Are you part of The Tyee's critical 1%?

Thanks for reading The Tyee today — we hope this article added to your day in some way. Our team of independent journalists takes pride in doing in-depth reporting and taking time to get it right.

We're able to focus our attention on publishing impactful journalism in the public interest, and publish it for free for all to read, because we have the support of Tyee Builders. Tyee Builders are readers who contribute a bit of money — at a level and frequency of their choice — to support our editorial budget.

This core of supporters — making up about 1 to 2 per cent of our daily readership — enables us to pay our writers, keep our articles free and open to all, and not bombard our readers with annoying ads while you try to read.

Instead of focusing on what kind of articles will attract the most advertising dollars, we can spend time devoted to researching and writing stories that our readers find most valuable and make the most positive impact in our region.

If you'd like to join thousands of readers who help make independent journalism possible, consider joining Tyee Builders. Thank you.

— Jeanette Ageson, Publisher

Click here to Join Tyee Builders

Help us un-break journalism in Canada

You made it all the way through the article – I hope that means you liked it (or if not ‘liked’ it, gleaned some useful information from it). Tyee articles are known for being quite lengthy, so we appreciate when people spend some quality time with our work.

Listen, I’ll get to the point – the article you just read was made possible because our non-profit newsroom was able to pay a talented journalist to research and write it. And we can only afford to do that because of our business model, which relies on a certain percentage of our readers signing up for our paid membership program called Tyee Builders.

The traditional business model for journalism in Canada has been completely disrupted, and we’re witnessing a slow collapse as corporate newsrooms buy up distressed publications, lay people off, and suck the value out of them before declaring bankruptcy. And it doesn’t help that tech giant Meta has blocked Canadian news on their Facebook and Instagram platforms.

There is another way and we are carving the path.

Between 1 to 2 per cent of people who visit The Tyee contribute financially, but amazingly, that small percentage is enough to fund half of our overall budget. And it means we can operate without a paywall, too. 1 per cent of people giving means 99 per cent of people get access to quality, fact-based journalism from a talented team of journalists who live and work in B.C., Alberta, and across Canada. We think that’s pretty remarkable.

If you’re concerned about the way journalism is heading in Canada and you’d like to do something about it, consider joining Tyee Builders and contributing an amount that works for you.

— Jeanette Ageson, Publisher

Click here to Join Tyee Builders
Marking 20 years
of bold journalism,
reader supported.
support us subscribe free
Culture
Gender + Sexuality
Media

Pop This! Serves Up a Badass Feminist Pop Culture Podcast

If you love hilarious women dissecting movies, music and more, this is the show for you.

Dorothy Woodend 20 Feb 2019TheTyee.ca

Dorothy Woodend is The Tyee’s culture editor. Reach her here.
LisaChristiansenAndreaWarner.jpg
Lisa Christiansen and Andrea Warner host pop culture smackdowns of various sorts on the podcast Pop This!

On a weekly basis, Pop This! podcast co-hosts Lisa Christiansen and Andrea Warner trample through the world’s cultural fields, biting the heads off flowers and harassing sheep.

Just kidding. What they mostly do is talk, laugh and dissect the curious intersections between feminism and pop culture.

Andrea Gin has produced the podcast since the inaugural episode about the TV show Gilmore Girls in 2015.

“The idea came about after Lisa hosted Andrea [Warner]’s book launch for We Oughta Know," says Gin. “I saw them together onstage and the producer in me realized they had great chemistry and that it would be a compelling combination for a podcast.”

Pop This! has tackled everything from Betty White to the Oscars, stormed the stage at Vancouver’s first Podcast Festival, and hosted smackdowns on various topics, including an annual episode wherein the films Love Actually and The Holiday square off in a bloody battle of clichéd dialogue and Cameron Diaz.

And the latest episode features yours truly, gabbing about all things Oscars. You can hear it below.

Curious to know more, The Tyee posed some questions to two of the baddest babes in podcast land. It’s a Pop Quiz for Pop This!

The Tyee: If you were to be reincarnated, what or who would you like to come back as?

Andrea Warner: I’d like to continue to work towards being a super powerful but mostly benevolent witch. I’m pretty sure all my past lives have been leading towards this anyways, and I really am a completist, so I want to see what it means to reach my full feminist potential.

Lisa Christiansen: Either of my dogs, or any other much-loved dog who lives for being lazy with occasional treats and walks... that’s pretty much me already.

What is your deepest, darkest pop culture pleasure?

AW: I am obsessed with true crime, in part, I think, because it’s so often a feminist issue and related to truly toxic masculinity. Stories of survival are also incredibly gratifying.

LC: Bad things that think they are high art. It warms me to see people reaching so hard.

What terrible things make you laugh, and then feel vaguely guilty?

AW: I will often laugh as a first response to people getting hurt. Like, in real life. This makes me sound kind of sadistic, and maybe I am, but I think it’s a nervous reaction. Also, I’m super klutzy and laugh at myself through the tears, too, so it’s not simply an outward thing. It’s also something that many members of my family do, too, like laugh right away and then the laugh kind of dies in your throat as you process the situation. If it’s serious, I fly into fix-it mode as best I can. If it’s not serious, I might laugh until my sides hurt.

LC: People falling, on the big or small screens and in real life. I really should check and see if they are hurt first.

What woman would you most like to get drunk with?

AW: Angela Davis or Dorothy Parker. Since Angela is alive and Dorothy is dead, it would be a great party.

LC: There are just so many, but right now it’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

AW: My husband, Carlos Hernandez Fisher, and Miss Piggy. In that order.

LC: My children and all the friends and family members who accept me unconditionally. I’m extremely blessed. [Tyee]

Read more: Gender + Sexuality, Media

  • Share:

Facts matter. Get The Tyee's in-depth journalism delivered to your inbox for free

Tyee Commenting Guidelines

Comments that violate guidelines risk being deleted, and violations may result in a temporary or permanent user ban. Maintain the spirit of good conversation to stay in the discussion.
*Please note The Tyee is not a forum for spreading misinformation about COVID-19, denying its existence or minimizing its risk to public health.

Do:

  • Be thoughtful about how your words may affect the communities you are addressing. Language matters
  • Challenge arguments, not commenters
  • Flag trolls and guideline violations
  • Treat all with respect and curiosity, learn from differences of opinion
  • Verify facts, debunk rumours, point out logical fallacies
  • Add context and background
  • Note typos and reporting blind spots
  • Stay on topic

Do not:

  • Use sexist, classist, racist, homophobic or transphobic language
  • Ridicule, misgender, bully, threaten, name call, troll or wish harm on others
  • Personally attack authors or contributors
  • Spread misinformation or perpetuate conspiracies
  • Libel, defame or publish falsehoods
  • Attempt to guess other commenters’ real-life identities
  • Post links without providing context

LATEST STORIES

The Barometer

Are You Concerned about AI?

Take this week's poll