Call Her Daddy - Holiday Parties & High School Reunions (ft. Laren)

Episode Date: November 27, 2024

Join Alex and Laren for a wholesome Thanksgiving hang. The girls reflect on their plans and traditions and Lauren opens up about how her family coped with the holiday season after losing her dad. Then, Alex and Lauren reminisce on what they were like in high school, their most dramatic moments, and their arch nemeses. Enjoy!

What is up, Daddy Gang? It is your founding father, Alex Cooper with Call Her Daddy. Daddy Gang, welcome back to another episode of Call Her Daddy. I am joined today by my lovely, best friend, fan favorite, Lauren McMullen, or as I call her, Larren. Hello, Daddy Gang. We were just laughing because we rarely do this when we podcast together. We've never podcasted with notes or a laptop. But something came over us,

and maybe it's because it's the holiday season, we really wanted to come prepared and give the gift of a little bit of an organized episode. It's still gonna be a little unhinged, but Lauren and I wanted to come prepared and give the gift of a little bit of an organized episode It's still gonna be a little unhinged but Lauren and I wanted to talk about Thanksgiving this year together because what better way to Celebrate Thanksgiving than you guys popping on an episode of color daddy and hanging out with Lauren and I I'm so aware that some of you Could be alone today. Maybe you fucking hate your family Maybe you love your family and you're listening to this with your family. Regardless, we are here for you. So let's just get into it.

We haven't even talked about this. What are you going to be doing for Thanksgiving this year? So I'm doing two Thanksgivings this year. I'm doing one in Louisiana in the middle of November and then I'm doing one in Pennsylvania on actual Thanksgiving. Oh wow. Wasn't entirely planned to do two Thanksgiving's. I've never done two Thanksgiving's before,

but I guess we'll just rip the bandaid off in the first minute of the episode. I recently went through a breakup and the plan was to spend Thanksgiving with my ex-boyfriend's family. So I was gonna do with my own family in the middle of November and then go celebrate with his family.

On actual Thanksgiving. On actual Thanksgiving. Okay. So now I'm just celebrating Thanksgiving twice with both sides of my family. Okay, well, I'm gonna be honest. I don't think there is a better holiday to have two of than Thanksgiving

because it's just meaning that you're getting to eat really good food. So I feel like that's kind of a blessing. I'm not really complaining. What are you doing? What you're hosting and- Okay, first of all- That wasn't supposed to be the plan. Thank you. Thank you. I was not supposed to

be hosting this year. I was very very adamant about not hosting. I think I talked about this on an episode before but I'm I'm a good host but I really have to be in the mood and I think there's no escape for you. Oh there is no escape And you're like an escape artist at like a party. Yes, like I like to relax and I like to get out when I want to get out. And I feel like Matt and I've been so busy that holidays are so important to me. Like, I really, really want to spend time with him and I want to be present. And I know that when you're hosting, you can't really be present with each other. Like, I'm not going to be sitting on Matt's lap, like making out with him

and like shoving cornbread in my face. Like I'm gonna be making sure everyone is like situated and their plates are filled and like we're eating last. And like, so the plan was- How did you get like cornered into this situation? Why the fuck am I hosting? So I think we were first initially saying don't host because we thought like my family was coming too

and we thought it was gonna be like a couple of years ago. It was literally like 40 something people. It was fucking insane. And we had people inside and outside and it was just overwhelming. Now this year, Matt's mom called us and was like, you guys, it's literally just our internal side of the family on Matt's side.

Like my family is staying on the East Coast this year. So it's gonna be smaller. So first she was gonna be hosting and then all of a sudden Matt and I were like, should we just offer? Like I felt bad because our house is a very good hosting house. Your house is very conducive to hosting.

You got the inside, you got the outside, you got the outdoor heaters, you got the outdoor bar. Yeah, we definitely set ourselves up to host. So I think we just had a moment where we were like, why are we making your mom do this? Like, let's just fucking take it. Once you get over the mental hump of hosting, not that I host many things,

I feel like once you get over the mental hump, then you can kind of start to get cozy and be like, well, now I get to pick exactly the foods I want. I get to pick exactly the vibe and the people. And like now you can just like own it and make it exactly what you want. No, you're right. And there was also something about mentally

for a minute thinking that Matt's mom was doing it. Now that it's like, I don't know why, but it's something like knowing someone else was gonna do it and now it's back on me. I am less stressed than the whole time it had been. Matt and Alex are hosting this entire year. Now it's kind of like, who gives a fuck where it is? Let's just eat.

Oh, it's last minute. If I don't have matching things. It doesn't matter. If there's no decor. Low stakes. I'm taking one for the team. I'm doing this for you. So like no judgment.

Okay, so what's your menu? Oh, what's my menu? Yeah. Have you thought that far ahead yet? Oh no, Matt's mom is gonna be cooking everything. Matt's mom and Matt's sister will be doing all the cooking and Matt and I always to every single family event, we bring the alcohol.

We are not the chefs in the family, but I have the menu in terms of like what I wanna eat. Yeah, what do you wanna eat? Are we going over like our favorite Thanksgiving foods right now? Yeah, yeah, hit me, hit me. We've never talked about this as friends and I feel like we kind of have different food palates, like things we like.

