Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata
Episode: Nicole’s Fruit Journey
Date: October 22, 2025
Podcast Network: Headgum
Episode Overview
In this fun, free-wheeling episode, Nicole and Sasheer catch up about their latest adventures—including Nicole’s unexpected foray into fruit thievery and obsession with planting exotic seeds, their whirlwind trip to Las Vegas filled with concerts, fine dining, and gambling, and plenty of side-splitting anecdotes about everyday life, mishaps, and more. The duo’s signature warmth and playful banter shine throughout, offering listeners a delightful sense of best-friend intimacy and comic relief.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Nicole’s Fruit Exploration & Planting Obsession
- Nicole’s Confession: Nicole opens the episode by admitting she's been "stealing Japanese persimmons" from her neighbor’s tree—an act driven by sheer fruit curiosity and no prior knowledge of what persimmons were. She describes her immediate, unwashed taste test and the subsequent spiral into fruit obsession.
- Quote: “I reached my little hand up and I ripped it out of the tree...I bit into it and I was like, this is a fruit I’ve never had before.” — Nicole (01:22)
- Starting a Mini Orchard: After Googling the fruit and confirming it was a Japanese persimmon, Nicole decides she's going to plant the seeds herself. She stocks up on various rare seeds online, including Korean grapes, red custard apple, blue Java “ice cream” bananas, purple strawberries, and more—with zero research on climate compatibility.
- Quote: "I'm not gonna do any research. I'm gonna put them in the pots and I'm gonna water them. And we’re gonna see what happens." — Nicole (03:56)
2. Fruit Trees and Neighborhood Etiquette
- Sasheer reassures Nicole that taking the fruit is likely doing the neighbor a favor—it’s common for yard fruit to go unpicked.
3. Firefighter Home Visit
- Sasheer’s Scare: Sasheer recounts a recent morning when the fire department showed up after she panicked about a loud noise (suspected carbon monoxide leak)—only for it to be revealed as a doorbell speaker malfunction.
- Quote: "They look so disappointed because...they were, like, ready for action.” — Sasheer (06:22)
- Uniforms & Hotness: Nicole and Sasheer have a classic best friend moment admiring the appeal of firefighters’ uniforms, reminiscing about flirtatious moments in public.
- Quote: “The uniform sometimes does it.” — Nicole (08:14)
4. Vegas Adventure Recap
- Trip Logistics: A 24-hour escapade filled with Ashley Simpson’s late-night show, Cirque du Soleil (Mystère), gambling wins and losses, and a visit to the Spearmint Rhino strip club.
- Cirque du Soleil Impressions: Both marveled at the athleticism and weirdness, comparing real-life performers to the dramatized characters of Showgirls.
- Quote: “Do we understand the through line? No. But I do understand athleticism.” — Nicole (10:17)
- Concerts & Fandom: The women celebrate the vibe and trust of Ashley Simpson’s fan base and share stories about funny fans—including a woman in a pink dress who was so drunk she missed a one-on-one moment with Ashley (13:12).
- Casino Luck: Nicole’s only superstition is to gamble in the hotel where she’s staying, and only on “silly branded machines.” They break down winning and losing streaks, lucky places, and a mini community with other gamblers.
- Quote: “You kept going, ‘Oh, that’s it. All your money’s gone. That was fast.’” — Nicole, teasing Sasheer's commentary (20:11)
- Vegas Food: Rave reviews of high-end dining at Spago and Cut by Wolfgang Puck, with obsessive attention to juicy chicken, off-menu bread, soufflés, and Wolfgang’s celebrity chef status.
- Quote: “I would write home about it. I would write multiple letters home.” — Nicole, about Spago’s chicken (28:03)
5. Celebrity Chef Pilgrimages
- Nicole proposes a culinary road trip to visit restaurants run by celebrity chefs (Guy Fieri, Robert De Niro at Nobu, Nancy Silverton at Osteria Mozza).
- Humorous musings about strange restaurants, like dining completely “in the dark” and whether menus are revealed ahead of time (35:00).
6. Eye Health and Travel Woes
- Nicole and Sasheer discuss their respective vision struggles (astigmatism, sensitive corneas) and share travel hacks—like always keeping sunglasses on hand for concerts with strobe lights (44:25).
- Nicole jokes about realizing she must have a large head after Sasheer tries her sunglasses: “You looked like an alien. They were so big on you.” — Nicole (45:16)
7. Calendar Shenanigans
- Nicole confesses to using cryptic calendar reminders that sometimes confuse even herself (“sit in Sasheer’s seat for heat”), likening it to Memento-style mystery notes (47:24).
- She is trying to improve with more context-rich event notes, e.g., “Chairman returns with brother to move chair again.”
- Quote: “I simply don’t help myself out in any sort of way...I’m really trying to help myself out.” — Nicole (48:42)
8. Skin Care Adventures
- Nicole shares her recent skincare hauls from Sephora, touting the efficacy of Korean brands and her philosophy of oscillating products to avoid “sentinel” skin adaptation (52:28).
9. Pop Culture Chat
- Marvel/X-Men anticipation, amazement at Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s (Toby Keith?) breakup, and affectionate riffing on Keith Urban’s (or Toby Keith’s) place in country music (55:09).
- Love for Yola’s soulful country music.
10. Listener Q&A
Brushing Technique Weirdness (58:01)
- Listener Asks: Is it weird to sometimes move your teeth around the brush instead of moving the brush?
- Nicole: Not weird at all—as long as you get your teeth clean.
- Sasheer: Hadn’t thought of it before, but it’s quirky and fine!
Making Friends as a Person of Color in Rural Ireland (63:02)
- Listener Nell, who is mixed-race and feels isolated, asks for advice.
- Suggestions:
- Try posting flyers for natural hair meet-ups.
- Seek out Facebook or online groups matching cultural and personal interests (e.g., “Black Girls Run”).
- Involve family; perhaps they know more local people of color and can help build community.
- Main takeaway: Finding community might mean stepping outside your comfort zone, but even one or two new friends can make a big difference.
- Quote: “If you’re asking, you need to be doing more of it [fellowship].” — Nicole (25:31)
Notable Quotes & Moments (With Timestamps)
- “I reached my little hand up and I ripped it out of the tree...I bit into it and I was like, this is a fruit I’ve never had before.” — Nicole (01:22)
- “I'm not gonna do any research. I'm gonna put them in the pots and I'm gonna water them. And we’re gonna see what happens.” — Nicole (03:56)
- “The uniform sometimes does it.” — Nicole (08:14)
- “Do we understand the through line? No. But I do understand athleticism.” — Nicole (10:17)
- “You kept going, 'Oh, that’s it. All your money’s gone. That was fast.'” — Nicole, teasing Sasheer’s casino naiveté (20:11)
- “I would write home about it. I would write multiple letters home.” — Nicole, on the chicken at Spago (28:03)
- “If you’re asking, you need to be doing more of it [fellowship].” — Nicole (25:31)
- “You looked like an alien. They were so big on you.” — Nicole, about Sasheer in her sunglasses (45:16)
- “I simply don’t help myself out in any sort of way...I’m really trying to help myself out.” — Nicole, about convoluted calendar entries (48:42)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Nicole’s Fruit Confession: 01:09 – 02:50
- Seed Shopping/Planting Plans: 02:50 – 05:07
- Firefighter Visit Story: 05:28 – 08:06
- Vegas Recap (Ashley Simpson, Cirque, Gambling): 09:24 – 24:29
- Dining at Spago & Celebrity Chef Riffs: 27:12 – 34:00
- Dining in the Dark (Restaurant Discussion): 34:13 – 36:45
- Vision Health & Sunglasses Size Fiasco: 43:43 – 46:45
- Calendar Mysteries: 47:16 – 49:01
- Skincare Haul: 51:21 – 52:53
- Q&A – Teeth Brushing Habits: 58:01 – 60:52
- Q&A – Making Friends in Rural Ireland: 63:02 – 66:52
Tone & Style
The episode, like the show itself, maintains a loose, affectionate, and hilarious tone. Nicole and Sasheer riff on each other's stories, embrace digressions and vulnerable confessions, and foster a sense of community with listeners—even as they earnestly engage with deeper questions about friendship, identity, and belonging. The humor is off-the-cuff and relatable, while moments of advice and warmth are genuine without being sappy.
Summary for the Uninitiated
This episode is a quintessential example of why “Best Friends” is so beloved: it offers a window into the infectious friendship between Nicole and Sasheer, making the listener feel part of their circle. They dive into Nicole’s impulsive fruit foraging and subsequent urban gardening ambitions, recount the highs and lows of a Vegas jaunt, indulge in wild culinary and pop culture tangents, and end by giving sincere (and funny) advice to fans about everything from oral hygiene to forming community. Knowing the structure or themes in advance isn’t necessary—the joy is in the journey with two best friends at the top of their game.