Absolutely Not Podcast – "Get Thee to Therapy with Nicole Byer"
Host: Heather McMahan
Guest: Nicole Byer
Date: March 11, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, comedian and actor Nicole Byer joins Heather McMahan in Atlanta for a lively, unapologetically honest conversation. The duo tackles everything from body image, confidence, comedy industry woes, and fashion, to the joy and pain of survival jobs, dating, and the importance of therapy—always with riotous laughter and zero filter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Early Comedy Roots & UCB Memories
- Heather’s admiration: Heather opens with a heartfelt tribute to Nicole, recalling early days at UCB and Nicole’s influence as a comedy idol.
- Comedy style & fashion: Both discuss resisting the UCB uniform of dressing down as women, instead embracing glam, makeup, heels, and boldness.
- “I just don't subscribe to that. Like, I'd rather look pretty.” – Nicole (01:45)
- “You’re never going to be little, so just go into the room big and stay there. Don’t try and be smaller.” – Heather quoting her mom (03:12)
2. Pole Dancing & Strength
- Nicole’s pole dancing journey: Nicole advocates for pole as both empowering and fun, whether for strength or embracing sluttiness.
- “You could just be like, I’m strong today. Or you’re like, I’m gonna show a nipple today.” – Nicole (02:26)
- “Eight inches, they're easier to walk in… easier to dance in.” – Nicole on Pleasers heels (02:49)
3. Body Image, Confidence & Internet Trolls
- Book chat: Nicole discusses her book, "Very Fat, Very Brave: The Fat Girl's Guide to Being Brave and Not a Melancholy... Fat Girl in a Bikini," sharing the publisher’s hesitance about the title.
- “If you don't like it, change it. But if you don't want to do the work to change it, you gotta love the skin that you're currently in.” – Nicole (05:23)
- Dealing with criticism: Both comedians explain that self-deprecation came before online trolls, and nothing surprises them.
- “[Men] never say anything I haven’t said to myself.” – Heather (06:02)
4. Relationships & Joy
- Nicole’s partner: Nicole shares about her relationship — the joys, quirks, and how her boyfriend copes with her exuberant expressions.
- “His only criticism is like, hey, Nicole... you tend to scream in my face when you get excited.” – Nicole (10:10)
- Love should be easy: Heather reflects on the stability of healthy relationships, contrasting them with the insecurity of past ones.
5. Comedy Career & Touring
- Finding joy on the road: Nicole talks about keeping performances fresh and fun despite exhaustion and dark industry realities.
- “If I didn't think it was funny, I would just stay in bed.” – Nicole (12:48)
- Best and worst clubs: Nicole and Heather bond over cities they love to perform in (Chicago, Madison) versus those that break their spirit (notably Buffalo).
- “The people of Buffalo, y'all might be nice, but they don't like comedy.” – Nicole (15:11)
6. Sports Obsession & Cultural Commentary
- Sports fans: The hosts dissect how losing sports teams affect city morale and why some people overly identify with sports.
- “It's a little scary when the sports affects you that much. Get a life, get a hobby.” – Nicole (16:22)
- Learning baseball: Nicole shares a fun baseball story, highlighting the joy of new experiences (18:03).
7. Survival Jobs, Retail & Capitalism
- Retail horrors: Hilarious horror stories from Lane Bryant, SoulCycle, and minimum-wage exploits.
- “They paid me $7.25 an hour in New York City.” – Nicole (25:49)
- Credit wisdom: Both lament how nobody taught them about the dangers of store credit cards.
- “If you pay the minimum on a credit card, you're fucked.” – Nicole (27:46)
8. Fashion, Body Type & The Industry
- Fit struggles: The ongoing challenge to find stylish clothes beyond sample sizes and having to resort to custom tailoring.
- “People don’t believe you about your body.” – Nicole (30:10)
- On-set hacks: Describing the reality of costumes being clamped, cut, or assembled at the last minute to fit.
9. Improv Team Doppelganger & Diversity
- Background: Nicole recounts forming the groundbreaking all-Black female trio Doppelganger at UCB due to being consistently mistaken for one another and overlooked by the institution’s teams.
- “Out of a team of eight, you can only have two women. That's how it went.” – Nicole (38:36)
10. Standup Beginnings & Touring
- First stand-up gig: Nicole describes how she went from improv and TV to stand-up, winging her first 40-minute set at Rutgers (40:20).
- Importance of challenge: Both agree the best training is performing outside your comfort demographic.
- “I need to go do the show for the entire room... who don’t want to like me.” – Heather (42:27)
11. Comedy Icons & Influence
- Whoopi: Nicole’s primary inspiration, especially for her versatility and comedic timing.
- “Whoopi Goldberg. The movie Ghost is one of my favorite movies. Every scene she is in is so deeply funny.” – Nicole (49:36)
- Fashion joy: Discussion of dressing up for performance, nails, self-expression, and the struggle for inclusive sizing—even with major designer brands.
12. Pop Culture, Plastic Surgery, & Social Commentary
- Reality TV: Love for trash TV like 90 Day Fiance and "Members Only."
- Plastic surgery: Observations on the homogeneity of cosmetic work in certain circles.
- “It’s almost like... they all go to the same guy to prove they can afford that $100,000 facelift.” – Heather (56:51)
13. Vision Board & Manifesting
- Looking forward: Nicole voices the vision: keep working, create with friends, and focus on "making the world better" and being joyful again.
- “I just want to be like laughing all the time. I just want to have a nice time.” – Nicole (61:00)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “You’re never going to be little, so just go into the room big and stay there.” – Heather (03:12)
- “If you don't like it, change it. But if you don't want to do the work to change it, you gotta love the skin that you're currently in.” – Nicole (05:23)
- “The people of Buffalo, y'all might be nice, but they don't like comedy.” – Nicole (15:11)
- “Comedy's wild. We get on stage, tell people our deepest thoughts, and they're just eating chicken fingers.” – Nicole (13:37)
- “Life is too short for cheap underwear and mean people.” – Heather (paraphrased theme recurring throughout)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Improv & Early Comedy Days – 00:30–04:00
- Pole Dancing & Empowerment – 02:08–03:00
- Body Image, Reddit Trolls, and Book Talk – 04:13–06:37
- Relationship Realness – 09:53–11:59
- Survival Jobs & Retail Stories – 25:29–30:56
- Fashion Sizing, Styling, & Set Stories – 29:43–31:35
- Doppelganger, UCB Diversity, & Improv Politics – 36:55–38:36
- Standup Beginnings & First 40-min Set – 40:03–41:12
- Comedy Icons and Performative Joy – 49:36–52:11
- Plastic Surgery & Pop Culture Gossip – 56:10–58:19
- Vision Board & Joyful Manifesting – 59:52–61:03
Highlight: Call-in Voicemail Advice (63:08)
Caller: “Absolutely not to sex dreams about my boss after a promotion! Is this normal?”
- Nicole’s take: “That’s my little secret.” (64:36)
- “I think this dream’s about you being ready to do above and beyond to get further ahead in your career.” (66:08)
- Both agree: Laugh it off, keep it to yourself, and hit your Q3 numbers—no need to act on subconscious corporate ladder dreams!
Closing
Heather and Nicole wrap with fashion recommendations (Jessica Simpson for big shoes, Gucci for statement pieces), laughter about nailing down therapy and self-care, and a mutual celebration of working, thriving, and wishing for an easier, kinder world.
Where to Find Nicole
- Tour dates: NicoleByerWasTaken.com
- Podcasts: Why Won’t You Date Me?, Best Friends, Newcomers (on hiatus), 90 Day Bae (Patreon)
- Instagram/Twitter/TikTok: @nicolebyer
Final Thought:
“I just want to be like laughing all the time. I just want to have a nice time.”
—Nicole Byer (61:00)
For more infectious, candid joy and no-holds-barred real talk, follow both Heather and Nicole, and catch Nicole’s comedy specials and podcasts wherever you get your laughs.