Fine Beats & Cheeses

Happy October 31! Enjoy this replay from 2024! Have fun getting candy tonight!♫This is Halloween...Join Personal Development Coach and podcast host Desiree Simone and the crew as we discuss Halloweens! The movies, we mean...Desiree Simone is a Personal Development and Brand Coach, as well as the host of Growth On the Rocks, a fun, informative and sometimes boozy filled podcast where she and her guests tackle everything from relationships, mindset tips, self growth, love and so much more!You can find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads!

Get ready to be voted off the island or out of the house as we talk Reality Show Villains with our friend and return guest, Dr. Meredith Davis. We discuss people we love to hate, what makes a good villain, and if some of the people portrayed as villainous are not as bad as the shows would want you to believe. It's a good one!Meredith Davis is a solution focused leader that possesses three decades of experience in non-profit, higher education administration and teaching. Davis' focus areas are equity, access, diversity, inclusion, crisis management, leadership development, training and strategic planning. Her educational and pastime expertise is Blackness and the intersections of historical and popular culture. With a degree in sociology, she is obsessed with culture. Her favorite saying is, "If you are willing to do it, I am willing to watch."You can find her on Instagram or on her YouTube channel!

It's a little Halloween Rewind! Grab your Staypuft Marshmallows and listen to this episode from this past February where we talked to our friend Alex Steed about the original 1984 Ghostbusters!Who you gonna call? Us, we hope! Or at least you will listen, as we talk to friend of the show Alex Steed (of the wonderful "You Are Good", a feelings podcast about movies that he hosts with the fabulous Sarah Marshall) about 1984 classic, the original "Ghostbusters". This was fun as heck. You can find Alex on Instagram and Threads!

Here is part 2 of our talk about Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" with writer and actor Latisha Jones. (You can hear Pt. 1 here!) We dig more into this scary, fun and deep movie. We hope you like it!!Latisha Jones is a Writer, Actor and Educator. And host of “Interspectional”, a podcast where she discusses the sci-fi/fantasy media through a social justice lens. You can find her on Instagram.

Today, we talk about a set of twins (who are not Lynne and Leslie) who had to fight vampires and racists all of that as we talk the the brilliant "Sinners" with our brilliant guest: writer and actor Latisha Jones. This was such a good conversation that we looked at the clock and realized we weren't anywhere near done, and scheduled a second episode to finish (which you will here next week). There are so many layers to this movie, and we tried to dig into some of them. We hope you like it, and that you join us for next week.Latisha Jones is a Writer, Actor and Educator. And host of “Interspectional”, a podcast where she discusses the sci-fi/fantasy media through a social justice lens. You can find her on Instagram.

Today, we discuss CBS' reality juggernaut, "Big Brother" with our guest, leadership expert John Poitevent! And you didn't have to uproot your life and live in a house with strangers for months: you just have to listen to this episode. Enjoy! This was a great conversation. John has a passion for helping leaders and organizations achieve the fullness of their unique potential. For over 30 years he has worked in a variety of roles with non-profits and faith based organizations. Through The Vocari Group, he helps teams gain mission clarity, discover new possibilities and experience breakthroughs. His work has taken him to all fifty states and 15 countries, most recently facilitating a Small Business Bootcamp in Suubi, Uganda. In his free time John loves exploring and experiencing the great outdoors. On a long weekend you'll likely find him camping, biking, hiking, kayaking or fly fishing.You can find out more about John and what he does at https://www.vocarigroup.com/.

We are so excited to be talking about 1986's outer space adventure about a fierce woman and her associates fighting with extraterrestrials, "Aliens" because our guest is 3-time Fine Beats and Cheeses guest, and our friend, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and reality TV legend, Judd Winick. This is a long one because we all like to talk, and then Sam had to leave early, so Leslie and Judd and Lynne kept going, and Sam has forgiven us. Right, Sam? But anyway, it's awesome and we adore Judd and we hope you love this episode!Judd Winick is a screenwriter and an award-winning cartoonist. Judd has scripted issues of bestselling comic series, including Batman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Justice League, and Star Wars, and has also been head writer on the Hulu network’s animated series, The Awesomes. Judd also appeared as a cast member of MTV’s The Real World: San Francisco and is the author of the highly acclaimed graphic novel Pedro and Me, about his Real World roommate and friend, AIDS activist Pedro Zamora. He is also the author of kid graphic novels series, "Hilo". He lives in San Francisco with his wife, Pam Ling; their two kids; and their cats, Chaka and Sleestak.You can find him on Instagram, Facebook, and here!

This week, it's all things Carrie Bradshaw and crew as we talk "And Just Like That", the continuation of HBO's classic series, "Sex and the City" with our guest (and friend from Lynne and Leslie's days in church teen choir), Dawn Davis. Note: we did an episode on SATC when AJLT was in its earlier days, but are revisiting that universe now! This was a really good talk about friendship, legacy, and returning to things you previously loved (and all that comes with that). Enjoy!Dawn Davis grew up as both a corporate army brat and preacher’s kid, weaving her active imagination and colorful experiences into short stories while still in elementary school. In semi retirement she works as an assistant to a real estate broker. When she’s not writing, working, or wrangling life, she can be found by the water with a good book and a glass of champagne. Dawn lives in Annapolis with her husband, children, and dog. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram.

