Tepid Takes: Recent Episodes
Elisa Swanson, Mia Cavener
Mia and Elisa bring their piping hot takes to the table - well, maybe not always piping hot. Maybe just hot. Lukewarm, perhaps. You could even say... tepid.
Our topics span every corner of modern life and popular culture, from creepypasta to K-pop to home landscaping to 1970's easy listening music. Our takes are unabashedly unfounded, yet passionately defended. We're not experts, but as lifelong denizens of the internet... aren't we, though?
Elisa and Mia envision the future of fashion trends after the current trend hyper-cycle runs out of gas and extoll the virtues of edible, practical, and beautiful landscaping in the expanse of suburbia.
In this special sports-themed episode, Mia, Elisa, and special guest/sports expert Mat debate the stupidity of the wolf turn in women's artistic gymnastics, learn about the sordid saga of the Olympic Modern Pentathlon, and discuss how sports spectatorship acts as a language of emotionality for straight men.
Elisa and Mia mourn the death of the Party Rock era and pioneer a new algorithm to determine which celebrities are worth going to the movies for.
Elisa, Mia, and special guest Elena (Elisa's sister) call for a return to the heyday of creepypasta, learn what Alex Jones was referring to when he said they're "puttin' chemicals in the water that turn the friggin' frogs gay," and give a glowing review of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under.
Mia and Elisa debate different mailing lists they could sign their mortal enemy up for as a prank, and coin a new subgenre of 1970's easy listening music. (In-person episode! Live studio audience! A musical performance!)
Mia and Elisa talk about how Classically Abby relates to the Greeks and modern right-wing rhetoric, and how the Marvel Cinematic Universe perpetuates violent nationalistic attitudes. Special guest appearance from our friend Riley for an update on happy music!
Elisa and Mia discuss how to ethically engage with celebrities and how the K-pop industry markets people as products.
Mia and Elisa decide whether it's a good or bad thing to be “like other girls,” and come up with a system to categorize happy and sad songs and determine which is better.
Elisa and Mia discuss what Susan Sontag's camp looks like in the modern day and more ethical (and more interesting) alternatives to popular fashion magazines.
Mia and Elisa determine the ideal movie length and uncover an intriguing blast-from-the-past social media site that could change everything.