Absolutely Not Podcast with Heather McMahan
Episode: "Blow Kisses with Jen Zabrowski"
Date: February 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively, characteristically unfiltered episode, comedian Heather McMahan sits down with her close friend, writing/directing partner, and frequent collaborator Jen Zabrowski. Broadcasting from a plush velvet couch at the Palazzo Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Heather and Jen take listeners behind the scenes of their friendship, their creative partnership, and the chaos of life on the road. The episode covers fashion woes, Vegas hijinks, adventures in show business, lessons learned from years of rejection, and the joys of female friendship and mutual support — peppered with signature banter and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Friendship & First Impressions (02:00–04:00, 36:00–37:00)

• Heather brings Jen on the show for a “refresh” on who Jen Zabrowski is, given Jen’s recent heavy involvement in Heather’s life and tour.
• The pair reminisce about their origin story: Heather discovered Jen’s “sweet voice” on a podcast and wasn't sure they'd vibe, but a heartfelt in-person meeting cemented their connection.
  • “You live in Joni Mitchell's house in the canyon. And then we were both sobbing over our dead relatives and friends. And I was like, this is my bitch.” (36:08 – Heather)

2. Fashion Disasters, Body Image & The Barrel Jeans Debate (02:23–06:19)

• Hilarious (and biting) commentary on fashion choices, including Jen’s controversial “barrel jeans” and the pitfalls of oversized trends:
  • “I will fight Jill on the barrel jeans. The barrel jeans…need to fucking stop. Unless you’re wearing them to the fucking rodeo. What are you doing?” (03:28 – Heather)
• Affirming comments about body acceptance and Heather’s relentless encouragement for Jen to “get the tits out” and be sexy, especially in Hollywood.

3. Vegas Vibes & Lesbian Aesthetics (06:51–07:50)

• The hosts joke about their current no-makeup, sunglasses-inside look:
  • “We look like two lesbians who own a crystal shop in Arizona and love the Eagles, period.” (07:17 – Heather)

4. The Glen Powell Missed Opportunity, Celebrity Interactions & Networking Fears (07:45–15:46, 17:31–26:21)

• Extended riff on running into actor Glen Powell, with Jen lamenting missing her chance to hype him up pre-fame, and Heather’s unexpected shyness around celebrities.
  • On Heather's reluctance: “She’ll talk to a stranger, but she’s not a, ‘Hey, I’m a big fan of yours.’” (08:05 – Jen)
• Tales of 2000s clubland, “assaulting” American Idol contestants, and the awkwardness of celebrity meet-cutes.
• Reflection on the weird power dynamics and intimidation of the LA/entertainment scene, with the conclusion that 2025 should be the year of “I don’t give a flying fuck.”
  • “This year is the year of I don’t give a flying fuck. No, you’re probably going to reject me, but I’m going to just say get over to my house and I’m going to shove a microphone in your face.” (21:33 – Heather)
  • Networking as love language: “I love connecting people. That is networking is really truly my love language.” (22:00 – Heather)

5. Support Roles: Talent vs. Producer (24:53–26:21)

• Jen reflects on her own producer/director wiring, the joys of gassing people up, and her favorite role as “hype woman” behind the scenes.
  • “I get so excited about people…that’s why I love when we’re creating content where you’ll be at the center of it…but when you’re the talent with a capital T…it’s just a really different mode.” (25:52 – Jen)

6. The Realities of Showbiz, Rejection, and Resilience (36:36–41:55)

• Both discuss the endless cycle of hearing “no,” audition humiliations, and maintaining sanity amidst career instability:
  • “If you make it out and you don’t have a major issue, like, wow. Ten out of ten, you’re thriving.” (38:23 – Heather)
  • “The breakdown came in, and it said, ‘Not pretty, not ugly, someone out there loves her,’ and I was like, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’” (39:15 – Jen)
• A rousing story about shutting down a disrespectful network meeting, with Jen dropping the classic exit:
  • “I’m so sorry, we have to go to another meeting. We’re going to be late to go to Judd Apatow’s and it doesn’t seem like this is working out.” (41:36 – Jen)

