White People Won't Save You

Freedom Writers (Feat. Brandon Collins & Justin Brown)

Tupac, Nazis, gangs, and some out of context footage of the L.A. Riots? That can only mean one thing, we sat in on Erin Gruwell’s class and watched 2007’s Freedom Writers.
Thankfully we didn’t have to go it alone because we’re joined this week by Brandon Collins and Justin Brown of the hilarious Medium Popcorn podcast. Together, we try to make sense of Erin’s teaching techniques, another Mario performance, the harm these kinds of movies can have and much more. Plus, Brandon and Justin help us decide if a few movies on our list are actually white savior films.
If you love our show, you’ll also love Medium Popcorn. It’s a Black ass movie podcast with a funny but insightful look at films past and present. You can follow them on Twitter @mediumppodcast and check out the Youtube page for exclusive interviews and more. Also, check out the Patreon page for exclusive content and episodes.
And as always, rate, review, and subscribe if you enjoy the show. Always helps to get those computers ‘putin. You can follow us @white_pod for behind the scenes on these movies and other fun content and you can write in with your thoughts and movie suggestions at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com

The Great Wall (feat. Elaine Hsieh Chou)

This week we journey to one of the 7 Wonders of the World to celebrate a legendary Chinese hero...Matt Damon!
We're joined by the author of the dazzling new novel Disorientation, Elaine Hsieh Chou to discuss the 2016 blockbuster, The Great Wall. The biggest American/Chinese co-production to date, and a 75 million dollar bomb. 
We talk about Matt Damon's crazy accent, the erasure of Chinese actors in a movie supposedly about them, and of course the major controversy of the Matt Damon casting. 
Elaine's debut novel Disorientation has been receiving rave reviews. It follows Taiwanese-American PHD student Ingrid Yang as she unravels a huge secret at the center of her dissertation on canonical poet Xiao-Wen Chou. It's hilarious and poignant and Elaine wants to help support Yu and Me books in Chinatown . It's the first female Asian-American NYC based bookstore and you can order the book from them here! 
You can follow Elaine @elainehsiehchou on Twitter and we absolutely recommend her article "What White Men Say in Our Absence" for The Cut.com. It's a powerful piece that speaks to these last few years and beyond. 
As always, follow us @white_pod for more behind the scenes, caucacity, and more! If you want to reach out, you can write to us at whitepeoplewontsaveyou@gmail.com . 

Everything Everywhere All At Once (Feat. Dr. Nancy Wang Yuen)

We have a special mini episode for you today as we speak with the amazing Dr. Nancy Wang Yuen (author of Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism) about our new favorite film, Everything Everywhere All At Once. 
*Dr. Umar Voice* "Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers". 
We talk about all the wonderful performances, the metatextual element of Asian actors getting the space to portray multiple versions of themselves, how The Daniels went from "Turn Down For What" to this, and much more! 
Nancy is literally out here doing the work and if you enjoy our show, you need to follow what she's doing. Reel Inequality is available wherever books are sold, and you can find Nancy on Twitter @Nancywyuen
As always, follow us @white_pod. Rate, review, and subscribe if you'd be so kind. And feel free to write in to us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com with your thoughts, movie reviews, and more. 

A Time to Kill (Feat. Bryndon Cook)

We make a return trip to Mississippi this week as we discuss the 1996 John Grisham film, A Time To Kill. 
We're joined by the multi-talented Bryndon Cook (Tick Tick...BOOM! and Starchild & The New Romantic) to talk about how a movie could pack so many white saviors into one story. We also ask if this is Samuel L. Jackson's most iconic performance, the absurdity of Matthew McConaughey's final speech, and if we can get a biopic of the Black woman who slaps the grand wizard. 
Bryndon is an incredible talent. Stay up with everything they have going on by following the Twitter (@thisisbryndon) and also checking out the website and Soundcloud!  
And as always you can follow us @white_pod on Twitter as well as write into us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com Send us your movie recs, your white nonsense, and whatever else you've got. Also if you'd be so kind, rate, review, and comment on the show wherever you podcast. Thanks for listening, we'll catch you again next week! 

Doctor Strange (Feat. Pallavi Gunalan)

On this weeks episode, we tap into the Multiverse of white saviors as we discuss 2016's Marvel blockbuster, Doctor Strange. 
Joined by the hilarious Pallavi Gunalan (Lovett or Leave It) we open a portal into the controversies surrounding Tilda Swinton's casting as The Ancient One, Asian representation in Hollywood, and decide if this movie passes our Black-del test (spoiler...no). 
Pallavi is incredibly funny and incredibly talented, so if you aren't familiar let's change that. Follow on Twitter and Instagram @pallavigunalan and check out Facial Recognition Comedy. Also, check out Pallavi's website to learn more about an awesome tutoring program for Black students she started and how you can get involved. 
As always, thanks for listening and be sure to rate, review, and subscribe if you're feeling generous. You can follow the show @white_pod and get in touch with us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com 

Ghosts of Mississippi (Feat. Robert Jones Jr.)

This week, we go down to the Delta with our special guest, the brilliant Robert Jones Jr (author of 2021 National Book Award finalist, The Prophets). 
Where to begin with this one. A movie about Medgar Evers where he's dead on screen more than he's alive. A movie where the amazing Myrlie Evers-Williams is relegated to answering phones and supporting the white lawyer. And perhaps the wildest opening montage for a movie we've ever seen. 
We discuss the intentional erasure of Medgar Evers, what kind of accent Alec Baldwin was attempting to do, and the real life story behind the trial as well as Medgar and Myrlie's legacies. 
Robert is one of the most talented writers around, and you absolutely need to read The Prophets if you haven't yet. Hailed "A singular and stunning debut novel about the forbidden union between two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation, the refuge they find in each other, and a betrayal that threatens their existence."
Follow Robert on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and if you're in the Oxford, Mississippi area you can catch him live today at 2:30 at the Oxford Conference for the Book. Check out his website for more tour dates!
As always, check us out at @white_pod and be sure to rate, review, and subscribe if you'd be so kind. We'd also love to hear from you! Send us movies to watch, caucacity to discuss, and anything else at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com 

Radio (Feat.Kara Berry)

The movie that almost made Jordan quit the show! That's right, we're talking 2003's Radio. A Golden Raspberry nominee and somehow 2X NAACP Image Award winner. We're joined by the wonderful Kara Berry of the Everyone's Business (But Mine) podcast to discuss...whatever this was. 
We get into everything going on with Cuba, on and off screen, if Radio was turned into a mascot, and the real life story James Robert Kennedy (the man had a name). And as for that song we were alluding to...
Kara is so much fun and you should definitely be listening to the podcast! Also, check her out on Twitter @KaraBTweets and follow the show @EBBMpodcast. And of course support that Patreon! 
As always, you can follow us @white_pod on Twitter and feel free to write into us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com 
Rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We love you, see you next week! 
 

Driving Miss Daisy Part 2 (Feat. Shar Jossell)

On Part two, we get into this research. All the Oscar drama, the change of heart years later by Academy voters, Morgan Freeman being behind the "yess'ums" and some spicy takes by the writer and director. Also, Shar discovers Super Mario Brothers the movie and maybe the highest level of Caucacity we've seen thus far. 
Shar is incredible and you absolutely need to follow all that she's doing. @sharsayso will get you all that sweet social media content, and the website will give you all her incredible writing and other work. 
And as always, you can find us on Twitter @white_pod. Rate, review subscribe wherever you podcast, and feel free to write in to us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com 

Driving Miss Daisy Pt. 1(Feat. Shar Jossell)

You know this one had to be two parts haha! On this episode we get to one of the white whales of the show, the infamous 1989 Best Picture winner, Driving Miss Daisy. Not only did this movie beat out Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing (which wasn't EVEN nominated for Best Picture) but it set a precedent years later for movies like Green Book! 
We're joined by the supremely talented Shar Jossell to discuss all the "yess'ums", the polite racism, and how in the world anyone thought these two characters were "friends." 
Shar is incredible and you absolutely need to follow all that she's doing. @sharsayso will get you all that sweet social media content, and the website will give you all her incredible writing and other work. 
And as always, you can find us on Twitter @white_pod. Rate, review subscribe wherever you podcast, and feel free to write in to us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com 

Step Up (Feat. Julian Lytle)

This one goes out to the DMV! Get ready for some very specific regional conversation as we're joined by resident Step Up series expert Julian Lytle (Ignorant Bliss & Culture Trapping Podcast) to talk about the on that started it all back in 2006. 
Jordan and Cameron list all the ways that this is very much not Baltimore, Cam shares a very special story about how his dad almost shut down production on Step Up 2, and Julian runs us through all the sequels! 
Julian is terrific and you should absolutely tap in to everything he's' doing. From the webcomic to his Twitter musings, podcasts, and all his film criticism. 
And as always, follow us on Twitter @white_pod. We'll have info on possible live shows, merch, and more coming real soon. Also, feel free to help support by rating, reviewing, and subscribing wherever you get your podcasts! And feel free to write in at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com We'd love to hear your movie recommendations, your film reimaginings, and any caucacity you can pass our way. Until next week, keep pushin' P!