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Jessica McKenna
This is exactly right.
Ryan Seacrest
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this new year. Don't forget about the little ones in the family. Now through January 27th. Shop in store and online and save $10 when you buy two or more of your favorite baby care items. Shop for items like Happy Baby Formula, Pampers, Pure Diapers, Pampers Baby Wipes, Pampers, Swaddler's Diapers, Pampers Cruisers Diapers and Similac Powder formulas. And save $10 when you buy two participating products. Offer ends January 27th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.
Public Sponsor Voice
Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20 year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures well.
Bridger Weiniger
The holidays have come and gone once again, but if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift, well Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless. So here's the idea.
Jessica McKenna
You get it now.
Bridger Weiniger
You call it an early present for next year.
Jessica McKenna
What do you have to lose?
Bridger Weiniger
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch limited time.
Jessica McKenna
50% off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required $45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 month or $180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50gb per month when network is busy see Terms. When I invited you here I thought I perfectly clear. When you're a guest in my home you gotta come to me empty handed. I said no Gifts. Your presence is present enough. And I already had too much stuff, so how do you dare disobey me?
Bridger Weiniger
Welcome to I said no gifts. I'm Bridger Weiniger. We're here in the studio. I made it here safely. I did a little dancing in the car. I'm in layers. It's a great way to wear two shirts. What's going on? I had another electrifying weekend. That's about all I can say about that. I had a real conflict this morning. I almost wore the podcast T shirt just because I love it so much. But I feel like. I think we all know that's extremely tacky, and I don't know what to do. Could I wear the shirt if I just scratched out the name of the podcast? You know, so it's just the graphic. I don't know. But don't reach out. I'll figure out. I'll go on that journey on my own. What happened over the weekend? I saw Hamnet, which is, you know, it's beautiful. The big revelation for me is that Shakespeare was married to a heckler. I don't know what to say. I imagine they had a hard time going to comedy shows together. Didn't go to the Little House on the Prairie. They had some sort of meetup or show reunion somewhere in Santa Clarita, and all of the VIP tickets were sold out. They were also $600, which made me think, there are people with bigger problems than me. But maybe one year, maybe we could do a GoFundMe to get me to go to the Little House on the Prairie reunion. We did watch an episode of Little House on the Prairie. The most recent one we watched. The basic story was a morphing addict came through town and taught Mary how to play a little piano. That was a good one. We had to skip the one with the centennial picnic. That's the most boring episode of television ever made. Okay. Is there anything else I need to talk about? No, I don't think so. We're here changing your life, rocking your world. That's what the point of this podcast is. Let's get into it. Today's guest is just absolutely fantastic. It's Jessica McKenna. Jessica, welcome to. I said no gifts.
Jessica McKenna
Wow. Hi. Thank you.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, I'm so happy to have you here in your. Kind of representing your favorite corporation in this Disney T shirt.
Jessica McKenna
Everyone has to pick one. And, you know, and there are two. There's two, and they're both bad. But this one has fun rides.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes. Yeah, I think that's a good to pick a corporation. Which one will let you go on a ride? Which one has a haunted mansion?
Jessica McKenna
Who has fireworks? You know, who has a duck with no pants.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. Very few of them.
Jessica McKenna
Very few of the two. And so I pick my side. No, I apologize. I'm really timestamping your ass.
Bridger Weiniger
No, I like this. We're recording mid December. This will come out mid January. And now people are going, oh, God.
Jessica McKenna
I put the holidays behind me.
Bridger Weiniger
Life was so different then. How am I supposed to relate to this episode? But I love. It's got Donald, Mickey, and Minnie and Daisy.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, and Goofy. Look at me. See things.
Jessica McKenna
I know, right? And I tried to figure this out. Oh, gosh. We were just talking about switching to a visual medium in podcast, but when I first got it, I was like, what is the pattern? And then I. This is interesting, right? I'm wearing a shirt. If you're just listening, I'm wearing a shirt that has squares with the main Disney characters. And it's holiday. They're all in Santa hats, and there's a snow quality about it. But the pattern actually goes vertical, not horizontal.
Bridger Weiniger
That's why it was so confusing.
Jessica McKenna
It's confusing.
Bridger Weiniger
It's baffling. It's almost like reading English versus reading Chinese.
Jessica McKenna
Right, exactly.
Bridger Weiniger
Left to right, up and down.
Jessica McKenna
Right. So once I solved that, I thought, oh, now it makes sense. One line I would say is the main three of Mickey, Donald, Goofy. And then we got Daisy, Minnie, Pluto.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay, so that makes me think, is Pluto a woman?
Jessica McKenna
Right.
Bridger Weiniger
I don't think we ever got to the bottom of that.
Jessica McKenna
Pluto, full of mysteries in general.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. It's the one animal that doesn't talk.
Jessica McKenna
Right. But is also a dog.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
And is the size that a mouse can own them.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. There's a lot going on.
Jessica McKenna
There's a lot going on.
Bridger Weiniger
That poor creature is kind of a servant to the rest of these evil.
Jessica McKenna
Animals, much like the corporation.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting.
Jessica McKenna
But we have to pick, and Pluto has picked. He thought, now, do I love a mouse having dominion over me? No. But what are the alternatives?
Bridger Weiniger
Does he belong to Mickey?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, he does.
Bridger Weiniger
Interesting.
Jessica McKenna
He sure does. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
They need to. They've got to figure out what's happening in the world of Mickey Mouse. I think, like, I feel like the world is too chaotic. It's anarchy.
Jessica McKenna
Do you know what'll be great? We had this happen last year when the Steamboat Willie cartoon hit 100 years. So now it's public domain.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, right, right.
Jessica McKenna
We should agree, you and I together, right now, that when Pluto becomes public domain. We write his origin story.
Bridger Weiniger
We figure it.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. And I think it's corporate espionage. I think he works for Paramount.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. That's why he's been so quiet.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
He's kind of a slugworth of the Willy Wonka world.
Jessica McKenna
That's right.
Bridger Weiniger
Interesting. Are you. Do you go to Disneyland often?
Jessica McKenna
I do. I grew up. I'm a Orange county kid. So I. We could, like, hear the fireworks from my backyard.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, God. Were you calling and reporting it? All the time.
Jessica McKenna
Is this before or after the parade? I can't get the timing right. No, I really do love it. Rachel Bloom wrote a memoir. She has a story about loving Disney. She's also a SoCal kid. And she has a line that really resonated with me more than any other poetry or piece of religious thought or anything I've ever read in my life, where she said, the right amount of loving Disney is the amount that I love it.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, wow.
Jessica McKenna
Any more is insane and detached from reality and, like, grow up. And any less is cynical. And I was like, rachel and I have a lot in common. But I was like, this might be the most significant thing we have in common.
Bridger Weiniger
What a connection.
Jessica McKenna
I know.
Bridger Weiniger
How often are you going to Disneyland?
Jessica McKenna
When I grew up in the past, it was, like, more affordable. We would go a lot. Like, I would do a thing where I would get dropped off. Like, it was my mall.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, wow. Yeah, that makes sense.
Jessica McKenna
It was cool. Like, you'd go on, like, one ride, get a dinner, and, like, someone else's parents would pick you up. Right now I probably go twice a year.
Bridger Weiniger
Twice a year.
Jessica McKenna
I take my niece and nephews in the summer usually. And then probably have, like, one other time where I go with, like, there'll be some other occasion.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. So you're not like, an annual pass holder.
Jessica McKenna
No.
Bridger Weiniger
How much does that cost? That must be $9,000.
Jessica McKenna
And they threatened to get rid of it for a little bit. So I don't know. But I went, this shirt is actually from World.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, my God.
Jessica McKenna
I don't often. I've only been, like, twice, because why go there when you grow up by land? And I actually was like, I do kind of want merch here because I also love holiday merch. But I ended up refusing to get anything that said World because it felt.
Bridger Weiniger
Like it was confusing.
Jessica McKenna
Confusing for my personal brand.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. It raises too many questions. And suddenly people are asking you all the time.
Jessica McKenna
They're like, why? Why were you there? That's not where you live.
Bridger Weiniger
People get very violent and serious. About that type of thing. You wouldn't have been able to leave the house.
Jessica McKenna
No. And I just can't handle that right now.
Bridger Weiniger
You love. You have enough problems.
Jessica McKenna
I can't be taking that on. I have to buy up all the VIP tickets for A Little House on the Prairie.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, God. That was disappointing to see. I don't know if it was disappointing for me or just disappointing to see people paying that much money for a vip.
Jessica McKenna
That's tough.
Bridger Weiniger
A lot of the cast is gone. So what are you paying for? Ultimately, it's a little tough. And the whole. I don't know if you're aware of this, but they blew up the whole set of Little House on the Prairie.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, that's devastating.
Bridger Weiniger
So you're not even getting to see the set? You're just driving to Santa Clarita for no reason?
Jessica McKenna
That's ridiculous.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah, I guess. How many reasons are there to drive to Santa Clarita?
Jessica McKenna
Right?
Bridger Weiniger
My apologies to Santa Clarita, but I.
Jessica McKenna
Think that's one of the closest Red Lobsters.
Bridger Weiniger
Is that true?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, have you been to it?
Jessica McKenna
Uh huh.
Bridger Weiniger
Are you a big Red Lobster fan?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I've never been to Red Lobster.
Jessica McKenna
Where'd you grow up?
Bridger Weiniger
In Utah.
Jessica McKenna
Did you have them at all?
Bridger Weiniger
There were. I think there was like one.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
And for whatever reason, we just never got to go to Red Lobster.
Jessica McKenna
It was the. It was both my sister and I's pick for birthday dinner.
Bridger Weiniger
No.
Jessica McKenna
And we felt very fancy.
Bridger Weiniger
That feels like a very birthday dinner type place.
Jessica McKenna
We'd get like crab legs for the table, which felt incredibly decadent.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh my God.
Jessica McKenna
That's like you're an 8 year old trying to get gout. You know, you feel very regal. And then I would always get popcorn shrimp, which is just a chicken tender.
Bridger Weiniger
You know, or just a chicken nugget. But shrimp, I think it's probably. I guess it's the fancy chicken nuggets I've never really thought about.
Jessica McKenna
And that I think is a perfect window into my nine year old self, which is like, huh, have you met me? I have quite an advanced palate for my age, but I would like it to be deep fried and I'm gonna dunk it in ketchup.
Bridger Weiniger
And they have the biscuits that everyone goes crazy for. I feel like I. The biscuit will never happen for me. How could it?
Jessica McKenna
Oh, I want it to though.
Bridger Weiniger
I don't know that, you know, I feel like if you like grew up eating them, it's probably like the taste is built in for you. But I think Approaching that as an adult might be difficult.
Jessica McKenna
I don't know.
Bridger Weiniger
Cheese biscuit?
Jessica McKenna
They're quite objectively good, I think.
Bridger Weiniger
What would you compare it to?
Jessica McKenna
Let's see. Are you a scone person at all?
Bridger Weiniger
I do like a scone.
Jessica McKenna
Cause it has almost more. I would say closer to like when you get a really good cheddar and chive scone.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay, okay.
Jessica McKenna
Versus like a country biscuit that you're covering in gravy.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
It has like a thicker.
Bridger Weiniger
You will be choking.
Jessica McKenna
You will. It's dense, but it's got like a nice salty melt point.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
Because it's still a ton of butter. And I don't know if they still do this, but they used to sell like at home kits where you could make them.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, did you ever try them?
Jessica McKenna
My mom did. And they. It felt accurate. So that might be your journey.
Bridger Weiniger
That feels bad for the company. Maybe that's why they're in such financial trouble. They gave away the one thing that everyone went there for and they.
Jessica McKenna
They were letting us have way too much shrimp.
Bridger Weiniger
That's right. That was like a real thing.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. My husband several times went with like trying to join the Centennial Club, which is having more than 100 shrimp at a time. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Putting a hundred shrimp in your stomach.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. He succeeded multiple times. But you have to pick the right kind of. I mean, I've stopped trying to math that. Math.
Bridger Weiniger
You know, were they like regular sized shrimp?
Jessica McKenna
Sometimes they're small or, you know, he'd like. You can pick the preparation. So he'd be doing like scampi or chill. Like just like cocktail shrimp. I don't know. But it's still 100 shrimp.
Bridger Weiniger
That still must be like five pounds of food at least.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. And also that's really an awareness of like, that's 100 individual animals. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
That's an entire population.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. That's a village. So.
Bridger Weiniger
And that was like an endless shrimp thing.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. And they did that. It was like a promotion they would do for like one weekend and then it was popular. So they let it grow. And that's financial Ru. And I think there were a few years where you could always get endless shrimp or something.
Bridger Weiniger
So the company was self sabotaging in a way. They had hit the self destruct button and said, let's just tank it.
Jessica McKenna
No. And not to timestamp us again, but it should be like Christmas. That's what keeps it special.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, right. I mean, that's. Well, as a business owner, you think, well, if we're giving away too much of A thing. Maybe we should only do that for a short period of time.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
That's how business works.
Jessica McKenna
And then people will be so excited.
Bridger Weiniger
They'Ll make it an annual trip rather than. Well, we can get that anytime.
Jessica McKenna
Right. And now I'm never gonna go because.
Bridger Weiniger
It'S not special not knowing that we have a limited time with the ones we love.
Jessica McKenna
That's right.
Bridger Weiniger
That kind of thing.
Jessica McKenna
That's right.
Bridger Weiniger
Now they're probably. By the time this comes out, they may be fully out of business. I don't know.
Jessica McKenna
I don't know.
Bridger Weiniger
The last headline I saw was they've been ruined by endless shrimp.
Jessica McKenna
But I think they're in a rebrand where they are pivoting towards that style of shrimp eating that's more like a low country boil or like Louisiana style where you can get the bag of shrimp. Have you ever done one of those.
Bridger Weiniger
Where you throw it across the table and it's a sloppy mess? Yeah. So they're gonna have to kind of redesign the restaurant.
Jessica McKenna
And I think they've reduced their menu, which anyone who's watched, you know, Kitchen Restaurant impossible.
Bridger Weiniger
Everyone knows Kitchen Hell.
Jessica McKenna
If the menu is too large, you're doomed.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
Although Cheesecake Factory is here thumbing.
Bridger Weiniger
They've really kind of said, no, that's not true.
Jessica McKenna
That's right. Not true. For us, we are the exception that proves the rule.
Bridger Weiniger
Look how we.
Jessica McKenna
Here's our novella.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes. Yeah. That's a one place that that kind of has works for whatever reason.
Jessica McKenna
I don't know why.
Bridger Weiniger
And then every other place, if you see more than 50 items on a menu, you're saying, I gotta get outta here. I gotta get outta this place.
Jessica McKenna
I forgot to call Robert Irvine and I gotta get outta here.
Bridger Weiniger
Robert Irvine. I've talked about him on the show before because he has a new protein bar.
Jessica McKenna
How is he?
Bridger Weiniger
Which is revolting.
Jessica McKenna
Oh.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, they're disgusting bars. My boyfriend bought some at Costco. He overbought. And now they're just sitting in our cupboard waiting for the next pandemic.
Jessica McKenna
Terrible.
Bridger Weiniger
And I hate the things so. Too sweet. Can't have something that sweet in the morning. It's a real sugar alcohol tasting bar. But they should get. He should start going to giant corporations to rescue them rather than these small businesses that he's picking on.
Jessica McKenna
Right. It would be great to watch him save Red Lobster. Oh, my God. I would watch that as a miniseries, you know.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow. That could be a good limited series. That's Hulu's next big project, Red Lobster. And that's also they have a kind of a. At least the name isn't like one of these things where, you know, I've been complaining about Hampton Inn, trying to run from their name. Recently they've rebranded as Hampton.
Jessica McKenna
Get out of here.
Bridger Weiniger
You can't rebrand as Lobster. No, that becomes confusing. Yeah, and Red doesn't tell you enough. So then it's like you'd have to do maybe add a word. Red Lobster Express, right?
Jessica McKenna
Oh my gosh, can you imagine having like a mini biscuit and shrimp before you got on a plane? Like a Chili's too.
Bridger Weiniger
Just a plane full of extremely sick people.
Ryan Seacrest
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Flu season is here and the in store pharmacy has you covered with a free flu shot with most insurance plans. And as a thank you, get up to $20 off your grocery purchase. Plus it's cough and cold season. Stock up on all the season's essentials and get ready for relief with discounts on items like Mucinex, Children's Multi Symptom cold medicine, Zara B's children's cough syrup and emergency offer ends January 27th. Restrictions apply and offers may vary by location. Visit Albertsons or Safeway.com for more details.
Public Sponsor Voice
Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, LLC SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures did you.
Jessica McKenna
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Bridger Weiniger
Greenlight.Com iheart Speaking of business, renovations, and this is something else that people want me to stop talking about is. Have you ever heard of Tabitha's Takeover? You've gotta get into this show.
Jessica McKenna
Yes, the name is immediately. Cause Tabitha's such a unique name. Did you ever watch Passions?
Bridger Weiniger
Ooh, I love whatever this is.
Jessica McKenna
No, it was a soap opera like when we were children, like short lived, shorter lived.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. I mean, compared to a soap Opera that goes 90 years.
Jessica McKenna
Exactly, exactly. I believe there was a witch named Tabitha on it or something. It was wild. It would be the kind of thing where you were watching your Saturday morning or your Tuesday morning summer brainless TV before you had to go to pool camp or something.
Bridger Weiniger
What a feeling.
Jessica McKenna
Pool camp. And sometimes you'd get all the way through the run up where you'd get to. Now the only thing. Now I'm into soap operas.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. Anyway, Tabitha was maybe. How many soap operas have a witch?
Jessica McKenna
That's what made Passion.
Bridger Weiniger
So that's what made it such a failure.
Jessica McKenna
Failure, ultimately.
Bridger Weiniger
But Passions. Oh, Tabitha Takeover is not a soap opera.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, it's.
Bridger Weiniger
I mean, kind of the dramas there.
Jessica McKenna
Is it like a tlcish program?
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah, it was on Bravo. It's this Australian woman and she says, I'm tough, I'm talented, I'm taking over.
Jessica McKenna
Was it Salons?
Bridger Weiniger
Initially it was Salons. Tabitha's Salon Takeover. That was the successful series or relatively sure. Then she moved into Tabitha's Takeover. And you know, I just watched one where she takes over a yogurt shop and it was just simply not as compelling. Yeah, you want to watch her yelling at hairdressers.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, I can picture her hair now.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, yeah. It's a very 2008, like blonde. Blonde, spiked, not spiky, kind of a dramatic bang.
Jessica McKenna
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Bridger Weiniger
It's just a phenomenal show and I just love watching it. But where did she go? Oh, I know what she did. She started. She's now kind of a self help guru. She has something called bitch camp, which she teaches you.
Jessica McKenna
Can I go after pool camp? Does she want us to be more or less bitch? That's what I need to know.
Bridger Weiniger
She wants you to be more okay. She wants you to be much, much more. And I hope that she's doing okay. I think maybe I should reboot the show. I'm sure there are plenty of salons that still need help.
Jessica McKenna
Also, just your takeover of Tabitha's takeover.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting.
Jessica McKenna
Tabitha's taken over.
Bridger Weiniger
This is the new category of reality shows. Somebody who comes in and revamps failed reality shows. Yes.
Jessica McKenna
Like, someone should have been able to come. I mean, we'll see how it goes, but with, like, Vanderpump and them. Or like, they can't get a new Roni cast figured out. Like, someone gets to come in and be, like, the Robert Irvine of, like. The menu's too many. It's too many friend Ofs. I don't care about the Ross. You need to start with some relationships that are real and build out from there. Everyone can't be purely cast. Some of this has to be organic.
Bridger Weiniger
We no longer know what they're fighting about. This is a fight about a fight about a fight about a fight. It could be kind of Project Greenlight meets Tabitha's takeover, and we just go into Bravo, et cetera, tlc.
Jessica McKenna
And one of the biggest notes that I would give the Bravo shows is you are not allowed to have drama from outside blog, podcast sources.
Bridger Weiniger
What about. Do you watch Salt Lake City?
Jessica McKenna
Of course. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
What about, like, the TikTok or tweet? Because there's been some explosive drama about the TikToks and tweets.
Jessica McKenna
Well, really just Meredith's reaction to the TikTok. But then are we gonna see footage from this plan?
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, where Todd was looking at the other gal on his iPad?
Jessica McKenna
No, where Meredith freaked out at first.
Bridger Weiniger
How did I forget about this? That's all they're talking about.
Jessica McKenna
It's crazy. Or at least that, actually. I don't know.
Bridger Weiniger
How was there no footage? You bring up such a good point. There should. There's footage of everything else that's ever happened on a plane since 2010.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
How was that not filmed by somebody on that plane?
Jessica McKenna
I've had.
Bridger Weiniger
How was Brittany not filming it?
Jessica McKenna
So true. Well, apparently, she was crying into her hair. Her hair was wet with tears. Here's evidence that we have sopping wet. Sopping wet with tears.
Bridger Weiniger
She had to towel off after this flight.
Jessica McKenna
Here's the part. Sorry to just derail into Salt Lake City for a second.
Bridger Weiniger
Don't apologize.
Jessica McKenna
But I mean, the person that I. I do trust in that situation is Mary Cosby, because she has no reason to lie or fabricate, you know, Like, I understand why Meredith would downplay and why Lisa has chosen to stick with Meredith to downplay. Heather was asleep for some of it, so she's an unreliable narrator. Plus, she's, like, always in the pocket of moving story.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. Right.
Jessica McKenna
Whitney will fall in line with whatever happens there. Britney sobbed to tears into her hair. Angie is, like, riding high, but doesn't really need the drama, only wants us to love Grease. Mary has no reason to lie. So the fact that she has said Meredith, it was out of hand. And why won't you just admit it was out of hand and we can move forward? I'm like, it was out of hand. Like, it was. Mary, to me, is the, like, the ding in the scales that makes me go, it was.
Bridger Weiniger
This is the thing about Mary Cosby is she has been brought into the show and she does not care about being involved in the show.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
So it's like she's essentially the one normal person.
Jessica McKenna
Yes. I mean, she couldn't be further from normal, but she is objective because she.
Bridger Weiniger
Doesn'T care, because she refuses to listen to producers.
Jessica McKenna
And she's not interested in machinations or, like, let's build a storyline or can you help move this forward? She's just like, no.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. Often I'll watch her. It's like she's not even aware that it's a reality show where she'll be like. She's like, why are they fighting with each other? Why are you fighting with each other? You should apologize. Because she's thinking of them as human beings rather than characters. It's so fascinating. That's such a good point. But how small was this plane that no one was filming it? Simply, there was a gay flight attendant.
Jessica McKenna
And I'm thinking, are they holding it till the reunion?
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting. But what? Oh, yeah, that's a great leak. How did it not leak?
Jessica McKenna
Unless they bought out the footage and they're like, this is part of the rule is we will pay you this amount of money for the footage, but if it leaks, you only get it if we make it to the reunion with it being sealed.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. Andy Cohen kills you.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow. I bet everyone on the plane had to sign an NDA.
Jessica McKenna
Right? Well, and also, the production must have bought out first class entirely.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting.
Jessica McKenna
And then you have that little curtain.
Bridger Weiniger
Here's my question. We frequently see them on these planes and it's like, oh, they're not even in business class.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Seems like, what was this flight coming home from? It was like, oh, from the island billionaires playground or whatever the Frick. Like, it looked like a set to go on the yacht. Okay.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. And it was like.
Jessica McKenna
And this is an SLC recap podcast. Right. But you recap episodes from six weeks ago.
Bridger Weiniger
You're basically describing my Patreon. I do talk about this thing constantly. I mean, I'm going to Utah for Christmas, and I'm gonna visit. Something I've learned recently is that Angie is sort of a Nepo baby. Her father owns this chain of famous Utah hamburger restaurants called Crown Burger. So I'll probably make a stop there. I'm gonna go to Mary's church.
Jessica McKenna
Are you gonna go to Beauty?
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, I mean, I go there every single time I'm there. I've been there. The only time I haven't been there was my most recent time because I went to Jay Z Stiles, which is from the other show, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. And I can't go to two different Beauty places in one trip.
Jessica McKenna
And will you be cruising around with a dirty soda?
Bridger Weiniger
You know what I try. I've been to Swig twice, and I regret it every time.
Jessica McKenna
I just can't imagine drinking Dr. Pepper with coffee made in it. I just can't imagine.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, you can't imagine it until you are.
Jessica McKenna
I know.
Bridger Weiniger
And then everything changes. Now, I didn't do that. I've tried other ones that don't have. I'm not gonna try the cream in the Dr. Pepper. But every time I go, I'm like, well, I'll try the more controlled option. And it's still disgusting. A revolting drink. But it's extremely popular. They're on every corner there.
Jessica McKenna
Wow.
Bridger Weiniger
And so maybe I'll try again. I don't know. My boyfriend hasn't been there yet, so maybe we'll go through Swig once.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, you gotta do it.
Bridger Weiniger
Have you been to Utah?
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. Have you? When?
Jessica McKenna
I've been a bunch of times. Like, I've not done a lot of, like, Salt Lake City, like, city time. We went on a ski trip there growing up, and then I've gone to, like, the national parks and stuff.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. So nothing really since the shows have become famous.
Jessica McKenna
No.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
So now that It'll have to be a whole tour.
Jessica McKenna
That'll have to be a whole trip. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Right?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I wonder how much longer Salt Lake City Housewives will.
Jessica McKenna
I feel like SLC is the crown jewel right now.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes. But it's like, how long does something like this go on?
Jessica McKenna
It probably has, like, two more good seasons.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow, that's rough to hear.
Jessica McKenna
I don't know, maybe not. It's just like, eventually, people tire. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I mean, I always say, bring Monica and Linda back.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, my.
Bridger Weiniger
And then you've got. I mean, that'll revive the show for five seasons.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, true.
Bridger Weiniger
But I think they were different also.
Jessica McKenna
Do you think we'll ever just merge our.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, at some point, one of the Secret Lives gals is gonna come over. Wow. It'll probably be Whitney Levitt. She's done with. I mean, she is soaring.
Jessica McKenna
I loved her honesty of like, I am here because I can be on Dancing with the Stars. I was like, God bless it. This is a type of character I've never seen on reality tv.
Bridger Weiniger
I am using all of you, and.
Jessica McKenna
I'm open about it, but this is a sisterhood, and I do wish we could be friendlier, but I'm not that worried about it.
Bridger Weiniger
And it's working for her.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, my gosh, it's brilliant.
Bridger Weiniger
She's going to be in a Hulu show at some point. She's getting it all.
Jessica McKenna
She's a scripted role. You must get tickets to the Oscars. I. Golly, I love it.
Bridger Weiniger
She's a talented gal, and we love her.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, speaking of things I don't love, look, I was excited to have you here today.
Jessica McKenna
Thank you. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I thought, Jessica will come by, we'll have an incredible time, and then we'll just, you know, go on with our lives.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
The podcast is called I said no Gifts.
Jessica McKenna
Right.
Bridger Weiniger
And you waltzed in today, whistling, holding a little gift bag over your shoulder, and I thought, well, now here comes trouble.
Jessica McKenna
Well, you know, it's the holiday season, and, you know, my mother raised me right that you don't ever show up without a host gift. So, you know, maybe if I was booked at a different time of year, I would have obeyed it, but I just simply couldn't come in empty. Not to your beautiful studio.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
Not you having me in this, the festive time of year, none of that.
Bridger Weiniger
Makes any sense to me, but, I mean, the damage is done. Should we open it here on the podcast?
Jessica McKenna
I mean, I'd love it if you would.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay, fine.
Jessica McKenna
You know, just, you know, and I like to. You know, they say don't make more work for a host, so sometimes it's rude to bring flowers, and now they must fetch a vase or.
Bridger Weiniger
I've never heard that before.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Don't make work for the host. Don't bring something that now needs a platter.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
Bring a candle, bring a bottle of wine.
Bridger Weiniger
Bring, you know, whatever's going to happen in here.
Jessica McKenna
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Bridger Weiniger
We haven't had tissue in a while. Oh.
Jessica McKenna
Oops.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay, okay. Breaching there. It seems like there are two things in there.
Jessica McKenna
There's two. Well, one's like I would say, you know, paper thin. Think about the festive season. One is a gift and one's more of a stocking stuffer.
Bridger Weiniger
Which one should I take out first?
Jessica McKenna
I think maybe the gift. The thing you can really get your.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, I'll take both of those.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, perfect.
Bridger Weiniger
I'll just ignore you. I'll ask for your advice and then ignore.
Jessica McKenna
Well, I feel like we should. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, I love this. I love. It's a juice and it's a citrus squeezer. Citrus squeezer. Excuse me. Yeah, I've received one of these before from Paul Feig. Wow, so you really. You two are twins now?
Jessica McKenna
Wow, that's an honor.
Bridger Weiniger
And you know, I used to do more videos of demonstrating how to use the gifts, and I demonstrated it. And everyone said, well, have you ever used one of these before? You're doing it so wrong, apparently, like. And I've already forgotten the way to do it. But, like, how would you do this?
Jessica McKenna
Okay, so I would, you know, cut the piece of citrus in half.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. Yes.
Jessica McKenna
And then. And this one's really good for limes. This is very lime sized. And you'll remember. Cause it's green.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes, of course. I need that.
Jessica McKenna
Don't try to put a grapefruit in here. Okay. This one's mostly for limes. Or a small lemon.
Bridger Weiniger
Trying to put a grapefruit in there.
Jessica McKenna
But this is mostly for limes. Okay. And then I would put the lime cut side down over these holes, its little butt facing up. And then you press down and. And it. I mean, it is. It's such a game changer to have a citrus squeezer. I'm sorry that this is doubling up, but I mean, I know he's a martini man, and it is essential for any home bar. But also just cooking as well. And anytime that I think, oh, I don't wanna dirty it. Let me not get it out right now. It only calls for a squeeze of lemon. I'm always like, what the hell am I doing? I'm getting way less juice every time I use my dumb hands. And.
Bridger Weiniger
And why else do you own it?
Jessica McKenna
Well, exactly. And you know, I watched a lot of like, Cooking Network, Food Network growing up, and Alton Brown used to rage against the single use purpose tool. But I feel like this doesn't apply because the difference of the juice yield is massive.
Bridger Weiniger
I also think, like, I don't know, I feel like this doesn't really get that dirty.
Jessica McKenna
No, no, no. And it's just like a. You could literally just wipe it and put it back.
Bridger Weiniger
Because it's got all that acid. I just assume it'll just burn away.
Jessica McKenna
I mean, it's what we use for ceviche.
Bridger Weiniger
Exactly. Wow. Great point.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Tell Alton Brown, how often are you using a citrus to make a food or drink?
Jessica McKenna
I would say a lot. Like, you know, you do like a little. And then also the seeds can't get through. So you want to brighten up a dish with a little lemon across the top.
Bridger Weiniger
Uh huh. I have a couple trees in my backyard and I've been in my house for five years and the orange tree has finally got fruit on it and I'm losing my mind.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Eating an. I've decided my favorite fruit is a blood orange.
Jessica McKenna
And so now that's a lovely choice. You might be able to fit a blood orange in there.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes. These are. This is about the size. Oh. And I will say that the way you demonstrated, you were doing it correctly and I was doing it wrong with this.
Jessica McKenna
Wait, so how did you do it?
Bridger Weiniger
I was putting it in with the fruit.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Because you know, it's like, it looks like.
Jessica McKenna
It looks like it's a cubby. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
They need to reshape these things.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. It's more like I'm going to use force to make it fit. It's not going to fit.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. And I stand by the way I chose to use it. How was I supposed to know?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. It's confusing.
Bridger Weiniger
I was humiliated online.
Jessica McKenna
You don't put anything in that top there. And yet it looks like it's meant to hold something.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. The top is like an ice cream scoop. Well, there you go.
Jessica McKenna
There you go. There you go.
Bridger Weiniger
This could easily scoop an ice cream. Why do they have. They should just block this off. They should have a little cover over the top.
Jessica McKenna
They should have a piece of caution tape at least.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. Do not use.
Jessica McKenna
So that you don't get confused.
Bridger Weiniger
I mean, this could be used as a spoon, a gravy, ladle, all kinds of things. So maybe that's. I feel like there has to be.
Jessica McKenna
Some purpose for this because you're right. It could just be filled.
Bridger Weiniger
That could simply be filled. But maybe. I bet there are worse ones than this. And they fill them in like a cheaper. But this is more delicate and classy.
Jessica McKenna
Looking and they want you. They're not. They're not using any unnecessary metals, you know.
Bridger Weiniger
Right, right. It's very efficient. Very efficient. Where did this come from?
Jessica McKenna
This came from the general store across the street from where I live.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh.
Jessica McKenna
I thought that place will have something fun. And I popped around and there were lots of like dumb things. And then ultimately I was like, I mean, I'd actually use a citrus squeezer.
Bridger Weiniger
General Stores are a confusing concept.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
They're kind of, at this point, like, what is it to go buy, like, a. Like, gifts for guys.
Jessica McKenna
So I think this one is a little bit more operating like a convenience store, I would say. It has, like, beer, wine, alcohol, snacks. It's almost like a fancy 711 that also has, like, incense and candles and citrus squeezers and funny cards and, like. And then it's attached to a pizza place, so it's got a little bit more of a function. I remember when it was, like, first coming in, it was like, this neighborhood does not need a twee, like, Pendleton blanket and wood pencils. But it does have, like, food. And not only. And not like, twee food. You can get, like, Takis there.
Bridger Weiniger
I've seen this place before. Yeah, I've been. Yeah, I know the pizza place it's attached to. I'm not gonna dox you, but I'm familiar with this place, and I have not visited it yet.
Jessica McKenna
It's nice.
Bridger Weiniger
But I was tempted to go in and get, like, a soda or something.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, you could get a soda.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. There's a general store in Silver Lake that's a little bit more of what you're describing.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
Every time I go in there, I just think, well, how are you in business?
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
Who's buying any of this?
Jessica McKenna
I think that about the strip in Atwater, where I feel like there are four, and I'm like, how are you all sustained?
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah, there are a lot of. I think it's rich children.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, I agree. I was just gonna say it's their. Their parents are successful, and that's what they do.
Bridger Weiniger
It's like, now I'll open a place where, like, you can buy, like, a leather bookmark. I. Yeah, right. I just like. And you never see anybody in them. I know exactly what's happening and that everything will be way too expensive. So I just. And there are at least four in Atwater.
Jessica McKenna
And I also feel like. I always feel like it's too personal somehow. Like, that's the type of store that I feel like I need to say goodbye when I leave.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, it's the sort of store where I have to lie, where I'm like, I'll be back.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Oh, thank you. Oh, good. You do have. Okay, great. Good to know. Okay, Good to know.
Bridger Weiniger
And I always feel embarrassed that I might like, even looking at the price tag, because I know they're looking at me, and they know that I'm going to think it's too expensive. I hate those places.
Jessica McKenna
I do, like, Them for, like, cards.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. When you want to spend $9 on a card. Yeah, I guess that's. You know where I like to get a card. Trader Joe's.
Jessica McKenna
Me, too. I love their cards, but also sometimes I feel like they'll have, like, the main ones, and then you'll be like, wait a second. You're missing, like, a whole main category.
Bridger Weiniger
Like, what? Funerals?
Jessica McKenna
They'll have that, but they, like, won't have, like, thank you or something.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, right.
Jessica McKenna
Which I guess, like, I don't know. I think you should always have, like, birthday. Thank you. Get well thinking of you. Congratulations. Right, right.
Bridger Weiniger
I feel like you should never have. They should all be completely blank.
Jessica McKenna
Blank.
Bridger Weiniger
Just put an image on the front and let me figure it out.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I'm always so uncomfortable with whatever any card says.
Jessica McKenna
They usually do. They have writing inside the Trader Joe's card. It's, like, rare or it's very simple.
Bridger Weiniger
I think that's how they keep prices down. They only print on the front, just like the squeezer.
Jessica McKenna
They're very efficient, but the front will make it clear. The front will say, like, here comes your birthday. And it'll be like a train. That's like, birthday train.
Bridger Weiniger
That makes up the majority of their cards. We all love the Trader Joe's birthday trade, right? No, I like the ones where it's like, oh, here's a. Here's the ocean washing up on the beach. And now I can apply this to whatever. It's the birthday beach. It's the death beach. It's the baby coming to shore.
Jessica McKenna
That's right.
Bridger Weiniger
Just let me sign.
Jessica McKenna
Wedding wave.
Bridger Weiniger
The wedding wave, and then it's a dollar. And I think every other card card company is scamming. There's just no justifying more than a dollar for a card.
Jessica McKenna
It's true.
Bridger Weiniger
I don't know what to say, but I. How did we get to. We were complaining about general stores, and this is a beautiful item to have gotten there. Do you have a favorite fruit?
Jessica McKenna
I think it's pineapple. Really good mangoes up there.
Bridger Weiniger
I'm trying to start to think about favorite things. I feel like, as a child, you have all of your favorite things, then that all goes away.
Jessica McKenna
And you're constantly getting drilled on them.
Bridger Weiniger
Constantly. I'm being quizzed. Constantly I get pulled over. I'm being asked what my favorite food is.
Jessica McKenna
I have that answer ready.
Bridger Weiniger
But eating a blood orange recently, I was thinking, wow, this is my favorite fruit.
Jessica McKenna
That's nice.
Bridger Weiniger
I like a fruit that's not too sweet. If I Eat too many of them. It'll give me a stomachache. So the tartness, I feel, like, controls how many you can eat. But I like a blood orange. Blood orange is excellent.
Jessica McKenna
I like a grape. Well, I like grapefruit flavored things. I like citrus a lot in general.
Bridger Weiniger
I love grapefruit juice.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
But I've recently realized that it interacts with my medication.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
You gotta be.
Jessica McKenna
What a weird one.
Bridger Weiniger
It's like kind of a magic fruit in a way that, like, you're on Wellbutrin and suddenly the grapefruit is saying, no, you can't. So I guess I can't drink it that often. It's more of a treat. But it feels dangerous. It's like, well, maybe I'll be really depressed today.
Jessica McKenna
And ultimately, I would say, no, grapefruit's worth that.
Bridger Weiniger
I'll say it absolutely is. Send me to the edge of depression. I love the taste of grapefruit. I love to eat a grapefruit. I don't own any grapefruit fruit forks, though.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, okay.
Bridger Weiniger
Do you?
Jessica McKenna
No, but. All right, future guess.
Bridger Weiniger
Please mark it down. I love a little grapefruit fork.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Very delicate.
Bridger Weiniger
I guess you can eat them with a regular fork. But then I'm a disaster.
Jessica McKenna
I feel like I mostly ate them with spoons.
Bridger Weiniger
With spoons?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. I was, like, really carving and then getting the segment.
Bridger Weiniger
It is kind of a disaster as far as eating. It should be shaped like an orange. The segments should be more like an orange.
Jessica McKenna
I guess they are. If you peeled them. But they would be big.
Bridger Weiniger
That would be massive. I've never peeled a grape.
Jessica McKenna
I think it was just the aesthetics of the 80s of diet culture, which is like, we're gonna cut this and you're gonna eat it like it's cereal, and that'll trick your brain.
Bridger Weiniger
I've never thought about that.
Jessica McKenna
Is each segment you're really gonna work for it. But, I mean, it's exactly the same.
Bridger Weiniger
I feel like you would feel insane peeling one.
Jessica McKenna
No, you can't. Wow.
Bridger Weiniger
You'd feel so small.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, but that'd be good. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
You'd feel like a little mouse.
Jessica McKenna
Like when we look at the stars.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. It's exactly the same experience as looking at the Big Dipper.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Reminding you of your place. Oh, it's grapefruit.
Bridger Weiniger
I'm really not that big in the.
Jessica McKenna
I guess this doesn't matter. Look at this grapefruit. Okay, take a deep breath.
Bridger Weiniger
What was the last thing you made with your juice squeezer in the summer?
Jessica McKenna
My husband and I love a gin and tonic. And we make something called an hvg, which is a high volume G and T. Oh. Because we love a G and T. But you're. But in the summer, we actually desire more liquid.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, okay. Of course.
Jessica McKenna
Especially if it's like, the sundown or it's like a happy hour cocktail. You don't want to have a strong mixed drink. You actually want to be, like, sipping.
