Podcast appearances and mentions of rafer guzman

Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and a member of the New York Film Critics Circle, shares some of the new movies that he's recommending (including a shout-out for his all-time favorite scary movie for Halloween).

As the Takeaway comes to an end, we get one last set of movie prescriptions from Kristen Meinzer, a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book" and Rafer Guzman, a film critic for Newsday, and they bring us movie prescriptions about embracing change and fresh starts. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy. KRISTEN'S PICKS: Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar, 2021 When middle aged best friends Barb and Star lose their jobs, they decide that a restorative vacation in Vista Del Mar is just what they need to help them ease into the next chapter. But things don't go quite as planned - with mysterious men, villains, and more throwing monkey wrenches into their getaway. Fortunately their friendship, optimism, and sense of humor keeps them strong and ready for anything that's thrown their way. The movie stars Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo.  The lesson: Things in life don't always go as planned. Sometimes we lose a job, and then things get worse from there. But leaning on our friends, and laughing at the absurdity of life can make it all more manageable.  Sister Act, 1992 Whoopie Goldberg stars as a nightclub singer who's forced to go into witness protection in a convent after witnessing a mob hit. While there, she struggles with the regimented life of the nuns. But thanks to her outstanding musical talents and charisma, she's able to turn the convent choir into a soulful chorus complete with a Motown repertoire. The lesson: Sometimes we're thrown into situations that feel wildly out of our purview. But that doesn't mean we can't handle them. In fact, those situations combined with our unique skills mean that we might excel in new ways.  Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, 2010 This documentary follows one year in the life of Joan Rivers. It was filmed when Rivers was 75, and coming out of what she considered a down year...after 40+ years of ups and downs as an actor, writer, and comedian. Along the way, she reveals some of her darker moments, biggest struggles, and incredible work ethic...along with lots of her biting wit.  The lesson: Even a legend like Joan Rivers has had lots of down years...times that could have broken her...but she chose to keep working, evolving, and trying new things. I'll also add that this film has a special place in my heart because when she was on her press tour for it, Rafer and I got to interview her...and she ended up being our first celebrity interview for the Movie Date podcast. RAFER'S PICKS: Harold and Maude, 1971 This is kind of the original cult movie, from 1971 -- before Rocky Horror, before Pink Flamingos, there was Harold and Maude. It's the story of Harold, played by Bud Cort, and he's a very rich, very mobrid young man who spends most of his time staging fake suicides to upset his mother. He hangs himself, cuts his throat, immolates himself and so on. For fun he attends random funerals, and that's where he meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude, played by the great Ruth Gordon. And Maude is a rebel, even kind of an outlaw -- she's kind of a hippie, she poses nude for artists and for some reason she love to steal cars. She just loves to live. And these two start a friendship and despite their vast age difference, they fall in love. There was a time when you could see this movie at an art-house theater just about once a week, and I pretty much did, but I think it got oversaturated and it's really fallen off the radar these days. But I think it's worth revisiting. I like this movie because it seems morbid and perverse, and the humor is very dark. But as it goes on, it gets more and more tender and sincere, and these two characters start to feel very real. And in the end, Maude changes Harold, she gives him a new way of looking at life, she gives him a new spirit and she gives him a new way of expressing himself. She teaches him to play the banjo (and like Steve Martin always said, it's impossible to be in a bad mood when you play a banjo.) And the final scene in the movie, which involves that banjo, it's a really hopeful, happy scene that tell us Harold is about to embark on a whole new life.   Castaway, 2000 Probably most adult humans have seen Castaway but just to refresh you: Tom Hanks plays a guy named Chuck Noland. Happy, likeable guy, works for Fed Ex, he has a girlfriend, played by Helen Hunt, they're both deeply in love. He's really got it all. And then he's in a plane crash. He wakes up on a tiny island, somewhere in Pacific Ocean, surrounded by junk and debris from the plane, completely alone. And he's stuck there for FOUR YEARS. And of course, the most famous thing about this film is probably Wilson, a soccer ball that becomes Chuck's best friend as Chuck starts to go a little crazy. The scenes that always get me are in the second half of the film. Spoiler alert, Chuck gets rescued. And now he's facing a world that moved on without him. His girlfriend is married! She thought he was dead, so she he had to move on. (What a scene that is -- I can't believe Hunt didn't get an Oscar nomination for that.) Anyway, in these scenes, Chuck actually starts to miss his life on the island. He misses sleeping on the hard ground, he misses the act of trying to spear a fish for food. And that really struck me as true. The thing about people is, they can adapt to anything. And once they do, they love it. But then things change and you have to adapt again. So I guess the lesson of this film is that no matter where you are, you aren't at the end, you're always in the middle. You're always between the past and the future. But if you want to keep living, you've got to get to that next future. Inside Out, 2015 I loved this movie so much back in 2015 that I just fell all over myself praising it. I'm pretty sure it was number one on my top ten that year. It's the story of two emotions, one named Joy, with the voice of Amy Poehler, and one named Sadness, voiced by Phyllis Smith. And this is your classic Pixar buddy comedy, with two opposing personalities, and it all takes place in these imaginary realms of your brain and your personality, like the Train of Thought and Friendship Island and Dream Productions, which is basically a movie studio in the mind. And it does a great job of bringing abstract concepts to life in these really, clever funny ways. But the reason I picked this movie is because Joy and Sadness live in the brain of a pre-teen girl named Riley. Her family has just moved from Minnesota to San Francisco when her father gets a new job. It's a huge change, Riley doesn't want to leave her old life, and she's afraid of what her new life might be. So what we're seeing as Joy and Sadness go on their adventure, is what's happening in the mind of Riley as she grapples with change. And I really like how this movie shows that Sadness is important -- you have to feel it, you have to express it, and you can't just bury it or shut it off, if you're going to move forward on to the next thing.

As the Takeaway comes to an end, we get one last set of movie prescriptions from Kristen Meinzer, a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book" and Rafer Guzman, a film critic for Newsday, and they bring us movie prescriptions about embracing change and fresh starts. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy. KRISTEN'S PICKS: Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar, 2021 When middle aged best friends Barb and Star lose their jobs, they decide that a restorative vacation in Vista Del Mar is just what they need to help them ease into the next chapter. But things don't go quite as planned - with mysterious men, villains, and more throwing monkey wrenches into their getaway. Fortunately their friendship, optimism, and sense of humor keeps them strong and ready for anything that's thrown their way. The movie stars Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo.  The lesson: Things in life don't always go as planned. Sometimes we lose a job, and then things get worse from there. But leaning on our friends, and laughing at the absurdity of life can make it all more manageable.  Sister Act, 1992 Whoopie Goldberg stars as a nightclub singer who's forced to go into witness protection in a convent after witnessing a mob hit. While there, she struggles with the regimented life of the nuns. But thanks to her outstanding musical talents and charisma, she's able to turn the convent choir into a soulful chorus complete with a Motown repertoire. The lesson: Sometimes we're thrown into situations that feel wildly out of our purview. But that doesn't mean we can't handle them. In fact, those situations combined with our unique skills mean that we might excel in new ways.  Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, 2010 This documentary follows one year in the life of Joan Rivers. It was filmed when Rivers was 75, and coming out of what she considered a down year...after 40+ years of ups and downs as an actor, writer, and comedian. Along the way, she reveals some of her darker moments, biggest struggles, and incredible work ethic...along with lots of her biting wit.  The lesson: Even a legend like Joan Rivers has had lots of down years...times that could have broken her...but she chose to keep working, evolving, and trying new things. I'll also add that this film has a special place in my heart because when she was on her press tour for it, Rafer and I got to interview her...and she ended up being our first celebrity interview for the Movie Date podcast. RAFER'S PICKS: Harold and Maude, 1971 This is kind of the original cult movie, from 1971 -- before Rocky Horror, before Pink Flamingos, there was Harold and Maude. It's the story of Harold, played by Bud Cort, and he's a very rich, very mobrid young man who spends most of his time staging fake suicides to upset his mother. He hangs himself, cuts his throat, immolates himself and so on. For fun he attends random funerals, and that's where he meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude, played by the great Ruth Gordon. And Maude is a rebel, even kind of an outlaw -- she's kind of a hippie, she poses nude for artists and for some reason she love to steal cars. She just loves to live. And these two start a friendship and despite their vast age difference, they fall in love. There was a time when you could see this movie at an art-house theater just about once a week, and I pretty much did, but I think it got oversaturated and it's really fallen off the radar these days. But I think it's worth revisiting. I like this movie because it seems morbid and perverse, and the humor is very dark. But as it goes on, it gets more and more tender and sincere, and these two characters start to feel very real. And in the end, Maude changes Harold, she gives him a new way of looking at life, she gives him a new spirit and she gives him a new way of expressing himself. She teaches him to play the banjo (and like Steve Martin always said, it's impossible to be in a bad mood when you play a banjo.) And the final scene in the movie, which involves that banjo, it's a really hopeful, happy scene that tell us Harold is about to embark on a whole new life.   Castaway, 2000 Probably most adult humans have seen Castaway but just to refresh you: Tom Hanks plays a guy named Chuck Noland. Happy, likeable guy, works for Fed Ex, he has a girlfriend, played by Helen Hunt, they're both deeply in love. He's really got it all. And then he's in a plane crash. He wakes up on a tiny island, somewhere in Pacific Ocean, surrounded by junk and debris from the plane, completely alone. And he's stuck there for FOUR YEARS. And of course, the most famous thing about this film is probably Wilson, a soccer ball that becomes Chuck's best friend as Chuck starts to go a little crazy. The scenes that always get me are in the second half of the film. Spoiler alert, Chuck gets rescued. And now he's facing a world that moved on without him. His girlfriend is married! She thought he was dead, so she he had to move on. (What a scene that is -- I can't believe Hunt didn't get an Oscar nomination for that.) Anyway, in these scenes, Chuck actually starts to miss his life on the island. He misses sleeping on the hard ground, he misses the act of trying to spear a fish for food. And that really struck me as true. The thing about people is, they can adapt to anything. And once they do, they love it. But then things change and you have to adapt again. So I guess the lesson of this film is that no matter where you are, you aren't at the end, you're always in the middle. You're always between the past and the future. But if you want to keep living, you've got to get to that next future. Inside Out, 2015 I loved this movie so much back in 2015 that I just fell all over myself praising it. I'm pretty sure it was number one on my top ten that year. It's the story of two emotions, one named Joy, with the voice of Amy Poehler, and one named Sadness, voiced by Phyllis Smith. And this is your classic Pixar buddy comedy, with two opposing personalities, and it all takes place in these imaginary realms of your brain and your personality, like the Train of Thought and Friendship Island and Dream Productions, which is basically a movie studio in the mind. And it does a great job of bringing abstract concepts to life in these really, clever funny ways. But the reason I picked this movie is because Joy and Sadness live in the brain of a pre-teen girl named Riley. Her family has just moved from Minnesota to San Francisco when her father gets a new job. It's a huge change, Riley doesn't want to leave her old life, and she's afraid of what her new life might be. So what we're seeing as Joy and Sadness go on their adventure, is what's happening in the mind of Riley as she grapples with change. And I really like how this movie shows that Sadness is important -- you have to feel it, you have to express it, and you can't just bury it or shut it off, if you're going to move forward on to the next thing.

