Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata

Episode: Sasheer Is Finally Back On Top LIVE! (Re-Release)
Date: December 18, 2024
Podcast Network: Headgum

Episode Overview

Recorded in front of a live audience, this episode is a celebratory, unscripted display of the genuine, hilarious friendship between comedians Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata. Known for their exuberance and honesty, the duo explores recent adventures (notably a Hawaii trip), wacky interviews, their love of shopping, life with ADHD, airport pet peeves, sex toys, audience Q&A, and everything in between. Their quick wit, unabashed openness, and heartfelt exchanges make for a standout, laugh-out-loud listen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hilarious Interview Stories & Media Experiences

• Wild Interview Moments:
  • Nicole shares an interview with Blavity, discussing comedy and her career rather than solely her identity.
  • Sasheer recalls a bizarre interview about performing on 9/11 and whether Beyoncé would attend her show, which led to misquoting and offbeat questions ([02:08]).

"Did you just ask me about 9/11? And then quickly segue to Beyoncé?"
— Sasheer, [02:25]

• Awkward Media Interactions:
  • Nicole narrates an instance where a male interviewer asks if being attractive makes comedy harder, questioning gender bias in comedic spaces ([04:25]).

2. Girl Trip Recap: Hawaii Antics

• Tropical Chaos:

  • Their trip is detailed—from battling giant cockroaches, dealing with Hawaii’s moist, roach-friendly conditions, to misadventures with vacation planning.
  • They confess to doing little advance planning, resulting in closed museums and impromptu excursions ([14:32]).

• ATV Adventure:

  • Nicole admits to driving wildly on ATVs, with plants "whipping" Sasheer, and a mud splash blinding them mid-ride ([15:06]).

• Boat Bliss:

  • Nicole describes the boat day as one of the happiest moments of her life, physically crying on the water out of joy. She also takes photos for another couple, prompting repeated, grateful thanks ([23:03]).

"I only feel happy."
— Nicole, [23:10]

3. Life as Friends: Shopping, Quirks & Jokes

• Shopping Obsessions:

  • Nicole revels in a $300, three-hour Nordstrom Rack spree, delighting in the act of touching and trying on items in real life, versus online shopping. They both reflect on the thrill of thrift stores versus department stores ([21:33]).

• "Eye on the stove" vs. "Burner":

  • An extended inside joke unfolds as Nicole is baffled by the term "eye" for a stove’s burner, with much heckling from both parties ([09:29]).

• Airport Rules & Rants:

  • Nicole is fiercely devoted to airport procedure, hilariously confronting line-jumpers, with Sasheer playfully critiquing her escalating tone and the pattern of airport altercations ([29:14], [30:27]).

"I want to fight at the airport!"
— Nicole, [30:18]

4. Medication, ADHD, and Mental Health

• ADHD Chronicles:
  • Nicole discusses her experience being diagnosed with ADHD, why she takes (or forgets) her meds, and the resulting "frivolous spending" stories ([19:09]).
  • She narrates how her psychiatrist diagnosed her due to her rapid-fire, tangential speaking style ([19:09]).

5. Sex & Humor: Sex Machines, Dildos, and Crystal Toys

• BuzzFeed Quiz: "How Good Are You in Bed?":

  • They take a silly quiz based on trip to Costco and receive the result "Sex Machine" for both, celebrating their (quiz-validated) prowess ([44:09]).

• Sex Toy Stories:

  • Nicole recounts buying a riding pillow and selecting different dildo sizes—humorously anxious to not appear "shallow" to the sex toy seller ([46:00]).
  • Sasheer discusses crystal dildos, prompting a funny tangent about quality control and the weirdness/appeal of nontraditional sex paraphernalia ([49:47]).

"I bruised my cervix. Like, for real. So I'm waiting for my smaller dill."
— Nicole, [46:56]
"If I was hooking up with a girl and she pulled out a crystal dildo, I'd be like, you're a wizard, Harry."
— Nicole, [51:18]

6. Friendship Q&A with the Audience

• Long-Distance Friendships:

  • The duo recommends regular phone calls (not just texting), traveling to see each other, and meeting in new places to sustain friendships across cities ([52:36]).

• Setting Boundaries:

  • They encourage setting and communicating boundaries, emphasizing the importance of friends who adapt and respect who you are becoming. If not, “leave them at the gas station” ([56:22]).

"It kind of sucks that your friends haven't been respectful to the boundaries that you've set. But I think that might mean that they're not your friends..."
— Nicole, [56:03-56:22]

• Admiration & Affirmation:
  • A heartwarming exchange about their friendship, trust, and knowing what the other needs ensues, with audience and hosts affirming "there are no bad titties"
    ([60:49]).

7. Audience & Listener Questions

• Making Friends Without Sending "Flirty" Signals:

  • Nicole pokes fun at the predicament of being "too cute and flirty," while both hosts agree men often misread intentions. The segment is peppered with classic Byer-Zamata banter ([65:11]).

• Cultural—Elves, Kilts, and Titty Talk:

  • Tangents about Icelandic elves and Scotland’s unicorn national animal provide a glimpse into their mutual fascination with odd facts and playful teasing ([70:13]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Do you think Beyoncé is going to see your show? And I was like, did you just ask me about 9/11? And then quickly segue to Beyoncé?" — Sasheer, [02:25]
• "So you're pretty? Do you find it hard to get laughs on stage because you're so attractive? ... Would you ask a man that?" — Nicole, [04:26]
• "If I fall out of this ATV, I guess I live in Hawaii now." — Sasheer, [15:40]
• "You can't promise a bitch soft serve and then not give it to her." — Nicole, [42:25]
• "I want to fight at the airport. I'll slam my fucking carry-on into your head." — Nicole, [30:19]
• "There are no bad titties." — Nicole & Sasheer, [63:40]
• "Mahalo. Oh, so I didn't take my medicine yesterday, and then I had to go to Staples for my classroom supplies. And then I left after I got them, and then I was like... Nordstrom Rack..." — Nicole, [19:29]
• "If your shit doesn't fit in the overhead, roll your ass out." — Nicole, [31:11]
• "Leave them at the gas station." — Nicole, giving friendship boundary advice, [56:22]

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:44 – Live show opening: Nicole & Sasheer introduce themselves on stage
• 02:08 – Media interview horror stories
• 11:38 – Recounting the Hawaii cockroach incident
• 14:29 – Vacation planning failings & museum misadventures
• 15:06 – ATV driving adventures
• 23:03 – Boat trip brings Nicole to tears of joy
• 21:33 – Nicole's Nordstrom Rack shopping extravaganza
• 29:14 – Nicole’s infamous airport confrontations & rants on air travel etiquette
• 44:09 – BuzzFeed "sex machine" quiz results
• 46:00 – Nicole discusses riding pillow and sex toy "sizing"
• 49:47 – Sasheer introduces the world of crystal dildos
• 52:36 – Audience Q: How to maintain long-distance friendships
• 56:22 – Advice on boundaries in established friendships
• 60:49 – Heartfelt, goofy, yet touching affirmation of friendship and self-image
• 63:40 – Conclusion: “there are no bad titties”
• 65:11 – Advice: Avoiding misread flirty intentions when making friends

Episode Tone & Style

• Uninhibited, quick-witted, lovingly irreverent, and occasionally raunchy
• Dynamic, supportive friendship peppered with playful insults and sincere compliments
• Honest engagement with both light and serious subjects (e.g., mental health, boundaries)

Takeaways

Listeners are treated to a riotous yet authentic experience of female friendship—complete with awkward moments, self-affirmation, candid sex talk, and real advice for making friends and sustaining relationships. The episode balances hilarity with heart, and leaves fans eager for more Nicole and Sasheer in the new year.