Feminist Frequency Radio

In this, the third and last of our special conversations recorded at XOXO in Portland, Anita talks to Jenn Sandercock, a games industry veteran who is also a pioneer in the field of edible games! Here, she and Anita talk about some of the delicious games Jenn has created, her background in artificial intelligence, and the particular issues around age that are prevalent in tech and gaming fields. Learn more about Jenn's games at ediblegames.com and follow her on Twitter at @JennSandercock.

In this, the second of three special conversations recorded at XOXO 2018 in Portland, Anita talks to adventure cartoonist Lucy Bellwood about her wonderful recent project 100 Demon Dialogues, perceptions of success vs. the reality of it, the unique challenges of having a job that requires you to be on social media, dealing with impostor syndrome, being vulnerable in your work, and more. Follow Lucy on Twitter at @lubellwoo. Visit her website at lucybellwood.com and check out her Patreon at patreon.com/lucybellwood.

FFR #46: Monsters and Men On this week’s episode of FFR, we discuss the new film Monsters and Men, a drama loosely inspired by the 2014 murder of Eric Garner by officers of the NYPD. The film follows three men of color, one of them a cop himself, whose lives are impacted in different ways when police murder an unarmed black resident of Brooklyn. Our conversation touches on the ways women are often marginalized in these stories (see also Blindspotting and Sorry to Bother You), the difficulty and importance of sometimes having deeply uncomfortable conversations, and how displays of character can sometimes be seen as a liability, particularly for black athletes. Also: Bill Cosby’s conviction, the latest Harry Potter controversy, and more. Segment Timestamps: 00:00 A Quick Message from Anita 00:20 Intro 2:20 Entertainment News: Bill Cosby convicted; The Harry Potter character Nagini who we thought was a snake is actually an Asian woman! 13:50 A Quick Message from Carolyn 14:30 The new film Monsters and Men 46:25

On this week's episode of FFR, the gang discusses Searching, a new thriller starring John Cho which takes place entirely on computer screens. As David Kim, a father searching for his missing daughter, John Cho navigates Facebook, Tumblr, creates spreadsheets, makes phone calls using FaceTime, and otherwise employs technology in the ways that many of us do every day as just an ordinary part of our lives. Our conversation touches on the effectiveness of Searching as a thriller, the aspects of it that are traditional and those that are more experimental, how it depicts the way we sometimes seek connection online while avoiding it in the physical world, and the different things we allow and expect from fathers as opposed to mothers in movies. We also talk about the collapse of Telltale games and the larger issue of labor in the games industry, the recent hubbub over Bert and Ernie, and lots more. (Note that there have been new developments in the Telltale situation since the recording of this conversation on Mon

In this, the first of three special conversations recorded at the XOXO festival in Portland, Oregon, Anita talks to Natalie Wynn, who, with her channel ContraPoints, has become one of the most celebrated progressive voices on YouTube, thanks to the wonderful videos that result from the combination of Wynn's rigorous intellect, her biting humor, and her sense of theatrical style. In this conversation, Anita talks to Wynn about how her YouTube presence originated and has evolved, the toll of wading through toxic online sludge, and creating space online for people to evolve and make mistakes, among other things. Watch Natalie's video on Incels Read Katherine Cross' profile of Natalie for The Verge

On this week’s FFR, we talk about the new Amazon Prime series Jack Ryan, starring John Krasinski as Tom Clancy’s most famous hero, who finds himself on the trail of--surprise!--a Muslim terrorist! What makes Jack Ryan interesting to discuss is the ways in which the creators of the show have clearly made a conscious effort to address potential criticism of the series as being Islamophobic or otherwise problematic. Did they succeed? Find out what we think! Also in this episode, we issue an important correction about a statement made in a previous episode, and Ebony gets emotional talking about Doctor Who. Segment Timestamps: :00 A short message from Anita :15 Intro 1:35 We issue an important correction 3:40 Carolyn's plight (and a solution) 4:15 Pop culture news: Olivia Munn, Les Moonves 12:25 Main segment: Jack Ryan 44:25 What's Your FREQ-Out? Carolyn on Spider-Man, Ebony on Doctor Who, Anita on the feeling of having written a book 56:55 wrap-up Relevant Links: Linda Bloodworth-Thomason on Les Moonves Learn mo

