Hello Sunshine, Hey, bright Side Besties.
Today on the bright Side, Jessica Bielle joins us to talk about her new book, all about periods her acting and producing career. Yeah, we're getting into it. It's Wednesday, May fifteenth.
I'm Simone Boyce, I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side from Hello Sunshine, Simon. I cannot wait to open the show with this big titty cookies.
I love the sound of this.
This is what we're talking about today.
Yes, yes, let's get into it.
So I have to tell you I've been using your trick. You know how last week on the Mother's Day episode, you taught everybody that's saying the word radiant makes you smile. Yeah, it's fabulous. I've been sharing it with my friends.
It's so good. Right, Oh, I'd love to hear that.
One of my friends said, that's how I feel about the word titties.
It's so true. You can't help but smile when you say titty.
Exacty, so big titty cookies.
But we actually have news behind this because cookbook author Molly Baz is speaking out after a Times Square billboard of her promoting lactation cookies sparked major controversy. And before I jump into what that is, I do have to tell you I just learned what lactation cookies are because of this moment. They are cookies with ingredients in them that promote lactation.
Simone, did you use these?
I did try some lactation cookies. There's this one ingredient. It's called fen Greek. It's a seed and that's in a lot of these lactation recipes. Jury's still out as to whether it actually works. But when a lot of women are trying to lactate more, it's worth a shot.
You're like willing to try anything.
Yeah.
Basically, what happened is she developed these lactation cookies with a breastfeeding startup called Swell, and it's a really cute ad. You see her big pregnant belly which is exposed and two oatmeal cookies covering her breasts.
And it was supposed to be in Times Square for a week.
After a few days it was on under review, it ultimately was replaced with a photo of her that was quote unquote approved content her and a crop top. Basically, but everyone on the internet was upset, including Molly, because all of these billboards surrounding hers of ads with Calvin Klein and lingerie brands exposing very naked people are allowed to stay up.
I can only imagine how upsetting this was for her. But at the same time, and we talked about this, Danielle, this is probably the best thing that could happen to Molly. And also this company Swell because I remember you telling me about these lactation cookies and I was like, oh, cool, you know great lactation cookies. You know, there are a lot of recipes out there that can help spur lactation,
get the milk to flow. But then when I heard that this ad got taken down, I was like, I'm ready to fight.
Let's go.
I just can't help but think of the breastfeeding in public movement because women need to feed their children. And then there were a bunch of people who found breasts to be sexual and so it just starts this big fight. And I feel like her pregnant belly and her breasts were sexualized in a way that feels weird and unnecessary. Was such a cute ad.
There was nothing sexual or graphic about it to me. She was wearing a bikini first of all, underneath this, like sweater or cardigan, and she had on briefs that fully covered her vaginal region. There was nothing showing that was suggestive. Like, it's clearly a woman who was pregnant and she's being cheeky and covering her titties with cookies.
And then when you think about the ads that it was right next to in Times Square, ads that are far more sexual, like that doesn't get taken down, that doesn't get flagged for being graphic.
You know, there's something about this billboard being taken down that plays into the whole shape of women's bodies that hurts. And this isn't the first time that there's been issues. I actually learned because of this moment that it wasn't until twenty seventeen that an ad for period products was allowed to run using red liquid. I guess they used blue liquid before it was supposed to be more palatable. But women's health is censored, and I think we've all
had it. I see the tide turning. I think more women are speaking up. I'm really wanting men to speak up about it.
In terms of the feminine hygiene ads. Yeah, there was an ad that was rejected from the oscars a few years back from a postpartum care company called Freeda, And it was depicting the aftermath of birth, which is this really raw and truthfully all encompassing, kind of like dark experience for a lot of women, right, And it showed you what it looks like for a woman to have to go to the bathroom and change her pads after
she's given birth. There's a lot of bleeding that happens that was deemed too graphic by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And this is the crazy thing. This is how whoever is making these decisions, like the executives at these AD companies, this is how they view women and the issues that we endure. So that AD was placed in the same category as other prohibited topics like political candidates, religious or faith based messages, guns, gun shows, ammunition,
adult diapers, condoms or hemorrhoid remedies. Feminine hygiene products were placed in the same category as ammunition.
