Not Skinny But Not Fat
Host: Amanda Hirsch
Guest: Arielle (Amanda’s sister and original "sistager" co-host)
Episode: "My Sistager Arielle is Back!"
Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

Amanda Hirsch brings back her sister Arielle, lovingly nicknamed her “sistager” and OG co-host, for a nostalgic and delightfully chaotic episode. Together, they reminisce about the early days of the podcast, discuss their evolving family dynamics, and give their signature unfiltered takes on celebrity news and pop culture. The conversation combines behind-the-scenes stories, candid sister banter, and hot takes on everything from Timothée Chalamet to Taylor Swift—making listeners feel like they're eavesdropping on two sisters having a hilarious, heartfelt catch-up in their living room.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Reminiscing About the Podcast’s Early Days

• Technical Mishaps & Re-recordings:
  Both Amanda and Arielle share hilarious memories of recording (and constantly re-recording) early episodes, dealing with technical errors, and the anxiety of losing great content.

  • "Nobody feel like that happened, like, every time. Like every time." —Amanda [00:37]

• Arielle as OG Co-host:
  Arielle co-hosted in the podcast’s “pre-famous guest" era, during which the focus was on pop culture gossip and Kardashian drama rather than celebrity interviews.

  • "I think the first episode was the Jordan and Tristan cheating." —Amanda [03:54]

• Transition to Celebrity Guests:
  The format shifted after Amanda began booking high-profile guests, like Erin Foster.

  • "It kind of became like, you didn’t really have, like, anything to do there." —Amanda [03:18]

• Milestone Moments:
  Amanda recounts Kourtney Kardashian liking one of her memes, which gave her the realization that her content could reach celebrities.

  • "Like, okay, like you can get to people. No, literally, even if you’re tiny human." —Amanda [06:19]

Family Dynamics & Sisterhood

• Three-Sister Drama:
  Amanda and Arielle give peek into their close-knit, frequently bickering, all-girls family, discussing sibling jealousy, explosive texting fights, and their sometimes meddling mom.

  • "We’re on the level of when, like, Kourtney and Kim got into a physical fight. Like, that's every fight." —Arielle [11:22]

• Mother as "One of Us":
  Their single mom is described as “part of the drama” and as invested (and involved) as any of the sisters.

  • "She is the drama." —Arielle [24:48]

• Pregnancy Revelations:
  Arielle shares the chaos and surprise behind her recent gender reveal, including her own disbelief at having a girl and the family's over-the-top reactions.

  • "No, like, first of all, I don’t think I’ve ever given such a long hug to my mother in law." —Arielle [19:13]

• Boundaries & Bickering:
  The sisters discuss the relentless cycle of playful ribbing, real arguments, and making up.

  • "We fight for five minutes...We snap at each other, and then I’m sensitive, and I’m like, you upset me." —Arielle [11:42]

Amanda’s "Year of Yes"

• Personal & Professional Transformation:
  Amanda reflects on how dedicating 2025 as her "year of yes" unlocked new opportunities in her life and career.

  • "I literally said year of yes. I stood by it, I did it, I stuck to it." —Amanda [25:01]

• Letting Go of Fears of "Trying":
  She relates to Will Arnett’s quote about not wanting to be "caught trying," but shares how embracing discomfort allowed her to grow.

  • "It just looked so lame, pathetic to me to, like, be trying. And now I, like, don't care. And I'm being more...vulnerable and, like, putting myself out there." —Amanda (paraphrasing Will Arnett) [29:12]

• Finding Joy (and Success) in New Experiences:
  Amanda admits to loving almost all the events she attended, though she still navigates feelings of cringe and self-consciousness about "trying too hard."

  • "If you wanted to give this a try and just say yes to things...it really does work in whatever you’re doing with your life." —Amanda [28:34]

• Sisterly Pride:
  Arielle expresses her pride at Amanda’s hard work and evolution.

  • "It took so much work, and that’s what I think people don’t understand...You’ve put in the fudgeing work. You’re here in your year of yes!" —Arielle [32:00]

Hot Takes on Celebrity News

Timothée Chalamet’s New Era

• Mixed Feelings:
  Amanda is unsure about Chalamet’s recent, more ostentatious public persona—questioning if it's a Kylie Jenner influence or just Gen Z marketing.

  • "I love to Timothée Chalamet...I don’t love this era of, like, I’m the—I’m the. Like, I’m just not feeling that." —Amanda [46:51]

• Confidence vs. Modesty:
  Conversation about whether Timothée’s self-hype (e.g., wanting to be "one of the greats") is admirable or cringeworthy—and whether the Academy cares.

Sydney Sweeney Flip

• From Annoyed to Impressed:
  Amanda describes a newfound respect for Sydney Sweeney, praising her resilience in the face of public hate and her ability to "keep on keeping on."

  • "I just see a person that I can respect, like, heads all boob three, boobs out, boobs out there, keeps doing her thing." —Amanda [48:13]

• Navigating Career Criticism:
  Discussion of her relationship with Scooter Braun, controversial ads, and Amanda’s theory about how Sydney handles backlash.

Taylor Swift Appreciation

• Swifty Converts:
  Arielle, initially a casual fan, is now a big admirer after watching the documentary, marveling at Swift’s work ethic, generosity, and musicianship.

  • "I think she’s so talented...I have newfound respect for her...She seems so kind." —Arielle [52:05, 54:44]

• The $750k Bonus Debate:
  Swift’s gift to tour staff comes up, and the hosts wryly note the online debates over whether it should have been a full million.

  • "No. Obviously, you know, this world, it’s never enough...Apparently it’s because of tax purposes." —Arielle [55:07]

Celebrity Culture: Then & Now

• Old-School Fame vs. Social Media Era:
  Reflecting on how stars like Tupac became massive without social platforms, contrasting with today’s constant need for digital presence.

  • "People were famous without the Internet. Isn’t that crazy?" —Amanda [57:15]

• Justin Bieber & Twitch:
  Mild confusion over what Bieber is doing on Twitch, and what that even is.

  • "Can somebody please call in and tell me what Justin Bieber is doing live on Twitch?" —Amanda [57:39]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On podcast beginnings:
  “If you were here in 2019, then you know that Arielle did the pod with me...and our bobs, our matching bobs.” —Amanda [01:07]

• Sister fights:
  "We’re on the level of when, like, Kourtney and Kim got into a physical fight. Like, that's every fight." —Arielle [11:22]

• Celebrity reach:
  "Like, okay, like you can get to people. No, literally, even if you’re tiny human." —Amanda [06:19]

• On trying:
  "It just looked so lame, pathetic to me to, like, be trying. And now I, like, don’t care. And I’m being more..." —Amanda (via Will Arnett) [29:13]

• Arielle on Amanda’s success:
  "You’ve put in the fudgeing work. You’re here in your year of yes...and 2026 is going to be a good year." —Arielle [32:00]

• On Timothée Chalamet:
  "I don’t love this era of, like, I’m the—I’m the. Like, I’m just not feeling that." —Amanda [46:51]

• Sydney Sweeney criticism:
  “I just see a person that I can respect, like, heads all boob three, boobs out, boobs out there keeps doing her thing.” —Amanda [48:13]

• Taylor Swift as a phenomenon:
  "She’s a phenomenon. She’s a worldwide phenomenon. That is a money making..." —Amanda [53:19]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Early days & podcast origin: 00:35–08:13
• Family drama & sisterhood: 09:12–12:25
• Pregnancy/gender reveal story: 17:43–21:02
• Amanda’s "Year of Yes" journey: 25:01–32:41
• Timothée Chalamet deep dive: 41:14–46:58
• Sydney Sweeney respect: 47:10–50:27
• Taylor Swift talk & doc appreciation: 51:22–55:40
• Old vs. new celebrity culture: 56:52–57:26
• Goodbyes and sisterly love: 58:05–58:35

Episode Tone & Vibe

Lively, hilarious, honest, and very "sisters in the wild." Listeners are treated to candid behind-the-scenes podcast stories and unfiltered pop culture commentary, wrapped in genuinely warm (and sometimes brutally honest) sibling banter. Amanda and Arielle poke fun at themselves, each other, and the celebrity world—balancing fangirl moments with sharp-eyed skepticism.

A Great Listen If You Want:

• To hear how Not Skinny But Not Fat got its start—and what’s changed
• Behind-the-scenes of influencer and podcasting growth
• Sisterly chaos and warmth
• Smart, funny, sometimes controversial takes on the latest in celebrity news

Final Thought

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Amanda and Arielle’s original dynamic or new to the pod, this episode delivers an engaging mix of nostalgia, realness, and pop culture dish—topped with a splash of familial affection and relentless wit.