Full Transcript for Say the Weird Thing: Embracing Laughter as Medicine with Ann Marie Taepke

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WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:02.370 So like that's another thing too like say the weird 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:05.480 thing like you don't know maybe why that popped into 3 00:00:05.500 --> 00:00:07.620 your head i'm not saying that like anyone is psychic 4 00:00:07.639 --> 00:00:10.019 or anything like that but like maybe. 5 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:12.769 The universe is trying to push you in a certain. 6 00:00:12.589 --> 00:00:13.210 Direction so. 7 00:00:37.460 --> 00:00:39.640 Anne-Marie Tapke is in the house. 8 00:00:39.719 --> 00:00:43.280 Hello. 9 00:00:43.939 --> 00:00:46.399 Friends, I am so happy. I am so happy Anne-Marie 10 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:48.039 is here and I'm so happy for you to meet 11 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:50.320 her and for you to just kind of be a 12 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:52.719 bug on the wall, if you will, for two ladies 13 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:56.159 from the Midwest having a chat about life, liberty, and 14 00:00:56.179 --> 00:01:00.119 the pursuit of happiness. Just two gals. Just two gals. 15 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:04.189 Two gals catching up over their coffee at noon. 16 00:01:04.739 --> 00:01:09.280 Coffee at noon. Cheers. I love that I added a 17 00:01:09.340 --> 00:01:14.180 teeny bit extra Midwest accent to my cheers. So Anne-Marie, 18 00:01:14.659 --> 00:01:18.420 you have quite a story. And I normally start these 19 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:21.980 episodes off by kind of reading through a little bit 20 00:01:22.019 --> 00:01:25.140 more of like a history of your life. And instead 21 00:01:25.180 --> 00:01:27.620 of doing that, I thought maybe you should tell us. 22 00:01:27.819 --> 00:01:30.739 So like if you were meeting you for the first time, 23 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:33.370 which I know a lot of us know you already 24 00:01:33.549 --> 00:01:36.150 as our Midwest neighbor friend, you know, but if we 25 00:01:36.209 --> 00:01:38.489 were meeting you for the first time, how would you 26 00:01:38.730 --> 00:01:41.709 kind of introduce yourself to people that aren't already aware 27 00:01:41.730 --> 00:01:42.439 of your awesomeness? 28 00:01:44.109 --> 00:01:45.980 You're very kind. Thank you. I'm going to do the 29 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.280 Midwest thing where like, anytime you compliment me, I'm going 30 00:01:48.299 --> 00:01:52.579 to immediately be like, Oh no, no, no. Um, but yeah, 31 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:56.260 that's a great, yeah, no, yeah, no, you're so you're, 32 00:01:56.540 --> 00:02:00.549 it's too much. Um, Really good question because I meet 33 00:02:00.650 --> 00:02:04.870 people and sometimes they don't know the lore of how 34 00:02:04.930 --> 00:02:08.629 I got started. So my current job is that I 35 00:02:08.810 --> 00:02:12.240 am the chief marketing officer and producer for the Holderness family, 36 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:15.960 Penn and Kim Holderness. They're fabulous. I have been working 37 00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:18.699 with them actually since 2014, which a lot of people 38 00:02:18.740 --> 00:02:22.030 don't realize. So I've been with them quite a long time. 39 00:02:22.740 --> 00:02:24.979 Once upon a time before they were the family they 40 00:02:25.020 --> 00:02:27.900 are now, they had an agency that I worked at. 41 00:02:27.939 --> 00:02:29.800 They actually kind of stole me away from another agency 42 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:32.159 to work for their company. And then they joked that 43 00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:34.439 they stole me twice when they needed me then for 44 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:38.159 their family brand. So they've taken me with them. And 45 00:02:38.189 --> 00:02:41.789 I feel very, very grateful. I met Penn even before 46 00:02:41.849 --> 00:02:45.009 that when he was a news anchor. So when I 47 00:02:45.030 --> 00:02:47.909 worked at that first agency, they would have people come 48 00:02:47.949 --> 00:02:50.879 on the news because this is such a crazy time. 49 00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:53.699 They would be like, what's everyone saying on Twitter? Like 50 00:02:53.780 --> 00:02:57.259 someone had to come and tell you what everyone was 51 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:59.560 saying on Twitter. You couldn't just read it yourself apparently. 52 00:02:59.699 --> 00:03:02.439 So I would, I, there was like, I was maybe 53 00:03:02.490 --> 00:03:05.009 like eighth in the pecking order for this particular weekend. 54 00:03:05.110 --> 00:03:06.330 And they were like, do you want to go? Cause 55 00:03:06.349 --> 00:03:07.610 none of us can go. And I was like, yeah, 56 00:03:07.629 --> 00:03:10.310 I'll go. And that's when I met Penn and we 57 00:03:10.349 --> 00:03:12.990 kind of developed a rapport. He was like, I love 58 00:03:13.009 --> 00:03:14.750 having you on cause you talk fast and I talk 59 00:03:14.789 --> 00:03:16.719 fast and we can cover a lot of ground. And 60 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:19.280 so It was actually him when they decided to branch 61 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:22.219 off and do their own thing that he then contacted 62 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:23.879 me to be like, let's just have coffee. Let's pick 63 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:26.840 your brain. And that turned into a job interview. So 64 00:03:26.860 --> 00:03:28.280 when people ask me what I do, I do work 65 00:03:28.300 --> 00:03:30.250 for them full time. I help write things. I help 66 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.990 manage their business. I also have this other side of me, 67 00:03:33.990 --> 00:03:35.750 which is kind of my story for my whole life, 68 00:03:35.930 --> 00:03:38.689 which is I'm the very theatrical person. I've always been 69 00:03:38.729 --> 00:03:41.860 in the performing arts. And so Um, I would always 70 00:03:41.900 --> 00:03:45.120 do this crazy Midwest voice, uh, just as a bit, um, 71 00:03:45.219 --> 00:03:47.840 at work. And one day Kim and I were arguing 72 00:03:48.020 --> 00:03:51.280 over a snowstorm coming and she's like, it's going to 73 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:54.280 get really bad. And I'm like, no, it's not Kim.

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74 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:56.979 And I was just being very silly about it. She's like, 75 00:03:57.000 --> 00:03:58.479 that's a video you need to come over. We're going 76 00:03:58.500 --> 00:04:02.150 to shoot that. So that's how the Midwest neighbor was born. 77 00:04:03.750 --> 00:04:04.330 I remember that. 78 00:04:04.349 --> 00:04:05.530 I just talked for a long time. 79 00:04:07.009 --> 00:04:09.050 This is not a place. This is the place we 80 00:04:09.069 --> 00:04:11.930 take up space on purpose. So you have, you can, 81 00:04:11.969 --> 00:04:14.289 you have all the runway you want my love. Um, 82 00:04:14.669 --> 00:04:17.949 and I remember that video, which is so funny because 83 00:04:18.069 --> 00:04:21.730 I remember, because of course in the South, cause Kim 84 00:04:21.769 --> 00:04:24.069 and Penn live in South Carolina, North Carolina. 85 00:04:24.889 --> 00:04:27.310 We are all in North Carolina. We're in the Raleigh area, 86 00:04:27.410 --> 00:04:30.759 Raleigh area. Right. I'm originally from Michigan. I'm a Michigan gal, 87 00:04:30.819 --> 00:04:31.620 but yeah. Right. 88 00:04:31.699 --> 00:04:33.839 Okay. So, and that's where, is that where your Midwest 89 00:04:34.019 --> 00:04:36.720 influence comes from is, is being a Michigan girl. 90 00:04:38.050 --> 00:04:41.470 It does. I grew up in Michigan, but only till 91 00:04:41.490 --> 00:04:44.829 I was like right before kindergarten. And then I moved 92 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:47.519 around a lot as an elementary school kid. I lived 93 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:49.899 in Southern Illinois. I lived in West Texas for. 94 00:04:49.779 --> 00:04:50.399 A long time. 95 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.339 And I think being exposed to different areas of the country, 96 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.730 I kind of like learned that there were accents and dialects. 97 00:04:56.930 --> 00:04:59.110 And so I didn't really understand it when I moved 98 00:04:59.189 --> 00:05:02.889 back for middle school and high school college years. But 99 00:05:03.009 --> 00:05:04.629 definitely when I moved down to North Carolina, I could 100 00:05:04.670 --> 00:05:06.589 hear it. Like when I would go back to visit 101 00:05:06.629 --> 00:05:09.610 my family, I could hear it. And that's kind of 102 00:05:09.649 --> 00:05:11.970 where that was born. Although if you ask my cousin, 103 00:05:11.990 --> 00:05:14.259 I have a very, very big Catholic family. And my 104 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:16.360 cousin and I went to the same college. So when 105 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:19.259 I started doing that voice, he was like, oh, I'm 106 00:05:19.420 --> 00:05:21.459 so glad that voice finally got a home. And I'm like, 107 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:24.519 what are you talking about? And he was like, Amory, 108 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:27.769 you've been doing that bit for like a long time, 109 00:05:27.829 --> 00:05:30.879 like at parties and stuff. So I don't know. I 110 00:05:30.899 --> 00:05:34.040 went to college in mid-Michigan and it attracted a lot 111 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:38.829 of Wisconsinites, people from the UP. And I think maybe 112 00:05:38.850 --> 00:05:41.389 I just picked it up just along the way, along 113 00:05:41.410 --> 00:05:41.870 the journey. 114 00:05:42.750 --> 00:05:45.430 Well, it's funny because you nail it, first of all. 115 00:05:45.850 --> 00:05:49.769 You do nail it because the people in the Raleigh 116 00:05:49.860 --> 00:05:53.480 area versus the people where I'm from in Milwaukee would 117 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:57.160 prepare for a snowstorm very differently. And it's almost like... 118 00:05:57.819 --> 00:06:01.350 So I thought you nailed it and I... based on 119 00:06:01.410 --> 00:06:03.730 just not knowing as much of your lore as I 120 00:06:03.750 --> 00:06:06.189 thought I did, I would have thought that you were 121 00:06:06.230 --> 00:06:08.990 like born and raised in the Midwest. So you are 122 00:06:09.009 --> 00:06:16.089 a very talented, like you said, theatrical person. And I 123 00:06:16.149 --> 00:06:19.620 love it. And I'm wondering though, as a theatrical person 124 00:06:19.689 --> 00:06:22.360 and as somebody that, you know, that friend that said like, 125 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:25.220 or cousin that said like, well, I'm glad this finally 126 00:06:25.259 --> 00:06:29.519 found a home. Did people... call you too much? Like 127 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:32.319 where you like felt like treated like you were like 128 00:06:32.620 --> 00:06:34.889 all these big feelings, what are you doing? Like tone 129 00:06:34.910 --> 00:06:37.490 it down. Did that, was that part of your journey? 130 00:06:39.149 --> 00:06:42.949 A thousand and 1%. That is, oh, I still feel 131 00:06:42.970 --> 00:06:45.199 like I'm too much as an adult. I have to 132 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:51.209 remind myself to like pause, listen, like, don't be too goofy. 133 00:06:52.170 --> 00:06:55.060 And I'm like a mom in her 40s. And that 134 00:06:55.100 --> 00:06:57.180 is crazy to me that I do feel very comfortable 135 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.959 in my own skin. Let me get that point clear. 136 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:01.879 But I do feel like sometimes, especially in new situations, 137 00:07:02.060 --> 00:07:05.680 I have to kind of, you know, don't let's not 138 00:07:05.720 --> 00:07:07.899 weird them out. Not everyone wants to be weirded in, 139 00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:10.279 you know what I mean? So like I, yeah, I, 140 00:07:10.459 --> 00:07:13.980 I always felt that way growing up. Um, I was 141 00:07:14.040 --> 00:07:17.220 never like a popular kid, but I was never unpopular. 142 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:19.160 I was kind of fringy. I was a very fringy 143 00:07:19.220 --> 00:07:22.000 person that would float around to different groups. I mean, I, 144 00:07:22.189 --> 00:07:24.730 and that's kind of my personality now. I like different things. 145 00:07:24.939 --> 00:07:27.949 I have different pockets of people for different interests that

146 00:07:27.990 --> 00:07:31.589 I have. Um, but yeah, yeah. I, I always probably 147 00:07:31.610 --> 00:07:34.189 felt like I was taking up a lot of space. 148 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:36.800 And I was a little bit of a goofball and 149 00:07:36.819 --> 00:07:37.240 still am. 150 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:40.839 Well, I was going to say, it's a strength though. 151 00:07:41.139 --> 00:07:43.589 Like I think of it as something that you, you know, 152 00:07:43.629 --> 00:07:46.589 you have kind of turned it into a superpower by 153 00:07:46.750 --> 00:07:49.189 leaning in and having it become part of what you do, 154 00:07:49.670 --> 00:07:53.180 which is really cool for people that do have that, 155 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:56.100 you know, they are told they're too much. And, you know, 156 00:07:56.319 --> 00:08:00.019 I think there's a certain blessing and just leaning in 157 00:08:00.420 --> 00:08:03.120 and deciding, you know what, this is who I am. 158 00:08:03.699 --> 00:08:06.779 And that's okay if people see me as too much, 159 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:11.050 because this is what I've turned into what I do 160 00:08:11.110 --> 00:08:14.689 for a living. And that's really, honestly, that's a cool 161 00:08:14.829 --> 00:08:17.689 transition point to me to be able to kind of 162 00:08:17.769 --> 00:08:21.560 convert something that maybe people might see or perceive as like, oh, 163 00:08:21.620 --> 00:08:23.740 she says too many things and she uses too many 164 00:08:23.779 --> 00:08:27.360 words and she thinks everything is a joke. And it's like, well, yes, and... 165 00:08:28.420 --> 00:08:32.179 you help people feel seen because people can relate on 166 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.759 a very human level to, to, to being all of 167 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:38.350 those things. So my question, and you kind of alluded 168 00:08:38.409 --> 00:08:40.610 to it a little bit, and I'm just curious about 169 00:08:40.669 --> 00:08:44.149 it because you said, you know, you're a mom and you, 170 00:08:44.269 --> 00:08:47.809 you work through these things. So when you, people recognize 171 00:08:47.850 --> 00:08:51.009 you as like the holderness, the gal behind the holderness family, 172 00:08:51.049 --> 00:08:54.879 like the creative genius behind the holderness family, people recognize 173 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:57.649 you as the Midwest neighbor. But they may not even 174 00:08:57.690 --> 00:09:01.909 really realize who is Anne-Marie when you strip all those 175 00:09:01.929 --> 00:09:05.149 things away. Who is Anne-Marie? Talk us through that. 176 00:09:07.149 --> 00:09:10.360 That's a really good question. I ask myself every day. No. 177 00:09:12.659 --> 00:09:15.580 I think I'm a multifaceted person. If I could just 178 00:09:15.659 --> 00:09:19.259 rewind the tape a little bit. Not in your edit, 179 00:09:19.299 --> 00:09:24.899 just in this discussion, I've always had two sides of 180 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:28.169 the of my brain that I like to exercise. So 181 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:30.039 when I graduated high school, I really wanted to be 182 00:09:30.059 --> 00:09:32.039 a theater major. I did a lot of musical theater. 183 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:34.000 It was, like I said, it was very theatrical. I 184 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:38.840 always loved making people laugh for like the homecoming sketches. 185 00:09:38.899 --> 00:09:41.299 And so I was always in them. I was wearing, 186 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:43.320 I would dress up as whoever you wanted. I would 187 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:45.820 do bits from Saturday Night Live. I would do like 188 00:09:45.860 --> 00:09:49.980 all these goofy, silly things. Um, but I do feel like, um, 189 00:09:49.980 --> 00:09:52.940 I'm also like a pretty deep thinker. Like I can 190 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:55.490 kind of get lost in my own thoughts. I do 191 00:09:55.490 --> 00:09:59.730 surprisingly really enjoy like analytics and numbers and I I 192 00:09:59.789 --> 00:10:02.250 get into that as well my parents this is going 193 00:10:02.269 --> 00:10:03.909 to make them sound like they're not supportive they're extremely 194 00:10:03.950 --> 00:10:06.480 supportive but my parents were like listen you can always 195 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:09.000 do theater in your life you need to make sure 196 00:10:09.009 --> 00:10:11.259 that you have something that you do after high school 197 00:10:11.299 --> 00:10:14.179 that you can make money at like and and theater 198 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:15.879 can always be a thing you do and it can 199 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:19.070 be whatever like the the you can basically pursue it 200 00:10:19.090 --> 00:10:20.860 at whatever level you want, but we want to make 201 00:10:20.899 --> 00:10:23.480 sure that you get something you can fall back on. 202 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:27.480 So they encouraged me to go into business or I, 203 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:30.120 we kind of like work together and marketing seemed really 204 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:32.950 interesting to me because again, I was that kid that 205 00:10:32.970 --> 00:10:35.129 could always remember all the jingles on TV and all 206 00:10:35.149 --> 00:10:38.110 the commercials and like, and I, and I would, you know, 207 00:10:38.370 --> 00:10:41.169 come up with silly things. Like I, with my sister 208 00:10:41.190 --> 00:10:43.700 and I, we would pretend to like do infomercials and stuff. 209 00:10:43.740 --> 00:10:46.289 So I thought that was interesting. And that's really how 210 00:10:46.350 --> 00:10:48.549 I've carried my whole life. When I really stop and 211 00:10:48.570 --> 00:10:50.789 think about it is I have this business side that 212 00:10:50.809 --> 00:10:52.799 I do with pen and cam and I love it. 213 00:10:52.909 --> 00:10:54.649 I really, really love my job. I do a lot 214 00:10:54.690 --> 00:10:57.490 of work behind the scenes that I really enjoy, but 215 00:10:57.509 --> 00:11:00.049 I get to also do this other side thing where 216

00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:03.340 I play this really goofy character. Now, is that confusing 217 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:04.320 to people on LinkedIn? 218 00:11:05.259 --> 00:11:05.600 Yes. 219 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:07.559 And I wrestle with that sometimes too, where it's like, 220 00:11:07.659 --> 00:11:10.399 I'm trying to be super professional business lady, but now 221 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:13.240 I'm doing a crazy voice. But I guess that is 222 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:16.299 just me. That's just who I am. And I don't 223 00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:20.840 think people maybe get worried about, oh, like you said earlier, 224 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:22.970 am I too much? Should I even project this side 225 00:11:22.990 --> 00:11:26.690 of myself? I think you should because people are really interesting. 226 00:11:26.830 --> 00:11:29.669 Like there's a lot of different layers. Everyone's an onion. 227 00:11:30.330 --> 00:11:32.190 And I think it's fun to peel back the layers. 228 00:11:33.429 --> 00:11:36.649 Nice Shrek reference. Everyone is an onion. Indeed. 229 00:11:37.169 --> 00:11:38.159 Everyone's an onion. 230 00:11:38.179 --> 00:11:42.200 It is so fun to peel back the layers. Um, 231 00:11:42.500 --> 00:11:45.399 I got layers. I just hear donkey's voice as, as 232 00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:47.330 all it's, it's like a, it's, it's, it's in my 233 00:11:47.370 --> 00:11:50.409 head and it won't leave. Um, but you know, but 234 00:11:50.429 --> 00:11:53.629 you have spent years like behind the camera. So creating 235 00:11:53.669 --> 00:11:58.429 and producing and strategizing and helping other people shine. So 236 00:11:58.470 --> 00:12:01.360 what is it required of you to believe that you 237 00:12:01.409 --> 00:12:02.500 belong in front of it too? 238 00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:07.970 Um, I think I still even go through spurts where 239 00:12:07.990 --> 00:12:10.870 I'm like, I'm not really feeling it right now. So 240 00:12:11.029 --> 00:12:14.049 the Midwest Neighbor thing took off. I'm very happy it did. 241 00:12:15.450 --> 00:12:18.889 Even before that, I've done different types of like kind 242 00:12:18.929 --> 00:12:21.259 of between the college stuff. I was still doing a 243 00:12:21.250 --> 00:12:23.980 lot of musical theater when I graduated college and went 244 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:24.860 to my first job. 245 00:12:25.100 --> 00:12:25.950 I really hated it. 246 00:12:26.019 --> 00:12:28.139 So I did improv comedy. I took like a whole 247 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:30.159 improv comedy. I had a team for a long time 248 00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:32.889 I was on. I've tried standup comedy. So like, I've 249 00:12:32.909 --> 00:12:36.600 always had something going on kind of over here that 250 00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:40.820 like fulfills my creative and performing arts need that I 251 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:44.440 always have. Or I've like helped teach or something. Like 252 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:49.659 I've always had something over there. But yeah,

there's days 253 00:12:49.710 --> 00:12:53.610 when I just don't feel that into it. I think 254 00:12:53.629 --> 00:12:56.789 that's okay. It comes, there's a lot to put yourself 255 00:12:56.830 --> 00:12:58.610 out there. It's a lot to put yourself out there. 256 00:12:58.690 --> 00:13:02.100 It's a lot to produce content by yourself. It can 257 00:13:02.139 --> 00:13:04.960 be really lonely, especially if you're a team oriented person. 258 00:13:05.139 --> 00:13:07.399 I really like working on a team. Sometimes it's hard 259 00:13:07.450 --> 00:13:09.330 for me to self motivate to get stuff done on 260 00:13:09.370 --> 00:13:12.470 my own. But yeah, the Midwest Neighbor, like I said, 261 00:13:12.490 --> 00:13:14.990 it took off. It's been really fun to do. And 262 00:13:15.149 --> 00:13:18.789 it's spun off into me being able to do bits 263 00:13:18.870 --> 00:13:23.009 with other creators. I've done stuff with the Ubecha channel, 264 00:13:23.049 --> 00:13:26.850 with Charlie Barron's, with Lauren Midwest. I've done some stuff 265 00:13:26.870 --> 00:13:29.129 with some really fun creators. And that's opened a really 266 00:13:29.169 --> 00:13:32.000 cool door for me. Um, but yeah, I mean, sometimes 267 00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:34.250 I have to remind myself and not get so stuck 268 00:13:34.269 --> 00:13:37.409 in my own head of like, it's just like, I 269 00:13:37.909 --> 00:13:40.389 keep repeating myself, but it is very vulnerable to put 270 00:13:40.429 --> 00:13:43.600 yourself out there. And sometimes it's okay if you don't 271 00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:45.279 feel like it. I don't know. I don't know if 272 00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:47.620 that's a good answer, but it is like, it's a 273 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:51.639 constant thing. I think that anyone who is, has any 274 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:54.500 sort of public, I use that air quotes, um, Cause 275 00:13:54.519 --> 00:13:56.720 it doesn't have to be doing crazy videos. You could 276 00:13:56.759 --> 00:13:59.580 be doing anything, but when you're putting yourself out there, 277 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:00.899 there is a vulnerability to it. 278 00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:05.460 And you're using humor as a tool. I think like 279 00:14:05.500 --> 00:14:07.679 that's a, that's a part that's a, it's important part 280 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:10.200 of it because we, okay. We love Charlie Barron's hello. 281 00:14:10.330 --> 00:14:13.620 And Lauren is amazing too. So I had a really 282 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:15.669 cool opportunity to meet Charlie. I don't know if he's, 283 00:14:15.889 --> 00:14:18.629 if he would remember, but we met at a, at a, 284 00:14:18.769 --> 00:14:21.490 it was called, it's called small pie in Bayview, Wisconsin. 285 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:24.899 And we just had like, we shared a coffee and 286 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:27.379 we had a chat and this was kind of legitimately 287 00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:30.299 before things really exploded for him. So it was really 288 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:33.990 just cool to see him outside of the Charlie Barron's 289 00:14:34.070 --> 00:14:36.610 character and just being himself and goofy. And it was, 290 00:14:36.730 --> 00:14:39.850 that was really funny, but I want to know, cause 291 00:14:39.929 --> 00:14:43.750 humor is a huge part of everything we're working through 292 00:14:43.789 --> 00:14:47.639 and talking about. So what can humor do for us? 293 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.600 Like how does humor work for us? in a way 294 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:53.679 that seriousness and thoughtfulness can't. 295 00:14:55.509 --> 00:14:59.090 I think it gets people through hard times. I think 296 00:14:59.110 --> 00:15:02.850 it defuses and deescalates situations. I can't tell you how 297 00:15:02.870 --> 00:15:04.629 many times like my husband and I will be like, 298 00:15:05.230 --> 00:15:07.600 not really having a argument, but more like a disagreement. 299 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:10.379 And if one of us cracks a joke, like it's over, 300 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:13.899 it's not that serious. It's fine. The temperature gets taken down. 301 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:17.879 I think humor is a really underrated tool, even in like, 302 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:21.320 the business world that makes everyone feel at ease. Um, 303 00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:23.659 I wish that it, and, and it doesn't have to 304 00:15:23.700 --> 00:15:26.399 be mean. I think that's the biggest thing is like 305 00:15:27.220 --> 00:15:29.690 people think of like humor and making a joke at 306 00:15:29.730 --> 00:15:35.350 someone else's expense. I don't see comedy and humor that way. 307 00:15:35.610 --> 00:15:39.169 I love making myself the butt of the joke, um, 308 00:15:39.309 --> 00:15:43.440 to deescalate something or just, you know, really like sitting 309 00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:45.419 with someone in the situation and be like, this sucks. 310 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:48.480 Like I think that and just kind of making a 311 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:51.940 joke of that. I think that's really helpful. I don't 312 00:15:52.220 --> 00:15:55.600 something about being Midwestern, too. I feel like whenever there 313 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:59.259 is tragedy and or like someone passes or something, I 314 00:15:59.299 --> 00:16:01.240 do feel like people find a way to laugh and 315 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:04.539 to remember and to bring up stories. And and and 316 00:16:04.590 --> 00:16:06.210 humor is a huge part of that. I think it's 317 00:16:06.250 --> 00:16:09.750 what helps us cope and connect us in times of 318 00:16:10.250 --> 00:16:12.870 struggle and in times of joy. So I think humor 319 00:16:12.950 --> 00:16:14.549 is such such an amazing tool. 320 00:16:15.970 --> 00:16:18.730 And it's a tool you use to reach millions of people. Like, 321 00:16:18.769 --> 00:16:21.029 I don't even know what the, what the analytics are, 322 00:16:21.210 --> 00:16:23.669 but the, the millions of people that are touched and 323

