Podcast Summary

Podcast: Therapuss with Jake Shane
Host: Jake Shane
Guest: Renee Rapp
Episode: Session 91: Renee Rapp Returns
Date: August 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features singer-songwriter and actor Renee Rapp returning to the "Therapuss" couch with Jake Shane. The two longtime friends dive into Renee’s new album “Bite Me,” share stories from touring life, discuss mental health journeys, and answer audience “Tell Me What’s Wrong” questions. The conversation is candid, hilarious, and deeply heartfelt, balancing playful banter with real introspection on creative fulfillment, relationships, and self-acceptance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Renee’s New Album: “Bite Me”

• Album Details and Process

  • “Bite Me” is Renee’s sophomore album, written and recorded over two years (since November 2023).
  • Renee discusses her stubborn approach to creative control, saying the album was finished "when I was obsessed with it."
    • “I just hate being told what to do. So it took a long time because I’m stubborn, but also because I wanted to impress myself.” (Renee, 05:01-06:07)
  • She struggled to include the song “Sometimes,” initially unsure until the verses were changed.
  • Renee: "I genuinely love this album so much. It's so important to me." (06:44)
  • Last song added: “You’d Like That, Wouldn’t You?” and last one written: “I Think I Like You Better When You’re Gone.”

• Musical Evolution

  • The new album is vocally more intricate and challenging for Renee than her first.
    • “There are, like, a lot of tiny little acrobatics and intricacies that I didn't have in my first album.” (15:34-15:53)
  • She finds it more rewarding and difficult due to the vocal subtlety.

• Tour Preparation

  • Renee is both excited and daunted by touring, sharing how it's mentally and physically trying:
    • “Touring is a talent… you have to have a lot of stamina, mental and physical.” (10:17)
  • The new tour starts on September 23rd in Colorado; rehearsals hadn’t started at time of recording.
  • Some older songs may be retired from her setlist, including “Too Well” which she’s famously not fond of.

2. Mental Health, Self-Worth & Growth

• Then vs. Now

  • Both share how their anxiety and depression used to be overwhelming, but things have improved.
    • “I hated being alive. Genuinely, like, genuinely hated being alive... Which is so sad, and, like, genuinely so scary.” (18:21-18:43)
  • Renee credits her happiness to valuing her personal life over her career, surrounding herself with supportive friends and a healthy partner.
    • “No one is ever going to look out for me the way I'm going to look out for myself... So why am I listening to so many people that will never value my life as I value my own, right?” (21:24)
  • She’s learned to set boundaries: “My life is so much more full without me bending over backwards for people who don't give a shit about me.” (22:35)

• Creativity & Self-Complimenting

  • Renee admits she struggles to accept compliments or value her own work, but “Bite Me” brought her closer to self-acceptance.

3. Friendship & Nightlife Stories

• Supportive Friend Group

  • Jake and Renee’s friendship is rooted in mutual support and shared humor about nightlife escapades and hangovers.
  • Their group’s dynamic: “We're not going out to look cute and have fun and be seen. Actually, we're trying to maybe not do that... we're trying to be seen as little as we possibly can.” (24:08)
  • Nightlife tales include “blackout-safe zones” with supportive friends, and running interference for each other in dicey situations.

• Memorable ‘Therapist’ Moments

  • Renee’s “therapist” points: Annoyances with nightlife (mezcal shots, club drama, overprotective purse owners) and sticking up for friends when random men act out of line. (31:01-33:16)

4. Audience Q&A: “Tell Me What’s Wrong”

Jake reads and discusses assorted listener submissions:

a) Boyfriend Says “You Remind Me of My Dog” (33:40)

• Both agree it’s an insult: “He just called you a bitch, by the way.” (Renee, 33:56)
• Philosophizing that ugly dogs (and ugly babies) do exist—no need to pretend otherwise.

b) Baby Voice in Relationships (38:13)

• Renee: “Everyone in a relationship kind of does that... It happens.” (38:16)
• But if a guy does it, “pack that up.”

c) Best Friend’s Girlfriend Winks/Flirts (39:22)

• Ambiguity about intent. Renee muses, “If you want to fuck the girlfriend, just say so.” (40:48)
• She can do the alphabet backwards (Z to A) on command (39:42).

d) Parents Shut Down Every College/Career Idea (41:00)

• Renee jokingly prescribes “Euthanize your parents and move out,” before clarifying: “Get really good at something and then prove them wrong. My parents thought I was gonna crash and burn and be dead in a ditch somewhere by the time I was 17. And then at 18, I got a job.” (42:27)
• Reveals her background as a competitive golfer and how parents wanted her to pursue that professionally.

e) Outgrowing Friends (45:27)

• Both urge that it’s never too late to make new, healthier friendships. Their own friend groups only came together recently and grew stronger with new additions.

f) Bad Situationship Hookups (47:49)

• Renee’s blunt advice: “Stand up and grow up.” (48:06)
• Encouragement to value oneself and move on: “If somebody doesn't want to be around you, then, okay, they're lost and they can be the asshole to somebody else. Clearly that person's not the asshole for you.” (48:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I just hate being told what to do. So it took a long time because I’m stubborn, but also because I wanted to impress myself.”
  – Renee (06:01)

• “I genuinely love this album so much. It's so important to me.”
  – Renee (06:44)

• On Tour:
  “Touring is a talent...you have to have a lot of stamina, mental and physical to go through tour.”
  – Renee (10:17)

• “No one is ever going to look out for me the way I'm going to look out for myself.”
  – Renee (21:24)

• On relationships:
  “He just called you a bitch, by the way.”
  – Renee (33:56)

• On boundaries:
  “My life is so much more full if I'm not trying to appease Tom, Dick, and Harry.”
  – Renee (22:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Album discussion and process: 02:40–08:14
• Tour talk: 08:28–13:14
• Mental health & growth: 18:10–23:06
• Q&A (“Tell Me What’s Wrong”): 33:37–48:20
• Closing reflections on friendship: 50:08–50:22

Tone and Style

• Conversation is warm, irreverent, and intimate.
• “Therapuss” is tongue-in-cheek, but there’s real vulnerability—especially regarding mental health and Renee’s growth.
• Banter includes self-deprecation, dark humor, and open queerness.

Final Reflections

Jake and Renee wrap up expressing their deep affection and mutual support, with Jake saying, “I think you’re gonna be in my life forever, and I really love you so much.” (50:08)

The episode is a mix of laughter, honesty, and real friendship—highlighting the value of creative fulfillment, mental health, and supportive community.