Two Hot Takes: Episode 235 – “Faulty Match” (Sept 27, 2025)
Hosts: Morgan Absher and Justin
Theme: An exploration of “faulty” relationships – mismatched couples, red flags, and questionable behaviors, all dissected with sharp humor and personal insight.
Episode Overview
This episode, airing just days before Morgan and Justin’s own wedding, dives into Reddit, listener submissions, and internet stories spotlighting degree-of-disaster relationships. With their own nuptials looming, the hosts reflect on compatibility and the warning signs that differentiate a fixable quirk from a reason to run.
Key Discussions & Hot Takes
[06:33] Reddit: Relationship Advice – Pre-Wedding Hymen Ultimatum
Story: A woman posts about her fiancé, who insists she break her hymen “as a favor” before their wedding to avoid blood on their wedding night but also expects her to abstain from further activity to “keep it tight for him.”
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Justin: "It's like that gross male rhetoric of 'keep it tight.'" [06:37]
- Morgan: "If the word hymen comes up before your wedding, you should run." [07:59]
- Both agree it’s not just a preference but a display of immaturity, selfishness, and ignorance.
- Key Flags: Concern with “tightness,” aversion to normal aspects of sex/blood, and shifting blame for his anxiety onto her.
- Discussion of similar stories – previous episode where a man wanted his dad to check fiancée’s hymen.
- Comments from Reddit highlight concerns about future misogynistic attitudes, potential after-childbirth shaming, and manipulation.
Memorable Quotes:
- "Some people disguise demands as questions." – Justin [11:38]
- “He is showing you who he is, how he views sex and how he views women. You should not marry him.” – Reddit commenter (read by Morgan) [10:52]
Take:
Faulty match with signs of manipulation. At best, a serious conversation is required; at worst, a warning to reconsider the whole relationship.
[19:03] Reddit: Am I Overreacting – Husband Body Shames Wife & Cheats Post-Baby
Story: A new mom reveals her husband belittles her postpartum body, refuses physical affection unless she loses weight, and is secretly on Tinder. After confiding in her dad, she's told to “work out and eat less.”
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Deep empathy for OP, outrage at both husband and father.
- Justin: "If I went through something like that and you’re not literally on the ground praising me... and now I'm the problem?" [22:47]
- Recognizes the emotional trap: woman is physically and emotionally vulnerable, husband acts out with entitlement.
- Highlight growing social shift – more women are refusing to tolerate such abuse.
Memorable Quotes:
- "It just comes down to, you don’t commit to a body, you commit to a person." – Justin [29:06]
Timestamps:
- [29:44] Morgan’s key point: “This one is just a faulty match. You’ve got an amazing baby out of the deal. Now get your shit together and get out.”
Take:
Clear, irredeemable “faulty match.” Advice: Prioritize safety, document evidence, seek legal counsel, and plan for a safe exit.
[36:33] Reddit: Surveillance After Breakup – Watching the Ex via Security Cameras
Story: OP continues watching her ex (who rapidly moved on to his younger sister’s 19-year-old friend) via cameras she still has access to post-breakup.
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Justin is disturbed by the deceit; Morgan highlights both the breakup cowardice and OP's own behavior, calling the surveillance “creepy.”
- Debate whether the new relationship was brewing pre-breakup or just an awkwardly-timed move-on.
- Discuss when emotionally disconnecting before breakup is “normal” vs. toxic.
Memorable Quotes:
- "It’s like you make someone believe something and the whole time you’re just... I'll never understand the people who are such cowards." – Justin [38:14]
- "Girl, that's a little creepy. It's giving a little bit stalkerish." – Morgan [39:12]
Timestamps:
- [44:07] Morgan quickly searches laws around camera access; legal ambiguity, but clear invasion of privacy if not resident.
Take:
Everyone is at fault to a degree; emotional messiness on both sides, plus ethical/legal gray zones. Sometimes closure is just logging off.
[49:43] Reddit: Am I Overreacting – Boyfriend Upgrades to First Class, Leaves Girlfriend in Economy
Story: Couple vacations together, but the boyfriend upgrades to first class alone, leaving the girlfriend in a middle seat.
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Both hosts strongly feel this violates not just chivalry, but basic partner consideration.
- Justin: "You don’t commit to a body, you commit to a person… I would 100% have you take my seat." [51:08]
- Discussion of “travel partner etiquette” and how small actions can speak to deeper priorities.
Memorable Quotes:
- "You paid to go be away from your partner." – Justin [51:49]
- "If you don't like this feeling, break up. That's basic travel partner etiquette." – Reddit comment read by Morgan [56:53]
Take:
Possibly a fixable lapse if not habitual, but worth noting for future patterns. Consideration in the small things matters.
[61:59] Reddit: Am I the Asshole – Fiance Writes Wedding Vows About Meeting in Yellow Dress (A Memory About His Ex)
Story: OP catches her fiancé writing vows about “the moment you stepped into that coffee shop wearing a yellow dress”—a story about his ex, not her.
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Morgan and Justin are dumbfounded at the mix-up and especially the follow-up defense (“It’s about the feeling, not who it was about”).
- Raises the question of emotional investment and awareness in the relationship.
Memorable Quotes:
- “You wouldn’t make that mistake.” – Justin [64:58]
- “If you said that at the wedding, I’d probably stop you… did you bump your head?” – Morgan [64:43]
Take:
Big emotional disconnect; a “yellow flag” at minimum. If he stays defensive or minimizes, be concerned.
[69:42] Reddit: Am I the Asshole – Refusing Colonoscopy Despite Family Cancer History
Story: OP’s boyfriend with a colon cancer family history refuses a colonoscopy out of embarrassment; OP calls him an “idiot” and questions the relationship.
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Both share personal ties to the issue (family/friend cancer cases).
- Strong support for OP's tough-love approach; the refusal is seen as a refusal to value the future together.
Memorable Quotes:
- “I care so much about you… and to watch you just throw that away…” – Justin [73:30]
- "Colon cancer is so preventable, and it's like, you're embarrassed? Why?" – Morgan [74:00]
Timestamps:
- [77:20] Morgan's story of colon cancer misdiagnosis and results.
Take:
Health avoidance affecting the relationship is a dealbreaker worth ultimatums—everyone deserves a partner who wants to stick around.
[82:16] Reddit: Am I the Asshole – Snapping at Husband Who Can’t Stand the Sound of Blinking (ADHD Quirk)
Story: OP’s husband demands she “stop blinking so loudly,” storms off, and blames ADHD. She snaps and says it’s time to deal with it.
Hosts’ Analysis:
- Both agree the demand is irrational; consider misophonia or sensory processing issues more likely than ADHD per se.
- Resolution: Husband apologizes, agrees to therapy, tries earplugs, and will sleep on the couch if needed.
Memorable Quotes:
- “You can’t ask someone to stop blinking!” – Morgan [84:24]
- “There you have an actual partnership.” – Justin [89:39]
Selected Memorable Moments & Quotes
- Morgan: "If the word hymen comes up before your wedding, you should run." [07:59]
- Justin: "You don’t commit to a body; you commit to a person." [29:06]
- Morgan (on emotional labor post-birth): “If you can’t even cuddle… after everything I did, after what I sacrificed… that’s extremely abusive.” [28:21]
- Justin: "I would 100% have you take my seat. My ultimate thing is seeing my partner happy." [51:08]
- Morgan (on closure): "Sometimes closure is just logging off."
Structure & Flow
Each segment is introduced by Morgan, read from a Reddit/listeners’ post, then analyzed by both hosts. Commentary is balanced between humor and empathy, often referencing their own experiences or prior podcast episodes.
- [01:15–03:45] Morgan and Justin discuss their upcoming wedding, “batch” recording, and introductions.
- [06:33–17:46] Reddit relationships stories (hymen ultimatum).
- [19:03–30:13] Postpartum body shame and cheating.
- [36:33–48:01] Surveillance post-breakup.
- [49:43–60:14] First class upgrade etiquette.
- [61:59–69:04] Wedding vows about the wrong woman.
- [69:42–81:19] Colonoscopy refusal.
- [82:16–89:39] Loud blinking and relationship compromise.
Conclusion
- Thesis Repeated: Don’t settle. Faulty matches show themselves; pay attention. “Find your left shoe, right shoe.”
- Any relationship can have “faults,” but a true partnership works through them, instead of letting the faults break the bond.
Listen For
- Empathetic discussions on modern relationship expectations.
- Practical advice for tough situations (legal, medical, emotional).
- Humor, personal storytelling, and sharp insight, especially regarding red flags.