Hot Girl Hamster Wheel (feat. Katie Gatti Tassin)

This week, join Kate as she returns to form (2+ hour early BTI5-style rambling) by going through an old PowerPoint she found on her computer about Taylor Swift’s evolution from diary-style songwriter to mythological storyteller through increasingly complex literary references. From "Love Story" fairytale princess to The Albatross and Cassandra the cursed prophet, how has Taylor deliberately written herself into literary archetypes as both artistic strategy and psychological self-defense? TLDR; a chaotic TS deep dive with a (hopefully) entertaining payoff about why our "crazy" fan behavior might actually be anthropologically normal.Topics covered:The difference between symbolic self-portraiture and literal autobiographyGreek gods vs. monotheistic religious figures (and why it matters for fandom behavior)Guillermo del Toro's quote about Taylor's "deep interest in fable and myth"Why "Mastermind" is more about childhood loneliness than strategic planning"The Albatross" and the Rime of the Ancient MarinerWhy treating artists like gods can be dehumanizing in the name of protectionFinding self-acceptance and/or collective empowerment at pop concertsA bathroom floor monologue about fairytales and personal authorityAnd so much more!Enjoy!TRACK FIVE CHICAGO is on Saturday, July 19. Get your tix here!Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!To pick up my amika favorites, go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive. And for the rest of July, amika is giving Be There in Five listeners a one-time use code for 20% off your first order. Yes, that is TWENTY PERCENT OFF from now through July 31. Just go to my page at loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Thanks to amika for supporting the show!Get ready for Cozy Days! Don’t miss your chance to score Cozy Earth’s biggest discount of the year. From July 11–13, head to cozyearth.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE to get 45% off best-selling, temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more. Don’t forget, this deal ends on July 13! For better sleep and a cooler summer, what’s stopping you? Sleep cooler, lounge lighter, stay cozy at Cozy Earth.(if you listen after July 13, you can get 40% off with code BETHEREINFIVE!)For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. That’s Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life.Head to nordstrom.com to build your Marc Fisher Footwear wish list now, and shop premium styles at an exceptional value online and in-store starting July 12th!Get healthy, glowing skin for summer with clean, vegan face and body care from OSEA. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code BETHEREINFIVE at OSEAMalibu.com. You’ll get free samples with every order, and free shipping on orders over $60. Head to OSEAMalibu.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off.Don’t settle for less than evidence-based support. Get 25% off your first month at ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Start Ritual or add Essential Prenatal to your subscription today. That’s ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off.

This week, Kate starts by talking about water table culture, Le Creuset mystery boxes, and attempting to reclaim her adult hobbies, then she’s joined by Katie Gatti Tassin (Money with Katie, Diabolical Lies) to talk about her book Rich Girl Nation, which analyzes the unique experiences women have with money and discusses a variety of fascinating cultural, economic, social and financial intersections related to navigating capitalism as a woman. They talk about the co-opting of investment terminology in the name of consumerism and “self-care,” the hot girl hamster wheel of pricey beauty maintenance, as well as touch on societal influences on women's financial habits, the significance of prenups, and effective strategies for negotiating salaries, and more. Enjoy!TRACK FIVE CHICAGO is on Saturday, July 19. Get your tix here!Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!Check out my favs at loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout to get 15% off your first order! 

This week, Kate reviews America's Sweethearts season 2 on Netflix and tells the tale of how last year's Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders episode became one of BTI5's biggest hits— and biggest headaches. When current DCC members flooded her TikTok comments defending themselves against former teammate Victoria's mild birthday party observations, Kate found herself thunderstruck by cheerleader drama she never saw coming, and she'll never be the same. A year later, Kate returns to process what really went down behind the scenes and what she learned about internet drama, institutional dynamics, and the difference between nice girls and kind people. But she doesn't just break down her personal breakdown, she also recaps season two and reviews the pay negotiations that dominated this season, Shandy's mysterious Bahamas incident, Jada's incredible leadership, Dayton's return to Saturn (but not The Star), and examines how each season humanized the women in different ways. Originally recorded for Patreon, this episode offers a mix of gossipy pop culture, behind-the-scenes scoop, and personal vulnerability that she may regret later. Enjoy!TRACK FIVE CHICAGO is on Saturday, July 19. Get your tix here!Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!For June, amika is giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order. Go to my page at loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.

This week, Kate is joined by Nora Princiotti (host of Every Single Album, author of Hit Girls) to talk about the women who built pop's shiniest decade, like Taylor, Britney, Avril, Ashlee, Beyonce, and beyond. First, they tackle the news that Taylor Swift now owns her masters, then discuss some thoughts about Reputation TV and TS12 clownery, and it doesn't take long for Kate to interject and defend her Be There in Five Holes in a Fence era. Then, Nora shares what inspired her new book Hit Girls they and chat about a variety of topics, like how artists such as TS redefined fandom and authorship in the digital age (and how her MySpace posts laid the groundwork for today’s stan culture). They also discuss Avril Lavigne's not-like-other-girls brand, how Ashlee Simpson is correlated with why pop is finally being taken seriously, Max Martin's melodic math, and more. A must-listen for anyone obsessed with pop history, parasocial dynamics, or rereading their old Tumblr posts. Enjoy!Order Nora’s book, Hit Girls, hereOrder Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial hereText or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSTo pick up amika's new line of smoothing/anti-frizz products, go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive. For June, amika is giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order. Go to my page at loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the Fourth of July Sale and the Best of the Web offer, which is 27% off sitewide through July 31. 2025. Hey Beths, did you know all of your favorite podcasts, including Be There in Five are on Amazon Music?All you have to say is ‘Alexa, play the podcast Be There In Five on Amazon Music.’ Or if you’re listening on your phone, just download the Amazon Music app, search for “Be There In Five” and click "Follow."  For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive and use code bethereinfive. No matter what your summer brings: Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to LIQUID-IV.COM and get 20% off your first order with code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Get healthy, glowing skin for summer with clean, vegan face and body care from OSEA. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code BETHEREINFIVE at OSEAMalibu.com. You’ll get free samples with every order, and free shipping on orders over $60.

This week, Kate tries a tri-deep dive connecting Addison Rae's evolution, Y2K's one-hit wonders, and the overlap of both TRL and Tiktok's pop generations. Through Addison's candid interviews about stepping away from constant content creation, Kate explores how the machine that once discarded the forgotten pop girls of the early 2000s is long gone... or is it? Kate argues that while social media promised to democratize fame, it's actually created a more insidious system where creators internalize the disposability that labels and entertainment gatekeepers used to impose, making the case that Addison Rae represents a new model of how to game the system back.Plus: Relax, Hailey Bieber isn't a billionaire (yet), Kylie's boob job transparency, S Club 7's tragic economics, YM magazine archaeology, and why we need to stop treating one-hit wonders like cautionary tales when they were actually victims of an assembly line designed to churn through young women for profit. Enjoy!Playlists referred to:Making Bead Lizards: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qBMaMap0SsCAQT2spUU0L?si=75b7f67f73dc48e6Inflatable Chair Lounging: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ZiUucH8Cl8P6TQ7TqsVVQ?si=qJUnqZNFTouyebseg-wKHwSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSTRACK FIVE CHICAGO is on Saturday, July 19. Get your tix here!Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!To pick up amika's new line of smoothing/anti-frizz products, go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive. For June, amika is giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order. Go to my page at loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Cozy Earth makes comfort that lasts—and this Father’s Day, he deserves it. Go to cozyearth.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE for 40% off all men's apparel. For the dads who work hard during their 9-5, and deserve the best during their 5-9.Get healthy, glowing skin for summer with clean, vegan face and body care from OSEA. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code BETHEREINFIVE at OSEAMalibu.com. You’ll get free samples with every order, and free shipping on orders over $60. Head to OSEAMalibu.com and use code BETHEREINFIVE for 10% off. Build your vacation-ready wardrobe from the ground up. Shop the new summer collection and receive 20% off your purchase with the code BETHEREINFIVE at marcfisherfootwear.com. That’s marcfisherfootwear.com for 20% off with code BETHEREINFIVEWhen it comes to pregnancy and postpartum support, you want products backed by research and transparency. Mom-founded Ritual puts in the work and shows you the proof. Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That’s ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off your first month.

Join Kate on all eight of her days trying to Eat Pray Love. Back to reg programming next episode. Enjoy!SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOrder Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!Check out loveamika.com/bethereinfive for my favorites. And for May they are giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of May. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.

This week, Kate is joined by her sister Kelly for a classic nostalgic crowdsourced ep with big yearbook staff energy. Listeners submitted their tales related to graduation, senior week, prom, senior pranks, local traditions gone awry, and so much more. Enjoy!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!Did you know all of your favorite podcasts, including Be There in Five are on Amazon Music? All you have to say is ‘Alexa, play the podcast Be There In Five on Amazon Music.’ Or if you’re listening on your phone, just download the Amazon Music app, search for “Be There In Five” and click "Follow."  Check out loveamika.com/bethereinfive for my favorites. And for May they are giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of May. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Luxury shouldn’t be out of reach. Use code BETHEREINFIVE for 40% off best-selling sheets,pajamas, and more at cozyearth.com. Shop now during their Memorial Day Weekend sale for 30% Off sitewide (exclusions apply). Sale ends on 5/26, shop at marcfisherfootwear.com. (After the sale, you can always use code BETHEREINFIVE for 20% off.)Get ready for a new way to wash away the day with OSEA’s new Ocean Wave Cleanser. And right now, we have a special offer just for our listeners! Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code BETHEREINFIVE at OSEAMalibu.com.

Kate's having a rough week, so she called in reinforcements (Nora McInerny) to help her discuss the new season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, but not before they discuss other pressing pop culture topics like the new pope. Enjoy!For May Amika is giving my listeners a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of May. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the Memorial Day Sale, which is 27% Off Sitewide + a Free Bedding Bundle (Sheet Set and Mattress Protector) with any Luxe or Elite Mattress Order. This is exclusive for listeners of Be There in Five! That’s helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the 2025 Memorial Day Sale.For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Hungryroot.com/bethereinfive, code bethereinfive.Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to LIQUID-IV.COM and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. That’s 20% off your first order with code BETHEREINFIVE at LIQUID-IV.COM.Nuuly is a great value at $98 a month for any 6 styles, but right now you can get $28 off your first month of Nuuly when you sign up with the code BETHEREINFIVE. Just go to nuuly.com, that's Nuuly with two “U”s—and enter the code BETHEREINFIVE and sign up to get $28 off your first month.Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. That’s ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off your first month.

This week, Kate unpacks the art, science, and history of gossip with Kelsey McKinney (from the beloved podcast Normal Gossip and author of NYT bestselling book You Didn't Hear This From Me). They explore a variety of angles for this topic, such as how dismissing gossip as "women's talk" has historically been a tool of patriarchal control, religious institutions, or corporations, etc., and how gossip networks have actually served as feminist resistance channels throughout history. They also examine their complicated relationship with parasocial relationships and "entitlement gossip," forever navigating the fine line between being messy Bs who love tea and recognizing gossip's legitimate social power. Enjoy!SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOrder Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!For April, Amika is giving the Beths a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of April. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. That’s loveamika.com/bethereinfive, code BETHEREINFIVE to get 15% off your first order!To celebrate Moms everywhere, this weekend only, May 2-4, Cozy Earth is giving my listeners a special promo: Buy One, Get One Free bamboo pajamas!! Use code BETHEREINFIVEBOGO at cozyearth.com to take advantage of this! Or Get 40% off with my code BETHEREINFIVE cozyearth.com for everything else!Ready up for a long day with extraordinary hydration from Liquid I.V. Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to LIQUID-IV.COM and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout. Build your vacation-ready wardrobe from the ground up. Shop the new summer collection and receive 20% off your purchase with the code BETHEREINFIVE at marcfisherfootwear.com. Nuuly is a great value at $98 a month for any 6 styles, but right now you can get $28 off your first month of Nuuly when you sign up with the code BETHEREINFIVE. Just go to Nuuly.com and sign up to get $28 off your first month. Go to paireyewear.com and use code BTIF for 15% off your first pair. And support the show by mentioning Be There in Five sent you in your post checkout survey!

This week, Kate delves into Katy Perry's career decline, but not before being wrongly accused of a crime she didn’t commit, and the exchange unfolds in real time for listeners. She also reviews how space is, like, shockingly close, and how Blue Origin girl bossed too close to the moon and may have landed on earth, but the faux feminist PR machine didn’t land with the gen pop. She also snorkels through her accidental Isabella brunette moment this week that led to some introspection about maintaining her appearance postpartum, never quite figuring out if she’s found reclamation or resignation in not prioritizing beauty rituals the way she once did. Finally, she investigates something she was asking herself during Katy Perry’s 11 minutes in space: why has her career commercially declined so drastically over the past 11 years, the last time she had #1 singles and best-selling albums? In Kate’s opinion, it comes down to one thing, and it’s perhaps a worse feminist take than the motto of the bootcut bodysuit brigade thinking they’d inspire us by “taking up space.” Enjoy!Order Kate's NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial here!Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!amika means friend, and they are definitely a friend to Be There in Five. For April, they are giving us Beths a one-time use code for 15% off your first order through the end of April. Just go to loveamika.com/bethereinfive and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkout.Go to helixsleep.com/bethereinfive for the Spring Savings Event, which is 20% off sitewide through April 30, 2025. You’re going to love Hungryroot as much as I do. Take advantage of this exclusive offer: For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/BETHEREINFIVE and use code BETHEREINFIVE. Shop the new summer collection now during their Friends and Family Sale for an extra 25% off your purchase at marcfisherfootwear.com, with code FRIENDS25. Sale is going on now through 4/21. That's m-a-r-c-f-i-s-h-e-r footwear.com, code FRIENDS25.Say goodnight to wrinkles and wake up to visibly firmer, smoother, naturally radiant skin with OSEA’s new Dream Night Serum. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code BETHEREINFIVE at OSEAMalibu.com. Start HyaCera to support your glow without compromising on clean science. Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE.