Handsome Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: Aparna Nancherla asks about holiday party faux pas
Date: December 23, 2025
Hosts: Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin
Guest: Aparna Nancherla

Episode Overview

In this festive and irreverent holiday episode, Tig, Fortune, and Mae field a question from comedian Aparna Nancherla about their worst holiday party faux pas. The trio swap hilarious, brutally honest, and occasionally cringey stories about awkward festive experiences—from accidentally extra-messy snack moments to accidentally interrupting private encounters (and everything in between). Along the way, the hosts dish lots of personal anecdotes, blend in banter about their lives (“Big Cookie,” bathrobes, car mishaps), and ultimately revel in the messiness and joy of holiday gatherings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Getting Cozy and Catching Up [02:00–16:35]

• Hotel Roaming and Bathrobes

  • Tig reveals she’s podcasting in a robe from her hotel room, prepping for an early bedtime. Fortune and Mae tease her, dubbing her “Tig Hefner.” [02:30]
  • Tig shares her evening routine: “I had a bath. I had dinner. I wiped my face off and got into the tub fully naked, you guys.” [06:04]

• Girl Talk and Set Gaggles

  • Mae shares excitement about working on Fortune’s show, feeling included in the on-set gossip circle: “I over shared—all my whole romantic history. We got deep.” [07:36]

• Dog & Cat Updates

  • Fortune’s dog Biggie makes an on-air appearance. The hosts joke about his “dead” eyes and speculate on how he’d fare if the podcast “broke up.” [11:20]
  • Mae: “Imagine if this podcast ever broke up… I’d be the Biggie.” [11:50]

Milestones & Mishaps [13:21–24:59]

• Mae Buys a Car Without a License

  • Mae reveals she bought a car with only a learner’s permit: “When I bought the car, I couldn’t even test drive it because I don’t have my license.” [14:12]
  • “I did bump a car…but I was just trying to parallel park and gave it a little tap…thought, I’m not going to park here.” [14:46]

• On Fruit and Pickiness

  • Mae shares a story about their niece’s disinterest in oranges (“oranges, boranges”), leading to a comedic side chat about the disappointment of bad fruit. [23:00–24:10]
  • Tig: “I like orange candies—I know, I’m here to blow your mind.” [23:28]

Setting the Holiday Scene [26:05–29:38]

• Home Decorations

  • Fortune and Mae discuss cozy holiday routines (fireplace, Christmas tree, wine).
  • Mae: “I bought all these ornaments and lights…had to consciously let [my friend] do her thing … didn’t realize how opinionated I was about tree decoration.” [27:19]

• Family Traditions

  • Tig describes tree-trimming with her partner’s mom and kids, complete with “oat nog” and annual Christmas socks: “It’s just nice...we have our little tree trimming party.” [28:28]

Britney Spears and Embarrassment Stories [29:45–36:00]

• Concert Mishaps

  • Tig recounts seeing Britney in Vegas and possibly spotting a wardrobe malfunction involving a leotard and a sanitary pad: “She mysteriously danced offstage for a while...reappeared and it was not there anymore.” [31:17]

• Period Mishaps

  • Mae confesses to a 14-year-old embarrassment at Second City, accidentally dropping wadded-up, bloodied tissue onstage: “Someone goes, ‘There’s a bloody tissue on the floor,’ and my heart pounding…” [32:58]
  • Tig adds a story about an actor friend mistakenly using her own underwear as a stage prop: “No, we use prop underwear.” [35:23]

Main Theme: Holiday Party Faux Pas [39:37–58:07]

Aparna’s Question [39:41]

“What is the biggest faux pas you’ve made at a holiday party? I invite you to get as messy, as gratuitous as possible…I will accompany you there as well.” —Aparna Nancherla [39:41]

