#millennial

#Millennial is off this week, so instead we're releasing the latest installment of After Dark to everyone! To receive new installments of After Dark every week, pledge today at Patreon.com/millennial at the OTP level or higher. In addition to receiving lots of bonus content, you'll also be helping us run the show, so thank you! In this week's installment of After Dark... To ghost or not to ghost? One of our listeners asks about ghosting etiquette, and we have some nuanced opinions. Have we ever been the ghost-er? More importantly, have we been the ghost-ee?! We share stories from our time on the dating scene. Chloé probes for some historical MuggleCast tea, to the delight of listeners. Andrew and Laura come clean about a couple things.

It's our final episode of 2021, and we'll be doing a year in review + making predictions for 2022! It's a crazy fun episode that goes in a ton of different directions as we wrap up the year. But first... Chloé, our new social media manager, is joining us for this year's season finale and holiday gift exchange! She has a thing or two to teach us about not being chuegy. Y'all heard it here first, Chloé is an amazing storyteller and shares her hilarious vaccination story. We give our spoiler-free tractions to Spider-Man: No Way Home, and we are still so hype from this movie!!!! Our 2021 gift exchange is chaos, as God intended. A look back at 2021: somehow, we all kept chugging through an insurrection, continuing pandemic, being called an asshole by a complete stranger, the 90s coming back into fashion, billionaire penis rockets, and supply chain shortages. Whew! What are we expecting in 2022? Andrew is trying to be less bleak, but still has a death prediction. Our end-of-year recommendations will leave yo

Andrew is trying to trigger Laura early in the show by reminding her of election night 2016, which she is yet to emotionally process. Our 2021 physical gift for BAE Patrons was delayed due to production and supply chain issues, but it’ll be out by January! Want this awesome water bottle? Head over to patreon.com/millennial and sign up at the $10 BAE level! BAE Patrons: Please fill out the form before December 31st! There is apparently a reason why it feels like it’s hard to understand what characters in movies are saying these days, and it’s not because we’re geriatric millennials! When will Hollywood make sound design a priority as they’ve done for visuals? An unusual and deadly weather system hit parts of the central and south United States this weekend, leaving dozens dead and untold damage in its wake. How does this event relate to climate change? We check in with listeners living in and around the affected areas, and hear from Laura what it’s like to ride out a tornado. To learn more about disaster

Because you haven't seen enough Spotify Wrapped results, we're sharing ours to kick off the show this week? What on earth is an "angsty, silly" musical aura? Omicron check in: is panic necessary? How are we keeping calm as we await more information? Stacey Abrams announced she will be running for Governor in Georgia in 2022 - Laura shares her excitement, and why she thinks this is a killer midterm strategy. What are millennials killing now? We discuss a viral image making the rounds on Facebook, and make predictions about what our generation will be accused of killing next. We dive into a discussion on redistricting, and the dreaded gerrymandering that often comes every 10 years following the U.S. Census. To learn what a gerrymandered district looks like, take this quiz! To learn how your state handles redistricting, click here! Although gerrymandering overwhelmingly benefits Republicans, we feel no political party should have a hand in shaping district maps. How can you help? By calling your members of

We've got a lot on our minds in the lead up to Thanksgiving here in the states! Kamala Harris became the first woman President in the United States for a whopping two hours while Joe had a camera up his ass. Yay? Pam gives us her reviews of Adele's '30' and Taylor Swift's 'Red (Taylor's Version)'. Heading home for the holidays? We've got your Thanksgiving survival guide, with recommendations of games, TV, movies, and last minute recipes to stave off all those awkward conversations with your weird uncle. Andrew surprises us with some original Thanksgiving poetry, and we discuss whether we actually enjoy Thanksgiving? Isn't everyone just ready for Christmas? Speaking of the upcoming holiday, travel is expected to be kind of a disaster. Flight bookings are up 78% over 2020's numbers, and with staffing shortages, long lines, and unruly passengers, some of y'all are gonna be in for a ride when you're flying home. Target has announced it will be permanently closing its stores on Thanksgiving moving forward -

Andrew kicks off the show by sharing a recent instance where he was harassed for wearing a a mask. Listeners sound off: turns out plenty of our listeners' kids do still play with physical toys. We officially announce our new social media manager, Chloé! We can't wait to have her on the show, and are so excited to have a Gen Zer running our social media (we don't know what we're doing). Laura's second home, Costa Rica, is the first country in the world to announce vaccine mandates for children ages 5-11. As citizens of a country where we're struggling to get adults on board with getting vaccinated, we're envious of Costa Rica's high vaccine approval ratings. It's not all bad news for us in the States: The FDA is likely to approve Pfizer boosters for all U.S. adults in the coming week. We're joined by BAE supporter Camille, who's here to share her experiences in retail management, and dig into what it's been like to work retail during the pandemic. We learned last week that a record 4.4 million people qu

Some good news to start off with this week: Congress finally passed Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Daily housekeeping in hotels may never come back, and Laura's gripe about people messing up public bathrooms in establishments that are understaffed. This week, we check in on how we're feeling about retirement. Do we think we'll get to retire, and if so, will we still be side-hustling in our golden years? Why does saving for retirement feel so overwhelming for millennials? Living through multiple economic crises and watching Baby Boomers struggle to retire certainly isn't helping! We've got a few resources for you to check out: If you don't have an employer sponsored retirement savings account, consider opening an IRA! We also recommend checking out some of the FREE financial guidance that may be available to you. Childhood throwback: Neopets is still a thing, and most of its users are between 20-40 years old. We take a trip down memory lane and remember the Furbies, Beanie Babies, and Lisa Fr

Andrew has established himself as the cool neighbor by giving out full-size candy bars on Halloween! Laura commemorates Election Day 2021 with some show and tell. Daylight Savings Time is ending soon, and we're frustrated about changing our clocks twice a year. Why must we be thrust into darkness every winter?? While public health experts are rightly focused on curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, there is another health concern creeping up on us: Syphilis is on the rise in the United States. Despite two prior public health campaigns to eradicate this STI, rates are climbing. How do we think the pandemic may have helped or hurt the cause? We cover the most misunderstood headline in 2021: Facebook and the Metaverse. No, your Facebook app won't be rebranded to Meta. Yes, Zuckerberg is trying to expand his tech empire, and there is reason to be worried about it. Not everything is black and white: there are some specific cases where Meta's 'Horizon Home' offering can be beneficial... but we have security concern

We kick the show off with an update from Laura about COVID booster shots! In the U.S. and wanting to find out if a booster is right for you? Check out the CDC's guidance. In bittersweet news, our Social Media manager, Jule, will be moving onto new opportunities. If you have a background in social media management and are interested in working with #Millennial and MuggleCast, email us at millennialshow@gmail.com. In other vaccine news, thousands of workers across the U.S. would rather lose their jobs than be vaccinated. Let's remind them that they've already submitted to mandatory vaccines in order to attend our public schools. News coming out of the ‘Eternals’ screening sent fans into a frenzy when press in attendance revealed that a pretty big name has signed on to join the MCU. Don't worry - no spoilers here at #Millennial!  Do spoilers in general bother us? Do we try to generally avoid them or do we just assume they’re unavoidable at this point? The Federal Aviation Association is keeping a record of

On this week's episode: why people enjoy the True Crime genre, Netflix's response to ongoing controversy around Dave Chappelle's latest special, and how houses of worship could turn the tides on vaccine hesitancy in their congregations. Please be sure to take the 2021 #Millennial Listener Survey! Our friend John Thrasher from the podcast Shaken and Disturbed joins us for this week's episode, and we dig into why True Crime is such an appealing genre to so many people. Since we've known each other a long time, we reflect on our podcasting careers and how they've grown over time. Dave Chapelle is still under fire for the jokes he made about the trans community as part of his new Netflix special— and Netflix is doubling down on its support. How could Netflix handle this controversy differently? Roxanne Gay wrote an excellent op-ed on the Chappelle special, give it a read. A slim majority of church-going Americans say they would trust their clergy's guidance on COVID-19 vaccines, and yet, most report their

On today’s episode, we discuss a viral TikTok that addresses a unique observation about how quick people are to attack others on social media, then we’ll talk about the increase in those experiencing insomnia, and the outrageous shipping rate increases here in the U.S., and how they will affect the holiday season.  Some feedback about our spanking conversation from a couple of weeks ago inspires us to examine our blind spots, and we're thankful! A viral Tiktok is calling out the internet behavior of attacking others online for not specifying every possible caveat to every statement made. We share our own experiences with trolls doing this to us, and question if we've ever done this to others. As our culture evolves, is this a somewhat natural side-effect? Or can we do better? Some experts have noted increased rates of insomnia during the pandemic, and are terming the phenomenon "covidsomnia." Have we experienced a decrease in the amount or quality of our sleep? What do we want to try to improve it? L

On today’s episode, Laura’s got a SCOTUS term preview, Pam talks about Big Brother, which crowned its first black winner, and we speak more about the Sunday Scaries, including how to help calm them down. Facebook and Instagram were down for several hours today - #thoughtsandprayers to anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists. Andrew shares a personal update about Hypable, and conversation ensues about how to know when you're ready to take a big chance. With the composition of the U.S. Supreme Court shifting to a strong conservative majority, there are a number of issues on the docket that should make progressives nervous. A Mississippi abortion case, gun restriction challenge, and a push to use state money to pay for religious schooling are all on the docket this fall. For the first time in history, Big Brother crowned its first Black winner— and it’s thanks to an all Black six member alliance known as The Cookout. We dig into how this alliance between the black players this season helped push back against

On today’s episode we discuss a major strike that might happen in Hollywood, examine our ideologies through the Political Compass test, and discuss the renewed attention on Britney Spears.  Tiger King fans(?) rejoice: season 2 is coming November 17th, so we're all practicing our 'Here, Kitty Kitty' renditions. 150,000 IATSE workers are preparing to strike in demand of living wages, better benefits, and reasonable rest. These working conditions have been the standard for years - why is now the time to strike? We took the Political Compass test and compared our results. Pro tip: get your personalized certificate here. Is it silly to be proud of where you were born? Do good parents sometimes need to spank their children? Two new Britney Spears documentaries are coming out, prompting Andrew to ask - are we all hypocrites for continuing to consume this content? Recommendations hot off the pod: Sunday Scaries podcast by Spotify and Headspace (Andrew), get your flu shot (Laura), and 'Blockbuster' from Big Pot

On today’s episode we ask Judge Laura for her verdict on this case of the young Van Life couple who went missing, talk about when and how to leave a job as well as going back to the workplace right now, and review Bud Light’s new Fall Flannel hard seltzers.   Micah is back! We have so much secondhand embarrassment about the amount of time and money wasted in California's recall election, we don't have much to say except... can Californians recall recalls? Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie embarked on a "van life" trip across America's national parks. What should have been a romantic getaway ended in tragedy, and we're left with questions. What happened, where is Brian Laundrie, and is this yet more evidence that everything on social media is fake? Plus, why was the answer likely 'murder' instead of 'breakup'? To quit or not to quit? A Confessional writer has an unpopular opinion about those who abruptly quit jobs with little to no notice. Related to the Great Resignation happening across the U.S., we discu

It's a pop culture kinda week y'all! We dive into movies being shut out of China, reliving major events through dramatizations, and chat with our friend Chloe, who is a Director at a digital agency working with celebs. But first, some updates: President Biden announces that all business with 100+ employees must require vaccinations or weekly COVID tests, and the Justice Department sues Texas over its restrictive abortion law. In the wake of Britney Spears' dad requesting removal from the infamous conservatorship, Britney got engaged to longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari. Marvel's Shang-Chi' doesn't have a release date in China, and it might not get one due to some old comments by star Simu Liu. How can studios strike a balance between being progressive, but still appealing to world audiences? We review the first episode of Impeachment: American Crime Story, and chat about how it feels to have the first major political scandal of our lifetimes dramatized for TV. Do we feel like certain topics are being revis

On today's episode, we discuss the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Texas making headlines in all the wrong ways, and some drama around Olivia Rodrigo's music. Pam and Laura saw 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and provide a spoiler-free review. This week will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which is doubly significant given the end of the war in Afghanistan. We recount our memories of the day and the impact 9/11 had on every day life. The most restrictive abortion law in the United States has taken effect in Texas after the Supreme Court voted not to block the law. We dig into why this law is different from other heartbeat bill attempts, and the dangerous legal precedent it sets by placing enforcement in the hands of private citizens. Speaking of Texas, calls to poison control are up 590% there due to an increase in usage of the drug Ivermectin to treat Covid-19. Just in case it's unclear: do NOT take farm animal anti-parasitic drugs to treat a virus. *facepalm* Olivia R

On this week's show: the most popular post on Facebook in the first three months of the year, the U.S. government’s recent water shortage declaration for those of us out west, and new bills at the state level that permit students to take mental health days.  UPDATE: OnlyFans cancels its plan to ban explicit content from their platform. Hurricane Ida made landfall as a category 4 hurricane on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and the remnants of the storm are passing right over Laura during this week's show. Delta Airlines will be charging a $200 monthly insurance premium fee for all employees who are unvaccinated. Is it a slippery slope? Facebook was avoiding releasing its Q1 transparency report, and we can see why: a potentially misleading story about COVID-19 vaccines was viewed by 53 million people on Facebook. Does social media have a role to play in disseminating COVID-19 vaccine news? 4 in 10 Americans think so. Is tech and media illiteracy something social media companies should be commi

Andrew shares a cautionary tale about the consequences of not making a copy of your vax card. With full FDA approval for the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna is sure to follow. Prepare for Team Comirnaty vs Team Spikevax. Laura took a Pam recommendation this week and is here to deliver rave reviews! With OnlyFans moving to ban the sexually explicit content that made their platform relevant in the first place, we discuss where things went wrong and the very negative impact on sex workers this move will have. For an in-depth analysis of the OnlyFans controversy, we recommend reading this thread. Let's give a warm welcome to our new Jeopardy host, Mike Richards! ...Actually, scratch that, Sony fucked up. Remember friends, we all suck at something sometimes, but high level execs are here to show us even the most accomplished screw up. Apple's soon-to-be-released iOS 15 has come under fire for its expanded child protections, which some allege infringe upon privacy rights. What is the right answer to protecting vul

Basic bitches rejoice: Dunkin has announced pumpkin spice season is beginning on 8/18 this year. Andrew notes that Disney adults seem to be taking a lot of hate because they... like things? Britney Spears' dad has officially stepped down as her conservator! HBO Max's new animated series 'The Prince' is receiving criticism for its portrayal of the children of Britain's royal family. Should kids be exempt from satire? With 92% of LGBTQ+ adults having received at least one COVID-19 shot, Andrew wonders if gay bars are the safest places? Laura has a recent gay bar experience to corroborate the safety of these spaces! California has announced that all public school faculty and staff must be vaccinated or submit to regular COVID testing. The U.S. is officially withdrawing from Afghanistan, but we're doing it ass backwards. We break down the first big failing of the Biden administration. This week's recommendations are a mixture of practical and entertainment: packing cubes (Pam), metal straws with silicon t

A 4-decade ban on Happy Hours in Massachusetts may soon be coming to an end -- We didn't even know that some states didn't have Happy Hours! But are they as exciting as they used to be? Olympic wrap up: America, F*** Yeah. Andrew just learned about the Olympic Sport of Racewalking, which looks like a faster version of power walking. Pam has also had her eye on Baseball and Rock Climbing. Quick updates: The Eviction Moratorium and Student Loan Relief programs have been extended, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is stepping down in disgrace.  #Millennial listener and Patreon supporter Ashley joins the show to discuss how the world of advertiser targeting works. We learn how advertisers follow you around the internet, and the extremely creepy ways they keep tabs on you in your everyday life. She also shares how you can protect yourself from all this tracking. Ashley is also a firm believer in using ASMR to manage anxiety, so she explains why it's effect and her favorite videos. She recommends ASMR Magic, C