Life In Jest

Why does Juneteenth matter—and why should every American understand its story?

Pascale is away this week, but Life in Jest welcomes award-winning author Alice Faye Duncan for a powerful, heartfelt conversation about the meaning of Juneteenth, the long struggle for freedom, and the people who refused to give up hope in the face of injustice.

Together, Selene and Alice Faye explore the true history behind Juneteenth, why freedom ...

What happens after we die—and is someone guiding us while we’re here?

In this fascinating and deeply personal episode of Life in Jest, cousin besties Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest welcome EMT, mother, and lifelong medium Samantha Difronzo for a conversation about mediumship, spirit guides, angels, soul tribes, reincarnation, grief, surrender, and the mysteries of the afterlife.

Samantha shares how she has commun...

In this episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest are joined by librarian and Drinks in the Library host Gigi Howard for a funny, sharp, and surprisingly deep conversation about books, storytelling, and the strange state of modern reading culture.

The discussion spirals everywhere—in the best possible way:

• Why readers are becoming obsessed with dark romance
• Whether genres help readers… or trap w...

You'll never look at Sleeping Beauty the same Way after listening to this episode!

In this week's solo Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla dives into the deeply disturbing origins of classic fairy tales—and the original stories are far more horrifying than most people realize.

Long before Disney softened them into palatable stories with happy endings, fairy tales were filled with:

• cannibalism
• murder
• mutilation
• sexual violence
• reven...

Cyndi Lauper said it best — time after time — and this week, Selene and Pascale are tumbling after the truth about time travel. But before they do, they've got a sneak peek at what's coming up next episode: a visit to a serial killer exhibition in Manhattan. The only problem? They can't even agree on what makes a murder interesting before they've walked through the door — crimes of passion versus the cold randomne...

What do your favorite songs actually mean?

In this episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest dive into the real stories behind iconic songs—and what they uncover is darker, stranger, and more revealing than expected.

From grunge to metal to pop, they break down the hidden meanings behind songs you thought you knew:

• The disturbing true story behind Polly by Nirvana
• The surprising origin of Smells Like Te...

A rally for democracy should feel reassuring.

So why didn’t it fully?

In this episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest reflect on attending a rally where crowds showed up in strong support of democracy—an energizing, even hopeful experience.

But that’s where the real question begins.

Because if everyone there already agrees…

is that enough to protect it?

What starts as a firsthand account...

Some movies entertain us. Others haunt us forever. In this wildly honest episode of Life in Jest, bestie cousins Selene and Pascale open the film vault of their nightmares — from the Willy Wonka Oompa Loompas that terrorized Selene’s childhood to Pascale’s unforgettable Tron experience (featuring a cousin who made out through the whole movie). They relive the horror of Cabaret’s dead dog, roast the emotional...

What happens when cousin-besties Selene and Pascale sit down to record…after calling the police?

The girls have had a rough night---and they're all fired up with conflicting opinions, and spontaneous singing!

This episode of Life in Jest spirals (in the best way) from true-crime obsession to off-the-rails pop culture, blending humor, sharp instincts, and brutally honest takes on everything from true-crime cases to weed, wellne...

What could you absolutely not live without?

In this funny, free-wheeling episode of Life in Jest podcast, cousins Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest compare their wildly different lists of the everyday things they swear they can’t live without—from books, words, and storytelling to TV, cat litter, cheese doodles, and remote-start cars. Along the way, the conversation spirals (as it always does) into deeper territory...

In this OG Life in Jest Podcast eipisode, Selene and Pascale take a series of online psychology quizzes—purely for research, of course—until an “Are You a Hoarder?” test takes an unexpected turn. Selene’s late mother, a hoarder in life, seems less than pleased from the great beyond, effectively shutting down the investigation before Pascale can determine whether her growing Funko Pop collection is char...

When the world feels overwhelming, sometimes the most productive thing you can do is laugh.

In this “purely in jest” episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale take a deliberate break from heavy headlines and dive headfirst into absurd, fascinating, and delightfully random trivia. What follows is a rapid-fire exchange of surprising facts, strange history, pop culture deep cuts, and genuinely mind-bending dis...

Here's an OG episode that concerns every American citizen! Things have only grown more dire since we first aired this episode. Our one chance to be heard is at the polls. But what happens if someone tampers with the results?

The Election Truth Alliance are curators of accountability, working to ensure that the final election "reveal" is one every voter can trust.

They have been working nonstop so that we can find out the truth a...

Is love a sacred bond, a cultural construct, or a diagnosable condition? In this Valentine’s-adjacent episode of Life in Jest, Selene Castrovilla and Pascale take on love in all its messy, romantic, absurd, and occasionally unhinged forms. From the pagan roots of Valentine’s Day to its modern evolution into texts, chocolates, and emotional expectations, the conversation ricochets between history, pop culture, and deeply...

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 ...

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 o...

“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 Selene's son Casey on the 3rd 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,...

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 th...

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 philosop...