House of Maher – “Escaping the Khia Asylum with Victoria Paris”
Podcast Host: Wave
Guest: Victoria Paris
Date: May 5, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode of House of Maher brings creator and entrepreneur Victoria Paris into conversation with host Wave and co-hosts, including Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher and her sisters Olivia and Adrianna. The episode is a freewheeling, humorous deep-dive into internet culture, personal evolution, queer identity, influencer realities, design, running, and friendship. The Maher crew and Victoria Paris exchange hot takes, embarrassing stories, and wisdom—keeping the banter rapid-fire and unfiltered.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
On Queer Identity and Community (01:01, 42:01)
- Victoria reflects on the evolution of her audience as she came out online, sharing, “Like a lot of them were like, ‘We've been knowing you're gay,’ so maybe I just found out about it, and they were waiting. A lot of them were like, ‘We were waiting’” (01:01, 43:32).
- Coming out for Victoria was “so quick and so casual. Like, ‘Hey guys, love women.’ Literally. I posted a video being like, I've never kissed a girl and then I had a girlfriend. I was like, you ask and you shall receive.” (42:08)
- She discusses how being public about her queer identity shifted her following: “Now that me and Nico are so serious and so publicly dating, I think [my audience] has definitely gotten gayer.” (43:43)
Influencer Life, Privacy & Boundaries (02:22, 28:46, 29:40)
- Victoria recounts her public journey from leveraging TikTok to sell thrifted clothes and pay rent, to brand deals and front-row seats at Fashion Week.
- On boundaries: She admits to learning the hard way about privacy after being burglarized:
“I used to be so not private... And I think now in living with Nico and building a life together, I realize it’s not just about me. The burglary just kind of was like the nail in the coffin where I was like, I need to prioritize my privacy.” (28:56)
- She shares amusing, cringey oversharing—posting her live location, door code, and security camera placement:
“I was like, the address is… and literally the week prior to post, a picture outside the front of my house.” (29:49)
Mold Mayhem & Moving Stories (04:05)
- Victoria shares the saga of a dream midcentury house gone wrong due to mysterious illnesses—later discovered to be caused by hidden mold (“We brought in a mold dog and he just kind of lit up the whole house…I was like, burn it all down.”) (04:05-04:41)
- The hosts riff on the absurdity: “You’re the mold dog at that point...I am the case study.” (05:46)
- Victoria has become known for moving often—out of necessity but also creative expression as an interior designer at heart.
Creativity, Design, and Color Philosophy (06:05, 24:43)
- Victoria’s design obsession started in childhood; she wanted to attend school for design but was discouraged (“That’s not a real job.”). Now, she channels that drive into her spaces and her jewelry brand, 10 4.
- On color: “I do like a pop of color. I feel like as I’m getting older… I kind of leaned into more richer, more neutral colors. But I will never be like a beige white house person.” (07:42)
- She describes her “pastel self and a primary color self,” expressing the dissonance between her vibrant online persona and her chill real-life self: “You get the most amplified version of me [online] because that's what gets clicks and likes and views. There is a bit of a disconnect between what people see online and who I really am.” (24:43)
Internet Lore: What is “Khia Asylum”? (10:33)
- The sisters ask Victoria to break down the rising ‘Khia Asylum’ meme, which originated in TikTok and Twitter slang for mid-tier celebrities or artists unable to “graduate” to the biggest venues.
- “Everyone’s saying BB Rexha. Zara Larson just made it out. Charli XCX is back in, but she escaped for a bit with Brat.” (12:41)
- The segment is an energetic tour de force of inside jokes and millennial/gen Z internet culture.
Running, Athletics, and Body Image (46:02)
- Victoria describes her athletic background and running journey: “I played a lot of sports growing up… softfall and basketball mostly… When I got to college, I was not playing any sports… and I really made a shift. I just found the gym and became obsessed with it.”
- She ran her first marathon for MS research: “I signed up for the New York Marathon when I was 21 to raise money for MS.”
