Millennial: Pretend Adulting, Real Talk

Welcome to the Millennial Special Anniversary Edition—we're celebrating 50 years of Star Wars by doing what we do best: connecting fictional universes to our very real problems. Then we get into the real meat: how the Prequel Trilogy—Episodes 1-3—basically predicted the slow-motion collapse of democracy. We draw the obvious parallels to modern executive overreach, the erosion of checks and balances, and how Congress just... stopped checking anything. We even dig into what George Lucas actually said about all this—spoiler: he was thinking about Vietnam, Nixon, and the way democracies don't get overthrown, they get given away. We're also connecting the dots between fictional servitude and the very real greed on display right now, complete with a deep dive into Walmart's electronic price tags that could—with existing tech—charge you a different price based on what the system thinks you can afford. On theme for this week, we're keeping our recommendations pop culture centric: The 'Family Guy' Star Wars parodies (Eric) and the 2009 film 'Fanboys' (Pam). In After Dark, we're getting personal with some lighter questions: What's your Roman Empire? Have you experienced a friendship breakup? What do you think you'll be like at 80? Join us as Pam and Eric get to know each other better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support #Millennial!⁠⁠⁠ Visit Patreon.com/millennial to get exclusive bonus episodes, live stream access, and more! Visit our merch store: ⁠⁠https://shop.millennialshow.com⁠⁠ Follow the show in your favorite podcast app and leave us a review! We’re skipping the State of the Union to spend much-needed time with our PALs! (Former Prince) Andrew was arrested (on his birthday!) amid the latest Epstein fallout, while King Charles III seemingly kept calm and carried on. Meanwhile, SCOTUS smacks down Donald Trump’s “emergency” tariffs in a 6–3 ruling that could lower costs (and raise his blood pressure). Then: making and maintaining friendships as adults. Trust your gut. Follow up. Send the meme. Plus, we discuss the rise of the “admin party” aka doing your life chores with friends, snacks, and vibes. This week's recommendations: Switchbot Automatic Curtain Openers (Andrew), build your sleep routine before the upcoming time change (Laura), and 'The Hunting Party' on Netflix (Pam). In After Dark, we get into big decision energy: flip the coin, test the waters, and stop fearing change. Growth is scary, but staying stuck is scarier. We get personal about how we break analysis paralysis and ultimately stay true to ourselves when faced with big life changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support #Millennial!⁠⁠⁠ Visit Patreon.com/millennial to get exclusive bonus episodes, live stream access, and more! Visit our merch store: ⁠⁠https://shop.millennialshow.com⁠⁠ Follow the show in your favorite podcast app and leave us a review! This week we're joined by our friend and social media activist Tariq Ra'ouf and asking: how do you live a “normal” life when everything feels anything but normal? Tariq has been making a difference with his transparent and genuine coverage of tragedies that are going on in the world. We dig into a Vox advice column about the “dual state” theory and why some people carry on like everything’s fine while others feel like the ground is shifting beneath their feet. We share how we're talking to friends who just don’t seem concerned, and talk strategies for staying informed without losing our minds. We wrap with actionable recommendations in light of this week's topic: 5Calls.org (Andrew) and Indivisible.org (Laura). In the Dumpster Fire Corner, we unpack the alarming abduction of Nancy Guthrie: the strange digital trail involving Nest camera footage that supposedly didn’t exist, and what it means for your data privacy. Plus the latest Epstein file developments, including newly revealed names, political finger-pointing, and mounting pressure on powerful figures. And in this week's installment of After Dark, we're getting honest about marriage, long-term partnerships, divorce, and what commitment looks like for Millennials who aren’t in a rush to walk down the aisle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support #Millennial!