Be There in Five

This week, Kate is once again joined by Courtney for pop culture chatter, spooky stories, and some post-nut clarifications following her revelation a couple of weeks ago. They catch up on the increasingly bizarre corners of their algorithms, the exhausting logistics of influencer morning routines, celebrity brand fatigue and the upper bleph discourse, taffeta's comeback, and more. Then, a mysterious family heirloom sends Kate down a rabbit hole of Victorian spiritualism, table tipping, witchcraft, and the surprising ways women found independence and influence in the 19th century and how it connects to millennial sleepover culture. Enjoy!

Jones Road Beauty: Modern-day makeup that's clean, strategic, and multifunctional for effortless routines. For a limited time, our listeners are getting a FREE full-sized Mascara on their first purchase when they use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Just head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. After you purchase, they'll ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show sent you!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

PRE-ORDER Kate's upcoming book, She's Let Herself Go, out 4/27/27! And, if you haven't picked up her first book, the NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial, check it out here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Modern-day makeup that's clean, strategic, and multifunctional for effortless routines. For a limited time our listeners are getting a FREE full sized Mascara on their first purchase when they use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Just head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. PLEASE support our show and tell them our show sent you. Find pieces made for real life, and get even more value with Wayfair Rewards. Join Wayfair Rewards today to get five percent back on every purchase. Head to Wayfair.com to shop all things home. Give your skin the affordable, luxurious glow up it deserves. Go to Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off your first purchase today. That's Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Go to cozyearth.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off home and sleepwear. That's cozyearth.com, code BETHEREINFIVE. And when they ask where you heard about them at checkout, let them know you heard about them right here on Be There in Five. Go to LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial.

This week, Kate is back with a solo pop culture snorkel, kicking things off with porch pumpkins, tiny pieces, and the mystifying minutiae of motherhood before diving into listener-requested topics, including the potential Glee reboot, Barbara Palvin walking the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show six weeks postpartum, and the complicated messaging of "bounce-back" culture. Then, she provides a primer on the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County, including Aspyn Ovard's journey from Mormon-adjacent mommy vlogger to openly throupled reality star. Plus: the disappearance of party subs, a throuple car museum that doubles as a dinosaur park and Titanic exhibit, and a Dancing with the Stars Dedication Night recap featuring Connor Wood's TikTok fandom, Tyler C.'s emotional warfare, and a 10 Things I Hate About You reunion that had Kate in tears. Enjoy!

Support our sponsors:

PRE-ORDER Kate's upcoming book, She's Let Herself Go, out 4/27/27! And, if you haven't picked up her first book, the NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial, check it out here!

Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!

Go to https://cozyearth.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off home and sleepwear. That's https://cozyearth.com, code BETHEREINFIVE. And when they ask where you heard about them at checkout, let them know you heard about them right here on Be There in Five.

Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to https://Quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. And when Quince asks where you heard about them, let them know it was Be There in Five. It's the best way to support the show.

Go to https://LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial.

Write your own money story with Monarch. Use code FIVE at https://Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50. That's 50% off your first year at https://Monarch.com with code FIVE.

Reset your kitchen on a budget. Bundle and save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. Explore more set savings on bakeware, food storage, accessories and more. Visit https://Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase. This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit https://Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 or use code BTIF10 at checkout.

This week, Kate tests out a new format with Courtney sitting in as a "body double" to keep her on track, and it quickly goes off the rails: Kelly Clarkson vs. Dragons Love Tacos, Teddy's brutally honest observations, a coffee shop Pretty Woman moment, why Courtney hates magicians, Shane Gillis' gas station sunglasses energy, and a mysterious Chicago conspiracy involving a billionaire, dark money, rats, and a luxury melange of nuts that leads to a truly shocking revelation Kate never saw coming. She closes with how this week's accidental theme of deception connects to the new Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything and gives a high-level, spoiler-free review. For a deeper dive, go to patreon.com/bethereinfive. Enjoy!

