Pop Life Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University, Kendall Phillips is joined by a collection of expert guests to discuss significant, work, events and milestones in popular culture.
Pop Life

Pop Life

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Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University, Kendall Phillips is joined by a collection of expert guests to discuss significant, work, events and milestones in popular culture.

Most Recent Episodes

Blockheads, Beagles, and Sweet Babboos

On this episode of Pop Life, Kendall Phillips chats with Michelle Abate. Michelle Ann Abate is an associate professor specializing in literature for children and young adults. Her latest book is 'Blockheads, Beagles, and Sweet Babboos: New Perspectives on Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts'. Kendall and Michelle discuss why Charles Shultz is potentially undervalued as cultural creator, Peanuts as a work of American Philosophy, and the decision Shultz made to include a person of color in the comic.Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

Punk Rock and Politics

On this episode of Pop Life Kendall Phillips chats with Punk Rock icon Eugene Hutz. Eugene is the front man for the Punk Rock band Gogol Bordello. The band's latest album- Solidaritine, has a theme of supporting the Ukrainian People in the Russian-Ukraine War and was supported by a tour that included performing for Ukrainian soldiers.Kendall and Eugene discuss the balance betweenPunk Rock and Politics, efforts to support Ukraine with his music, and how technology has changed music discovery .Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

The Rise of The Walking Dead

Back in 2010 The Walk Dead premiered on AMC with a fair degree of skepticism. But, 11 seasons and 177 episodes later, there is little doubt that it was a resounding success. On this episode of Pop Life, Host Kendall Phillips looks back on the history of The Walking Dead with Professor Kyle Bishop. Bishop is a professor of English at Southern Utah University and teaches film and screen studies, American literature and culture, fantasy/horror literature, and English composition. Kendall and Kyle, discuss the original comics written by Robert Kirkman, early reactions to the show, and how it sustained an 11 season run of success. Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

Finding that Signature Sound

On this episode of Pop Life, Kendall Philipps chats with Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, the duo that make up the New Orleans based indie pop group 'Generationals'. Their latest album Heatherhead came out earlier this year.In addition to a discussion around being musicians during the pandemic, Ted and Grant share their early musical influences, unique approach to song writing, and achieving their signature sound.Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

Paying a Visit to the Margaret Herrick Library

On this episode of Pop Life, we conclude our three part series focusing on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. To do so, host Kendall Phillips chats with Matt Severson, the Director the Margaret Herrick Library. Matt Has a 21+ year history of working in motion picture archives, exhibition curating, donor outreach and employee management. Skilled in Digitization, Curating, Writing, and Collection Management. Matt tell us about the woman the library is named after, the struggle of archiving hard copied document in a word that's gone digital, as well as sharing a very funny tale about the time Drew Barrymore visited the Library

The Academy Film Archive Talks Film Preservation

On this episode of Pop Life we continue our month long series with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joining Kendall Phillips this week to discuss the Academy's effort in film preservation is the Academy Film Archive's Director Michael Pogorzelski.". He and Kendall discuss the number of great films that have been lost over the years, what the academy saw that made them decide to take film preservation seriously, and the process of restoring specific films.

Welcome to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures!

This week on Pop Life, we kick off a three-part series taking a look at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. And we get it started with Director and President, Jacqueline Stewart. In addition to her work at the museum, Jacqueline is also a Professor in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies at The University of Chicago.Host Kendall Phillips and Jacqueline discuss the unique work of the museum, specific displays that the museum houses that still gives Jacqueline chills, and the importance of preservation in the academy deciding to open a museum.

Introducing WILSN

On this episode of Pop Life, Kendall Phillips has the pleasure of speaking with Australian musician WILSN. Born Shannon Busch in Gippsland before the family moved to Geelong and then Melbourne, WILSN studied jazz at the Victorian College of the Arts where she obtained a Bachelor of Music. Here debut album Those Days Are Over, was released earlier this year.WILSN shares at what age she knew she had a gift for music, early performances in Australia, and the influence of music from the United States.Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

Living in the Age of Satire

On this episode of Pop Life, Kendall Phillips is joined by Syracuse University Professor Charisse L'Pree. Charisse is an associate professor of communications at the Newhouse School, and Endowed Chair of Public Communications. Kendall talks with Charisse about her new book, 'Diversity and Satire; Laughing at the Processes of Marginalization'. The conversation touches on the idea of what constitutes satire, the decision to include student essays in the book, the use of of satire in popular culture.Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

Keeping Film Alive

On this week's episode of Pop Life Kendall Phillips is joined by Jared Case. Jared is the Curator of Film Exhibitions at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York. He joins the show to share what is being done in Western New York to persevere classic cinema, photography and more.Kendall and Jared discuss, the difference between cinema and a home theater, the history of film preservation, and the nitrate film festival in Rochester, New York.