The Toast – "Couch Potatoes Deserve Love Too"

Hosts: Jackie Schimmel & Claudia Oshry
Episode Date: October 16, 2025
Podcast Description: Weekdays with Jackie & Claudia Oshry, serving up the top 5 pop culture stories you need to know, plus candid sisterly chats.

Episode Overview

The Thursday episode of The Toast delivers the signature blend of relaxed banter and sharp pop culture commentary from hosts Jackie and Claudia. The show covers everything from TV recaps (notably Love is Blind) and celebrity sightings to fashion world news, including a comprehensive breakdown of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show comeback, Sofia Richie Grainge’s new brand launch, and controversial Kardashian-adjacent headlines. The hosts also thread personal anecdotes about life, LA oddities, and the existential woes of couch potato shaming, culminating in a deep dive into media’s portrayal of celebrity parents—especially couch potatoes who still "deserve love," as the title cheekily asserts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Celebrity Sightings in LA

• Nicole recounts seeing Shane Dawson emerge from a Tesla Cybertruck at the Beverly Hills Hotel, sparking a nostalgic discussion of the Shane Dawson/Jeffree Star “Conspiracy” era and the power of internet “group think” in marketing.
  • Memorable quote [02:54, Jackie]: "No, it’s a master class in mass psychosis."
• There's debate over LA hot spots for celeb sightings (Kathy Hilton at Cheesecake Factory, Nobu Malibu). Nicole jokes she may have glimpsed Al Pacino... or not.

2. Dog Culture & LA Observations

• Nicole is struck by how dog-obsessed Angelenos leave their pets off-leash everywhere, even in non-fenced parks. Jackie is blasé, as long as owners control their dogs.
  • [13:31, Nicole]: "People here, like, I have seen more dogs off leash than I have on leash."
• Tangential musings on soda pitchers at restaurants, lush LA parks, and the hosts' personal comfort zones with “incline” walking.

3. TV Recaps: Love Is Blind & More

• Jackie and Nicole discuss the latest batch of Love Is Blind episodes. They critique "over-long" editing, particularly the tendency to show minutiae instead of summarizing key developments.
  • [06:36, Jackie]: "I don't know what happened to the editor... these episodes are not being edited."
• They analyze relationship drama, notably Annie and Nick’s dysfunctional dynamic and Sparkle & Jordan’s endearing storyline.
• Brief sidebar: Jackie catches up on TV show “Nobody Wants This,” riffing on the Foster sisters and how fictional podcasts shape public perception.

4. Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Comeback

• In-depth coverage of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show return, including fashion, inclusion, nostalgia, and what’s now "missing":
  • Celebration for Jasmine Tookes opening the show while nine months pregnant.
    • [24:24, Nicole]: "She's pregnant with her second baby. She's a former Victoria's Secret model. She's insane looking… Loved. That is probably the only positive thing I have to say about this."
  • Critique of the event’s lack of exclusivity and the lost “spark” of the original show. Both hosts agree VS can't recapture past magic, despite checking all the boxes for a contemporary audience.
    • [28:27, Nicole]: "It’s not moving me because I’ve moved on, and I think a lot of people have, and it’s just, like, the harder they try, like, the sadder it is."
  • Discussion of notable models and performers (Jasmine Tookes, Adriana Lima, Madison Beer, Angel Reese, Madison Beer not performing), nostalgia for past iconic performances (Rihanna, Taylor Swift).

5. Fashion Launches

• Sofia Richie Grainge’s SRG Atelier launches as a Revolve-powered bodywear/outerwear brand, drawing comparisons to Helsa and House of Harlow.

  • Jackie praises the collection’s elegance but notes the high price and brand name challenges. Both hosts laud the strategic Revolve partnership.
  • [39:15, Nicole]: "It’s really pretty stuff. You guys, I’m shook. I was ready to be a hater. You know me."

• Brief aside: Gwyneth Paltrow’s upcoming fashion line “Gwyn” is teased, adding to a trend of celeb-driven, elevated DTC lines.

6. Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Jenner, and Timothy Chalamet Triangle

• Amused dissection of Gwyneth’s admission in British Vogue that she didn’t know her Marty Supreme co-star Timothy Chalamet was dating “young mom with two kids” Kylie Jenner.
  • [41:45, Jackie]: "Like not Gwyneth thinking it’s like some down on her luck single mom when it's literally billionaire Kylie Jenner."
• Reflections on the absurdity of celebrity perceptions and boundaries of “relatability.”

7. Selena Gomez Exposes a Scammer

• Claudia breaks down a cryptic Selena Gomez Instagram story publicly sharing a phone number to expose someone pretending to be Wizards of Waverly Place co-star Jake T. Austin.
  • [45:41, Nicole]: "If even Selena Gomez, like, a billionaire pop star, can get scammed, really, there’s no hope for the rest of us."
• Jackie: We’re all fighting our own battles with scammers and spam calls.

8. Splits & Scandal in Celebrity Relationships

• News breaks during the episode: Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas have split after a brief romance. Nicole speculates about the dangers of dating Tom, especially relating to Scientology. Jackie is unconvinced the relationship (or the breakup) ever made sense.

9. Kevin Federline's Tell-All Memoir & Britney Spears’ Response

• Kevin Federline’s upcoming memoir accuses Britney Spears of dangerous behavior (including watching their kids sleep with a knife and alleged cocaine use while breastfeeding).
  • Hosts discuss the public's tendency to dismiss "couch potato" Kevin as lazy, but Claudia notes his role as the present parent.
    • [60:33, Nicole]: "I’m just not one of these people who’s, like, jumping to Britney’s defense because, like, Kevin’s a couch potato. Couch potatoes deserve love, too, okay? And couch potatoes could be good dads."
  • They deliberate the ethics of airing such claims, potential legal implications, and Britney’s Instagram statement denying the allegations.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On the Shane Dawson/Jeffrey Star era:
  [02:54, Jackie] "No, it’s a master class in mass psychosis."
• On LA dog culture:
  [13:31, Nicole] "People here, like, I have seen more dogs off leash than I have on leash."
• On editing of TV:
  [06:36, Jackie] "I don't know what happened to the editor... these episodes are not being edited."
• On the Victoria’s Secret Show comeback:
  [28:27, Nicole] "It’s not moving me because I’ve moved on, and I think a lot of people have, and it’s just, like, the harder they try, like, the sadder it is."
• On Sofia Richie Grainge’s line:
  [39:15, Nicole] "It’s really pretty stuff. You guys, I’m shook. I was ready to be a hater. You know me."
• On Kevin Federline and couch potato parents:
  [60:33, Nicole] "Couch potatoes deserve love, too, okay? And couch potatoes could be good dads."

TV Recaps: "Love is Blind" Highs & Lows

• Annie & Nick's toxic cycle, the editing challenge, Sparkle & Jordan’s likability, and the perennial “engagement caller-offer” speculation.
  • [62:03, Nicole on Annie]: "She's so insecure. It's like, nobody wants to be around that."
  • [63:12, Jackie]: "It's not even what she's saying, which is, like, one of the most annoying things a person could say, but it's also, like, the way that she's saying it... her facials are. I couldn't."
  • [66:48, Jackie]: "Joe’s not enjoying anything. Joe is not, and KB and Edmund are not. There’s no good times, really."
  • [72:06, Nicole]: "I have a lot riding on Jordan and Sparkle. I did not expect to, like, love them so much..."

Overall Vibe & Tone

This episode is quintessential Toast: conversational, funny, tangent-friendly, and self-referentially aware. Claudia and Jackie’s rapport shines through as they jump from cultural nostalgia (“group think” makeup era) to trendy TV commentary, celebrity fashion critiques, and hot takes on media narratives, all while candidly sharing their personal slow mornings and life updates.

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:40: Start of show, host banter
• 01:10: Celebrity sightings recap (Shane Dawson, LA hotel/restaurant circuit)
• 04:45: Thursday mood, TV catch-ups begin
• 05:56: Love is Blind breakdown, discussion of changes in season structure
• 13:06: LA dog culture, parks, and lifestyle commentary
• 16:36: Daylight savings and baby life
• 23:32: Fashion stories: Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show review
• 35:17: More fashion: Sofia Richie Grainge’s SRG Atelier launch
• 40:51: Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Jenner, Timothy Chalamet discussion
• 45:21: Selena Gomez vs. scammer
• 51:39: Tom Cruise & Ana de Armas breakup
• 53:54: Kevin Federline/Britney Spears memoir controversy
• 62:00: More Love is Blind breakdown, predictions and critiques

Summary for New Listeners

This episode encapsulates why The Toast is a daily favorite for pop culture obsessives: rapid-fire news, deep TV dives, ultra-relatable personal asides, and sharp—but still affectionate—skepticism of celebrity branding and reinvention. If you’re after a thorough rundown of what’s happening in reality TV, celeb culture, and women’s lifestyle brands, with plenty of laughs along the way, this Thursday Toast will hit the spot.