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Am I a Nicki fan? This week I’m joined by my friend Enzo Escober for a proper nostalgia trip. We reminisce about the ways that Nicki’s unprecedented, cartoonish female aggression served as real catharsis during our hormonal teenage years, and why her mode of pure id is so endlessly appealing. We also discuss Nicki’s contributions to 2010s Plasticity, the “Black Gaga” comparison (incorrect), and how it feels to watch her kick, bite, and scream to avoid passing the torch.
Enzo Escober is a writer and critic from Manila. He has been published in Guernica, Slate, The Drift, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. He is the co-host of Diva Discourse, a podcast about Beyoncé, and lives in Brooklyn.
Discussed:
“Nicki Minaj: Cheeky Genius,” profile in GQ (Taffy Brodesser-Akner, 2014)
Nicki on Good Morning America (2011)
“Broke people should never laugh” Queen Radio soundbyte
“Prague” soundbyte
Clip from MTV documentary
Sophia Grace singing “Super Bass” on Ellen
Painting-like photo of Cardi B w/ shoeless foot
Nicki on Trump in Rolling Stone: 1, 2
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*Full episode on Patreon*
In this month's letter, we look at a handful of digital assets that have caught my attention this week (and affirm the STARGIRL worldview): Zendaya for On Running, Livvy Dunne's first arty editorial, and our first BTS look at Sydney Sweeney beefed up as a boxer. I also discuss Ariana Grande on SNL and explain why none of the Pop Princess contenders (Charli, Chappell, Sabrina, Tate, Camila) are Stargirls.
Plus, an emo recap on my wedding, which was maybe the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.
Discussed:
Zendaya x On partnership announcement (June 2024)
Short film: “Zendaya’s fresh perspectives on movement”
The Zendaya Edit (capsule for On)
“The Body Is Art” FKA Twigs x On at London Fashion Week
Livvy Dunne x FLAUNT magazine photos
“No Room for Complacency in the Uncharted Stratosphere,” profile of Livvy in FLAUNT by Megan Armstrong, photos by Katherine Goguen, styling by Dylan Wang
Sydney BTS shots as boxer Christy Martin
GirlBossTown on TikTok predicting Sydney’s Charlize Theron Monster arc last February
Sydney x Dr. Squatch (this was a No for me)
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This week, I chat with Kristen Lynch, a business and mindset coach (and my former yoga teacher!) who helped me take STARGIRL to the next level. Through mindset and marketing support, Kristen helps her clients turn their “passion project” into a real deal business — we discuss the importance of investing in yourself and why you have to legitimize yourself to yourself first. For Kristen (and now for me), this all ties into larger self-concept work: how you treat and relate to your body, move through the world, and co-create with the universe to step into your gifts and provide real service to the people who need your work.
Kristen is a business coach for early-stage, soulful women entrepreneurs. She’s had dozens of raving testimonials, been featured on global brands, & become internationally-charted as the host of the Lead Her podcast.
Follow Kristen on Instagram
Subscribe to her podcast, Lead Her
Sign up for her free Legiz Biz email series
Learn more about 1:1 coaching
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To those who make contact. . . This week we tackle the original New Age spiritual guru, our beloved Marianne Williamson. We delve into her decades-long search for Maximum Aliveness, and discuss the principles that have most profoundly affected me in her work: personal responsibility, surrender, inner peace, and a belief in the miraculous.
Discussed:
The Money Game
“The Body Is Art” FKA Twigs x On Running at London Fashion Week
A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson (1992)
A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever, Marianne Williamson (2010)
“Marianne’s Faithful,” Leslie Bennetts in Vanity Fair, 1991
“The Divine Miss W,” Susan Schindehette in People Magazine (1992)
“Marianne Williamson Is Campaigning for a Miracle,” Amanda Fortini in ELLE (2014)
“Emotional Self-Sufficiency” lecture by Marianne given in 1988
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*Full episode on Patreon*
Felt called to share how I’m thinking about the election and, more existentially, about the value of “patriotism” and how I show up in my tiny corner of the Garden.
