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Poppish

Anneliese Claire & Ellie Sims

Entertainment industry veterans and (perfect) comedy duo Ellie Sims and Anneliese Claire proudly present Poppish: a pop culture podcast that will finally cover everything that has ever happened, since everyone else is too afraid.

Each week, comediennes (we’re reclaiming it) Ellie and Anneliese swap one contemporary and one historical story that share a unifying theme, from “famous feuds” to “lost cities.” Have you ever wondered if there was a link between Lady Jane Grey, the 9-day queen, and the Jeremy Renner app? Or if Akon is really going to build a city in Senegal funded by cryptocurrency? Poppish doesn’t have the answers, but it sure does like to ask those questions.

Tune in Tuesdays, and come hungry — we’re cooking.

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23 episodes
weekly
Avg 1 hr 7 min
English

Episodes 23

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S1 · E60
Tuesday · 1 hr 14 min
How to Listen to Poppish in a God Honoring Way
This week, we turn to our Christian sisters for guidance. Uncover the histories of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and Girl Defined, the causes championed by each, and how their legacies endure. It’s hard to be a god-defined woman in a culture-defined world, and no one knows this better than us. Plus: the great flockening, the trials of running late, and a celebration of our nation’s shared values.
S1 · E59
August 25 · 1 hr 25 min
Cook Until Proven Chef
We’ve all been there: the trip finally makes it out of the group chat, only to become a complete disaster. This week we tell the harrowing stories of two groups that know this pattern all too well: The Donner Party and The Real Housewives of New York City. How did Lansford Hastings convince James Reed to travel a shortcut he himself had never tried? How did Ramona Singer convince Bethenny Frankel to do Turtle Time for 15 minutes? We’ll explore the terrifying series of events. Plus: the trials and tribulations of our Hopital Summer.
S1 · E58
August 18 · 1 hr 5 min
Not Now Honey, Mommy’s Cementing Her Legacy
This week, we tell you the stories of how two iconic foods came to be and the genius minds behind them. Back up against the wall, Chef Caesar Cardini invented the Caesar Salad during a devastatingly FOMO-inducing July Fourth weekend in Tijuana and gave girls everywhere a reason to believe in dinner. Girlboss Sarah Hamouda turned her pregnancy cravings into a global dessert sensation with Dubai Chocolate. Will it stand the test of time the way Caesar’s emergency salad has? We shall see. Plus: we refuse to buy package insurance, Anneliese’s ex gets engaged (in JOGGERS), and the decades long Brussels sprout smear campaign.
S1 · E57
August 11 · 1 hr 10 min
Gleefully Making Pasta Salad
This week we analyze the challenges of parenting in the public eye — especially when a famous parent messes up. We explore the wide range of public reactions to two infamous parenting mistakes: Michael Jackson holding his son Blanket over a balcony, and the drowning of influencer Emilie Kiser’s son Trigg. The public outrage over both incidents was swift, and we analyze how social media has changed how this outrage plays out. We also consider the grace and leniency given to famous parents that would not necessarily be given to less fortunate parents or other caregivers. Plus: our summer travels, an official journalistic report from the World Lumberjack Championships, and the great generational divide of being able to sew a button onto a shirt.
S1 · E56
August 4 · 1 hr 17 min
Congratulations, You’re Now a Witch
It’s witch hunting season! This week, for our annual Love Island analysis episode, we compare fan investigations of Love Island contestants to the Salem Witch Trials. What compels us as humans to seek out the worst in others and demand punishment? And how do these investigations spiral out of control so quickly? We discuss the events of the Salem Witch Trials and ponder how such a tragic miscarriage of justice became American folklore, and ultimately made Salem a hotspot for modern day witchery. We also take a look at several cases of fan-investigated islanders and the range of consequences they have been subjected to, and the varying validity of these campaigns. Plus: our summer camp experiences, Anneliese’s last day with the 10-year-old, and a Trader Joe’s employee find his calling.
S1 · E55
July 30 · 1 hr 8 min
Why Are You So Attached to Your Teeth?
