Podcast Summary: "Aging Is Actually Awesome"

Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness
Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Kim Holderness & Penn Holderness

Episode Overview

In this uproarious episode, Kim and Penn Holderness explore why aging can truly be awesome, busting myths about youth and celebrating the wisdom, confidence, and humor that come with growing older. Through candid reflection, listener stories, and signature segments like the "Laugh Line" and "Gen Z Slang of the Week," they unpack the real upsides of getting older—plus the things nobody wants to relive from their twenties. The episode is rich with playful banter, self-deprecating humor, and engaging real-life anecdotes, all designed to help audiences age better (and laugh harder) together.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kicking Off with Nostalgia and Humor

• The hosts joke about “school handouts printed in light purple” and the nostalgic chemical scent, connecting with listeners who remember dittos and EPA Superfund sites.
  Kim: "If you remember getting school handouts that were printed in light purple and smelled like an EPA super fun site, you might have found your home." (04:00)
• Playful banter about age difference ("cradle robber"), use of “readers,” and light pokes at aging signs.

2. The Upside of Aging: What’s Actually Awesome

• Kim reflects on turning 50 and correcting her son, who thinks youth is ideal:
  • Kim: “Sweet boy, you could not pay me to be 25 again. … I do not want to be younger. Aging is awesome.” (06:10)
• The hosts recount things they don’t miss from their twenties:
  • Waking up sore after minor exercise now, versus bouncing back easily before.
  • Penn misses the “collagen” in their necks but not the pressure of youth.
• Kim: “I do want the collagen in my neck back… but I don’t want to be younger.”
• Kim emphasizes she’s not convincing herself—she’s genuinely happier at this age.

3. The "Laugh Line" Listener Call: Penn’s Space Mix-Up & the Art of Feedback

• Playful, extended exchange with listener Pam, an 8th grade science teacher, who corrects Penn’s astronomy terms:
  • Pam (Listener Call-In): “You said when we rotate around the sun. That’s not correct. We revolve around the sun. We rotate.” (07:45)
• Penn’s humorous, staged attempts at apologizing, aided by Kim and producer Ann Marie:
  • Penn: “I am mortified that I got that wrong. Not only once, but then just now when I was trying to explain that I know the difference.” (09:46)
  • Kim’s feedback on Penn’s apology: “It’s coming off a little defensive.” (10:44)
• A comical but heartfelt lesson in receiving criticism gracefully:
  • Kim: “We really only give feedback to people we like and love. If I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t bother correcting you.” (14:41)
• Key takeaway: Embracing feedback as a tool for growth, not a personal attack.

4. Giving—and Receiving—Compliments, Especially Among Men

• Penn recounts being complimented by a man who called him “a male model.” He notes that, while he gives compliments to other men, it’s less common for men to receive them.
  • Penn: “That’s not normal and I would love to normalize that. … Men would probably be a little less grumpy if we just told each other how great we all look.” (16:59)
• Kim compares this to the supportiveness of women in social settings, e.g., the "girl time" at bar bathrooms.
• Calls for a new movement: "Dude, you look good," encouraging men to compliment each other more openly.
• Laughs over modern slang for compliments: gas up, glaze, mist ("glazing" is overdoing it; "misting" is just enough).
  • Penn: “I’m gonna mist you guys.” (19:33)

5. Three Things Kim Would Not Want to Relive About Her 20s

• Finding Your Passion Deadline: The unnecessary panic about locking in a life direction by 30.
  • Kim: “I thought I had to find my passion by the time I was 30 or my life would be over.” (20:07)
• Lack of Self-Awareness: Shame about being introverted and not knowing to prioritize alone time.
  • Suggests the need for “introvert rooms” at weddings and conferences. (21:16)
• Thongs: Kim celebrates never needing to wear thongs (aka “butt floss”) again and unpacks the absurdity and discomfort of that particular 20s fashion staple.
  • Kim: “I graduated from that. The minute I got pregnant, I was like, oh God, why would I ever do this to myself?” (22:24)

6. Listener Feedback: What They Wouldn’t Relive and What Gets Better

• Submissions share common themes:
  • Acne & Insecurity: “Huge underground zit in the center of the forehead…” (Jen, 27:49)
  • Overreacting: Everything felt “important, serious and permanent.” (Ivy League Foodie, 28:06)
  • Fashion: Tube tops and sky-high heels (28:44)
  • Moving Friends for Pizza: Tired of helping friends move in exchange for pizza.
  • Remembering Phone Numbers: Both missed and not missed; prompts discussion on lost skills and emergency prep.
• Weddings and College:
  • Many dread the endless cycle of weddings and find college overrated or, at least, not the “best years” ever.
  • Kim: “You don’t have to love your college experience, and you don’t have to do it that way.” (34:44)
• Late Night Eating: The joys (and regrets) of late night Taco Bell and hangovers.

