Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy

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

Meghan Daum is the author of The Problem with Everything: My Journey Through the New Culture Wars, in which she examines her own cognitive dissonance as a liberal and a feminist, and her feeling of alienation in today's cultural climate. She and Bridget discuss how society has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, the gulf between Gen X and Millennials, coming of age in a culture where there's a conversational chokehold happening and what the effects might be, and the death of cultural gatekeepers. They dive into the minefield of being writers in the age of social media when a provocative piece can get you cancelled, reminisce about growing up reaping the benefits of the feminist movement that came before them, explore why learning to stick up yourself is such an important skill for a woman to have, and wonder what happened to the "life isn't fair" philosophy that they were raised with. It's a fascinating conversation between two women on the front lines of the culture war who still believe that nuance is something that should not be vilified.Full transcript available here: WiW66-MeghanDaum-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

Scott Zakarin, writer, director and producer, stops by to discuss his new project Digital Sky, a fictional anthology podcast series about our social media obsession and the apps that run our lives. He and Bridget cover a wide array of topics from dad bods, to beauty standards, the freedom which new media offers to creators, the best shows they've ever binged, and the last time they cried. Bridget opens up about her love for Michael Bay movies, Scott discusses capturing inspiration via different mediums, be it writing, directing, or editing. They talk the origins of Walk-Ins Welcome, carrying the heaviness of the news around with you during the day, being open-minded to someone you disagree with, and Fat Thor. Check out Digital Sky and don't miss Bridget's performance in Episode 1: Ride Share.Full transcript available here: WiW65-ScottZakarin-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

Zuby, rapper, musician, podcaster and author, stops by during his whirlwind tour of the United States. Son of Nigerian immigrants, he talks about his upbringing in Saudi Arabia and the UK, and the perspective on the world it offered him. He and Bridget cover the role of masculinity in today’s society, why the concept of “thought crimes” is so chilling, the rise of secular religions like “wokism” and climate change activism, and the idea of a moral panic void that must always be filled. They discuss the biggest issue of political polarization: that it shuts down the conversation, how if they were both actually grifters they’d be killin’ it right now, and the importance of having perspective and gratitude. Check out Zuby’s website here.Full transcript available here: WiW64-Zuby-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