Axis Conversations

Axis

Each week on Axis Conversations, we survey cultural trends, host expert interviews, and answer listener questions to help parents and caring adults understand and disciple the next generation

  1. 19H AGO

    Roundtable: Timothée Chalamet Hates Opera, Harry Styles' New Album, and Donna Kelce's Remodel

    Three Big Conversations: Timothée Chalamet angers opera singers and ballerinas - 06:46 Harry Styles' new album debuts to middling reviews - 19:00 Donna Kelce's home renovation becomes the internet's favorite distraction - 30:26 Slang of the Week: "Big Chungus Life" - 01:34 In Other News: - 45:45 Miami Heat player Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a game this week, passing Kobe Bryant's 81 points for the second-most points in a single game in NBA history. (Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game from 1962 still stands as the #1 record.) According to the Wall Street Journal (paywall), Gen Z is driving a resurgence in mall shopping, with many malls redesigning public spaces to be more "photogenic" and social-media friendly, as well as popular online stores like Edikted opening brick-and-mortar locations. For some middle schoolers, the word "burger" is now funny, thanks to a clip from Disney+'s show Just Beyond going viral, alongside absurd TikTok edits like this one. The controversial AI-generated "actress" Tilly Norwood was featured in a new music video, in which she was made to sing verses like "AI's not the enemy, it's the key." According to an article from Fortune (paywall), Gen Z is becoming more skeptical of TikTok, with 53 percent saying TikTok feels more commercial than it did a year ago, and 72 percent agreeing that content now feels more staged and performative. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

    51 min
  2. 1D AGO

    CT: Timothée Chalamet Hates Opera, Harry Styles' New Album, and Donna Kelce's Remodel

    Timothée Chalamet angers opera singers and ballerinas, Harry Styles' new album debuts to middling reviews, and Donna Kelce's home renovation becomes the internet's favorite distraction. Slang of the Week: "Big Chungus Life" In Other News: Miami Heat player Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a game this week, passing Kobe Bryant's 81 points for the second-most points in a single game in NBA history. (Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game from 1962 still stands as the #1 record.) According to the Wall Street Journal (paywall), Gen Z is driving a resurgence in mall shopping, with many malls redesigning public spaces to be more "photogenic" and social-media friendly, as well as popular online stores like Edikted opening brick-and-mortar locations. For some middle schoolers, the word "burger" is now funny, thanks to a clip from Disney+'s show Just Beyond going viral, alongside absurd TikTok edits like this one. The controversial AI-generated "actress" Tilly Norwood was featured in a new music video, in which she was made to sing verses like "AI's not the enemy, it's the key." According to an article from Fortune (paywall), Gen Z is becoming more skeptical of TikTok, with 53 percent saying TikTok feels more commercial than it did a year ago, and 72 percent agreeing that content now feels more staged and performative.   🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

    10 min
  3. MAR 6

    Roundtable: The Jim Carrey Clone Conspiracy, Resident Evil, and Alysa Liu

    Three Big Conversations: Jim Carrey reacts to being called a clone - 12:30 What parents should know about the new Resident Evil video game - 26:42 Why people are still talking about Alysa Liu's Olympic performance - 45:48 Slang of the Week: Moving in silence - 01:14 In Other News: - 1:02:00 Early reviews for the new game Pokémon Pokopia have been enthusiastic, with critics comparing it to a blend of Minecraft creative mode and Animal Crossing's relaxed village life. The game focuses more on building and exploration than traditional Pokémon battles. Apple is stepping into the budget laptop market with the new $599 MacBook Neo. The price places it much closer to the Chromebooks and Windows laptops that many schools recommend for students. Rumors that Zendaya and Tom Holland secretly got married started after Zendaya's stylist casually told reporters the wedding had "already happened." The couple hasn't confirmed anything, but fans online are already in full detective mode. About 40% of Gen Z and millennials say spiritual advice from AI can be just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor, according to a recent survey by Barna and tech platform Gloo. Many young adults say they already use AI tools for prayer, Bible study, and spiritual questions. Energy drinks were once marketed almost entirely to young men, with branding tied to extreme sports and masculinity. Now companies are launching pastel-colored cans and fruitier flavors aimed at women, including cotton candy, which is delicious at a carnival and deeply questionable as a beverage. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

