Shows
Professional TalkersExplaining a Piece of Media is Problematic: Is Breakfast at Tiffany's REALLY Worth It?Uh oh, you have to break the news to your friend that the thing they like has some problems with it. Not sure of how to handle it? Feat not! The Professional Talkers, both of which started out as Harry Potter podcasters, have EXCESSIVE EXPERIENCE in this area. We've got ya covered! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-11-1858 minProfessional TalkersBreaking Up With Someone: Don’t Sugarcoat it, Don’t Sourcoat itMike and Sequoia, no strangers to breakups, share their thoughts on how to best handle the situation when you are the one delivering the bad news. One of our Professional Talkers mainly has been broken up with, while the other has mostly done the breaking up. Which is which? LISTEN TO FIND OUT! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-11-031h 00
Party of One Podcast473 - The Cryptid Show with Mike SchubertMike is a longtime podcaster, and host of the show The Newest Olympian, which seeks to answer the question, "Has society been sleeping on the Percy Jackson series?". His new show, Professional Talkers, is a comedic advice podcast all about navigating life's awkward conversations with Sequoia Simone.We wanted to talk about working in audio, and coming to the artform of podcasting, and so we sat down for a delightful game of The Cryptid Show, a two-player conversational RPG about a call-in radio show host answering a caller's questions about their recent supernatural experience. It was a...
2025-10-271h 24Professional TalkersBONUS: Writing an EmailLife threw some lemons at us this week, but rather than make lemonade, Mike made a bonus episode about how to write an email! Whether it's for business, family, or friends, Mike's got the advice and pitfalls you may face when an awkward conversation goes digital. We hope you enjoy and we'll be back with Episode 8 in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-10-2025 min
Professional TalkersHaving a Difficult Conversation with Your Boss: You Can't Fire Rebecca w/ Elliot DavisWho better to bring on as an expert to discuss how to best talk to bosses THAN SEQUOIA'S OLD BOSS, ELLIOT DAVIS? I'll tell ya who, NO ONE! Added bonus, Elliot made the beautiful artwork for our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-10-061h 00
The Newest Olympian194 | The Mark of Athena Ch. 27–28 w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone AKA the co-creator of our new podcast, Professional Talkers, makes her glorious return to TNO to discuss our heroes meeting THE HERO in Heroes of Olympus Book 3! Topics include: Jeremy Bearemy, podcast logistics, Salt Lake City, Coney Island, Snakes by the Ocean, Mayor of Tangent Town, tromping, The Avril Lavigne Theory, Canadian Thanksgiving, Cornucopia, mosquitos, image conjurers, reading, The Princess Switch 9, “…but the music slaps,” T-Pain, water activities, IT’S OVER, lady bulls, Reddit, veal, lab-grown beef, fightin’ good, and more!GET THE PROVIDENCE STREAM REPLAY: https://www.patreon.com/potterless/shop
2025-10-061h 16Professional TalkersTalking to THAT Relative at Thanksgiving: A Pro-Kids Table Podcast w/ Jeffrey CranorWe've got another expert in the mix, Jeffrey Cranor from Welcome to Night Vale, to help us with an essential (and accidentally timely) topic: having uncomfortable conversations with folks close to you at holiday gatherings, office parties, and the like! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-09-241h 08The Newest OlympianBONUS | Mark of Athena Ending 9/13 Livestream Explained!Hello! Making a little bonus episode because i always feel terrible when folks comment "I didn't know this was a thing!" days after something like a stream or a show happens. SO JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE SOMEHOW MISSED IT, here's all the info about the live show and livestream we are doing on September 13, 2025 where I will cover the ending of The Mark of Athena (and live read/live react to whatever THAT MOMENT is) with Sequoia Simone and Dr. Steven Parra (ft. Sherry Guo and Robert Gaymer running Q&A)!GET TICKETS: https://www.thenewestolympian...
2025-09-1107 minProfessional TalkersTelling Your Neighbor to Quiet Down: BUT WHAT IF THEY'RE HOT?!Mike and Sequoia tackle a tricky subject in which Mike somehow has somehow successfully naviagted FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES!
Want to see Mike and Sequoia live on stage in Providence, RI or via livestream? Get tickets to the next The Newest Olympian live show at https://www.thenewestolympian.com/live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-09-101h 00Professional TalkersApologizing to a Friend: You CANNOT Say "I'm sorry, but..."We're back with more conversational advice! This time, we're here to help you properly apologize to a friend. No one likes admitting they're wrong and we all have the tendency to get defensive, so it can be tough. We get it! Fear not, though, as we've got some advice for you to follow and a whole mess of pitfalls to avoid.
SEE MIKE AND SEQUOIA LIVE ON 9/13: https://www.thenewestolympian.com/live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-08-2550 minProfessional TalkersTelling Your Roommate to Clean: Cool It with the SpreadsheetsWhether you're friends with, acquaintances of, or married to your roommate, telling them they're being messy can be incredibly awkward! Thankfully, Schubes and Sequoia are here to advise you in various ways to ensure the conversation is as smooth as freshly cleaned floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2025-08-1157 minProfessional TalkersAvoiding Awkward First Dates: Can They Eat You? w/ Sophia BenoitIt's our first relationships episode AND it's our first episode with an external guest! To help you ensure that your first dates are never awkward, we've brought in relationships writer Sophia Beniot. We know these are testy waters, so we knew we needed someone checking our advice and pitfalls to ensure they were sound. And speaking of checking, the podcast ghost, Sherry Guo, is back for another Gen Z Introvert Vibe check! WE ARE THOROUGH HERE AT PROFESSIONAL TALKERS.
Sophia's website: https://www.1followernodad.com/
FOLLOW PROFESSIONAL TALKERS
2025-07-281h 01Professional TalkersSmall Talk at a Party: What *DO* I Do For Fun?!For our first episode, we help you navigate the awkward waters of having to make small talk at a party where the only person you know is the host. We give advice on approaches you could take to help yourself out, identify pitfalls of which you should certainly steer clear, and ponder the intricacies behind the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Plenty of sound advice in this episode, but Sequoia truly saves the best for last and we think you'll love it. Grab some h'ors devours for this podcast luncheon you won't want to miss!
2025-07-1452 minProfessional TalkersProfessional Talkers TrailerEpisode 1 of Professional Talkers releases on 7/14/25! If you want to see Mike & Sequoia ask each other awkward questions as a prelude to this podcast, support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/ProfessionalTalkers Professional Talkers is a comedic advice podcast all about navigating life's awkward conversations. Hosts Mike Schubert (Potterless, The Newest Olympian) and Sequoia Simone (Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them) draw upon their own life experiences and call on subject matter experts to bring you the do’s and don'ts of tricky interactions. Scared to tell your roommate they’re messy? Dreadi...
2025-06-3002 minThe Newest Olympian172 | The Son of Neptune Ch. 40–42 w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone, the co-creator of the upcoming podcast Professional Talkers (of which Mike is the other co-creator!), returns to TNO and is ready to cover the next leg in our team's Alaska expedition! Topics include: holiday gifts, the Northern Lights, titles, waking hours, cruise ships, quicksand, paleontology, touring, muskeg, Muskrat Love, curbing dogs, deconstructed mimosas, beignets, Yzma, Yo Mama, Christopher Walken, trapsing, Barenaked Ladies, and more!The Last and the Curious: http://thelastandthecurio.usTNO MoA Stream Replay: https://www.thenewestolympian.com/live
— Find The Newest Olympian Online —• W...
2025-04-141h 17The Newest Olympian130 | The Lost Hero Ch. 9–10 w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone from Fanatical Fics and But Make it Scary returns to TNO to continue our coverage of The Lost Hero and, in typical fashion, happens to be here for some TRULY IMPACTFUL CHAPTERS. Topics include: being liked, Big Sur, sharks & paparazzi, surfing, sandwiches, Bonne Mamman, stupid rich money, Larry the Cable Guy, PDAs, JD Power & Associates, corruption, Monty Python, infomercials, Justin Timberlake, The Great Salt Lake, karaoke, making new friends, 2 Great 2 Prophecy, Catholic priests, Justin Bieber, coin flips, and more!TNO Live: www.thenewestolympian.com/liveTNO Patreon: www.thenewestolympian.com...
2024-05-271h 22
But Make It Scary67. But Make it Lovely: Evil Dead 2 (w/Mike Dowd)Go check out "The Other Side of Darkness"! Find anything you might need at butmakeitscary.com One more episode before the long summer! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2024-02-141h 20The Newest Olympian108 | Percy Jackson and the Olympians S1E1 w/ Sequoia SimoneCAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! THE SHOW IS FINALLY HERE! And that means TNO episodes about the TV show episodes are here as well! Sequoia Simone joins to kick things off in this new era of The Newest Olympian and PJO fandom as a whole! Topics include: The Press, adaptations, DiCaprio, easter eggs, good bullying, $1 water, The Volume, dinky pens, friendship trades, Butterscotch Krimpets, Fus-Ro-Dah, The Mist Dial, the Chiron dynamic, font nitpicking, supers, John Wick, taking off shoes, Kronos (the villain), middle seats, and more! — Find The Newest Olympian Online — • Website: www.thenewestolympian.com...
