Giggly Squad: Giggling about Group Chats, Social Media, and Cortisol Spikes

Hosts: Hannah Berner & Paige DeSorbo
Date: April 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively and candid episode, Hannah and Paige dive into the chaos of group chats, the effects of social media, and managing modern-day anxiety—especially those infamous “cortisol spikes.” True to form, they weave in their trademark self-deprecating humor, stories about friendship and hosting, and giggle through everything from pop culture to mental health and their ongoing social and digital lives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Reality TV, Friendship, and Group Chat Drama

• The duo squashes rumors about exploiting friends’ heartbreaks for content, especially referencing their friend Sierra and her situation.
• They discuss why they left reality TV: “There is very concrete reasons on why Hannah and I are no longer part of reality tv. It's one of the scariest things you can ever do in your entire life.” — Paige [02:36]
• How group chats are crucial for processing real-life events and supporting each other beyond what’s shown online or on TV.

2. Staying Off Social Media & Cutting Digital Addictions

• Paige deletes app after app in pursuit of digital detox, poking fun at public speculation regarding her group chat silence.
• “When you're trying to be off your phone, crazy things happen. I fed the cat, called my grandma, literally. I met my brother for the third time.” — Paige [08:36]
• They muse about new trends like “dumb phones” and the difficulty of crafting a phone-life balance: “I kind of feel like we should do it, like, once a month for a week. Legitimately, not go on any social media except for, like, Pinterest.” — Paige [18:45]

3. Home Life, Hosting, and “Steamer Closet” Adventures

• Paige purchases a “stage steamer closet” to up her fashion and hosting game: “As someone that owns a fashion brand, I should be pressed.” [09:35]
• Antics around prepping to host Easter for the first time, stressing over ice buckets, tablescapes, and catering—while sharing stories about family traditions and childhood hosting stress.
• “Having people in your space is an emotional exhaustion.” — Hannah [11:24]

4. Pop Culture, Trends, and Ironic Olympic Sports

• Joking about pickleball being added to the Olympics and making sports out of kitten-heel walking and drag lip-sync: “Drag should be in the Olympics. Let's go, Ru.” — Hannah [28:31]
• Playful debates on the difference between pickleball and paddle, American vs. European respectability, and the Olympic realm.

5. Mental Health, Cortisol, and “Cortisol Spiking”

• They introduce “I’m not cortisol spiking” as their new mantra, inspired by an online streamer’s bizarre phrase.
• “Can we just keep the cortisol levels... I'm not cortisol spiking.” — Paige quoting streamer [19:51]
• Address the anxiety tied to social media exposure and how “the algorithm always shows you something that you shouldn’t feel in that moment.” — Hannah [19:32]

6. Career Moves & Empowerment

• Listeners reach out about being inspired to bet on themselves in their careers after hearing past Giggly Squad advice.
• “I just always think, like, the universe will reward you. Not for picking the harder thing, but picking the thing that's most you.” — Paige [22:47]
• Discussion of women leaving corporate environments to start their own ventures due to systemic patriarchy: “Sometimes you're like, I cannot watch these guys who are mediocre keep getting promoted ahead of me and I'm just going to do my own shit.” — Hannah [23:32]

7. Dating, Group Dynamics, and Life Phases

• Embracing singlehood: “I'm not done being for the streets. Like, I'm not done going out.” — Paige [26:02]
• How they rely on single friends for fun stories and variety in life stages.

8. Food Love, Hosting Stress, and Unlikely Confessions

• Deep dive into the stress of hosting—stocking desserts, family cheesecake emergencies, and arguments about Talenti ice cream packaging.
• “Mint with chocolate is so vile to me.” — Paige [30:31]
• Hannah’s story about stealth-eating ice cream as a child and Paige’s secret frosting stash.

9. Group Chat Etiquette, FaceTime vs. Text, and Communication Red Flags

• “If you’re talking to a friend, like, what your usual medium is to talk. And then they FaceTime you. You're like, oh, this is serious.” — Paige [16:59]

10. Random Iconic Moments & Quotes

• “I'm not the main character on Easter. I don't want to take attention away from Christ, our Lord and Savior.” — Hannah [14:47]
• “You have to fight me first. You have to get in a physical altercation before you get to your dad.” — Hannah, on dating protocols [42:40]
• “Remove yourself from the situation and their stuff is going to be handled. Leave that to God.” — Hannah, on moving past drama [45:29]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On social media breaks:

  “It's literally like getting off a drug where, like, the first four hours are difficult... then you realize, I'm gonna have a husband.” — Hannah [18:59]

• On staying out of drama:

  “Do not try to get revenge. Do not try to hurt them. Do not think about them in negative ways. Literally say thank you and focus on yourself.” — Hannah [44:59]

• On invisible ink texting:

  “My invisible ink texts have gone rampant, but I still don't know how to send invisible text.” — Hannah [16:53]

• On true friendship:

  “If you think that I haven't gone over the same scenarios so many different times over the past year with my girlfriends, like, you're crazy.” — Paige [05:07]

• On hosting panic:

  “Now I get why my mom was so crazy when we were younger... she'd be like, we don't have a cake!” — Paige [32:12]

Pop Culture & Trend Highlights

• Olympic news: Pickleball to be added in 2028, leading to jokes on what sports “belong.”
• Pop culture gossip: Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and John Mayer at a Paul McCartney party, as reported by Gen Z correspondents.
• Woman of STEM of the Week: Moneyonthethethtrack for balancing crow pose yoga and sipping Aperol Spritz.

Recurring Themes & Tone

• Genuine, unapologetic friendship and mutual support.
• Irreverent takes on pop culture and everyday anxieties.
• Frequent zippy asides, call-backs to childhood and family drama.
• A mix of “spilling tea” and championing growth and self-care.
• Running gags about Paige “not being able to read,” invisible ink texts, and Hannah’s music video.

For the New Listener

From deciphering the secret codes of group chats to the irony of Olympic breakdancing, Hannah and Paige blend life advice, relatable neuroses, and laugh-out-loud commentary. Through tangents about hosting holidays, digital clutter, and ice cream emergencies, they offer a sisterly hour of comic relief, sprinkled with genuine insight about friendship, anxiety, and finding your way in a hyper-connected world.

For more context, favorite moments, and episode details, check the Giggly Squad newsletter or follow their Instagram for recaps and behind-the-scenes tablescape photos.