Millennial: Pretend Adulting, Real Talk

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After Dark Archive Release: The Hosts Write Character Letters To Help Each Other in Court Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

We're off this week because of Thanksgiving, but today we're publicly releasing one of our favorites from our After Dark archives!

In September, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were canceled for writing character letters about their 'friend' Danny Masterson. The character letters spilled out into public, which inspired us to write character letters for each of the three of us, as if we were on trial and needed an assist from each other. We had a lot of fun writing these letters and sharing them with one another on air, and we hope you enjoy them too.

For more great content like this, pledge to our Patreon or sign up for a paid subscription on Apple Podcasts. You'l receive a new After Dark installment every week, along with ad-free episodes of #Millennial!

Happy Thanksgiving, and we'll see you next week!

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Dark Brandon Returns, Tumblr Admits Defeat, Our Favorite Early-Internet Websites Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
Check out the newly launched #Millennial and MuggleCast store on Etsy! Grab extras of our awesome Patreon gifts while supplies last!
American news roundup: are y'all tired of this shit? So are we. Let's keep it fun and short!
Another social media legacy encounters some woes: Tumblr is reportedly downscaling after failing to 'turn around' the site.
With Tumblr's attempts at growth in recent years falling flat, their CEO admits it's time to pivot. Is Tumblr already dead to us?
We reminisce about the apps and sites of yesteryear: MySpace, AIM, Vine, Foursquare, and more!
Our walk down memory lane makes us realize that Google is at its best when it acquires companies for its ecosystem - not so much when they try their hand at launching their own platforms.
Listeners sound off on some of their favorite OG internet fixtures: forums, Stumbleupon, Nimbuzz, Livejournal, Xanga, and Neopets.
Don't forget to send your funniest, cringiest, most annoying Thanksgiving stories to our Confessional!
This week's recommendations are helpful and fun: Get your flu shot and covid booster if eligible (Laura), PointsYeah (Andrew), and 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' on Netflix (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

Do you ever worry about being overheard gossiping in public? Well buckle up: the latest trend on TikTok involves regular people eavesdropping and then relaying the gossip they overhear in great detail to the masses.
Let's think about this, would someone want to find out they are being cheated on over TikTok?
Did Andrew ever drive your Uber? If so, he has a catalogue of all the best gossip he's heard from passengers.

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High in Ohio, DoorDash and Tipping, The World of Good and Bad Dupes Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and some (real quick) election talk!
We kept an eye on a couple of important races and ballot measures, but were excited to see Ohio enshrined abortion rights in its constitution AND legalized recreational marijuana. Toke up y'all!
We also took a few moments to get to know our new Speaker, a predictably homophobic Trump sycophant.
DoorDash warns consumers: if you don't tip in advance, expect a longer wait.
Andrew and Pam say the solution is to require tips in advance, Laura isn't so sure about that.
Tl;dr American tipping culture is a scam that fucks over the working class and consumers.
Millennials and Gen Z are setting new records for the purchase of alternatives to luxury products, aka DUPES.
How has the culture evolved from brand pride to dupe pride? Would our adolescent selves have survived middle school this way?
Good dupes vs bad dupes: a lot of stuff can be "duped," but you shouldn't skimp on things like mattresses, shoes, and skincare.
This week's recommendations are DUPE themed in honor of our dupe discussion: Heatless curler headband ($27 instead of the hundreds you'll spend on brand name curling irons) (Laura), Anker products for your charging and backup battery needs (Andrew), and Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

A listener feels the sting of a close friend forgetting their birthday. Have we ever been on the receiving end of this hurtful behavior? Additionally, have WE ever been the flaky friend?
Andrew's the friend who tends to do all the planning and booking reservations - does this ever get tiresome?
What to do if you spend more time on your friends than they do on you...

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The Hunger Games and Pop Culture Stage Adaptations, Teens Don't Like Sex on Screen, Vibrator or Vacuum? Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
Buckle up for a slightly unhinged ep - in a historic moment for the show, we recorded this one in the MORNING!
Andrew and Pat are the "cool" Halloween neighbors between throwing sexy parties and giving out full size candy bars.
Get ready for more adaptations: 'The Hunger Games' is set to get the stage play treatment. (Real talk, does anyone want to feel immersed in the Panem environment?)
'Spongebob the Musical' ran so that Ethan Samuel Slater could throw his family away for Ariana Grande.
Is 'Hunger Games' trying to pull a 'Harry Potter' by continuing to expand the universe?
A new study out of UCLA indicates that teens are looking to see less sex depicted on screen. Were we just way hornier as teens, or is there something more to this?
How have depictions of sex in popular media changed since we were kids?
The introduction of intimacy coordinators on set has had a noticeable impact on the nature of sex scenes depicted in tv and film.
A confessional prompts us to have a spicy conversation in After Dark: "Can my neighbor hear me using my vibrator through the walls?"
There is no common thread in this week's recommendations: Yeti Nano microphone (Laura), Rollo Thermal Printer (Andrew), and investing in an electric fabric shaver to keep your sweaters looking fresh this fall (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

As promised in the main show, we're getting personal about getting down when you live in connected or shared spaces with neighbors and family.
Tips for keeping things discreet if you're at home or in a dorm...
Vibrator recommendations!

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Death Doesn't Have to be Scary (feat. Lauren Carroll of Deathwives) Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real DEATH talk!
This is your LAST chance to get this year's physical gift by signing up at the BAE tier over on our Patreon! Sign up today, and fill out the form to receive this year's gift: signed album art with a couple of surprise gifts (and some secret bonus content!).
Funeral director and home death educator Lauren Carroll of Deathwives joins us to talk about a very spooky topic: DEATH!
Just kidding, death doesn't have to be scary! Without death, there can be no life.
Lauren soothes our fears and anxieties about death, and explains her tips for having a better relationship with it.
It's decided: we're all having water cremations. TBD on what we do with our ashes (Laura might blast hers into space).
Be sure to check out the Deathwives Class Library, and if you're in the New York City area, you can get $100 off their live death doula training on 11/11/23 with code OMGIMDEAD.
According to home improvement app Thumbtack, 40% of millennials believe their house is haunted. While this is really just a brilliant October promotional opportunity, it inspires a conversation on the panel of our own creepy experiences with the paranormal.
As always, our recommendations run the gamut: 'The Fall of the House of Usher' on Netflix (Laura), @PersonalFinanceClub on Instagram (Andrew), and freezing your cookie dough for seamless baking this holiday season.

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

The #Millennial HR team is going to have to intervene because Andrew is OUT OF CONTROL!
While we're talking about death, Andy decides (by coin toss) who will be his Legacy Contact on Facebook when he dies.
Pam and Laura share tales of being haunted by the Facebook profiles of dead people.
"Hi! If you're receiving this email, I am out of life and will not be returning ever. Go to hell."

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Truths About Israel/Palestine, Concert Movies and Pam's Taylor Experience, Goodbye to Blu-rays Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
Don't forget to subscribe and fill out our form to receive this year's physical gift - signed album art with a couple of *surprises*.
We recommend following NotYourGoodJew on Instagram for more information on the war.
Karma is my rocket ship of a career changing cinema goers' etiquette: Pam recounts her experience at the 'Eras Tour' movie.
"Mother said it was okay" for Swifties to dance in the aisles, sing their hearts out, and take a million selfies with their friends. As Andrew says, don't yuck someone else's yum!
BREAKING: Andrew has never seen 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and Pam and Laura are devising ways to help Andy lose his RHPS "virginity."
It's the end of an era as we know it: Best Buy (aka standard depressing brick and mortar electronics store) has announced it will stop selling DVDs and Blu-rays in 2024.
Why do some still prefer physical copies, and in another 10 years, will DVDs and Blu-rays be the new collectible nostalgia item? (We hope not, the early 2000s were a cursed time, let them RIP.)
With Disney also announcing it is discontinuing the sales of physical movies in certain regions, it seems certain that the days of buying physical copies of movies, games, and music may be entering their sunset era.
This week's recommendations check all the boxes: Juan Luis Guerra (Laura), this Sony DVD/Blu-ray player for the nostalgia (Andrew), and the Singer sewing machine for beginners (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

