Oddly Specific

Navigating Loneliness and Relationships with Mia Chard

Mia Chard, a TikTok content creator and mental health advocate joins me for an honest conversation about loneliness, dating, and the impact of social media on relationships. Together we chat about the cultural influences that make us who we are, personal growth, and the importance of authenticity in connecting with others. Mia's story resonates with many who have experienced similar feelings of loneliness and the pressure of societal expectations regarding relationships. 
 
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Come to the Live Shows!!!
LA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-only-tickets-1278304265469?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Boston: https://lilchuckboston.com/friends-only-live-with-meredith-lynch-molly-mcaleer-and-rob-schulte/

How Private Equity Profits from Climate Disasters and Solutions with Azani Creeks

Show Notes:
When wildfires, hurricanes, and other billion-dollar disasters strike, private equity firms aren’t just watching—they’re cashing in. From buying up disaster recovery companies to profiting off the fossil fuel investments that fuel climate change, these firms have turned catastrophe into a business model. But how does private equity work, and what exactly do private equity firms do? In this episode of Oddly Specific, we talk to Azani Creeks, senior research and campaign coordinator at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, to break down the high-stakes world of private equity.
From understanding the key differences between Blackstone vs. BlackRock to the ongoing debate of private equity versus investment banking, this episode exposes how these firms extract wealth, consolidate industries, and profit at multiple points in the same crisis. Azani explains how private equity plays a growing role in disaster recovery—both contributing to climate change through fossil fuel investments and cashing in on cleanup efforts.
We also discuss private equity’s increasing control over industries like healthcare, housing, and education, and what can be done to push for greater transparency and accountability. Let’s keep the conversation going—follow Oddly Specific and tell a friend to tell a friend about private equity!
 
Chapters and Markers
00:00 Welcome and Announcements
00:21 Live Show Dates and Social Media Workshops
01:35 Introduction to Private Equity Stakeholder Project
03:07 What is Private Equity?
03:55 Blackstone vs. BlackRock
07:41 Private Equity and Climate Disasters
14:42 Private Equity in Disaster Recovery
32:03 Conclusion and Thank You
Resources & Links:
Live Show - LA May 8: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-only-tickets-1278304265469Live Show- Boston June 25 & June 26: https://lilchuckboston.com/friends-only-live-with-meredith-lynch-molly-mcaleer-and-rob-schulte/
Sign Up for Social Media Workshops: Email me at meredithcollabs at gmail.com Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP): https://pestakeholder.org/Private Equity Climate Risk Scorecard: https://peclimaterisks.org/2024scorecard/Hospital Ownership Tracker: https://pestakeholder.org/private-equity-hospital-tracker/PESP Report on Private Equity in Education & Childcare: https://pestakeholder.org/reports/making-the-grade-private-equity-privatization-and-the-future-of-american-education/
More Perfect Union + Meredith Lynch- When Private Equity Is Your Landlord: https://www.tiktok.com/@moreperfectunion/video/7471033140279053598Gretchen Morganson’s Book These Are the Plunderers: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/These-Are-the-Plunderers/Gretchen-Morgenson/9781982191290
 
Meredith: Hi everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Oddly Specific. It's the podcast that covers everything from private equity to Pete Davidson. I'm your host Meredith Lynch, and while I actually do have a private equity episode for you today that I think is incredibly important, and I know you're gonna be interested in, I also have a few announcements.
Meredith: Firstly, I have three live show dates. This is a live pod recording that I'm doing with my friends, Molly McAleer and Rob Schulte, and they're fantastic friends and so are all of you, which is why we're calling the show friends only.
Meredith: It's an IRL night with your chronically online besties. We have special guests, we have hot takes. So many things that we can only say friends only. Okay, dates. Los Angeles on May 8th. We are at West Side Comedy doing the show and we can't wait to see you there. We have meet and greets available for that.
Meredith: And then Boston, we are in your city, June 25th and June 26th at Little Chuck in the theater district. Ticket links are in all the bios of my social media platforms. I will also link them here in the show notes. Would love to see you there and stay tuned 'cause we're working on adding more cities to this little tour.
Meredith: Also signups for my next round of social media workshops. That kickoff in late April are officially open. We are doing a Tuesday night and a Friday AM workshop, so shoot me an email if you want additional information on those. These are six week small group sessions that I love doing, and we work on a really personalized approach of how to grow your channels.
Meredith: Now let's get into today's episode. This week I have on Azani Creeks, a senior research and campaign coordinator at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project where she has written about private equity's impact on workers, students, incarcerated people, and more. Azani is based in Brooklyn, New York, and if the Private Equity Stakeholder Project sounds familiar to you, it's because they are. They are a nonprofit watchdog organization focused on the growing private equity and broader private funds industry. 
Meredith: You might remember we've actually had on Azani's colleague, Michael Fenne, talking about veterinary care and prisons and healthcare in previous episodes.
Meredith: And we're really excited to have you meet Azani. So without further ado, let's get Oddly Specific. 
Meredith: Hey everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Oddly Specific, the only podcast that covers everything from private equity to Pete Davidson. I'm your host Meredith Lynch and y'all we have a fantastic guest for you today. We have a private equity episode. I've been promising you a private equity episode.
Meredith: I'm giving you a private equity episode. I have Azani Creeks with us here today from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. You know about them because we've had Azani's colleague Michael Fenne on before. I know y'all love him. I'm really excited for y'all to meet Azani. 
Meredith: Azani, welcome to the podcast.
Azani: Thank you. It's great to be here.
Meredith: It's great to have you here. So I always start off these private equity episodes, especially when I have an expert like you here. I always start them off by asking folks what exactly is private equity?
Azani: Great question. So private equity firms are large investment managers, which pool funding mostly from institutional investors, such as pension funds or foundations, sometimes wealthy individuals. This money is then pooled and then used to invest in companies, different than how we invest on the public stock market. So, for example, you and I could go buy a share of Amazon stock or a share of Walmart stock. That is not possible with private equity-owned companies. Those investments are held privately by these large firms which manage billions and billions of dollars.
Meredith: Yeah. Something I've been seeing over the last week actually on social media is some confusion around the difference between two specific entities, Blackstone and BlackRock. Would you be able to just walk us through what the difference is between Blackstone and Blackrock? Because I've been trying to tell people like, first of all, they're just different. They're different. Also the way that they operate is actually different. So I wonder if you could just walk us through that, using that example.
Azani: Yeah, exactly. So Blackstone, is an example of a private equity firm, kind of in the most traditional sense that we talk about. So Blackstone, for example, will go to your local pension fund and ask them for a commitment of say, $50 million. They'll get that commitment from the pension fund and then use that money to invest in a company. Blackstone will then hold that company for, you know, anywhere from five to seven years, and try to sell the company at the end, making a large profit and large returns for their investors. Those investments are kind of locked in and the investors that have given Blackstone that money, such as the pension fund, don't really have any kind of control over how their money is invested.
Azani: BlackRock is also a large investment manager, but it doesn't really work in quite the same way. They don't necessarily do these funds and, you know, go ask pension funds for money. It is more of a typical stock investment. It fluctuates much more. It's not that they're holding a company for a certain length of time and trying to squeeze out all the profits as quickly as possible. They're a much more flexible investor. And yeah, it's just a different structure. It is all technically private, you know, in the sense that we can't, as regular people, invest in BlackRock either, but the points of leverage that we have and the investors that do invest in those two are, are a bit different.
Meredith: And so if you wanna answer this, you can, and if you don't, that's okay. But I feel like in the, in the in the minutia of it all, there is a big difference when you confuse Blackstone and BlackRock. 
Azani: There is, yeah, there is. 
Meredith: People were telling me they were like, meh, Meredith. Potato. Potato, that's a little nuanced. And I was like, Just because private equity is my special interest doesn't mean that, and listen y'all, I am not speaking for Azani, but I am not saying like long live BlackRock. I'm just saying we need to be aware that there are differences in these. And one of the things that I think I've found in talking with Michael and talking with Gretchen Morganson is that these places actually love it when we confuse them and we don't fully understand what they do because it actually helps the way that they operate. 
Azani: Exactly. I mean, that's the whole point of having investments be private, is so that people don't understand and people don't have access to the information. Like, it is helping them for us to not understand. And things are a bit complicated, you know, as with economics, generally, it's kind of made to be a little bit confusing and convoluted, but that's why we're here, at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, to simplify some things. 
Meredith: Exactly, and y'all don't worry. Obviously there's a lot of private equity firms, right? And there's, you know, the major players. But Blackstone's really my white whale. It's like, that is my, I don't know why, but like, since day one I have just been, I have, I've been riding Blackstone and, uh, we're gonna get, we're gonna get to that because they play a role in the topic that I've invited Azani here to speak with us about today. So specifically, last time that Michael was here, he and I talked a lot about, private equity in veterinary care. But I invited you here because I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about the role that private equity plays in the billion dollar climate disaster responses.
Azani: Yeah, Private equity is involved in a couple of different ways in the disaster recovery industry. This industry is growing, of course, so as the number of billion dollar climate disasters and less than billion dollar climate disasters increases, private equity is taking up a larger and larger share of that sector. Historically, the disaster recovery sector has been run by local mom and pop businesses, that are really dedicated to cleaning up the communities that they live in. It is a very kind of fragmented sector, because of that. It's a lot of small businesses and private equity firms love a fragmented industry, because then they're able to come in and consolidate the sector. Put a bunch of small businesses together and repackage them as this larger company that can then be sold off for profit. And of course, you know, some of these small businesses really need investment. Maybe they don't have anyone to pass the company down to, or as disasters are increasing in their area, they need to expand. Private equity firms are going in there offering to purchase them or contribute capital to them, hoping to make that kind of quick profit. So that's one way that we see private equity investing in the billion dollar disasters, through cleanup itself. But also we've seen, of course, private equity contributing to the climate crisis through emissions and other dangerous practices. Last year, we worked on a private equity climate risk scorecard, and we studied 21 private equity firms. Those firms manage $6 trillion worth of companies, and two thirds of the energy companies in their portfolios are responsible for over a gigaton of emissions. A gigaton doesn't even sound real to me, but it's a little over 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, through investments in upstream oil and gas, liquified natural gas and coal fired power plants. So that level of emissions is more than three times the amount of energy used to power all of the homes in America, just from these 21 firms. And it exceeds the global aviation industry. Private equity firms are contributing to climate change through these emissions, through these harmful practices, and then also profiting from cleaning up the disasters at the end of it. So they're making money on both ends. 
Meredith: Wow. 
Meredith: Okay. We have a lot to unpack here. First of all, I think I have to take back some of the things I've said about Taylor Swift and her jet use. Now that I, that like, but I think what's so interesting here is, first of all, this reminds me very much of what we're seeing with private equity buying up electricians and, and plumbing, et cetera.
Meredith: It's sort of like, okay, here are these things that have operated for a really long time as mom and pop, maybe a family owned business. And you get to this point where you're like, okay, what do I do with this, right? My kids don't wanna run it. None of my employees want it, or they can't afford to pay me even like what it might be worth.
Meredith: And then private equity comes in with this really attractive offer of Hey, we will buy this from you. And I find it really challenging to fault the small business owners there. I don't think that's the problem. And I've had people push back, you know, 'cause we we're seeing this with veterinary care as well. I would say it's a very similar sort of model and it gets kind of crazy when you look at it and you realize, oh, they're just kind of doing the same thing again and again. 
Meredith: Which is also sort of how Taylor Swift approaches her albums. Wait, no I didn't say that. I didn't say that. Uh, no, but, I think that's, that's really important to note is that when we actually break this down, we're talking about the transparency, we're talking about the confusion, the fragmentation. When you look at the private equity playbook, it's actually pretty consistent and pretty much the same. So there's that piece of it.
Meredith: But then I guess my follow-up question to you is there's this link between private equity firms profiting off of fossil fuels, and could we just break down how we can draw a through line between that and all of the climate crisis crises that we keep enduring.
Azani: Yeah. I think that in some cases, private equity firms directly own fossil fuel companies or coal fired plants or other things, and own a disaster restoration company. You know, I'm not the climate researcher, but from what I understand, emissions and those things are contributing to the issues that we see, like the LA wildfires. It might not be that these specific emissions that come from this private equity- owned company caused this specific disaster, but investing in fossil fuels overall, not committing to the kind of benchmarks that folks have set over the past years of, you know, by 2030 we're gonna cut emissions down to this. Or by 2050 we're gonna cut emissions down to this. We know that not committing to those things is continuing to invest in climate crisis, and continuing to profit from climate crisis. And as public companies divest from these things, private equity firms are picking up the things that they're divesting from, right?
Azani: Um, and so it's like we're making progress in one area and all these public companies that were actually able to hold accountable through these public processes, but we're not able to do that same thing with private equity. And so private equity is just picking up all of the bad, the bad things that are left behind.
Meredith: Yeah, That makes sense. Well it's actually so interesting that you say this because it reminds me of something that I'd bring up all the time, which is oddly specific, but I don't care.
Meredith: When I was like in college, there was a reality TV show and it was called Sunset Tan. It was about a group of people who ran and worked at a tanning salon. It was a very different time, 
Azani: Azani. It was a 
Meredith: very different time. The millennials, like we did ourselves no favors.
Meredith: So anyway, the guy who ran it who was really into tanning is still in LA. He now runs a med spa where a big focus of it is, like age spots, over exposure to sunlight, like treating all of those things. And so in a way, it kind of reminds me of private equity. It's like you caused the problem, or at least contributed to the problem and made money off of it, and now you're at the other end when it all goes to shit. And we have age spots that we have to get burned off. You're the one who's there. So anyway, that's my oddly specific reference. The only thing I'll give him credit for is he wasn't running the med spa and the tanning salon at the same time, which is kind of what private equity does. Right. So what are the consequences then, of private equity firms dominating the disaster recovery industry?
Azani: I think that what we tend to see in these industries that private equity goes into is that they really are able to set the tone and set the pace for the industry because they're such big players and they have all the lobbying dollars and things like that. So it might seem like private equity just has a small percentage of the industry or whatever, but they have this kind of outsized influence because of all of the power that they have. And so some of the issues that we already see in the disaster industry in terms of repairing damage. It's just like a normal construction industry. Construction is very dangerous. Historically, that doesn't really have anything to do with private equity. However, because of the private nature of private equity, it's harder to hold them accountable for when things go wrong. So, it's very difficult to get restitution for workers who have been harmed on the job or when there's wage theft.
Azani: The private equity firms are suddenly not liable, even though they have billions and billions of dollars, and they don't need to be stealing money from workers. It's not, you know, just a local mom and pop shop that missed a check or something like that. This is a trillion dollar private equity firm in the case of Blackstone, which owns one of these disaster restoration companies, pretending to not be responsible for their workers. Those issues are being exacerbated through the private equity firms, through the lack of transparency, the lack of accountability because of the private nature of the investments.
Meredith: Well, and I would also imagine that there becomes a monopoly on this because if private equity is buying up all these places, then who else can you turn to? So you're like, we need to bring in recovery. It's, and it's also too, it's like a desperate time, right? When you're an area that's recovering from disaster, like, we have to bring somebody in and we don't have time to comparison shop or look for the most ethical one.
