New Rory & MAL – Episode 410 | "My New Friends"

Release Date: September 30, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

Episode Overview

In this episode, Rory, Mal (Eric), and Ali catch up after a busy weekend full of movie critiques, chaotic travel stories, “hot takes” on pop culture, and debates around musical artistry. The trio dives into new releases from Young Thug and Doja Cat, discusses the cultural implications of Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, and examine everything from wedding mishaps and Airbnb nightmares to failed concert expectations and viral moments in hip-hop. Listeners also get classic relationship debates and listener questions, all delivered with irreverent banter and candid honesty.

Key Discussion Points

1. Catching Up: Birthday Logic & Movie Critique

[02:42 - 11:00]

• Mal’s Birthday Weekend: Mal describes his low-key birthday—dinner and movies, including missing a Kanye documentary to catch Marlon Wayans' new serious film, “Him.”

• Movie Review:

  • Mal praises Marlon Wayans’ acting:
    “He did a great job… but the movie, though, it wasn’t—it just wasn’t like I could have watched that when it streamed.” [04:56]
  • Critique of director Jordan Peele:
    “I like the show Key and Peele…but Get Out was awful. I got halfway through Us and nope, didn’t see that.” –Roy [06:02]

• New Movie "One Battle After Another":

  • Cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall; rave reviews from Mal.
  • Plot: Rebellious group helping children escape border camps, pursued by Sean Penn’s character.
  • “This might win movie of the year. This might win best film at the Academy Awards.” –Mal [09:01]

2. Outrageous Travel/Wedding Story

[13:16 - 20:34]

• Roy’s Wedding Weekend:
  • Recaps disastrous road trip to New Hampshire for Maddie’s wedding (mass sickness, vomit incidents, no Wi-Fi or phone service at Airbnb, lost in the countryside, chaos with timings).
  • “I felt like the biggest, like, first world problem person ever, because I was legitimately upset.” –Roy [15:39]
  • Highlights the dependency on technology and comforts, plus relatable parenting mishaps.

3. Super Bowl Halftime, Bad Bunny & Cultural Impact

[21:02 - 29:00]

• Bad Bunny Makes History:

  • Surprise at Bad Bunny being chosen for the Super Bowl after Taylor Swift and Adele declined.
  • “You thought right-wing football was mad at Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. This is going to be the most racist halftime Twitter timeline you have ever seen.” –Roy [22:38]
  • Discussion on Bad Bunny’s past worries about ICE raids and his global influence as a Latin artist.
  • Speculation about the NFL’s intention to drive huge viewership via the Latino audience.

• Possible Guest Performers:

  • Cardi B, Ricky Martin, Shakira, J. Balvin (though there’s tension with Balvin and Bad Bunny).
  • “Cardi gets brought out…they could squash it [with J Balvin] at the Super Bowl.” –Roy [30:24]

4. The Young Thug Album & Freestyle Culture

[36:20 - 44:58; 57:00 - 63:00]

• Young Thug vs. Gunna:

  • Review of Young Thug’s surprise album release; praised for features, criticized for lackluster production, “fat” needing to be trimmed, and not reaching Gunna’s momentum.
  • “I’d be curious what a real Thug fan would think about this one…there’s joints I’ll continue to listen to, but I don’t know if I’m going back to a bunch of stuff.” –Roy [37:53]
  • Lively sidebar on the meaning of “freestyle” now versus old-school, i.e., written bars preferred over real improvised rhymes.

• Ab-Soul Viral Freestyle Flop:

  • Reaction to Ab-Soul’s awkward freestyle with Kai Cenat On The Radar; reflection on public expectations and how one mishap can be magnified on big platforms.

5. Doja Cat’s New Album & Artist Superstardom

[45:03 - 56:18]

• Doja Cat’s Album "Big Doge":
  • Celebrated for ambitious, 80s pop-inspired vision and execution.
  • Mal: “She’s right there with the Beyoncés and Rihannas…her artistry and her skill set.” [45:26]
  • Heated debate around comparative talent: Is Doja on Nicki’s level? Beyonce’s? Discussion of skill vs. accomplishments.
  • “Doja is that type of talent. Without a doubt.” –Mal [46:27]
  • Talk about live performance expectations and missed festival appearances.

6. Comedy Tours, Audience Expectations, & Live Event Disappointment

[65:17 - 76:35]

• Drewski’s Troublesome Toronto Show:
  • Discussion on fans’ expectations versus reality; lack of skits, confusing lineups based on promo videos, and social media backlash.
  • “If you went to a Drewski show expecting Justin Bieber to perform, you’re just stupid.” –Mal [67:28]
  • Wider reflection on challenges of doing large arenas and people not reading event flyers.

7. Nas’s Casino Win & Rivalry with Jay-Z

[76:55 - 80:49]

• Nas Opens Casino in Queens:
  • Celebration of Nas and Anthony’s investment win; comparison to Jay-Z’s unsuccessful Times Square casino bid.
  • “It took 20 years, but Queen’s back on top…” –Roy [77:03]
  • Breakdown of what’s involved with city casino politics and old-school Queens pride.

8. Relationship Hot Takes & Listener Voicemails

[85:25 - 93:40]

• Do Men Get More Attention When in Relationships?

  • Roy: Suspects more DMs after posting a girlfriend; Ali: “Men don’t do it because a lot of times they know they’re gonna get shot down.”
  • Mal: “Women will jerk you off and suck your dick with the rock on their finger. I’ve seen it happen.” [88:22]

• Would You Take $100 Billion To Have Your Thoughts Recorded?

  • All hosts say yes—quick debate on how cheap they’d go, the value of privacy, and how “cookies” already track their data anyways.

9. In Memoriam: Assata Shakur

[98:52 - 104:09]

• Rest In Peace Assata Shakur:
  • Hosts reflect on her extraordinary life, the protection Cuba provided, and hope for a movie/series on her story.
  • Ali reads off current facts about Cuban extradition law to explain why Shakur remained safe.
  • “Thank you to Cuba…for giving the Queen a safe space…to be who she was.” –Mal [100:02]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Rory on moviegoing: “I didn’t go to the theater to see that.” [04:56]
• Roy on Get Out: “That movie is not shot well, it’s not directed well, not acted well.” [08:06]
• Ali on Doja Cat: “You just named two artists who aren’t on the same talent level…are you putting her on a level with Rihanna? Or a level with Beyoncé?” [46:06]
• Mal on concert letdown: “If you went to a Drewski show expecting Justin Bieber…you’re just stupid.” [67:28]
• Roy on relationship attention: “If you post your girl, they’ll do it in an innocent way just to test the waters, just to see what you’ll say…” [90:47]
• Mal on talent and time: “She hasn’t had the success…but skills, skill set and talent—1000 [percent].” [46:36]
• On Assata Shakur: “We don’t think about Cuba enough when it comes to that…Salute and thank you to Cuba…” –Mal [100:02]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Birthday & Movies: 02:42 – 11:00
• Wedding/Travel Fiasco: 13:16 – 20:34
• Super Bowl/Bad Bunny: 21:02 – 29:00
• Young Thug Album: 36:20 – 44:58
• Doja Cat/New Album: 45:03 – 56:18
• Freestyle Failure / Ab-Soul: 57:00 – 63:00
• Comedy Tour Misfires: 65:17 – 76:35
• Nas’ Casino Win: 76:55 – 80:49
• Relationship/Dating Qs: 85:25 – 93:40
• Assata Shakur Tribute: 98:52 – 104:09

Takeaways

• Irreverent Movie Critique: The hosts aren’t afraid to go against the pop culture grain, especially in critiquing beloved figures like Jordan Peele.
• Cultural “Hot Takes”: Discussions about Bad Bunny, the NFL, and Doja Cat’s artistry reflect generational and cultural shifts in music and entertainment.
• Relatable Life Mishaps: Listeners get grounded, funny tales of family, travel, and technology dependence.
• Real Talk on Relationships: Expect genuine, sometimes raw gender debate and relationship advice.
• Hip-Hop and Live Performance: Clear-eyed views on what works in rap, why “off the dome” freestyles are rare, and why big concerts don’t always meet fan expectations.
• Experience Meets Humor: Podcast successfully juggles heavy subjects (Assata Shakur, cultural debates) with light-hearted personal anecdotes and plenty of jokes.

For more: Follow the show wherever you listen to podcasts, check episode notes for music discussed, and submit your own voicemail questions for the crew.