INSIDE AND OUTSIDE: Nature + Pop Culture News with Jessica Murnane

Jessica Murnane
  • 4.9 (625)
  • Home & Garden
  • Weekly

I'm your host, Jessica Murnane (author and horticultural therapy practitioner) – who is equally obsessed with the healing power of nature and the healing power of watching TV in bed. And I'm merging those two worlds together on Inside and Outside. Each week, my guest and I first discuss an OUTSIDE thing, like our first nature memory, how gardening can change the brain, and the rise of birding. Then we cover an INSIDE thing, like a show we're binging, the latest internet gossip, and pop culture news. Head to baskergardens.com for all the show notes for each episode!

  1. Oct 22

    The Discomfort of Getting Outside + Taskmasters, Pangram Problems, and (Never) Using AI For Writing with Andrea Bartz (NYT Best Selling Author)

    In this episode, we kick it off outside and talk about the difference between using TV and nature to destress. Plus, how researchers have found that even if you don't think you like nature, you can still get the benefits from it. Then we head inside and talk Taskmaster, 99 To Beat, and just playing more games in general. And then Andrea gives us Pangram rundown (the AI detection platform) and how/why it's changing the publishing industry. She also gives great advice on using AI as a creative (she doesn't hold back.)   About this week's guest: Andrea is a journalist and the New York Times bestselling author of five novels, includingWe Were Never Here, a Reese's Book Club pick. Her forthcoming speculative thriller, Delete Your Account, is scheduled for publication in May 2027. She was also a lead plaintiff in the landmark class-action lawsuit Bartz v. Anthropic, which was the first major win for creatives against an AI company as well as the largest copyright recovery in history. Find Andrea Website, IG , Newsletter/Substack The Herd We Were Never Here The Last Ferry Out Show notes! This week's sponsor: May Lindstrom Nature and The Mind by Marc Berman The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter Taskmaster (all seasons for free!) Taskmaster Education 99 To Beat 15 Urgent Questions About Pangram Pangram Objection Letter Generator I lost my $2m book deal because people mistook my African dialect for AI via The Independent To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

    The Discomfort of Getting Outside + Taskmasters, Pangram Problems, and (Never) Using AI For Writing with Andrea Bartz (NYT Best Selling Author)

  2. Oct 15

    West African Indigenous Spices + The Intellectual Influencer Trend with Afia Amoako (author of Eat With Afia)

    In this episode, we start outside and talk about West African indigenous spices (their history, importance, and how some have even been banned). Then we go outside and talk about the trend of the personal curriculum, the rise of the "intellectual creator," and commodifying things that are already free. About this week's guest: Afia runs Eat with Afia — where she highlights Ghanaian food through culture, history, and tradition. With her platform, Afia tries to underscore the diversity of culinary traditions as a porduct of centuries of meticulous food science, agriculture and understanding of the land.  Outside of her blog, Afia Amoako earned her doctorate in Epidemiology and is passionate about the social context of health.  Find Afia Website, IG , YouTube Eat with Afia: A Celebration of Plant-Based Ghanaian Cooking Show notes! This week's sponsor: May Lindstrom Afia's Ghanaian Cooking Course Burlap & Barrel Spices Gen Z, Millennials Embrace New Trend to Make Adult Life Feel Like School via Newsweek   To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

  3. Oct 8

    Reptile Private Parts + Crystal Light, Mr. Belding, and ROHNY with Allyson Holleb (stylist and pop culture reporter)

    In this episode, we go outside to talk about the wild world of reptile private parts. And then we head inside to discuss the 1988 Crystal Light Aerobics Competition, R.I.P Mr. Belding, Nathan Fielder's new documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, The Traitors, and the new ROHNY cast.   About this week's guest: Ally is a personal stylist, shopper, and resident pop culture reporter. Show notes! This week's sponsor: Basker Sign up for Garden Club! Why Snakes Have Two Penises via National Geographic You Can See Everything (new Nathan Fielder documentary) 1988 Crystal Light National Aerobics Championships Spandex The Musical Portland Parallel Parking Competition To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

    Reptile Private Parts + Crystal Light, Mr. Belding, and ROHNY with Allyson Holleb (stylist and pop culture reporter)

  4. Oct 1

    Is Loving Nature Genetic? + How To Find A New Internet with Laura Wright (author and creator of The First Mess)

    In this episode, we discuss the debate around biophilia / a love of nature – is it an innate attraction, is it in our genes, or are we just othering nature altogether? Then we move inside and talk about the death of the (fun) internet scroll, how Google is slowly killing businesses, how to stay curious, building your own internets, and going offline to find out what you actually like again. About this week's guest: Laura Wright is the founder of The First Mess, a blog for plant-based recipe inspiration as well as a of cookbook of the same name. Laura enjoys taking on way too many projects in the garden, hiking with her dogs, working on a weekly feel-good newsletter, dilly dallying, and doing pretty much any offline activity. Show notes! This week's sponsor: Basker Garden Club Sign up for the Inside + Outside newsletter Laura's: Website: The First Mess Newsletter Book: The First Mess IG Things We Talked About: Is Love Of Nature in Our Genes via Psychology Today The Biophilia Reactivity Hypothesis The Bilophilia Hypothesis The End of Google Search and The Internet As We Know It via The Ringer by Katie Baker Ways of Listening: Building a Deeper Relationship with Music in the Streaming Era by Rollie Pemberton

    Is Loving Nature Genetic? + How To Find A New Internet with Laura Wright (author and creator of The First Mess)

  5. Sep 24

    How To Recover Like Nature + The Lore Of Beanie Babies with Timothy Pakron

    In this episode, we discuss what happened when a scientist let an abandoned field rest (no seeding, no weeding, no special care). Lots of metaphors in this one! And then we move inside to discuss the craze of Beanie Babies, high-level collecting, and the genius/shady marketing of Ty Warner. About this week's guest: Timothy Pakron is a cookbook author (Mississippi Vegan and Garden Variety), food blogger, and recipe developer. His work has been featured by NPR, Garden & Gun, Food & Wine, and VegNews, among others. Show notes! This week's sponsor: Prioritizing Purpose Sign up for the Inside + Outside Newsletter! Tim's website: Mississippi Vegan Tim's new cookbook: Garden Variety Stuff we talk about: Scientists left this farm field alone. Thousands of orchids appeared via Science Daily The Shocking History Behind Beanie Babies (full doc on YouTube) 1st Gen Chilly The Polar Bear Understanding The Generations of Beanie Babies Chart Beanie Babies Made Ty Warner a Billionaire, But His Life Has Been Complicated Ever Since via Biography To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

    How To Recover Like Nature + The Lore Of Beanie Babies with Timothy Pakron

  6. Sep 17

    Using Underwear For Soil Health and Y2K Again or AI Apocalypse? with Aaron Becker (3x Emmy-nominated designer, director, and co-founder of Filmograph)

    In this episode, we talk about how Dutch scientists used thousands of underwear to test soil (and the results!). Plus, we take a deep dive into the drama and controversy surrounding Anthropic and the discourse around the dangers of AI (and the hope). About this week's guest: Aaron is a 3x Emmy-nominated designer, director, and co-founder of Filmograph, an LA-based production studio specializing in title sequences for film and television. He's work includes titles for just about anything you've ever watched in the last ten years: Get Out, Nope, F1, Mission: Impossible, Backrooms, and most recently Coyote vs. Acme, and on the TV side Wednesday, Euphoria, and IT: Welcome to Derry. Clients include A24, HBO, Paramount, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony Pictures, Amazon MGM, Atomic Monster, Blumhouse, Disney, Lionsgate, Neon, and Bad Robot, among others. And his partner, Emily Fiffer is the queen of good food in LA.  Show notes! This week's sponsor: Basker Aaron's website: Filmograph Stuff we talk about: Ig Nobel Prize 2026 Winners Dutch scientist wins Ig Nobel prize with 1,000 buried pairs of underpants via NL Times Swiss soil underpants study win Ig Nobel Prize via Swiss Info The AI Tipping Point via Time AI researcher Jacob Coxon reacts to Anderson Cooper's interview with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei via CNN Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement: What Authors Need to Know The AI Resist List   To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

    Using Underwear For Soil Health and Y2K Again or AI Apocalypse? with Aaron Becker (3x Emmy-nominated designer, director, and co-founder of Filmograph)

  7. May 21

    Season Finale! Why Amsterdam Banned Meat + Fossil Fuel Ads and Diet Coke, Cigs, and Pop Culture News with Allyson Holleb (stylist and pop culture reporter)

    In this episode, we talk about how Amsterdam has banned meat and fossil fuel-related ads and oak trees fighting off caterpillars in the most wild way. And then we move inside with an ethical moral question about a very big fashion party, how cigarettes and Diet Coke have made a comeback, Brooke Shields on reality TV, The Devil Wears Prada, and a wee bit of Summer House, and more.  About this week's guest: Ally is a personal stylist, shopper, and resident pop culture reporter. Show notes! This week's sponsor: The Working Garden Project Flower Pressing Workshop at Fine Feather - get tickets! Amsterdam bans meat and fossil fuel ads via BBC Oak Trees Delaying Leaf Production To Starve Caterpillars via Science Daily West Coast's first yellow-legged hornet intercepted in Vancouver, Washington via KUOW Ball Without Billionaires via Harper's Bazaar Former Amazon Union Leader Who Was Arrested at Met Gala Has No Regrets via NYT This Is The Scientific Reason Why Your Coke Tastes Better At McDonald's via Delish Next Gen NYC Season 2 Trailer Summer House Reunion Trailer To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

    Season Finale! Why Amsterdam Banned Meat + Fossil Fuel Ads and Diet Coke, Cigs, and Pop Culture News with Allyson Holleb (stylist and pop culture reporter)

  8. May 14

    How To Find Hope Through Nature + When Historical Fashion Meets GLP-1s with Lauren Lee (founder of Semaine)

    In this episode, we discuss the hope that nature can bring to our lives, how it can promote social well-being, and the parallels of gardening and running a startup. Then we move inside to talk about historical fashion, how body standards have changed over time, and how they're changing (even more) with GLP-1s. About this week's guest: Lauren ("Lar") Lee is the cofounder of Semaine Health, a plant-based women's supplement brand built on the belief that your body isn't a collection of symptoms — it's a system worth understanding. She started Semaine in 2020 with her twin sister Cath and her husband, Dr. Matt  Crane— after years of symptoms her own doctors couldn't explain. Show notes! This week's sponsor: The Working Garden Project Flower Pressing Workshop at Fine Feather - get tickets! Semaine Semaine on IG Semaine on Tiktok Gardens Of The World with Audrey Hepburn To advertise on the podcast: hello@baskergardens.com

    How To Find Hope Through Nature + When Historical Fashion Meets GLP-1s with Lauren Lee (founder of Semaine)
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4.9
out of 5
625 Ratings

About

I'm your host, Jessica Murnane (author and horticultural therapy practitioner) – who is equally obsessed with the healing power of nature and the healing power of watching TV in bed. And I'm merging those two worlds together on Inside and Outside. Each week, my guest and I first discuss an OUTSIDE thing, like our first nature memory, how gardening can change the brain, and the rise of birding. Then we cover an INSIDE thing, like a show we're binging, the latest internet gossip, and pop culture news. Head to baskergardens.com for all the show notes for each episode!

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