Meredith: And I'm also thinking, what is the cost, of, of all of this? Because private equity is buying up all these places, are they able to increase the cost of these things? Because it's like, well, we're the only ones doing it.
Azani: Yeah, that's a great question. I don't know that we have data on if they are raising costs more than any others. I have found several examples of price gouging at private equity owned firms. There was a settlement in North Carolina a few years ago, where a private equity backed company, you know, the attorney general accused them and found them in violation of price gouging. So that definitely is something that we see in these private equity backed companies. I don't know that it's at, you know, I don't have concrete numbers that it's at a greater scale than other investments, but it's certainly happening. 
Azani: And definitely with the, monopolizing that you were talking about. I mean, the same firms that were helping with the cleanup of Hurricane Helene, were helping with the LA wildfires, so that's like a coast to coast thing. Again, it's not your local business helping the community that they live in. It's this, you know, sometimes transnational company that is coming in and setting the tone again for all of the workers across the country, for all of the projects that they take on, and setting the standard that way.
Meredith: Yeah, you bring up, you know, things like wage theft, et cetera, and that is because there is a lot of private equity ownership in not just the restoration companies, but also the staffing agencies. So could you just walk us through what that model is? 
Azani: Yeah. So again, private equity firms can invest in a range of different companies. There isn't really a limit to what they can invest in. And so sometimes they like to invest in things that can make them money multiple times. Um, so there's this example of a private equity firm that owned both a disaster restoration company and a staffing company that the restoration company used. As is common in construction, a lot of these disaster restoration companies are franchised and have a lot of subcontractors and sometimes use staffing agencies for that subcontracting. So the private equity firm was actually taking a percentage of the profits from both the staffing company and the disaster restoration company, kind of double dipping. This is something that we see a lot actually across sectors. We see it in healthcare, we see it in education. Um, private equity firms being able to invest at multiple points in the same process and profit multiple times.
Meredith: Is there ever a place, just switching gears for a second, where there could be regulation that could, guardrail that a little bit
Azani: Yeah, I think that would be great. I think there are a couple of issues that could be tackled in that. One is just general liability, right? So because they are,
Azani: it's franchises and then there's all these subcontractors. Usually the private equity firm and maybe even the company that they own, are not ultimately liable for whatever happens with the subcontractors or whoever else that they hired.
Azani: So there can be definitely some, some guardrails around that and kind of enhancing liability. And then also, yes, placing guardrails on having companies with the same owner be profiting from the same project. I think that that could be very easy to do, honestly, with FEMA money and putting guardrails on. I mean, not easy to do because nothing's
Meredith: Right. Yeah, I mean, you know, everybody that I've had on here who has talked to me about private equity, whether it's Michael or you or Gretchen Morganson or Senator Markey or Senator Warren. Guys let, like, I'm just name dropping the, the greatest hits of private equity, 
Azani: a 
Meredith: very elite group.
Meredith: No, but you know, the thing we talk about is regulation and one of the big things that folks get wrong, I think about what I talk about and what I'm doing is they're like, you just wanna end the industry completely. And I don't think that's possible. So what I wanna do is I wanna put guardrails on it.
Meredith: I want there to be protections. And we're seeing that happen in some places. For example, in Colorado, there is legislation that is going through that will make it so there is more transparency around private equity firms who own daycares. Y'all. That's, that's really important. That's our children, that's our future of the United States, et cetera.
Meredith: So there's that. So I don't think that guardrails or legislation, et cetera, is something that has to be ruining private equity. And I also don't think it has to be impossible. So I'm really happy to hear you say like, yeah, there could be regulation there. A lot of people come on my social media accounts and it's like, this girl just wants to end private equity.
Meredith: And I'm like, well, I mean, yeah, but I know that's not possible, so I'm trying to meet people in the middle. So my, my next question for you is, how does private equity benefit from the real estate side of a climate disaster?
Azani: Yeah, that's a good question. I have seen some things floating around about private equity firms calling people immediately after the fires and trying to buy their properties. I don't know that we have any kind of concrete examples of that? Private equity firms are usually not necessarily like real estate developers, and so I don't know that they would kind of like, buy land that needs to be completely rebuilt. Um, they typically buy existing buildings, existing commercial and residential properties, but of course any kind of crisis that takes away from the housing supply is, going to put more pressure on the housing crisis in general, which private equity definitely profits from. As I'm sure everyone knows, um, private equity is notorious for wild rent hikes, evictions, terrible living conditions. There was a piece recently about black mold in private equity backed housing. All of these things that our housing team has continued to look into. So I think that private equity, even if they're not going in and buying up the plots that have burned or whatever, um, they still are going to benefit from an increased crisis in housing.
Meredith: Sure. I see, I see exactly what you're saying because I actually did a bunch of research before we met trying to see if any of these firms were like, oh, I'm getting calls from Apollo or something for my land. I couldn't find that here in Los Angeles. And I think that I was kinda like, oh, I wonder why.
Meredith: And now this all makes complete sense, right? However, I'm sure these private equity firms, like, you know, there's a lot of talk that a lot of people from LA will relocate to places like Orange County, et cetera, because just cost of living, right? So I'm sure those places, where there might be already an established apartment building that now that it's backed by private equity, that they've been running for a year or two and running, potentially, into the ground, they see that as a gold mine versus like, oh, here's this plot of land where we'd have to build a beautiful home and then we'd have to sell it. Private equity doesn't want to do that. 
Azani: They're lazy. 
Meredith: Honestly, you guys in another world. This would've been the perfect job for me, like, because I get how it's working and I can be a little lazy. But anyway. 
Meredith: I think that's such an important point to make and I think it also helps us really understand like that private equity playbook is they like to come into things that are already established, and that's really what we've seen and that's why I think another problem with private equity is that it's not really creating innovation. 
Azani: No. It's not. They like to say they're creating jobs, that they're doing all these new things. They're also not creating jobs. In fact, they're usually cutting jobs. They're acquiring more and more companies and putting them together, and calling that creating jobs. But the jobs already existed. You know, it's not that they're adding new positions or new work, because they're not building anything new, to your point.
Meredith: Yeah. I did a video, y'all with More Perfect Union a couple weeks ago about a private equity firm that owns, they own 136 federally subsidized housing complexes. And there was a fire in one of their complexes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They're called Vitus. That's the name of the private equity firm, and I'll just say that since my video came out, uh, they have taken their website down. 
Azani: Wow. 
Meredith: It has been, I'm pretty sure it's still under, it's been under maintenance mode for almost a month now. But this is the kind of pressure that I feel like private equity needs.
Meredith: They need to know that people are paying attention. And so I, I wanna ask you this question because it's something that my listeners constantly ask for, and. They wanna know like, oh, okay guys, wait, breaking news. Vitus is still in maintenance mode. Okay. Um, no, but one of the biggest questions that my listeners ask is just like, what can I do? Even today I made a video yesterday where I talked about the fact that Dunkin' Donuts is the number one employer with employees on food assistance in the state of Massachusetts. And it's a private equity backed company, and there's a link between private equity- backed companies and food assistance, y'all.
Meredith: So Gretchen Morganson writes about it in her book. Then I have people in the comments and I get it. I get where they're coming from. They're like, "well, then where do you want me to get coffee? I'm not gonna boycott Dunkin' Donuts. What do you want us to do?" So first of all, one of the things that I just wanna make clear is I'm not telling you to not go to dunkin Donuts. I think it's almost impossible to avoid private equity in your day-to-day life. You are going to places that are backed by private equity, buying things that are backed by private equity all the time, and you don't even know it and you'll drive yourself nuts. I think if you try to eliminate all of those things. Maybe Azani disagrees with me, but, my question for you, long-winded way of getting there, is what can we actually do to push back against private equity? Because I don't think it's like never going to Dunkin' Donuts.
Azani: Exactly. Yeah. And like you said earlier, private equity itself isn't going anywhere. And so the question really is how can we implement guardrails and best practices to make sure that there are some regulations, some limit to what these private equity firms can do. Some things that individuals can do is like, support unions. If you see organizing at a private equity backed company or something, definitely like offer your support or if they're striking, don't cross the picket line, things like that. Some other things that folks can do is push for increased public funding of some of these things. 
Azani: For example, with the childcare example that you gave, this is a crisis that's been going on for a really long time because we haven't figured out how to adequately fund childcare. So if we figure that out, private equity is not going to be able to have as much of a stronghold in that industry, and it should be that way with all of these things that are kind of fundamental.
Azani: I mean, healthcare, disaster recovery, should be seen as fundamental, right? Like these are people's homes, people's businesses, they need to have these things, and it shouldn't just be kind of a purely profit driven kind of sector. Putting pressure on our local, state where we can, federal government to increase alternatives for these things would be great.
Azani: And then also staying informed. We have lots of resources at PESP for example, discover who owns your building or, um, look through companies that have recently gone bankrupt because a private equity firm ruined them, like our dear Joanne.
Meredith: Oh my gosh, the Joanne's community is not doing well. 
Azani: They're not okay.
Meredith: Are you a Joanne's person? 
Azani: I'm a Joanne's girl.
Meredith: You are. All right. I mean, and here's the thing, Azani, the writing was on the wall. I, 
Azani: yeah. We knew. 
Meredith: I'll tell you my next prediction. Pickleball is gonna crumble because of private equity. 
Azani: Probably. 
Meredith: And pickleball is, like a bit like here in LA. Like you thought the Joann's people are intense. Like these pickleball people are like, they're really 
Azani: they might riot. 
Meredith: Yeah, exactly. I mean they already basically are out on those courts. I don't know what's going on out there. Do you play pickleball?
Azani: I don't. 
Meredith: Me neither, but I just learned, somebody was like, yeah, part of the court is called the kitchen and you can't go in that part of the court. And I was like, all right, then like, why is it on the court? Like I'm very confused, but I also like, I don't, I feel like not knowing is actually the way for me to go. Like the more I know about it, the more, the more it gets in my head. So. Anyway. I love your website. I also love, you have a hospital tracker, which I think is fantastic and, so many other resources.
Meredith: The report that you referenced is fantastic and we will link that in the show notes. Anything else coming up for PESP that you wanna tell us about? 
Azani: I think just generally it's a very interesting time for private equity. There was a bit of a lull in private equity activity last year due to some stuff with interest rates and generally, you know, the market overall. But I think that private equity firms are kind of finding themselves in a bit more favorable environment this year and kind of looking ahead.
Azani: So I expect to see a lot more deal activity, a lot more acquisitions this year. So yeah, we're gonna be tracking all of that. 
Azani: There have already been some disaster recovery companies acquired this year. We'll definitely be following those things. I am writing a report about the thing that you mentioned about the Colorado legislation, not about that specifically, but about private equity and education and childcare, curriculum development, teacher staffing, things like that. That's coming out this week. It's another one of those public goods that private equity really honestly should not be invested in at all, because it's a public good. But again, the question is what do we do about it now that they're already there? That's what I'm working on.
Meredith: Awesome. Well, thank you so much for spending some time with us today, and especially on such a big week when you have a report coming out. We really appreciate it. And Azani is at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. I want y'all to follow Private Equity Stakeholder Project, keep up with what they're up to and we'll be sharing that education report when it comes out. Thank you so much, Azani. 
Azani: Thank you.
Meredith: All right, everyone. That is a wrap on another episode of Oddly Specific. Thank you so much for hanging out. I wanna thank my guest, Azani Creeks. I want to thank all of the ticket buyers out there because I know so many of you immediately just put down your phones and were like, I'm buying tickets. No, but I really, I wanna see you guys this summer.
Meredith: It'd be so fun to have you at the shows. If you're in LA, May 8th at West Side Comedy. If you are in Boston, June 25th and June 26th at Lil Chuck. I would love to see you there. And of course, as always, we gonna give a special shout out to all of our Patreon Pals. They keep this little ship going. I'm so grateful to you.
Meredith: These are the folks who subscribe at the Patreon Pals level. It's 15 bucks a month. You get all the tea that's too hot for TikTok. So let's send those big shout outs to Annie Schreiber. Bree Prizernick, Caitlyn Duffy, Sean Sweet, Cheryl Gunderson, Darcy Ray Johnson, Debbie Perillo, Grogu M, Hayden Young, Jake Jabber, Jennifer Nash, Jennifer Yarrington, Jess, Julia Loggins, Katherine Demezio, Kim Dunham, Kristen Zanotti, the Lady Swamp, which gives no fucks, Lindsay Butler. Lisette Porter Guerrero, Macy Malicheck, Mark Nudsonn, MJ Cormier, Raya, Robin Johnson, Tasha L, Tom's Law Firm because it's certainly about Tom, Tuna Pup and San Fran gal. I truly could not do it without you all. And of course, all of my lovely listeners, I hope you enjoyed this conversation.
Meredith: Please go follow Private Equity Stakeholder Project. They do such important work and I'm so grateful to have them as partners in this. Thanks so much for hanging out y'all. See you real soon. And as always, don't forget to tell a friend to tell a friend about private equity. 
 

