Culture Writer
Fandom Expert
Lore-splainer
Entertainment Critic
Pop Historian
Game Reviewer
I graduated from Columbia University in 2013 with a degree in cultural anthropology; since then I have brought the research skills of an academic and the analytical eye of a creator to my work as a pop culture writer for BuzzFeed, IndieWire, Mashable, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many other outlets.
This is a small selection of the pieces I’ve most enjoyed writing.
Essays
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How fandom won the 2010s and why it will keep on winning — Mashable
“Fandom has never been cohesive, but in a media climate where the niche obsessions of the 2000s are now the default form of entertainment it’s easier to perceive the creative and ideological fractures that have always been present.”
Why I'll probably never get open world video game fatigue — Mashable
“The inflation of playtime with traversal and side tasks is annoying from a "state of the gaming industry" standpoint, but if I was voluntarily doing things I don't enjoy for hours at a time…wouldn't that be a me problem?”
Everything I know about the internet I learned from playing Runescape — Mashable
“Runescape was an early introduction to what the internet would become, and though it drew me in with the promise of fun and fantasy, it ultimately gave me a head start in learning the rules of engagement for an increasingly online social landscape.”
Mephisto isn't in 'Loki' and I have something to confess — Mashable
“Look, it had been more than a year since anything MCU-related had come out and I think my brain had been going overboard on "what's next" theories so long it had basically turned to scrambled eggs. Or deviled eggs, in this case.”
Explainers
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The Real History Behind FX’s Shōgun — IndieWire
If you’re wondering why a Japanese war epic needs a British co-protagonist, that’s probably the same question Lord Tokugawa asked himself when William Adams, John Blackthorne’s historical counterpart, washed up on the beach with a boatful of guns in 1600.
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Title Sequence Credits, Explained — IndieWire
“If you look closely, there are little Lannister lions and the hand sigils of House Gardner on the shields of the fallen soldiers, with the chilling detail that though the shields were likely painted Lannister red and Gardner green, the tapestry shows every single one of them as black and burned.”
The real history behind 'The Crown’s biggest moments — Mashable
“While it's true that Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon's 1965 tour of the United States was so lavish it sparked a 1966 debate over royal spending in the House of Commons, it's unlikely that Margaret could have spent her night at the White House trashing Kennedy without any details leaking to the press.”
The queen's over-the-top 'Bridgerton' fashion is actually an historical easter egg — Mashable
“One area in which Charlotte did have influence is the mandate of courtly dress. She was strongly adherent to the tradition of hoop skirts in court, demanding that her Regency-era ladies should wear them regardless of what was actually hip on the streets of London.”
Reviews
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'Severance' review: An anti-capitalist fable with a 'Black Mirror' twist — Mashable
“Severance imagines a world where "work smarter, not harder" is not a platitude, but a threat. The severance procedure may be fictional, but the soulless corporate efficiency and irresponsible tech that inspired this fable are very real.”
'The Siege of Paris' finally makes 'Valhalla' an Assassin's Creed game — Mashable
“Whomever looked at Assassin's Creed and said "You know what this game is missing? A hopeless quantity of rats." is hands down the most fascinating person at Ubisoft and really, I just want to talk.”
'Ghost of Tsushima' is a cinematic step forward in action-adventure storytelling — Mashable
“Ghost of Tsushima shines as a carefully crafted, excellent standalone game that made me notice things about games I rarely pick up on — the way the protagonist breathes, the colors of dawns and dusks, the subtle animations of love and hatred.”
'Bo Burnham: Inside' is a brilliant and upsetting portrait of what just happened to us — Mashable
“It's a staggering feat of multimedia art that speaks to Bo Burnham's rare creativity. It's also a hopeless and upsetting projection of depression. It's brilliant, the songs are mostly bangers, and it's laugh-out-loud hilarious. It's physically painful to watch.”