The JTrain Podcast: Pop Culture Thursday – October 23, 2025

Host: Jared Freid
Episode Theme: Pop Culture Roundup, Riffing on Celebrity Headlines
Main Topics: Joe Jonas’ dating update, Britney Spears/Kevin Federline drama, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman’s split, Mick Jagger’s relationship, Brandy walking off stage, Sabrina Carpenter’s SNL monologue.

Episode Overview

Jared Freid hosts a solo Pop Culture Thursday, diving into the juiciest headlines from Page Six. With his signature humor and sharp observations, Jared riffs through news about celebrity relationships, breakups, awkward public moments, and pop stars managing their image. The episode maintains Jared's casual, joke-laden style, as he offers both analysis and comedic speculation about the true stories behind the press releases.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Joe Jonas Gives "Rare Update" on His Dating Life

[13:00 – 22:30]

• Headline: Joe Jonas gives rare update on his dating life two years after Sophie Turner split.
• Jared unpacks how these kinds of “updates” are really PR fluff for celebrities to maintain public relevance and manage their image.
• He previews what Joe will (and won’t) say—predicting correctly it’ll be about “the difficulties” of dating, nothing wild or honest.
• Quote:

  “There is no way Joe Jonas…is going to be like, ‘Yeah, I’m just out here getting my dick wet a little bit.’…He’s going to say it’s, like, hard. And, you know, ‘I’m on the apps’…he’s going to act like he’s us, like he doesn’t have 10 mil in the bank for retirement.” (17:10)

• Dissects the dynamic of male pop stars: their music is always about heartbreak, written in ways designed for female audiences to relate.
• Roasts the new name in Sophie Turner’s life, “Peregrine Pearson,” mocking the absurdly aristocratic sound.
• Running Joke: Every party should have a trumpet guy announcing people’s full names, especially ones like Peregrine Pearson.

2. Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman’s Divorce: Reading Between the Lines

[22:30 – 30:30]

• Headline: Keith Urban takes swipe at Nicole Kidman marriage with shady move on new show “The Road.”
• Jared suspects tabloid overreach, breaking the story down as an example of press inventing drama where there isn’t any.
• Reads Urban’s (supposedly shady) comment:

  “It’s about wanting to break out of a soul sucking routine that you might be stuck in.” (23:40)

• Jared notes, “Soul-sucking? You gotta be miserable to use that phrase…but this is a nothing article.”
• Speculates on possible behind-the-scenes PR battles, but ultimately sides with Keith Urban.
• Quote:

  “The whole best part about being a musician is you get your opportunity to have your comeback in a song and if it’s really good, we’re all singing about how shitty your ex was. That’s the win.” (30:15)

3. Britney Spears Claims She Has Brain Damage Amid Kevin Federline Memoir Drama

[30:40 – 34:30]

• Headline: Britney Spears claims she has brain damage as Kevin Federline memoir drama rages on.
• Muses on how both Britney and Kevin are “easy to pity,” noting each has a tough tabloid narrative.
• Remarks on the extremity of the “brain damage” claim, comparing it to a dramatic, conversation-ending family move:

  “That’s the like, of all the levers that you would pull in case of emergency. Brain damage is like—I’m backing away, I’m out of here. Good luck. I wish the best for you.” (32:45)

• Expresses concern but hints at the public relations chess game.

4. Mick Jagger’s Relationship with 38-Year-Old Fiancé – “Rare Date Night”

[34:40 – 38:00]

• Headline: Mick Jagger, 82, enjoys rare date night with fiancée Melanie Hamrick, 38, at British Museum Ball.
• Rexamines the headline, questioning the plausibility of a meaningful date night between people of such disparate ages.
• Classic Jared Take:

  “I can’t even imagine their sex life. And she’s 38, she’s still in it!” (35:20)

• Riffs on how no woman considers a fancy ball a “date night,” even Mick isn’t exempt from “the rules.”
• Quote:

  “If I ever referred to a ball as our date night…whoever I’m with would be like, ‘This isn’t our date night. This is an event we have to go to.’” (36:52)

5. Brandy Walks Off Stage in Chicago – Fan Uproar

[38:10 – 43:30]

• Headline: Brandy enrages fans after abruptly walking off stage during Chicago Boy Is Mine show: ‘Beyond tacky’.
• Jared breaks down what went down—abrupt exit, fans left in confusion, issues with sound, Monica finishing the show.
• Sides with the fans demanding some explanation:

  “You don’t leave your audience confused. You gotta say something, especially when people paid to be there.” (41:15)

• Jokes about the unreasonable expectation that singers should always “sing a cappella” when there are technical problems.
• Defines “tacky,” reflects on public perception and standards in live performance.

6. Sabrina Carpenter’s SNL Monologue – Owning the “Horny Pop Star” Persona

[43:30 – 47:00]

• Headline: Sabrina Carpenter jokes about provocative image in SNL monologue: ‘I’m sexually charged.’
• Jared analyzes Sabrina’s public persona, noting her appeal is more in the “girl hot” category—respected and adored by women, comfortable with her sexuality, fun without being scandalous.
• Walks through the format of Sabrina’s monologue, packed with sexual innuendo.
• Quote:

  “Sabrina Carpenter is a horn dog in the way you can talk about it with your mom.” (45:15)

• Discusses her response to being labeled “the horniest girl alive,” and how she keeps things “safe, kind, and comfortable for everybody.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Joe Jonas’s PR moves:

  “He’s not gonna be like, ‘It’s amazing, I can fuck any woman I want!’…He’s gonna say it’s hard. He’s on the apps. Please.” (17:30)

• On “aristocrat names”:

  “Peregrine Pearson is the most aristocrat name you’ve ever heard…That’s the type of name that someone else has to introduce you after playing a horn.” (19:50)

• On tabloid “shade” articles:

  “This is a bullshit article…if I’m Keith Urban I’m mad about this.” (28:30)

• On the Britney/Kevin drama:

  “Brain damage is like, ‘I’m out of here, good luck, I wish the best for you.’” (32:52)

• On date nights:

  “No girlfriend, fiancée or wife would allow their…partner to call an invitation event a date night. That’s not how it works.” (36:49)

• On Brandy’s walk-off:

  “You gotta say something. You can’t just go, especially when people paid to be there.” (41:17)

• On Sabrina Carpenter’s sex-positive image:

  “She speaks to the everyday woman and how they like sex, and says it in a way that feels comfortable and safe.” (46:40)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• Intro, banter, Patreon plug: [00:00 – 13:00]
• Joe Jonas update: [13:00 – 22:30]
• Keith Urban/Nicole Kidman split: [22:30 – 30:30]
• Britney/ Kevin Federline drama: [30:40 – 34:30]
• Mick Jagger’s relationship: [34:40 – 38:00]
• Brandy walk-off: [38:10 – 43:30]
• Sabrina Carpenter’s SNL: [43:30 – 47:00]

Recap & Tone

The episode is classic Jared Freid—snappy, irreverent, self-aware, and full of observational humor. He deconstructs celebrity PR strategies, mocks the constructs of the social elite, empathizes with both stars and fans, and never misses an opportunity for a running gag or a relatable aside. If you missed the episode, this summary brings you the highlights, insights, and best laughs, staying true to Jared’s conversational, no-BS style.