How the Beat Generation Became “Beatniks”
The rebellious culture of the Beat Generation was coopted into fodder for a marketable lifestyle.
The Most Controversial Comic Strip
In the 1950s, Walt Kelly's comic strip about a cute opossum named Pogo was syndicated by over 450 newspapers. It was also frequently censored.
The Religious Experience of Antiques Roadshow
What has made this slow, quiet television show about antiques the sleeper hit of PBS? One scholar describes the show as enacting near-religious rituals.
The Complicated Politics of… Refrigerators
When American kitchens started getting high-tech in the 1950s, the refrigerator seemed to alienate and frustrate many men.
Why Sex and The City is Still in Style
Sex and the City was on television from 1998-2004, and still holds cultural cachet today. But does the actual programming still hold up?
American Film’s Disappearing Lesbians
In the 1990s, lesbian characters were repeatedly transformed into "close friends" in film adaptions of LGBTQ-themed books.
How Archie Got His Groove Back
The setup of Archie Comics was straightforward, as was its protagonist. But the success of Riverdale speaks to the Archieverse's surprising fluidity.
How Oprah Became a Cultural Icon
The idea of a President Oprah has sparked excitement rather than ridicule. Americans value symbolism as much as political experience; while Oprah has little of the latter, she is practically made of the former.
Instagram, YouTube, and the New Child Stars
The term 'child star' is almost synonymous with dysfunction. We're familiar with TV and movie kids, but what about those made famous by social media?