Dear Chelsea - Minisode: My Precious with Chelsea + Catherine

Episode Date: September 11, 2026

Chelsea and Catherine attempt to tackle some serious questions… and get a PSA on honeys and sweeties.   * Need some advice from Chelsea? Email us at [e-mail] * Executive Producer Catherine Law Edited & Engineered by Brad Dickert * * * The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the Podcast author, or individuals participating in the Podcast, and do not represent the opinions of iHeartMedia or its employees.  This Podcast should not be used as medical advice, mental health advice, mental health counseling or therapy, or as imparting any health care recommendations at all.  Individuals are advised to seek independent medical, counseling advice and/or therapy from a competent health care professional with respect to any medical condition, mental health issues, health inquiry or matter, including matters discussed on this Podcast. Guests and listeners should not rely on matters discussed in the Podcast and shall not act or shall refrain from acting based on information contained in the Podcast without first seeking independent medical advice.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hi, this is Kylie Breakman. Angel Geratana. Jeremy Colhain. Patrick McDonald. And we're the hosts of the Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists Podcast. The improvised character comedy podcast where each week a new panel of artists discuss their craft.

Join us for a panel of Eurovision participants. And we do a little Halloween sometimes. Does the Pope dress up? He winks on Halloween. It's right up next to the microphone. I hear you can almost hear the eyelashes hit each other. You never seen Italy so quiet as when the Pope gets up to wink on Halloween. Listen to Artists on Artists on Artists every Thursday on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the U.S. Open, which means the tennis world is about to lose its mind, and I'm here for every second of it. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast as I break it all down. The matches that matter, the drama that doesn't, and the stories everyone's talking. about no cliches, no sugar coding, just host analysts from someone who's actually been there. Coco looking real good. Her serve looks so much smoother than it has in the past. I was really

happy to see Eager back to what she looked like a couple of years ago when she was winning dominantly. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, everybody, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes here from the Amy and T.J. podcast. Yes, we cover the biggest news stories of the day every day, but we also love diving into relationships and the conversations everyone seems to be having around them. Yeah, sometimes the biggest news stories of the day are about relationships. But folks, stick with us at the Amy and TJ podcast. Listen to us on Amy and TJ on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Welcome to Decoding Women's Health. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Pointer.

chair of women's health and gynecology at the atria health institute in new york city i'll be talking to top researchers and clinicians and bringing vital information about midlife women's health directly to you a hundred percent of women go through menopause even if it's natural why should we suffer through it listen to decoding women's help with dr elizabeth pointer on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts okay guys here are my dates for the high and mighty tour and september i will in Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York City, Philly, and New Haven, Connecticut. October is Atlanta, Baltimore, Saginaw, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boise, Idaho, and Spokane. And then in November, I'll be in San Francisco. I'm coming to Salt Lake City, Austin, Houston,

Dallas, babies, I'll be there. And then in December, I am closing out my tour in Denver and Vancouver. So get your tickets at Chelseahandler.com for the high and mighty tour. Hello. Hello, Chelsea. Hello, Catherine. First of all, I just want to apologize to our listeners for the amount of ads that could run during these minisodes. I listened to a couple of minisodes on our break, and I realized that it is ridiculous. So I'm going to see if there's anything I can do about it. I don't know that there is because that's how everybody makes money, I guess. So, but I just want you to know I'm aware of it and I'm sorry. Yeah. And you know what? There's always that 15 second forward button. you can listen ad free on Netflix. That's the other thing is you can look at it on Netflix and there's no ads. Okay. So are you ready for an update? This is like a slightly big update, but it is an update nonetheless. A slightly big update. Sure. Well, Christina called back in 2023 and she was dating a guy that was 13 years older than her and she kept being like, so where are we going? And he sort of refused to have that conversation. But she says she has a happy update. Dear Chelsea, I hope everything's going well. I was on the podcast maybe three years ago now.

Yikes. Afterwards, I stopped going to therapy, broke up with the guy I was so perturbed about at the time, and remembered a lot of what Chelsea said, mostly just to get over it, which I appreciate. Single life has been interesting since. I tried to be a lesbian. Get over it. Get over it.

That sounds like me. Yeah. She said, I tried to be a lesbian, but it turns out I'm not, I guess. I also met a Jewish man who could have been my soulmate, but then he told me he couldn't have anything serious because I'm not Jewish. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for real. I still listen to your podcast religiously, and whenever I'm about to make a bad decision, I hear Chelsea saying, no.

Ha-ha, Christina. Oh, that's sweet. I like that. Yeah. I love that. The edification of a mojeres. Yes, indeed. All right.