I feel like adult diapers should not be there either. People need those.
I honestly I'm confounded, like I don't get it, Like why is this so upsetting to you? And when I say you, I'm talking to whoever is in a suit making these decisions, Why do we upset you so much? Like this is just our bodies, This is how we're
just existing, okay, Danielle. Another thing that has me feeling some type of way is this article that I read in People magazine where a newlywed A asks if she's the a hole for being mad that her husband use their joint account to pay for her engagement ring without her knowledge.
To me, this is like a I'm breaking out in hives just thinking about it.
Wait, why I think it's deceptive for him to be paying for it out of the joint account without talking to her about it first.
Like, I think there's a lot of pressure on.
Men to deliver with the ring, right, Like it's it's a lot of pressure, and I think a lot of it is unfair, And that's not what marriage is about.
It's not about the ring.
So I get that many men or partners are struggling to find the money to pay for these rings. Right. However, to not ask your future wife if she's okay splitting the cost of the ring, that to me is the cardinal sin.
Red flag.
I also, just like, for the record, I would not be Okay, splitter ring like that is your gift to me. If you're subscribing to traditional gender roles in America, that is your gift to me. It's a present. You will pay for it. It is a present.
Okay.
Here's the thing, the lie.
I'm with you, huge red flag. You cannot start a relationship a out out a lie. The ring part I sort of disagree with hear me out. I feel like we keep fighting for equality and at the same time we want chivalry. Not that those things are mutually exclusive. You can have both. But if we are wanting to be fifty to fifty financial partners, shouldn't we also set up a new system when we enter engagement, Like, are we also buying the manner ring?
Something about it just doesn't seem right.
Feels like back in the day we were being traded for goats and we got a ring, and that's now we're in the same system.
I agree with you, you know, I love to burn down a good old system, so I think there's some work to be done there. However, it does not sound like, oh girl, right here, here's what she said.
I'm gonna let her speak for herself.
Okay, So she says We have been having some arguments lately, and he feels that ring is a wedding expense and it's only fair that I contribute towards it too. So that's what you were saying, and that as a woman of this day, I shouldn't hesitate to be an equal partner. He expects me to apologize him because I called his actions tacky and his decisions scammy, and in bad face, she is scammy. I hope she actually she actually called him scammy.
I want to say, it is kind of scammy. If this happened to you, Could you come back from this? Is this redeemable in your eyes?
I don't know this. This is a big one.
It also sounds like, look, I think most things are actually redeemable. I think you can come back from most things in a marriage. You know what, Danielle, this is such a controversial topic. You've made some really good points honestly that have me thinking, I think we need to phone a friend. So I'm gonna call my husband. I'm gonna bring him in.
Let's call in the reserves. We need a male perspective here.
Hold on, let me call him real quick. Well, okay, ladies and gentlemen, we have my husband, Michael Lloyd Green on the line. Oh boy, okay, so I have to ask you. There was this article in People magazine about this woman who feels like she was duped by her husband because he was paying for her engagement ring out of their joint a count without her knowledge. Yeah, so she's already unintentionally partially paid for two installments of the ring.
She called him TACKI and scammy. We're having a debate about this. What do you think? Is this like a deal breaker?
I wouldn't go so far as to say neil breaker, but it's certainly something that I think is, you know, gonna rock the boat in a significant way, and for good reason. I mean, that's more than just a big conversation to be at number one. He was lying it was disingenuous, and that's a problem. I mean, I'm a firm believer that you know, you can get through anything if you really do genuinely love each other.
But that's a tough way to start things out.
You would never do this to me, babe.
No, no way in hell. Also, I just know you'd kill me.
That's the truth. Well, there you have it, folks. That's that's that's what would happen if if you pulled it on me. I love you, babe, thank you, But oh my god, there you have it.
Folks, don't try this at home.
We wish them the best.
Up next, Jessica bial is talking why two K trends, what it means to be a boy mom, and why she was inspired to write a book about periods.
That's after the.
