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You're a nosy. You want the full sitch? Come to Pop Culture Thursday. Hello and welcome to the J Train Podcast. This is J Train. Jared Freed, come to you live. Hi. From Delray Beach, Florida. That's right, every Thursday is a Pop Culture Thursday where I go to Page Six and I read some headlines and I riff. That's the show. That's the show. That is the show. I read headlines and I riff. This is a fun put your brain on the shelf episode of this podcast. All of my podcasts are about taking your brain, putting it on the shelf, getting away from the miseries of the world and of your own life, the stresses of your life in the world. So that's what we do here. I do have, we do take submissions for articles that you want me to read. I do have a user, a listener submitted article that. Here's the email it was. I want to hear Jared discuss this, which this is a perfect one to have me discuss. Jaw dropping photos show wild bat mitzvah blowouts for NYC's nepo babies. I love this. I, I would like to know. I guess my curiosity with these jaw dropping photos is will they be jaw dropping to me? Because I've seen some nice bat mitzvahs. I've seen some nice bar mitzvahs. I'm also not like shocked by that. I know that this becomes a Keeping up with the neighbors situation. Keeping up with the Steins, as I think there was a movie made of that name. It's a million dollar. Mazel tov. I love that Page Six does it every time. Love Shack Fancy founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen hosted. I don't know what's Love Shack Fancy? Love Shack Baby was a song. Love Shack Baby. Love Shack baby. Love Shack. Love Shack Fancy founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen hosted a blowout bar mitzvah for her 12 year old daughter Scarlet. And at the Plaza Hotel last weekend with some cynics slamming the celebration as over the top. If you're doing anything at the Plaza, it's over the top because you have to take the Plaza all in. Let's say the plaza is a $500,000 minimum. So is a wedding worth $500,000? I would say that's over the top when it comes to the everyday Jim and Joe. But I, if you take the number and put it beside the event, it is over the top. It doesn't matter how rich you are. $500,000. I know we sit here and we go, well, a billionaire, they make a 500, $500,000. It would be tough for me to believe that that is a number. That's not something. That number hits people. That's not a number you just wave goodbye to when you go, oh, I felt nothing. I, I think $500,000, unless you are, like, born into royalty where, like, gold bars were your, like, binkies growing up. I think all of us, no matter how rich you are, you go, $500,000 is over the top for any event. So the idea that, oh, they're slamming the celebrations over the top, that's not like a hot take. The business maven, whose Lux lifestyle brand is valued at more than 360 million. Am I. Is this how siloed the world is that? I have no idea what love shack Fancy is. Spared no expense transforming the hotel's historic ball ballroom into Club Cohen. Now, I had a nightclub themed bar mitzvah. It was not Club Free. Club Cohen has a good ring to it. A hot pink tween Dreamland complete, complete with confetti, a DJ and five tier cake. By that description, that is not over the top when you're already at the Plaza again, where Macaulay Culkin got lost in New York, that famous ice cream sundae. I'm looking at a picture. It's a giant heart on a stage. I'm still not, like, sitting here being like, this is gross. It's gross. But I'm not, I'm not sitting here, like, in a world where I'm going, ugh, these people. Because you're having it at the Plaza, so you can't. How do you go? I think for it to be gross, you have to make even the people at the Plaza go, this is a little much. Scarlett Cohen, 12, left her mother, Rebecca Hessel Cohen, right. Father, Todd Cohen, and sister Stella. So here's the family. The mom looks like she could be the older sister. I mean, they did have a bright pink Torah. That is to have the Torah dress, the, the biblical scrolls dressed in your hot pink, like, theme. That's that. Okay, we're moving into too much land. Cohen created seven different dresses for her daughter's big day. Okay, around the time dress number three rolls, in you go. Okay, she's got to be out of dresses. Seven dresses. It doesn't even make sense because there's no, there's no scenes to, like, change for. It'd be one, that three dresses make sense. You have your cocktail party dress. You have the, you have the, the hors d' oeuvres and the, the, the cocktail hour dress. You have the walk in Dress for drama. And then you have the party dress that lets you let loose a little bit. And then you have the after party for the snacks on the. On the way out. Four dresses make sense. Seven. Now we've hit too much land. Now we've gone a little too far. Cohen created seven dresses for her daughter's big day, as well as custom pearl