Pick up the Phone

Pick up the Phone

By CamelliaComedySociety & Culture
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Pick up the Phone episodes

  • The P*te D*vidson generation
    Get ready, 'cause I kind of came for everyone in this episode. First I unpack the mystery of "ugly cute" celebrities and why they're popular with women (here's a hint, it's being a nice person). Then I get frustrated with adults that give BS advice to younger people -- someone tell your Aunt Patty that we already know how to pay rent. Then I ponder an age-old dilemma, Are We Millenials or Gen Z? Later, I talk about some of the best and worst parts of having to interact with so many people because I live in a city and describe a store that I'm convinced is a portal to another dimension.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  • Maruf talks PhD life + student advocacy

    Today's Desk Chair Expert, Maruf, is a PhD candidate in Virginia Tech's Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health program (and yes I did copy that from an article about him). On top of his research, Maruf has served in several leadership positions working to make changes that positively impact graduate student well-being. He is also the only person I know who uses "moreover" in casual conversation. 

    Maruf shares with us his thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic as a person who actually understands viruses and vaccines, and we reminisce on the weirdness of early pandemic days. He shares how his path changed from never considering graduate school to, you know, getting a PhD. Then he gives some seriously helpful and honest thoughts on how to evaluate if graduate school is a good option for you. We get into our shared history as "student leaders" and talk about fun times working together as well as what schools can do to better support graduate students and how difficult it can be to actually make these changes happen. You can find more of Maruf on Google Scholar, Instagram, and Twitter.

    As a reminder, this series is called Desk Chair Expert because the guests are regular people talking about subjects they find interesting. Please understand that they are discussing the extent of their personal knowledge and expressing their individual opinions.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • Fake names, real(ity) television
    Today I pitch my dream reality TV show, which involves locking my extended family in a house together (sorry, guys). Then I shed light on some of the lesser-known problems that overthinkers face and the surprising amount of similarities between strippers and waiters. Finally, I trash talk all of the mispronunications of my name that I hate and confess to the worst time I've messed up somebody else's name.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  • Zoe talks curly haircare, anime, + "mixed kids club"

    Please give a warm welcome to today's Desk Chair Expert, the person who has to put up with me 24/7, my roommate Zoe. In this episode, Zoe and I expose each others' weird habits and commiserate about our many years of awkwardness. Zoe talks about how she got started on her curly hair journey and we break down advice that has helped our hair. Then we discuss how mixed race people are perceived differently in different spaces and other aspects of having multiple cultural identities. Later, Zoe schools us on why anime is better than "real people TV" and gives show recommendations. 

    Curly hair resources: r/CurlyHair, r/WavyHair, wavy hair routine example, curly hair routine example, hair porosity, Zoe's preferred brand, Camellia's preferred brand 

    As a reminder, this series is called Desk Chair Expert because the guests are regular people talking about subjects they find interesting. Please understand that they are discussing the extent of their personal knowledge and expressing their individual opinions.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • Paul from distributions

    Welcome back to our regularly scheduled programming. This week I recount maybe my most embarrassing moment ever, which happened in front of the World's Most Attractive Man. Then I explain how I go through all five stages of grief while trying to buy new clothes without breaking the bank or killing the earth and wonder why some jobs look so cool on TV even though they're boring in real life.

    To find out more about the ethics of the brands you're buying from, check out Good on You. 

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min
  • Grant talks comedy writing + theory

    Please give a warm welcome to today’s Desk Chair Expert, Grant, who brings his experience writing, performing, and directing comedy. Grant and I break down how to joke about serious subjects, discuss being relatable vs. being specific, and find out how many times we can say “truth” or “honesty” in half an hour (spoiler alert: it’s a lot). Grant gives us actionable suggestions for how to generate ideas and get started with creating comedy that evokes emotions and makes a point. You can find more of Grant's work on the SPAP Sketch Comedy YouTube page.

    References mentioned: How to Write Funny, Scott Dikkers; Truth in Comedy, Charna Halpern, Del Close, Kim “Howard” Johnson; George Carlin; Lysistrata, Aristophanes; Joe Pera Talks With You; Fraggle Rock, Jim Henson; Nanette, Hannah Gadsby

    As a reminder, this series is called Desk Chair Expert because the guests are regular people talking about subjects they find interesting. Please understand that they are discussing the extent of their personal knowledge and expressing their individual opinions.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
  • Death and taxes and taxes
    Today I sort of kind of proposition the senate, reveal my Obama-related form of insanity, and discuss if I'm doomed to always set off airport security sensors. Also, I dish on why DC residents love to hate on Arlington, the capital of Virginia.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  • The universe won't call me back
    Today I try and fail to understand manifesting, trash talk stores I think would get big and forget where they came from, and spend a disproportionately long amount of time yelling about tortillas. Oh, and rumor has it I'm still waiting to be let in to see my gynocologist.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min
  • Lisa's Bland (TM)
    Welcome to the first episode! Today I talk about moving to a new city, recount my failed attempt to become a kid rapper, and share a tried and true way to psycho-analyze men based on their interior decor.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min

About Pick up the Phone

From the publisher's feed

Part stand-up comedy, part slice of life. Camellia is a vaguely employed twenty-something using comedy to tackle the biggest issues of the moment. Which of her parents is right in an argument? Why do…