SWOTI

We need to talk about something important: Brie and Joe's upcoming ten-year college reunion. The SWOTI hosts discuss what we're looking forward to, what we're dreading, and the deep satisfaction of baring one's midriff to bypass some of those awkward reunion interactions. Next, we turn to Miley Cyrus and the ire she's drawn from the Internet due to her recent comments about hip hop: her complicated relationship with the genre and the parts of it she views as misogynistic. Is this outrage warranted? Has Miley used hip hop as a prop to further her career only to discard it when it's convenient? Why is she being read for cultural appropriation when some of her other pop counterparts aren't? Brie and Joe then do another deep dive into cultural appropriation. What are the connotations when minorities appropriate from other minority cultures? Can Joe wear a sombrero? Can Brie wear a qipao? And, moving back to Miley, who is "allowed" to borrow from black culture and black music? One of our takeaways? All music is black music. Except #polka. And #Beethoven. Finally, we read some of our fans' iTunes comments because...it makes us feel good.

Joe and Brie are back, and they're talking about the controversial Shea Moisture advertisement that raised heckles when it excluded the black women--the very women who comprise the product's user base. What obligation does a black-owned, black-targeted hair product company have to acknowledge its base? Are black products "allowed" to expand to a more diverse audience? Would black women abandoning the company for a white-owned one teach it the desired lesson? Then, Brie & Joe discuss #wokebae Jesse Williams and his recent separation from his wife. Does it undermine one's #wokeness to couple up with a person who is seemingly not-so-woke (though is quite hot)? Finally, Joe and Brie answer questions from their #viral (viral!) interracial dating YouTube video. This last segment is available on their YouTube channel so, if you haven't yet, don't forget to watch them in action (and see pictures of the pair in college!). #thecomeupisreal

Joe and Brie discuss Dr. David Dao's violent removal from a United Airlines flight last week. To what extent did his race affect his treatment? How did it influence the public's largely sympathetic response? And how are we supposed to interpret the role of United CEO—and fellow POC—Oscar Munoz in all of this? (Hint: implicit bias is a thing.) Also, though you might have heard about Dave Chappelle's controversial jokes about trans people on his new Netflix special, there has been next to no media coverage about the part of his routine that undermines Asian masculinity. Don't worry: SWOTI is on the case. You'll want to hear this. Finally, Joe and Brie talk new career ambitions, Michelle Obama's natural hair, do a little Spice Girls karaoke, and opine on ideal running playlists. Don't forget to subscribe and comment on iTunes. Let us know what you think!

We watched Jordan Peele's revolutionary horror film "Get Out" and asked what, if any, message about interracial relationships we were supposed to draw from a horror flick about whiteness. How generalizable is the subtext about trust and authenticity? What lessons should we take from the inclusion of an Asian and Latino character in a film that otherwise draws black and white boundary lines between good and evil? Joe and Brie are joined by original SWOTI members Lyse and Chef for a particularly energetic conversation! For the last twenty minutes, Brie and Joe talk about their own interracial relationships. Brie discusses her own somewhat rare Asian Man/Black Woman pairing, and how dating a person of color differs from dating white men. Joe reflects on interracial dating in the context of a gay relationship, and unpacks anti-Asian prejudice within the community. The last twenty minutes of conversation also exists in video, so check us out on YouTube if you want to see our faces! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FY235wjGw0 Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

Nary a week goes by without the First Amendment making headlines, whether it's protests at Berkeley, Milo Yiannopoulos becoming a lightning rod for speech rights on the right (until he wasn't), Tomi Lahren's recent fall from grace, "PC Culture" corrupting college campuses, Republican congressmen snatching high school kids' paintings off the wall, or the fervor over our constitutionally-enshrined right to wear that Pocahontas costume on Halloween. In this first episode of season two, Joe and Brie break it all the way down, unpack the interests at play (including the interests of marginalized students who are often treated in a cursory fashion), and attempt to balance them all without running ink on the Constitution with snowflake tears. As usual, they interject with humor, personal anecdotes, and musical interludes from yesteryear. #dontmesswithmyman #WhereIsNiveaTho? Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

We hope you're ready, because season two of SWOTI is finally here! This week, we talk about the end times, so to speak: Trump's first seven days in office. Did we hate watch the inauguration? (Of course we did.) What did we think of the Women's March? Is social protest a way to win elections or to win wars? And is it *ever* all right to punch a Nazi? We wrap things up with a couple glads and mads: the Oscars and some other Hollywood foolishness. So pull up a chair and join the conversation as we kick off our second season!