embroidered Torah cover and tallit. Yeah, the Torah cover. We've entered into a new territory for me. Monogram Keepas. That's a normal thing. Stanley mugs also doubled as gifts for those lucky enough to be invited. Stanley mug giveaway. That's a nice giveaway, but nothing too crazy. Cohen's brand, which sells 425 floral frocks and $65 scented candles. Beloved by the big apples young and Rich, the 44 year old founder described her daughter's event as the most epic dream night of our lives. And the extravagance immediately prompted social media trolls to speculate about the cost of the event. Well, again, 500k to be at the Plaza. Just to step foot through the front door, you're in for 500k. I'm. And I'm guessing it's maybe more than that. I'm guesstimating between 1 million and 2 million. One online pundit. Well, I mean, I guess. How am I any different than this person in their sweatsuit in Des Moines who's guessing between 1 and 2 million? Just the Plaza Ballroom buyout and food and beverage minimum for her number of guests are a massive expense. Thank you. This. This idiot online is saying the same thing as me. Definitely 2 to 3 million. Another theorized before a third chimed in. I'm saying 3 million. She had 250,000 in flowers. Who are these people? I guess who am I? I mean. However, Scarlet isn't the only Nepo baby to have a blowout bat mitzvah. Jennifer and Omer Harev, the founders of burgeoning restaurant chain Puravita. Oh, so I live near a Pura Vida. And to me, Paravita is a great restaurant. Great, fast, casual. The one in Delray beach is awesome. They should be making all the money. The. I would say even the. I don't mean to be like a shill for Paravita, but I am. To me, they have a great thing going. Hosted a Lux New York theme celebration for their daughter Emma in Florida last month. The W Hotel in south beach, not as expensive as the Plaza, was transformed into a mini makeshift Manhattan for the event, with organizers even installing a fake subway car and a yellow cab. No no, no. The Purvita couple, whoever they are, likes that they're being attached to the New York City wedding. I mean, when your theme is New York, you're a wannabe, and you're doing it in Florida, you're a wannabe. So the theme is for them to be mentioned in this article is actually offensive to the love shack baby person, because that is the Florida people want to be considered in the group with the New York people. I know they're in Miami. It's expensive there too. Their W Hotel, South Beach Bat Mitzvah is a shanty compared to the mansion that the other people are having a party at. Meanwhile, a pop up bodega offered guests Lux merch and Swedish candy from the high end chain Bonbon. I've been to the Bon Bon. None of this is the Plaza. Listen, I'm looking at the merch, I'm looking at the bodega. I listen and it's New York or nowhere. Emma's New Yorker. Nowhere. I get it. No, no, stop it. I'm saying this as a Pura Vida fan. I'm saying it as a person who's literally going, they should make a lot of money. They should have dough. I have no way. You go in there. Their branding is amazing. Their clothing, the merch is good. The people working there are happy, seemingly. They also have name tags, which I appreciate. I've gotten to know the people at Puravita and Delray Beach. I like the business model and the food is great. And I would say Pura Vida has some of the best sauces I've ever had. Their hot sauce, I have it in my fridge. I bought the hot sauce at the Pura Vida. That's how in I am. But don't tell me their Bat Mitzvah is the same as the Plaza when it was done in Florida. No, no, no, no. And they're not paying taxes like you do in New York. So let's not. So I'm happy. Thank you for sending that. You can send in your Pop Culture Thursday article that you want me to comment on. J train podcastmail.com we have one sponsor. I mean, we're already into this show. We're already getting our money's worth. Lisa Mattress. Get a better night's sleep with Leesa Mattress. Leesa mattresses are tailored to how you sleep, each design with a specific sleep position and preference in mind. With Leesa, you get full body support. No matter how you sleep, you'll feel the difference the first night. Here's what I'll say About Leesa mattress. If you're thinking about mattresses, go check out what they got. The fact that they're thinking of different sleep positions is such a pleasure. I have one. It's great. And a good night's sleep is so important. So if I'm not going to be the one that forces you to get a mattress, I am going to be the one that's going to help facilitate a mattress that's been on your mind. And I will tell you that my Leesa mattress experience has been great. 