Podcrushed: CRUSHMORE Book Launch (with Phoebe Robinson)

Podcast: Podcrushed
Hosts: Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari
Special Guest Moderator: Phoebe Robinson
Date: October 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this celebratory episode, Podcrushed hosts Penn, Nava, and Sophie sit down live in NYC with comedian and writer Phoebe Robinson to launch and discuss their new book, Crushmore. The conversation explores the group's collaborative writing process, the challenges of vulnerability, and the universal awkwardness and tenderness of adolescence. With humor, heartfelt reflection, and lively audience participation, they navigate themes of friendship, loss, self-acceptance, and creative growth.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. The Origin Story of Crushmore (07:23 - 11:08)

• Initial Approach: The hosts were approached by an agent and navigated the complexities of representation and publishing as first-time authors.
• Writing as a Trio: The trio focused on weaving their disparate middle school experiences through universal themes—love, loss, friendship, and family.
  • Sophie: “We took some themes that we felt were universal. Love, loss, family, friendship. …We all had very different entry points, but we took these themes that were universal.” (09:43)
• Balancing Voices: The process involved honest admissions about insecurities, with Penn reflecting on feeling unqualified as a writer at first.

2. Vulnerability & Navigating Baring It All (11:08 - 21:21)

• Personal Stories: The hosts dig into the impact of sharing painful or formative moments, such as Penn’s body image struggles tied to a friend’s offhand comment, and Nava’s essay chronicling the loss of his first girlfriend.
  • Penn: “He made an offhand comment about a body part, but not the one that you would think… and it, like, haunted me forever.” (13:23)
  • Nava: “Her death actually was not the beginning of a process of grief. …It was about, like, a living loss.” (15:55)
• Ethics & Accountability: The group discusses the anxiety of writing about real people and their efforts (or not) to provide a heads up to those they mention.
  • Sophie: “I did reach out to one person… But otherwise? I really didn’t reach out to anyone. So I am actually very nervous.” (15:08)
• Boundaries: Exploring the tension between openness and privacy, especially as public figures or among tight-knit communities.

3. Friendship, Romance, and Community as Love Stories (26:57 - 34:20)

• De-centering Romance: Phoebe and the hosts discuss how the significance of friendships and community often surpasses romantic relationships as foundational love stories in adulthood.
  • Sophie: “One of the things that hit me after writing this book: we’re very good about creating good systems for communication with our romantic partners, but not with our friends…” (28:44)
• Parenthood & Family: Nava reflects on building a different kind of familial love as a parent, especially considering his own upbringing.
• Letting Go of Linear Milestones: The group discusses how adulthood—especially in your 30s and 40s—is not just about hitting arbitrary markers (marriage, kids), but about finding meaning and happiness beyond those societal scripts.

4. Processing Success and Self-Acceptance (32:19 - 47:22)

• Moving Past Comparative Self-Doubt: Penn describes a poignant moment writing a letter to her 17-year-old self, expressing fears of “failure” for not meeting certain life goals, and then realizing the hollowness of equating self-worth with milestones.
  • Penn: “It was a subconscious thing, but it was like, very… Like a heavy metal undercurrent in my life. …Why am I determining that this thing is what gives my life meaning? Like, that’s crazy.” (34:20)
• Being Present: The group emphasizes practices—spiritual and practical—for appreciating and remaining present during meaningful life moments, especially in creative and milestone experiences.
  • Penn: “Please help me just enjoy this week… I want to be present at each moment…I want to enjoy each moment and taste the sweetness of each fruit for what it is.” (42:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Phoebe on the Book’s Sweetness:
  “The way your stories weave in together is just delightful...I wish this book existed when I was, like, 13.” (06:03)
• On Body Image & Lasting Impact:
  Penn: “He made an offhand comment about a body part…but it haunted me forever.” (13:23)
• On Navigating Family Sensitivities:
  Sophie: “I feel like I was very careful with my family, and it was hard to shed some of that.” (20:05)
• On Comparing, Milestones & Self Worth:
  Phoebe: “Life is not about check done. That's… arbitrary pressure we’ve been forced to put on ourselves because society.” (39:41)
• On First Kiss Nerves:
  Sophie: “I remember when it happened, I was like, I think we’re doing it. Like, I think it’s happening.” (71:19)
• On Publishing & Pride:
  Sophie: “I did not, do not consider myself a writer...but a friend of mine said, 'I’m realizing I don’t think I even know you.' That makes me feel excited about the book being out in the world.” (53:38)
• Single-Word Descriptions:
  Sophie: “Wet... maybe you’ll cry, it’s about middle school, there’s bodily fluids…” (77:54)
  Nava: “Moist.” (78:19)
  Penn: “Effervescent.” (78:42)

Audience Q&A Highlights

• On Accountability in Relationships (58:53): Nava jokes about the impossibility of public accountability on stage, ultimately reflecting on long-term growth in partnership.
• Favorite Podcast Guest (60:36):
  Penn: “Eddie Redmayne... angel vibes.”
  Sophie: “Mona Chalabi... felt like a conversation.”
  Nava: “Conan O’Brien… was so gracious. Rami Youssef, too. And, of course, my wife.” (61:16)
• Turning 30 Advice (62:13):
  Phoebe: “The advice to survive 30s is… an opportunity for you to learn how to fall in love with yourself.” (66:26)
  Penn: “Everyone’s always like, ‘30s—best decade of your life.’ Worst decade of my life.” (66:47)
  Sophie: “There was a lot of anticipation… It feels like there’s this clock against my physical form… But taking stock of things you do have [is important].” (67:56)
• First Kiss Stories: See above.
• If you could teach your child one lesson:
  Penn: “Try to prefer others over yourself.” (74:23)
  Sophie: “I want to focus on being an open space for her...I want her to tell me everything.” (74:37)
  Nava: “What cycle of negative masculinity can I lessen? What positive one can I start?...The idea of what it means to become a man is absolutely terrifying.” (75:14)
• Book in One Word (Finale):
  Sophie: “Wet.”
  Nava: “Moist.”
  Penn: “Effervescent.” (78:42)

Tone & Energy

Warm, irreverent, vulnerable, and playfully self-deprecating. The dynamic blends deep reflection with comic relief (“I was like, that’s very porn—that’s what it is!” – Phoebe on Nava’s first kiss, 72:40), and the cast leans into both the awkwardness and nostalgia of adolescence.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Panel Opening & Book Introduction: 03:27 – 07:23
• Writing Process & Vulnerability: 07:23 – 21:21
• Balancing Openness and Boundaries: 21:21 – 31:31
• Reframing Friendship & Milestones: 31:31 – 47:22
• Audience Q&A: 58:33 – 79:00
• Book Description in One Word: 77:14 – 78:53

Closing Thoughts

Phoebe concludes by celebrating the “cuddle of a book” the hosts have written, while the group reflects on the surreal, bittersweet pride of seeing their stories in print—a process as awkward, messy, and ultimately beautiful as adolescence itself.

For listeners, this episode is a heartfelt, often hilarious look at writing, friendship, and growing up—and a perfect primer for anyone curious about the Crushmore book or the Podcrushed crew’s unique chemistry.