bodies? The science says yes, but not in the ways you might think. In this episode, Christiana sits down with Dr. A. Janet Tomiyama, health psychologist, UCLA professor, and director of the Diet, Stigma, and Health (DiSH) Lab, to examine how GLP-1s are redefining body positivity, exposing the persistence of weight stigma, and raising bigger questions about who gets to be accepted and why. Thanks to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards, for supporting today's episode: joinbilt.com/popsyllabus 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 1:25 Meet Janet 3:53 What Japan and Nigeria Reveal About Weight Stigma 5:55 Is Weight Really About Willpower? The Science of Genetics & Dieting 7:56 Should Governments Pay for Weight Loss? 9:37 Why Most Diets Don't Work Long-Term 15:41 How Culture Shapes the Way We Eat 20:21 Why Bigger Bodies Once Represented Wealth 24:29 What Is "Food Noise"? 29:01 The Hidden Reality of Eating Disorders in Black Women 32:14 GLP-1s, Grief, and the Identity Shift No One Talks About 36:41 Who Gets Access to GLP-1s? 42:21 The Risks and Unknowns of GLP-1 Medications 49:03 Are GLP-1s a Lifetime Commitment? 51:28 Raising a Family in a Weight-Obsessed World 56:14 Should Parents Put Their Kids on GLP-1s? 1:01:21 Why Body Neutrality May Be More Realistic Than Body Positivity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices