Houselights from The State News

For Women's History Month, co-hosts Liz Nass and Claire Donohoe gush about their favorite women creating amazing art across the entertainment industry.

What is Houselights from The State News?

The State News discusses issues and the cultural impact of entertainment news including TV & film, fashion, music and more.

Liz:

Welcome back to House Lights, your one stop shop for everything you need to hear about this week in the world of entertainment. As always, I'm your host, Liz Nass, by my beautiful, wonderful cohost. Claire Donahoe. And I just thank women. Today, we're gonna talk about women and women's history month and just some of our favorite women in entertainment, in books and movies and And shows and Yeah, there's a lot of women out there that we want to Thank God.

Claire:

Yeah. And just as a quick disclaimer, there are absolutely going to be some that we forget to thank or mention. These are just some of our personal favorites that we thought to talk about today just off the top of our heads. So if you're watching and we don't mention you, we're sorry.

Liz:

Yeah. I feel like It's nothing personal. This they're watching. Right. I think that this episode is, like, a really good, I don't know, showcase for people who are like, name a woman, and then they can't name any women.

Liz:

There's lot of women on this one.

Claire:

Take some recommendations from us on women in entertainment.

Liz:

Since we are the final say Obviously. On women in entertainment, I think you should give a little bit of the fun historical background that you Let's do some

Claire:

some quick bullet points stolen from various places on the Internet. She did not cite her sources. I didn't. I cited one. So I'll start with the quote.

Claire:

Overall consensus between 1929 and 2025, quote, Of the 13,653 nominees at the Academy Awards since 1929, '17 point '6 percent were women and 82.4% were men. The ratio of men to women nominees was five to one. 17 percent of all winners across the last ninety seven years were women, and less of less than 2% of nominees were women of color. That is from the inclusion list.

Liz:

And

Claire:

also just reinforces why we're talking about this today

Liz:

and how we should always

Claire:

be celebrating women in entertainment. So we're gonna run through a couple of names. This is not a full all encompassing list, but I just thought this was interesting. The first woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award was Betty White. I didn't know

Liz:

that. I love Betty White, so I was really love Golden Girls. Yes. Also, she was a game show host.

Claire:

Yeah. That's what she won it for. That's awesome. Outstanding game show host. The first woman to win a Grammy award was the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald.

Claire:

And then the first woman to win an Oscar at the first Oscars, I believe, in 1929 was Janet Gaynor, who unfortunately I'd never heard of prior to that, but now I know. In terms of records, Streep has the most Oscar nominations of all time with 21 nominations and three wins. Katherine Hepburn holds the record for most acting Oscars with four wins, all for best actress. And then Ariana or Ariana DeBose made history in 2022 as the first openly queer actor of color and the first Afro Latina actress to win an Oscar.

Liz:

I think it's it's it's interesting when you're like, yeah, the first Oscars because, like, I feel like they've always had an actor and actress category. And it's kind of weird that the nominations were 17.6% women. But technically, it was like

Claire:

There should be a

Liz:

category. 50% men. But then it's like, Okay, you bring in directing and all that. So like truly, probably for a while, it was like they were only nominated for like acting. Mhmm.

Liz:

Instead of directing and costumes and all that stuff. That's a good point.

Claire:

There also are things like the Women in Entertainment Gala held by the Hollywood Reporters Reports.

Liz:

Hollywood Reporter.

Claire:

Thank you so much. That was a typo on my end, on my notes. I'm glad to have you Always here. Fix that for me. Then there's like, know, collect not collections.

Claire:

What's the word? Groups? Mhmm. Organization. Thank you.

Claire:

Oh, god. Organizations like women in entertainment, women in media, like you can join nationally or like be a part of if you're in that

Liz:

group. Nice.

Claire:

So, yeah, that's just a little bit of a brief history. And by brief, mean extremely

Liz:

because Extremely. A couple of throws.

Claire:

Just a couple things to get us started here. Because the main point of this episode is for me and Liz, of course, to share our very important pressing takes on women in entertainment. So you can continue looking up the history in your own time, as we encourage you to do.

Liz:

And we're just going to start talking.

Claire:

Let's begin. So let's begin.

Liz:

So what isso, I don't know. The first thing is music, right? Want to talk about our favorite women in music. And you put down Olivia Rodrigo and how she uses her platform. I wanna know a little bit about

Claire:

what you mean by I like Olivia Rodrigo's music, and I also like how she utilizes her platform and stardom to talk about things things going on in the world. I'd say from a fan perspective, it seems to me like her biggest topic that she uses her platform for is women's health care and abortion rights and such. And I feel like she's always kind of supporting, like, Planned Parenthood or something of that nature Yeah. Frequently on social media and at her tours. So I like that she uses her platform for that, she just seems really cool.