If we go to a restaurant, we're good because we'll do a group order and we're always aligned, but for some reason, I feel like we're not about to be aligned on this. Okay, so my favorite, like should I just do like top favorite Thanksgiving foods? Okay, first, are you a sides person or are you a main course person?

I'm a sides person. I think that's the obvious answer. If like you're a main course person, like what? Yeah, what the fuck are you doing? It's like you're like looking forward to the appetizers when you're at a dinner more than you're looking to the main event. Okay you're at a dinner more than you're looking to the main event.

Okay, so I would say I'm the sides person. I would say I couldn't, number one on my list, and I know this is controversial maybe, is stuffing. I am a stuffing girl through and through. Are you a stuffing girl? It's low, that's pretty low on my list. I feel like stuffings can go wrong really quick and they can be dried.

No, I am, I was like, I don't wanna be come off as high maintenance, but my mother-in-law loves to cook for me. Like you were here. Yeah, she was like, she brought us a pumpkin pie. And was like, girls texting you later, like, have some pie. Have some pie.

Did you try the pie? She loves to cook for me. And I remember it was like the first Thanksgiving I was doing with Matt and I'm such a fucking freak about stuffing. And I remember I was like whispering to Matt before we went to his mom's. I'm like, I just like feel like you've been kind of telling

me your family doesn't like emphasize carbs as much and like stuffing and I'm really getting anxious because like I'm a carb family. Like I love my mashed potatoes. Matt's family is healthy. So I would be anxious going in and be like, are you gonna be doing like a gluten free stuffing? I was like-

Just to cut the carbs? Lauren, I was absolutely on the edge of my seat being like, I don't wanna fucking miss out on a good Thanksgiving. If you guys are doing healthy, like let me know and I'll go to Boston market, pick up a couple- Bring my own. Exactly.

And so his mom for my first Thanksgiving made two different stuffings, two completely- That's when you know. That's when you know. She was so nice and I remember trying both of them. What was the difference between the two? One was way more like fat kid and it was just like doused in everything.

Grease and butter and like all the things. And then the one that was like somewhat healthier that other people were eating was actually pretty phenomenal, but she's a great cook. But overall stuffing number one, I would say creamed corn, the sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top are a go-to. Oh, that's my number one, I would say creamed corn, the sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top are a go-to. Oh, that's my number one.

I have to have the good cornbread. The thing is with Thanksgiving food, you guys, I'm someone that dips it all together. Like I'm gonna get my turkey or my ham. Oh, you hate that. And they can't touch. I'm not the weird person who's like, oh my God, my food can't touch.

But like I do not mix it all around. I'll go back three times cause I'll do like little ventures so they stay in their sections. You're not gonna get a little turkey with gravy and put a little like mashed potatoes on it. Gravy and turkey, that's normal. But like a little stuffing on like with it.

No, no, no, no, no, no. Please fucking comment down below. Are you an Alex or a Lauren? I need a like, I need a sandwich essentially of my food altogether in my mouth. Ideally I have one of those child's plates that has like the dividers and they keep them in their sections

so nothing's bleeding over and touching. Okay, wait, what is your top like go-to? So my family is from like Louisiana and like the deep South. So like our Thanksgiving foods are so Southern and rich and I love them. Number one is definitely the sweet potato casserole with the brown sugar and the mushrooms on top.

Number two would be green bean- You said mushrooms, marshmallows. Oh my God, because I'm already thinking I had to the green bean casserole with the mushrooms and that, but God forbid those touch, that would be disgusting. Green bean casserole. Green bean casserole with the mushrooms and that, but God forbid those touched, that would be disgusting. Green bean casserole. Green bean casserole.

It's like literally canned green beans with canned cream of mushroom soup and the canned or the little French onion things that you put on top and you bake them. Oh wait, that sounds amazing. So good. Wait, I don't think I've ever had that. You know something I saw on social media?

What? About Thanksgiving foods. What? Someone was like, do you think it's like telling why we only eat Thanksgiving foods once a year because they're not good? I'm the other creep on social media that like posted being like, why can't we eat stuffing for every meal?

When you and Matt were like legit, like getting in a fight the other night, you're like, yeah, so the other Thanksgiving, I woke up and like Matt threw away all the leftovers. This was a literal point of contention in my home. And it was what, okay, so it was the first time we hosted. And when you are not hosting, you're not taking fucking leftovers from people's house.

So this was the first in our relationship I remember. Oh, so if you're a guest, do you leave all the leftovers for the host? Usually, unless they offer it to you. Okay, I also wanna hear comments on that. Like if you're the host, don't you agree you get to keep the leftovers? And unless you offer it. Yeah, unless you're offloading. So fast you're the host, don't you agree you get to keep the leftovers? And unless you offer it.

Yeah, unless you're offloading. So fast forward, we host for the first time. And I remember I had like, I promise, I really, I love how I say I promise. In my brain, I really thought I told Matt to keep the leftovers. Now in hindsight, I don't think I told him. I think it was in my brain,

like a fucking no brainer, Matt. Like what are you fucking doing if you give all the leftovers away? So I remember I came down the next morning and like something I used to do is a tradition in my family where we would make like Thanksgiving sandwiches the next day for lunch. Yeah, like with bread and some cranberry sauce

and the turkey and the gravy and the whole thing. I like saunter downstairs ready to eat a pumpkin pie slice and I opened my refrigerator and it's spotless. I was like, oh. Knowing Matt, he probably like wiped it down too. It was like freshly cleaned. Like not even the smell of Thanksgiving was left behind. No, Matt literally Clorox to the fucking brim.

And I remember I look in the refrigerator. I'm like looking at our other, I'm like looking all over and I looked at Matt, I'm like where's the food? And he's like, oh, like everyone took leftovers, like there's nothing left. So probably so proud, like honey, I got it all out of the house for us, don't worry.

And I'm mortified. And I remember being like, Matt, like I'm genuinely upset to the point where I made him go to the grocery store with me that day and buy the stuffing mix so that I could remake stuffing for myself so I could have it with dinner and Yes, I brought that up to Matt cuz I was like if we're hosting this year you better believe motherfucker

We are not giving away our fucking food and he was like, okay, babe like It makes you wonder how am I married to this man What is the vibe of your Thanksgiving? So like, is it like stuffy, formal? Are you getting dressed up or like, are you wearing like this? So here's a problem that I feel like I deal with, not even just in Thanksgiving, but like my every single day life is like, I wanna be the girl that dresses up. I want to put together a cute outfit

that like someone puts on their Pinterest board. Like I wanna be that. But I love being comfortable more than anything in my life. Like, I don't know. I pop a button at dinner. Oh. Like I like don't like having at my birthday dinner a few weeks ago. I literally got up to go to the bathroom

was like, oh, fuck, my pants are unzipped. Let me sit back down and put them back together. It was Matt and I were at a business dinner the other night. He's gonna kill me for saying this, but my family, like the Coopers, like we unbutton at the table. Okay. I'm an unbutton.

Right, like it is a sad thing. And Matt, you know, Matt, like he unbutton at the table, okay? It is a sad thing. And Matt, you know Matt, like he just like would never do that. Matt's proper. Matt's more proper. And so Matt would just like never do that. And he, ever since he's like known me, he started to slowly do it.

And so he would find himself a moment to be, I know. So he starts unbuttoning at dinners, even if he's having a fucking straight vodka martini, he's like boom open it up We are at a fucking work dinner and he gets up and I look at his pants full three buttons down Maddie and he didn't catch it. I don't think anyone saw it But I was laughing because it's like we unbutton in our home. So back to your question. Yeah, what are you wearing? I want to dress up in some capacity,

especially if I'm a host. Like in my heart, I want to lean into that Nancy Myers, like be a host, be cozy. But the reality is I at least am going to have to wear some form of elasticity, but this is what I'm realizing with being a host. This is gonna be my situation. People are gonna show up

and I'm probably gonna do a sweater and like jeans and like a boot situation or like a little skirt and like tights and a boot. Like I'll show up and look cute. And halfway through the night, I'm gonna come back down the stairs and I will be in a full sweatsuit. Benefit of hosting.

You can do an outfit change. Every single time I host a party or anything at my house, that is the one thing and everyone mentions it. And everyone also, like whenever you host, everyone ends up in your clothes. Yes, because yeah. You end up dressing everyone like the end of the night, every girl at the party that you're hosting

is fully in one of your sweatsuits. Because I'm like the peer pressure, I hope in a good way where I'm like, it's getting late, let's change the vibe, let's change the vibe. Come on guys, like you don't wanna actually be in those fucking, I'll look at Kristen, be like, you don, I hope in a good way, where I'm like, it's getting late, let's change the vibe, let's change the vibe. I'm like, come on guys, like you don't wanna actually be in those fucking, I'll look at Kristen and be like,

you don't wanna be in those jeans. She's like, I'm completely fine. I'm like, no, come on, you don't wanna be in those jeans. And I like bully everyone to go upstairs and change into my pants. Wait, what is your vibe gonna be? Are you formal or are you not formal? No, not formal at all.

With my dad's side of the family, I'm the oldest cousin and I'm the only girl cousin. So like, it's not like I have other cousins when I'm like, let's go get ready. They're like, what are you wearing? Let's do our makeup. I'm with just my brother and all my guy cousins. I take a nap and I wake up and I'm like,

oh, it's time to eat and I haven't showered today. I haven't done my hair, I haven't done my makeup. And in theory, I agree. I wanna look back at the family photos and be like, oh, that was a good year for me. But I look back. I always look back at the family photos and be like, oh, like that was a good year for me. But like I look back. I always look like shit. Oh my God, like I look like I haven't like showered

in days at family Thanksgiving. That's what I will say that my sister is good at doing. Like Catherine is always down to dress up. And like I know for Christmas this year, like she's always gonna go out and I'm like, it makes me wanna dress up with her. I wish I had a little someone putting a little peer pressure. I know, and I feel like Matt's family is, no one is gonna show out out and I'm like, it makes me wanna dress up with her. I wish I had a little, someone putting a little peer pressure on me. I know.

