Shows
Meg Talks PodcastMy Friend Caught My Girl CheatingMeg Talks and Tee Ali are back with another reckless and hilarious episode from the Giggles and Gallivanting mini-series!This week, we dive into pop culture, real-life dilemmas, and the messy truths about friendships, relationships and girls trips. From figuring out if a friend is truly loyal to unpacking whether dating apps actually work, nothing is off-limits.This week’s topics include:Pop Culture:Burna Boy headlining ReggaelandAmerica’s Next Top Model docuseries reviewPrisoner on the run: escaped from Lewisham HospitalFriendships & Relationships:
2026-02-221h 32
Laughs without LagerBeyond Dry January: What Comes NextSend a textDry January gave you a reset—now what? We dive into the messy, hopeful middle between a 30-day break and a stable, alcohol-free life you actually enjoy. From the sneaky “just one” voice to the myth of moderation, we break down how to move past willpower and build a foundation that lasts: real connection, daily tools that shift your state, and deeper work that heals the reasons you reached for a drink in the first place.We talk about the difference between fake connection and the real thing—how alcohol promised belonging, confiden...
2026-02-1325 minLaughs without LagerAshton; From Below Deck to Top of the World!Send a textWhat if the worst moment of your life played back to you on global TV—and it became the exact catalyst you needed to change? That’s the turning point Ashton shares with us, tracing his jump from a Johannesburg cubicle to Below Deck’s spotlight, the night that spiraled in a van, and the sober rebuild that followed. Join us for a clear-eyed look at how alcohol masks deeper problems, why logic can break its spell, and how presence, purpose, and real connection return when the noise drops.We get specific about...
2026-01-3050 minLaughs without LagerCravings!!Send a textEver feel that sudden pull toward a drink on a sunny afternoon or a lonely weeknight and wonder why it hits so hard? We get honest about what cravings really are—quick promises of comfort wrapped in nostalgia—and how to meet the real need underneath without waking up to shame and headaches. Drawing on our lived experience, we break down the tools that actually help: play the tape forward to the messy middle and the morning after; surf the urge for fifteen calm minutes with a pen and paper; eat a real meal earl...
2026-01-1616 min
2026-01-1346 minLaughs without LagerNew Year ReflectionsSend a textThe calendar is sprinting toward a fresh start, but we’re not making resolutions—we’re choosing action. We look back at a year of sober wins and hard lessons, from funneling former bar tabs into a down payment to staying present during those nerve-wracking nights when teens push curfew and boundaries. The real headline isn’t perfection; it’s momentum. Sobriety didn’t just clear our heads. It recalibrated our money, our mornings, and our sense of security.You’ll hear how skipping alcohol eliminated whole chains of hidden costs—Ubers, late-night meals...
2026-01-0225 minLaughs without LagerSurviving Christmas and New Year AF!Send a textHoliday parties, family tables, and New Year countdowns can feel like a maze when you’re choosing not to drink. We open up about what actually helps: the tiny moves that protect your peace, the scripts that end awkward pressure, and the plans that turn a long season into something you might finally enjoy. From the first work do to Boxing Day, we unpack real moments—food truck delays, sugar swaps, old triggers—and show how a simple plan can keep you grounded, social, and home safe.We start with work parties, where...
2025-12-2123 min
Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball PodcastEffectively Wild Episode 2415: Catch if You Can
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Ha-Seong Kim, Adrian Houser, and Foster Griffin signings, a prospect-for-prospect Red Sox and Nationals trade, and the Twins’ partial sale, then (34:00) answer emails about saying “pitchoff” instead of “first pitch,” the value of a cool nickname, a Hall of Fame reference in The Wizard of Oz, whether teams value batter performance against elite pitching, protesting ball/strike calls from the dugout, keeping Pete Rose out of the Hall, a running start for pitchers, and moving the catcher back instead of the mound.
Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “...
2025-12-171h 40
Get Strong and Prosper#318 - A Meaningful Meditation for the HolidaysThis can be the MOST time of the year. Most joyful, most lonely, most overwhelming. It can look different for each person. Today's episode of The Adventure Fit Club Podcast is a special meditation to help you find your own meaning this holidays.Please know there is no right or wrong way to show up this holiday and that you are loved. Interested in my starting offer of December on me? Fill out your coaching application for The Adventure Fit Club™ : Apply here for coachingHost: Coach Meg WalkerEmail: meg@theadventurefitcl...
