What the Fringe?!

Are you one of those movie lovers who can quote films line for line? This one is for you! Kristin McCarthy Parker of the New York-based theatre company Recent Cutbacks spills the tea on how they take a small cast of actors and a live Foley artist to create shot-by-shot parodies of your favorite films. Recent Cutbacks’ innovative signature style has garnered multiple sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe. We also talk all about WTF to do when someone mistakes you for Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Learn more about Kristin and Recent Cutbacks on:

www.recentcutbacks.com and www. kristinmccarthyparker.com

Keep up with Recent Cutbacks on IF, FB, TikTok: @recentcutbacks and Kristin on IG: @kristinmcparker

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HAPPY WORLD FRINGE DAY 2026! 32 fringe artists from around the world join us to celebrate the best community in theatre, each with a show to pitch and a story you won't forget.

Saturday, July 11 is officially World Fringe Day, our annualcelebration of everything that makes fringe theatre extraordinary: creativity, accessibility, and a genuine love for live performance. Every year we open submissions for this episode and, in true fringe fashion, take the first artists to sign up. This year we filled up so fast we had to close submissionsearly. Each artist gets 2 minutes to pitch their show and share a story, so buckle up.

This episode runs longer than usual, and it's worth every minute:original shows, real fringe advice, and some genuinely hilarious stories from artists across the global fringe community.

Meet the artists and find them on IG (timestamps):

[0:00] INTRO

PART 1

[2:30] Two2Mango: Colonial Circus| @two.2.mango

[3:50] Joel Passante: Looking ForLove In All The Weird Places | @MPMMProductions

[5:22] Jordan Rooks: A Magician |@iamjordanrooks

[6:30] Josie “JUICE” Nixon: johnjack josie JUICE | @Just.juice_the_clown

[8:11] Amiee Dastin: THIS IS APLAY ABOUT GOD | @thisisaplayaboutgod

PART 2

[10:33] Piper Theatre Company: TheBloody Ballad of Bette Davis | @bloodybettemusical

[11:42] Mark McAuley: Diary of aMad Man | @santaponza

[13:39] Sophie Fisher: An Ode tothe Casting Director | @sophieeafisher

[14:39] The Back Pack: NOTED | @thebkpk

[15:38] Fake Escape: Don't YouForget About Me/ Day of The Locust/ Saving Britney | @fakeescapetc

PART 3

[19:00] Callum Grant: BrokenPlanet Show | @brokenplanetshow

[20:47] Infinite Monkey TheaterCo.: Did You Charge Your Phone for the End of the World? | @infinitemonkeytheaterco

[22:45] Austin Boykin: A GayMasseur's Guide to Happy Endings | @gaymasseursguide

[23:55] Andy Dickinson: The Taleof the Original Jekyll and Hyde (Told by a Mad Hatter from Stockport) | @tallhistorytales

[25:50] Aditya Mayya: AdityaMayya Pretends to Be Sad | @aditya.obediah

[26:48] Brendon Lemon: AnAmerican Comedy Show That Quite Possibly Might Be Funny To The British | @brendonfreakinglemon_

PART 4

[30:02] Low Fat Productions: Spraywatch:a Beautiful Rescue | @spraywatchthemusical

[32:02] Big Tobacco: BigTobacco's Pinocchio | @bigtobaccoreal

[33:59] Kristin Libby: I AlmostDied for This?! | @kristinamlibby

[35:43] Wilison Labs: 00:45:00 | @45minutesplay

[36:54] Deep Flight Productions: WhoWe Become: One-Act Plays by Lanford Wilson | @deepflightproductions

PART 5

[39:18] Michele Stine: Always,Sometimes, Maybe | @alwayssometimesmaybe @michele_joy_stine

[41:07] Sohrab Haghverdi: Foriegner| @foriegner.show

[42:18] Marina di Marzo: Love inthe Time of Fifth Grade | @marinadi.nyc

[44:03] Aarushi Agni: EMOJI: TheHieroglyphs Of Our Time, or how I learned to stop worrying and send the riskytext 🤷🏽‍♀️ | @aarushifire

[45:57] Devon Loves ME!Productions: Time Travel Postman | @timetravelpostman

[47:39] For the Fun LLC: (No)Refunds at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe | @norefundsplay

PART 6

[50:25] Daniel McVey: A Foot isNot an Appropriate Prize for the Tombola | @danmcvey1

[52:25] Peter Michael Marino: Planetof the Grapes | @blackoutpete

[53:03] Nate Wise: I'm Mom | @skyadler

[54:27] Broken Box Mime (BKBX): DoubleTake | @brokenboxmime

[55:49] Jeromaia Detto:Giuseppe's Love Quest | @jeromaia.detto

CLOSING

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Can love overcome shame? Our guest this week is Canadian Fringe artist and storyteller Kristi Boulton, who has made it her signature creative expression to share some of her most shame-inducing stories and use love and forgiveness as catalysts for healing and humor. We also talk about WFT is so amazing about improv and Canadian Fringe.  

How long does it take to build a world-class arts program? House of Oz has been championing and supporting Australian artists for the past five years, and has become one of the standout producers at the Edinburgh Fringe. This week, we sit down with Georgie Black, founding patron and creative director, to discuss how she built House of Oz and her passion for ensuring artists receive the support they need at Fringe and beyond. Oh, and we also talk about WTF is so selfish about philanthropy?

“Nun? Slut? It’s a spectrum. We’re all on it.” This showdescription is what hooked me into seeing Claire Robin’s “Nun Slut.” And after seeing it, I am a true fan. Claire shares how her spirituality and faith in God led her to create this holy yet controversial piece. And we talk about WTF she did to become a fringe sensation with her debut solo show.

Keep up with Claire on IG @clairerobin.nunslut

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Creating a career in fringe is doable; it often just takes time. Multi-award-winning fringe artist Jimmy Hogg has spent the past 20 years touring the Canadian fringe circuit building a name and career out of telling stories. Jimmy and Lauren chat about creating art you love, and WTF is the best reason to hang out in a pub.

Keep up with Jimmy

IG: @jimmyhoggthepotatoking

FB: @MrJimmyHogg

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Can you use fringe to build a body of work? This week, we visit with Marcel Cole, who has embraced this model to help him build his own “Marcel Cole Catalog of Plays.” Marcel is the creator of the multi-award-winning show “SMILE: The Story of Charlie Chaplin,” amongst others. We chat about his background, current work, and WTF is so great about bad work. 

Keep up with Marcel

IG: @theatremarcel and@marcel_the_parcel

FB: Theatre Marcel

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What do WWII and Vampira have in common? This week's guest, Ingrid Garner. Ingrid spent twelve years touring Eleanor's Story, based on the real life experiences of her grandmother during WWII. This year she is bringing something new with A Hollywood Horror Story, inspired by 1950s icon Vampira. It feels like a 180, but you might be surprised. Ingrid and Lauren talk about the longevity of a fringe career, what it means to trust the work, and WTF animal husbandry has to do with theatre.

Find Ingrid online at: https://www.eleanorsstory.com/

Keep up with Ingrid on IG:

@ingridgarner

@ahollywoodhorrorstory

@Elanorsstory

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Do you really need a PR Agent for Fringe? Well, it all depends on your goals and the festival. This week, we chat with Annabelle Mastin-Lee, a PR Client Manager at Mobius Industries, a PR and marketing agency based in London specializing in theatre, dance, circus, and FRINGE! Annabelle will demystify all your PR misconceptions while she and Lauren figure out WTF to do when Phoebe Waller-Bridge introduces herself to you.  

OK, hear me out…. a musical about the Holocaust, but gay. While this may sound like a pitch from The Producers, our guest this week, Michael Trauffer, has crafted a stunning and beautiful solo musical that explores the oppression of gay men in post-World War II Germany. Michael and Lauren talk about creating historical fiction, making work that is uniquely you, and WTF you should do when someone falls asleep during your fringe show. 

