Award-winning Chapman Radio show empowers womanhood in college

The ‘You're Not Like Other Girls’ radio show celebrates over one year on air and discusses their goal to be like every other girl. Courtesy of Emilie Haskell and Bella Gerencser

There was always one coveted Saturday each month. Your mom finally said “yes” after your stubborn persistence, and now you eagerly grab your Disney princess pajamas, have the local pizzeria on speed dial and await the sound of the doorbell for five of your best friends to arrive. That’s right, I’m talking about sleepovers. 

Over the years, the social phenomenon has been actively portrayed in the media in association with a variety of tropes: of course, there are the coveted pillow fights and plush sleeping bags, but the most important would have to indeed be the gossip.

During a sleepover, my friends and I used to babble about the most embarrassing and giggle-worthy moments that happened to us within the past week, all while applying glitter face masks and playing a classic rom-com in the background. Clear skin, hysterical laughter and endless popcorn are by far the most memorable aspects of my grade-school slumber parties.

Even though my sleepovers are not as frequent these days, those moments are still possible thanks to the Chapman Radio show “You’re Not Like Other Girls.” Student hosts Emilie Haskell and Bella Gerencser created this show in fall 2020 to emulate the same conversational comfort as a sleepover with your best friends.  

“It's like hanging out with your older sister and her friends,” Haskell said. “When I listen to it, it feels like the older sister that I never had hanging out in her room, and me listening by the door and getting all this cool girl-world intel.”

Haskell, a sophomore double major in documentary and broadcast journalism and political science, and Gerencser, a sophomore screenwriting major, thought of the show concept based on what they described as a lack of information in regard to “annoying film bros” on Chapman’s campus.

“Every movie, book and TV show warns you about the jocks that are going to take advantage of you and not care about your feelings, but no one warns you about the dude that lives two doors down from you who plays guitar in the common area,” Haskell said. “Bella and I already have extensive knowledge of hanging out with guys like that, but we have to inform the freshman Dodge population that they can’t trust guys just because they paint their nails — that’s not a good enough reason.”

With an idea already under their belt, all they needed was a name. Haskell said they agreed on “You’re Not Like Other Girls,” because this comment, which upon first glance seems like a compliment, inherently puts down the female population by saying one woman is better than another.

“We chose it as the name because we triumph (in) being female,” Haskell said. “I love being just like every other girl and having the same taste and interests as other girls. Nothing we do is deeply out of the box for women. We wouldn’t have people who listen to our show if we talked about stuff no one else liked or had heard of or cared about.”

The typical format of each episode includes a hysterical banter between Haskell and Gerencser spliced with an 8-track playlist correlating to the matter discussed. One episode the duo recalled fondly was their “Middle School Nightmares” episode, where they address their favorite songs when they were pre-teens and the embarrassing choices that led them to where they are today.

“In middle school, I was violently emo and it was really bad,” Gerencser said. “(I wore) skinny jeans and Converse, I wanted to dye my hair black and I was so into My Chemical Romance. But on the flip side, Emilie was a Tumblr kid.”

This episode, along with 20 others, allowed Haskell and Gerencser to truly bond and create a dynamic that any ear would be eager to listen to. “You’re Not Like Other Girls” won three awards at the Chapman Radio Awards this past spring, which included Best Show on Air for Two Plus Semesters, Best Pop Show and Best Show Overall. Even though the award show was held on Zoom, Gerencser and Haskell said they were ecstatic to win these achievements. 

“My heart dropped, I got hot flashes, and I was just like ‘What is happening’,” Gerencser said. “I texted Emilie with no emotion and was like, ‘Dude we won 3 awards.’ Emilie in all caps was like, ‘WHAT HAPPENED.’ She was calling and texting me, and it was this crazy scramble, but the energy was unmatched.”

“You’re Not Like Other Girls” recorded its first episode of the semester Sept. 17, marking the start of their first full semester being in the Chapman Radio studio — instead of under a blanket with an Amazon microphone in Haskell’s apartment. Not only do their goals include incorporating live music and more interviews with other student organizations, but Gerencser also said their main aspiration is to continue to show relatability to their audience. 

“I want people to relate, listen, laugh, get an escape from whatever is happening with them and know there are two dumb bitches from Chapman Radio that have been there, done that and are going through it still,” Gerencser said.

No matter the topic of conversation or the music being played on the show, Haskell and Gerencser will continue to blossom their friendship on and off the air during their remaining three years at Chapman.