Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders & “And Just Like That”: A Pop Culture Deep Dive

What if I told you that the women whose images plaster stadium walls, who bring in millions for the NFL, were making less per hour than a Starbucks barista? The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Netflix phenomenon exposed something we all suspected but didn't want to say out loud—that our obsession with perfection comes at a brutal cost. Meanwhile, our beloved Sex and the City characters returned in And Just Like That, only to reveal how privilege and aging intersect in ways that make us cringe harder than a bad first date.

In today's episode, we're diving deep into both cultural moments that had us all talking. From Kelly Finglass and Judy Trammell's leadership styles to the body image pressures that come with those iconic uniforms, we're unpacking what these shows really tell us about conformity, empowerment, and the price of looking perfect. Plus, I'm serving up some serious tea about ageism in pop culture and why Carrie Bradshaw's character development makes me want to throw my Manolos at the TV.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders' 400% pay raise happened and why it still might not be enough
• The real story behind those uniforms and what they reveal about body image standards
• Why Kelly Finglass and Judy Trammell's leadership approach changed between seasons
• How Armani's alopecia journey became a powerful moment for diversity and representation
• The brutal truth about conformity versus standing out in high-pressure environments
• Why And Just Like That feels so tone-deaf compared to the original Sex and the City
• How fashion and privilege intersect in ways that make beloved characters insufferable
• The ageism double standard that keeps women invisible after 50

This episode got me thinking about how we navigate the tension between fitting in and standing out, whether we're 25 or 55. Are we moving forward as a society, or are we just dressing up the same old standards in prettier packages?

Ready to start your own conversation about culture, authenticity, and what it means to reinvent yourself? Grab a free clarity call at allisonhare.com/freecall to discuss your personal brand and potential podcast.

Links & Mentioned Resources

• Making the Team - Available on Netflix
• And Just Like That - Available on Max
• Follow costume designers for And Just Like That on Instagram for behind-the-scenes fashion content

Timestamps

• 00:30 - Allison's Sex and the City outfit reveal
• 02:25 - How Netflix changed everything for Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
• 07:10 - Kelly Finglass and Judy Trammell's leadership styles
• 11:54 - Dayton's story and the mother-daughter pressure dynamic
• 19:50 - Jada's leadership in fighting for pay raises
• 21:49 - Armani's alopecia journey and representation
• 31:21 - Diving into And Just Like That critique
• 42:07 - The shoe scene that broke Allison's patience
• 48:24 - Ageism in television then vs now

Quotes

• "These women were grossly underpaid, like something like getting paid $15 an hour. Think about that. Think about how many millions of dollars each football player gets paid to sign on with the Dallas Cowboys, yet the cheerleaders themselves... their images, their movements. It is the cheerleaders. Like they are their own brand."
• "There's so much of like, you will get kicked off, right? Like you will, you must conform to a certain standard of pleasingness for people to choose you, for you to fit in. There's so much conformity that happens within this, but also they are encouraged to stand out, but not too much, but stand out."
• "What made Sex and the City so clever and funny? And back then it really was that it was just this like super cheeky dialogue that was very quippy. They would use a lot of puns. They would be very funny. And that was very forward in the day, but now it just feels so surface."

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