Bad On Paper - podcast cover

Bad On Paper

Becca Freeman & Olivia Muenterbadonpaperpodcast.com
Join Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter every Wednesday for a dose of books and banter, along with interviews with women who inspire us.
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Episodes

Followers Book Club

Followers by Megan Angelo is a thought provoking take on influencer culture. The book alternates between the present day story of Orla and Floss living in modern day New York with their own reality TV show; and Marlow, 35 years from now living in a town called Constellation where influencers have become government employees and have their lives broadcasted 23/7. It's sharp and witty (and a bit of a cautionary tale - when does sharing go TOO FAR?) This book is a great conversation starter and wil...

Feb 26, 20201 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 104

Taylor Lorenz on Internet Culture, Influencers, Trolls, and TikTok.

Taylor Lorenz is a journalist at the New York Times covering Internet Culture. In our conversation, she maps out the jobs that led her to where she is today and how she developed her own beat. We also delve into everything going on on the internet: from influencers to trolls to TikTok. Whether you're looking to get current (what is The Hype House?) or are an internet culture vulture with strong feelings on Caroline Calloway, we cover it all in our conversation. More Taylor Lorenz: twitter: @tayl...

Feb 19, 20201 hr 47 minSeason 1Ep. 103

Being Single Doesn't Have to Suck!

In this (highly requested) episode we are talking about being single in your thirties! We answer all of your questions about dating, and give the best advice we can from our own experiences. This episode is broken into four parts: why being single in your thirties is actually pretty great, how to stay positive, how to make new friends (and keep the old), and all things DATING (another hot topic). We share our weirdest dates, our favorite apps (and when to delete them), ways to meet people IRL, t...

Feb 12, 20201 hr 36 minSeason 1Ep. 102

Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo on work wifing, closing their business, and the decision whether to have kids

This is hands down one of our favorite interviews yet! Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur, founders of Of a Kind (RIP!), join us to talk about founding and running a business with your friend. We dive into how they split their roles in the business, travel styles, and hiring a management coach (AKA a business therapist). We also chat about how they're processing the closure of their company and what's next. Then we turn to the subject of motherhood, and have an incredibly candid conversation about ho...

Feb 05, 20201 hr 43 minSeason 1Ep. 101

Good Girls Lie Book Club

This month we read Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison. This book combines some of our favorite things: rich unsupervised teens at a boarding school, secret societies… and murder. Ash is an outcast, relocating from England to attend boarding school at the prestigious Goode School in Virginia. Her parents have passed away, she has an abusive past with her father, and she definitely has a lot of secrets. When she gets tapped for the Ivy Bound secret society, things go haywire. Her roommate dies and now...

Jan 29, 20201 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 100

Bad on Politics #4: Alyssa Mastromonaco on congressional elections and a grab bag of questions!

We welcome back friend of the pod (and former Obama Deputy Chief of Staff), Alyssa Mastromonaco to answer our burning questions about this presidential election. Alyssa explains what happens to donations when a candidate drops out of the race, endorsements, and where you can go to find out more about the local politics that you can have a direct effect on. She also touches on Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Mike Bloomberg, and why we need to keep an eye on how the candidates spend their money (...

Jan 24, 202047 minSeason 1Ep. 99

How we organize everything from our inboxes to our closets!

We've got that January motivation and are talking all about organization in this ep! We share about how we organize our lives (both physically in our homes, and our digital lives). We discuss how we handle filing papers, managing our closets, email boxes, and even reveal how often we clean! Becca breaks down her calendar system and Grace tells us about a paper planner that helps you organize your time (and looks pretty too). We also have plenty of recs on home goods that help you find a place to...

Jan 22, 20201 hr 38 minSeason 1Ep. 98

The Veronica(s) Beard talk to us about building their brand!

We're thrilled to have sister-in-law duo Veronica Swanson Beard + Veronica Miele Beard with us today! Besides being two of the most stylish women we know, they have built an incredible brand. Both women have incredible backgrounds (and stories) to share - it was fun learning how they got their start and went into business together. With backgrounds in design, entrepreneurship, finance, and a mutual love for fashion, they created a brand that it smart, stylish, and inclusive. We talk about extend...

Jan 15, 20201 hr 21 minSeason 1Ep. 97

New Year, Same Us: Reflecting on 2019 and Setting Goals for 2020!

It's a brand new year (and a brand new decade!). While neither of us are huge fans of setting "resolutions," (it just sounds so drastic!) today we wanted to reflect on last year and share some goals for 2020! This week we are looking back on 2019 and sharing our biggest accomplishments from the year (and what could have been better) and setting some goals for the year ahead! We have have a few shared goals too (growing the pod, making Delta platinum, to name a couple). We both have a lot to be t...

Jan 08, 20201 hr 17 minSeason 1Ep. 96

Kellie Brown on body positivity, her #fatatfashionweek hashtag, confidence, + more!

Happy New Year! Today our friend Kellie Brown joins us. Kellie is the founder of And I Get Dressed, a brand consultant, blogger + Youtuber, fashion industry PR prodigy, and body positive activist (she created the #fatatfashionweek hashtag)... amongst other things! She is a long time New Yorker, who recently made the move to LA and tells us about her career journey, the evolution of her blog + Youtube channel, and working for herself. She shares her views on weight loss, the dangers of "new year,...

Jan 01, 20201 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 95

One Day in December Book Club

For our December book club, we're reading One Day in December by Josie Silver. This was one of our favorite books from last year, so we had to make it a book club pick! What would you do if you had a "love at first sight" moment, but the man of your dreams turns out to be your best friend's new boyfriend? The book follows the three of them over the course of a decade through life's ups & downs and heartbreaks as they each grow and change. Grace reveals she once had her own "bus boy". Both Gr...

Dec 25, 20191 hr 7 minSeason 1Ep. 94

Grace Interviews Becca! Decorating Her Apartment, The Term "Influencer", and Freelance Life

For this month's "Just Us" episodes, Becca had the idea to interview each other! This week Grace interviews Becca. We crowdsourced the questions from you and had so much fun interviewing each other. You already know Becca, but how well do you really know her? Today all of your questions are answered. Does Becca have a secret boyfriend? Becca tells us her goals for the podcast (and her instagram too!), what it's like gaining an online following, thoughts on the word influencer and why she doesn't...

Dec 18, 20191 hr 22 minSeason 1Ep. 93

Kate Kennedy of Be There in Five on podcasting, influencer culture, and why her husband is blocked on Instagram.

We're so excited to have our friend Kate Kennedy join us today! You probably know her from her podcast, Be There in Five… OR her book Twinkle, Twinkle Social Media Star, her hilarious pop culture commentary on Instagram, or her viral doormat business. She talks about how she started her business, how she came up with the idea for the podcast, and her career journey. We talk about press trips, Instagram triggers, the influencers we admire most, and (of course) Taylor Swift, and why Kate is such a...

Dec 11, 20191 hr 53 minSeason 1Ep. 92

Bad on Politics #3: WTF is Medicare for all? Margot Sanger-Katz gives us a healthcare primer

In this episode of Bad on Politics we dive into one of our most-requested topics… healthcare! We're joined by New York Times journalist, Margot Sanger-Katz, to break down the various healthcare structures on the table in this election and which candidates support which plan. We also spend some time discussing the implications of these plans and whether they're feasible (or likely given our current congressional map). We're certainly feeling way more healthcare-literate after this episode, and ho...

Dec 09, 201941 minSeason 1Ep. 91

Becca Interviews Grace! The blogging biz, dating stories, + more!

For this month's "Just Us" episodes, Becca had the idea to interview each other! This week Becca interviews Grace and in two weeks, Grace will interview Becca. We crowdsourced the questions from you and had so much fun interviewing each other. You already know Grace but today she's answering your questions. What really goes into working for yourself as an influencer, the nitty gritty behind choosing brands to work with, how sponsorships work, testing products, and even turning down brands she do...

Dec 04, 20191 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 90

Andrea Dunlop (the author of We Came Here to Forget) talks to us about her book!