Original Air Date: March 8, 2023 The 95th Academy Awards will take place this Sunday. Feeling like you've missed out on all the buzz? Wanting to catch up on your Oscars movie bucket list? Or just interested in hearing some great predictions for the category winners? You're in luck!  Kristen Meinzer, a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book," and Rafer Guzman, a film critic for Newsday. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy. They sit down with The Takeaway to give us all of their 2023 Oscar Awards predictions and analysis. 

Original Air Date: March 8, 2023 The 95th Academy Awards will take place this Sunday. Feeling like you've missed out on all the buzz? Wanting to catch up on your Oscars movie bucket list? Or just interested in hearing some great predictions for the category winners? You're in luck!  Kristen Meinzer, a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book," and Rafer Guzman, a film critic for Newsday. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy. They sit down with The Takeaway to give us all of their 2023 Oscar Awards predictions and analysis. 

Nothing says Halloween more like the time-honored tradition of settling in for a scary movie. Kristen Meinzer is a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book" and Rafer Guzman is a film critic for Newsday. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy, and they joined The Takeaway to give their picks for Halloween movie prescriptions for different occasions. KRISTEN'S PICKS: Movie prescription for a romantic night: Warm Bodies (2013) A zombie romantic comedy. After a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Movie prescription for family viewing: Cruella (2021)Cruella isn't specifically a Halloween movie, but it has that Halloweeny goth vibe and loads of fabulous costumes...as well as our lead's fabulous disguise! Movie prescription for satire/comedy lovers: Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) A satirical horror comedy about the art world - from the snobbery to the wealth to all the people who take themselves way too seriously - starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Zawe Ashton, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Daveed Diggs, Nitya Vidyasagar, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Billy Magnussen, Mig Macario, and John Malkovich. RAFER'S PICKS: Date horror movie: Night of the Comet (1984) Little known horror-comedy from 1984. Great valley-girls-versus-zombies premise, fun cast (Dick Rude, Mary Woronov) and a rare Hispanic leading man. Cute, funny, scary and romantic. Joss Whedon cited it as one inspiration for “Buffy and the Vampire Slayer.” Horror movie with the kids: Gremlins (1984) I still love this movie, which I saw as a kid, and I was just delighted by it. During the pandemic, I rented a movie theater for my son's birthday, and this is what we saw. I was really happy to see them jump out of their chairs one minute and then crack up the next. Plus it takes place during Christmas, so it's really an all-fall holiday treat. Best ‘70s horror movie you probably haven't seen: The Brood (1979)Early David Cronenberg, an extremely weird movie about a divorce that leads to the psychic birth of demonic children who roam around killing adults. Great cast, with Samantha Eggar as a kind of queen bee of the demon-spawn, and Oliver Reed as the leader of a 70s self-help cult that goes too far. Cronenberg wrote it following his own divorce, and it came out the same year as Kramer Vs Kramer, hilariously. Roger Ebert called it “reprehensible trash.”

Nothing says Halloween more like the time-honored tradition of settling in for a scary movie. Kristen Meinzer is a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book" and Rafer Guzman is a film critic for Newsday. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy, and they joined The Takeaway to give their picks for Halloween movie prescriptions for different occasions. KRISTEN'S PICKS: Movie prescription for a romantic night: Warm Bodies (2013) A zombie romantic comedy. After a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Movie prescription for family viewing: Cruella (2021)Cruella isn't specifically a Halloween movie, but it has that Halloweeny goth vibe and loads of fabulous costumes...as well as our lead's fabulous disguise! Movie prescription for satire/comedy lovers: Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) A satirical horror comedy about the art world - from the snobbery to the wealth to all the people who take themselves way too seriously - starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Zawe Ashton, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Daveed Diggs, Nitya Vidyasagar, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Billy Magnussen, Mig Macario, and John Malkovich. RAFER'S PICKS: Date horror movie: Night of the Comet (1984) Little known horror-comedy from 1984. Great valley-girls-versus-zombies premise, fun cast (Dick Rude, Mary Woronov) and a rare Hispanic leading man. Cute, funny, scary and romantic. Joss Whedon cited it as one inspiration for “Buffy and the Vampire Slayer.” Horror movie with the kids: Gremlins (1984) I still love this movie, which I saw as a kid, and I was just delighted by it. During the pandemic, I rented a movie theater for my son's birthday, and this is what we saw. I was really happy to see them jump out of their chairs one minute and then crack up the next. Plus it takes place during Christmas, so it's really an all-fall holiday treat. Best ‘70s horror movie you probably haven't seen: The Brood (1979)Early David Cronenberg, an extremely weird movie about a divorce that leads to the psychic birth of demonic children who roam around killing adults. Great cast, with Samantha Eggar as a kind of queen bee of the demon-spawn, and Oliver Reed as the leader of a 70s self-help cult that goes too far. Cronenberg wrote it following his own divorce, and it came out the same year as Kramer Vs Kramer, hilariously. Roger Ebert called it “reprehensible trash.”

