Like Whatever

Heather Jolley and Nicole Barr
  • 5.0 (6)
  • COMEDY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join Heather and Nicole as we discuss all things Gen-X with personal nostalgia, current events, and an advocacy for the rights of all humans.  From music to movies to television and so much more, revisit the generational trauma we all experienced as we talk about it all. Take a break from today and travel back to the long hot summer days of the 80s and 90s.  Come on slackers, f**k around and find out with us!

  1. 3D AGO

    A Miracle In The Midst Of Madness

    A cold rink, a loud crowd, and a country craving something to believe in. We take you back to Lake Placid for a cinematic, breath-by-breath retelling of the Miracle on Ice—how a roster of college kids, shaped by Herb Brooks’ ruthless vision and welded together from rival programs, toppled the most feared hockey machine on earth. Along the way, we rewind to the mood of late-70s America—stagflation, hostages, the long shadow of the Cold War—and explain why one winter night in 1980 felt like the nation’s heartbeat coming back. We dig into the players who defined the moment: Jim Craig turning into a wall under siege, Mark Johnson finding rebounds that shouldn’t exist, and Mike Eruzione arriving in the high slot when history called. Then we sit with those final ten minutes: blocked shots, dumped pucks, the Soviets refusing to pull their goalie, and Al Michaels’ voice breaking into the line that became American folklore. Not the gold medal game, but the game that made gold possible, and the one Sports Illustrated later called the greatest sports moment of the 20th century. This episode also traces the afterlives—who went pro, who coached, who raised families—and how Al Michaels rode one perfect call from Lake Placid to decades of championship broadcasts. We connect the dots to today’s Olympics, why winter sports still captivate us, and how stadium roars turn strangers into a single voice. Hit play for hockey history, Cold War context, and a reminder that underdogs sometimes do the impossible. If this story moved you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review telling us your favorite Olympic moment—and whether you still believe in miracles. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 3m

  2. FEB 13

    The Real Mandela Effect

    A rumor sparks the mic and the conversation swerves—first through a tabloid-scented headline and a fresh round of Cobain speculation, then straight into sunlit confessionals from an all-inclusive in Punta Cana. We trade strawberry mojitos for social x-rays: the charm of perfect hospitality, the quiet grind of the staff who make it look easy, and the odd theater of “rich people problems” that bubble up around buffets and pool chairs. Even beachside, the world intrudes—politics at parties, tracking apps that start as jokes, and the uneasy truce between safety and freedom when a trinket seller shifts to whispered offers. Then we plant our feet. Nelson Mandela’s story reframes everything: student organizer to political prisoner, the Rivonia Trial speech that declared a life’s purpose, 27 years behind bars, and the audacity to negotiate the end of apartheid without a civil war. We walk through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, why facing harm in public mattered, and how policy—housing, education, a new constitution—attempted to turn ideals into daily life. Along the way, we debunk the “Mandela Effect” and talk about why memory needs evidence, why journalism matters, and why democracies erode when we outsource our thinking to outrage and algorithms. What ties it all together is a Gen X heartbeat: curiosity, skepticism, and a refusal to pretend the small stuff doesn’t shape the big stuff. From resort etiquette to national healing, the lesson holds—attention is action. If you’ve been feeling whiplash between joy and dread, laughter and worry, you’re not alone; we’re right there with you, trying to make meaning without losing the thread. Hit play for travel tea, hard history, a few rants, and a clear nudge toward power that’s still in our hands: show up locally, vote, support an independent press, and keep talking to each other like neighbors. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more curious folks can find us. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 9m
  3. Media Circus On Ice: Olympic Class War

    FEB 6

    Media Circus On Ice: Olympic Class War

    A single cry in a Detroit hallway became one of the most replayed clips of the 90s—but the loudest part of the Kerrigan–Harding saga wasn’t the baton. It was the story that followed. We open with a candid nod to Catherine O’Hara and a late love affair with Schitt’s Creek, drift through Mid‑Atlantic weather chaos and Gen X ad breaks, then lock in on the cultural earthquake that reshaped figure skating, tabloid TV, and public sympathy. We trace Tonya Harding’s climb from public rinks and home‑sewn costumes to a history‑making triple axel, alongside Nancy Kerrigan’s artistry, endorsements, and the aesthetic that figure skating rewards. Then we map the conspiracy: Jeff Gillooly, Shawn Eckardt, Shane Stant, and Derek Smith; the corridor, the collapsible baton, the shattering glass; the instant loop of “Why?” on every screen. Results are clear—Harding’s lifetime ban, Kerrigan’s silver in Lillehammer—but the story we inherited is messier. We ask why the media crowned a “good girl” and a “bad girl” before the dust settled, and how class bias, gender norms, and tabloid incentives wrote the script. Along the way, we connect the rink to today: Simone Biles and mental health, the economics of marketability, and the quiet power of “pretty privilege.” Butterflies versus moths, bald eagles versus vultures—same work, different welcome. The conversation isn’t about absolution; it’s about media literacy and empathy. Who gets grace? Who gets grit assigned to them? And what does that say about us? If you love sharp pop culture analysis with Gen X spirit, true crime awareness, and a side of travel banter, you’re in the right place. Hit play, subscribe, and share this with someone who remembers Lillehammer—and tell us your clearest example of pretty privilege today. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 5m

  4. JAN 30

    Goldblumageddon Unbuttoned

    What do you do when the world ices over and the roads turn to glass? You make tea, invite a snoring pug to the mic, and chase joy straight into Jeff Goldblum’s gloriously weird filmography. We start with a blizzard check-in—mail routes on chains, accidental hibernation, missed football bets—and then crack open a comfort topic that refuses to be boring. We trace Goldblum’s path from Pittsburgh to Meisner training in New York, through small 70s roles into the transformative blast radius of The Fly. From there it’s a hop to Jurassic Park’s coolly chaotic Ian Malcolm, Independence Day’s save-the-world swagger, and the playful wink of Thor: Ragnarok. We talk TV turns, jazz sessions with the Mildred Schnitzer Orchestra, and the gentle curiosity of The World According to Jeff Goldblum on Disney Plus. Along the way, we detour into family life, activism, chess boards, and the kind of grounded humility that makes fans feel seen. Then we plant a flag for the underloved: Transylvania 6-5000. Shot among real castles, packed with early performances from Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr., Geena Davis, and Michael Richards, it’s a joyful mess of misunderstood monsters and slapstick charm. We pair it with Earth Girls Are Easy, that neon splash where Carrey and Wayans meet valley glamour, and reflect on why camp classics endure. To keep the heartline strong, we open a 1984 diary to New Jersey: captain’s wafers, Shirley Temples, poker at grandma’s table, and the bright hum of Gen X memory. If you’re here for movie comfort food, cult cinema, and the charisma that makes a line-reading iconic, you’ll feel right at home. Hit play, laugh with us through the freeze, and tell us your favorite Jeff Goldblum moment. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves 80s vibes, and leave a review so more Gen X ears can find us. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1 hr

  5. JAN 23

    It Takes A Little E$ To Make A Big Difference

    Remember when one adult’s kind word changed your whole week? We lean into that feeling and unpack why mentoring still works, how Big Brothers Big Sisters makes it safe and effective, and where Gen X can plug in without flipping their life upside down. Starting from MLK Day’s call to serve, we trace BBBS back to its 1904 origins, break down the matching process, and talk through the guardrails that protect kids and volunteers. No halo polishing—just real talk about consistency, trust, and the quiet moments that move the needle. We share wins that stick: a teacher who relearned geometry to tutor a lost student, a teen who went from guarded silence to singing in the passenger seat, an email years later from a graduate thriving in his field. The research backs it up: mentored youth skip fewer classes, use fewer substances, perform better in school, and believe in bigger futures. We also spotlight the need for more men of color and LGBTQ mentors, the long waitlists for boys and teens, and the shift to school-based, workplace, and virtual mentoring that expands access. If you’ve wondered whether you “fit the mold,” here’s the truth: they want your time, not your wallet. One hour a week. Lunch at school. Ice cream and conversation. A ride to the DMV. The systems are confusing; mentors translate them. And yes, relationships outlast paperwork—graduations, first jobs, weddings, babies—because showing up compounds. We close with simple starting points and a nudge to do the thing you’ve been meaning to do: be the adult you needed when you were 15. Enjoy the conversation, then take a step: subscribe, share with a friend who’d make a great mentor, and leave a review so more people find this story and join the work. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 8m

  6. JAN 16

    Tale As Old As Your Mom

    Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 14m
  7. Death Trap For Cuties

    JAN 9

    Death Trap For Cuties

    A shy compliment in a grocery store. A late-night laugh spiral with Anderson and Andy. A winter week where the calendar melts and we can’t tell Friday from Tuesday. From those small, human beats, we leap headfirst into the wildest museum of Gen X childhood: the toys that taught us physics the hard way and turned backyards into low-budget action sets. We break down the legend of lawn darts, the steel-tipped “family fun” that sent too many kids to the ER before the 1988 ban. We slide through the kinetic chaos of the Slip ’N Slide, why adults took the worst hits, and how redesigns tried to tame a toy built on momentum. Then it’s the Easy-Bake Oven, a 100-watt rite of passage that baked tiny cakes and real burns, the 2007 recall that reshaped safety thinking, and the surprising end brought on by the death of incandescent bulbs. The most jaw-dropping artifact arrives from 1950: the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab, a kid’s kit that shipped with uranium ore, a Geiger counter, and a manual for backyard prospecting. We track how it happened, why it vanished in a year, and what it reveals about risk, science, and optimism. From there, we wrangle the Water Wiggle’s pressurized whiplash, the sulfur-and-smoke nostalgia of cap guns, and the brutal honesty of old playgrounds—spinning steel, sun-hot slides, and seesaws that weaponized gravity. Between the laughs and winces, we sit with what these artifacts taught us about judgment, resilience, and design. We connect the dots to today’s worries—AI robots in factories, self-driving cars making baffling choices—and ask what smarter safety looks like without draining the joy from play. It’s a tour of culture, engineering, and memory that invites you to pull your own threads: which toys shaped you, which scars still whisper, and how we build better thrills for the next generation. If this episode sparks a memory, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a review. Tell us the most dangerous toy you survived and what it taught you. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 6m

  8. JAN 2

    It's 12 O'clock Somewhere

    New Year’s isn’t just a countdown; it’s a mood swing. We open with a candid look at post-holiday life—quiet solo days, family brunches, and that familiar Gen X blend of relief and melancholy once the decorations come down. From there, we veer into the cultural stuff that sticks: the comfort of practical gifts (hello, towel warmer), the retail whiplash of returns, and the strange velocity of time when December turns everything foggy. Then we get to the good part: building a New Year’s Eve playlist that actually means something. We trace Auld Lang Syne from Robert Burns to Guy Lombardo, unpack why ABBA’s Happy New Year keeps resurfacing around the world, and go deliciously dark with the lullaby from Rosemary’s Baby to question who decides when a “new year” really begins. Bon Jovi’s New Year’s Day shows how artists reset after upheaval, and The Final Countdown earns its place as the maximal, gloriously over-the-top anthem that makes any room sing. Along the way, Sleepless in Seattle’s Stardust gives us a lesson in standards, nostalgia, and how a single chord can trigger a lifetime of memory. We also wander where curiosity leads: problematic moments in beloved classics, TikTok’s habit of reframing old family stories, spider ethics (inside spiders belong inside), and space wonders like dual-sun orbits and the maybe-already-gone Betelgeuse. A vintage 1984 diary entry—floor hockey, ocean plants, and the A-Team—reminds us how small details carry big feelings. And we sketch a future series debunking history myths, from Columbus to Franklin, with the same mix of humor and receipts. Hit play for a playlist with purpose, movie moments worth arguing about, and a fresh take on what a “new year” can be when time feels weird and nostalgia has sharp edges. If you enjoy the show, like, share, rate, and review, follow us on the socials at like whatever pod, and tell a friend who’s already building their midnight queue. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 5m
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About

Join Heather and Nicole as we discuss all things Gen-X with personal nostalgia, current events, and an advocacy for the rights of all humans.  From music to movies to television and so much more, revisit the generational trauma we all experienced as we talk about it all. Take a break from today and travel back to the long hot summer days of the 80s and 90s.  Come on slackers, f**k around and find out with us!

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Jolley and Nicole Barr
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Like Whatever
  • Show Website
    Like Whatever