Adoption Pop!

Haley Radke, Kristal Parke, and Sullivan Summer
  • 0.0 (0)
  • TV & FILM
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Adoption Pop! where a podcast journalist, a filmmaker, and a cultural critic burst pop culture's favorite adoption tropes. Each episode, we'll dive into movies, TV, and reality shows, from prestige dramas to the classics, to ask what these stories are really saying, and not saying, about adoption. And we'll get real about representation: how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Philomena (2013) – Adoption on the Big Screen

    E015 | Philomena (2013) – Adoption on the Big Screen   A young woman shamed, banished, and indentured—yet faith survives for Philomena Lee who, after 50 years of separation, embarks upon a search for the son she was forced to relinquish inside one of Ireland's notorious mother and baby homes. Podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer take on Philomena, adapted from journalist Martin Sixsmith's The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, and starring Judi Dench as the title character in a film that had our Irish eyes weeping, all 29-30% of them.  Philomena was written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, directed by Stephen Frears, and based on the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith.    For those watching on YouTube, Haley's necklace–worn in honor of Philomena and the birth mothers–was designed by adoptee Tracey Aabey-Hammond in response to Kay Jewelers' advertisement and jewelry celebrating adoption. The tattered, torn, tarnished heart of "The Adoption Pendant" conveys the loss that adoption brings to adoptees and first mothers. The stone is set wrongly to represent adoptees who feel they have never fit in with the adoptive family or the world due to the loss of their original identity. You can purchase the necklace here.  This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on March 18, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Martin Sixsmith, The Lost Child of Philomena Lee (2010) According to Wikipedia, Magdalene laundries, also known as Magdalene asylums, were run by the Roman Catholic church in Ireland ostensibly to house "fallen women," though they actually functioned as penitentiary workhouses. A formal apology for the women who worked, and who died in the laundries, was issued by the State in 2013. You can read more about them in Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries: A Campaign for Justice by Claire McGettrick et al. (2021).  Rory Carroll, "Irish church and state apologise for callous mother and baby homes," The Guardian (January 13, 2021) The Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes produced by the Irish government, all 2,865 pages of it, is available here (January 12, 2021). Jane Russell and the Springtown Mother, BBC Radio 4 (2015) Judi Dench, "Playing Philomena Was a Great Responsibility," Variety (January 7, 2014) "Judi Dench's only child regret," The Sydney Morning Herald (November 17, 2011) The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

    54 min

  2. 11 MAR

    Song Sung Blue (2025) – Adoption on the Big Screen

    E014 | Song Sung Blue (2025) – Adoption on the Big Screen Did you ever read about a frog who dreamed of bein' a king, and then became one? Well, except for the names, and a few other changes, you've got the Hollywood adaptation of a little-known documentary profile of the Milwaukee Neil Diamond tribute act known as "Lightning and Thunder." Song Sung Blue hit theaters on Christmas Day in 2025, garnering generally favorable reviews, and a slew of Best Actress nominations for Kate Hudson for her melodic portrayal of Claire "Thunder" Sardina, a woman who battles back to the stage after losing a leg in a freak car accident, developing an addiction to pain meds, and insisting her daughter relinquish her baby. Good times never seemed so good. Song Sung Blue was written by Craig Brewer and Greg Kohs, and was directed by Craig Brewer.    This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on March 11, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: The film Song Sung Blue is based on the 2008 documentary of the same name by Greg Kohs. You can read Kohs's essay about the making of the doc here.  Fact check: Dolly Parton has been the subject of not one, but two biopics. Alyvia Alyn Lind plays a young Dolly growing up in rural Tennessee in 2015's Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors and its follow-up, Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love in 2016.  Fact check: Depictions of smoking can affect a film's Motion Picture Association of America rating. Hollywood studios also each have their own policies regarding on-screen smoking, outlined here by IndieWire. And a 2025 article by Adriana Albini in Cancerworld details the history of smoking depictions on-screen. (We normally try to rely on less-biased sources than Cancerworld, but there's a good chance our other content has already weeded out the nicotine-cancer-connection-deniers, so we're going to stick with it).   Eddie Vedder is the lead singer and guitarist of Pearl Jam, among other bands. A 2011 Rolling Stone readers' poll named him seventh on the list of "Best Lead Singers of All Time." (We normally try to rely on less-biased sources than Rolling Stone, but we stand by the spirit of the list, and agree that Eddie Vedder is, in fact, a national treasure).    Gerrad Hall, "Fact vs. fiction in Song Sung Blue: heart attacks, a horrific accident, and Eddie Vedder's unexpected call," Entertainment Weekly (December 26, 2025). Paul Grein, "38 Actors Who Were Oscar-Nominated For Playing Real Musicians & Singers," Billboard (January 22, 2026). It took longer than anticipated, but Haley has finally given Kristal her stage name, which is "Citrine." Listen for her in future episodes.  In the meantime, listen to Neil Diamond's "I Am… I Said." You're welcome.  The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

    50 min

  3. 4 MAR

    Task (2025) – Adoption on the Small Screen

    E013 | Task (2025) – Adoption on the Small Screen Season 1 of HBO's Task centers former priest, alcoholic, adoptive father, FBI agent, Tom Brandis (played by Mark Ruffalo), who heads up a task force of dubiously-selected young agents as they hunt down a pair of guys robbing violent motorcycle gang-owned stash houses. As melodramatic as the plotline may be, the series quickly became a Pop! favorite for its truthful portrayal of the complexities in adoption.  Thank you to Pop! Star Candace for the recommendation.  Task was created by Brad Ingelsby.    This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on March 4, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Covenant House is the largest, primarily privately funded charity in North and Central America providing immediate and long-term support for young people facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking, including many former foster youth and adoptees. Their website provides data on this population, and resources to support.  Grow Beyond Words maintains a directory of adoption-competent, licensed mental health professionals in the US. InterCountry Adoptee Voices maintains a similar, international directory.  Joe Otterson, "'Task' Renewed for Season 2 at HBO With Mark Ruffalo Returning," Variety (November 20, 2025)  Who wrote this scene with the priest at the end? Task Episode 7, "A Still Small Voice," was written by Brad Ingelsby, and directed by Jeremiah Zagar. The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack. You can find her book recommendations here.

    48 min

  4. 25 FEB

    Private Practice "Apron Strings" (2012) – Adoption on the Small Screen

    E012 | Private Practice "Apron Strings" (2012) – Adoption on the Small Screen   The Grey's Anatomy spinoff Private Practice followed OB/GYN Addison Montgomery for six seasons from 2007 until 2013, where she and a who's who of middle-aged eye-candy treated patients at an oceanside wellness center. In a case of art imitating life, Addison, like showrunner Shonda Rhimes, adopts a baby. But when baby Henry's mother comes back into his life after 8 months away, Addison's humanity is tested, along with the audience's ability to hold multiple truths at once. Private Practice "Apron Strings" aired on November 20, 2012. It was written by Gabe Fonseca, Elizabeth Klaviter, and Gabriel Llanas; and directed by Amyn Kaderali.      Thank you Pop! Stars Gretchen and Lora for this episode recommendation.   This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on February 25, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: In case you missed it: On Season 1 of Grey's Anatomy, Derek Shepherd ("McDreamy") was dating Meredith Grey. Then, in the Season 1 finale, his estranged wife Addison shows up. She meets Meredith and she says, "Hi. I'm Addison Shepherd." (Very dramatic). Then, in Season 2 we learn Addison had an extramarital affair with Derek's best friend, Mark Sloan ("McSteamy"), who also comes to work with them at the hospital. There will be a Pop! quiz later. Actor Benjamin Bratt played Detective Rey Curtis on Law & Order Seasons 6-9. If Sullivan had a hall pass… The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) prioritizes keeping native children within their tribes and communities, over placement with non-native families.  "Shonda Rhimes: Women Need to Brag More," Call Her Daddy podcast (October 8, 2025) "Oprah Talks to Shonda Rhimes," O Magazine (December 2006) Rickie Solinger, Wake Up Little Suzy: Single Pregnancy and Race Before Roe v. Wade, 2nd edition (2000) Ann Fessler, The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade (2007) Gretchen Sisson, Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood (2024) The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critic Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.  Pop! quiz: Which Adoption Pop! cohost is the funniest? (a) Sullivan (b) Sullivan (c) Sullivan (d) Sullivan

