Welcome to Episode 11 (Part 2) of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About! 🎙️

This week’s guest is the absolutely wonderful Kirsten Vangsness, who you’ll know and love as Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds.

Here’s how the show works. Every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan, just real conversation.

In Part 2, our conversation goes even deeper. We talk more about Kirsten’s relationship with Garcia, how her work and personal values have evolved over time, and what it means to keep choosing authenticity in a very public industry. It’s thoughtful, funny, and full of heart.

✨ Follow Kirsten Vangsness on Instagram: @kirstenvangsness

💛 Want access to Kirsten’s exclusive Q and A, including her answers to your questions and all things Criminal Minds Season 19? That bonus session is available for Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff.

NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK, with bonus surprises like this one.

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Welcome to Episode 11 (Part 1) of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About! 🎙️

This week’s guest is the absolutely wonderful Kirsten Vangsness, an actor you’ll know and love as Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds.

Here’s how the show works. Every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan, just real conversation.

This chat with Kirsten was honest, funny, and genuinely meaningful. We talked about her journey with Garcia, what that character has meant to people over the years, and what it really looks like to show up as your authentic self, on screen and off.

✨ Follow Kirsten Vangsness on Instagram: @kirstenvangsness

🎧 Early access and behind the scenes extras:

Want to see Kirsten's Q and A? Including all the deets on Criminal Minds season 19? Join our UnSub Club on Patreon!  patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff

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Welcome to Episode 10 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About! 🎙️

This week’s guest is the wonderful Nick Marini — an actor you might recognise from Cobra Kai or Chicago Med.

Here’s how the show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

My chat with Nick was surprisingly sweet and genuinely wholesome. We talked about his acting career, what life was like growing up, and shared plenty of heart-warming memories and moments along the way.

✨ Follow Nick Marini on Instagram: @nickamarini

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Welcome to Episode 9 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About! 🌌

This week’s guest is the amazing Mynor Luken — actor and performer you might recognise from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Here’s how the show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

With Mynor, things got raw and real. We talked about his upbringing, the impact of trauma, and how Star Trek has shaped the way he sees the world. It’s honest, vulnerable, and full of depth — a truly powerful chat.

✨ Follow Mynor Luken on Instagram at @mynorluken

🎧 Early access & behind-the-scenes extras: patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff

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Welcome to Episode 8 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About!

This week’s guest is the brilliantly nerdy JR Williams — actual play creator and all-round chaos connoisseur behind Nomads of the Multiverse, a TTRPG series blending big space energy, deep lore, and epic dice rolls.

Here’s how the show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

With JR, we went full nerd mode — diving into the world of tabletop roleplaying games, building fictional universes, and (accidentally) starting a war over Star Wars hot takes. It’s chaotic, passionate, and honestly one of the most fun episodes yet.

✨ Follow JR on Instagram at @jrwilliamsiswriting

🎧 Early access & behind-the-scenes extras: patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff

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Welcome to Episode 7 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About!

This week’s guest is the amazing Nicole Pacent — actor and advocate who you might recognise from Criminal Minds: Evolution, where she plays Rebecca Wilson.

The way this show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

With Nicole, we dived into some big ones: the importance of found family, building healthy relationships, and an absolutely wild discussion on cults and communes. It was the kind of conversation that bounced between heartfelt, hilarious, and a little unhinged — exactly what this podcast is all about.

✨ Follow Nicole on Instagram at @nicolepacent to keep up with her projects!

🎧 Early access & behind-the-scenes extras: patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff

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Welcome to Episode 6 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About!

This week’s guest is the multi-talented Justin Mane — actor, stunt performer, professional wrestler, and personal trainer. You might’ve seen him in Chicago PD, American Rust, and Deadlock.

The way this show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

With Justin, we smashed through two big ones: his strong (and hilarious) views on cheese 🧀, and an honest, thoughtful chat about men’s mental health. Somehow, it all made sense together — equal parts chaos, laughter, and heart.

✨ Follow Justin on Instagram at @justinmaneofficial to keep up with his projects!

🎧 Early access & behind-the-scenes extras: patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff

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Welcome to Episode 5 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About!

This week’s guest is the endlessly creative Amy Vorpahl — actor, writer, musician, and self-described professional nerd. She’s brought her unique spark to the world of Dungeons & Dragons (yes, official content), music, comedy, and so much more.

The way this show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

With Amy, the conversation was as random and joyful as you’d expect. We went from emotional support water bottles to ukuleles, to painting walls and everything in between. Pure chaos, plenty of laughs, and a whole lot of fun.

✨ Go follow Amy on Instagram at @vorpahlsword

🎧 Early access & behind-the-scenes extras: patreon.com/gemmawatchesstuff

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Welcome to Episode 4 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About!

This week’s guest is the brilliant Rebekah Kennedy — you might know her from Criminal Minds, Law and Order: SVU, Station 19, or her standout roles in horror films like Two Witches, The Veil, and Crust. She’s one of those actors who disappears into every role, and sitting down with her was such a treat.

The way this show works: every guest sends me five possible topics, and I don’t choose one until we hit record. No prep, no plan… just real conversation.

With Rebekah, things went deep fast. We talked about facing the very real challenges actors have weathered in recent years — from COVID shutdowns and the SAG-AFTRA strikes to literal fires and more. It’s an honest look at resilience and creativity when the world feels upside down. And of course, it wouldn’t be this podcast without a few tangents, laughs, and a little chaos woven in too.

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Welcome to Episode 3 of I Don’t Know What We’re Talking About!

This week I’m joined by actor, voice-over artist, and podcast extraordinaire Hal Lublin. You’ve probably heard his voice more times than you realise — from The Thrilling Adventure Hour and Welcome to Night Vale to cartoons and beyond.

As always, my guests each send me five possible topics, but I don’t pick one until we start recording. No prep. No script. Just an honest, unscripted conversation to see where it goes.

We set out to talk about Hal’s professional philosophy, but in true chaotic fashion, we spiralled into so much more — from how colleagues become lifelong friends and the importance of kindness to tangents about life, laughter, and (way too many) spiders. Equal parts heartfelt and unhinged.

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