This week, we bring you a very special show recorded live at the XOXO festival in Portland! We decided to liven things up by playing a special game in which each of us presents one piece of media we loved when we were younger to the crowd, and asking them to vote: Can we still love this thing, or do we have to dump it? A cult classic NES game, a mostly forgotten 80s TV series, and a much-maligned episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are all on the chopping block. How will the crowd decide? But that’s not all! We also talk about how Burt Reynolds was the first male centerfold in Cosmo Magazine (and whether or not this was a win for feminism), the “copaganda” of Insomniac’s new Spider-Man game for PS4, what sets Anita and Ebony’s upcoming book History Vs. Women apart, and much more. Segment Timestamps :00 A Special Intro from Anita 1:10 We’re Live at #XOXO! 4:50 Entertainment News: Burt Reynolds as Cosmo’s First Male Centerfold, “Copaganda” in Insomniac’s New Spider-Man Game 15:30 Intro to “Defend the Dumbest Th

This week, Anita’s away so Ebony and Carolyn get weird with a look back at David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, a dreamlike odyssey about female fantasy, the commoditization of women in Hollywood, and—well, what IS Mulholland Drive about, really? We go on a winding journey in search of answers. We also discuss Louis CK and the enduring lack of real consequences for so many male abusers, the cultural rehabilitation of George W. Bush, and we take a moment to wish a very happy birthday to one of our favorite actors. We want to hear from you, so head on over to feministfrequency.com/freqout and send us your FREQ-Out today! Segment Timestamps: :00 intro 1:15 opening chit-chat 2:55 pop culture news: Louis CK and the MeToo movement Marco Rubio reacts to Neil Armstrong biopic First Man Happy Birthday Keanu! 14:50 Mulholland Dr. 45:40 What’s Your FREQ-Out? Carolyn on the cultural rehabilitation of George W. Bush, Ebony on the TNT series Claws, and a listener FREQ-Out on the film I Am Not an Easy Man, currently streaming on

Each week, we record a bonus segment exclusively for our Drip backers. This week, we decided to make our bonus available to everyone. Here, a chat about the extremely enjoyable new game Guacamelee 2 evolves into a larger discussion about engaging with problematic work, where we draw the line, and navigating the complexities that often arise when striving to be critical of the media we love. To access all of our weekly bonus segments along with other rewards, join our podcast community at d.rip/femfreq.

In this week's episode, your favorite radical hacker collective get into the nitty gritty of 90's tech paranoia via the 1995 films Hackers and Strange Days. Caro can't help but admire SD's attempt to create compelling fable for its time; while Ebony and Anita discuss the gendered violence the film doesn't allow us to look away from. Hackers turned out to be a bit harder to reckon with -- not least because Caro couldn't get past the image of a skateboarding Fisher Stevens; Ebony was tormented by Lorraine Bracco's befuddled shrieking; and Anita found the film's technobabble to be long on "cool," but short on substance. We want to hear from you, so head on over to feministfrequency.com/freqout and send us your FREQ-Out today! Subscribe to Feminist Frequency Radio now to get a new episode every Wednesday on iTunes, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Spotify or iHeartRadio! And if you're not already a backer here on Drip, become one for nifty rewards like our weekly bonus segments, access to our friendly and stimulati

This week on Feminist Frequency Radio, we’re talking about the hit new rom-com that’s also a watershed moment in cinematic representation, Crazy Rich Asians! We discuss the beauty of Singapore, so rarely seen onscreen in America, the complex issues of class and wealth that the film both does and does not engage with, Awkwafina’s “blaccent,” the way gender roles are tied up in notions of tradition, and much more. Also, Anita tells us why she loves Elementary, and Carolyn shouts out some obscure little computer game. Segment Timestamps: :00 intros, weekend adventures 3:20 entertainment news (Trump on Apocalypse Now, Rebecca Sugar on Steven Universe, Megan Farokhmanesh on Fortnite streamer Ninja) 10:15 Crazy Rich Asians 42:30 What’s Your FREQ-Out? 53:10 Wrap-up Relevant Links: Follow our Twitch channel so you too can watch Carolyn stream until 6AM: twitch.tv/femfreq Read about Trump’s bizarre meeting with Vietnam veterans: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-and-omarosa-had-a-fcking-weird-fight-with-vietnam-vets

This week, Anita, Ebony and Carolyn are going deep undercover with Spike Lee’s latest film, BlacKkKlansman, based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, a black Colorado Springs police officer who successfully infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan, in a manner of speaking. We talk about how the film engages directly with cinematic history, from white supremacist films like Birth of a Nation to blaxploitation classics like Shaft, the frustrating ways in which it positions the police force as an institution as heroic, and the roles women play among both the black political activists and the white supremacists the film focuses on. We also cover some of the latest pop culture news from the world of video games, discuss our complicated feelings on the idea of Idris Elba (yay!) as James Bond (boo!), and share some stuff worth celebrating in What’s Your Freq-Out! Segment Timestamps: :00 Intros and greetings 1:25 Anita’s back from Vegas and Indianapolis 3:40 pop culture news: Fortnite streamer Ninja won’t stream with women, the

#38: Mission: Impossible - Fallout On this week’s episode, Anita’s off on a top-secret assignment, no doubt saving the world from the evil forces of anti-feminism, so Carolyn and Ebony hold down the fort at FemFreq HQ by diving into the international intrigue of Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Join us as we discuss hero Ethan Hunt’s moral convictions, the not-so-magical way in which the film makes millions of brown people disappear, how the IMF is both the cause of and solution to the world’s problems, what makes M:I a cinematically interesting franchise as a whole, and lots more! In addition, we explore our feelings about the news of Jean-Luc Picard’s impending return, and Carolyn shares some YouTube videos that have been whisking her away to a cozy and relaxing fantasy world. We also present a FREQ-Out from one of our listeners! Remember, we want to hear from you, too, so head on over to feministfrequency.com/freqout and send us your FREQ-Out today! Segment Timestamps:  :00 Intro 1:40 friendly banter 4:10 po

This week on FFR, we’re discussing the potent and perceptive cocktail of comedy and drama that is Blindspotting. An insightful, powerful and deeply funny new film about Oakland, Blindspotting explores the impact of police violence, gentrification, and racism through the lens of a lifelong friendship between Collin, who is black, and Miles, who is white. Our conversation covers the film’s concerns with race and privilege, what it means to be an authentic Oaklander, the roles women occupy in Blindspotting, and more. In addition, we cover the racist response to black actor Anna Diop’s casting as Starfire in Titans, the Fox-Disney deal’s implications for the MCU, and some of our favorite recent reads and listens! Also, we feature our first ever listener-submitted FREQ-Out, and Anita tries to pronounce the title for the upcoming Spike Lee film BlacKkKlansman. Submit your own FREQ-Out by visiting feministfrequency.com/freqout/! Segment Timestamps: :00 introductions and banter 4:05 pop culture news: racist responses

In this week’s episode, we explore FX’s excellent, multifaceted new drama Pose, which focuses on the lives of trans women and queer people in the ballroom scene of late-80s NYC. Pose confronts the devastation of the AIDS crisis while still showing people with HIV living meaningful lives filled with joy, love, and struggle, and it positions living with honesty and integrity in a hostile world as the heroic act that it is. Also, it actually casts trans actors in trans roles. AMAZING! We also discuss the firing of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, the rumored reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, looking back at Avatar: The Last Airbender some ten years after its debut, and more. Segment Timestamps: :00 Introductions 3:10 entertainment news (James Gunn fired, Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot) 16:30 Pose 43:55 What’s Your FREQ-Out? 53:20 wrap-up Relevant Links: Writer Suzanne Brockmann’s powerful speech challenging the resistance to gay representation in romance novels while accepting her lifetime achieve

This week on Feminist Frequency Radio, we discuss Boots Riley’s wild, unforgettable comedy of race, class, labor and capitalism, Sorry to Bother You! It’s a gem of distinctly Oakland storytelling that’s very relevant for the moment in history at which we find ourselves, and we explore the ways in which it sharply blends comedy and critique to create a uniquely piercing work of cultural commentary that’s also tremendously entertaining. We also take a moment to talk about how, for all its wonderful aspects, Sorry to Bother You doesn’t do right by its female characters. We also talk about the not-so-super comments on flirting and dating from Henry Cavill, the harmful laziness of Trump/Putin gay “jokes,” and other assorted pop culture happenings. Anita shares some fascinating animal facts and has an epiphany about what paraphrasing means. Our producer Phil knows everybody in Oakland. Segment Timestamps: :00 intro 1:40 Homophobic Trump/Putin “jokes” 3:15 Entertainment news: ScarJo backs out of trans man biopic, PO

#34: Ant-Man and The Wasp with Special Guest Jamie Loftus This week on FFR, special guest Jamie Loftus joins us to discuss the pop culture news of the week and the latest cinematic appetizer from Marvel, Ant-Man and The Wasp. Jamie is a hilarious comic, Zamboni-lover, and co-host of The Bechdel Cast. Topics under the feminist microscope this week include the ever-eroding distinction between public and private as demonstrated by the recent #planebae love-fest across social media; Scarlett Johansson staying on (problematic) brand; and the thrilling refusal of Serena Williams to ever diminish herself in the face of white male critique. Once the Ant-Man discussion gets going, your hosts tackle the film's frustrating villains, the absurd logic of the quantum realm, and just how much Paul Rudd anyone really needs.

FFR #33: W. Kamau Bell's New Comedy Special and the Very Real Dangers of Online Harassment This week on FFR, the dynamic trio discusses the new Netflix comedy special by self-proclaimed “heterosexual cisgender dad man” W. Kamau Bell, Private School Negro, which gets into matters of white supremacy and whether or not Trump is a racist. (“Yes, he is a racist.”) Then, following two tragic instances of deadly violence last week that were directly linked to online harassment, we talk about the ways in which the danger and trauma of online harassment is so often dismissed, and why it’s so important to take seriously. Meanwhile, Anita can’t stop humblebragging, someone else has rudely already checked out the DVD Ebony wants from the library, and Carolyn and Ebony’s migraines just might be the result of a government conspiracy. Segment Timestamps: :00 a brief message from Ebony :40 intros, government-induced migraines 3:30 pop culture news (reactions to Pixar’s Bao, Janelle and Tessa) 10:20 W. Kamau Bell’s new specia

#32: It’s Tearjerker Time! Who needs a good cry? Well, we’ve got you covered this week as we discuss two works bristling with poignant and powerful emotion. First up is the new documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? about the life and work of Fred Rogers, who brought a philosophy of radical kindness and love to the often crass and materialistic world of children’s television. Then, we react to Hannah Gadsby’s new Netflix special Nanette, which challenges the established conventions of the comedy special as Gadsby draws on her life experiences as a woman who doesn’t conform to rigid social expectations around gender to explain why she needs to quit comedy. We also touch on the campaign to remake The Last Jedi (lol), which show is better, Sherlock or Elementary, and lots more. Segment Timestamps: :00 — Introductions 1:40 — Anita’s spelling quirks 2:50 pop culture news: The Last Jedi remake, Melania’s jacket 11:50 Won’t You Be My Neighbor? 29:10 Nanette 43:45 What’s Your Deal/FREQ-Out? 55:30 wrap-up Relevant Link

#31 Catching Pancakes With Special Guest Open Mike Eagle On this week’s episode, Anita and Ebony chop it up with hip hop artist Open Mike Eagle, who you may remember from one of Anita’s JoCo Cruise interviews. Topics include Mike’s E3 experience, sexism in games and in sports journalism, how professional wrestling has changed, the uncomfortable horror of TV’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and more! Segment Timestamps: 00: Greetings and Introductions 3:20 pop culture news: “Everything Is Love,” can you pirate something that’s streaming? 8:30 Anita’s cab ride and Kanye’s latest 12:15 Chris Hardwick 14:00 E3, Mike’s first year attending, The New Day 18:30 Our Annual E3 Gender Breakdown 27:00 the evolution of sexism in gaming 29:00 parallels in sports journalism 31:45 gender and wrestling! 34:50 Mike’s wrestling fandom 42:00 What’s Your FREQ-Out? Ebony on Vida, Mike on Waypoint Radio, Anita on The Handmaid’s Tale 55:10 wrap-up! Relevant Links: Listen to Anita’s earlier interview with Mike: https://feministfrequency.com/vi