Fanpals

Remember when we said our schedule was going to be casual? We meant it. More than a month later here's episode 2 of season 2 of Fanpals, recorded in January. And wow, things in the world have ALREADY changed so much since recording! Anyway, this is Liz's panini recap, featuring Noah Reid (shoutout to former Rosebuddies!), Ever Given/Suez canal fanfic, and the phrase "rawdogging other people's faces." You're welcome. Also content warnings for (brief mentions of): brain fog, body/self image/weight, aging parent health, death. (If we missed any let us know!) Some items of note & their timestamps: 3:30 - Start of the 2020 (no, really, Lauren) recap 26:50 - Casually bought a house 42:45 - Obligatory quarantine baking 43:25 - Learning to play piano (ish) 49:35 - Yes school still ugh 55:05 - 9-1-1 tease (the TV show) 56:45 - Supernatural season 16 (that's mostly a joke) 1:12:35 - TikTok 1:15:15 - Real quick MCU tangent Once we get through the first few new episodes of catching up with each other, we'd love to catch up with YOU. Come talk to us about your last two years, what's changed for you, what you're into, and all that good stuff. We'd love to have you, so you should email us at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com and let us know you want to come on the show. You should also let us know what you think about the episode by tweeting using #Fanpals, or @'ing us directly at @fanpalspodcast. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And we're so happy to be back.

WE'RE BACK!!!!! It's been two years, and a LOT has changed. We missed you desperately, and we hope you'll join us for what we're calling Season 2 of Fanpals. In our first episode back Lauren talks about her life for the last two years, including breakdowns about school and hockey, upgrading her already incredible garden, and her new fandom tattoos. Some items of note & their timestamps (also cw: weight loss): 0:04:45 - An announcement about Keysmash 0:08:20 - The first q: how much did your daily life change? There may also be a tangent during which Liz rants about ESPN and their garbage app. Whoops? Once we get through the first few new episodes of catching up with each other, we'd love to catch up with YOU. Come talk to us about your last two years, what's changed for you, what you're into, and all that good stuff. We'd love to have you, so you should email us at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com and let us know you want to come on the show. You should also let us know what you think about the episode by tweeting using #Fanpals, or @'ing us directly at @fanpalspodcast. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And we're so happy to be back.

It's finally time for Liz and Mel to get their Rise of Skywalker feelings off their chests. We also marvel at the fact that Lauren is actually watching television shows, and discuss some upcoming stuff that has us keysmashingly excited. Here are some rough timestamps for this episode, in case you want to skip bits (but you shouldn't): 0:00:20 - Intros 0:01:10 - Fandom in the wild 0:14:10 -Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 0:42:00 - Liz talks about Destiel 0:49:00 - Lucifer 0:51:15 - Hannibal and other shows Lauren has actually been watching 1:03:50 - Self-insert fic scenarios We also rant a little (okay a lot) about toxic shipping, because you can't talk about Star Wars OR Supernatural without touching on that subject. We're still looking for guests, and we promise we'll post your episode before the world burns completely up. If you'd like to join us, email us at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. And then let us know what you think about the episode by tweeting using #Fanpals, or @'ing us directly at @fanpalspodcast. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A million years ago we recorded an amazing episode with fandom networker Bessyboo, and it only took Liz this long to edit it. :grimace: If you really want to hear some retro internet/fandom lingo, then you MUST give this episode your full attention. Here are some rough timestamps for this episode, in case you want to skip bits (but you shouldn't): :25 - Intros 1:45 - Bess's fandom history (which is extensive) 38:30 - Sorting dicks into Hogwarts houses 43:45 - Back to Bess's fandom history 1:10:20 - Podfic chat (which could have been SO! MUCH! LONGER! We also talk about how we can help normalize fandom. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this in particular. We're looking for guests, and we promise we'll post your episode before the world burns completely up. If you'd like to join us, email us at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. And then let us know what you think about the episode by tweeting using #Fanpals, or @'ing us directly at @fanpalspodcast. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE'RE BACK! Did you miss us? (Or, more likely, did you not even notice we were gone?) We missed you. Let us tell you what we've been up to. Here are some rough timestamps for this episode, in case you want to skip bits: 0:15 - Intros & updates 2:00 - What about our old episodes? 8:15 - Fandom projects we're currently involved in (Spread the Love, saving the Yahoo! Groups, NaNoWriMo, Yuletide) 34:15 - What's been occupying our fannish brains in the last couple of months Plus, Liz pitches an idea for a serialized fiction podcast loosely based on Mel's real life drama. Honestly, we think we have a hit on our hands. Want to tell us how you missed us? You can do that by following @fanpalspodcast on Twitter and using the hashtag #Fanpals. You can also email us at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. You should also come be a guest on our show so we can really get to know each other. We promise we'll edit your episode and post it right away. Honestly though, we're so thrilled to be back. We really did miss you.

