

Hot Mess-Terpiece Theatre
Jolenta Greenberg
Comedian & pop culture critic Jolenta Greenberg has a theory: reality TV isn’t ruining culture - it is culture. Join her and a cast of sharp, funny guests as they dig into the details behind the drama and unpack why we can’t get enough of those iconic scenes and unforgettable characters. This is the place for highbrow conversations about “lowbrow” TV.All seasons By the Book & How to Be Fine are also in this feed. To hear back episodes, just scroll down!
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 11, 2023 • 27min
Mini-Ep: Lucky Girl Syndrome and Body Doubling
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta share listener feedback on Lucky Girl Syndrome and Body Doubling. Plus, listeners offer additional advice to recent letter writers. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta
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May 4, 2023 • 37min
Body Doubling
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta talk about the benefits and drawbacks of body doubling, notably for people who have trouble focusing on tasks. Plus, they offer up advice on cutting ties with family members, and getting over productivity guilt. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta Sources:https://hbr.org/2020/05/we-work-harder-when-we-know-someones-watchinghttps://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/-/media/faculty/ayelet-fishbach/research/observed.pdfhttps://fortune.com/2023/03/05/body-doubling-parallel-working-tiktok-trend/amp/https://add.org/the-body-double/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/body-doubling-adhd-tasks_l_63da7fbce4b01a4363919cadhttps://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/body-doubling-adhdhttps://www.cnn.com/2023/02/13/health/adhd-body-doubling-productivity-benefits-wellness/index.htmlhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/320219075_Beyond_Social_Facilitation_A_Review_of_the_Far-Reaching_Effects_of_Social_Attentionhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1686213/https://www.tiktok.com/@collettenichttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8374040/
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Apr 27, 2023 • 38min
Lucky Girl Syndrome
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta talk about the viral manifestation trend: Lucky Girl Syndrome. Plus, they offer up advice on how to cope with indecisiveness, and adding glamour into everyday life. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta Sources:https://www.vox.com/the-goods/23580200/lucky-girl-syndrome-tiktok-manifestinghttps://theeverygirl.com/lucky-girl-syndrome/https://www.thecut.com/2023/03/manifestation-tiktok-what-is-lucky-girl-syndrome.htmlhttps://www.parents.com/what-is-lucky-girl-syndrome-7100898https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-64251820https://www.livescience.com/lucky-girl-syndrome-trending-on-tiktok-is-just-old-school-magical-thinking-psychologists-sayhttps://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/mind-body/a42590695/lucky-girl-syndrome/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/01/20/lucky-girl-syndrome-tiktok/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/lucky-girl-syndrome-is-going-viral-on-tiktok-but-does-it-workhttps://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a42552258/lucky-girl-syndrome-tiktok/
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Apr 20, 2023 • 37min
Mini-Ep: Buy Nothing and Crunchy to Antivax
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta share listener feedback to Buy Nothing and the “crunchy” lifestyle to anti-vax movement pipeline. Plus, listeners write in with their own tips on how to have a bargain wedding and what to do when you feel pressured to drink. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta
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Apr 13, 2023 • 35min
Crunchy to Antivax
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta discuss the “crunchy” lifestyle to anti-vax movement pipeline. Plus, they offer up advice on grieving a beloved pet, and dealing with the pressures of being a nondrinker. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta Sources:https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tiktok-crunchy-radicalize-parents-1234641814/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/12/wellness-influencers-vaccine-misinformation/https://www.axios.com/2022/02/24/influencers-anti-vax-covid-conspiracies-misinformationhttps://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9663381https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DietarySupplementsInTheTimeOfCOVID19-Consumer/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/06/the-anti-vax-movements-radical-shift-from-crunchy-granola-purists-to-far-right-crusaders/https://www.vice.com/en/article/88ggqa/how-the-far-right-is-radicalizing-anti-vaxxershttps://www.newsweek.com/crunchy-mom-wellness-joining-cult-1765911https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlevelingup/video/7172539571584945450
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8 snips
Apr 6, 2023 • 34min
Buy Nothing
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta discuss the Buy Nothing project and the downfall of the community. Plus, they offer up advice on having an inexpensive wedding, and a return-to-office dilemma. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta Sources:https://www.wired.com/story/the-battle-for-buy-nothing/https://www.curbed.com/2023/02/buy-nothing-gifting-with-integrity-drama.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/02/06/buy-nothing-free-stuff/https://gothamist.com/news/extra-extra-the-buy-nothing-groups-are-beefinghttps://www.theverge.com/tech/2022/1/12/22878353/buy-nothing-groups-facebook-apphttps://buynothingproject.org/tpost/1hsmrslur1-a-brief-history-of-the-buy-nothing-projehttps://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jan/04/inside-the-hyper-local-world-of-facebooks-buy-nothing-groups
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Mar 30, 2023 • 40min
Mini-Ep: The Duggars and Ice Baths
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta share listener feedback on The Duggars, the Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP), and ice baths. Plus, listeners offer additional advice to recent letter writers. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta
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Mar 23, 2023 • 34min
Ice Baths
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta discuss ice baths, and the potential benefits and drawbacks. Plus, they offer up advice on dealing with a neurodivergent partner, and finding a new therapist. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta Sources:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9012715/www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/bathing-prescription-brief-history-treatment-waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/discovery-roman-gladiator-school-brings-famed-fighters-to-life-180959489/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_bathhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancyhttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/27/style/cold-plunge-ice-bath.htmlhttps://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/wellness/ice-baths-cold-showers-benefits-b920446.htmlhttps://www.masterclass.com/articles/ice-bath-at-home-explainedhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5350472/https://www.wimhofmethod.com/benefitswww.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(00)01057-X/pdfwww.goodrx.com/well-being/alternative-treatments/6-ice-bath-benefitshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10751106/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35021915/
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Mar 16, 2023 • 38min
The Duggars and the IBLP
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta dive into the Duggar Family and their involvement in the religious cult the Institute of Basic Life Principles. The ladies break down the revelations that Jinger Duggar reveals in her bestselling book Become Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear, and the shame and social anxiety she experienced growing up. Plus, Kristen and Jolenta answer advice questions about emotional hoarding and helping a friend manage chronic pain. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta Sources for this episode:https://iblp.org/https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/july-2016/institute-in-basic-life-principles-hinsdale/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/jinger-duggar-vuolo-evangelical-christians.htmlhttps://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemcneal/jinger-vuolo-duggar-memoir-interviewhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ministry-nourished-duggar-familys-faith-falls-grace-rcna14024https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/01/06/new-charges-allege-religious-leader-who-has-ties-to-the-duggars-sexually-abused-women/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2015/05/28/jim-bob-duggar-state-trooper-josh-duggar-fondling-sex-abuse/28058841/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/01/childhood-in-cult-hard-imagine-survival-truly-unbelievable https://inthesetimes.com/article/cult-of-characterhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0QrPMZQojsFIeQVvrEx2wVhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sojo-files/id1587371447https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaving-eden-podcast/id1525971285https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Free-Indeed-Story-Disentangling/dp/1400335817https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/february/grace-community-church-elder-biblical-counseling-abuse.htmlhttps://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/duggars-religion-151762/https://www.amazon.com/Quiverfull-Inside-Christian-Patriarchy-Movement/dp/0807010731https://www.duggarfamily.com/favorite/
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Mar 9, 2023 • 32min
Mini-Ep: Life Coaches and The All-Beef Diet
On this episode of How to Be Fine, Kristen and Jolenta share listener feedback on life coaches and the all-beef diet. Plus, listeners offer additional advice to recent letter writers. Do you have an advice question for us? Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our How to Be Fine (formerly By the Book) Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kristenandjolenta
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