Podcast Summary: Intrusive Thoughts with Adam Rippon

Episode: Bad Purchases and Zero Refunds — with Michelle Collins
Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Adam Rippon
Guest: Michelle Collins

Episode Overview

Adam Rippon welcomes comedian, podcaster, and friend Michelle Collins for a rollicking, freewheeling conversation that covers everything from bad purchases and the perils of resale sites to international gigs, beauty treatments, social media trends, and the unique chemistry of their friendship. Expect plenty of wit, candid hot takes, personal anecdotes, and a shared obsession with sample sales and the RealReal grievances. The tone is playful, sarcastic, and deeply relatable, with both Adam and Michelle riffing on their lives in comedy, shopping regrets, and the absurdities of the modern world.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Friendship, Catch-Up, and On-Stage Chemistry

• Adam and Michelle reminisce about their first meeting at Sirius, recounting their instant rapport and over-the-top photo shoots together.
• Michelle jokes about preserving evidence of their friendship for future litigation, and both reflect on the rare magic of reconnecting after time apart.
• Quote: "You make me, like, funnier. You make me better. I start crying." (Adam, 02:13)

Michelle Collins in LA: Performing, Mish Heads, and Losing Her Purse

• Michelle recounts her recent LA show at Dynasty Typewriter, describing the unique venue vibes and nostalgic smell of popcorn.
• She hilariously details her frazzled attempt to remain calm after leaving her purse (with everything except her passport) in an Uber right before her gig.
• Quote: "Imagine being by yourself with new people and this is, like, professional setting and trying to play off the fact that, like, your car keys, your wallet, your phone, like, everything is away from you." (Michelle, 04:25)

The Riyadh Comedy Festival Controversy

• Adam prompts Michelle for her “hot take” on major comedians (Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, etc.) performing at a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia.
• Michelle criticizes established stars for chasing lucrative gigs in problematic locations, while sympathizing with lesser-known comics who may feel compelled by financial desperation.
• The conversation delves into the moral complexities of working in places with troubling human rights records and the collective societal tendency to "move on" after controversies.
• Quote: "I can assure you something that you are wearing, something you're using, something in your life has gone to support horrible, evil things. That is late stage capitalism, people. So none of us are clean." (Michelle, 10:03)
• Timestamps: Saudi/Comedy Festival chat begins ~06:25; North Korea gig analogy ~10:49

International Showbiz Oddities: North Korea Ice Skating Gigs

• Adam compares the Saudi festival to bizarre, high-paying international gigs, sharing the tale of a French friend skating in North Korea with strict censorship, awkward turtleneck costumes, and nondescript makeup.
• Michelle riffs on the censorship, mock-dreams of a “North Korean Love and Comedy Fest,” and jokes about her own price for such a show (“Two mil, that’s the golden number” – Michelle, 15:07).

Anti-Vax Barbecue in Italy: When in Rome...

• Michelle details stumbling into an anti-vax barbecue joint in Italy during COVID, where she decided to stay for “the story,” despite her discomfort and left hungry after a kitchen fire.
• Quote: "I can be like a Michael Moore or a Louis Theroux and sit here for the story and document." (Michelle, 17:17)
• This story serves as a metaphor for witnessing the “other side” and the value of discomfort for a broader perspective.

Finnish Rednecks and International Stereotypes

• Adam describes flying from Finland to Greece, surprised by the number of “American flag” shirts and “white-neck” travelers, which Michelle riffs on in classic deadpan style.
• The spontaneous reveal: both Adam and Michelle adore Mina Parikka, a Helsinki-based shoe designer, and realize they have direct, personal anecdotes and even own the same signature bunny-eared shoes.

The RealReal Resale Rant – Bad Purchases, Worse Refunds

• A central, extended segment (from ~26:40 onward) features both hosts venting about luxury resale platform The RealReal—its inconsistent grading, miniscule payouts, rejected consignments, and cartoonishly bad deals (Adam once made less than $5 on pristine Jimmy Choos).
• Michelle recalls The RealReal once selling her a counterfeit Narciso Rodriguez bag, and the logistical pain of orchestrating a reluctant return via her elderly parents.
• Both advise: as sellers, you end up with tiny returns, but as buyers, there are occasional pleasant surprises.
• Quote: "I have sold things there...and then they're like, 'Okay, $22.' ...that’s not even enough to buy me a regular turkey provolone at Jersey Mike’s.” (Michelle, 30:09)
• Quote: "Honestly, what do you mean you don’t carry this? I'm like, I bought it from you." (Adam, 29:13)

Sample Sale and Fashion Find Adventures

• Michelle shares her UK sample sale obsession, including clandestine tips about Arletti’s London Fendi sale and tales of snagging leggings, sports bras, and a comically small Fendi bag.
• Discussion of luxury shopping culture, what’s worth reselling (if anything), and the perpetual disappointment of bargain-hunting.
• Quote: "The hunt. It's—for me, it's the Olympics. That's my North Korean ice skating show." (Michelle, 37:26)

Love Is Blind & Beauty Culture

• The latter portion shifts to reality TV—specifically, Love Is Blind Season 6. Michelle dubs a contestant “Pretty Gizmo” (in a Gremlins-meets-Reese Witherspoon way) and the duo discuss the peculiar jobs and personalities of contestants.
• They also debate millennial/Gen-Z beauty trends: Botox, filler, “baby Botox,” and how celebrities often go overboard with procedures—plus, the pitfalls of fillers and the importance of moderation.
• Quote: "Baby Botox is a lie and a scam." (Michelle, 51:13)
• Timestamps: Love Is Blind talk ~48:00+; Beauty culture chat ~50:30+

Airlines, Elite Status, and Petty Injustices

• Adam and Michelle segue into travel woes and loyalty to airlines (Delta for Adam, United for Michelle), bemoaning unappetizing meals, lost upgrades, and slim compensation for inconveniences.
• They provide nerd-level tips for airport terminals, specific seat hacks, and sample-sale invitations for brands like Hermès.

Social Media: Threads, BlueSky, and Twitter

• The episode winds down with gripes about the humor vacuum on Meta’s Threads versus the wildness of Twitter (“the only funny place”). Michelle notes that complaining is the main theme on Threads, while Twitter remains her go-to for laughs.

How to Maintain Adult Friendships

• Adam and Michelle get meta about their texting habits: crafting needlessly long, apologetic messages between long silences, and vowing to embrace more casual communication, like sharing quick memes or DMs.
• Quote: "We need to get into, like, sending posts. Two lines. Two lines." (Michelle, 74:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If you stop being excited by that [seeing your name on a marquee], quit showbiz." – Michelle (04:15)
• "You know what it made me think of? There used to be an ice show that would take place in North Korea." – Adam (10:49)
• "I would never go to that comedy festival. Now, what is the number—or seventh marriage could work for me. It would allow me to be on the road." – Michelle (09:29)
• "I have sold things there...and then they're like, 'Okay, $22.' ...that’s not even enough to buy me a regular turkey provolone at Jersey Mike’s.” – Michelle (30:09)
• "I'd rather you literally spit in my mouth." – Adam on The RealReal’s payouts (31:50)
• "Honestly, what do you mean you don’t carry this? I'm like, I bought it from you." – Adam (29:13)
• "We become so rich, honey. Next year it's us. Public beheading. I love it. Oh, my God. If I were to get beheaded, let it be at the Riyadh comedy festival for 2 million." – Michelle (30:48)
• "I have two choices here. I can get up and leave...or I can be like a Michael Moore or a Louis Theroux and sit here for the story and document." – Michelle on the anti-vax BBQ (17:17)
• "Friendship is about sending stupid posts and not Tolstoy-length apologies. Two lines. Two lines." – Michelle (74:01)
• "Twitter is the only place people can still be funny. Sorry, Riyadh." – Michelle (74:18)

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:14: Michelle’s LA show and leaving her purse in Uber
• 06:25: The Riyadh Comedy Festival debate (Saudi gig ethics)
• 10:49: North Korea ice skating story and censorship
• 26:40: The RealReal grievances and resale horror stories
• 37:26: Deep dive into London sample sales and fashion bargains
• 48:00: Reality TV / Love Is Blind Season 6 discussion
• 50:30: Botox, fillers, and beauty industry takes
• 59:00: Airline loyalty, status, and meal mishaps
• 73:41: On adult texting habits and friendship maintenance
• 74:18: The state of social media and Twitter’s continued appeal

Conclusion & Tone

This episode is a masterclass in comedic banter, brimming with specific, hilarious takes on pop culture, shopping, international mishaps, and friendship foibles. Adam and Michelle keep the tone light, irreverent, and self-deprecating, with frequent callbacks to running gags (Riyadh Comedy Fest, The RealReal, the perils of being tall, and airline indignities). A standout for fans of both hosts and anyone who’s ever resented a bad resale deal or gotten sucked into an Instagram story for hours.

For more Michelle Collins:

• Listen to her Patreon show (highly recommended by Adam).
• Follow both hosts for more unfiltered takes, TV recaps, and, inevitably, more meticulous tales of luxury bargains gone wrong.

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