Best Chris Lester Podcasts (2025)

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Transforming Olipop into a $2B Brand using The Happiness Advantage with Mark Lester from Squint 49:52

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28d ago49:52

49:52

What do David Bowie lyrics, childhood memories of soda, and gut health all have in common? For Mark Lester, co-founder of the brand consultancy Squint, they’re part of a deeper exploration into how happiness shapes behavior and how brands can use that insight to grow. Prior to starting squint, Mark spent 15 years in the advertising industry, sharin…

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How to transform data into compelling narratives with James Addlestone, Head of Data Arts at Saatchi and Saatchi 57:37

7h ago57:37

57:37

Most brands use surface level data to market to superficial stereotypes. James Addlestone, on the other hand, uses data like a detective, reading between the lines of people’s survey responses and finding innovative ways to get to the truth behind their behaviors. With a background in behavioral economics and a deep appreciation for detective ficti…

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161 One Battle After Another: A West Newton Cinema Discussion with Peter Coviello and Ethan Warren (JP) 33:53

2h ago33:53

33:53

One Battle After Another, the spirited and controversial Oscar contender from Paul Thomas Anderson, premiered in September. That opening weekend featured a "Behind the Screen" premiere at the storied West Newton cinema. Why "behind"? Because Marisa Pagano and J.B. Sloan of the West Newton Cinema Foundation) invited RTB to oversee a fascinating post…

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Elliott Kalan, "Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense" (U Chicago Press, 2025) 52:10

11h ago52:10

52:10

In Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense, Elliott Kalan (U Chicago Press, 2025) explains that it’s easier to write jokes when you have a dependable method for doing so. All jokes, he argues, are built from the same elements: structure, premise, voice, tone, wording, and audience—and these elements can be applied to any comedic genre,…

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Politics Thursday: Simon Watts and Kieran McAnulty on council rates cap 22:39

14h ago22:39

22:39

On Politics Thursday this week Nick Mills was joined by Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Labour MP Kieran McAnulty. They discussed Minister Watts’ announcement that councils' rates rise will be limited to 2% - 4%. Watts and McAnulty then hit the other big political news of the week including RMA reforms for Regional Councils, water reform …

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WCC CEO Matt Prosser joins Nick in the studio 21:49

37m ago21:49

21:49

Nick is joined by Wellington City Council CEO Matt Prosser for the first time in the studio. After 7 months in the job we hear how it’s going for Prosser, particularly after the Deloitte report. How will he change the city, and make it a better place to be? We find out, as Nick asks him about the latest reports, AI use in council, and regional coun…

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698: De-Christianizing America & Re-Christianizing Advent with Rich Villodas 1:18:56

28m ago1:18:56

1:18:56

The government of Israel has been criticized for building fences in Gaza and the West Bank, but now it's geofencing American churches. Will its plan reverse the decline of evangelical support for the Jewish state? Donald Trump says he's making the country more Christian, but data shows his immigration policy favors secular immigrants and rejects Ch…

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Labour Leader Chris Hipkins in the studio on rates caps and regional councils 20:40

1h ago20:40

20:40

Labour Leader and MP for Rimutaka, Chris Hipkins joins Nick Mills in the studio for their final monthly catch up for 2025. Hipkins discusses the mood in Labour before the end of the year and after the Labour conference in Auckland. He explains the new GP clinic loan scheme and discusses his thoughts on the rates cap and regional council changes fro…

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What Does the Magi Story Really Tell Us About Jesus? (From this week's Curiously Kaitlyn) 38:08

2d ago38:08

38:08

We're popping a Curiously Kaitlyn episode into your feed this week because we're starting a brand-new Advent series, and—let's be honest—the nativity story gets weird. Kids notice all the odd details we learned to ignore, and suddenly you're fielding questions you did not prepare for in Sunday School.So instead of scrambling for answers all by your…

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Julia Wagner, "Hester Street" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 40:11

2h ago40:11

40:11

Joan Micklin Silver's groundbreaking debut feature film, Hester Street (1975), vividly portrays the immigrant experience through the eyes of Gitl (Carol Kane), a young, Orthodox Jewish woman who arrives in New York City from Eastern Europe at the end of the nineteenth century. Reunited with her already-assimilated husband, Gitl finds they now have …

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Sarah F. Derbew, "Untangling Blackness in Greek Antiquity" (Cambridge UP, 2022) 1:04:09

5h ago1:04:09

1:04:09

Sarah Derbew’s new book Untangling Blackness in Greek Antiquity (Cambridge UP, 2022) asks how should articulations of blackness from the fifth century BCE to the twenty-first century be properly read and interpreted? This important and timely book is the first concerted treatment of black skin color in the Greek literature and visual culture of ant…

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Mayor Andrew Little joins Nick Mills for his monthly catch up 31:30

14h ago31:30

31:30

Mayor Andrew Little is in studio for his last of the monthly catch ups for 2025 with Nick Mills. He answers questions from Nick and listeners on the state of the city and the latest in council news. They discuss regional council changes, the Golden Mile review, the Deloitte report plus the $48 billion cost of local water reforms. And on December 13…

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Tiaki Wai Metro Water Chairman Will Peet on the Government new water reform 6:54

14h ago6:54

6:54

Local councils will have to foot the $48 billion bill for the Government’s new water reform ‘Local Water Done Well’. Nick Mills talks with Chairman of Tiaki Wai Metro Water Will Peets on how the reforms will work. They discuss the effects on ratepayers, how the bills will work, the change from Wellington Water and the appointment of new CEO Michael…

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Stefania Marghitu, "Teen TV" (Routledge, 2021) 1:24:28

2d ago1:24:28

1:24:28

Stefania Marghitu's Teen TV (Routledge, 2021)explores the history of television's relationship to teens as a desired, but elusive audience, and the ways in which television has embraced youth subcultures, tracing the shifts in American and global televisual and youth cultures. Organized chronologically, Teen TV starts with Baby Boomers and moves to…

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Stefania Marghitu, "Teen TV" (Routledge, 2021) 1:24:28

1h ago1:24:28

1:24:28

Stefania Marghitu's Teen TV (Routledge, 2021)explores the history of television's relationship to teens as a desired, but elusive audience, and the ways in which television has embraced youth subcultures, tracing the shifts in American and global televisual and youth cultures. Organized chronologically, Teen TV starts with Baby Boomers and moves to…

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Chris Yogerst, "The Warner Brothers" (UP of Kentucky, 2023) 1:07:36

2h ago1:07:36

1:07:36

One of the oldest and most recognizable studios in Hollywood, Warner Bros. is considered a juggernaut of the entertainment industry. Since its formation in the early twentieth century, the studio has been a constant presence in cinema history, responsible for the creation of acclaimed films, blockbuster brands, and iconic superstars. In The Warner …

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Chris Yogerst, "The Warner Brothers" (UP of Kentucky, 2023) 1:07:36

7d ago1:07:36

1:07:36

One of the oldest and most recognizable studios in Hollywood, Warner Bros. is considered a juggernaut of the entertainment industry. Since its formation in the early twentieth century, the studio has been a constant presence in cinema history, responsible for the creation of acclaimed films, blockbuster brands, and iconic superstars. In The Warner …

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Sabrina Mittermeier, "Fan Phenomena: Disney" (Intellect Books, 2023) 54:14

2h ago54:14

54:14

Sabrina Mittermeier's edited volume Fan Phenomena: Disney (Intellect Books, 2023) analyzes the fandom of Disney brands across a variety of media including film, television, novels, stage productions, and theme parks. It showcases fan engagement such as cosplay, fan art, and on social media, as well as the company’s reaction to it. Further, the volu…

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Friday Faceoff: Wayne Guppy and Stephen Franks 32:52

5d ago32:52

32:52

Nick Mills wraps the week with former Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy and lawyer and former MP Stephen Franks. They get into the hot topics of the week starting with the latest OCR cut then into the proposed reform of regional councils. Guppy and Franks also discuss the Tom Phillips inquiry, Luxon’s leadership coup rumours, Nationals police target and…

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Friday Sport Kick off with Adam Cooper 9:37

