Smosh Reads Reddit Stories

Episode: Family Matters | Reading Reddit Stories

Host: Shane Topp
Guests: Tommy, Sarah
Released: October 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Smosh Reads Reddit Stories" dives deep into the messiness, hilarity, and drama of family life, as experienced and recounted through actual Reddit stories. Themed around "Family Matters," host Shane and guests Tommy and Sarah react to a series of personal anecdotes collected from subreddits like r/AmITheAsshole and r/TodayIFuckedUp. The cast blends personal insights, jokes, and empathetic takes with their trademark witty, irreverent Smosh style. The stories touch on everything from awkward in-law encounters and naming traditions to stepfamily shenanigans and the perils of accidentally oversharing with family members.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Daddy" Conundrum – Nicknames Meet In-Law Awkwardness

[02:31 – 10:51]
Story Recap:
A woman calls her boyfriend "Daddy" while cooking together, accidentally within earshot of his mom, who’s offended and demands it stop. When confronted, the girlfriend retorts, “How is it any different from you calling your husband Papi?” sparking family drama.

Cast Insights:

• The group debates the acceptability and context of pet names, noting generational and cultural differences—"Papi" has more innocuous/contextual uses, while "Daddy" has sexual connotations in modern slang.
• Shane underscores the shared-space dynamic: "If you’re in a shared space, everyone should be comfortable with the language used" [09:48].
• Sarah adds empathy: "Maybe something sexual is fine for you and your partner, but someone else in the house can fairly be uncomfortable with it." [09:04]
• Commenters largely sided with the mom, seeing the nickname as inappropriately sexual; the cast agrees a simple apology could have prevented drama.

Notable Quote:

"You don't want that energy in the house either." – Tommy [07:16]

2. Naming Traditions and Family Pressure

[12:07 – 29:16]
Story Recap:
A soon-to-be mom refuses her in-laws’ insistence to name their child after the grandfather—per a centuries-old tradition—preferring a unique name, which leads to familial outrage.

Cast Insights:

• Sarah is adamantly team "break tradition": "At least question tradition. Why is it around for so long? What's the importance of it? Is there room for compromise?" [16:42]
• Tommy highlights that traditions evolve, and enforcing them at the expense of the couple’s wishes shows a lack of respect for change and autonomy.
• Shane and Sarah discuss the patriarchal undertones—no one checks if the wife's family has traditions, and the push mainly values the husband's side.
• The consensus: Voluntary, inclusive traditions are great; mandatory, exclusionary ones usually cause resentment.
• The group shares their own family rituals (e.g., snowball fights, St. Patrick’s Day parties) and how they’ve changed with time or as family needs shifted.

Notable Quotes:

"Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people." – Reddit commenter, read by Shane [25:13]
"There's beauty in voluntary participation in tradition." – Sarah [18:27]

3. Amazon Family Plan—Unwanted Oversharing

[29:25 – 35:36]
Story Recap:
A woman discovers her sister and brother-in-law have, for years, been approving all her Amazon purchases—including private "spicy" ones—because she was on their family plan as a “teen” user.

Cast Insights:

• Group relishes imagining the comedic awkwardness and wonders what items were "too spicy" for continued silence.
• Tommy: "Once you’ve said yes to dildos three times, what’s the fourth?" [32:28]
• Shane highlights the importance of tech literacy and privacy awareness in modern family relationships.

Notable Quote:

"She climbs in through her sister's window because she tied all the dildos together..." – Tommy (joke in escalating hypothetical) [35:15]

4. Mother-of-the-Bride Demands to Wear White

[35:36 – 43:37]
Story Recap:
A bride’s mother insists she wear a white, bridal-looking gown to her daughter’s wedding, claiming it’s her "last chance to feel beautiful," and threatens not to attend if she can't.

Cast Insights:

• Initial sympathy for the mother's apparent vulnerability quickly turns to skepticism when the cast hears about her competitive, self-centered behavior.
• The group agrees that letting others, even family, hijack significant life events for their own emotional needs is harmful.
• Sarah identifies the real issue: "It doesn't seem like it's about beauty as much as being a bride again." [42:49]
• Shane: “If she can't let you shine, you don't need her drama.” [41:14]

Notable Quote:

"This is your wedding, not her funeral." – Reddit commenter, read by Shane [41:12]

5. Open Mic Night Disaster—Dad Edition

[43:41 – 54:47]
Story Recap:
A man’s attempt at a first stand-up comedy set is derailed when his dad draws negative attention by trying to record the event, arguing with other comedians, and embarrassing his son into leaving.

Cast Insights:

• Tommy and Sarah, both with standup experience, set the scene: open mics are brutal even for seasoned comics, let alone for a first timer with a recording parent.
• Shane: "You’re not going to go do a five-minute set for the first time ever and nail it." [49:22]
• The group encourages the OP to try again (without dad, and in a new venue), highlighting that bombing and awkward tales are a rite of passage for comedians.

Notable Quotes:

"He should definitely perform again—just not with his dad." – Tommy [50:41]
"You shouldn’t have to be good at something to go do it." – Shane [53:41]

6. "The Chosen One" Sibling Riff

[54:47 – 65:06]
Story Recap:
The sibling of an adopted daughter (Penny), who for years jokingly calls herself "the chosen one," finally snaps and says, "You weren’t chosen by your first dad," deeply hurting Penny.

Cast Insights:

• Cast identifies the "chosen one" joke as Penny’s way of coping with abandonment and insecurity.
• Shane: “If you sat down with Penny and dug in, it’s because she doesn’t know what her identity is.” [57:12]
• All agree that the remark was excessively cruel; family issues should be addressed in private, with sensitivity.
• Discussion about how parental mishandling of adoption/stepfamily dynamics can result in such long-term rifts.

Notable Quotes:

"You’re not different from them. You’re all the kids." – Shane [59:34]
"I just personally disagree with this desire to dunk on people. Did it help anything?" – Shane [64:00]

7. Accidental Stepfamily—Dad Marries Son-in-Law’s Mom

[65:55 – 69:46]
Story Recap:
After their widowed and single parents bond at their wedding, a married couple finds themselves as step-siblings when their parents get hitched years later.

Cast Insights:

• The group revels in the wildness, finding it sweet, funny, and emblematic of how family can get weird but ultimately is about happiness.
• Tommy: "There’s no blood in the mix. Love is love." [68:47]
• Shane jokes about blending families and how this situation actually simplifies holiday plans.

Notable Quote:

"My husband’s been jokingly calling me stepsis since the wedding—that’s my favorite nickname." – Sarah (reading OP’s comment) [69:20]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• [06:47] Sarah: “They're cooking, it’s getting spicy, they’re like, ‘Daddy, pass me the cinnamon…’ The mom was like, alarms! Oh my god. That is my little baby boy. He's not ‘Daddy’!”
• [25:13] Shane (Reddit comment): "Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people."
• [32:28] Tommy: “Once you’ve said yes to dildos three times, what’s the fourth? Go for it.”
• [41:12] Shane (Reddit comment): "This is your wedding, not her funeral."
• [64:00] Shane: “Did it help anything? ...The rift is bigger. Like, congrats, you feel cool.”
• [68:47] Tommy: "There’s no blood in the mix... love is love."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:00 – Sponsorships & Episode Start
• 01:00–02:31 – Introductions & Theme Set-up
• 02:31–10:51 – "Daddy" vs. "Papi" Nickname Dilemma
• 12:07–29:16 – Family Naming Traditions Drama
• 29:25–35:36 – Amazon Family Plan Overshare
• 35:36–43:37 – Mother-of-the-Bride in White
• 43:41–54:47 – Open Mic Fail with Dad
• 54:47–65:06 – The "Chosen One" Sibling Conflict
• 65:55–69:46 – Newlywed Couple Becomes Step-Siblings
• 69:46–71:46 – Reflections & Goodbyes

Final Thoughts

The Smosh crew brings heart, wit, and candor as they navigate the wild terrains of modern families. "Family Matters" blends frank laughter, personal experience, and genuine advice, making it a must-listen for anyone who loves awkward stories, group therapy by way of memes, and spirited, silly debate about what makes—and breaks—family bonds.

Catch new episodes of “Smosh Reads Reddit Stories” every Saturday for more tales of internet woe, wisdom, and wonder.