Claire:

That's really it. That's I just like her a

Liz:

lot. That's really it. I want to put out first Lady Gaga. Mostly because I also want to talk about the album a little bit. This is not actually the topic is not actually women media.

Liz:

It's me talking about mayhem. But I'm sorry, changing it. I'm really, really great album. Have you listened to it yet? I have not.

Liz:

Have you listened to the singles? Like disease or abracadabra?

Claire:

Abracadabra. Yes.

Liz:

What do think of that?

Claire:

I liked it.

Liz:

That's awesome. Are you? I feel like you're not a Lady Gaga Stan, though.

Claire:

I'm not. Stan is a really like, firm word there. I'm a fan of hers. Yeah. I just watched actually her w mag exploring ASMR video.

Claire:

Yes. She was phenomenal.

Liz:

I was thinking about her video of I think it's with Vogue. She goes through, like, a bunch of her looks. And it's just, like, forty five minutes of her, like, explaining why each look was, like, pertinent to the era that she's in. And you know what? I love Taylor Swift so much.

Liz:

She's actually on my list, or actually Claire told me to put her on my list because Well, I said thought that I was going to say I

Claire:

just said I'm surprised you haven't

Liz:

But I'm going to. I feel like low key, Lady Gaga did the era before Taylor Swift did. Oh, Because Lady Gaga very much had distinct eras in her. I mean, I think that that can be said about a lot of different artists. Mhmm.

Liz:

But, like, Lady Gaga did it before, like, eras to her and everything. Okay. And it's interesting with this album, she was saying that she's kinda sick of doing, like, eras of her music. Because, like, when she thinks about the Fame Monster and the Fame and Born This Way, she thinks about, like, very, like, dark pop, stuff like that. And then you get into art pop, and it's kinda, like, weird and, like, EDM y.

Liz:

And then, you know, art pop got such a bad review that she then went straight to country with Joanne. And then she decided to come back to pop and do Chromatica. That wasn't taken very well, because it was kind of like bubblegum poppy and not, like, great, in my opinion. I don't really like Chromatica that much. And then Mayhem, now, she was like, it's my return to dark pop, but she's also trying out a a couple different things.

Liz:

She has, like, a couple, like, grungy, like, perfect celebrity and disease and abracadabra, I would say, like, kind of her grungy, born this way, the fame monster era. And then she switches in halfway through this album to, like, songs like Killah and Zombie Boy, and they're, like, kind of groovy. They're, like, kind of, like, seventies. And then she does, like, her like, I feel like on every album, she has this, like, really, like, power ballad, and she does Blade of Grass at the end of it. And and Die a Smile is also this album, which is very weird.

Liz:

That one, I actually don't support that being on the album because Die With a Smile is totally different era, but I guess, again, she's, like, trying to get out of that. But, like, Die With A Smile is just, like, not what I think of, like, when I think of Lady Gaga music. Well, then, of course, she had her Tony Bennett era, where she was doing jazz all the time. She kind of mixed Harlequin in that, which that's a separate story. We don't talk about Joker two.

Liz:

And then there's and then her Star Is Born era when she was, like, acting. And that honestly, great music came out of that. Yeah.

Claire:

It was great.

Liz:

Yes. I love that soundtrack.

Claire:

I recently saw that movie for the first time.

Liz:

Really? What'd you think? I really liked it. It's not what

Claire:

I thought it was gonna be. But I guess I didn't really that's a lie. I knew enough about it. Like, I kinda knew what I was walking into, but I was still unprepared somehow for, like, the emotional journey that I felt like I was on. The musical's really great.

Liz:

Yeah. I wanna watch, like, the oldest Star Is Borns. I've just never gotten around to it. Like, I think Judy Garland wasn't one. But I I could be wrong.

Liz:

Don't listen to that. But, yeah, I wanna watch the old Star Is Borns. But I saw on InstagramI'm sure you saw in my story. Was very upset. Mhmm.

Liz:

I saw an Instagram post that was like, Mayhem is the most critically acclaimed album now on Metacritic for Lady Gaga. And I was like, What? Because Mayhem is a good album. I think that there's maybe one or two skips on the album, specifically, Vanish Into You, as well as Love Drug, I think, is probably the other one. I like everything else.

Liz:

Love The Beast is a standout. I feel like that one's, like, very much buried in the album, but that's a really, really good one. But I justI don't think that Mayhem is, like, her best album. I think that Artpop is literally looking at you in the face, asking you, Please give me the credit that I deserve, and then you don't do it. Art pop is a great album.

Liz:

And I feel like, among Lady Gaga fans, like, that is like the album that got screwed over. And, like, everyone's like, Leave Chromatica and listen to art pop because it's, like, 10,000 times better. Anyways, it just got a really bad rep. She was working with, like, weird I watched, like, an hour and a half long video essay, like, a year ago on this. I just feel very passionate about it.

