Companion

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Channel • 10 Shows

Self-Improvement

Self-Improvement

Updated weekly
Mental Health

Mental Health

Updated weekly
Documentary

Documentary

Updated weekly

Arts

Arts

Updated weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
Personal Journals

Personal Journals

Weekly series
Business

Business

Updated weekly
Science

Science

Updated weekly
Self-Improvement

Self-Improvement

Updated weekly
Relationships

Relationships

Updated weekly

10 Jun

Ranking Pop Culture Divas with Gerrick Kennedy

We’ve been calling women divas for years, but we still can’t agree on what the word actually means or who qualifies. In this episode, Christiana sits down with music journalist Gerrick Kennedy, co-author of Brandy's new memoir, Phases, to do the impossible: rank the greatest divas across the 90s, 2000s, and 2010s and unpack what really earns someone the title. Together, they debate the diva status of icons like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga, while making the case for a few overlooked sleeper divas along the way. By the end, it becomes clear that defining a diva is a lot harder than it sounds. Gerrick’s book with Brandy: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/phases-brandy?variant=44324080779298 Gerrick’s book on Whitney Houston: https://gerrickkennedy.com/whitneyhouston Follow Gerrick on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:18 Meet Gerrick Kennedy 03:20 How Gerrick Built a Career in Music Journalism 06:33 The Time Gerrick Met Joe Jackson 11:18 Diva Ranking Game 13:19 Defining a “diva” 16:46 Ranking 90s divas 18:50 Brandy 27:07 Janet Jackson 29:22 Mariah Carey 34:07 Gerrick on Working With Brandy on Phases 36:16 The Patriarchal Control Behind Pop Divas 40:59 Ranking 2000s divas 42:11 Why Divas Have to Go Solo 48:59 Jennifer Lopez 55:59 Britney Spears 1:00:37 Amy Winehouse 1:05:01 Ranking 2010s divas 1:06:03 Lady Gaga 1:12:54 Rihanna 1:16:29 Tinashe 1:17:52 Beyoncé 1:23:56 Taylor Swift 1:25:39 The Next Generation of Pop Stars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Jun

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1hr 30min
17 Jun

Manthropology with Holly Solem

Women spend a lot of time wondering what men really think about love and relationships. In this episode, Christiana sits down with Holly Solem, advice columnist and creator of the social media series Manthropology, to discuss what she’s learned from interviewing men about dating, masculinity, and loneliness. They also play a game revisiting iconic fictional men in pop culture and how they shaped millennial women’s understanding of love and relationships. Holly’s Vogue essay Follow Holly on Instagram Follow Mathropology on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:19 Meet Holly Solem 06:20 Holly’s move back to LA 07:14 Creating “Manthropology” 11:28 What Holly has learned about men while making “Manthropology” 13:34 How men in LA compare to men in NY 14:45 How women absorb the shame of men 16:09 Misogyny in 2026 18:02 Platonic relationships between straight men and women 22:20 How Holly reacts during Manthropology interviews 23:20 White girlhood vs. Black girlhood 25:51 Fictional pop-culture men game 27:14 Chandler Bing from “Friends” 28:58 Ross Geller from “Friends” 29:39 Batman 30:50 Superman 32:24 Homer Simpson 34:10 Lawrence from “Insecure” 35:13 Big from “Sex and the City” 37:13 Don Draper from “Mad Men” 38:18 Walter White from “Breaking Bad” 40:13 Nick Young from “Crazy Rich Asians” 41:35 Prince Akeem from “Coming to America” 42:46 Austin Powers 43:37 James Bond 46:40 Wolverine 48:13 Adam Sackler from “Girls” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Jun

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53 min
22 Apr

Are They a Star, Celebrity or Famous Person? with Sam Sanders

No matter where you find yourself on the internet, celebrities’ lives are constantly in front of us, but who’s actually a star and who’s just famous? From icons like Beyoncé to rising names like Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney, Christiana sits down with award-winning reporter and podcaster Sam Sanders to play “star, celebrity, or famous person” and break down what really makes someone last in pop culture. Follow Sam: Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack | Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Apr

