Be There in Five

This week, Kate tests out a new format with Courtney sitting in as a "body double" to keep her on track, and it quickly goes off the rails: Kelly Clarkson vs. Dragons Love Tacos, Teddy's brutally honest observations, a coffee shop Pretty Woman moment, why Courtney hates magicians, Shane Gillis' gas station sunglasses energy, and a mysterious Chicago conspiracy involving a billionaire, dark money, rats, and a luxury melange of nuts that leads to a truly shocking revelation Kate never saw coming. She closes with how this week's accidental theme of deception connects to the new Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything and gives a high-level, spoiler-free review. For a deeper dive, go to patreon.com/bethereinfive. Enjoy! PRE-ORDER Kate's upcoming book, She's Let Herself Go, out 4/27/27! And, if you haven't picked up her first book, the NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial, check it out here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Wake up with clearer skin, smoother hair, and cooler…

This week, Kate is joined by fellow Chicagoan Katie Shober, founder of Beach Reads & Bubbly, the beloved book community that started as recommendations on her personal Instagram and grew into roughly 300 book clubs around the world. First, Kate introduces her new book's title and concept and shares more context for what she's been working on the past three years (feel free to skip to the interview!) Then, Kate and Katie get into Goodreads finally adding half stars, the Alix Earle "Dr. Seuss" discourse, the chili pepper spice economy, why romance keeps publishing afloat while getting none of the respect, and the Edward Cullen to mob boss pipeline. They also talk about how anyone with small kids actually finds time to read, the Yesteryear backlash, and how reading got swept up in optimization culture. Plus, Katie brings a stack of recs: reading-rut breakers, a Halloween murder mystery, an entry-level "Brad," and an underrated book she thinks everyone should be talking about. Enjoy! Pre-order Kate's new book…

The Cornell 7, Consent, Why are you adding me on LinkedIn? This week, Kate is up late whisper-screaming into the mic, starting with condescending religious commenters and meandering into a conversation about the Cornell 7 that wasn't going to be the episode but then became the episode. Kate walks through what the lawsuit and Jane Doe's 2024 statements actually say, asks why a DA publicly litigated her account before a grand jury could hear it, and talks about the pride she feels toward the student journalists at the Cornell Daily Sun who broke the story. From there, she turns to why this story hits women so hard beyond just, like, having a pulse, and why so many millennial women are sitting with the discomfort of the blackout culture we laughed off, the Wedding Crashers and Tucker Max era that made boundaries feel negotiable, the whiplash of going from purity culture to trying to pretend to be "chill," and the gray areas so many of us are still sorting through. Plus: what she's thinking about as the mom of a…

This week, Kate sits down with Shannon of the Fluently Forward podcast to unpack the backlog of pop culture topics she's been wanting to dig into with someone who cares about this stuff as much as she does. Together, they mourn the lost golden age of blind items and survey the full spectrum of celebrity gossip, from publicist-planted DeuxMoi sightings to full-blown conspiracy theories. They discuss the nepo best friend economy, obsess over Olivia Rodrigo, dig into the Gracie vs. Audrey discourse, and get into high-status versus low-status comedy and why some bits land, followed by a brief Joe Alwyn symposium. They also discuss press tour lore, compare celebrity-sighting iPhone notes, and explore why the Pussycat Dolls shaped a generation, among other things. For the other half of the crossover, head to Fluently Forward's feed. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS The RealReal: Get $25 off your first purchase at TheRealReal.com/bethereinfive Monarch: Get your first year of Monarch Core half off (just $50) with code…

This week, Kate crashes out over an influencer's crash out about a friend allegedly copying her home, but it happens to be a home that looks like so many others online, it's basically the Instagram Face of fancy homes. Kate goes through the series slide by slide, and discusses adjacent topics, like "stop copying me" being girlhood's first legal argument, the time her own wedding website got copied word for word, and the difference between a scullery and a butler's pantry, which she learned against her will. Then it spirals into the bigger thing she couldn't let go of: why influencer homes went from farmhouse to organic modern to old-world European right as everything got too shoppable, how the tastemakers who popularized those looks are now fleeing them upmarket, Kyle Chayka's AirSpace and why every "unique" house converges into sameness in the name of individuality, a Fashion Ambitionist throwback, a bar cart eulogy (the memories fade, the bitters last forever), and a meditation on scallops nobody asked…

