My Therapist Ghosted Me – Episode Summary
Episode: Michelle de Swarte, Sonic The Hedgehog & Vote Vogue!
Date: November 28, 2025
Host: (Stand-in) Joanne McNally with guest Michelle de Swarte
Overview
In this vibrant, laughter-filled episode, Joanne McNally welcomes her close friend and comedian Michelle de Swarte as a stand-in for Vogue Williams, who is away “soaking up parrots in the jungle.” The duo deep-dive into the realities of comedy friendships, the perils and oddities of live gigs, honest advice, TV culture, self-care trends, and unique celebrity stories—all with trademark irreverence and raw honesty.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Friendship Dynamics in Comedy (00:15–04:41)
- Navigating Work vs. Real-Life Friendship:
Joanne and Michelle share stories about keeping work and personal space, from blanking each other on trains to setting boundaries at gigs.- Michelle: “I can't bear the idea of us having to chat for this whole journey. And normally the person's like, thank for that.” (02:27)
- Car Sharing & Social Battery Management:
Joanne outlines her “no-chat at breakfast” rule with her tour manager, highlighting comedians’ need for downtime (03:05). - Awkward Small Talk:
Michelle recalls a morning at a comedy festival, outright telling a TV commissioner she’d rather skip sharing a lift for the sake of reducing awkwardness (03:35).
2. People-Pleasing & Brutal Honesty (04:16–06:01)
- On Being Direct:
Michelle admits to a “wild ability” to say whatever she's thinking—sometimes bluntly but usually without offense (04:16).- Joanne: “You're less of a people pleaser than I am.”
- Michelle: “I'm not great in those situations... I have an inability not to say what’s going on in real time.” (04:48)
3. TV Gigs & I’m A Celebrity (06:01–10:14)
- Michelle’s ‘I’m A Celeb’ Backstory:
Michelle reminisces about substituting for Jack Osborne on I’m a Celebrity spin-off, due to his swine flu. She ironizes the “full circle” as she’s now a fill-in for Vogue (06:01–06:55). - Behind-the-Scenes Jungle Details:
Graphic descriptions of awful smells and challenges, and how desperation (or a pending mortgage) might influence willingness to go on reality TV (07:56). - Vogue’s ‘Jungle’ Performance:
Both hosts rave about Vogue’s resilience in the jungle, her team spirit, and discuss the highlight of “Vogue squatting” in camp and daughter Gigi’s adorable home imitation (10:06–10:20).- Joanne: “Their ambition and drive makes me want to like, take a nap between the two of them.” (09:10)
4. National Voting Frustration & VPN Tips (10:29–11:25)
- Ireland Can’t Vote:
Frustration that Irish fans can’t vote on I’m A Celeb, with humorous suggestions about bus trips to Belfast and VPN hacks (10:48–11:23).- Joanne: "I'm trying to arrange a bus to get the whole country to go to Belfast for the day..." (10:48)
- Guest: “I'm just saying for no reason whatsoever. VPN. Ireland.” (11:17)
5. Celebrity Name Trademark Drama (12:13–13:36)
- ‘Kylie vs. Kylie’ Legal Fights:
Lively banter on the Kylie Minogue vs. Kylie Jenner trademark dispute, poking fun at influencer vs. pop icon culture (12:44–13:36).- Michelle: “No girl, but one lip gloss you think that’s gonna... overtake ‘I’m spinning around’?” (12:57)
6. The Absurdity of Kids’ Skincare (13:49–17:35)
- Kids Face Masks Discussion:
Both recoil at skincare products marketed to children as young as five, arguing it’s just the latest manifestation of a shallow self-care culture (13:49–14:45).- Joanne: “It's basically like giving... fake ozempic pens at some stage so they can shoot up like mommy.” (14:28)
- Michelle: “If you’re like, I must keep my skin... like, baby, I know. This is like your skin’s never going to look like this again.” (15:13–15:14)
- Confessions on Self-Care Gone Wild:
They admit to skincare binges as self-soothing, musing on generational differences (15:56–16:18).
7. Female Standups, TV Jobs, and Acting vs. Comedy (18:08–19:37)
- Behind the Scenes:
Joanne shares a behind-the-scenes story of Big Fat Quiz, including Judy Love’s “fingers smell like kebab” prank (18:11–18:58). - The Boredom of Filming:
Both agree that acting days are long and dull compared to the instant gratification and energy of stand-up (19:00–19:16).
8. Avoiding Life’s Annoying Admin (20:09–29:15)
- Procrastination Games:
Anecdotes on dodging admin, making fake phone calls, and the “Irish goodbye” (leaving without saying goodbye to anyone) (20:09–21:29). - Lost Phones, Never Used Insurance:
Michelle relives the time her phone was snatched while giving Joanne a lecture on “being from the ends,” only for the phone to turn up months later in Dubai (27:39–28:46). - Unnecessary Subscriptions:
Both confess to losing money to direct debits they never cancel; Michelle’s friend tries to organize a “digital clean out” for her (26:59–27:39).
9. Small Gestures & Social Observations (29:22–31:09)
- Uber Etiquette:
Joanne wonders if Uber drivers only help attractive women with bags, referencing Tiktok “social experiment” reveals (29:22–31:09).
10. Milestones & Irish Comedy (31:21–32:01)
- Joanne’s 3Arena Show:
Joanne discusses becoming the first Irish woman to headline Dublin’s 3Arena, feeling both self-conscious and proud (31:28–31:52).
11. Fake News and Viral Interviews (32:14–33:28)
- Kate Beckinsale’s Viral Storytelling:
Both marvel at Kate Beckinsale’s fake-but-hilarious viral chat show appearance, musing about outrageous promo strategies (32:14–33:28).
12. Wild Travel Stories & Adult Venues (33:35–35:16)
- Sex Shows in Bangkok/Strip Clubs in Thailand:
The two get honest about strange travel memories—from ping-pong shows in Bangkok to Michelle’s near-addiction to visiting trans women strip clubs in Thailand (33:35–35:16).
13. On Male Friendships: Just Ask (26:57–27:39)
- Simple Solution:
Michelle realizes men just need direct asks to show up as good friends: “You gotta give him clear instructions because sometimes you’ll be in the mindset...if you called him now at 1am and said... he would do it.” (26:57)
14. Comedy Tour Life & Selling Out Shows (36:25–38:41)
- Women-only Audiences:
Michelle jokes that Joanne’s live shows attract “so many white women in London,” and both promote their upcoming gigs with classic tongue-in-cheek banter (37:02–38:10).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Comedian Boundaries:
“This is good. You see, when we get on this train, we have to sit separate.” – Michelle (02:15) - On Being Unapologetically Honest:
“I have an inability not to say what’s going on in my mind in real time.” – Michelle (04:29) - On ‘I’m a Celeb’ and Money:
“I’m about to move into a place and get a mortgage. So at this point, I’m not confident saying I wouldn’t do anything.” – Michelle (08:01) - On Children’s Beauty Products:
“Why are you doing anything to [your skin as a kid]? You’ve got the skin that we’re all trying to get.” – Joanne (15:19) - On Emotional Support:
“Nothing says self care more than washing your fella.” – Michelle (17:49) - On Avoiding Goodbyes:
“The amount of time you’ll save is, like, four years off your life by not saying goodbye at house parties.” – Joanne (21:49)
Important Timestamps
- 00:15–04:41: Comedy friendships, boundaries, awkward encounters
- 04:41–06:01: People-pleasing vs. being bluntly honest
- 06:01–10:14: Michelle’s TV adventures & insights on I’m a Celeb
- 11:00–11:25: Irish voting drama & VPN hacks
- 13:49–17:35: Kids' skincare, self-care culture, and generational differences
- 18:08–19:16: TV vs. standup: boredom and thrills
- 27:39–28:46: Stolen phone saga
- 29:22–31:09: Uber drivers, attraction, and social dynamics
- 31:28–32:01: Joanne’s 3Arena milestone
- 33:35–35:16: Sex shows and wild travel stories
- 36:25–38:41: Comedy touring and audience banter
Conclusion
This episode delivers a quintessential My Therapist Ghosted Me experience: sharp honesty, relentless wit, deep friendship, and social commentary—punctuated by laugh-out-loud stories and loving mockery. Joanne and Michelle oscillate effortlessly between real-life advice, cultural critique, and existential comedy-life problems, making this instalment a joy for both newcomers and loyal fans.
Follow Michelle de Swarte: [Instagram/TikTok @MichelleDeSwarte]
Catch Joanne McNally and Michelle on tour in 2026!
