Tea at Four - Our icks and picks of 2024; the girls that saved pop music and why Gen Z are less sentimental

Episode Date: December 26, 2024

Lauren and Billy take a look back at 2024, chatting about their favourite moments and their newfound gripes. We cover everything from feminism on the underground to how pop music has been saved by the girlies this year. Things get tense as Lauren and Billy butt heads on a few touchy subjects, but they can’t help but agree on that fact that London’s nightlife is seriously lacking. What are your biggest icks and picks of 2024?

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up to 90 days in advance. Uber Reserve. See Uber app for details. Hi guys. Welcome back to T4. I'm Lauren. And I'm Billy. And this is the podcast where we talk all things that normally stay in the group chats. And today is our final episode of T4 for 2024. Our names in life. We aren't feeling our normal selves. We're really ill today. Yeah, we're really ill off alcohol.

Unfortunately. Yeah, not how we wanted to do it for you guys, but sadly that is the reality. We thought we'd do a fun episode. We did it last year with me and Christy. Christy's off work still she's just been a holiday in Lanza, rotty. We've been home getting brain rotty. Thank you. She will be back joining us in the new year but for now me and Bill are gonna go through our top picks and Xs from the year.

So you've all been gagging to here. I know. The edge of your seats. The episode they've been waiting for. Okay. Do you wanna get started? Yeah, let's get started. What are we starting off, wait, what are we starting off on?

X or picks, negative or? Do you want the good news or the bad news? Yeah, what do you want first? Let us know. Oh wait, you can't. I want the bad news. You want the bad news first? Is it? Yeah, what do you want first? Let us know. Oh wait, you can't. I want the bad news. You want the bad news first?

Is it? Okay. I'd like to set the scene. A lot of mine came from this morning when I was severely hungover on the train to work. That is- So my biggest ick of the year goes to giving up your seat on the train.

I hate it. There we go. I know I've got to do it and I will do it, but nothing sends me into such an overdrive of anger and frustration when you see someone more needing the chair than you. Literally nothing like a pregnant woman, Billy. I can't say. Heavily pregnant man. I know it's bad, but I really...

You ask for it. I'm sorry, but you sit, this is supposed to be the most boring chat ever. You sit on the two priority seats nearest the door, which you're not supposed to sit on if you're, you're basically asking for it. I'm not. And you sit, you're put down every time.

I'm asking to sit down actually. Yeah. I don't believe in giving up my seat for a child No, I will never I don't think they travel for free. I don't care if they travel for free. They don't have in my chair That's just also awakened something in me a rage Chivalry is fucking dead of 2024. Do you know how many times? I've not even got off the shooting people were trying to get on? Men as well. Or if I'm there as a woman just like obviously Titanic is over women and children go first. I mean not

the children, women. But like if I'm stood there and there's a seat free that man will be fucking sliding and slipping. Oh yeah absolutely. It will be me. Every man for himself. Yeah I don't believe in that. I think the bar is on the floor at this point. But you think you deserve a chair because you're a woman? Have I got more organs or something, like women bearing hips? I think I deserve to sit down. No. Absolutely not. No way. Feminism. Equal rights., equal chair opportunities. We work for a women's interest grant. I don't think a woman should have a chair before anyone.

Unless they're pregnant. What happened to like chivalry, like this way madame, this way my lady? Get fucked. I'm elbowing everyone out of the way for that chair first thing in the morning. You are gay though, that's fine. You're gay! You're gay! Oh my goodness, sorry.

Should I have... What? Should I have... Told everyone. No, you're fine, you are gay, but like a straight man taking this like... I'm being a bit... A bit like... about it. I just hate everything straight men do anyway,, I've been a bit, a bit like about it. I used to hate everything straight men do anyway,

so I agree with you. Oh thank you, at least we can kind of find some middle ground. But the gays and the girls, the gays and girls. are for gays and girls. Yeah. That's why they've got the monkey bars for men to hold onto.

Oh that pissed me off the other day, like those hanging kind of stirrups. I was holding onto one, I reached down into my pocket to get what I thought was a tissue, it was actually a panty liner, so that's one whole story. And then I went to go put my thing up and a man had taken my stirrup. Can't believe it.

It's so rude. Yeah, that is rude. Sorry, this is so boring for everyone listening. But another thing I really hate is, very strategically, I very strategically know where I stand on the platform first thing in the morning, because I know where the door stands. And sometimes you get there

and everyone's standing in their place. And the people that could try and like come and stand in between you in that space, Barbara, get back. Get back. You should have got hit on time, which is at least 10 minutes before the train comes. I do do that.

I do that. You do that. Yeah. Okay. Well, good to get some gripes to get that out You do that. Yeah. Okay. Well, good to get some gripes for TfL out of the way. Okay. My, another ick of mine this year, run clubs, hate them. Oh, I thought that died out.

No, it's been everywhere this year, especially gay run clubs. Just get like a normal hobby, you know? That's a really good- Meet up for a drink, go for a walk, but like they run in these packs and it's so cringe. Oops, sorry. Movement is cringe.

Movement and group exercise is cringe. Yeah. Play a game of sports or something. Play a game of sports. I think it's like that thing, like if you don't post about it, it's okay. Sometimes people act like when they go to the gym, and I know this is like quite an old gripe, but like it didn't to the gym, and I know this is quite an old gripe, but it didn't happen.

Yeah, like, I know. Unless I posted about it. I do have a couple of friends that are gonna see this and be like, that was about me. That was about me. And it is. Sometimes I see, you see the same gym selfie every day. What do you do?

Clocking into your time machine. No. And then when you go to work, you've got to clock in at the timestamp. Yes. Like, what what you do clocking into your time machine? No. You go to work and you've got clock in at the time stamp? Time, yes. Like what you do, you get paid for that? Well we had a conversation with one of our friends, well I did, and I was just like you're acting like they're sponsoring you. Maybe that's the goal. Maybe is that, I don't think they will though. No, obviously not. Within that, my ick is regarding staying up late. Why the hell, when I pay my high taxes, do London pubs do last orders at 10pm? No, it's ridiculous.

11pm, out the door then? Disgusting. Right, what? I hate it. Now what? No, I actually do your job and serve me drinks all night. All night? Thank you. Thank you. Like, thank you.

Thank you. You're welcome. Like, what is the point in that? This is supposed to be the city that never sleeps. That's New York. Well, this is also a city that stays out late. Right, I know what you mean though. Yeah, London has a reputation for being

one of the biggest cities in the world, cultural hub, yeah, everything in bed, half 10. It's mad. It does mean that I'm getting some more sleep, but in terms of like chasing the night, dancing the night away. Yeah. Ruins a Saturday night. Sleeping is for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Absolutely. And Sundays. And Sundays. Where Bobby Rots. Bobby Rots. Yeah. But Fridays and Saturdays, I should be able to stay in the same pub without having to like hunt for another one.

Yeah. Yeah, I really agree with that one. That's yeah, it pisses me off. Well, whilst we're on the same lines as that. Yeah. I do, I'm getting the ick now of weekday plans out on a school night. Oh my god. I'm with you.

Yeah, I like, I love it in the moment, but the next day I'm not 25 anymore. It really, really catches up. It's the lack of sleep. Me saying half an hour ago, just me stay up late. It's the lack of sleep. Lack of sleep, Rachel.

It's one, it costs fucking 50 pounds to go out on a weeknight. So by the time we got to the weekend, I'm in my overdraft. Yeah, I just hate the feeling of like not being able to just feel Live the whole week and then just be excited for the weekend. Yeah, I know very like ooh, just don't go out there I can't say no can't say no. I can't say no. I get too much promo Yeah, so people don't go out on weekdays anymore that everyone has to so then I don't get sad about it

That's a really fair point. Oh, just one last one. Maybe this doesn't have much grounding. But I found out the other day that Gen Z don't write birthday cards. Like, what is that? I'm not Gen Z, but I don't write birthday cards. Why?

It's just a bit of paper. Oh, to be fair, you can't even reply to a text. No, I barely sent a happy birthday text. Oh yeah, that's happened a couple of times. I think our generation is becoming just a little bit less sentimental. Like maybe it's the loss of Facebook. No, no, so like, no, we haven't lost Facebook.

