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What happens when we stop being polite and start getting real?
29 Plays2 months ago
Welcome to the You Can Call Me Karen Podcast! In this episode, we dive into our collective obsession with celebrity gossip and reality TV. From iconic moments like Justin and Britney’s breakup to the drama-filled world of The Bachelor and Vanderpump Rules, we explore why we can’t seem to look away from breaking celebrity news and scandalous reality TV drama. Many call it a "guilty pleasure," but should we really feel guilty about being so invested? We uncover our fascination with the lives of the rich and famous and why reality TV has such a magnetic pull. Tune in to understand the deeper reasons behind our celebrity obsession and whether it's truly something we should feel guilty about or simply embrace.
As always - a big thank you to Steve Olszewski for the art and images, Calid B and SJ Fadeaway for the musical mixings, and huge credit to Malvina Reynolds (writer) and Schroder Music Co. (ASCAP) (publisher) of the song “Little Boxes”.
Lastly, please follow us on Instagram (@youcancallmekaren), TikTok (@YCCMKPod), and like/subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!
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Transcript
Reality TV Bonds and Questions
00:00:23
manni
Have you ever trauma bonded with someone over a reality TV show or are you normal? What was the first reality TV show you ever watched?
00:00:35
manni
Did you follow the lives of anyone after their storyline ended on the show?
Celebrity Disdain and Social Media
00:00:40
manni
Even if Sandoval so rightly deserves to be put into a pit of shame for what he did to Ariana, is it okay to comment on social media posts my disdain for his actions?
00:00:52
manni
And what's wrong with talking about the drama of Lindsay and Carl's breakup if it means it has the power to bond two suburban moms meeting for the first time at a backyard party?
Impact of a Religious Revival
00:01:03
manni
But most importantly, can anything good come from a religious revival on the Ohio State campus being held by a mother of a contestant on The Bachelor?
00:01:15
manni
Did you follow any of that?
Introduction to 'You Can Call Me Karen'
00:01:17
manni
No? Well, neither did my co-hosts, and that's okay because we will be squeezing the juice out of celebrity gossip on this week's episode of You Can Call Me Karen.
00:01:23
Steph
Hmm.
00:01:29
manni
So grab your favorite trumpet because we're about to spill the tea. Huh? Huh?
Humorous Host Banter
00:01:49
manni
Hello, listeners, and welcome back to the You Can Call Me Karen podcast. It's me. you can't find me.
00:01:59
manni
What's
00:02:02
karenstansfield
Oh my God.
00:02:07
Steph
Hello?
00:02:08
karenstansfield
I can never follow that. i feel like it's not fair when you go first.
00:02:10
Steph
Hi.
00:02:17
manni
Um, it's a blessing and a curse to have this kind of brain in your head.
00:02:25
manni
o What's up ladies? I'm joined by my two fabulous co-hosts, Steph. Hello, Steph.
00:02:32
Steph
hello yeah Was that like in English?
00:02:35
manni
and you me it Any melodies that you would... Oh, hello, Steph.
00:02:39
karenstansfield
Hello.
00:02:40
Steph
don't know, stiff? Like that's how it sounded.
00:02:43
manni
Good day.
00:02:47
manni
You see what I mean? We go multiple characters live up here.
00:02:48
Steph
Yeah. There's a lot going on there.
00:02:53
karenstansfield
God you have a therapist. Hello. Hello.
00:02:57
manni
Yes, she doesn't know how to handle me either.
00:03:00
Steph
yeah
00:03:04
manni
Stefalo and Karen, how you doing?
00:03:06
karenstansfield
and hello That's all I got.
00:03:09
manni
Oh, that was nice little tease.
00:03:09
Steph
Hmm.
00:03:10
karenstansfield
I'm working on it.
00:03:13
manni
tea
00:03:13
karenstansfield
Thanks. Now I'm sweating.
00:03:15
Steph
Hmm. Hmm.
00:03:17
karenstansfield
Hey, hey, wait.
00:03:17
manni
None of us. Oh, yeah.
00:03:18
karenstansfield
I have a quick update.
Profit vs. Prophet Realization
00:03:20
manni
Oh.
00:03:20
karenstansfield
I googled profit and profit.
00:03:22
manni
Oh. Okay.
00:03:24
karenstansfield
Turns out totally different root words from Greek and Latin, totally unrelated.
00:03:28
manni
Yeah.
00:03:29
karenstansfield
So there you go.
00:03:29
manni
Yeah.
00:03:30
karenstansfield
go
00:03:30
manni
So Karen's talking about our last episode where we all thought we had a really big mind-blown moment at the end of profit versus profit. And really, they're just homophones.
00:03:43
manni
That's it.
00:03:43
karenstansfield
Homophones.
00:03:44
manni
Homophones. Isn't that what they're called?
00:03:47
Steph
yeah I think it is. is it not?
00:03:49
manni
Okay.
00:03:49
karenstansfield
Homophone.
00:03:50
Steph
Homophone.
00:03:50
karenstansfield
Homophone. Like phone.
00:03:53
manni
but Potato, potato.
00:03:57
Steph
I knew what you meant, baby.
00:04:00
karenstansfield
Homophones.
00:04:02
manni
Is that somebody who walks around with a red hat?
00:04:03
karenstansfield
Oh my god.
00:04:06
manni
I don't know.
00:04:10
manni
I don't know.
00:04:11
Steph
That's amazing.
00:04:12
manni
yeah Okay. and Let's get into it.
00:04:16
Steph
Oh my gosh.
00:04:16
manni
Ladies, before we get started into our... Oops. yeah Can we edit that out?
00:04:24
karenstansfield
No.
00:04:25
Steph
No, i think I think it should.
00:04:26
karenstansfield
Absolutely never.
00:04:28
manni
that's That's going to stay. Okay. um Okay. So where are we? Oh, who are you calling it Karen?
00:04:36
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:04:37
karenstansfield
Seriously, we are off to a fabulous start. um I'll kick us off. i
00:04:43
manni
Okay.
Asserting in Telemarketing
00:04:44
karenstansfield
um i had ah I was a Karen this week and it was a brief moment in time and I'm proud of it. So
00:04:52
Steph
Yeah.
00:04:53
manni
Say more.
00:04:53
karenstansfield
um so I, ah you know, like most people, I get calls on my phone from phone numbers I don't know and I don't answer them because duh.
00:05:05
karenstansfield
But this week I got a phone call from a number I didn't know, but you know how like caller ID sometimes works. And so just do the kids these days know what caller ID is.
00:05:16
karenstansfield
Anyways, it said it said the name of my bank.
00:05:17
manni
i think so.
00:05:20
karenstansfield
So I answered it because it was like my bank.
00:05:21
manni
oh
00:05:23
karenstansfield
And so the person you know is like, um can I speak to Karen? And I was like, yes, this is this is her. And this woman was like, um hi, I'm so-and-so so calling from such-and-such bank about your mortgage.
00:05:36
karenstansfield
And so was like, okay.
00:05:37
manni
Wait, give us the name of all of this. What's the bank? What's the routing number? What's the account number?
00:05:42
karenstansfield
Four to six, I don't know.
00:05:43
Steph
Could you give me your four-digit pen?
00:05:44
karenstansfield
Okay.
00:05:45
manni
yeah
00:05:48
karenstansfield
It was actually not, i well, I don't know, maybe it was. ah But anyway, it doesn't matter. um she She was like, I'm calling about your mortgage. And I was like, okay, you know, like, what's up?
00:06:00
karenstansfield
And then she was like, um and we think it's a great time to refinance or some shit or like take out equity or some shit. And I was like, oh, no.
00:06:12
karenstansfield
I was like, no, I'm good. And if you could not call me again, that would be great. And she was like, well, actually, we think this, that and the other. Is it OK if I transfer you? And I was like, no.
00:06:24
karenstansfield
And i like, you know, normally I'm very conflict avoidant and like. um a people pleaser. I think I've said this before. And so normally i would like be stuck on the phone with this bitch for far too long because i was like feeling bad about like making her feel bad, you know?
00:06:41
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:06:42
karenstansfield
And I thought about all the conversations we've been having.
00:06:42
manni
Yeah.
00:06:45
karenstansfield
And I thought, you know what? You interrupted me in the middle of my day to call me about something that by the way is stupid because for those listeners that
00:06:49
manni
Mm-hmm.
00:06:54
karenstansfield
like that care about interest rates and stuff. I bought my home in the fall of 2021.
00:07:02
karenstansfield
one So I got in right in the nick of time and interest rates are more than double.
00:07:05
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:07:07
karenstansfield
So like, don't call me talking about it's time to refinance.
00:07:07
Steph
Period.
00:07:07
manni
Wow.
00:07:08
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:07:08
manni
Yeah. thank
00:07:12
karenstansfield
I was so mad. So I was like, please don't call me again. Take me off your list. And then I just like hung up and I was like, hmm.
00:07:20
manni
Wow.
00:07:21
Steph
Nice.
00:07:21
karenstansfield
I Karened the shit out of that and I felt good.
00:07:21
Steph
Click do. Do you guys remember that?
00:07:25
karenstansfield
No. Yeah, the sound
00:07:28
manni
Wait, what'd you say? Steph, I didn't hear it.
00:07:30
karenstansfield
that child knows anymore.
00:07:31
Steph
I said, like, I remember when I was in high school, our friends would be like, if you were going to like hang up on someone, we'd like click do.
00:07:38
karenstansfield
so
00:07:41
Steph
Like the like, that's how we would be like, no child knows anymore.
00:07:42
karenstansfield
yeah the sound that no child knows anymore
00:07:46
Steph
We'd like click do.
00:07:53
karenstansfield
I love it. Yeah, that's what I did. And I didn't feel bad at all.
00:07:56
Steph
Good.
00:07:58
karenstansfield
Like, that's it.
00:07:58
manni
Way to go.
00:08:00
karenstansfield
That's all.
00:08:00
manni
Proud of you.
00:08:00
Steph
I'm into it.
00:08:01
manni
I'm into it as well.
00:08:02
karenstansfield
It was a little moment in time, but I feel like you guys have empowered me to harness my Karen for, use my Karen for good. Or something.
00:08:11
Steph
The greater good.
00:08:12
karenstansfield
It wasn't good for that lady, but efficiency.
00:08:12
manni
Use your caring for efficiency.
00:08:14
Steph
Efficiency.
00:08:14
manni
For efficiency, who wants to be on the phone with somebody talking about that shit just to please them, right?
00:08:22
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:08:23
manni
Like think about how much wasted time that is.
00:08:25
Steph
Well
00:08:25
karenstansfield
I just felt like, yeah, you're you call, my bank name shows up, and so I'm going to answer that because, like, what if something's up, you know?
00:08:26
manni
oh
00:08:35
Steph
done.
00:08:35
manni
Right.
00:08:35
karenstansfield
And then you just say something stupid to me as if I don't know anything about anything.
00:08:40
manni
Right.
00:08:40
karenstansfield
Get out of here. There you go. Aw.
00:08:43
manni
ah
00:08:44
Steph
water
00:08:44
manni
All right. i like it. Say with your whole chest.
00:08:50
Steph
I say that to my kids at school.
00:08:52
manni
Yes.
00:08:52
Steph
Like they'll answer a question and i'll be and they'll be like, seven?
00:08:53
karenstansfield
oh
00:08:56
Steph
be like, say it with your chest.
00:08:57
karenstansfield
so yeah
00:08:58
Steph
It's seven.
00:08:58
manni
Yes.
00:09:00
Steph
Good job.
00:09:00
karenstansfield
And then you're like, nope, wrong. Oh.
00:09:01
Steph
yeah
00:09:02
manni
i yeah
00:09:03
Steph
No.
00:09:04
manni
Loser.
00:09:06
Steph
like, be proud. That was the right answer. Confidence.
00:09:10
manni
Oh, we're two different teachers.
00:09:10
Steph
yeah
00:09:15
karenstansfield
oh
00:09:15
manni
Steph, who are you calling in Karen this week?
00:09:18
Steph
Okay. So.
Beyoncé's Grammy Controversy
00:09:20
Steph
I um on Facebook, but, and so like Facebook is not, I know.
00:09:24
manni
Why? Yes.
00:09:27
Steph
This is, i feel like saying that out loud reminds me of when I told you guys I still listen to the radio.
00:09:32
manni
yeah
00:09:32
Steph
um But anyway.
00:09:33
manni
And she also still has a hotmail.com email address.
00:09:36
Steph
Okay, don't, that I, that love with my whole heart.
00:09:37
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:09:39
karenstansfield
Yep.
00:09:42
Steph
I'm not saying goodbye to my hot meal.
00:09:43
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm. Sure you do. Mm-hmm.
00:09:45
Steph
I do. I'm not messing with it. Um, I'm like, I'm like an old millennial. I'm kind of Gen Z or X. Is that anyway, whatever.
00:09:56
Steph
Um, so my Facebook is not as refined as my Instagram. Like, I feel like I was pickier about my Instagram. My Facebook is like the wild West. And so there's people I'm friends with who I would, you know what i mean?
00:10:08
Steph
Like I'm not friends with them on Instagram too.
00:10:09
karenstansfield
a
00:10:11
Steph
And so there was this lady in my newsfeed that shared this meme that um And the meme was Donald Trump signing another executive order.
00:10:24
Steph
And the caption says, ah Donald Trump is signing an executive order for Beyonce to give back her Grammy for best country out um album.
00:10:33
karenstansfield
Stop it.
00:10:35
Steph
And I was like, what? First of all, first of all, okay.
00:10:41
manni
How did you show up on my
00:10:43
Steph
How are you in my newsfeed bringing that kind of negativity to my life? A. B. The meme was made. So that means many people probably think that she should give back the Grammy for country.
00:10:56
karenstansfield
Oh, yeah. A lot of people.
00:10:57
manni
Yeah.
00:10:57
Steph
And C. This lady is one of those people. And hit click share.
00:11:03
karenstansfield
Yeah. Hmm.
00:11:04
Steph
it And so I was just thinking.
00:11:07
manni
like
00:11:08
Steph
like the
00:11:09
karenstansfield
Hmm.
00:11:10
Steph
And so I'm thinking to myself. Like. my Karen of the week is anyone who thinks that Beyonce should not have won the Grammy for best country album.
00:11:20
manni
oh yeah you think oh yeah
00:11:20
Steph
um
00:11:22
karenstansfield
oh you just alienated a lot of our listeners no i don't think no
00:11:23
Steph
Because listen, okay. Do you think I did? you think I did? ah she okay. I hope not. Cause like she won, know, even, even,
00:11:34
karenstansfield
weirdly i did see somebody post exactly the same thing i mean it wasn't the executive order but it was like um yeah yeah yeah
00:11:42
manni
Another country artist thinks that, yeah, I saw that too.
00:11:44
Steph
Oh, okay. I saw it too.
00:11:46
manni
But that was, that's fake.
00:11:46
Steph
And I looked it up. I looked it up because I was like, this artist I actually like. it was that Someone made a thing that said that Chris Stapleton said that she should give...
00:11:55
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:11:57
Steph
um If you look it up on Snopes, he never said that.
00:12:00
karenstansfield
I believe he didn't.
00:12:01
manni
yeah Yeah, it's fake. and
00:12:02
Steph
It's fake.
00:12:03
karenstansfield
I don't believe anything I read on social media anymore.
00:12:05
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:12:06
karenstansfield
Even the stuff that I'm a lot.
00:12:06
Steph
But that's what I mean. Like, that's part of what I mean about Karen's of the week being about Beyonce's Grammy win is that, you know, like the, the, the quote that went with Chris Stapleton objecting to it was like the, there's a distinct sound that needs to be protected was the art, like the quote in the, and I'm like, describe that sound.
00:12:11
karenstansfield
Mm hmm.
00:12:27
karenstansfield
hmm hmm
00:12:31
Steph
it It kind of made me think of like DEI too. Like,
00:12:35
manni
Hmm.
00:12:35
karenstansfield
hmm
00:12:35
Steph
Say those three words out loud. What exactly are you saying should not exist? Why does Beyonce is less deserving of a country um album Grammy than anybody else?
00:12:47
Steph
Just say it.
00:12:47
manni
Right.
00:12:47
Steph
Go ahead and say it with your chest.
00:12:49
manni
Right.
00:12:50
Steph
So Karen, they're my Karens for the week.
00:12:53
manni
Oh my God. Steph, when you said that, it reminded me of that video of the news anchor. who, do you know what I'm talking about? This video of the black, it's from years ago, but it's this black news anchor who has the white co-host.
00:13:06
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:13:12
manni
And one of them is like, I don't think it's fair that black people can say the N word and white people can't. And the black news anchor is like, sure you can say it.
00:13:26
manni
Say it. It is that video. Oh my God.
00:13:31
Steph
Oh, I need to see that.
