Emergency Intercom: "Be Who You Are"

Hosts: Enya Umanzor, Drew Phillips, Kai (recurring guest)
Date: January 23, 2026
Podcast: Emergency Intercom, iHeartPodcasts

Brief Overview

In this episode, Enya, Drew, and Kai bring their trademark chaotic humor and introspection to a sprawling, hilarious conversation. The episode centers loosely on dynamics within their "polycule," touching on topics like polyamorous drama, internet culture, Gen Z/Alpha quirks, personal routines, LGBTQ+ nightlife, viral internet challenges, travel stories, bathroom etiquette, and their ongoing obsession with comfort and nostalgia. The hosts weave silly anecdotes with sharp cultural observations, all in their irreverent, stream-of-consciousness style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

"Our Polycule" Drama and Relationships

• [00:23 - 03:05] The trio jokingly refers to their close friend group as a polycule, poking fun at internal "drama" and the sexually charged, overlapping relationships within.
  • Jokes about bringing diseases, “polycules,” and who’s responsible for "fungal invasions."
  • Notable Moment:
    • Enya: “I laugh when I’m nervous. Famously. ...Like when my mom died ...the jokes.” [01:07]
    • Drew: “Because we sleep together and you touch me.” [02:51]

Internet Culture & Generational Shifts

• [03:11 - 05:47] Deep nostalgia for early YouTube challenges ("shipping yourself in a box") and the changing landscape of online fandoms.
  • Drew describes the “box theory” (women/vaginas, shipping yourself, NPCs).
  • Disbelief over high school twitch streamers’ very public romantic lives.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Drew: “We were the last of, like, purity. ...The further we go, we stray further and further from our, from God.” [04:43]

Adolescent Awkwardness & Artifacts

• [07:38 - 09:16] Enya and Drew reflect on their middle school creativity, keeping old doodles, and drawing as a coping mechanism.
  • Drew shares about drawing “Christopher Meloni nude,” referencing a specific TV scene.
  • Discussion of what teenagers do for fun now compared to pre-internet explosion years.
  • Memorable Moment:
    • Drew: "Gay or straight men find the oddest things to be the greatest cinematic moments." [08:56]

Life in Gay Spaces & Nightlife Stories

• [09:16 - 17:44]
  • The evolution of gay bars as “sacred spaces” and playing explicit videos as a deterrent to “party girls.”
  • Anecdotes from regular visits to their favorite bar, meeting fans, and sharing wild stories from friends’ dating lives—challenges in finding monogamy, “apple crate” height deception, and amusing gym/sauna encounters.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • Drew: “They play gay porn because it’s like a deterrent. ...Women won’t want to come here.” [09:36]
    • Drew: “To find a monogamous gay guy in general, impossible.” [14:50]
    • Enya: “This is the first year in my life I’ve consecutively had a good little routine of like going to sleep, waking up, having a full day.” [17:29]

Insomnia, Routine, and Artistic Flow State

• [17:29 - 18:11]
  • Enya details embracing a healthy lifestyle and regularity, finally finding “a vibe” in her art studio and social life.
  • Drew and Kai discuss balancing social exhaustion.

Teenage Mom Culture & Fanfiction

• [18:28 - 22:33]
  • Drew notes a trend of teenage girls online expressing a desire to be teen moms, the resurgence of "Teen Mom" clips, and the alarming rise of "trad” values.
  • The discussion devolves into the pros and cons of fanfiction and “smut,” with the hosts revealing their own reading habits.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • Enya: “That’s also the worst. I’d rather my kid do meth than teen pregnancy.” [19:36]
    • Drew: “I would secretly read like, smut. ...You were like, wait, let me tap in.” [20:26]

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction as Adults

• [22:33 - 24:17]
  • They share their difficulty getting into fiction, favorite authors, and a running gag about not finishing shows.
  • Drew muses about writing a tell-all on his own sexual adventures.

Airplane Angst, Travel Manners, and Bathroom Etiquette

• [29:18 - 46:40]
  • Recap of viral videos featuring airplane panic attacks, stories of flight anxiety, manners while flying, and extreme bad behavior in airplane bathrooms (kicking, climbing over passengers).
  • Rambunctious, often gross, jokes about bodily functions and hygiene.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • Drew: “I would never scream like that. I would literally rather be thrown out of the window than scream on an airplane.” [30:53]
    • Enya: “If you’re spending more than $60 on a beanbag, it should be punished by death.” [51:54]
    • Drew (on public bathroom horror): "To put the face to the turd was really, really, really crazy." [45:31]

Social Media Trends & "Grindset" Culture

• [46:44 - 49:29]
  • The rise of basic “day in the life” vlogs by young, straight men and the cringe that comes with “grindset mindset.”
  • Nostalgia for old-school challenges and horror at the commercialism of virtual tours (e.g. Architectural Digest houses).
  • Notable Moment:
    • Drew: "Can we stop playing that goddamn song, please?" [48:50]

Late-Stage Capitalism, Furniture Snobbery, and Adulting

• [50:22 - 52:18]
  • Drew and Enya criticize expensive beanbags (Lovesac) and adult beanbag culture, lampooning modular “luxury” furniture.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Enya: “Spending more than $60 on a beanbag should be punished by death.” [51:54]

Gen Alpha, Literacy Decline, & Internet Evolution

• [53:15 - 54:08]
  • Enya and Drew rail against a rise in “literacy issues,” typos in content, and worry about Gen Alpha’s reading skills due to the pandemic.

Media of the Week & Closing Banter

• [54:08 - 58:43]
  • Each host offers media recommendations (music by Arca, TV shows like Insecure and Industry, a Jeff Buckley doc, and the Casa Bonita restaurant story by the South Park creators).
  • Amusing confusion about generational boundaries — cusp Gen Z vs. Millennial.
  • Lighthearted exchange of compliments.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Enya: "I laugh when I'm nervous. Famously." [01:07]
• Drew: "Because we sleep together and you touch me." [02:51]
• Enya: "This is the first year in my life I've consecutively had a good little routine..." [17:29]
• Drew: “To find a monogamous gay guy in general, impossible.” [14:50]
• Enya: "I'd rather my kid do meth than teen pregnancy." [19:36]
• Drew: "I would never scream like that. I would literally rather be thrown out of the window..." [30:53]
• Enya: “Spending more than $60 on a beanbag should be punished by death.” [51:54]
• Drew: “To put the face to the turd was really crazy because... we all eat food and then poop it out. Why have we not evolved past this, this poopy butt?” [45:31]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:23-03:05]: Polycule drama, laughter as a coping mechanism.
• [03:11-05:47]: YouTube trends, “box theory,” generational change.
• [07:38-09:16]: Middle school nostalgia, adolescent drawing, pop culture references.
• [09:16-17:44]: Gay bar culture, deterrents, best and worst gay stories.
• [18:28-22:33]: Teenage pregnancy, internet trends, fanfiction confessions.
• [29:18-46:40]: Airplane travel anxiety, etiquette, bathroom horror stories.
• [46:44-49:29]: Day-in-the-life vlogs, “grindset” culture, real estate YouTube.
• [50:22-52:18]: Critique of adult beanbags and Lovesac furniture.
• [54:08-58:43]: Recommendations, generational confusion, show wrap-up.

Conclusion

This episode exemplifies Emergency Intercom’s blend of personal storytelling, cultural critique, and absurd banter. Enya, Drew, and Kai keep the energy high (and the laughs coming) as they flit between deeply relatable crises (relationship messiness, awkward adolescence, flying trauma) and wry observations about the absurdities of internet and adult life. Underneath the goofiness runs a real affection between the hosts—and a refreshing honesty about growing up, finding your routine, and, yes, the eternal struggles of bathroom etiquette.