Podcast Summary — The Nightly: "Gas Station Chic" w/ EJ Marcus
Podcast: The Nightly by Hatch Podcasts
Episode: Gas Station Chic w/ EJ Marcus
Date: April 10, 2026
Overview
This cozy episode of The Nightly welcomes comedian EJ Marcus for a laid-back, bedtime chat about winding down, guilty pleasures, and the unique charm of gas station fashion. Hosts KP and Josh set the tone with playful banter, games like Kiss, Marry, Kill (pop culture edition), and reflective moments about routines, the allure of impulse gas station purchases, and the joy of everyday rituals. Designed to help listeners unwind, the episode delivers both laughs and gentle reflection on the rituals that bookend our days.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Slumber Party Mood
- Hosts introduce themselves and firmly clarify they are not a romantic duo but simply "pop culture lovers."
- “We are lovers of pop culture. We’re not canonically lovers of one another as seen in pop culture. We’re not like Ross and Rachel.” — Josh (00:50)
2. EJ Marcus's (EJ) Bedtime Routine
- EJ’s evolving nighttime practices: Noticing value in winding down rather than just conking out.
- “Previously I didn’t put a lot of stock into, like, the idea of winding down. ... But there’s so much beauty in kind of leaning into what you do right before bed.” — EJ (02:33)
- Ritual details: Puts phone in another room for the last hour before sleep, added skincare (night cream with a purple label), but avoids hyper-structured routines.
- “...I never really did a skincare thing. For most of my life, but lately, I’ve been washing my face at night and then doing a night cream.” — EJ (03:09)
- Striking a balance: Avoiding too-rigid routines that might ramp up anxiety rather than promote rest.
- “It was such a rigid routine that I was kind of like, if I was telling myself to do that, I think I would get myself hyper again.” — EJ (04:20)
3. Reflections on Social Life vs. Self-Care
- Dilemma: Preferring to maximize waking (and social) time over elaborate bedtime wind-downs.
- “I can't afford another hour. That's going into pre sleep for me.” — KP (04:54)
- “I also feel like I have a really hard time saying no to socializing. ... So if my voice is like, either I see friends or I go home and start my nighttime routine ... that is sometimes what it necessitates is being totally, 'oh, I can’t hang out. I have to go start my nighttime routine.’” — EJ (05:15)
Kiss, Marry, Kill: Fantasy Series Edition (06:14–12:52)
Prompt:
- Game of Thrones
- Lord of the Rings
- Dune
EJ's Choices:
- Kiss: Dune (attracted by the celeb factor, but not much personal connection)
- Kill: Game of Thrones (overwhelming and not emotionally invested)
- Marry: Lord of the Rings (“I have a lot of reverence for the space it occupies in culture.” — 08:04)
Host Banter and Reflections:
- KP reflects on being "a guy’s girl" and finds Lord of the Rings less personally compelling:
- “I think it’s like there are a lot of guys in it and listen, I’m not trying to say nothing. They’re awesome. Listen, you guys know me. I’m a guy’s girl.” — KP (10:18)
- Josh shares the nostalgia of seeing LOTR films as a family holiday tradition and playfully notes, “Killing Game of Thrones is kind of like, oh, unexpected. That feels like a very Game of Thrones thing.” (12:32)
Kiss, Marry, Kill: Gas Station Clothing Edition (13:04–18:49)
Prompt:
- Wolf Shirt
- Colored Polarized Sunglasses
- Trucker Hat
EJ's Passionate Response:
- Shares that their signature style is, in fact, gas station-inspired (“...everyone was dressed like they got all their clothes from the gas station.” — EJ, 13:52)
- Retired wolf shirts for being “almost too youthful” (14:39), but praises the sunglasses and trucker hats.
- Choices:
- Kill: Wolf shirt (“Not my choice ... thrust upon me.” — 16:41)
- Marry: Colored polarized sunglasses
- Kiss: Trucker hat
Hosts’ Choices and Commentary:
- Key moment: All three agree to marry the gas station sunglasses.
- “We’re going three for three on marrying the sunglasses. That is huge. They are functional, they are fun, they are fashionable.” — Josh (18:08)
- KP broadens the “wolf shirt” category to include “bear shirt ... the animal of the week,” reflecting the playful tone (17:04).
- Discussion expands to gas station keychains (“...I got my friend a lovely one that says Mama Goddess on it.” — KP, 16:09) and the odd specificity of impulse buys on road trips.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On elaborate routines:
- “It’s like being at the office, your body’s office.” — Josh (04:41)
- On the philosophy of gas station couture:
- “Wolf shirt is a state of mind.” — KP (17:28)
- On prioritizing experiences:
- “When we’re 70, we’re not gonna remember the lotions we used. We’re gonna remember the art we saw.” — KP (05:42)
- On gas station sunglasses:
- “They look good on everyone too.” — EJ (17:45)
Closing Reflections & Goodnight Ritual (19:12–21:15)
- EJ shares a sweet bedtime tradition, inspired by their mom helping them build a catio (an outdoor patio for their cats):
- “...Lately when we go to bed, you know, we close off the catio, bring the cats in, and so I would love to close off the catio ... good night outside world. You know, cats going for bed, closing off the patio is now how I’m gonna think about, like shutting things down for the night.” — EJ (20:03–20:26)
- Hosts end by naming EJ’s cats, Corbin and Miriam, wishing them—and listeners—a beautiful night.
Notable Timestamps
- 01:44 — EJ Marcus joins the conversation
- 02:20 — EJ describes bedtime routine
- 06:14 — Kiss, Marry, Kill: Fantasy Series
- 13:04 — Kiss, Marry, Kill: Gas Station Clothing
- 19:46 — Goodnight ritual & “closing the catio”
Overall Tone
The episode is friendly, gently irreverent, and high on coziness and gentle humor. The discussion is relatable, focusing on everyday pleasures, humorous musings on pop culture, and the small self-care victories that make life a little sweeter.
If you missed this episode, you’ll walk away ready to appreciate your own bedtime ritual, maybe eyeing that pair of gas station sunglasses with new admiration—and wishing your day could end with a cheerful “closing the catio.”