    59 min

  5. 18 FEB

    Love is Blind UK Season 1 (2024) – Adoption on Reality TV

    E011 | Love is Blind UK Season 1 (2024) –Adoption on Reality TV   According to Forbes magazine, around 80 million people, 30% of the adult population in the US, is on a dating app, with 10% of partnered adults reporting that they met their significant other through a dating site or app. Of course, one might skip university, friends, apps, and pokes (ew), and head straight for reality television. What happens when an adopted person looks for love while millions tune in to watch? The pods are open for podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer, as they explore Season 1 of Love is Blind UK on this episode of Adoption Pop! This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on February 18, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Despite its name, Boston Pizza was founded in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964. According to Wikipedia, the company had nearly 400 locations in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as of 2022. In Sullivan's defense, none of them are in New York. Or near it. Or in Boston, apparently. Contrary to popular belief, Facebook never really got rid of pokes and is, according to tech reporters, trying to re-popularize them. Dislike.  There are about 30,000 people in the funeral services industry across the US and Canada. There are about 78.5 million bald men. It is just statistically impossible for all of them to be unattractive, Kristal.  Actor Craig T. Nelson is known for roles on Coach, The Family Stone, Adoption Pop! Episode 003, and Haley's hall pass.  Emily Phares, "Dating Statistics and Facts," Forbes (July 22, 2025). Andres Hjern et. al, "Couple Partnership and divorce in domestic and non-European international adoptees. A Swedish national cohort study with follow up until 36 to 45 years," Children and Youth Servies Review (October 2023). The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critical Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

    1 hr

  6. 11 FEB

    Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 2: Adoption on the Small Screen

    010 | Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 2: Adoption on the Small Screen   Part 2 of an Adoption Pop! two-part episode.  San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 when he courageously took a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sparking national debate over the role of activism in professional sports. Kaepernick went on to become a civil rights activist, devoting his time, resources, and personal narrative to supporting Black and Brown youth in standing in their power—something he knows a little bit about, not only from his NFL days, but from growing up as a transracial adoptee. The limited Netflix series, Colin in Black and White, tells his story, and a story resonant for many adopted people.   Colin in Black and White was created by Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick. This episode aired on February 11, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Colin Kaepernick is the founder of Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing. He is the author of several books, including Change the Game (2023), alongside Eve L. Ewing and Orlando Caicedo. According to Kristal and Urban Dictionary, "Kaepernicking" is to flex your bicep and kiss it in celebratory fashion, inspired and trademarked by San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.  Urban Dictionary also defines "camel toe" and "moose knuckle," but you will need to look those up for yourself. Moose Knuckles the clothing brand has cold weather gear. And when Sullivan said she thought moose knuckles were candy, she might have been talking about Moose Farts, a no-bake treat made with sweetened condensed milk, butter, vanilla, graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips. (Shrug. Canadians).  "DNA." is from Kendrick Lamar's fourth studio album, Damn. The National Association of Black Social Workers Transracial Adoption Statement (1972) articulates the organization's stance against the placement of Black children in white homes for any reason.  Julia Moore for People, "Colin Kaepernick Says He Found It 'Very Difficult' to Call Out Adoptive Parents Over Racial Issues." (April 4, 2023). Resources for transracial adoptees and their families include: Colin in Black and White: The Kaepernick Curriculum Adoption Mosaic offers educational courses for adoptive parents, and community for adoptees.  Melissa Guida-Richards, What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption (North Atlantic Books, 2021) Samira K. Mehta, The Racism of People Who Love You: Essays on Mixed Race and Belonging (Beacon Press, 2023) Angela Tucker, You Should Be Grateful: Stories on Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption (Beacon Press. 2024) The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critical Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

