Material Girls

We had to go to the cottage!!!In this episode, Hope Rehak, (writer, educator, and the mind behind beloved Substack "Obsessions This Week") joins Hannah and Marcelle for a giddy and downright delectable conversation about the Canadian television hit, Heated Rivalry. The episode begins with us holding space for everyone's personal relationship to the series (*spoiler: we love it*), then promptly jumps into a rundown of how the show materially came to be! We discuss the popularity of MLM (men-loving-men) fiction written largely by women and trans men — and the correlated rise and mainstreaming of the romance genre. Hope introduces us to the idea of the androphillic gaze (listen to learn!) and offers a quick rundown of the state of fanfiction today. Hannah then offers some theory through Carlee Gomes' 2023 article, “The Puritanical Eye: Hyper-mediation, Sex on Film, and the Disavowal of Desire." What follows is a rich conversation about the myth of political perfection in media, the desire for escape under late capitalism, the perceived notion that consumer habits are the last site of autonomy and the very real pleasure of watching men be masculine, sexy, and tender. If you're interested in Heated Rivalry as its popularity relates to shadow politics, moral panics and the puritanical eye, then this episode is for you. If you just thought it was a horny and fun show, this episode is also for you. Helpful Re-Listens That Relate to This Episode:Wicked: For Good x Femslash with Leena NormsFourth Wing x the Author FunctionBridgerton x Reading the Romance with Vanessa Zoltan***Works CitedGomes, Carlee. “The Puritanical Eye: Hyper-mediation, Sex on Film, and the Disavowal of Desire.” Lo Specchio Scuro 25 November 2023. https://specchioscuro.it/the-puritanical-eye-hyper-mediation-sex-on-film-and-the-disavowal-of-desire/. Keshavarzi, Yalda. “Heated Rivalry and the erotics of equality.” Shado 14 January 2026. https://shado-mag.com/articles/opinion/heated-rivalry-and-the-erotics-of-equality/. Kurzius, Rachel. “What happens when your gay hockey smut becomes a global phenomenon?” The Washington Post 5 December 2025. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/2025/12/06/heated-rivalry-hbo-series-rachel-reid/.Additional Shoutouts In This Episode:Imani Barbarin (@crutches_and_spice)Janice RadwaySupport Material GirlsTo learn more about the show, head to our Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Or check out our website ohwitchplease.ca (you can also find transcripts here!). Want to support the podcast and our tiny, hard-working team? Check out all the content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. Bonus episodes, bloopers, merch, watch-alongs, and more! Need a last minute gift for a friend or family member? You can gift a Patreon subscription at this link: https://www.patreon.com/ohwitchplease/gift!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”.

Welcome back to Pitty Party! In this episode, Gaby and Zoe run rogue without Marcelle to recap season 2, episode 4 (10:00 AM) of The Pitt. They dig into the show’s treatment of Black women this season, the trauma of being hospitalized without health insurance, the reveal of “Dr. J,” and much more.And an update: We’re moving the Pitty Party fun to Patreon! If you join our Patreon at any tier (http://patreon.com/ohwitchplease) in the month of February, you’ll get 50% off your first month with the code RINGWATCH. See you there!!Support the Show!Follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease and become a free or paid Patreon supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. 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”.

We're back from our January hiatus! We pick up with a Material Concerns episode hosted by Hannah and Coach — oops all Hannahs! In this episode, we begin with a check-in that largely focuses on the incredible anti-ICE community-organizing in Minneapolis and beyond. We then jump into an Apocalypse Toolkit (because of course!) and a Fixation Station (where Coach asks "Is our fixation still Heated Rivalry?" Tune in and you'll learn what next week's episode is all about!!!!!! Head over to Part II for a Mailbag Sampler and Creature Report! And more chatter about how we're getting through this rough days of winter! To listen, join our Patreon for as little as $54/year! You'll get ad-free episodes, bloopers, a backlog of content and part two of all Material Concerns episodes! Go to patreon.com/ohwitchplease now to join a tier that works for your budget!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”.

Welcome back to Pitty Party! In this episode, Gaby, Marcelle, and Zoe recap season 2, episode 3 (9:00 AM) of The Pitt! They dig into the many cases of the episode and discuss everything from the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, to patients playing drug roulette, to the many forms PTSD can take. And of course, they end with some power rankings and predictions for the next episode.(Note: This episode contains spoilers for season 8 of ER.)Next week we'll be back with episode 4, 10:00 AM.Support the Show!Follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease and become a free or paid Patreon supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You'll find hours of bonuses — and bloopers for THIS episode — over there!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”.

