Raw & Real with Danah & Stacy

What does it really mean to be a Christian creative in a “secular” world? The Raw and Real twins sit down again with JP – illustrator, musician, former ad man, and full-time creative – to talk about legalism, Christian liberty, and life as an artist who follows Jesus. From award-winning ad agency life to gaming companies, bands, comic conventions, commissions, and content creation, JP shares how he slowly broke free from finding his identity in past achievements… and learned to live day by day, dependent on the Lord for “daily bread.” We go deep into topics a lot of Christians quietly wrestle with: Legalism vs. Christian liberty – When is it really sin, and when is it just personal conviction? Secular music, comics, pop culture – Is it automatically “worldly” or can it be neutral, even useful? Christian content creator vs content creator who’s Christian – Why the difference matters for your freedom and mental health. Stumbling block, testimonies, and spiritual elitism – How “performative Christianity” and pressure to look holy can crush people instead of pointing them to Christ. Porn struggle, boundaries, and wisdom – Covering your eyes at scenes, managing triggers, and not calling everything “legalism.” Forgiveness vs consequences – You can forgive and still pursue justice, protect yourself from toxic people, and set boundaries. Excellence as worship – Doing ads for toothpaste, drawing Wolverine, writing songs about pizza… can that still glorify God? JP also speaks directly to Christians who want to enter advertising, music, art, or content creation: How to choose where you work (or build your own thing) How to be clear about your faith without becoming self-righteous How to embrace your freedom in Christ without abusing it If you’ve ever been called “worldly” for your art, music, or job… or if you’ve been crushed by performance-based Christianity, this conversation is for you.

In this two-part Peanut Gallery Podcast episode, Stacy and Danah sit down with JP Cristen — award-winning art director, illustrator, former Leo Burnett creative, and now a bold Christian content creator. For the first time, JP opens up about the real mindset inside the Philippine advertising industry: the ego grooming, the obsession with awards, the creative “ideologies,” and why so many fall into insecurity, competition, and burnout. He shares how he rose from an insecure kid from an urban-poor community… to representing the Philippines in Young Creatives… to winning awards… to eventually realizing that the industry he idolized had become a cult of creativity, shaping his identity, motivations, and worldview. JP breaks down: why advertising becomes a “mini-god” system how creatives are programmed to chase recognition the unspoken conflict between ethics and output how he navigated toxic culture, internal battles, and spiritual conviction the crash, the disillusionment, and the turning point that made him walk away This conversation is raw, honest, and eye-opening — especially for anyone in advertising, marketing, content creation, or creative industries. Part 2 launches next week.

Modern dating isn’t just “cute kilig stories” anymore. It’s ghosting, orbiting, love bombing, FUBU, dating apps, and a whole generation trying to heal childhood wounds through romantic partners. Twins Danah and Stacy Gutierrez unpack how media, MTV dating shows, hypersexual culture, and social media shaped the way they dated: from FUBU “situationships” and toxic patterns, to attachment styles, daddy issues, and why so many women settle for low-quality love just to feel chosen. They talk about: * How MTV, reality dating shows, and K-culture shaped their early views on love and sex * Why so many relationships now start with sex and end in confusion * Attachment styles, childhood wounds, and why you keep chasing emotionally unavailable people * Dating apps, ego boosts, and why “options” can destroy real connection * What healthy dating should look like: emotional safety, shared values, and building instead of performing This isn’t a glamorization of their past, but a reckoning with it. If you’ve ever stayed with the wrong person just to feel seen, or molded yourself to fit a man’s preference, this conversation is for you. Come for the chismis, stay for the uncomfortable truth, and maybe walk away with a little more clarity about why you date the way you do.

When you build your life around being seen, what happens when the spotlight fades? Hosts Danah and Stacy Gutierrez sit down with Lex Ledesma — entrepreneur, professor, and doctor of psychology — for an unfiltered conversation about ego, identity, and the illusion of connection in the digital age. Lex shares his personal journey through existential searching, success, and surrender — from thriving in business and academia to realizing that fulfillment doesn’t come from status or screens, but from submission to something greater. Together, they unpack: * The spiritual cost of fame and validation * Why social media is designed to hurt, not heal * How to set digital boundaries and protect your soul * The danger of self-harm as social contagion * Why your quiet time might save your mental health “If I am forgotten, my source is remembered. If I am remembered, my source is forgotten.” — Lex Ledesma This is one of the deepest Raw and Real episodes yet — confronting the unseen damage of the algorithm and reminding us to find meaning beyond the noise. 🎧 Full episode now streaming on major social media platforms

Heartbreak lit the fuse, discipline did the rest — 70 pounds down, workouts, carnivore, the “revenge body,” the likes, the DMs. Then the crash: body dysmorphia, dopamine habits, weight regain, shame, and the pressure to stay “on brand.” The twins unpack what before/after photos never show — using your body for validation, calling it “power,” and finally choosing sustainability, boundaries, and grace.  Not for the algorithm. For God, for health, for peace.

We’re not a poor country. We’re just being robbed — by greed, by corruption, and by a system that rewards excess over integrity. From floods to fake projects, from nepo babies to luxury flaunting, this is the uncomfortable truth about how the Philippines got here — and why contentment and conscience may be our only way out.

Fresh from recording! Sorry for not publishing an episode last week! In this episode, we hash out why it's so hard to change, and how to start. (Recorded on September 16, 2022)

We talk about the times we were part of shallow cliques and the unspoken—and sometimes weird—dynamics in different girl groups. We also talk about what cultivating real and meaningful friendships means to us today. (Recorded on September 1, 2022)

We give different reasons why our 20-year-old selves would be shookt to meet us now, at 31 years old. (Recorded on August 20, 2022)

Stacy shares some of the major signs that tell she's in a healthy relationship with her new beau. May iyakan pang naganap sa huli!!! (Recorded on August 14, 2022)

We've been gone for a looooong 11 months. What changed since the last episode?! (Recorded August 9, 2022)

G na g kami sa episode na 'to! We talk about the BS that so-called "nice guys" (READ: FAKE) try to pull with girls, and how to spot it from a mile away! Of course, based on our own experiences. (Recorded live on September 26, 2021 via @thedanahsoars Kumu account)

People like to label the sameness and differences of twins most of the time, so in this episode, we do that ourselves. (Recorded on September 20, 2021 live on @thedanahsoars' Kumu account.)

Our special guest in this episode is famous actor, Baron Geisler! He gets raw and real on his life journey, from hitting rock bottom to being redeemed. (Recorded on September 16, 2021 live on @thedanahsoars' Kumu account.)

The title says it all. ;) Recorded live on Kumu, September 13, 2021. If you wanna watch our live podcast recording, follow @thedanahsoars on Kumu! We go live every Mondays and Thursdays, and start around 7-8 PM.

The first guesting with our mom got so much good feedback, we decided to do a part 2! (Recorded live on Kumu, September 10, 2021. Catch our live podcast recording every Mondays and Thursdays, on @thedanahsoars' Kumu account! We start any time between 7-8PM!)

Much-requested and much-awaited! We have our momma bear on the show and she shares everything about being a teen-age mom back in the '90s! (Recorded September 6, 2021)

We candidly talk about what a "coercive abusive relationship" is, the red flags that tell if a person might be abusive, and Stacy's personal experience with a similar toxic relationship. (Recorded August 31, 2021)

We received a long message from a follower asking for advice in her current relationship. "Dear Danah & Stacy, I just want us to talk often. Is it too much too ask?" (Recorded August 23, 2021)

We rarely have male guests over our show, but when we do, they're quality men (but of course). 💯 In this episode, we pick the brain of Pastor and Husband, Joe Bonifacio, on red flags, relationships, and what it means to be a wife. (Recorded August 17, 2021)