Bridger Weiniger
On something that's cooling you.
Jessica McKenna
Exactly. So we invented the HVG&T, and we had cups made, and so that is a regular. It's like two shots of gin. Usually drum shambo, the Irish gin. It has kind of notes of. Of Earl Grey and then some tonic. And then you top the whole, like, rest of it with, like, almost a whole can of pure bubbly. Oh, so you, like, water it down with club soda. So now you're gonna drink the equivalent of two drinks, but it's gonna take you way longer. And the key of it, to make the flavors balance is to put a lot of lime.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, that sounds lovely.
Jessica McKenna
So it'll be like, a full lime in each.
Bridger Weiniger
And what are the cups you had designed for this?
Jessica McKenna
They're like the yeti cup. That's like, one size. This is not an official yeti. No free ads. But this is. It's like the size bigger than this that has the, like, bulb out.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay.
Jessica McKenna
And you can get those monogrammed. So he got it for our anniversary.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, that's lovely.
Jessica McKenna
One for him and one for me. And they say HVG and T and then our name on the back.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, hvgt. Kind of hgtv Very close. Wow. That could be confused. Yeah, that feels like some sort of lawsuit. Just on the fridge. Do you guys do a lot of anniversary gifts?
Jessica McKenna
No. No, it was rare.
Bridger Weiniger
Did you ever date? How long have you been together?
Jessica McKenna
We've been together 15 years, and we've been married for 10. And we have pretty, like, set rules about, like, we don't give gifts for. We say no gifts.
Bridger Weiniger
No. God, Speaking of losses, we give birthday.
Jessica McKenna
Gifts, and we have, like, Christmas is like, give one big gift and maybe, like, four stocking stuffers. We try to keep it, like, even. No gift for Valentine's Day. No gift. Gift for anniversary. So he kind of broke it.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow. Yeah. That was so fun.
Jessica McKenna
He always forgets that we do cards.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay.
Jessica McKenna
And then I'll be like, I have a card, and it's $9 from a general store.
Bridger Weiniger
We don't. We're really, like, slowing down on gifts. I just don't need any. You know, it's like, as an adult, you just buy everything you need or.
Jessica McKenna
Want or if something occurs to you organically, then it's really cool that, you know, someone can think of you. But when it's forced and it's in, like, a. If you don't have a good idea and you end up being like, okay, I bought you five shirts. Like, I don't know. Why'd I do that?
Bridger Weiniger
You probably would've bought ones that you like more.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. I don't think we're getting. I mean, we're getting past the idea of it being a sad thing.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
It's like, well, we just have agreed. What would I buy you?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. And we did a thing where for a while, we were like, oh, let's just make sure we do something fun on our anniversary.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting. Right?
Jessica McKenna
Let's go make sure we, like. Let's go away for the weekend. Or let's. Like, this year was our tenure. Just, like. So we went away for the weekend.
Bridger Weiniger
Where did you go?
Jessica McKenna
Ojai.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, that's nice.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I'm not an Ojai person.
Jessica McKenna
I feel it's full of general stores.
Bridger Weiniger
It feels like, to me, like, Mother's Day as a city. Does that make any sense?
Jessica McKenna
Makes perfect sense.
Bridger Weiniger
For whatever reason, it doesn't have anything for me there, but I totally understand why other people like it.
Jessica McKenna
Do you enjoy, like, a spa? Spa?
Bridger Weiniger
I. I don't think I've ever actually been to, like, a spa you stay at, and I don't drink, so, like, wine. I feel like you do need to have a glass of wine while you're there.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. But I would say, like, a little massage and then, like, a bike ride into town for brunch.
Bridger Weiniger
You know, see Mother's Day.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I mean, that's literally. There's nothing wrong with Mother's Day, but I think if you were to turn it into a physical place, that would be. Oh, yeah.
Jessica McKenna
I think that's probably true.
Bridger Weiniger
But that sounds like a lovely anniversary trim.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, it was nice.
Bridger Weiniger
I didn't mean to.
Jessica McKenna
No, no, no. We rode bikes and we sat by.
Bridger Weiniger
The pool, totally relaxing. I mean, it's. I mean, that's essentially what I do in Palm Springs.
Jessica McKenna
Yes. Very similar. Like, if you go in the right weather where you're gonna be sitting by a pool, to me, it's pretty similar to, like, a Palm Springs experience.
Bridger Weiniger
I just need somewhere to read.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I don't know. Okay, let's. We've got this other thing here, which it's a fortune teller fish.
Jessica McKenna
Have you ever done this?
Bridger Weiniger
I have no idea what this is.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, really?
Bridger Weiniger
Listener. It's a little like plastic, what would you say? Bag.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, like a small plastic sleeve.
Bridger Weiniger
And it says fortune teller. Miracle fish with a very cute fish on the front.
Jessica McKenna
I didn't realize how seafood themed this episode was gonna be, but okay, so I have a very vivid memory that when I saw Little Mermaid in the theaters, we got these, but they're just like, you know, it's in the same sort of vein as like a finger trap or like a yo yo or something like some small trinket but. Or like a mood ring. So if you open the sleeve, there's a small fish in it.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh my God, that's cool.
Jessica McKenna
And you're gonna put it on your palm. Hold your palm out and it's gonna tell your fortune.
Bridger Weiniger
So just like this?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, just put it on your. Yeah, there you go. Okay. Okay.
Bridger Weiniger
So it's like curling up.
Jessica McKenna
Uh huh. It's actively curling. Really curly. Oh my gosh. Full curl, tail flip. What? Okay, so then you can look at the sleeve and it'll tell you your fortune.
Bridger Weiniger
Let's see. So if it says moving tail, you.
Jessica McKenna
Definitely had moving tail, but you might have is full curl. One of the options.
Bridger Weiniger
Curls up entirely.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Passionate.
Jessica McKenna
That's you. The fish has told your fortune.
Bridger Weiniger
Everybody knew that already. I live a life of passion.
Jessica McKenna
And what's. Tail.
Bridger Weiniger
Tail. Moving tail. Indifference.
Jessica McKenna
See? But it fully moved. It didn't just like flop like a dead fish.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. It really curled up there in a way that, you know, I'm a fiery, passionate person.
Jessica McKenna
That's a tight curl for. For a fortune fish.
Bridger Weiniger
Look at that.
Jessica McKenna
Look at that.
Bridger Weiniger
Full tube. Wow. This is. I can't believe I've never heard of this. I've never used one.
Jessica McKenna
You know, they might not be allowed in the state of Utah.
Bridger Weiniger
How does this even work? What is that made of? That it's reacting to the heat of your hand or just who I am.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. The pulse of your heart, you know, it's sensing you. It's making a home in your hand.
Bridger Weiniger
This is interesting because I feel like I have horrible circulation and usually my hands and feet are very cold. So today, something the universe was saying.
Jessica McKenna
Passion, passion.
Bridger Weiniger
When was the last time you did one of these?
Jessica McKenna
I think maybe this. There was a time recently where we were somewhere and we saw them and my family was laughing cause we hadn't seen them in years. And we made my nephews and niece try it. We were just like fortune Fish. It's been ages.
Bridger Weiniger
I love it.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Are you big into psychics, this kind of thing?
Jessica McKenna
No, no.
Bridger Weiniger
Have you ever been to a psychic?
Jessica McKenna
No.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, what a shame. Not in la. You've got to go to one.
Jessica McKenna
I know. I'm just trying to hold the line for.
Bridger Weiniger
What line are you holding? Not losing your mind?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, just trying to. Just trying to keep. Keep those feet on the ground.
Bridger Weiniger
Good luck. No, I think I've held the line pretty well. But I love the experience.
Jessica McKenna
Sure.
Bridger Weiniger
It's just like I haven't been to one of those ones that says fortune teller in the window.
Jessica McKenna
Sure.
Bridger Weiniger
Which I think that would be incredible.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Well. And I sometimes like try to keep an open mind. Like if I'm walking the streets of New Orleans and I see some like that could be almost like a. I guess it's here too. Like if it feels so ingrained in the culture. You're just being like an open hearted tourist really. But I One time for a quiz for my friend's bachelor party, called a psychic for their behalf and invented a game called like, Is this something the psychic said or is this a lyric from a musical?
Bridger Weiniger
That's great.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, it was pretty fun.
Bridger Weiniger
What musicals were you using for lyrics? Every musical.
Jessica McKenna
Any, like really broad.
Bridger Weiniger
You're a big musical person.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Have you been to New York recently to see any shows?
Jessica McKenna
I just was in New York with like a sort of dedicated purpose that I wanted to see shows, but brag. I have two friends who are in plays.
Bridger Weiniger
What plays?
Jessica McKenna
The World of Tomorrow, which is with Tom Hanks, and then Marjorie prime with June Squibb. Oh, wow. Those are both my friends. Tom Hanks and June Squibb. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Of course. You don't need to.
Jessica McKenna
My friends are in plays and stuff, so the plays we saw were their plays.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, that's great.
Jessica McKenna
Which was lovely. But I was like, this is funny because it's been a minute since I've been able to go to New York for shows.
Bridger Weiniger
And your friends work.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, I was like a work friend. I wasn't like, let me see. Death becomes her or something.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. And you'll never see Queen of Versailles.
Jessica McKenna
I'll never see it.
Bridger Weiniger
That one came in.
Jessica McKenna
It was closing right before my very eyes.
Bridger Weiniger
I think that was like three weeks or something.
Jessica McKenna
Tough.
Bridger Weiniger
It's a tough one.
Jessica McKenna
It's a tough business.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. I was talking to somebody about this. I think that. Is that the first. Oh, no, that's not the first documentary to musical. Because there's Gray Gardens.
Jessica McKenna
Gray Gardens. No, I was gonna say like it might have just been a zeitgeist thing where I feel like spelling bee was at the similar time as the spelling bee document. And it's not based on. But it feels of a similar, like, oh, group think moment where we decided spelling bees were spelling bee.
Bridger Weiniger
The documentary. I loved that. I wonder where those kids are now. We need to do a catch up.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. Where are they?
Bridger Weiniger
Where did the spelling bee take them? And it's been probably at least 50.
Jessica McKenna
Years, so it's public domain.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. I wonder.
Jessica McKenna
That's ours.
Bridger Weiniger
Somebody's gotta catch up with spelling. Yeah. I imagine it probably wouldn't be very fun to watch.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I feel like anytime you're catching up with people from a documentary, it's usually.
Jessica McKenna
They did that one documentary where they followed a certain group of kids for seven Up.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah, the British thing.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. I never watched it, but I know how to reference it in this moment. But. But yeah, I mean it's.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah. Just watching time. It's the funnest experience.
Jessica McKenna
And that's why I feel like our dear sweet SLC maybe, you know, you don't want it to overstay its welcome.
Bridger Weiniger
And become the thing I'll say is with, you know, you start with people whose lives are already a complete mess. Right. So it's just like, let's just watch it become a different type of mess.
Jessica McKenna
And I'm just like, are any of these. I mean, I feel like the longer they stay, the more the marriages don't last.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, yeah.
Jessica McKenna
Well.
Bridger Weiniger
And these marriages were all hanging by a thread. The fact that there hasn't been a big divorce until now. Right, Todd? Goodbye, Todd.
Jessica McKenna
Wait, is that a fish?
Bridger Weiniger
I thought it was. I thought Bronwyn was divorcing him.
Jessica McKenna
Is that outside the show? Is that news?
Bridger Weiniger
That's news outside of the show.
Jessica McKenna
That's huge.
Bridger Weiniger
Yeah, that's like recent. Outside of, you know. Cause they probably shot it in the spring of 25. What is time?
Jessica McKenna
I mean, it seemed bad. He stole the cherry out of her sundae after she explicitly said, that's my favorite part.
Bridger Weiniger
And that's just a red flag about both of them. No one likes that cherry. Yeah.
Jessica McKenna
Not as an adult. That was like something I would get out the bottom of my Shirley Temple is like, hooray.
Bridger Weiniger
The fact that he stole. That was so crazy. And it was such a father daughter date. I know everything about it was tough to watch. He wasn't, you know, like age gap things. You can be like, sometimes it's like, oh, he's charming or he's really good looking. He was just kind of nothing.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, a grump.
Bridger Weiniger
He was just like a. Yeah, he should have been married to Muzzy.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Those two would be an excellent couple.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
Maybe that's. Maybe she was the gal he was looking at on a plane.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, my gosh. Muzzy.
Bridger Weiniger
She was sending him some sexy photos.
Jessica McKenna
Wow. You unlocked it.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow. How did I not piece that together? She was living in his house. It was all under Bronwyn's nose.
Jessica McKenna
And here's what we've been able to do today. We've been sleuths.
Bridger Weiniger
Get your magnifying glass, put on your hat, and your smoking pipe. Wow. Yeah.
Jessica McKenna
I feel like we could be a segment on the reunion where we're like, don't tell us anything yet. Let us guess.
Bridger Weiniger
Do you know what I heard recently? Part of the reason Lisa has makeup every day is she can't see very well. Well, I think that's what I heard.
Jessica McKenna
That kind of breaks my heart.
Bridger Weiniger
But it's the sort of thing where it's like, why doesn't she say that? That's the one thing that could humanize this person. She's like, no, I want to be a monster.
Jessica McKenna
Why don't. You can't just, like, put on this. I mean. Yeah. I mean, my mom will often be like, will you check my eyeliner? You know, and there's like a dexterity thing and.
Bridger Weiniger
But apparently.
Jessica McKenna
And then my sister was just like, mom, just line with shadow instead and use this brush and it'll blend softer. Anyway.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow. What a great tip.
Jessica McKenna
I know.
Bridger Weiniger
See, this is how podcasts change people's lives for listeners. Like, oh, now I can fix my eyeliner. I'm a mess.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
But, yeah, apparently. I think Heather said that on an after show or something.
Jessica McKenna
That is interesting.
Bridger Weiniger
Big secret. That should be the drama of next season. That revelation. You never know.
Jessica McKenna
And that's why she's always wearing big glasses.
Bridger Weiniger
Maybe. Oh, interesting.
Jessica McKenna
Do you know?
Bridger Weiniger
Wow, those are all giant prescription glasses. There's a chance.
Jessica McKenna
And maybe she doesn't have good. I. She's not a candidate for contacts. Maybe.
Bridger Weiniger
And we never see her driving, do we? I feel like it's usually John driving.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
And she's eating chicken nuggets.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, wow. It's one of these.
Jessica McKenna
It's all becoming clear. Oh, my gosh. It's all like.
Bridger Weiniger
It's very Sixth Sense where it's like.
Jessica McKenna
It'S been there the whole time.
Bridger Weiniger
It was all the little things.
Jessica McKenna
Meredith can't hear and Lisa can't see, and that's that's why they have to stick together.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow.
Jessica McKenna
And they're both not from Utah.
Bridger Weiniger
Fascinating. And they're both very sensitive about it.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Interesting, interesting, interesting. And if they would both just own up to it, we would open our hearts to our a little bit more. Yeah. We'd be like, oh, I get it now.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
You're not just the devil. I don't know. Well, I'm passionate. I've got my lime squeezer. I think we should play it.
Jessica McKenna
Great.
Bridger Weiniger
We're gonna play a game called gift or a curse. But I need a number between 1 and 10 from you.
Jessica McKenna
4.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. I have to do some light calculating to get our game pieces.
Jessica McKenna
Great.
Bridger Weiniger
So right now you can recommend, promote, do whatever you want. I'll be right back.
Jessica McKenna
Okay, great. I don't really have anything to super promote right now. I tour a lot, but we won't be touring till April. I guess if you live in Texas, you can see Off Book, which is my former podcast that now just tours where we improvise a musical. So if you're in Texas and you wanna come to Moon Tower, you can come see Off Book. Also, I'll recommend a citrus squeezer. I really think it's worth it. And anytime you have ever cut just like a wedge of a lime and tried to do that, it's not the same. And that squeeze is going sideways. It's not going down into your cup. Okay. And that's how you get. That's how you get it in an open cut, you know, and that's not nice. And also, more recipes than you think could benefit from a little bit of citrus to brighten it up. Do you know about apple acid in your food?
Bridger Weiniger
Very good.
Jessica McKenna
Thanks.
Bridger Weiniger
Very good. I mean, I will say, when you're out squeezing the thing into the drink, go for it. And I also think getting it in a cut, nothing wrong with that.
Jessica McKenna
Wow.
Bridger Weiniger
It's a little prairie advice.
Jessica McKenna
Ouch.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, but now suddenly it's so clean.
Jessica McKenna
It's clean.
Bridger Weiniger
It is clean and fresh smelling.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
But ultimately we need the squeezer in the home.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. You know? Yeah, I agree. Like if you were at a wedding and you got like a Vodka, you waited 15 minutes for a vodka cranberry and you're like, gotta get this lime in here. Do your best. But no, most of that juice is going sideways when you squeeze it.
Bridger Weiniger
And now you have a thing floating at the bottom of your drink. Kind of a little dead shrimp down there. Tough to hear. Okay, Do I have anything to recommend? I already said we've Got the T shirt. Now the merch. Go to exactlyrightstore.com. yeah, that seems right. Okay.
Jessica McKenna
Seemed exactly right.
Bridger Weiniger
This is how we play Gift or a curse. I'm going to name three things. You'll tell me if they're a gift or a curse, and why, and I'll tell you if you're right or wrong. Because there are correct answers, you can lose the game.
Jessica McKenna
Great.
Bridger Weiniger
All right, this first one is from a listener named Emily. Gift or a curse? Looking at a menu online right before dining at the restaurant.
Jessica McKenna
I think this is ultimately a curse.
Bridger Weiniger
Why?
Jessica McKenna
I have done that before. Sometimes right before. I don't think I've ever done right before. I've Sometimes, sometimes, if it's a really big splurge or if you're in charge of, like, picking a food place for maybe disparate dietary needs, and you have to look at the menu to make sure, like, oh, everyone could get something here. Or this is gonna be the right vibe for this, you know, hangout that I'm trying to plan. But ultimately, I think one of the great joys, and I'm glad that the QR codes have, like, been pushed back a little bit, and they're mostly just at, like, very, very fast casual type restaurants now. But I think a great joy is to sit down and have that, like, discovery. It's a great small talk to the beginning of the night to have that, like, you know, let's break the ice here. We can be like, oh, wait, did you see they actually have fettuccine? And now we're. And now we can talk about that before we talk about, like, hey, did you hear that Todd and Bronwyn are getting a divorce? You know, you can't just go right to that. It's like the amuse bouche for the conversation is the menu. And if everyone'. I already looked ahead and I know what I'm getting. I'm getting duck confit. And I'm like, whoa, should we share the duck confit? And also, I think it's very nice to sit down at a meal and try to be on even footing. So if you've looked at the menu and someone hasn't, I understand there's a time and place, but I think ultimately occurs.
Bridger Weiniger
Correct.
Jessica McKenna
Thank you.
Bridger Weiniger
But for different reasons. I'm seeing the words right before. No, no, no. It should have been weeks. You should have been studying the menu, worrying about the prices, panicking about what you'll eat, deciding and looking and going back and forth, really weighing the pros and Cons of each menu item, seeing if you even trust the restaurant, then looking at it again, maybe showing it to your partner, showing it again, then going to the restaurant and still asking the waiter for suggestions.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
I think that ultimately you need to have. You need to have essentially have memorized the menu in advance.
Jessica McKenna
Well, so that's an example where maybe I would have gotten points deducted in my show the work. But. But you would have ultimately said it of the points. Because you're like, you did get the right answer. The hypotenuse is this.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes, but we know you cheated. You looked at someone else's paper.
Jessica McKenna
You looked at someone's paper.
Bridger Weiniger
All right, you've gotten one right so far. The second one is from a listener named Samantha Gift or a curse. Gravestone recipes. Have you heard of this?
Jessica McKenna
No.
Bridger Weiniger
This is something I recently became familiar with. I don't know if this is something that's bubbling up online or what, but there, you know, it's literally what it is. I think it's like, on your gravestone, you have your favorite recipe or something.
Jessica McKenna
I don't know about this. Okay, let me think about it. Let me try. Just be knee jerk. Okay. I'm torn because I think I'm becoming anti grave in general. Like, I think we should all be made into seed pods or dust. Like, I don't like the idea all grieving machinations and businesses are for the living. And. And so I get that. Do what you think. But I don't want people to, like, come to a little, like, granite square for me. I want them to think about me any other place and not just have this very morbid place where they go. Where they're surrounded by other granite squares, where you're like, oh, my gosh, this is really sad. I mean, we grew up visiting my grandmother's grave, and it was always very sad.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
It didn't make me feel closer to her or, like, you know, I felt closer to her when I would remember something or we'd laugh about something or someone would tell the story about. About something funny she did. Or that was how we kept her memory alive. The granite stone I don't like. Also, recipes, they get splotched. They get, like, things spilled on them. They're meant to live in the kitchen. Cause ultimately, you're gonna have to have a picture of this gravestone. So if you're like, hey, does anyone remember how grandma made her Swedish meatballs? Here, let me send you a screenshot of a photo I have of her grave. Whereas that should just Be in a recipe card or something that you all have as her grandchildren. So I'm gonna say curse. Although I like the idea of. I like part of that, which is like honoring something joyful about their life and not just dates and like list of familial roles they held.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, first of all, I'll just say I heard almost nothing you were saying, because I was thinking about being turned into a bath bomb. I think that should be an option, a death option. Being turned into a bath bomb. If that's not already. What is it called? Bed. No. Bath and bodywork. That should be their new thing.
Jessica McKenna
That's what your body works into, is a bath. Oh, that's brilliant.
Bridger Weiniger
Bath and body works. Ash bombs. Ash bath bombs.
Jessica McKenna
Brilliant.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, my God. That's okay. I'm so sorry. I was distracted.
Jessica McKenna
Well, I mean, you were having a once in a generation idea.
Bridger Weiniger
But I will say I did hear what you said. I think that. Well, first of all, you're wrong. They are a gift. I think every gravestone should come with a recipe. This is the only place where you should be able to get recipes. We should take them all off of the Internet. And people should be scouring graveyards for people's favorite recipes.
Jessica McKenna
Now that I agree with. Because the experience of looking up a recipe online is a hellscape.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, it's a tough one. It's a. I mean, the. You know, I feel bad for the recipe authors because it's obviously a nightmare.
Jessica McKenna
And that's how they get trying to make money online. But it's horrific that you have to read a blog post and they'll like, they'll like soft dole out the information where they tell you like, some of the ingredients. And then you're like, wait, wait, wait, no. Where's the list of the ingredients? And you're like scrolling, scrolling, scrolling millions of pop ups. And I didn't think about this about taking recipes from graves you're not connected to.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
And then that would make a cemetery much more pleasant. You could just like walk among the gravestones and say, oh my gosh, I've never thought to do that with ricotta.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. And maybe the graveyard has a grocery store attached.
Jessica McKenna
Brilliant.
Bridger Weiniger
So we can do all of our shopping and recipe gathering with the dead.
Jessica McKenna
That's nice.
Bridger Weiniger
So you were wrong. But that's fine. You made some good points about it.
Jessica McKenna
Thank you. Thanks. Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
All right, this final one is from Peter Gift or a curse. Reacting to texts or shared posts with a non red heart, for example, orange, green, et cetera.
Jessica McKenna
I'M getting caught up in the semantics that I believe the original one was more like pink, and you actually have to scroll to get the true red.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting.
Jessica McKenna
When we had our starter pack of thumbs up, thumbs down, question mark heart. It's more of a pink heart. Oh, you have to scroll to get a red heart.
Bridger Weiniger
Right.
Jessica McKenna
But I don't think that's what Peter meant.
Bridger Weiniger
You're being purposefully difficult.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, I don't need to drag Peter about, like, shades of pinks and reds.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, he's not a tech head like you are.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah, I'm a me. No one could ever accuse me of being a Luddite. I think it's okay. Just different color hearts.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes.
Jessica McKenna
Not like, oh, I'm searching for, like, a ding bell or like a lightning bolt or a snowman.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. Or the weird little silhouette of a. That means. That's so ominous.
Jessica McKenna
I'm gonna say curse.
Bridger Weiniger
Why?
Jessica McKenna
Because you have to do work for that. And that's such a lateral move. And I have nothing connected to green heart. Purple heart.
Bridger Weiniger
Purple heart.
Jessica McKenna
Makes me think of someone who got injured in war. Orange heart.
Bridger Weiniger
What does orange heart. That one really has to. Nothing.
Jessica McKenna
You're excited that the Holland national soccer team is doing well?
Bridger Weiniger
That comes up all the time for me.
Jessica McKenna
I'm always talking about that.
Bridger Weiniger
I have several different threads about the Holland team. You're correct. This is a curse. We should have stopped at the one color heart. Red or pink, whatever it was. The one Valentine's ey Heart. I can't continue to read into whatever your reaction is to my text. I just need to know that you wanted to stop talking to me.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
That you were done with the conversation.
Jessica McKenna
You were putting a period on it.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes. Thank you. I will not be responding to this any further.
Jessica McKenna
I used to send my manager and I when we text. When I was sort of done with the conversation or when I was like, cool, I got it, I would just send back, not react, but would send just the sunglasses emoji.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, that's a good one.
Jessica McKenna
You know, like, cool, cool. Got you. We're big, cool, cool kids to each other. You know, he's also Socalboy, so it's a lot of, like, cool, cool, cool.
Bridger Weiniger
Surf's up.
Jessica McKenna
Surf's up. Cowabunga.
Bridger Weiniger
Hang loose.
Jessica McKenna
Hang loose. Toast to the nose. And I always thought it was a charming way to end the conversation. And then one time he was like, oh, so you're done talking to me?
Bridger Weiniger
No. Well, yes, but it's a nice way to end it.
Jessica McKenna
I know. I was like, sorry, it's a good exit point. I mean, we lulled. It was appropriate ribbing. But I was like, oh, so you did see what I was doing.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes, but when you see what somebody's doing, just do it.
Jessica McKenna
Let it be. Yeah, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay, well, you got two out of three. Not two. Tarot. All right, this is the final segment of the podcast. This is. I said no emails. People write into isednogiftmail.com begging for answers. Can you help me answer a question?
Jessica McKenna
I would love to.
Bridger Weiniger
All right, this is. Hi, Bridger and guest. I am a Day One listener and love the podcast. Well, this is a huge red flag for us. This person's a problem person. I'm writing with a bit of a unique gift situation I'm hoping you can help me with. My husband had a stroke last weekend at the age of 35.
Jessica McKenna
Oh, gosh.
Bridger Weiniger
He's doing really well and is recovering at home now, but it was the most terrifying experience of our life. Lives. The future remains somewhat unknown in terms of when he'll be able to return to work and what kinds of activity he'll be able to do. Now that I've thoroughly killed the vibe. You have. You've ruined the episode. Here's my question. With Christmas coming up. Okay. And so now this is tough. Tough all around for Christmas.
Jessica McKenna
I'd already really timestamped this, but I'm sorry. You will now get this advice after.
Bridger Weiniger
Christmas is always coming up ultimately true. Start the Mariah Carey now. Yeah, Just get into the spirit of the season in January.
Jessica McKenna
Absolutely.
Bridger Weiniger
Okay. So with Christmas coming up, I'm struggling to think of gift ideas. Everything I would normally get him doesn't feel meaningful enough to express how thankful I am for him, how much I love him, and how much he means to me and our son. I'm almost limited by the. I'm also limited by the unknown future. He loves his craft beer, but can't get but can't drink right now. We love to travel together, but he can't travel yet, et cetera. He enjoys music, video games, and his job as a behavior specialist in a middle school. God bless this person. He's the best person I know. I appreciate any ideas you can give me to make this Christmas special, Alex. And then there's a P.S. it says, I know this is a serious topic, a serious and not very funny topic, but my husband and I both have a sense of humor, so feel free to joke about it. Well, I was. Listen, I was gonna do whatever I Wanted, no matter what.
Jessica McKenna
That's very sweet.
Bridger Weiniger
She says, I almost brought his. The Strokes T shirt to the. For him to go home in, and then he was disappointed that I didn't. I would say you have to have multiple strokes if you're gonna wear that T shirt.
Jessica McKenna
That's true.
Bridger Weiniger
So that would have been a bad thing to take anything.
Jessica McKenna
Unless she taped over the final S. Yes, exactly.
Bridger Weiniger
The stroke.
Jessica McKenna
The stroke. But I love that they're aligned. You gotta laugh.
Bridger Weiniger
You gotta. What else can you do?
Jessica McKenna
Oh, Alex. Oh, man, that is tough.
Bridger Weiniger
And what a tough year for both of them because now the Christmas email has been read in January.
Jessica McKenna
Yes, but. But hopefully, like, his birthday, this will still be applied. There's always another occasion.
Bridger Weiniger
He will always have had the stroke.
Jessica McKenna
Yes.
Bridger Weiniger
So it's totally fine. And by now, you know, maybe he's up and running.
Jessica McKenna
Okay, so, I mean, without. Wow. Trying to show appreciation. What's Alex's husband's name?
Bridger Weiniger
We never found out. That was the one piece of information from Alex's life that we didn't get.
Jessica McKenna
Okay. So without knowing.
Bridger Weiniger
Tony.
Jessica McKenna
Tony. You know, I would need to know Tony's love language, I feel. Because I think, you know, appreciation when you really want to show, like, meaning. A lot of times it's like doing the thing that they have been putting off for themselves, you know, like changing the dome light in your car or like.
Bridger Weiniger
That's a big one.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. One time my husband replaced the RAM in my computer.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, wow.
Jessica McKenna
And was I. I was like, cool. And he was like, I probably saved you, like, two years on getting a new computer. And those don't always get the showiest reaction from me because that doesn't mean as much to me. But I think it's like, thinking of things that make life easier is always nice for your partner. Or like, oh, you mentioned. Obviously, that's always the best. Is if someone, like, mentioned it.
Bridger Weiniger
Mentioned.
Jessica McKenna
If we're laughing. I mean, is there a cameo we can get from the Strokes where they.
Bridger Weiniger
Say, julian Casablanca's cameo? You know, have him say, I heard you've had a stroke.
Jessica McKenna
You know, maybe a little song, right. That, like, they can play every time things are getting kind of bleak. They can be like, maybe we should actually dance out to your bespoke song. That's like, hey, it's okay. We're so glad that you're here. Don't be afraid.
Bridger Weiniger
You know, that's a good one. And we're wondering, are any of the Strokes on cameo? That feels like maybe there's a first for Everything.
Jessica McKenna
We can always, like, reach out to their record label or their manager and say, this is a very specific. But I think it would really bring a smile to his face, and it's something that you could replay and laugh about, like, it's a little evergreen.
Bridger Weiniger
Get in their Instagram comments and just reply over and over, comment after comment. Please write my husband a song. He has a stroke. Write him a song as many times as you want.
Jessica McKenna
Okay. Then a completely different direction, but just something that I would enjoy if I was in a place of, like, needing to take things a little slower and be at home. But I'm sensitive that I hope there's. If there aren't any dexterity fallout issues from the stroke. But I love a really complicated LEGO set.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, I've never been able to complete a LEGO set. My older brother would always complete them for me.
Jessica McKenna
Have you ventured as an adult?
Bridger Weiniger
No, I don't think I have the skills. I don't have the spatial skills.
Jessica McKenna
No, you do. And they're so peaceful, and they are brilliantly organized. Where. Here's the best thing about them as an. Because I like a puzzle, too, but then it's, like, sitting out, you know, A big LEGO set is divided by bags. So I like. I recently did, like, a floral arrangement, and it was 10 bags. And so I could, like, keep the box away and be like, ooh, you know what I could do right now? One bag.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, that's a very contained activity.
Jessica McKenna
And it's very peaceful and Zen and fun. And they have, like, a cool guitar. There's a typewriter. Also, my mom had some health stuff last year, and when I was, like, sitting at home with her, I did this really elaborate Nintendo set with a compendium TV with Mario.
Bridger Weiniger
Whoa.
Jessica McKenna
And it was really fun to take my brain off of it so you could do it together. I don't know how old your son is. Probably too young to help with a complicated set, but it is kind of a fun. You can do it slowly. You could do a really hard one, like the Taj Mahal or something.
Bridger Weiniger
Put on some music in the background.
Jessica McKenna
Chill out.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, just keep assuming he only knows the Strokes. Get the Strokes on vinyl and blast it while you're doing some Legos.
Jessica McKenna
Okay. And then also, I've seen. And I keep thinking that I would like these. There's, like, these drumsticks that are just, like, they. You just, like, drum in the air and.
Bridger Weiniger
Does it make noise?
Jessica McKenna
It makes noise. And, like, I think you can have your headphones on, too. And I feel like that's a good.
Bridger Weiniger
Like, oh, I love this.
Jessica McKenna
That's a good, like, physical thing that if you feel mad about, like, why'd this happen to me? This is. This is dumb that this happened. You can give yourself a little, like, rage it out a little bit, you.
Bridger Weiniger
Know, I want those drumsticks. That sounds delightful.
Jessica McKenna
Okay. Shoot.
Bridger Weiniger
I love to air drum.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
I love to air guitar. Wow. Well then, I mean, I feel like, look, did we miss Christmas? Did we ruin their year? Yes, absolutely.
Jessica McKenna
Have we potentially helped their next year?
Bridger Weiniger
A full year.
Jessica McKenna
Which is way better than way better. I mean, right now we only have. We have like 15, 16 days left.
Bridger Weiniger
Right. If this had been a Christmas one, they would have had like two weeks.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
And then who knows what 26 holds for them.
Jessica McKenna
And a lot of those big Lego sets are on backorder.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh. They're a popular toy with the teens. The teens are loving.
Jessica McKenna
And me. And me.
Bridger Weiniger
The teens especially are getting the floral design ones.
Jessica McKenna
Yeah. You know which one I did a few years ago. That's amazing. The Home Alone House.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, wow. They've really gotten into some crossovers, I imagine.
Jessica McKenna
It's beautiful.
Bridger Weiniger
Does it have little traps?
Jessica McKenna
Oh, yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Does it have an iron that slams somebody in the face? Incredible.
Jessica McKenna
It has a small Lego. That is Kevin's plan, the battle plan. Wow.
Bridger Weiniger
Does it have a Joe Pesci?
Jessica McKenna
Yeah.
Bridger Weiniger
Wow.
Jessica McKenna
Including the van that they drive in. It's a very special set.
Bridger Weiniger
Well, we answered the question perfectly, I think. So we can't get any more complaints. Don't write back in.
Jessica McKenna
Maybe get that set and you can work on it slowly through the whole year. And then it'll take you up to next Christmas.
Bridger Weiniger
Oh, interesting. And then you can surprise him with some other gift. Right back in.
Jessica McKenna
Uh huh.
Bridger Weiniger
Actually again, don't write back in, but think about what we told you.
Jessica McKenna
Think about.
Bridger Weiniger
Yes, we answered the question perfectly. I have this absolutely gorgeous lime green citrus squeezer. And I found who I am passionate. I'm very passionate and indifferent.
Jessica McKenna
The fish was like, could. Could he be indifferent? And then was like, actually no.
Bridger Weiniger
This guy's an absolute freak. So. So what do we know? I've had such a lovely time with you.
Jessica McKenna
Oh my gosh. Thank you.
Bridger Weiniger
Thank you for bringing me. Well, listener, the podcast is over. You know, I have nothing left to say to you or the guests. And so you have to stop listening right now.
Public Sponsor Voice
I love you.
Bridger Weiniger
Goodbye. I said no Gifts is an exactly right production. Our senior producer is Anneliese Nelson and our episode are beautifully mixed by Ben Tolliday. The theme song is by miracle worker Amy Mann. And we couldn't do it without our booker, Patrick Cotner. You must follow the show on Instagram at isaidnogifts. That's where you're going to see pictures of all these wonderful gifts I'm getting. And don't you want to see the gifts?
Jessica McKenna
Well, I invited you here, thought I made myself perfectly cool clear then you're a guest in my home. You got to come to me empty handed. I said no gifts. Your presence is presence enough and I already had too much stuff, so how do you dare disobey me? If you're an H Vac technician and a call comes in, Grainger knows that you need a partner that helps you find the right product fast and hassle free. And you know that when the first problem of the day is a clanking blower motor, there's no need to break a screw sweat. With Grainger's easy to use website and product details, you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. At cvs, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it. It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night. And we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded. It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescriptions and here to fill your craving for a tasty and yeah, healthy snack. At cvs, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters. So Visit us@cvs.com or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you. Store hours vary by location.
Bridger Weiniger
Running my small business was like playing basketball.
Jessica McKenna
Five on one and I was the one.
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Now QuickBooks gives me access to a team of AI agents and trusted experts for the assists. I need nothing but nick outdoit with intuit.
Jessica McKenna
QuickBooks feature availability varies by production.
Host: Bridger Winegar
Guest: Jessica McKenna
Date: January 15, 2026
In this lively and comedic installment, Bridger Winegar welcomes comedian, improviser, and podcast host Jessica McKenna to the "I Said No Gifts!" studio. As always, Bridger’s only rule is "no gifts," but Jessica – like every guest before her – gleefully disobeys. The conversation meanders through Disney nostalgia, chain restaurant culture, reality TV obsessions, personal quirks, the etiquette of gift-giving, and eventually leads to the ceremonial gift unwrapping and a playful holiday-themed segment. Packed with sharp banter and insights on everyday absurdities, this episode is a warm and hilarious exchange between two of comedy’s most delightful minds.
[05:09-09:52]
"There's two, and they're both bad. But this one has fun rides." – Jessica [05:17]
"Pluto, full of mysteries in general… It's the one animal that doesn't talk." – Jessica [06:59]
"The right amount of loving Disney is the amount that I love it." – Jessica [08:45]
[10:00-16:46]
"That’s like you’re an 8-year-old trying to get gout. You feel very regal." – Jessica [11:18]
"Everyone knows if the menu is too large, you’re doomed... although Cheesecake Factory is here thumbing their nose." – Jessica [15:00]
[19:06-28:44]
"This is the new category of reality shows. Somebody who comes in and revamps failed reality shows." – Jessica [21:30]
"The person that I trust in that situation is Mary Cosby, because she has no reason to lie." – Jessica [23:13]
“Bring Monica and Linda back… that’ll revive the show for five seasons.” – Bridger [28:02]
[29:04-45:05]
"It’s such a game changer to have a citrus squeezer… you get way less juice every time you use your dumb hands." – Jessica [34:18] "Alton Brown used to rage against the single use purpose tool, but I feel like this doesn't apply because the difference of the juice yield is massive." – Jessica [34:24]
"General Stores are a confusing concept... now I’ll open a place where you can buy a leather bookmark." – Bridger [38:26]
"No other card company is justifying more than a dollar for a card." – Bridger [40:48]
Notable Fish Reading:
"Everybody knew that already. I live a life of passion." – Bridger [49:02]
[45:09-47:29]
[59:00-67:54]
"It's a curse... One of the great joys is to sit down and have that discovery." – Jessica [59:23]
"Every gravestone should come with a recipe. This is the only place where you should be able to get recipes." – Bridger [64:01]
"You have to do work for that, and that's such a lateral move." – Jessica [66:20]
[68:11-76:21]
| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|--------------| | Banter/Intro | 03:06–05:09 | | Disney & Nostalgia | 05:09–09:52 | | Red Lobster & Chain Restaurant Chat | 10:00–16:46 | | Reality TV: Salt Lake City + Makeover Shows | 19:06–28:44 | | Gifts & Unwrapping | 29:04–45:05 | | Relationship/Gift-Giving Philosophy | 45:09–47:29 | | Fortune Teller Fish segment | 47:46–51:00 | | "Gift or a Curse" game | 59:00–67:54 | | Listener Advice: Gift for Recovery | 68:11–76:21 |
Conversational, quick-witted, and peppered with pop culture references and gentle satire. Jessica and Bridger both display a wry, self-aware sense of humor, playfully skewering everything from Disney adultdom to chain restaurants and gift-giving rituals, while maintaining genuine warmth.
This episode showcases “I Said No Gifts!” at its best: a mix of quirky personal stories, nostalgic pop culture, and honest reflections on daily life, woven into a uniquely funny personal dialogue. If you enjoy comedic chemistry, pop culture tangents, and the intimate absurdity of gift-giving etiquette, this episode – and show – offers an ideal listen.