Hosts’ Holiday Confessions

• Fortune: "My faux pas is usually going straight for the food table, no self-control, and just shoving a wad of cheese into my mouth. People are trying to talk to me and I'm just...still cheese." [42:07]
• Mae: Shares about a friend stroking the brie at a party: “She was like, ‘I just like how it feels,’ and I was like, you can’t do that.” [42:52]
• Fortune’s Best Faux Pas Story:
  • “I went to a Christmas party...It was near the end of the night...I opened the bathroom door because it was unlocked and there were two people on the floor...having full intercourse.” [43:30]
  • “My faux pas was—I slowly shut the door and went back to the party and told everybody...” [44:19]
  • Upon their exit: “They came out of the bathroom just like, ‘What's up, everybody?’” [46:45]
• Mae: Admits to having sex in bathrooms—“on a train,” specifically, with someone closeted—highlighting how the holidays inspire both mischief and secrecy. [47:12]
• Mae’s Pictionary Gaffe: At her own recent holiday party, Mae tried to over-instruct a Pictionary game, which backfired: “It came with all these rules and instructions...it was really rigid.” [48:53]
• Treats vs. Squares: Brief but charming Canada/US “Rice Krispie squares vs. treats” linguistics debate. [49:33]

Tig’s Crumby Sundance Party [50:04]

“I was just really getting into those snacks...A girl comes up and talks to me—after she walked away, my glasses had collected all the crumbs I was eating. It was just a cradle of crumbs hanging around my neck.” [52:05]

Aparna’s Faux Pas Story [54:07]

“The biggest faux pas I ever made at a holiday party was actually the first holiday party I ever attended with my parents...I just knew I had to sample each and every [dessert]—which I conveyed to my parents through screaming. I had this huge meltdown...rolling on the floor...so they packed some of each dessert in a box for me. The next morning, it had all congealed into one big, unidentifiable ball.” —Aparna Nancherla [54:08–55:55]

This had the hosts roaring, with Tig marveling: “I cannot for the life of me picture Aparna throwing a fit.” [56:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mae: “Imagine if this podcast ever broke up…I’d be the Biggie.” [11:50]
• Fortune (re: food table faux pas): “I’m just shoving a wad of cheese into my mouth…people are trying to talk to me and I’m still cheese.” [42:09]
• Tig: “I like orange candies…I know, I’m here to blow your mind.” [23:28]
• Mae: “I have an embarrassing story…age 14 at Second City…I just wadded up toilet paper…somebody found it and I was going, ‘Oh no, whose is that?’ and my heart pounding.” [32:58]
• Tig (crumby faux pas): “My glasses had collected all of the crumbs of my snacks…I was like, oh my God, what did this person think?” [52:04]

Aparna’s Faux Pas Summary

• Screamed and rolled on the floor at a potluck as a kid, overwhelmed by dessert choices; forced her parents to pack up every snack, which sadly all melded together by morning.

Holiday Wishes and Closing [58:07–End]

• Singing & Holiday Wishes: Fortune belts out carols, the trio jokes about “holiday wishes” songs, and all send warm, supportive thoughts to listeners, acknowledging the difficulty and complexity of the season for some. [58:07–63:46]
• Mae: “No matter what you’re doing, just take care of yourself. I’ll be by myself with buddies on Christmas. We’re just sending you a lot of love.” [63:25]

Top Timestamps

• [02:30]—Robe banter and baths
• [06:04]—Tig’s fully naked bath admission
• [11:20]—Podcast “breakup” jokes and Biggie’s home life
• [14:12]—Mae buying and learning to drive a car
• [23:00]—“Oranges, boranges” and fruit snack talk
• [31:17]—Tig’s Britney Spears Vegas anecdote
• [32:58]—Mae’s Second City menstrual mishap story
• [43:30]—Fortune walking in on bathroom “deed”
• [54:08]—Aparna’s childhood dessert meltdown

Closing Tone

Playfully chaotic, supportive, and unfiltered: the trio gleefully swap horror and heartwarming stories, blend in personal updates, and close with “holiday wishes” and empathy for all listeners. Whether you’re seeking a laugh, a bit of camaraderie over awkward holiday tales, or just the infectious wit of three comic pros, this episode delivers.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode offers a hilarious look at festive blunders and the relatable mayhem of holiday socializing. Highlights include wild faux pas, confessions, and even impromptu holiday carols—alongside the real reminder that imperfection (and awkwardness) is often the heart of celebration.