Shut Up and Listen - Issue #7

Jane Fonda, Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi, Sarah Jessica Parker, and SO MANY GHOSTS 👽

Hello I am obsessed with a new podcast and am very excited to tell you about it.

It’s called Monsters Among Us and features people from all over the world calling in to share their encounters with the paranormal, extraterrestrial, and cryptid.

Obviously, this is Extremely My Sh*t.

I’m so obsessed that I’ve listened to approximately 9 hours of these ghost, UFO, and weird creature stories just this week. There’s six seasons of the show, and each episode is about an hour, so it’s the perfect binge—it basically feels like a bottomless well of creepy content.

What makes this podcast shine (IMO) is that all of these stories are told via phone calls, which means that the tales come off as quasi-believable even to skeptics.

Callers will pause, second guess themselves, make jokes, or apologize in the middle of truly haunting or weird stories. It just makes the calls feel…real, whatever you think about this stuff. They’re putting themselves in vulnerable position by opening up about these things, and know a lot of the time that what they’re saying sounds totally implausible, but are moved to share anyways.

The host also does an excellent job at walking a line between validating people’s experiences and debunking anything that appears to have a non-spooky explanation. He’s definitely liberal with creepy sound effects, but remains surprisingly objective when attempting to determine what is truly otherworldly, and what is not.

Do I sound truly nuts yet? Ugh, ok, ok.

I just know there are other people who love this stuff, so I just wanted to give my whole hearted endorsement to this GEM of a show. And if you want to talk about this stuff more…….. my inbox and DMs are always open.

In 2014, Jane Fonda spoke to host Anna Sale told me about her mother’s suicide when she was a girl, her father Henry Fonda’s long decline, and the lessons she learned by choosing to be alone. Now, they’re bringing that conversation back—because it’s one of those ones that sticks with you.

The 26-year-old rapper and producer stood at the crossroads of movements that have been shaping popular music over the past decade. Guests: ItsTheReal‘s Eric and Jeff Rosenthal; Pitchfork’s Sheldon Pearce; and Eric Renner Brown.

Chef and Momofuku founder Dave Chang is joined by Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi to recount her experience working under Wylie Dufresne (1:36), how she helped advance Momofuku (14:05), and the trials and tribulations of opening the first Milk Bar (38:22).

Dr. Henderson and Dr. Kirby were screaming for anyone to listen who might help them get Dr. Duntsch to stop operating. Kirby wrote to the Texas Medical Board. He and Henderson went to the police. But no one was listening.

Kristen and Jolenta try to power pose their way to a better life with Amy Cuddy’s Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. Will standing like Wonder Woman boost their confidence and vanquish their inner imposters? 

Emily Warren, the woman behind “Side Effects” with the Chainsmokers and “New Rules” by Dua Lipa, is a real songwriters songwriter. Her process is as much therapy as art. Charlie, Nate, and Emily break down her latest work and uncover her creative process together. 

Reese Witherspoon, author of the newly released Whiskey in a Teacup, joins Jonathan to talk British Baking Challenge, the work-life balance of social media, lady-entrepreneurship, the creation of Big Little Lies, the need to create better acting roles for all women, and more.

Sarah Jessica Parker came over to GP’s Hamptons home to catch up on everything you’d hope they would: Carrie Bradshaw, motherhood, shoes, why they started businesses, SJP’s book short list, how things have changed (and not changed) for women in Hollywood, and Cynthia Nixon’s campaign for governor of New York. Then there’s the unexpected—like GP’s reality TV show pick and SJP’s insightful take on heartbreak.

Still Processing | Cults | Switched on Pop | You Must Remember This | Where Should We Begin? | Invisibilia | Pardon My French | Conspiracy Theories | Rookie | The Thread With OZY | Sandra | The Hilarious World of Depression | Dating in NYC: The Podcast | The Lonely Hour | Unexplained Mysteries | Death, Sex, & Money | Love + Radio | Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness | Call Your Girlfriend | The A24 Podcast | A Piece of Work | 2 Dope Queens | Nancy | Love Me