Reflections on Consumer Culture and Branding

A Coldplay concert kiss cam became the most viral moment of the week. Esau, and bestselling author Nancy French unpack the now-infamous clip of an affair caught on camera. Was it hilarious or heartbreaking, and what does it say about our appetite for public shame? They also debate whether a World War II hero should also be remembered as a TikTok star, whether celebrity-branded Crumbl cookies are harmless fun or late-stage capitalism in dessert form, and if Walmart might actually be... beautiful. Plus, Esau discovers there’s a wrong way to invite your producer to a Cubs game.

0:00 - Theme Song

4:00 - D-Day Veteran and TikTok Star

10:25 - Coldplay Outs CEO Affair—Funny or Tragedy?

21:08 - Benson Boone Cookies and Parasocial Relationships

31:24 - An Ode to Wal-Mart?

Ghosted: An American Story by Nancy French: https://a.co/d/0UhumZ5