- On marathoning and community: “Now, I’ve gotten back into running because it’s such a thing online, and so many brands are activating around it. I actually love it now, because it's not as serious.” (46:37)
- Times: “My most recent [marathon] was 4:24. I want to break 4 hours… but I’m not going to change my whole life just to run.” (47:24)
Building and Balancing Business Ventures (27:07)
- The story of 10 4 Jewelry: “I had just traveled through Belgium and a good friend took me to this atelier where I met Jill, my co-owner. I thought she was the cashier because she was so beautiful… [but] she was the owner. We did a collab and flipped that into our own brand.” (27:07)
- Life chaos (moving, privacy, etc.) has taken her away from the brand, but she’s eager to return attention to it.
Handling Hate & The Female Creator Economy (35:04)
- “I went on a blocking spree like four years ago. So, like, it's peaceful. People shit on me for so long for doing that, but genuinely, I feel so good and so safe on my page. I can post anything and really not deal with [hate].”
- On why people hate female creators: “This is one of the only female-dominated, lucrative fields… I’d be mad too if I was them.” (35:12-36:43)
Money, Culture, and Sex Work Legislation (37:08)
- Discussion about a proposed Florida “syntax”—an effective 50% tax on OnlyFans creators.
- Victoria breaks down misconceptions: Most OnlyFans creators don’t make big money; a tiny elite does.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “If anyone’s gonna be cringy [in a relationship], it’s me. Can’t have two of us.” – Host & Victoria Paris on boundaries of online sharing. (03:16)
- Describing the “mold dog” and house hunt, Victoria: “He just kind of lit up the whole house… burn it all down.” (04:05)
- “Tripping with TED—coin it!” – On her transformative TED trip to Costa Rica (44:46)
- “She called her couch bisexual, so that's like a really nice compliment… I know many a bisexual woman with this couch.” (08:03)
- “I have never watched a movie really in the past five years. Nico's been training me…If I ask her a question, she's like, ‘You have to rewind and rewatch.’” – On relationships and attention span (34:08)
- “My work hasn't [gotten gayer]. Pride Month was quiet last year. Not a single deal.” (01:13, 43:52)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamps |
|-------------------------------------|----------------|
| Coming Out + Audience Evolution | 01:01; 42:01 |
| Mold, Moving, and Design | 04:05–07:57 |
| Creativity & Pastel/Primary Persona | 24:43–25:38 |
| Khia Asylum & Pop Culture | 10:33–14:12 |
| Running Journey | 46:02–49:09 |
| Privacy, Burglary, and Online Life | 28:46–32:22 |
| Handling Hate | 35:04–37:07 |
| OnlyFans “Syntax” | 37:08–38:23 |
| Friendship & Book Recs | 53:37–55:48 |
| Try Hard + Rapid Fire | 49:40–53:33 |
Additional Memorable Moments & Cultural References
- Audience Growth: Victoria reflects on her journey to over a million TikTok followers in six months—capitalizing on Depop selling during the first pandemic year. (22:07–23:05)
- Book & TV Talk: The hosts share smutty romance recommendations. Victoria plugs Perfume and Pain: “It’s about a lesbian writer who lives in Silver Lake… She struggles with substance addiction, but also, she loves perfume… It feels like it could be your friend.” (55:26)
- Humor in Hardship: Victoria jokes about stealing as a teen and returns from Bloomingdale's grifting to “not paying for bags at self-checkout now. That's where I draw the line.” (52:19–53:04)
Tone & Atmosphere
Lively, confessional, and warmly irreverent. The energy is that of a late-night sleepover crossed with group therapy—intimate vulnerability traded for sharp one-liners and inside jokes. The hosts’ sibling dynamic and Victoria's self-aware, rapid-fire delivery make the conversation poignant and deeply funny, perfectly balancing the real messiness and joys of young adult life online.
Closing Thoughts
Victoria Paris leaves listeners with hard-earned wisdom: protect your boundaries, nurture creativity even when discouraged, be as loud or as quiet as you want online—and don’t be afraid to shed what no longer serves you, whether it’s a moldy house, a beige interior, or negative internet comments.