The Nightly from Hatch – Episode Summary

Episode: Leighton Meester, Ziwe & Sandy Cohen
Date: November 30, 2025
Hosts: Sophia, Kristen, Jacquees

Overview

This episode of The Nightly welcomes listeners into the cozy “Hatch Pillow Fort,” where Sophia, Kristen, and Jacquees engage in playful, late-night banter on nostalgic childhood games, viral bedtime hacks, the charisma of Ziwe (and her infamous Eric Adams interview), and the underrated comeback of Leighton Meester. Woven throughout are nods to iconic TV shows like The OC and Gossip Girl, all in the spirit of unwinding before bed.

Main Themes & Key Discussion Points

Pillow Fort Nostalgia & Childhood Sleepover Games

• The trio reminisce about classic sleepover tropes, admitting many “movie” moments (like pillow fights or food fights) weren’t really part of their childhoods.
  • Jacquees: “All the things that we see on TV that look fun – I never really did, like food fights, pillow fights ... I've never done any of the things that they make look like is a part of like awesome and a part of like your growing up life or whatever.” (01:57)
• Pillow forts were the childhood favorite that did live up to the hype, and the hosts discuss creative alternatives like “parachute beds” made with fans and blankets.
• Sophia suggests Jacquees try making a fort now:
  • Kristen: “Next time you want to watch a movie, just take some of those cushions off the back of the sofa, build them up like walls, put a blanket over the top, and then just enjoy the fact that you're in a fort watching a movie.” (03:37)

Viral TikTok “Bed Cocoons” & Sleeping Hacks

• Sophia shares a TikTok trend: surrounding your bed with pillows, covering them with a sheet, and creating a nest-like cocoon, comparing it to dog and cat beds.
  • Kristen: “So it’s like your bed is hugging you from all sides.” (05:06)
• The logistical challenges of this for adults with large beds (do we all have 10+ throw pillows, really?) get a laugh.
  • Jacquees: “Are the people that’s doing this like all sleeping in twin sized beds? Like, I have a king size bed – that’s so many pillows and blankets.” (05:09)
• Mariah Carey’s rumored “head nest” for wrinkle prevention sparks playful skepticism about celebrity sleep routines and science.

Notable Quote:

• Sophia: “I’ll do anything Mariah Carey says.” (06:45)

Weighted Blankets: Hype, Function & the Scandinavian Sleep Method

• Weighted blankets are dissected – some love the comfort, others find them exhausting:
  • Kristen: “Santa finally brought me one … I’m doing a full-on gym workout every night for eight hours in this bed because I’ve always been a tossy-turny sleeper. … I can’t do this blanket anymore. It’s too much work.” (08:02)
• Finding the right weight for your body is crucial; Jacquees notes individual and even couple sleep needs (the “Scandinavian sleep method”).
• Special pillows for side sleepers and Hatch devices also get a shout out as sleep aids.

Sophia’s “Scroll for You”

1. Ziwe’s Eric Adams Interview: Uncomfortable Comedy

• Sophia raves about comedian-interviewer Ziwe’s latest viral YouTube interview with NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
  • Sophia: “She will hold pretty uncomfortable eye contact with people … and he took that as her flirting with him.” (11:36)
    • Notable exchange:
      Eric Adams: “There’s so much in your eyes.”
      Ziwe: “You think that I’m hitting on you and I’m not.” (11:36)
• The hosts break down Adams’ “unflappable” confidence, outlandish quotes (e.g., “My haters become my waiters … when I sit down at the table of success”), and relentless desire for the spotlight.
  • Kristen: “There would be all of these stories coming out every week about what clubs he was at and bottle service … and the stuff that he was putting out there was kind of like the in the club sort of stuff that would be out there in 2001 … and you’re supposed to be the mayor!” (13:15)
• Sophia encourages everyone to watch the hilariously awkward interview for pure entertainment.

2. Leighton Meester: The Comeback Star

• Sophia notes Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) is suddenly “everywhere again” with roles on HBO and Netflix:
  • Kristen: “She’s also married to Adam Brody.” (15:14)
• Discussions of Gossip Girl, The OC, and the fascinating dynamic of real-life couples acting without being love interests.
• Sophia reflects on the nostalgia lens with which older shows are now rewatched, noting Gossip Girl is “crazy” but beloved, while The OC, though wild, still “holds up.”

Pop Culture TV Nostalgia: The OC, Sandy Cohen & Iconic Parents

• The hosts gush over The OC’s writing, theme song, and legendary soundtrack, also highlighting Peter Gallagher’s character, Sandy Cohen:
  • Sophia: “Oh, and I love Sandy. I was feeling deep love for Sandy Cohen.” (20:56)
  • Jacquees: “He's a good guy. He is the moral center of the show. ... It was the kind of character you were like, oh, I wish Sandy was my dad.” (21:11; 21:45)
• They joke about how TV parents were always embroiled in their own drama, often more than the teens.
  • Kristen: “Do they have parents? Oh, the parents were also in some mess. ... The parents messier than the kids.” (19:28)
• Talk ends on a hopeful note for former child stars and new chapters after fame:
  • Kristen: “I just want to see young stars not completely go off the rails, but to have a good life later on, I guess is what I mean.” (22:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kristen on pillow fights:
  • “I feel like a pillow fight could just go so sideways ... I can turn this pillow into a weapon. Trust that.” (02:19)
• Sophia on clubbing mayors:
  • “What, a 65-year-old guy can’t have fun? And it’s like ... I actually don’t know.” (13:57)
• Jacquees on TV drama:
  • “Oh, the OC achieved off the rails pretty significantly. Season one had enough storylines for four seasons.” (18:24)
• Kristen on Sandy Cohen:
  • “This is mind blowing to me because I always think of him as trouble.” (21:32)
• Jacquees on sleep strategy:
  • “I’m gonna put my three pillows around me so I can be cocooned in and I’m gonna have myself a good old night.” (22:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:50 – 04:00: Pillow fort nostalgia, sleepover storytelling
• 04:11 – 07:15: TikTok “cocoon” beds, Mariah Carey sleep ritual, weighted blanket debates
• 07:16 – 09:57: Sleep solutions, personalized pillow recommendations
• 10:17 – 14:52: “Scroll for You” – Ziwe’s Eric Adams interview, mayoral clubbing discourse
• 15:09 – 17:27: Leighton Meester comeback, Gossip Girl and The OC rewatch culture
• 17:28 – 22:40: TV nostalgia deep dive: parents, storylines, Sandy Cohen appreciation
• 22:40 – End: Final thoughts, winding down for sleep

Tone & Atmosphere

• Warm, playful, and gently self-deprecating.
• Inclusive for sleepover nostalgia and pop culture conversation.
• Relaxed, with plenty of laughs and “soft” advice you’d expect from friends winding down at a slumber party.

Perfect For…

Anyone who wants cozy, no-pressure pop-culture chitchat—perfect for winding down before sleep, reliving childhood sleepovers, and remembering that sometimes, it’s okay to question Mariah Carey’s science while still loving her, or wish Sandy Cohen would visit your dreams.

End of summary.