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Long Lost Family? Boredwalk Chats with Comic Laura House About Finding Her Humans
Laura House is hands-down one of the funniest people we know. We initially discovered her when we moved to Los Angeles and saw her do stand up. We were so taken with her comedy that we followed her performances around town and kept introducing ourselves until we became friends — you know, a totally normal, not at all creepy way to meet people.
You may know Laura from her days on MTV's Austin Stories or you may have enjoyed some TV shows she's written for, such as Loosely Exactly Nicole, Mom, or Samantha Who? Or maybe you haven't seen any of that and you've just discovered Laura via the How to Hate Yourself clip we just shared above. Welcome to the Laura House Fan Club, you lucky so-and-so!
Laura has always been curious about her birth family. As an adopted kid, Laura lamented that she'd never met people who shared her blood or looked like her. She wondered what her birth family was like and tried for years to find them. Recently that wish came true with the help of a DNA matching website.
Listen to today's podcast to hear Laura tell us the story of meeting her birth family and wading through a sea of cousins to do it. We also chat about other assorted topics such as road rage and the relationship between comedy and horror. If you enjoy today's episode be sure to visit Laura's website. You'll find comedy clips and a link to buy her album — it's great you should get it!
We also share a super-secret discount code in the episode itself. It's a pretty sweet deal, but you DO have to listen to the episode to get it. Sorry, gang. If it's any consolation, the intro is pretty brief before we let Laura do her thing. Enjoy!
Peace, love, and tacos,
Boredwalk
What Do Heads of State Smell Like, Anyway?
If you're like us, you've never wondered what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau smells like...but this week's podcast guests have! JD and Kate are a husband and wife creative duo (just like us) and the masterminds behind Hottest Heads of State and JD and Kate Industries. These two humorists first caught our eye when I was shopping for a holiday gift for Matt's parents last year. JD and Kate have an Etsy store full of political humor-themed candles, and once I found it I was instantly hooked. If you want to go down the rabbit hole for a few hours visit their many websites. They are all hilarious and linked on their JD and Kate Industries website!
When we started our podcast, these two immediately came to mind when we were thinking about who we wanted to talk to and introduce to the Boredwalk community. So listen below to get an earful of our exchange about running a small business with your spouse, Vladimir Putin fan fiction, what Rutherford B Hayes smells like, and Obama's enviable portion control skills.
Also in this episode JD and Kate told us they created a replica of Disney's Mexico Pavillion at Epcot in their basement. Naturally I insisted they send us a photo of this masterpiece and they did.
JD says "I've attached one we like because it's a good photo of us and we are vain. But I want you to know that it doesn't include 1) the dozens of illuminated stars on the ceiling, 2) the working fountain, 3) the animated projection of clouds passing over a moon on the wall, 4) the ambient sound effects of crashing waves, and 5) the mariachi music with background street chatter playing on a loop."
Alright, we officially have a new couple crush! Anyway, we'll be back next week with a new episode. Thanks for listening!
Peace, Love and Tacos,
Meredith
P.S. We just added a bunch of new goodies to the website! Check 'em out!
Someday We'll All be Dead: Interesting Death and Funeral Rituals From Around the World
On today's podcast we talk to Amy Pickard and we're chatting about death. Amy runs a business helping the living prepare for death, so she tells us all about that and makes a convincing case for why we should all be more prepared. Curious? Listen to the episode below:
In the spirit of this week's theme, here are three fascinating death rituals from around the world that you've probably never heard of:
1. Dancing With the Dead
In Madagascar the Malagasy people throw parties every 5 to 7 years at their family crypts. The dead are exhumed and sprayed with perfume or wine. The celebration includes live music, dancing with the dead, and chatting with the dead or telling them stories. The Malagasy people believe this ritual strengthens their family bonds and celebrates their ancestry. I wonder if the dead are any good at Tango?
2. Bejeweled in South Korea
Burial space is at such a premium in South Korea that back in 2000 a law was passed requiring the dead to be exhumed after 60 years. To find a new way to honor the dead, several companies have sprung up that can compress the ashes of the dead into gem-like beads. The beads can then be displayed in the home — the sparkliest and quietest way to live with your relatives.
3. The World's Sexiest Funerals
In Taiwan having a well attended funeral is a high priority. To increase turn out, many families hire strippers to attend and perform at funerals. I guess the corpse isn't the only thing that's stiff at these affairs.
Honorable mention goes to my preferred way to give back to the earth when my time is up; when I die please feed me to the mushrooms!
That's all for this week!
Peace, love, and tacos,
Meredith