Kim and Penn Holderness on Starting Over, Aging Out Loud, and Getting Ahead of Alzheimer's

Kim and Penn Holderness on Starting Over, Aging Out Loud, and Getting Ahead of Alzheimer's

October 21, 2026 · 59 min

Description:Twelve years ago, Kim and Penn Holderness made a Christmas card video in their pajamas, it broke the internet, and they both walked away from careers in TV news to make videos full time. With two little kids, two months of savings, and no health insurance. In 2013, when that was not even a job. They have been reinventing ever since, and they are right in the middle of it again.We recorded this conversation in a very tender week. They had just moved their oldest back to college, and two days earlier, Penn's mother passed away after nine years in skilled nursing with Alzheimer's. They showed up anyway, and I am so grateful they did. We talk about the leap of 2013 and the creators who told them every new baby was worth a million followers, what they owe their kids for putting them on the internet before any of us knew better, why every couple should have a podcast even if you never post it, and why they took their family name off their show to start Laugh Lines, all about aging better together.Then Penn tells me about the Alzheimer's prevention trial he joined, what he learned about his own genes, the changes he is making now, and how his mom's brain went to a research study at Duke within an hour of her death so it could help someone else. I was not prepared, and I cried. It is one of the most hopeful things I have ever heard about this disease. This is part of our October series, Courage to Change: Do It Scared. Still to come this month: Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics.Thought-provoking Quotes:There is no such thing as a podcast emergency.Don't get good at something you don't really want to do.There's a moment where you can't not do that thing.Every couple needs a podcast, even if you don't post it.When you can hear how you talk to your partner, it is so eye opening.We know what a gift it is to age. I don't want to be 20. I don't want to be 40. I'm really thrilled with the age I am.You start saying goodbye to someone the minute they go into skilled nursing.We knew, okay, we're helping. Her brain's going to help.We all do what we do. No one's right or wrong.Everybody behind us will do a better version of it. But it's kind of fun being on the front edge with y'all.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness - https://shows.acast.com/holdermess-the-holderness-family-podcastRetainYourBrain, Dr. Richard Isaacson's free brain health assessment platform - https://retainyourbrain.comAlzLabs, lower-cost at-home brain health blood testing from Dr. Richard Isaacson - https://alzlabs.orgADHD Is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD by Penn and Kim Holderness - [LINK TBD]Everybody Fights: So Why Not Get Better at It? by Penn and Kim Holderness - [LINK TBD]Awake: A Memoir by Jen Hatmaker - https://bookshop.org/p/books/untitled-memoir-jen-hatmaker/22287565Leave us a voicemail - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcastGuest's Links:Website - https://theholdernessfamily.comInstagram - https://instagram.com/theholdernessfamilyFacebook - https://facebook.com/theholdernessfamilyYouTube - https://youtube.com/theholdernessfamilyTikTok - [CONFIRM HANDLE]Substack - [CONFIRM URL]Podcast - https://shows.acast.com/holdermess-the-holderness-family-podcastConnect with Jen!Jen's Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker?sub_confirmation=1The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.