In this episode, we're joined by Ashley Spencer, author of Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel’s Tween Empire. She shares her four-year journey researching Disney becoming the choice tween TV channel, and shares details from her interviews with former executives and cast/crew members, like the infamous Hilary Duff and LaLaine fallout or how the Zac/Vanessa High School Musical romance came to be IRL. We explore Disney's internal culture and show development, the role of pop music in Disney Channel's success (Samantha Mumba!), and get all the tea from our favorite 90s and 2000s shows and DCOMs. And last but not least, we can’t help but touch on how things have changed since our Zoog Disney days—from modern media consumption patterns, the implications of binge-watching, and the loss of monoculture. And don’t forget to check out Ashley’s book below! Enjoy.

Read Disney High by Ashley Spencer: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250283450/disneyhigh

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TAGS: Ashley Spencer, DCOM, Disney, Interview, Guest, Disney Channel, High School Musical, Zac Efron, Hilary Duff, Hannah Montana

This week, inspired by the nostalgic TV masterpiece (excl. reboot) on Lifetime, Unsolved Mysteries, Kate introduces a (maybe?) new series she’s testing called “Influencer Unsolved Mysteries,” where she wants to deep dive into niche influencer lore, specifically times when fans/followers have been left with unanswered questions or presented with mysterious explanations for something that wouldn’t usually be our business, but they told us about it first and it’s their literal business.

The first episode of IUM discusses Seth and Jenna Wright, Ballerina Farm relatives who were formerly known as @whiteshantyathome, and their home construction project that grew their social media following in 2019-2020 due to sharing the process of building an unusual but grand English manor-style home made entirely of limestone by hand in Utah. They appeared to pour their hearts and souls into creating their “little piece of England” on a homestead in Utah, where they planned to raise their seven homeschooled kids (and Scottish Highland cows that matched their aesthetic). But one night in August 2020, everything they worked for went up in flames in the blink of an eye, and the half-finished custom home they built themselves stone by stone was destroyed in a matter of minutes by a house fire. What happened? What details did we miss about that tragic night due to their not explaining more until they went private? Why did they nearly disappear from social media for the past four years? Why are they back now? Is it to share their latest renovation? Or because they became known for posting far-right conspiracy theories the last time they were active in the fall of 2020? Tune into this BTI5 deep dive to see what we can find.

If you like this series, call or text 775-HEY-BETH to nominate your next influencer mystery. No topic is too light or heavy, whether an active account abruptly went dark, a friendship had a falling out, or a normal-seeming person went from zero to zealot faster than you can say, “Do your research.” The goal isn’t to drag anybody, but to have a watering hole for those of us who were chronically online before it was a term and check in on the bloggers and influencers of yesteryear we obsessed over, how they relate to current issues, and revisit their stories through a comedic, critical, and [where warranted] compassionate lens.

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In this episode, Kate opens by talking about top-of-mind things for everyone, like P. Diddy’s indictment, Sabrina Carpenter’s album, and if she actually cut her own face-framing layers this weekend. Then she invites her friend, author, and beloved IG poet (@maryoliversdrunkcousin) Lyndsay Rush on the pod to talk about a variety of things, like Single-White-Femaling each other’s lives and careers, e.g. having babies within a day of each other and books come out the same year with the same publisher. They discuss some LOL and heartfelt challenges about new motherhood, like the shift from infant to toddler, Lyndsay’s tips for meeting mom friends, and Kate’s formal apology to the wine mom community. They then dive into topics related to Lyndsay’s new book of poems, ‘A Bit Much,” and meander through topics like snacks, nostalgia, quirky inventions, and childhood hobbies (among other topics) and end with us offering up some options for Taylor Swift-related food and drink wordplay for your next themed party. Enjoy!

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Kate recaps the new Hulu series, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Will MomTok survive this episode??!

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Right now, Hungryroot is offering Be There In Five listeners 30% off your first delivery and free veggies for life. Just go to Hungryroot.com/BETHEREINFIVE, to get 30% off your first delivery and get your free veggies. That’s Hungryroot.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Don’t forget to use our link, so they know we sent you.

For understated luxury at its best this fall, shop the must-have pairs of the season and receive 20% off your purchase with code BETHEREINFIVE at marcfisherfootwear.com.

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In the season 1 finale, Kate decides she should have another season after over 6 years of not realizing she was still technically in season one of Be There in Five, then delves into her candid experience with motherhood she’s promised the main feed for the last year. Enjoy a follow-up from Childless Mill, some cheesy mom thoughts about cuteness aggression & having no chill, practical tips about L&D, surviving months 1-3, and feeling surprised by her social identity, among many other discussions inside the vast world of motherhood. Join her to debunk some of her prior misconceptions and confirm plenty of former doomsday perceptions, with heartfelt personal anecdotes aplenty. After this episode, Kate’s taking a hiatus until September, so if you want more bonus content & weekly BTIF episodes, go to patreon.com/bethereinfive. Join for a year for 10% off or join for a day, she’s not picky. Enjoy!

Fin.

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This week, Kate explores the Ballerina Farm article heard ‘round the World Wide Web and reacts to the Times UK profile of homesteaders Hannah Neeleman and her husband Daniel, who run a picturesque farm in Utah with their eight children. Kate high-level examines Neeleman’s portrayal of farm life, the influence of their Mormon faith on gender roles, how that lack of context likely made the article more inflammatory to a secular audience, and discusses the complexities of claimed empowerment in our choices when they’re from a finite set of options. She also goes on a gratuitous Juilliard tangent (the Troy Bolton of it all), but not before a predictable plea to her audience to not marry someone after three weeks and a rant about bearing children being left up to God's will. Kate also touches on her confusion about the label of “trad wife,” wonders if she is one while her son is on her lap while she records, and attempts to explore the nuances of active versus passive harm when promoting a certain traditional (or regressive) lifestyle on the internet. Enjoy!

https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/the-sunday-times-magazine/article/meet-the-queen-of-the-trad-wives-and-her-eight-children-plfr50cgk

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This week, Kate is joined by Hannah Berner, comedian and host of the popular podcasts Giggly Squad and Berner Phone, and the star of her new Netflix special, We Ride at Dawn. Broadcasting from a studio in NYC, Kate asks about her trajectory since reality TV, the flawless burnt amber matching set outfit choice, navigating the male-dominated stand-up scene, and the importance of centering niche female humor in mainstream spaces. They also discuss the pressure women face in their 30s, the ever-present dilemma of having kids, and how Hannah feels that tennis is now an aesthetic, among other things. Enjoy!

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Tags:

Hannah Berner, Giggly Squad, Summer House, women in comedy, We Ride at Dawn, Netflix special, Bravo

This week, we’re joined by two friends of the pod, Sami Sage (Betches Co-Founder) and Emily Amick (@emilyinyourphone) about their book Democracy in Retrograde (released 7/9). The discussion focuses on how to spark civic engagement amid increased societal polarization, challenges in public civic life, the importance of making civic duties enjoyable, and how digital lives influence political participation. From pivotal issues like minority rule to voter suppression, Sami and Emily offer practical advice and their real-life experience to help us all feel a little better about being more civics-minded and involved. Enjoy!

Order Democracy in Retrograde by Sami Sage and Emily Amick here: https://amzn.to/3Y4eP9A

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HyaCera from Ritual is a clinically-proven skin supplement you can actually trust.* Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE. Start Ritual or add HyaCera to your subscription today. That’s ritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE for 25% off.