On this episode, we explore two instances of faces losing their identity in the pursuit of perfection: Jennifer Grey’s infamous nose job and the ongoing epidemic of Instagram Face. As women appear to be striving to get closer and closer to everyone having the same perfect face, how does this take away from individual identity and beauty? We look at Jennifer Grey’s career pre- and post-nose job (and how the Matthew Broderick vehicular manslaughter case is involved) and examine why many speculate that her new, conventionally attractive nose cost her her career. How have we seen this pattern repeated in the age of plastic surgery, fillers, and filters as we all increasingly live in the public eye? Plus: our summer reading, grammatical pet peeves, and people who bend the rules of rock paper scissors.
S1 · E54
June 30 · 1 hr 7 min
Zip Code K-I-R-K
This week we’re talking great escapes. Men backed into a corner and forced to break the rules to get out. Anneliese tells us about the 1962 escape from Alcatraz, and Ellie reminisces on the golden age of Bachelor Nation, when Colton jumped the fence. Who are we rooting for? Where are these men now? How did they pull it off? We’ll get into all of it. Plus: Ellie gets some unexpected mail, the stress of choosing a marker when coloring, and the curse of being named Sincere.
S1 · E53
June 23 · 56 min
Philip Benizi Can’t Take the Pressure of It
As any good self help book will tell you, “no” is a complete sentence. Today we tell the stories of two icons who said drew a boundary, said no, and walked away from the opportunity of a lifetime. Philip Benizi was offered the chance to be literal Pope and he fled to a cave until the election was over to avoid the title. America’s Next Top Model contestant Natalie (maybe) made it to the semifinals of auditions only to determine that this path wasn’t right for her. Today, we celebrate their strength and knowledge of self and ponder how their actions shaped religious institutions and generations to come. Plus: our reactions to the first half of the Knicks game that would become the greatest comeback in NBA finals history (we didn’t know, sorry for being negative), doing too much at Corporate Drag Bingo, and getting uninvited from Shrimp Fest 2024.
S1 · E52
June 16 · 1 hr 7 min
Beaker? Babe, That’s Just a Cup
Every once in a while, a woman gives birth in a way that really makes people stop and stare. In 1978, that woman was Lesley Brown, who gave birth to the first baby conceived via IVF. In 2009, that woman was Nadya Suleman, also known as the Octomom, who gave birth to octuplets and became a media sensation. Why did these births draw such intense public reaction? How did the media attention affect their children? And most importantly, was Octomom in it for the fame?? Plus: Jumping on the Knicks bandwagon, the importance of morally flawed Islanders, and how Beaker has stolen Erlenmeyer Flask’s clout for generations.
S1 · E51
June 9 · 1 hr 27 min
God Forbid I Catch a Vibe in My Sleep
My boyfriend? You don’t know him, he goes to a different database. We’re talking scary, imaginary, soul sucking intimate relationships this week: the mythology of incubi and succubi and the troubling trend of AI partners. How did these phenomena come to be and what are we to make of them? Whether it’s a demon that comes creeping in the night or a chain of code designed to praise you endlessly, there are some romantic entanglements that just feel… unnatural. Plus: what do do when a 10 year old demands you entertain her, how soon is too soon to pass out when the train AC shuts off, and how Alex Cooper played the pregnancy trump card before Alix Earle could clap back.
S1 · E50
May 26 · 57 min
The Cat Died So We Could Be Curious
This week, we explore two methods of communicating the things that matter most: the Voyager Golden Records and the Instagram Photo Dump. These carefully curated collections help convey our way of life, our values, and what we know. We can’t for the life of us figure out how the Golden Record works, but we’re hoping if aliens find it they can figure it out. And also there’s love triangle tea. On the Instagram front, we explore how the platform has evolved from perfectly manicured posting to a more casual place to share moments and memories. Plus: a recap of Ellie’s trip to Costa Rica, including how the opportunity fell into her lap, which energy practices she experimented with there, and the bed bugs she may or may not have brought home.
S1 · E49
May 19 · 1 hr 6 min
¯\(ツ)/¯
Could this meeting have been an emoji? A picture is worth a thousand words, so we’re analyzing two languages made up entirely of images: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Emojis. How do these tiny images convey so much meaning? How do we as users define and evolve this meaning over time? And what is the difference between :), :-), and (: ? All this, plus a psychological look at Bravo’s “Love Overboard” on today’s Poppish.
S1 · E48
May 12 · 57 min
The Panic in Central Park
Childless cat ladies, rejoice! This episode celebrates two important roles cats have held in culture across millennia: the stone lion statues of Imperial China and the bodega cats of New York City. These cats serve important functions for the buildings they protect and are beloved symbols of the community. We unpack the history both and what they mean to us today. Plus: Ellie narrowly escapes imminent danger in Central Park and being straight up gobsmacked by flower talent fees.
S1 · E47
May 5 · 1 hr 5 min
Who Ordered the Gist?
Let’s examine two letters that exposed hidden truths, shifted alliances, and ultimately, started wars: the Zimmermann Telegram and the Jersey Shore Note. Secrets came to light in the harsh black and white of ink on paper, and it changed everything. We tried REALLY hard to understand what a telegram is for this one, but we just couldn’t get there. How did these letters make their way into the hands of the affected parties? What ensued after? Will the US finally stop twiddling its thumbs and enter World War I? And will Sammi Sweatheart dump Ron’s cheating ass? Let’s find out together. Plus: Updates from the Hulu “Get Real” event, a way to bring America together through shared reality programming, and ultimately, we accidentally invent religion.
S1 · E46
April 28 · 55 min
Sunday Reset on the Western Front
A truce can be a beautiful thing, but it can also be fleeting. We explore two cases of short-lived truces: the WWI Christmas Truce in December of 1914, and Jelena’s brief rekindling in late 2017 before Justin’s engagement to Hailey Baldwin. How do we find peace in the midst of so much pain? And God dammit, why can’t we stick to it? All this and more on this week’s Poppish. Plus: Anneliese’s Brooklyn evolution continues as she joins a co-op, Ellie meets an angel, and we’re left out of the loop on Coachella AGAIN.
S1 · E45
April 21 · 1 hr 7 min
One Year of Poppish
To celebrate one full year of absolute nonsense, we’re reflecting on the origins of the pod, taking listener questions, and reacting to some of your hot takes. It’s been such a fun year and we’re so grateful to everyone who’s come along for the ride! Here’s to another year of Poppish to come!
S1 · E44
April 14 · 1 hr 10 min
Old Testament Spoilers Ahead
I think you guys might be doing unto others as you would have others do unto yourselves too much… This week we explore two codes by which you live one’s life: The Ten Commandments and Jemima Kirke’s Instagram Q&As. Both texts, handed down by God, give us a path to follow in an otherwise disordered and meaningless life. This episode contains spoilers for the Old Testament of the Bible. Listener discretion is advised. Plus: New York City dog discourse, rapture FOMO, and yoga class recognition.
S1 · E43
April 7 · 1 hr 7 min
They Didn’t Call Him Bestieheimer
Let’s look at two inventors who would go on to be tormented by their own creations: J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, and Dong Nguyen, creator of Flappy Bird. Both men achieved great success and recognition in their field, only to regret bringing their ideas into the world. This would lead to Oppenheimer being banned from President Truman’s office and Nguyen pulling Flappy Bird from the app store with 22 hours notice. What does it mean to achieve a dream? Why is everything computer now? And what’s next for Ciara Miller? We’ll unpack it all.
S1 · E42
March 25 · 1 hr 6 min
POV: I'm in a Well
Put on your spelunking boots: we’re going underground. We’re telling two classic “trapped inside the bowels of the earth” stories: Baby Jessica and the Thai Cave Rescue. How did these children end up under the ground, and how the HELL are we gonna get them out? Everyone shows up in this one: the guy with no collarbones, the Thai navy seals, even Elon Musk. Did someone say dream blunt rotation?? Plus: a review of Wicked on Broadway (bathroom access is key), checking in on the Mormon wives (info already out of date), and Ellie’s falling out with the IRS.
S1 · E41
March 17 · 1 hr 4 min
I Actually Done A Exile
What does a girl have to do to get sent to an island around here?? We unpack two stories we’re deeply jealous of: prominent individuals who were sent away from society to heal/build and army. We’re learning all about the exiles of Napoleon (both of them!) and Pre-Reputation Taylor Swift. One moment you’re placing a glorious crown on your head/Grammy in your hand, the next no one even fucks with you at all. Life is full of these ups and downs. Plus: Falling for False Spring and spreading awareness for overfishing and bycatch.

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