The League of Awkward Unicorns

ANNNNNNNNNGER. Oh, what a topic! Alice and Deanna sit down with author "Rage Becomes Her" author Soraya Chemaly to get the scoop on how anger makes us sick, why that's extra extra special for women, and the secrets of swearing for your health. Plus, motherhood, anger rooms and SWIMMING PIGS. Show notes at http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com

Oh good Lord, you want us to tell you what's in this episode? TRASH. TRASH IS IN THIS EPISODE BECAUSE THE WORLD IS ON FIRE AGAIN. Anyhoo, Alice and Deanna explore their feelings about all the things being trash, which includes talk about sexual assault and harassment, but we don't discuss anything graphic or in detail. Just the usual trash fire of American politics-- this time, the Supreme Court nomination. YMMV. Show notes and more at  http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com

Well, hello! Alice and Deanna welcome themselves back from their accidental sabbatical, declaring this episode to be the beginning of Season 3. And that's not all! They also discuss '90s fashion, how much the world is going to hell, what's the worst thing to say to someone in a dark place, why new music is our salvation right now (but note to Beyoncé and Jay-Z, uh, the country is in flames), and what happens when your cardiologist enters the office on his Segway. Plus: delightful things! Show notes and more: leagueofawkwardunicorns.com PS -- You may notice some audio distortion this episode. Our incredibly overpaid sound engineer was asleep on the job, and couldn't totally make it perfect later, and not that she's a perfectionist, but SHE BEGS YOUR FORGIVENESS. ZEE LINKS, OF COOOOUUUURRSE Lifehacker: Nonbinary People Share Their Advice on Coming Out: https://lifehacker.com/nonbinary-people-share-their-advice-on-coming-out-1827016879 Lifehacker: How To Responsibly Share Information About ICE Raids On Social Media: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-responsibly-share-information-about-ice-raids-on-1827203452 "So Velveeta isn't allowed to call itself “cheese” but an unlicensed crisis pregnancy center can pretend to be a medical facility. Okay." https://twitter.com/mizsant/status/1011633663732342784?lang=en Pema Chödrön https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8052.Pema_Ch_dr_n Deanna's article on Medium: https://medium.com/@deanna/why-you-are-loved-and-please-reach-out-are-the-crappiest-things-to-post-after-someone-has-died-484eb23d6715 McSweeney's, 17 Real-Life Would-You-Rathers I, A Woman, Have Had To Ask Myself: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/17-real-life-would-you-rathers-i-a-woman-have-had-to-ask-myself The Beyoncé & Jay Z album, "Everything Is Love" https://listen.tidal.com/album/90521280 Janelle Monae!! http://www.jmonae.com/ Father John Misty: https://fatherjohnmisty.com/ Neko Case: https://nekocase.com/ Her interview with Scott Simon: https://www.npr.org/2018/06/09/618496741/neko-case-on-hell-on Courtney Barnett: https://courtneybarnett.com.au/ The hangry otter: https://www.facebook.com/LADbible/videos/hungry-otter/4674340225946464/ MUSIC!! As ever, we are so grateful to Tacocat for letting us use Shame Spiral as our intro/outro music!!! The goose that gave up is a kid's song, hee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FnVadHLN5c If you don't know the other two songs I used, I cannot help you.

Happy stupid new year! Alice and Deanna are reunited, AGAIN! In this episode, we chat about holidays with the family, how "eating" "better" might make us "feel" "better," and the rollercoaster ride that has been Deanna's #MeToo life these past few weeks. Note: we talk about sexual harassment/assault/abuse in this episode, and we touch on suicide ideation briefly, but none of it is in graphic detail. Links and show notes at http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com.

We're delighted to welcome back Jaclyn Friedman, author of the new book "Unscrewed: Women, Sex, Power, and How to Stop Letting the System Screw Us All." Not timely or anything, AT ALL. We talk about watching porn for science, how sexual liberation is used against women, that men aren't--as it turns out!--helpless, and that care isn't a zero-sum game. Plus: how a video about makeup contouring can soothe your feminist soul. Links and notes at leagueofawkwardunicorns.com.

Alice and Deanna are back! They talk about self-care when the world is falling apart, Tina Fey's problematic comedy, all the ways you can help during a crisis, how criticism is nothing like pie, 45's narcissistic personality disorder, and how bad the word “affirm” sounds. Links and show notes at leagueofawkwardunicorns.com.

Alice took a timeout for this episode, while Deanna interviewed two amazing peeps about some really easy, straightforward topics like race, immigration and the white American Dream as they affect mental health. Meet artists Vu Gandin Le and Sonal Bains, who we just can't stop loving on. Plus, Deanna shares some love for Adobe's 99U Conference (which is like, SO WHITE of her).

