The concept of pop culture remains a complicated one: so much ground to cover and never enough time to fully explore it. Be that as it may, what if there was a program that talked about the most memorable moments of popular culture at length? Moreover, what if the show guest-starred figures from the world of Hollywood? “Crazy Stupid Fangirls,” a podcast that combines pop culture commentary and comedy, perfectly fits those seeking a community of individuals with interests in trending topics.
Although it only began airing earlier this year, “Crazy Stupid Fangirls,” co-created by social media personalities Elle Mills and Michelle Platti, has gained quite the following and the program continues to climb the iTunes Society & Culture podcast charts.
Mills is best known for her vlogs and comedy videos on YouTube. Meanwhile, Platti is best known for her videos centered around conspiracy theories, real-life mysteries and true crime.
Just as quarantine led to people reevaluating their interests, YouTubers Mills and Platti rediscovered their love for pop culture — especially that of the early 2000s. In the first episode of the show, Mills and Platti explain how, while isolated, they slowly became obsessed with the tension between Disney celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Nick Jonas.
“At the beginning of quarantine, we kind of deep-dived into some really weird stuff,” Mills said.
In the episode, Platti added, “Yeah, we’ve always been fangirls, and I feel like that’s kind of how we became friends in the first place, but quarantine got us.”
Soon enough, Mills began posting on social media about her fascination with the drama between the prime Disney stars of the 2000s. Once she noticed that her fans responded well to her posts, Mills suggested to Platti that the two create a podcast focused on pop culture. Eventually, the friends pitched their idea to the network Ramble, which they ended up accepting.
The speakers’ backgrounds as devout “fangirls” of different celebrities and television shows bolster their credibility and earn the audience’s trust. Platti developed an obsession with Ariana Grande, and she regularly tells anecdotes of her childhood as a devotee of the American singer on the broadcast. In the episode “Surprising Weston + Kalynn Koury with Lemonade Mouth’s Blake Michael,” the conspiracy theory YouTuber reveals that she copied the physical appearance and mannerisms of Grande’s most famous acting role, Cat Valentine, from the TV series “Victorious.”
“When I was in eighth grade, I straight up was that annoying bitch who had red hair and tried to act like Cat Valentine,” remarked Platti. “I was so annoying, like, I would practice the laugh and everything.”
In contrast, Mills became enthralled with the acclaimed American television series “Glee.” Her YouTube video “A New Chapter,” which introduced the podcast to her viewers, discusses her previous fixation with the TV show.
“I spent six years being a dedicated ‘Glee’ stan account, and I’m not joking when I say I made a fully-edited 40-minute documentary about the episode where Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury conceive a child,” Mills admitted.
However, “Crazy Stupid Fangirls” does not solely involve Mills and Platti discussing various aspects of pop culture; the duo also invites guests from the industry and excitedly banters with them about their favorite topics.
An average podcast episode, generally released on Wednesdays, starts with the two hosts introducing themselves, their guests and the episode’s theme. Then, Mills, Platti and their peers dive deep into pop culture. The podcast usually concludes with the invitees providing their social media to listeners and the presenters asking their fans to listen, rate and review the podcast.
Mills and Platti have covered different areas of pop culture. From amusing fangirl stories to riveting debates, such as the episode arguing whether Disney Channel or Nickelodeon reigns supreme, the on-air talents have investigated many pop culture-related matters.
Nonetheless, the pair has also addressed numerous meaningful subjects on the chat show. “Where Were You When Zayn Left One Direction? With Sarah Baska + Chrvstel” highlights the downsides to fandom culture. On this episode, guest Chrvstel tells the story of when she received a barrage of hate from BTS fans after she waited for member J-Hope to arrive at a Los Angeles airport.
“People were, like, tweeting me s— like, ‘If I ever see her at a K-pop concert, I’m beating her ass’… That’s people’s tweets,” Chrvstel noted. “My DMs, dude? People would be like, ‘If I ever see you, I’m breaking your knees. Yeah, I’m gonna kill you.’”
Mills and Platti ensure their audience feel as comfortable as possible while listening to the program. At the beginning of every installment, Mills tells listeners to “get cozy, put on your PJ’s, grab your blankets and let [her and Platti] transport you to the most fun, pop culture-filled podcast ever.” The slogan fulfills its purpose; it elicits a positive reaction from their followers and makes them feel like they are conversing with their two buddies.
While the main episode of the podcast releases on Wednesdays, a video podcast uploads onto the “Crazy Stupid Fangirls” YouTube channel the following week. These posts consist of a video recording of the hosts and their guests. The added visual element further connects the fans with the creators.
The interactions between the two personalities and their supporters strengthen the relationship because both women do not shy away from honesty. Among tales of embarrassing moments and self-deprecating jokes, Mills and Platti talk about the issue of mental health.
Both Mills and Platti have spoken candidly about psychological health and their own negative experiences in life. The social media personalities frequently recount their encounters with anxiety, depression and alcoholism. The intriguing episode “What’s the Craziest LA Gossip You’ve Ever Heard? with Luke Korns + Mikey Murphy” briefly examines Mills’ days of heavy drinking.
“I feel like when I think about the rumors that probably have been spread about me or, like, gossip, I don’t really enjoy it because it’s not light-hearted,” Mills pointed out. “I feel like my s— would be more like from 2018, 2019 … hard drinking.”
Initially, the vlogger grew concerned with her close friends and random strangers possibly gossiping about her overconsumption of alcohol. However, as time passed, Mills accepted that other individuals would not view her younger self most favorably and that some people will judge her for her past. Now, the influencer recognizes that she has undergone significant personal growth, so her earlier indiscretions do not worry her as much anymore.
This fan-based interaction has resulted in the creation of a massive following. Although the podcast’s Instagram and Twitter accounts have amassed thousands of followers, its TikTok page has collected the most, with 120,000 and counting.
Mills and Platti launched an account on the video app the same day as their show’s debut. The “Crazy Stupid Fangirls” TikTok presents clips from every installment of the broadcast. The videos last about a minute, including some of the most comical moments of the program.
Mills and Platti’s chat show allows listeners to reflect upon their favorite aspects of pop culture and taps into society’s obsession with nostalgia. It may not be for everyone, but the show’s content certainly works for their ever-growing fanbase. So, if you are looking for something that excites you and makes you think thoroughly about popular culture, check out the “Crazy Stupid Fangirls” podcast.
