MIA KHALIFA Talks Viral Fame, Fatwa, Being the Goat

Summary

The Adam Friedland Show Podcast

Episode: MIA KHALIFA Talks Viral Fame, Fatwa, Being the Goat
Date: October 1, 2025

---

Episode Overview

In this candid, humorous, and sometimes deeply personal episode, Adam Friedland sits down with media personality and former adult film actress Mia Khalifa (aka Sarah) to delve into her journey from an immigrant Lebanese kid in Maryland to viral fame and subsequent mainstream success. The conversation covers the intense cultural reactions to her sudden notoriety, the long-term effects on her mental health and relationships, and how she continues to navigate shame, regret, and advocacy. The tone swings from irreverent to sincere, featuring bracing honesty, jokes, pop culture digressions, and thoughtful self-reflection.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life & Immigration (06:47–11:03)

• Moving to the U.S. Pre-9/11:
  Mia describes moving from Lebanon to Maryland at age 8, just before 9/11, and experiencing Islamophobia that “[was] always there, but escalated” post-9/11 (07:21).
• Assimilation & Identity:
  Mia discusses juggling French, Arabic, and eventually English, never feeling fully American or fully Arab (10:31).

  “Arab people see me as American, not Arab.” (10:34, Mia)

High School & Military School (09:29–14:14)

• Troubled Teen Years:
  Mia attended a military boarding school after getting caught smoking weed, and excelled there despite prior struggles.
• Body Image & “Post-fat” Genesis:
  Open conversation about being overweight as a teen, losing weight at 19–20, and how “that stays with you for a long time, and that’s why you seek validation.” (14:55, Mia)
  She now manages her relationship with food using Ozempic.

Prejudice & Integration (16:32–17:28)

• Racism and Bullying:
  Mia recounts being called racist slurs in elementary and middle school.

  “My nickname was Sand En-word.” (16:43, Mia)
  Adam reflects on cultural slurs against Lebanese elsewhere, with both poking fun at the absurdity and cruelty.

Viral Fame & the Aftermath (17:28–23:52)

• Short Adult Industry Stint:
  Mia clarifies her career lasted only three months, earning $11,000. There was “no intention for anything to be successful,” attributing it to poor judgment and craving validation after losing weight (18:12).
• Hijab Scene & Infamy:
  She knew some choices were risky:

  “I did tell them that they’re gonna get me killed.” (19:51)

• No Foresight on Impact:
  Mia attributes her viral fame to a mix of circumstances, including Charlie Hebdo and MeToo.

  “It was just lightning in a bottle because of everything that was happening in the world.” (20:41, Mia)

• Impact on Family:
  Mia became estranged from her family for a long time after her fame broke (21:28).
• Life After Virality:
  She tried to work a normal job as a bookkeeper, but realized she could never escape her notoriety.

  “I realized that I can never work a normal job again.” (22:32, Mia)

Coping with Fame: Mental Health & Therapy (23:03–27:56)

• Processing Stress:
  She didn’t process her fame until entering therapy years later, confessing to lashing out at people without boundaries (23:03).
• Intimacy & Trust Issues:
  Her experience has had a lasting impact on her sex life and her ability to trust new partners—preferring solitude over risking being “the novelty.” (23:26)
• Fatwa and Arab World Backlash:

  “Yeah, I received fatwas. I mean, not...I don’t know if it was an official one, but...” (23:57, Mia)

• Transition to Influencer & Media Personality:
  Mia restarted her Instagram after it was hacked by ISIS sympathizers and began embracing her role as a cultural figure (24:44–25:16).

Shame, Regret, and Public Persona (26:08–28:06)

• Exploring Shame vs. Regret:
  Mia gives a soliloquy on the difficulty and necessity of working through shame, which is more layered than regret.

  “Deep down, behind every negative emotion there’s a layer of shame there.” (26:19, Mia)
  She manages it now through therapy:
  “The battle isn’t as tough as it was seven years ago. Now it’s just maintaining.” (27:44, Mia)

Notable Comparisons & The “One-and-Done” Analogy (30:21–35:00)

• Cultural & Sports Comparisons:
  Adam and Mia riff on finding analogs for her brief but impactful career, likening her to “the Harper Lee of porn” (writer of To Kill a Mockingbird) for her one enduring work and then stepping away.

  “You’re kind of Harper Lee.” (35:22, Adam)

Current Life, Projects, and Future Goals (39:20–49:01)

• Love of Movies, especially “Oppenheimer”:
  Mia shares her obsessive movie fandom—she saw Oppenheimer 12 times in IMAX, joking about autism and special interests (39:57–40:08).
• Alternate Timeline:
  In another life, she would have loved to be a data archivist at the Smithsonian: “You get to work in the basement, no one gets to talk to you. There’s no windows. It’s a dream.” (41:22, Mia)
• Miami Life:
  She currently lives in a condo with a small crew of close friends; “My crew is two people.” (44:16, Mia)
• Fashion Brand:
  She’s now involved in fashion with her brand “Shaitan”—Arabic for “devil.” (45:07–45:15)
• Advocacy:
  She strongly criticizes the predatory nature of the traditional porn industry, voicing support for higher age requirements and sex worker rights, despite resistance from others in the adult industry (45:44–47:28).

  “I will never advocate for the traditional porn industry. I think it should be dismantled.” (47:15, Mia)

• Future Projects:
  Documentary and book projects are in the pipeline.

  “A documentary, a book.” (49:01, Mia)

Gender Roles, Relationships, and Social Change (51:27–55:41)

• Trust, Relationships, and Gender Norms:
  Mia reflects on marriage, trust, and her ability to discern who’s trustworthy.

  “If I don’t trust someone instantly, I’m never going to.” (51:27, Mia)

• Reversal of Gender Roles:
  Discussion on modern men becoming more emotionally expressive, with both joking about how men and women have swapped stereotypical behaviors (52:02–53:41).
• Desire for Mystery & Privacy:
  Both guests express nostalgia for a time when private intimacy and secrets were less “banked” as personal brand content (54:31–55:12).

Closing Thoughts (56:57–57:14)

• Origin of “Khalifa” Name:
  Mia clarifies her stage name’s origin:

  “No, it was my first dog’s name...and the last name from Wiz Khalifa?” “Yeah, more or less.” (57:02–57:06)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On viral fame:

  “I realized that I can never work a normal job again.” (22:32, Mia)

• On shame:

  “I can talk about shame all day. It’s such a visceral human emotion.” (26:15, Mia)

• On the impact of her notoriety:

  “I basically just had my early 20s slutty phase in front of everybody in the world.” (21:54, Mia)

• On the adult industry:

  “The traditional production porn industry is predatory and toxic and terrible. Absolutely terrible. Top to bottom.” (46:26, Mia)

• On advocacy:

  “I advocate for the rights of sex workers...and for changing the age of consent for doing porn specifically [to 21].” (45:44, Mia)

• On legacy:

  “You’re the Harper Lee of porn.” (35:22, Adam)
  “I am going to rest on that laurel for the rest of my life.” (43:16, Mia)

• On her personal life:

  “My crew is two people. I don’t love living there [Miami].” (44:16, Mia)

• On regrets:

  “Everybody makes mistakes. Everything is fine. I didn’t kill anybody.” (27:56, Mia)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro/Ads: 00:00–06:26 (skipped as per instructions)
• Early Life, Immigration: 06:47–11:03
• Military School & High School: 09:29–14:14
• Assimilation, Sports, Prejudice: 10:18–17:28
• Viral Fame & Aftermath: 17:28–23:52
• Coping & Therapy: 23:03–27:56
• Shame, Regret, Public persona: 26:08–28:06
• Legacy Analogies (“Harper Lee of porn”): 30:21–35:22
• Film Talk & Autism Jokes: 39:26–43:16
• Current Life, Fashion, Advocacy: 44:00–47:28
• Industry Critique: 45:44–47:15
• Relationships, Gender Roles: 51:27–55:41
• Credits/Name Origin: 56:57–57:14

