Ep 422 - I Like Me w/ Justin Rogers-Cooper

Ep 422 - I Like Me w/ Justin Rogers-Cooper

Author: David Parsons January 3, 2026 Duration: 1:18:28

What makes John Candy such a unique figure in American pop culture? And why are we still talking about him in 2025? In this episode, Justin and I discuss the new documentary John Candy: I Like Me (dir. Colin Hanks) and reflect on Candy's outsized space in the cultural imagination, while exploring some of the darker elements of our paternal attraction to specific celebrities.

Check out our previous episode all about Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (dir. John Hughes), a key work in the Candy oeuvre.

Subscribe to the Nostalgia Trap Patreon to access our vast library of episodes and bonus content: patreon.com/nostalgiatrap 


The conversations on Nostalgia Trap move beyond simple reminiscence, probing the powerful and often misleading pull of the past on our present. Hosted by historian and writer David Parsons, this podcast carefully untangles the threads connecting American history, contemporary politics, and the shared stories of pop culture. Each episode is built around a deep dive conversation, where the familiar narratives we tell ourselves about who we are are examined and challenged. You’ll hear how yesterday’s policy decisions echo in today’s headlines and how a forgotten film or a hit song can reveal the anxieties of its era. The goal isn’t just to inform, but to question the comforting allure of a supposedly simpler time, revealing how nostalgia itself can be a trap that shapes our collective understanding. This is a space for thoughtful, nuanced discussion that respects the complexity of the past while critically engaging with its legacy. For anyone interested in the forces that have shaped the American experience, from its founding ideals to its latest cultural moments, Nostalgia Trap offers a necessary and compelling perspective. Tune in for a podcast that consistently demonstrates how history is never truly behind us.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Nostalgia Trap
Podcast Episodes
Nostalgia Trap - Episode 395: Atomic Twang w/ Joseph M. Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:56
Joseph M. Thompson is assistant professor of history at Mississippi State University, and the author of Cold War Country: How Nashville's Music Row and the Pentagon Created the Sound of American Patriotism (UNC Press, 20…
News Trap 6.14.24 w/ Justin Rogers-Cooper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:41
Anti-immigration politics are winning the moment, the market for testosterone replacement therapy is booming, child labor is on the horizon, and United Health EATS PEOPLE. And so ends this week's FREE PREVIEW for News Tr…
News Trap 6.12.24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:44
A stunning new piece in The Atlantic offers details on the fall of America as seen from Phoenix, Arizona. Folks, 2024 is gonna be a hell of year. This is FREE PREVIEW WEEK for News Trap, subscribe to hear 'em all: https:…
News Trap 6.11.24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:34
Today we take a detailed look at this incredible Wall Street Journal piece featuring text messages from Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader and architect of 10/7. What's Sinwar's strategy? And how does it fit into an American ant…
News Trap 6.10.24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:41
Nobody likes new cars, everyone loves old cars, Americans are on a spending spree while complaining about the economy, the anti-AI rebellion is growing. This is a free episode of News Trap, subscribe to our Patreon for a…