2023-12-201h 13The Newest Olympian105 | The Lightning Thief Movie (Part 2) w/ Adam Mamawala & Sequoia Simone (LIVE in NYC!)Adam is back, Sequoia is in as our book reader guest, and Mike of course is here to continue covering this... film. On the bright side, the jokes flow like Diet Coke and the crowd is as hyped as Mr. D upon receipt of a Diet Coke. Topics include: Hitting us over the head, ESPN Zone, tasty soap, fringe, wish.com Kurt Cobain, White Lotus, discount Voldemort, Air Bud, Russell Offbrand, Australian Hades, vague motivations, Spider-Man, Legends of the Hidden Temple, security concerns, Candyland, Mike Teavee, fishing chairs, lack of emotion, hug types, Monstars, HILLARY DUFF, Calabria 2007, earring tips...
2023-11-271h 38The Newest Olympian100 | The Last Olympian Ch. 19 w/ Sequoia Simone (LIVE in Chicago!)Sequoia Simone from But Make It Scary is back and is here for what is without a doubt the funniest episode of TNO that has ever been released. We cover an incredibly intense chapter that features the showdown with Kronos and so much more. It’s a fun show in front of a packed crowd and you’re gonna love it! Topics include: LeakyCon, New Jeans, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Illinois Lottery, Jaritos, untethered Olympus, Kronos LEGO, Inspector Gadget, Homer Simpson, Kronos makeover, efficient villains, The Jonas Brothers, Burnin’ Up, “Nick, come on the pod,” E-than, Nakamura’s fall, Crash Bandic...
2023-10-231h 43The Newest Olympian87 | The Last Olympian Ch. 4–5 w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone from Fanatical Fics and But Make It Scary is back in the guesting saddle and ready to talk more Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian! Topics include: Romance girlies, clothes, sir?, The Princess Diaries, Rock Lobster, bonbons, finger energy, bone pain, Doylestown, nerding out, in-laws, boast shoe adjacency, tetherball, HMM INDEED, Snape, TV tropes, darkness, Connecticut, and more! TNO Live: www.thenewestolympian.com/live Thanks to our sponsor, Tab For a Cause! Raise money for charity in the easiest way possible at www.tabforacause.org/tno — Find The Newest Olympian Online — • Website: www.thenewestolympian.com • Patreon: www.thenewesto...
2023-07-101h 13The Newest Olympian86 | The Last Olympian Ch. 2B–3 w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone from Fanatical Fics and But Make it Scary FINALLY makes her debut on The Newest Olympian to finish up Ch. 2 and get through a good chunk of Ch. 3 of Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian! Topics include: NYC hanging, The Bad Film, John Wick Chapter 4, surprises, Victor Wembanyama, SpongeBob, Thomas Hobbes, Tyson’s social skills, dolphins, Po-sigh-don, Kevin Durant, crawfish dynamics, Twitch plays Pokémon, Lobsterus, Craig the Arm Guy, Jeff Bridges Hair Stylist #3, Teddy Roosevelt, None Pizza with Left Beef, custom shirts, The Chiron Collection, Beckendorf’s legacy, Michael Boo, Swiss Miss, the Chrysler Building, Leroy, and m...
2023-07-031h 17
But Make It Scary49. But Make it Christmas: Carrie (1976) (w/Mike Schubert)Go check out The Newest Olympian, Modern Muckraker, Horse, Meddling Adults, or Potterless wherever you listen to podcasts! Find the Patreon at patreon.com/butmakeitscary Find merch, contact info, anything you might need at butmakeitscary.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2022-10-3153 min
But Make It Scary23. Pretty Woman (w/Mike Schubert)Go check out The Newest Olympian NOW!!!! Find anything you need at butmakeitscary.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-09-081h 06
PotterlessEp. 175 - My Immortal (Part 5) w/ Sequoia Simone & Kim HarrisKim and Sequoia are back to close the book on our My Immortal coverage, and we go out with a bang via LIVE READING OF THE FINAL CHAPTERS. Topics include: Cornelio Fuck, MySpace friendship quizzes, Quizilla, Spider-Man 3 thief, Ms. Lauryn Hill, stage left of shirt, Dookie, Tearing’ Up My Heart, iPod Time Machine, Azerbaijan, Emperor Palpatine, 8-layers dee meta, and more!Charity: Care IndiaThanks to our sponsors:SKILLSHARE: Get a free trial of a premium membership at www.skillshare.com/potterless—...
2021-05-031h 05
PotterlessEp. 174 - My Immortal (Part 4) w/ Sequoia Simone & Kim HarrisKim and Sequoia from Fanatical Fics are back to talk about the twists in these chapter of My Immortal, including TIME TRAVEL because OF COURSE THIS STORY HAS TIME TRAVEL. Topics include: no more rails, My Immortal dramaturge, Britney: a state of being, “STOP LISTENING!”, Hogwarts Improv Team, KH2, Sylvester Stallone, Vampire Chronicles, Tom Bombadil, WHAT YEAR IS IT, The Bark Lord, Zone of Truth, Black Panther, hand-holding, monopoly jail, and more!FINAL DAYS OF MIKE'S KICKSTARTER: bit.ly/modernmuckrakerThanks to our sponsors:FUNCTION OF BEAUTY: Get...
2021-04-261h 02
PotterlessEp. 173 - My Immortal (Part 3) w/ Sequoia Simone & Kim HarrisKim and Sequoia from Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them are back again, and somehow... some way... My Immortal gets MORE gothic in these chapters. Topics include: Shakespeare, sex packs, Chad Michael Murray, panoramic flip offs, Hogwarts Street Team, Voldemort and the Death Dealers, Memento, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Nightmare Before Christmas, Uhvirl Lavigne, Pope Voldemort, vanity plates, leather pajamas, ellipses, and more! MIKE'S KICKSTARTER (ends 4/29/21!): www.bit.ly/modernmuckrakerThanks to our sponsors:CARE/OF: Get 50% off with code "POTTERLESS50" at www.takecareof.com
2021-04-191h 02
PotterlessEp. 172 - My Immortal (Part 2) w/ Sequoia Simone & Kim HarrisSequoia Simone and Kim Harris from Fanatical Fics are back and we get our first taste of the truly bizarre moments in My Immortal. Topics include: selling in, Count Chocula, Salt Bae, Bloody Mary, black pudding, Mortal Kombat, “Crookshanks, GO!”, Schubes Schubert, masticating, Pop Goes Punk, messing with commenters, and more!Mike's Kickstarter: www.bit.ly/modernmuckrakerThanks to our sponsors:CALM: Get 40% off Calm Premium at www.calm.com/potterless—Thanks for listening to this episode of Potterless! Don’t want t...
2021-04-1257 min
PotterlessEp. 171 - My Immortal (Part 1) w/ Sequoia Simone & Kim HarrisKim and Sequoia from Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them lend their fanfiction expertise to help Schubes fully grasp the absurdity that is My Immortal, the most infamous fanfic. Topics include: Picasso’s Blue period, earnest parody, spelling errors, Evanescence, MySpace Energy, Mike’s prep phase, flipping off, Subaru, mall goth, Mary Sue, thesauruses, Clippy, *NSYNC, and more!KICKSTARTER FOR MIKE'S NEW PODCAST: www.bit.ly/modernmuckrakerThanks to our sponsors:WARBY PARKER: Get your free home try-on kit at www.warbyparker.com/potterless
2021-04-051h 03
Meddling AdultsThe Case of the Costco of Diamonds w/ Sequoia Simone & Kim HarrisKim Harris, playing for The Organization for Transformative Works, and Sequoia Simone, playing for The Trevor Project, further stoke their competitive friendship flames by battling it out over some Encyclopedia Brown mysteries! And true to form, they create new lore for everyone's favorite fictional town, Idaville, FL! Cases: The Case of the Fifth Word, The Case of the Rented Canoe, The Case of the Three Vans, The Case of the Missing Shopping Bag Clues & Evidence: Creating chaos, History of Mysteries, thinkin’ pants, Salt Lake Smelly, Mayor Capt. Pete, Victor Oladipo, Power Rangers, Badd by Ying Yang Twins ft. Mike Jo...
2021-02-2457 min
But Make It Scary4. The American President (w/Mike Schubert)On this episode I am joined by Mike Schubert from Potterless, Horse, and Meddling Adults to turn the tables on The American President. Go check out all of Mike's incredible shows wherever pods are cast! You can find this podcast @butmakeitscary on facebook, instagram, and twitter, or email in to butmakeitscary@gmail.com. You can find me at sequoiasimone.com ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2020-12-0945 min
PotterlessEp. 140 - A Very Potter Senior Year Act 2 (Part 2) w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone (@Sassquoia) from Fanatical Fics continues the discussion of StarKid's A Very Potter Senior Year Act 2! Topics include: the enemy of my friend is also my enemy, Slughorn dunks, Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s stone, pronouncing the T in Voldemort, Midnight Sun, cul-de-sacs, ice cream sodas, Harry Potter World, HP fandom making fun of self, the Wright brothers, Butterbeer rankings, and more!—Thanks for listening to this episode of Potterless! Don’t want the journey to stop? Check out the links below and as always, Wizard On!WEBSITE...
2020-08-2443 min
PotterlessEp. 139 - A Very Potter Senior Year Act 2 (Part 1) w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone of Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them joins to talk A Very Potter Senior Year Act 2! Topics include: Late Night TV hosts, The Final Battle, Hogwarts enrollment, Dora - the one Latina, juicing a mandrake, Rule 34-a, Dark Luna, fanfic tropes, Gilderoy the Mouse Prince, anime, the key to Mike’s heart, Tom Roddollver, NOPE, deranged rambling, and more!—Thanks for listening to this episode of Potterless! Don’t want the journey to stop? Check out the links below and as always, Wizard On!WEBSITE...
2020-08-1747 min
Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them: A Harry Potter Fanfiction PodcastBONUS. When Fanfic Goes Off The Rails (LIVE @ LeakyCon 10 Feat. Mike Schubert)This panel in video/slideshow format: https://youtu.be/eDIBTTUU1cY Join us at LeakyCon 11: http://www.leakycon.com/ A Complete List of Citations: https://www.fanaticalfics.com/a-harry-potter-blog/2019/10/11/when-fanfic-goes-off-the-rails-a-complete-list-of-citations Our Fanfic Game: https://www.fanaticalfics.com/a-harry-potter-blog/2019/10/13/when-fanfic-goes-off-the-rails-a-crackfic-written-by-us-and-mike-schubert Potterless: https://www.potterlesspodcast.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2019-11-1849 minFanatical Fics and Where to Find Them: A Harry Potter Fanfiction Podcast58. The Power Snivellus Knows Not (Feat. Mike Schubert)You can still join our Trick Your Friends 2019 campaign! Email us at fanaticalfics@gmail.com Find Mike here:https://www.potterlesspodcast.com/ Welcome to Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them! After an extra week off this month we are back with our favorite guest, Mike Schubert from Potterless! Find a link to the "The Power Snivellus Knows Not" original text here: https://www.fanaticalfics.com/a-harry-potter-blog/originalstorylinks Recommendation: The Dursleys’ Worst Nightmarehttps://archiveofourown.org/works/945805#main Please leave a review! We’ll take kind and constructive… but no flames! You can also help us by sug...
2019-10-1455 min
PotterlessEp. 61 - Deathly Hallows Ch. 6-7 w/ Sequoia SimoneSequoia Simone of Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them joins for an episode filled with silly HEATED discussions. Topics include real Quidditch, Puddlemere United, Merlin’s saggy left testicle, the emergence of Sassy Ron, THE RETURN OF CHARLIE, licking faces, the grope debate, spherical cakes, Put Outer vs. Deluminator, Wizard Barnes & Noble, Puppetmaster Dumbledore, and more!PORTLAND LIVE SHOW (2/17): www.listenupportland.comThanks to our sponsors, CARE/OF - get 50% off if you go to takecareof.com and use code “POTTERLESS50”—Thanks f...
2019-01-211h 20Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them: A Harry Potter Fanfiction Podcast14. Acceptance? (Feat. Mike Schubert)Potterless: https://www.potterlesspodcast.com/ Welcome to Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them! It’s our first…. Guest? We welcomed Mike Schubert from the Potterless podcast to indulge in some whatever with us. Then we made him curl up into the fetal position, screaming. Just some classic insanity. Find the link to the "Acceptance?" original text here: https://www.fanaticalfics.com/a-harry-potter-blog/originalstorylinks Recommendation: The Other Kiss https://www.fanfiction.net/s/126951/1/The-Other-Kiss Please leave a review! We’ll take kind and constructive… but no flames! To see a full list of episodes...
2018-02-1252 min