Hoda Kotb's Reinvention Flop, Gwyneth Paltrow's Embarrassing GAP Ad, and Keith Urban's Infidelity Exposed

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Nerve with Maureen Callahan

Episode: Hoda Kotb's Reinvention Flop, Gwyneth Paltrow's Embarrassing GAP Ad, and Keith Urban's Infidelity Exposed
Date: October 3, 2025
Host: Maureen Callahan (MK Media)
Guests: Rob Shooter (Gossip Reporter), Marlena (Producer)

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Overview of the Episode

This packed episode of The Nerve brings Maureen Callahan’s signature mix of humor, skepticism, and fearless critique to three hot celebrity stories: Hoda Kotb’s much-hyped but messy “reinvention,” Gwyneth Paltrow and daughter Apple’s odd turn as GAP spokesmodels, and the bombshell reports of Keith Urban’s alleged infidelity and the unraveling of his marriage to Nicole Kidman. Maureen is joined by gossip veteran Rob Shooter and producer Marlena, who goes undercover at Hoda’s “joy” book launch, offering listeners an insider's view on celebrity reinvention, pop culture self-help scams, and the downfall of one of Hollywood’s longest celebrity marriages. The episode is rounded out with biting commentary, listener feedback, and listener emails covering everything from Nepo babies to men’s fashion.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hoda Kotb’s Reinvention: Flop or New Frontier?

Segment Start: [04:32]

• Maureen’s Initial Review:
  Maureen critiques Hoda’s new self-help book, “Jump and Find Joy,” calling it “a pile of steaming garbage” and lambasting Hoda’s efforts to rebrand herself as a self-help guru after a hasty exit from the Today Show.
• The ‘Breathing’ Gimmick:
  “Breathing is the involuntary physiological bodily reaction that keeps all of us alive. Hoda’s gonna talk to us about how to do it better, okay?” (Maureen, [05:37])
• Cynicism at Reinvention:
  Maureen believes Hoda regrets leaving Today and is desperate for relevance:
  “She keeps trying to get back on the Today Show and they’re… like, you know, lady, you quit. You can’t come back.” (Maureen, [05:59])
• Mockery of Content:
  Maureen skewers Hoda’s “radical self-reflection” and the recycling of clichés:
  “The stupid title of this book, Jump and Find Joy… this book is a pile of steaming garbage.” (Maureen, [08:16–08:45])
• On Hoda’s Guest Spots:
  -- Particularly derisive of Hoda’s appearance on Drew Barrymore’s show (“When you can out cringe Drew… that’s a gift.” [09:03])
• Marlena’s Undercover Report:
  Producer Marlena recounts attending the book event:
  • Hoda merely repeats stories and mantras (“It’s the same thing about breath work. It’s the same thing about slowing down and spending time with her kids. But she’s not spending time with her kids. She’s starting a business.” – Marlena, [23:10])
  • Attendees treated the event with cult-like seriousness, waving Hoda’s book as if scripture, which both Maureen and Marlena found dangerous and “sacrilegious.”
  • Marlena attempted to blend in but bailed on the “wine mom” aesthetic: “I wore the bracelets. I had to take off the clothes… headband was making me feel like a toddler. I just couldn’t handle it.” ([29:10])

Notable Quotes

• “Anybody who’s telling you they’re doing this… they don’t like their kids. She… is perseverating on joy. She’s unhappy. That’s what’s up.” (Maureen, [24:36])
• “Hoda’s business model is ‘jump and leap and skip and tell people how to breathe—and then be surprised when they’re like, ‘hey, Hoda, I’m already breathing.’” (Marlena, [27:11])
• “Nobody knows quite what [the app] is. I don't think Hoda knows what it is.” (Rob, [69:36])

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2. Gwyneth Paltrow & Apple Martin’s GAP Ad: Embarrassment, Privilege & Nepo Babies

Segment Start: [33:42]

• Gwyneth’s Corporate Pivot:
  Maureen describes how Goop is struggling (“as far as I know… it’s never been profitable”), and Gwyneth is trying—awkwardly—to move into mass fashion with the GAP.
• Cultural Tone-Deafness:
  “Who better to front the campaign for the Gap, which is America’s relatable clothing brand, than these two insufferable, equally snobbish, full of themselves figures?” ([36:37])
• Apple Martin Rumors:
  Maureen discusses rumors Apple was expelled from school for bullying (never denied), and critiques her “mean girl” debutante moment.
• The Nepo Baby Phenomenon:
  The episode connects Gwyneth, Apple, and Violet Affleck (Ben Affleck’s daughter) as a “Venn diagram” of privilege and entitlement.
• Listener Feedback:
  Audience comments about Violet Affleck’s UN speech feature prominently, highlighting anger over celebrity children’s hypocrisy regarding COVID rules and lack of relatability.

Memorable Listener Quote

• “We normies have to abide by everything the rich preach to us. Meanwhile they’ve been partying unquarantined all COVID long. Eat shit.” (Listener feedback, [38:44])

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3. Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman: Marriage Meltdown and Infidelity Exposed

Segment Start: [57:13] (Rob Shooter interview)

• The ‘Cocaine Clause’:
  Nicole’s prenup allegedly paid Keith $600K per year sober, up to $11 million. The revelation draws rueful laughter over Hollywood arrangements.
• Open Secret:
  Rob reveals rumors of Keith’s infidelity were widespread in Nashville well before the media caught on:
  “If you had reporters in Nashville… this was an open secret. Keith was seeing somebody.” ([58:03])
• Details of the Split:
  • Relocation, separate homes, Kidman’s application to move to Portugal without Keith—all signs of a longstanding split.
  • “I am told… Nicole knows who the woman is.” (Rob, [61:26])
• Accusations of Public Humiliation:
  Keith allegedly changes song lyrics on stage from “baby, I’ll be the fighter” to “Maggie, I’ll be your guitar player” for a suspected new partner, shocking Maureen and Rob. ([62:41])
• Multiple Women Rumored:
  There may be more than one new woman, and Rob theorizes Keith is enjoying the attention.
• Discussion of Nicole & Tom's Divorce:
  Rumors revisited about Nicole's previous affair and Tom Cruise being the one to end their marriage.

Notable Quotes

• “She leveled him up. You know, he would still be slinging his wares in honky tonk in the lower 48.” (Maureen, [65:06])
• “I think here… what I was told… is that he was just sick of being Mr. Nicole Kidman for 19 years. And now he's lashing out and he is humiliating.” (Rob, [64:34])
• “If you're not going to tell the truth [in your memoir], don't do it. Like, if it's just a press release, don't bother.” (Rob, [78:52])

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4. Extra Segments: Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Meghan Markle, Listener Mail

Notable Segments and Timestamps:

• Drew Barrymore & Jennifer Aniston:
  • Maureen skewers Drew’s “Stage five clinger” behavior and Jennifer’s self-importance.
    • “She goes a guest in Drew’s house, and then she insults Drew by saying ‘did you say you were an actor?’” (Maureen, [14:22])
  • Snark about Jennifer’s cosmetic work and lack of conversational skill.
• Meghan Markle & Samantha Markle:
  • Samantha Markle continues to remind the world of Meghan’s family estrangement; Maureen and Rob deride Meghan’s “humanitarianism.” ([67:00])
• Listener Mail Highlights:
  • Praise for Maureen's Hollywood takedowns.
  • Humorous pleas for real men’s fashion: “Do I really have to spend $12,000 and go to London for a real suit of clothes?” (Armando, [55:38])
  • Requests for book recommendations and a "Troublemaker Book Club."
  • Discovery that Meghan’s “power of yet” comes from a children’s book, not original thought.

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Memorable Quotes (with Speaker & Timestamp)

• “Breathing is the involuntary physiological bodily reaction that keeps all of us alive. Hoda’s gonna talk to us about how to do it better, okay?"
  — Maureen Callahan, [05:37]

• "This book is a pile of steaming garbage… she’s just taking stuff they’ve already said and repackaging it. The Hoda is not a thinker."
  — Maureen Callahan, [08:16–08:45]

• “Anybody who’s telling you they’re doing this, like, they have no idea. They don't like their kids. She... is perseverating on joy. She’s unhappy. That’s what’s up.”
  — Maureen Callahan, [24:36]

• "Who better to front the campaign for the Gap, which is America's relatable clothing brand, than these two insufferable, equally snobbish, full of themselves figures?"
  — Maureen Callahan, [36:37]

• “It's a massive flop. Nobody knows quite what [the app] is. I don't think Hoda knows what it is.”
  — Rob Shooter (on Hoda's Joy 101), [69:36]

• "He wanted us to know... We did hear it. He looked very smug about it when he sang it to her."
  — Rob Shooter (on Keith Urban’s public actions post-split), [63:01]

• “If you’re not willing to sit down and answer hard questions, then why are we doing this book?"
  — Rob Shooter (re Priscilla Presley's memoir), [78:52]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |-------------------------------|------------| | Hoda Kotb reinvention/book | 04:32 | | Marlena’s undercover report | 20:25 | | Gwyneth/Apple Gap ad, Nepo | 33:42 | | Listener feedback (Violet A.) | 38:00 | | Chris Stapleton music rec | 42:30 | | Rob Shooter: Urban/Kidman | 57:13 | | Urban/Kidman details | 59:02 | | Alleged mistress, public acts | 61:59 | | Meghan Markle/Samantha | 66:26 | | Hoda’s app & Joy 101 analysis | 69:13 | | Priscilla Presley/Graceland | 77:09 | | Closing listener mail | 81:36 |

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Tone and Style

Maureen Callahan brings sharp wit (“garbage, as my mother used to say”), skepticism, and occasionally biting humor, with frequent asides and irreverent language. The conversational dynamic, especially with Rob Shooter, is fast, gossipy, and unfiltered, with little patience for celebrity PR or half-hearted reinventions.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a deep, skeptical, and hilarious dive into the week’s big stories—skewering celebrity hypocrisy—while also amplifying critical listener voices and pop culture fatigue. From Hoda Kotb’s failed reinvention to Gwyneth Paltrow’s privileged marketing and the end of Kidman/Urban, Maureen and her guests dissect the self-importance and cluelessness of celebrity culture, all while entertaining and arming listeners with the “ammo” needed for sharp-witted gossip of their own.

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For further feedback, listener stories, or to join the conversation, contact Maureen at maureenvilmakehairmedia.com or on Instagram @MaureenCallahanWriter and @TheNerveShow.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Maureen Callahan]

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[Rob Shooter]

Risk groups and start feeling sick with.

[Maureen Callahan]

A respiratory illness, get medical care as soon as possible. Talk to your doctor today about recommended vaccines. A message from cdc. New fall arrivals are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. Get ready to save big with up to 60% off. Vince, Kurt, Geiger London and more.

[Marlena]

How did I not know Rack has Adidas?

[Maureen Callahan]

There's always something new. Join the Nordiclub at Nordstrom Rack to unlock exclusive discounts on your favorite brands. Shop new arrivals first and more. Plus, get an extra 5% off every rack purchase with a Nordstrom credit card. Get great brands, great prices. That's why you wreck. Hey everyone. Welcome to your Friday edition of the Nerve. Oh man, do we have a packed episode for you today. First, we have an exclusive Frontline Nerve report regarding a repeat offender, one flame out morning show host known as Hoda Copy, who is desperately trying to flog Joy as a commodity that she and she alone owns. Good luck, lady. We're taking you to the woodshed. Next, we have a new gruesome twosome shilling for one of America's most famous clothing brands. Your feedback on the Napalm Nepo baby. That is one Violet Affleck. Wow, did that segment land with you troublemakers. Plus more of your feedback. We got a ton and we're going to go through it all. It's so good. We're going to follow that up with first time Nerve guest and gossip reporter extraordinaire Rob Shooter, who has been breaking some amazing celebrity stories of late and is all over the latest on this Nicole Kidman Keith Urban bust up. And if you think there's just one other woman, Rob's got some news for you. Okay. Plus even more breaking nerve news developments and a mini that we are all dying over here about at Nerve Central. Sounds good. I think it sounds kind of great. So let's go. Let's talk about your cooking. If you cook now, those ultra processed canola oils in your pantry, brace yourself. Their industrial byproducts that were once used as worship lubricants and deemed unfit for human consumption. But then big food corporations sold us on seed oils like canola oil while dismissing the natural animal fats our grandparents were by. And that is where golden age fats come in. Their 100% American made grass fed beef tallow revives that wholesome tradition. It makes your fried chicken, steaks, eggs, or roasted veggies taste incredible. Think 90s McDonald's fries. I mean, nothing's better than 90s McDonald's fries. Golden Age fats are packed with vitamins, minerals and healthy fatty acids. And the high smoke point is ideal for any recipe. You will leave feeling satisfied, energized, and without the heavy crash the that seed oils give, it is clean. No additives, no preservatives, just pure Midwest tallow from grass fed cows. So if you are ready to go back to the basics, give Golden Age beef tallow a try. Go to goldenagefats.com Maureen and use code Maureen for 25% off your first order. That's goldenagefats.com Maureen and code Maureen for 25% off YOUR first order. Hoda caught me, you guys. Her new book, I have it right here. I read it last night in like 20 minutes. Okay, I didn't read the whole thing, but, you know, you can sometimes get a real sense in 20 minutes and you know, there's no point in going any further. So her book published while we were on our breather. And you know who won't take a breather is Hoda, which is what she's supposed to be doing. Like, she literally talks about breath work as part of this new practice. Like, she. Breathing is the involuntary reaction, the involuntary physiological bodily reaction that keeps all of us alive. Hoda's gonna talk to us about how to do it better, okay? And you know, she allegedly, reportedly by her own self report, actually quit the Today show. The best job this woman was ever going to get. She lucked into it. And Rob and I are going to talk about, we're going to fight it out a little bit down the line over this one. I love him. You know what I'm saying? But anyway, Hoda was like, I gotta flounce off the Today show. You know why? It's not because you're lowballing me with my new contract dispute. No, no, no, no, no. Not that. It's because I need to go spend more time with my kids, okay? My kids are 6 and 8. I'm a single mom. I need this. These are the important years. This is the time I'll never get back. And that's what really matters in life. And then she got home to her family and within five minutes was like effing bored out of my mind. And you know what? These kids aren't giving me the dopamine hits I get when like I see like random midwesterners outside the studio at the Today show in Rockefeller center. So I got to do something to get more camera time. And she keeps trying to get back on the Today show and they're, they're increasingly like, you know, lady, you quit and we're not. You can't come back. Okay, but so whatever. They let her back on last week for like an. She got an. I think she got like an eight minute hit. That's a lot. That's. Most hits for morning TV are like four. But anyway, so. So it's, it's not going to be enough for her. But anyway, Savannah pretended to be super happy to see Hoda yet again be fouling the sofa at the Today show.

[Rob Shooter]

Her.

[Maureen Callahan]

Her friendship bracelets. Her. Her Taylor Swift hold is a 60 year old woman. Okay? She's wearing friendship Taylor Swift bracelets. They are stacked higher than ever. Okay. Anyway, here she is talking to Savannah about the art of radical self reflection. Physician, heal thyself. Here we go. You did some radical self reflection. And it takes courage to change a life. I think it's easy to go through.

[Rob Shooter]

And say, this is me.

[Maureen Callahan]

And I think if we stop for a second and take a deep breath and evaluate and look at what we have and decide, and I think sometimes we're too busy. Like I was too busy sort of sprinting. Now I can feel my life slowing down a little. What? She can feel her life slowing down a little. She's got this book, she's got this app, she's got these retreats, she's trying to flog, she's on tour, she's doing her media hits or life slowed. Oh, yeah. You know what? You know what? You know what? Everyone in America between working eight to 12 hours a day, your morning and nightly commutes, raising your kids, caring for aging parents, grocery shopping, cooking, paying your bills, doing all the things that need doing. Life admin. And trying to carve out just a little bit of time for yourself so you can refuel to face the next week ahead. Do. Do what Hode is telling you. Take, really reflect, really go. Is this what I should be doing? You know the stupid. The stupid title of this book, Jump and find joy. And by the way, it's got this terrible prologue. I hate when people who aren't writers write books and they don't hire good co authors. Sorry, Jane, this is not. This is not good stuff. The prologue ends with so 1, 2, 3, like, grab my hand and let's jump. And by the way, this Book is a pile of steaming garbage. Garbage, as my mother used to say, because she's stealing other people's. She. It's, it's either repackaged interviews with people that she, she once spoke to, or she's just taking stuff they've already said and repackaging it. Like, you want to know what Ina Garten thinks? Go, go. You know, it's. It's in here. The Hoda is not a thinker. Okay, Anyway, here she went on to Drew Barrymore show and when you can out cringe Drew. Now that is a gift. I will give it to Hoda. Let's take. Oh, we're dressed in white like we're the Messiah, the second coming. Still here.

[Marlena]

Wait, how the hell did that happen?

