Life Will Be the Death of Me with Chelsea Handler - Supercharged Growth with Maren Morris

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

Maren Morris dishes with Chelsea about leaving country music and her marriage, supercharging her personal growth, and why being a woman takes guts and balls.  Then: A brand-new singer wonders how to gain confidence. A trans man struggles to find peace with his wife as they divorce. And a wedding RSVP starts to waffle.   * 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.

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Bell. Connection is everything. I survived nine months in captivity, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are The Survivor Files. Every week, I'm with survivors who lived through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse. Each week, we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and pop culture with your favorite writers, book talk creators, and plenty of overthought opinions. Yeah, I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. Listen to Pro Society on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Hoda Kotb, host of the podcast Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb. You know, I'm always searching for inspiration and useful tools to maximize joy.

Like when my friend Henry Winkler offered advice to aspiring actors and really anybody hoping to stand out. You're not hired just to fill time and space. You're hired to fill the space with you. Listen to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, Catherine. Greetings from Portugal. Hi, how are you? Hi, I'm good. How are you doing? I'm doing fantastic.

I am just taking the day off of work today, actually, after this. So it's up for this. I just drove two and a half hours with my cousin, her lover, and their water, who had diarrhea on the side of the road by free. We took us about 47 minutes to get all of our luggage in the trunk. My tour, European tour, officially ended last night. I did my last show in Libsyn. Libsyn. Lisbyn.

I developed the lisp. I had my last show in Lisboa, that's how they say it there, Lisboa, in Lisbon. And I was very tipsy on stage last night because we were celebrating all day. We were walking, we'd stop, and we got Moscow mules. And then we had sangria. And then by the time we got to the show, the wheels really came off. So it was a perfect way to end my tour. We had the best time and the best audiences in Europe.

I'm so appreciative of everybody who came out. It was such a fucking blast. And I've never walked so much in my life. And did you think that you'd be going on tour with a toddler? I mean, was that? No, I did not. She had to come on stage last night, too. She always wants to come on stage.

And so we told her she came on stage and said, you're a fucking bitch, that she could come on stage. But she was practicing backstage, but then she couldn't do it when she got on stage, which is probably for the best. Yeah, it's a lot. It's a lot. But she loves to. She loves.

She's like every night when she goes to sleep, she's like, is there a show tonight? can I go on stage? She, they joined us like halfway through the tour. So, um, yeah, it was pretty, it was pretty funny. I'm just so glad I don't have children. Do you know what I mean? Yes. You get like little bites, you know, a little taste. Count of times. I mean, the patience that is required, the amount of times you hear the word mommy in one hour, it's like 900 times. Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy. I'm like, oh my God. Oh my god i can't believe i understand why people lose their fucking shit yeah and also like daddy's there too so it could be daddy daddy too but nope it's always mommy it's always mommy yeah she's

she's even she's like her my my niece is like a lot in a relationship with her father they're like they're like a couple and then molly comes in and like sorts every molly comes in and just shames everybody about everything everyone got sick at some point except for me luckily not thank god That was good. The two that were very hungover this morning. And I was at the gym like I always am. She's like, wow, you really are an alcoholic. She's like, you can survive anything. I'm like, you just need to shoot up what I'm shooting up. OK, take all these peptides I'm taking because I can handle almost anything. Yes. So do you get to have a little vacation now? Yes. Now I'm in Portugal. I'm at my friend's 50th birthday weekend. So I'm here for about

four or five days. And I've never been here before. The Algarve Coast. I've been to Portugal a bunch, but never here. So we'll see what happens. I mean, anything is possible, Catherine, anything. It's great. You get, you have earned it. It's time for some time off and you get to just chill a little bit. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. So who do we have coming up today? Well, today we have the lovely Maren Morris, who has a new album called Dream Sickle. Yes. I love Maren Morris and I bumped into her on a television show. So this was perfect timing that we had her on. I like, and when she said, fuck you to country music, infer to not being accepting or for well, there was a bevy of reasons, but it was basically directed at their

sexism, misogyny and, you know, homophobia. Yeah, no, she is cute. She's smart. She is fun. She's knows her mind. She was a great guest. So, OK, bring her on. Welcome, Morris, everybody. There she is. Hi, Maren. I'm happy to see you. I'm good. How are you doing? Long time no see. Well, we just ran into each other at one of those shows. I don't want to say the wrong one, though, so I'm scared. Is it Access Hollywood or is it Tonight Tonight? I think so. Access Hollywood. I mean, I should know because I know the girls there as whenever I roam through there, so I don't want to insult them by saying the wrong show. So if I do, whatever. It's on me, Maren. It's all on me. You know what? It was fun. I was so happy to see you because I met you years and years ago, as we discussed when

Maren was opening for Keith Urban and I was doing my Netflix show. So that was probably like almost 10 years ago. I interviewed you on a tour bus. Yeah. And you were a little baby and and you didn't have a baby yet. And now you have a baby and you're not a baby anymore. But what I really have respected about you is how outspoken you are. It really is amazing to see when you said basically, fuck you to country music.

And I know you weren't saying fuck you to country music, but you were saying fuck you to really the industry of country music. Yeah, I think mostly just like the pillars of establishment where it's these pockets of like MAGA infiltration since 2016, which is truly like when I guess we met, it's just taken the a nosedive and it's not everyone in that world like there's tons of people I live in Nashville so I mean I haven't like become an expat of every facet of this I love living here but yeah I mean it's certainly just tough to sort of want to make music you love and then deliver it to a space that feels safe and inclusive and you know celebratory so I think I just had to sort of go

back to the drawing board and figure out like what I truly wanted to do. And how did you come to that decision? Was that just your own? Like, did you have to discuss this with anybody in your life before you were public about it? Or is this something that you just felt so passionately about that you had to say something? I mean, I think it was becoming more galvanized as, you know, the pandemic was stretching on and we were just trying to figure out how to tour again and a safe way and I think it just really like opened up a lot of blind spots of like people I worked with and just the community here and uh most of it is so like supportive and loving but I I did I did have to kind of figure out like what do I want to do going forward musically

which you know I think I've always been a blurred genre line kind of artist because I'm just more about like the songwriting element and like it comes out how it comes out but yeah I think just making some like intentional decisions on where I like send this music to and you know the thing is is like I'm always gonna love country music it's so tied into my DNA of how I listen to music how i write music it's all through this like portal of like the nashville way of writing songs co-writing lyrical structure the like abab of it all that's i can't like i don't want to get rid of that part of myself i love country music's honesty and like telling real people's stories but i always go back to this interview in like the late 80s of the highwaymen so it's like

Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kristofferson, Waylon, and they're all talking about like funding public education over, you know, excessive military spending and, you know, just giving back to the poor and the elderly, like these icons, these outlaws, which a lot of these people will wear on a t-shirt, like they don't remember what these dudes were fucking talking about from day one. And that's country music to me, which is like fighting for the oppressed and writing about those stories. Yeah, I feel like that's analogous to like how I feel about America. You know what I mean? Like the integrity with which it was founded or with the ideals of what it was always meant to become is probably you can say the same about country music. Like nobody is nothing is

founded on hate and bigotry and exclusivity. Things are founded on love and spreading joy and messaging and inclusivity and yet somehow we get mired you know like like industries can get mired in this way of thinking and then they can become dominated by that and like that's how it feels like in our country even though I don't feel like we're being dominated by hate there's enough out there that it feels that way I always want to err on the side of love and believe that there are more good than there are bad people so I'm just going to choose to continue to think that way for the time being. Yeah. I mean, I think I will always have this like intrinsic hope and ambition that, I mean, humankind is truly just wanting to feel listened to and

connected to one another. I think, yeah, when other like ulterior motives get cropped in, it's just, I mean, music and the arts are a mirror of society. And so when I saw what was going on within the establishment of like mainstream country music not so much like outlaw or americana it was like a lot of these rich guys cosplaying as cowboys with like six thousand dollar ysl boots that have never touched dirt it's like what's the saying where it's like those boys are all hat and no cattle that's like that's kind of what was happening and i mean like it's just interesting Because I feel like at the end of the day, we're all just trying to like live and let live. And I think there's a nationalistic element to America and parts of country music where it's like, this is ours, not theirs. And that's just not a vibe I want to be a part of. I want to be like inclusive. And that only makes for better music also, when you invite inclusivity and diversity into it. because some of my favorite collaborations over like the decades have been those out of left

field duets like when willie and ray charles did their collab together it was just like so refreshing and it just opened up for better music to to come in and rush in and so i think the same with like love it's like you have to scare yourself and be uncomfortable and hear someone else's point of view or walk of life in order to like expand as a human and you know writing is just like my extension of that but yeah anyways this is getting very very existential well but it's but who cares a shit I mean that is beautiful like we all want to grow and love and expand but some people it's like the people that are limited and the people that are closed off are not thinking that way they're thinking about it's a narrow way of thinking and when you go through enough

difficult stuff and you're a smart person you eventually understand and maybe not eventually maybe right away the benefits of expansion and the benefits of growing and open-mindedness and actually going towards something that you think you might fear and learning from it you have a huge new album called dreamsicle she's going on tour everybody she's going to the u.s europe uk everywhere tickets are available at marinmorris.com um the tour begins july 12th so i've listened to part of this in the gym this morning. It's really beautiful. It's very soulful. I mean, it's I don't even know how I would describe it in one word because it's there's a lot of different stuff in there. But I'm really just blown away at a and I think this is demonstrative of what so many

women experience. You came out of a marriage. You came out of, you know, quote unquote, country music. And you had a huge growth spurt from what I can tell. Can you talk a little bit about that? You also had a baby. So, I mean, that'll do it. I think just literally everything that could change in your life happened in like five years for me. And, you know, it was a slow burn of events like unfolding. And I, I think I was just hoping and waiting that someone would reach into my life and tell me how to fix everything. and when you realize on some of those like more isolated nights of just like not being able to sleep and because you just your body is in fight or flight almost I think I just had to buck up and be like no bitch it's you like you're the one that has to make that decision and figure out like where you go from here it's not going to be anyone else like I mean I think you go into this like

inner child mode of like, how do I get out of this? Like, who can help me? Like my mom or my dad. But I think, yeah, I just, I realized I was expanding and growing at a really fast pace, I think from 2020 on. And yes, you could, you could throw motherhood and the postpartum thing, learning about myself, not being able to work in that moment. There were a lot of like identity crises going on, but I realized I can't look back and slow down for people anymore. I want to set my own pace and I will sacrifice my comfort and loneliness or feeling not lonely to move at the pace that I have worked really hard to move at. And I think it's not a fun decision. It's not of fun aftermath or fall out of a decision like that. But I think now that I'm a little bit more

on the other side of it, I do feel like no part of me ever wakes up at three in the morning and is like, I've made a huge mistake. Like, I feel like I sleep better because my body can finally relax and knows that it made the tough but right decision. It's hard to know what day occurred that it all started to shift but maybe circumstantially it doesn't to me feel like oh let's throw the baby out with the bath water like and change everything about my life it just happened organically to have you know all occur at once but yeah personal life professional all the shit was just like a tornado and I was like I swear to god if I can like white knuckle myself through this and survive this is probably the hardest thing like I'll endure and I'll be okay if I get through this part

I think it's so interesting that you say that because it's so true like I know through some of my difficult moments in life you're you are kind of waiting for someone like whether it's your agent or your manager or your sister or your father you're waiting for somebody to bail you out to come and say I'll take care of you and like I've had so many when I was younger I had so many of those like kind of tantrumy moments, like somebody needs to fix this. Somebody needs to fix this. And it's like, there's only so much anybody else can do about you and your state of mind, which is the first ingredient you need is to have clarity and to have focus in order to lift yourself out of anything. Yeah. I think I was just maintaining a level of stress and thinking

that because I'm used to this level of stress, it's comfortable. And the alternative to that is so in the dark that it's frightening. And now that I've removed that sort of perpetual level of holding the fucking plates up and spinning them no matter the cost to myself and my mental health, now that I've removed that, I just see how much I was carrying and that was so unnecessary and so unfair to me. So yeah, I think like the whole rip the bandaid off thing is easier said than done. But I do think even if you're operating at a level of like just okay or good ish, you don't know what great is because you've never allowed yourself the space to experience great. And I feel like now I can, and I'm like, you have to be like really okay

with your own company and I am I could think that was always like the case was you know since I was a kid I can internalize and go in here and that's probably why I'm a songwriter but yeah it's just yeah extremely daunting to make those choices but you know I just turned 35 and I do feel like I'm glad I didn't wait any longer it just would have been such a like waste to myself absolutely And I think there are so many, so many of the people that listen to this podcast are always calling in about that very question. Like, how do you take a leap? How do you move in the right direction?

