How do you like it so far?

Hollywood Actresses, the Oscars, and Wuthering Heights with Izzy from Be Kind Rewind

Showing her love of movies, Izzy from Be Kind Rewind chats with us about her process of creating video essays and connection to researching actresses in the Hollywood system. We discuss how her fannish love of TCM films turned into a passion for making videos and navigating complex topics often overlooked or simplified into gossip. Diving deeper into this, Izzy speaks about her recent video on actress Merle Oberon’s race as it relates to William Wyler’s Wuthering Heights (1939) and its latest adaption by Emerald Fennell. There we discuss how the construction of stardom and the text of a piece impact readings of race as a racialized work attempts to become de-racailized by directorial choices. Using her Vanessa Redgrave video, Izzy also talks to us about the Oscars,its relationship to politics, and how it impacts actresses. We end this longer epsiode with a hint of the future for Be Kind Rewind and our 2026 Oscar predictions. Afterwards, Samantha and Henry give their Oscar predictions in every category. This episode is filled with fun, fandom, and just a touch of Hollywood magic! We get into what passions drive a video essayist and the interesting topics that can happen about the film industry if we are not strictly going by salacious headlines. It is an episode that not only asks viewers to watch more films but, also challenges them to think about the wider implications of the moving image.   Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Some Suggested BKR Videos: YouTube [Channel Link] Nebula [Channel Link] Merle Oberon and the Whiteness of Wuthering Heights Why Vanessa Redgrave Gave the Most Controversial Oscar Speech Ever How Carrie Fisher Blurred Fact and Fiction  Performing Authenticity: The Cinema of Lady Gaga Sofia Coppola and The Godfather Part III Disaster How Michelle Yeoh Went from Bond Girl to Best Actress Oscar Winner in the American Media The Feud of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford | 1963: Pt. 2 Academic/Educational readings and resources: Black Oscars: From Mammy to Minny, What the Academy Awards Tell Us about African Americans Hardcover  WMC Investigation 2026: Gender and Non-Acting Oscar Nominations - Full Report Why Analyze Inclusion at the Oscars? Hollywood Diversity Report JSTOR Hollywood Babylon People & Places: Lindsay Ellis Princess Weekes Emerald Fennell Merle Oberon Vanessa Redgrave Lady Gaga Sophia Coppola Diane Keaton Ryan Murphy Betty Davis Joan Crawford Laurence Olivier Nicole Kidman Vivien Leigh Anna May Wong Hattie McDaniel Rock Hudson Cole Escola Michelle Yeoh Teyana Taylor Wunmi Mosaku Jessie Buckley Jamie Lee Curtis Chon A. Noriega Karina Longworth Liza Minnelli Judy Garland Yoko Ono Samuel Goldwyn William Wyler Lana Turner Lupe Velez Media: TCM Oscars The 98th Academy Awards (2026) Wuthering Heights (1939 film) Wuthering Heights (2026 film) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Did Yoko Break Up The Beatles?  Sadly, Wuthering Heights Discourse Is That Deep 1978 Oscars Vanessa Redgrave Win  Kanopy Criterion Channel Tubi Little Gold Men podcast Film Comment podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast Funny Girl (1968) Moulin Rouge! (2001) Bad Cinderella Gone With The Wind (1939) It Happened One Night (1934) Sinners (2025) One Battle After Another (2025) Hamnet (2025) The Godfather Part III (1990) Hollywood (TV mini series) Feud (TV series) You might also enjoy our previous Oscar Themed episode and the Oscar Watch series Henry is currently running on his blog.  ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.Music:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Frames of Fandom with Robert Kozinets

