More women are having children after 40, but what does that actually look like when you are in it?  In this episode, Christiana sits down with Jesse Golden, CEO and founder of The Golden Secrets, to talk about her journey of trying for motherhood at 45, including IVF, miscarriage, and starting over later in life. She also opens up about home birth, treatment costs, community, and what it really means to redefine motherhood on your own terms. Follow Jesse on Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  1:09 Meet Jesse Golden 2:53 Trying for motherhood again at 45 4:09 What it’s really like trying to get pregnant in your 40s 6:15 Navigating miscarriage and loss 10:04 Inside Jesse’s IVF journey 14:43 The real cost of IVF (financial and emotional) 19:44 Finding community as a woman giving birth after 40 22:14 What actually helps improve your chances of pregnancy 27:22 Is IVF the right path for you? 32:53 Egg freezing and what the future of IVF looks like 36:21 Exploring home birth later in life 40:13 Jesse’s home birth story 43:36 Staying grounded in your choices and your body Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s pop culture syllabus comes straight from the magazine rack!  In this solo episode, Christiana sits down to talk us through the latest from Women's Health, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and the juiciest tabloids, breaking down celebrity glow-ups, style statements, and luxury obsessions from names like Jay-Z, Anne Hathaway, Rita Ora, and more while unpacking what this month’s magazines are really saying about pop culture. Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  0:39 Rita Ora’s wellness era 3:12Inside Rita’s new look 7:00 The millennial facelift boom 13:55 Meghan & Harry tabloid drama 17:30 Ryan Seacrest’s face fears 19:17 Paris Hilton, theme queen 21:40 Crosswords: hot or not? 23:04 Jay-Z’s GQ takeover 23:39 Is Jay-Z channeling Basquiat? 28:12 Luxury ads everywhere 29:02 Pop culture’s iconic watches 32:22 Sketchers sketchy ads  34:06 GQ’s wedding rulebook 36:22 The life of Jay-Z 38:44 The Horology of HOV 45:38 Anne Hathaway’s Harper’s Bazaar moment 49:35 Chanel’s star-studded campaign 54:10 Bobbi Brown & beauty businesses 57:18 Ariana’s Swarovski sparkle 59:03 Inside Lulu Guinness’ whimsical home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women spend a lot of time wondering what men really think about love and relationships.  In this episode, Christiana sits down with Holly Solem, advice columnist and creator of the social media series Manthropology, to discuss what she’s learned from interviewing men about dating, masculinity, and loneliness. They also play a game revisiting iconic fictional men in pop culture and how they shaped millennial women’s understanding of love and relationships. Holly’s Vogue essay Follow Holly on Instagram Follow Mathropology on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:19 Meet Holly Solem  06:20 Holly’s move back to LA  07:14 Creating “Manthropology” 11:28 What Holly has learned about men while making “Manthropology”  13:34 How men in LA compare to men in NY 14:45 How women absorb the shame of men   16:09 Misogyny in 2026 18:02 Platonic relationships between straight men and women  22:20 How Holly reacts during Manthropology interviews 23:20 White girlhood vs. Black girlhood  25:51 Fictional pop-culture men game  27:14 Chandler Bing from “Friends”  28:58 Ross Geller from “Friends” 29:39 Batman  30:50 Superman  32:24 Homer Simpson  34:10 Lawrence from “Insecure” 35:13 Big from “Sex and the City”  37:13 Don Draper from “Mad Men” 38:18 Walter White from “Breaking Bad”  40:13 Nick Young from “Crazy Rich Asians”  41:35 Prince Akeem from “Coming to America”  42:46 Austin Powers  43:37 James Bond 46:40 Wolverine 48:13 Adam Sackler from “Girls” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve been calling women divas for years, but we still can’t agree on what the word actually means or who qualifies.  In this episode, Christiana sits down with music journalist Gerrick Kennedy, co-author of Brandy's new memoir, Phases, to do the impossible: rank the greatest divas across the 90s, 2000s, and 2010s and unpack what really earns someone the title.  Together, they debate the diva status of icons like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga, while making the case for a few overlooked sleeper divas along the way. By the end, it becomes clear that defining a diva is a lot harder than it sounds. Gerrick’s book with Brandy: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/phases-brandy?variant=44324080779298  Gerrick’s book on Whitney Houston: https://gerrickkennedy.com/whitneyhouston  Follow Gerrick on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:18 Meet Gerrick Kennedy  03:20 How Gerrick Built a Career in Music Journalism 06:33 The Time Gerrick Met Joe Jackson 11:18 Diva Ranking Game  13:19 Defining a “diva”  16:46 Ranking 90s divas  18:50 Brandy  27:07 Janet Jackson  29:22 Mariah Carey  34:07 Gerrick on Working With Brandy on Phases 36:16 The Patriarchal Control Behind Pop Divas 40:59 Ranking 2000s divas  42:11 Why Divas Have to Go Solo 48:59 Jennifer Lopez  55:59 Britney Spears  1:00:37 Amy Winehouse 1:05:01 Ranking 2010s divas  1:06:03 Lady Gaga  1:12:54 Rihanna  1:16:29 Tinashe  1:17:52 Beyoncé 1:23:56 Taylor Swift  1:25:39 The Next Generation of Pop Stars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you love them or hate them, it’s hard to argue the Kardashians didn’t completely change the way we think about fame. So how did this family go from reality TV to becoming the blueprint for modern celebrity and one of the most powerful forces in pop culture? In this episode, Christiana sits down with author MJ Corey to talk about her book Deconstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto and trace the evolution of the Kardashians and what their success really says about them. Together, they do what the internet has always done best and overanalyze the Kardashians, getting into fame, branding, controversy, and where this endlessly fascinating family goes next. Follow MJ on Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  00:52 MJ Corey’s first time watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians 03:08 Understanding postmodernism to understand the Kardashians 03:50 Kim Kardashian and ethnic ambiguity  04:55 Comparing the Kardashians to iconic American brands 08:50 Kris Jenner, the O.J. Simpson trial and revisionist history  13:00 The Kardashians, cultural appropriation and Black romantic partners 22:00 The Kardashians as early adopters of technology  25:25 The Paris robbery and trial 31:09 How the Kardashians will be remembered 32:15 Who will be Kris’ successor? 34:12 Predicting Kim’s future in politics  36:20 Which grandchild is most likely to be the next star?  37:40 Does Kim venture into podcasting?  38:10 Does SKIMS IPO? 38:28 How many more times will Kim Kardashian get married?  40:00 When will Kris Jenner retire? 42:04 What’s the future of Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet? 44:29 Which Kardashian is mostly likely to make a hard pivot?  48:30 MJ’s biggest prediction for the Kardashians/Jenners in the next five years Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrity couples today don’t just date, they trend, and every move instantly becomes part of the cultural conversation online.  In this episode, Christiana sits down with E! Entertainment host Erin Lim Rhodes to play our signature Celebrity Couples Game and debate some of pop culture’s most talked-about pairs, from Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, and more. Expect hot takes, chaotic rankings, and a few moments that will definitely have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about these couples. Follow Erin on Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:03 Meet Erin Lim Rhodes 04:24 Erin’s move to Singapore  06:18 Getting hired by E!  11:46 “The Rundown” and using social media  18:29 The Celebrity Couples Game 19:30 Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner 20:43 Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade 24:36 Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra 28:40 Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck  33:14 Olandria and Nic Vansteenberghe 36:28 John Legend and Chrissy Teigen 41:57 Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco 48:49 Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Womb health is still one of the most misunderstood areas of women’s care, especially for Black women.  In today’s episode, Christiana sits down with gynecologic oncologist and author of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing to walk us through fibroids, endometriosis, and the symptoms that are often dismissed, plus what women should be asking about care and diagnosis. Dr. Kemi’s website Follow Dr. Kemi Doll: Instagram Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:00 Meet Dr. Kemi Doll 03:40 How Dr. Doll’s background has informed her work  07:30 Understanding womb suffering 08:55 Black women with womb suffering getting misdiagnosed  10:47 Womb condition #1: heavy menstrual bleeding  23:40 Options for people with the BRCA1 gene 25:36 Womb condition #2: endometriosis  35:29 Teenagers and young women with womb suffering  39:05 Womb condition #3: fibroids  51:18 Womb condition #4: endometrial cancer  01:01:28 Advice for dealing with doctors and medical institutions 01:08:45 Combining holistic wellness with medicine 01:11:55 Setting boundaries in order to heal  01:13:00 Where to find Dr. Kemi Doll’s work  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another week in pop culture, where nothing is calm and everything is a headline. In this episode, Christiana flips through the latest tabloids and magazines, breaking down celebrity chaos, unhinged headlines, and the editorials everyone can’t stop talking about. Sydney Sweeney, Doja Cat, Timothée Chalamet, Anne Hathaway, and more all show up in this week’s rundown as Christiana shares her hot takes on what’s worth the hype and what’s just noise. Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack   Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:50 Sydney Sweeney’s “Magazine Milkies” Moment 02:59 Sofía Vergara’s Sketchy Skechers Ad 03:54 Sydney Sweeney’s Viral Lingerie Editorial 08:15 Why Everyone Is Suddenly Obsessed With Tyriq Withers 10:04 Twilight Taylors 10:22 Is Robert Pattinson the New Leonardo DiCaprio? 12:40 Teyana Taylor as Lady Liberty 14:26 Inside the “MAGA Land” Editorial 21:54 Doja Cat on Vogue 24:48 India’s Growing Influence on Pop Culture 27:10 Bhavitha Mandava, Versace & Fashion’s Rising New Faces 29:08 Jelly Roll’s Weight Loss Transformation 34:20 Sarah Michelle Gellar’s People Magazine Cover 35:48 The Royal Roundup: Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle & More 37:22 Anne Hathaway’s Best Oscars Look 38:14 Sarah Michelle Gellar Is Making a Comeback 40:19 Harry & Meghan “Exiled” From Hollywood? 43:21 Christiana’s Top Magazine Recommendation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Hollywood, everyone wants a “perfect” face, but the goal now is to make it look like nothing was ever done. But behind that natural look is a growing set of procedures most people would never recognize. Today, Christiana sits down with Double Board Certified Facial & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon Dr. Carl Truesdale to understand what’s driving Hollywood’s obsession with undetectable plastic surgery, from subtle lifts to revision procedures, as well as how cosmetic work among men and AI are shaping today’s beauty standards. Dr. Truesdale’s website  Follow Dr. Truesdale: Instagram  Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected]  01:02 Meet Dr. Carl Truesdale  02:07 How Dr. Truesdale got into cosmetic surgery  03:50 Cultivating a diverse practice with cultural competency  09:05 The costs of cosmetic surgery  10:01 Thread lifts, fillers and botox  12:20 How Dr. Truesdale contributes to beauty standards and pressures  15:00 Psychological shifts for patients 17:00 Patients who are unhappy after their procedures   18:55 Dr. Truesdale on sharing his work on social media  21:46 Not being able to share the work he does for some celebrities  22:58 Celebrities who don’t share that they have had work done  25:20 Karama Brown  25:38 Lower blepharoplasty 26:06 Men getting plastic surgery  30:08 Looking younger longer  31:24 Revision surgeries   34:17 Knowing when to operate and turning patients away  34:57 Mid-facelifts  35:45 Responding to those who say plastic surgery is bad  39:10 A rapper whose “friend” paid for her cosmetic work  40:41 The future of plastic surgery, AI, and beauty standards  46:02 Christiana requests a free consultation from Dr. Truesdale   47:30 Dr. Truesdale doing his parents’ plastic surgery  49:00 Where you can find Dr. Truesdale online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Non-monogamy is everywhere right now, and so are the opinions about it. In today’s episode, Christiana sits down with psychologist and Chapman University Professor Dr. Amy Moors to unpack open relationships, ethical non-monogamy, and why more people are exploring love outside the traditional mold. Dr. Amy Moors research Follow Pop Syllabus: YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Substack Merch available now! Sponsor Pop Syllabus: [email protected] If there’s a topic you’d like us to deconstruct, tell us in the comments. Email: [email protected] 01:07 Meet Dr. Amy Moors 03:31 Defining non-monogamy  04:30 Defining polyamory and open relationships  05:50 Different types of polyamory  07:06 Who engages in consensual non-mongamy? And how common is it? 10:25 Loving multiple people 14:10 Stigmas towards people who practice consensual non-monogamy  17:35 Christiana’s familial experiences with polygamy  21:35 Both monogamy and non-monogamy can be messy  22:40 How societal inequities show up in relationships  25:19 Lindy West, millennial feminism, and trad wives 27:04 Gender ratios among non-monogamous couples 28:10 Measuring “success” among non-monogamous relationships  31:01 Couples who open their relationships after being monogamous  34:20 Why is non-monogamy seemingly everywhere?  39:18 Americans don’t like to talk about sex  41:45 LGBTQ+ couples and non-monogamy  44:28 Learning from people who practice non-monogamy  46:16 Non-monogamous parents and their children  53:20 Non-hierarchical polyamory  55:30 Finding the time to sustain non-monogamous relationships    57:42 The future of consensual non-monogamy 01:04:30 Where to find Dr. Moors’ work  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices