Podcast Summary: Therapy Gecko

Host: Lyle (The Gecko)
Episode: “SHOULD I HAVE A THREESOME WITH MY NEIGHBORS?”
Date: January 28, 2026
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this characteristically freewheeling episode, Therapy Gecko’s Lyle takes calls from listeners navigating personal crossroads, social dilemmas, and philosophical rabbit holes. The episode's titular question – whether a caller should engage in a threesome with her neighbors – launches a raw discussion about life in a new city, impulsivity, and self-discovery. Other segments explore navigating friendship breakups, the obligations of adult relationships, the peculiarities of animal mating, and quirky Wikipedia deep dives, all underscored by Lyle's irreverent, humanistic wisdom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Adjusting to Life in NYC & the Threesome Dilemma

Caller: Coralie (03:35–15:22)

• Moving for “the Plot”

  • Coralie recently moved from Vermont to Brooklyn for a change of pace, feeling a bit lost, jobless, and without a strong social circle.
  • She expected New York to deliver a sense of adventure but finds it unexpectedly lonely. Lyle reassures her:

    “Just existing in New York... it's so fucking expensive and crazy... It's the kind of the point of being there. The point is to feel the fire under your ass...” (Lyle, 04:42)

  • Coralie’s early weeks include exploring, job-hunting, sunrises on the roof – and being propositioned for a threesome by her neighbor.

• “Should I Have a Threesome with My Neighbors?” (06:54+)

  • Coralie reveals she’s intrigued by the “plot” of the proposition, having researched group sex on PornHub, despite being straight and unsure.
  • Lyle unpacks the ambivalence:

    “You didn’t immediately shut it down... it seems like you have some form of interest.” (Lyle, 07:30)

  • The duo explores how modern experiences are sometimes pursued for the story, not necessarily desire.
  • Both agree: doing things “for the plot” can be valid, but caution against regret or going against authentic desires:

    “I feel like I shouldn’t do it. I feel like I’m just doing it for the wrong reasons, honestly.” (Coralie, 10:40)

  • Lyle provides existential perspective:

    “There’s no real reason to have sex other than reproduction... but we live life far beyond the biological lens into more humanistic.” (Lyle, 11:01)

• Whimsical Detour: “Prey” and Alien Philosophies

  • Coralie ponders being prey (like a mouse), sparking a meditative riff from Lyle about consciousness, hierarchy of beings, and perspective.

    “You might be in the same position as the rat... There could be a being so much more conscious than you.” (Lyle, 13:06)

• Coralie’s Parting Words to Listeners

  • “Be yourself and life’s not that serious... live it up.” (Coralie, 15:00)

2. Navigating Friendship Breakups and Adult Social Obligations

Caller: Stella (15:38–40:12)

• Identity, Homes, and Mixed Feelings

  • Stella, a Kiwi who’s lived in America for eight years, reflects on feeling split between cultures, never having truly experienced her home country as an adult.

• A “Friendship Break” & Guilt

  • Stella describes a recent (platonic) friend “breakup,” expressing guilt even though she feels better and is simply less drawn to the relationship.

    “I feel like I understand how I feel right now... but I feel guilty about how I feel.” (Stella, 21:12)

  • Lyle reframes the dilemma:

    “Her doing all that stuff for you does not inherently obligate you to do all those things back for her... Your obligation and your time and your attention will gravitate towards the people you want it to.” (Lyle, 23:24)

  • He argues for intentional, limited focus in relationships—cultivating a “handcrafted list” of people you genuinely want in your life, versus expending energy out of obligation.

• The Social Media Layer

  • Discussion of how social media blurs the boundaries of connection and increases pressure to maintain relationships.

• Affirming “Quality over Quantity”

  • Stella shares a positive example: regularly scheduled hikes with a favorite friend (“super cute and intentional,” 34:52)
  • Lyle concludes:

    “You’re not an antisocial monster... You have the capability to feel and connect... Direct your focus out of genuine desire, not obligation.” (Lyle, 35:08)

• Takeaway for Listeners

  • Stella: “If you really want to dye your hair and you’re too scared to, you should just do it.” (39:59)

3. “I Have a Secret to Share”: Subverting Expectations and Wikipedia Deep Dives

Caller: Coulter (44:54–86:46)

• Fake Secret, Real Conversation

  • Coulter calls after texting that he has a big secret—actually, he doesn’t (“Not even a joke secret? I'm trying so hard to think of a joke... I'm too high to do that right now.” Coulter, 46:09).
  • Lyle rolls with the lack of content, leading to a wide-ranging, surprisingly earnest Wikipedia-fueled exploration.

