Transcript

Dani (0:00)

Foreign. The following podcast is a Dear Media production hello and welcome back to your favorite podcast, de Influence. Happy belated Easter. Happy is risen.

Danny (0:20)

It's very true. So, so true. The reason for the season.

Dani (0:25)

The reason for the season. Um, how was your Easter?

Danny (0:28)

Our Easter was actually. It was great.

Dani (0:31)

Oh, okay.

Danny (0:32)

Yeah, well, it rained. Second year in a row it's rained over Easter.

Dani (0:36)

And I had strep throat and you had strep throat.

Danny (0:38)

It's pretty bad.

Dani (0:39)

I still have it, but I'm not contagious cuz I've been on amoxicillin for 24 hours. Actually, do you want to know something that's really interesting about this whole strep throat thing? Yeah, I. What do you, what do they call it? Like, I, I blinked. The system. What do you call it? Like you.

Danny (0:56)

You beat the system.

Dani (0:57)

Yeah, I beat the system. I was going to say I went around the system. Yeah, I beat the system because two years ago I had mastitis and my OB prescribed me amoxicillin and Because I guess that's like one of the. I think, I think it was a amoxicillin or penicillin, I can't remember. Anyway, I took it and I got, it kind of helped, but then I got mastitis again. So then I took another round of antibiotics and I broke out in a rash all over. Do you remember we were taking newborn photos and I was so itchy down there? Yeah, it was horrible. I had a rash all over my body. And so my OB wrote on my, my charts, allergic to penicillin, amoxicillin, and some other things. Well, do you know how many like, illnesses amoxicillin helps? I've learned over the past two years there's a lot of times I need amoxicillin.

Danny (1:56)

Is it.

Dani (1:56)

Or penicillin. And I can't take it because I'm, I'm quote, unquote allergic. But I always told my doctor, I was like, I've never been allergic to amoxicillin. Like, I would like to take that antibiotic whenever I get, you know, some type of whatever. And she was always like, no, we can't because you're pregnant, it's too risky. So I have, no, I haven't taken amoxicillin in forever. Well, I get this strep throat and I beat the system because I went to a different doctor that wasn't associated with the, you know, Baylor, Scott and White. And I was like, listen, can you write me some amoxicillin? I got some strep throat over here. She was like, absolutely.

Summary

De-Influenced with Dani + Jordan

Episode: "A Little Bit of Everything… and Then We Talk MomTok"

Date: April 9, 2026
Hosts: Dani and Jordan
Producer: Dear Media

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging episode, Dani and Jordan deliver an open, unscripted conversation about life lately. The pair touch on everything from illnesses and medicine mishaps, to social media habits, spring cleaning, AI's growing role in education, and their ongoing negotiations as co-parents. The latter half of the episode zeroes in on the world of “MomTok” and reality TV—most notably, the fallout from "Secret Life of Mormon Wives" and what happens when influencer families go through public turbulence. Throughout, Dani and Jordan’s hallmark is their honest—sometimes vulnerable—dissection of pop culture, parenting, and the tension between public and private life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Illness, Medication, and "Beating the System"

Dani’s Easter: Both were recovering from strep throat during another rainy Easter. Dani shares how she managed to get amoxicillin prescribed despite being marked “allergic” in her medical records ([00:25–04:45]).
- Notable Quote:
  
  “Something in my soul told me. I was like, I just know. I'm not. I knew that it was a bunch of baloney.” — Dani, [03:04]
Medical Anxieties: Dani and Jordan joke about potential side effects and how close they came to a real emergency:
- Notable Quote:
  
  “You understand that if you would have died, I would have been complicit. They would have accused me of murdering you.” — Jordan, [02:52]

2. Postpartum Anxiety, Old Influencer Wounds, and Content Creation

Triggered by Clothing Hauls: Dani discusses how doing clothing try-ons for Instagram still brings up anxiety and memories from 2018–2019’s high-pressure influencer era ([06:07–07:47]).
- Notable Quote:
  
  “When it comes to creating content, like outfit content, it takes me back to like 2019, 2018 era. With, like, the hair extensions and, like, the really intense edits and just being perfect all the time, and it just... It's like a little triggering.” — Dani, [07:09]
Anxiety Shift: Dani opens up about ongoing postpartum anxiety, and how distractions and comedy podcasts help her mood ([07:51–08:17]).

