Bad On Paper

Latest Episodes:

Bad on Politics #7: Stef Feldman, Biden Harris 2020 National Policy Director, on Joe Biden's Policies Aug 28, 2020

Show notes

Joining us today is Stef Feldman, the National Policy Director for Vice President Joe Biden's Presidential Campaign. Stef walks us through her career path from local government in Atlanta to the White House, shedding light on how important it is to work with a political candidate that inspires you and how Joe Biden has inspired and empowered her. She shares her experience working on the campaign, the day-to-day of her job, and then we dive into Biden's policies and perspectives.

We talk about how COVID has impacted the campaign, Biden's policies to contain and recover from the virus and his plans to scale up testing. We talk about healthcare, women's reproductive health, and what is happening with the Affordable Care Act. We also talk about racial inequality in America and what Biden plans to do about it. Lastly, Stef give us tips on how to vote and how to get involved. We all need to make sure we have a voting plan in place!

About Bad on Politics: Bad on Politics is a monthly bonus episode where we invite a guest expert to help us break down a political topic. We get it, politics is confusing and there's a anxiety-inducing amount of news coverage to follow. So, we're here to ask the "dumb" questions so you don't have to. We want to break things down so you can understand what's going on and make an informed opinion.

For more info:

Joebiden.com

Text WOMEN to 30330 to find out how you can get involved

Text VOTE to 30330 for voting information

The Comeback Book Club Aug 26, 2020

Show notes

For our August Book Club we read The Comeback by Ella Berman. The book follows Grace Turner, a young actress who disappeared from Hollywood at the height of her career. During her rise to fame as a teenager, she was sexually and emotionally abused by Abel Yorke, the director who made her famous. After she's invited to present him with a lifetime achievement award she begins to plot her revenge. Even though Grace is a pretty unlikeable character we still loved her story and root for her revenge. This book isn't in either of our normal wheel houses, but we loved the story and hope you loved it too! Let's discuss in the FB group!

Obsessions:

Shaker and Spoon
H&M dresses

Instagram:

We're Reading:

Majesty (American Royals Book 2) by Katharine McGee
The Changeling by Victor LaValle
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

September Book Club:

Majesty (American Royals Book 2) by Katharine McGee

Sponsor:

Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOP20 at checkout.
Bon Viv Spiked Seltzer : Try one and take a photo of your favorite flavor and tag us on instagram!

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

A game of 'Would You Rather' Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

We decided to do a lighter episode this week. On instagram we asked you to propose some fun 'would you rather' scenarios and boy, did you deliver! Some are crazy (but for better or worse we still made our choice!), some are silly, and we definitely didn't agree on everything. Which one of us would give up booze? Which one would give up travel? Who would rather have a lobster claw for an arm than a floor length white beard? What could make us give up books? What about quarantining forever? You can learn a lot about a person in a good game of WYR. We hope this episode makes you laugh!

Obsessions:

Instagram:

We're Reading:

American Royals 2: Majesty by Katharine McGee
How to be an Anti Racist (Audiobook) Ibram X. Kendi
Rodham: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld
Deadly Little Scandals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
The Changeling by Victor LaValle

August Book Club:

The Comeback by Ella Berman

Sponsor:

Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

Carly Heitlinger talks Pandemics, Proposals, and Politics. Aug 12, 2020

Show notes

She's baaaack! Our most popular guest Carly Heitlinger (of the lifestyle blog Carly the Prepster!) joins us this week to catch up on how she is feeling at this point in the pandemic and what she has been doing to cope with anxiety and inability to really plan anything. Anything… but her upcoming wedding, that is! She gives us the scoop on her super-surprise proposal and tells us more about her fiance Mike (and his family). We also talk a little bit about politics and Carly's decision to endorse Joe Biden. Lastly, we chat about blogging during a pandemic - it's definitely been interesting? We wind down the episode talking about favorite snacks (hard agree on one choice, hard disagree on another) and how she manages to only follow 50 people on Instagram!