Liz:

Yes. That album, no skips, one of my favorite albums of all time, anyways. And then, also, Born This Way is just like no skips. No skip album, Born This Way. So, anyways, for people to say that Mayhem is the most critically acclaimed, it's a great album.

Liz:

Don't get me wrong. I think she's coming back into her stride, but it's not the best album. Anyways, I think Lady Gaga is one of my favorite female performers. Yeah.

Claire:

Women. We appreciate the passion that you have for Lady Yes. I'm just gonna rattle off a few in addition to Olivia Rodrigo, I recently did a project on Stevie Nicks, I spent a lot of time watching interviews and listening to her music for a class. And I just love her. I just think she's really cool.

Claire:

Beyonce, Adele, obviously, Chapel Roan.

Liz:

Chapel Roan.

Claire:

And then Doce. I've really become a Doce fan recently. I think she's just awesome. I mean, need I say need I say anymore?

Liz:

That album is just again, that's that's a No Skip album. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. We our our house has been listening to that Yes.

Liz:

Album quite a bit Yes. Recently. In that same vein, I wanna add a couple to my list. Megan Thee Stallion. Mhmm.

Liz:

I wanna throw out Flo Milley, who is a mountainebaby. Yes.

Claire:

Oh my Tate McCray? I just thought of that because Tate McCray and Flo Milley are on a song together.

Liz:

Oh my god.

Claire:

Tate's newest album.

Liz:

I haven't listened to that album yet.

Claire:

Oh. Do you wanna give a Talk about no skip. Really? That's a lie. I haven't heard a couple of the songs, so I don't know if it's No Skip.

Claire:

But to me, Tate McCray is To

Liz:

me, where the album stops

Claire:

for you, because you haven't listened me, Tate McCray is incredible. I think she's so great. And you know what? I'm gonna say it. I'm gonna say that I been with Tate McCray since she was posting covers on YouTube when we were in, like, middle school slash early high school because she's 21, which is also astounding to me.

Claire:

Yeah. So anyway, she's on a

Liz:

song with She's 21?

Claire:

She's 21. She was born in 02/2004.

Liz:

I have nothing to say to that.

Claire:

Yeah. She's brilliant. Love her. She was on no.

Liz:

She wasn't. I was about to lie and say she was on Dance Moms. No. You know who was on Dance Moms? Tall Girl.

Claire:

Yeah. That's true. This is true.

Liz:

But Tae McCray was a dancer before, so that's why.

Claire:

Yes.

Liz:

Yes. But anyways.

Claire:

Yeah, she's brilliant. So her song Blood on My Hands with Flo Milli and then Revolving Door, I would give those two a listen. Sports Car is great. Means I Care, also great. Just listen to the album, everyone.

Claire:

Feel very strongly about Anyway, sorry, Carrie.

Liz:

I will say I think I gave Tate McCray a bad rap at first because when she first started releasing music, everyone was comparing her being like, She's gonna be the new Britney Spears. Yeah, a And I talk about women I love in music industry. I love Britney Spears.

Claire:

Yep.

Liz:

I grew up with Britney Spears. The In the Zone albumI'm hitting my necklace, so sorry. It's gonna be just, like, off the microphone. But the In the Zone album with Toxic on it, whole album talk about No Scape album, In the Zone, 02/2003. Boom.

Liz:

Listen to it. But, anyways, like, I was just like, you could not be Britney Spears. Like, whatever.

Claire:

Yeah. Tae McCrae, now that

Liz:

I've started listening to her music, she's pretty fire. Yeah. And she's a performer.

Claire:

She just because the dance background and she's she's good live, too, because she got her start from just posting, like, acoustic covers on YouTube.

Liz:

Yeah. It's kind of

Claire:

like Sean Mendes. Kind of like Conan Gray. We can't mention men right now.

Liz:

No, I was about to say, you the way you feel about Tate McCray about, like, I watched her since she was on YouTube is how I feel about Conan Gray and Choi Sivan.

Claire:

That's for another episode.

Liz:

But that's for another episode. Sorry, males.

Claire:

Get out of the room. I'd like to also point out some

Liz:

I don't

Claire:

want to say smaller artists, but just people that I think everyone should know about if you don't already. I'm gonna say Jensen McCray. I'm gonna say Katie Gregson McLoyd. And I'm gonna say Olivia Dean.

Liz:

I've only heard of Jensen McCray because of you.

Claire:

Must. So? Must listen to her more. Like, non negotiable. She's releasing something in the spring.

Claire:

I think it might take me out Some

Liz:

smaller art. Okay. If you're throwing out some

Claire:

smaller artists, I'm gonna throw out Some recommendations.

Liz:

Liana Firestone Okay. Is one for me. I'm gonna throw out a brand new one that I just heard of. Hold up. Oh my god.

