2 Girls 1 Podcast

If you're concerned that LOLspeak and text messages are ruining language, fear not, grammar nerds! This week, Alli and Jen speak with linguist, author, and fellow podcaster Gretchen McCulloch, who says we are living in a special time for informal written language. McCulloch explains why the Internet is changing language and culture in unprecedented ways, how regular people solved the 500-year-long quest for written sarcasm, and why post cards from George Harrison look like your dad's text...

It won't shock most psychologists (armchair or professional) that figures of authority and oppression in early childhood can lead to kinks in adulthood. Look no further than blasphemy porn to bear out that theory. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Sabrina Bea, a blasphemy fetish cam model who specializes in tearing up bibles and dressing as nuns. Sabrina tells us why her clientele are searching for this highly specific content, and why they'll pay big bucks for it. Also, the most common (and...

The media tends to present 2 kinds of COVID-19 patients: Those who make a full recovery, and those who die. But there's a massive group of people who suffer long term symptoms like months-long fevers, hair loss, and respiratory issues. And when they asked their doctors what was wrong, they got no answers. So these COVID "Long Haulers" have turned to Facebook groups to share their experiences, get advice, and pool the wisdom that medicine is only beginning to understand. Alli and Jen talk...

Our interview about 4chan culture elicited the most listener response in the shortest period of time, so we want to share a lot of it. Alli, Jen and Matt discuss the 2G1P approach to primary source interviews, bias, and where we failed in covering this very complicated platform. Happy New Year from 2G1P! See you in 2021. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: 2G1Podcast@gmail.com Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold...

If you'd like the brighten the day of an Internet stranger, look no further than Reddit Gifts, the yearly online celebration where more than 100,000 Secret Santas swap gifts around the world. Alli and Jen talk with Janet, a Redditor who has swapped 19 gifts with strangers over the course of her secret Santa sleuthing. Janet shares the excitement of shopping for (and online stalking!) strangers, the fun of receiving great gifts, some life-changing stories from the community, and what happens...

It's been a busy week, so we're sharing one of our favorites to get you in the holiday spirit. We'll be back next week with more fun! -Originally Published December 22, 2019- Portraying Santa Claus in the modern era takes a village. What's the best way to whiten your eyebrows? Growing a beard, or applying one? How jolly is too jolly? That's where ClausNet comes in. It's a social network, online forum, marketplace, and community where Santa performers can trade tips, tell stories, and learn...

4chan is often maligned by the media and mainstream culture as a hive of hate speech and hackers, but it's far more complex. 4chan culture is unique for its anonymity, ephemeral content, and un-challenged free speech, which often birth viral memes and hilarious crusades weeks before they reach Reddit or Facebook. 4chan's ability to mobilize real-world action against injustices like animal and child cruelty is also well documented. So how does this massively popular message board tick in a...

Happy Thanksgiving! We're taking a breather this week and re-sharing another one of our favorites, this one originally published in July of 2019. We hope you enjoy! -Original Notes- Tom has been to the Super Bowl multiple times. He goes on free cruises yearly, has ridden on the Daytona 500 track at 200 miles per hour, traveled with the U.S. soccer team, and devoted a room of his house to store all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and big screen TVs he's won over the years. That's because he...

21st century families come in all shapes and sizes. And while dating apps have helped people from all different backgrounds and locations get together, there hasn't been an online system in place for non-romantic coupling, specifically for the surrogacy, platonic co-parenting, and other family structures. That's where Modamily joined the "matching app" ecosystem. As the CEO Ivan Fatovic explains, it came out of a dinner conversation among single women who hadn't found their life partner yet,...

Professional dominatrix and cam model Allie Eve Knox returns to discuss her particular area of expertise, Financial Domination (aka FinDom), the fetish where clients want to be told what to do with their money. But contrary to popular belief, it's not all about wasting your client's cash. In fact, Knox explains why a more sustainable approach to financial domination works out best for everyone involved. Think of it more as financial planning — with a lot more nudity. Knox shares how she got...