Yesterday we talked about We Came Here to Forget by Andrea Dunlop and today we're so happy to have her with us for a special bonus episode where we talk about the book! We talk to her about her writing process and how she developed the plot line for the book (which is somehow both thrilling with a happy redemption story). We loved this book, and we learned more about Andrea's personal experiences that led to writing this. She set out to debunk myths about the issue and what pop culture is gettin...

Nov 28, 201952 minSeason 1Ep. 89

We Came Here to Forget Book Club

For this month's book club, we're talking about We Came Here to Forget by Andrea Dunlop. The book follows ex-professional skier, Katie Cleary as she starts a new life in Buenos Aires. Along the way, this book kept us guessing about the dark secret in her past that led her to move away and start a new life. We both devoured this book in one day: Grace needed to find out the shocking truth about Katie's sister, while Becca was living for Katie's story of redemption in Argentina—complete with tango...

Nov 27, 20191 hr 19 minSeason 1Ep. 88

Lauren Chan on modeling, her new plus-size luxury clothing brand, and leaning into what makes you unique.

Today we are joined by Lauren Chan, the founder and CEO of Henning, a newly launched luxury plus-size clothing brand. We're completely in love with this brand and all its thoughtful details! We're also obsessed with Lauren, TBH. She gives us a peek into her experiences as both a plus-size model and fashion editor for Glamour Magazine. We get her insight into how the plus-size modeling landscape has changed over the years and how modeling has affected her relationship with her body. Maybe most in...

Nov 20, 20191 hr 29 minSeason 1Ep. 87

Personality Tests! A deep dive into the 5 love languages, The Enneagram, + Myers Briggs

We don't know about you but we are both personality test obsessed. Today we're taking a look at three of our favorites: the 5 love languages, the Enneagram, and Myers Briggs. Every personality has its good and its bad, and we are both very cool with both sides of our own (thankfully!) If you ever think that Becca is roasting Grace, don't worry - that is how she shows love. We also break down introverts vs. extroverts. Grace gets on her soapbox: Just because you're introverted doesn't mean you're...

Nov 13, 20191 hr 14 minSeason 1Ep. 86

Eva Chen on writing children's books, meeting Oprah, and why "balance" is a myth (and that's okay)!

Today we are joined by Eva Chen! Eva probably needs no introduction but she's the Director of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram. What you may not know is that she's also a children's book author and the self proclaimed "Walter White of vintage Chanel jackets!" Eva talks about everything from changing careers, meeting your heroes IRL (Oprah!!), getting a book deal, and following your dreams. She also gets vulnerable, talking about what it's like to worry that people won't like her work. We round ...

Nov 06, 20191 hr 41 minSeason 1Ep. 85

Carly the Prepster: Unfiltered. Carly answers ALL your questions.

"We have all sent a DM we regret" - Carly Heitlinger, carlytheprepster.com Our friend Carly drops in for a bonus episode to answer literally every single one of your questions! She puts it all out there, the good, bad, and the ugly. She lets us in on the biggest misconceptions about her (She is not as outgoing as you may think, and she doesn't share everything!), how she navigates being introverted, dealing with anxiety, and her thoughts on online snark forums. We also talk about breakups, sex, ...

Oct 31, 20191 hr 32 minSeason 1Ep. 84

How Could She by Lauren Mechling w/ Special Guest Carly Heitlinger

Our October Book Club pick is How Could She by Lauren Mechling, and we are joined by friend of the pod, Carly Heitlinger (Carly the Prepster)! The three of us explore the complexities of female friendship in your 30's, the book's 3 central characters, and who we most identify with. Although not all of us loved this book completely, we definitely have a lot to say about it! Products Mentioned: Indie Lee Gentle Daily Peel Pads Borghese Hand Masks (25% off with code BOP25 at borghese.com) Mascaras:...

Oct 30, 20191 hr 28 minSeason 1Ep. 83

Cindy Crawford shares her supermodel secrets + takes us inside the modeling biz!

