Normal Gossip - Bonus Episode: Sexy Hide-And-Seek at the Shakespeare Festival with Brydie Lee-Kennedy

Episode Date: September 27, 2023

We're releasing an episode from our secret feed vault to give you a taste of what you can get each month as a Friend or Friend-of-a-Friend subscriber. Our guest, Brydie Lee-Kennedy, is a Friend-level subscriber who joined Kelsey on the secret feed last November to tell a harrowing story about a game of sexy hide-and-seek gone wrong. If you loved Brydie's story, make sure to check out her novel, Go Lightly! You can support Normal Gossip directly by buying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com. Our merch shop is run by Dan McQuade. You can also find all kinds of info about us and how to submit gossip on our Komi page: https://normalgossip.komi.io/ Episode transcript here. Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [e-mail] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP. Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs). Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Jae Towle Vieira is our associate producer. Show art by Tara Jacoby. Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Hello, my name is Kelsey McKinney and welcome to a little bonus episode of Normal Gossip. We are in the thick of production for season 5 right now and cannot wait to share these stories with y'all. They're deranged and weird and so fun. But I thought you might like to have a little treat while you wait. So we decided to make one of our subscriber episodes public, and that's what you're going to find here in this episode. On the first Friday of every month, we release a special episode where one of our friend-level subscribers

comes on to tell me a gossip story of their choosing. It is literally one of the best hours of my month, and so many of the stories are so good. You can become a subscriber at the friend of a friend level for $5 a month and get all of these episodes, including the backlog. Or you can become a subscriber at the friend level for $12 a month and get all the episodes in the backlog and be entered into a lottery to get to be the guest

and come on the show and tell me your little story. Friend level subscribers also get added to the close friends list on Instagram where we are up to all sorts of shenanigans. To subscribe, just go to supportnormalgossip.com. There was one other thing that I wanted to tell you about before we get into the story. What? What was it? Hmm.

Oh, right. Yeah. It was at season five of Normal Gossip, we'll return in a couple of weeks. We will be back on October 18th. So mark your calendars. And I hope that this story with subscriber Brydie Lee Kennedy will tide you over until then. Brydie is an Australian TV writer based in London and her debut novel Go Lightly is out next year. It's being built as a spiky bisexual love story so I truly cannot wait to get my hands on it. Brydie, welcome.

Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited. It's such a delight to have you. I'm glad to have an Australian too, since we have many Australians for some reason that I don't really understand. We love gossip. I think for the reason.

Is that just a name? They teach you that at birth? Well, I think we definitely have a sort of warm shit talking sensibility in Australia. So, like spirals off from that. What does warm shit talking mean? Like, what's cold shit talking? I guess that would be more helpful for understating, but please go ahead. Well, a cold shit talking is definitely more what British people do.

I'm not going to have to live here for 10 years. No, warm shit talking, I guess. It's like you are very likely to be critical of your friends in the most loving way possible if you are from Australia. I think it's a bit amplified in how Australians like use the seaward Americans find like shocking the way we do it, but like you are often using it affectionately and it does not translate to American English at all Right because Americans are like, oh see you hate your friend. I know she's my best friend Yeah, it's like oh no, I was thinking about my mother who I love to

do. She's a perfect angel and I would die without her but yeah I have called her that. I love that. Incredible start. Ready will you tell me what your relationship with Gossipist? Besides Warm Shit Talking which is obviously a key component. key component. Yeah, I love gossip the main thing and I think I have always been like on a shame of that in a way that it's only one talking to other people that I'm like, oh maybe I should have hide this more when people are like less into it, but I grew up Catholic, like kind of fun Irish Catholic, rather than the scary Catholic. Okay. A lot of that is like drinking and talking about people.

So in my family, whenever my mom's Irish cousins and stuff were around, the thing I always think about is they would often start stories about people who were either dead or not there by saying, now we must never speak who were either dead or not there by saying, now, you know, we must never speak ill of the dead or departed. And then everyone would cross themselves. And then they would go. And then they would just go. And we've crossed ourselves, we've made it okay with God. Now we can say whatever we want. And also like my mom's family generations before now, but they were all kind of low level criminals. Okay, so great. Yeah, great.

So they were like Irish like migrants in Australia and they, they basically ran a legal gambling in. That girls, that's so funny. It's like a fun thing to run as well. Like if you're going to be a criminal, it's like, yeah, like betting on the horses. Yeah, you're running illegal games. Exactly. Exactly. And they like really ran it through the church and like, you know, that was definitely like growing up, you know, that generation was kind of dying out. They were like the generation above my mom, but like they used to just tell the most completely nut stories about like their involvement, but also like the church and also the like death and complicity of like the cops. Oh my god. So like I definitely grew up in a household where gossip was like a fun thing to do. And then yeah I work in TV and I worked in comedy before that and like um it I was like oh it's yeah I think a lot of your guests have said but like it's

definitely a way to protect yourself. Because yeah, like I started out in comedy when I was like 19 and all of the people around me will like 35 year old dudes. Yeah, yikes. So like a very unpleasant ratio. But yeah, like definitely older women will like, invaluable to me then. Because they were like very willing to talk shit about

the men that they knew. So yeah, I think it's a, I wanna be like, oh, I think it's like a social good and I do, but also it's just fun. Yeah, I mean, that's kind of, we run into this every episode, right? Which is that like gossip is a word that isn't very, like narrow, it's a super broad word.

And so it's like, yes, it's equally technically gossip for someone older than you to be like, hey, watch out for the sky who's bad. And it's also gossip for you to like go up to your friend at work and be like, did you hear that she like crashed her car this weekend? It goes with not the same, but they have the same words, which is kind of awkward. So you've told us about your family and your work relationship with gossip. What is your personal relationship with gossip like? Do you gossip with your friends, which member of the gossip group are you? So I think definitely my friend's know that if they want to talk about something, they

can send it to me and I'll be like totally on it. And like thrilled about it and not only that but I'll take my own personal diversions to like develop my own theories about things and my recently something like actually very minor happened like mutual friends wedding but wedding golf stuff is one of my favorite things ever. Perfect. The stakes are like, act in real, you know, in the grand scheme of things, the stakes of a wedding are probably low, but the stakes of a wedding and people's lives are so high, that I love any games related to wedding. And it's, I don't know, I feel like a wedding is also the only place where it's like I have all of these people together, right? Like all the people from the various points of your life are in one room and who knows

what they could tell each other. Like that is alone, just an immense amount of tension. Yeah, and so I love that. And so basically like something happened on a mutual friends wedding and like three, I wasn't there and like three different people got in touch to just like let me know. Oh my god. Well, you know, thank you so much to those scouts of gossip who reported back to you. Those so kind.

I then did try and like get my partner involved in discussing it. And um, he like he thinks that he's a good gossip and like loves to gossip. But like he really burns out pretty quickly. Like he has his one theory and then he's done where as I'm like, no, let's pull the different threads. Let's look at this from all the sides and he's like, oh, okay. But that's why you have friends. It's like, yeah, sometimes you know, you have friends

who are like, here's my one theory and sometimes they're right. And then you have people like us who are like, I've created a spreadsheet of 72 potential theories that could interact with each other in these ways. That's my people. Ready? Are you ready to bring me whatever it is that you have come here carrying? Yes.

Yes, so my story, how many years ago now, when I was a cabaret performer, which I'm not anymore. Okay. It's incredible. It's from the high stakes world of niche arts festivals. Oh my god, bless you. So, basically, something that used to happen when I was still in Cabaret is I would tour a lot in them and that I was going to festivals all the time and festivals and when you go to arts festivals a lot you you do end up seeing a lot of the same people at

all of them. People will like have their show whether it's a Cabaret show a theater show, comedy whatever and they'll usually two of that one show for a year, which can mean six festivals, what you'll see. Whoa. Yeah, so it kind of develops into this like, weird camp thing where like people that you wouldn't otherwise necessarily see you're spending like a month at a time in a small city with.

It has like circus vibes, right? Like this like traveling, pitch our tent, right? Like we're all here. I know it's like an actual festival, but that idea of these like campers almost is very funny. There are always tents involved as well. But yeah, like through, so this, I mean, this story must have been like close to a decade ago now, but I had sort of been at one festival, like months earlier, and had had this like little flirtation with a guy that I'm going to call Sam. And Sam was in a play, a very like well-reviewed, like serious theatre kind of play with two other guys. So it's just three people in the

play who I'll call Tom and Will. Okay, Sam Tom and Will. Yeah, that is all British men are cold anyway. Yeah, that's all the names they have there. Pretty much. Yeah. And so I had this like, refluxation with this guy, guy Sam and then not seen him for months and I think in that period like I had, then I got a girlfriend and like he did as well and I was like, oh yeah, not, you know, and then so we didn't talk for months. Right. But then many months later we ended up at a different festival and on the first night I was talking to someone about how I had gone through this breakup and Sam is there. He said, oh, I've also gone through this breakup. And Sam is there. He said,

I've also gone through this breakup. Wow, bearing paths. Exactly. And I should say right at the start of the story that most of the story doesn't concern me. The reason that I need to set this off is that this is why I knew the story so deeply. Okay, incredible. I'm in front of all. Because of your crush. Yeah, basically. And so I, in, so all of these festivals have two to three festival bars where all of the people just drink together. Right. Usually there's nothing else to do.

You're going to show up for the evening and you go to the performance bar. So again, it kind of is that thing where you're like really thrown together with these people for quite some time. So in the performance bar in front of our industry peers, very gistably, affloating with each other. So it becomes very drunk. I'm like, I'm not, you know, but towards the end of the night, he kisses me in front of all of these people. Bold. And says in front of everyone, you know, you've got to come home with me and I say no,

you're really drunk. I say, you know, let me know if you want to message me so about fine. I leave. Smart. To be good, yeah, I'm not. I credit my like three-year-old self with like actually kind of pulling off something good that. Yeah. And as the rest of the story shows, I really made like the right Oh no. Oh, you're fighting for a shadowing. Yeah. Although I also want to say at the top here,

at no point is anyone in the story an actual danger? Okay. Oh Jesus. the story in actual danger. Okay. Oh, Jesus. And everyone, I have every one at the end. What a caveat. I know I was like, oh, I don't want to go in to get a halfway through

and be like, what is it? What a strange, I'm really work that something terrible is going to happen. But yeah, so I don't think much of it. And I guess the next few nights I probably went to a different festival bar or I'm not sure what was happening. But I didn't see Sam and didn't hear from him. And was on clear if you remember the exchange at all.

Okay. And then about a week later, I was getting ready for my show. And one of the staff at the venue that was performing at said to me like, oh, you okay. Excuse me? Yeah. And I was like, yes, that's the kind of you know. I'm having a very emotional day.

Thank you for caring. Yeah, I was like, how bad do I look right now? Yeah. Like all the other things. Checking your makeup for like eye bags. Yeah. Exactly. And I turned my cover partner and I was like, oh yeah, where? Where fine, you know, and the person was like, I just heard what happened with Sam from I'm gonna say Macbeth.

It wasn't Macbeth, but like a bad luck place. I mean, that is a truly bad luck play. So, also a three-bessing Macbeth would be really weird. You would have to have such a good memory. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so this stuff here comes in and is like, are you okay? I heard about what happened with Sam.

And at this point, you have no idea what this person is talking about. Is that correct? Yeah, no idea. And I thought like, what an odd question. We kissed once and what? You're like just because I kissed this guy one time in front of everyone, we know.

Does not mean I'm invested. Yeah, exactly. And this person was like, oh, you know, I heard the whole thing that happened and then you had a fight with him at his show. What? I was like, that wasn't me. Uh-oh. So this stuff is like, oh, I'm so sorry, I must have really got the wrong thing.

So we had no, I was like, Junta, what happened? And she was like, oh, don't worry about it. I've clearly like, oh, made a huge mistake. It's too late now, babe, you've started. Yeah. And so I was like, well, I'm fine. And she's like, great, very, don't worry about it. And again, we're in this kind of fun situation where she, like, we're sort of working together,

but we don't really know each other. So she's like, don't worry about it. I got it wrong So I was like, okay, so we do the show and then the next day at the at the performance bar and Now the performer comes up and is like is it true? You like went off at Sam at the show And at his venue and I said no I've not seen him. I have no part in this. So I'm like, this is getting weird though,

because this is like the second time I've been asked this. Right, there's clearly like a rumor going around that is incorrect. Yeah, I'm just about like going off publicly. Yes. Which I was like, I love the drama, but it was. It's lander. Yeah.

