Second Date Update: Escape Room Alpha

Summary

Podcast Summary: Brooke and Jeffrey – Second Date Update: Escape Room Alpha

Release Date: October 20, 2025
Podcast: Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Host: iHeartPodcasts

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Overview

This episode dives into one of the show’s more unorthodox Second Date Update calls, featuring Mallory, who admits to putting her online date John through an “Alpha Challenge” during an escape room. The episode unpacks why John ghosted Mallory after their outrageous first date and highlights the sometimes toxic, always hilarious circus that ensues when someone tries too hard to “test” their date.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The “Alpha Challenge” Test

• Brooke and Jeffrey open the episode discussing the trend of running “tests” on dates, noting that it almost never ends well.

  Jeffrey (03:28): “I don't know that we've ever had a test that someone has done on a date on this show that has actually worked out. Yeah. Ever.”

• They then introduce Mallory, the woman seeking answers.

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2. Mallory's Story: The Date from the Fish Pic to the Escape Room

• Mallory explains she met John online and was intrigued by some classic “alpha male” posturing—including the obligatory big fish photo.

  Mallory (05:41): “So many men's profiles, they try and act like they're Elsa's. Like, they do the big fish thing… If you got to do the big fish, I don't know if you really are.”

• John suggested an escape room for their date. Mallory saw this as the perfect stage for her “Alpha Challenge.”
• At first, Mallory finds John attractive and charismatic. But during the escape room, she sets her “test:”
  • She locks John in a closet within the escape room—without warning.
  • She observes his reaction while he fumbles and tries to get out.

  Mallory (08:01): “I locked him in the closet. And I'm like, all right, this is the perfect test. Can this man be a man and get himself out of there?”

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3. The Fallout: John’s Reaction

• John initially laughs, but quickly becomes uncomfortable and irritated—eventually prompting a staff member to check in.
• Mallory admits she didn’t feel guilty about the test, even as John grew visibly upset.

  Mallory (08:56): “Not at all. I feel like this was a really solid test, and I feel like I gave the guy a really, you know, like, an opportunity to prove himself.”

• After being freed, John is “super salty.” Mallory decides, based on this “failed” test, they aren’t a match.
• But then another “test” emerges: When Mallory asks for a ride home, John tells her to get her own Uber. Suddenly, Mallory is very interested again.

  Mallory (09:53): “And I was like, that's my kind of man. So once he wanted me to take my own Uber and he didn't want to drive me home. I was like, that's the Alpha man I'm looking for.”

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4. Host Analysis: Confusion and Amusement

• Brooke and Jeffrey express confused amusement at Mallory’s logic—she pushes John until he finally pushes back, which is what she’s looking for.

  Jeffrey (10:06): “This is so strange to me. Yeah, because it's like you push him to a brink and then he finally pushes back, and that's the type of relationship you're looking for.”

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5. The Call: Confronting John (13:39 – 20:12)

• The show surprises John with Mallory and the hosts on the line.
• John is initially polite but quickly recalls the discomfort and annoyance during the escape room incident:

  John (15:00): “No getting locked in a closet. Not at all.”
  John (17:06): “This is almost like getting locked in the closet. I was forced to. They called me.”

• Mallory explains the “test” and reveals that being told to Uber home was actually a turn-on.

  Mallory (17:37): “When you told me to go get an Uber when you wouldn't drive me home, that was the biggest turn on. The way your voice, that was so serious.”

• John is not impressed.

  John (17:45): “You are very sick, lady.”

• The “Alpha” confrontation escalates into sarcastic insults and a showdown of words.

  Mallory (17:55): “Oh, did you just call me very sick, John?”
  John (18:27): “So if sick isn't the right word, then demented, twisted maybe, I don't know, but this is…”

• Mallory then drops a bombshell: She hooked up with the escape room guy after John left.

  Mallory (18:47): “I hooked up with the escape room guy. Okay?”

• John remains unbothered. The hosts ask if he’d accept a second, all-expenses-paid date.

  John (20:22): “Absolutely not.”

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6. Host Wrap-Up & Listener Comments

• Both hosts and listeners recognize the mismatch, with most siding with John and highlighting Mallory’s chaotic approach to dating.

  Brooke (24:02): “Some people just aren't a good match. Even when you try over and over and over to force it, it just doesn't work out.”

• Listeners text in suggesting Mallory just wanted to brag about the escape room guy—not asking for a real second date.
• Brooke jokes:

  Brooke (24:39): “There's a reason they choose to work in dimly lit basements”
  Jeffrey (24:58): “Nope. You got it figured out. Keep doing that.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brooke (05:04): “We hate test guys.”
• Jeffrey (07:01): “It's a good chance for him to show off all of his Alpha skills in order to escape you from the room.”
• John (15:18): “Probably after the third time she banged on the door and said, hey, dummy, are you—did you figured it out yet?”
• Mallory (17:37): “When you told me to go get an Uber when you wouldn't drive me home, that was the biggest turn on.”
• John (17:45): “You are very sick, lady.”
• Mallory (18:47): “I hooked up with the escape room guy.”
• Brooke (20:24): “Wow, that was a true Alpha move to turn down three gifts like that final test.”
• Jeffrey (20:04): “Okay, tell me what to think. This is a roller coaster, and I want off the ride.”

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Key Timestamps

• [03:28] – Hosts introduce the “Alpha Challenge” and Mallory
• [05:41] – Mallory describes the online dating landscape and “big fish” profiles
• [08:01] – Mallory locks John in the escape room closet
• [09:53] – John refuses to drive Mallory home; she finds it attractive
• [13:39] – Hosts call John for the Second Date Update segment
• [17:37] – Mallory confesses being turned on by John’s rejection
• [18:47] – Mallory reveals she hooked up with the escape room employee
• [20:22] – John definitively rejects the second date

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Episode Tone & Takeaway

The language and tone are energetic, irreverent, and full of playful sarcasm typical for “Brooke and Jeffrey.” The hosts openly mock the idea of “testing” dates and approach Mallory’s antics with disbelief and humor.

For listeners, this episode is a classic “Second Date Update” roller coaster—showcasing the perils of running “tests,” the fine line between fun banter and red flags, and what happens when two dating styles are deeply incompatible. For all its wild turns, the segment manages to be laugh-out-loud funny, jaw-dropping, and—surprisingly—an accidental warning: sometimes, what you think will attract someone does the exact opposite.

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Transcript

[Brooke]

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[Johnny Knoxville]

Hello, America's sweetheart. Johnny Knoxville here. I want to tell you about my new true crime podcast, Crimeless Hillbilly Heist from Smartless Media, campside media and big money players. It's a wild tale about a gang of high functioning nitwits who somehow pulled off America's third largest cash heist.

[Ed Helms]

Kind of like Robin Hood, except for.

[Brooke]

The part where he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. I'm not that generous.

[Johnny Knoxville]

It's a damn near inspiring true story for anyone out there who's ever shot for the moon, then just totally muffed up the landing.

[Brooke]

They stole $17 million and had not bought a ticket to help him escape. So we're sitting like, oh God, what do we do?

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

What do we do?

[Brooke]

That was dumb. People. Do not follow my example.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Listen to Crimeless Hillbilly Heist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, it's Ed Helms, host of snafu, my podcast about history's greatest screw ups. On our new season, we're bringing you a new Snafu Every single episode.

[Maggie Freeling]

32 lost nuclear weapons.

[Jeffrey]

You're like, wait, stop. What?

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, it's gonna be a whole lot of history, a whole lot of funny, and a whole lot of fabulous guests. Paul Scheer, Angela and Jenna, Nick Kroll, Jordan Klepper. Listen to season four of SNAFU with Ed Helms on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Two rich young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over. But one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it.

[John]

They actually lose it.

[Mallory]

They sort of went nuts.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to hell in Heaven on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Maggie Freeling]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Mallory]

America, y' all better wake the hell up.

[Ed Helms]

Bad things happens to good people and small towns.

[Brooke]

Foreign.

[Maggie Freeling]

On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and to binge the entire season ad free, subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Jeffrey]

Hey, it's Brooke and Jeffrey and your second date podcast. Thanks for being here.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Jeffrey]

I don't know that we've ever had a test that someone has done on a date on this show that has actually worked out. Yeah. Ever.

[Brooke]

We hate test guys.

[Jeffrey]

Ever. It's never good.

[Brooke]

Come on.

[Jeffrey]

And today is the absolute worst. Yeah. It's so bad. It's so bad. You're gonna hear it in just a moment. But first, for all those that checked out the weekend's podcast, we have been hosting our full show one episode every Sunday. Sounds like people are. Yeah. Positive. Yeah, they are. Okay, positive question mark. I mean, I'll read the positive one, that's for sure. Yeah. Tristan said literally been skipping this episode for the last couple days because it was too. But literally the best one hour of my week. And then because our full episodes are one hour long. They are. Yeah. It's a lot of us.

[Brooke]

We get it.

[Jeffrey]

And then someone else said Jeffrey totally wanted this posted so we'd all know it was his birthday. And I realized we did repost Jeff's birthday. If you want to hear Jeff's birthday show, just go to yesterday and listen.

[John]

Okay.

[Jeffrey]

But right now, brand new second date. Gonna love your comments after this one. I promise. It starts right now.

[Brooke]

Second date update. We cover a lot of trends on this show and weird dating terms like breadcrumbing, Darth Vadering. Oh, what's that one? That's where you battle your own son to see who gets to kiss your sister.

[Mallory]

I do not like that one.

[Jeffrey]

Can we not do that one?

[Brooke]

It's big on the east coast right now. There's definitely some weird ones out there. And one we came across recently is called the Alpha Challenge.

[Jeffrey]

What's that?

[Brooke]

And I think our listener might fit underneath that umbrella. Cuz she admits she likes to test men whenever they go out on a date. She says she feels like maybe she crossed the line this most recent time. So let's welcome to the show. Mallory. How you doing? Mallory?

[Mallory]

Hi, guys. I'm okay.

[Jeffrey]

Oh, my God. I'll tell you, we've never had a dating test that hasn't failed on this show. Yeah, like, every time someone is like, well, I'm gonna test them. Like, it never works out or it backfires.

[Brooke]

Like, it works.

[Jeffrey]

Absolutely.

[Brooke]

So you said. Maybe you feel like you crossed the line? Why don' start by telling us the name of this guy that you met.

[Mallory]

Okay. So the guy's name is John, and we met online. And so many men's profiles, they try and act like they're Elsa's. Like, they do the big fish thing. Like, I'm such a man. And it's like, if you got to do the big fish, I don't know if you really are.

[Ed Helms]

Okay.

[Brooke]

Wow. I've never heard a girl say that. There's a lot of guys are offended right now here. No.

[Jeffrey]

Women hate the fish pictures.

[Maggie Freeling]

Really?

[Jeffrey]

Yeah. Who are they for? They're only for you.

[Mallory]

Yeah, they're only for you.

[John]

Okay.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Okay.

[Brooke]

Well, you don't get to split any of our fish, then after we come and cook it up.

[Jeffrey]

That's all for us. I'm sure you know how to filet a fish.

[Brooke]

Yeah, my housekeeper Lucy does, and that's all that matters. You should see her filet of Halloween.

[Jeffrey]

Are these the Alphas that you're talking about? Just like Jeffrey.

[Mallory]

That's exactly.

[Jeffrey]

Okay.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Okay.

[Brooke]

Anyway, back to this guy John. What was his deal?

[Mallory]

John did have his humongous fish picture, of course. And I was like, all right, you look kind of manly. So I'm thinking, like, if this is legit, if he's anything like this, like, we're good. We're probably going to make out well here.

[Jeffrey]

Okay.

[Brooke]

All right.

[Mallory]

Yeah, that too.

[Jeffrey]

She's a fan of this. Yeah. You were.

[Brooke]

Yes, Total fan.

[Mallory]

Total fan. And so for our first date, he was like, let's do an escape room. And I've done those before. I've done those with guys on dates. And I think you see a lot about a person because there's all this problem solving and puzzles, and you really get to see.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

It's a good chance for him to show off all of his Alpha skills in order to escape you from the room.

[Mallory]

Yeah, like, let me see what you got.

[Brooke]

Okay.

[Mallory]

We met at a bar nearby first, and he walks in looking real good. He's Fifi. He's tall. And I was. I was all about it.

[Jeffrey]

Okay, so he's like a man's man. And you're. You're totally digging it.

[Mallory]

Totally digging It. So I figured, okay, how do I test this guy? Like, how am I going to figure out if he's really an Alpha in this escape room? So we went to the first room, and he actually surprised me because it was, like, this kind of creepy room. And he's like, oh, I reckon recognize this place? I think my ex lived here. And I was like, okay, all right.

[Jeffrey]

So he's funny, too. Okay.

[Mallory]

Yeah, exactly. So that could go either way. Are you funny? Or, you know, can you own it? So then we go to the second room, and there's this, like, closet thing. And so he goes in, and I just closed the door behind him, and I locked it.

[Brooke]

Wait, whoa. What? You locked him in a closet?

[Mallory]

I locked him in the closet. And I'm like, all right, this is the perfect test. Can this man be a man and get himself out of there?

[Brooke]

I don't know.

[Jeffrey]

I feel like it's a red flag if a guy can pick a lock.

[Mallory]

Yeah, no, I think. I think I'd be like, this man knows how to be a man. I think I would have. I would have dug it.

[Brooke]

Okay, so what happens?

[Mallory]

So he's in there, like, fumbling around for, like, about ten minutes.

[Jeffrey]

Oh, my God. Wait, what was his mood? Was he getting angry at you? Yeah.

[Mallory]

At the very beginning, he was laughing.

[Brooke]

He thought it was a joke.

[Mallory]

But as the minutes went on, he was not as playful. He was kind of pissed.

[Brooke]

I'm sure it's getting hot in there.

[Jeffrey]

I also imagine what the person who's watching your room is thinking. Yeah, like, the employees watch you to give you clues.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

I don't know. A real Alpha would have taken out his fish from his pocket, picked the bones and turned them into a key and unlocked the door.

[Mallory]

That's the kind of man I want.

[Brooke]

Yeah, exactly. I see where you're coming from.

[Jeffrey]

Wait, did you feel bad at all?

[Mallory]

Not at all. I feel like this was a really solid test, and I feel like I gave the guy a really, you know, like, an opportunity to prove himself. So I think I was doing a good thing. And then the guy that ran the escape room, he, like, walked in. He's like, is everything okay in here?

[Brooke]

Talking about.

[Mallory]

He's like, you want me to unlock it? And I'm like, no, no, no, no. This was the whole test. I can't let him out.

[Jeffrey]

And we're wondering why he's not calling you back.

[Brooke]

Hold on. How does the escape room experience end? Did he figure it out?

[Mallory]

So we gave him a few more minutes, and then I let the guy let him out and he was super salty, which, you know what? It's fine. Because at that point, I already know, like, we're not a match. This guy couldn't get out by himself, so he's not for me anyway.

[Brooke]

Yeah. This is confusing then.

[Mallory]

Well, so wait. So then we leave and I'm like, okay, can you just take me home? And he goes, no, why don't you go Uber yourself home?

[Jeffrey]

Yeah. I mean, yeah.

[Mallory]

And I was like, that's my kind of man. So that once. Once he wanted me to take my own Uber and he didn't want to drive me home. I was like, that's the Alpha man I'm looking for.

[Brooke]

He stood up for himself. He finally took a stand against you there.

[Jeffrey]

This is so strange to me. Yeah, because it's like you push him to a brink and then he finally pushes back, and that's the type of relationship you're looking for.

[Brooke]

On the first date, he was able to muster that energy.

[Mallory]

You know what? Why waste the time? Let's see exactly how we click. And, like, now I know he's the kind of guy I want.

[Brooke]

Wow, that's an awesome red flag. It's one of the fun ones.

[Jeffrey]

This is going to be an interesting, like. Yeah. I mean, we obviously know why he's not calling you back, right?

[John]

He's probably annoyed.

[Brooke]

And we think we know why, but we won't know until we call this Alpha directly and ask him what's going on between you and Mallory?

[Jeffrey]

Oh, man. Is it going to be like Alpha v Alpha, Jeff, with you and him on the phone, is it going to be really hard?

[Brooke]

I mean, I think we just let this Alpha shine first.

[Mallory]

Okay.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

Who's the Alpha?

[Jeffrey]

That's the other Alpha.

[Brooke]

You'll be able to tell when the two Alphas square off.

[Jeffrey]

The dominant Alpha you actually hear in their voice choice who has more chest hair.

[Brooke]

Be careful. Mallory might get a little bit too turned on. When we come back, Ultra Alpha Second date update. Coming up right after this. Hold on. Second date update. If you're just joining us for the second date update, Mallory knows what she wants.

[Jeffrey]

That's right.

[Brooke]

She wants to date a real man who can pass her Alpha test and prove he deserves to go out with her. And her test for John recently was to lock him in the closet of an escape room and told him a true Alpha could figure out a way to get out of this all on his own.

[Jeffrey]

I think you should have just dropped him in the middle of the woods 50 miles away and just seen if he found his way back to you.

[Brooke]

I'll be back in a week. That's a good option for date two coming up here. Because the thing is, John did not figure out a way out of that closet. He mostly begged and complained the entire time.

[Jeffrey]

Did not not find the challenge fun.

[Brooke]

But his shining moment came after the escape room when she said, hey, John, why don't you give me a ride home? And he said, no, you get newber. Yeah, Alpha move. Maybe not exactly like that, but, well, something along those lines. It was enough to convince her, oh, he really is able to stand up for himself. And now she wants us to call him. That's what she liked. It actually, like, turned her on.

[Jeffrey]

I think all of this is going to be shocking to him. Yeah. I mean, I would personally feel like if I got locked in a closet, it would be because they didn't like Mallory.

[Brooke]

Do you think that John is going to be totally shocked when we're reaching out to him right here?

[Mallory]

I mean, I get it. I mean, he's definitely not happy with me right now after everything that happened. But what I didn't get to tell him is that he did pass the alpha test, just not in the way that I initially intended.

[Jeffrey]

So did he know that an alpha test was happening?

[Brooke]

Yeah, he may have had no clue that he was being tested at any point. He just thought you were being you.

[Jeffrey]

This will be good news.

[Mallory]

Yeah, look, at this point, I've only seen him do that one thing, and that one thing was great. But, like, there's a lot more to show. So if he's truly alpha material.

[Jeffrey]

Okay. There's more tests.

[Brooke]

Okay.

[Mallory]

Yeah, of course.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

And this call is going to be a total curveball to him, too. So let's see how he handles it in an alpha manner, hopefully.

[Mallory]

Yeah, hopefully.

[Jeffrey]

She is just going to be so excited. Yeah.

[Brooke]

I'm gonna be excited too, if that happens. I know.

[Johnny Knoxville]

I'm ready.

[Brooke]

Here we go. I'm gonna John's number. Let's see if he answers.

[John]

Hello?

[Brooke]

Hey, is this. Is this John?

[John]

Yes, it is.

[Jeffrey]

Sounds so pleasant. Yeah. For us. John.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Hi, I'm Jeff.

[Brooke]

This isn't what I was expecting. Hey, man, you're.

[John]

Yeah, man.

[Brooke]

Good morning. Excuse me. I'm talking right now. This is a show. We're called Brooke and Jeffrey in the Morning. You're on it right now.

[John]

Okay. Why?

[Jeffrey]

That's a great question, John.

[Brooke]

Yeah. The reason is because we do this segment, it's called the Second Date Update, where we try to help listeners get in touch with people again after they've gone out on one date and aren't getting a follow up for a second.

[Jeffrey]

Okay.

[Ed Helms]

Yeah.

[John]

Yeah, I understand.

[Brooke]

Okay. So recently, you may or may not remember this, but you went out with a woman named Mallory.

[Jeffrey]

Oh.

[Brooke]

Yeah, I did. Okay. Okay.

[Jeffrey]

I can't wait to hear how this date went for you, because we are.

[Brooke]

Baffled why you aren't calling her back after their first hangout.

[Jeffrey]

A lot of sarcasm in Jeff's voice.

[John]

So hold on. You.

[Johnny Knoxville]

You.

[John]

You don't know anything that happened?

[Brooke]

Well, we know a few things. You know, I don't want to give everything away, but I understand it's probably not your typical first date that you've gone on.

[John]

No getting locked in a closet. Not at all.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah, you went right to that. Yeah. I mean, that's kind of the whole thing, right?

[John]

Yeah. That was not pleasant at all. I experienced the roller coaster of emotions during the. I bet the walk in.

[Jeffrey]

I bet. At what point did you realize she wasn't joking?

[John]

Probably after the third time she banged on the door and said, hey, dummy, are you. Did you figured it out yet?

[Jeffrey]

What.

[Brooke]

Words they.

[John]

I'm pretty sure that's about what she said.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

Okay. Would you say that this whole locking in the closet thing, that was the main reason that you're not calling her back?

[John]

I mean, yeah, when we argued about it.

[Brooke]

Okay.

[John]

I just. I honestly, I just wanted to get the heck out of there.

[Brooke]

I think we all can understand why you would feel that way. But I will say, on the other side of it, sometimes when two people spark like that, that that could be a sign of a good thing.

[Maggie Freeling]

Wow.

[Brooke]

Am I wrong?

[John]

I mean, I don't know if spark's the word. Yeah.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Right.

[Brooke]

Passion. Okay.

[Jeffrey]

At any point, did you want to kiss her? That's. I think, what Jeff is getting at.

[John]

I mean, I might have thought about it in the beginning.

[Brooke]

Yeah.

[John]

But after I heard that, the third or fourth. Did you figure it out yet? I was done.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't think anyone blames you for that.

[Brooke]

Look, not every woman is gonna challenge you. You like this on a first date. Some women just sip wine. They want to be showered in compliments. And this woman is pushing you to be the greatest man you can be.

[Jeffrey]

I don't know that you're hearing him, Jeff.

[Brooke]

I. I am.

[John]

I don't think he is.

[Brooke]

There's. There's a tiger inside of you waiting to be unleashed.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

You're an alpha. And I'd like to open the cage right now. As we tell you that Mallory is on the other line wanting to talk to you.

[Jeffrey]

Oh, wow. I bet this is.

[Brooke]

No, yeah, yeah. No, she is.

[John]

Oh, my.

[Jeffrey]

No, we had her locked on the other phone line, right?

[Mallory]

Oh, yeah.

[John]

Well, I mean, she deserves to be locked somewhere.

[Brooke]

Well, I've unlocked that door, Mallory. You're out.

[Mallory]

Hi, John.

[John]

Hi.

[Mallory]

First of all, I just. I want you to know I really appreciate that you took the call and that you're here to talk.

[John]

This is almost like getting locked in the closet. I was forced to. They called me.

[Jeffrey]

Yeah, sorry.

[Mallory]

Okay, well, listen, John, that whole thing was to kind of just see, you know, if we click and see what you're made of and see if you have that kind of alpha energy that I'm really looking for in a man. And when you told me to go get an Uber when you wouldn't drive me home, that was the biggest turn on. The way your voice, that was so serious.

[John]

You like, party? No.

[Mallory]

Yeah. And at that moment, seriously, John, I would have done anything for you.

[John]

Dad turned you on, telling you to get in an Uber, and me walking away turned you on. You are very sick, lady.

[Mallory]

Oh, did you just call me very sick, John?

[Jeffrey]

Yes. Oh, no.

[Brooke]

Yeah, he did. And he said it with that deep, husky voice of his.

[Mallory]

You know what? That's exactly what a non Alpha would say. That's all stigma right there. You're a follower. You can. You don't even own this. Okay? I thought she was gonna like it.

[Jeffrey]

You don't like to be bad mouthed? Is that what you're saying?

[Mallory]

You're gonna bad mouth me? You could do a little bit more than sick. That was sick. That's. That's so stigma, you can't even come up with more than that.

[Brooke]

Okay, challenge issue, John. Go harder.

[Mallory]

Okay, so.

[John]

So if sick isn't the right word, then demented, twisted maybe, I don't know, but this is.

[Mallory]

Yeah, you know what, John? You know what?

[John]

And if you don't like me, you don't have to, okay?

[Mallory]

No, I don't. And you know what, John? I should have trusted my instincts when you couldn't get out of that closet. Because you know what else you don't know? I hooked up with the escape room guy. Okay?

[Jeffrey]

What do you mean? When? Yes, when is exactly the right question.

[Mallory]

When John left me there to get my own Uber. That guy came out and that guy took advantage of the situation, and he is the kind of Alpha I was looking for.

[Brooke]

Oh, after. That's a real.

[Jeffrey]

He saw you lock a guy in a closet and liked it.

[Mallory]

Apparently. So there are men that are Alphas actually out there, and that, just like.

[Jeffrey]

Jeff, the 20 something working part time is the escape room, is the Alpha that you're looking for.

[John]

Yeah, that's the Alpha she's looking. That's the Alpha she deserves.

[Brooke]

Mallory, did you just. Did you just do this whole thing to use us so you could tell him that?

[Mallory]

No. I mean, I would give you that one more shot to truly be an Alpha, but you just don't have it in you.

[Brooke]

This is crazy.

[Jeffrey]

I don't think that he's upset by that Mallory.

[Mallory]

Of course he's not, because he's not an Alpha. So he just shovels it in and he doesn't stick up for anything. Because you're not strong, buddy.

[John]

All right, well, you know, like I said, this is me, and you don't do that example.

[Jeffrey]

Again, not the insult.

[John]

You know, you know what, lady? I. I really don't appreciate you labeling me, because I am who I am.

[Brooke]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mallory]

Oh, John, are you. Are you telling me what to think right now? Because that actually, that. That's kind of doing it for me. What?

[Jeffrey]

Okay, tell me what to think. This is a roller coaster, and I want off the ride. Joe, I'm staying on. Get me off the ride.

[Brooke]

Hold on. I'm staying on. Just.

[John]

Can John get off the ride as well?

[Brooke]

Well, hold on. We can't get off until I ask you. John, would you like on one more date with Mallory and we would pay for it?

[John]

Absolutely not.

[Brooke]

Wow, that was a true Alpha move to turn down three gifts like that final test.

[Mallory]

Said and done. Yep. So not an Alpha. Totally could have seen that coming.

[Brooke]

Whatever. Okay, wait, what was the final test?

[Ed Helms]

This?

[Jeffrey]

I don't know. Please stop asking questions.

[Mallory]

We just set him up. We just gave him the freaking ball to go run with it, and he just dropped it.

[John]

Once again, what we were doing.

[Jeffrey]

I don't know that I don't want to be on this team.

[Brooke]

I guess now that only leaves one Alpha in the room. As there always was.

[Mallory]

Jeff.

[Jeffrey]

Oh, are you talking about me? Oh, I was looking at it.

[Brooke]

That wrist action on the growl really didn't help. Oops. Brook and Jeffrey in the morning.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, it's Ed Helms, and welcome back to snafu, my podcast about history's greatest screw ups. On our new season, we're bringing you a new snafu every single episode.

[Maggie Freeling]

32 lost nuclear weapons.

[Jeffrey]

You're like, wait, stop. What?

[Brooke]

Ernie Shackleton sounds like a solid 70s basketball player who still wore knee pads.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Yes.

[Ed Helms]

It's gonna be a whole lot of history, a whole lot of funny, and a whole lot of guests. The great Paul Scheer made me feel good.

[John]

I'm like, oh wow.

[Ed Helms]

Angela and Jenna, I am so psyched you're here.

[Jeffrey]

What was that like for you to.

[Maggie Freeling]

Soft launch into the show?

[Ed Helms]

Sorry, Jenna, I'll be asking the questions today.

[Jeffrey]

I forgot whose podcast we were doing.

[Ed Helms]

Nick Kroll. I hope this story is good enough to get you to toss that sandwich.

[Brooke]

So let's see how it goes.

[Ed Helms]

Listen to season four of SNAFU with Ed Helms on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John]

All I know is what I've been told.

[Ed Helms]

And that's a half truth is a whole lie.

[Maggie Freeling]

For almost a decade, the murder of an 18 year old girl from a small town in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved until a local homemaker, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[John]

I'm telling you, we know Quincy killed her.

