I Said No Gifts! with Bridger Winegar

Episode: Michelle Collins Disobeys Bridger
Date: October 16, 2025
Guests: Bridger Winegar (host), Michelle Collins (guest)

Overview

In this episode, comedian and host Bridger Winegar welcomes the effortlessly witty Michelle Collins for a meandering, laugh-packed conversation about assertiveness, travel mishaps, justice sensitivity, ADHD, consumerism, and, of course, gifts. Michelle, true to show tradition, brings Bridger a gift—an intervention that sparks both genuine gratitude and riotous storytelling. The two traverse everything from the etiquette of airline boarding and clothing neatness, to the joys and oddities of American retail and Michelle’s accidental brush with viral New York history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Standing Up for Yourself & Justice Sensitivity

• Opening Energy: Bridger is "disoriented" (00:55) after an awkward attempt to stand up for himself in public. He relates the story of confronting someone who cut in front of him at a café—a situation that left him uncomfortable and second-guessing.
• Michelle’s Perspective: Michelle, by contrast, says, “I always stand up for myself. I have personal problems because of it. It's not good.” (02:23)
  • She shares her own tale: confronting a man for skipping the boarding line at the airport and turning to a fellow rule-abiding stranger for solidarity (04:48).
  • On justice sensitivity (13:56), Michelle describes feeling compelled to intervene anytime she witnesses unfairness, not just toward herself but others—a trait she dubs “justice sensitivity” and links to ADHD.

“I'm the hero now. …There's a word for that. Mental illness, maybe narcissism. I don't know. I have it.” —Michelle Collins (05:34)

ADHD and Everyday Life

• Both discuss whether they might have ADHD, prompted by listener speculation and personal quirks:
  • Bridger: "I'll sit down to do something and then…there are nine other things I've gotten done before the initial task." (10:34)
  • Michelle: “I know also not diagnosed professionally, but I just, it's like, tick, tick, tick. Whenever I take those quizzes.” (10:21)
  • Conversations meander to organizational habits—messy drawers, neatness stereotypes, and the comfort in keeping some things chaotic (12:12).

Consumerism, Reviews, & Retail Therapy

• Retail Rituals & TJ Maxx Lore:
  • Michelle explains the "Runway TJ Maxx"—a designer section of the store found in affluent neighborhoods—and how she found her “most beautiful fitting sweater” there, only to lose it on her trip to LA (20:12).
  • Insight into the branding mystery: TK Maxx in Europe exists only because “England had a store called TJ’s...so they just said TK because it's next to it on the keyboard.” (19:40)
  • Bridger’s analysis: “Wonderful restaurant. Usually a wonderful clientele.” (06:33)
• Online Reviews—Niceness & Revenge:
  • Michelle leaves reviews for positive experiences (“I got the whole store to do it!” – 15:40), and Bridger admits to joining the online pile-on when a local restaurant let down the neighborhood (16:54).
  • Both recognize the satisfaction in writing one-star reviews—but also the virtue in balancing complaints with compliments.

“It feels better to be nice, right? Everybody in this day and age, it's nice. Be a little nice. Try it. It makes you feel good. It really does.” —Michelle Collins (17:14)

Travel, Clothes, and the Gift

• Losing the Dream Sweater (23:34): Michelle’s saga about losing her perfect Helmut Lang sweater leads to a desperate purchase at the airport—resulting in the gift for Bridger: a soft, surprisingly stylish New Jersey sweatshirt from Hudson News.
• Gift Unwrapping (25:18): The gift is revealed. Both gush over the unexpected quality and comedic fate: “First of all, I just want to comment. This is a sweatshirt, and it's so soft.” —Bridger (25:27)

House Rules & Cleanliness Philosophies

• The pair dissect rules about street clothes on sheets, NYC subway etiquette, and the superstition: “Ladies, especially, do not put your bag. I see people on the subway putting their backpacks on the floor. I'm like, are you up in the head?” (31:40)
• Germiness is good—up to a point.

America vs. Abroad: Humor & Warmth

• Michelle offers animated comparisons between American friendliness and her experiences living in Europe:
  • "It took me leaving this country to have a real appreciation for the American spirit." (34:49)
  • She revels in the chit-chat and candor found in American customer service and finds “crack” (fun) in English humor.

Mall & Black Friday Nostalgia

• Both share retail war stories—Michelle about loving Black Friday for the “bargain hunt” energy (38:47), Bridger recounting working at Best Buy during “hell on earth” Black Fridays (36:31).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Justice Sensitivity:

  “If I see other people being treated unfairly…I am the first. I love to step in. I will involve myself.” —Michelle (13:56)

• On Review Writing:

  “It can't be like, oh, the employee was mean. Who cares? A lot of employees are having bad days.” —Bridger (15:55)

• On Fashion and Sizing:

  “I'm 6'1". The sleeves are below the hand. I look like Ariana Grande. I've never had a sweater be so perfectly proportioned on my body.” —Michelle (21:20)

• On American Consumer Rituals:

  “There’s an uncanniness to being in a store at that time of night…it’s like a sleepover with a bunch of crazy strangers. And I miss that.” —Michelle (39:13, 39:18)

• On American vs. European Friendliness:

  "You go to London, all the men employed, all have suits on and nice ones. Not like Joseph A. Banks. Like, they look right.” —Michelle (29:36) “When you sit at Fridays and they go, how’s your day? When you take a seat…Bruce comes over and he goes, how was your day? And you go, don’t ask Bruce. And then you have a laugh, and he’s like, tell me about it.” —Michelle (35:53)

The Game: Gift or a Curse (46:35)

• Contestants: Michelle Collins
• Bridger reads common situations; Michelle must judge if they are a "gift" or "curse."
• Highlights:
  • Setting your clock ahead? Michelle says "gift," Bridger says "curse" (47:04).
  • Scented dog groomer? Michelle says "curse," Bridger says "gift" if sweet; both riff on weird animal scents and mint aversion (48:15).
  • Finding your own hair in your meal? Both agree: "curse" (52:08).

“Curse. You’re correct. ...when it’s mine, the immediate feeling is shame.” —Bridger (53:13)

• Bonus: Is gifting cheese/jam/nuts a burden to non-cooks? Both think it's fine, perhaps a mild challenge, but never a burden (57:53).

Listener Q&A (57:21+)

Q: Are food gifts (like nuts, cheese, or jam) a burden for non-cooks?
A: Michelle and Bridger both reassure—food gifts are thoughtful, not burdensome:

“Dairy’s expensive these days. I would love to get some fig jam and a big thing of brie.” —Michelle (59:06)

Halloween & Holiday Tangents

• Hot debate about whether decorating a Christmas tree for Halloween is a “gift or a curse.” Both say curse, producer Annaliese says gift (62:33).
• Michelle laments the extension/overlap of holiday seasons: “Part of the joy of the Christmas season...is the specialness of saving joy for winter.” (63:36)
• Digs into holiday costume regrets, the dangers of going "topical," and the etiquette of telling people who they look like (67:51+).

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:40 — Airline boarding anxiety & etiquette
• 10:00 — ADHD talk, organizational quirks
• 13:56 — Justice sensitivity & righteous anger
• 19:40 — TJ Maxx/Runway stores explanation
• 23:34 — Michelle’s lost sweater saga begins
• 25:18 — Gift reveal: New Jersey sweatshirt
• 31:20 — House and cleanliness philosophies
• 34:49 — America vs. Europe: customer culture
• 36:31 — Black Friday/retail nostalgia
• 46:35 — Gift or a Curse game begins
• 57:21 — Listener Q&A: Food gifts for non-cooks
• 62:33 — Halloween-Christmas tree debate
• 67:51 — Halloween costume conversation / celebrity lookalike etiquette

Section Summaries

Assertiveness and Justice

Both guests swap stories about the awkwardness and occasional necessity of speaking up in public, with Michelle seeing herself as a chronic "hero" of social mishaps, while Bridger expresses hesitation and discomfort in confrontation. Both discuss how this sense of justice might be related to personal quirks, like ADHD.

Retail Adventures and the Power of Stuff

A lost sweater leads to a saga of consumer woe and a stop at the "Neiman's of Newark" (Hudson News). Michelle's penchant for bargains, reviews, and the thrill of the hunt are explored through tales of Black Friday and mall explorations.

Gift Exchange and Meaning

The iconic moment: Michelle gifts Bridger a soft New Jersey hoodie, sparking not just appreciation but a series of jokes about destiny, fate, and the accidental cosmic symmetry of life (Bridger’s boyfriend is from Jersey).

Games & Rapid Fire Opinions

Through the recurring "Gift or a Curse" bit, Michelle and Bridger opine on clocks, scented dogs, loose hairs, and the etiquette of giving food as gifts—each answer revealing more about their neuroses than the items themselves.

Tangents & Deep Dives

From best Broadway shows and childhood Halloween costumes to the etiquette of telling someone who they resemble, the episode is chock-full of tangents delivered in Michelle’s signature blend of self-deprecation, warmth, and observational wit.

Final Thoughts

Playful, surprising, and packed with quotable lines, this episode showcases the best of both host and guest—reveling in complaint, delight, and the little compensations life (and fellow New Jerseyans) sometimes offer.

Not To Miss

“When you sit at Fridays and they go, how’s your day? … Bruce comes over and he goes, how was your day? And you go, don’t ask Bruce. And then you have a laugh, and he’s like, tell me about it.”
— Michelle Collins (35:53)

“Curse. You're correct. ...when it's mine, the immediate feeling is shame. I'm embarrassed. I'm like, oh, God. And I don't get to play the little detective of who could this hair be? Who do I get to blame?”
— Bridger Weiniger (53:13)

“It feels better to be nice... Try it. It makes you feel good. It really does.” — Michelle Collins (17:14)

For full comedic catharsis, unlikely wisdom, and some deep retail gossip, this episode is a must-listen for fans of sharp, self-aware banter and the small rituals that shape our days.