This episode was recorded in front of a live, marina audience. That audience consisted of ice cream peddlers, pedicab drivers, Marvel fans on a boat, and entitled ladies who thought they could just walk right into San Diego Comic-Con and interview a chef. Opening clip courtesy of Betty Gilpin, from the Entertainment Weekly Women Who Kick Ass panel. Join Liz and Mel as they talk - FACE TO FACE! - about the first few days of SDCC, no longer feeling beholden to The CW, Batwoman's lollipop head, the effervescent new Nancy Drew, young Pennyworth, and more. As you're listening, feel free to share your thoughts by email (fanpalspodcast@gmail.com) or Twitter (@fanpalspodcast or using the hashtag #Fanpals). You can also contact us if you'd like to be a guest on the show. We'd love that, and we think you would too.

IT'S THE FIRST EPISODE OF YEAR 02 OF FANPALS! This episode is brought to you by Laurens, because our guest is the Lauren that made our logo, which means the entire front end of our show is done by Laurens. We love Laurens. Guest Lauren shared with us her deep and abiding love for music fandoms (especially boy bands, if you couldn't already tell by the title) and her current obsession with podcasts. Rough time stamps for topic changes (though these don't account for each and every tangent, that would be impossible): 0:45 - Guest intro 1:05 - The Dayton area tornadoes 4:10 - Costco food 8:05 - Early fandoms aka falling hard for Leo DiCaprio 22:20 - NSync 29:25 - Lauren is SUCH a Justin girl 41:45 - How Schitt's Creek fandom is like Twilight fandom 48:25 - Bandom 56:10 - One Direction fic tangent 59:45 - Podcast fandoms 1:06:00 - JoCo Cruise 1:11:20 - What Lauren is into now, and how she shares her fandom Also, Mel drops a YELLOWCARD reference, because why not. If you want to be a guest on the show - and honestly, why wouldn't you? - you should email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com or tweet @fanpalspodcast. You should also subscribe, rate, and review. Please and thank you!

ANOTHER EPISODE WE RECORDED IN APRIL! No, you can't tell that Liz took a break from editing/posting episodes in May.

As you can tell from the hockey chat in this episode, we recorded this waaaaay back in April. Guest Mel (aka @jane_anon, a host of @nerdsofpreycast, Confab Con con comm member) joined us to talk about anime, the wild early days of SPN fandom, and so many other things. Rough time stamps for topic changes (though these don't account for each and every tangent, that would be impossible): 0:50 - Guest intro 4:55 - X-Files 7:15 - Cowboy Bebop 9:05 - Vampire Appreciation Club 12:10 - Harry Potter 16:10 - Stargate Atlantis 17:40 - Lauren's watching a TV show! 20:30 - Closed captions, yay or nay? 22:05 - Why guest Mel got into older shows 22:50 - Reading fic without knowing the source material 25:25 - Supernatural 33:40 - ConFabCon 48:20 - How guest Mel currently fandoms (conventions) 1:01:45 - What Guest Mel is into right now 1:07:00 - Yuri On Ice!!! 1:10:35 - MCU Also, learn why you want to be a guest in Liz's home. (She leaves porn out bedside for her guests, that's why.) If you want to be a guest on the show - and honestly, why wouldn't you? - you should email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com or tweet @fanpalspodcast. You should also subscribe, rate, and review. Please and thank you!

A million years ago, the Fanpals recorded an episode with guest Celli. It has finally been edited and it's now live. And it was worth we wait (we think). Rough time stamps for topic changes (though these don't account for each and every tangent, that would be impossible): 2:30 - Intro to Celli and also Brandon Bollig 12:00 - Early fandom memories (classic Trek & BSG) 16:45 - Due South & Highlander 29:30 - Tangent about how time is wacky 35:00 - Back to Highlander! 39:30 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer 41:30 - Power Rangers 46:30 - Back to BtVS 54:00 - Firefly 57:45 - Multifandomness 1:06:00 - Hockey fandom & you-know-who 1:12:45 - AO3 & OTW 1:23:00 - How to find Celli We also had a real nice chat about gen fic! If you want to be a guest on the show - and honestly, why wouldn't you? - you should email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com or tweet @fanpalspodcast. You should also subscribe, rate, and review. Please and thank you!