⁠⁠⁠ Visit Patreon.com/millennial to get exclusive bonus episodes, live stream access, and more! Visit our merch store: ⁠⁠https://shop.millennialshow.com⁠⁠ Follow the show in your favorite podcast app and leave us a review! In the Dumpster Fire Corner, MAGA finally drops the cosplay and admits the Second Amendment bit was performative all along.Then we dig into TikTok’s new U.S. entity and what (if anything) changes now that Oracle, Silver Lake, and friends are in charge. Are the updated terms sketchy, is there a new algorithm, and did anyone else notice the weekend chaos? Then, it’s time for a health check inspired by a NY Times aging test. We took a timed walk, tried to stand up from sitting on the floor with no hands, and balancing on one leg with our eyes closed. Then we got real honest about what was surprisingly harder than expected, where we want to improve, and how we’re thinking about fitness in 2026. On theme for this week, we've got some healthy recommendations for y'all! Undercover Chocolate Quinoa Crisps (Andrew), Cadense Adaptable Shoes (Laura), and a PSA from Pam about the importance of regular health screenings. And in this week's installment of After Dark: We get some part 2 updates about petty family dynamics and learn a new fun way to troll people you have shared digital photo frames with. Plus, how to handle people who insist on commenting negatively about your vacation choices... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support #Millennial!⁠⁠⁠ Visit Patreon.com/millennial to get exclusive bonus episodes, live stream access, and more! Visit our merch store: ⁠⁠https://shop.millennialshow.com⁠⁠ Follow the show in your favorite podcast app and leave us a review! This week, we’re cutting through the chaos with real talk about a terrifying few weeks in America: the killing of Renee Good by ICE, an administration racing to control the narrative, nationwide protests, secret-police energy, war crimes, intimidation of federal officials, and a president openly flipping off a worker on camera. We break down why “raw video is fact," and why knowing your rights when approached by ICE or law enforcement is essential. Check out the resources shared in this week's episode: National Immigrant Justice Center and ACLU: Immigrants' Rights. Then we switch gears to ask: have people actually gotten ruder since the pandemic, or does it just feel that way? We dig into Pew’s data, rank the most irritating public behaviors, air our own petty grievances, and take a nostalgic look at what got weirdly hot during COVID and then immediately died (RIP 3% mortgage rates, Peloton dreams, and plastic germ screens). Here's what's on tap for recommendations this week: Owala free sip water bottles (Andrew), Oli Pop prebiotic soda (Laura), and Olive & June's gel manicure system (Pam). And in this week's edition of After Dark: Move over Karen, there's a new name stereotype for a pushy demanding middle aged woman in town: apparently Jessica is the millennial generation equivalent based on how common the name is in our age group. Do we agree with this assessment? What's in a name, anyway? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support #Millennial! The holiday season is here and so is our best offer at https://Patreon.com/millennial! Sign up for an annual membership and receive 20% off your subscription, guaranteeing perks through 2026!⁠⁠⁠ Visit our merch store: ⁠⁠https://shop.millennialshow.com⁠⁠ Follow the show in your favorite podcast app and leave us a review! We’re kicking off our final episode of the year by revisiting our 2025 predictions to see who deserves bragging rights (and who needs to quietly log off). We also make some 2026 predictions, and can't wait to see how wrong Laura is this time a year from now! Then we're getting reflective with a deep dive into personal values, resolutions, and themes for 2026, inspired by Brené Brown’s framework of choosing just two core values to guide your life. We unpack why clarity around values helps reduce shame, strengthens boundaries, and makes hard decisions easier, especially when life gets loud or uncomfortable. We get into how we plan to live these values in 2026, from setting firmer boundaries and protecting work-life balance to journaling, changing family dynamics, and choosing alignment over comfort. And we've got your final 2025 recommendations locked and loaded: Santa Fe Style Salad with Chicken - Fresh Retail, Private Label, Foodservice (Andrew), giving the gift of time with you to a loved one this holiday season (Laura), and Softymo deep cleansing oil (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark, we go deeper into our values and share some recent life events and realizations that have helped firm up our values and our boundaries. 2026 will be the year of boundaries, self-advocacy, equity, and having absolutely zero patience for bullshit as we get older. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices