In the forty-second episode of The Pop Culture Lens podcast, Christopher Olson and I discuss the on-screen dancing duo Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

In this episode, the co-hosts analyze the star personas of the classic duo for how they represent issues regarding gender and power dynamics. They interrogate the now famous saying that Rogers did everything Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels. They also consider whether the duo have become icons for romance and style, and to what extent they represent archetypes in American popular culture and beyond.

The end music comes from the 1936 film they starred in titled Follow the Fleet: “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” was written by Irving Berlin. Primary editing on the episode was done by Jean-Michel Berthiaume.

As always, you are encouraged to become a part of this conversation by visiting any of the podcast’s social media sites. You can also talk with Christopher Olson on Twitter (@chrstphrolson) and at his academic blog seemsobvioustome.wordpress.com. And you can talk to CarrieLynn Reinhard on Twitter (@mediaoracle).