Did someone say Spooky Szn? Laura's ready with some folklore and tales out of Appalachia.
"If you heard mothman's ass cheeks clapping in the woods... No you didn't." (Credit to supporter Sean for this gem!)
Superstition and the melding of cultural influences that produce today's unique blend of horror folklore tales.

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From Poking, to Paying, to Reaching Zen Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
We're excited to announce our 2023 physical gift for BAE+ Patrons: signed album art with a super secret gift you can only get as a BAE Patron for a limited time! #iykyk
Do we judge people who work with ghostwriters to publish their memoirs?
Is it dishonest to use a ghostwriter and not credit them? Is there a difference between using ghostwriters for fiction vs non-fiction?
We expect to need to hire experts to do a variety of jobs for us - why is ghostwriting any different?
TikTok has fallen: our latest social media fav is considering rolling out an ad-free subscription tier. Will Pam and Laura be able to resist the temptation?
Is Meta setting itself up to fuck around and find out? The platform is reportedly rolling out paid ad-free plans and the requirement for non-paid customers to opt in for free with personalized ads to get around European Union data privacy regulations. How many European citizens do we think will go for this?
And getting into truly ridiculous subscription model territory: Tinder's new Select model will cost $499 per month and come with additional features to boost the advantage of meeting their "most sought-after users."
"If I'm paying $499/month for Tinder can it just blow me?"
This week's recommendations are practical with a pinch of the abstract from Andrew (because ofc): Touch grass and become less dependent on streaming apps (Andrew), Glossier's new Stretch Foundation (Laura), and the Cuisinart immersion blender for all your fall soup needs (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

Inspired by the story of known con artist Coco Berthmann, we talk about internet ghosts: the people you thought you knew who ended up being someone else entirely.
Laura shares a personal MuggleSuck example of a friend she met through fandom who ended up lying about their entire life story.
For more fandom drama, we recount a scandal that is still rocking us to this day.

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Was Dianne Feinstein's Death Bed Confession About Tupac? Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
Need a primer on the House Speaker drama that has unfolded in the House of Representatives in the last week, but don't have the energy for long-winded explanations? Laura's got your back with a quick and dirty 2-minute explainer!
Please don't forget to take our 2023 Listener Survey! You can help shape the future of the show - survey is open through October 9th, don't miss your chance to leave your mark on #Millennial!
Nearly 3 decades after the murder of Tupac Shakur, a major break in the case has led to an arrest for his murder.
Pam and Laura get into the overlap between pop culture and true crime by digging into the logistics of why it took so long for authorities to make an arrest despite long-term certainty around who was responsible for Tupac's murder.
Phones in Japan make a shutter sound when you take a photo, even if they're on silent mode. Why?
While the privacy concerns are certainly valid, consumers have found creative ways around this. How do we think Americans would react to implementation of a similar policy?
Have we been guilty of taking sneaky pics in public? (Yes.)
This week's recommendations will keep you health and informed! 'In The Dark' season 2(Laura), requesting free covid tests courtesy of the US government (Andrew), and 'Hip Hop Evolution' on Netflix (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

Apparently coffee consumption is okay to a certain degree, and diet sodas might give us cancer. Are we making any changes to our caffeine consumption habits?
At what points in life have we hit caffeinated beverages the hardest? What life events made us change our habits?
Which of the hosts drinks the most coffee? The answer may surprise you!

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Pop Culture Courses at Universities, Dropping Out of College, 'Fourth Wing' Book Club (Spoiler Free!) Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
Laura is off, but she’ll be back next week! In her absence, Andrew and Pam welcome their friend (and former Hypable staffer!) Tariq Ra'ouf, to the show!
You can find Tariq online at Twitter and Instagram.
It looks like the Writer’s Strike has officially come to an end! We react to the news at the WGA has reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP
Pam fills us in on what happens next now that picketing has stopped, and Andrew details some of what fans can expect after writers in Hollywood resume work.
It’s a pop culture palooza this week!
To kick things off, we dive into the rise in popularity of universities offering courses on some of today’s biggest pop stars.
Is teaching classes on Taylor Swift and Beyonce a smart tactic in getting students excited to learn, or is it all just good PR for the universities greenlighting these classes?
Is there space in the classroom for pop culture? We definitely think so!
As our discussion on cool college courses comes to a close, Andrew and Tariq get vulnerable as they discuss dropping out of university.
Check out Professor Julian Wamble on TikTok, who teaches a Harry Potter course!
‘Fourth Wing’ fans, rejoice! Your excitement over our recent recommendations of the Rebecca Yarros written novel didn’t go unnoticed! To wrap up the show, we host a little spoiler free book club dedicated to this year’s hottest fantasy read!
We talk about what it is that sucked us into the book and kept us reading.
Pam and Andrew have some fun recounting the spicy plot point they didn’t see coming.
‘Fourth Wing’ sequel, ‘Iron Flame,’ is coming out this November— will any of us be heading out to Barnes & Noble’s planned midnight release parties for the book?
We take the opportunity to reminisce a bit on all the midnight release parties we attended growing up.
This week’s recommendations: ‘Crying In H Mart’ by Michelle Zauner (Pam), WaterPiks (Andrew), and recording artists Jungle and Whethan (Tariq).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

WTF news is back!
Tariq joins us as Andrew shares a carefully curated list of news stories centered on the overarching theme of “butts.”
This time around we’re trying something new: ending this latest installment of WTF news on a high note with some cute news!
Is After Dark always this gross, Tariq asks? *shifty eye emoji*

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NSYNC Reunion Rumors, Rotten Tomatoes Gets Played By Hollywood, Cancel Culture in 2023 Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
Off the top, we tune into the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on banned books and free speech, see the full clip HERE.
We'll love you forever if you take a few minutes to fill out our 2023 listener survey to help us improve the show!
Rumors of an NSYNC reunion began swirling earlier in the year when the first trailer for ‘Trolls: Band Together’ seemingly made several references to iconic 90s boy bands.
Anticipation reached a fever pitch when all five members of NSYNC attended the MTV Video Music Awards to present the Best Pop Video award to Taylor Swift. A couple of other cryptic messages from the band culminated in NSYNC announcing their first single in over two decades... for the 'Trolls 3' movie.
In a deep dive on Vulture, we learned that studios and publicists are able to successfully skew movie rating scores.
Do movie reviews mean anything to us? Are we easily influenced by the Tomatometer?
Have we ever been influenced by reviews or even publicists trying to wine and dine us?
Cancel culture in 2023 vs 2017: Lizzo sued by former backup dancers for creating a hostile work environment and Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis take heat for writing character letters for Danny Masterson in the wake of his rape convictions.
What is the line between boss/friend for Lizzo's backup dancers?
Have inappropriate behaviors towards underage minors reduced, or just shifted and look different now?
This week's recommendations will keep you entertained, educated, and well-rested! 'Hot Ones' featuring NSYNC (coming Thursday) (Pam), scheduling "learning time" for yourself (Andrew), and establishing a good pre-sleep routine of journaling, meditating, and winding down (Laura).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

Inspired by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, let's get canceled for writing character defense letters for each others' crimes against humanity.
"Hey all he had to do was buy you a slice of pizza to avoid being axe murdered."
Pam is on her Vigilante Shit!

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