Podcast Summary: The Nerve with Maureen Callahan

Episode: Nick Reiner's Lawyer Dumps Him, Bryan Kohberger's Family Wants Sympathy, and a Golden Globes Preview
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Maureen Callahan
Featured Guests: Nancy Grace (Crime Commentator), Tim McKay (Celebrity Makeup Artist)

Episode Overview

This week’s episode of The Nerve is a characteristically bold blend of true crime deep-dives, pop culture snark, and audience engagement. Maureen Callahan is joined by crime analyst Nancy Grace to dissect two headline-grabbing criminal cases: the Nick Reiner double homicide and the fallout as his high-profile lawyer Alan Jackson steps down, plus the controversial New York Times interview with Bryan Kohberger’s sister in the wake of the notorious Idaho murders. Later, celebrity makeup artist Tim McKay joins Maureen for a “hate-watch” and fashion dissection of Netflix’s Emily in Paris, plus an irreverent preview of awards season and rundown of trending movies.

Key Segments, Insights & Quotes

1. Nick Reiner Case—Lawyer Walks Out

[04:00–14:50]

Key Points:

• Alan Jackson, Hired Gun, Quits
  Moments before Nick Reiner's arraignment, his expensive defense attorney Alan Jackson withdraws from the case without clear explanation.
• Why Did Jackson Quit?
  Nancy Grace attributes the withdrawal to a lack of payment after surviving Reiner siblings refuse to fund the defense (“Mr. Green didn’t show up. I guarantee you, Nick Reiner’s brother and sister said, ‘We are not paying for the defense of the man that murdered our parents.’” [06:44, Nancy Grace]).
• No Ethical Conflict:
  Grace points out Jackson has defended unpopular figures before—if he could represent Harvey Weinstein, conscience is not the issue.
• Public Defender Steps In:
  Kimberly Green, a public defender, takes over the case and appears visibly uncomfortable in her initial court appearance.
• Possible Legal Strategies:
  The likely defense route is either insanity (NGRI) or incompetence, leading to more delays.

Notable Quotes:

• “One reason you take yourself off a case is because you have an ethical problem. ...That’s one reason. The other: you’re not getting paid.”
  —Nancy Grace [06:10]

• “It seemed very clear to me...the siblings said, ‘No effing way is the trust gonna fund his defense.’”
  —Maureen Callahan [07:45]

Memorable Moment:

• Fashion and Media Skills Matter:
  Maureen and Nancy both comment (tongue-in-cheek) that Kimberly Green needs a media coach and a better-fitting jacket, highlighting the role of presentation in high-profile trials.

2. Bryan Kohberger Case—Sympathy for the Family?

[17:01–30:44]

Key Points:

• Kohberger’s Sister’s NYT Interview:
  The New York Times publishes a “rehabilitative puff piece” on Mel Kohberger, focusing on family pain but largely glossing over the horror of the crimes.
• Critical Analysis:
  Both Maureen and Nancy express frustration that media empathy is directed at the killer’s family rather than the victims.
• Deep Skepticism of Family Ignorance:
  Nancy doubts the narrative that Kohberger’s family was blindsided, referencing extensive phone contact between Bryan Kohberger and his mother just after the murders (“It will be a cold day in H-E-double-L that I believe that mother did not know what was going on.” [22:16, Nancy Grace])
• Comparison to Other Cases:
  The hosts discuss the Gabby Petito case, highlighting limits on civil suits against family members who may have participated in a cover-up.

Notable Quotes:

• “They might as well have done a fashion piece or an interior design piece about where she lived.”
  —Nancy Grace [21:15]

• “Every constitutional right protects the defendant at trial...nowhere are the victims protected.”—Nancy Grace [31:13]

Memorable Moment:

• Maureen reminisces about the era of Dominick Dunne:
  “Dominick Dunne left a huge hole in the culture because we do not have print criminal reporting or high-profile trial reporting the way we used to…” [28:25]

3. Audience Feedback & Troublemaker Art

[34:06–41:50]

Key Points:

• Chevy Chase Gossip
  Maureen humorously shares anonymous dirt on Chevy Chase’s troubled Hollywood rep.
• Cat-Themed Fan Art
  Listeners send in whimsical, “true crime reporter” art featuring their pets styled as Maureen.
• Biting Listener Comments
  Diverse feedback, including a sharply worded ex-fan letter and a discourse on pop culture figures' public images.

