Hocus Pocus

This week, Sequoia and special guest and comedian Franchesca Ramsey revisit The Sopranos, the groundbreaking HBO series that may be one of the best TV Shows of all time. They unpack Tony Soprano’s complicated relationship with masculinity, his panic attacks, and whether therapy ever actually made him a better person. Plus, why do we keep defending Tony when he’s objectively terrible? Did Carmela marry Tony or the lifestyle? Could Dr. Melfi ever really help a mob boss? And is The Sopranos actually a comedy by 2026 standards? They also discuss being Black fans of a show centered on Italian-American culture, show love to Carmela and Adriana’s style, and revisit the infamous series finale. Did Tony die, or did the show leave us hanging? Tune in for a jam-packed episode full of mob drama, masculinity debates, and The Sopranos hot takes!Buy Mocha Grande MerchFollow SequoiaInstagram @SequoiaBHolmesTikTok @SequoiaBHolmesFollow FranchescaInstagram @chescaleighTikTok @franchesca_leighFollow BPLP PodInstagram @bplppodTikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia, Ryann and Jewel revisit Hocus Pocus in honor of Halloween. They unpack how the Disney movie has become a spooky-season staple, but question whether it's actually a cult classic or if we're all just nostalgic for the Sanderson sisters. Plus, why is this movie so gay-boy coded? Does Bette Midler get her flowers enough? Do we really need another sequel? And is Sequoia secretly a witch? They also show love to director Kenny Ortega, gush over Sarah Jessica Parker’s comedic chops, and decide which celebrities are alleged witches. Tune in for a jam-packed episode full of hot takes, Disney nostalgia, and Sanderson sister chaos!Buy Mocha Grande MerchFollow SequoiaInstagram @SequoiaBHolmesTikTok @SequoiaBHolmesFollow JewelInstagram @jewelwickershowFollow RyannInstagram @gudguyryryFollow BPLP PodInstagram @bplppodTikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia, Jewel and Ryann revisit Taylor Swift’s self-titled debut album in honor of its 20th anniversary. They look back at teenage Taylor’s country music beginnings and early hits like “Our Song” and “Teardrops on My Guitar.” Plus, did Taylor have a real country accent? Why hasn’t her songwriting evolved beyond high school heartbreak? Is she actually upset that we don’t like her? And why is it so hard to be a Black Swiftie? They also get into the “Picture to Burn” controversy, the boyfriends who inspired her best breakup songs (like Jake Gyllenhaal and “All Too Well”), her reputation as a bad style icon, and whether her debut album still holds up 20 years later. Tune in for a jam-packed episode full of hot takes, mid-2000s nostalgia, and the Taylor Swift discourse you’ve been waiting for!Buy Mocha Grande MerchFollow SequoiaInstagram @SequoiaBHolmesTikTok @SequoiaBHolmesFollow JewelInstagram @jewelwickershowFollow RyannInstagram @gudguyryryFollow BPLP PodInstagram @bplppodTikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia and special guest and comedian Ify Nwadiwe celebrate the 20th anniversary of My Chemical Romance’s iconic rock opera concept album, The Black Parade. They unpack the album’s legacy, Gerard Way’s powerful voice, and why its messages about life and death—especially through “The Patient”—still resonate today. Plus, is “Welcome To The Black Parade” the band’s best song? Does “Teenagers” hit differently as you get older? And did The Black Parade help make emo culture mainstream? They also discuss whether Disney rock acts like the Jonas Brothers were a stepping stone to more traditional rock music, what it was like growing up as Black emo kids, and how My Chemical Romance compares to Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and Green Day. Tune in for a jam-packed episode fit for the album’s 20th anniversary!Buy Mocha Grande MerchFollow SequoiaInstagram @SequoiaBHolmesTikTok @SequoiaBHolmesFollow IfyInstagram @ifynwadiweTikTok @therealifyFollow BPLP PodInstagram @bplppodTikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia, Jewel and Ryann celebrate Insecure 10 years after the hit HBO series premiered. They get into the messiness of your late twenties and adult friendships and, of course, Issa and Lawrence’s complicated relationship history. Plus, was Insecure written for Black Twitter? Who was the best match for Issa—Daniel, Nathan, or Lawrence? Was Molly secretly jealous of Issa? And what did the show get right (and wrong) about sex, mental health, and friendship? They also debate whether Los Angeles is a character, where Insecure ranks among other ensemble female comedies, and break out the mirror raps one more time. Tune in for a mega-sized episode fit for the show’s 10th anniversary!Buy Mocha Grande MerchFollow SequoiaInstagram @SequoiaBHolmesTikTok @SequoiaBHolmesFollow JewelInstagram @jewelwickershowFollow RyannInstagram @gudguyryryFollow BPLP PodInstagram @bplppodTikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia and Jewel celebrate Aaliyah, 25 years after her tragic plane crash. They get into her One in a Million reinvention with Missy Elliott and Timbaland, her iconic effortless streetwear style, and her budding acting career. Plus, they debate who the real sons of Aaliyah are, which songs they simply can’t live without, from “Are You That Somebody?” to “Try Again,” and whether Aaliyah was the blueprint for the R&B cool girl. They get into all this, and more! Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes Follow Jewel Instagram @jewelwickershow Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia and Ryann revisit Step Up (2006), the dance movie with a banging soundtrack (Ciara's "Get Up”) and that made Channing Tatum a star. They attempt to understand why dance movies were EVERYWHERE in the 2000s, and why Eminem’s popularity fueled the rise of wiggers. Plus, Ryann and Sequoia look at why Black audiences embraced dance movies like Step Up, despite one of their most unfortunate tropes: there’s always a Black kid that has to die. They get into all this, and more! Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes Follow Ryann Instagram @gudguyryry Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia and Jewel take another look at the 2001 hit The Princess Diaries, adapted from Meg Cabot’s book of the same name. In the process, they reminisce about their own high school experiences, and compare those to “movie trope” ones. Plus, how come girls with glasses are always catchin’ strays? And why is it that Mia’s frizzy hair gets straightened when she gets a makeover?  Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes   Follow Jewel Instagram @jewelwickershow Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

This week, Sequoia and Ryann talk Beyoncé’s 2022 album Renaissance. And even though Sequoia will go to the mat to defend Beyoncé’s supremacy as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, living artists today, she puts her beef with the artist on front street. Listen to the episode to see how Ryann and Sequoia rank their favorite songs on the album. Spoiler alert: Their rankings differ. Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes   Follow Ryann Instagram @gudguyryry Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore

Sequoia interviews rising alt-pop singer Alemeda, who wrapped up a six-city tour earlier this year. The Ethiopian-born singer and Sequoia bond over Paramore songs and cats. Alemeda also weighs in on the cat backlash directed at Doechii, with whom she recorded Beat a B!tch Up. Buy Mocha Grande Merch Follow Sequoia Instagram @SequoiaBHolmes TikTok @SequoiaBHolmes   Follow Alemeda Instagram @Alemeda https://www.alemedamusic.com/ Follow BPLP Pod Instagram @bplppod TikTok @bplppod Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinparamore