Pod Meets Twirl'd: Married at First Sight 2004 & 2005

Summary

Pod Meets World – “Pod Meets Twirl’d: Married at First Sight 2004 & 2005”

Release Date: July 31, 2026
Hosts: Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, Rider Strong
Podcast: Pod Meets World by iHeartPodcasts

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Overview

In this episode, Rider and Will take a detour from their signature "Boy Meets World" rewatch to dig into the world of "Married at First Sight" season 20. After musing in earlier seasons about whether arranged marriages could sometimes be successful, the duo now gamely recap and critique the latest episodes of the ultimate “meet cute” experiment—where strangers wed on first sight and try to make it work. Expect their trademark blend of humor, candid relationship analysis, and a heavy dose of reality TV skepticism.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why “Married at First Sight”?

• The hosts tease that what began as "riffing on arranged marriage" has turned into an on-air in-depth anthropological study of modern marriage, love, and relationship experiments.
• Will Friedle: “Apparently our producers were listening. So now we're watching Married at First Sight... a show where complete strangers meet at the altar, say 'I do,' and only then begin the awkward process of discovering whether they have anything whatsoever in common.” (02:25)

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2. Meet the Couples: Early Impressions

a. Marissa & Adam: “Team Jet Ski”

• Rider enthusiastically claims Adam as his new favorite: “Give him a good steak, a hot wife, and a jet ski, and he's Adam in his element.” (04:36)
• The hosts joke about Adam’s “Abercrombie vibes,” love for jet-skiing, laid-back attitude, and physical confidence.
• Memorable Moment: Adam is so chill, the hosts joke that “his first baby bottle was in a beer koozie.” (04:45)
• Marissa and Adam seem physically strong as a couple—both report the first-night experience was easy, and their chemistry is apparent.
• Will: “They should just get off the show at this point. Yes, we're done. Show them walking off into the sunset.” (24:41)

b. Sean & Nikki: “The Ick Factor”

• Will and Rider are torn—both like Sean and Nikki individually but see no romantic spark.
• Nikki is not physically attracted to Sean, and Sean’s “psychobabble” and intensity seem to make it worse.
• Rider: “She seems to have the ick. And that’s not something you can get over.” (06:56)
• Sean keeps making sexual references, wildly missing the comfort level Nikki wants: “Just knock it off. Let her take the lead in that stuff.” (12:27)
• Reflecting on the 18% show success rate, both believe “they do not stand a chance” (06:52)

c. Courtney & Nick

• Nick is quiet and analytical (an MIT grad and reality show veteran), but misses the mark on chemistry and fun.
• Courtney craves playfulness and physical affection—she bemoans, “I'm bored... I want to get pushed in the pool, anything... play!” (32:32)
• Will: "She's definitely wanting a little more entertainment.” (13:54)
• Nick seems oblivious, sincerely convinced, “he and Courtney are vibing emotionally” while Courtney is “not into him.” (54:25)

d. Felipe & Tori: Cuddly But Different

• Felipe and Tori are physically affectionate and comfortable, but their differences (her Christianity vs. his atheism, her history of being cheated on vs. his past infidelity) prompt early, honest discussions.
• Tori to Felipe: “She asks if it will be difficult to be monogamous, and he says, 'I don't think so.'” (17:03)
• Will: “He’s very precise... he won’t say ‘I’m definitely gonna, you know, be able to be [monogamous].’” (17:20)
• Religion and dog allergies come up as surprises—and both hosts praise the couple for tackling big compatibility questions early.

e. Caitlyn & Devin

• Initially dubbed “the best couple”, their connection erodes as Caitlyn closes off after the honeymoon and struggles with communication.
• The hosts speculate this might be rooted in Caitlyn’s “pattern” of relationships, influenced by her father’s treatment:
  • Will: “She's used to assholes who treat her poorly... a pattern probably started by her dad.” (35:10)
• Devin is left confused as Caitlyn becomes withdrawn, and “abandons” him at the gym without explanation (47:05), feeding into a theme about emotional patterns and independence.

f. Belja Lee & Mecca

• Early promise as “best friends,” but physical and romantic chemistry is questioned by Mecca, who says he’s only 60-80% attracted to her—"kind of brutal and out of nowhere."
• Both hosts empathize, particularly feeling for her in the awkward, candid exchange.

g. Michelle & Cameron

• Michelle’s medical history (fibroids, needing surgery before kids) is revealed in a sensitive, honest conversation—luckily, Cameron’s sister was adopted, making the option more acceptable.
• However, practical issues arise: Michelle wants to stay near her parents in Seattle for family-raising; Cameron’s coaching job is more nomadic.
• Will: “He said it like, yeah. And it's not his fault. I mean, this is obviously... but it was definitely a moment I noticed. I'm like, oh, you are not 100% on board yet. Because if you were 100% on board, you'd say, 'We.'” (65:12)

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3. Experimenting with Intimacy, Expectations, and Communication

• Will and Rider analyze, sometimes debate, the nature of monogamy, patterns in choosing partners, and how reality TV amplifies/complicates getting to know someone.
• Will: “The whole point of getting married is that it's not easy to be monogamous.” (18:19)
• Rider responds: “I think the point of being married is you found the person you want to be monogamous with forever.” (18:23)

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4. Honeymoon Group Dynamics: Comparisons and Chemistry

• The couples finally gather as a group, size up each other’s bonds and physical affection.
• Felipe and Courtney draw sparks, and the hosts note Courtney’s instant “banter and chemistry” with Felipe—“more than she does with Nick.” (49:04)
• Rider: “This is the first opportunity for couples to equate themselves... You are—you're judging it against all the other people that are around.” (48:32)
• Physical affection, banter, and “vibing” are openly discussed and compared (and, for some, lead to awkward embarrassment).

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5. Stand-Out Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Will on Adam: “Give him a good steak, a hot wife, and a jet ski, and he's Adam in his element.” (04:36)
• Rider on Sean & Nikki: “She seems to have the ick. And that's not something you can get over.” (06:56)
• On monogamy:
  • Will: “If it's easy to be monogamous, it's not an accomplishment.” (18:15)
  • Rider: “I find it incredibly easy to be monotonous.” (18:15)
• On reality TV group comparisons:
  • Rider: “This is also the first opportunity for couples to equate themselves to where they are to where the other couples are... You’re judging it against all the other people.” (48:32)
• On awkward attraction levels:
  • Belja Lee tells Mecca she is at 150% attraction; he says he’s only at 80% (“then he readjusts to a 60, 80 ratio”). (81:15)
• Adam delivers the line: “Bro,” even about his own crotch, and the hosts relish every time it comes up. (84:34)

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6. Themes and Big Takeaways

• Compatibility is complex: Religion, family structure, communication styles, and physical chemistry all matter, and sometimes surface much later than anticipated.
• Communication makes or breaks couples: Whether it’s about needing space or how to approach intimacy, almost every couple’s biggest hurdle is articulating wants honestly and clearly.
• Married at First Sight is a wild social experiment: The hosts consistently return to the fact that these are real marriages, with lasting stakes—not just a dating show.
• Self-awareness is rare: Several participants are oblivious to their own effect on partners—Nick thinks he and Courtney are “vibing,” Sean can’t read Nikki’s discomfort, Caitlyn struggles to break old emotional patterns, and so on.

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Notable Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro & show premise: 02:25
• Rider switches favorite couple to Adam & Marissa: 04:03
• Sean & Nikki’s communication struggle: 06:07-07:12
• Courtney & Nick’s lack of spark: 08:05-08:45, 32:32
• Felipe & Tori’s religion/cheating conversation: 15:09-17:18
• Monogamy Debate (Will vs. Rider): 17:48-19:26
• Group pool meetup – comparisons begin: 48:06–49:33
• Adam & Marissa's “Achieved Sex” moment: 50:54–51:46
• Awkward relationship admissions (Mecca/Belja Lee, Caitlin/Devin, Sean/Nikki): 81:03–82:55, 86:35–86:54
• Caitlyn & Devin experience emotional distance: 46:49–47:53, 76:48–78:31
• Rider’s arranged marriage historical fun fact: 87:06–87:55

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Tone & Style

• True to form, Rider and Will keep the banter quick, sarcastic, and self-deprecating—often poking fun at themselves as much as at the show.
• The analysis mixes heartfelt empathy (especially for contestants stuck in bad patterns or facing emotional hurdles) with reality TV snark and an "older brother" sensibility.
• The episode mixes deep dives (psychology of monogamy, group dynamics) with running jokes (Adam's jet ski obsession, the frequency of “bro,” awkward poolside moments).
• The hosts’ sincerity comes through when discussing issues like anxiety, attraction, past relationships, and what makes relationships truly work—or not.

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Final Thoughts

“Pod Meets Twirl’d: Married at First Sight 2004 & 2005” is a lively, funny, occasionally poignant breakdown of both the show and the social science of matchmaking. Will Friedle and Rider Strong are never mean-spirited, but their honest reactions (“She’s got the ick”; “Just have a conversation, man”; “Monogamy is hard!”) add a critical, relatable edge for fans and reality TV skeptics alike.

This episode is not just for “Married at First Sight” fans—it’s an intelligent, hilarious reflection on how people connect, fall short, and sometimes surprise each other in love, all under the wildest possible circumstances.

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Transcript

[Rider Strong]

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[Will Friedle]

Welcome to POD meets Twirl, a podcast that began with Dancing with the Stars, wandered through castles, survived beaches, and spent an entire season debating the social hierarchy of cocktail parties. Along the way, Will and I riffed on what I thought was an entirely hypothetical maybe arranged marriage isn't the worst idea. Well, apparently our producers were listening. So now we're watching married at first sight, season 20, a show where complete strangers meet at the altar, say I do, and only then begin the awkward process of discovering whether they have anything whatsoever in common. We are Will friedle, who loves, love and believes marriage should be about the marriage, not the wedding, and Rider Strong, who loves love and made one observation about arranged marriage and is now being forced to defend it for an entire television season. Join us as experts, therapists, family members, and complete strangers all attempt the oldest social experiment in human history with confessionals. This is podmates twirled. All or nothing. So many penguins. So many penguins.

[Rider Strong]

I'm feeling great. I love this show. I do. I absolutely love this show.

[Will Friedle]

I love this show, too. I find it educational. I find it interesting. I like people. Even the people I don't like, I kind of like.

[Rider Strong]

Yep.

[Cal Penn]

So.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, we're gonna talk about that this week.

[Will Friedle]

I know, man.

[Rider Strong]

We're gonna talk about that this week. I got a new favorite couple.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, no. You love Marissa and Adam, don't you?

[Cal Penn]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Marissa and Adam are so great. You're team vocal fry. Is that what you.

[Rider Strong]

Bro.

[Martha Stewart]

Bro?

[Will Friedle]

Are you team vocal fry, babe, he's the best. Hell, officially the best because he found his partner.

[Rider Strong]

I did.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, so that's how you do arranged marriage. You just don't be that bright, don't have many expectations in life, don't read and like jet skiing. And then you're gonna find somebody who's like, hey, we're hot. How hot are we? How hot are we?

[Rider Strong]

They're awesome together. I love him so much. Even the man, Dr. Jonathan Jet Ski, who created the jet ski, does not love jet skiing as much as Adam loves jet ski. Phenomenal. To watch this man's obsession with something as. As ridiculous as give him a good

[Will Friedle]

steak, a hot wife, and a jet ski, and he's Adam in his element. Put on those socks and go down the water slide. Yes.

[Rider Strong]

It's like in his original. His first baby bottle was in a beer koozie. Like, I love it. It's awesome. This guy's the best.

[Will Friedle]

All right, Adam's your new favorite.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

All right.

[Will Friedle]

Episode four begins with Cameron and Michelle. She's saying, I wasn't scared all night sleeping with my husband to be. I felt like that was just the tiniest accomplishment. Like, I wasn't scared. I didn't call my mom.

[Rider Strong]

Sleeping there with a knife like this, just wide away.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Who is.

[Ray Porter]

What's going on?

[Rider Strong]

It's like the Misery house.

[Will Friedle]

Like you do. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And Adam, they. They're discussing that. They are. She says, you're a good cuddle. And he's been training for this.

[Rider Strong]

He's training for this. He's training.

[Will Friedle]

And I love that. She takes the piss out of, says, oh, you've been training with your guy friends?

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. And he's like, yeah. Oh, guys, they're perfect together.

[Will Friedle]

They're perfect together. I know. He asked her what the ideal day is. She says, napping.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Okay.

[Will Friedle]

These two are gonna go the distance.

[Rider Strong]

He doesn't want to nap, so. Because he's. He's always got to be going. So when she's napping for a couple hours, he'll be ripping the jet Skis.

[Will Friedle]

Ripping the jet Skis. Work, bro.

[Rider Strong]

It's gonna work.

[Will Friedle]

Sean and Nikki in the morning, he brings her coffee, compliments her, and he says the thing that I think we are all feeling, especially her, that he needs to back up. And they start laughing. But she's not attracted to him physically. Damn this.

[Rider Strong]

Watching the two of them together, watching this relationship is because I really like both of them. I do, too. I do, too. They're not right together, though.

[Will Friedle]

It sucks, man.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Just.

[Rider Strong]

He's a little. A little too psychobabble relationship buzzword for me.

[Will Friedle]

Well, she says it later that you're interviewing me, and he is.

[Rider Strong]

He is. It's like, you all need to relax a little. But I like them both.

[Will Friedle]

I'm still thinking maybe. Maybe there's some possible they could turn

[Rider Strong]

it around, because I think turn it around?

[Will Friedle]

These shows, you know, that's the story. Right? But if I think about the fact that there's an 18% success rate on this show and that's the reality from last season, then, no, I don't think they stand a chance.

[Rider Strong]

No, I. I don't either.

[Will Friedle]

I just don't know if you can get. She seems to have the ick.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, she does, 100%.

[Will Friedle]

And that's not something you can get over.

[Rider Strong]

Nope.

[Will Friedle]

You can get over being bored. You can get over being like. Like not knowing somebody and wanting to know more or needing to know more. But in this case, she seems genuinely repulsed by him.

[Rider Strong]

I agree with you 100%.

[Will Friedle]

And that's like. Just don't know, you know, if you don't like this, like, the sound of somebody chewing.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, that's never going away. No, that's never going away. Yeah, I agree. And I kind of switched because at first I was like, I don't think she's going to Give him a chance, I don't think. And he's going to try, and I'm going to love him so much. And halfway through, I got a little bit of the ick with him where I was like, okay, man, it's a

[Will Friedle]

little much at this point. I was like, I'm still. But yeah, we'll get into it later. It's like just. He just can't back off. The sex thing.

[Rider Strong]

No, that and there. But it's also, again, like, the. There does come off, like, a constant psychobabble. Like, I hear you and I'm present in our. And I want to make sure your foundation, it's like, dude, just be. Just be normal. Just be normal. Like, so. Yeah, it's been. It's rough, but still loving my Felipe and Torre. I'm so into this show, by the way.

[Will Friedle]

All right, we got to Courtney and Nick in the morning. He takes his clothes off in the night, which didn't seem like to bother her, but she's not, quote, super lovey, touchy feely.

[Rider Strong]

How. How are you? I'm curious, in your life, do you like a lovey, touchy feely kind of partner?

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, me too.

[Will Friedle]

Not in bed at night.

[Rider Strong]

No.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

No.

[Will Friedle]

Interestingly, at night.

[Rider Strong]

Don't touch me.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I'm like, I don't want to be hot. I don't want to be like, you know, some people are, like, wrapped around each other. I'm like, no, I want you to be in bed, but as far away from me.

[Rider Strong]

I agree. I agree with you a thousand percent.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

But I mean, like, sitting around, like a hug, a kiss on the neck, a slap on the ass when you're walking by in the kitchen. You know, I like. I like the physical affection, I think is important, too. Yeah. Maddie just wrote an otphj. Thank you. Yes.

[Cal Penn]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

An otp.

[Will Friedle]

An occasional otph.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. That's what makes an Uber ride an Uber ride. Everybody knows that. But, yeah, I could see how that's hard when one person wants to be touched and caressed and the other person's like, I'm not into that. That would be. That would be a difficult combination. I can see that.

[Will Friedle]

Well, Felipe and Tori seem to be equally cuddly. Same thing as I said last episode, the way that they're lying back together.

[Rider Strong]

Yes. I thought about that after you said it.

[Will Friedle]

And you see it.

[Rider Strong]

They're just so comfortable. Yep. It's like.

[Will Friedle]

And they both do it without, like, it's. They're just. And.

[Rider Strong]

Yep.

[Will Friedle]

I don't know. This is. Yeah. So they're already, like, curled up together.

[Rider Strong]

They're still. I still don't.

[Will Friedle]

About the cameras still.

[Rider Strong]

My money's on those two.

[Will Friedle]

Pretty cool. Belgian Lee and Mecca. They talk about how he feels like he's kicking it with his best friend. She does too. She wants to wear matching outfits already. We'll see where this goes.

[Rider Strong]

They look great together. I mean, they do look like they were cast to be together. They're stunning together. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And then Devin and Caitlyn. This has been quite a journey, this couple, because at this point in this episode, I was like, oh, my God. I would have put money.

[Rider Strong]

This.

[Will Friedle]

This is the best couple.

[Rider Strong]

That's what I thought to remember. You were like, this is my couple.

[Will Friedle]

And right here. They're both very touchy. You know, they didn't expect to hook up last night, so. Meaning they probably did. And then watching them eat. They eat the same.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Like, they. I don't know. Like. But then she comments on his chewing later. And I was like, what?

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Oh. But watching them right now, they.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. Something's going on with. With her.

[Will Friedle]

I know.

[Rider Strong]

I don't know what it is, but something's going on with her.

[Will Friedle]

Do you think is.

[Rider Strong]

Do you think that's what it is?

[Will Friedle]

Dude, I think it's her dad. Like, we saw her dad. I think it's just the way her dad treated her, the way her. I think something weird. And, like, it's too bad, like.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Because they're. They have chemistry.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

These two are kind of perfect for each other. And it's like, what does she want somebody who, like, shows her affection and then treats her like crap?

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Because that's what her dad probably did.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. So the thing is all about him, that this was. Caitlyn more than anybody else on this show to. Was a completely different person after she got married than she was before she got married. Completely different.

[Will Friedle]

I would say within the course of the honeymoon. Right. Within days. So at this point in the story, in this point of the episode, she. I was like, dude, they're having the best time. They're gonna have such a fun vacation. And then it just got progressive.

[Rider Strong]

She seems like a completely different person than the person she was when we first. All right.

[Will Friedle]

We get a montage of everybody packing, and then we see Sean and Nikki as the first couple to arrive at this Mexican resort, which was giving me White Lotus vibes.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, a little bit.

[Will Friedle]

And Sean and Nikki, I noticed that they. This is. They started like, we're going on vacation. Like, they kept going high.

[Rider Strong]

Everything's Going out.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, we're happy. We're happy. Such a sign. Guys, don't, don't.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

You're.

[Will Friedle]

You're trying too hard. Yeah, like.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, exactly.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. They're all like, we're gonna be taking naps and having drinks. And Sean says, taking our clothes off.

[Cal Penn]

Shaun.

[Will Friedle]

Sean, you just said.

[Rider Strong]

Sean back.

[Will Friedle]

You just said you were gonna back off. And then he's like, appropriately taking our clothes off.

[Rider Strong]

She's like, okay.

[Will Friedle]

And banding suits. Jesus.

[Rider Strong]

He is. He's that guy who's just like, yeah, come on, we're going to brunch.

[Will Friedle]

And boobies.

[Rider Strong]

And it's like, okay.

[Will Friedle]

Finger banging. Nobody was talking about it. It's like, what are you doing?

[Cal Penn]

What?

[Will Friedle]

He was talking about, what are you doing, dude?

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And then the oral sex.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

It's like, what are.

[Rider Strong]

You're making this awful for her. Like, truly. Just knock it off. Let her take the lead in that stuff. Just let her take the lead in that stuff. It's obviously what's going to have to happen. It's all going to be at her pace. Just let her take the lead with that stuff.

[Will Friedle]

Meanwhile, Courtney and Nick. He can't open a bottle. Buff ass. Courtney could do it easily.

[Rider Strong]

She's like snapped the thing and then bit the glass bottle in half and poured it into his glass. Yeah, it was like, holy shit. Yeah, it was great.

[Will Friedle]

Then he tries to make a drink with this shaker. Just. He's like, look at this form. And immediately screws it up. That's the thing.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, by the way,

[Will Friedle]

so, yeah, we

[Rider Strong]

talked about how this guy has been on like five or six reality shows.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

You know, this is. He has very little personality coming through for somebody who's been on five or six reality shows. And so I'm. I'm kind of going, what has he

[Will Friedle]

been on those other reality shows? I wonder, has he been like the sort of straight man while, like, crazier people have been around him?

[Rider Strong]

I don't know.

[Will Friedle]

I was surprised. Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Did you see that? He commented on our post. So. Yeah, but it's one of those things where it was like, usually if you want to be a reality show guy, you've got this big bubbly kind of personality. And there's times where. And they. Maybe they. Again, it's a reality show, which means none of it's real. So maybe they just took a couple awkward moments where they weren't having a conversation, then cut it in to make it look like they couldn't have a conversation. But he doesn't seem to Be very engaging.

[Will Friedle]

She's definitely wanting a little more entertainment.

[Rider Strong]

Yes. And she wants fun. And she's like, push me in the pool.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Throw a pie.

[Will Friedle]

I'm still optimistic. I'm. You know, because I am. I think he's just uncomfortable. Like, I think he's a little too maybe, you know, coming into this show in particular, he thinks he has to be a sort of leading man energy. Do you know what I mean? Because he talks later about how the fact that he was. He's like. He's a scientist. Right. Or he's.

[Rider Strong]

Somebody went to mit. Yeah, he was the one who went to mit. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So he talks about how he had, like, more of an entertainer, sort of Jim Carrey vibe among his friends. And that's not what's coming through.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

So I'm. But I think maybe it's there, you know, he just hasn't. He's not comfortable for whatever reason, which maybe is because of the couple, not the cameras. I don't know.

[Rider Strong]

That's the thing is you would think he would be the most comfortable.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Like, the.

[Rider Strong]

The reality show is second half. It's like, I don't. I don't even need to deal with the reality show. I just need to deal with this because I'm so used to reality show that it's just about the relationship. And it doesn't seem like that at all. And she's still arguably my favorite of all of, like, I really like Courtney. And so it seems like she wants. She's like, just, let's have some fun.

[Martha Stewart]

Let's do something.

[Rider Strong]

And it doesn't seem to be there. I don't know.

[Will Friedle]

Well, Felipe and Tori are eating outside.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Love them.

[Will Friedle]

Kissing deeply.

[Cal Penn]

Love them.

[Will Friedle]

This interesting scene. He brings up religion, which seems like something that I. They would all have talked about or should probably talk about. And it's interesting. It hasn't come up on this entire season so far. And she says that she is Christian and that she prays and has a relationship with God. And he says he grew up Catholic and then kind of drops the bombshell, which I was not expecting.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

I wasn't.

[Will Friedle]

And he's an atheist.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I didn't see this coming. This is so interesting because I would have just assumed, you know, he has this, like, sort of traditional Brazilian family and he was raised Catholic, that that's part of the community and the sense of, like, you know, I don't know.

[Rider Strong]

Gather.

[Will Friedle]

I don't know. I just would have assumed that he is a religious guy.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So this is super interesting. And it's fat. It's fascinating that they. The. The wedding or the matchmakers didn't kind of account for this or plan for this. So she asked him how does he feel about kids being baptized? And he says, this great life. That's just a baby going into water.

[Rider Strong]

Something you would say, maybe going into water.

[Will Friedle]

It's just a baby going into water, but.

[Rider Strong]

Okay, you know.

[Will Friedle]

But he also seems like he's open to it for her. Well, yeah, he's not gonna be a. Like, you know. And so I was impressed also with how the rest of this two next two episodes played out. It doesn't seem like this is gonna be a stumbling block, but it also seems.

[Rider Strong]

I think it bodes well that they're having these conversations. It seems like they're having the real conversations you need to have early in a relationship. It's like, if you're. If you find out eight months from now that one of you wants four kids and one of you wants none, that's a problem. So having these kind of, what's your religion? How do you want to raise children?

[Will Friedle]

These two episodes kept, like, slamming into my face is like, oh, my God.

[Martha Stewart]

Right?

[Will Friedle]

They don't know what it's like to live with each other. Like, that's so intense.

[Martha Stewart]

No.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, my God. You have three cats. I'm horribly allergic to cats. I mean, like, you never know the stuff that's going to happen.

[Will Friedle]

They talk about their dogs later. Right. They have to, like, get along with each other's dogs.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

That's so crazy.

[Rider Strong]

But I feel like they're the ones that are like, let's. Let's talk about these things now.

[Will Friedle]

Right? And they move right into the fact that she was cheated on. And he admits to cheating before when he made out with a girl and forgot about it. She asks if it will be difficult to be monogamous. And he says, I don't think so.

[Rider Strong]

Weird answer.

[Cal Penn]

No.

[Will Friedle]

Here's the thing about Felipe that I'm learning. He's very precise. I think he's actually smarter than he comes across. Do you know what I mean?

[Rider Strong]

I think he's a smart guy.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. But I don't like, he.

[Rider Strong]

I.

[Will Friedle]

There was something about him in the first couple episodes. He was kind of like the goofy, you know, funny. Funny, Right. But I think he's actually. He's like.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

He.

[Will Friedle]

He won't say. I'm definitely gonna, you know, be able to be like. It's because she didn't ask him, are you going to be monogamous?

[Ray Porter]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

She asked him do you think it's going to be difficult?

[Martha Stewart]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

And he's being honest. Like, he's being, you know, nuanced about it, I guess. You know, he's saying, like, weird question,

[Rider Strong]

decide to be nuanced about, though, when you're with your new wife. Yeah. Is it going to be hard to be monogamous?

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

No.

[Rider Strong]

Does size matter? No. It's just. He answers certain things right away, bro.

[Will Friedle]

No, I would be honest about this because I think the point of marriage is that monogamy is difficult. I think there's truth in that. I don't think it's. Yes, it's not easy to be monogamous. If it's easy to be monogamous, it's not an accomplishment.

[Rider Strong]

I find it incredibly easy to be monotonous.

[Will Friedle]

It is not. No, come on.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

The whole point.

[Will Friedle]

The whole point of getting married is that it's not easy to be monogamous.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, see, I disagree entirely. I think the point of being married is you found the person you want to be monogamous with forever and all that other ridiculous dating. Having to sleep with other people, taking your clothes off for the first time in front of them, which makes you nervous. All that's gone.

[Will Friedle]

That's eating, that's sleepy. That's actually activating it. But the idea that you might like somebody else or be attracted to somebody else and that you're not going to feel attraction or feel interest in other.

[Rider Strong]

Finding an attraction to somebody else doesn't mean you're not being monogamous. It's the idea that.

[Will Friedle]

But it's a difficulty.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, see, yeah. There's nothing difficult in that for me. I'm sorry. There just isn't. I've never had. Never once had a moment when I've been with another girl when I'm in a committed relationship where I'm like, oh, my God, what am I going to do? Am I maybe going to cheat? Am I making. Never once has that ever happened.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

No.

[Will Friedle]

That's interesting, because to me, the whole point is that monogamy is slightly like a challenge, because that's why it's an accomplishment. Because you stay together. Because that's, like, great.

[Rider Strong]

In spite of wanting to be with other people.

[Will Friedle]

Well, just. Yes. Because naturally monogamy is not, like, natural. I don't think, like. I think naturally you want to sleep with a bunch of different people in your life.

[Rider Strong]

You know? You know, what's interesting is it might have something to do with my anxiety where it's literally like the idea that all that's Gone is hugely relaxing to me. So to me, monogamy is a wonderful thing.

[Will Friedle]

I actually agree. Like, the idea of dating and, like, it seems exhausting and miserable. Also, the idea of cheating seems like the idea of, like, having to manage more than one person, like a one, one, one schedule and keep it a secret is a nightmare to me. So, no, like, in reality, like, I'm not tempted whatsoever in that sense, but in the sense of, like, am I attracted to other people? Oh, sure. Is the idea of sleeping with, like, a bunch of different people interesting? Yes, of course.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. See, that's never been my way. Yeah, I've never. I couldn't.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

It's.

[Rider Strong]

It's. I get anxious with that shit. So it's like, oh my God, thank God I found my person. I don't have to deal with any of that shit anymore. So attracted to my wife. All the stuff I want to do with, quote unquote, with other people, I just get to do with you and I don't have to worry about that anymore. I love that. Yeah, I absolutely love that.

[Cal Penn]

Hey, everyone, it's Cal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections. And it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point, it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too.

[Cal Penn]

Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Spanish Language Advertiser]

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[Will Friedle]

All right, we get Marissa and Adam on the beach.

[Martha Stewart]

He.

[Will Friedle]

He asked her if she, she's ever modeled. But you know, it's just a way for him to get.

[Rider Strong]

Come on you mod before you model.

[Will Friedle]

Before just you could do that. Now ask. And she just goes, you give Abercrombie vibes. They get their iced coffee and then I'm glad she says the drinking, the not drinking thing isn't bothering her, which is so great. He talks about being able to toss her Around.

[Rider Strong]

Take a sip of this, sir. Alcohol in this.

[Cal Penn]

Awkward.

[Will Friedle]

Chuckles. Yes, they had sex. They're perfect for each other. They should just get off the show at this point. Yes, we're done. Show them walking off into the sunset.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, my God. Sponsored by Jet Ski.

[Will Friedle]

Maybe it'll turn. Yeah, maybe she'll. Maybe it's the honeymoon period, though.

[Rider Strong]

I don't know.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

He.

[Rider Strong]

They instantly. He went from being are you kidding me with this douche? To I can't wait till Adams comes back on screen again. I love him so much.

[Will Friedle]

All right, Michelle and Cameron are on the couch. He wants to be able to talk about struggles. And so she gets emotional and talks about her fibroids issue.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

She had her surgery at 26. She's gonna need surgery again. It's gonna mean that they have to plan and ahead for the kids because she has to wait like time after.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

She has a surgery. She's accepted that it would be okay to adopt. And luckily his sister is adopted. So this seems like a good call.

[Rider Strong]

Great call. Matchmakers. I write when he said that again, and I think we knew that before, but when, right when it happened again, it was like, oh, that's right.

[Will Friedle]

All the people to.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

You know that adoption might be a challenge.

[Martha Stewart]

No.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

He seems open to it.

[Martha Stewart]

Great.

[Will Friedle]

Mecca and Beljo Lee having drinks at the bar. She checks in to see how they're doing. Both feeling well.

[Rider Strong]

I'm worried he's too young.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

I know.

[Rider Strong]

Emotionally, it just seems like he might be a little young for marriage. Like, are they gonna. I could see them. Literally. I know this sounds crazy. I could see them being like, we've decided not to stay married, but we're gonna keep dating. Like, I could see that happening. I just. He seems a little young for me.

[Will Friedle]

Me.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Well, they, I. I just felt like in this scene, they over talked how great they're doing. Like, you know how like people just. We're having such a good time. Yeah, we're having such a good time. We're so, we're having so. And then they're so excited to get to meet other people, which also I was like, oh, are you guys already a little like. Or is one of you already.

[Rider Strong]

I wonder.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I wonder. Caitlyn and Devon have dinner. He brings up her dad, says, your dad seems like a funny guy. Which I thought is the understatement of the year.

[Rider Strong]

Jeff.

[Will Friedle]

And she says her parents repaired well after any fighting, which I, I liked and I thought it's a good sentiment, but doesn't seem to Play out in their story later on. Nikki and Sean in a little bungalow. He is complimenting her body. She is not saying the same. He says he's happy with his dad bod strips off his shirt, and she says to the camera and confessional that she never saw herself at the guy with the dad bod, especially without the dad.

[Rider Strong]

She did. She did say, though, which. Which is nice, that she did start by saying she loves his confidence.

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Rider Strong]

Because as somebody like me, who's always been super, kind of not disgusted is not the right word, but turned off by my own body, I never feel like I'm in shape, and I never want to take my shirt off. I envy men like that that are like, what do I care? I'm taking my shirt off and feeling the sun on my chest.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yeah. And this is the thing. I like Sean a lot.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Me too.

[Will Friedle]

Me too. I'm always like, dude, you're great. But, yeah, he just doesn't have this, like, that's. And that's why the part of me is still optimistic, because he really just doesn't seem to.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

It's.

[Will Friedle]

It's a little, like, spectrumy. You know what I mean? Like, the way he is. And I think it's one of those things, maybe he could just learn, like, maybe. Maybe learn the skills.

[Rider Strong]

I think you said it right, though. I think once, especially a woman has the ick. I think getting over that is a very, very, very tough thing. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. He compliments her looks, and she says she saw this gorgeous audience, which he highlights. He's like, the way you said gorgeous, I thought maybe.

[Rider Strong]

I thought you were gonna say me.

[Will Friedle]

She's not there yet.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Ray Porter]

Okay.

