Podcast Spotlight: Dear 1995
The premise for Dear 1995 is fairly simple: each week host, Gwen Bueno de Mesquita and co-host, Brooke, read an unedited passage from Gwen’s teenage diary. The diary covers everything you’d expect, like crushes, gossip, high school drama and more. What’s fascinating, however, is as Gwen and Brooke revisit these formative years through the diary they’re able to better relate and understand the mindsets of teenagers. Now as parents, both Gwen and Brooke are able to take key lessons from the diary and apply them to how they’ll help raise their kids.
Unsurprisingly, the podcast is hilarious and cringe-worthy and full of nostalgia. If you’re also a child of the 90s, add this to your queue.
Discover Pods got a chance to catch up with Gwen and discuss the challenges of podcasting, her influences, and what it’s like revisiting her past. See below for our Q&A.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Discover Pods: How’d you get into podcasting?
GWEN: Three things all happened at once that landed me in podcasting. I had started listening to My Dad Wrote a Porno and at the same time discovered my old high diaries. Then, we started looking into creating a series of podcasts at my work, and all of a sudden I thought how perfect my diary would be for my own podcast (in the MDWAP format) and realized I could do it myself! It really all just fell together.
DP: In your own words, why should listeners check out Dear 1995?
GWEN: Of course anyone that grew up in the ’90s will immediately connect with the podcast and enjoy the nostalgia. But, I think it’s also super relatable to most people – whether you’re a teenager now, experiencing what I did in my diary, or an adult looking back. Mainly I think people listen for the simultaneous cringe and giggle! Brooke and I definitely don’t take ourselves too seriously. We’re very happy to point out our shortcomings (mainly our lack of boobs) and life’s realities for us as parents and wives. And, as a teenager, I was completely selfish, needy, dramatic, awful to my parents, desperate to be popular and even more desperate for a boyfriend. Who doesn’t relate to that!?
DP: Are there podcasts that influenced Dear 1995 or that you wanted to model it after?
GWEN: Definitely My Dad Wrote a Porno. Since I already had the written content (my diary), the format worked perfectly. And I LOVE how the hosts interjections are just as funny as the book itself. I wanted that for mine, which is why Brooke makes the perfect co-host. She’s hysterical!
DP: As a child of the 90s, your podcast hits home for me. Are there specific diary passages that make you utterly cringe when reading with hindsight knowledge?
GWEN: Honestly, the whole thing is so cringey to me. The first time I read it, I put it away for a few months before looking at it again. I couldn’t get over how self-obsessed I was. But I guess most teenagers are. Now that I have kids of my own, I can’t believe how awful I was to my parents. I clearly never considered them real people. Also, I was SOO desperate to be liked an accepted. In hindsight I now wish I had just had more confidence in myself. I was just as cute or smart or whatever as any of the other kids.
DP: Where do you want to take your podcast?
GWEN: Obviously total world domination! I would love to get a TON more listeners and be able to get influencers, friends and celebs on to read their diaries. Of course, Claire Danes is the dream. It would be really cool to turn the diaries into a book as well… and the podcast into a Netflix series. Why not, right!?
DP: What’s the most difficult part of podcasting for you?
GWEN: Since I have a full time job, it can be hard to devote as much time to Dear 1995 as I’d like. Also, since I’m talking about real people (though I’ve changed all the names), I worry a lot about how people are receiving it. I don’t want to hurt any feelings. That’s why I end most episodes with an apology to my parents. Hopefully people understand that my 16 year old self should be taken with a grain of salt.
DP: What podcasts are you listening to now?
GWEN: Still love My Dad Wrote a Porno. Big fan of Fat Mascara – I work in the beauty biz and I think Jess and Jen are so entertaining while being informative at the same time. Also really love Emma Gannon’s CTL ALT DELETE – she has GREAT guests on. And most recently, have gotten into The High Low with Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes. They’re so funny and cool and I dream that someday they will listen to Dear 1995 and laugh!
DP: Anything else you’d like to add?
GWEN: Not really — just that I hope people will give Dear 1995 a listen! It’s full of all your usual teenage angst and drama, but also all the ’90s essential that we never think about anymore. Mix tapes, getting film developed, beepers, Zima, EXTREME (the band), 6 disc changer CD players… I could go on and on. I think my listeners love that ‘OH YEAH” moment where they’re reminded of something or someone they hadn’t thought about in forever! Please tune in and follow us on instagram @dear.1995. There’s also a DEAR 1995 Spotify playlist. THANKS!
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