Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness

This week on Laugh Lines, Penn and I talk about something that sneaks up on a lot of us in midlife: friendship, purpose, and the quiet fear of wondering if we still matter the way we used to. We’re joined by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Wallace (straight from Oprah to Laugh Lines!) who explores why feeling seen, needed, and valued isn’t just nice... it’s essential to our well-being. The three of us dig into what “mattering” really means, why so many adults feel lonelier than they expected, and how friendships change when kids leave home, careers shift, and life gets a little more complicated.

We've all been guilty of flaking on plans or feeling like if a kind gesture wasn't "perfect" we shouldn't do it. But the truth is, showing up messy and not canceling plans might be the most powerful relationship tools we have. Jennifer shares practical, doable ways to deepen friendships and how small moments of connection often mean more than big gestures.

If you’ve ever missed someone you haven’t called, felt unsure of your place in this season of life, or wanted to be a better friend but didn’t know where to start, this conversation is for you. It’s a good reminder that connection doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. (And if you’re listening and wondering if you matter, you do.) We love to hear from you! Leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at [email protected]. You can also watch our podcast on YouTube.

Learn more about Jennifer's book, Mattering

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Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness is an evolution of The Holderness Family Podcast, which began in 2018. Kim and Penn Holderness are award-winning online content creators known for their original music, song parodies, comedy sketches, and weekly podcasts. Their videos have resulted in over three billion views and over nine million followers since 2013. Penn and Kim are also authors of the New York Times Bestselling Books, ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD and All You Can Be With ADHD. They were also winners on The Amazing Race (Season 33) on CBS.

Laugh Lines is hosted and executive produced by Kim Holderness and Penn Holderness, with original music by Penn Holderness. Laugh Lines is also written and produced by Ann Marie Taepke, and edited and produced by Sam Allen. It is hosted by Acast. Thanks for listening!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world feels heavy and instead of trying to joke our way around that, this episode is about sitting with it. This week, Penn and I talk about how a post we made about hope turned into a political statement, the process behind the scenes, and how we're feeling. We are very lucky to have a fun job, but it doesn't mean it's not challenging in times like these. Sometimes it's hard to make comedy when you want to cry.

We know you came for the humor, we hope you'll stay for the humanity. Penn and I are here for joy, for laughter, and for standing with people who need it. We believe laughter and compassion aren’t opposites. Sometimes humor is how we survive, and sometimes it’s how we tell the truth. We’re all still learning, growing, and trying our best to love our neighbors well. We promise to keep showing up as our full selves... funny, flawed, and deeply human. (And with a cookie cake.) Thanks for being here.

We love to hear from you! Leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at [email protected]. You can also watch our podcast on YouTube.

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Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness is an evolution of The Holderness Family Podcast, which began in 2018. Kim and Penn Holderness are award-winning online content creators known for their original music, song parodies, comedy sketches, and weekly podcasts. Their videos have resulted in over three billion views and over nine million followers since 2013. Penn and Kim are also authors of the New York Times Bestselling Books, ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD and All You Can Be With ADHD. They were also winners on The Amazing Race (Season 33) on CBS.

Laugh Lines is hosted and executive produced by Kim Holderness and Penn Holderness, with original music by Penn Holderness. Laugh Lines is also written and produced by Ann Marie Taepke, and edited and produced by Sam Allen. It is hosted by Acast. Thanks for listening!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week calls for a hug and cookie cake that says “Happy Birthday” (even though it’s nobody’s birthday... more on this in the show.) If you’re feeling worn down, overwhelmed, or just need a break from everything feeling so heavy, this episode is for you. We’re talking about the little things that make us laugh when the world feels like too much.

Snow day chaos. January being the longest Monday of the year. Dogs in slow motion. Buying dessert for no reason. Letting your spouse be a dancing bear whose only job is to cheer you up (even when said spouse has shingles... also more on this in the show.)

We don’t ignore what’s hard, but we also believe laughter is a survival skill. So this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone if you’re craving a moment of relief right now. We love to hear from you! Leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at [email protected]. You can also watch our podcast on YouTube.

