The Toast – “Positive Affable Swans”

Episode Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: Jackie & Claudia Oshry
Podcast: The Toast (Dear Media)

Episode Overview

This Thursday’s episode of The Toast is classic Jackie and Claudia—witty, cozy, and filled with sisterly banter. The main theme is nostalgia and the evolution of girlhood into womanhood, interspersed with hot takes on pop culture news, Olympic celebrity drama, and listener-favorite deep dives into the hosts’ memories. Memorable discussion threads revolve around fake IDs in their youth, first dates, TV scheduling woes and a lively breakdown of the latest viral stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nostalgia: Fake IDs and First Dates

[00:42–12:17]

• The sisters reminisce about their youthful exploits with fake IDs, how they passed them along to others, and the pivotal importance of siblings in acquiring a quality ID for nightlife.
• Claudia recounts losing her prized fake ID at Syracuse airport, the drama with TSA, and feeling more relief at escaping legal trouble than sadness for her lost nightlife access.
• They reflect on the pressure young women feel to “do the reach” to pay on a first date, versus evolving towards more unapologetic expectations:
  • “In hindsight [...] this is a hot button issue, but like, for me, I ain't moving. Ice queen. Like, I’m not even mincing words. Absolutely.” (A, [05:53])
• Jackie revisits her own college memories, campus life, and the rituals of visiting each other at school, leading to another story about Claudia’s ID mishap on a trip to visit Jackie.

2. Pop Culture Panel (“Swirl” Round-Up)

[12:17–18:42]

• The sisters break into a whirlwind round-up of topics:
  • Claudia’s impromptu singing sparks jokes about her “flow state” and creating a supercut of her singing moments on the podcast.
  • New trailer for “Friends and Neighbors”—with a detour into the Brian Peck/James Marsden controversy:
    • “He [James Marsden] wrote a letter in defense of Brian Peck [...] and it’s just like, what he was being accused of, maybe just, like, sit back and hear it out.” (A & B, [13:12])
  • A deep-dive on what makes James Marsden a “great actor, great celeb, great agent,” and their favorite of his roles—“Courtney Collins” and “Enchanted” making the list.
• Jackie reveals her latest musical obsession, Alex Warren, and the joy of unexpected musical rebrands:
  • “I completely agree. I'm here for the supermarket music rebrand into just, oh, good music [...] Alex Warren is making really good music.” (A, [15:53])
• TV drought woes: ongoing frustration that all shows drop on the same day, wishing for staggered releases for recapping purposes.

3. Correction on E! and the Real Housewives Franchise

[16:32–19:09]

• Jackie corrects her previous commentary: E! Network is no longer part of NBCUniversal.
• Unpacks how this split could affect “Real Housewives” spin-offs, Bravocon appearances, and Watch What Happens Live cross-promotion.
• Discussion over balancing what shows to recap, the “pop culture podcast” label, and the pressure of maintaining both personal interests and listener expectations.

4. Fast Five Stories You Need to Know

(Starts at [19:19], sponsored content skipped)

Story 1 – Savannah Guthrie’s Mother’s Disappearance

[24:08–27:53]

• Savannah Guthrie, known for her TV composure, posts an emotional video pleading for the safe return of her kidnapped mother.
• The sisters empathize with her rawness, criticize internet speculation that blames the victim or spins conspiracy, and discuss how misinformation can harm real cases.
  • “I just need people on the Internet to hashtag do better.” (A, [25:15])
• Noted drama: a TikTok reporter prematurely naming a family member as a person of interest without grounds.

Story 2 – Tate McRae’s Team USA Olympics Ad Backlash

[27:56–36:15]

• Canadian pop star Tate McRae faces criticism for starring in a Team USA Olympics ad.
• The sisters debate whether such backlash is warranted:
  • “This happens all the time... a lot of athletes train, live, everything in the US but then go on to compete for other countries… It’s borderless, actually.” (A, [34:21])
• Side tangent: Opening ceremony hopes (Andrea Bocelli, Måneskin), what makes a good Olympics anthem, and the politics of nationality in competitive sports.

Story 3 – Cecily von Ziegesar Announcing a Blair Waldorf Standalone Novel

[37:19–41:41]

• Excitement over an upcoming “Blair” novel featuring Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf, set 20 years later.
• The sisters wax poetic on the original series’ book model covers and Leighton Meester’s definitive portrayal:
  • “While Gossip Girl, like, is regarded as, like, this teen drama, if you are to watch it, it is an exercise in perfection when it comes to acting. Blair Waldorf... is a masterpiece. Minga Kelly could never.” (A, [41:03])
• Debate: Who could play Blair in a screen adaptation? (Verdict: Only Leighton Meester.)

Story 4 – Nick Viall & Natalie Joy Expecting Twins

[45:26–48:10]

• Nick Viall and Natalie Joy Viall announce they’re expecting twins, after difficulties growing their family.
• The hosts express genuine happiness and relief for the couple:
  • “I'm so happy for them… Like, I know that they've been getting a lot of scrutiny recently and it just gives me such a pit that she's been, like, in the throes of first trimester.” (A, [46:18])
• Reassure listeners about the integrity of their previous commentary and express hope for Natalie’s peace during pregnancy.

Story 5 – The Masked Singer & Teddy Mellencamp’s Reveal

[48:48–53:07]

• The Masked Singer panel guesses, discussion, and Reddit sleuthing: Teddy Mellencamp revealed as Calla Lily, with clues about her family and Real Housewives ties.
• Spirited debate over the identity of “Pug Caso” (Phillip Phillips? Court Overstreet? Anthony Ramos?).
• Commentary on the judging difficulty:
  • “I imagine it's actually, like, the hardest job to be a judge.” (A, [51:34])

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “What you do in the dark shows in the light.”
  (B, [00:31]) — Jackie, on the arrival of Thursdays and the fruits of consistent hard work.

• On fake IDs:
  “I remember being like, they're like, you know, boarding pass and ID. I'm like, here's my boarding pass. I literally don't own an ID... And they were like, I thought you said you didn't have an ID. And I'm like, I got so nervous. I was like, well, it's fake.”
  (A, [09:28])

• On first date etiquette:
  “You want to be seen as the sort of woman who's down to pay. But now, no, you don't. Like, in hindsight. Like, no, you don't.”
  (B, [05:44])

• Olympics pop culture context:
  “There’s Americans everywhere. Like, we're so annoying... because I feel like we take it more seriously...”
  (A, [35:03])

• On the pressure and relief of performing daily:
  “I feel like that was a strong performance from Corgi.”
  (B, [53:59])

• Episodic philosophy:
  “We come in as, like, ugly ducklings, internally, family, always beautiful always, and we leave, like, these positive, affable swans.”
  (B, [55:12])

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fake ID, teenage nostalgia: [00:45–12:17]
• Pop culture rapid-fire & James Marsden discussion: [12:56–16:32]
• TV and scheduling vent: [17:52–19:09]
• Savannah Guthrie hostage video analysis: [24:08–27:53]
• Tate McRae Olympics ad backlash: [27:56–36:15]
• Gossip Girl “Blair” novel news: [37:19–41:41]
• Nick Viall & Natalie Joy’s twins reveal: [45:26–48:10]
• Masked Singer segment: [48:48–53:07]
• Show philosophy, “affable swans” sign-off: [55:08–56:39]

Tone and Language

• Playful, candid, unfiltered—sisters riffing with warmth and teasing but circling back to empathy and support.
• Classic mix of millennial nostalgia, pop culture, and the daily realities of adulthood.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is both a nostalgia-soaked ride and a pop culture pulse check. Jackie & Claudia oscillate effortlessly between stories from their past (fake IDs, college visits, first dates) and rapid-fire takes on current news—from Savannah Guthrie’s personal tragedy and the Olympics’ nationality drama, to big pop lit news and the euphoria of pregnancy reveals. The episode ends on a meta note, reflecting on the challenge and catharsis of daily performance, with a signature clever Toast metaphor: “We leave like positive, affable swans.”

For any Toast listener or first-timer, this episode is quintessential Oshry: irreverent, relatable, and joyfully aware of its cultural lane.