Podcast Summary: Chicks in the Office – “Southern Charm’s Austen Kroll Spills on His Breakup, Where He Stands w/ Craig Conover + Miley Cyrus Is Engaged!”

Podcast: Chicks in the Office
Hosts: Ria, Fran (Barstool Sports), Kelly, and Noah
Guest: Austen Kroll (Southern Charm)
Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Chicks in the Office dives into all things pop culture with a heavy focus on reality TV and celebrity news. Notably, the Chicks welcome Southern Charm's Austen Kroll for an intimate conversation about his recent breakup, friendship struggles with Craig Conover, and the latest Southern Charm drama. They also cover Miley Cyrus’ surprise engagement, Club Chalamet’s big Wall Street Journal feature, and key reality TV updates. As always, the team answers fan voicemails, delivering unfiltered advice and hilarious hot takes.

Main Segments and Key Discussions

1. Catch-Up, NYC Life & Holiday Vibes

• Weather Woes: The hosts talk about a messy, rainy NYC day, missing snowy winter vibes, and the cost of buying Christmas trees in the city.

  • “I had Joe guard this tree because...there were so many other people and I was like, Joe, you stand by that tree. You do not let anybody else take that tree.” — Fran (09:08)
  • Kelly and Fran share funny real-life stories about snagging the perfect Christmas tree despite fierce competition.

• Concert Merch and Holiday Shopping:

  • Fran praises the high quality of her Dua Lipa concert hoodie (13:24-13:55).
  • Both hosts chat about their favorite recent concert merch and ongoing holiday shopping strategies.

2. Pop Culture News & Recaps

- Stranger Things Season 5 Reactions (15:50—22:51)

• Kelly and Fran recap the new season, hit on discourse about the kids' aging, and dismiss criticism:
  • “If you didn’t go to school with a boy who between sophomore and junior year became a completely different person, I don’t know what to tell you.” — Fran (18:07)
• They discuss the show’s darker, more mature themes, praise standout performances (especially Holly Wheeler and Erica), and compare Stranger Things’ realism to Harry Potter’s evolution.
• Kelly also highly recommends Hamnet after an emotional theater experience, highlighting phenomenal child acting (22:42—26:52).

- Movie Reviews: Zootopia 2 & New Releases

• Brief, enthusiastic endorsement for Zootopia 2 as family-friendly holiday fun (27:22—28:35).
• “Go see Zootopia 2. Like, it’s worth seeing.” — Kelly (27:32)

3. Main Topics

Miley Cyrus Is Engaged! (33:00—38:21)

• Miley debuts her ring at an Avatar premiere; it’s a cushion-cut stone in a chunky gold band, described as “cool” and "very Miley".
• Discussion on how Miley and fiancé Max Rando possibly kept the news quiet, and how Miley might approach her second wedding.
• “You want to, like, change it up after...if you’ve already been married...you want to kind of like switch it up a little bit.” — Fran (36:11)

Club Chalamet in the Wall Street Journal (38:43—44:30)

• The legendary Timothée Chalamet fan, Club Chalamet, is profiled and photographed, creating waves.
• Kelly and Fran react to her spicy quote— “I can’t change the fact that I was born in 1966. I don’t want to be a 24-year-old white girl running Club Chalamet. I am who I am.” (40:45)
• The hosts debate the fine line between super fandom and over-the-top obsession, generally agreeing the coverage is warranted and entertaining.

Jen Shah Won’t Return to Bravo (49:01—54:20)

• Andy Cohen confirms Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Jen Shah, freshly released from prison, will not return to Bravo—drawing a clear moral line.
  • “There has to be a line, which is fair...You probably don’t want to put her back on reality TV.” — Fran (51:32)
• Discussion on why certain legal troubles (tax fraud vs. exploiting the elderly) cross an uncrossable line.

Interview with AUSTEN KROLL: Southern Charm Unfiltered (76:08—119:33)

Austen’s Annual “Check-Up”

• Austen details his “always nervous” Barstool podcast visits, the Chicks’ friendship with Madison, and stories of wild post-interview Bravo press junkets.
  • “I just tried to avoid doing interviews that whole year…Yes, I was shaking in my boots a little bit.” — Austen (77:31)

Southern Charm S10: Breakup Recap & Love Life

• Breakup honest talk: Austen candidly explains his recent split, the pressures of filming, and “accelerating your life” in reality TV:
  • “It forces the narrative, and it, like, accelerates your life by, like, 10 months.” — Austen (80:05)
• Admits enjoying the peace and slower pace of a long-distance relationship, but acknowledges it ultimately wasn’t meant to last.
• “Normally you break up because something happens…this was like, I mean, I’m fast-forwarding…but yeah, I’ve never done it in this manner.” — Austen (91:30)
• Discussion of the tricky transition from casual, long-distance dating to serious decisions like moving in together; Austen did not want to drag things out or let things “fizzle.”