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I don't care. They're giving away merch. Stop it. Stop it. Okay, let me give a trigger warning. And. And there's a reason for the trigger warning. We're going to get into the Taylor Frankie Paul story with the Bachelorette. She is involved in a domestic violence incident. It's alleged. And. And I'm giving the trigger warning because I don't want anyone to feel badly listening to this show. This show is meant to be a brain on the shelf, melt your mind type of show to the point where if I see a serious headline, I kind of ignore it. It's not for this show. If you've been familiar with the jcu, the J Train cinematic universe, you might be here today because you watch my Bachelor live screens. If you're I mean, as part of this, I'll give a little plug. I'm doing live Love is Blind live screens. You can watch those all on my Instagram highlights also on my YouTube and the same place you could watch this show on Wednesdays and I do my standup stuff. So go to my YouTube and subscribe. There's Love is Blind. The whole season 10 is on there. I'm gonna do the reunion hopefully tonight or tomorrow or hopefully. I've already done it last night on Wednesday as I taped it. Some tape Things on Wednesday, March 18. The Bachelorette is starting this Sunday. Now when Taylor, Frankie. So I, I, we'll go to our first article. I have a couple article. No, I have this one article. So we're gonna talk about Taylor, Frankie, Paul, Taylor Thomas and what she's kind of going through right now or what she's, what's happening with her. But I will say this. I was happy when she got cast because I'm happy, selfishly, whenever the Bachelor, Bachelorette does something that gets people excited and it seemed to add a little bit of life into a franchise that kind of needed it and they were going to be attacking. And I said this at the time, when she got booked, they basically bought an algorithm, the mom talk, The Mormon Wives TikTok. That algorithm pops off. And so the Bachelor, the Bachelorette, basically what they were doing is saying, okay, we can get free advertising because eyes are on her videos whenever she posts and whenever she's mentioned. I get that. I am, I am, listen, I am an artist and a capitalist. I am a businessman. Also. This is a business. So the business of getting more eyes to your stuff when it's something that I enjoy doing and I'm involved with and I'm involved with by virtue of sitting on my couch and yelling at the TV show, I'm happy about it. I did think when Taylor, Frankie, Paul Louise Dreyfus, when she got cast, I was like, oh, okay. For my purposes, you know, I'm gonna have to make fun of or I'm gonna have to joke about. This is a mother of three, and those three children are from two different men. And they're all below the age of, I think, six years old. Again, I don't know very much about her. I, I don't even look into her that much. Even though I have people in my life, my girlfriend being one of them, who's a big Mormon Wives fan and was like going to coach me up. But this, this Taylor, Frankie, Paul, Taylor Thomas story again. So when I, when I was like, okay, I'm going to have to make a fun of. I'm going to have to make light of a young mom whose dads are out of the picture, and why would she go on this show? Then you hear that she has alleged domestic violence accusations in her past, and I. And then this all comes out. Taylor. Frankie Paul addresses her future on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives after alleged domestic violence incident. Now, this is a story I wouldn't touch, but because it's the Bachelor, I have to kind of get into it. And I would also say, like, I was already kind of like, we're gonna have to be careful making jokes. You got a single mother with two. With three kids and two different men, and, you know, you want to make sure that it's still fun and is something people enjoy watching. You don't want to, like, kind of harp on one subject. And then the domestic violence stuff comes up and you're like, okay, how the hell am I going to have fun with this show? What fun is left in this show? The whole point of the Bachelor and Bachelorette, it's Cinderella. It's. It's this idea. It does live in a world that you have to suspend reality. They are supposed to be this catch. And I think for the Bachelor, it's more the. The. The story being sold is he's a catch, and he is going to marry the love of his life. And this woman will be lucky to have this. This supposed biggest bachelor in America. This. This most. This. This Bachelor that people are. Are fighting for. And when the Bachelor underwhelms, people hate him because they go, he's not Prince Charming enough. Now, when it comes to the Bachelorette, generally, what you're cheering for or what I'm cheering for, what I notice the audience is cheering for is, oh, my God, this woman who is single and looking for love, just like me. Just like the audience is going to be my avatar that I cheer for and see that love can happen. Even for her where she's a lot like me and I'm a lot like her. That is over with because no one will see themselves or wants to see themselves in this person who's being accused of very serious things, who is seemingly in need. Like, honestly, the only thing we would cheer for is if she gave a rose to a guy and he's like, actually, I don't want to date. I'm actually really a therapist, and I'm going to suggest you to this other therapist because it wouldn't be in my best. It wouldn't be in my best interest to treat you because I've already been on the show. Like, you would need that type of ending for this show to even get on board at this point. So I do. And then here's the other thing. I'm giving you a trigger warning because if someone is dealing with something on this subject, I don't want them feeling bad. But then is the Bachelor, is the Bachelorette going to give a trigger warning before every episode? Because she does dredge up bad memories for people who would watch this show and try and get away from the horrors in their life. So these are all things going on in my mind as someone who likes having fun with this show specifically, I don't know how they're gonna do it. And we already know the ending. I'm not giving spoilers away. It's already been said she's already had the domestic assault allegation comes from like a couple weeks ago, I think. So this is after she was on the show. Okay. Guess she's not engaged. So let's get to the article. So these are the things as, you know, if you're wondering at all what is going through the mind again, again, I'm not saying my, my problem isn't a problem. I'm just saying I would think as someone who likes having fun with this show, these are things going through my mind. As if you're just a person who watches the show. I'm sure a level of this is a little ounce of this is going on through your mind. Do I want to be involved with a show where this is kind of in the back of my mind? Do I want to watch something like this? So, and again, let me also say it is an interesting amount of. There's, there's interesting fodder to be had. Like this conversation I'm having right now with you is, is like, okay, what, what's the show's responsibility? What's my responsibility? So let's get into the article. Taylor Frankie Paul dodged questions about her future on Secret Secret Lives of Mormon Wives after her alleged. And she has to go on the press tour. The show premieres this Sunday. I have the screener. I haven't watched it yet. After alleged domestic violence incident with ex Dakota Mortensen sir surfaced. It's hard to see past this. I'm not going to lie in this moment. It's just so heavy. She told Lara Spencer on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning America. When your life is broadcast out there in these headlines, that's like the end of the world. That's what it feels like. I'm not going to lie. I will say I've been here before and I got through it. Well, no, you've been here before and you're still going through it. And I've shared my story in my light, and I'm hoping I can do that again. Again. This is. This is where the Bachelor at is going to run into trouble because you go, I can't trust anything she says. You have to trust. Reality TV only works if there's an ounce of reality. There needs to be some reality if we're going to watch a show where we are kind of, you know, the joke to be made honestly is, look at this influencer who came on this show to grow their brand. Like, and now that kind of is the story. You know, in addition to, we have this person who has alleged allegedly, you know, abused their partner. But you also have. Do they even. Why they go on this show in the first place? Why did they. Did they even take this seriously as a show? But. Or did they even have the capacity. I'm talking this out with you. You know, I hope you can come to me a little bit on this because I. Again, here's the other thing. I'm talking about this. There's a little bit. A little piece of me that's like, oh, someone could get mad at me for not talking about, like, to some people. You're like, to some people talking about this at all in the context of, like, what will happen when the show is not being right. And I don't like that someone would feel that way. But that's. I. We disagree. I would also say the show, it's a mess when your life is brought. Oh, the reality. Star 31 went on to call the alleged domestic violence incident that surfaced days before the upcoming premiere of the Bachelorette season really difficult. Really? This is difficult. It's supposed to be a really exciting time. She continued, I'm a person that will always speak my truth, and that's what I'm known for. So when the time is when you say that's what I'm known for, that annoys me. That's what I'm known for. Talking you saying what's on my mind. Well, maybe you should get known for, you know, not having some, you know, like, if you're. I, I just the idea that you're known for, you know, speaking my piece and saying what's on my mind. Oh, so you're known for being kind of an asshole in a. You know, it. And this is all to say, if it was the Bachelor, with these types of accusations, the show doesn't happen. The again, I understand the way society looks at these things are different. And I'm not like, I'm not even saying that shouldn't be the case. I, I, I, I, I, I'm just saying this is not being handled the same as if it were the Bachelor. No one would allow this show to be going on. I mean, but to say this is what I'm known for. I'm known for, you know, I'm a person that will always speak my truth. That's what I'm known for. Like, she's not even acknowledging, like, hey, maybe I need to make some changes that, you know, I'm known for just talking my shit is kind of how that comes off to me. So when the time is right, I will be. But right now, trying to be in the present moment and focus on this, I mean, you have three kids, so your phone. If you're not saying I need to focus on my kids, I understand this is a huge deal that this show is coming out. This will also be on my mind. I don't know. My kids come first. Okay. My kids come first. So it's been a back and forth process of being here in the moment and worrying about home and headlines. Paul explained. It's been stressful, to be honest. Okay. Meanwhile, people confirmed on Monday that the filming of Mormon wives has been put on hold as Paul is being investigated. As Paul's investigating Taylor Frankie Paul has some pretty serious stuff happening regarding her past and they are seeing what will happen. Until that's resolved, they are off. A source told the outlet with the pay with the Draper City Police Department confirming that allegations have been made in both directions. Paul and Morton, 33, dated on and off between 2022 and 2024 and share son Ever, Ever won one years old. The exes briefly broke up in 2023 and Paul allegedly threw a chair at Mortenson. That hit, hit through a chair. And Warren said that hit her daughter. See, how do we, how do we, how do I make fun of a show? I mean, again, I don't mean to sound like it's all about me. I'm just saying when I say how do I watch a show? How do I watch a show and have fun with it? How does anyone have a show? Watch a show. It's coming out Sunday. Paul, who shares daughter Indy 8 and Sun Ocean 5 with her ex husband, was arrested at the time and charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence, the presence of a child. All of the charges were dropped and the two reconciled that same year. The Hulu personalities called it quits for good on 20 in 2024. However, during the season four finale. I mean, I get why Bachelor casts her. I don't get. I get, I, I, I get why she goes on the show. You got to make your money when you can, I guess. I don't know why Bachelor Caster. I, I don't get it. However, during the season four finale of Of Slow mw. What is Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, it was revealed that Mortenson and Paul hooked up the night before she left to film the Bachelorette. I mean, like, again, you have to put your cynicism aside for a show like that. Despite her current situation, the mom of three's Bachelorette season is still set to premiere as scheduled. Variety reported on Monday that the investigation into the incident will not impact the show's release schedule or press plan. I mean, while on Live with Kelly and Mark on Wednesday, Paul opened up about her time on the dating show, explaining that she still managed to talk to her kids despite the no phone rule. I didn't have my phone on set. I was in the bubble. Besides co parenting and the kids she recalled about filming, they were able to visit me at any time, which was really nice. However, they were in school, so there were times I think it was best they stay at home. I mean, this is a mess. This is a mess. She's not likable. This is. And you have to be. When you're the Bachelorette, the Bachelor, you just have to be Ken, you have to be aspirational as a partner in some way. The bat, the Bachelorette. You have to be the audience, the, the woman at home who's like, that's me. I've been having trouble dating and I will, you know, can. If she can find someone, I can find someone. That's why so many of these women are beloved, you know, like, I just don't. Brutal. This is, again, this is like a crazy story. I mean, we'll go to a more fun tale. I like this story because Nicholas Hull, to me, you know, now he's Lex Luthor from the, from the. Superman, the new Superman. He's the guy from the office. When they, like, were in their, you know, bad seasons. Towards the end, he was like new Jim and, and now he's like celebrity on the, on the carpet. Nicholas Halt's wife Brianna Holly vehemently defends busty Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2026 look, in what world does she have to defend her look at a Vanity Fair? Unless she went naked and she was like, hey, kids at home, look at these titties. What is there to defend? And who. Who in the right mind is on the Internet commenting, oh, shouldn't have done. I guess people, there's crazies that do that. Nicholas Halt's wife, Brianna Holly clapped back at negative comments about her Vanity Fair Oscar party dress. I'm seeing the comments around my chest. The model. I mean, I'm seeing a few of the comments about these beautiful, perky titties. The model wrote via Instagram stories on Tuesday. I mean, who would have thought this guy, the guy who was. Who was like in the. In the. The. The episodes that I skipped from the office. This is the guy. He's huge. Now he's jacked up. Referencing the sequin black Lure Lee gown she wore that features a plunging neckline. She noticed that. She noted that her followers are not owed an explanation. No, they're not. I'm looking at the dress. She looks amazing. This. I mean, she is gorgeous. Good for Nicholas Hulk. Good for her. But like, I don't understand who looks at this dress and is like, whoa, baby girl. Like she's at an event? However, the 32 year old explained this is the product of breast. Oh, she went mom direction. However, the 32 year old explained that this is the product of a breastfeeding mother who hasn't fed her babies in hours. Okay, if you know, then you know. Oh, she's like. She's like teen mom assemble. You know? Like, this is what people do. This is the Internet move. You talk about my titties. Wait a second. I'm breastfeeding. You're an evil bitch. Take that, Janet. Like, that's the move. That's the Internet move. Oh, you think I'm a big whore who wore a plunging neckline? Well, let me reverse that and turn it into I'm a mom with milky titties. How do you like that? Oh, you hate a mom breastfeeding, huh? That's what she's doing, which I respect. It is Internet jiu jitsu. Make yourself find your. Find your people, make yourself a victim in some way, and then make the people who said something to you on the Internet feel bad and like they're evil people. That's the move. However, okay, Holly notably has a son named Joaquin, eight, with Hull, as well as a four year old whose. Whose name and sex have been not been revealed. Born late 2022. Wait a minute, Wait A hold on. So is she breastfeeding a 4 year old? Is that the age you breastfeed? I'm a single guy sitting in my apartment wearing underwear that I've been had on for the last three days, so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask. But it's unclear whether the pair, who primarily keep their family life out of the spotlight, have expanded their brood further. Laura Lee's Instagram account notably did reply to a comment praising Holly's amazing surgeon quipping, if by surgeon you mean her newborn baby. So is this the way they're announcing a baby? Reps for Holly and Hult did not immediately respond to Page Six requests for comment. I mean, I think at this point you either tell people you have a new baby or you're the woman who's breastfeeding a 4 year old. And we all are like, okay, so sorry we mentioned your big old titties. Are you breastfeeding a 4 year old? Are you okay? Do you have some attachment issues? Like, that's what it turns into. She's got to tell people she has a kid. The private couple. I didn't know they were so private. They make it seem like they were like, you know, they've been living on a deserted island. Like Nicholas, how like, he's got money. I'm sure he's done well, but like, you know, we're not like wondering about what he's. His doings. Like he's Willy Wonka. The private couple have been together since 2017. Halt, who showed off bleach blonde hair on Sunday's red carpet, seemingly confirmed in November 2024 that he and Holly wed by referring to her as his wife. The Skins alum did not provide additional details. While chatting with E. News at the time, Halt teased to people days later that he believes his marital status is very clear based off his comments. Oh, so they're like a weirdo couple. Like just be married or not, we don't care. Why do they believe anyone cares whether they're married or not or if they have a kid? We do care if she's breastfeeding a 4 year old. We do kind of want to know about that. Anything else, like now all the secrecy has like turned into like us wondering if they're a weird couple, not if they're a couple. We don't care. He gave rare insight into his fatherhood experience in January 2019. Ra. We're going back to 2019. What year is it now? The levels of tiredness are extreme. The Emmy nominee said. No one warns you about it, but the level of love that comes with it outweighs every. This is the guy that was on the Office. Am I right? Are we supposed to consider him this, like, serious artist? Like, are we supposed to, like, think of him as this, like, artiste? I can't believe he's been this secretive. Who is he to be this way? Like, as if we're all wondering about, you know, new Jim from the Office. I will do one more. We've already gone long on a lot of other stories. I just had to read this story. I mean, I think this story signifies what's going on right now as far as currency and the Internet. British rapper passes out mid show while suspended from ceiling. Now there's a. There's a British rapper and he's old. He's an old British guy who raps and he's pretty good. His videos come up on my TikTok. Dropping beats. Pete Bowditch, one half of the British rap duo Pete and Bass, passed out mid concert and was left behind dangling. I'm sorry to laugh. Was left dangling from the ceiling during a recent show. I'm looking at him dangling. This is a dangle. This is the. And listen, Pete and Bass, they show up on my TikTok. It's an old duo from England that rap. It is. This is amazing to me because it shows you social media is a drug. Because he had his thing, they had their thing. These are old British guys who rap and you stop. The reason they're popular is because you stop and you watch something you've never seen before. A lot of this. I mean, if there's a. There's a whole Mr. Beast thing where he says, this is what he does. He's like, if you've never seen it before, it's worth putting online because people will stop and it will get you the view. That's how you go varal. So British rap duo Pete and Bass, the whole thing, whether they're good or bad rappers, you're stopping cuz you're like, look, old Brits rapping. Old white British guys rapping. They look. And they're in suits and they have, they have like pocket watches and they have, you know, they look like they're British, like old people from a movie from Bridgerton. So you do stop and then they end up being pretty good rappers. And here's what happens. The views go down. We get a little bit too used to watching Pete and Bass. We go, oh, old guys rapping. I've seen them before. I'll scroll. I'm going to watch other things. And now Pete and Bass feel that and they're like, oh, my God, the empire is shrinking. Now I got a hang from the ceiling as if it's Cirque du Soleil so that people watch my videos again. These guys are addicted to the dopamine hit of getting a like and going viral. And now they're hanging from a ceiling and they're also 80 years old. And you go, hey man, maybe this isn't what you should be doing. Maybe you should be thankful that you had your moment and you're not and you get to do what you love. But he again, you. He's hooked on the drug. He's got it in his vein. The startling incident reportedly took place in Chicago on Monday night, according to Jam Jam Press. And a video shared to the pair's Instagram page showed the elderly hip hop artist performing a track while suspended in a harness above the stage. I saw this video, I saw this stopped on it. I go, look, he's hanging from the ceiling. Look at that. He looked like a trapeze artist. And now to hear that he's passed out, you're like, this is the danger. Were all kind of like upping the ante. But Bowditch lost consciousness mid song and passed out while the stunned crowd watched on. They probably thought he died. He's old. I mean, I'm looking at him right now. He looks like a dead body. Everyone in the crowd is going, oh my God, I am part of a murder. The footage of the incident showed Bowditch's head slumped forward as his arms fell to his side and his microphone crashed down to the stage below. He. Everyone there thought he was dead. This isn't a young person, like, he's just dehydrated. This is an 80 year old man. He's dead. That is the only thought you could have. Three dances beneath the rapper. Meanwhile, continue performing as bow to this is. This is out of a movie. This is. This is that movie about the future, about how stupid we all become. There's a name for it. I mean, this is. We're living in the upside down. We are living in the weirdest timeline. Both Bowditch and his hip hop partner, Basil Belgrave, again, they're like old British. Took to social media after the scary incident to reassure their more than 2 million followers that Bowage was okay. He's fine, everyone. He just needed his heart medication. He just, he had low sugar. So, yeah, we got him a apple juice and he's going to be a okay. Update from management. We would like to apologize for last night's show. The good news is Pete is now in stable condition. Is he on the ground? The pairs team wrote on Instagram on Tuesday, we'll be reissuing. We'll be issuing refunds to all ticket holders. They added all current European tour dates will still be going ahead. There we go. Don't worry, Pete and Baz, they're going to be back on the road in no time. They got, they got bills to pay. Wow. Bowage passion for rap again in 2017 when his granddaughter would play hip hop music in his car. I mean, they, yeah, they've got a whole story. And then look at, they're dressed as, as rappers. They look like they're going to be in Jay Z's next music video. Well, it's a pop culture Thursday. Thank you for being a part of this show. If you are listening right now, that means you like this show. That means share it. Also, I'm going to be in Salt Lake City, Tempe. I'm going to be hanging out with the Mormon wives. So come to the show. Salt Lake City, Tempe, St. Louis. That's all the ones coming up. I have more dates on my calendar. Jared free.com back next week. Boom.