7. Vegas Life: Gambling, Massage Tables, & Shopping (42:23–47:31)

• Prize tales from the casino floor, including in-seat massages mid-roulette, the universal struggle to find size-inclusive luxury shoes, and the unique excitement of performing in Vegas.
  • “If they dropped off chicken tenders while I was getting a massage and smoking a cigarette and drinking a McUltra…I’d be moving to Vegas.” (44:15 – Heather)

8. The Cruise & The Overachieving Female Network (51:01–53:13)

• Discussion turns to Heather’s upcoming fan cruise—panic in the Facebook group, the need for these Type A gals to just “let go” and trust the process:
  • “There will not be a second of downtime on this cruise...it's okay, bitches. Take a fucking chill pill.” (52:21 – Heather)
  • “Let me do the voodoo that I do, which is entertainment.” (52:44 – Heather)
• Life lesson delivered with humor: “Be present and pleasant. I need to start—I preached this…and I’m not even living the life that I preached.” (69:43 – Heather)

9. Old-School Gestures: The Art of the Blown Kiss (53:45–55:42)

• The episode’s namesake segment: a nostalgic and playful endorsement of blowing kisses instead of unsolicited greetings, a move both cheeky and “non-threatening.”
  • “‘Nobody blows kisses anymore. That’s a good one!’” (54:04 – Heather)
  • “Blow a kiss and then you catch it.” (54:19 – Jen)

10. Delegation & Outsourcing: Advice for Overwhelmed Women (65:57–68:05)

• Both women discuss learning to accept help, the importance of delegation, and the burnout that comes from the “I’ll do it myself” mentality.
  • “Let them. That is their job. Let them, let them, let them.” (66:57 – Heather)

11. Pulling Back the Curtain on the “Absolutely Not” Crew’s TV Dreams (59:36–61:35)

• Teasing their upcoming show concept and the typical industry rollercoaster of pitching, excitement, and rejection.
  • “Being in this business is like getting blue-balled all the time…We want to come so hard on this next project.” (61:09 – Heather)

12. Vision Boards & Manifesting 2025 (70:27–72:30)

• Jen shares her dream of directing more comedy specials and narrative projects for TV/film; Heather encourages listeners to keep chasing their own visions and to believe that “a yes is around the corner.” (72:45 – Heather)
  • “Just want to be open to just, like, making and creating and working with really fun people.” (72:21 – Jen)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You put a boot cut on a lemur and they're gonna look cute.” (04:38 – Heather McMahon)
• “There is not an American Idol contestant that I did not touch.” (08:56 – Jen Zabrowski)
• “Let them. That is their job. Let them, let them, let them.” (66:57 – Heather McMahon; on learning to accept help)
• “If you make it out and you don’t have a major issue, like, wow. Ten out of ten, you’re thriving.” (38:23 – Heather)
• “Networking is really truly my love language.” (22:00 – Heather)
• “Nobody blows kisses anymore. That’s a good one!” (54:04 – Heather)
• “Being in this business is like getting blue-balled all the time…We want to come so hard on this next project.” (61:09 – Heather)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Friendship intro, fashion talk, & Venice vibes: 02:00–07:50
• Celebrity encounters & Glen Powell saga: 07:45–21:33
• Networking, confidence, & producer dynamics: 21:33–26:21
• Onstage life, TV projects, and showbiz rejection: 36:36–41:55
• Casino stories & size-inclusion rant: 42:23–47:31
• The cruise, Facebook group panic, letting go: 51:01–53:13
• Blowing kisses, nostalgia & consent: 53:45–55:42
• Advice: accepting help & delegation: 65:57–68:05
• Manifesting, vision boards, 2025 dreams: 70:27–72:30

Final Thoughts

The “Absolutely Not” podcast stays true to its reputation: wild, heartwarming, and totally unfiltered. In this episode, Heather and Jen dish about their friendship, celebrate female ambition, encourage self-advocacy, poke fun at trends and themselves, and rally listeners to drop the panic, embrace help, and blow a kiss—or ten—into 2025.