Culture Critic

I review movies and TV shows, analyze self-help books, discuss the podcast industry, and comment on popular culture - with equal measures of fandom and intersectional feminism. Some areas of particular interest include: film history, made-for-TV movies, Christmas movies, blockbusters, and everyone's patron saint Dolly Parton.

Freelance Cultural Commentator

2008 - Present

Recent TV, radio, print, and podcast appearances include:  

• Feeling Seen: Kristen Meinzer on ‘Anne of Green Gables’

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: Should you pick up 'The Black Phone'?

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: With 'Jurassic World Dominion,' a franchise roars to a close

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: In 'The Northman,' it takes a pillage

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: In 'Pachinko,' life is a game of chance

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend reading and viewing

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: Does 'Inventing Anna' get why Anna Delvey was so fascinating?

• NPR'S Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'And Just Like That...', all we can do is cringe

• NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Judge Judy' is now 'Judy Justice,' but little else has changed

• WNYC’s The Takeaway: Creepy Movies to Get You Ready for Halloween

• Popcorn Psychology: The Babadook with Kristen Meinzer

• The Sporkful: Why Actors Never Actually Eat In Movies

• NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: What's Making Us Happy: A Guide For Your Weekend Watching, Listening And Reading

• NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour: You've Ridden This Jungle Cruise Before

• Rebel Therapist: Consulting Side Hustle with Kristen Meinzer

• Love To See It: Too Hot to Handle Season 2

• The Universal Asian: An Imported Asian’s POV

• NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, 'Physical' Is An Uneven Look At '80s Ambition

• NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour: A Paranoid Amy Adams is "The Woman in the Window"

• The Margaret Cho: The Noona Murder with Kristen Meinzer

• Happier With Gretchen Rubin: Practice Some Movie Therapy

• Therapy Rocks: Movie Therapy

• CBC’s Inappropriate Questions: Who Are Your Real Parents?

• P.S. I Love Rom-Coms: Pretty Woman with Kristen Meinzer

• NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour: Stuck in a Streaming Rut? We've Got You Covered

• 3 Clips: The Structure of Incredible Episodes featuring Kristen Meinzer

• New York Times: When Podcast Hosts Speak, What Do We Hear?

• The Boston Globe: For 2021, A Fresh Look at Self-Help Books

• Fast Company: This Pandemic Bed-Couch-Desk-Massager Should be Top of Your Winter Wishlists

• Mashable: Gaze upon this ridiculous bed/couch/chaise/media center combo that's basically an island

• Best of Both Worlds Podcast: Self-Help, TV, and More with Kristen Meinzer

• Do You Even Podcast: Covid Brought Us Back

• Book Dreams Podcast: Do Self-Help Books Help?

• Forbes: Making Money Podcasting Is Possible But Not Easy

• Dear Prudence Podcast: Is This Work Related?

• The Wrap: Inside Podcast Sexism: Why Female Hosts Struggle to Crack the Top 20 Charts

• WHYY's The Pulse: The Puzzle of Personality

• Real Simple: My Simple Realization

• CBC’s Podcast Playlist: Podcasting in the time of pandemic: producing new shows in isolation

• WBUR's On Point: Binge-Watching While Social Distancing: TV Shows And Movies You Should Watch

• NPR's Code Switch: The Not-So-Life-Changing Magic of Self-Help Books

• Goodreads: They've Researched Self-Help Books. Here Are Their Favorites...

• WNYC's The Takeaway: Movie Therapy for the Soul

• Buzzfeed's AM2DM: Movies to Make Your Holiday Travel More Bearable.

• Hallmark Channel's Bubbly Sesh: Christmas at Dollywood

• Bust Pop Tarts Podcast: Podcasting as a Feminist Act

• School of Podcasting: Personality, Creativity, and Diversity – Starting a Podcast With Kristen Meinzer

• Unladylike: Losing Your Job Pep Talk

• CBS This Morning: Want to Start a Podcast?

• Happier in Hollywood: In Praise of Work Wives

• Buzzfeed: "The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck" Author Actually Gives A Few

• Slate's The Waves: Streaming TV's Sexual Revolution

• NPR's The Big Listen: Living By the Book's Advice

• NPR's All Things Considered: Want A New You For The New Year? These Books Might Actually Help

• Slate's The Waves: Are Made-for-TV Christmas Movies Actually Feminist?

• Slate's The Gist: A Cry for Self-Help

• Real Simple’s Adulthood Made Easy: The Roommates From Hell

• Tablet Magazine's Unorthodox Podcast: Hanger Management

Cultural Commentator/Film Critic, WNYC Radio

2010 – 2015

• Appeared in live, weekly on-air movie review segments on The Takeaway. 

• Served as a cultural commentator on Soundcheck, The Brian Lehrer Show, and the New York feeds of All Things Considered and Morning Edition throughout the year.

Pop Culture Writer, YourTango.com

2008 - 2009

• Wrote, researched, and pitched feature-length articles, interviews, and blog posts on contemporary social issues and popular culture for web magazine with over one million page views per month.

• Pieces were picked up by Yahoo!, MSN, Glamour, DivineCaroline, MomLogic, and more.