Last year was all about stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things. When I quit full-time employment in August, I was determined to keep myself busy with numerous creative endeavours. One of those things, as you may or may not know, ended up being podcasting—more specifically, co-hosting a Disney podcast.
My good friend Luke is an avid Disney fan. However, aside from having all the classics on VHS as a kid and binging the new-era Disney movies like Tangled and Frozen during a Disney+ free trial, I never considered myself a huge Disney person. That contrast between us felt like the perfect dynamic for a podcast—and that’s when Chatatouille was born!
I thought it would just be a fun side project, but over the past six months, I’ve actually learned a lot—not just about Disney, but about myself. Here are five things I’ve discovered since becoming a Disney podcast host:
1. Boundaries make me a better host
Having autism, I get overwhelmed extremely easily, and although we plan our recordings in advance so we can watch each movie and take notes, there have been times when I’ve had to reschedule last minute because I’ve had a particularly bad day. I’ve tried pushing through before, but I found myself going into shutdown mode, barely contributing to the conversation. That meant I wasn’t bringing my best self to the show, and Luke probably felt like he had to overcompensate.
Being honest about when I need to take a step back has been a game-changer. It allows me to recharge and ensures that the chemistry between my co-host and me isn’t affected by my mood. Luckily, Luke is incredibly understanding, and we can usually shift our recording schedule around if needed. This has been a big lesson for me—not just in podcasting but in life.
2. Movies are more than just good or bad
I’ve always had a very black-and-white way of looking at things, and that used to apply to movies too. If you’ve listened to our earlier recordings (I’m looking at you, Fantasia), you’ll know that when I don’t like something… I really don’t like it. And early on, that mindset made it difficult for me to engage with certain films. I won’t lie—I walked in and out of the room during Fantasia without pausing it because I was that bored. It completely killed my mood for the rest of the day.
But just ripping into a movie doesn’t make for the best discussion, does it? As we’ve gone through more films, I’ve learned to take a more balanced approach. Even with the weaker Disney movies (oh hi, postwar package films), I can still assess their strengths and weaknesses rather than just dismissing them outright. And that’s made for much more engaging discussions. Even with films I love, I’ve been able to critique them more intelligently instead of just gushing over them.
3. Apparently, I’m funny?!
Okay, no amount of confidence from doing a podcast is going to cure my self-loathing, but I’ve been genuinely surprised by how many people have told me I’m funny after listening to the podcast. I’d say that’s largely down to having a co-host who is actually funny and who I have great chemistry with. After all, we’ve been friends for over 20 years, so we bounce off each other well.
Also, my humour mainly consists of taking the mickey (see what I did there?) out of people, which Luke can handle, and apparently, people enjoy. I think the podcast has helped boost my confidence, and when I feel comfortable, I’m naturally freer to be myself—which, it turns out, is funnier than I thought.
4. A newfound appreciation for Disney
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve never been a ‘Disney girl’. Sure, I enjoyed the movies as a kid because we had them on VHS, and I’ve been to Disneyland a few times, but I never obsessed over it. I always gravitated towards the animal-based films rather than the princess ones, and I assumed I’d still feel the same way as an adult.
But I was so wrong. Going back and rewatching these films, I’ve been able to see them in a completely different light. In fact, Cinderella—a film I never expected to care about—became one of only three Disney films I’ve rated five stars so far (admittedly, the other two do involve animal protagonists). I’ve realised that even the older Disney princesses—most of them, anyway (Snow White can get in the bin)—are actually really well-written, and I’ve found myself relating to them in ways I never anticipated. Researching and discussing these films has given me a whole new love for Disney, and I genuinely look forward to analysing each one, even the not-so-great ones.
5. Being myself is enough
When we first started recording, my instinct was to mask because that’s just what I’ve always done in situations where I know others can perceive me. It’s second nature to me now—I often don’t even realise I’m doing it. But something about recording these episodes, especially with someone I’ve known for so long, has helped me let go of that.
Now, I don’t even think about the fact that people will be listening when the episodes go live. I just see it as a conversation with a friend about something we both enjoy. And that means the version of me you hear on Chatatouille is one of the most authentic versions of me you’re going to get. Yep—the swearing, the constant roasting of my co-host, accusing certain characters of being nonces—that’s just me. And so far, no one’s complained about it (apart from maybe Luke, who’s the victim of most of the roasting).
Podcasting has taught me that I don’t have to put on a persona or change who I am to be an entertaining host. Just being myself is more than enough.
Starting Chatatouille was just meant to be a fun side project, but it’s ended up teaching me so much—about Disney, about podcasting, and about myself. I never expected to gain a new appreciation for these films, learn how to assess movies more critically or realise I was actually quite funny. But more than anything, it’s shown me the value of setting boundaries and being unapologetically myself.
So, if you’ve not yet checked out Chatatouille, you can find all episodes on Spotify here: Chatatouille – A Disney Podcast. It’s also available on Amazon, Apple Music, and more. Who knows—you might learn something new too!