Podcast Summary: "Dirty Rush: Dropping my sister…that’s crazy!"

Podcast: Two Ts In A Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge (Host: iHeartPodcasts)
Episode: Dirty Rush: Dropping my sister…that’s crazy!
Date: August 16, 2025
Guests/Hosts: Gia Giudice, Jennifer Kessler (Jen Fessler), Daisy Kent
Caller/Guest: Grace

Main Theme

This episode dives deep into the realities, myths, and behind-the-scenes truths of modern sorority recruitment ("Rush"), specifically addressing listener questions and caller stories—from sorority lingo, dirty rush, and blacklisting, to the evolving rules around legacy admissions. The co-hosts and callers reflect on their own unique rush experiences, expose the emotional highs and lows, and offer advice for those currently going through sorority recruitment or supporting someone who is.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Listener Questions: Why Sorority Talk Is Taboo & Breaking Down Lingo

(02:31–04:12, 05:00–11:00)

• Caller Rosie asks the hosts to discuss why sorority life is often taboo, and to break down basic terminology.
• The hosts agree that sorority life varies greatly from campus to campus, but there are national norms and a lot of jargon outsiders don’t understand.

Main Terms Explained:

• Dirty Rush: (05:01)
  • Gia: “Kind of like playing dirty… recruited by a sorority who had interest in us, but behind closed doors, before the official recruitment process.”
  • Daisy shares at San Diego State, frat guys often reported back to sororities about which girls were "cool and fun," influencing sorority picks.
  • Jen: “I'm guessing they were probably basing it off of something sort of physical. That's just my guess.” (06:40)
• Rogamma / Pi Chi: (07:00)
  • Daisy: Rogammas guide small groups of PNMs (potential new members) through rush, remaining anonymous about their own sorority until the end.
  • Gia: “We called them PIs or pies.”
• Bid: (09:25)
  • Gia: “A bid is basically when you are wanted by the sorority, right?”
  • Daisy: “At the end, I remember we got a little card and you opened it up—that was my bid to be an Alpha Phi.”
• Exec Board Roles: (10:05–13:09)
  • Gia did ‘special chair of events’: “I planned BMOC, Parents Weekend ... a super fun little position.”
  • Jen: “I did rush chair... meaning I was in charge of all the skits, the dances.”
  • Daisy: “I did Panhellenic delegate. ... I always knew the tea that was going on.”
• Risk Chair: (14:35)
  • Daisy: “You're the one always able to call if someone’s in trouble… at events, you have to be sober. You're always the bad guy.”

2. Changing Nature of Recruitment & Social Media

(12:25–13:09, 27:08–28:28)

• Gia notes social media is now a major component. When Jen rushed, it was just "a group of girls showing up, a big group, and us singing West Side Story and hoping that they were going to think that we were fabulous. It was just so different." (12:34)
• Daisy remarks that, back then, Panhellenic rules and campus involvement were more prominent, but now, technology drives much of recruitment.

3. Exploring Sorority Culture: Dormstorming, Suicide Bids, and Continuous Open Bidding (COB)

(15:58–20:31, 32:27–33:31)

• Dormstorming: Going dorm to dorm to recruit freshmen for sororities—not part of everyone’s experience but used at some schools.
• Suicide Bid: (18:30)
  • Daisy: “When you only put one sorority (on your preference card)... if that sorority doesn't pick you, you get nothing.”
  • Gia: “That’s why it’s called a suicide bid, because you could potentially risk not getting into a sorority at all.” (19:30)
• COB (Continuous Open Bidding): (32:27)
  • Grace: “That’s always a good option too. I wish I could have done that. Would have been so much easier.”
  • Gia: “If they have a couple of girls they can bring in, typically the semester after... a much chiller process.”

4. The Legacy Controversy—When Your Sorority Drops Your Family

(23:39–26:36)

• Caller Grace shares: “My sorority actually dropped both of [my younger sisters] in the first week.” (23:40)
• Gia notes that being a legacy “should always have that legacy of getting into that sorority wherever,” and blames COVID and new tech systems for messing this up.
• Jen: “That would have never happened back in the day. A sister? Forget it. No way.” (25:11)
• Now, voting is through an anonymous app rather than in-person, making these mistakes/oversights more common.

5. Emotional Toll and Parental Anxiety

(29:15–38:22)

• Grace describes the emotional rollercoaster for her sisters/cousin, noting the sharp drop from 10 invites to just 3 can be devastating.
• Jen: “Knowing that, like, I wanted anybody that was going to reject my daughter Rachel, they had to die a slow and painful death ... especially if it’s your own sorority rejecting your sister. No. Good.” (36:34)
• Daisy: “I definitely believe that it’s harder as a mom watching it. ... Anything I go through is 10x harder for her watching me.” (37:25)
• They discuss the hyper-scrutiny parents, especially moms, now apply—sometimes even using location apps to track their daughters during rush.

6. The Sophomore/Transfer Experience, Blacklisting, and Reputational Landmines

(39:12–41:41)

• Gia: “It’s a lot easier for girls to get blacklisted if they’re rushing sophomore year or if they’re a transfer … if you have a certain reputation...”
• She describes a sad story of a friend who was blacklisted for unknowingly hooking up with a sister’s boyfriend.
• Jen and Daisy note some schools try to restrict socializing with fraternities for new PNMs to avoid this.

7. Perspective and Advice to Listeners

(38:37, 42:13–42:42)

• The hosts strongly emphasize that while rush feels overwhelmingly important, in reality, “it doesn’t even matter” after college or even after freshman year.
• Daisy: “No matter what, you are going to be okay. Like, if you’re in a sorority, if you’re not in a sorority, you’re going to be fine...”
• Jen: “There’s so many. And I love you guys, The message that you guys are sending out that it’s going to be okay.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dirty Rush and Frat Influence:
  "Having the frat guys do your homework. Literally doing the sorority’s homework." – Gia (06:30)
  "They weren't necessarily interested in what you were majoring in." – Jen (06:45)

• On Changing Recruitment:
  "We didn’t have social media, you guys. It was a whole different world. It was a group of girls showing up, a big group, and us singing West Side Story..." – Jen (12:34)

• Legacy Fumbling:
  “She should always have that legacy of getting into that sorority wherever. So they really screwed that up.” – Gia (24:03) “My sorority actually dropped both of them in the first week.” – Grace, caller (23:40)

• On Parental Hyper-Involvement:
  "I wanted anybody that was going to reject my daughter Rachel... slow and painful death. ...as a mom, you want the whole sorority, especially if it’s your sorority... wiped off the map." – Jen (36:34)

• Reality Check for Recruits:
  “It’s like a fever dream in the moment, but then it goes away.” – Gia (38:58) “No matter what, you are going to be okay.” – Daisy (39:01)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sorority Jargon & Dirty Rush: 04:12–08:48
• Rush Chair/Social Media Shift: 12:12–13:09
• Legacy Issues & Dropping Sisters: 23:39–26:36
• Emotional Toll & Parent Anxiety: 29:07–38:22
• Blacklisting & Sophomore Rush: 39:12–41:41
• Final Perspective & Advice: 42:13–42:42

Tone & Style

The episode has a candid, conversational style, mixing personal stories, laughter, and honest emotion. The hosts create a welcoming space for vulnerable confessions, and offer real talk as “insiders” with practical wisdom and support for listeners feeling lost or overwhelmed by sorority rush.

For Listeners Going Through Rush (or Supporting Someone Who Is)

• You’re not alone: Everyone—newcomers, sisters, and even parents—struggles with the process at times.
• It’s okay if things don’t go as planned
• Support your friends and family: Their experience may feel raw or unfair, but it isn’t the end of the world.
• If you get dropped, blacklisted, or overlooked, there are always other options (COB), and life goes on.

Closing thought:
If you’re in the thick of recruitment drama, keep perspective—it’s a moment, not your whole life. And as these former members say: “No matter what, you'll be okay.”