Just Trish — December 11, 2025

Guest: Jordan Firstman

Episode Overview

In this vibrant episode of Just Trish, host Trisha Paytas and co-host Oscar Gracey sit down with comedian, actor, and writer Jordan Firstman, who’s been making waves as a breakout star on HBO Max’s I Love LA. The conversation jumps energetically between Hollywood anecdotes, career milestones, pandemic creativity, the realities of influencer and gay culture, and dreams for the future. Jordan’s signature wit and candidness blend perfectly with Trisha's unfiltered style, making for an engaging and honest look at the highs, lows, and hilarious in-betweens of making it in entertainment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. How Trish & Jordan Met; Friendship Evolution ([01:55]-[07:52])

• Bonding Moments: Trisha and Jordan reminisce about how their relationship transitioned from fan-to-friend, working together recently, and supportive DMs over the years.
• Industry Skepticism: Both recall initial skepticism and defensiveness, especially from Trish as she was “just starting to be taken seriously by the mainstream press.”
  • “You were at the beginning of being publically, like, really embraced... the mainstream press had only kind of probably caused you harm before.” — Jordan [05:44]
• Mutual Admiration: Jordan attended Trisha’s live show, describing the audience reaction as “Beyonce times five” [07:06], while Trisha recognizes how Jordan pushed her back into the right rooms, highlighting their parallel ability to “manifest” opportunities.

2. Jordan’s Rise: From Writer’s Rooms to Social Media Stardom ([10:02]-[16:28], [13:40]-[15:56])

• Early Career: Jordan got his start writing on TV shows like Big Mouth, The Other Two, and Search Party.
• Pandemic Pivot: After a personal and professional nadir in early 2020, and stuck at home, Jordan began posting offbeat comedic impressions and original sketches on Instagram.
  • “It was a very creative time for me because... I didn’t even know what my own thoughts were anymore... being alone, I was like, oh, these are my thoughts, and people like them.” — Jordan [15:58]
• Viral Lift: Ariana Grande noticed him week one—reposting his content for eight weeks straight. His following exploded from 15k to over 800k by August 2020. [14:40-15:38]
  • “Ariana Grande found it week one, and she reposted every week for eight weeks.” — Jordan [14:43]

3. Navigating Fame, Self-Expression, and Typecasting ([17:20]-[19:30])

• Channeling Adam Sandler: Both share admiration for performers like Adam Sandler, who make a career playing versions of themselves—Jordan aspires to similar multi-genre respect.
  • “That’s who I want to be.” — Jordan [17:20]
  • “That is what comedians have done in the past... you’re wanted for what you bring to the role.” — Jordan [18:36]
• On Being “Annoying”: Jordan candidly discusses being perceived as arrogant or “annoying gay guy”—acknowledging anti-gay bias often comes from within the gay male community itself.
  • “It’s all gay guys.” — Jordan on his critics [24:19]

4. Culture & Pop Culture Observations ([21:40]-[27:02])

• Social Anxiety vs. Outgoing Persona: Trisha reveals her shyness at parties, contrasted with Jordan’s social ease (powered by a couple drinks). Both joke about mukbanging, cooking failures, and the chaos of living online.
• L.A. Influencer World: They discuss the mechanics and absurdities of influencer branding, from Erwhon smoothies to not being paid for their viral cultural impact.
  • “They don’t pay anything... It’s just for exposure.” — Jordan on influencer collabs [27:02]

5. Life Behind the Scenes & Personal Growth ([29:01]-[34:38])

• Directorial Debut: Jordan teases his upcoming directorial debut, a project years in the making, and the unique pressures and ambitions behind it.
  • “I’ve been trying to make my own thing because really, like, I feel my heart is like a writer more than an actor.” — Jordan [30:28]
• Fashion Sense: Discussion on collaborating with costume designers, drawing inspiration from stylist “mood boards,” and the spectrum between “Law Roach extra” and “black t-shirt and jeans.”

6. Realities of Influencer Culture & Representation ([35:00]-[36:25])

• Show Accuracy: Trisha praises I Love LA for its authentic depiction of influencer anxiety—“if you stop for a second, you disappear.”
  • “I think that’s why people love the show—because it’s real. All Those people are 100% real.” — Trisha [35:46]

7. Family, Upbringing, and Identity ([36:29]-[38:33])

• Long Island Childhood: Jordan jokes about his family’s “crazy” moments, including his mom marrying her step-brother in a “Clueless” scenario.
• Navigating Identity & Authenticity: He describes the complex ways personal and communal identities shape outlook and creative work.

8. Criticism, Hate, and Online Discourse ([39:39]-[41:06])

• The Pitfalls of Social Media: Both avoid Twitter’s “dregs of society,” acknowledging its uniquely toxic energy.
  • “If you’re tweeting, seek help.” — Jordan [40:08]
• Trolling, Critiques, & The Workings of Hollywood: They ponder industry conspiracies, “industry plants,” and the illusory machinery behind awards campaigns.

9. Gay Culture: Issues and Aspirations ([72:02]-[74:15], [24:19]-[25:25])

• Gay-on-Gay Rivalry: Jordan wishes for more solidarity and less competition among gay men, paralleling the evolution of women’s support for each other in media.
  • “I just wish we were nicer to each other and... able to see each other succeed and not try to prohibit that.” — Jordan [72:09]
• On Being the “Annoying Gay Guy”:
  • “Yeah, I represent the annoying gay guy. Everyone, like, gay guys are annoying, and, like, we should embrace—embrace that.” — Jordan [73:08]

10. The Healing Power of Creativity & Spirituality ([78:19]-[79:19])

• Personal Growth: Jordan shares about his experiences with ayahuasca and making his feature film—a process he describes as both excruciatingly hard and profoundly healing.
  • “Life is a constant... I never want to stop growing, you know, I never want to be, like, completely healed.” — Jordan [78:57]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jordan’s Live Show Energy ([07:06]):

  • "The audience goes crazier than any pop show I’ve ever seen in my life. Like, you go to Beyoncé and it’s tame compared to your show." — Jordan

• On Social Media Success ([14:43]):

  • "Ariana Grande found it week one, and she reposted every week for eight weeks." — Jordan

• On Influence and Identity ([24:19]):

  • "It's all gay guys." — Jordan on who criticizes him
  • "Gay-on-gay hate—always. Why do they do that?" — Trisha [24:23]

• On Hollywood’s Gatekeeping ([54:47]):

  • "I always feel like there's this secret, like, section of Hollywood that controls everything, and then like…no one knows what the they’re doing… you always think there's this machine, and there actually isn't." — Jordan

• On Embracing Being Yourself ([18:36]):

  • "That is what comedians have done in the past…you’re wanted for what you bring to the role." — Jordan

• On Career Manifestation ([08:03]):

  • "I manifested that for us a long time ago." — Jordan

• On the Reality of Not Being Healed ([78:57]):

  • "I never want to stop growing, you know, I never want to be, like, completely healed. And you're always finding out new things about yourself. And I think, like, that's when you stop living, is when you stop growing." — Jordan

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Trisha & Jordan’s Origin Story & LA Bond: [01:55]–[07:52]
• Jordan’s Social Media Breakout / Pandemic Creative Explosion: [13:40]–[16:28]
• Typecasting, Comedy, and Being “Yourself” in Hollywood: [17:20]–[19:30]
• On Gay Culture, Online Hate & Community Dynamics: [24:19]–[25:25], [72:02]-[74:15]
• Behind the Scenes of I Love LA, Fashion, and Influence: [29:01]–[34:38]
• Family Backstory, “Clueless” Family Plotline: [36:29]–[38:33]
• Critiques of Online Platforms (Twitter/Threads): [39:39]–[41:06]
• Directorial Debut / Movie-Making—Ambition and Pain: [58:22]–[60:17]
• Hollywood “Machines,” Awards, and the Secret Hand: [54:45]–[55:34]
• Spiritual Healing & Ayahuasca Talk: [77:12]–[79:19]
• Show and Pop Culture Spoilers (I Love LA): [53:38]–[54:04]

Tone and Style

The episode is relentlessly candid, self-aware, comedic, and unapologetically honest—matching Trisha’s trademark “chaotic sunshine” with Jordan’s neurotic brilliance. Both poke fun at themselves and the world around them, dissecting work, friendships, fandom, and failures with warmth, humor, and genuine affection for one another.

Final Notes

This episode is a playful but revealing exploration of what it’s like to not just “break in” to the entertainment world, but to thrive—and survive—in it. Trisha and Jordan’s rapport offers rare insights into the unfiltered reality of navigating fame, reinvention, viral stardom, queer identity, and the anxieties (and joys) of staying relevant in a hyperconnected world.