In this episode, Gaby, Marcelle, and Zoe dig into season two, episode two, 8:00 AM. They discuss the role of generative AI in the hospital, some particularly stomach-turning cases (if you know you know), and of course, the emotional effects of seeing Dr. Robby hold a baby. Plus, they go long on a very thorough edition of #RINGWATCH and end on some power rankings and predictions for next week.We'll be back next week to talk all about season two, episode three, 9:00 AM.Support the Show!Follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease and become a free or paid Patreon supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You'll find hours of bonuses — and bloopers for THIS episode — over there!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”.

Welcome back to Pitty Party, a recap podcast about HBO's The Pitt!In this episode, Gaby, Marcelle, and Zoe dig into the season two premiere, 7:00 AM. They consider who is having the best (and worst) hour and some of the gnarliest cases of the episode. They also offer their thoughts on this season's new additions: new attending Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, med students James Ogilvie and Joy Kwon, and nurse Emma Nolan. If you're a fan of The Pitt or Golden Globe WINNER Noah Wyle, you won't regret tuning in!We'll be back next week to talk all about season two, episode two, 8:00 AM.Support the Show!Follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease and become a free or paid Patreon supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You'll find hours of bonuses — and bloopers for THIS episode — over there!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”.

Welcome to Pitty Party, a recap podcast for The Pitt!Material Girls is going on winter break for the month of January and in its stead we bring you this show! Hosted by Gaby, Marcelle and Zoe, Pitty Party will recap new episodes of the Pitt as they come out week by week. To begin, Gaby, Marcelle, and Zoe look back at season one of the show and dig into what they’re most excited about in season two. They talk about their favorite characters and storylines, their respective history with medical dramas, what they expect from season two, and so much more.We’ll be back next week to recap the first episode of The Pitt Season 2: 7:00 AM.*Note: This episode contains spoilers for season one of The Pitt.*Support the Show!Follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease and become a free or paid Patreon supporter at patreon.com/ohwitchplease. You'll find hours of bonuses — and bloopers for THIS episode — over there!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”.

Well, well, well, if it isn’t our annual All Team Holiday Episode. The real ones know that these episodes are typically out of control. This year is no different (except we were all sober at the time of recording). Tune in for a timed check-in, followed by end-of-year trivia, 2025 Oops All Oops and some light chatter about Heated Rivalry. If you’d rather not jump right into the deep end, might we recommend a mini playlist of all our holiday-themed episodes? You can work your way up to this one, by first listening to:A Holiday Special from the Archives featuring Neale Barnholden! (there is original music in this one!!)Merry-terial Girls: An Incomprehensible Holiday BonusMaterial Concerns: An All-Team Holiday Bonanza & Wicked Pt. IHappy New Year and thank you for your support! Join our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease!!Subscribe to our newsletter at ghost.io or Substack to get our 2026 update, BTS pics, and all the insider info you could possibly want. We’ll be back next Wednesday with Pitt-y Party — a mini-season all about The Pitt!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”.

To make sense of the recent resurgence in point-and-shoot cameras, we’re returning to French philosopher and cultural theorist Roland Barthes! We begin with a conversation about the major technological shifts that have occurred in photography between 1980 (when Barthes published Camera Lucida) and today. Hannah then leads us in a theory section all about "the Punctum." Together, she and Marcelle parse Barthes' understanding of what makes photography distinct from other mediums and how Time is entangled with our emotional relationship to snapshots captured on camera. If you've never heard of "the Punctum," let this episode be your introduction to one of Barthes' more moving contributions to our theory tool belt!***Happy holidays from the Material Girls team! We'll be back next week with an Hour-Long All-Team Material Concerns episode! To learn more about the show, head to our Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Or check out our website ohwitchplease.ca (you can also find transcripts here!).Want to support the podcast and our tiny, hard-working team? Check out all the content we have on our Patreon at Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. Bonus episodes, bloopers, merch, watch-alongs, and more!Need a last minute gift for the holidays? You can gift a Patreon subscription at this link: https://www.patreon.com/ohwitchplease/giftWorks Cited: Barthes, Roland. Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography. Trans. by Richard Howard. New York: Hill and Wang, 1981. Cooke, Alex. “The Rise and Fall of the Point-and-Shoot Camera.” FStoppers 6 November 2025. https://fstoppers.com/historical/rise-and-fall-point-and-shoot-camera-715387. McLennan, Tara. “Hashtag ‘Sunset’: Smartphone Photography and the Punctum of Time.” The International Journal of the Image 7.1 (2016): 33-43. https://doi.org/10.18848/2154-8560/CGP/v07i01/33-43 Murashima, Claire. “Why Gen Z loves the digital compact cameras that millennials used to covet.” NPR 10 December 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/12/09/nx-s1-5209770/gen-z-digital-compact-cameras-millennials-trendy. 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”.