So this is a fucking Barbara Boomer over here. No, I think I've seen a couple instances this year where some of my friends have missed people's birthdays. And I feel like we're no longer referencing, using Facebook as a reference to see when our friends' birthdays. And for some reason, our memories are getting worse. So we're missing them.

And people are sending birthday cards. Are we just becoming a less sentimental generation? Maybe, that's quite a good point. Yeah, I'm definitely way less sentimental. Like a card doesn't really mean much to me. Really? Like, mm. I love a card, it's not that it means much,

I think it's just like, cost of living crisis, can't really afford a gift, but a little card is like thinking of you. I think also maybe it comes from like when we were younger, cost a living crisis, can't really afford a gift, but a little card is like, thinking of you. I think also maybe it comes from like when we're younger, if I got a card without money in it, it went in the bin. I'm joking, I didn't really. Really?

I kept like every birthday card I ever got. My mum kept them all. But sometimes it's like, oh, I don't know, I don't really always believe what they said in them. What? Like, it's just like someone just says, "'To Billy' and then like, if it's a pre-printed birthday card

and then it's just like, love, granddad. I'm like, oh, thanks. Oh yeah. You've just signed something else, someone else's words. Yeah, I'm all for writing a bit of a paragraph. Oh, that's really sweet. Always, you know, the classic thing. Yeah.

A hundred days around the sun. I'm not writing birthday cards. Only a hundred days. A hundred days. Sorry, I Yeah 100 days around the Sun. I'm not writing That's years around the Sun. Yeah, I do think is nice things. I love it. Should we do some pics? Yeah, yeah, okay you go my pick of the year is a super extra large mega vape No, it's my pick. It's been my favourite thing all year. Oh. Changed my life. It saves me so much money.

For fuck's sake. We are not promoting that. No. Put that down. It matches the set. Get a life. I can't wait to do next year. I can't wait.

I know. I will give up. Wish she cancelled them all. It's going to be a really hard time for all of us vapors. Are you gonna like have loads in a mac and be like undercover and then just like what do you want? I'd like to go in Hercules. You want a bad sundial? Want to buy a last Mary?

Want to buy a last Mary? Just like a mustache and a mac naked, completely naked under there. Oh my gosh, that would be a fright. Yeah. Just covered up with a lost Mary bikini. Just like a mustache and a mat, naked, completely naked under there. Oh my gosh, that would be a fright. Just covered up with lost no bikini. Okay, well one of my picks of the year is filling any silence with, you've got to laugh, haven't you?

Or, you can't have it all, can you? Yeah. I'm going to learn for next year to learn to sit in silence. I'm always trying to fucking feel the silence. I was talking to someone about this last night actually, about how we were saying, one of them was a therapist and one of them seeing therapy, but we were just talking about how like,

the person seeing a therapist was like, oh, I feel like I've always got to feel the silence. And I was like, I feel like in the past year I've learned actually not to do that. I feel like sometimes you overshare and you over say, over stimulate conversation. And actually if you're in a situation, it's okay to have silence. Yeah you do that on the, when we walk to work and you just silence and I'm like, oh my fucking God, I feel like I'm going to scream or explode.

Really? Yeah. I feel like I'm so comfortable with you there that I don't feel like we need to. Okay, I'm going to try. I need to sit in uncomfortableness. I'm it's because I'm so comfortable with you there that I don't feel like we need to. Okay, I'm gonna try. I need to sit in uncomfortableness. I'm also not a moron person. Yeah. So like sometimes silence, I just... It's a really good point, Billy. Thank you.

Okay. You go next. My pick would be laughing at my own jokes. Oh! I was doing it this morning, really laughing at something I put in a text message and I was like, if no one else will, I will. You've got a laugh, haven't you? You've got a laugh, haven't you? There we go! I'm picking up. You do. You've got a laugh at your own jokes. Brilliant one, Billy. And don't be ashamed of it. No. Okay, well one of my picks of the year, sorry Bobby, close your ears, getting Glastabrooty hits. Some mine as well. I am in euphoria.

