Pop Culture Happy Hour – "Our 15th Anniversary Time Capsule"

Release Date: August 19, 2025
Hosts: Stephen Thompson, Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Aisha Harris

Episode Overview

Marking 15 years on the air, the Pop Culture Happy Hour team cracks open a “time capsule” of clips from their earliest episodes and mid-run moments. The core hosts—Stephen Thompson, Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, and Aisha Harris—listen back on their own old takes, analyze how their opinions or the culture have changed, and have fun owning, defending, or revising those long-ago hot takes. The episode is filled with self-deprecating humor, nostalgia, and a genuine appreciation for the ways personal and pop culture growth intersect.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Revisiting Early Podcast Takes

• Setup: Each host’s old clips—carefully sourced by producer Liz Metzger—are played and critiqued for how well (or poorly) they aged.
• Nostalgia and Change: The hosts reflect on cultural shifts (e.g., the name “Netflix Instant Streaming” sounding dated) and how their attitudes have evolved.

Notable Moment

“Who knew people still referred to it as Netflix Instant Streaming?” — Linda Holmes, (03:31)

2. Linda Holmes on Horror Movies: Growth and Nuance

[04:06–07:01]

• Then: In 2010, Linda described herself as not really a horror fan, especially not of grisly or bleak horror.
• Now: Linda explains she has become “more open” to horror, thanks, in part, to colleagues and guests (notably Jordan Crucciola), but clarifies the subgenres she avoids (“bleak horror where the monsters win”).
• Personal Insight: She articulates a broader point about remaining open as you age, allowing your tastes to expand and become more discerning.

Notable Quotes

“What I have learned is that this was not really true... I have narrowed the lane that I consider not mine. That’s what I would say.” — Linda Holmes, (06:49)

“Welcome to the dark side, Linda. It is nice over here.” — Aisha Harris, (06:57)

3. Stephen Thompson’s Jack Black Take: The Flawed Arc of Pop Stardom

[08:07–13:41]

• The Old Take: In 2010, Stephen speculated that the public was “tired” of Jack Black after a string of lackluster films.
• Reflection: Looking back, Stephen sees this as an overly simplistic “rise and fall” logic—pointing out that careers ebb and flow, and that Jack Black has, in fact, become a highly bankable star by 2025.
• Extension: The discussion broadens to talk about “audience saturation” points, referencing figures like James Corden, Pedro Pascal, Jesse Eisenberg, and Zach Galifianakis, with the insight that timing and coincidence shape pop careers as much as public mood.

Notable Quotes

“What makes this such a bad take…is this idea that the career arc of a movie actor is a simple bell curve… That’s really not what happens.” — Stephen Thompson, (10:59)

“Jack Black made a bad movie or two.” — Stephen Thompson, (10:40)

“We are living in kind of the immediate aftermath of a James Corden glut.” — Glenn Weldon, (12:10)

4. Aisha Harris on Beyoncé’s Unprecedented Trajectory

[14:06–18:21]

• 2018 Take: Aisha declared that “there is no precedent for Beyoncé and how much she continues to keep getting better and better this late in her career.”
• Retrospective: The comment—at the time referencing Beyoncé’s Homecoming performance—still rings true for Aisha in 2025, accentuated by Beyoncé’s Renaissance phase and continued evolution.
• Nuance Added: Aisha notes her slight disappointment in some recent output (e.g., Cowboy Carter), but underscores that Beyoncé’s longevity and self-reinvention are rare, especially for women in pop.
• Cultural Observations: The hosts discuss how Beyoncé manages fame and privacy, and compare her arc to Madonna.

Notable Quotes

“She hasn’t checked out. And I think it’s so easy for that to happen and so easy for especially women, unfortunately, to ‘age out’ of being a pop star.” — Aisha Harris, (15:40)

“Beyoncé is not the type of person who would ever not try to one up herself. She’s just way too try hard for that. And she owns it.” — Aisha Harris, (17:12)

“She seems to have found a way to kind of... achieve a lot of privacy for the amount of, you know, fame that she has.” — Linda Holmes, (17:24)

5. Glen Weldon’s Halloween Costume Doctrine

[18:49–23:41]

• Original Stance: Glen famously argued that as a kid, he would rather have a store-bought superhero costume than a lovingly homemade, less “accurate” one. It’s not about the process, it’s about “being Iron Man.”
• Doubling Down: Glen stands by his stance, describing the memory of rejecting his mother’s homemade Batman solution and preferring a Ben Cooper plastic costume because it “got closer to the bone.”
• Host Division: Linda and others recall their nostalgia for handmade costumes, while Aisha sides with Glen, noting that sometimes accuracy and aspiration matter more to a kid than process.
• Modern Twist: Glen—somewhat wistfully—acknowledges how today’s cosplay market delivers on accuracy in ways kids of his own generation could only dream about.

Notable Quotes

“For a superhero costume, it is not about dressing as Iron Man. It is about being Iron Man. And every inch, every nanosecond you get away from that perfect ideal is a little death.” — Glen Weldon, (19:11)

“Maybe not at a CVS… but online, there is a thriving cosplay cottage industry… they are exacting. And again, I think I grew up in the wrong time.” — Glen Weldon, (22:14)

6. Self-Reflection, Good-Natured Ribbing, and Community

• Throughout the episode, the hosts lovingly needle each other about aging, standing by questionable takes, and the resilience (or myopia) of their pop culture instincts.
• The episode closes with an invitation for listeners to share their own early hot takes, embracing the communal and evolving nature of pop fandom.

Notable Moment

“You were right then, you’re right now.” — Stephen Thompson (speaking to Glen Weldon), (23:35)

“He insulted my mother, but that’s okay.” — Linda Holmes, (24:02)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Early Netflix Hot Takes: 03:10–03:45
• Linda Holmes on Horror: 04:06–07:01
• Stephen’s Jack Black Take: 08:07–13:41
• Aisha’s Beyoncé Assessment: 14:06–18:21
• Glen Weldon on Halloween Costumes: 18:49–23:41

Memorable Quotes (with Attribution)

• “This show would be such a treasure trove of old takes.” — Stephen Thompson (03:40)
• “I have outgrown this take, I am happy to say.” — Linda Holmes (06:09)
• “Actors tend to get a lot of swings at the pinata if they’re lucky.” — Stephen Thompson (10:31)
• “It’s so easy for especially women... to ‘age out’ of being a pop star.” — Aisha Harris (15:49)
• “It is about being Iron Man. And every inch, every nanosecond you get away from that perfect ideal is a little death.” — Glen Weldon (19:17)
• “Commit to the bit, I say.” — Glen Weldon (22:24)

Tone & Style

The episode is lighthearted, self-aware, and witty—reveling in humility and affection for both pop culture and their own foibles. Friendly jabs are frequent, but so is generosity as hosts allow themselves and others to grow past old opinions.

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour’s “15th Anniversary Time Capsule” is a celebration of pop culture, podcast friendship, and the humility of hindsight. With a mix of playful ribbing and genuine wisdom, the hosts show how tastes mature, feelings evolve, and no one is immune from a cringe-worthy take or two. Listeners are left with the message that it’s okay—maybe necessary—to change your mind, and that loving pop culture means you get to have both opinions and second thoughts.