Transcript

Kate (0:00)

If you're a mom like me and you have more than one child, you know there's no such thing as a one size fits all. Each child has a different comfort, need, preferences, and a unique personality. That's like Veda has to constantly be in long sleeve shirts. And being a mom with multiple children, sometimes it's really challenging to find a brand that's reliable and that the fits are cute but also still comfortable. Also, I just wanted to find styles and needs that would fit with all of my children. I found Little Sleepies years ago, and honestly, I fell in love with them. They just have super soft, comfortable fabrics, actually hold up. They fit up to three times longer than the other brands. And really, that's true. Raya's had a couple of Little Sleepies pieces and she could wear them for a period of time because they're stretchy and they're just so soft and comfortable. Little Sleepies releases new custom design prints weekly. Little Sleepies offers license prints with brands like Disney, Marvel and more. We love the Disney stuff here. Girl, Mom House. Thoughtful details make everyday dressing and diaper changing a breeze. What stands out the most to me about Little Sleepies is just how soft the fabric was. And no matter how many I washed it, the colors stayed bright and the fabric stayed just as soft and didn't fall apart. Mom likes that they look adorable and the kids just like that. They're comfy. If you're expecting or dressing little ones, check out Little Sleepies. You can visit little sleepies.com and use promo code good night for 10% off your first order. She wants her timer off. She's like, please. Mom. Hey, mom, are you okay? Yes, I'm fine.

Leslie (1:40)

Child, you're in Detroit, so.

Kate (1:41)

Right. I know. You know, we're in scary Detroit, so you might get killed. You know what I mean?

Leslie (1:46)

This is so funny. Two of my kids was like, mom, you're gonna die.

Kate (1:49)

Oh, it's like any big city. I mean, you know, there's bad parts, there's good parts, but downtown is really. It's really fun.

Leslie (1:55)

I mean, our big city is still nowhere near like this big city. You know what I'm saying?

Kate (1:59)

Okay, so you're pretty. Well, I mean, we're pretty far.

Leslie (2:02)

Yeah. Our airport is.

Kate (2:03)

Yeah, Tiny.

Leslie (2:05)

Oh, God, yes. In our big city. Our airport is. It's only two sides. There's only two sides to it. You know, you. You get off, you walk down the hall and you're down. You go down the escalator and you're outside. Like, when I Landed here. I was at the wrong place waiting for my Uber. I was on a complete opposite. And I'm like, I'm here. I don't see him. And Sean's like, he's. He should be here. And I'm like, I think I'm there. And Sean checked my location. He's like, no, you're here. You need to go here.

Summary

Cate & Ty Break It Down

Episode: From the Bathroom Closet to YouTube Fame feat. Elle Bee

Date: March 25, 2026 | Host: PodcastOne
Guests: Leslie (Elle Bee), Tyler and Catelynn Baltierra

Episode Overview

This rich, candid episode brings together Teen Mom OGs Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra with Leslie—better known as Elle Bee—whose YouTube channel documenting and commenting on reality TV (especially the Teen Mom franchise) has exploded from humble beginnings in her bathroom closet. The trio shares laughs, behind-the-scenes stories, and honest reflections on growing up, parenting, generational trauma, and navigating public scrutiny, blending personal journeys with the world of content creation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Detroit First Impressions & Ride-Share Woes

The episode opens with a humorous, if alarming, story: Leslie’s Uber driver in Detroit demands a $20 tip under threat of abandoning her, frightening her and her husband (03:01).
Kate empathizes: "I've never had anybody cancel and say, girl, you need to tip me $20 right now." (03:48)
Sets the tone for the episode—down-to-earth, real, and a little wild.

2. Life Beyond “Teen Mom” and Candid Career Updates

Discussion on the uncertain future of "Teen Mom" after network changes.
- Kate shares, “Our contract is up in May, and then I’m free and clear to do whatever I please.” (10:09)
The ongoing demand for content from OG Teen Mom personalities, and the loyalty of long-term fans.
How contracts work: “They own the rights to my life basically until May.” (10:26)
The group ponders what life after reality TV looks like, including the unique relationship between viewers and TV families after so many years.

