Trash Pickins

Pop Culture and Media Analysts

Trash Pickins is a media critique YouTube channel and content studio, known for its cultural commentary, deep dives, and balanced takes on pop culture’s wildest trends, most viral moments, and trashy media. Trash Pickins specializes in viral internet trends, movie and TV reviews, and meme culture. The creative minds behind Trash Pickins are Lisa, Sara, and Frank. Lisa is a professional writer and has a PhD in Communication from UC Santa Barbara. She focuses on media literacy, critical analysis, intersectional critique, and reality TV. Sara is a professional artist and video producer, and received a degree in fine art and animation. She specializes in internet trends, focusing on memes, online debates, and influencer news. Frank is an entrepreneur and has a degree in computer science; he specializes in nerd culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and anything featuring birds.

Education

  • PhD, Communication, UC Santa Barbara (Lisa)
  • BA, Film Production, Emerson College (Sara)
  • BS, Computer Science, Rutgers University (Frank)

Professional Achievements

  • Lisa was Founding Director of the Environmental Communication & Media Program at UC Santa Barbara for 8 years and won a Distinguished Teaching Award (2020) for lecturing on media and communication. Lisa has worked with NOVA / GBH Boston for over a decade, supporting documentary film productions.
  • Sara has over a decade of film production and animation experience, and her work has been featured at South by Southwest and Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Her artwork was also featured in BuzzFeed, the Associated Press, Huffington Post, and Bored Panda.
  • Frank won the Save the Songbirds Hero Award (2024), owns his own Wild Birds Unlimited store, and does educational programming on birds as Frank the Bird Guy.

Favorite Piece of Advice

We can all enjoy trashy media, but remember to think critically about the media you consume-- what does it say about us as a society? What values does it reflect? It’s fun to escape, but be aware of the hidden meaning behind what we are watching, and also how our attention is being commodified.

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Forum Comments (1)

Does the "You Look Happier" trend promote positivity?
This trend is a way of sharing something pivotal in your life, but I don't believe it truly promotes positivity. I'd say it's more for public processing and catharsis than anything else.

Co-authored Articles (15)

How to Watch Battlestar Galactica in Order (Without Spoilers!)

Pop culture and media analysts Trash Pickins share how to watch BSG''Battlestar Galactica'' is an epic, decade-spanning sci-fi series with a massive fanbase and a ''long'' list of television seasons, films, mini-series, ...

Lightsaber Colors in Star Wars: Meanings, Origins, & Symbolism

Pop culture and media analysts Trash Pickins explain the history, meaning, and lore behind lightsaber colorLightsabers are the most iconic weapon in the ''Star Wars'' universe, which were first introduced in ''Star Wars:...

Everything You Need to Know About the “My Roman Empire” TikTok Trend

Discover what your personal Roman Empire is If you’ve heard the phrase “My Roman Empire,” you’ve probably gathered that no one actually possesses their own historical era—so what does it mean? This viral TikTok...

X-Men Movies Watch Order: A Complete Guide

Pop culture and media analysts Trash Pickins share their suggestions for watching the X-Men moviesOver the span of 24 years, there have been 14 films released as part of the ''X-Men'' series, including spin-offs about Wo...

27 Ultra-Moody Emo Characters From Anime, Movies & Cartoons

Plus, learn the characteristics of an emo characterHave you ever thought about whether your favorite character is emo or not? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This article lists 27 male and female emo characters ...

What Is a ‘Hear Me Out’ Cake?

Plus the most popular hear me out cake ideas & charactersDo you have a silly, secret, or even shameful crush that you wouldn’t even tell your closest friends about…let alone the entire internet? Well, the “hear me ...

Your Ultimate Guide to Superhero Logos & Symbols

Pop culture and media analysts Trash Pickins share some of Marvel & DC's most iconic symbolsHow well do you know your superheroes—''or'' the symbols that best represent them? In today’s vast landscape of superhero me...

The Most Cringeworthy Things Millennials Did (And Still Do)

Learn the millennial trends that would put Gen Z in a comaIf you were born roughly between 1980 and 1996, congrats—you’re a millennial! Of course, that label isn’t beloved by everyone, as it has encountered some ba...

How to Watch the Arrowverse: Chronological & Release Order

Pop Culture and Media Analysts Trash Pickins share the best watch order so you don’t miss any crossover eventsThe Arrowverse is a universe of interconnected television shows following some of DC’s most popular superh...

What Is Italian Brainrot? Behind the TikTok Trend and Characters

Plus, how Italian brainrot started and why it’s so popularWhat happens when you take Gen Z humor, AI-generated images, and put them together in a blender? You get Italian brainrot animals, that’s what! Italian brainr...

The History Behind the Autobots Symbol in Transformers

Pop culture and media analysts Trash Pickins explain the lore behind the Transformers faction insigniasThe Autobots symbol from ''Transformers'' is one of the most recognizable logos, but it hasn’t always looked the sa...

The Meaning of "Would You Still Love Me if I Was a Worm?"

Unpack the viral question's origin, meaning, and how to respondBeing silly together is one sign of a healthy, loving relationship, and presenting your significant other with wild hypothetical scenarios is all part of the...

The Most Memorable Batman Villains from the Rogues Gallery

Pop culture and media analysts Trash Pickins go over the most evil bad guys in Gotham CityEver since Batman debuted in ''Detective Comics'' in 1939, he’s had tons of memorable villains to face off against. While his ma...

How Did Obi Wan Kenobi Die? His Life, Death & Legacy

Pop culture analysts Trash Pickins explain the fate of the famous JediObi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most beloved and important characters in the Star Wars saga. His sacrifice allows Luke Skywalker to become the hero he wa...

Dubai Chocolate Bar: Everything You Need to Know (Plus How to Make It!)

Discover for yourself whether Dubai chocolate is worth the hypeThe Dubai chocolate bar has taken over TikTok—not just the ''original'' bar, but also homemade recreations, DIY variations, and local knock-off versions. B...