PRE-ORDER Kate's upcoming book, She's Let Herself Go, out 4/27/27! And, if you haven't picked up her first book, the NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial, check it out here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Wake up with clearer skin, smoother hair, and cooler sleep. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for an extra 30% off at blissy.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for 20% off sitewide through October 29. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout, so they know we sent you! Modern-day makeup that's clean, strategic, and multifunctional for effortless routines. For a limited time our listeners are getting a FREE full sized Mascara on their first purchase when they use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Just head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. PLEASE support our show and tell them our show sent you. The RealReal is the most trusted name in authenticated luxury resale, With over ten thousand new arrivals daily, no one does resale like The RealReal. And now, get $25 off your first purchase when you go to TheRealReal.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Start shopping now at TheRealReal.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. And when Quince asks where you heard about them,

This week, Kate is joined by fellow Chicagoan Katie Shober, founder of Beach Reads & Bubbly, the beloved book community that started as recommendations on her personal Instagram and grew into roughly 300 book clubs around the world. First, Kate introduces her new book's title and concept and shares more context for what she's been working on the past three years (feel free to skip to the interview!) Then, Kate and Katie get into Goodreads finally adding half stars, the Alix Earle "Dr. Seuss" discourse, the chili pepper spice economy, why romance keeps publishing afloat while getting none of the respect, and the Edward Cullen to mob boss pipeline. They also talk about how anyone with small kids actually finds time to read, the Yesteryear backlash, and how reading got swept up in optimization culture. Plus, Katie brings a stack of recs: reading-rut breakers, a Halloween murder mystery, an entry-level "Brad," and an underrated book she thinks everyone should be talking about. Enjoy!

Pre-order Kate's new book here!!!

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!

Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!

Give your skin the affordable, luxurious glow up it deserves. Go to Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off your first purchase today. That's Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE.

Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. And when Quince asks where you heard about them, let them know it was Be There in Five. It's the best way to support the show.

Cozy Earth almost never does 30% off, and they're doing it right now through October 11. Go to

cozyearth.com, use code BETHEREINFIVE, and get 30% off home and sleepwear. After October 11 you can still go to cozyearth.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off home and sleepwear. And when they ask where you heard about them at checkout, let them know you heard about them right here on Be There in Five.

Instead of striving for perfect health, support your foundational health. Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off your first month.

The Cornell 7, Consent, Why are you adding me on LinkedIn?

This week, Kate is up late whisper-screaming into the mic, starting with condescending religious commenters and meandering into a conversation about the Cornell 7 that wasn't going to be the episode but then became the episode. Kate walks through what the lawsuit and Jane Doe's 2024 statements actually say, asks why a DA publicly litigated her account before a grand jury could hear it, and talks about the pride she feels toward the student journalists at the Cornell Daily Sun who broke the story. From there, she turns to why this story hits women so hard beyond just, like, having a pulse, and why so many millennial women are sitting with the discomfort of the blackout culture we laughed off, the Wedding Crashers and Tucker Max era that made boundaries feel negotiable, the whiplash of going from purity culture to trying to pretend to be "chill," and the gray areas so many of us are still sorting through. Plus: what she's thinking about as the mom of a little boy, why every choice is its own choice (not consented to by the last one) and the most unhinged LinkedIn request of her life.

If these topics are triggering or upsetting in any way, please skip this one, and if you're ever in need of help, you can reach RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or online at rainn.org.

Hear Kate's full reaction to Life of a Showgirl: The Encore at http://patreon.com/bethereinfive

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!

Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!

This episode is brought to you by:

• Jones Road Beauty: For a limited time, our listeners are getting a FREE full-sized mascara on their first purchase when they use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Just head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. PLEASE support our show and tell them our show sent you.
• Caraway: Reset your kitchen on a budget. Bundle and save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. Explore more set savings on bakeware, food storage, accessories and more. Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase.
• Lagoon Sleep: Go to LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial.
• Wayfair: Transform your space with pieces that hold up to real life. Join Wayfair Rewards today and get five percent back on every purchase. Head to Wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. That's Wayfair.com.

This week, Kate sits down with Shannon of the Fluently Forward podcast to unpack the backlog of pop culture topics she's been wanting to dig into with someone who cares about this stuff as much as she does. Together, they mourn the lost golden age of blind items and survey the full spectrum of celebrity gossip, from publicist-planted DeuxMoi sightings to full-blown conspiracy theories. They discuss the nepo best friend economy, obsess over Olivia Rodrigo, dig into the Gracie vs. Audrey discourse, and get into high-status versus low-status comedy and why some bits land, followed by a brief Joe Alwyn symposium. They also discuss press tour lore, compare celebrity-sighting iPhone notes, and explore why the Pussycat Dolls shaped a generation, among other things. For the other half of the crossover, head to Fluently Forward's feed. Enjoy!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

•

The RealReal: Get $25 off your first purchase at TheRealReal.com/bethereinfive

•

Monarch: Get your first year of Monarch Core half off (just $50) with code BETHEREINFIVE at Monarch.com

•

Blueland: Get 15% off your first order at Blueland.com/BETHEREINFIVE

•

Lagoon: Take the 60-second sleep quiz at LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, plus every pillow comes with a 100-night trial

•

Naturium: Get 10% off your first purchase at Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE

•

Helix: Get 27% off sitewide, exclusive for listeners, at HelixSleep.com/bethereinfive (enter the show name after checkout!)

•

Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box plus a free item in every box for life at Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive with code bethereinfive

This week, Kate crashes out over an influencer's crash out about a friend allegedly copying her home, but it happens to be a home that looks like so many others online, it's basically the Instagram Face of fancy homes. Kate goes through the series slide by slide, and discusses adjacent topics, like "stop copying me" being girlhood's first legal argument, the time her own wedding website got copied word for word, and the difference between a scullery and a butler's pantry, which she learned against her will. Then it spirals into the bigger thing she couldn't let go of: why influencer homes went from farmhouse to organic modern to old-world European right as everything got too shoppable, how the tastemakers who popularized those looks are now fleeing them upmarket, Kyle Chayka's AirSpace and why every "unique" house converges into sameness in the name of individuality, a Fashion Ambitionist throwback, a bar cart eulogy (the memories fade, the bitters last forever), and a meditation on scallops nobody asked for. Enjoy!

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Transform your space with pieces that hold up to real life. Join Wayfair Rewards today and get five percent back on every purchase. Head to wayfair.com or shop the Wayfair app for all things home. That's wayfair.com. Instead of striving for perfect health, support your foundational health. Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off your first month. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off home and sleepwear. That's code BETHEREINFIVE for up to 20% off on home and sleepwear! And if you see a post-purchase survey, please be sure to mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here! Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. And you can find even more set savings when you shop Caraway's full Kitchenware collection. Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase.This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 or use code BTIF10 at checkout. Find the fall pieces you'll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com/bethereinfive. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. That's quince.com/bethereinfive.

This week, Nora McInerny joins Kate for a witchy birthday-week episode that escalates from lyric trivia and vintage Girl Talk into a full unlicensed spiritual review via tarot, numerology, astrocartography, and a 1982 birthday book, as read by two women who believe in nothing and also everything as long as it works in their favor. They investigate whether it's illegal to talk to dolphins, unpack the broken-smile industrial complex of 2000s love songs, mourn the lost art of the local commercial, and make the case that your ancestors are not, in fact, thinking about you. Enjoy!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. That's Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Go to LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial. Make the switch to Sundays. Go right now to sundaysfordogs.com/bethereinfive and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. That's 50% off your first order at sundaysfordogs.com/bethereinfive. Cozy Earth's Labor Day Sale is happening now through September 8th. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 30% off. That's code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 30% off, the biggest savings of the season. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here!

This week, Kate is back from the book-deadline trenches with a mini dive inspired by the many fellow Beths who misread Brenda Song's new NFL gig as "color analyst." What follows is a journey through a brief history of "having your colors done" and why we can't resist things that offer to help us explain ourselves to ourselves. Also covers Taylor Swift's Grammy Museum interview, some theories on Harry and Meghan's big move, and an elder-millennial's defense of KATSEYE. Enjoy!

