Podcast Summary: "Misery" w/ Morgan Bassichis

StraightioLab | Big Money Players Network & iHeartPodcasts
Original Air Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: George Civeris & Sam Taggart
Guest: Morgan Bassichis

Episode Overview

In this episode of StraightioLab, George and Sam welcome comedian and performer Morgan Bassichis to explore the theme of "Misery" as it relates to straight culture. Leaning into their characteristic blend of intellectual rigor and comedic banter, the trio unpacks the intersection of misery, community, narcissism, and the straight/gay divide, grounding their conversation in personal anecdotes, cultural reflections, and sharp societal analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal "Rigidity" vs. "Flow" (03:46–06:33)

• Morgan opens by feeling “rigid,” describing a sense of moving through life in a “Barbie hand, feet permanently in heels kind of way” (04:30).
• George contrasts Morgan’s stiffness with his current ease and serendipitous commute, declaring, “this city provides. This is a beautiful [thing]” (05:39).
• Notable Motif: The pair riff on brand “sponsorship” language (“Thank you, Citibank, for providing a space”)—mocking influencer-speak and the corporate co-opting of “creating spaces” (06:08–06:33).

2. Inclusion, Exclusion & Wanting (07:04–12:59)

• Cher FOMO: Morgan tells a story about missing a Cher performance (“I didn’t get into the event…everyone else is a human and I’m subhuman”—08:05, 08:16).
• Longing as a State: Discussion shifts to the emotional state of wanting:

  “All I ever want is to want. To be honest, that's actually like…when you can want, that's amazing.” — George (11:17)

• Material Wants: Morgan recounts being in an “And Just Like That”-style luxury apartment, feeling the emptiness:

  “There's no love in this” (11:53).

• Philosophy: They agree that a perpetual state of wanting keeps us alive and engaged; “not wanting is…a great fear” (12:34).

3. The Nature of Desire: Sex, Screens, and Kristen Davis (13:00–16:02)

• Wasted Time: The group compares hours spent searching for sex (“I could have learned anything. I could have been a person.” — Sam, 13:13) vs. mindless time on Instagram (Morgan, 13:22).
• Thought Experiment:
  • Who is happier: a gay man shown Kristen Davis photos or one shown dick pics? They conclude the “Kristen Davis” subject feels more fulfilled because “the dicks are a mirror, whereas Kristen Davis is a portal” (15:50).
• Depth vs. Animal Instincts: Looking beyond surface-level sexual desire offers richness and removes self-preoccupation.

4. Having vs. Wanting; Community vs. Narcissism (16:09–19:37)

• Fulfillment Dissatisfaction: George’s childhood pool fantasy meets reality (“now what?” — 16:43).
• The Pool is Not Enough: The object of one's desire is never as satisfying as imagined; what persists is a longing for community or acknowledgment.
• Narcissism Diagnosed:

  “There's a kind of narcissist called the communal narcissist.” — Sam (18:09)

• Morgan’s Take: Community engagement can be another form of narcissism—being “pro-social” as a performance.

5. The Perpetual Need For Attention; Performance Anxiety (21:26–24:19)

• Morgan: Praise and “the disease of never enough” are core to the gay comedian lineage—filling a hole that can’t be satisfied (18:36–19:09).
• Downsizing Ambition: George discusses a shift from striving for more ("make it bigger!") to finding comfort where you are (19:26–19:37).
• Blaming the Audience:

  “Blaming the audience is literally like bigotry…You are grouping them all. They are not similar.” — Morgan (24:06)

• The panel unpacks projection and the dangers of collectivizing an audience’s reaction.

6. Mental Health & Therapy (27:32–30:50; 76:17–80:49)

• Psychotic breaks from meditation: Sam and Morgan joke about the dangers of “over-processing” emotions and the pop-psych trap (“Do we need Bernie because people are meditating too much?” — 28:07).
• Therapy Compatibility:

  “I present vegetarian and as being good in therapy…but I am…absolutely defiant therapy subject.” — Sam (76:28)

• Therapist Critique: The desire for a therapist who is “actually smart” and shares one’s cultural references is strong.

7. Social Norms, Small Talk, Party Gifting Ethics (39:05–44:42)

• Ever-changing Norms: The group reflects on confusing fashion and social expectations, never knowing “what is normal” (39:26–39:53).
• Etiquette Ethics: George admits to occasionally taking back a gift bottle from a party if untouched, sparking a debate on the morality of such actions (“Take your own bottle home,” 42:54).

8. Sobriety and Aging (43:50–48:03)

• Sobriety as Straight: Morgan links quitting drinking during the pandemic to “straight vibes" (44:06).
• Aging & Shifting Beliefs: Contrary to expectation, the group remarks that their convictions (about kids, life) have become less certain with age, not more (58:26).

9. Kids, Family, and the Question of Parenthood (58:19–61:45)

• Misery Loves Company: “That’s marriage. That’s a family…You’re stuck here.” — Sam (58:11)
• Parenthood Questioned:
  • The hosts express increasing confusion, not clarity, about whether they want children.
  • In gay communities, having kids can be isolating, unlike default expectation in straight circles (“you have to hang out with straight people all the time”) (61:29).

10. Parental Approval & the Ambivalence of Success (64:01–67:34)

• Classic Parental Negging:

  “‘How many seats are there?’ Parents love quantity.” (66:29)

• Brooklyn vs. Manhattan Venues: Subtle judgment is always present (“is it valid or not?”).

11. Straight is Misery, Gay is Tragedy? (55:51–57:55)

• Defining Misery:
  • Morgan: “Misery is helplessness in the face of not being able to get what you want or surrender to it.” (54:29)
  • George: “Straight is misery; gay is tragedy…being able to think, ‘wait, this is tragic’” (55:57)
• Tragic Outlook: The “constant search for more” is tragic but keeps desire alive, contrasting with resigned straight misery.

12. Media, Memes, Empathy, and Modern Family (47:15–83:38)

• Meme Language & Adulting: Using “killing it at the adulting game” as a marker of hollow straight achievement and sadness (47:44).
• Empathy’s Limits: There’s a downside to understanding perspectives you previously dismissed (“Empathy is not all it’s cracked up to be”—82:55).
• Modern Family as Emotional Proxy: George can’t watch due to his real family’s conflict (“they’re not handling this right”—83:11).

13. Lighthearted Closure: Shout Outs (93:00–98:36)

• **Each host and Morgan gives a playful, tongue-in-cheek “shout out” to mundane joys or aspirational sponsors (Citi Bike, the US Open, tidying, Tide laundry detergent).
• Meme about tidying: “Some people tidy to relax, some people have to be relaxed to tidy…those two get married” (97:54).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “All I ever want is to want.” — George (11:17)
• “The dicks are a mirror, whereas Kristen Davis is a portal.” — Morgan (15:50)
• “There’s a kind of narcissist called the communal narcissist.” — Sam (18:09)
• “Blaming the audience is literally like bigotry.” — Morgan (24:06)
• “Straight is misery. Gay is tragedy.” — George (55:57)
• “Misery loves company—that’s marriage. That’s a family…You’re stuck here.” — Sam (58:11)
• “‘How many seats are there?’ Parents love quantity.” — Sam (66:29)
• “Weaponize lasagna.” — Sam (89:22)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Rigidity, Flow, & Brand Parody – 03:46–06:33
• FOMO, Wanting, Inclusion – 07:04–12:59
• Desire: Sex, Photos, and Fulfillment – 13:00–16:02
• Having vs. Wanting/Community vs. Narcissism – 16:09–19:37
• Audience, Praise, and Performance – 21:26–24:19
• Mental Health & Therapy – 27:32–30:50; 76:17–80:49
• Social Norms & Party Ethics – 39:05–44:42
• Sobriety & Aging – 43:50–48:03
• Kids & Family – 58:19–61:45
• Parental Approval – 64:01–67:34
• Misery vs. Tragedy – 55:51–57:55
• Modern Family & Cultural References – 81:01–84:45
• Shout Outs & Wrap-Up – 93:00–98:36

Tone & Style Notes

The episode maintains a sharp, meta-humorous tone, with hosts and guest both lampooning and earnestly unpacking queer and straight cultural scripts. Frequent callbacks, bit escalation, and reflexive commentary (“thanks for making the space,” “weaponized __”) punctuate the show, making for a style that’s at once intellectual, confessional, and irreverent.

For the Uninitiated

You don't need to have seen Modern Family or be familiar with the hosts’ prior work to enjoy this episode—the banter is fast but approachable, and the big themes (wanting, fulfillment, family drama, the quest for meaning) are universal. The episode is as much about self-parody and open-ended questioning as it is about coming to definitive answers—a hallmark of StraightioLab’s signature approach.

For more from Morgan Bassichis, check for future shows—this one, as the hosts note, is now closed, unless you can “Hermione Granger” your way into the past.

End of summary.