Discussed:
On Patriotism, Reverend Orville Dewey (1859) RFK, Jr. addresses the nation (2024) Interview with Dr. Casey and Calley Means, The Tucker Carlson Show (2024) Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, Casey Means, MD (2024) Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, Peter Attia (2023) -
*Full episode on Patreon*
*Announcement*
Sign-ups are live for STARGIRL in-person events in September!
STARGIRL Yoga 2.0
Sunday, September 8 at 10am in Fort Greene. Meetup + 60-minute, all-levels, by-donation yoga class.
Reserve your spot here!
2. Intro to Strength Training Series
Every Tuesday in September, 6-7pm at RS Strength in Brooklyn. This is a 4-week, progressive program introducing you to the foundational movement patterns (deadlift, squat, kettlebell swing, strict press, etc.) using kettlebells. Jump in at any point!
Sign up on ClassPass here!
Show notes:
Welcome back to the next episode of The Body Series! Today we have Dr. Julia Morgan, a sports chiropractor and fitness coach, and a huge inspiration for me as I’ve stepped into a new career as a personal trainer. Julia talks about her path from chiropractic work to strength training, and offers some expertise about the unique value of training with kettlebells. She also shares her experience as a fitness influencer, joining business forces with her husband, and building confidence through movement.
Follow @drjuliamorgan on Instagram
Check out Kettlebell Coach University (signups for their next Level 1 certification open 9/9!)
Download Julia’s 6-week Bridal Bootcamp program
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*Announcement*
Sign-ups are live for STARGIRL in-person events in September!
STARGIRL Yoga 2.0
Sunday, September 8 at 10am in Fort Greene. Meetup + 60-minute, all-levels, by-donation yoga class.
Reserve your spot here
2.Intro to Strength Training Series
Every Tuesday in September, 6-7pm at RS Strength in Brooklyn. This is a 4-week, progressive program introducing you to the foundational movement patterns (deadlift, squat, kettlebell swing, strict press, etc.) using kettlebells. Jump in at any point!
Sign up on ClassPass hereShow notes:
This week we tackle Livvy Dunne, the LSU gymnast and social media star. Dunne is currently the highest-earning female college athlete (valued at $3.9M in NIL sponsorships alone) and has a chokehold on young men in America. We unpack the skepticism about her athletic abilities vs. sex appeal, fit her into a lineage of Buoyant Blondes (Kate Upton let’s go!), and feel out a new spectrum: fashion intellectualism vs. Feeling Good Naked. Omg!
Discussed:
“Diet Pepsi” Addison’s new music video
Lexee Smith “When Kitty Met Kat” video
“The Money Game” new show on Amazon Prime about LSU and NIL
On3 NIL rankings rankings
“It’s Livvy Dunne’s World” profile in Elle by Kayla Webley Adler (2023)
Sports Illustrated cover story on Livvy and Angel Reese (2023)
Livvy in SI Swim (2024)
Olga Korbut’s “Dead Loop” uneven bar routine (1972 Olympics)
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*Full episode on Patreon*
This month, we rehash the recently upwelled Ballerina Farm discourse, and I talk about what she represents to me: not a “trad wife” (outdated, meaningless term), not a hard-headed business woman, but a secret third thing.
Discussed:
“Meet the queen of the ‘trad wives’ (and her eight children)” Megan Agnew in the Times
“My day with the trad wife queen and what it taught me” Follow-up article by Megan Agnew
Inspired / ridiculous TikTok edits of Hannah dancing on the prairie: here, here, here
Egg apron video
Hannah’s response: IG Reel and full statement
Christian influencers we been watching: Cecily Bachmann, Josie Conely, Lunden & Olivia on TikTok
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*Full episode on Patreon*
Eloise Skinner is a psychotherapist, author, and fitness instructor whose work focuses on existential themes, embodiment, and wellbeing. In this episode of The Body Series, Eloise explains the principles of existential therapy, how she’s built a life that combines her many varied interests (law, spirituality, therapy, fitness, dance, modeling, etc.), how our fundamental sense of trust in the world reflects our sense of safety in our bodies, and what Eloise calls "the pursuit of aliveness."
Follow Eloise on Instagram and TikTok!
Discussed:
Eloise’s TEDTalk
But Are You Alive?Eloise’s most-recent book
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*Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!*
Announcements:
1. STARGIRL in-person event is happening!Sunday, July 28 at 10am in Williamsburg (exact location details will be emailed out), a meetup and all-levels yoga class in NYC!
Fill out this Google Form to RSVP Space is limited, so serious responses only please
2. Submit your Rants and Raves! Record a 0:30 - 2:00 hot take on a Stargirl of your choice, and email it to me at [email protected]. I’ll play my favorites in forthcoming episodes!
Show notes:
This week, I’m joined by Holly Friend, a writer and trend forecaster based in London. We delve into the perverted world of Ottessa Moshfegh, one of the most commercially successful fiction writers of the last 10 years. We discuss how she unwittingly predicted / defined a cultural moment with My Year of Rest and Relaxation, her apparent obsession with self-mastery and anti-victimhood, unique sobriety narrative, and how her gross, sensory world compares to Sally Rooney’s romantic, cerebral one.
Holly Friend is a writer and futurist based in London. She makes sense of the world through identifying trends and narratives, which does as a freeland cultural strategist for brands, and as a fiction writer. Follow Holly on Instagram!
Discussed:
Diva Discourse, a Beyoncé podcast by my friends Shaan and Enzo
Kim is producing and featuring in an upcoming docuseries on Liz Taylor
“#TurnOutForWhat” Rock the Vote campaign video (2014)
Books by Ottessa: Eileen, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Lapvona, Homesick for Another World
“Ottessa Moshfegh Is Praying for You” Andrea Long Chu in Vulture
Ottessa on the Bret Easton Ellis podcast
Interview with Ottessa in the Guardian
“Jailbait” essay by Ottessa in Granta
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*Announcements!
The first STARGIRL in-person event is happening! Details will be announced on my Instagram first @emmaglennbaker — can’t wait to share more and see you there!*
In this week’s episode, I introduce a brand new segment to the public: STARGIRL Rants and Raves! I welcome all listeners to send in a Rant or Rave on a Stargirl, person/persona you fixate on, or cultural event/moment that you love or hate. This first round was open to Patrons only, and we listen to my favorite three submissions here today!
Here’s how it works:
Record a 0:30 - 2:00 minute-long voice note
Email the audio file to me at [email protected]
Subject line should read “Rant / Rave” on [your subject]”
In the email, please not e how you’d like to be attributed (full name, first name only, IG handle, etc.)
Show notes:
This week we tackle a classic Stargirl: Dame Elizabeth Taylor. I talk about the many elements of her myth that I somehow inherited—her violet eyes, “married eight times to seven men,” her health issues, etc. I decide that although Liz Taylor is indeed beautiful, prolific, and messy, her real singularity lies in her Sturdiness: She is womanly, down-to-earth, and robust. We also discuss Camille Paglia’s incredible fixation on Liz, and leaf through Liz’s memoir/self-help/recipe book about her own weight gain and loss, Elizabeth Takes Off.
Plus, I finally acknowledge the Chappell Roan phenomenon, praise Addison for her underwater Dhanurasana, and challenge myself to discuss the election head-on, rather than roll my eyes and look away. We got this y’all!
