The Couch Podcast
Conversations about pop culture and why it matters
Diversity in Romantic Comedies with Tasha Jun (The Couch Podcast summer series #10)
This week I’m talking with my friend Tasha Jun about why we need more diversity in romantic comedies. We also share a few of our favorite rom coms and talk about our FEELINGS related to the To All the Boys sequel. Halloween costume parties and Mr. Miyagi are also discussed. It’s a good one!
How Pop Culture Can Help Us During Times of Grief (The Couch Podcast summer series #9)
In a surprisingly upbeat episode, my friend Becky McCoy and I tackle the topic of grief. We talk about grief as it’s portrayed in pop culture, and how pop culture can help a person heal from loss or grief. Based on the amount of laughter in this episode, we either have a fantastic perspective on these topics…or we’re just big weirdos who love talking about sad things. Tune in and then tell us which you think it is!
Christmas (Movies) in July: A Championship with Anna Rendell (The Couch Podcast summer series #8)
Just a few months ago, it seemed like we’d never reach the end of the holiday movie season. We had holiday movies coming out of our ears! But now? Now we’re missing them. So let’s revisit the time Anna Rendell and I ranked 64 holiday movies in a March Madness-style bracket!
Was the Book Better? Book to Movie Adaptations with Tsh Oxenreider (The Couch Podcast summer series #7)
But was the book better? This week’s episode is all about book-to-movie adaptations. I talk with my friend, Tsh Oxenreider, about a whole bunch of books that have been turned into movies, and they dissect what makes a good adaptation and debate whether or not you must read the book first.
Workplace Comedies We Love with Grace P. Cho (The Couch Podcast summer series #6)
When my friend and former co-worker Grace and I first met, online, on the job, we didn’t know much about each other. But the moment we discovered our mutual love of Parks and Recreation (and The Office, too, of course), we knew our friendship was meant to be. Clearly, we got each other. We were each other’s kind of people. As we chat this week, you’ll get to hear me try to convince Grace to branch out to other workplace comedies. And we’ll debate what defines a workplace comedy in the first place. What IS Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Is it a workplace comedy? A cop show? Who knows? Well, maybe we do. You’ll have to listen to find out.
How Pop Culture Can Help Us Handle Change (The Couch Podcast summer series #5)
Today I’m talking with my good friend (and friend of the show), Kristen Strong. If you’ve heard Kristen and me chat about pop culture before, you know we could go on forever, gushing about all the many favorites we have in common. But today we decided to be a smidge more serious and hopefully helpful and talk about how pop culture can help us deal with change—something we’ve all been dealing with a lot lately.
Musical TV Shows, Episodes & Scenes (The Couch Podcast summer series #4)
My brother is back on the podcast, and in this episode we take a deep dive into all of the best and all of our favorite (sometimes the same thing, but not always) singing and dancing on TV. Well, not all of it. This is already a supersized episode and that’s with some strict parameters! While we certainly would have loved to chat (fine. GUSH.) about every single note sung or played on television in the history of ever, we had to limit ourselves a bit.
Diversity in Children’s Books with Author Dorina Gilmore (The Couch Podcast summer series #3)
Do you have kids? Or kids in your life? Do you want to teach them about other cultures and how to be kind and inclusive to others? Duh. Of course you do. Well, like I do about pretty much every topic, I think the answer to all that lies in books. And that’s why I wanted to sit down with my friend, Dorina, who is a multicultural children’s author. She’s 100% the expert on this topic, plus super fun to talk to.
What Should I Watch? Dealing with Decision Fatigue with Emily P. Freeman (The Couch Podcast summer series #2)
Can’t decide what to watch or read next? Freezing in the face of all the choices? Well, this week Emily P. Freeman joins me at The Couch to talk about our favorite long-running shows, which characters we can trust to take care of us, and how doing the next right thing can apply to our entertainment choices as well as larger ones.
The Best TV Shows to Watch with Your Kids (The Couch Podcast summer series #1)
Looking for TV shows to watch with your kids? This podcast episode has a ton of recommendations for you!
The Couch Podcast :: Ask the Couch, vol. 3, with Alana Dawson (S3E9)
This episode was recorded (with my friend and friend of the show, Alana Dawson) before we knew much about COVID-19 and before we were all social distancing and shelter-in-place-ing. I thought about not releasing this one, but though the conversation may seem out of touch (I’m not seeing any movies in the theater right now, for example.), my hope is that it will also be helpful — either as a brief distraction or as a list of things you might read or watch during this difficult season. As always, I’m your gal for lists of “comfort food” books, movies, TV shows, and more.
The Couch Podcast :: Chatting about Children’s Movies Adapted into Movies with Amanda White (S3E8)
This week, Amanda White and I combine two of our favorite things into one fun conversation. We’re talking about children’s books (yay!) adapted into children’s movies (double yay!). And while we recorded this well before we had even heard of the coronavirus, we’re hopeful this episode will be helpful as you’re looking for ways to keep your kids entertained while you’re staying home.