Yeah. which I was like, I love the drama, but it was. Slander, yeah. So I asked his friend what happened. He said, oh, apparently, you hooked up with Sam, and then he got mad at him. I was like, I was like, it wasn't me, I'm really sorry. And he's like, well, I don't really know the details. So I seek out Will from his show. Yes, great.

So I find Will, like on the outside bar, Will is like a really nice guy in a very long term relationship, who presumably has been touring with Sam for a while, and has like had it. Yeah, of course. Of course. Of course. So I could have- Poor Will, he's just trying to do his best three person play piece.

Trying to be like all the witches at one piece like I'm busy. I've got a lot going on in my brain. Yeah, so I went to will and I was like, Hey, this is really awkward, but this is a rumor going around. I yelled at Sam at your venue. I just, you know know I'd never do that um for over I didn't you know we just kissed once like nothing's happened and Will was like yeah I know what this is about so that bless Will thank you for his service incredible

and we was just like sit down so I sit down and hear the following story. You were at the performer bar at this point, right? Like there are other people everywhere. And Sam is not there. And that was also weird because Sam was usually out a lot at all of these festivals. That's why we knew each other. Right.

Weird, okay. So Sam, yeah, so I'm already, I guess I hadn't thought about it being weird that he wasn't there until then and then I was like Where is he sort of gone into hiding Okay, well, yeah, because he's the talk of the town Yeah, so Will says to me I'm gonna I'll explain and and the will does the like good friend thing of being like

Don't let this make you think less of Sam. I would never speak ill of the talent dead. Exactly. It was So, Will says like, so people think it's you because Sam has like a pretty consistent type. Okay and the person this is does look like you. Okay so like physical traits is his type. Okay. Yeah and at the time I had like a very blunt cut friend, sure bangs. Okay. And like the end I had like dip dyed hair and so I guess when I I was I did eventually meet this person I was like okay okay I guess we got to get out of the room. Right the people from the side stage are like oh it's her look at her hair exactly the look was essentially like underpaid. Like sexual and the creative odds. It was like, I know about that. Look, I know all about that. Okay.

Oddly consistent. Yeah. So apparently Sam had, I guess a couple of nights after I had had this interaction with him. Right. Had gone to the performance bar attached to his venue. Um, and this woman who worked at the venue Gardner is initially a fan thought we were the same person, but I really wouldn't put a foster at this time. That's a good one. So he definitely, like, he starts hitting on this young woman and it turns out like she's seen the play and she loves it. And she thinks he's like amazing.

And again, I love McBeth. Yeah. McBeth is so hard and so is Lady Macbeth, who you're all with. Yeah, everyone says that. And so she was like, oh, I think you're really talented and I'm working at the venue now, but like I also want to be in theater. Okay. So it seems like a really nice, like cute match. Yeah. Um, and so they stay there drinking. And I also think a lot of people saw this happen and might have thought it was me as well. Okay. Because it seems to have all happened quite publicly at the start. So they all have some, they have some drink and then he's like, do you want to come home with me and she's like, yeah. And okay, so we have the same play that we have already seen with you at the bar now with fake Brady, but she chooses yes. Okay.

Yeah, and you know, fair play to her. Yeah. One further week into the festival, I probably would have as well, but I think it was like opening night. I was keeping my options a little more open, you know. would have as well, but I think it was like opening night. I was keeping my options a little more open, you know. And so she's like, okay, and he says, like, come back to mine and I've got whiskey there and like, let's have a whiskey and like hang out. Sure. Great. So they're walking home and they start talking about how they both, like, really into games and like game nights. Okay.

Sure. Yeah. And it's like, okay, that's a fun thing they have in common. So they get home and he pours them both whiskey and they're drinking and she is like, I feel pretty drunk, but like fun drunk. Sure. Okay. And she definitely assumes that he is also like fun drunk. I but like fun drunk. Sure. Okay. And she definitely assumes that he is also like fun drunk. I'm feeling fun drunk. We're at like about the same level and it's like a good first

hook-up level of drunk. Sure. Great. So he's like, oh, I really wish that we were, you know, in my flat in like the major city that I live in that is not this one. Right, right. We play the board games and we play board games. And she's like, oh, open my board game closet and reveal glue. We could play it. Well, I just like do a weird like six hour settlers of the town.