[Will Friedle]

He asks her about her growth, and this is one of his first, like, sort of therapy psychobabble questions. When she tries to answer, he, like, kind of says, but that. I asked you about your growth. It gets very precise. And like, yes. She says she feels like she's being interviewed and that this is, like, an academic thing.

[Rider Strong]

Says things to her like, yeah, you. You didn't actually answer the question. What I said was. I'm like, wait, are you. Is she on trial?

[Will Friedle]

At this point? He needs to just chill out. Chill.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

It's weird. And he does. He keeps trying to hit the buzzwords that you hear on Instagram all the time of, like, you know, this is what I'm supposed to be talking about. I hear you. I've processed what it's like. Oh, God, just have a conversation.

[Will Friedle]

I've taken the time to process your yes.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, it's Too much. It's too much.

[Will Friedle]

Then we get some phone footage of all the couples hanging out. I guess they're just constantly filming themselves in case something comes out of it.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. Yeah. I think it's kind of like, hey, when we're not here, do a. You have to do a. I'm guessing in contractual, you have to do a 15 minute, blah, blah, blah, every kind of thing.

[Will Friedle]

And then we get Courtney and Nick on the beach awkwardly not sure what to do with themselves. We could play basketball.

[Rider Strong]

You want to swim out there to the fat. I'm not swimming. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

How about just sitting here talking, throw

[Rider Strong]

sand at each other, make a castle,

[Will Friedle]

just have a conversation.

[Rider Strong]

It's so awkward.

[Will Friedle]

Then we get a fake out of Felipe and Tori. Are they having sex? Nope. They're just moaning because they're eating a lot.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Then they pick up on their sort of cheating conversation because she wants someone who was loyal. And she tells this pretty entertaining story of being cheated on. How she got a message from the side chick, moved out while her boyfriend was away.

[Rider Strong]

And then they. She and the side girl.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

They're like, man, yeah, but that's got to hurt, man. Like that's. That's got to make you so super so. And that's so different than what. I mean, I would say that's different than what Felipe is talking about when he cheated.

[Martha Stewart]

Like.

[Will Friedle]

Like it sounds like he had a one night thing, you know, like he and only kissed. Yeah. He made out with somebody probably under the influence of alcohol or whatever. But in her story, it was like an ongoing thing with another. That's horrible.

[Rider Strong]

How do you.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, that can ruin.

[Rider Strong]

Devastates you on so many levels. It's like, okay, you've destroyed my trust. I can't believe anything. And you can't to me anymore. Yeah, that's. That's really dangerous. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I hope Felipe's sensitive.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Sensitive to that.

[Rider Strong]

I think he will be.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Belja Lee and Mecca are on a boat talking about their outfits, which are matching greens. She brings up their friendship and she says this thing she want. She's wondering if their friendship is outweighing their romance. But he thinks it's natural. She likes a man to lead.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And not keep checking.

[Rider Strong]

It's such a. It's such a dance, dude.

[Will Friedle]

I know. And he's not making the moves.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Basically.

[Will Friedle]

It's like it seems like he has not, you know, and she's ready. She's ready for some kissing and some touching and something physical. Super interesting. But I don't know at this point, I was also just like, is it the cameras? Like, is he nervous about the cameras being there? Because that would kind of be weird too, you know? Like, I don't know if I would be super ready to, like, how many

[Rider Strong]

times you kissed on camera.

[Will Friedle]

But with my wife, like, if I. If a camera was following me and my wife around, I pro. I'd hold her hand. Right. But I don't think I'd be macking on my wife on camera. Like, I don't like doing PDAs. Like, we do it when we're alone. Yeah. We like, have a private moment, like on the way. You know, we pass each other or something. Or at a party. We don't do it at, like, a table at a party. You know, I feel like if a camera crew were following us around, capturing our normal life, even if we were like, on a boat, I don't know if I'd be making out with my wife on.

[Rider Strong]

I. I kind of agree with you. I also think he's right, though, and. Or she's right. If. Especially right at the beginning, if you're not careful, you get. You can friend each other so fast.

[Will Friedle]

Well, it seems like it's happening. I mean, because what he. When he says later. I know.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Courtney. Nick at poolside and chairs. Awkward talk.

[Rider Strong]

Nick, come on, buddy. Something. Pull out Trivial Pursuit cards, something.

[Will Friedle]

Do you want to go in the pool, get a drink?

[Rider Strong]

And then I'd be down.

[Will Friedle]

She says to her camera or confessional, I am bored.

[Martha Stewart]

I'm bored.

[Will Friedle]

She already says it. She wants to get pushed in the pool. Anything play. I mean, at this point, just have some drinks, which they do, which is maybe gonna help. And this is where he talks about how his artistic artsy side came out via reality shows, which I'm like, really? You're an entertaining guy. And sound. Right? Reality shows.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Something's really missing for her.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. You forget, the guy went to mit. So he probably has an engineering analytical kind of mind.

[Martha Stewart]

Right.

[Rider Strong]

Which might not lend its. Which is why the. You think the balance of being on a reality show open him up to being far more goofy and get. But he's.

[Will Friedle]

It's really.

[Rider Strong]

I mean, this was. This was kind of rough.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

He's fallen asleep during his interview when the producers are like, are you. Are you okay? But he thinks everything's going to. Going great.

[Martha Stewart]

He's very.

[Rider Strong]

It's like he was bitten by a mosquito and got something where he's just like, dozing in the chair and everything. It's like, dude, Come on.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

All right.

[Will Friedle]

Then we get Caitlyn and Devin jumping into a swimming hole. This place looked awesome.

[Rider Strong]

Amazing.

[Will Friedle]

They had fruit and champagne.

[Rider Strong]

I'd still have my sh.

[Will Friedle]

Talk about their past relationships. He's. She's been in two four year relationships. He's been only in year, year and a half relationships. He travels a lot. He's not good with long distance. And then she introduces a recurring theme, which is this black cat golden retriever. I hadn't really heard this, but I had neither. I kind of know what she's talking about. This idea that there's the person who, like a cat is more reserved once, like, wants to come to you on their own terms.

[Rider Strong]

You got to earn it a little bit.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, you got to earn it a little bit. And then the gold retriever, which just loves you.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Golden retriever of Boy Meets World, which we discovered.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Eric. The character of Eric was very much the gold retriever. Absolutely. He's just always giving love, always supportive.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I am definitely more of a golden retriever.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, me too. 100.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. I am 100. The golden retriever. In my relationship.

[Rider Strong]

I am a thousand percent the same way, to my detriment sometimes with other people, because I'm one of those people. You could. You could extrapolate it out even farther where it's. There are some people where when you meet somebody new, they have to earn your trust. And then there's people like me where I trust you right from the start until you do something to where I can't trust you anymore.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Rider Strong]

And so I don't know which one's more healthy, but that's just how I am. I'm definitely the golden retriever.

[Will Friedle]

Well, she says that she's dated a lot of assholes. And knowing where this storyline starts to go, I would say looking back on this scene now, she is. I would say she's kind of caught. She's used to assholes who treat her poorly.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

And I think it's a pattern probably started by her dad.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Which is like, I love you, honey baby. But then probably treated her horribly or didn't talk to her for whatever. So she's used to that treatment from men. She thinks that that is what the way she should be treated. Like that they have, like, intense moments of, like, fun and awesomeness. And then she is displaying, like, dismissed and not, you know, shown affection.

[Rider Strong]

Why do you think that is?

[Martha Stewart]

I.

[Will Friedle]

It seems. I think people just have patterns, you know?

[Rider Strong]

Right. But it seems to be more with women than men. And I'm Obviously not trying to generalize, but you seem to find a lot of women that they, they, you know, they always talk about the nice guy finishes last. Like, they kind of want the. And then they're like, oh, the. That I'm with is such an. It's like, well, yeah, you wanted an. And you seem to find that a lot, which is strange.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, I definitely, like, I have always been more attracted to like, I think I would fall prey to nagging very, you know, the whole nagging thing, right, where somebody says something negative and like. And that's like the whole pickup artist way to like, you're supposed to like, do. But I do think that, like, for me, like, if somebody is like sort of teasing me or making fun of me or like, I'm way more likely to be like, well, that's interesting.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, if they're doing it in

[Rider Strong]

a fun way, but.

[Will Friedle]

Or just any. I just know my pattern. Like, I had never, like when I dated, I had. The word nagging was not something. When I heard that, I was like, oh, I. I definitely fell for that.

[Rider Strong]

So, I mean, is it a challenge?

[Will Friedle]

Yes, it's the challenge. It's the challenge. It's like, oh, yeah, you're. You're too cool for me. Like, you're cool for me. Or you're like, I'm not like, in your league right now. I'm gonna have to make it into your league. Like, I definitely fall prey to that. I'm older and smart enough now that I don't think I would. But when I was younger, I definitely. When I looked back on, like, when I heard that term and I looked back on. On past relationships, I'd be like, oh, yeah, I totally.

[Rider Strong]

Do you realize the vast majority of the girls that you were doing that with were probably going, I can't believe Rider Strong from Boy Meets World is interested in me. Like, you were the get.

[Will Friedle]

No.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Well, that's why I was always going for older women who didn't know what Boy Meets World was because they would be like, who the hell are you? You think you're the earth? You think you're hot shit? And I was like 18 dating 25 year olds.

[Ray Porter]

Me too.

[Will Friedle]

Because I was like, yes, but that's.

[Rider Strong]

We never thought we were the prize. In our heads. We were never, ever the prize.

[Will Friedle]

I think I put myself in situations where I wasn't because I think it would have been too, like, I think that was, you know, that's my pattern back then is that I would go for women that didn't probably treat me very well or have much respect for me because I was so, like, I didn't want a fan, to be honest. Of course I was. I wanted to get away from somebody who just wanted me because I was, like, on television where I went. So my. I took it to an extreme, you know, So I would literally try and find people who had never heard of Boy Meets World. And so that usually meant older women, you know, and that would be, like, the biggest bonus. In fact, my first girlfriend in college, you may remember Sarah. Yeah, of course, we dated for a while, and she lied to me. For the first month of our relationship. She pretended that she had never heard of Boy Meets World. And that is part of the reason that I fell into a relationship with her.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

So.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

And then how did. How did she finally tell you? Like, oh, no.

[Will Friedle]

I broke down crying, like, you know, three weeks or a month into our relationship and was like, I am so sorry. I feel so horrible, because this is getting pretty serious. But I kind of knew that you would, you know, be turned off by the fact that I had seen Boy Meets World or knew who you were. So I pretended to not know who you were when we first met.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Wow.

[Will Friedle]

And I forgave her. I was like, yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Then she showed you her TGIF tattoo.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, in part, it's like I was. You know, I was part of the problem, too, because, like, I was artificially putting up a barrier where I was like, if you've seen Boy Meets World, recognize me. You couldn't possibly be a real relationship, which is bullshit.

[Rider Strong]

Like, of course.

[Will Friedle]

Obviously somebody, you know, whatever.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, yeah. I always went for older women because it meant that I was more mature if they liked.

[Martha Stewart]

Oh, totally.

[Rider Strong]

Like, that's what it means. I'm an adult and I'm, you know, I'm 17, she's 28. That means I'm really, like, 28. It's like, that's what it was like. Okay. It's really actually just creepy when you look back at it. Yeah, totally.

[Cal Penn]

Hey, everyone, it's Cal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary, Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections. And it's like, okay, yo yo yo. Is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah dude, me too.

[Cal Penn]

Listen to Hearsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts this summer

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

there are 250 reasons to join T

Mobile Girls Trip booked and switching to T Mobile help make it happen with

Experience beyond switch and get $100 back plus $650 in value in built in plan benefits. That's $750 in your first year guaranteed.

And honestly, that hundred dollars back, I'm putting it towards the zipline now.

That's how you do summer.

Exactly. Exactly. Best switch I ever made.

This is just one reason to join T Mobile this summer. There are 250 reasons. Find yours

Savings based on the value of benefits included with Experience beyond like entertainment and one year of AAA Classic and DashPass on US benefits may require activation. See plan for details. Get $100 via virtual prepaid MasterCard with eligible ported, no cash access and expires in six months. Issued by Sunrise Banks and a member FDIC. Allow eight weeks.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Bite into a stacked sandwich made with HeroBread or a fully loaded bagel and the only thing you'll think is delicious. You won't think it's up to 19 grams of protein, but it is. You wouldn't believe it has 11 to 32 grams of fiber, but it does. Herobread makes loaves, buns, tortillas, bagels and noodles packed with taste but without all the net carbs. We're talking 0 to 5 grams net carbs per serving. With Herobread there are no compromises, just flavor. There's none of the stiff baked goods you'd expect from better for your brands. There's just the soft fluffy bread you crave, plus small batch drops of indulgent favorites like the popular 2 gram net carb Hero croissant and 3 gram net carb Hero pain au chocolat. And right now Herobred is offering 10% off your order. Go to Hero Co and use code iheart at checkout. That's Code iheartro Co. All figures per serving of Hero bread. See nutrition facts on hero.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

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[T-Mobile Advertiser]

All right.

[Will Friedle]

Nikki and Sean on the beach talk about how their video diary went sideways the night before.

[Rider Strong]

That's all. So the pattern you keep seeing with them is they're like, yeah, we're going to the airport. So we had a serious problem at the airport.

[Will Friedle]

That's what they keep doing. We're going for drinks.

[Rider Strong]

We ended up having a terrible night at drinks. It's like, oh.

[Will Friedle]

So it seems that she decided that they're going to go through the entire on camera experiment before having sex, and she decided this without really him 100% agreeing, although it sounds like he kind of did. So I, I, it's one of these things. It seems like what Sean's really upset about is that they're not going to have sex for five weeks and he can't be upset about that. So he keeps being upset about. I'm just upset about the way you said, you know, it's one of those things. It's like, no, no, I'm not mad that we're not having sex for five weeks. I'm mad about the way you did it without consult or made that decision without me being on board. I was like, but it does sound

[Rider Strong]

a little bit like she was like, I've decided we're not having sex. And then turned to the camera was like, we've decided to not have sex. And he's like, well, I didn't decide to not have sex, but they did

[Will Friedle]

have a conversation about it, right? And he, yeah, and I know she, but yeah, I don't know, man. He's making it about how they communicate, which I'm not sure if it's really about how they communicate.

[Rider Strong]

I don't know. She wants to get, yeah, she absolutely wants to get through this entire experiment without ever being naked with this guy. And then, and then they're not going to be together at the end. And she can be like, I never even slept with him. That's what, that's, I'm, that's what she wants. At least now can they get out

[Will Friedle]

of it before the show is over?

[Rider Strong]

Like, yeah, I think they can. I think you can go, I Think it's happened before, dude, there's been some random shit that's happened on the show. I remember one of the seasons. Seriously, I forget which season it was. This is the truth.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Truth.

[Rider Strong]

They got married, and they go to the airport for the honeymoon, and the woman he just married was pulled aside by security and arrested. She had a warrant for her and couldn't leave the country. And so they put him in a.

[Will Friedle]

Off the show, right?

[Rider Strong]

Well, no. They put him in a hotel room and with the cameras. The producers came up and they're like, we vetted. We didn't know any of this happened. If you want to bail now, you can bail now. We completely understand what's going on. And then they interviewed her, and she's like, it was a misunderstanding. My ex boyfriend said I was stalking him, so there was like, some warrant I thought I took care of. And they ended up continuing on the show, but they wouldn't let her leave the country at first. So that, like, the first night with his wife, they're like, oh, she was arrested. So, I mean, there's crazy stuff that has happened on this show.

[Will Friedle]

Because it's a crazy show. Exactly. This is a crazy drama. I kept thinking about it, this episode really be. Because I feel like in the first couple. First three episodes, I don't know, there's something about the marriage. It almost seems like a dating show. You know what I mean? Like, it's like, oh, maybe they're gonna work. But now where the rubber meets the road, you're like, these people are like, they're married. That's so weird. And like, what those expectations of what a marriage is when you've never been married before. Yeah. Super interesting. That's what. That's what we're seeing play out right now is how their expectations of what it means to be married.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Like, what that actually means to them. Like, in Sean's case, to have sex. Yes. So he's sort of like, I expected to get married to have a guaranteed right to have sex all the time. That's a. You know what I mean? Like, I think he seriously thought that. It was like, I'm getting a life partner who's gonna be able to 69 with me whenever I want. And it's like, sean, dude, you're still doing a reality show. Yeah. That, you know. But he's like, but that's the commitment. Oh, my God.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, my God.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Oh, my God.

[Will Friedle]

All right, Caitlin and Devin are going to bed, and she says she's gonna set the alarm to wake up in the a.m. set up, set up, set up. He says, wake me up before you go. Go.

[Rider Strong]

Because I'm not planning on going solo.

[Will Friedle]

He wakes up and I guess doesn't wake him up. Nope. Leaves for the gym.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

So.

[Will Friedle]

And then he wakes up, and she went without him, and he's upset that she didn't communicate. And I. Fair. That's fair. Fair. Seems like. Like, we literally have footage of her saying she would wake him up.

[Ray Porter]

Fair.

[Will Friedle]

It does seem like she kind of ran away from him.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

And again, all you need to do is just be like, I need some alone time. And my alone time is the gym. So can we. I'm wake up. I'm going to go an hour before you will high five on the way out. And I think he would have, like, any other dude would have been like, no worries. Like, that's fine.

[Martha Stewart]

Great.

[Rider Strong]

I totally understand that. I'm an athlete.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

I.

[Rider Strong]

There's times I need to put on my headphones and I need to work

[Will Friedle]

on how he was in long distance relationships because he was always traveling. So he's clearly used to being separated or not used to, because he does. He says he didn't love it, but it seems like as long as you can communicate about the actual, like, yes.

[Rider Strong]

What are your needs? What are your wants and your needs? But telling me one thing and then just not doing it and then telling the camera, I need to be by myself. Not. Okay. So. Yeah. Weird.

[Will Friedle]

All right. Then we see people getting ready to go meet up each other as a. As a big crew. The whole group is gonna gather at the pool. So this is really weird to think about, like, how these people already know each other, that within genders, they know each other.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

But they haven't met each other's partners. So this must be a fun. This is a cool experience. And Felipe is super happy. He's just in his element with all these people around. And Adam immediately says the Tori and Felipe are a good match, which is, I think, accurate. Sean says that this is a. That it's a good match for Felipe because this is the longest I've seen Felipe be quiet, which I thought was great.

[Rider Strong]

It's great.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

It's also, though, the thing that's interesting and you notice this in every season of the show, this is also the first opportunity for couples to equate themselves to where they are to where the other couples are.

[Will Friedle]

No, this is such a weird process.

[Rider Strong]

It's like, oh, okay, they're already having sex. Oh, look, they're touching each other a lot.

[Cal Penn]

Oh, wow.

[Rider Strong]

They're laughing really easily. I don't have that in my relationship. So you are. You're judging it against all the other people that are around.

[Will Friedle]

Well, right here, Felipe and Courtney already have more banter and chemistry than she does with Nick, and it's painful to watch.

[Rider Strong]

She likes him, I think. I think she likes Felipe.

[Will Friedle]

There's an immediate spark there, and it's just because he's socially engaging, he's entertaining, he's funny.

[Rider Strong]

She's like. He walks in and he owns the room. That's.

[Will Friedle]

I. I gotta say, like, I don't blame Nick entirely in that, to a certain extent. If you remember Courtney's matchmaker conversations, she thought of it a little bit too much like a resume, I think, because, remember, she was the one that was like, politically, they have to be this. Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

You know, she, like.

[Will Friedle]

She was.

[Rider Strong]

I need the checklist.

[Will Friedle]

And she was like, I want an athlete but not a bodybuilder. You know, I feel like she. And I think maybe she should have been a little more like, hey, personality is. Is important, you know, because. Because what she got was, like, a good dude. Like, he. He's the resume. He's the package.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Clearly smart and Right. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Like, based on what she said, I don't think Felipe would have been on her list. Do you know what I mean?

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Because he wouldn't have been an athlete.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Wouldn't have maybe been attractive enough for her. He runs a restaurant. He cares more about socializing than he does his job or, like, you know, and. And yet it seems like immediately she has more of a. So, you know, this is a little on her. Like, yeah, she presented what she wanted.

[Rider Strong]

I can see that.

[Will Friedle]

Felipe says he has the least faith in Nick and Courtney because it seems like Nick is not here for love, which is exactly to your point about.

[Rider Strong]

We said that. Yeah, but he's also. Again, that's. But that's what kind of changed my

[Will Friedle]

mind is because he also doesn't seem to be here for the reality show

[Rider Strong]

because he's not speaking on camera at all. I mean, it's like he's falling asleep during his interviews. So, like, what is he doing?

[Will Friedle]

The girls chat. They go right to the sex. Everyone sort of updates that, you know, nothing's happened yet. Some cuddling. But Marissa says, okay, Skip. And everyone squeals and cheers is because.

[Rider Strong]

There you go.

[Will Friedle]

Adam trained for this.

[Rider Strong]

He trained.

[Will Friedle]

Adam got the job done. He did. It was just as beautiful, emotional, and heartfelt, that is. As his rendition of Far Elise. You know, can we Play back. The rendition of Fair Elise was. Let's, let's just do it. All 14 minutes of it, you know, because it was so memorable and authentic.

[Rider Strong]

I'm just gonna do one more.

[Will Friedle]

It was heartfelt, Right. You remember his Fairlies.

[Rider Strong]

You know that he finished having sex with her and then he went, I'm gonna do one more. I'm just gonna do one more.

[Will Friedle]

Just give me a minute, babe. Just give me a minute, babe. Let me put my socks on. I could do that again.

[Rider Strong]

I put my socks on.

[Will Friedle]

I could dream. I mean, that's how women want to have sex, right? With someone who's gritting his teeth and just performing his job.

[Rider Strong]

Hell yes. It's passionate because I says it, I say it is.

[Will Friedle]

That's why he's the guy who's looking in the mirror while he does it.

[Martha Stewart]

Right?

[Will Friedle]

Hell yeah. Sexy. What's that? That's like Christian Bale from American Psycho.

[Rider Strong]

He's like, making the flexing in the

[Will Friedle]

arm seems like Marissa's. She loves it. She loves it.

[Rider Strong]

I'm in. I'm in on this couple. I'm in on this couple.

[Will Friedle]

Adam says he won't kiss and tell with the guys, which is his humble brag way to say I, my wife. I win, mother.

[Rider Strong]

Yup. I did it. I did it.

[Will Friedle]

Did it. Got the job done.

[Rider Strong]

Took exactly 16 minutes as per plan.

[Will Friedle]

2 minute break. Win again.

[Rider Strong]

2 minute break. Did a little hydration in the morning. Gatorade.

[Will Friedle]

Round three.

[Rider Strong]

Round three in the morning. We hit it every time.

[Will Friedle]

Jet Ski.

[Rider Strong]

Jet Ski. Then we did it again. Got an HJ on my Jet Ski. Mission accomplished.

[Will Friedle]

Felipe asks if there have been any points of friction. Devin says that Caitlyn is very independent and he doesn't feel like he wants to be overbearing. Felipe says it's a marathon, not a sprint. And I thought this was very good advice.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yep.

[Will Friedle]

I hope that.

[Rider Strong]

Trust the process.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Trust the process.

[Rider Strong]

Trust the process.

[Will Friedle]

Right. You said that this would be the thing.

[Rider Strong]

Trust the process.

[Will Friedle]

Meanwhile, Caitlyn talks about wanting more space. Needs her own time. Yeah. This is not going so well.

[Rider Strong]

These people are not meant to be.

[Will Friedle]

Really.

[Rider Strong]

These people are not meant to be. She's not.

[Cal Penn]

She.

[Rider Strong]

And I'm going to very rarely ever do this. This is on her. She's a different person than they got married.

[Will Friedle]

But I think she can break her pattern. I think she can break her pattern. Like, if her pattern is, I've dated horrible men who have been unemotional and, and I, I, I, I, you know, they, they treat Me like crap. And I'm addicted to that to a certain extent, maybe she can break that addiction and be like, actually, this is a stable guy, and if he can learn. If he can learn to, like, cool off a little bit and she can communicate when she needs her time. I don't know, man. I'm hoping. I'm hoping because I like them together.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

I like them.

[Will Friedle]

You know, I was rooting for him.

[Martha Stewart]

We'll see.

[Will Friedle]

All right, Sean recaps the. The diary cam fail. He says, like, we already had a real, real argument. Nikki at her table, talks about how they had this argument, but he did come back the next day. She says, having learned. And he's taught her how to meditate. Got her meditating. He brings her coffee. So I don't know, man. Like, if he really did do that, which we didn't see, you know, I think he might win her over.

[Rider Strong]

I. I think emotionally, they could maybe make it work. I don't think she'll ever be attracted to him physically. I just don't think she will.

[Will Friedle]

Well, Courtney is relieved because they haven't slept together and haven't kissed. She says she's not into him, which I'm not sure anyone else is really saying directly, so.

[Rider Strong]

No.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Nick talks to the camera and says that Adam and Marissa are physically all over each other, and he feels like he and Courtney are vibing emotionally. So this dude has no clue. That's what I'm saying. He's not reading the room.

[Rider Strong]

No. They're on a different. Just different planets when it comes to this.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, Courtney and Caitlyn connect. These two sort of, you know, both. One alone time.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And then Nick slithers in. They immediately get awkward. So, yeah, earlier in this episode, he says, I'm gonna go sl away to my wife. I would never use the word slither. And this is just one of those weird. Of course you're not. If you were describing your own physical movements, would you say slither? I slithered over to.

[Rider Strong]

No.

[Will Friedle]

No.

[Rider Strong]

Also, though, I've got to say, Courtney, if you're listening, less suicide references, please. Less. I'm gonna shoot myself in the heads.

[Will Friedle]

I know.

[Rider Strong]

She did it, like, three times. And it's like, okay. Is she really? Yes. And it's like, okay, we get it. You're not enjoying yourself. You don't need to mimic the fact that you're gonna kill yourself because you're with this dude for a day. It's like, come on. Yeah.

[Cal Penn]

Hey, everyone, it's Cal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club this week on the podcast I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary Massive Sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like okay, yo yo yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like yeah dude, me too.

[Cal Penn]

Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts this summer

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

there are 250 reasons to join T

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Mobile girls, trust me.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Trip booked and switching to T Mobile help make it happen with experience beyond

switch and get $100 back plus $650 in value in built in plan benefits. That's $750 in your first year guaranteed.

And honestly, that hundred dollars back, I'm putting it towards the zipline now.

That's how you do summer.

Exactly. Best switch I ever made.

This is just one reason to join T Mobile this summer. There are 250 reasons. Find yours

Savings based on the value of benefits included with experience beyond like entertainment and one year of AAA Classic and DashPass on US benefits may require activation CPlan. For details get $100 via virtual prepaid MasterCard with eligible ported, no cash access and expires in six months. Issued by Sunrise Banks and a member FDIC.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Bite into a stacked sandwich made with HeroBread or a fully loaded bagel and the only thing you'll think is delicious. You won't think it's up to 19 grams of protein, but it is. You wouldn't believe it has 11 to 32 grams of fiber, but it does. Herobread makes loaves, buns, tortillas, bagels and noodles packed with taste, but without all the net carbs we're talking 0 to 5 grams net carbs per serving. With Herobread there are no compromises, just flavor. There's none of the stiff baked goods you'd expect from Better for your brands, there's just the soft, fluffy bread you crave, plus small batch drops of indulgent favorites like the popular 2 gram net carb Hero croissant and 3 gram net carb Hero pain au chocolat. And right now, Herobred is offering 10% off your order. Go to Hero Co and use code iHEART at checkout.

[Cal Penn]

Out.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

That's code iHEARTRO CO. All figures per serving of Hero bread. See nutrition facts on Hero Coblemos.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

El servicio telefonico porqueto eta companion. Text now. Llamadas illimitadas bensaye de texto ilimitados y agregas datos cuando tu desidas Quelo Necesitas 5G Anivel Nacional. Las mismas Torres. Sin sorpresa, sin contrato fijo descarraga. Text now in. App text now 5G.

[Will Friedle]

And let's move on to episode five. So many penguins Again. So many penguins. Devin and Caitlyn come back to the room. He brings up the gym issue. She wants space recharge time. He seems to respect it.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So seems like he needs to say that it's more about communicating. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, he's not, he's not. He's not able to. I mean, and hopefully this will come up when they go into their, like, next phase. Which. Yeah, working with the matchmakers.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Right.

[Rider Strong]

So, yeah, just being like, dude, I'm. I'm okay with all that. You just gotta let me know.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Like, you're not gonna get shit from me. Go do your thing. But just please let me know that

[Will Friedle]

that's what you're gonna do. Nikki and Sean, she's trying on a dress. She's afraid a boob's gonna pop out. He wants a boob to pop out.

[Rider Strong]

I want your bo out. Oh, Shawn. Sean, Buddy, cool buddy. Sean.

[Will Friedle]

Michelle and Cameron just got back from a Mayan ceremony where they're kissed on the lips.

[Rider Strong]

I'm sorry to do this just aesthetically,

[Will Friedle]

you at the height thing, it's just too much.

[Rider Strong]

No, the two of them don't look

[Will Friedle]

as good together as the other couples.

[Rider Strong]

It just. It looks off. I don't know what it is.

[Will Friedle]

It just looks off.

[Rider Strong]

They look wonky together.

[Martha Stewart]

Together.

[Rider Strong]

I don't know.

[Martha Stewart]

They just.

[Will Friedle]

Did we get Adam and Marissa under a tree.

[Rider Strong]

Kiss. I. I should say J E T

[Will Friedle]

S K I n n G. He runs, she runs. His hand on his leg.

[Cal Penn]

Kiss.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, yeah. Let's go, babe.

[Rider Strong]

Feel that. That's an extra Muscle most people don't have. That's an ad. That's an atom muscle. I've got an extra one train for this.

[Will Friedle]

That's my second Adam's apple down there.

[Rider Strong]

It's a jet ski appease.

[Will Friedle]

I'm so, I'm so Adam me. I got two Adam's apples, two Adams. I got three, one on each leg.

[Rider Strong]

I have an extra calf because of the jet ski.

[Will Friedle]

Nikki and Sean sit down for dinner and he begins to interview her about friendship.

[Martha Stewart]

Bro.

[Will Friedle]

So she was with her 17 year old boyfriend for 10 years. She says she outgrew him at year five. She had bigger dreams and her boyfriend wanted a simple woman. And I, I thought this explained a lot, you know, like, like, oh, and then Sean says that when things get difficult, women avoid him. He has never experienced a love where someone is caring or providing for him. I'm not sure he's found it.

[Rider Strong]

Did you find any of what Nikki said about outgrowing her boyfriend at year five and it did you find any of that a little bit red flaggy? I just wonder if, if, if ever a relationship gets comfortable with her where it's like, hey, I'm good at my job, I enjoy my job. But I also like the comfortability of our relationship. If it's gonna to her be like, well now you' like you always need to be going forward.

[Will Friedle]

No, actually I think the, the red flag was that she stayed with him for so long.

[Rider Strong]

Well, that too.

[Will Friedle]

She says at year five she had already outgrown him of a ten year relationship because like, you know, my wife has a very similar past story where she was like very happily in a long term relationship pretty early on in her life and just reached the point where she was like, I, this is, this person wants a life that is very simple and I want to be an actor. I want to be ambitious. I have big art dreams and I want to take on the world. And so she took the brave step of walk, you know, moving out of a long term relationship at the age of 22. And like that is to me the What? What? Yeah, what. Nikki should have done that too.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, that's what I mean.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, but I get that. You know, I don't think it's a red flag that you, you found yourself, you know, realizing that you outgrew the person you're with. I think that's actually way like that's pretty healthy. I think that's good.

[Rider Strong]

I think if it happens once, it's really healthy. If it happens over and over again, then you've got. Then it's a problem. I'm not saying that's happened to her. I'm just. I was wondering. It struck me a little like, okay, I wonder if that's the only time it happened or it's just no one will ever be good enough for you. So, yeah, it's interesting.

[Will Friedle]

Michelle and Cameron are sitting down for lunch discussing caviar, and then they bring up. And this is one of those moments where I was like, where they're. He doesn't live in Seattle. I was like, oh, God. So we have the logistics factor of getting married.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So he's in Portland until March. He's coaching basketball. He asks her if she's open to living in different places. She likes Seattle.

[Rider Strong]

She doesn't seem to be up. Also, a coaching job. You go where the job is and you're in Seattle this week, and then next month you're in Indiana. And that's where you live now.

[Martha Stewart]

Now for three years.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. She says raising a family, she wants to be near her parents. But I mean, this is where I was like, Portland's actually only three hours from Seattle.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

They're really close. So I don't know, man.

[Rider Strong]

Like.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, for me, this is like kind of a crazy conversation because, like, yeah, in la, everyone I know had to move away from their parents to, you know, to be la. Like, and they all have kids without grandparents nearby.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

So I don't know. But maybe that's just an LA things. Like, I. I felt like she. They were making kind of a big deal out of, like, like, you're three hours from your parents. Like, that's still having. That's still pretty damn close to your parents.

[Rider Strong]

I guess it also depends on how you're raised. I mean, she's Vietnamese, and I don't know much about the Vietnam much. I don't know anything about the Vietnamese community, but I imagine if it's anything like other Asian communities, then you're very close to multigenerational families.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Totally.

[Rider Strong]

That are with each other and helping to raise children and.

[Will Friedle]

No, I think if you can do it, definitely. But three hours is not that far. Yeah, you can pull that off. I. I'm.

[Rider Strong]

I'm more worried about just his job because again, it's like, it's usually, oh, hey, Portland just fired you. Hey, I just got a job in Syracuse. It's like, that's. You're all over the place when you're doing something like this.

[Will Friedle]

Well, then they move into this, you know, fibroid. Fibroid surgery conversation again. And she says. This is where she says, we have to plan a year out. Like, I have to have surgery and then has to be another year before we could even have kids. And then this interesting thing happens where he says, so you have to. You have to plan ahead. And I was like, oh, it's a you, not we.

[Rider Strong]

Interesting. Oh, I didn't notice that. Interesting.

[Will Friedle]

Still thinking in terms of like. Like, me.

[Rider Strong]

I.

[Will Friedle]

And you will have to plan. He's not like, okay, so we will have to plan ahead when we want to have kids. I was like, dude, that sucks.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

He said it like, yeah. And it's not his fault. I mean, this is obviously. It's an unconscious thing, but it was definitely a moment that I noticed. I'm like, oh, you are not. You're not 100% on board yet. Because if you were 100% on board, you'd say, we. We will have to plan a year out. Like, that's what you say when you've married somebody and, you know.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, you got 20 bucks on you right now. And you have to. Yay or nay. Cameron and Michelle.

[Will Friedle]

Nay.

[Rider Strong]

I think so, too.

[Will Friedle]

Just knowing that.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, I think so too.

[Ray Porter]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Everyone meets at the pool. Felipe talks about being ugly. Nick says he was nerdy growing up. And then we get Adam swim socks. Man, his confidence is remarkable.

[Rider Strong]

Did he give the reason that I think he gave? Did I rewind it twice and hear that? You never know when somebody's gonna throw you a football or something. So you want to have traction, not slip.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, he wants traction for what?

[Rider Strong]

For just in case a flag football game breaks out.

[Will Friedle]

You never know when a random jet ski might be going down. You gotta. You gotta get that. That leap to jump onto the jet skis. It's so strange. Here's the thing that's weird. Why cotton socks?

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Like.

[Will Friedle]

Like, I. There are socks. Smart. Wool socks are made for water. Like, that's the idea behind them. So that if you. Yeah, because if they get wet, they don't get cold. So there's like, literally a whole brand, a type of sock that is like, basically an aqua sock. Like, that's what it's made for. Or booties, dude.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Like pool booties.

[Rider Strong]

They have them everywhere.

[Will Friedle]

Like booty. Yeah.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah, that's.

[Will Friedle]

But why just regular socks? Socks. It's so dorky, so strange. But yeah, his confidence is Admiral.

[Rider Strong]

I love it.

[Will Friedle]

Caitlin. Courtney still craving alone time. They talk about that. Courtney especially. Just dying to not have one on one. If she wants to be around everybody

[Rider Strong]

else, God, she'll Kill herself if she has to do that.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. And then in the pool, Nick says to Mecca, I wish you'd just come over and talk to me at any point.

[Rider Strong]

No, I don't.

[Will Friedle]

This is. Nick needs to course correct to not get friend zoned.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, 100%.

[Will Friedle]

Mecca says his biggest problem with him right now is that he doesn't want to look like I'm thirsty. He's scared he's going to mess things up, but he hasn't done anything.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, it's a dance, man. It's a delicate balance. I get that. Am I pushing too far? Is it not enough?

[Will Friedle]

I mean, Adam's contribution to the conversation. Thousand dollars cash if anyone beats me at pickleball. Oh, my God. God is the best. He's the best. Courtney tells everyone she just wishes. She wants to say to Nick, you're boring. And she points to Felipe as someone who can work a room. Yeah, she's got a thing for Felipe.

[Rider Strong]

I think she does.

[Will Friedle]

I think she's got a thing for Felipe. And then we get some very on the nose lyrics. Why don't you put your lips on mine? I don't want to kiss I just want a piece of your mind. This was this episode really. The lyrics.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. The needle drops.

[Will Friedle]

The needle drop drops. This. I mean, this is the dumbing down of America right here.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Editors on shows, listen, please stop googling song lyrics to fit the theme of

[Rider Strong]

the scene, which they do.

[Will Friedle]

You can do better. Find, like, a counterpoint. Find, like, a subtle chorus or a song that relates to the theme in some sort of, like, intersection, not like a perfect reflection. I just think this is sitting by

[Rider Strong]

the pool with your socks on.

[Will Friedle]

Exactly. Wondering if you made the right. Did you want to get married?

[Rider Strong]

Because now you're friend zoned and you

[Will Friedle]

keep talking about booze producers of reality. I believe you could do better. Do better, do better, do better. All right. Then we get Nick and Courtney on a boat trying to have fun conversation. Would you rather he says he choose bad breath forever over snot always coming out of his. I mean, both of these choices are

[Rider Strong]

awful, but that's why it's such an important question.

[Will Friedle]

I know, but she just doesn't like his answer, so.

[Rider Strong]

God, I would have taken snot.

[Will Friedle]

Ugh. Really?

[Rider Strong]

Over. Over bad breath all the time. Such a tough question.

[Will Friedle]

But bad breath you can deal with. You could just, like, always have a mint.

[Rider Strong]

But no, I think that's the point is you're saying even the mints don't work. Like, you always have bad breath or you Always have a runny nose. That's it.

[Will Friedle]

I don't want to think about either one.

[Rider Strong]

Exactly. These are why. These are questions based for marriage, Ryder.

[Will Friedle]

All right, well. Well, they do have a good conversation here about wanting to be goofy. And she talk a little more playfully. And I think this is a good conversation. She starts to tear up. He puts his hand on her leg, but then she immediately, like, pulls back, you know, and it's like, sorry, sorry. Which I found interesting because she's talking about wanting to be more emotional and playful and like.

[Rider Strong]

And she's like, there it is. 10 seconds. I'm good. I'm good.

[Will Friedle]

She's, like, very proud of her control. And this is the thing. This is her contradictory thing is like, I think she presents. She wants to be the person who. Who doesn't need emotional regulate or emotional, like support or. But she actually does.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

It's like, yeah, I agree. And he. To his credit, he says, hold on, let's go back to what you were saying.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Which about being playful and like, that was cool. So I don't know. But yeah, it's not.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Not looking great.

[Rider Strong]

I don't think so.

[Will Friedle]

Michelle and Nick opening champagne. She's speechifian about how close they've been getting. He says change is hard for him. This whole thing is very uncomfortable for me. He's afraid he's going to be trapped. And she asks, if you're so scared of commitment, then why did you do a show called Married at first sight? That's a very good question. Fair question. Yes. And then he describes their situation accurately, but I would say pretty robotically.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Sean and Dicky in a hot tub. And she says he is a spiritual leader for them, which Sean immediately pivots to sex.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. He asked, what you need or what you want from me? But she has nothing. So then she asks him, are there. Is there anything you want from me? And he proceeds to let list physical things he wants. Touch. Initiate kisses. Scratchy, scratchy, touchy, touchy, winky, winky. Fondle balls. No big deal. 69. Just rub my head, maybe rim me. These are things every man wants from his wife. And she very reasonably says, no. She wants all that to happen naturally. She met him six days ago. And yes. And he responds, oh, my gosh. He's suddenly realizing she's not sexually attracted to him. Yeah, but.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, dude, it just. He's not another one. Not reading the room at all. How many times do you need to throw out sexual things that are not landing before you realize this is not your. The knock knock jokes aren't working, bro.

[Will Friedle]

Pivot, right?

[Rider Strong]

And so it's yeah, somebody does not know how to read an audience at all.

[Will Friedle]

She says, you know, she respects and likes him. And he like says, I don't want you to kiss me because you like me and respect me. Fair. Which is fair, but also like, like you. What? So then what a pity kiss? Like, what are you saying? Like you like I don't want this. It's like, yeah, but you know, it's

[Rider Strong]

what you got if you get anything. Yeah, right.

[Cal Penn]

Hey everyone, it's Cal Pen. I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections and it's like okay, yo yo yo, is this the in indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great cuz it served the story. People will say like oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like yeah dude, me too.

[Cal Penn]

Listen to Irsay the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts this summer.

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[Spanish Language Advertiser]

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[Will Friedle]

All right, quick. Felipe and Tori going horseback riding. Looks like they're having a good time, these two. Adam and Marissa. Massage. What are you gonna work on your lower back? Yeah, yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Working my traps and my pz.

[Will Friedle]

Devin and Kaylin having dance lessons in this dance thing. You know, this, this was a good time, right? He says he feels flirty, scrunchy nose vibes and like, you know, this is where I realized that the whole show is like they, they didn't get the chance to court one another.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

And I do think Devin and Caitlin would have had a better shot if they had courted one another other because you would have been able to like spend time together and then not spend time together, like gotten those breaks that she's kind of craving. And I think they would have built their sort of affection schedule over time.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, maybe mutually.

[Will Friedle]

Do you know what I mean? Because that's something you build mutually. You realize like, oh, this person needs a little space. This person needs a little hug or a kiss or whatever. So they had to like skip ahead. And that's really hard, you know, because what does marriage mean? For Devin, it means constant love and attention, always in it with together. And for Courtney, it means some awesome, flirty good times that are intense. And then some space apart and they're like, they both got married with their expectation like before the courting bar. Ah, such a weird show.

[Rider Strong]

See, it's funny because the way I, and I could be wrong, but it, it sounds a little bit like you're saying Caitlyn is like, I want this too, but I also want some time apart where it read to me like, like Caitlyn came off one way and then she'll be happy, go lucky. And then you turn around and look back and then she's out of the room or she's got, she's, it's like, whoa, what, what, what the hell just happened? Like, that's how it reads to me with her. And it could just be editing. It could be. Not like that at all. But the way you said it sounds way more reasonable than I think she's coming off on the show where it seems, it doesn't seem to me like it's coming off as a reasonable thing. It comes off like, it's like, wow, you seem instantly closed off and now you want.

[Will Friedle]

It's like, I think that that's her emotional pattern. Do you know what I mean? Like, I feel sorry for her.

[Rider Strong]

Me too.

[Will Friedle]

I've seen her dad. I feel like she's, she's learned a really bad pattern about male affection. And I think, you know, she said it, she's been in horrible relationships and I think we're seeing that pattern. Like what happens when you live in that pattern.

[Rider Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Is that you protect yourself by pulling away from the person who's showing you a lot of affection because you're terrified that any minute he's going to turn around and start being an asshole, start yelling at you, maybe being abusive, you know, one might say like, like which I think potentially her ex boyfriends and maybe her dad were.

[Rider Strong]

And I think if he becomes more of an. She'll be more attracted to him.

[Will Friedle]

Exactly.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And that sucks. And it sucks totally his credit, he's trying to just keep, you know, but, and so I, I'm really, I'm hoping that the, the matchmakers can maybe sort of point some of this out. Yeah, they can try and break the, their, each of their patterns, you know, emotionally or just fit their pattern together because like, this is where I was like, man, if they had just gone on 50 dates, they probably would have figured out this stuff about each other and just.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah, yeah, it's rough.

[Will Friedle]

All right. Felipe and Tori, he got her flowers. They start talking about who's messy. He says he's a five out of ten. This is, you know, the reality of moving in together. He talks about how he plays video games like a 15 year old boy. And she seems fine. She says she's gonna be an online shopper. But this scene was interesting to me because I did start to think that she's kind of taking a role. Like she's pulling back her a little bit.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, you think?

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, not to run away from him, but kind of protecting herself. I feel like she's lessening herself to match his energy. Does that make sense?

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Which is maybe a healthy thing to do, like if you want to stay in a marriage. But I'm a little concerned because like, you know, she was like, I'm very religious and he's like, I'm an atheist. It's like, okay. And so how many other ways is she just sort of saying, okay, I'm gonna be a little less who I am.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

To match, you know, So I don't know. It's interesting, like, because he's a big personality.

[Rider Strong]

Yes. But I think one of the healthiest things I heard in all the episodes was him saying, I'm making sure I'm not love bombing her.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Like I don't want to be that guy who's like, I love you. I love you. Love you right away. Like I'm doing my damnedest not to make that happen. Which I think is I, you know, so it's, that's, that's. Love bombing is a relatively new term, but it's obviously been around forever. And so the idea that somebody's cognizant of that, where it's like, I don't want to do this is again a delicate balance. And you're right, you don't, you don't get it to grow over time and over with dates. It's instantly married and jumping right into it. And then it's the honeymoon. And then you're judging your honeymoon by what other people do on their honeymoons. But it's like you've known her a day, so that's not the same as a regular honeymoon. Yeah, it's. There's so much shit that goes on.

[Will Friedle]

Well, then we get a very painful scene with Beljo Lee and Mecca in robes in bed. They talk about their attraction levels.

[Rider Strong]

This came out of nowhere. And I thought at first he was joking, but then I don't think he was.

[Will Friedle]

No, they say that he says she's attracted to him at 150% and he's at 80%, which then he readjusts to a 60, 80 ratio?

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, man.

[Cal Penn]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

A little brutal and kind of out

[Will Friedle]

of nowhere, I felt really sorry for her.

[Rider Strong]

Me, too.

[Will Friedle]

Like, they're a really great couple, and they're both beautiful people.

[Rider Strong]

That's what I'm saying. They're stunning. They're stunning people.

[Will Friedle]

I'm kind of like, what? What? But, you know, attraction's attraction. Like, that's.

[Rider Strong]

I know.

[Will Friedle]

It's one of those things. Like, he might have. He probably would have looked at a headshot of her, and she's undeniably beautiful. I mean, they all are in the show. And then the reality of attraction is when you're in that, you know, that chemistry, like, who knows what you end up loving?

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

I don't.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. But there's also something to it. It was. It's not just a conversation about how attracted I am to you. It's a conversation more about, you're more attracted to me than I'm attracted to you. So it's not even like, it's. It's a double whammy on you because I'm not as attracted to you are. But you're. I can also tell you're really attracted to me. So it's that double kind of like, oh, you kind of, in a way, insulted me twice.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. It's a weird thing that he's saying.

[Rider Strong]

Yes, it is.

[Will Friedle]

It's like he's really kind of sabotaging.

[Rider Strong]

Yes. And it came out of nowhere.

[Will Friedle]

You don't want to under. Like, just say, like, it's so cool that you're really into me. Because it's like. Yeah, it's like, you're right. Because he's faulting her for being too into him.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Which is, like, that's not something she should be at fault for. No, of course she's not. Just. She's into. And, like, obviously he likes himself. He thinks he's attractive. He's trying to be attractive. The way he dresses and cares about his hair and looks. So, like, the fact that she's attractive should totally be. Yeah, you're right. That should be wholly positive.

[Rider Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

And if he has anything to say, it should be. I'm just a little slower on my attraction level right now, and I need, like, a little more space.

[Rider Strong]

You're obviously gorgeous, and this is growing, but not. Yeah, you like me a lot more than I like you. It's like, oh, that's. That's weird.

[Will Friedle]

All right, we get Adam going down a slide in socks and Devin going down the slide, and he says he's craving. What happened? Adam and Marissa have which? And jetsky.

[Cal Penn]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, probably Love. Oh, that's what you mean. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

Marissa and Adam at dinner. Cheers to jet skiing.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Love.

[Rider Strong]

Cheers to jet skiing. Then.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Love.

[Will Friedle]

She checks his. His drink for alcohol. They eat some steak, babe. With his hands, he picks it up.

[Rider Strong]

You gotta try this. It's so comically ridiculous that he is becoming my favorite.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And then Adam says that. That if he were to send a couple home, it'd be Devin, which I thought was a little sad, but.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Ray Porter]

I don't know.

[Will Friedle]

He's not completely misreading the situation.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

He thinks they're cooked.

[Spanish Language Advertiser]

Okay.

[Rider Strong]

Is that what you would do? Is that what you do if you had to send home.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Rider Strong]

If you had to send one couple home, 100% agree with you.

[Will Friedle]

I think they're just not gonna. Yeah. Nikki, Sean, and then I would actually Nick and Courtney. I'm still hoping for.

[Cal Penn]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Nick and Courtney are in the. Probably.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Probably.

[Will Friedle]

Probably next.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah. 100. Nikki and Sean. Couldn't agree more.

[Will Friedle]

And then let's talk about what. What would be hot for me to wear in the kitchen?

[Martha Stewart]

It's so great.

[Will Friedle]

I love that. If we had a fight, what would it be about? And she says that you might like your Jet Ski more than me. And he says, yeah, it's kind of like, fair, someone having a kid. And it's like, no, dude, your Jet ski is not a child.

[Rider Strong]

It's a Jet ski.

[Will Friedle]

And then I love that he says, one of my exes said. I said bro to my crotch. Oh, yes, you do.

[Rider Strong]

And he's like, I couldn't stop it. No. She like, did you stop? She's like, no, couldn't. It's part of my vocabulary, bro.

[Will Friedle]

I dumped. I dumped that.

[Rider Strong]

I. I. I dumped her. Pushed her right off the Jet Ski.

[Martha Stewart]

Bro.

[Rider Strong]

Bro.

[Will Friedle]

All right. Courtney and Nick, she wants to find a sushi spot. She asks him about the Paramount Theater, and he gives a. What does he say? RBF face. Which I had to Google.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, you didn't even. I knew this one. Resting bitch face. Yep.

[Will Friedle]

Wow, you're right. Yeah. And. And, you know, he explains that he's always does that.

[Rider Strong]

Is this what he talks about? The fact that he's going to see Avril Lavigne and she was amazing.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Martha Stewart]

Yeah.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Okay.

[Rider Strong]

It's a whole nother conversation we'll have later.

[Will Friedle]

Really? You don't like Avril Lavigne?

[Ray Porter]

I thought.

[Rider Strong]

I think Avril Lavigne's fine. I have no problem with Avril Lavigne. But the idea of the. This 31 year old man. Like, dude. And then I was at the Avalon game and she was incredible like that. I was a little weird. To me, I like Avril Lavigne. She's fine.

[Ray Porter]

All right.

[Will Friedle]

We go out on lyrics. I feel it happening. Do you feel it happening? Then we get to a commercial break and come back with the lyrics. I would take so many leaps of faith, like run away to an exotic place to you while see. Run away to an exotic place with you while we see shots of an exotic place where characters have taken a leap of faith. Faith.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Michelle and Cameron bring out some laundry and they start talking about little things that might annoy each other. And she says, shaving. Clean up your hair. Take out the trash.

[Rider Strong]

Fair, Fair.

[Will Friedle]

And then they talk about this dog thing. I actually like that he was like, what's your dog voice? This is a cool question.

[Rider Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Because it's very true. Like, everyone has a dog voice and it can really drive you crazy.

[Ray Porter]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Like if you hear some people's dog voice give you the ick. Yeah. I thought this was funny and gave me a little more hope for these two.

[Rider Strong]

I hope so, too. Maybe, maybe, maybe I'll get over the height difference.

[Will Friedle]

And then Devin and Caitlyn, she talks to the camera, talks about being afraid that she's not going to be able to give him what he wants. He feels rejected. And we get the lyrics. Maybe one day I'll get what I want instead of what I'm needing.

[Rider Strong]

Cause Caitlyn doesn't touch me enough.

[Will Friedle]

Cause Caitlyn doesn't touch me enough.

[Rider Strong]

And that's my love language. And my name's Devin.

[Will Friedle]

Have ever done this show. Oh, my God.

[Rider Strong]

Oh, my. Well, we've of course reached. What an arrangement.

[Will Friedle]

What an arrangement. Mona, Mona, Angela. Angela.

[Rider Strong]

What an arrangement. Where of course, we talk about some of the most famous arranged marriages throughout history. And today we were talking about. And I apologize for all the pronunciation that I'm going to be butchering today, but we're talking about the Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal arranged within the Mughal royal family. Shah Jahan's devotion and love for Mutaz became a legendary love story. They were married in 1612 and became absolutely inseparable companions. Her death in 1631 inspired the construction of the Taj Mahal.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yes.

[Rider Strong]

Which he made for her because she was the last love of his life. So I thought that.

[Will Friedle]

And it was an arranged marriage.

[Rider Strong]

It was an arranged marriage.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

There you go.

[Will Friedle]

I can work. Maybe, Maybe the end of this season

[Rider Strong]

there's a Jet Ski. It's for you babe. I built it with my muscles.

[Will Friedle]

You've been listening to Pod meets Twirl. The vows have been spoken, the experts have weighed in and are completely offhand. Conversation has now become a season long conversation commitment. We'll see you next time. Trap your smoke in.

[Cal 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 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.

[Rider Strong]

We learned how to love dogs from the dogs that loved us and waited for us to get home from school. They were the dogs that raised us. We returned the love with Pedigree Dog Food. It was good then and it's better now. Every bowl has 100% complete nutrition supporting six health essentials and now it includes Vitamin Good Bites, a nutrient boost your dog will love. Pedigree Good then, better now.

[Ray Porter]

Whether it's help with hormone therapy, weight management or sexual health, every woman should have access to affordable prescription medication and

[Rider Strong]

personalized care that understands the whole woman.

[Ray Porter]

Join me Dr. Doug Lucas, clinical Lead

[Rider Strong]

of Hormone Optimization and longevity at LifeMD,

[Ray Porter]

along with other leading experts on the podcast. Here's something good on women's health and longevity.

[Rider Strong]

To learn more, go to lifemd.com iheartra Some so called SUVs feel more like toys. You need a real vehicle that'll handle real life. A real SUV like the all new 2027 Kia Seltos with its best in class interior room. It'll make the others feel like toys. Check out the new 2027 Kia Seltos X line. It's real world ready Kia Movement that inspires limited inventory available comparison based on publicly available data regarding Cargo Room in 2026 entry All Wheel Drive Drive CUVs as of May 2026 entry All Wheel drive CUV class as defined by Kia Segmentation this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.