Podcast Summary: Are You A Charlotte?

Episode: Let’s Get Funky with Lala Kent... (S3 E9 "Easy Come, Easy Go")

Host: Kristin Davis
Guest: Lala Kent
Release Date: January 8, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kristin Davis (Charlotte York from Sex and the City) and guest Lala Kent (reality TV star, author, and podcaster) dive into Season 3, Episode 9 of Sex and the City, "Easy Come, Easy Go." The conversation mixes playful nostalgia, honest reflection, and a lot of candid talk about sexual politics—focusing especially on one of SATC’s most memorable (and risqué) storylines: Samantha's "funky spunk." The duo also discuss directing, character choices, and evolving relationships, both on and off the show, drawing connections to their own lives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Infamous "Funky Spunk" Storyline

• Bobby Cannavale’s Role: Kristin and Lala discuss Bobby Cannavale’s appearance as Adam Ball, a character infamous for the “funky spunk” storyline. Kristin shares her admiration for Bobby’s acting and wonders aloud how the actor felt about being associated with such a notorious plot.
  • Kristin: “I don’t think I asked him…what was this like for you?” (04:06)
  • Lala: “I wonder if after that people didn’t want to blow him because they were like, you got funny…” (04:15)
• Reactions to the Episode: The women joke about nicknames and the lasting impact of such a memorable moment.
  • Lala: “Or if he’s walking down the road and people are like, yo, Funky!” (04:25)
• Show’s Realism: Kristin notes that SATC’s wildest plots were often inspired by real events from the writers’ lives.
  • Kristin: “All of our storylines are based on some real story…that the writers either experienced or know of.” (03:31)

Memorable Moment:

Lala (on swallowing): “I gave up swallowing at the age of maybe 24…It’s rough, man.” (07:46)
Kristin: “I don’t think that cum belongs in my stomach.” (07:55)

2. Sex, Swallowing, and Double Standards

• Body Honesty: Lala and Kristin engage in an unfiltered conversation about oral sex, taste, personal boundaries, and men’s lack of understanding of the female sexual experience.
  • Lala: “You can put it on my face…my stomach, my back. If I want to have a baby, do your thing…Just not in my stomach.” (08:00)
  • Kristin: “It’s hard not to swallow that stuff…” (08:13)
• Hygiene & Shame: Lala talks about her vaginal hygiene routine and how women bear pressure to “perform” a certain way.
  • Lala: “I’m very into my vaginal hygiene. I treat it like I would my skincare routine.” (09:54)

Notable Quote:

Kristin: “What do you do with it if you don’t swallow?” (08:20)
Lala: “You have to be near a bathroom to spit it out…rough.” (08:53)

3. Carrie-Big-Aidan: Complexity of Forbidden Love

• Visual Direction: Kristin praises director Charles McDougall’s cinematic approach, which elevates episode visuals. (15:54)
  • Kristin: “It’s kind of a film, you know, a lot happens and…I love how he uses the camera.” (15:54)
• Carrie’s Bad Decisions: The hosts dissect the Carrie-Big-Aidan triangle, focusing on Big’s toxicity and Aidan’s shortcomings.
  • Kristin: “If a man said to me…after this nonsense…‘I thought about what I said and it would cost too much money. Click.’ I never speak to that person.” (17:13)
  • Lala: “Ick…in real life, this is alarming behavior to show up where I am, and you continue…” (17:55)
• Unfinished Business: The allure of the unresolved and forbidden is explored.
  • Kristin: “The unfinished business to me makes sense…only torturing yourself by continuing down the road…” (19:42)
  • Lala: “Sometimes you can’t explain the attachment to somebody.” (21:12)

Notable Quote:

Kristin: “The forbidden doesn’t trump that he’s a jerk, right?” (19:26)

4. Steve and Miranda & The Pain of Growing Pains

• Underdog Love Interest: Both speakers reflect on how Steve’s appeal has grown over time.
  • Lala: “And I find Steve very sexy.” (22:07)
  • Kristin: “I was like, why do they have her with him? I love him, too, now…I just didn’t fully appreciate him at the time.” (22:11)
• Miranda’s High-Strung Nature: Lala relates to Miranda’s stress, especially over mundane NYC life (noisy apartments, barking dogs).
  • Lala: “I relate to Miranda’s…being so high strung because that’s me.” (24:17)
• Hope Amidst Sadness: The hopefulness in Miranda and Steve’s mismatched but honest relationship is underlined.
  • Kristin: “That’s why it’s sad, too, because there’s so much hope there.” (26:02)
  • Lala: “She attracted a really good guy.” (25:59)