Host: Jared Freid
Episode: The Bachelorette Allegations, NYC Nepo Baby Bat Mitzvahs, and Old Rappers - POP CULTURE THURSDAY
Date: March 19, 2026
On this "Pop Culture Thursday," Jared Freid dives into a grab-bag of outrageous, jaw-dropping, and sometimes problematic headlines from the world of celebrity culture. He riffs irreverently on Neop Baby Bat Mitzvahs at NYC’s Plaza Hotel, the latest messy drama embroiling the new Bachelorette, influencer Taylor Frankie Paul (with a trigger warning), and the viral collapse of an elderly British rapper mid-performance. This episode is signature JTrain: part snarky send-up, part pop culture group therapy, all with Freid’s energetic comedian’s lens.
[00:30 - 19:10]
“$500,000 is over the top for any event. Unless you are, like, born into royalty where, like, gold bars were your binkies.”
(05:11)
“When your theme is New York in Florida, you’re a wannabe. The W Hotel South Beach bat mitzvah is trash compared to a Plaza bat mitzvah.”
(17:20)
[19:12 - 42:15]
“You want to make sure it's still fun...And then the domestic violence stuff comes up and you're like, okay, how the hell am I going to have fun with this show?” (26:44)
“The whole point of the Bachelor/Bachelorette: it's Cinderella… Just like me. Just like the audience, my avatar. That is over with—no one wants to see themselves in this.”
“If it was the Bachelor with these types of accusations, the show doesn’t happen... This is not being handled the same as if it were the Bachelor.” (34:30)
“Reality TV only works if there’s an ounce of reality.” (31:20)
“When your life is broadcast out there in these headlines, that's like the end of the world. That's what it feels like. — Taylor Frankie Paul [quoted by Jared, 33:01]*
[42:16 - 51:01]
“Unless she went naked...what is there to defend?”
“That’s the Internet move. You think I’m a big whore with a plunging neckline? Let me reverse that: I’m a mom with milky titties. How do you like that?” (45:40)
“Who is he to be this way, as if we’re all wondering about new Jim from The Office?” (49:30)
[51:02 - 61:00+]
“Now they’re hanging from the ceiling...they’re also 80 years old. And you go, hey man, maybe this isn’t what you should be doing.” (54:40)
“‘Don’t worry, Pete and Baz, they're going to be back on the road in no time. They've got bills to pay.’”
“This story signifies what's going on right now as far as currency and the Internet...we are living in the weirdest timeline.”
On the culture of excess:
“$500,000 is over the top for any event...unless you are, like, born into royalty where...gold bars were your binkies.” (05:11)
On bat mitzvah overkill:
“Around dress number three...ok, she’s gotta be out of dresses. Seven—now we've hit too much land.” (10:42)
On reality TV’s delicate contract:
“Reality TV only works if there’s an ounce of reality.” (31:20)
On internet outrage culture:
“That’s the Internet move. You think I’m a big whore with a plunging neckline? Let me reverse that: I’m a mom with milky titties. How do you like that?” (45:40)
On the dangers of chasing viral fame:
“Now they’re hanging from the ceiling...and they're also 80 years old. And you go, hey man, maybe this isn't what you should be doing.” (54:40)
Jared delivers a brisk, comedic riff through the week’s wildest stories—skewering celebrity excess, reality TV’s PR problems, and the bizarre demands of online fame. The episode is rich in one-liners and biting insight, wrapping heavy subjects in humor without losing sight of media responsibility. Fans of irreverent pop culture commentary and Bachelor franchise drama will find this a must-listen—cathartic, biting, and deeply aware of the absurdities both on and offline.