Don't Pretend We're Dead Podcast
Don't Pretend We're Dead Podcast
Podcast Description
For each episode of the Don’t Pretend We’re Dead podcast, I’ll be talking with women doing interesting work right now in the fields of advocacy, arts and culture, food, science and technology. Ladies who give me a shred of hope in these dark times—and who doesn’t need more of that? Subscribe for free to learn about new episodes. corinazappia.substack.com
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on a wide range of themes such as cultural advocacy, culinary innovation, and the intersection of social issues with professional disciplines. Specific episode topics include Caribbean cuisine with chef Marie Mitchell, discussing cultural identity through food, and humanitarian advocacy featuring Ruth Mukwana, highlighting women's empowerment in crisis narratives.
For each episode of the Don’t Pretend We’re Dead podcast, I’ll be talking with women doing interesting work right now in the fields of advocacy, arts and culture, food, science and technology. Ladies who give me a shred of hope in these dark times—and who doesn’t need more of that? Subscribe for free to learn about new episodes.
On this episode: Talking with Guardian “Ask Ugly” columnist and beauty critic Jessica DeFino on why it’s hard to challenge the beauty industry, the slick rebranding of skincare as self-care, concerning beauty trends right now and more.
For each episode of the Don’t Pretend We’re Dead podcast, I’ll be talking with women doing interesting work right now in the fields of advocacy, arts and culture, food, science and technology. Ladies who give me a shred of hope in these dark times—and who doesn’t need more of that. Subscribe for free to learn about new episodes.
Mentioned in this episode with Jessica DeFino:
Articles by DeFino:
“Plumpgasm Nudegasm: The small absurdities of Met Gala beauty,” The Review of Beauty, May 9, 2025.
“Are we heading for a beauty burnout?,” Vogue Business, April 14, 2025.
“The Substance Is A Fairy Tale (But So Is Beauty),” The Review of Beauty, March 25, 2025.
“Post-Election, Beware ‘Self-Care’:Would Audre Lorde recognize “self-care” today? Would we recognize her?”, The Review of Beauty, November 15, 2024.
“EAT ME,” The Review of Beauty, October 8, 2023.
“I Worked My Ass Off for the Kardashian-Jenner Apps. I Couldn’t Afford Gas.”, Vice, April 12, 2022.
Nonprofit groups to donate to:
Book recommendations:
Thick by Tressie McMillan Cottom
Disobedient Bodies by Emma Dabiri
Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert
About Jessica DeFino
Jessica DeFino isthe award-winning beauty reporter and critic who writes the Guardian US’s beauty advice column, Ask Ugly, and has been called “the woman the beauty industry fears” by the Sunday Herald. In addition to her column in the Guardian, Jessica also writes a newsletter, The Review of Beauty, and has a monthly podcast with fellow fashion critic Emily Kirkpatrick, called The Review of Mess, which takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica started The Review of Beauty “to cover what traditional beauty publications don’t, won’t, or can’t — whether that’s to appease advertisers, preserve brand relationships, or cling to the conventional wisdom, outdated ideals, and marketing myths that keep consumers consuming.” Her freelance reporting has appeared in The New York Times, The Sunday Times, Vogue, Allure and more.
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Disclaimer
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