This week, Nora McInerny joins Kate for a witchy birthday-week episode that escalates from lyric trivia and vintage Girl Talk into a full unlicensed spiritual review via tarot, numerology, astrocartography, and a 1982 birthday book, as read by two women who believe in nothing and also everything as long as it works in their favor. They investigate whether it's illegal to talk to dolphins, unpack the broken-smile industrial complex of 2000s love songs, mourn the lost art of the local commercial, and make the case that your ancestors are not, in fact, thinking about you. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. That's Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item…

This week, Kate is back from the book-deadline trenches with a mini dive inspired by the many fellow Beths who misread Brenda Song's new NFL gig as "color analyst." What follows is a journey through a brief history of "having your colors done" and why we can't resist things that offer to help us explain ourselves to ourselves. Also covers Taylor Swift's Grammy Museum interview, some theories on Harry and Meghan's big move, and an elder-millennial's defense of KATSEYE. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! If you're looking to make a small change in your routine, you can get 15% off your first order at Blueland.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's 15% off your first order at Blueland.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Oversized, ultra-plush, and completely built for your best summer days. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. That's code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey,…

This week (for ep 2), Kate is joined by friends of the pod, Nora McInerny and Caroline Moss, for a group hang that begins with scorpions in Nora's laundry and only escalates from there. The three of them get into the perils of too many fourth-wall breaks on House of Stassi and the collective decline of reality TV, then Kate debuts a best friend game where everyone gets assigned a day of the week and a breakfast cereal, and unveils her own Catholic corner featuring Saint Magnus, certified babe. Also on the docket: the Berenstain Bears, Jen Hamilton and "meemaw," Nora's domestic era, a live experiment in surveillance capitalism involving the price of Spam, and a genuinely terrible game involving removing a letter from movie titles. Go to Nora's feed for "It's Going to Be Ok" for more, enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. And you…

This week, Kate asks an important question for the sake of equality in the workplace: can a woman carry two bags and be taken seriously? Can her bracelets clank? Jury's out, and she felt inspired to take on the genre of body language coaching and weird advice people give women about how to behave. Then, she opens the floor to the Beths, who deliver a cornucopia of workplace advice: lower your register, fix your vocal fry, no jingly earrings, no hair tie on your wrist, no mouse in the meeting, etc. Kate also revisits the letter grade she lost in college for bending over to plug in her laptop, unpacks why "taken seriously" is such a weird passive phrase, and makes the case that this is somehow worse in 2026 than it was in 2008, among other things. Enjoy! Lagoon Sleep — Go to LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial. Hungryroot — You're going to love Hungryroot as much as…

This week, the air quality is apocalyptic, parents everywhere are staring down the summer childcare cliff, and Kate is feeling pro-tantrum.. What starts as a meditation on the summers of yore turns into one on modern parenting and why we never stood a chance. Through a mix of personal stories and listener submissions, this episode gets into the Nature Valley bars of motherhood (things that are structurally designed to crumble no matter what you do), and Kate unpacks why the U.S. treats raising the next generation of taxpayers as a private, elective hobby, and why calling motherhood "natural" is the exact trick that lets everyone avoid paying for it, among other things. If you've ever felt like you're losing your mind trying to balance the demands of work and modern society with the realities of parenting, you aren't crazy. Take a deep breath (indoors), and let's vent. Enjoy! Want to help build a follow-up about how we can stand a chance? Send your childcare life hacks, workarounds, and unconventional setups…

This week, Kate briefly debriefs her week at Cannes Lions during a record-breaking heat wave, including how she accidentally hired a private French bodyguard in an armored Maybach, sweat off her spray tan across the Côte d'Azur, and what it's like to be at Coachella for vague marketing babes without AC when your brain is so fried you give the AC repairman the wrong room number and it stays broken. Then Sami Sage (co-founder of Betches, host of the Morning Announcements) joins for a catch-up covering the lead up to Taylor and Travis's MSG wedding, Joe Alwyn and Sarah Pidgeon making out at Hampstead Heath, being hot as an internet career skill, canopy beds as class warfare, rare 90s aesthetics, whether Alex Mack was the original Inside Out, past lives, the word incontrovertible, and why Sami doesn't believe in snowboarding. Enjoy! Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. You're going to love…

This week, Kate chats with PEN15 co-creator Anna Konkle for a conversation that's equal parts silly and heavy, like the last two people awake at a sleepover asking about the meaning of life and swapping stories of their first thong. They discuss Anna's new memoir, The Sane One, and how it explores a different kind of nostalgia than her previous work, touching on topics like the grief, estrangement, and reconciliation that anchor the book, hand-slapping games like Miss Mary Mack, the kind of love for your child that's so pure it almost scares you, and what it was like to be chosen as a Filene's Basement model. Along the way, they dive into the surprising relationship between the academia of clowning and playing a 13-year-old in PEN15, reminisce about AIM, Disney Channel free previews, sleepover paranormal rituals, and spiral about gentle parenting and the importance of boredom. It's a conversation about memories, motherhood, creativity, and all the tiny emotional truths that never quite leave us, with detours…

This week, Kate meanders through "I Knew It, I Knew You" and the Toy Story 5 premiere, why she's changed her tune on the rumored Madison Square Garden wedding venue, and goes on various passionate detours about golf, a dramatic reading of Luke Bryan's "Fish Hunt Golf Drink," and digs through a moldy pouch of 2019 Post-it topics that yields takes on Ariel Charnas, Caroline Calloway, City High, Yikes pencils, and middle school cool-girl names. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus they have fast + free shipping! Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! For the dads, stepdads, grandpas, and every…

This week, it's just Kate, an Aperol Spritz, and the tech bro quote about wine that accidentally kicked off the conversation we've all been needing about optimization culture and being tired of treating every part of life like a performance review. Plus, a round of News You Can Use about why fruit hasn't been sweet since 1996, this season's hottest mnemonic devices, the babydoll dress of it all, and reviewing what Olivia Rodrigo is doing differently in Drop Dead and The Cure, all of it strangely circling back to living in a world that quantifies us without letting the number become the whole story. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus…

This week, Kate sits down with Stephani Young, the journalist (and longtime Beth!) behind the viral investigative podcast Love Trapped, the year-plus deep dive into the Clayton Echard paternity scandal that turned out to be so much bigger than a Bachelor Nation headline. Kate opens with why a story like this is so culturally tricky to talk about and the tension between believing women and recognizing when the systems built to protect them get weaponized. Then Kate and Stephani get into how the story spans not just Clayton but a years-long pattern involving multiple men that ultimately led to 14 felony indictments. They also discuss Stephani's editorial process, in terms of building the series in parallel with how internet sleuths discovered it in real-time, what got cut, what landed her in legal review, and the moment she became part of the story when Laura's emails started arriving in her inbox too. Listen to Love Trapped first (truly, do not proceed without it), then come back. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS…

This week, Kate is joined by Caroline Moss for an episode that was supposed to be about modern pop culture and somehow turned into mostly topics from 1998. They get into the longevity industrial complex and Kate's pitch for an old-age commune, the unhinged Duggar honeymoon prep CD, Lydia and Zach's definition of "naughty," and a Full House deep dive featuring Stephanie's catering arc and Hot Daddy and the Monkey Puppets. Caroline also tells a crazy true story of her fifth grade graduation, where a major celeb showed up in leather pants and every parent in town gaslit their children about it for twenty years. Plus: a potato chip flavor power ranking, the difference between fashion that works in a mirror shot versus in real life, Caroline's full Summer House theory, and more! Enjoy. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. Plus if you want to include their fan favorite minis duo, you can save up to $350! Visit…

This week, Kate is trying something new by returning to her old form. After taking time off and noticing her comment section brain rot, she's trying to get back to occasional one-pass, no-edits, no-looking-things-up format to practice for a live format of the show coming soon. It's the kind of episode where Reneesme, Billie Eilish, Five Below, and the Epstein files all somehow end up in the same conversation and it almost tracks. Also, some musing about the discomfort of realizing the millennial girlhood pipeline of Limited Too to Abercrombie to Victoria's Secret was built and run by men who turned out to be predators, and the connection between frat bro philanthropy shirts and A&F. Plus, everything's coming up Kate following a streak of good luck that she thinks might have something to do with a haunted candle. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the…

This week, Kate sits down with Caro Claire Burke, author of the hit debut novel Yesteryear, the trad wife time travel thriller that triggered a publishing bidding war, has already been optioned by Anne Hathaway, and is Good Morning America's April book club pick. They discuss a variety of topics within the book (with spoilers, FYI), including how you write an unreliable narrator whose worldview fundamentally opposes your own, the layers of performance that start with God and end with the algorithm, why Natalie is deserving of sympathy as both a victim and a bad person, the Ballerina Farm and Ruby Franke parallels, Caleb as a vacant vessel, why the twist ending had Kate pacing at 2 AM rethinking her life choices, and how the epilogue reframes everything. They also detour into Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the Taylor Frankie Paul of it all, plus sleepover discourse against Caro's will, how they both relate to Natalie's experience with being publicly perceived, and Caro's experience selling the book and film…

