Thirst Aid Kit Explained

Thirst Aid Kit
Hosting:
Genre:Feminist, talk
Format:Podcast
Creator:
  • Bim Adewunmi
  • Nichole Perkins
Language:English
Length:45–90 minutes
Production:
  • BuzzFeed (2017–2019)
  • Slate (2019–2020)
Theme Music Composer:Tanya Morgan
Num Seasons:6
Num Episodes:60+
Began:November 1, 2017
Ended:September 17, 2020
Provider:Slate
Related Shows:Another Round

Thirst Aid Kit is a podcast about celebrity lust and sexual desire hosted by journalist Bim Adewunmi and writer Nichole Perkins. The podcast premiered on November 1, 2017, and the finale episode aired on September 17, 2020. It was officially produced by BuzzFeed until January 2019 and was picked up by Slate in September 2019.

Thirst Aid Kit was named to "best podcast" lists by Time and Entertainment Weekly.[1] [2]

History

Development

Adewunmi and Perkins worked together at BuzzFeed and mutually enjoyed discussing pop culture and their celebrity sexual interests. This encouraged them to pitch the idea of a podcast about celebrity crushes to BuzzFeed executives.[3]

The purpose of Thirst Aid Kit (TAK) is to openly discuss celebrities they find attractive and do so in an unabashed manner.[4] [5] According to Perkins, "It's really important to give women a space to show what we are interested in and what women want."[6] They also use TAK to highlight people whose work may be well known, but their face is less familiar, such as director Ryan Coogler.[7] The name Thirst Aid Kit refers to the slang meaning of the word thirst, which refers to sexual desire. They refer to their fan base as "thirst buckets."

Production

The first episode premiered on November 1, 2017, as a production of BuzzFeed. The show is produced by Keisha "TK" Dutes.

On January 25, 2019, it was announced that BuzzFeed would no longer produce the podcast and the hosts are currently looking for a new sponsor.[8] One day prior, BuzzFeed announced company-wide layoffs which eliminated 15% of their staff.[9]

In August 2019, it was announced that Slate had picked up the podcast. It relaunched through the company on September 26. Adewunmi and Perkins chose to partner with Slate because they "came to [the pair] knowledgeable about the podcast."

On September 17, 2020, the Thirst Aid Kit Twitter stated that the weekly podcast had ended and the episode released that day was the finale. The hosts also noted that they had decided to end the podcast mutually. In another tweet the account stated that live events and movie nights could take place in the future.[10]

BFI series dispute

In February 2020, BFI announced a forthcoming series called Thirst: Female Desire on Screen that had similar artwork to the TAK logo and a similar description.[11] Journalist Musa Okwonga and Twitter users accused BFI of stealing the concept.

Format

Each episode typically focuses on a single celebrity who the hosts find sexually attractive.[12] The podcast begins and ends with either host reading an original short passage of fan fiction, which they call a drabble. The short reading features the focal "thirst object" in an intimate, and sometimes sexual, situation with the writer. Next, they explain what makes the actor desirable. Finally, they dissect the actor's persona in the context of Hollywood and society at large.

Guests

Thirst Aid Kit sometimes features an interview with the person who the episode is about, such as Charlie Cox and Rahul Kohli. On January 28, 2018, the hosts had a phone interview with Chris Evans, who was on the set of .[13] Evans made comments about not perceiving himself as "hot," which were picked up by media outlets such as E!,[14] W,[15] and InStyle.[16]

Other media

TAK also hosts live events such as "Thirsty Movie Nights."[17] They hosted a live interview with Daniel Dae Kim at 2020 Sundance.[18]

