What's Your Damage?

Episode 25: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon/Big Fish

In Episode 25, AJ and AJ talk about the moment they realized their parents weren’t always going to feel cool, untouchable, or permanent. J's story starts with watching Oscar nominees together and trying to talk about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon — only to hear it dismissed as “too loud.” Maybe it was the swooshing kicks, the clanging swords, or all those soft wind chimes. Either way, it marked the beginning of realizing their parents weren’t as tapped into culture as they once seemed. The conversation shifts into something deeper as "A" talks about being abroad in college when her father had a heart attack, and how Big Fish suddenly became painfully relatable. They unpack what it means to grow older alongside your parents, to see them as fragile people instead of fixed figures, and the quiet hope of being in a good place with them at the end of their lives — whenever that may be.

Episode 24: Inside/Vice Principals

Episode 24 of What’s Your Damage?  returns to the COVID Pandemic as AJ and AJ reflect on the isolation, uncertainty, and strange rhythms of the pandemic years. "A" talks about feeling cut off from her artistic community while desperately trying to stay connected through the internet, and how Bo Burnham’s Inside — widely acclaimed and award-winning — perfectly captured that moment in time: the fear, loneliness, and absurdity of lockdown. Through the special, Bo Burnham perfectly holds a mirror back to society, showing us the truth about ourselves — the good, bad, and ugly. "J" reflects on how fortunate she was to have job security and no children to care for during lockdown, allowing her to spend an unexpectedly idyllic stretch of time with her husband. Together, they dove deep into comfort viewing, including Vice Principals, which sparked a full appreciation for the wonderfully chaotic world of Danny McBride’s entire catalog.

Episode 23: Katy Perry: Part of Me (Documentary) / Rolling Stone Issue 633, The Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Naked Truth

In this episode of What’s Your Damage?, we kick things off with a shoutout to our friends over at Pod Chef — because nothing pairs better with emotional damage than a perfectly plated podcast. Then AJ and AJ dive headfirst into two memories about sexism, survival, and becoming the hot, powerful women they were always meant to be. "A" takes us back to 2012 NYC, where she was grinding through the comedy scene at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, surviving on dreams, delusion, and $1 pizza. What started as an exciting comedy journey quickly turned gross when the assistant artistic director solicited her for nudes. But somewhere between pretending to be rich and watching Katy Perry’s: Part of Me documentary, "A" found inspiration to embrace her femininity, sexuality, and main character energy. Meanwhile, "J" revisits 7th grade and the science teacher whose MC Hammer pants and tragic mullet screamed “cool youth pastor,” but whose real passion was trying to befriend the cool boys in class and making "J" feel stupid — even when she got the answer right. Which is especially wild considering she literally became valedictorian. Sir, maybe you should’ve stayed after class.

Episode 22: Erasure/Friends

In this episode, AJ & AJ dive into the many forms cheating can take—both physical and emotional—and how blurry those lines can get. “J” shares a wild story from her teenage years: her high school boyfriend disappears at scout camp (before “ghosting” was even a term), only for her to later chase closure—literally—by driving 110 mph through mountain roads to win him back after his rebound fizzled. She reflects on how music from Erasure still brings her back to those intense young-love memories. “A” opens up about a past relationship from her New Orleans days, where emotional cheating showed up in quieter but just as painful ways—like withholding key truths, blurred boundaries, and discovering too late that someone staying in their shared space had a deeper history than she was led to believe. She reflects on how, during that time, she looked to the relationships around her—and even on TV—for clarity, becoming especially drawn to Monica and Chandler from Friends as her ideal of what a healthy, supportive partnership could look like. It wasn’t until after she ended that relationship that she fully recognized what she actually wanted—and eventually found it with her “producer.” Together, they unpack what honesty, betrayal, and trust really look like—and how cheating isn’t always as obvious as it seems.

Episode 21: All That/Star Search

AJ and AJ talk about fame, recognition, and the deeply held childhood belief that being discovered is just a matter of singing loudly enough near shrubbery. As “A” confidently states, “There is no one happier than a child star,” before unpacking her full-blown obsession with All That—aka her weekly pilgrimage into the fantasy that she was Amanda Bynes. Then “J” shares her own grassroots PR strategy: hiding in a bush clubhouse and belting songs in the hopes that a Star Search producer would simply…wander by and discover her raw, leafy talent. Spoiler: no one came, but the commitment to the fantasy was undeniable. Now, as fully formed adults, they reflect on the rude awakening that most famous people are…not thriving. Turns out fame does not fix your problems—it just gives your problems a publicist. A also shares what it was like actually working on set with famous people and realizing they’re basically the same as everyone else—just with more money. AJ and AJ unpack the slow realization that being seen is not the same as being happy.