00:16:23.710 --> 00:16:27.309 reached by, it's funny you said 2014, was that Christmas 324 00:16:27.350 --> 00:16:30.600 jammies time? Like, was that around? Cause I can't remember exactly, 325 00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:32.059 but was that Christmas jammies? 326 00:16:32.580 --> 00:16:34.899 I just had my first daughter and I remember I 327 00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:36.960 was like, it was, I was in the throes of 328 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:39.100 brand new motherhood where you're just kind of locked onto 329 00:16:39.139 --> 00:16:42.610 the couch. Cause you're like nursing them and you're just like, 330 00:16:42.850 --> 00:16:46.100 you're just doing everything for them. And I literally like 331 00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:48.820 my jaw hit the floor because Penn, who I just 332 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:51.480 done stuff on the news with, was dancing on my television. 333 00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:55.230 And I was like, this is crazy. And I remember 334 00:16:55.250 --> 00:16:57.009 sending him a note being like, I know you're getting 335 00:16:57.029 --> 00:16:59.929 a million messages, but like, this is so fun. This 336 00:17:00.009 --> 00:17:02.850 is so funny. And I didn't hear from them to 337 00:17:02.889 --> 00:17:06.170 have that meeting until like two or three months later, 338 00:17:06.390 --> 00:17:09.720 just because they were so inundated with so much stuff. 339 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.720 And it's the holiday season. It's busy. But yeah, it 340 00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:14.940 was right after that that I started working with Penn 341 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:15.339 and Kim. 342 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:18.750 And they had a business partner as well. This video 343 00:17:18.769 --> 00:17:21.170 went crazy. Sorry to interrupt you, but it went crazy. No, 344 00:17:21.190 --> 00:17:23.589 you're fine. We need help. So continue with the story. 345 00:17:23.670 --> 00:17:25.049 They're like, what do we do? 346 00:17:25.069 --> 00:17:30.140 And, you know, buttoned up business Anne-Marie. I was like, 347 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:32.180 I'm here. We got that hat. 348 00:17:32.380 --> 00:17:34.299 We got that hat. We got the Midwest Neighbor hat. 349 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:35.900 We got the mama hat. We got all the hats. 350 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:39.779 But the, but the idea of reaching millions of people 351 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:43.359 on the internet in a time when it's gotten harder, 352 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:44.980 I feel like in the last 10 years to get 353 00:17:45.049 --> 00:17:47.809 that kind of reach, what do you think is most 354 00:17:47.890 --> 00:17:51.650 important for people who are creating content to understand about 355 00:17:52.549 --> 00:17:54.910 the realness behind the numbers? Like, I think a lot 356 00:17:54.930 --> 00:17:57.509 of people get stuck there and they're like, well, you know, 357 00:17:57.589 --> 00:18:02.390 my podcast only had 83 views last week. And that's like, oh, 358 00:18:02.950 --> 00:18:07.369 but what, What has seeing those kinds of numbers taught 359 00:18:07.390 --> 00:18:11.289 you about what really matters behind all the numbers? 360 00:18:13.250 --> 00:18:15.309 These are really good questions. And I can think of 361 00:18:15.349 --> 00:18:20.309 like three ways to answer this. Just one is, you know, viral, 362 00:18:20.470 --> 00:18:25.119 things going viral is a very subjective word. So back 363 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.660 10 years ago, something going viral, I feel like really 364 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:29.980 meant something that was like literally everyone and their mom 365 00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:33.299 is seeing it. That's a Christmas jammy situation. But going 366 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:38.470 viral now, there's so many little niche pockets of interests 367 00:18:38.710 --> 00:18:43.130 and people and like, so you could go viral. Let's 368 00:18:43.150 --> 00:18:46.690 say you have a gardening channel, like maybe 50,000 views 369 00:18:46.750 --> 00:18:48.990 for you. That is viral. Like it does not have 370 00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:52.259 to be millions and millions of views. Also, be careful 371 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:55.200 what you wish for. Anything that we've had go really, 372 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:58.400 really crazy off the rails is I mean, you're attracting 373 00:18:58.460 --> 00:19:01.839 now people who aren't necessarily they they're getting served your 374 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:04.799 content that they don't necessarily want to see your content. 375 00:19:05.059 --> 00:19:09.559 And sometimes the comments can get really mean. Again, using 376 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:12.900 humor to defuse situations. Sometimes we would joke like, oh, 377 00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:17.819 we're growing. All the haters are here. We're getting new people, guys. 378 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.779 And like that was just a way for us comedically 379 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:23.180 to deal with, like sometimes very mean and rude comments 380 00:19:23.220 --> 00:19:25.619 that people make. I don't, I believe if you were 381 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:27.690 to meet this person in real life, they would not 382 00:19:27.750 --> 00:19:29.789 say that to you, but they're hiding behind a keyboard. 383 00:19:30.769 --> 00:19:34.549 So yeah, I, I also like, I think of John Green, um, 384 00:19:34.609 --> 00:19:36.269 just because I'm a big fan of his. And I 385 00:19:36.309 --> 00:19:39.369 recently listened to an interview that he had talked about 386 00:19:39.490 --> 00:19:41.470 the tale of two videos. So he had one video 387 00:19:41.829 --> 00:19:43.789 that was very flippant that kind of went viral on 388 00:19:43.869 --> 00:19:47.009 accident and he wasn't super like, it got so much 389 00:19:47.049 --> 00:19:49.609 engagement and he was like, it's a 10 out of 390 00:19:49.609 --> 00:19:51.710 10 video. I should be thrilled. And he's like, but 391 00:19:51.730 --> 00:19:54.420 I'm really excited about the one out of 10 video 392 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:58.019

over here that reached this like really selective audience that 393 00:19:58.059 --> 00:20:01.579 like got a really positive message across where this one 394 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.660 was kind of interpreted a little bit more negative. So like, 395 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:08.059 I think your goals don't have to be that you're 396 00:20:08.099 --> 00:20:08.920 getting a million views. 397 00:20:09.230 --> 00:20:09.589 Views. 398 00:20:09.809 --> 00:20:12.150 I also, I don't follow her count, like to me 399 00:20:12.190 --> 00:20:16.170 doesn't super matter anymore. It's great to have, it's great 400 00:20:16.190 --> 00:20:18.890 to see that number go up. If you are in 401 00:20:18.930 --> 00:20:20.869 a position where you're trying to work with brands, that's 402 00:20:20.890 --> 00:20:24.269 a really great like point to like something to point to, 403 00:20:24.329 --> 00:20:26.529 to say I have this many people. But the reality 404 00:20:26.569 --> 00:20:29.799 is such a small percentage of that number gets served 405 00:20:29.819 --> 00:20:32.640 your content. It's almost just like you just have to 406 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:33.619 look at piece by piece. 407 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:38.250 Yeah. That's what I've encountered, at least with In the 408 00:20:38.309 --> 00:20:40.089 last few months, I don't know if you've seen any 409 00:20:40.109 --> 00:20:41.519 of my videos in the last few months, but in 410 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:44.779 the last few months, I've gone viral a few times 411 00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:49.880 for my emo rollercoaster gal videos. And these videos are faceless. 412 00:20:50.099 --> 00:20:53.779 It's a POV. I'm wearing my meta glasses, safely taping 413 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:56.579 my POV on rollercoasters. I try to always be in 414 00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:58.900 the front row, which my kids get annoyed with because 415 00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:00.299 they're like, mom, we have to wait longer for the 416 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:02.809 front row. But I wait for the front row. 417 00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:06.549 I know. You're like, I'm working. They're like, okay. These 418 00:21:06.670 --> 00:21:08.950 are conversations I have with my kids all the time. Totally. 419 00:21:09.049 --> 00:21:11.970 It's for the work, guys. But also for fun because 420 00:21:12.009 --> 00:21:13.549 it is better in the front row, by the way. 421 00:21:13.950 --> 00:21:17.160 But anyway, so these videos are going crazy. And what 422 00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:21.940 I appreciate is that my follower count is modest. And 423 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:25.160 the people that are finding my content as of right 424 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:28.650 now are are the people that should be finding my content. 425 00:21:28.769 --> 00:21:30.529 And I know that, I know that that's something that 426 00:21:30.569 --> 00:21:34.769 happens when you have something viral is usually you're reaching 427 00:21:34.809 --> 00:21:38.079 people beyond your scope. And that's when those haters and 428 00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:39.880 trolls and all the, all the bad things can happen 429 00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:42.940 so far. Fortunately for me, knock on wood, literally, cause I'm, 430 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:46.660 I worry that the people have been so sweet and 431 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:49.539 so kind and so perfect. They, the algorithm is doing 432 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:52.460 its thing in helping them find the things that they're 433 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:56.920 looking for, which is, strangely and awkwardly and terrifyingly me, 434 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.380 they want more me. And I, I'm, I'm down for it. 435 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:02.259 I'm ready. I'm like, let's go. 436 00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.000 Are you guys sure? 437 00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:05.930 I know, but that like, you know, there's the thing like, 438 00:22:06.089 --> 00:22:08.210 cause I, you know, I, I, I too, and I've been, 439 00:22:08.329 --> 00:22:11.819 I've been, I've been working through a lot of feeling 440 00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:13.960 like I'm too much or, you know, I use too 441 00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:17.420 many words to say something or I laugh or giggle 442 00:22:17.460 --> 00:22:20.349 when I'm uncomfortable. And maybe that's not the most professional 443 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.529 thing to be doing. And, you know, just, there's just 444 00:22:22.650 --> 00:22:25.349 these different edits that I've been making over the course 445 00:22:25.390 --> 00:22:28.150 of time. And some of it happened through corporate America, 446 00:22:28.210 --> 00:22:30.920 which I'm I don't know what the word is going 447 00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:33.019 to be. I was going to try to be politically correct, 448 00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:34.920 but like, I'm okay that I'm not in part of, 449 00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:37.779 I'm not part of corporate America anymore because corporate America 450 00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:40.380 and I just don't, don't drive. I'm, I'm, I am 451 00:22:40.420 --> 00:22:42.599 too much, I think for corporate America in general. So, 452 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:45.329 and I can, I can admit that, but the, the 453 00:22:45.460 --> 00:22:49.630 virality of things really, when you strip it away, the 454 00:22:49.670 --> 00:22:52.730 cool part to me has been the connection that can happen. 455 00:22:52.970 --> 00:22:55.650 Like the actual real connection that can happen on the 456 00:22:55.670 --> 00:22:58.740 internet with real humans is who are not those keyboard warriors. 457 00:22:58.779 --> 00:23:01.579 And of course the keyboard warriors exist and we, you know, 458 00:23:01.940 --> 00:23:04.400 they have their place in, in the story. Like you said, like, 459 00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:06.359 Oh look, we made it. We, we got some hate, 460 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:09.319 you know, but it's so nice to have it be 461 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:13.680 this connective thing. And that's actually like something that I 462 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:18.079 think

really resonates with me through your content is there's this, 463 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:22.009 this underlying theme of like adult friendship. And that can 464 00:23:22.049 --> 00:23:25.950 be hard for people like adult making friends as a grownup. 465 00:23:26.569 --> 00:23:27.349 is so fun. 466 00:23:27.769 --> 00:23:28.309 I love it. 467 00:23:28.470 --> 00:23:31.069 Like I love make, I literally make a friend every, 468 00:23:31.230 --> 00:23:33.410 I was at Six Flags Great America last night. And 469 00:23:33.430 --> 00:23:35.740 would you believe I made friends with the two guys 470 00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:37.160 that were waiting in line with me. And then they 471 00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:38.799 ended up waiting in line with me at a different ride. 472 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:40.799 And we ended up, it's a whole thing. I am, 473 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:43.500 I love making friends, but I know that it's not 474 00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:46.640 easy for everybody. I know that it fills my cup 475 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:48.700 and makes me happy and has, it's like a joy 476 00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:51.859 creator for me. So I want everybody to be able 477 00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:55.440 to make friends as an adult. So based on what 478 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:57.440 I know about you and your content and how you 479 00:23:58.460 --> 00:24:01.720 also are a believer in adult friendship, what do you 480 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:04.609 think we misunderstand that we could do better as like 481 00:24:04.650 --> 00:24:06.730 we're trying to make more friends as grownups? 482 00:24:08.130 --> 00:24:10.950 Yeah. I mean, the easy default thing is like you 483 00:24:10.970 --> 00:24:15.430 just kind of like kind of suss out like your kids, friends, parents. 484 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:18.059 You're like, are you cool? Are you cool? Are we friends? 485 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.099 That's like the lowest hanging fruit. 486 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:22.680 Um, but we love that. 487 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:25.519 We do. No, no, no. Like I've actually met some 488 00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:28.279 really amazing people through my kids' friends, but I, um, 489 00:24:28.380 --> 00:24:31.579 I think as an adult and making new friendships, I've 490 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:35.380 really tried to, um, surround myself with people who like, 491 00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:38.059 I feel good when I'm around them. Um, and I, 492 00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:40.420 and I make them hopefully feel good too. I try 493 00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:42.869 to make them laugh and, and feel, you know, like 494 00:24:42.950 --> 00:24:45.529 I appreciate their, their time. And, um, I really like 495 00:24:45.589 --> 00:24:48.019 spending time with them. So sometimes that means that your 496 00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:51.059 friend circle is not huge. And I think that's okay. 497 00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:54.930 I've also put myself out there in different situations, different 498 00:24:54.990 --> 00:24:59.349 interests that

I have. Doing stand-up comedy, I did it 499 00:24:59.390 --> 00:25:01.170 for about three years. I'm on a little break right now. 500 00:25:01.829 --> 00:25:04.930 But I've met so many amazing people through that that 501 00:25:04.970 --> 00:25:07.670 I never would have met that aren't even necessarily like 502 00:25:07.809 --> 00:25:10.650 fellow moms or even my age. But now they are 503 00:25:10.710 --> 00:25:14.029 my friends. And I do like they just they kind 504 00:25:14.069 --> 00:25:15.890 of know me. They know a different version of me. 505 00:25:16.250 --> 00:25:18.650 And I like that. Like I like that we can 506 00:25:18.690 --> 00:25:21.920 talk about stuff that's not always. kids or work or like, 507 00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:25.099 you know, and they just make me laugh for funny people. 508 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:27.670 And I think you can find that anywhere. Like if 509 00:25:27.730 --> 00:25:30.210 you have something that really interests you, like just trying 510 00:25:30.230 --> 00:25:32.730 to make that connection with people and like put yourself 511 00:25:32.789 --> 00:25:34.950 out there, be like, do you ever want to grab coffee? 512 00:25:34.970 --> 00:25:36.779 You're so fun. I had someone do this to me 513 00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:38.460 recently and I was so blown away. And I like, 514 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:41.579 I loved it. We met kind of just by happenstance. 515 00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:44.680 We were both like kind of like fringe friends of 516 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:46.440 the friends that were together. And we just ended up 517 00:25:46.509 --> 00:25:48.549 talking so much. And she was like, what are you 518 00:25:48.589 --> 00:25:50.410 doing next week? Do you want to grab coffee? And 519 00:25:50.430 --> 00:25:53.930 I was like, yes. And I think in any other world, 520 00:25:53.970 --> 00:25:56.349 we both would have just been like, okay, so nice 521 00:25:56.390 --> 00:25:58.369 to meet you. But we did, we met for coffee 522 00:25:58.390 --> 00:25:59.890 and we're going to meet up again. And we're not 523 00:25:59.950 --> 00:26:04.009 like everyday texting friends, but I love that making new 524 00:26:04.029 --> 00:26:07.369 connections of someone that I just happened to cross paths 525 00:26:07.410 --> 00:26:10.650 with that we enjoyed each other's company. So I would 526 00:26:10.670 --> 00:26:12.990 say like putting yourself out there and And being like 527 00:26:13.130 --> 00:26:16.230 having a small circle is that's okay. It's okay. 528 00:26:16.250 --> 00:26:16.390 Yeah. 529 00:26:18.029 --> 00:26:20.549 Well, and when you have a small circle, you're more 530 00:26:20.589 --> 00:26:25.519 likely to have relationships of impact and relationships that matter. And, 531 00:26:25.630 --> 00:26:28.240 you know, looking at your relationship with Penn, for example, 532 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:29.839 like I don't want to lead the witness here with 533 00:26:29.859 --> 00:26:32.539 this question because it's not like, it's

not, it's not 534 00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:37.240 that deep, but there's something there about opportunities and relationships 535 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:40.319 and how you, you know, they kind of feed each 536 00:26:40.380 --> 00:26:44.559 other both ways and, And I'm, I'm curious. And again, I, I, 537 00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:46.880 I may have already answered the question, but who is 538 00:26:46.920 --> 00:26:50.640 somebody that saw something in you before you could see. 539 00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:55.779 It in you? Yeah, I could even go back before, um, 540 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:59.940 like the whole, you know, Penn and Kim, um, my 541 00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:02.940 first job, I really didn't like, it didn't super end well. 542 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:04.539 And I was out of work for a while and 543 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:06.839 I felt really low, like to have a college degree 544 00:27:06.859 --> 00:27:09.470 and and then to get fired from your first job. 545 00:27:10.549 --> 00:27:12.349 And you thought you were doing a good job. And 546 00:27:12.750 --> 00:27:16.680 I am, I pride myself, I'm a good worker. But 547 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.339 it just was not the job for me. And I 548 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:20.220 think that's okay. But I didn't think it was okay 549 00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:22.660 at the time. So I was like waiting tables and sad. 550 00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:25.670 And I was learning about social media because it interests me. 551 00:27:26.829 --> 00:27:30.039 And I was interviewing like crazy. And I I'm so 552 00:27:30.460 --> 00:27:33.400 lucky because my like unemployment checks were literally going, it 553 00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:35.329 was like on my last week when I got my 554 00:27:35.589 --> 00:27:37.730 job that ended up, I think really led me to 555 00:27:37.750 --> 00:27:41.769 where I work now. But I just remember like throwing 556 00:27:41.789 --> 00:27:43.529 it all on the table. Like I was having really 557 00:27:43.549 --> 00:27:45.970 good interviews. I kept getting called back and they were like, yeah, 558 00:27:45.990 --> 00:27:47.390 you just don't have like a lot of experience in 559 00:27:47.430 --> 00:27:51.410 this thing. And I was like, okay. I was like, 560 00:27:52.930 --> 00:27:55.079 at the risk of sounding like a cheesy Disney movie, 561 00:27:55.890 --> 00:27:58.200 I promise if you give me a chance, I will 562 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:02.250 not let you down. And the owner of the company 563 00:28:02.269 --> 00:28:04.450 who had sat with me on that interview gave me 564 00:28:04.490 --> 00:28:06.289 a chance. And I like to think that I didn't 565 00:28:06.309 --> 00:28:09.190 let him down. And I really learned a lot at 566 00:28:09.230 --> 00:28:12.430 that job. He did say like the weirdest part about 567 00:28:12.450 --> 00:28:14.529 me saying that was one of the clients they were 568 00:28:14.549 --> 00:28:17.339 pitching at the time was Disney Interactive. So he was like. 569 00:28:18.140 --> 00:28:20.009 it's kind of weird that you said that. And it 570 00:28:20.029 --> 00:28:22.390 always sat with me. So like, that's another thing too. 571 00:28:22.430 --> 00:28:25.650 Like say the weird thing. Like you don't know maybe 572 00:28:25.730 --> 00:28:27.529 why that popped into your head. I'm not saying that 573 00:28:27.569 --> 00:28:31.000 like anyone is psychic or anything like that, but like maybe. 574 00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:34.119 The universe is trying to push you in a certain direction. 575 00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:37.839 So I, I would say that he saw something in 576 00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:41.950 me that I really, was at least saying I could do. 577 00:28:42.009 --> 00:28:44.569 I probably did believe it deep down, but, um, you know, 578 00:28:44.589 --> 00:28:47.130 I was like thrilled when I, when I got that job. Um, 579 00:28:47.470 --> 00:28:49.359 and I feel really grateful for that. 580 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:53.259 You're speaking my language when you said the universe is 581 00:28:53.299 --> 00:28:58.460 pushing you in a direction. I absolutely believe. And I, 582 00:28:58.619 --> 00:29:01.579 and I, and I, I, I step back and say, okay, 583 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:03.609 I have a friend who taught me this thing that 584 00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:05.849 I need to share, which is Gus, which is God 585 00:29:06.369 --> 00:29:10.859 universe source spirit. And I am super faith-based. I am 586 00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:13.500 big into my faith. My viewers and listeners know this. 587 00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:16.319 And I recognize and respect that I want this to 588 00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:18.359 be a safe place for everybody. So you said the 589 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:22.380 universe is sometimes nudging you. And that to me, when 590 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:27.279 you said that about Disney, 100% was Gus's work, right? 591 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:28.960 Like that was like Gus at work. 592 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:30.960 That was a God wink. Like that's a God wink. 593 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:33.210 My best friend and I always say that. We always 594 00:29:33.269 --> 00:29:37.000 like when something happens, we're like, that was a God wink. Yes. 595 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.539 Look around. 596 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:40.299 A God wink. For sure. Tell me about more of 597 00:29:40.359 --> 00:29:42.579 that in your life. Where else has that shown up 598 00:29:42.619 --> 00:29:42.940 for you? 599 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:44.779 Oh my gosh. 600 00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:47.319 In big ways. Like, I mean, obviously sometimes it's not 601 00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:49.359 a big way, which, and sometimes those little ways are 602 00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:52.930 the coolest ones, but tell me where else these God 603 00:29:52.950 --> 00:29:53.930 winks have happened for you. 604 00:29:55.190 --> 00:29:56.960 Oh my gosh. Yeah. I feel like you're going to 605 00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:59.599 have to edit my long, long pause while I'm thinking 606 00:29:59.619 -->

00:30:02.049 of what I'm going to come up with. 607 00:30:02.150 --> 00:30:03.589 What profound thing am. 608 00:30:03.730 --> 00:30:06.509 I going to say? Actually, you know, what's funny is 609 00:30:06.549 --> 00:30:09.349 that I don't edit these that much, but because it's 610 00:30:09.390 --> 00:30:11.710 like real, you're a human being and you deserve to 611 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:14.279 think for a second on these questions, which I do 612 00:30:14.359 --> 00:30:16.299 put a lot of thought, time and energy into. So 613 00:30:16.359 --> 00:30:19.779 it's okay to think for a minute. I've given you 614 00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:20.079 a minute. 615 00:30:20.829 --> 00:30:22.769 Are we there? You've given me a minute. You've given 616 00:30:22.809 --> 00:30:24.470 me a minute. I talked us through it. 617 00:30:24.569 --> 00:30:26.839 I don't know if my talking helped or hurt the situation. 618 00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:27.740 No, I'm joking. 619 00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:28.759 I'm joking. 620 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:31.799 Maybe like, okay, when my husband and I started dating 621 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:35.420 each other, we realized after comparing notes that we had 622 00:30:35.579 --> 00:30:39.789 actually been in the same room like half a dozen 623 00:30:39.829 --> 00:30:43.109 times before. Like we literally had been like, wait, I 624 00:30:43.150 --> 00:30:45.009 was there. No, I was there. I was with these people. 625 00:30:45.150 --> 00:30:46.890 I was with these people. Wait, they know each other. 626 00:30:47.630 --> 00:30:49.569 So we were like, oh my gosh, have we met? 627 00:30:50.049 --> 00:30:54.289 like a half a dozen times before now. So that's, 628 00:30:54.349 --> 00:30:57.049 I mean, that's a God wink. That was like, the 629 00:30:57.069 --> 00:30:59.690 universe was real annoying with us. They were like, get together. 630 00:31:00.190 --> 00:31:04.470 Would you stop? Like, just listen already. And I do 631 00:31:04.490 --> 00:31:07.670 wonder that sometimes, like we talk about universe, God wink, whatever, 632 00:31:07.730 --> 00:31:10.170 whoever is holding the gavel, like wants to just like 633 00:31:10.230 --> 00:31:12.650 beat us sometimes, like you're missing the point guys. 634 00:31:14.289 --> 00:31:15.990 But there's not getting the point here. 635 00:31:17.789 --> 00:31:20.710 But there's your husband. And that's so cool. How long 636 00:31:20.730 --> 00:31:21.329 have you been married? 637 00:31:23.349 --> 00:31:26.210 We have been married. We got married in 2010. So 638 00:31:26.289 --> 00:31:27.289 we've been married 16 years. 639 00:31:27.930 --> 00:31:33.210 Congratulations. That's not a small thing in this era of life. 640 00:31:33.809 --> 00:31:35.890 And you know then that you have to like fall 641 00:31:35.930 --> 00:31:39.029 back in love and like work hard. And it's not 642 00:31:39.069 --> 00:31:42.069 always an easy road. And my husband has been my rock. 643 00:31:42.369 --> 00:31:46.099 And like we've been together forever. goodness. I don't, I 644 00:31:46.180 --> 00:31:48.220 don't do the math, but more than 20 years, I 645 00:31:48.460 --> 00:31:50.980 was kind of a baby when we met, but we 646 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:53.900 have fallen, you know, out and in of love in 647 00:31:54.029 --> 00:31:56.730 love a few times. And it's just totally this normal 648 00:31:56.769 --> 00:31:59.089 thing that has to happen. But I love how you 649 00:31:59.130 --> 00:32:01.250 lit up when you talked about your husband and I 650 00:32:01.269 --> 00:32:04.309 know you have kiddos. What has being like a mama 651 00:32:04.390 --> 00:32:07.339 and a wife taught you about who you are? 652 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:11.980 I think it's really put into perspective, like what's important 653 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:14.819 in my life. like they are like my family is 654 00:32:14.839 --> 00:32:17.380 the most important. And I really look at a lot 655 00:32:17.420 --> 00:32:20.859 of decisions I make professionally or personally, like how does 656 00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:24.740 that impact the family? Because they are, they are the 657 00:32:24.859 --> 00:32:29.420 most important people in my life. And I mean, I 658 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:32.759 think it's made me having three kids. Like I always 659 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:35.180 tell people, like if you're debating, if you have two 660 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:37.380 and you're debating a third, just do it. You know 661 00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:40.279 why I've been, I became such a more chill parent 662 00:32:40.380 --> 00:32:44.019 when I had three. Cause I'm like, well, everything's crazy now. 663 00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:47.269 I felt like when I had two, I was a 664 00:32:47.269 --> 00:32:49.490 little more like, okay, it's got to be like this 665 00:32:49.589 --> 00:32:52.170 and this. And then something about that third kid, you're 666 00:32:52.210 --> 00:32:55.390 just like, I don't know. If not everyone's smiling for 667 00:32:55.410 --> 00:32:59.339 the picture, it's fine. The Christmas card's going out. Something 668 00:32:59.390 --> 00:33:04.059 about it, it's just totally chill. So yeah, it's taught 669 00:33:04.099 --> 00:33:08.000 me a lot. I feel really blessed, even though I've 670 00:33:08.019 --> 00:33:11.259 always had aspirations of like, wanting to do, you know, 671 00:33:11.619 --> 00:33:14.400 big things with my life. Having a family has always been, 672 00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:17.500 I think, the most paramount thing. So I feel really, 673 00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:20.779 really fortunate to have my husband, have my three kids. 674 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:21.880 They're all wonderful. 675 00:33:22.660 --> 00:33:24.940 I love that. And they've all made you who you 676 00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:28.039 are in ways that we all appreciate and love in 677 00:33:28.279 --> 00:33:30.319 content form and elsewhere on the internet. 678 00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:32.720 So kids are so funny. 679 00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:33.559 Yes.

680 00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:38.549 Like sit down and like pick their brain. Kids are hilarious. Um, 681 00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:41.160 my comedian friends who don't have kids, they're like, oh, 682 00:33:41.170 --> 00:33:44.130 you have so much material. So mad. You said, talk 683 00:33:44.150 --> 00:33:45.950 to your kids for five minutes and you have a bit, 684 00:33:46.450 --> 00:33:48.529 but like it, not even, it's not even that. It's 685 00:33:48.569 --> 00:33:50.630 just that like, they say the funniest things. I feel 686 00:33:50.650 --> 00:33:53.150 like I can't write them down fast enough. My middle daughter, 687 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:54.799 she told me at, she was at dinner the other day. 688 00:33:54.839 --> 00:33:58.299 We almost like snorted out our waters. Um, then she 689 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:01.900 said this, she goes, guys, I always thought an inside 690 00:34:01.960 --> 00:34:07.990 joke was a joke. You could tell inside. She literally thought, like, 691 00:34:08.170 --> 00:34:10.750 inside joke meant, like, you don't tell it outside. And 692 00:34:11.349 --> 00:34:13.360 we're like, oh, my God. 693 00:34:16.280 --> 00:34:16.699 That's a bit. 694 00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:19.780 It's not that funny, guys. But, like, that was so. 695 00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:23.320 We were tickled. We were so tickled. And my youngest son, 696 00:34:23.380 --> 00:34:26.079 he's learning, like, what a figurative speech is. So, like, 697 00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:28.420 we'll be like, don't have a cow. And he'll be like, 698 00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:33.659 that would hurt. And we're like, yes, figurative speech. Like, we, like, it's. 699 00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:38.030 Kids are so hilarious. They're just really funny. 700 00:34:39.380 --> 00:34:41.420 And they're getting older, darn it. How old are they? 701 00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:48.179 I have a middle schooler, older elementary, and middle elementary. 702 00:34:48.219 --> 00:34:49.119 So yeah, they're getting older. 703 00:34:49.579 --> 00:34:53.019 I hate that part because our roles change a little 704 00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:55.840 bit and the relationship changes a little bit and the 705 00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:58.659 jokes will change a little bit. And as a middle 706 00:34:58.699 --> 00:35:04.280 school mama, my boys are 11 and 12 and they're, 707 00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:07.010 they're boys who are 11 and 12. So it's a 708 00:35:07.050 --> 00:35:10.510 lot of six, seven. It's a lot of six, seven. 709 00:35:11.050 --> 00:35:14.809 And it's, it's just, it's just, yes. And it's just, um, 710 00:35:15.369 --> 00:35:17.190 it's less, it's a lot of things that are less 711 00:35:17.250 --> 00:35:19.510 funny than, than they used to be a little bit. 712 00:35:19.550 --> 00:35:22.570 But as some of that changes, I feel like I 713 00:35:22.989 --> 00:35:25.820 obviously evolve and change too, like as their mom and 714 00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:28.510 as their parent, And I'm wondering, like, what are you 715 00:35:28.550 --> 00:35:32.130 finding out about yourself right now, like, in this season 716 00:35:32.429 --> 00:35:34.630 of who you are and who you are as a 717 00:35:34.670 --> 00:35:38.349 mom and a, you know, a creative person? What are 718 00:35:38.389 --> 00:35:40.650 you finding and learning about yourself now that you didn't 719 00:35:40.690 --> 00:35:42.469 know maybe 10 years ago or when you kind of 720 00:35:42.570 --> 00:35:45.139 got started with, you know, Penn and. 721 00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:46.800 Kim? 722 00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:50.460 Yeah. Like, what I'm learning about myself as a mom 723 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:56.449 definitely is– like everyone's doing their best. Um, even, even 724 00:35:56.510 --> 00:35:58.369 I'm doing my best. There's days where I am not 725 00:35:58.409 --> 00:36:01.369 killing it, you guys. And I think that's, again, you can, 726 00:36:01.449 --> 00:36:04.050 people can talk about that. Like Instagram, social media, it's 727 00:36:04.070 --> 00:36:07.949 a highlight reel. It's not real life. Um, but it's, it's, 728 00:36:08.510 --> 00:36:10.929 I always try to make sure I'm just treating my 729 00:36:10.949 --> 00:36:13.719 kids like they're like, they're, they're people. I know they're children, 730 00:36:13.800 --> 00:36:17.400 but like they're, they're real people with feelings and dreams 731 00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:20.050 and desires. And I always try to like remind myself 732 00:36:20.139 --> 00:36:22.760 of that. Um, and so I don't always, I just 733 00:36:22.780 --> 00:36:24.519 try to do my best to not so much a 734 00:36:24.539 --> 00:36:26.480 dental parent them, but like really understand where they're coming 735 00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:29.179 from and kind of like work with them together on solutions. 736 00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:32.659 So I think it's made me like more patient, more collaborative, um, 737 00:36:33.420 --> 00:36:35.980 with my children. Uh, Kim and I joke about this 738 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:37.940 all the time. It's like, it's so crazy when your 739 00:36:37.980 --> 00:36:40.739 kids make different choices than you would have made. You're like, wow, 740 00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:44.079 I wouldn't have done that. But, and you did and 741 00:36:44.099 --> 00:36:46.420 that's okay. Like it's nothing wrong with it, but I'm 742 00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:49.699 just like, wow, that was a choice. Um, so yeah, 743 00:36:49.739 --> 00:36:52.760 I think it's made me more patient, more collaborative, more understanding. 744 00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:56.059 And that bleeds into, you know, my work as well. 745 00:36:58.119 --> 00:37:00.400 Was there a time when it was hard or too 746 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:03.949 hard to find the funny and like, what did that 747 00:37:03.989 --> 00:37:07.449 teach you? Cause like, I think that we are in 748 00:37:07.489 --> 00:37:10.969 an era like just in life and in general that 749 00:37:11.469 --> 00:37:15.170 feels heavy and you can, you can scroll, you don't

750 00:37:15.190 --> 00:37:17.710 have to scroll far to have like, Oh, there's that. 751 00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:21.480 And oh, there's another thing. Oh, there's more news. Oh, 752 00:37:21.539 --> 00:37:25.500 it's Aaron Parnas. You know, breaking news. It was like 753 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:26.400 every five minutes. 754 00:37:26.659 --> 00:37:30.739 Oh, my gosh. We don't need Aaron. Don't do this 755 00:37:30.780 --> 00:37:33.389 to me, Aaron. Aaron. Stop. 756 00:37:33.409 --> 00:37:34.449 Aaron, take a nap. 757 00:37:36.650 --> 00:37:39.050 How do you... Show us more pictures of your daughter, Aaron. 758 00:37:39.130 --> 00:37:44.170 Right. I'm going to need to link to his content 759 00:37:44.190 --> 00:37:45.949 for people that don't know what we're talking about. But 760 00:37:46.050 --> 00:37:47.659 I don't know who doesn't know who Aaron is. 761 00:37:47.739 --> 00:37:47.860 But. 762 00:37:48.800 --> 00:37:51.139 Yes. He's doing really good work. 763 00:37:51.539 --> 00:37:54.820 He's doing amazing work. To summarize his work, he summarizes 764 00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:57.139 a lot of news clips and news bites that are 765 00:37:57.179 --> 00:38:00.880 happening in real time. And he's very intense, but not 766 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:03.619 too intense. And he delivers it in a very practical way, 767 00:38:03.659 --> 00:38:08.380 which most of us can understand and comprehend. But that aside, 768 00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:11.340 we do have things and we do have moments in 769 00:38:11.409 --> 00:38:16.070 life where it can feel hard to find the funny, right? 770 00:38:16.110 --> 00:38:18.670 It can feel hard But I want to know if 771 00:38:18.690 --> 00:38:21.309 there's a time like that that happened to you slash 772 00:38:21.409 --> 00:38:23.449 I say for you, because I always think that these 773 00:38:23.489 --> 00:38:26.800 things happen for us, not to us. But what did 774 00:38:26.840 --> 00:38:30.539 it teach you about what laughter can't fix, but maybe 775 00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:31.579 can help us carry? 776 00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:36.500 You know, COVID was really, I hate that's such a 777 00:38:36.539 --> 00:38:41.469 cliche answer, but I think we all, especially like I 778 00:38:41.489 --> 00:38:44.369 feel fortunate for what I got to do in COVID, 779 00:38:44.409 --> 00:38:46.650 which I'll get to in a second, but it was hard. 780 00:38:47.690 --> 00:38:50.269 It was hard to find the funny. Um, and, and 781 00:38:50.329 --> 00:38:53.389 funny comedy is my defense mechanism. Like that, that's how 782 00:38:53.530 --> 00:38:57.269 I process heavy stuff. So even, and there were days 783 00:38:57.349 --> 00:38:59.579 on that where I'm like, I don't even know what, 784 00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:03.199 where it is. Like, I, I feel lost. I feel 785 00:39:03.239 --> 00:39:05.420 like I'm, you know, you're in this prison of your 786 00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:08.679 own home and you feel like you don't know when 787 00:39:08.699 --> 00:39:11.420 the next shoe is going to drop. Um, there's so 788 00:39:11.460 --> 00:39:13.539 many unknowns. You're trying to put on a happy face 789 00:39:13.570 --> 00:39:16.809 for your kids. You can really apply those feelings to 790 00:39:16.829 --> 00:39:21.469 a lot of things in life and feeling really trapped. 791 00:39:21.829 --> 00:39:25.309 I think like defense mechanisms, I think they get talked 792 00:39:25.329 --> 00:39:27.389 about negatively. I think as long as it's a healthy 793 00:39:27.429 --> 00:39:30.460 defense mechanism, it's okay to lead into that. like your 794 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:33.079 defense mechanism could be that like you like to bake 795 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:35.719 like if you're stressed you're baking and I think lean 796 00:39:35.800 --> 00:39:40.760 in make the cake like so I I challenged myself 797 00:39:40.840 --> 00:39:45.500 in times because comedy is my defense mechanism um And 798 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:47.380 obviously I did other things too. Like I would try 799 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:50.329 to exercise more, walk and like ground myself in nature 800 00:39:50.349 --> 00:39:53.510 and things. But like I would challenge myself, even if 801 00:39:53.550 --> 00:39:56.869 it wasn't funny, I would try to like write one 802 00:39:57.730 --> 00:40:00.780 like funny observation about anything. It could be the most 803 00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:02.820 mundane thing. That's the other thing too, is I think 804 00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:05.179 that especially with Penn and Kim and our work with 805 00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:07.280 the Holderness family, and I have to also mention Sam 806 00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:09.039 who works on our team. So there's four of us, 807 00:40:09.159 --> 00:40:13.050 but like we find humor in very, very mundane things. Um, 808 00:40:13.369 --> 00:40:17.250 because sometimes that's all there is. Everything else is too 809 00:40:17.289 --> 00:40:20.050 heavy and you have to make a joke about your 810 00:40:20.070 --> 00:40:24.380 blender or something's really, really stupid, like so low stakes stupid, 811 00:40:24.920 --> 00:40:27.519 but you feel like other people at least can be like, yeah, 812 00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:30.139 I do that too. And I would try to challenge 813 00:40:30.179 --> 00:40:32.159 myself to come up with one of those funny observations 814 00:40:32.219 --> 00:40:35.409 every day if I felt really low. Um, so I 815 00:40:35.429 --> 00:40:37.050 don't know how that applies to other people and how 816 00:40:37.070 --> 00:40:39.949 they deal with things. But I do feel fortunate in 817 00:40:39.989 --> 00:40:43.949 COVID that we challenged ourselves as a team to make 818 00:40:43.969 --> 00:40:47.070 a new video every day for at least, I mean, 819 00:40:47.090 --> 00:40:49.210 I don't want to say we went through 100 days 820 00:40:49.250 --> 00:40:50.929 of it in a row, but it felt like it. 821 00:40:51.769 --> 00:40:54.800 And we turned into, this is where the Detroiter in me, 822

00:40:55.039 --> 00:40:57.320 I was like, we're getting an assembly line going, guys. 823 00:40:57.960 --> 00:41:00.440 Just like we're at the Ford Motor Company. I was like, 824 00:41:00.460 --> 00:41:02.980 so we all had a job, like a single job 825 00:41:03.019 --> 00:41:05.469 that we would do in this cog. And maybe you 826 00:41:05.489 --> 00:41:08.769 had another job over here, but we had steps and 827 00:41:08.809 --> 00:41:11.469 we just rinsed and repeat every single day. And we 828 00:41:11.829 --> 00:41:14.389 put out a new video almost every day at the 829 00:41:14.409 --> 00:41:18.340 start of the pandemic. And that helped us get through 830 00:41:18.360 --> 00:41:21.360 the hard times because we were just able to just 831 00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:25.519 channel everything into being creative. We allowed ourselves to be really, 832 00:41:25.559 --> 00:41:28.119 really silly. Like, I want to know what love is. 833 00:41:28.280 --> 00:41:30.960 I want to know what day it is. Parodies. I mean. 834 00:41:32.739 --> 00:41:35.219 That's just what we did so I guess going back 835 00:41:35.260 --> 00:41:37.340 to like whatever your defense mechanism is as long as 836 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:41.199 it's healthy I think lean in I think do it 837 00:41:41.219 --> 00:41:43.619 if that's what gets you through then that's what gets 838 00:41:43.659 --> 00:41:45.019 you through and it's okay. 839 00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:49.800 For me it's daily gratitude like I stop and I 840 00:41:49.820 --> 00:41:53.599 get grateful for something silly like I I'm grateful for 841 00:41:53.619 --> 00:41:56.420 this this little candle it has the cutest little pug 842 00:41:56.519 --> 00:41:59.219 on it that you can't see it's by a local 843 00:41:59.320 --> 00:42:03.869 artisan called the positively pug is the name of the company. 844 00:42:03.889 --> 00:42:06.130 And it makes me so happy. And I'm sitting here 845 00:42:06.170 --> 00:42:08.760 talking with you thinking about like, Oh, they think up 846 00:42:08.780 --> 00:42:11.840 that cute little candle going, but it's, it's little things 847 00:42:11.960 --> 00:42:13.800 like that, you know, like, and, and like you said, like, 848 00:42:13.840 --> 00:42:15.900 it's not, it doesn't have, I think so many of 849 00:42:15.960 --> 00:42:18.400 us overthink it. And like, you know, it has to 850 00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:20.769 be this like big elaborate production and it can just 851 00:42:20.809 --> 00:42:24.289 be a joke about a blender or like, you know, 852 00:42:24.309 --> 00:42:26.429 we went to Costco, but it's a lot of these 853 00:42:26.469 --> 00:42:29.170 different like things that are very real for people and don't, 854 00:42:29.329 --> 00:42:32.909 you know, it doesn't require much effort or energy, which 855 00:42:32.969 --> 00:42:35.409 is awesome. So just like do more of what comes 856 00:42:35.550 --> 00:42:38.179 naturally to you is what you're saying. And that is, 857 00:42:39.199 --> 00:42:41.619 it sounds so simple and yet we take it for 858 00:42:41.659 --> 00:42:45.639 granted sometimes. So I want to know in that era, 859 00:42:45.739 --> 00:42:47.760 maybe it's not in that era, but just in general, like, 860 00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:53.179 is there, or was there as a creative person, you understand, like, 861 00:42:53.699 --> 00:42:56.179 You put your heart and soul into something and you're like, 862 00:42:56.199 --> 00:42:59.139 this is it. This is the one. I feel like 863 00:42:59.480 --> 00:43:02.739 I know what you're going to ask. Tell me the 864 00:43:02.760 --> 00:43:07.460 one that didn't go, right? Or more than one because 865 00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:09.699 I want to help it go. Let's shine a spotlight 866 00:43:09.739 --> 00:43:13.389 on those undervalued, underappreciated moments. 867 00:43:13.409 --> 00:43:16.329 I don't know if it needs a spotlight. I don't know. 868 00:43:16.449 --> 00:43:22.909 Maybe it's okay. Maybe it's okay that it didn't go. Okay. 869 00:43:22.929 --> 00:43:25.210 This is pre COVID, but, um, I always think of, 870 00:43:25.349 --> 00:43:27.030 and I hate to, I know I'm using a lot 871 00:43:27.050 --> 00:43:29.559 of whole learners family examples, but you have to understand 872 00:43:29.679 --> 00:43:32.179 that I'm like a creative partner with them. We write 873 00:43:32.820 --> 00:43:35.900 everything together. Um, if, if, if I'm not the one 874 00:43:35.940 --> 00:43:38.500 that wrote it, um, we're definitely helping like yes and 875 00:43:38.539 --> 00:43:41.099 punch each other up and, or I'm at least producing the, 876 00:43:41.159 --> 00:43:44.159 what it looks like. Um, we had this music video 877 00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:46.980 back in, I think it was 2019 and it was, 878 00:43:47.019 --> 00:43:50.500 it was called Will You Be a Model? And it 879 00:43:50.539 --> 00:43:52.940 was an original song that Penn wrote that we had 880 00:43:52.980 --> 00:43:55.059 talked about how like, and it's kind of a bait 881 00:43:55.099 --> 00:43:57.920 and switch. So you think he's talking about dressing up 882 00:43:58.099 --> 00:44:00.599 all sexy for Halloween? Can I, I don't know if 883 00:44:00.619 --> 00:44:02.519 I can say sexy on your pod. Believe me if 884 00:44:02.579 --> 00:44:05.429 I can't. But then he's talking about really like being 885 00:44:05.489 --> 00:44:08.309 a role model. So it's like, he's talking about like 886 00:44:08.389 --> 00:44:10.449 how hot it is that you're going to be like 887 00:44:10.570 --> 00:44:13.710 Amelia Earhart and like all these different like prominent women 888 00:44:13.750 --> 00:44:17.929 of history. It was so funny to me. And it 889 00:44:17.949 --> 00:44:19.389 was like one of those things where I'm like, oh 890 00:44:19.409 --> 00:44:21.610 my gosh, this Bane Switch is like hilarious and it's 891 00:44:21.650 --> 00:44:26.269 comedically really, really funny. Crickets. Crickets. To the point where 892 00:44:26.289 --> 00:44:27.789 we're like, we must have