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! If you're looking to make a small change in your routine, you can get 15% off your first order at Blueland.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's 15% off your first order at Blueland.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Oversized, ultra-plush, and completely built for your best summer days. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. That's code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here! Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. And you can find even more set savings when you shop Caraway's full Kitchenware collection. Plus For a limited time, every dollar you spend on clean kitchenware gets you closer to your dream kitchen— or $100,000 cash! Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase.This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 or use code BTIF10 at checkout. Go to LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial.

You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. That's Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life.

This week (for ep 2), Kate is joined by friends of the pod, Nora McInerny and Caroline Moss, for a group hang that begins with scorpions in Nora's laundry and only escalates from there. The three of them get into the perils of too many fourth-wall breaks on House of Stassi and the collective decline of reality TV, then Kate debuts a best friend game where everyone gets assigned a day of the week and a breakfast cereal, and unveils her own Catholic corner featuring Saint Magnus, certified babe. Also on the docket: the Berenstain Bears, Jen Hamilton and "meemaw," Nora's domestic era, a live experiment in surveillance capitalism involving the price of Spam, and a genuinely terrible game involving removing a letter from movie titles. Go to Nora's feed for "It's Going to Be Ok" for more, enjoy! Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. And you can find even more set savings when you shop Caraway's full Kitchenware collection. Plus For a limited time, every dollar you spend on clean kitchenware gets you closer to your dream kitchen— or $100,000 cash! Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase or use code BTIF10 at checkout. Give your skin the affordable, luxurious glow up it deserves. Go to Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off your first purchase today. That's Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to wayfair.com to shop all things home. That's wayfair.com. Wayfair. Every Style. Every Home. Go to helixsleep.com/BETHEREINFIVE for the Labor Day: Best of Web sale for 27% off sitewide August 14 - September 13, exclusive for listeners of Be There in Five. That's helixsleep.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 27% off sitewide August 14 - September 13. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout, so they know we sent you!

This week, Kate asks an important question for the sake of equality in the workplace: can a woman carry two bags and be taken seriously? Can her bracelets clank? Jury's out, and she felt inspired to take on the genre of body language coaching and weird advice people give women about how to behave. Then, she opens the floor to the Beths, who deliver a cornucopia of workplace advice: lower your register, fix your vocal fry, no jingly earrings, no hair tie on your wrist, no mouse in the meeting, etc. Kate also revisits the letter grade she lost in college for bending over to plug in her laptop, unpacks why "taken seriously" is such a weird passive phrase, and makes the case that this is somehow worse in 2026 than it was in 2008, among other things. Enjoy!

Lagoon Sleep — Go to LagoonSleep.com/bethereinfive and take the 60-second sleep quiz to find your match. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 15% off your first order, and every pillow comes with a 100-night trial.

Hungryroot — You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time, get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive.

Cozy Earth — Oversized, ultra-plush, and completely built for your best summer days. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here!

Sundays for Dogs — Make the switch to Sundays. Go right now to sundaysfordogs.com/BETHEREINFIVE and get 50% off your first order. Or use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.

Quince — Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com/bethereinfive. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

This week, the air quality is apocalyptic, parents everywhere are staring down the summer childcare cliff, and Kate is feeling pro-tantrum.. What starts as a meditation on the summers of yore turns into one on modern parenting and why we never stood a chance. Through a mix of personal stories and listener submissions, this episode gets into the Nature Valley bars of motherhood (things that are structurally designed to crumble no matter what you do), and Kate unpacks why the U.S. treats raising the next generation of taxpayers as a private, elective hobby, and why calling motherhood "natural" is the exact trick that lets everyone avoid paying for it, among other things. If you've ever felt like you're losing your mind trying to balance the demands of work and modern society with the realities of parenting, you aren't crazy. Take a deep breath (indoors), and let's vent. Enjoy!

Want to help build a follow-up about how we can stand a chance? Send your childcare life hacks, workarounds, and unconventional setups to podcast@bethereinfive.com, text 775-HEY-BETH or leave a voicemail.

Sponsors:

• Sundays for Dogs: Get 50% off your first order of air-dried, high-quality dog food at https://sundaysfordogs.com/bethereinfive or use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.
• Helix Sleep: Get 27% off sitewide (July 13 – August 2) at https://helixsleep.com/. Enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you.
• Blueland: Cut down on single-use plastics with cleaning tablets. Get 15% off your first order at https://blueland.com/bethereinfive
• Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first order plus a free item in every box for life at http://hungryroot.com/bethereinfive code BETHEREINFIVE
• Cozy Earth: Upgrade your summer sleep (and beach towels) with viscose from bamboo. Head to https://cozyearth.com/ and use code BETHEREINFIVE for 20% off.

This week, Kate briefly debriefs her week at Cannes Lions during a record-breaking heat wave, including how she accidentally hired a private French bodyguard in an armored Maybach, sweat off her spray tan across the Côte d'Azur, and what it's like to be at Coachella for vague marketing babes without AC when your brain is so fried you give the AC repairman the wrong room number and it stays broken. Then Sami Sage (co-founder of Betches, host of the Morning Announcements) joins for a catch-up covering the lead up to Taylor and Travis's MSG wedding, Joe Alwyn and Sarah Pidgeon making out at Hampstead Heath, being hot as an internet career skill, canopy beds as class warfare, rare 90s aesthetics, whether Alex Mack was the original Inside Out, past lives, the word incontrovertible, and why Sami doesn't believe in snowboarding. Enjoy!

Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. And you can find even more set savings when you shop Caraway's full Kitchenware collection. Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase. Made from viscose from bamboo — breathable, soft, and built for summer. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here!

This week, Kate chats with PEN15 co-creator Anna Konkle for a conversation that's equal parts silly and heavy, like the last two people awake at a sleepover asking about the meaning of life and swapping stories of their first thong. They discuss Anna's new memoir, The Sane One, and how it explores a different kind of nostalgia than her previous work, touching on topics like the grief, estrangement, and reconciliation that anchor the book, hand-slapping games like Miss Mary Mack, the kind of love for your child that's so pure it almost scares you, and what it was like to be chosen as a Filene's Basement model. Along the way, they dive into the surprising relationship between the academia of clowning and playing a 13-year-old in PEN15, reminisce about AIM, Disney Channel free previews, sleepover paranormal rituals, and spiral about gentle parenting and the importance of boredom. It's a conversation about memories, motherhood, creativity, and all the tiny emotional truths that never quite leave us, with detours more random than Kate Bosworth showing up at your local Relay for Life. Enjoy!

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. That's code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here! Say YES to unforgettable moments with Liquid I.V.'s NEW Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free Ring Pop. Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to LIQUID-IV.COM and get 20% off your first purchase with code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for their Fourth of July Sale for 20% off Sitewide. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout, so they know we sent you! Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. If you spend over $495 you will receive a Butcherbox for FREE. Plus if you spend over $795 you can also get a FREE cast iron grill pan! Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off your next purchase.

This week, Kate meanders through "I Knew It, I Knew You" and the Toy Story 5 premiere, why she's changed her tune on the rumored Madison Square Garden wedding venue, and goes on various passionate detours about golf, a dramatic reading of Luke Bryan's "Fish Hunt Golf Drink," and digs through a moldy pouch of 2019 Post-it topics that yields takes on Ariel Charnas, Caroline Calloway, City High, Yikes pencils, and middle school cool-girl names. Enjoy!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus they have fast + free shipping! Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! For the dads, stepdads, grandpas, and every father figure who shows up — this one's for them. Cozy Earth's Bamboo Sheet Set, Everywhere Pant, and Everyday Polo are designed to keep him cool, comfortable, and actually relaxed all summer long. Dad lives here. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here!" Give your skin the affordable, luxurious glow up it deserves. Go to Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off your first purchase today. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

