One of the questions I often get is, what can we do to push back against private equity? My guest this week Brendan Ballou has more than a few concrete ideas. We discuss his book Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America, the PE nursing home crisis, the waiver I had to get to pass college math, and SO much more. 

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Buy Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America 

https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/when-private-equity-takes-over-nursing-homes-mortality-rates-jump

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There are two things that are hot this summer, the concerning temperatures bearing down on the United States, and the WNBA. Both things many have tried to tell you about for years. This week on a surprise drop of Oddly Specific I welcome Shanteona Keys, a WNBA analyst, and host of my new favorite podcast Genuinely Curious. We chat alllll things WNBA, the Olympic selection, the Cailtin Clark of it all, and sound off on the fantastic fashion that is happening. We will be back in about a week with a new private equity drop, in the meantime tell a friend to tell a friend about Oddly Specific!

Follow Shanteona Keys

https://www.instagram.com/shanteonakeys/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/thegenuinelycuriouspodcast/

https://open.spotify.com/show/5dgdo5U6QXOs397Cismyow 

Video of Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHRTEReGvHY 

This is one for the ages, first I welcome Carrie Sun who worked in private equity and wrote the most compelling memoir about her experience. It's Devil Where's Prada meets Succession and we contemplate if unlimited yoga pants are worth not knowing peace. If you're dealing with burnout at work I think you will get a lot from this conversation. THEN we have Van from the Best Week Ever Podcast who joins me to discuss my first social media obsession, MYSPACE! It was a place for music, pretty advanced coding, and ranking your friends in a way that was pretty much guaranteed to make someone cry. Rate! Subscribe! Tell a friend to tell a friend about Oddly Specific. 

Carrie Sun

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Celebrity MySpaces

Justin Timberlake MySpace King

Ok you little ROCK lobsters, you asked for a Red Lobster private equity deep dive and you're getting it. I welcome journalist Amy McCarthy (eater.com) who gives us a fantastic download on pe in fast casual dining and the future of Red Lobster. 

I then welcome media critic and fellow Meredith, Meredith Constant to get oddly specific with the series premier of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Digressions include, Hockey East, Candle in the Wind, and justice for Salem the cat. 

As always please subscribe, rate, and tell a friend to tell a friend about Oddly Specific! 

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https://www.eater.com/24160929/red-lobster-bankruptcy-endless-shrimp-closing-locations 

https://vimeo.com/305827196

https://variety.com/1996/tv/reviews/sabrina-the-teenage-witch-1200446685/ 

We're back! Libraries, we love them, we need them, so why are they the source of so much debate? We welcome Huntington Beach City Councilor Rhonda Bolton to discuss the book censorship that is upending their library and the move to potentially privatize the library services to a private equity backed company. 

Then we welcome stand up comedian and writer Katy Flaherty @katyflahertycomin to get Oddly Specific about my favorite episode of the 1990 Scholastic Productions classic The Babysitters Club: Claudia and the Mystery of the Secret Passageway. 

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/94699-proposed-changes-to-huntington-beach-public-library-draw-opposition.html

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2024-02-21/huntington-beach-city-council-votes-against-item-seeking-transparency-in-childrens-book-restriction

https://inthepublicinterest.org/when-public-libraries-become-private-who-will-support-them/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MowsRIFdC90

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! This week we have Senator Elizabeth Warren talking all things private equity in particular the role of PE in healthcare facilities, it's an important conversation you won't want to miss. Then we welcome Laura Tretter (American Girl Women) for a LIVELY conversation about the musical Annie and an oddly specific series of events from the late 90s. We also  contemplate if Miss Hannigan was just a misunderstood girl boss. 

As always, thank you for listening and tell a friend to tell a friend about Private Equity!!

Lawmakers zero in on private equity in health care amid Steward troubles

What happens with private equity takes over a hospital? 

Turning Point: The Search for Annie 

Statement on Joanna's Firing

Join TikTok sensation Meredith Lynch for the first episode of Oddly Specific! We welcome Michael Fenne (Private Equity Stakeholder Project) to give us a crash course on why we need to care about private equity. Later we are joined by Christina Catucci to discuss why John Mayer is perhaps just as dangerous as corporate greed.

Notice the pod is ad free? Subscribe to the Patreon and help us keep it that way. 

Follow Christina Catucci on TikTok and Instagram

Private Equity Stakeholder Project

Is your hospital owned by PE? 

Senator Warren letter to Wellpath

From Dawn to Dusk Zine

Justice for Jessica

Oddly Specific is your new pop culture podcast hosted by TikTok sensation Meredith Lynch. Covering everything from climate change to the Kardashians, you won't want to miss a moment of Oddly Specific.