Designing Women S6 E1 Extra Sugar: The Catch Up

Sometimes you just need something light and fluffy, you know? So that’s how we’re starting off our sixth season of “Extra Sugars” – Light. And fluffy. Like whip cream if you will. 

Join us as we catch up on what we’ve been doing over our months of hiatus – what we’re reading, watching, doing. Then we’re gonna talk about some things that have had our attention in the wider world these last months. The general chaos of the world, but like. Also some good stuff, too. 

Some reads:

• The Best - and Wildest - Moments of the 2024 Olympics 

• The movie 'It Ends With Us' faces criticism for glamorizing domestic abuse

• Ryan Reynolds Accused of 'Scabbing' During Hollywood Strikes Amid It Ends With Us Controversy  

• The Princess of Wales Returns to Wimbledon 

• Meghan Markle Quietly Prepares Lifestyle Brand Launch for Later This Year, CEO Search Rumors Debunked: Source 

• Thwarted Terrorist Plot at Taylor Swift's Vienna Concert Was Intended to Kill 'Tens of Thousands of People,' CIA Official Says 

Come on y’all, let’s get into it! 

Or listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music.

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Transcript

Hey, Nikki.

Hey, Salina.

Hey, y'all. And welcome to our very first Extra Sugar for season six. So, traditionally, what we've done is whatever year it is in the Designing Women universe, we would take and break down, like, the pop culture of that year. But we did, like, a pretty thorough job of the 90s because I didn't know we were going to revisit, and I didn't want to miss it.

Right.

It, like, you know, for that reason, it doesn't really make sense to do that this time. We also haven't recorded in several months, so we thought general catch up would be nice, and that's what we're gonna do today. I can't even wrap my mind around, like, how long it's been, but also, like, it doesn't feel like it's been that long.

It doesn't, does it?

Yeah. I don't know.

So tell us, Nikki, what have you been doing? Please start with the day after our last recording and just take us on through.

So, April 17th. Oh, my gosh. So I have a long. I had to make a note to remind myself of all the things I did, but I think that the, overall theme of it is summer. Summer. And not doing this podcast.

Summer. Summer. Not.

I said summer the second time because I feel like I said it funny the first time.

Glad I called you out.

I was suggested earlier this week, and so I'm still kind of fighting that a little bit, but just summer. Like, we, went to Six Flags. Like, multi. There was a Saturday. Salina, this is how crazy life is. There was a Saturday when I was home alone with the kids. I don't remember why. Kyle had something to do anyways with them. We just, like, got our stuff together and went to Six Flags in the evening in, like, the late afternoon. And we just went and rode a couple rides because we bought season. Season passes at, like, a really cheap price. So I was like, we got nothing else going on. Let's go. That never happens a Saturday with nothing to do. So we've capitalized on things like that. We, We have the Atlanta Braves minor league baseball team, the Gwinnett Stripers is what they're called. It's stripers, not strippers. We bought a couple of, game tickets for the summer, and so we went to a few games. I went up to the Sasquatch Museum, near Blue Ridge, and I m. Made a social media post about it so everyone can see what we did. But again, like, just thinking about having free time to actually do things that I want to do. So my bestie, Jessica, and I had wanted to get together, and she's like, why don't we take the kids to the Sasquatch Museum? And I was like, yeah, let's just do that on a random Saturday. So we did. And then we had our annual trip to the beach. We went back down to the Indian pass area on 30A. I did feel like a cruise director that week because, there were red flags, like, double red flags on the beach almost every day we were there.

What's a double red flag?

So a double red flag means you absolutely can't get in the water. If you do, you'll get a fine. and it can be.

That's frustrating.

It is. And in the part of Florida we go to, like, on the Gulf, the reason it happens is because of rip currents. The way the sand bars work, the water can flow right through them and rip you out to sea.

Yeah, I've gotten caught in one. Oh, have you? And I had to get rescued.

I almost said, did you survive?

Well, depends on your interpretation of survival.

Yeah, it's really dangerous. People laugh about it, but they can be really dangerous. And we have.

You, like, can't fight them.

We have young kids who are learning to swim, but they're not. Like, I think if I got caught in one, I would struggle. So definitely them. So I didn't want them in the water. Plus, you get fined if you get caught in the water. So we just found other things to do. Like, we drove up Mexico beach, which is right up the street, doesn't have a flag system because they don't have the same bars. So it's fine. We went swimming. They just had crazy waves. So we did that. We went into Apalachicola for a day and just found other ways to entertain ourselves. So just all the summer stuff, you know?

Sounds nice.

What about you?

I. Well, I didn't theme mine out. I guess if I be mine out, I would just say my biggest m. News is I've moved.

You moved? You left me.

I can't talk about it still. I did. I moved, right at the beginning of summer. Like, like, maybe on summer solstice. Honestly. yeah, in case. You know, in case you were out there, like, taking your top off for the solstice. You weren't? No.

I just love that you said that.

You moved from Lawrenceville to Atlanta for a variety of reasons

Like, that's. I thought you were, like, maybe on the 4th of July or.

Like, that's not the beginning of summer.

Summer solstice.

Is that not meaningful for you?

First Day of summer. There you go.

Yeah, like a. Like a good little pagan that I am. Yeah, anything. Anyway, so, like, So I moved. And honestly, anything to get closer to fictitious Super Sugar Bakers, you know, just had to come down here to the city, see what it's like.

you've been feeling like you didn't understand all the references in the show because they were in Buckhead and you just needed to be closer.

And I'm like, how do I get it here? Yeah. So if, you know, it was. Honestly, it was for, like, a host of reasons. Reasons. It was like to get closer to family, get closer to work. We spend a lot of time here anyway, so logistically, it just makes sense for a number of reasons. Nikki doesn't believe me, but maybe if I say it here and record it. The one thing that gave me serious pause was that it would be further from you.

That's so sad. That makes me feel sad. I feel like I didn't take advantage of you living in Lawrenceville enough or something.

I mean, definitely not, but, like. But you know, I think it was more for, like, you know, y'all don't know, like, the way that we interact usually, but, like, we would drop stuff in each other's mailboxes and, like, do stuff like that. So I. Like just the way we like to hang out there was also just like.

Just a quick porch drop. This is like a kindred ship, like a kinship about being like, we can.

Ride in to places together.

Like, we were united in our. Outside the perimeter, people understood because they.

Didn'T stand where Lawrenceville was. So naturally it was 475 miles away.

Right.

And that's all you needed to know. So, I will say that also my mom recently had moved north of us, so that was illy timed. she doesn't. She thinks it's on purpose. It really wasn't. but we're building a townhouse now and we're living in an apartment temporarily. So I've just been enjoying the neighborhood here and, like, the walkability of it and being close to, like, restaurants and shops and, Atlanta's so different than the last time I lived here. So that's really interesting and different to feel. And it's also kind of weird to be like, well, 20 years ago when I was here, which I don't love. And Atlanta has gotten younger because I've gotten older, so there is that. But that's okay.

That would be uncomfortable.

It feels like a lifetime ago.

You went to Costa Rica with your husband, M.

But I also went to Costa Rica oh, my God.

You know, I was thinking about that. I was trying to remember where you went. I couldn't remember.

You know, I was trying to remember details of the trip and I was like, I hardly remember because we kind of moved simultaneously. The house went under contract while we were on vacation. but I. I did. I did wind up remembering a couple of tidbits from the old trip. So, you know, we stayed in, we stayed in a couple places, but my favorite was Fortuna, and this is like more rainforest versus beach, which is more my speed. We stayed on the most gorgeous property with these amazing fruit trees. It was so lush and so green and so lovely. there was a river on the property that was easy to get to. The front yard had, a tree out in front and there was a sloth in it.

Oh, that's cool.

And it stayed there the entire time we did. And then it was just like gone the last morning when we were. When we left. But we would just go out there. He's so sad. Uh-huh.

He couldn't even see you leave. He just couldn't see it. He needed to go be somewhere else.

Couldn't deal with it, you know, probably still down there.

We did an amazing.

Probably. They're very slow. So, we did, this amazing rainforest walk. And we saw a monkey. We saw dart frogs. I would not look at the tarantula because they were like, come look in this hole. And I was like, I'm not going to go look in a hole.

What if they jump?

I assume they do.

Yeah.

Everything that can kill me does.

Sure.

we saw two snakes, including, like, one of the most poisonous ones, like, I think in the world.

I think that's also something I wouldn't look at.

I wanted to because they said that the reason most people get bit is because they're super camouflaged and people step on them and then they. And I was like, okay, well, I want to avoid that situation. Also, to be clear, if I was out there by myself, I would die in like, two hours. Right.

And, like, how have these civilizations survived that for so many? It's a,

But it explains the cortisol.

Right? Right.

So, yeah, we're all trying to jump from the.

Yeah.

Dart frogs.

Fair point.

So. But my favorite thing was probably the two day pass that we got to some hot springs. M. Oh, my God, it was wonderful. So there's pools all over the property of, like, varying temperatures. The way that they've done, like, all the landscaping and everything is so, like, just Gorgeous. Like plants you've never seen before. All this, like, rock. There is this swim up bar at the main pool. And, I, like, I'm not even a pool person. I think I need to be very clear about that. Like, I'm. It's just not. It's not my vibe. Like, I am more of like, let's go see a historic site. Yeah. Good time gal. and so. But it was so amazing that even I loved it. And in the backdrop, you see, the. Are in all volcano.

Oh, that's cool.

And I'll show you. I'll show you one picture. I don't want to be ridiculous, but I'll show you one picture. just so you could see, like, the way it was encircled by like the clouds. And I. I don't know. I. We ate dinner there both nights at the swim up bar. I was like, cool, because we could have gone in the restaurants. I was like, why? Let's just have.

You have to eat your bathing suit at this.

Yeah. But you're underwater. Like, for whatever reason, it doesn't matter in Costa Rica.

Casey is a huge Zach Bryan fan

Well, there you go.

So what happens in Costa Rica stays in Costa Rica.

That's right.

So Salina tells us all.

I. So that was. That was a lot of fun. It's just like, if you want to know the way to absolutely zap a vacation from your brain, move right right afterwards and I promise it'll be gone.

Moving is the worst.

It was, a lot. so Casey is like a huge Zach Bryan fan. So we went to his concert a couple.

I saw a post about that. I was so shock. I thought maybe the tickets were free.

Oh, he loves him. Yeah, he loves him. And I know some songs because he plays it all the time.

Okay.

and I like the ones that I know, but I'm. I wouldn't have called myself like, like a fan. And most of the time. Who's the other Zach guy?

Zach Brown.

Yes. So most of the time I'm accidentally calling.

It took me a very long time to realize they're different.

About that. Yes. I feel bad. I'm so. I'm so sorry. It's so rude. and I don't mean to be rude.

It's just that the first spelled the same way too.

It's tough.

C, A, C, H. And then there's.

A B. Yeah, that's complicated. Only a couple letters. It's both country music. What do you want from me? That's what I'm saying. But I actually just wanted to say this one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

That's great.

Now I haven't been to the Heiress tour, so.

Oh, yeah, you haven't.

You know what I'm saying? I didn't get to go see Beyonce, but, I will say that, like, just the Oklahoma. Ness of this guy, which I think is where he's from, like, so kind. Like, he literally said like, thank you after every. Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening. For. To see that level of gratitude from someone, I thought was really beautiful actually.

And he's had kind of meteoric rise. Right?

Like, yes, he really took off here in like the last year or two.

Because he was someone whose name is not very familiar to me. And in the last year he's just popped up everywhere. And like, sort of the counter to that is, Chapel Roan. She's currently under some fire because of comments she's making about, like, how intrusive fans are and how overwhelming fame is. So it's sort of, fascinating to hear you say how grateful he was. and I'm not saying Chapel Roan is not grateful. I'm just saying what she's saying about being famous and about fans is not that complimentary.

Yeah, it's interesting. I. I really don't know how they do it.

It seems way overwhelming.

Right. And I do think when people start doing weird things, and let's be clear, people do weird things, they think they have a relationship with you and that kind of thing. I feel like I, I understand needing to pump the brakes and put on, put up some boundaries, and I think that's probably a little bit more difficult for a woman to do. but maybe, you know, you.

Can'T have it both ways though, is sort of my take on it. So, like, you can't perform at the Video Music awards, the MTV VMAs, if you don't want to be famous.

Yeah.

You know.

Yeah. I just don't think people realize what they're stepping into until they're in it. Especially if they're more of like the artsy vibe. But I don't know. Anyways, that's why I'm here and they're there, I guess that's for sure. So there you have it.

It's been really hard to deal with the fame that we deal with on this podcast.

The last thing that really captures me is some of the weirdness on Social media

So that said, I am going to say that the last thing that really captures me is a theme of this, summer was, some of the weirdness that we have had on Social media. So I, you know, we, had been reposting some clips because we've been on hiatus to promote some of our favorite episodes, including Bernice going toe to toe with Charlene's back in season two. I didn't realize I was tapping into the religious side of Instagram. those comments are really something. So I don't know how much time you've spent in those comments, and there's a lot of them, but the first thing you need to know is that everyone is a theologian. So I hope you knew that. Yes.

And everyone I am not, but everyone.

Else, very strong opinions. And the thing that just absolutely blew me away was the amount of sexism and misogyny of all stripes that I was getting to see in our comments. And just like, people are so audacious. Like, you do realize you're on someone. Like, I'm not like AI. Right, you're not AI. You're coming into our space.

So there is a weird psychological phenomenon that happens when people go online and there is some sort of veil, that drops.

Where do they call it? Key. Something kind of like the same way you have some drinks and then you lose your.

Oh, oh, oh. Key lack of. Lack of. Key. Inhibition. key inhibition.

Yeah, whatever.

I'll get there eventually. Yeah, I mean, I just. There's something that happens there. I really don't spend a lot of time in comments because they over. They overwhelm me. And it is very disturbing to see not only some of the things that go on in people's brains, but the things that they are comfortable sharing with strangers that go on in their brains. I think we all have intrusive thoughts. We all have dark thoughts. We all have strong opinions. I'm not saying I have the most PC opinions of all time or the most PC thoughts of all time. I also don't feel the need to share them with the world. Yeah.

It's so weird.

It's just odd.

Yeah. And I actually found myself in a position where I normally. I just, I started deleting some comments.

Yeah.

Because. And it's. That's a really tough thing for me. I'm obviously free speech and whatnot. I'm a big First Amendment person. But you know what? It's my post.

Right.

It's your post.

Right.

I can do whatever I want.

Well, it's like your house, you know, Especially when it.

We were teetering into the hate line.

Right.

And you know what? First Amendment doesn't cover hate speech, guys. Look it up.

And it's not what we stand for either. Like, we stand for having reasonable disagreement.

I did have, like, a discussion with one person.

Yeah.

and we actually. He told me at the end to let us know when we start covering Golden Girls. Because he loves Golden Girls.

Love that.

And I'm like, could you love women, too?

Yeah. Right.

But, like, at least he was. I. And the reason I engaged with him is because I saw a level of respect there and I was willing to go there. And that was very challenging for me. Because you are like, even though there is this anonymity, like, you're still putting yourself out there. But I just, like, at some point, I gotta speak my truth. And I'm not gonna have somebody like. Or anyone just sit there and, like, say things like their gospel truth. And they're not.

So I think that, though, can sometimes seem like, What's, the word? Like a double standard. You speak your truth, but then I can't speak mine.

Yeah.

And I think people on the other side of some of these issues that you and I feel very passionately about, to them, that is their truth. And while that is alarming and while that is disturbing, again, we're not part of their lives, so we don't know what's leading into that. For me, it's that thing of, like, though, acting like, not only is it the truth, it's the only truth where I can say I don't agree with that at all. And I think that borders on dangerous. But I can see where you think that. And let me just give you this food for thought. And then they come back with their food for thought, which I don't want. so that's where.

If you don't believe women belong in leadership roles in the church,

And I saw you with that particular person. If it's the same when I'm thinking of where you finally got to the point where you're like, this is just not the space.

Let's pull up anchors.

It's not the space for having that conversation.

Yeah. I'm like, you're not changing my mind, and I'm not changing yours. And let's just, Let's just let it be.

But also, like my other.

A lot of soul searching before each one of those responses.

I just, like, it's not worth all the energy. Guys, like, take that energy you're putting into trying to convince Salina and I that women don't have a place in the church other than in the kitchen and go make a difference in your community.

And I just need to say that my whole point is the fact that if you don't believe that women belong in leadership roles in the church, then you probably carry that over into the political sphere. And that's where it gets kind of dangerous, because suddenly you have men making decisions for women, and men don't understand what it's like to be a woman, and suddenly you have all of your rights go away. And that's a kind of slippery slope, you know what I'm saying?

And I think one of those things where, like, you can't, believe in the Constitution and believe in all the basis of America. if you don't believe in a separation of church and state, and if the church just keeps coming back into the state, then your argument is nil. I can't agree with you because you can believe what you want, but then don't let it affect my life.

Right.

Anywho, summer. That was a fun summer. Did you watch any of the Dallas Lighter Note? Did you watch any of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader documentary?

No, but this might be a great break into what you've been watching.

So good. I caught in that. So Carolina, went away to a summer camp this summer, a sleepaway camp for a week. And so simultaneously, Landon went and stayed with the grandparents. And I say that not to share my children's whereabouts, but to say that was my first week without children ever.

I don't think I know that happened ever. You protected.

I didn't do anything glorious or amazing, but I watched the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, documentary, which is America's Sweethearts. it was so good. It was so good because I need to go watch it, like, kind of Barbie. Ask where you see these girls leaning into the very feminine part of their, existence. There's. There's same with beauty pageants. Like, there's parts of it where I'm like, I don't know that I'm comfortable with. That's not for me. But watching a person live out their childhood dream. It's beautiful.

Yeah, it is.

Straight up beautiful.

It was putting me in the mind of the cheerleading one from several years ago talking about. But probably the Texas one. It sounds like I'm talking about this. They're at the college level.

Okay.

Oh, oh, oh.

I know what you're talking about.

Yeah. Why is this happening anyways?

Yes.

so it was putting me in the mind of that. I assume they were similar, but I.

don't remember if I watched the Texas one in its entirety. This one I did watch, and I.

Think you did because you came into work and you've very excited about it sounds about right.

That sounds right.

You wanted to bring in some of that energy to work.

Well, that sounds disturbing. This, one was like.

It wasn't disturbing.

It really dug into these girls stories and they're again, their dreams. For some, you know, this is like fulfilling a lifelong dream for some, it's fulfilling a lifelong dream for someone else and then seeing what the end of that turns out like. And, it was. It was mind blowing. I really liked it. And also, it was just sort of a casual watch. Like, it went fast. It went fast and easy. And, you know, that's how I like my tv.

Heard it right here, folks. She likes it fast and easy.

Fast and easy. That was probably the most noteworthy thing I watched this summer. I really didn't watch that much tv.

I don't really think of you as watching a lot of tv, to be honest. so I'm here. Don't worry. But, So a lot of these are still fairly new, so I won't enter spoiler territory or anything, but I watched Presumed Innocent with Jake Gyllenhaal. Oh, that's on Apple tv. This is. It was first a book, and then they made it into a movie, in the early 90s and with Harrison Ford. Pretty sure it was. It might have been 91, honestly. And,

And the reason I say honestly is because designing women.

91. Okay.

And it didn't make my short list.

Of 91 happenings, but maybe it should have.

It may not be 91. So there's that.

Emily Deck says she struggled with the first season of Game of Thrones

But I. I thought. I really enjoyed that on the whole. And I thought they did an interesting job with it. I watched the sophomore seasons of the Bear and House of the Dragon, which of course has, Oh, yeah, you made a face.

I can't get into the Bear. I've tried so hard. I don't understand what people like about this.

Okay, so here's the thing. Oh, Oh, I'm sorry. I call that the sophomore season and actually the Bears on its third season.

I thought it was a little further along. Yeah.

Excuse me. I struggled a little bit at the very beginning of the first season, and I don't even really have a reason other to say. I think we had, like, people over or something, and we're trying to watch TV together. And that's just like, never a good idea because you wind up talking more. And then I just kind of got pulled out of it and I walked away from it for a long time. And I was like, I know everybody likes it, but I just don't think it's for me. I came back and, kind of powered through it a little bit, and probably because I think I was, like, doing some stuff around the house anyways, I was like, okay, I kind of see it. The second season blew my mind and was one of the best seasons of television I've ever seen. And, definitely had, like, two episodes in it. That would probably be two of the best episodes of TV I've ever seen.

Wow.

So season three is very artsy. It's very creative. I think they did something, where they were supposed to end after the third season. That's always what the creator envisioned.

And then I think it was really successful.

FX offered them probably a boatload of cash, and now there's going to be a fourth season. And I felt that a little bit, to be honest, but I still really enjoyed it. House of the Dragon, we started. We watched that. It was a great season. I will just say that this necessitated. It did not necessitate, but we're doing it anyway. A rewatch a Game of Thrones. Oh, my God. Game of Thrones is, I am going to argue, the best TV show there has ever been.

I don't know I could ever go back to it. I'm not sure I can go back to that.

I feel like that would be a tough watch for you.

It's like there was some sort of magic in those early seasons, and then I'm angry about it. Parts of it in that last season I'm angry about.

But you've never watched it a second time. What I'll say is I was angry in the moment, and now when I watch it, it has a lot of Designing Women's seasons.

I was going to say the Designing Women Season 6 effect because probably for.

Me, it's like this, palpable feeling in the culture and that has died away. Everybody's moved on. And so to go back and watch it now, like, there's a couple things that happened, including, I'm so sorry, guys, if y'all haven't watched Game of Thrones, so spoiler alert. But, like, you're like, oh, Daenerys has been burning people this entire time. So maybe it wasn't that much of.

A Seeds were there.

Yeah.

You just wanted more for her.

You were just like. For whatever reason, the people she was burning. Then you were like, okay, yeah, I get it.

Yeah, I think that's what it was like. It had been. Yeah. Anyway, I won't go down the. I won't go down it. But that's Yeah, I don't. I don't. I also don't feel compelled to watch it again, but maybe if I watched House of the Dragon, I might. But I'm probably not gonna watch that either.

Yeah, I don't see that happening. I just don't. It's not gonna happen. I have my guilty pleasure tv. So I watch Summer House and Below Deck, and then I'm selfishly hoarding the third season. No, fourth season, maybe, of Emily in Paris. It doesn't really matter.

I watched part of the first season of that show, and I also couldn't get into it. Not that I. Not that it was a bad show or whatever. It just really wasn't hidden for me. So I'm watching everybody talk about the fourth season. I'm like, crap, maybe I should try again.

it is. So. This sounds stupid, but just go with me. It's so watchable. It is, like, for an audience who's been fed social media for most of their life, the clothes are awesome. They're in Paris, like, and a lot of it is shot there, like, on location. And, Which is nice because you just get tired of cgi, you know what I'm saying?

It's so funny when you tune into something and then tune out for a little while and come back. So what I remember about the first season of Emily in Paris in the public discourse was, like, a lot of people making fun of it. And then over time, it's almost like people get in on the joke or whatever. And now it's like this very revered, like. And like, I. People just.

Emily in Paris is very complimentary now compared to the first season

It's very complimentary now. And it didn't feel that way the first season.

It's. I mean, I think it is a. It's. It's a guilty pleasure. I don't think anybody's, like, watching it. They're like, now, this is really stuff. yeah. Commenting on some important cultural moments.

Right.

You know, but it's just. It's just good.

Yeah.

So. But, I'm holding it because I'm not ready.

Does Casey watch it with you?

No.

Okay.

No, I think that's a bridge too far. I, did watch Bridgerton. I don't know why.

I tried watching hard. I tried so, so hard because I really loved the first season of Bridgerton.

Then I would just say put your energy into Emily in Paris.

Ok. I also had Covid, I think, the first season of Bridgerton, and I was in bed for three days straight. And, so I think I, like, I just watched a lot of it. And, yeah, all at one time. It's one of those. Just rip off the band aid so you don't have to try to convince yourself it's worth coming back to.

Yeah. I mean, I definitely felt like that was probably, like, the best season. I just. I don't know. It's just, It's like this thing that it becomes. Normally I, like, don't care. And then when people really like stuff, then it makes me hate it.

Yeah.

But there was something about Bridgerton. Every time that, like, the whole world feels like it's talking about. I'm like, well, dang it. I feel like missing.

You don't want to be left out.

And then I watch it and I'm like, am I right? I don't know. Yeah, I had a bit of a blockbuster summer. This is my last piece for the. What I've been watching. I've seen three movies in the movie theater.

Holy moly. This movie theater right up here near you.

Kyle and I are leaving Lawrenceville after 16 years together

Well, okay, so on our exit to Lawrenceville, we were like, in those last days, we were like, what do we want our last nights to be? Like, the things that, like, makes me cry. Really? Like.

Like, super sentimental about that.

Yeah.

Like, that's such a chapter in your lives.

We lived there 16 years. So, like, what. What's something that, like, speaks to us as, like, a couple? Like, is something that we've loved all these years and means something to us. And he and I love to go see movies. We don't always get to do it, but you know it, man. When we were first together, we went to the movies, like, once a week, you know, and that's also cheaper. Fades away. It wasn't even cheap enough then, but it is certainly, like, crazy ridiculous now. But. So I can't say that it was my choice of movie, the last one, but there wasn't much in the theater then, honestly. but we saw Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. I can barely, like, say it. It just doesn't really roll off the.

Kyle really wants to go see that.

It was good. Like, I. I just didn't care. I was like, great. I want some popcorn.

Right.

and I will take the candies. Thank you.

Sure.

please give me the nachos. And we went and saw. This is okay. Like, I like it, you know? we saw Twisters.

I really want to see that.

It was good.

Okay.

That's good. it felt like an old school summer blockbuster moment.

Oh, wow.

And the night before. I don't know if you saw this on social media or not. I dropped it into our stories, but we recreated the Aunt Meg Mill.

I didn't know what that was, to be honest.

Yeah. So we rewatched the movie and then, I swear, we own this social media together. Not really, but, like, So we made, like, the gravy and the steak and, mashed potatoes, and it was fun. Yeah.

I haven't watched Twister in a really long time either, though.

Yeah, I have thoughts. but we don't have time. And then Deadpool versus Wolverine, I went and saw that too. Honestly, I really wanted to see it and I. There was a lot of interesting discourse about this movie. I actually really liked it. I do think you have to know a lot about what's going on in, like, the Marvel universe to understand the, very inside baseball, like, pop culture references that they're making. But if you understand that, I think, and you like things that are, again, breaking the fourth wall, poking at the fact that we're all ran by corporations like you and I are basically hosted by Tusitos right now. There is something about that that, is always going to be entertaining for me.

I get that.

So. So I didn't really watch much this summer is what I'm saying. Here's where it'll get lopsided.

We're revisiting Harry Potter as my kids are coming through

What have you been reading?

no, not really. I, read. And we're revisiting Harry Potter as my kids are sort of coming through. So, I am currently on book four, the Goblet of Fire, with Landon.

Okay.

And on book five, the Order of the Phoenix with Caroline.

You're on two different books.

Yes. So we alternate bedtime with the kids. And, so I'm reading Harry Potter with them. Kyle is reading, the Percy Jackson series with Carolina, and then just like, whatever Landon wants to read. so sometimes Harry Potter. So sometimes they'll read a whole flipping chapter without me. And I come in, I'm like, what happened? But I just finished the Goblet of Fire with Carolina earlier this summer, so. Or the, Yeah, the Goblet of Fire. So I kind of know what's happening. Anyway, we're rereading those, and those are the perfect example of, like, the books have been so supplanted in my mind by the movies, which are so different than the books that you forget so many major and minor moments in the books. And so rereading them like, the movie would hit real different now, I think. And I haven't rewatched much of the movies, so, anyway, we watched all.

Of them, like, two years ago or something.

Good.

I never read the books.

Such a good. It's just such a good series. And I started with the books, so maybe m not the first one. I might have read all the books through after I saw the first movie or something. But, like, I very clearly remember, like, the day the Order of the Phoenix came out. It was actually the day before because I went to Walgreens and there just happened to be a display of them. And it wasn't supposed to be for sale till the next day, so I basically finished it before it was even officially released. So I have several memories of the last books like that I remember. I think it's the next book laying in bed crying about one of the.

Oh, my God. Ashley is a huge fan of the books and we lived together when, like, the last couple of books came out and there was one, and like, she didn't talk for, like, two days and. But, like, we have plans and she was like, reading like, the whole time. We were on the way somewhere and.

I was like, it's hard to stop. There's a lady on, Instagram and TikTok who's reading all the books for the first time. I don't think she's seen the movies. And so she's having these very visceral, real time reactions to. It's fascinating. Anyway, we're doing that and like, the kids, they're only picking up probably Carolina picks up a lot of it. Landon, I think some of it's still going over his head. And so I'll have to stop and be like, do you understand? He just cut his hand off and he's like, wait, what? Okay. All right, well, so anyway, we've been reading that. We also read A Wrinkle in Time. Have you ever read that? It was one of my favorite books of my childhood.

Oh, really?

It is not at all the book I remember it being.

I feel like the COVID scared me when I was little.

Oh, interesting.

Don't remember why.

Interesting. Yeah, well, it was one of my favorite books, so we reread it. Landon is obsessed with it.

Uh-huh.

He loved that book for some reason. So we watched the movie. They made a movie in 2016, a Disney.

Oh, gosh. It's that old now?

Yeah, yeah. Reese Witherspoon is in it. Mindy Kaling, Oprah Winfrey. Yeah, there's a lot of people in it. it gets a lot of hate.

Oprah Winfrey. Have you heard of her?

Have you guys know her? I didn't think it was that bad. I thought it was a little over dramatic. But that was kind of a good story and it did a better job, I think, of helping you take away what you were supposed to take away from it than the book did. The book required you to. I had too much thinking, you know what I mean?

You got time for that?

Yeah, it's too much. So then personally, the only book I read just for myself this summer was the Woman in the Library. it was like a twisty thriller about a murder that happens in a library. And it took me like a really long time to get into it. And so the way I'll quit TV shows, I will not quit a book. I just, I cannot stop.

I'm reading two series of books simultaneously and I can't stop

I have to barrel through and finish it. It's a lifelong journey that I'm trying to change because why waste time on something you don't love? But I can't stop. I can't stop. It was just really convoluted and hard to follow. But in the end it ended up being a really interesting story. There were a lot of. That's why this is why you keep going. Because it could be good.

Sometimes I'll like, I'll walk away from a book for like two years and.

Then come back to it. and then the last book I read the Delta Autobiography, in like a day and a half.

I love that you're like, I don't read anything. And you just, you're. First of all, you're reading two series of books simultaneously and that's how you start off. And I just want you to take that home and think about that. Think about that.

Well, the Delta book was super easy to read and I'm looking forward to our book club on it.

Well, good. I'll start there and say that that is what I'm reading right now, so I better hurry up. It is taking me more than 1 1/2 days. But what I've read so far I've enjoyed. I read the Fall of the House of Dixie. you know, something light. this is. It might be like 10 years old now, but it's by Bruce Levine. And it's about how the Civil War completely upended the Old south and destroy the Confederacy. But it's also about the long lasting impact on the country. I mean, I've been driven to these books largely because of this podcast and sort of like untangling the Southernness of the south, you know? but it's interesting because we're today living with the ramifications of the. Excuse me. The ramifications of the mindset, power struggles, and the cultures of that time. And it's just fascinating because a lot of it is like a, string of, like, letters and real letters from that time period and everything. And just to hear like, like, people in the way they thought then is really something. And there are just, like, these patterns and divides that still exist from this time period. And so, like, to examine those. It's wild. M. It is absolutely wild. I wouldn't call that an easy read. Wouldn't have called it an easy breezy one, which is, what I would also say for the next one, which is Hidden Demons, Evil Visits a Small New England Town. Oh, God. By Marjorie Metzger. So I bought it while I was in Massachusetts. Remember I came back, I brought you that bookshop T shirt. Okay? So love that bookshop. And when I was in there, I wanted to get something, like, from the area. So I was like, oh, murder and the Berkshires. But, like, I guess in the mall, I just didn't put together, like, that's true crime. So you know what I'm saying? Like, I knew it, but then, like, thinking about the fact that that was gonna make me sad. do you understand what I'm saying? So this is about a serial killer that they stumbled onto essentially, in the Berkshire area back in the early 90s. His name's Lewis Lint. They brought him in initially for an attempted kidnapping, and then slowly wind up building a case around him that crosses state lines where there are an uncomfortable amount of missing children that they tied back to him.

No, I think this would be too much.

It's too much for you. Yeah. it was good, but it was. It was a tough read, so.

Sounds familiar to me, though. I'm trying to Google it real quick.

To see if I know something you've listened to in, like, a, serial podcast or something.

Love true crime. But when they. Children or serial killers. I do not love a serial killer story.

I don't think I knew it was going to be kids. I love a serial killer story. I know that sounds creepy, but I always have. I think it's because I'm just fascinated by the way their minds work. I don't understand it. So, like, I just need to know, like, even though it scares me,

Like, well, the devil you know versus the devil you don't. And if you know it, then maybe it won't.

Well, if I know the serial killer, I've got lots of problems, you know.

Just mean if you know how their Brain works.

Oh, right.

Then you can protect yourself.

Oh, sorry.

And I will say, my thing with true crime is I really like a mystery. And with a serial killer, it's just like, oh, God, like, depravity. Whereas, like, in these other instances where it's a little more complicated than just a crazy person who goes and kills people just because they can.

But it's their mind, you know? And like, all of these, like, the profiling, I find really fascinating. I think I've said probably even here before, that there was a time in my life where I really wanted to be a profiler. And. But then I realized that I'm like a scaredy pants. And so this is where the rubber will meet the road. I'd be like, oh, I'm too scared.

And see, I would be an investigator. Like, but not like going and knocking on doors and asking questions. More like the digital footprint and the, like, triangulating gps.

Are you saying that we need to quit our jobs and start a PI firm?

I'm just saying I think there are a lot of paths we could be on.

Celine buys a lot of books. I've bought four since I've been here

A lot of other paths, a lot of passions.

I don't think it's spoiling anything to tell y'all that I've also bought a book that's on my list.

Look at you.

Next. well, I buy a lot of books.

Not anymore. Right. I'm looking at this apartment thinking, not anymore.

I've bought four since I've been here. it's, You'll never eat lunch in this town again. That is the one that Mary Jo references towards the end of season six in, like, the Hollywood episode.

Oh, okay.

If the Delta Burke episode goes well, then I was thinking maybe we could do a second book club episode. If the book's good. Okay. And it's basically just like, all this Hollywood debauchery. You know, you love it gonna be good if, like, someone in a red T shirt walks outside. This got your attention for 10 minutes. Curious.

I love storytelling.

Why are you in red?

What are you doing?

Are you knocking on doors?

He kind of looked like he was carrying a tablet. Celine. I thought he was coming to sell you something.

I am not buying. Please do not knock on my door.

We're going to talk about some current events. I would call most of these current events

let's see, what else? What else do we have here? Because I skipped around, and now I'm confused.

I'm sorry.

No, no, no. Don't be sorry. I think we're just going to talk about, like, some things that, like, have our attention in the world.

Events. We've had a lot happen. Since the last time we talked.

I don't know. I would call most of these current events because I feel like we're really going over into the pop culture in most of them. But, yeah, they're current, they're events. Well, it also has, like. I also feel like it's fair to say that, like, some of these are going to probably feel a little dusty by the time.

Sure.

But you and I haven't had time to sit down and talk about them. And so now you must all listen or you don't have to.

You can turn it off. Well, it's been some. And for some of them, like, if time passes, maybe people have different perspectives or different thoughts now.

That's right. Well, yeah, I like that.

It's been a wacky political landscape recently. Every time you think the political landscape can't get any more

So I was going to start off with just, like, the political. Something easy. Then we'll talk about religion and. Which we already have. So we'll just cover all of the bases of the things that you're not supposed to bring up. but it just feels weird to not talk about the fact that like, like Trump was almost assassinated, then Biden dropped out, and then Harris is in. And this is all in the span of what, three days?

That was the wackiest handful of days.

Yeah.

Every time you think that the political landscape can't get any more, like, twisty and turny, something like this happens.

Yeah.

You're like, what?

Yeah. Yeah. So I just feel like we're, like, you and I aren't here to talk about who we're voting for. We're not canvassing. It's just to say I think we're in for a pretty wild ride, regardless.

Of which side you're on. It's been a wacky political landscape recently.

Yeah. And I think I'm just, like, bracing for how annoying it all is, to be honest. Like, just, And also, like, the anger off of people and, like, just not trying to see each other at all is, like, very frustrating to me. And then, I was, like, listening to the Daily show podcast and they were. They had a historian on there and. Can we just go to the historians? Like, I loved that they had a historian on there who talked about the fact that our election cycles are so long now, and that wasn't, like, a thing.

Yeah.

And so, so much time has passed and everybody from then is dead. And so we just, like, think that because it is this way today, this.

Is the way it has to be.

Yeah. That we have to go through this nine month, one year, two year election cycle.

We don't. It feels like there's never a break.

Can we like France it. They're like, hey, we're voting today, right? Get out your phones. It's. Let's make this happen.

politics has. Politics has become such a huge part of our daily lives, and in my opinion, an unwanted one. Policy is different. Policy should be a big part of your daily life. You should care what's happening in your local community and in your country. So if there's a policy you feel strongly about, stay tuned into that one and watch it because it's a slow train. You're going to have to settle in for the slow burn on that one. Politics. Watching them snipe at one another and pander to one side or the other. We shouldn't have to live through that for years on end before we even get a chance to vote. I don't need that much evidence of the politics. I need some evidence of the policy.

I like that. It's very well put.

Kyle Feels: Two things pop culture related from the Olympics

I will, I thought we could kind of shade our way into pop culture. And I've got like two more things to say about this, but they're pop culture related. So when Harris comes into, the to be the new nominee, Veep explodes on hbo. Funnily enough, we had just re. Watched it like, I want to say like maybe a month before. That show is so funny.

I gotta watch it.

Oh my God. It gets darker and meaner towards the end. But I think that is one day we will be able to examine.

Is that what happens with politics? You start out wide eyed and bushy tailed. You're going to change the world.

I didn't ever say that this one was wide eyed and bushy tailed. but it definitely gets me demeanor. but the, the writing on that show, every single character, it's so sharp. I mean, razor's edge. So it's definitely worth like, it's definitely worth a gander. So, and the line of work you're in, I think you might find it particularly interesting. The gaps. the other thing that's like pop culturally is like the Internet blessed us with some amazing cat memes. So I mean, I don't care. What if you don't find those funny, I don't know what to say to you.

The memes in general have been out of control lately.

That's true on all fronts. That's true. But I was like, there's cats. It might be the year of the cat before it's all said and done.

Which is such a shame for a person like me who's Not a cat person.

Yeah, I'm not a cat person either. But if they're wearing a tuxedo and walking down a Runway, help it.

Like, I mean, you can't help that.

yeah, summer, Olympics. I guess this isn't really pop culture, but that's okay.

Well, it was a huge part. I mean, I felt like it went on forever. It's just two weeks. But the lead up, I think three. Is it the lead up to. And then come off the high. Is that. That's. Were you watching Cycle? we watched a good bit of it. Yeah.

Okay.

We watch. I love to watch swimming. Probably just because it's like so quick. It's so quick. so like I don't have to stay tuned into a two hour long football game. You know what I mean? Kyle, dude, Kyle watched soccer. we watched artistic gymnastics because Trauma. and let me think what else? And like some of the, the dressage stuff. Only because that's the horseback riding kind of stuff. Only because Martha Stewart and Snoop Ah Dogg were teaming up for that. I just watched the high points of that one. And then we watched the high points of surfing pun. Right. Because, that guy whose name I'm blanking on right now but from SNL was. He's married to Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett Johansson. His name is Colin Jost.

Thank. you. We did it. We did it.

Yeah. I need the clues, the breadcrumbs. but his commentary was so funny. But I'm fascinated by a sport like surfing that depends on mother Nature.

And so listening to how they've adapted the rules to that, like you get to be out there for 30 minutes, but if the swells never reach a certain height, then you get five more minutes. It's fascinating. So we watched a good bit of that.

Okay.

What about you guys?

I do not watch the Olympics. So that is. But like I heard.

So you don't have a list of top five moments or controversies from the Olympics?

Oh, do you?

I do.

Oh, that's perfect. You can leave that. So I would just tell you these are my, As an outsider's. Outsider, if you will.

Okay.

You can be the insider. It's just like. Feels weird not to talk about it because I feel like for me, I don't remember the last time that the Olympics got as much attention as it did this time. it just felt like so much bigger there felt like, more excitement. Maybe it's because it's.

It seemed like everyone was attempting to come together and enjoying themselves

Is it the first one? Yeah.

Where it's like the first Regularly scheduled post Covid. Yeah.

And it just feels like we're out of that time, finally thinking. And so I think maybe that's a lot of it. but I, you know, I saw some politicizing of really silly things, but aside from that, like, for the most part, it just seemed like everyone was attempting to come together and enjoying themselves.

I love.

I think that's lovely.

There were some controversies over the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympics

Speaking of the, like, memes and the just, like, running gags on social media, one of my favorites from around the Olympics is the people who are just, like, so annoyed by America right now, and they're just like, this is the worst country to live. But for these two weeks or three weeks, depending on who you are and how the math works out. But for these weeks, I am the biggest patriot. And then they walk out and they're wearing, like, head to toe, red, white and blue, and stars and stripes. And because it's just our time, it's a bit.

We love eventizing.

Yeah, we love it.

So give me your five.

But, well, now I feel silly now.

Why?

I. So these are just five moments or controversies that I was sort of watching over the course of the Olympics. so it started with the opening ceremony. Did you not watch that, like, clip? Okay, clippy. So it was beautifully artistic because they're French.

This is what I'm talking about, people politicizing.

So this is what I was gonna say. Yeah. So I thought Paris was showcased in a really beautiful way. but some of the art was perceived interestingly. So to your point, there was one performance featuring drag queens reenacting Leonardo da Vinci's the Last Summer. Last Supper. Sorry, typo in my notes. it was interpreted by some as sacrilegious. What I thought was interesting, and I missed this in real time, was apparently the, the art director, someone affiliated with Putting It Together, said, no, no, no, it's not that. This is actually a reference to another piece of art showcasing Greek gods having a feast at Mount Olympus. But then later they admitted, yeah, you're right, it really was the Last Supper. but they said it was meant to celebrate diversity and reenact that famous piece of artwork. But it was not meant as a mockery of Christianity. But that is certainly how it was taken online, with some, like, kind of big name celebrities taking issue with it, which I thought was fascinating.

Celine Dion's performance at the Paris triathlon was beautiful

But actually, the part that I found so much more interesting than all that was Celine Dion's performance. Did you see this? I cried. The kids were like, what are you so upset about?

And I was like, she's just persevered through so much.

To come out and reclaim her voice. And I was like, you guys don't understand. Like, I, wouldn't even say I'm the world's biggest Celine Dion fan. Like, I'm not a.

There's a hell of a. I'm not.

A super fan, but I definitely know a lot of her music. Kyle was like, she's kind of like, I only know that one song from Titanic. And I said, hold on. And I pulled out Spotify and started playing. And he goes, okay, I was wrong. She has a lot of songs because in the 90s she was just everywhere.

Hit after hit after hits, just everywhere but there.

NBC is really good about weaving narratives. And so they had been weaving this narrative about this health issue that Celine's facing with stiff person syndrome. And it's taking away this thing that she's done for more than half her life. More. More than like three quarters of her life.

Yeah, she was discovered when she was like nine.

Yeah. So it. Anyway, it was beautiful. I cried. and then like they had the Eiffel Tower lit up. It was gorgeous. this triathlon swim actually took place in the sin. And this is important because we've been talking about this river being so polluted that no one could swim in it for like decades. It's just been illegal to swim in it. So France invested a ton of money, $1.5 billion worth, into bringing it up to code so folks could swim in it. They did have to postpone the triathlon because the river failed a last minute test because apparently the way Paris is built, sewage sometimes runs off into it. But certainly rainwater and pollution affects the levels in it. So it's kind of a big deal. It was a lot of money. And that was the biggest controversy leading up to them choosing Paris as the host city is they couldn't have anywhere for them to swim, which I thought was interesting.

There was drama surrounding Simone Biles and Michaela Skinner at the Olympics

women's gymnastics. I just said that. Major drama this year. The two biggest moments to me were the beef between Simone Biles and her former teammate, Michaela Skinner. So Skinner, posted on Instagram leading up to the events that the women's team doesn't have the same talent and depth that it used to have and that their commitment and work ethic is lacking too. so when the women won gold, Biles clapped back in an Instagram post, after which Michaela, gave sort of this like, pseudo apology, but, then victimized herself, saying that she had been subjected to a lot of bullying since they won gold because they were. Everybody was like, see? We told you so. You're such a horrible person. Go kill yourself. I don't know. but she, like, kind of put it that it was not going well for her. Then Biles teammate Jordan Chiles. I always have trouble saying their names. She was embroiled in a controversy of her own because she initially placed fifth in the individual floor routine, which put her out of reach of a medal. but then her coach appealed the decision. The appeal was successful. She was moved to third, which is good enough for bronze. But the coaching team of Romania filed a challenge to the ruling. they said that she, the coach appealed past the 1 minute mark. I don't know that we need to go through all of this, but there was time stamped footage presented that showed that the coach approached within one minute. But that footage came in after their ruling that they were stripping her of the bronze medal. So they said they can't reconsider it because the footage came in after their ruling. So there is currently a second appeal ongoing.

Yeah, because that doesn't make any sense.

The whole thing didn't make any sense. I lost the thread somewhere in the middle. So in putting this together, I was like, oh, this is messed up.

Yeah, it's. The last I caught was just the initial, taking away.

Yeah. So it. There was the appeal. They had timestamp footage and they said, nope, you're losing it. So they're currently appealing it. She has not returned the medal. And I confirmed this was a new article I was reading. Okay, I have two more.

Good, because I'm gonna hold you to that.

Just two more, because I feel like your eyes.

No, I mean, I'm gonna hold you to the fact that you've read the latest article.

Oh, yeah. Yes, please do. There, were a lot of personal narratives. One of my favorites was an Egyptian fencer who made it to round 16 of the fencing competition.

Oh, I watched fencing.

Did you?

Yeah, I forgot.

Okay, so this woman made it to the 16th round, but she got knocked out. and when she got out of the competition, she went to Instagram to say, like, you know, what a memory this was for her and what a life changing experience. Oh, by the way, I'm eight months pregnant. No one had any idea she was competing. Eight months pregnant.

Oh, my goodness.

Isn't that crazy?

It is crazy.

So the Olympics ended, and I feel like maybe she's had the baby since then.

Wow.

And it hasn't been that long.

Stephen Narachik did pommel horse for the men's Olympics

And, then the last one, I feel like no roundup of Olympic moments this year would be complete without mentioning, mentioning Stephen Narachik. And I hope I said that right. Nedrock, America's gold medal winning Rubik's Cube finishing. Clark Kent, pommel horse hero. Have you heard about this guy?

I don't think so.

Okay, so he did pommel horse for the men's Olympics. and this was like the first year the US Men's Olympic team in a really long time medaled. but there's also.

What's pommel horse?

Oh, pommel horse is the, it looks like a balance beam. It has two handles on it, and you spin around.

Okay.

Takes so much upper body strength.

Okay.

So this guy, they show footage of him leading up to the competition. He is literally just sitting there. He's got his headphones in, he's looking down, he's doing nothing else. He is brought out for one thing only, and. And that is to score highly on the pommel horse. He has these glasses on. He takes his glasses off, gets on the pommel horse, performs a flawless routine, and immediately becomes a media darling because people are comparing him to Clark Kent. He's like this super nerdy guy who comes out and becomes this, like, massive hero on an event that takes a lot of physical strength. Like, it feels like two different people. So since the Olympics, he's gone on all the shows showing that he can do a Rubik's Cube under a minute. showing that his favorite. One of his favorite hobbies is some kind of online video game. And he had to go dark on all of his online video game friends while he went off to go do the Olympics in Europe. So he had to come back and, like, reenter the world of his video game friends. but he actually is going to be on the next edition of America's, What is it? The dance. Dancing with the Stars. He's going to be on Dancing with the Stars.

You know, maybe I heard that, but I didn't know the backstory on.

So it was a whole social media moment for him.

The US came out on top in the medal count at the Olympics

So I was gonna ask if you had any other top moments from the Olympics.

I don't, so.

Well, those.

I feel I'm like those eight seconds of the,

Vincing.

Thank you.

I just love the Olympics. Again, like I said, just watching someone, like with the Dallas Cowboys trailer thing, watching someone's lifelong dream come true is such much. It just gets to me. Plus, you know, there's the competitor in me.

What do you mean?

And the US did come out on top in the medal count.

Okay.

We came home with 126 medals, 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze. China came in second with 91, and Great Britain next with 65.

I do get a little interested in that because, like, as much as, you know, I'm a monster who chooses not to compete.

It's true.

And so I did ask a couple times. I'm like, where are we in medals?

I mean, it doesn't count otherwise. We need to know. That's the only thing that matters here.

That's right.

It's true.

So I liked all those moments. I'm not glazing over.

It looked like you were.

I'm really not. It's called listening. Those are listening eyes. so I just feel bad because, like, I can't. I don't have, like, any input except for to go, wow. You know, because that's all I need.

I just need the wow.

See any of it? just that wow factor. You know what I'm saying?

Uh, next, I thought we could talk about the Blake Lively blowback

next, I thought we could talk about the Blake Lively blowback.

Oh, my gosh.

I want it. So, like, it's a really twisted tale, and instead of, like, going through the background of that, that feels like a lot. If you don't know about it, I think that's like, someone who hasn't watched the Olympics. You know what I'm saying?

That's so crazy. How'd you miss it?

but, like, there's a lot of.

It buried in social media, too.

Yeah. I mean, and it's. You want to talk about twists and turns? Yeah, it's been a lot of twists and turns. It's been a lot. I was laughing earlier because you said, follow the policy, and I was like, they're not. Because they're following. Who is not following? Justin Baldani or whatever his name is. That's what we're following, you know, on social media and investigating that. So that's really important. But that said, like, it does capture your attention. You just can't help it. But I actually wanted to see.

First of all, let me say we're talking about real people again

First of all, let me say we're talking about real people again, and I want to be very mindful of that. You know, I feel about it like, it's not that anybody's ever going to hear this, but I refuse. Sorry. Like, I'm not expecting Blake Lively to tune in, you know, saying.

But, like, well, she's Taylor Swift's friend, and Taylor and I are besties, so she may tune in.

It'll all come full circle. Right. But, like, just this idea of, like, I don't want to add to that part of it.

Right.

You know what I'm saying? But what I was thinking about this is like, just like, maybe how we were generally reacting to it or, you know, whatever we have been thinking about as this has kind of unfolded. And for me, I'm thinking of this as, like, a PR exercise that's, like, multilayered. And knowing that that is, like, your area of expertise and also your background, like, just wondering how that struck you from that side of things.

What an absolute nightmare for everyone involved. Like, this just all went so sideways.

The movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover's book is a musical

What I think is fascinating is if I back all the way back up to your point without not getting into the weeds. When this started hitting social media, this being the movie, it ends with us, which is a movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover's book. When this first hit it started hitting social media, I realized I'd never read the book. And my presumption was it was a really cutesy romantic comedy. That's what I thought. Because everything in the coverage made it appear that way, from things Blake said about, like, making it a girls night to the, like, aesthetics of it. And I was like, oh, that's really cute. They're, like, leaning into that. And it was such a funny foil to what was happening with Deadpool and Wolverine, which is just, like, totally different than that. So I was like, how funny that Blake and, Ryan Reynolds are finding themselves in this interesting environment. It wasn't until I started seeing Justin Baldoni quotes that I realized, wait a. What is this movie about? I didn't even think to question it. I was. I was getting, like, Steel Magnolia's vibes and, like, Girls Night sort of vibes. Maybe like the Notebook. And then when he started saying things like, what am I missing here? So I think it was interesting in that to, make the movie as palatable as possible. They used that framing again. Post Barbie world, we're thinking about this eventizing. Exactly. Yeah.

Yeah, that. I think, I'll go ahead and tack in my thoughts here, because you're right, it's like the marketing of it.

Right.

And it's not like PR and marketing aren't closely related.

Right.

But just this idea that in general, I think we're pulling the wool over people's eyes when it comes to what a movie is about. And it's thousand percent, not just this. It's been like musicals, too. So when Meaning Girls. No one even knew it was a musical.

I had no idea.

What are you doing?

I was excited.

The joker part. Do this is the Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga. That's a musical. Most people don't realize it's going to be a musical because of the way it's portrayed. Now, I will say I had already seen the preview for it ends with us, and it looked rough. So it's weird how there's a disconnect then between those two things. Right. Like, because you're right. All of the hype around that seem, like, girly, where your floral.

Right.

you know, all of this stuff.

And here's my hair product. Buy that, too.

And then you look. And then you look at the preview, and you're like, well, this is clearly about abuse. and so I don't. I just feel like from that standpoint, there's a big mistake there when eventizing overshadows something that I would hope that the author obviously was on her heart. I think she was writing about her parents. Her parents, yeah. So, like, how did we miss that sensitivity marker? What were the publicists doing?

Interview with Blake Lively raises questions about sexism and sexism in interviews

And controlling the narrative, I think, has become in the second chapter of all of this, fascinating, because Blake herself now kind of looks like the jerk in all this.

So I think that is, with my very first reaction, is like, the Blake Lively of it all. Suddenly everyone is sharing their stories about her. It seemed to me like they've been waiting for this.

Just waiting for this moment. Yeah. I saw several people mention that.

Yeah. Old interviews are resurfacing again. Who still follows? who from the cast of Gossip Girl? You know, I watched the interview with Parker Posey. I felt like I at least needed to watch that one. Have you seen this one? This is.

Yes, the interview. Interviewer asks about pregnancy.

Yeah. First she says the baby bump, and then they go into the clothes thing.

I just wonder, would we ask a man this question?

Yeah. And. Well, I don't disagree with that. that said, was at the time. Was that the time? And. But the interviewer's reaction where she was like, I would.

That poor woman.

So, like, it's not a great interview, but I also noticed that any clip that I found, you couldn't see anything up until the baby bump moment.

Right. I don't know what the context was.

Just get it, like, right as she is obviously getting very annoyed. I think also, I just want to bring into this, like, when it comes to these press junkets, I've, sat through so many, but, like, my understanding of them is you do so many back to back to back to back to back to back to back interviews. Think about how you and I are after six hours of recording. Well, we usually get loopy and not bitchy, but, but also we like each other. And if I'm sitting there across from, like reporters of all different stripes and some of them are kind of getting, like antagonistic, not that I'm saying this woman was, because I didn't see that happen. But, like, I do think that that would start. I would do that. I do think it would start to wear on your nerves. you know, I think that the interviewer has the right to get out there and say her piece if that really upset her. where I get lost and where it doesn't work for me is like, it feels like a dog pile.

Right. That for sure is happening.

And then I'm automatically going to be like, that's going to send up all my red flags. Because there's something in this for me that is reading a sexist.

Oh, interesting.

And. And I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's like, also like, the world loves to hate a beautiful woman.

We don't have all the facts on this situation is also a reality in this.

Something I also understand.

Well, I'm saying that.

No, I mean, the world must say to beautiful.

Oh, right, sure, yeah, of course. like Blake's brother in law has come out and said, there's stuff, you guys, basically, there's stuff that's still hidden that hasn't come out yet. So I want to be super clear that I always try to reserve final judgment until we have. And this is why I don't go on social media and rant about my opinions, because there's always stuff I don't know and I want to leave space for that. but I will say, like, just in watching the interviews between Justin is like this, this is a story, a very delicate story that we knew we needed to tell delicately. That is his quote. And Blake's is like, let me show you how to do hair using my hair product. So could you say that that is sexism? Maybe. But could you also say, is it possible she was feeding into that a little bit? I think so. And so I don't want it to be like, that's society against Blake necessarily, if she also had a little role in that. And it maybe just was miscalculated is what I think ultimately this all comes down to. It was miscalculated and possibly mishandled, but a huge mess. And it's fascinating to watch and it's.

Still making so much money, but I guess they're not going to do the second one now. And that will never know how it ends.

Oh, well, you know what I had.

Heard, except we know how it ends.

Colleen Hoover seemed happy. Happy with the end product. from what I saw, an interview.

Probably making a ton of money.

Well, I was gonna say. So either she was paid to say she thought it was really good, or she just really thought it was good.

Do you read her?

I thought I did, but I thought her books were all beachy, which is why I totally bought into it was a romantic comedy.

Well, I do. I think they're like dark romance.

Oh. maybe I haven't read her.

So I've got two friends that love her and I. And they read all of her stuff. And I've got a book in there, sitting on there. But I gotta tell you, this didn't. That's the thing for me, I think a lot of people might have interested them. It kind of. Like, I read the synopsis of the book, and I was like, ah. yeah. Like, it's just not necessarily how I want to spend my free time.

the girl's name is, like, Lily Bloom and she's a florist, and that's one of those places. But J.K. rowling did that too, with Harry Potter, and it didn't bother me. But I was also, like, 18 and 19 when I was reading it, so.

Maybe my standards higher, and I think that's who it's targeting a lot.

There is something in here that makes me think about the LBT Delta drama

Or like, you know, younger women. Not that we're not so young, but you know what I mean? the other thing I was just going to say is there is something in here that makes me think about the LBT Delta drama. So, like, we'll never really know.

Right?

That's what I mean.

Yeah.

You know what I'm saying? So we can sit here and we can speculate, and we can, just, you know, we can read into the distortions. But I would argue that they don't even probably really know what happened. Right. Because everything is, like, through a lens.

Through your own lens, through all of your baggage and trauma.

Then you're, like, bringing in all these outside people to help, just getting messier and muckier. And there will just be people for years that have these, like, really strong opinions. But at the end of the day, what are we doing, folks?

We're doing folks.

And so that's kind of where I'm at on that.

Yeah.

Anyway, so we solved that.

Taylor Swift canceled three shows in Vienna due to security concerns

we got. I had. We had on the list to talk about T. Swift Austrian.

Oh, My gosh. Well, it's a whole thing. So Blake Ladley's her best friend, so that was sort of my natural, transition. But, so the European leg of the ERAS tour, you mentioned this, either in our last episode or it was the same episode earlier. You mentioned, the best concert you've ever been to. The ERAS tour is a whole thing unto itself. but you know, she's finishing up the tour. I think she finishes in November. It's been a two year tour.

Crazy. the.

Let me see, I found some 3.5 million people pre registered for tickets just at initial sale. And 2.5 million tickets were sold initially for this US part of the tour. So it's just a lot of people who have seen this show who have gone to it. She finally made it to Europe. and the people in Europe have been waiting like a year to go to this show. Like the, the tickets were sold like a year ago. So she was planned to perform in Vienna, Austria on August 7th. so like the stakes were high for some fans. Like they had fought to get these tickets. They'd waited a really long time. A lot of US fans are traveling to the European tours because it's actually cheaper to buy European tickets and pay everything that goes with it than to go see her here. So a lot of US fans took time off work, they got their outfits ready, they did all the things. So when they arrived in Vienna and found out that the shows had been canceled, when they stepped off their planes, they were devastated. And I feel like it's worth saying I've seen several artists canceling shows this summer. Blink182 canceled a couple because of sickness. Morgan Wallen is like, known for canceling concerts. And a lot of times it's actually just speculated that it's because he's hungover, not that he's actually sick. Like just making poor choices. This affects people's lives. Taylor Swift has performed over 50 US shows, several Latin American shows, several Asian shows, and several European shows. She has never once canceled on this entire tour.

It monsooned in Nashville. She just went on stage at like 11pm and performed into the early hours of the morning. I think she might have even paid some money because she broke local noise ordinances. But she didn't want people to go home, without seeing her. In Brazil, I think it was a fan died because the venue managed everything really poorly, in terms of like water and managing space. So there was maybe like a delay of that show or extra, Security measures were taken. Something like that. She hasn't canceled a single one of these. So this was big news that she canceled the show? Well, as it turns out, it was canceled because authorities had thwarted an ISIS plot to attack the three Vienna shows. Three men, 17, 18 and 19 years old, were arrested. initially, authorities and concert officials planned for the shows to go honestly scheduled, but just with additional security. but ultimately they canceled them with refunds because they were very worried about copycatters. So the part that was, So, first of all, I personally can validate the emotions of the fans who are heartbroken. I think it's really easy to say it's just a concert and like, whatever, but this was a huge moment in their lives. There was a lot that went into getting to go to this concert, so I could see where they're really heartbroken. And I think people are really quick to minimize that. But I will say, local businesses embraced the fans who had gotten there. There were lots of discounts offered. There were, lots of local events that were planned just so people could show up and to see each other and enjoy it. and then Taylor herself, gave them permission, the local public broadcaster permission, to air her ERAS tour concert from Disney for free on public broadcast for the local Vienna people to see it, which is kind of cool. She herself, this is the part that was interesting to me because with my PR lens, I was watching and thinking, she's been so silent through all of this, and it's just uncharacteristically silent for her. And, regardless of which side you fall on with her, you know, whatever Taylor does is for a reason. So we were all just really curious to find out the reason. So I, did see some things online where people were like, she's such a sellout. Like, she doesn't see what she's doing to us and she doesn't care about fans. Well, what really happened was that, she had some shows a week or so later in London, and when those shows were finally finished, she put out an Instagram post. Because every time she finishes the leg of the tour, she puts out a post and talks about her favorite parts of the show. And she actually mentioned, Vienna for the first time. And I think the part that was really interesting, she said, she was filled with a sense of fear, a new sense of fear, tremendous amount of guilt, heartened by the love and unity of the fans. but then she says, let me be very clear. I'm not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who want to harm the fans who come to my show. In cases like this one, silence is actually showing restraint and waiting to express yourself at a time when it is right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely. And it's with great relief that I can say that. She also said, somewhere in here, I'm really glad that we are grieving shows and not lives. And so I think that was super validating for some fans to be seen by her. But it was also kind of a masterclass in public relations because if she had said something too soon, it could have been dangerous.

She is a master class in public relations.

She is public relations. She is. But for Swifties. That was a big storyline at the first part of August. and she is about to wrap up the rest of the tour. She'll be done, I think, like I said, in November. But, she's coming back to the US For a few concerts. Yeah, I will not be at any of them unless someone donates tickets.

You've been to two, it's fine.

Some people.

Some people would say that's very lucky.

Nikki Glazier, the comedian, she's been to like, 16.

Oh, really?

She was actually supposed to go to the Vienna show and got off the plane and was like, it's been can. Or maybe she hadn't gotten on the plane or something yet. But, yeah, she had a whole bit about, like, how some people have kids and families. I have Taylor Swift shows. Give me this. I'm 39 years old and the woman let me have this, which I thought was really cool.

Yeah, I do like her.

Kate Middleton returned to Wimbledon in July amid health concerns

we want to talk about Kate Middleton.

Yeah. So this is another one of my additions to the list because I just feel like we're always sort of royal adjacent. Of course, it's just worth mentioning. so there was sort of another emotional pop culture moment this summer. And that's when Kate returned to Wimbledon in July. She had made an appearance at Trooping the Color in June, which is like the King's official birthday party. but Wimbledon, was really her first kind of major event on her own, I think. so there had been. I think we talked about this on here. She's battling an undisclosed cancer related issue. And so she hadn't been seen since Christmas last year. And rumors reached a fever pitch about what had happened to Kate. So in March of this year, she was forced to put out a video that said, I had some test results done. They are not good. And I'm focusing on what comes next for me? Just be patient with me.

Right. Please stop saying it's a mommy makeover.

And please also stop saying the Royal Family killed me and is hiding me and, like, buried me under Windsor Tower or whatever. Like, it's all so crazy. so June was the first time she was really seen in public in a meaningful way and, like, an official way. at trooping the color, I felt for her because I felt like she really had to show up and do this thing.

She wasn't ready. Care for people. You don't.

And empathize with people.

Like, we're all going through stuff.

but fast forward to July. so she's been the Royal Family's official Wimbledon patron, which is not her official official, like, patron title, but, like, basically, she's known for going to Wimbledon and giving out the final, ah, award. But since 2016, she's been in that role. We can almost always count on her appearance at this tournament, this tennis tournament. but this year, folks didn't really know what was going to happen because she's been in such, like, difficult health issues. But she did make it, and she brought Charlotte with her, and she brought her sister Pippa. And, and Charlotte is not little anymore. That was the other thing. Charlotte is so grown up. What was wonderful is she got a standing ovation for several minutes where you can clearly see she's visibly moved by it. And there's this one beautiful picture of Charlotte looking up at her with such admiration. And she has this look of just almost like, awe that this is happening for her. And it was just really beautiful, and it made me very happy.

Nikki is weepy.

I am weepy. I am weepy.

Yeah. Soak it in before she's a teenager, right?

That's true.

And she'll look at you at all, but it'll come back.

She'll glare at you.

That's true. That'll happen. Ah.

I just feel bad about Meghan's unfair treatment in the press

And then do we want to take it out on the Meghan Markle of things?

So we have to, like, equal? I'm like, well, I say we have to only because Megan also has been caught up in a bunch this summer. I just feel bad because it's like we had that whole episode about the Meghan and Harry documentary where it really brought me around on her unfair treatment in the press. And I was trying to put this together just to sort of give some high points about where she was this summer. And it was really hard to come across any good news in their world, which made me feel really bad.

I just Feel like people feel, incredibly frustrated with them. Yeah. Is my read from anyone who is out there doing any influencing, you know.

Yeah.

Or any podcasting about them or anything. Like, whatever shine they had there for some minutes.

Like, they're not helping themselves. They're just not helping themselves. Yeah. So they,

So you're not getting any jam when that's on.

I probably. I probably can't afford it, to be honest, because I imagine it's going to be very expensive, which adds to the fire. Anyway, they visited Nigeria in May. Harry visited the UK for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in June, I think it was. And then they took a trip to Colombia in August. the headline that actually made me think to put them on the list because again, we were talking about Kate and I was like, what have Harry and Megan been up to? The one that caught my eye was this American Riviera Orchard, which is their, lifestyling or Megan's lifestyle and cooking, brand. She launched it soft. Launched it in March of this year. And then everything in my orbit had been pretty quiet. Like, I think I heard she launched it. But, like, what does that mean? It doesn't matter to me because it was a soft lunch. That's the beauty of a soft lunch. but it had been quiet because apparently she's been having trouble finding a CEO to lead the brand. and apparently close to 20 people have already quit the company and they haven't even officially launched yet. And again, in the vein of a dog pile, the stories that are coming out are not super flattering. So, some of this feels like a little bit of the media is meant sort of thing. Some, of it feels like there's maybe a little more to the story.

Right. Like, help them not be mean.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, that's what they've been up to. And I just wanted to give them equal time since we talked about the other side of the family. That's all.

That is so kind of you. I'm sure everyone will appreciate I want.

To be on their side. And especially after watching the documentary. I think there's so many valid points. Points. And there's so many. This is just complex and there's so many layers.

Multiple things can be true.

Exactly.

You know. Exactly. She could have been like, in my view and, you know, my opinion, I think she was treated unfairly.

Yeah.

and I think you can, Time can pass and maybe you make some missteps.

You know, you also don't do yourself Favors, right?

yeah. Also lifestyle brands. That's tough beat. But we also beat up on every woman who does it.

The goop.

Like, it's exactly what I'm thinking of.

Gwyneth has a beautiful ability to not give a crap what people think about her. And she also does herself no favors sometimes. And her brand is very successful. But yeah, they're so expensive, they're so inaccessible. And I don't really know what the end game is.

Is that also need to go on our list but we'll have an accessible one.

Yes.

With affordable products.

Yes.

For like the average 39 year old. Like, you know, some disposable income. But not boundless.

But not boundless. And no need for not three words.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

Like keep it tight.

Yeah. Not Georgian Plains. Southern. We'll workshop this.

You know, I mean, names are hard, so I'm not trying to say they're not. but okay.

Thank you for joining us.

There's a lot of ground that we just covered.

We did well.

A lot. It's been a lot. It's been a heavy summer.

That's right. It's been not all jam. You know what I'm saying?

It's not all jam.

So come back on Monday for an all new episode focused on how Mary Jo fared in season six. And in the meantime, you know the drill. DM us, email us or contact us from the website. Find us all over the socials. We might even remember that we're on YouTube. And that's this week's extra sugar.