#Millennial podcast is a weekly roundtable about our Generation Y experience. From news to politics and pop culture, a panel of friends digs in on why these stories matter and how they affect millennials.
If you’ve ever wondered how to maneuver student loan debt, voting, relationships, careers, or just life in general, we feel that SO. HARD. And we’re here to share our stories, along with our greatest challenges and wins, along the way. Put simply, #Millennial is about journeying through young adulthood together.
#Millennial Podcast releases a new episode every Wednesday!
We can’t do it without your support. Pledge on Patreon and receive great benefits in return. You can also sign up for a subscription and receive Mega #Millennial through Apple Podcasts.
About the Team
Andrew Sims (he/him) (Host, Producer, Editor) began podcasting when he founded MuggleCast in 2005. Outside of #Millennial and the Potter podcast, he works in podcasting full time and created a Patreon online course and Patreon book to help creators master the platform. In his spare time, Andrew obsesses over Bruce Springsteen, dogs, and nature. He and his boyfriend Pat co-own a local business, Vegas Stock Tank Pools.
Laura Tee (she/her) (Host, Producer) was bitten by the podcasting bug in 2006 when she first joined MuggleCast. Podcasting stuck with her through living abroad in Costa Rica (pura vida, mae) and graduate school in New York City. Outside of #Millennial, Laura loves linguistics, story-based gaming, and analyzing current affairs. She lives in Atlanta with her boyfriend and adorable dog, Canela.
Pamela Gocobachi (she/her) (Host, Producer) is a Bay Area native and an entertainment journalist with a deep love for all things pop culture. When she’s not writing or podcasting you can often find her obsessing over new music finds, drinking coffee like it’s her job, or doting over her dog Jasper.
Chloé Laverson (she/her) (Social Media Manager) is based in Washington, DC, and is originally from sunny San Diego, California. Chloé studied Communications with minors in French and Musical Theatre at the University of Utah. She is also the social media manager for Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, as well as the #Millennial team’s other podcast, MuggleCast. When Chloé is not creating content, she enjoys dancing, skiing, writing poetry, fashion, and watching the Harry Potter movies in French.
Episode #10×36: October Surprises, How Hollywood Takes on Toxic Fandoms
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
- It’s October, so you know what that means in a Presidential Election year – October Surprises!
- We reflect on previous October surprises in 2020 and 2016 – oh for simpler times…
- This week’s ballot plug goes to…. THE BIG 7: 7 incumbent Senate Democrats really need to hold onto their seats, especially since Joe Manchin (D?-WV) is noping out of Congress. Split a donation between Ruben Gallego (AZ), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Jon Tester (MT), Jacky Rosen (NV), Sherrod Brown (OH), Bob Casey Jr. (PA), Tammy Baldwin (WI) at Swing Left.
- Are the most prominent voices amongst toxic fandom figures just out for blood? Some in Hollywood think so.
- Should there be limits on how much production companies are relying on fan input/focus groups?
- Has fandom toxicity gotten worse over the years due to the internet and social media? We think so.
- The slippery slope of fans thinking they know better than creators, and burning those creators when they don’t match fan visions.
- Our very own Pam has seen backlash from toxic fans just for reporting the NEWS.
- This week’s recommendations are a mix of altruism and comfort: Donating to support Hurricane Milton relief (Laura), Balatro on mobile (Andrew), and Snag Tights (Pam).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:
- Come get cozy with us for what may be the most wholesome discussion to ever happen on this show!
- Ok, be honest – as adults, do we still sleep with stuffed animals?
- Each of us brings some special cuddly guests to introduce on the show – some have been in our lives since before we can remember!
Episode #10×35: ‘Don’t Fact Check Me!’ Reacting to the Vance v Walz VP Debate
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real DEBATE talk!
- We’re coming to you on the heels of the (most likely) final debate of the 2024 Presidential campaign. And we got served a decidedly… cordial debate performance. It’s like we got in a time machine and transported to pre-Trump America.
- Don’t get it twisted: JD Vance did a very good job of seeming rational and reasonable, but his record is anything but.
- Walz had more opportunity to play the attack dog, but Laura thinks with everything happening in the world right now, both campaigns may have been playing it safe with this debate.
- Do debates actually move the needle anymore? Nah.
- ‘Sometimes it’s just the guns’ SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!
- JD Vance is being forced to sound reasonable on abortion, but don’t forget what he actually wants to do.
- Need a break from politics? We’ve got you covered with this week’s recommendations. ‘Uzumaki’ on Adult Swim/HBO Max (Laura), ‘Nobody Wants This’ on Netflix (Pam), and Andrew’s PSAs: US passports can now be renewed online and the US government is once again offering free at home COVID tests.
And in this week’s installment of After Dark:
- HOTTOGO singer Chappell Roan has been in hot water over the last week over her both sidesism on the upcoming election.
