Share
Material Girls
Athleisure x Optimization with Anne Helen Petersen
We're thrilled to be joined by Anne Helen Petersen for this episode about the popularity of athleisure! If you don't already know, Anne Helen Petersen (she/her) is the incredible writer, journalist and recovering academic behind the beloved newsletter Culture Study. She is the host of a brand new podcast of the same name and the author of four books, most recently Out of the Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working From Home (co-written with Charlie Warzel) and Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation.
Together we begin with a history lesson from Hannah about WWII's effect on the fashion industry, particular women's clothing and the rise of spandex. Hannah offers some insight from cultural critic Jia Tolentino and her essay, "Athleisure, barre and kale: the tyranny of the ideal woman." We then move on to some helpful framing from theorist Michelle Foucault, sociologists Daniel Nehring and Anja Röcke, and feminist scholars Julie Brice and Holly Thorpe. We talk neoliberalism, fatphobia, and, of course, our culture's obsession with optimization.
We end with an honest discussion about the role of pop culture analysis in helping us navigate the murky waters of ideology. We loved having Anne on the show and if you like this episode, we recommend heading to patreon.com/ohwitchplease for more! Anne joins us for two perks you DO NOT want to miss. And of course, you can find more of Anne's specific, timely and thoughtful writing all over the internet @annehelenpetersen!
You can learn more about the show at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back in two weeks for another episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease!
***
Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.
*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment.
Music Credits:
“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020
Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.
More episodes
View all episodes
4.5. Material Concerns: Golden Girls, All-Inclusive Resorts, and Coach's Birthday Pt. I
29:34||Season 2, Ep. 4.5Welcome back to Material Concerns! In this episode, Marcelle and Hannah answer your questions. They talk Golden Girls, Friends, All-Inclusive Resorts, and Coach's Birthday! As a reminder, for just $5 USD/month you'll get part two, our extensive backlog, ad-free episodes, and oh so much more!***Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.4. The Golden Girls x Sex Positivity with Marshall Watson
01:05:42||Season 2, Ep. 4Over the course of its seven seasons, The Golden Girls had 25 million viewers and earned 68 Emmy nominations. Each of the girls, Rue McClanahan (Blanche Devereaux), Bea Arthur (Dorothy Zbornak), Estelle Getty (Sophia Petrillo) and Betty White (Rose Nylund) won Emmy's for their performances and more than three decades later, the show is still in syndication. All to say, the show was popular! Beloved friend of the pod and The Golden Girls super fan, Marshall Watson (he/him), joins Hannah and Marcelle on this episode to talk about the progressive politics of show, the social issues that were at the center of its stories, and the reason(s) many queer kids, Marshall included, found comedy, representation, and hope from "four old queens" in the late 80s and 90s.A note about content: This episode focuses on the HIV/AIDs crisis and the decades-long failure of the American government to provide funding, resources, and care to marginalized communities most impacted by the virus. If you need to skip this episode, we understand and encourage you to take care of yourself!Quick Links:https://www.actuporalhistory.org/https://www.dukeupress.edu/we-are-having-this-conversation-nowYou can learn more about Material Girls at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back next episode with a Material Concerns episode, but until then, go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease! Patreon is how we produce the show and pay our team! Thanks again to all of you who have already made the leap to join us on Patreon.*** Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment.3.5. Material Concerns: Connections, Stolen iPads, and Genre Conventions Pt. I
27:45||Season 2, Ep. 3.5Welcome back to Material Concerns! In this episode, Marcelle and Hannah answer your questions. They talk phone games, the Witch, Please team as different types of witches, genre conventions and Twin Peaks! As a reminder, for just $5 USD/month you'll get part two, our extensive backlog, ad-free episodes, and oh so much more!***Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.3. Twin Peaks x Cult Television
52:38||Season 2, Ep. 3In honor of spooky season, we bring you an episode about the beloved cult classic, Twin Peaks! This show from Mark Frost and David Lynch, starring Kyle MacLachlan, is widely understood as one of the most influential television series ever! And yet it its original run began April 1990 and ended just fourteen months later in June 1991. In this episode, Marcelle explores why this show, that began as a hit, fell in ratings so quickly. Hannah and Marcelle then discuss the power of cult followings and how pieces of pop culture are kept alive for decades after their initial heyday.If you're a fan of Twin Peaks, or if you're someone who doesn't understand why it has had a lasting impact on television, then you're going to love this episode that gets into the details of the show's rise and fall and, most importantly, its fandom.***You can learn more about Material Girls at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back next week with a bonus episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease! Patreon is HOW WE PAY OUR TEAM! We need your support to make the show. Thanks again to all of you who have already made the leap to join us on Patreon.Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.Bonus Episode: Azkaban & The Prison Industrial Complex with Adrian Angus
23:27|Today we’re dropping a bonus conversation into your feed featuring Adrian Angus, a dear friend of Marcelle's who passed away unexpectedly in September. This bonus episode was originally released as a Patreon perk back in March 2021. At the time, our flagship show was Witch, Please, a scholarly podcast about the Harry Potter world and this bonus accompanied our Book three episode about The Prison Industrial Complex with guest Mercedes Eng — which you can listen to wherever you get your podcasts.October 19th, would have been Adrian’s 40th birthday, so it seems fitting to share this snapshot of Adrian’s joy, intellect, and insight with current listeners of Material Girls. If you enjoy this episode, you can join Witch, Please Productions in donating to the Black Public Defender Association in Adrian’s honor at: blackdefender.org/donateThanks for listening! <32.5. Material Concerns: Dopamine Pt. I
33:15||Season 2, Ep. 2.5Thank you for your questions about dopamine, dinosaurs and cats! In part one of this Material Concerns episode, we also launch a new segment called "Make It Make Sense" where Hannah and Marcelle rely on no research to guess why certain things are popular! Thanks for your suggestions via Instagram! As a reminder, for just $5 USD/month you'll get part two, our extensive backlog, ad-free episodes, and oh so much more!***Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.2. Dopamine x Health Capitalism with Jesse Meadows
01:11:20||Season 2, Ep. 2For this episode, we're joined by Jesse Meadows (they/them) to discuss the most zeitgeist-y neurotransmitter around: dopamine! Have you been targeted Instagram Reels and Tik Toks about increasing your dopamine levels or managing ADHD through pleasure abstinence? Well that may have more to do with tech bros, billionaires and health capitalism than you think! Tune in for a conversation about pseudo-science, "hedonic Calvinism," eugenics, Big Pharma, manipulative algorithms and more! Check out Jesse's Dopamine Dispatch: https://www.sluggish.xyz/t/dopaminedispatch!To read more of Jesse's work, we HIGHLY recommend subscribing to Sluggish: https://www.sluggish.xyzYou can also find Jesse's video essays on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@slug.town***You can learn more about Material Girls at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back next week with a bonus episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease! Patreon is HOW WE PAY OUR TEAM! We need your support to make the show. Thanks again to all of you who have already made the leap to join us on Patreon.Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.1.5. Material Concerns: Jurassic Park Pt. I
30:44||Season 2, Ep. 1.5You had so many great questions about Hannah's forthcoming book, Clever Girl and our Jurassic Park episode all about spectacle —and we answer a lot of them in part one of this Material Concerns episode! As a reminder, for just $5 USD/month you'll get part two, our extensive backlog, ad-free episodes, and oh so much more!***Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.1. Jurassic Park x Spectacle
01:00:00||Season 2, Ep. 1In this episode, Hannah and Marcelle discuss what made Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park (1993) the ultimate CGI summer blockbuster, the history of American spectacle, and the monstrosity of the movie's out-of-control lady dinosaurs! Hannah leads this episode and if you're left wanting more, we have great news: their forthcoming book, Clever Girl: Jurassic Park, is available for preorder right now! Clever Girl "is a smart and incisive exploration of everyone’s favorite dinosaur movie and the female dinosaurs who embody what it means to be angry, monstrous, and free." Classic Hannah!!!!And do you want even better news? The whole Witch, Please Productions team is gathering this October to celebrate Hannah's book at Coach's beloved childhood bookstore, Women & Children First! Join us on October 11th at 7 pm CST to hear Hannah in conversation with Marcelle about Clever Girl! We want to see you! Come join us!Clever Girl: https://ecwpress.com/products/clever-girl-jurassic-park-pop-classicsSave the Date: https://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/event/person-event-clever-girl-hannah-mcgregor***You can learn more about Material Girls at ohwitchplease.ca and on our instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Want more from us? Check out our website ohwitchplease.ca. We'll be back next week with a bonus episode, but until then, we mean it — go check out all the other content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease! Patreon is HOW WE PAY OUR TEAM! We need your support to make the show. Thanks again to all of you who have already made the leap to join us on Patreon.Material Girls is a show that aims to make sense of the zeitgeist through materialist critique* and critical theory! Each episode looks at a unique object of study (something popular now or from back in the day) and over the course of three distinct segments, Hannah and Marcelle apply their academic expertise to the topic at hand.*Materialist Critique is, at its simplest possible level, a form of cultural critique – that is, scholarly engagement with a cultural text of some kind – that is interested in modes of production, moments of reception, and the historical and ideological contexts for both. Materialist critique is really interested in the question of why a particular cultural work or practice emerged at a particular moment. Music Credits:“Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”.