Not Skinny But Not Fat — "Brand Safe Tana Mongeau"
Host: Amanda Hirsch
Guest: Tana Mongeau
Date: December 2, 2025
Episode Overview
Amanda Hirsch sits down with Tana Mongeau, the original YouTuber famous for her wild storytimes, viral scandals, and unapologetically chaotic public persona. Now 27, Tana opens up about her transformation from notorious party girl to "brand safe" influencer. The conversation dives into Tana's sobriety, family struggles, famous relationships, reflections on viral moments, current love life, and her evolving brand. It's a candid and entertaining conversation—equal parts juicy, vulnerable, and hilarious.
Key Discussions & Insights
1. Life After Chaos: Sobriety, Growth, and Becoming "Brand Safe"
- Tana describes entering a new era of self-care, sobriety, and "rooted girl" aesthetics (05:38, 08:03).
- "I'm a rooted girl, and I don't. I miss it sometimes... but my scalp is healthy for the first time" — Tana (05:40)
- She identifies as "California sober," mainly avoiding alcohol (08:27). She shares her past struggles with excessive drinking and how moderation is difficult for her (09:03, 19:00).
- "My choice was a drink, like, just all of it." — Tana (08:53)
- "It's almost reversing now... I think my stomach is tired of everything I've put it through." — Tana (09:14)
- Candid about multiple rock bottoms and what finally made sobriety stick—fear of losing loved ones, her career, and her fans (20:36).
- "I took a long look in the mirror and I was like, you're going to lose everything you love." — Tana (20:54)
2. Fame's Dark Side: Family Battles and Growing Up Fast
- Tana shares her unconventional upbringing, going no contact with her parents at 13 and finding family with her best friend Amari's family (32:12).
- Opens up about trauma, narcissistic abuse, and being sued by her own parents for talking about her childhood online (34:05–34:32).
- "I cut them off completely when they sued me for slander for talking about my childhood." — Tana (34:05)
- Now, she views her parents with empathy rather than anger, recognizing their own brokenness (35:03).
3. Relationships: The Bella Thorne Throuple & Life Lessons
- Amanda presses Tana for clarity around her infamous throuple with Bella Thorne and Mod Sun (15:25–16:26).
- "I wouldn't say that. No, but... I wouldn't not say that either." — Tana on “official” throuple status (15:44)
- Reveals she and Mod Sun didn't get along until after the throuple ended, and that both Bella and Mod Sun taught her important life skills (16:28, 17:05).
- "We're all kind of mosaics of people we loved." — Tana (17:31)
- Credits Bella for propelling her into a more serious, LA-based career (13:46).
- Tana expresses gratitude towards most exes, saying she has no hard feelings now—her wild "for the streets" era was essential to her growth (18:14–18:57).
4. Internet Legacy: Inventing Storytimes, Stalkers & OnlyFans
- Proud, not bitter, about the new generation of “crazy girl” influencers carrying her YouTube storytime torch (31:15).
- "There is room for everyone. The second you feel threatened or jealous is the second you'll slip and fall off where you're at." — Tana (31:09)
- Walks through early YouTube career and viral moments, including her infamous stalker story (38:45–40:03).
- Discusses OnlyFans (“Tana Gone Wild” era), earning millions per month but attracting unwanted attention, including from stalkers (41:01–41:20).
- Addresses blind items and rumors: she's sober, club appearances are now work obligations, not parties (41:59–42:42).
5. Brand Safe & Business Moves
- “Brand Safe” transformation is directly linked to sobriety, maturity, and desirability to mainstream brands (46:28–48:25).
- "The second you start following the path meant for you, it's wild the way the universe rewards you." — Tana (47:04)
- Credits Tarte Cosmetics for first major “brand safe” opportunity (47:33).
- Jokes about launching a "brand safe" shade in her next lip kit collab (49:51).
6. Current Relationships & Life in Hawaii
- Tana reveals her relationship with Makoa, who she met in Hawaii; describes their romance as transformative and calming (63:11–66:16).
- Purchased a place in Maui, describes plans for the future with kids and marriage, but wants to take her time (66:18–68:40).