Our first question today, we're going to do all read-onlys today, but our first question day is, like, pretty juicy. So Rebecca says, dear Chelsea, I'm stewing and angry and wanting to blow up my life and maybe leave my romantic partnership. I'm in my late 30s, had my first baby a year and a half ago with a partner who I thought was a perfect fit for me, and we were both older and ready to be parents. So we moved quickly and got pregnant after nine months of dating on the first try. We both adore our kid and are both great parents. There's a huge problem that is literally the only solitary reason we have fights and they're explosive, make me want to run away forever fights. So my partner's dad was accused five years ago for alleged sexual abuse of a minor.

And then after more boys came forward, he was arrested and indicted on 13 counts of abuse from multiple middle school-aged boys over the course of several years. He worked with youth at his job. That's the thing. They're always like they put themselves in the right place for them. He has had two trials since, both of which ended in mistrial and hung jury. So he's technically not guilty, and he's living life, a free man all these years. now awaiting his third trial.

This last trial was almost a unanimous vote. Eleven guilty, one could not decide. I don't believe for a second he's innocent. My partner's family are all supporting his innocence and claiming all the victims are making it up. I roll. I've let his whole family know I'm not interested in being around him, nor letting my daughter be around him while she grows up. I tried. I hid my feelings for a few celebrations in the beginning and it was eating me up inside.

I was not okay. Hell fucking no, while I explained to my daughter down the road that her grandfather that I let her near was an accused pedophile. My partner and his siblings could not for the life of them get it. I'm being labeled as the bad guy now for basically destroying their family and not allowing their poor, allegedly pedophile dad to be near his granddaughter. I feel very bad for all of them, by the way, which I've told them. I wish this wasn't happening and it's terrible, but I'm being treated like I'm the one who's in the wrong. I'm not sure my relationship will survive this. Please help. I'm in therapy solely for this. My partner is too. I really don't know if I can keep going with this mess of a

family drama I didn't sign up for. Thank you. And if you have any thoughts, let me know. It's cathartic to write. Thank you, Rebecca. Oh, God. That's terrible. My first thought, honestly, I mean, it's awful. But my first thought, honestly, is if you leave this relationship and you have joint custody, then you have no control over whether your daughter spends time with this guy. You know, like if she's with her dad and they go over for family parties. Oh, God. I didn't know. Yeah. Well, I mean, maybe that can be in the different. divorce decree that she's not. That she can have sole custody.

Well, yeah. I mean, this is a good argument for sole custody. I mean, I don't even know what to say. I mean, I'm so sorry that you're going through this and you're totally not wrong. Like, keep your daughter as far away as possible from him. I would contact a lawyer and see what's possible and plausible in your situation. Like, what can you, what barriers can you set? up to ensure. And then you have to talk to your partner and I'm sure you already have about

like how serious this is and that you're not ever going to be, you're immovable on this. It doesn't matter whether or not he's guilty. You don't have the luxury of him being your father and wanting to believe the best about him. You're being a pragmatist. And so like if there's any accusation of wrongdoing and sexual abuse, that's that's one too many, period. It doesn't matter whether or not he's been proven. And like it's disgusting. There's multiple people. Once there's additional people coming forward, like the jig is up. You know what I mean? Obviously, it's all alleged. And why would it be in their interest to pretend that he molested them or had sex with them? Completely. Completely. Yeah. And I'm sorry, we don't have more. But taking your daughter out of that situation, I think, is like an emergency. Yeah. Yeah. Unless your partner agrees that he'll never have access to her. Right. Like, and you have to put that in writing, actually. You know, like, if you are going to stay with him, it's like, You have to say, like, this, I'm so sorry, but I can't take a risk like this. Yeah.

And who would take a risk like that with their own kid? Especially because this is sort of like the sole issue in your relationship. I wonder if it's like, like, I mean, a family therapist, yes, but like a family mediator almost to sort of discuss this with, with you and your partner. Just because this is sort of like something you do need to stick to your guns on. Well, Rebecca, we support you. like Chelsea said, talk to a lawyer, see if there's some sort of like a mediator that you can talk to. Yeah, I'd like a family mediator, somebody who can really like spell it out for both sides because I'd be very curious to see what her, hear what her therapist says about it and what his therapist is telling him. Like everyone needs to get together. Yeah, for sure. And then, you know, I mean, if the rest of his family is mad at you, I think that's something you just have to let go. Like they can be mad. That's okay.

Rebecca, we follow up with us and let us know how things go. This one's a serious one. Love horror movies, but also working on yourself. Mental Health is Horrifying is the podcast where those two worlds collide. I'm Candice Green, a registered psychotherapist, and I'm inviting you to journey into the darkness with me. I explore the mental health themes behind your favorite horror stories and what they can teach us about fear, resilience, and healing. It's self-care with a sinister twist. Listen to Mental Health is Horrifying on the free IHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, it's the Jonas Brothers with the Hey Jonas podcast.

