Kate Berlant

Berlant objects to psychics charging to lift curses, saying curse-lifting should be free.

“All curses can and should be lifted for free”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 59:11

Berlant says that over the last couple of years she has been seeing ghosts.

“But I swear to God, last couple of years, I'm seeing ghosts”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 57:57

Berlant says two class clowns in a romantic relationship can be complicated.

“and this is where it can get hard, funny on funny, two class clowns in bed, it can get complicated”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 33:43

Berlant says she is less interested in sexual categories than in failing within them, calling herself a failed straight woman.

“what's interesting is like failing and what's funny is like failing within those categories like i'm a failed straight woman for sure”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 29:16

Berlant argues that the most devastating personal effect of phone use is the loss of intimacy with oneself.

“But then just on the base level, like on a personal psychological level, like you've lost all intimacy with yourself”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 22:18

Berlant argues that people need help with phone addiction because they are in a fight for their lives.

“we do need help because we are in the fight for our lives yes and it's the kind of thing that it's become it's like the weather”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 20:12

Berlant argues that a good party requires structure that is then allowed to dissolve, since an over-controlled party is miserable.

“over controlled party hell hell for everyone hell so that's the thing you have to create the structure but you have to let it to dissolve”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 1:04:35

Berlant says what makes her laugh most is non-performers performing, such as people giving wedding speeches.

“Um, what makes me laugh is non-performers performing. Like I've been to a couple weddings”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 1:01:16

Berlant describes Los Angeles as brutally solitary compared with New York, though she loves it.

“There's something brutally solitary about Los Angeles. I love New York so much”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 59:43

Berlant argues that people do not really want to find the right product but rather to keep searching forever.

“You want to engage in the, in the search forever. The search is kind of, you know, the ego loves to search and never to find”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 54:10

Berlant recounts being included in a New York magazine piece about nepo babies, which she considered a stretch since her parents were not in the industry.

“There was like a New York magazine piece about Nepo babies. And my face was in it. Next to like Chalamet”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 39:22

Berlant says gender performance only becomes unsettling when people are unaware they are performing.

“it's only when people don't know they're performing that it starts to get scary sometimes”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 31:40

Berlant recounts a popular boy warning her as a teenager that boys dislike funny girls because they remind them of other boys.

“He was like, you should be careful though. Guys don't like funny girls because it reminds them too much of other guys”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Kate Berlant (Oct 20, 2026) · Listen from 24:45