And I feel like Matt's family is, no one is gonna show up in sweats, but they're very like casual. Like they'll do like jeans and sweaters. They're like elevated basics. Yeah. Quiet luxury. Matt's mom is watching this being like,

keep going Lauren, what else? No, but you're right. It's like, it's chill, but it's still elevated. Okay, next question. Ooh, okay, something I wrote down was, are your holidays the type where you have to navigate difficult conversations? Oh, that's such a good question.

Well, I think the first like obvious answer is every single year of my life has changed, right? Like when I was Starting Call Her Daddy. Starting Call Her Daddy, and all of my like has changed, right? Like when I was starting Call Her Daddy. Starting Call Her Daddy, and all of my extended family was like, you fucking whore. And I was like, oh my God.

Now with my internal family and like Matt's internal family, no, I think if I'm gonna have to, I wouldn't even say navigate difficult conversations, but if I had to be, if someone had to be like, what are you not as looking forward to? I think it's now where we're at the point where maybe it's more about people socially,

and I so understand where they're coming from, but just socially asking, when are you guys gonna have kids? I think people don't realize how personal of a question that is. Yes, because I have had so many different people in LA that I'm close with.

I've had people that it took them a year to get pregnant. I've had people that got pregnant after literally the first time they tried. I have people that have fertility issues. I have people that are freezing their eggs. Like I know so many different women and literally, I would say I don't know any woman that's had like a similar almost experience in my life right now.

And so of course, Matt and I want kids, but I feel like I'm, I don't know, whenever I'm in those positions, I'm kind of like, this isn't really the time to talk about it. And I know that if anyone asks us, it's genuinely coming from a place of like, this isn't really the time to talk about it. And I know that if anyone asks us, it's genuinely coming from a place of like, they love us and they're just like-

Good intentions, excitement. Yeah, and like, it's really coming from like, oh my gosh, we're so excited for you too. And like, we want that next chapter and that next generation. But I do think that if anyone is listening to this at Thanksgiving this year, and your sibling or your cousin is there- Oh, I thought you were saying, if anyone in my family is listening to this at Thanksgiving this year, and your sibling or your cousin is there.

Oh, I thought you were saying, if anyone in my family is listening to this right now, and you're planning to ask me when I'm having kids, knock it off. No, but I also, well, you know what it also is, and I think this is a part of it too that Matt and I have discussed, is not knowing what my personal experience will be

with trying to get pregnant when it comes time that I wanna do that. It's like, I could literally say to someone like, yeah, like we're gonna try this next month. And then what if I can't get pregnant? You know what I mean? I don't wanna talk about things of timelines because I am so aware that there is no fucking timeline.

There is no right time to get pregnant. There is no exact, like none of it. So I think I'm more just like adverse to the entire conversation but I'm not like please don't ask me about that I'm more just I always just kind of avoid it I'm like oh I don't know like we're still like think we're taught there's just so many layers to it and things you need to figure out yourself before like you share it with other people you miss McMullen oh I know I'm gonna be asked like oh my gosh so like what happened Oh, I know I'm gonna be asked like, oh my gosh, so like what happened? Well, what happened what happened and then to like I think just like oh like you're we're 30 now and we're single

and like not that I've had much I don't know how much I can speak on this because I haven't Been single that long and I haven't been 30 that long and I haven't really Had to navigate many of these conversations yet And maybe I'm just feeling like empowered because I'm not like feeling like beaten down like fucking stop asking me that long and I haven't really had to navigate many of these conversations yet. And maybe I'm just feeling like empowered because I'm not like feeling like beaten down like fucking stop asking me. So I'm like in my empowered stage. And I feel like, I don't know, at least the approach I'm going to take is I'm going to

lead the conversation where I want it to be and like be excited about it and be happy about it and be empowered by it and be like, yeah, I'm 30. And like, I have a whole decade and it's so exciting. Like, who knows who I'll end up with? Who knows where I'll be? Who knows what I'll be doing? Who knows what my life will be like? Like how exciting of like all the opportunities ahead.

That's such a good point. Like steering the conversation in a direction that like most of the time when someone asks you like, wow, like how do you feel about that? Like you understandably like we know it is them checking in and caring. Yes, checking in and caring and understandably like also on the other side it is just like based a little bit in like you wouldn't be saying that to a man. You wouldn't be saying to a 30 year old man who's single like oh god and I get it it's

usually not coming from a bad place but instead of allowing it to be this like sad sap thing you're you can just be like I am so so happy. I know how incredible. Even if you want to do that to like shut the conversation down, like even if I'm being like ignorantly happy, like, oh my God, I'm so fucking happy. They're gonna be like, okay. What drugs is Lauren on? No, that's a good boy. That's my approach. You're like, uncle Jerry, I'm so fucking happy. I wanna be single for the rest of my fucking life. It's true though, it's like the hope of life.

