It might feel like it was only five minutes since the year 2000, but it was, of course, 20 years ago, and a lot has changed in the intervening period.
New podcast, Twenty Twenty, delves into pop culture’s biggest moments, trends and figures of two decades ago, and re-examines and explores them with the added benefit of 20 years’ hindsight, by culture critics currently in their 20s.
Going back to a time when Y2K was still on everyone’s minds, and half the world spelled “millennium” wrongly because it was a word we were so unfamiliar with, Twenty Twenty takes us on a journey to a period of change and optimism, examining the surprising, funny and poignant parallels between then and the crazy world of 2020.
The hosts are film critic Simran Hans and music writer Tara Joshi, two self-proclaimed fangirls who grew up with the internet. They will look at the defining songs, shows and sleepover movies of their childhoods, and what they tell us about pop culture today.
In each episode they will be joined by a special guest, and some of the topics already confirmed for analysis are Destiny’s Child, High Fidelity, Big Brother and Zadie Smith.
Simran, who has written for Empire and Sight & Sound, said: “Both the year 2000 and 2020 are these moments of dramatic change and opportunity. As a critic, it feels really exciting to be making connections between the art that has come out of these two parallel cultural resets.”
Tara, who has written for the New York Times and Dazed, added: “Pop culture, nostalgia and overthinking things are some of my favourite pastimes, so a podcast where we’re analysing the culture of our childhood seemed a perfect fit. It’s a space to interrogate accepted wisdom in our fields.”
Twenty Twenty (Apple, Spotify, Google)
Unmute Podcast Festival (unmutepodcastfestival.com)
Some of the most popular podcasts from a host of big names in comedy and TV will bring special live episodes to people’s ears from October 20-24, streaming on the Unmute website listed above.
Some of the podcasts confirmed to be taking part include Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster, The Adam Buxton Podcast, Nobody Panic, Cuddle Club with Lou Sanders, and The Blindboy Podcast. It’s Unmute’s debut podcast festival.
Films To Be Buried With (Spotify)
Comedian, actor and writer Brett Goldstein is joined by a special guest each episode to talk life and death via movies, discussing how films have shaped them and ultimately picking which screen classics they would be buried with and why.
Some of the stellar names to have joined him in past episodes include Sharon Stone, Jameela Jamil, Ricky Gervais, Lolly Adefope, Aisling Bea, Jack Whitehall and Katherine Ryan.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe