logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
51m 41s

Is Glinda Good?

Matt Bernstein
About this episode

A Bit Fruity was due for a good old-fashioned film analysis. Wicked is a kids movie that is actually for adults, holding up a mirror to our increasingly fascistic reality and asking us to question our struggle against it — or place within it. Glinda the Good Witch, thoughtfully delivered by Ariana Grande, is both easy to love and easy to hate. But while some characters’ politics are obvious (a fascist Wizard, a radical Elphaba), Glinda’s are harder to pinpoint. Today, we attempt just that.

Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon!

Work smarter, not harder, with Factor meals ready in two minutes: www.factormeals.com/fruity50.

Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to clean at www.blueland.com/fruity.

Me on Instagram.

A Bit Fruity on Instagram.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Oct 3
The Unraveling of Debra Messing and “Liberal Zionism”
For the last two decades, Debra Messing — the star of early 2000’s hit Will & Grace — has been something of a liberal Hollywood icon, courting an adoring gay audience and getting into public feuds with Donald Trump. More recently, she’s become the face of Liberal Zionism, an ideo ... Show More
1h 40m
Sep 19
Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Deserves No Revisions
The day after Charlie Kirk was murdered, Ezra Klein published an essay in the New York Times: “Charlie Kirk Practiced Politics The Right Way.” Klein’s piece was one of countless teary-eyed eulogies from across the spectrum of political media, and this first draft of Charlie Kirk’ ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 5
Dr. Phil: From Nice Guy to Nazi (with Aubrey Gordon)
Dr. Phil has a new hobby: ICE raids. The daytime television fixture bewildered fans when he began touring with the Trump campaign last year, ending his decades-long streak as a seemingly apolitical celebrity. Like so many 2000s stars, Dr. Phil has found a career revival in right- ... Show More
1h 43m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Wicked Witch
"Out of the two of them, who do you think is the good witch and the bad witch? I would say Cathy's the good witch, Abby is definitely the bad witch!" It's ironic on the eve of the release of the Wicked movie that we get an episode that heavily centers on wicked witches, though th ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 2024
Cynthia Erivo on "Elphaba" Role in New "Wicked" Movie
Willie Geist talks to Cynthia Erivo about the release of the highly anticipated Hollywood adaptation of the Broadway classic, "Wicked". Erivo shares her experience playing "Elphaba" opposite Ariana Grande's "Glinda", and she gets her first look at the "Wicked" Billboards in Times ... Show More
35m 48s
Nov 2024
Culture chat: ‘Wicked’ hits the high notes
Today, we’re taking on the much-hyped film adaptation of the musical smash Wicked. Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jeff Goldblum, the story is a loose prequel to The Wizard of Oz, following its two star witches before they become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Wit ... Show More
28m 39s
Jan 2025
The Bad Broadway
It's time for another bracket! This week we are going to be determining which movie musical is most beloved by our Bad Broad community. In today's episode I'm laying out some rules for the game and also rambling about my personal favorites and what I think are some hidden gems in ... Show More
56m 18s
Jan 2025
Episode 300: If We Only Had A Brain
David and Tamler celebrate their 300th episode with a deep dive into the movie that inspired the podcast’s title. Why is "The Wizard of Oz" the most influential American movie of all time? How does it dig deep into our collective psyches? What makes the effects so timeless and ef ... Show More
1h 48m
Dec 2023
Will Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn leave a sour taste in your mouth?
Director Emerald Fennell’s latest film, Saltburn, is proving to be even more polarizing than her controversial 2020 debut, Promising Young Woman. Guardian film critic Adrian Horton explains why this tale of class mobility, queer lust and murder has divided audiences between those ... Show More
25 m
Dec 2024
Wicked
Click here to send us a message!We're saying goodbye to a tumultuous 2024 by discussing one of the year's biggest, and arguably gayest, box office hits. From bookshelves, to Broadway and now to movie theaters, Wicked is a superhero tentpole movie for theatre kids, but is it any g ... Show More
33m 19s
Dec 2024
Wicked x Paratexts with Leena Norms
What is more zeitgeist-y than Wicked Part One? Well, arguably, the memes, interviews, and merch ABOUT Wicked Part One! In this episode Hannah and Marcelle are joined by the wonderful author, Youtuber and internet busybody, Leena Norms, to discuss this year's blockbuster— and the ... Show More
1 h
Mar 2025
247: Exposing The Truth About Belle Gibson & Netflix’s ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’
Belle Gibson wasn’t just another influencer - she was the face of the early Instagram wellness movement, the poster child for clean eating, alternative healing, & most shockingly, the idea that nutrition alone had cured her terminal cancer. But behind the scenes Belle was hiding ... Show More
1h 26m
Jun 2025
Sharon Stone, Part 1
Hollywood icon Sharon Stone joins the LadyGang for part one of an unforgettable episode filled with candid stories, fierce wisdom, and a whole lot of laughter. From her trailblazing career in film to surviving personal setbacks and reinventing herself time and time again, Sharon ... Show More
45 m