    54 min

  7. 6 FEB · BONUS

    "The Girl in the Middle" (2026) – Bonus Pop! Advertising Adoption

    Bonus Pop! | "The Girl in the Middle" (2026) – Advertising Adoption   This is a very special, bonus Pop! episode, recorded as the adoptee community awaits the premier of "The Girl in the Middle," a pro-adoption advertisement promoted by the National Council for Adoption and others, slated to air during the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show—but only if you believe their marketing. (Spoiler: We do not recommend you believe their marketing).   This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on February 6, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Leave it to reproductive rights scholar, Gretchen Sisson, to say in a clear, concise Instagram reel what Haley, Sullivan, and Kristal need 30 minutes and glam to get across.  "The Complexities of Adoption: Money, Marketing, and Ethics with Gretchen Sisson," Cate & Ty Break It Down (April 16, 2025).  Gretchen Sisson, Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood (2024).  Learn more about, and donate to, Saving Our Sisters, a 501(c)(3) using its funds to support women and their families, and not to buy Super Bowl advertisements. Learn more about Haley's investigative series podcast, On Adoption. And support the centering of first/birthmother, and adoptee voices, through Adoptees for Family Preservation. Adoption Is An Option LLC Bravelove Inc National Council for Adoption The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critical Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

    28 min

  8. 4 FEB

    Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 1: Adoption on the Small Screen

    009 | Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 1: Adoption on the Small Screen   San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 when he courageously took a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sparking national debate over the role of activism in professional sports. Kaepernick went on to become a civil rights activist, devoting his time, resources, and personal narrative to supporting Black and Brown youth in standing in their power—something he knows a little bit about, not only from his NFL days, but from growing up as a transracial adoptee. The limited Netflix series, Colin in Black and White, tells his story, and a story resonant for many adopted people.   Colin in Black and White was created by Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick. This episode aired on February 4, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Colin Kaepernick is the founder of Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing. He is the author of several books, including Change the Game (2023), alongside Eve L. Ewing and Orlando Caicedo. Transracial adoptee Harrison Mooney is the author of Invisible Boy (HarperCollins Canada, 2022).    Sullivan Summer was a guest on the Adoptees On Podcast Episode 211. Colin is married to Nessa Diab, a radio DJ and television host of, among other shows, Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2. But that's for another episode.  The National Association of Black Social Workers Transracial Adoption Statement (1972) articulates the organization's stance against the placement of Black children in white homes for any reason.  Matt Foster for CNN, "Colin Kaepernick calls out adoptive parents' racism as he promotes new graphic novel" (March 10, 2023). Resources for transracial adoptees and their families include: Colin in Black and White: The Kaepernick Curriculum Adoption Mosaic offers educational courses for adoptive parents, and community for adoptees.  Melissa Guida-Richards, What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption (North Atlantic Books, 2021) Samira K. Mehta, The Racism of People Who Love You: Essays on Mixed Race and Belonging (Beacon Press, 2023) Angela Tucker, You Should Be Grateful: Stories on Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption (Beacon Press. 2024) The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you'd like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.  Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.  Cultural critical Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.

    1h 2m
See All (17)

Trailer

About

Welcome to Adoption Pop! where a podcast journalist, a filmmaker, and a cultural critic burst pop culture's favorite adoption tropes. Each episode, we'll dive into movies, TV, and reality shows, from prestige dramas to the classics, to ask what these stories are really saying, and not saying, about adoption. And we'll get real about representation: how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves.

Information

  • Creator
    Haley Radke, Kristal Parke, and Sullivan Summer
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Adoption Pop!

You Might Also Like