We've been catching up with some great friends, Paul Rudd, Michael Bublay, Seth Myers, Nile Horan, Jake Shane, and making some new friends while getting into what's really like to have sisters, like Alex and Ashton Earl. She likes to control everyone and tell everyone what to do it. Okay, well, control is a harsh word. I would say that's a harsh word. I am more outspoken. Growing up a lot of the times because she was so quiet. I would speak for like the both of us.

Now I'm working on like thinking a moment, reeling it in. I'm not confronting before I speak. And Joey King. You know if your, like, mom is yelling at your sibling, and even if you're annoyed with your sibling, you just, like, won't let that slide. It's like, only you can yell at your sibling. I'm like, you can't do that here.

That is, you do not talk about her like that. Plus, we've been taking your calls, listening to your voicemails and giving you advice. Or at least trying to. So if you've got catching up to do, now is the perfect time. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I guess.

Hi, this is Kylie Breakman. Angel Geratana. Jeremy Colhain. Patrick McDonald. And we're the hosts of the Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists Podcast. The Improvised Character Comedy Podcast

where each week a new panel of artists discuss their craft. Join us for a panel of wellness influencers. What I try to do is faux journal. I don't know. Have you guys heard of faux journaling? Yeah, it's reading. It's called reading.

So we don't like to use that word anymore. Okay. A panel of New Yorker cartoonists. Have you guys? You guys done Terry Gross's Peloton class? No! I've been dying, too. I'm so sorry.

I'm seeing a reading of Sadako in the Thousand Paper Cranes by Audra McDonald's at the Wonderland Bookstore on 14. That's crazy. I went to the Wonderland Bookstore yesterday, and I heard Nora Jones do a reading of Zero Dark 30. No way. You have to come to the last bookstore, though.

Kim Cottrell is reading the guitar tabs of yesterday. A panel of Eurovision participants. And we do a little Halloween sometimes. Does the Pope dress up? He winks on Halloween. It's right up next to the microphone. I hear you can almost hear the eyelashes hit each other.

You never seen Italy so quiet as when the Pope gets up to wink on Halloween. Listen to artists on artists on artists on artists on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude. is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes

without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us. Not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is,

and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Our next question comes from Sarah, and she says, Dear Chelsea, I'm a 32-year-old woman living in Northern California, and I'm currently navigating several major life crises. I'm just months away from a kidney transplant. Fortunately, both my brother and husband are donor matches, and we're in the final stages of testing. Due to my health, I'm unable to carry a child,

so my husband and I are looking into adoption. The process has felt confusing and overwhelming. Recently, while browsing an adoption website featuring couples from all over the United States, I came across a couple standing in front of Sonoma Square, a place I know very well. I clicked on their profile and discovered that they're from Marin County, It felt like Kismet to stumble on a couple located right in my area.

Through a bit of online research, i.e. internet stalking, I managed to find their contact information. The thing is, I want to reach out to them and ask about their experience with the adoption process and hopefully connect. My dilemma is, how do I tell them I found them online and want to connect without sounding completely insane for hunting them down on the worldwide web? Thanks for any advice you can offer, Sarah. I don't think there's anything wrong with being completely honest about seeing them online. and then we live on an online world. It doesn't matter. You just have to do it and be honest.

Be like, I know this is weird, but I'm, you know, trying to pursue adoption. I've been very overwhelmed and confused by it. I saw a picture of you guys and it reminded you just be exactly what you just said to us. Say to them and just hope for that to land. That's all you can do. And just be truthful. There's no reason to like, you know, dance around it. Being direct is good most of the time.

And this is one of those times. And I think people are like at this point sort of used to people showing up in their DMs or in their email and being like, hey, like, especially if their picture is on an adoption website as like, hey, we did this. Like they would not think that it's totally out of the blue that you contacted them. And I think people who are in this sort of, you know, have done stuff like this are very happy to, usually very happy to like share their experience because they were in the same position you are, you know, a few years before. So I would just say, like, hey, would it be possible to, like, take you out for coffee or do a Zoom call or something? We'd love to pick your brain a little bit about your experiences. I don't think they'll think it's too weird, right, Chelsea? No, no, no.

All right, Sarah, bust of luck. And then we have – this one's sort of a PSA. I don't think it's specifically an issue that we – something that we have done. I think this is just in general. But T.J. says, dear Chelsea. I used to watch your show on TV and was very excited when I discovered your podcast. I end up laughing each and every time I listen, and that makes you precious to me. Oh.