Like Lauren has lost her fucking mind. But I can see you. I also feel like you're so not that type of person. So for you to like be sarcastic, I feel like people would be like, oh my God. Okay. I'm not gonna walk away. But I do. I love that approach. How do you feel? Obviously, like you mentioned early, obviously in this episode, like you just went through a breakup and regardless of the fact that like, I think you're in such an incredible place. Right now, breakups are hard and holidays,

I feel like specifically are really, really tough because even when you're feeling good, there's this odd thing that holidays do that really just shed light on love and family and the perfect holiday notebook-esque environment and family and relationship. Are you atesque environment and family and relationship, like, are you at all anxious that you're just gonna feel that, like, dark cloud in a moment? I think I'm prepared to feel it,

and, like, I think I know I'm gonna feel it. It's so new that we were supposed to be doing this Thanksgiving together, and we were supposed to be doing Christmas together, so I'm still, like, going through phases of life where, like, I had tangible plans with my ex to be doing this together, so, like, no going through phases of life where like I had tangible plans with my ex to be doing this together. So like, no doubt I'm gonna be sitting there being like,

well, I'm supposed to be doing this right now and now I'm doing this instead. And like, so I think I'm just expecting to feel that. You're understandably going to lightly play out like what it would have been like had they been there versus now there's like this empty chair that would have had their name on it. And it's like a weird fucking feeling.

It's sad, but it's not sad, but it's just like, I don't even know how to describe it. It's literally what grieving is. Like that's, I went through something very similar when I, for those of you who don't know, my dad passed away when I was in college. Yes, like it's almost like the missing person. Yes.

Like the unsaid thing. Yeah, it's something I had felt before with, in regards to holidays, like it's almost like the missing person. Yes. Like the unsaid thing. Yeah, it's something I had felt before with in regards to holidays, like that missing presence, like the empty chair. Yeah, that's a good point. Like I feel like we've talked about a lot before. Kind of like when you do now this is like kind of getting over like your ex boyfriend. Now it's more like you talking about your dad. I feel like there's probably like a lot of daddy gang

that have lost a family member. And the traditions that you kind of have to start to like create with your family without someone is like a really challenging thing because you wanna honor them and remember them, but you also don't wanna like like move on from them like. Oh I have a lot to say about this. Oh give it to us, give it to us.

So I think the weird feeling of feeling like you're like moving on and like forgetting them, something that really made me think of that was my mom is now engaged and we love him. Shout out Kara. Yeah shout out Kara baby. Live your life. She's like, she's gonna clip this inside

and I was like, Larry, you guys gave me a shout out on the pod. Yeah, we did. Yeah, we did Kara. She was, her and her fiance were indescribably thoughtful about the way they introduced him into me and my brother's lives. And they were very, very seriously dating for a while,

for years before he came to one of my family holidays. And I was talking about it in therapy and I was like, I love this person. I love him as an individual. I love him for my mom. I love them together. I feel more at peace knowing they have each other, but why does him coming to a holiday

feel so unsettling to me? And she was like, I think that there's this unspoken thing that when he sits down at the fourth table setting, it means your dad's replaced. It means your dad's forgotten. And like, that's not the case. That's not true, right? Because it was so confusing to me.

I'm like, I love this person. I love their relationship. I love the whole thing. But like, it just making me not anxious. It's just, I couldn't put a finger on this unsettling feeling of like, and it was the feeling that I thought that meant that my dad was being replaced.

And that wasn't the case at all. Yeah. No, that is like so beautiful. I remember that time in your life and you handled it so gracefully. And I think like, again, you were so fortunate to have your mom handled that way. And I know that there are so- I'm so appreciative of that.

I know there are so many people that probably have horror stories of step parents and all of that, but I do think it's such a true statement. And I think we've talked about this a lot about how like, there are so many ways to like continue to remember someone and a new addition doesn't mean that someone else now like can't be a part of things and I feel like it's hard when the person isn't there but there's so many ways that you can celebrate that person without feeling like

you're just like overriding them when we're done with you. Sitting at a table the four of us I couldn't get over the fact it just felt like delete and like insert so we just like said fuck it now for Christmas, we don't sit in Pennsylvania. Every year for Christmas now, we go to a different national park and we hike and we just do something entirely different and like start over fresh. And it just feels so nice and new

and we hike and we like reminisce and we talk about them. But for some reason, just like sitting in Pennsylvania, sitting the floor with her on the table just felt like, and it's so illogical, but it just felt like we were trying to write my dad out of the story. And it just feels so much better and more exciting and fun to just completely start over with a new tradition. I love that you said that though,

that you're like, it feels completely illogical. And I'm pretty sure, and so many people that experience that type of grief, it's like, it should be illogical. And I'm pretty sure, and so many people that experience that type of grief, it should be illogical. Because it's this, you can't explain it, and you don't have to explain it. You felt the way you felt, and now I love that. Daddy Gang, you can make your own new traditions,

and especially when things are wrapped in trauma and loss, you can shake shit up. And when you step out of line or when you change shit up, it can feel a little disorienting. Even thinking about like breaking the tradition, like you're like, oh, I feel like I'm like fucking up and like being like a bad family member. And it's like, I bet all of you sitting

at that fucking table, like I bet your mom's fiance was like probably would have been the first one to be like, guys, I'm so down to do something different. He probably was ecstatic that now he's getting to hang out with a version of me that's like relaxed and like open and not me sitting around the table being like, oh my God, talk, right, say words, say words. Right, I think that's like a great way

to like wrap that conversation up in terms of tradition is a motherfucker and it's beautiful, but it can be really, really intoxicating where you just feel like you have to follow it. And sometimes I do think like anything in this world, maybe sometimes we need to check ourselves of like, is it tradition because it's fun or is it tradition because you actually kind of don't know why it's tradition

and like maybe it's time to shake shit up. Yeah. Okay, you're going back to Pennsylvania. I am. And you told me that when you go back to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving, you will be attending your high school reunion. Now, I am fascinated

and I need every fucking detail when you go because I haven't gone to a high school reunion. Let's just talk first of all, high school reunions. So let's discuss. How do you feel about it? I'm excited. What are you gonna wear? I was literally thinking of that. Like, right, do you like pop the fuck off and go? Like maybe like a little bit.

Right, like. Because also I don't have social media, so like no one knows what I look like or like what I do or what I'm up to or where I am. You gotta kind of like pop off. A little bit. Like we need you to look hot but not like try hard. Try hard, yeah, no, no, no, no. That's like, no, no, no, no.

Um, while we're talking about high school though, we have been friends for so long, but I don't know if people know this. We did not go to the same high school. We went to the same elementary school for one year, you guys. My parents fucked me up. I moved to Pennsylvania from Texas in first grade.

I went to public school and they were like, mm, you need to find God. They sent me to Catholic school in first grade, I went to public school and they were like, you need to find God. They sent me to Catholic school in second grade and they were like, you're not Catholic and this is expensive, back to public school. So literally first, second, third grade, I switched schools every year. Imagine what that could do to a child.

But thank God, right in between there, that second grade where you were supposed to find God, you found me. Yep. And we became best friends in second grade. I remember Lauren with like her giant bows because like your mom had every color bow ready to go for you at school.

I was so fucking jealous. I remember in first grade and even in second grade still when we'd have dress down days, I would cry because I'm like, mom, the kids in the North don't wear this. No, I thought you were epic. Anyway, so Lauren and I went to school for one year, wait. One year.

One year together. Yeah. Oh my, that's it. Yeah. So all of middle school, all of elementary school, we didn't go and then high school, we went to different schools. But we stayed connected, like really connected

all through elementary school and middle school because we were on the same soccer team. Like soccer teams, we were on like three teams together. And then we went to high school and naturally in high school, like we literally stayed close but it wasn't as close because you're like, you have your own friend group. Yeah, you went to private school,

I went to public school. Yes. So let's talk about how we were different in high school. What do you think? You were like head down grinding. Soccer was like your mission and like your career. Like you only hung out with like the soccer girls, like every weekend, like you were going all around the country, like doing like your college showcases. And I said goodbye to soccer.

And I was parting it up and living my life. I think that I slowly, slowly ramped into my more social mode, but my, for sure my freshman year, I was like head down, like soccer, soccer, soccer, because I had gotten like a scholarship. I couldn't afford to go to that fucking school. Oh, that's why you were going to that high school.

I forgot. I got a scholarship that they like faked was like academic. Meanwhile, like no one was giving me academic scholarship. Like that would have gone to you. No one in their right mind was giving me an academic scholarship. Like, that would have gone to you. No one in their right mind was giving me an academic scholarship. It was just disguised so that I could play on the soccer team. Okay, it's obviously the Thanksgiving episodes. We're partying. Maybe you're drinking.

Maybe you're fucked up. Maybe you're laying in bed and you're alone. Do we have any overlapping high school stories of us? Cause we, Lauren and I did not party together and let's really explain why. Our friendship was so wholesome and growing up it was based in like, we would make movies together and we would like film

and we would make- Like I like viewed your parents as like family. So the idea of going to your home and like cracking open a Mike's heart, like I couldn't disrespect Lori like that. I was disrespecting a lot of other situations, but not Lori Cooper. I was getting after it everywhere

across Newtown, Pennsylvania, but not in. Not at my house. I'm fucking obsessed. I am obsessed. I'm gonna bleep that you guys, cause she just said my street name, but I'm obsessed. You're right. I think we had this weird thing where like

our relationships to our families were so pure and youthful and we'd been through so fucking much that it was just like, I would come over and we'd catch up and order dumplings. Dumplings. Yep. Yep. We'd get duck sauce. We'd order dumplings and we would just chill and we wouldn't drink. So, but do we have any like high school... So there were... Oh, you came to... Your New Year's party. I was gonna say I threw a New Year's party. No. My senior year. Let me just say this. Lauren threw this banger of a New Year's party. Banger. And when you just referenced, like, not wanting to disrespect my mother like that, I remember

I showed up late to your party and we had a lot of memories in that house. Uh-huh. It was my childhood home. Yeah. And I think it was also a hard time for us because, not to get too deep, so much had been going on with your dad that, like, understandably, I think in your life in high school, like no one kind of knew about fully. Yeah, most people did not.

Didn't know. And you and I, like, we knew every detail. And I think I hadn't been back to that physical house in so long. So many years. And I learned, I don't think I, did I ever tell you this? Yeah, you did.

Okay. I was so emotional at that party because I show up to this house that had like incredible pure memories and then like pretty like really fucking traumatic memories for us. And I remember walking in late and I'm with Moonin, our friend Nicole,

and I walk in and it is like people are swinging from the fucking chandeliers. And I'm thinking like, oh, Lauren's having a bit. You're thinking probably like 20 kids hanging out in my basement. I walk in and it is like people are swinging from the fucking chandeliers. And I'm thinking like, oh, Lauren's having a... You're thinking probably like 20 kids hanging out in my basement. Her entire school plus another school is in this fucking house jam-packed.

I'm like, Lauren, I will never forget. What happened on the ceiling? Oh my gosh, someone sprayed a champagne bottle like all over this. And the cork went up through the ceiling. And I remember I'm coming up. I'm gonna have to fix that in the morning. And your poor mother comes home

and everyone's like trying to like be like, no, no, it's not what it looks like. And Kara is literally looking up at the ceiling crying. So I talked about that in therapy. I was like, I feel a little guilty for that one. But it was like a sending away your house party. But I do remember like that extent of our friendship was like us feeling like so

nostalgia childhood that it was like, we never really drank together in high school. We didn't need to drink to have fun. I'm gonna love you baby I'm gonna love you baby I'm gonna love you baby I'm gonna love you baby High school arch nemesis. We're like, how did we get here? How did this just slide in? Because we want to talk about it.

So Lauren and I were laughing about her going to this reunion and I was talking to her about like who are you most looking? forward to seeing like who are you nervous to see like who do you want to impress who do you want to avoid and Lauren press no one avoid no one nervous no one but my arch nemesis I Also have to be careful because this is gonna air three days before the reunion So I'm not to like blow up how much I have an arch nemesis and then walk in this room and be like, oh, that's the girl who like can't get over high school.

Do you think that your nemesis would know that they are your enemy? I don't think she thinks I like think about her one bit. You're like, it's crazy. I think she would listen to this and be like, oh my God. Okay, let's talk about why is she your nemesis. Okay, so I don't want to accidentally paint myself as a saint here. The issue is, I truly cannot remember who cheated first, me or my high school boyfriend.

But junior year, we hit rocky territory. You're saying we hit rock bottom. We hit rock bottom, we did hit rock bottom. And it kind of became this open situation, but like we still were in love, we were still talking all the time, but like I ventured off a little bit to this older guy and he ventured off to my arch nemesis.

But then we had a reconciliation and we came back together and I kicked the older guy to the curb or did he just graduate? I don't know. Yeah, yeah, details bucket. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But my arch nemesis could not get to the curb. She literally was like the bug that would not die.

And. Now we're getting riled up. I just have such vivid memories, being in my childhood bedroom after school, 4.30 PM, prime time, everyone's on AIM, everyone's on Formspring, everyone's on Snapchat, and I'm snapping him, and I'm watching my Snapstreak with him go up and up and up and up and up,

but I'm watching his Snapstreak with her go up and up and up and up, and they were were just ugh, that's just like a core memory. Wee, hold on. So did he cheat on you with her? Oh, all the time. Wee, did you can, did you, how did you find out other than? Okay, well there's two incidences where, where he was caught red handed. Okay.

Okay, incident number one. Senior prom. Wee, I don't even know this story. So it was the morning of Senior Prom and we met up in a parking lot and had sex in a car. Classic. And we go to pictures, we do pictures together. So like that's kind of official. Oh. I like checked Facebook this morning. We had pictures. We took prom pictures together. Not her making sure the receipts are dotted and the oh my god Lauren I'm obsessed with you okay. And so we're at prom we're grinding I'm slapping the ground I'm turning around I'm making out get low get low oh my god the grind chains I can't I can't. And I go get a beverage and I

come back into the auditorium and I'm like, oh, where's my boyfriend? Grind chaining with my arch nemesis, making out with my arch nemesis. In front of you? In front of the whole auditorium. Wait, so what the fuck did you do? So I had known that like they were consistently talking.

I would talk to him about it and be like, you have to stop. Like I'm not doing anything else. Like I'm not with anyone else. Like I want to be together. Right. And like he was like, ah, but like they were still always operating. So I did the craziest thing I've ever done in my entire life. Oh my God. I have, I've never had, let me just give context for my character. I've never had a falling out with another girlfriend before. I've never gotten to a physical confrontation

I really never gotten to like an heated exchange words to this day except this one moment. I Walk up to them And I say no I pull them apart and I say we had sex this morning I hope you're enjoying the taste of me right now She starts hysterically crying. In high school. In high school. I don't know. You're savvy. I don't know how I feel about it, but I just like snapped.

This is high school. Like people are cheating and people are being whatever. It's not actually nefarious. Like it's actually just like, but it's so funny to think about like the drama in fucking high school. What's the most bold thing you ever did to confront someone? Oh, well. You have like a laundry list.

I'm like, this is the one time I've ever said something to anyone ever. Well, the thing is, too, for like me, I would say, which I'm going to have to tell the story one day. Oh, your arch nemesis story. Yeah. This is fucked because it was me really standing up for my other best friend. And I then she tried to ruin your life. Yes. I am someone that will always stand up for myself. Like, my mother taught me that.

Like, use your fucking words. Um, and so I would always say it to people's faces if they were upsetting me. And when someone, though, fucks with one of my friends who I know has a harder time speaking up for themselves, I go to, like, a different level. And I stood up for themselves, I go to like a different level and I stood up for my one friend to another one of our friends.