This week, it's just Kate, an Aperol Spritz, and the tech bro quote about wine that accidentally kicked off the conversation we've all been needing about optimization culture and being tired of treating every part of life like a performance review. Plus, a round of News You Can Use about why fruit hasn't been sweet since 1996, this season's hottest mnemonic devices, the babydoll dress of it all, and reviewing what Olivia Rodrigo is doing differently in Drop Dead and The Cure, all of it strangely circling back to living in a world that quantifies us without letting the number become the whole story. Enjoy!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus they have fast + free shipping! Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! As an exclusive offer, new listeners can get their choice between free Sirloin Tips, Ground Beef or Chicken Wings in every box for LIFE, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/bethereinfive. That's right - your choice of free Sirloin Tips, Ground Beef or Chicken Wings in every box for LIFE, PLUS $20 off your first box, and free shipping always. That's ButcherBox.com/bethereinfive. Don't forget to use our link so they know we sent you. Say YES to unforgettable moments with Liquid I.V.'s NEW Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free Ring Pop. Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to LIQUID-IV.COM and get 20% off your first purchase with code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. That's 20% off your first purchase with code BETHEREINFIVE at LIQUID-IV.COM. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. That's Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping and 365-day returns.

Right now you can save up to $230 on the 12-piece cookware set versus buying the products individually. Plus, if you want to include their fan favorite minis duo, you can save up to $350. Visit CarawayHome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off using code BTIF10 on your next purchase. This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit carawayhome.com/BTIF 10 or use code BTIF10 at checkout.

This week, Kate sits down with Stephani Young, the journalist (and longtime Beth!) behind the viral investigative podcast Love Trapped, the year-plus deep dive into the Clayton Echard paternity scandal that turned out to be so much bigger than a Bachelor Nation headline. Kate opens with why a story like this is so culturally tricky to talk about and the tension between believing women and recognizing when the systems built to protect them get weaponized. Then Kate and Stephani get into how the story spans not just Clayton but a years-long pattern involving multiple men that ultimately led to 14 felony indictments. They also discuss Stephani's editorial process, in terms of building the series in parallel with how internet sleuths discovered it in real-time, what got cut, what landed her in legal review, and the moment she became part of the story when Laura's emails started arriving in her inbox too. Listen to Love Trapped first (truly, do not proceed without it), then come back. Enjoy!

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus they have fast + free shipping! Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! Give your skin the affordable, luxurious glow up it deserves. Go to Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off the Glow Getter Bundle today. That's Naturium.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the Memorial Day Sale. It's the Best of Web Sale, May 1-31, 2026 for 27% Off Sitewide. Exclusive for listeners of Be There in Five. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive.

Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here on Be There in Five.

This week, Kate is joined by Caroline Moss for an episode that was supposed to be about modern pop culture and somehow turned into mostly topics from 1998. They get into the longevity industrial complex and Kate's pitch for an old-age commune, the unhinged Duggar honeymoon prep CD, Lydia and Zach's definition of "naughty," and a Full House deep dive featuring Stephanie's catering arc and Hot Daddy and the Monkey Puppets. Caroline also tells a crazy true story of her fifth grade graduation, where a major celeb showed up in leather pants and every parent in town gaslit their children about it for twenty years. Plus: a potato chip flavor power ranking, the difference between fashion that works in a mirror shot versus in real life, Caroline's full Summer House theory, and more! Enjoy.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Right now, you can save up to $230 on the 12 piece cookware set vs buying the products individually. Plus if you want to include their fan favorite minis duo, you can save up to $350! Visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 to take an additional 10% off using code BTIF10 on your next purchase.This deal is exclusive for our listeners, so visit Carawayhome.com/BTIF10 or use code BTIF10 at checkout. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. That's Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping and 365-day returns. Instead of striving for perfect health, aim for supporting foundational health. Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off your first month. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here on Be There in Five. Comfort lives here. Join the membership for where you live at JOINBILT.com/bethereinfive. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you.

This week, Kate is trying something new by returning to her old form. After taking time off and noticing her comment section brain rot, she's trying to get back to occasional one-pass, no-edits, no-looking-things-up format to practice for a live format of the show coming soon. It's the kind of episode where Reneesme, Billie Eilish, Five Below, and the Epstein files all somehow end up in the same conversation and it almost tracks. Also, some musing about the discomfort of realizing the millennial girlhood pipeline of Limited Too to Abercrombie to Victoria's Secret was built and run by men who turned out to be predators, and the connection between frat bro philanthropy shirts and A&F. Plus, everything's coming up Kate following a streak of good luck that she thinks might have something to do with a haunted candle. Enjoy!

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH! Thank you to AllModern for furnishing Kate's Season 2 Studio! AllModern has the best of modern furniture and decor all in one place. With styles from Scandi and mid-century, to minimalist and maximalist, every design is hand-vetted for quality by their team of experts. Plus they have fast + free shipping! Check out allmodern.com; you'll find Kate's bookshelves here and her new rug here! As an exclusive offer, new listeners can get their choice between chicken breast or top sirloin for a year OR ground beef for life, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's right - your choice of chicken breast or top sirloin for a year OR ground beef for life, PLUS $20 off your first box, and free shipping always. That's ButcherBox.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Don't forget to use our link so they know we sent you. Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for their Spring Savings Event April 20-29, 2026 for 20% Off Sitewide. That's helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for 20% Off Sitewide. Soak up unforgettable memories with on-the-go hydration from Liquid I.V. Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to LIQUID-IV.COM and get 20% off your first purchase with code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. That's 20% off your first purchase with code BETHEREINFIVE at LIQUID-IV.COM. Let this Mother's Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too — discover how Cozy Earth turns everyday routines into moments of softness and ease. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVE for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here on Be There in Five. Because home starts with Mom You're going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. That's Hungryroot.com/bethereinfivee, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life.

This week, Kate sits down with Caro Claire Burke, author of the hit debut novel Yesteryear, the trad wife time travel thriller that triggered a publishing bidding war, has already been optioned by Anne Hathaway, and is Good Morning America's April book club pick. They discuss a variety of topics within the book (with spoilers, FYI), including how you write an unreliable narrator whose worldview fundamentally opposes your own, the layers of performance that start with God and end with the algorithm, why Natalie is deserving of sympathy as both a victim and a bad person, the Ballerina Farm and Ruby Franke parallels, Caleb as a vacant vessel, why the twist ending had Kate pacing at 2 AM rethinking her life choices, and how the epilogue reframes everything. They also detour into Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the Taylor Frankie Paul of it all, plus sleepover discourse against Caro's will, how they both relate to Natalie's experience with being publicly perceived, and Caro's experience selling the book and film rights before the book was even finished. Spoilers throughout. Enjoy!

**Watch on Spotify. Spotify Premium users get no commercial breaks on my show!**

Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here! Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!

TIMESTAMPS (SPOILERS BELOW):

0:00 Intro, Kate's reaction to Yesteryear

17:30 Interview begins, creating Natalie's voice, writing an unlikable unreliable narrator

22:00 Layers of performance: God, family, social media, the surveillance of being watched your whole life

35:00 Ballerina Farm, Ruby Franke, who Natalie is based on, how much influence trad wives actually have

47:30 Caleb and the manosphere, the breeding contract, selling a trad wife novel when everyone thought Kamala was going to win

55:00 The liberal feminist case for the trad wife, the failure of lean-in feminism, women sharing survival tips

1:01:00 The ending explained: the twist, the psychosis, what's real, and the epilogue

1:21:00 The meta conversation: parasocial relationships, being a public person, deification to dehumanization

1:28:00 Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Taylor Frankie Paul, justice for Whitney, Connor vs. Zach

1:58:00 Anne Hathaway, how book-to-movie deals actually work, and what Caro wants readers to walk away with

This Mother's Day, give the gift that shows up every single night. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code BETHEREINFIVEBOGO for an exclusive Buy One, Give One offer running from April 12th to April 18th on sheet sets and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cozy Earth here. For the person who makes everywhere feel like home. For a limited time get 40% off your first order PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. That's Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Go to Quince.com/bethereinfive for free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com/bethereinfive. Instead of striving for perfect health, aim for supporting foundational health. Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That's Ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off your first month. Way Day is THE sale to shop the best deals in home – we're talking up to 80% OFF with fast and FREE shipping on everything! Head to Wayfair.com April 25th through the 27th to shop Way Day. That' Wayfair.com. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

KEYWORDS: Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke, Yesteryear book review, Yesteryear ending explained, Yesteryear spoilers, trad wife novel, Yesteryear book club discussion, ballerina farm, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Anne Hathaway Yesteryear movie, Diabolical Lies podcast, trad wife discourse, BookTok, GMA book club April