Break Welcome back today, Jessica Bale is hanging out with us on the bright side.
Jessica's been a household name for decades.
I mean, I grew up watching her, and I'm in awe of how gracefully she's moved from teenage superstardom to a hugely successful career as an actress and producer. Jessica received critical acclaim for her performance in twenty seventeen's The Sinner and more recently as Candy Montgomery in the Hulu series Candy. She's also produced a number of projects with her production company, Iron Ocean, and now Jessica's adding author to her list.
Yeah, Jessica recently partnered with the nonprofit company Period to write a kid's book about periods and changing bodies too. Literally, everything I wish I had in a book as a preteen. Jessica, Welcome to the bright Side. Hello, thank you for having me.
We're very happy to have you. You are bright and sunny in from Vegas.
I am.
It is a bright and sunny, hot day here.
Okay, So I want to talk about periods. Yes, period two periods. I remember getting mine so clearly.
I was fourteen and in gym class and I was so embarrassed. What personal experience helped you want to change the narrative around periods?
Well, definitely that original experience. I've been thinking about a lot lately. And even though my mom, you know, she swore she said, no I talk to you, I prepared you, I blocked it out. I don't remember it. I don't remember feeling calm. I don't remember feeling.
Like I knew what this was or that I knew what to expect.
And I guess it just made me wonder does everybody else feel that same way? Does anybody else feel that same way?
And is it normal?
And do are other people having the same experience as I'm having?
Mm?
Well, I love that the book felt really digestible for preteen.
What actually prompted you to write this?
I didn't really have this clear idea of, oh, this is what I should be doing, because I am not an expert in this space, and I am not pretending to be an expert. I just happen to be a person who has had a period for thirty odd years and has a lot of personal experience with how hard it is and how stigmatizing it still is and kind
of taboo. It still kind of feels even now as we've you know, kind of gotten so far culturally and socially caring about women's and people who have uteruses and people who menstright stories, it still feels like a lot of shame and humiliation can be surrounding this topic. So anyway, I was meeting with Jolanni Memory, who owns a kid's co and I love that company. This is my partner and collaborator with this book, and they write books about all types of hearts objects for kids, and I have
a lot of these books for my kids. And we just started talking about things that I was caring about.
We weren't even talking about writing.
A book together. And then by the end of our conversation we both looked at each other and that, well, I guess we need to write this book, and my partner and my company, Michelle Purple, we both looked at each other as well. Obviously, periods it's the first thing that a young girl or someone who is born at birth with female reproductive organs is going to experience in a big way, like that big first kind of body evolution. We got to normalize this thing for younger people coming up behind us.
Some people might be surprised to hear that you wrote a book for preteen girls because you're a mom of two boys.
I actually think it's even more important for people who don't experience a period to understand what it is, what happens to your body, your mind, your your emotions, your hormones. So that really so my sons can be supportive of me, and they can be supportive of their friends or possible partners or family members when it's when they're going through it and they're not freaked.
Out by it either.
I mean, like that's a huge part of changing the narrative and the dialogue.
Jessica, you'll appreciate this.
I'm a boy mom as well, and I also want to normalize the female body for my sons and my two year old son thinks that tampons are candy, so he will. I'll find my ripped up tampons all over the house, which is great now because they're so cheap and so easy to find. But I would love to talk about that a little bit more with you. How are you raising mindful boys?
You know, I think it's a day to day experience, right, it's very imperfect because I've never done this before.
You've never done this before, right.
But I just tell them the truth as much as I possibly can. My kids, I think think they're toys, like almost like cannons that you.
Could just feel like shoot around or something like that.
But we've also talked about, hey, this is something that I use every month, and to.
My little one, I said, hey, look, my little one's three.
I said, I'm going to explain this to you later, but this is something that I need every month, and I need some privacy in the bathroom right now.
Yeah, you know, like that is the hardest heart is getting them frimassy in the freaking bathroom.
It is hard. It is really hard.
But I had a huge breakthrough with my nine year olds just two days ago where I finally had a copy of my book and I said, hey, look, I wrote a book and he was like, WHOA, cool, and he goes, I want to read that. It goes, oh periods, it's about punctuation. And I was like, well no, and so I said, hey, you want to read it, and so we sat down we read about half the book together.
He read it and I was sort of helping him with some of the we're he's never heard ovaries, uterus things like that, and then I got to sort of explain every page, like, hey, so what that means is you know, this happens to me every month and I actually bleed out of my body, you know.
And he was like, WHOA, that's weird.
I said, it is kind of weird, but you know what, it's pretty normal too. It's going to happen to every you know, fifty percent of the world's population, a lot of people, you know, this is going to happen to.
And what we got to talk about is we got to have that discussion about if you you know, maybe you'll see a friend at school who is having their period, and maybe they might have had an accident and there's blood on their pants, and maybe you could make a choice to help them instead of laugh or point at them. I said, maybe you could even offer them your sweatshirt and you could say quietly, Hey, I think maybe you have blood on your pants?
Do you want my sweatshirt? Can I help you? Do you need to go to the nurse?
Do you need?
You know? What can I do for you?
And he was like, yeah, totally because people might just laugh and point I said, yeah they might, and wouldn't that feel bad?
What if someone did that to you?
And literally, I'm trying to be so cool and he was like, okay, I'll redone now.
I say, yeah, we're.
Done, and so he runs off, and literally I just thought, oh my god, it just happened. The conversation that in my mind I've played out that I hoped to have with him, that I hope this book inspires for families anywhere and everywhere.
It happened, and he heard.
Me and it wasn't like scary, and we didn't make a big deal out of it, and it's just in there now.
Somewhere in his brain or in his cellular body.
If he ever sees that, maybe he'll offer that person a sweatshirt or something.
It was a cool moment.
I just thought, Okay, this is it this is why this is important.
You've inspired me that.
I love that you thought that the conversation was going to be harder than it actually was, and that's that's usually how everything is.
So I'm gonna I'm going to take that home with me.
You know, in the book you write about feeling embarrassed by your period, and honestly, I still experience that. Sometimes I had an accident on the plane and it was mortifying, Like we don't talk about this enough that you know this can still happen to us, and we're still learning about our bodies. And so I'm curious now, like where you are in life as a mom, as a parent, how are you in conversation with your body now?
I feel like a lot of times I am in a fight with my body. I am like trying to understand what she is doing, and we are at odds sometimes even now, And I think that's why it's still so crazy that I have the same experience many times that you just shared with us.
Thank you for sharing that.
I have accidents all the time, and I feel like I should be able to know how to control this thing. I'm an expert now, at least of my own body. Aren't I And I don't feel that way. I feel like it changes so often and it takes me by surprise, and you know, my cycle shifts, and it's just crazy that I still feel like a preteen and things are still happening to me, like having accidents and you know, bleeding through tampons and bleeding through pants and things in public.
And I'm still embarrassed about it. It hasn't gone away for me. It's a daily practice to not feel embarrassed about that. And it's not easy. It's so much easier said than done.
All Right, we're going to take a quick break, but when we come back, we'll have more with Jessica Biale.
We're back, Jessica.
You've been in showbiz since you were fourteen years old, and it has changed so much. I mean, it used to be that you couldn't cross over between TV and film, but now TV is this procede art form. How did opening up your own production company open doors in your career.
It's such an interesting thing to talk about because doors did.
Not open at all, really, no even being in the business for so long.
I mean, I've had this production company with my partner Michelle Purple for twenty years. This year has been twenty years. I started it with her when I was twenty two, and for the first ten years we had almost no success at all. We had a very challenging time getting any story told. We made a short film, we made a full length feature, which was beautiful and a cool experience,
but it was a labor of love. And then not until many years later, that's when we were introduced to The Sinner and then built that show from the ground up. So when we were actually selling that show, Michelle and I looked at each other and she said, if we don't sell this show, I'm quitting, and I said me too, I'm quitting.
I'm not doing this.
I don't know if this show doesn't sell, I don't know what people want, I don't know what to bring them. I don't understand this business anymore. I just don't get it anymore.
And then we sold it in the room, it was like it was so weird.
