They Thought I Was You

Welcome to our Hulu Rewatch series! While Becca & Lani take a little break for travel & nuptials, we're re-airing episodes in honor of the 3 Mary-Kate and Ashley movies that were recently added to Hulu: Billboard Dad, Passport to Paris & Switching Goals. And today, we're starting with the underrated classic: Billboard Dad.

Although Billboard Dad isn't Mary-Kate and Ashley's first film by a long shot, or their biggest theatrical film that we all know by heart, or even their most successful direct-to-video feature, it IS a huge deal for Mary-Kate and Ashley and their fans because it's the movie that started it all. And spoiler alert: we friggin' love it.

So today, we unpack this movie beat by beat. From their iconic outfits, to Ashley's hunk-a-saurus, to changing the way we scramble eggs, to finding the most gorgeous '90s actors, and living in the most epic modern house on a fantasy version of Venice Beach — I'm sorry, but this movie is cool to the Max.

So wax your surfboard, make a sundae with cookie dough ice cream, marshmallow sauce and whipped cream (maybe hold the nuts), and settle in for this very special episode about a goddamn Dualstar classic.

We highly recommend treating yourself to a rewatch of this delight of a film before listening. We'll also be releasing our behind-the-scenes notes that we took while watching this movie exclusively on our Patreon.

Becca and Lani will picking up right where left off with new episodes (maybe finally in 2002!) at the beginning of October! Love you!!

If you don't have Hulu, follow this link: https://lnk.bio/B4OG
(Thank you @SimplyOlsen!)
Or rent it for $3.99 on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/VoS_cq_0lPA

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

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

Today, we're sharing a bonus episode we first released exclusively to our Patreon subscribers. For months, we've received DM's from followers and listeners asking us if we've watched the Mary-Kate and Ashley mini-doc, "WeTransfer Presents: The Twins,*" so we finally did.

This 12-minute video by Zara Meerza about the Mary-Kate and Ashley fandom went live on the internet on June 23rd, 2022, and is a beautiful love letter to the Olsen sisters, their impact on young women, and their unique appeal as twin sisters.

In this episode, we talk about what we loved, the moments that made us cry, and the parts we'd like to dive deeper into on our podcast. We also reflect on Mary-Kate and Ashley's impact on us and how being their fans connects us to a larger, global sisterhood.

This doc truly did give us all the feels, and you can watch the whole "We Transfer Presents: The Twins*" here:

https://youtu.be/ll9-o5cabAw

*At Becca's request, this video from here on out will be referred to as, "The Twins," and not, "the WeTransfer video" as Lani keeps calling it. We're gonna try our best.

Be the first to hear (and watch!) bonus episodes like these by subscribing to our Patreon here

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

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Here it is, the moment we've all been waiting for...  the holy grail of Mary-Kate and Ashley movies... today we talk about Holiday in the Sun.

And we know what you're thinking-- didn't you two already talk about this movie? NO WE DIDN'T. We interviewed Ben Easter aka Jordan Landers as in Landers Hardware Store Landers, but just the two of us, Becca and Lani, have never talked about this movie in real life or on this podcast!

So today, we leave no pukka shell unturned. We get into the nitty gritty of what made this movie so special and a nostalgic favorite among pop culture intelligentsia. Also, being the enthusiasts of story and film that we are, we pick apart the parts of this movie that don't, let's face it, really work.

But bottom line: this movie single handedly gave an entire generation unrealistic expectations for 1) falling in love on a family vacation and 2) the overall quality of Krispy Kreme donuts. And for that, it will always have a uniquely special place in our hearts.

So slip on your flip flops, jump on your private jet, and get your fish blender ready, because we're going to the Bahamas! And Ineedabeach! And Ineedamartini... STAT!

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

Thoughts/questions? Email us at [email protected]

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Last November, for Holiday in the Sun's 20th Anniversary, we had what can only be described as a life-changing interview with Ben Easter (aka Jordan Landers of Hardware Store Landers). 