This week, Kate is breaking her hiatus for a special report recorded before Thursday's news that ABC was scrapping TFP's season of The Bachelorette. Ultimately, she decided this episode was still a relevant conversation to have, given that she and her guest (Sam Dalton, LCSW @sam.the.therapistt) talked through the systems and cycles that made this week's fallout unsurprising long before the video leaked. Together, they unpack the rose colored glass ceiling of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where women perform rebellion without ever actually leaving the structures that constrain them. They discuss how ABC and Hulu built a cross-platform content pipeline on top of a woman's unresolved trauma, why the show's premise was always rooted in Taylor's reactivity, the pattern of Dakota's strategic sabotage, what it means when healing requires the opposite of what reality TV rewards, and the uncomfortable question of why so many of us, Kate included, glossed over a 2023 aggravated assault charge that was packaged as the…

This week, Kate attempts to revive (but then mostly records a new version of) a fan-favorite Patreon from 2021 about the way Taylor Swift pronounces words. We're talking plosives, brain-scratching vowels, and why certain words sung a certain way make you want to listen again, but with updated takes from Midnights to TTPD to Showgirl. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Caraway's cookware set is a favorite for a reason, it can save you up to $230 versus buying the items individually. Plus, if you visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF you can take an additional 10% off your next purchase.This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF or use code BTIF at checkout. Caraway. Non-Toxic kitchenware made modern. Discover how care in every detail transforms simple routines into moments of true comfort and ease. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off. And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey,…

This week, Kate and Caroline Moss revisit the beloved Mama Slay at the Lake episode with a director's cut of our delirious 6 AM conversation about irreverent merch, warm beans, Facebook walls, Maxine culture, and Steve Madden platform loafers, followed by a brand new conversation where we get into pun drift, Disney adults in matching shirts, the grievance merch pipeline, Kate's Hamilton/American Girl mashup, and why lake town signs are the truest window into the suppressed psyche of second home motherhood. JFK Jr. and CBK content will be up later today on Patreon! Enjoy. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Join the loyalty program for renters at joinbilt.com/bethereinfive - Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Caraway's cookware set is a favorite for a reason, it can save you up to $190 versus buying the items individually. Plus, if you visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF you can take an additional 10% off…

This week, Kate revisits an infamous episode from March 2020 about dips, sauces, and dipping sauces. Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Right now, Betterwild is offering our listeners up to 40% off your order at Betterwild.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Betterwild.com/BETHEREINFIVE for up to 40% off your order. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off. And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here! Celebrate everyday love with comfort that makes the little moments count. For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Instead of striving for perfect health, aim for supporting foundational health. Save 25% on…

The culture that made the Beths say the Beth culture was for them. Mashup ep with 40+ min of new audio. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out, or just a much-needed wardrobe refresh – your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to REVOLVE.com/BETHEREINFIVE, shop my edit, and take 15% off your first order with code BETHEREINFIVE. Offer ends February 2nd, so happy shopping! Right now, Baked by Melissa is offering our listeners 20% off your order at Bakedbymelissa.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Bakedbymelissa.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 20% off your order. Join the loyalty program for renters at joinbilt.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's joinbilt.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF or use code BTIF at checkout. Caraway. Non-Toxic kitchenware made modern. These viral pj's are so good…

This week, Kate has an announcement that she shares at the beginning of the episode that will then explain the rest of the episode and why its title may sound familiar. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Right now, Betterwild is offering our listeners up to 40% off your order at betterwild.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's betterwild.com/BETHEREINFIVE for up to 40% off your order. Start the New Year off right and give your home the luxury it deserves, and make home the best part of life. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off. And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here! You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. Rehydrate with better hydration from Liquid I.V. Tear. Pour.…