More movie fans are back in theaters this year than last, but the 2022 box office is still below pre-pandemic levels. So if you're on the fence: which releases are actually worth checking out in theaters this summer? Marvel's latest, "Thor: Love and Thunder," topped the box office this weekend, but did it live up to expectations? And what's still to come? The Takeaway turns to Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday, and Alison Willmore, film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture, for their recommendations on what to see and what to skip.

This Sunday, The Power of the Dog and CODA will be neck and neck in the race for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards. Neither film has been seen by most of the country, but that's to be expected with the Oscars. The Takeaway looks at what to watch for this weekend, and what to make of some minor controversies heading into the ceremony, with Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday, and Alison Willmore, film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.

This Sunday, The Power of the Dog and CODA will be neck and neck in the race for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards. Neither film has been seen by most of the country, but that's to be expected with the Oscars. The Takeaway looks at what to watch for this weekend, and what to make of some minor controversies heading into the ceremony, with Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday, and Alison Willmore, film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.

Petroleum Spill In Hawaii Contaminates Drinking Supply For Thousands We were joined by Mahealani Richardson, anchor and reporter with Hawaii News Now, to discuss what this fuel leak means for the people of Hawaii. A Trucker Faces 110 Years in Prison Because of  Colorado's Mandatory-Minimum Sentencing Rogel Aguilera-Mederos is facing 110 years in prison after a deadly crash. Truck drivers are threatening to boycott the state of Colorado over mandatory-minimum sentencing laws there. Favorite Movie Moments of 2021 We walk listeners through some of our favorite movies of the year with Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and author of How To Be Fine.  For transcripts, see individual segment pages.  

Petroleum Spill In Hawaii Contaminates Drinking Supply For Thousands We were joined by Mahealani Richardson, anchor and reporter with Hawaii News Now, to discuss what this fuel leak means for the people of Hawaii. A Trucker Faces 110 Years in Prison Because of  Colorado's Mandatory-Minimum Sentencing Rogel Aguilera-Mederos is facing 110 years in prison after a deadly crash. Truck drivers are threatening to boycott the state of Colorado over mandatory-minimum sentencing laws there. Favorite Movie Moments of 2021 We walk listeners through some of our favorite movies of the year with Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and author of How To Be Fine.  For transcripts, see individual segment pages.  

A Look at the Worker Shortage in the Food Service Industry We hear from several restaurant owners managing these issues. We hear from Gregory León, owner and chef at Amilinda in Milwaukee, Marcos Carbajal, co-owner of Carnitas Uruapan, which has two locations in Chicago, and Susannah Koteen, Proprietor of Lido in Harlem.The Takeaway also looks at how Covid exposed the systemic inequalities in the restaurant industry with Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley and author of "Bite Back: People Taking on Corporate Food and Winning." University of Pittsburgh Faculty Ally with Steelworkers to Unionize After Years-Long Campaign We spoke with Paul E. Johnson, assistant professor of communication at University of Pittsburgh and member of the union organizing committee to find out more about how this unionization came to be. Trick or Treat: Creepy Movies to Get You Ready for Halloween Kristen Meinzer is a culture critic and author of "How To Be Fine" and Rafer Guzman is a film critic for Newsday. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy, and they joined The Takeaway to give their picks for the best Halloween movies you might not have seen. See the segment page for Kristen's picks! For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

