Hello, hello! Here's an OG favorite episode!

This is a description from Google's AI:

In the Life in Jest podcast episode "The Wizard of Oz Facts That Will Make You Wince," hosts Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest explore the behind-the-scenes, often chaotic history of the classic 1939 film. The episode covers the intense production challenges, including hazardous conditions, costume mishaps, and intense pressure on the cast, contrasting with the movie's magical legacy.

Key details from the podcast episode and surrounding context include:

• Production Hazards: The episode covers the dangerous set conditions, such as the Scarecrow costume being a fire hazard and the Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton) actually being burned during a scene.
• Production Woes: It explores the high-pressure environment, including the "heavily medicated" state of Judy Garland and the use of dangerous materials like asbestos.
• Cultural Legacy: The discussion touches on the film's enduring impact and its special resonance within the LGBTQ community.
• Host Perspective: The hosts share how this story and its production shaped their own lives and writing.

The episode is part of the Life in Jest podcast on iHeartRadio, which focuses on humorous and surprising takes on pop culture and life stories.

This episode was recorded on New Year’s Eve… after some wine…in that strange liminal space when reflection, chaos, and questionable judgment all collide.Selene was convinced it sucked. So convinced, in fact, that she nearly didn’t release it at all.

But then she listened back.

And (after hours of editing,lol) it didn’t suck.

So here it is.

This episode covers a lot of territory—a dazzling array of topics, really. There’s something for everyone. Think of it as a conversational Golden Corral: you may not know what you’re coming for, but you’ll definitely leave full.

Selene and Pascale bounce effortlessly between laugh-out-loud moments and more contemplative turns, touching on their very different opinions about Pennywise the sewer clown, psychics who sucked (and one whose prediction Selene based her life on), New Jersey boobage, and the singular betrayal of discovering—after eating—that a restaurant is cash only.

Along the way, Selene finds Jesus in Five Below and flashes back (once again) to the childhood trauma inflicted by an old McCloud episode. The besties discuss cultural artifacts that somehow lodge themselves permanently in the brain, and wonder if texting may be quietly destroying civilization. There are riffs on social-media comment sections, human behavior, corrupted symbols, belief, grief, and why meaning is so slippery—especially at the end of a year.

Somehow, this episode also includes a callback to Ryan Seacrest and Selene's continued bewilderment and outrage of his over-the-top endorsements of Chumba. Funny, reflective, provocative, and unmistakably Life in Jest, this episode is a sampler platter of thoughts, stories, and tangents—served with humor, honesty, and just enough wine.

Press play. It doesn't suck.

“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.”

In this deeply moving and unexpectedly funny episode of Life in Jest, Selene and Pascale honor Casey on the anniversary of his passing—not with solemnity, but with laughter, love, and the unforgettable stories that keep him vividly alive.

This episode weaves together humor and grief in the way only real life does. Selene shares hilarious, tender, and profoundly human memories of Casey: his hammock-that-wasn’t, the paddleboat adventure that went a little too far, wild dancing to Blue’s Clues, singing High School Musical at full volume, a runaway dog on Sunset Boulevard, and a cross-country RV trip that could only be survived with laughter. These stories reveal who Casey truly was—funny, musical, quirky, fearless, and deeply connected to animals and people alike.

The episode also introduces Casey’s Creature Kindness Day, inviting listeners to honor his spirit through compassion for animals. Selene highlights the work of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, discusses animal protection laws across the U.S., and reminds us why advocacy matters for those who cannot speak for themselves.

What emerges is a rare kind of conversation—one that doesn’t shy away from grief, but refuses to let it erase joy. This is an episode about remembrance without bitterness, mourning without silence, and love that continues to move, laugh, sing, and show up in the world.

If you’ve ever loved deeply, lost someone too soon, or found that laughter was the only way through—this episode is for you.

Topics include:

– Grief, remembrance, and humor

– Honoring a loved one through storytelling

– Animals, advocacy, and compassion

– Family memories that still sparkle

– Why laughter can be more powerful than screams

Listen, laugh, remember—and maybe do one small kind thing today in Casey’s name.

Here's a video Casey shot of us traveling in the RV from New York to California:

https://youtu.be/Jxw-rZIT5xQ?si=4-LScUBuCufEXQpq

Here's a video of Casey driving around LA, musing:

https://youtu.be/4YqYfrmYCEQ?si=_dbV0dcz6ZtxCroC

Here's a link to the Animal Legal Defense Fund:

https://aldf.org/

A classic Life in Jest Podcast fan favorite!

This is one of those episodes—the kind longtime listeners still quote, share, and come back to when they need a laugh that slowly turns into something deeper.

We kick things off with hilarious OCD confessions—the kind of honest vulnerability that's a Life in Jest trademark—before the conversation takes a sharp (and wildly entertaining) turn into the cultural touchstone that somehow shaped all of us as kids: Grease.

Because let’s be honest—Grease is completely inappropriate for children. And yet… we all saw it. Repeatedly. Sang along. Memorized it. Internalized it before we had any idea what half of it meant.

Selene and Pascale dig into what Grease looks like through adult eyes—and how, with maturity and lived experience, one character rises above the rest: Rizzo. Once dismissed as “the bad girl,” Rizzo reveals herself as the most complex, tragic, honest, and emotionally real character in the film.

That realization crescendos in a deep appreciation of her solo, There Are Worse Things I Could Do—arguably the most riveting scene in the entire movie. A raw, vulnerable moment that cuts through the camp and comedy with startling emotional truth… and nearly didn’t make it into the film at all.

It’s funny. It’s reflective. It’s nostalgic in the best way. And it’s full of those Life in Jest moments where you start out laughing and end up thinking, wow—how did I miss that when I was younger?

This fan-favorite classic episode is a reminder of why Life in Jest resonates so deeply: it revisits the stories we thought we knew, honors how we’ve grown, and finds meaning in the messiness of being human—without ever losing its sense of humor.

Press play if you love:

• Reexamining pop culture through adult eyes
• Laughing at what shaped us (for better or worse)
• Smart conversations with heart and humor
• Feeling seen without being lectured

Some episodes age well.

This one just gets better.

Is death really “the end”?

We say that phrase so casually—the end—as if it’s settled, obvious, beyond question. But what if it isn’t?

In this deeply intimate and searching episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest step into one of life’s hardest and most universal questions: What happens after we die—and what happens to those left behind? What begins as a philosophical exploration of metaphysics becomes something far more personal, as Selene shares how the loss of her son, Casey, propelled her into a profound inquiry about grief, consciousness, and whether connection truly ends at death.

This episode weaves together philosophy, lived experience, humor, and vulnerability as Selene unpacks metaphysics in plain language, explores why humans across cultures report ongoing connections with loved ones after death, and introduces the ancient concept of alchemy—not as magic, but as transformation under pressure. Grief, she argues, is a kind of alchemical process: not something that disappears, but something that changes form.

Selene also discusses her personal experiences of continued connection with Casey, framing them not as belief or doctrine, but as lived reality—offered honestly, without asking anyone else to agree. The conversation touches on grief that doesn’t calcify, love that doesn’t end, and meaning that is still being forged, even after devastating loss.

Important note for listeners:

A short segment in which Selene visually demonstrates communication using divining rods has been removed from the audio version, as it doesn’t translate without visuals. The complete, uncut episode—including that visual segment—is available on YouTube, where you can experience it in full context.

Here's the link to the video: https://youtu.be/0NF1HXw_VnY

As always, Life in Jest balances depth with warmth, seriousness with humanity, and inquiry with laughter—because sometimes the truest things are spoken, quite literally, in jest.

🎧 Topics include:

• Is death the end—or a transformation?
• Metaphysics explained simply
• Grief, loss, and the human need for meaning
• Alchemy as emotional and psychological transformation
• Why shared human experiences matter more than belief systems

This episode isn’t here to tell you what to think. It’s here to invite you to think—and to feel.

Thank you for listening and for your support. As we head into 2026, we're feeling the love, and we're so grateful! XOXOXO

What do Titanic, Chinatown, Jerry Maguire, Deliverance, Field of Dreams, Rambo, and Brokeback Mountain have in common?

Selene and Pascale have quoted them for years… without ever seeing them.

