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Is this just the worst era of American pop culture … ever?

Audience crowd at a presentation event
Mark Gerum
/
Getty Images

Writer and critic Spencer Kornhaber just published a similarly-titled piece in The Atlantic: “Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture?

According to Betteridge’s law of headlines, the answer to both versions of that question is just, plain, “No.” And maybe it is. Maybe even probably it is.

But maybe it’s more complicated than that, too.

This hour, we wonder just how bad things actually have gotten with our popular culture.

GUESTS:

  • Taneisha Duggan: Director of arts, culture, and entertainment for the city of Hartford
  • Xandra Ellin: A producer at Pineapple Street Studios
  • Spencer Kornhaber: A staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of On Divas: Persona, Pleasure, Power
  • Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

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Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.

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Jonathan is a producer for ‘The Colin McEnroe Show.’ His work has been heard nationally on NPR and locally on Connecticut Public’s talk shows and news magazines. He’s as likely to host a podcast on minor league baseball as he is to cover a presidential debate almost by accident. Jonathan can be reached at jmcnicol@ctpublic.org.
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