Pop and Play

This March 11th, another season of Pop and Play is about to roll into your podcast feeds! This season, Haeny and Nathan are exploring children’s media. By talking with game designers, performers, artists, and kids, we’ll examine what it takes to make children’s media and how kids relate to it. And of course they play games and find out “what’s poppin.” 

For transcripts of this episode, to learn about our guests, and more, visit our website. 

Our music is selections from Leafeaters by Podington Bear, Licensed under CC (BY-NC) 3.0.
Pop and Play is produced by the Digital Futures Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University. 

The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the speaker to whom they are attributed. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, administration, staff or Trustees either of Teachers College or of Columbia University. 

What is Pop and Play?

A podcast from the Digital Futures Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University about play and pop culture. Professors Haeny Yoon and Nathan Holbert talk with educators, parents and kids about how they play in their work and their lives, and why play and pop culture matter.

The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the speaker to whom they are attributed. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, administration, staff or Trustees either of Teachers College or of Columbia University.

Haeny Yoon:
When school is out, I come straight home, make a bowl of ramen and turn on the TV to watch the, wait for it, Bad News Bears on Nickelodeon. My jam was a kids show about a team of little leaguers coached by a cranky old white dude.

Nathan Holbert:
That tracks. For me after school, it was all about Duck Tails. Something about Scrooge McDuck doing the backstroke through a money vault full of coins really spoke to me.

Haeny Yoon:
Money, money, money.

Nathan Holbert:
Oh, I'd also watch Tailspin.

Haeny Yoon:
Punky Brewster.

Nathan Holbert:
Sesame Street.

Haeny Yoon:
Electric Company.

Nathan Holbert:
He-Man, and the Masters of the universe.

Haeny Yoon:
He-Man? The buff guy with the blonde bob?

Nathan Holbert:
Yeah, and the Loincloth.

Haeny Yoon:
This season we're talking about children's media if you hadn't noticed. And look, television raised me. I say it facetiously, but it's true. I was home alone a lot. My parents aren't native English speakers, so television gave me a sense of the cultural landscape.

Nathan Holbert:
For me, it was a way to play with other forms of things I already loved, right? TV shows about games, cartoon characters, et cetera. It also introduced me to new ideas, genres, and experiences that I'm still into today.

Haeny Yoon:
It gave me possibilities and a sense of how people were thinking out there. When my parents didn't have the cultural insider knowledge to tell me how to navigate American life, I had TV, not as an accurate portrayal, but a way to look in.

Nathan Holbert:
This season, we're talking children's media. TV, movies, games, puppets. Join us for the conversations with media scholars, game designers, performers, artists, and of course-

Haeny Yoon:
Kids.

Nathan Holbert:
It's Pop and Play. You know we're going to talk to kids.

Haeny Yoon:
We're going to dig into what it takes to create children's media and the special relationships kids build with these characters.

Nathan Holbert:
And the reasons why we keep coming back long after we're supposed to grow out of it.

Haeny Yoon:
Hey, some of us are still kids.

Nathan Holbert:
Oh, Haeny, this is so Gen Z.

Haeny Yoon:
Thank you. Season five of Pop and Play starts March 11th, and a new episode releases each week. So be sure to subscribe with your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode.

Nathan Holbert:
And tell your friends, especially if your friends love counting.

Haeny Yoon:
Season four. Ah, ah, ah.

Nathan Holbert:
Season five. Ah, ah, ah.

Haeny Yoon:
Ah, ah. That's five.