As Keenan Thompson said in a recent SNL parody of the Miss Universe pageant, "Welcome back to Miss Universe, one of several shows still on the air where we rank women. But it's not what you think—we do it based off of looks." Welp when you put it that way :/ In our humble little opinion, it's hard to believe that the conformist, objectifying, and sometimes d ... Show More
Aug 25
The Cult of Celebrity Wellness Brands
This week, Reese dives into The Cult of Celebrity Wellness Brands, where skincare, mental health, spirituality, supplements, and good old-fashioned celebrity worship have melted together into one extremely Instagrammable belief system. From Goop and Rhode to Rare Beauty, Kardashi ... Show More
1h 7m
Jan 2024
Intermediate | Beauty Pageant: It's a Mess
<p>When is a beauty pageant not a mess? All those bikinis, blow-dries, manicures, bleached teeth, body part enhancements. Ew. Our blogger finds out that the pageants of the computer world are no better. In this installment, join us as we see just how bad it can get. Life's to ... Show More
11m 31s
Aug 2024
Chapter 48: It's A Party In The Miss Grand USA
In the world of beauty pageants, you have to be physically and mentally ready to wear the crown-- and falling down and getting back up is all part of the game. Rachel invites the first openly bisexual Miss USA and Director of the Miss Grand USA Pageant, Rachel Slawson, plus this ... Show More
46m 29s
Dec 2023
Intermediate | Getting to Know the Beauty Pageant Judges
<p>Today we revisit the intrigue of the Chinese beauty pageant world... Do we detect a whiff of corruption, bribery, and scandal brewing? Of course! What would a ChinesePod lesson be without all of these? Join us in this podcast, as we follow along with our drama queens in this n ... Show More
12m 49s
Jul 2023
Gender, Drag and Beauty Pageants with Laurie Greene
I delve into the world of gender and drag performance and beauty pageants with Professor Laurie Greene, author of Drag and Beauty Pageants: Performing Femininity in the World’s Playground. We chat about playing into as well as subverting gender norms, camp sensibilities, and the ... Show More
34m 39s