Making It Awkward

Cheryl Hines, wife of RFK Jr, wrote a memoir and "wrote" is used loosely in this context. Her publication team didn't do her any favors with this lightly edited, sprawling account of Cheryl's life and path to becoming the unwilling wife of the Secretary of HHS–or is he the secretary of HHR?

Cheryl doesn't understand that her choices have consequences, even as they continue to pile up, including the demise of her podcast and relationship with Tig Notaro.

Jessica talks to Natalie Ingraham and Alison Pill about the book and Cheryl's life.

Olivia Nuzzi's book

Secretary of HHR

Cheryl photoshoot

This would have been a better cover photo

RFK Poem

Slate article

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Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Selena Selfan, MPH, RD is back for the next installment in the re-grifting series! She is the resident Means Siblings Scholar and talks to host Jessica Wilson, MS RD about her deep dive! Dr. Casey Means is currently the presumptive nominee for Surgeon General. Her brother Calley Means is a special advisor to RFK Jr and cofounder of Truemed. The two are fervent MAHA supporters and foot soldiers in RFK's fight.

Listeners will learn about the Means siblings's upbringing and the love and support for their parents. And then plot twist: their father, Grady Means wrote a gender expansive children's book.

Selena shares how Cassie has evolved in her career, and spits Calley's facts like a pro. The two talk about the grift of the Means siblings and Selena's prediction for Calley's future.

The Means siblings have direct connections to Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Andrew Huberman, our first and second grifters. Stay tuned for the next one about Dr. Paul Saladino.

See Selena's bibliography below!

Calley's Politico interview

Tucker Carlson interview

Deadly Lightbulbs

Surgeon shortage

Oregon Medical Board

Casey's Instagram posts about Jessica:

August 28, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QjRljJ1mr/?hl=en

August 29, 2024 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C_N6qSPPcT2/?hl=en

Instagram - Never. Buy. Ultraprocessed. Food. Ever. Again.

Casey's sponsors with conflicted research:

Pendulum, newsletter, study funded by Pendulum

Mitopure, Newsletter, study funded by Mitopure

Life expectancy data

health insurance stat

FSA/HSAs:

https://www.numerator.com/resources/blog/fsa-hsa-consumer-spending/

https://www.ebri.org/content/new-analysis-of-3.2-million-flexible-spending-accounts-finds-average-contributions-increasing-while-half-forfeiting-funds-to-their-employers

Forbes list of growing industries

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Jocelyn Green of @audhd_academic joins Jessica to discuss the concept of "losing an autism diagnosis" and what's often missing when discussing autism research. The two discuss the limitations of autism statistics and how their misuse can become unethical. They also talk about disability, what conditions may present to make someone seek an autism diagnosis later in adulthood, support needs for autistic people, and of course RFK.

This conversation was inspired by last week's episode with Dr. Theresa Lyons and includes listener feedback. Dr. Lyons anchored her work in the idea that 37% of autistic kids will lose their autism diagnosis with behavioral changes. She based this on one study and didn't represent the research to the degree it deserved. Theresa also claimed that people don't learn to mask their autism until they're teenagers, when in fact young children can learn to mask.

Some parents want to split the autism spectrum

Referenced in last week's episode:

Life's Best Medicine Podcast

FDA approves leucovorin

Frat test

Suing tylenol

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Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Today Dr. Theresa Lyons, founder and CEO of Navigating AWEtism joins Making it Awkward. She reached out to Jessica sharing that as an Ivy League scientist and mom to a non-speaking autistic daughter, she's used her expertise to guide other parents of autistic children. Dr. Lyons introduces a study that says 37% of kids can go on to lose their autism diagnosis and Jessica has follow-up questions. Their conversation includes discussions about folinic acid, sleep, dysbiosis, diet, Tylenol and camel milk.

There will be follow-up episodes to come!

Teresa has offered to return to the show to answer any listener questions so if you have any feel free to email the pod!

Life's Best Medicine Podcast

FDA approves leucovorin

Frat test

Suing tylenol

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Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Dr. Bethany Johnson returns to the show to share the deep history of the plague, and how we should be thinking about it today. She talks about how anti-Chinese and anti-Mexican sentiment impacted the mitigation and spread of the plague in the early 1900s. Bethany also talks about how climate change may impact infectious disease, antibiotic resistance, lyme disease, pet safety, mitigation measures, and what the defunding of government organizations will mean for us.

She also has advice for all of those of us–and our dads out there–with wood piles in our backyard.

Plus a few updates about The Means Sibs.

Bethany's first episode on measles!

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You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod

How to support this podcast? Follow/subscribe, rate and review! Jessica's dad will read reviews and comments on the air!

Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

ABC News: Casey Means Senate statement

Breaking Big Food

Calley Means has left the White House

1630 plague

WHO Manual for plague surveillance, diagnosis, prevention and control

CDC page on plague

Traces of life in the death registries of the 1630 plague in Milano

We've been a lot of places with RFK Jr, his conspiracy theories, magical thinking, lies, his meltdowns in front of Senate committees, and seen that he doesn't understand half of the things he talks about.

Exhibit A: He thinks babies are grown in placentas

Let's make sure we're clear on RFK's indisputable, irrefutable cause of autism going forward. Today I share his gold standard science-certified cause of autism.

Selena Salfen's quote

Tylenol ad

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Leave a review or comment and my dad will read it on the show!

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Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Kyle Davis, MSW, LICSW, joins the show to talk about his experience with Assertive Community Treatment for supporting people with severe and persistent mental illness. He shares details of that model today and what autonomy can actually look like when people are out of institutions and living in society. In Jessica's interview with psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman, Dr. Carole shared her belief that one of the biggest problems in psychiatry is that people with mental illness were released from institutions, and given the least restrictive environment for their care. This claim warranted a full follow-up episode and Kyle joined the show to share his thoughts about the claim that people can develop insight while living in institutions and he shares how a multi-disciplinary approach proves that people heal best in their communities and is more beneficial long-term than having more community clinics.

Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment!

Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email [email protected]

You can buy awkward merch!

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You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod

Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson

Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

MAHA and Cuteservatives are okay with spending millions on measles outbreaks yet want to control people's food choices in the name of "health." People are able to buy raw milk with SNAP, yet shouldn't be allowed to buy a candybar? The math is not mathing. Today's episode is a follow up to the episode released 10/1/25, "Fauci Needs to Be Locked Up!" with Dr. Carole Lieberman. Jessica responds to some of Dr. Carole's claims, and has a good time with her own acronym for ways to avoid getting COVID.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!

Buy raw milk with SNAP

ADHD medications and substance use

RFK's CDC on vaccines

Herd immunity

Clip Jessica posted on Instagram of Dr. Carole

Jessica's MAHA Mindy makeover

RFK fires CDC workers and then brings them back

Dr. Fauci work timeline

Measles can cost $47K per case

Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment!

Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email [email protected]

You can buy awkward merch!

You can become a Patreon member!

You can watch this episode at https://www.youtube.com/@MakingItAwkwardPod

Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson

Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Jessica Wilson, MS. RD. is joined by Blake Flaugher, MPH, to give Jessica a full breakdown of poppers and RFK Jr.'s AIDS denialism. Jessica is very curious about butt stuff and Blake expertly answers her questions. He also answers a listener question about the spectrum of asexuality. The two have this conversation at a brewery and got the opportunity to make things awkward! Blake updates Jessica on the state of sex education in 2025 and shares what he's found grounding and motivating as he continues to do this work.

Blake's first Making it Awkward ep

AIDS denialism

FDA crackdown on poppers

Legality of poppers

Go Ask Alice

Like this episode? You can rate, review, subscribe, follow, share and comment!

Questions about the show? Guest pitches? Email [email protected]

You can buy awkward merch!

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Follow Jessica Wilson on Instagram @jessicawilson.msrd and TikTok @byjessicawilson

How to support this podcast? Follow/subscribe, rate and review and share with a friend!

Jessica Wilson's book: It's Always Been Ours; Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H. joins Jessica Wilson, M.S. RD. for a robust conversation about COVID, Dr. Fauci, RFK Jr., the MAHA report and whether supplements can fix our mental health.

Dr. Carole specializes in the psychology of terrorism, criminal behavior, and political breakdown. She's a frequent guest on Fox News, Newsmax, OAN, and leading patriot platforms. Her bold insights expose how psychological tactics once used by foreign enemies are now being weaponized against the American people. Dr. Lieberman connects the dots between radical indoctrination, media-fueled hysteria, and how psychological warfare is now being deployed inside the U.S.—not just abroad.

I was so compelled by this interview that I'll be having a follow up episode exploring her ideas! If you have thoughts, ideas or want to send a voice memo with your feedback about this episode you can email them to [email protected].

Dr. Carole on FOX news re: the VP debate

RFK Jr. and wellness farms

Elizabeth Blackwell

First MAHA report

Second MAHA report

Recent Interviews with Carole Lieberman

1. Real America's Voice with Eric Bolling

2. NY Post on Bryan Kohberger

3. OAN with Dan Ball

4. Joe Pags Show