judy blume

Nearly 6,000 instances of book banning have been recorded since 2021, and the book censorship movement is growing, accelerated by new laws in some states. PEN America has joined Penguin Random House, authors, and students in a lawsuit against Escambia County school district, challenging unlawful censorship. PEN America program director, Kasey Meehan, joins us to talk about the numbers, what is being banned, who is driving the movement, and what actions, both legal and grassroots, are underway to push back against this fundamental challenge to freedom of expression and our democracy.  Kasey explains in layman's terms what topics are being censored, how book ban lists are copied from state to state, and how state laws are creating a chilling effect on teachers and librarians who err on the side of "caution," by removing books or not buying them.  We discuss the principles behind freedom of expression and open discourse, as well as specifics of the book ban movement, such as Moms for Liberty and their website, booklooks.org, which provides "slick sheets," excerpts used to support book bans. Don't miss this essential episode.

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Ali discusses Judy Blume's pivotal coming-of-age novel and its wonderful film adaptation written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski have a jam-packed week for you in physical media. It includes the long-awaited upgrade for an often overlooked Martin Scorsese classic. Emily Blunt debuts in a lovely coming-of-age film while two Oscar winners and a should-have-won-all-the-Emmys actor make their debut in an early ‘80s slasher film. There is some hatred for the latest Scream and some for a John Hughes character but some surprising love for an early ‘90s Rambo knockoff. There is also one of the essential film noirs with John Garfield, a little Ari Aster discourse and nothing but love for one of the best films of the year that you should absolutely add to your collection.

0:00 - Intro

1:06 - Criterion (The Watermelon Woman, After Hours (4K))

16:11 - Imprint (The Bounty, Damage, Leap (Duo Guan), Malena, My Summer of Love, Not One Less)

40:20 - Synapse (McBain)

46:48 - Kino (Chile '76, Close to Vermeer, Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XV, Force of Evil, Human Desire, Only In Theaters)

1:04:05 - IFC (Corsage)

1:06:48 - Universal (Book Club: The Next Chapter, Battlestar Galactica (1978) (4K))

1:19:58 - Paramount (Scream VI (4K), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (4K))

1:31:01 - Shout! Factory (World War Z (4K), The Burning (4K))

1:40:55 - Lions Gate (Sisu (4K), Beau is Afraid, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret)

1:58:21 – New Blu-Ray Announcements

2:00:50 - Outro

In this episode I speak about watching the captivating documentary "Judy Blume Forever" that will transport you back to the essence of your childhood. I also speak about watching the gripping movie “Air” and wrap it up with another addition to our legendary segment “GOATs doing GOAT $hit” where we celebrate the true champions of greatness and highlight the phenomenal achievements of extraordinary individuals.

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Links referenced in this episode:

Judy Blume Forever: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18787516/

Charlamagne interview with Judy Blume: https://youtu.be/_HihS5EPb6o 

Air: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16419074/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

The Comedy Mothership website: https://comedymothership.com/

Joe Rogan Opens His Anti-Cancel Culture Club in Austin: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/joe-rogan-comedy-mothership-review-austin-club-1235343105/

Bill Burr- Joe Rogans Comedy Mothership is The Best Club I've Ever Been In!! https://youtu.be/inSMN_nlkvE

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On the first episode, Mary Grace and Deborah revisit Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume's 1970 classic of adolescence.

Mentioned on the podcast:

Other books by Judy Blume:

Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, the boy equivalent of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, the first two books in the popular Fudge series

It’s Not the End of the World, the story of a girl whose parents are divorcing

Forever, the much-banned book about a teenage sexual relationship

An April 2023 PEN America report that includes Blume’s novel Forever… on a list of books that have recently been removed from school libraries in the United States.

A New York Times article about the Judy Blume book-to-screen moment currently underway. (Clarification: It’s from the business section.)

Blume demonstrating the famous “I must, I must, I must increase my bust” exercise on a TV program.

Recommended for fans of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret:

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh

The podcast is hosted by Buzzsprout at rereadingourchildhood.buzzsprout.com and is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms.

You can find Deborah’s author interviews on her blog, Books Q&A by Deborah Kalb and Mary Grace’s adventures in the 1920s on her blog, My Life 100 Years Ago.)

This episode was edited by Adam Linder of Bespoken Podcasting.

#children's books

Podcast website at rereadingourchildhood.com

Vegas Film Critic (Jeffrey K. Howard) speaks with Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok for Judy Blume Forever on Prime Video. 

Erin and Paul review two films about girls coming of age in New Jersey: the new Judy Blume adaptation ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET, and Todd Solondz's 1995 cringefest WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE.

Judy Blume's nostalgic coming-of-age novel is brought to life in a new movie. Rachel joins Ashley & Matt to talk about the film version of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Paul and Erin review BEAU IS AFRAID, PETER PAN & WENDY, POLITE SOCIETY, JUDY BLUME FOREVER, plus a host of other new releases, streaming titles and TV series that happen to have caught our eye.