Like, what is the first step? And I always think it's just take a step in that direction, you know, and then the second one will follow. But you have to intentionally be like, this is the first thing I'm going to do to change my life and to head in a direction that I'm more comfortable with and passionate about. yeah and you more people should talk about like even the little baby step in the correct direction or whatever is nauseating it is you are fighting every safety inside your body to make those choices whether it's to leave a job or a relationship or sever ties with a friend or

a family member those decisions at least for me because I just feel so much like empathy and I want to I don't I never want to let people down people please or it feels like you're gonna vomit like every time you even take the tiniest step to someone else like it's huge to your brain and you're you're functioning how did you deal with any of the backlash you got from the country country music industry after you came out publicly came out no like against them I came out got it well I mean that too and well that right right of course that too but not who cares about that about that about we're all a little gay yeah exactly so and if we're not gay yet you will be okay by the end of this by the end of this administration you'll all be gay

yeah just date one more man and i promise you you'll be gay totally oh somebody tried to i was coming to new york i'm in new york right now and somebody's like i have this guy i want you to set you up with i'm like i can't even think about men right now okay just get away from me i am have no interest in a man right now i have other things to think about i'm like when i get to europe i'll be in a different zone yeah yeah maybe it's better you'll fare better over there but i mean i mean like there's there's backlash with like anything that you do that's not normal so i think i also like remember very clearly the chicks backlash of like the 2003 bush era uh you know Iraq war stuff. So like, that's like my, my touchstone of how an industry can blackball you

or snuff you out or attempt to. And I think, you know, it's slightly better now because of social media and more people can be like exposed to what you're saying and have the context of what you're saying and, and just, yeah. But I was kind of surprised at like how many people reached out to me and support privately or publicly in support and just being like the courage that it would take to, to, to do this or just change up your plans this way. And I wasn't really doing it in the hopes that these people would think that I'm like Joan of Arc or some bullshit. I was just like, I'm just attempting to like be happy and I'm going to have to make some major changes for that to be a reality. To be honest, being honest. I mean, you didn't have to say that publicly. You

could have said that privately. I think there's a real power. I mean, anytime someone says something like that and is loud about that in a righteous way, you are paving the way for so many other people that you will never even know about, you know, and not to mention all of the gay country artists that we've learned about since making that announcement. So like kudos to you for doing that. That takes a lot of balls and a lot of guts because I'm sure there was a part of you that was scared or a fraction of you that was like, oh, my God, what's the backlash going to be like? And I'm all for that because you're helping so many people that you'll never even meet. Oh, well, thank you. I mean, I think I've always been a loud mouth. And I think it's just from

kind of growing up in Texas in this very red state, you know, lots of conservative family and, And, you know, being so mentally online for like post 9-11, the chick stuff, things that were happening within the South and in country music on a public level with the war. I mean, the age of millennial that I am is like that's when people really started paying attention because we had to. It was on our TVs. And I think it just instilled in me this like kind of rebellious spirit of like, how do I build community in a place which is so red? And like, even back then, it felt very quaint. Like people post Trump, it's a little bit different. But I think even back then, it didn't feel quite so adversarial. But it's just grown as I've grown my audience. And I think also, like, I have so many women that work for me and with me and people of color, people in the queer community. So, like, that's my backstage and onstage.

And then I'm looking at my crowd and it's like each album, each, like, year even, it's diversifying. and I remember the first time I ever played like New York City it was like the Bowery I think and I just I had never had like gay fans and so seeing on my first like EP and you're in like the biggest city so you're like okay this is what you know the city crowd's gonna look like and I was just obsessed and I just wanted more of that I wanted people to come to my show and feel like they were safe to do so and they would make friends at my shows in the crowd and i've seen this happen like over the last like nine years yeah so i think part and parcel of building that is letting people know where you stand on almost everything like i i think there are some things that i don't blame

or shame my peers for not speaking up on because you know it's fucking hard doing this but i think in the long run and I've lost fans along the way and that's going to happen is you have like a longer career you're going to lose people like the more that you exist and um aren't just like cookie cutter and you're a you're a fully formed human being I think you're going to lose people and that's okay I think that's healthy but you're going to like remain with the people that have been there from the jump that always understood you and you understand them and then like attract the people that you want over time do you feel at 35 years old this is a weird question it's not a weird question but it's direct do you feel like a woman yeah I do now I thought you're gonna say

like do you feel old because I do most days but I uh yeah I do because I think I started doing this so young I think we talked about this the last time we spoke you know in an interview format it was like I've been touring since I was 12 so and you love touring you love it she loves it she loves it she loves being on the road I just love the I love the show like the energy I get from that it just feels like a healthy version of like the churches I grew up in and I think that connection to an energy like that is just it's addictive yes but it's also like extremely therapeutic. And so, yes, I love the road, but yeah, I'm 35 now. I have a five-year-old. I've been divorced now. Yeah. I feel like a woman. What are the boxes I'm ticking? I love living alone.

Yeah. Like love having my space is that's very sacred. I think just like not sharing a closet with someone or a bathroom counter, I can have all my shit everywhere. Yeah. I mean, that feels very womanly to me. It's just like the, the liberation of home and like space in your house. Yeah. It's so nice to be alone, isn't it? It's so nice to have your own space and be alone. Anytime I have a boyfriend or share, or we go on vacation together. Cause I won't live with anyone again. I hope, I hope I never do until I'm in a facility and then I'll live with my, and then I'll live with my boyfriend who will be 20 years younger, taking care of me for a fee. my male nurse that I'm totally happy to pay as a transaction. But I didn't start feeling and I

think I guess motherhood also plays a very strong component because I think once you have a baby, there is a sense of womanhood that comes on. But I didn't start to feel like a real woman until I was in my 40s. I always felt like this little girl energy, like, you know, Punky Brewster-esque, like, oh, you know, I'm still not really responsible. I have I have all of these things and I have all these people that help me do all these things. But even though I'm running the whole thing, I don't feel like a woman. And so I think it's interesting to find out at what ages women do start to feel that way. Yeah. I mean, I totally get what you're saying because I do still have this like zest and like energizer bunny-esque-ness to me, but

or maybe on the sort of negative space of that is like, again, the people-pleasing thing or just like the performer in me in every element of my life. Like it's exhausting, but I, it's just so hard to break that, that pattern of myself. And like, even in relationships, like romantic relationships, feeling like they need the best version of me, like, especially off the bat, like no flaws, no downsides, like everything's peachy. And then you're like, oh my God, like they're gonna fucking ruin it anyways so just show them all your cards explore healthy detachment but I um yeah I mean I feel like a woman but also like I bet when I turn 40 in a couple years I'll be like that one was an idiot like the 35 version so no I'll be I'll be proud