    1h 8m
  4. MAR 5

    CT: The Jim Carrey Clone Conspiracy, Resident Evil, and Alysa Liu

    Jim Carrey reacts to being called a clone, what parents should know about the new Resident Evil video game, and why people are still talking about Alysa Liu's Olympic performance. Slang of the Week: Moving in silence In Other News: Early reviews for the new game Pokémon Pokopia have been enthusiastic, with critics comparing it to a blend of Minecraft creative mode and Animal Crossing's relaxed village life. The game focuses more on building and exploration than traditional Pokémon battles. Apple is stepping into the budget laptop market with the new $599 MacBook Neo. The price places it much closer to the Chromebooks and Windows laptops that many schools recommend for students. Rumors that Zendaya and Tom Holland secretly got married started after Zendaya's stylist casually told reporters the wedding had "already happened." The couple hasn't confirmed anything, but fans online are already in full detective mode. About 40% of Gen Z and millennials say spiritual advice from AI can be just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor, according to a recent survey by Barna and tech platform Gloo. Many young adults say they already use AI tools for prayer, Bible study, and spiritual questions. Energy drinks were once marketed almost entirely to young men, with branding tied to extreme sports and masculinity. Now companies are launching pastel-colored cans and fruitier flavors aimed at women, including cotton candy, which is delicious at a carnival and deeply questionable as a beverage. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

    9 min
  5. FEB 27

    Roundtable: Pokémon Cards, Punch the Monkey, and Family Resilience

    Three Big Conversations: A Pokémon card sells for $16.4 million - 3:15 Barna research sheds light on the three things resilient families prioritize - 19:04 Everyone seems to relate to an abandoned monkey in a Japanese zoo - 33:22 Resource of the Week - Conversation Starter - YouTube Video - 1:42 In Other News.. - 46:06 USA hockey set viewership records at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, with both men's and women's teams winning gold, setting hockey up to hang on to its place as the fourth most-followed sport in the US—at least, until the FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles enters the chat. The so-called "boy blush" trend is gaining traction, with artists like Sangwon and Bad Bunny wearing noticeable blush on major stages, and teen boys increasingly experimenting with makeup as part of their personal style. A TikTok meme called "baby boo" started with people dancing to a clip that repeats "she gon' call me baby boo" and has since morphed into users calling it "baby boo syndrome." Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, passed away on February 19, one year after announcing his ALS diagnosis. Since then, TikTok has filled with edits of his most emotional scenes. At the BAFTA film awards, a guest with Tourette's syndrome involuntarily shouted a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage. The moment sparked conversations about the real harm that racial slurs carry for Black people, alongside questions about the awareness around Tourette's and the responsibility of live broadcasting. → Click here to check out the Pour Over Newsletter 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

    49 min
  6. FEB 26

    CT: Pokémon Cards, Punch the Monkey, and Family Resilience

    A Pokémon card sells for $16.4 million, Barna research sheds light on the three things resilient families prioritize, and everyone seems to relate to an abandoned monkey in a Japanese zoo.   Resource of the Week - Conversation Starter - YouTube Video   In Other News.. USA hockey set viewership records at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, with both men's and women's teams winning gold, setting hockey up to hang on to its place as the fourth most-followed sport in the US—at least, until the FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles enters the chat. The so-called "boy blush" trend is gaining traction, with artists like Sangwon and Bad Bunny wearing noticeable blush on major stages, and teen boys increasingly experimenting with makeup as part of their personal style. A TikTok meme called "baby boo" started with people dancing to a clip that repeats "she gon' call me baby boo" and has since morphed into users calling it "baby boo syndrome." Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, passed away on February 19, one year after announcing his ALS diagnosis. Since then, TikTok has filled with edits of his most emotional scenes. At the BAFTA film awards, a guest with Tourette's syndrome involuntarily shouted a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were onstage. The moment sparked conversations about the real harm that racial slurs carry for Black people, alongside questions about the awareness around Tourette's and the responsibility of live broadcasting. → Click here to check out the Pour Over Newsletter 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

    12 min
4.9
out of 5
241 Ratings

About

Each week on Axis Conversations, we survey cultural trends, host expert interviews, and answer listener questions to help parents and caring adults understand and disciple the next generation

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