just hit it at a 893 00:44:27.809 --> 00:44:30.300 bad time. And like the next year we re-shared it, 894 00:44:30.309 --> 00:44:36.269 we're like, it was going to hit. Crickets. So those are, 895 00:44:36.289 --> 00:44:38.110 I mean like, and we spent a lot of time 896 00:44:38.150 --> 00:44:40.800 and energy on that. And that happens, we always joke 897 00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:42.719 if we spend no energy on a video, we're like, 898 00:44:42.840 --> 00:44:44.079 this is going to be the one. This is going 899 00:44:44.099 --> 00:44:45.929 to be the one everyone loves. And then like the 900 00:44:46.050 --> 00:44:48.230 other one that we've like, we have like shot sheets 901 00:44:48.269 --> 00:44:50.170 and we have like extras coming and we've got like 902 00:44:50.269 --> 00:44:52.929 times and locations. We're like this one, nothing's going to, 903 00:44:52.969 --> 00:44:55.630 this one's two people are going to see it. And 904 00:44:55.670 --> 00:44:58.329 that's just life. I mean, I think that that happens 905 00:44:58.949 --> 00:45:01.389 even outside of video production. Like you'll put a lot 906 00:45:01.429 --> 00:45:03.139 of time and energy into something and it does not 907 00:45:03.179 --> 00:45:06.000 go well. And then you'll put maybe not a lot 908 00:45:06.019 --> 00:45:07.760 of time and energy in something else and it goes great. 909 00:45:08.760 --> 00:45:11.690 And I mean, again, we could say that's like the 910 00:45:11.750 --> 00:45:15.489 universe nudging you different ways potentially, or it's just how 911 00:45:15.510 --> 00:45:18.550 the cookie crumbles. But I mean, I think the biggest 912 00:45:18.590 --> 00:45:21.070 thing is how you come back from that. So a 913 00:45:21.110 --> 00:45:24.079 lot of like, it's just resilience and it's like repetitions. 914 00:45:25.099 --> 00:45:27.119 So I would never, I, and I tell this too, 915 00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:30.380 I work with some, um, like younger comedians sometimes that 916 00:45:30.400 --> 00:45:32.480 are trying to do more video and things. And we 917 00:45:32.500 --> 00:45:34.480 just talk about like, You got to get your reps in. 918 00:45:34.539 --> 00:45:36.480 Like you're getting your reps in on stage. You're getting 919 00:45:36.500 --> 00:45:39.239 your reps in online. So like if the video doesn't 920 00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:42.550 do bad, if it bombs, just pretend like it didn't 921 00:45:42.570 --> 00:45:44.949 even happen. Like do the next one. Like who cares? 922 00:45:45.070 --> 00:45:47.030 No one cares. It's just about going up to the 923 00:45:47.090 --> 00:45:50.170 plate and like batting each time and getting back up there. 924 00:45:51.030 --> 00:45:53.510 Then every single thing is going to be a home run. 925 00:45:53.590 --> 00:45:54.949 Sometimes you're going to have a single. Sometimes you're going 926 00:45:54.969 --> 00:45:57.010 to have a triple. But like sometimes you are going 927 00:45:57.030 --> 00:46:00.840 to go viral. But sometimes it's just literally the consistency 928 00:46:01.219 --> 00:46:02.460 of putting yourself out there every time. 929 00:46:04.280 --> 00:46:06.460 Sometimes you're going to sit down and you're going to say, 930 00:46:08.019 --> 00:46:11.420 what's the deal with Target Santa? Are we being naughty 931 00:46:11.440 --> 00:46:14.300 or are we being nice? I don't know, but you 932 00:46:14.320 --> 00:46:16.219 guys got to go look and see what Target Santa 933 00:46:16.340 --> 00:46:17.340 is and come back and tell me. 934 00:46:18.010 --> 00:46:18.849 That got two. 935 00:46:18.789 --> 00:46:23.570 Point something million views. Anne-Marie, I had put so much 936 00:46:23.610 --> 00:46:26.630 thought and time and energy and heart and soul into 937 00:46:26.730 --> 00:46:29.489 trying to be this light, bright place on the internet. 938 00:46:30.010 --> 00:46:33.130 And after years of doing that, the first video I 939 00:46:33.170 --> 00:46:35.940 had to go crazy. was just me sitting down in 940 00:46:35.980 --> 00:46:38.719 my chair and asking what the deal was with hot Santa. 941 00:46:39.940 --> 00:46:42.340 And I was like, Oh guys, like there's so much 942 00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:45.199 more here. There's so much more value. And I, but 943 00:46:45.400 --> 00:46:47.860 what you said is so true in that you need to, 944 00:46:48.800 --> 00:46:51.469 you know, work, do the reps and work through the, 945 00:46:51.780 --> 00:46:54.610 you know, the, the messy stuff to get to the 946 00:46:54.650 --> 00:46:56.630 good stuff. And it's just, it's just funny because yes, 947 00:46:56.730 --> 00:46:59.230 the ones that you, you work hard on, you know, 948 00:46:59.269 --> 00:47:02.190 sometimes are not the ones that do the things. And 949 00:47:02.230 --> 00:47:04.340 then you sit down and talk about a hot Santa. 950 00:47:04.380 --> 00:47:06.820 And for some reason, that's the one. 951 00:47:06.840 --> 00:47:06.920 Okay. 952 00:47:08.820 --> 00:47:09.199 Giddy up. 953 00:47:09.239 --> 00:47:09.639 Let's go. 954 00:47:09.659 --> 00:47:10.840 Okay. 955 00:47:10.860 --> 00:47:13.179 But in that regard, that's like really cool that that 956 00:47:13.199 --> 00:47:14.880 happened to you and that you just went ahead and 957 00:47:14.900 --> 00:47:16.780 like hit record and you did it because the other 958 00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:19.380 thing too, is people get paralysis by like, it has 959 00:47:19.400 --> 00:47:23.369 to be perfect. And sometimes it's okay if it's just done. 960 00:47:23.769 --> 00:47:27.429 Like it's okay if it's done, maybe it's 85% there, 961 00:47:27.469 --> 00:47:30.630 but you gotta, you gotta keep her moving, you know? 962 00:47:30.750 --> 00:47:34.449 So like, that's all right. That's okay. Because look, I mean, 963 00:47:34.469 --> 00:47:36.449 I'm sure you were like, oh, well, three people are 964 00:47:36.469 --> 00:47:37.710 going to write, uh, write me on this. 965 00:47:37.750 --> 00:47:38.250 Literally. 966 00:47:38.409 --> 00:47:42.599

Normally it's nothing. The commentary is so funny because I 967 00:47:42.840 --> 00:47:46.789 literally commented on so many things before that, but his 968 00:47:46.829 --> 00:47:49.210 name is Brent Bailey, by the way, he's an actor. Uh, 969 00:47:49.610 --> 00:47:50.809 he lives in Hollywood. 970 00:47:51.070 --> 00:47:51.730 Right. I did. 971 00:47:51.909 --> 00:47:53.949 And it ended up, we ended up becoming friends. He 972 00:47:53.989 --> 00:47:57.230 was like guest number four or five. Yes, I know. 973 00:47:57.329 --> 00:48:01.070 It's crazy. But like he, he and I, it would 974 00:48:01.170 --> 00:48:03.199 not have happened if I hadn't sat down and talked 975 00:48:03.239 --> 00:48:06.860 about hot Santa and, you know, just pressed publish. And 976 00:48:06.900 --> 00:48:09.079 there you go. Um, and it with, I had, I 977 00:48:09.139 --> 00:48:11.099 had had a tooth removed, like on, on top of 978 00:48:11.159 --> 00:48:13.679 it all, I had, um, had a tooth pulled like 979 00:48:13.719 --> 00:48:17.170 three days earlier. So my face was like six times 980 00:48:17.269 --> 00:48:19.610 larger on this side than this side which might have. 981 00:48:19.510 --> 00:48:21.849 Been hello right so nice to meet you. 982 00:48:22.610 --> 00:48:24.949 Might have been my visual hook is that what's this 983 00:48:25.010 --> 00:48:27.389 girl with her face like so nice. 984 00:48:27.210 --> 00:48:28.170 To meet you. 985 00:48:31.010 --> 00:48:33.530 Oh my goodness you talk about like godwinks though and 986 00:48:33.570 --> 00:48:36.239 nudges and you know getting to know brent bailey has 987 00:48:36.280 --> 00:48:38.019 been such a such a gift and he's just a 988 00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:41.619 kind amazing human aside from obviously being hot santa he's 989 00:48:41.639 --> 00:48:43.920 got a lot of other a lot of other actor 990 00:48:44.059 --> 00:48:49.389 acting roles an onion Like we said, always peel it back. 991 00:48:49.510 --> 00:48:49.889 Always. 992 00:48:50.670 --> 00:48:53.449 Speaking of which, I have a few more questions that 993 00:48:53.489 --> 00:48:56.690 are very much quick before you forget oriented. So don't 994 00:48:56.730 --> 00:48:59.849 necessarily have to answer them quick, but they're a little 995 00:48:59.889 --> 00:49:04.070 more quick hitting. And one of them is what, because 996 00:49:04.210 --> 00:49:06.929 here's the thing, you have shined the spotlight a lot 997 00:49:07.050 --> 00:49:09.289 on the Holderness family, which makes all the sense to me. 998 00:49:09.769 --> 00:49:12.090 And as a very, I mean, my goodness gracious, I 999 00:49:12.130 --> 00:49:13.849 have been a huge fan of theirs for a very, 1000 00:49:13.909 --> 00:49:18.409 very long time. And was cheering them on in Amazing Race. 1001 00:49:18.610 --> 00:49:21.840 And I have their books back. here. And I was 1002 00:49:21.900 --> 00:49:24.440 on their book launch team for Everybody Fights. I am 1003 00:49:24.500 --> 00:49:25.090 like an OG. 1004 00:49:25.260 --> 00:49:27.420 Oh my gosh, you're a real one. You're a real one. 1005 00:49:27.619 --> 00:49:28.760 I go back, right? 1006 00:49:29.610 --> 00:49:33.510 And I'm so grateful you're here. You're here to tell 1007 00:49:33.570 --> 00:49:37.170 your story. Because as I shared a little bit before 1008 00:49:37.190 --> 00:49:39.469 we got on, I am somebody that's been behind the 1009 00:49:39.489 --> 00:49:41.070 scenes for a long time. who's trying to make that 1010 00:49:41.110 --> 00:49:45.500 transition and getting, you know, battling with myself, like, well, no, 1011 00:49:45.519 --> 00:49:48.360 but who cares what your story is? And you know, like, 1012 00:49:49.019 --> 00:49:51.579 but people do care and I, I care. So we're 1013 00:49:51.599 --> 00:49:53.929 going to dive into Anne Marie a little bit deeper, 1014 00:49:54.530 --> 00:49:58.730 including what would you tell your 22 year old self 1015 00:49:59.289 --> 00:49:59.750 if you could? 1016 00:50:02.409 --> 00:50:05.820 Oh, 22 year old Anne Marie. She was a lot. 1017 00:50:05.840 --> 00:50:12.429 And I'm joking. Um, I would tell her, You know, 1018 00:50:12.590 --> 00:50:14.730 it's so funny. I was almost going to say something 1019 00:50:14.750 --> 00:50:16.989 that I was almost going to say follow the rules 1020 00:50:17.250 --> 00:50:19.289 because I think one of the reasons why I got 1021 00:50:19.329 --> 00:50:21.409 like on my first job was I was like, I 1022 00:50:21.429 --> 00:50:23.280 don't need to do that. I have this way I 1023 00:50:23.300 --> 00:50:25.239 like to do it. And they're like, no, no, no. 1024 00:50:27.179 --> 00:50:28.679 We know it's archaic, but this is how we do 1025 00:50:28.719 --> 00:50:35.000 things around here. Right. Follow the rules, but also like, okay, 1026 00:50:35.019 --> 00:50:36.530 what I would tell myself is don't be afraid to 1027 00:50:36.570 --> 00:50:38.349 take the leap. Don't be afraid to take the leap 1028 00:50:38.530 --> 00:50:40.789 because I did stay in that job a long time. 1029 00:50:41.030 --> 00:50:43.869 I wanted to leave really bad. I tried to like 1030 00:50:43.909 --> 00:50:46.079 find other things to supplement. Like I said, I did 1031 00:50:46.119 --> 00:50:48.739 improv comedy. I tried to find things to bring myself joy. 1032 00:50:48.760 --> 00:50:53.619 So I would say take the leap. And I know 1033 00:50:53.659 --> 00:50:56.719 that now because I have taken the leap and things 1034 00:50:56.760 --> 00:50:59.030 have worked out. And if they don't work out, like 1035 00:50:59.170 --> 00:51:02.889 we'll find a way. Like I'm totally like I always 1036 00:51:02.969 --> 00:51:05.710 feel like you're going to figure it out. If you 1037 00:51:05.730 --> 00:51:07.360 want to make the big change, make the big change. 1038 00:51:07.409 --> 00:51:12.460 If you're like, oopsies, there's always an alternative. So yeah, 1039 00:51:12.500 --> 00:51:14.219 I would tell myself to like take the leap. 1040 00:51:15.139 -->

00:51:17.159 And have an open mind, it sounds like too. 1041 00:51:17.179 --> 00:51:18.380 I'll be stuck. Yeah. 1042 00:51:19.019 --> 00:51:19.159 Yeah. 1043 00:51:19.599 --> 00:51:20.679 Yeah. Make a change. 1044 00:51:21.219 --> 00:51:25.170 Make a change. If I handed you a megaphone and 1045 00:51:25.809 --> 00:51:29.250 most of the world was strongly encouraged to listen to you, 1046 00:51:29.929 --> 00:51:31.170 what would your one message be? 1047 00:51:35.199 --> 00:51:38.059 Uh, find a way to laugh every day. Find a 1048 00:51:38.059 --> 00:51:41.099 way to laugh every day. I just, that's probably cliche, 1049 00:51:41.119 --> 00:51:44.570 but laughter, I truly believe laughter is medicine. Laughter is medicine. 1050 00:51:44.699 --> 00:51:47.170 I laugh every day. The person that makes me laugh 1051 00:51:47.190 --> 00:51:49.929 the most of my life is my husband. Um, which 1052 00:51:49.949 --> 00:51:51.949 people are surprised to hear. So he's not like a 1053 00:51:52.190 --> 00:51:54.789 funny ha ha person, but he's just like a very like, um, 1054 00:51:55.449 --> 00:51:59.010 quick witted kind of dry deadpan humor. And it gets 1055 00:51:59.050 --> 00:52:02.070 me every time, every time I'm not, I'm not ready 1056 00:52:02.110 --> 00:52:03.659 for it. And that's what gets me every time. It's 1057 00:52:03.739 --> 00:52:05.699 so funny. but yeah, I would just find a way 1058 00:52:05.739 --> 00:52:08.860 to laugh every day. Even if it's something stupid, you 1059 00:52:08.880 --> 00:52:10.340 could laugh at yourself. You could have a dance party 1060 00:52:10.360 --> 00:52:14.969 in your bathroom and be like, I'm ridiculous, but you 1061 00:52:14.989 --> 00:52:17.150 have to find those ways to just get through it. 1062 00:52:17.610 --> 00:52:20.429 You'd really do. And I know there's a lot of like, 1063 00:52:20.550 --> 00:52:23.130 that's very, that also is a very privileged thing for 1064 00:52:23.150 --> 00:52:24.989 me to say. Like, cause I know there is a 1065 00:52:25.010 --> 00:52:27.309 lot of places in, in the U S and the 1066 00:52:27.349 --> 00:52:30.010 world that is like, they're really struggling and they're like, 1067 00:52:30.230 --> 00:52:33.510 that's cute Amory, but we're just trying to get through life. Um, 1068 00:52:34.000 --> 00:52:36.559 But I think even finding a really, I think the 1069 00:52:36.599 --> 00:52:39.400 watered down version of that is find a way to just, 1070 00:52:39.760 --> 00:52:42.969 you know, crack even a little soft smile. Do something 1071 00:52:42.989 --> 00:52:45.670 that makes you, even if it's just watching the sunset, 1072 00:52:46.730 --> 00:52:49.630 picking up a dandelion and, you know, blowing it like 1073 00:52:49.670 --> 00:52:51.449 you were when you were a kid. Like find those 1074 00:52:51.530 --> 00:52:55.099 little pieces that kind of bring you a little spark, 1075 00:52:55.519 --> 00:52:58.539 a little sparkle. Because you need that. Even if things 1076 00:52:58.579 --> 00:53:00.239 are really hard, you need that as a person. 1077 00:53:01.309 --> 00:53:03.130 The best thing about what you said, and I got 1078 00:53:03.150 --> 00:53:05.369 chills because the best thing about what you said is 1079 00:53:06.070 --> 00:53:08.809 first of all, that it's little. Secondly, that it's for you. 1080 00:53:09.170 --> 00:53:12.030 And thirdly, that it's a spark because it is. And 1081 00:53:12.050 --> 00:53:15.800 when you find those things for you, generally speaking in 1082 00:53:15.900 --> 00:53:19.079 some way or another, it spills over and can spark 1083 00:53:19.139 --> 00:53:21.920 something in somebody else. And that's kind of the whole 1084 00:53:21.980 --> 00:53:24.570 point of what I'm trying to do here is helping 1085 00:53:24.590 --> 00:53:28.030 people feel seen in story and in a way that 1086 00:53:28.130 --> 00:53:31.199 they recognize that a lot of the, these really big 1087 00:53:31.300 --> 00:53:35.619 things that feel super overwhelming and hard aren't, it's not 1088 00:53:35.659 --> 00:53:38.300 that it's not that deep. Like it's not like you 1089 00:53:38.539 --> 00:53:42.539 can find these little things and hold onto them and 1090 00:53:42.579 --> 00:53:44.760 have them actually make a difference in your day, in 1091 00:53:44.780 --> 00:53:46.679 your life, in your world and in the world of 1092 00:53:46.719 --> 00:53:49.570 those around you. And that's, that's the coolest part for me. 1093 00:53:49.590 --> 00:53:53.960 Um, What? Another thing I'll say to that really quick 1094 00:53:54.019 --> 00:53:55.500 is like, I always try to find a way to 1095 00:53:55.599 --> 00:53:59.960 connect with just everyday people. I could be asking someone 1096 00:54:00.199 --> 00:54:02.440 at the grocery store where an item is, but I 1097 00:54:02.480 --> 00:54:05.980 always try to not just ask that. Like sometimes I, 1098 00:54:06.300 --> 00:54:07.780 and I do it to the point where I don't 1099 00:54:07.820 --> 00:54:10.239 even like realize I'm doing it, but I, I've noticed 1100 00:54:10.260 --> 00:54:12.019 this about myself lately. Cause someone pointed out to me 1101 00:54:12.079 --> 00:54:14.480 is like, I'll crack a little joke about it to them, 1102 00:54:14.579 --> 00:54:17.280 or I'll like make a comment that makes them laugh 1103 00:54:17.340 --> 00:54:19.960 about what they're doing or like, and again, nothing's mean spirited, 1104 00:54:20.019 --> 00:54:21.840 but I was trying to find these little ways to 1105 00:54:21.880 --> 00:54:26.119 like just connect with the everyday people you're seeing in 1106 00:54:26.159 --> 00:54:29.960 your life and connect with them in with with kindness and, 1107 00:54:30.360 --> 00:54:33.980 you know, being humble and joy. Like if you can 1108 00:54:34.000 --> 00:54:37.250 make it always makes my day to make someone else's day, 1109 00:54:37.530 --> 00:54:39.909 even if I just made them kind of chuckle about something. 1110 00:54:39.929 --> 00:54:40.889 Yeah. 1111

00:54:42.230 --> 00:54:45.309 Any I don't know if someone takes that take something 1112 00:54:45.369 --> 00:54:48.469 away from that, then even just one person, then. 1113 00:54:49.849 --> 00:54:52.269 The power of one is, is a good thing. I, 1114 00:54:52.369 --> 00:54:54.489 you know, that was a guest of mine. That was 1115 00:54:54.530 --> 00:54:56.929 the name of the episode was if you just touch 1116 00:54:57.030 --> 00:54:59.710 one heart in a day, you've done more than enough. 1117 00:55:00.050 --> 00:55:03.139 So that's absolutely beautiful. And something I do as well. 1118 00:55:03.300 --> 00:55:06.500 And I, I, I'm a complimenter like when we're at 1119 00:55:06.820 --> 00:55:09.360 the grocery store and I can tell that somebody spent 1120 00:55:09.480 --> 00:55:13.110 time or money on their nails or their outfit or 1121 00:55:13.349 --> 00:55:15.590 their hair or whatever. I'm the one that's like, Oh, 1122 00:55:17.550 --> 00:55:19.969 And my kids, it was really cool is that I 1123 00:55:20.429 --> 00:55:22.769 have modeled that enough with my kids where they do 1124 00:55:22.829 --> 00:55:26.860 it too. And seeing that like full circle parenting moment 1125 00:55:27.239 --> 00:55:31.219 on pretty frequently is just, it's exactly what you're talking 1126 00:55:31.260 --> 00:55:33.619 about with like the mirror and having that, it just 1127 00:55:34.179 --> 00:55:36.440 amplifies the good energy. And we need, we need as 1128 00:55:36.480 --> 00:55:38.539 much of that as we can get right now. So 1129 00:55:39.639 --> 00:55:43.039 we do. And another place that I find good energy is, 1130 00:55:43.219 --> 00:55:47.320 you know, we, you talked about laughter is medicine. 100% agree. 1131 00:55:47.699 --> 00:55:51.960 I also believe that mindset, movement, and music are kind 1132 00:55:51.980 --> 00:55:54.659 of my foundations for the show and for Quick Before 1133 00:55:54.699 --> 00:56:00.409 You Forget. Movement and music, in particular music, is medicine 1134 00:56:00.590 --> 00:56:03.849 for me, has been. I'm very grateful I've had a 1135 00:56:03.869 --> 00:56:06.050 lot of opportunities to experience a lot of live shows 1136 00:56:06.110 --> 00:56:10.590 this year. Medicine is almost not a big enough word 1137 00:56:10.670 --> 00:56:14.340 for the healing energy that can happen for you through music. 1138 00:56:14.400 --> 00:56:17.320 So my question is as, as a person that, you know, 1139 00:56:17.340 --> 00:56:20.030 obviously there's a lot of music that happens in the 1140 00:56:20.070 --> 00:56:23.949 Holderness family, but what is your song? Like, do you 1141 00:56:23.969 --> 00:56:26.469 have a song that you go to, to like ground 1142 00:56:26.510 --> 00:56:28.090 yourself in moments? 1143 00:56:28.110 --> 00:56:29.610 I've been waiting for you to ask me. I've been 1144 00:56:29.650 --> 00:56:34.329 waiting for you to ask me. I, I do love music. I, 1145 00:56:34.769 --> 00:56:36.369 like I said, I did musical theater. I'm a singer. 1146 00:56:36.389 --> 00:56:39.869 I've always sang. I was like, the little kid when 1147 00:56:39.929 --> 00:56:42.909 she was three that I like, they put me on 1148 00:56:42.949 --> 00:56:45.750 a table outside and I sang Jeremiah was a bullfrog, 1149 00:56:45.789 --> 00:56:48.389 joy to the world for everyone. Cause my dad had 1150 00:56:48.409 --> 00:56:49.880 rewrote some of the lyrics for me. So they were 1151 00:56:49.909 --> 00:56:52.460 age appropriate. So I guess parody has always been in 1152 00:56:52.480 --> 00:56:55.650 my life too. Always. You were three. Yes. It was 1153 00:56:55.670 --> 00:56:57.280 like three or four and they have like a whole 1154 00:56:57.300 --> 00:56:59.949 movie of it. I asked for like that Fisher price 1155 00:57:00.010 --> 00:57:03.179 microphone with like lights for like, I think a preschool, 1156 00:57:03.239 --> 00:57:05.699 like Christmas. It was like the best. I still think 1157 00:57:05.719 --> 00:57:07.699 to this day, that was like the epitome of Christmas 1158 00:57:07.739 --> 00:57:09.699 morning to me was seeing that under the tree. I 1159 00:57:09.739 --> 00:57:12.480 was like, like, I just loved it. So I do, 1160 00:57:12.599 --> 00:57:15.559 I do love to sing. So I love, love music. 1161 00:57:15.840 --> 00:57:18.840 And do I have a song? I love Phil Collins. 1162 00:57:19.940 --> 00:57:23.239 I've noticed about myself that I love a horn section. 1163 00:57:23.980 --> 00:57:26.429 I need your band to have a horn section. I 1164 00:57:27.170 --> 00:57:29.190 want a full horn section. So that brings me to 1165 00:57:29.230 --> 00:57:33.070 like a lot of Motown, funk. But I did something 1166 00:57:33.110 --> 00:57:36.010 recently that kind of goes along with your question. Again, 1167 00:57:36.030 --> 00:57:39.269 a little God wink is I just recognized when I 1168 00:57:39.289 --> 00:57:41.010 was like out at the airport or a restaurant, I'd 1169 00:57:41.030 --> 00:57:42.980 be like, oh, I love this song. I haven't heard 1170 00:57:43.059 --> 00:57:46.019 this song in forever. So I started a new playlist 1171 00:57:46.119 --> 00:57:50.320 called Happy Mix on my phone. And so whenever I 1172 00:57:50.360 --> 00:57:52.039 would hear a song when I was out, I would 1173 00:57:52.079 --> 00:57:54.030 throw it on the Happy Mix. And sometimes I take 1174 00:57:54.050 --> 00:57:57.639 stuff off because I'm like, maybe this one's I'm not 1175 00:57:57.659 --> 00:58:00.239 super into it anymore. But it actually, if I'm having 1176 00:58:00.280 --> 00:58:02.920 a down day, I literally just put that thing on 1177 00:58:02.940 --> 00:58:05.980 shuffle because it's all songs that make me feel good. 1178 00:58:06.000 --> 00:58:09.199 There's a lot of horns in those and there's a 1179 00:58:09.199 --> 00:58:11.829 lot of Motown. It's probably everything you're like people listening 1180 00:58:11.869 --> 00:58:14.230 like your parents like. I usually like the music your 1181 00:58:14.269 -->