WE'RE BACK! Your Fanpals decided to go guestless to catch up on all the new stuff they're into, or old stuff that they've been going back to. It's a Fanpals State of Fandom, so to speak. Here are the rough time stamps for the episode, in case you want to only listen to one part: 14:00 - Theme intro (everything before that is catching up on life and talking about the weather) 16:05 - Endgame chat, because we never got to talk about it together 31:20 - What Mel is reading & watching (Dramione, SG1, Longmire, Black Summer) 36:00 - Lauren's grandma tangent 41:00 - The state of gardening fandom 48:30 - Lauren watched a TV show! (Or tried to.) 51:00 - Liz's Schitt's Creek spiral timeline 59:50 - RuPaul's Drag Race Seriously though, we do so much bitching about the weather. And this was pre-terrible tornadoes that devastated so much of the Midwest. If you want to be a guest on Fanpals, you can let us know at @fanpalspodcast or at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. You can also use that contact info to share your thoughts on the episode with us. We'd love to hear them, because we love you!

In this week's episode, Liz drags guests Meg and Renee to therapy because EVERYTHING IS ENDING. We watched the Supernatural finale (the penultimate finale!) AND Avengers: Endgame this weekend, and we needed to talk about it. Like, a lot. Like, a lot a lot. THERE ARE SPOILERS ALL OVER THIS EPISODE. From basically moment one. So if you do not want to be spoiled for the season finale of Supernatural or Avengers: Endgame, then give this one a miss pals. Here are the rough time stamps for the episode, in case you want to only listen to one part: 4:40 - We start talking about the Supernatural finale 14:00 - VERY BRIEF GAME OF THRONES INTERLUDE (like, super brief, and I don't think we spoile anything) 23:50 - VERY BRIEF CHRISTOPHER PIKE INTERLUDE (spoilers for a 30 year old book, omggggg) 47:15 - This is when the Endgame chat starts, and it doesn't end. Like, ever. We also have a lovely introspective discussion of canon ending and what that means for a fandom, and there's also a beautiful little mutual admiration society moment at the end that very nearly uncorked the feelings Liz has been SQUASHING since about noon on Friday. All your Fanpals hosts will be back together in the next episode, so if you missed Mel and Lauren as much as Liz did, don't fret. You only have a week to wait. If you want to be a guest on Fanpals, you can let us know at @fanpalspodcast or at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. PLEASE share your thoughts on these two momentous endings with us as well. WE LOVE YOU!

Last month Lauren went to her first big convention with Liz, so the Fanpals talk about that and other things this week. Here are some rough timestamps for topic changes (though remember we love a good tangent): 2:45 - Intro and random real life chat 10:00 - Segue to topic and Lauren's visit with Liz's cat 13:30 - Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 24:30 - Lauren's con newb insights 27:00 - Twisted Toonz and John Barrowman 34:45 - Kids in cosplay 41:15 - Fandom confession 44:00 - Tyler Hoechlin, Dylan O'Brien's #1 fan 51:45 - Clueless panel; Paul Rudd is a good egg 1:05:00 - Artist Alley 1:10:45 - Sissy tangent 1:12:30 - Most Likely To, Con Edition Also, we learn that Liz is terrible at keg stands. You should totally send us a fandom confession! You should also come on the podcast. Just email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com, or tweet us @fanpalspodcast. We love you!

Fanpals do memes! We've always wondered what our house elf names would be. Memes start at 11:30, before that we do a fandom confession and just a little bit of yelling about Gritty. As we do. If you want to be a guest on Fanpals, let us know! You can email us at fanpalspodcast@gmail.com, or tweet us @fanpalspodcast. And join in the conversation online with the hashtag #Fanpals. WE LOVE YOU.

Finally, the kdrama episode! You may not know this, but this episode has been almost four months in the making. Partlygood joins the Fanpals for the third time (though this is the first you're hearing her) to talk about Hindi films, kdramas, and so much more. Rough time stops for topic changes (though these don't account for each and every tangent, that would be impossible): 1:15 - guest intro (re-intro?) 3:30 - potions chat 6:00 - My Little Pony, Quantum Leap, and Star Trek: The Next Generation 12:15 - What would we do if we lost AO3? 16:00 - Hindi movies 37:30 - Twilight 46:30 - Teen Wolf and Hawaii Five-0 47:45 - Kdramas, how and what to watch Also, we want to commit to bringing back the zine. Who's with us? If you want to be a guest on the show - and honestly, why wouldn't you? - you should email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com or tweet @fanpalspodcast. You should also subscribe, rate, and review. Please and thank you!

From a Dallas Stars initiation in a San Diego hotel room to learning the sport and applying that knowledge to a Supernatural hockey AU, Renee Hess's hockey fandom has been a whirlwind that led her to starting the Black Girl Hockey Club. Learn more about the creation of the BGHC (more than she's shared with all the real professionals she's had interviews with) and the future of the organization as Renee tries to get a word in edgewise with the giddy cohosts of Fanpals. We talk creating community and making space in an otherwise cis white male world, how maritime folk music really is the perfect soundtrack for hockey fandom, and sadly not at all about dicks, despite what the opening of the show might lead you to believe. (There is some conversation about butts though!) No time stamps despite this being a longer episode, because there was SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT with Renee, and y'all should really just listen to all of it, okay? You should also then listen to this: https://youtu.be/UU9HGvfXJkc Just trust us on this one. If you want to be a guest on Fanpals, let us know! We want to branch out in our fandoms, and we love chatting about the cool projects that stem from those fandoms, so hit us up. Email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com, tweet us @fanpalspodcast, or just use the hashtag #Fanpals so we can find you and coerce you into coming on the show.

Content/trigger warnings: death, suicide After Luke Perry died suddenly this past week, Liz needed to talk through her feelings about him, and celebrity deaths in general. Thank goodness for the Fanpals, including recurring guest Meg, who stepped in to talk things through. Don't worry, the episode isn't a total downer. We tried to end with a little lighthearted conversation about the parents we love on teenage shows (and other shows as well). But mostly this episode is therapy. If you're looking for someone to talk to, we're here for you. But there are also trained professionals who are there for you. One of our favorite organizations To Write Love On Her Arms has an awesome resource search tool here: https://twloha.com/find-help/ We love you.

DID YOU MISS US? One of Liz's Queer as Folk fanpals joins us this week, and Liz made it all the way through the episode without having a breakdown! Granted, we talked about more than just QaF. Aimee is a fan of boy bands, theater, and so much more. Time stamps for topic changes (though these are pretty rough, since we don't stick to one thing for too long): 1:10 - Days of Our Wives 2:00 - Guest intro 2:45 - Fandom confession 8:30 - Aimee's fandom history (starting with Hanson and The Moffatts) 18:15 - 98 Degrees tangent 21:45 - Queer as Folk 23:00 - One off fandoms and discovering slash fic 34:45 - The great LJ vs. bjfic.net war, and hosting our own fic sites 45:00 - As The World Turns 48:30 - Seeing QaF castmembers in live shows 53:30 - The NSync Walk of Fame star ceremony 1:01:00 - Not so live Rent 1:08:00 - Panic! at the Disco hearts 1:10:00 - Grofflesauce Pay close attention so you don't miss Mel's terrible Nancy Kerrigan impression. To join in the conversation, you can tweet us @fanpalspodcast, or just use the #Fanpals tag so we can see what you're saying about us.

Liz got to interview Mike Kingston of Headlocked Comics about his comic and other projects, as well as the state of wrestling as a whole. There's a lot of overlap between comic book fandom and wrestling fandom, which makes sense if you look at the storytelling techniques of both forms of entertainment. The interview starts at 31:00, and it's a good conversation even if you aren't into wrestling. And who knows, maybe you'll listen to it and decide to give sports entertainment a shot! Before the interview, the Fanpals start talking about the kind of stories they wish were being told, which kind of devolves into talking shit about jobs and family ... not that this show is known for tangents or anything.

Fanpals' guest this week is Lyn, who was one of the founders of Keysmash. She talks about her various fannish interests, and only prompts a few tangents from the Fanpals along the way. Time stamps for topic changes (though these are pretty rough, since we don't stick to one thing for too long): 1:15 - Guest intro 3:50 - Blackhawks conventions 8:05 - The Robert Buckley story (sorry, Steph) 11:30 - Lyn's fandom history, and the brief backstory of lemons and limes 15:30 - Gritty tangent (because what episode is complete without one) 16:30 - How Lyn fandoms 21:00 - Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren and Mel's rant about villains 23:00 - Twilight fandom 24:55 - One Direction fandom 43:45 - Post-1D fandom drifting 49:00 - The Magicians 54:45 - Liz's Tom Ellis story Also, listen for Lauren likening Mel to a WalMart greeter, and talk about how winter has made a sudden and awful appearance in the Midwest. To join in the conversation, you can tweet us @fanpalspodcast, or just use the #Fanpals tag so we can see what you're saying about us.

Mel, Liz, and Lauren share some of their plotbunnies and WIP premises in this week's episode. And they're up for adoption! From Supernatural gen to hockey porn, our bunnies land anywhere on the spectrum from G- to X-rated. And like regular bunnies, they breed! The more we talk about ideas in different fandoms, the more ideas we come up with. Do any of our bunnies sound interesting to you? Feel free to write the fic and link us. Go to keysmashblog.com and comment on the supplemental post if you have any plot bunnies available for adoption. We're calling it the Plot Bunny Farm, and we'd love to read about your bunnies.

Liz FINALLY gets her wish of interviewing fan families. The first Fan Families guests are fanmom Leiah and her mini-me Lily. They talk Harry Potter (with bonus strong opinion eyebrows), conventions, and BTS. Are we introverted because we're fanpeople or are we fanpeople because we're introverted? The Fanpals discuss all this and more with Leiah and Lily. Listen until the end to hear Lily's excellent explanation of being a fan. Listen all the way to very end to hear Leiah mildly horrify her daughter with HP fic talk. Heh. WE FINALLY HAVE SUPPLEMENTAL POSTS AGAIN. Go to keysmashblog.com to see some adorable visual aides to this week's episode. You can also go to iTunes and rate and review the podcast. Follow us on Twitter @fanpalspodcast, and if you have feedback or a topic request, or you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, you can let us know by emailing fanpalspodcast@gmail.com.

In last week's episode Lauren stated that one of her 2019 goals is to watch a television show. Yes, just one. Listen in as Mel and Liz try to convince her to watch one of their shows. Will Lauren actually watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Doubtful. But Liz had to try. Mel also has a great list of "honorable mentions" shows that don't meet Lauren's criteria. No ongoing shows, what????? Do you have any suggestions for TV Lauren - or Liz, or Mel - should get into? Let us know! You can email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com or tweet us @fanpalspodcast.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. Your Fanpals have some goals and resolutions for 2019 that they'd like to share with you. Some are fannish, some are more geared towards real life, but they're all important and hopefully achievable. Do you set goals or resolutions or the symbolic clean slate of the calendar flipping to a new year? Share with us! Cheers to you, dears, and to a new year that is hopefully better but at least not any shittier than the one before.

It's finally time for your Fanpals to talk about their favorite fic. Listen in for a discussion of their go-to stories for laughing, crying, feeling good, and Feeling Good (if you catch our totally subtle drift). Links included here because there's no supplemental post this week (Keysmash is on holiday hiatus). Enjoy! http://keiramarcos.com/fan-fiction/stargate-atlantis-fan-fiction/ties-that-bind-sga-au/ https://archiveofourown.org/works/829356 https://archiveofourown.org/works/3551783 https://archiveofourown.org/works/20449 https://kyliselle.livejournal.com/4014.html https://archiveofourown.org/series/211 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6031117/1/Raw-and-Rosy https://archiveofourown.org/works/9639062 https://archiveofourown.org/works/3252782 http://austeninterlude.com/paula/gm.html https://archiveofourown.org/works/538425 https://archiveofourown.org/works/9406391 https://archiveofourown.org/works/487739 https://archiveofourown.org/series/13631 https://archiveofourown.org/works/330890 https://archiveofourown.org/series/21308 https://archiveofourown.org/works/617850 If you'd like to be a guest on Fanpals, or you have a topic you'd like us to discuss, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. You can also tweet us @fanpalspodcast, or use #Fanpals to join in the conversation!

Mel, Liz, and Lauren talk about the fictional events they want to attend, and then Liz interviews two women who have organized a super awesome Yule Ball in Milwaukee. Hear all about how they went from "we should have a real Harry Potter event for adults" to throwing what has basically become wizard prom. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 1:20 - Host intros 1:37 - Theme discussion 3:30 - The fictional events we would want to attend 12:15 - Interview with Lynn Richter and Lisa Romella, organizers of the Yule Ball Also, do you think they reuse the stands for the Quidditch World Cup? Don't forget to head to keysmashblog.com for the supplemental post. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

We couldn't help ourselves. We had to talk about that "Harry Potter hills to die on" tweet. You know the one. (If you don't, go to keysmashblog.com and check out the supplemental post!) Lauren, Liz, and Mel welcome back guest Renee to talk about their unpopular HP opinions, and share some headcanons as well. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 0:30 - Host and guest intros 3:15 - Fandom Confession 7:00 - Explanation of theme and discussion of original tweet 19:05 - Our personal HP hills to die on 55:40 - HP HCs Also, learn why Gryffindor is known as the House of Hold My Beer, and why Zuko from ATLA is basically Draco. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

For the first time ever, Fanpals welcomes a pal that was an RL pal first. Lauren and Liz get to meet Mel's coworker Leah, who is a role player. She presents Roleplaying 101, covering everything from creating an original character to what tense to play in. (Third person! We love this.) Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 1:45 - Guest intro and fandom history (Star Wars, X-Men, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and more!) 12:00 - Mel's glasses tangent 15:30 - Liz's PVMNTS tangent 19:00 - Roleplaying 27:00 - Lauren's fic tangent 29:00 - Back to roleplaying 33:00 - Negative connotations of Mary Sue 35:00 - Ageism in roleplaying 36:00 - How roleplaying happens on tumblr 51:00 - Don't age shame people for their fannish activities! 57:00 - tumblr -> Pillowfort 1:00:00 - Best fandom confession ever! 1:04:00 - Spread The Love reminder We also discuss the advantages of roleplaying versus fic, and Liz promises she'll watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. Check out the supplemental post on keysmashblog.com! If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

Mel, Lauren, and a heavily medicated Liz host guest Jess to talk about her multi-layered sportsiness. From being a fan of the sport, to being a fan of the fic, and even to working in the industry, this conversation covers many aspect of sports fandom. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 2:30 - Guest intro & how Jess got into sports 9:30 - The transition from RL sports fan to transformative works sports fan 16:40 - Why is hockey so homoerotic? 25:30 - Hockey is violent ... and that can be hot 28:45 - Minor league beer fight tangent 32:45 - Getting into baseball fandom 36:30 - Other sports fandoms 38:15 - Real life sports fans, they're just like us 40:00 - Mel shows off her sports knowledge 41:05 - Why do sports lend themselves to transformative works? 42:50 - Our favorite tropes in sports fandoms 50:00 - How sports fic makes you want to learn more about the actual sport There may or may not be a moment in which Liz cannot figure out what the opening play of a football is called. *face palm* Check out the supplemental post on keysmashblog.com! If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

Your fave fanpals are getting into the holiday spirit with a couple of games involving holiday movies. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 2:30 - Our first fandom confession, and it's a doozy! 6:30 - Call for Fleet Week submissions (it starts Nov. 19th, but we're happy to take late posts!) 7:15 - Spread the Love reminder 11:30 - Why we're getting into the holiday spirit early(ish) 17:00 - This, That, Or the Other: Holiday Movie Edition 32:45 - Snog/Marry/BFF: Holiday Movie Edition 52:30 - Reminder that we'll be your family if yours bums you out during the holidays (or year round, really) because WE LOVE YOU. Weigh in on the hot topic of whether Kevin McAllister becomes a sociopath or a tech bro (not that the two are mutually exclusive), and whether or not Liz has a daddy kink. (She doesn't. Probably.) For visual aids for the games, check out the supplemental post on keysmashblog.com. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

Liz attended an awesome convention called Confabulation (or ConFabCon) and then sat down with three of the founders to talk about the con's origin story, and its future. If you like hanging out with fanpeople without the pressures of a big, celeb-attended convention, then you'd definitely love ConFab. It's an extended slumber party for fanpeople! Thanks to Chaneen, GirlPhenom, and Mary for being guests this week and sharing their stories with us. If you'd like to be a guest on Fanpals, you can email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com or tweet @fanpalspodcast. If you have comments or feedback on this episode, you can also send it to those places or just use the #Fanpals tag and we'll find you!

This week Fanpals invited a guest, Rachel aka the_deep_magic, to talk about Teen Wolf. We've been deep in our feelings about this show lately, and we wanted to really hash out what it was about the show and the fandom that sucked us in. We also discuss our unpopular opinions, what we'd change about canon (SHERIFF'S NAME IS JOHN, NOT NOAH, FFS), and our favorite fanon. We also talk about our OTPs and NOTPs. Listen in and then share your Teen Wolf opinions with us! If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

New segments! Fanpals want to share your fandom confessions, your OTPs, and your family anecdotes. For information on Fandom Confessions, Fleet Week, and Fan Families, check out the episode AND the supplemental post on keysmashblog.com. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 3:20 - New segment intros 3:50 - Fandom confessions 5:50 - Tangent about people asking AO3 to ban some fic 11:15 - Back to confessions! 19:50 - Fleet Week (Inej/Kaz, Harry Potter/Charlie Weasley, Christian Yelich/Lorenzo Cain, Hermione/Krum, Peter/Stiles, Timeless OT3) 49:40 - Fan Families Also, do you prefer to read/write the word cock or the word dick? Liz is undecided. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

