When They Popped - A Y2K Pop Culture Podcast
Were you team Backstreet Boys or NSYNC? Britney or Xtina? Simple Life or Newlyweds? With When They Popped, you don’t have to pick a side, because we’re going to mention it all! When They Popped retells the stories of the late 90s and early 2000s biggest celebrities, trends, and phenomena like boy band mania, celebrity-based reality TV, and the rise of “famous for being famous” socialites who ruled the tabloids. Hosts Kelsey and Mary are discussing Y2Ks most impactful cultural moments, icons, and celebrities while chronicling their rise to stardom and discussing when they reached the pinnacle of pop culture, or, when they “popped!” The girls will also consider the cultural impact of Y2K on todays society and will look to see where our beloved Y2K stars are now.
Episodes
161 episodes
Christmas Movies of the 90s & 2000s
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey discuss their Mount Rushmore of Christmas movies from th 90s and 2000s: The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf, and The Holiday. They discuss behind-the-scenes stories - like which lines in Elf were improv and how N...
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Season 4
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Episode 52
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53:15
Backstreet's Back (in Düsseldorf?): An Emergency BSB Investigation
EMERGENCY EPISODE! Mary and Kelsey spiral over the cryptic clues flooding the Backstreet Boys' social media. What do the Millennium references mean? Why the Homecoming: Live in Orlando throwbacks? What's with the countdown? And most importantly...
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Season 4
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Episode 51
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32:53
Beanie Babies, Furby, & Razor Scooters: The Top Holiday Toys of the 90s & 2000s
Remember when we as a nation all collectively believed that Beanie Babies would fund high education and down payments on our future homes? In this episode, Mary and Kelsey go back to their Christmas wish lists of the 90s and 2000s and revisi...
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Season 3
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Episode 50
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48:30
Celebrating the Pop Genius of In The Zone
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey rewind to 2003 for a nostalgic deep dive into Britney Spears’ In the Zone, the album that defined an era of frosted lip gloss, chrome eyeshadow, iconic hits and performances. In a track-by-[criminally underra...
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Season 3
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Episode 49
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1:13:16
The Pussycat Dolls’ Carmit Bachar Dishes On Dancing, Dolls, & More
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey sit down with Carmit Bachar, one of the powerhouses behind The Pussycat Dolls, to talk about her wild ride through pop culture history. From dancing beside Beyoncé and Michael Jackson to shaking up the world ...
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Season 3
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Episode 48
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51:06
Revisiting John Mayer’s Room For Squares
Before Waiting on the World to Change, Gravity, and Say, , there was Room for Squares - John Mayer’s smooth, suburban soundtrack to every early-2000s crush and quarter-life crisis. In this episode, Mary and Kelsey dive track by track into th...
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Season 3
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Episode 47
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1:03:04
Still Unbreakable: A Track-by-Track Celebration of Backstreet Boys’ Unbreakable album
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey celebrate the anniversary of Backstreet Boys’ 2007 album Unbreakable. This track-by-track listening party celebrates one of the Boys’ most underrated eras: post–boy band frenzy, pre–Sphere/Millennium 2....
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Season 3
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Episode 46
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1:00:39
Actor Riley Smith on Motocrossed, New York Minute, Bring It On, & His Newest Venture
Bring It On. New York Minute. Freaks and Geeks. Motocrossed. True Detective. Not Another Teen Movie. 24. These are just a few iconic films and tv shows that Riley Smith has starred in. In this episode, Mary and Kelsey catch up with *the* Dea...
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Season 3
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Episode 45
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59:50
Rochelle McLean on Backstreet Boys’ Sphere residency, legacy, and more!
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey are joined by Rochelle McLean, the mastermind behind the Backstreet Boys Millennium 2.0 album. Rochelle talks about the genesis of this genius concept from back in 2014, to watching it take shape 10+ years la...
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Season 3
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Episode 44
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44:17
Fantasy Boy Band Draft with Kelli Williams and Boyband Stacy
It’s football season, so WTP is holding a fantasy draft - a boy band draft, that is! In this episode, Mary and Kelsey are joined by the OG boyband influencer, Boyband Stacy, and Kelli Williams of Beyond the Blinds podcast and @laguna_biotch ...
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Season 3
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Episode 43
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49:47
3Quency on Girl Groups, Netflix’s Building the Band, and more!
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey chat with 3Quency, the three-woman group consisting of Brianna Mazzola, Nori Moore, and Wennely Quezada, who won Netflix’s “Building The Band.” 3Quency scored a record deal with RECORDS/Columbia Records and i...
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Season 3
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Episode 42
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55:16
The Life Of A Showgirl Listening Party
In this emergency minisode, Mary and Kelsey share their real-time, unedited thoughts on Taylor Swift’s newest album, The Life Of A Showgirl, which was produced in partnership with Max Martin and Shellback.
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Season 3
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Episode 41
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39:05
The Click Five on Just the Girl, New Music & More!
The Click Five is back, baby! In this episode, Mary and Kelsey catch up with Kyle and Ethan of The Click Five to reminisce on the band’s explosive rise to the top of the charts with their 2005 hit “Just The Girl,” and what the band is up to ...
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Season 3
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Episode 40
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55:39
Hilary Duff Deep Cuts
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey celebrate the thrilling news that Hilary Duff is coming out of musical retirement and working on new music. They revisit Hilary’s most underrated bops and compiled their top 10 favorite deep cuts spanning her...
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Season 3
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Episode 39
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53:26
Mandy Moore’s Debut Album
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey go track by track through Mandy Moore’s debut album, So Real, dishing on everything from bubblegum bangers like “Candy” to the deep cuts you may have forgotten were total Y2K gems. They also discuss how the a...
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Season 3
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Episode 38
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57:26
Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together Review
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey recap Nelly and Ashanti’s eight-episode docuserie that follows the iconic Y2K couple’s journey as newlyweds and navigating parenthood. They recap what the critics have to say on the series and their own...
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Season 3
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Episode 37
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46:59
Clay Aiken on American Idol & When He Popped
In this episode, Clay Aiken dishes on his American Idol experience during the show’s explosive second season, he reflects on his quick rise to fame, unlikely fan encounters, and his #1 hit 2003 album, "Measure of a Man.” Plus, Clay discusses...
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Season 3
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Episode 36
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49:38
Backstreet Boys at the Sphere
Oh my God, we're back again... In this episode, Mary & Kelsey recap their second trip to Vegas to see Backstreet Boys at the Sphere, giving a play-by-play of everything they’ve learned from their four shows including what time to ...
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Season 3
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Episode 35
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41:49
Revisiting Disney’s Freaky Friday & Freakier Friday
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey dive into the body-swapping icon of a movie that is 2002’s Freaky Friday (2003) featuring Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Chad Michael Murray. They discuss the behind-the-scenes stories, including the ve...
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Season 3
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Episode 34
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51:52
Revisiting Jessica Simpson’s “In This Skin”
In this episode, Mary & Kelsey go back to the days of Juicy tracksuits, colorful Louis Vuitton bags, and flat irons with a deep-dive listening party of Jessica Simpson’s iconic 2003 album, In This Skin. From “With You” and its cheeky self-p...
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Season 3
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Episode 33
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49:42
GTL Forever: A Jersey Shore Deep Dive
Cabs are here! In this episode, Mary and Kelsey go back to Seaside Heights in 2009 to chronicle the origins of MTV’s generation-defining series, Jersey Shore. From Snooki’s iconic entrance (party’s here!) to fist-pumping at Karma and working...
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Season 3
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Episode 32
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1:03:31
Catching Up with Visionary Director Joseph Kahn
In this episode, Mary and Kelsey sit down with Grammy-award winner and visionary film and music video director Joseph Kahn. They discuss Joseph’s new 2000s nostalgia-packed horror comedy movie “Ick” which hits theaters for a limited time Jul...
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Season 3
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Episode 31
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53:36
Answering Backstreet Boys at the Sphere FAQs
In this episode, Mary & Kelsey answer all of your questions from opening weekend of Backstreet Boys Into The Millennium at the Sphere in Las Vegas. From how they got front row on opening night, to what bags to bring, to merch selection, ...
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Season 3
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Episode 30
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1:00:02
Live from Backstreet Boys at The Sphere Part 2
In this episode, Mary & Kelsey share yet another unhinged episode live from Vegas recapping Backstreet Boys residency at the Sphere night two on July 12, 2025. They discuss the When They Popped met up, the official Backstreet Boys After Par...
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Season 3
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Episode 29
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33:09
Live from Backstreet Boys at The Sphere Part 1
In this episode, Mary & Kelsey share their raw and unedited post-show ramblings following opening night of the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere in Las Vegas on July 11, 2025. They share what surprised them most, their favorite moments, and ...
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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39:20