- Do celebrities have a responsibility to take sides in an election? Why did Chappell Roan feel the need to make any political statement without proper media training?
- Why do we give some celebs a pass on speaking out politically, but demand it from others? And why do we care what they think?
Episode #10×34: Are Trigger Warnings Too Spoiler-y?, Diddy and Music’s #MeToo Moment
- With the impending US Presidential election, we’re doing some light coverage at the top of each episode: latest developments, voting tips and tricks, and spotlighting a down ballot candidate of the week: this week, we’re featuring Sally Duvall, who is running for the Texas State House in Texas’ 73rd district.
- A new conversation is brewing about the use of trigger warnings, and it may not be about what you think: is the increased usage of trigger warnings potentially causing spoilers for viewers?
- We get creative about the ways that streamers can address a) the need for trigger warnings and b) technology-driven solutions to prevent them from causing spoilers for general populations.
- Matt Smith thinks an over reliance on trigger warnings has led to certain content being limited in the range of depth and topics it can explore – have we ever seen cases where we wondered why a trigger warning was needed?
- Do we have Netflix’s ’13 Reasons Why’ to blame for networks’ inconsistent usage of trigger warnings to cover their butts?
- While we’re on the topic of trigger warnings and their impact of pop culture, we have to touch on the latest developments with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who was arrested last Monday after being indicted on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
- Pam gives us a history lesson on how Diddy led transforming the image of rap and hip hop in the 90s from the raw, truthful life stories represented by Biggie and Tupac to featuring more images of opulence and wealth.
- Diddy’s behavior is nothing new, but scrutiny of it reached a fever pitch after his former girlfriend, singer and model Cassie filed a lawsuit last November alleging patterns of assault and abuse.
- Do we think justice will be served, in light of the recent developments in which rulings against Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby were overturned?
- As always, we’ve got you covered with our week’s best recommendations: ‘Arcane’ on Netflix (Laura), Footsouls (Converse insoles) (Pam), and ‘Chimp Crazy’ on Max (Andrew).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark:
- Surprise bitch! We’re calling listeners again to ask unhinged questions, hold onto your butts!
- We get a solid order of operations solution to a challenging FMK question. Bravo!
- Mic drop: a subtle sign of a bad friend is someone who only shows up to have their needs met. BOOM!
Episode #10×33: How to Form Deeper Friendships, Why Does Gen Z Do 9/11 Memes?
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and nothing but love for Taylor Swift, Haitian migrants, and geese.
- Is your calendar the secret to fostering deeper friendships? The NYTimes (and Andrew) think so!
- It seems simple enough – a standing coffee date, joining a sports league or a book club. But why do so many of us struggle to make these commitments?
- We discuss some ways to make planning an event with a large group easier, like using a scheduling app for availability, instagram polls in DMs, or just making plans and inviting anyone who wants to come rather than trying to cater to a bunch of scheduling needs.
- If so many of us are lonely, why do we struggle so much to make friend dates happen?
- Laura has a Bumble BFF update for us, and a reminder that we should all be conscious of not wasting others’ time!
- Apparently for certain Gen Z’ers, 9/11 has become a popular internet meme. WHY?
- People have been processing traumatic events with dark humor since the beginning of time, but why are these memes crossing a line?
- We chat about how weird it is that people just a few years younger than us don’t remember 9/11 – and it’s probably why it’s easier for some to be desensitized to it.
- Do the annual memorials and replaying of the same footage over and over play a part in desensitizing us to the horrors of that day?
- Read. the. room.
- We’ve got some solid recommendations for y’all this week: Frank Turner’s latest album ‘Undefeated’ (Laura), SpotHero (Pam), and Zero app (Andrew).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark:
- Time to judge each other on our morning routines (or lack thereof).
- Andrew is not prioritizing enough time for HIMSELF in the mornings!
- Pam has the most durable, instagram-worthy morning routine.
Episode #10×32: The Kamala Harris v Donald Trump Debate, Analyzed
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real DEBATE talk!
- Starting this week we’re releasing video episodes on YouTube! Subscribe and watch us each week!
- We’re coming to you right after Tuesday night’s Presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and boy, was that a doozy.
- It began with Kamala establishing dominance by forcing a handshake, and it all went downhill from there.
- We kept a running list of the best and worst moments of the debate, but one of our favorite takeaways of the night was ABC’s moderators fact checking Trump’s lies on the spot. FINALLY!
- In Trump dystopian fantasy world, undocumented migrants are taking over our cities and… eating peoples’ pets?
- Kamala really gets under the orange guy’s skin by bringing his crowd sizes and engagement into question, and that’s where he really starts to flip.
- Trump used immigration as his pivot topic for… pretty much everything. FOX News called, they want their talking points back!
- “Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people and he’s having a hard time processing that.”
- How are we feeling about how things stand with the Presidential race post-debate? Kamala killed it, but Trump is playing a different game than traditional politics. Will this debate move the needle further out of his favor?
- The next debate will be between Tim Walz and JD Vance on Tuesday 10/1, so we’ll see you for more debate coverage soon!
- This week’s recommendations: get your updated flu and covid shots if eligible (Laura), Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice cold brew concentrate (Pam), and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, the card game (Andrew).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark:
- Let’s talk strategies to be safe and sane for the rest of the election season. How will we be voting – in person, or absentee?
- Let’s recap where we were when the election was called for Biden in 2020, and make predictions about how long it will take to get results this time.
- Is it worth it to pay much attention to the media and polling?
Episode #10×31: The Adult Version of Finding Out Santa’s Not Real
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real relaxed end of summer talk!
- Check out last week’s LIVE episode recorded at Podcast Movement in Washington DC!
- Time is running out: if you want to receive this year’s physical gift (The ‘M-Word Cloud’ t-shirt), sign up at the BAE level or higher by September 6th.
- “Instead of crying in the club, I cry in the gym now.” How Kamala Harris’s DNC speech got us even MORE hype for her candidacy (is that even possible??)
- We said we’re doing an easy end of the summer show and we meant it: this week, we’re grabbing some of our favorite askreddit questions and posing them to each other and our Patrons!
- “What is the adult version of finding out Santa isn’t real?” “Not getting a tax refund because you’re claimed as a dependent by someone else.”
- We’ll be bookmarking this episode to look back on in 10 years to see if our future goals pay off!
- Let’s get petty and talk about our pettiest of pet peeves!
- We’re all haunted by cringe memories that our asshole brains like to bring up, what are ours?
- What superstitions do we believe in/adhere to? “If you saw something, no you didn’t.”
- Small but mighty recommendations list this week: the Haus Labs Glassy Blush Balm Stick (which doubles as a lip balm!) (Laura) and ‘Degrees of Engagement‘ by Jennifer Hennessy (plus our What the Hype?! Smut episode where Jennifer guest-hosted with us!) (Pam).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark:
- F*ck it, Pam and Laura haven’t had time to catch up in a bit, let’s do it live!
- Somehow we begin this conversation with bloodwork and mammograms, and end with talking about that sweet, sweet herb that is shaking ballot boxes around the country.
Episode #10×30: LIVE Together in Washington DC!
Andrew and Laura are together IN PERSON in this special episode of #Millennial! We podcast from our hotel room in Washington DC with our longtime friends Micah and Eric (What is this, 2006?)! Topics include:
- Micah gives us a live review of our Micah Chair!
- Laura is in favor of bullying?
- We share our thoughts on the Democratic National Convention thus far
- Everyone feels hope for the first time in a while
- Andrew tests the acoustics of the Gaylord Washington DC’s massive atrium
- Eric has some big news to share with our audience
- The impact that the fandom has had on our lives
- Andrew helps Laura set up her Bumble BFF profile, but she’s noticing one thing on friend profiles that she’s not cool with.
- Micah can’t believe the Hawk Tuah girl threw out the first pitch at a Mets game.
Episode #10×29: Google’s Future Is In Serious Doubt, Hypocrites on Twitter, Imane Khelif and the Olympics
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk – But very demure, mind you.
- Don’t forget to subscribe at the $10 tier at our Patreon to get this year’s physical gift, the M Word Cloud T-shirt! Sign up by September 6th.
- Listener Mariann sends some encouraging feedback to another listener we spoke to in After Dark last week, and reveals a heartwarming connection to Laura.
- Trump has finally agreed to the September 10th ABC debate with Kamala Harris (mainly because he kinda has to).
- Google has been found to have an illegal monopoly on search functionality as the result of a case filed by the Trump administration.Is regulating Big Tech the one thing that can bridge the ideological divide?
- According to this ruling, one of the many ways Google has cornered the market on search is by paying Apple $20 billion yearly to be the default search engine on iPhones.
- Could this ruling lead to a breakup of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company?
- Is the government equipped to keep up with regulating quickly evolving technology?
- Speaking of tech, Andrew has a bone to pick with people who complain about Elon, but continue to maintain their Twitter platforms.
- Is Twitter muscle memory when trying to get quick reactions out there? Why won’t Laura just succumb to Threads?!
- Speaking of Elon, he isn’t the only high-profile person who continues to double down on terrible takes: JK Rowling made headlines during the Olympics for spreading misinfo about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s gender identity. Subsequently, both JK and Elon were named in a cyberbullying lawsuit Khelif filed in France.
- Where do we draw the line with personally cancelling famous people and platforms?
