(We had some tech issues earlier with this episode where it posted the wrong one. This is the right one now :) )

Get ready to be delighted by a delightful episode of a delightful TV show with a delightful guest, as we discuss sweet Australian animated kids (and everyone else) fave, "Bluey", with podcaster Juan Santana. This was a really sweet conversation about how wisdom falls from the mouths of babes (and things written and produced for them). We hope you enjoy!

Juan Santana is a Spaniard living in the UK and cohost of the 2 legit 2 Crit podcast, a show about table top role-playing games. You can find him on Instagram and YouTube.

Get ready to con the rich for the right reasons as we talk "Leverage" and its reboot, "Leverage: Redemption", along with other shows with con artists with a heart of gold. Our guest is writer, musician and stand-up comic Jelani Greenidge. We talk the Leverage shows, as well as awesome shows like "Burn Notice" and the like. I love theses shows, and I loved this conversation.

Jelani Greenidge is a consummate communicator with a passion to inform, inflame, and inspire. A writer, musician, hip-hop producer/emcee, DJ and stand-up comic, Jelani is also a graduate of North Park University and serves as Missional Storyteller for the Evangelical Covenant Church. His topical sweet spot is the intersection between hip-hop culture, nerd culture, and evangelical culture. (Come stop by, it’s not a busy intersection.) When he’s not watching TV or playing video games, he’s promoting his book Undercover Prophets: Pursuing Stand-Up Comedy to Talk about What Matters Most. Jelani lives with his wife Holly in leafy Portland, Oregon, with a few dying plants, way too many throw pillows, and a robot vacuum named Rosie.

You can find Jelani on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and here!

Join us for this bright and uplifting conversation about Issa Rae's masterpiece about being Black, young and not so sure of yourself, "Insecure". Our guest is writer, researcher and storyteller Kelly Macias. We really enjoyed this one and we hope you do, too! And check out "Insecure" on Netflix (it's heartfelt and hilarious and also kinda spicy so don't watch with your kids) because it's wonderful).

Kelly Macías (she/her) is a writer, researcher, and storyteller based in Los Angeles. The multidisciplinary arts-based approach to her work is inspired by the many lived experiences of Black women and what emerges from their wisdom and magic across time and geographies. Her writing has appeared in Prose Online, The Sunlight Press, Newsweek, The Baltimore Sun, and elsewhere. She is the creator of Toogood Stories, a platform dedicated to documenting, preserving, and making visible the many facets of Black women's lives. When she isn't engaged in her mindfulness meditation practice or binge watching Netflix, she can be found somewhere in the world dancing Argentine tango in a pair of Chuck Taylors.

You can find her on Instagram and on her storytelling platform. Toogood Stories.

Don't (boom) stop (hey) thinking about this podcast as we talk legendary rock band Fleetwood Mac with Analese Alvarez, co-host of the podcast Nerd Best Friends. This was so so so so much fun because Analese is not only a fan of the band, she is a really a historian of them and their music AND has a personal tie to their live reunion album and film, "The Dance". Enjoy this episode, then crank some Fleetwood Mac.

Analese Alvarez is a high school principal, Buffy fanatic, cohost of Nerd Best Friends, the podcast that covers all of the NERDY conversations you are already having.... OR WISH YOU COULD!

You can find her and the show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

It's a "Yes" from us, Dawg, as we talk classic TV singing competition "American Idol" with our guest, writer Tonya Abari. We start with exuberantly motivational auditioner William Hung and being yourself, even if people don't get it. This was a wonderful musical trip down Memory Lane to a time where we were seated and tuned in to see what Kelly, Justin, Fantasia and the gang were gonna sing every week. This was a fun one.

Tonya Abari is a multigenre storyteller. Her words have appeared in Essence, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Parents, ZORA, PBS Kids, and many more! The University of Maryland at College Park grad now lives and writes from Nashville, TN. Tonya writes for both children and adults — and has books published and forthcoming with Mudpuppy, The Innovation Press, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Quarto, Wiley, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. When she isn't having her way with words, she can be found reading; visiting historic landmarks; dancing to her golden era of hip hop playlist; or frolicking in and around town with her spouse and children, all whose names also begin with "T."

You can find her at tonyaabari.com.

We know All Too Well that you will enjoy this episode, as we talk all things Taylor Swift with our guest Melissa Leygan, who is a huge fan (or Swiftie, as they are known). Melissa is the first guest of ours to actually bring us thank you gifts (including baked goods and friendship bracelets), and this convo is as enlightening and delightful as she is. Tell all your Swiftie friends!!

You can hear a bonus conversation with us and Melissa on our Patreon page, where you get extra content from FB&C in exchange for a small monthly donation that helps keep us afloat! Sign-up here: https://www.patreon.com/FineBeatsandCheeses

Melissa's Bio below...

I've been a casual Taylor listener since I was in high school, but I became a fan as we listened to the well-crafted playlist my sister made on the drive up for the Eras tour, and it was when I saw her in May 2023 in MA that I became a real Swiftie(tm). I have so much respect for this woman and how she has navigated this world built to tear down people just like her, and she rebuilt and regrew and kept performing in spite of them all. I can't wait to share my love of her Fearless drive, Reputation, and how her Karma is the guy on the Chiefs. Truly, this bio isn't about me, it's about our Goddess and Queen, Taylor Swift. All Rise For the Queen. 👑

Put on your wind machine and wear something that billows in the breeze as we talk Romance Novels with writer Ashley Hawthorne.

Ashley Hawthorne is a soft hearted idealist who wants to live in a world where love really does conquer all. She writes stories that challenge us to believe that we can find light in the darkest places, and her goal is to make us all more grateful for love, family, and forgiveness. She is a contemporary romantic suspense author with two novels currently available, Deliver Me and Death Sentence, and a duology with installments due to be published in 2025 and 2026, all through Creative James Media. She lives in Texas with her husband, two children, and numerous rescue pets.

You can find Ashley on Instagram and her website, Ashleyhawthorne.net.

Go get your scuba gear as we talk about the iconic movie about really smart sharks, "Deep Blue Sea". with guest Stephanie Olson. Hilarious episode.

Stephanie Olson (she/her) is a writer, cosplayer, horror movie enthusiast (especially the bad ones), and Halloween-all-year person. The first story she ever wrote was the gripping tale of a haunted bog. It was created in an attempt to scare her bunkmates at summer camp, and the result was so successful she was banned from writing any more stories that week. She’s been chasing that high ever since. While horror is her first love, she also enjoys fantasy and mysteries. Stephanie has a short story published in Spontaneous Combustion Volume II, by Sic Semper Serpent, and is part of the writing team for the horror anthology podcast, Ghost Wax. Her debut fantasy novel, Still Chosen: Another Unwanted Adventure, was released in January, 2025.

You can find her on Instagram at @stephaniewritesstuff