It's Been a Minute

Bravo's hit reality show Vanderpump Rules has become infamous due to a much-discussed affair between two members of its cast. The whole thing has been nicknamed "Scandoval" and has led to record-breaking ratings, countless memes, and even a joke at the White House Correspondents Dinner. In a world were reality television is synonymous with secret affairs and drama, why is "Scandoval" such a big deal? Pop Culture Happy Hour's co-host Stephen Thompson is joined by culture writer Shamira Ibrahim and columnist Amil Niazi to discuss.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

HBO's 'The Idol' has been riddled with controversy, and with the show coming to an end, host Brittany Luse and NPR's Hazel Cills had a lot to say about the series portrayal of female pop stars, along with the more interesting stories they'd like to see Hollywood show us.Then, Brittany takes on fat discrimination with author, columnist and Maintenance Phase co-host Aubrey Gordon LIVE from the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. Gordon just had the world premier of "Your Fat Friend" a documentary follows her journey from the eponymous blogger 'Your Fat Friend' to New York Times bestselling author and podcaster. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, known for her role in 'Never Have I Ever,' talks about cosplay, dealing with haters, and her dreams for diverse representation in Hollywood. She shares insights on her wildest dream role, ways to handle criticism, and the importance of paving the way for nerdy brown girls in the industry.

Today, we consider the himbo — sweet hotties who are maybe a little naive about the world, but are always having a good time. One of the greatest himbos of our age is Lance Arroyo on Max's comedy The Other Two. Host Brittany Luse sits down with actor Josh Segarra, who plays Lance, to talk about what makes an ideal himbo and why they're speaking to the greater culture and our hearts.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Dominique Fishback is starring in one of the biggest summer movies, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, but her star has long been on the rise through roles in Judas and the Black Messiah, Swarm, and The Deuce.This week, Dominique opens up to Brittany Luse about finding the vulnerability in her characters, portraying the rarified Black female serial killer, and what makes her the actress "with a thousand faces."You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

There's been a common theme swirling throughout the culture wars: from gun policy, to drag bans, to talking about race - the innocence of children is always at the center of discussion.This week, we're exploring the ideas and systems around childhood. We learn why we first drew the line between child and adult, why the line is so jagged and what implications this has on our lives today. We hear from a few kids themselves, then host Brittany Luse is joined by historian Jules Gill-Peterson and author Sophie Lewis. Last, Brittany chats with children's therapist Gerri Cadet Mareus about cultivating kids' autonomy by turning conflicts at home into opportunities to work together.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Virginia Sole-Smith is an author, writer and host of the podcast Burnt Toast — and her work focuses on our relationship to food and fat. Her latest book, Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture is based on one simple idea: it's okay and normal for kids to be fat. "What fat kids need is to know that we see them, we accept them, and we know they are worthy of respect, safety, and dignity," she writes. "Making their body smaller isn't the solution." Virginia sits down with host Brittany Luse to discuss why anti-fat bias hurts people of all body sizes, why we need to rethink "unhealthy" foods and how to have the fat talk. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Grammy-nominated singer Emily King is a master architect of love songs: her dreamy pop-infused music has provided the soundtrack to many romances. This week, she's opening up about how she baked a fresh heartbreak into the sound of her latest album, Special Occasion. She's writing through her pain, shaking the shame around being honest and dealing with vulnerability hangovers.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The prince of pranks, Eric André, changed the comedy landscape with his long running series on Adult Swim, The Eric Andre Show. After a 3-year hiatus, the show is back. Brittany Luse sits down with André to talk about the new season, his pranks on Amber Rose and Jaleel White, and why his humor seems to always flip the script of figures of authority and create heroes out of average joes. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's finally summer! And what better way to celebrate than to pick up a juicy book on a nice day? Romance authors Bolu Babalola and Emily Henry join host Brittany Luse to give their recommendations for great summer reads. Plus, they play a dating game featuring literary hotties. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy