Back Issue

Pineapple Street Studios
Back Issue

Back Issue reminisces on moments in pop culture’s past that have shaped our present. Each episode brings personal reflection, incredible guests, and plenty of deep belly laughs. This season our co-pilot Tracy Clayton is taking a break, so Josh Gwynn has invited some very special guest co-hosts to share their perspective on some of the most formative stories in pop culture. We start out with not just another hair story but a conversation about the gendered politics of specific hairstyles as Josh sets out on a mission to get a silk press. We’ll also reflect on iconic award speeches, explore what our brains do on gossip, break down the backstories of Degrassi and Cheetah Girls, decide if Josh should become the next Black ex-pat, and discuss which multi-hyphenate performers are deserving of their flowers.

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  1. EPISODE 1

    In Our Silk Press Era

    In the first episode of Season 3, Josh and Tracy are talking about hair HAIR, but this isn't just any old hair talk. No discoveries on how to get a magical texture by slapping on ointments and berry juices. Today we're discussing the timeline textures, getting into the stigmas around certain styles, and talking about the gendered and queered politics of hair with special guest Carvell Wallace. What is our hair really telling us about ourselves? And more importantly, how will Josh feel after his first silk press? This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1 hr

  2. EPISODE 2

    In Our Cheetah-licious Era

    We're Cheetah Girls, Cheetah Sisters and don't you EVER forget it! This week Josh and special guest-host Jazmine Hughes take a trip down a cheetah-spotted memory lane into the Cheetah Girls franchise. Most know the cheetah-licious girl group from their Disney Channel movies, but did you know this all stemmed from a children's book series? Or that two of the members were from the girl group 3LW? Today we explore the groups' undeniable bops, how they arrived at their height and what started to shift. From how Raven Symone navigated her conditional role as leader, to a message from the creator of it all, writer Deborah Gregory, we're talking all things cheetah-licious. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    51 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    In Our 'Thanking the Academy' Era

    Who amongst us hasn’t pretended our bottle of shampoo was an Oscar and thanked the Academy? Today on Back Issue, we talk through the most memorable acceptance speeches, from Sally Field’s often misquoted “You really like me!” speech to Halle Berry’s historic win to Sheryl Lee Ralph’s musical twist. With help from Aisha Harris and Wesley Morris, Josh unpacks the impact of acceptance speeches and what makes the great ones so great. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    51 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    In Our Degrassi Era

    Do you remember the teen show that made you fall in love with teen shows? For Josh and special guest-host Amil Niazi, that show was Canadian soap, "Degrassi: The Next Generation." And let’s just say, this episode GOES THERE. Why’d they do JT like that? Where is the Grammy for Paige Michalchuk and the Sex Kittens? How did playing Jimmy launch Drake to superstardom? Whatever it takes, Josh and Amil are getting to the bottom of all these questions and more. PLUS: Stay tuned for insights from Andrea Lewis, who starred as Hazel Aden. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    48 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    In Our Gossip, Girl Era

    Why is gossiping sooo fun? And how has the world of celebrity gossip changed over the years? To answer these questions and learn the A to Zs of celebrities (from Ava Max to Zendaya), Josh and guest host Rachelle Hampton take a field trip inside the human brain, go back in time with a PhD gossip expert, Andrea McDonnell, and chat with Who? Weekly's Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    42 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    In Our Hot Takes Era

    Do you have pop culture feelings you keep to yourself 'cause the world isn't ready for them? So do guests Hunter Harris, BA Parker, and Sam Sanders! On today's episode, they're bravely serving up their spiciest opinions in front of Judge Josh and making a case for their hottest takes in Josh's Court. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    37 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    In Our Theater Kid Era

    On a very special episode of Back Issue, our beloved host Josh Gwynn comes down with a mysterious illness. He cannot stop breaking out into song! Alongside guest host and Real Doctor, Matt Bellassai, Josh takes a journey through the world of musical theater. When did it become so central to the zeitgeist? Why do we inevitably cry at the song before intermission? Can Lea Michele read? And along the way, with the help of special guests, Josh will try to diagnose his ailment. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    41 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    In Our 'Search for Home' Era

    On today’s episode, @RegardingJosh examines our cultural understanding of home, talks to a citizen of the WORLD to see where he should be looking for home and looks at current landscape of the housing market to see how possible it is to even find a "home." Thank you to our incredible guests -- @mayasymonecade, creator and curator of @TheBlackFilmArchive and @libraryofconress scholar in residence; and @marquita_harris_, journalist and world traveler -- for sharing their stories and perspectives with us this week! This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    37 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    In Our Triple Threat Era

    Multi-hyphenates raise your hands? Now put them down because we know you can't be talented in everything you think you are. In this episode, Josh and special guest Ashley C. Ford are talking about their favorite multi-hyphenates, what makes them great, whether or not they're underrated, and what it means to be good at everything, or maybe not. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    38 min
  10. In Our Singer/Songwriter Era

    EPISODE 10

    In Our Singer/Songwriter Era

    In our season finale, Josh partners with coaches to put together a song to pump himself up when the world seems like too much. This episode is brought to you by our partner, Dove hair. Go to https://www.walmart.com/search?q=dove%20crown%20collection&typeahead=dove%20crown&cat_id=1085666 for more information and products. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    33 min

  11. SEASON 3 TRAILER

    In Our SZN 3 Era

    Back Issue is BACK, y’all! 🥳 We’re in our SZN 3 era, and once again, we’re taking you back to some of your favorite, formative pop culture moments. This time, we’re paying homage to sacred texts that taught us how to live, such as 'The Cheetah Girls' and 'Degrassi'. We’re having conversations that need to be had about Hair, Gossip, and Award Show Speeches. And Josh slips on a robe to take on a deserved role as Chief Justice of Pop Culture Opinions! ⚖️ Throughout it all, we’ll of course follow Tyra “Be a Star” Banks’ invaluable wisdom and make sure we 🗣“LEARN SOMETHING FROM THIS!” While we're yelling like Tyra: 🗣 DON'T MISS OUT on our season premiere, which drops February 21st, wherever you get your podcasts! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    4 min

  12. BONUS

    Music of My Mind, from The Wonder of Stevie

    Hey Back Issue listeners! Here’s a preview of a new podcast called The Wonder of Stevie, produced by our very own Josh Gwynn. You might think you know Stevie Wonder. You might think you know his music. But you’ve never heard it like this. Host Wesley Morris is taking you on a deep-dive through Stevie's Classic Period: five legendary albums back-to-back in less than five years. Hear about the record deal that started it all, the technology Stevie adopted to create never-before-heard sounds, and his influence on our culture. There will be appearances from legends like Barack and Michelle Obama, Questlove, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, Babyface, Janelle Monae and more. In this episode, Wesley details how, years after signing his first recording deal with Motown Records, Stevie decides to renegotiate his contract. One of the things on the table? Complete creative control. What follows is the beginning of one of the greatest streak of albums in American popular music: Music of My Mind. The Wonder of Stevie is out now, wherever you listen to podcasts! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1 hr
See All Season 3 (12)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

About

Back Issue reminisces on moments in pop culture’s past that have shaped our present. Each episode brings personal reflection, incredible guests, and plenty of deep belly laughs. This season our co-pilot Tracy Clayton is taking a break, so Josh Gwynn has invited some very special guest co-hosts to share their perspective on some of the most formative stories in pop culture. We start out with not just another hair story but a conversation about the gendered politics of specific hairstyles as Josh sets out on a mission to get a silk press. We’ll also reflect on iconic award speeches, explore what our brains do on gossip, break down the backstories of Degrassi and Cheetah Girls, decide if Josh should become the next Black ex-pat, and discuss which multi-hyphenate performers are deserving of their flowers.

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