Adult video entertainment used to involve film crews and distribution companies. These days, performers can log in, create personalized videos for their fans, and get paid well for their wares. OnlyFans has risen to prominence as the destination for custom cams and fetish content to suit every need, and many adult performers are making bank. But like all Internet content creation, it's very hard work. Alli and Jen talk with Allie Eve Knox, a cam model who makes her entire living from fetish...

Domination and humiliation aren't new in the world of fetishes, but one online sex worker has found a particularly compelling niche: Shaming and belittling Trump supporters to change their votes to Biden. Empress Delfina has a multitude of clients who get off on being told how wrong they are to support the current administration — and she thinks the trend is growing. Alli and Jen chat with the Empress about how she's "sex banking" for Biden, one orgasm at a time....

Back in the day, if your computer or an appliance broke down, you could pop open the case, unscrew the faulty part, and order a replacement from the manufacturer for a few dollars. But increasingly, companies are more secretive about their proprietary tech. They keep their parts and schematics hidden, and when your iPhone or tractor breaks down, you’re forced to pay exorbitant repair costs, or worse — throw it away and buy the latest model. It’s bad for the consumer, and it’s bad for the...

Grief is never easy, but it's especially hard if you can't be with your loved ones in person. COVID-19 has made funerals incredibly complicated in recent months, but the online service Gathering Us has been planning for this for a while. Its founder, Noha Waibsnaider, explains why virtual memorials are the next-best thing (and in some cases, even better than in-person events). Waibsnaider chats with Alli and Jen about the origins of Gathering Us, and the complexities of grieving over Zoom....

The Internet empowers everyone to find a like-minded community online. It also facilitates misinformation and conspiracy thinking at breakneck speeds. QAnon, the belief that government insiders have foretold the Biblical cleansing of liberals, has morphed from a handful of conspiracy theories on 8chan to a full-blown cult that is tearing families apart. In response, the Internet has birthed support groups like r/QAnonCasualties, where people can share their stories and get advice on how to...

We're working on something big for next week, so here's another one of our favorite encore episodes from back in the day. Original Notes: If you've ever sought a soundtrack for your home movies that wouldn't get removed by YouTube, chances are you've come across Kevin MacLeod's music. He's composed thousands of original tracks, in every imaginable genre, that he gives away under a Creative Commons license, on a variety of platforms, absolutely free. His music has been used in commercials,...

Matty Benedetto is a product designer by training, but his sense of humor led him to a life of hilarious content creation instead. Benedetto builds Unnecessary Inventions, ingenious products that solve urgent problems you don’t actually have — like a drink holder for your shoe, or an alarm clock that snoozes itself so you won’t be bothered in the morning. His fake products (and their crisp photos and videos) are so popular that he’s garnered 4 million followers across social media, and a...

Global K-pop music sensation BTS’ charity efforts with Unicef and other foundations has empowered fans to make positive change in the world. The BTS fandom is known as an “ARMY,” and the global volunteer collective One In an ARMY has become an engine of charitable giving, cause awareness, and social change. When One In an ARMY mobilizes for a cause, K-pop stans flood social media with micro-donations and hashtags, raising thousands of dollars for the Syrian refugee crisis, Iraqi civilians,...

While traveling alone in Mexico, Amanda Black was robbed. She felt violated, scared, and didn't know where to turn in a foreign county with no friends or family. That's when she realized the need for an online support network -- a place where women traveling alone can get advice, and in some cases, urgent help. She founded the Solo Female Traveler Network in 2016, and thousands of women joined immediately, sharing similar stories of vulnerability. Today, the Facebook group and website count...

Email, texting, and social media have made our world smaller. But have we lost something in the age of instant messages? Maksim Jovovic created the website Get A Pen Pal, a place to match with someone interesting from anywhere in the world and engage in slow, deliberate letter-writing. Sure, the communication is still digital, but these "letters" take days to go back and forth, use collectible stamps, and encourage rich communication, rather than just, "sup?" Alli and Jen ask Jovovic about...