Culture Colander

Elisa Nolasco, Audra Fitzgerald
  • 5.0 (26)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Culture Colander is a podcast for the confused, the compassionate, and the inextinguishably curious. Sound like you? Then hit the follow button to join Elisa and Audra every week as they sift through the murky waters of the zeitgeist, searching for golden nuggets of wisdom. In each episode, they'll take on a different social phenomenon (like Only Fans, Child Pageants, or Voluntourism), and hopefully they'll come away having learned a thing or two.

  1. Magdalene Laundries: “Just like Jesus would have wanted”

    10/29/2024

    Magdalene Laundries: “Just like Jesus would have wanted”

    Audra and Elisa dive into a very recent method of institutionalized oppression in Ireland, the complicity between the state and the Catholic Church, and how changing the law is never the end of the story.  This episode pairs best with learning the hard truths about our history and listening to the song “Irish Eyes” by Rose Betts on repeat. Book Recommendation  Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan  Keep the conversation going  Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com Follow us! Sources “About the Magdalene Laundries,” Justice for Magdalenes Research “Challenging Bad Nuns: Ireland's Magdalen Laundries,” Susannah Riordan, The Irish Review, JSTOR “Cillian Murphy's Small Things Like These: The Chilling True Story of the Magdalene Laundries,” Elizabeth Gregory, The Standard “The Forgotten Maggies Official Documentary,” Steven O’Riordan, Youtube “A Former Magdalene Laundry Resident Speaks Out,” Karen Coleman, Youtube “How Ireland Turned ‘Fallen Women’ Into Slaves,” Erin Blakemore, History Channel “Irish Government Acknowledges Role in Magdalene Laundries; Offers No Apology or Reparations,” Human Rights Program, Harvard Law School  Magdalene Laundries, CBS, Youtube “Magdalene Survivors Insist State Not Fulfilling Terms of Compensation Scheme,” Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times “Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to Establish the Facts of State Involvement with the Magdalene Laundries,” Department of Justice “‘A Stain on Ireland’s Conscience’: Identification to Begin of 796 Bodies Buried at Children’s Home,” Rory Carroll, The Guardian “Through the Reproductive Lens: Labour and Struggle at the Intersection of Culture and Economy,” Kylie Jarrett, Digital Objects, Digital Subjects: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Capitalism, Labour and Politics in the Age of Big Data, JSTOR “Vatican Misled UN Committee on Compensation to Magdalene Women,” Paddy Agnew, The Irish Times “What Ireland’s History with Abortion Might Teach Us About a Post-Roe America,” Gretchen E. Ely, PBS News “A Woman Died: Abortion and the Politics of Birth in Ireland,” Ronit Lentin, Feminist Review, JSTOR

    58 min
  2. Quick Rinse: Dragon’s Den, trauma cleaning, Anne Hathaway, and Ali Wong’s special

    10/15/2024

    Quick Rinse: Dragon’s Den, trauma cleaning, Anne Hathaway, and Ali Wong’s special

    Elisa and Audra take a magnifying glass to four current pieces of media. In doing so, they dig into the nuances of cultural appropriation, learn about those who clean up after trauma, question our obsession with policing female celebrities, and celebrate rising divorce rates. This episode pairs best with a drink from your favorite Taiwanese boba store and eating as much MSG as you can find. Clarifications Audra incorrectly classified the Dragon who agreed to invest in Bobba as a white woman. The Dragon is actually an Indian Canadian woman named Manjit Minhas, and she has since pulled her investment. Keep the conversation going Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com Follow us! Sources Dragon’s Den Bobba Pitch The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman’s Extraordinary Life in Death, Decay & Disaster, Sarah Krasnostein Anne Hathaway Interview Single Lady, Ali Wong, Netflix Soogia addressing Bobba's alcohol "innovation," TikTok

    50 min
  3. Concert Ticket Prices: “What are the f*****g fees?”

    10/01/2024

    Concert Ticket Prices: “What are the f*****g fees?”

    Audra and Elisa angrily address exorbitant ticket prices, the Live Nation & Ticketmaster monopoly, the power of fandom, and the importance of cultural activities. This episode pairs best with traveling abroad to see a show and not letting corporations appeal to your lesser impulses. Book Recommendation  Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil & Gillian McCain Keep the conversation going  Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com Follow us! Sources “Both Sides Claim Consumer at Core of Ticket-Sales Bill,” Madeleine List, The Providence Journal “Consumers File Live Nation, Ticketmaster Class Action Following DOJ Lawsuit,” Abraham Jewett, Top Class Actions  “The Depth of Live Nation’s Dominance: A Data Analysis of the Corporate Capture Behind Top Concert Venues Worldwide,” Krista Brown, American Economic Liberties Project “Event Ticket Sales: Market Characteristics and Consumer Protection Issues,” GAO Highlights “Fan to Fan,” Ticketmaster “Hidden Concert Ticket Fees Officially Banned in New York,” Chris Eggertsen, Billboard “The Issues: How Ticket Owners’ Rights & the Resale Market are Being Restricted,” Project Ticket Rights  “Justice Department Sues Live Nation-Ticketmaster for Monopolizing Markets Across the Live Concert Industry,” Office of Public Affairs: U.S. Department of Justice “Live Nation Admits to Helping Artists Scalp Their Own Tickets to Make More Money,” Kaitlyn Tiffany, Vox “Maggie Rogers Is Selling Tickets for Her Tour at the Box Office: ‘We’re Going Old School,’” Glenn Rowley, Billboard “Oasis Tickets: What Is Dynamic Pricing and Why Is It Used for Live Music?” Rob Davies, The Guardian “The Price of Pop Fandom,” Marc Hogan, Jill Mapes, and Marina Kozak, Pitchfork “The Real Reason It Costs So Much to Go to a Concert,” Whizy Kim, Vox “Secondary Ticketers Lobby Up,” Caitlin Oprysko, Politico “Taylor Swift’s Biggest Scalper for the Eras Tour: Her Fans,” Dave Brooks, Billboard “Ten Additional US States Join DOJ Antitrust Lawsuit Looking to Break Up Live  Nation and Ticketmaster,” Daniel Tencer, Music Business Worldwide “Opinion: Ticketmaster’s Prices are Absurd,” Elizabeth Alexander, The Concordian  “Ticketmaster to Refund Some Fees After The Cure’s Robert Smith Says He Was 'Sickened' by Prices,” Minyvonne Burke, NBC News “Ticketmaster Says ‘Verified Fan’ Registration Doesn’t Measure Fandom. Some Fans Think It Should,” Daysia Tolentino, NBC News “Why Are Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tickets So Much Cheaper in Europe?” Dave Brooks, Billboard

    1h 11m
  4. Gender Reveal Parties: "So millenial core"

    09/17/2024

    Gender Reveal Parties: "So millenial core"

    Audra and Elisa interrogate the modern phenomenon of gender (or more accurately, sex) reveal parties, the troubling consumerism surrounding them, and how we can make rituals more meaningful. This episode pairs best with celebrating birth instead of perceived gender and accepting you have no business making at-home explosives.  Image and Video Time Stamps 11:25 Original Gender Reveal Cake 15:30 2017 Arizona Fire 18:20 Northern California Fire (from 0:30-0:40) 24:30 Alligator Gender Reveal  Book Recommendation  Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters   Keep the conversation going  Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com Follow us! Sources “Alligator 'Gender Reveal Party' Causes Controversy,” BBC “Couple Sentenced in Plea Deal for Sparking Deadly El Dorado Fire in Gender Reveal Mishap,” ABC7 “The Deadly History of Gender Reveal Parties,” Huck Mag “Grandmother Killed by Inadvertently Made 'Pipe Bomb' at Gender-Reveal Party: Sheriff,” Bill Hutchinson, ABC News High Gloss and Sauce, Facebook “Officials Release Video from Gender Reveal Party that Ignited a 47,000-acre Wildfire,” Andrea Diaz, CNN “The Origin and Evolution of Gender Reveal Parties,” Hannie Petra, Mpasho “The Thin Blue Line: The History of the Pregnancy Test,” National Institute of Health  “Wildfires, Alligators and Jelly: The Brief, Chaotic History of the Gender Reveal Party,” Zahra Manji, Prospect “Woman Who Popularized Gender-Reveal Parties Says Her Views On Gender Have Changed”, Lulu Garcia-Navarro, NPR

    1h 3m
  5. Body Hair: “God is a capitalist”

    09/03/2024

    Body Hair: “God is a capitalist”

    Audra and Elisa go through the history of hair removal, the gendered discrepancies in our attitudes towards body hair, and how race and class play into the stylistic norms of the time. This episode pairs best with being picky about the causes you support, and with having whatever hair routine you damn well please. Image and Video Time Stamps  31:29 Anti Suffragette Cartoon  Book Recommendation  Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton  Keep the conversation going  Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com  Follow us!  Sources  “Body Hair,” Wikipedia “Hair Removal Products Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product (Creams, Ready to use Wax Strips, Electronic Devices, and Razors), Gender (Men and Women), End User (Dermatology Clinics and Beauty Clinics), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2032,” Fortune Business Insights “History and Misconceptions About Women’s Body Hair,” Rachael Arsenault, Medium “In Brief: What is the Structure of Hair and How Does it Grow?” National Library of Medicine “It’s Just Hair,” Shivali Vorga, New York Times “Julia Roberts Remembers That “Scandalous” Underarm Hair Moment,” Georgia Day, Vogue Plucked: A History of Hair Removal, Rebecca M. Herzig Sugaring NYC “What’s Better? Sugaring vs. Waxing,” The Stripe “What’s the Difference Between Sugaring and Waxing?” Heathline “Why We Still Have Body Hair,” Charles Q. Choi, NBC News

    1h 8m
  6. It Ends With Us: "The most dangerous time is when you’re leaving”

    08/20/2024

    It Ends With Us: "The most dangerous time is when you’re leaving”

    Audra and Elisa discuss the new movie It Ends with Us, the messy press surrounding the film, and how hard it is to write a story about DV. This episode pairs best with getting introspective about the ways we all contribute to a victim-blaming mindset. Image and Video Time Stamps 17:50 KJ Miller on TikTok 48:50 Nicole Rafiee Video “chronically online girl explains It Ends with Us movie drama” 1:09:05 “The Backlash Against America’s Most Popular Novelist Is Way Less Satisfying Than I’d Hoped” Chels Upton DV Resources National Domestic Violence Hotline: “Internet usage can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely. If you’re concerned your internet usage might be monitored, call 800.799.SAFE (7233)”

    1h 15m
  7. Performative HR: “Don’t infantilize your workforce”

    08/06/2024

    Performative HR: “Don’t infantilize your workforce”

    Audra and Elisa are joined by special guest @businesscasualty on TikTok to chat about ridiculous contradictions in the corporate workplace. From lack of nuance in harassment trainings to opaque rhetoric in salary negotiations, we laugh about the ways companies can be oh so performative when it comes to caring for their employees. This episode pairs best with a big exhale and solidarity with your fellow employees. Book Recommendation Private Equity by Carrie Sun Check out Business Casualty @businesscasualty on TikTok @_businesscasualty on Instagram Keep the conversation going Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com Follow us!

    1h 6m
  8. Midwifery: “Men pulled it out of the domestic sphere, then locked women out”

    07/23/2024

    Midwifery: “Men pulled it out of the domestic sphere, then locked women out”

    Audra and Elisa “deliver” a history of midwifery in the U.S., how and why midwives have been pushed to the margins of reproductive medicine, and the incredible impact they have on women’s health. This episode pairs best with reproductive justice, passing on generational knowledge, and joining a coven. Image and Video Time Stamps Jen Hamilton TikTok Account 5:58 Book Recommendation  Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation by Silvia Federici Keep the conversation going  Email us at culturecolander@gmail.com Follow us! Sources “Abortion Is Central to the History of Reproductive Health Care in America,” Planned Parenthood America Has the Highest Maternal Mortality RateAmong Developed Nations–and It’s on the Rise. Here’s Why We Are Facing a Pregnancy Health Crisis,” Asima Ahmad, Fortune “The Benefits of Midwives,” American Pregnancy Association “A Brief History of Midwifery in America,” Center for Women’s Health, Oregon Health & Science University Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation by Silvia Federici “Cesarean Section Rates Continue to Rise, Amid Growing Inequalities in Access,” World Health Organization “The Flexner Report – 100 Years Later,” National Library of Medicine  “Full Practice Authority,” American College of Nurse-Midwives In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still On Trial by Mona Chollet  “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Midwifery Education and Care,” Maternal Health Unit, World Health Organization  “Per Capita Health Expenditure in Selected Countries in 2022,” Statistica  “The Racist History of Abortion and Midwifery Bans,” Michele Goodwin, ACLU “Top 15 Countries by GDP in 2024,” Global Peo Services  “U.S. Maternal Deaths More Than Doubled Over 20 Years. Here’s Who Fared the Worst,” PBS News Hour “What Explains the United States’ Dismal Maternal Mortality Rates?” Wilson Center “Where Are The Midwives?” Evelyn Mangold, The Regulatory Review Witches, Midwives, and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich, Deirdre English

    1h 10m
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5
out of 5
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About

Culture Colander is a podcast for the confused, the compassionate, and the inextinguishably curious. Sound like you? Then hit the follow button to join Elisa and Audra every week as they sift through the murky waters of the zeitgeist, searching for golden nuggets of wisdom. In each episode, they'll take on a different social phenomenon (like Only Fans, Child Pageants, or Voluntourism), and hopefully they'll come away having learned a thing or two.

Information

  • Creator
    Elisa Nolasco, Audra Fitzgerald
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026
  • Show Website
    Culture Colander