And one day I'm gonna tell this story, Daddy. It's a good story. It is the most insane thing because it followed me into my adult life and it still is going, it's just crazy, whatever. But drama, let's talk about drama because I can't talk about my arch nemesis because that deserves like a solo fucking episode.

I need to like literally call my mom for like notes and I need to like literally call my headmaster and get the notes also from them. Okay so drama though. One of the most dramatic things and when I say dramatic like this is so fucking stupid but I remember for me with boys, my high school year boyfriend, I was so obsessed with him.

And I remember he was a boarding student, I was a day student. And so he would always just like, it was really fun in high school because you were able to try to sneak into the dorm rooms and like what high school kids are afforded like a bed that you can just access at the dining hall. It was hard to sneak, but we figured it out.

Anyways, so I was like falling in love and I was having the time of my life my freshman year. And I remember he was definitely a partier and he had transferred from another school and he had to redo his freshman year. So, yeah, that's my first red flag. Anyways, I remember it is a Tuesday and Tuesdays were always chapel days

where we had to like walk to this chapel in New Jersey and it was like a Presbyterian school and we would sit and we'd do chapel, whatever. And we always would walk together and we would always hold hands together and he was nowhere to be found. And I'm texting him and it's all going to green. And I'm like, where is he?

And the boarding students come up to me and they look like they saw a fucking ghost. And his friends come up to me and they're like, Alex, you didn't hear? And I'm like, no, like what happened? And they're like, he drank so much last night with everyone, but like people were drinking, but he drank to the point of absolute blackout,

to the point where it got so, so bad that we had to blow our cover and call for help. And they took him out on a stretcher in an ambulance and they had to bring him to the hospital and he had to get his stomach pumped. And I'm sitting in chapel as like Deandre is like sitting next to me, whispering this to me. And I'm like, what the fuck?

And finally his phone turns on and he's like, I'm fine. Like I'm okay. And I'm freaking out. I'm like crying, whatever. He gets kicked'm freaking out, I'm crying, whatever. He gets kicked out of school, not from that, which is crazy, he did so many more things and eventually they were like, you have to get the fuck off this campus,

you are literally ruining our culture here. And when he got kicked out, I shit you not, Lauren, for three straight months, and think about three months of high school. That's long. That's long. For three straight months, I wore black every single fucking day to school because I was so mad at the headmaster

and the dean of student. To protest? I was literally protesting. I was pro- Or you mourning him. I was, both. I was mourning, but I was more protesting because I was so livid that they kicked him out. Let me just be clear, they should have kicked him out, but I was just so dramatic because I was like,

I just lost the love of my life. He got kicked out. Your future husband got away. Exactly, and I'm like walking around campus and every fucking week, the Dean of Students would pull me in being like, Alex, people are getting concerned. And meanwhile, I'm not a sad fucking person, and, and meanwhile, I'm like not a,

like I'm not a sad fucking person usually. So I'm, they can tell I'm fucking fine. They're like, bitch, you're fucking fine. And meanwhile, I'm like, I don't know if I'll ever recover. Like I can't believe you got rid of him. And eventually I got over it, but it's like, why do we do those things when we're younger? The drama within us.

Oh, high school I have like memories just like laying on the floor, like sobbing. Right? Just like heartbreak and like oh my god My chest hurts if the boy broke like just so fucking stupid But honestly like kind of amazing and it's fun to reminisce and we'll try to post pictures you guys if we can find Any of these like hidden gems? I think there's some crazy. Oh, yeah, I'll post my prom pics. I look good Y'all aren't coming out of the woodwork this episode. I kind of love it. I love the confidence.

I think the fun thing also about like being friends for your whole life is it's really beautiful. Like we have seen every single almost like decade of each other so far in our lives. Like we have been together and we have seen it all and I think it's also humbling to know like where we both came from because we can both keep it real with each other.

We've had some of our darkest moments together. We have had some of our best moments together. We have had both moments where I think we've been able to look at each other and say, you need to get your shit together or you need to get your shit together and I'm here for you but let's pick it up. And I feel like we've, in a good way,

both done that for each other. It's a very, very equal-sided relationship, but I was talking about that in an episode the other month about how we're always on the opposite pages. I know. But I feel like it's kind of like the beauty of our relationship. Like we always know.

Makes it more interesting. It does, it does. Listen, I think Thanksgiving is so fun and I hope Daddy Gang that you are surrounded by your loved ones and I hope you enjoy this little like throwback reminiscent episode. We have so many random stories together and it's always fun to sit down and just like chat

and talk and- Yeah, I think I would like to end this episode by saying everyone who was in my grade, I just I think they're all probably doing amazing things. I probably I think they're probably so successful. I can't wait to see how good they all look. I can't wait to see how they're all thriving and their own lives. And they were just like such amazing people that I was blessed to go to school with. And I just I cannot wait to see you all.

Bye Daddy Gang, we love you. Happy Thanksgiving and have the best fucking time and go eat some food and drink good drinks. We love you. Pop a button or three. Many. I will see you fuckers next Wednesday, goodbye. Thanks for watching!