April Faves
Hmmm ... everything I seem to like right now has roots in 2007. Who planned this?
Everything old is new again. Talk shows. Freak alt folk. Competition shows. And the continued relevance of Seth Rogen. Here’s some of the best pop culture junk food of April.
Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney
“The best thing about our show is that it rules,” says John Mulaney, whose Netflix talk show is probably the only good talk show that exists in 2025. (I say this as someone who grew up on talk shows.) It has such a distinct air of not trying / not caring that it actually feels new and original. While other talk show hosts try to have fun with Nerf guns and staged PR, Mulaney hangs up on all his callers and discusses things no one really cares about, like cruise ships. The perfect show to watch with coffee on a Thursday morning.
Sinister Grift by Panda Bear
I recently pointed out that pop culture lately feels like a rehash of 2007 / also sort of sucks. The upside of that phenomenon is that my favorite bands from college, when I used to be an A&E editor (vs. pregnant and pushing 40), are all releasing new albums. Look at me, rubbing my hands together and feeling relevant!
The Dirty Projectors have a new album called Songs of the Earth and Baths has a new album called Gut. I also just learned Sleigh Bells has a new album called Bunky Becky Birthday Boy (their words, not mine) that Pitchfork gave a 5.4 … ! The late oughts are here to fight another day, but few of its bands have retained their relevance. Panda Bear is, thankfully, an exception to this rule, offering up another mix of layered, vibey songs that feels like a pack of early P.C. screensavers brought to life. It inspired me to get excited about the new Dirty Projectors album, but then I listened to half of it and backed away slowly … slowly … slowly … never to put it on again.
Also on rotation: For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) by Japanese Breakfast.
Top Chef 2025: Canada
The last season of Top Chef, set in our neighboring state of Wisconsin, was not a crowd favorite. I couldn’t believe that no one wanted to watch professional chefs make cheese-covered cheese curds week after week. Luckily, the new season features some of the best contestants they’ve gathered in awhile, as well as fun celebrity guest stars like Michael Cera, women’s hockey players and Jeopardy contestants. My theory is that they purposely staged a less-watched season as Padma tagged out and Kristen Kish tagged in. Kristen is glowingly magnetic as a host, and also has an amazing stylist for silky pantsuits. (Brag alert: I have eaten in her restaurant, Arlo Grey, and it is very tasty.)
The Studio
Some of us have had crushes on Seth Rogen since 2007, when Knocked Up and Superbad came out. (Wow, 2007, the best year in pop culture?!) While certain people didn’t understand his appeal back then (namely my mom), they get it now (right mom?). Apple seems to own everything he touches lately, which is whatever, but he is so good at throwing pottery that the silver screen is now more like his nostalgic hobby. He takes a wide angle view on Hollywood in The Studio, a meticulously fussy and elaborate show seemingly designed to waste as much of Apple’s money as possible. I feel stressed out the whole time I watch it, but I also laugh.
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Everything else I like right now is hyper-targeted to pregnant ladies who have gestational diabetes, so maybe I’ll do a roll-up of my “survival kit” soon. It’s weird to think that in a few weeks, I will be able to mainline listeria-adjacent deli turkey and wash it down with canned champagne. I don’t even remember what it’s like to spend one minute without anxiety about all the things I could be doing wrong as a pregnant person. At least I can still consume garbage with my eyes via TV.
Eat a Cadbury Egg for me this weekend.