Disgraceful with Grace O'Malley

Episode: Disco Occasionally, Cry All The Time with Yvette Segan

Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Grace O’Malley (Unwell) | Guest: Yvette Segan

Episode Overview

This lively and warm episode of Disgraceful is a comedic deep-dive into the lives, quirks, and career trajectories of two young, NYC-based comedians—Grace O’Malley and the ever-charming Yvette Segan. Framed as an “audition” for future co-hosts, the conversation dances between playful banter, earnest takes on women’s experiences in comedy and life, reflections on growing up, and gleeful dissection of culture, language, and their own embarrassing and endearing histories. With Grace’s sister Nora chiming in from the background, the hour is packed with bits, memories, and raw laughs—living up to the “comedy podcast for crying out loud!” promise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Names, Family, and the Comedy Sibling Dynamic

• The duo kicks off on a classic bit of name mispronunciation—Grace confesses to overthinking “Yvette” and “Segan,” sparking a riff about Ellis Island, Eastern Europe, and the pain of having an “unpronounceable” last name.
• (03:04) On unusual Eastern European names:
  • Yvette: “I didn’t invent Eastern Europe.”
• Grace introduces her sister Nora as HR, highlighting how their sibling banter in comedy green rooms sometimes shocks outsiders—“That’s my sister. I can say whatever the f*** I want.” (04:40)

2. Sibling Rivalries and Family Positioning

• Yvette explains the “princess thing” that comes with being the youngest girl—parents’ favorite, presumed only child, not as close with siblings. Grace and Yvette riff on what it’s like to be the favorite vs. feeling competitive. (05:00–05:44)

3. Education, London, and Exploring Slang

• Yvette’s journey: theater at Vassar (Poughkeepsie), then a stint in London studying acting:
  • Cue an uproarious breakdown of bizarre British vagina-related slang:
    • “Clunge,” “minge,” and “munch.”
    • Yvette: “Clunge has got to be the worst one.” (08:37)
• The joy (and horror) of cross-cultural language discovery, and how comedy adapts to local quirks.

4. Fun and Emotional Vulnerability

• The pair muse about laughing until they cry, the catharsis of tears, emotional release, and the healing power of humor.
  • Yvette: “I love to have fun to the point of cry.” (09:40)
  • Grace: “We’ve tricked the brain. We’ve hit blast off zone.” (10:18)

5. Gender, Comedy, and Female Experience

• Navigating male-dominated comedy spaces:
  • “That’s what it’s like being a female comedian.” (12:38)
  • Roleplay of “one of the guys” antics at the comedy club.
• The trauma and solidarity among women:
  • “You have two things in common. Some sort of assault...and an eating disorder.” (20:50–21:04)
  • The bittersweet in-joke that new female friendships are always “moments away from sharing a sexual assault story.” (21:11)
• Sincerity underpins the bits, putting words to the shared challenges and silent bonds of women in and out of comedy.

6. Bisexuality, Fluidity, and Double Standards

• Playful theorizing that “all women are bi…but so are men, they just won’t say it.”
  • “A lot more guys are bi than will ever say anything.” (13:50)
  • The gendered ways of claiming sexual identity—women are quick to say “I’m bi,” men conceal far more.

7. Conspiracy Theories, Gullibility, and Mindset

• Grace shares about an 8th-grade teacher who pushed “moon landing was fake” science. Comically impressionable, Grace admits to easy persuasion.
  • “Anyone could present a case to me and I’m just like, yeah, that’s true. 9/11 was fake.” (14:44)
• The exchange morphs into why humans crave certainty and skepticism, but Yvette is “not a conspiracy person,” just cynical about actual incentives shaping bad behavior. (16:47)

8. Career, Podcasting, and the Art of the Hang

• Yvette’s “Friend Crush” podcast:
  • Originated as a ploy to get a friend-crush into a room (never happened), but the joy is in “friend crush” moments from growing up at an all-girls school. (12:46; 13:04)
• Favorite guests: Steph Dag (“We have a similar eating disorder… which is actually what I’m saying.” 19:44)
• Bits on the sheer quantity of trauma and shared experiences that often emerge in the “green rooms” and podcast hangs.

9. Dating, Age Gaps, and Retrospective Wisdom

• Yvette opens up about dating a much older man at 19:
  • “I have never been 33. I’m 28… I haven’t even got to that yet.” (25:25)
• Both reflect on the “dumb years” before 22; the confidence of youth with none of the wisdom.

10. Study Abroad, Cultural Shocks, and the Himalayas

• Yvette tells of her study abroad: acting in London, then Nepal—anecdotes about Mount Everest, local tragedy (the Sherpas), and the egregious litter tourists leave behind.
  • “To defile [the Himalayas] with Snickers bars is like, crazy, dude.” (30:48)

11. Comedic Inspirations & Standup Life

• The women trade stand-up miles and discuss the grind—writing, booking, starting out, bombing, and learning.
• Yvette’s favorites, with background stories:
  • Louis CK: “One of the reasons why I do stand up.” (47:13)
  • Amy Schumer: “She ushered in on her back a generation of female comics.” (47:47)
    • On opening for Amy at the Cellar: “I heard her laughing, which meant the world to me.” (49:35)
  • NY scene shoutouts: Maddie Weiner, Jordan Jensen, Mike Birbiglia, Sean Kindi, Molly Carney, more.

