Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata
Episode: Sasheer is a Daring Soul
Release Date: February 18, 2026
Podcast Network: Headgum
Episode Overview
In this episode, Nicole and Sasheer dive into the realities of being sick, quirky travel dreams, dental mishaps, their love of fun, niche destinations, nostalgic sports memories, and honest advice on friendship and relationships. True to their signature, the episode is filled with laughter, random tangents, and candid reflection, exemplifying the power and hilarity of best friendship.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Nicole’s Sickness & Dental Disasters
[02:01 – 10:13]
- Nicole recounts being sick and feeling frustrated since she hadn't done anything to “deserve” a cold.
- “I was sick for the last few days and I hated it.” — Nicole [02:04]
- Discuss the randomness of getting sick even when being careful, and LA's confusing weather.
- The two share dentist horror stories:
- Sasheer shows Nicole an extracted tooth with a dental instrument left inside (!)
- “That's the instrument… it was poking into my gum. Horrific stuff.” — Sasheer [06:47]
- They discuss whether or not she should sue (“Maybe I’ll get my entertainment lawyer on the case.” — Sasheer [07:16])
- Nicole talks about trying “holistic” dentists who still ultimately use pain-inducing picks:
- “I was like, it hurts. Is there some other thing that can be done?” — Nicole [08:37]
- Sasheer shows Nicole an extracted tooth with a dental instrument left inside (!)
2. Travel: Trains, Textures, and Unusual Destinations
[10:40 – 15:29]
- Both lament the pain of air travel and fantasize about snapping their fingers to travel.
- Sasheer wants to take the train to San Diego and stay in a hotel that matches her aesthetic cravings.
- Nicole consults an Instagram wishlist of quirky places:
- Sandboarding in Colorado
- Philadelphia Flower Show
- A Neon Sign Museum in Ohio
- Giant pencil sharpening festival in Minnesota
- “I love dumb stuff. Fellowship. Community.” — Sasheer [14:39]
- They discuss making a shared Google Doc (or Notes app) for destination planning.
3. The Daring Soul — Wearing White
[11:50 – 12:15]
- Nicole dubs Sasheer “a very daring soul” because she frequently wears white and manages not to stain it, inspired by June Diane Raphael.
- “She wears so much white and she’s never stained. That’s a woman.” — Nicole [12:13]
4. Button Collections & Internet Oversharing
[20:49 – 23:27]
- Nicole recounts an internet story where a woman is collecting a button each day of 2026, and refuses to explain why.
- “You did kind of make it my business.” — Sasheer [21:24]
- They laugh about unusual Amazon reviews, including one where a woman slides down a hill in leggings:
- “Here is me rolling and sliding down a mountain because I was too scared to get up. My leggings did not rip, not even a little bit…” — Nicole reading the review [22:00]
5. Roller Skating, Pandemic Nostalgia, and Being Prepared
[24:22 – 28:07]
- Both want to get back into roller skating:
- Consider a roller-skating retreat; lament the difficulty of finding motivation to use gear.
- Reminisce about outdoorsy pandemic habits:
- “It did feel like being a kid. I was constantly doing cartwheels in parks…” — Sasheer [27:22]
- Discuss the “transition period” of waking up and morning routines:
- Nicole: “I do have a transitional period where I roll around and I’m awake…I like to just move side to side for a minute.” [28:19]
6. The Eternal Struggle with Time Management
[35:21 – 39:23]
- The stress of rushing and being late:
- Nicole: “My cortisol goes up when I am running late and it does not make me feel good.” [35:21]
- Sasheer admits she often snoozes until it’s too late and then scrambles.
- Both agree on needing more prep time, and resolve:
- “In 2026, Let's try to get early.” — Nicole [38:42]
- “Let's get early in here! Let's get it!” — Both, riffing on Black Eyed Peas lyrics [38:49]
7. Black Eyed Peas/Awkward Lyric Remixes
[39:11 – 42:04]
- Quick deep-dive into the release history and problematic original title of “Let’s Get It Started.”
- Ali (producer) provides fact-checking, explaining how the song was reworked for NBA promotion.
8. NBA vs. NFL: Company Values
[42:10 – 45:36]
- Nicole praises the NBA’s social consciousness and support for player expression, especially compared to the NFL:
- “I just really like the NBA as a company. Doing really good things.” — Nicole [43:05]
- Discussion on NFL’s draft process being “slave trade”-adjacent and Jay-Z’s role in the Super Bowl halftime show.
9. Sports Memories & Gymnastics Trauma
[49:38 – 57:58]
- Both recount their experiences with sports:
- Sasheer on basketball: “I was really good at boxing out because I got that ass.” [50:09]
- Nicole was a volleyball setter and outside hitter, and wishes she had time to join a rec league.
- Sasheer excelled in shot put, but chose not to practice.
- Childhood gym trauma: Sasheer quit gymnastics after a fat-shaming comment from another girl:
- “I’ll never come back here. I wonder if it still exists... I’m at the combination Shrewsbury Gymnastics Pizza Hut.” [56:03]
- Both would love to try adult gymnastics now.
10. Listener Questions: Sexless Relationships & Dealing with Cheating Friends
[58:15 – 71:36]
a. Intimacy Struggles in a Long-Term Relationship
- Listener describes dwindling sex life after early years, possible causes being partner’s unresolved trauma.
- Both caution against jumping straight into opening the relationship — recommend therapy, patience, scheduling intimate, pressure-free time, and communicating needs directly.
- “Making it... out in the open: clearly we are on the same page... I miss the way we connect sexually.” — Nicole [61:03]
- “Try and fail is better than not trying at all.” — Sasheer [62:22]
b. “Jill” the Cheating Friend
- Listener is uncomfortable being in the know about a friend’s infidelity (with kids involved) and doesn't want to enable nor engage.
- Nicole: “It sucks to watch someone you love do something immoral. And... I don't want to be a part of this process.” [68:03, 69:51]
- Sasheer advises boundaries: “If she tries to tell you anything, be like, hey, I don’t feel comfortable listening to this... I don’t really want anything to do with that.” [68:56]
- Both encourage gently distancing, and protecting one’s own peace.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Sasheer flashing her extracted tooth:
- “Everything’s reminding me of my tooth... That is her tooth. It is big.” — Nicole & Sasheer [06:13]
- On quirky travel goals:
- “I love dumb stuff. Fellowship. Community.” — Sasheer [14:39]
- On being a ‘daring soul’ by wearing white:
- “She always looks so good. That’s a woman.” — Nicole [12:13]
- On the NBA:
- “Heard it here first. Sasheer loves the National Basketball Association.” — Nicole [43:05]
- Self-deprecating about sports:
- “I could have been great, had I wanted to run, but I simply didn’t.” — Sasheer [50:21]
- On time management:
- “In 2026. Let’s try to get early… Let's get early in here!” — Nicole & Sasheer [38:42]
- On advice for the sexless relationship:
- “Slow and steady wins the race. But then there’s also a hare and a turtle.” — Sasheer [64:31]
- Boundaries with a cheating friend:
- “Get rid of Jill. Not like, kill her. Just like, don’t be friends with Jill.” — Sasheer [71:20]
- “She’s doing too much damage.” — Nicole [71:29]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 02:01: Episode starts — Nicole’s illness and dentist stories
- 06:02: Sasheer reveals her extracted tooth with a dental instrument
- 10:40: Travel fantasizing and destination wishlists
- 11:50: Nicole calls Sasheer a “daring soul” for wearing white
- 20:49: Button collection & hilarious Amazon leggings review
- 24:22: Roller skating dreams and pandemic nostalgia
- 35:21: Running late and morning routine struggles
- 38:42: Time management resolutions — “Let’s get early”
- 42:10: NBA praise, NFL criticism, pop culture riffing
- 49:38: Childhood sports stories and gym trauma
- 58:15: Listener question: Sexless relationship advice
- 67:50: Listener question: Boundaries on a cheating friend
Summary & Takeaway
This episode is quintessential Best Friends: conversational, deeply relatable, and uproariously funny. Nicole and Sasheer blend personal anecdotes, pop culture, and listener advice seamlessly, mixing absurdity (giant pencil festivals, questionable dentist practices) with real talk (how to revive intimacy, setting boundaries with toxic friends). If you need a window into true friendship—messy, supportive, and hilarious—you’ll find it here.
(For more: Questions or queries can be sent to their email or phone number as shared at the end of the episode.)