3. The Impact of "Teen Mom"

The cultural impact: correlations between the show and declining teen pregnancy (12:43).
Challenges of being early trailblazers: grappling with accusations of glamorizing teen pregnancy versus striving for authenticity and education.
- Kate: "We were like the first ever. You know what I mean? Season ever. We didn’t know what it was going to be.” (13:02)

4. Leslie’s (Elle Bee’s) Early Life & Family Dynamics

Leslie shares her complex family history:
- Her mother had her first child at 14, her father was a truck driver, and both were teen parents.
- Childhood marked by instability, poverty, and lots of moving (17:02–22:30).
Parental separation, cycles of remarriage, and the lingering effects on Leslie and her siblings, including living in a trailer as a teen mom herself.
“I have the best husband. I’m very blessed with that because I had a lot of trauma I didn’t know about.” (21:29)

5. Teen Parenthood, Trauma & Generational Cycles

Leslie became a mom at 17, echoing her own parents’ experiences.
Open discussion on the challenges and emotional landmines of blended families and step-parenting.
Powerful exchange on how trauma and upbringing shape approaches to relationships and parenting (36:00–39:43).
"That's all of our first time living. We're all trying to navigate in the moment." — Leslie (35:06)

6. Parenting Styles, Boundaries & Personal Growth

The group swaps stories on divorce, step-parents, and how difficult transitions influence core memories.
The impact of yelling, boundaries, and parent-child relationships—especially as affected by generational trauma:
- “My mom was a yeller … I’m very much against yelling.”—Leslie (37:35)
Open talk about co-parenting with exes, the fantasy of the absent parent, and the pain of being "the bad guy."
- "You have the kids 24/7, so you gotta be the one to discipline them … and the one that isn’t around … children have a fantasy vision." — Kate (47:11)

7. Parenting Kids on the Spectrum

Leslie discusses two of her children being on the autism spectrum (55:10), championing neurodiversity as a “superpower” and discussing the unique joys and challenges.

8. Surviving, Learning from, and Addressing Childhood Abuse

Emotional candor around sexual abuse in both Kate and Leslie’s histories (57:06–58:53).
Both admit to not having received personal therapy for the abuse but note how it impacts their hypervigilance as mothers.
“A lot of people don’t notice … a lot of the times it can be kid on kid or kid with kids.” — Kate (58:39)

9. Breaking Cycles & Navigating Guilt

All three reflect on how attempts to be “better” parents can result in overcorrection — and new forms of guilt or anxiety (60:09–64:30).
“Parents just get comfortable with the fact that you’re going to inevitably traumatize your own children with something.” — Elle (60:02)
“We'll pay for the therapy. We’ll pay the copay.” — Running joke about accepting parenting imperfections (60:19)

10. Alcohol, Generational Anxieties & Memories

Anecdotes about growing up with addiction in the household and efforts not to repeat patterns, sometimes overcompensating (61:34–65:20).
Memorable therapy challenge: “One of your things, you, homework you have to do at home is … drink a glass of wine,” aiming to normalize moderate consumption and break the black/white perception for kids. (61:45)

11. Content Creation: From Bathroom Closet to YouTube Success

Leslie (Elle Bee) recounts her grassroots beginnings:
- Started recording in a bathroom closet with an iPhone 8 and a magnet.
- “My bathroom closet was not a walk in … it was little. It was like doors push open this way … and I put my vanity in there, my phone, and I recorded it. Boom.” (72:59)
- For a long time, her "set" was a shower curtain, replaced later by a backdrop: “Everybody thought it was real!” (73:31)
First viral moment: commenting on the David & Janelle custody controversy (71:08), quickly gaining traction.
Insights on finding a niche on social media and cautions about oversaturated categories.
Philosophy of constructive commentary: She tempers criticism, conscious that participants (“the cast”) do see and are impacted by commentary.
- “How are my words affecting them if they’re seeing it? … At least she didn’t rip me to shreds.” (78:21)
The importance of empathy and responsible reporting: “I do feel like there’s still a way you can do it … that if that person watches, they could understand …” (78:34)
Community-building—Elle Bee strives for respectful discourse, even among people who disagree.

12. Creator Culture & Its Toxic Traps

Reflections on the competitive and sometimes toxic dynamics among content creators.
- “Now as creators it’s creators against other creators … it’s a very weird culture.” (86:13–86:48)
The lure of negativity and outrage as a driver of views—and why Leslie resists:
- “My husband has told me for years, like, if you were like reaping people to shreds ... more people would want to hear what you had to say … but I don’t think [those creators] are really happy in their day-to-day life.” (81:03–81:42)
The group contrasts Elle’s respectful community with more extreme online spaces and laments the energy people spend on rage or negativity.
The ecosystem of haters and trolls is discussed, with bemused anecdotes about being blocked or blamed for blocking, typical content world drama (84:19).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On “Teen Mom” impact:
“Here we are just like, what the is going on?” — Catelynn (12:34)
On multi-generational teen parents:
“So when mama—he was 16, and she was 14.” — Leslie (20:24)
"My mom got married four times.” — Leslie (26:18)
On trauma cycles:
“My mom was a yeller. … She would yell. So I’m very much anti—against yelling.” — Leslie (37:35)
“Parents just get comfortable with the fact that you’re going to inevitably traumatize your own children with something.” — Elle (60:02)
On co-parenting pain:
“It’s almost like children … have a fantasy vision of this person … they’re the best.” — Kate (47:11)
“She said she was there, like, no time to figure out that he's not… he was not so cool, you know?” — Leslie (50:07)
On YouTube beginnings:
“My bathroom closet was not a walk-in closet ...I stuck the phone to the vanity and I recorded it. Boom.” — Leslie (72:59)
“Everybody thought it was real. Like, everybody— that was a real room or whatever.” — Leslie (73:33)
On empathy and commentary:
“My words—how are they affecting them if they’re seeing it … at least she didn’t rip me to shreds.” — Leslie (78:21)
“There’s a right way and then there’s like a wrong.” — Kate (81:01)

Timestamp Highlights

[03:01] Leslie’s Detroit Uber “shakedown” story
[10:09] Behind-the-scenes of Teen Mom’s contract situation
[13:08] On the accidental cultural impact of Teen Mom
[17:02–22:30] Leslie details her family’s complex history
[37:35] Trauma and generational cycles on display in parenting
[47:11] The parent-child dynamic in split families
[55:10] Parenting autistic children and embracing neurodiversity
[57:06] Sexual abuse in childhood—impacts and coping
[60:02] The inevitability of parental “damage” (hilarious therapy jokes)
[61:45] Therapy challenge: normalizing moderate alcohol
[72:59] "Bathroom closet" YouTube studio origin
[73:31] Illusions and set design—fake room/backdrop stories
[78:21] Ethical considerations for content creators
[81:03] The dark side of outrage-driven content
[86:13–86:48] Oddities of creator/colleague “culture”

Tone & Energy

Warm, open, funny, and genuine. The episode manages to balance vulnerability, social commentary, and lively banter.
The trio’s interplay is relaxed and trusting, allowing for both hard truths and a spirit of optimism and laughter throughout.

Summary

From wild Uber rides to deep reflections on family, trauma, and building a YouTube empire, this is a standout episode for fans both old and new. Leslie (Elle Bee) emerges as a relatable, thoughtful voice who broke into the social media world using what she had—her voice and her bathroom closet— and who now consciously tries to “do it right” among a sea of keyboard critics. Meanwhile, Tyler and Catelynn continue their mission of breaking down taboos and sharing the messy, beautiful reality of life, legacy, and love.

End of Episode Part 1
(Episode cuts off for a "Part 2"—fans are sure to return!)