Welcome to First Kiss and Other Cautionary Tales, a podcast where you can listen to observations on the quirkiness of life, hear short fiction read by a short person, and listen to book and movie reviews.
DEBORAH PRUM
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5.0(3 reviews)
71 episodes
Updated Bi-weekly
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Podcast Authority
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Podcast Overview
Welcome to First Kiss and Other Cautionary Tales, a podcast where you can listen to observations on the quirkiness of life, hear short fiction read by a short person, and listen to book and movie reviews.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
11/28/2012
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29
Podcast Authority
BetaPoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality35
Social0
YouTube0
Engagement60
6
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excellent
Episode Length
7 minutes
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Recent Episodes
June 22, 2026
PODCAST-WIDOW’S BAY-TV SERIES
<h2>PODCAST-WIDOW’S BAY-TV SERIES</h2> <p> <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="500" height="474" src="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Widows-Bay.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Widows-Bay.jpg 500w, https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Widows-Bay-300x284.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /> </p> <p>I did not have helicopter parents. My first exposure to horror films was watching The Haunting at age ten with my father. Dear Dad, always the jokester, jump scared me at a tense moment of the movie, an event that shaved a decade off my life. Years later, in college, I stupidly re-watched the film with a bad boyfriend, who jump scared me at exactly the same moment. Based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, this movie is the reason I can never fall asleep while staying in an Airbnb in an old Victorian mansion.</p> <p> My second exposure to the horror genre was watching The Sixth Sense which I thought was going to be a simple psychological drama. I spent the movie with my hands covering eyes and my thumbs stuck in my ears. After watching this film, I’ve never viewed kitchen cabinets in the same way.</p> <p> Created by Katie Dippold for Apple TV, Widow’s Bay is billed as a comedy horror television series. After reading many intriguing comments about it, I broke my “no horror movies” rule. I binge-watched the series on my iPhone on a daunting car trip from Virginia to Long Island. We drove up in a snarl of cars that were headed to World Cup events, a golf tournament, and the Knicks parade. The bumper-to-bumper traffic, coupled with unhinged New Yorkers behind the wheel, made the trip terrifying.</p> <p> So, to distract me from the terror, I decided to watch Widow’s Bay on my iPhone. Brilliant logic, I know. Here’s the plot: Tom Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, is mayor of Widow’s Bay, an island that townies believe to be cursed. Tom is a widower with one son, Evan, a teen who hates the place and takes every opportunity to engage in shenanigans. A mainlander himself, Tom’s main goal is to convince everyone that Widow’s Bay is safe and is a great tourist destination.</p> <p>The old-timer residents know better than to believe Tom and impede him at every turn. The ensemble cast of townspeople is a pitch perfect portrayal of quirky odd ducks, some of whom are innocuous, and some who are not. They are given the very best comedic lines and corporately are the highlight of the movie.</p> <p> Compared to the sheer terror of our drive to Long Island, I found this series more funny than frightening. The movie is filled with the usual tropes: a sea hag, boogeyman, spooky fog, black skies, howling wind, dungeon, jump scares galore, and your two, not one, off-kilter people periodically screaming about impending doom. I loved the campy humor and the straight-faced delivery of some of the ridiculous things ever said. The film never takes itself too seriously. For example, during an intense scene when Tom is alone in a dark room interrogating a menacing specter, the mayor’s secretary pops in, saying, “Oops, sorry. I forgot my purse.”</p> <p> Good pacing and the ever-building narrative tension kept me engaged. The storyline is so over-the-top ridiculous and implausible that I never felt scared, repulsed maybe, but not scared. If I’d watched this on a big screen or even a slightly bigger screen, the experience would have been more immersive and possibly more frightening.</p> <p>British TV series tend to wrap up each season with a definitive ending. Not so with Americans. Widow’s Bay leaves the viewer with unresolved plot points which I found mildly annoying. Regardless, I enjoyed this character-driven dark comedy and recommend it.</p> <p>###</p> <p>Interested in other TV reviews? Check out:</p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-task-tv-series/">TASK</a></p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-smoke-tv-series/">SMOKE</a></p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-the-perfect-couple-tv-series/">THE PERFECT COUPLE</a></p> <p> </p> <p> 0:00<br /> /<br /> 0:00<br /> Widow's Bay<br /> <img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HEADSHOT-150x150.jpg" alt="" /><br /> (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her <a href="https://deborahprum.com">WEBSITE.</a> Check out her<a href="https://deborahprum.com/developmental-editing/"> DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES.</a> Check out her <a href="https://deborahprum.com/paintings/">PAINTINGS</a>. <br /> <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deborah-m-prum/id1734887135" target="_blank"><br /> APPLE PODCAST<br /> </a><br /> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6O84Kbzrl5QlkslQt6QyBD/details" target="_blank"><br /> SPOTIFY PODCAST<br /> </a></p>
May 7, 2026
PODCAST-WELCOME-A BOOK REVIEW
<h2>PODCAST-WELCOME-A BOOK REVIEW</h2> <p> <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="401" height="601" src="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Welcome.jpeg" alt="" srcset="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Welcome.jpeg 401w, https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Welcome-200x300.jpeg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /> </p> <p><strong>Welcome—Patterns of the Moral Life</strong> is an elegant, succinct, and persuasive book on the importance of welcoming others. This is both a well-written argument for the necessity of welcoming others and a practical guide to extending welcome in ways that are ethical and nurturing.</p> <p> The book is co-authored by Lois Shepherd JD, a professor of biomedical ethics and law, and by Margaret Mohrmann, MD, PhD, a professor emerita of pediatrics, medical education, and religious studies. Given their credentials, you might be tempted to assume that this would be a dense, academic tome. Not so.</p> <p> The prose is crisp and the concepts are described in a straightforward manner. The authors use vignettes to demonstrate their points, which makes the material accessible and memorable. The style is conversational and engaging. The tone mirrors the subject matter in that it’s warm and welcoming.</p> <p> Chapter headings provide a clear map to the content. Here are examples of topics: Responding Rather Than Reacting, Stay Awhile, See a Human Being, Let People Tell You Who They Are, Check Your Agenda. This structure provides an easy way for the reader to approach the material and to head to chapters that might hold special interest.</p> <p>The practical part of this book avoids giving superficial solutions. Instead, the authors make suggestions for change that consider myriad aspects of a situation. My husband and I have tried to be intentional about how we welcome people into our lives. I am grateful at this book challenged me to think about and change some of my beliefs and behaviors. I highly recommend <strong>Welcome</strong>.</p> <p>###</p> <p>Interested in other book reviews? Please check out:</p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-the-god-of-the-woods-book-review/">The God of the Woods</a></p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-time-of-the-child-book-review">Time of the Child</a></p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-without-you-here-book-review/">Without You Here</a></p> <p><a href="https://deborahprum.com/book-review-allegiance/">Allegiance</a></p> <p> 0:00<br /> /<br /> 0:00<br /> Welcome-Book Review<br /> <img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HEADSHOT-150x150.jpg" alt="" /><br /> (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her <a href="https://deborahprum.com">WEBSITE.</a> Check out her<a href="https://deborahprum.com/developmental-editing/"> DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES.</a> Check out her <a href="https://deborahprum.com/paintings/">PAINTINGS</a>. <br /> <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deborah-m-prum/id1734887135" target="_blank"><br /> APPLE PODCAST<br /> </a><br /> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6O84Kbzrl5QlkslQt6QyBD/details" target="_blank"><br /> SPOTIFY PODCAST<br /> </a></p>
April 7, 2026
PODCAST-NICK & MIKE, NICK & ALICE MOVIE REVIEW
<h2>PODCAST-NICK & MIKE, NICK & ALICE MOVIE REVIEW</h2> <p> <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="450" height="571" src="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nick-Mike.jpeg" alt="" srcset="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nick-Mike.jpeg 450w, https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nick-Mike-236x300.jpeg 236w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /> </p> <p>I loved James Marsden’s performance in the TV series Dead to Me. He did an excellent job playing identical twins who had completely different personalities. The series was dark and wickedly funny. It’s worth checking out, if you don’t mind quirky and sometimes shocking material. I also enjoyed Vince Vaughn’s performance in Bad Monkey, a TV series based on Carl Hiassen’s novel. The humor wasn’t quite as sharp as I’d have liked, but I found it entertaining.</p> <p>When I noticed Marsden and Vaughn were starring together in the new movie Mike & Nick, Nick & Alice, I decided to watch it. Bruce happened to be knee-deep in March Madness so I watched it alone.</p> <p>The movie starts out with a bang, figuratively and literally. Ben Schwartz, playing a science nerd named Symon, is in his gadget-filled lab dancing and singing to Billy Joel’s song, Why Should I Worry? He’s celebrating having put the final touches on a time machine. Turns out, Symon has plenty of reasons to worry, but so as not to spoil the plot, let’s just leave it at that. Symon’s singing is awful, but his performance is spectacular and he draws me right in. I wish we’d seen more of him in the movie.</p> <p>The next scene takes place in a cocktail lounge full of gangsters and other shady characters. They’re at a Welcome Home from Prison party for young Jimmy Boy, the boss’s son. After warmly greeting his scary guests, Sosa the mob boss, announces he will find and kill the rat who caused his dear son’s incarceration.</p> <p>Nick (Vaughn) and Quick Draw Mike (Marsden) are at the party. Nick works for Sosa. Quick Draw Mike works for Nick. Mike is having an affair with Nick’s wife, Alice. Hence, the reason for the long and somewhat clunky, movie title: Nick & Mike, Nick & Alice.</p> <p>The first half of the movie is great, quirky humor, inside jokes, and interesting time travel conundrums. This movie is dripping in satire; it is a gangster movie making fun of gangster movies. The jokes are nuanced. For example, when a bunch of nefarious bad guys show up at Nick’s house, in a non-ironical way, he offers them Capri Suns to drink. Now I am realizing that my description of this scene does not seem all that funny. I guess you’d have to be there.</p> <p>I had to stop watching the movie about two-thirds of the way through. I liked the first part so much that I persuaded Bruce to join me, which he did not want to do. To be fair, who likes to start watching a move in the middle? But I wore him down and he agreed.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the last third of the movie lost its momentum. It felt as if someone else had written it. The screenwriter included a couple surprises, but mostly we watched many slow-motion fights during which combatants smashed couches, shelves, tables, glass objects, and each other’s heads. You’d think the altercations might have increased the narrative tension, but no.</p> <p>Even though, the movie fell off the tracks for the last half hour or so, I enjoyed the heartwarming ending.</p> <p>Should you watch it? If you are in the mood for an arthouse film, this is not it. However, James Marsden and Vince Vaughn give high energy performances, and the gangster satire is funny. If you take snack breaks during the fight scenes, this movie could be fun to watch.</p> <p>###</p> <p>Interested in other movie reviews? Check out:</p> <p>Hamnet’s Jessie Buckley in: <a href="https://deborahprum.com/podcast-movie-review-wicked-little-letters/">Wicked Little Letters</a>.</p> <p>Or, Olivia Coleman in: <a href="https://deborahprum.com/?s=Joy+Ride">Joyride</a>.</p> <p>Or, James Marsden in: <a href="https://deborahprum.com/review-dead-to-me/">Dead to Me</a>.</p> <p> 0:00<br /> /<br /> 0:00<br /> Mike & Nick Nick & Mike<br /> <img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://deborahprum.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HEADSHOT-150x150.jpg" alt="" /><br /> (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her <a href="https://deborahprum.com">WEBSITE.</a> Check out her<a href="https://deborahprum.com/developmental-editing/"> DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES.</a> Check out her <a href="https://deborahprum.com/paintings/">PAINTINGS</a>. <br /> <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deborah-m-prum/id1734887135" target="_blank"><br /> APPLE PODCAST<br /> </a><br /> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6O84Kbzrl5QlkslQt6QyBD/details" target="_blank"><br /> SPOTIFY PODCAST<br /> </a></p>
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