It's an oldest daughter thing with Mads Mitch

Mads Mitch knows a thing or two about going viral on the internet. Her "How hard can it be boys do it" gained a life of its own during the 2024 election season catching the attention of the Harris campaign and spinning off a successful merch line. But there is SO much more that happens behind the scenes of content creation and together we break down what inspires Mads to create, how she navigates the misogyny, and what makes us both true oldest daughters/oldest sisters. 
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Buy tix to Friends Only with Molly McAleer and Rob Shulte in Boston
 
Transcript
 Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of oddly specific. It's the podcast that covers everything from private equity to Pete Davidson. I'm your host, Meredith Lynch, and I'm thrilled you're here for the intro because I have so many exciting things to tell you. Firstly, I have three live show dates.
We are doing a live pod recording, I'm doing it with my friends, Molly Maclear and Rob Schultz, and they're great friends, but so are all of you. And that's why we're calling this show Friends Only, an IRL night with your chronically online besties. We have special guests, we have hot takes, we have so many things that we can only say friends only.
So Los Angeles, on May 8th, we are at West Side Comedy doing the show, and Boston, we are in your city on June 25th and June 26th. That's two nights of fun at Little Chuck in the theater district. Ticket link will be in the show notes. The ticket link is in my Instagram bio. We have a few meet and greet tickets available.
We would love to see you there and stay tuned because we are working on adding more cities to this little tour. Also. If you want to kick your social media up a notch, I have a few fun workshops and opportunities coming up. This Saturday, March 15th, my friend Stephanie Wilder Taylor and I are doing a workshop specifically for writers who want to grow their social media presence.
That's the Saturday, March 15th from 1pm to 3pm PST. I will link that in the show notes. It's also on my Instagram profile linked in the bio. And still there are a few hot seat social media strategy sessions. If you want to grab a 45 minute session with my partner in content crime, Vienna and me, we would love to see you over there.
Today's guest is an absolute legend on the apps. Mads Match created the viral phrase, how hard can it be boys do it? The phrase went global, catching the attention of the Harris campaign, launching Mads successful collection of merch and has been a springboard to bringing her empowering message to the world.
She is the host of a pod that I love, Parked Car Combos. I loved having her on my pod and I know you will too. Without further ado, let's get Oddly Specific.  Hey y'all. Welcome back to another episode of Oddly Specific. I'm your host, Meredith Lynch, and I have a very special guest today. Maddie Madds. I'm calling you Maddie Madds because she signed on and I was like, wait.
It says Maddie, not Mads.  Yeah, I just love to keep people on their toes. I just am constantly, it's constantly evolving. It's also, on some things, it's Mad, not Mads.  Yes! Yeah, it's just a trifecta. It's the holy trinity. Mad, Mads, and Maddie. And you never know which one you're gonna get. But, today, I can be Maddie Mads.
That's fine. I like it. Mad Dog. Well, welcome to the podcast. Yeah, I wear a lot of hats. Yeah.  I'm really excited that you're here. I've been following your social media journey for so long now and I am so excited to get into what you have done, what you're up to, what's in the future. But first and foremost, You, like me, are not only an East Coast girl, because, listen, you guys, I'm just gonna talk, I want to talk about this for a second.
Here in LA, Maddie, when I tell people that I moved here from the East Coast, Mm hmm. Their immediate thought is that I came here from New York. And so, like, it will be like, I'll be like, Oh, well, I moved here from the East Coast, like, four years ago. And they'll be like, Oh, New York. And I'm like, Uh, actually, no, Massachusetts.
The light just, it just dims in their eyes. Like, I have fucking disappointed them. Like, like, like, I swear to God, people, people are like, Oh, you're, you, you're from there? I thought that's just a place that people went on field trips to. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. People, people actually live there. Um. They do live there.
And it's actually a great state all around. Look at the statistics, people.  It's an honor. So you, did you grow up in Massachusetts? Mm hmm. Born and raised. Okay. What do you think makes being from Massachusetts? Or like Boston area because your Boston area so different than being from New York And like I know you're not gonna say like just sports teams, which is why I love you  Yeah, which is it is part of it It I think growing up in like the tom brady era of new england instilled like a massive superiority complex That like I wasn't prepared to part ways with do you know what I mean?
Like it's just like oh and now we're bad. I don't know how to cope with that. No, but it is I don't know. New England itself, I just feel like is so elite. Like it has everything a little bit of everything. And from Cape Cod in the summer, which is like how I envisioned summer is like Cape Cod. And then I, every fall I go up to Vermont for a little bit and I spend time in the mountains and the foliage.
It just like has everything that you could ever, ever need. And It's, it's such a great place. I can't say enough good things about it. Okay, if you had to pick like your favorite summer getaway in the New England area, what would you pick and why? That's tricky because there's some really cute places in Maine that I've gone for like day trips and stuff that are so cute and I would love to spend more time up there, but I think I'm going Chatham every single time.
Even though it's busy in the summer and chaotic and like overwhelming, it's, it's for a reason. It's because people love it there because it's amazing. And so I would have to go chat him slash Cape Cod every time. Okay. Yeah. And I think like if you're someone who's, if you're new England curious, I think the Cape is a good place to start, too.
Totally. Totally. Yeah, you go in like the middle of summer when we can guarantee warmth and not snow, that's good. And then, yeah, it's, it's such a, it's like I think what people think when they think of like New England is like picturesque, quaint towns, and like that's what that is, every time. Have you ever been to Kennebunkport? 
I have, yes. That's my jam. A long time ago though. Yeah. So cute up there. I went to Igunquit a couple summers ago too. So pretty. Yeah. Super similar. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So cute. Yeah. We should do a, um, creator trip and all the followers, right? It would be so fun. There's a hotel where I got married in, in Maine. I got married in Kennebunkport and there's a hotel, it's called the Colony Hotel.
And it's like, Kind of got a dirty dancing vibe because everybody who works there lives there for the summer. Oh fun I know so it's not just so much to write a rom com about that. That's  You know what? Like yes wrong. Are you writing one? No, but like there's the wild thing The only like tea that I know about people like living there in the summer actually, this is like a really bad endorsement of this hotel, but when I was When I was a kid, this happened, um, because I would go up there in the summer, my, my My aunt had a house there.
Somebody, like two people who were living there for the summer, working there, got into a fight. Oh no. And over like, oh you're playing your drums too loud, and one per, one guy killed the other guy. Oh my god. Nothing could have prepared me for that. That is so not what I thought you were going to say. I know.
Wow. That's, so someone could actually write like a murder mystery novel. Yes, exactly. Yeah, yeah. We shifted gears, but. Here's the wildest part. Like, five years ago. I don't know why, but like, because I, I don't know, should probably be like, doing something productive. I remembered that. Like, I remembered the story, so I looked it up.
And I found the newspaper article on it, and the lawyer who defended the guy who shot the other guy was Christine Gutierrez, I think that's the name. Does that name sound familiar to you? No, but I feel like it should based on your face. Yeah.  It was the lawyer from the Adnan Syed trial. Oh my God. Right?
Remember the, the serial one? It was the same lawyer who like was unhinged. Right? That's crazy. Yeah. I know. Such a small world. What a ringing endorsement to go to Kennebunkport, my friend. Come to New England. It's great. Very safe. We love it.  So take me through a little bit of like how you got into content creation because you first came up on my radar during the, the Barbie movie stuff and, but were you making content before that?
Yeah, I had been, I think I started posting on TikTok probably during the pandemic when everyone else was just like funny little like trends, you know, hopping on trends and just, just for fun. And then in 2020,  oh my God, like what year is it? And what year 2023? Question mark. I lost my job. I had worked in brand social, so I had always been in social media, but I'd been on the brand side of things, which I loved, and then I got laid off.
My whole, our whole team got laid off. They just cut social media in general. They said, we don't need this. And they laid all of us off. And then I started, I spiraled for a little bit. Cause I had just, it's funny, the timing of things is. Hilarious always in hindsight, but I had just bought a car and then I had also just booked because I worked remotely.
So I wanted to like travel while I was working. And I had booked two month long Airbnb stays, one in Charleston, South Carolina, and one in the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I had literally just done that. And then like two days later, I lost my job. So I went on this very like eat, pray, love, like, what am I doing with my life?
Cause I already paid for this trip. So I'm still going to go on it while I was unemployed, which was, uh, very enlightening. And then, um, I really leaned into posting on social media for myself because I needed that creative outlet. Like I was, I really got to flex the creativity in my corporate job, which is like rare.
I feel like a lot of people don't get to say that about their corporate job, but I really got to lean into it. And I was missing that. And I, as you know, from following me have like a lot of opinions and I just love. to chat. So I was just constantly finding myself reaching for my phone just to share literally whatever was coming to mind.
And a few months later, I started making list videos and that's what really catapulted and kind of like snowballs over the course of that whole summer really. And now we're here. And that was also the, the summer of the Barbie, Barbie movie. So it's all kind of interconnected there. How do you feel about the fact that you coined the term in the summer of the Barbie movie  a bigger meaning to it than just those words.
So could you just walk people through like what that meant at the time? Yeah, I think, oh god, to be so young and naive like we were that, that summer, that fateful summer. But it was, I, I think it's funny because when I think about my content, it's kind of like dual faceted. It's half the time it's just me being silly and goofy and talking about things that everyone can relate to, like buying spinach and letting it rot in the back of your fridge.
But then on the other hand, It's because, like I said, I have a lot of opinions and I'm not afraid of voicing them most of the time. It's a lot about feminism and female empowerment. And that's like a huge, huge pillar of my content as well. And so everyone was so excited that summer about the Barbie movie.
And I, I think there was just like this sense of like girlhood. I think that's kind of where that all like the trend of girlhood kind of started and just. Women leading into like, wait, this is fun to like be girls together and to be there for each other and to support each other. And there was just so much community and like camaraderie in that.
And then I, you know, as per always men have audacity and they always have, and they always will. And so I was like, this is kind of funny to say like, really, you're going to say that to me in the year of the Barbie movie. And it just kind of took off and it was really cool. It was, it was just like a really, I think it was.
My little tiny like corner of being a part of that moment, which was really, really fun. And then it's, it's always fun when people kind of associate those things with you. It's like, Oh, like what an actual honor that like someone thinks, Oh, in the year of the Barbie movie and they associate that with me, like, that's just insane.
And like, so cool. It was just, I think such a fun moment in time on social media because of the way that. You know, pop culture was at that moment and, and that was just my little piece of it. I love that. And I, I want to hold space for all of that. But I also want to say, what year of a movie are we in now?
The Titanic.  I would say in the year of Paddington three. And that's where he packs his bags and flees to Peru. Yeah, that totally tracks.  That feels like, yeah,  yeah, it's, it was. A time of hope that I look back on fondly and now, now it's a different, it's a different, I look back at it differently now, but Where do you stand with hope right now?
That's a good question. I think a lot of people after the election were because because of the how hard can it be boys do it of it all is I just have a feminist mantra for every year i'm so excited to see what this year's will be but a lot of people I felt a lot of people kind of turn to me and be like what like what now do I do?
Yeah, and that was so  I'm, like babe, your guess is as good as mine, but I think I got to Have a front row seat Because of these, these moments that I've been a part of on social media, I'm able to see how many good people there are in the world. And that's such a blessing. And that wouldn't exist if I didn't have this job, if I didn't post the content that I had, if, you know, there's so many factors that go into it.
But I remember. That was something that brought me so much peace back in November and I've kind of held on to that ever since is it's easy to feel like the bad outweighs the good in so many ways, you know, especially in something like an election where it's like the yep it and it did but there's still so much good and I don't want to diminish that I don't want to reduce that at all.
And that's something that I just am continuously holding on to. Yeah, I I feel like  I got some of that similar feedback after the election, people messaging me and being like, Meredith, what do we do? And you know, it's, first of all, it's two things. I feel like I'm really grateful for the platform that I have and what I've built in the community I've created.
And at the same time, I also feel like I'm in a position where like, I am a straight, white, cisgendered woman, and so like, I, it is, and I'm not saying that everybody has to do this who falls into those buckets, but for me, I do think that it's on me to speak up because I'm protected in so many ways and Totally.
It shouldn't be on marginalized or groups that have typically been pushed to the margins to, to be the ones to do all of the work. And, you know, I, at a job that I used to have, that I loved, I worked for YWCA Boston and our mission was dismantling racism. And one of the things we used to say, like to people, cause we would go into like corporations and stuff and do like workshops on, you know, equity, diversity, and justice.
And one of the things we used to say was, it'd be like, if women. If people of color could have fixed this on their own, they would have done it a long time ago. So that's why we need the buy in and so I really think it's, I think what you have done a little bit is been a, is been part of that buy in, right?
Of like, I'm gonna use my platform. Mm-hmm. In this way. Yeah. It's, it's one of those things that you don't, I it's, it's so multifaceted. I think, I think a lot of people look at it very simplistically of like, oh, I, I follow this creator that has a, a huge platform. I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about, I'm talking about, oh, you do have, do you wanna say you do have a huge, oh my God, the other night, like, and I.
I'm going to say this with love because I love this guy, but the other night I was out with a friend and he was like, Oh, like he was talking about how he wants his social media to grow. And I was like, Oh, why don't you do X, Y, Z? And he was like, wait, that's actually such a good idea. And I was like, I'm going to make up his name.
I was like, Paul, this is my job.  Like he was shocked that I had this good idea. I was like, I literally, I know what I'm fucking doing. It's almost like I do this for a living. Right? And he was like, Oh my God, you're right. But like, I do think that people sometimes. Forget that aspect of content creation, but go on totally.
No, I just think I mean it's such a nuanced topic talking about people with platforms using their platform and what they use it for And it's something that over The years, like before I really had a platform when I was just posting for shits and gigs back in, you know, 2020 when shit was hitting the fan in so many different ways, I was much more freely vocal about certain things and the world and the internet have gotten scarier and people have gotten, certain people have gotten louder and that, you know, it makes it.
It makes it that much harder and that's it's just like a it's it's really really there's there's so many layers to these things and that's why I think I'm glad that the things that I have talked about have resonated with people the way that they have because it's scary.  How do you deal with the backlash that you must get in your comments that are, you know, misogyny or just straight up bullying?
How do you deal with those comments? It depends on the day, quite frankly. I'm very much a fighter. Like, I'm not like a, I'm not like a, oh, I'm just gonna let it roll off my back. I really admire people that can do that. That's like, I'm just like very argumentative too. And if I know that you're wrong, Do you have siblings?
I have a younger brother.  Oh, and another piece of the puzzle falls into place. I'm an oldest. I'm the oldest. I'm the eldest daughter. Yeah.  I'm the oldest daughter myself. Sometimes I'm like, justice for Prince William. No, I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. But I'm just saying, like, like,  yeah, anyway, carry on. It makes a lot of sense.
Yeah. It, yeah, so it depends on the day. I think in certain things it's like so painfully black and white that I'm like, no, I actually am correct and I actually, and you are actually wrong and I want you to know that I also have been doing a lot of work on just internally on like, I can't make everyone see things.
My way or the correct way that's an impossible task and if it could be done it would have been done at this point in time so it's like you can't make people see things that they don't want to see but I think when how hard can it be boys do it really took off that was I was inundated with just just some crazy shit and it was funny because to me how hard can it be boys do it is in a political statement that's not controversial to think that men and women can do the same things like that's That should be a given and it wasn't to so many people and I was I constantly had just like the smallest men ever to have ever lived in my comment section.
I will say with that it was more funny. It was just like this like that's a crazy thing to say like it was it there was a certain like levity to the situation because it's just like you are so clearly absurd and like Like, insanely insecure. So that was, but it was a lot. It was like, I was inundated with it.
Which, that was, that was tricky. It's just, unfortunately, a part of the internet. And if you're gonna post, there will be people that have things to say. No matter how wrong those things are. Of course. And when you made that video, cause this happens to me, sometimes I make a video and I go, I think this one's gonna do okay.
Like, I think this is going to be good. When you made that video, what was your mindset when you hit post? So it's funny because the moment, the video itself, because a lot of people don't even really like know the backstory. They just know like the little soundbite. But when it was, it was like October of 2023.
I was with my mom in my car. I went to go get gas and my tire pressure light had been on for weeks, which I don't recommend. I'm like, no one should leave their tire pressure light on for weeks. Like address the issue. I see that. Right now my tire pressure light is also still on and it's been on for a week.
So like, who knows, but I was at the gas station and I was like, I'm just going to use their little air pump and pump up my tires. And I went and put air in it. And my mom's sitting in the car the whole time. Just like, can't be bothered to like assist me in any way, shape or form. Like God love her. And so I get back in the car.
Why is it so embarrassing to use the little palm? It's so fucking embarrassing. And I, like, didn't know which tire it was. I'm, like, going around to all of it. Like, it was just, yeah. And you have to pull the little thing off and it's hard to do and you get the black stuff on your hands. And, like, here's the thing.
