Podcast Summary: Handsome
Episode: Rob Thomas asks about extravagant indulgences
Date: December 2, 2025
Hosts: Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin
Special Guest/Question Asker: Rob Thomas
Episode Overview
In this episode of "Handsome," comedians Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin are joined (remotely) to answer a listener question from Rob Thomas, the Grammy-winning musician known for Matchbox 20 and "Smooth." Rob asks: "What is something that you guys spend money on that your younger selves would have thought was extravagant?" The hosts engage in their signature spontaneous, playful banter about home repairs, personal indulgences, Halloween displays, and—ultimately—how their relationships with money and "luxuries" have evolved since their more frugal beginnings.
Table of Contents
- Catching Up & Home/Life Updates
- Halloween Lawn Decorations & Disney Stories
- Socializing, Baths, and Nonverbal Friendships
- The Great Hot Tub Debacle
- Rob Thomas’s Question: Extravagant Indulgences
- Reactions & Reflections on Money
- Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- References to Future Purchases and Habits
Catching Up & Home/Life Updates
02:02 – 05:25
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The hosts connect over Zoom, noting their different locations and the absence of Mae’s signature fake plant.
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Mae discusses her procrastination on hanging curtains:
“When I have a task to complete, I imagine in a movie you'd have a montage… My montage would be like starting the task, then sleeping, then doing a bunch of other... my montage would be a two week montage for one small task.” (Mae, 03:14)
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Fortune admits she’s not handy but can do yard work, especially trimming “bushes” (which devolves, predictably, into innuendo).
05:47 – 08:44
- They reminisce about childhood chores like yard work and debate whether kids today are still sent outside to mow lawns, segueing into a discussion of child safety and falling kidnapping rates.
Halloween Lawn Decorations & Disney Stories
08:44 – 12:36
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Mae recently visited Burbank’s famous “Clown House” and reflects on the surreal appeal of grotesque lawn displays:
“Are human beings okay, that this is, like, for fun? We're looking at these like… torture clowns?” (Mae, 09:17)
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Tig relates, noting the bizarre nature of erecting enormous horror displays in her LA neighborhood.
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Another house is themed Disney, leading Mae to joke about who really lives there:
“Oh, Mickey lives here. Like, the guy in the Mickey suit. That’s him. It’s his house.” (Mae, 10:25)
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Tig shares that her kids, Max and Finn, were taken to Disneyland but had never seen any Disney materials; they didn’t know who Mickey Mouse was.
“We got there, and they had never seen anything Disney. So they didn't know who Mickey Mouse was.” (Tig, 10:53)
Socializing, Baths, and Nonverbal Friendships
20:33 – 22:10
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Mae describes reaching her social limit during a hangout and signaling her desire for friends to leave by starting a bath:
“I just went and started running a bath… And [one friend] was like, did you just start running a bath?… And I was like, yeah, I guess.” (Mae, 20:58)
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The hosts riff on the idea of “going nonverbal” as a valid friend boundary—something they all appreciate.
The Great Hot Tub Debacle
23:14 – 28:15
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Fortune shares her issues with her new house’s hot tub—it’s too shallow for her 5’10” frame:
“So I got in the hot tub, and I don't know who measured this thing, but, like, my tits were out.” (Fortune, 24:36)
“You either have to, like, not sit on the bench or you have to, like, lay down on the bench.” (Fortune, 25:44) -
Mae and Tig egg her on about “Tits Out Tubs,” leading to a recurring innuendo bit.
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Privacy solutions are discussed: pulled bamboo, new ficus, anticipation for “tits out, butthole bath” when the backyard is finally private.
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Mae: “I can’t wait for the ficus to be hardly in…. Tits out tub, butthole bath.” (Mae, 28:03)
Rob Thomas’s Question: Extravagant Indulgences
33:41 – 34:02
- Rob Thomas sends in his “serious question”:
“What is something that you guys spend money on that your younger selves would have thought was extravagant?” (Rob Thomas, 33:44)
Reactions & Reflections on Money
Fortune’s Journey
39:22 – 45:56
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Fortune shares her working-class background, detailing financial insecurity growing up (power shutoffs, almost losing the house).
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Her first “extravagant” purchase: her own house.
“My first extravagant purchase was a home... That was… [a] tiny...not a fancy house at all. It was, like, in the valley, like, super small. But I was like, I just want something of my own.” (Fortune, 41:30)
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Otherwise, she says her indulgences are modest—dinners with friends, leasing a car, and a "multi-cade" standup vintage video game:
“I love it so much. It's vintage. It reminds me of childhood... It has all the games: Galaga, Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders.” (Fortune, 46:03)
Mae’s Perspective
43:02 – 47:23
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Mae recalls cycles of debt and addiction in her youth, then getting sorted out financially by an older, more stable partner.
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Her first “big” indulgence: a spontaneous trip to Spain.
“To be able to go on vacation for a weekend to Europe with my friend… That was really a turning point.” (Mae, 43:53)
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Mae admits to liking “nice jackets and synthesizers” and confesses to too many Amazon purchases, but is working on self-improvement.
Tig’s Take
47:26 – 50:43
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Tig, also not extravagant, recalls hearing a friend describe discovering hotel mini-bars and room service as a sign of “making it."
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Her treat:
“To this day, I have to say that the frivolous thing that I will sometimes not often treat myself to is something out of the mini fridge in a hotel room, because that is something I would never have touched.” (Tig, 48:14)
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But she’s still budget-minded:
“I'm not gonna spend $12 on some cashews.” (Tig, 49:19)
51:24 – 54:35
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Mae enjoys gadgets and buying “junk” for Christmas gifts, but her parents finally told her to stop.
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Fortune reminisces about spending her first bigger TV paycheck on Omaha Steaks for her entire family, thinking she’d “made it.”
“I bought everyone in my family Omaha steaks. And I thought I have made it. I'm steaks for everybody.” (Fortune, 51:59)
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Mae’s biggest splurge: a sauna, which she loves and touts for its health benefits.
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Fortune’s latest “extravagant” purchase is her new home, which she regards as a responsible investment.
Experience vs. Things
56:14 – 61:07
- The hosts agree they’re more likely to spend on experiences (nice hotels, first class tickets, travel, dinners) than “stuff.”
- Tig likes Courtyard Marriott mattresses and tells a running joke in those hotels, while Fortune prefers boutique hotels, and Mae enjoys reliable chains with solid amenities.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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Curtain Procrastination:
“My montage would be like starting the task, then sleeping, then doing a bunch of other. My montage [for a small task] would be a two week montage.” (Mae, 03:14)
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Disneyland Revelation:
“We got there and, you know, my aunt was with us...and Max and Finn, we were like, oh, there's Mickey Mouse. And they were like, what? They didn't know who these characters were.” (Tig, 11:23)
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Mae’s Social Boundaries:
“I just went and started running a bath. And then one of my friends was like, did you just start running a bath? Like, would you like us to leave? And I was like, yeah, I guess.” (Mae, 20:58)
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The Hot Tub Mystery:
“So I got in the hot tub, and I don't know who measured this thing, but, like, my tits were out.” (Fortune, 24:36)
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First “Luxury” Purchase:
“My first extravagant purchase was a home. And that was...I will treasure that house forever.” (Fortune, 41:30)
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Hotel Minibar Guilt:
“It seemed made up that this was Darlene’s life. And to this day, I have to say that the frivolous thing that I will sometimes treat myself to is something out of the mini fridge in a hotel room.” (Tig, 48:08)
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Extravagant or Investment?
“The sauna...was really worth it. And probably some research is going to come out that counters this, but they really do say if you sauna, like, three or four times a week, it’s…overall health.” (Mae, 53:38)
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Full Circle on Extravagance:
“I don't need to buy things, I don't need to own things, but I don't mind spending money on experiences.” (Rob Thomas, as quoted by Tig, 56:14)
“I will spend money on travel to have like a…to enjoy another place.” (Fortune, 56:27)
References to Future Purchases and Habits
- Mae touts her daily sauna rituals and hilarious misunderstanding with a roommate’s girlfriend.
- Fortune is settling into her home, considering a sauna in the future.
- Tig notes her continuing tour, and right at the episode's conclusion, Fortune is distracted by an ironically well-timed Omaha Steaks email.
Important Timestamps
- 03:14 — Mae on her curtain-mounting procrastination
- 10:53 — Tig’s kids at Disneyland, not knowing Disney
- 20:58 — Mae starts a bath to signal party over
- 24:36 — Fortune discovers her hot tub is Tits Out Tubs
- 33:44 — Rob Thomas asks his question
- 41:30 — Fortune bought her first house
- 48:14 — Tig’s hotel minibar “splurge”
- 53:38 — Mae on buying the home sauna
Closing Notes
This episode weaves hilarious anecdotes, genuine reflections on personal growth, and a curious look at what “luxury” really means. The hosts, shaped by past struggles and rising fortunes, mostly invest in home, health, and meaningful experiences—and they do it all with irreverence and warmth.
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