EPISODE 49: King of Bugs This week’s prompts: Ivory, Pen, Radio, 1988 Morning energy hits different—especially when you’re caffeinated, half-unpacked, and dodging…critters? In this early-bird episode, Lauren and Neal dive into a grab bag of topics, from cinematic corporate climbs to tragic artistic genius. First up, Neal shares a behind-the-scenes deep dive into Working Girl (1988). Hear the untold stories of Melanie Griffith’s sobriety struggles, Harrison Ford’s tzatziki-covered charm, and how ...
Jul 09, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 49
EPISODE 48: Invites Close Listening This week’s prompts: Opal, Calendar, 1796 In this episode, Lauren and Neal dive into illuminated manuscripts, chaotic filmmaking, and the sounds that make your palms sweat. First up: Lauren unpacks The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, one of the most important medieval manuscripts ever created. We explore why it's a masterpiece of Christian devotion, seasonal symbolism, and early art history—featuring astrological charts, noble feasts, a pregnant grape-pick...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 21 min
EPISODE 47: Double Jackpot All The Way PROMPTS: Bridge, Tangerine, 1077 This week, Neal and Lauren balance on the edge—of collapsing bridges, spiritual awakenings, and the line between realism and mysticism. It’s an episode about burden and beauty, as we trace the paths of two vastly different artists connected by one thing: the courage to push beyond what’s expected and into something sublime. Neal dives into William Friedkin’s Sorcerer (1977), the sweaty, pulse-pounding remake of The Wages of ...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 11 min
EPISODE 46: I'm Gonna Go Take A Bath 4PROMPTS: Sweet, Disguise, Violet, 1166 This week, Neal and Lauren unwrap stories that look sweet on the surface—but dig a little deeper and you’ll find layers of longing, legacy, and lawsuits. It’s an episode about beauty, disguise, and the unexpected depth behind desserts and string sections. Neal revisits Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve, a song so instantly iconic that it dominated 1997—and nearly destroyed the band that made it. He traces how a borrowe...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 8 min
EPISODE 45: The DMV of the Afterlife PROMPTS: Bath, Copper, 949 This week, Neal and Lauren step into two seemingly very different worlds—one of foster kids, foul balls, and 90s baseball magic, the other of copper plates, religious politics, and some seriously metal Renaissance art. It’s an episode about faith, fandom, and just how much you can say with a single image (or a single angel). Neal revisits Angels in the Outfield (1994), a feel-good Disney sports fantasy that came out just as Major Le...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 45
Episode 44: Pollen the Size of Cotton Balls PROMPTS: Teal, Pizza, 236 This week, Lauren and Neal wander down wildly different (but equally satisfying) paths—one lined with sumptuous portraits and queer-coded brushstrokes, the other dripping with melted cheese, pizza lore, and ’80s teen movie mayhem. It’s an episode about beauty, indulgence, and the long, strange history of how we present people and pizza. Lauren goes long on John Singer Sargent, the prolific portraitist whose mastery of fabric, ...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 21 min
This week, Neal and Lauren dig deep—into Detroit’s dystopian futures and the defiant symbolism of a pink dress on the border between two worlds. From cyborg vengeance and squib-splattered satire to political identity and anti-colonial resistance, this episode is about the body: armored, wounded, and framed for revolution. Neal takes the first swing (and squib) with a dive into RoboCop (1987), Paul Verhoeven’s ultraviolent, ultra-satirical sci-fi cult classic set in a future Detroit teetering on ...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Episode 42: Wash Your Damn Hands! Prompts: Kitchen, Bronze, 80 Fresh off a trip to Boston, Lauren recounts her culinary and curatorial adventures (chocolate chip cookies in bed, lobster dumplings, and one surreal encounter with a butter-yellow sculpture of a woman peeing). Her topic? The extraordinary and unsettling work of contemporary artist Kiki Smith. Known for her sculptures, prints, and bronze bodies that explore everything from menstruation to myth, Smith is a feminist powerhouse whose wo...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 29 min
Episode 41: How is that better, Catholically? PROMPTS: 30, Expose, Shadow From the tight grip of Hollywood’s moral code to the brooding, empty piazzas of metaphysical painting, it’s all about what happens when shadows speak louder than light. Neal exposes the strange, fascinating, and deeply moralistic world of the Hays Code, Hollywood’s self-imposed censorship system that ruled American cinema from the 1930s to the 1960s. From Fatty Arbuckle to Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, and the birth of f...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Episode 40: Disquieting Genitals and Inscrutable Plotlines Prompts: Dystopia, Stone, 6 This week, Lauren and Neal go big—Biblical-apocalypse-meets-Renaissance-sculpture big. From marble perfection to multi-chapter madness, the duo tackles two cultural landmarks that both obsess over the body, prophecy, and, somehow, time travel. Lauren kicks things off with Michelangelo’s David, that iconic slab of Renaissance idealism carved in quiet defiance of the world around it. She explores how David’s ove...