Yeah, that's what every girl wants to be brought back to your flat, served a whiskey and then forced into a six hour board game at one in the morning. It's perfect. Thank you Sam. Okay, continue. I don't think it looks like worst days, but maybe not at one time. Um, we have to say she's like, oh, um, yeah, you know, obviously that'd be cool, but like, she is like feeling quite bloody and quite sad. Yeah. And she's like, you know, we don't really need a board game. Why don't we play a game like, you know, like hide and sleep? Okay, I'm immediately confused for this, but I like it.

Okay, please. I think it's very important to note that she suggested hide and seek not him. And I'm terrified. My body is filled with terror. Okay. Again, everyone's fine. Uh huh.

So he's like, yeah, let's play hide and seek. And she's like, well, why don't I make it like extra special when you find me? So she starts taking her clothes off. Right. Make it hide and seek. Make it hide and seek. Naked hide and seek. Sure.

And he's like, that's hot, like great, let's do that. They are drinking more whiskey, and she's taking her clothes off, and it's like very sexy, and then she's like, okay, count to 10. And I'm so, yeah, so he counts to 10, and at first he finds her quickly, and it's like a funny joke. Oh I'm gonna like you know

do better this time. So I guess just to back off slightly the first thing in um is so what a lot of these festivals happen in cities where there is normally like a big university town. Sure. Okay. But it happens in like the summer or in the break. Oh my god. So you're like in a dorm? Yeah. So a lot of us are staying in essentially university accommodation. Okay. And Sam is as well. And this is not reflective on the quality of his show. This is what we all do. Yes. I have a question before you continue. Um in this university housing. Is the bathroom shared? Uh usually but only with like the people that you're doing a show with Got it. Okay. A weird quirk, which I guess isn't necessarily relevant to the story of weird quirk

Um and that this particular vessel is that we all had for a long time I would always stand rooms to try to sink in my room, but nothing else. Oh, huh. Okay. Sure. But always felt very strange because I was like, why, why, why, why am I just constantly expect to be washing up in here? Like very, right.

Lay out. Yeah. Now that I think about it, my college dorm had a sink in it, but nothing else, which is like, sure, I guess you can brush your teeth in private, but that's like the least of the private things you need to do. So it's really healthy. It's like they, it was like they went far enough with the plumbing to give sink, and then we're like,

oh, but that's it up. I'm like, I'm going to wash. Yeah, those you have to share. Okay, I'm sorry, I got distracted by the toilet situation. She's going to hide again is where you were. So she's going to hide again? So Sam's off counting to 10. And he goes like to his bed and like closes out to him.

And she goes to, it's in a big room because I think it's usually a double room. Okay, got it. So she goes to a room. Okay, got it. Got it. So she goes to a wardrobe. Oh, yeah. And she gets in and pulls the door closed. And it's like, you can see out of it. So it's got like, reasonably, it's airy, didn't everything.

Sure. Okay. But presumably, either because it's cheap university accommodation or for some sort of security reason, this covered locks. Yeah, of course it does because she got in it and closed it, closed it. That's how it works. Yeah, sure.

So she gets in and it's just like, he is hanging things so like some shirts and jacket. But otherwise pretty spacious and she's like, ha ha, very funny. And she realizes that Sam's not saying anything. Oh, no. And it's because Sam has passed out. I think like a wake up. Yeah. So an evening of drinking plus, then coming home and drinking, presumably quite a lot of whiskey while preparing for naked hide and seek was just a bridge too far, for some. Not only is she now locked in a cupboard,

but it's like you think you're playing this little sexy game that everyone's very into and now Sam is asleep. Totally paused out. So she tries calling out for a while and nothing happens and hangs on it and nothing happens. And eventually she just takes one of his jackets and puts it on sure and lives down and like kind of curls. So it's like one of those which was like built in. So she's like lying on the ground. Got it. Okay. Above the ground. But she is just like lying in a jacket.

Oh my god. I think God it's a big wardrobe. What is that? She did say, I will say I did it. I have eventually had this conversation with her. She did say it was not comfortable. But also she had also been fed. Not.

So she also been drinking and it was like four in the morning or something at this point. She's like, I'm just going to sleep. Right. So she goes to sleep. Now the next day, Sam wakes up pretty early because he has fallen asleep in all of his clothes on the bed. And he gets up and he thinks, God, I feel awful. Right. I'm going to take myself out to breakfast. Sam, I wish you would think, what happened to the girl that I was playing hide and seek with? That

would be a good thing to think. You would be good if he remembered at that point this had happened at all. And instead he stands up and he goes to the front and he's like, I'm going to go and get myself like a cooked breakfast. I go and he leaves. Great. So she's asleep at this point,

Greg Bridey, and sort of wakes up to hear like the door closing. Right? Sam. Sam. Nothing. So here's where Will picks the story out of. Because Will gets up to go to use the bathroom in the electric shed. Right.

And here's someone just yelling, Sam, what the fuck man? Sam, where are you? And Will is like, oh Sam. And then he's like, I'm not gonna, he's having a fight with someone. Right. Even alone. Privacy, sure. Yeah. But then the yelling just continues. And Will'ss like Sam's not saying anything. Yeah So will knocks on the door and it's like hey everything okay in there and This one is like it's not okay So will comes in is like this room is empty right? He's like there's no one here. He's like, it's haunted. Yeah, exactly.

Like, this is an old building. What is going on? And she's like, I'm in the cupboard. So I will be like, God. Oh, God, Sam. What have you done? You've done. Yeah.

So he goes over, and she's like, open the cupboard. Yeah. He opens it, and there is just this woman naked in one of Sam's jackets. And she storms out and she is just, she is livid as you would be. Yeah, so mad. She spent an eight in a cupboard, of course she's mad. Yeah, absolutely furious.

She's pulling her clothes on, everything like that. Will is like, I'm not really sure what happened. I'm so sorry. Do you need, like, I cannot emphasize enough that Will is like a very nice person. And he was like, do you need me to take you somewhere and something happened to you? Like, he jumped right into the protective good.

Like, I don't care if it's my friend. You tell me, she's like, no, nothing happened with your friend. Your friend passed out. He fell in the bed. And Will is like, okay. But why were you in the cupboard? Yeah, I will be like, he's also like, okay, that's bad, but like nothing that I,

that is so bad is happening. And she's like, oh, I'm so like so mad. Poole's like, oh, she keeps Sam's jacket. She was like, I'm picking this with me. She pulls her cause I'm she keeps Sam's jacket for her. I think this with me. She like walks out. So Will then goes to wake up like the other member of the group and is like we have to line Sam. So they go downstairs and they find like their local cafe where Sam I believe eating his like beans and toast

I believe eating his like beans and toast. Exactly. Just scrolling his phone, having like a big breakfast and will comes in this light even. Hey buddy. Did you hook up with someone last night and Sam's like no. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, no, I did. And will like, no, I did. And we'll like, and we'll like, bring her home.

And Sam says, no, no, I didn't. We were going to, but then, and then just kind of fades out. Sam, something happened, and Will was like, well, if you didn't bring her home, who is the person that I just let out of your wardrobe? And Sam's like, oh, okay, I think I know what happened here. Sam, buddy. You're not concerned about this, Adel.

He's like, oh, that's funny. And Will's like, I don't think she's at funny yet. I think she's at funny in five years, but for now, she's pissed. So mad. So, uh, wills like you need to get in touch with her. You need to apologize. Sounds like I don't have a number. I wouldn't know how to do that.

Wills like, well, I recognized her as someone who works in out the building that I've had you was in. So yeah. Could you try and find her? Sam's like, I'm sure. It's fine. Don't worry about it. Oh my god. This dummy. Yeah. I mean, I will say a thing I think you're about Sam having known him for many years is that I do think that good dummy is kind of the best way of putting it, because like not someone who I think ever intended harm on anyone. But he doesn't seem malicious, right? He's not like, oh, hi, locked this girl in a cupboard. He's like, oh, that's just a funny little thing that happened to us while I was asleep.

I will say a strange thing about it as well, your kind of to me, was that like Sam didn't seem hugely surprised by this ton of events. Right. Which really makes me wonder like what the rest of his dating life was like. And like maybe why that was because relationship had fallen apart before this. Yeah, I just have so many questions for him. Like the main one is just like how many things are happening to you that when your like teammate, your cop person comes up to you and it's like, I've released a prisoner from your cupboard.

You're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, that sounds right. Yeah, like that checked out. I'm going to order another coffee. Like it just nods. Oh my god. like that checked out, I'm gonna order another coffee. Like it just nods. That makes sense. Oh my god. But so Will had been like, okay, well, I think you need to say something.