Today's guest needs no introduction… it's Cindy Crawford! Besides being Grace's dream guest, Cindy is also an absolute expert when it comes to skincare. She talks about growing up in the midwest, an early mean girls experience, and of course: her modeling career. She also let us peek behind the curtain and learn how she started her own skincare line, all the way down to the chemistry! She also tells us her favorite fashion trends, products… even her work out routine. She also lets us in on a few...

Oct 23, 20191 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 82

Travel Routines, Tricks, Recs, and Some Very Strong Opinions!

We have been traveling quite a bit for our live shows and more, so we thought it was time to share some of our vastly differing opinions when it comes to travel. We talk about hotels, airplanes, beauty routines, packing, planning, and everything in between. Needless to say, we have some differing views on a lot of things! Today, in addition to hopefully amusing you with our strong opinions, we help you navigate some of the more stressful parts of traveling through our own experiences. (And did y...

Oct 16, 20191 hr 27 minSeason 1Ep. 81

Bad on Politics #2: Clare Malone Gives us a pre-Debate Primer!

Friend of the pod and political writer for FiveThirtyEight, Clare Malone joins us to help sort through the top ten Democratic candidates on stage at the next debate. She takes a deep dive into the backgrounds of the top three front runners (Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders), and gives us the headlines on the rest (Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Andrew Yang, Beto O'Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Julian Castro). Clare also breaks down the Republican challengers, too (Bill Weld, Joe...

Oct 14, 201947 minSeason 1Ep. 80

Mollie Chen on changing careers, maintaining a balance, all things FOOD, and lazy girl skincare.

We are back from San Francisco and off to Philly + DC next week! This week we're joined by our friend Mollie Chen! She's a brand consultant (and one of the Co-Founders of Birchbox!), a beauty guru, a mom, and a serious foodie. We talk about everything from knowing when it's time to change careers to skincare for lazy people to the perfect day of eating in NYC. She also shares some great advice for new moms and maintaining a balance in your life. Products Mentioned: Pregnancy Pillow from Amazon T...

Oct 09, 20191 hr 42 minSeason 1Ep. 79

Graham Norton on Fanboy Moments, Best-Smelling Celebs, and Becoming a Novelist at 52

This week, we are joined by Graham Norton, the beloved UK talk show host and author of a brand new novel! We talk to him about his show—everything from the funniest to the best-smelling guests and how he manages to get such good stories from his guests. Then we turn to his newest book, A Keeper. We couldn't let him leave without a few grab bag questions too… so we also quizzed him on Dolly Parton, UK Drag Race, and more! Outside of Graham, we talk about our tour (starts today in SF!), Grace's bi...

Oct 02, 20191 hr 29 minSeason 1Ep. 78

Katharine McGee on the Behind the Scenes of American Royals and the Ins and Outs of the Publishing Industry

Katharine McGee, the author of our September Book Club Pick, American Royals joins us to talk about the making of the book. We chat about the long road to publishing, how to get a book deal, how books turn into TV shows and movies, and how the New York Times Best Seller list works—it's not how you think! We learned so much from her on today's episode and cannot wait for the sequel! Books Mentioned: The Royal We by Jessica Morgan & Heather Cocks 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown...

Sep 26, 201951 minSeason 1Ep. 77

American Royals Book Club + Everything Royal

Our September Book Club is here and we are so excited to dig into Katharine McGee's American Royals, but beware it's sprinkled with spoilers! This book posits a world where George Washington was the first King of America rather than the first President. The story follows his descendant, Princess Beatrice and her dramatic road to the throne. We also talk about everything Royal from books, movies, weddings, and gossip, and what we have been reading (and what we are close to putting down!). Product...

Sep 25, 20191 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 76

Bad on Politics #1: Alyssa Mastromonaco on How The Primary Process Works & How To Get Involved In Politics

Friend of the pod and former Obama Deputy Chief of Staff, Alyssa Mastromonaco, joins us to help break down what is happening in the current presidential election. Why are there so many candidates? Is this normal? When will the field narrow? And how does the primary process even work. Then we talk about how to learn about candidate platforms and how to get personally involved in politics. Alyssa's list of recs for understandable, trustworthy political coverage: @Jessicayellin (IG) @DMregister (tw...

Sep 23, 201945 minSeason 1Ep. 75
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