---

Final Takeaway

This episode showcases Mia Khalifa’s wit, self-awareness, and seriousness about her own legacy and advocacy. Adam oscillates skillfully between comic relief and insightful questioning, creating space for Mia to narrate her unique story, reflect on trauma, challenge stigma, and reveal the ongoing challenge of carving out a healthy identity amid lasting public scrutiny. The conversation is both a study in virality’s real-world consequences and a tribute to personal recovery and reinvention.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, guys. Cooler temperatures are rolling in and as always, Quince is where I'm turning for fall staples that actually last. From cashmere to denim to boots. The quality holds up and the price still blows me away. Quince has the kind of fall staples you'll be wearing non stop, like super soft 100 Mongolian cashmere sweaters. Sorry. At just 60 bucks. Their real denim is durable and it fits right. And the real leather jackets bring that clean, classic edge without the elevated price tag. What makes Quince different? They partner directly with ethical factories and they skip the middleman. So you'll be getting top tier fabrics and craftsmanship at half the price of similar brands. Guys, a lot of people have been asking me what's different about me. Recently I've. I've lied to some of you. You know, I said, I'm going back to the gym. That's not happening. I said that, you know, I got a fucking bangs. That didn't happen either. What happened is I've been wearing quints and more specifically, I've been wearing their 100 Mongolian cashmere sweaters. Keep it classic and cool this fall with long lasting staples from Quince, go to quince.com tafs for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com T-A F S free shipping, 365 day returns. Quids.com tabs. Do you have autism?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Everyone, it's all on the level. No, I don't think I ever.

[B]

No one's fully straight.

[A]

No, I don't think I'm autistic at all. Oh, I cry everything.

[B]

Hmm.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. It used to be called Rude.

[B]

I'm dead.

[A]

Remember Rude?

[B]

Do you remember Rude? They rebranded.

[A]

Remember Rude? Yeah.

[B]

Now someone, they changed their logo. Like Jaguar could be a.

[A]

And they're like, he's just. He's so autistic. And I'm like, I don't care. What do I. I need to read the DSM too? I'm not a doct. Welcome to the Adam Friedland show, guys. It's Adam Friedland. First off. As always, I want to thank our channel members for supporting the show. And if you'd like to become a member, you can click the link in the description. You get early access to all of our episodes, discounts on merch, and if you subscribe to the second or third tiers, you'll get your name in the credits of every episode of this fine program. Also, there's a link to our patreon if you prefer supporting the show through Patreon. Also, I'd like to note that our merch store has been restocked. Go to AdamFriedland show to check out our stuff. We have T shirts, hats. They sold out real quick last time. Get them before they're gone again. My guest this week is media personality and influencer Mia Khalifa. Mia, or Sarah as I know her and all of her friends. That's where friends call her, first came to prominence in 2015 for her brief stint as an adult film actress. She quickly became a global phenomenon, earning her the title of most searched adult actress for both 2016 and 2018. Now, of course, this is the part where I do some hilarious bit before I show you my interview. But let me be clear, I'm not going to go there this week, folks. As my star rises, the target on my back gets bigger and bigger and the margin for error gets smaller and smaller. Piers Morgan is watching everything I do. The man is relentless and dogged and I have to be mindful and careful not to lose everything that I've worked so hard, so hard for. I'm fairly certain also that I think I'm being followed. I don't know if it's peers. I think it could be a member of my family. Anyway, guys, this might be tough for some of you, but it's become clear that my days of being an immature baby for an adoring audience are over. I'm an adult now. I have to be. It's true, my guest this week was a beautiful woman, but as you'll see, I treated her like I would any other guest, be it hot guy, ugly woman, or hip hop and R and B legend. So if you've come here for nasty jokes, you can turn off now. This is an adult show for an adult audience. I'm no longer making baby stuff for babies. I'm in the adult industry now. So pour yourself a glass of wine, maybe sit back on a piece of white furniture and enjoy my thought provoking conversation with Mia Khalifa. This episode is sponsored by Roe Rose. Sparks are a 2 in 1 prescription treatment for guys who need a secret weapon. It's the new wave. They hit the bloodstream faster because they dissolve right under the tongue. So no more waiting to perform. After Roe Sparks dissolve the they work in 15 minutes on average. After it dissolves, they can give you the boost to last longer. They can give you a bigger and a longer erection. And Sparks stay active in your system for up to 36 hours. So you can go back to Back to back, round after round. You can be ready the morning after when your breath stinks, when you're like you're hungry if you want. Do you like the morning after, Thomas? No. I don't like it either. Here's the best part. It's done 100% online, so there's no awkward conversations with an in person provider. And if approved, the treatment gets shipped directly to your door. If prescribed, New sexual health patients get $15 off your first order of Sparks. On a recurring plan, connect with your provider at Ro Co Tafs to find out if prescription rose sparks are right for you. That's Ro Ro Co Tafs for $15 off your first order. Ladies and gentlemen, cultural icon, media personality Mia Khalifa. Everyone. Big, big clap. Hi, nice to meet you. Thank you for coming.

[B]

Thank you for having me.

[A]

Your tissues are there.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

She brought tissues because of my boogers during Sarah Jessica Park. So embarrassing.

[B]

No, it's not.

[A]

Do you have a change? A change of diaper? Okay. Why did we start this way? Thank you for coming on. I guess, like, you know, how do we start this thing? Like, where do we start? We start at the beginning, right?

[B]

At the beginning? Yeah. 10,000 BC.

[A]

No, no, I want to start. What is the date today? Of course.

[B]

Oh, happy 9 11.

[A]

It's not. Just stop it with your edgelord jokes, okay? Oh my God. Okay, we're not gonna start that way. But you, you moved to America shortly after or shortly before 9 11?

[B]

Shortly before.

[A]

Okay, you are from Lebanon, right? You were born there and you moved here. What, you were 11 or something?

[B]

I was 8.

[A]

Elementary school.

[B]

2001.

[A]

Yeah, 2001. And you moved to the greater D.C. area, right? And you moved during a time of like Islamophobia?

[B]

I guess it was always there, but.

[A]

Yeah, I think it escalated after 911 and now it's kind of back, right?

[B]

Yeah, it's kind of vintage cyclical.

[A]

It feels like a little bit like. It feels like a little Toby Keith, like, kind of post 911 moment we're having again right now. Yeah, we'll stick a boot in your ass.

[B]

Stick a boot in your ass.

[A]

Kind of a good song.

[B]

It's so fucking good.

[A]

You know, I love this bar also. Great song.

[B]

Yeah. What else? I love country music, actually.

[A]

I do too. Yeah. What's your favorite? Florida Georgia line? You like that one?

[B]

No, I like Baby, you're a star.

[A]

You make me wanna roll my window down and cruise. You know that one?

[B]

It's actually good. You wanna harmonize with me?

[A]

Do that again. Zach, he's teaching me harmony right now. Zach, the intern, how to harmonize. Yeah, yeah. He's actually, we. I shouldn't say it on the camera.

[B]

Should I just turn away from the camera?

[A]

Okay. We do Friday afternoon choir, me and the four employees.

[B]

That's so beautiful. All of you just stand. Like. Is there pedestals? Do you.

[A]

I grew up Jewish, so I am Jewish. But like, I always wanted Christian songs like, oh, that's so good. Amazing Grace. It seems so beautiful if you get to do that at church. So now I make.

[B]

Like a Virgin is also a beautiful.

[A]

I don't think that's from church.

[B]

I do.

[A]

Is it? Yeah, I think it's about.

[B]

It's about Mary.

[A]

Like a virgin touch for the very first time. I think it's about getting your pussy touched.

[B]

No, her being touched by the power of God.

[A]

Like a prayer. Is that a. Is that a. That's about blowjobs.

[B]

Is that Madonna?

[A]

Yeah. My mom. My mom used to play that in the car and I used to ask her what it was about and she said, stop talking about. You moved to Montgomery County, Maryland?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Right. What? Gaithersburg.

[B]

Gaithersburg, Maryland.

[A]

Mia. Sarah Mia is from the same town as Mr. Nick Mullen. Give it up for him, everyone. My former partner, where'd he go to high school? I don't know.

[B]

You don't have that off the top of your head.

[A]

I think he went to community college. I think he.

[B]

He just skipped high school, went straight from middle school to community college.

[A]

He got a early GED and then college. I think he was a bad boy.

[B]

But I went to military boarding school.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So what led you to that? You were a bad kid. Smoking reefer. Really? Your parents caught you smoking trees? Mine did too. Yeah. But they'd never sent me to the army. What army did they send you to?

[B]

No, literally, it was the feeding school for West Point. It was an army. It was like army, not.

[A]

Were you good at the army when you so good. Really?

[B]

I was so good. I loved it so much.

[A]

What did you have to do? Like, make your bed and stuff?

[B]

Yeah, and I still can do hospital corners you could bounce a quarter off of.

[A]

What? Really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You make your bed every day now, cuz the army?

[B]

No, I like getting back into a bed with like crumpled sheets.

[A]

What? What like, what is like the. So you went for the rest of high school to military school, so you didn't really have. Have like a. Like a typical high school experience?

[B]

I feel like I had more of a normal experience there than at public school.

[A]

Did you speak English before you moved to the States or.

[B]

You know, I spoke French and Arabic. French, Arabic, Yeah. Because I went to a French school.

[A]

So how did, like, what moment did you feel like you'd integrated into American culture? Like, after you moved to your elementary school?

[B]

I'll let you know.

[A]

You still don't feel like. No, I mean, you have an American accent, you.

[B]

Yeah, and Arab people see me as American, not Arab.

[A]

Yeah, right. For me, like, my parents come from a different country and, like, I also like. You like sports and films, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And, like, that was one way that I kind of learned American culture.

[B]

Me, too. That's why I embedded myself so deeply into sports. I felt like I was like. It gave me something to talk to the kids about at school the next day. So I very much obsessed over football and basketball, and that's how I kind of found my little friend groups.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. You've advocated publicly to change the name back to Redskins. Is that true?

[B]

No, I hope not.

[A]

You said, I want it to be Bullets and Redskins again.

[B]

Okay, Bullets. Bullets we can talk about. That's on the table.

[A]

You played lacrosse as well. That's very mid Atlantic, right?

[B]

It's very white.

[A]

Did you put bitches on the deck when you were playing?

[B]

No, I did not. I actually got a concussion and now there's a little hole in my head. You want to feel it?

[A]

Yeah, I guess so, huh? Oh, God. That's disgusting. You want to feel something disgusting on my head? Here.

[B]

What is that?

[A]

It's fucked up. No.

[B]

Are you okay?

[A]

It's. I've just had it my whole life. It's like a massive, disgusting mole. Yeah. That's why if I go bald, I'm.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I can't go bald either.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You can't go bald.

[B]

No.

[A]

Yeah. Thank God, dude. That's my biggest fear, actually. I had a dream the other night that I woke up bald.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. And I was like, what do I do?

[B]

Get a wig?

[A]

I think I would go run.

[B]

Fuck, yeah.

[A]

I would go Turkey.

[B]

What does that mean? Oh, to Turkey.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Have you been there before for a procedure?

[B]

No, I do all of mine in la.

[A]

What procedures have you had? You've had your schnauzel.

[B]

I got my nose done. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Got my implant. I have breast implants. What else have I done? I mean, other than, like, the little injectables here and there.

[A]

I'm thinking about getting a BBL myself, but I would only go to South America for that.

[B]

Gotta go to Colombia.

[A]

Yeah. Well, I get a lot of like Instagram reels for BBL promotions for like. I don't get know why it's on my Instagram, but it's like. No, no. For hair replacement and Columbia.

[B]

You have great hair though.

[A]

I know. Thank God. Thank God. All right. I saw. I went through your letterboxd.

[B]

Oh, God.

[A]

And I was actually upset by one of them.

[B]

Which one?

[A]

Harry Met Sally.

[B]

Oh, wait, what did I say about that one?

[A]

You gave it three stars.

[B]

Yeah, it's a three star. It's a three. Okay, but a three star and a like is different than a just a three star.

[A]

What are you talking about?

[B]

A three star and a like, there's a difference. It's very nuanced.

[A]

You're really. No, it's. It's just. It's one of the worst movies.

[B]

No, no, the reason why it's a.

[A]

Very upsetting movie to me.

[B]

Why?

[A]

Because he doesn't deserve her.

[B]

Why doesn't he deserve her?

[A]

Because his face looks like Naoki. Every joke he's telling, she's laughing at. It's not funny. He's like doing like hello Mammy. And she's so gorgeous and she's like.

[B]

Ha ha ha ha.

[A]

I'm like, that's not funny. He's being disgusted.

[B]

Isn't that Nancy Myers fault? That's a funny story.

[A]

I don't like him. And then sometimes I think like, when I have a girlfriend. Is that what it looks like? Does it look like Harry and Sally? No, no, I think it does. I think I. Because my greatest fear is that I am like that Billy. Like Billy Crystal in that movie. What? Absolutely not. Disgusting. Yeah. Have you seen me do my jazz band character Sally?

[B]

What else is he in?

[A]

Also, that's the only City Slickers, City Slickers two, the Curly's Gold and City Slickers three. No. Is there a three?

[B]

No, but those are the only two you named City Slickers and City Slickers two.

[A]

So wait, so how would you describe yourself in high school though? Like, were you popular?

[B]

No, not at all. Not at all. I weighed 170 pounds. I had a unibrow.

[A]

You were a girl? 170.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're a big girl.

[B]

I was a big girl.

[A]

Really?

[B]

I was security big.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, okay. And so then like when did, like when did you lose weight? I guess post fat is like kind of a genesis of evil. I feel like.

[B]

Yeah, like between 19 and 20.

[A]

19 to 20?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I feel like a lot of like. Like that guy, Richard Spencer. Do you remember that alt right guy? I was like, that guy definitely was like £250. And now he hates.

[B]

Oh, because he's minorities. Yeah, yeah. Oh, no, I don't hate minorities.

[A]

I'm just.

[B]

Because I was fat.

[A]

There's a hate that's in a lot of them. Boys hearts. Yeah, yeah. Because it's like a little resentment. I think so. Yeah. I have a lot of friends that, like, grew up fat, and they're like. They think of themselves still as fat. You don't understand how hard it is.

[B]

Oh, no. That. That stays with you for a long time, and that's why you seek validation.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah, really. You gotta go to therapy. Like, if you. If you lose weight, is that. Yeah, yeah. No, for real. For real. Because then you're suffering then in your head, you're still behaving like that's. Oh, you time it when the camera's on.

[A]

Stop it. It's embarrassing. It's tough.

[B]

What's the ashtray for? Be a man. Smoke a cigarette.

[A]

I can't do it in here. Does anyone have. I'm not gonna smoke bones. Okay. Yeah. I feel like that's a tough addiction to have food. Right.

[B]

Because it's like, it is, and that's what it is. You have an unhealthy relationship with food.

[A]

Right. But it's like, you can't quit food.

[B]

No. And to be completely transparent, I'm on Ozempic now because the fucking, like, mental battle of, like, battling with binging or, like, borderline anorexia and, like, over controlling or, like, overworking out, that takes care of all of that.

[A]

What does Ozembic do? If you have any food, you vomit it out.

[B]

No, you just.

[A]

Or you crap it out immediately. I. I don't know.

[B]

The way I react on it is I eat when I'm hungry and I don't crave things that I shouldn't. That I shouldn't be eating.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

So I just have a normal relationship with food now. I don't eat as, like, a coping mechanism.

[A]

It must be tough. Yeah, because it's like. It's like you have to have a healthy amount of crack every day, right?

[B]

Just a little bit. Which is basically what high school kids are on.

[A]

On what crack?

[B]

Adderall. Isn't that the same thing?

[A]

No, I'm just saying, like, you can't. If you have a food addiction, you have to just have, like. It's not like you can't go cold turkey. You have to just have a little bit of crack everywhere. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Just a little Oreo here and there. Crush it up, sniff it.

[A]

Growing up post 9 11, like, what was your experience like with prejudice? You know, especially in the dmv? Like, what were your experiences after moving to America?

[B]

Well, my nickname was Sand Enword.

[A]

What? Really?

[B]

Yeah, I think me and the other.

[A]

Indian kid in school.

[B]

No, it's not. It's not. But we were also in, like, elementary middle school.

[A]

So, like, you know, they use that one in elementary. Oh, my God, you're Lebanese. In Australia, they're, like, so racist. Like, I was. I was in an Uber, and someone's like, you don't want to go down there.

[B]

That's a good accent.

[A]

It's a bunch of libos. And I was like, oh, my God. I was like, lesbians. And he's like, no, libos. Lebanese. And I was like, there's like 4 million of them on Earth and you have a slurfer.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Best at slurs.

[B]

Yeah, that's hilarious. They need to shorten everything. No, I've never heard it. Yeah, it sounds endearing. I like it.

[A]

It's kind of cute, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like a. Yeah, it's like a Beanie Baby name. Look at a little labo. Yeah, I think that, like, I've watched. I've, like, done a lot of research, watched a bunch of interviews with you, and it's kind of like you have kind of a thing that you're asked about constantly. But what's more interesting, I think, is before your kind of viral success and then after your viral success, it's very interesting. You only worked in the industry for, what, like, a matter of weeks?

[B]

A couple months. Yeah.

[A]

A couple months. Yeah.

[B]

Three months.

[A]

And what was. What was like, how much money did you make while you were doing it? Like, not very.

[B]

$11,000.

[A]

$11,000. Right. Was there a concept at the time that what the work you were doing was, like, a success or, like.

[B]

No, no. And there was no intention for anything to be successful. That wasn't ever the intent. It was. I mean, honestly, it was just extremely poor judgment and extremely poor foresight. Like, I didn't think further ahead past where I was in that moment at 20, which, as I mentioned earlier, when. When you've never had male attention in your entire life, you just lost weight. Yeah.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah. Oh, interesting. And after I had lost the weight, I got a boyfriend. No, I got. Well, yes, I was. Yes, I was in a relationship at the time, but no, I got. I got my breast augmentation, and so everything came at once.

[A]

So it was like the movie she's all that. It's like you, like, took your glasses off and you're the weird art girl, and then you'd taken the glasses off.

[B]

Exactly when she's coming down.

[A]

Oh, I love that movie with Freddie Prinze Jr. Yeah.

[B]

What happened to him? I think he's not problematic.

[A]

He's on Little St. James.

[B]

What?

[A]

No. I don't know.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

What happened to Freddie Prinze?

[B]

Isn't he married to. Yeah.

[A]

Ghislaine Maxwell. No.

[B]

Leave him out of this. They're unproblematic.

[A]

Who's he married to? Sarah Michelle?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

What?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He got Buffy.

[B]

No, he got his. No, they were both in. Oh, my God. He got a Scooby tree. No, he got.

[A]

Oh, Val.

[B]

Daphne.

[A]

Daphne. Val. Like, oh, brother.

[B]

Oh, brother. Where are my glasses?

[A]

Okay, I guess.

[B]

Oh, that was Scooby.

[A]

Okay. Anyway, I think that's. So none of the rabbis that were on set said, like, this is going to be huge. No one said that at all.

[B]

No, but I did tell them that they're going to get me killed.

[A]

Why? By who?

[B]

What do you mean? By family? No, no, no. Just by in general. When it was when I was told what I was gonna be wearing and what I was going to be doing.

[A]

Oh, that thing?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, yeah, the hijabi.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think it's, like, interesting. It's like, I was thinking about how to handle it, and, like, you know, normal Adam's like, oh, I don't know what that is. But, like, I think, yeah, in a real sense, probably, like, every guy you've met and a lot of women you've met are familiar with it, you know, and it's just, like, you became a viral sensation. But, like, what I was wondering is, like, to what extent, like, whether or not you realize that this has become incredibly famous.

[B]

So at that moment, I still thought that no one was ever going to find out about this.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But I think the way it happened was very. Just circumstantial. It was very. Like, it was just lightning in a bottle because of everything that was happening in the world at the time. Charlie Hebdo had just happened. MeToo had just really taken off. There was a lot of social things going on that really were the reason why I was a part of that and why it kind of exploded the way it did.

[A]

You're from an immigrant family. Like, so am I. Right. Was one of your concerns that it would cause a rift in a traditional immigrant family?

[B]

Not necessarily, because I did not think anyone would ever find out. So everything happened Very, very quickly.

[A]

And subsequently, did it cause tension in the family?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. We were estranged for a long time after that.

[A]

Right. I guess, like, you were telling me on the phone like, you got a job, so, like, after getting out, like, you left on your own terms. It was only a matter of a couple.

[B]

Yeah. After everything kind of happened like that. I mean, obviously, yeah, that wasn't the intention and that is not what I wanted to do or be doing. I basically just had my early 20s slutty phase in front of everybody in.

[A]

The world but you. You were telling me you got a job and then I did.

[B]

Yeah. I was a bookkeeper at a construction firm.

[A]

And is that when it dawned on you, like, what was the moment where, like, it dawned on you that, like, every. That the world was like, you were famous?

[B]

I felt like a burden at the office because any clients who would come in anytime I would have to go onto a job site anytime I would have to do anything that involved interacting with other people who didn't just work in the office with me. It was a huge distraction. Like, not a distraction, but, like, I realized that I can never work a normal job again.

[A]

What were the guys doing? Were they like, yeah, they're busting in their pants every guy that walked in?

[B]

No, but there was like whispers and talks and. You know what I mean?

[A]

And did it cause you to be paranoid or like it caused you like.

[B]

Yeah, there was a lot of instances where, like, I just had interactions with people that I realized, wow, my life is not the same. I can't go to the grocery store, I can't go to the laundromat, I can't do any of these things.

[A]

And like, how did you process that, like, stress that put you under?

[B]

I didn't process it for a really long time. I didn't start therapy until like 2016, 2017, and that's when I started processing it. But until then I was just lashing out on anybody who would cross my boundaries, even though I didn't know what my boundaries were quite yet.

[A]

And it caused you to lose trust in people and did it affect your sex life?

[B]

Yes, very much so.

[A]

I imagine it would.

[B]

Very much so, yeah. And it still does. Yeah, absolutely. I can't even mentally get past somebody wanting to be with me for the novelty or for that reason. So I'd much rather just be alone. I've been in two long term relationships since then and that's it. In the last 10 years, I remember.

[A]

There being a response in the Arab world. Yeah, you received fatwas Is that right?

[B]

Yeah. I mean, not. I don't know if it's an official one, but I'm not going to.

[A]

What's an official fatwa?

[B]

I think when the government does a press release and, like, officially announces it.

[A]

And there's a seal, they get.

[B]

Right. I feel like they need to be notarized.

[A]

It worked out for. For Rushdie, right? He gets hot girls because of the fatwa.

[B]

Really? Where are my hot girls?

[A]

He got them.

[B]

I got one.

[A]

He got. What's her name? From. From. What's her name? Top Chef Padma. He got Padma Lakshmi.

[B]

Wait, she. I love her so much.

[A]

There's an episode of Curb where he's like, yeah, this guy's cleaning up because of the fatwa.

[B]

Oh, my God. Do you think my turn?

[A]

And your fame is sustained. That's what's interesting, is that you went from virality to, like, proper fame right around 2017. Is that correct?

[B]

Around 2017.

[A]

What, you reopened your Instagram account?

[B]

2016.

[A]

Yeah, 2016. What was the impetus behind that decision?

[B]

That was at the same time that I left the construction firm and decided to be, literally, an influencer.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

My goal was to reopen Instagram because ISIS sympathizers had hacked my Instagram. So Instagram shut it down.

[A]

Isis?

[B]

Yeah. They were posting, like, propaganda. So I. That. So Instagram immediately shut it down. And I didn't have an Instagram for, like, a year, and I worked a normal job and all of these things. So, yeah, I reopened Instagram, moved to Austin, Texas.

[A]

Comedy mothership.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. And, yeah, just tried to be an influencer.

[A]

Did you have, like. Like, kind of management or. Like.

[B]

I haven't had management until three years ago.

[A]

You can't trust these people.

[B]

No, it's not that.

[A]

It's just they're so annoying. They're like, take pictures of yourself looking sexy and put it in gq, and every comedian's gonna make fun of you. Adam.

[B]

Yeah. Hold the mic this way. They'll love that.

[A]

You just lay on the ground and twirl the wire. Every comedian's gonna just shit on you on every group chat. No. So wait, so. But you've been remarkably successful, right? You've become kind of like a media personality and, like, a cultural figure. Right. In a lot of your interviews, I've noticed that you talk. There are two words that are, like, kind of come up. And one, you talk about shame, but you talk about regret, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, can you, like, talk about shame, first of all? And, like, what your understanding is, oh.

[B]

I'll give a Soliloquy about shame. I can talk about shame all day.

[A]

Go off queen. Oh my God, I'd love to hear.

[B]

It's such like a visceral human emotion. I think deep down behind every negative emotion there's a layer of shame there. And shame is a really, really difficult thing to get past because along with shame comes guilt and comes regret and comes all of these other emotions that are just. They're very overwhelming and they feel suffocating and you feel very trapped when you're dealing with shame or trying to work through it.

[A]

And shame is something to be. To overcome, is that what you're saying?

[B]

Yeah, I believe so.

[A]

It's a negative emotion, right?

[B]

I think it can also be a positive one. Like if you have no shame, you probably are not a good person. You should have a little bit of shame sometimes.

[A]

And what's the difference in your mind between shame and regret?

[B]

I guess I can. I regret things that I'm not ashamed of. Like I regret speeding and getting a ticket.

[A]

Because you're being a bad citizen, right? If you cut someone off in traffic.

[B]

No, I don't regret that.

[A]

You don't regret that?

[B]

No. Everyone gets their turn getting cut off.

[A]

So you have no shame, you're saying?

[B]

Not. Not in that instance. But if I were to be pulled over for not using a turn signal, I would have regret, not shame.

[A]

Okay. I mean you've become an incredibly impressive and successful person. So how do you manage shame and regret in relation to your instant virality therapy? Therapy.

[B]

Therapy. I've worked through that for years and I'm still working through it. But the battle isn't as tough as it was seven years ago. Now it's just maintaining.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know.

[B]

And reminding myself like, I don't need to carry that guilt. I made a mistake. I was a kid. Everybody makes mistakes. Everything is fine. I didn't kill anybody.

[A]

You didn't make your money mining blood diamonds. I mean, I think like you probably. You didn't do anything. I think you didn't do. You didn't do anything. Any harm.

[B]

No.

[A]

In fact, you made some folks feel alright.

[B]

Oh my God.

[A]

No. Sorry. I mean like, honestly, it's not like a net negative on society, right?

[B]

Like, no, but there are people who like, I don't give a fuck what the incels on the Internet think, but I do give a fuck about What?

[A]

No.

[B]

Fatima 713, you know, thinks because she's being called Mia Khalifa, but she's deeply religious and it makes her feel right. Like she's being over sexualized. So like that. That gives me guilt and shame.

[A]

You're kind of. You're. You're a good. You're still. You could be a good person. You're not like, you don't own a rubber.

[B]

You still have a chance to be a good person.

[A]

No, you, I mean you, you don't own a rubber plantation in Africa, in the Congo.

[B]

No, I'm not mining for.

[A]

Right. You didn't like take advantage of anyone like you? I don't know. You just say. I don't. How you make $6 million a month?

[B]

No.

[A]

So say no.

[B]

That's. That's crazy. I wouldn't be here if I did.

[A]

You wouldn't be here.

[B]

Absolutely not. You would never see me again.

[A]

I would be a ghost.

[B]

You would never see me again.

[A]

What would you be doing if you had like a Billy?

[B]

Building a moat.

[A]

A moat? I would buy sports team.

[B]

If you had 6 million. You think you can buy a sports.

[A]

Team with 6 million? No. Billy. If I. Oh, a Billy. Yeah.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I'd build a moat. I'd build a moat.

[A]

Where? In Florida?

[B]

Florida? No, that's a marsh. I do.

[A]

Do you have like. Would you put like, you know, sharks and stuff in there?

[B]

No, I'd put crocodiles. Those are way more realistic.

[A]

Oh, that's kind of in this day and age, a little tough. I would buy a sports team.

[B]

What? What's what. What sport?

[A]

I would buy like a soccer team. And do like what? What the guy from It's Always Sunny and Ryan Reynolds have done.

[B]

What? They have a soccer team.

[A]

They have a soccer team and then the whole town likes them and they do shots with the Welsh guys in the town.

[B]

Oh, you just want friends.

[A]

A lot of friends.

[B]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. You want more. That's what it sounds like you want.

[A]

Who's your best friend?

[B]

Well, Samantha.

[A]

Samantha. Samantha. Hi. Samantha's your best. What's like, what's your guys vibe as a crew? You and Samantha?

[B]

Me and Samantha?

[A]

Well, you know, you do face masks.

[B]

We actually see each other like once a year. She lives in Boston.

[A]

Oh, come on. I see my friends all the time. They just happen to be my employees.

[B]

She knows more about me than anyone else. I talk to her more than anybody else.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Well, I don't know. I was trying to think like. Actually it's kind of an interesting question for you to have gained success for such a short amount of time doing something and then walking away on your own terms. Is there any comparison in Sports, art, literature, film. Actually, it sounds like there would be an easy answer, and it's taken me two weeks to figure it out.

[B]

There's gotta be a one and done try.

[A]

I think I found the answer.

[B]

Yahoo.

[A]

No, no, you have to guess.

[B]

Okay, hold on, hold on.

[A]

You know sports, too, but it's not. I won't say that it is or isn't sports.

[B]

Jordan and baseball.

[A]

He still. He stunk at baseball. Also, he left because of gambling. And he killed his father.

[B]

Okay, he killed his father.

[A]

It doesn't matter.

[B]

Did he fact check that, please.

[A]

That makes him the goat. Okay, wait. Let's. Let's. I want you to guess because it's very. It's tough and it can't be.

[B]

I'm trying to think of a director who's only made one film.

[A]

James Dean, like, made, like, three movies.

[B]

Hanson, Handsome.

[A]

They contracted crap, okay? They didn't walk away from music. They probably.

[B]

They just became Tracy Chapman. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

How many albums?

[B]

Yeah. One. Not even one. Was it just a single?

[A]

She didn't just make Fast Car. She's a raveler. She did that one. What else did she do? I'll look it up right now on the iPad. I don't think that's right. There is. Okay, there is one sports comp, but I don't think it works perfectly.

[B]

Who.

[A]

Jim Brown, maybe.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

He just left to be a civil rights icon.

[B]

Same.

[A]

And an actor. Okay, I want. I want you to. Okay, here's the clue. It's. It's in literature.

[B]

Oh, who wrote one? But no, it's.

[A]

It's one of the. One of the.

[B]

Oh, Homer.

[A]

He wrote the Iliad.

[B]

Oh, fuck. He did, too.

[A]

And, yeah, that shit is, like, mad long, too. That's not. That's not a couple months. It doesn't have to be a couple months, but it has to be, like, a short amount of time.

[B]

We don't know how fast he wrote it. Are you gonna interview him?

