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Mandy Patinkin
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Gideon Grody Patinkin
danielle, can you explain for us in our audience what a pet communicator does
Katherine Grody
and how did you discover you had this skill? So we're very excited, as you can see, but we'll control ourselves.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
High dad definitely needs some explanation because he thinks it means he's a dog.
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
So we need to.
Danielle McKinnon
Okay. So a pet communicator is somebody who speaks psychically with animals. It is really what it sounds like. I am a pet psychic. That's what I do for my work.
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Have you ever looked at your pet and thought, what are they thinking? Today on Don't Listen to Us, Becky the dog gets her moment. Let me ask you a question. If acting didn't work out for you, what job do you guys think you'd do?
Mandy Patinkin
Go ahead, hon.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
What would you have taken on?
Mandy Patinkin
I would have been mom's driver.
Katherine Grody
No, I. I don't. I think dad. There was no way he could do anything.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
It's really interesting how you. What? You're talking about the other person.
Mandy Patinkin
Oh, I know what I would do.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Why can't you answer?
Mandy Patinkin
I know.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
What would you do?
Mandy Patinkin
You want me to go first?
Katherine Grody
Physicians.
Mandy Patinkin
I'd be a physician's assistant to do open heart surgery. Okay. And lung surgery and stuff. Because I did 17 of them when I played Dr. Geiger on Chicago Hope. And I loved.
Katherine Grody
You served them. You didn't do the surgery.
Mandy Patinkin
I assisted on1.1 heart surgery, which was quite ethically. The head. Questionable. Nearly cut his nuts off.
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Mandy Patinkin
And because. Because you're not an actor.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Has no business reaching inside.
Mandy Patinkin
Well, he told me to hold the rib out of the way because they were having a hard time doing the bypass because of.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
It doesn't matter what you were holding inside the person's body. Well, here's a. Here's.
Mandy Patinkin
It's like listening to the captain of a ship. The guy who's the main guy. The main hearts. He tells you to do something, you're on deck, you do it.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
That's true. If I was in an open heart surgery and the doctor asked me to do something, I would do something.
Mandy Patinkin
That's what I did.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Here's a little message to all you open heart surgery doctors out there. If you have an actor in your room and you're trying to be cool, let them just watch don't let them
Mandy Patinkin
poke around unless you're deep taken. Because I did help.
Katherine Grody
No, that's.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
You saved that guy's life.
Mandy Patinkin
I then went to every patient before the operation and introduced myself, asked for permission, could I be at your surgery. They said yes, and then I visited them after the surgery.
Katherine Grody
That's a very nice thing.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
And did you ask them if there's an opportunity while your chest is split open, can I poke around in there and hold things and root around for a bit?
Mandy Patinkin
I thought it best to leave that out.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Leave that up to the doctor.
Mandy Patinkin
No, just leave it out of the discussion. Leave it up to the doctor because the main thing they were afraid of. Bill Hurt and I were doing a movie called the Doctor. And Barry Esric, our dear friend, he was the doc, heart surgeon, the very first one that we. What do you call it? Observed. And I remember the biggest concern the team had, the nurses and the docs had, is that we would pass out onto the patient.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Yeah. Another reason not to have actors in your open heart surgery. So many.
Mandy Patinkin
So they have you stand back until they know that you can handle what you're seeing.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Well, that's good. That's responsible.
Katherine Grody
Regarding your question about what I would have done if it hadn't worked out, I remember my mother wanting me to get a teaching credential in case acting didn't work out. And I said, I'm not going to. I'm not going to. She wanted me to have a backup. And I said, I'm not going to fail. I don't need a backup. Honestly, who I was then, kid, never thought of what else I do. I probably would have done some work with young children.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
And she was a teacher, your mom.
Katherine Grody
She was a substitute teacher. Right. When I was a little girl. What could you be? You could be a mom, a nurse, a teacher, or an actor. Geez. Well, I know what I mean. You know that one. There's no choice. Nobody said diplomat or astronaut.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
There were four choices for women.
Katherine Grody
An actor was certainly the most interesting.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
You know, that's interesting because I had always associated you wanting to be an actress as a kid with like fundamental part of your identity. Not that there were four choices. And that was just the coolest.
Katherine Grody
That was the coolest one. That was the most different from my mom or any moms I knew. You know,
Mandy Patinkin
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Danielle McKinnon
hey, everyone.
Leah Greenberg or Ezra Levin
It's Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin. We're two of the lead organizers of the no Kings protests, and we're also the co founders of Indivisible, the grassroots movement organizing against Trump's regime.
Danielle McKinnon
We host what's the Plan? Your weekly guide to the state of our democracy and how we fight back. Tune in every Friday for new episodes.
Leah Greenberg or Ezra Levin
Democracy is a participatory sport. The fascists win when we sit on the sidelines. What's the Plan is all about how we get into the game. So subscribe, recruit, discuss, organize, and win. What's the Plan is available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
So our first listener question isn't a listener question at all. We're starting with a surprise guest. Someone you don't know. Mom, dad, this is Danielle McKinnon.
Katherine Grody
Danielle McKinnon.
Mandy Patinkin
Hi, Danielle McKinnon.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
So, before we start chatting with Danielle, I want you to. I want you to guess her occupation. I'm going to give you three clues. Ready?
Mandy Patinkin
Hairstylist.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Okay, good guess. Here's your clues. Her work involves translating between species. She communicates with clients who occasionally drool. And she might be able to tell you which treats are Becky's favorite.
Katherine Grody
Oh, she's a dog therapist. She's a dog therapist.
Danielle McKinnon
Are you really?
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Daniel is a pet communicator.
Katherine Grody
A pet communicator. That's what I meant. That is thrilling.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
She's a bestselling author. Her work has been profiled in People, New York Post, Boston Globe, and other media. Danielle, can you explain for us in our audience what a pet communicator does?
Katherine Grody
How did you discover you had this skill? We're very excited, as you can see, but we'll control ourselves. Hi.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Dad definitely needs some explanation because he thinks it means he's a dog.
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
So we need to.
Danielle McKinnon
Okay, so. So a pet communicator is somebody who speaks psychically with animals. It is really what it sounds like. I am a pet psychic. That's what I do for my work.
Katherine Grody
Yeah. Yeah.
Danielle McKinnon
I love look on your faces right now.
Mandy Patinkin
Do you not feel if I played the devil's advocate, like a magician. Oh, I know how you did that trick. Do you not feel that many of us know when our pets need to be held, touched, fed, play outside, go in the car? We know those things instinctively, partially, and partially because the pet communicates it verbally. Touching you, petting you, barking at you, dancing, jumping. Right.
Danielle McKinnon
Yes.
Mandy Patinkin
So what is outside of those common ground areas?
Danielle McKinnon
So I feel like people think they're a lot smarter than they are. Like, we think we know everything that our dog needs because we live with them, because we see them, because we love them. But there's another element to it. Like, your dog can come look at you, and you're like, oh, I know what you want right now. And I feel like we think it's because we live with them. We don't realize that we are all intuitive, and this is playing a role in our relationships. We just don't give enough credit. So there's a difference between, yes, you're begging for food right now, or you're standing right here. I know exactly what you want. I know you want to sit with me, or I know this thing we have, this knowledge inside us, and this is what I had inside me that I. I was just told. You're too sensitive, Danielle. No, no, no, Danielle, just dial it back. Danielle, Come on. You can't know that. But I had, like. I think I had 32 caterpillars. And I knew what they were thinking. And my mom was like, you do? No. You don't know.
Mandy Patinkin
Well, they want to be butterflies.
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Danielle McKinnon
Yeah, they want to be butterflies. Yeah.
Katherine Grody
I'm a little bit nervous, Danielle, because I'm. If. If you intuit at all or hear Becky say she needs more affection from my husband, I'm going to have to, you know, move to a different home.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Danielle, I have a question. I have to admit I'm a bit of a skeptic, but, you know, open to new ideas and new possibilities. I'm curious. What do you say when you meet people who don't believe people can communicate with animals in this way? Now that you've been doing this work for a long time, how has your response evolved?
