Courtney Kocak Interview: From Girls Gone Wild to Memoir Author - Season 3 - Episode 3

About this episode

Courtney Kocak discusses her journey from rural Minnesota to becoming a memoir author and her experiences in media and podcasting.

This week on And The Year Was 1985 , we’re joined by author, podcaster, comedian, screenwriter, and producer Courtney Kocak. Courtney’s debut memoir Girl Gone Wild drops April 1, 2026. The book traces her journey from rural Minnesota to Los Angeles, detailing her early creative ambitions, her time working on the Girls Gone Wild tour in the late 90s, and the experiences that shaped her voice as a journalist and storyteller. We talk about: • Growing up in Minnesota and chasing creative ambition • Moving to LA and breaking into media • The reality behind the Girls Gone Wild era • Building a career in podcasting • Writing and publishing Girl Gone Wild • Reporting on sex, psychedelics, and reproductive rights Courtney hosts Private Parts Unknown , The Bleeders , and Podcast Bestie , and has produced major podcasts including The Bellas Podcast and Never Stand Still . Pre-order or learn more about Girl Gone Wild : https://www.courtneykocak.com Follow Courtney: Website: https://www.courtneykocak.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak X: https://x.com/courtneykocak Private Parts Unknown: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com Podcast Bestie: https://www.podcastbestie.com…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ryan, Sam

Guest: Courtney Kocak

Topics covered

• memoir writing
• media career
• Girls Gone Wild
• podcasting
• creative ambition
• reporting

Keywords

• Courtney Kocak
• memoir
• Girls Gone Wild
• podcasting
• creative ambition
• reporting
• Minnesota
• Los Angeles

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Girls Gone Wild, Private Parts Unknown, The Bleeders, Podcast Bestie, The Bellas Podcast, Never Stand Still

Places: Minnesota, Los Angeles

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