12. Game Segment: Friend Crush, Friend Zone, or Ghost (55:35)

• A comic “Smash or Pass,” but rebranded: pick characters from TV/film, read their description, and debate if they’d crush, friendzone, or ghost.
  • Hysterical disagreements over who’s “hot,” who’s creepy, and who would be a nightmare boyfriend/girlfriend.
  • Yvette: “That show is a celebration of the male butt, and I think that’s really special.” (59:55)
• The segment is rich in pop-culture references, running bits, and layered with meta-jokes about their own dating histories and types.

13. Disgraceful Receipts: Walk Down Memory Lane (70:37)

• Nora provides an old-photo “roast”—Grace puts Yvette on the spot with childhood pics, early comedy projects, and Instagram captions.
  • “Salad is a really powerful metaphor for femininity… a woman’s reliance upon salad.” (81:43)
  • “The first time I really was, like, successful at something… was putting on ‘The Nightman Cometh’…” (74:04)
  • Bits on “Fun Moms” web series, college costumes as YouTube, first sketch hacks, and disco-leotard shows.
• It’s revealing, endearing, and riotously playful.

14. Shoutouts, Plugs, & Community

• Yvette plugs her NYC biweekly show at Sesh Comedy Club, upcoming tour dates (Chicago, Nashville, LA), and where to find her online—YvetteSegan.com, IG: @yvettesean, TikTok: @yevit.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bi Identity and Gender:
  • “Girls do the opposite. We go, ‘I’ve had a gay thought once, I’m bi.’ And not to... and you are bi, girlboss, and I’m not saying you’re not. Stand your ground.” — Yvette (13:43)
• On Favorite Comedians:
  • “Amy Schumer… ushered in on her back a generation of female comics. The way she talked about sexuality, I think, was really, really earth-shattering—we totally take that for granted.” — Yvette (47:47)
  • “She’s like, ‘Do you want to open for me at the Cellar tomorrow?’ and I was like… you said ‘tomorrow’?” — Yvette (48:52)
• On Female Friendship:
  • “When you really feel like you’re hitting it off with another woman and you’re like, we’re gonna be friends, it’s like you’re moments away from sharing a sexual assault story.” — Yvette (21:11)
• On Youthful Confidence:
  • “Everything before 22, I was literally the dumbest person ever.” — Yvette (27:11)
• On Comedy Scene Realizations:
  • “It’s crazy when you realize you’re smarter than every guy, dude. The world opens up.” — Yvette (24:20)
• On Cultural Critique:
  • “To defile [the Himalayas] with Snickers bars is like, crazy, dude.” — Yvette (30:48)
• On Comedy in New York:
  • “I’m a fan of everybody. There’s so many cool and so many talented comedians… we get to just hang out with them and learn stuff from each other.” — Yvette (52:43)
• On Joy and Release:
  • “I love to have fun to the point of cry.” — Yvette (09:40)
  • “Salad is a really powerful metaphor for femininity.” — Yvette (81:43)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:53 – First real bit, Name game, podcast intro
• 03:13 – Name woes, family name history, Ellis Island joke
• 04:28 – Sibling dynamic, introducing Nora
• 05:57 – Attending Vassar, theatre major, “princess” youngest-child riff
• 06:39 – London abroad, British slang tangent (“minj,” “clunge”)
• 09:40 – The catharsis of laughter and crying
• 12:38 – “One of the guys” role-play: female comics in male spaces
• 20:30 – Friendship honesty: “assault” and “eating disorder” as familiar female touchstones
• 25:07 – Dating much older men, retrospective on “dumb years”
• 29:21 – Mount Everest realities, Sherpas, tourist impact
• 47:13 – Comedy influences, stage jitters, Amy Schumer story
• 55:35 – Game segment: Friend Crush, Friend Zone, or Ghost
• 70:37 – “Disgraceful Receipts” segment—childhood and early-career photos
• 84:54 – Plugs, shoutouts, tour info

Tone and Energy

Freewheeling but intimate—wildly funny, occasionally raw, and deeply relatable. Grace and Yvette balance silly-sharp observational bits (minj, salad, “male butt celebration”) with genuine personal confessions. Irreverent, feminist, cathartic, and bursting with the energy of two friends who can make each other cry-laugh while still holding space for vulnerability.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• Expect a show that combines the spirit of a hang with the candor of therapy—full of inside jokes, smart reflections on comedy and gender, and a barrage of pop references from Shakespeare to The Office to the Real Housewives.
• You’ll leave with a sharper eye for the weirdness of everyday language, more empathy for the battles women weather quietly, a new favorite “Friend Crush” to follow, and maybe the urge to look up “clunge” (don’t).
• If you’re a comic or a fan, you’ll find community; and if you just want to laugh until you cry, you’ll feel right at home.

Disgraceful with Grace O’Malley — weekly doses of chaos, catharsis, and comedy gold. Don’t miss Yvette’s “Friend Crush” podcast, and check both their socials for upcoming shows and more existential riffs.