at any milestone but I do think like there is something yeah with motherhood but also just like anything like divorce where it's a failure of the promise and the plan that was made initially but it's it's also like a success and I don't want to like sugarcoat it like it's not fun to go through this and like also in a public way have like friends and family that you haven't spoken to in years like reaching out to you about something in TMZ that feels so private but like shit happens as part of the job. I just think, um, I've earned my stripes through that. And you can also divorce in a very successful way. So it is a success by many standards and by many measures without referring, you know, to the end of a marriage that in itself could be in

a, a success when it's not a healthy marriage. So yeah, our whole language around all of it should just be flipped and flip it and reverse it. That's so true. I think also because we're over a year out now like my ex and I and we obviously have our son to co-parent like we get along now and have moved past a lot of it but we're neighbors um and I'm just so fortunate that we like have put our son above each other's shit and like can truly and it's better for the two of us if we're getting along obviously as well as like co-parenting our son but yeah I mean I'm lucky that you know we love each other so much still and we have like the highest respect but also there is that like devastation that like two people that love each other that much like can't

make it work in the real world it's always going to be multifaceted but I think ultimately like we both knew it was probably going to be better this way which is a success totally absolutely on that note we're going to take a break and we'll be right back with Maren Morris behind every night spent making the kids lunches there's a lot of suspense will they finally eat the veggies will the pesto survive the first bite will the lunchbox come home empty half full or come home at all and will you finish episode 8 before you're done slicing the cucumbers get bell pure fiber internet with crave netflix and disney plus from 94 a month price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit visit bell.ca for details

and to check availability. Bell. Connection is everything. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are The Survivor Files. I just remember this low, taunting voice next to my ear

saying, shut up, don't say anything. every week i'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable i knew if he woke up without a doubt he was going to hurt me i started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed and i just started screaming they are abducted stalked controlled and nearly silenced but these aren't stories about what's taken from them they're stories about what it takes to make it out alive Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse.

I'm Eli Rallo, and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up this story. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. From best-selling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse.

Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro Society on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you between the pages. Hey, this is Hayes Davenport. And Sean Clements.

We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook on the Big Money Players Network. Our show is extremely accessible to first-time listeners. Each week, we talk to someone in show business, a.k.a. the biz, and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time, and no one gets mad at their publicist for letting them do our show. We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, not that great. Actually, can you help me shape this? How about we flip it on its head, right?

How about we flip the script, okay? What if the surprise woman, who actually you think is the straight man, is actually the one who's acting weird? Adam Scott. This entire time, you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to visit the show. I would never expect. Let go of that. I have. I would never set expectations for something like that to happen.

If the universe allows for something like that to happen, I am open to it. I'm always going to accept. You know, Danny McBride, fine. Yeah. It's all this fragile masculinity exuding. I could smell it walking down the hallway, to be honest with you. mm-hmm i was like is that weed nope it's fragile masculinity yeah ben stiller no because a lot of times in out of context people don't get it or even know what a circle is you know what i mean

like they're like oh what's this everyone's so dumb and fake right fake and and also not interested or just like oh i've got my life i don't care about your life and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us oh and by the way will ferrell told us Personally, he loves the show, and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back with Maren Morris, who has a new album called Dreamsicle, and then she's

touring all over, so go to MarenMorris.com to get tickets. Okay, we have some callers, Maren. Are you ready, Catherine? Are you ready? Yes. All right. This first one is just an email, but Jess says, Dear Chelsea, I've been friends with this girl, let's call her Molly, for four-ish years now. We met through mutual friends while I was in grad school, and our partners get along very well, too.

We've stayed in touch a lot with biannual trips to see each other after I moved out of the town where we met. Fast forward to two years ago. She's getting married and wants to do a big bachelorette trip out of state. I took it upon myself to essentially plan the entire thing. She was relieved to have the help. The trip went very well, followed by travel to their wedding later that year. All that to say, I spent a lot of time, money, and energy on her wedding. It was a big weekend for me, too.

The day after her wedding, my fiancé popped the question. He planned a little trip, and it was just the two of us. He did get permission from the groom in advance. When I got engaged, Molly was happy for me, but did not express any explicit interest in the details of my wedding planning. The next time I saw her was on a friend's trip six months later. She did not ask to see my ring, nor did she ask any details about my engagement, which is crazy to me. If I care about someone, I'm curious about a big moment like that.

She, in fact, expressed some annoyance at the timing of the engagement, possibly taking away from the quote-unquote specialness of her weekend. About a week after that trip, she said she could not arrive at my wedding a day early for a bachelorette celebration as she couldn't get the time off work. Then today, I receive a text with her essentially saying they might not make it to the wedding due to finances. I'm frustrated and confused. She has a great job as a lawyer, so it's not really adding up. Without a firm RSVP, how do I know whether I should plan the tables and a meal for her

and her husband? And it's a lot of money to waste if they don't end up coming. Should I address it with her or not even bother? Sincerely, Jess. Wait, so the proposal took place right the day after the wedding? The day after the wedding, but like in a totally different place. Like it wasn't like at the post-wedding brunch sort of thing. It was far away.

Oh, okay. And he cleared it with the groom, which I don't think he should have had to do. Why did he? Yeah, that was the first mistake, clearing it with the groom. I thought it was on the grounds, like the brunch after. Right, right. I clarified that with her. And she was like, no, no, no.

It was like hours away. Well, I mean, you could ignore it, but I would go at it directly, head on, and just send her an email going, it's clear that you're annoyed. You've showed that you've been annoyed with me for getting engaged after your wedding. I did not plan this proposal. My husband did. Okay? Right. So, A, these are the facts. B, I went above and beyond for your wedding, as I would do again.

Like, you know, you say all of this with as much gentleness and love as you can, because you're talking to somebody who's basically having a little bit of a tantrum. And I would do it again. I was happy to be there. I was happy to throw your bachelorette weekend or whatever she threw for her shower. Yeah. However she wants to call it and or whatever it was. Yeah. Bachelorette. Yeah. And I was there. I was happy for you. it's really disheartening to see you being lawfully about my wedding when you know that the costs that go into a wedding, you understand when somebody isn't going to be there. The fact that you're not coming in for my bachelorette weekend after I threw you one hurts. The fact

that you're not sure if you can come to my wedding hurts. Again, I did not propose to my husband. He proposed to me. It wasn't at your wedding. It was after your wedding. Like these are things that are not going to matter in six months. I would just be very direct so that you can get, you know, really just call her on her shit and get a direct response so that you don't have to worry about it. Just let me know either way. If you can't come to the wedding, okay, that's disappointing too, but please let me know so I can save the money, you know? And I really hope one day you can get past this because I find this to be very silly. We were all there for your wedding. We were all present. And now I feel like I'm being punished for being proposed to. That's a good line. That's

how it feels. What do you think, Maren? It's just so weird that all this happened, planned her whole bachelorette showed up and like celebrated her and then they didn't see each other for six months that feels weird too because they don't live in the same town oh got it got it yeah they live a little bit farther apart yeah I mean Chelsea's right I think just approaching it directly even though it's gonna suck to hit send because it's like oh god like I'm really coming out or a little bit assortively but it does cost money when people no show on a wedding and the table setting and the food and drink. And it's like just out of courtesy, even that alone, even if she hadn't planned The Bachelorette, it's like you RSVP no. Right. And whatever. But yeah, I think just like

be direct. And she might think that you're like attacking her. But I don't think I don't think any of us do. So just clear your mind. No. And say it with love. Start it with like, hey, this is coming from love. I definitely feel some tension between us. And this is what I'm deducing. You know, you can say it as softly as you want to. I'm saying it directly, but you can actually make it much softer. But why not? If she's not going to be your friend, find out now. And if she's ever going to get caught, people need to be called out on their silly behavior. She's acting like a child. If she's really upset about that, you know, which she probably won't. She may not admit. She may pretend it's about something else. You know what I mean? Because

it is embarrassing to admit you're upset about something so so um what's the word i'm thinking of trifle no is that a truffle trifling silly silly stupid truffles truffles i don't know whatever i feel like also if she still is waffling after you directly ask her like hey i need an rsvp and she's like well we'd like i think i would say like a no is okay if we'd love to have you there but if you really can't please just let me know and like we'll assume that you're not gonna come Let's just plan on you not coming. Yeah, you could do with that and just like, yeah, you could also frame it only like that. Like, listen, it's obvious that you have some issue with me and not even get into the details and say, it's obviously there's some issue here.

I'm assuming you're upset about the proposal date, but whether that's really not in my control. I didn't have any control over that. And you're waffling back and forth about even coming to my wedding. While that's really hurtful, I think what you're trying to say to me is you're not coming. You know, you could do it that way and like make it more of a closed door thing. And you can even blame it on like the wedding planner, like the wedding planner needs a firm RSVP one way or the other. So like, let me know by X date, especially if it's after the actual RSVP date. Well, our next caller is Mike. He says, Dear Chelsea, I followed Chelsea from back in

the Grey Goose days to Belvedere. I really respect your point of view on things. And you being a girl's girl is pretty cool. I'm a trans man, which I'm not usually comfortable saying or even typing out loud. I've always identified as a straight guy. I'm 44. And back in my day, it was all about being stealth. The world is different these days. I've been with my wife for 18 years, married together for 25. We have an eight-year-old, and now the two of us are in the process of a divorce. She's been running on emotions, making it legally hard for me, financially too, and adding extra stress with our son. I never would have thought we'd be here. I took my vows seriously, thinking I was protecting my son and me. I have an attorney, but I'm scared shitless

to see what's to come. Do you have anything to offer to help me maintain focus to get through this with my son, yet positive enough to not let all this negativity affect my well-being. I see it taking over, but I'm getting through. Best wishes, Mike. Hi, Mike. Hey, how are you doing, Chelsea? Hi. This is our special guest, Maren Morris, who joins us today. How are you doing? I'm doing. I'm happy to be here. And, you know, looking forward to hearing what, you know, what you have to offer. Sorry, I'm already tearing up. Thank you.

It's okay. No, no, no. So it's an acrimonious divorce, I take it? Yeah. Neither one of us really did anything, so to speak, that really was like, oh my God, you cheated or anything like that, that really broke us. I think we've been together since we were young and we didn't really have proper guidance and we went through a lot. There was a lot of um deaths guilt a lot of things that i don't think i appropriately dealt with or neither did she and i think we were both a little emotionally irresponsible as well as financially and i i think it kind of caught up to us and it it was a lot of stuff we never dealt with coming to a head and uh you know unfortunately you know this is where we are and it's just like

i don't even know what to do or or how to handle it i realize i'm very upset and and how things proceeding but i'm trying not to get angry i've related to you for many years like you've like helped me through a lot of this stuff that i went through like it was just like your show finding you was um kind of just awesome like you know i would just kind of veg out and watch it and and um you know it was a distraction from life and at that time it was just like a long time ago at this point really like work stuff you know just regular life and then like i started realizing Like I started like not appreciating the little things. And I think a lot of it just came to my head.

And when I was ready to deal with it, she wasn't. And now I don't know who she's become. You know, it's scary. Have you been able to have a conversation with her? Are you able to have a conversation with her about how you're feeling and about moving forward in like a loving way for the benefit of your son and accepting that the relationship has is over but also understanding that there can be a new relationship moving forward so that you can honor the family unit that you had I try you know and it's like I've tried like several

different approaches because I used to you know I know like where I did my wrong so to speak was not taking care of myself and I went through a lot of loss and I had mentioned I'm a trans guy I don't think like you know like I always know she accepted that but there was a lot of things that i don't think i really accepted you know and uh when i was younger i i came out as like a trans guy i was part of this community in the city and i would go on talks and really encourage people and then like it was like i found this beautiful girl in long island who was really straight you know and i it was like all about being stealth and she fell in love with me and accepted me and i just can't believe 25 years later like going through all this stuff like we're here you know

and our son is the most precious thing in the world he's um non-verbal he's autistic and he really needs us more than than most little guys and girls you know and it is a shame and I don't know you know I needed to become humble and how I relate to you as well as there are things that I felt like were so important to say and I needed to be heard and I needed to take a lot of steps back and I think I kind of took them too you know that's okay though that's okay everything's it's okay all of these things that you're saying are okay it's part of your life and it's part of how you deal with it do you have a therapist I do and it's um it's been great to have that and to see that that help and

the self-reflection is amazing and I mean like I have a lot of work to do don't get me wrong but even like stepping out what encouraged me to email you is I went and saw you by myself that's something I never would have done I bought a ticket to see you in King's Theater my English was messed and that email so thanks for cleaning it up Catherine because I was just so excited that I was doing it and I was like you know what screw it I'm gonna reach out and just let her know it you know like so just like that alone was a huge step for me to just humble be humble like to be able to walk in there humble but confident you know I lost both and I think that was part of what she fell in love with me and I want us to kind of kind of regroup like I even heard of like

co-parenting counseling like all right we accept you know marriage is over we're gonna you know live apart but like there are so many resources I even brought her to a rage room you know like maybe we have like anger or resentment like bang it out you know hit some stuff like you know it's just like I don't even know how to navigate this at all you know okay well it's one step at the time. First of all, you have to take it one step at a time. What, how old were you when you transitioned? So it's interesting. That's an interesting question. I think I always knew, but the first time I introduced myself, I was very lucky. I was going, I was probably like 10, 11, going into sixth grade. I was so lucky. I was in the movie, seeing Terminator 2, whatever

year that was out. And I saw a girl that I liked and she assumed, you know, like I had my hair cut short. And I was very, very fortunate transition wise. But now later in life, I almost feel too fortunate if that's weird or not. Well, it sounds to me like what you're missing is like there's a lot of delayed grief that's coming up. That sounds like it's probably related to your transition and not getting the appropriate therapy going through that transition. Like you saying you were lucky to go through that what the experience you're talking about would also kind of masks like okay okay i can do this i can do this it was not no big deal and when it when it is a big deal when there are feelings that you need to digest and you need to understand about yourself there's going to

be a lot of emotion around that that you haven't experienced yet that is necessary to go through otherwise it will tear you apart i think you're right like even crying like this is new for me that's good though it's good that you're crying it's absolutely wonderful like that's what you need to do more of is cry it gets it out of your body there's a grieving process that comes with transitioning and if it's not handled properly this is the kind of thing that can happen and while it may seem like it's your relationship and maybe it is there's a lot of stuff that creeps up on us from our younger years when we don't address them so i would really encourage you to really speak with your therapist in a candid way about all of this i would i would also

encourage you to write down as much as you can whenever you can. Really start journaling about how you're feeling. And I feel like you're going to realize that these emotions are very much tied to your emotions from being a younger person and that haven't been fully examined. And while that may not sound like a fun thing to do, it's a necessary thing to do for your future and for moving through this divorce in a more amicable way. And if you can approach your wife in a way that is really loving, do you think you can or have you about moving forward in a more amicable way in the name of your son? I've tried, but I think my communication is just like off. Yeah, off. Exactly. I don't think I'm approaching it at all the right way. And I just don't know how.

Okay. Well, can't you have your therapist? Can you have a session with your therapist and your wife? and have her address the communication for both of you. Wow. Like I keep thinking, wow, like this is what I mean. Like this was incredible. Like I always keep thinking it has to be like co-parenting or at least couples like something together. But I never even thought of that.

That is an amazing thing. And I think you're right. My third person, she's super supportive. And I bet you have one session just to kind of get that communication. Maybe more than one though. Maybe more than one. And also frame it to your wife. Like, hey, listen, I'm having I think I have a lot of work to do on my communication.

So I'm seeing a therapist. It would really mean the world to me if you could come in for a session and we can discuss moving forward in the name of our child for the purpose of co-parenting in the future. I have accepted that this relationship doesn't work for you. I will not going to fight you about that. And then you have to make that promise that you're not going to try and like get her back. And that's not what this is about. This is all for the sanity and safety of your son. Yeah, completely.

I mean, I try to open my home to her, like even Easter Sunday, you know, like it's like, even if we could just spend an evening together, wake up, let him see the Easter. There's two, what, two holidays a month that we celebrate, Christmas and Easter. Kid, you can't get that together. You know, like I try and encourage that. But then if we're not communicating right and we're like being ridiculous, like he feels that, you know, he's nonverbal too. So it's a little bit more of a challenge.

He probably knows, nonverbal kids know more than verbal kids anyway, because their senses are so heightened yeah have you listened to that podcast telepathy tapes yes i started listening to some of that absolutely about non-verbal yeah it's pretty cool it's mind-blowing and it's incredible and it's like i just know how many questions and even here in some of your stories like the questions i had you know like imagine what's going through his head and it's like there are just so many things that we just need to get on board on like even his therapies and schedules and whatever it is like we just gotta gotta be hands on deck and yeah and the way to get there is to get yourself in a healthy place so you have to double down on your therapy double

down on your journaling start meditating for about 10 minutes a day just to get yourself centered just get a download to Deepak Chopra's app download headspace download whatever 10% happier there's a million they'll guide your meditation they will tell you what to think about and what to focus on and and just get yourself into it's okay to have these emotions it's important that you go through this grief, but it's really important that you don't take this out on anyone else. Like that you take your wife to your couple's therapist. And if she wants to go to one of hers, that's fine too. If she'd rather go to someone she knows, great, whatever. This is all in the name of better communication and your communication is going to get better if that's

what you choose to focus on in therapy and with your wife. So that's your first step. And then i want you to call us in about six weeks and give us an update oh gosh all right yeah you got it you have homework this is serious yeah this is really serious and it's uh six weeks definitely that's that hits us right on the head too like we're gonna be going back to court and uh i'm trying not to cry that's why i try to you know segue it's okay it's okay to know you're right and it's and i know she's good in there and so am i and it just sucks like how do you like just separate that emotion put the proper boundaries up to move forward you know and i think i never thought of that so that's huge to even suggest that to my therapist that's a huge step like hey

just come you know she knows that i've been with my therapist for a long time now like just come on in and just have it communicate and chat on the proper way that's a huge step yeah that's huge i appreciate that advice because you're just looking in and getting me set straight right now that's what i needed from you i need you to to get me focused marin shares custody with her ex for her child so marin do you have any words of encouragement for him i mean it's so clear that you both care about your son so deeply and that's like going to be the thing that saves you through all of this grief and like the car crash that is divorce it's like the worst thing you can go through and it's it's a death now that i'm kind of on the other side of

it and we are great co-parents and we've sort of let each other go in that romantic sense even though we still have so much love and history and now a child to like you know be there for i i think i was saying earlier it's like the person you marry is not the person that you divorce on both ends like she might be thinking that as well and it's just that's like the hardest part is knowing that it's not the same but for your son i think the therapy idea and obviously it's your therapist so she might come in feeling a little bit like ganged up on so i think the suggestion of if it's someone she's more comfortable with I think just as long as there's a third party who's a professional in the room being like holding you two accountable