Reception

The podcast received positive reception. In an article on feminist podcast recommendations, Evette Dionne of Bitch said of the show, "Whether it's reading delicious fan fiction, a staple at the beginning of most episodes, or offering thirst recommendations, Thirst Aid Kit is incredibly entertaining."[19] Becca James of Vulture wrote that the show "is as much about the laughs as it is about the lust. Numerous times throughout the podcast, the hosts banter wittily, but it's the concluding fanfic wars that lend themselves to uproarious laughter." In a similarly positive review, Marnie Shure of The A.V. Club wrote, "Giggle-inducing and surprisingly moving, Thirst Aid Kit has been an essential addition to the BuzzFeed network of podcasts."[20] Sydney Scott of Essence noted that the hosts' "warmth and banter" is a positive feature of the show. Byshera Williams wrote in a positive review for Bust, "By addressing the work that each man has created, discussing representation in film, asking why there are not more black women in romantic comedies, and writing fanfic, they weaponize their thirst for good."[21]

The show was also recommended by Mashable and Vanity Fair.[22] [23]

Accolades

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Exclusive: Nichole Perkins And Bim Adewunmi's 'Thirst Aid Kit' Is Joining Slate. Essence. en-US. August 28, 2019. August 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190828152907/https://www.essence.com/entertainment/nichole-perkins-bim-adewunmi-thirst-aid-kit-joining-slate/. live.
  2. Web site: Ending Podcast Announcement . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200917133921/https://twitter.com/ThirstAidKit/status/1306586970555113472 . September 17, 2020 . September 17, 2020 . Twitter . en.
  3. Web site: Someone Pour Me a Cold Drink, the Thirstiest Podcast on the Internet Is Here. Kahn. Mattie. November 14, 2017. ELLE. en-US. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129064112/https://www.elle.com/culture/a13528305/thirst-aid-kit-podcast-bim-adewunmi-nichole-perkins-interview/. live.
  4. Web site: Thirst Aid Kit Celebrates and Examines Celebrity Lust. Kang. Inkoo. June 18, 2018. Slate Magazine. en. January 28, 2019. January 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190127190137/https://slate.com/culture/2018/06/thirst-aid-kit-examines-celebrity-lust.html. live.
  5. Thirst Aid Kit Is Our New Favorite Drool Tool . The Pleasure Issue. Bitch Media. en. January 30, 2019. January 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190130161914/https://www.bitchmedia.org/issue/81. live. 81. Winter 2019. Cate Young.
  6. Web site: Lusting after celebrity men in the #TimesUp era: It's complicated. April 9, 2018. Salon. en. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129005947/https://www.salon.com/2018/04/09/lusting-after-celebrity-men-in-the-timesup-era/. live.
  7. Web site: The love doctors of Thirst Aid Kit on why it's important for women to lust out loud. Shure. Marnie. AUX. September 11, 2018 . en-US. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010254/https://aux.avclub.com/the-love-doctors-of-thirst-aid-kit-on-why-it-s-importan-1828800892. live.
  8. Web site: Thirst Aid Kit's time with BuzzFeed has come to an end. Thank you to @TastyKeish @Camilalalaa @juliastmi for producing this past season. If you have the means to support @ThirstAidKit so it can live again elsewhere, please contact @bimadew and @tnwhiskeywoman. We love you!. Thirst Aid Kit. January 25, 2019. @ThirstAidKit. en. January 28, 2019. May 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220503202422/https://twitter.com/ThirstAidKit/status/1088849839855624193. live.
  9. Web site: Colin Dwyer. 'Upsetting And Disappointing': BuzzFeed To Cut 15 Percent Of Its Workforce. NPR.org. January 24, 2019 . en. January 28, 2019. January 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190127175417/https://www.npr.org/2019/01/24/688130195/upsetting-and-disappointing-buzzfeed-to-cut-15-percent-of-its-workforce. live.
  10. Web site: Final Episode Announcement . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200917133736/https://twitter.com/ThirstAidKit/status/1306586981682614272 . September 17, 2020 . September 17, 2020 . Twitter . en.
  11. News: Lanre Bakare. February 17, 2020. BFI accused of stealing concept of Thirst Aid Kit podcast. en-GB. The Guardian. June 11, 2020. 0261-3077. June 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200611141354/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/17/british-film-institute-bfi-accused-stealing-concept-thirst-aid-kit-podcast. live.
  12. Web site: The face-fanning, lust-driven podcast Thirst Aid Kit. www.newstatesman.com. June 13, 2018 . en. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010359/https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/podcasts/2018/06/face-fanning-lust-driven-podcast-thirst-aid-kit. live.
  13. Web site: Want to Try Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins's Thirst Aid Kit? Start Here.. James. Becca. www.vulture.com. January 30, 2019 . January 30, 2019. January 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190130222909/https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/best-episode-thirst-aid-kit-chris-evans.html. live.
  14. Web site: Chris Evans Doesn't Think He's Hot—and for Good Reason. January 19, 2018. E! Online. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010419/https://www.eonline.com/news/907428/chris-evans-doesn-t-think-he-s-hot-and-for-good-reason. live.
  15. Web site: Chris Evans Only Person on Earth Who Doesn't Think Chris Evans is "Hot". Munzenrieder. Kyle. W Magazine. January 19, 2018 . en. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010216/https://www.wmagazine.com/story/chris-evans-doesnt-think-hes-hot. live.
  16. Web site: Alexandra Whittaker. Somehow Chris Evans Doesn't Think He's Attractive. InStyle.com. en. January 28, 2019. January 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010419/https://www.instyle.com/news/chris-evans-attractive. live.
  17. Web site: 'Thirst Aid Kit' Podcast Moves To Slate For September Return. August 28, 2019. All Access. en. August 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190828152907/https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/189045/thirst-aid-kit-podcast-moves-to-slate-for-septembe. live.
  18. Web site: Thirst Aid Kit: TAK Takes Sundance. October 24, 2020. WNYC. en. October 27, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027041450/https://www.wnyc.org/story/thirst-aid-kit-tak-takes-sundance/. live.
  19. Web site: Evette Dionne. 3 Podcasts Feminists Should Listen To In December. October 24, 2020. Bitch Media. en. October 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026055419/https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/december-podcast-playlist. live.
  20. Web site: Shure. Marnie. September 11, 2018. The love doctors of Thirst Aid Kit on why it's important for women to lust out loud. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201202232553/https://aux.avclub.com/the-love-doctors-of-thirst-aid-kit-on-why-it-s-importan-1828800892. December 2, 2020. October 24, 2020. The AV Club. en-us.
  21. Web site: Byshera Williams. 6 Podcasts Hosted By Black People You Should Be Listening To. October 24, 2020. bust.com. May 24, 2018 . en-gb. October 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026134955/https://bust.com/entertainment/194628-six-podcasts-hosted-by-black-people-you-should-be-listening-to.html. live.
  22. Web site: Joho. Jess. The 27 best podcasts about feminism, equality, equity, and surviving. October 24, 2020. Mashable. October 10, 2020 . en. October 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023013627/https://mashable.com/article/best-feminist-podcasts/. live.
  23. Goode. Justine. Five Feel-Good Podcasts to Help Find Your Inner Optimist. October 24, 2020. Vanity Fair. en-us. August 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200814174448/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/07/feel-good-podcasts. live.
  24. Web site: Shure M, Vanderbilt M, Siede C, Jakes D, Neilan D, Brooke Z, Browning LM. 3. The A.V. Club's 2018 podcast superlatives. January 28, 2019. AUX. December 17, 2018. The A.V. Club. en-US. December 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181224221215/https://aux.avclub.com/the-a-v-clubs-2018-podcast-superlatives-1831091924. live.
  25. Web site: The best podcasts of 2018. January 28, 2019. EW.com. en. December 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181206214243/https://ew.com/podcasts/the-best-podcasts-of-2018/. live.
  26. Eliana Dockterman. The 50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now. March 30, 2018. January 28, 2019. Time. en. January 22, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190122094434/http://time.com/5178078/best-podcasts-2018/. live.

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