Happy Wife, Happy Life

Episode 84: Who Dates Better: The USA or Europe?
Hosts: Kendahl Landreth and Jordan Myrick
Release Date: October 13, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into Kendahl and Jordan’s comedic reflections on their recent two-week trip to Europe, with a special focus on comparing dating customs, relationships, and cultural idiosyncrasies across the USA and Europe. The conversation bounces between humorous personal stories, audience-submitted international dating customs, and candid thoughts on generational traits, drinking cultures, sexuality, and what it means to “date better.” The hosts aim to entertain (and occasionally illuminate) with their trademark blend of self-deprecation, gay perspective, and playful bickering.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Europe Trip Debrief: Americans Abroad

• The episode starts with Kendahl and Jordan explaining why Europe is on their minds—they just got back from an Italian vacation, which served as a reset after personal turmoil, including hospital visits and home flooding.
  • “After my hospital visit and after the flooding of our home, this trip to Italy— we just needed it.” (Kendahl, 01:05)
• Quick riffs on American creature comforts: the lack of Dr. Pepper and ice for sodas overseas, and the joy of returning to Big Gulps in the U.S. (02:10–03:13).

2. Viral Clip Backlash: Making Fun of Europe

• They describe going viral on TikTok for making fun of European culture, instigating comments from angry Europeans.
  • “People are mad because they’re like, ‘you’re an idiot,’...and I’m like, why are you so mad?” (Jordan, 04:36)
• The double standard: Americans are routinely mocked, but get pushback when they tease Europe in return (05:00).

3. Food Difference and Homogeneity

• Discussion on Italian focus on local cuisine, finding it endearingly traditional but sometimes lacking in variety.
  • “We asked multiple Italian people, ‘What do you eat besides pasta?’...they’re like, ‘I just have pasta every single...’ That is crazy.” (Kendahl, 05:20)
• Parallel experience in Copenhagen with limited food variety (06:14).

4. Experiences as a Lesbian Couple

• Jordan shares how visible queerness changed people’s reactions in Europe, especially in the Paris airport.
  • “People would see that we were gay...and all of a sudden they would be like, oh my God, what can we do for you?” (Kendahl, 07:19)
• In Italy, everyone assumed they were sisters, a mistaken assumption they rarely encounter in the U.S.
  • “Every single place we went in Italy, immediately they were like, you guys are sisters. And we were like, no, we're married.” (Jordan, 07:19)

5. Tour Group Adventures: Gay Vibes vs. Florida Vibes

• Contrast between a fabulous, all-gay Venice food tour and a less-than-vibey horseback tour with a mysterious Florida couple (08:09–12:36).
• Standout moment: The Florida woman’s awkward horse advice and “Papa Pia, the horse is having diarrhea” joke, to which Jordan reacts with social horror, Kendahl with amusement (11:30).

6. Wine Culture: Who Drinks More?

• Observations on Italy’s relentless wine pouring, especially at a wedding, leading to overindulgence for Kendahl.
  • “They gave me at dinner a white wine, a red wine, and a champagne together...I was drunker than I’ve ever been.” (Kendahl, 13:51)
• Reflections on Gen X's obsession with wine, poking fun at generational stereotypes (16:07–16:51).

7. Generational Differences and Opinions

• Playful analysis of Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z (“I think boomers and Gen Z are so similar... Both think they're right about everything.” - Jordan, 18:24).
• Touch on formative trauma for Millennials (9/11, pessimism) versus Gen Z’s confidence and online savvy (19:17–19:49).

8. Podcast Commentary and Media Literacy

• Caution about the dangers of taking news from unqualified podcasters and TikTokers, musing on the pitfalls of “citizen journalism” (22:07–24:38).

9. Dating Customs: USA vs. Europe (Audience Submissions & Hot Takes)

Who Pays?

• In Russia, “girls never pay on a first date”—debated as also common in the U.S., but with generational and geographic variation.
  • “I would say in America, guys always pay. I don’t agree with that.” (Kendahl, 34:03)
  • “I think in this day and age, it’s more popular in...conservative sectors.” (Jordan, 35:18)

Flowers on a First Date (Russia)

• Seen as corny in the U.S.—“It's giving fedora on a first date.” (Kendahl, 36:06)

Love Spoons (Wales)

• Wooden utensils with specific carvings symbolizing different types of love; met with playful envy.

Losing Virginity in a Public Park (England)

• Host reactions highlight how context shapes what’s considered risqué or normal. In the US, losing virginity in a car is more common (40:04–40:27).

Public Sex Laws in Europe

• Apparently legal in designated German, Dutch, and Danish parks.
  • “So much of sex in public is the fact that it’s so bad. The draw is the taboo-ness of it.” (Kendahl, 42:29)

Making a Move (England)

• Language misunderstanding: “I’m making a move” means “I’m leaving” in England, which confused an American partner (45:19).

The Danish "Cinnamon Tradition"

• If you’re unmarried at 25, friends/family douse you in cinnamon.
  • “I went to a friend’s 25th birthday. She got tied to a tree in the garden and bombarded with a kilogram of cinnamon through a leaf blower.” (reader comment, 47:35)

Last Drop of Champagne (France)

• Whoever gets it is next to get pregnant—a tradition with echoes in New Orleans’ King Cake baby.

Splitting the Bill (Netherlands)

• Confirmed as totally normal, leading to the phrase “going Dutch.” (48:44)

Paying Protocols in Lesbian Dates (U.S.)

• Within queer dating, splitting is common, especially for first dates with strangers or low-budget activities.
  • “I think a lot of times you would split unless I was, like, I’m really well, but I don’t think this happened that much until I met you.” (Jordan, 48:58)

Alpha/Beta Energy in Relationships

• Humorous breakdown of why “wife guy” energy (devoted, quieter men) works, as opposed to being “weak in general.” (51:50–53:49)
  • “Weak man, strong woman is one of the most powerful combinations.” (Jordan, 52:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Food Routines Abroad:
  “I kept going, what do you eat besides Italian food? And they were all like, oh, well, I have Sicilian food...I was like, that is crazy.” (Kendahl, 05:20)

• Queer Visibility in Europe:
  “People were so nice to us in a way that was like...or they'd be very neutral. And then we would, like, hold hands or something, and all of a sudden they would be like, oh my God, what can we do for you?” (Kendahl, 07:19)

• Generational Drag:
  “Gen Z tends to use their powers for good, and boomers tend to use their powers for evil...but both have a lot of intolerance.” (Jordan, 18:24)

• Wine Culture Stereotypes:
  “The way you [Gen X] drink wine is actually disturbing.” (Kendahl, 13:17)

• Floridian Horseback Tour Disaster:
  “Her husband looked out at the view of Tuscany while we were on these horses, and he said, mamma mia... The woman very slowly says, papa pia...the horse is having diarrhea.” (Kendahl, 11:25)

• Public Sex Lawsight-Seeing:
  “You have taken me to multiple of those places...three out of the four places railed me in public.” (Kendahl, 41:47)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:21]–[02:14] – Vacation recap, American comforts vs. Europe
• [02:14]–[05:15] – Viral video criticism and food culture in Italy
• [06:06]–[07:41] – Gay couple dynamics and being mistaken for sisters
• [08:09]–[12:36] – Venice food tour, horseback tour, and the Florida couple
• [13:16]–[16:51] – Wine culture and generational alcohol jokes
• [17:00]–[21:12] – Generational personality breakdowns (Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z)
• [22:07]–[24:38] – Trustworthiness of podcasts and social media news
• [28:34]–[44:00] – European vs. American dating customs (user submissions: paying, flowers, love spoons, public sex, etc.)
• [44:00]–[51:44] – Relationship power dynamics, splitting the bill, straight versus queer dating customs
• [56:41]–[58:20] – Shoutouts to listeners, closing banter

Final Thoughts

Kendahl and Jordan offer a comedic yet heartfelt comparison of American and European dating, filtered through personal stories, audience anecdotes, and their distinctively gay lens. They showcase the quirks of cross-cultural romance, challenge stereotypes with wry observations, and leave listeners with a strong encouragement to laugh at themselves—and at each other.

For Listeners:
If you enjoy playful, self-aware takes on relationships across cultures—sprinkled with unexpected insights, gay humor, and confessions about drunken Italian weddings—this is a must-listen.