Therapy Gecko Podcast – “I DRAW THE RICH AND FAMOUS”

Host: Lyle Forever
Date: August 27, 2025
Location: New York City, in a park (Washington Square Park)

Episode Overview

In this vibrant and delightfully wandering episode, Lyle the Therapy Gecko roams a New York City park and talks to a diverse range of strangers. Theme: an unlicensed lizard psychologist invites real people to share their lives, hopes, and neuroses on a single evaporating August afternoon. The title refers to an early guest who draws celebrities—and the underlying motif is about authentic self-expression, creativity, young adult anxieties, the contradictory forces of anonymity and fame, and the search for meaning and connection in the city.

Lyle’s interviews are unscripted and often hilarious, blending light absurdity with sincere curiosity. This episode features a music student, a celebrity-anime artist, a bender-loving Hinge user, a new immigrant jazz drummer from Amsterdam, hopeful freshmen, a sign-holding park-content creator, and others.

Major Conversations and Key Insights

1. Sid: The NYU Music Dreamer

Studying "Recorded Music" at NYU, posting open calls for new fans

• Freshman Angst & Aspirations (03:00–09:49)
  • Sid is 17 and just started at NYU, hoping to become a touring artist.
  • “My music is just a lot about my personal experiences and personal things that have happened in my life… I like to make music that relates to people as best as I can.” (03:58)
  • Inspired by Billie Eilish and Lizzy McAlpine, Sid posts music on Spotify and TikTok.
  • Her flyers “Looking for fans of my music” are inspired by viral NYC poster traditions. Lyle recognizes them: “I actually think I have seen that... with the little tear-off shit, right? Looking for fans. Yeah, it’s like a play on a dating profile, right?” (08:28)
  • Finds some success — people message Sid saying they discovered her posters.

2. Drew: The Street Artist Who Draws Celebrities as Anime

Runs into stars on the streets and immortalizes them as anime characters

• Encounters with Fame (10:00–19:50)
  • Drew, who sometimes goes by “Sabal,” claims to have met and drawn ten celebrities, including Seth Rogen (in Soho), Bill Murray, Elton John, Nicki Minaj, and Julian Schnabel.
  • His style is to draw celebrities as anime: “I would just like draw anime or represent anime in my own way... I just draw people as anime characters.” (13:25–13:30)
  • Lyle, delighted: “Would you draw me as an anime character?” (13:33)
  • Drew is fascinated by celebrity culture and how stars are “more normal than people sometimes.” (18:02)
  • Best celebrity encounter: Elton John criticized his portrait—“He was like, you messed up... but he was like, oh, it’s okay. He was like, nice about it. She was disappointed, but nice about it.” (18:46)
  • Drew’s childhood included travel and private school; he prefers private to public for potential kids.

3. Nor & Tunis: A Hinge Meet-Cute with International Flair

First meeting in person, matched on Hinge; Nor is from New York, Tunis just moved from Amsterdam to study jazz

• Dating App Fatigue and Paradox of Choice (23:25–48:58)
  • Nor, 21, is emerging from a bender, starting back at community college, and recounts the woes and ironies of NYC dating apps (“Hinge bop”). “I feel like it’s a scam… the validation and then, like, low key… I be getting the craziest people liking my hinge, and I’m like, dog, I think I’m chopped.” (30:15–30:29)
  • Lyle reflects on the changing nature of romantic connection: “There’s no better or worse—every era of life… had its pros and cons.” (31:34)
  • Nor’s “hot take”: too many choices breeds unsatisfying “situation-ship central” in NYC dating.
  • Both Nor and Lyle discuss the “destiny” vs. “algorithm” question. Lyle objects: “The universe has no laws. You’re the judge and jury and God of your own life, which means that you can derive meaning from whatever you choose to be. And it’s inherently valid because you’re God.” (34:58)
  • Nor consults Co-Star: “Love is when a question mark feels more like a period. Do: friend zone, borrowed items, hold hands. Don’t: hot takes, nitpicks, strong sips.” (36:00)
  • Dutchman Tunis, a jazz drummer who just moved for school, explains he came for “the music—this is, like, the place for jazz music.” (44:40)
  • Tunis is more agnostic about apps: “It’s what you make of it, I feel… but it’s also a bit manipulative in the way it’s made because it’s monetizing off this platform.” (47:11–48:10)

4. Sarah: The Art Student with a Practical Bent

Moved with friends from Florida to NYC, studying design, prioritizes practicality

• (51:41–54:22)
  • “Honestly, whatever makes money. I do like design… I’m majoring in design because I feel like that’s more money-making. Not going to lie.” (52:05)
  • Appreciates fun in aesthetic accessories—Diet Coke pins, Pulp Fiction trinkets.
  • Offers tongue-in-cheek life advice: “Drugs, bitches, and coke.” Then, earnestly: “Stay in school. Do what you want with your life.” (54:13–54:26)

5. Alex: The Park Content Creator Seeking Connection

Known for holding up viral signs, loves making friends but struggles to find love

• Dating, Friend Zones, and Self-Reflection (55:35–81:41)
  • Regular at the park with signs like “Make me laugh and win $1,000”; teacher’s aide by day.
  • Loneliness is not the issue: “My social life is going great. I come out here, hold a stupid sign and people approach me… so many great friends.” (64:00–64:12)
  • But dating is tough: “Situationships. Are they into me, are they not, exes, heartbreaks… It’s so much going on.” (56:30–56:42)
  • Finds it emotionally taxing to move beyond friendship (“I’m always putting myself in the friend zone before they do that to me… How many more friends can you have?” (60:23–60:41)
  • On attraction: “For me, like, I can’t really fall for someone, head over heels, unless I really get to know them… I have to really vibe with them at first.” (62:58–63:08)
  • Recounts a prolonged, unresolved flirtation with a woman from the park, plagued by timing, nerves, and “butterflies.” Lyle, exasperated: “Anytime things are this complicated… It’s like, what even is this?” (79:28–79:36)
  • Ultimately: “Go find something that doesn’t exhaust you. Jesus fucking Christ.” (80:36)
  • Final wisdom: “Surround yourself with good people, because good people will bring you up… Love y’all. Surround yourself with good people.” (81:41)

6. Andrew: New Yorker by Choice, Seeker of Authenticity

31, left Florida for NYC to escape stifling environment, seeking to live authentically as himself

• (85:42–97:38)
  • Left Florida after a difficult coming out process and finding “safe space” for self-expression in NYC.
  • “I felt like New York was a safe place for me, not only creatively but also to express myself fully… I’m now living more in my, like, authenticity.” (86:01–87:24)
  • Transition is lonely, but he sees it as positive growth. “It literally sharpened me. It made me… into the person I am today… it gave me superpowers.” (88:16)
  • Emphasizes the liberating power of self-love: “It’s so true, it’s so freeing to be yourself no matter what you’re going through. Like, you’ll find peace when you start loving yourself more because no one can love you as much as you can love yourself.” (88:16–89:30)
  • Lyle reflects that the more he talks to people, the “more agnostic” he becomes about identity and truth:
    • “The more I travel and talk to people and do this, the more I know I don’t know fucking anything. I actually… my identity crumbles the more I talk to people.” (94:15–95:09)
    • Quotes Rick and Morty: “All I know is that we’re all going to die and nobody belongs anywhere. Come watch TV.” (95:19)
  • Andrew’s closing message: “Anyone out there… it’s so much more beneficial if you do what you love and you are who you are… If you say ‘I love you’ all the time in your head, you start actually bringing it on to reality.” (97:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On music, dreams, and high school in NYC:

  • “There’s no like high school shows that are in New York, are there? So what’s that experience like?” – Lyle (06:13)
  • “When I was younger I did not like the city. But as I got to high school, I got a lot more independence… I went out with friends and stuff. So I definitely grew to like… love the city in high school.” – Sid (06:31)

• On the search for connection:

  • “I think you’re gonna live an amazing life. And, you know, I mean, someone’s gotta make… Someone’s gotta write songs about.” – Lyle (09:19)

• On celebrity encounters:

  • “I just, like, met them… I just, like, bump into them and, like, drew them. Like, you know what I mean?” – Drew (10:14)
  • “His name is Julius Schnabel. His artwork goes for, like, tens of millions of dollars in auction. I drew them here.” – Drew (12:27)

• On NYC dating and apps:

  • “You get on there and then, like, you just start talking. I used to be an Omegle kid. I used to be one of those. So this is like Omegle, but, like, low key, like, attractive people and, like, consensually seeing dick, you know?” – Nor (29:18)

• On the paradox of choice in dating:

  • “Why do you think everyone is fucking situationship central right now? Riddle me that, weather boy. Well, Gekko boy, I don’t know.” – Nor (31:46)

• On authenticity and existential humility:

  • “You’re the judge and jury and God of your own life, which means that you can derive meaning from whatever you choose to be.” – Lyle (34:58)
  • “The more I travel and talk to people and do this, the more I know I don’t know fucking anything.” – Lyle (94:15)

• On acceptance and growth:

  • “When you start loving yourself more because no one can love you as much as you can love yourself.” – Andrew (89:30)
  • “If you say ‘I love you’ all the time in your head, you start actually bringing it on to reality… Life is coming literally out of you. What’s inside of you, you manifest.” – Andrew (97:03)

Timestamps of Highlights

• Sid’s musical journey and NYC childhood: 03:00 – 09:49
• Drew and the art of bumping into celebrities: 10:00 – 19:50
• Hinge, benders, and destiny with Nor & Tunis: 23:25 – 48:58
• Sarah, art & practical design, trinkets & advice: 51:41 – 54:22
• Alex, park content, friend zones & heartbreak: 55:35 – 81:41
• Andrew: on moving, authenticity, self-love: 85:42 – 97:38

Episode Tone & Style

The Therapy Gecko remains radical yet soft, irreverent, curious, and sometimes comfortingly agnostic. Lyle draws out vulnerability, laughs, and ironic wisdom from each guest. There’s earnestness beneath the absurdity—a recognition of everyone trying to be seen, be real, and enjoy the only August 25, 2025, they’ll ever get.

Big Takeaways

• Authenticity Matters. Nearly everyone wants to be seen as they truly are—artist, friend, romantic partner, or even lizard therapist.
• There’s No Single Right Way. Whether dating, creating, or living, every approach (old school, new app, passionate, laid-back) has its own pros and cons.
• Connection Is Complicated—but sharing the journey, in a park or on a podcast, makes meaning out of the mess.
• You Know When You’re Exhausted. And that’s your sign to move forward.
• “Surround yourself with good people, because good people will bring you up.” (Alex, 81:41)
• Love yourself—out loud—even while not knowing anything.

[End of Summary]