Giggly Squad: “Giggling about authenticity, splits, and hairlines”

Hannah Berner & Paige DeSorbo | September 23, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Hannah and Paige unleash their trademark wit and self-deprecating humor while discussing the idea of authenticity—in social media and in life. From the pressures of being “relatable” online to hilarious takes on pop culture, fashion, and dating, the duo jumps between topics with infectious energy. They also share personal stories about their stand-up tours, high school reunions, beauty routines, and even a deep dive into their TV obsessions. Expect plenty of tangents, memorable quotes, and the real talk only the Giggly Squad can provide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Relatability and Authenticity Online

• Both hosts vent about the exhausting push for relatability online and how being genuinely “authentic” has itself become a performative trend.
• Paige on boundaries:
  “Let's normalize you not knowing a fucking thing about me. Like, let's normalize. I don't want to be relatable to everyone.” (03:35)
• Hannah on authenticity as a buzzword:
  “If you say ‘I'm being authentic or I'm trying to be authentic,’ you're not authentic.” (03:49)
• They poke fun at brands endlessly chasing “authenticity” and how Paige, ironically, can’t even attend her high school reunion because it doesn’t fit her schedule—declaring it “not relatable. Not authentic.” (04:54)

2. Stand-Up Life, Comfort, and Friendship

• Discussion about performing stand-up, what to wear, and the connection between comfort and creativity.
• Hannah talking stand-up:
  “When I'm working on new jokes, I wear something to reflect it. Like, I’ll wear a hoodie because if you show up on stage...when the material's ready, then you put the fit together.” (05:59)
• Friendship moments where Hannah references Paige in her act, and how personal relationships become part of the comedy hour.
  “If I didn’t talk about you in the hour, we’re not friends.” (07:29)

3. TV & Pop Culture Obsessions

• Deep dive into the TV show “Nashville” and discussion about its stars, character dynamics, and how TV casting standards differ for men and women.
• On hot men in TV:
  “If I wanted to look at ugly men, I would literally go on the sidewalk. Not in my television.” (10:39)
• Touch on streaming platform trends—Hannah and Paige compare notes on Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and specific shows like the new Jason Bateman series, “Bad Rabbit.”

4. Beauty, Aging, and Confidence

• They celebrate growing into their looks with age versus their 20s.
• Paige: “At 34, I’m the hottest I’ve ever been.” (14:31)
• Paige’s brother’s brutal honesty about her past “bitchy” phase, leading to family group chat revelations and laughs about personal growth and mental health. (15:14–15:49)

5. Dating App Realness and Bumble Talk

• Extended riff on dating experiences—success stories, horror stories ("Did you eat him?!"), and how Bumble’s safety features make dating less daunting.
• Hannah: “Bumble is always for like the type A girls...who are like, ‘I'm taking control of my life.” (17:05)
• They emphasize the value of ID and photo verification, relatable friends’ stories, and the importance of choosing who you want to talk to—"Let me do the choosing. Like I’m at a restaurant sitting down to eat.” (17:18)

6. Funny Takes on Football and Male Socialization

• Paige hilariously reframes watching football as “musical theater,” riffing on the choreography and costumes.
• Paige: “Honestly, the whole thing...This is musical theater, okay? You have to remember the plays. Sorry, that's memorizing lines.” (21:13)
• Reflects on the much-discussed “male loneliness epidemic” and immediately debunks it after witnessing the camaraderie and high-fives at Giants games.

7. Bathroom & Travel Comedy

• Riffing on airport bathrooms, seatbelt struggles after “Hot Ones,” and Paige’s “chic” story of a friend meeting her partner in an airport lounge.
• Hannah: “I spend a lot of time in airport stalls, which you know, is like Russian roulette.” (25:15)

8. Dancing, Splits, and Embarrassing Skills

• Segue into Dancing with the Stars, ballroom dance culture, and the “split at a wedding” etiquette.
• Paige (on splits): "If someone does a split at my wedding. No...that's worse than them wearing white." (47:50)
• Irish step dancing tangents, obsessions with kids ballroom dancing videos, and genetic theories about flexibility.

9. Feminine Safety and Navigating City Life

• Candid talk on navigating city streets, female rage, and how to project confidence as a safety measure.
• Hannah’s advice: “You keep your head high. And you look slightly angry. Don’t put your head down and look shy and scared.” (60:32)
• TikTok-inspired “predator studies” and why walking with purpose can deter unwanted attention.

10. Harvard Gig & Professional Validation

• Paige is invited to speak at a Harvard business class:
  "I literally got the email and I was like, why do you guys want me? And then I thought, let me throw the craziest fit." (51:22)
• Ongoing jokes about Paige’s reading and writing skills, with both hosts affirming the importance of leaning into one’s quirks.

11. Food, Technology, and Everyday Life

• Food confessions (Chipotle over fine NYC dining), Dunkin’ Donuts drink breakdowns, gripes about measurement units, and resisting technological upgrades.
• Flash debates on parenting styles and Paige’s predictions about Hannah's possible “crunchy” mom future vs. 1980s-style detachment.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On internet relatability:
  Paige (03:35): “Let’s normalize you not knowing a fucking thing about me.”
• On being authentic:
  Hannah (03:49): “If you try to be authentic, you’re not.”
• On attractive TV casting:
  Paige (10:39): “If I wanted to look at ugly men, I would literally go on the sidewalk. Not in my television.”
• On aging into your looks:
  Paige (14:31): “At 34, I’m the hottest I’ve ever been.”
• On dating fatigue:
  Hannah (16:58): "The algorithm is there for you now. You have interests, interests, new hobbies to talk about."
• On male sports bonding:
  Paige (21:32): "Take one look around that stadium...I'm like, male loneliness epidemic. Where?”
• On splits at weddings:
  Paige (47:50): "If someone does a split at my wedding. No, I'm...wait, that's worse than them wearing white."
• On flying and baggage rules:
  Hannah (29:14): “Craziest thing, sexist. That women...we have to consolidate our purse. And men have their fucking stupid little fake wallets in their back pocket.”
• On self-defense in NYC:
  Hannah (59:07): “I want someone to come for me. I’ve been fucking waiting for this moment.”
• Advice for street safety:
  Hannah (60:32): “You keep your head high. And you look slightly angry...head up, chin up, and you're focused.”
• On daily dining habits:
  Hannah (69:17): “I ordered from Chipotle yesterday...I think we all are eating the same four meals, even though there's billions of restaurants around.”
• On measures and ounces:
  Paige (67:28): “Don't talk to me about feet, inches, millimeters, kilograms, quarts, teaspoons...Don't talk to me in that rhetoric or tone.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:04–04:09 – Authenticity in social media & Paige’s “no more relatability” rant
• 05:57–07:32 – Stand-up comedy fits and friendship in Hannah’s stand-up
• 09:02–11:50 – Nashville and TV casting expectations
• 14:18–15:49 – Aging, confidence, and Paige’s brother’s “intervention”
• 16:09–19:33 – Bumble, dating app stories, verification, and safety
• 21:13–22:50 – Football as “musical theater” and debunking male loneliness
• 24:51–27:05 – Bathroom and travel comedy
• 39:30–43:00 – Judging reality TV, Project Runway, and fear of being mean
• 47:04–48:28 – Splits: party tricks and wedding drama
• 59:07–61:16 – NYC street safety, female rage, and projecting confidence
• 51:22–53:16 – Paige's Harvard appearance & reading/writing jokes
• 66:28–68:30 – US measurement gripes & Italian grandma “eyeballing” recipes
• 69:17–69:43 – New Yorkers’ real eating habits (not fancy restaurants)

Tone & Style

• Conversational, self-deprecating, witty, observational; lots of rapid-fire exchanges.
• Encourages listeners (Gigglers) not to take themselves too seriously and always find the humor in the daily grind.

This episode of Giggly Squad delivers an unfiltered, laughter-packed hour on living (and laughing) authentically—even if that means embracing your own messy, unrelatable, slightly unshaven, “eyeball it” self.