We are the member of the group, I think it was just like head down the table, like I can't believe we're going through this. Oh my god. We're going through this. And sounds like, yeah, yeah, if I see her, I'll definitely apologize. Oh my god, you're certainly gonna see her again,

because you work at the same place. Really? And you're gonna be there for a month. So that night they get to their venue and they're getting ready and they're setting their props and getting everything ready. And someone at their venue, one of the venue staff comes in and is like,

I don't know. I really know how to say this but there's like a girl at the front talking shit to the audience and sounds like that's weird and wills like Sam do you think you might know something? Or will, he's the parent here. Which is awful. And so Sam is like, oh, do you think it might be her? Oh, okay. No shit bud. Yeah, so Sam will just do the show.

And the person from the venue is like, yeah, like maybe. This was like the tech person who's normally in the booth and it's like, I think it might be worth just going and checking out what's that thing. Yeah, yeah, I agree. So originally sounds like, well, should we go out and we'll like, you go, I'm not, no, I'm not going out there. Yeah, good for him. So Sandra's out. So fake Friday had had a day off work and had basically, which I think is why she'd gone out the night before as well. Right. So she goes back to her flatmates and tells them the story. They all, to be honest, think is pretty funny, but are also like this guy sucks. She's like, he does suck. He does suck. And I had a crush on him because I saw him in

the show and I thought he'd be so good. So she's having some drinks with friends. She's like, he does suck. He does suck. And I had a crush on him because I saw him in the show, and I thought he was so good. So she's having some drinks with friends. She's like feeling pretty ready to like, you know, and her friends are like, well, you should go tell him what you think. It may bullers all of them. I love it. I mean, I would have done the exact same thing.

I really respect her, but my thing, like you should tell him. Strong to say. She goes to the venue and they're like, yeah, sorry, we can't let you in, they're getting ready for the show. And she's like, well, I really need to talk to him. And meanwhile, because of the way the festival works, people are just lining up outside the door, wedding's going to constant crowds going in and out. And this is a popular show and it's well reviewed. So she has

a captive audience. Absolutely. It's like a play before a play. And so what apparently happened is someone in the crowd was like, are you okay, Miss? Like, what's wrong? And she was like, am I okay? Yeah, I'm okay now. And last night in the wardrobe of this guy and he just tell this assembled crowd what she's like, like oh and he passes out and then I have to sleep in the one and all these people in the crowd are like oh my god

And then some of them are like it's part of it. It's part of the show Like and also their show is like very serious so if this was part of it It would have been like such a weird tone shit. Yeah, truly And so she like tells the crowd and I think this she works at the venue, so she knows a lot of people working at. So they're like, you need to go. So she's. Yeah, I also imagine that if you are the staff at this venue, you have interacted with

this man enough to know that like, he's not the one you want to defend, right? Exactly. So like, you know what, you go off and we'll, we'll, we'll send this information from him. We'll simply not see you. Yeah. So Sam comes out and she's like, that's him. That's the one who left me in the wardrobe. And he's like, hey, I'm so sorry.

Yeah, you know, I just had too much to drink of fell asleep and she's like, I was in the wardrobe, oh my. And he's like, yeah, yeah, and definitely my bad. And she's like, why didn't you get me out in the morning? He's like, oh, and he says in front of the crowd, I forgot you were there. Oh no, this is a huge mistake. So he's been saying that anyway it was so cool to see you again would love to catch up again. I have to go and do my show. Ape no. She felt kind of like diffused by the situation, but also like, I don't know. So she leaves and pray the show then to the crowd of people who know that this guy

locked a girl and they did will with like it was a weird show it was a really weird show. Like like law lines in the show didn't get anything and also people kept just talking to each other because everybody in the crowd is looking at this guy being like him. Can you believe that? I'm trying to deliver some beautiful saliliqui and they're like, how, but how drunk was he though? Like for the, you forgot she was in the cupboard. I mean, breakfast that badly.

So they do this show and basically afterwards will and the other guy on the show are like, man, can you just like lay low for a while? Like clearly you're going through some things at this break up and sounds like, oh, it's not because of the break up and they were like, let's say it is because that isn't bad off. Yeah, if it's not because of the break up, don't tell people that. If it's not because of the breakup, don't tell people that. Like this is just who I am. Yeah, that's way worse. Way worse. Yeah, and so what essentially happens is Sam agrees. He's like, I'm just gonna do the show, I'm gonna lay low, whatever.

