Kate Vlasek
Co-Host of Generation BSC: A Baby-Sitters Club Podcast
Kate grew up a Mary Anne who desperately wanted to be a Stacey. As an adult, she’s a Claudia/Shannon hybrid whose days are spent practicing law and whose evenings and weekends are spent making jewelry and purses in between walks with her dog, Indiana, and her husband. She would like to thank her mom for “loaning” all her BSC books to cousins when she was a child, as it resulted in the Friday afternoon eBay hunt and resulting purchase that inspired the creation of this podcast.
Kate Vlasek has hosted 102 Episodes.
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Episode 005: Dawn and the Impossible Three!
November 19th, 2019 | 57 mins 20 secs
main series, mary anne
After becoming the Alternate Officer of the BSC, Dawn takes on primary responsibility for babysitting the so-called “Impossible Three” Barrett children. There are very problematic aspects of this story and WE. HAVE. FEELINGS. The continuing discussion on maturity takes an extreme turn in this episode due to the negligent and borderline absentee parenting by Mrs. Barrett. We recognize our prior mistaken overlooking of Claudia’s race and look forward to our future opportunities to bring other perspectives into our conversations. On a lighter note, Kate and Lauryn wrap up the episode with a discussion their favorite babysitting charges, Jackie Rodowsky and Jamie Newton in particular for both and Charlotte Johansson for Kate.
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Episode 004: Mary Anne Saves the Day!
November 5th, 2019 | 1 hr 7 mins
main series, mary anne
Mary Anne takes a stand and saves the day in multiple ways. After a huge fight where the girls aren't speaking, Mary Anne makes a new friend in Dawn Schafer and grows as a person before bringing the Core Four back together, taking care of a very sick child, getting her dad to see her as more mature and ready for more freedom. The conversation about maturity continues, with a focus on jealousy, growing pains, and conflict as a catalyst for action. Kate and Lauryn also discuss the BSC in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the resurgence of the Baby-Sitters Club in pop culture generally.
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Episode 003: The Truth About Stacey!
October 22nd, 2019 | 1 hr 9 mins
main series, stacey
Stacey reveals the shocking truth! … she has diabetes? And also her parents refuse to face reality and keep pursuing miracle cures, to the detriment of Stacey’s mental and emotional health. Kate and Lauryn continue their discussions of maturity, how being older definitely does not make one wiser or more responsible, the entirely reasonable fear of crying at school, and medical personal autonomy. Lauryn recounts her time acting as her dad’s personal Siri after Kate clarifies Generation X, Millennials, and Generation BSC based on how each group deals with questions of fact while out at a bar. They also touch on what it really meant to be a nerd back in the day and updates to the book that include removing references to human garbage and adjusting for inflation. Also get excited for our future Very Special Episode to discuss Ulysses!
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Episode 002: Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls!
October 8th, 2019 | 1 hr 54 secs
claudia, main series
Before there were actual BSC Mysteries, there was the original - Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls. Are the girls being stalked by the actual Phantom Caller (who wants to steal… their hair ribbons…)? Or is there something else to this mystery? Kate and Lauryn’s Great Ideas touch on growing pains related to varying levels of maturity, sibling rivalry, what it means to be “smart,” imagination, and the ability of pre-teen girls to escalate to dramatics quickly. Lauryn can’t wait to discuss a certain Core Four member’s sexuality as she continues to explore her own, and Kate breaks down the ins and outs of IQs.
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Episode 001: Kristy's Great Idea!
September 25th, 2019 | 46 mins 42 secs
kristy, main series
Spoiler Alert: Kristy has a GREAT idea and that idea is to create the Baby-Sitters Club. Kate and Lauryn discuss their own Great Ideas related to family structure, gender, children’s understanding and insight into the adult world, nostalgia, and their excitement to keep reading. Lauryn expresses concern with being called babyish and Kate compares a trip to Blockbuster to ignorance in Ancient Rome. They also touch on fashion, Claudia’s hidden snacks, and Lauryn’s obsession with the timeline, of course.
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Episode 000: An Introduction to Generation Baby-Sitters Club!
September 23rd, 2019 | 33 mins 15 secs
introduction
Kate and Lauryn introduce themselves, the podcast, and what the hell Generation BSC even means. Get to know them and what this whole thing is going to be (at least what Kate and Lauryn think it’s going to be before they even really get started) while they extol the virtues of Cleveland, Ohio, Nalgene bottles, and American Hi-Fi and Lauryn makes her first reference to Elder Millennials.