Informed Attraction
A podcast about how the TV teaches us about beauty, body image, and how to feel about ourselves. Hosted by Mackenna Goodrich (@mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (@hoff.phd) Reach out with questions at informedattraction@gmail.com
Episodes

Aug 17, 2025
Aug 17, 2025
52 min
This week, Mackenna and Aubrey wrap up their conversations about fat suits and return to the wonderful world of The Whale. Specifically, Mackenna walks through the major differences between the play and the movie, while Aubrey tells us how Brendan Fraser ended up in this movie.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQpA1TMDxm4f0CwDyF2l0cK1XbnAgI12iawvvYZuLnbu2pHHpXrwRCn86TwKb1qveuma-L7m1Yf3Ev1/pubemail us @ informedattraction@gmail.com

Aug 10, 2025
Aug 10, 2025
1 hr 20 min
Aubrey finally watched The Whale after avoiding it while it was all the rage among the fat activist community. Mackenna and Aubrey have some BIG FEELINGS about this movie and also Mr. Darren Aronofsky in general.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTXe7-rdyWmVvqVfEng3QAJyEbg4l3iQ5C9DlJHSBHjnyIG4kC95tOzFH41HJw96tomqkVHoUylqdRY/pub

Aug 3, 2025
Aug 3, 2025
1 hr 30 min
Okay, so we promise this is ultimately an episode about Fat Albert and specifically, the 2004 film Fat Albert, but we gotta go on multiple side quests for about the first 45 minutes before we get there. But it is all related to Fat Albert and the man who is unfortunately his creator, Bill Cosby.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSC-eMajCK0RKWYR1A4WOtt-37tAD77ei09O86iIu7XI2YoUdshWVcOcIEanYOcbobLBGAr0gXQiDdY/pub

Jul 27, 2025
Jul 27, 2025
1 hr 17 min
On this episode, Aubrey walks us through many of the fat suits of the 90s and early 2000s, including ones from The Nutty Professor, Shallow Hal, Medea, Big Momma's House, and Austin Powers. Meanwhile, Mackenna watched every episode of Friends where Fat Monica makes an appearance.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya SierraPost-production support: Bryce Dilullo (yes, that Bryce)
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQx_W7ThuGZeV82tLZ_ZOzm7BjtB0Ti6byGafdPAfLa2jc2s4k1I9tobNubGUNT9Sgz8XrsePiUen6t/pub

Jul 20, 2025
Jul 20, 2025
1 hr 31 min
In this episode, Mackenna connects the dots between Patrick Bateman and today's cabal of alpha male grindset influencers. Meanwhile, Aubrey hates Ben Affleck and the American Psycho musical.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTnUPSMfywt2SMzku7WiWHal1ZvTsp5nCb_tU7QqWP-BlAGi5eIi4vLSOxazTAzqVm-2AfhY4EVkUUY/pub

Jul 13, 2025
Jul 13, 2025
1 hr 33 min
In this episode, Mackenna and Aubrey talk about the traumatic experience of reading American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. And then, they talk a lot about masculinity and how hollow being an alpha male really is.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQh0JWZ4daBB4dWJnol6WzkqXn4b-vHqdxun1RRBJVd67dHJoMNncbhHfFnUeYeET28WnJVAjP45xMg/pub

Jul 6, 2025
Jul 6, 2025
1 hr 8 min
This week, Aubrey explains how Guy Fieri is the phoenix who emerges from Paula Deen's ashes to become the king of the Food Network. Meanwhile, Mackenna does her best to do a dramatic reading of Pete Wells' absolutely scathing review of Guy's American Kitchen & Bar.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSjNXsLB9MUDWBjWmEVejIE9Ok8lUPqN_4cXRsEvYDyMMFbFB9Iq5FNCqa6RqYCaX0GGYPhFBHchetW/pub

Jun 29, 2025
Jun 29, 2025
1 hr 30 min
On this episode, Aubrey gives us part 1 of the history of the Food Network and ranks the core Chopped judges based on how much she wants to kiss them. Meanwhile, Mackenna isn't so sure about Bobby Flay.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
**We flopped on Listening Notes for this episode, but we'll be back next week with a silly little document for you**

Jun 22, 2025
Jun 22, 2025
1 hr 14 min
This week, Mackenna takes Family Guy incredibly seriously and dives into why "shut up, Meg" probably led to her and Aubrey getting bullied in middle school. They also yap about Lois and about what Family Guy considers to be an attractive woman.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya Sierra
Listening notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS4woMQ1JlpY5L6ZHhc3S7oJHMie5F6Nz0kMlH3M8ybzI_r1_rhzsgmMJhoSh0SQsIPpdbZBHEfa158/pub

Jun 15, 2025
Jun 15, 2025
1 hr 24 min
On this episode, Mackenna forces herself to watch Family Guy in order to figure out why Seth MacFarland made Brian the way he is. This is the BOYS episode of Family Guy, so we also yap about Joe, Peter, and... Quagmire.
Hosted by: Mackenna Goodrich (she/they; @mack3nna) and Dr. Aubrey Hoffer, PHd (she/her; @hoff.phd)
Theme music: Josh CapatiLogo design: Freya SierraPost-production support: Grey Smith
Listening Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS_5Uq--PFUAiWaWACFmlJqhS9RcYSDJ3MUsMTWxvnbgvLXaoP39BUgiXK4zfFlEzUVUBQn65zCa4Iq/pub








