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Sebastian Deken (he/him) is a writer and musician originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of <a href="https://bossfightbooks.com/products/final-fantasy-vi-by-sebastian-deken">Final Fantasy VI</a> (Boss Fight Books, 2021), a critical exploration of the music from the 1994 game of the same name. He received his BA in music and French language and literature at Washington University in St. Louis and his MFA in creative nonfiction writing from Columbia University. He currently lives in Queens, New York, with his husband and two cats.

Headshot – Deken, Sebastian

Sebastian Deken

GIVING – 1

Heistgiving

Let’s Watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade! And Post About It Live!

Brett White (he/him) is a pop culture journalist and editor-in-chief of Pop Heist. Prior to this, he was a senior reporter/producer for Decider for seven years. Prior to joining Decider, he covered pop culture for Comic Book Resources, Marvel.com, and MTV News. His areas of expertise include Marvel Comics, Star Wars, Drag Race, classic sitcoms, Sam Neill, unexpected thirst traps, and unlikely menswear icons.
In his spare time, he cohosts the podcast Must Have Seen TV and is writing his first book: a biography of <a href="https://www.haydenrorke.com/">Hayden Rorke</a>.
He also lives out his feminine fantasy as <a href="https://www.barbhardly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barb Hardly</a>, his drag queen alter ego.
His hobbies include spending way too much money on action figures, swimsuits, and fashion accessories. He currently lives in Queens with his handsome husband and two large, orange cats.

brett-heads

Brett White

Eva, Smitty, Martin, Kat, Tomas in family tree

Beyond the Gates family tree

‘Beyond the Gates’ Family Tree Explained: Who’s Who in Fairmont Crest

Sean T. Collins is a freelance TV critic for the New York Times, Vulture, Decider, and elsewhere. He is the author of Pain Don&#8217;t Hurt: Meditations on Road House, available at <a href="https://www.mutualskies.com/">mutualskies.com</a>. He and his wife, the cartoonist Julia Gfrörer, live with their children on Long Island.

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Sean T. Collins

TWIN PEAKS – 3

Prestige Prehistory

‘Twin Peaks’ 1×03 Recap: Red Rooms

Matthew Jackson (he/him) is a writer, critic, podcaster, and nerd-for-hire who&#8217;s been writing about pop culture for more than 15 years. He lives in Austin, Texas, and when he&#8217;s not writing he&#8217;s usually counting the days until Christmas.

Matthew author photo cropped

Matthew Jackson

The Belcher Family Holiday Trilogy, Part 2: ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Thanksgiving Episodes, Ranked

Ethan Kaye (he/him) is a writer/editor/book hoarder. He is scared of the Loch Ness Monster.

Headshot – Kaye, Ethan

Ethan Kaye

Saturn eating child with pilgrim hat on in front of leaves

Goya’s “Black Paintings” Ranked by How They’d Ruin a Thanksgiving Dinner

MAS – 3

Hallmark Hit-or-Miss

Hallmark Hit or Miss: ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story’ Wants You To Tell You About New Highmark Stadium

Grace Leeder (she/they) has spent years cultivating her passion for storytelling, from TV shows to movies. Since entering the podcasting world in 2020, Grace has established herself as a trusted voice in pop culture, offering in-depth insights and recommendations that resonate with audiences. She began podcasting in 2020 on the award-winning Rob Has A Podcast, sharing her love for various TV series and films with listeners.
In the spring of 2024, Grace began co-hosting The Tastemakers, a podcast designed to provide curated reviews and recommendations. Throughout her podcasting journey, Grace has covered acclaimed series like Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, and many more. She has also expanded her scope to conduct engaging interviews with a diverse range of industry professionals, including actors, writers, directors, and costume designers, delivering an inside look at what goes into making some of the most popular shows and movies.

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Grace Leeder

SURVIVOR – 8

‘Survivor’ 49×09 Recap: “If You’re Loyal to All, You’re Loyal to None”

CANADA’S DRAG RACE – 1

Canada's Drag Race

‘Canada’s Drag Race’ 6×01 Recap: Personal Bevel Lessons With Paula Abdul

An orange-haired anime girl holding an ice cream in front of a convenience store.

Screenshot 2025-11-20 at 11.52.51 PM

Anime

Anime Herald Leaps Gloriously Into Print

Melody Esme is a music, film, and TV writer, based in Portland, OR. In addition to her writing about art and pop culture, she has also published a novel and released riot grrrl music.

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Melody Esme

FREAKS & GEEKS – 15

Member Exclusive

‘Freaks and Geeks’ Episode 15 Recap: Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not

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