Liz:

On my Spotify.

Claire:

Odie Lee. O d I e l

Liz:

e I e. Yes.

Claire:

Top artist of 2024 for me. Well, top song. Mercer Henderson. Okay.

Liz:

Is brand new. Almost So Close Maybe is a really great song. Recently, I've been listening to a lot of Megan Maroney, who's, like, a country Yeah. Artist. She's great.

Liz:

I was trying to think because I had another one that was, like, sort of, like, underground. I don't know. I forgot. But someone oh my god. It's playing oh, wait.

Liz:

It's playing the musical about women's suffrage. Wow. Thank you, phone. Tie in. Anyways so what was I saying?

Liz:

Oh, Addison Rae.

Claire:

She's not a smaller.

Liz:

No, she's not. But I just wanted to give her a shout out because talk about a a woman that came from the bottom, and now it's like not the bottom.

Claire:

TikTok dancing is

Liz:

so TikTok dancing feels like the bottom. But, like, she's, like, now bigger than, like, Dixie and Charlie and all of them. So Boom. Boom.

Claire:

Shall we move on to books?

Liz:

Shirley X.

Claire:

Oh, duh. Sorry. Books and journalists

Liz:

and writers in Yes. Would love to.

Claire:

Kick us off, please.

Liz:

I wouldyes, of course. I want to throw out a shout out to some female journalists that I really look up to. They all start with Ks, which is interesting. Or three of them start with Ks. Caitlin Collins on CNN.

Liz:

Okay. Love to see her coming. She's just so great. She asks great questions. Me and my roommate talk about her all the time.

Liz:

Katie Tur, she covered the first Trump campaign. And she wrote a really great memoir called Unbelievable, and everyone should read it. It is I think I literally read the book in one day, because she's just, like, really good at just, like, talking about, like, her relationship with journalism after, like, sort of, like, the start of, like, the rise of, like, fake news and everything, and, like, you know, this sort of thing that the Trump administration, like, didn't start but obviously capitalized off of, of, like, the fake news genre and her working for, I guess, more, like, what people assume as left leaning media. Mhmm. It was just really, really interesting.

Liz:

And then Classico, Katie Couric, great broadcast journalist. I'm not a broadcast person, obviously. Well, obviously, I'm on a podcast right now. But I'm a I'm a print person, but I feel like when you're a kid and you, like, want to do the news, you're like, oh my god. I want be like Katie Couric.

Liz:

So there's that. And then I want to throw out a former snoozer, who is awesome, who is on ESPN, does great stuff, Jamelle Hill. She also has her own memoir. But, yeah, she's also super inspiring. Yeah.

Liz:

Yeah. Your

Claire:

turn. On the topic of broadcast, I'm gonna quickly shout out. I don't know much about them, but I just grew up watching them and I find such like a comfort from these two women. The hosts of the Today show, which would be Savannah Guthrie, Guthrie, and

Liz:

Hoda.

Claire:

I love Hoda.

Liz:

I was supposed to meet Hoda What? In 2020. Oh my god. I was going to this, like, journal this journalism conference for high schoolers. And then the COVID happened.

Claire:

Damn it.

Liz:

And I didn't get to meet and I didn't get to meet Hoda. That's so sad. I know. I know. Yeah.

Liz:

See you had

Claire:

a hard

Liz:

save. I'm gonna come in

Claire:

with some authors. Mary Oliver, poet, writer, love. Anne Patchett, she's a novelist. She also writes, like, personal essays. And she was my first introduction to what a collection of, like, personal essays or, like, a more memoir style book could be.

Claire:

And she just holds a a special place in my heart. Shout out to my good friend Molly Melnick, who recommended This is a Story of a Happy Marriage, which everyone should read. And I have given it to Miss Liz, who's currently

Liz:

Which it's currently sitting on reading. I'm reading it.

Claire:

Right. She's currently reading it, obviously. And then we are both currently reading quite a bit of Joan Didion because we are in a Joan Didion class and also because she did a lot for journalism, new journalism, specifically,

Liz:

as a woman? I've been loving reading this. In the seventies. I'm almost there, because, like, we read some of Slouching Towards Bethlehem for our

Claire:

I read the

Liz:

whole thing. Class. Clay read the whole thing. I'm working on reading the whole thing. Almost there.

Liz:

Okay? And then we're reading political fictions. We've we've read a little bit of just, like, one off essays and stuff. Yeah. I wow.

Liz:

What a great writer. And I say as everyone else agrees and nods, it's like, oh, like, oh, Liz, what a crazy hot take that you like Joan Didion. Anyways. But, yeah. Well, yes.

Liz:

Insane writer. Well, yes.