Professor of Journalism at USC Annenberg, Robert Kozinets, and Henry Jenkins speak with us about their ongoing book series Frames of Fandom. Both authors explore how they met, their ever-evolving work in fan studies, and what inspired them to create a 16-book series. Both scholars discuss the complexity of fandom as it intersects with consumer culture and subcultures. They even ask if fandom itself can be considered a subculture or something akin to religion! The conversation ends with a discussion of accessibility to academic texts, their choice of writing personal ethnographies throughout the books, and the future of the book series.    Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper: Academic/Educational readings and resources: Frames of Fandom book series [Amazon Link] Netnography Unlimited Understanding Technoculture using Qualitative Social Media Research Influencers and Creators Business, Culture and Practice Convergence Culture Convergence Culture Consortium Textual Poachers People & Places: Led Zeppelin Camille Bacon-Smith Constance Penley Eric Arthur von Hippel Rogers Centre  Disneyland Haunted Mansion Jonas Brothers George Lucas Pop Mart JK Rowling Daniel Miller Michael Baxandall Angela McRobbie  Media: 2025 MLB World Series  1993 World Series CFL MLB Super Bowl LIX Labubu Reddit Facebook Star Trek Aurora monster models [Article on toys] Dark Shadows Universal Monster Films Famous Monsters of Filmland Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)  Strange Sports Stories [Article on the comic series] Space Jam (1996) Space Jam: A New Legacy Harry Potter HBO Magic The Gathering Monster Hunter Fortnite Dragon Ball  Ford Mustang Disney Bounding [Blog Guide] ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.Music:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Global Streaming Services and Cultural Power Relations: Bertha Chin & Swapnil Rai

In this episode, Bertha Chin— Senior lecturer and the Director of the National University of Singapore’s Communications And New Media program— and Swapnil Rai—Associate Professor Film, Television and Media Associate Professor Communication and Media at the University of Michigan—join us to speak about the global streaming media landscape. From Bollywood to Hollywood, Rai and Chin dissect the complexity of media movements as both parts of cultural imperialism and the widening of fandoms. Both scholars lead us through discussions of the transnational circulations and development of series on streaming platforms, relating them to the wider topic of power relations within globalization. By the end, we are left to examine how we engage with transnational shows, who produces them, and how other countries have interpreted the same show. Is streaming the best way to be exposed to other cultures, or is it trying to mobilize the audiences and resources of other countries? Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:Academic/Educational readings and resources:Transnational Streaming Television Reshaping Global Flows and PowerNetworked Bollywood How Star Power Globalized Hindi CinemaCrowdfunding the Future Media Industries, Ethics, and Digital SocietyEating Fandom Intersections Between Fans and Food CulturesBollywoodizing Netfix or globalizing Hotstar? The cultural-industrial logics of global streaming platforms in IndiaModi vs. Wild: Celebritized Politics and the Mediations of a Spiritual StrongmanWhat Is Arthouse Cinema? A Guide to Movies Off the Mainstream Path [Article Link]Netflix Subscribers Statistics 2026 [Link]South Korean Panda discourse [News Link]People & Places:Venice International Film FestivalBerlin International Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalTrader Joe’sTed SarandosReed HastingsLori MorimotoJulia SonnevendMoo DengNarendra ModiBear GryllsVictor OrbanPriyanka ChopraLee Jung-jaeQuentin TarantinoSergio LeoneBong Joon HoDave ChappelleTakashi MiikeMedia:NetflixAmazon VideoDisney+ HotstarK-pop (music genre)The X-FilesDoctor WhoBBCSalaam NamasteParanormalNarcosSacred Games [book, Netflix]Gangs of WasseypurGangs of Wasseypur 23%Game of ThronesSquid GamesKPop Demon HuntersShin Ramyun Kpop Demon HuntersBon Appétit, Your MajestyBuffy the Vampire SlayerScooby DooFrankenstein (2025)Winter SonataMan vs.WildStar WarsStar TrekMortal KombatThe Acolyte The MechanismGrillo Vs. GrilloPatriot Act with Hasan MinhajRecord of Ragnarok [manga, TV show]Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025 Universal LanguageSukiyaki Western Django ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.Music:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Ethan Zuckerman

In this episode, we chat with Ethan Zuckerman— a Public Policy, Communication and Information professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst— about his views on the present political climate and major movements occurring in reaction to the Trump administration. From the anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis to memes on the internet to the Boston Massacre, we discuss the various forms of resistance the public can perform in the face of adversity. Zuckerman also delves into the historization of mass movements and how their retellings, or lack thereof, can shape how we perform and learn about resistance. We end by circling back to a discussion of memes and AI as they influence how America views current events. Zuckerman leaves us wondering what America looks like and how the celebrations will roll out as we hit its 250th birthday in 2026.  In particular, we explore what monuments and memorials might look like if they emerged bottom-up from the people rather than top-down from government institutions.  Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:Academic/Educational readings and resources:How Right Wing Influencers Used AI Slop to Turn Renee Good Into a MemeGramsci’s Nightmare: AI, Platform Power and the Automation of Cultural HegemonyMistrust Why Losing Faith in Institutions Provides the Tools to Transform ThemDigital Cosmopolitans Why We Think the Internet Connects Us, Why It Doesn't, and How to Rewire It1984Historical Events or Celebrations:America’s 250th bicentennialBoston Tea PartyBoston Massacre1992 Los Angeles riots/ Rodney King RiotsWatergateLincoln Brigades Kent State shootingsPeople & Places:Alex PrettiRenee GoodRodney KingGeorge FloydGeorge Floyd MemorialEric GarnerElon MuskAlexander HamiltonAntonio GramsciJill Lapore – These TruthsHeather Cox RichardsonStone MountainNational Memorial for Peace and JusticeHarold Innis: Marble vs. PapyrusJames Mitchner on Kent StateMedia:The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail1776HamiltonMary Tyler Moore Anti-ICE statue [Link]JD Vance Couch Meme [News Link]US Tries to Take Greenland [News link]White House posts digitally altered image of woman arrested after ICE protest [News link]Grok “Woke Bias” [News link]Trump White House “Walk of Fame” Plaques [News link] ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.Music:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

San Diego Comic-Con Histories and Educational Outreach with Mathew Klickstein and Emily Schindler

In this episode, Mathew Klickstein , the host of Comic-Con Begins, and Emily Schindler, Senior Director of Learning and Engagement at the Comic-Con Museum, educate us on the history of and learning opportunities at San Diego Comic-Con. Mathew discusses how Comic-Con formed and why he documents that history in his podcast and his book, See You At San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture. Emily informs us about what is displayed at the Comic-Con Museum and the educational programs she runs. She describes the outreach and collaboration that happens between the museum and institutions around San Diego County. At the heart of this conversation is the formation and nurturing of communities that occur because of Comic-Con. Mathew tackles this as a SDCC historian and Emily as an SDCC educator. By the end of the episode, we ask how the culture and construction of SDCC have changed since its inception. We also question what being part of the Comic-Con means and how it's preserved. Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:Academic/Educational readings and resources:See You At San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek CultureSlimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden AgeDiary of Anne FrankFandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected WorldConnected Learning InitiativeOnly at Comic-Con Hollywood, Fans, and the Limits of ExclusivityComic-Con KidsComic-Con MuseumComic-Con Museum Educational Access Program [Link]San Diego State University Comic Collection Comic-Con KidsPeople & Places:Barry AlfonsoJack KirbyStan LeeRay BradburyMarc SummersAtrhur Miller Rebecca MillerMartin ScorseseSteven SpielbergGeorge LucasFrancis Ford CoppolaAlfred HitchcockCharlie ChaplinPhil TippettRoger CormanStuds TerkelAlan LomaxCharlie LippencottElizabeth TaylorMizuko ItoErica HalversonCynthia LewisKurt SquireKevin SmithPamela JacksonMorgan SpurlockBalboa ParkDetroit Triple Fan FairLawrence Family Jewish Community CenterCannes Film FestivalSundance Film Festival The Academy MuseumGallifrey OneWonderConMedia:Comic-Con BeginsSega GenesisTurboGrafx-16Neo GeoNickelodeonDouble DareFood NetworkSiriusXMFrench New WaveStar WarsJurassic ParkFantastic Four (Roger Corman)Spider-ManFunkoKing KongMr. Scorsese [Apple TV]Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fans HopeDoctor WhoBBCDC ComicsMarvelMattelHasbroHanna-BarberaHarry PotterLord of the RingsGodzillaPokemonBeetlejuice Three's CompanyTrue BloodGame of ThronesUnofficial Comic Con Blog ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.Music:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––