7. Nuggets of Wisdom: What Gets Better With Age (Penn’s "Nugs")

(40:03)

#5: Stop Caring What Others Think

• Penn: “The amount of Fs that you give about trying to make other people happy—it's gone down.” (40:28) #4: Spending Grown-Up Money
• Being able to buy fun things for yourself just because you can—like a college letterman-style jacket. #3: Adult Relationships With Kids
• The excitement of relating to your kids as adults and forming lasting adult connections.
• Penn: "Most of your relationship with them will be as a fully grown adult, which is wild..." (43:09) #2: Boredom Becomes a Gift
• Learning to sit with boredom and even enjoy it, rather than fearing it.
  • Kim shares about practicing “raw dog my boredom”—timing how long she can just sit, phone-free. #1: 50th Birthday Parties Rock
• The consensus: 50th birthday parties are the new weddings. No pressure, just fun and real celebration—truly owned by the birthday person.

8. What Listeners Love About Getting Older

• Confidence and Not Caring:
  • “The best part is not caring about what anyone thinks.” (Marjorie, 52:18)
  • "I was so shy and worried about other people’s opinions. … Now I have a lot of confidence.” (Mary, 52:50)
• Having More Perspective:
  • “Now not everything is the biggest deal ever.” (Danielle, 53:07)
  • Kim tells a story of her home ceiling collapsing and being able to handle it calmly.
• No More Periods: For several female listeners, menopause and the end of cycles is a cause for celebration.

9. New Segment: “Days of Our Midlives”

• Kim updates listeners on midlife health experiments. She’s trying EMDR, neurofeedback, and creatine (which makes her energetic but also teary).
  • Kim: “So does creatine make you cry, or is that just menopause?” (55:05)
• Penn gently nags about maybe not doing all the things at once for more scientific self-discovery.

10. Gen Z/Alpha Slang of the Week

• Word: Chopped
  • Meaning: “ruined, failed, or unattractive.”
  • Usage: “That outfit is chopped.” (57:37)
  • Kim: “If your kids tell you that something you did was chopped, they are not talking about your salad.” (58:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Kim, on aging:
  "You could not pay me to be 25 again. … Aging is awesome." (06:10)
• Penn, on feedback:
  "Pam, you're a damn American hero for taking some time out of your busy schedule. … I made a mistake, and I don't know how to apologize." (12:10)
• Kim, on introversion:
  "If I were to plan [my wedding] again, ... I would have had an introvert room at my wedding, so I could just like, go away and chill with, like, five people." (21:13)
• On 50th birthdays:
  "50th birthday parties are so amazing because everybody just wants to have an awesome time." (46:42)
• Penn, on aging and relationships:
  "Your relationship with your kids becomes more like the relationship you'll have with them for the rest of your life." (43:09)
• Listener Danielle:
  "I just went downstairs, saw bubbles coming out of my washing machine onto the floor, and I was like, okay, worse things have happened this week." (53:07)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:00 – Connection with listeners via nostalgic humor
• 06:10 – Kim’s take on aging vs youth
• 07:45 – Listener call: Rotation vs revolution & apology segment
• 14:41 – The art of receiving feedback kindly
• 16:59 – Normalizing men complimenting men
• 20:07 – Kim’s list: things she’d never relive
• 27:49–34:44 – Listener call-ins: worst parts of the 20s, especially college and weddings
• 40:03 – Penn’s Nugs: Five things that get better with age
• 52:18 – Listener feedback: confidence and self-acceptance with age
• 54:05 – Days of Our Midlives: Kim’s midlife wellness journeys
• 57:37 – Gen Z Slang of the Week: “Chopped”

Tone & Style

The tone is upbeat, irreverent, and warmly self-deprecating—Kim and Penn riff off each other with quick banter, but pause for genuine reflection and listener inclusion. The show mixes real talk about difficult aging topics (e.g., menopause, regret) with comedic flourishes, family anecdotes, and a sincere desire to help listeners feel better about getting older.

Takeaways

• Aging comes with freedom from the pressure of youth—including caring less about what others think, spending money on things that bring joy, and developing more adult-to-adult relationships.
• Many things people dread about aging are myths; the 40s and 50s can be a time of greater confidence, comfort, and perspective.
• Listener engagement is a core part of the show, shaping both the humor and the practical advice.
• The show champions both laughter and vulnerability—reminding listeners to embrace change, laugh at past regrets, and experiment with new approaches to wellness and happiness.

For more, call the Laugh Line: 323-364-3929, or email: podcast@theholdernessfamily.com