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy are back on the review beat this week with another nine movies to check out. They include a documentary on the rise and fall of the G4 network and its flagship show (Attack of the Doc!) as well as the latest from Francois Ozon (Everything Went Fine). Dianna Agron’s biological clock is ticking or is it (Clock) while a new AI is created to track down those that would harm children (The Artifice Girl). Melissa Barrera and Paul Mescal dance around (Carmen), Priya Kansara tries to stop her sister’s marriage through martial arts (Polite Society) and Nazis encounter the wrong golddigger (Sisu). Finally, David Lowery returns with a new live-action Disney adaptation (Peter Pan & Wendy) and a Judy Blume book finally makes its way to the big screen (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret)

0:00 - Intro

1:24 - Everything Went Fine

9:13 - Attack of the Doc

17:47 - Clock

25:08 - The Artifice Girl

35:27 - Carmen 

41:37 - Polite Society

50:16 - Sisu 

58:35 - Peter Pan & Wendy 

1:15:45 - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

1:31:04 - Outro

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy owe it to the listeners to play a little catch-up. So they do. With 17 movies covering the past week they missed. They include four documentaries about nature (Wild Life), the culture of Chicago stand-up comedy (Out of the Loop), the fight to take back offensive mascots (Imagining the Indian) and a tribute to a beloved author (Judy Blume Forever). Michelle Williams makes art (Showing Up), Virginie Efira becomes stepmotherly (Other People’s Children), Shailene Woodley is hired to do something (TO Catch a Killer) and Toni Collette inherits the mob (Mafia Mamma). Kelvin Harrison Jr. makes music (Chevalier), Ray Romano directs his first movie (Somewhere in Queens) and Broken Lizard tries to get over the hump with laughs (Quasi). Chris Evans and Ana De Armas piss the guys off (Ghosted) and Jake Gyllenhaal tries to save an interpreter (Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant). Finally, Russell Crowe is an Italian priest (The Pope’s Exorcist), Nicolas Cage is finally a vampire (Renfield), the book of the dead returns on vinyl (Evil Dead Rise) and Joaquin Phoenix channels Ari Aster’s mommy issues (Beau is Afraid).

0:00 - Intro

2:29 - Wild Life

8:37 - Other People's Children

14:13 - Chevalier

22:52 - To Catch a Killer

29:23 – The Pope's Exorcist

38:30 - Out of the Loop

48:38 - Judy Blume Forever 

58:00 - Imagining the Indian 

1:10:08 - Showing Up 

1:19:31 - Mafia Mamma

1:29:19 - Renfield

1:40:24 - Somewhere In Queens 

1:53:47 - Quasi

2:03:18 - Ghosted

2:16:37 – The Covenant

2:23:51 - Evil Dead Rise

2:37:27 - Beau Is Afraid 

2:54:59 - Outro

In honor of this beloved book hitting the big screen this week, we're dropping our first ever BONUS episode to discuss Judy Blume's classic novel, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. 

Neither of us actually read this book as children, so we're coming to it for the first time as seasoned adults. 

Books We've Read Recently:
Abigail - Carrie Soto is Back and Malibu Rising by TJR
Emily - Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke 

Music credits:

This Episode has EVERYTHING!

It's got:

• Leonard!
• A New Song Every Episode?  How Bob's Burgers Of Us!
• Linda and Tina!
• Archer Is Sexy ASF!
• Aisha Tyler Is Hilarious!
• Nice Bums!
• Carpet Is Better Than Hard Wood!
• Carpet Pee!
• Leonard Likes To Puke On Things!
• Leonard's Poop Face!
• Phantom Boy Poop!
• Cat Pictures!
• Adele Dazeen!
• Masturbating Sub!
• Allegedly On Video!
• Jeffrey Pulling His Toobin!
• Dave Lusted After His Teacher!
• Dave's Forged Report Card Shenanigans!
• CIA Amy's Boarding School Blues!
• St. Agnes Rules Suck!
• Judy Blume Books!
• Jello Skin!
• Poop Transplant!
• Human Centipedes!
• Trivia Galore!
• Skin Flakes!
• You Sank My Battleshit!
• More Gross Funeral Directing Stuff!
• The Midas Touch!
• Ghost Shits!
• Second Bedroom Masturbatorium!

Episode Links (In Order):

• Ronnie Vino - It's Friday Night!
• Nutley, NJ Substitute Teacher Accused of "Inappropriate Behavior"!
• Nutley, NJ Substitute Teacher Accused of Masturbating in Class - Twice!
• Jeffrey Toobin - Zoom Masturbatory Session!
• "Harold and Kumar" - You Sank My Battleshit!

MUSIC CREDIT!
Opening Music Graciously Supplied By: https://audionautix.com/

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Email Us Here: Disturbinglypragmatic@gmail.com
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Welcome, listeners, to our very first episode! We are discussing Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972), written by the incomparable Judy Blume.

Buy the book on Amazon, borrow it from your local library on Overdrive, or read the book summary on Wikipedia. 

Background information - read all about that fascinating, family-friendly TV show, Mad Men, or learn all about those sticky green stamps that Fudge inflicts on the Juicy-O suitcase in Chapter 2.

Thanks for listening! Drop us a line at aytgpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns!

Next episode: Ramona the Brave!