Is our generation more nostalgic than others? When you're removed from a fandom, is a rewatch of a show or movie more enjoyable? Do you more closely identify with your childhood pop culture or the pop culture from your teenage years? Fanpals Lauren, Liz, and Mel explore these questions and more with returning guest Meg. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 3:00 - Topic intro and childhood nostalgia (Nickelodeon cartoons and other shows, PBS shows, the Baby-Sitter's Club, etc.) 12:00 - Nostalgia specifically for millenials/xennials 20:00 - Shows of the 00s (BtVS, QaF, Merlin, Teen Wolf, etc.) 26:30 - A The Good Place tangent 27:30 - Reboots and remakes 39:00 - When nostalgia is bad for you (and us) 47:00 - The difference between hatewatching and making fun of stuff that knows it's ridiculous 58:00 - Movie nostalgia 1:03:00 - Music nostalgia 1:06:00 - Using nostalgia to connect with kids (or new fans) 1:07:45 - What would you want to be remade? There might be a political rant or two sprinkled throughout, but they're relatively short and non-nausea inducing, we promise. No supplemental post this week, but you should still check out keysmashblog.com. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

No timestamps this week because this whole episode is about hockey! But don't worry, non-hockey fans, it's not like super in depth or anything. In fact, just the opposite. Lauren and Liz (both hockey fans) make Mel (a total non-hockey fan) pick a team based only on visual aides (mascots and team headshots of the team's "leaders") and the basic fandom knowledge she has. We think her choice will surprise - and please - everyone! Head to keysmashblog.com for the same visual aides that Mel was given, as well as the brackets created from her top picks from each division, and then you can play along! If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

We were LONG overdue for a good Harry Potter chat. We barely scratch the surface in this week's episode with guest Ash. It's all sorting and Fantastic Beasts, and a little bit of J.K. Rowling needing to not screw up anymore of our headcanons. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 1:20 - Hobo children 3:15 - Guest introduction 5:25 - WILLY NILLY FRIENDING & Pillowfort 9:15 - "Ash, back to you!" 10:45 - Liz talks about Mel writing blog posts 13:00 - Attempting to give Lauren a heart attack via fic organization talk 15:30 - Ash's fandom history 16:45 - A Discovery of Witches tangent 19:00 - SO MUCH TELEVISION (which Ash doesn't watch) 21:15 - Harry Potter fandom 27:30 - What Ash reads 33:00 - Brief sports tangent & linguistic shenanigans 34:30 - RPF & the TwiRPF stigma 35:15 - Merlin 36:30 - Baseball chat 39:00 - Ash finally gets to tell us what she's reading 40:30 - Harry Potter houses and ships 53:30 - Post-canon JK Rowling 1:13:30 - Yule Ball invite 1:17:15 - Upcoming Fanpals stuff: Fleet Week, Fandom Confessions, Fan Families Prepare yourself for more Mel rants. ;) Keep an eye on keysmashblog.com for the supplemental post because Matthew Goode chasing a deer is too good to miss. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

CHRIS PINE'S PENIS. That's it, that's the episode. Okay, not really. But that's why guest Steph came back. She really, super wanted to talk about Chris Pine's penis. But first we made her listen to us talk about some of our old favorites who have new gigs we're excited about. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 1:00 - How the Cubs ruined 2016 (and probably the world) 6:00 - Tomiwa Edun and A Discovery of Witches 11:45 - Eoin Macken and Nightflyers 18:30 - Anna Kendrick and Life After Beth 21:30 - Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mary Poppins Returns 25:00 - Renee Elise Goldsberry and The House With a Clock On the Walls 26:15 - Tyler Posey and PVMNTS 35:00 - Laverne Cox 38:00 - CM Punk and The Girl on the Third Floor 41:45 - Simon Pegg and Slaughterhouse Rules 43:00 - Zachary Quinto and the Golden Age romance 46:45 - CHRIS PINE'S PENIS We didn't include timestamps for when Mel rants about Merlin and How I Met Your Mother, or when Liz decides that Chris Pine is the Harry Styles of Hollywood, because we want you to discover those nuggets of joy for yourself. Keep an eye on keysmashblog.com for the supplemental post: SO MANY GOOD VISUAL AIDES. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

You know those awesome timestamps we introduced in the last episode's liner notes? Those were a suggestion from this week's super-smart (and super-lovely)guest, Chelle. We talk about rekindling the community spirit of fandom on Pillowfort, vicarious fannish joy, and Liam Payne being a ding dong. And, Liz and Chelle's geographic rivalry heats up! Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 4:30 - Accelerated fandom history of Chelle, including New Kids on the Block, The X-Files, My So-Called Life, and more! 17:00 - Pillowfort, and how the communities are going to revitalize fandom 31:00 - Chicagoans and Milwaukeeans don't always get along 35:00 - Vicarious fannish joy 38:00 - Liam Payne is a ding dong 45:00 - How we currently fandom, a deeper dive The best part of that 31 minute mark is Mel being super concerned about Chelle and Liz, even though they really do love each other (under all the local sports disagreements). No supplemental post for this episode, but you should check out keysmashblog.com anyway. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