May 07, 2025•1 hr 33 min
Episode 39: Curve Is The Thinking Man's Axe™ Prompts: Mauve, Fabergé Egg, Sale From a glittering egg-based heist to the rebranding of manhood via cologne, this episode has everything: tilt-shift cinematography, Romanov decadence, and a scent trail that leads straight to 2001. Neal kicks things off with a love letter to Game Night (2018), the mid-budget comedy-thriller that delivers both gut-busting laughs and cinematic style. With Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams leading a cast of surprisingly i...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 17 min
EPISODE 38: Funky Cold Messina PROMPTS: Black, 1350, Fire In this episode of Curated by Chance, things get dark—literally and historically—as Lauren takes us on a deep dive into the Black Death, while Neal brings the dad-movie heat with a Clint Eastwood thriller that simmers with guilt, glory, and Secret Service showdowns. Lauren unpacks the devastating second wave of the bubonic plague that ravaged Europe in the mid-1300s, touching on its impact on global populations, religious structures, art,...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 18 min
EPISODE 37: A Jingle in the Brain Box PROMPTS: 1024, Royal Blue, Ghost This week Neal and Lauren dig into some cult classics—on screen and on the page—with sports corruption, spectral romances, and enough Gothic tropes to haunt your bookshelves for weeks. Neal kicks things off with the 1994 basketball drama Blue Chips, directed by William Friedkin and written by sports-movie maestro Ron Shelton. From real-life coaching scandals to on-court drama starring Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, Neal...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 10 min
EPISODE 36: Desensitized Urologist PROMPTS: Hand, Monochrome, 291 This week, Lauren and Neal find themselves surrounded by haunting photographs, avant-garde rebels, seduction by switchblade, and the power of a well-composed shadow. It’s all about hands—on camera, in print, and tattooed across the knuckles of cinema’s creepiest preacher. Lauren dives into the story of Alfred Stieglitz and the legendary Gallery 291, where modern art and photography staked a claim in the American imagination. From ...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Episode 35: Crow Drip PROMPTS: Khaki, 624, Instrument This week, Neal and Lauren dive into two genre-defining masterpieces—one epic adventure from late-90s Hollywood, and one triptych of religious fever dreams from the 15th century. You know, just your average Tuesday. Neal kicks things off with a full-on love letter to The Mummy (1999), the film that gave us peak Brendan Fraser, tomb-raiding librarians, and one of the worst CGI effects ever committed to screen (we're looking at you, Scorpion Ki...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Episode 34: In Your Face Deion Sanders Prompts: Face, Bull, Sepia In this art-and-cinema-packed episode of Curated by Chance, Lauren and Neal tackle two iconic mediums of visual storytelling: Picasso’s anti-war masterpiece and the century-long evolution of sepia in film. Lauren kicks things off with Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, diving deep into the tragic bombing that inspired it, the painting’s powerful symbolism, and the key role of Dora Maar—Picasso’s partner, muse, and fellow artist. She explor...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 34
EPISODE 33: Lauren Hates Melon PROMPTS: Italy, 88, Chartreuse Neal and Lauren explore two vastly different works—one about the magic of cinema, the other about fruit, vegetables, and a very ominous cucumber. Neal kicks things off with Cinema Paradiso (1988), Giuseppe Tornatore’s love letter to film. He breaks down how the film blends nostalgia, mentorship, and the bittersweet passage of time through the relationship between young Toto and his surrogate father, Alfredo. From the iconic “film reel...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 33
EPISODE 32: RRRebel PROMPTS: Rebel, Rose, 314 This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren explore two films centered on rebellion—one a Technicolor classic, the other a bombastic action epic. Lauren kicks things off with RRR (2022), the Indian blockbuster that became a global phenomenon. She dives into how this Tollywood spectacle reimagines history, blending revolutionary fervor with jaw-dropping action, heartfelt bromance, and unforgettable musical sequences (including the Oscar-winning Na...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 11 min
EPISODE 31: You Won’t be Able to Take a Bath in Japan PROMPTS: Phone, Silver, 17 This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren dive deep into the world of absurdity, dark humor, and controversial art, exploring two distinct works—one from cinema and one from fine art. Neal kicks things off by discussing Serial Mom (1994), the black comedy directed by John Waters. He delves into the film's satire of suburban life and American culture, following Beverly Sutfin, a seemingly perfect PTA mom with a...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 13 min
EPISODE 30: Witches, Send Good Things to Neal PROMPTS: Lunar, Electricity, 30 This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren celebrate their 30th episode with two cinematic classics—one romantic, one groundbreaking. Lauren takes a deep dive into Moonstruck (1987), the beloved romantic comedy starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. From its theatrical dialogue to its fairy tale-like storytelling, she explores what makes this film such a timeless classic. She also discusses the film’s Italian-American id...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Episode 29: Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy PROMPTS: Siren, Leather, 818 Neal embarks on an off-the-rails deep dive into Ice Ice Baby, Vanilla Ice’s meteoric rise, and the bizarre world surrounding his fame. From his disputed backstory to a failed Hollywood career (Cool as Ice, anyone?), Neal unpacks the highs, lows, and lingering pop-culture footprint of one of the 90s’ most notorious one-hit wonders. Plus, a wild fact about an important crew member that you won't want to miss. Lauren brings th...