So was that humbling for you to go from having such a successful career as an actor to then having to prove yourself as a producer.
Oh yeah, absolutely. It was basically like starting over on some level. Also, it was during a time where nobody cared about women's stories. Yeah, female storytelling wasn't really that really wasn't happening. Was way before me too, way before you know, we really had this amazing runway.
For powerful, complex female stories.
So it just wasn't the right time either, and we were fighting against all the elements and it was a very humbling experience, and it is it still continues to be humbling. I don't find that my industry or being an actor or producer is easy in any shape, way, shape or form. It is so much blood, sweat and tears that you put into getting these projects made, and so many of the things we work on never ever
come to your fruition. And I feel like most producers would say the same thing, that they have that experience, and it's very hard. And also in my own just sort of separating my company from my own acting career, it's the same thing. I am fighting for those roles that I really want and auditioning and not getting them, still hearing nose like a lot of no's. It's a humbling business all around, and I think it might always be that way.
I don't know.
Your project, Crulth Summer is set in y two K. Simone and I are obsessed with the Y two K era.
Uh, you are also a teen icon of that era.
Like when people think of Y two K, they think of you for sure. Do you ever get nostalgic for that time?
I do.
I do get nostalgic for that time because it was simpler. Yeah, and maybe that sounds crazy to people who didn't experience it, but we didn't even have We barely had a cell phone at that point.
Yeah, butterfly clips and chokers.
That was it.
We didn't need anything else crop crop tops.
Yeah, like clips, chokers, and a pager.
That's it. Yes, I need anything else but a pager and a beeper. You know, when I was coming up in that time in this industry, there was like teen Beat and Tiger and these like you know, fun magazines, and yeah, sometimes your picture showed up in there or it was like fun to be in those mags. There wasn't this crazy paparazzi kind of thing. There wasn't everyone with a camera on their phone. Like we said, there weren't even real phones back then. So when I got
into this business, that wasn't a part of it. It wasn't really part of the culture.
Of it.
And I've definitely had conversations with people who said, well, you know, you know when you got into this business, so that's part of your life. And I was like, no, no, hold on that. That actually wasn't a part of our life.
Back then. It didn't exist.
That technology didn't really exist. And as you know, we got into Y two K and then we got into the two thousands, that was a much bigger beast to contend with.
But yeah, it was just simpler times.
Things were just easier and you know, the dial up internet you can find everything.
Feel like that was.
I guess I'm wondering, like what era you're in right now because that was your HY two K era?
Where is Jessica Bielle now?
Mom working? I'm in working mom era. That's definitely the way it feels, and it's it's a great era.
I like this era.
It's not without a ton of challenges, but it's cool. I like being busy, and I've I've been working professionally for so long. I don't really know anything else. So for me, it's it's cool to be balancing everything. I've always been balancing everything. You talked about still weathering all these no's it is. It is a tough business. But what keeps you going in the face of all that rejection? Like, what's your why? That's you guys are good. These are really good questions.
My why is that we cannot.
Stop fighting for the stories that need to be told. Storytelling is my life and it always has been and all it's part of all of us. We're all storytellers and no matter what we do, truly, I mean, it's like ancient inside of us. That's how we've always passed information. And I think, especially being a part of like a female tribe, that's part of what we do for.
Our members in our tribe.
And I just get so tickled when we actually make something and it's good and people like it and it speaks to someone and they see the world in a different way or they get inspired, or even if they hate it, there's something that's okay too. Right, we're talking, we're having conversation, We're having dialogue about creativity. I have to be creative in my life, and I just I think the why is that I love I love telling stories and I don't know how not to do that.
Jessica, we love you. Keep creating, Keep telling stories. Thanks so much for coming on the bright side.
Thank you for having me, and you're making this world a brighter place too.
So much much, much love to you.
Jessica Biel is the author of a kid's book about periods Out Now.
That's it for today's show. Tomorrow on the bright Side, Carrie Champion, it's here with us. She's a sports journalist and podcast host.
Listen and follow the bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Simone Voice. You can find me at simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok.
I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok.
That's r O b A. Y. See you tomorrow.
Keep looking on the bright side.