On Sex and the City: Politically Erect

Summary

Every Outfit Podcast - Episode Summary

Title: On Sex and the City: Politically Erect
Hosts: Chelsea Fairless & Lauren Garroni
Release Date: November 8, 2024

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1. Introduction and Episode Context

In this episode of Every Outfit, hosts Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni delve into the intertwined realms of politics and popular culture, using the lens of the iconic television series Sex and the City. Initially, Chelsea and Lauren contemplate veering off their usual discussion topics to provide a state-by-state analysis of the 2024 presidential election, acknowledging their audience's interest in political discourse.

Notable Quote:
Lauren Garroni [00:32]: "I think we need to do a state by state analysis of what happened in the 2024 presidential election, because that's what people come for with this podcast."

2. Reflections on the 2024 Presidential Election

Chelsea and Lauren express their disappointment and concern over the election results, particularly the re-election of Donald Trump. They discuss the implications of his victory, highlighting feelings of unpreparedness within the Democratic Party and the broader rejection of the party's platform.

Notable Quotes:
Chelsea Fairless [02:15]: "He won all the swing states, so he did."
Lauren Garroni [05:10]: "I find that this election is a rejection of the Democratic Party."

3. Transition to Sex and the City Episode Analysis

Shifting gears, the hosts introduce their primary focus: analyzing the Sex and the City episode titled "Politically Erect." They outline their approach to dissecting the episode's blend of fashion, politics, and personal relationships, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion.

4. Detailed Recap and Fashion Commentary

a. Episode Overview:
The episode centers around Carrie Bradshaw's relationship with Bill Kelly, a politician portrayed by John Slattery. Their dynamic serves as a backdrop to explore themes of political ambition, personal sacrifice, and the impact of politics on intimate relationships.

Notable Quotes:
Carrie Bradshaw (Voiceover) [15:00]: "We made a good match. I was adept at fashion, he at politics."
Carrie Bradshaw (Voiceover) [26:19]: "Things you like about him. Things you don't like about him."

b. Fashion Highlights:
Chelsea and Lauren meticulously analyze Carrie's outfits, noting the evolution of her style in season three. They praise her ability to blend vintage elements with contemporary trends, emphasizing her micro suede Halston shirt dress and the standout organza flower brooch.

Notable Quotes:
Lauren Garroni [16:13]: "That's a part of her personal style. That is something that she brought to Patricia Field for her character."
Chelsea Fairless [21:18]: "Carrie thinks that more presidents need to wear Hats, which I think I agree with her."

c. Character Dynamics and Themes:
The hosts explore the interplay between politics and personal relationships, particularly how Carrie's affair with Bill Kelly blurs the lines between her professional aspirations and romantic life. They also critique Miranda and Samantha's storylines, discussing their interactions and the portrayal of modern dating challenges.

Notable Quotes:
Lauren Garroni [27:00]: "Can there be sex without politics?"
Chelsea Fairless [37:16]: "Carrie commits to tell the truth and write about this incident in her weekly column."

d. Memorable Scenes and Dialogue:
Key moments, such as Carrie and Bill's intimate conversations intertwined with political discourse, are highlighted. The hosts commend the show's ability to weave complex emotions with sharp social commentary.

Notable Quotes:
Samantha [20:37]: "The country runs better with a good looking man in the White House. Look at what happened to Nixon. No one wanted to fuck him, so he fucked everyone. Perfect."
Carrie Bradshaw (Voiceover) [27:23]: "Can there be sex without politics? The short answer is yes, but I don't know why she has to diss Erika Jeong."

5. Host Reflections and Ratings

Chelsea and Lauren provide their personal evaluations of the episode, rating various elements such as character development, fashion, and dialogue. They express particular admiration for Samantha's witty one-liners and Carrie's fashion choices, while offering constructive criticism on Miranda and Charlotte's plotlines.

Notable Quotes:
Lauren Garroni [50:07]: "Samantha's Boyfriend of the Week is top tier, but Charlotte and Miranda's plot lines are nothing to write home about."
Chelsea Fairless [51:25]: "Best dressed? Obviously Carrie."

6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Wrapping up, the hosts share their final opinions, emphasizing the episode's strength in blending political themes with personal narratives. They express a desire to see more integrated storytelling in future episodes and tease upcoming content, maintaining their signature blend of humor and critical analysis.

Notable Quotes:
Paul [53:10]: "John Slattery was the one that got away. He's like, one of the coolest, hottest people she's ever dated."
Chelsea Fairless [54:07]: "We love you. We'll be back next week."

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Episode Highlights:

• Emotional Impact of the 2024 Election: The hosts share a deep sense of disillusionment with the election outcome, questioning the Democratic Party's preparedness and the electorate's direction.

• Fashion Analysis: Detailed examination of Carrie's outfits, highlighting the intersection of style and character development.

• Character Relationships: Insightful discussion on how political aspirations influence personal relationships, particularly through Carrie and Bill Kelly's storyline.

• Humorous Commentary: Lauren and Chelsea inject humor through their critiques of character behaviors and plot developments, maintaining an engaging and entertaining narrative throughout.

• Critical Ratings: Hosts evaluate the episode's strengths and weaknesses, providing listeners with a comprehensive perspective on its execution.

Notable Takeaways:

• The episode "Politically Erect" serves as a reflection of the current political climate, using Sex and the City as a mirror to societal trends and personal struggles.

• Every Outfit successfully intertwines fashion commentary with political analysis, offering a unique take on popular culture through the hosts' distinctive perspectives.

• The integration of memorable quotes and detailed scene breakdowns provides listeners with a thorough understanding of the episode's themes and nuances.

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For more insightful discussions on fashion, politics, and popular culture, subscribe to Every Outfit and join Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni every Friday.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker]

I spent $40,000 on shoes.

[Paul]

What's the matter, Morty? Coral the sting.

[Unknown Speaker]

10 tomorrow.

[Paul]

Dress floral. Great gowns. Beautiful gowns. Fashion has changed. No, it hasn't.

[Lauren Garone]

Hi, I'm Lauren Garone.

[Unknown Speaker]

And.

[Chelsea Fairless]

And I'm Chelsea Fairless. And this is the clinically depressed edition of the Every Outfit podcast.

[Lauren Garone]

Yes, I know that it says that we're going to be talking about the episode Politically Erect, but, Chelsea, I think we need to go rogue. I think we need to do a state by state analysis of what happened in the 2024 presidential election, because that's what people come for with this podcast.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Yes, according to our Apple podcast reviews, people really love when we talk about this stuff.

[Lauren Garone]

This is a real damned if you do, damned if you don't sit. Because I feel like we would get more shit if we didn't acknowledge the election versus the shit we usually get when we do talk about politics. So.

[Chelsea Fairless]

But I think it's safe to say that we're both quite sad about the results of this election. Or did you vote for Trump?

[Lauren Garone]

You supposed to write in Kamala, right? No, no, I voted for Kamala. I voted for Mail and sent that ballot in. So we should explain this episode has been recorded in two parts, Right. Several weeks ago, we recorded our monthly Sex in the City rewatch episode. We decided to do Politically Erect. We thought it would be relevant to do this particular week. I was also going to be out of town, but we knew we were going to beam in from the present to give our commentary about the election. And as I said on last week's episode, my hubris, man, I was like, we're not even going to know the election results for weeks. Like, I thought you and I would come on here and just give pithy comments about how we didn't know the results. And boy, was I wrong.

[Chelsea Fairless]

I know. I'm glad it wasn't drawn out like that. But I also hate that he did win by, like, a sizable margin. Not a crazy margin, but he won all the swing states, so he did.

[Lauren Garone]

And it seems like he's going to win the popular vote. And I don't know how I feel. I don't feel defeated. The anger that I feel is not. Is not the fact that he won again. It's just more that the fact that we had 10 years to prepare for this. I mean, it's not like we lost in a new way. It just feels like 2016, but more.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fairless]

And like, I understand the people that feel disenfranchised and hate our government and our current political system. But, like, I can't wrap my head around, like, seeing Donald Trump's name on the ballot and, like, checking that box. Like, I'm writing in mu dang before I'm doing that.

[Lauren Garone]

Mu dang and not Ann Seltzer predicted the election. Mu Dang ate that Trump cake.

[Chelsea Fairless]

That is animal abuse. Mudang is not a political puppet. That said, Mudang has way more charisma than J.D. vance. I think we can all agree. And that's actually, like, kind of the worst thing. I mean, it isn't actually the worst aspect of this. We've had Trump be president before.

[Unknown Speaker]

For J.D.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Vance, this is, like, really big.

[Lauren Garone]

That's the thing. I saw a tweet that was like, I can't even wish for Trump to die because that means J.D. vance would become president, and that's way worse.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Yeah.

[Lauren Garone]

So take me through your election night.

[Chelsea Fairless]

I went to the Abbey, and it was quite chill. I'm glad I did that. I think it would have been more depressing watching cable news at home. And the vibe wasn't, like, terrible, despite the fact that everyone had voted for Kamala and no one wanted Trump to win. But I think it was nice to be with people.

[Lauren Garone]

I think you learn from the 2016 election because a little every outfit lore. You and I were living together during the 2016 election, and there is a series of very humorous photos. I mean, I guess humorous in. In retrospect, of us slowly losing our minds throughout the evening. I believe there's one image you took of me of drinking Pinot Grigio and eating raw cookie dough while crying.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Yeah. I think we also had, like, that kind of Klonopin that, like, dissolves on your tongue. Good times. Yeah. I mean, this was better than that just because that was so shocking. I was prepared for this in a way that I was not prepared for the 2016 election, of course. But of course it evokes that so much. Right. Like, I'm triggered by it. I don't know. I find the implications around gender with this election to be particularly sad because I just kind of thought that, like, people just hated Hillary Clinton for whatever reason, that there was something about her specifically. But now it's, like, really hard to imagine there being a female candidate for a really long time.

[Lauren Garone]

I think this is part of the issue and kind of where my feelings are right now of reading all of these think pieces that want to trace the Democratic loss to one issue or another, where it's everything. The fact that we now feel like, well, we can't have another Democratic presidential candidate who's a woman, when really I find that this election is a rejection of the Democratic Party. I know this is making me sound.

[Paul]

A little RFK Jr.

[Lauren Garone]

But I just feel politically homeless. I would never vote third party. I would certainly not vote for Republican. But I. I can't believe how unprep the Democratic establishment was. They had nearly a decade to prepare a platform, a candidate.

[Chelsea Fairless]

I completely agree with you. Although I do think that sexism and racism did play into this to some extent.

[Lauren Garone]

Oh, yeah, that's sort of. My thing is when people like to point to one singular issue, every, you know, everyone's racist or sexist or we alienated white men or they didn't have a strong enough economic position. It's not one thing. It is all of the things.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Yes, but there's clearly something wrong with a lot of these people that voted for Trump. Again, I agree with you. I think that there are a lot of different factors playing into this, but.

[Unknown Speaker]

I think the fact that the majority.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Of the country found this to be the soundest choice is deeply disturbing.

[Lauren Garone]

I mean, but the question becomes, where do we go from here? Exactly. I don't really feel like resisting. I don't feel like wearing a pussy hat. I didn't really feel like that the first time around.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Well, obviously we were never wearing a pussy hat because they're just like, deeply unfashionable. I don't know. Did you read Bernie Sanders response? Yes, because he raised a lot of sound points about why the Democrats failed, which he largely attributed to economic justice issues. And I do recommend that everyone reads that. But also, like, did you see the outcome of some of the propositions in California? Because we voted to raise the minimum wage, and that is looking like it's going to fail. So it's like, if that's the will of the people, can we even really blame our elected officials for that?

[Lauren Garone]

I'm a fairly jaded person. But there was a level of meanness in this election, especially when it came to the California propositions that did not pass. The other one being the proposition that was going to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude in prison that did not pass, that did not have an argument against it. Right. In ballot measures, there's usually a case for and then a case against. This proposition had no case against it, and people voted no, 54% to 45%.

[Unknown Speaker]

Why?

[Chelsea Fairless]

I honestly don't know. It's fucked up because people think of California as being such a liberal blue state.

[Unknown Speaker]

And that is true.

[Chelsea Fairless]

If you are on the coast of California, right? If you live near the water, the further inland you get, the state is completely red. And these are clearly the people that are, you know, voting for modern day slavery or whatever. Yet somehow the majority of people voted for Kamala Harris. I don't understand it.

[Lauren Garone]

I guess that's more where I'm at of. I'm not shocked. This isn't 2016. I just am more in a place of I don't understand it. And to your point about Bernie Sanders statement, it really feels like a battle cry to the Democratic establishment that I imagine he has been making for years privately to them and could not hold it in anymore.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Well, he's been saying approximations of this publicly also. You know, that's basically his whole platform. And clearly if the Democratic Party can appeal to working class people, that's insane. They're fud and they need to completely restrategize.

[Lauren Garone]

Well, this is the other bizarre thing in the, you know, was it Monday, Monday quarterbacking, where this perception of what the Democratic Party is from Republicans or centrist Democrats that they went to woke and they're the party of the woke and that's why people have walked away from it, where it's like, frankly, I would like the Democratic Party to have actually progressive policies like health care for all.

[Chelsea Fairless]

I know, until we have health care for all, the government is flopping. You know, the fact that the minimum wage is still like $7 in some states is fucking crazy. I understand why people don't vote. I understand why people are just kind of like, fuck it, I'll vote for this unhinged loser. Actually, I don't. But I, I guess I can see the nihilistic thought process.

[Lauren Garone]

It's very tough to be the incumbent party and say, well, yes, it sucks now, but things will be better. But also she doubled down and was like, no, I wouldn't do anything different than Biden.

[Unknown Speaker]

Sure.

[Chelsea Fairless]

But there's no way to answer that question and not be dragged. If she had been like, I disagree with this, this and this, she would have gotten attacked for that also. It would have made headlines, blah, blah, blah. I just, I think there's some questions that there's no good answer. Although perhaps maybe the honest answer would have been correct. I'm sure there's something she would have done differently.

[Lauren Garone]

I'm very tired of losing the big battles and winning the small fights. And I just cannot believe our future is being decided by octogenarians who refuse to retire.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Term limits, baby.

[Lauren Garone]

Bernie Sanders notwithstanding, that octogenarian can Stay.

[Chelsea Fairless]

He could stay for as long as he needs to.

[Lauren Garone]

Nancy Pelosi, sashay away.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Well, God, I don't know how we transition into this Sex and the City episode. Although I do think that in times like this, this is when we really lean on Sex in the City. This is when Sex in the City becomes more of a crutch, because watching the reruns is just so comforting.

[Lauren Garone]

I will say that we do listen to the episodes back to make sure that the edit sounds fine. And Paul was in bed next to me while I was listening to it because it is our foreplay. He's like, you know, it's not city comp controller, it's just comp controller, which.

[Paul]

Is something, I guess. I. What?

[Chelsea Fairless]

Oh, okay. But this is why we're idiots and should never be talking about politics.

[Paul]

Okay, Paul, what did I get wrong.

[Lauren Garone]

In this episode that people are about to hear?

[Unknown Speaker]

Nobody on this podcast is an idiot, first of all. Second of all, John Slattery's character is running for city comptroller.

It's not okay.

[Lauren Garone]

Controller.

[Unknown Speaker]

No, controller is like somebody who works at a job. It's a jobby job.

[Paul]

There you go.

[Lauren Garone]

So no need to leave.

[Paul]

Okay?

[Chelsea Fairless]

First we figure out how to say this actual job, and then we figure out what they actually do. Does Paul know that?

[Lauren Garone]

Paul, do you know what.

[Paul]

What that job is? Come on back on, Mike.

[Unknown Speaker]

Off the top of my head, not really, but I know that it's. It's like. It's a financial position within the mayor's administration.

[Lauren Garone]

Should Cynthia Nixon be running for this position? My Google husband's about to Google this.

[Unknown Speaker]

The Office of New York City Comptroller. It's the city's chief financial officer, but independently elected. I said it was part of the mayor's administration. It's actually independent.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Okay, so you were mostly right.

[Lauren Garone]

Put us all together, and we can almost make a coherent point about politics. All right, guys, without further ado, let's.

[Paul]

Get into the episode, and Lauren and.

[Chelsea Fairless]

I will be back in person and not discussing the election next week. Enjoy.

[Paul]

This year.

[Unknown Speaker]

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[Paul]

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[Unknown Speaker]

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[Paul]

One of the better episodes, right?

[Unknown Speaker]

For sure. I love this episode.

[Paul]

Some of the best fashion, some of the best writing. An actual sexual storyline involving Carrie, which I feel like season three is kind of the last time we get this.

[Unknown Speaker]

They dropped wanting to talk about like taboo sex acts.

[Paul]

After a while, Carrie centric, they definitely drop it. She becomes too classy for that.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Paul]

So the episode begins with of course, a Carrie voiceover. She says, I had been dating politician Bill Kelly for three weeks. Since most of our time was spent campaigning, I dressed the part. I found some vintage Halston and did a spin on Jackie Kennedy. The early years. I'm sorry Chelsea, but what early years? This is definitely Jackie o in the 70s, right?

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, the early years would have been the 40s in the 50s, right? But yes, she's wearing a micro suede Halston shirt dress. And that is a distinctly post Camelot era for Jackie O. Absolutely. Although Halston did design her pillbox hats in the 60s. That still is not the early years. Like when I think of her early years, I think of that like Cecil Beaton portrait of her and her sister.

[Paul]

She's hanging out with little Edie.

[Unknown Speaker]

But yes, this has always made me feel crazy and I'm sure others can relate to this.

[Paul]

She goes on to say in her voiceover, we made a good match. I was adept at fashion, he at politics. Really. They're both about recycling ideas and making them seem fresh and inspiring.

[Unknown Speaker]

Truer words have never been spoken.

[Paul]

I don't go to Carrie for scintillating commentary and analysis, certainly about politics, but she really cooked with that take. She is correct.

[Unknown Speaker]

She's absolutely correct. Also, we're getting a montage of sort of her with him on the campaign trail, her and all these different looks. In this scene, she is wearing the largest flower brooch I think we've ever seen her wear. This, like, ginormous organza one.

[Paul]

So this is the second episode of season three. I went back to the first episode just to make sure I was correct, because this is the debut of the rosettes in this episode. It's not in the first episode of season three, but this would become a hallmark of Carrie's season three style.

[Unknown Speaker]

And as we've discussed before, this was a SJP thing. The rosette, that's a part of her personal style. That is something that she brought to Patricia Field for her character. And it was a great instinct, her.

[Paul]

Watching John Slattery do his thing. Which, by the way, I'm just gonna say I will be call. Calling him John Slattery throughout this episode. I don't know who Bill Kelly is. I guess that's allegedly who this city comp controller is, but he's John Slattery to me.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, we don't know if he won the election, Lauren.

[Paul]

I know. It's so unfair, but this episode is truly a breath of fresh, considering the episode we covered last month. Because all of the puns as foreplay actually work between John Slattery and Carrie in this episode. So they go back to her apartment and they're making out. And he says to her, can we talk about Proposition 114? And she goes, what's that? You and me in the bedroom. Is that on the ballad? It ought to be. I'd back it. I'm like, yes, I'm in. This is one of the few times Carrie is on top. I want to note.

[Unknown Speaker]

Pervert. You would notice that it only happens.

[Paul]

Twice, and it's both in season three. The only other time is when she makes love to Aiden before she almost confesses to sleeping with Big.

[Unknown Speaker]

Wow. I'm imagining that you have, like, a sick little journal where you've, like, tallied all of the different times Carrie's in different positions.

[Paul]

I just am fascinated that this progressive sex show, the sex columnist only fucks in missionary position. Okay.

[Unknown Speaker]

We also have to take the time period into consideration.

[Paul]

Samantha's doing different positions.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Okay.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's true.

[Paul]

Carrie says that that was the night that she had her political consciousness raised.

[Unknown Speaker]

Funny. So we get a Steve and Miranda walk and talk. He's trying to organize another date with her. She's resisting because she doesn't know if she wants to date him. She's embarrassed by him.

[Paul]

She does put up. I would Say, a healthy boundary, especially one if you're dating someone new. But two, especially someone you're. You're going on round two of dating with, where he's like, what are you doing Thursday night? And she's like, you can't assume that I'm always going to be available. But in true Miranda form, she actually doesn't have anything going on. She just doesn't want him to know that.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. And he says that he's not dating anyone else. He's not planning on dating anyone else. Which is putting a bit of pressure on Miranda.

[Paul]

Of course, as Carrie says in her voiceover, Miranda wasn't ready to let Steve win by default. So we already get that the whole theme of the episode is going to be about politics in relationships.

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, in the whole theme of their relationship is that she doesn't want to be with him if we're starting here and ending. And just like that, her first instinct was correct. Clearly. Then we get one of the greatest lunch scenes ever.

[Paul]

And it isn't set in the standard diner location. They're outdoors, they're out in the world.

[Unknown Speaker]

Charlotte says, I can't believe you're dating a politician. You're not even registered to vote.

[Paul]

A great Charlotte line. Yeah, kind of un Charlotte like. But then she immediately follows it up with the fact that she wants to volunteer so she can basically meet her.

[Unknown Speaker]

Future husband because she's interested by politics. And then Miranda's like, by interesting you mean like hot and rich. Like you're just in this to meet guys.

[Paul]

To be fair, she less wants to volunteer and more. I think she wants to be a donor event.

[Unknown Speaker]

Right.

[Paul]

I can't really see Charlotte knocking door to door for the city comp controller.

[Unknown Speaker]

We get the incredible Samantha line. The country runs better with a good looking man in the White House. I mean, look at what happened to Nixon. No one wanted to fuck him, so he fucked everyone. Perfect.

[Paul]

Charlotte mentions twice that she had a crush on Dan Quayle, which all the girls try to ignore.

[Unknown Speaker]

And that's the only thing that suggests that. Is Charlotte a Republican? Because, like, look, Dan Quayle definitely hotter than George Bush Senior, but not hot enough for me to look past the fact that he's a Republican. Like I can do that with Tom Selleck because he's extremely hot. Dan Quail. No, that's like, you got to be a little conservative.

[Paul]

I think if you asked Charlotte, especially at this time, pre woke children, she'd be like, I'm socially liberal but fiscally conservative.

[Unknown Speaker]

Right.

[Paul]

Carrie thinks that more presidents need to wear Hats, which I think I agree with her.

[Unknown Speaker]

I don't know. I think that moment is past. I think it would scare me if someone wore a hat. Now, maybe a baseball hat.

[Paul]

I was gonna say, to be fair, presidents do wear hats, but they're usually baseball.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. Baseball hats are fine, but like a fedora. No.

[Paul]

A beret? Certainly not. So Miranda, of course, can't believe the tenor of this conversation. That they're simply talking about these men in power and they're simply talking about how attractive they are or their fashion sense. And so she makes a remark that thank God they weren't around when the Founding Fathers founded the country. Because I guess they wouldn't be able to do it because these three women would be like, you guys aren't fuckable enough.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. Miranda's line is, I don't think our Founding Fathers were very. To which Samantha says, thomas Jefferson was a real fox. I couldn't help but wonder, if you had to, one of the Founding Fathers, who would you choose?

[Paul]

Okay, so founding fathers being George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison.

[Unknown Speaker]

John Jay is really the hooiest of the Founding Fathers.

[Paul]

Absolutely.

[Unknown Speaker]

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin. Obviously not especially Benjamin Franklin. Right. Or are you into George Washington?

[Paul]

I would fuck Benjamin Franklin for the story.

[Unknown Speaker]

Benjamin Franklin does kind of look like a lesbian of a certain age that might reside in Provincetown. So actually, maybe I could get into that.

[Paul]

Well, he was a notorious Lothario. So it's like if I'm in the DeLorean going back in time. Like, if I see him in the French Court, I'm like, all right, let's take this for a spin. Let's see what everyone was talking about.

[Unknown Speaker]

John Adams. Disgusting. Maybe the most unfuckable. Like, he looks like Danny DeVito as the Penguin.

[Paul]

I mean, to be fair, most of these men, including Benjamin Franklin, look like Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Or Danny DeVito. And that episode of It's Always Sunny where he's all greased up and comes out of the couch.

[Unknown Speaker]

Also, James Madison couldn't fuck that terrifying, horrifying hairline.

[Paul]

I think I couldn't go with George Washington just for the lack of teeth.

[Unknown Speaker]

Thomas Jefferson, bad hair, but pretty hot face. Samantha might be onto something.

[Paul]

The one person we haven't referenced is Alexander Hamilton. Who? I think the musical Hamilton has done a lot for his reputation. So, like, maybe Hamilton.

[Unknown Speaker]

You could do worse than Hamilton, as we've laid out. Yeah, yeah. Because I think he's hotter than everyone that we've discussed. John Jay also isn't. Although, based on this one oil portrait, he might be the best dressed. Like, I'm pretty sure this was, like, $10,000 worth of fabric in 1776.

[Paul]

Oh, yeah, I see the one you're talking about.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm going with Alexander Hamilton.

[Paul]

Okay. And I'm still going with Benjamin Franklin, but just for the story. So now Miranda and Carrie have a walk and talk. This is maybe one of my favorite. Carrie and Miranda walk and talks.

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, Miranda looks incredible. For one thing. She has, like, a full minimalist look, sort of in the vein of Jill Sander or Calvin Klein or something. Very chic.

[Paul]

For sure. Carrie is in. I don't. I mean, like, Paula Poundstone cosplay.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, but she has a pussy bow.

[Paul]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

If it was Paula Poundstone, she would have a straight tie.

[Paul]

This is thrift store Carrie through and through. Like, that is a suit that she saw at some charity shop on the Upper east side. And that is some decrepit living off 5th Avenue. Pussy bow top from the 80s.

[Unknown Speaker]

It could be from the late 70s, too. There's something a little bit like 9 to 5 about it.

[Paul]

Yeah. What I love about this Carrie outfit is the subtext is clearly that Carrie woke up that morning and was like, I'm dating a politician. I should dress sharper. Like, there's clearly a story within this outfit that we ourselves don't know, but I feel it.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Paul]

As we said in the previous scene that we sensed with Miranda. But she just directly says to Carrie that she's hesitant to get back in a relationship with Steve because what if someone better comes along? This is something we referenced in last month's episode. But I have to ask, besides Dr. Robert Leeds, does anyone better come along for Miranda through the course of the series into. In Just like that. Robert and I said, beside Robert, no one else.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's because she chained herself to Steve.

[Paul]

So Miranda realizes that this is her problem in relationships. She doesn't know how to be political. To which Carrie's response is like, time for the good old list. Things you like about him. Things you don't like about him. To which Miranda's like, that's so judgmental. And Carrie, wisely, is like, you are judgmental. Why don't you use it for once.

[Unknown Speaker]

If you are doing a pro and con list, like, that's your answer. It's done.

[Paul]

Yeah. I mean, there's so many points where she could have just been like, you know what? Steve is not for me. But he's very cute.

[Unknown Speaker]

Sure, he's charming. I Get it? I'm just saying, like, clearly from the get go, she wasn't feeling his vibe.

[Paul]

The whole idea is that Steve is not on her level. But Miranda, in season two, right dates the version of her right dates a lawyer who's about to make partner. And they're also not good together. So I'm just. I'm trying to understand who matches Miranda's freak, I guess, is what I'm trying.

[Unknown Speaker]

Che Diaz. Clearly.

[Paul]

All right, this leads us into the. I couldn't help but wonder.

[Unknown Speaker]

Though politics had always seemed as relevant to me as a new Erika Jong novel, I did find it interesting that a discussion about politics ultimately became a discussion about sex, and a discussion about sex ultimately became a question of politics, which led me to wonder if the two weren't, in fact, inextricably linked. And if so, can there be sex without politics?

The short answer is yes, but I don't know why she has to diss Erika Jeong. Like, this bitch paved the way for your entire career. Erika Jeong walked so Carrie Bradshaw could run.

[Paul]

It is so unnecessarily vicious. Look, can you have sex without politics? Yes. Can you be in a relationship with someone without politics getting involved? Especially if you're dating a politician, probably not. So Samantha's at a bar. She gets picked up by a hot new candidate, as Carrie says, a man named Jeff Fenton. He picks her up by saying, hey, pink lady, can I buy that for you? Samantha was like, that is a terrible line. But I realized she's not wearing pink in this scene. So is that supposed to be a Grease reference?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. I'm really confused, but this man is a hedge fund dude, so obviously that's. That's a draw for Samantha.

[Paul]

Yes. And he says that telling a beautiful lady she's attractive is the safest bet he's made all day. So he asks her out. He's really pushy about getting a date on the books.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Paul]

He climbs off of the bar chair, and she realizes that he's short. Dun, dun, dun.

[Unknown Speaker]

Although after watching this episode, to me, one of the best Samantha boyfriends, personality wise. Like, I love this guy. I wish it had lasted longer than it did.

[Paul]

Yeah. Especially that we learned that they did actually date. We just don't see it. Yeah, they'll get into it in this scene, which is, as Carrie says, later that week, I brought the Single Ladies Coalition to elect Bill Kelly to a fundraiser. So Samantha asks, what's the difference between a short person and a little person? Which. It's like, Samantha, you know, this man is Just short.

[Unknown Speaker]

Also in this benefit scene, Samantha is wearing, like, a white knit, two piece set. That is so bizarre. It's very 70s, but it's very conservative. Like, it looks like a costume that Joan Allen's character in the Ice Store might wear.

[Paul]

I was gonna say she looks like Sharon Stone in the latter half of Casino.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, that's true. Carrie looks incredible, though.

[Paul]

Yes.

[Unknown Speaker]

Carrie is wearing, like, a lilac colored bodycon dress in a big pink organza flower.

[Paul]

And Samantha notes that he comes up to nipple height, which. I mean, Carrie's being a great sex columnist. This might be the most sex columnist Carrie has been in the series. Because she goes, well, he comes up to your nipples. That might be the perfect height. Yes. This is what I would expect from a sex columnist friend of mine. Samantha goes, I can't cancel on this date with him just because he's a munchkin. What the fuck? This man is probably like 5, 4, 5, 5.

[Unknown Speaker]

Everyone has their flinch point with shortness, right. And I was actually with a friend last night who's single, and I was going through, like, her hinge matches and stuff. And she didn't do anyone below her height, which was 5 10. Which I was like, so if he's 59 and, like the best person in the world, like, you're not gonna meet the love of your life.

[Paul]

This is a very heated conversation in modern dating, which is that many women who are petite themselves, not just tall women, but women who are like, my height, like 5, 4, 5, 3, will set their height because you can set the heights. We'll set it to six foot. Like, there is something about height that's very attractive. I personally think is silly. But as a short woman who is shorter than most men, even in heels, it's never really been a thing for me.

[Unknown Speaker]

I think that being too picky about height is kind of insane. Like a hot person is a hot person.

[Paul]

Do you think Samantha doesn't want to date him because she's scared he has a small penis?

[Unknown Speaker]

No, I think that she just cares what people think and she wants to be with a tall guy.

[Paul]

I don't know. I also think it's cool when tall women are with shorter guys. But whatever. Charlotte says that less than five feet is unacceptable.

[Unknown Speaker]

Which, like, okay, less than five feet is quite short.

[Paul]

Yes. And that is little person territory. But I feel like she can't make that kind of comment when her hair looks like that in this scene.

[Unknown Speaker]

No, I know. Charlotte's hair in this scene is fucking crazy.

[Paul]

It really feels like behind the Scenes they spent so much time doing Samantha's updo and Carrie's hair that they were like, let's just tease Kristen's hair. We gotta be on set in five minutes.

[Unknown Speaker]

No, see, my theory is that the same person doing Cynthia's hair was also doing Kristen's hair, for whatever reason. Because both of them look crazy, right? Both of them look absolutely insane. Especially given the hard pivot from Miranda's perfect hairstyle in the walk and talk with Carrie.

[Paul]

Right.

[Unknown Speaker]

Something happened on set that day. I'm convinced.

[Paul]

So Charlotte leaves this discussion because she can't be around any more dysfunctional single women. Because, as Carrie says, Charlotte was running her own campaign. She wanted to be elected wife before the year was out.

[Unknown Speaker]

So Steve and Miranda come, and I.

[Paul]

Love this line delivery from Carrie where Miranda's like, why are we voting for this guy again? And Carrie goes, he wants an investigation into the Board of Education for waste. And he's against large corporations wasting your tax dollars. Oh, and I'm sleeping with him. To which Steve is, like, good enough for me. Which made me chuckle.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, Steve is great. In this scene, Carrie introduces Steve and Miranda to John Slattery. And Steve says, if you win, maybe you can fix a couple of parking tickets for me. I owe the city of New York 500 bucks. I figured I need the money more than they do. Miranda is, like, deeply ashamed.

[Paul]

You actually can see Miranda's soul leave her body as this is happening.

[Unknown Speaker]

But I don't get that, because it's like, I get that to her. It's like, oh, he's revealing that he's lower class or whatever. But I feel like even a rich person could say that.

[Paul]

Yeah. It's like during the debate with Hillary Clinton, which she was like, he doesn't even pay his taxes. He's like, yeah, because I'm smart. Like, no one wants to pay extra fees to the city or the government.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. Also, I feel like rich people have more parking tickets because they care less about the financial consequences of them.

[Paul]

I'm sorry, but this is less embarrassing than any type of pithy thing that Berger says throughout the course of his time on the show.

[Unknown Speaker]

True.

[Paul]

But Miranda says dumb jokes, a con. I don't think that's a dumb joke. And by the way, Steve was being kind of serious. If John Slattery was like, yeah, sure, but there is a pro to Steve. He's got a cute butt.

[Unknown Speaker]

Sure, girl. Whatever you need. So the camera pans over to Samantha, who's just talking to a random person saying, I don't believe in the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. I just believe in parties, and I believe her.

[Paul]

So Charlotte's talking to a man about Roy Lichtenstein, a man she believes is an eligible bachelor, until his fiance, played by a pre fame Elizabeth Banks, comes into the scene. We'll just condense all of this because it's a party scene. There's a lot of stuff in our cut. But we later see Charlotte venting to Elizabeth Banks and her fiance about her romantic life. Elizabeth Banks and this guy explained that they met actually in an unconventional way at a party where everyone was supposed to bring an ex or someone they weren't romantically interested in. And Charlotte's like, oh, my God, one woman's trash. Honestly, not a bad concept for a dating app.

[Unknown Speaker]

So what, you're, like, sponsored by other women that, like, can vouch for you but don't want to date you or something?

[Paul]

Yeah. Or it's like you have to nominate someone that you weren't interested in. Leave Yelp comments. I don't know. We are a few years away from that being a dating app.

[Unknown Speaker]

So this puts this party idea into.

[Paul]

Charlotte's head, which we'll get into this party in a second. I have thoughts, of course.

[Unknown Speaker]

So Stanford comes, but he has to.

[Paul]

Motor because he's got tickets to the Vagina Monologues.

[Unknown Speaker]

And Carrie's like, what? And he says, just because I don't eat at the restaurant doesn't mean I can't hear the specials. Stanford, as someone that's seen the Vagina Monologues a couple of times, you're not gonna like it. Don't bother. Although it is a perfect reference because it does really situate this episode in a place in time. Because the Vagina Monologues was such a cultural phenomenon in the late 90s into the early 2000s. And for me, it conjures up so many images of celebrities wearing red feather boas.

[Paul]

Yes. At various Vagina Monologues, celebrity readings.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

That was a whole ass thing.

[Paul]

It was a whole ass thing. And it was also the moment where Dylan McDermott was on the Practice, and he was winning Emmys and his stepmom.

[Unknown Speaker]

Eve Ensler was Eve Ensler.

[Paul]

And so it was all in the zeitgeist.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. A friend of mine worked for Eve Ensler, so I did go in her apartment once, and it was fabulous. Very Moroccan inspired.

[Paul]

That's a. That's another moment in time.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Yeah.

[Paul]

Stanford is attracted to John Slattery's campaign manager, and Carrie's like, how do you even know that he's gay, which, it's like, you've been friends with Stanford since you moved to New York. Like you are aware of his gaydar skills, but whatever. This prompts Stanford to say, I've seen him rollerblading on 8th Avenue. So Carrie reluctantly goes over and grumbles, great, now I'm a first lady and a pimp. Carrie, you are actually neither of those things.

[Unknown Speaker]

Okay, well, this makes no sense because it's like they should both just go over and talk to him. Like, it's way less awkward to be like, oh, hey, this is my friend Stanford.

[Paul]

Well, thank God they both don't go over because the campaign manager is looking over Carrie's shoulder and sees this super handsome, muscular blonde guy next to Stanford. And it's like, is it that guy? She's like, no, it's the. It's the bald man with the wonderful.

[Unknown Speaker]

Sense of humor, the Ed Harris over there.

[Paul]

Stanford is brutally rebuffed, and Carrie lies to him and says that he is actually not gay. That's how Carrie gets political. And it's like, is political just being a good friend and not wanting to unnecessarily hurt your good friend's feelings?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. I was very impressed with Carrie's line on the fly. In this moment, under pressure is kind.

[Paul]

Of where Carrie is the best. Like when she on the fly when Charlotte's about to walk down the aisle and is like, trey can't get it up. But she's like, maybe he jerked off before you came over and he was too embarrassed to say anything.

[Unknown Speaker]

And I believe her. Yeah, on some level. Yeah. Very impressive. I love that for Carrie.

[Paul]

So this campaign event, yet again, is just foreplay for Carrie and John Slattery. We see them in a post coital moment. He showers her with compliments and then asks, is there anything you want or need that I'm not doing? Which watching as an adolescent, I was like, okay, this is. This is just what adults do. They ask each other what they want after sex. But really, this is all a ruse to have her ask him the same thing. Which is when he replies, well, I would love to get you in the shower, get each other all fresh and clean, and then I'd like you to pee on me.

[Unknown Speaker]

And it immediately cuts to the girls discussing this scenario. Miranda is like, I would be very worried for you.

[Paul]

The girls are waiting in line for a movie, which I like. The variation of activities that they are doing when these conversations happen. It is odd that we never see them shopping together.

[Unknown Speaker]

We do every once in a While.

[Paul]

All four of them, unless they are shopping a wedd registry for someone else.

[Unknown Speaker]

They went perfume shopping that one time.

[Paul]

That's true. You're correct. I love how Miranda's like, this is a problem. And Samantha's like, typical men in power, they love to be dominated. Is that what John Slattery wants from this? Is this a humiliation king?

[Unknown Speaker]

I don't think it necessarily has to be.

[Paul]

There's also some more details that we need, I think, to form an opinion, which is like, am I pissing in your mouth? Am I just pissing on you?

[Unknown Speaker]

I think she's just pissing on him in the shower. Which is, like, the least fucked up, like, scenario for that kind of thing, I think. To me, what's weird is that Carrie seems to have no context for this extremely common kink. Obviously, like, we don't think that this is a particularly fucked up thing to ask of someone. Although we do have to factor in the fact that this is the year 2000. And even, like, talking about this on a TV show was crazy, right?

[Paul]

But this is also the era that on hbo, probably after a Sex of the City episode is real sex.

[Unknown Speaker]

Okay, true. She shouldn't be complaining. This is gold for her column. Clearly.

[Paul]

Golden Shower for her column. I do love how Carrie explains how she got out of peeing on him the previous night, where she goes, I told him I had just gone, but maybe another time. And she's like, guys, I can't keep saying that forever.

[Unknown Speaker]

I like that Samantha is like, the one person that's like, just do it, bitch. Like, come on.

[Paul]

Again, like, my point about going back in time to fuck Benjamin Franklin. Do it for the story. I do love, because it's Sex and the City. They're like, you know, sometimes with the right guy, you have to make concessions. And it's like, concessions is getting a different duvet type or something. Not, like pissing on a guy.

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, when it comes to golden showers, I always, Because I like you, listened to so much Dan Savage back in the day. There are things Dan Savage said, like, 15 years ago that stick out in my mind so vividly. And one of them was, like, someone calling in with this very problem. My partner wants a golden shower. I'm not into it. Whatever. And Dan Savage was basically like, you should just do it. Because if you say no to this person who you love, the next person is gonna make you lie in a bathtub full of ice before you have sex. You know? Okay. And I think there's a little bit of truth to that. But Obviously, you can't do something that's, like, deeply disturbs you or like you're really uncomfortable doing.

[Paul]

And I guess the whole idea of making concessions for the right guy. I suppose it's good on John Slattery to bring it up this early in a relationship. But also it's like, yeah, if Carrie truly was in love with this person and not in the first few weeks of dating, like, maybe she would be more accommodating. Anyway, a lot happens in this. It's not even a walk and talk. It's a walk to the theater. Charlotte explains that she's having a one woman's trash party, which delights Samantha because she's like, oh, I can bring the short guy.

[Unknown Speaker]

Carrie and John Slattery are now getting Indian food. This scene actually kind of doesn't need to be there. Nothing really comes from it. She's avoiding drinking beverages and stuff. And, like, avoiding having sex with him, I guess.

[Paul]

Yes, it's to humiliate Carrie a little bit because he's brought her to his favorite Indian restaurant that boasts the hottest curry. And she's refusing to even have a drop of water, which actually wouldn't help with the heat.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, doesn't the water make it worse?

[Paul]

But whatever. I guess this scene is necessary because John Slattery does reference that he's mentioned in Carrie's column, which answers our age old question, which is, are these voiceovers in her column?

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, I think she's referring to him as the politician, though.

[Paul]

Of course. So John Slattery says that he would love to spend the night with her, but he's got an early meeting and she immediately just starts pounding water.

[Unknown Speaker]

Cut to Charlotte's used date party. The Sheryl Crow is bumping.

[Paul]

Carrie brings Stanford because he's a man she's not interested in. And that is how Charlotte phrased it.

[Unknown Speaker]

Samantha brings her short king.

[Paul]

Samantha's little friend learns what this party is about. He confronts Samantha.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, he's like, you brought me here to dump me. Just give me an hour in the sack and you'll swear I'm the Jolly Green Giant.

[Paul]

And then Carrie's voiceover is, she felt so politically incorrect about dumping a man for his height, she felt like she had to sleep with him. If anyone would fuck a guy for the plot, it is Samantha. But two, I feel like, as the savvy public relations woman that she is, why would you want to, like, run afoul from a hedge fund bro? You don't know his fear of power. That's someone I wouldn't exactly want to fuck with if your business is hobnobbing with the top tier of New York society.

[Unknown Speaker]

So she leaves to go fuck him. Charlotte finds a great guy, but then the girl that brought him is jealous of Charlotte flirting with him so they then get back together.

[Paul]

Isn't that the risk you run of bringing someone? Like, if you saw someone you discarded and someone openly flirting with them, wouldn't you be like, ooh, did I make a mistake? Maybe I should give this another go.

[Unknown Speaker]

Isn't that the literal definition of mimetic desire?

[Paul]

I do love that Carrie leaves, but Stanford decides to stay because, quote, if these guys are in their 30s and these women don't want them, there might be a little something.

[Unknown Speaker]

For me, the thing I love is that Miranda didn't even go.

[Paul]

That is sort of the craziest thing, given the plotline. I guess the writers were like, it's actually too cruel. If Miranda was to bring Steve to this party. Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

But I do love when Carrie says, meanwhile, across town, Steve was busy stuffing Miranda's ballot box in these rewatches.

[Paul]

I'm becoming a Steve girl. Maybe it's because Paul relates the most to Steve. I guess I'm looking at him in a different light. Of course.

[Unknown Speaker]

He's the most sweet. I'm not a monster. I don't, like, hate. Meet Steve.

[Paul]

He's just so sweet in this scene. It's just that I wanted you to know how I feel. You're the best woman I've ever met. I want you to know that I love you, Miranda. I really do. Although could be seen as slightly manipulative. Your object of your desire has not been like, yes, I want to be exclusive. It could be seen as a little emotionally manipulative. We should say that Samantha and Jeff have sex. To which Samantha says, it was like having sex with a Horny Smurf. But evidently it was good and she decides to continue dating him. They are at a restaurant where he goes to the restroom but leaves his blazer on the chair, which he's taken off in such a way that she can see the label on it. And she realizes it's from Bloomingdale's boys department.

[Unknown Speaker]

And that's like a bridge too far for her.

[Paul]

It did unlock this memory for me where I did date a man who was quite petite. And once we were shopping and he tried on this leather blazer that fit him really well. But then we realized it was from the women's section.

[Unknown Speaker]

I mean, who cares? You seem like you could have some clothes from, like, the little girls section or something, you know, some Gap kids sweater lurking around somewhere.

[Paul]

I think I have some old kids shirts. Yes. So Samantha tries to duck out, but of course this guy catches her and he presses her. Why she's leaving? Because she's like, I. I just feel sick. She's like, fine, I saw that you have a little boy's blazer and that you shop in the boys department. And he's like, so what? The clothes fit me better. Plus they're cheaper.

[Unknown Speaker]

Where do you shop? The Big and Tall horror store.

[Paul]

You're nothing but a big dick with a little man attached.

[Unknown Speaker]

Such a great interaction.

[Paul]

You're nothing but a big pair of tits with too much extra leg room.

[Unknown Speaker]

And then they both just like, die laughing. See, this is why I love this guy. He can go toe to toe with this woman.

[Paul]

Yeah. This is said in passing. I would have loved to see these two date. But in Carrie's voiceover, she says, found a man who made her laugh. They dated for two weeks. Though he was short, it was a long relationship for Samantha.

[Unknown Speaker]

Ha ha ha ha ha. Yeah, I love him. Bring him back.

[Paul]

So now we have another post coital moment between Carrie and John Slattery. He of course, wants to take a shower, which in Carrie's mind can only mean one thing.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. So she does this little monologue where she's like, so I don't know how uncomfortable I am with the peeing thing. So I thought instead, maybe you could close your eyes and I could dribble warm tea on you. See, that to me would be more humiliating.

[Paul]

And also her reasoning of like, that might feel good. It's like, Carrie, you're a writer. Do you think that feels good?

[Unknown Speaker]

Or maybe it might be fun to hear the sound of running water when we have sex. What?

[Paul]

Or if things got really serious between us, I could maybe even leave the bathroom door open sometimes. Although I'm not really sure how comfortable I'd be with that either. Fuck off, Carrie.

[Unknown Speaker]

Just be like, I'm not comfortable.

[Paul]

This is one of the few episodes that I miss the man on the street people.

[Unknown Speaker]

Totally. I would like to see the public's take on this particular issue.

[Paul]

That doesn't really bother John Slattery that she doesn't want to pee on him because he lets her know that his campaign team doesn't think it's a good idea for him to date a sex columnist before the election.

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, no shit.

[Paul]

And Carrie's confused because she's like, wait a second. I may write about sex, but you like people to pee on you. And he's like, yeah, but nobody knows about that. To which Carrie says, I realized that politics had entered my bedroom as well as my bathroom. So Carrie decides to commit the bravest political act she can, which is to tell the truth and write about this incident in her weekly column. Even though she does not use his real name, she thinks it's much more political to not say his name.

[Unknown Speaker]

And then he loses the election and.

[Paul]

The column is called To Pee or Not to Pee. That is the Question.

[Unknown Speaker]

Great title for the column. I have a feeling this is one of Carrie's best articles.

[Paul]

Absolutely. Although if you pause it and look at what she's written, a lot of the paragraphs are just repeats.

[Unknown Speaker]

You tried to read it in its entirety. Did you get anything?

[Paul]

No. I love that. The end beat of this episode is that she then takes the article that she's written called Politician from her desktop and puts it in the trash as if, like, what, the campaign manager is going to break into her apartment and steal her laptop to delete the evidence?

[Unknown Speaker]

No, she's just, like, deleting the relationship from her life.

[Paul]

I know. I get it.

[Unknown Speaker]

I don't know if the punishment fits the crime. Like, it was rude of him to sort of break up with her in that way. Even though, of course, it does make sense if we're thinking about the fact that this. This guy is actually running for office. She's published an article that is outing him, basically, and probably shaming him for his pee pee kink.

[Paul]

Well, also to your point, in the reality of the situation, there is no way that they haven't been photographed in Page Six, so she doesn't have to name him. I'm sure people can connect the dots, but if this happened to you and you're a sex columnist, you would have to write about it. Maybe let a little time go by.

[Unknown Speaker]

And have it not be, or have it not be a politician.

[Paul]

I've changed his career to protect his identity.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I think that would be the reasonable thing to do. But I'm not Carrie Bradshaw, and we.

[Paul]

Never will be Carrie Bradshaw. How many Manolos are we going to give this episode?

[Unknown Speaker]

9.

[Paul]

It's pretty high up there.

[Unknown Speaker]

It's an iconic Boyfriend of the week who actually lasted two weeks or two episodes, rather. Samantha's Boyfriend of the Week is top tier, but Charlotte and Miranda's plot lines are nothing to write home about.

[Paul]

Very true.

[Unknown Speaker]

Although obviously Miranda's necessary from a plot standpoint, but just not that juicy.

[Paul]

I'd say eight and a half. I Think you're making a good point that Miranda and Charlotte's storylines are very underserved in this episode.

[Unknown Speaker]

But Carrie and Samantha. So good. And Samantha's one liners, some of the best of the entire series.

[Paul]

Absolutely. Shall we get into our exit survey?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Paul]

Who is the MVP of this episode? Chelsea?

[Unknown Speaker]

Samantha.

[Paul]

Okay, I'm going to say Kerry for writing about the politician. It's pretty great.

[Unknown Speaker]

Who are you voting off the island of Manhattan?

[Paul]

That campaign manager who rebuffed Stanford and was probably the one who thought Kerry and her column wasn't good for John Slattery and his political career.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I agree with you. I'm voting him off as well. Who is the best dressed? Obviously Carrie.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Let's.

[Unknown Speaker]

We don't even need to get into that.

[Paul]

Yeah, I mean, the montage of Carrie's outfits in the beginning are pretty good. But I think for me it's the beige pink dress with the organza flower at the campaign party.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Paul]

Best line.

[Unknown Speaker]

The country runs better with a good looking man in the White House. Look what happened with Nixon. No one wanted to him, so he. Everyone.

[Paul]

I gotta go with Stanford's. Just because I donated the restaurant doesn't mean I can't hear the specials.

[Unknown Speaker]

Who are you?

[Paul]

I'm gonna say no one. I really. I spent a lot of time trying to think about it. I don't think I'm anyone in this episode.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm Stanford. Like I said, I too had tickets to the Vagina Monologues.

[Paul]

What's your biggest trigger?

[Unknown Speaker]

Charlotte's crush on Dan Quayle.

[Paul]

I also have to go with the Charlotte thing. I do not care for this one woman's trash party.

[Unknown Speaker]

And the bad soundtrack. No shade to Cheryl Crowe. It's just, if I'm having a house party, I don't know if that's the vibe I want to be cultivating.

[Paul]

I also have my doubts that there's a plethora of single women that are still in contact with men that they've dated and have a good enough rapport to take them to one of these parties.

[Unknown Speaker]

Okay, what's your hottest take?

[Paul]

Maybe it's just because we are the first generation that was raised on Internet porn, but I don't think peeing on someone is that kinky.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I agree.

[Paul]

If a guy sat me down and was like, I have a fetish, and then he's like, it's getting peed on, I'd feel relieved.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, same. Absolutely. My hottest take is that John Slattery was the one that got away.

[Paul]

Oh.

[Unknown Speaker]

He's like, like one of the coolest, hottest people she's ever dated. He has his shit together, he's funny, he gets along with all of her friends, and he's not fucking crazy vanilla. Which might be a good thing for Carrie.

[Paul]

If he continued to ascend the political ladder like Samantha thinks that he should be president. I don't think Carrie would be able to write anymore.

[Unknown Speaker]

Okay, well, you're thinking a little too far into the future.

[Paul]

Well, if he's the one that got.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Away, I just think that this was.

[Unknown Speaker]

A top tier boyfriend of the week. And he brought out some of Carrie's best fashions also.

[Paul]

Oh, absolutely. I know we're not going to get this, but it's clear that in just like that is obsessed with nostalgia from the original series. Bring John Slattery back.

[Unknown Speaker]

He's president now.

[Paul]

He's mayor of New York.

[Unknown Speaker]

We could do worse than the second coming of John Slattery.

[Paul]

Absolutely. And he still looks. Looks the same.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, he does.

[Paul]

He's just gone from salt and pepper to be like fully. Fully white hair.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, still hot. Also, I thought about him the other day because you read that Emily Gould Chloe 70 profile, right? How they, like, ran into each other on the street. Or she ran into John Slattery.

[Paul]

Yes, yes. And they did that famous person, New Yorker thing, as Emily Gould says, where they're. They sort of point at each other, but they're walking, but they're like.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, you.

[Paul]

My favorite random celebrity fact about John Slattery is the fact that his current wife is George Clooney's first wife.

[Unknown Speaker]

Oh, wow.

[Paul]

There you go.

[Chelsea Fairless]

All right.

[Unknown Speaker]

Well, this was fabulous.

[Paul]

It's a little weird to record this without knowing what is going on. The week that this episode's coming out.

[Unknown Speaker]

It'Ll be a special surprise for us.

[Paul]

All right, guys, we love you. We'll be back next week.

[Chelsea Fairless]

Bye.