In this laugh-out-loud episode of Life in Jest, the hosts dive into famous movie quotes from movies they actively avoid—unpacking why certain films feel unbearable, overrated, emotionally manipulative, or just plain not worth the trauma. From “I’m king of the world” to “You had me at hello,” they dissect iconic lines, misquoted classics, and cultural catchphrases that somehow became part of everyday language anyway.

Along the way, the conversation veers (as it always does) into:

• Why some “beloved” movies are emotional deal-breakers
• Misheard and misremembered film quotes everyone gets wrong
• The absurdity of pop-culture reverence
• Unusual names, name mispronunciations, and identity
• Why romance movies lie to us
• Peanut shells, squirrels, crystals, sports bars, and Attica (yes, that Attica)

It’s a Seinfeld-esque episode “about nothing”—except culture, memory, language, irritation, and the strange ways movies seep into our lives whether we want them to or not.

Funny, honest, irreverent, and deeply relatable—this one’s for anyone who’s ever said a movie quote and thought, Wait… I’ve never actually seen that.

🎧 Life in Jest is a conversational podcast about pop culture, memory, frustration, humor, and the human condition—served with wit, warmth, and zero pretension.

Thanks for your support! We love you oh so much! XOXOXO

What do a boozy raccoon, a soup-can rescue, a scene-stealing Godfather cat, and a baby seal who wandered into a bar all have in common?

In this episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest do what they do best: laugh, ramble, reflect, and accidentally land somewhere profound.

We start with a viral true story out of Virginia, where a raccoon broke into a liquor store, sampled the scotch, passed out by the toilet, and was treated with surprising compassion by animal control. From there, things only get better—and stranger. We talk about heroic paramedics freeing a raccoon trapped in a soup can, the possibility that raccoons may be self-domesticating, and why humans keep finding themselves mirrored in animals behaving badly… or beautifully.

Along the way, Selene and Pascale weave in personal stories, pop-culture detours (yes, The Godfather cat makes an appearance), and a heartfelt conversation about animal kindness, loss, and Casey’s Creature Kindness Day—a reminder that caring for animals is one small way to make the world gentler.

As always, this episode blends:

• laugh-out-loud absurdity
• real news you somehow missed
• candid friendship talk
• unexpected tenderness
• and the belief that humanity is often revealed through how we treat creatures who can’t speak for themselves

If you love funny animal stories, viral news with heart, conversational podcasts, or just need a comforting, humorous listen that feels like a phone call with two smart, sarcastic friends—you’re in the right place.

🎧 Life in Jest is a comedy-adjacent, humanity-forward podcast about culture, kindness, absurdity, and finding meaning where you least expect it.

Thank you for your support, dear friends! We love you oh so much!!! XOXOXOXO

We are finally posting regularly on Instagram. Come check us out! @lifeinjestpodcast

We have a Facebook community, too! Join us! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1027653901891552/

Please write to us at lifeinjestpodcast@gmail.com

Think you know what happens behind the scenes at your local library? Spoiler: you absolutely do not. In this laugh-out-loud Life in Jest episode, Selene finally gets the inside scoop on Pascale’s actual job — and it turns out to be way more intense, surprising, and downright fascinating than she ever imagined.

From measuring books with real rulers to deciding how readers will actually find the titles they're searching for, Pascale pulls back the curtain on the secret world of cataloging, keywords, and Dewey Decimal magic. Selene’s mind is blown approximately every 30 seconds.

But that’s not all — this episode takes the long, scenic route (as only Selene and Pascale can) through:

📚 The surprising things libraries lend out now — PlayStations, blood-pressure monitors, pans, giant outdoor games, museum passes, and more.

🔥 The chaos of indie publishing, authors making pennies, and why Curios might change the game.

🤣 Selene’s misguided ex, a highly questionable T-shirt, and tie-dye adventures gone wrong.

🐶 Swan drama at the lagoon

Whether you're a book lover, a library nerd, an author, or just someone who loves unhinged bestie banter, this episode will make you appreciate libraries — and librarians — in a whole new way.

Come for the secrets. Stay for the chaos.

And prepare to say: “Wait… my library does WHAT?”

Thank you for listening & supporting us! We love you oh so much!!

Follow us on Instagram: @lifeinjestpodcast

XOXOXO