Like, also, too, I think it's, like, admitting a type of defeat. That's, like, actually the other day I had to tie my shoe in public and I was, like, this is embarrassing. That's so embarrassing.  So embarrassing. Like being like, go around me. I'm tying my shoe . Like, I know I should have like really gotten this down in kindergarten, but like I'm out here tying my shoes  doing.
Yeah. Um, but you're, so you're doing that, you're, you're trying to, you're trying to pump the tire back up. Yep. And then I get back in the car, the light goes off. Success. And my mom was like, honestly, I'm really impressed with you because like traditionally this is like a role that I would have like said, Hey, dad, my tire pressure lights on.
Can you take care of that for me? And I know my mom would have done the same thing. So she was like, she was like, wow, like good for you. And I said, yeah, well, I mean, how hard can it be boys do it? And we both paused and we were like. That was really good. Like that's crazy. And so then I made a video about it, like a few days later, like it had kind of the moment it passed.
I made a video about a few days later, so I posted in October and it didn't, it did well at the time. It like, it, you know, God, I think like a hundred thousand likes or something like that. And then, but no one was using the sound, like nothing came of it because it's a minute and a half long video. Like it's me telling a story.
It's not just like that little soundbite, the soundbite, which people need to understand. Like a little viral clip can be a lot.  You guys, little pro tip, a little viral clip might get you like a viral moment or whatever, but it's usually not going to translate to long term engagement. And that's why Maddie probably did so well with this video was because she already had this platform, but plus like there was more to it than just the little sound clip.
Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Carry on. So, so then the, the sound starts being used three months later. So like three months had passed and I thought like nothing, I didn't think anything of it. I was just like, Oh, like. You know, it was a video that did well, but that's it. And then in January, people started using it and yeah, it just, it kind of.
Blew up from there. So it's funny because it's like I posted the video. It was well received I was like, okay good But I don't even I don't even think I say how are gonna be boys do it until like a minute in so I Never would have expected it to become like a sound that people use because it was like like just kind of hidden in the middle There video.
Yeah. Yeah, and then and then it kind of took off in January, which was just crazy and it caught the attention of What I would say is our, you know, I have so much respect for what Kamala Harris did.  It caught the attention of the Harris campaign. What was that like? It was crazy because it, it like, it had a big moment, January, February, which is when like everyone was kind of participating in the trend that I was like anyone who participated in it, participated in it probably January, February, then.
I, like I made the merch for it and that released that in February. And then, you know, months go on, everything teeters off as is true with everything on social media. Like it had a big moment and then it, and I never thought another moment would, like, I never thought it would have a second wind and it did.
It had a huge second wind in, what was it? July or August that Kamala announced she was running. And that was. Just wild because I never like you just never you think it's dead you think it's over and then it's like nope it's back and that was like just as crazy. It was such a It was, I guess, more meaningful that time around because it felt like, Ooh, this like has something, you know, like this is like, this could be something.
And yeah, it was just, it was really cool. I had so many people sending me, um, pictures of them voting, wearing the merch, which was like insane and just like so surreal. And it was just such a cool thing to be a part of and to kind of witness and have like a front row seat too. Yeah. I mean. It's so funny that you say all this because now when I think when I first thought about it and was remembering the viral moment and we were booking this episode etc.
I just assumed that it came out during the election and so to hear the whole genesis of it. It is so cool. What is something else that you feel like is having a, how hard can it be boys do it moment? Like, for example, like fixing your tire pressure, how hard can it be boys do it running for president? How hard can it be boys do it?
Like to me, I'm like, there are so many things that guys just, they just. Say like, okay, I'm just going to go for it. So for example, I had someone really criticizing my content the other day. And I do think that they like my content, but they were really like coming down hard on me in my DMS. And there's someone with a ton of access and power.
And so I just said to them, like, Hey, I could do more with this. If I had support, you have like a lot of connections. Would you be able to help me? And I was like, yeah, that's what a guy would say. Instead of like getting so upset, I was just like, can you help me, you know, connect with XYZ person? And they were like, um, not right now.
And I was like, okay, that's fine. But I was like, yeah, like, do you ever have other, so let me say it like this. Do you ever have like other moments where you like have said or done something that you're like, Oh, that's not so fucking scary. Mm hmm. I think this is funny. I made a video about this not too long ago I had done like a Q& A on Instagram and someone asked and this is like a question I've gotten a lot of which has always I guess kind of confused me but people say someone asked how Did you get so confident?
Like, do you ever struggle with self doubt? Like all of these things. And  I kid you not, I had to like do some like introspection. Cause I was like, I actually have no clue where this comes from. Like, I, I don't like, there wasn't like a turning point for me. Like I couldn't pin it back to anything. It was just like, it's just kind of always been there.
And I realized that like, I do. For better or worse have the confidence of like a the unbridled confidence of like a unskilled white man The only difference is I think mine's a little bit more substantiated But it is one of those things where I think it For so many people, it is just like a mindset shift of like, okay, well, if I were a man, wouldn't I just be saying this right now?
Like, why wouldn't I just send this email? Why wouldn't I just react in this way? Why wouldn't I just also just assume that things are gonna work out for me? Because I, I, you know, do the work. I know I'm good at things. I think it's this inherent like knowing that you're capable of certain things. Right.
And I, and just like not questioning that. And I think, I think a lot of women could benefit from like the, hmm, and how would a, how would a man react in this situation? And what would they do? Because It's, it's oftentimes the more uncomfortable thing for women, I think, to do, but it unfortunately does yield results.
So on a related note, I got this DM this morning that I think you'll just adore where somebody was like, Hey, I really like your content, but I'm just wondering why do you respond to every single hater comment that you get? As if the person's in the room with you. And I was like, Hey, thanks so much. Glad you love the content.
Just a heads up. I don't respond to every single hater comment that would be absolutely. And I wouldn't have time to go to the bathroom if I responded to every single hater comment. So the people that you do respond to, is there a, what is the strategy behind responding? Cause I have a strategy and I would love to know if you do too.
I don't think I do, honestly, unless it's like subconscious. I think it's, I go very much on instincts because there's one thing I will say is so many people who don't post frequently or publicly or for their job, they always have a lot to say about how people who have a. platform, you know, reply to certain comments.
Like, why don't you just ignore it? Why are you even giving them any attention? And I'm like, you, unless you were in a situation where you are constantly inundated with people sharing their opinions, unsolicited on who you are as a person, on your appearance, on your content, on, then you do not know how you would react to that situation.
And it's so much easier said than done. And I like hate this narrative of just like, just rise above it. It's like, you don't understand. What it's like until you're in it, like you really don't, it's easy to think that you would just say, Oh, I am going to ignore this person. And a lot of the times I'm able to, I will say, I can always say that no one leaving a hate comment is a happy, normal, well adjusted human being.
That's just like the, the truth of the matter. I'm not talking about people like giving criticism or feedback, but I'm saying like, Hey, like real hate comments. No normal, well adjusted, healthy, happy person is doing that. So it's like, I am able to see that logically, but it's still emotionally, it like can take a toll on you.
And like I said, some days are better than others. Some days I'm in a really good fucking mood and I'm like, okay, that was weird and lame and you know, it just is what it is, but I think a lot of the times if there is a. Point to be proven, or if someone is mistaken about something, I will reply. I also think sometimes people leave really funny hate comments that can make a really good comment.
Some of them are hilarious. Some of them are hilarious. Like I, I had a video  go viral once where I was replying to a hate comment. I think it was a hate comment. She framed it as if it was a compliment, which is always. So interesting, but she said you have such a big mouth and I'm, I'm so jealous. I have such a small mouth and yours is just so big and like she just kept going. 
I guess. Yeah. Cause she compared it to like her mouth. She was like, my mouth is like too small. I'm like, okay. I feel bad for your small and dainty mouth. Like that must be really troubling for you. But it's so sometimes it's just like funny and totally. Yeah. I don't think I don't really think I have a, I think I've, I've gotten better about learning that.
You can't change people's minds. And that's what was always the hardest thing for me is when I make a video that is, if I post any video about any quote unquote controversial or political topic, it is based on fact. It's based on experience. It's based on really well thought out, you know, ideals. I don't make these things on whims.
I, I make sure that it's like, it has ways to back it up and yeah. And that, and I. And if I'm talking about something like that on the internet, it's something I know a lot about. I'm not talking about political issues that, like, I wouldn't have to do more research on. Like, these are things that, like, I'm, I know what I'm talking about.
And so it's I think it's things like that, when it's like, I know what went into that, I know the rationale behind it, I know the statistics behind it, and to be met with some people saying, you know, okay, well, what about, and this is just fake. It's like, I have little tolerance for that. Yeah, you just, you just want to, you want to set the record straight.
You want to be like, because I also think on the off chance. that someone sees it and actually has no idea and I'm able to disprove something that someone says, that's a win. Like if it's just some random viewer that sees a comment and it's like, yeah, I actually kind of agree with that guy. And then I'm able to disprove it.
It's like, okay, well that's, you know what I mean? And there was, there was actually a time during How hard can it be boys do it? A very common comment that I was getting was men saying women would be so mad if it was the other way around. And if men were saying, how hard can it be women do it? And I got this comment a lot.
And I was like, it's funny because I know that they think that they're like eating, like they think that they know it's so funny. Like, it's just like the second that I would even hear that phrase, I would know exactly where we're going to go. And it's going to be like, and I know exactly the profile that's going to leave the comment.
And it's like the. The, the profile picture is their truck. Not that there's anything wrong with that. And then the cat, the bio is like proud American father of three, girl, dad, you're like  Bible verse, like the whole nine. Yeah. And so I, I took the time to like actually. Dismantle that one and I said, you know people who say if someone were to say to me How are gonna be women do it like I would just assume that's like the slogan of the patriarchy like it's it's that that is So deeply entrenched in everything that happens in this world.
How are gonna be women do it? Like that's so it's just it's so  Textbook, like it's just so running rampant as an ideal everywhere and a lot of people like resonated with it and I was like if I could explain that in a way where one person is like actually she's on to something then like that's a win at the end of the day and I think also I think a lot of times I, I I'm I'm I'm I am able to kind of weave in humor and like silliness into things that are really, really dark and kind of heavy topics in a way that I think is more palatable for people.
So it's like, on the one hand, it's like that feels important to make it so that people who maybe aren't as attuned to issues that are happening in the world, if I can portray that information in a way that is more digestible and more tolerable, then like, that's a win. But it is, it's a lot about. picking and choosing and I am not the best at that always.
You gotta pick your battles and same here, you probably wouldn't know this, but there is, uh, they're, they're recently deactivated actually, but there is an account that's called Meredith Lynch get braces. Oh my God. Maddie, I had braces.  Wait, that is heinous. I know. That's actually absurd. People are really, yeah, people have a lot to say.
It's also this weird justification that I always see of, of people saying the most heinous things about my appearance. And then when I say something back to them, like, Oh, do you tell your four children to speak to people that way? Because I like to call out, especially when they're very publicly parents.
I'm like, imagine your child's growing up and seeing this comment. Like that's so embarrassing. Imagine finding out that your parent is like it. Internet troll like that's like so jarring like you would need years and years of therapy to undo that I called out some woman one day who was just saying like sick vile things about my appearance and I was like I said something to the effect of like, okay, I hope your daughter doesn't ever receive comments like this and She was like, well, you're you are an influencer so you should expect this and it's this weird justification that like because you post online and it's your job that like Yeah, you're gonna get, you're gonna get the most ruthless comments ever and like that I agree to some extent that is to be expected when you're posting online, but it's not an excuse to like berate someone's appearance just because they're public facing on the internet like it's such a weird jungle and like a mental gymnastics.
You know, I get this a lot. I had someone say this to me the other day, they were like, you really need thicker skin.  And I get that a lot. And I would love to know from your perspective, in order to be on the internet and be an internet personality, because also like, and I say this with like respect to you, and there's nothing wrong with being this like, you're not an influencer.
No, you're not your content creator, your  internet personality, you might do brand deals. But I wouldn't, you're not, and neither am I, like, I, I mean, we might get those kind of things, but we're not influencers. And I think the other piece of it too is I have a communications degree. I worked in that field for a long time.
You have a background in social media and marketing. We also have the credentials to, to back up like how we've been able to do this. But my question is like, Do you think you have to have a thick skin in order to do this? I think, yeah, I, I, I hate the narrative though that you have to have a thick skin to do this because I think it just normalizes people being, being mean, dickheads on the internet.
And like, like, I also think people don't understand, like, it's not, I think there's like a misconception that it's like, Oh, you get like one or two hate comments that are like, you're ugly. And it's like, no, people will pick apart the most obscure things that you would never in a million years notice about yourself.
Ever, ever at all, and they will harp on it and they will continuously, like it is psychological torture and to some extent, like, and it's something that, and I'm not to be so clear, I am not saying doing this job is hard, but it's something that you really don't have to deal with in any other line of work is like this expected element that like you will be constantly, I don't even want to say criticized because it's so much worse than that, just like constantly picked apart online.
Like it's, it is such a. Interesting side effect to this job, but I do think it definitely, I think if not thick skin, it just, you have to be really sure of yourself. I think that's kind of what it comes down to. Confident in who you are. Exactly. Have people supporting you behind the scenes who know and love you because that's like the most important thing is like these people, even the ones who like, you know, might like your content, like.
They can turn on you. I've had this. I'm sure you have to like, yeah, I always say to people, nothing is worse than a person who used to like you. Yep. And I think I'm so glad too, that I, that I gained the platform I did when I was 25 years old, like postfrontal lobe develop developing because. I can imagine it impacting me so much more if I was freshly 20 and I was getting greeted with these kind of hate comments.
And it really does make you think about so many people that are younger and get, get bigger platforms. It's like, I can imagine that would be so much more damaging, but obviously as you Grow up and mature. You have a naturally more thick skin because you're just more confident in yourself and like, you know yourself a little bit more, but I think yeah, it's it can be super damaging if it's happening to a person who isn't, you know, equipped to be dealing with it.
Yeah. Well, Mads, this has been so much fun. I feel like we've really covered a Such an important part of content creation that doesn't get talked about that much, but you create amazing content and where can people find that content? Is there anything you have coming up that you want to share with us?
You can find me on TikTok and on Instagram. I also have a podcast called Parked Car Combos. I think that's something I'm really working on. Growing it's always, my podcast always takes a back burner, not in terms of making content, cause I post a podcast episode every week, but just in terms of shoving it down people's throats, it takes up it, you guys follow, subscribe to park car convos, and then listen to an episode and give it a review because the, you know, what are the hardest you're not with a network.
Cardio.  Yeah, one of the hardest things and like little, little plug for our own operation over here. One of the hardest things is like, I was just saying to my husband, the podcast is the thing that I love the most. And it's the thing that bleeds the most money. And so it's like, I want to, I want to keep it going.
And you know, I'm sure you do too. And so yeah, it can end up taking the back seat. Seat because it's not always the highest ROI day to day, but I love what you're doing with the podcast. I think it's really fun. I'd love, I'd love to park a car with you when you're in Boston. I think that would be so much fun.
Yeah. We'd have a lot of fun. Well, Mads, thank you so much for being here and everyone go follow her and follow Parked Car Convos. Subscribe, all that good stuff. We'd love to have you back.  All right. That's a wrap on another episode of oddly specific. Thanks so much for hanging out with me. Of course. I want to send a special thanks to my lovely guest, Mads Mitch, follow her on social media, listen to parked car combos, she's the best.
And as always. I want to send my little shout outs. Firstly, just want to shout out each and every one of you, but there are some of you whose names I actually know because you subscribe to the pod at the podcast pals level. And I'm so grateful for it. You keep this little independent project going. And if you want to hear your name on here, head over to the Patreon and sign up.
Not only do you get the shout out, but you also get all the tea. That's just too hot for Tik TOK. So, okay, let me send my little shout outs here. Special shoutouts going out to Annie Schreiber, Bree Prisernik, Caitlin Duffy, Sean Sweet, Cheryl Dunderson, Darcy Ray Johnson, Debbie Perillo, Grogu M, Hayden Young, Jake Jabber, Jennifer Nash, Jennifer Arrington, Jess, Julia Loggins, Catherine D'Amezio, Kim Dunham, Kristen Zanotti, TheLadySwapWhichGivesNoFucks, Lindsay Butler, Lisette Porta Carrero, Macy Malachek, Mark Knudson, MJ Cormier, Raya, Robin Johnson, Tasha L.,
Tom's Law Firm, because it's certainly about Tom, Tuna Pup, and of course, Stan Fran Gow. Could not do this without you. If you want to hear your name on here, go ahead and subscribe to the Patreon at the Podcast House level, or just subscribe to the Patreon at the regular level. You'll still get a lot of tooth that's too hot for TikTok.
A lot of good stuff about sax is on there. There we go. Thank you so much for listening. And as always, don't forget to tell a friend to tell a friend about private equity. 
 
