Podcast Summary: “Two Hot Takes”
Episode 256: "That's Suspicious" Ft. Taylor Tomlinson
Air date: February 19, 2026
Host: Morgan Absher
Guest: Taylor Tomlinson
Episode Overview
This lively, emotionally charged episode of “Two Hot Takes” features host Morgan Absher and comedian Taylor Tomlinson diving into some of the most head-spinning relationship and AITA (Am I The Asshole) stories from Reddit and listener write-ins. With Taylor’s signature wit and vulnerability and Morgan’s rapid-fire, true crime-honed skepticism, the pair react in real-time to confounding confessions, “updates” that never come, and relationship dilemmas that veer from the slightly odd to the genuinely disturbing.
Theme:
The main theme is tackling the bizarre, wild, and morally ambiguous corners of online relationship confessions, using both humor and honest, insightful perspective from two women well-versed in therapy, boundary-setting, and the art of catastrophizing.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Taylor Tomlinson’s Influence and “Vibe Check”
- [01:00-04:45]
- Morgan gushes over Taylor’s Netflix specials, describing her as "vulnerable, inspiring" and "destigmatizing mental health".
- Taylor jokes about YouTube comments on her wardrobe, sparking a discussion on social media and constructive criticism versus personal attacks.
- Taylor: “If they’re just like, your outfit sucks, I’m like, OK. I dressed myself and I’m not a professional, so I know.” ([02:41])
- They touch on the challenge of evolving under public scrutiny while maintaining authenticity, sharing stories of feeling “seen” through comedy.
2. Crowd Confessions and Greatest Hits
- [05:34-09:19]
- Taylor shares about her “Crowd Confessions” segment on tour, where audience members divulge wild and personal stories (sex in a tent, unique post-mortem wishes, barrel jeans debates).
- Both discuss why some confessions feel shocking while others are oddly sweet or community-building.
3. STORY 1: Hidden Camera Mystery
Title: “I (30F) found a mystery digital camera in my husband’s (32M) belongings” [11:37-19:48]
- Found a camera in a biscuit tin with dozens of photos of her own belongings, sometimes in pairs.
- Morgan and Taylor vacillate between the possibilities (sweet sentimentality vs. serial killer prelude vs. insurance photos vs. evidence for cheating).
- Taylor: “He didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just weird. And I want to know really badly...” ([14:22])
- Speculations abound: insurance, tracking movements, or prepping to hide an affair. The lack of closure haunts both.
- Taylor, exasperated: “This show is hell. Are they all like this?” ([17:17])
Notable moment:
Taylor’s deep existential discomfort with unresolved stories and her pledge to ask friends about the camera scenario, unable to shake the unsettling possibilities.
4. STORY 2: The Secret Room
Title: “AITA for not telling my fiancée about a secret room?” [21:09-29:23]
- OP reveals a secret room behind a bookcase after 8 months together; fiancée is furious, feeling betrayed; OP wonders if they’re in the wrong.
- Morgan and Taylor debate whether a “secret room” is cute or a red flag, with a comic gender twist:
- Taylor: “If it’s a man, you’re disgusting and I hate you. If it’s a woman, I love it and I think you should have kept the secret forever.” ([26:18])
- Discussion on surprises, intention vs. impact, and when a secret crosses into untrustworthy.
5. STORY 3: The Phantom Pregnancy
Title: “AITA for questioning my engagement after my fiancé got mad at me for drinking while pregnant” [30:45-48:47]
- A fiancé wrongly believes OP is pregnant after misreading a found test (actually his mother’s), proposes out of misplaced duty, shames her for drinking at a party, then spirals further.
- Taylor sees the twist coming: “My guess is it’s his mom is pregnant.” ([34:29])
- The genuinely mature response from OP—breaking off the engagement, calling for more communication—earns praise from both hosts.
- Morgan: “I think she handled this great.” ([47:33])
6. Therapy, Trust, and "Gut Feelings"
[39:10-44:41]
- Taylor reflects on personal growth, the difference between gut and anxiety, and the relief (sometimes) of being proven right about cheating.
- Taylor: “Eventually if you go through enough, you actively try to give people the benefit of the doubt because it’s not your natural state.” ([40:22])
- The role of therapy in detecting red flags, self-soothing, and balancing “catastrophizing” with healthy skepticism.
7. STORY 4: The Escape Room "Kidnapping"
Title: “AITA for kidnapping my fiancée for her birthday to take her to an escape room — she is so pissed at me.” [50:10-57:16]
- OP “surprises” his escape room-loving fiancée by having her and himself forcibly thrown into a van in a fake kidnapping prank, causing her to panic, flee, and call 911.
- Taylor: “Imagine if your husband did this and then had the audacity to be like, 'What’s wrong, babe?’” ([54:07])
- The hosts slam the utter lack of empathy and common sense, agreeing this is an obvious You Are The Asshole.
- Morgan about the escape van owner: “That seems destined to end badly.” ([56:55])
8. STORY 5: Never-Send Therapy Letter
Title: “Am I wrong for refusing to apologize to my fiancée’s mom for something I wrote in a never-send therapy letter?” [59:12-68:43]
- OP’s fiancé snoops in her private therapy journal, finds harsh unsent words about his overbearing mother, and demands she apologize to his mom.
- Both hosts are unequivocal: the violation of OP’s privacy is the true betrayal, and the demand to “repair the family” is a manipulative red flag.
- Taylor (firmly): “Dude, who cares about his mom? Break up with him. Are you serious?” ([64:13])
- Morgan: “Sunken cost fallacy is a construct in your head. Like, go, run.” ([66:40])
9. STORY 6: Locked Out in the Snow
Title: “Am I overreacting? My husband locked me out of the house for 25 minutes.” [72:39-83:11]
- Pregnant wife, after a disagreement about letting kids play in the snow, gets locked out by her husband for half an hour as “punishment”.
- Both hosts are appalled, labeling it as malicious, abusive, and out of all proportion—even as OP worries she’s “overreacting”.
- Taylor: “That just seems so crazy…that’s malicious and intentional.” ([75:59])
- Morgan: “The minute you start punishing your partner, it is abuse. Like, even stonewalling… I don’t know with this one.” ([76:17])
- Taylor speculates something more is going on (“Brain tumor?”), but the conclusion is the same: huge red flag.
10. STORY 7: Secret Social Media Catfishing
Title: “My wife built a secret Facebook/Instagram page of me to befriend all my exes” [84:12-93:33]
- OP discovers wife has created fake social media profiles in his name to contact and befriend all his exes, looking for “dirt.” She denies, then confesses but deletes evidence before sharing.
- Taylor (decisively): “Secret room doesn’t look so bad now, huh?” ([88:47])
- Morgan: “That is way too wild. That’s unhinged behavior.” ([89:14])
- Taylor and Morgan discuss the escalation of paranoia, invasion of privacy, and how age changes what’s considered “redeemable” conduct.
- Taylor raises a double standard on age/behavior: “You can’t do that at 31. 21...funny. 31—no.” ([89:40])
Notable Quotes & Moments
- On the Camera Story:
Taylor, bewildered: "This is the craziest thing I've ever heard. Is this bad? I kind of don't think it's bad." ([14:11]) - On the Secret Room:
Taylor ["glass not even half full”]: “You need a secret or two. It's okay.” ([23:59]) - On Catastrophizing:
Morgan: “I think I catastrophize a lot easier than I probably used to.” ([16:02]) - On Therapy Letters:
Taylor (STEAMING): “Dude, who cares about his mom? Break up with him. Are you serious?” ([64:13]) - On Fake Social Media:
Morgan, on the age double standard: “...she’s just a little unhinged, insecure… You can’t do that at 31.” ([89:14])
Timestamps Quick Guide
| Segment | Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Opening banter/intro | Morgan fan-girls, Taylor on feedback, brutal social media | 01:00–05:00 | | Crowd Confessions/Live show stories | Tour antics, sex and ashes, unusual audience answers | 05:34–09:19 | | Story 1: Camera in a biscuit tin | Photos of wife’s possessions—paranoia vs. sweetness | 11:37–19:48 | | Story 2: Secret room, secret betrayal | Secret lairs, gendered reactions, surprise, trust | 21:09–29:23 | | Story 3: Phantom pregnancy proposal | Misread pregnancy test, rushed engagement, mature handling | 30:45–48:47 | | Escape Room “Kidnapping” | Surprise gone wrong, lack of empathy, obvious YTA | 50:10–57:16 | | Therapy Letter controversy | Snooping, privacy, MIL from hell, “get out now!” | 59:12–68:43 | | Locked Out in the Snow | Petty retribution, emotional abuse, pregnancy, stunned hosts| 72:39–83:11 | | Catfish Social Media: The wife’s scam | Trust, paranoia, “you’re 31!” moments, is it divorce time? | 84:12–93:33 | | Reflections, closing banter | Emotional exhaustion, humor, “math for an hour” analogy | 93:34–97:08 |
Tone & Takeaways
- The tone is a blend of cozy vulnerability, unvarnished honesty, dry humor, and abrupt emotional whiplash as the hosts move from empathy to exasperation.
- Both Morgan and Taylor draw frequently from personal experience—therapy, family run-ins, dating horror stories—remaining supportive of people struggling but uncompromisingly critical of manipulation, punitive behavior, or clear boundary violations.
- Certain stories leave both hosts (and listeners) hungry for closure and, in the case of reader “updates,” plenty to unpack long after the episode ends.
Final Thoughts
If you haven’t listened, this episode is a comedic-yet-serious primer on setting boundaries, surviving family drama, and developing a “gut” for what’s healthy in relationships—while never underestimating the internet’s power to traumatize, amuse, and sometimes, help you heal.
Taylor’s most quoted advice for straight men:
“Make a plan. Listen. And put yourself in other people’s shoes.” ([58:51])
The episode ends with laughter, exhaustion, and the same question both hosts and Redditors ask again and again: “Am I the crazy one for thinking this is NOT OK?”
(Moral: You’re probably not.)