At the ripe age of 7, Tyler West found his calling: to be a clown. While other clowns have a mask they can take off, Tyler’s dwarfism does not allow this. The beauty of fringe is that the artist gets to define who they are, and in Tyler’s newest show, Small Minded, he delves into all things clown, and gives us a peek into his life as a person with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Tyler and Lauren are joined by special guest Cleo DeOrio, the show’s co-creator and director, and Tyler’s partner in life. And we may just uncover the secrets of WTF makes TimTam’s so good.

This week, we enter the afterbirth! No, we haven’t changed to a medical podcast, but we get into all the messy and beautiful details of Anne Zander’s clown show, “Mother: A Postpartum Comedy.” Lauren and Anne talk all things clown, devising, and motherhood as a fringe artist. And these fringe besties take a deep dive into WTF is so fun about playing in your room by yourself as a grown a** woman.

Find Anne online at: https://annezander.com/and linktr.ee/annezander

Keep up with Anne: On IG:@clown.mother  and @_mother.show_

FB: @clown.mother

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Fringe is all about making a big impact with limited resources. Chris Sainton-Clark specializes in the thriller/mystery genre and is able to create that cinematic feel of the genre with limited technical resources. Chris and Lauren also talk about WTF is so appealing about a collaborator who is brutally honest.  

What happens when a language barrier becomes one of your greatest strengths? Andrea Barello was born and raised in Italy, but now calls Los Angeles his home when he is not traveling the world clowning around. Andrea and Lauren talk about authenticity, the healing power of art, and WTF happened when vulnerability led to the most beautiful audience interaction.

Keep up with Andrea on

IG: @algobaruch

FB: @aldo.baruch

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This week we hang out with Levani, a fearless multidisciplinary artist from San Diego, whose theatre blends satire, spectacle, and social critique. From interactive shows about grief and corporate greed to sharp spoofs on online masculinity, Levani’s work shows how fringe artists are driving some of the most urgent conversations in performance today. And we uncover WTF is so special about that Nikki Kid movie theatre commercial.

Keep up with Levani: IG: @levani.k.o & FB: levanikorgana

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Remember when you used to play with dolls or soldiers, because play was something that helped you learn about the world you lived in? Why do we lose that skill as adults? Maybe we just need someone to tell us it’s OK. This week’s guest, Soleil Kohl, is a Denver based clown who has a background in early childhood education. She shares about her solo shows, and WTF it is so important to reclaim our playful spirits.

Mark Vigeant is a multi-disciplinary, award-winning comedian whose most recent solo play, The Best Man Show, was one of the best-reviewed shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Mark and Lauren talk shop about creating solo shows with audience participation, the beauty of male vulnerability, his new show Out There, and WTF he didn’t do to get a special on Dropout TV.

While fringe may give off vibes that it’s anything but mainstream, there is an entire network of people helping fringe festivals become the best they can be. Holly Payton-Lombardo, Managing Director of World Fringe, gives us a peek behind the curtain of those working to make festivals great. She knows all the people, connects all the people, and absolutely loves artist people! If you don’t know Holly, WTF are you waiting for?! Find her at your next festival, and I am sure she will connect you with someone incredible.  

Every voice deserves a platform, and Alex Howarth is out here making sure that actually happens. Whether he is devising a show with a person with disabilities, bringing a beautiful script to life, or sharing an important piece of theatre on the floor of the UN, he is a champion for all, giving underrepresented voices a space to tell their stories. WTF Alex, why are you so amazing?!

Two words describe our guest, Charlaina Thompson: Passion and Joy! Charlaina is the creator and director of DUST, which is the story of one man’s unforgettable journey, examining generational trauma, resilience, and survival and based on the true story of the Lofthouse collierty coal mining disaster. Charlaina and Lauren also discuss the beauty of theater and WTF live theatre is an amazing place to experience real human connection.

Keep up with Yellow Brick Theatre:  

Clowning and storytelling have a way of sneaking past our defenses, and Yoz Mensch knows exactly how to use that to their advantage. In this episode, we talk about finding your artistic voice, building solo work at the Fringe, and telling queer stories that don’t rely on a big coming-out moment. But really, my biggest question is: WTF kind of conditioner do you use? Yoz, your hair is amazing.

Our first-ever ventriloquist, David Salter, joins the podcast to talk Shari Lewis, Green Apples, Cats, and why ventriloquism absolutely belongs on fringe stages. In 2025, David’s solo fringe hit An Evening with Dame Granny Smith won Best Variety Show at the Adelaide Fringe and played to sold-out houses at the Edinburgh Fringe.

And WTF?! This is not a kids show. This delightful apple is here to invite adults to wonder, laugh, and feel, proving fringe theatre is at its best when it’s weird, bold, and unexpectedly moving.

Keep up with David on Instagram: @davidjohnsalter

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Casey Jay Andrews is a multi-disciplinary fringe theatre artist willing to take huge risks for the sake of the art. This week, we talk about last-minute creative choices, finding inspiration everywhere, and why making the work you love is at the heart of Fringe theatre and independent performance. From visual storytelling to intimate solo shows, this conversation is about curiosity, emotion, and connection. Plus, we learn WTF is so incredible about crying in a dark theatre.

Welcome back to season 3 of What the Fringe?! We are starting with an artist who performs at the highest level, riding a bike on stage for the entire 65-minute show. Connor Delves stars in “CADEL: Lungs on Legs,” which chronicles the riveting true story of Cadel Evans, the first and only Australian to win the Tour de France. Connor and Lauren also chat about the day the snow machine broke on the set of a Hallmark film, The Australian Theatre Festival NYC, and WhyTF Timothée Chalamet could never do Connor’s job.

Learn More about Connor, CADEL, and the Australian Theatre Festival:

What happens when figuring out QLab sends you down a rabbit hole, leading you to create the wildest fringe show ever? In this final episode for the season, Lauren sits down with long-time Edinburgh Fringe performer, Chris Grace to talk about his experimental show 27 Hours, where he performed a new show every day of the Edinburgh Fringe. They also talk about WTF makes fringe the most artistic time of the year.

Be sure to listen till the end when Chris & Lauren announce the 2025 WTF Fringe Award nominees and winners! The full list and winners will be available on the WTF Blog.

Become a part of Chris’s Patreon athttps://www.patreon.com/chrisgracecomedy

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Stories pull at emotions we didn’t know were there and shape the way we see the world. Penny Sterling realized later in life that she wasn’t just a performer or a stand-up comedian; she was a storyteller. By the end of this episode, you too will know WTF makes Penny so delightful!

This episode touches on themes of se*ual violence. If this is not for you at this time, please feel free to let this episode pass, and we will catch you next week.

What is the best strategy to make a lasting career in fringe? Jon Bennett, a veteran fringe performer who’s been to more than 150 fringe festivals, shares all, including his most recent challenges with crossing, or not crossing, the border. And we also learn WTF Rabbit Night is all about.

Jon’s Website: www.jonbennettcomedy.com

Keep up with Jon:

IG: @jonbennettcomedy @pretendingthingsareac_ckFB: @jonbennettcomedianTikTok: @jonwithoutanhbennett

WTF is the best way to create a safe environment for audience participation? Judge Mentalist is a hypnotist who makes audience members the stars of his show, and he does it with care and intentionality. This week, Judge Mentalist shares about the art of hypnosis, and he also shares how he works with organizations to do some incredible fundraising while stilltaking home a paycheck; it’s quite brilliant if you ask me.

Kevin Velasquez is a theatre maker and teacher from the Dallas/Fort Worth area who participates in fringe as a way to invest in his creative growth. He is a passionate teacher dedicated to championing his students, and he will undoubtedly inspire you. Hear all about his teaching and fringe journey, and WTF inspired him to take secondary students to Fringe Festivals.

When Rheagan Wallace wanted to tell her story of growing up in Hollywood, she knew Fringe was the place. Rheagan’s debut solo fringe show is a look into a world only a few know. Hear more about her incredible journey and WTF she did to get on America’s Most Wanted.  

WTF does it take to make it as a fringe performer? Find out when we chat with Jonathan Paterson. Jonathon has been working in the fringe world for over two decades. He has done everything from performing, tech, running a venue, and heck, he even met his life partner from the fringe (be sure to listen to the end for more on this tidbit).

The first time I saw Ira Cooper perform, I was a wee bit awe-struck by the passion and energy that he brings to the stage. This week, I get to sit down with Ira, the co-creator of Spec Theatre, and talk all things collaboration, accessible theatre, and catnip. Let’s find out WTF is Ira’s keys to success.

Spec Theatre Website: www.spectheatre.com

IG: @spectheatre and @catsco420

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Josh Languedoc is a proud Anishinaabe member of Saugeen First Nation and is a master storyteller and superb theatrical artist. His newest solo show, Elon Muskrat, is a satire that is sureto spark a bit of joy to your life. Josh also shares WTF makes Edmonton Fringe so special.

Tymisha Harris is an internationally successful, award-winning performer, creator, and producer. She has been touring her solo show, “Josephine,” for over a decade and has just launched her newest show, “A Cabaret of Legends.” One of Tymisha’s biggest artistic goals is for her shows to become theatrical works that other women of color can perform and truly shine. Tymisha is a vibrant, kind soul, and she will have you saying, “WTF, Tymisha, why are you so amazing?!”

*NOTE: Today’s episode discusses the topic of domestic violence, if this is not something for you at this time, please feel free to let this time pass and we will catch you next week. 

Keep up with Tymisha

IG: @josephinetheplay or @dynamitelunchbox,

FB: @josephinetheplay,

LinkTree: @dynamitelunchbox
 

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Michael Rogers, one of Lauren’s besties from the fringe circuit, joins her to talk all about his newest show, “That Which is Green.” Michael has been creating solo shows that dig deep into the most painful moments of his life, in hopes of sharing that it’s OK to not be OK, and that there's hope. WhyTF are you making me get into my feels, Michael?

Keep up with Michael on IG: @mr.mikerogers and FB: atMichael Rogers

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This week we are celebrating World Fringe Day, which is Friday,July 11, 2025! Our World Fringe Day episode features 17 shows from across the globe, WTF?! In true fringe fashion, we took the first artists who submitted. We are thrilled to feature these artists and their incredible shows.

husk/vessel

IG: @kairosdances @kairosdancetheater

Fringe is an international phenomenon, and if you do it for any amount of time, the likelihood that you will perform in a country other than your own is quite high. Cathy Lam is an internationally recognized fringe artist who has been touring shows internationally for years. This week, she shares her fringey wisdom, and WhyTF engaging with cultures other than your own is so important.

Murray Utas is the Artistic Director of the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, which is one of the top 5 fringe festivals in the world. Murray believes in leading with vulnerability, mentoring, kindness, and human connection. This week, he shares stories from his life in the theatre and discusses how the arts are making an impact in Edmonton, highlighting WhyTF the arts are a necessary part of a flourishing society and how the arts help people connect.

Clevername Theatre of Minneapolis, MN, is known for its quirky mashups of classical theatre and beloved children’s stories. This year, Clevername Theatre heads to Edmonton Fringe with "The Peter Pan Cometh," a story melding Eugene O’Neill’s nihilistic "The Iceman Cometh" with the whimsy of boyhood found in "Peter Pan," and it totally works, like WTF?!

IG: @clevernametheatre

FB: Clevername Theatre

Pateron: Clevername Theatre

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WTF do you have to do to become a fringe success? First, make a great show; second, set your own parameters for success; and third, market that show. Xhloe Rice & Natash Roland have been making art together since their teens, and over the past three years have earned the title of “The buzziest Fringe Theatre-Makers of the 2020’s,” by The Telegraph. This week, they share their journey from begging people to see their shows in their hometown of New York City to award-winning, sold-out runs in Edinburgh. 

WTF do you do to take your fringe show to the next level? Youcould start by tying a run at the SoHo Playhouse in New York City. The SoHo Playhouse has been one of Off-Broadway’s primary venues for new plays for the past 80 years and has been home to countless dreams and movements. Many theatre legends received their start at SoHo Playhouse, including Sam Shepard, Edward Albee, Tracy Letts, Charles Buch, Leroi Jones, and Lanford Wilson. The Playhouse has also proudly served as home to the Fringe Encore Series since 2005.

WTF makes a show successful at Edinburgh Fringe? Sam Gough, Chief Executive Officer of Summerhall Arts, shares with us his 30+ years of experience at the fringe. He shares everything from tips on programming yourself to the incredible innovations happening in Edinburgh. Sam also lets us in on all the amazing year-round programming happening at Summerhall Arts.

WTF, did you “hear” that there is a Fringe Audio Festival?! On a podcast dedicated to fringe theatre, of course, we had to chat with the leaders of this festival. For the past 13 years, Atlanta Fringe has been hosting Fringe Audio, an innovative space for artists to experiment with sound and storytelling, and provide listeners a portal into the strange, the brilliant, and the beautifully bizarre. In this episode, we chat with Ted Wenskus, Fringe Audio Award Coordinator, and Allison Cossitt, one of the 2025 Fringe Audio participants.

Atlanta Fringe and Fringe Audio

IG: @atlfringefest

FB: Atlanta Fringe Festival

Welcome to the newlywed show! Wait, I thought this was a podcast about fringe? Spencer Amrheim and Chanel Mise of Kid Goblin just got married, and what better way to celebrate than being on a podcast? Kid Goblin is a six-person improv troupe out of San Diego, CA. For their hometown fringe this year, Kid Goblin will be taking confessions and then playing them out for your entertainment. Not only do Lauren, Spencer, and Chanel talk about the incredible benefits US fringes have for local performers, they do a bit of improv because WTF not?!

Penny Peyser has been in the entertainment industry for decades, playing opposite some of the biggest namesin Hollywood, including Dustin Hoffman (who we believe is still lamenting over a small comment he made to Penny years ago). Not only has Penny created a hilarious one-woman show called Sonnets from Suburbia, she has written and publishedmultiple humor books featuring her sonnets that deal with modern day issues through iambic pentameter. Plus, you don’t want to miss Penny’s story about streaking across an off-Broadway production in the 1970’s! This episode willhave even Shakespeare asking himself, WFT?! 

Steve Budd (not Budde-Bode-Burg-blerrrgah- just Budd) is an actor who accidentally found his calling in solo theater and playing multiple characters. He tackled many of his fears and faced many of his personal struggles when creating his four solo shows. Steve has become an incredible character actor in the process. But (not Budd), my biggest question is WTF was he thinking when he dropped out of his first professional gig?

WTF do you do when you have performed in a version of off-Broadway’s longest-running show with a one-star Yelp review? Write a play about it, of course! Sarah Alida LeClair is the founder of Riot Productions, a San Diego based theatre company dedicated to giving a voice to those on the fringe. Sarah was the recipient of the Outstanding World Premiere Award at the 2024 San Diego International Fringe Festival, and returns to the festival this year with the farce “Death and Murder and Poison and Scene.” Additionally, Riot Productions sponsors an incredible scholarship for students of EastCounty San Diego.

From a young age Olivia Raine Atwood knew shewanted to be an actress, little did she know that would involve preparing NYCdoctors for a world-wide pandemic or becoming a sought-after match maker. Allof Olivia’s surprise career paths have had her asking WTF am I doing here?Olivia shares her journey from shy kid to becoming one of the funniest women onthe fringe circuit.

The creative process is different for each artist. Shane Mayforth of ‘Stroke of Genius’ and long-time collaboration partner Vulva Va-Voom (V) take the throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks approach. Together, they come up with some out-of-this-world art that has audiences laughing with delight and proclaiming, “WTF did I just see!”  

For many fringe artists, their shows are an extension of themselves and the issues they care about. For LinneaBond, this couldn’t be truer. Linnea’s show, “Heart Ripped Out Twice and So Can You,” not only explores her personal journey through heart surgery and heartache but also recognizes other issues in our world that weigh heavy on her heart with lots of laughs and a few tears. In this episode, Linnea shares WTF to do with all of these emotions and how to turn them into something impactful and positive.

Follow Linnea Bond on Instagram@linnea.bond

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