Notable Quotes:

• “Johnny Carson...said [Chevy Chase] was such a witless asshole that he couldn’t improvise a fart after a bean sandwich.” [38:48]

4. Emily in Paris Hate-Watch with Tim McKay

[50:02–71:32]

Key Points:

• Emily in Paris Moves to Rome—Disaster
  Both Maureen and Tim are baffled by the new season’s settings, costume choices, and lack of character growth.
• Style and Substance Critique:
  The costumes for Emily and Mindy are called “clown outfits” and “distracting.” Only character Sylvie maintains chic credibility.
• Stale Romcom Tropes:
  The show’s ongoing tradition that “every man must fall in love with the protagonist” and scenes designed as filler for viewers to check their phones.
• Materialism Wins the Day:
  The cringiest moment: Emily’s boyfriend tries to buy her affection with a designer bag after relationship drama.
  “What you really want in a man is a guy who’s going to assuage any of your emotional anxieties by taking you shopping.”
  —Maureen Callahan [66:26]
• Sex and the City Parallels:
  The show draws frequent (unfavorable) comparisons to S&TC; creator Darren Starr repeats old tropes but misses the mark.
• Issues With Inclusivity Portrayal:
  Questions are raised about the show’s understanding of real women versus gay male fantasy, especially around pride parade episodes and styling.

Notable Quotes:

• “Emily is the living effing worst.”
  —Maureen Callahan [53:01]
• “Whenever I see them in these ridiculous clown outfits, I’m like, now the show is about to distract.”
  —Tim McKay [61:03]

Memorable Moment:

• Tim’s exasperation at yet another Mindy musical number:
  “Do we really need a performance from Mindy every single episode?...We get it, she can sing. Let’s cut it all out, and we’ll have seven episodes.” [59:13, Tim McKay]

5. Golden Globes Preview: The State of Movies

[72:08–82:27]

Key Points:

• Disappointment in Awards Contenders
  Maureen and Tim candidly review several buzzed-about films, widely agreeing they are self-important, artsy, or dated:
  • “One Battle After Another”—“A celebration of domestic terrorism...I was so bored.” [73:23]
  • Noah Baumbach’s Clooney vehicle—“Arch, fake, very impressed with itself...it’s just taking me out of the story.” [74:30]
  • “After the Hunt”—Julia Roberts vehicle, found more compelling (“it’s tar light”).
• Critique of Oscar Bait & Virtue Signaling
  Referencing Crash vs. Brokeback Mountain: sometimes the “political” film wins, not the best.
• Comedic Take on “Marty Supreme”
  The hosts mock Timothy Chalamet’s efforts:
  “He’s the opposite of cool. He thinks he’s cool, which automatically means he’s not cool.” [80:09]

Notable Quotes:

• “Sometimes it’s fun to go to a movie that’s not trying to be an Oscar movie and knows it’s kind of sloppy.”
  —Tim McKay [81:24]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Nick Reiner case & lawyer withdrawal: 04:00–14:50
• Kohberger/NYT controversy & criminal justice debate: 17:01–30:44
• Audience feedback & fan art: 34:06–41:50
• Emily in Paris hate-watch: 50:02–71:32
• Golden Globes & film critiques: 72:08–82:27

Selected Memorable Quotes (With Timecodes)

• “Mr. Green didn’t show up. I guarantee you, Nick Reiner’s brother and sister said, ‘We are not paying for the defense of the man that murdered our parents.’”
  —Nancy Grace [06:44]

• “She better do better in front of a jury than she did at that podium.”
  —Nancy Grace on Kimberly Green [14:50]

• “It will be a cold day in H-E-double-L that I believe that mother did not know what was going on.”
  —Nancy Grace [22:16]

• “Emily is the living effing worst.”
  —Maureen Callahan [53:01]

• “He’s the opposite of cool. He thinks he’s cool, which automatically means he’s not cool.”
  —Maureen Callahan [80:09]

• “Sometimes it’s fun to go to a movie that’s not trying to be an Oscar movie.”
  —Tim McKay [81:24]

Conclusion

This episode delivers everything “The Nerve” promises: sharp true crime analysis, with a heavy dose of media skepticism and cultural commentary. Maureen and Nancy Grace interrogate the intersection of family, media, and justice in high-profile cases. The episode pivots seamlessly to pop culture, lampooning empty television tropes and awards season films that fail to impress—a treat for listeners who want intelligence with their irreverence and aren’t afraid of a little controversy.

For listeners:

• Victim advocacy is a throughline: Nancy Grace repeatedly emphasizes the lack of systemic support for victims’ families.
• Pop culture and true crime inform each other: The hosts draw parallels between legal cases and their cultural portrayal.
• Listener engagement is encouraged—from critical feedback to meme fan art.
• Unfiltered, humorous, and unafraid of ruffling feathers—true to Maureen Callahan’s brand.