Podcast Summary: "Sasheer Wants An Update On Your Coldness"

Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata (Headgum)
Episode Date: November 20, 2024

Overview

This episode delivers the signature playful, deeply personal banter between comedians and best friends Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata, joined by producers Kimmy and Jordan. The conversation bounces from spelling struggles and childhood movies to pandemic updates, skating and pole-dancing, sleep habits, roommate decor dilemmas, creative gift-giving, and favorite comfort foods. The episode is brimming with humor, warmth, and genuine advice—an embodiment of the show’s mission to invite listeners into the inner circle of best friendship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spelling Mishaps and Bee Talk

• Nicole humorously struggles to spell both “she’s here” and Sasheer’s name, admitting, “I panicked, and then I lied,” before finally spelling “Sasheer” right. (00:11–00:59)
• Sasheer reveals she was on her high school spelling team, to the group’s surprise, but can’t recall any words she spelled.
  • “I think we were truly incredible semifinalists in some national competition or something.” — Sasheer (02:11)

2. Movie Tangent: Curly Sue & Tad’s Steakhouse

• Nicole recounts the plot of the movie Curly Sue in her chaotic style, highlighting how spelling can be just rote memorization. (03:05)
• The group riffs on the fate of Tad’s Steakhouse (it closed in 2020), then digresses into the continued global impact of COVID-19 and pandemic mask cycles.
  • “2020 has taken too much from me.” — Nicole (06:13)

3. Rollerskating & Fitness Routines

• Sasheer shares her experience learning choreo on skates, and how it motivates her to exercise more intentionally.
  • “I don’t like exercising, but now I’m doing stuff so I can build strength for skating.” — Sasheer (08:16)
• Nicole details her struggles with outdoor pole dancing because of bird droppings, deciding to bring the pole inside.
  • “The birds be shitting. …I have to constantly be cleaning it. And that’s getting to me.” — Nicole (09:43)
• The duo jokes about acting as the “post office of pole-ing— rain, sleet and snow, I will pole.” (10:37)

4. Chronotype Quiz: Are You a Lion or a Wolf?

• Nicole and Sasheer take an online quiz to discover their “chronotypes” (sleep/wake patterns): Nicole turns out to be a “wolf” (energetic at night), and Sasheer, a “lion” (morning person).
  • “If I’m not a dolphin, I’m going to riot.” — Nicole (12:31)
  • Their answers highlight differing morning/evening personalities with Nicole as the late-night enthusiast and Sasheer embracing her new early bird tendencies. (17:19)

5. TSA Precheck Adventures

• Sasheer regales her early-AM quest to secure TSA Precheck, exasperated by global entry wait times and the privilege logic of paid “trusted traveler” statuses.
  • “You pay a little money, go to a cubicle, and they go, 'We trust you more than everybody else.'” — Nicole (20:20)
• They marvel at the $85/five year fee and discuss airport lines and customs, joking about snapping ability as a surprisingly proud and communal skill. (18:10–23:42)

6. Apartment Upgrades: Roommate Advice

• A listener writes in about wanting to elevate a friend’s “college apartment” full of TV trays and beer pong tables.
  • Nicole shares memories of DIY home improvements from her 20s, painting and salvaging furniture to “live cutely.”
    • “We kept having conversations to be like, ‘we can’t live like this.’” — Nicole (31:02)
  • Sasheer suggests thrift stores and pooling money for upgrades, with both agreeing gradual, collaborative change is best. (28:21–34:41)
  • The hosts reflect on experiences with men’s minimal apartments, triggering stories of broken furniture and missing bed frames— delivered with riotous detail.
    • “A skeleton chair." — Sasheer (37:21)

7. Creative Gift Giving to Long-Distance Friends

• Another listener asks for ideas to brighten a friend’s day with care packages. The group shares whimsical, personal, and useful ideas:
  • Miniature items (tiny chairs, cars, plants, even Legos or dollhouse accessories)
  • Food gifts, dried flowers, thrift store finds, and splurges like Harry & David or Sherry’s Berries
  • “A bouquet of flowers is really nice… But I also love cute, useful things.” — Jordan (43:05)
  • There’s a hilarious tangent about gifting meat (weekly honey hams) and sentimental staples like childhood Hess trucks. (39:00–49:11)

8. Slices of Family Life and Holiday Food

• Nicole gets vulnerable sharing her childhood Thanksgiving comfort food combo: ham, pound cake, and vanilla ice cream— which the group both questions and supports.
  • “Isn’t that sick?... But I’m hurting for it right now.” — Nicole (47:09)
• They also discuss lasagna and sweet potatoes with marshmallows as family traditions. (47:43)

9. Cozy Clothes and Comfort Updates

• Nicole gives an enthusiastic update on her “coldness,” having received and modeled a new oversized Farm Rio sweater with strawberry and cheetah print, and bangs— a full look. (25:50–28:21)
• There's a side-convo on house coats, robes, and personal warmth.
  • “You find a lot of wares I’m not aware of.” — Nicole (26:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “2020 has taken too much from me.” — Nicole (06:13)
• “You have what it takes. You have the skills, you have the rhythm. You have it all, baby.” — Nicole to Sasheer re: skating (09:22)
• “If I’m not a dolphin, I’m going to riot.” — Nicole (12:31)
• “You pay a little bit more money, go to a cubicle, you meet someone and they go, ‘We trust you more than everybody else.’” — Nicole on TSA (20:20)
• “We kept having conversations to be like, ‘we can’t live like this.’” — Nicole (31:02)
• “A skeleton chair.” — Sasheer, describing forgotten furniture (37:21)
• “A bouquet of flowers is really nice... But I also love cute, useful things.” — Jordan (43:05)
• “Isn’t that sick?... But I’m hurting for it right now.” — Nicole on ham, cake, and ice cream (47:09)

Major Timestamps

• 00:00–02:30: Spelling games and stories; Nicole’s first impression spelling
• 03:00–06:10: 'Curly Sue,' formative films, Tad’s Steakhouse, and pandemic reflection
• 07:00–11:00: Skating, pole-dancing, fitness and post office jokes
• 11:30–17:19: Chronotype quiz—discovering their own “bear/wolf/lion/dolphin” selves
• 18:10–22:00: TSA Precheck, global entry woes, and security
• 22:00–24:00: Snapping, tambourines, and musical quirks
• 25:50–28:21: Updates on personal coziness (sweater & house coat chat)
• 28:21–37:40: Listener letter: improving a friend’s "college" apartment, living cutely, male roommate tales
• 39:00–49:11: Gifting long-distance friends: care packages, thoughtful and silly ideas
• 47:09: Nicole’s vulnerable Thanksgiving confession

Conclusion

This episode epitomizes the Best Friends podcast: silly, heartfelt, winding from nostalgia to practical advice and back again. Whether commiserating over bad steaks and old furniture, celebrating new hobbies, or helping listeners find joy (and better chairs), Nicole and Sasheer’s banter, supportive teasing, and actionable wisdom create a hilarious, relatable space—reminding everyone that best friendship means you can truly talk about anything, and always have someone to back you up (or give you grief over your sleep schedule and snacking habits).