This week, Kate reflects on 2025 for feeling depleting yet not defining, exhausting and sometimes forgettable; a year of endless micro-trends, political chaos, and moment sludge that somehow left very little to hold onto. Fun! She dives into "viral death cycle" and why nothing sticks anymore, explores the three stages of aging out of culture, explores why many of us feel our brains are broken, and processes the weird grief of realizing you're no longer "becoming" someone but existing deep in a routine, all while she grapples with her uncool taste in apples. TLDR: a contemplative, honest, sometimes vulnerable year-end reflection about culture, the internet, our interests, and Kate's job at the intersection, and how this is the first year she felt like she's officially getting old. Happy Holidays! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting AuraFrames.com to get…

This week, Kate welcomes back Sarah Chapelle (Taylor Swift Style) to discuss the first two episodes of Disney+'s The End of an Era docuseries. They dissect the emotional weight of episodes 1 and 2; from the devastating Vienna terror plot and Southport attack to Taylor's leadership style, bonus day generosity, and the physical toll of performing and beyond. Kate and Sarah analyze what the docuseries reveals about Taylor's collaborative process with her team, they predict future episodes (Miami costumes? Travis spotlight?), debate burning questions (Why no debut representation? Justice for YOYOK! What's the deal with the high-low ombre dress?), and explore whether the docuseries does a better job showing "the life of a showgirl" than the album itself. Overall, a thoughtful, detailed, and fun conversation about what makes this tour and this documentary still so compelling three years later. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for…

This week, Kate investigates Elf on the Shelf: cute Christmas tradition or late-capitalist nightmare? After a simple Instagram question turned into hundreds of responses about surveillance capitalism, invisible labor, and performative parenting, she started to unpack what this manufactured tradition reveals about millennial parenting, Christmas magic, and the mental load of the holidays. Can it just be holly-jolly casual for those of us who like light whimsy labor, or does it have to match its corresponding oppressive, mischievous Christmas elf canon? Plus, the suspicious origin story of Christopher Pop-in-kins and whether Elf on the Shelf's biggest crime isn't the ziplining across the kitchen on dental floss, but intellectual property theft. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Right now, Baked by Melissa is offering our listeners 20% off your order at Bakedbymelissa.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Bakedbymelissa.com/BETHEREINFIVE…

This week, Kate's peer pressuring you to listen to an episode about the DARE program in the 90s and how it made every fifth grader in America incredibly wary of adults wearing trench coats. From winning essay contests and meeting Darren the Lion to interpretive dance performances and questionable field trips, listeners' stories did not disappoint. This episode also explores the program's history, why DARE may have worked to spook many of us but was statistically ineffective, the surprisingly dark surveillance tactics involving kids as informants, and the wild MLM-adjacent structures behind the program's expansion. Enjoy! Works Cited https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/modern-american-history/article/dare-to-say-no-police-and-the-cultural-politics-of-prevention-in-the-war-on-drugs/2DF294BFCC638BFC0CC7744742401937 https://www.cerd.org/d-a-r-e-s-programs-cost-soars-past-1-billion-with-little-accounting/ https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/09/dare-history-police-surveillance-schools.html Order Kate's NYT…

This week, Kate has Nora McInerny back for their tradition of poorly recapping The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. They do a better job this time of actually talking about the show, and after catching up on Nora's Groupons, they go through the main SLOMW storylines while drawing parallels with the current legendary season of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Take advantage of this exclusive offer: For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out, or just a little style refresh – your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to REVOLVE.com/BETHEREINFIVE, shop my edit, and take 15% off your first order with code BETHEREINFIVE. Fast two-day shipping, easy returns – it's literally the only place you need to shop from. So today or some quiet…

A casual late night monologue, gabbing about things on Kate's mind, including but not limited to: Hilary Duff's new single "Mature" Speaking of age gaps, Kat Stickler and John Mayer dating?? Celeb plastic surgery content Danielle Bernstein's wedding, which turned out was the engagement party Shay Mitchell's new company selling SHEET MASKS TO THE CHILDREN Performing beauty rituals in front of young kids What Kate, an adult, used on her face/skin in that pope video One month of Life of a Showgirl Rosalia's Lux and the joy of a creative risk that challenges your attention span Lily Allen's West End Girl and discourse about the discourse ENJOY! links -- https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2810333 Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code BETHEREINFIVE on top of their sitewide sale at cozyearth.com— giving you up to 40% off in savings. These deals won't last, so start…