1d ago9:37

9:37

For this week's Friday Sport Kick-off, All Sports Breakfast host Adam Cooper joins Nick Mills to discuss the latest in sport – including the Phoenix. They dissect what is going wrong with the Phoenix and the crowd sand discuss their game this weekend. They also chat about The Tall Blacks upcoming games and Golf for Good out in Kapiti starting this …

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Politics Thursday: Ginny Andersen and Tim Costley on the latest OCR cut 21:06

8d ago21:06

21:06

On Politics Thursday this week Nick Mills was joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National's Ōtaki MP Tim Costley. They discussed the latest cut in the Official Cash Rate, how this will impact Kiwis and if we are beginning to see changes in the economy. Costley and Andersen also hit the big political news of the week including Nicola Willis's st…

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Economist Brad Olsen with Nick Mills on the latest OCR cuts 7:58

1h ago7:58

7:58

CEO of Infometrics and economist Brad Olsen joins Nick Mills to talk about the latest cut to the Official Cash Rate. He gives his thoughts on the state of the economy, and how it will effect Kiwis. He also discusses the bank reaction and liquidations. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Markets in Motion - Key Themes Shaping 2026, featuring Mark Yusko and Cory Lester of Morgan Creek Capital Management [November 13, 2025 HedgeD, With A Capital "D" Webinar Series] 58:49

43m ago58:49

58:49

On this episode of HedgeD, we revisit our November 13, 2025, webinar with Mark Yusko and Cory Lester of Morgan Creek Capital Management. In this special year-end conversation, Mark and Cory reflect on how 2025 unfolded, covering major investment themes, market dynamics, and emerging opportunities as we look ahead to 2026. They also dive into innova…

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697: Cancelling "Judeo-Christian," Defending Slavery, & Rethinking Gaza with J. Ross Wagner 1:22:34

8d ago1:22:34

1:22:34

The term "Judeo-Christian" has been used by the Religious Right for decades as a positive shorthand for biblical values in the culture, so why are conservative Christians now rejecting the label? And why are Christian defenses of slavery and the Confederacy gaining popularity 160 years after the Civil War? Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn explain how the ri…

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Nicola Willis: Finance Minister talks economy, Regulatory Standards Act, OCR, regional councils 21:14

9d ago21:14

21:14

The National Party could join coalition partner NZ First and campaign on repealing the Regulatory Standards Act at the next election, deputy leader Nicola Willis says. This is despite the law, which was pushed by the Act Party during coalition talks, being less than a month old, and having been passed into law with votes from both National and NZ F…

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Dwell Housing CEO Elizabeth Lester on Wellington initiative to help homelessness 7:57

5h ago7:57

7:57

Dwell Housing CEO Elizabeth Lester joins Nick Mills to discuss the new initiative to help homelessness in the Wellington CBD. Dwell is partnering with Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) to provide more support to our homeless population in Wellington. Lester discusses what the programme has accomplished so far and the future for the city if it were …

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Keith Carson- How to find big schools of bass 1:11:32

2h ago1:11:32

1:11:32

Keith Carson is no stranger to catching bass and he adapted his style of fishing to maximize his performance. Listen along as we go over how he has adjusted his strategies and his method for breaking down areas.By BUTV

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John Crews- Professional Preparation 1:12:54

2h ago1:12:54

1:12:54

Veteran angler John Crews joins us on the show to talk about how he prepares for Elite level bass tournaments. Listen along as we breakdown the strategy to successfully breaking down a body of water.By BUTV

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Jacob Wall- Tennessee River Fishing In The Fall 50:25

2h ago50:25

50:25

Coming off a second place finish at the ultimate angler championship Jacob Wall brings some great insight to the show. Listen along and learn how Jacob made it happen on Lake Guntersville.By BUTV

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Alan Davies talks to Nick Mills about his return to NZ after a decade 14:49

9d ago14:49

14:49

Stand-up comic and actor Alan Davies joins Nick Mills to discuss his new show touring Aotearoa next year. The pair chat about his career history - including Jonathan Creek, his inspirations, what keeps him going, his family and discuss the All Blacks, England rugby feud. Davies tells Nick about his memories of NZ and what he's looking forward to th…

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Director of Buy NZ Made Dane Ambler with Nick Mills on why we need to buy local 7:15

