About South

Ali Arant, English Professor at Wagner College on Staten Island, joins us this week for a conversation about old maids. Ali’s research focuses on old maids in regional literature, but she has also found the figure in surprising places. For instance, the term is used to describe an un-popped kernel of popcorn and the unmatchable card in a game similar to Go Fish. An old maid also lurks in the lyrics of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” as the “maiden aunt” with a “vicious mind.” Our conversation investigates how cultural anxieties are embodied in this tragicomic character. Learn more about this episode at www.aboutsouthpodcast.com. | Co-Producers: Gina Caison & Kelly Vines | | Music: Brian Horton | www.brianhorton.com |