The Unspeakable Podcast

Dr. Sunita Puri, a palliative care specialist and author, delves into the intricate dynamics of end-of-life care, particularly for younger patients facing terminal illnesses. She questions the assumption that dying at home is always ideal, revealing the challenges that often complicate this wish. Sunita discusses the ethical dilemmas encountered by healthcare providers and highlights the biases at play in treating younger patients. This engaging conversation emphasizes the importance of compassionate care that respects individual desires in the face of serious illness.

Tara Henley, a Canadian journalist and podcaster, delves into the complexities of today's chaotic media landscape. She shares insights on avoiding audience capture and the revival of J.D. Vance’s podcast themes, touching upon family dynamics and societal pressures. The conversation also explores the impact of political polarization on journalism, the challenges young men face today, and personal coping strategies for maintaining mental health amidst it all. Henley emphasizes the importance of nuanced perspectives and reconnecting with simpler joys.

Meghan, an insightful voice in the heterodox space, chats with Michael Callahan, a dynamic podcast host and award-winning director. They explore the pitfalls of audience capture and the rise of superficial marketing in the digital age. Delving into the shifting concept of 'literary citizenship,' they discuss the transition from public intellectuals to community facilitators. Meghan also shares her experiences with online criticism, reflecting on the evolution of her platform, The Unspeakeasy, and the pressing demands of authenticity in a polarized environment.

In the latest installment of Casual August, writer and educator Larissa Phillips joins the pod to respond to the August 2 interview with Vanessa Grigoriadis, who theorized that childless cat ladies were secretly happier than moms, especially moms raising young children while caring for aging parents. Larissa related to much of what Vanessa said, but she had several things to add, including her later-in-life recognition that early motherhood makes more sense than later-in-life motherhood — and, what’s more, single motherhood might not be as cool and easy as 1980s media made it out to be. A GenXer who grew up steeped in second-wave feminism, Larissa now advises her 20-something daughter to marry and start a family early, which is pretty much the opposite of what her own mom advised. In this conversation, Larissa (who was a guest on A Special Place In Hell back in March) explores how her thinking evolved, why her friends were shocked when she got pregnant at 29 (practically a teen mom!), how divorce rates in the 1970s and 80s made an entire generation wary of the nuclear family, and why she invokes Jordan Peterson when she explains to her daughter that being “high value” has a lot to do with being young. She and Meghan also wrestle with whether the hyper-professional, hyper-independent feminist ethos internalized by Gen Xers and millennials will end up being something of a blip in time in the history of civilization. Larissa also talks about joining The Unspeakeasy at its upcoming retreat in Woodstock, NY this October. GUEST BIO Larissa Phillips is the founder and director of the Volunteer Literacy Project, a NPO that teaches reading to adults using a phonics-based curriculum. She also runs an educational program on her family farm in Upstate New York. She can be found on X (@larissaphillip) and Instagram (@honeyhollowfarmstay) and Substack, where she writes about farming, animals, and life as a lapsed Progressive living in Trumpland. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING ✈️ 2024 Unspeakeasy Retreats — See where we’ll be in 2024! https://bit.ly/3Qnk92n 🥂 Join The Unspeakeasy, my community for freethinking women: https://bit.ly/44dnw0v 🔥 Follow my other podcast, A Special Place in Hell: https://aspecialplace.substack.com

“While some might argue that collaboration with fascists, TERFs, and racist edgelords does not constitute endorsement of violent and anti-liberation views, we disagree. There can be no innocent collaboration with such people.” That was the official statement from Hiding Press, the small, independent poetry press that was set to publish writer Emmalea Russo’s fourth book of poetry. But when word got out that she had been “collaborating” with the wrong people, they canceled the book.  By collaborations, they meant writing for certain journals and appearing as a guest on certain podcasts. By alt-right or fascist-adjacent they were talking about magazines like Compact, a publication that, according to its mission statement, “seeks a new political center devoted to the common good.” In this conversation, Emmalea talks about the “chain of contamination” that causes panic and public disassociation with anyone even remotely associated with someone designated as “bad.” She also discusses her forthcoming novel, Vivienne, which is about a septuagenarian artist who’s canceled online over rumor and innuendo. GUEST BIO Emmalea Russo is a writer and astrologer. Her books of poetry are G, Wave Archive, Confetti, and Magenta. Recent work has appeared in Artforum, BOMB, Spike Art Magazine, and Los Angeles Review of Books. Her first novel, Vivienne, is forthcoming in September. Read her piece in Compact Magazine, Purity Policing Is Poison To Poetry. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING ✈️ 2024 Unspeakeasy Retreats — See where we’ll be in 2024! https://bit.ly/3Qnk92n 🥂 Join The Unspeakeasy, my community for freethinking women:https://bit.ly/44dnw0v 🔥 Follow my other podcast, A Special Place in Hell: https://aspecialplace.substack.com

Meghan, a childless dog lady, had a whole other episode cued up for this week when her friend Vanessa Grigoriadis called her with a surprising observation. According to Vanessa, moms today are so stressed out (even miserable) that childless women are getting the last laugh. This is especially true for women in midlife who started families in their late 30s to early 40s and are now saddled with elder care for aging parents while also having school-aged children. Does she have a point? In this conversation, Meghan gloats over her utterly carefree lifestyle while Vanessa lays out what the public discourse around J.D. Vance’s “childless cat lady” comment is getting wrong. An award winning magazine journalist who has done deeply reported features on subjects like the NXIVM cult and whose countless celebrity profiles have included Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift, Vanessa also talks about charting a new professional path (podcasts, naturally) in an economy that’s quickly becoming oversaturated. GUEST BIO Vanessa Grigoriadis is a veteran longform journalist and a co-founder of Campside Media. She is the co-creator of the Chameleon and Fallen Angel podcasts, and hosted New York Magazine’s Tabloid series on Ivanka Trump. She is a National Magazine Award winner, and a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and Vanity Fair. Her book, Blurred Lines: Rethinking Sex, Power, and Consent on Campus, was published in 2017. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING ✈️ 2024 Unspeakeasy Retreats — See where we’ll be in 2024! https://bit.ly/3Qnk92n 🥂 Join The Unspeakeasy, my community for freethinking women:https://bit.ly/44dnw0v 🔥 Follow my other podcast, A Special Place in Hell: https://aspecialplace.substack.com

Jamie Reed, a former case manager at a gender clinic and prominent whistleblower, exposes the alarming practices in youth gender medicine. She shares her firsthand experiences confronting systemic issues, especially in foster care, and discusses the need for accountability in medical protocols. Jamie also dives into the evolving legislative landscape, spotlighting the stark contrasts between states. With a blend of personal insight and advocacy, she urges for transparency and informed decision-making in pediatric gender healthcare.

A deep dive into the Hollywood Con Queen scam where Scott Johnson reveals the true identity of the mastermind, a man named Harvey. The Con Queen impersonated famous female executives to trick victims, exploiting their dreams and aspirations for personal gain. Johnson's investigative journey, filled with twists and turns, culminates in a shocking revelation and a confrontation with the elusive scammer amidst the challenges of COVID-19.

Bridget Phetasy discusses the ripple effects of divorce on adult children and grandchildren. They talk about the logic of parental happiness vs. 'staying together for the kids,' sparking a conversation online. They also share a desire to quit the content creator hustle and move to the woods. Bridget apologizes to Meghan for a haunting microaggression.

Jennifer Sey has been an elite gymnast, a high level marketing executive at Levi’s, and an outspoken critic of protracted school closures during the Covid pandemic. That last role led her to become a prominent figure in the new free speech movement, and she fulfilled that role by writing a book and starting a Substack about her conscription into the culture wars. But her real skills are as a business person, so she decided to apply those skills and start a retail brand. XX-XY Athletics, which launched in late March, is an apparel line that sells athletic clothing for men and women but is branded around the idea of standing up for women’s sports Given the fraught politics around this issue,  XX-XY may be the first “gender critical” retail business. But does it make sense to build a brand around a culture war issue? In this wide-ranging conversation, Jennifer talks about the legacy of corporate virtue signaling, the inner turmoil of wealthy executives who want to look like progressives, her attempts to get another job after being designated as problematic,  and the day to day tasks of building a business. She also explains how HR departments gained massive power in corporations and why executives are so afraid of their young staffers. GUEST BIO Jennifer Sey is a corporate marketing executive turned author, activist, documentary filmmaker (we didn’t even talk about that) and now the founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics. You can find her on her Substack here. Check out XX-XY here. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING ✈️ 2024 Unspeakeasy Retreats — See where we’ll be in 2024! https://bit.ly/3Qnk92n 🥂 Join The Unspeakeasy, my community for freethinking women: https://bit.ly/44dnw0v 🔥 Follow my other podcast, A Special Place in Hell: https://aspecialplace.substack.com/