His Friendship With Craig Conover

• Relationship with Craig described as complicated and cyclical, with recurring arguments about accountability and friendship priorities.
  • “Sometimes I just want to wring his neck…” — Austen (97:05)
• Acknowledges seasons of the show shift between male- and female-driven narratives as new cast additions find their footing.
• Admits working too closely can strain friendships:
  • “Working too closely is not the first time that has broken up…a friendship.” — Austen (101:59)
• Pills and Beer podcast is on hold until their friendship repairs:
  • “Friendship probably should come first before…” — Fran (102:09)

Handling Reality TV Drama & Social Media

• The hosts bring up past social media disagreements and jokes about being compared to George Washington (108:05–111:36).
• Austen admits to sometimes overreacting to “stray” comments online, revealing a relatable vulnerability.
• Wild stories about Facebook scams and impersonators show another side of being a reality TV figure.

BravoCon, Cast Rivalries & Dating

• Austen enjoyed BravoCon most when sharing it with his mom and sister; says the event is “a lot,” but fun every other year.
• Debates of alleged “Summer House v. Southern Charm” rivalry in Bravo fandom post-breakups; Austen says he has no “beef” with the cast.
• No hard feelings toward the Southern Hospitality cast, despite speculation (115:39–116:33).
• On if he’d date another reality star: “Done both. On one hand, you think it’s easier. It’s kind of not…It’s just got to be right.” (117:14)

Popcorner: Listener Voicemails & Advice (55:40—74:41)

Notable Calls and Advice

• Wicked the Musical Hot Take: A caller rants about disliking Glinda for being a bad friend. Fran and Kelly disagree, arguing she missed the show’s main point about growth, compromise, and ambition overcoming “happily ever after” fairy tales (56:59–58:40).

• Survivor v. Traitors Crossovers:
  A caller reacts to Jeff Probst’s alleged frustration about Survivor cast members joining other competition shows. Fran and Kelly defend cross-promotion for broadening reality fandom, insist producers shouldn’t block contestants from other opportunities.

  • “To stop people from…getting opportunities to go on other shows…feels like not a great idea.” — Fran (61:10)

• Hilary Duff’s Christmas Album:
  Caller asks about the cult classic Santa Claus Lane Christmas album. Fran and Kelly reminisce about Hilary Duff’s early 2000s glory and agree they’d attend a Christmas tour in a heartbeat (64:44–67:34).

• Advice: Friends All Having Kids? A (child-free) caller asks how to navigate friendships as everyone else transitions to parenthood.

  • Kelly (who’s childfree herself) assures: “Stay strong…You just need to manage your time with your friends better. The sun has set on those days [of spontaneity]…” (71:24)
  • Encouragement to find new routines, embrace the “cool aunt/uncle” role, and beware changing your mind out of FOMO.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tree Shopping in NYC:
  • “It was a tree competition.” — Kelly (09:43)
• Miley’s Engagement Ring:
  • “It looks more like costumey, but in a cool way.” — Fran (36:03)
• On Club Chalamet:
  • “I respect the shit out of it. To be honest, I respect Club Chalamet a lot more than I did before I saw this article.” — Kelly (44:17)
• Austin Kroll, on the pains of reality TV breakups:
  • “Normally you break up because something happens…this was like, I mean, I’m fast-forwarding…but yeah, I’ve never done it in this manner.” (91:30)
• Austin Kroll, on explosive Craig moments:
  • “Sometimes I just want to wring his neck…” (97:05)
• Kelly, on staying childfree:
  • “Don’t do it for fomo. [The spontaneity’s] gone, but that’s fine because you’re not going to want as much as you get older either …it takes a village to raise kids, so get as involved or as uninvolved as you want.” (71:24–74:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• NYC Holiday Life, Christmas Tree Stories: 04:05–13:13
• Stranger Things/Pop Recap: 15:50–26:52
• Miley Cyrus’ Engagement: 33:00–38:21
• Wall Street Journal Club Chalamet Feature: 38:43–44:30
• Jen Shah/Bravo Commentary: 49:01–54:20
• Voicemails & Advice: 55:40–74:41
• Austen Kroll Interview: 76:08–119:33

Tone and Style

• The episode is lively, irreverent, and genuine—with the Chicks maintaining their trademark blend of sarcasm, empathy, and pop-culture expertise.
• Austen Kroll fits comfortably into the dynamic, blending humor, candor, and a little bit of self-deprecation.

Conclusion

This episode offers the ultimate reality TV gossip (straight from the source), relatable life advice, and a fun celebration of pop culture’s quirkiest stories—from heated NYC tree shopping to Timothée Chalamet’s most devoted fan. Austen Kroll gives one of his most vulnerable interviews yet, and listeners get everything from Miley’s under-the-radar engagement scoop to candid friendship advice.

Recommended For:
Anyone who loves Bravo, Southern Charm, TV gossip, or needs a laugh about the chaos of modern adulthood.