Episode 4: The Big Lebowski Featuring Ellen Meiser

Jan 30, 2021

On this Month's Episode the Dojo is diving into the world of Jeffery "The Dude" Lebowski with The 1998 film The Big Lebowski. Ellen Meiser from The Social Breakdown Podcast is here to discuss cult classics, favorite Coen films, Dudeism, and cultural appropriation.

Basics:   0-18:55min

• Fun Trivia from IMDB 
• Here we learn what is Ellen's favorite flavor of Pop Culture 
• Her history with Film analysis and her Favorite Coen film

Historical Context: 19:12-32:32

•  The Impact of seeing a film for the first time with a "cult like" status
• Lebowski  is a non-stoner noir 
• Is this a quintessential 90's film?

Social Context and Conclusion 32:43- 53:43 

• Criteria of a Cult Classic 
• Dudeism as Appropriation? 
• The Dude and Walter, the Yin and Yang of Masculinity

 

Stick around for:

• Brian "fucking up" the Interview at the beginning 
• A story about "white washing" Mahjong
• Brian's support of white guilt 

Notes:

- All audio clips used under the protection of fair use.

Clips from

• The Big Lebowski - The Coen Bros
• Oh Brother, Where Art Though- The Coen Bros  
• "Karate" by Metal Baby 
•  A History of Swear Words- Netflix 

Books about the Dude 

The Concept of 'Symbolic Ethnicity' by Mary Waters 

Dudeism 

John Goodman Walk of Fame Clip