I know. I'm writing it to voice a concern and complaint, however. And again, I don't think this is about us, but this is just in general. Okay. We can take it, don't worry. I don't know if you would call it ageism, but I get so annoyed when seniors, and I guess, I must admit, I'm one of those now, are referred to as cute, adorable or any other infantilizing term that would most definitely not be used to describe younger people in similar situations, in my always humble opinion. It's nearly as infuriating as being called

honey by medical staff when I'm at a doctor's appointment. When the hell did my name change from T.J. to honey? I don't receive it as a term of endearment, especially in a medical situation. I can barely tolerate it from a waiter. It indicates a lack of respect implies I'm suddenly adult due to having survived past 60 and must be handled, I don't know, delicately. That is all. Please keep us laughing sincerely, TJ, age 66, if it matters. But you do hear this a lot. I call people honey all the time. I do it. I notice I do it. I do. Whenever someone comes up to me in an airport or something, I'm like, thank you, honey. I mean, if it's a girl. So I guess that's also like sexist, I guess. I don't know. I didn't say that to people when I was

younger. So I mean, it's an age thing, but I think it's the age that it's coming from is like, it's the person it's coming from that's the age, not the person it's directed to. Like when someone calls me, honey, I don't take a, it's like, it means like you're, I'm old calling people honey. When people call me, honey, I don't take offense to it. Or precious or cute. I mean, think about that. You would refer to babies as that, or little children as precious or cute too. I mean, when people say, oh, aren't you precious, that either means like you're really fucked up or you're a really cute, like, little kids. So I think that's a nice way to talk about an older person, aren't you precious?

I mean, listen, I don't think 66 is old enough to be offended at being, you know, like that stuff. It's not like you're 85. You're 66. Like, it's okay. I don't think anyone's looking at you going, oh, you're a precious little old man. No, no. So this is a complaint I've heard like from my dad like him like when you get past a certain age people like baby talk you as like an older person like oh right this way like it's like a weird and I've heard people do it like to him and like he they've got all their wits about them there. How old is he? He's 76. Okay well then I don't know. I mean I can imagine that happening in a hospital like.

No. Would you say something Chelsea? Like would you tell TJ T.J. say so like, oh, please don't call me, my name, my name, what would you say? I would just say my name's, yeah, I would say my name's TJ. Like, oh, my name's not honey. It's TJ. Well, no, I would just say my name's TJ. Just that gets the point across in a nice way, because they're just trying to be nice. Like, I don't think honey is degrading in any way. I mean, especially when you're a man, you know, like, I mean, it's more degrading if you're a woman and a man calls you honey. You're like, don't call me fucking honey, you know. But if one of my Girlfriend calls me honey, I don't mind.

I actually really like being called honey. It's one of the things I don't mind. It's one of the things Ben do that doesn't gross me out. So I can't relate, T.J., but I'm glad you made me laugh, so thank you. What was the other one, precious? Precious is a little annoying. You're precious to her, which I love. Yeah, that seems a little like patronizing precious.

No, I love it so much. But when you're in a hospital, I do want people to talk to me like that. I want them to take care of me. All right. Have a nice life, everybody. Unbondia. If you want advice from Chelsea, write into Dear Chelsea Podcast at gmail.com. Dear Chelsea is a production of IHeartMedia.

Follow Chelsea on all socials at Chelsea Handler and find Catherine on TikTok at Flashcadabra. Dear Chelsea is edited and engineered by Brandon Dickert. executive producer Catherine Law. Find full video episodes and minisodes now on Netflix and get tickets to see Chelsea Live at Chelseahandler.com. Hi, this is Kylie Breakman. Angel Geratana. Jeremy Colhain, Patrick McDonald.

And we're the hosts of the Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists Podcast. The Improvised Character Comedy Podcast where each week a new panel of artists discuss their craft. Join us for a panel of Eurovision participants. And we do a little Halloween sometimes. Does the Pope dress up? He winks on Halloween. It's right up next to the microphone.

I hear you can almost hear the eyelashes hit each other. You never seen Italy so quiet as when the Pope gets up to wink on Halloween. Listen to Artists on Artists on Artists every Thursday on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the U.S. Open, which means the tennis world is about to lose its mind, and I'm here for every second of it. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast as I break it all down. The matches that matter, the drama that doesn't, and the stories everyone's talking about. No cliches, no sugar coding, just host analysts from someone who's actually been there. Coco looking real good.

Her serve looks so much smoother than it has in the past. I was really happy to see Eager back to what she looked like a couple of years ago when she was winning dominantly. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, everybody. Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes here from the Amy and T.J. podcast. Yes, we cover the biggest news stories of the day every day. But we also love diving into relationships and the conversations everyone seems to be having around them. Yes, sometimes the biggest news stories of the day are about relationships. But folks, stick with us at the Amy and T.J. podcast. Listen to us on Amy and T.J. on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Welcome to Decoding Women's Health. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Pointer, chair of Women's Health and Gynecology at the Atria Health Institute

in New York City. I'll be talking to top researchers and clinicians and bringing vital information about midlife women's health directly to you. A hundred percent of women go through menopause. Even if it's natural, why should we suffer through it? Listen to Decoding Women's Health with Dr. Elizabeth Pointer on the IHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.

Guaranteed human.