This week, Kate's trying something new during her off week: a Fall/Halloween-themed mashup episode pulling together some of her favorite topically adjacent clips from the past 7+ years of Be There in Five. Includes segments from Make Your Christian Brothers Autumnal, Ween Pics, Spooky Snorkel, and Wicked Witch of the Midwest, covering foliage conspiracies, cozy chasing, how Claire ate the muffins, Now & Then-style seances and sleepover occult rituals, ghost fashions, the historical context of witches, why millennials are attached to fall, and so much more. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Hey Beths, did you know all of your favorite podcasts, including Be There in Five are on Amazon Music? We all know finding the best listening platform can be a challenge, but Amazon Music does it right. They make the process seamless from start to finish. You can even listen on any Alexa-powered devices you have. All you have to say is…

This week, Kate is joined by friends of the pod (Nora McInerny and Caroline Moss) for a delightfully chaotic convo about DWTS that starts with Groupons, the jewelry heist, millennial dentures, car shopping, and more. Then, the second half of the episode, seasoned fans Kate and Caroline share their favorite DWTS lore and celeb gossip with newcomer Nora, and they dissect the current season: who could win, who should win, who should be sent home, and what they believe to be the heart and soul of the show. Fun for watchers of DWTS and newcomers alike! Enjoy. Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro chit chat, Groupon needles in your face, jewelry heist, car shopping 00:35:20 Kate's solo thoughts on this DWTS season's success and how the internet is changing the experience 00:52:47 Group DWTS discussion SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Right now, Baked by Melissa is offering our listeners 20% off your order at…

This week, for part 2 of our hobbies series, Kate reads listener emails about pursuing new hobbies as an adult and their profound impact on personal fulfillment, mental health, and community building. Ranging from arts & crafts to whale watching, canine nosework to online sleuthing and beyond, the Beths share heartfelt anecdotes about the simple pleasures and unexpected connections they've found through prioritizing joy and leisure. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off! And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, make sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here on Be There in Five! Take advantage of this exclusive offer: For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for…

A stream of consciousness about TS12 with Kate after she had a couple days to let it marinate. Back to hobbies next week. :) Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off! And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, make sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here! Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for their Fall Savings Event from October 1 2025 →October 6th, 2025 for 20% off site wide. That's helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for their Fall Savings Event from October 1 2025 → October 6th, 2025 for 20% off site wide. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you! Get healthy, glowing skin for fall with clean, vegan skin and body care from OSEA. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code BETHEREINFIVE at OSEAMalibu.com. You'll get free samples with every order, and free shipping on orders over $50. Instead…

This week, Kate and her guest Carmen James (@thegoodcarmablog) chat about all things related to adult hobbies. The first half is Kate musing about nostalgic hobbies, sharing her own recent ventures, and the importance of finding identity and joy in leisurely activities. Then, Kate and Carmen discuss a variety of topics, e.g., finding community through crafting, why hobbies feel fraught for millennials, the joy of getting lost in creative flow, and why domestic arts shouldn't require feminist disclaimers. Enjoy!

A nostalgic deep-dive into the last era of millennial optimism, when we got to figure out who we wanted to be before the algorithm told us who we already were. Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS who make producing an independent show possible. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out, or just a little style refresh – your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to REVOLVE.com/BETHEREINFIVE, shop my edit, and take 15% off your first order with code BETHEREINFIVE. Fast two-day shipping, easy returns – it's literally the only place you need to shop from. Offer ends September 28th, so happy shopping! Reboot your fall wardrobe with elevated essentials from Marc Fisher. Shop the new collection and receive 10% off your purchase with my new code BETHEREINFIVE10 at marcfisherfootwear.com. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for 40% off! And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, make sure to let…

This week, Kate answers listener texts and voicemails. She snorkels left chest logo polo critters of yesterday and today, organizes mall chain restaurants into experiential tiers, power ranks Gatorade flavors, and explores a world where the Cullens' immortality problems are simply solved by homeschooling. Yep, that's the episode. Enjoy! tiers of mall chain restaurants, Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus they have fast + free shipping! Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! Fuel your day with the freshest, best-tasting meal delivery made by award-winning chefs. Go to cookunity.com/bethereinfivefree or enter code…

This week, Kate brings in a friend of hers and a friend of the pod, Lucy Carey (aka @lucyontheground), for an in-depth discussion about the series "The Summer I Turned Pretty" [ALERT: the TV series version, they aren't book experts]. They explore the cultural phenomenon of the series, its massive viewership, intense stan-dom, the love triangle, and complex character dynamics between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah (and Redbird??). They go through key moments, episodes, character motivations, songs, Easter eggs, Jere and Belly's biggest flops, and so much more. Don't listen if you aren't open to speculating about the ending :) Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! Go to cookunity.com/bethereinfivefree or enter code…

This week, Kate listened to a two-hour football podcast and lives to tell the tale. In this podcast episode about a podcast episode, Kate obsesses over a 30-something woman and her boyfriend existing and being normal, which surprisingly turned out to be the best entertainment of all. She recaps Taylor Swift's unprecedented appearance on New Heights, where we learned about TS12: The Life of a Showgirl, coming October 3rd. She breaks down her personal interview highlights, from SAT vocab words to otters to human exclamation marks and having fun. She was particularly struck by the Sourdough (10-minute version) airtime that was devoted exclusively to bread puns. She also talks through what we know so far about TS12 and gets excited to make space for more Blank Space pop on this album, exclusively produced by Max Martin and Shellback. Enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Did you know all of your favorite podcasts, including Be…

This week, Kate's interviewing Lee Tilghman, also known as @LeeFromAmerica, who was one of the very first major wellness influencers on social media. To her nearly 400k followers, she shared daily updates on everything from skincare and sleep hacks to smoothie bowls, travel tips, and workout routines, and her sponsorships netted an income of over $300k a year. On the grid, her life seemed perfect. But behind her carefully curated posts, Tilghman was in crisis, suffocating from the unrelenting demand of keeping up her online facade. She found herself viewing everything she did as potential content for Instagram, her relationships suffered, and her job's focus on food led her to develop an unhealthy obsession with eating "perfectly." After a stay in a mental health facility to address her disordered eating and psychological decline, Tilghman quit influencing as her primary career and set out to discover who she really was by leaving it all behind. Or did she? In this episode, Kate and Lee discuss her memoir…

This week, join Kate and Caroline Moss as they chat through a variety of topics, from nostalgic summers that turned shitty to off-broadway dreams becoming realities in the big city. They discuss things like the Coldplay couple, Labubus, the importance of a modern-day Girls rewatch, the likability trap, Gen Z's relationship to social media, the attention economy, and, most importantly, Caroline shares her journey to becoming a producer of the off-Broadway play 'Dilaria,' starring Conrad Fisher himself (#teamconnie). Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Hey Beths, did you know all of your favorite podcasts, including Be There in Five are on Amazon Music? All you have to say is 'Alexa, play the podcast Be There In Five on Amazon Music.' Or if you're listening on your phone, just download the Amazon Music app, search for "Be There In Five" and click "Follow." To pick up my amika favorites, go to…

This week, join Kate as she returns to form (2+ hour early BTI5-style rambling) by going through an old PowerPoint she found on her computer about Taylor Swift's evolution from diary-style songwriter to mythological storyteller through increasingly complex literary references. From "Love Story" fairytale princess to The Albatross and Cassandra the cursed prophet, how has Taylor deliberately written herself into literary archetypes as both artistic strategy and psychological self-defense? TLDR; a chaotic TS deep dive with a (hopefully) entertaining payoff about why our "crazy" fan behavior might actually be anthropologically normal. Topics covered: The difference between symbolic self-portraiture and literal autobiography Greek gods vs. monotheistic religious figures (and why it matters for fandom behavior) Guillermo del Toro's quote about Taylor's "deep interest in fable and myth" Why "Mastermind" is more about childhood loneliness than strategic planning "The Albatross" and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner…

This week, Kate starts by talking about water table culture, Le Creuset mystery boxes, and attempting to reclaim her adult hobbies, then she's joined by Katie Gatti Tassin (Money with Katie, Diabolical Lies) to talk about her book Rich Girl Nation, which analyzes the unique experiences women have with money and discusses a variety of fascinating cultural, economic, social and financial intersections related to navigating capitalism as a woman. They talk about the co-opting of investment terminology in the name of consumerism and "self-care," the hot girl hamster wheel of pricey beauty maintenance, as well as touch on societal influences on women's financial habits, the significance of prenups, and effective strategies for negotiating salaries, and more. Enjoy! TRACK FIVE CHICAGO is on Saturday, July 19. Get your tix here! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Check out my favs at loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE…

