Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness

If there were ever a masterclass in being a good human… this is it. In this episode, Penn and I sit down with Jen Hamilton and y’all… She is exactly who you hope she is. Warm, hilarious, wildly honest, and the kind of person who makes you want to be better just by being in the same room. We talk about her new book Birth Vibes and cover what really happens in a delivery room. Jen has a gift of making the most awkward, messy, human m...

I have a confession: I spent most of the 90s singing along to songs without having any idea what they were actually about. So this week on Laugh Lines, we go down a full nostalgia rabbit hole: CD booklets, radio station shoutouts, and the absolute shock of realizing some of our favorite 90s “bops” were not exactly PG. (How did we miss that?!)

We take some calls from the Laugh Line. I share more about my ADHD diagnosis and how it...

This episode of Laugh Lines stayed with me in the best way. This week, Penn and I sit down with Tanner Smith from Love on the Spectrum, and what starts as an interview quickly turns into something so much more meaningful. Tanner shares what it’s like to live on the autism spectrum in a way that’s honest, empowering, and incredibly hopeful. He reminds us that autism looks different for everyone. It can mean learning differently, nee...

This week, Penn and I share some real-life updates from our house. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD at 50, which turns out… there were signs. I’m learning what that actually means for my brain, my emotions, and honestly, my entire life up to this point. (Something called “doom piles” should have honestly exposed my ADHD years ago.)

Penn also shares an update on his journey to protect his brain health from Alzheimer’s. We talk ...

There are some conversations that feel like a warm hug. They make you laugh, feel safe, and a little like you want to cry. Today's show is all of the above. This week on Laugh Lines, we sit down with New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and Duke University professor, Kate Bowler. (And I’m just going to say it... I would like to formally submit my application to be her best friend.) Kate’s new book, Joyful Anyway, asks a...

My favorite human is turning 50! If you know my wife, Kim, you know she is very self-deprecating and adorable about getting older. Kim thought 50 might feel like a big, Oprah-level moment. (Like angels singing... all-knowing wisdom... maybe a sudden ability to fold a fitted sheet.) Instead, it’s been a mix of gratitude, a little existential panic, and a lot of honest questions like:

Is this what 50 is supposed to feel like?

I...

If you’re celebrating the rare night when you don’t have to get up to go to the bathroom… welcome. You are among friends. Sleep is one of my favorite topics. Penn and I often joke that I don't have FOMO (Fear of missing out) I have FOMS (Fear of missing sleep). As much as I love sleep, I also struggle with it. So this week, we invited Dr. Christopher J. Allen (also known as "Sleep Dr. Chris") to help us figure out why sleep gets ha...

Last week I shared that I was diagnosed with ADHD at 49. It was a big moment for me, and judging from your messages (thank you for those!) it resonated with a lot of you too. So this week, Penn and I continuing the conversation with someone we absolutely adore, ADHD expert Dr. Tamara Rosier. In this episode we dig into something that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough... the emotional side of ADHD.

Why do ADHDers feel things...

For years, I’ve stood on stages and said, “Hi, I’m Kim. I don’t have ADHD, but I love and support people who do.” Penn and I wrote books, made videos, and chatted on podcasts about it. I’ve given advice about how I partner with my ADHD husband and parent my ADHD son. And then (at almost 50 years old) after an extensive evaluation process and a lot of hard conversations, it turns out...

I have ADHD too. Surprise.

In this episo...

This week on Laugh Lines, Penn and I sit down with former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to talk about bridging divides in a world that feels angrier by the minute. And yes, we know - politics can feel exhausting. But this conversation felt different. It felt human. It felt hopeful. It made us smile.

Governor Cooper shares why he believes we are not as divided as social media makes us think, what it takes to work across part...

If you’ve ever thought, “I'm showing love to my partner, so why don’t they feel it?” This episode is for you. This week on Laugh Lines, we’re talking to the actual human who gave us the phrase “love language.” Yes. The one, the only... Dr. Gary Chapman. Dr. Chapman is the man behind the famous book, The Five Love Languages. He joins us to talk about what happens when you and your person are speaking completely different love langua...

This week on Laugh Lines, Penn and I talk about something that sneaks up on a lot of us in midlife: friendship, purpose, and the quiet fear of wondering if we still matter the way we used to. We’re joined by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Wallace (straight from Oprah to Laugh Lines!) who explores why feeling seen, needed, and valued isn’t just nice... it’s essential to our well-being. The three of us dig into what “matt...

The world feels heavy and instead of trying to joke our way around that, this episode is about sitting with it. This week, Penn and I talk about how a post we made about hope turned into a political statement, the process behind the scenes, and how we're feeling. We are very lucky to have a fun job, but it doesn't mean it's not challenging in times like these. Sometimes it's hard to make comedy when you want to cry.

We know you ...

This week calls for a hug and cookie cake that says “Happy Birthday” (even though it’s nobody’s birthday... more on this in the show.) If you’re feeling worn down, overwhelmed, or just need a break from everything feeling so heavy, this episode is for you. We’re talking about the little things that make us laugh when the world feels like too much.

Snow day chaos. January being the longest Monday of the year. Dogs in slow motion....

What do collagen powders, weighted vests, parasite cleanses, and protein bars all have in common? (According to our favorite no-nonsense doctor, probably a lot less science than TikTok would like you to believe.) This week on Laugh Lines, we’re welcoming back the wonderfully persnickety Dr. Eric Topol to help us debunk the health trends that keep popping up in our feeds (and in our shopping carts.)

After our last conversation, w...

Happy 2026, we're back! It’s a new year, but instead of "new year, new me" I am going with "new year, slightly improved me." Mostly because I stopped caring... well, that's not true (but more on that in the podcast.) In this episode of Laugh Lines, we’re easing back into the groove of things with medium energy, big feelings, and some good laughs. We talk about the emotional whiplash of having a college kid home and then watching th...

If you ever rode rear-facing in a station wagon or took a “fart walk” to survive the holidays… welcome home. This week, we’re wrapping up 2025 by revisiting the moments that made us laugh hardest, cry a little, and feel deeply connected to you this past year. (Thank you for your voicemails and emails into the show. Our listeners are the heart of Laugh Lines and we cannot wait to keep it going in 2026!)

This episode is a love let...

When our daughter went off to college, I expected that she would change and she has. In a completely amazing, independent way. What I didn't expect is that we would change too. Now, she's home for holiday break and we're both navigating this changing relationship with no roadmap. (Time to call in an expert for some advice!)

This week on Laugh Lines, Penn and I are joined by one of our favorite humans and parenting expert, Dr. Li...

If you’re here for a perfectly curated tablescape, a stunning holiday gift guide, or expert tips on how to make your mantle look like the cover of a magazine… sweet friend, this is not that podcast. Welcome to the season of doing less, and honestly? It feels amazing.

This week, I’m declaring a personal holiday revolution: I am officially going medium. No more crying on Christmas Eve because I tried to hand-bake, hand-tie, hand-c...