Podcast Summary: We Made It Weird #245

Podcast: You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes
Episode: We Made It Weird #245
Date: April 4, 2026
Host: Pete Holmes
Co-Host: Valerie
Theme: Lifting the lid on everyday weirdness, parenting quirks, partnership dynamics, comedic riffs, and the joys and trials of family life.

Episode Overview

This episode offers the reliably delightful blend of Pete and Valerie Holmes riffing through the oddities of parenting, partnership minutiae, playful arguments, and philosophical observations. The thread connecting their spontaneous tangents is a lived-in celebration of family weirdness—secret codes, small annoyances, deep affection, and lots of laughter. The episode delves into not just their daily routine, but also bigger reflections on marriage, play, and the uniqueness of their family dynamic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Parenting Styles & Family Dynamics

• Surviving Spring Break: Pete and Valerie discuss the chaos of having their daughter Leela home for two weeks straight and the challenge of balancing work, housework, and parenting.
  • Valerie: “We are either having to let her watch way too much TV…or we are sort of taking turns with who gets to work when and get stuff done.” (35:17)
  • The difficulty is especially sharp for parents of a single child: “It’s the disadvantage of a one kid thing. We are her playmates.” (34:03)
• Morning Person vs. Night Owl: Pete reflects on how their differences as a couple (him being the morning person, her the night owl) support their parenting flow, especially during busy times.
  • “When you have kids, it’s really helpful to have one morning person and one not.” (20:31)

2. The Challenge of Interruptible Work

• Both Pete and Valerie struggle with juggling creative work and its constant interruption by parenting responsibilities.
  • Valerie: “Going from working to parenting and back makes me insane... I’m a terror.” (36:30)
  • The two discuss how their differing work styles—Pete’s aversion to planning vs. Valerie’s need for structure—leads to stress, especially when housework and creative deadlines collide.
  • Pete finds structure stifling but admits that sometimes, “planning only when I really need to” (46:22) is good enough for him.

3. The Pressure of Modern Life and Communication

• Always Accessible: Pete rails against the hyper-availability brought on by email and devices, comparing it to casino-level dopamine hits.
  • “We shouldn’t be getting updates from our life when we’re taking a dump… [Now] everybody’s far too reachable.” (36:32)
• The couple agrees that even as freelancers, not checking email until later in the morning (e.g., after 11am) improves their day and focus.

4. Finding Play and Release Within the Stress

• Wrestling as Therapy: In a tense episode over needing work time, Pete and Valerie’s solution is play—literally wrestling, sparking laughter and diffusing tension.
  • Valerie: “We just straight-up started wrestling… it was helpful because I can really get out aggression.” (39:57)
• They use humor and bits (“honkin’ dong”, fake drinking routines, comedic impressions) to process daily stress and maintain closeness and fun.

5. “Secret Weirdness” & Comedic Riffs

• The episode is peppered with inside jokes, wordplay (“titties for tatties”, “Pliffs”—planned riffs), and fond references to childhood family traditions.
• Pete riffs on fake whiskey, mask-work, and playacting, noting: “I’m very obsessed with mask work… placebos in ancient culture.” (08:18)
• Extended riffs and impressions, e.g., Fred Armisen and Brad Pitt acting quirks, keep the tone light and self-aware.

6. Reflections on Childhood and Sibling Dynamics

• The Holmeses touch on the differences between being a single child versus having siblings, with Pete offering that “I had a brother. I wasn’t going into his room and playing GI Joes.” (34:10)
• Parenting philosophy leans heavily on creating playful, safe, and emotionally aware experiences for their daughter.

7. Learning and Growth Through Fear and Challenge

• They recount a Disneyland trip, letting Leela face down her fear of a roller coaster and watching her shift from anxiety to pride:
  • Valerie: “I would have said I loved roller coasters, but really what I meant was I love having done them.” (62:10)
  • Pete: “That’s my whole life…I love doing stand up, but I really love having done it.” (62:38)

8. Tips, Recommendations, and Product Shoutouts

• Saffron for Stress: Pete swears by Kinobody’s saffron supplement for parenting stress, describing it as euphoric (55:44).
• Parenting Tip: Don’t check email in the morning (22:34).
• Disneyland Strategies: For maximum family fun and minimal meltdown, get a Disney hotel, take a midday break, then return for evening fun (66:10).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Play and Laughing Through Conflict

• “We just straight up started wrestling… it was helpful because it was like, yeah, I can really get out aggression.” (Valerie, 39:57)
• “We did wrestle, and it was very funny. And your zoom was still going. It was off camera.” (Pete, 40:42)

On Parenting and Work-Life Boundaries

• “I have to end this call, but I also understand. And we’re just feeling the tension of that. And then we just straight up started wrestling.” (Valerie, 39:54)
• “To be a present/good parent or partner, it’s fucking hard… we shouldn’t be this available.” (Pete, 36:32)

On Their Relationship’s Natural Fit

• “We sort of lucked into this very perfect love… it was total grab ass.” (Pete, 19:13)
• “You are wounded in all the exact right ways, and to the degrees that I like.” (Valerie, 18:41)

On Rituals, Placebos, and Playacting

• “You put on the mask, you act like a devil. You haven’t ingested anything. I make a cocktail at night with Little Saints, put in some bitters, some big ice... It’s about the ritual at night—a marker for transitioning into your time.” (Pete, 70:17)

On Parenting Alone

• “It’s the disadvantage of a one kid thing. We are her playmates and it’s... it isn’t chill for us.” (Valerie, 34:03)

On Disneyland as a Spiritual/Creative Experience

• “It’s almost... shamanic to me—someone’s dream trance, literally, like a trance they were in... He did it.” (Pete, 64:51)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Parenting at the Playground & 'What the Hell' Kids Say (04:08)
• Mask Work, Placebo, and Comedic Riffs (08:18)
• Sibling Dynamics, Only Child Discussion (34:03)
• Difference in Work Styles and Challenges of “Interruptible Work” (35:16–39:14)
• Wrestling as Conflict Resolution (39:54–40:47)
• Work/Life Boundaries with Email, Over-availability (36:32–37:08)
• Saffron Recommendation for Stress (55:44)
• Disneyland Family Adventure & Parenting Through Fear (59:17–66:10)
• Disneyland Coping Strategies (66:10–69:00)
• Meaning of Nightly Rituals and Playacting (70:17)

Episode Tone & Language

• Tone: Warm, playful, self-deprecating, riff-heavy, intermingling the silly and the sincere.
• Language: Casual, open, slightly irreverent, peppered with inside jokes, references, and light swearing.
• Dynamic: Pete and Valerie tease, challenge, and affirm each other—balancing self-reflection with humor.

Concluding Thoughts

This episode is vintage “We Made It Weird”: meandering, playful, and unexpectedly profound. Pete and Valerie invite listeners into the loving mess of their family life, offering comfort, solidarity, and a reminder to celebrate both everyday weirdness and occasional chaos. Plenty of laughs, a few life hacks, and loads of heart.

Keep it crispy!