Literally Heinous

Comedy writer, performer, and teacher Matthew Starr joins the pod and I don't think I've ever laughed this hard in a recording. Matthew wrote and directed Best Man’s Ghostwriter⁠ starring Glen Powell, came up through UCB with some of the best in the business, and has sage wisdom for how to finish a script. We get into where the industry is heading, tips for writing for comedy, and a lot of other stuff that somehow got funnier as it went.

(00:00) - Matthew’s background: Ohio State improv, David Letterman, UCB, living in LA 

(19:26) - Matthew’s show starring Glenn Powell (Best Man’s Ghostwriter)

(33:22) - COMEDY WRITING (types of jobs, what makes a good pilot, writing tips)

(1:14:50) - Chic or freak 

Fashion insider Sidney Szerlip — Net-a-Porter communications manager and freelance stylist — joins Literally Heinous for a full debrief on all things fashion. We're talking Met Gala war stories (including the moment a celeb discovered she was wearing the same look as Zendaya), the industry's reaction to Bezos taking over this year's Met, best dressed breakdowns, which stylists are running the game right now, butt crack trends, furry fluffy shoes, and what it actually feels like to work in fashion. Plus, obviously, a round of Chic or Freak.

If you want genuine expert tea delivered with zero gatekeeping, this one's for you.

Zoë is back on the pod, talking tech among other things. We get into big tech culture, anxiety meds (she's newly unmedicated! lock her up!), IBS attacks that have shape our world view, a Euphoria debrief, and a hardcore Lena Dunham deep dive. We're Lena supporters so don't even try to argue with us.

(00:00) - Tech company life

(09:12) - Anxiety meds

(19:19) - Funny stories (poop attacks and stories from Detroit)

(39:08) - Euphoria 

(48:13) - Lena Dunham 

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This episode is sponsored by Master. Creatives — if you're running on fifteen tabs and a Notes app full of chaos, MASTER was made for you. One app for your decks, grids, tasks, and calendar. Think Canva + Notion + your calendar, actually connected.

After 4.5 years in corporate communications at General freakin Motors, I quit my job. And I'm processing it on camera like a freak. In this solo episode, I'm sharing why I left, what's coming next, the work stories I've been sitting on for years, and my tips for surviving corporate.

I know I may not come off super professional but I know my way around Outlook.

If you've ever fantasized about quitting your 9-to-5, felt burned out in a corporate job, or just need someone to commiserate with about office life, this one's for you.

Topics covered: quitting your corporate job, corporate burnout, leaving a stable job to pursue creative work, corporate survival tips, funny work stories, career change advice, life after corporate, women in the workplace.

(00:00) - Why I quit and what's next

(15:58) - Funny work stories

(40:44) - Tips for surviving in corporate

Today’s solo episode, I give a summary and my opinion of Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s new movie The Drama. If you still want to see it and don’t want spoilers, then skip!! Because I break down exactly what happened.

I also talk about different types of birthday parties and my tips for group dinners, bar meet ups or house parties. There is an art to it ok!!! 

Lastly, I talk about Partiful — the party invitation app that's go-to for Gen Z to host events. But it might be problematic?? Partiful was founded by two people who worked at an evil company founded by an evil billionaire that tracks data and sends it to the government. Hmmm...

(01:05) - The Drama movie summary

(15:25) - Ranking types of birthday parties 

(26:15) - Partiful 

This week on Literally Heinous, I’m joined by my OG comedy BFF, Mckenzie Fleischer—an NYC improv queen. If you have ever been curious about doing comedy in NYC, this is the episode for you!!!

We talk extensively about our college improv team, Fishbowl, and how it was lowkenuinely the best time of our lives. 

McKenzie gives us the raw truth about her comedy career: live TV, sketch vs. improv, the pressure to go viral, dating within the comedy scene, man-on-the-street interviews, and how Instagram has completely reshaped comedy culture.

We cover the differences between the major NYC theaters, Brooklyn vs. Manhattan scenes, and the best places to take classes right now. 

McKenzie writes and performs sketches with the Brooklyn Comedy Collective resident sketch team (Oh, Shooty!), performs nationally with her long-running improv group (Help Me I’m Drowning), writes and performs musical comedy and somehow has time to be in a queer marching band. 

(00:00 - 30:22) - Intro & stories from college improv 

(30:22 - 01:07:17) - McKenzie’s comedy career (+ working at Drew Barrymore)

(01:07:17) - Chic or Freak!!!!!

My mom, Sarah Galambos—former Buckhead party girl turned retreat-leading energy healer—returns to the pod to talk about her chaotic southern Catholic upbringing being, being a 90s Buckhead party girl, and now an energy healer leading retreats for people who feel lost. Mmm sound familiar?!

We talk about what it means to carry shame and how it can ruin you, but no worries because she also tells us how to overcome it! Whew! 

We OBVIOUSLY talk about my wedding planning and her POV on my surprise engagement. We talk about our favorite parties we’ve hosted and how to throw a good party. 

(06:36) - Leading retreats and healing journey

(19:53) - My mom’s upbringing 

(23:07) - Energy healing

(29:32) - Buckhead party days

(34:58) - Party planning and wedding!!

(01:12:48) - Advice to women about marriage

(01:16:41) - Chic or freak

*VULNERABILITY ALERT* I went down a tattoo removal rabbit hole and questioned whether I actually hate my tattoos or if they’re just the most visible place my insecurity decided to land.

I talk about the stories behind my tattoos, what the tattoo removal process really involves, and why I ultimately decided not to. I was afraid that researching it would force a decision, so I bottled it up, but later realized that talking about it and researching it made me realize I don't *actually* want them gone.

I also get into insecurity more broadly — age, careers, money, control, vibes. Ugh! Age is a concept!!!! Vibes are forever!!!!!

(00:00 - 09:53) - When, how and why I got my tattoos

(09:53 - 16:11) - Tattoo regret and panic

(16:11 - 33:03) - How tattoo removal works

(33:03 - 42:11) - Being iNSECURE AF! :(

This week on Literally Heinous, I speak with author Laura Buchwald to talk about her newest book, The Book of Reservations—the second installment in the Ghost Table Trilogy.

We get into all of it: West Village restaurant lore, communicating with the dead, and how Laura’s real-life sensitivity to spiritual energy inspired the series. Laura also opens up about her own experiences with mediums, thoughts on the afterlife, and why New Orleans has such a chokehold on her life.

Naturally, we wrap with Chic or Freak, where we judge spirituality, writing rituals, and general ghost-adjacent behavior—because I am a journalist first and foremost!

I am an engaged woman!!! In this solo ep, I am explaining the whole surprise proposal, how I decided on my ring, the process of ring shopping in NYC, and all the progress we've made on wedding planning.

I give my opinions on lab vs. natural diamond, bridesmaids and whether ring shopping ruins the surprise of the engagement.

(00:00) - (25:42) - Surprise proposal and events leading up

(25:42) - (45:15) - Picking my ring and going ring shopping

(45:15) - Venue touring and wedding planning

Photographer for party: Tacia Media