00:13:32
manni
It's like, you're just like, oh
00:13:35
Steph
a
00:13:36
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:13:37
Steph
And there you have it.
00:13:37
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:13:38
manni
And there you have it.
00:13:38
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:13:39
manni
Yes. So, um yeah, we could do a whole topic on Beyonce and country music album and that whole saga from ah going to the Country Music Awards to her Super Bowl performance in Texas to Kendrick to the Grammys.
00:13:50
Steph
Yes.
00:13:54
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:13:54
karenstansfield
a
00:13:56
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:13:57
manni
There's been a lot that's happened this year with music and people who were I don't even want to say have mediocre talent. I don't even know if they have any talent are saying that these people, these artists are not deserving.
00:14:13
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:14:14
manni
um Yeah, maybe let's put a pin on that.
00:14:15
Steph
That was almost going to actually be my Karen of the week, but I went with Beyonce instead. I was going to go with Super Bowl Kendrick anyone who objected to that but it's another time another day
00:14:24
manni
Oh, Kendrick, yeah.
00:14:27
manni
Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a whole and nother dissect. Like we're going to be dissecting the Kendrick performance, I think, for the next like two decades. I just saw something else that came out the other day about like some of the subliminal messages.
00:14:40
manni
And i was like, oh, my God, this performance is there's so much there, just highly intelligent.
00:14:40
Steph
mm-hmm there's so much mm-hmm
00:14:43
karenstansfield
There's so much there.
00:14:48
manni
And I think, you know, I guess to like wrap up this conversation, it is. um You know, for me, what what I hear when that when those kind of remarks land is that, like, white people have gotten used to expecting a certain level of entertainment from Black people.
00:15:08
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:15:08
manni
And when we don't meet that expectation, then they say some...
00:15:17
manni
bullshit out of their mouth about our intellect, our talent, our worth.
00:15:18
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:15:23
manni
And um I think that's worth exploring deeper, definitely on this podcast when we when we have the time.
00:15:28
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:15:30
manni
So um thank you, ladies.
00:15:31
Steph
ah
00:15:32
manni
Thank you. Those were great Karens. And those are Karens for the week.
00:15:50
manni
Colin, Amaya, Kaya, Matt, Justin, Ruthie, and Tech. No, I am not calling roll for the Mickey Mouse Club.
00:16:02
manni
Although. That would be another great episode.
00:16:06
Steph
Heck yeah.
00:16:07
manni
um But rather, I am, in fact, calling the names of the seven 20-somethings that I watched obsessively on screen in the summer of 1999.
00:16:18
manni
These strangers sought out to uncover MTV's most daring question yet. What happens when we stop being polite and start getting real?
00:16:30
Steph
heck yeah
00:16:32
manni
we yeah
00:16:35
karenstansfield
Dun, dun, dun!
00:16:36
Steph
I can't. I'm pumped up.
00:16:38
manni
Yes, you have such a huge smile on your face, Steph.
00:16:39
Steph
but I'm so happy right now.
00:16:43
manni
um I know it just like touches a place in my heart. like i ah Gosh, i I agree. I'm very happy when I go back to that place in my memory bubbles.
00:16:52
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:16:54
manni
Reality television has had me in a chokehold ever since the moment I saw that ambulance pull up and save Ruthie from her alcohol alcohol poisoning. And when tech ran across the screen butt ass naked,
00:17:09
manni
My love for these C-list celebrities has blossomed into following cast members.
00:17:09
karenstansfield
Yes.
00:17:15
manni
What are they?
00:17:15
karenstansfield
Throwing shade.
00:17:17
manni
What are they A-list?
00:17:22
karenstansfield
You didn't have to call them that, but okay.
00:17:25
manni
Whoa.
00:17:26
Steph
got me good I'm sorry I did not mean to last hour but that was funny not it's only funny because it's true
00:17:30
manni
What are they?
00:17:35
manni
Okay, thanks.
00:17:36
karenstansfield
Ha ha ha ha
00:17:37
manni
I'm like...
00:17:41
manni
But okay.
00:17:41
Steph
Yeah,
00:17:44
manni
And I think that that's also like part of the conversation that we're going to talk about today, right?
00:17:47
Steph
yeah, yeah. yeah
00:17:48
manni
About like reality TV versus like some other celebrity gossip. So um anyway, I love following these cast members from Vanderpump Rules and Summer House to listening to an ungodly amount of podcasts on the Bachelor franchise, which funny enough is why I wanted to get into podcasting myself.
00:18:04
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:18:08
manni
um
00:18:09
karenstansfield
Hmm.
00:18:09
manni
And as our world has become more modernized, I'm finding that my total obsession over the lives of these characters on TV is climbing from reality TV to our A-list celebrities.
00:18:22
manni
Yeah.
00:18:23
karenstansfield
Hmm.
00:18:27
manni
um So I don't even know where to head with this topic.
00:18:27
karenstansfield
oh
00:18:30
manni
There's so much here. um All of the things are circling around in my head going back to the summer of 1999 and my childhood in the 90s, mainly flashbacks of Justin and Britney Spears first coming out as a couple and the absolute heartbreak I felt when I could no longer pretend he was singing to me on yeah TRL.
00:18:44
karenstansfield
and
00:18:54
karenstansfield
You still could.
00:18:55
manni
um So i my my question was, you know, like, did any of these references ring a bell to my so my co-host here? And I can tell through your nonverbals and verbals that they did.
00:19:07
Steph
period
00:19:07
manni
um But just to lay out some context for our listeners, my co-hosts do not have a strong feeling for reality TV like I do, like current reality TV.
00:19:12
karenstansfield
yeah
00:19:17
karenstansfield
None of it.
00:19:17
manni
I guess they like to read books or some stupid, lame shit like that. No, I don't know. I still read books.
00:19:22
Steph
yeah yeah
00:19:23
manni
I read books.
00:19:24
karenstansfield
You talk more about reading than and both of us combined.
00:19:25
manni
Read books.
00:19:28
Steph
period
00:19:30
manni
um But growing up, when do I have this?
00:19:31
karenstansfield
Where do you have all this time?
00:19:33
Steph
yeah
00:19:35
manni
I don't know. My mind just likes to wander. i can never i't can never just really sit still. um And I neglect my children a lot.
00:19:41
karenstansfield
Sane.
00:19:43
manni
We'll talk about that next episode. and
00:19:45
karenstansfield
Love it. I love it.
00:19:49
Steph
Oh my gosh. I just have not been ready for anything you're saying today.
00:19:51
karenstansfield
yeah
00:19:51
manni
um
00:19:55
Steph
At all. Okay. Okay.
00:19:58
manni
i I am going on very little sleep right now too. So it's just going to come out like that, very random.
00:20:05
Steph
okay
00:20:06
karenstansfield
love it and love it
00:20:09
manni
Okay. So speaking of my children, the other day i was driving Millie to um school and I'm ashamed to admit this, but we have a Tesla and And we got it before we found out about Elon Musk.
00:20:21
Steph
It's okay, girl.
00:20:22
karenstansfield
you
00:20:24
Steph
Oh. so okay girl
00:20:25
manni
And um in the Tesla, there's like a screen where you can like draw. And she was like, do you want to play MASH? Or no, she said, do you know how to play MASH? And I was like, oh, my God.
00:20:38
manni
I was like, right?
00:20:38
karenstansfield
I invented mesh.
00:20:43
manni
And so this got me thinking about, I know, like, come on, you can't con a con artist. um But this got me thinking about our um episode for the week of like, all the celebrities that I used to put onto my mashboard when I was younger.
00:20:57
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:20:57
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:20:59
manni
And just how ingrained glamorizing the lives of celebrities has been like since I was a small child. I'm talking like second grade here. I remember second grade Miss Ann Bush's class after taking spelling tests doing MASH with some of my friends.
00:21:17
manni
like core memory um so before i get to my question or my questions for our topic today who was a celebrity that always made it onto your mashboard and what's a juicy breaking news what's a juicy breaking news coverage um story of a celebrity that lives rent free in your head
00:21:18
karenstansfield
yeah
00:21:30
karenstansfield
Oh,
Celebrity Crushes and News
00:21:43
karenstansfield
shit. I should have prepared for this.
00:21:44
Steph
Okay, I'm gonna go first for the celebrity crush thing because my first celebrity crush was absolutely Will Smith, period.
00:21:46
karenstansfield
Please.
00:21:48
manni
Okay.
00:21:54
manni
Whoa.
00:21:55
Steph
I loved Will Smith.
00:21:55
karenstansfield
Yeah, I'm not surprised about that at all.
00:21:58
manni
I know I said, whoa, but I think that was more just like me buying time to come back with a rebuttal, but that doesn't surprise me at all either.
00:22:03
karenstansfield
but ah process that.
00:22:08
Steph
What? Why?
00:22:09
karenstansfield
Because you are you're like the world's biggest.
00:22:10
manni
You love Uncle Phil. Yeah.
00:22:13
karenstansfield
Yeah. Fresh Prince fan.
00:22:14
Steph
Fresh Prince, man.
00:22:15
karenstansfield
So like if you didn't say Will Smith, I'd be like, she's a liar.
00:22:16
Steph
I loved.
00:22:20
Steph
Oh, yeah. It's Will Smith. And um I can't really think of any. Like, you bringing up... um but Justin and Brittany, that really had me on a choke hold too.
00:22:32
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:22:33
Steph
Like I was, cause I loved like not long after Will Smith, I loved me some Justin. Like um we know that too.
00:22:40
manni
Yes.
00:22:42
Steph
And so the whole Brittany, Justin thing, I was gripped by. So that's so funny that you mentioned that couple and like when they broke up and then cry me a river and like all that stuff.
00:22:54
karenstansfield
I
00:22:54
Steph
I'm just like, you know, it, that really, that was my, I was into that.
00:22:54
manni
Oh, yes.
00:22:59
karenstansfield
feel like... For me, maybe maybe this is true more broadly, but for me at least, that was like the first time where i felt like I saw a little bit of their lives beyond like the music videos and the performances and stuff like that.
00:23:14
manni
Yes.
00:23:14
Steph
here
00:23:17
karenstansfield
So i and I'm with you. Like that was the moment for me where I realized like, oh, these people are humans.
00:23:18
Steph
and
00:23:22
karenstansfield
They have lives outside of what it is that we see day to day and this shit's juicy and I need to know everything about it.
00:23:28
manni
and
00:23:28
Steph
Well, you know what? um It's funny. i I know that I don't really watch... um reality TV now. And it's really just simply because I don't watch a whole lot of TV.
00:23:40
Steph
That's not a rerun of something um anymore. But when um I was a big MTV girl, I'm sure like very big.
00:23:48
manni
Yes.
00:23:48
karenstansfield
Yes, you were.
00:23:51
Steph
And when Justin and Brittany were still together, MTV did do like a one out, like a similar to like a
00:23:51
manni
Yeah.
00:24:02
Steph
like a behind the scenes, what is their like diary
00:24:05
manni
Oh, yes.
00:24:05
Steph
Kind of a thing.
00:24:06
manni
The MTV Diaries.
00:24:06
Steph
Do you remember that?
00:24:08
manni
Yes.
00:24:08
Steph
and it was, there was one of them as a couple and it followed them around like hanging out.
00:24:12
karenstansfield
Hmm.
00:24:13
Steph
And like they did when they did that all-star basketball game together and all of that, it was so good.
00:24:18
manni
Oh my God.
00:24:20
Steph
It was like an hour long. And so you kind of, like you said, Karen, got a glimpse behind the curtain and saw how they interacted.
00:24:23
karenstansfield
I didn't see that.
00:24:28
Steph
And, um you know, like I remember in the, in that episode, she was, learning choreography for, i don't know, a music video or something. And she was so giddy to be dancing again because, you know, she started as a dancer and she was like, I'm just so excited. And Justin was like, yeah, like I can tell.
00:24:46
Steph
Like, because she was just like, oh i feel like she was like,
00:24:48
karenstansfield
know.
00:24:49
manni
And that's when we should have known.
00:24:50
Steph
That's when we should have known. And she was like, oh God, don't like, you know, it was just super cute. in it And I was thinking to myself, like how excited I would be if I got to dance again and like, you know, like really, you know, whatever.
00:25:02
Steph
But i i was invested in that couple.
00:25:07
manni
Yes. In that relationship. Yeah.
00:25:09
Steph
Yeah, very.
00:25:11
manni
For real. I thought, honestly, when I put that question out that you were going to say, um, What's the girl from Friends and Brad Pitt?
00:25:23
karenstansfield
Jennifer Aniston?
00:25:23
Steph
Oh, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt.
00:25:23
manni
What's Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt? Because I remember my friends who watched Friends, like that was like heartbreaking for them when they broke up.
00:25:33
karenstansfield
When they broke up?
00:25:34
manni
i
00:25:35
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:25:35
manni
Yeah, yeah. And I know you're a big Friends fan as well.
00:25:38
Steph
I'm a big Friends fan, but I didn't feel like the way, like, invested in them as people outside of the show, as
00:25:43
manni
o
00:25:47
karenstansfield
Yeah, same.
00:25:48
manni
Yeah.
00:25:49
Steph
So like when they broke up, i was like, what? Really? That's okay. Well, anyway, um and please
00:25:53
karenstansfield
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:55
Steph
but but when Justin and Brittany broke up, I was like, who do I need to call to fix this?
00:25:56
karenstansfield
Like, maybe she'll get together with Ross in real life. Yeah.
00:25:59
manni
Yes.
00:26:02
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:26:02
manni
Right.
00:26:05
karenstansfield
I feel like I don't have the same attachment to celebrities as most people do.
00:26:05
manni
Yes.
00:26:14
karenstansfield
Or at least like our friends do.
00:26:15
manni
you
00:26:16
karenstansfield
I remember Justin and Brittany, obviously. remember when they were together and they wore the same jean outfit to the fucking Grammys.
00:26:23
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:26:24
manni
The Canadian tuxedo.
00:26:25
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:26:26
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:26:27
karenstansfield
And then, yeah, and then I remember them breaking up and it was like a big thing. But like what were we were just watching something recently about Britney. And they were kind of going back through her life as like a child in the spotlight and the interviews that she did.
00:26:45
karenstansfield
There was some really sad interview that she did after the breakup.
00:26:48
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:26:49
karenstansfield
And the guy was such a freaking creep to her.
00:26:50
manni
Yeah.
00:26:52
Steph
think it was not a guy.
00:26:52
karenstansfield
And then.
00:26:52
Steph
I think it was Diane Sawyer. The one that like, yes, it was bad.
00:26:56
karenstansfield
No.
00:26:56
manni
I think it was that it was Diane Sawyer.
00:26:58
karenstansfield
Oh, well, there was...
00:26:58
manni
Yeah, that came out in her book.
00:26:59
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:27:02
karenstansfield
There was one where it was a man because he was saying things very sexualized about her and she was like 16.
00:27:07
Steph
Oh, about her boobs.
00:27:08
karenstansfield
sixteen Yeah, and it was like, this is wildly inappropriate.
00:27:10
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:27:10
manni
Oh.
00:27:11
Steph
I know you're talking
00:27:12
karenstansfield
I do actually though, the Diane Sawyer thing, they definitely covered.
00:27:13
manni
Yeah.
00:27:15
karenstansfield
Like, it yeah, I just, I didn't know, i didn't see all of that in real time.
00:27:16
Steph
about. Mm-hmm.
00:27:20
karenstansfield
it was like, I saw that on this thing just recently and I thought, man, I was like, just what was I doing? i was just paying no attention apparently.
00:27:28
Steph
Well, thing is, like, sorry.
00:27:28
karenstansfield
But to go back to your original question, oh go ahead.
00:27:31
manni
Yeah.
00:27:32
Steph
but just wanted to, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
00:27:32
manni
Steph has all the facts.
00:27:35
Steph
And i but I want to comment on that because I was paying attention to all those interviews and stuff. And I feel like the new lens that is being like, shed on it is like, dang, like, what were we doing?
00:27:43
karenstansfield
Yeah, that's true.
00:27:46
Steph
Like, what were we doing watching her, like,
00:27:47
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:27:47
manni
Right.
00:27:50
Steph
Like, you know, these questions and what she had to talk about and what she had to represent on a day-to-day basis, like that weight was ridiculous and then unnecessary.
00:27:55
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:27:59
Steph
And it made me feel bad about how gripped gripped I was by her story.
00:27:59
manni
Right.
00:28:01
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:28:05
Steph
Like...
00:28:05
karenstansfield
Well, and and like the the feud between her and Christina and like...
00:28:05
manni
Right.
00:28:09
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:28:10
manni
Oh my gosh. I forgot about that aspect of it.
00:28:11
karenstansfield
The way that we just, it was like constant talking about their bodies. Everything was just like criticizing every inch of their body.
00:28:17
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:28:21
karenstansfield
And it was like, oh my gosh, in hindsight, those poor girls, the fact that they are like, they have survived to this age and like are, well, yeah, I mean, they have their problems, but yeah, I think the way that we talk about
00:28:22
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:28:29
manni
But they haven't.
00:28:33
manni
You know? Yeah. yeah
00:28:40
karenstansfield
celebrities these days is much different than it was the 90s were ugly the 90s were ugly anyways the the people that I thought were cute in the 90s yeah anytime that's what I'm here for um ah yeah yeah the detached style or whatever that's called anyways um
00:28:43
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:28:45
manni
Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for bringing us down.
00:28:49
Steph
Yeah, i kind of want to cry. Thank you that.
00:28:51
manni
you
00:28:55
manni
This is why she doesn't get attached.
00:29:06
manni
She's in therapy for that too.
00:29:07
karenstansfield
I want to go back to the easier question, which was, who did I crush on? And I thought, my first thought was like, i don't i didn't really like anybody.
00:29:13
manni
Yeah. Who's on your dashboard?
00:29:18
karenstansfield
But then, of course, the names that came to my head. This is so embarrassing, but I'm going to say it out loud. Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
00:29:26
Steph
Oh yeah.
00:29:27
manni
JTT. Duh.
00:29:28
karenstansfield
And Devin Sawa. Do you remember him?
00:29:31
Steph
Yes.
00:29:31
manni
Do we remember Demonsawa?
00:29:34
Steph
Can I keep you?
00:29:34
karenstansfield
Thank you.
00:29:35
manni
Get out of here.
00:29:35
karenstansfield
Thank you. Or your validation. Those boys.
00:29:38
Steph
Can I keep you?
00:29:39
manni
And
00:29:40
karenstansfield
Oh. Oh, Casper.
00:29:44
karenstansfield
Yes. So those were my boys.
00:29:46
manni
yeah and remember when he was in um Now and Then too and they stole their clothes from them when they went skinny to bed?
00:29:54
karenstansfield
Yes. I do remember that movie.
00:29:56
manni
And that was a fun part of the movie.
00:29:57
karenstansfield
Holy shit. The 90s movies.
00:30:00
Steph
I never saw that movie.
00:30:02
manni
Oh.
00:30:02
karenstansfield
Yep. The fact that I did is miracle.
00:30:06
Steph
and know I'm shocked right now. Rules reversed.
00:30:09
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:30:09
manni
i'm I'm a little disappointed, actually.
00:30:14
karenstansfield
Are you though?
00:30:14
manni
Yeah.
00:30:14
Steph
Sorry. I've seen most of the good 90s.
00:30:16
manni
No, I am.
00:30:17
Steph
Yes.
00:30:17
manni
Any one of my friends who's never seen Now and Then is dead to me. No, I'm kidding.
00:30:24
karenstansfield
ah That's your homework stuff. In all your spare time, if you could just watch that, that would be great.
00:30:28
Steph
Yes. I will try.
00:30:30
manni
It's such a good movie. I just love the scene where they're riding down the street with their bikes singing, in sugar.
00:30:37
karenstansfield
The like baskets. oh
00:30:39
manni
Yeah. And sometimes when I ride my bike around Fairhaven, pretend I'm in that scene. Anyway. All right. what's
00:30:51
manni
What's some breaking news coverage of a celebrity that lives rent-free in your head, Karen?
00:30:51
karenstansfield
Oh my gosh.
00:30:57
karenstansfield
I genuinely, don't think I have anything besides, I guess the Justin thing, Justin and Brittany thing, but like, Yeah, I don't, nothing lives rent free up there.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's Relationship
00:31:09
karenstansfield
There's just like moths, moths.
00:31:09
Steph
I have another one, like a more recent.
00:31:12
karenstansfield
Yeah, lay it on me.
00:31:15
Steph
i was not I was like, okay, I'm sorry. The whole Will Smith, Jada Pinkett thing.
00:31:22
manni
I was just about to say that when you said Will Smith was on your board, I was like another one that I thought would have come up was the slap.
00:31:23
karenstansfield
a yeah
00:31:28
Steph
Yeah.
00:31:31
Steph
the Oh, okay.
00:31:32
karenstansfield
Oh, the slap.
00:31:33
Steph
I wasn't really...
00:31:33
karenstansfield
Okay, yeah.
00:31:35
Steph
I wasn't talking about the slap, though. The slap was major, and we can talk about that, too. I was talking about the whole um entanglement thing when he was on the He went on her Red Table talk, and then, like, do you know how many memes they made of his face like while she's talking about her entanglement?
00:31:42
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:31:46
manni
Oh, yes.
00:31:52
Steph
And he was like, just say it. like and
00:31:55
manni
it
00:31:55
Steph
I was like, this is beyond... I'm so uncomfortable with how much...
00:31:59
karenstansfield
There's so much between like the two of them.
00:32:01
Steph
Between, yeah.
00:32:03
karenstansfield
I mean, there's so many moments and then there's a lot recently that I don't know enough about.
00:32:04
Steph
Yeah. and her
00:32:09
Steph
And just like the rumor of if their relationship's open or in all that stuff. I i remember, i feel like I was like, this is, at at some points I was intrigued.
00:32:13
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:32:19
Steph
And at some points I remember I was starting to see memes. Like, I feel like I'm in a group chat that I didn't ask to be a part of.
00:32:24
manni
Right.
00:32:25
Steph
Like,
00:32:26
manni
and went that
00:32:28
Steph
or um and
00:32:28
karenstansfield
Yes.
00:32:28
manni
Yes.
00:32:29
Steph
I'm starting to hear more than would like. to i it never ended yeah
00:32:31
manni
Then I want to be clued on.
00:32:32
karenstansfield
It never ends. It's always something.
00:32:34
manni
Yeah. Yeah.
00:32:36
Steph
yeah
00:32:36
karenstansfield
and,
00:32:36
manni
So that's a good segue into next question that I have here is like, ah so Karen, you called it a glimpse behind the curtain, but um us reality TV geeks and celebrity gossipers call it breakage of the fourth wall.
Reality TV's Fourth Wall and Authenticity
00:32:55
manni
So why do you think that, you know, we're so obsessed with um the breakage of the fourth wall? And do we think, was thinking this, Steph, when you were talking about the Justin Brittany interaction, do you think that they're actually being real in that moment?
00:33:20
manni
too, like with Will and Jada, like, are they are they really being their authentic selves?
00:33:21
karenstansfield
that was my thought exactly.
00:33:21
Steph
Yeah.
00:33:26
manni
Like being filmed like in a documentary, you still have, there's a whole crew on you.
00:33:33
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:33:33
manni
So like, is it easy to be yourself in that moment when you're when you've grown up with a camera in front of your face 24 seven, are still in some sense like acting?
00:33:35
karenstansfield
It's not real.
00:33:44
Steph
yeah
00:33:49
karenstansfield
i
00:33:49
Steph
i ah go ahead karen
00:33:51
karenstansfield
Yeah, let me just chime in really quick and then I'll pass it over because I don't have many thoughts about these things. but
00:33:56
Steph
Thank you.
00:33:57
karenstansfield
but
00:33:57
manni
and
00:33:57
karenstansfield
But I feel like um I saw ah somebody, I don't know, some ah celebrity on a talk show answering a question about like being your authentic self as an actor and how when you have been an actor for the bulk of your life, there is this like identity crisis of being Who is your actual authentic self? Because you're acting so much. Like, do you ever really know who that is? And can you ever actually be that person? And I'm like, holy shit.
00:34:35
karenstansfield
There's just these people running around with like a constant identity crisis.
00:34:36
Steph
Yeah.
00:34:38
manni
Yep. Yep.
00:34:40
Steph
No,
00:34:41
karenstansfield
I just thought that was fascinating and also must be a really hard life to live.
00:34:48
Steph
yeah, go ahead.
00:34:49
karenstansfield
Like, when do you actually just get to be yourself?
00:34:52
manni
Yeah, I think that that goes to, sorry, Steph, I know you had a point to make, but um I think that goes to Britney and what we're seeing now and how, you know, is the Free Britney movement about um like her actually, you know, get a getting, getting,
00:34:56
Steph
okay go ahead
00:35:11
manni
and all the courts, what is she under conservatorship or whatever?
00:35:14
Steph
conservatorship. Mm-hmm.
00:35:15
manni
Like, or is it that we like, you know, are like, she's on the brink of like something like really kind of big mental breakdown here.
00:35:16
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:35:27
manni
And, um, you know like Is this about what she went through, to your point, with all the um harassment that she so publicly endured that nobody stepped in to help her through?
00:35:40
manni
Is this about, mean, I don't know if you guys have read her book, but like the stuff with Justin wasn't good
00:35:48
Steph
Mm-mm. Mm-hmm.
00:35:48
manni
um So when you made that comment, Steph, about how Justin responded to her, and I was like, that was the first red flag.
00:35:48
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:35:48
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:35:48
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:35:49
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:35:53
Steph
and
00:35:54
manni
Like, in her tell-all, she talks more, like, about that, the body shaming, everything that you were saying, Karen, like, like how we're following this figure's life. Like, is that is our interest, like, why are we interested in that?
00:36:14
Steph
um I mean, I'm assuming it's just escapism and, um, you know, cause it's so far removed from, um our lives and this, this thought just popped into my head and it's a horrible, horrible thought.
00:36:32
Steph
So or be prepared.
00:36:35
manni
Okay.
00:36:35
Steph
It's a really, okay. I'm sorry.
00:36:36
manni
Noting the time, 36 minutes 42.
00:36:37
Steph
It's like,
00:36:40
manni
you
00:36:41
Steph
but This is dark.
00:36:43
karenstansfield
if we gotta cut this out oh okay
00:36:45
manni
No, if we got to put a little trigger warning in.
00:36:45
Steph
Okay. No, no, it's a super, it's dark.
00:36:49
manni
Oh, okay.
00:36:51
Steph
It's a dark thought, but I'm wondering if, I feel like people getting into like celebrity gossip and all that kind of stuff, it's a escapism because it takes you out of like your dayto- day to day.
Celebrity Gossip as Escapism
00:37:04
Steph
But I wonder too, if it's like, I think regular people assume that celebrity life must be so glamorous and so like, you know,
00:37:16
Steph
unbothered and it's almost like poor little rich girl kind of that's where I'm going that's kind of dark is like well you millions of dollars you have this beautiful home like what is it that you need can even be complaining about which is wrong that's why I'm saying it's dark and and not right but um I think that people feel like we're owed
00:37:21
manni
yeah
00:37:36
manni
yeah
00:37:40
Steph
um their their personal stories and we can't should be entertained but kind of like what you were saying at the beginning with um black artists being expected to bring a certain entertainment value and so these celebrities that are expected to live their lives and we're supposed to know why didn't we hear that they broke up sooner like what you know we need more details and we don't like
00:37:52
manni
Oh, geez.
00:38:02
manni
Yeah.
00:38:05
manni
Yeah.
00:38:05
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:38:08
manni
Wow.
00:38:08
karenstansfield
Hmm.
00:38:10
manni
um You're bringing me to my next question like, of like right, well, I want to bring in a little celebrity tea before I do it.
00:38:20
Steph
That's a vicious cycle.
00:38:21
karenstansfield
Oh. Oh.
00:38:25
manni
and ah once I once I've started.
00:38:31
manni
all right, so lightening it up, but slightly, um only because of the show that it was that it just occurred on. But are you guys familiar with the news that's come out recently with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively?
00:38:44
Steph
Yes. The producer situation.
00:38:46
karenstansfield
No.
00:38:47
manni
Yes.
00:38:48
Steph
Yes.
00:38:49
manni
Yeah.
00:38:50
karenstansfield
Is this the thing with like some movie she was on and ah but you can you explain it because I don't fully understand it.
00:38:50
manni
um
00:38:53
manni
Yeah.
00:38:56
Steph
Yes.
00:38:58
manni
I don't fully understand it either, but if you go on TikTok, you'll get the full.
00:39:06
karenstansfield
Well, we all know that's not going to happen.
00:39:07
Steph
Yes.
00:39:07
manni
story. I just don't want that to be my algorithm. So I'm slightly tapped in and tapped out. But um so the, have you guys heard of Colleen Hoover?
00:39:18
manni
This all kind of starts with that.
00:39:19
Steph
yes
00:39:20
manni
Okay. So Colleen Hoover, I found out about Colleen Hoover a last year when I started teaching college students, cause she's like big, um, author And they read a lot of her books.
00:39:31
manni
And so she has a book out called It Ends With Us that is about domestic violence and domestic abuse.
00:39:34
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:39:38
manni
And so, again, there's a lot of lore around this because some of the allegations that are coming out are about violence. Abuse and violence that happened behind the scenes on this set.
00:39:53
manni
And Blake Lively is claiming there's allegations on Blake Lively's team and their allegation on the ah guy who produced, directed and starred in the show on his team.
00:40:05
manni
And Long story short, it is not looking good for Blake Lively because it's... um There are text messages that show um everything that Blake Lively claimed that the Justin Baldoni did, allegedly that she claimed that he did.
00:40:27
manni
um He has a whole case against her from text messages and footage on the set. And so um it's just not... And then people started coming out with stories about Blake Lively and what it's like to work with her.
00:40:43
manni
And um people are trying to put together all this.
00:40:44
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:40:44
karenstansfield
It's always the woman, you know?
00:40:46
manni
Yeah. Well, then that, that was what people were saying is that like there was, so Justin Baldoni came out with all these, you know, claims and then people were saying, it's all this woman, it's all this woman.
00:40:46
Steph
Oh, no. Mm-hmm.
00:40:59
manni
And, um, um And then Blake Lively came out with like counter arguments, but hers were all seem like it seems like they're and not true, like what she's saying.
00:41:11
manni
And she's just trying to preserve her image is what it seems like so far in this storyline.
00:41:16
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:41:17
manni
So. um Anyway, i why I said to lighten it up is because they were both on the SNL 50 year reunion thing.
00:41:25
karenstansfield
Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:27
manni
And so the latest is that I think it was ah Tina Fey and Amy Poehler did little bit with Ryan Reynolds.
00:41:36
karenstansfield
Polar.
00:41:40
karenstansfield
okay
00:41:40
manni
And they were like, hey, Ryan, what's going on? And he's like, nothing. Like, what have you heard? You know?
00:41:46
karenstansfield
Yeah, it was great.
00:41:48
manni
Yeah, but people are like zooming in on Blake's face.
00:41:49
Steph
but
00:41:52
manni
Like she didn't know that that whole bit was going to happen. There's this whole thing where people are trying to dissect like Kevin Costner's like looking over at Blake Lively. Like, you know, like that was the whole bit.
00:42:02
karenstansfield
That was the whole bit.
00:42:02
Steph
one
00:42:04
karenstansfield
People like watch the whole thing.
00:42:05
manni
Yeah. Yeah, that was the whole bit. So people are like, I can't believe that he would just like do that to her.
00:42:10
karenstansfield
my gosh.
00:42:12
manni
And i don't know.
00:42:13
karenstansfield
What?
00:42:14
manni
So yeah, so it's...
00:42:14
Steph
Oh, but she was in on it is what you're saying, Karen?
00:42:18
karenstansfield
I mean, it looked like it.
00:42:24
manni
actress.
00:42:26
karenstansfield
No, like if you watched it, the whole thing is satire.
00:42:27
Steph
Whoa.
00:42:30
karenstansfield
I don't know. i If she came out and said she didn't know, I would be shocked because the whole thing, it was like they were zooming in on certain people's faces intentionally.
00:42:36
Steph
It looks like she.
00:42:40
karenstansfield
It was like, it was a bit.
00:42:41
manni
Yeah. Well, I think people are.
00:42:42
karenstansfield
It's fucking Saturday Night Live.
00:42:43
Steph
Hmm.
00:42:44
karenstansfield
Like they're not.
00:42:44
manni
I know. i think what people are really saying is why would they even do a bit when they're in that hot of like water?
00:42:50
karenstansfield
Well, I guess I didn't know.
00:42:50
manni
Like it just seems like tone deaf or
00:42:51
Steph
Hmm.
00:42:53
manni
Yeah.
00:42:53
Steph
Hmm.
00:42:53
karenstansfield
i didn't know what was going on. So except for like the very early days of like it sounded like this was a pretty um like the set of whatever her recent thing was, was like a pretty hostile environment. And she ah which she had claims of like it being.
00:43:10
karenstansfield
um emotionally abusive or so i'm i I just that's about the extent of what I had heard and so i hadn't heard anything more past that and when I saw the SNL little skit I assumed it was referencing that but it very much my camera's on funky it very much seemed like a whole bit and SNL knows what the hell they're doing when it comes to sketch comedy so it felt like
00:43:13
manni
Yeah. Yes.