• Psychology, Down Syndrome, and Sincerity

  • Coulter, a photographer with a psych degree, expresses a genuine interest in working with people with Down Syndrome.

• Stray but Thoughtful Topics:

  • Tampa Details: Chickens wandering in Ybor, local color, and dating anecdotes.
  • Animal Mating Facts: The mechanics of chicken and duck reproduction, including the “cloacal kiss” (56:47) and the legend of duck penises.
  • Mandela Effect: Misremembered facts; a segue to Nelson Mandela’s achievements (“Imagine on your Wikipedia page, it just says he’s one of the greatest guys that’s ever lived.” Lyle, 64:33).
  • Time Travel Hypotheticals: Would Lyle go back in history to change major events? No (“I don’t think I could have stopped the Holocaust.” Lyle, 66:41). Discussion on the limits of individual action, nature vs. nurture, and moral quandaries (Would you kill baby Hitler?).

• Age Gaps & Celebrity Facts:

  • Lyle and Coulter discuss notable age differences in relationships (Nelson Mandela, Dick Van Dyke), and philosophical musings about maturity, life span, and death.

• Reflecting on Connection:

  • Despite joking about the call’s meanderings, Lyle appreciates the simple, unstructured joy of sharing curiosity and humanity.

• Coulter’s Parting Message:

  • “Live your life to the fullest, guys. And just remember that love is everything.” (Coulter, 85:57)
  • A mutual, sincerely over-the-top exchange of “I love you”s closes the segment.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On New York Transplants:

  “Nobody retires and then moves to New York City... It’s a place to chase dreams and feel the fire under your ass.”
  (Lyle, 04:43)

• Doing It “For the Plot”:

  “I kind of just want to do it for the plot... I was, like, on Pornhub, like, researching last night...”
  (Coralie, 07:41)

• Friendship Priorities:

  “You have just a finite amount of time and energy... You have to pick the people or the things that take your energy. If you let it flow where you feel obligated, you’re living a life you didn’t create for yourself.”
  (Lyle, 23:24)

• The Being-prey Thought Experiment:

  “You might be in the same position as the rat... There could be a being more conscious than you are.”
  (Lyle, 13:06)

• Fake Secrets and Real Connection:

  “What would you have said if I had just said, okay, what's the secret?”
  “I probably would have said, I think my cat's gay.”
  (Lyle & Coulter, 46:42)

• Wikipedia Rabbit Hole:

  “Basically an entire podcast of me browsing Wikipedia with you. And I don't mind that at all.”
  (Lyle, 84:49)

• Parting Advice:

  “Be yourself and life’s not that serious... live it up.”
  (Coralie, 15:00)
  “Bleach and dye your hair.”
  (Stella, 40:04)
  “Live your life to the fullest, and just remember that love is everything.”
  (Coulter, 85:57)

Episode Timeline (Timestamps)

• [01:34] – [15:22] Coralie: Moving to NY, isolation, adventure, and the neighbor-threesome proposition.
• [15:38] – [40:12] Stella: Expat identity, navigating a friendship “break,” social obligations, and intentional friendship.
• [44:54] – [86:46] Coulter: The (non-)secret, Tampa life, animal facts, Mandela Effect, philosophical tangents, mutual appreciation.

Tone & Style

The episode is thoughtful yet unfussy, blending vulnerable admissions with offbeat humor and the host’s signature philosophical detours. Lyle’s “lizard psychologist” persona delivers both wry realism and empathetic wisdom, never missing a chance to explore the strange and the sweet in ordinary modern life. Callers share freely—sometimes anxious, sometimes silly, always genuine—making for an engaging, relatable listen.

For listeners who missed it: This episode exemplifies Therapy Gecko’s unique charm—foggy with weed, full of random Wikipedia facts, but refreshingly real about how humans stumble into adulthood, connection, and absurdity. The answer to “Should I have a threesome with my neighbors?” isn’t prescriptive, but emblematic: life’s weird plots are yours to write, and the only constant should be doing what feels right for you.