Pop Cultured with theSkimm

theSkimm

  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    Joe Burrow & Jessica Alba Dating Rumors, Travis Returns, and Bracketology 101 ft. Mackenzie Brooks

    Mercury is in retrograde which can only mean one thing — breakups. From Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos calling off their wedding to Luka Dončić’s fiancée deleting all of her photos with the star hooper, this week gave us nothing but drama in the love department. Plus, Caroline recaps this week’s free agency frenzy and CBS’ betting analyst, Mackenzie Brooks, gives practical advice on how to actually win your March Madness pool. 

    In this episode of Well Played, we also cover: 

    • Who promptly shut down the Joe Burrow and Jessica Alba dating rumors

    • Why some are mad after Sydney Leroux’s annual International Women’s Day post 

    • How Tobin Heath’s jersey retirement came full circle, ft. Brandi Chastain 

    • Why no one — not even elite athletes like Aryna Sabalenka — is safe from their moms comments on their appearance

    Send Its:

    Follow Mackenzie Brooks: @kenzbrooksbets

    Follow Well Played: @wellplayedbytheskimm

    Follow Blake: @blaaakkkke

    Follow Caroline: @cghendy


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    11 March 2026, 5:10 pm
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Harry Styles’ Marathon Hack, Trinity Slides into DMs, and Azzi Goes WAG Status ft. Dawn Staley

    Harry Styles ran two marathons and all he got was peeing advice that we may or may not adopt. Heavy on the “may not”. Trinity Rodman and Cameron Brink reminded us that Gen Z almost always finds love using the internet, and made us yearn for the Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and JFK Jr. days of romance (are you team red roses or white orchids?). And in actual sports news, Caroline tells us who to look out for post-NFL Combine.

    In this episode of Well Played, we also cover:

    • Charles LeClerc’s first wedding – implying there is a second

    • How Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong led UCONN women’s basketball to dominance this season

    • Comparing the NBA and WNBA’s salary caps ahead of the women’s CBA deadline on March 10 

    • Dawn Staley’s advice for Bam Adebayo when it comes to A’ja Wilson 

    • A four-for-one Alysa Liu Send It, from her trip to “Watch What Happens Live” to meeting Daniel Radcliffe

    Send Its:

    Follow Dawn Staley on IG: @staley05

    Follow Well Played on IG: @wellplayedbytheskimm 

    Follow Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke 

    Follow Caroline on IG: @cghendy 


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    4 March 2026, 7:41 pm
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    How Women Won the Winter Olympics ft. Brenda Song | Well Played

    Women won big time at the Winter Olympics, taking home more than half of Team USA’s gold medals. But a story involving President Trump and the US men’s hockey team has clouded the moment, raising questions about support for the women. After the team declined a White House visit, Flavor Flav offered to host them instead. Yes, really. Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion linked up with Laila Edwards, and figure skater Amber Glenn pushed for more conversation about competing on your period.

    Send Its:


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    25 February 2026, 4:59 pm
  • 55 minutes 46 seconds
    Moms Win at the Olympics, Taylor Swift Intro's “Blade Angels”, and the Canadian Curling Scandal

    (Almost) the entire pod is about the Olympics this week. Sorry, not sorry. Caroline and Blake beg the question: why are winter Olympic athletes so much more unhinged than the summer ones? From a Norwegian biathlete’s very public cheating confession to a gold medalist’s credit card fraud conviction, we dive deep into the most wild stories from the week.

    In this episode, we also cover:

    • Why the NFLPA can no longer publish its report cards publicly – and why that’s a loss for the league

    • What Joe Judge gets wrong about fatherhood in Trinidad Chambliss’ eligibility testimony

    • What Breanna Stewart’s off-season move to play in Turkey could mean for the WNBA season

    • A Canadian curling scandal ft. the Swedish…surveillance state? 