Discussed:
“Sabrina, Chappell, and Charli are suddenly stars. Why now?” Mikael Wood in the LA times
Azaelia Banks on Chappell Roan
Addison’s underwater amazingness
“Love of Country and Aloha Spirit with Tulsi Gabbard,” Jocko Podcast
Excerpt from “Elizabeth Taylor: Hollywood’s Pagan Queen,” Camille Paglia, originally published in Penthouse magazine (1992)
Interview with Paglia on Liz Taylor, Salon (2011)
Elizabeth Takes Off: On Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Self-Image, and Self-Esteem, Elizabeth Taylor (1987)
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*Full episode on Patreon!*
Happy July! In this month's letter, available to Dream / Threat-tier subscribers on Patreon, I give my final thoughts on "Brat Summer," dive into Azaelia Banks' recent Twitter run on today's poised-for-greatness pop stars, and ground down to the principles of manifestation/Law of Attraction that will get us all where we want to go.
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*Full episode on Patreon!*
In this episode of The Body Series, I interview Sloane Elizabeth, a food freedom coach and the founder of the Food Freedom Collective. She is a holistic wellness expert who helps women eat, move, and live with Love & Intuition and empowers women to stop dieting, obsessing, restricting, and playing small so that they can experience food and life freedom. She uses a unique and powerful combination of science and spirituality to help her clients heal and live their dream lives. Sloane is also a published author and has been featured on Food Network, The Doctors, SHAPE, Betches, and Authority Magazine.
We discuss how intuitive eating is a result of healing (not something you do or perform), how restricting and overeating both stem from the same root wounds, and how Sloane navigates the saturated and highly charged online space around diet, weight gain and loss, and body image.
Check out Sloane’s website
Download this free resource from Sloane on Masterclass
Mentioned:
STARGIRL profile in Coveteur by Katy Kelleher
Sign up to take a free online yoga class with me in July!
SKIMS for Team USA
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*Full episode on Patreon!*
Welcome to Part II of my conversation with my friend and the writer Shaan Sachdev. In this episode, we tackle Beyoncé as a Stargirl: how she handles controversy, deploys narrative control, and the Dream / Threat she represents. We discuss who she offends, and in which ways the jury is still out on her morality, despite her not being an edge-seeker in her personal life. We also wonder about what a Beyoncé successor would even look like, and worry about the decline of performance value in the singer-dancers of today.
Plus, a very special announcement for our Patreon community!
Beyoncé at Glastonbury (2011)
Read Shaan’s work and listen to Diva Discourse
Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon! -
Welcome to Part 1 of our Beyoncé special, with my friend and the Beyoncé evangelist Shaan Sachdev! This week, we take it all the way back to Wayne Koestenbaum’s 1993 book The Queen’s Throat, the seminal text on the Diva, fandom, and Vicariousness. We discuss the border between true Divadom and generalized cuntiness, and use Shaan’s recent piece in the Wall Street Journal to discuss Beyoncé’s supreme athleticism and what it means, then, to watch her age.
Shaan Sachdev is a cultural critic and essayist based in New York. He writes about ontology, city life, and his two favorite Divas: Hannah Arendt and Beyoncé. He co-hosts Diva Discourse, a Beyoncé-centered podcast.
Discussed:
Tinx’s podcast episode on weightlifting
Alix Earle for Sports Illustrated Swim
Kim Kardashian and Chloe Sevigny for Variety
The Queen’s Throat: Homosexuality, Opera, and the Mystery of Desire, Wayne Koestenbaum (1993)
“Beyoncé the Athlete Is Adjusting to Midlife” Shaan in WSJ
“The Key to Beyoncé’s Lasting Success” Shaan in Slate
“Beyoncé Is Finally Embracing Her Role as Fairy Godmother to the Gays” Shaan in The Daily Beast“Taylor Swift’s Invisible Merchandise” Shaan in Salon -
*Full episode on Patreon!*
Cameron Yuen, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a performance physical therapist with a specialty in strength and conditioning, and the Director of Rehabilitation and Training and Bespoke Treatments in New York City. I worked with him in 2023 after I injured my lower back, and his coaching transformed both the way I approach training and my overall relationship to my body.
In this episode, we discuss the importance of strength, mobility, and motor control, how to approach injury and rehab, and simple ways to improve your health and longevity: resistance training, cardio, blood sugar management, sleep, and more. We also ask the question: Why is it important to have a healthy, well-functioning body?
Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon! -
*Full episode on Patreon!*
Celebrate two years of STARGIRL in this patron-only special episode, where we look back at the genesis of the project and check in on some of the Stargirls.
We discuss Tinx as a DJ, EmRata as a mom, the race to represent “mainstream white America,” what the heck is up in New York, and more. Plus, breaking my silence on Addison’s downfall and "the Girls and Gays" as a market segmentation.
Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon! -
Helloooo!!! Today we’re tackling the phenomenon of Paige Bueckers, college basketball star who has captured the nation’s attention with her skill, swag, and heart of gold. I talk about her TikTok explosion, the sexuality that’s projected onto her, and how her wholesome silly vibe makes me excited to be alive.
Then, we’ll hear from my little sister Nelly, a D1 runner who fills us in on all things NIL sponsorships, injury and recovery narratives, and the way Paige carries herself as a fun and faithful team leader. We also discuss the dynamic among the other top NCAA women's basketball players—Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, etc.—and Paige’s choice to not declare for the 2024 WNBA draft.
Follow Nell!
Discussed:
Ann Manov eviscerates Lauren Oyler in Bookforum
Paige and Janae Sims at the WNBA draft
WNBA red carpet
Amazing Paige videos: here, here, here, here
Paige’s speech at the ESPY Awards 2021
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*Subscribe to the STARGIRL Patreon!*
This May marks two years of STARGIRL! As a birthday gift from me to you, I’m unlocking the most recent episode of The Body Series, my conversation with Tao Lin. I decided it was so important that everyone needed to hear it! Subscribe to the whole series at Patreon.com/STARGIRLpod.
Tao and I talk about how we live our lives—our exercise and caffeine routines, experiences with pharmaceutical vs. naturally-occurring drugs, seeking magic, conceptions of the afterlife, the healing powers of beef, and much more. We also chat about Tao’s next book, on the environmental factors causing autism, and why it’s scary to submit ideas to a public who’s ready to tear you down.
Follow Tao on Twitter!
Discussed:Trip: Psychedelics, Alienation, and Change Tao’s book (2018)“The Story of Autism: How We Got Here, How We Heal” Tao’s essayLife After Life, Raymond Moody (1975)
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This week we welcome my friend and writer/editor Alana Pockros to tackle the work and persona of Lauren Oyler. We discuss how Lauren seized authority as the millennial literary critic, how her abandonment of the “rules” makes her work difficult to engage with critically, her famous distaste for Vulnerability, the Berlin piece (...), and what it means to be both brave and mean.
Plus, in my quarterly pulse check on Culture, I declare a massive return to all things folklore: earthy spirituality, magic, psychedelics, freak folk, boho chic, metal music, and more.
Follow Alana on Twitter!
Discussed:
Evidence of the Folkloric Return:
Joanna Newsom upcoming tour Timmy as Bob Dylan Kacey Musgraves profile by Allison P. David in the Cut “The runway—not TikTok—brought back Boho Chic” Madeleine Schulz in Vogue Business Rebecca Yarros books Sotce and @sighswoon Shanin Blake ayahuasca singer vibes Shawn Mendes + Hitomi: Page Six, Hola.com (lol!)Regarding Lauren Oyler:
Lauren at SantaCon for VICE (2017) “The Miseducation of Lady Bird” Oyler in The Baffler (2017) “Ha ha! Ha ha!” Oyler on Trick Mirror in LRB (2020) “Lauren Oyler thinks she’s better than you” Becca Rothfeld in Washington Post (2024) Interview with Lauren Oyler in Lit Hub (2024) Fake Accounts, Lauren Oyler (2021) No Judgment, Lauren Oyler (2024) “Dance Factory” Lauren in Harper’s (2024) “What’s Your Type?” Merve Emre in NYRB (2024) Rachel Comey x NYRB collab - Visa fler
