Sign in Subscribe
Episodes
Writings on culture, identity, and a bunch of other things from Emily St. James.

Latest

Sep
03
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom, Jr., both in all black suits, perform on a large stage.

Why is Hamilton mostly remembered for the things it's not?

The musical, now 10 years old, seems forever defined by the political moment in which it debuted.
8 min read
Sep
01
The cover of Sabrina Carpenter's Man's Best Friend features her leaning by a man's crotch as he holds her blonde hair like a leash.

Episodes Monday Rundown August 25 - 31 2025

11 min read
Aug
29
The famously enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa, perhaps the most famous painting ever created.

Maybe AI could make something interesting. It couldn't make "art."

6 min read
Aug
25
A white, blonde woman with blue eyes, clad all in white, wearing a crown of sticks, leans toward camera in close-up.

Episodes Monday Rundown August 18 - 24 2025

10 min read
Aug
22
Greta Gerwig -- with wavy blonde hair and a top that makes her boobs look AMAZING -- talks to a brunette man whose face we can't see on a sitcom set.

August mailbag

10 min read
Aug
20
Hildy and Walter talk on the phone in the immortal black and white classic His Girl Friday.

How I write (hopefully) effective dialogue

Here's some advice for you to take or leave.
11 min read
Aug
18

Submit your August mailbag questions!

1 min read
Aug
18
Joaquin Phoenix, in a white cowboy hat and white sheriff's shirt, holds a radio and points at someone off-camera.

Episodes Monday Rundown August 11 - 17 2025

12 min read
Aug
15
A child runs across a street in silhouette, their arms spread out wide to the side.

What Weapons is "about"

13 min read
Aug
11
A girl in wolf fur and a shell necklace rides atop the back of an enormous white wolf in a forest setting.

Episodes Monday Rundown August 4 - 10 2025

13 min read