New Rory & Mal — Episode 445 | Send Help
Date: January 22, 2026
Hosts: Rory Farrell & Mal
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Episode Overview
In this free-flowing, comedic, and reflective episode, Rory & Mal catch up after a surprise guest cancelation, shifting into their trademark style of shooting the breeze. The conversation covers a broad range: the value of curated parties, the challenges and nostalgia of event management, the realities of adult friendships, dreams of rural retirement, and a playful deep dive into deserted-island hypotheticals and ideal musical joint-album pairings. As always, the tone is candid, humorous, and full of memorable banter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Rolling Start: Guest Cancelation & Catching Up
[02:52–03:15]
- The episode starts with a guest cancelation, giving Rory & Mal an opportunity to "shoot the shit."
- Rory: "Let's get to know each other. Welcome back. Middle of the week."
- Mal: "I love shooting shit."
- Discussion about loving the middle of the week — Wednesdays feel like "halfway there" on a trip.
2. The Art and Science of Napping as an Adult
[03:55–04:59]
- Mal celebrates napping for the first time in two years due to an unexpectedly free afternoon.
- Mal describes the feeling: "I'm talking about one of those naps where you get like over like two hours...felt...incredible."
- Rory, as a parent, talks about fitting in naps wherever he can.
- Transition into a discussion about the impact of children on sleep schedules.
3. Adult Social Lives: Comedy Shows, Solo Dates, and Parties
[05:24–08:23]
- Rory recounts going alone to Neil Brennan's "New Material Night," emphasizing the humor (and humility) of being listed as "plus zero."
- Rory: "She goes, name please...Rory Farrell, plus zero."
- Mal: "Let everybody know you have no friends."
- Both agree that solo outings, especially to comedy shows, are underappreciated ways to enjoy one's own company.
- Commentary on the authenticity and creative process at "New Material Night" for comics.
4. Curated Experiences & the Evolving NYC Nightlife
[09:20–15:36]
- Both hosts praise invite-only and highly curated parties (e.g., 705 Series, karaoke nights, sample parties), contrasting them with generic club experiences.
- Mal: "What is it about these curated...invite only events? You get there and there's people where you're like, how did you get in here?"
- Rory claims credit for the "Palooza" blueprint: exclusive, intentional guest lists for better energy.
- The nostalgia for Palooza events: camaraderie, travel, and memory-making.
- Rory: "I miss it every day...the camaraderie of doing that with your friends, going from city to city is an experience like no other."
5. Why They Don’t Manage Artists (But Sometimes Still Do)
[15:36–21:46]
- Both reflect on why they've stepped away from artist management, citing the all-consuming, “babysitting” nature of the job.
- Rory: "Management needs to be all in. You can't half ass management…you're managing their livelihood, their dream."
- Mal: "It consumes you, every thought, every day…there are artists whose lives you’re responsible for."
- Rory humorously acknowledges hypocrisy—he would manage Jay Electronica but only as a friend and under very chill terms.
6. Retirement Fantasies: Beaches, Farms, & Escaping NYC
[21:46–26:18]
- Both discuss ideal retirement scenarios—beach life, rural/farm living, escaping NYC’s grind for tranquility.
- Mal wants: "To be on the beach, unaliving, just living life out every day...or on a farm."
- Rory: Expresses surprise at his own shifting mentality, having once vowed never to leave the city but now eager to go.
7. The Value (and Limits) of New York Living
[25:15–26:22]
- Both reflect on how life experience and travel broaden one’s mindset about leaving New York and even the U.S.
- Mal: "If you don’t leave your city, you really don’t know life outside of where you’re from."
- Rory: "I would never trade anything for my twenties in New York City…Now, going into my 40s…listen, I might open a beach bar in Key West."
8. Dreaming Up New Ways to Socialize: Adult Sleepaway Camp & Glamping
[29:02–35:12]
- Mal pitches his dream: an "adult sleepaway camp" with bonfires, music, and no nightclub tab or kids.
- Rory shares stories of glamping in the Catskills, including his dog's hilarious, not-so-outdoorsy misadventures.
- Rory: "Some of the toughest people in NYC...let’s take them to the glamping and see how tough they are out there."
- They toy with the idea of a camp reality show, “Felons in the Forest,” blending their signature mix of jokes and sincerity.
9. Wilderness, Survival, and the “Deserted Island” Conversation
[43:26–49:56]
- Inspired by a new Rachel McAdams movie, they explore the classic trope of airplane crashes, deserted islands, and whether horniness (or relationships) would emerge in survival scenarios.
- Rory, always the instigator: "Do you think you'd ever beat off if you were on a desert island?"
- Mal: "No way...if we're having to survive, we don't have any food, drinking water…nah."
- But they both agree trauma can spark human closeness, even humorously referencing "trauma makes you horny."
10. Matt Damon vs. Ben Affleck: The Ultimate Actor Debate
[51:32–59:20]
- Lively, pop-culture-packed debate about who has the better acting chops and filmography: Matt Damon or Ben Affleck.
- Rory: "Matt...but Ben is underrated as an actor."
- Mal: "Ben Affleck is a better actor...and The Town is better than any Jason Bourne movie."
- Fun aside on movies, including Affleck's and Damon's collaboration and the structural innovation of profit-sharing with production crews on their latest film.
11. Listener Voicemail — Dream Collaboration Albums
[59:42–76:16]
- D from Jersey asks: “If you have two artists that could do a joint album, full project, who would it be?”
- Rory & Mal go deep on fantasy collabs, from legendary to lesser-known:
- Jay-Z & Nas (produced by No I.D. or a “sane” Kanye)
- Drake & Bryson Tiller; Drake & Brent Faiyaz
- Kendrick & Cole (regretting it didn’t happen at their creative peaks)
- ASAP Rocky & Schoolboy Q; Beanie Sigel & Jadakiss (post-battle); Outkast & Tribe Called Quest; Redman & Busta Rhymes; The Lox & west coast groups (213, Dogg Pound, or even Pharcyde).
- Both hosts agree that life, business, ego, and logistics often prevent these dream projects.
- Rory & Mal go deep on fantasy collabs, from legendary to lesser-known:
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On solo nights out:
Rory ([07:16]): "She goes, ‘Name please?’ I said, ‘Rory Farrell.’ She goes…‘Rory Farrell, plus zero.’"
Mal: "Let everybody know you have no friends." -
On event management stress:
Rory ([15:47]): "We weren’t trying to make a lot of money, but I wasn’t trying to lose money…that stuff I don’t miss. It’s stressful. The liability…it’s a young man’s game." -
On shifting priorities:
Rory ([24:12]): "All my friends moved to L.A.…nope, I cannot wait to get the fuck out of here." -
On encountering kids while trying to relax:
Rory ([30:27]): "For an adult sleepaway camp…If I’m taking the time to have me time, get these kids away from me. I don’t want to see another kid." -
On deserted island horniness:
Rory ([45:53]): "I think I would 100% beat off…a few times on a deserted island."
Mal: "By yourself?...I don’t think I would at all, bro…" -
On the Matt vs. Ben debate:
Mal ([57:48]): "Me personally, I’m taking Ben Affleck. I think Ben Affleck is a better actor."
Rory: "But then you get into The Departed. Departed trumps Gone Girl." -
On dream collabs that never happened:
Rory ([68:17]): "Outkast & Tribe…at Phife’s repass, Andre said they, like, had been working on it. That was like, oh, what the fuck." -
On ideal group pairings:
Mal ([70:31]): "Farside with The Lox sounds crazy, but, like, listen...I’m not mad at that though."
Rory: "Mob Deep and Outkast…if you listen to Elevators…those are kind of Havoc snares…don’t think it would be as crazy as people think."
Timestamps: Important Segments
- [02:52]: Guest cancelation, show kickoff
- [04:01]: The glory of naps & adult schedules
- [05:24]: Rory out at Neil Brennan's New Material Night
- [09:20]: Invite-only/curated party scene in NYC
- [15:36]: Why artist management is a young person’s game
- [21:46]: Ideal retirements: beaches, farms, escaping city life
- [29:02]: Adult sleepaway camp & glamping dreams
- [43:26]: Rachel McAdams "Send Help" movie & deserted island fantasies
- [51:32]: Matt Damon vs. Ben Affleck head-to-head
- [59:42]: Listener voicemail — dream joint albums
- [68:17]: Outkast & Tribe collab that never was
- [75:33]: Closing debates on supergroup drafts & wrapping up
Final Thoughts
This episode mixes nostalgic reflections with lighthearted hypotheticals and classic New Rory & Mal banter. From solo adventures in NYC to nostalgia for tightly-curated parties, from dreams of peaceful retirements to raunchy desert-island musings, Rory and Mal display the chemistry and humor that make their show a must-listen for fans of hip hop culture, city life, and unfiltered conversation.