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Jennie Garth
This is an iHeart podcast.
Sam Taggart
Guaranteed human, let's be real. Home comes with a lot of odors. Cooking, pets, everyday life. That's where Febreze comes in.
George Severis
Febreze helps fight household odors and leaves behind freshness that lasts. And with over 30 cents to choose from, you'll always find one that feels like you.
Sam Taggart
Febreze Freshness that fits your life, your space, your style.
George Severis
Febreze is a proud sponsor of the Elton John Impact Awards, honoring those who have helped shape a more inclusive and compassionate world with their artistry, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to equality.
Sam Taggart
You won't want to miss the Elton John Impact Awards podcast, available on June 1st on the iHeartRadio app. And everywhere podcasts are heard this July 4th.
America 250 Announcer
Come celebrate at America's Block Party. Hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration@america250.org
Jennie Garth
I
Nori Reed
turned off news altogether.
Sam Taggart
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people.
America 250 Announcer
We got clear facts.
George Severis
Maybe we could calm down a little.
Nori Reed
NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America.
George Severis
What's up, y'?
Nori Reed
All?
George Severis
Summer's got a different tempo. Everything's a little looser, brighter. One plan turns into another. You hear something, you stay a little longer. Next thing you know, you're somewhere you
Nori Reed
didn't plan to be.
George Severis
It's those in between moments. That's where the ideas hit. Conversations stretch out. Little memories sneak up on you. Sometimes it's just about what's in your hand. That color, that chill. The new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks. Guava and passion fruit flavors with mango pineapple flavored pearls. Yeah, that feels like summer before you even taste it. Funny how one small stop becomes the best part of the day. Start your summer rhythm with Starbucks. Try the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks.
Ryan Seacrest
Foreign.
George Severis
Tour announcement starts now. Hello everyone. It is me, Sam, and I am going on tour this summer. I'm doing my hour of incredible standup comedy and I would love, love, love to see you there. So I will be in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, D.C. boston, Philly, and maybe A couple more. But if you are in any of those places, please, please, please get tickets. I would love to see you all there. And I'm really, really excited because I love touring now. So see you there. Okay. Enjoy the app. Bye. Podcast starts now. We're here with Nori Reed, and this is Gadio Lab.
Sam Taggart
Yes. And Happy Pride.
Nori Reed
Happy Pride.
Sam Taggart
And, Nori, I just want to say to you specifically, happy Pride.
George Severis
Happy Pride. Nori.
Nori Reed
Well, that's so funny, because my property manager texted me yesterday and said, happy Pride.
Ryan Seacrest
Yay.
George Severis
And that's why you're moving. Yeah.
Sam Taggart
He said, happy Pride. And you are being evicted. This Pride. We're partnering with a debt collector to
George Severis
evict you to get her ass out.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Ryan Seacrest
Wow.
Nori Reed
She also said, I saw you on Hacks. Oh, yeah.
George Severis
Happy Pride. Saw you on Hacks.
Nori Reed
Yep.
Sam Taggart
Where's my.
Nori Reed
You're evicted.
George Severis
Yeah, yeah.
Sam Taggart
Happy Pride. I saw you on Hacks.
George Severis
Does that pay well? Why haven't you paid me?
Nori Reed
Why haven't you paid rent? You're on Hacks. Pay rent. Are we recording this?
Sam Taggart
We are recording.
George Severis
This has begun.
Nori Reed
My bad.
Sam Taggart
I'm so caffeinated. I'm feeling like I'm buzzing. I feel like I'm on crack cocaine.
Nori Reed
I think it's me. It's my energy that I bring.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
This is. I just want to say this is our seventh of seven episodes that we've recorded in four days.
Nori Reed
Oh, my God. Yeah.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Wow.
Sam Taggart
We have been to hell and back.
Nori Reed
Yeah. Yeah.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Who's been your least favorite person?
George Severis
That's easy.
Sam Taggart
But we're not gonna say it. But we were both thinking it.
George Severis
But it's very clear.
Sam Taggart
But it's very clear.
George Severis
Everyone in this room knows who, too.
Sam Taggart
We're not gonna say.
George Severis
We can't say.
Nori Reed
Okay.
George Severis
We will not say. But just know that there is a general consensus. It's 100% of people in this room
Nori Reed
agree,
George Severis
which is generally shocking because it's
Sam Taggart
so hard to find.
Jennie Garth
Rare.
George Severis
It's so hard in common ground, and
Sam Taggart
in this day and age, to find
Nori Reed
common ground that is so beautiful. Because culture is so fractured. It's so fractured. But, like, when you hate someone and everyone else hates that person, that's.
America 250 Announcer
This is.
Sam Taggart
What's wrong with society is that it's harder to. To agree on loving something than on hating something. Because when you. When everyone agrees they love something, by definition, what is there? Say it with me. Backlash.
Nori Reed
Yes.
Sam Taggart
When everyone decides to hate something, it's
George Severis
like, okay, we as a society are addicted to narratives, and so we have to have the villain becoming the good guy and the good guy becoming the villain. We just need it constantly.
Sam Taggart
This is how I feel about Cromo Brown, where I'm like, everyone, weapons down. Okay, so he lied about having face work. Who cares if you go online right now?
George Severis
I'm on his side.
Ryan Seacrest
Yes.
Sam Taggart
I'm on his side. Why not?
George Severis
Okay.
Sam Taggart
Why not? What has he ever done to me that's bad?
Nori Reed
His son was a PA once, and I yelled at him.
George Severis
Really?
Sam Taggart
He has a son?
George Severis
You would yell at a PA to
Nori Reed
be a h. He forgot my salad dressing for two weeks.
Sam Taggart
Wow.
Nori Reed
And I was so mad. And I. I apologized. I apologize.
Sam Taggart
Was this on the set of Hacks?
Nori Reed
No.
Sam Taggart
Would you say it was a toxic workplace?
George Severis
Because.
Sam Taggart
Would you say Paul and Lucia fostered a toxic workplace that then kind of encouraged the type of behavior that you exhibited vis a vis? Yelling, physically hitting, punching, slapping, various PA, various LGBTQ plus probably PAs.
Nori Reed
This was my first writing job.
Sam Taggart
Oh.
Nori Reed
So I didn't even. I had no power at all.
Sam Taggart
It was on Yellowstone.
George Severis
Sorry, I know your career.
Nori Reed
I didn't yell at him. I'm exaggerating.
George Severis
Was you.
Sam Taggart
Taylor Sheridan, a joy to work with. Would you say who exactly?
George Severis
What did you do to Karamo's son?
Nori Reed
Well, it was like two weeks of him forgetting my salad dress. He just didn't care.
Sam Taggart
Two weeks of forgetting the salad dressing, he didn't care.
Nori Reed
He, like. He just did not care.
Sam Taggart
So are you getting the wrong salad dress or no salad dress?
Nori Reed
None.
Sam Taggart
Okay, well, that's pretty upsetting. That's a tough. Literally tough pill to swallow. If you catch my drips. No lubrication. You're saying I'm doing dry lettuce. Put it in there.
Nori Reed
Yeah. I'm trans, and I can be crazy about it.
Sam Taggart
Okay, you being trans has nothing to do with having issues with your salad dressing. And on Pride of All Months, I am sick and tired of you playing this card.
Nori Reed
I think Promo had a kid with a woman, by the way.
George Severis
Oh. None of them are gay.
Sam Taggart
Let's start there.
George Severis
Actually,
Sam Taggart
what do you think is the most likely to be lying about being gay of the Fab Five? Let me think, Let me think.
George Severis
Jvn. How iconic would that be?
Sam Taggart
Yeah, to be honest, I would say it's jvn.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
He is the most, quote, unquote, I hate this word. Like, he's the most performative. So it's like. Okay, we'll take it a step further. Maybe they are fully straight if you drop that voice.
Nori Reed
Yeah, that's a straight man.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Like the man bun the like. Like, I've. I lived in San Francisco. I've seen that man everywhere.
Sam Taggart
It's like, fuck boy. It's literally like Oakland fuck boy.
George Severis
With a bike store.
Sam Taggart
With a bike store.
Nori Reed
Yeah. Like, hey, honey. You know, sort of like. Like, hey, you know.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. Randomly dating a really hot blonde woman who does crystals. And she's like, why is he gonna propose?
Ryan Seacrest
Wait.
George Severis
It's actually so hard to do JVN voice drop down.
Nori Reed
I did it. Yeah.
Sam Taggart
It seems like it's not that hard.
George Severis
I can't do it. I keep trying. It's like trying to sing a song I can't sing, which is most right.
Sam Taggart
Do you do karaoke?
Nori Reed
I hate. Do not like karaoke.
Sam Taggart
Me neither. I think we're in this really impactful minority. It's one of those things that even people that I think of as, oh, this person's such a bitch, cynical about everything. But then you bring up karaoke and they're like, I love doing karaoke. And my go to song is, you know, Sheryl Crow, if it makes you happy. I'm like, what?
Nori Reed
I actually don't get karaoke. I don't get it. Because it's like, so people who can't sing are singing, and then you have to celebrate it, and then we have to be excited.
Sam Taggart
My ears are bleeding.
George Severis
It's worse when people who are good at singing do it.
Nori Reed
It's worse.
George Severis
That makes me sick.
Nori Reed
Yes. Yes.
George Severis
There's a delicate balance where you have to be bad enough and good enough.
Sam Taggart
I think the only way I'm comfortable with it is if it is a group doing it. Because it's like, okay, everyone's having fun or no, together. Like two people singing together and they're doing the boy's mind, for example.
Nori Reed
I do like private room. I think it's called Nori Bong. It's like, Korean. I'm Korean.
Sam Taggart
Okay, we get it. Nori. You're trans and you're Korean.
Nori Reed
So yeah, when I yell at PA, it's a little different. Okay. I just wanna.
Sam Taggart
Can I get dressing on the side? I'm trans and Korean.
Nori Reed
I say that every day. Every day. But I like the room.
George Severis
I like the room as well.
Nori Reed
Remember we had what?
George Severis
There was a super spreader event. The after midnight wrap party was private room Karaoke where 100% of the people got Covid.
Nori Reed
We all got Covid.
George Severis
I don't know who started it. Everyone but 100% of the people in attendance that day left with COVID And
Nori Reed
we all had important stuff right after.
Sam Taggart
Totally.
George Severis
So that Was pretty much a nightmare. But it was fun. It was fun, I must say.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
George Severis
And turns out you can still get Covid.
Nori Reed
It's crazy.
Sam Taggart
How recently was this.
George Severis
Let's not talk about it.
Sam Taggart
What variant are we on? Oh, because what did you see me like right after.
George Severis
Let's not talk about it.
Nori Reed
Let's not put it in the time context.
George Severis
Let's not put this in time.
Sam Taggart
Let's just say it happened because literally, if you look it up, both of you, both of you made public appearances the day after and your day was a positive test.
George Severis
You were holding to the camera. Please not bring up when it happened.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I did a photo shoot at a nursing home the next day.
Sam Taggart
It was so bad, it wasn't even to promote anything.
George Severis
You just like wanted to do a photo shoot of Arp Mac.
Sam Taggart
You are a coat of Arp Mac.
Nori Reed
Thank you for. Thank you for bringing that up.
Sam Taggart
It was you and Ian McKellen and it was like an unlikely friendship.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I gave him Covid.
Sam Taggart
You were gonna say I gave him coke.
Nori Reed
Oh, well, both.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, that's the basis of the friendship is you're sort of like drug friends. You only hang out, you know, during nightlife hours.
Nori Reed
I could see that.
Sam Taggart
I could too. Honestly, I bet you he still goes out and gets some strange, as we used to say back in the day.
George Severis
Bring back strange.
Sam Taggart
Let's bring that back strange. Getting some strange.
George Severis
He is someone that I would not want to see who he's hooking up with because I know it's weird because
Sam Taggart
you know they're going to be exactly 20, 19 years old.
George Severis
Like I have never heard anything about it, but you just know, like, you aren't that type of gay guy. And not hooking up with 20 year old.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
And guess what? More power to him.
George Severis
Of course.
Nori Reed
And what are they even doing, the 21 year old? When you're that old, like, what do you do in there?
George Severis
You know?
Nori Reed
Well, I don't. Cuz if.
Sam Taggart
Nori, come on, you know, let's use our.
Nori Reed
When you're that old, even with coke, you're. Well, especially with coke, actually.
Sam Taggart
Well, you know, there's other things. There's other things you can do. Oh, no, you know, Nori, come on.
George Severis
Nori.
Nori Reed
Nori, come on. I don't know.
George Severis
Let's put that head to use, Nori.
Nori Reed
Oh, put that head to use.
Sam Taggart
Well, let's put that head to use. Do you think he is a top or a bottom?
Nori Reed
Well, based on what I'm thinking, I'm gonna say bottom.
George Severis
I'm gonna go ahead and guess that.
Sam Taggart
So he's being fucked by a 19 year old.
Nori Reed
I think so.
Sam Taggart
And you know what? That's what pride is all about.
George Severis
How are you celebrating pride this year, Nori,
Nori Reed
At this point? I don't know. At this point in time is there.
George Severis
Right, Right.
Nori Reed
I'm like, what, I don't understand pride now these days.
Sam Taggart
No, I think you're completely right. Because obviously there is the. There's a whole, like. No, corporations don't do brand partnerships anymore.
Nori Reed
Which I miss, by the way.
George Severis
Which by the way, I'll miss. Egg on our face. Everyone complaining about that now it's gone.
Nori Reed
I missed the performance.
George Severis
Come on.
Nori Reed
I missed the check, honey. The check.
George Severis
Oh, I was never getting those checks.
Sam Taggart
People posting, like, keep me in mind for your Pride show. It's like classic. What are you talking about?
George Severis
Wake up.
Sam Taggart
Pride is not happening.
George Severis
Doesn't happen anymore.
Sam Taggart
That doesn't exist.
George Severis
Unless maybe you're like a drag queen.
Sam Taggart
No. If you're a drag queen, it's happening.
Nori Reed
It's always. But it's always happening.
George Severis
Yeah, it's always happening for them. They get everything. We get nothing.
Nori Reed
No.
George Severis
Fuck yeah.
Sam Taggart
Drag queens are so lucky in that they're so respected as artists and constantly making money. You're right, Sam.
George Severis
They get everything. We get enough.
Sam Taggart
Drag queens who are constantly, conversationally, constantly being forced to do their own hair, makeup and wardrobe and then are paid $20.
George Severis
No. They're some of the most disrespectful people.
Sam Taggart
It's crazy. And talk about doing it for the love of the game. They do it for the love of the game.
Nori Reed
It's like with Stand up, it's like you get up there, you have a mic. Like, you're not prepared.
Sam Taggart
You're not preparing at all.
Nori Reed
And to be honest, making the cost.
Sam Taggart
Yes. It's crazy sometimes with stand up, even still to this day, I'm like a drink ticket.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
Like, that's worth it. Like, I'm ultimately coming out on top.
Nori Reed
Yeah. But they, like, they make everything. They, like, cinch and no, they arrive and they're like.
Sam Taggart
So I spent literal thousands of dollars to arrive here just to be disrespected.
Nori Reed
Are like. I feel like RuPaul Drag Race queens are coming at like, net zero completely.
Sam Taggart
Oh, I think on a good day, on a good month, on Pride month, they're coming net zero.
George Severis
Yeah.
Ryan Seacrest
Talk.
Sam Taggart
Talk to me in February, we're talking. They have to charge everything on their Bilt card to make rent. Bilt, the only company still doing Pride advertising Which, by the way, where did
George Severis
they come from and what's going on there?
Sam Taggart
Yeah, no, it's obviously not real.
George Severis
Something's up.
Nori Reed
I'm gonna say Middle East.
George Severis
Okay.
Nori Reed
It's getting like.
Sam Taggart
No, it's giving United Arab Emirates.
Nori Reed
Yeah. Are we allowed to say Middle East?
George Severis
No. This is actually an amazing question because
Sam Taggart
are we allowed to say Middle East?
Nori Reed
Well, Sam gave me the most, like, I said Middle east and same went. And I was like, well, there's this
George Severis
thing I feel like where you're like, people get to just be like, oh, Saudi money. And I'm sort of like, what, what does that mean?
Nori Reed
Like, it's a dog whistle.
America 250 Announcer
Yeah.
George Severis
I'm like, what are we saying here?
Nori Reed
Damn.
Sam Taggart
It's amazing when not am bad.
George Severis
Amazing can be bad when like, when
Sam Taggart
like legitimate political, progressive political commentary effortlessly veers into full on racism.
Nori Reed
Yes.
Sam Taggart
When someone's like, that person was born in Israel. It's like they didn't choose that. What are you saying?
Nori Reed
No, I, I, it's funny how that happened. I feel like with like white men, like older white men. The liberalism just kind of like, it just, it just like goes into racism so fast.
Sam Taggart
Totally. And you know what? Sometimes it happens with white women as well. No, no, no, I'm sorry, I made a mistake.
George Severis
Don't say stuff like that.
Nori Reed
No, no, no, no, no.
Sam Taggart
Have you ever seen a white woman be racist?
George Severis
That doesn't ring a bell to me.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I've heard about it.
Sam Taggart
It's something people talk about.
George Severis
Maybe in.
Sam Taggart
It's one of those, it's one of. In Game of Thrones. Yeah, but that's a fictional world. Of course. I think it's one of those really harmful stereotypes. You know, you hear, you hear white women are racist. Oh, the Karens. But it's actually not borne out in reality. I've never seen it.
George Severis
I've never seen it.
Nori Reed
I only watch Chelsea Handler and she's
Sam Taggart
never said anything, so I don't really know. Problematic at all. No, she's one of the top political leaders in this country.
George Severis
Hold on. Sorry. I thought of a way to get rich.
Sam Taggart
What is it?
George Severis
Get this. If we wanted to make $1 million today, get this. Here's what we do. We started a TikTok account.
Sam Taggart
Okay.
George Severis
We do AI videos.
Sam Taggart
Oh my God.
George Severis
Full.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, I'll stop you right there.
George Severis
I'm in a videos of Karen yelling at phone. Like being like, Karen yells at man playing basketball.
Nori Reed
Yes.
George Severis
One billion views. Every single day, new Karen video comes out. People, people can tell it's AI and Yet they are sucked in anyway. Yeah, we are rich.
Sam Taggart
Through ads, the views. Like, what's the business model here?
George Severis
What?
Nori Reed
We sell a movie based on the.
George Severis
You don't even get paid for tiktoks. You guys know this, right? You can get paid. We're getting millions of dollars right now. You guys make me sick. Sam.
Sam Taggart
So you're saying you're going to make AI videos of AI Karen Videos?
George Severis
Yes.
Jennie Garth
And.
Sam Taggart
And then. And then literally, like, what's the Reddit thing? Profit.
George Severis
Profit, Profit.
Sam Taggart
That.
George Severis
The Reddit thing of profit.
Nori Reed
And then are we doing Kalshee? Like, yeah, like, how are we.
George Severis
What's the next step?
Sam Taggart
Like, what's between videos and profit? I need to get you in touch with my business manager. She's a white woman who's not racist.
George Severis
Well.
Sam Taggart
And she's based in Saudi Arabia.
Jennie Garth
Yay.
Nori Reed
We can say something.
Sam Taggart
Okay.
Nori Reed
I did my business taxes this year.
Sam Taggart
Yay. Congrats.
Nori Reed
And I worked with a she. They person.
Sam Taggart
Oh, well, that's not going to work.
Nori Reed
And she just didn't do my taxes.
Sam Taggart
First of all, they didn't do your taxes.
Nori Reed
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
George Severis
How did I remember this saga happening?
Nori Reed
Every. Everything I go through, Sam calls it a saga. And it's.
Sam Taggart
You do that.
Nori Reed
It's one of the most hurtful things in the world. I'll be. I'll be like, so my grandma did pass. And the grandma saga, to be fair,
George Severis
you are saga prone.
Ryan Seacrest
Okay?
Sam Taggart
This is a real thing. Various people we know are saga prone. You are saga prone, and you are one of them.
Nori Reed
This is a false narrative that has been being perpetuated against me that I'm always looking for housing. I'm all. I'm always going through a tax thing to be very.
George Severis
It becomes a saga when it's posted about too much.
Nori Reed
Last year. This is true. Last year, the government took my passport. Sam called it a saga.
George Severis
That is not true.
Nori Reed
No.
Sam Taggart
So this is fully. You're calling a saga. The fact that, like, because of oppressive regulation, Nori is dealing with kind of like a transphobic id the she they.
Nori Reed
The tax person is the transgenocide is a saga. Crazy, Sam. Crazy.
George Severis
Oh, my God.
Sam Taggart
Tell us about your incompetent she they t accountant account. Extant.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I, like, paid them.
Sam Taggart
That's hilarious.
Nori Reed
I paid them to do my taxes. And then the, like, the week of the deadline, they just, like, had not done it and I sent them an email. Don't sigh. No, no, I'm.
Sam Taggart
Excuse me. I'm sighing in solidarity with You. I'm like, oh, God, I'm stressed hearing this story. I'm not mad at you. I mean, you did choose this person, but go on.
George Severis
Yeah, there is agency here.
Nori Reed
They were referred to me by an LA clown.
Sam Taggart
Well, Nori, it's like, this is your.
George Severis
I don't want to victim blame.
Sam Taggart
I mean, that said, my previous accountant was recommended to me by Max Wittard. And I said, you know how you know her? And he goes, oh, some. Get this, some pottery friends recommended her. And then I said, okay, work with her for four years.
George Severis
To be fair, I was fully scammed by my accountant and worked with him for four to five years.
Sam Taggart
Well, it's hard to know what the right level of scamming is for an accountant because obviously their job is to break the law. Yeah. Their job is to literally be like Tony Soprano. I assume murder has been committed, and then, you know, you sort of just hope you don't get caught.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
Like, if you met with an accountant and then she showed up and she was like, my whole thing is just being honest. I'd be like, I'm not hiring you.
George Severis
Yeah, okay, so go ahead.
Nori Reed
So, by the way, that is her. Like, this is the. Like, she was very moralistic and very.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, she was like, cards on the table. I didn't file your taxes.
Nori Reed
She. So it was the week of. I literally email. I. I'm like, kind of. And like, I was like, hey, diva. Like, she. At the end of the day, is she. They.
George Severis
Yeah, respect that.
Nori Reed
I was like, hey, diva. And I got an automated email back, and it said, I am moving. Give me grace.
George Severis
No.
Nori Reed
And I got penalties, and I've had to pay thousands of dollars because she just didn't file my taxes.
George Severis
So did she end up filing them, or did you have to do it yourself?
Nori Reed
She. She did.
George Severis
Okay.
Nori Reed
And then I. I just got my penalty letter from the irs.
Sam Taggart
Can you respond? Give me Grace.
Nori Reed
And I want to respond. Give me Grace. Give me the irs. Can we back up for a second, please? There is a. There is a culture of. Of. Of. You're not allowed to post about stuff anymore.
Sam Taggart
That's true.
Nori Reed
And it's crazy because it's like Instagram is one of the biggest resource things of, like, a network. And I think it's not. I'm just thinking it's not against Sam. This is.
Sam Taggart
I know. I agree with what you're saying.
Nori Reed
There's a.
Sam Taggart
There's a culture. And you know what it is? It's that. Not to make everything about 2020, but there was A glut of posting during the time period, starting from, like, lockdown through, let's say, 2022. And then it cheapened the power of posting.
Nori Reed
Interesting.
Sam Taggart
And so now when you.
George Severis
Society boy who cried wolf.
Sam Taggart
I'm literally like, I remember feeling this way. I support Zoran. I voted for him. I remember when everyone was posting, I was like, okay, so is this guy some kind of scammer? Why is everyone posting so much? I'm, like, distrustful of the concept of posting, even if it's something I agree with. Interesting track for you.
Nori Reed
Well, I think it kind of will be like, where does, like, GoFundMes lie in this?
Sam Taggart
You're setting us up.
Nori Reed
Culture war. Yeah.
George Severis
This is a trap.
Sam Taggart
This is a trap, and we're not falling for it.
Nori Reed
I'm looking for housing.
Sam Taggart
Come on.
Nori Reed
The east side. One bedroom or roommates.
Sam Taggart
You're not looking for roommates. Be real.
George Severis
Be real.
Ryan Seacrest
Be real.
George Severis
When I saw that post, I said, she's lying again.
Sam Taggart
Be real. Oh, starring in hacks and looking for roommates.
Nori Reed
There's a false narrative.
George Severis
The woman that screamed at Karamo's son about selling a roommate.
Sam Taggart
Here's something about you. You can't decide. You can't decide if you want to present as, like, a billionaire or an at risk youth.
George Severis
This is given time, genius.
Sam Taggart
You're literally every day, you wake up and you're like, am I at risk youth or am I billionaire?
Nori Reed
The way I'm being so open to this right now, and you're. It's. You're right. It's crazy. I'm feeling very open.
George Severis
Wow.
Nori Reed
I'm feeling very open to this.
George Severis
This is huge.
Nori Reed
And I actually think my therapist would never tell me this, by the way. Like, he's like, a very validating trans man.
Sam Taggart
That's where you.
Nori Reed
Trans man.
George Severis
All right, okay.
Nori Reed
Very validating trans man. He's kind of on a loop. It's just all positives.
Sam Taggart
Totally.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Chat lgbt.
Sam Taggart
Sorry. Chat lgbt.
Nori Reed
So is that a platform? Validating?
George Severis
So it's like, AI.
Nori Reed
That's what the joke was.
George Severis
Got it.
Nori Reed
Didn't really land.
George Severis
I wasn't sure it landed with them.
Nori Reed
Thank you.
Sam Taggart
Chat lgbt.
Nori Reed
I care about.
Sam Taggart
Wow. I'm a complete chat gbt. No, I get it. At this point.
George Severis
They're trying to help at this point.
Sam Taggart
I get it.
Nori Reed
But, yeah, like, he would never. He doesn't tell me the truth about anything.
George Severis
That's good.
Nori Reed
He's like, post more.
George Severis
How long have you had him?
Nori Reed
Ye. Long time. Yeah, that's very long time. But you guys are giving me the truth here, so I'm. I'm appreciating it.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
That's what you get from CIS gays, right?
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
They're gonna go ahead and just say what's on their mind.
Nori Reed
Is it my turn to say something about us?
Sam Taggart
Say something about us.
Nori Reed
Yes.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, you can go the reading. The library is open.
Nori Reed
I have nothing. I don't know. I'm. I. I truly have nothing. Oh, I have nothing.
Sam Taggart
Yay. So we're like, perfect.
George Severis
No notes. You're like my therapist.
Nori Reed
I guess if there's only. If I. Just one thing here she goes.
George Severis
Oh, God.
Nori Reed
I just think you could be a little more supportive of trans people.
Sam Taggart
People keep saying that to us.
Nori Reed
I'm really enjoying looking at.
Sam Taggart
And we keep being really defensive.
Nori Reed
I'm noticing it.
George Severis
You're.
Sam Taggart
You think that those are your allies.
George Severis
They're on our side, by the way. The cameras.
Nori Reed
Okay. Chat. Chat. What do we think?
Sam Taggart
I can't believe this.
Nori Reed
Chat. What do we think?
Sam Taggart
How do you think. You know? Because you're here for our Pride episode and because you brought up our alleged lack of support for the trans community. What do you think we can do to better support the trans community?
Nori Reed
Oh, my God. And CIS people are always doing this.
Sam Taggart
Oh, so you're gonna go? You're gonna go. It's not my job to educate you
Nori Reed
Mode suddenly my job to tell you.
Sam Taggart
So you're not giving us. So you're refusing to point us in the right direction.
Nori Reed
I just think that you guys could have more housing.
Sam Taggart
More housing.
Nori Reed
Knowledge of. Of, like, what's the.
Sam Taggart
You think we should specifically support trans people by providing them housing? I think we can barely house ourselves.
Nori Reed
Have you heard of Zillow?
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Yeah, actually, I think, like, if you guys could make an app that's, like, rooms and, like, Zillow for transform. Okay, okay.
Sam Taggart
You think we can support trans people by building an app that is Zillow for trans people?
George Severis
Guess how we're gonna fund it?
Sam Taggart
How? Oh, through the videos. Oh, my God.
Nori Reed
I think it's all kind of coming together.
Sam Taggart
All right, so this is interesting, what you're saying. It's a Robin Hood model. We're using the evil of evil of AI and of Karen videos, which I think are inherently evil. Of course, on all sides, we're using that evil to fund sort of inclusive housing. Okay, good.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
George Severis
Should we do our first segment?
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America 250 Announcer
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Jennie Garth
I
Nori Reed
turned off news altogether.
Sam Taggart
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people.
Nori Reed
We got clear facts.
George Severis
Maybe we could calm down a little.
Nori Reed
NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America.
Ryan Seacrest
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George Severis
So our first segment normally is called Straight Shooters. I don't Remember what we call it for Gaydio Lab.
Sam Taggart
But what about Gay Shooters?
George Severis
What about Gay Gooners?
Sam Taggart
Ooh. Okay, Nori, our first segment is called Gay Gooners.
George Severis
And in this segment we're going to ask you a series of rapid fire questions. Basically, this thing or this other thing
Sam Taggart
to gauge your familiarity with and complicity in gay culture.
Nori Reed
Okay?
George Severis
And the only rule is you can't ask any follow up questions or we
Sam Taggart
will scream even more than we already have been.
George Severis
Okay, Nori, clean up on aisle five. Or giddy up, let's go for a ride.
Nori Reed
Giddy up, let's go for a ride.
Sam Taggart
Mary Queen of Scots or Harry go to Gringotts.
Nori Reed
Mary Queen of Scots.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
Crude oil or Susan Boyle.
Nori Reed
Susan Boyle, period. Have you been watching?
George Severis
I've been seeing the clips.
Nori Reed
Okay.
Sam Taggart
Flora and Fauna or Tegan and Sarah?
Nori Reed
Oh, Flora and Fauna.
George Severis
Hearing that engine purr or hearing the women of Smurrers.
Sam Taggart
That was good.
Nori Reed
Will you say that one more time?
George Severis
Smurs is a band.
Sam Taggart
They're like, I know, vaguely Scandinavian.
Nori Reed
I know that.
Sam Taggart
By which I do mean literally Swedish.
Nori Reed
Would you say one more time though?
George Severis
Hearing that engine purr or hearing the women of Smurrers.
Nori Reed
Hearing that engine purr.
Sam Taggart
The divine feminine or the bovine specimen?
Nori Reed
The divine feminine.
George Severis
Okay. Being tax exempt or needing a wax. You're unkempt.
Sam Taggart
Oh, that felt so aggressive.
George Severis
Sorry. It was a character piece.
Nori Reed
The. The wax one.
Sam Taggart
Okay. And finally. That's a chop. That's a bop. Or that's AI slop.
Nori Reed
That's a bop.
Sam Taggart
Wow.
Jennie Garth
Wow.
Sam Taggart
Good job.
Nori Reed
Really good work. Did I do it right?
George Severis
I think you nailed it. You know, we rate our guests on a scale of 0 to 1000 doves.
Sam Taggart
What do we do for Gadiolab? 0 to 1000 things of poppers.
George Severis
That's so classic gay humor.
Nori Reed
I did a pupper for the first time. What'd you think it was like a drive by?
Sam Taggart
What, you were driving?
Nori Reed
No, like a doll. Like, was walking by and she put it under my nose.
George Severis
Oh.
Nori Reed
And I was scared.
Sam Taggart
I went, yeah.
Nori Reed
And then she kept walking.
George Severis
Where were you?
Nori Reed
I can't say that.
Sam Taggart
Is it a famous doll? Was it Caitlyn Jenner?
George Severis
Was it the Republican National Convention?
Nori Reed
It was in the Airstream with Caitlyn. We're kind of both subletting off and
George Severis
on in the Airstream with Caitlyn is such a Lana Del Rey lyric, Huh? Well, I think you did amazing.
Sam Taggart
And you got. I think you got a thousand.
George Severis
A thousand things.
Sam Taggart
A thousand things of poppers.
Nori Reed
Thank you. Thank you.
George Severis
Where are we at with gay humor?
Sam Taggart
How much time do we have?
George Severis
Every day I open Instagram and I'm fed the most stupid sketch from a gay guy. Or. And I'm sort of like, why did you take the time to do this? Don't you have to have a job?
Nori Reed
No one. No one has a job.
George Severis
No one has a job. They all have a phone.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, no one has a job. They all have a phone. Truer words have never been spoken, but
Nori Reed
I feel like we're on the same page when it comes to, like. I just. Gay culture. I don't even think fractured is the right word anymore. I think it's just so, like, I don't even know what it. Like, what is it? Yeah, I don't even know what it is now.
Sam Taggart
That's a really good point.
Nori Reed
That's an amazing point. I. I was driving here and I was. I was like, what is gay culture?
George Severis
Well, I think this might be leading into your topic that you have not told us yet that we are a little afraid of.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
What is your gay topic?
George Severis
Normally, we don't get gotcha on our own show.
Sam Taggart
I know we asked before. Usually we check in with guests before the recording just to check if we've done it before, if we have any moral or political objections to it. But you didn't want to share.
Nori Reed
No.
George Severis
So we can't retaliate in any way.
Sam Taggart
So the floor is yours.
Nori Reed
I think I want to explore flop.
Sam Taggart
The concept of flop.
George Severis
The concept of flop.
Nori Reed
Yes.
Sam Taggart
Ooh, that's good.
George Severis
Interesting. Tell us more.
Nori Reed
Yeah, Well, I feel like to be born is to flop.
Jennie Garth
Yes.
Nori Reed
I think to be human is to be floppy. And in this specific time that we are in, what is flop?
George Severis
Interesting.
Sam Taggart
Are you aware of the book? Keep in mind, I've never opened it in my life, but I do know the title. The Queer Art of Failure.
Nori Reed
No.
Sam Taggart
Well, it's a book and that title seems relevant.
George Severis
So you are saying that
Jennie Garth
a flop.
George Severis
Our addiction to flops and our negativity around flops is bad.
Nori Reed
I'm saying that we exist in a moment where. We exist in a moment where.
Sam Taggart
Let me be clear.
Nori Reed
We exist in a moment where society is flopped.
Sam Taggart
Yes.
Nori Reed
The structures we exist in are flop.
Sam Taggart
Yes.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
So I think.
George Severis
Bless you.
Nori Reed
I think, like, before it was. It was interesting or fun to be like, ariana is flop.
Sam Taggart
I see what you're saying, but I don't think now the default is flop.
Nori Reed
We live in flop.
Jennie Garth
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
So there's no such thing as floppy.
Nori Reed
How can any of us be flop?
George Severis
Everything is flop.
Nori Reed
If the environment we exist in.
Sam Taggart
How can anyone be flop if everything is flop? Yeah, this is sort of how, like, if all art is political, no art can be political. Or, like, these are sort of like logical paradox.
George Severis
So you're saying that since everything is flop, we need to be celebrating when something is not flop. That's like. That's what's rare.
Nori Reed
I'm very confused by it because I think I still want to be very critical. I like being critical, of course, but I think, like, it. I don't know if you relate to this, but I just feel like that's part of why gay culture feels so confusing right now, is because it's like, the, like. Like, the harder life gets and the more, like, you know, the country gets, like, cuckoo bananas.
Sam Taggart
Thank you for putting a name to it.
Nori Reed
It's just kind of like, it. That does have an effect on, like, how I relate to, like, gay culture, I think. I don't know. I don't know.
Sam Taggart
Here I'm throwing something out there. Do you think that, like, it feels less impactful to be critical of something when everything is bad? It's like, if I'm, like, so excited, I'm writing a new essay, okay. And the essay is about how actually Love island is a bad show. It's like, who cares? Everything is bad. It's not impactful to make a critique when everything is just sort of like, slop, slop, slop, slop, slop.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
Is that related to what you're saying?
Nori Reed
Kind of. I don't even. I don't know what I'm saying is. And that's why I didn't want to tell you guys, because I don't understand, but I just feel like as, like, it's harder to be critical of, like, because, like, we're all, like. To be human is to be, like, flawed.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, of course.
Nori Reed
That's, like, a big part of human condition.
George Severis
Me. Oh, yeah.
Nori Reed
Sorry.
George Severis
No, it's okay.
Nori Reed
But, like, I don't know. I just feel like that's feeling less fun to be, like, this is flop. Like, this is flop. It's not as fun anymore. But maybe that could just be me.
Sam Taggart
No, no, no.
Nori Reed
I may not be having a singular experience.
Sam Taggart
I know what you mean.
George Severis
So you're saying negativity is over, Kind of.
Sam Taggart
Can we talk a little bit about. I want to talk a little bit about the concept of flopping within gay culture in general. It's like the prospect of flopping is always looming, and that adds kind of, like, almost an excitement to Things. It's like the proverbial. When you drop your proverbial single, which could mean anything from having a new opinion to starting a new job to looking for housing, getting a haircut, whatever. It's like, what if I flop? And then, of course, honey, what if you slay?
George Severis
Slay.
Nori Reed
Or like, okay, The Lost Culture Awards.
George Severis
Okay.
Nori Reed
It was just, like, really good. I, like, just really enjoyed it. And it actually felt so nice for it to just be like, this is really good. And, like, I was. I didn't feel critical about. And it. I just. I've, like, was talking to a friend after and we both were just like. It felt nice for. Just to be, like, positive. Things don't have to be, like. Things don't have to be, like, bad anymore.
Sam Taggart
Oh, I see what you're saying.
Nori Reed
I don't know what I'm saying.
Sam Taggart
No, I know what you're saying. Do you want me to explain it to you?
Ryan Seacrest
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Yeah. Thank you.
Sam Taggart
What you're saying is the following queer Joy used to come out of, like, being a little bitch and critical being. Critical being a little bitch being. Biting a word that is often used to describe gay people being, like, having a little quip at the ready, a little sass. Yes. And you're saying that all of that seems less enjoyable now.
Nori Reed
Or interesting.
Sam Taggart
Yes. Or interesting. And so
Nori Reed
it's.
Sam Taggart
And so. And we maybe haven't figured out what is replacing that yet.
George Severis
I have a theory as well.
Sam Taggart
Okay.
George Severis
Okay. I think part of the issue is that gay people are flop. They can't be.
Sam Taggart
Gay flopped.
George Severis
Gay flopped. So they can't be the ones being critical because it's like, on what grounds? How are you on a higher ground? Because, like, you can't say she's bad or good because you're. Look at you.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. Literally look at you. Disgusting ass slut.
Nori Reed
Who are you talking about?
Sam Taggart
This one guy we know. This one guy we know.
George Severis
We're painting him in our mind.
Sam Taggart
Sucks.
George Severis
Yeah, he sucks. He's dating Ian McKellen.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Do you think. Are there, like, gay people who are still very much in the culture of, like, five years ago and still just existing in the same war?
George Severis
Five years ago is an interesting time.
Nori Reed
That would be 2021. Okay.
Sam Taggart
They're still, like, getting tested for Covid every day.
Nori Reed
Yeah. Are there gay guys that are still getting tested every day, is what I'm
George Severis
wondering, specifically for Covid.
Sam Taggart
Increasingly, I'm not seeing gay guys getting tested enough, I gotta tell you that.
Nori Reed
Gilead.
Sam Taggart
Thank you.
Nori Reed
Sorry.
George Severis
Callen Lord, the woman I go to who is not a doctor, but she does prescribe me things.
Sam Taggart
There was some roundup of, like, celebrities. Celebrities say their favorite queer hotspots in New York, and someone's answer was Callen Lorde. And I was like, okay, well, that's pretty literal.
America 250 Announcer
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
What about, like, a bar? I used to work there at Callen Lorde? I knew that about you.
Nori Reed
Yeah. I was the one who told people they have hiv.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. You had a sort of, like, mutual aid era before you sold out and started writing for Disney.
Nori Reed
That was my favorite job.
Sam Taggart
Was it?
Nori Reed
It was.
Sam Taggart
They got your dressing right every time.
Nori Reed
They did. I also was just really good at it.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, I'm sure.
Nori Reed
Yeah. I was, like, really good. I was, like, very. It was like, mama bear vibes. Yeah, I was really good at it.
Sam Taggart
Is there an experience you have had of flopping that has activated this contemplative ethos that you're bringing today? Of what is flopping? Do we need it? Are we post floppy? Was there something that, like, made you want to interrogate the concept of floppy?
Nori Reed
I think. I mean, last year, it. It was a hard year, I think for me, just, like, it was difficult. And for me, like, I think I got more spiritual, not. Not Christian.
Sam Taggart
Well, of course. It would be crazy if you did.
Nori Reed
Well, some people.
George Severis
Some people.
Nori Reed
For me, it was a Buddhist, and I've definitely gotten a little bit more into that, and I think that has kind of changed a little bit of how I view.
Sam Taggart
Okay, so interesting. So the solution. The reaction to flopping isn't necessarily, like, Pazi vibes, only earnestness. It's more of, like, a heightened spirituality and Zen, like, practice.
Nori Reed
I think it just, like, it's less fun for me personally to like, to be critical, I guess.
Jennie Garth
Yeah.
Nori Reed
I don't know. But it literally just might be my own experience. I'm not sure if that's a shared queer experience right now.
Sam Taggart
I think it is.
Nori Reed
I'm not sure. Like I said, I think everything's so fractured. It's really hard to know. To find a common kind of streamlined experience, at least, like, online. I don't know if maybe offline, but everything feels very, like, you know, I feel like I'm flopping right now. I'm sorry. I feel like I'm so, like. Like I could. I'm sorry. Should we just change the topic? I feel like this is so boring or something.
George Severis
We're finding it. We're finding it.
Sam Taggart
We're finding it.
George Severis
Well, what is our. What's the state of critique? I think is sort of where you're going.
Nori Reed
Yeah. In a time like this, like in this specific moment we're in, it's just
Sam Taggart
like, wait, here's a question. Maybe this has to do with your disillusionment with critique and both. And this is a question for both of you. When was the last time a critique hit for you? You know what I mean? It used to be that you could, let's say there was a political issue or even a work of art or something. You could find some sort of essay or book or dare I say post and be like, I agree with that. That is a biting critique. And more and more everything is sort of confused and convoluted and kind of reheating.
Nori Reed
Nachos. I think nachos are being so constantly reheated.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
No, they're back to being tortillas.
Nori Reed
Yeah. I don't know. I feel like, I feel like, like the bad things that are happening like in our country or whatever, like they're so bad and they're so like unchecked that it's almost like, like if you think of like infographics and stuff like that used to have a point.
Sam Taggart
Totally.
Nori Reed
Like, there used to be a point of like sharing information and now we're so deep in the like, bad that it's like, what's, like, why even sharing and like, like, we know it's, we know it's bad and it's happening. So it's just kind of like, I
Sam Taggart
see what you're saying.
Nori Reed
Why even critique it? Because it's like, we know what's happening.
Sam Taggart
Things are so self evidently bad in a straightforward way that a thoughtful critique can't help.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
Because everyone already agrees.
George Severis
Well, it's like saying like, Trump is bad.
Sam Taggart
Exactly.
George Severis
Yeah. Like, now what?
Nori Reed
Like everything around us is so flop that it's kind of just like, okay, like, I guess I just want to personally like, do whatever I can as a like, individual to like make my own life. Like not flop.
Sam Taggart
Flop better or not. Never mind.
George Severis
No.
Nori Reed
What are like the other things your other guests have brought? That's not this.
George Severis
For gating.
Nori Reed
Yeah. For like, for their, like, gay topic.
George Severis
Topic was umbrellas and Macy Rodman's gay topic was women.
Sam Taggart
Women.
George Severis
Oh, yeah.
Nori Reed
Those are better.
Sam Taggart
That's not true.
George Severis
No.
Nori Reed
Sorry.
Sam Taggart
You know what's happening with you? You. Because the idea of flopping is so in your head. You are, you are so nervous that you yourself are flopping. Because the things in your head, it's like the word flop over and over and over again. And so you're like paranoid that you're flopping.
George Severis
It's like you're like doing transcendental meditation
Sam Taggart
but for, but for flopping, try to do it the opposite way.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Slay, slay, slay, slay, slay, slay.
George Severis
You know something? This is the stupid get ready stupidest point ever. The fact, the fact that the word flop persists where it sounds corny to say slay. Now, hello.
Sam Taggart
Okay, yes, literally negativity is more socially acceptable than positivity.
George Severis
Yes, anyone should say slay. Slay is a bad word. Now, when you say slay, you're Sir Ian McKellen, the oldest gay guy on earth.
Sam Taggart
You're not allowed to. In this day and age, you're not allowed to say slay, but you are
George Severis
allowed to say flop no matter what age you are. You can say flop, but you can't say slay or else you're mocked and maligned. Yeah, just goes to show.
Jennie Garth
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America 250 Announcer
4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than Just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration@america250.org
Jennie Garth
I
Nori Reed
turned off news altogether.
Sam Taggart
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people.
Nori Reed
We got clear facts.
George Severis
Maybe we could calm down a little.
Nori Reed
NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America.
Ryan Seacrest
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George Severis
So who is your favorite LGBTQ American?
Nori Reed
Ooh, thank you. I'm gonna go with.
George Severis
And you can't say. Caitlyn Jenner.
Nori Reed
Why? Why can I not? Sam has a rule.
Sam Taggart
She's a friend of mine, and sometimes I'll hang out with her instead of Sam. And Sam gets jealous.
George Severis
I get really jealous.
Nori Reed
Have you been to the Airstream?
Sam Taggart
Have I been to the Airstream? Yes. That is where Caitlyn and I met.
Nori Reed
It's pretty nice, right?
Sam Taggart
It's nice. I mean, her little corner of it is a little weird. It's very kind of like West Elm. You would think she has so much money. Maybe she could go a little, even just like Jonathan Adler. But she is very committed to being frugal.
Nori Reed
She's in a lot of shop there.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. Jonathan Adler. Yeah. It's the one place she's fully banned.
Nori Reed
She's banned.
Sam Taggart
They. They chase her out with those pill throw pillows. They're just throwing them at her. And then she gets in her car, kills another person.
Nori Reed
Question for you guys. Like, what. What is gay culture right now?
Sam Taggart
Okay, this is. I'm. I'm glad this is an important conversation.
George Severis
It's dancing.
Sam Taggart
No, touring.
George Severis
Touring.
Sam Taggart
I don't know, because we were talking about Chapel Roan.
George Severis
Chapel Roan, for example.
Sam Taggart
Okay, next singer.
Nori Reed
Like, is Iced Coffee even still gay culture?
Sam Taggart
No, no. Iced coffee is. That whole thing was always a psyop.
George Severis
The iced coffee just ate everything else. It all got eaten up in a bad way. It got into the wrong hands fast.
Nori Reed
Yeah, yeah.
Sam Taggart
I really want to challenge us. I'm guilty of this, too. I want to challenge us to, like, think of. Not be Internet centric. Like, I'm like, how I'm like, in real life, what is gay culture right now?
Nori Reed
Laughing, laughing.
Sam Taggart
JVN style on tour.
George Severis
I mean, this is. I'm starting to. You know, we were talking about West Hollywood and how, like, it feels like a literal foreign country.
Sam Taggart
And I'm sort of feels like Saudi Arabia.
George Severis
It's like, it's Saudi money over there.
Nori Reed
You can't say that. That's really messed up.
George Severis
Somebody's keeping hamburger Marys afloat. And it ain't our money.
Nori Reed
It's Saudi money.
George Severis
It's Saudi money, honey. But I. We are in a bubble that is getting smaller and smaller and smaller. And the way that I'm like, no, every gay guy is, like, cool in this way. They like this music and they, like, have these political opinions. And then you go on the Internet and you're like, oh, this is completely not true. There's. It's the 30 that I know. And so I don't. I'm like, pretty confused on what gay culture is.
Nori Reed
It's very confusing. I feel very confused by it. But I do know that Jordan first been just sold a film for $17 million, day 24. So maybe we should ask him.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, let's bring him on.
Nori Reed
I think he might know.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
So I guess is gay culture, Jordan Firstman?
Nori Reed
I think now it is. Yeah.
George Severis
But is it?
Nori Reed
No.
Sam Taggart
Right?
George Severis
There's.
Nori Reed
Here's the.
George Severis
Do gay guys know who Jordan Verseman is? I think, okay. Like, if we were to go to West Hollywood with a microphone.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
For our TikTok account. And we were to say like, top or bottom? And then we would go, do you know who Jordan Firstman is?
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
Would they be like, totally.
Sam Taggart
I wonder.
George Severis
I really do wonder. Because we know photos, but we're in a bubble.
Nori Reed
No photo, just.
Sam Taggart
Well, this is the other thing. Okay. This is actually something that is a larger problem that you're pointing to, which is that people know faces but not names now because of how TikTok works and stuff. Or people like, for example, Kareem, who does Subway takes. I bet you if you went around New York and you were like, do you know Kareem Rama? They would not recognize the name. But then you'd be like, do you know Subway Takes guy? They'd be like, oh, fuck, yeah. I loved when JLO was on it.
Nori Reed
Yeah, that's so true.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
If there's one thing that is flop right now, it is?
George Severis
Well, yes.
Sam Taggart
I will not be commenting on that.
George Severis
Oh, sorry. I mean, no, but we have to cut that.
Nori Reed
I just realized. I just realized that one of my closest friends works there.
Sam Taggart
I forgot Emma Stone.
Nori Reed
And she's not one of my closest friends.
Sam Taggart
Emma Stone.
Nori Reed
She's like, friend. It's Emma Stone. You have to cut that.
Sam Taggart
Have you seen Backrooms?
Nori Reed
I hated it.
Sam Taggart
Haven't seen it. Haven't seen it.
Nori Reed
I hated it. You hated it more than I've ever. It's like it was one of the things I've hated the most in the past, like, year.
George Severis
I'm ready for a new batch of movies. Yeah, these ones. I'm saying enough. I don't want these ones. Yeah, give me the next batch.
Nori Reed
What is. What is in the next batch? I don't even know.
George Severis
I don't know, but it's gotta.
Sam Taggart
When is the horror bubble gonna burst? I'm actually not mad at it. I've been enjoying all the various. Sort of like Widow's Bay. I am enjoying Widow's Bay. I enjoyed Obsession, you know, a normal amount. I really am excited to see is God is like, I'm down for this renaissance of. Of mid to low budget horror. But what's gonna happen inevitably is one of them going back to flopping. At one point, one of them is gonna flop and it's gonna be like the bubble has burst, but we need this. And you know what else? I bet you the one that flops is gonna be the gay one. There's gonna. People are.
George Severis
That we're doing an ad read for afterwards.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, we're gonna do an ad read for. No, we're cutting that.
Ryan Seacrest
We're cutting that.
Sam Taggart
We're cutting that. We're cutting that.
Nori Reed
I'm realizing something while you're talking, George, I'm sorry, you should finish and then.
Sam Taggart
No, no, no. I'm grateful for the interruption.
Nori Reed
Well, I'm realizing as you're speaking that, like, queer culture is being pushed to the fringe, literally, main culture. And that's the one thing we're not naming is I feel like when I think about my favorite show right now, it's Widow's Bay. And it's like for some reason, it just made me think how, like, I'm having such a fun time.
Sam Taggart
There are no gay characters.
Nori Reed
There's no gay characters. Well, maybe, but they're. You know, it's not.
Sam Taggart
No, no.
America 250 Announcer
This is.
Nori Reed
Have gay stories. You don't have queer stories completely. You might have gay character, like a side character or something. But I'm realizing Right now that queer culture is just being pushed out. And I think we're feeling it.
Sam Taggart
I think that it's something. It's sort of when you reassemble whatever that thing is where you, like, reassemble a boat part by part, and then at the end, is it the same or whatever. That is sort of happening with pop culture, where we reached a peak of quote unquote representation during the woke era. And then it's being very, very slowly slash quickly, to be honest, stripped away. Or suddenly we're gonna look at the TV landscape and the film landscape and it's gonna be like 80s and 90s level.
George Severis
Oh, totally.
Sam Taggart
You know what I mean?
George Severis
For sure. I think to your point, though, about horror movies needing them to flop, it kind of reminds me of, like, prestige tv, where we've found out the language of how to make something look prestige and look like an art horror movie. But then in actuality, it is already a basic horror movie. I think we just know how to make things look like they're smarter than they are.
Nori Reed
That was my whole issue with back rooms, is that visually and aesthetically, it's very cool and whatever. And, like, to the credit, I mean, the guy who made it, he, like, directed it. He didn't write it. And I feel like in terms of story and plot, it's like there was nothing there. Like, nothing.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
And I feel like that that's kind of what you just said. I mean, it's very visually very. Like it has all the right. And I think that's kind of what doing is. They kind of found. Oh, I forgot. Can you just.
Sam Taggart
And we're back.
Nori Reed
Everybody's like, just bleep it. And they just won't know what we're
Sam Taggart
gonna dub it with. Neon.
George Severis
No, but we love neon. We're standing neon.
Nori Reed
Never mind.
George Severis
Nori, who is straight? Who you think should be gay?
Nori Reed
Ooh, thank you.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
I would first of all, and say thank you. Oh, that's great. I mean, I feel like everyone.
George Severis
Oh, okay. Who. What straight person would you make gay? And what gay person would you make straight?
Sam Taggart
Ooh. And then. Yeah, go ahead. And then we're all gonna say ours too.
Nori Reed
Ooh. Who? I think a few years ago I would have said Billie Eilish, but then she, like, came out.
George Severis
Right? But then now she's bi.
Sam Taggart
Leave her alone.
George Severis
Okay. Bi is not a slur anymore, George.
Nori Reed
Um, I think I would make Kelly Clarkson gay.
Sam Taggart
Yes.
George Severis
Oh, I love that.
Nori Reed
That's for sure. Like, that is a. Like, she is gay. She hated her ex Husband. That doesn't make someone gay. I'm sorry, but how am I.
Sam Taggart
That makes someone straight?
Nori Reed
Thank you. But I just could see it.
George Severis
Imagine if she hated her ex wife.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I love that.
George Severis
That would be cool.
Nori Reed
I could see her kind of. And she's such an ally, too. She, like, always like, platforms, queer people on her show.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, no, she's addicted to platforming, so. I love the idea of Kelly Clarkson being gay.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
Some Doc Martens.
Nori Reed
I could see it.
Sam Taggart
Tank army pants.
Nori Reed
But then the other way around.
Sam Taggart
Which gay person would you make straight?
George Severis
Probably the hilarious Ross Matthews.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, that would be really fun.
Nori Reed
If he was straight, what kind of man would he be?
George Severis
He would, like, imagine if the hilarious Ross Matthews worked. Was straight and worked at Lowe's, and he, like, would he be helpful? He would be really helpful and, like, earnest.
Sam Taggart
He would be pronouncing it Loewes.
Nori Reed
I love that.
Sam Taggart
That's why he's the hilarious Ross Matthews.
George Severis
They would all call him that. When he was straight, would he have this?
Sam Taggart
He'd be really straight, but he'd be like, hey, I'm the hilarious Ross Matthews. Can I help you?
Nori Reed
I guess the question I'm having is how much of Ross Matthews essence is voice.
Sam Taggart
I see what you're saying.
Nori Reed
That's my question.
Sam Taggart
I would want him to have the same voice, but just be, like, crushing puss, literally.
George Severis
Yeah, that would be awesome.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. Okay, so that's gay, and we want to be straight.
Ryan Seacrest
Great.
Sam Taggart
Okay, so Kelly Clarkson, we want to be gay. Hilarious Ross Matthews, we want to be straight.
Nori Reed
Yes.
George Severis
Do you think there's bottom phobia?
Sam Taggart
Yeah. Speak on it.
Nori Reed
Ooh, These are great questions, by the way. Thank you so much. Thank you for giving these questions.
George Severis
Can I tell you how I got there?
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
So I feel like there's this thing that happens. I was thinking about the hilarious Ross Matthews.
Sam Taggart
One of your catchphrases is, I think there's this thing that happens.
George Severis
I do think there's this thing that happens where the hilarious Ross Matthews did some interview where he was like, and people don't know I'm actually a top. And everyone shares it and goes, oh, my God. Did not see that. Did not see that coming. Wow, he's a top.
Nori Reed
Why did that come up on the Internet?
Sam Taggart
You know who else did that? Troye Stefan. Exactly. He was like, I know I have a song where the lyrics are, I bloom just for you, but that's a bottom. That doesn't mean I'm a bottom.
George Severis
And I think there's this thing with famous Gay guys where they're like, actually, I'm a. Even though you want to me, I'm a top. And it's like. And I'm sort of like, why'd you have to say that? Like, it feels like, bro, I'm not like, pause. Like, I'm not gay.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
And I'm like, stop that. You're the hilarious Ross Matthews. You're a bottom.
Sam Taggart
Her producer Becca's walking out. She's disgusted by this conversation.
Nori Reed
That makes me sad because I feel like I wish that we've gotten further in our society where bottoms could be proud.
Sam Taggart
I want to say something I really respect about Jordan Firstman genuinely is. He's like, I'm a gay guy with all that that entails.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
He is the most empowered and self actualized gay guy globally.
Nori Reed
And that's why he has $17 million
George Severis
and a freaking film.
Nori Reed
Bottom that, bottom that, bottom that.
George Severis
From the bottom to the top, bottom that. The other thing is I went to Hot Dog.
Sam Taggart
What's that?
George Severis
It's the weekly party every Sunday here in Los Angeles, California. Bit on the nose and they do that thing that's so vintage that I actually really love where you like walk in and there's a drag queen screaming at you and being like. Like, pick the color cup you are. So it's like bottom verse or top or side? Yes, they're side.
Sam Taggart
Why do you have to pick that cup? Is there a sex element?
George Severis
They just. It's like to be like sex is in the air. You're saying what you like.
Sam Taggart
It's amazing because it's taking pronoun culture, which is positive. Like, this is how I want to be identified and just making it sexual for no reason.
George Severis
Yes. But the issue is no one. I feel like so many people actually pick verse when they mean bottom. But there's internal shame.
Nori Reed
I remember I'm having a distinct memory of when we first. When I first started at After Midnight. Sam had already been working there for a while, but I started not that long. For like a long time. Like Ian McKellen.
Sam Taggart
It was Ian McKellenning like,
Nori Reed
but like it was like one of the first days and I was like, Sam, I was like, are you a top or a bottom?
Sam Taggart
This is a workplace, mind you.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
And you had just got.
Nori Reed
I remember.
America 250 Announcer
Yeah.
Nori Reed
It was like the first day and Stan was just like. And it was public. Like it was in front of like
George Severis
it was in the room with everyone.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
And why did you ask that?
Nori Reed
I don't know. Sometimes I do stuff and I'm Like, I don't even know why I did that.
George Severis
Nori goes to edgelord mode pretty easily.
Sam Taggart
Well, you do go to edgelord mode, and people let you, is the thing.
Nori Reed
I think that's another contra. That's another Nori contradiction. Yeah. Is like Earnest edgelord.
Sam Taggart
Totally.
Nori Reed
Kind of like, what's.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, it's like Billionaire at Risk youth, Earnest edgelord.
Nori Reed
I'm full of complexity. Actually.
Sam Taggart
This should be a. You know how they do the approval matrix. That's like highbrow, lowbrow, whatever. It should be Billionaire at Risk youth edgelord Ernest.
Nori Reed
Yes.
Sam Taggart
And we should be able to, like, rate all our friends and all comedians.
Nori Reed
I'm right in the middle.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, I do.
Nori Reed
Thank you. But you answered.
George Severis
You're a billionaire.
Sam Taggart
Billionaire Ernest or billionaire edgelord?
Nori Reed
Billionaire Billionaire edgelord.
Sam Taggart
I think I'm billionaire edgelord. And you're spiritually, by the way. My bank account is not. It's not born out there. I. I think you're at risk you.
George Severis
I'm at risk you.
Sam Taggart
And I think you're in the middle.
George Severis
I'm in the middle of edgelord because I like to be stinker, but I get afraid of true edgelordism.
Nori Reed
But you're a little bit of a sweetheart, too. You're contradicting. That's another contradiction.
George Severis
That's true.
Nori Reed
But you never answered my question.
Sam Taggart
Do you think that the death of flopping has to do with embracing our contradictions, where it's like we're actually both flopping and slaying kind of at the same time?
George Severis
Mm, that's very Buddhist.
Sam Taggart
The. What's the word? The philosophical epistemology. The, like, idea of flopping is not nuanced enough to contain what is happening around us.
Nori Reed
I think flop is a construct.
Sam Taggart
I'll give you an example. Is Donald Trump flopping or slaying? That's an impossible question to answer. He's doing both.
Nori Reed
And it's based on your. On where you're looking.
George Severis
Yes, but I think in his mind, he's slaying and that. So that's what matters.
Sam Taggart
Well, we'll see how we'll let the voters decide.
George Severis
They. Honey, they did.
Nori Reed
Let's do another one. So top, bottom.
George Severis
Yeah. Okay.
Sam Taggart
Flop slay. Okay. All right. I would say. I would say that. What are you in that. In that approval matrix?
Nori Reed
I'm like. Like, verse. And then I think I'm getting more to flop, like, edging to flop a little bit.
George Severis
I don't know where I stand on flop slay for myself.
Sam Taggart
I'm currently in a flop place. But I'm okay with it. And my heart is open to slaying in the future. Like, I've slayed in the past and I will say in the future, but I'm currently in a flop place.
George Severis
It literally just depends on what I see on Instagram that day.
Sam Taggart
Whether you're flopping or slaying.
George Severis
Yeah. Like, because I'm like, where do I stand? Where do I stand?
Sam Taggart
I'm so passive.
George Severis
I know.
Nori Reed
I get it.
Sam Taggart
You're more emotionally impacted by things you're consuming than what you are doing yourself.
George Severis
Correct.
Sam Taggart
Like, you can be in a really good place. You're like, in a happy marriage.
George Severis
I'm slow and steady.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
And I. But it's just like. But when I see a hare fly
Sam Taggart
by me, you're like, wait a minute. That should be me.
George Severis
I suck.
Sam Taggart
Even though I've made the decision to be a tortoise, you have said what works for me is being a tortoise. And yet you see a hare and you're like, what?
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
I'm like, why not me?
George Severis
But sometimes when I'm walking slow and I'm by myself, I'm like, okay, I'm fine. I'm a tourist.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. You're enjoying the views.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
It's kind of like the Internet that's the problem.
Sam Taggart
That's what we keep coming back to.
Nori Reed
Yeah. Yeah, The Internet. That's really it.
George Severis
All up. But this is why we need to lean in and make the Karen account.
Sam Taggart
So you're going for, like, an accelerationist approach. You're like, if we, like, do the worst possible thing with the tools being given.
George Severis
Exactly.
Sam Taggart
It'll blow it up.
George Severis
We need to, like, show how evil and wrong it is by becoming rich off of it. Oh, with the TikTok account.
Nori Reed
I don't know. I just don't know. But I really. I think what you said earlier is really resonating with me about, like, geek culture offline.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
And I think a culture offline is thriving.
Sam Taggart
I agree.
Nori Reed
I really think so. And not to be like, you know, not to get out of edge, Lord, and into earnest. But, like, it is community. I think at the end of the day, queer people are. We do support each other. We do look out for each other. We do ask each other how we're doing. Maybe you could do more.
George Severis
Of course.
Sam Taggart
How's your saga going?
Nori Reed
Yeah. Practice.
George Severis
What saga are you in right now?
Sam Taggart
What saga are you in right now?
Nori Reed
And thank you for asking, I'm in right now. A saga. Grocery store saga. I bought a grocery store. Thank you see, that's easy. Easy.
Sam Taggart
You bought a grocery store. That is, I'm sorry, something you would do. And then you're literally, like, you're posting. You're like, oh, like, I bought a grocery store, you guys.
George Severis
No one's buying the oranges. No one's buying my oranges.
Nori Reed
And guess what? That's a real problem. That's a real problem that I want to post about and get support on.
Sam Taggart
Bought a grocery store. Like, it's been really complicated. Like, I don't understand how any of this works. Like, it seemed the natural next step.
Nori Reed
I'm also looking for housing.
Sam Taggart
I bought a grocery store to live in, but now people are keep coming and shopping.
George Severis
Katelyn's kicking me out of the Airstream.
Nori Reed
The oranges are back. Yes. These are real issues that community can get in there.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, I think I understand. It's like, in real life, community is easier. So there's power in numbers, whereas when you're atomized in an online environment, there's more potential for flopping because everyone is constantly being rated and, like, compared to the other atomized people.
Nori Reed
Yeah. The algorithms, I think, are built on flop.
Sam Taggart
We slay together. We flop individually.
Nori Reed
Yes.
George Severis
Oh, interesting.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
And actually, maybe the issue is that people get ready.
George Severis
Thank God.
Sam Taggart
The issue is that people think that they can slay individually, online, and they don't understand the only way to slay is to find community offline.
Nori Reed
Improv Each improv.
Sam Taggart
Each day you're logging in. Each day you are logging in and you're saying, today's the day I slay. Today's the day I slay. But you keep flopping. You keep flopping. And you're like, what is the way out of this? The way out of it? Finding community. Slaying together. Rising ship rising. You know, whatever.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
George Severis
Tides. Tide lift all ships.
Sam Taggart
I'm so caffeinated. It's crazy.
George Severis
It's weird. It's having sort of an opposite effect.
Sam Taggart
Rising tide lifts on boats.
George Severis
I. You know, Nori, I'm really realizing in this episode, you're very good at picking up what I'm thinking in a way that I'm like, a little bit.
Sam Taggart
You guys have a real connection.
George Severis
I'm feeling exposed.
Nori Reed
Really?
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
You're one of my favorite people in the world.
George Severis
Well, I'm obsessed with you, and you are as well.
Nori Reed
I love you guys.
George Severis
Well, you just don't live here, so you don't see nobody.
Sam Taggart
All right? Don't make me.
Nori Reed
We work together.
George Severis
We've worked together.
Nori Reed
And, like, I've Been to his house
Sam Taggart
and I've been to his house.
Nori Reed
Well, no, but I haven't been to your house.
George Severis
Yeah. So she can't know you.
Nori Reed
I'm not comparing me and you. I'm just saying I'm.
Sam Taggart
Well, you're comparing me and Sam, and you're saying Sam wins. Yeah, totally.
George Severis
This pride. Sam wins.
Sam Taggart
No, I get it. I get it.
Nori Reed
I. I do. I'm a. My grandmother was true psychic. Like, for real. Like, she was a psych psychic. Fortune dollar. And I think professionally, literally. I know.
Sam Taggart
That's amazing.
Nori Reed
So it's kind of. That's why I'm.
Sam Taggart
Is it genetic? That's why you're trans?
Nori Reed
Yep, that's what I think. I have a whole theory. It's not really no one else. It's not based on. It's kind of what I think.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, it's like, sort of irrelevant to the grandmother story. Yeah, you just, like, separately have a theory about why you're trans.
Nori Reed
Well, I think she's psychic.
George Severis
She was in Kentucky being a psychic.
Nori Reed
Korea. I'm Korean, by the way.
Sam Taggart
Kentucky and Korea.
Nori Reed
Have you heard what. No. What? I. I don't. What?
Sam Taggart
I know they're both K words, but. Yeah, it's not adding up.
Nori Reed
We.
Sam Taggart
Your grandmother was in Korea.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
George Severis
Okay.
Nori Reed
She was psychic.
Sam Taggart
Saudi money.
Jennie Garth
Got it.
Nori Reed
She did not have Saudi money.
Sam Taggart
She was in Korea, but she was funded by Saudi money.
Nori Reed
No Saudi money. There was no Saudi money. Money. She tried. There was. She couldn't get it.
Sam Taggart
She tried to get that Saudi money. We're all trying. I'm open to it.
Nori Reed
We're all trying.
Sam Taggart
Please.
George Severis
Saudi money. Come in.
Nori Reed
And she was psychic.
Sam Taggart
Did she do the Riyadh Psychic Festival?
Nori Reed
She tried.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
She always trying.
Sam Taggart
She was always trying.
Nori Reed
She was always submitting.
Sam Taggart
She was always submitting.
Nori Reed
Always trying.
Sam Taggart
Okay, so she wasn't a very good psychic is what I'm understanding.
George Severis
No, she was good, just not successful.
Nori Reed
But it's why I'm trans.
Sam Taggart
Again, not getting the connection.
George Severis
Please do a little.
Sam Taggart
Say more.
Nori Reed
I don't have to.
Sam Taggart
Okay, this is like your other thing of, like, what was it that. Oh, this is like your thing of, like, we make the videos, then we profit. Like, everyone needs to be making more connections from A to B.
George Severis
No, that makes sense. You guys just don't know how our Internet works.
Nori Reed
I'm scared to tell you this, but on TikTok, they've. They've made a decision that AI videos cannot be monetized.
George Severis
My account.
Nori Reed
I know, I know.
Sam Taggart
Wait, they have?
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
That's gonna change though, right?
George Severis
Yeah, because we're gonna.
Sam Taggart
What if you make them with a third party platform and then just upload them? How are they gonna know their AI?
Nori Reed
Well, I think Community can say if something's.
Sam Taggart
There's power in numbers. Community is slaying.
Nori Reed
Community. Yeah.
George Severis
Okay, then I'll do it on.
Sam Taggart
How do they know? I think Community can say.
Nori Reed
I think Community can say that.
George Severis
Okay. Community can say it.
Sam Taggart
Community can say it.
Nori Reed
Say that.
George Severis
Say that.
Nori Reed
Say that. But I can't read your mind. I don't know.
George Severis
No, not actually, of course, but.
Nori Reed
Well, think of a color.
George Severis
Got it.
Nori Reed
Blue.
Sam Taggart
Wait, can I guess?
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Brown.
George Severis
Both wrong.
Sam Taggart
Fuck.
George Severis
It was orange.
Sam Taggart
Orange.
Nori Reed
What the fuck?
George Severis
I was thinking of it really hard. Okay. I'm thinking of an animal.
Sam Taggart
I was thinking of it really hard, as though that's like, we should have gotten it because you were thinking of it.
George Severis
I'm thinking of an animal.
Sam Taggart
Okay.
Nori Reed
Snake.
George Severis
Yes.
Nori Reed
Okay. I'm gonna try with George. I'm gonna start with George.
Sam Taggart
Okay. Okay. All right. I am thinking of.
George Severis
This is amazing.
Nori Reed
And we're recording, right? We're recording.
George Severis
Everyone saw that.
Nori Reed
Oh, you got it.
George Severis
That was crazy.
Nori Reed
That's crazy.
George Severis
I was thinking of it hard.
Sam Taggart
Okay. I'm thinking of a fruit.
George Severis
You have to look it in his eyes. I'll go after you.
Sam Taggart
I'm thinking of it really hard.
Nori Reed
You're blocking me a little bit.
George Severis
Yeah, let her.
Nori Reed
You're blocking me a little bit. Okay. Raspberry.
Sam Taggart
No, look at me. Pear. No, I was thinking of banana.
Nori Reed
Oh, the gayest one.
Sam Taggart
I was going really obvious with it.
George Severis
Not that obvious. You weren't even thinking it that hard.
Sam Taggart
Okay, I'm thinking of a vegetable. Okay, hold on. I'm not thinking of it yet. Okay, I'm thinking of it. Focus.
Nori Reed
Corn.
Sam Taggart
No.
George Severis
Oh, this is hard. Broccoli.
Sam Taggart
So close. I was thinking of Brussels sprout.
George Severis
Okay, I got the green.
Nori Reed
My turn.
Sam Taggart
And the. When you said burr, I was like, almost.
George Severis
Oh, damn.
Sam Taggart
Okay.
Nori Reed
I'm thinking. Okay. Of a place of business.
George Severis
Your grocery store?
Nori Reed
Yes, it was my grocery store. It was my grocery store. We just opened on Fairfax.
George Severis
And they've got a lot of oranges over there.
Nori Reed
We're selling them.
George Severis
Wow.
Nori Reed
If I opened one, would you come?
George Severis
Yes, actually, I really want to visit.
Nori Reed
It's on Fairfax.
Sam Taggart
Will you.
Nori Reed
I said that.
Sam Taggart
Will you have prepared foods or just like.
George Severis
Is Fairfax in Silver Lake or Echo Park?
Nori Reed
It's in Fairfax. Fairfax.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
It's a neighborhood.
George Severis
Oh, my God. They're always inventing new neighborhoods.
Ryan Seacrest
Wow.
Sam Taggart
Even I knew that one.
George Severis
Where the hell is Studio City? People love to say that.
Sam Taggart
Oh, I was in Studio City last night. I went to Teru Sushi. Have you been? No, it was okay.
Nori Reed
I just love sushi.
Sam Taggart
Oh, it's delicious. It's one of my favorite foods.
Nori Reed
Have you gone to Sogo?
Sam Taggart
Yes, I went there with Courtney and Dash.
Nori Reed
Oh, I love. I love Courtney and Dash.
Sam Taggart
Well, you should have come, bitch.
Nori Reed
Invite me next time.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, I guess we didn't invite you.
George Severis
I also wasn't invited.
Sam Taggart
Sorry. I mean, this was. Was in January, to be clear.
George Severis
Yeah, I was around.
Nori Reed
I was here. I'm working a lot at my grocery store, but I still have time off.
George Severis
You were stocking the shelves at that point.
Sam Taggart
I've told you this before, but this friend of mine from high school was marrying someone and my dad was like, what does he do? My mom was like, he works at a grocery store. And then my dad goes, what does he do at the grocery store? My mom goes, I don't know. He stocks shelves. And then my dad goes. So would you say he's shelf employed?
George Severis
Your dad did that?
Sam Taggart
Yes.
George Severis
I don't like that.
Nori Reed
That feels violent.
George Severis
That doesn't. Your dad's the type to do that? Yeah. Does he do that often?
Sam Taggart
Yeah. This is a strange reaction. This is like just like a simple dad joke. You guys are like, I didn't know your dad was problematic.
George Severis
In my mind, your dad is serious.
Sam Taggart
No, no. My family is very, like, jokey joke. He is. You are right that he's serious when he, like, introduces himself, but like, like, yeah, you know, get a couple margaritas in him. He's starting the conga line.
Nori Reed
That's like. That's. That's a dad joke.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, it's. It's a classic dad joke. Classic, yeah.
Nori Reed
I love that. Is your dad funny? I met him once.
Sam Taggart
That's a really.
George Severis
He makes jokes.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, he makes jokes.
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America 250 Announcer
Come celebrate at America's Block Party. Hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration@america250.org
Jennie Garth
I
Nori Reed
turned off news altogether.
Sam Taggart
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people.
America 250 Announcer
We got clear facts.
George Severis
Maybe we could calm down a little.
Nori Reed
NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America.
Ryan Seacrest
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George Severis
Should we do our final segment?
Sam Taggart
I mean, I guess I'm having so much fun.
George Severis
This is very deconstructed.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
George Severis
In a way that I like.
Nori Reed
I'm glad I like. I was. I feel like I made it weird for a second.
Sam Taggart
No, you didn't.
George Severis
No.
Sam Taggart
You keep wanting to go Pete Holmes mode and made it make it weird. We actually made it normal.
George Severis
This podcast is Pete Holmes mode these days. Big time. Where did he keep bringing his ass?
Sam Taggart
Where is he? I think he lives there in Ohio. Who the hell does he think he is?
George Severis
I know, I know.
Sam Taggart
I know you think you're, like, cool enough to live in Ojai where Arthur Artists live. I know you made crashing Christian. I don't. By the way, I have nothing against Christian people. I was raised Christian. I still go to church on Easter, so if anyone's coming for me, don't.
George Severis
I thought he was Buddhist now.
Nori Reed
Really?
George Severis
Isn't he? Like, he's always going through something.
Nori Reed
I didn't know that he's talking about sagas.
Sam Taggart
Oh, my God. His life is one long saga.
Nori Reed
Who do you know? Who's the least saga side?
Sam Taggart
Okay, great question. This is a really good question. Okay, Least sagas.
George Severis
You know, you never have sagas.
Sam Taggart
That is so not true. Think about when I was on Accutane.
George Severis
That's true. I have sagas all the time. The Accutane one. But you don't pod my Kennedy podcast. You have life. Stuff happens.
Sam Taggart
Oh, you mean I don't post about the sagas. Okay, Patty. No, Patty has sagas.
George Severis
She has sagas.
Sam Taggart
Patty's staying in my apartment next week. Oh, let's hope she's a good house guest. Who doesn't have sagas.
George Severis
I feel like Julio doesn't have sagas.
Sam Taggart
Does Amy have sagas?
George Severis
Amy has secret sagas.
Sam Taggart
Yeah, she has secret sagas. Amy will suddenly not respond to texts for, like, two weeks.
George Severis
Yeah. And she'll be like, this crazy thing was happening.
Ryan Seacrest
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
This is like. I'm sort of realizing how insane all our friends are, because I'm like, none of them don't have sagas.
Nori Reed
Yeah, we're artists. I guess. You don't really have sagas.
Sam Taggart
Oh, here's someone who doesn't have sagas. Sudi.
George Severis
Oh.
Sam Taggart
Oh, I think Sudi doesn't have sagas.
Nori Reed
She seems very.
George Severis
Yeah, it's like, slow and steady.
Sam Taggart
Slow and steady. But also hitting all the marks.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I. I'm. She even. I mean, she's. She's a new mom.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
And.
Sam Taggart
And it's not even being. It's not even a saga.
Nori Reed
Chill.
Sam Taggart
Yeah. It's just being incorporated. Everything new that happens with Sudi is seamlessly incorporated into her life.
George Severis
No, I had sagas. Now I'm in, like, a saga less era. Thank God I was like, your health issue. Health issue saga. The moving saga. The back. Oh, my God, the back. What a saga. But I dream of a saga less life.
Nori Reed
That'd be nice.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
I would say my skincare saga was one. Being accused of having a hair transplant constantly is a saga.
George Severis
You're currently in that saga.
Sam Taggart
I'm currently in that saga certainly, I think, knock on wood. I've been in an okay situation employment wise for a while. But like post Gawker there was definitely sort of like, oh my God, what am I gonna do? Like employment saga. I mean, remember when I randomly worked at Apple?
George Severis
That was weird.
Sam Taggart
Crazy.
George Severis
I had a hard time accepting that as reality.
Sam Taggart
So. Yeah, but I agree that I don't post about the sagas.
Nori Reed
I think I've gotten better. I mean I was intentional. I was very intentional about not crashing out on the Internet anymore and had that. Yeah, okay.
Sam Taggart
No, I don't think you're. I don't think you're crashing out.
Nori Reed
It was like a conscious. It was an intentional thing I did last year.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Like I'm gonna stop.
Sam Taggart
Once you. It's like when you see the matrix, you can't unsee it. Once you realize that nothing good comes out of posting, it's difficult to go back.
Nori Reed
True. I do. I mean close. I enjoy close friends that way. Of course on close friends you're like,
Sam Taggart
you know who's a bitch?
Nori Reed
Yeah.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Like my restore did well this week. That's on my close friends.
George Severis
Oranges are flying off the shelves.
Nori Reed
Oranges are finally going. I love post than on close friends.
Sam Taggart
It's all about the oranges. It's like the only thing.
George Severis
Grocery store.
Sam Taggart
All about the oranges.
Nori Reed
All about the oranges.
George Severis
Yeah. Beautiful facts.
Sam Taggart
Can I ask you something about your grocery store? Like, are you thinking of it as kind of like a queer? No, it's like for the masses. It's for the masses.
Nori Reed
No, no, no, no.
Sam Taggart
It's not like all about dietary restrictions and things.
Nori Reed
And I'm not vegan. I'm not vegan. People usually think I am. I'm not vegan.
Sam Taggart
And it's not like La Hel Health.
Nori Reed
It's all meat based everything.
Sam Taggart
It's orange. The only non meat thing is oranges, which is
Nori Reed
I. I'm doing an orange kind of meat. Kind of where meat meets oranges. Yeah.
Sam Taggart
That's kind of like what if Meat.
Nori Reed
Meat you still.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Have you heard of scurvy?
Sam Taggart
I certainly have.
Nori Reed
So you still. I eat all. I'm a carnivore. But you still need a little bit of citrus.
Sam Taggart
I didn't know if you just do the nori diets. Yeah. Raw meat and then just like a little slice of orange.
Nori Reed
Yeah. I mean I lost £400.
Sam Taggart
Yay.
Nori Reed
And you guys didn't really.
George Severis
No, we didn't comment.
Sam Taggart
Well, it's tough with weight these days. Like do you comment? People Gain weight, People lose weight. Like, what are you supposed to say?
George Severis
I will be using that.
Sam Taggart
Are you on peptides?
George Severis
Oh, that's the theme of this week.
Nori Reed
I can't talk about that. Oh, yeah, yeah.
Sam Taggart
Many people have on that very chair where you're sitting.
Nori Reed
Is everyone on peptides?
George Severis
This is about people being on peptides.
Nori Reed
What's the difference between peptides and ozempic?
George Severis
Don't.
Nori Reed
I'm very confused.
Sam Taggart
Are peptides.
Nori Reed
That's what.
George Severis
But, but, but there's more to that.
Sam Taggart
There's more. There's many different kinds of peptides. It's like a femur is a bone, but it's not the only bone.
George Severis
A square is a rectangle, but not rectangles are squares.
Nori Reed
Exactly. Is it injectable?
Sam Taggart
Yes, yes.
Nori Reed
Should I take beyond.
George Severis
Basically, we all need to be.
Nori Reed
Yeah, I would love to.
Sam Taggart
Well, one of our guests. I don't. Whatever at this point is a future guest because this episode is gonna come out first. But she was like, she was like, wait, you guys are not on peptides? And we were like, no. And then she goes, oh, you're on your. You're in your 30s. Meaning, like, to her, there was this obvious thing where like when you hit 40, you go on peptides.
Nori Reed
I would love to.
Sam Taggart
Yeah.
George Severis
Apparently you can get them at an apartment in West Hollywood and it only cost $3,000.
Nori Reed
What? Yeah.
Sam Taggart
So in that sense, they're kind of like ketamine.
George Severis
No, it was for a six month supply, apparently.
Sam Taggart
Oh, I think it was a failure. No, six months. I think you're right. Anyway, it doesn't matter.
George Severis
Let's do a final segment.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Ryan Seacrest
Yeah.
George Severis
This was an amazing episode for Gadiolab, of course. Our final segment is called Brand Partnerships.
Nori Reed
Yes.
George Severis
And we do a brand partnership with anything that we are enjoying. People, places, things, ideas. And we will make them up on the spot and we will go first.
Sam Taggart
What's amazing about this segment is that when we first conceived of it, it was making fun of something that existed in the world, which was pride. Partnerships, now they don't exist. And it's kind of like a period piece of like.
George Severis
It's a period piece.
Nori Reed
It's okay.
Sam Taggart
It's like. It's like wearing flared pants.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
Like, oh, remember when, you know, companies would do pride advertising? Okay, I can go.
George Severis
And I have one after you.
Sam Taggart
Hi, everyone. This pride. I am, first of all, Happy Harvey Milk day. This pride, I am partnering with the Cara Hotel where I'm currently staying in Los Angeles. The Cara Hotel has innovated on the concept of Spaces that are outdoors via creating a fake pool that is one foot deep and then photographing it for their website so that you think there is a real pool in the hotel. You pack two bathing suits, one kind of more conservative, one a little more slutty, because you don't know what kind of clientele the hotel is going to have. You get there, you get to the breakfast, and you do order a $17 yogurt. You look at the pool and you realize it is 11 foot deep. Now, one could say that is false advertising, but I would say that is genius branding. You know, you are actually taking something that is essentially sort of a puddle and elevating it to pool. And if that is not what pride is all about, I don't know what is. You know, all of us are kind of like sort of mediocrities, but every day we get to wake up and say, I'm gonna slay today. I'm gonna be the new girl that everyone is talking about. And that is what the Cara Hotel did. That's why its name is Cara. Cause it's a girl. So I want to give a huge shout out to the Caro Hotel. I know that this. Wait, we're not doing shoutouts. I'm partnering with the Caro Hotel. As I was saying, and thank you for giving me $1 billion to make the pool deeper as part of Spencer Pratt's plan to revitalize Thai town.
America 250 Announcer
Woo.
George Severis
Hey, everyone. This Pride I am so excited to be partnering with. With little travel bottles of Cetaphil. Cetaphil. How do you say that? Lotion.
Sam Taggart
Cetaphil.
George Severis
Cetaphil. I have over 100 little travel bottles of Cetaphil that I put in every single bag. I put them in the car, I put them in my backpack, I put them in my pockets. I do not leave home without a little travel thing of Cetaphil because, let's face it, my hands get dry as hell the moment I wash them. And I don't know why no one else has this issue. And maybe they do and they just suffer in silence, but I can't suffer any longer. I need to be putting lotion on constantly. And the travel Cetaphil has saved my life many, many times. And it's created a sense of joy and wonder in my life as it's sort of like an Easter egg hunt all the time. No Christian, but. And I do think you should buy a lot of things, period, this prize. And I think having multiples of things is actually the biggest Life hack on Earth. I have three deodorants. That's right. I wear deodorant now. I have a couple toothbrushes. I just hide them wherever. And I think if you can have multiples of things, you should, because it makes life easier. When you're a creator on the go, use Code Sam at checkout for 30% off your travel set of fills.
Sam Taggart
Wow.
Nori Reed
This pride. I'm happy to be the art me. This pride. I'm so happy to be partnering with H and M. Do you like clothes but you want them to break? Two washes. H and M, you can try on different people. You can be different things, and then it just goes away. And you can be other people because you buy more things, and then you can be them. Also, if you use my Code Nori, you can get 40% off.
Sam Taggart
Oh, my God.
George Severis
That's a huge discount.
Nori Reed
All bell bottom jeans only.
Sam Taggart
Wow.
Nori Reed
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
That's amazing, Nori.
George Severis
Incredible.
Sam Taggart
You know, you're describing 8, 5 point in H and M. It's almost like a Cinderella ethos where it's like, because things disintegrate as you're wearing them, you're like, I have until midnight at the end of the ball to be 60s girl.
George Severis
Well, it's also very pride. You know, we're all born naked and the rest is H and M, period.
Nori Reed
Really deep. Who's the first person to do this? Who did this?
Sam Taggart
I have a question. I keep doing this, and I'm not on TikTok, and I actually deactivated my Twitter, believe it or not, so I'm not online. And I don't know, like, is it lame for me to be doing this? Is this something that a lot of young people are doing and I seem like I'm trying? Your answer seems to be yes. Yes, a little. Okay.
Nori Reed
I think it depends on gender.
Sam Taggart
It's stupid that I'm doing this.
Nori Reed
I think boys can't do this anymore, but girls can.
Sam Taggart
I just feel like we're, like, past it. Yeah, okay, fine.
George Severis
It's like saying, slay fuck. People are gonna think you're Sir Ian McKellen.
Nori Reed
Which finger are you doing? This one or this?
Sam Taggart
I'm doing this one, which is fun. I also. Can I do this now?
George Severis
That you can do.
Sam Taggart
Really?
George Severis
Yeah. That never goes out of style.
Sam Taggart
No, no, no, no. You know in 30 Rock, where Liz Lemon gets her own.
George Severis
Yeah.
Sam Taggart
I'm starting a new story.
George Severis
Amazing.
Sam Taggart
Sit your ass down and listen.
Nori Reed
I'm ready.
George Severis
And here we go.
Sam Taggart
Jack goes. When Liz Lemon's going to have her Own talk show. He says he talks to the guy that came up with Arsenio hall signature hand gesture. To come up with a signature hand gesture for her. And I actually want to hire a consultant to come up with a signature hand gesture for me because I think it would be so, so huge. I mean, I'm trying to think now, like. Like, maybe it's like, oh, that's not bad.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
I have a recent one.
Sam Taggart
Okay, what is it?
Nori Reed
Mine's. It's less of a motion, but I've been going. I've been going boom. Really?
George Severis
You've been doing boom?
Nori Reed
But not. But I'm not like boom. You know that.
Sam Taggart
Like a more feminine.
Nori Reed
And then I kind of go boom. Like, it's like in the back.
Sam Taggart
Oh, that's good.
Nori Reed
Boom.
Sam Taggart
Okay.
George Severis
That's so interesting.
Nori Reed
And people been loving.
George Severis
That's good.
Nori Reed
I've been getting a lot of feedback about that.
George Severis
Everyone knows I do this, which I didn't invent, but I have popularized.
Sam Taggart
You also do something which I don't have. We talked about how when you do air quotes, you do them weird.
George Severis
What?
Sam Taggart
Yeah. This is Sam doing. This is Sam doing air quotes. I was, like, going with, oh, that's
George Severis
because I'm doing it self aware. Yeah.
Sam Taggart
And I'm not saying you're, like. I'm not saying you're, like, stupid.
George Severis
You're scaring me.
Sam Taggart
No, no. But, like, you always go like that.
George Severis
Yeah.
Nori Reed
Did you ever figure out who started whatever? I can't.
George Severis
Oh, my God. Thank you for bringing this up.
Nori Reed
I can't figure it out.
Sam Taggart
So. So go ahead.
George Severis
Okay, first of all, people, this is. I'm getting angry because people keep commenting. Actually, Blank invented this. So many, many people said Natalie Waterman invented it. And then people were saying, Rachel Callie texted me that people think she invented it. And maybe that means she thinks she invented it as well. Then people were telling me that Eric Rahil invented it. Then people were telling me that Kat Cohen invented.
Sam Taggart
I invented it.
George Severis
And so I'm saying, you know what, you guys, this is what I mean by trending.
Sam Taggart
We were saying it's trending. We weren't saying we invented it.
George Severis
We were not saying we invented it.
Sam Taggart
We were saying people are saying it. Rachel Collie also invented. And I'm not kidding, saying, no problem.
George Severis
No, no problem.
Nori Reed
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
George Severis
Basically, the word is trending and the delivery is trending.
Sam Taggart
Whatever.
George Severis
And to try to. To say who started it, I think is missing the point.
Sam Taggart
To be clear, we stand on the shoulders of giants.
Nori Reed
Also, I associate it in my brain with Spice Girls, whatever. Yeah, sure. Like, mind feels to me like whatever.
Sam Taggart
Oh, okay. So you're just saying whatever because it's a British accent. I think if you were to ask the Spice Girls to spell what you're saying, they would spell it normal with the hard R. I think they used
George Severis
to say that trying to say who started a phrase is literally childish. It reminds me of middle school and people being like, no, I invented booyah. I remember people arguing about who invented booyah. And I was like, some things are just trending.
Sam Taggart
I agree with you. But at the same time, I'm always like, like, when people don't know that
George Severis
he's gonna tell me he invented booyah.
Sam Taggart
No, no. When people don't know that Jabouki invented.
George Severis
Well, that's true.
Sam Taggart
Jabouki invented raw dogging and short king. And that's a fact.
George Severis
That's a fact.
Sam Taggart
That is a fact. And no one cares.
Nori Reed
I had no idea.
George Severis
Yeah, that is true.
Sam Taggart
Like the fact that you had no idea. You're in community with him.
Nori Reed
I just saw him.
George Severis
Well, keep it up in the comments, y'.
Nori Reed
All.
George Severis
You're pissing me off. Let's end there.
Sam Taggart
Goodbye, happy part. Podcast ends now.
George Severis
Stratio Lab is a production by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeartRadio podcasts
Sam Taggart
created and hosted by Sam Taggart and
George Severis
George Severis, executive produce by Becca Ramos,
Sam Taggart
produced by Casey Donahue, edited and mixed by Lawrence Stumpf Social video done by Hot Dog Sandwich.
America 250 Announcer
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Jennie Garth
With my mom and dad living in Orange county, when we bring my five and seven year old to visit, we are sometimes in for a two hour drive that could feel like ten.
Nori Reed
Oh, as an avid camper, I know all about this.
America 250 Announcer
We'll pack up the RV and know
Nori Reed
this is either going to be the trip of a lifetime or a complete disaster.
Jennie Garth
Which is why we load up the iPads with Lingokids before we even pull out of the driveway.
America 250 Announcer
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America 250 Announcer
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Jennie Garth
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Sam Taggart
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Nori Reed
Lingokids Everything kids love.
Sam Taggart
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
Release Date: June 16, 2026
Hosts: George Civeris & Sam Taggart
Guest: Nori Reed
Network: Big Money Players / iHeartPodcasts
This Pride Month episode features comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart joined by comedy writer and performer Nori Reed. The focus: unpacking the concept of “flop” as it relates to queer/gay/straight culture, individual failure, collective slay/flop energy, and the state of community critique. The trio also hilariously dissects housing sagas, the evolution of internet trends, drag queen economics, and more—with signature meta self-awareness and absurdist banter.
[03:29–05:07]
[05:07–06:07]
“What’s wrong with society is that it’s harder to agree on loving something than on hating something... When everyone agrees they love something—what is there? Say it with me: backlash.” – Sam Taggart (05:15)
[07:39–10:28]
“I actually don’t get karaoke... People who can’t sing are singing and then you have to celebrate it.” – Nori Reed (09:04)
[13:03–15:12]
“I miss the check, honey. The check.” – Nori Reed (13:23)
[15:15–16:41]
“It’s a dog whistle. I’m like, what are we saying here?” – George (15:34)
[18:18–22:13]
“I paid them to do my taxes... I got an email: ‘I am moving. Give me grace.’” – Nori (21:35)
[23:38–24:09]
“Every day you wake up and you’re like, am I at-risk youth or am I billionaire?” – Sam (23:53)
[30:05–33:19]
[33:21–34:14]
[34:33–37:04]
“I feel like to be born is to flop... To be human is to be floppy. And in this specific time we are in, what is flop?” (34:40)
[37:04–45:16]
“Things are so self-evidently bad that a thoughtful critique can’t help.” – Sam (45:09)
[51:06–55:31]
[55:35–57:36]
[64:16–69:17]
“Maybe the death of flopping has to do with embracing our contradictions, where we’re actually both flopping and slaying kind of at the same time.” – Sam Taggart (64:16)
“We slay together, we flop individually.” – Sam Taggart/Nori (68:36–68:40)
[67:21–85:26]
[86:47–91:14]
On cultural love/hate cycles:
“When everyone agrees they love something—what is there? Say it with me: backlash.” – Sam Taggart (05:15)
On universal flop:
“We exist in a moment where society is flop... So how can any of us be flop if the environment we exist in is flop?” – Nori Reed (35:34–36:09)
On critique fatigue:
“Things are so self-evidently bad in a straightforward way that a thoughtful critique can’t help.” – Sam Taggart (45:09)
On sloganeering:
“We slay together, we flop individually.” – Nori/Group (68:36–68:40)
This episode oscillates between high-concept theorizing (“what does it mean to flop?”) and playful shade about everyday queer life (housing hunts, TikTok trends, “saga-prone” existence). It’s worth a listen for anyone interested in how queer humor, self-deprecation, and the anxieties of belonging intertwine—especially in a time when everything feels “flop.”