Claire:

And moving on to actors, directors, etcetera. Anything to do with shows or movies. I have a lot here, So I think I'm just going to, like, rapid fire list Yeah. Because many of these are just kind of like everyone should be nodding. Directors, Greta Gerwig.

Claire:

Need I say more? Thinking then about the entire cast, specifically the female cast of Little Women, just excellent. Some actors I just like. And if, like, they're on a they're doing an interview, they're a guest on a podcast, they're in a movie show, I'm seeing it. Forgot to say Kristen Bell, but she's on here.

Claire:

Anne Hathaway, Emma Stone, Amanda Seyfried, Emma Watson, Jennifer Aniston, Zendaya, Quinta Brunson, Io Adebri, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis. I'll say Margot Robbie for Barbie. I think that did a lot for its time. And I will now say

Liz:

For its time a year ago?

Claire:

Right. Well, at the time I mean, some we Barbie's a whole separate thing. But Margot Robbie being the face of Barbie, like, I I mentioned her for that. Okay. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, just because I think that they're These are just women that, like If you're in the bathroom and need a tampon, they don't You don't even have to ask.

Claire:

They're sliding you on under the That's cool. They have a hair tie for you.

Liz:

Yeah. Say what

Claire:

you want about Cynthia Rivo and Ariana Grande. They're gonna have your back. Yeah. They see you crying in public. They don't even say anything.

Claire:

They just put a loving hand on your shoulder and produce a tissue from their big, beautiful bag that they're carrying with them. You know, I just feel like I'd be safe with all of these women, from the variety of knowledge I know about all of them, which is not a ton. It's Yeah, it's varied. I'd also like to talk about Oprah and how she revolutionized daytime TV. And my dad and I were talking about Oprah a couple of months ago.

Claire:

And he was explaining, like, Oprah's pull to me, because I remember Oprah being on as a young, young child, but obviously, like, not in the big wave. Like, we weren't old enough to be, like, going to her shows, and, like, sitting in the live audience, etc. And my dad was explaining it to me. He's like, yeah, if Oprah put it on the book list, it was getting read. And I'm like, so she was the original influencer of the time?

Claire:

Yeah. And he was like, yes, exactly. Like,

Liz:

Oprah Oprah Book Club started, like, all those other Oh, yeah. Book clubs.

Claire:

Yeah. Oprah promoted a brand of sunglasses sold out on the site. Like, just stuff like that. Also, I just think people felt very safe with Oprah. And I think it from what I have seen of her show and, like, any interview she's been in, she just she makes you want to answer her questions in a very, like Yeah.

Claire:

Trusting and good way. So I just needed to shout out Oprah.

Liz:

Okay. I The that you're talking about, like, oh, she just like it just makes people want to, like, answer questions. I forgot to put this on the journalist's list. That's how I feel about Barbara Walters. I grew up watching a lot of Barbara Walters interviews and fire.

Liz:

Fire. I mean, insane. So I wanna shout out in this category a couple female directors because you said Please. Craig Gerwig, and I was like, you know, we were talking about there haven't been a lot of female directors that actually get a lot of, you know Recognition. Recognition.

Liz:

Right. So I wanna throw out Sofia Coppola. It was one of my favorites. Okay. Love Nora Ephron is a great, like, you know, back in the day comedy writer.

Liz:

Julia Louis Dreyfus is someone I also wanna talk about. And, like, actresses Mhmm. She's amazing. I mean, she's been around forever, but she, like, has created some of, like, the most iconic characters. Like, I think about Seinfeld, I think about, like, Veep.

Liz:

Love her. I'm trying to think I swear I had more female directors. But there was one other, like, sort of, like, lesser known, I guess, female director that I want shout out. Her name is Jane wait, how do I say that? Jane Schoenbrunn.

Liz:

She directed I Saw the TV Glow and We're All Going to the World's Fair. And, like, we're all going to World's Fair, like, changed my life. Like, it was, like it's just really great. She I mean, I think once yeah. I mean, she she's had, like, good production like, pick them up.

Liz:

We're all going to the World's Fair didn't get a lot of recognition. It was, like, very Sundance y, but then I saw the TV glow was getting a lot of rec recognition. I think that within the next five years, like, Oscar for directing.

Claire:

Love it.

Liz:

Like, I'm gonna put that I'm gonna put that prediction down now, Jane. If you wanna, like, log that in for, like, some sort of, like, hype up video for your Oscar campaign the next five years, please do, because I yeah. Period. I want to talk about, in the same vein as I O, I want to talk about Rachel Senneth. Okay.

Liz:

Who has really just, like, I don't know, shown up for me. Love like, she has shown up for me. Absolutely love her in Bottoms. I loved her in Bodies Bodies Bodies. I loved her in Shiva Baby.

Liz:

All of those movies recommend, like, to the, like, big like, the utmost extent. Like, Love. I'm trying to think of other actor. I feel like I did a lot of directors.

Claire:

There's gonna be so many that once this episode is done,

Liz:

I'm gonna That I just absolutely love. I'm gonna jump on with Zendaya, of course.

Claire:

Just like I feel like outside of the PR and ways we experience them, I just also feel like I just would like to talk to Zendaya. Oh, for sure. Like, a lot of people on this list, like, I like their work and I like what they've been in. And then from what I've seen of them I'm gonna also put Millie Bobby Brown because I was just watching her on Call Her Daddy, and I also love her work. But just as a person, I'm like, I just like you.

Claire:

I just feel like it'd be good to chat with you.

Liz:

I saw can I go into, like, the other women we love really Because I wanted to throw out there Emma Chamberlain because you were talking about like, that's, I mean, iconic, influential for the young teenage

Claire:

And people readjust my posture here? Oh, People get on her case or like they they get upset with Emma Chamberlain like she's too one dimensional or, like, she's boring. She or not even that she's boring, but, like, just she gets critique in a way that I can't even fully describe because I think it's ridiculous. At the end of the day, whether or not you like her or you still watch her videos when they come out or you listen to her podcast, whatever it is, you cannot deny the grip she had on people our age. No, literally.

Claire:

Specifically young women.

Liz:

On her fashion. She was 16 years old, making, like, every Route 21, Forever 20 1 pick up all of her clothing.

Claire:

Yes. Yes. She was, like, one of the main reasons I personally started thrifting and thinking that it was, like, a fun activity to, like, put on a to do list or something to do with friends.

Liz:

Iced almond milk lattes. Because of her. She's a coffee Really?

Claire:

Did you see? Yeah. Didn't know that did. She has a coffee brand, but she

Liz:

come in the That's crazy. Because of a cafe. Wow. Anyway. No, like, it I just love that.

Liz:

And, like, people had, like, Chapstick, like, stickers and stuff. Yes. Like, it was I can't even describe the hole that she has. And here's the thing, like, people universal to, like, all the women on this list Mhmm. Where she sort of fell into this, like, she was so popular and influential for, like, teenage girls around a certain time that when she started to grow up with us, people were like, ugh.

Liz:

I miss the old Emma Chamberlain. Yes. I miss that, like, nostalgia factor. Well, she's growing with us. Yeah.

Liz:

You're not the same person you were when you were 16, 17, so why do you expect her to be? Yeah. It's just that she, all of a sudden, you're not parasocially being able to, like, connect with her because she is also changing. Same

Claire:

goes with Millie Bobby Brown. Right. The title of the Caller Daddy episode that she guest on is called Not 11 Forever. 11 in Stranger Things, but also a call to being, like, 11 years old, which she's like, I started my career a decade ago, And people either like can't understand that I've grown up and matured or on the complete opposite side, they're like hypersexualizing me and like, now doing a bunch of other, like, weird stuff. Like, why can't people just understand, like, I'm 21.

Claire:

This is what's happening. Yeah. I grew up from being 11. I'm also not 30, 40, like, age dysphoria. People are having well, age problems with.

Liz:

Yeah. Well, people did that immediately with Billie Eilish. Oh, the minute she turned 18, they were like, over sexualizing her. And it's like, Oh, you were just waiting for?

Claire:

Yeah. Very weird. Like, when the parasocial relations parasocial relationships in general, but when they, yeah, pertain to women, there's a layer of like, I mean, need this isn't a revolutionary new thought, but like, need we even really say, like, a layer of sexualization that comes into it as well. Which I guess you can see for men, too. But I feel like with women, it's always something that they have to address.

Claire:

Like, Emma Chamberlain has addressed the whole, like, people keep saying this to old Emma. It's like, yeah. And I used to do those things, now I do these things. And, like, they don't owe you a certain type of content or production situation. Well, I feel like And they always have to address it, which, like, makes you feel bad.

Claire:

Like, in every interview you see with, like, a younger woman maybe started her career in entertainment a bit younger, there is going to be a question about what's your response to fans wishing you did the old stuff still? Or, you know, the guest just brings it up on their own accord. But like, you don't see that as much with a man does not feel as compelled or asked or anything to do something like that.

Liz:

Right. And I think there's a really interesting part in, like, Taylor Swift's Netflix documentary, where she's saying that, like, every couple years, like, you have to change who you are and be fresh and be new, or else, like, the world is gonna get bored of you. Yeah. And, like, they just like, people don't ask the same of, like, male performers.

Claire:

Oh, yeah. They call it, like, consistent or, like, building your brand. Right. And that it's like when a woman does it, It's, it's either you're changing too much, or you're changing not enough, right, you're too boring, or you're too not giving us what we want from you. It's just like, stupid.