More Carly:

carlytheprepster.com
@carly on instagram
@carlysbookclub on instagram
@carlysstitchclub on instagram

Obsessions:

Instagram:

We're Reading:

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson

August Book Club:

The Comeback by Ella Berman

Sponsor:

Prose: Go to prose.com/BOP for your free in-depth hair quiz and 15% off your order.

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

Traci from The Stacks joins us for a great conversation about books, podcasting, and more! Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

This week we are joined by Traci Thomas! Traci is the host of The Stacks Podcast, a mom to twin girls, and an avid non-fiction reader. We get a behind the scenes look at how she chooses books for the pod, her favorite books of 2020 (and all time), and talk about the book she wishes would be written. We loved getting her perspective as she's such a big non-fiction reader and both filled up our Bookshop.org carts with her recs while recording this episode. We talk about BLM, Black authors, and how to really do anti-racism work. We also chat about what happened with Book of the Month and how she is feeling about that.

More Traci:

Book Subscriptions:

Check out Traci's Post

Episodes to listen to in the Stacks:

Top 3 books 2020:

Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey
Sula by Toni Morrison
Breathe: A Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry

Top 3 books Ever:

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White and Garth Williams
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
The Reckonings by Lacy M. Johnson

Memoirs:

The Other Side by Lacy M Johnson
Heavy by Kiese Laymon
Men we Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
Jesus Land by Julia Sheeres

Audiobooks:

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
Inside Out by Demi Moore
Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Other books mentioned:

Fight of the Century: Writers Reflect on 100 Years of Landmark ACLU Cases
The Dead are Arising: The Life of Malcom X by Les Payne
The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America by Marcus J Moore
Columbine by Dave Cullen
A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Jonestown by Julia Sheeres

Obsessions:

Group Chat Realness Podcast
Taylor Swift's New Album: Folklore

Instagram:

We're Reading:

The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson

August Book Club:

The Comeback by Ella Berman

Sponsor:

Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOP20 at checkout.

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

The Vanishing Half Book Club Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

This month, we read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. This the story of identical twin sisters (and their daughters) spanning the fifties through the nineties. Desiree and Stella are inseparable growing up in the fictional light-skinned Black town of Mallard, Louisiana during the fifties in the Jim Crow-era south. When they are 16, they run away together to New Orleans. From there, their lives take completely different turns. Desiree marries a dark-skinned man and returns home to raise her daughter in Mallard, while Stella goes on to pass for white - hiding her identity and past from her new family. The book follows the girls' stories and their daughters, who eventually end up meeting via a chance encounter. We discuss colorism, the theme of running away throughout the book, our interpretations of the title, and our mixed reviews on the ending. Although this book has been in the works for 4 years, its release couldn't be more timely, as the story has such pointed views about race and privilege. We can't wait to hear what you think of the book! Join in the discussion on the Facebook Group.

Interviews with Brit Bennett:

Obsessions:

Instagram:

Books:

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
The Boys' Club by Erica Katz (out Aug 4)
When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrice Cullors
The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
Self Care by Leigh Stein

August Book Club:

The Comeback by Ella Berman

Podcast:

Everything is Fine: a podcast for women about life over 40. Hosted by former Lucky magazine founding editor Kim France and documentary filmmaker Tally Abecassis.

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

Aminatou Sow + Ann Friedman on their book Big Friendship Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

In this week's episode, we chat with Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, the co-hosts of Call Your Girlfriend, about their new book, Big Friendship. The book provides an intimate peek inside their own decade-long friendship and also contains conversations with experts on the topic of friendship and it's importance to our lives. We discussed their writing process, their thoughts on blending work and friendship, and their evolving thoughts on interracial friendships. We also dive into one of our most requested advice topics: how to make new friends as an adult (it's so hard!).

More Aminatou + Ann:

bigfriendship.com
callyourgirlfriend.com
annfriedman.com sign up for her newsletter!
Support independent bookstores and the library in your area

Obsessions:

Instagram:

@kararbrown
@thetinytassel

Books:

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Older by Pamela Redmond (out in sept)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein
Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman
The Boys' Club by Erica Katz (out Aug 4)
The Comeback by Ella Berman (out Aug 4)
Like Brothers by Mark and Jay Duplass

July Book Club:

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Sponsor:

Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOP20 at checkout.
Care/of: Get 50% your first order at takecareof.com/bop50 with offer code BOP50 at checkout.

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

How We're Surviving "Quarantine Summer"! Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

It's been a little while since we have talked about quarantine life, so we thought it was time to circle back and share what we have been doing to stay safe, sane, and entertained this summer. We share what our experience in NYC has been like - our expectations of quarantine and the reality. We also talk about the hobbies we have picked up, the activities we have fallen in love with, the books to read and what to watch.

Join us in the facebook group and let us know what you are doing in quarantine to stay busy this summer!

Activities:

Knitting: We Are Knitters kits
Gardening
New York Times Crossword
Puzzles
Purging and organizing
Try Needlepoint
Learn about Orange wine
Learn Something New with Materclass or an online course
Learn a Language with Duolingo
Project Cooking

Book Series Recs:

Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses; Throne of Glass)
The Selection
The Royal We and The Heir Affair
The Thousandth Floor series
Jasmine Guillory's books, 5 of them

TV Recs:

The West Wing
Homeland
Scandal
Schitts Creek
White Collar
Younger
Gossip Girl
The Politician
Hollywood
Never have I ever

Obsessions:

Instagram:

@tanika_nyclifestlye
@chadtucket
@kinggutterbaby

Books:

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Older by Pamela Redmond (out in sept)
Lakewood by Megan Giddings
The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

July Book Club:

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Sponsor:

Hello Fresh: Go to hellofresh.com/80BOP and use code 80BOP to get $80 off your first box and free shipping!

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

Nicolette Mason on Activism, Anti-Racism, and Using Your Social Platform to Support Your Values Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, our long-time friend Nicolette Mason joins us! Nicolette is a fellow blogger who is also a writer, strategist, body positivity content creator, and co-founder of Premme (RIP!), which was a plus size fashion brand. She shares her firsthand experiences protesting to support #BlackLivesMatter and Black trans lives and gives tips to first-time protestors. She also has recommendations for educating yourself and how to diversify the content you ingest on a daily basis. She also shares her career path, the inside scoop on her fashion line, and her favorite beauty products!

More Nicolette:

@nicolettemason on Instagram
@nicolettemason on Twitter

Nicolette's Recs:

Instagram:

@ihartericka
@blairimani
@danielleprescod
@chrissyford
@nikkiogun
@iamjarijones
@janetmock

Authors and Figures to Research:

Audre Lorde
James Baldwin
Angela Davis
Ava DuVernay 13th Documentary (Netflix)
Laverne Cox's Documentary Disclosure (Netflix)
Malcolm X
Eldrige Cleaver

Skin + Beauty:

Hair:

Obsessions:

Instagram:

@celiabdesigner

Books:

Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson
One to Watch by Kate Stayman London
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Wow No Thank You by Samantha Irby
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Older by Pamela Redmond (out in sept)

July Book Club:

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Sponsor:

Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOP20 at checkout.

Join our FB group for amazing book recs & more!

Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace's blog, The Stripe. New posts daily!

Our Favorite Quarantine Purchases (With Special Guest: YOU!) Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

In today's episode we share all of our favorite quarantine purchases, and we also hear from you! Now that we have been in quarantine for months, and shifted seasons, we have lots of new products that we are obsessed with (and some that have stood the test of time - what is time?) We explore a variety of categories from home, food, kitchen, tech, beauty, clothing, and much more. We are so excited to share your recs and try them out for ourselves.

Food/Kitchen/Home: