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Phil
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Kel Penn
It's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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What's up, y'?
All?
Summer's got a different tempo. Everything's a little looser, brighter. One plan turns into another. You hear something, you stay a little longer. Next thing you know, you're somewhere you didn't plan to be. It's those in between moments. That's where the ideas hit. Conversations stretch out. Little memories sneak up on you. Sometimes it's just about what's in your hand. That color, that chill. The new Tropical Butterfly refresher from Starbucks. Guava and passion fruit flavors with mango pineapple flavored pearls. Yeah, that feels like summer before you even taste it. Funny how one small stop becomes the best part of the day. Start your summer rhythm with Starbucks. Try the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks.
Now streaming on Paramount. Plus, Beth and Rip are back in Dutton Ranch.
Phil
This life here is gonna work, isn't it?
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We'll make it work.
Phil
Starring Kelly Riley. Legacy is a beautiful thing, but only if it survives.
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Cole Hoser.
Phil
What's gonna work? Ed Harris family is the only thing worth fighting for. And Annette Benning. I can make this a lot harder for all y'. All and peace will have to wait.
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Dutton Ranch new series now streaming on Paramount. Plus.
Phil
Welcome to Pod meets Twirled, a podcast that somehow began with Dancing with the Stars, continued through castles, traitors and strategic deception. And because our producers, along with many of our listeners, apparently enjoy watching two confused middle aged men struggle through wildly successful reality television, we have now arrived at a place neither of us fully understands. Bravo. Specifically in the city. Now, in the past, our shows have involved a game, a competition, a cash prize, a Goal. But apparently this show is different. There are no challenges, no murder mystery, no judges, no dance scores. Just wealthy adults attending parties, drinking, dating, and keeping tabs on one another.
Will Friedle
We are who wins the money at the end.
Phil
No one gets any money. We already have all of the money. Will, we are writer strong, a man who generally prefers stories with structured themes and an ending. And Will Friedle, who was told there would be at least some humor among the cocktails and betrayals, join us as we enter a world of social warfare, passive aggression, luxury apartments and confessionals delivered with the gravity of international diplomacy. This is pod meets twirled metropolitan mess. Are you ready for this, Will?
Maddie
I?
Will Friedle
I think so.
Phil
I don't know.
Will Friedle
I don't know is the answer. It's a world I'm completely and totally unfamiliar with. So I don't know.
Phil
You're unfamiliar with it. And yet I will say many a time when we have mentioned Housewives, which has come up, including when Chad Kolchen came on our show and you seem to know a lot more than you let on. I believe your wife watches the Housewives franchises.
Will Friedle
It's neither here nor there right now.
Maddie
Okay.
Will Friedle
Yes. No, Susan, not all of them. Apparently there are.
Phil
People have.
Will Friedle
This is the thing about these microworlds. People have very specific ones. Oh, I don't watch New York, but I watch Beverly Hills, but I don't watch Orange County. So they have different casts and I think they're also rotating casts. So it's like some members will be on Soap Opera. It's a modern day soap opera, which
Phil
is what I believe this one very clearly is coming in on. This is a new show, but apparently we are already 10 years behind because this is technically.
Will Friedle
That's nothing new. That you and I are 10 years behind something.
Phil
Oh, my God.
Will Friedle
I'm not 30 years behind the state of music.
Phil
Are you kidding? I'm still listening to 1995 and going, this is a new jam. This is the best thing ever.
Will Friedle
Who is this Len character? This is great.
Phil
Steal My Sunshine is one of us.
Will Friedle
God, this is marvelous. Somebody named Jewel who's just racing up the charts. Yeah, that's pretty much where I am today. Right.
Phil
So this is apparently, technically, it's a sequel show to a show called Summer House.
Will Friedle
Correct.
Phil
And the Summer House was about a group of friends. I'm assuming it's the same group of friends. Or maybe this is a mutation of that group of friends.
Will Friedle
I think it is a high level.
Phil
They were meeting at a house in the Hamptons. Seems like a very nice Life.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And they seem very unhappy with one another half the time.
Will Friedle
I think that's probably accurate.
Phil
I think that's part of their job. I think that's part of the job of these shows is to drama.
Will Friedle
I was gonna say the shows that we've been watching, as far as we can tell, while drama is attached, there is an overall goal to the show. Winning traitors, winning Survivor, there's some winning Dancing with the Stars. But if there's drama there, it makes for good television. I think the drama is the television for this one.
Phil
Right.
Will Friedle
So it's the main character.
Phil
Much else happens.
Will Friedle
Right.
Phil
I mean, in reality, like, let's put it this way, the stakes are low for these people in their lives. Like, I don't think anybody's really. No one's. I mean, I guess we, we do witness somewhat of a divorce by the end of this. Yeah. Which is, which is horrible.
Will Friedle
I mean, it's like, that's the thing, that's the other problem I'm having is I. With modern day television the way it is, I'm trying to remind myself that while yes, it is quote unquote, reality television, there's really no such thing. Except maybe even, even when people say Big Brother or Love island, where they just throw cameras on stuff, they're still putting these people in the situations we've heard from other reality people that know we'll redo scenes or we'll do that. So trying to remind myself that while it seems like I'm critiquing or being critical of a man and woman going through the most horrible thing in their lives, they've A, signed up for this and B, it's probably the most heightened version of it possible.
Phil
Right. Well, they, they're, they're in on it to a certain perfect way to put it. Yeah. Cause they are, they, they. You know, at this point, you can't be a participant in reality television without knowing kind of what you're in for understanding it. And like, you know, I noticed that everybody gets introduced as like an influencer, so it seems like a lot of them are sort of. This is how they make their money or continue to make their money. So, yeah, I don't think there's any pretense that they are, you know, there's no gotcha moment where they're like, oops, I didn't know that.
Will Friedle
It's not a hidden camera.
Phil
No, no. In fact, you know, these, these things are really produced. They have to clearance of the location. Right.
Will Friedle
The actors have.
Phil
The actors. The people have to show up knowing basically what they're set up for, like, oh, we're all going to the bar to talk, or it's our wedding anniversary dinner.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
So they. They walk into these situations.
Will Friedle
You know, the start of this show, like, this type of show has to be the Real World on mtv. Yeah. That was the one where it, like. And I. I watched it. I did. But I thought it was gonna be. It was the punk rock of TV at the time. It was the subset of tv. It was. Look at this kind of. It was on an upstart network. Even though MTV was slick and Viacom network at the time, it was still like the punk rock show. Because check out these young kids. They were smoking weed in the apartment. And Eric niece and all that stuff. And it was like. It was the. The. The. The Fu generation of tv. Now it's. Now it's the norm.
Phil
Yeah. Well, that makes perfect sense to me because I think that we, you know, as humans, we love feeling like a fly on the wall. We love to be there. It always, you know, that. I mean, even though we just finished saying this is not very real in the sense that they know there's cameras, they've set it up, they've set up these situations. They've all agreed. They kind of come in with an agenda. I think most of these people come in with an agenda, Whether that's in, like, Amanda and Kyle's case, an agenda to break up with your husband of four years or maybe to just help, you know, publicize your DJ career. Whatever it is, you come into this, something like this with an agenda. I don't think there originally was that way. I think the real world days, they just didn't know what it was. It was just, let's let these cameras film us. But the audiences, like, we respond to that. We all respond super positively to what feels real and to seeing people in their normal habitat. Right.
Will Friedle
Isn't that also the sense of judging other people, though, is the sense of, I feel better because I'm not like that kind of person?
Phil
I would argue that that is natural human instinct.
Will Friedle
It is, hugely.
Phil
We all have that. Absolutely. I think gossip is, like, so essential to like us as species. It's what makes us humans because we form tribes, we bond with families, we say, this person is no longer part of my friend group because they suck. And that was a way that we survived. So the fact that we're social animals and that we need to like that this is exciting to us to be around people throwing drinks at each other's Faces or saying so and so sucks because of. That's, like, totally natural.
Will Friedle
I agree that we're just coming off of Survivor where it's. That's exactly what the show was. But instead of throwing drinks at each other, you got to beat each other in a challenge.
Phil
Yes.
Will Friedle
So they gave you, like, a physical way to actually beat the other person as opposed to throwing sand in someone's face.
Phil
Kind of an older, you know, an older reality show because they sort of. They felt that they needed to manufacture external. External conflicts. Right. External stakes. You're going to win this much money, you're going to physically exhaust yourself. You're going to starve, you're going to. Whatever those are. External stakes. When I teach writing, you know, I talk about the different spheres of conflict. Right. You have, like, external, interpersonal, and then internal. And I talk about how, like, the best screenwriting manages to operate on all three. Sure. And then sometimes you have them in conflict with each other. You know, in other words, like, you have a character who goes on a journey that accomplishes something externally but ruins them internally, or vice versa.
Will Friedle
Godfather him. Shooting him in the middle.
Maddie
Exactly.
Will Friedle
Yeah, exactly.
Phil
Perfectly. So you can chart the sort of, like, rise and fall of character. I feel like this show operates and these kinds of shows operate entirely on the interpersonal.
Will Friedle
Sure.
Phil
Right. There's no external stakes. They're not gonna lose their lives. They're not gonna. I mean, even if people lose their part, they're throwing out that. She owes how much money? Like $117,000. Oh.
Will Friedle
When they get.
Phil
It's actually not that big of a deal to them. It doesn't seem like. I mean, it's a big deal.
Will Friedle
She's like, yeah, I paid it.
Phil
Right. It's a big deal interpersonally. Like most of us, I feel like that's such a huge deal, but for these characters, and I think that's kind of. That's the point of these shows is to remove external stakes. To even kind of remove internal stakes. We don't. We don't need to know that these people are necessarily good or bad people or that they're souls. Like, that's not the point. The point is to watch them interpersonally, relate interpersonally, have conflict and enjoy the ride. Hopefully, I'm down. Hopefully.
Will Friedle
Well, I think that one of the things that's so interesting is apparently the. The kind of. The reason or one of the main reasons this show even exists is because of this scandal that's been all over the place.
Phil
Yeah, let's. Let's Get.
Will Friedle
Let's get the background in the scandal, because I. We did not.
Phil
It's actually not a part of this first episode. But we have been informed by everybody around us that in order to watch this show, we have to understand the scandal that is informing it, which is going back to the summer house show. There were two couples. Sierra and west were a couple. And Amanda and Kyle, who we are meet in the opening of this show, were a couple. And apparently it's already broken in the news that Sierra and West have hooked up after Amanda and Kyle.
Will Friedle
No, officially, Amanda and Kyle. Amanda and west and Kyle. Right.
Phil
Shoot.
Will Friedle
Yes, Tim, it's gonna.
Phil
We're gonna get there.
Will Friedle
We're gonna get there.
Phil
We're gonna get there. Ryder.
Will Friedle
We're gonna get there.
Phil
All right, I need a diagram.
Will Friedle
We will have a diagram.
Phil
I need to keep track of this.
Will Friedle
We're gonna get there.
Phil
Yes, you're right. Thank you. So Amanda and Kyle were a couple. Sierra and west were a couple. And then west and Amanda, who had both broken up with their partners, hooked up.
Will Friedle
Right.
Phil
So everybody was already.
Will Friedle
And they were friends, but they were friends. Yes, yes, yes.
Phil
The big problem is that it seems like the world has turned on Amanda and West for betraying their friendships and going for their friends. Ex.
Will Friedle
I got. I got opinions about that.
Phil
So I'm. I know you do. I got opinions about that. Strong.
Will Friedle
I got opinions about that.
Phil
Have you ever had somebody steal an example? Is that why you have such strong opinions about this? Steal, like a friend of yours or did an ex date a friend of yours? No.
Will Friedle
I mean, again, no. And I've never. I've also never cheated on a partner, and I've never. I've never dated a friend's ex.
Phil
It's just.
Will Friedle
There's hard boundaries where you just. It's like if you. If that's your boy. I don't care if you're in love with this girl. You have to decide, is your love for your friend more important than your love for this girl?
Phil
I, very young, as a teenager, was so madly in love, we broke up. And then I heard that she was dating some guy and, of course. Friend of yours? No, just some guy I had never met. And it was like, of course this guy sucks. You know, whatever. I just. In my mind, he's like the worst person ever because, you know, they're dating now and whatever. And then he became friends with one of my best friends. Oh. Because they were just friends.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And they started to become friends, and he was still dating my ex, and I was like, okay, I can't blame my friend. He's made a new friend. Sure you can. Will they break up? I become friends with him. He's still my best friend to this day. Who is it? Matt.
Will Friedle
Really?
Phil
Yes. Who did he date? Maureen?
Will Friedle
No.
Phil
Yes. That's how I know Matt.
Will Friedle
And that was also. You were 13. 15. Whatever.
Phil
I was 16. 17. But then even crazier after we became friends. So Matt and I become friends. He started dating her again later and I just had to accept. I was like, you know what? I can't. You know, I can't. It's not like he didn't betray me because we didn't know each other.
Will Friedle
Right.
Phil
But it was complicated.
Will Friedle
Yeah. It's a different situation and I think
Phil
that's why it is a different situation. But I do think that I give a little more credence to the complications of like now.
Will Friedle
What if when your best friend at the time started dating Maureen, I think
Phil
I would no longer be best friends.
Will Friedle
Exactly. Because I have to imagine you're going to your best friend going, I can't believe this is happening. You're laying your heart out to your friend about everything that's going on so he or she knows everything that's happening. They're your sounding board. They're your rock.
Phil
And then they end up.
Will Friedle
They.
Phil
I mean, what that means is that they end up choosing the relationship over your friendship.
Will Friedle
Right, right.
Phil
And that, that, especially when you're a teenager, is extremely shortsighted. You know what I mean? Like, because your friends, your friendships at that age especially are probably going to last longer than your dating relationships. Yeah. In this case, we're dealing with people in their 30s and marriage.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
People are really quick to get to rush to marriage in this world. That's what.
Will Friedle
Yeah. Well, I've said this to you before. I think there's a whole group of people out there and I think they're mostly the younger generations. But that's a huge generalization that I think the wedding is more important than a marriage. Yeah. And it's all about the wedding. And it's all about the wedding. It's like, that's fine. The wedding's one day. The marriage is supposed to be a lifetime. So I think there's some very short sighted out people. And I also think that divorce has become so commonplace that it's a viable option. The day you're getting married, you're like, yeah, if it doesn't work out, I'll get divorced. Which is just not how I was raised. So, yeah, I Think it's. And again, they're coming at it like, there's a joke on Seinfeld where he's. He's trying. He's hitting on Deborah Messing, and she's like, yeah, I'm getting divorced. He's like, how long have you been married? She's like, three years. He's like, yeah, three years is a
Phil
long time to be married.
Will Friedle
And so it's that kind of joke of like, they've been married four years. And that doesn't mean that they should be together if it's toxic. Of course not. But it also seems like maybe they should never have been married in the first place. But we didn't see the first 10 years.
Phil
I was gonna say they were the perfect couple, knowing nothing about them.
Will Friedle
Maddie, were they the perfect couple?
Maddie
Not even close. Never.
Will Friedle
Okay.
Phil
Okay. Maddie, you are a resident expert on all things Summer house in the city. So they were never a very good couple. Do you have feelings one way or the other? Are you Team Amanda, team Kyle, going into this episode?
Maddie
You know, I think. I think it's interesting. I think everyone would have been rooting against Kyle because he has been treated very poorly. Yes. He's cheated on her in the past. It hasn't been a great relationship overall. However, with Amanda, in this whole scandal, everyone's like, kyle, I feel so bad for you. I understand why you did what you did.
Phil
Oh, my God. I have to say, watching this first episode, I felt more. I felt bad for. She's the one crying a lot. But he seems like deer in the head. Like, he's literally seems, like stunned by what's happening. So I. I don't know. But. But then when, you know, it turns out that. Yeah, when you find out that he's cheating, it just.
Will Friedle
The whole thing reminds me of the old joke of, you know, my. My wife ran away with my best friend, and, man, I really miss him.
Phil
Right.
Will Friedle
That. So it's that kind of thing where I'm wondering now, wait, Maddie, when it came worth, Ciara and West, a good
Maddie
couple, she was really, really into him. And he's one of those guys where he likes to. Like we've seen in this episode, he's more of a boy. Yeah. He likes tension from different women. So she was really into it.
Phil
He.
Maddie
Yeah. Kind of like, talked poorly about the relationship to the press, and it made her really sad. I know. And it's just. It is kind of a mess.
Will Friedle
Is there any chance. Is anybody rooting for Kyle and Sierra to get together?
Maddie
You know, people have said that it would be funny, but they would never do that. And Sierra is a very like, loyal person, I would say. So she, I don't, I can't see her ever doing.
Phil
Can we, can we go back to this boy term? I just want to, I just want to take a couple minutes. I'm going to maybe overanalyze this, but that's, that's what I'm here for. Okay. To be a boy. Positive. Like in other words.
Will Friedle
No, it's negative, right?
Phil
It's negative, isn't it?
Maddie
Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, absolutely.
Phil
Okay. So I would never be like, I am such a boy.
Maddie
No, no, that's not.
Phil
Why not?
Will Friedle
Okay, hold on.
Phil
If I like to have sex with women and I'm. Because isn't a fuck boy pretty attractive? Doesn't that mean that like, I, I,
Maddie
you could and I mean. No, that doesn't really play into it. It's more of your actions. Like, I don't really care about women's feelings. I just want to have sex with women.
Will Friedle
It's like a boy is a modern day player.
Maddie
Yes.
Will Friedle
Okay, so a player in the 90s has just gone to a boy. Whereas like the manosphere guy used to just be a douchebag.
Phil
Had a positive association.
Will Friedle
You know, I guess it's sometimes such a. Don't hate the player, hate the game. It was always like, hey, is it
Phil
that bad that I just, you know, because if you're up front, if you're, I mean, I get it. Don't be a boy if you're married. Don't be a boy if you're in a relationship. But if I show up somewhere and I'm like, hey, I love sex, ladies, and you might down for it.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
What's the problem? I don't know.
Maddie
Yeah, I mean, it has more of a negative connotation behind it is all I can really say. And women, women will throw it around more towards men being like, oh, don't go for him, he's a boy. You know what I mean? Like, not worth it.
Will Friedle
Okay.
Phil
Okay. I think this player comparison is apt, Will, and I think it's right on the verge.
Will Friedle
Yeah. Yeah. But you're right though. There were times where being a player was, was kind of a cool thing. But there was also, he said you'd also hear like, oh God, like girls like, oh, I would never date him. He's such a player. So I think it's that same. I think it's just the modern day players is now the boy, which is.
Phil
All right, predictions for this season, Will predictions For what's going to happen, what, how you're going to feel by the end.
Will Friedle
I don't know. There's part of me that hopes I embrace the idea that this is a modern soap opera, and I start to watch it as thus. So there's part of me that really hopes that I'm have my popcorn and I'm Team oh. I can't believe that whatever is going with whoever in my mind, because I have been okay with equating the fact that they're not real people. And, you know, we should do a segment every week like, hey, who's gonna get amnesia this week and find out they're their own twin? So, like, that kind of thing where if I can get to that place, I think I'll enjoy it. I want to. I have to be able to let go of the bias that I have of these are horrible people doing a horrible thing, and I can't believe anyone would watch this. That's just millions of people watch this stuff, so I know that I'm wrong. I just have to be able to find a way to embrace that, and I think I'm going to be able to. How about you?
Phil
I'm. Yeah, I'm very curious. I feel like in some ways, this is, like, easier than the other shows we've covered in that there's no. There's less pressure.
Will Friedle
Right.
Phil
You know what I mean? Like, I don't need to understand how a Venetian waltz works, or I can just sit back and be like, all right. I do have to. Like, for me, like, I have issues of class and money. Like, I'm always just, like, sitting there going, how do you have this much money? How is this. How is this your life? Like, I'm just flabbergasted by that. But I think that's also part of the show. I think that's part of what you enjoy is, like, look at the. These clothes and these cars and this. These apartments. Like, that's part of the fun, right? Is like, getting a glimpse behind the curtain of, like, this insane wealth. And I think I just need to let go and see where it takes us.
Will Friedle
Yeah. Now, the question I want to talk to you about, and we'll address this throughout the entire show, is, do you think these people really have that amount of money, or do they just look like they do?
Phil
Well, I think they're getting that amount of money because of this show, maybe.
Will Friedle
But who knows what some of these shows pay? I know a lot of these people want to be on these shows, so they might we know some of these TV deals, they might not be making millions of dollars to do.
Phil
They probably are not making much money off the show itself. But their popularity from the show means that their lover boy company makes more money or sells, you know, whatever it is. I think just notoriety, fame is power these days, right? And that equals wealth. It's currency. So in some ways doing one of these shows, even though it seems like they all already have money just to be living these lives, I think doing these shows only makes them wealthier 100% in that, in that sense, you know. So.
Maddie
Well, I'm going to cut in really fast. Please to note these people did, most of them did have real jobs before they came onto the show. So Sierra was a nurse, Lindsay like a PR person. So it is interesting because a lot of them have adjusted like you guys are saying to now being quote unquote influencers, right? Because they're in this Bravo sphere.
Phil
Gotcha.
Maddie
Before that they were pretty normal people just living in New York City.
Phil
Right? So see this is a. They're part of the whole cultural development, right, like because that's the way everybody is now, you know, I mean, like my joke on my Instagram handle is that we're all influencers now and I think it's kind of true. Like I said it as a joke a couple of years ago, mostly in response to the fact that like every musician friend I know only makes a living by being on social media. Every actor friend I know only gets jobs because of how many followers they. Right, like this is our reality is that we're. There is no such thing as like getting that TV show or that record deal that like secures you a regular income. You're better best bet is to build your own fan base directly with the people. And so a show like this is all about that, right?
Will Friedle
I have to get on social media again, aren't I? It's what I keep hearing. God.
Phil
I mean, you got off social media but you have a fin to say you're still addicted in all the ways.
Will Friedle
That's true, but I. But I don't have to put myself out there. That's the joke I know. Yeah, I can do the great and powerful Oz without any power whatsoever or being great.
Phil
Except for those podcasts that you put out every week.
Will Friedle
Yeah, there's only 50.
Maddie
Foreign.
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Phil
Let's dive into the actual episode.
Will Friedle
All right, here we go.
Phil
Episode one. Amanda and west are together in the news in Manhattan. They do establish that. So we have the scandal sort of leading us into April 9, 2026, where we meet Ryder Kyle and Amanda Stoss. Yes. I thought the safe thing is the star of the show. What's important here? They have a dog with the coolest name in the world.
Will Friedle
Yep. There's also a blonde interior designer named Lexi, like my. Like my stepdaughter.
Phil
Yeah, that's funny. Yeah. So the most important thing that will happen on this episode has already happened. We have met Ryder.
Will Friedle
Yes.
Phil
Amanda and Kyle. They came back to the city, and she got us room in a hotel. Kyle's life is rough because he joined a new gym and he had to do deadlifts. But then they get into it. Amanda says that she gave their relationship everything that she had. Kyle counters with, no, you were pretty much done with me. Amanda is crying, and she claims that there has been no cheating. And it seems to be kind of on her end. But Kyle is implying that she is emotionally cheating with west already. And Kyle defends himself, saying, what? I made out with one person one time. And then Amanda says, but there was video.
Will Friedle
Yeah, that's why? No, she goes, you. You know, you made out with somebody. He's like, no, I didn't.
Phil
Who? Name one.
Will Friedle
Name one. There's video. And he's like, okay. That was literally a spot. Okay.
Phil
Yeah. All right. I think once you invite the cameras into your life.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
You gotta. Everything's up on. On the table. You can't, like.
Will Friedle
Yeah, yeah.
Phil
I mean, I. I kind of mostly feel sorry for both of these people.
Will Friedle
Me too.
Phil
Not knowing anything, not having seen them, because this is how I've met them, which is in the throes of, you know, pretty awful drama. Like, awful. Yeah. And I feel a little bad just watching it.
Will Friedle
I feel like this is just me with my head in your bedroom watching your life. And at one point they show one of the girls having sex, and it's
Phil
like, oh, they're nothing.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
I was surprised by that.
Will Friedle
The flashback. Nothing's off bounds or out of bounds with this show. It's just gonna be, bring the cameras in, see how crazy we can get.
Phil
See, that is a good example. Cause when I saw that sex scene, which is like, her in a flashback in a nurse's outfit, like, mounting some guy.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And then she gets it and she's like. But she made some, like, cheesy joke about, like, nurse hard something. I don't know what. I forget what it was. And then he makes this face and he's like, that's so sexy. And I was like, this is the least sexy thing in the world. Like, this is so put on. They're trying so hard to look like they're having sex. And it's like, to me, way less like, you know, like, porn is generally unsexy in my opinion, like, because it's so fake, you know, Even though they really are doing something, it feels so fake because it's like. And that was like, even worse because I'm like, they're trying to be porn. Do you know what I mean? It was like low gr. Like, low rent version of Skin. Like, what is happening? Getting back to Red Shoe Diaries, you know?
Will Friedle
Exactly. At least there was a story. At least I know why the pool boy is there.
Phil
No, but that's what I mean. It's all simulated reality. That's what I think we. And I think even this drama. And that's. I actually, I will say, like, the part that hurt me the most was throughout. This is Kyle's face because he's not equipped. Like, he has this. You know, she's crying. Like, Amanda's crying, and I feel bad for her. But she also seems to be coming into these scenes with an agenda, and she's sad about it, but she knows what's happening. Kyle truly doesn't seem to know what's happening throughout this episode, and I feel for him. And when I have a moment like this scene where I go, oh, well, he cheated on her. He's not a great guy. I'm sure that there's backstory there, but I'm feeling sorry for this guy because he looks like a deer in the headlights getting slammed with this breakup over and over again. And maybe he's just not smart enough to have kept up with the.
Will Friedle
The history of Jones doesn't comprehend what's. What's going. Cause she keeps saying that again. Yeah, the one thing I took them this is. Thankfully, they did not allow cameras in their couples counseling sessions. I was like, thank God for that. They kept talking about it.
Phil
Well, there would never be a counselor who would actually be able to keep their. Their license. Right.
Will Friedle
If they did that.
Phil
Oh, no, there was a. I remember
Will Friedle
back in the day, a friend of mine watched a show about a guy who was a hairdresser on Bravo, and every episode he was in with his therapist. Therapist. And the camera's right in there.
Phil
Okay.
Will Friedle
And so. So it was one of those things where I. I was like, thank God they didn't do that. But, yes, it seems like. And again, we're coming in knowing nothing. Yeah.
Phil
And so, I mean, I guess there's all different types. I would assume that any therapist worth
Will Friedle
their son would say, yeah, we're not. But it seems like they're. She's telling him stuff they've talked about, and it's like he's never heard it before.
Phil
And it's kind of like. Yeah, I think he might just, you know, not comprehend.
Will Friedle
He might. Yeah.
Phil
Just not what's. Not paying attention. Which is, you know, not a great sign for the relationship anyway. But, no, it just seem.
Will Friedle
You probably shouldn't be together.
Phil
But why do I have to.
Will Friedle
I shouldn't be watching you guys go through this.
Phil
This is horrible for you. Well, by the end of the scene, both of them are crying, and Kyle has this really interesting comment. He says, it makes me so upset that someone else gets the version of you that I fell in love with.
Will Friedle
It's actually a good line.
Phil
It is a good line. It's an interesting line. It's a weird way to say, like, you've changed beyond my recognition, you know, because it also has this weird jealousy thing about somebody else that is hypothetically going to get you. Which is a little like. That's something my wife always talks about. When people say, like, they got the girl, she's like, oh, it just makes me so. It's like so sexist in the way it just thinks about the world, you know? And I was like, yeah, it's true. I mean, I definitely remember feeling that way and thinking that way as an adolescent. I'm so glad I don't, you know, where it's like a woman is something to get. That's like a prize. It's just. And we're in Lindsay's apartment meeting Lindsay with a baby. Baby crying. Lindsey has become a mom. And she says her life is chaos.
Will Friedle
She was the nurse. Nurse Lindsay.
Phil
The flashback was hers. The nurse.
Will Friedle
She was Nurse Lindsay. And she's the one where two months after this, after she had the baby, I guess they ended their engagement or something like that.
Phil
Yeah. So they.
Maddie
Oh, wait, no, I'm gonna cut in here. Sorry.
Will Friedle
Yes, please, if you have anything. We don't know. Producer Maddie, please, for the love of God, help us.
Maddie
I will. So she had a baby daddy that was off the show. So the guy that she was strad.
Phil
They engaged?
Maddie
Yes, they got engaged. They ended their engagement two months before the wedding. And then like, I think it was maybe less than a year later, she got pregnant by some guy she was dating for maybe like a month, two months.
Will Friedle
That's the baby daddy. But they were never engaged, correct?
Maddie
Never engaged.
Phil
He never signed the release to be on the show for him. Whatever. Wherever was he on the show?
Will Friedle
Was the baby daddy ever on the show or.
Maddie
No, no, no.
Phil
If he was, they blurred his face. That would be great character for an entire season. Whose face is just blurred. And his voice changed like he's a mob boss. He's like turning and he just keeps
Will Friedle
turning the camera going. I do not consent. You're not consent to be filmed or on camera?
Phil
Well, she's. She's struggling with having a baby. She, you know, knows it's her baby because the baby's given her a death stare that she always does. Haha. And she's very upset that she hasn't had sex. Sex for nine months. She used to shoot rainbows and butterflies out of her vagina. This is where we get the flashbacks to the series of rainbows and butterflies, including. Yeah, I was like, this is. This is not sexy hard. Something hard.
Will Friedle
I wish I remember what she said.
Phil
It was like nurse hard.
Will Friedle
But yeah, it was like you had. I had to do. It was a.
Phil
What is those?
Will Friedle
It was like the paddles? It was something like that, but with the word hard in it. I don't know.
Phil
Well, she was broken up with five months ago, I guess by the father of her child. And she says she couldn't get through this without her support system, which is her friend. Well, her nanny, Liz, who we get to meet for a second, who I'm sure is taking care of this baby while she's out for every scene of this show besides shopping later. So Liz has got her hands full and her friends. Now we meet Yvonne, who is her old friend. We get this memory of Yvonne actually pumping her breasts for her when she forgot her breast pump, which is quite
Will Friedle
an image, quite a visual.
Phil
Friend, good friend.
Will Friedle
Hell yes, good friend. I'd like to think God forbid, something happened and you need to squeeze my balls. You'd do it, Ryder.
Phil
Yep, yep. Don't think I would. You just gotta massage a little gently. A little? I just slushed.
Will Friedle
Oh. It's good to know where I stand in this relationship. Rider. Thanks so much.
Phil
All right. Will Fred L will cup Ryder's balls if he needs to. That's what he considers friendship.
Will Friedle
Damn right I would if I had to. I'll take one for the team to save your life, Ryder.
Phil
You're right. You're right. Okay, you heard it here first, folks. Ball brothers. All right, Then we meet Georgina, who says her life is a disaster. Her ex left her and she went crazy. We don't ever really get an explanation of what this is. I'm very curious about this crazy. Yeah, Crazy period of her life. All right, then they're taking baby Gemma shopping. It's Lindsay and Amanda. And Amanda drops the bomb that she stayed at a hotel after the summer house. Amanda says she and Kyle's therapist has said, you guys seem like you actually hate each other.
Will Friedle
Which when your therapist says that, that's not good. Yeah, yeah.
Phil
We get a flashback where Kyle said you should move out and a flashback where Sierra also told Kyle that they should probably be apart. And then we're in Central Park. Andrea and Lexi, happy, beautiful couple. She wants to be a princess and he's Prince Charming. She always wanted to.
Will Friedle
She wants to be a princess and he's hoping to one day find a box of money.
Phil
It's like, well, this is how they introduce their characters. I don't know anything else about them. I know. It's literally photos of her as a kid and saying, always wanted to be a princess and now I am. Okay. Yeah. She says she always wanted to get married at Disneyland and I was like, yeah, that tracks. That tracks. You're the type of person that spends the money to gets the whole carriage ride. I remember seeing this when we were in Disney world during the 25th Disney World anniversary. Do you remember we were out there? I just remember seeing, like, that was the first time I learned that people got married at Disneyland. And I saw they had one of the, like, it's like a Cinderella carriage with horses pulled up at our hotel. Because that was how they began the weddings. They would get on to one of these. That's your thing.
Will Friedle
The fantasy thing is people get married in Star wars costumes. And I mean, I get it.
Phil
Sure. You know, I'm very. I'm much more anti Disney than you. You are. I have a thing about. I have a thing about the simulacrum, as the philosopher Baudrillard would say, which we can get into. Should we get into the philosopher Baudrillard? We have to talk about the simulacrum and capitalism. Can you briefly explain what that is? Yeah, yeah, I was just talking about it on a podcast, actually. He was a French philosopher in the 1960s who came up, you know, through the sort of developing in the Marxist tradition, but. But saying that in capitalism and in modern life, simulations have come to reflect, to replace real life. So what started as a reflection of real life? Like, in other words, you have a TV show that is scripted and completely fake. And, you know, at a certain point, like our relationship, let's say, with like a person's relationship with Mickey Mouse or a fictional character starts to become very real to them in a way that the simulations of things start to replace real life entirely. So that we are all kind of living eventually. And he was kind of ahead of his time because you think about where we were at in the 1960s as far as entertainment and commercialization, that by, you know, that at a certain point in a capitalist. In a hyper capitalist society that is so bent on symbols and advertising and replacing reality with simulated reality, with simulacrum is what he called it, that eventually you lose all track of reality. So that most people think of, you know, the Wild west and they think about Western movies and Western books more than the realities of history.
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Sure.
Phil
Or that when you think of Mickey Mouse, you have a personal relationship with Mickey Mouse more than you do with, say, one of your cousins or, you know, that real, like real physical reality is almost secondary to simulated reality. I think that this is pretty accurate description of how most of us are living our lives. I think that he would disagree. Yeah. And that we, you know, we have lost track of, like, you know, I mean, I remember when we talked about Survivor and we talked about liking wilderness and, you know, that's kind of what I like about being alone in the wilderness or being out in a physical environment that's tough is that I feel that it often pierces the veil of the simulacrum that I'm living in on a daily basis.
Will Friedle
And we all are.
Phil
You know, we can't help but live in these. You know, so.
Will Friedle
But then you could also argue that you have a better relationship with nature than you do with some of your cousins.
Phil
Sure, sure. But I guess the danger is in. And the way that these simulations or the simulacrum are manipulating us. Right. That corporations, which are not held responsible for much other than making as much money as possible, will profit off of people's essentially living delusional lives. The fantasy life that we come to exist in more and more becomes very profitable for a company like Disney. They want you to believe that Disneyland is the height of the greatest life because, you know, and Disneyland is a simulation. Real life doesn't have parks that look that clean and, you know, the rules and all the sort of, like, control and perfect music and characters and all that, you know, it is intentionally a simulation. And so I guess I get a little uncomfortable when people embrace that as reality and don't ever question it.
Will Friedle
See, I would look at it as a place where certain people find joy by going there and they're escaping reality for a bit. Their reality is so terrible with, they have a shitty job. They don't have this, they don't have that. They're not in love, whatever it is. And when they go to a place like Disneyland or a comic book convention or something like that, they're around people who feel the way they do, who look at things the way they do, and they just have a day to just let go.
Phil
Yeah.
Will Friedle
And that's how I look at something like that.
Phil
Now, there are.
Will Friedle
Now, are there people that take it to extremes? Of course.
Phil
Right?
Will Friedle
And you have that everywhere where it's like, okay, dude, you're not actually Boba Fett.
Phil
See, Baudrillard would say that that's a pacifying impulse, that. That actually pacifies you and blinds you to the real dangers in the world. Then, in other words, we tolerate starving people in Africa because we're happier in our simulation of American life. That the simulacrums that surround us in American life, the things that we escape to, like you're saying, are function almost like as a drug, so that we don't ever question the material realities that own the material realities that make our life possible is pretty awful for a lot of the world. Right. And so he would say that the reason that we tolerate that is because we embrace the escapism like you're describing. Yeah, I think one of the other
Will Friedle
reasons that you tolerate it is because you can't take all of the ills in the world on your shoulder. Nobody, nobody can take that.
Phil
Of course.
Will Friedle
So it's one of those things where most people deal with their own lives and the problems there to where as awful as starving kids in Africa are, and you send money and you do what you can, unless you actually have the money to fly over there with food. There's really not a whole lot you can do.
Phil
Well, pretty much everyone on this show has that kind of money.
Will Friedle
Yeah, I'll say.
Phil
They're not doing that.
Will Friedle
Good bring back.
Phil
Good bring back. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think that this show is a perfect example of the kind of uncomfortable reality that I've always had kind of tensions with. And. And yeah, I would highly recommend Baudrillard. You know, let's do this every week. Let's do this every week. We should take a break to discuss a philosopher.
Will Friedle
That's fine. If we also take a break to go to Disneyland.
Phil
Okay, fair deal.
Will Friedle
We'll go on one ride and then
Phil
we'll talk about that. That's my segment. Every week I'm gonna bring in a different French philosopher or someone. We'll call it a writer's brain break and we'll just.
Will Friedle
We get to do in the City and French philosophy. Oh, I'm in. Every week. Yes.
Phil
Sold.
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Phil
All right, so she always wanted to get married in Disneyland. Ended up getting married in A real castle in Italy. So, see, she broke through the simulacrum.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
Because it's.
Will Friedle
Because most people can get married in a real castle in Italy.
Phil
And there were other cast members there. And Danielle, who we haven't met yet, caught the bouquet. Perfect transition to Danielle, who is playing tennis. This is where I noticed that she was introduced. Yeah. Is she. But she looks good in her tennis outfit.
Will Friedle
She's holding a tennis racket.
Phil
She's holding a tennis racket. And this was the first time I noticed that she was. Was introduced as a founder slash influencer. Yeah. Which is, I think, basically all of their jobs.
Will Friedle
Yeah, pretty much.
Phil
Yeah. I mean, these are really, like. They're all just kind of socialites, I think is the right word. Like, people who's just like, their social life and their status is their job. Right. It's like I kept thinking about, like, king's courts, you know, like, in, like, aristocratic times when you'd be, like, in the court and gossiping and whether you were in the king's favor or not and allowed to stay at court. You know what I mean? It's like, it is such a weird world. And it got even worse later with
Will Friedle
the guys, because the version of the guys, he was like, well, we're the same kind of guys where we're play hard, work hard, or work, work hard, play hard. And it's like, oh, okay.
Phil
She's pretty horrible at tennis. She says, I quit. And Owen spelled very strangely, but Owen says, that's. Well, you look good, though.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And he is the tennis player. And this is where I noticed foreign guys.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
Yeah. Like Andrea and now Owen. There's, like, a million accents on this show.
Will Friedle
Yes. Welcome to in the City.
Phil
Yeah. They sit on a bench and talk about having kids, which they seem to both agree would be great. Then she hints about getting engaged. And that's when we learned that they have been dating for six months, which seems pretty. Dude.
Will Friedle
She's throwing out, like, numbers and engagements,
Phil
and they've only been living together for one month, which to me, very fast.
Will Friedle
Fast, Very fast to be talking. And again, I. I couldn't imagine being a woman when it comes to a biological clock, which is a very real thing. And she says she's 37. And, you know, it's got to be easier to. To raise kids just. Just from a physical standpoint in your 20s than it is from your late 30s or 40s. So I don't know. So I understand that. But in a relationship, it seemed if I was in a relationship and I'M dating someone for six months and they're instantly talking about babies and marriage. That might be. That might be a hard.
Phil
How old are these people? I really have no clue. I'm so bad.
Will Friedle
She said she was 37. And so my guess is he's probably right around the same age. My guess is the vast majority of them, I think. I think, like, they're getting divorced. They're like early 40s, like, 42, 43.
Phil
Yeah.
Will Friedle
Kyle said he was like, 43. 43, something like that. So, yeah, so I think they're all kind of late 30s, early 40s.
Phil
Yeah. It seems really hard to be dating in this environment.
Will Friedle
Oh, my God.
Phil
I would say even without the cameras. Let's take away the camera factor, which is obviously huge. But dating in these sort of, like, DJing at a nightclub where we drink. There's a lot of drinking in this show. Like, these people are drinking a lot and, like, dressing up and, like, intentionally sort of, like peacocking. Like, both men and women, it's like they're presenting their wealth and they're showcasing their wealth to one another. And that seems to be, like, their ability to be, like, witty in these situations and, like, present their wealth and status is the sort of currency that gets them attracted to one another. And that. I just think that's a recipe for a bad relationship. Guys, I think you.
Will Friedle
I think you actually nailed the analogy, though, of the kind of the kings. It's the king's court without the king. Yeah, because there's the. You know, you had the prince, you had the. The ladies in waiting and all that stuff. And these are people that showed wealth but didn't necessarily have it, or they were all sleeping around. They were always drunk, they were losing their fortunes. They were doing this. That's kind of where we are today. I think it's pretty much a perfect analogy.
Phil
You know what this is reminding me of? And I actually thought about this, and now I'm trying to remember. It was. There's a movie called Star Trek 3. It's a French film. I'm all about friends today.
Will Friedle
Oh, my God.
Phil
No, this is. It's. When I saw it, I believe it was called Wit, but I'm looking it up now, and it's actually called Ridicule, and it's a. Yeah, it's a period piece about the court of Versailles and social status based. And it's how the social status in that time could rise and fall based on one's ability to be witty and to give out insults and avoid ridicule. And this movie, really. I went and saw it with David Combs, our studio teacher on Boy Meets World, and I loved it. I've forgotten about it, but that's. It presents a society like, you know, that. I think if we watch this now, we should watch this movie. I'm definitely gonna watch it before our next episode because I feel like it is, you know, a historical version of the kind of extreme court society that seems so obviously artificial and, like, absurd to us now that, like, this show kind of feels. Feels like to me. And I think that. Anyway, I'm gonna. I'm gonna watch that movie. I highly recommend it to our listeners if we can find it, and I'll bring it up next week, because I. I thought about it while I was watching. I was like, this feels like, you know, the French Court. And I was reminded of this movie.
Will Friedle
I really enjoy DCOM because if it's not, I probably won't have a chance to watch it.
Phil
Danielle is worried about her friendship with Lindsay. Instant awkwardness to come. Cut to Tribeca. Yeah. Kyle again. We now learn that he is the CEO of Lover Boy, which I have since learned is a drink company.
Will Friedle
It's a drink, apparently.
Phil
Okay. Would you want to drink a drink called Lover Boy?
Will Friedle
Well, it's made with Real Boy.
Phil
Real Boy, so.
Will Friedle
Okay.
Phil
At least it's not made with Real Boy's love. That would be really disturbing. Exactly.
Will Friedle
No, it's made of Real Boy, so that's. You're darn right I'm gonna. No, of course I wouldn't drink anything ever called Loverboy, ever.
Phil
I mean, actually, it's not a bad name for, like, a. You know, like, if it's a wine, but I have a feeling it's like an energy drink or an 80s 80s
Will Friedle
emo band, which is what Lover Boy was. I mean. Yeah, it's seltzers. Okay. I drink seltzers all the time, and I'm not gonna drink anything called Loverboy.
Phil
Is it. Are they alcoholic seltzers? They must be alcoholic. Yeah, of course. They drink so much.
Will Friedle
There you go.
Phil
Yeah. All right. So Kyle is meeting his friend Kenny, who is a venture capitalist. Kenny calls Kyle a bit of a lush in his confessional, which I was like, it seems like somebody has a little bit of perspective.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
Already. Team Kenny for picking teams. I am gonna say Kenny strikes me as a little more like head on his shoulders than almost everybody else.
Will Friedle
Little straight shooter.
Phil
Although we'll see. We'll see. I don't want to admit I'm guessing that won't last.
Will Friedle
But yes.
Phil
Well, he also has the line in this episode where he's like, I'm getting you hate man vibes or whatever he says. And I was like, kenny, calm down. It's okay. You can take a little criticism. Anyway, so. So, yeah, Kyle talks, or Kenny talks about being from the Midwest. He came and sought his fortune on Wall street, and he has done better than he ever expected. Turns out he's actually put money into lover boy, which I found a little interesting. All right, so Kyle is admitting that he is going to lose his company by the end of this year if things don't. Don't start turning around. He fills Kenny in on the fact that Amanda stayed in a hotel. And we learned that Kenny is dating Whitney. Who wakes up happy, is always happy. We get shots of her walking her dog. Whitney describes herself as a Midwest girl who has just moved across the country to be with Kenny, find out that she was on the Bachelor.
Will Friedle
So another.
Phil
Even though she's seeming to marry her way in or move her way into this reality show world, she already kind of was in this reality show world. So this average Midwest girl is actually a reality star.
Will Friedle
Yep.
Phil
May believe right about here is where she's called a doll for the first time, which happens no less than three times. Whitney is a doll. I don't like that.
Will Friedle
You're not a fan of that.
Phil
I don't, like.
Will Friedle
Kind of like it.
Phil
No. Okay.
Will Friedle
I love that.
Phil
You know who I. You know who I think should be called a doll?
Will Friedle
Like.
Phil
Like a. Like an older woman who's, like, got great. You know, like a. Like, I wanted to mean like a doll in, like, a 1940s fast talk. Yeah, well, that's.
Bethenny Frankel
I mean, that's how.
Will Friedle
That's how it works.
Phil
But they're calling it her. A doll when she's not there as. As a description of her as like
Will Friedle
a sort of pretty, young. As, like a vernacular kind of. Yeah. They're calling it, like.
Phil
And I think that. I think it. It implies that she is, like, sweet, innocent, and young and sort of maybe a little vapid.
Will Friedle
Naive or Naive. Yeah.
Phil
And I don't like it. I. I find it. I find it condescending. And. And. And the fact that it came up three times. I was like, ooh, that's.
Will Friedle
If.
Phil
If it seems maybe not a red flag, maybe a yellow flag. I kind of want to bring it back, though.
Will Friedle
I mean, I don't like the way they're using it, but if I was talking to Susan, be like, oh, you're a doll, or what's up, doll face? I think if.
Phil
If they say endearment to her or she says it about herself, I'm. I'm fine. You know, like, but the fact that it said about her three times was like a little. Yeah, let's just put a little yellow flower.
Will Friedle
Yeah, well, I'll come because she might like it and if she likes it, then that's true. What do we care?
Phil
Yeah, well, I still care, but. Yes, I'm not. You know, people. People like a lot of things that I can say.
Will Friedle
Yeah, but if it's like, if somebody refers to me as something and like, it bothers other people but I like it, then what do I care? It's like, I don't care if you don't like how somebody refers to me.
Phil
Okay, lover boy.
Will Friedle
Oh, dude, I'll take. Oh, are you kidding?
Phil
I'll take lover boy.
Will Friedle
I just won't drink it. You can call me lover boy. Just don't make me drink any.
Phil
All right, well, back with the guys after we've met Whitney the doll. Kenny says that he is slightly concerned about his own relationship with Whitney, but he speaks in these abstract terms. He says sometimes there's this spark and fire. Hard for me to know if this is the one. If there's for sure a spark there. Maybe don't invite her to move in with you from across the country, then be single.
Will Friedle
There's nothing wrong with just being single and playing the field.
Phil
Well, it might not help your television
Will Friedle
career, but, I mean, that would be
Phil
the only reason why partnered up.
Will Friedle
Yeah, that would be the only reason.
Phil
Look, they probably had a conversation. They met, they probably started dating. You were on the Bachelor. Look, I've been doing this other show.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
You know, they're talking about coming to the. In the city. Why don't you move in with me? We'll have some fun, maybe break up, or maybe it'll work forever. But let's do it in front of the cameras and we both do you.
Will Friedle
Now, here's the question. Do you think the conversations get that blatant. Do you think they beat around the bush or do you think it's ever, like, just come on and we'll pretend to be a couple. We'll both be on this show for as long as it'll go. Maybe we'll get a spin off. Maybe it'll be a question.
Phil
I don't know. I don't think so. I think. I think the. That everybody has to maintain a level of fiction.
Will Friedle
I think so, too.
Phil
Okay. I would appreciate it more if they were that blatant in some ways, but I don't think it is. I don't think they are. I think they mostly are as self delusional as they are. You know, they have to be because it's sort of like if they were to pierce that bubble between them, it would make it impossible to do this kind of thing or it would make it a job in a way that they probably don't want to have to admit. Admit.
Will Friedle
Right.
Phil
Like, I think you're right.
Will Friedle
I though, though I will say I will do one caveat for that. I will guarantee you some private conversation between Amanda and Kyle. One of them said, you know, this will be great for the show. I will bet you all the money in my pockets that happen at one point.
Phil
Yeah. God, I just feel like it's. I feel like it's, you know, it's like one of. It's just cognitive dissonance. You know, it's like one of those things that once you admit it, it. It's like it's sort of like being in the closet and getting married, you know, like they have to, they have to maintain it. Like they can't really admit it to themselves. They have the feelings. They know that they're doing this for this reason, but they're like, no, we got to keep it up for the appearances. And if they were to say, well, I'm actually gay and I'm just using you to keep my status or whatever, it's like, then it's over. You know, they can't do that. Then no one would agree to it. But they can all kind of know it, but not, you know.
Will Friedle
Right. Yeah.
Phil
I feel like it's a weird. It's a weird thing, but a weird balance.
Will Friedle
But I'll bet you at some level there's been some conversation between some of them where it's.
Phil
But I just feel like that's so. I mean, like, because to me, it's like the second anybody said something to me, like the conversations that Kyle and Amanda are having throughout this episode, I would just be like, whoa, turn off the cameras, come here, we need to talk. You know what I mean? Of course.
Will Friedle
Which you can't, you can't do.
Phil
You can't do. Like, that is by far the most like, essential human reaction to these situations. You know what I mean? Like, I don't understand that they don't do that.
Will Friedle
By the third French poet you bring up, they're going to fire you anyway.
Phil
Right?
Will Friedle
So they're not going. You're not going to have to worry about the cameras and being on in the city. I don't think you're going to have to worry about that at all. Is there a live finale of this
Phil
show that we get to go watch?
Will Friedle
Where they actually sign the divorce papers? Is that a thing? We get to go see that like we do with Survivor. God.
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Phil
Back.
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Phil
All right. In the West Village, we are at the Gas Garrett, which is a bar, I believe we're going to be seeing a bunch of. Because this is Gavin's speakeasy. This is my kind of place. Will you gotta go to our joint or some supermarket. Go upstairs.
Will Friedle
I am never gonna leave five guys.
Phil
I am it. That's what it was. I really like this bar. Gavin seems interesting. I was like, cool. This is gonna be. This is a nice place.
Will Friedle
I'm into this vibe where everybody's one dimensional trying to make it sound like the Cheers theme song, but it doesn't really work.
Phil
Yes. Describing the Garrett Gavin's bar, Kenny admits that he used to have access to the security cameras, which Whitney calls him out for. And he's like, don't say that. That's.
Will Friedle
Don't say that.
Phil
That's being creepy.
Will Friedle
It's creepy.
Phil
She really is a doll. Kenny. Kenny proceeds to say that he just used it to like, check out the scene before he came down. Okay.
Will Friedle
Hey, man.
Phil
Yvonne greets Lindsay. And this is when we really meet Georgina, who is a dermatologist. We will get more of her later.
Will Friedle
Kyle didn't get a mole out of Georgina. We didn't get a whole lot of Gergina.
Phil
No, but I actually. Yeah, we'll get into it later. But yeah. Kyle and Amanda are now walking saddest couple in the world. This is post couples therapy. Apparently she's upset that he was out DJing until 4am or out DJing until 2am then stayed out till 4am maybe. Maybe stop drinking, buddy.
Will Friedle
Or tone it back or pull it back or.
Phil
And here he is going out and she does not want to go out with him. Tells him so yeah, maybe Kyle don't go to the bar, but he goes back to carrot. Kenny is giving his background on his relationship with Whitney. Says that, you know, they slow played it for six months. And Spidey Gavin jumps in with. Because he was playing around being a boy with me.
Will Friedle
Did you see his face too, where it's like you wanted.
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He was like, no, no.
Phil
Kenny jumps in and it's like, well, let me. Let me be clear and say what
Will Friedle
I meant by that. My mother was banging a lot of
Phil
chicks and it wasn't the best version of myself. And then that other guy jumps in and says, what stage of grief is being a point which Iing love. That's the best thing ever. So true. Everyone deals with differently, he said. But Kenny insists that they love each other, calls her a dollar third time. And then it sort of becomes a panel. Whitney joins Kenny and he tries to get her out of there, but it's a scene suddenly Lindsay says, explains that it's a lot for Whitney to move across the country without a ring. And Kenny says, I'm getting I hate men vibes. Kyle shows up. He and Lindsay sit at the bar and catch up about Amanda not being there. Owen and Danielle show up and Lindsay seems upset because apparently there's beef between Lindsay and Danielle. How do we know this? Lindsay has notes. She is keeping notes.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
I love that they actually show these things. And it's because in every good friendship,
Will Friedle
you gotta keep score.
Phil
Yes. Danielle gave a guy a handjob in an Uber a week after she broke up with him. Then there's been some sort of meltdowns and dramas publicly. I mean, I thought this was kind of funny.
Will Friedle
It is funny, but it's absurd funny in like. You want to write it in a comedy as opposed to like, well, I think this is real life, quote unquote.
Phil
Yeah, I mean, yeah. I just. I just hate to think about how much of this is manufactured, you know, because of the show.
Will Friedle
Because, like, I want to believe that handjob's real.
Phil
I Just, I guess, like, you know, the idea that Lindsay is taking notes is that because she's thinking of herself as an actor in a show where she needs to keep track of her relationships to mention these kinds of things. Of course. Of course.
Will Friedle
She is, more than anybody else, has the main character syndrome, where it's like, also, I have a thing with anybody, guys, girls, anybody who clearly has trouble with relationships, telling other people how to do relationships.
Phil
That's so true.
Will Friedle
Just like, hey, maybe take care of the 19 people that have left you, as opposed to you telling me what I'm supposed to do.
Phil
I didn't even think about that relationship. I was reminded, you know, when I lived in New York, I went to a wedding, one of the earliest weddings I went to, because, you know, I was only in my early 20s when I lived in New York, and there was this friend, like, the couple was getting married in New Jersey, and they had their. Their. The brides. One of the bride's good friends was just one of those people that just managed to make everything about them and sure enough, managed to make the wedding day. I swear to God, dude, it was one of those things you're just like, she couldn't possibly make the wedding about. And sure enough, things were delayed. The bride was crying. Like, it was just one of those things that was like, this is insane. Like, you managed to make this about you. It's like, wow. And it's like, yeah, yeah. So I feel like there are some
Will Friedle
people that are just like that.
Phil
But that's the energy of a lot of these people. Yes. You know what I mean? And that's the kind of energy. Because you said main character energy. There's also just like, I guess this is drama queen energy. Right? Like, it's just like, they just make it about them. And, man. Well, who do you think they're gonna cast?
Will Friedle
They're not gonna cast people that are like, yeah, but I'm pretty self. You know, I'm a quiet guy. Don't really. Don't really fight in anybody. That's not good tv.
Phil
Well, Danielle comes over, asks Lindsay if they can get together and have lunch, which I think is pretty great. But I also am wondering how much the producers are like, now go talk her to. You know, she seems upset.
Will Friedle
She seems upset about you.
Phil
Exactly.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And that's the. That's. That. That's the story producing. And Lindsay just says she will think about it, but I bet it's gonna happen.
Will Friedle
Yeah. I'm telling you, it'll happen.
Phil
We'll see it.
Will Friedle
Hey, what do you think getting an Uber, getting a hand job in an Uber does to your rating? I'm just curious. Does it up the rating? Does it lower the rating? How does that work? I'm just curious.
Phil
You mean for being the driver or. Either one? You know, it really depends on the hand job. Will, you know, they're a cleanup fee producer. Maddie, is there a cleanup fee? Yikes. Oh, yeah. So many questions.
Will Friedle
Yeah. Was it an Uber Black? Because if it was one where you're sharing with other people, what's that one where everybody gets in that?
Phil
That's you.
Will Friedle
You're really. You're really kicking it up a notch.
Phil
Well, that's just sexual assault at that point. Exactly. That's just exposure to the population. Okay, we are then in Georgina's dermatology office in Tribeca, and this is what I did like about this. We get to see somebody working.
Will Friedle
Yeah. Someone has a job.
Phil
Georgina has a job. Yep. And yes, it seems like a pretty high classy, fancy pants job of giving Botox shots. But you know what? Seeing her in scrubs, I was like, okay, I like her more than almost anybody. I don't disagree at all. Which is totally superficial and not based on anything other than you work. I appreciate that you work. And then she manages to have, like, a cabinet where she keeps her, like, fancy outfits to be able to go out. It automatically like her more than anybody else. We'll see how that pans out. But just immediately, I was like, you know what? You're a mom. She's working. She's a mom. I like her vibe. I like her vibe. So they all go out. They go out with Lindsay and Yvonne after visiting Georgina. They at the dermatology office. They all go out. Lindsay films fills them in on the fact that Kyle charged Amanda back rent, which is seen in flashback, that Amanda paid Kyle $117,000 for three years of rent, which, I don't know, I was
Will Friedle
kind of like, again, it all. This is where you get part of the story.
Phil
If.
Will Friedle
If it's two different stories. If the story is they moved in together and she agreed to pay rent and never did, he has every right to do that.
Phil
Yes.
Will Friedle
If it's. You're moving in with me and I got it, and now we're breaking up, and now you owe me half, it's a completely different story.
Phil
But so true.
Will Friedle
They don't ever give you the story.
Phil
I know. And they are married. Right?
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Right.
Phil
That, like, at this point, I was like, oh, they're not. They must not be married. But Then they're at their wedding anniversary. So I was like, oh, they've. They're officially married. So it seems. You know, I've always found it very intense when people, like, keep their money totally separate after they get Marri. Maybe it's super healthy. I don't know. I just grew up with parents that like, shared everything, you know, and like, so I'm kind of old school in that way. I'm like, once you're married, you're one person.
Will Friedle
And so I think a hybrid is a better way than. Than getting every.
Phil
Maybe a hybrid.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
But then there are people they have completely separate.
Will Friedle
Right.
Phil
Like, it sounds like they might have.
Will Friedle
This is where we're getting behalf of a story. And it really comes down to pick sides of who you like based on no information. And it's like, that's what this show seems to me. We're going to give you partial information for each story now pick which team you're on. And it's like, but we don't know what the hell's going on.
Phil
Like, what, what's. What's actually happening. Yeah.
Will Friedle
So, yeah, I don't. Again, it's. It's two different stories. If he's just. He could easily just be a piece of I want 117 grand. Or he could be like, you told me you were going to pay me this money and now our business and
Phil
I let it endangered and now let
Will Friedle
it slide and now I need it
Phil
and you have it. So. Yeah.
Will Friedle
So you don't know which one of the. Which one it is.
Phil
All right. Well, interestingly, you get another story very quickly that I would argue could kind of be similar in that Yvonne tells her. He says that her husband Nick, who doesn't want to have a kid. She tells a story about flying off to San Diego without telling him and he didn't notice. She has a very funny line where she says she tells him he has to watch true crime documentaries because he would be the first person investigated if she disappeared. But I also would like very to your point. I was like, you didn't tell him you were taking off. And you live this life of privilege where you probably do go out and disappear at hotels with your girlfriends for nights. Why would he necessarily know where you are? You didn't tell him.
Will Friedle
I love how they just cut to him with the dog, just oblivious, like, looking around like, where's mom?
Phil
Hey, where's mom?
Will Friedle
That would be me.
Phil
But I mean, Jesus, talk about a lifestyle. Yeah, right. Like, you know, not like, yes, he didn't notice which maybe is a strike against him, but also that she could just fly across the country at a moment's notice that he wouldn't notice. Probably because they have so much money and help as far as, like, dog walkers and people cleaning up the house and whatever. They. The response, no responsibilities.
Will Friedle
That they. This is what I mean.
Phil
Not notice.
Will Friedle
Unhealthy relationships. I couldn't imagine either my wife or I taking off for any amount of time and not telling the other person. Yeah. Let alone the fact that you had another layer of. She did it as a test.
Phil
Yeah.
Will Friedle
Where it's like, I mean, yikes.
Phil
I know, I know. I don't like. I don't like tests, man.
Will Friedle
I don't like tests either.
Phil
I don't like tests. We talked about this on our Pod Meets World. Went into it with Topanga. Whether it was a tested Cor. I think she did, man.
Will Friedle
Yeah. I think she trapped him. I did, too.
Phil
It's a trap.
Will Friedle
It's a trap.
Phil
That's a Star wars reference for all our listeners who are much more in the City fans than Star wars fans. All right, Amanda and Kyle are out for drinks then for their wedding anniversary. So much drinking, having caviar and oysters and bringing their pregame. This is pregame. And he has to say this. Don't worry, we're going out to the real dinner. I'm like, my God, you probably just spent more on this meal than my wife and I did on all of our wedding anniversary.
Will Friedle
$900 in on apps. Yeah, go get a Bloomin Onion.
Phil
They're way better. Anyway, so Amanda says that they're celebrating that they made it to four years, despite everyone saying they could only make it to three, which is what you call damning with faint praise, man. I know.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And then Amanda says she's going to move out not to end the relationship, but to spend better time together.
Will Friedle
Throws this at him at the bar.
Phil
And that's where I. You know, this is where I was like, this guy. Like, this poor guy is. You know, I feel sorry for him. I mean, he sounds like he's not the best guy. Not the best husband. I don't love that he's out drinking till 4am yes, of course not. But, man, man, it's. I feel like he's really did not see this coming and should run for the hills.
Will Friedle
Yeah.
Phil
And by the hills, I don't mean the other reality show, by the way.
Will Friedle
I didn't know what to do with Will's segment. I did Will's. You know, the dance moves because obviously I was a scholar at dance. I did famous survivors, famous traitors from history. One of the things I was going to do was the most dramatic people in history. But I just don't feel there's one to do here. Here what? Okay, here's what I'm going to do. Every week, I'm going to start coming up with a drink to pair with the episode. Every week.
Phil
Nice. I like that.
Will Friedle
Because it seems like that's all they do is drink and talk. So we're going to start pairing it. So for this week, just for the
Phil
heck of it, are you going to have the drink while we're. Maybe. It depends. We sometimes record at like 3 in the afternoon.
Will Friedle
Well, then, yeah, we can't. Well, but, but for this one, obviously they were doing. They were doing smoky margaritas. So spicy smoky margarita is the one to pair with this one week's episode. Just. Just our start Wills. This is how you should drink while watching this show. Yeah, there you go. Spicy smoky margarita. There. There you are. Yikes.
Phil
All right. Well, you've been listening to Pod meets Twirled. The parties may end, the friendships may fracture, and the artisanal cocktails may lose their garnish, but our deeply overqualified analysis of televised social catastrophe will endure. Until next time, trap your smoking.
Kel Penn
Hey, everyone, it's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing, amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Will Friedle
Okay.
Phil
Rock, paper, scissors for it. Rock, paper, scissors.
Bethenny Frankel
Shoot.
Maddie
No.
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Phil
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
Podcast: Pod Meets World
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Air Date: May 23, 2026
Hosts: Will Friedle, Rider Strong, Producer Maddie
Duration: ~80 minutes (excluding ads and outros)
This episode marks the launch of the “Pod Meets Twirl’d: In The City” recap series, in which Boy Meets World alumni Will Friedle and Rider Strong (with producer Maddie) tackle Bravo’s brand-new “In The City”—a reality TV spin on the social lives and drama-fueled relationships of a group of young, affluent New Yorkers. Coming from a reality competition background, the hosts confront the differences in format and stakes, navigating through the scandalous webs, personal confessions, and “main character syndrome” of the show’s cast. The tone is witty, skeptical, and frequently philosophical, with tangents on class, reality TV authenticity, and even French philosophy.
| Time | Topic / Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 02:34 | Introduction to “In The City” and comparison to other reality TV | | 11:34 | Background on “the scandal” that informs the season | | 13:12 | Ethics of dating a friend’s ex—personal anecdotes | | 15:24 | Marriage and commitment in today's culture | | 18:29 | Discussion of “boy” and gendered language | | 21:26 | Wealth/class/“influencer” economy analysis | | 39:25 | “Simulacrum” and reality (Baudrillard) | | 28:34-54:02| Play-by-play through episode 1 plot beats, cast intros| | 68:16 | Lindsay’s friendship “notes” and keeping score | | 77:58 | Will’s new recurring drink pairing segment |
The hosts maintain a sardonic, curious, and gently self-deprecating tone. They oscillate between outright skepticism of the cast’s self-presentation and open curiosity about what draws people to watch interpersonal drama. They routinely question reality TV tropes, gently poke fun at their own age/out-of-touchness, and provide earnest philosophical and personal insights amidst the snark.
| Cast Member | Current Status | Notable Scandals / Notes | |-----------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------| | Amanda | Separated from Kyle | Hooked up with West; formerly with Kyle | | Kyle | CEO of Lover Boy; recently split | Accused of cheating (video evidence); business woes| | West | Dated Sierra, then Amanda | “Boy”/player rep | | Sierra | Formerly with West | Seen as loyal, unlikely to forgive betrayals | | Lindsay | Single mom; ex-fiancée | Noted as “main character;” maintains friendship notes| | Danielle | Dating Owen (6 months in) | Tension with Lindsay; hand job in Uber drama | | Whitney | Kenny’s girlfriend, ex-Bachelor | Called “a doll;” moved cross-country for Kenny | | Kenny | Venture capitalist | Financial backer of Lover Boy, ambiguous about commitment| | Georgina | Dermatologist, single mom | Praised for holding a real job | | Andrea / Lexi | Socialite couple | “Princess”/“castle wedding” angle | | Yvonne | Married to Nick | Joked about being “missing”; disconnect w/ husband | | Gavin | Bar owner | “Scene” impresario in the background | | Owen | Danielle’s boyfriend | Tennis date, talks of kids, foreign accent |
The episode combines episode-specific recap, meta-reality TV analysis, and philosophical tangents to critique and make sense of “In The City.” The central drama pivots on betrayals, emotional breakdowns, and class privilege, all dissected with both skepticism and empathy. The hosts promise recurring deep dives into both high and low culture, reliably pairing each shallow drama with a cocktail or a philosopher.
Listener Takeaway:
Whether you love or hate reality TV, the hosts’ blend of nostalgia, critique, and curiosity offer both a lively recap of “In The City’s” debut and a relatable look at why interpersonal trainwrecks capture our imagination.
Note: Timestamps exclude intro, ad breaks, and outros. For key segment locations, see above.