A Look at the Worker Shortage in the Food Service Industry We hear from several restaurant owners managing these issues. We hear from Gregory León, owner and chef at Amilinda in Milwaukee, Marcos Carbajal, co-owner of Carnitas Uruapan, which has two locations in Chicago, and Susannah Koteen, Proprietor of Lido in Harlem.The Takeaway also looks at how Covid exposed the systemic inequalities in the restaurant industry with Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley and author of "Bite Back: People Taking on Corporate Food and Winning." University of Pittsburgh Faculty Ally with Steelworkers to Unionize After Years-Long Campaign We spoke with Paul E. Johnson, assistant professor of communication at University of Pittsburgh and member of the union organizing committee to find out more about how this unionization came to be. Trick or Treat: Creepy Movies to Get You Ready for Halloween Kristen Meinzer is a culture critic and author of "How To Be Fine" and Rafer Guzman is a film critic for Newsday. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy, and they joined The Takeaway to give their picks for the best Halloween movies you might not have seen. See the segment page for Kristen's picks! For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Does Ratatouille accurately portray restaurant critics? What's the lamest food trope in cinema? And what's Dan's favorite eating scene from The Godfather? We're talking food in movies this week, with Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman, hosts of the podcast Movie Therapy (Kristen also co-hosts the podcast By The Book). Plus we hear from listeners looking for food-related movie recommendations, and life advice. Like Katrina in Denmark, who's considering giving up a career in healthcare to organize gourmet fly fishing retreats. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Many of Rebel Therapist's program participants and listeners are brilliant folx who feel intimidated by the idea of consulting for organizations, and yet they have the gifts those organizations need. I'm talking about you. It's part of my mission to help healers, especially those who are queer/trans and/or BIPOC to parachute into organizations, facilitate real change, make lots of money, and not lose themselves in the process. If you want in on this exploration, this is for you. I'm so excited to bring you one of my personal heroes, Kristen Meinzer. Kristen is an award-winning podcaster, culture critic, royal watcher, and author. She currently hosts Movie Therapy with Rafer & Kristen, a podcast in which listeners write in with their quandaries, and she and her cohost Rafer Guzman respond with a mix of advice and viewing recommendations. She also hosts By The Book, a podcast in which she and her cohost Jolenta Greenberg live by the rules of a different self-help book in each episode. Her book, So You Want to Start a Podcast, won the Audie Award for best business/personal development audiobook of 2020. She was named a 2020 Woman of the Year by The Women's Center in Washington DC. In 2021, she was selected by the U.S. Department of State to serve in the U.S. Speaker's Program. As you may have noticed, most of the work she does is NOT consulting. Consulting is only about 10% of her business. If you'd like to bring your gifts to organizations as a side hustle, whether or not you want to grow that side hustle into a full time thing, listen up. You'll hear what worked for her, and what she's learned through mistakes to do differently. Your gift is probably not the same as hers. You're probably not poised to be a world class podcast consultant. Your gift may be around communication or healing trauma or Diversity Equity and Inclusion or something else. As you listen, think about how you could be bringing YOUR gifts into organizations. Here's some of what we talked about: Developing her primary consulting packages based on her years of experience Creating a valuable "prescription" document for each of her clients Find allies in organizations, especially if you're part of a marginalized community How she deals with the isolation and loneliness of being an entrepreneur Her mistake early on of giving away too much without getting paid How she sets up her pricing for individuals and for corporations The scary early months of starting her own business Her rolling to-do list and other productivity hacks Here are some takeaways that particularly stand out to me: Takeaway #1: One way Kristen creates immense value in her consulting work is by giving her clients a document with plans mapped out in tangible steps. She calls it her prescription. This is a way she demonstrates the value she's delivered and it helps the clients make the best use of the consultation. Takeaway #2: Especially if you're part of a marginalized group, look for people in an organization who can advocate for you. Find allies, nurture relationships and don't try to do everything alone. Takeaway #3: Kristen shared an early mistake so that you don't have to make it too. She gave too much away without getting paid. Now she's careful to limit what she shares before she officially gets hired. Takeaway #4: A piece of advice Kristen would give to her past self who was about to start her own business: Believe it's going to be OK and don't overwork out of anxiety. Show notes at http://rebeltherapist.me/podcast/154

Award-winning podcaster, Kristen Meinzer, joins Signe to discuss the necessity of knowing WHY you want to embark on a podcasting journey (and who it's for), movie therapy, tips on co-hosting a show, the importance of diversity in podcasting the BEST tips for making a great show!Kristen Meinzer is podcaster, culture critic, royal watcher, and author. She's the host of Movie Therapy with Rafer & Kristen, a podcast in which listeners write in with their quandaries, and she and her cohost Rafer Guzman respond with a mix of advice and viewing recommendations. She also hosts By The Book, a podcast in which she and her co-host Jolenta Greenberg live by the rules of a different self-help book in each episode. Kristen's book, So You Want to Start a Podcast, won the Audie Award for best business and personal development audiobook of 2020. She was named a 2020 Woman of the Year by The Women's Center in Washington DC. And this year, 2021, she was selected by the U.S. Department of State to serve in the U.S. Speaker's Program, working with South African storytellers shining a light on gender-based violence.To learn more about Kristen Meinzer, visit www.kristenmeinzer.com.

When a loved one passes, making a decision about what to do with their ashes can be very emotional.  Attention and care should be taken to make sure that a person's remains are treated with respect.  Which was why Anna was shocked when she read about what one man did with his father's ashes!  (:30) What happened to your engagement ring when you broke up?  Jennifer Lopez and A-Rod haven split, and J-Lo is keeping the ring.  This makes it 5 total engagement rings for her, valued at almost 10 million, and rumor is she's kept them all!  But what did you do with yours?  One caller gave theirs away, and the person who received it still has no idea where it came from!  (3:26) Between the anti-climatic ending and the super long acceptance speeches, this years Oscars were a bit of a bust.  But one thing we can all agree on, is that Glenn Close absolutely stole the show!  Anna and Raven go over the top 3 moments from last night's Oscars!  (10:32) What's the best thing that happened to you this weekend?  What about the worst?  Anna and Raven want to hear about both!  Raven had a great family dinner with some relatives he hadn't seen in a while, but Anna's nice family weekend was disrupted when she accidentally did something ridiculous with her daughter's brand new bike! (14:28) Anna hates the term “Karen”, she thinks it's condescending.  But if you go out of your way to complain about someone's child about something this trivial, then you're a Karen and that's all I need to know about you!  (22:01) Remember how gum used to be stuck underneath every table you sat down at?  Anna and Raven was wondering if that was still the case or if humanity had evolved enough to not put disgusting pre-chewed gum all over public places!  So they spent the weekend doing some research, and the results may surprise you…  (25:50) Did you have a fake ID?  Raven had a perfect fake ID when he was 16.  It scanned, and he even got it at the actual DMV.  But you won't believe what happened to him the first night he used it! (28:50) This years Oscar's were different for a variety of reasons, and some of the changes worked, but others…not so much.  Rafer Guzman is a movie critic for Newsday and he has some insight on what worked and what didn't at this year's Academy Awards!  (35:19) Couples Court: Catherine recently was going through her husband, Richie's, phone and was flipping through his text messages. He freaked out about the lack of privacy. She wants to take it to the Couple's Court because she believes that if you have nothing to hide, why would you care if your spouse went through your phone? He says it's not a matter of trust, it's just privacy. Whose side are you on? (39:11) Nancy thinks she's got what it takes to beat Raven in pop culture trivia!  Can she succeed and win the $3500 jackpot?  (46:21)

This years Oscar's were different for a variety of reason, and some of the changes worked, but others…not so much. Rafer Guzman is a movie critic for Newsday and he has some insight on what worked and what didn't at this year's Academy Awards!Image Source: Getty Images

Film critic Rafer Guzman joins Kristen to talk all things television. Join the By The Book Patreon Community! For $5 per month, you receive a new book summary, including all the rules we live by, each week. For $10 per month, you receive that PLUS a weekly affirmation podcast hosted by Jolenta and Kristen! Learn more at https://www.patreon.com/listentobythebook Kristen and Jolenta's new book How to be Fine is available now [amazon.com]. You can subscribe to Jolenta and Kristen's show, We Love You (And So Can You) on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts [podcasts.apple.com], or wherever you listen to podcasts. We love hearing from you! CALL us at 302-49B-OOKS. Email us at kristenandjolenta@gmail.com, or tweet us @jolentag, @kristenmeinzer, or @bythebookpod. And if you haven't already, please join our By The Book Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/116407428966900/?source_id=475465442806687 To get By the Book merch, head over to PodSwag.com: https://www.podswag.com/collections/by-the-book Check out Kristen's other podcasts! The Pursuit of Happier on Knowable https://knowable.fyi/courses/happiness [knowable.fyi] Innovation Uncovered https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovation-uncovered/id1516667844 Movie Therapy with Rafer & Kristen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movie-therapy-with-rafer-kristen/id1508455193 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building a successful podcast is more than just buying the right ads or lining up the right sponsorships. Your audience has the power to make your show fade away quickly, or stand the test of time. The key is to creatively engage your listeners, and make them want to stick around for the long haul. Welcome to Should I Start A Podcast,  where each week Ronsley Vaz, with the help of a star-studded entrepreneurial guest lineup, explores why you should start a podcast; build an audience, and how to keep them hungry for more. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or simply looking for a better way to get your message out to your audience, then this is the podcast for you. Kristen Meinzer knows what she's talking about. And she talks about it often. So much so that she was named “one of the 22 most influential women in podcasting” by Washington Post contributor Alex Laughlin. Kristen is a culture critic, a podcasting consultant, a reporter, an author, a speaker and an award-winning podcast host of several different shows, including By The Book, with co-host Jolenta Greenberg and Movie Therapy with co-host Rafer Guzman. Kristen is passionate about giving people the confidence to share their stories through podcasting. She sees diversity in the podcast world as it's biggest asset and loves that her listeners see her as a role model. One of Kristen's most relatable qualities is her authenticity, and with that comes an ability to connect with her audience. In this episode, Ronsley and Kristen focus on how to build your podcast audience by active engagement. Kristen gives Ronsley some amazing examples of how she's creatively engaged listeners in the past with genius ideas like Royal Bingo cards. Tune in to learn how to get those creative juices flowing to bring continual interest to your show.   Also in this episode: The diversity of podcasting vs. mainstream media How Kristen views responsibility and ethics in journalism Why it's so important to ask for permission for everything you use in your show The two questions every would-be podcaster should ask themselves Why podcasting isn't just about a mic and a good editing program Why you should focus on listenership before ads Behind the scenes details of By the Book Why you should always involve your listeners   Links: Kristen on LinkedIn Kristen on Twitter Kristen on Instagram Kristen's Website By The Book Podcast Movie Therapy Podcast So You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen How to Be Fine: What We Learned From Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books

In our final episode of the series, we're looking at how you can take the messiness of the last few months and embrace it to have a more creative and resilient life. To do so, we're joined by Tim Harford from the podcast Cautionary Tales. He's also the author of Messy: How to Be Creative and Resilient in a Tidy-Minded World.Plus, we do a little bit of therapy … movie therapy. On Kristen Meinzer's Movie Therapy podcast, listeners submit questions, and the hosts offer advice through movie and TV recommendations. In our episode, host Ann Marie Baldonado shares her own personal queries: Is there a movie to help her fall asleep? Is there a movie to help her cope with feelings of uncertainty about the future? What movie could help her two girls bond as sisters? This is our last episode of the show for now. Stay subscribed to this feed to hear about future projects from Common Sense Media. To stay in touch with our host, you can find Ann Marie on Twitter (@annmarieb) or on Instagram (abaldonado). After the show:Listen to Tim Harford's podcast, Cautionary Tales. On the show, he tells true stories about mistakes and what we should learn from them.Read Tim's book Messy: How to Be Creative and Resilient in a Tidy-Minded World.Watch Tim's Ted Talk, "How frustration can make us more creative."Kristen Meinzer co-hosts the Movie Therapy podcast with Rafer Guzman. She also hosts the shows By the Book and Innovation Uncovered.Read Kristen's new book, How to Be Fine: What We Learned from Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books, and So You Want to Start a Podcast.For our movie therapy segment, Kristen recommended a ton of things to watch. For help falling asleep, she suggests watching all the close-ups of leaves blowing in the wind during Tree of Life (age 14+, 5 stars) or the soothing lull of the Home Shopping Network.For dealing with uncertainty, try Grey's Anatomy (age 15+, 4 stars), Law & Order (age 15+, 4 stars), or The Martian (12+, 4 stars). For difficult decisions involving family members, she recommends The Farewell (age 11+, 4 stars).For helping siblings bond, check out Daedra and Laini Rob a Train (age 14+, 3 stars) or The Parent Trap (age 6+, 4 stars).For breakups and any other time you want to sing "They had it coming!," Kristen suggests watching Chicago (age 14+, 4 stars).Parent Trapped was brought to you by founding sponsor First Republic Bank. To learn more about their services, visit http://firstrepublic.com..

Kristen Meinzer is an overachiever. She currently hosts three podcasts, has authored three books (including a book on podcasting), and regularly delivers lectures and keynote addresses. In this episode, Kristen speaks with Mary Payne about her podcast, By The Book, in which she and her co-host, Jolenta Greenberg, experiment with different self-help books. By The Book Kristen and Jolenta are former co-workers living in New York City. Kristen is a culture critic and Jolenta is a comedian. In 2017, they decided to combine their talents and perspectives to create the By The Book podcast. Over the course of six seasons, Kristen and Jolenta have read and completed two-week trials on over 50 self-help books. Kristen notes that some of the most helpful themes distilled from their self-help trials have included gratitude, living in the moment, and self-love. She notes, however, that many books are unhelpful, especially those written by upper-class white males who are disconnected from the largely female audience of self-help books. In a recent season, Kristen and Jolenta focused exclusively on the first-edition of books written over 50 years ago. The results were hysterical--and demonstrated the drastic way our values have changed over the decades. Some of these older generation self-help books included “How To Win Friends And Influence People” and “The Joy of Sex.” Spin-Offs From By The Book In 2019, after receiving messages from listeners requesting more hands-on interactions, Kristen and Jolenta created the We Love You (and So Can You) podcast, in which they prescribe self-help guidance to guests. In this makeover-type show, Kristen and Jolenta use their self-help knowledge to develop a two-week “self-love trial” for guests, who make audio diaries of their experiences. Kristen and Jolenta also recently published a book called How To Be Fine, which distills their lessons learned from their self-help journey of the By The Book podcast.   A Host of Other Podcasts Kristen has also co-hosted several previous podcasts, including When Meghan Met Harry (which celebrates the monumental Royal Wedding), Lisa, Sandra, and Kristen Go to the Movies, and Movie Date. Currently, Kristen and Newsday film critic, Rafer Guzman, host Movie Therapy, in which they “prescribe” movies for listeners facing certain issues or challenges. This podcast has picked up steam in recent months, with listeners having more free time to watch movies during these COVID times.  You can catch up on all of the Payne in the Pod episodes, here. Become a patron to receive even more exclusive content from Mary Payne including in-depth conversations that you won’t find anywhere else! Podcast Recommendations: Trashy Divorces What A Creep Spectacular Failures Find Kristen at kristenmeinzer.com, where you can find her books, podcasts, and social media platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Combating the Virtual Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation The spread of misinformation at a time like this can be costly. DeVos Quietly Releases New Rules on Campus Sexual Assault Amid Pandemic Many advocacy organizations are unsurprisingly concerned about the impact this will have on survivors coming forward. Why Maternity Wards Are Disappearing from Black Neighborhoods Experts worry that as the coronavirus pandemic continues, maternity care deserts could become a nationwide trend. Movie Therapy for the Soul Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer, co-hosts of Movie Therapy, share their recommendations to soothe and distract us right now.

Combating the Virtual Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation The spread of misinformation at a time like this can be costly. DeVos Quietly Releases New Rules on Campus Sexual Assault Amid Pandemic Many advocacy organizations are unsurprisingly concerned about the impact this will have on survivors coming forward. Why Maternity Wards Are Disappearing from Black Neighborhoods Experts worry that as the coronavirus pandemic continues, maternity care deserts could become a nationwide trend. Movie Therapy for the Soul Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer, co-hosts of Movie Therapy, share their recommendations to soothe and distract us right now.

Despite Billions in Aid, Farm Bankruptcies Are on the Rise Farm bankruptcies are up 24 percent from last year, the highest level the farming industry has seen since 2011. It Could Be Another 257 Years Before Women Are Paid the Same as Men That's 50 years longer than what was predicted just last year.  The Highs and Lows of 2019 Movies Film critic Rafer Guzman weighs in on some overlooked highlights from 2019, and also talks about his least favorite movies of the year. Aung San Suu Kyi's Fall From Grace: Nobel Peace Prize to Denying Genocide  The leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, has become the first Noble Peace Prize winner to defend against accusations of genocide.  New Copyrighted Works Entering the Public Domain in 2020 A new batch of copyrighted material will enter the public domain on New Year's Day. 

If you're not full of turkey by now you soon will be so Neil Rozen, Bill McCuddy, Bill Bregoli and guest critic Rafer Guzman take a look at this year's Thanksgiving feat of movies to see which ones could worsen your indigestion. First we look at the latest animated effort from Disney, the Polynesian-themed "Moana." Is it fun for the family or is it all wet? Then there's Brad Pitt's latest WWII film "Allied" in which he co-stars with Marion Cotillard as well as the long-awaited sequel "Bad Santa 2" tarring Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates. We also look at the modern day western "Hell Or High Water" which stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges. And finally, there's the on-demand sci-fi film "Evolution." Feast or famine? We'll let you know.

Hail Caesar, Freeheld, Suffragette and Rock the Kasbah are discussed by Neil Rosen, Bill McCuddy, Bill Bregoli and Rafer Guzman from Newsday. Plus the Coen brothers' whole canon of films such as The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo and The Big Lebowski and the cult built up around it - even Rafer's mom is a fan. We also discuss new TV shows Horace and Pete and the new X-Files show.

The Thanksgiving movie rush is upon us and The Movie Date team is here to tell you what to see and what to skip this holiday weekend. On this special Wednesday version of the podcast, Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman review "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," "Black Nativity," "Old Boy", "Homefront," and "Frozen."  Idris Elba plays Nelson Mandela in the biopic "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom." The movie chronicles Mandela's life leading up to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Naomie Harris plays politician and Mandela's wife, Winnie Mandela. Spike Lee's "Oldboy," is a conspiracy thriller starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film is based on Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi's manga novel of the same name which was released in 2003. "Black Nativity," is based on the libretto by Langston Hughes and stars Forest Whitaker, Angela Basset, Jennifer Hudson, and Jacob Latimore. Action and crime abound in "Homefront," starring James Franco, Jason Stathom, and Winona Ryder. The movie is Sylvester Stallone's adaption of the novel by Chuck Logan. Finally, "Frozen," the new animated Disney movie, tells the tale of one girl's journey to find her sister and save her kingdom from a never ending winter. Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, and Jonathan Groff star in this family friendly adventure. And as an added bonus, Kristen interviews Josh Gad who plays the lovable snowman Olaf in "Frozen."  Think you know movies? Take our Thanksgiving Movie Trivia Quiz below and test yourself!  

A Dystopia, many estranged children, and a christmas miracle all hit movie theaters this weekend and Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman are here to weight in. On the docket are "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," "Delivery Man," and "The Christmas Candle." "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson as winners of the 74th Hunger Games in the movie adaption of the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, and Stanley Tucci also reprise their roles from 2012's "The Hunger Games." "Delivery Man" is a remake of the Canadian film "Starbuck" about a man, played by Vince Vaughn, who discovers that through an anonymous sperm donation twenty years ago, he fathered 533 children. The cast includes Chris Pratt and Cobie Smulders. Finally, "The Christmas Candle" is a film adaption of the Christmas novel written by Max Lucado. It stars Hans Matheson, Samantha Barks, Lesley Manville, and in her film debut, Britain's Got Talent's Susan Boyle. The film is produced by Rick Santorum. They also answer listener mail in response to last week's review of "The Best Man Holiday" and offer some Movie Therapy to a listener who bemoans the lack of female action heroes.  

Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman take on superheroes and mere mortals as they review "Thor: The Dark World," "The Book Thief," and "Dallas Buyers Club."  "Thor: The Dark World," marks the return of Chris Hemsworth as the Mighty Avenger in the sequel to 2011's "Thor." Directed by Alan Taylor, the film's cast includes Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, and Christopher Eccleston. Geoffrey Rush and Sophie Nélisse star in "The Book Thief." Based on the New York Times bestseller by Markus Zusak, the film follows a young Jewish refugee during World War II as she seeks relief through reading and sharing books. Finally, Matthew McConaughey stars in "Dallas Buyers Club." The biopic tells the story of Ron Woodruff who, after contracting HIV in 1986, searches for the medication he needs in other countries, and brings that medication back to the states for other people living with AIDS. Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner also star. To wrap up, the Movie Date team dons their white coats and solves your problems in the new segment, "Movie Therapy." As always, if you like what we do, review and rate us on iTunes!

Time travel and dystopia reign this week as Kristen Meinzer and Rafer Guzman take on "Free Birds," "Ender's Game," and "About Time." Plus, Kristen interviews Mary Steenburgen who stars as a lounge singer in the new movie "Last Vegas." "Free Birds," tells the tale of two turkeys, voiced by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson, who attempt to change the course of history in hopes of saving their fellow birds from their yearly Thanksgiving fate. Amy Poehler and George Takei also lend their voices to this computer-animated flick. "Ender's Game," based on the popular 1985 science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card, follows the adventures of a boy named Ender, who is recruited along with other children to serve in the military in the not-too-distant future. Rachel McAdams, Domhnall Gleeson, and Bill Nighy star in "About Time," Richard Curtis' new rom-com about a man who learns he can travel back in time. Finally, Kristen chats with Mary Steenburgen who, along with Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, and Kevin Kline, stars in the Baby Boomer bromance "Last Vegas." And don't forget, if you like what we do, rate and review our podcast on iTunes!