Banging It Out with Elke Thoms

After finding out the guy she was dating in college hooked up with her sorority sister, Sex Educator and Host of Rat Girls Podcast Abigail Jensen wanted to get her hair dyed with purple tips à la Kylie Jenner's 2014 green hair look. Unfortunately, her hairstylist said this would be a challenge for her and she was correct because she dyed it half gray. For the 2025 season finale of Banging It Out, Elke and Abigail discuss Abigail's plight of going gray as a senior (in college), and how it launched her full-force into throwing caution to the wind, one nipple piercing at a time.

FOLLOW ABIGAIL JENSEN
Instagram: @vibeslut
TikTok and YouTube: @abigailjensen_
Abigail Jensen is the host of Rat Girls Podcast and a Sex Educator who can be found sharing tips and tricks on her Instagram @vibeslut.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Comedian and filmmaker Josh Edelman fought back against losing his hair by shaving his head at the end of his upcoming comedy special, but is now letting what's left grow back. Despite acknowledging that he looks cooler with a shaved head, he's still hanging on. Elke and Josh debate the virtues of hair that grows like vines versus sheds glitter, and Josh recalls the time a girl he wanted to impress was a little too excited to shave his back hair.

FOLLOW JOSH EDELMAN
Instagram: @joshedelmancomedy
TikTok and X: @theedelmeister
Josh Edelman is a comedian and filmmaker. He directed the New York Times "Best Comedy Doc of 2021 "Mentally Al" about cult comedy legend Al Lubel. He runs the LA Comedy Underground that produces a number of the best comedy shows in Los Angeles including Well Dressed at The Hollywood Roosevelt & Undiscovered Genius at the Hollywood Improv. His new comedy special "The Jew Rogaine Experience" with 800lb Gorilla is available to stream on YouTube.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Comedian, actor, and writer Rachel Mathieu dyed her hair blonde at 18 after a break-up that sent her into crisis. In part two of this two-part episode, Elke and Rachel dive into amicable breakups vs. not-amicable breakups, Elke's post-breakup actions that were not giving the main character energy she thought they were, and whether they'd rath-HAIR have hair that allows them to fly or turn invisible.

FOLLOW RACHEL MATHIEU
Instagram: @rachel__mathieu
TikTok: @rmathieu1
Rachel Mathieu is a comedian, actor, and writer, you've seen her creating shorts and producing sketch comedy with Elephant Department, and her latest short film L’intemporelle will be premiering this October at Naples Film Festival.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Comedian, actor, and writer Rachel Mathieu dyed her hair blonde at 18 after a break-up that sent her into crisis. In part one of this two-part episode, Elke and Rachel discuss their long-distance relationships, finding yourself in college (or at least finding your hair dye), and the rebrand from "dirty blonde" to "old money blonde."

FOLLOW RACHEL MATHIEU
Instagram: @rachel__mathieu
TikTok: @rmathieu1
Rachel Mathieu is a comedian, actor, and writer, you've seen her creating shorts and producing sketch comedy with Elephant Department, and her latest short film L’intemporelle will be premiering this October at Naples Film Festival.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Some women are born with great hair, some achieve great hair, and some have great hair thrust upon them. Actor JJ Obee had a hair makeover done initially against her will, but now it might be… growing on her. On today's episode, JJ and Elke pull back the layers on JJ's bang piece, discuss their feelings around hair and makeup in their personal and professional lives, and finally answer that age-old question, would you rath-HAIR have hair that glows in the dark or tells time?

FOLLOW JJ OBEEE
Instagram & TikTok: @jj_obee
JJ Obee is an actor as well as a writer, comedian, and singer. You’ve seen her on TikTok or performing sketch and musical comedy around Los Angeles. You can see her latest play, Trauma Bondage, later this year in LA.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Comic, actor and cartoonist Mary Gallagher got a bad perm and then decided to trim the sides because her grandfather said she should always show her ears. She then reached her final form of the 1980’s—The Mary Mullet Perm. Elke and Mary chat about Mary's new empty nest, finding your voice in comedy, and one of Mary's most infamous high school nicknames (which involves The Beatles and a very curious monkey).

FOLLOW MARY GALLAGHER
Facebook: mary.gallagher.myfriendmary
Instagram/TikTok: @myfriendmary
YouTube: @MaryGallaghercomedian
Mary Gallagher is a comic, actor, and cartoonist. She made her national late-night television debut on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and has starred in hit TV shows like "Friends" and "Grey's Anatomy." She's co-starring in a new independent feature, "In Spite of Ourselves" and is currently touring. You can find her upcoming dates on her website, Myfriendmary.com.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Singer-songwriter and actress Kara Connolly dyed her hair bold, copper red to take back her power after years of entertainment industry mistreatment and feeling typecast and misunderstood. In part two of their two-part episode, Elke and Kara discuss Kara's love of love of cultivating a new vibe for each album, being vulnerable on stage (but not too soon), and the hairstyle Kara's therapist was not a fan of.

FOLLOW KARA CONNOLLY
Instagram: @karaconnolly
TikTok: @karaconnollymusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/karaconnolly
Kara Connolly is an award-nominated actress and singer-songwriter found on the 2020 and 2025 Grammy ballots with music featured in Lionsgate films, IKEA commercials, ABC ads, Showtime, Netflix, and HBO shows, as well as tastemaker publications such as SPIN Magazine, Billboard Argentina, Rolling Stone India, Wonderland Magazine, and more. She's been nominated for three Hollywood Music in Media Awards, was one of Music Connection Magazine's Top Unsigned Artists of the Year, and was just invited to join the prestigious Recording Academy as member of their "Class of 2025." Most recently, you can check out K-Pop sensation ILLIT's (pronounced eye-lit) new mini-album, "bomb," in which Kara co-wrote the playful track "oops!" and you can catch Kara acting in the kid's series, "Hedgehog Land," which was nominated for a 2025 Children's and Family Emmy Award. Kara's latest album "California Queen" is a cathartic alt-pop record centered around self-discovery and when she's not selling out iconic venues like the Hotel Cafe, Peppermint Club, and Troubadour, she is a passionate storyteller, lifelong animal advocate, and undercover hippie.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Singer-songwriter and actress Kara Connolly dyed her hair bold, copper red to take back her power after years of entertainment industry mistreatment and feeling typecast and misunderstood. In part one of their two-part episode, Elke and Kara discuss stepping outside of stereotypes (with the help of some hair dye), going through the audition ringer, and the behind-the-scenes of being creatives.

FOLLOW KARA CONNOLLY
Instagram: @karaconnolly
TikTok: @karaconnollymusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/karaconnolly
Kara Connolly is an award-nominated actress and singer-songwriter found on the 2020 and 2025 Grammy ballots with music featured in Lionsgate films, IKEA commercials, ABC ads, Showtime, Netflix, and HBO shows, as well as tastemaker publications such as SPIN Magazine, Billboard Argentina, Rolling Stone India, Wonderland Magazine, and more. She's been nominated for three Hollywood Music in Media Awards, was one of Music Connection Magazine's Top Unsigned Artists of the Year, and was just invited to join the prestigious Recording Academy as member of their "Class of 2025." Most recently, you can check out K-Pop sensation ILLIT's (pronounced eye-lit) new mini-album, "bomb," in which Kara co-wrote the playful track "oops!" and you can catch Kara acting in the kid's series, "Hedgehog Land," which was nominated for a 2025 Children's and Family Emmy Award. Kara's latest album "California Queen" is a cathartic alt-pop record centered around self-discovery and when she's not selling out iconic venues like the Hotel Cafe, Peppermint Club, and Troubadour, she is a passionate storyteller, lifelong animal advocate, and undercover hippie.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Actor, writer, director, and entrepreneur Jesse Arrow grew a villainous handlebar mustache in his 20's after he discovered he was finally capable of growing facial hair. Long before Elke and Jesse were together, Jesse sought to rebel against hitting puberty late and his days as a valet, and boy did he ever. Elke and Jesse sit down to uncover this specific phase in Jesse's life and how grateful they both are that they weren't dating during Jesse's Mr. Monopoly man era.

FOLLOW JESSE ARROW
Instagram: @jessearrow
Jesse Arrow is an actor, writer, director, and entrepreneur. You’ve seen him on Criminal Minds, and his scripts have been in the semi-finals at Austin Film Festival and on The Black List Labs short list.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard

Actor Marissa Madsen announced that she was a cool, mysterious, IDGAF adult in college by getting an emo-chic haircut, despite its impact on her aerodynamics while running varsity cross-country. Elke and Marissa discuss how her dramatic hair change did more than just win the disapproval of her mom--it helped her move to her real heart's desire, acting. They also chat cats in birthday hats, because of course.

FOLLOW MARISSA MADSEN
IG: @marissamadsen
Marissa Madsen is an actor and sketch comedian. She can be seen in the mockumentary short "Hazel and Louis: Animal Agents," in commercials, and in her comedy sketches on social media.

FOLLOW BANGING IT OUT + ELKE THOMS
Instagram: @bangingitoutpod + @elkethoms
TikTok: @elkethoms

BANGING IT OUT CREDITS
Created and Produced by Elke Thoms
Music by Chloe Grace Kinnon and Austin Luther
Art by Nat Jean
Art Photography by Stephanie Girard