[A]

Sure. Okay. It's one of the best books ever. We all read it in school. We all read it in school.

[B]

Yeah, we did.

[A]

It's got a great message.

[B]

Wait.

[A]

96 to present. She's been making albums. Tracy Chapman has nine albums. You lied on her ass. Lying on freaking Tracy's ass.

[B]

Wait, then why is. Why did she come out of retirement for that. For that performance?

[A]

What do you mean, retirement?

[B]

Not retirement, but it was, like, her first. Like, you know, it was a big deal because, like, she had gone away and she didn't. Like, she left the public eye. Yeah, it Was a big deal that she came back.

[A]

She left your eye. Cause you.

[B]

I just stopped looking. I closed my eyes.

[A]

You didn't see. Keep up with her.

[B]

Those eye doctors.

[A]

And I'm telling you, okay, It's. It's a book we all read. I'd say probably ninth grade.

[B]

Ninth grade, we read Catcher in the Rye. We read.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

No. J.D. salinger has met.

[A]

Salinger went crazy. He didn't walk away. That was.

[B]

No, but he also has many. Franny and Zoe is just as bad.

[A]

That's F. Scott Fitzgerald.

[B]

Oh, shit. No, it's not.

[A]

Yes, it is.

[B]

Oh, fuck.

[A]

Is it? Yeah.

[B]

No, it's not. It.

[A]

Is that Salinger? Who?

[B]

It's Salinger. Yeah.

[A]

Fitzgerald made Fitzgerald. He did Great Gatsby, which is the great American novel. But he did four books and 20 years of making. Doing books, so it doesn't count. But you're close. You're in the wi. You're so close right now.

[B]

It's not Of Mice and Men. I read that last week and I know that.

[A]

What do you think about that one, Lenny?

[B]

I'm going through all of Lani. I just want to pet the bunnies.

[A]

Oh, my God. Yeah. So scary. He didn't know his own strength.

[B]

I know. Poor guy. No, tell me, tell me.

[A]

You're so close. Think about it. It's a great lesson for kids to have.

[B]

Oh, the one about the dystopian. Oh, the giver.

[A]

No, come on, we're close. We're right there.

[B]

The Alchemist. No. What is it? Okay, tell me, please.

[A]

I'll tell you a character.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Boo.

[B]

Oh, my God. Wait. No. She wrote multiple books.

[A]

No.

[B]

Boo Radley.

[A]

One and done.

[B]

She only wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.

[A]

And then they released a second one a couple years ago, but people are like, that's half fake.

[B]

Oh, I enjoyed it because I love to kill a moper. Lee. Yeah.

[A]

Harper Lee, you're one of the greatest artists of all time.

[B]

I'm Harper Lee.

[A]

You're Harper Lee.

[B]

I'm Harper Lee.

[A]

You're kind of Harper Lee.

[B]

I'm Harper Lee.

[A]

Or your Vince Young, University of Texas, but I'll take either. Actually, no. But he washed out in the league. It doesn't count.

[B]

I didn't wash out in the league.

[A]

Yeah. Wagwan, everybody. Let me tell you about the online cannabis company that's revolutionizing the way we deal with life's challenges. From sleepless nights to stress filled days, Mood.com has created an entire line of functional gummies that target specific health concerns with 100% legal THC blends that they deliver discreetly to your door. And you can get 20% off your first [e-mail] with the promo code TAFS. They've got a whole line of gummies tailored to different parts of life. Sleepy time Gummies. These shits knock me out in 15 minutes flat. No hangovers, no grogginess. I wake up feeling amazing. And they're epic Euphoria Gummies. There's nothing perfect for those days when nothing's going right for you. What? They are perfect. Oh yeah. And they're epic Euphoria gummies. They're perfect for those days when nothing's going right for you and you just need a hit of the reset button. A little hit or crap one more time and the epic Euphoria Gummies. Don't get me started, guys. You know those days when nothing's going right for you? You just need to hit the reset button on your crap mood. And you take one of those craps and it turns everything right around. What makes everything different is how they pair THC and other cannabinoids with herbs and adaptogens. You're just not going to find gummies like this in a dispensary or anywhere for that matter. And they have gummies for literally everything. Immune support, menopause, pms, mental clarity, sexual arousal. And each one is crafted using federally legal cannabis grown on small family owned American farms. No pesticides, no bullshit. They can ship directly to most states in the United States. Best of all, not only does Mood stand by everything. Best of all, not only does Mood stand behind everything. With an industry leading 100 day satisfaction guarantee. As I mentioned before, our listeners get 20% off their first order with the code TAFS. So head to mood.com, browse their amazing selections of functional gummies, find the perfect gummy for whatever you're dealing with. And remember that. And remember to use the promo code TAFS at checkout to save 20 off your first order. Hey guys. Cooler temperatures are rolling in and as always, Quince is where I'm turning for fall staples that actually last. From cashmere to denim to boots. The quality holds up and the price still blows me away. Quince has the kind of fall staples you'll be wearing non stop. Like super soft 100 Mongolian cashmere sweaters starting at just 60 bucks. Their real denim is durable and it fits right. And the real leather jackets bring that clean, classic edge without the elevated price tag. What makes Quince different? They partner directly with ethical factories and they skip the middleman. So you'll be getting top tier fabrics and craftsmanship at half the price of similar brands. Guys, a lot of people have been asking me what's different about me recently I've lied to some of you. You know I said I'm going back to the gym. That's not happening. I said that, you know, I got a fucking bangs. We that. That didn't happen either. What happened is I've been wearing quints. And more specifically, I've been wearing their 100 Mongolian cashmere sweaters. Keep it classic and cool this fall with long lasting staples from quints. Go to quints.com tafs for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com T-F S free shipping, 365 day returns, quids.com tafs what? So like, in terms of your career currently, like, do you feel fulfilled in your career? Like, what are your like, motivations moving forward? Like, do you want to make a movie? You like movies?

[B]

I do.

[A]

What kind of movie you want to make? Like a Harry Potter song? What's your number one movie?

[B]

My number one movie of all time? Trainspotting.

[A]

Come on. Actually. Come on.

[B]

Vertigo.

[A]

Actually. Okay, not number one ever though.

[B]

Okay. Number one ever. And the only reason I'm not saying it is because it sounds way too, like, way too new. But ask her. Oppenheimer ever. I saw it 12 times in IMAX. 70 millimeter.

[A]

Oh, that's 12.

[B]

I traveled to three different states.

[A]

That's 36 hours. Yeah.

[B]

And that doesn't include streaming and regular IMAX.

[A]

That's your best ever, ever.

[B]

But it's because I'm autistic and was upset. Obsessed with the Enola Gay as a kid.

[A]

Do you have autism?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Everyone, it's autism. Everyone's a little.

[B]

It's a spectrum. I don't think I am like, no one's fully straight.

[A]

No, I don't think I'm autistic at all. Oh, I cry everything. Yeah, yeah. It came around like six years ago.

[B]

Autism. Because of the vaccine.

[A]

It just dropped.

[B]

Just kidding.

[A]

It used to be called rude.

[B]

I'm dead.

[A]

Rubber rude.

[B]

Do you remember rude? They've rebranded.

[A]

Remember rude? Yeah.

[B]

Now someone changed their logo.

[A]

Like Jaguar could be a fucking dickhead. They're like, he's just, he's so autistic. And I'm like, I don't care. What am I? I need to read the DSM too. I'm not a doctor.

[B]

You could be an eye Doctor.

[A]

If you tried, though, it's not a real doctor. We exactly talked about this before the episode. Don't. Stop trolling me. They're just glasses sellers.

[B]

Do you have a prescription in yours?

[A]

What do you mean? I'm a freaking liar. My integrity is all I have. The audience trusts me more than they trust anyone in the news media these days.

[B]

You're a journalist.

[A]

No, I'm not a journalist. Do you think about, like, what you would have done had, like. Had you, like, just gone to college?

[B]

Yeah, all the time. I'd be in the fucking guts of the Smithsonian Museum. Yeah, like in the basement in the.

[A]

Yeah, like. Like just filing things away. Dinosaur bone.

[B]

No, because you need to be an archaeologist for that.

[A]

I would have been archaeology.

[B]

No, I have no interest in that. I have interest in.

[A]

You would have been a file.

[B]

Clean data collection and filing. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, you are autistic. Proper autism. That sounds like the she. The suckiest thing ever.

[B]

No, no. Are you kidding? You get to work in the basement, no one gets to talk to you. There's no windows. It's a dream.

[A]

That sounds really scary.

[B]

No, it's amazing.

[A]

I used to have. Have to do filing.

[B]

Do you know how many colors the Smithsonian has in their possession that don't exist anymore?

[A]

No. What. What was that question? How many colors the Smithsonian has a possession of?

[B]

150 colors that are no longer in existence.

[A]

The human head weighs 15 pounds.

[B]

Have you seen Jerry Maguire?

[A]

Sixteen and a half. Okay, Jerry Maguire.

[B]

That kid isn't Jerry Maguire. Show me the money.

[A]

Yeah, of course.

[B]

Oh, I've seen that.

[A]

I've seen that.

[B]

But I thought you were calling me autistic, so I assumed. Right.

[A]

No. The little kid goes, the human hat weighs 15 pounds.

[B]

Was that Stuart Little?

[A]

It was Stuart Little. Yeah, it was the mouse.

[B]

Yeah, it was the mouse.

[A]

No, it was that kid with the glasses.

[B]

Yeah. You know, I hate that kid. I always want to punch in the face.

[A]

Jonathan Lifnicki.

[B]

I hate him.

[A]

I got that.

[B]

Wow, what a pull.

[A]

What a pull.

[B]

Great pull.

[A]

Trainspotting. Not a good movie.

[B]

Trainspotting's a phenomenal movie. Is your issue with Danny Boyle or with great acting?

[A]

It's just mess. It's just a mess. So it's.

[B]

Have you read the book?

[A]

Oh, no, I can't read. I don't. I don't know.

[B]

The glasses are fake?

[A]

No, no, I do it listening.

[B]

Oh, okay. So Trainspotting. You can. Well, probably could, but it's written. It's written phonetically in the Scottish accent, so it's Amazing. And there's a. There's like a key in the back with it for all of the Scottish slang.

[A]

So there's a lot of work to like.

[B]

Yeah. Have you ever read House of Leaves where you have to like turn the book around as you're reading it and like, is it. Yeah, there's like some pages that are like written around the corner. Yeah.

[A]

Who wrote that?

[B]

I can't remember.

[A]

I've never read that.

[B]

Not Harper Lee.

[A]

You kind of are Harper Lee. You should change your bio. The Harper Lee of.

[B]

Are you kidding? I am going to rest on that laurel for the rest of my life.

[A]

I kind of think, like, maybe it's. It's kind of dope.

[B]

I love that. I love To Kill a Mockingbird.

[A]

Yeah, I love it too. I mean, that's. I've kind of modeled myself after Boo Radley. My career.

[B]

Boo after after boo. Okay.

[A]

I think, I think like. So you think that like what you study, like data collection and science kind of stuff?

[B]

Yeah, and then that's what I would want. That's what I would want to do.

[A]

And would you have considered that like a better alternative at certain points?

[B]

I think that's very. That's, that's, that's up to. That's up for debate. Yeah, I think.

[A]

Are you rich?

[B]

I am your proper rich, successful. No.

[A]

You live in Miami?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Big ass house you got on the water?

[B]

No, no.

[A]

Star Island.

[B]

No, I live in like essentially a condo, but with a backyard.

[A]

Do you like, like, what's your crew in my. You like living there?

[B]

My crew is two people.

[A]

Two people?

[B]

Yeah. I don't love living there.

[A]

Woo's your crew?

[B]

My two girlfriends.

[A]

Her.

[B]

Boston. Can't get her to move to Miami.

[A]

Why don't you move to Miami with your best friend?

[B]

She has children.

[A]

They can move too. How old are you?

[B]

Yes, Sam.

[A]

They'Re under three.

[B]

Yeah. Mamacita. She's a mommy.

[A]

If they moved to Miami, they'd love it.

[B]

They are really. They'd suffer, whatever.

[A]

They'd be fine. They just do Molly. When they're 11, they get.

[B]

Oh my God. That's literally how kids in Miami grow up.

[A]

I know, it's crazy. I grew. I went to college with some of those kids and they, they really like, they were like.

[B]

Where'd you go to school?

[A]

G.W.

[B]

Oh, right. You.

[A]

You've since become like a. Like a fashion person. Right? Do you like that world?

[B]

Yes, that. Yeah, I do.

[A]

You're a designer.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What do you. What's your. What's your line called? Shaitan chaitan. Is that French?

[B]

No, it's. It's Spanish. No, it's Arabic.

[A]

Arabic?

[B]

Yeah, it means devil.

[A]

Have you been back to Lebanon in the last couple years?

[B]

No.

[A]

Are you allowed to?

[B]

I'm not. Not allowed to, but I don't think it would be the smartest decision to go somewhere where I get a lot of threats from. It's difficult there.

[A]

Yeah. Are you in contact with anyone that's like. Or like, do you feel like an obligation to advocate for individuals that are in the industry or.

[B]

I advocate for the rights of sex workers and for the protection of sex workers, and I advocate for changing the age of consent for doing porn specifically. I'm not talking about the age of consent in general, but at the very least for the adult industry to 21. But I also know that actual sex workers and women who are still in the traditional porn industry do not like it when I speak on the industry.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At all. Because they think my opinion is completely irrelevant and doesn't.

[A]

Yeah, it's interesting. Yeah. I guess, because you were only there for a short time, so they feel like you have.

[B]

No. Yeah. And there's this weird. Like, there's this weird thing of they see me as biting the hand that fed me because they take so much pride in what they do, and they're so proud of it. And I kind of demonize the industry because that's what it is. Like, the traditional production porn industry is predatory and toxic and terrible. Absolutely terrible. Top to bottom. So, yeah, they don't like it when I talk about it that way. But that's the truth, right?

[A]

Yeah, I guess that's a difficult position to be placed in because you obviously want to. Certainly want to what, to be, like, an advocate, Right?

[B]

No, not necessarily.

[A]

Well, you do it, like, when it comes to, you know, what's the Middle east, you do it when it comes to women's rights.

[B]

But I will never advocate for the traditional porn industry. I think it should be dismantled and disbanded completely. And I think that everybody should be. I don't think it should be legal to sign a contract in perpetuity when it involves a woman's body.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, I guess. Who's gonna do it if we take it away from the Israelis? Cut that. Seriously.

[B]

No, that's the lead.

[A]

Should I get a rhinoplasty?

[B]

No.

[A]

What was the recovery process like?

[B]

Oh, my God. A day? Not even. I didn't take any pain meds after.

[A]

Maybe just a little bit small. A day.

[B]

A day, not even.

[A]

And it was, like, a little bit Just a little bit smaller, maybe.

[B]

Don't get a rhinoplasty. What about, like, strong noses on men are so nice.

[A]

What about like a. Like a. Like a little bit of like a Michael Jackson style?

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

A tiny.

[B]

I wonder if it comes with the white nose.

[A]

Snape. What if I got a Snape?

[B]

Snape or.

[A]

No, I mean a Voldemort. Voldemort. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Just a slit. Just two slits.

[A]

Come on. You think girls like that?

[B]

Yeah. What? Refines is sexy.

[A]

No, I like my nose. I've recently started liking it. Were you baptized? You got a bat mit? What's the bat mitzvah? Confirmation.

[B]

I had a first communion. I had a confirmation. Yeah. Everything.

[A]

Everything in Lebanon. Do they do Arabic mass?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Lebanon is predominantly Christian, actually.

[A]

Predominantly Christian?

[B]

Yeah, 51%. Like, barely. Predominantly.

[A]

This sounds like a little bit of exaggeration. 51.

[B]

Yeah, maybe. Maybe they're fluffing those numbers, but yeah, there's a huge, huge Christian community.

[A]

Yeah, I guess, like, just moving forward. Like, what. What are your, like, big projects that you're looking forward to and, like, you want to work on and, like, goals you have, like, in your career?

[B]

A documentary, a book.

[A]

Documentary about what? What. What would the focus be?

[B]

Harper Lee.

[A]

Harper Lee. Kind of a little bit true.

[B]

No, I'm telling you, I'm running with this in my head.

[A]

Maybe Bo Jackson.

[B]

Bo Jackson.

[A]

But he played professionally.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

It doesn't count. I was thinking John Cazale, that guy. But he wasn't like the Mia Khalifa of those movies.

[B]

Oh, damn.

[A]

He was in five movies that all got nominated. Best Picture. And he died. Died doesn't count.

[B]

Died doesn't count. No.

[A]

You know he was Meryl Streep's partner.

[B]

Aww.

[A]

You know that Fredo from the Godfather?

[B]

Oh, shit. He was Meryl Streep's partner.

[A]

Dog day afternoon, Godfather 1 2, Deer Hunter, and the Conversation.

[B]

Deer Hunter.

[A]

All nominated. Best Picture.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Yeah, but he wasn't the Mia Khalifa of those movies.

[B]

That's quite a run.

[A]

There's only one other one, but the legacy hasn't lasted. Bjorn Borg, the Swedish tennis player.

[B]

Oh, my God. Retired at 26. He has the underwear line.

[A]

Who?

[B]

Bjorn Borg.

[A]

Look that up. Let's see.

[B]

Doesn't he.

[A]

So both of you guys retired and started underwear.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Bjorn Borg did.

[B]

Right. Look up the Swedish underwear brand. Because my ex husband was Swedish and he always wore, like, things on the waistband that said Bjorn.

[A]

What was it like being married to a Swede?

[B]

Lots of. Do they Ikea trips.

[A]

Do they laugh? They don't do that. No, they don't. That's offensive. That's incredibly offensive to say.

[B]

Is it?

[A]

Yeah. You know what? They're going to IKEA and eating horse meat and stuff. He retired at. Where's the underpants? You're making this up. Very handsome guy.

[B]

Look up Bjorn Swedish underpants then. Because I'm just misremembering who owns the brand. Bjorn is a common name.

[A]

Personal life. Oh. His business ventures failed.

[B]

Oh. Oh, my God. Poor guy.

[A]

And now he's trying to go back to tennis at the age of 68. Sad when you.

[B]

For what?

[A]

No, I'm just kidding. I was just joking. So you've been married twice. Have you found that that's been a difficult thing for you to trust people? Re. Establish trust after processing your experiences prior?

[B]

No, I think I have really good discernment. And if I don't trust someone from, like, instantly, I'm never going to. Yeah, that's not something that you can build.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's something that you either like, you know, so. No. Yeah. Those relationships ended for very different reasons. Mostly just growing, growing and not growing at the same time.

[A]

Yeah. Babies.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Baby boys. Yeah, they were baby boys.

[B]

Yeah. Every boy is a baby boy till 57.

[A]

I can't trust these men. Right.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do you think that men are becoming like the girls?

[B]

Yeah, they are.

[A]

Because all my friends are like. All my friends are like, I just want to, like, open up and share my feelings. But I feel like she's withholding. I'm like, isn't this what the. The guy. Isn't it? We're supposed to be doing that.

[B]

You're supposed to be fighting in wars and building houses.

[A]

We're supposed to come back from the. From the black lung place and be like, the coals.

[B]

The coal mine.

[A]

She's going to be like, I want to talk about my day. And we're supposed to be like, I can't do that. But now it's the girls who are doing that to us. What happened to us?

[B]

Is it because the whole mine's shut down? We need to go back to fossil fuels.

[A]

We stopped violence. I think we stopped violence.

[B]

We need to start beating the men.

[A]

No, the.

[B]

No, ladies. We gotta start beating the men.

[A]

I think our grandfathers were, like, about to be like, When I was 8, I had a traumatic thing, but then they did violence instead.

[B]

Yeah, they were about to open up all of that.

[A]

Yeah, we stopped the violence and. And now we're like, just. Now we're like, just I want her to understand the real me.

[B]

Okay, so after this, I'll punch you in the face.

[A]

No, it's the opposite.

[B]

You need to punch me in the face.

[A]

You can punch me in the face right now. I have a nose job. I'm not gonna punch you in the face. I don't wanna hit anyone, let alone a girl.

[B]

We have to rebalance the scales.

[A]

Let alone a cultural icon and a noted anti Semite that I've.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

I don't wanna be hit.

[B]

We could do it through blocking. It's a little bit like you don't know how to fling yourself and pretend like you got hit.

[A]

People do this when they make. It's too much. Like, it's nice. Vanilla. No.

[B]

What?

[A]

Just regular, like, I love you and stuff. That kind of stuff.

[B]

Without a slap. Does it really mean anything?

[A]

No. I don't want to be hitting and stuff and doing hitting. And she's like, hit me. And I'm like, I don't. I will if you want. But, like, it doesn't feel nice to do.

[B]

Why?

[A]

Because I like, like, just like ball gown. Tuxedo.

[B]

Yes. Through the sheets. Through the bed sheets.

[A]

Dance. Like a. Like a romantic dance. And then twerk. A spin. And then. Yeah. And then like a huge, you know, with a canopy bed. And then just like, you know, exploring. And then.

[B]

And then soaking.

[A]

I love. What's soaking.

[B]

Soaking is what the Mormons do.

[A]

Oh, yeah, Yeah, I heard about that. What does they do? They just. They just go to bed inside of a girl.

[B]

They just go. And then there's somebody under the bed and. And they're pushing the mattress up. So technically they're not having sex. They accidentally are going.

[A]

Do you think culturally we should just.

[B]

People should not stop being Mormon.

[A]

No, people should just, like, we should know, like, kill the woman should have secrets again. I don't need to know everything. When someone talks, you know, like, I don't like the way you fuck is like a big part of identity now. And it's just sometimes I'm like, I don't care. I want to get my sandwich and get out of here.

[B]

Is that what you call cookie? A sandwich?

[A]

No, I mean, like, if I'm at a bagel place and they're like, I'm a dom. Daddy top. I'm like, a little bit like, can we just go back to secrets? How can we make things nice again, Sarah? Hmm? We can make things nice.

[B]

We got on the right track yesterday.

[A]

No, I mean, this is kind of a nice thing.

[B]

This is nice. Yeah.

[A]

No, but like, kind of a. To see. You know, to see us get.

[B]

Yeah, we're bridging worlds.

[A]

Christian and Jewish.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, that's nice.

[B]

Palestinian chicken.

[A]

Do you think people are seeing this as an inspiration right now?

[B]

Yeah, of course.

[A]

Really?

[B]

This is the two state solution.

[A]

No, Come on. I don't want two states.

[B]

I don't either. There's only one.

[A]

I don't want a state at all.

[B]

Do you think that Jason just open all the borders? We're citizens of the world.

[A]

Yeah, I guess, like. I guess let's just. I guess let's leave it at this.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

No, I mean, I think that, like. Let me see. I had one more that I wanted to say. You think that. Are you the Harper Lee of porn? Such a short career, big impact. Harper Lee? Really? All these notes are about Harper Lee? I think. Sorry. I'm sorry. Normally I'm way more professional than this. I guess, like I brought up When Harry Met Sally. So you got your name from Wiz Khalifa?

[B]

No, it was my first dog's name.

[A]

And the last name from Wiz Khalifa?

[B]

Yeah, more or less, yeah.

[A]

Is he your favorite rapper?

[B]

No, but I love weed.

[A]

All right, Mia.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Sam.