Big Reputations

Welcome to the FINAL EPISODE of Big Reputations! Thank you all for the support over the last 4+ years, we couldn't have done it without you.  To wrap up the podcast, we engage in our usual pre-episode banter, share stats from the podcast, drop some seriously silly bloopers, and then "dig a little deeper" with a series of questions for one another about our thoughts and feelings on this wonderful little project we've brought you for 75 full episodes, 13 little reps, and 12 additional pieces of bonus content.  Again, thank you for listening, and "as always, Believe Women!"   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Follow the podcast on Instagram @BigReputationsPod Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois  

In this episode, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of doing a deep dive on one woman, we talk about a handful of women who were among the first women to do what they did. We start off by mentioning a number of firsts that we have already covered. Then we get into the main topic. We have chosen five broad categories and each picked a woman within that category to discuss. We give an overview of who these women are (or were) and what they are known for. We share when and where they were born, a little about their early years, then get into how they broke into their field. Finally we talk a little about their legacy and impact in that particular field. We even reserved a small section for honorable mentions: other women we came across who we would love to talk about but that we didn’t really have time to explore in detail.     Follow the podcast on Instagram @BigReputationsPod ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: The Book of Women's Firsts: Breakthrough Achievements of Over 1000 American Women, by Phyllis J. Read and Bernard L. Witlieb Fabulous Female Firsts: Because of Them, We Can, by Marlene Wagmen-Geller Monster, written and directed by Patty Jenkins Bad Girls Throughout History, by Ann Shen 100 Women Who Shaped World History, by Gail Meyer Rolka and Bill Rolka “Stories about Women Who Changed the World,” a list of over 30 books by Penguin Random House 

In 2024, we created Patreon content that included our thoughts on movies centered around female characters. With one catch, it was the first time at least one of us had seen the movie. Join as as Kim tries to convince Rebecca that midnight margaritas are not as ridiculous as they sound and as Rebecca tells us the one thing that would have made this movie, Practical Magic, 100x better for her! Do you have thoughts on Practical Magic or midnight margaritas? Let us know!

In this final fictional character episode, we learn more about Wanda Maximoff (aka The Scarlet Witch). We explore her many origin stories along with her family, real or imagined. Then we cover Wanda’s interactions with others in the MCU and beyond and discuss her influence on those around her. We consider how she is viewed by audiences, whether she is a hero or a villain, and what that means to different fans. Lastly we discuss what Wanda means to the world of comic books and the MCU, and the impact she had had, be it good or bad.   Follow the podcast: Instagram: @BigReputationsPod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: “The Scarlet Witch is one of the most influential characters in Marvel Comics History,” George Marston “Marvel Comics: 10 Villains Who Became Avengers,” by Dalton Norman “Let’s Rank Every Avenger Ever,” by Darren Franich “Best female superheroes of all time ranked - our 15 favourites,” by Jo-Anne Rowney  “Scarlet Witch is more than just a code name: The empowering meaning behind Wanda's moniker,” by Brandon Bush A Cultural History of Anti-Feminism in Marvel’s Scarlet Witch, by Madison M. Kooba Wanda Maximoff and Monstrous Motherhood By Erica Lafond “With WandaVision, the MCU Has Already Been Kinder to Scarlet Witch Than Decades of Comics,” by Jamie Gerber 

In this episode we cover Hollywood star and icon, Elizabeth Taylor. We take you through her film career, her many marriages, her advocacy work, and more. In the process we also discuss the way Hollywood, the media, and the public perceived her relationships (because clearly that was their biggest concern) and her self-advocacy. Then we dig into some of the labels the world assigned her and break down where they came from and how valid they are or not. We wrap up the episode speaking about Taylor’s legacy, specifically as it relates to her support of those who have suffered from the AIDS epidemic. Trigger warnings: miscarriage, domestic violence, self harm     Follow the podcast on Instagram @BigReputationsPod Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes a Documentary Elizabeth Taylor: A Private Life for Public Consumption, by Ellis Cashmore "Inside Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor's Notorious Love Triangle," by Colin Bertram Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon, by Kate Andersen Brower Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar  elizabethtaylor.com  

Enjoy this month's release of our formerly exclusive Patreon content. We'll be back next month with another brand new, full-length episode! We can't wait to share it with you, but in the meantime we've got this Little Reps Rewind episode for you!

In this episode, we discuss the one and only Ms. Oprah Winfrey. We will give a brief overview of her early life, including her introduction to the media world and her rise to fame. Then we look at how the world has seen Oprah over the years, both the good and the bad. We consider biases and assumptions before reflecting on the truths of her life experiences. Next, we cover some of the many controversies that she has been linked to, both small and large, justifiable or not. Finally, we wrap up by talking about her overall impact on the world over the last several decades and the legacy that she has established over the last 40 or so years. Trigger warnings: brief mentions of sexual abuse and rape, death, miscarriages, child abuse, food grossness, diet culture, and allusions to trafficking. Follow the podcast: Instagram: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: “9 things Oprah did first,” by Christina Dambrosio “If Oprah Winfrey can’t win when it comes to weight loss, nobody can,” by Madeline Holcombe “Oprah’s Unsatisfying Rejection of Dr. Oz Is Totally on Brand,” by Margaret Hartmann What I Know For Sure, by Oprah Winfrey What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, by Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD and Oprah Winfrey

In this episode, we discuss American politician and attorney and the former Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. We talk about how the media treated her at all stages of her career, from attorney to presidential nominee We touch on the sexism and racism that Harris has had to face, and we chat about her legacy and how her presidential run (and loss) has changed politics in this country. Trigger warnings: sexism, racism, lynching Follow the podcast: BlueSky and Twitter: @BigRepPod Instagram and TikTok: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: “The Many Identities of the First Woman Vice-President,” by Rachel Looker and Holly Honderich “Kamala Harris,” by Rothberg, Emma for the National Women’s History Museum “What These Decisions Tell Us About Kamala Harris’ Approach to Criminal Justice,” by Jamiles Lartey “Tie-breaking votes cast by Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate,” by Ballotpedia “Where Kamala Harris Stands on the Issues: Abortion, Immigration and More,” by Maggie Astor “Harris accuses Hallinan of coverup / She says reports of staff misconduct have been ignored,” by Patrick Hoge

Enjoy this month's release of our formerly exclusive Patreon content. We'll be back next month with a brand new, full-length episode! We can't wait to share it with you, but in the meantime we've got this Little Rep Rewind episode for you!

In this special end of year episode Kim tells Rebecca she's not allowed to wear Tims (and she probably has a point!), we discuss the etymology of the word podcast, consider the possibility of a drunk episode, share some bloopers that are truly "ginuwine," and share a very big and very important announcement about the future of the podcast!

In this episode, we discuss the topic of female characters in the television show, Supernatural, which ran from 2005-2020. First we look at the premise for the show that Eric Kripke created and was picked up by the WB and introduce a handful of the women who made an appearance on the show. Then we consider the intended fanbase, the television viewership over the years, and the core fandom, which is made up predominantly of cis-women, trans, and nonbinary folks. We also explore the concept of fridging and how heavily it has been utilized with the women on this show over the course of 15 seasons. And how, even though there was a marked shift away from its use in later years, it never fully escaped the trope. And finally, we wrap up with a discussion on representation of women in Supernatural both on screen and at fan conventions.   Trigger warnings: the death of a lot of female characters and brief mention of sexual assault.    Follow the podcast: BlueSky: @BigRepPod Instagram: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: “Supernatural: A History of Violence Against Women,” for the Geekiary by Exorcising Emily “There'll Be Peace When You Are Done: Actors and Fans Celebrate the Legacy of Supernatural, by Dr. Lynn S. Zubernis  “A Toast to the Women of Supernatural,” by Sydney Bucksbaum “Latchkey Hero: Masculinity, Class and the Gothic in Eric Kripke’s Supernatural,” by Julia M. Wright “The Supernatural Women and How They Died,” by Supernatural Fan Number 12 million 949 thousand 162 (fan blog post) Supernatural Fandom Wiki entry on “List of Deaths” in the show

Enjoy this month's release of our formerly exclusive Patreon content. If you want more episodes like this, subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/bigreputationspod. For just $5 a month you can get all of our Little Reps episodes (over 40 episodes!) as well as our Big Reels movie discussion episodes (10 episodes).

In this episode, we talk about the fictional character Miranda Priestly from the novel and film, The Devil Wears Prada. We consider how the other characters saw Miranda, both the good and the bad. Then we look at what audiences thought of Priestly, especially with the release of the film, but also a bit about how those perceptions have changed or at least shifted over the last two decades. Finally, we wrap up with a discussion about the struggles of women in the workforce and what it takes to do the work that Miranda Priestly did and stay there.   Follow the podcast: BlueSky and Twitter: @BigRepPod Instagram and TikTok: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: The book: The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger The film: The Devil Wears Prada, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway “Miranda Priestly is not the Villain,” by Kelly Wendorf “Reality Check: Miranda Priestly Isn’t a Bad Guy,” by Sage Young

There were five Wednesdays in October so we thought we'd record an extra Movie Rep Big Reels episode to release to the public. If you like this episode and want to hear more like it, you can subscribe to our Patreon for just $5 a month. There you can hear 10 more episodes just like this along with all of our Little Reputations episodes!