00:58:16.929 parents like for sure. I'm kind of an old soul 1182 00:58:16.949 --> 00:58:20.650 in that way. But yeah, that's what really, that's what 1183 00:58:20.690 --> 00:58:23.949 gets me going. One of my favorites is Something Happened 1184 00:58:23.969 --> 00:58:26.360 on the Way to Heaven by Phil Collins, which is 1185 00:58:26.440 --> 00:58:29.539 a banger and has a lot of horns. So that's 1186 00:58:29.619 --> 00:58:32.099 like my check, check. Anne-Marie's happy. 1187 00:58:32.380 --> 00:58:35.679 Checks all the boxes. And will you share your playlist 1188 00:58:35.719 --> 00:58:38.639 with us? Like, I don't want to like, is it 1189 00:58:38.659 --> 00:58:40.710 like on Apple or Spotify or somewhere where you could like? 1190 00:58:40.730 --> 00:58:42.090 Yeah, it's on Apple. Okay. 1191 00:58:42.349 --> 00:58:42.869 I would love it. 1192 00:58:42.949 --> 00:58:45.409 Yeah. You guys can get happy with me. Yes. 1193 00:58:45.710 --> 00:58:49.309 Let's get happy together with the, with the happy mix playlist. 1194 00:58:49.349 --> 00:58:52.219 Enjoy the horns. They don't have enough horns nowadays. They 1195 00:58:52.239 --> 00:58:52.920 need to bring them back. 1196 00:58:53.340 --> 00:58:57.320 That's true. You don't hear horns. That's funny because, yeah, 1197 00:58:57.340 --> 00:58:58.920 I was trying to think of something more modern and 1198 00:59:00.019 --> 00:59:00.949 I can't think of anything. 1199 00:59:00.969 --> 00:59:03.050 It's so hard. Bruno Mars has some horns. 1200 00:59:03.349 --> 00:59:06.530 Okay. Bruno Mars knows what's up. We know what's up. 1201 00:59:08.610 --> 00:59:11.889 Thank you for your time. for your energy, for all 1202 00:59:11.929 --> 00:59:14.469 of the things. I am so grateful. And I want 1203 00:59:14.510 --> 00:59:17.070 to know if there's anything specific that you want to 1204 00:59:17.110 --> 00:59:19.639 share or spotlight that I didn't ask you today. 1205 00:59:21.559 --> 00:59:24.460 Um, okay. Yes, there is. So in getting to know 1206 00:59:24.579 --> 00:59:27.980 me and Marie, the person, not the Midwest neighbor, um, 1207 00:59:28.179 --> 00:59:32.030 I'm very involved in my local chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta, 1208 00:59:32.110 --> 00:59:36.329 which is a sorority and our philanthropy is, um, fighting hunger. 1209 00:59:36.630 --> 00:59:38.349 So I would encourage everyone as we go into the 1210 00:59:38.389 --> 00:59:41.590 holiday season, um, to give back to your local food 1211 00:59:41.630 --> 00:59:48.849 pantry or to volunteer your, your time. If you're Food 1212 00:59:48.889 --> 00:59:52.590 insecurity is like a really, really big issue right now, 1213 00:59:52.650 --> 00:59:55.550 especially in our area. And that's the work that I 1214 00:59:55.590 --> 00:59:59.179 do with these amazing women that I get to work 1215 00:59:59.199 --> 01:00:01.340 with here. And so, yeah, that's what I would encourage 1216 01:00:01.380 --> 01:00:05.340 people to do because also giving back to others also 1217 01:00:05.920 --> 01:00:08.099 brings you joy. It really does. It puts a smile 1218 01:00:08.119 --> 01:00:10.449 on their face and yours. So I would try to 1219 01:00:10.489 --> 01:00:12.170 find ways to do that. Awesome. 1220 01:00:12.590 --> 01:00:16.170 One more thing, quick before you forget, what does Anne-Marie 1221 01:00:16.530 --> 01:00:17.590 need to remember right now? 1222 01:00:20.599 --> 01:00:26.460 Anne-Marie needs to remember the grocery list. No, Anne-Marie needs 1223 01:00:26.559 --> 01:00:30.619 to remember, um, probably to not be so hard on herself. 1224 01:00:31.920 --> 01:00:35.179 That's like a downer answer, but, um, I dug a 1225 01:00:35.199 --> 01:00:37.280 lot of balls. I like to do a lot of things. 1226 01:00:37.920 --> 01:00:41.929 Sometimes things get dropped and, um, usually I'm very quick 1227 01:00:41.969 --> 01:00:44.849 to fix it if it does, but sometimes, yeah, it's, 1228 01:00:45.440 --> 01:00:48.440 I think it's hard, especially being like a working mom. 1229 01:00:48.539 --> 01:00:50.519 You can sometimes, you'll have days where you feel like 1230 01:00:50.539 --> 01:00:54.119 you're failing. And I mean, on the whole, you're probably 1231 01:00:54.159 --> 01:00:57.239 doing great. You just had a bad day. So I 1232 01:00:57.260 --> 01:00:59.550 need to remind myself to be nicer to myself about stuff. 1233 01:00:59.630 --> 01:01:02.150 Sometimes I beat myself up if I forget something or 1234 01:01:02.170 --> 01:01:04.730 I mess something up. But it's really not that serious. 1235 01:01:05.489 --> 01:01:07.110 Go put your happy playlist on, Ann Marie. 1236 01:01:07.769 --> 01:01:08.369 Happy mixed playlist. 1237 01:01:08.389 --> 01:01:09.630 I dance pretty going to those horns. 1238 01:01:10.050 --> 01:01:13.719 Here we go. It's so funny because... you said it 1239 01:01:13.739 --> 01:01:16.000 was a downer answer and I heard give yourself grace 1240 01:01:16.219 --> 01:01:19.360 and there's nothing downer about that. Like you just need 1241 01:01:19.400 --> 01:01:22.389 to give yourself some grace. Like I almost forgot to 1242 01:01:22.510 --> 01:01:25.190 ask a question. I had a friend who found out 1243 01:01:25.230 --> 01:01:27.670 I was interviewing you, talking with you today and she's like, 1244 01:01:27.730 --> 01:01:29.570 oh my gosh, could you ask her a question? And 1245 01:01:29.610 --> 01:01:32.610 I said, sure. And I almost forgot. And then you said, 1246 01:01:32.929 --> 01:01:35.329 and you know, I forget things and I was looking 1247 01:01:35.369 --> 01:01:37.809 at my notes and here's the question. So I'm One 1248 01:01:37.849 --> 01:01:39.929 more question. I'm sorry to juke you around. 1249 01:01:40.070 --> 01:01:41.650 Who's your friend? Can we say her name? 1250 01:01:41.670 --> 01:01:44.670 Yeah, her name is Leanne, and she's from the Instagram. 1251 01:01:44.949 --> 01:01:47.110 She's one of my rollercoaster followers. 1252 01:01:47.139 --> 01:01:50.780 Is she a two-name

person? She a two-name person? Kind of, Leanne. 1253 01:01:51.039 --> 01:01:51.519 She is. 1254 01:01:51.579 --> 01:01:52.099 Yeah, Leanne. 1255 01:01:52.159 --> 01:01:53.920 I get you, girl. I get you, girl. 1256 01:01:53.940 --> 01:01:54.559 She's in your name. 1257 01:01:54.579 --> 01:01:57.539 We're out here fighting the good fight with our two names. 1258 01:01:57.800 --> 01:02:01.280 You share three letters in your names. So she said, 1259 01:02:01.519 --> 01:02:05.039 give me the Midwestern mom or woman take on neighbors 1260 01:02:05.099 --> 01:02:09.219 being friends and then not... being friends. How do you 1261 01:02:09.260 --> 01:02:12.300 go about life driving past their house every day, but 1262 01:02:12.340 --> 01:02:15.199 not having deep connection or closeness anymore? 1263 01:02:17.050 --> 01:02:19.630 Oh, okay. So wait, they were friends and now they're not. 1264 01:02:19.650 --> 01:02:21.469 Uh-huh. And how do you work through that? 1265 01:02:22.429 --> 01:02:23.550 And you have to go through that by their house 1266 01:02:23.610 --> 01:02:27.150 every day. Oh, this is hard for me to answer 1267 01:02:27.210 --> 01:02:30.210 Leanne because I'm, I'm a little bit of a people pleaser. 1268 01:02:30.590 --> 01:02:33.099 So I will make my way to go over there. 1269 01:02:33.139 --> 01:02:34.860 I'll find an excuse to come over to your house, 1270 01:02:35.019 --> 01:02:36.900 even if we're not friends, just to be like, everything good. 1271 01:02:37.909 --> 01:02:39.610 Or your plant, like sometimes I'll wait, I'll see them 1272 01:02:39.630 --> 01:02:42.230 come out. Your plants look so nice. I always like 1273 01:02:42.269 --> 01:02:43.349 compliment people on their plants. 1274 01:02:43.369 --> 01:02:43.909 Compliments. 1275 01:02:45.059 --> 01:02:47.840 They do look really nice because I do not have 1276 01:02:47.940 --> 01:02:50.460 a big green. I do a lot of drought resistant 1277 01:02:50.500 --> 01:02:53.159 plants because I'll forget to water them. But if you're 1278 01:02:53.179 --> 01:02:55.809 watering your plants, I'm giving you a gold star. Okay. 1279 01:02:55.869 --> 01:02:59.920 What do you say? Um, oh gosh, Leanne, I feel 1280 01:02:59.960 --> 01:03:02.460 like as a neighbor, I have to answer in this 1281 01:03:02.579 --> 01:03:06.280 very exaggerated voice that I've created. That's not really from 1282 01:03:06.460 --> 01:03:09.510 any specific place in the Midwest, just a culmination of 1283 01:03:09.550 --> 01:03:14.369 it all. So don't get offended. Um, listen, okay. You 1284 01:03:14.409 --> 01:03:17.170 don't have to be besties, but you got to help 1285 01:03:17.190 --> 01:03:19.730 them out every once in a while. Maybe drop off 1286 01:03:19.769 --> 01:03:24.070 a little beat good, write them a little note. If 1287 01:03:24.090 --> 01:03:26.929 you have a good casserole recipe, maybe drop that in 1288 01:03:26.949 --> 01:03:31.130 the mailbox. Was thinking of you. It doesn't mean you 1289 01:03:31.150 -->

01:03:34.079 got to be best buds, but you can be neighborly. 1290 01:03:34.860 --> 01:03:38.199 You can help them shovel the drive. If they need 1291 01:03:38.219 --> 01:03:41.679 a boost, that's what I would say. That's what the 1292 01:03:41.699 --> 01:03:43.150 neighbor would say. Bless him. 1293 01:03:43.570 --> 01:03:46.809 That was perfect. And I'm grateful. And it's been so fun. 1294 01:03:46.829 --> 01:03:48.849 I wonder if maybe you could come back again and 1295 01:03:48.889 --> 01:03:51.070 talk more because I could talk to you for hours. 1296 01:03:51.139 --> 01:03:54.079 We've had enough time though. And I'm so grateful. So 1297 01:03:54.119 --> 01:03:57.019 thank you again for being here, for sharing with us, 1298 01:03:57.079 --> 01:04:00.780 for just showing up for you and for us. I 1299 01:04:00.800 --> 01:04:01.590 really appreciate it. 1300 01:04:02.639 --> 01:04:04.860 Yes. Thank you for having me on. It's been really, 1301 01:04:04.880 --> 01:04:07.039 really nice. I've liked talking to you. I would be 1302 01:04:07.079 --> 01:04:07.659 happy to come back. 1303 01:04:07.679 --> 01:04:08.099 Yay. 1304 01:04:09.070 --> 01:04:11.050 So you heard it here, friends. She's coming back. And 1305 01:04:11.090 --> 01:04:13.750 we will see you next time on Quick Before You Forget. 1306 01:04:13.769 --> 01:04:13.840 Bye. 1307 01:04:16.070 --> 01:04:19.789 That was so much fun. Thank you for investing your time, energy, 1308 01:04:20.050 --> 01:04:23.090 and thought into spending some time with me today. I 1309 01:04:23.210 --> 01:04:26.769 really appreciate you. And I really appreciate when you talk back. 1310 01:04:27.429 --> 01:04:30.199 So please, if you're here still, thank you so much. 1311 01:04:30.820 --> 01:04:33.800 Please tell me what you thought. Tell me what other 1312 01:04:33.860 --> 01:04:37.800 questions you have. Tell me how this episode affected you 1313 01:04:37.860 --> 01:04:40.070 and how it resonated with you and all of the things. 1314 01:04:40.110 --> 01:04:43.369 Tell me all the things in the comments. And please 1315 01:04:43.429 --> 01:04:46.289 know that I'm reading every single comment, responding to every 1316 01:04:46.329 --> 01:04:50.510 single comment, and I appreciate you. Thank you for being 1317 01:04:50.550 --> 01:04:54.150 here with me today. Please also like, share, subscribe. If 1318 01:04:54.650 --> 01:04:57.130 this episode was fun for you, It'll be fun for 1319 01:04:57.170 --> 01:04:59.349 a friend, so send it to a friend that might 1320 01:04:59.429 --> 01:05:03.400 enjoy a little laughter, a little joy, and a little 1321 01:05:03.440 --> 01:05:09.760 more time investing in themselves. And today, I am proudly sponsored, 1322 01:05:09.800 --> 01:05:13.849 not sponsored, by Zeke's Village Market in Door County, Wisconsin, 1323 01:05:14.070 --> 01:05:19.210 which provided this fantastic shirt, which Ephraim is a really 1324 01:05:19.250 --> 01:05:22.030 cute town in Door County. If you haven't been there, 1325 01:05:22.510 --> 01:05:26.179 it's beautiful. It's very much Cape Cod beautiful. It's the 1326 01:05:26.199 --> 01:05:28.519 Cape Cod of the Midwest. So I just have to 1327 01:05:28.559 --> 01:05:32.059 show you the design because the design is what makes 1328 01:05:32.139 --> 01:05:34.449 it a souvenir with soul. So we're going to stand up. 1329 01:05:44.590 --> 01:05:48.449 Every single design from Zeke's has heart and soul put 1330 01:05:48.489 --> 01:05:51.480 into it and it's designed and part that they partner 1331 01:05:51.559 --> 01:05:55.980 with Guilty Apparel. And the two together are a dynamic 1332 01:05:56.039 --> 01:05:59.900 duo of awesomeness. So I am so grateful for their 1333 01:06:00.000 --> 01:06:04.110 belief in me and their beautiful designs and their souvenirs 1334 01:06:04.130 --> 01:06:07.210 with soul. And I will see you next time on 1335 01:06:07.289 --> 01:06:08.130 Quick Before You Forget.

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