2025-12-0814 min
The Inner Game of ChangeE99 - A Return to Purpose Through Change - Podcast With Meg SmithWelcome to The Inner Game of Change. where we explore the thinking behind the doing of change.Today I sit down with the thoughtful and very grounded Meg Smith, co author of the practical and timely book Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption. It is a clear and generous guide for leaders and consultants who want to understand what real adoption looks like inside organisations.Meg brings that same clarity into our conversation. We speak about courage, curiosity, learning, and the real experience people are having as artificial intelligence moves into their daily work. One idea she raises...
2025-12-0652 minLaughs without LagerAlcohol and toxic friendshipsSend a textWe unpack how alcohol glued unhealthy friendships together, why sobriety exposed toxic patterns, and how learning to respond instead of react rebuilt our boundaries and our circles. Some ties faded, stronger ones deepened, and we found new friends who match our values, not our pour.• booze-bonded friendships and enabling• toxic comments normalized by drinking• fear of confrontation and people-pleasing• shifting from reacting to responding• accountability and letting go of anger• spotting jealousy, digs and red flags• codependence and performance drinking• losing alcohol-only friends without regret• keeping de...
2025-12-0527 minLaughs without LagerLife outside our comfort zone!Send a textWhat happens when you take the mic, skip the “liquid courage,” and tell the truth anyway? We open up about two moments that reshaped our confidence: MCing a 90th birthday with shaking hands and a full heart, and saying yes to a day at the races with people we barely knew. No shortcuts, no numbing—just the kind of presence that turns fear into evidence that you can handle more than you thought.The stories are small and seismic. A speech becomes a bridge between mother and daughter, where sobriety transforms old resent...
2025-11-2226 min
First Dates & Soulmates79 | Always Be My Maybe: Slow burn, old flames, and Keanu ReevesMeg and Nikki continue their Friends to Lovers deep dive with a pop culture gem, Always Be My Maybe. They unpack why this Netflix hit (starring Ali Wong and Randall Park) captures what we love most about the trope: long history, missed timing, emotional safety, and that perfect balance between comedy and yearning. Plus, a Keanu Reeves cameo that is the ultimate rom-com chaos agent. Books & Media Mentioned:* Always Be My Maybe (Netflix)* When Harry Met Sally (film)* Set It Up (film)* Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)...
2025-11-1257 minLaughs without LagerWhy I Stopped Drinking Alcohol: Nostalgia, Loss, And Choosing PresenceSend a textWhat if the ache you feel when life moves on isn’t a problem to fix, but a compass pointing you back to what matters? That question sits at the heart of this solo story from Meg, where nostalgia, fear of loss, and the bittersweet nature of change collide with the choice to live fully—without alcohol.We trace the hidden logic that once drove her to drink: the unbearable awareness that moments pass, kids grow up, and chapters close. Meg shares how a lifelong love of photographs turned into a paradox—chasin...
2025-11-0716 min
First Dates & Soulmates77 | We Took Our Own New Romance Quiz (and Immediately Started Arguing)In this flannel-wrapped fall special, Nikki and Meg celebrate cozy season with a “fun house” of games, quizzes, and chaos. Expect haunted hayrides, wraparound porches, ghost-hunting funeral directors, and the eternal sanctity of The Great British Bake Off.Want to know your romance archetype?Take our brand-new “What’s Your Romance Trope?” quiz at firstdatesandsoulmates.com/quiz! In true Cosmo girl fashion, we’ll tell you whether you’re a Fake Dating Fool, a Historical Scoundrel, a Paranormal Heartthrob, or one of our other 5 signature tropes.Your results come with a custom podcast...
2025-10-2956 minEffectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball PodcastEffectively Wild Episode 2393: The World Series Game 3 Draft
Ben and Meg banter about and draft their favorite 18 moments (one for each inning!) from an endlessly entertaining, and almost just plain endless, World Series Game 3.
Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Link to Ben on Game 3
Link to Laurila on Game 3
Link to Baumann on Game 3
Link to Andrews on Game 3
Link to Clemens on Game 3
Link to Wegner’s Umpire Scorecard
Link to Barger/Schneider story
Link to Paisley story
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2025-10-2900 minMeg Talks PodcastWho’s Actually Surviving the Cost of Living?Meg Talks and Tee Ali are back with another unfiltered and hilarious episode from the Giggles and Gallivanting mini-series!This week, we’re chopping it up about relationships, parenting, and the cost of living, exploring the moments and challenges we all face:Dating and relationships: How do you know the right time for key milestones — meeting friends or family, moving in, or meeting a partner’s child?Parenting & bonus parenting: What I’ve learned from stepping into my partner’s child’s life and navigating that role.Parenting & breakups: When a relationship...
2025-10-271h 45Laughs without LagerSober School HolidaysSend a textWhat if the school holidays weren’t a blur of recovery but a season you actually remember? We get honest about how alcohol once ran the schedule—stacking holiday programs to make space for hangovers, leaning on sleepovers and grandparents, and calling it “normal.” Then we map the upgrade: sober camping trips that count even when it’s just one night, late-night teen pickups without the panic, and family milestones—like a 90th birthday—where every laugh lands because we’re truly there.We unpack the lie that celebrations need booze. If the grand final...
2025-10-2430 min
First Dates & Soulmates76 | Scared Sexy (Kindle Exclusive novella series 6-pack)Nikki and Meg sink their teeth into Scared Sexy, Amazon’s spooky Kindle Unlimited novella six-pack featuring some of the biggest names in romance. See the whole series here (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4ow3WqWFeatured Authors:* Ali Hazelwood (Hot for Slayer): https://amzn.to/3L1aGyH* Christina Lauren (Falling): https://amzn.to/4hkBzK5* JT Geissinger (Spicy Little Curses): https://amzn.to/4qnw3ds* Ruby Dixon (Space Vampire): https://amzn.to/4ql35en* Katee Robert (Beautiful Nightmare): https://amzn.to/48GKt2c* Ki...
2025-10-2254 minLaughs without LagerNavigating events SoberSend a textA bag of manure, a wrong funeral procession, and two friends laughing so hard their faces hurt—this is a story about how fun didn’t vanish when the wine did. We crack open the invisible rules that used to run our lives: the bar tab at weddings, the “you deserve it” drinks after pregnancy, the designated‑driver resentment, the “check your texts” dread. Instead of preaching, we talk honestly about what changed: connection got louder, shame got quieter, and ordinary Sundays started to feel like a win.We contrast the quiet respect of a G...
2025-10-1029 minEffectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball PodcastEffectively Wild Episode 2385: Must-Win Shame
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the rampant overuse of the phrase “must-win game,” denying late timeouts, the Blue Jays’ victory over the Yankees, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a Yankees postmortem, Aaron Judge’s partial postseason redemption, the athletic (and managerial) highlights and lowlights of the other ALDS and the two NLDSes, the swan song of October Clayton Kershaw, postseason sacrifice bunting, Bryce Harper’s thoughts on childbirth, and more.
Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Link to Passan’s Phillies tweet
Link to Po...
2025-10-101h 44Laughs without LagerSober Party People: How to have fun Without Alcohol!Send a textAlcohol freedom doesn't mean the end of fun—it's the beginning of something far more authentic and expansive. In this eye-opening conversation with Kim Raysmith, founder of Sober Party People and retreat host, we dive deep into what it really takes to reclaim joy without liquid courage.Kim's journey begins with a familiar struggle: "I wanted to be sober like I wanted a hole in my head." For years, she chased the elusive "moderation fairy," convinced that her inability to control her drinking was simply a character flaw. With refreshing honesty, she sh...
2025-09-2636 minMeg Talks PodcastWhy You Can’t Always Trust the LGBT+ CommunityMeg Talks and Tee Ali are back! After a summer of levelling up, job hunting, landing a new job and signing up to start my Master’s—I’m back to dropping episodes on a regular schedule. This week, Meg goes off on a passionate rant asking the big question: is the queer community really a “safe space”? 👀Btw we had a tech glitch and the episode skips when we discuss the topic - should studs make adult content for a predominantly male audience? This weeks topics:Why I have fallen...
2025-09-211h 11Laughs without LagerFrom Self-Sabotage to Self-Love: Faye's Sober JourneySend a textValentine's Day typically conjures images of romantic love, but for Faye Hughes, it became the day she finally chose self-love over self-destruction. Flying back to Australia after a family wedding gone wrong, shame and regret weighing heavy on her shoulders, Faye made a life-altering decision to commit to sobriety that would transform every aspect of her life.Faye's story begins with childhood impressions of alcohol as the centerpiece of fun and connection, watching her mother's parties and absorbing the unspoken family fear of inherited alcoholism. By fifteen, she was already experiencing blackouts...
2025-09-1233 minLaughs without LagerBlackout DrinkingSend a textHave you ever woken up after a night of drinking with no memory of how you got home? Those aren't just fuzzy memories—they're scientifically proven to be memories that never formed at all. Welcome to the neurological phenomenon of blackouts.Megsie and Ali take you on a deeply personal journey through their experiences with alcohol-induced blackouts, exploring both the science and emotional impact of these memory gaps. As Megsie poignantly shares, "I was a photographer who created memories for people, yet I was losing my own." This irony highlights the profound di...
2025-08-2927 minEffectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball PodcastEffectively Wild Episode 2364: Torpedoed Bats
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about torpedo bats (remember them?), Cody Bellinger’s good year and confounding career, recent comments by Craig Counsell and Aaron Boone, the impending call-up of Bubba Chandler and the recent arrival of Owen Caissie, the weirdest things about being a pro baseball player, a zombie-runner-induced ending to a pitcher’s duel, and Alien: Earth as a baseball show.
Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Link to Straw update
Link to Sam on Bellinger
Link to Clay interv...
2025-08-211h 34
First Dates & Soulmates67 | It’s All Connected: Inside Eden Finley’s Shared UniverseNikki and Meg sit down with bestselling author Eden Finley to talk all things generational romance, character crossovers, and the chaos of collaborative writing. From her Fake Boyfriend series to Puckboy, Eden shares how she builds interconnected worlds where the HEAs don’t stop with one couple but they span generations.Listen in as they discuss:* Why gay hockey is such a reliable niche* Keeping track of a sprawling cast across multiple spin-offs and shared universes* Eden’s writing process (spoiler: chaos is embraced)* Tropes, tension, and the line betw...
2025-08-2051 minLaughs without LagerMeg's Sober Summit interviewSend a textHave you ever wondered if those small, seemingly insignificant moments from your past might be driving your drinking habits today? In this powerful conversation with Meg, we uncover the hidden connections between what she calls "invisible trauma" and alcohol dependency.Meg's journey began with a single trembling moment in front of her high school class that triggered an anxiety disorder. When she discovered at 18 that alcohol stopped her shaking hands, it became her medicine—a pattern that eventually led to isolating and drinking over two bottles of wine nightly. What makes her st...
2025-08-1557 min
BFFR with Sydney Leroux & Ali RileyMegan Rapinoe & Sue Bird on the New Era of Women’s Sports, USWNT Stories, & rooming with SydThis week on BFFR, we’re joined by a certified power couple — seven Olympic medals between them, countless championships, and the hosts of A Touch More — Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird!
Meg & Sue recap WNBA All-Star Weekend, their iconic cameo on the StudBudz livestream, and how the weekend has officially leveled up. They get real about the rise of women’s sports — Megan said it best: “I told you so.” They also debate whether the NWSL needs its own All-Star Weekend, and Syd & Meg swap wild stories from their USWNT days — including what it was really like rooming together...
2025-08-041h 03Laughs without LagerReclaiming Your Worth: The Financial and Emotional Freedom of SobrietySend a textImagine standing in a store, debating whether to spend $75 on a massage gun for chronic pain relief, while never once questioning dropping $200 on weekend alcohol. This jarring realization sparked our deep dive into the strange financial double standards we create before and after sobriety.We unpack how society normalizes spending on harmful habits while scrutinizing healthier choices. "$15,500 saved in 3.5 years of sobriety" isn't just an impressive number—it represents freedom from the warped priorities alcohol created in our lives. Yet many of us still struggle with feeling worthy of investing in our we...
2025-08-0127 minLaughs without LagerAlcohol related Red FlagsSend a textEver wonder if those nagging concerns about your drinking might actually be important warning signs? Join Ali and Megsy as they candidly unpack the red flags they ignored on their paths to alcohol dependence—and eventual sobriety.With unflinching honesty, they explore how society's narrow definition of "alcoholism" allowed them to dismiss serious warning signs simply because they were "high-functioning." From bringing backup booze to every social event to eagerly awaiting their children's driver's licenses (so they could drink without driving), these seemingly small behaviors revealed deeper truths they weren't ready to fa...
2025-07-1832 min
The Goodness Grace-cious PodcastMORNING CHIT CHAT 🍵 #POPCULTURE NEWS...ROSIE O'DONNELL VS PRES.TRUMP, LAILAH ALI WANTS 20 MILLI TO FIGHT, MEG THEE STALLION NEW BOO, DRAKE STILL HURT, AMANDA SEALS AND MORE.
2025-07-1435 min
The Not Drinking Alcohol Today PodcastLaughs Without Lager: Finding Authentic Connection in SobrietyWhat happens when four decades of heavy drinking suddenly stops? Ali Burke returns to share her remarkable transformation from a self-described "party pisshead parent" to a woman fully embracing authentic connection and present parenting.Ali's drinking story began in her early teens, looking for courage, attention, and a way to fit in. As the youngest of seven children, alcohol became her tool for becoming "the funny one." This evolved into a forty-year relationship with alcohol that saw her drinking moonshine vodka by the litre, losing her driver's license three times, and prioritizing drinking over...
2025-07-1228 minLaughs without LagerBreaking the Fuck-It Button CycleSend a textEver found yourself swearing off alcohol only to cave in a moment of weakness? That dreaded "fuck it button" moment is something both of us know intimately—and it's exactly what we're tackling in this raw, unfiltered conversation about the cycle of drinking, quitting, and drinking again.Ali opens up about her journey through hypnotherapy to address the root causes of her drinking—feelings of unworthiness and abandonment—only to face a critical test at a colleague's wedding where champagne flutes and old habits threatened everything she'd worked for. Meanwhile, Meg shares how fi...
2025-07-0427 minMeg Talks PodcastCan You Justify Dating A Friends Ex That They Have Kids With?Meg Talks and Tee Ali are back with another unfiltered and hilarious episode from the Giggles and Gallivanting mini-series! This week, they dive into: Is making new friends harder as an adult — and when is it time to let goof long-term friendships that no longer serve you? Jealousy in friendships Is there ever a time when it’s okay to date a good friend’s ex? The difference between a masc-presenting woman and a masculine queer woman — is it just about ap...
2025-06-291h 24Laughs without LagerBut will I lose friends?Send a textThe question arrived in our inbox from a listener with a familiar fear: "Will I lose my friends if I stop drinking?" It's a concern that keeps countless people trapped in cycles of alcohol use despite wanting to quit. After all, drinking culture permeates nearly every social gathering—from parent meetups to barbecues, Friday celebrations to weekend festivities.Drawing from our combined eight years of sobriety, we explore how friendship landscapes truly transform when alcohol exits the picture. The surprising truth? While some connections naturally fade, these aren't "losses" but revelations about wh...
2025-06-2126 minEffectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball PodcastEffectively Wild Episode 2333: Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the In-Game Interview
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about good news and bad news for Ben’s recent Meet a Major Leaguer subject Christian Montes De Oca, Craig Kimbrel’s short-lived return to Atlanta, the promotions of Roman Anthony and Jacob Misiorowski and a proposal for automatic call-ups, Denzel Clarke’s incredible catch and extreme stat line (and the nature of quantifying defense), Jhonkensy Noel’s offensive outage, two uncommon occurrences involving baseballs in strange places, Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s mic’ed-up error, Clayton Kershaw’s payback against the Cardinals, and (1:10:26) “Hometown Hero,” a baseball-themed episode of Poker Face.
Audio intro: Gar...
2025-06-111h 37Laughs without LagerThe Courage to Say "I Don't Drink"Send a textEver wondered when to tell people you've stopped drinking? That seemingly simple question leads us down a fascinating rabbit hole of social expectations, personal growth, and the unexpected gifts of sobriety.As two women with over seven combined years of alcohol-free living, we've navigated countless awkward explanations, invented excuses, and eventually found our authentic voices. From Ali's clever "one-year no beer challenge" deflection to Megsy's podcast revelation, we share the evolving ways we've announced our sobriety to friends, family, and even potential employers.What's most striking is how society demands...
2025-06-0626 min