This month's Little Reps release from the vault is someone we covered almost two years ago to the day, in October 2022: Lilly Ledbetter. We decided to release this episode to the public because we recently learned that Ledbetter passed away at age 86 just this past weekend on October 12, 2024. We thought sharing this episode with everyone would be a great way to honor her legacy and the work that she did in her life. In addition to this episode, you can hear us talk about her in the Women's History Month Big Reputation episode as well as in our episode on Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Because this was a last minute swap for our originally scheduled Little Rep rewind release, it does not have the typical introduction you might have come to expect from these episodes. But that's neither here nor there as the important content - everything about Lilly Ledbetter - is all there.

In this episode we cover singer, actress, and reality TV star Jessica Simpson. We look back at everything the media had to say about her over the years including comments about her intelligence, weight, romantic partners, and more. Then we dig into some of the truths behind her behaviors and actions, and the effect that the media and the public can have on a young woman. We also share some of Jessica’s own reflections on her early life, relationships, and career. Trigger warnings: sexual abuse and alcoholism     Follow the podcast: BlueSky and Twitter: @BigRepPod Instagram and TikTok: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: "Where Did The 'Dumb Blonde' Stereotype Come From?" by Daniela Morosini " You Remember Jessica Simpson, Right? Wrong." by Lindsay Mannering "20 Years Ago, Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica Accidentally Invented Influencer Culture," by Judy Berman Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Hello everyone! Welcome back to our “Little Reputations Rewind” where we release a back catalog episode of our formerly exclusive “Little Reputations” Patreon content from the vault.  These episodes are generally half an hour or so, and in them we discuss women who might not necessarily have a Big Reputation but who we think are cool to learn about, nonetheless.  Remember, if you enjoy these, you can always join our Patreon as a Math Scientist for just $5 a month and get our entire back catalog as well as our newest Little Reps episodes and our special Movie Reps episodes. This month we will be sharing our Little Rep episode on American politician and former Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, which was originally released November 25th, 2023. Enjoy!

In this episode, we discuss a local (to us!) hero, Sonia Sotomayor, from her time growing up in the Bronx to her years and years of education, and her journey to the Supreme Court. We elaborate on the hurdles and bigotry she had to face while making her way to the highest court in the land and we talk about her views, how they have changed over the years and with different cases and the state of the United States of America. Finally we fangirl about her accomplishments, her legacy and what is coming up for the Supreme Court.   Follow the podcast: BlueSky and Twitter: @BigRepPod Instagram and TikTok: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: “A Breakthrough Judge: What She Always Wanted” by Jan Hoffman “Sonia Sotomayor: A Justice Like No Other,” by Richard Lacayo “Background on Judge Sonia Sotomayor” by The White House Office of the Press Secretary “Sonia Sotomayor: ‘The Justice Hears a Case’” on Sesame Street’s YouTube channel My Beloved World, by Sonia Sotomayor

This month we will be sharing our Little Rep episode on body inclusive yoga instructor, Jessamyn Stanley. This episode was originally released on January 18th, 2023. Enjoy!

In this episode, We discuss Lizzo and her early introduction into the world of music as well as her rise in the industry. Then we cover the release of the single that really brought her to the forefront of everyone’s attention and how the media reacted to her music and her image. Next we explore the controversies surrounding Lizzo from accusations of harassment to plagiarism. But we also discuss her views on body image and what good she has put into the world. Finally we wrap up with a conversation about the ways in which she provides representation and support for different communities and individuals.  Trigger warnings: ableist language   Follow the podcast: BlueSky and Twitter: @BigRepPod Instagram and TikTok: @BigReputationsPod   Become a Patreon supporter: patreon.com/bigreputationspod   Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/86669619 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo Music: Shawn P. Russell Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sources: “Lizzo Wants to Build You Up,” written for the New York Times by Sandra E. Garcia “What to Know About the Harassment and Hostile-Workplace Claims Against Lizzo,” by Tariro Mzezewa and Andrea González-Ramírez Love, Lizzo documentary directed by Doug Pray, available on HBO Max “Lizzo Was a New Kind of Diva. Now She’s in a New Kind of Scandal,” written for The Atlantic By Spencer Kornhaber