It's Been a Minute

With everything going on in the world, it makes sense that some of us want to check out. But at what cost?

In this episode, host Brittany Luse is dissecting our current obsession with numbing ourselves to the moment and tuning out. This so-called “numb girl” attitude and aesthetic is defined by detachment, irony, and a world weary cynicism. Think the "Gen Z pout," "expressionless Botox chic,” a deadpan voice, or selfies with a vacant gaze. Of course, It appears effortless and nonchalant, but it’s highly curated and self-aware — it’s the perfect mask for avoiding humiliation in a world that is always there to judge you. But is avoiding the pain of the world good for us?

Brittany is joined by writer Rayne Fisher-Quann aka Internet Princess and freelance cultural critic Sophie Lou Wilson to get into why all the cool girls are dissociating and what we lose when we numb ourselves to the world around us.

(0:00) News fatigue, detachment, & irony are cooler than ever
(5:02) Gucci runways to political nihilism: numbness went mainstream
(10:15) Lobotomy Chic: an ironic joke turned beauty trend
(14:57) The privilege of dissociating. Who can afford to disconnect?
(18:08) Is numbness a form of feminist resistance?
(20:15) How to un-numb and reconnect with humanity

This episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 9 8 8 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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Have you seen ADHD content pop up in your feeds? Are you getting a lot of it?

In the past few years, there's been a surge in the number of adults diagnosed with ADHD, and at the same time more and more people online are going viral with "signs" that you might have it too. Whether with our doctors or friends, we're all talking a lot more about adult ADHD. Is this a perfect storm of online content leading to more diagnoses? Or is there more to the story?

Brittany is joined by culture journalist Kelli Maria Korducki, who wrote about this for The Guardian, and Manvir Singh, assistant professor of anthropology at UC Davis, to get into it.

This episode originally aired on April 25, 2025.

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After dominating television screens for decades, has reality TV gone into decline?

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member Taylor Frankie Paul has been a controversial figure for some time now, but the latest allegations surrounding the star - and the subsequent cancellation of her season of The Bachelorette - have caused viewers to ask: how far is too far for reality TV? With ratings on the decline and networks desperate to keep audiences coming back, reality TV has taken some drastic turns to remain relevant.

To get into all this Rebecca Jennings, features writer for New York Magazine, joins the show to unpack the drama surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul and the state of reality TV at large.

(0:00) Who's being exploited more on reality TV?
(03:36) Unpacking Taylor Frankie Paul's controversial reality TV journey
(09:27) ABC's risky bet on Taylor Frankie Paul as 'The Bachelorette'
(18:29) Navigating the line between 'messy' and 'dark' on reality TV
(21:25) How reality TV fandom has changed
(25:37) Finding unexpected value in reality TV drama
(29:23) The need for better vetting and ethics in reality TV casting
(33:33) Official statements from Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen

Want more about reality TV? Check out these IBAM episodes:
Our love lives have gone full Love Island.
Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'

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Do you and your loved ones see eye-to-eye... about AI?

There’s been a lot of discourse about age gaps and wage gaps – but there’s a new kind of gap rocking relationships: AI gaps. For example, when a couple isn't on the same page about when and how to use it, or even how AI becomes an unwelcome third wheel in a relationship. And this is big for some couples – but this also can be an issue in some friendships and family dynamics, too. So what does AI usage say about what people value? And are conflicts around AI becoming proxies for deeper issues in relationships?

Brittany chats with Jenny Singer, a freelance culture writer who wrote about this for The Washington Post, and Heather Kelly, a freelance reporter who focuses on how technology affects daily life.

(00:00) Can using AI be an ick?
(03:35) When AI becomes an unwelcome third in your relationship
(07:41) Why Americans are pessimistic about AI - but might use it anyway
(13:08) What AI usage might say about our values
(18:06) Strategies for bridging the AI divide in relationships

For more episodes about modern dating, check out:
"Girl Math" does not add up to financial freedom
The unbearable fear of being cheated on
The joy of breaking up with dating apps

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We have officially wrapped Quarter 1 of 2026. That means it's time to gather the pop culture C-suite and take stock of the best and worst of culture this year...so far.

Host Brittany Luse is your Pop Culture CEO, and she's joined by esteemed members of the C-suite, Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson, co-hosts of the Eating for Free podcast, to recap the last three months in an official Pop Culture Quarterly Review. What have been the major cultural achievements and setbacks so far this year? And in the Pop Culture Boardroom, who will emerge as the MVP?

Want more bird's eye views of pop culture? Check out these episodes.
The Best & Worst Moments of 2025
2026 Predictions: Beyoncé retires, AI busts, Democrats lift weights

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