Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy

Samantha Shahi (aka Sammy Flap-n-Folds to the Dumpster Fire crowd) finally, finally sits down with Bridget to discuss her journey from Texas to LA, being a marching band nerd, how she fell in love with producing, and the shocking secret reason she minored in Women’s Studies. They cover the litany of jobs Sam’s had since she moved here, what she’s learned along the way, where her true passion lies, and Bridget makes Sam tell the story that demonstrates how Type A she actually is. What do you do when your brain commits hate crimes against you? Did Bridget actually rescue Sam from a cult? Was Sam a sacrificial virgin thrown into a volcano in a past life? It’s all covered in this week’s episode.Full transcript available here: WiW76-SamanthaShahi-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Misty M (If They Have to Behave for You To Be Okay, You’re Screwed) and Bridget discuss the pros and cons of virtual 12 Step meetings in the time of quarantine. They cover why people in recovery might be uniquely qualified to handle the ongoing global crisis, avoiding using the pandemic as an excuse to relapse, trying to feel sane in insane times, and Misty’s optimistic prediction about when we will get back to normal. They talk about everything from practicing intimacy with yourself without running away, to dystopian YA novels, why reality is a simulation, their favorite conspiracy theories, and why neither one of them is looking forward to the flood of books and movies about the pandemic that will be showing up about a year from now.Full transcript available here: WiW75-MistyM-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Michael Shermer  (Skeptic Magazine, Science Salon Podcast, Scientific American) dropped by before quarantine went into effect to discuss skepticism, religion, debunking conspiracy theories, scientific attempts to achieve immortality, and why “I don’t know” are the three most powerful words you can utter. He and Bridget cover everything from why neither one of them would want to live forever, to why Heaven sounds really boring, how liberals used to be the defenders of free speech and when it all changed, pluralistic ignorance, censorship, hate speech, thought crimes, and why open debate is the only way to find out what’s actually true. Don’t miss Michael’s new book Giving the Devil His Due, available now!Full transcript available here: WiW74-MichaelShermer-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Paul Shirley (former NBA player, published author, and founder of Writers Blok) is back to discuss the human condition in this time of social distancing, quarantine, and uncertainty. He and Bridget talk about making deals with your brain, being disconnected from our purpose, how easy it is to forget that life is fragile in modern society, and having to face ourselves when all the things we have been chasing lead us nowhere. They share tips for discipline and productivity as professional authors, why having “oceans of time” is a problem, being of service, gutting it out when it comes to forming new habits, and why you must enjoy the process of writing itself if you ever hope to find success with it. Be sure to check out the Writer’s Blok digital platform to join in writer’s sprints and meet a community of authors who can help you meet your goals. Sorry, no check-in this week! Bridget and Maggie couldn’t get together in time.Full transcript available here: WiW73-PaulShirley-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Bridget and Cousin Maggie share their tips for working from home, and for dealing with the depression and anxiety that might be ratcheting up as we face the unknowns Covid-19 is bringing to our lives and society. They discuss why you should be choosy about the media you consume, how sharing your emotional load with friends can help and allow other people to be of service to you, finding the small silver linings and bright sides of this situation, and why you shouldn’t be like Jared Leto. Ever. The Walk-Ins Welcome format might change for a while as having guests on the podcast will be more difficult, but for now, enjoy this extended check-in. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Gigi Levangie, author and screenwriter, drops by for a chat that covers everything, including Swedish Death Cleaning, the Erehwon Phenomenon, aging in LA, the difference between a collector and a hoarder, and growing up “the crazy white b*tch down the street.” She and Bridget discuss why participation trophies are detrimental to children’s progress into adulthood, the impracticalities of college, why you shouldn’t give all your energy to who is in the White House, and how being a blank slate allows you to learn. Bridget tells the not-to-be-missed story of the Poodle Skirt Incident of 1992. Gigi talks about her career as a writer and how she’s managed to crank out 7 books. It’s a fun, fast and loose conversation between two kindred spirits. Be sure to check out Gigi’s latest book Been There, Married That.Full transcript available here: WiW71-GigiLevangie-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Mark Halperin, author of How to Beat Trump: America’s Top Political Strategists on What it Will Take, stops in to discuss the pool of Democratic candidates running for President and whether any of them have what it takes to beat Trump in November. He and Bridget discuss how the media bias against Trump will help him win, what makes Trump so compelling, and why he’s great business for the liberal media outlets who revile him. They cover the tactics that the Democratic candidates should be deploying but aren’t, the deafening silence of the Obamas when it comes to endorsing a candidate, who Bridget thinks could win against Trump, and the difficulty of appealing to both the center and the far left in an increasingly polarized political climate. They discuss anger, resentment, acceptance, humility, redemption, forgiveness, and Mark’s concern about the mental health of a lot of people in this country if Trump is reelected.Full transcript available here: WiW70-MarkHalperin-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Andrew Doyle is the man behind satirical Twitter account Titania McGrath - a radical intersectionalist, feminist, and slam poet, who is constantly telling people how oppressed she is - and author of Woke: A Guide to Social Justice. He’s back for round two where he and Bridget cover the insanity of attempting to subvert democracy in order to preserve it, the humorlessness of passionate protestors (and how hilarious Andrew finds them), infantalizing women while claiming to advocate for them, and the problem with the use of the word “privilege.” They dive into the difference between being aware of racism and calling everyone racist, how whiteness has become the original sin in the Church of Woke, why Andrew mistrusts the phrase “male feminist” and they worry about Greta Thunberg’s future, what will happen to her if one day she decides to change her mind, or her stance? Full transcript available here: WiW69-AndrewDoyle-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

From the ages of 11 to 16 Jacob Bresler survived five years of ghettos and concentration camps during World War II. He credits his inventiveness, his stubbornness, his resilience, and his will to survive as the reasons he made it through the war and created a new life for himself in America. He is a humanist. He does not hate. He has no enemies. He remains optimistic about the future, and believes that communication is the only way to combat ignorance and pierce the ideological bubbles we’ve segregated ourselves into. He and Bridget cover a variety of topics including the many different paths he’s traveled in his life, how he feels about the phrase “Trump is Hitler,” when we should teach children about the Holocaust, how best to counter hate, and the idea that the potential for brutality lies within all of us. Don’t miss Jacob’s autobiography: You Shall Not Be Called Jacob Anymore.Full transcript available here: WiW68-JacobBresler-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Jonah Goldberg is a syndicated conservative columnist, political analyst, commentator, podcast host, and author of Bridget’s Bible: Suicide of the West. Jonah shares how his upbringing in a media and politics-heavy household shaped his future, and gave him a realistic perspective about politics and the media that most people don’t have. He and Bridget discuss the dangers a generation of children pose when they’ve been raised to believe that their feelings are the only source of authority they need, why middle-aged managers are terrified of their “woke” 20-something staffers, and how fragility is being taught rather than mental toughness. They cover young conservatives being led to believe that it’s cool to be a**holes, why not allowing people to grow or change their positions is not a good practice, how Americans are much richer than they realize, and why Twitter makes you feel like you’re living in a small town where everyone’s in your business. Check out his podcast The Remnant.Full transcript available here: WiW67-JonahGoldberg-Transcript This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show