Josie and the Pussycats (with Joanna Robinson)
6/4/20261 hr 8 min
While Amy is off at Cannes, Paul welcomes Joanna Robinson for an Unspooled Critics’ Choice episode on Josie and the Pussycats, the 2001 musical comedy that was lightyears ahead of its time. They revisit Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan’s razor-sharp satire of pop music, consumer culture, and corporate branding and unpack how a movie stuffed with logos became one of Hollywood’s smartest critiques of marketing. Along the way, they celebrate the infectious soundtrack, the pitch-perfect performances, and explore how a box-office disappointment can transform into a beloved cult classic. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsPaul Scheer· Host0:01
The year is 2001 I mean, would you be more interested in a band called simply The Pussycats?
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:07
Or are you more likely to buy a CD or read a comic or watch a cartoon or go and see a movie about a trio of luscious ladies called Josie and the Pussycats?
Paul Scheer· Host0:19
The movie, Josie and the Pussycats.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:21
It does have a nice ring to it.
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:23
Oh, yes.
Paul Scheer· Host0:23
[upbeat music] Welcome to Unspooled. I am Paul Scheer, and this is a podcast about good movies, critical hits, fan favorites, must-sees, and in case you missed 'ems. Normally, I am joined by my co-host, LA Times film critic Amy Nicholson, to talk about the films people consider the best ever made. But while she is away in Cannes, we are leaving our best of lists and focusing on one person, one person's favorite underappreciated classic or film that maybe doesn't get enough love. This is Dealer's Choice, a series where our guests get to choose what movie they need to talk about, and anything goes. Like I said, today we are talking about 2001's musical comedy, Josie and the Pussycats. And let's go back to 1998. Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan are riding high. They just wrote and directed Can't Hardly Wait, a very well-received teen ensemble comedy, and they get handed something pretty unexpected: the rights to adapt Josie and the Pussycats. Now, this property