Handsome Podcast

Episode: Breckin Meyer Asks About Breakups
Hosts: Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin
Date: November 18, 2025

Overview

In this lively and heartfelt episode, the Handsome trio—Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin—tackle a question from longtime comedy and Hollywood presence Breckin Meyer: “When you go through a breakup, do you delete all photos and texts of the person, or do you hang on to them because they're your memories?” The discussion takes off from Breckin’s query and branches into breakups, memory-keeping, queer friendship circles, and emotional maturity, all while keeping listeners in stitches with the hosts’ signature banter about peanut butter, eyelid surgery, and memorable Cheesecake Factory trips.

Main Discussion Themes

1. The Cheryl Hines & RFK Jr. Situation (03:16–13:18)

• Tig recounts the fallout from discussing Cheryl Hines (her former podcast co-host and friend) and Cheryl’s political associations (with husband RFK Jr.) on Tom Papa’s podcast.

  • Tig Notaro: “I didn't sever the friendship, but I did notice that once he was running for president and once I stepped away from our old podcast, I never heard from her again other than nice responses to me sending love...” (09:23)
  • The whole scenario brings up questions about setting boundaries with friends who adopt political stances that are fundamentally at odds with your own or who drift into “extreme ideology.”
  • The experience leads Tig to draw lines for her own well-being, acknowledging the difficulty of “pretending” and the gradual realization that the separation is necessary.

2. Personal Updates & Lighthearted Banter (13:41–40:56)

• Tig’s Eyelid Surgery: Tig shares her upcoming eyelid surgery news, jokes about turning into a plastic surgery influencer (“I’m gonna do a plastic surgery podcast. As like an expert…” 14:38), and teases about wearing an eye patch.
• TV Appearance Prep: Mae is excited for upcoming spots on Drew Barrymore and Kelly Clarkson’s shows, prompting giggly advice from Fortune and Tig about on-air warmth and celebrity gift baskets. Mae: “I’m so scared that I’m gonna be the one person who she’s like six feet away from…” (19:02).
• Cheesecake Factory Stories: Fortune describes a sweet moment with comedian friends at the Grove, leading to a tangent about paying bills, Cheesecake Factory reward programs, and favorite cheesecake flavors.
• Peanut Butter Corner: A delightful detour about peanut and almond butters turns into extended riffing, resulting in a bit called “Peanut Butter Corner” and plenty of double entendre-laden laughter (“If I’m fingering any peanut butter, it’s this one…” – Fortune, 31:30, to peals of laughter.)

3. Listener Question: Breckin Meyer on Breakups (41:01–54:04)

Breckin's Question (41:01)

"When you go through a breakup, do you delete all photos and texts of the person, or do you hang on to them because they're your memories, even though they're tough?" – Breckin Meyer

Host Reflections

• Mae: “I keep everything… even if it was a bad breakup,” and is generally friends with most exes, viewing memories as valuable and formative. (43:30–45:01)
• Fortune: Has never really thought about erasing photos—“they’re memories.” She acknowledges that with a ten-year relationship, it’s a huge part of her life. (46:03)
• Tig: Also doesn’t erase mementos or photos, though she doesn’t display them. She recounts a story wherein a former partner (who later became an actress on One Mississippi) was suggested for a role by Tig’s current spouse, Stephanie:

  “She just feels like if you had a connection, why not continue that connection in a different way? And I just really appreciated it.” (47:21)

• All three discuss staying friends with exes as being especially prevalent in the queer community due to smaller social circles—sometimes, as Mae says humorously, “have you slept with all of these people?” (49:40)

Community and Boundaries

• The trio note that in “non-traditional” communities, people often retain close ties with past partners—sometimes even inviting exes to weddings. Fortune: “Life’s too short. I don’t wish anyone ill will. Even if it ended not great, I’m very much like, go live your best life, be happy.” (52:07)
• The conversation turns to emotional growth through past relationships, generosity towards exes, and having gratitude for former connections—even tough departures.

Notable Anecdotes

• Tig’s “Breakup Hack”: She once set an unflattering photo of an ex as her phone/computer wallpaper to dull lingering attraction after a tough split.

  "I just saw her looking her absolute worst. And I'd be like, yeah, I don't need that." (55:32)

• Fortune’s “Dinner Dump”: A prospective date came over—then immediately revealed she was in love with her roommate, but offered to cook shrimp tacos anyway. Fortune, ever the pragmatist:

  “Because those are the only tacos I’m eating tonight, am I right?” (57:35)
  Both Tig and Mae dissolve into laughter, with Tig humorously dissociating by humming.

Breckin Meyer’s Answer (59:54)

“My answer is I would just not look at them until I’m okay looking at them, but I want to keep the memories. I used to be the Men in Black guy who wishes everyone I was ever with was on a deserted island… but now I’m mature and wear sweaters.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On irreconcilable differences:
  “My point is, Stephanie and I don't agree on the temperature in our house, but I would not frame it like, ‘Stephanie and I don’t agree on everything.’” – Tig Notaro (08:21)
• On community and exes:
  “There's kind of a, maybe it's more common in the queer community that people sort of stay friends, maybe because there's fewer of us…” – Mae Martin (49:09)
• On keeping memories:
  “I'm grateful for those memories and that there were so many happy times—and the growth… it launches you to a new place.” – Tig Notaro (53:44)
• On food healing heartbreak:
  “You can dump me—and yes, I will eat those tacos.” – Fortune Feimster (58:25)
• Playful banter and inside jokes:
  The “Peanut Butter” riffing (especially Fortune’s commitment to her nut butter brand and double entendres around “fingering peanut butter”) sprinkled throughout 29:00–34:00, culminating in a running bit where co-hosts develop food-based alter egos.
• Candid self-reflection:
  “We’re all just like muddling through life… you meet people, you know, where you’re at and sort of travel with them for a bit, and then if you grow together, you do, and if you don’t, you don’t.” – Mae Martin (54:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Cheryl Hines/RFK Jr. fallout & friendship boundaries: 03:16–13:18
• Tig’s eyelid surgery/personal news: 13:41–15:17
• Mae’s upcoming TV appearances and advice: 18:28–22:30
• Cheesecake Factory / Peanut Butter Corner: 26:18–34:00
• Peanut Butter bit reaches peak: 31:30
• Listener question introduction: 41:01
• Breakup philosophy & ex relationships: 43:30–54:04
• Tig’s breakup “screen-saver solution”: 55:23–55:37
• Fortune’s shrimp taco heartbreak: 55:54–58:36
• Breckin Meyer’s own answer: 59:54
• Discussion on snuggles & closing banter: 60:30–61:30

Tone & Style Highlights

• Warm, ridiculous, and delightfully irreverent
• Emphasis on friendship, emotional maturity, and acceptance after breakups
• Playful sidebar humor (peanut butter, cheesecake, eyelid surgery) provides comic relief to tender reflections
• Open-hearted discussions around queer community norms and boundaries

Summary

This episode combines the hilarious irreverence Handsome is known for with a surprisingly vulnerable and wise exploration of breakups, boundaries, and the value of memory—no matter how bittersweet. While drifting into energetic food debates and personal updates (with plenty of asides about peanut butter and cheesecake), Tig, Fortune, and Mae stay grounded in what it means to love, lose, and move forward, all while keeping it handsome.

For best moments, watch this episode on YouTube—the facial reactions, especially during Peanut Butter Corner and Tig’s post-surgery squinting, are a comedic bonus!