- We’ve got only the best recommendations lined up for y’all, as always: Amazon Prime’s ‘I Am: Celine DIon,’ which follows Celine’s battle with stiff person syndrome (Andrew), Laura and Pam’s D23 recap and reaction on What The Hype?! (Laura), and the Halo Bolt for all your portable car jump starter and power banking needs (Pam).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:
- Inspired by TikTok user bran_flakezz, we ask ourselves: “what is a friendship lesson that you’ve had to learn the hard way as an adult?”
- What really resonates with our panel? People who gossip to you are also probably gossiping ABOUT you!
- We share our own lessons learned, along with anecdotes about the times when we’ve either had to let friendships go, or reset our expectations and boundaries with them.
Episode #10×28: Harris and Walz, Affordable At-Home Entertainment Tips, Popcorn Bucket Mania
- Welcome back to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
- Ready to see the 2024 physical gift for BAE+ Patrons? Look no further than the M-Word Cloud Shirt! Become a $10+ Patron by 9/6/24 to be eligible to receive this gift!
- Introducing Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate and Democratic Vice Presidential candidate! Let the battle of the midwestern VP candidates commence!
- And honestly, there is no fight to be had here: JD Vance continues to flounder and create headaches for the Trump campaign, while the Democratic base is more energized than ever over our ticket!
- Is it problematic to refer to Vice President Harris as simply Kamala? A listener perspective.
- Bet you couldn’t have guessed that the most popular streaming app isn’t Netflix, MAX, or Disney+ but… Tubi!
- The free streaming alternative has seen a 46% increase in viewership from a year ago, edging out even Disney+’s viewership.
- Amidst all other major streamers continuing to announce price increases, Tubi features movies and channels dedicated to popular genres and TV shows. Since it’s ad-supported, Tubi has been able to remain a free service. Laura is a pessimist and doesn’t think it’ll last.
- We share some of our favorite hacks to save on home entertainment through bundling, threatening to cancel to take advantage of win back offers, and family plans.
- One of the latest collectors items? Popcorn buckets! And it’s not just because of that sexual ‘Dune’ Sandworm bucket.
- People collect these tie-in novelties for the same reasons anyone collects anything – the nostalgia and exclusivity!
- But serious question because some of us live in small spaces: what do you do when you run out of room to display them?
- Save some money and your peace with this week’s recommendations: NameCheap for domains (Andrew), Journaling at night to clear your head (Laura), and ‘Big Mood‘ on Tubi (Pam).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark:
- Surprise Bitch is back, and we’re ready to pepper you with some new questions because we’re nosy about y’all’s lives. Also Andrew really comes with the tear-jerker questions – we promise we’ll tag him back with some of these. 😉
- Getting through the rest of the year one day at a time is such a MOOD!
- We hear tips, tricks, and good advice a fair bit, but tell us about the WORST advice you’ve ever gotten.
- “…hello? OH SHIT!”
Episode #10×27: Three Childless Cat Ladies Discuss Falling Birth Rates, ‘Espresso’ Conspiracies
- Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
- Who will Kamala pick as her VP? We want Mayor Pete, but we’re not sure if he’ll make the cut (this time).
- VP candidate and couch aficionado J.D. Vance lashed out at childless cat ladies – he has no idea what he’s done!
- As childless (dog) ladies ourselves, we feel seen by this report from Pew that shows 57% of people under 50 who aren’t having kids cite “just not wanting to” as their primary reason.
- Do you need to have biological children to give a damn about the future of your country and the world? How is Andrew supposed to touch all that grass if he didn’t care about conservation?
- Falling birth rates globally is breeding a pronatalism movement, wherein some are looking to incentivize having children.
- We’re happy to be the cool aunties/uncle and continue growing our fur baby collections. But we can still love and care about the future of the children in our lives!
- Is Spotify forcing users to listen to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”? Some users (including on our panel) feel like they simply cannot escape Espresso.
- Many people with this concern believe that Carpenter’s label is paying Spotify to “force feed” Espresso to listeners around the world. But why? The song is already regarded as a bop, and has been doing well since it dropped this spring.
- Sabrina Carpenter isn’t alone though, a similar trend has emerged with Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” and Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby.”
- Does this simply boil down to Spotify’s algorithm not being as good as it once was?
- This week’s recommendations will entertain and make your heart full: The Chameleon (Andrew), Inkless Ink Pads for taking impressions of your fur baby’s paw prints (Laura), and “My Lady Jane” on Amazon Prime (Pam).
And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:
- It’s a roll call special! We’re not leading with any agenda besides the things we want to bitch about today.
- What is the point of having a smart doorbell if people will continue knocking instead of using it and taking the message that if we’re not answering, we don’t want to?
- We have a bone to pick with Yelp and the INJUSTICE it has done!
- What are some of our best door-to-door solicitor stories?