Liz:

Yeah. It's stupid. Talking about changing in branding, I saw you put Call Her Daddy on this Yes.

Claire:

So I used to not be a huge fan of Call Her Daddy when it was, like, in its boom. Yeah. Because I just just wasn't for me. Now that Alex Cooper does it by herself, and she's taken more of a interview interview approach. I have really liked it a lot more.

Claire:

And I like that I just I also am biased because I just like the guests that she pulls on the show. And recently, I saw the Monica Lewinsky interview, which I saw you put Monica on here. And then, like, just keep saying the Millie Bobby Brown interview. And then I've watched a couple more from, like, actresses from, like, Pretty Little Liars that have come back on. Like, Shay Mitchell was on and, like

Liz:

Every Pretty Little Liars cast member

Claire:

should

Liz:

be on my Oh, Lucy Hale.

Claire:

I love Lucy Hale. I love her. Anyway. So, yeah, I just I like what Alex Cooper's doing a little bit more now in comparison to what she was doing, like, five, six years ago with the whole, like, her and her co host. Then I just like the era that it's in.

Liz:

I'm gonna say I love this era. I love that she's doing this. I think she's a very conversational interviewer. Mhmm. She's really, like, in her prime now.

Liz:

Like, I really think that, like, this is her stride as a podcaster. Was also a fan when it was a sex podcast. Like, I think that there it's interesting when people are like, oh, well, she's just, like she's totally changed her tune. She's way more feminist now. And it's like, who's to say that a woman talking about her sex life isn't just as feminist as pulling on?

Liz:

And, you know, there were in the very early episodes, and she said this herself, there were some messaging that maybe was not exactly empowering empowering to women. But it's like but in a way, just her having that platform to kind of just explain her own sex life, whether that be all the time super feminist or, like, yeah, you know, I've done things that maybe aren't super feminist, then it's dead zone. That is really a feminist thing.

Claire:

I think she changed a

Liz:

lot of

Claire:

conversation about not just, like, sex between women feeling comfortable to share, but, like, publicly being able to engage in conversations, and like normalizing it a bit. Yes, there was some ways in which she was doing so in kind of an extreme way. But at the end of the day, you brought her and she still has notes of that in her current episodes. Think now she also focuses she has other types of like questions she asks her interviewees, which it's still traces of like the OG kind of like sex podcast she was going for.

Liz:

But I

Claire:

agree with you like, you also just can't make everyone happy.

Liz:

No, you can't.

Claire:

Also, this just goes back to the thing that I feel like I'm constantly saying whenever I talk about her is like, if you don't like it, just don't. Don't consume it. Don't leave a hate.

Liz:

People love being rage baited, though.

Claire:

But it's like, leave a hate comment like, oh, Call Her Daddy's the stupid est podcast. How about you just take five minutes and find another one? Or find a hobby. Or stop hating women.

Liz:

You're hating on the Internet or you're hating women. Maybe just get a hobby.

Claire:

In On the topic of podcasts, I'm gonna say, which I feel like I say in every episode, Binchtopia, that's B I N C H T O P I A, with Julia Havva and Eliza McLamb. That podcast changed my life. I'm gonna look you right in the eye when I say it. That podcast has changed my I'm still having a story. Have I was about to say that I have put almost every one of my close female friends onto Bingtopia.

Claire:

My roommates have started listening to it. My friends from home have started listening to it. Liz is gonna start listening to it. Incredible. Right, Liz?

Claire:

You're gonna start

Liz:

listening to Just when I start reading that book that you gave me?

Claire:

Yes. It's a culture commentary podcast, and they do a really great job of like, taking well, they do like advice sessions and like Reddit threads and just like they laugh, they're just funny. But they also do more like historical, the historical side of a concept or like a social norm, if you will. They teach you about it, and then they kind of apply it very seamlessly into a real world application. So I'm learning, I'm laughing, I'm getting a feel for what we're talking about.

Claire:

I'm walking away empowered. Also, their lingo is incredible. Just you have to listen to it. Everyone has to listen to it. I'll never stop talking about it, ever.

Liz:

I wanna throw out something that we didn't have on our notes really Female athletes. Oh. And I specifically don't watch a lot of sports, but I really love tennis. So I wanna throw out also, just one of my favorite, like, celebrities, you know, as far as athletes go. I really love Coco Goff.

Claire:

Oh.

Liz:

I find Coco Goff so interesting. So, like I don't know. She's just, like, so cool and, like, sweet, but also, like, kind of a badass whenever she talks.

Claire:

Well, yeah.

Liz:

She's so unapologetically her and she's so young. She's, like I think she's, like, 22. Mhmm. So, yeah, Coco Goff, insane. I really like Seblanca.

Liz:

She's I don't remember what country she's from. She's she's not a US Tennis Player. And then, of course, Venus Williams. I'm gonna throw out there. I also wanna throw out the Olympic the Olympic lady that was that blew up, Ilona

Claire:

Mayer. Oh, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Claire:

Also on Dancing with the Stars.

Liz:

Yes.

Claire:

Yes. She's great. I think she did you see that interview clip where someone asked her if a woman actually asked her, how does it you know, do you ever have like, basically beats around the bush to say imposter syndrome, or something and I was like, I actually just like don't have that. Just like full stop. Then I was like, wow, like, that's and she's like, almost trying to get her to admit that she does, because it's expected that a woman in such quick social and athletic success might feel that way.

Claire:

Strange. And she was like, Yeah, no, like, I know in my heart that everything I've like, I've worked for this. So it's happening and not in like a rude, snippy way. No, I'm, I'm not doing the clip justice. But it was awesome.

Claire:

Like her messaging around feeling bad for taking up space in an athletic or social situation is very powerful. And I feel like I'm glad that she says what she says on that topic.

Liz:

Yeah, that's amazing. And then I just wanna throw out one that's in the modeling world that I really I really love Alex Kansani.

Claire:

Oh, yeah.

Liz:

Yeah. Yeah. She's so she's so funny. Like, I not I mean, her looks insane, but then, like, her social media presence and, like, her during interviews, she's, like, actually one of the most, like, funny, entertaining people I've ever seen ever.

Claire:

Love it. Yeah. I I can't think I'm thinking of Nicole Kidman. Oh.

Liz:

I'm gonna say was just thinking about her.

Claire:

I'm thinking about her. Daisy Edgar Jones right now. Wow. I'm also thinking about all of Boy Genius. We didn't mention them.

Liz:

Oh, that's good.

Claire:

There's so many women.

Liz:

There's so many women.

Claire:

So many things. And that support other women publicly, behind the scenes. It's incredible stuff. It's incredible stuff. I say this, like, some people don't know that, though.

Claire:

And they don't care to, to learn. And that's why we're here today to tell you about our favorite women on We're actually an educational podcast. And we're talking about women things you should know.

Liz:

Yeah.

Claire:

So any other thoughts? I don't think so.

Liz:

I guess I the other thing I want to throw out is like, there's so many movies that in like books and just media in general, that like captures the female experience so well. Mhmm. That I feel like it's hard for me to even, like, throw out, like, so like Right. But, like, find those and consume them. Yes.

Liz:

Because, like, I'm immediately thinking of, like, The Farewell because it's about, like, a woman who's dealing with her grandmother is dying. And that's just, like that that will be, like, one of my, I guess, like, movie recommendations of all time, The Farewell. It's amazing. But there's so many movies, so much media out there that, like, captures it. And if you're a man, you should watch it because Yeah.

Liz:

Female experience is important to know about. But also, when you are a woman, then you just feel seen and heard and

Claire:

like so many coming of age. Like I'm thinking about like Lady Bird. I'm thinking about eighth grade. I just have a team. Is that what that one is?

Claire:

Yes.

Liz:

Bo Burnham directed it.

Claire:

Yeah. And then edge of 17 with Haley.

Liz:

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. That's a good one. And then

Claire:

have you seen My Old Ass? Oh, that is so good.

Liz:

I have

Claire:

not seen it, but I need to see it. Recommend that. So so many movies that are, like, both lighthearted in dialogue, perhaps, but, like, not so much in topic or content.

Liz:

Just keep going because I was like, and Girls, the show Girls. I just love that show. There's so many

Claire:

even the show, one of my favorite shows, Jane the Virgin. Like, that, like, matriarch situation going on. You have, like, the grandma, the mom, and then Jane. And, like, those three women, like, the show and the plotline in such a beautiful way. And I don't know.

Claire:

Like, there's just so many, not even just shows where women are acting, but, like, shows about women. Just be a conscious consumer.

Liz:

Big Little Lies. I was just gonna say about Nicole Kidman. Mhmm. Amazing female actresses on that show. Louis Kravitz.

Liz:

Reese Witherspoon.

Claire:

Reese Witherspoon. We have to stop. One thing I will say that I just came to my mind, one my favorite shows is New Girl. Okay? And New Girl to me is super I mean, to me and thousands of others, super funny.

Claire:

And I learned that that is because a woman wrote the show. Also female writers laughing at a show, when you're having a great time experiencing media, Google, who was behind this? Gonna be a woman.

Liz:

It's gonna be a woman. I think that's a great point to wrap up on, Claire.

Claire:

Yeah. All right. Thank you for coming through this journey with us.

Liz:

It was a long journey.

Claire:

A long journey. And we had the giggles right before this. So if we seem a little

Liz:

bit, like, out of it, just know that It's just female joy.

Claire:

It's it's god. Thank you for watching House Lights, guys.

Liz:

Bye. Bye.