Syllabus

Ashby + Coco
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Two recovering straight-A Millenial ladies just stompin' around and figuring it all out. Join Ashby and Coco as they trade in textbooks for real talk from the school of life. Each week they dive into articles, books, conversations, and culture—unpacking the complicated themes that shape our world. With curiosity, humor, and a dash of existential dread, they apply the only skills they have (read: turning everything into a grad school discussion seminar) to try to make sense of these nonsensical times.

  1. Reading Yesteryear: Gender Fantasies & Fascism

    MAY 7

    Reading Yesteryear: Gender Fantasies & Fascism

    Ashby and Coco continue their reading journey with spring’s hottest novel, Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke, who also co-hosts the incredible Diabolical Lies podcast.  Burke’s novel dives into the world of one “tradwife” influencer’s journey – and boy is it a journey!! – tracing how her early perceptions of other women, her experiences of marriage and motherhood, and her family origin story shape her psychology and choices. Ashby and Coco dig into the intersection of gender and right-wing politics, along with questions of mental health, internet personas, agency, and more.  There are spoilers in this episode, but we flag any major reveals ahead of time! To fully enjoy the conversation, pick up Yesteryear at your local bookstore or at bookshop.org!  As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode. Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    2h 18m
  2. Lindy West and Why Women Don't Talk About Marriage (but maybe we should)

    APR 23

    Lindy West and Why Women Don't Talk About Marriage (but maybe we should)

    First off, a quick apology: this week’s episode was recorded on slightly different equipment than usual, which led to some audio issues. Thank you for your patience! Ashby and Coco read Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane by Lindy West. Like, actually read the book! And only after that do they dive into the surrounding discourse, arriving at a central question: how can women share their experiences of marriage without falling into a trap? (The trap being: either have the perfect feminist marriage or blow up your life.) They step back and walk through three key critiques that have emerged around Lindy and her relationships: (1) she’s lying to herself, (2) she’s lying to us, and/or (3) she’s a pathetic liberal martyr, none of which holds up. Ashby takes us on a journey into the past to better understand the present, interrogating marriage as an institution and the historical forces that have separated women from one another. In the end, they arrive at a place of openness and optimism—not just for Lindy, but for all of us. They hope you enjoy! As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode!  Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    2h 8m
  3. Summer House Scandal: West, Amanda, Disloyalty & Discourse

    APR 9 ·  BONUS

    Summer House Scandal: West, Amanda, Disloyalty & Discourse

    Scandal This week, Coco takes Ashby on a two-part journey through Summer House, introducing her to her friends (and frenemies) who love to party in the Hamptons. Though Ashby hasn’t seen the show, she’s a quick study when it comes to cultural discourse and brings a fresh perspective to the house and its many players. In full transparency, we recorded the first episode – focused on Kyle’s toxic behavior toward Amanda – just hours before the West-Amanda scandal broke. So, naturally, we had to crack open a Loverboy* and fire up the mics again to unpack how this new information adds even more layers to the drama (and why, honestly, we’re kind of sad about it!). We want to live in a world of loyal female friendship and meaningful allyship…and maybe one with fewer DJs?  *lol, we definitely didn’t In this episode: Ciara Miller, West Wilson, and Amanda Batula: it’s much deeper than a love triangle Female friendship, race, and betrayal Anti-Black behavior in reality TV (and reality!)Scandal and discourse  As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode!  Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    58 min
  4. Summer House Deep Dive: Recapping Kyle & Amanda's Relationship Story

    APR 9 ·  BONUS

    Summer House Deep Dive: Recapping Kyle & Amanda's Relationship Story

    Kyle & Amanda  This week, Coco takes Ashby on a two-part journey through Summer House, introducing her to her friends (and frenemies) who love to party in the Hamptons. Though Ashby hasn’t seen the show, she’s a quick study when it comes to cultural discourse and brings a fresh perspective to the house and its many players. In full transparency, we recorded the first episode – focused on Kyle’s toxic behavior toward Amanda – just hours before the West-Amanda scandal broke. So, naturally, we had to crack open a Loverboy* and fire up the mics again to unpack how this new information adds even more layers to the drama (and why, honestly, we’re kind of sad about it!). We want to live in a world of loyal female friendship and meaningful allyship…and maybe one with fewer DJs?  *lol, we definitely didn’t In this episode: Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula’s relationship arc Patterns of misogyny in reality TV Evolving fan relationships to reality TVWho gets to get away with bad behavior in reality TV  As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode!  Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    1h 55m
  5. Ep 12: Women's History Month Special: On "Radical" Women

    MAR 26

    Ep 12: Women's History Month Special: On "Radical" Women

    In this special Women’s History Month episode, Ashby and Coco dive into the work of three transformative women: Angela Davis, Assata Shakur, and Greta Thunberg. They unpack their complicated feelings about Feminism™ and look to the ideas of women so often branded “radical” to find something genuinely powerful. Using quotes from three books: Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Davis, Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur, and The Climate Book created by Greta Thunberg, they explore concepts and themes that have helped them stay sane, find hope, and take action. We hope you enjoy! As always, all references we make in the episode can be found at syllabuspod.substack.com. Don’t forget to stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod.  Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    1h 46m
  6. Rec Room: Discussing 'Hamnet' & our 2026 Awards Season Roundup!

    MAR 12

    Rec Room: Discussing 'Hamnet' & our 2026 Awards Season Roundup!

    This week, Ashby and Coco talk about their big picture Oscar feelings, go through the nominees for Best Picture, and shoutout a few films that didn’t get quite enough awards season love. They spend a little time discussing what makes Hamnet special, and Ashby makes a bold pitch for how to fix the Oscars.  As always, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode!  Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    1h 41m
  7. The Thin Crust of Niceness: On Critics, Trump, and AI Extraction

    MAR 2

    The Thin Crust of Niceness: On Critics, Trump, and AI Extraction

    This week, Ashby and Coco shift into grad school discussion mode as they dive into two excellent essays: “Within the Pretense of No Pretense” by Greg Jackson, originally published in The Point, and “An Age of Hyperabundance” by Laura Preston from n+1. If you love a good “brain buzz,” go ahead and check out these incredible pieces, and pick up a copy of The Best American Essays 2025, curated by pod favorite, Jia Tolentino.  Not up for a little extracurricular reading? No worries: they break down the themes of the essays you’re sure to relate to: AI! Power! Scams! Punditry! Tradeshow trauma! Finally, Coco makes a pledge to not be triggered by The Atlantic anymore. We’ll see if it lasts.  Don’t forget to stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod and join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode.  Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    1h 44m
  8. Rec Room: Phantom Thread

    FEB 13 ·  BONUS

    Rec Room: Phantom Thread

    Happy Valentine’s Day and welcome to the House of Woodcock.  This week, Ashby and Coco watch Phantom Thread, a movie Coco has been thinking about it since she saw it back in 2017. They dig into feminist criticisms of PTA, ADHD crashouts, and the power of some truly delulu determination. Coco finds a way to yet again bring up Sally Rooney and Southern Charm, and Ashby continues to hold Coco accountable for making her watch Poor Things that one time. This episode is for everyone with a rich, mean seamstress husband. Or just anyone who finds themselves in a Long Term Relationship!   And please, join us at syllabuspod.substack.com for all of the references made in this episode, and to settle a bet: does DDL sound English or nah?  Remember: don’t poison your lovers unless they consent to it!!!  Stay in the loop on Instagram @syllabusthepod. Want to send an idea or feedback our way? Email us at syllabuspodemail@gmail.com

    1h 20m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Two recovering straight-A Millenial ladies just stompin' around and figuring it all out. Join Ashby and Coco as they trade in textbooks for real talk from the school of life. Each week they dive into articles, books, conversations, and culture—unpacking the complicated themes that shape our world. With curiosity, humor, and a dash of existential dread, they apply the only skills they have (read: turning everything into a grad school discussion seminar) to try to make sense of these nonsensical times.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashby + Coco
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ashby + Coco
  • Show Website
    Syllabus

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