Podcast Summary: "Matt Gourley Disobeys Bridger"
I Said No Gifts! with Bridger Winegar
Guest: Matt Gourley
Date: January 8, 2026
Podcast Network: Exactly Right / iHeartPodcasts
Overview
In this episode of I Said No Gifts!, host Bridger Winegar invites comedian and podcast host Matt Gourley for a lively, meandering conversation filled with offbeat humor, anecdotes about gifts, birthdays, and personal quirks. As tradition demands, Matt brings a gift (despite explicit instructions not to), leading to reflections on gratitude, parties, dance classes, horror movies, and the perils of woodworking projects. The banter highlights both hosts' chemistry and their shared distaste for conventional celebrations.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Tom Cruise Cake, Cookie Swaps & Office Treats
(00:55 – 05:02)
- Bridger laments being left out of an office cookie swap and critiques the concept (“You can't eat that many cookies... the flavor gets all mushed in your mouth.”).
- The duo reviews the infamous Tom Cruise white chocolate coconut cake (“The hype—it’s crazy. White chocolate is a lot for me.” – Bridger, 03:28).
- Both agree it needs black coffee to cut the sweetness, and riff on the bakery’s good fortune from the annual Tom Cruise orders.
2. Sweets, Childhood, and Regional Naming
(05:02 – 07:01)
- Matt shares his fondness for milk chocolate-covered honeycomb from Little Flower bakery in Pasadena.
- Bridger recalls knowing the treat as “sea foam” growing up in Utah—where, as they joke, things are often named after bodies of water the state doesn’t have.
3. Family Relocations & the Oddities of Growing Up
(07:07 – 08:56)
- Matt’s parents lived in St. George, which Bridger calls “Utah's Florida,” while Matt grew up in Whittier, CA.
- They riff on confusing California geography (“Everything outside of LA is like 45 minutes away in a circle.” – Matt, 08:43).
4. Palm Springs Getaway & The Hotel Bathtub Debacle
(09:09 – 13:01)
- Matt recounts a “babymoon” trip with his pregnant wife gone awry—broken bathtubs and poor customer service.
- They discuss the etiquette of complaining (“I really struggle with when I should complain and when I shouldn't.” – Matt, 10:09) and Bridger’s recent success at reversing bank fees (“I think at this point, everyone's not on the side of the banks, even their employees.” – Bridger, 10:25).
5. Birthday Celebrations—Big and Small
(15:25 – 19:30)
- The challenge of milestone birthdays comes up, as Bridger’s boyfriend turns 50 soon.
- Matt describes his own 50th: a small dinner at The Raymond in Pasadena, but regrets the dinner table layout prevented mingling.
- Both express discomfort with hosting: “I don’t like hosting people. I’d rather be—well, I don’t even know if I’d want to be a guest. So I guess the short answer is no, I don’t like to have a party.” – Bridger, 18:59.
6. Matt’s Gift: Handmade “No Thank You” Cards
(20:08 – 26:32)
- Matt unveils his gift: a set of 8 handmade “No Thank You” cards for Bridger to give to future guests who break the no-gifts rule (“You have deliberately disobeyed me.” – Card text, 21:52).
- These were crafted during his daughter’s dance class using her jewelry elastic (“That’s my daughter's jewelry bead elastic. I need that back.” – Matt, 21:39).
- Discussion digresses into art school trauma, discovering Bridger and Matt both have experience in art/design (Matt was told he was “seduced by the line”).
7. Parenting: Dance Classes and K-Pop Demon Hunters
(26:34 – 29:52)
- Matt’s 4-year-old daughter is in dance (tap and jazz/ballet). Both share the oddities and subtle guilt of watching kids’ activities through one-way mirrors.
- Matt confesses to introducing his daughter to K-Pop Demon Hunter, delighting in her unexpected tastes for danger and “ouchie stories” (“She loves when people are scared. She loves when people are in danger.” – Matt, 28:58).
8. On Fear: Paranormal Activity, Haunted Houses & Horror
(30:17 – 36:13)
- Bridger reviews Paranormal Activity: The Play, debating if it’s more theater or magic show. Audience shrieks are “sincere.”
- Both discuss their scare tolerances: Bridger is “emotionally vacant” to most horror; Matt is jumpy but loves classic Halloween.
- They share favorite haunted house movies (Bridger: The Haunting; Matt: Halloween) and reminisce about film locations in LA.
9. Thank You Cards & Gift Memories
(38:40 – 41:11)
- Discussion shifts to gratitude protocol—neither makes a habit of writing thank you notes (“Some people are very good at it. I never do it at all. Classless.” – Bridger, 39:05).
- Bridger has a garage full of gifts from past podcast guests; Matt suggests a memory game of guessing which gift came from whom.
10. Gift Master Game
(41:20 – 48:37)
- Game premise: match gifts to celebrities and justify.
- Celebrities: Alec Baldwin, Jamie Lynn Spears, Margaret Atwood
- Gifts: bullet bike, rock hard abs, omnipotence
Notable answers:
- “I'm gonna give [Margaret Atwood] omnipotence...I trust her with the keys more than Alec and Jaime.” – Matt, 45:57
- Jamie Lynn Spears gets a bullet bike; Alec Baldwin gets rock hard abs (“But no other part of his body is allowed to improve.” – Bridger, 48:07).
11. Listener Email: The Stepdad Gift Dilemma
(48:38 – 56:03)
- Listener jmm asks what to get a stepfather who only likes Siamese cats and woodworking (“What do you get for the man who likes nothing?” – Email, 49:24).
- Both riff on the “danger” of repeating cat gifts endlessly.
- Matt recommends quality woodworking tools (specifically from Woodpeckers brand).
- Side discussion: Matt’s mishaps building a standing desk (“It was like killing a child. It was hard.” – Matt, 52:05).
- Bridger seeks advice on furniture repair for his dog-chewed chair leg.
12. Pet Stories
(54:49 – 57:06)
- Bridger clarifies he rescued his dog Bonnie, a Rottweiler (“She’s 10 months old and she’s in heat; really becoming a woman.” – Bridger, 54:57).
- Matt introduces his 14-year-old part-Maine Coon cat, Margo, described as “a plus size model cat” who is more affectionate than the rest of the family.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On office treats:
- “Cookie parties are a bad concept...what if it came from someone who's not good at baking? Then your whole party's been ruined.” – Bridger (01:48)
On the Tom Cruise cake:
- “The hype—it’s crazy. White chocolate is a lot for me.” – Bridger (03:28)
- “You needed a little black coffee with the hype as well.” – Matt (04:00)
On turning 50:
- “My boyfriend's about to turn 50, and it's either 0 or 1,000 for him.” – Bridger (15:34)
- “I had my 50th two years ago. We just got a patio area of the Raymond...It was nice. I couldn't complain.” – Matt (17:26)
On parenting quirks:
- “This dance class has those kind of mirrors, like in interrogation rooms. I can't see in.” – Matt (22:48)
- “She loves when people are scared. She loves when people are in danger.” – Matt (28:58)
On haunted house favorites:
- “Most of the haunted house movies now take place in new builds, which I don't like. No, I need some sort of Victorian, some sort of Winchester mystery house vibe.” – Bridger (33:47)
- “My babysitter made me watch [Halloween] when I was young... so I have always had this morbid fascination and I love it.” – Matt (35:49)
On gift etiquette:
- “Some people are very good at [sending thank you cards]...I never do it at all. Classless.” – Bridger (39:05)
On Matt's gift of No Thank You cards:
- “You have deliberately disobeyed me.” – Card text, (21:52)
- “This is, like, genuinely nice.” – Bridger (21:32)
On the importance of woodworking precision:
- “There's a brand called Woodpeckers that makes these precision measuring instruments... having one of these would make the difference.” – Matt, giving serious gift advice (50:27)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:55 – Tom Cruise cake and cookie party discourse
- 05:02 – Candy and childhood memories
- 09:09 – Palm Springs and the bath fiasco
- 15:25 – Birthday party anxieties
- 20:08 – Matt presents his handmade “No Thank You” cards
- 26:34 – Parenting, dance classes, K-pop
- 30:17 – Play review: Paranormal Activity, horror discussions
- 38:40 – Thank you cards and the gifts trunk
- 41:20 – Gift Master game
- 48:38 – Listener email: Stepdad gifts & woodworking
- 54:49 – Pet stories: Bridger’s dog Bonnie and Matt’s cat Margo
Tone and Style
The episode maintains Bridger’s signature dry wit and Matt’s affable, self-deprecating humor. Conversations are organic and playful, often spiraling into tangents with comedic payoff. The show’s irony about gift-giving, social etiquette, and life’s smaller absurdities is ever-present.
Engaging Takeaways for New Listeners
- The real “gifts” are the ridiculous, touching, and relatable stories shared between friends with conflicting beliefs about celebration and gratitude.
- Matt Gourley’s handcrafted “No Thank You” cards perfectly encapsulate the podcast’s playful meta-commentary on etiquette, obligation, and friendship.
- Listeners will come away with actual life tips—how to politely refuse a gift, the importance of a well-made woodworking square, and even how to repair furniture nibbled by a teething pet.
- The humor is warm and quietly anarchic, skewering social niceties with affection rather than spite.