They Thought I Was You

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Actually, it was a  morally complicated time! In this episode, Becca and Lani open one of the most iconic chapters of Mary-Kate and Ashley's career: The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley.

"The Case of Thorn Mansion" and "The Case of the Logical i Ranch," the first two direct-to-video productions released in the twins' Adventures Of series, were filmed during a hiatus from Full House and in between their two feature-length TV Movies for ABC. We discuss the immorality of working child actors this hard, while also basking in the glory of Mary-Kate and Ashley's truly inspired performances at 7 years old. We also fawn over the legitimately catchy songs and the sheer brilliance of "Bravery."

BONUS: Is Mary-Kate spooky? Did Ashley actually hate doing all of this? Why was Old Man Thorn's granddaughter SO hot?

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The trade commercial we watched:
Mary-Kate and Ashley Rare Promotional Video (1994)

SONGS from this episode:
The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley Theme Song
The Case of Thorn Mansion, "Bravery"
The Case of Thorn Mansion, "Funky Musicology"
The Case of the Logical i Ranch, "Nothing To Do"
The Case of the Logical i Ranch, "Lotta Rocks"

Find us on Instagram!
Show: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Thoughts/suggestions? Send us an email at [email protected]

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Continuing our journey through the early projects of Mary-Kate and Ashley's career, we finally arrive at Dualstar Entertainment Group's first feature films: Double Double Toil and Trouble ('93) and How the West Was Fun ('94). 

Unlike Dualstar's previous releases, these films had the financial and creative assistance of ABC and are, surprisingly, high-quality films! (By '90s children's film standards.) We talk about the many similarities and differences between the two, and our own memories of watching these movies as children. (Lani cried. While watching as an adult.)

BONUS:  Between these two movies, NY and LA, cats and dogs, and Cloris Leachman and Martin Mull, which is Mary-Kate, and which is Ashley? 

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Find us on Instagram!
Show: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Thoughts/Suggestions? Email us at [email protected]

Support the show

After inking a deal with ABC for $10 million, Mary-Kate and Ashley’s production company, Dualstar releases its first two pieces of media: The Olsen Twins’ Mother’s Day Special, and Our First Video.

Lani shares her experience watching the Olsen Twins Mother’s Day Special – a Carol Burnett-style variety show from 1993 hosted by the twins featuring Tim Allen, Louie Anderson, and Joey Lawrence – in 2021. Becca dives into the twins’ first direct-to-video tape, aptly named Our First Video. Unbeknownst to both of them, a lot of the same performances are in both.

BONUS: The twins were long scrutinized for being “untalented.” Were Mary-Kate and Ashley bad actors, or did they do a pretty good job considering they were just two kids thrust into the spotlight at 6 months old? Find out on our new segment: The Acting Tracker.

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The Olsen Twins Mother's Day Special
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen: Our First Video
Mary-Kate and Ashley's Fun Club Promotional Commercial

Thoughts & Suggestions? Email us at:
[email protected]

Find us on Instagram: 
@theythoughtiwasyou
@beccaroth
@laniharms

Support the show

The journey to child stardom continues with the twins' feature film debut: To Grandmother's House We Go. It's...not a good film. Yet this scrappy TV-movie hit gave them (read: their lawyer, Robert Thorne) leverage over ABC to found Dualstar: the multimillion dollar production company.

Was Robert Thorne an angel or a devil?  Did Dualstar shield Mary-Kate and Ashley from Hollywood's worst? Or did it exploit them and stunt their growth as young actors? And why was the media predicting their "inevitable" train wreck when they were just 6 years old?

There's a lot to unpack here. That's why it's a two-parter.

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SOURCE MATERIAL:
VH1 Driven Documentary: Mary-Kate and Ashley
Celebrity Profile: Mary-Kate and Ashley
TV Guide: Full House's Tycoon Tots
Dualstar Production Company
Mary-Kate and Ashley's Fun Club
Behind the Row: Meet Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (Vogue 2011)

Thoughts & Suggestions? Email us at:
[email protected]

Find us on Instagram: 
@theythoughtiwasyou
@beccaroth
@laniharms

Support the show

Mary-Kate and Ashley were just 6 months old when they had the audition that propelled them to stardom. Learn how Hollywood producers coerced the twins' mother, Jarnette "Jarnie" Olsen, into trapping her daughters in a real-life Truman Show situation — beginning with that fated Full House audition.

We also unpack the dangers of celebrity and the parallels between the Olsen twins and teen pop stars. And, of course, we play our favorite game: Britney Spears & Christina Aguilera, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Coulier & John Stamos — who's the Mary-Kate, and who's the Ashley?

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SOURCE MATERIAL:
VH1 Driven Documentary: Mary-Kate and Ashley
Celebrity Profile: Mary-Kate and Ashley

PRESS APPEARANCES:
Lifestyles of Little Stars
Mary-Kate and Ashley present at the Emmy's
Mary-Kate and Ashley on Arsenio Hall 1991
Mary-Kate and Ashley on Regis and Kelly
Olsen Twins on QVC
Mary-Kate and Ashley Good Morning America

September 2010 issue of US Marie Claire, Mary-Kate saying they were “little monkey performers” and ‘I wouldn’t wish my upbringing on anybody.’

Thoughts & Suggestions? Email us at:
[email protected]

Find us on Instagram: 
@theythoughtiwasyou
@beccaroth
@laniharms

Support the show

It's the debut! We embrace our wide-eyed childhood innocence and share our history with Mary-Kate and Ashley: where the obsession came from, what the Olsen twins meant to us growing up, and the many questions we still have about them today.

Whether you're a casual MK&A fan or an O.G. Fun Clubber, come with us on this journey as we give the Olsen twins the credit, respect, and appreciation they've long deserved.

BONUS: Bert & Ernie. PB & J. Obama & Biden. Who's the Mary-Kate, and who's the Ashley?

The Fun Club is back, and you're invited, you're invited, you're invited!

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You're Invited: Mary-Kate and Ashley's Sleepover Promo
Becca's Photo with the Mary-Kate and Ashley
Mary-Kate and Ashley Fun Flub Rollerblade Poster

Thoughts & Suggestions? Email us at:
[email protected]

Find us on Instagram: 
@theythoughtiwasyou
@beccaroth
@laniharms

Support the show

As children, we wanted to be Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen-- go on their adventures, have their careers, own their wardrobe. But as we grew up, and the Olsens did too, it eventually became "uncool" -- stupid, girly, childish-- to like them. They became the butt of jokes, or at best, a nostalgic footnote. The world moved on, but we never did.

Hosts Becca Roth and Lani Harms, two Mary-Kate and Ashley superfans, are setting the record straight: Mary-Kate and Ashley were never frivolous or vapid. They were always feminist icons. 

You're Invited to They Thought I Was You: A Mary-Kate and Ashley Podcast. Our first episode releases Aug 17th. Welcome to the new Fun Club.

Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
email: [email protected]
Becca Roth: @beccaroth
Lani Harms: @laniharms

Support the show