[Maggie Freeling]

We know a story that law enforcement used to convict six people and that got the citizen investigator on national tv.

[Brooke]

Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran.

[Maggie Freeling]

My name is Maggie Freeling. I'm a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist producer and I wouldn't be here if the truth were that easy to find.

[Brooke]

I did not know her and I did not kill her or rape or burn or any of that other stuff that y' all said.

[Jeffrey]

They literally made me say that I.

[Mallory]

Took a match and struck and threw it on her.

[Jeffrey]

They made me say that I poured.

[Mallory]

Gas on her.

[Maggie Freeling]

From Lava for good. This is Graves County, a show about just how far our legal system will go in order to find someone to blame.

[Mallory]

America, y' all better wake the hell up.

[Ed Helms]

Bad things happens to good people and small towns.

[Maggie Freeling]

Listen to Graves county in the Bone Valley feed on the I Heard Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Brooke]

Some people just aren't a good match. Even when you try over and over and over to force it, it just doesn't work out.

[Jeffrey]

That is a big lesson for you, Jeff. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a big one, you know.

[Brooke]

Gotta learn it at some point. Not yet.

[Jeffrey]

Is there a man that isn't frightened of her though? Well, the escape room guy.

[Brooke]

Oh yeah, it worked out for him.

[Jeffrey]

That's cause he knew where the key was.

[Brooke]

Yeah, I can just lock her in the closet too. Yeah, But a lot of people are texting in at 78592 saying she didn't really want to go out with him at all. She only did this to get revenge. And brag about making out with escape room guy, which is that even a brag?

[Jeffrey]

I don't know.

[Brooke]

I think it makes her look kind of bad, Honestly. I've made out with plenty of escape room employees, and usually they aren't lookers.

[Jeffrey]

Oh, no, that was kind of an insult to.

[Brooke]

There's a reason they choose to work in dimly lit basements.

[Jeffrey]

Wait, the front desk is very lit? Usually not in an actual basement. Jeff, whose basement? Where are you going?

[Brooke]

He's never done a room. Wait, I meet him on Craigslist and they say I have an escape room? Is this not how it works? I think she's going to people's houses.

[Jeffrey]

Nope. You got it figured out. Keep doing that.

[Brooke]

I'm doing it right. And if you enjoy basement stuff, you can check out the Basement of Entertainment, which is our podcast. You can find it all the way down at the bottom at Brooke and Jeffrey.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Johnny Knoxville here. Check out Crimeless Hillbilly Heist, my new true crime podcast from Smartless Media, Campside Media, and big money players. It's the true story of the almost perfect crime and the nimrods who almost pulled it off. It was kind of like the perfect.

[Brooke]

Storm in a sewer. That was dumb. Do not follow my example.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Listen to Crimeless Hillbilly Heist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, it's Ed Helms, host of Snafu, my podcast about history's greatest screw ups. On our new season, we're bringing you a new Snafu Every single episode.

[Maggie Freeling]

32 lost nuclear weapons.

[Jeffrey]

You're like, wait, stop. What?

[Ed Helms]

Yeah, it's gonna be a whole lot of history, a whole lot of funny and. And a whole lot of fabulous guests. Paul Scheer, Angela and Jenna, Nick Kroll, Jordan Klepper. Listen to season four of SNAFU with Ed Helms on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Two rich young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over. But one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream. A nature reserve and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it.

[John]

They actually lose it.

[Mallory]

They sort of went nuts.

[Hell in Heaven Narrator]

Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts. Or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maggie Freeling]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Mallory]

America, y' all better wake the hell up.

[Ed Helms]

Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Maggie Freeling]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Mallory]

Sami Gente It's Ana Ortiz and I'm Markin Delicato.

[Brooke]

You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty. Welcome to our new podcast, Viva Betty.

[Jeffrey]

Yay.

[Brooke]

We're rewatching the series from start to finish and talking to iconic guests like Betty herself, America Ferreira.

[Mallory]

There was this moment where when the glasses went on and it was like, this is our Betty.

[Brooke]

Listen to Viva Betty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.