In this week’s episode of Past Present, Niki, Neil and Natalia debate the outcome of the recent British election, Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop, and the history of Father’s Day.
Theresa May
The recent snap election in Britain resulted in a “hung parliament” and weakened support for Teresa May as Prime Minister. We discussed the results in the context of other recent elections in Europe and the U.S., including Britain’s vote on Brexit, a topic in Episode 40.
Goop
Gwyneth Paltrow may leave acting to devote all her time to Goop, her lifestyle brand and website. Natalia placed Paltrow in a tradition of other lifestyle gurus, including Jane Fonda and Martha Stewart, but distinguished her from Oprah’s promotion of Dr. Oz, a subject of Episode 52. Natalia also noted that a New York Post profile of a recent Goop summit found many disgruntled attendees.
Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day! We discussed why the holiday took so much longer than Mother’s Day to get official status and how fatherhood has changed through the years.
What’s Making History
- Natalia commented on Donald Trump’s tweet that the Russia investigation is a “witch hunt.”
- Neil discussed the Southern Baptist Convention’s passage of a resolution denouncing the alt-right.
- Niki talked about Fox News dropping its “Fair and Balanced” slogan.
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