The Daily Zeitgeist Proving The Haters Right, MAGA = The Borg Is Cool! 01.22.26
Jan 22, 2026
This week’s guest is Ramzi Fawaz, an English professor and author with expertise in comics and cultural studies. He dives into how celebrity culture fills democratic voids and critiques unhealthy romance narratives. Ramzi also highlights college student activism and the challenges they face with social media and AI. Discussing the conservative reclamation of Star Trek, he underscores its values of diversity and community. Finally, he laments how fandoms have come to replace traditional religious meanings in our society.
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Episode notes
Rewatching DiCaprio To Study Celebrity And Craft
- Ramzi binge-watched Leonardo DiCaprio films to reassess celebrity culture and acting choices.
- He revisited The Revenant and the behind-the-scenes stunts to understand movie craft.
The Bear In The Revenant Was A Stuntman
- Ramzi notes the stuntman Glenn Ennis played the bear in The Revenant and studied animal movement for realism.
- He highlights stunt craft as a hidden expertise behind cinematic spectacle.
Why Fandoms Flip Between Community And Celebrity
- Popular fandoms oscillate between fantasies of democratic belonging and celebrity worship.
- Ramzi Fawaz argues this yo-yo explains why people both crave community and idolize individuals.