    Going for the Golds: 

    Follow Well Played on IG: @wellplayedbytheskimm 

    Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke

    Caroline on IG: @cghendy

    theSkimm on IG: @theskimm


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    18 February 2026, 6:22 pm
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    Lindsay Vonn’s Controversial Call, Stefon Fumbles Cardi B, and Why Bad Bunny Had Bush People

    After spending eight straight days together, Blake and Caroline are back in NYC with another episode of “Well Played.” We recap our Super Bowl experience with some exclusive intel on the Cardi B and Stefon Diggs break up, say goodnight to the NFL season, and send it to the Winter Olympics which is our collective fixation. 

    In this episode, we also cover:

    • A special giveaway for one new follower of @wellplayedbytheskimm on IG
    • How Lindsay Vonn shut down armchair experts around her recent leg fracture
    • Who Surya Bonaly is, and why she’s getting her flowers in the wake of Ilia Malinin’s backflip
    • The extremely practical backstory of Bad Bunny’s bush people 
    • The Dyson Air Wrap’s missed opportunity at the Winter Olympics

    Going for the Golds: 

    Follow Well Played on IG: @wellplayedbytheskimm 

    Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke

    Caroline on IG: @cghendy

    theSkimm on IG: @theskimm


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    11 February 2026, 5:44 pm
  • 23 minutes 22 seconds
    Super Bowl Special: Eli Manning Sightings and Game Day Predictions ft. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

    Team Well Played went West to cover this year's Super Bowl LX. Featuring special guest and Gatorade athlete and Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Blake and Caroline are breaking down the weekend's celeb sightings (hi Mr. Eli), game day predictions, and the some mind blowing stats around women's health research.

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    7 February 2026, 8:07 pm
  • 59 minutes 49 seconds
    Bravo Meets Winter Olympics, Tom Brady’s Sad Girl Era, and Listener Questions on Super Bowl LX

    Tom Brady showed us just how much of a teen girl at heart he is with a recent series of Instagram stories. Did Gisele have anything to do with it? Caroline has thoughts. We also answer listener questions around the Super Bowl, like what “game odds” even mean and a vibe-check of the Seahawks and Patriots O & D-lines. 

    In this episode, we also cover:

    • What our Bravo taglines would be as podcasters 
    • Carlos Alcaraz proving “if he wanted to, he would” after his Australian Open win 

    • A convo with Nordic combined skier, Annika Malacinski, on why her brother can compete at the Olympics but she can’t 

    • Whether Lewis Hamilton is next on the “Kardashian kurse” list 

    • How to tune into the Winter Olympics opening ceremony this Friday 

    Fun Stuff that aren’t Send Its: 

    Annika Malacinski: @annika.malacinski

    Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke

    Caroline on IG: @cghendy

    theSkimm on IG: @theskimm


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    4 February 2026, 5:59 pm
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Trinity’s Pay Day, the NBA’s Kardashian Kurse, and Coco’s Relatable Crashout ft. Cameron Brink

    Sorry boys, but Kendall Jenner’s getting the last laugh around the “Kardashian Kurse". Well, at least she did in her Super Bowl ad with Fanatics Sportsbook. WNBA star Cameron Brink joins Well Played to talk about why she wants Alex Consani on her pod, the most “big brother” thing about Steph Curry, and the biggest difference in her routine since her ACL injury. Finally — we have big news surrounding Well Played and Super Bowl LX. If you see us in the Bay, say hey.













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    28 January 2026, 7:06 pm
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    Heated Rivalry Meets the NFL, Noami Stuns the Open, and the Beckhams are Beefing ft. Jeanie Buss

    The NFL postseason is in full chaos mode, and this week Blake and Caroline are breaking down the Chicago Bears game that put fans through an emotional roller coaster. From pivotal play calls to high-pressure moments, they dig into what went wrong, what worked, and what Caleb Williams’ performance reveals about the road ahead. Plus, Caroline is making sure we all know who to root for in the NFL playoffs based on the characters in “Heated Rivalry.” In this episode of “Well Played”, we also cover: -Why the Beckham beef is back in the spotlight -Which WNBA star is joining “Hunting Wives” -Why Chloe Kim is spending so much time in the pedicure chair -The reason Fernando Mendoza’s story has us in our feels -What it was like for former Laker’s owner Jeannie Buss as a woman in a male-domited industry (hint: not easy) Plus Caroline and Blake conduct a sniff test with Literie’s new 2026 FIFA World Cup collection candles. Use code SKIMM10 for 10% off your order at https://literiecandle.com. Editor's note: In this episode Blake and Caroline discuss a NHL hockey team selling jerseys to support Pride. The correct team was the Ottawa Senators. Jeanie Buss on IG: @jeaniebuss Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke Caroline on IG: @cghendy theSkimm on IG: @theskimm

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    21 January 2026, 7:50 pm
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    Heated Rivalry’s Hollywood Takeover, Ilona Maher’s Lesson in Clapbacks and Playoff Josh Returns ft. Ali Truwit

    The “Heated Rivalry” craze that started in 2025 spilled into the new year, with everyone (us) foaming at the mouth over the Heated Rivalry boys. Hollanov/ HudCon/our boyfriends dominated the Golden Globes, where Julia Roberts revealed her football fandom, Hailee Steinfeld debuted her bump on the red carpet, and Timothée Chalamet took home the gold statue for Best Actor for playing the insufferable lead in “Marty Supreme”. Plus, Caroline breaks down everything you need to know about last weekend’s wild card round – and what’s to come in the no-man’s-land of the NFL post-season.

    In this episode of Well Played, we also cover: 

    • Ali Truwit’s journey from losing her foot in a shark attack to medaling at the Paris Paralympics

    • The unprecedented matchup between Indiana-Miami in the college football finals – and how much it’ll cost to watch the game IRL 

    • George Kittle’s relatable request post-Achilles tear 

    • How Alysa Liu made the Olympic figure skating squad, despite retiring at 16

    • Our takeaway from Ilona Maher’s response to a body-shaming troll 

    Check out Ali's work with "Love, Your Mind" and find mental health resources at LoveYourMindPlaybook.org.

    Ali Truwit on IG: @alitruwit

    Love, Your Mind IG: @love_yourmind

    Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke

    Caroline on IG: @cghendy

    theSkimm on IG: @theskimm

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    14 January 2026, 8:17 pm
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    Josh & Hailee Are Having a Baby, the Chiefs Dynasty is Dead, and End of Year Awards ft. Olivia Culpo

    Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld are expecting their first child together. Hailee shared the news in her “Beau Society” newsletter. But Josh Allen kinda gave it away with his empathic morning sickness on the sidelines. We wrap the last episode of the year with our annual Wellies, including categories like “Most Exhausted PR Team” and “Diva of the Year.” Disagree with the nominees? Sound off in the comments.


    In this episode of Well Played, we also cover: 

    • An update on the Sherrone Moore case out of the University of Michigan 
    • Why motherhood made Olivia Culpo mourn who she was before having her baby
    • How Ann Michael Maye’s “Bakemas” killed Drake Maye’s win
    • Why we’re not surprised A’ja Wilson is a co-chair for the Met Gala’s host committee 
    • Introducing the greenest flag in college football, Fernando Mendoza

    Thanks to our presenting sponsor Capital One Venture X Business Card! Visit ⁠⁠https://skimmth.is/48YzMGy⁠⁠ to learn more.


    Well Played will be on winter break for the next few weeks. Until then – thank you for all of the support in 2025. This show would be nothing without you! See you in the New Year, love you mean it byeeeeeeee! - Blake & Caroline


    Follow Olivia Culpo on IG: @oliviaculpo 

    Follow Olivia Culpo on TikTok: @oliviadangerculpo

    Follow Blake on IG: @blaaakkkke

    Follow Caroline on IG: @cghendy

    Follow theSkimm on IG: @theskimm


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    17 December 2025, 8:54 pm
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