It's a slumber party! Get in your jimjams, get back in bed, and cuddle up with your fanpals. This week's guest Mary is here to talk about ageism in fandom, MST3K, the slap that propelled her into One Direction fandom, and the ways in which all of that changed her life. Rough timestamps for topic changes (note that we go on a lot of tangents, so these aren't terribly specific): 5:15 - Mystery Science Theater 3000 12:45 - The Beatles 22:25 - Celebrity-fandom relations (featuring cute stories of fan interactions from One Direction, Star Trek, and other fandoms) 45:30 - Mary's meet-cute 47:00 - Ageism in fandom 1:02:00 - "Chasing the Ghost of Harry Styles Down Broadway" That last story really is a gem. Don't forget to go to keysmashblog.com to read the supplemental post and get all the visual aides for this episode. If you want to be a guest on the podcast, or have an idea for a topic you'd like to hear us chat about, please email fanpalspodcast@gmail.com. Feel free to tweet us @fanpalspodcast with comments or questions about the episode as well.

Fanpals Mel, Liz, and Lauren discuss the apocalypse in their first themed episode. Play along with new segments This, That, Or the Other and Snog/Marry/BFF, where your fanpals try to choose which awful end-of-the-world scenario they'd rather live in, and decide whether Thomas from the Maze Runner would make a better life partner than Old Alice. Stick around for Liz's chat with Adron Buske of the Fictitious podcast, which covers everything from taking comfort from apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, to whether or not our current political situation will eventually make for good entertainment. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post for this episode.

Fanpals Lauren, Liz, and Mel host their very first guest that isn't a personal friend: Emma Grant! Emma has years of podcasting and porning experience, and her insight into fandom sparked several excellent conversations, and gave us ideas for future episodes. Don't miss our talk about Johnlock conspiracy theories, panel kerfuffles, and the beautiful discovery of fic. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post for this episode.

Fanpals Lauren, Liz, and Mel talk to guest Erin about her fandom history, her love of voice actors, and her cosplay. There's also a Geocities shoutout! Love those free sites from the early aughties. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post for this episode.

Liz got to have two great conversations with women who are doing amazing things in geeky spaces. First up is Julia Baritz, the founder of Pillowfort, a new social media platform currently in beta. Learn how the site is marrying LiveJournal and tumblr to provide users with more control over their feeds. Then listen as Liz chats with the ladies behind Hex Comix, a rad comics publisher with an awesome start-up story. Check out their current title, Hex11, and follow them for witchiness and great art! If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post.

This week your fanpals welcome Mel's bestie Steph as a guest, and talk about all the fictional stuff that makes them cry. Because it's totally normal to be attached to people and things that aren't real.

Your fanpals Lauren and Liz (and eventually Mel!) host Lauren's NRLP Renee for a chat about fic diving, crafting a convention for 90s boybands, and not waiting an appropriate amount of time before meeting internet friends in person. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post.

Fanpals Liz and Mel are LIVE from San Diego Comic-Con. Well, they were live when they were recording. You get the idea. We recorded while we were at the convention - hence some of the wonky audio - and then did a post-con chat with guest Renee, Liz's SDCC roommate and writer for Black Nerd Problems. Hear all about our line shenanigans, press room interviews, and the joy of Supernatural. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post.

Fanpals Lauren and Liz host their first guest, Meg! They talk about how to drag your friends into new fandoms, and why fandom = friendship. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post.

Your Fanpals Mel (who has very hard lines when it comes to the media she consumes), Liz (who barely has any lines when it comes to the media she consumes), and Lauren (who doesn't really consume much media at all) talk about the tropes and character dynamics that suck them into a fandom. There are digressions into "nopes," and some teases for future episodes. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post.

Welcome back to Fanpals! In episode two, you can hear Liz's utter dismay over Lauren and Mel not knowing who is who from One Direction, a story about Mel reading scat fic, and Lauren's new theme song. We also talk about starting a fandom for audiobook narrators, and how hot Dylan O'Brien was at LA Pride. If you find yourself wanting to talk back, PLEASE DO! Comment here, or go to keysmashblog.com and leave a comment on the supplemental post.

Fandom would be nothing without the pals we make along the way. In the first episode of this new podcast from Keysmash meet Lauren, Liz, and Mel, the Fanpals. They talk about their fandom histories (Liz is an old, and skipped the Twilight fandom), how they currently participate in fandom (Lauren reads all the fic but doesn't watch any of the shows), and share some anecdotes from their real lives (Mel's story about a banana hammock is particularly funny). Fanpeople are fanpals ... be our fanpal!