Smosh Reads Reddit Stories
Episode: Walking Red Flags | Reading Reddit Stories
Date: October 11, 2025
Host: Shane (Shayne Topp)
Guests: Angela, Trevor
Overview
This episode of Smosh Reads Reddit Stories centers around the theme of "Red Flags" in relationships, friendships, and daily life. Shane leads the Smosh crew in reading and reacting to a curated selection of Reddit posts, each ripe with potential for hilarious commentary, empathetic insights, and a little chaos from the guests. The show’s signature format—raising physical red or green flags to signal approval/disapproval—adds interactive flare and running jokes throughout. Expect uproarious tangents, candid personal anecdotes, and a series of memorable "don't do this" moments.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. "Jalapeno Popper Gate" – Signs of Inconsideration
[01:50–11:15]
Story:
A woman cooks dinner for her boyfriend and makes eight jalapeno poppers. Her boyfriend eats all of them before she gets one, tells her “you didn’t say you wanted any,” and then says she’s “overreacting.” She wonders if this is a red flag.
Panel Reaction:
- Shane: “Green Flag. He likes your cooking. Red Flag. Everything else.” [03:08]
- Angela: Notes it’s worrisome that he “didn’t notice how much space he took up” [04:59]
- Trevor: Suggests it's inconsiderate but not automatically relationship-ending, unless it’s part of a larger pattern.
Memorable Quotes:
- Shane: “His reaction is what I really think is the red flag.” [06:31]
- Angela: “Guy who uses ‘splooge’ when talking about food. Red flag.” [06:26]
- Shane: “Telling someone they’re overreacting is a red flag. It almost always is.” [05:28]
- Shane: “If this is a pattern, that’s a pattern of not considering you.” [10:52]
Insights:
- It's less about the food and more about the boyfriend’s lack of awareness and dismissive response.
- Shane and Angela both emphasize the importance of small considerate actions and recognizing when repeated behavior signals deeper issues.
2. Location Tracking & Projected Paranoia
[12:41–21:58]
Story:
A woman’s fiancé tracks her location obsessively, confronts her in the grocery store when she misses calls, and previously cheated on her. She wonders if this controlling behavior is a red flag, and if their relationship can be salvaged.
Panel Reaction:
- Immediate red flags from everyone. Trevor: “Location services is like the craziest litmus test for whether or not a person is just capable of being in a relationship.” [14:56]
- Shane: Points out the “accusatory” and “projecting” nature of the fiancé’s suspicion.
- Angela: Argues location-sharing is fine for safety between friends, but weaponizing it shows deep-seated trust issues.
- When it’s revealed the fiancé previously cheated, Shane: “That’s just the biggest thing, that trust. It just blows a freaking hole in the relationship.” [21:26]
Memorable Quotes:
- Angela: “I think OP knows what’s going on… it’s kind of one of the most obvious ones.” [20:59]
- Shane: “If you’re checking your partner’s location because you think they’re cheating, you’ve already lost the trust battle.” [16:46]
Insights:
- Extreme location-tracking—especially after infidelity—is a major red flag and typically signals projection.
- The group collectively advises OP to leave, emphasizing that repeated suspicion and lack of trust are rarely fixable.
3. “Not Wife Material Because I Don’t Cook Like His Mom”
[22:00–28:51]
Story:
A woman is told she’s “not wife material” by her boyfriend because she doesn’t cook like his mom. He refuses to see anything wrong with the comparison.
Panel Reaction:
- Instant horror and mockery—Angela: “What is this, a story from the 80s?” [23:35]
- Shane ridicules men with entitled attitudes about cooking: “The inability for a man to cook blows my mind to be like, I’m not allowed to cook. Yeah, you have to cook.” [24:59]
- Trevor calls him a “loser” and the group universally agrees it’s a classic red flag.
Memorable Quotes:
- Trevor: “What a little dork. Oh my god, it pisses me off.” [24:23]
- Angela: “That one made me sick to my stomach.” [69:48]
Insights:
- Gendered expectations about cooking and household roles are red flags. The group scorns the “my mom did it this way” mentality, calling it sexist and outdated.
4. “He Peed the Bed and Got Mad I Wanted to Clean It”
[29:04–38:48]
Story:
A woman discovers her boyfriend wet the bed on their new mattress; he wants to go back to sleep instead of cleaning it and says she’s overreacting.
Panel Reaction:
- Shane and Trevor are at first comedic—“As someone who pees on my bed... intentionally” [29:11]—but then roast the boyfriend for his lack of concern.
- Angela: “To not clean yourself or the area around your partner is pretty disrespectful.” [33:20]
Memorable Quotes:
- Shane: “If I peed the bed, I’d certainly be like, I’m not gonna— you’re sleeping in this.” [32:07]
- Trevor: “The first thing I’m doing is ripping the sheets off and getting as much pee soaked up as possible.” [32:16]
Insights:
- The actual “red flag” isn’t the accident—it's the boyfriend’s dismissiveness and irresponsibility.
- When he later apologizes and takes action (flowers, new mattress cover), the group accepts this as a decent resolution—provided he grows up.
5. “Boyfriend Learning ASL for My Deaf Brother—Friends Say It’s Creepy”
[39:15–53:18]
Story:
A woman's boyfriend is learning American Sign Language to communicate with her deaf brother. Her friends, led by her male best friend, call it obsessed, manipulative, and creepy, urging her to break up.
Panel Reaction:
- Shane and Angela are immediately skeptical of the friends’ judgment.
- Angela: “Attacking him for just trying to connect with your brother is— I don’t get that at all.” [45:28]
- Trevor: “It doesn’t seem like it’s performative; he’s literally hanging out and learning to communicate.” [45:48]
Big Reveal & Update:
- The “friend” Mike was lying to sabotage the relationship out of jealousy—fabricating stories to seem closer to OP and making John look manipulative.
- Shane: “Mike was the red flag lurking through this green flag story.” [51:15]
Memorable Quotes:
- Shane: “Your friends are thieves of joy. A guy that likes you is going out of his way to learn how to communicate with your brother. That’s adorable.” [47:42]
- Angela: “90s straight cold sucks.” [51:58]
Insights:
- The act of learning ASL is the opposite of a red flag—it’s a massive green flag.
- Jealous friends, especially dishonest ones, are huge red flags; their interference was projection and manipulation.
6. “Am I the Butt Face? Not Letting My Boyfriend Be a Hero During a Mugging”
[53:51–68:15]
Story:
A woman and her boyfriend are mugged at knifepoint. She calmly throws her wallet to distract the mugger and escapes, but her boyfriend is furious he “wasn’t allowed to be a hero.” His mom says she “emasculated” him.
Panel Reaction:
- Shane and Trevor point out the absurdity and danger of attempting to fight someone with a knife.
- Trevor: “Do people not comprehend that you can just get stabbed and die?” [57:09]
- Angela: Observes the gender dynamics, saying men can treat danger as an ego test, while women just want to survive.
Big Update:
- The boyfriend later apologizes to OP in private, but is caught spinning an entirely different, self-aggrandizing version to his friends and family.
- Upon confrontation, he admits to lying out of "embarrassment." OP ends the relationship.
Memorable Quotes:
- Shane: “He’s not afraid, but he showed he was stupid.” [67:51]
- Trevor: “Be safe and go on your merry way.” [68:47]
Insights:
- Hero fantasies and toxic masculinity can lead people to make not only dangerous choices, but also to prioritize ego over real safety.
- Lying to others about the story for personal pride is a glaring red flag.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On subtle red flags:
- “Telling someone they’re overreacting is a red flag. It almost always is.” – Shane [05:28]
- On projection and trust:
- “If you’re checking your partner’s location because you think they’re cheating, you’ve already lost the trust battle.” – Trevor [16:46]
- On entitlement:
- “What a little dork.” – Trevor [24:23]
- On seeing through “nice guy” manipulation:
- “Mike was the red flag lurking through this green flag story.” – Shane [51:15]
- On hero complexes:
- “Do people not comprehend that you can just get stabbed and die?” – Trevor [57:09]
- “He’s not feeling the threat of survival because he’s feeling— like, literally like...this could actually make me look good.” – Angela [59:48]
- On cleaning up your own mess (literally):
- “To not clean yourself or the area around your partner is pretty disrespectful.” – Angela [33:20]
Timestamps for Highlight Segments
- Appetizer Etiquette Boyfriend [01:50–11:15]
- Fiancé Location Obsession [12:41–21:58]
- Cooking Standards & Misogyny [22:00–28:51]
- Bedwetting & Responsibility [29:04–38:48]
- ASL, Boyfriend, and Jealous Friends [39:15–53:18]
- Hero Complex During Mugging [53:51–68:15]
Tone, Language, & Show Energy
The hosts combine authentic vulnerability, rapid-fire jokes, and blunt advice. Signature Smosh banter punctuates every story—often taking surprising tangents (e.g., ceiling fan peeing, Outback Steakhouse shrimp mystique, and Mario-themed childhood bedwetting dreams). The show’s empathy balances its sarcasm, ensuring both entertaining and thoughtful reflections on relationship dynamics.
Biggest Red Flags (Episode Wrap-Up)
- Partners who gaslight or diminish your feelings (e.g., “overreacting”)
- Obsessive, controlling, or projection behavior (location tracking after cheating)
- Entitled comparisons to parents (“not wife material” for not cooking like mom)
- Deflection and irresponsibility (refusing to clean up a mistake like bedwetting)
- Friends who sabotage your happiness (fabricating stories to undermine relationships)
- Hero fantasies that endanger others (trying to “fight” a mugger instead of deescalate)
- Expecting a partner to serve your ego at the expense of their safety
Final Thoughts
The episode reinforces that red flags often appear in small dismissive comments, consistent patterns of selfishness, or in attempts to control narratives—both within relationships and from outside “friends.” It’s not just the acts themselves, but how people respond to being called out for them, that reveals character. And, as the Smosh crew illustrates (flags in hand), sometimes you need to laugh so you don’t cry.
Listen for:
- Angela and Trevor's recurring flag bit
- Shane’s self-aware clapbacks and childhood stories
- Tangents about Outback Steakhouse, Mario, and defense against muggers
- Sincere advice wrapped in comedy gold
- Live example of how to spot (and dodge) red flags, online or off