Trash Pickins

Pop Culture and Media Analysis Content Creators

Trash Pickins is a media critique YouTube channel and content studio, known for its cultural commentary, deep dives, and balanced takes on pop culture’s wildest trends, most viral moments, and trashy media. Trash Pickins specializes in viral internet trends, movie and TV reviews, and meme culture. The creative minds behind Trash Pickins are Lisa, Sara, and Frank. Lisa is a professional writer and has a PhD in Communication from UC Santa Barbara. She focuses on media literacy, critical analysis, intersectional critique, and reality TV. Sara is a professional artist and video producer, and received a degree in fine art and animation. She specializes in internet trends, focusing on memes, online debates, and influencer news. Frank is an entrepreneur and has a degree in computer science; he specializes in nerd culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and anything featuring birds.

Education

  • PhD, Communication, UC Santa Barbara (Lisa)
  • BA, Film Production, Emerson College (Sara)
  • BS, Computer Science, Rutgers University (Frank)

Professional Achievements

  • Lisa was Founding Director of the Environmental Communication & Media Program at UC Santa Barbara for 8 years and won a Distinguished Teaching Award (2020) for lecturing on media and communication. Lisa has worked with NOVA / GBH Boston for over a decade, supporting documentary film productions.
  • Sara has over a decade of film production and animation experience, and her work has been featured at South by Southwest and Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Her artwork was also featured in BuzzFeed, the Associated Press, Huffington Post, and Bored Panda.
  • Frank won the Save the Songbirds Hero Award (2024), owns his own Wild Birds Unlimited store, and does educational programming on birds as Frank the Bird Guy.

Favorite Piece of Advice

We can all enjoy trashy media, but remember to think critically about the media you consume-- what does it say about us as a society? What values does it reflect? It’s fun to escape, but be aware of the hidden meaning behind what we are watching, and also how our attention is being commodified.

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Forum Comments (1)

Co-authored Articles (5)

Labubu Characters Guide: Who’s Who in “The Monsters”

What we know about the adorable monsters in Labubu’s worldLabubu is the most popular figure from Kasing Lung’s series ''The Monsters'', but have you ever wondered about the other characters? We’re breaking down eve...

27 Ultra-Moody Emo Characters From Anime, Movies & Cartoons

Plus, learn the characteristics of an emo characterHave you ever thought about whether your favorite character is emo or not? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This article lists 27 male and female emo characters ...

The Most Cringeworthy Things Millennials Did (And Still Do)

Learn the millennial trends that would put Gen Z in a comaIf you were born roughly between 1980 and 1996, congrats—you’re a millennial! Of course, that label isn’t beloved by everyone, as it has encountered some ba...

Dubai Chocolate Bar: Everything You Need to Know (Plus How to Make It!)

Discover for yourself whether Dubai chocolate is worth the hypeThe Dubai chocolate bar has taken over TikTok—not just the ''original'' bar, but also homemade recreations, DIY variations, and local knock-off versions. B...

The Meaning of "Would You Still Love Me if I Was a Worm?"

Unpack the viral question's origin, meaning, and how to respondBeing silly together is one sign of a healthy, loving relationship, and presenting your significant other with wild hypothetical scenarios is all part of the...