00:43:15
Steph
That's what the...
00:43:17
manni
Yeah.
00:43:17
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:43:19
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:43:20
manni
Yeah.
00:43:27
manni
Yeah. It was.
00:43:29
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:43:39
manni
Right.
00:43:40
karenstansfield
They probably had that one down.
00:43:44
manni
Yeah, i think I think TikTok would disagree with you.
00:43:44
Steph
Well, I hope she wasn't on it, but...
00:43:53
karenstansfield
It's Karen against the world here.
00:43:54
manni
but like um But I guess like, yeah, that's the thing is like how far is too far?
00:43:55
Steph
oppos
00:43:59
manni
like Like, I don't know. This is...
00:44:03
Steph
i think are you is tiktok just arguing that if she has such serious allegations. This would not be something you would make light of with the Saturday Night Live sketch.
00:44:15
manni
Right. Yes.
00:44:15
Steph
And so it's looking sketch that maybe they're trying to bring some like levity to this situation because she might lose kind of a thing. Like she might lose in the, okay.
00:44:25
manni
Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
00:44:27
karenstansfield
But like, is there, are there serious allegations against her or are people just acting or saying that she's like,
00:44:32
manni
Yes.
00:44:33
Steph
Yeah.
00:44:33
manni
Yes.
00:44:34
Steph
Aren't there, there's arguments that like,
00:44:35
karenstansfield
oh
00:44:38
Steph
She started bringing Ryan Reynolds and I believe Taylor Swift like to the set. I think one of, so Justin Baldoni's saying that she was kind of using like the biggest stars in the world to intimidate him like in reverse.
00:44:54
Steph
like It was like, so then um like I've heard that argument that he was but he felt like people were trying to intimidate him or something like that.
00:45:06
Steph
But i'm i'm kind of i lean towards that what Blake Lively says has happened and that she felt unsafe is what I was gathering. But ah see, this is just me.
00:45:17
Steph
This is how I am with T. This is where am. And um with the whole woman like believe the women kind of thing, like I felt like it was so his counterargument is so...
00:45:20
manni
Yeah.
00:45:26
Steph
um What's the word? His counterargument is a little defensive and... Yeah, that's my opinion of it.
00:45:36
manni
But he didn't have a counter. He came, he was the one to come out first. I don't think there was a counter. I think she had a counter argument. I don't know.
00:45:46
manni
You know what? At the end of the day, I really don't know. I don't know. It's so convoluted. It's so twisted.
00:45:52
Steph
It's a mess.
00:45:52
manni
But I guess that that what i what I want to bring in with all of that goes back to what we you know started with of like um poor rich girl, right?
00:45:53
Steph
It's a big mess.
00:46:02
manni
Of like,
00:46:02
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:46:03
manni
Why, like, do we eat up these stories so deliciously, like, they're not people in comparison to, like, if this was actually really happening to a neighbor in my neighborhood?
Tribal Nature of Celebrity Discussion
00:46:16
manni
Like, how I talk about it, how I wouldn't so be be so cavalier right now talking about that on the podcast, you know?
00:46:19
karenstansfield
a
00:46:21
Steph
and Right, right.
00:46:23
karenstansfield
right I think it's because well like I think Steph you said escapism which like that was an interesting take for me but I do think it's because they they don't seem like real people to us like they're just these figures on the screen and and to your point of like poor rich girl there is probably a little bit of like
00:46:25
Steph
Yeah.
00:46:29
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:46:36
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:46:48
karenstansfield
who cares about their feelings because they've got everything they could ever want and more.
00:46:50
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:46:53
karenstansfield
And so they're putting themselves out there and we just get to talk about them however we want.
00:46:53
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:46:57
karenstansfield
Like, I don't know.
00:46:58
manni
and
00:47:00
karenstansfield
i think that there, I don't, I think that there's something about, um like the that tribalism of humanity and like we we like to put people into their, you know, buckets and stuff.
00:47:16
karenstansfield
And so it's like, okay, these are celebrities and we get to talk about them and we all get to bond over the like difference that they are in their life experiences.
00:47:22
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:47:24
manni
hang on
00:47:25
karenstansfield
And now we get to gossip and like be our own little tribe and talk about the other tribe kind of a thing, you know?
00:47:30
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:47:33
karenstansfield
Is that wild? Yeah, probably.
00:47:35
manni
yeah I feel like I'm at the bottom of the boat with Jack and he like yeah doing a tap dance on the table or something with like the rest of the passengers down there.
00:47:47
karenstansfield
Is that a Titanic reference?
00:47:49
manni
Yeah. I'm not worthy.
00:47:50
karenstansfield
Okay, just checking.
00:47:51
manni
Yeah.
00:47:53
Steph
Oh, like, because you're saying, like, help me, I'm poor
00:47:53
manni
im not worthy
00:48:06
manni
And we're back because Karen's internet cut out ah again.
00:48:09
karenstansfield
Well played.
00:48:13
manni
um She doesn't need a new mortgage, but she does need a new data plan.
00:48:16
Steph
case
00:48:21
manni
But the truth remains.
00:48:23
Steph
Form.
00:48:24
manni
She's.
00:48:28
Steph
Yeah.
00:48:31
manni
But she's back now.
00:48:32
karenstansfield
um yeah
00:48:36
manni
Okay.
00:48:36
karenstansfield
for the next six seconds sorry
00:48:37
manni
For the next. So hopefully we have one last question here.
00:48:42
manni
Should we rename the word gossip? A friend was telling me she was at a conference the other day and she used the term and the presenter told her that it is a negative term rooted in patriarchy to make women feel unsafe to talk about things with other women that will actually help keep them safe.
00:48:58
karenstansfield
no
00:49:02
Steph
a I knew that you couldn't have heard that.
00:49:05
manni
Ha ha ha ha
00:49:06
Steph
Because I was like, right?
00:49:08
karenstansfield
Mic drop! Oh my gosh.
00:49:12
Steph
There she is.
00:49:13
manni
Yeah.
00:49:14
Steph
was like, what? Karen's silent on that?
00:49:19
karenstansfield
Why doesn't she give a shit about this?
00:49:20
Steph
That's the deepest thing I've ever heard. Yeah, wild.
00:49:23
manni
Yeah.
00:49:24
karenstansfield
Holy shitballs.
00:49:26
manni
Yeah.
00:49:26
Steph
yeah wild
00:49:27
karenstansfield
Oh, my God. And what we were just talking about, Blake, it's like.
00:49:30
manni
Mm-hmm.
00:49:31
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:49:32
karenstansfield
Like, listen, I don't know shit about that story. And all I know is what we were just sharing with one another.
00:49:38
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:49:38
karenstansfield
But if she is trying to keep these people around to keep herself safe and now.
00:49:43
Steph
Mm-hmm. It's being posed as like, mm-hmm.
00:49:45
karenstansfield
We're gossiping about. Yeah, her. Oh, damn. All right.
00:49:50
Steph
That is wild. Mm-hmm.
00:49:51
karenstansfield
All right.
00:49:52
manni
Wild.
00:49:53
karenstansfield
Let's take back gossip. We're taking it back.
00:49:56
manni
Yeah.
00:49:56
Steph
Well, I was going to say, i was when I taught eighth grade English, my coworker had us read, um um she shared this play that she liked to read.
00:50:08
Steph
um And it's kind of fun to do plays like in English class because you assign kids characters and you kind of share and stuff and discuss. but um And so I used that story and I made a whole unit that was called How to Get Away with Murder.
00:50:21
Steph
But anyway.
00:50:22
manni
Oh. Oh.
00:50:22
karenstansfield
Ooh.
00:50:23
Steph
yeah it's really fun but anyway this story is called trifles and basically there was a um murder and the policemen and the men all were like shuffling around trying to figure it out and the women were sitting at the table gossiping and were solving the case
00:50:44
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm. In quotes.
00:50:47
Steph
Like, and so they were disregarding pretty much everything that they were saying.
00:50:48
karenstansfield
Mm-hmm.
00:50:48
manni
oh
00:50:53
Steph
And they, and so the name of the show, the play is trifles, being meaning what women talk about is nothing but trifles or nothing or gossip.
00:51:03
manni
Wow.
00:51:04
Steph
And, but lo and behold, the women who were stay at home, like, you know, not, you know, high up in the community, they figured it out a long way.
00:51:14
karenstansfield
Of course.
00:51:15
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:51:16
manni
Wow.
00:51:16
karenstansfield
Of course.
00:51:17
Steph
so when you like So when you said that, I was like, oh my gosh, yes.
00:51:17
karenstansfield
i love that.
00:51:18
manni
Me too.
00:51:21
Steph
um Rooted in patriarchy. That mo that play was set like you know in the Great Depression era. um So yeah, absolutely. and um And I think also, I feel like when you talk about watching reality shows and stuff, it there's always like a...
00:51:39
Steph
like a guilty pleasure kind of a thing. Or like when you get all like invested in these stories, like how we taught, even just I was like, oh, I loved Justin Timberlake and Brittany and that whole thing.
00:51:41
karenstansfield
Yeah, for sure.
00:51:49
Steph
And I'm like, I know that's silly, but is it silly? Like, can we have a little...
00:51:52
manni
Right.
00:51:54
Steph
fun and like stories and, hear you know, not to make light of someone's whole life and there's that side of it, but um just the minimalizing of caring about stories.
00:51:58
manni
Right.
00:52:04
Steph
And like you said, sometimes like, you know, if we talked a little bit more about what was happening with Brittany, maybe someone would have intervened.
00:52:11
manni
a and
00:52:14
karenstansfield
Well, and like, ah and maybe we can see those red flags in other people because we have seen them already and have talked about them already.
00:52:22
manni
Right.
00:52:28
manni
Yeah.
00:52:28
karenstansfield
damn girl, you just
00:52:29
Steph
That is
Gossip, Patriarchy, and Positivity
00:52:30
karenstansfield
blew my mind.
00:52:30
manni
ah Was that your confessional?
00:52:31
karenstansfield
And also, yeah well I'm jumping.
00:52:31
Steph
insane.
00:52:33
Steph
Yeah.
00:52:34
karenstansfield
I'm just jumping straight to my confessional. You didn't have to ask, but like but my brain is immediately like, God, the patriarchy got me again.
00:52:36
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:52:42
Steph
yeah
00:52:44
karenstansfield
Cause like I, yeah, I do. that I have this negative connotation with the word gossip and I feel like it's bad if we do it and it's petty and there's all these like negative things associated with it.
00:52:58
karenstansfield
And here I am just being fooled by the patriarchy again and like being kept down and and believing and repeating the things that it's taught me to believe and repeat, you know, damn.
00:53:10
manni
Right.
00:53:10
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:53:12
manni
I know.
00:53:12
karenstansfield
Um, from here on out, I'm gossiping like a motherfucker.
00:53:12
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:53:14
manni
and
00:53:18
karenstansfield
Thank you for that permission.
00:53:20
manni
She's attached now.
00:53:24
karenstansfield
Give it a few minutes. I'll be over it. But, you know, sounds good.
00:53:27
manni
Steph, did you have any confessionals?
00:53:29
Steph
um Yeah, I did. I think... um So, first of all i loved that you opened with um that particular season of Real World, of Ruthie and all that stuff.
00:53:39
karenstansfield
Yes. Same. Same girl.
00:53:40
Steph
like um Because... And I was... and i i was was a real like real world fanatic and just a reality TV junkie.
00:53:51
Steph
And ah so I don't not watch it because I don't like it. I like it. And I get invested in stories and it doesn't take me long to get
00:53:57
manni
Yes.
00:54:01
Steph
kind of connected and committed to a show. So um I just don't have the time to invest. Like, um you know, Monika, I, you know, I used to follow The Bachelor.
00:54:12
Steph
I used to watch it so regularly, but I would, if I missed an episode, i would want to watch that episode and the current one.
00:54:12
manni
Yeah.
00:54:19
Steph
And that's like four hours of TV.
00:54:21
Steph
And if I, and so it's hard to stay up on a show like that.
00:54:21
manni
Yeah.
00:54:24
karenstansfield
Are they two hours long?
00:54:25
Steph
They're two hours long.
00:54:26
manni
Yes, because of commercials, because it's on ABC. Yes.
00:54:29
karenstansfield
Holy shit balls.
00:54:29
Steph
Yeah.
00:54:30
manni
oh
00:54:30
Steph
And so that's literally the only reason that I just don't have the time. But this conversation has made me realize how much I miss watching those shows because I like i like all the stories and like getting all hype over you know who's saying what and
00:54:38
manni
oh
00:54:44
manni
yes
00:54:46
Steph
And like, and I like all sorts of reality TV. Like I like competition reality. So like world of dance and say, he can dance and project runway. And I like all that other stuff too. And so, um but and it's for the escapism. It's just that I don't have time to escape.
00:55:03
karenstansfield
Aww.
00:55:04
manni
Blink twice if you need help.
00:55:04
Steph
And so, yeah, ah
00:55:09
manni
That was 50. You can stop now.
00:55:10
Steph
Okay. Are we getting it? So, so yeah, that's my confessional is like, have this conversation is making me miss like some of the shows that I just was so enraptured by.
00:55:22
manni
Yes.
00:55:22
karenstansfield
Hmm.
00:55:23
manni
I thought, Steph, you were going to say your confessional, which is part of my confessional, is that the reason we have confessionals is because of the podcast that we were originally trying to start with, um the real world suburbia, where we were going to talk about being like a suburban
00:55:32
Steph
Yeah.
00:55:36
Steph
yeah
00:55:41
manni
um black woman and we were going to try to model it off of like the real world and part of what we do here on you can call me karen and having this confessionals is based off of our love for um the real world and growing up and like they were the first ones to go in and have the interviews with the people i feel like that was the first known time on tv where we had actually reality tv confess contestants
00:55:46
Steph
Yeah.
00:55:53
Steph
Yeah.
00:55:54
karenstansfield
o
00:55:58
Steph
Yes. Absolutely.
00:56:06
manni
confessing to the camera what they actually were doing in that moment, which I think is such like a brilliant way to to your point, get you to fall in love with the character or to understand them at a deeper level.
00:56:08
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:56:17
Steph
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:56:20
manni
um so it's one of my, it, it's one of my favorite things that I think reality TV does really well. Um, and then my other confession is, um, and it's, I don't know if it's like, it might end up being like a profit profit kind of thing, but, um,
00:56:27
Steph
Mm-hmm.
00:56:36
manni
When I was thinking about the last question about like the patriarchy and it rooted in patriarchy, I just can't help but think because I also love sports. Like why isn't sports shows considered gossip?
00:56:48
Steph
It 100% is.
00:56:50
karenstansfield
It's all gossip.
00:56:51
manni
It's all gossip,
00:56:51
karenstansfield
Oh, many.
00:56:52
Steph
Yes.
00:56:53
karenstansfield
Oh, my
00:56:53
Steph
That is deep.
00:56:54
manni
right?
00:56:55
karenstansfield
Men love their gossip more than women do.
00:56:57
manni
Yeah.
00:56:58
Steph
Yeah.
00:56:58
karenstansfield
We just call it something different.
00:56:58
manni
Yeah. They just call it something different.
00:57:00
karenstansfield
They call it commentary.
00:57:01
Steph
Yeah.
00:57:02
karenstansfield
They call it commentary.
00:57:02
manni
They call it commentary.
00:57:02
Steph
Commentary.
00:57:04
manni
Yep.
00:57:04
Steph
Yes.
00:57:04
karenstansfield
Mm hmm.
00:57:04
manni
Exactly. So.
00:57:05
Steph
Or like um political commentators or pundits.
00:57:09
manni
Exactly.
00:57:10
karenstansfield
Yes.
00:57:11
manni
Yep. Yep.
00:57:11
Steph
But...
00:57:11
karenstansfield
It's just fucking gossip. We love talking about George Santos.
00:57:13
manni
The genre. The genre is what gives it like that negative connotation. Yeah.
00:57:18
karenstansfield
Yeah.
00:57:18
manni
well
00:57:19
Steph
Ewww.
00:57:19
manni
Yeah. yeah yeah Yeah. So. Yeah.
00:57:21
karenstansfield
Now I'm really salty.
00:57:21
Steph
Wow. This is...
00:57:24
karenstansfield
um Also, never made the connection of our confessional to the real world.
00:57:29
Steph
To the real world.
00:57:33
manni
You can call me, Karen.
00:57:33
Steph
Oh, you can call me Karen.
00:57:35
manni
yeah
00:57:36
Steph
Or you can call me Karen.
00:57:37
manni
um no Thank you guys for listening.
00:57:37
karenstansfield
um
00:57:39
manni
We will see you next week. Please don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow us on Instagram and TikTok. We'll see you next week, Karens.