DeepSummary
The episode is about a 65-foot hot dog sculpture that was installed in Times Square, New York City. The artists behind the project, Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw, discuss their intention of using the hot dog as a symbol to examine American culture, capitalism, and the meat industry. They organized various events around the sculpture, including a hot dog eating contest, a condiment wrestling match, and an academic summit.
The episode also features an interview with Carol J. Adams, the author of 'The Sexual Politics of Meat,' who discusses the connection between meat consumption and masculinity. She talks about the harassment she has faced from right-wing figures like Rush Limbaugh and Jordan Peterson for her work on the objectification of animals and women in the meat industry.
The host, Jamie Loftus, provides insights into the history of public art and how the hot dog sculpture fits into that tradition. She also reflects on the reactions and controversies surrounding the project, including vandalism attempts and criticism from conservative outlets like the New York Post.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The 65-foot hot dog sculpture in Times Square was created by artists Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw as a commentary on American culture, capitalism, and the meat industry.
- The artists organized various events around the sculpture, including a hot dog eating contest, a condiment wrestling match, and an academic summit, to further explore the symbolism of the hot dog.
- The sculpture and its associated events aimed to challenge the traditional association of meat consumption with masculinity and American exceptionalism.
- The project drew criticism and backlash from conservative outlets like the New York Post, who saw it as an attack on traditional values and masculinity.
- Feminist scholar Carol J. Adams, author of 'The Sexual Politics of Meat,' discussed the connection between meat and masculinity, as well as the harassment she has faced from right-wing figures for her work.
- The episode examines the history of public art and how the hot dog sculpture fits into that tradition, as well as the evolution of harassment tactics from the right-wing radio era to the internet age.
- The artists intentionally created a provocative and controversial project to spark discussions and challenge traditional narratives surrounding food, culture, and gender.
- The episode highlights the role of art in critiquing societal norms and fostering debates on important issues.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Behind every meal of meat is an absence, the death of the animal whose place the meat takes. The absent referent is that which separates the meat eater from the animal and the animal from the end product. The function of the absent referent is to keep our meat separated from any idea that she or he was once an animal.“ by Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw
- “The minute Peterson had that, he posted that to Twitter, you know, the left going too far. And that's all he had to do. That set all his fowlers in motion. They went to the YouTube website and then they commented. And then they commented. I think there's probably 1200 comments at this point.“ by Carol J. Adams
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Episode Information
Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
7/2/24
what happens when public artwork becomes the main character? for the last two months, a culture war has raged around a gigantic sculpture of a hot dog in times square... and playing right into the artists' hands. jamie goes to new york to talk about the secret agenda of the hot dog with creators jen catron and paul outlaw.
then, a talk with carol adams, the author of 'the sexual politics of meat,' about why the hot dog is still a subversive symbol, why i needed to go vegan a decade ago, and how harassment has evolved from right wing radio into the internet era.
(did you seriously think jamie wasn't going to find an excuse to do a hot dog episode? get a grip)
follow jen and paul: https://www.catronandoutlaw.com/
follow carol adams: https://caroljadams.com/
buy raw dog: the naked truth about hot dogs: https://bookshop.org/p/books/raw-dog-the-many-histories-of-hot-dogs-jamie-loftus/18785131?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwp4m0BhBAEiwAsdc4aOntkU4kENdIs91XZ-UKCNSxQ8nvIO1kakfzoI7ugVgqAWA1ABNkQBoCTtoQAvD_BwE
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