5. Charlotte & Bunny: Navigating Approval and Manipulation

• Introduction to Bunny: Frances Sternhagen’s performance as Bunny gets special mention for both comedic and subtle undertones; the real-life Frances was nothing like her character.
  • Kristin: “Rest in peace. An incredible actress, an incredible person. She’s just so good.” (27:05)
  • Lala: “She lived in Connecticut. She had land…She would come in dirty from the garden and get made into Bunny.” (27:26)
• Dynamics at Play: Charlotte is shown learning manipulation from Bunny, mimicking her gestures to win over Trey.
  • Lala: “…when you guys are at lunch, Bunny puts her arm on Trey…and then the second time…it shows me you learned a little manipulation tactic.” (28:41)
• Rewatching as Actress vs. Character: Kristin reflects on how different actors approach their roles and the difficulty of separating real-life colleagues from their on-screen characters.

Notable Quote:

Kristin: “He thought when they first called him for Trey, that he was gonna get to play…a regular surgeon…then they told him, you have some sexual dysfunction and you’re very close with your mom.” (29:13)

6. Behind the Scenes: Filming Tales and the Actor’s Life

• Directorial Styles & Takes: Kristin explains the painstaking effort directors and actors went through for perfect scenes, mentioning up to 36 takes for a simple china plate flip in Bergdorf Goodman. (34:04)
• Filming on NYC Streets: Unique technical challenges and the thrill of mixing real New Yorkers with extras in public spaces are recalled.

Notable Moment:

Kristin: “I remember doing 36 takes of just flipping the plate…That’s when we really start to get the money.” (35:05)

Candid Interludes & Personal Revelations

Lala Kent on Personality and Podcasting

• Self-Reflection: Lala confirms she identifies as “mostly a Miranda” now, though the “planner” side of Charlotte still exists in her. (37:41)
  • Lala: “There’s always a lit…Though the being in my head, and how I picture things going…that will never leave.” (37:55)
• Parenting and Relationships: Lala details her strong routine for self-care and opens up about co-parenting and nontraditional relationships, teasing her podcast with Amber Childers (ex-wife of Lala’s ex).
  • Lala: “She was the wife and I was the mistress…But now we’re super close.” (39:07)
  • Kristin: “I love to hear about women coming together. People tend to blame the women, which I think is unfair.” (40:38)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On swallowing and sexual expectations:
  • Lala: “I don’t think that cum belongs in my stomach.” (07:55)
  • Lala: “It’s great skincare, especially if you’re broken out.” (08:00)
• On Big’s toxicity:
  • Kristin: “If a man said to me…‘I thought about what I said and it would cost too much money.’ Click. I never speak to that person.” (17:13)
• On unfinished business:
  • Kristin: “The unfinished business…makes sense, but you’re only torturing yourself.” (19:42)
• On relationships:
  • Kristin: “You can’t ever fully give advice without remembering that there is a whole experience there.” (21:29)
• On Bunny’s character:
  • Kristin: “She would come in, in her Birkenstock and…get made into Bunny.” (27:26)
• On the pressure to have it all together:
  • Lala: “My whole day is thrown off…when the wind doesn’t blow the way I need it.” (38:11)

Key Timestamps (MM:SS)

• 03:34 Discussing the origins of “Funky Spunk” and Bobby Cannavale’s role
• 07:46 – 08:53 Deep dive into the realities of “swallowing” and sexual boundaries
• 15:54 – 19:42 Carrie/Big/Aidan triangle: filming style, character choices, and relationship toxicity
• 22:04 – 26:14 Steve and Miranda’s relationship, sadness and hopefulness
• 27:05 – 28:45 Introduction and analysis of Bunny MacDougal and Charlotte’s learning curve
• 34:04 – 36:53 Behind the scenes: filming takes, street shots, and working with directors
• 37:41 – 39:07 Lala on her identity, motherhood, and her unique friendship with Amber Childers

Final Thoughts

The episode is a candid, lively re-examination of one of SATC’s most memorable episodes, helmed by people who know how to mix heart, humor, and a dash of oversharing. Listeners get behind-the-scenes trivia, genuine talk about sex and relationships, and an honest look at the pressures of expectation—both in TV and in life. Lala’s personal stories dovetail perfectly with the episode’s themes, providing a modern counterpoint to Sex and the City’s legacy.

For fans, this installment offers both nostalgia and new insights—always with a wink and a willingness to keep it real.