Episode notes

This is a rush edition of Pop Rocket focusing on The Oscars. Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler, Karen Tongson and special guest Chris Schleicher waste no time in dishing on cinema’s biggest night. They skip the “all abouts” and jams and get right to the WTF of it all–the best picture debacle, Casey Affleck and Brie Larson, bad hair, bad clapping and Hacksaw Ridge. Plus, we’ll get to the bottom of why Margaret Wappler wants to be Taraji P. Henson’s eyebrows when she grows up.

Guy Branum explains why he has a problem with standing ovations, and reveals a fact about director Ezra Edelman (OJ Made in America) that blew him away.

Margaret Wappler hearts Natalie Portman’s performance in Jackie and, apparently, Taraji P. Henson’s eyebrows.

Karen Tongson analyzes the ways Moonlight was successful in moving the lens away from gay white people.

And Chris Schleicher gets all Zapruder film in breaking down the Best Picture fiasco and gives us his theory about Faye Dunaway.

Dive in!

Guy Branum, Karen Tongson, Margaret Wappler, and Chris Schleicher

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Other Links:

Viola Davis’ acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress

Elaine Stritch’s 2004 Emmy’s speech

Produced by Christian Dueñas and Kara Hart for MaximumFun.org