Giggly Squad – “Giggling about gorgina, gossip pits, and jury duty”
Hosts: Hannah Berner & Paige DeSorbo
Date: January 16, 2026
Main Theme
In this lively, self-deprecating episode, Hannah and Paige riff on everything from 2016 nostalgia and pop culture gossip to interior design obsessions and the peculiarities of jury duty. True to their “we can’t be managed” ethos, the duo swaps hot takes on internet drama, Hollywood, mental health, and growing up giggly—moving seamlessly from hilarious personal anecdotes to pointed cultural commentary.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Gorgina, 2016, and Chicago Sports
[02:24-03:51]
- Paige coins the term “gorgina” back in 2016, recalling the craze and how it became a faux name at Starbucks.
- They discuss a viral TikTok theory blaming Chicago sports for a “broken timeline”:
- “In 2016, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. That should have never happened. That put us on the wrong timeline.”—Paige [02:52]
- Lighthearted ribbing of different states’ sports allegiances and New York’s sports dominance.
Fashion, Outfits, and the Giggly Squad Motto
[04:33–06:21]
- Both struggle with presenting themselves for the “YouTube-ers.”
- Iconic Giggly Motto unveiled:
- “The thesis line of Giggly Squad is: do it full on, and if you’re not, don’t do it at all. And we lean with the latter.”—Hannah [05:47]
- Fashion talk: dressing like a “brunette Princess Diana if she wasn’t as regal.”
Golden Globes Recap & Award Show Politics
[06:23–11:15]
- Big love for Nikki and Amy Poehler’s “best podcast” Golden Globe win; speculation that if Amy were a man, “she'd have 10 Netflix specials already.” —Paige [06:33]
- Dissection of award show mechanics—foreign press, critics, and how “no one really knows the difference” between them.
- Noticing a “budget cut” in the Golden Globes venue:
- “It felt like the ceiling was very low. Like, when they did a full pan of the room, I was like, wait, is this in like a gymnasium?”—Paige [08:11]
Internet Double Standards: Hudson Williams vs. Kylie Jenner
[10:12–11:30]
- Hudson’s playful antics get praised online, while Kylie Jenner is vilified for a similar gesture.
- Quote: “Kylie Jenner gets a casual photo taken... and the comments are like, she’s trash... Her whole family’s horrible... And under Hudson's everyone's just like, this is my king. Protect him at all costs.”—Paige [10:58]
- Exploration of internet negativity and why some thrive on posting hate.
Fashion Opinions, Internet Dichotomy, and Friend-In-Laws
[12:24–14:19]
- Debating Emma Stone’s golden globe outfit and the divisiveness of fashion opinions online.
- Amusing “friend-in-law” banter about being friends with a friend’s friend:
- “That's my friend in law. That's my literal friend in law.”—Paige [14:19]
On Body Image, Size, and Female Comedians
[15:01–15:45]
- Reflecting on historical attacks on celebrities’ bodies (Jessica Simpson, Amy Schumer), criticizing the narrow standards imposed on women regardless of actual size or appearance.
- “Thank God she’s funny, because if she wasn’t funny, no one would put her anywhere.”—Paige [15:45] (re: Amy Schumer)
Influencer Drama: Divorce, Cheating, and The Anger Economy
[16:16–18:06]
- Discussing a TikTok couple's divorce scandal and how online opinion turns viciously fast.
- Paige critiques "anger economy":
- “Whoever’s calling people out gets the most views... everyone’s just attacking everyone, and it’s a civil war.”—Paige [17:44]
The Stranger Things Writing Drama & AI in Entertainment
[18:25–21:47]
- Recap of fan theories: decline in “Stranger Things” quality after the showrunner's divorce allegedly deprived him of his ghostwriter wife.
- Hannah expresses concern over AI-scripted shows:
- “If a show is completely written by ChatGPT... I almost borderline think it should be, like, illegal.”—Hannah [20:20]
- “I’m scared about it. I saw iRobot. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.”—Hannah [21:25]
Jury Duty Antics & Getting Out of Service
[25:39–29:14]
- Listener Ruth Fernandez claims saying “Giggly Squad” is her favorite podcast got her immediately dismissed from jury duty.
- “If you want to get out of jury duty, just say you listen to Giggly Squad.”—Hannah [26:56]
- Hilarious stories about dressing for jury duty and the disappointment of getting stuck on boring cases.
Tell Me Lies & The Relatable Panic Attack Scene
[30:44–32:46]
- Breakdown of a powerful panic attack scene in “Tell Me Lies.”
- Hannah: “She’s having a panic attack because he’s ruining her life. I just think every girl has experienced that. No matter if it’s in your 20s, in your 30s, like a moment where you’re like, what’s going on?” [32:29]
Celebrity Families and Struggle: The Judds
[34:16–39:49]
- Paige narrates the saga of the Judd family: motherhood, ambition, trauma, and struggle behind country music fame.
- Candid discussion of mental health:
- “She went through really traumatic stuff when she was like, three years old... in her later years, it started just like coming up.”—Hannah [39:53]
- Touches on Ashley Judd’s experience with Harvey Weinstein, making the story both deeply personal and symbolic of broader industry abuses.
Rom-Coms, Female-Driven Movies, Kate Hudson & Goldie Hawn
[40:24–41:25]
- Lamenting the decline of women-focused films and the glory days of rom-coms.
- “Do you want to know why? Because I genuinely think there were more movies geared toward women. Everything now... is a thriller. I want a cute rom-com.”—Hannah [40:27]
Parenting, Generations, and Tech
[42:16–43:43]
- Hannah and Paige muse about how their generation may parent like the free-wheeling 1990s, and how screen time battles have shifted from TV to smartphones.
- “No, Kim’s biggest worry were the Rugrats. Oh, Angelica wasn’t nice enough.”—Paige [43:01]
Obsession with Lamps, Sconces, and Home Design
[50:05–51:41]
- Long tangent on adult obsessions with lamps, sconces, and interior design:
- “Two years ago, I couldn’t spell sconce. Now I have a Pinterest board of only sconces. And I have opinions.”—Hannah [50:55]
- The gossip pit (sunken living room) is back:
- “Do you remember the rooms where they just had a gossip, like, pit? Do you know they’re coming back?”—Paige [51:51]
Gen Z Slang: Choppelganger
[54:03–54:44]
- Learning/roasting new Gen Z words (“choppelganger” = ugly doppelganger).
- “Now you just say, like, he’s a chapel ganger of [famous person].”—Paige [54:44]
2016 Nostalgia & Pre-Influencer Life
[56:07–60:16]
- Reminiscing on work-life balance pre-social media dominance.
- “Your job truly was just a job. Once the clock hit 6pm and you were out of there, you were fully in your personal life.”—Hannah [56:30]
- The healing powers of Pinterest for women.
- Hannah’s memory of her first women’s health/motivation Instagram, “Forks and Fitness,” and her journey towards finding meaningful creative work.
Hannah’s Super Bowl Commercial & Taking Over Sports
[60:56–63:23]
- Big announcement: Hannah will appear in a Super Bowl ad for Kinder Bueno.
- “After I got the call and my agent was like, you’re gonna film this commercial... then I thought, what’s an event that all my ex boyfriends will be seated for? Oh, a Super Bowl commercial.”—Hannah [62:36]
- The “Giggly Squad” hooks into sports, vowing to invade traditionally male spaces (Super Bowl, March Madness):
- “There have been some safe spaces for men, like the Super Bowl. But look, those faces are weaning.”—Paige [63:49]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "Full ass or no ass." — Paige [05:42]
- “Kylie Jenner gets a casual photo taken... the comments are like, she’s trash. ...And under Hudson’s everyone’s just like, this is my king. Protect him at all costs.” — Paige [10:58]
- “That’s my friend-in-law. That’s my literal friend-in-law.” — Paige [14:19]
- “If a show is completely written by ChatGPT... I almost borderline think it should be, like, illegal.” — Hannah [20:20]
- “If you want to get out of jury duty, just say you listen to Giggly Squad.” — Hannah [26:56]
- “She’s having a panic attack because he’s ruining her life... every girl has experienced that.” — Hannah [32:29]
- “Two years ago, I couldn’t spell sconce. Now I have a Pinterest board of only sconces.” — Hannah [50:55]
- “Once the clock hit 6pm... you were fully in your personal life. Now, our jobs are so intertwined...” — Hannah [56:30]
- “What’s an event that all my ex boyfriends will be seated for? ...a Super Bowl commercial.” — Hannah [62:36]
- “There have been some safe spaces for men, like the Super Bowl. But look, those spaces are weaning.” — Paige [63:49]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [02:24] — “Gorgina” and 2016 timeline theory
- [05:47] — “Full ass or no ass”: The Giggly Squad motto
- [06:23–11:15] — Golden Globes/award show commentary
- [10:58] — Double standard: Hudson Williams vs. Kylie Jenner
- [15:01–15:45] — On size, body image, and female comedians
- [16:16] — TikTok influencer divorce drama and the “anger economy”
- [20:20] — AI in entertainment “should be illegal”
- [25:39–29:14] — Giggly Squad listeners using the show to get out of jury duty
- [32:29] — “Tell Me Lies” panic attack scene
- [39:53] — Intergenerational trauma in the Judd family
- [50:55] — Pinterest lamp obsessions and the return of the gossip pit
- [54:44] — Gen Z’s “choppelganger”
- [56:30] — 2016 work/life reflections
- [62:36] — Hannah’s Super Bowl ad revelation
- [63:49] — Women infiltrating “male” spaces like the Super Bowl
Overall Tone & Takeaways
Giggly Squad’s episode is both a confessional and a critique; its charm lies in the effortless banter and the seamless leap from surface-level giggles to sharp, sometimes vulnerable commentary on fame, femininity, creativity, and mental health. The duo’s playful mockery of trends, their own obsessions, and the shifting sands of internet culture will leave listeners laughing, nodding, and feeling seen.
(Advertisements, extended sponsor reads, and podcast intro/outro sections omitted per instructions.)