9d ago7:15

7:15

Nick Mills is joined by Dane Ambler, executive director of Buy NZ Made to discuss the new finding from Xerox that if 10% of kiwi's spending was local - it would inject $11 billion into our economy. They talk about the campaigning days of the organisation, the impact of buying local for kiwis, and the future of NZ businesses. LISTEN ABOVE See omnyst…

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CEO of Masters Builders Ankit Sharma chats to Nick on the new building law changes 9:02

5h ago9:02

9:02

CEO of Masters Builders Ankit Sharma talks to Nick Mills about the new building consumer protections announced by the government yesterday. They talk about the impact on master builders, consumers, and the future of construction in NZ. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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The Purple Rose of Cairo 20:05

8d ago20:05

20:05

Something film fanatics often say is that a particular director’s work is really “about the movies.” Sometimes that’s true and sometimes it isn’t–but there’s no doubt that The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) is one of the “moviest” movies ever made. Every frame of it articulates the longing for life in a world superior to our own: the world of art. The…

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Amy Hughes, "An Actor's Tale: Theater, Culture, and Everyday Life in the Nineteenth-Century United States" (U Michigan Press, 2025) 1:04:14

11d ago1:04:14

1:04:14

Harry Watkins was no one special. During a career that spanned four decades, this nineteenth-century actor yearned for fame but merely skirted the edges of it. He performed alongside the brightest stars, wrote scores of plays, and toured the United States and England, but he never became a household name. Inspired by this average performer’s life a…

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Business Panel: Sarah Wilson and Henry Hutcheon on business in the Hutt Valley 32:34

10d ago32:34

32:34

For a Hutt special Business Panel this week, Nick is joined by Henry Hutcheon, owner of Plenty Foods, and Sarah Wilson, founder of her own recruitment firm and board member of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. They discuss their businesses, what they do, and how it’s going at the moment. Henry’s new supermarket is three weeks old, and Sarah has been…

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Friday Faceoff: Dr Bryce Edwards and Brigitte Morton wrap the week 33:06

12d ago33:06

33:06

Nick Mills wraps the week withpolitical commentator and academic Dr Bryce Edwards and lawyer and political commentator Brigitte Morton. They get into the hot topics of the week starting with NZ police culture, the commissioner and the email’s sent to the electorate office. Morton and Dr Edwards also discussed the rise in prisoner numbers and the bu…

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Friday Sport Kick-off with Jason Pine and Adam Cooper 10:53

12d ago10:53

10:53

For this week's Friday Sport Kick-off, Jason Pine and Adam Cooper join Nick Mills to discuss the latest in sport. They look at the recent All Blacks performance at Twickenham and look forward to this weekend Wales match. They also give the All Blacks a score for the year, take a look at Razor’s tenure, discuss Jamie Joseph’s future as a coach and g…

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Rewriting the Rules of Sport and Motherhood with Katie Dreke, Global Brand Strategy Consultant 1:08:26

5h ago1:08:26

1:08:26

Katie Dreke has always been a rough and tumble explorer, ever since she was a kid. From early childhood days, she wanted to do all the things the boys in her neighborhood were doing - jumping bikes off of ramps, playing in treehouses, reading science fiction - but she quickly realized that the world was always trying to steer her in another directi…

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Politics Thursday: Ginny Andersen and Tim Costley 19:48

12d ago19:48

19:48

On Politics Thursday this week Nick Mills was joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National's Ōtaki MP Tim Costley. They discussed the new Cook Strait ferry designs, and price tag and got heated over the end to puberty blockers for young people experiencing gender dysphoria. Costley and Andersen talked about the other political issues of the week…

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Ferry Holdings Ltd Chairperson Chris Mackenzie on the ferry announcement 7:22

5d ago7:22

7:22

Ferry Holdings Ltd Chairperson Chris Mackenzie joined Nick Mills to discuss the new ferry designs and cost, revealed yesterday by Winston Peters. They talked about the changes, the process to get to this decision and the future of the Cook Strait ferries and wharf. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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696: Transcending Our Political Divisions & Labels with Andy Beshear 1:25:31