[Maureen Callahan]

Okay, now Drew's like, how did that happen that you're here? It almost sounds like Drew's like, did somebody clue me in to this booking? And you know, Drew is pretty. Like, you know, she's kind of. She's kind of a little out there. She's kind of, you know, this is normally her thing, but. So I just want to take a side detour for a quick moment, if I may. And it will be worth it, I promise you. Jennifer Aniston went on Drew last week again while we were off and our eagle eyed producer Marlena caught this and sent it to me. She went on to Drew. She's promoting that piece of shit known as the morning show now. You guys, I'm watching. Tell me if you want us to be doing the hate watch recap, because I have thoughts, but I don't want to belabor you with them if it's not something that you would like to also woodshed with me. You know what I'm saying? So let us know. But anyway, so Jennifer, it's amazing self importance. She thinks she's doing real prestige tv. She goes over to the Drew Barrymore show. And Drew's codependency with her, like her glomming on to her famous female guests, has not gotten any better. You know, Martha Stewart, like, literally pushed her off and said, stop trying to feel me up. I just want to flog my stuff and get going. Stop touching me. But Drew won't get the message. Like so many in the culture, they won't get the message. And in fact, these tendencies of Drew's seem to have gotten worse during her hiatus because she has come back for her fall season as a Stage five clinger. Okay, watch as Jennifer Aniston makes a similar walk onto Drew's set. And the Only thing I could think of with Drew is like. Like, I don't know if you've seen My Octopus Teacher, which is an amazing documentary, and if you haven't seen it, you have to watch it. And I'm going to give you a little bit of how to watch it. Okay? It's about this. This Australian man who's a single father going through a depression, and he's. He. He takes up swimming in the open waters, and he stumbles upon this octopus who he becomes obsessed with. And one night he gets out of bed in like, the middle of the night because he's preoccupied with what the octopus is doing. And is she okay? He says it's a she. And he. Like, this is like two in the morning, and he goes swimming into the ocean to find the octopus. And I'm telling you what this documentary is really about is, is this guy gonna actually f this octopus? Okay? He's in love with the octopus. It's a sexual fetish. Incredible documentary. You watch it that way. You're watching it, right? Okay. But like, the octopus, they have these massive suckers, you know, on their arms, and they are their. Whatever they are, you know, and they can. They can. The suckers, the suction cups, they. They can not only create, like, a watertight seal, but they can move objects. These are facts that. That are up to £700, okay? And all I could think of watching this is Drew is the octopus and Aniston is her prey. Okay? Watch this. Here comes Jen. Fine. The audience is clapping. Whatever. They are hugging, like, long lost lovers. And Jen is, like, kind of making faces like, how long are we doing this. This little dance? It's like a 20 second long hug. It is long. Okay, Drew needs a lot of. A lot of help now. We got more celebrity psychobabble from Jen and Drew. But we America's sweetheart Jen, she's. She's, you know, I don't know. She's like, running around with this, like, celebrity hypnotherapist. She's really high on her own supply for someone who's got a boyfriend who. His gig is going on Instagram and staring into his iPhone and going, repeat after me. I am worthy of love. Jen really thinks she's hot shit. She's got this terrible Apple TV show and she's got this loser boy. Whatever. Okay, now watch Jen, who is sitting in Drew's studio promoting her show. Okay? So she's a guest in Drew's house as well. This Drew studio, that's her house. Okay? And she's Hosting you on her show and telling you how much she loves and admires you and how everybody in that audience should go and support your show and put more money in your pocket. Watch Jen insult Drew and then suddenly try to reverse course. Watch this. You get to a point in your life where you worried about things that just was sort of a waste of.

[Marlena]

Time to worry about.

[Maureen Callahan]

Oh, God, the celebrity horseshit again. The things that just don't matter.

[Marlena]

For me, it made me so unhappy to mismanage time. And then I, like, thought about my life growing up, how I was an actor and a producer and.

[Maureen Callahan]

Did you say were?

[Marlena]

Yeah, I know I did.

[Rob Shooter]

That's ridiculous.

[Maureen Callahan]

Because you are an actor. You're right. Right? Fake smile. Jen's applauding. Drag your butt out of this beautiful studio. I love this. Okay? How much fun is it? But you gotta get onto this. We're gonna do something. Okay, okay. So Jen was like, you know, she's got some nerve. I'm just gonna say it. She was a here. And so I'm just gonna be a. Okay. Jennifer Aniston has had way too many cosmetic interventions, and it's difficult watching the morning show because her face is all effed up, you know? And she's gonna sit there and say to Drew Barrymore in her studio with her live studio audience, did you say you were an actor? You are an actor, okay? Because being an actor is the highest calling. Jen, do you think you could sit on a sofa five days a week and carry on conversations without a script? You are paid to memorize lines that other people write for you. You don't seem all that interesting. We've known you now for, like, 40 years. You don't seem that interesting. So you insult Drew by saying this shit you're doing over here with these losers in your audience. We got to get you back to the. Oh, you're beautiful studio. Your beautiful studio. But, you know, really, we got to get you back into movies where it belongs. Movies are dying, Jen. Get out. Okay, okay. Now back to Hoda and her. Back to our real offender, you know. Okay? Now for the millionth time, here's Hoda telling Drew. We're back at Drew telling Drew Barrymore the story of Jenna Bush Hager telling Hoda to go to a breathwork lady. We have heard this story just about as many times as we have heard Meghan Markle tell us that when she was 11, she wrote a letter to a dish soap company. Okay? But this is where Hoda gets her wisdom. Let's go. Everything's Landing. Everything's landing. Everything's landing. I go, what happened? One breathwork session. Did a clearing and a stress release that changed a little bit of my. Just how I absorbed information, how I walked through the world. It was small, it was free. I mean, once you know how to do it, you just do it. And it gave. Why don't you just show us then? Energy. So I was curious. I go, that was amazing. So what else do people do? And Maria Shriver goes, try meditation. I was like, oh, name drop. So I tried that. All of a sudden, I started trying all these cool things, and I realized that my emotion, how I was relating emotionally, I was regulated. I felt calm, I had clarity, I had energy. So it all led me down this path. Okay? Literally, it's all in this book, you guys. Yeah, Real life. All right, that's enough. That's enough of her. So Hoda said, by the way, you guys, she said all of the sudden. Now, as for this book, before we get to our frontline report from the intrepid Marlena, who, trust me, she did a lot to get in there. Here's a chapter, okay, called Helpful Tips and Tools. This chapter is 12 1/2 pages long. Because she's writing for morons. No, sorry. It's two and a quarter pages long. Okay. Helpful tips and tools to jump and find joy. Take a deep breath. Write it down. I guess, whatever your goals are, imagine it. Now, Hoda launched this piece of book last week at a church in Connecticut. Talk about desecration. You know, there's a church here in downtown New York that was. What do they call it? Like, desanctified? I don't know what they call it or. But it then it became a nightclub, became the Limelight, which was, you know, really fun in the 90s. And there's all sorts of debauchery going on there. But whatever went on at the Limelight, which we used to call the slime light, it's nothing approaching what Hoda has done be fouling an actual church in Connecticut. Okay? So our fearless producer, Marlena, said, hey, I will go. I will go. I will go to this live launch event and report back. And I said to her, marlena, are you sure? Because there are several things you're going to have to do to go undercover. Now, I know that you wear exclusively just about black. Sometimes we'll veer into a gray, but you're going to have to wear florals if you want to fit in. If you don't want to raise eyebrows, you're going to have to go to like, TJ Maxx and buy some florals. And then you're going to have to get stacks of Taylor Swift friendship bracelets, and you're going to. To have to wear those. And then you better smack a smile on your face and be friendly. And you're going to have to develop, not that Marlene is not friendly, but, you know, she's one of us. And then you're going to have to develop a real taste for. For wine, Mom. Shit. You're going to have to really lap up that cheap, warm chardonnay out of a tiny plastic cup. And she said, anything for the nerve. She's a true troublemaker. She made it out alive. She made it out intact. And here she is to tell us what she saw on the front lines of Huda's incessant chatter about chasing. Nothing. Nothing. Okay. Welcome, Marlena. What are you doing? Stop. What are you doing?

[Marlena]

I'm finding joy.

[Maureen Callahan]

Let me, let me know when you found it. Okay, Let me. Let us know. First of all, I have to give you so much credit. I have to give you so much credit. Can we take a look to begin with at Marlena's before and after? Before, like, who she. Who she is in real life versus how she had to go. I actually, I feel for you. Like, I feel real pain for you. Like, where'd you get that dress, by the way?

[Marlena]

I can't actually remember where I got that dress. That was a gift from someone about.

[Maureen Callahan]

So it was in your closet. Like, you didn't have to. It was like in there somewhere.

[Marlena]

And then apparently it was waiting for this moment in time because I finally used it.

[Maureen Callahan]

I guess it's what Hoda would call. She wouldn't know what the word serendipity is. It has too many syllables. But.

[Marlena]

And the bracelets came from my daughter's collection.

[Maureen Callahan]

Okay, there you go. Now, you were sending me photos and video throughout, and one of the things that you noticed, right, was how like, cheap the whole thing looked like, like there, like some like, low paid intern had like taken a Sharpie and like slapped like, go upstairs this way. Arrow to like the Hoda event. Yeah.

[Marlena]

And you know what's crazy, and you're seeing it now is that you know, they never even said.

[Maureen Callahan]

Hoda and Jenna, who, by the way, as you said, Jenna wasn't even advertised. Which says to me, Hoda was like, jenna, please, I got. I need. I need somebody to be my interviewer. Nobody's doing it, please. And Jenna, at the last minute finally said, all right, I'll do it.

[Marlena]

Right, right. Exactly. So I. I was like. When I walked up, I was like, I don't understand how. I don't understand how Jenna's here. Not one mention of Jenna. But then we found out that the church that we were in was the church that her grandfather w. But the first Bush had gone to when he was young, apparently the whole family.

[Maureen Callahan]

President George H.W. bush.

[Marlena]

President George H.W. bush was a member of that church. Look at this. They're worshiping at the house of Hoda. Do you.

[Maureen Callahan]

That is so sacrilegious. They're holding up her books as if they're Bibles in a church. This is why I think this stuff is so dangerous. As much as we laugh about it, but it's dangerous.

[Marlena]

It is.

[Maureen Callahan]

It is.

[Marlena]

And. But what I don't understand is what everybody's getting out of these talks. If you were there, you would hear Hoda say the same exact thing that she has said on Drew, that she has said on the Today show, that she has said in her podcast, Making Space, or whatever it's called. And it's the same thing about breath work. It's the same thing about getting to a place in her life where she needed to slow down and spend time with their kids. But as you said, she's not spending time with her kids. She's actually starting a business.

[Maureen Callahan]

They're dull.

[Marlena]

Well, apparently, they are.

[Maureen Callahan]

They're not fans.

[Marlena]

She did an interview with. For Meet the Press, and she talked about how.

[Maureen Callahan]

Meet the Press. I missed this. You saw it? Meet the Press.

[Marlena]

Yeah.

[Maureen Callahan]

The legacy media wonders. Okay, please tell. Tell us.

[Marlena]

And she tells. She tells Welker that, you know, I'm learning how to be something. Like, I'm learning how to be home with my kids almost all the time. And she's learning a lot of things because even in this church seminar or whatever this was supposed to be, she talked about how she doesn't know what she's doing, but she's learning in terms of making this business. But she's not learning anything, because nobody's learning anything. I looked in this book. I tried. I tried to get some inspiration. I tried to be as much Team Hoda as one could possibly be. But I already know how to breathe. I already know how to slow down. I actually know how to be home with my kids. And what was the other thing?

[Maureen Callahan]

You seem to like your kids. Am I crazy?

[Marlena]

I mean, what world do we live in when a mother wants to spend time with their kids?

[Maureen Callahan]

She. I know. It's not like you're ever going around going, you know what I love to do? Spend like people who like their kids. Just like their kids and hang out with them. Anybody who's telling you they're doing this, like, they have no idea. They don't. They don't like their kids. She. Or she's perseverating on joy. She's unhappy. That's what's up.

[Marlena]

She's also making lists to spend time with her kids. She says that every day she told Jenna at that church that every day she makes a list of things. And the list isn't like, I have.

[Maureen Callahan]

To go to the grocery store. It's like, no, she's got help to do that. Yeah, it doesn't talk about it, but that's what's up.

[Marlena]

Exactly.

[Maureen Callahan]

So.

[Marlena]

Because who else was taking her kids.

[Maureen Callahan]

To school all those years she's with.

[Marlena]

She was at the Today show. And I have a comment about that, but she. On that list, it says, read to my kids. I'm sorry, can't you just go read to your kids? Do you have to write that down on your list of to do's for the day? And this is not necessarily what she called a traditional to do list, but it's a spiritual one, one that would bring her the piece that she's looking for. So she has to remind herself to read to her kids to bring her inner peace. But I think the only thing, honestly, the only thing that brings her inner peace is being on TV.

[Maureen Callahan]

Because 100%, your theory is that she wants back on the Today show that she realized she made a major mistake leaving.

[Marlena]

Right. I think that she. It was a bridge too far for Hoda. Right. So I think that she thought she had this huge following and that then whatever the next thing was going to be, that she was actually just going to carry her followers and it would be a huge success. But that's not a business model, obviously. I think that Hoda made a huge mistake because clearly this is what she wanted to do. She also wanted the balance of being at home sometimes. So why wouldn't you just go to NBC? Because, you know, she talks all about how she got really brave and talked about that raise and talked about wanting that spot on the Today.

[Maureen Callahan]

We've heard this story a million times, right?

[Marlena]

So why don't you go back to those people and say, I need a little bit more time at home. How about I have a weekly show? Because then that kind of checks all the boxes, right? You're still on tv. People still look at you through a window. And then you get to go home and be home maybe 50% of the time on what's probably 20% of the time, knowing Hoda. But, you know, why wouldn't you just do that? Why would you have to go and jump and leap and skip and tell people how to breathe and then be surprised when they're like, hey, Hoda, I'm already breathing, you know?

[Maureen Callahan]

You also said that at this event, Jenna cried, like, a lot.

[Marlena]

She did cry a lot, and Hoda didn't. And it was the same stories that Jenna has heard over and over and.

[Maureen Callahan]

Over again, perhaps explaining the tears of boredom and frustration.

[Marlena]

Well, she was. She was crying over the, you know, the. When she received her. You know, when she was able to adopt her kids. And Hoda. Hoda adopted her kids, explained the adoption story for the hundredth time, and Jenna's crying tears of joy, allegedly. And then she was crying over this story that Hoda has also told about the sudden death of her father when she was in college. But Hoda wasn't crying. It was just. I mean, she was wiping her face and drinking water as like, she was having some sort.

[Maureen Callahan]

I think something else is going on with Jenna. I think there's maybe trouble at home. That is just a very strange reaction to be weeping over a former colleague who is asking for one favor too many, telling the same story over and over and over that you've heard a million times, don't you think?

[Marlena]

I mean, I. I thought it was a bizarre reaction. I would think that the storyteller would be the one, the one who had these experiences would be the one crying, but it wasn't her.

[Maureen Callahan]

Now, you said that the event was nonetheless packed and that these women were, like, lapping it up. So I almost.

[Marlena]

I have a confession to make, though. Yeah, I have a confession to make. So, first of all, you were right. They were in florals, and they were wearing their flats. You know, some.

[Maureen Callahan]

I did tell you ballet flats would be necessary. I think you drew the line at that. But go on.

[Marlena]

It's, again, a bridge too far. But I just, you know, they had their little strappy purses on, and. And I. So you were right about that. But I. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. I had to change back into my normal clothes before I got there. I just couldn't. I couldn't go.

[Maureen Callahan]

You did you. Oh, you're fired. I couldn't do it.

[Marlena]

It was like that meatloaf song, like, I'll do anything for the nerve, but I just I just can't do that.

[Maureen Callahan]

I just can't do it. That's so funny.

[Marlena]

I wore the bracelets. I had to take off the clothes, and the headband was making me feel like a toddler. I just. I couldn't handle it.

[Maureen Callahan]

Did you get strange looks in there?

[Marlena]

No, I didn't get strange looks, but when I first rolled up, they actually thought I was with Hoda. They asked. They were trying to.

[Maureen Callahan]

They thought you were a New York City attache.

[Marlena]

They're like, the green room is over here. I'm like, I haven't even shown, shown.

[Maureen Callahan]

See, this is why. This is why, Marlene. This is why fatigues were necessary. And camo, because you were spotted as the media person you are now. Of course, you're on the right side of the media over here. You're on the proper, correct side, telling the right story. But nonetheless, it was a close call.

[Marlena]

It was. And I really did cut it close. But I did get by. No one knew who I was. And I didn't partake in the cheap wine, though, or the smart play. It was smart, but, yeah. So that was an experience for sure.

[Maureen Callahan]

Well, I gotta say, you really knocked it out of the park. Thank you for your service to the nerve, to all of the troublemakers, and, you know, just be warned, offenders out there. We've got eyes and ears everywhere.

[Marlena]

We are really gonna have to go undercover now.

[Maureen Callahan]

Marlene is really gonna suffer for it. All right, thanks, Marlena.

[Marlena]

Anytime.

[Maureen Callahan]

Oh, my God. That was so much fun. That was so much fun. Okay, next up, we are talking Gwyneth Paltrow and her celebuspawn apple. We've got troublemaker feedback to our segment about Violet Affleck at the UN plus, more of your feedback. We are back in a minute. We've all had days when skin feels dull. Hydrating products just won't stick. Energy is all over the place, and no amount of water or skin care or caffeine seems to help. That is where Peaks Radiant Skin Duo comes in. This product is a game changer. Peaks supports whole body wellness from the inside out. And it's backed by experts like Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Jason Fung, and Dr. Will Cole. It has over 15,000 five star reviews. Here is why it works. Peak contains Sun Goddess Matcha. This provides a steady, calm energy throughout the day without the jitters. It's also packed with L theanine for focus and EGCG antioxidants, which boost skin clarity and support gut health. Because as we all know, great skin starts from within. Plus BT fountain Electrolytes hydrate like nothing else. Clinically proven ceramides will lock in moisture at the skin's cellular level and it leaves your skin plump, fresh and glowing. Purity matters. Peak ensures all ingredients are free from heavy metals, pesticides and mold. Just clean science backed hydration and energy. If you are ready to say goodbye to fatigue, dry skin and energy crashes and begin a healthier way to hydrate, go and get 20% off plus a free frother and glass beaker. [e-mail] thenerve again. That's peaklife.com thenerv Imagine relying on a dozen different software programs to run your business, none of which are connected. And each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful.

[Rob Shooter]

Now imagine Odoo.

[Maureen Callahan]

Odoo has all the programs you'll ever.

[Rob Shooter]

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[Maureen Callahan]

We are back. We must address this. We must. This wound up in my algorithm the other day. I'm sure you've seen it. If you haven't, I envy you, frankly. We're talking about Gwyneth Paltrow, who herself is a Nepo baby, her uncle Morty, Steven Spielberg, and her Nepo spawn, Apple Martin. And it's all like a Venn diagram because you know, Gwyneth used to go out with Ben Affleck and Ben Affleck's Nepo baby, Violet Affleck is also on our board today. We miss our. We do miss our dartboard. We really need to get it back here. Okay? Now Gwyneth is out there trying to save her company goop, which as far as I know based on my reading has never been profitable. Okay? She had like many series of funding, you know, but it's not profitable. And she was told, listen, you got to streamline this thing and you got to be in two lanes. You got to be in beauty and you got to be in fashion. That's it. So she has this G label which she just killed and she replaced it with a smaller capsule collection called Gwyn. And it is the same thing as G Label. So I don't understand what she's doing. And she's actually trying to compete with like the row. She's trying to compete with like women who know what they want, go where they go, you know, I Don't know what she's doing over here, but so you know Gwynne as G label, you know she's selling. Cost of entry is like 700 bucks for a cashmere sweater. Okay, somebody at Gap, and I'm guessing it's Zach Posen, because this smacks of Upper east side elitism. Zach is a kid who came from privilege in New York City, was a hot designer for a minute until everybody caught on that he was doing the same shit over and over. And he has spiraled downward, and now he's at the Gap. I'm guessing it was his idea to hire Gwyneth and her daughter, Apple, her brat, as the new spokesmodels for the current fall campaign. Now, Apple, as discussed on the nerve, has long been rumored, and I know people who've heard these rumors as well, to have been kicked out of Harvard Westlake in LA for bullying a classmate to the point of near suicide. Never denied. This story has never been denied. Okay, then. We all saw Apple flouncing about that debutante ball in Paris in 2023. Her mean girl moment of flagrantly stealing the spotlight. Just my opinion from another debutante captured here. We're looking at it now. So effing obnoxious. The smirk and the smile on her face. Oh, I'm the bell of the ball. I'm the bell of this bullshit. Okay, sister, this is. This is. This is going to be the best she gets, okay? Because I'm going to tell you, if this girl had any talent, any. If she had a fraction of her father's musical talent, if she had a little bit of her mother's acting talent, we would have seen it by now. She does not. Okay? But who better. Who better to front the campaign for the Gap, which is America's relatable clothing brand? Okay? These two. These two insufferable, equally snobbish, full of themselves figures in the culture again. They don't want to take the memo. So don't take it. Fine. The rest of us will be over here giving you what you deserve, selling the Gap. This is going to work really well, Zach, okay? All the shareholders are going to be thrilled with the. Not since Budweiser pivoted and hired Dylan Mulvaney have I seen a more disastrous attempt at. Like this is to talk about not knowing your audience. All right, let's take a look at this. Let's take a look at it. Actually, her dad came up with the name. It's so her. I can't imagine anything else. She's biting into an apple. How clever. She has amazing style all her own. I would say simple, easy, when you can afford thousands and thousands. And then obviously she goes and takes a lot of my 90s clothes. I don't know if it's stealing, but I'm stealing. I've just watched she tell you who they are, develop and evolve. She's got a very strong sense of personal style. She knows how much I love her for exactly who she is. The best advice would just be to unabashedly be herself. Yeah. Is it. Is it the best advice? Because it seems like. Sorry, I'm confusing my Nepo babies. It seems like Apple Martin is a real piece of work. You know, maybe the best advice isn't to be herself. Maybe the best advice is to just buckle down with your studies and try to do something that contributes to the world and maybe work on being nice. Not such a. Just my opinion. Okay, anyway, Violet Affleck onto this one. We got a ton of responses on her. A ton. Okay, you guys. You guys went to town and we pulled some of. And again, they're all bangers, but we pulled some of the best comments off of our YouTube channel, the segment devoted to Violet. Oh, and before we get to that, sorry, troublemaker Maria just hours ago sent in this update regarding the woman who walked so Violet could run. Greta Thunberg. Greta, who has been detained on yet another flotilla to Gaza, was photographed, I'm not quite sure when wearing this hat. It is a frog hat. It is a green frog hat with frog eyes atop. Like Kermit the Frog. Like, space is far apart, almost as Apple Martin's. I'm just going to be a bitch about it because Apple's a bitch. I think. Just my opinion. Maria, asks Maureen, now I feel the need to hear your commentary on the frog hat. Why would a grown person wear that and still expect to be taken seriously by the world? It's her severe case of arrested development. Arrested development, excuse me, manifesting. I think that's only part of it. I think that's only part of it. But back to Violet. Okay, here is a sample of the feedback. And hopefully, hopefully. I mean, it's not happening, but maybe somebody who knows Ben Affleck or Jennifer Garner is listening and, like, lights one of these two up to come get their kid vis a vis Violet speaking at the UN from behind an N95 mask, exhorting this otherwise ineffectual world body to force the world to mask up so she can feel better about it. Number one, this is a girl who hates her mother Violet looks just like her mother and therefore hates her own face. Interesting theory. This is way deeper than way deeper. Excuse me, than Covid. For her this is self hatred on display. Number two Violet lacks common sense. During the fires, lower price and mid range hotel rooms were desperately needed by lower and middle class families. She should have been grateful to stay in a five star hotel instead of wanting to prevent a family from getting a hotel room that they could afford because she wanted to look humble by slumming it. Virtual high five to the author of that post. You effing nailed it. Number three Father cookie mother pushover stepmother loca. Number four Jennifer Garner was the original victim. Mom no don't photograph my kids at their 10,000th farmer, farmers market, pap stroll. Number five the mask because of Ben's cigarettes and JLo's perfume. LOL. Very funny. Number six this is the same Violet Affleck who accompanied her mom to the White House state dinner in 2022 without a mask. How irresponsible to be unmasked with all those dignitaries and a frail Joe Biden. Number seven at the UN instead of Youth Advocate. The sign should have said Nepo baby. Number eight we normies have to abide by everything the rich preach to us. Meanwhile they've been partying unquarantined all Covid long. Eat shit. Couldn't have said it better myself. Now oh also in a lot of your emails and DMs I'm getting from you guys you like it when I talk about and it just sort of comes in tangentially as I'm talking to you. Like I'm not always planning it at all but you like it when I recommend things or people, artists that I love and I've been thinking a lot about this guy lately and listening to him a ton and I want to so I'm going to share this guy with you. For those of you who may not know, you are in for a treat and I don't care if you don't identify by the way, as a fan of this genre of music. Doesn't apply. Doesn't apply. This guy transcends anything. You might think so Open mind, open mind, open hearts. Chris Stapleton to my mind is one of the most talented guys going I am in love with this guy. I am in love with his music. He is an artist. He is an artist for the ages. He is a once in a generation talent. He is a country artist but he brings in. There's a blues element that is undeniable. There is soul this guy has soul. This guy knows. This guy has seen some shit, okay? He knows what he's talking about. I'm going to recommend three singles in this order. Traveler, Parachute and the third is called you should probably Leave. And probably is the operative word in that song, okay? And you listen to his phrasing and his inflections. This guy is a true artist, okay? You look at those jokers on the Voice who are judging and then you go listen to a Chris Stapleton. I'm like, I'm like dying to see him live. I can't believe I haven't seen him live yet. But anyway, he is my recommendation for the week. Chris Stapleton. Talk to me about it after you listen. Okay, now onto your emails. Hi Maureen. Retired army troublemaker here. Jennifer with a P. Thank you for your service, Jen. This is just a short note to share how much I appreciate you and your team. Thank you. You have Hollywood red pilled me. I can never go back to watching regular entertainment shows. That is our mission. I've always found Hollywood, the mainstream media and most celebrities distasteful. Now I have more quote ammo when my friends want to gossip about their favorite stars. Dear Maureen, I thought you would be interested to know and I am that ordinary people. We talked about that on our Redford tribute. It was originally a novel, which I did not know. Troublemaker, Blondie, Love youe Name says it was an over the transom meaning the novel was pulled from the slush pile. Manuscript, I believe it was discovered by an editor for serial publication in Good Housekeeping magazine before it was published as a paperback novel. Those were the days. Hi Maureen. I enjoy the Nerve. I'm excited about the Nerve at night as are we. Possible new segment. Book reviews or recommendations from you? We are working on it. This is from Kendra, a late 90s baby. P.S. i own a Pomeranian too. They are the best dogs. You know. Teddy was really sick this week, but he's getting through it. Oh my God. Okay. Dear Maureen, it took me about five minutes to realize Violet Affleck, quote, allegedly has nosophobia. Nosophobia is an intense fear about developing a dise. And a symptom, among other things is avoidance behaviors. This girl needs help. Just my thoughts from troublemaker Ruth. And sadly at her age, if she doesn't want help, it is going to be difficult to get it for her. Hi Maureen, two questions. This is from Stephanie in Boston. Do you think Meghan Markle sees a therapist? No. And even if she did, malignant narcissists. Just my opinion. They cannot be helped. Narcissists cannot be treated. Number two, do you think at some point in his distressed young adult years that Prince Harry may have pursued paternity testing to determine if the king is in fact his bio dad? Not in his youth. But is it entirely possible that he ordered a 23andMe kit because things are so unstable over there? Absolutely. Hi Maureen, I just wanted to say a big thank you for recommending the biography. I love this biography. I'm so glad you read it. Of Truman Capote by Gerald Clark. I mentioned it a few episodes back. I love reading his Breakfast at Tiffany's. I preferred it to the movie Truman wanted Marilyn Monroe, not Audrey. I'm an. I'm an Audrey girl. I just finished listening to listening to it on audible. It was fascinating. That book will stay with me. Truman was a tortured soul. She loved the Priscilla Presley segment, believes it, and that this is where my Chris Stapleton thing just came in. Troublemaker Lisa Cornwall UK asks more book recommendations. Maybe on your new late night show. Another idea would be a song from the jukebox reminds you of a place, a memory, a feeling, a time in your life. And you know, I will say I did the you know when you do wakes now and I don't know how long it's been going on because it's been a while since I went to a wake besides my dad's about a year and a half ago. But I did the playlist for his wake and on his list I put on his playlist I chose Chris Stapleton's parachute in part because that was a metaphor for the way my dad would always try to catch me as a kid. And my dad was an airborne airborne in the armies. So Screaming Eagle. Okay, Maureen, this is. Oh my God, I love this sign off. Armando J. Ortiz, who signed off this email Sportsman rank on tour and shameless lounge About Armando, you have found your people? Armando asks. Oh, by the way, these are my favorite. As I've told you guys. He says, I am a 64 year old hetero man and fully into man stuff and yet I cannot get enough of your show freaking dying. Okay, can we. Armando asks, can we please, please, please deal with the elephants in the room with men's fashion? Happy to. Who decided that menswear specifically his question had to be a one size fits all slim fit fest where grown men are forced to squeeze themselves into heinous slim fit suits and pegged pants and skinny jeans regardless of their physique. Whatever happened to to tailoring what I wouldn't give to get my hands on a full cut suit with appropriate you know Tom Ford has exited the fashion lane. I feel Tom Ford would have been the one for you to to go to with this Armando. I feel he would have heard this plea wholeheartedly. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on a full cut suit with appropriately sized labels, double pleated SAT slacks that drape gracefully and tailored suit suit with appropriately cut collars that don't make grown men look like eight pounds of lumpin blubber in a five pound bag. Not every man is built like a 20 year old gay man's fantasy Adonis. If you are an Adonis, fine, the slim fit is for you. But if you are a regular guy why should you be forced to wear clothing that makes you look clownish? Can we get to the bottom of this? I think Armando that some men's fashion names need to go to the woodshed. If not the chipper looking at you, Joseph Abood, Tom Brown, et cetera and Anna Pet Tom Brown. Look at Cary Grant. Look at Jackie Gleason, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart. Do I really have to spend $12,000 and go to London for a real suit of clothes? And don't women notice that men's clothes don't really fit anymore? Don't they notice how twee and gay their men's clothing has become? Parens Pete Hegseth Armando, please keep writing to us. Thank you for your thank you kindly. Armando ends this rant. You're so nerve. Thank you kindly for your wonderful gossip show and your brilliant quote real news about fake people. Armando God, please keep writing us. Okay, we want from troublemaker Christine a troublemaker book club. She recently read the Tell in her monthly book club. Interestingly, Christine says and we've been all over Amy Griffin, the author of this quote unquote memoir. Amy, we're all, we're, we're not letting up on Amy. Trust me. Christine says, interestingly, even the far left members of my book club picked up on the phoniness of Amy's conveniently remembered one sided rape story. Thanks for consistently being a voice of reason and standing up to the elitists who profit off of lies, harming people in the process. Just my opinion. Now this comes from Corey, our last one. Now she says that in one of our various takedowns of Meghan Markle. I mean pick one. We played a clip where she responds to some oh Jamie, Jamie Carlima. Her appearance on that show. She, she, she responds to something with the power of yet Megan Markle did. Like it's some profound thought that just popped into her head. I thought, what a rightly so. Corey. Well, Maureen, I was doing my 7 year old's hair the other morning and I don't remember what we were talking about, but she answered me with the power of Yet Mommy. I had to have her repeat what she said. And then I asked her where she got that because I know she's not listening to Megan Markle. She said her teacher is reading a book called quote, Bubble Gum Brain. Meghan Markle, according to Corey, quoted a second grade book as if it was profound and as if she came up with that herself. Thank you. Thank you for that. Now we have the origin of the power of yet now we know what Megan's reading. Now we know why. When Megan was touring Emily Chang of Bloomberg News through her favorite place to go in Montecito, her favorite bookstore, and then went and told Emily when asked what she reads that she doesn't really have time to read, we know why Megan dodged and weaved because she's reading second grade books for material. I guess that's great stuff. Keep it coming, keep it coming. A reminder before we get to Rob Shooter to join us for this celebrity muckraking round. Okay, quick reminder. Send us at the Nerve your thoughts and suggestions. You can reach me [e-mail] or you can send me a DM on Instagram at Maureen Callahanrider or at the Nerve show. Back in a minute. Did you know that all chips and fries used to be cooked in tallow up until the 1990s? That's when Big corporations switched to cheaper processed seed oils. And today seed oils make up 20% of the average American's daily calories. 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Joining us now at the Nerve is Rob Shooter. He is a veteran celebrity news and gossip journalist. His sub stack is called Naughty but Nice. And if you're not a subscriber, go over and treat yourself. Rob for my money, he's at the forefront of breaking all the celebrity news that's happening right now. There's nobody better. So Rob, we are thrilled to have you at the Nerve and we have got to get to what seems like the week's biggest celebrity story. This what seems like a sudden breakup between Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman. Married for 19 years. Now I gotta get your thoughts on this breaking news out of hello Magazine Canada edition. According to reports, Nicole and Keith had a prenup that included a quote unquote cocaine clause. So Nicole, according to this report, would pay Keith $600,000 for every year he stayed off the blow. What do you make of this? He could have made 11 million.

[Rob Shooter]

Well, first of all, thank you for having me on your podcast. I'm a huge fan of this show. I listen all the time. So it's a real pleasure to be here. This is a big story, isn't it? So we'd heard rumors about this for a couple of months. So people in the business had been hearing rumors about this. And apparently if you had reporters in Nashville, which I now do have, this was an open source secret Keith was seeing somebody, was with somebody. We do not have a name yet. We, we have some rumors about who.

[Maureen Callahan]

We, we've got a, we've got a potential offender out there. But Nashville is where he and Nicole and their children are based.

[Rob Shooter]

Yeah, they're based there. And so this was an open secret in Nashville and now it has reached all of us. It has reached the world. So although I am surprised, I think the, these two seemed a really steady couple. 19 years in Hollywood is a million years. And so I think we, we were surprised. However, people that have been in the know, people that have been the boots on the ground, they're not as surprised by this. They had a really, really messy start within months of their marriage. He was in rehab. They've admitted this. So they were married a few months and he went to the Betty Ford clinic and disappeared. Yeah, for a couple of months. So they've had a really rough relationship. And that's why I'm curious about the, the con, the cocaine clause in the contract. Nicole knew very, very early on that, that Keith had demons. And I think throughout.

[Maureen Callahan]

Demons. Okay, let's get into that because I, I just columned on this over at the Daily Mail yesterday. I read it and I, you know, the word surprise keeps coming up among those of us who are talking about this for a living, if you can imagine. But I think, listen, I'm surprised it was another woman, you know what I'm saying? He does not present as the most heterosexual of males. Let's get real.

[Rob Shooter]

A friend of mine was joking. They're fighting over their hair straighteners today.

[Maureen Callahan]

Yes, the hair iron and who gets the colorist in all of this? But you know, to your point about the beginning of their relationship, they were engaged within months of, of dating. And shortly after the marriage, right. When Keith entered rehab for, you know, they said alcohol, but his habits, you know, extended to crack cocaine. A woman came forward, a young woman, a part time model, and said she had been involved with Keith for several years, including during his relationship with and engagement to Nicole.

[Rob Shooter]

Yeah, absolutely right. This is the spin of Nicole Kidman. She's an expert in covering her tracks and covering her family's tracks. We, we still have never really got to the bottom of her. And Tom Cruise's is split and so with a lot.

[Maureen Callahan]

And Tom was the one who, who left her.

[Rob Shooter]

That's right.

[Maureen Callahan]

Not the other way around. Now the rumor about that has always been that Nicole was having a torrid affair with an incredibly at his peak, Ewan McGregor. Who could blame her on the Set of Moulin Rouge had potentially allegedly, reportedly, she has always denied this, become pregnant with Ewan's child. Tom found out, and that was it.

[Rob Shooter]

He dropped her back then, I remember all those years ago. And so I think, although we are surprised, when we dig a little deeper here, we're gonna find out that we shouldn't be really that surprised at all. There's been some signals. They haven't been seen together in several months. He purchased a house by himself, which is never a good sign. I think she applied to move to Portugal, of all places, to become a citizen in Portugal, and. And he's not on that application. And so all the signals are there. We've done this a long time, and it's just like our real friends. It doesn't matter if you're a celebrity or not. When you don't live with your husband. When one of you applies for a visa and the other one doesn't, it's not a good sign. I am told, though, exclusively, that Nicole knows who the woman is. So even though we've not named her yet, we have some suspicions. We think it might be somebody that works with Keith on the road. We with Keith in his band. Nicole knows exactly who this person is, and this is what I think. So interesting. If it was addiction. She's been there for 19 years. She knew this. This is something new. This is not him drinking again because she's been through that. This is not him abusing substances again because she's been through that. What is different this time? I'm told what is different is that he has fell in love.

[Maureen Callahan]

Okay. To that point. Now, you guys may not be ready to name this person, but we're gonna put our theory out there because she's all over Instagram advertising it. And we're going to show these reels. Her name is Maggie Bao, if I'm pronouncing that correctly. B A U G H. And Keith is like. This is what's surprising to me because, you know, Nicole really does infamously keep her image tightly locked. It's tighter than her face. At this point, Keith is out there advertising this. He the other night, while performing live, he changed the lyrics to a song that he wrote for Nicole. These terribly written lyrics, when they're tryna. Keith spelled it T R Y N A. When they're trying to get to you, baby, I'll be the fighter. That was for Nicole. He changed those lyrics to when they try to get to you, Maggie. And he's singing to her, his guitarist. I'll be your Guitar player. So to me, it looks like he's rubbing Nicole's face in this public humiliation.

[Rob Shooter]

He wants us to know he's been in the business a very long time. He knew that everybody was going to be at this show. It was the first show since the news broke that she had filed for divorce. Everybody was going to be paying attention that night. And he's a smart guy. He knows how to do this. He's very self conscious, too, about his image. We've joked about his eyeliner and his. His hair straighteners. They're all true. He. He definitely spends a lot of time thinking about how he's going to come across physically and what he says. So he wanted us. Us to hear that. We did hear it. He looked very smug about it when he sang it to her. And so now today, it has exploded that maybe she is the one. I hit the phones. I called everybody I know, and they couldn't confirm it. They. They said that there's another name. There's another name in Nashville. And maybe he did this.

[Maureen Callahan]

Oh, there's another. Another woman. Two other women.

[Rob Shooter]

There might be. There might be one. He might be sort of like throwing us off the track here. Celebrities enjoy all this. And so all my years working with celebrities, as well as reporting on them, they enjoy the attention.

[Maureen Callahan]

Oh, 100%. You know, what's coming next week. Rob, please respect our privacy at this most difficult time, please. I mean, what. Do you have a theory or any boots on the ground reporting as to why Keith is so intent on humiliating the mother of his children this way? I mean. I mean, for any other reason? How about your children, you know, your teenage daughters? Why not, like, spare them this bullshit?

[Rob Shooter]

Yeah, you would think that the kids. Although Nicole has a very, very complicated relationship with her two children that she had with Tom Cruise. And so although she portrays herself very close to her kids that she has with keys, there's lots of questions about her as a mother. I think here, what. What I was told, and this is what made the most sense to me, is that he was just sick of being Mr. Nicole Kidman for 19 years. And now he's lashing out and he is humiliating.

[Maureen Callahan]

Oh, my God. If that's for real, grow up. She leveled him up. You know, he would still be slinging his wares in like honky tonk in the lower 48. Okay. Geez. Oh, my God. We're gonna get to Sunday Rose, the Nepo baby Dior model who's posting about that while her family falls apart. You know, priorities. I wanted to move on, if I may, with you, go to one Meghan Markle. Now, yesterday, or rather Wednesday, the headlines were that her father, her estranged father Thomas, was dramatically caught up in a. In an upper level apartment building in an earthquake in the Philippines. Via Us Weekly, a report dated October 1st. Thomas Markle has denied his other daughter, Samantha Markle's claims that he was trapped in his apartment after a devastating earthquake in the Philippines. Thomas, and I quote, I'm currently sitting on the couch in my hotel room with my feet kicked up watching Charlie Chan movies. We appreciate the color, Thomas. I'm quite comfortable. He realized, he revealed his hotel is located 100 miles from the epicenter. Now, Harry and Meghan are due to also receive some awards. We'll get to that. But what I found interesting about this is that for a good 24 hours, Rob, we all believed that was true.

[Rob Shooter]

We did.

[Maureen Callahan]

We did.

[Rob Shooter]

Which is really telling about what we think of her and how she's treated her father. What I think is going on here is Samantha Markle wants to come constantly remind us what happened between Meghan and her dad. And it wasn't pretty. And for as much as Meghan talks about respect and kindness and treating everybody very well, the way she treated her father was appalling. What he did wasn't great, but she. She cut him off. He did not get a second chance here. She cut him off. And Samantha, who has no love lost with Megan, constantly reminds her.

[Maureen Callahan]

So I love it.

[Rob Shooter]

This is another example of Samantha telling a story that was half true. He wasn't caught in this building. He's 100 miles away. However, he's in the Philippines. But once again, the takeaway here is that Samantha won't let this go. Every opportunity she gets to.

[Maureen Callahan]

No, she's going to remind us what a terrible daughter Meghan Markle is. And like your dad is in some hotel in the Philippines because he can't his two nickels to rub together. And you're. So she. She and her hapless husband are coming to New York City next week to collect an award for mental health for healthy minds. Because as I've said before, that's exactly who I think of when I think stable, healthy minds, Harry and Meghan and humanity under the umbrella of a humanitarian award, no less. Talk to me. Ron talked to me.

[Rob Shooter]

We've been to all these award shows. We see these awards. They're not real. A lot of them, they mean nothing. Let's remember the Oscars was created in the 20s to promote the film business. It was all A publicist's idea. These award shows are not a judgment of talent or creativity. These shows that give humanitarian awards. I've been in those meetings where we decide literally who's going to be the sexiest guy on the COVID and it's the guy that sells the best. That's what it's about.

[Maureen Callahan]

Rob, it sometimes comes down to we can't get celebrity A to agree to do this. So now we go down the list.

[Rob Shooter]

Yes, yes, yes. And so I think maggot, Meghan and Harry here, they do get publicity, though they. They have managed to. To keep us interested, maybe repulsed before, for whatever reason. But, you know, I. In this business, love and hate are both really powerful emotions. And to be honest, I think sometimes hate is more powerful on people that I cover. When my audience, when my readers don't like the person, they're much more excited about the story. And so Meghan and Harry, they press everybody's buttons. And so to get them at your event will get your event a lot of attention. Big picture. I'm not sure it's a great idea, but. Samantha, Samantha, Samantha. The next time we hear from you, I'm quite sure you'll be rubbing Megan's nose in it. And I can't wait.

[Maureen Callahan]

I can't wait either. So now I'd like to pivot to another person who is peddling some meaningless stuff out there. And I've been digging your coverage of this woman because she is a bet noir here at the nerve one Hoda copy, who is out peddling Joy 101. And Rob, per your reporting, the Joy 101 empire is a massive flop.

[Rob Shooter]

It's a massive flop. Nobody knows quite what it is. I don't think Hoda knows what it is. At the big launch party, we were trying to figure out, what is this app. Now, the problem is a lot of Hodus fans from the Today show, probably women in their 60s, don't go on apps, so she's sort of appealing.

[Maureen Callahan]

Great.

[Rob Shooter]

Point to the wrong audience here. And then the other thing is, with an app, you gotta do something. You've gotta give me something. It's like having a newsletter. It's like having a website. You've gotta constantly feed the bees. For 26 years, Hoda had over a hundred staff, maybe even more, 200 at NBC, making her look good. She's a very talented person.

[Maureen Callahan]

But you think so? I think she is so.

[Rob Shooter]

I think. I don't think you could be the host of the Today show without some sharp elbows.

[Maureen Callahan]

May I? May I please? You was in the right place at the right time. Matt Lauer got me chewed. It was a show over at NBC. They had how to plug somebody in there. And who better than the bench warmer who happened to be a woman of color, thereby elevating the Today show to have two female hosts of a morning show in America for the first time in history. It was DEI all the way. She's not a brain trust. Have you listened to her speak extemporaneously? I don't know what she's talking about half the time.

[Rob Shooter]

It's like cotton candy. And that's the problem with that app. I went on it, I couldn't understand it. Now, I'm not the, the most smart person in the world, but I'm not that dumb either. I couldn't figure it out. And so a newsletter from Maria Schreiber, her best friend, every six months is not going to get me tuned again every day. So with these apps, you want people to refresh every 10 minutes, every hour. And Hoda just puts up one story a month so that it's falling apart. The other thing that's falling apart too is as part the of part of this brand, she's doing getaways, retreats where you pay a lot of money and you do a retreat. Well, this had been up for sale for a long time. Nobody was buying tickets. So now Hoda's added Alicia Keys to the retreat. And so it's going to be Alicia and Hoda. The ticket sales have increased a little bit. It's amazing.

[Maureen Callahan]

I think that people that great supporter of October 7th, Alicia Keys, allegedly. Oh, allegedly. There was an, there was an Instagram post that made me say to myself, never again will I put a penny in this woman's pocket. To your point about Hoda's retreats, Joy, let's celebrate death and destruction of October 7th. Joy. Okay, whatever. So I noticed this Hoda did one retreat and it was like a giveaway for New York City school teachers who are so chronically underpaid and underappreciated, they will take anything. Okay, so, but it's not the kind of thing that she was flogging when she, when she launched this thing back. And I think April, which was like, like spend thousands of dollars, come to some luxurious retreat with me and you'll work with me and my celebrity wellness gurus as to how to self actualize. Nobody's buying these tickets. You called her or one of your sources called her a second rate guru. They said nobody wants to pay for a second rate guru.

[Rob Shooter]

And like, I understand that because that isn't her craft. You know, I have a lot of doubts about these self help experts, but they do do the work. Hoda hasn't told us a tv.

[Maureen Callahan]

Some of them really, most of them don't. They're all full of it.

[Rob Shooter]

But they promote themselves in a way that Hoda doesn't like. Hoda's got to figure out, what do you do? It's like, my friends, everybody wants to be on tv. Everybody wants to have their own podcast. And I asked them a very simple question. I'd ask this to Hoda. What are you going to do for 15 or 20 minutes? What? What are you gonna do? Like, how can you be remotely interested for 10 minutes?

[Maureen Callahan]

And with that, she's like Meghan Markle, Rob. She can't. When you say, what is the premise of your enterprise here? It's a lot of gibberish. It's a lot of word salad. We're circling and circling and we cannot land this plane.

[Rob Shooter]

You've got to be able to tell me in 10 words or less, what is it? We're not stupid. And if you want me to pay for it, you've certainly got to be able to tell me. And so Hoda's business, it's not doing very well. There's some room. Rumors that maybe she'd like to go back to the Today show. I think her table.

[Maureen Callahan]

Yes. Do you. What do you think of those rumors?

[Rob Shooter]

She was on the show last week and it didn't have a bump. And that's all they care about in television.

[Maureen Callahan]

No bump. No bump, no ratings.

[Rob Shooter]

No ratings bump. And so that's a very bad sign for her.

[Maureen Callahan]

Had she gone on last week when she was on, I saw her with her fake love fest with Savannah, you know, like as I said on Megyn Kelly show, every time you, you know, those, those hosts see the rundown and it's like Hoda's back again. She just left. Please. But I don't think she even got. She used to do. When she was first launching her Joy 101. She did. She came back and co hosted the fourth hour of today with Jenna, which used to be her stomping grounds, but this time there was no co hosting with Jenna. Jenna's taken that crown.

[Rob Shooter]

Yeah. My sources at MVC told me they didn't really want her there because once you leave, it's quite dangerous because if you have them back, the audience might remember what they were missing or it's a bad comparison. So they didn't really want Her. But if she didn't, if they didn't say yes, she would have gone on gma, which would have looked terrible. Good Morning America, their competition. So she came back, she only had one segment. They plugged a book, they plugged this event, and it was interesting. They were just gonna go to break and Savannah was basically saying goodbye and had forgot to mention this event, which was the whole reason she was on the show.

[Maureen Callahan]

Do you think. So she forgot or do you think she forgot?

[Rob Shooter]

She forgot. It's in the teleprompter. Anyone that's been on those shows, I've been on them hundreds of times. It's all there in the teleprompter. And so Hoda quickly reminded everybody about this event, but it's not going well. It's a lesson here. And we see this in a lot of people on television, whether it be a housewife or Hoda. Wouldn't you leave the show? It's over. Wouldn't you leave that show? That's where your fans are. That's where your bread and butter is. That's. That's where you were built up to succeed. And without that infrastructure, without those hundred people producing you, editing you, writing scripts, the lighting at the Today show is amazing. The hair and makeup are there, are amazing. But once you lose all that, then it's you and me and an iPhone, and that's what Hoda now has been reduced to. This app is the strangest thing. I've been on it five or six times and I still don't really understand it. I don't know quite what she's selling.

[Maureen Callahan]

You know, you're so right, Rob, about that. I call it with the housewives especially, I call it site specific fame, like you're famous within those four walls. But then once you begin to believe your own hype and think you're bigger than the show, you're in for a very rude awakening. I mean, you're so right about those hundreds of people making Hoda look good, like, and competent and cogent and like she's got something to say. My favorite. I could talk about her all day. My favorite thing about this whole thing is she allegedly quit the Today show to spend more time with her 8 year old and 6.

[Rob Shooter]

That's what she said.

[Maureen Callahan]

It's like Tom Brady, you're home for five hot minutes and you're like, you kids are boring me. I need some adulation. I need a dopamine hit. Okay, one more celeb before we have to let you go. You're very generous with Your time. So thank you. Priscilla Presley is out there making the rounds with her memoir about her life after Elvis. And the big headline, which most, if not all, journalists who sit down with her are really avoiding, is the allegation in a lawsuit brought by two of Priscilla's ex business partners that Priscilla prematurely pulled the plug on her own daughter, Lisa Marie, to wrest control of Graceland away from Lisa's daughter, Riley. What do you know about this?

[Rob Shooter]

Yeah, it's a shocking, shocking accusation. I'm told that anybody who gets to sit down with Priscilla is not allowed to talk about that.

[Maureen Callahan]

Really?

[Rob Shooter]

Her PR people have made it very clear that that is a topic that you do not mention. So there's certainly a sting there. We know this family was going through immense trauma, immense infighting, immense, really, really ugly legal battles over this estate. This is what is the glue that has unfortunately held this family together. It's money. It's Elvis, this, it's who controls Elvis's image, his legacy, his estate. And this is where all the money comes from. I follow the money all the time. And so whoever controlled this estate, it's like whoever controls the Michael Jackson estate, they're the most powerful person in the family. Priscilla had lost control. Lisa Marie was in control of this empire. Her mom was not happy about it. And then she passes and then there's another ugly battle. She doesn't let Lisa Marie's daughter take her rightful claim here.

[Maureen Callahan]

She finds not only that, though, but Rob, she didn't. She didn't wait until Lisa Marie's daughter Riley, who was in the air, who dropped everything and rushed to an airport to get to her mother's bedside before she died. Priscilla did not allow that to happen. And not only that, Priscilla tells two versions of the story. One in winter, one in which, excuse me, she's sitting at home and gets a phone call that her daughter has died. There's another version in which Priscilla's like, let's pull this plug. I don't care that my granddaughter is racing against time to get here. Yeah.

[Rob Shooter]

None of which, I would argue, none of which would have come out had Priscilla not done this book. I'm not sure why she's doing this book. I don't think the world was clamoring for, for a book by Priscilla and I. I always say to celebrities who want to do books, if you're not going to tell the truth, don't do it. Like, if it's just a press release, don't bother. You've got a lot of money, you've Got a lot of power. It's not going to change your life. If you're not willing to sit down and answer hard questions, then why are we doing this book? I think this book is a press release. This book is about her. It is called her. I'm shocking some of the things that she's willing to say in it for somebody that's been private for so long. But I do think the only intended consequences of this book is now there's a lot of questions. And you know what, Priscilla? If you want your privacy, we might respect that. But once you start to talk, then you've opened that door. And now all these questions. All these questions are absolutely appropriate.

[Maureen Callahan]

You are so right about that, Robyn. I have her book here. And as you're talking, I was like, I've got to show the COVID It is a young Priscilla standing in front of Graceland. It is not subtle. It is. I WISH I were 28 again. And this house is mine. This is my estate. You're gonna have to come through me. I don't care if you're my blood granddaughter. Get out.

[Rob Shooter]

She wants that house. She wants that house.

[Maureen Callahan]

Oh, my God. Well, I've had the most fun talking to you. Like, the most fun. We would love for you to come back, especially next week as. As the Diddy verdict comes.

[Rob Shooter]

Yeah, yeah, I worked with Diddy. I his publicist in the early 2000s when he was still puffy, when he was P Daddy. And so big verdict. I'll be back and let you know all my thoughts about it.

[Maureen Callahan]

Sounds incredible. We cannot wait. Thank you, Rob.

[Rob Shooter]

Cheers. Thank you.

[Maureen Callahan]

Cheers. And that does it for your Friday edition of the Nerve. We have got. You know, we missed doing the Mini while we were off. We did need a little bit of a break, but we missed doing the Mini. And this week, as we were prepping for it, we were debating among four. Four potential Minis. That's how much great stuff has been breaking all week. And, you know, there's one winner, like, there was one who, like, clearly announced itself as the winner or, you know, a loser, really, guys, you know what I'm saying? So we're going to be revisiting one of our repeat offenders who's asking for it, like, really just begging for it. So happy to do it. Happy to do it. So be sure to head over to YouTube tomorrow. That's where the minis live for now. The YouTube channel. Are you. What am I, 80? Our YouTube channel, the Nerve YouTube channel. We drop it at 10:00am Eastern on Saturdays, and then we will see you next week. Our first week of three full nerves, and that's how we're going forward. Three full shows. We're introducing the Nerve at night and then our mini again on the following Saturday. So the Nerve at night will drop on Wednesdays at 5pm Eastern. So we're very excited and we can't wait to see you there and back here on Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, half a Saturday at the Nerve, where you will never guess what we're about to say next.