Join us for the last episode of the season! In this one, Joe and Brie do "a year in review": what were the best "you glads" and "you mads" of 2016? They each offer up their favorites ranging from media (BoJack Horseman and The Real Housewives of NY get a shout out) to music (the Knowles sisters feature heavily) to politics (Brie's over the democratic party and alternative media gets a big thumbs up). They even dabble in a little relationship advice. Let them know what stuck with you this year in the comments, or on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr . . . well, you get the picture. Brie and Joe are taking a short break, but will be back within a month with a freshly polished media presence. So stay tuned! Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

First there was Batman v. Superman; now we have Margaret Cho v. Tilda Swinton. Was Margaret right in calling Tilda out for treating her like a "house Asian"? Is Tilda as woke as she thinks she is? Joe and Brie examine the receipts and find ourselves firmly on Team Cho. We discuss Hollywood's continued whitewashing of Asian roles, why gender diversity isn't more important that racial diversity, and also why, in the end, we might throw Tilda a bone. Next, we chat about a "Racial Bechdel Test": If two POCs talk about something other than white people, does anyone hear it? Are we less implicated than white people when it comes to cultural appropriation and racial insensitivity? And then we wrap things up with a quick "U Mad" about how Nate Parker and Casey Affleck's sexual assault allegations are being treated differently by the press. Brie offers up a theory as to why. Hint: It rhymes with "spacism." Plus ALL THE ACCENTS!

We wrap up our debrief of Brie's interview with a Trump supporter by diving into the topic of race. Namely, what’s the best way to talk about race and racism with conservatives? How do we challenge those around us without alienating them? Has race become the third rail of politics in Trump’s America? Brie and Joe butt heads about whether we should be out here shaming racists. We end with the shortest “U Glad” segment ever—we had to dig deep. Like cashews deep. Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

Finally, our long-awaited interview with a Trump supporter is here! Join Brie as she talks politics with someone outside her "bubble." Why did this person choose to vote for Donald Trump? What is one conservative's perspective on race in America and the Obama presidency? Let's just say someone is very, very wrong on the internet. Joe and Brie then debrief the conversation and talk about the challenge of talking to individuals who disagree with your values, and how asking for the receipts isn't possible when said receipts are...figments. Hold on to the edge of your seats!

Join us around the table to talk turkey! It's Thanksgiving, and we're giving a voyeuristic peak into our families' respective traditions from Korean bonchon to Luther Vandross and wine. We're also reflecting on what we're thankful for and how we're feeling two weeks after this momentous election. Stick around until the end, when we give you a taste of Brie's authentic Thanksgiving playlist! Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

It's been quite the week. Join us as we comfort each other, attempt to figure out what went wrong, investigate how the media failed us, and figure out how to fix this thing going forward. Also, stick around for our "U Glad?" segment in which we discuss Donald Glover's near-perfect dramady "Atlanta" on FX, with a focus on the ambiguous messaging in the ambitious "trans-racial" episode. Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

In these last days before the 2016 presidential election, we tackle the declining black voter turnout, and discuss substantive reasons why black voters might be less enthusiastic about a Clinton presidency. We also address the implications of Deray McKesson's Clinton endorsement, and close with a light hearted discussion of the new Gilmore Girls episodes premiering later this month. Does the show hold up? We'll tell you. Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit

Is now the time for a 3rd party candidate? Join us for a discussion of the merits of "protest" voting, and then unwind with chat about Issa Rae's new HBO show insecure. What were our expectations? Did the show live up to them? Do we ask more of shows featuring underrepresented stories than we do of "mainstream" (read white) shows? Is that fair?

Join us for an in-depth discussion of controversial film Birth of a Nation. Should you see it? We'll let you know! We discuss both the substantive merit of the film, the ethical dilemma presented by the actions of it's creator and star against whom a late nineties rape allegation recently became public knowledge, and the ways in which reviews of the film are influenced by the politics surrounding Nate Parker. The "U Mad?" segment features a discussion of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her comments about Colin Kaepernick's protest. Theme song: "Sorry" by Comfort Fit