- "He's perfect. We balance each other out so well." — Tana (66:16)
- She wants to be the "best, most emotionally intelligent, caring, incredible mom," and will have kids when she's ready (66:55–67:23).
7. Viral Lore: The Good, The Cringe, & Halloween Costumes
- Embraces her past viral moments with humor, especially the infamous “Team Bryce” paparazzi video (59:56–61:19).
- "Good God... But it's just—a story arc, for sure." — Tana (61:19)
- Loves when fans dress as her for Halloween (Tanacon, Hefner era, toothbrush incident) and feels it’s important to laugh at herself (61:19–62:10).
- Discusses dressing as Alabama Barker for Halloween, clearing up rumors and noting that “giving grace to other wild young girls” is vital (68:57–71:31).
- Reveals her biggest “dumb” splurge: "private jet era went too far" (71:35–71:48).
8. Reflections on Body Image, Health, and Celebrity Drugs
- Talks about trying Mounjaro and her complex feelings about “quick fix” weight loss (72:13–73:57).
- Food relationships—loves indulging, reveals preferences for chain restaurants like Chili’s ("We need to divide society into people who've had it and people who haven't" — Tana, 74:03), but also dabbles in gluten-free trends.
- The “Franklin Jonas tattoo” story: Amanda and Tana laugh about Frankie Jonas (the “bonus Jonas") having Tana’s name inked on his leg (76:12–77:58).
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
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On Sobriety & Change:
- "I truly feel 80. I've been through so much. A lot caused by me, might I add." — Tana (07:21)
- "Now it's—I'm counting up, and that's really great." — Tana, on days sober (20:24)
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On Family:
- "I cut them off completely when they sued me for slander for talking about my childhood." — Tana (34:05)
- "I feel nothing but empathy for them." — Tana (35:03)
-
On Brand Opportunities:
- "The second you start following the path that is universally meant for you, it's so wild the way the universe rewards you." — Tana (47:04)
- "For so long, I couldn't get a brand to work with me if I tried." — Tana (47:36)
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On Humor & Self-Awareness:
- "If you want to be a funny person, you gotta recognize when someone else is being funny." — Tana (62:10)
- "The only term I can think of is 'for the streets.'" — Tana (18:05)
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On the Future:
- "I will see to it that I am the best, most emotionally intelligent, caring, incredible mom that I can be." — Tana (67:19)
Important Segments & Timestamps
- 00:04 — Amanda intros, pivots to Tana's wild public persona
- 04:50 — Tana joins: hair transformation and health talk
- 08:32 — Sobriety journey, struggles, and health changes
- 13:13 — Moving to LA, relationships with Bella Thorne/Mod Sun
- 32:04 — Family trauma, going no contact, being sued by parents
- 39:03 — Viral storytimes and YouTube beginnings
- 41:01 — OnlyFans era and its consequences
- 46:26 — "Brand safe" era and major brand deals
- 63:08 — Relationship with Makoa, life in Hawaii, future plans
- 69:01 — Halloween as Alabama Barker, closure on old drama
- 71:35 — Most wasteful splurge: private jet phase
- 76:12 — The Franklin Jonas tattoo saga
Memorable & Lighthearted Moments
- Tana on Halloween costumes: "I love a fucking silly Halloween costume. And it worked so well." (69:41)
- On viral dental work: "Five teeth ejecting themselves across the globe later..." (11:32)
- On the roast-y moments:
- "I'm like, why were you doing that? Get her a muzzle. Somebody tranquilize her now." — Tana on past viral moments (58:53)
- "I ate penne alla vodka last night and I was like, I am a health guru." (74:54)
Tone & Language
Tana is unfiltered, often self-deprecating, quick-witted, and reflective. Amanda’s warm, gossip-girl tone encourages Tana’s candor while steering the conversation to hit all the “juicy” details fans crave.
Summary Usefulness
This summary covers the episode’s major themes: personal growth, fame’s pitfalls, owning your narrative, and maintaining humor through scandal and change. It spotlights Tana’s unique mix of candor, resilience, and comedic self-awareness—making it ideal for both diehard fans and first-time listeners.
Note:
Ad reads, sponsorship mentions, and standard show introductions/outros have been omitted for brevity and content focus.
