Nicole gets the Junkies thinking about traveling, and while Olivia plans to escape the oppressive Arizona temps this summer, Shauna will enjoy the hot hot heat poolside. As for Nicole, she'll soon be sailing to the other side of the International Date Line, where her today will be our tomorrow. Then the talk turns to movies, specifically movie sets. With an imaginary time (and place) machine, Shauna wills herself to the set of Blade (1998), where she participates in the Goth nightclub scene...

Shauna goes solo this week to interview award-winning indie writer/director/producer Ansel Faraj, whose film The Great Nick D is now on the festival circuit. Ansel tells Shauna about his pop culture heritage, and how it inspired his body of work. Though he’s based in Los Angeles, he’s no nepo baby – but even without connections he’s been able to fulfill his dream of making films. Ansel and Shauna talk about his last movie, Todd Tarantula (which Shauna loved!) now streaming on Tubi, as well as...

The Junkies reveal their latest obsessions, which for Nicole is March Madness, for Olivia is reading the first book in a fantasy series and then waiting impatiently for the next book to be written, and for Shauna it is reliving the glorious return to classic animation that is X-Men ’97. There is also some NSFW discussion about “knotting” so consider yourself warned. Then the Junkies detail the highs of Jennifer Lopez’s career in contrast to where it sits now, after she released This Is...

This week, Shauna tells the Junkies about the series Shogun, and that she’s been to Japan twice, not that she’s bragging. Olivia gives us all the horrifying details from the Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider expose series Quiet on the Set (and here’s a trigger warning because it includes sexual violence against children), and Nicole goes up to bat with a review of The Hill, a baseball movie starring Dennis Quaid. Then it’s time to dish on each Junkie’s pick for the most chaotic celebrity breakup...

The Junkies briefly ponder the Unsolved Mystery of “What Happened to Kate Middleton?”, but out of respect to PCJ superfan King Charles III, the topic swerves to the umpteenth season of Survivor, and addictive reality shows in general. Then Shauna endeavors to explain the Dune universe to Nicole and Olivia, but how do you adequately explain Spice? Then the Junkies plan a sleepover to watch Dune and the perfect companion movies, American Mary and High School Musical, and emphasize that this...

This week, the Junkies catch up and find that Nicole is still a Ride-or-Die for Law and Order: SVU, even though the romance between Stabler and Benson hasn’t moved any closer to Smoochtown; Olivia binged a 55 part-TikTok series about a pathological liar, then tries to make Shauna think she doesn’t know who Gordon Ramsey is; and Shauna humblebrags that she has layers, like an onion, or an ogre, which will come as no surprise to any government agency that’s monitoring her Google searches. Then...

The Pop Culture Junkies are back and better than ever! The post-holiday break is over, and the Junkies tell each other what they’ve been up to since last they met. Find out how Nicole has a conduit directly to heaven, why Shauna is the Promise Ring Queen, and the details behind Olivia’s emotional breakdown over a fantasy book series. So relatable. Then the Junkies dive into the magic that is TikTok: an app that gives you a hit of dopamine that turns off the part of your brain that tells you...

Shauna may be obsessed with the end of the world (movies, that is), but Olivia is not giving up until she gets the other Junkies hooked on her new fave book series involving the Fey (look for it on our next PCJ book club episode), and Nicole skipped the book and went straight to the movie based on the ‘Hunger Games’ prequel. Then the talk turned to Christmas movies, but not the kind where a big-city gal falls for a sweater-wearing down-home hunk. No, this episode is all about killer Santas,...

Olivia, Shauna and Nicole began reviewing the Britney Spears memoir The Woman in Me in our last episode, but there was so much to say that we made it a two-parter. This time The Junkies talk about Britney’s fight against mental illness, tabloid journalism and the paparazzi, and her troubled marriage to Kevin Federline, which was bad enough – but things were about to get worse. The Junkies cover everything like the notorious head-shaving incident, the “Free Britney” movement, and of course her...

The inaugural episode of the Pop Culture Junkie Book Club features (what else?) Britney Spears’ memoir The Woman in Me. Olivia, Shauna and Nicole read the eye-opening true story of The Princess of Pop, and they have a lot to say about Britney’s revelations – so much so that this is the first of two episodes covering the book. In this episode, we start with Spears’ humble origins in Kentwood, LA, to her entrance into pop culture via The Mickey Mouse Club and Star Search, to her meteoric rise...

It's nearly Halloween, and while Shauna and Olivia have thought out their costumes - sexy Freddy Krueger and Sexy Ghostface - but Nicole still needs some ideas. The Junkies vow to each try on a bald cap, a la Dr. Evil, but to share the same one, a la The Sisterhood of the Traveling Bald Cap. Somehow they make it make sense. On a more serious note, the Junkies then talk about the Final Girl and Scream Queen horror tropes, the symbolic and cultural influence of these horror heroes, and list...

The Junkies have been very busy lately, what with new day jobs, trips to Miami and event planning, but they still have time to bing pop culture. Nicole is still enjoying Only Murders in the Building, as is Shauna, so Olivia decides to give in to peer pressure and vows to catch up on the hit show. Shauna is still down with And Just Like That, with all its flaws, and is loving The Bear, which is flawless, and Olivia is back on the Twilight train. Speaking of trains...well, travel, the Junkies...

After detailing their very busy schedules, (including an impromptu trip to see a Taylor Swift concert) and a look at what’s up with Lizzo, and Ariana Grande, Olivia, Nicole and Shauna keep it musical by paying homage to their favorite under-the-radar bands. If you’ve never heard of ASTON, Troye Sivan, Haru Nemuri, Ktlyn, Maggie Rogers, Drake Milligan, INJI, Lil Mariko, Caroline Polachek, Zach Bryan, Twin Temple, Lainey Wilson, Marlon Craft, CIL, or Rico Nasty, well, now you have. And you’re...

The Junkies set the menu for their final meals should they ever end up on death row – which would never happen, of course – and they are all elaborate combinations of fine dining and fast food. Then, the discussion turns to (where else) true crime, and Nicole, Shauna and Olivia talk about the best documentaries and movies about real-life murders. They also discuss the phenomenon of serial killer groupies, the obvious disparity in which victims get media coverage, and the ethics of presenting...

Hi Barbies! This episode, The Junkies talk about the Barbenheimer phenomenon, even though only one of them managed to make it happen (so far). Shauna remembers her Weird Barbie doll, and her propensity to leave them in compromising positions, while Nicole confesses she was more of a Polly Pocket fan. Also, Olivia has some American Girl dolls for sale, so if you’re interested, send a message, but don’t even try to get Shauna to give up her Beanie Babies. Next, The Junkies talk about the Barbie...

Nicole is addicted to Hot Ones – the show where celebrities try to engage in conversation while consuming ever more deadly hot wings, and Shauna has succumbed to the lure of the second season of And Just Like That. Speaking of needing an intervention, Olivia’s friends stage one to help her with her true crime addiction. Olivia then enlists Shauna and Nicole to help her get The Weeknd removed from any future episodes of The Idol. Then The Junkies confess which animated characters, well,...

Shauna spoils the end of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (you’re welcome), then practices her “Ah-nold” accent for us all (you’re welcome again). Olivia is still pressuring the other Junkies to join her in the tortuous task of watching The Idol, to no avail, and eases us into the triggering documentary about the triggering Duggar clan. Then Nicole catches us all up on the various Vanderpump Rules scandals and instructs Shauna on how to become a Real Housewife. And speaking of Lily-Rose Depp,...

Nicole and Olivia both recently traveled (although not together) and they both indulged in documentaries while they were away. Olivia binged docs about weird religous cults and Nicole watched a show about road rage, and that should tell you everything you need to know about them. Shauna, meanwhile, is still a Marvel stan, and finally watched Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Then she and the other Junkies try to rank the Scream movies, but they discover they are kind of the same movie over and over...

The Junkies return to Phoenix Fan Fusion! This year, Nicole and Shauna hosted a panel about streaming or network television shows that were canceled too soon (looking at you, Jessica Jones!) and discuss the shows they - and the audience - miss the most, and whether it's even worth it to get invested in new programs any more. Find out if any of your beloved but prematurely canceled shows made our list! We have a Patreon! To support our podcast and get access to exclusive content, click...

The Junkies welcome Olivia Rodi to the Pop Culture Junkie podcast, and Nicole and Shauna get to know her faves and fandoms. As she is a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Taylor Swift, Josie and the Pussycats, horror movies, true crime and celebrity gossip and conspiracy therories, it’s obvious she’s going to fit right in. After discussing whether Tupac is alive, Katy Perry is really Jon-Benet Ramsey and other hot takes, The Junkies take the conversation in a spicier direction, commenting on...

Nicole and Shauna had the dubious honor of attending a 20th Anniversary Screening of The Room with Greg Sestero, and that led to a discussion of cult classics like Clerks, The Evil Dead, The Cornetto Trilogy and more. Then Shauna remembers her favorite midnight movie experiences, and invites Nicole to lose her Rocky Horror Picture Show virginity with her soon. Moving from so-bad-they're-good movies to just plain bad movies, the Junkies then determine the worst movies they've ever seen....

Hayley, Nicole and Shauna gather together for a bittersweet episode: Hayley the Brave is saying goodbye to the Pop Culture Junkie podcast to start a new and exciting chapter in her life. But first, Shauna reviews the Creed and John Wick sequels in theaters now, Nicole reviews the docuseries Full Swing, which is a Netflix show about golfers and not sexy spouse-swappers, in case you were wondering. Then Hayley explains why Reservoir Dogs is superior to Pulp Fiction, if you must watch a...

On this extra-special edition of Pop Culture Junkie, Shauna is up extra early to talk to London-based singer, actor and activist Kate Nash. After bonding over Buffy the Vampire Slayer and how it empowered and validated teenage girls, Shauna and Kate discuss “f*** the patriarchy” music, the abysmal treatment of women by the media, and Kate’s time on the Netflix show GLOW. Kate also talks about her new comedy movie Coffee Wars, where she stars as independent coffee shop owner Jo, who attempts...

The Junkies don't have much in the way of good goss this week, but they do have the sports report and Nicole sparks a conversation about women's basketball and the fashion-forward coach of Lousiana State University, Kim Mulkey. Shauna describes the bummer experience of watching The Whale, while Hayley describes how Babylon wasted three long hours of her life. Also this week, Hayley, Shauna and Nicole present their spring movie preview, looking at the trailers from Air, The Super Mario Bros....

The Junkies review Cocaine Bear, and recall how fun it was to see it together. Shauna enjoyed rooting for the bear, Nicole lauded Elizabeth Banks and her directorial skills, and Hayley enjoyed the reunion of cast members from her favorite show, The Americans. In other viewing news, Both Hayley and Shauna are on a Pedro Pascal binge while Nicole is finally, finally, a fan of Only Murders in the Building. Speaking of Selena Gomez, The Junkies break down the Hailey Bieber/Kylie Jenner/Selena...