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Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness is an evolution of The Holderness Family Podcast, which began in 2018. Kim and Penn Holderness are award-winning online content creators known for their original music, song parodies, comedy sketches, and weekly podcasts. Their videos have resulted in over three billion views and over nine million followers since 2013. Penn and Kim are also authors of the New York Times Bestselling Books, ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD and All You Can Be With ADHD. They were also winners on The Amazing Race (Season 33) on CBS.

Laugh Lines is hosted and executive produced by Kim Holderness and Penn Holderness, with original music by Penn Holderness. Laugh Lines is also written and produced by Ann Marie Taepke, and edited and produced by Sam Allen. It is hosted by Acast. Thanks for listening!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do collagen powders, weighted vests, parasite cleanses, and protein bars all have in common? (According to our favorite no-nonsense doctor, probably a lot less science than TikTok would like you to believe.) This week on Laugh Lines, we’re welcoming back the wonderfully persnickety Dr. Eric Topol to help us debunk the health trends that keep popping up in our feeds (and in our shopping carts.)

After our last conversation, we were flooded with listener emails, voicemails, and questions, so this time he is answering all YOUR questions! We cover big topics like brain health, Alzheimer’s prevention, and new blood tests like the “brain clock.” (We also cover cortisol panic, brain booster supplements, and over the top health challenges.)

If you are overwhelmed by health advice, tired of feeling like you are doing everything wrong, or just want to laugh while learning what actually matters, this episode will leave you feeling smarter, calmer, and far less tempted to buy supplements while doomscrolling. We love to hear from you! Leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at [email protected]. You can also watch our podcast on YouTube.

You can learn more about Dr. Eric Topol here: https://drerictopol.com/

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Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness is an evolution of The Holderness Family Podcast, which began in 2018. Kim and Penn Holderness are award-winning online content creators known for their original music, song parodies, comedy sketches, and weekly podcasts. Their videos have resulted in over three billion views and over nine million followers since 2013. Penn and Kim are also authors of the New York Times Bestselling Books, ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD and All You Can Be With ADHD. They were also winners on The Amazing Race (Season 33) on CBS.

Laugh Lines is hosted and executive produced by Kim Holderness and Penn Holderness, with original music by Penn Holderness. Laugh Lines is also written and produced by Ann Marie Taepke, and edited and produced by Sam Allen. It is hosted by Acast. Thanks for listening!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy 2026, we're back! It’s a new year, but instead of "new year, new me" I am going with "new year, slightly improved me." Mostly because I stopped caring... well, that's not true (but more on that in the podcast.) In this episode of Laugh Lines, we’re easing back into the groove of things with medium energy, big feelings, and some good laughs. We talk about the emotional whiplash of having a college kid home and then watching them leave again, the surprisingly effective wake-up call of a dog throwing up before sunrise, and the bravery of brown-bagging a Diet Coke. (Still not sponsored... yet.)

Clearly, we haven't done this in a while because we jumped all around. From Penn complimenting your husbands to talking about starting a space podcast to discussing how you want us to show up when we feel like the world isn't normal... this show has it all. (Really hoping for your feedback on that last one.) Shout out to Gerald for his amazing spreadsheet, and YOU for sticking with us all these years. We started this podcast in 2018... how crazy is that? (Prepare for a music treat in the show.) Welcome to 2026. We’re not reinventing ourselves, we’re just trying to be a little better and a lot more honest.

We love to hear from you! Leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at [email protected]. You can also watch our podcast on YouTube.

Visit Our Shop
Join Our Newsletter
Find us on Substack
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook

Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness is an evolution of The Holderness Family Podcast, which began in 2018. Kim and Penn Holderness are award-winning online content creators known for their original music, song parodies, comedy sketches, and weekly podcasts. Their videos have resulted in over three billion views and over nine million followers since 2013. Penn and Kim are also authors of the New York Times Bestselling Books, ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD and All You Can Be With ADHD. They were also winners on The Amazing Race (Season 33) on CBS.

Laugh Lines is hosted and executive produced by Kim Holderness and Penn Holderness, with original music by Penn Holderness. Laugh Lines is also written and produced by Ann Marie Taepke, and edited and produced by Sam Allen. It is hosted by Acast. Thanks for listening!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.