Episode 27: The Giver of Stars/Britney Spears

Episode 27: The Giver of Stars/Britney Spears

AJ and AJ dive into female empowerment through two deeply personal lenses: literature and pop culture. “J” kicks things off with The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, a historical fiction novel set in 1930s Kentucky about the Packhorse Librarians, women who delivered books by horseback to remote Appalachian communities. The story’s themes of friendship, courage, access to books, and women defying expectations hit close to home for “J”, reminding her of her own time in Mormonism, when she felt trapped by silence, rules, and a relationship that left her deeply depressed. Like the women in the novel, “J” found the strength to speak up, leave, and change her life. “A” then turns to one of the most powerful figures in her life: Britney Spears. From Britney’s explosive rise to fame to the sexuality and magnetism that captivated “A” as an eighth grader, she reflects on how Britney helped her access her own sense of power and sexuality. "A" also explores the darker side of Britney’s story, including her conservatorship, and how it mirrored parts of “A’s” own childhood. Through Britney, “A” learned that even the people we idolize may be struggling, but their visibility can still help us find empowerment in ourselves.

Episode 26: The Rules of Attraction/ Flatliners

This week on What's Your Damage?, AJ and AJ revisit some of their greatest hits in the Regret Department. “A” kicks things off with a trip back to college, when she somehow convinced herself that being a theater kid dating a baseball player was a good idea. What followed was a masterclass in accepting less than the bare minimum: being treated like a booty call, getting cheated on, getting financially drained, and eventually getting dumped after paying for the guy to come see her. Naturally, she traces part of the blame back to The Rules of Attraction, a movie that taught an entire generation that toxic relationships were sexy and emotional self-destruction was a personality. Meanwhile, “J” dives into Flatliners, the movie that asks, "What if a bunch of doctors deliberately died for science?" and somehow got made. The film's regret-fueled hallucinations lead her to reflect on her youngest sibling and the reality that she and her other siblings were largely left to raise him when their parents were running on empty. Looking back, she wishes she'd had more tools, more support, and significantly fewer responsibilities for someone who was still figuring out childhood herself. Along the way, AJ and AJ discuss hindsight, guilt, terrible role models, and the uncomfortable realization that sometimes your younger self was doing the best she could with information primarily gathered from questionable movies and untreated emotional baggage.

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.