Millennial: Pretend Adulting, Real Talk

Nothing like a shit week out of SCOTUS and more mass shootings the week of July 4th. Happy Independence Day to the 49% of the population that didn't lose rights to bodily autonomy in the last week! Pam and Laura had some personal developments occur during our week off - clearly taking a week off from #Millennial is detrimental to our health?! Meanwhile, Andrew encountered a pleasant surprise and discovered that some of his fellow high school alums are still jelly of his efforts in school Laura is considering moving to a blue state since shit is hitting the fan - and she gives Andrew and Pam some requirements. Apart from abortion, the Supreme Court delivered decisions in a number of cases you should also be concerned with. That said, we are still committed to fun discussions to keep us all going! This week, a TikTok trend inspires us to talk about the biggest scams society has convinced us are normal. Look at the cost breakdown of your latest hospital visit if you want to see how much your local ER is charging you for a bandaid, and really consider whether that big sale is actually costing you more money. What are our 'Vecna' songs? (iykyk) Is on the job training still a thing, or is a degree required if you want to switch fields? Don't forget to check out A Paranormal Chicks, an inclusive, southern, foul-mouthed deep dive into all things true crime and paranormal! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Inspired by our scams topic this week, we dig into an FTC report on the top types of fraud millennials encounter. Laura and Andrew come clean about falling victim to a couple of scams - it's easier to be susceptible than you think! We enjoy punking scammers who call us, but we're also aware of the need to watch out for social engineering! Andrew has someone claim that he's been impersonated on Grindr -- but in light of today's discussion, is this a scam too? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to #Millennial, the home of fake adulting and.... breaking your soul? We're kicking off this week's episode with the latest updates from the January 6th Hearings: fake electors, and pardons, and crimes, oh my! Finally, a majority of Americans think Trump should be charged with a crime. But speaking of other nightmares... we take a look at this proposed double decker passenger jet design. Will the lower deck seats be called "Ass to Face" seating, or rebranded as "Economy Basic"? Have we ever relied on budget airlines in the past? We go over the pros and cons of flying Spirit and Frontier. Laura got a new tattoo, which inspires us to talk about cosmetic tattooing. How do we feel about it, would we ever get one, and what are the pros and cons? There have been some generational shifts around the acceptability of tattoos - our grandparents still don't get it, but our parents are somewhat relaxed on the topic. We've received a few Confessionals from listeners wanting to know... Am I the Asshole? From mothers who gaslight to long distance relationships, we tell it to y'all straight. This week's recommendations are a grab bag: check for extra leg room seat upgrades 1-2 days prior to flying for reduced rates (Andrew), 'Malamander' by Thomas Taylor (Laura), and Therabreath whitening mouthwash (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: We all love our respective cities of residence, but what are the less desirable things about them? Everyone thinks their city has the worst traffic - spoiler: shitty drivers exist everywhere. Andrew witnessed a neighbor doing something interesting outside of his home last week - will he confront the neighbor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for some #unhinged talk this week - so we kick it off with a new segment, Clusterfuck 2022! We give our initial reactions to the January 6th committee hearings, and while the new details are not surprising, they are shocking. SCOTUS is really making it their mission to attack personal rights and liberty this Pride month, and we are NOT amused. Border agents can now search residences and vehicles within 100 miles of a US border without a warrant. While the House passed a sweeping gun reform bill that is certain to die in the Senate, the Senate is toying with a much more moderate proposal. It's not all doom and gloom this week though - to cheer everyone up, we have a slew of WTF News stories! In the movie world, Sony got punked into re-releasing 'Morbius' in theaters thanks to the popular 'it's morbin' time' meme. Also, 'Joker 2' is rumored to be a musical starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn?! GEICO was ordered to pay a $5.2 million settlement to a woman who contracted an STD in her partner's car during sexual activity. The reasoning? His car was insured by GEICO. We're all old enough to remember life before the internet - what are some core memories of that time? This week's recommendations will give you something fun to do! Take advantage of the sales happening at Target (Andrew) and watch Ms. Marvel on Disney+ (Pam & Laura). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: It's time for our third installment of "A Deep Dive Into..." featuring Laura! We ask her to reflect on experiences and lessons learned in moving a lot as a kid, homeschooling, and more. What made her decide to live abroad, and what is with these punk rock cruises she goes on? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new study about coffee suggests that drinking moderate amounts of coffee may decrease chances of death. Today we learned our panel must be immortal! We know inflation is bad, but authors need to live too! Stop returning ebooks on Amazon y'all. Why are some consumers treating Amazon like a library? Some authors end up owing Amazon money due to consumers purchasing and returning ebooks. When is it justified to seek a refund? Are there any cases in which we would absolutely never request one? Johnny Depp won his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard last week, and the internet really showed its ugly side during these proceedings. Although Depp previously lost a libel case in the UK, the court of public opinion has turned this into an all or nothing issue, eliminating any room for a nuanced conversation. Does this case represent backlash to #MeToo, or an expansion of its umbrella to include all victims of abuse? How will we approach abuse allegations in the future, based on this case? Some adults under 35 are throwing financial caution to the wind since the world's a mess - is this a good idea? This week's recommendations came up naturally during our recording: try no sugar in your coffee (Andrew), Stitch Fix (Laura), and Nutpods Coffee Creamer (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for free shipping, returns, and exchanges). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: It's a ~deep dive~ into Andrew. We learn about his childhood, sexual awakening, and takeaways from his college years. For maybe the first time ever, Andrew shares what one thing he could see himself getting a tattoo of! And of course, there's tea - we always love some good personal tea in After Dark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#Millennial is back in time for PRIDE month y'all! Time for some pretend adulting, gay talk. To kick off Pride Month, we speak with Kacen Callender, author of bestselling novel 'Felix Ever After.' Kacen tells us how they got started as a writer, and we chat about the increase in popularity of LGBTQ romance in mainstream media. Kacen's new book is titled Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution and will be released this September! Follow Kacen on Twitter and check out their website here! It's time to talk gun safety reform... again. In the space of two weeks, mass shootings in a Buffalo supermarket and a Texas grade school left dozens dead. We've heard the same rhetoric around this gun debate for our entire lives - why does this keep happening? We look at some data to explain how our state legislatures respond. The upshot is this: Republican controlled state legislatures respond by loosening gun laws 120% in the year following a mass shooting. Why? The NRA continues to be better funded, and gun fanatics are simply better at engaging with the political process. Here's what we all need to do to make a difference: be engaged with what your state's legislature is doing, join a local gun violence prevention group, donate to a national gun reform organization (Everytown For Gun Safety, Brady, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Sandy Hook Promise), volunteer for pro-gun reform candidates, and VOTE in every election! Want to help victims and survivors in Buffalo and Uvalde? Check out these verified fundraisers: Verified fundraisers for Buffalo + Verified Fundraisers for Uvalde Shifting gears, Andrew tells us about an eventful birthday weekend, and provides video evidence of a wild police stop he witnessed right in front of him. This week's recommendations are informative and comfy: 'Prehistoric Planet' on Apple TV+ (Andrew), 'The G Word' on Netflix (Laura), and shoe inserts for converse (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: We're kicking off our in-depth host interviews this week with Pam! Pam shares how she got into journalism, and the joys and and difficulties of breaking into the field. Where did we meet Pam? Through Harry Potter? Through Twilight? None of us can remember. What does Pam do outside of #Millennial? And what's her greatest ambition in life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the end of an era: Apple has announced it is discontinuing the iPod, and we pour one out for "1,000 songs in your pocket." Can the iPhone ever match the level of escapism an iPod provides? What's your rate of inflation? We take the quiz together and compare where we're feeling the most strain when we're paying bills. Andrew's doomsday prepping has him stockpiling Dunkin' Coffee from Costco, and Pam is about to walk away from a business she's frequented for years due to its price increases. Related: the latest casualty of supply chain shortages is baby formula, and some "pro-lifers" want to gate keep formula on the basis of citizenship. How many friends do we need? The New York Times has some helpful data, and we share our own "friendship numbers." Have some friendships grown closer during the pandemic? More distant? 'Buy now, pay later' trends are sending some millennials and Gen Z'ers spiraling into debt. When is it worth financing a purchase, and when is it better to pay in full? With over a third of shoppers under 40 missing at least one payment, it's clear that 'paying later' is easier said than done. This week's recommendations are all products we recommend NOT paying in installments for: The Pink Stuff for easy cleaning (Andrew), Bleame Crystal Hair Eraser (Laura), and Holo Taco nail polish (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Scrib'd (https://www.try.scribd.com/MILLENNIAL to try Scrib'd for 2 months for .99) and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: We're kicking off an After Dark series in which we interview... each other?! How do we handle burnout as creators, and where do we draw lines in terms of what we share on the show? Do we ever feel pressure to share MORE on the show? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, our social media manager Chloé joins us, and we GO OFF about the upcoming decision on Roe vs Wade from the Supreme Court. What other 'settled law' could be next? The right to privacy and bodily autonomy is on the chopping block. Chloé expands on how it feels like religious liberty is only valued in the US if you're a white, cis male Christian. As discussed in 7x22, a number of states have been lying in wait with trigger laws for the moment Roe vs. Wade is overturned. Shifting gears, we are joined by listener of the show, Rex, who is a speech pathologist! We chat about hearing and speech, pediatric feeding disorders, and stuttering, all of which Rex has professional experience working with. Since 5% of school age children have an articulation disorder, how long does it take to address these issues through speech therapy? For all the parents listening, Rex details some of the common signs you may want to consider finding a speech pathologist to work with your child. What are some good gifts or toys to help improve communication with children? To dispel a common myth: speech therapy is for anyone, and speech pathologists work with clients "womb to tomb!" This week's episode is sponsored by Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and use promo code mill for $100 off your first month). Also check out Swiping Up wherever you listen to podcasts! This week's recommendations are basic essentials to set you up for the warmer months! Sport bottle sunscreen flasks just in case you need to sneak your favorite beverage into the pool (Andrew), making sure to apply and reapply your sunscreen (Laura), and the Owala water bottle (Rex). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: It's a WTF News edition! Is Andrew hiding bodies in Lake Mead? Why do coffee shops charge extra for non-dairy alternatives? Why do we have to glue ourselves to coffee shop counters to get an answer? What's the cringiest way you can imagine a large company marketing to millennials? Proctor & Gamble is doing it. How does an ancient Roman Empire bust end up in Texas? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: The news of the Supreme Court's Roe v Wade ruling broke as we were approaching the end of the episode recording, so our reactions are found at that point. Laura begins the show with an update that has Andrew and Pam on the edge of their seats. A new feature in The Atlantic details the rise of the "workcation" as a result of many companies moving to a work from home model during the pandemic. Have we ever "workcationed?" What are the pros and cons? Does working on vacation further blur the lines between work and life in a post-pandemic world? President Biden is finally considering some amount of student debt forgiveness. We'll hear more in the next couple of months, but borrowers are anxious for details. Our listeners sound off about their student loan debt, and we commiserate about the predatory lending student loan borrowers are subjected to. What do we think of the argument that student debt forgiveness is unfair to those who paid their loans off? WTF News: He was 5’7”. After surgery he’ll be 5’10” A 25-year-old pursued limb lengthening surgery to increase his height due to the stupid and unfair societal standards for how tall a man "should" be. The story doesn't end there: the man in question paid for the $75,000 surgery with his OnlyFans, where he specializes in a humiliation kink where his subscribers pay him to degrade them. Some BREAKING NEWS hits just as we wrap the show: a leaked opinion from Justice Alito shows that the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that guaranteed the federal constitutional protection of abortion rights. Y'all know we've got some recommendations: the Elgato Stream Deck (Andrew), the CDC's Quarantine and Isolation calculator if you're exposed to COVID-19 (Laura), and Etsy for unique gift shopping (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available to all Patrons: An Uber driver pushes Andrew to his limit, and we share experiences in which a driver's tip could be impacted for bad behavior. "But he picked me up from my house, I don't want him to come murder me." Speaking of bad behavior, we'd LOVE to talk to you about an amazing opportunity to get involved with NFTs. Don't know what an NFT is? We bet you have at least one annoying Facebook friend who does. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are CD sales on the rise? What year is it?! Fake philanthropist Elon Musk has secured the funding to purchase Twitter for $44 billion. Do we think Twitter will change much under his leadership? Are we leaving? It's like Netflix wants to lose subscribers: too many choices, canceling hits, and doing an about face on password sharing. Since they anticipate losing 2 million subscribers in the next quarter or so, why are they proceeding with these unpopular decisions? Speaking of, Netflix is considering implementing ads and other sponsored content in an ad-supported tier. A Nielson survey shows that consumers are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of streaming services. It also seems like Florida wants to take a tourism hit: Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week that would dissolve the special Reedy Creek District, which has allowed Disney to self-govern for over 50 years. In addition to hurting business, tourism, and taxpayers, we think it's highly unlikely that this will actually come to pass. Laura predicts that DeSantis knows this, and is picking this fight to shore up his base ahead of a 2024 presidential run. Independent booksellers may have once hated Barnes & Noble, but the bookstore chain is warning up to them with some changes to their business model. We've got all of the entertainment recommendations this week: 'White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie and Fitch' on Netflix (Andrew), the Archive 81 podcast (Laura), and Dissect podcast's 7-part miniseries on Bo Burnham's 'Inside' (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available exclusively on Patreon: It's another 'Am I the Asshole?' installment, featuring submissions from our Patrons! What grandma doesn't know won't hurt her... a tale of installing a smart thermostat to thwart stifling temperatures. Sometimes, your parents are the assholes. Hard stop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our social media manager Chloé returns to #Millennial and she's once again bringing the "fire" as millennials may say! A Trump-appointed federal judge has struck down the public transportation mask mandate, and airlines were quick to allow everyone to go maskless. We react to the responses on both sides of the mask debate. What are the current Gen Z trends that we older people need to be aware of? Chloé walks us through some new phrases and the specifics of the "Hot Girl Walk". What are the most millennial things each of the panelists do? We turn the tables on Chloé and ask her some things most Gen Zers might not know Spam calls and texts continue to come in more frequently than ever, it seems. What can you do to stop the spam calls and texts? Andrew wonders if he should get a new phone number entirely Pam and Andrew both received a text from the same girl/bot, and one of them took the sexy convo further (Guess who) Face filtering and touch ups are very popular thanks to Snapchat and the other social media apps, but are they a dangerous trend? We discuss what the apps could do to protect everyone's mental health Recommendations: Flashfood to help curb food waste (Andrew), FasTrak one-time payments (Pam), and Chloé re-ups a previous recommendation, Yellowstone because #HotCowboys. This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (Use code BIRTHDAY15 for 15% off everything!) and Scrib'd (Go to try.scribd.com/millennial to get your first two months for just 99 cents) And this week on After Dark, available exclusively on Patreon: What are our rules for who we follow/unfollow, what we tweet, what we retweet, etc? Is there such a thing as too much retweeting? And which of our friends did we disable retweets on because they overdo it?? Andrew and Pam enter social media therapy -- what is their purpose on social media? Why are they so scared of tweeting? #IAmMyTweet Chloé offers inspiring words for everyone who uses Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ezra Miller is creating yet another headache for Warner Bros. and its major franchises - do we agree Fantastic Beasts is cursed at this point? We've got a single recommendation across the panel this week: check out the new Marvel show on Disney+, 'Moon Knight.' Our resident Marvel expert Marc makes a 'surprise' appearance on the show to review Moon Knight with us, and sheds some light on why Marvel is debuting lesser-known characters in its shows now. How is Marvel doing updating its properties for the big and small screen? What lessons can other franchises take from their success? We also review Time's 100 Most Influential Companies of 2022. While there is plenty to be celebrated in this list, there are a few head scratchers... *cough*NEXTDOOR*cough* Amazon and Disney both made the Time 100 list, which presents a perfect opportunity for us to mention some other ways these giants have been making headlines in recent weeks. Amazon warehouse employees in Staten Island voted to unionize - a first for Amazon, which has been notoriously anti-union. Better late than never? Disney came out with a strong statement against the passage and implementation of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' legislation. In response, Florida Republicans have publicly suggested stripping Disney of its special privileges of self-governance around its Orlando theme parks. We hear from The Mouse himself, and he has a strong message for the Florida GOP. Confessional: "I am so tired of spending so much money on other people's weddings. Am I the asshole?" This week's recommendation is seeing alignment from the whole panel: Watch 'Moon Knight' on Disney+! As a bonus, check out the deep dives Marc and Durden77 have been doing into all things Marvel. This week's episode is sponsored by Apostrophe (https://www.apostrophe.com/MILL and use code MILL to get your dermatologist crafted treatment plan for $5). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Are we the assholes? Each of the panelists bring their own real-life stories in which we might be kinda dickish... Giving family ultimatums? Stealing money? Having fond memories coincide with the date of a national tragedy? Yikes! Can kids be assholes? Maybe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In light of the upcoming releasing of "The Secrets of Dumbledore" we're discussing how Harry Potter fans are grappling with a very problematic author, and how to balance loving the Wizarding World with the knowledge that the author continues to spew harmful rhetoric. We're joined by friend of the show Karen, a longtime "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" fan to talk about how fandoms grapple with the realization that their series creators... suck. We speak about 'The Death of the Author', a 1967 essay by Roland Barthes, who argues that an authors' politics, religion, and other biographical facts that shape who they are shouldn’t dictate how one interprets their writing. We talk about what happens as a fan when your hero turns out not to be the person you thought they were, and the adjustment process it requires. What degree of privilege comes with being a fan who isn't the target of harmful rhetoric by the creator? As fans of Harry and Buffy, how do we continue loving these works while also working to rebut the harmful actions of the creators? Karen is a published author, and speaks about literary influences and shares the line she draws for sharing personal views publicly. Check Karen out over at Prophecy Radio, and check out her Cassie Quinn mystery series! This week's recommendations are a little tech, a little relaxing: mute email threads you're not interested in seeing every reply on (Andrew), 1password (Laura), and "As It Was" by Harry Styles. This week's show is sponsored by Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code mill for $100 off your first month) and Felix Gray (https://felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for free shipping, returns, and exchanges). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available to all Patrons: We're getting real honest about some habits we've had that are a bit distasteful and maybe even... illegal. The panel aren't the only ones getting personal: Patrons sounded off about some of their dirty little secrets. Are we ashamed of some of these admissions? MAYBE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cities lost population in 2021, leading to the slowest year in growth in U.S. history. We've all had the experience of living in and subsequently leaving a major city. What were our motivations for doing so? Conversely, what are the reasons we chose to move to New York and L.A. in the first place? On a related note, the U.S. is also experiencing doctor shortages. The recently canceled 'The Baby-Sitters Club' Netflix show runner gave a very candid interview about the metrics Netflix uses to decide whether or not a show will be canceled. Why isn't Netflix evolving with the times? People are clearly enjoying weekly episode drops - are the days of binging over? In an about-face, Netflix is testing cracking down on password sharing in a few markets. If the test is deemed a success, we could be paying an extra $2.99 per month for every person we share our credentials with. Jeff Foxworthy had an 'ok boomer' moment in his latest stand-up special in which he poked fun at participation trophies. How is comedy living up to current social expectations? What do we as millennials look for in stand-up routines? We can't talk comedy without speaking about the slap heard 'round Hollywood at this year's Academy Awards: was Chris Rock out of line with his joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith? Was WIll Smith's reaction at all justified? As always, we have some solid recommendations for you this week: TSA pre-check (Andrew), Ghostwire: Tokyo (Laura), and Supergoop Mineral Matte Sunscreen (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Apostrophe (https://www.apostrophe.com/MILL and enter code MILL to get your dermatologist-crafted plan for just $5). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Andrew and Laura went to their first concerts in the last couple of years and report on the experience. After two years of living on our technology cooped up at home, do you really need to video the entire Dua Lipa concert you're at? We've got some anecdotes about participation trophy culture that are too spicy to share on the main show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura kicks off the show with an update about her screen time - has she been successful in spending less time staring at her phone? We chat briefly about how the current chip shortage may be extended due to the war in Ukraine. Pixar is adding back a lesbian kiss to the upcoming Buzz Lightyear movie in the wake of the 'Don't Say Gay' backlash against Disney. Professor Sims has an exciting announcement: his new Patreon course is available NOW! Listeners of this show can get $25 off with code MILLENNIAL. Apple's new iOS update comes with 37 new emojis... but will we use all of them? There are one or two that make us feel ~uncomfortable~. In other news, Twitter is introducing a downvote feature. Will this help combat internet trolls, or further drive people into their own echo chambers? Twitter's also coming for Instagram's close friends feature. Now we don't need to maintain private accounts to be petty! (But also, is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by social media platforms constantly copying each other?) Also tech related, we chat about why seemingly every site asks us to accept its cookies. And no, we're unfortunately not talking about the edible variety. What's worse - cookies pop ups or auto-playing videos? Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams made a cameo on Star Trek Discovery as President of United Earth, and some people with nothing better to do had a hissy fit over it. Politicians making pop culture appearances is not as uncommon as you might think. How do we feel about elected representatives doing this? Need something new to do? We've got you covered with recommendations: Make your own cider kit (Andrew), Olive & June for press-ons that look great and actually last (Laura), and 'Turning Red' on Disney+ (Pam). This week's show is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for free shipping, returns, and exchanges on the best blue light glasses on the market). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Do we have any regrets about friendships that didn't last? What about the ones that just fell by the wayside? We dig into the difference between a friend you don't talk to often (but maintain a strong bond with), and a friendship that naturally grows apart as people change. Is there ever a time where it's appropriate to burn bridges? We think listening to your gut is super important on that one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Daylight Savings Time about to become permanent? Does this mean Laura will stop bitching twice a year about the time change? As part of our biweekly check in on the war in Ukraine, we touch on some of the lesser acknowledged stories of racial and ethnic minorities in Ukraine, and how this crisis has unfolded for them. In response to the continued conflict, Disney, Sony, Warner Bros, and Paramount all announced that they were halting future theatrical film releases in Russia. Despite Disney being quick to take a position on the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, their response to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill has left a lot to be desired. #Millennial shares EXCLUSIVE audio clips of Disney's official response to the controversy. A new report out of Pew Research Center indicates that an increasing number of Americans view single-motherhood and unmarried cohabitation has 'bad for society.' We respond, and wonder why these viewpoints are increasing despite single-motherhood remaining stable and cohabitation becoming increasingly normalized. WTF News returns to tell the story of a woman who faked her own kidnapping to go hang out with her ex for three weeks. Why didn't she just take an unplugged vacation? Is Andrew's toxic trait wanting to fake his death to see how we all react? This week's recommendations will make you feel informed! Check out this resource to see how DST impacts you (Andrew), go to the dentist if you have been avoiding it during covid (Laura), and 'Abbott Elementary' (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Apostrophe (https://www.apostrophe.com/MILL and use code MILL to get your dermatologist crafted treatment plan for $5!) Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: It's an 'am I the asshole?' edition. We've pulled a few scenarios from the popular subreddit, and we're here to judge these random people on the internet. If your ego is threatened, is it helpful to ruin a family dinner over it? What are you actually accomplishing by making a child cry over Pokemon? Should an ex-friend with benefits be invited to the wedding? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who's feeling the crunch at the gas pump these days? We know this sucks, but we're here to provide y'all with some much-needed escapism! A PSA Andrew saw prompts a discussion for our panel - how do we manage the pressure to have a hot take on every global crisis? As podcasters we feel this pressure a lot, and we know everyone experiences some level of pressure through social media. Where do we draw the line when deciding when or when not to talk about a particular event? RIP Pam and Laura's love of Tiktok: the social platform announced last week it will be introducing a 10-minute video limit. Is this the Youtubification of Vine 2.0?? We revisit our personal screen time stats from pre-2020 and some of us are wearing the cone of shame due to our increases. Is it cheating if your phone's screen time is lower due to most of your screen time happening at the computer? 👀 We receive a Confessional update from someone who wrote in for episode 4x06 with an update on their journey! We love this update! Another Confessional writer asks... should I tell my conservative family about my 69-year-old boyfriend? Other listeners sound off about their unconventional relationships and how they went about telling friends and family. Because we can't keep things too serious, we talk about some dumb dealbreakers we have for potential love interests: green text bubble? Thank you, next! It's the final installment (for now) of #Millennial's Make a Commitment - now do we start surprising people with check-in calls? This week's recommendations are a mixed bag: scroll to the bottom of spam emails and click the 'unscubscribe' link (which is federally required in all commercial messages) (Andrew), 'Archive 81' on Netflix (Laura), and investing in a fabric shaver (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL), Scrib'd (https://try.scribd.com/millennial to get your first 2 months for $0.99), and Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com promo code mill for $100 off your first month). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: By popular demand, MuggleSuck is back! We reflect on our friendships with all hosts current and former - where are they now? Were there ever any creative control issues? When did things start getting messy and dramatic in the old days? Were we always salty towards a certain founder, or did we like them at the start? J.K. Rowling spent her International Womens Day yelling at women. Very on brand! Where are her solutions for the trans people she allegedly admires btw? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before we get into the main show, we're giving the latest updates on the unprovoked, unconscionable invasion of Ukraine by Russia. #Millennial stands with Ukraine! Are you familiar with the term 'bucket list'? We've got some shocking Mandela Effects to break your brains with this episode. Will #Millennial start a Mandela Effect? Maybe, we like some light trolling here and there. Why does it seem like average move run times are getting closer and closer to 3 hours? Because they are. Can a long runtime cause us to pass on seeing a movie in theaters? Would intermissions make a difference for the viewing experience? President Biden has announced Ketanji Brown Jackson has his nominee to fill the vacancy on the US Supreme Court. Not only is she extremely qualified, but if seated she would be the first black woman to sit on SCOTUS. What could happen procedurally during Jackson's confirmation? Do we need to worry about Manchin and Sinema? We're a little shook at how prophetic this week's #Millennial Make a Commitment submissions get. 👀 This week's recommendations are entertaining AND educational: 'The Tinder Swindler' on Netflix and Orville Peck (Andrew), Behind the Bastards: Czar Nicholas II 4-part series (Laura), and 'Inventing Anna' on Netflix (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Apostrophe (https://www.apostrophe.com/MILL and use code MILL to get your dermatologist-crafted treatment plan for $5). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Disney's new immersive Star Wars hotel experience has make its debut and reviews are... mixed. Would you pay $4,809 to spend two days in a heavily scheduled, immersive experience hotel? We think there might be better ways to spend your money... We've got some hotel horror stories for y'all this week. Don't talk too loud in your hotel room - Andrew might be listening. 😈 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the top of the show. we have an update on the developing situation with Russia and Ukraine. Check out our latest BREAKING NEWS benefit to hear more of our analysis! Looking to shell out $200 for an 8 gig piece of trash? Yeezy's got a deal for you! Speaking of cash grabs, can we agree as a culture that split "final seasons" are so out? Give us weekly episode releases so we have something to look forward to in our miserable lives, Netflix! Has Amazon Prime 2-day shipping turned us into brats? A new Confessional sees an anonymous listener pursuing a debt relief service to get their credit card debt under control. One of our panelists also had to dig themselves out of credit card debt. What are the options? If you're seeking financial help, Laura recommends checking out the Foundation for Financial Planning, The National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and the US Department of Justice's search tool for finding a credit counseling agency. Listener Kira joins us to speak about her profession, genetic counseling. She explains like we're 5 what it means, and how it can help people. Kira explains how genetic counseling can be beneficial to people looking to become parents later in life, and the resources prospective parents can turn to. What are the ways in which direct-to-consumer DNA tests can be helpful? In addition to the financial counseling resources Laura mentioned, we've got some recs to make you feel good AND educate you: Trader Joe's recs: Vegetable Masala Burger, ‘Chunky Guacamole’ made with yogurt, veggie fried rice, Incredisauce, and Magnifisauce (Andrew), ‘I Want You Back’ on Prime Video (Pam), and The Genome Odyssey By Euan Ashley (Kira). This week's show is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for free shipping, returns, and exchanges). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: We're joined by Kira and our social media manager Chloé to talk about all the Y2K trends of our youth making a comeback. Are we ready to relive the trauma of lowrider jeans? No thank you! Andrew can't believe JNCO jeans were ever in, or that they're coming back. Which of us is approximately 80 years old and doesn't understand torn/distressed jeans? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UPDATE: Apple has announced plans to address AirTag stalking issues. We are LIVING for the 2022 Super Bowl half-time show. LIVING. FOR. IT. The Entertainment Weekly and InStyle publications will no longer produce magazines - when do we think they'll start blaming millennials for this? We're joined this week by Lena of @LenaCleansUp to talk about how to lead a cleaner and more organized life! (Instagram | Tiktok) Why did the interest in cleaning and organization see an uptick during the pandemic? Lena shares what the most common cleaning challenges are for people, as well as her must-have cleaning products. This week's Confessional features a listener who is considering starting an OnlyFans to make ends meet. She asks... is this a fireable offense if my employer finds out? We have some resources available for our Confessional writer: Job fired me due to my OnlyFans account (Reddit) | Colorado deputy with OnlyFans page retires with $30,000 settlement | Employment at-will Thank you to #Millennial listener Tiara for also contributing to this discussion: See her OnlyFans accounts here and here As always, we've got some recommendations for y'all: 'Yellowstone' on Peacock/Paramount+ (Andrew), watch Encanto in Spanish to work on your language learning skills (Laura), and subscribe to your favorite print publications if you don't want to see them disappear (Pam). We don't have any sponsors this week, and would love to plug our Patreon instead! Check it out for bonus content - we would love your support! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: We got some tea, but we learned our lesson about giving too many specifics in show notes, so you're just gonna have to listen. Have we ever experienced nepotism in the workplace? Have we ever lost out on a promotion because of it? What might be some genuine reasons for NOT getting a promotion, and how to ask for feedback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has finally happened: Pam was mask shamed in public. We're shook that this happened in liberal California! We're joined this week by Kara, founder of Bravely Go, an award-winning financial education company. Kara is here to explain inflation like we're 5, and dispel some common misinformation. Check Bravely Go out on Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter! What is inflation, who is Grandpa Money Bags, and who is Grandma glass breaker?! Why does the federal government increase interest rates, and are there any silver linings to it for consumers? Corporations, just like people, love blaming the government for the increased cost of goods. But is it more complicated than that? Kara recommends checking out these episodes of Planet Money to learn more about inflation: Uncle Sam wants YOU to fight inflation and The Great Inflation. The push to ban books is on the rise across the country– but Texas really takes the cake here: community members across 100 school districts made 75 formal requests to ban books from libraries. Apparently any book that might make a student feel discomfort or exposes them to some hard historical truths about the USA needs to go. We have some tips on what you can do to speak out against book banning, starting with exercising your right to VOTE! This just in: MILLENNIALS ARE KILLING WINE. Why do we think adults 21-34 are buying less wine than their predecessors? What can American wine companies do to meet millennials and gen z where they're at? This week's recommendations will keep you busy: "Murderville" on Netflix (Andrew), Ozark season 4 (part 1), also on Netflix (Laura), and supporting your local libraries to check out titles on the latest round of banned book lists (Pam). This week's show is sponsored by Scribd (https://www.try.scribd.com/MILL to get two months for $0.99), Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter promo code mill for $100 off your first month), and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: What are some of the dumbest things we ever got in trouble for? Dress codes were obviously a dumb thing we got punished for - what about being stabbed with a mechanical pencil? We've learned our lesson about what gets posted in the show notes. 👀 Do we have higher engagement on Twitter than Ariana Huffington? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As usual, Laura starts out the episode complaining. Neil Young and Joni Mitchell have officially pulled their music off Spotify in response to Joe Rogan's vaccine misinformation. Are we going to leave Spotify? Were you enjoying the early-days-of-the-web feels that came with Wordle? The New York Times has already acquired everyone's favorite word game mere weeks after it gained popularity online. SAY HER NAME: Lauren Smith-Fields went on a Bumble date and was found dead in her apartment the next day. The lack of attention this case got in the early weeks from authorities and media has reignited conversations around how missing and murdered white women will dominate headlines, while similar cases involving women of color are all too often forgotten and ignored. Why wasn't a criminal investigation opened sooner? And we share some of our own anecdotes about dating safety. There's a huge issue with the way TikTok is paying its creators according to Hank Green. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, he details how TikTok's Creator Fund is a very limited pool of funding for an app which has experienced explosive growth since 2020. Could one solution be for TikTok to attach ads to creators' content, similar to YouTube? Or will we all just swipe up to skip? #Millennial's Make a Commitment is back! We're gonna hold y'all to your educational, professional, and health goals! This week's recommendations get a lil nerdy: Use Amazon's 'Flash Briefing' feature (Andrew), 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' by Sarah J. Maas (Laura), and 'Finding Her Edge' by Jennifer Lacopelli. This week's episode is sponsored by Surfshark VPN (https://www.surfshark.deals/MILL for 83% off plus 3 months FREE). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) isn't too pleased with HBO's 'Euphoria,' which it says "misguidedly glorifies and erroneously depicts high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence, and other destructive behaviors common and widespread in today’s world." This raises the age old question - is sex and violence in popular media going to promote these risky behaviors for real life teens? Or is this an over-reaction? Is #Millennial considering making D.A.R.E parody shirts? Maaaaaaaybe. (In all seriousness, we support the philosophy behind promoting education and safe behaviors for teens, we just think D.A.R.E is kinda outdated in their approach.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exciting news! We've got a BIG panel this week - Chloe and Micah join us, and by the end of the recording, we decide we're having an emo party in Andrew's house?? More exciting news - #Millennial is on Tiktok! LiveNation announced the When We Were Young festival, tugging the heartstrings of geriatric emo kids everywhere. Will we go? Is it safe? Can everyone crash at Andrew's? In the wake of the hostage situation at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, Chloe and Micah speak to their experiences being Jewish in 2022. Why is antisemitism so pervasive? Jewish people make up 2% of the US population, yet are targeted in 55% of religious hate crimes. In the wake of these atrocities, why aren't more allies speaking up? The perception that Jewish people "rule the world" is alive and well with many people, which perpetuates antisemitism. How do we break this cycle? What can allies do? Speaking up is a great first step! Neil Young is asking Spotify to kick Joe Rogan off its platform over vaccine misinformation, or else he'll leave the platform. Is this a free speech issue? Does Spotify need to examine its own values? This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL), Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code mill for $100 off your first month), and Surfshark (https://www.surfshark.deals/MILL for 83% off plus three months FREE). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Micah wants to know how Andrew got lucky the other night. Did some of Bruce or Obama's spit flecks end up in Andrew's signed book? What things do we silently (or not so silently) judge people for? Bad tipping is an obvious first stop on this complain train, but we've got plenty to gripe about! For dog owners, we have one important question - what color are your dog's poop bags? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new study has found that CBD users have a statistically lower rate of COVID infection. None of us have had COVID... JUST SAYIN' This week, all eyes are on the Senate as it debates voting rights and (likely) filibuster rules. Ghislaine Maxwell, confidant of Jeffrey Epstein, was found guilty of sex trafficking a minor last month. We dig into the latest news about 8 "John Does" named in a 2015 defamation suit against Maxwell. Prince Andrew has also returned his royal patronages and military affiliations to the Queen in light of his affiliation with Epstein and alleged misconduct. The fate of the CW is up in the air as corporate owners ViacomCBS and WarnerMedia are looking to sell the network. Given the strong fanbase of CW's lineup, are we surprised to learn that the network was never profitable? Netflix is hiking its prices again, which forces us to examine exactly how much we watch Netflix these days. The answer? Not much. Be smart, be safe: Apple's new AirTags are being used by some nefarious individuals to track people unknowingly. While this is a major security concern Apple needs to address, there are also a host of other tracking products on the market that can be used in the same way. #Millennial's 2022: 'Make A Commitment' is back with 5 new entries! This week's episode is sponsored by Surfshark (https://www.surfshark.deals/MILL and use code MILL for 83% off plus 3 months FREE) and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: DoorDash is requiring all non-delivery employees to perform one "dash" a month, and some employees have feelings about it. Do we think this is an effective approach? What is the most ridiculous thing we've ever been asked to do in a job? From cleaning up poop to surprise overnight shifts, we've got enough ridiculous scenarios to get your blood boiling! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back! #Millennial begins its 8th season (Andrew still doesn't like using the term "seasons" for a podcast, but too late now!) What happened while we were gone? Elmo got into a fight with a rock, a new word game took over Twitter, and Betty White died EVEN THOUGH PAM TOLD US SHE'D LIVE TO SEE 2023. #SCANDAL We break down the latest CDC guidance around a shortened quarantine period for those who test positive for covid. In honor of the new year, we've got some resolutions to share... and we want to hear yours! To share your New Year's Resolution with us, click here! With a new year comes new rules: we discuss some of the new laws going into effect locally and nationally. Will Nevada eclipse Iowa and New Hampshire by leading off primary season? Will Pam get used to composting? Do kites present a danger to airplanes? A chartered flight of influencers from Montreal turned into a party bus when flight crew lost control of the cabin due to the rave the passengers were having on board. A woman is caught admitting she has covid via text message as she sits on a passenger jet. Which one of us would tell on her? This week's recommendations will get your new year started off right: BBC World News (Andrew), sleep headphones (Laura), and starting a book club with a friend (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code mill for $100 off your first month), Surfshark VPN (https://www.surfshark.deals/MILL and use code MILL for 83% off plus 3 months FREE), and Scrib'd (https://www.try.scribd.com/MILL to get 2 months of Scrib'd for .99). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Listener Justin points out that the sleep headphones Laura recommended give people an interesting look, and Laura shares Marc's new nickname for her. We talk about some of our failed new year's resolutions over time. What do we think made us unable to complete our goals? We've all learned there are healthier ways to set goals apart from basing them on the start of a new calendar year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 you feeling good: The Comfy (Andrew), being extra kind to service industry workers and tipping them fat (Laura), Millennial Loteria (Pam), and 'The Nanny' (Chloé). This week's episode is sponsored by Scrib'd (https://www.try.scribd.com/MILL for 60 days of Scrib'd FREE). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, which will be available to the public next week: Pam has to get a grievance off her chest (for Patrons only). 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?! Chloé probes for some historical MuggleCast tea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 preparedness, head to ready.gov. If you’d like to help the victims of this deadly storm system, search charitynavigator.org to find organizations that are highly rated for their transparency and effectiveness. Andrew has our 2021 Google trends report, and learns that he needs Pam to help him fill in some of the gaps in his TikTok knowledge. “It’s a no bones day today.” We’ve got some feel-good recommendations for you this week: Spiderman: No Way Home (Laura), Paper Mario on Nintendo Switch (Andrew), and Snag Tights (Pam). This week’s show is sponsored by OUAI (https://www.theouai.com and enter code MILL for 15% off), Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code MILL for $100 off), and ThirdLove (https://www.thirdlove.com/MILLENNIAL for 20% off your first purchase). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Inspired by a near-death experience (maybe a bit dramatic), Laura speaks about a moment when her life flashed before her eyes and all she could do was think “I just paid this car off!” Andrew and Pam indulge us with their own near-death experiences, and Andrew has photo evidence for our Discord community! Speaking of, do we care what happens to our social media profiles when we kick the bucket? Who do we trust to delete our nudes when the time comes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Congress and voicing support for the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act! Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival left hundreds injured and 10 dead. The amount of footage available online has split the internet on who is to blame for this tragedy. Have we ever been in an unsafe, large crowd situation? How did we get out? This week's recommendations are a mixed bag! Uncommongoods.com (Andrew), "We're Here" season 2 on HBO Max (Pam), and calling your Senator to voice support for the Women's Health Protection Act (Laura). This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL), Public (https://www.public.com/MILLENNIAL), and Stance (https://www.stance.com). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark: Wedding etiquette: would you be offended if a close friend didn't include your spouse's name on the invitation? The panel has some tea to spill on wedding drama we've been privy to. To allow kids or not to allow kids? What will we do at our own weddings? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 - should other retailers do the same? This week's recommendations are looking towards December holidays: Don't cheap out if gifting a home security camera to a loved one (Andrew), invest in smart plugs to make turning on your holiday lights easier (Pam), and Bath and Body Works' buy 3 get 3 free sale on 3-wick candles to make your home smell magical (Laura). This week's episode is sponsored by Stance (https://www.stance.com) and Scrib'd (https://www.try.scribd.com/MILL for your free 60-day trial). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Andrew had to dip, so Pam and Laura are doing an intimate AMA. It's one of our longest After Darks ever! The ladies chat about overcoming patriarchal standards of womanhood, handling instances of casual and blatant sexism, and learning what they actually like versus what society conditions women to think is important. Since Andrew isn't here, Patrons want some tea spilled. Does Andrew have any annoying, bullshit behaviors? Is he the "boss" of #Millennial? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 quit their jobs in September. Camille has some ideas as to why people are leaving retail. What can employers do to entice new employees and retain existing ones? Working retail in a country plagued by regular mass shootings is a constant source of concern, and we can all afford to be nicer to retail workers! This week's recommendations will inform AND relax: HBO's 'Running with Beto' documentary (Andrew), shower steamers (Laura), and supporting independent businesses through Etsy this holiday season (Camille). This week's episode is sponsored by Public (https://www.public.com/MILLENNIAL), OUAI (https://www.theouai.com and enter code MILL for 15% off your order), and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark: In honor of our guest Camille, we're talking retail nightmares. We've all worked retail at some point, and we've got stories to tell. Patrons submitted some of their stories too, and there are some doozies: people treating fitting rooms like toilets, and exposing employees to extremely inappropriate imagery, Tfw customers blame you for the consequences of their not understanding what they were purchasing. Smh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Frank velvet art posters that made us! Disney+ is about to turn two, and the platform has lined up an entire day of new releases, previews, and more to celebrate. How are we feeling about the number of "themed" days streaming services are are hosting these days? Do we plan on remaining Disney+ subscribers when our discounted rates run out? This week's recommendations will leave you feeling good: JustEgg (Andrew), OXO Good Grip Extendable Tub and Tile Scrubber (Laura), and CaitlynMinimalist on Etsy for customized jewelry gift options this holiday season (Pam). This week's show is sponsored by Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter promo code MILL for $100 off your first month), Thirdlove (https://www.thirdlove.com/MILLENNIAL for 20% off your first purchase), and Stance (https://www.stance.com). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: What to do when someone you love has taken the Fox News red pill. Pam matched with someone on a dating app who shared an... interesting personal anecdote right up front. Laura appeared on a late-night BBC radio talk show to discuss the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter movie! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 concerns. Look out Gen Z and younger: Zuckerberg is focusing on marketing to YOU. This week's recommendations are rooted in beauty! Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience (Laura), Mario Party Superstars (Andrew), and Colourpop's BFF eyeliner (Pam). This week's show is sponsored by Public (https://www.public.com/MILLENNIAL) and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: It's a BAE q&a extravaganza! Have we ever run into an old bully in adulthood? Would we forgive them? Does free will truly exist? What are Pam's plans post-Hypable? How to ask for a raise at work... ...and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 [email protected]. 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 the numbers of unruly passengers on airplanes. As of October 21st, there have been 4,837 unruly passenger complaints this year, and 3,500 of those have been related to masking requirements. Are masks really the root cause here, or have people forgotten how to person during the pandemic? We've got you covered on entertainment with this week's recommendations: Nintendo 64 and Sega games now available on Switch (Andrew), 'Resident Evil 8' (Laura), and ‘Daisy Jones and The Six’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for the best blue light glasses on the market!). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors. And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Confessional: Bad Roommates Edition. We share some of our own roommate horror stories, and look inward to ask if we've ever been bad roommates. BAE Choice questions: Justin asks, "In memory of Hypable — can we get more behind the scenes of its creation… and any associated MuggleNet drama?" Andrew speaks about the dangers of entertainment sites sourcing copy written images for their content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 clergy haven't said anything about vaccines either way. Why? Add some spice, entertainment, and civic duty to your life with this week's recommendations: HBO's 'Succession' (Andrew), check your state's voter portal to see what's on the ballot this November (Laura), Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice coffee (Pam), and Marvel's 'What If?' (John). This week's episode is sponsored by Public.com (https://www.public.com/MILLENNIAL to download the app and get a free slice of stock up to $50 when you join). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: What would we say to our 15-year-old selves if we could travel back in time to offer advice? Which life lessons do we think we needed to learn to be who we are today? "Micah says taint, don't trust men." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Listeners over at the #Millennial Facebook group sound off on their own experiences with insomnia, and share some tips for combatting it. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's 10 year plan to cut costs and raise revenue isn't landing well with some, especially in light of increased shipping costs and delayed delivery times this holiday season. Will your area be impacted? Check here! This week's recommendations will help you be prepared, entertained, AND relaxed! Buy Forever Stamps (Andrew), Nickelodeon All Star Brawl (Laura), and the 'Sleep With Me' podcast (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Thirdlove (https://www.thirdlove.com/MILLENNIAL for 20% off your first purchase), Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter promo code MILL for $100 off your first month), and OUAI (https://www.theouai.com and use code MILL for 15% off your first purchase). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: It's almost Halloween, and we're feeling nostalgic for our childhood memories of trick-or-treating. Join us and the Chicago Tribune for a walk down memory lane. How old were we when we stopped trick-or-treating? Is there an "appropriate" age to stop? Did our parents ever have fears about our candy being tampered with? How do we celebrate Halloween as adults? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 years of racism in the show's history. Will The Cookout help promote lasting change in terms of diversity on reality television? Monday is a perfect time to revisit our Sunday Scaries conversation from last week. What do we find ourselves dreading the most about an upcoming week, and how do we mitigate those scaries? This week's recommendations will entertain you, and maybe even help keep you organized! 'No Time to Die', the new James Bond movie (Andrew), Netflix's 'Midnight Mass' (Laura), and the Erin Condren Planner (or the Recollections planner line from Michael's) (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: We've spoken a lot about romantic red flags, but what about friendship red flags? Lack of self-awareness, constantly self-degrading, no boundaries, and arguing to argue are all red flags for us. What are your red flags, dear listeners? When we're trying to make new friends, what positive attributes do we keep an eye out for? Andrew learns there is another Andrew in Laura's life and is shook (jk jk jk). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Potato Games (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Quip (https://www.getquip.com/MILL to save $10 on a smart electric toothbrush) and Public (https://www.public.com/MILLENNIAL to download the app and get a free slice of stock up to $50). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Does technology make it harder to be a moral person? We realize how creepy and sad it is to social media stalk, and yet we've ALL done it. What does it say about us that we're comfortable creeping on others digitally? Have any of us ever taken stealth pictures of someone in public? Eek. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 discuss the future of work and how employers have no choice but to make flexibility a central focus of their philosophy if they want to attract top talent. Micah shares his experience returning back to an office a few times a week, and we can't help but wonder why this is necessary for jobs that can be done remotely. It's official: the pumpkin craze has gone TOO FAR. Andrew and Laura compare Bud Light's summer and fall seltzers and have... opinions. This week’s recommendations are quite informative: DON’T buy Bud Light’s Fall Seltzers (Andrew), read this article about the future of work from Vox (Laura), and Ear Savers and Everyone’s a Reel Critic Pod (Micah). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on our Patreon: Laura is putting her working relationship with her contractor to bed. This guy has some fucking nerve! Our Patrons kindly share some tea they'd like to spill behind our paywall. Secretly gay grandfathers, engagement news, disappointing fathers, and shit talking ensue. Some of us need to confront some people about their shitty selfish behavior! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 revisited for the big and small screens too soon? What current events are we expecting to see dramatized in the next 10 years? Chloe joins the panel to share the ins and outs of managing social media presences for celebrities. We dig deep and ask questions about how involved celebs are in their social brands, the greatest challenges for digital managers in 2021, and how best to seek a career in digital management. Parasocial relationships are the hot topic of the week - and we confess to some parasocial relationships of our own. This week's recommendations can all be consumed in the comfort of your home! 'Lu La Rich' on Amazon (Andrew), 'Life is Strange 2' (Laura), 'Come From Away' on Apple TV+ (Pam), and 'The Repair Shop' (Chloe). This week's episode is sponsored by OUAI (https://www.theouai.com and use code MILL for 15% off your first purchase) and Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code MILL for $100 off your first month). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Laura recounts a Doordash story for the ages. Have any of us gotten into a popular show or franchise late? Does it feel lonely watching a show after it has ended? How much FOMO we feeling? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Rodrigo has given up millions in royalties after adding retroactive songwriting credits, most recently for her single, "Good 4 U." Pam brings us some examples of musical interpolation and sampling, and explains the difference between the two. Are there truly any original songs anymore? This week's recommendations will set you up to feel good: HBO Max's 'The Other Two' (Andrew), investing in a sound machine to help you sleep (Pam), and donating to Planned Parenthood (Laura). This week's episode is sponsored by Public (use code MILLENNIAL to let Public.com know we sent you and receive up to $50 in free stock) and ThirdLove (https://www.thirdlove.com/MILLENNIAL for 20% off). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Laura is really sick of having neighbors. Do we feel old yet? We look at the happier side of life from 20 years ago, and cringe at the early 2000's fashion choices that were made. "Back in my day, teachers warned us to NEVER use Wikipedia." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 committed to tackling? For the first time in US History, the Colorado River is experiencing a water shortage due to climate change and the ongoing drought in the region. Andrew gives us some perspective on the positive moves his home city of Las Vegas has made to recycle water and cut down on excessive use. Laura's a real downer and gives some perspective on an announcement put out by UNICEF and the United Nations - the lack of clean water is more dangerous than war violence. Several states have passed bills allowing for mental health days to be a valid excuse for students to be absent from school. Did we take mental health days as students? Do we take them now? This week's recommendations should help enlighten you (plus help you achieve some good sleep!): Read this NYT article to learn about proposed solutions to the Colorado River situation (Andrew), check out the MediaWise resources available at Poynter (Pam), and invest in some blackout curtains (if you're a vampire like Laura). This week's episode is sponsored by Honey (https://www.joinhoney.com/MILL to get Honey FREE!) Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: More tea. Laura learned about a shocking connection between the two biggest loves of her life. What would you do if you felt a friend was making a reckless decision to make a big move with no financial or job security? Audio messages UPDATE: Andrew has now fallen victim to receiving these pesky text message stand-ins. What should he do? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 vulnerable children while also protecting individual privacy? Apple's FAQ on the release can be found here. This week's recommendations will keep you cool for the summer: 'Ted Lasso' season 2 (Pam), Spotify's 'Daily Drive' feature (Andrew), and Hunter ceiling fans (Laura). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: STORY TIME! Each of us has brought a personal story to the table, and man are they juicy. How to help someone get back on the right path. Are we afraid of people going through our belongings after we pass away? Laura's new ritual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 tips (Laura), and 'The People VS OJ Simpson: American Crime Story' (Andrew). This week's episode is sponsored by OUAI (https://www.theouai.com and use promo code MILL for 15% off), Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code MILL for $100 off your first month), and Public (download the Public app and use code MILLENNIAL). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's episode of After Dark, available on Patreon: Laura's gotta vent about an annoying personal situation that has been building up for YEARS! The latest viral trend of eating frozen honey may actually cause illness and tooth damage, prompting us to reflect on viral trends we've taken part in over the years. There is a clear difference between participating in something harmless and something potentially deadly. BE SMART! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, Caroline ASMR, ASMR Bakery, Certified Mood ASMR, James Matthew ASMR, Nourishing Noble ASMR, and Fairy Char ASMR Pam shares thoughts on Suicide Squad, and we olds gossip about who will be come the new host of Jeopardy. Recommendations: Andrew re-recommends the Chirp Wheel after a fresh wave of reviews come in from his family; Pam recommends Farmgirl Flowers, and Ashley recommends the compostable Pela phone cases #Millennial listener Natalie has a coupon for listeners interested in her Custom Funko Pop! Vinyls: Visit her Etsy store and use code MILLENNIAL for 10% off! This week's episode is sponsored by Thirdlove. Get 20% off your first order by going to Thirdlove.com/millennial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew and Publix have exposed Laura as a fraud. A listener asks for advice on how to counsel a friend who can never seem to get a break. Private companies are building momentum around mask requirements: Walmart, Disney, and even some local San Francisco bars are requiring masks for employees and customers. Do we think this will help curb the spread of the Delta variant? A $1 trillion infrastructure bill may be getting a vote in the Senate soon, and we're excited for the progress! Unfortunately, the temporary halt on evictions has expired in the United States, putting millions of tenants at risk while we're still in the middle of a global pandemic. Tumblr wanted to remind everyone they still exist, so is trying to adopt a subscription based model for creators to charge for content. Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney for releasing 'Black Widow' on Disney+, which she says was in violation of her contract's theatrical exclusivity agreement. What implications does this bring for Hollywood in the era of streaming? There's some variety in this week's recommendations: Planet Coaster (Andrew), 'Never Have I Ever' season 2 (Pam), and adding a succulent to brighten up your living space (Laura). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: A first: Pam has a rage of the week, and we can really hear the rage in her voice! Mini game: which three items did Laura's movers break or lose? Discord AMA: how do we practice being kind to ourselves, where do we want to be in 10 years, what is our favorite starchy food, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew is shook over his encounter with a rando in an elevator. Someone must have been having a REALLY bad day. Laura has some good news about her condo saga! Andrew has developed a features list for the #Millennial Phone. And Gen Y can rejoice: it does not accept phone calls. Simone Biles withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics, furthering the discussion of high-profile athletes protecting their mental health. The CDC is now recommending that communities with growing caseloads should return to making in indoor public areas, regardless of vaccine status. With prominent conservatives changing their tune on vaccines, we wonder if there is anything the GOP can do to unfuck the mess they've created. Speaking of messes, Americans who rely on Facebook for COVID information are less likely to get vaccinated on average. A majority of millennials think they'll be side hustling through retirement, which prompts us to wonder how feasible retirement will be for our age bracket. Heavy entertainment recommendations this week: 'Ted Lasso' AND 'Schmigadoon!' (Andrew) and Bo Burnham's 'Inside.' This week's episode is sponsored by Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for the best blue light glasses on the market), Honey (https://www.joinhoney.com/MILL to join Honey for FREE!), and Public (https://www.public.com and enter code MILLENNIAL when you download the app). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on our Patreon: Have you ever debated with yourself over whether or not a text message is passive aggressive? Then this episode of After Dark is for you! While we take a quiz together, we share some of our real life experiences receiving passive aggressive text messages from people in our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy birthday Pam! We hope you're drinking a lot of good coffee and doing all the things you love! Since we're down to 2 hosts this week, we decided to keep it low-key and ask our BAE supporters what we should talk about. But first... As the Delta variant proves to be more contagious and more deadly than its predecessor, do we think the U.S. will do anything to stave off the virus? Or are we accepting that this is just another way people die now? Check out the FREEDOM PHONE, best phone everrrrrrr. Who wouldn't want to pay $499 for a knock-off Android phone? (JK please don't buy this, just laugh at the silly rhetoric.) Introducing the Andy/Laura quiz game! Can we ask each other the most awkward/random questions ever? Let's find out if Andrew knows how tampons work, or if Laura knows how big her home state is. Our BAEs want to know... How did we come up with the name #Millennial? What other names did we consider for the show? What are our favorite YouTube rabbit holes to fall down? Will we be traveling overseas anytime soon? What minor adult milestones have we hit? ...And more! There's no possible connection between this week's recommendations so we're just gonna go with it: get a harness to leash your dog by, don't leash by the collar (Andrew) and Netflix's 'How to Become a Tyrant' (Laura). This week's episode is sponsored by Talkspace (https://www.talkspace.com and enter code MILL for $100 off your first month) and OUAI (https://www.theouai.com and enter promo code MILL for 15% off your first order). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Our official Marvel correspondent Marc joins us for a spoiler-filled discussion about the direction of the Marcel Cinematic Universe. This is your warning: we're covering several SPOILERS in this edition of After Dark. If you don't care to be spoiled, go catch up on the MCU and we'll be here when you get back! What connections might we draw between the Disney+ shows and the films themselves? Which characters should we expect to see more of moving forward? ...and many, many more spoiler-y items! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We check in on the Great Billionaire Race to Space and discuss the implications of rich douches not paying taxes and funding space travel for themselves. Yay capitalism! Laura's rage of the week: some who adopted pets during the pandemic are returning them to shelters. Pam was finally able to resume her morning movie theater routine, and gives a brief, spoiler free review of Black Widow. Kevin Feige recently revealed that Marvel Studios won't be locking its stars into multi-movie contracts anymore. Do we think the Marvel brand is big enough to get butts in seats without recurring appearances from big Hollywood names? A reminder from the #Millennial Facebook group: hobbies don't always need to be side hustles! We discuss the pressure that often comes with being good at something. With the end of COVID-related student loan relief fast approaching, we do a check-in on the state of the student loan forgiveness conversation. Do we think the loan forgiveness can will be kicked down the road again? Japan has placed Tokyo under a state of emergency to coincide with the Olympic games. This week's recommendations will keep you taken care of! Making sure to keep Benadryl handy in case of an emergency (Laura), Nutpods Creamer (Pam), and stick-on blind spot mirrors for your car (Andrew). This week's episode is sponsored by ThirdLove (https://www.thirdlove.com/millennial for 20% off your first purchase), Stamps.com (https://www.stamps.com and enter promo code MILL for a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale), and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for the best blue light glasses on the market). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, on our Patreon: Iceland tested out a 4-day work week, and it was an overwhelming success! What would we do with the extra time if our work week was cut down to 35 hours? Pam might use that time to rebrand herself on social, #Millennial might even join TikTok! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you believe in aliens? Some mystery objects still defy explanation, and we wonder if aliens would actually care about what we're doing on Earth. Has anyone in the International Olympic Committee ever smoked weed? 'Cause if they had, they'd know cannabis is not a performance enhancing drug... Is Steven Spielberg a hypocrite, or has he had an evolution of thought? After creating a public perception of trying to shut streaming content out of the Oscars, Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment has signed a deal with Netflix. Some black creators are on strike over at TikTok, a reminder that credit for many creators is due. We have an update on the criminal charges filed against the Trump Organization. Will they get Trump? Probably not. Will we ever stop hearing about Trump? Also probably not. LA's City Counsel is cracking down on homeless encampments in a "compassionate approach" get people off the streets. What do we make of the move? BAE Supporter Tiara joins us to talk fashion, women's sizing, and promoting size inclusivity. Check her out on TikTok and Instagram! We've got plenty of recs this week to keep you busy: Silk's Oat Yeah! oat milk (Andrew), NPR Throughline's series on Capitalism (Laura), Dissect: Key Notes (Pam), and Fuller Figure Fuller Bust on Instagram (Tiara). And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: What would you do if you won $1 million in one of the vaccination giveaways happening in the U.S.? Is it fair to say most millennials' dream is basic stability? Why property values are making the panel nervous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pam's PSA: don't be dumb and shoot off fireworks if your area is undergoing a massive heatwave and/or drought. Andrew shares some neighbor drama and asks if we take part in neighborhood Facebook groups. As more details emerge about the collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Florida, it's clear this was a tragedy that did not have to happen. #FREEBRITNEY! Britney Spears has broken her silence about the terrible conditions of her conservatorship, and we learn some disturbing details about her experience. Instagram is testing putting suggested posts among the posts in your feed, rather than at the end of the feed. Please stop ruining Instagram!! Conan O'Brien bids farewell to late night television as he prepares to move to HBO Max for a weekly program. We reminisce about former late night departures and which ones really impacted us. If you need to convince a friend in the US to get vaccinated, send them this AP report that 99.9% of people hospitalized with COVID are not vaccinated. And just in case that doesn't cut it, check out this study which says that the Pfizer and Moderna shots may be effective for years! Toyota is a top donor to Republicans who objected to certifying the results of the 2020 election. Let's check in on where we draw the line with brands. This week's recommendations will keep you busy! Eero wifi routers (Andrew), massage guns (Laura), following India Walton (Laura), 'This is Pop' (Pam), and Vice's 'The Story Of' Youtube series (Pam). This week's episode is sponsored by Honey (https://www.joinhoney.com/MILL to join Honey for FREE) and Felix Gray (https://www.felixgrayglasses.com/MILL for the best blue light glasses on the market). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors! And in this week's installment of After Dark, available on Patreon: Are we thirsty for friends as life gets more normal here in the US? One of us is actively interested in making new friends, keep an eye out for Andrew's Tiktok ad seeking new friends. #yolo When was the last time we made new friends as an adult? Do we have different 'tiers' of friends? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices