Early access to December 15, 2025 edition
This is technically the December 15 episode, but I’m releasing it early for paying subscribers. To hear it now, upgrade your subscription.
To mark the end of a shitshow of a super exciting year, I thought I’d do a solo episode — my holiday gift to you! I cover some general thoughts about 2025 and then get into the specifics of some recent dumb dustups cultural conversations, including the Sydney Sweeney GQ interview and the Very Important Discourse around whether having a boyfriend is embarrassing.
Ultimately, this episode is about “cringe culture.” When did everything become “cringe?” Why are we so determined to point it out in others, even if it’s impossible to avoid ourselves? And if we can manage to avoid it, does that mean we’re avoiding life itself?
I get raw and real here, folks, especially about the embarrassing boyfriend topic. I’m already cringing.
(Also, I managed to get the podcast name wrong in the opening. It’s The Unspeakeasy now!)
Housekeeping
🎁 Make a one-time donation to the podcast. Everything helps and is deeply appreciated. 🙏
🤝 The Founding Member hangouts are coming back! Starting next year, we’ll do them monthly (still figuring out the best day and time). To join in, upgrade your subscription to Founding Member.
👩🏫 I’m teaching a Zoom writing workshop in Memoir and Personal Essay, Jan 6 through Feb 24, 2026. Deadline extended to Dec 12. Info here as well as below.
Next Writing Course Starts Jan 6, 2026
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Oct 13
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📖 Order my book, The Catastrophe Hour: Selected Essays, on Amazon or directly from the publisher here.
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🔥 Monologues and other episodes about the L.A. wildfires can be found here.