Now that we've finally caught up in our timeline to the iconic Holiday in the Sun era, this week we are re-releasing our interview with Ben Easter. We are proud to say we are much better interviewers now than we were last November, so please excuse our INTENSE nerves at the beginning (but then again, what self-respecting MKA fan wouldn't get that way before speaking to Ben Easter).

And as a bonus, this week we're releasing the FULL VIDEO (with parts that were edited out of this podcast), only for our patrons here. Enjoy!

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On November 20th, 2001, Mary-Kate and Ashley's 5th direct-to-video film, Holiday in the Sun was officially released. And for the 20th anniversary of this iconic film, we had the honor and privilege of talking to the incredibly kind, completely gorgeous, outrageously humble, he's-what-time-it-is, Mr. Ben Easter!

That's right: Jordan Landers. As in, the Landers Hardware Store Landers. Talked to us. And we kept it together enough to learn all about what he was doing (and wearing!) right before he got the part, what the casting process was like, what it was like filming this beloved film with Mary-Kate and Ashley, and how the film impacted his life.

This conversation was literally a dream come true for us, and we hope you're able to feel the immense love and enthusiasm that we felt while recording.

Turns out you CAN have your cake and eat it too. Everyone says you can't. You can!

Ben's photography
Ben's Security Guard uniform
Ashley, Ben, Austin and Billy BTS

Follow Ben on social media:
Instagram & Twitter: @beaster1

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

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

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Last week, we reread the entire premiere issue of Mary-Kate and Ashley's fashion magazine from 2001, aptly titled "mary-kateandashley magazine." We discussed that the magazine mysteriously ended abruptly after 3 issues, but we had no idea why. So this week,  we consult with They Thought I Was You's resident Mary-Kate and Ashley historian, Derrick Dobson (@derricksdollcollection) to learn all about the rise and fall of this beloved magazine.

Derrick explains to us what the online community thought this magazine would be before its premiere, the surprising controversy over the premiere issue's cover, and the reason why this beloved magazine's life was cut so tragically short.

Did Dualstar ever offer anything to subscribers like Lani who paid for six and only received three? Derrick has that answer.

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms
Derrick: @derricksdollcollection

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

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On March 25th, 2001 (the same week Winning London premiered), Mary-Kate and Ashley launched the first of what would be three teen fashion magazines, aptly named the "mary-kateandashley magazine."

This wasn't one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's most well known projects, but it was an important moment in their career. As we've been discussing for the past 8 weeks , 2001 was an insane time our girls with their brand exploding at Walmart and their film & TV projects in full swing. But this magazine felt different. This magazine felt like something more intimate, more real, more authentically them. And on the first page, on their list of "Top 10 Reasons We Created a Magazine," their number one reason says it all:

Because we can.

So this week, Becca and Lani read the whole thing. We talk about what we remember about this magazine at the time of its release, what we thought it was/hoped it would be, and how it holds up now, 21 years later.

And since we will be referencing many of the articles/photos along the way, we recommend you read along with us with the PDF version of the magazine here:

mary-kateandashley: our premiere issue
(PDF Courtesy of @derricksdollcollection)

You can also watch the video version of this podcast by subscribing to our Patreon here

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

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Today we sit down with the woman who taught an entire generation that the Model UN was a legitimate school activity. We talk to the person who wrote of one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's nerdiest, most beloved, most perfect rainy-day-comfort movies of all time. We talk to Karol Hoeffner, screenwriter of Winning London.

And we learn that Karol is nothing short of a complete inspiration. When she was in her 40s, she started being ghosted by an ageist industry that had no interest in hiring a middle-aged female screenwriter. So she decided to write a raunchy screenplay under a male pseudonym, and the industry came banging down her door-- including our friend, Robert Thorne, who then asked her to pitch the next Mary-Kate and Ashley movie.

Karol tells us about the insanely stressful week she spent writing the entire Winning London screenplay (the week before they left for London!), the particularities of writing a script for Mary-Kate and Ashley, and how she feels about the movie now, 21 years later. And of course, we ask how she came up with the iconic line, "I don't clean up after lost boys."

We adored talking with Karol and left feeling absolutely inspired. We hope this conversation makes you feel the same way ❤️

You can also watch the video version of this interview by subscribing to our Patreon here

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

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Our So Little Time journey continues!

This week we're reviewing all of the So Little Time episodes that were released in 2001 (Episodes 1-14: "Siblings in the City" through "The Breakfast Club"), and we are thrilled to report-- we loved this SO much more than the pilot.

This show, like most sitcoms, takes a few episodes to find its footing, but once it does, it's a whoooole vibe. It's a show about the most incredibly fun, relaxed Malibu teen dream in life in y2k that you could ever imagine. And the fashion. Is. Everything. We dig into each episode, address lifelong questions we've had about Teddi and Manuelo, and eventually have a STRONG disagreement on the quality of episode 9, "True Lies" that almost broke up our whole podcast.

But luckily, we resolve our differences and come back together to celebrate this comforting teen sitcom and all it did well (and a few things it didn't quite get right).

So put on your low rise jeans with the chunky belt and flowy top, and strap in to revisit the iconic first half of So Little Time (before they add a coffee shop and change their hair to the iconic curly on top, straight on bottom).

As we said last week, this show is notoriously impossible to find on streaming, so head on over to SimplyOlsen's Instagram bio to watch the full show.

You can also watch the video version of this interview by subscribing to our Patreon here

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Who do you think was right about Episode 9 "True Lies"? Email us at: [email protected]

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The time has finally come... this week we watch a Mary-Kate and Ashley fan favorite, a show that solidified the Fox Family Channel as teen girl heaven and ignited the SoCal fashion trends of early '00s (we think).

This week we watch So Little Time. And since we have so MUCH time, we're sticking to just the pilot, "Dog Day Afternoon." In this episode,  we meet Riley (Mary-Kate this time) and Chloe (now Ashley) Carlson, their weird friend Larry (Jesse Head), their vivascious manny Manuelo (Taylor Negron), and their estranged parents Jake (Eric Lutes) and Macy (Clare Carey) Carlson. We talk about what this show meant to us as tweens, dissect this strange, clunky pilot, and puzzle over Teddi (Natashia Williams)'s modeling contract with the Carlsons. We also try to figure out why exactly the Carlsons had so LITTLE time.

And disclaimer: we didn't love the pilot as much as we'd hoped. It takes us a minute to process the shift from the air-tight, network-produced perfection that was Two of a Kind and readjust to the relaxed and breezy fun that So Little Time did so well, but trust us, we DO get there.

Also, since this show is notoriously not on streaming, head on over to SimplyOlsen's Instagram bio to watch the full show.

You can also watch the video version of this interview by subscribing to our Patreon here

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

Support the show

In light of our interview with Winning London's Rachel Roth, we thought this would be a good time to replay one of our all time favorite episodes from the very beginning of our podcast, "Mary-Kate and Ashley: The Truman Show."

In this episode, we outline how Mary-Kate and Ashley were plucked from a regular life as two anonymous twin babies to becoming two of the most successful and well-known child stars of all time. This is an important episode for understanding how Mary-Kate and Ashley ended up where they were in 2001 when Rachel crossed paths with them, and what we'll be talking more about in the episodes to come this season.

We'll be back next week for a brand new episode, but until then, please enjoy this re-release of a classic from our vault!

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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.’

Find us on Social Media!
Instagram: @theythoughtiwasyou
TikTok: @theythoughtiwasyou
Becca: @beccaroth
Lani: @laniharms
Rachel: @rachiemcroth

Thoughts/questions? Email us at: [email protected]

Support the show