Binchtopia

The girlies tell the stories of two historical events that were doomed from the start: the Donner Party and The Great Emu War. From the cannibalistic Western settlers to the Australians who thought they could gun down 20,000 wild emus, humans vastly underestimated their environment and suffered the consequences. This is a teaser for a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. To become a Patron and get access to this episode along with 50+ other bonus episodes, go to www.patreon.com/binchtopia

Inspired by the culture’s latest cheating scandals, the girlies unpack monogamy as a social norm and explore what happens when we break the rules. They explore theories of mononormativity, investigate the psychological consequences of being cheated on, and try to answer a pressing question: why are we still attempting monogamy if people keep having affairs? Digressions include the NYC earthquake, kindhearted midwesterners, and one listener’s love of Hoop. SOURCES: Abolish the Family: A Manifesto for Care and Liberation Anatomy of Love  Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence Forgiveness of Sexual Cheating in Romantic Relationships Greater Wealth Inequality, Less Polygyny: Rethinking the Polygyny Threshold Model Love Is Not a Permanent State of Enthusiasm: An Interview with Esther Perel Once A Cheater, Always A Cheater? Marriage Therapists Weigh In Post Infidelity Stress Disorder Sex at Dawn That’s Revolting! Queer Strategies for Resisting Assimilation The Aftershocks of Infidelity: A Review of Infidelity-Based Attachment Trauma The Red Queen Was That Cheating? Perceptions Vary by Sex, Attachment Anxiety, and Behavior What’s Wrong With Infidelity?

The girlies return to the mailbox to read more stories of clownery and riff on your foolishness. Digressions include why men need to STOP scaring the hoes, some piping hot tea about this season of the Bachelor, and, well, I think we all got groomed over the internet!

We are so excited to introduce the inaugural episode of Bruhtopia — Binchtopia for boys! Over the next few weeks, Max and Rodney will take you on a journey of all things sports, economics, and wellness… APRIL FOOLS! The girlies are granting diplomas from Clown University to brave binchies writing in about the times they’ve been clowned. From giving yourself a full body rash to running with the gingers to letting your man keep a glass piss bottle in your room for months, the level of clownery is off the charts. Digressions include our own little prank, and don’t worry — we would NEVER let men host our podcast. MERCH PATREON

The girlies discuss the happenings — the ugly boyfriend apocalypse, insane Conservative conspiracies, the transgenda, Kate Middleton's whereabouts and more. This is a teaser for a Patreon-exclusive episode. To become a patron and get access to this episode along with 50+ other bonus episodes, go to patreon.com/binchtopia

The girlies answer a pressing question: why is flying so awful? We used to have hotties in Pan Am uniforms serving us caviar, and now we suffer through heinous security lines to sit in seats with no legroom where the emergency exit door is not guaranteed to stay on til landing.  From the Wright Bros to TSA to climate criminals, the girlies unpack the history of all things air travel and ponder if there is a better way. Digressions include two father-related mailbox moments and a new merch drop! The new merch collection will be available at 10am PT // 1pm ET on 3/13 at this link!  SOURCES: A Brief History of Airplane Hijackings, From the Cold War to D.B. Cooper Airline Close Calls Happen Far More Often Than Previously Known  A Real Life Pan Am Stewardess On What It Was Like To Wear That Famous Uniform Boeing, Still Recovering From Max 8 Crashes, Faces a New Crisis Boeing 707: The Aircraft That Changed the Way We Fly Federal Flight Deck Officers: The Airline Pilots Trained to Shoot Hijackers History of the Airplane How Modern Air Travel Got So Miserable It Was Shoes On, No Boarding Pass Or ID. But Airport Security Forever Changed On 9/11 Longing for the ‘Golden Age’ of Air Travel? Be Careful What You Wish for Pan Am Flight Attendants Had the Most Glamorous Jobs in the Sky Pan Am: The Trailblazing Airline That Changed International Travel PANAMAC Revisited Private jets are awful for the climate. It’s time to tax the rich who fly in them. The Airplane Changed Our Idea of the World The Evolution of the Commercial Flying Experience  The Humiliating History of the TSA The Shocking Boeing 737 Incident, Briefly Explained The Wonderful Jet World of Pan American (1959) What Are Carbon Offsets? Are They a Credible Climate Solution? Worried About How Safe It Is to Fly? Here’s What the Experts Have to Say

The girlies discuss the most discoursed articles of the month. They cover the Ivy League financial "expert" who put $50k in an unmarked vehicle, a landmark piece about the pull-out method, the article that asks what happens when body-positive influencers get skinny, and more. Twitter digressions include the AI-generated Live Wonka Experience and whether or not your husband should die for being nice to his brother's widow.   This is a teaser for a Patreon-exclusive episode. To become a patron and get access to this episode along with 50+ other bonus episodes, go to patreon.com/binchtopia.   ARTICLES DISCUSSED: The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger The Case for Pulling Out How Tom Sandoval Became the Most Hated Man in America TikToker Says Dad Abandoning Family for Breakdancing Dreams Is Her Funniest Childhood Trauma, Dad Claps (And Breakdances) Back They Promoted Body Positivity. Then They Lost Weight.

The girlies confront one of humanity’s oldest anxieties — our fear of aging. From Cleopatra’s donkey milk baths to ten-year-old girls putting Drunk Elephant eye creams on their Christmas lists, they explore how women have always been encouraged to prolong youth at their own expense. Digressions include *that* horrifying NYT article, mixed feelings about going grey, and some treasured wisdom from our older binchies. SOURCES: Anti-Aging Medicine: The History: Life Extension and History: The Continual Search for the Fountain of Youth Babies’ skin is already perfect. Dior wants to sell them a skincare line Charting: A Brief History of Anti-Aging History Lesson: Centuries Of Anti-Aging Products Intact: A Defence of the Unmodified Body  No Truth to the Fountain of Youth The Craziest Things People Have Done to Try and Stay Young The Double Standard of Aging by Susan Sontag The “Invisibility” War on Older Women The 10-Year-Olds Using Drunk Elephant Beauty Products 'There's no ethical way to sell products that target signs of aging' They Always Say the Younger You Start, the Better Powerless in the Face of Beauty: Helena Rubinstein at the Jewish Museum Preliminary Materials for a Theory of the Young-Girl Why Americans Are Uniquely Afraid to Grow Old  Woman in Retrograde Women, Power, and Aging: An Introduction

Bad Book Club returns to review the Twilight fanfiction turned kinky nightmare that captivated suburban moms everywhere. This one has it all — a clinically insane man who tells our protagonist to "stay away" while constantly stalking her, the worst stock POC best friend characterization we've ever seen, and some truly heinous sex scenes. ¡Ay, Dios mío! This is a teaser for a Patreon-exclusive episode. To become a patron and get access to this episode and 50+ other bonus episodes, go to patreon.com/binchtopia.

In the annual Binchtopia Valentine Hotline, the girlies open up their voicemail box to advise some troubled listeners in matters of the heart. How do I stop being my boyfriend’s mommy? Are love languages even real? How do I plan the best boyfriend convention ever? Will you guys come to my wedding? These questions and more are answered. Digressions include a sass dispatch from Redacted and the Tortured Grammy’s Department.    

The girlies dive deep into the micro-trends that have been populating the internet over the last few years. From cottage-core to ballet-core, clean girl to mob wife, they rank microaesthetics based on the level of abject harm they cause to women, the pedophilic undertones, and whether or not they make their brains Soup. Digressions include welcoming Ballerina Farm into the NYT club and digging up dirt on the other Mormon influencers. This is a teaser for a Patreon-exclusive episode. Become a patron and listen to the full episode at patreon.com/binchtopia (http://patreon.com/binchtopia).

The girlies hop into the meme pool to investigate how memes are made, why they spread, and what happens when the worst moments of someone’s life follow them forever in the memeiverse. Digressions include a mysterious case of Souping, the Binchtopia infirmary ward, and one listener’s horrifying baby Jesus figurine. Sources: Slayed, Mother: Gypsy Rose’s Digital Homecoming by Jax Preyer The Meme is Dead, Long Live the Meme by Roy Christopher Talking to the Guy Who Invented the Word ‘Meme’: Richard Dawkins by Mahmood Fazal Taking the Dawkins Challenge, or, The Dark Side of the Meme by Gregory Schrempp Alex From Target: The Other Side of Fame Alix Bromley Adjudication Internet Memes and “The Right to Privacy” Most Americans support right to have some personal info removed from online searches As a domestic violence victim, my story became a joke.  You Know the Lorena Bobbitt Story. But Not All of It The Definitive Oral History of the Bobbitt Case, 25 Years Later  Accidentally famous: The psychology of going viral  Monica Lewinsky Wins The Internet With Best 'I Have A Joke' Tweet The last of the Monica meme Monica Lewinsky on the Culture of Humiliation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies dissect the case of America's newly freed sweetheart, Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Julia puts her PhD studies to use and guides us through the history of Munchausen by proxy, opening up an exploration of why people make themselves and others sick, and how the "bad mom" trope reifies social anxieties around motherhood and care. Digressions include our time in the Stu, the depths of our notesapp, and a bold mailbox moments. To see the video version of this episode and to keep up with our bonus content, subscribe at patreon.com/binchtopia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of the New Year, the girlies investigate a cultural concept that plagues us all in the new year: The Makeover. From the transformative promise of the American Dream to hit shows like What Not to Wear and The Biggest Loser, they discuss how “the makeover” seeks to ease cultural anxieties, reify the status quo, and affirm that changing ones appearance can change ones life. Digressions include one listener who found Eliza’s twin at the Margaritaville restaurant in Orlando, another who hears our voices in their schizoaffective delusion, and the world’s need for a one dance.  SOURCES: Eliza Makeover Nation: The United States of Reinvention by Toby Miller The Makeover: Reality Television and Reflexive Audiences by Katherine Sender The Great American Makeover: Television, History, Nation by Dana Heller ‘Oh goodness, I am watching reality TV’ How methods make class in audience research Notes on What Not to Wear and Post-feminist Symbolic Violence Spirituality Among Americans: Spiritual Beliefs by Pew Research Center Americans Take Prescriptions a Large Portion of Their Lives Can I Please Give You Some Advice?: Clueless and the Teen Makeover by Alice Leppert Julia Makeover TV: Selfhood, Citizenship, and Celebrity by Brenda Weber Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies hop on the mic for the last time this year to recap a timeline of the memes, celebrity relationships, and silly internet shit that captured our attention in 2023. Digressions include a failed STD test and He Need A One Dance. If you’ll miss us on our break, you can find bonus episodes, mediasodes, monthly zoom meetings, and more on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies open up the mailbox and dedicate an entire episode to your hilarious moments. We’re with you through the hard times (salmonella Tinder date) and the good times (dislodging pasta from beneath your fingertip by cooking it soft). Thanks for another year of being our listeners. Digressions include predictions for who will be woman’d in 2024 and our made-up idioms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies return to the world of family vloggers to answer the important questions — how did the momfluencer come to be and why are we so obsessed with her? Can children ever meaningfully consent to being shared online? Did Jean Baudrillard predict our real life Truman Show with Simulacra and Simulation in 1981? Digressions include your newest NY Times covergirls, the Binchtopia Boy Draft, and one listener’s experience as an assistant momager. Support the podcast on Patreon at patreon.com/binchtopia Binchtopia is created, produced, and hosted by Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb. This episode was edited by Allison Hagan. *note: we hit the character limit for this description -- additional sources for this episode are linked on our Patreon! SOURCES: Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture Simulacra and Simulation Are We To Be Forever Trapped Between the Two? The Internet, Modernity, and Postmodernity in the Early 21st Century Child-produced content and the simulation of childhood New law entitles child social media influencers to a percentage of earnings Why did Mark Zuckerberg cover his kids’ faces on Instagram? Their lives were documented online from birth. Now, they’re coming of age The YouTube Parents Who are Turning Family Moments into Big Bucks Kidfluencers Are Today’s Version of Chimney Sweeps Research Brief: “Sharenting” and Child Influencers Sharenting: parent blogging and the boundaries of the digital self Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies revisit a classic early Binchtopia episode to unpack the phenomenon of child-centric content — this time with sources! In Part 1 they discuss the history of child labor in America including the plight of minor miners, the exploitation of Shirley Temple, and why we LOVE watching videos of Trisha Paytas playing with Malibu Barbie. Digressions include Eliza’s experience of buying Buddhism in Hollywood, Catholic mantras that go hard, and listener-submitted momager stories. Binchtopia is created, produced, and hosted by Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb. This episode was edited by Allison Hagan. SOURCES: History of child labor in the United States—part 1: little children working History of child labor in the United States–part 2: the reform movement There’s No Business Like Show Business: Child Entertainers and the Law More Than Pocket Money: A History of Child Actor Laws Little Miss Fix-It: The Remarkable Life of Shirley Temple Before The Good Ship Lollipop, Shirley Temple Did 'Baby Burlesks' How cute things hijack our brains and drive behaviour  Assessing the cuteness of children: Significant factors and gender differences Gendering Cuteness Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies go soapbox mode to discuss two women in history that they can’t stop thinking about: their special interest girlbosses. Julia tells the fascinating story of Annie Oakley, the most snatched sharpshooter of all time, and Eliza gets deep into the lore of Connie Converse, the mysterious (gay?) 50’s songwriter who pioneered the genre before disappearing without a trace. Plus, more Kardashian discourse, an angel update, and homophobia-themed mailbox moments. To help keep these episodes ad-free, access bonus episodes, and support the podcast, head to patreon.com/binchtopia Binchtopia is created, produced, and hosted by Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb. This episode was edited by Allison Hagan. SOURCES The true story of Annie Oakley, legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley | National Women's History Museum. What the True Story of Buffalo Bill Reveals About the Myth of the Wild West Annie Oakley: In A Man’s World  Annie Oakley: The Person To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse by Howard Fishman The Art of Disappearance by Hanif Abdurraqib Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The girlies are back with another Eerie Episode™, this time covering all things WITCHES! They go back into the annuls to unpack the history of European witchery, the Salem Witch trials, voodoo, the current-day Wicca practitioners, and the Etsy spell sellers of today. They discuss “witch” as a socially imposed category and the evolution of witchy practices throughout history. Digressions include some Russian witch tea from a listener and Khloe Kardashian’s unfortunate lot in this life as a Victim Soul. Binchtopia is created, produced, and hosted by Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb. Research for this episode was contributed by Ben Rosenfeld and Charlie Squire. Sources: The Devil in the Shape of a Woman A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials Damned Women: Sinners and Witches in Puritan New England Why Do Witches Ride Brooms? (NSFW) Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation  Drawing Down the Moon : Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America  Cultural Appropriation in Contemporary Neopaganism and Witchcraft Perceptions of New Orleans Voodoo: Sin, Fraud, Entertainment, and Religion New Age and Neopagan Religions in America  Fantasies of Gender and the Witch in Feminist Theory and Literature Witchcraft for Sale! Commodity vs. Community in the Neopagan Movement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.