Kid Fury & Crissle flawlessly prove that pop culture creators can talk politics and still have fun
As a Digital Strategist at Social Currant, I try to encourage non-political content creators to step out of their comfort zone and use their platforms to talk about issues they care about. The irony of working with pop-culture creators is that, while they produce reality TV commentary, our President is an ex-reality TV star who runs the government like an episode of "The Apprentice." (Not to mention, the Secretary of Transportation and Dr. Oz are also reality TV personalities turned White House appointees 🫠)
With the constant drama and theater going on in Washington, there is no shortage of material for comedy and pop-culture creators to comment on. And on The Read podcast, Black pop culture is front and center, but Kid Fury and Crissle also bring hilarious commentary on everything from Season Two of Trump's White House to which rappers have tried and failed to exchange an endorsement for a pardon.
They chat about the ludicrous headlines while giving some policy context that a lot of their listeners may not be as versed in. Last week, Crissle called out the Islamophobic discourse around whether Muslim Mayor Zohran Mamdani should be allowed to attend the 9/11 Memorial in NYC, aka "Mamdanistan" as Crissle nicknames the city.
It’s that kind of commentary that got me hooked on the show in the first place. I discovered The Read in 2020, which apparently makes me late to the party — Kid Fury and Crissle, internet besties, started the podcast back in 2013. The show has evolved over the years but mainly revolves around topics of Black excellence, pop culture, and listener letters requesting advice. And of course, each week, the hosts close out the episode by delivering a "Read" of their choice — basically dragging a deserving person for filth.
The podcast is and has been wildly popular. The show brought in over 1.5 million unique listens per month during its peak years. And that popularity hasn't faded — this past spring, for the show's 13th anniversary, the hosts put on a sold-out live show in Atlanta (your girl was, of course, in attendance).
Part of their appeal is how inclusive the community around The Read really is. The hosts are queer Black millennials living in LA and NYC — so it's not a huge surprise where they lie on the political spectrum. But they've chosen to use their platform to highlight issues that don't directly intersect with their own identities and lived experiences. And in doing that, they've built an extensive community — from countless backgrounds, across the world — who feel like Kid Fury and Crissle have created a safe space for them to tune in week after week.
As Kid Fury has put it himself: "The Read is for people who have a sense of humor. It is not for people who are easily offended. It's for progressive people."
If you're a pop-culture creator, I hope The Read inspires you to also use your platform to give your two cents on issues you care about. You don't have to be a subject-matter expert to have an opinion on the high a** cost of gas or how difficult it is to get healthcare in this country. And for what it's worth, if you’re looking for some fact-checking support, you can always work with a partner like Social Currant to provide talking points and resources to help back up your claims — because your audience values your opinion, and the world needs more voices like yours speaking truth to power! And if there's a podcast you're listening to that does this well, let me know — I'm always looking for a good conversation to listen to while I deep clean my home.
That’s it from me today. Until next time, please scroll responsibly ✨
