I am currently reading Mindy Kaling's book "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns). And there is a great chapter in the book about things that will make her cry and they include Paul Simon's Graceland album and Mark Darcy (well, really Colin Firth). It is after reading this section that I think "I bet Mindy Kaling and I would totally be friends in real life." I thought the same thing after reading (and hearing) a couple interviews with Amy Poelher. Although for Amy Poelher, I made this this judgment after she talked about how much she enjoyed Law and Order (which means that most likely Amy and I would discuss the cast of L & O and our favorite episodes). And this made me think about what cultural things that I have such affection for that I would give someone the benefit of the doubt if we shared an interest in /affection for a piece of work (to be honest though, I try to think that I should like everyone that I meet). And so here are my cultural dog whistles:
Law and Order: Obviously, since this is what would make Amy Poelher and I friends. But there is something about this show that I love and could watch over and over again. More often that not, the storyline gets a satisfying conclusion and there is a perfect balance of reveling the back story of the main characters without overshadowing the plot of the episode (except for Rey Curtis' martial problems, I could not care less for that subplot, for reals)
Paul Simon's musical career (which encompasses Simon and Garfunkel): I liked my current boss almost immediately after meeting her (we share a deep love for Moonstruck which we discovered on my second day of work). But after she mentioned about how much she liked the Graceland album, that I knew that we would have a great working relationship (which is true, without fail, every time I discuss a set-back with her, I feel better afterwards). There are a couple other musicians that I feel this way about (like David Gray and Travis, but Paul is the biggie).
Anne of Green Gables miniseries - One of the first people that I meet at the Academy was Rachel who lived next door. I don't remember how we got on to the topic, but very early in our friendship, we had several marathon discussions about the Anne movies (starring Megan Fellowes) which really cemented us as friends for life (when I saw her 2 years ago for the first time since my freshman year at college, it felt like no time had passed and we watched one of the Anne movies together).
Jane Austen: I'm not sure how much I have to say about this. I had a 20 minute discussion with Lindy's roommate about the best Jane Austen book (wherein I asked her is she was one of those people who claim Mansfield Park is their favorite). Extra points if they love the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and the Persuasion adaption starring Amanda Root and Cirian Hinds.
Any entry of the Masterpiece family: I'll take Mystery, Classic, or even Contemporary. Bonus points if they watch other PBS shows. If we can talk about both the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes and Steven Moffat's Sherlock, we could be friends.
Movies made before 1985: Another co-worker and I have had long discussions about old movies (and how much I love them). I love the style that is associated with movies from each era (you can totally tell the difference between a movie made in the 50s and one made in the 60s) and what you can learn about the cultural environment during the making of the film. And to me, an interest in older movies, indicates a interest in the recent past beyond the dates of historical events.
I am a little on the fence about including Doctor Who. I love it and think is a great topic for figuring out someone's personalities but it is also fraught with dangers. Like if someone thinks Rose was the best companion (when clearly, Donna was the best), it makes me less likely to want to keep talking to a person and sort of eliminates the whole advantage of the cultural touchstone.