Alice and Deanna are back to discuss lots of weird things like being a head in a jar, having a meat suit that needs maintenance, and why money is STUPID. If you're wondering why we called this episode "Wandering Womb," wait for it. It gets worse.

Alice and Deanna chat with the estimable W. Kamau Bell, stand-up comic, television host, podcaster, and now author of a new memoir. We talk about growing up awkward, the search for finding your identity when all you're into is watching TV and sitting, and how your mom can change your life. Plus: delightful things, and why the word “thee” doesn't belong in a pop song. Period. Show notes and more at leagueofawkwardunicorns.com

Oh, the glories of the emotional rollercoaster of depression! In preparation for the coming nuclear apocalypse, Alice and Deanna talk about new therapists, new jobs, and bad yogurt. Show notes and more at leagueofawkwardunicorns.com.

In this week's episode, Alice and Deanna discuss Deanna's problems, FOR ONCE. Find out why Alice thinks making fun of Deanna is the best therapy of all! Plus, why Mike Birbiglia's “Thank God for Jokes” will cure what ails you. Even if you're Deanna.

Alice and Deanna welcome Jessie Sholl — author of “Dirty Secret” and, more importantly, friend. The three of them practice laughing (as you do) and then get down to business talking about phobias and how to overcome them. Plus: delightful things! Links and show notes: leagueofawkwardunicorns.com

Alice and Deanna are back, with heartfelt apologies. They'll never leave you like that again, baby.

Hey, look who's president. Well. Huh. Alice and Deanna talk through their feelings and use the word “terrified” an alarming number of times. And Alice uses the word “dint,” all casual-like. What else? Sloths. Links and more at http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com/

Alice and Deanna chat with writer/performer Paolo Sambrano about how he turned his struggles with bipolar disorder into a one-man show (as you do). They also talk about the pros and cons of treating your body like it's a coding project, why Alice can't meditate, when self-care becomes another form of disordered thinking, and is everything out of reach because you ate gluten once. Plus: delightful things! Show notes and more at http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com/.

It's an intimate Alice-and-Deanna-only episode this week! Our intrepid hosts discuss Alice's recent (re)bout with depression and what she's doing to climb out of her mood hole. Plus: Deanna's breakup helped her find out she can still cry; doing the work that speaks to your precious snowflake soul; and the bright side of everything in our country going right to hell. Last but not least: you can support us now! In different ways! Become a League patron via Patreon (you'll get goodies!) and/or buy League merchandise. (Our website has all the info.) And don't forget to rate us on iTunes, you glorious creatures—it really does help. Links and more at leagueofawkwardunicorns.com

Welcome to Season 2 of The League of Awkward Unicorns! In this episode, Alice interviews Jenny Lawson, bestselling author of “Let's Pretend This Never Happened” and “Furiously Happy.” They discuss why September is actually the cruelest month, how dogs are filled with magic, and the soothing therapeutic powers of Pokemon Go. Plus, Alice and Deanna are reunited—FINALLY. Everything's going to work out! Links and more at leagueofawkwardunicorns.com.

Alice and Deanna welcome their fanciest guest yet: Arianna Huffington! The (fancy) media mogul and author of, most recently, "Sleep Revolution" talks to us about why sleep is essential (even more essential than you thought, folks) for emotional health. We delve into how our culture conspires to deprive us of adequate sleep, why we need to fight the collective delusion that less sleep equals greater productivity, and how we can't train ourselves to genetically mutate (YET). Then Alice and Deanna discuss their upcoming hiatus, the small move that's transformed Deanna's emotional well-being, and how, when the heat and humidity levels rise, Alice gets goofier than usual.

Alice and Deanna leave the bunker to visit musician, actress, and writer, and more: Lane Moore! We discuss workaholism, which is an actual thing (and Lane has it), Lane's attempts to slow down, how showering can be tiresome, why advice-givers rarely tell you something you don't already know, and how you shouldn't have to choose between your creative loves if you love more than one thing. (Thanks, Carrie Brownstein!) Show notes, links and more at http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com!

Alice and Deanna start off singing (a little off-key, maybe, but with gusto) and then wrestle with the Orlando massacre and its aftereffects. We revisit the Circle Theory and how Deanna deals with the overwhelmingness of the world. Alice takes her meds on-air! Finally, we've got a website Deanna created to babysit all our demons, and Alice reads a poem that you all need to hear. Links and more at http://leagueofawkwardunicorns.com/.

Alice's husband joins Alice and Deanna in the League Bunker. Scott Rosann is a video editor/writer/comedy genius who's also been gifted with a heapful of depression and anxiety. Learn how Alice and Scott fell in love and got married even though they were both emotional wrecks! Share our outrage at this week's Hall of Shame inductee! (Warning: there are many f-bombs detonated over this one.) Find out why Beyonce has found her way into Deanna's brain, and Deanna never wants her to leave! Also: delightful things. And finally, a technical snafu. We're keeping it real.

Alice and Deanna are back and 100% alive! We discuss how much the flu can f**k with your head, when OCD is more about intrusive thoughts and less about compulsive behaviors, the origins of lil' Deanna's OCD, the absurdity of being human, the delights of Drunk History, and the secret joys of feelin' safe and gettin' small. Oh, how we've missed this!

Alice and Deanna are still alive. JUST BARELY.

It's a very special crossover episode! Jaclyn Friedman, host of the podcast Unscrewed, talks sexual wellness with us, while Deanna visits Jaclyn on Unscrewed this week to talk about sexual harassment (be sure to check that out!). We discuss sexual assault on campus, how being assaulted changed Jaclyn's worldview, the analogy of the broken stair, and how we should shift our mindset from sex being a commodity to sex as creative/collaborative interaction. (Rowr.) Also, why you'd never force B.B. King to jam (not just because he's dead) and how even a sexpert makes mistakes (sexually). Deanna slips “vis à vis” into the conversation real natural-like, and everyone tries to avoid using the word “journey” and fails utterly.

Alice and Deanna discuss the uncanny similarities between depression and the common cold, why "self-care" shouldn't have to be said in a funny voice, and how ghosts aren't nearly as prank-focused as they could be. Plus new features: "At Least We're Not Still Doing This" and "Asking For a Friend." Information can be fun! Finally: great podcasts you should put in your ears, and how can we find a cat that will let us bathe it?

Alice and Deanna get in a room with healthy snacks and, more importantly, comedian/author Sara Benincasa! Together they work out whether LA or NYC is better for mental health, how you can be depressed even if you're privileged, what it's like to go public with your mental illnesses, and why we should all cultivate radical overconfidence. In a word: delicious.

In which we get together with Paul Gilmartin (comedian and host of The Mental Illness Happy Hour) to discuss childhood abuse, the importance of being part of a community, learning how to be vulnerable, why we minimize our own traumas, and how serial killer stories can be oddly comforting. Plus: Alice opens up about a secret she's been keeping for almost 3 decades. Then: our delightful things this week include a dog story worth waiting for. Trigger warnings for talk about sexual abuse/assault, though no graphic depictions are used.

You should be hearing a whole episode, but no! You're not! We'll be back next week.

Alice and Deanna visit Anna Holmes, editorial director at Fusion and all-around exemplary human, to talk about her experiences with depression and anxiety following the end of a relationship. The three of them cover all kinds of topics, including how panic is like a snarling dog, why we police our feelings, and whether the Pacific is the scariest ocean. Also: Anna refuses to discuss her sordid past in Jazz choir, and Deanna reveals herself to be a sun-worshiping Pagan. Are we really surprised?

We've got a new feature: the Awkward Unicorn Hall of Shame/Hall of Fame. Who are we shaming? Who are we faming, for that matter? There's only one way to find out. (Listening. Listening is the way to find out.) Also, find out why Alice is so gung ho on therapy these days, and what podcasters Deanna loves and probably wants to make out with. (That last part was unstated but assumed.)

We've nabbed our first interview! Artist/activist/writer A'Driane Nieves (aka @addyeb) tells us how she discovered 1) that she was an artist, and 2) that art helped her manage bipolar disorder. We also learn how you can be an amazingly powerful artist even if you can't draw. (Especially hands. Who can draw hands? Not us.) Then Alice and Deanna discuss super hot consensuality and the new title for Ron Howard's next production—for kids!

Happy new year, even if it's not real! In this very special episode, Alice and Deanna discuss why they dislike punitive resolutions, whether consuming tubs of buttercream frosting is fine or problematic, whether you can fend off an attacker using tai chi, and (last but not least) Deanna's epic response to a scandal in the social justice community.

It's the holidays, in case you haven't noticed! Deanna and Alice discuss how Christmas can sometimes be an epic bummer—and New Year's, a great way to help you feel terrible about your life. Other topics covered include the simple joys of Wii bowling, the sanctioned child abuse in “It's a Wonderful Life,” why you shouldn't lock your knees, and the unspoken suffering of the merkin-deprived. You know. The usual.

In which Alice and Deanna discuss current events, why violence is blamed on the mentally ill, the difference between “depression” and “feeling bad because everything is legitimately terrible,” how they've cheered themselves up over the past week, and the weirdest possible way to respond to a compliment.

The debut episode of a new podcast from Alice Bradley and Deanna Zandt, covering the hilarious communal grounds we share in all being a little crazy. Literally awkward, figuratively unicorn.