5d ago1:25:31

1:25:31

Mike Erre joins Phil and Skye to discuss a New York Times column by David Brooks. He says America's divisions will only heal when we abandon shallow labels and war metaphors, and instead see one another as fellow pilgrims on a journey. America's Catholic bishops issue a stern rebuke of the Trump administration's dehumanizing rhetoric and policies, …

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Dustin Condren, "An Imaginary Cinema: Sergei Eisenstein and the Unrealized Film" (Cornell UP, 2024) 1:07:57

9d ago1:07:57

1:07:57

An Imaginary Cinema: Sergei Eisenstein and the Unrealized Film (Cornell UP, 2024) explores the unfinished cinematic projects developed and abandoned by Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein between 1927 and 1937. Centred on seven major film concepts, the book examines what it means for a work of art—particularly a film—to remain unfinished or unrealis…

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WellingtonNZ's Heidi Morton on the brighter future ahead for city events 8:35

14d ago8:35

8:35

Head of Events & Experiences at WellingtonNZ, Heidi Morton chats with Nick Mills on the upcoming event calendar for Wellington. They talk about the importance of events for the city and how WellingtonNZ is working to attract events to the city. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Music time with James Irwin: Upcoming gigs in Wellington 8:47

17d ago8:47

8:47

This week on music time, Nick and James discuss two incredible shows playing live in Wellington - Rhian Sheenan (Friday 21st November at The Great Hall, Massey University) and Sharon Van Etten (Tuesday 25th November at the Opera House). They also celebrate a Kiwi band recently inaugurated in the music hall of fame and go off trail with tales of how…

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Lester D. Friedman, "Citizen Spielberg" (U of Illinois Press, 2022) 48:48

18d ago48:48

48:48

Steven Spielberg's extraordinary career redefined Hollywood, but his achievement goes far beyond shattered box office records. Rejecting the view of Spielberg as a Barnumesque purveyor of spectacle, Lester D. Friedman presents the filmmaker as a major artist who pairs an ongoing willingness to challenge himself with a widely recognized technical ma…

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Lester D. Friedman, "Citizen Spielberg" (U of Illinois Press, 2022) 48:48

11d ago48:48

48:48

Steven Spielberg's extraordinary career redefined Hollywood, but his achievement goes far beyond shattered box office records. Rejecting the view of Spielberg as a Barnumesque purveyor of spectacle, Lester D. Friedman presents the filmmaker as a major artist who pairs an ongoing willingness to challenge himself with a widely recognized technical ma…

1
Tāme Iti chats with Nick Mills on his new book Mana and his legacy 21:40

2h ago21:40

21:40

Aotearoa's legendary activist, artist and now author, Tāme Iti chats to Nick Mills about the release of his new book Mana. He talks to Nick about his legacy, and the fight for Māori rights in this country. They also chat about the state of Te Pati Māori and parliament at the moment. Tāme Iti's autobiography Mana is out now. LISTEN TO THE FULL INTER…

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Beehive Buzz with Azaria Howell: Capital Gains polls and TOP rebrand 8:46

18d ago8:46

8:46

Newstalk ZB senior political reporter Azaria Howell joins Nick Mills for Beehive Buzz this week discussing the latest poll results on capital gains tax and the rebrand of The Opportunities Party. Will their new name and leader be enough to hit 5%? For the latest insight into parliament, it's Beehive Buzz with Azaria Howell LISTEN ABOVE See omnystud…

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Christina Lane, "Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock" (Chicago Review Press, 2020) 1:01:36

19d ago1:01:36

1:01:36

A platinum beauty with an ugly secret; a tall, dark, and handsome husband with murder in his eyes; starkly lit interiors that may or may not include the silhouette of a rotund British gentleman…. This may sound like a catalog of images from the films of Alfred Hitchcock, but it is just as much an encapsulation of the works of Joan Harrison, a studi…

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Pluribus Episode 3 Analysis: The Amazonification of Everything 28:48

12d ago28:48

28:48

It’s The Pop Culture Professors, and we analyze the third episode of Vince Gilligan’s new series Pluribus. We talk through this episode as a literalization of the problem of being an individual in late-stage capitalism or, if you prefer, the Amazonification of everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our sh…