3. Pop Culture & Perceptions of Internet ‘Villains’

Jake Paul’s Evolution: They talk about their changing views on Jake Paul, the “Team 10” era, and how Hollywood culture chews people up ([08:11–10:16]).
- Notable Quotes:
  
  “Most people are not bad people. They just get caught up and insecure and get caught up into, like, a system or they caught up into, like, a dream, and then they sacrifice so much for that. But that's not really who they are.” — Dani, [09:07]
  “If I could give anybody, like, any advice, like, don't move out to Hollywood. And like, don't surround yourself with people like that.” — Recounting Jake Paul's advice, Dani, [09:27]
Podcast Dream: Jordan shares his concept for a podcast that “de-influences” internet villains, inviting C-list “hated” personalities to share their stories ([10:16–12:22]).

4. Tech, AI, and Generational Shifts in Education

AI in Daily Life: Detailed breakdown about how AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok are changing the way adults and kids learn and interact with information ([19:11–24:31]).
- Notable Quotes:
  
  “The most important thing in an AI future is curiosity and agency... How do we foster two things in our kids, curiosity and agency, and locking them up in a fluorescent light building for, you know, eight hours a day... It's just hard for me.” — Jordan, [30:20]
School Technology Debate: Dani and Jordan debate whether young kids benefit from getting laptops in kindergarten, weighing traditional skills versus tech literacy ([24:31–32:21]).
- Notable Moment: Dani asks point blank:
  
  “So do you want your kindergartner working off of a computer, yes or no?”
  Jordan: “No.” — [31:53–32:01]

5. Parenting Styles and the “Star System” Saga

The Star System Dispute: A candid, sometimes comical, discussion around their attempt to motivate kids with a rewards system. Miscommunication and different philosophies about incentivizing tasks lead to playful but real tension ([39:01–45:57]).
- Notable Quotes:
  
  “The reason my kids get out of bed now is to get stars so that they can buy something. Because at the end of the day, it's just another way to bribe your kids.” — Dani, [41:41]
  “No, I get it. And so we talked about it, and I said, what do you want?... It's not set in stone.” — Jordan, [43:02–44:28]
  “Discipline and being united on discipline between the two parents is so important.” — Jordan, [46:27]
Discipline Challenges: Both acknowledge their need to be on the same page about rewards, discipline, and parenting approaches.

6. Screen Time & Modern Family Life

Withdrawing TV: Discuss their strict screen time policy and the marked improvement in their kids’ behavior and family dynamics after taking away TV ([52:16–54:13]).
- Notable Quote:
  
  “Once you get past, like, the first couple days, if not week of no screens, it's just gone. Like, we don't even think about it.” — Jordan, [53:13]

7. The Realities of “MomTok” and Public Family Dynamics

Taylor Frankie Paul & The Cost of Public Scrutiny: Reflection on the fallout from the “Secret Life of Mormon Wives” show, with honest talk about public shaming, reality TV, and its toll on marriages and mental health ([54:21–63:07]).
- Notable Quotes:
  
  “There’s nothing like a good public lashing, though, to bring you back to Jesus, let me tell you.” — Jordan, [54:38]
  “I think a lot of them, like you say yes to it, thinking, oh, that might happen, but they don't realize it's to going, going to happen. And then when it happens, they're not prepared for it...” — Dani, [59:57]
Support, Sacrifice & The 'Instagram Husband': The challenge for partners of influencer moms, digging into what constitutes support versus enablement in these relationships ([63:07–65:23]).
- Notable Quote:
  
  “What is the line between enablement and empowerment? That is the biggest thing for, like, Instagram husbands...” — Jordan, [63:58]
Can Families Survive Reality TV? Debate over whether reality TV marriages can last, with examples from the Kardashians, Busbys, Chip and Jo, and more ([70:55–74:00]).

8. Miscellaneous & Lighthearted Moments

Birthday Party Stress: Dani shares her anxiety about her son Stratton’s birthday party and the angst over RSVPs ([48:21–49:56]).
TV Superheroes & Mom Guilt: Conversation about the struggle to secure Iron Man for her son’s party and the dynamics of mom guilt ([50:01–51:22]).
Random Tangents:
- Crack vs. cocaine differences ([79:00–80:11]).
- Chloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom’s marriage saga ([73:59–75:47]).

Memorable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

[03:04] Dani: “Something in my soul told me...I knew that it was a bunch of baloney.”
[09:07] Dani: “Most people are not bad people...they get caught up into, like, a dream, and then they sacrifice so much for that. But that's not really who they are.”
[24:31] Jordan: “It's the best at querying that because OpenAI and Claude can't get access to the real time data feed.”
[30:20] Jordan: “The most important thing in an AI future is curiosity and agency.”
[39:41] Dani: “The reason my kids get out of bed now is to get stars so that they can buy something.”
[46:27] Jordan: “Discipline and being united on discipline between the two parents is so important.”
[53:13] Jordan: “Once you get past, like, the first couple days, if not week of no screens, it's just gone. Like, we don't even think about it.”
[59:57] Dani: “You say yes to it, thinking, oh, that might happen, but they don't realize...when it happens, they're not prepared for it.”
[63:58] Jordan: “What is the line between enablement and empowerment? That is the biggest thing for, like, Instagram husbands...”

The State of "MomTok," Fame & Family

"Secret Life of Mormon Wives" Fallout:
The show’s drama acts as a mirror for larger questions about influencer culture, “mom empowerment” narratives, and the cracks that can form in family units when opportunity, fame, and traditional roles collide ([54:21–68:41]).
Empowerment vs. Sacrifice:
The hosts wrestle with the message that “you can have it all” as a working mom—questioning its accuracy and highlighting the difference between seasonal hustle and long-term burnout ([68:02–69:55]).
Reality TV's Double-Edge:
Dani and Jordan agree that while reality TV can provide relatable storylines, it is rarely built on wholesomeness, often incentivizing drama at the expense of stability ([69:55–71:48]).

Flow & Tone

The episode feels like dropping in on a married couple unfiltered—by turns light, sarcastic, earnest, and a little messy (especially as they bicker lovingly over parenting decisions, division of labor, and the emotional hangover of influencer culture). They move fluidly from micro family moments to wider societal questions, always circling back to the impact of public life on their children and relationship.

Timestamps For Key Segments

00:25–04:45: Dani’s strep throat and antibiotic saga
06:07–07:47: Clothing try-ons and influencer PTSD
08:11–10:16: Jake Paul, LA, and internet reputations
19:11–24:31: The power (and hazards) of AI for both adults and kids
39:01–45:57: The Star System parenting debate
52:16–54:13: Removing screens from their kids’ lives
54:21–63:07: "Secret Life of Mormon Wives", fame’s toll, marriages under stress
70:55–80:11: Can marriages survive reality TV? (Kardashians, Busbys, Lamar & Khloe, etc)

Summary Table

| Topic | Timestamp | Main takeaway/quote | |----------------------------------|---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Medication/Dr/Dani “cheating” system | 00:25–04:45 | “Something in my soul told me...I knew that it was a bunch of baloney.” | | Anxiety & content creation trauma| 06:07–07:47 | Try-ons are deeply triggering—remind Dani of hyper-edited influencer era | | Jake Paul/LA grind | 08:11–10:16 | Most “internet villains” aren’t bad—caught in a system/hype | | Podcast mission | 10:16–12:22 | “I’ve always loved the vision...bring top 100 most hated on to de-influence them” | | AI & learning | 19:11–24:31 | “The most important thing in an AI future is curiosity and agency.” | | Kindergarten laptops debate | 24:31–32:21 | Jordan: “No” on kindergarteners using laptops | | Star system/parenting | 39:01–45:57 | Rewards, discipline, communication—needing unified approach | | No TV in household | 52:16–54:13 | “Once you get past the first week of no screens...it's just gone.” | | "MomTok" and reality TV toll | 54:21–63:07 | Fame, empowerment, marital strain, what public scrutiny costs |

For New Listeners

This episode is a perfect snapshot of Dani and Jordan’s dynamic: real, occasionally raw conversations packed with pop culture, child-rearing quandaries, and under-the-hood insights into influencer family life. Their willingness to critique themselves and the systems they’re part of makes the “de-influenced” mission both lived and examined. The back half’s “MomTok” segment is a must for anyone following influencer family dramas—giving rare context to what audiences usually only glimpse through heavily-filtered posts and stories.