But what happens is that the story of this spreads rapidly. Yeah, and I'm performing in a different venue, but the venue starts to walk,'s how it kind of comes back and then the way it transmutes is eventually that it was me. Right. And all this kind of stuff. And so I, when I received this story, I was like, this is incredible. I'm definitely not going to. Yeah, I'm going to the fuck up my mind. Decision made.

Yeah. Thank you to Brave Fake Brady for like testing the waters for me. Thank you for her service. She really went to work. I mean, she really did. And for a lot of us, because kind of Sam did stay in for most of that month after that. And I did then meet her. So I was over at that venue bar. And I said to someone else, like, who is it that was her? And I went and chat a darn. She was like really cool.

And she's like, look, I'm not upset anymore. And she's like, but if I had the chance to yell at him in front of a crowd of people again, I absolutely would. Like, you know, totally fine. So she'd like kind of recovered from it. And I saw Sam again at the end of the month with a closing party, and he did hit on me again. Classic, of course he did. And I was like, do you wanna lock me in a wardrobe? He's like, you're like thin now. And that like your like thing now?

And he like laughed and he was like, oh crazy times. Oh my god. I was just like, you know how these things happen in the everyday courses dating. No. No. I don't.

But honestly, like everyone out of the story and about kind of is now in so much for better place in life. That's really good. So Sam ended up getting married to someone he met not that long after this. Okay, congratulations. It was like well done and Will was

his best man at the wedding. So that's really nice and that like is really nice. You know, their relationship has survived. I don't know about the Thurkai who I didn't know as well, but those two have remained close. And then, fake Friday, who had been like, oh, I want to work in theater, went on to be quite a successful producer,

which I think she's still doing. Great. She was like pretty young and she was like working in a venue and is now like doing. I mean, you know, her understanding of audiences, it makes sense to me that she, you know, could capture that in a career. Yeah, I haven't followed it that close a bit, maybe she's like, civilly doing like sleep no more style, immersive theater production.

That would rule. Yeah, that would be amazing. She's like, I was just inspired by this one moment in my life. But yeah, and so everyone kind of came out of it, OK, but this story followed me. I think more than this other girl, literally for years. Yeah, because everyone saw you flirt with him the first night. And so everyone was like, oh, it must be her. Yeah, and to the point that like a couple of years later, at a festival in an entirely different country, an audience member said, Oh, I heard from a friend who did this

festival, like you hooked up with the guy from play, who is like, I would, it's not like famous, but is like, right, successful. And, and one rude question. So, like, I could not believe it, but like, friend of a friend, rumor, Milbetray, do you like this? I know, but to be honest, I was like, you know, lived by the gossip, die by the gossip, Oh, yeah. It's gonna be my life. Go play. You got fun.

And every time I was just like, it wasn't me. Well, you don't want to steal the haller. That's kind of you. Oh, yeah. She literally, she tore him apart in front of strangers. I can't, that's iconic behavior. I can't. I think Brady's revenge.

She got it. But yeah, it was like the most recent time I saw Sam now must have been like four years ago or something and we ran into each other and I said to him this story has dogged me for years and Sam was like but that wasn't even you and then he forced and went oh was it. I was like, oh man, he is a demon. Like, I, I, it can accept that he was just a demon for a period of time, potentially, but for that period of time, he was just purely demonic. The idea of being like, it wasn't you that I locked in a closet, someone I saw every day at multiple circuits.

Was it? Yeah, that's it. That's the weird, common story that is to find my life despite not being mine. Well, I appreciate you bringing it here where this will only get worse for you, I'm sure, because everyone will remember this. But thank you so much for bringing us this story. This was a delight. And I'm glad that you didn't have to sleep in the cupboard because it seems very uncomfortable. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. It's been so much fun. Thank you for listening to Normal Gossip. If you have a gossip story to share with us, email us at normalgossipaptifactor.com, or you can leave us a voicemail at 2679 gossip.

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J. Tolviera is our associate producer. Dan McQuade runs our merch store, which you can find at normalgossip.store. Terragicopi Designed Our Show Art. Normalgossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney. I'm Alex Sujong Laughlin, and remember, you did not hear this from me. Radio tilp you. From PRX. you