AI Summary
5 min read“Burn ’em Up Barnes” is a real movie. Taliesin Jaffe’s great-grandmother, the silent-film actress Betty Carpenter, starred in it, and a copy still exists. Jaffe has one. The portrait of her that hangs in his home once fell into the Thames during a botched shipment to New York. It survived. It still has a water stain. Later, a relative sold it, and Jaffe’s grandfather found it in an antique shop and bought it back. That story—specific, strange, and almost lost to time—is the kind of thing that fills a “Weird Kids” mailbag episode, where the hosts build a Lego camper van, answer listener calls, and let one anecdote lead to another without forcing a theme.
Sounds, Recurring Dreams, and Personal Models
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:09) **Opening & Mailbag Kickoff** - Taliesin and Ashley welcome listeners, discuss a Lost TV series tangent, and introduce the mailbag episode concept.
- 2 (07:23) **Fan Art & Lego Setup** - The hosts showcase a piece of fan art and begin assembling a Funhole (Luma Bricks) camper van set.
- 3 (09:17) **The Thames Portrait Mystery** - Taliesin answers a listener question about how his great-grandmother's portrait ended up in the River Thames.
- 4 (15:37) **Favorite & Least Favorite Sounds** - The hosts respond to a question from "non-binary smurf" about sounds they love or hate.
- 5 (20:52) **Recurring Nightmares** - Producer Will's question about recurring dreams leads to a deep discussion of anxiety-driven nightmares.
- 6 (29:13) **Personal Mantras & Mottos** - The hosts share inspirational quotes and life rules that have resonated with them.
- 7 (33:42) **Dream Role: Pennywise & The Joker** - A voicemail asks which movie or TV role they would choose to play.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
New Episodes of Weird Kids are now releasing on Beacon every Tuesday! Watch all available episode on Beacon now: https://Beacon.tv/WeirdKids
Weird Kids ad-supported episodes from 2025 are now releasing every Tuesday on YouTube and Your Preferred Podcast Platform!
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It’s pen pal time with Ashley Johnson, Taliesin Jaffe, and you! Our Weird Kids dig into the Mail Bag to answer YOUR weird questions about everything from strange recurring dreams to personal mottos to even imaginary friends! And if that’s not enough, they also put their building skills to the test with a surprise made out of LEGO-like LUMIBRICKS (formerly known as FUNWHOLE).
Also in this episode:
• Blood and Ink
• Their dream (clown?) roles
• Burn ‘Em Up Barnes
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Ashley Johnson and Taliesin Jaffe deep dive into their lives as the Weird Kids! This is a formal invitation to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos to take a seat at our table and join these former child actors as they embrace their unique upbringings and celebrate all things weird and wonderful.
Learn more at https://critrole.com/weirdkids/
Produced by Maxwell James and Will Lamborn
Theme Song by Dave Heatwave
Animation by Max Schapiro
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