Podcast Summary: Black People Love Paramore
Episode: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Date: December 11, 2025
Hosts: Jewel Wicker & Ryan Graham (filling in for Sequoia Holmes)
Main Theme
This episode dives into the 2000 live-action classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” starring Jim Carrey. Jewel and Ryan offer a lively, often hilarious, deep-dive into the film’s themes, Grinch “identity tests,” behind-the-scenes trivia, the enduring magic of Christmas movies, and, of course, the surprising places Black cultural identity meets outsider narratives.
Episode Structure
- Opening Banter: Who Is the Grinch? (00:18–02:25)
- Recap of the Movie and Cast (04:04–06:22)
- Jim Carrey, Production Drama, and Casting What-Ifs (06:22–10:55)
- Reading Whoville Through a Black Lens (11:11–15:14)
- Film’s Adult & Subversive Humor (15:13–18:27)
- Classic vs. Live-Action Adaptation (18:27–20:31)
- Nostalgia, Christmas Traditions, and Black Santa (20:31–25:10)
- Capitalism, Christmas, and the Spirit of the Season (25:11–26:46)
- Music & Soundtrack (26:47–29:47)
- Taylor Momsen’s Transformation & Rock Career (29:47–32:00, 63:33–68:20)
- Favorite Characters & Best Christmas Movies (46:40–52:28)
- Cultural Context: Black Households & Movies/Music (52:59–56:37)
- Big Themes: Consumerism & Otherness (56:41–63:07)
- Ridiculous Hypotheticals: Grinch-Style “Crashing Out” (70:26–72:33)
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Who is Actually the “Grinch” of the Group?
- Jewel claims Grinch status due to her bluntness, while Ryan counters he relates to “Grinch energy” when alone.
- “That is the most Grinch answer of all.” (00:42, Jewel)
- Both riff on Dr. Seuss characters and how their temperaments fit into the Grinch lore.
Movie Recap, Cast, and Behind-the-Scenes
- Jim Carrey’s transformative performance, taking 2 hours of makeup, was physically and mentally taxing. The makeup artist temporarily quit because Carrey was “so hard to work with.” (05:26–06:22)
- “They said they put straws in them [noses] and stuff like that because it was so hard to breathe.” (06:28, Jewel)
- Casting What-Ifs: Mrs. “Seuss” (Dr. Seuss’s widow) only wanted a shortlist of actors. Other names: Adam Sandler, Robin Williams, Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy. (09:03, Ryan)
- “Robin Williams would have ate that up.” (09:35, Jewel)
- Famous on-set Polaroid: Jim Carrey as Grinch and Eddie Murphy as Nutty Professor (10:09).
Reading Whoville & The Grinch Through a Black Lens
- The Grinch, as the only “person of color” in a sea of white Whos, is cast as an outsider, paralleling Black experiences of alienation.
- “...people of color can’t get no peace. I moved away!” (13:45, Ryan)
- “Y’all drove me out of town because y’all some haters and rude. Yes, I’m down and messing up the holiday every chance I get.” (11:56, Jewel)
- Hilarious riff on Whoville “swingers parties”: “I’m like, oh, they were low-key having a swingers party. So that’s why they didn’t notice the Grinch outside... Maybe they were just a queer couple.” (15:13, Ryan & Jewel)
Adult Humor, Raunch, and Dr. Seuss Lore
- Hosts shocked at how much adult humor/swinger innuendo made it into a “kids” movie, despite Mrs. Seuss’s efforts to cut risqué material (15:13–16:06).
- “Did she not know nothing about swingers?” (15:32, Jewel)
- Also: Dr. Seuss wasn’t actually a doctor (17:02–18:27); mini-meltdown from Ryan.
Adaptation, Anti-Heroes, and The Meaning of Christmas
- The live-action film adds depth—The Grinch is given backstory and motivation, making him an anti-hero and pushing viewers to question the commercialization of Christmas (18:27–21:29).
- “I appreciate that it makes us question...what is Christmas and what is it for?” (19:21, Ryan)
- Cindy Lou Who channels childlike doubt, making adults seem childish in their Christmas obsession (20:31, Ryan).
Black Childhood Traditions: Santa, Mall Santas, & “Hot Dogs for Santa”
- Jewel’s “Santa was always Black” experience versus Ryan’s “Santa was always white” (24:00–25:10).
- Unusual family traditions: “My mom told me Santa is tired of cookies...and wanted a hot dog.” (22:23, Jewel)
Anti-Consumerism & Family
- Both reflect on growing up with presents as the main Christmas allure, but recognizing (with age) the real meaning is family/community (25:32–26:30).
- “I love that he was an anti-consumerism king.” (56:41, Ryan)
- Modern influencer culture and relentless Christmas “gift guide” ads drive them up the wall—mirroring the Grinch’s critique of commercial Christmas (57:28–59:49).
Music: “Where Are You Christmas?” and the Soundtrack
- Mariah Carey co-wrote “Where Are You Christmas?” (Faith Hill sang it for the movie). Taylor Momsen’s child and adult “rock” renditions are praised for their emotional punch (26:47–31:11, 29:45–30:20).
