Bad On Paper Podcast: Audition Book Club Episode Summary

Release Date: May 28, 2025
Hosts: Becca Freeman & Olivia Muenter
Book Discussed: "Auditioned" by Katie Kitamura

Introduction

In this engaging episode of Bad On Paper, hosts Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter delve into their latest book club pick, "Auditioned" by Katie Kitamura. The episode blends insightful literary analysis with personal anecdotes, creating a rich tapestry of discussion for both avid readers and casual listeners.

Weekly Highs and Lows

Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter start the conversation by sharing their weekly highs and lows, providing a personal touch to the episode.

• Olivia’s High: Successfully Hosting a Baby Shower

  • [01:06] Olivia expresses excitement about successfully hosting a small, intimate baby brunch for a friend. She highlights the balance between socializing and enjoying quiet moments with her partner, Jake.
  • Quote:
    "It was the perfect balance of like, heavy socializing with just prime introvert behavior." — Olivia Muenter [02:19]

• Becca’s High: Clothing and Product Swap Event

  • [03:05] Becca shares her enthusiasm for attending a clothing and beauty product swap hosted by her friend Zoe. She enjoyed the Shark Tank-like pitching of items and ended up bringing home more than she came with.
  • Quote:
    "I think we're gonna try to do it quarterly...it's good to know that I can keep kind of like a running bag of stuff." — Becca Freeman [05:17]

• Becca’s Low: Depleted Social Battery

  • [05:26] After a month of constant social engagements, Becca feels utterly exhausted. She looks forward to a weekend of solitude to recover.
  • Quote:
    "My social battery is dead. It is flatlined. It is dead." — Becca Freeman [05:26]

• Olivia’s Low: A Disturbing Week

  • [06:25] Olivia recounts a week filled with a pervasive sense of unease and personal dissatisfaction, exacerbated by a missed opportunity to capture photos of a well-hosted event.
  • Quote:
    "I felt like everything is so beautiful in these photos except for you, Olivia." — Olivia Muenter [07:03]

Book Discussion: "Auditioned" by Katie Kitamura

The core of the episode revolves around an in-depth discussion of "Auditioned", exploring its complex narrative structure, thematic depth, and ambiguous storytelling.

Synopsis and Plot Interpretation

• Becca’s Synopsis:

  • [12:38] Becca provides a brief overview of the book, detailing the story of an accomplished actress who encounters a younger man in Manhattan, leading to a perplexing relationship dynamic.
  • Quote:
    "Auditioned by Katie Kitamura is about an accomplished actress who meets a much younger man for lunch in Manhattan." — Becca Freeman [12:39]

• Olivia’s Interpretation:

  • [13:34] Olivia admits to struggling with understanding the plot due to its unconventional structure, expressing excitement to unpack the book's layers.
  • Quote:
    "It's hard for there to be a plot… the author is doing something that you just aren’t aware of." — Olivia Muenter [13:34]

Themes Explored

1. Performance and Authenticity

   • [32:42] Both hosts discuss the pervasive theme of performance in the book, relating it to acting, social media, and personal relationships.
   • Olivia’s Insight:
     "The performance will disappear. It is hollow because it's never yours. It's owned by other people." — Olivia Muenter [57:55]

2. Ambiguity and Narrative Structure

   • [24:26] The hosts debate the book's intentional ambiguity and its impact on reader comprehension, noting its place in Katie Kitamura's thematic trilogy.
   • Becca’s Observation:
     "This is supposed to be ambiguous… part is the ambiguity." — Becca Freeman [26:32]

3. Gender Imbalance and Familial Roles

   • [46:07] Discussion on the portrayal of gender dynamics and the expectations placed on women within familial and marital contexts.
   • Becca’s Reflection:
     "It felt like he was allowed to just do as he pleased in some way… tension within families." — Becca Freeman [46:07]

4. Social Media Parallels

   • [56:57] Connections between the book's themes and the roles of social media in modern life, particularly the concept of "trauma porn" and performed realities.
   • Olivia’s Connection:
     "The performance of it, the sharing of it, ultimately it is consumed by other people and then it becomes something else." — Olivia Muenter [57:55]

Critical Reception and Reviews

• Goodreads Ratings:

  • The book holds a 3.44 rating, indicating a mixed reception with more middle-ground reviews than polarized ones.

• Selected Reviews:

  • Four-Star Review:
    "High concept, structurally complex literary fiction is so tricky… I loved it." — Goodreads Reviewer [27:57]

  • Two-Star Review:
    "A frustrating, high concept piece of writing… I personally think it's clever to make a mess and wait for others to see art in it." — Goodreads Reviewer [28:00]

Host Perspectives

• Becca’s Take:

  • Appreciates the book's thematic commentary and finds the story compelling yet challenging to fully grasp.
  • Quote:
    "I enjoyed the thematic commentary so much. The language was really simple… easy to read." — Becca Freeman [31:16]

• Olivia’s Take:

  • Sympathizes with both positive and negative reviews, recognizing the book's intellectual ambitions and emotional impact.
  • Quote:
    "I felt like this too shall pass. But, yeah, just a weird off week." — Olivia Muenter [09:17]

Key Insights and Discussions

Performance as a Central Theme

• The narrative explores how individuals perform various roles in their lives, both professionally and personally.
• Becca:
  "The idea of audition, both because the character is an actress, but then how we are constantly auditioning to be worthy to play these parts in our real life." — Becca Freeman [62:49]

Ambiguity and Reader Engagement

• The book's ambiguity is both a strength and a challenge, fostering diverse interpretations and deep analytical discussions.
• Olivia:
  "They are deliberate in making the narrative obscure, more confusing." — Olivia Muenter [27:57]

Familial Estrangement and Roles

• Discussion on how adult children’s decisions to distance from parents can complicate established familial roles and dynamics.
• Becca:
  "It was really interesting to see this adult child come back, kind of rock his mother's psyche about how she was as a mother and about her relationship." — Becca Freeman [44:16]

Social Media and Authenticity

• The conversation draws parallels between the book’s themes and the performative aspects of social media, highlighting the contrast between real emotions and their representations.
• Olivia:
  "The performance of it, the sharing of it, what you post online, ultimately it becomes something else." — Olivia Muenter [57:55]

Conclusion

Becca Freeman and Olivia Muenter conclude their discussion by reflecting on the book's complex themes and personal impacts. They express anticipation for their upcoming bonus episode featuring an interview with Katie Kitamura, aiming to gain further clarity on the book's ambiguous elements.

• Becca:
  "I think the ability for that child to hurt you… portrays motherhood as not idyllic." — Becca Freeman [52:20]

• Olivia:
  "It's about who the people around us force us to be. Whether that is a choice or a role we fall into." — Olivia Muenter [41:27]

Additional Content

While the episode includes brief advertisements for Cozy Earth and Quince, these sections are omitted from the summary to focus solely on the core content of the podcast.

Upcoming Episodes and Recommendations

• Bonus Episode:
  A deeper conversation with Katie Kitamura is slated for release the following day, promising further insights into "Auditioned."

• Listener Book Club:
  July’s book club pick will be "All the Other Mothers Hate Me" by Sarah Harmon, offering a lighter contrast to the episode's literary discussion.

Final Thoughts

This episode of Bad On Paper offers a profound exploration of "Auditioned", blending literary critique with personal reflections. The hosts adeptly navigate the book's complexity, providing listeners with a nuanced understanding while inviting them to engage with the material's deeper themes.

For more discussions, join the Bad On Paper community on Facebook, Instagram, and Substack.

Notable Quotes:

• "The performance will disappear. It is hollow because it's never yours." — Olivia Muenter [57:55]
• "What was family if not a shared delusion, a mutual construction?" — Becca Freeman [42:15]
• "We have family members who we have very fraught, intense, layered relationships with." — Olivia Muenter [43:05]

Timestamps:

• Introduction: [00:18] – [00:53]
• Weekly Highs/Lows: [01:06] – [10:14]
• Book Discussion: [12:30] – [63:00]
• Ads Skipped: [10:25] – [12:30] & [48:14] – [49:20]
• Conclusion: [63:00] – [75:47]

Stay Connected:

• Olivia Muenter:
  Instagram: @oliviamentor
  Substack: liviamentor

• Becca Freeman:
  Instagram: @ecamfreeman
  Newsletter: eccafreeman.substack.com

Thank you for tuning into Bad On Paper. Join us again next week for more books and banter!