Carri Twigg: Sometimes culture really pushes politics and sometimes politics pushes culture

7 May

In episode 5 of never before heard conversation from my archive, we're talking about America. You may be feeling over saturated with America at the moment as the loudest, brashest voice in the geopolitical room. I know I definitely feel like that these days, especially given everything that’s going on all over the world. But I want to promise you that you’re in for a refreshing, insightful, through-provoking treat with my guest today, Carri Twigg.

Carri Twigg is the co-founder and head of development for Culture House media, a Black, Brown, women-owned, premium film and TV production company that specialises in storytelling about the cultural questions that shape society, politics, and identity. They’re responsible for series including Netflix Top Ten series, Ladies First: A story of Women in Hip Hop, The Hair Tales for Hulu and OWN and Growing Up for Disney+.

Before her pivot to entertainment, Carri served in the Obama White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Public Engagement for then Vice President Biden. Carri spent over 10 years working at every level of American politics and government. And in 2022, was appointed by then President Biden to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts and the Kennedy Center board.

We talk about growing up in Ohio with mixed heritage, the relationship between culture and politics. We talk about self-censorship, should we for example keep content in films that are racist is it harmful and if so why?

I have to say this is the best exegesis of what I’d call ‘Americanness’ I’ve ever heard and really contextualises the kind of ‘soup’ that is US politics and culture. Carri now has a politics and culture podcast with Brad Jenkins called Twigg & Jenkins, a continuation of her engagement in US politics. She's also written a fantastic piece for Rolling Stone magazine about what she describes as ‘Trump’s cultural capture', very much reasserting much of our conversation.

Guest: Carri Twigg

Title: Sometimes culture really pushes politics and sometimes politics pushes culture’

Music: Amanda Jones, Rodney Chrome, Meshell Ndegeocello - The Hair Tales

Yussef Dayes & Tom Misch, What Kinda Music

Links

Culture House ; IG & Substack

Carri Twigg IG

Twigg & Jenkins podcast website

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