Characters

We have a new Housewives franchise! I am reflecting on the first episode of Real Housewives of Rhode Island - meeting the cast, group dynamics, and what I am most intrigued to learn the rest of the season. Overall, pleasantly surprised - speaking on what the speculation beforehand and what I think will be the magic of the show. Find me on socials!! linktr.ee/literallylaurad Time stamps: 00:00 Speculations + initial thoughts 01:14 Alicia 02:43 Rosie 04:02 Jo-Ellen 05:54 Kelsey 07:31 Liz and Dolores 08:21 Ashley I 10:06 Rulla 10:46 Group dynamics, intrigue for the rest of the season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined in conversation today by Laura Arden, a creature actor and intimacy coordinator. We speak about developing specialties on film sets, self-advocacy, neurodivergence, and the value in being a multifaceted talent. Spoiler: Laura is also one of my dearest friends, so the conversation is both tender and giggly and so fun. Time stamps: 1:26 Becoming an actor 3:53 Creature acting 12:58 Confidence and self-expression 18:40 Intimacy coordination 24:02 Multifaceted talent 29:30 How Hollywood is changing, consumption habits + AI 33:37 Intimacy coordinator tips for every day relationships 37:25 Self advocacy 42:56 Dream roles, favorite creatures in film 44:52 Specializing vs generalizing in Hollywood 46:31 Fashion modeling Find me on socials!! linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first Friday content roundup!! We have a lot to discuss about this week on television. We will of course overview Alex Cooper's new reality dating show on Hulu, Love Overboard (actually wild). Also: this season so far on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, including my thoughts on Amanda Frances; and the new series (reboot) Ladies of London: The New Reign and their forced trauma bonding activity. We'll close discussing this season of Ryan Murphy's FX show, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette - I am getting into *all* my thoughts on the season and today's finale episode. Timestamps: 1:31 Love Overboard 6:54 Real Housewives of Beverly Hills 9:45 Ladies of London: The New Reign 14:38 Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette Find me on socials!! www.linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're diving into the career, personal life, and lasting legacy of icon Farrah Fawcett. From her early career, to *that* poster, and from her professional pivot after one impatful season on Charlie's Angels. Plus, her relationships with Lee Majors, Ryan O'Neil, and the college boyfriend that reveal their rekindled romance after her passing. PLUS! Exciting news - Characters will now be coming out twice per week, Tuesdays and Fridays!! Find me on socials! https://linktr.ee/literallylaurad Timestamps: 01:57 Early life 3:19 The iconic poster 4:27 Charlie's Angels 5:46 Career pivot: Extremities, grittier roles 8:21 Cancer diagnosis + documentary 9:35 Romantic relationships 13:25 Greg Lott vs Ryan O'Neil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holly Madison joins us for a candid conversation about life during and post her seven-year residency at the Playboy Mansion. From the complicated reality of the relationship she was in, to the impact of Girls Next Door on her life (despite not being paid for the show until season five)! Holly opens up about rebuilding her life in Las Vegas, as shared on her spin-off show, Holly's World. She looks back on the backlash to her opening up about the abusive nature of her relationship with Hugh Hefner, initially with her book, Down the Rabbit Hole, and later in the wake of his passing and the Me Too Movement. We reflect on friendships and other iconic women throughout Playboy history, and what it's meant to revisit these GND years through her own podcast, Girls Next Level. Find me on socials!! https://linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined today by content creator and screenwriter Tess Higgins! We're talking all things dating shows: from Bachelor/Bachelorette, the Goldens, to Love is Blind, Love Island, and even more. We're sharing our predictions for Taylor Frankie Paul's upcoming Bachelorette season, plus what we think drove Bachelor Nation to this point of "desperation." You can find Tess Higgins on socials at @tessdhiggins If you're in Denver - I will be hosting watch parties for The Bachelorette! Details to come on social media asap. Find me on socials! The video version of this show is available on Youtube - https://linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined today by legendary costume designer Mona May! She'a reflecting on the fashion of the iconic film Clueless - we're talking about sourcing and designing the outfits for Cher, Dionne, Tai and Amber; telling stories through costumes; and the impact of the film's fashion thirty years later. We're also speaking about her fabulous work in cult classic films like The House Bunny and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (among so many)! You can find Mona May online everywhere at @itsmonamay and her book The Fashion of Clueless is out now. Find me on socials! The video version of this show is only available on Youtube - https://linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by content creator Kate Riccio for a friendly conversation all about reality television: the evolution from shows like Jersey Shore to Real Housewives, the landscape of performance on reality tv today, and cities we'd love to see on our screens. Plus, our takes on Real Housewives of Rhode Island, the "Housewives to prison" pipeline, the inclusion of bloggers in storylines, and more. You can find Kate at @ricciorecaps Find me on socials! The video version of this show is only available on Youtube - https://linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Characters!! We are joined on our first episode by Pamela Des Barres, "the world's most famous groupie," for a conversation about her legendary rock and roll memoir, I'm With The Band. Originally published in 1987, I'm With The Band chronicles Pamela's time in the 1960s as a member of the GTOs; friendships and romantic relationships with rockstars like Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Gram Parsons, Frank Zappa, Robert Plant, and more; and firsthand experience of music history being created. Find me on socials! The video version of this show is only available on Youtube - https://linktr.ee/literallylaurad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new show by Laura Diez, on the characters we love to consume. Exploring the portrayals of real people on reality tv, fictionalized women that stay in our memories, and pop culture legends. Characters premieres February 17, 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're comparing passenger train travel between the US and Europe: why does Europe do rail so well? We're overviewing a handful of regional and intercity routes that do train travel well, and pointing out what American communities could learn from - investments, political will, high-speed rail, and much more. We're also discussing scenic routes and trains as part of the trip, rather than simply a means of transportation. I share the triumphant, community-advocated-for Winter Park Express, from Denver, CO to a nearby ski resort. Episodes to revisit: The Death of the Third Place Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alan Sneider Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virginia Chamlee is an artist, writer, and author of the best-selling book, Big Thrift Energy. She joins us for a conversation on finding your personal style, the best tips for shopping secondhand for furniture and unique homewares, and curating a home that feels truly *you*. Find Virginia on TikTok @virginiachamlee and Instagram @vchamlee Thanks to our sponsor! Get started at $1.49 per meal at EveryPlate.com/podcast and use code 49EcoChic Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by Katie Gatti of Money With Katie, financial literacy blogger, podcast superstar, and one my favorite people on the internet!! We are discussing today what Katie calls "the hot girl hamster wheel" - the never-ending beauty maintenance that women often feel financially and socially committed to. Today's conversation explores beauty consumerism, female-targeted marketing, and what it means to reject the norms we've never collectively considered optional. Truly one of my favorite conversations we've ever had on this show!! Find Katie on MoneyWithKatie.com, The Money with Katie Show, and her new show, Bossy Read Jessica DeFino's new column, Ask Ugly in The Guardian Thanks to our sponsor! LumeDeodorant.com with code ECOCHIC Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're rewinding on one of our most buzzy topics: fast furniture. When did we start thinking of furniture as disposable? Today we're discussing the under-exaggerated problem of fast furniture: cheap, low quality, and mass-produced pieces designed to be dumped. We're breaking down (ha) two iconic fast furniture items, and exploring tips for your next point-of-purchase furniture decision. More for you: Ep 196: Creating Thoughtful Spaces | Amanda Gunawan, OWIU Designs ‘Fast Furniture’ Is Cheap. And Americans Are Throwing It in the Trash. (NY Times) Fast furniture: what’s wrong with it and 7 ways to make better choices (for you and the planet) (Heidi Bischoff, 2019) Ikea keeps price of popular Billy Bookcase the cheapest in Euro zone (Independent UK) Thanks to our sponsor today! EveryPlate.com/podcast and use code 49ecochic Meet me online - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by Shannon McNamara of Fluenty Forward for today's profiling of Les Wexner: the billionaire businessman behind *all* the mall brands. Wexner is credited with mainstreaming fast fashion marketing techniques, and targeted consumers through his ownership and acquisition of brands like The Limited, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Abercrombie & Fitch, and many, many more. Wexner also was the primary billionaire client of Jeffrey Epstein, with the Victoria's Secret brand playing a major role in Epstein's story. Wexner is the longest serving CEO of a Fortune 500 company, with 57 years upon his retirement. Today's conversation explores the advent of fast fashion marketing, as well as Wexner and L Brands' impact on the culture of the 1990s and early 2000s. Thanks to our sponsor! JustThriveHealth.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 20% off your 90 day supply - try the probiotic and Just Calm!! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episode for 2023, we're reflecting on the "ins" and "outs" for the year: the themes we hope continue strong and those we're happy to see go! Reflecting on how our conversations have shifted this year around conscious consumption, personal climate action, and mental health, today's conversation hopes to refresh and reset as we enter the new year, eco chic. For episode recaps of the year's most loved, most viral eps: EC Wrapped: Best of 2023 The Death of the Third Place And mentioned: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance is bad for the planet. Couple burns a whopping $70,779 jet fuel in the last three months (Economic Times) Thanks to our sponsor! JustThriveHealth.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 20% off your 90 day supply - try the probiotic and Just Calm!! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world's biggest climate change conference recently wrapped, and we're excited to speak today about the successes of the historic two weeks! We're joined by Charly Frisk, Director of Climate Action at Time for Better, to discuss the on-the-ground energy in Dubai, the outcomes, and how mainstream media can continue community building around historically exclusive climate events. Thanks to our sponsor! JustThriveHealth.com/ECOCHIC or use code ECOCHIC for 20% off your 90 day supply - try the probiotic and Just Calm!! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is everyone healing their gut? Tina Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Just Thrive, joins us to talk all things gut health: from Big Pharma to modern agriculture. Today’s conversation explores connections from the gut to chronic disease, our moods, and cognitive health. We’re discussing the science behind spore-based probiotics, and how natural remedies and modern medicine can go hand-in-hand for holistic healing. Visit justhrivehealth.com with promo code ECOCHIC for 20% off - try the Probiotic and I also love Just Calm!! Babbel - get 55% off your Babbel subscription - but only for our listeners - at Babbel.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is less common that ever to be a "regular" - which feels so good to be, because it means you're a stable fixture in a community. If your home and workplace are your first and second places, respectively, what can you call your third place? Today, we're discussing some of the reasons we've seen a rapid decline in third places (is it social media? affordability? the suburban dream??) and better understanding their value in social sustainability. For more: The Power of Walkable Cities Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Data time - we’re revisiting some of our most shared, most loved, + most viral conversations from the year! 2023 was such a special year of growth, learning, + reflection. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to engage in these!! Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice Imperfect Environmentalism | Megan McSherry Urban Revitalization + Sustainable Development | Alan Sneider We’re Finally De-Influencing Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board Everything About the Western Water Crisis, with WesternWaterGirl | Teal Lehto Finding Community, Plastics Policy, + Sustainable Storytelling | Lauren Bash Thanks to our sponsor today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO for up to 20% off Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Black Friday episode this year is an opportunity for us to indulge in pop culture - we're discussing how some mega-celebrities have made sustainability such a central part of their platforms. It's like a new take on the tabloid classic series, "Celebs, They're Just Like Us!" - we all care about the planet, and it's so cool to see people platforming causes they're passionate about. We're overviewing icons like Jane Fonda and Pamela Anderson, and hopefully giving you an opportunity to loop your environmental activism into pop culture conversations throughout the season. Also check out: Conscious, Creative Gift Guide Thanks to our sponsor today! YouCanBeam.com/ECOCHIC for 10% sitewide Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Green jobs are a huge discussion already on the presidential campaign trial - and young people have never been more motivated to secure a job ensure a climate-positive future. We're breaking down what a green job even is, and why we want to invest in them. We're also overviewing the American Climate Corps, a green job training program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), aimed at upskilling 20,000 young people in its first round. More episodes on green jobs: Green Jobs + DEI in Sustainability | Kristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green, Green Jobs Board Crafting Climate Careers | Yesh Pavlik Slenk, Environmental Defense Fund Resources: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches American Climate Corps to Train Young People in Clean Energy, Conservation, and Climate Resilience Skills, Create Good-Paying Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis Thanks to our sponsors today!! CarawayHome.com/ECO Babbel.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without even realizing, sustainability can quickly slip from our priority list around the holidays. We're walking through some frameworks to consume more consciously throughout the season, and walking through my sustainable gift guide: from experience-based giving, to thoughtful physical gifts. This episode will hopefully allow us to go into this season, typically overflowing with hyper-consumption, with clear ideas and values driving those purchases. Leave me a voicemail about your sustainable holiday tips and traditions!!! SpeakPipe.com/EcoChic Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think of fast fashion, we probably think of the online mega-retailers (cough cough, SHEIN). Fast fashion has become such a norm of consumption that we sometimes fail to recognize brands that are employing the same techniques, ignoring the ethical and environmental wrongdoings, to produce obscene amounts and turnover inventory quicker than ever before. Today we're exposing some "secretly" fast fashion brands - places we may shop because we're more comfortable than the brands we associate with hyperconsumption, but that we may not realize are competing with such at the best of their abilities. More eps for you: The True Cost of Free Shipping and Returns Total Ethics Fashion | Emma Hakansson, Collective Fashion Justice 5 Ways to Spot Fast Fashion Thanks to our sponsor today! FactorMeals.com/ecochic50 Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actress and comedian Cheryl Hines joins us to share her personal sustainability journey: from humble Florida childhood to stretching every dollar as an aspiring entertainer, sustainability was an unconscious way of life. She shares with us her new brand, Hines + Young, founded with her daughter Kat: an everyday luxury brand, plastic-free and all natural. We discuss how her awareness of environmental issues grew over time and how Hines + Young's partnership with the Waterkeeper Alliance is core to their grassroots, community-oriented brand philosophies. This episode was an absolute treat for me!! Thanks to our sponsors today! Carawayhome.com/ECO Babbel.com/EcoChic Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The thrift queen is here!! Macy Eleni (of @blazedandglazed) is a content creator, internet personality, soon-to-be-published author, and the ultimate secondhand fashion superstar. Today we discuss her early exposures to the fashion industry (do you remember Teen Vogue University??), her thrift philosophies, and her upcoming book. We also discuss our qualms with online pressures of hyperconsumption and the ethical implications of "loving fashion." This conversation is chatty, full of laughter, so deeply honest, and bursting with tips not only to get you thrifting but also to reframe your relationship with the fashion space. Find Macy on TikTok, instagram, + YouTube Thanks to our sponsor today! YouCanBEAM.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's ep is peering into my inner thoughts on clean beauty - a topic I was once deeply passionate about, which now feels like a co-opt term that doesn't mean much. I've talking through my personal perspective on the clean beauty marketplace today, as well as why I feel consumers are drawn to purchase these products, even if they themselves aren't totally eco chic. While I am an advocate for sustainable brands, I'm dissolutioned with how many brands are claiming to be such. Greenwashing is alive and well, but we've also allowed ourselves to lean into marketing narratives around terms like "non-toxic" and "natural" that deserve more nuance. More on what I mentioned: The Kosas Mold Debacle Isn't as Wild as It Sounds (Allure) Does “Clean” Beauty Have A Mold Problem? (Refinery29) Fear of Preservatives? (Credo Beauty) Thanks to our sponsor today! TryFUM.com/ECOCHIC Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here!! Sign up for our community spotlight here!! Let's connect - @ecochicpodcast on Instagram + @lauraediez on Tiktok. Email me at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices