Okay Fine Whatever

Courtney Hameister narrates this engaging, insightful, and at times hilarious account of her Okay Fine Whatever project, in which she grapples with her anxiety by deliberately exposing herself to uncomfortable new situations. Whether she's trying drugs with co-workers to unleash her creativity, undergoing a Brazilian wax, or participating in online dating, her perceptions of events are sharp and funny. She's especially good at capturing her own anxiety-driven inner monologues during awkward circumstances such as a first sexual encounter and is often laugh-out-loud funny. A former NPR host, Hameister is a terrific narrator--she gets comic timing and tone fully. This production will entertain diverse listeners and make fellow anxious people pat themselves on the back for their own moments of unsung bravery when facing down what makes them nervous. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphone Award � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

May 28, 2018
Hameister, former host and head writer of the Portland radio show Live Wire!, undertakes an amusing, if perhaps overly insular, rumination on various experiences she has subjected herself to in order to combat severe anxiety. Those with similar conditions will find her tone encouraging throughout, as when she describes the reason for taking on her “Okay Fine Whatever” project: “I thought if I could create a situation in which I was forced to try new things... I might actually become braver... I might even eventually become a badass.” She describes a wide variety of small boundary-pushing experiences, including 90 minutes spent in a sensory deprivation tank, forays into polyamory, and an evening at a vegan strip club, which she leaves feeling “far dirtier for pretending to be ‘chill’ than I did for watching naked women gyrate all night.” She also shares personal reflections, most notably on her desire for male approval. Her amused, sometimes snarky writing style will surely resonate with young hipsters but seems less likely to reach a wider readership. Nonetheless, Hameister’s frankness about her struggles with anxiety may prove helpful to readers facing their own internal confrontations. Agent: Laurie Fox, Linda Chester Agency.