Episodes

Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
This week, Brooke weighs in on the pop culture topic everyone is talking about… Justin Timberlake’s DUI arrest in Sag Harbor. What was he thinking? Why didn’t he have a driver? What does this do to the tour? Why didn’t he have a driver? Why didn’t he have a driver? WHY DIDN’T HE HAVE A DRIVER?? Just some of the questions we’re asking! But it also brings up a conversation around mugshots and whether the public really needs to see these. And of course, there are lots and lots of memes. But it’s not just JT! Brooke talks about her personal reasons for loving REM and her delight in them being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this past week. Grab your headphones!!
Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday Jun 13, 2024
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
This week is our 100th episode! Brooke gives us a little of the backstory and process behind PCMoT and some insights into what’s to come. In pop culture news, she talks about the songs of the summer, from “Looking for a Man in Finance" to all things Sabrina Carpenter. She also breaks down the ridiculous media narrative around the made-up trend of “hot rodent men” and gives The New York Times a stern talking to. So grab your headphones, and let’s celebrate!
https://medium.com/popculturemondays/pop-culture-mondays-6-10-24-5ca4b2bc767c
https://www.thecut.com/article/drake-oversized-trousers-beef.html
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday Jun 06, 2024
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
This week, Brooke breaks her no Trump rule, but for good reason, as the former President’s conviction led to a hilarious explosion of memes. Focusing on one in particular, Brooke gets into the backstory. She also discusses the power of an AI generated photo that went viral, for better or worse. Why, and how, and what’s to come? We then have this week’s hot topic, which is the news that Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria are launching their own reality show. WTF? And there’s Pete Davidson and Eminem and Natalie Portman and Paul Mescal… Enjoy!
https://medium.com/popculturemondays/pop-culture-mondays-6-3-24-752e9c60e293
Eminem Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=22tVWwmTie8
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday May 30, 2024
Thursday May 30, 2024
This week, Brooke discloses she works with Live Nation and gives a brief summary of why they are in the news. But most of the episode is devoted to her experience attending the BottleRock music festival that took place last weekend in Napa Valley. We have Stevie Nicks. Pearl Jam. The Offspring. Stephen Sanchez. And Ed Sheeran. Oh, and Brooke met BABA BOOEY! Also a few more pop culture updates. Check it out!
North West in Lion King
https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymail/video/7373595686488558891
Pop Culture Mondays 5/28/24
https://medium.com/popculturemondays/pop-culture-mondays-5-28-24-fbea5353ad67
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday May 23, 2024
Thursday May 23, 2024
This week, Brooke digs into the story of the moment straddling tech (her real job) and pop culture: Scarlett Johansson’s accusation that OpenAI, whose CEO Sam Altman is obsessed with the movie “Her,” copied her voice for its new AI assistant named Chat GPT Sky, after she had already told him NO, she would not do the voice — hence, “SkyGate.” Scar Jo’s statement on the issue is so powerful, Brooke reads it in full. She then discusses loser of the moment, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and his highly problematic, misogynistic commencement speech at Benedictine College that HAD NO MENTION of his incredibly well-respected PHYSICIST MOTHER. We also have the Four Seasons Orlando baby and - speaking of Orlando - JoJo Siwa’s cringy drunken 21st birthday bash at Disney. Buckle up!
Scar Jo’s full statement:
https://x.com/BobbyAllyn/status/1792679435701014908
Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday May 16, 2024
Thursday May 16, 2024
Brooke is back and bringing you up to speed on the pop culture news you may have missed while she was away. She begins with a summary of her wild travels, from D.C. to Jamaica to Germany to France, including more about Jelly Roll and a lot about Kim Kardashian.
Brooke then gets into the Tom Brady Neflix Roast, how Kim K has been bullied and abused for her part, and how the roast, in general, was in pretty poor taste. She also talks about the Met Gala, and yet more drama around Kim and also AI Rihanna. We have the Drake x Kendrick Lamar feud, the “controversial” Apple iPad ad, and finally, the latest TikTok trends: The Black Wife Effect, the Barbara Dance, and Men in Finance. Enjoy!
Dancing Voicemails From Crazy Ex
https://www.tiktok.com/@therealghostgirl/video/7365319857887317291
The Black Wife Effect
https://www.tiktok.com/@roxleeofficial/video/7366001710881410346
Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday May 09, 2024
Thursday May 09, 2024
This week, Brooke is on the road at a big tech conference in Germany, so we’re bringing back a fan favorite from the archives: her conversation with Jason Hirschhorn, the legendary media and tech entrepreneur and CEO & Chief Curator of digital content company REDEF. It’s a fun one, filled with juicy stories and pop culture banter.
Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday May 02, 2024
Thursday May 02, 2024
Brooke is coming to you this week from her happy place, the magical GoldenEye, Jamaica, where she’s hosting her 50th birthday extravaganza! She kicks off with Barbra Streisand’s not-so-private IG note to Melissa McCarthy; we then get into a bit of Fairy Porn, the latest lit phenomena, and Governor Kristi Noem’s memoir, outing her as an animal murderer. Brooke ends with all the memes of the moment. It’s a mixed bag for this week’s bday edition of PCMoT. Grab some bubbles for the birthday girl!
https://medium.com/popculturemondays/pop-culture-mondays-4-29-24-eea6158f4f17
https://kalejunkie.com/viral-chicken-crust-caesar-salad-pizza/
Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
This week, Brooke explains the hoopla around the new Taylor Swift album, The Tortured Poets Department. The surprise double album. The genre. The criticism. The emotion. The pettiness. The brilliance. And everything in between. She also talks about Baby Reindeer on Netflix and Mark Zuckerberg’s new swagger even if it is AI generated. And is M. Night Shyamalan making a comeback thanks to Josh Hartnett? Grab some candy!
Pop Culture Mondays
Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
This week, Brooke shares her experiences at both the premiere of Zendaya’s masterful new movie, “Challengers,” as well as Kara Swisher's interview extraordinaire of the cast and creators of "The Morning Show,” kicking off PaleyFest. She then brings people up to speed on the latest pop culture news, from Keith McNally’s misogynistic meltdown over Lauren Sanchez, to Nike’s Olympic track & field uniforms for Team USA, to the extreme storm in Dubai. There’s also a little bit of Coachella and a little bit of O. J. (sorry, sorry, but it had to be done). Grab your tennis whites and enjoy!
https://medium.com/popculturemondays/pop-culture-mondays-4-15-24-68d1348b8039
https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymail/video/7358739000095558954?_r=1&_t=8lc8leesrRO
https://www.tiktok.com/@abcnews/video/7358793557802569006?_r=1&_t=8lc8mxGyUNx
Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter: https://medium.com/popculturemondays
Brooke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooke/
Brooke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooke
Brooke’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brookehammerling
Potato’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potato/

Pop Culture Mondays...on Thursday
I AM NOT A REPORTER. I do not cover the media industry. I’ve written a weekly newsletter, published every Monday, for over 3 years in which I try to condense and make sense of all the most interesting things happening in the world of pop culture. I’ve now transformed my beloved newsletter into a podcast to cover even more of the wacky and wonderful — and often horrific — events of pop cultural significance happening throughout the week!