This week, Kate reviews America's Sweethearts season 2 on Netflix and tells the tale of how last year's Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders episode became one of BTI5's biggest hits— and biggest headaches. When current DCC members flooded her TikTok comments defending themselves against former teammate Victoria's mild birthday party observations, Kate found herself thunderstruck by cheerleader drama she never saw coming, and she'll never be the same. A year later, Kate returns to process what really went down behind the scenes and what she learned about internet drama, institutional dynamics, and the difference between nice girls and kind people. But she doesn't just break down her personal breakdown, she also recaps season two and reviews the pay negotiations that dominated this season, Shandy's mysterious Bahamas incident, Jada's incredible leadership, Dayton's return to Saturn (but not The Star), and examines how each season humanized the women in different ways. Originally recorded for Patreon, this episode…

This week, Kate is joined by Nora Princiotti (host of Every Single Album, author of Hit Girls) to talk about the women who built pop's shiniest decade, like Taylor, Britney, Avril, Ashlee, Beyonce, and beyond. First, they tackle the news that Taylor Swift now owns her masters, then discuss some thoughts about Reputation TV and TS12 clownery, and it doesn't take long for Kate to interject and defend her Be There in Five Holes in a Fence era. Then, Nora shares what inspired her new book Hit Girls they and chat about a variety of topics, like how artists such as TS redefined fandom and authorship in the digital age (and how her MySpace posts laid the groundwork for today's stan culture). They also discuss Avril Lavigne's not-like-other-girls brand, how Ashlee Simpson is correlated with why pop is finally being taken seriously, Max Martin's melodic math, and more. A must-listen for anyone obsessed with pop history, parasocial dynamics, or rereading their old Tumblr posts. Enjoy! Order Nora's book, Hit Girls,…

This week, Kate tries a tri-deep dive connecting Addison Rae's evolution, Y2K's one-hit wonders, and the overlap of both TRL and Tiktok's pop generations. Through Addison's candid interviews about stepping away from constant content creation, Kate explores how the machine that once discarded the forgotten pop girls of the early 2000s is long gone... or is it? Kate argues that while social media promised to democratize fame, it's actually created a more insidious system where creators internalize the disposability that labels and entertainment gatekeepers used to impose, making the case that Addison Rae represents a new model of how to game the system back. Plus: Relax, Hailey Bieber isn't a billionaire (yet), Kylie's boob job transparency, S Club 7's tragic economics, YM magazine archaeology, and why we need to stop treating one-hit wonders like cautionary tales when they were actually victims of an assembly line designed to churn through young women for profit. Enjoy! Playlists referred to: Making Bead…

Join Kate on all eight of her days trying to Eat Pray Love. Back to reg programming next episode. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Check out loveamika.com/bethereinfive for my favorites. And for May they are giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of May. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.

This week, Kate is joined by her sister Kelly for a classic nostalgic crowdsourced ep with big yearbook staff energy. Listeners submitted their tales related to graduation, senior week, prom, senior pranks, local traditions gone awry, and so much more. Enjoy! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Did you know all of your favorite podcasts, including Be There in Five are on Amazon Music? All you have to say is 'Alexa, play the podcast Be There In Five on Amazon Music.' Or if you're listening on your phone, just download the Amazon Music app, search for "Be There In Five" and click "Follow." Check out loveamika.com/bethereinfive for my favorites. And for May they are giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of May. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Luxury shouldn't be out of reach. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 40% off best-selling sheets, pajamas, and more at cozyearth.com. Shop now during their Memorial Day…

Kate's having a rough week, so she called in reinforcements (Nora McInerny) to help her discuss the new season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, but not before they discuss other pressing pop culture topics like the new pope. Enjoy! For May Amika is giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of May. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the Memorial Day Sale, which is 27% Off Sitewide + a Free Bedding Bundle (Sheet Set and Mattress Protector) with any Luxe or Elite Mattress Order. This is exclusive for listeners of Be There in Five! That's helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the 2025 Memorial Day Sale. For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive. Get 20% off your first…

This week, Kate unpacks the art, science, and history of gossip with Kelsey McKinney (from the beloved podcast Normal Gossip and author of NYT bestselling book You Didn't Hear This From Me). They explore a variety of angles for this topic, such as how dismissing gossip as "women's talk" has historically been a tool of patriarchal control, religious institutions, or corporations, etc., and how gossip networks have actually served as feminist resistance channels throughout history. They also examine their complicated relationship with parasocial relationships and "entitlement gossip," forever navigating the fine line between being messy Bs who love tea and recognizing gossip's legitimate social power. Enjoy! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! For April, Amika is giving the Beths a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of April. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code…