Danielle McKinnon
When I first started, I was wary. I was worried about people thinking I was crazy. I was worried about, you know, people not believing me. I've been doing it for a long time now. So now it depends on how much I like that person. So if I really like them, I'll say I'm an animal communicator, and if I don't, I'll say I'm a pet psychic. There's different ways I can say it.
Katherine Grody
Yeah, you invite them in or put
Danielle McKinnon
them to be so worried about it. But so many people, they. People love their animals now.
Mandy Patinkin
And Danielle, I'd like to ask a Becky question.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
I mean, look at her face. She looks like she's dying to jump in.
Mandy Patinkin
My biggest daily conundrum is I.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
I
Mandy Patinkin
love to take her in the car or, you know, go to a friend's house. And some friends don't want her in the house for allergic reasons or other reasons. And it breaks my heart. I get upset, but I feel Becky really gets upset. And she stays in the house and barks and barks. And sometimes I say to her before, I'm going out. You stay here. I'm going out. I'll be back. And she looks at me like, why don't you just shoot me? And I feel so guilty. Guilty is, I guess the operative word. I wish I could talk to her, and I don't know how to talk to her other than when I hold her and pet her belly.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Well, let's ask Danielle. Danielle, how are you up for being in a little convo with Becky? And if so, how do we take us through this process? How do we enter into it?
Katherine Grody
We wake her up there because she sleeps.
Mandy Patinkin
Leave it to me.
Danielle McKinnon
So she does not have to be awake. She doesn't even have to be there. I know who we're talking to. We're talking to Becky, so we're totally fine there. This is psychic, so location doesn't matter. Amanda, you just asked the question, so I'm going to say back to you what I'm going to ask her about. And I'm also going to share what she was giving me while you were talking as well. So the question I think that we want to ask her is, I'm Going to actually say, do you want to ask her? How can you make it better for her to go, for you to go and her to stay?
Mandy Patinkin
How can I make it easier for you? Becky, when daddy has to go and be away during dinner or go out to a movie or have to go to do some work somewhere and someone else is going to be with you, how can I make you feel more comfortable and not worried?
Danielle McKinnon
Okay, so we're going to start with the things that she's sharing with me as you're talking. First of all, it does look like you hold her face like this, and you do tell her stuff like this, Correct?
Mandy Patinkin
Right. Right into her face. And I touch her nose with my nose and I kiss her snout. And I love her.
Danielle McKinnon
She's showing me. Because one of the things you said is, how can I tell her? And what she's showing me is, you do tell her. You do hold her like this, and you do talk to her face to face. And you pretty much tell her everything. And you don't just tell her, hey, I gotta go. She's a little bit, like, not a therapist, but, like, you tell her everything. Whatever's going on with you, she's like, I'm here. I'm listening. You're literally talking to her all the time.
Mandy Patinkin
Can I play the devil's advocate for a moment?
Danielle McKinnon
Yeah.
Mandy Patinkin
That is 100% correct what you just said. But isn't that something that many dog owners, dog lovers, all do when they're alone and the dog is their best confidant, the easiest person in their life to talk?
Gideon Grody Patinkin
It is not what I do.
Mandy Patinkin
You don't have a dog.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
I can answer for you. I have had a dog. I've seen people around dogs. Not all dog owners talk to their dogs all the time and tell them all their feelings.
Mandy Patinkin
Well, I do.
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Mandy Patinkin
Well, I've tried talking to my wife and my children. It's not easy.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
I want to hear more from Danielle. Where she was. Where she was going.
Mandy Patinkin
Go ahead, Danielle.
Danielle McKinnon
Okay. Okay. So. And I totally get devil's advocate, but this feels very specific to the two of you. And it's not like it's very close proximity face to face. It's not like she's on the chair over there. It's really like the two of you. And I need to emphasize you're not just talking to her about the. The I'm leaving, you're going stuff. I mean, she's really how she shows me. She's a confidant. And she feels the way she comes through to Me is that she feels wise. Wiser beyond her years. So I don't know how old she is. I don't know about your relationship with her, but she feels that she. I don't know how to say it. She comes through very wise, and everybody looks at her not like she's as wise as she is. There's a difference between how you all see her and how wise she feels.
Katherine Grody
She.
Danielle McKinnon
She is. Does that make sense to you?
Katherine Grody
Yeah.
Mandy Patinkin
Yes, it does. There are many times when I'm very. I'm a very emotional person and I lose it. I get. I get weepy. I weep and I. I weep with her. And sometimes she just stays by me so I can touch her. And sometimes she walks away and I wonder, I'd like to know, how does she feel when I can't control my emotions, when I'm extremely emotional with her and she just witnesses me weeping till I recover.
Danielle McKinnon
I think this is where she was going with talking about being very wise beyond her years, being your confidant, kind of being your therapist. I think this is what she's referring to when she's showing this type of relationship. So I can ask her. Since she brought us there and now you're there. I'm going to put the separation anxiety thing aside for a moment and go there. Is that okay?
Mandy Patinkin
Yes, please.
Danielle McKinnon
Okay, so hold on. Okay.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
So
Danielle McKinnon
you asked this question. I'm.
Mandy Patinkin
I'm.
Danielle McKinnon
I'm going to share the information as well as I can. And I just want you to know there's no. There's no judgment in here. And take it out if you need to.
Katherine Grody
Okay.
Mandy Patinkin
No, I'm going to remove the judgment that I had when I was just watching you, thinking that maybe we could get a double room in the insane asylum. Just to save money.
Katherine Grody
I have a guess,
Mandy Patinkin
but I love this. Go ahead. I'm not done with you. I'm hanging on to you for the rest of my life. Go ahead.
Danielle McKinnon
Okay. So what she showed me is there are. There are different ways that you get emotional. Sometimes you are overcome with, like. With, like, love and connection. You're overwhelmed with, like, just loving her. Loving. It feels like big love. And the emotion comes from that. There are other times when you kind of get a little. And that's when she stays. There are other times when she. You kind of get a little. It's like coming from a place of frustration. And this is the part I'm hesitating to say. Sometimes you're in a place where you're kind of feeling a little bad for Yourself, That. That's like feeling a little.
Mandy Patinkin
Who. Who? Me?
Katherine Grody
Oh, my God.
Danielle McKinnon
I'm so sorry.
Mandy Patinkin
No, it's okay.
Katherine Grody
And she can't handle that. Danielle, Is that what you do?
Mandy Patinkin
And my dog. Go ahead. Go ahead where? I'm feeling bad for myself. And
Danielle McKinnon
when you're in that kind of feeling bad for yourself place, sometimes this is when she's kind of feeling. Moving away from you because she. She wants you to. To get out of feeling bad for yourself, to be in a more. It's not proactive, but more like figure it out, understand a place versus hope. It's. I don't. It's not hopeless, but it's like hurting on yourself, like not great about yourself. Does that make sense to you?
Mandy Patinkin
It makes 100% sense to me because I've often said, I've said it to friends and family that if I could transplant, you know, if I'm still here after she passes on, if I could transplant her brain into mine, I would do it in a heartbeat because I feel. And other people have agreed with me about their pets and that her ability to let go, to bounce back, to recover, to go from I'm so sad that you're leaving to I'm so happy we're playing with a stick now. I mean, I'm ecstatic about this stick, and it's just so fucking great to see you. I can't get over her ability to adjust, let go, and to do the things that most human beings I'm familiar with, especially myself, cannot come near her skill set.
Danielle McKinnon
So can you see? I'm so glad that you were okay with me saying the feeling bad for yourself thing. Can you see how her walking away. And this is like the core of what I believe about animals. So it's really interesting that she's bringing us here. How her walking away in that moment when you're just having that different kind of tough time. Not, this is a bad experience I just had at center, but when you're in that more feeling bad for yourself place, how her creating that separation shifts something in you. Oh, she left. Oh, what's happening? And it makes you behave differently. She is training you.
Mandy Patinkin
You're right. She trains me not to be a poopy head. If you're going to act that way, I'm going. I'm going in the other room.
Danielle McKinnon
Yeah, yeah. And it doesn't mean notice, though, if you're truly like, let's say grief is one. She shows me that you have had. It looks like. It looks like this. So you had A very big grieving time. And grief. She didn't walk away from grief. She stayed with you through grief. She did it. It's when, as you're calling it, poopy head time, it's poopy head time where she's like, all right, Mandy, come on. You've got to do this differently.
Katherine Grody
Do the animals feel at all hopeful about the future of this planet and their various species, or they are in the challenge?
Gideon Grody Patinkin
You want to know what all the animals feel collecting.
Katherine Grody
I'm just curious. Have you gotten any sense from the animals you communicate with about their feelings about what is going on? And if. If they feel it's hopeful that somebody like you is able to communicate and educate people, that we're all sentient beings?
Danielle McKinnon
So the animals have told me again and again. Now, this is from them, but they've said they've mastered unconditional love. Like, they've. They've got. That. They've got it down. They love themselves. They don't doubt themselves. They don't know, worry that they're too fat or anything. They just, you know, they love themselves. We don't love ourselves. We haven't mastered unconditional love. So they. From what they tell me, their purpose is to help us get it together. So they. They're hopeful, but they have to work really hard right now.
Katherine Grody
I love that.
Mandy Patinkin
I love that. Can I ask one last question?
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Awesome. I've got to ask.
Mandy Patinkin
Go ahead.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Can I ask the last question? Because we got.
Mandy Patinkin
I'm gonna have one last. After you.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Great. Go ahead.
Mandy Patinkin
I just want to know, are you a vegetarian?
Danielle McKinnon
I'm vegan.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
One up on that makes a lot of sense.
Mandy Patinkin
One up on that. Okay. Go ahead.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Danielle. This has been so wonderful. Just as we wrap up here, I'm just curious whether one believes or doesn't in the ability to communicate with animals in this way. What's one thing we can all do to have better understanding of our pets?
Danielle McKinnon
Oh, that is a good question. I feel like if we could look at our pets like they are more sentient, more wise, kind of like what she was saying earlier than so many people think they are. They can be full of love for their animals and yet still view them as kind of lesser. If we can look at them like they're actually here to teach us, and what can we learn from that moment? What are they telling us in that moment? And I feel like it'll be very helpful for everybody.
Mandy Patinkin
Beautiful.
Danielle McKinnon
Thank you.
Katherine Grody
You are the most surprising guest.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Great to meet you and really, really appreciate you coming On.
Katherine Grody
Thank you so much. What a phenomenal way to spend your life.
Mandy Patinkin
I love this visit with you and I hope there are others. This is such a gift to my life and I believe, to my Becky's life.
Danielle McKinnon
Thank you both. Thank you so much.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
And Danielle, how can people find you out there and learn more about this? What's the best way?
Danielle McKinnon
Through my website, Danielle McKinnon.com. that's the easiest way.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Great. Thank you so much, Daniel. Have a great day. And Becky, as you know, thank you as well.
Mandy Patinkin
You hear his barking, saying goodbye?
Katherine Grody
Yeah, she just started.
Mandy Patinkin
That's. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Thanks so much.
Mandy Patinkin
I'm hoping that some company that might have Stuart Dog Treats Liver Treats might notice what's in my hand and send us some treats. Or we would love to advertise a product that my dog Becky loves. But I don't want to be too subtle. In case you missed it, here it is.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Dad is holding up the dog treat container from Stewart's. We'll see if they want to participate.
Mandy Patinkin
If they'll bite.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
If they'll bite. We've got. Next, we've got a listener question. This is an email from Tanya and Dad. I'm wondering if you can read this
Mandy Patinkin
for us from Tanya P. Hi, everyone. I have a question for you. I was recently let go from my job. I'm lucky that I have a comfortable amount of savings and I don't have to jump back. Jump back in right away. But I still feel really shitty about it. Like I failed somehow, even though I was a part of a group of layoffs. I was wondering if you've ever been let go from a job and how did you get over feeling like you did something wrong?
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Mom, can we hear from you first on this one?
Katherine Grody
Yeah. I'm trying to think of what jobs I've been let go of. It's more in my field, jobs I didn't get, that I went up to. And I. You know, you're obsessed. Look, I think you let yourself feel badly at first, and then it's not about doing something wrong. It's about what opportunity this is gonna give you. You know, you're not alone. You were laid off with other people, knowing you did the best you could, perhaps, and just being really dealing with the feelings that you have and then being open to being really surprised by what turns up, that you had no idea what happened. But you have a better.
Mandy Patinkin
I have a great one. I was fired from a movie called Heartburn, directed by Mike Nichols, starring opposite Meryl Streep. And I was replaced by Jack Nicholson. I was devastated, but I also wasn't comfortable with the part in the first place. I will just preface this story before I tell you how I recovered from it by saying years later, Mike Nichols and I had a reunion and a connection that was one of the most meaningful, profound connections of my life. And I think Catherine and my life together that I know would not have existed without the firing. It was all part of one package of existence. And the way I recovered is. The young man I'm speaking to across the table is my son Gideon. And we went to Disney World together to get away from. Or did I go with Isaac?
Katherine Grody
I went with Isaac, honey. It happened when Isaac was three.
Mandy Patinkin
I thought it was all the snow white.
Katherine Grody
Well, it might have been the snow white, but you took Gideon when he was 10. You took Isaac when he was. When this happened.
Mandy Patinkin
Oh, it was Isaac that.
Katherine Grody
I took Isaac.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Can we get a Disney executive on the line to really.
Mandy Patinkin
Oh, great.
Katherine Grody
You took Isaac to go recuperate because you wanted to get out of town and not talk to everybody about, you know.
Mandy Patinkin
Oh, it was. Right. That's right. The later one was getting. Because I felt guilty that I went with Isaac without Gideon. So my son Isaac took me to Disney World, and we had an incredible several days, and I got away from all the press and everything that, you know, one wants to avoid, and it healed me. My child healed me.
Katherine Grody
But you also thought your movie life was over. Your theater. I mean, you had that overness feeling.
Mandy Patinkin
Oh. Oh, yeah. I mean, I was, you know, very worried and concerned, and then I didn't get a job for one year. One year I didn't get a job. And then literally on Monday, I was offered to play the Phantom in the new musical, the Phantom of the Opera.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
On Monday?
Mandy Patinkin
No, no, no. On Monday, I was offered a part in a movie called the Princess Bride, and I was offered the part of Inigo Montoya on Wednesday. Two days later, I was offered the Phantom in the new musical, the Phantom of the Opera. And I said, I can't do it. I've just taken this movie called the Princess Bride during that time, and I didn't get a single call for a job for one year. And then in two days, one year later, I got that work and then endless other work that made my life wonderful. And I always say about these difficult moments, they are gifts wrapped up in the strangest way. The corny part is, you know, success pat you on the backside. You're on your way, you learn nothing. The Trials and tribulations that we tear them upside down, inside out. What do we do? What do we do right? What do we do wrong? And you learn everything. And can I tell you what I learned from it? I can't tell you specifically that I learned X, Y, or Z, but I learned that I will recover. And I recover from it in the same way I've learned as I grow older that when I used to hurt a muscle on my body, if I sprained an ankle or a hip or something, it would take me two, three days or three weeks at most to have it heal. Now, it might take three to six months to heal, but it heals and it goes away. And that's a great lesson to remember when you think like, oh, I'm never going to walk again. You will walk again.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
My two cents, Tanya, is just that in not obsessing and holding on to this thing that you've done something wrong is. Is knowing that there will be lots more moments of similar feelings like this throughout life. And to be expecting them along the way, I think then they can be a little less shocking and dragging you down. Just acknowledging that this is a fundamental part of the human experience and to move forward and through it.
Katherine Grody
And you can control your feelings about it. You can't control what the boss has decided, but you can control your feelings of what to do.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
And speaking of moving through and forward, we're gonna go to our last little segment for a moment. Thank you, Tanya, for writing in. We're gonna do our little hang time. And for hang time this week, there's a little game I'd like to play. It's very simple. It'd be very stupid, but we're gonna compose a short poem, the three of us, and how we do that is we're just gonna go around a circle and we say a word. Just say any word that comes to mind, but try to make it not have anything to do with anything anyone else has said before you. So just say a word that doesn't have to do with the previous word that came before. Okay? And I'll just. I'll let you know. I'll point to each one of us when it's our turn for the word. Okay? Sponge.
Mandy Patinkin
Anti. Disestablishmentarianism.
Katherine Grody
Fish.
Mandy Patinkin
Courage. Starving.
Katherine Grody
Snow.
Mandy Patinkin
Porch.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Heat.
Mandy Patinkin
Me.
Katherine Grody
Screens.
Mandy Patinkin
Cloud. Sunshine.
Katherine Grody
Darkness.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Barbecue.
Mandy Patinkin
Darth Vader.
Katherine Grody
Luke Skywalker. Ugh, I hate this.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
That was a violation of the poem agreement. That was a whole sentence. And now the second part of the poem. Elbows, Knees.
Katherine Grody
Toes.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Ma, you're trying to say a Word that is not connected to what the person.
Katherine Grody
Okay, start over again.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Spatula.
Mandy Patinkin
Incredible
Katherine Grody
wonder.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Sinks. Sinks.
Mandy Patinkin
Foreskin.
Katherine Grody
Earwax.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
French toast.
Katherine Grody
Syrup eateries.
Mandy Patinkin
Not connected to the.
Katherine Grody
Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.
Mandy Patinkin
I did it wrong too.
Katherine Grody
Not connected.
Mandy Patinkin
Cause I said syrup.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
And our final three words of this horrible thing.
Mandy Patinkin
It's not a game.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
This is a poem. This will be published in the New Yorker, I'm sure. The final three words are Legos.
Mandy Patinkin
Trimesco.
Katherine Grody
Sky.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
That was so beautiful, guys. Thank you so much. I really like watching you squirm with these things. It's an odd satisfaction. I will. I. I'm.
Mandy Patinkin
You know what I was thinking when. Oh, never mind. I'll get in trouble.
Katherine Grody
No, please don't say it. No. Man, he is growing up.
Mandy Patinkin
He can add to himself very to know when to keep his mouth shut. Wow.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
That's the first time that's your a grown up.
Mandy Patinkin
It's the first time for everything. Learn to close your mouth.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Learn to close your mouth.
Mandy Patinkin
Get some glue and tad it to shut it.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Take some glue and shut it tight.
Mandy Patinkin
Close your mouth and don't say what ain't right.
Katherine Grody
Take a breath. Take a breath. Before you speak. Before you speak, take a break. And before you speak, think about whether it's going to noise in the air. That's called aura.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
All right, thanks everybody for tuning in this week. Don't listen to us and remember not
Mandy Patinkin
to listen to us.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
But we want to hear from you if you're still there. More questions, stories, advice for us too. Experiences.
Katherine Grody
I would love you to share your
Gideon Grody Patinkin
favorite poem and to your dog in the past. Please send an email to askmandyandkatherinemail.com Mandy has turned into a small dog. Apparently you never know what will happen. Or you can check out our socials for an easy way to send us a voice note. And don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube on Apple and other places where you watch and listen to our podcasts. And don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube on Apple and other places where you watch or listen to your podcast. And please leave us a review, especially if you're enjoying the show. If you don't like us, don't worry about leaving us a review.
Mandy Patinkin
And let me know if you have a spare room in your house in case my family can't take me anymore.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Yes, really, that's. You can email spare rooms from mandy@mandy.com.
Mandy Patinkin
uh oh.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Thanks so much for being here and tuning in. And please remember, don't listen to us
Katherine Grody
Do Not Do Not Listen to Us.
Gideon Grody Patinkin
Don't Listen to Us is a Lemonada Media original hosted by Mandy Patinkin, Katherine Grody and Gideon Grody Patinkin. Created by Katrina Onstadt, Debbie Pacheco and Gideon Grody Patinkin. Executive producers are Kathryn Grody, Gideon Grody Pitinkin, Mandy Patinkin, Katrina Onstadt, Debbie Pacheco, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Whittles Wax. Our engineer is Ryan Derringer of Welterweight Sound. Video and audio production by Mark Whiteway of Bellows Media. You can watch on CNN.com watch or the CNN app. If you haven't subscribed to Lemonada Media Premium yet, now's the perfect time. You can hear Don't Listen to Us completely ad free. Plus you'll unlock exclusive bonus content like behind the scenes conversations, questions so weird they didn't make it on air, Becky the Dog shenanigans, and more. Just tap the subscribe button on Apple podcasts. Head to lemonadepremium.com to subscribe on any other app, or listen ad free on Amazon Music with your prime membership. That's lemonadapremium.com don't miss out.
Podcast: Don't Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody
Episode Date: March 25, 2026
Produced by: Lemonada Media
Hosts: Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, Gideon Grody Patinkin
Special Guest: Danielle McKinnon (Pet Communicator/Pet Psychic)
This episode’s central theme revolves around communication and empathy—both human and animal. In a lively and open-hearted conversation, hosts Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, and their son Gideon welcome pet communicator Danielle McKinnon, who “reads” their family dog Becky. The episode explores the idea of animal sentience, what we can learn from our pets, skepticism and belief in pet psychics, and transitions into broader advice on dealing with setbacks, all delivered in the Patinkin-Grody family's warmly chaotic, thoughtful style.
Mandy (on communicating with Becky):
“How can I make it easier for you, Becky, when daddy has to go... and someone else is going to be with you, how can I make you feel more comfortable and not worried?” (13:42)
Danielle (on what Becky teaches Mandy):
“She is training you... not to be a poopy head. If you're going to act that way, I'm going in the other room.” (21:17)
Kathryn (on career options for women):
“When I was a little girl, what could you be? You could be a mom, a nurse, a teacher, or an actor. Geez. Nobody said diplomat or astronaut.” (04:15)
Mandy (on being fired and recovery):
"They are gifts wrapped up in the strangest way... success pats you on the backside, you learn nothing. The trials and tribulations... you learn everything." (30:45)
Danielle (on animals’ purpose):
"They've mastered unconditional love... their purpose is to help us get it together." (23:16)
| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Introduction of Pet Communication | 07:21–08:45 | | Danielle Explains Psychic Animal Communication | 08:45–09:35 | | Skepticism and Intuition Debate | 09:01–11:27 | | How Danielle Responds to Skeptics | 11:27–11:52 | | Reading Becky, Mandy's Dog | 13:07–21:56 | | Mandy on Emotional Support | 16:36–21:56 | | Kathryn asks about Animal Hope | 22:45–23:50 | | Practical Advice for Pet Owners | 24:09–24:56 | | Listener Question: Being Fired | 26:30–32:09 | | Family Improvises a "Poem Game" | 32:09–35:28 |
| Theme | Key Points | |---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Animal Communication | Psychic connection with pets; skepticism and intuition; reading Becky the dog; pets as teachers and therapists | | Personal Stories | Career alternatives; fired from jobs; resilience after setbacks | | Empathy & Emotional Life | Becky’s wisdom in responding to Mandy’s emotions; humans learning from animals’ resilience and unconditional love | | Listener Advice | Processing job loss; openness to new opportunities; familial and personal healing after rejection | | Family Humor & Warmth | Playful exchanges and improvised poetry; light teasing; supportive and loving family dynamic |
This episode blends humor, skepticism, vulnerability, and genuine inquiry as the Patinkin-Grody family explores what it means to communicate—truly communicate—with those we love, whether human or animal, and how to keep learning from the unexpected teachers in our lives.