- “Taylor Momsen, this is her first movie...and then she has her version of it in the chorus...so cute.” (29:19–30:45, Ryan & Jewel)
- Busta Rhymes and Jim Carrey’s rap collab (“early 2000s mood”); Faith Evans vs. Faith Hill voice confusion (28:03–28:48).
Taylor Momsen: From Cindy Lou Who to Rock Star
- Rock era discussed: Taylor’s band The Pretty Reckless, the darkness of her lyrics (“You Make Me Wanna Die”) and her comfort with her past as Cindy Lou Who (63:33–68:20, 32:00).
- Favorite line: “What does me being Cindy Lou who have to do with me being a dark girl?” (68:12, Jewel)
Favorite/Overrated Christmas Movies – “Jam or Pass?”
- The Grinch = “smash,” Home Alone classic, Elf called overrated but rewatchable, Polar Express “boring and scary” (46:40–52:28).
- Jewel’s all-time favorite: “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (the claymation version: “Put One Foot in Front of the Other”)—which Ryan hasn’t seen.
Navigating Black Cultural Markers
- Differences between Black music households vs. Black movie households.
- “I was embarrassingly lacking in Black movie knowledge by the time I got to college.” (53:51, Jewel)
- Neither host remembers watching some “necessary” Black movies (Poetic Justice, Menace II Society, etc.).
The Big Picture – What Does the Movie Mean?
- The film’s major theme is acceptance and embracing difference, with anti-consumerism as a major subtext (56:57–57:14).
- “I think it’s about accepting people who are othered...the anti-consumerism thing is a B-plot but fascinating.” (56:57, Jewel)
- Parallels to present-day influencer and shopping fatigue.
- “Everyone is screaming at me that it’s an ad… it’s heavy-handed.” (58:13, Ryan)
- Chilling realization: “Maybe Christmas should be something more... Maybe it’s less buying stuff.” (61:15, Ryan & Jewel)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Jewel (on who's the real Grinch): “I am the Grinch of the bunch.” (00:45)
- Ryan (Whoville’s diversity): “I feel like the Grinch is the only other person of color.” (11:43)
- Jewel (childhood Santa): “They knew better than to bring a white Santa to Green Briar Mall. It wasn’t even an option.” (25:10)
- Ryan (movie adaptations): “The 2000s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the best one because it clearly lays out why he is the way he is.” (43:47)
- Jewel (holiday capitalism): “This is the first time since influencing is such a thing that I’m like, the influencers are taking me down. I can’t take any more ads.” (58:56)
- Ryan (themes): “Where your heart actually grows is by doing and being with people who care for you and you care for.” (63:07)
Funniest Riff
- “I wonder if [the Grinch’s grandmothers] were just a queer couple... That’s why they accepted this little green baby.” (15:13, Ryan)
- “Santa tired of cookies. He get cookies too much. Maybe he want a hot dog.” (22:23, Jewel)
Key Timestamps
- 00:18: Introductions, “Who is the Grinch?” banter
- 04:04: Quick movie recap and adaptation facts
- 05:26: Jim Carrey’s makeup challenges
- 09:03: Alternate casting options for the Grinch
- 11:11: Black perspective—Grinch as a POC
- 15:13: Adult jokes & “swingers” party theory
- 17:02: Dr. Seuss not actually being a doctor: “He lied!” (Ryan)
- 19:21: Anti-hero narrative and capitalist critique
- 20:31: Christmas as magic vs. presents
- 22:23: Santa gets a hot dog, not cookies
- 24:00: Black vs. white Santa, family traditions
- 26:47: “Where Are You Christmas” is a Mariah Carey joint
- 29:45: Taylor Momsen’s grown-up “rock” version of “Where Are You Christmas?”
- 31:56: Iconic “laid to the gods” Martha May Whovier (hair/makeup/costume)
- 43:47: Why the 2000 film is superior to the animated remake
- 46:40: Christmas movies rated “smash or pass”
- 53:51: Black movie vs. music household
- 56:57: Main message—accepting the ‘other’
- 58:56: Influencer/Christmas ad fatigue
- 61:15: “Maybe Christmas should mean something more...”
- 63:33: Taylor Momsen’s rock career, reunion with Jim Carrey
- 70:26: Hypothetical: Which celebrity would “crash out” Grinch-style?
Overall Tone
Playful, irreverent, and full of self-deprecating humor, the hosts use the Grinch as a launching pad into discussions of Black cultural identity, family nostalgia, pop culture, and holiday skepticism—with plenty of wild tangents (and fake beef about claymation movies). The tone is both loving and critical—of themselves, each other, and the society the Grinch is critiquing.
For New Listeners
This episode is a quintessential example of how “Black People Love Paramore” uses niche pop culture to unravel larger societal threads, share personal stories, and laugh—loudly and often. If you haven’t seen the Grinch, you’ll be prepped with production trivia, hilarious hot takes, and a better sense of why this “outsider” story resonates so deeply with Black audiences and anyone who’s ever felt like the Other at Christmas.