Something IS out there as we talk 2000s pretty teen alien TV drama, "Roswell", with our guest, Nichole Land. This was such a fun one and you will love it!Nichole says:My name is Nichole Land. I am a Rockville, Maryland Resident. I work at Montgomery College, a Community College in Montgomery County, MD where I was just recently promoted to the position of Executive Associate II of the Vice President of Workforce Development & Continuing Education. I have work at the College for 9 years. I was also a student at Montgomery College, later obtaining a bachelors degree from Maryland University and then a master's degree from Morgan State University. I began my career at a non-profit called Interfaith Works, specializing in wraparound homeless services in Montgomery County, before coming to Montgomery College. My passion is in Education and uplifting the community through faith, education, and a helping hand. Some of my hobbies include listening to music, attending concerts, plays, traveling and sitting by the Ocean. Oh, and eating a good meal! :)

Get your Shbop Shbop on today and gather around the street lamp with your friends as we explore the delightful tones of Doo Wop music with our friend, author and podcaster, Emily Edwards. Fun show! Emily J. Edwards earned her degree in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College and took the long road to becoming an author, working for over a decade as a wine and spirits journalist, radio producer, and co-host of the podcast, Ticklish Business. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, and several quadrupeds. Pronouns: she/her/hersYou can find Emily on Facebook and Instagram!

Venture back to September 2023 where we talked to our friend Geraldine DeRuiter about the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. This episode was joy. We've wanted to do this episode for The Longest Time: we talk about Billy Joel!! WE LOVE HIM, and so does our guest, culture writer Geraldine DeRuiter. We talk about the relatability, joy, and thoughtfulness of his music, and why it holds up. Such fun. Geraldine DeRuiter is the James Beard Award-winning food and culture writer behind Everywhereist.com and the author of All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft and If You Can't Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury (which Lynne listened to on Audible and was sad when it was over). Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The New Yorker’s “Daily Shouts,” Marie Claire, and Refinery 29, and a few other places.You can find Geraldine at her website, The Everywherist, on Facebook, and Instagram.

Join us as we avenge Keanu Reeve's movie dog as we talk the first installment of the sensitive hitman movie series, "John Wick", with returning guest and friend of the show, Robin Peace. We talk revenge, the cutest dog in the world, grief, the awesomeness of the aforementioned Mr. Reeves, and more. Check it out. Robin is the author and poet, R. R. Peace who published her debut fantasy novel, The Geldian Prophecy: Ascendence last August and published a book of poetry this July called Diary of a Black GenXer: 1990-1999. She currently lives in Maryland with her cat, Oreo, who would definitely go John Wick on anyone who tries to hurt him!You can find Robin on Facebook, Instagram, and on her website!

Come with us back to October 2023 for this Rewind episode about wearing what you want, including supposedly unhip things like cargo pants! You know that favorite thing that you love to wear and buy over and over again no one else understands and you DON'T CARE? We do too! We talked to PR, Marketing, and communications expert Julie Khanna about her love of cargo pants, and the rest of us talk about the apparel that makes us consistently happy. We say this every week, but yes, this was a fun one.Julie Khanna enjoys connecting clients to their target audiences through creative and exciting tactics and individualized strategies. As a result, she is the founder and owner behind two thriving media-related companies: Khanna Connections, a public relations, strategic communications, and media marketing agency specializing in the medical, health, and wellness industries, and Khanna House Studios, a full-production YouTube, podcast, and content creation studio located in Wellington, Florida, that also provides in-studio and onsite videography. With years of documented experience and secured media placements, Khanna and her team successfully secure top-level local and national media coverage for their clients and provide executive thought leadership on increasing brand visibility. Keeping a pulse on all sides of media, Khanna is the editor-in-chief of The Well of PBC magazine, a columnist for Ask The Docs in Around Wellington & a contributor to USAWire. You can find Julie on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and at Khannaconnections.com.

We take a trip back to the 70s, 80s and back to now as we sing, in a gravelly soulful voice, the praises of one Michael McDonald, Brother of Doobie, maestro of the piano, and owner of cool hair. Our guest is our friend, musician, author, and mental health advocate Andrew Walen, who is a longtime friend of Lynne and Leslie's, and a longtime devoted fan of Michael McDonald's. This was a really really fun episode, where we talk reinvention, fandom, and why we don't like the term "Yacht Rock", while we love the music put in that genre. We hope you love it. Andrew Walen, a magna cum laude graduate from Berklee College of Music ('95). His journey began with him moving from Boston to Nashville where he thrived as a singer/songwriter and guitarist. Known for his performances in the iconic Lower Broadway clubs, Andrew released several CDs and had his songs recorded by artists across various genres, including children's music, R&B, rock, and country. Andrew later shifted his talents to music journalism, writing for both local and national publications. Andrew earned a degree in social work from the University of Tennessee and built a successful 20-year career as a psychotherapist and mental health executive in Nashville and Baltimore. Andrew felt drawn back to his first love: music. He opened the School of Rock in Pikesville, where he combines his deep industry knowledge and therapeutic skills to inspire and mentor the next generation of musicians. You can find him and School of Rock Pikesville on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and you can find the article that Leslie wrote about Andrew for the Baltimore Banner here!

I hope you're happy today, because today you're getting served this hilarious and fun episode about 2004's dance battle spectacular featuring 2000's cute boys like Marques Houston and the band B2K. We are joined by return guest Dr. Briana Barner, who previously talked about podcasts themselves. Y'all, this was a jubilant and joyous good time, and we did it all for Lil Saint (you'll have to watch the movie or listen to the episode for that to make sense). Dr. Briana Barner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland. She received a doctorate in Radio-Television-Film and a doctoral portfolio in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Texas. Briana also earned a Master’s in Women’s and Gender Studies from UT. She is an interdisciplinary critical and cultural communications scholar with research interests in Black podcasts, digital and Black feminism, digital media, Black cultural production and representation. Her work has been published in Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, Film Quarterly, and the edited collection Saving New Sounds: Podcast Preservation and Historiography, Feminist Approaches to Media Theory and Research and Black Sisterhoods: Paradigms and Praxis. Briana is currently working on a manuscript about the cultural production of Black podcasts.Find her on Facebook , Instagram and here!

We'll tell you what we want, what we really really want, and that's for you to listen to this hilariously awesome conversation with past guest Melinda Hare about The Spice Girls'1997's classic campy music movie extravaganza, "Spice World". It was a hoot and a half and we hope you love it. About Melinda:"Born/raised in Northern California, I have a background in costume design and construction for theatre. BA from San Francisco state university, MFA from university of Washington. I have worked in professional and educational theatre. I co-created and co-host Haute Set Podcast, a movie podcast with a particular focus on the costume design. "You can find her on Instagram. To support the Fine Beats Crew:Buy Leslie's critically acclaimed new novel, Family and Other Calamities! It's awesome!Book Lynne to perform for your school, library or other group with her theater company, Building Better People Productions! They use drama for kindness!Check out Producer Sam and all his creativity!

You ever make a deal with evil spirits and stop aging but all your oldness and evil goes into a painting you have hidden in your house?Me either, but Dorian Gray from the Oscar Wilde novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" did, and we discuss the 1945 movie based on that novel with visual artist Donja Hamlin Houston (who Leslie and Lynne have known since middle school). This was a really thoughtful conversation about good and evil and all the things and we hope you like it!Donja Hamlin Houston is a local Baltimore artist who works in education. You can find her on Facebook.

2/3 of the Fine Beats team and their people are out of town on Leslie's book tour for her new novel, "Family And Other Calamities" (which you should totally read), so today we go back to November 2023 for this rewind episode!Once upon we were falling in love, but now we're only do a podcast!! Today we are talking about the dramatic 1980s classic "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler with our guest, Emmy-award winning voiceover actor, Christopher Walker. We talked that song plus others written by Jim Steinman, who penned bombastic amazing songs for Miss Tyler, Celine Dion, Air Supply, and most famously, Meatloaf. We talk drama and rock and weird 80s videos and it was all delightful. It doesn't disappoint, because we would do anything for love, but we won't do THAT, y'all. Christopher Walker is a dad and and husband, an apprentice creative director for Graphic Audio, an actor, the voice of Disappeared on the ID channel, a writer and former trade press journalist, and the guy who peed on Paul Rudd in Living With Yourself. He loves to cook and enjoys actual cheeses.And he is also the best person ever, says Lynne, who was in a play with him 25 years ago.You can find Christopher on Facebook and Instagram

You ever been annoyed by a show or movie, but something keeps you watching it anyway? Then listen to today's new episode, where we talk Hatewatching with our guest Paula Chase. We discuss finding something good in the things that we kinda don't like. It's a fun one.Co-founder of award-winning blog, The Brown Bookshelf, Paula Chase is a long time Inclusion advocate and recipient of the ALAN Konigsberg Award for her advocacy. Her critically acclaimed upper MG and lower YA books blazed the trail for books tackling tough topics for young readers. Chase holds a B.S. in Communication from James Madison University. She resides in Maryland with her husband. Together, they’ve raised two daughters. More about her writing can be found at www.paulachasebooks.com . You can also find Paula on Instagram and YouTube.

Come go on the hunt for mysterious creatures as we talk the CW's long-running show, "Supernatural" with author Beth A. Freely. With nine full-length novels and five novellas under her belt, award-winning author Beth A. Freely recently moved to the village of Hope, New Mexico, with a population of “113 if you count our cats.” She is currently writing multiple novels at the same time while also editing one in anticipation of its 10th anniversary this year.Quick-witted and full of energy, Beth loves to be on the receiving and giving end of a good, fun interview, bringing her unique perspective to the subject. She is a compassionate editor who celebrates each author's unique voice, offering thoughtful guidance to enhance their work. With a talent for creating not just functional but customer-focused websites, Beth ensures every project shines with creativity and purpose.You can find Beth on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.