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1hr 12min
15 Apr

Hypergamy & Sugar Dating With Dr. Megan Sawey

#SugarBaby culture is everywhere online. But why is it making such a big comeback now? As money gets tighter and “SugarTok” gains traction, conversations around sugar dating and hypergamy are becoming more mainstream. Christiana sits down with Cornell lecturer Dr. Megan Sawey to examine what’s driving the trend and what it means for modern dating. Megan’s research on sugar dating Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:17 Meet Dr. Megan Sawey 07:20 Understanding hypergamy and dating up 12:29 Sugar dating in relation to sex work 17:55 Sugar dating as an entrepreneurial endeavor 31:50 Sugar dating and the digital intimacy economy 33:50 Sugar dating and politics 37:20 How sugar dating is portrayed as heteronormative in media and marketing 41:45 Sugar daddies and how sugar dating is regulated 45:20 Sexual racism and sugar dating 48:28 Sugar dating for men vs. women 51:07 The future of sugar dating and hypergamy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Apr

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57 min
30 Jan

The World of Disney Adults With Robbie Whelan

Disney Adults are some of the most fascinating, layered, and hated subcultures in contemporary American life. Today, Christiana speaks with Robbie Whelan, author of the forthcoming book House of Mouse, to understand the world of Disney Adults. Follow Robbie: X Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Jan

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1hr 7min
20 May

The Conversation We Need About Womb Health With Dr. Kemi Doll

Womb health is still one of the most misunderstood areas of women’s care, especially for Black women. In today’s episode, Christiana sits down with gynecologic oncologist and author of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing to walk us through fibroids, endometriosis, and the symptoms that are often dismissed, plus what women should be asking about care and diagnosis. Dr. Kemi’s website Follow Dr. Kemi Doll: Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:00 Meet Dr. Kemi Doll 03:40 How Dr. Doll’s background has informed her work 07:30 Understanding womb suffering 08:55 Black women with womb suffering getting misdiagnosed 10:47 Womb condition #1: heavy menstrual bleeding 23:40 Options for people with the BRCA1 gene 25:36 Womb condition #2: endometriosis 35:29 Teenagers and young women with womb suffering 39:05 Womb condition #3: fibroids 51:18 Womb condition #4: endometrial cancer 01:01:28 Advice for dealing with doctors and medical institutions 01:08:45 Combining holistic wellness with medicine 01:11:55 Setting boundaries in order to heal 01:13:00 Where to find Dr. Kemi Doll’s work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 May

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1hr 15min
3 Jun

Deconstructing the Kardashians with MJ Corey

Whether you love them or hate them, it’s hard to argue the Kardashians didn’t completely change the way we think about fame. So how did this family go from reality TV to becoming the blueprint for modern celebrity and one of the most powerful forces in pop culture? In this episode, Christiana sits down with author MJ Corey to talk about her book Deconstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto and trace the evolution of the Kardashians and what their success really says about them. Together, they do what the internet has always done best and overanalyze the Kardashians, getting into fame, branding, controversy, and where this endlessly fascinating family goes next. Follow MJ on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 00:52 MJ Corey’s first time watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians 03:08 Understanding postmodernism to understand the Kardashians 03:50 Kim Kardashian and ethnic ambiguity 04:55 Comparing the Kardashians to iconic American brands 08:50 Kris Jenner, the O.J. Simpson trial and revisionist history 13:00 The Kardashians, cultural appropriation and Black romantic partners 22:00 The Kardashians as early adopters of technology 25:25 The Paris robbery and trial 31:09 How the Kardashians will be remembered 32:15 Who will be Kris’ successor? 34:12 Predicting Kim’s future in politics 36:20 Which grandchild is most likely to be the next star? 37:40 Does Kim venture into podcasting? 38:10 Does SKIMS IPO? 38:28 How many more times will Kim Kardashian get married? 40:00 When will Kris Jenner retire? 42:04 What’s the future of Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet? 44:29 Which Kardashian is mostly likely to make a hard pivot? 48:30 MJ’s biggest prediction for the Kardashians/Jenners in the next five years Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Jun