and giving you tools on how to talk to each other you just fuel all of that self-care and love and like respect for yourself that is going to be so apparent to her and your son this time like give yourself the time to like be you know a little bit of a mess it's grief be sad cry journal meditate all the things but I think yeah logistically of course like get a session on the books where it's the three of you and I think that's just an amazing way to go forward especially like if it's before the court date and the judge at least in Tennessee ends up like telling you how to split the co-parenting schedule. And I will say like, that's very bizarre, but also gives me comfort to know that like, and I think my ex-husband as well, like the state has given us

this split and we have to abide by it. So there's no like, well, do you get Easter or do I? Like it's in writing and that kind of just, it takes us and our emotions out of it, which is really helpful for both of us now it's like I won't say easy and we do co-parent super well now but like you just have to allow yourself that time to feel all the feelings and know that this is like a lot of probably residual stuff coming up from like your transition and as time it was so brave to do so like before we had all the resources and talks about trans people like you were so ahead of that like and being a champion for your community and yourself i think like rekindling that as well like go out there with your community again like go do those talks again i think that'll

bring you so much like empowerment you hit that on the head so i recently started joining some trans uh groups again and i was actually just you know so that starts actually next week and amazing yeah so you you actually hit you guys are hitting her out of the head it's like a lot of that did come up I think because I felt like a lot and maybe even put that pressure on her if she you know I can even get to that on her like that she accepted that and I put a lot of that on her and I put her I put her on a pedestal that way and and now having a child like like kind of what you said I realized what unconditional love is not just with a child with another person and kind of like which is almost like a choice but it is it is a choice and it isn't at the same time

Like when you've realized what unconditional love is, it's incredible. And I know deep down she has that for me. It's just like what you guys are saying. You guys are hitting it on the head and I appreciate it. Like getting through some of that residual resentment or whatever that we just never dealt with. We never dealt with it. We just, we just, I think got together very young and just kind of kept shelling stuff

and, you know, getting through, having fun through it or distractions. It's not dealing with, you know. Yeah. Well, Mike, will you check in with us in about six weeks? I sure will. Well, I appreciate that. Thank you for that accountability. Yeah, absolutely.

Take care, Mike. All right, guys. Thank you so much. Thank you, ladies, so much. I really appreciate everything. I really, I'm really going to take it serious. Good. Thanks, Mike.

I appreciate you. That was a very heavy phone call. Well done, everyone. Well done. But amazing, too. Like, you could just tell he knew a lot of this already and is so self-aware. but also sometimes, like what you were saying earlier, just someone tell me what to do next. Yes, exactly. Well, our next question comes from Allie. She is 22.

Dear Chelsea, my name is Allie. I'm just starting out in music. I have the urge to rush everything. I'm writing music whenever it comes to me, and all I want to do is post it on my Instagram to quote unquote prove something. I know I have nothing to prove, really. I know I can do it. I'm currently looking to get back into school since I had to take some time off from college for mental health treatment. Music has been so amazing at helping me process things and start to feel like myself again. I wrote a lot of poetry and treatment that I want to set to music, so that's a big motivator. I'm starting piano lessons in June, and I'm studying music theory till then.

Any advice? What else should I study to help better myself? I've flown the rainbow of different self-love practices, but how can I practice the art of patience? Sincerely, Allie. Hi, Allie. Hi, it's good to see you. This is Maren Morris, our special guest today.

Perfect timing for your question. Yeah, I mean, it's a great question because I think patience is the hardest thing for me to deal with because I'm just so type A when it becomes about like my decision-making and like, how do I get here? Let's spring into action.

Just like the thought of waiting on something is so frustrating but I think it's amazing that like at this age you've discovered these new lanes of like creativity and therapy also I mean I cannot play the piano I can barely play the guitar but like if I didn't have that tool to write songs to I know there are people that can write songs without playing an instrument but I just find it so helpful and like really liberating to not have to rely on someone else to play the music for you so I think it's amazing that you've like you have lessons planned yeah and the music theory thing is also like so helpful especially if you're getting into piano music theory will really help you with that I'm like more ear

trained with guitar but yeah I mean I think it's wonderful I but I think when I give advice like to songwriters it the word patience is always the first thing I say is because there's so many people I don't know if you're wanting to do this like professionally or like just have it for your own tool of healing but yeah I just think like giving yourself the time to experience life and be able to write through it and also like give yourself those days where like allow yourself to write something terrible like that is so important is to like tell yourself this is not a reflection of my talent. Some days I will write something that is so unlistenable to anyone but me. And that's OK. Like I got it out of the of the pipe, but like something greater is behind it, hopefully.

So, yeah, like dare to suck, write a bad song, write like a shit piece of poetry and just be like, OK, that's off on to the next one. I also think on the subject of patience, I have no patience either. I have to work very, very hard at my patience. But I understand that impulse to want to share something that you think is great. But as a 22-year-old artist, you have so much room to grow. And I know that's not what you want to hear because you think you're great now, right? But you're only going to get greater. You're only going to get better at your craft as you age and as you experience more and more songwriting and you sing more and you learn the piano and you learn and you get to know yourself in a better way as an artist so when

you're holding when you have that impulse to share I have to put this on social I have to put this on social sometimes you should and sometimes if you just wait a day wait like 24 hours like start to train your brain this is going to be a big favor to you as you get older as an artist wait a minute and digest it and then listen to it again then the next day and think is this really something I want to put out there because you're only going to get better at what you do so why not wait and make sure that it's as good as it can get before you share everything that's happening. Yeah, I think that's really important because we do live in this culture of like, if I made something, I have to put it out there for everyone to see. And especially

as you're this baby artist, like that can be intimidating to say the very least of, you know, putting something in front of people. I think there's power in allowing it to be for yourself for a little while and nurture yourself and let yourself grow. yeah I love all those sentiments I have with the urges it's like this urge to like show the process and like how much I've improved but really like I like what you were saying about like sitting on it and then also writing the bad music like it's all like a part of the process it is and and and you should write that down just write wait on a nice like index card or piece of paper I put it on your mirror. And then really think it through. Don't do things like, listen, I am a very impulsive

person, but I've learned over the years, and it took me a long time to learn this. So you're 22. So if you can take this advice and really stick with it, you're going to be even more successful than you would have been had you not taken advice. But wait, whenever you have an impulse, just seriously sleep on it. Look at it again in the morning. And if you feel the same way, then sure, put it out. But just don't do things by like the seat of your pants. It's just not as productive as people think it is. Yeah. And Allie, I will tell you a quick story about how I have auditioned for every single talent show that's on television.

When I was a teenager, my mom dragged me to American Idol, Star Search, America's Got Talent, The Voice. They all said no. And I moved to Nashville when I was 23 just to write songs for other artists. And I didn't get a record deal until I was 26. So like, thank God, I didn't make it onto any of those shows because I was so horny and not ready, like not ready to be seen on a public level by any means. And I just wouldn't have handled it well. But by the time I was like 25 ish, 26, I was like, okay, I know what my sound is. And that's after also like 15 years of touring, but I was like, it took me a second to learn from other writers in Nashville, like how to write songs and how to collaborate. so yeah just like that was my patience lesson was thank god all these shows said absolutely not to me because now i think i'd be i'd be cringing and like trying to scrub it from the internet so it happens when it happens yeah yeah i'm really relieved to hear that because like

i kind of am sitting on that too because like i have her just to like sign up for like try like, you know, those shows they were talking about. And it's, I just want to wait, like, till I am like feeling fully confident. Yes. Yeah. Wait for that. It's coming. It's coming your way. I promise. And Marion, you bring up a really good point about collaboration too. I, I would love to see you, Allie, as you're getting started in this, like find yourself a community of musicians, find one or two other people who you can like jam with, like run things by because it is such a collaborative process. And as far as posting stuff, it's not to say you can't be recording because I think that's a great idea to be recording your progress as you go, but don't

feel pressure to post right now. Thank you. That's really good to hear. Well, good luck with everything. Thanks for calling in. Thank you for giving all the experience. Yeah, of course. We'll check in with you in six months, okay? Okay. Thank you so much. You guys, I would review that as an A plus call. Call and deliver. Great, great advice from an actual musician, a successful musician and me. OK, we're going to take a break. We're going to take a break and come back and say goodbye to Maren Morris. Please tag me for the special because I get so many tags about my books, but I'm not getting as many about my special and my special is the newest thing out. So I want to make sure all my ardent fans are watching it and tagging me, and I'll repost you.

And, yes, it's called The Feeling. two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for details and to check availability. Bell. Connection is everything. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart and these are the survivor files i just remember this low taunting voice next to my ear saying shut up don't say anything every week i'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable i knew if he woke up without a doubt he was going to hurt me i started feeling that there was someone at the end of my

bed and i just started screaming they are abducted stalked controlled and nearly silenced but these aren't stories about what's taken from them. They're stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality,

welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo, and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having.

I'm going to have to look up this story. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse. Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro Society on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you between the pages.

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 Pinheiro, 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 iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back with Maren Morris. I want to just read a quote before we say goodbye to Maren. This is with her new album, Dreamstacle, comes out May 9th on all platforms. And this is an album quote from Maren that I want to read. Dreamstacle takes place in the aftermath of loosening my grip on my personal and professional life, sweeping through the pits of grief but never staying too long

and finding the joy in knowing that at my core, I'm still who I am, and that's pretty fucking great. No monster in the mirror, no shame-laden decade or unraveling what happened, just acceptance release and the reclaiming of how strong i've always been with no need to dim or water down its essence any longer dreams to call became less about the hard lessons and more about enjoying the bumpy ride and finding people who genuinely want to be on it with you because they love you it's about appreciating and respecting the beauty and nuances of life while it's happening not after it's too late that's really beautiful and i wanted to share that with all of our

listeners oh thank you the spirit the spirit of your album yeah I would say so and I wrote that like three months ago so I'm like I'm glad I still feel this way yeah I think it's just it's so tough to like put work out and be like is this like your magnum opus like you just can't think about that you just have to write what you're going through and have the stones to put it out and be received and loved and critiqued and hated and all the shit. But it's like you have to get it out of your body and your mind. And I think, yeah, there is such a release in that and not feeling like tethered to the past or the like practice of nostalgia and just truly being able to enjoy something while you're still in it. Yeah. I mean, let's circle back when I'm 40 and I'll revisit

it that quote, but I feel proud of it. You should feel proud of it. I'm proud of you. And I don't even I don't say that in a patronizing mother maternal way. I just mean from woman to woman. I'm proud. Well, same. I'm going to try and catch you on tour. The tour starts July 12th and shows she's doing US, Europe and UK. So get your tickets at Maren Morris dot com. And I'm going to come find you, Maren, and come to one of your shows. Yes. I know you saw me at the pink show, but this will be our stage. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. We'll be back. So nice speaking with you today. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you for having me. Have a great day. Y'all too. Bye everyone. Okay. My remaining dates for Vegas. There are remaining dates for this year.

Summertime is coming and I will be in Vegas at the Cosmo doing my residency on July 5th. will be the next date that I'm there. July 5th, August 30th, and then November 1st and 29th. November 1st and November 29th. I will be in Las Vegas at the Cosmo performing inside myself at the Chelsea. It's called Chelsea at the Chelsea for a reason. Okay. Thank you. Do you want advice from Chelsea? Write into DearChelseaPodcast at gmail.com. Find full video episodes of Dear chelsea on youtube by searching at dear chelsea pod dear chelsea is edited and engineered by brad dickert executive producer katherine law and be sure to check out our merch at chelsea handler.com i survived nine months in captivity and i've spent my life exploring how other people

survive what should have destroyed them i'm elizabeth smart and these are the survivor files Every week, I'm with survivors who lived through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club part group chat for anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse each week we're connecting the dots between books the internet and pop

culture with your favorite writers book talk creators and plenty of overthought opinions listen to pro society on the iheart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts i'm hoda kotb host of the podcast joy 101 with hoda kotb you know i'm always searching for inspiration and useful tools to maximize joy. Like when my friend Henry Winkler offered advice to aspiring actors and really anybody hoping to stand out. You're not hired just to fill time and space. You're hired to fill the space with you. Listen to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Our hometown is not a test tube. 90 miles northeast of Nashville, a battle for the future of America plays out in one small town.

Developers with right-wing ties have purchased hundreds of acres of land. We need cities on a shining hill. This is Our Town, a podcast about what happens when a small town becomes the site of a social experiment and fights back. Guess you didn't move in on a bunch of dumb hillbillies now, did you? Listen to Our Town on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.