 

BONUS! EP! I told myself I was just researching- Talking Bad Reality and Bad Ex Boyfriends with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

I have got my friend and NYT bestseller Stefanie Wilder-Taylor is in the house for a FUN bonus episode. We talk about our bad ex-boyfriends, Stefanie's career in tv including working in reality tv, quitting drinking, and how this bad b changed my life before I even met her. PLUS we spill on an opportunity to work with us later this month. 
 
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My Girl Is A Lawyer: Unpacking Kim Kardashian's Criminal Justice Work with Blakely Thornton

This week we welcome our pop culture king Blakely Thornton to the pod to talk about Kimberly Noel's Criminal Justice Era. We discuss how the Kardashians have evolved, Kim's journey from Paris Hilton's closet to the White House, and of course a few moments with Kris. Together we unpack how celebrities impact social issues and the nearly impossible task of fixing deep problems in the justice system. 
Check out the episode on Private Equity in prisons with Bianca Tylek
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Meredith Lynch (00:01)Hi everyone and welcome back to another episode of Oddly Specific. I'm your host, Meredith Lynch. And this is like kind of a groundbreaking episode y'all because I have billed this podcast as the only podcast that covers everything from private equity to Pete Davidson. And a lot of you have reached out and said, Meredith, you've never had an episode where you have ever mentioned Pete Davidson. And they would be right. But today I think we're gonna get Pete Davidson adjacent.
I am so excited for this guest. Y'all are going to freak out. Y'all are going to say, Meredith, what if Oddly Specific was just hosted by this person and you just went away? And I would say, listen, I'm open to it. Blakely Thornton, welcome. Thank you. Thank you for being here. How are you doing?
Blakely Thornton (00:41)Hello, thank you. Thank you. Welcome.
Doing well, just got over the flu. We're good, but I feel human today. My body temperature is regulating as previously discussed and I'm ready to talk P.E. and Kimberly Noel, you know?
Meredith Lynch (00:59)I love it, I'm so excited.
Isn't it wild when you get sick as an adult too? Because you kind of forget, like when I was a kid, I would just throw up all the time.
Blakely Thornton (01:09)Yeah. I just think you forget when like it sucks. Like I think because the primary directive as a child when you miss when you when you get sick is missing school or like getting to watch some TV. But it's like when you're an adult and you work for yourself and there's actually also like no one taking care of you specifically like I have to like go get the medicine feeling like this. There's just no purpose and also like sick days if we're just skipping work and like going to basketball games or like
Meredith Lynch (01:20)RAID!
Thanks.
Blakely Thornton (01:38)They're like taking your vacation, you know, they're not for actually being ill.
Meredith Lynch (01:42)Yes, exactly. When you were a little Blakely and you are homesick from school, what was the show of choice, the daytime show of choice?
Blakely Thornton (01:51)I think it was a little Matlock. We'd have like a Matlock pizza party like the old school like I don't even know what that man's name was. But like that old white haired KFC like Colonel Sanders looking white man that Matlock and like a Domino's pizza, even though like I don't know why I think Domino's was better in the in 90s before now. But I remember Domino's pizza tasting really good. So Domino's, Matlock, Sally, Jesse Raphael on occasion. Yes, daytime smut.
Meredith Lynch (02:17)Well, yes.
Daytime smart. used to really like Lisa. There was a show called Lisa. Yeah, that was my girl. And I also really, you know, I was that was how I got into Jerry Springer originally was I think a lot of us via sick days.
Blakely Thornton (02:23)Yeah, Lisa Gibbons.
Right?
I was actually thinking of like, I was actually talking to my friend the other day about like, need to bring back those shows to like rehabilitate like maga men. Like remember how you should like take kids away to those camps? Just like needs to be that but for like straight men with podcasts, like, oh, you have a podcast? You've never read a book? Oh no, you're going, you're going, know, we take them like to libraries.
Meredith Lynch (02:56)my god, like the intros would be like, I don't care what my job says, I'm never getting vaccinated.
Blakely Thornton (03:00)Yeah.
I'm an alpha. I don't deal with we need more alphas. And it's like you don't have a job, Rob. You have a high school diploma and unemployment like like that. Like get go to library, read a book.
Meredith Lynch (03:08)Right? my God, I love this.
How do we pitch this? Anyway, I love this.
I love what you do. And I would love if you could just sort of explain, you know, how you got to where you are because you are this sought after creator, speaker. You're an incredible host. You call yourself a pop culture anthropologist, which I love. And I would love to know what that means to you.
Blakely Thornton (03:33)Yes.
I just think we are in an attention based economy and there is no longer higher low culture. Like someone yesterday asked me, are you finding it hard to be interested in pop culture and music and fashion when we're like in a fascism right now? And I'm like, no, because it's all connected and we're actually currently a country run by a bankrupt game show host. like those things are connected. Like the apprentice to the White House to like, you know, the fourth Reich is all together.
I might as well listen to music and pay attention in the meantime. But I got into this. I actually worked the short hero's journey as I worked in finance out of college. Hated it. It ended up working in marketing and brand strategy for Ralph Lauren for four and a half years. And then a couple of agencies actually worked for Fuck Jerry right after the whole fire festival debacle. So they were and they were turning that debacle into a film.
Meredith Lynch (04:32)my god.
Blakely Thornton (04:36)So that was interesting. So I kind of got to see all sides of how the sausage was made. And then my friend was working at TikTok and was like, please get on TikTok and say something. And I was like, that was back in the old like dancing phase of it. And I was like, I'm not doing that. like, but she's like, just do it once a day for a month. And like the fourth thing I said got viewed like 2 million times. And then when Instagram went into reels, I had this huge backlog of like,
videos that had done well. My friend taught me how to like take the things off TikTok and put them on wheels with no watermark. then that, so then people were like, you, you know, you create so quickly, which I guess I kind of do. But also the thing that kind of popped it off was I said, I would like murder Tom Holland and live the rest of my life with like, with like five, six, and then white face to date Zendaya, even though I'm gay. And then like Tom Holland liked and commented on it. And that just kind of
Meredith Lynch (05:05)Hey!
Blakely Thornton (05:31)And apparently he'd been on like a social media break for two years. So that was the first thing he'd interacted with. And like, always say like, and like I always say, yeah, like I threatened to murder him and he was like, that's funny. which is kind of my MO. I'm like, you know, but I also think I stand 10 toes down in anything I say on the internet. I would say to your face. I think that's what sets me apart from most commentators is that if I, whatever I'm talking about you, I will tag you in it.
Meredith Lynch (05:37)You brought him back to the bed.
Blakely Thornton (06:00)And if you have a problem with it, I might stop. might be like, unless you're like, you know, a fascist or a racist or a misogynist or a homophobe. But if I like, don't like your pants and you're like, hey, that made me feel bad. Okay. I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll back up. I think, yeah.
Meredith Lynch (06:13)Right. Yeah, that's very different. I appreciate that.
I appreciate that. And you have this catchphrase that is famous. And I mean, I could say it, but you could say it for us and it would mean so much.
Blakely Thornton (06:22)Yes.
I
I guess I don't even think of the role credits of it all. That originated because I didn't originally start saying it. Just one day I was so pissed and I knew I was gonna put the credits at the end, because I like putting credits at the end because it's a way to add an extra on the nose joke. The song usually has something to do with what I'm saying, usually a reference to like 80s or 90s culture or just Chapel Rowan or whatever I'm feeling right now and the gay girlie cop pops of it all.
And then one day I was like really mad and I said it before the end and it became kind of like a thing that people really latched on to the point where like, if I don't say it, I get comments about not saying it. But you know, everybody needs a hook. Like the guy from Blues Traveler said, it brings people back.
Meredith Lynch (07:18)ain't that the truth? What a fucking jam, by the way. I don't think so. Yeah. Well, I'll tell you who is alive and well. The person who I invited you to come on and talk about on this on today's podcast, which is Kimberly Noel. I like to call her Kimberly Noel, even though I think it might be infantilizing her. Noel, people always like, why do you call her? Why Noel? I'm like, it's her middle name, you guys. I think I made it up.
Blakely Thornton (07:21)Right? John Popper, is he alive?
Neither do I.
Yes.
middle name.
Meredith Lynch (07:48)But I wanted to know, we're gonna get into a little bit of Kim's criminal justice work, because like you said, this is one of those moments where you see how pop culture is political. And I also like to remind people, pop culture stands for popular culture. Like it doesn't stand for like music, it stands for anything that's in that sort of popular culture zeitgeist. And so I would love to know.
Blakely Thornton (07:54)Yes.
Meredith Lynch (08:15)Keeping Up With The Kardashians premiered in 2007. I would love to know what was sort of your introduction to the Kardashians and how did you feel about them back in 2007, 2008, 2009?
Blakely Thornton (08:18)Yes.
I believe it was a junior in college at Penn when it first debuted on E! News. I remember like Wawa being a big part of my life in Philadelphia. And it was just the thing you'd watch on Sundays. I remember her as kind of like Paris Hilton's new Nicole Richie. Obviously the Ray J sex tape was going around the early, know, anal's of the internet or anal's of the internet or whatever pun not intended. But like, I think it was interesting. They were a family that seemed to be
Meredith Lynch (08:53)This is
Blakely Thornton (08:59)that seemed to like, as a consistent storyline, really lack shame. mean, that first episode, Kylie's on a stripper pole and Brody Jenner and Frankie Delgado from the Hills were in that episode, you know? So I remember like, she also went on Cribs on MTV when it was still going on and she like, but it was her parents' house, I remember that. So it was very interesting seeing them as this kind of like innocuous reality family in the vein of like the Osbournes or...
Nick and Jessica newlywed. I feel like that's where we thought about them initially because social media had not come on. And I think they were almost like a two headed monster that were born together at the same time to rise up and, know, Seren, you know, Trojan horse, the ruin of society in certain ways, but you know, it's popular.
Meredith Lynch (09:47)Yeah, and I mean, I guess I've never really thought about this before, but do you think it's the chicken or the egg in the sense that like, I think a lot of what has happened with the Kardashians has been orchestrated by Kris Jenner. And I don't say that to, even though I have my issues with her, she doesn't know about them. Right, exactly. So I'm kind of like, do you think it's like this was the goal all along and it just, or do you think it's like the show happened?
Blakely Thornton (10:00)Mm-hmm.
Not in a malevolent sense, just like she's a manager.
Meredith Lynch (10:16)and then they realize the opportunities that could come.
Blakely Thornton (10:20)I think Kris Jenner is an extremely ambitious woman born in a time before women could be outwardly ambitious. And I think that ambition was held and capped through being through the tools of the day in society, which was being a rich housewife. And I think Bruce now, Caitlin was her first entree into having a little bit control and rebranding someone. And I think by the time they got that show, she was ready to.
grab the whole family and make them into juggernauts. I think you do not have those women, those girls who are all now entities of their own in a truly A-list sense in terms of the attention they can all command and the money they can all command without that woman. And I think she poured it into Kim. And I think in a way, they're further than they ever thought they would be. Like, I don't think one ever could imagine amassing this much power as a collective, but they have.
Meredith Lynch (11:13)Yeah
Yeah, and I guess that's probably like, you know, when people have visions of grandeur, they might think of that, but I think that it's pretty hard to imagine the position that they've gotten into. And it's so interesting that thing you said about Chris is so interesting because I don't know if you know this, you probably do, but before Chris married Robert Kardashian, she was a flight attendant. And I think that's really interesting because at the time where there were really limited careers for women,
Blakely Thornton (11:39)Mm-hmm.
Meredith Lynch (11:47)Being a flight attendant probably gave you a lot more power than a lot of other careers, right? You got to travel, you got to be on your own, you got a per diem every day, you know? Like, it was kind of like a very sort of forward lifestyle for a career woman at the time. Not saying that it still isn't, but it's just sort of like, when you think about that, she wanted a freedom.
Blakely Thornton (12:11)Oh, I think being a flight attendant in the 60s and 70s was how you met wealthy men. You knew they were sitting in first class, you knew they had to afford the ticket. You could look at the washers, you could look at the ties, you could look at the briefcase, look at the shoes. And basically they were stuck in a metal tube to flirt with you. And I think that's how she met Rob Kardashian, I believe, their father.
Meredith Lynch (12:15)Great!
Yeah,
I think that is how they met. And Vianna can fact check us maybe and tell us, but I think, I do think that they met and got married very quickly. Much more, yeah, much more quickly than Kim is finishing her law degree.
Blakely Thornton (12:38)Mm-hmm, she was a teenager.
I mean, truly,
not, I mean, truly, the apprenticeship is difficult regardless of who you are. It was never gonna be a study for her. I think she's also recently said she's pausing that pursuit right now.
Meredith Lynch (12:50)So.
I mean, and that's, know, what I really wanted to bring you on and talk about because there's so many different ways we can look at the Kardashians, but Kim's interest in criminal justice reform over the last eight years has really evolved. And it started in 2018 and she publicly campaigned for the release of Alice Marie Johnson, which was completely necessary. That was so important. I'm so glad.
that Alice Marie Johnson is out of prison. And did you know that Alice has just been named the, she's been named the pardon czar of the Trump administration. So listen, I just want her to get what she needs to get, right? Like, great. But Kim's approach to reform is unique because it does come from a place of privilege.
Blakely Thornton (13:40)Sure, Jan. Sure.
Meredith Lynch (13:54)And so my question for you is Kim has become this high profile advocate for criminal justice reform. How do you feel about her journey to become a lawyer and her goals to reform the system? And is she really the person to fix this?
Blakely Thornton (14:10)Well, short answer, no, she is not, 100%. I do feel that Kim in her core, as someone who only knows her parasocially, is one of the purest human, she's almost late stage capitalism in human form and that you must be expanding always in all ways. And I feel like she's not on hardworking, she's not unintelligent because to even get to the point she got to or has gotten to,
as a lawyer requires an incredible amount of work and studying. If you're, she was already on the way to, or shortly thereafter became a billionaire after doing so and a mother of three to now four children. So I think to choose to do it, you have to have almost a sociopathic level of ambition. So in terms of the work that she has done to that point, I respect it, but I almost do feel like the way in which she has gone about it is a way in which like,
Meredith Lynch (14:43)Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Blakely Thornton (15:08)a very rich white person like discovers racism. Like when you tell like, like when someone is like, my God, people are mean to you because you're black occasionally. And like, yeah, bitch, well, hello. Like she discovered Althea Johnson on Twitter. You know, wasn't like she was like, reading law books or going to the fucking South Side of LA or Chicago or figuring those things out. You know, she discovered it on social media. She's like, that happens, which is like a very Polly and a fucking way to discover it.
Meredith Lynch (15:19)It works best.
Mm-hmm.
Blakely Thornton (15:38)I'm, and
I think the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So like, I love that she is trying to help people. think the methodology that she is using is the only way someone in her circumstances could know how to, but I do think the way she is going about it is full of contradictions that is entirely incorrect.
Meredith Lynch (15:54)Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and that's such a good point because it brings me to my next question to you, which is Kim has stated multiple times that the work that she does in criminal justice is apolitical. So my question for you is, is this even possible? In your view, is it possible to approach prison reform without touching on politics?
Blakely Thornton (16:14)Mm-hmm.
No, I think one, she's confusing apolitical with bipartisan. think what Kim says when she says it's apolitical, what she is saying in a very dumbed down and slightly incorrect sense is, I want to have an equal amount of power no matter who wins with what I am doing, which I think again, is her prime directive in all things for life. So I think when she says it's apolitical, she means whether it's Kamala, this
Meredith Lynch (16:29)Actually, that's a really good point.
Blakely Thornton (16:54)living sentient ballsack, whoever else it is, I want to have that person's ear to do what I want to do. Because the most important thing for Kim Kardashian is to meet Kim Kardashian's goals. Sometimes that leads to good, sometimes that leads to bad. But I think to say that prison reform is apolitical is to ignore that the prison system is not broken. It's built as it was meant to. It's the 13th Amendment. The prison system is built to overly hinge towards incarcerating black men, mostly for free slave labor.
So like, if you're ignoring the context, you're missing the point.
Meredith Lynch (17:30)Yeah, and I think for me, one of the things that I really struggle with is private equity has a huge role in prisons. And there's a lot of people come on and they say to me a lot, Meredith, private prisons, private prisons. Yes, private prisons are a thing, but they actually account for 8 % of prisons in this country. So they're not as widespread as people think. The problem in our prison system, well, there's many problems, but one of the largest problems is that almost all of the services in prisons are outsourced to private equity backed companies.
Blakely Thornton (17:48)Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Meredith Lynch (17:59)So the
medical care, commissary, food service is, and you can all listen to the episode that I did with Bianca Tylek, who talked about this with us. That is a huge issue. And one of the things that I struggle with with Kim's advocacy is she seems to pick and she cherry picks her stories, which I get, that's how you uplift someone, you pick a story, whatever. But she at the same time seems to...
not really address those larger issues of our prison system, which are that is inherently racist, that it's rooted in white supremacy, et cetera. And so I really struggle with the fact that she won't say, hey, we need to pass the first step act, but we also need to like divest all these private equity firms from prisons. So when I yell all of that at you, do you have any thoughts?