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58 min
29 Apr

Why Open Relationships Are More Common Than You Think With Dr. Amy Moors

Non-monogamy is everywhere right now, and so are the opinions about it. In today’s episode, Christiana sits down with psychologist and Chapman University Professor Dr. Amy Moors to unpack open relationships, ethical non-monogamy, and why more people are exploring love outside the traditional mold. Dr. Amy Moors research Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:07 Meet Dr. Amy Moors 03:31 Defining non-monogamy 04:30 Defining polyamory and open relationships 05:50 Different types of polyamory 07:06 Who engages in consensual non-mongamy? And how common is it? 10:25 Loving multiple people 14:10 Stigmas towards people who practice consensual non-monogamy 17:35 Christiana’s familial experiences with polygamy 21:35 Both monogamy and non-monogamy can be messy 22:40 How societal inequities show up in relationships 25:19 Lindy West, millennial feminism, and trad wives 27:04 Gender ratios among non-monogamous couples 28:10 Measuring “success” among non-monogamous relationships 31:01 Couples who open their relationships after being monogamous 34:20 Why is non-monogamy seemingly everywhere? 39:18 Americans don’t like to talk about sex 41:45 LGBTQ+ couples and non-monogamy 44:28 Learning from people who practice non-monogamy 46:16 Non-monogamous parents and their children 53:20 Non-hierarchical polyamory 55:30 Finding the time to sustain non-monogamous relationships 57:42 The future of consensual non-monogamy 01:04:30 Where to find Dr. Moors’ work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Apr

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1hr 9min
6 May

Inside Hollywood’s Obsession With “Perfect” Faces With Dr. Carl Truesdale

In Hollywood, everyone wants a “perfect” face, but the goal now is to make it look like nothing was ever done. But behind that natural look is a growing set of procedures most people would never recognize. Today, Christiana sits down with Double Board Certified Facial & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon Dr. Carl Truesdale to understand what’s driving Hollywood’s obsession with undetectable plastic surgery, from subtle lifts to revision procedures, as well as how cosmetic work among men and AI are shaping today’s beauty standards. Dr. Truesdale’s website Follow Dr. Truesdale: Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:02 Meet Dr. Carl Truesdale 02:07 How Dr. Truesdale got into cosmetic surgery 03:50 Cultivating a diverse practice with cultural competency 09:05 The costs of cosmetic surgery 10:01 Thread lifts, fillers and botox 12:20 How Dr. Truesdale contributes to beauty standards and pressures 15:00 Psychological shifts for patients 17:00 Patients who are unhappy after their procedures 18:55 Dr. Truesdale on sharing his work on social media 21:46 Not being able to share the work he does for some celebrities 22:58 Celebrities who don’t share that they have had work done 25:20 Karama Brown 25:38 Lower blepharoplasty 26:06 Men getting plastic surgery 30:08 Looking younger longer 31:24 Revision surgeries 34:17 Knowing when to operate and turning patients away 34:57 Mid-facelifts 35:45 Responding to those who say plastic surgery is bad 39:10 A rapper whose “friend” paid for her cosmetic work 40:41 The future of plastic surgery, AI, and beauty standards 46:02 Christiana requests a free consultation from Dr. Truesdale 47:30 Dr. Truesdale doing his parents’ plastic surgery 49:00 Where you can find Dr. Truesdale online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 May

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52 min
27 May

The Celebrity Couples Game with Erin Lim Rhodes

Celebrity couples today don’t just date, they trend, and every move instantly becomes part of the cultural conversation online. In this episode, Christiana sits down with E! Entertainment host Erin Lim Rhodes to play our signature Celebrity Couples Game and debate some of pop culture’s most talked-about pairs, from Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, and more. Expect hot takes, chaotic rankings, and a few moments that will definitely have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about these couples. Follow Erin on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: advertise@companionarts.com If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: hello@popsyllabus.com 01:03 Meet Erin Lim Rhodes 04:24 Erin’s move to Singapore 06:18 Getting hired by E! 11:46 “The Rundown” and using social media 18:29 The Celebrity Couples Game 19:30 Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner 20:43 Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade 24:36 Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra 28:40 Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck 33:14 Olandria and Nic Vansteenberghe 36:28 John Legend and Chrissy Teigen 41:57 Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco 48:49 Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 May

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56 min

There is a quiet ache in today's culture: a longing for connection, for depth, and for content that speaks to who we really are. That's why Companion is here. We aim to inspire people to be good, see good, and do good, at a time when we need it most.