
The Anti-Toxic Masculinity of Modern-Day Rom-Coms
From Engagement Party by CNN Podcasts
June 19, 2026 · 40 min
About this episode
The episode discusses modern rom-coms and their portrayal of masculinity, alongside a debate on phone-free live events and social media trends.
Amazon's wildly popular "Off Campus" is just the latest in a parade of BookTok-beloved titles to gain new fans as streaming shows, and the pairing of explicit sex and non-toxic masculinity means these aren’t your mom’s rom-coms. And as fans react to Phoebe Bridgers’ announcement of a phone-free arena tour this summer, Audie and Ari debate the merits of locking away devices for live events. Plus, "Wild Card" host Rachel Martin is over menopause-friendly salmon recipes in her feeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Audie Cornish
Guest: Ari
Topics covered
- rom-coms
- toxic masculinity
- BookTok
- live events
- menopause
Keywords
- rom-coms
- toxic masculinity
- BookTok
- Phoebe Bridgers
- Rachel Martin
- live events
- menopause
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Off Campus, Wild Card
More episodes of Engagement Party
- 'The Odyssey' Is Epic But The Discourse Is Not · July 17, 2026 · 38 min
- Will Meta’s AI Glasses Ever Be Cool? · July 10, 2026 · 32 min
- The Summer of Peptides and Celebrity Weddings · July 3, 2026 · 39 min
- ‘Nunmania,’ the Woke Pope, and Gen-Z's Loneliness Content · June 26, 2026 · 42 min
- 'Obsession' Fever, 'The Republic of Wasia,' and Why Tan Lines Are Hot Again · June 12, 2026 · 41 min
- Audie & Ari on Ambition, Purpose, Poetry (from The Sam Sanders Show) · June 10, 2026 · 51 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Engagement Party podcast page.