Feb 19, 2025•59 min•Ep. 29
Episode 28: (Bill) Bryson Royale PROMPTS: Maroon, Accent, 215 This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren explore language, survival, and everything in between, bringing two wildly different yet equally fascinating topics to the table. Lauren dives into Bill Bryson’s The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way, a witty and informative exploration of the quirks, history, and evolution of the English language. From the origin of everyday words to unexpected trivia like why an apron was ...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 28
Episode 27: Meta Cheese PROMPTS: Sky-Blue, 101, Flowers This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren explore two vastly different works. Neal revisits The Truman Show (1998), diving deep into its eerie parallels with modern-day surveillance culture, reality TV, and social media. From Jim Carrey’s career-defining performance to the film’s psychological impact (including the real-life Truman Show Delusion), Neal unpacks why this dystopian comedy-drama is more relevant than ever. He also explore...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 27
EPISODE 26: Neal Found A Dead Body PROMPTS: 1958, Ship, Mustard Yellow This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren dive into two fascinating works that capture grandeur, tragedy, and larger-than-life imagery. Lauren takes listeners back to the 16th century with Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, an artwork that redefines mythological storytelling. She explores how Bruegel subverts the dramatic morality tale of Icarus by making his downfall barely noticeable in the ...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 30
EPISODE 25: It's The LT Guarantee! PROMPTS: 1434, Charcoal, Lens In this episode of Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren explore two masterpieces inspired by this week’s prompts, taking listeners on a journey through art, cinema, and history. Neal delves into Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window (1954), unraveling its themes of voyeurism, morality, and isolation. From the groundbreaking set design to Hitchcock’s visual storytelling, Neal breaks down why this suspenseful masterpiece still resonat...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 25
Episode 24: We Read Books Prompts: Tomato Red, Globe-trotting, 5 In this week’s episode of Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren find themselves in perfect sync as they both dive into Richard Osman’s latest book, We Solve Murders. What are the odds? (Apparently, 1-in-24 episodes.) Lauren kicks things off with her enthusiastic review of We Solve Murders, Richard Osman’s action-packed, character-rich follow-up to The Thursday Murder Club. She explores how Osman’s knack for quirky characters and heart...
Jan 20, 2025•49 min•Ep. 24
Episode 23: Philip K. Dickolas Prompts: Blue, Machine, and Two In this futuristic and literary episode of Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren dive into two distinct works of art inspired by this week’s prompts. Neal explores the 2002 sci-fi noir masterpiece Minority Report. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, the film delves into the murky ethics of pre-crime technology, stunning practical effects, and a dark vision of the future. From incredible stunts to Spielberg’s signature ...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 23
EPISODE 22: Sisterhood of the Traveling Goldfinch PROMPTS: Fowl, 27, Coral In this wild New Year and milestone birthday episode of Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren ring in 2025 with a blend of art, absurdity, and a little fowl play. Lauren dives into the storied history of Carl Fabritius’ The Goldfinch, a Dutch Golden Age masterpiece that’s survived explosions, shrapnel, and centuries of mystery. From its delicate depiction of a chained goldfinch to its surprising symbolic significance, Lauren...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 22
Episode 21: Deep Fried Tenders at Bulges In this festive episode of Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren dive into an unexpectedly hilarious and insightful conversation inspired by the spirit of the season, nostalgic college rituals, and... unconventional business ideas. Lauren opens with reflections on Christmas traditions, from her family's cozy Christmas Eve rituals to her current waffle-filled mornings with her in-laws. Neal shares his childhood Christmas celebrations and recounts his role as ...
Dec 25, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 21
Episode 20: Ceci N’est Pas Une Podcast In this episode of Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren embrace the surreal as they explore two influential creative giants: the enigmatic René Magritte and the groundbreaking screenwriter William Goldman. Lauren kicks things off with a deep dive into the surreal world of René Magritte, the Belgian artist known for his clever, dreamlike paintings that challenge perception and representation. From the haunting story of his childhood to his evolution as a key f...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 20
