Pop Culture Happy Hour – “2026 Resolutions and What’s Making Us Happy”

NPR | Jan 2, 2026
Hosts: Linda Holmes, Glenn Weldon, Stephen Thompson, Aisha Harris

Episode Overview

This episode rings in the new year with the Pop Culture Happy Hour team reflecting on their 2025 resolutions, owning up to successes and failures, and setting intentions—however modest—for 2026. The conversation is open, funny, and honest, capturing both the optimism and realism that mark New Year’s resolutions. In the second half, the hosts share the pop culture highlights making them happy as 2026 begins.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2025 Resolutions: What Worked, What Didn’t

Glenn Weldon: The Long Movie Challenge

• 2025 Resolution Recap: Watch intentionally long movies (4+ hours)—a conscious attempt to “let movies take me for an extended ride.”
  • “I’m gonna find these movies, I’m gonna clear my damn schedule, and I’m gonna let 2025 be the year I let movies take me for an extended ride.” (Glenn, 01:14)
• 2025 Results: Total failure—Glenn forgot the resolution entirely.
  • “I suppose you would say the technical term is: I plumb forgot.” (Glenn, 02:15)
  • “This is the first full beefed it, abject failure face plant, and I’m gonna own it.” (Glenn, 02:36)
• Group Response:
  • Stephen offers, “You spent the entire year not beating yourself up.” (Stephen, 02:46)
  • Aisha: “We made it. We survived.” (Aisha, 03:00)

Linda Holmes: Reading Nonfiction Essays

• 2025 Resolution Recap: Read more nonfiction, specifically essays, to inform potential future writing.
  • “I decided that I want to read more nonfiction, specifically essays, this year.” (Linda, 04:00)
• 2025 Results: Did not follow through; forgot about it post-taping due to other projects.
  • “I walked out of the taping, and I never thought about it again. Not for five seconds did I think about it again.” (Linda, 05:08)
  • “I did not do that. I get a zero, absolute zero thumbs down.” (Linda, 06:00)
• Group Response: “We muddled through. That is triumph.” (Stephen, 06:31)

Aisha Harris: Writing Fiction (Specifically a Screenplay)

• 2025 Resolution Recap: Try writing fiction again after years as a critic, with the hope to write a screenplay.
  • “I want to write fiction… I want to try and write a screenplay. We’ll see how that goes.” (Aisha, 08:21; 09:20)
• 2025 Results: The intention haunted her, and she discussed it more than she acted on it—except for one productive brainstorming session.
  • “I am the type of person who cannot forget this and has been haunted by this.” (Aisha, 09:39)
  • “Basically, I spent exactly one sort of afternoon session brainstorming this one idea in February. It happened. It happened. And then since then, I’ve done much more talking about it than I have of actually executing anything about it. And it has haunted me.” (Aisha, 10:32)
• Debate:
  • Linda gently encourages her, “If you have spent an afternoon brainstorming… you have an active project, my friend.” (Linda, 10:59)
  • Glenn disagrees: talking about a project is “release” that doesn’t produce actual work.
    • “When I talk about a project… my brain thinks I’m getting some of the release of actually writing it, and the project goes into the air as opposed to being on the page.” (Glenn, 11:25)
• Aisha’s Conclusion:
  • “My resolution is to obviously stop talking about it so much and actually do the damn thing. … I want to at least by the end of 2026 have written a scene. Just something on the page that I can point to.” (Aisha, 12:14; 12:37)

Stephen Thompson: Re-Engage with Social Media and Create Art with His Daughter

• 2025 Resolution Recap: Re-engage with community-focused social media (Letterboxd, BlueSky) and collaborate on creative projects with his daughter, specifically a children's book.
  • “I want to recommit to social media in ways that expand my horizons… while still finding ways to maintain the healthier Internet hygiene.” (Stephen, 13:45)
  • “I do intend to actually finish the children's book in 2024… I want to actually spend 2025 making art with my daughter.” (Stephen, 15:04)
• 2025 Results: Social media saw mixed results; creative work shifted focus to collaborating on a graphic novel instead of a children’s book. Progress was made via note-taking and storyboarding.
  • “Should I be updating my Letterboxd page? I should. Did I? No.” (Stephen, 15:34)
  • “We should be resolving to take something off our plates… maybe it should be subtractive.” (Stephen, 16:01)
  • “We’ve had some very excited conversations… I have made progress on that resolution.” (Stephen, 17:15)

2. 2026 Resolutions: Own Your Pace, Broaden Horizons, Make Human Art

• Glenn Weldon: Do-over on watching long movies, with the intention to actually remember this year.
  • “Failure builds character and it lights a fire under your butt.” (Glenn, 03:16)
• Linda Holmes: Read five books outside her comfort zone—genres or types she’d typically avoid.
  • “What I want to do this year is… read five books that are the kinds of books that I don’t usually read… I am not at the moment seeking recommendations because I would like for this to remain non stressful as opposed to stressful.” (Linda, 06:35; 07:10)
• Aisha Harris: Write at least one scene of the screenplay she’s been developing—shifting from ideation to execution.
  • “A scene. Just something on the page that I can point to and say there’s the germ of an idea.” (Aisha, 12:37)
• Stephen Thompson: Move away from AI-driven art and embrace “messy human art” for its own sake. Focus is on creating idiosyncratic, human work and avoiding feeding into AI systems.
  • “The best way for artists to combat AI is to make art that AI couldn’t duplicate if it tried.” (Stephen, 17:54)
  • “Make art, even if it’s bad. Make art, even if no one experiences it. Make art for ourselves because our brains need it.” (Stephen, 18:41)

Notable Quotes, Memorable Moments & Tone

• “I plumb forgot.” – Glenn Weldon’s blunt self-reflection (02:15)
• “This is the first full beefed it, abject failure face plant, and I’m gonna own it.” – Glenn’s cheerful acceptance (02:36)
• “Just long movies next to my password.” (Glenn, joking about reminder Post-Its, 03:49)
• “Sometimes in these things, I copy Aisha. This time I’m copying Glenn in that I said this. And then I never thought about it ever again, ever, ever.” – Linda (06:00)
• “If I release any of it into the world and talk about the idea… that work isn’t happening where it needs to be directed.” – Glenn’s theory on creativity leakage (11:25)
• “Writing is terrible. Having written is great.” – Glenn Weldon (13:21)
• “Maybe it should be subtractive.” – Stephen, reevaluating the concept of resolutions (16:13)
• “Make art, even if it’s bad. Make art, even if no one experiences it. Make art for ourselves because our brains need it.” – Stephen, distilling the episode’s creative theme (18:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening and 2025 resolutions kick-off: 00:21
• Glenn’s 2025 recap and 2026 redo: 01:14–03:16
• Linda’s 2025 recap and 2026 goal: 04:00–08:13
• Aisha’s 2025 recap and 2026 goal: 08:21–13:21
• Stephen’s 2025 recap and 2026 focus: 13:45–18:41
• Group reflections—making art, subtractive resolutions: 16:00–19:18

What’s Making Us Happy This Week (21:38+)

Aisha Harris (21:48)

• Podcast: The Outfit
  • Hosts Dan O’Sullivan and Alana Hope Levinson explore organized crime’s impact on American history and pop culture with fun and deep context.
  • “It’s just fun history chat banter back and forth between the hosts… it’s just fun to hear about America through corruption because what is more American than that?” (Aisha, 22:16)

Stephen Thompson (22:43)

• Music: “Nilam” by Ganavya
  • Hypnotic fusion of jazz, classical, and South Asian devotional; ideal for relaxed, reflective listening.
  • “If you want to wash away 2025, get that stink off ya, … start over fresh first weekend of the new year, I highly recommend Ganavya.” (Stephen, 23:33)

Glenn Weldon (23:58)

• TV: Celebrity Traitors (UK, on Peacock)
  • Reality contest with UK celebs—more charm, kindness, and surprise than US reality.
  • “It is fundamentally different from the US version because of that fuel mixture.” (Glenn, 24:32)
  • “Watch it anyway… because the mix of personalities, the alchemy… has never been better.”
  • “Watch it and heal.” (Glenn, 25:32)

Linda Holmes (25:32)

• YouTube Channel: Anti Chef
  • Jamie, a self-described novice, documents his home-cooking mishaps and victories.
  • “My favorite thing about him is that he will show you when it doesn’t work.” (Linda, 26:12)
  • “I find it super relaxing. I enjoy it very much. So look up Jamie, Anti Chef on YouTube.” (Linda, 27:09)

Final Thoughts & Tone

The hosts approached their resolutions with self-deprecating warmth, quick-witted banter, and a shared understanding that progress, not “perfection,” is what matters most. There’s a recurring theme about showing yourself grace, celebrating small steps, and finding fresh ways to create and connect, even (especially) if you fail at first.

“Make art, even if it’s bad. Make art, even if no one experiences it. Make art for ourselves because our brains need it.”
—Stephen Thompson (18:41)

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Summary by NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. Hosted by Linda Holmes, Glenn Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris.