Handsome – Episode Summary

Podcast: Handsome
Hosts: Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin
Date: September 16, 2025
Episode: “Alex Edelman asks about eccentric characters”
Guest Question Asker: Alex Edelman

Episode Overview

This episode revolves around the comedic trio—Tig, Fortune, and Mae—fielding a question from comedian Alex Edelman about memorable eccentric characters from their childhoods or communities. The hosts share heartfelt, hilarious, and sometimes poignant stories about these unforgettable personalities. Along the way, they riff about centaurs and pop culture, culminating in a thoughtful, funny segment about queer community acceptance and the importance of quirky adults in a child's life.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Eccentric Local Legends, Nicknames, and Quirks (02:04–09:00)

• The hosts begin with silly banter about the unique names that stick with you—Cherry Berry, the North Carolina “elevator lady” (03:02), and their own pets and family.
• Mae brings up centaurs (“If you met a centaur and you fell in love, would it be a deal breaker?” – 07:04), which spirals into an extended, comedic discussion about interspecies dating, horse bars, and imagined rejections from centaurs.

Notable Quote:

“If a centaur clomped by with hooves... there is no part of me... it would be like, I’ll be right back, friends.” – Mae Martin (07:20)

• Fortune jokes about the possibility of being dumped by a centaur:

“Now, would you still endorse? They’d be having that athletic sex.” – Fortune Feimster (23:50)

2. Taylor Swift Engagement News: “Popcorner” with Fortune (13:21–26:10)

• Fortune shares “the big news”: Taylor Swift (”Tay Swift”) is engaged to Travis Kelce, sparking a hilarious discussion of celebrity nicknames, engagement ring size, and speculation about their wedding and future family (13:45–15:11).
• The hosts invent a “congratulations song” on the fly for Taylor and Travis (14:34).
• They joke about Taylor taking Travis’s last name and speculate on her involvement in designing her ring (16:19–22:30).
• Mae suggests Fortune has a new superpower to will celebrity relationships into being (15:16).
• Segment launches recurring jokes (“How many Pontis”—the new rating system, pop culture corner “Popcorner” – 25:23, 26:10) and muses about pivoting the podcast to a pure pop culture show.
• Mae reflects on “aging out” of pop culture and the generational disconnect (27:17).

Notable Quote:

“It would be so good if he took her last name. How come that doesn’t happen? Like, she’s the heavy hitter here. He should change his name. Travis Swift.” – Mae Martin (16:19)

3. The “Trad Dyke” Series: Queer Culture & Representation (27:50–33:15)

• Discussion of “Trad Wives” and Mae’s pitch for a satirical series called “Trad Dyke”—teaching people how to be traditional lesbians, riffing on lesbian tropes, and the lack of a “crash course” for late-in-life lesbians (28:19).
• Reflect on recent discourse around queer celebrities dating across gender lines, referencing Jojo Siwa and singer Fletcher (29:22–30:05).
• Honest talk about bisexuality, biphobia, queer acceptance, and lived identities—Mae shares being booed at Pride for talking about dating a man (31:37).

Notable Quote:

“If your whole idea is that you should be able to love who you love... it’s gotta go both ways.” – Tig Notaro (30:58)

• Fortune and Tig riff on the “just one time” nature of sleeping with men, continuing their playful friendship dynamic (32:46).

4. Pop Culture vs. Historical Obsessions (33:28–37:00)

• Mae confesses to fixating on old Hollywood gossip or historic disasters (Titanic, Galveston flood) while current pop culture is dominated by newer, often unfamiliar names.

5. Main Question: Eccentric Adults from Childhood (38:00–61:00)

Alex Edelman’s Question (38:24–38:44)

“Is there a person from your childhood, that was like... an eccentric adult in your community that you loved or had a strong feeling about?” – Alex Edelman (38:32)

Tig’s Story: The Southern Family Circus (40:06–47:15)

• Tig recalls her extroverted cousin Donald and her welcoming Southern relatives—particularly Jimmy, who hosted massive crawfish boils, opened his house to strangers, and even welcomed drag queens and their parties (43:57–46:54).

Notable Quote:

“If you walked in his door and said, I’m gonna go upstairs and crash for a few weeks…he’d be like, absolutely. My house is yours.” – Tig Notaro (45:12)

Mae’s Story: Godmother V (47:19–49:10)

• Mae shares about V, her fun-loving godmother who lived with them, invented silly games (e.g., “Hop Hop Hop” for raisins), and co-wrote avant-garde songs with young Mae.

Notable Quote:

“But that people do have such a huge impact on you…even if they’re not your primary attachments.” – Mae Martin (49:10)

Fortune’s Story: Uncles Bud & Company (50:23–57:47)

• Fortune describes growing up with two uncles—her mother’s brothers—who had learning disabilities. Eccentric, loving, and generous, they lived with her grandmother, made up stories, chewed cigars, gardened lying down, and confused TV with real life.

Notable Quotes:

“All of a sudden, seconds later, [Thomas] is just going around this stranger’s house…batting at all these bugs. It’s a circus.” – Tig Notaro (43:12)
“He would lay in the garden and plant stuff…with one hand while lying down.” – Fortune Feimster (52:28)
“He’d go to restaurants and ask for sweet milk…just trying to get whole milk.” – Fortune (54:23)

The Power of Eccentric Adults

• All hosts agree having unique adults in kids’ lives teaches kids that there are many ways to be in the world, expanding their sense of possibility (49:18).

6. Alex Edelman’s Own Eccentric Adult (58:48–59:18)

• Alex shares about Sharon, a woman in his community who painted current events on her fingernails and owned a foul-mouthed parrot. Her inappropriateness was “adored” by young Alex.

Quote:

“She had long fingernails, and she would paint current events on the fingernails. I remember once she showed me, like, O.J. stabbing Nicole when I was very, very young… She was entirely inappropriate as a person. And I adored her.” – Alex Edelman (59:02)

Memorable Quotes

• “When we were born, we were all just rando babies.” – Mae Martin (03:43)
• “What if you were into it and then she was like, you know what? All the other centaurs just think it’s too weird. I can’t do it.” – Mae (09:18)
• “If you really fell in love, I just don’t believe it would be a barrier if you opened yourself up.” – Mae (10:08)
• “Love who you love. I just love a lady.” – Fortune (33:15)
• “It’s so important for kids to meet people outside...” – Tig (49:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:04 – Podcast banter, Cherry Berry, and unique names
• 07:04 – The hosts debate centaur romance
• 13:21 – Taylor Swift engagement news, pop culture corner
• 27:50 – “Trad Dyke” series idea, queer acceptance
• 38:24 – Alex Edelman’s audio question
• 40:06 – Tig’s Southern family stories
• 47:19 – Mae’s godmother “V” stories
• 50:23 – Fortune’s uncles and their quirks
• 58:48 – Alex Edelman’s answer: Sharon and her parrot

Overall Tone & Style

The episode is breezy, genuinely funny, self-deprecating, and warm, with the hosts riffing as close friends and using their eccentric family and community members as sources of inspiration, gratitude, and hilarity. Even amid jokes, they pivot to discuss bisexuality, inclusiveness, and the value of difference with sincerity and camaraderie.

For Listeners Looking to Revisit

• For goofy friendship and centaur banter: 07:00–11:00
• For pop culture and Taylor Swift chat: 13:00–26:10
• On queer identity, representation, and inclusivity: 27:50–33:15
• Heartfelt stories about eccentric childhood influences: 38:00–59:18

Closing Notes

If you’ve ever felt like the oddball in your family or community, this episode of “Handsome” is a love letter to the eccentric adults who shape us and the friends who make those stories even better.