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Barbie, Beyonce and 'The Bear': The 2023 Pop Culture Explosion

From left, Gabrielle Roitman, Kayla Seffing, Maddy Hiller and Casey Myer take a selfie in front of an "Oppenheimer" movie poster before they attended an advance screening of "Barbie," Thursday, July 20, 2023, at AMC The Grove 14 theaters in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello/AP
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AP
This hour, we talk about the pop sensations defining the summer 2023, including the movies "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer."

Barbenheimer. Taylor Swift. The Bear. Summer 2023 is heating up in more ways than one. On the next Vermont Edition, we break down the big cultural hits of the year so far with media experts and fans. What is the alchemy behind these huge pop sensations, and how did we get here?

Our guests:

  • Steve MacQueen, executive director of the Vermont International Film Festival
  • Hilary Neroni, film and media professor at the University of Vermont
  • Adiah Gholston, Vermont Public news producer

Broadcast at noon Wednesday, August 2, 2023; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here and Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Eric Ford worked for Vermont Public from 2016 to 2025 as Director of Programming Partnership.