I know that's gonna
Blakely Thornton (18:58)No, I mean,
it's exactly right. I she was trying to get into private equity until what? Earlier until late last year was Sky Partners, which was what like, you know,
Meredith Lynch (19:04)Technically she still is, but she,
I think she's, people think she's pulling back and I don't know if this is true or not, but I heard she might be pulling back because she wants to take skims public.
Blakely Thornton (19:17)probably true, immigrati, mean, pun intended on that name. but I mean, exactly, exactly. When you're in private equity, you're not going to go and you're trying to raise funds for like, in the hundreds of millions of not billions, you're not going to go and castigate the entire industry, you know, she and I think also, she does things that are built for how it is going to look in terms of public image, you can't
Meredith Lynch (19:18)And that's, know, yeah.
Blakely Thornton (19:44)Again, that's her core competency. She's built that way. That is the prime directive that she is cellularly built that way. She's built a career off of that. So there's no way to, for better or worse, to expect her brain not to work that way. It's, need to pick the...
cases or cherry pick the situations that give me the most juice for the squeeze both in terms of Being able to solve the problem be successful, but also to get the most publicity out of it in some cases whether intentionally or unintentionally to also obscure the other shit I'm doing
Meredith Lynch (20:18)Well, and that's a really interesting point because one of the things you'll find about, and I know you've seen this, I see this, but the Chris Jenner of it all is the playbook is distraction. So somebody DM me the other day and they said, do you think that Trump has copied his playbook from Chris Jenner's? And I said, actually, no, because I think that it's just dirty as my, friend Culture Work would say, dirty PR. I don't think that they're,
Blakely Thornton (20:27)Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Meredith Lynch (20:47)that strategically linked together, Trump and the Kardashians. But I would love to hear your take on that.
Blakely Thornton (20:55)I Kim love is proximity to power. I think when you're someone who was born, you know, kind of like object, like in terms of nineties and eighties culture mixed race or darker than other people living in occasionally the Valley. And I think when you've had people, know, Paris Hilton used to call it. She remember when she was first coming up called Kim Kardashian's ass a bag full of cottage cheese. I think when your surroundings are been very thin, very rich white, probably Republican women.
And I think when you entered culture and you had Dolce and Gabbana call you a trashy hooker and all those things, I think her directive is gaining as much power or being instrumental to whoever is the most powerful, whether that is politically, socioeconomically or culturally in any case. I, there's no world in which it makes sense for me for her to be wishing Ivanka Trump a happy birthday four days before the election, and then have a skims launch and have every black bitch in America, like operation chocolate drop in front of her in New York.
That's not a core directive of someone who's thinking with any particular guiding light or someone who is aware of as a rule, ideological inconsistencies. It's just what is working for me and what my goal is right now. Like a shark, almost.
Meredith Lynch (22:14)Yeah,
I mean, it is. And I guess my question to you is, how does that differ when a man does it? And by man, I mean a white man.
Blakely Thornton (22:26)think hers is more strategic because you have to be as a woman and as a woman that some people argue you look think looks black or looks like a minority. I think she has to actually be smarter and I think she is infinitely more intelligent than Donald Trump. I don't think you know what I mean? I don't think you can get where she's gotten if you have that man's don't think any woman could. You're probably dead actually. but.
Meredith Lynch (22:40)yes.
Do you think that people would feel, this is so specific, but the name of podcast is oddly specific. Do you think people would feel different, and this is kind of switching gears, about her law school journey if she had, instead of doing this whole like, hey, I'm gonna do this internship, if she had gone back to college?
Blakely Thornton (22:56)Mm-hmm.
Meredith Lynch (23:12)Like, and she had been like, I'm going to finish my bachelor's degree.
Blakely Thornton (23:13)Ooh, very sliding doors.
I don't think she even went to college. don't think she finished or started like Billy Madison.
Meredith Lynch (23:18)She went, so here's,
she has enough credits from Pierce College, which is a community college, which by the way, shout out to community colleges. I had to take a class at community college that helped me finish my bachelor's degree. They're fucking awesome. And here in California, we have some of the best community colleges in the world. Yeah.
Blakely Thornton (23:39)Very true. In-school status in California, go off.
Meredith Lynch (23:43)So I just want to say to, know I have a lot of Gen Alpha listeners, just kidding, I don't. But you guys, you'rein college and you don't know what you want to do, or even if you do know what you want to do, go to fucking community college for two years and then transfer to one of the amazing state schools our state has. So anyway.
Blakely Thornton (23:57)Sorry,
I'm charging my computer really quick to make sure it doesn't die.
Meredith Lynch (24:00)No, no, you're good. Take your time.
Blakely Thornton (24:05)Got it. Got it. All right.
Meredith Lynch (24:07)No, good. And so
she went to Pierce College and she's got like, she's got like two years worth of school basically. And so you have to have enough college credits to even do this program. I think, this has my thing, I think she should have said, you know what, fuck it. I'm gonna go, I'm gonna finish my undergraduate degree and then I'm gonna go to law school. And I think she should have made it into a documentary.
Blakely Thornton (24:21)I'm low.
But that will require focus on a singular thing. And that will require this to be her authentic singular driving force. I think also she is one that understands the power of fame and is probably because her fame was built on what we live in right now, which again is the attention-based economy. If you actually go to college and law school, you do not have the time to maintain the profile of being in Dolce & Gabbana ads, being in scams, doing...
Meredith Lynch (24:37)Yeah.
Blakely Thornton (25:01)SNL 50 because for fuck's sake, for why the fuck are you there? You're not funny.
You're not funny.
Meredith Lynch (25:13)Do you think that her and Pete talked?
Blakely Thornton (25:16)I'm sure they saw, I mean, I don't know. I feel like that man is like, you know when you see like an abused Rottweiler and they're like just there, like I feel like that is P. Between, not just her, between dating Ariana and Kim, like he is, pop culture has really thrown him in a blender and he's come out with no tattoos and sober for now. And like, that's great. So I don't think he has any ill will to order. I also just don't give a fuck if they talk.
Like, don't have any interest.
Meredith Lynch (25:47)Do you think that was a real
relationship?
Blakely Thornton (25:50)I don't know what real is anymore, given what society we live in. Have you seen what Donald Trump posted today about like Dubai, Gaza? He literally posted like an AI video of like Gaza, of like literally Gaza transformed into like Dubai with like Elon Musk eating in front of like a Trump Tower and it's all AI. So I'm like, I really, I'm questioning my own sanity. I'm questioning my own sanity in terms of what is real. But yeah, I do think they liked each other. I don't know.
Meredith Lynch (25:57)No!
What is real?
Blakely Thornton (26:19)Also, any relationship with that much public scrutiny, how much of your inner, what is quote unquote real? Every time you walk outside, there is a negotiation of what the public is going to think what that story is going to be and how you like down to how you touch pinkies. So I don't, I don't, I don't look for logic where there is none.
Meredith Lynch (26:26)Right.
I think that that sort of reminds me of something you said earlier, which is the Ivanka of it all, which is it was a couple, maybe a week or so before the election and Kim posted a photo wishing Ivanka a happy birthday. And I saw your reaction. I believe I had my own reaction to it. like, you this ever happened to you? Like people will be like, I love the video you did on like XYZ. I'm like, fucking.
Blakely Thornton (26:44)Mm-hmm.
Meredith Lynch (27:02)And like, I don't drink, so I'm like not like, I'm just like, I don't fucking remember. Like somebody the other day was like, yeah, you like made this video and it was like a reference to my friend. And I was like, I have no idea what you mean. Like, I don't think I did that. And then it's like, fuck, yeah, I did. Like, yeah.
Blakely Thornton (27:03)it
I mean, I just assume I did it most of the time. Well, I remember
that, because that was like my birthday is the 27th. So I know, and also me and Ivanka have close birthdays. were both Scorpios. So I just know I was just like, that is the most subversive bullshit you could do. Like this man is basically a Nazi. She is complicit, if not guilty, in driving policies that have done nothing to do but line her own pockets.
Meredith Lynch (27:33)This
Blakely Thornton (27:41)And you're like, she's the sweetest. like, even if you did think that you say it privately. If you have, if you align, if you align with democratic values, you text her, this could have been an email, Kimmy, it could have been an email. All right. So to do that on the, on the eve of the election, it's actually like a subversive endorsement of her shitbag father. So I think choices are made. And again, I think all those choices are in service of having access to the most power she can have.
Meredith Lynch (27:47)Right.
Blakely Thornton (28:11)in aggregate in any given moment. I think that is the only way I can understand her as a living being.
Meredith Lynch (28:20)Do you think at that point she felt like Kamala wasn't going to win, so it was best to start aligning with Trump too?
Blakely Thornton (28:29)I also think of it, I think once you probably had a feeling of it, but also like she also endorsed Rick Caruso for mayor. So I don't think it's even about winning. It's just not like, it's a weird obstrication of like you grew, you've grown up a wealthy white woman. You're a wealthy white Republican woman who has gained cultural cache and much financial cache off aggregating and miming and menstruating black culture to different effects and degrees, including the,
Meredith Lynch (28:39)Don't fucking get me started.
Blakely Thornton (28:57)assimilation of men into her family and resulting in black children. So I don't know if it was about thinking Trump was going to win as much as it's like.
I don't know. don't, I really don't know. I think she's a Republican. I think it's not cool to say it. And I think she uses, you know, black women who support her, who she does authentic friendships with like a Lala as, look, I have a black friend, I can't be racist, but you can and you are. And even if you have seven good black female friends, they don't cancel out the seven million you betrayed by not using your platform to uphold women's rights and gay rights and just.
Meredith Lynch (29:21)Should.
Blakely Thornton (29:37)people's rights at this point. know, people's access to Medicare and roads.
Meredith Lynch (29:41)Well, there's it.
Fucking I know this morning I woke up and I was like, is Medicare gone? Like, do I have to worry about my dad's health insurance more than I do? But like, it's interesting you say that because this was probably like a year and a half ago, I listened to an interview between Van Jones and Brittany Barnett. And it was Van Jones has kind of been Kim's mentor in a lot of her this work. And
Blakely Thornton (29:48)Literally.
You know?
Meredith Lynch (30:10)one of the things that I really had to sit with as a white person was that Brittany Barnett basically said, listen, I know a lot of people criticize Kim Kardashian, but I'm telling you as a black woman, she's the real deal. She is really in this and in this advocacy work. I have to sit like as a white person, I think I have to sit with that. if a black, if I, but I was.
I didn't know how to react to it because I feel like there's all of these people who have done the groundwork of criminal justice work. And a lot of them are people of color. And a lot of them like are, you know, we read about what life is like for people who, you know, their partner, their brother, their whatever, goes to prison. And then the women are, a woman is like trying to help support everything, whatever. And then a white woman comes in.
and like kind of has to be the face of like fixing our criminal justice system. So to me, it's so layered and complex. And I wondered what your thoughts are on that.
Blakely Thornton (31:20)I mean, my thought is like, almost like even a broken clock is right twice a day, but it's still wrong the rest of the day, the time. like, cool, she's in on it, she's doing this. But like, the people that you've helped don't outnumber the people that you have failed by again, endorsing a administration which is going to involve a system in which many more people and many more over-indexed people of color are going to go into that system. But I think her brain is,
Meredith Lynch (31:48)Right.
Blakely Thornton (31:50)But again, I think her brain even almost at a subconscious level is like, I'll have more people to get out. Like, I really think part of her is like, I'll have more people to get out of prison in next four years with the combination of the access and the amount of people. Because if you really solve the problem, there's no PR for her to get. And I don't know if she even knows it because I feel like she really is just a never ending black hole of need and ambition.
I don't so I don't think you would even understand that. I've like, the goal is for you to not to have to do anything, you know, like it's like the charity gala is the goal is for us to not need charity. Yeah.
Meredith Lynch (32:19)Right.
Right, the goal is to have a prison system. Right. I
mean, like, it just, and also too, I'm going to have to look this up and I'll put it in the show notes when I figure it out. But like, I am a huge fan of this guy, Chris Jones. Everybody look him up. He ran for governor in Arkansas, would have been a phenomenal governor. And he has been posting about how basically,
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is expanding, is trying to expand and build a huge prison in Arkansas. And it's like, why do you need that? Like there's really no need for it. So it's kind of like, basically it's this idea of like, they're just planning to incarcerate more individuals. And that's so we can get free labor. And that's like, I mean, a lot of people are saying that people who,
Blakely Thornton (33:06)That's not surprising.
Meredith Lynch (33:26)are being arrested by ICE or just are not going to end up being deported. They're going to be ended up incarcerated here in the United States. So I think these are all things that play into the criminal justice system right now. And I just don't think these are the conversations Kimberly Noel is ready to have.
Blakely Thornton (33:43)No.
And also, again, you just really can't have them. And I don't really care. I understand that black woman said what she said. I don't give a fuck if you're running skims, being on the cover of Vogue and going to the Met Gala. Like your primary job is being a celebrity. And yes, and like the attention you can bring to something is cool. But I don't give a shit like the hour a day you give to it does not make you a full time activist. And you're not just by nature of like the linear just
because the linear nature by which we experience time you could not be. So she does, I don't think she has the time to understand the real problem based on the demographic that she comes from, which is born rich Republican white woman, white passing woman for those of you who are gonna nitpick on this bullshit. she does not, the amount of time it would take to decolonize and deconstruct her preconceived notions about race and criminal justice would require her to quit everything else.
for a year, like you said, and go to school and learn it and she simply can't. I don't care or respect it the way I
Meredith Lynch (34:44)Mm-hmm.
Yeah,
there's crypto that she needs to sell. remember she was banned from selling crypto? Isn't she banned from selling crypto?
Blakely Thornton (34:55)You know?
I think a lot of them are. Her, Tom Brady, Matt Damon. That's something to go back on. That huge Super Bowl commercial with all of them and they all got sued. Like, yeah, you fucking idiots.
Meredith Lynch (35:15)Well,
Blakely, I never know what will be next for Kimberly Noel, but I would love to know what's gonna be next for you.
Blakely Thornton (35:21)No.
next for me, I am launching a podcast with Justin Sylvester. It's called Yestergays. It will be coming. It will be talking about seminal queer pop culture moments pre-internet. Like, you know, Britney's 2007 VMA performance or when Diana Ross tapped Little Kim's Titty of 99 VMAs. Those kind of things. Yes, please.
Meredith Lynch (35:46)Oh my god, that that was moments. Okay, can I pitch a moment?
Okay, this is one of my favorite moments of all time. I think about it weekly. When a flight attendant on the jet blue flight got mad at the whole plane and he opened up the emergency exit and he went
Blakely Thornton (35:56)Mm-hmm.
and
we're down to slide.
Meredith Lynch (36:07)He was like, so fucking pissed. Wait, Vienna is telling us in the chat that was my parents' neighbor. Okay? This guy went on the fucking slide. Okay? but first he took two beers. He took two beers out of the thing, went down the slide and was like, fuck it. And then the next day, the press was in front of his door and he was trying to leave. he broke his sobriety. that's kind of sad. But he was trying to leave his house and they're like,
Blakely Thornton (36:14)You
haha
Meredith Lynch (36:36)Do you think you're fired from JetBlue? And he just turns to him and goes, more than likely.
Blakely Thornton (36:41)I mean, honestly, I always say I always see the Joker's origin story is like a Southwest flight. He was just like a normal man, two kids with respect to the rules. And he just had one too many like, we'll be taking off short leads and not like when you know, when you're like, what the fuck is short? But by then, right. And I think he just like, put that face paint on and it was just chaos. He was like, you know what chaos is where chaos reigns. Let's do it. Like, I think that's what happened.
Meredith Lynch (36:48)Thanks.
Blakely Thornton (37:13)But yes, we're that. Yeah, doing a little writing, a little producing, a little this, a little this, a little that. Hopefully I'll be able to host a couple of, I'm actually also, I'll be covering the Met Gala for New York Magazine on the carpet. that this morning.
Meredith Lynch (37:13)So you're starting, I love it. Sorry, I got a little, that's a new thing.
my God.
I mean, I think this Mac gala, like I have to tell you when I saw that theme, I thought of you immediately. And I was like, if they don't fucking have him at that Mac gala also, okay, wait, sorry. Is Kim gonna fucking roll into that Mac gala?
Blakely Thornton (37:44)That's
what I'm super excited about. was basically talking to the editors and I was like, how far can I go? Because this is going to be a cultural car crash of epic proportions.
Meredith Lynch (37:54)I don't know
the theme of this year's Met Gala.
Blakely Thornton (38:00)It is the Black Dandy. So it's almost like basically the queer Black experience and how like tailoring the Black experience and how tailoring was an armor for Black identity. And I'm pretty sure we're to see like Lucky Blue Smith, Nara, Kim and like Elon Musk. Like I am super excited to see. Maybe I'll talk. Maybe I'll say, Kim, how did the Black Dandy inspire you? How is the Black queer experience inspired?
whatever fucking slip dress you're wearing, because you know you only have one silhouette. But like, you know, we'll see what happens.
Meredith Lynch (38:34)my god, you guys mark your fucking calendars. This is like my own.
Blakely Thornton (38:38)Think go to bio,
baby!
Meredith Lynch (38:41)Blakely, thank you so much. Remind everybody where they can find you on the internet.
Blakely Thornton (38:44)Thank you.
You can find me on Blakely Thornton, B-L-A-K-E-L-Y-T-H-O-R-N-T-O-N at both TikTok and Instagram. I was like, which apps am I on? Yes.
 
 

Talking Trad-Wives with Jo Piazza

Fresh off the Eagles win I'm joined by journalist and New York Times best selling author Jo Piazza for a conversation about tradwives, mom influencers, and our changing media landscape. We dig into Jo's own stint as a mom influencer, her writing process, and the economy of internet content creation. 
Jo will be back for a special book club episode of her forthcoming book, Everyone Is Lying To You, pre-order it here. 
Follow Jo  on social! 
Subscribe to my Patreon!

Beyond the Channel: Understanding the Impact of Family Vlogging with Fortesa Latifi

Since time immemorial we have documented our families lives, but over the years birth announcements have evolved from placing a note in the newspaper (we used to do that!!) to filming pregnancy announcements for your family vlog channel in a Target bathroom. But does family vlogging blur the lines on our children's privacy? What are the long term implications of making your daughter's first period into content? This week I welcome Fortesa Latifi, a journalist who is currently writing a book about family vloggers and influencer children for Simon & Schuster. She's written for places like Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, among so many others. I think you will learn a lot about family vlogging culture in this insightful conversation. 
 
Follow Fortesa 
Read her latest piece for The Cut on MTV's Teen Mom 
Watch Tay and Kay  at your own risk! IN MY OPINION! 
 

The Clock Is Ticking for TikTok with Vienna DeGiacomo

What's the deal with TikTok? No seriously, what's the deal with it? This week I invite on social strategist and friend of the pod Vienna DeGiacomo from Good Story Branding to unpack the latest on the TikTok ban. We get into our predictions for the future of the app and what platforms and strategies we are recommending and implementing ourselves. 
It's a candid conversation on all the behind the scenes of content creation that unfortunately is often gatekept. If you're a creator, brand, or just creator curious this episode is for you!
Follow Vienna: https://www.instagram.com/goodstorybranding/
Email Meredith to learn more about her workshops and consults, meredithcollabs@gmail.com 

Is There A Doctor (JonPaul) In The House?

Welcome to 2025 and welcome back to Oddly Specific. This week we welcome Dr. JonPaul Higgins, Ed.D. Dr. JonPaul is an award winning educator, professor, national speaker, freelance journalist, thought leader and media critic who examines the intersections of identity, gender and race in entertainment. They share their experience growing up Jehovah Witness, and their path to leaving. We also spend time chatting about their upcoming book,  Black Fat Femme: How to Love Yourself by Unveiling the Power of Visibly Queer Voices.
We also discuss the challenges of inclusion and representation in the creative industry, and what might be done to move the needle. Plus who is actually moving it. 
And for good measure we spend some time discussing Goop! 
Follow Dr. JonPaul on Instagram 
Pre-order their book 

Dashing Through Disappointing Men with Jenny Chalikian and Erin Judge

Private Equity be damned! We need to talk about Christmas sometimes. Meredith welcomes Jenny Chalikian and Erin Judge to the pod this week to discuss their fantastic new comedy album (take that PETE DAVIDSON!!) and their monthly show at LA hot spot The Ripped Bodice. 
We then get to the meat of an unspoken Christmas tinged beef that Jenny and I have had without even knowing it. It takes us from the heart of Medford Square, to the California Gold Rush, to the southern streets of Savannah Georgia. You'll be laughing all the way, until you learn the truth about a beloved Christmas carol.
Follow Erin:
https://www.instagram.com/iamerinjudge/
Follow Jenny:
https://www.instagram.com/jchalikian/
Buy the album:
https://www.blondemedicine.com/bm139-romantic-comedy
Learn the real story behind Jingle Bells 
https://www.bu.edu/articles/2016/jingle-bells-history/