Even the last time we went, I did feel slightly overwhelmed by it. I'm really, I have high hopes. Not happy about fucking Rod Stewart. No. What the fuck? Get fucked. In the nicest way possible, I hope he can't make it. As in dies?

Yeah. Nice. Oh, I was just gonna say like, I was gonna say like, We were joking. Breaks his leg or something, I don't know't make it. As in dies? Yeah. Nice. Oh, I was just gonna say like, I was gonna say like, We were joking. Breaks his leg or something, I don't know. Not dies. You can't have it all.

Can't have it all, we've got a lot of having. There we go. That was exactly on mine. Oh good. One of my picks was the amount of plans that we've started to make for next year. Oh, it's amazing. Really, really exciting stuff

because we've got Primavera and Glastonbury. Primavera, Glastonbury. Justastonbury. We're seeing all the pop girlies and I think one of the most gorgeous things of this year has obviously been Brat Summer but I think the message that's come with it because there's so much pressure especially as a woman to be clean girl aesthetic. Who want to be the it girl? I want to be this, I want to be that. It was nice to just shimmy that all off and have this new vibe, era about the place. Unapologetic. Unapologetic, and I feel like taking that

into the rest of the year, it's just nice for women to feel like they don't have to have a fucking five to nine before you're nine to five. Nope, no, absolutely, I think. On the back of that, one of my big picks of the year has been, women have saved pop music. Again, it was Daya and the Power Pop Girls, Sabrina, Chappell, Charlie, even like Billie, Ariana, Beyonce, all released amazing music this year.

And it's been so good because sometimes when your Spotify wrapped is the same music from like five years ago. Oh no, mine has that. Yeah. But this year was nice. There was so much, there was an abundance of music to listen to. Yeah. So I thank you. I couldn't agree more. I'd say one of my picks of the year is the back of my boyfriend's head. I love it. Can't describe it and I don't know if this is a relatable thing, but I was on a night out the other night and I was like, I can't wait to get home and just. It brings me so much joy. Because you don't have to look at his face.

It's so sweet. No, I like the front of his, I love the front of his face too, but there's just something so comforting, it's just about his sweet hair. And I want to know if anyone else out there loves the back of their boyfriend's head too. And our pick of the year combines, one, two, three.

Jonathan Bailey. One, two, three. Jonathan Bailey. Please come on our podcast or on our face. That was a joke. I knew you were gonna say that. That was a joke. I knew you were gonna say that, you rotten little girl.

But if you're open to it. Billy's looking for a boyfriend, back of the head. Boo! I'm looking forward. Oh my gosh. Yeah, Jonathan Bailey and Cynthia Erivo are my top people of the year. Oh, absolutely. And Ariana as well, I guess.

She can be there. Yeah, she's there. But not. But. Bok. Bok. Me and Bok. So yeah. Yeah, we loved it. Me and Bok.

So yeah. Yeah, we loved it. We love it still. Mm mm mm mm mm. This, this is the part of the podcast where you spill the tea and we try not to. And we try not to. For the last time. As a master.

Woo! Woo! Clapping time. Just relax. Well, today for Spill the Tea, we are using the olive oil trend that's going around. We're gonna use some of the stories that have come out of that.

When I was 14, I decided to lie to my parents and say I was staying at a friend's house. But really I was going to stay with a boy I liked. After we hung out a bit, it got late and he said I had to go and sleep in the shed outside so his parents didn't see me. I went to the shed and there was a bed. I went to sleep. I was woken up very early by someone trying to get in the door. I didn't know what to do so I hid under the bed. The person opened the door and came inside. Then I heard them start running on the treadmill in the corner. As a Fizz member you can look forward to free data,

big savings on plans, and having your unused data roll over to the following month, every month. At Fizz you always get more for your money. Terms and conditions for our different programs and policies apply. Details at Fizz.. This holiday season, the Center for Addiction and Mental Health is counting on your support. CAMH is on a mission to make better mental health care for all a reality. And they've made incredible strides forward, breaking down stigma, improving access to care and pioneering research breakthroughs. But now is the time to aim even higher. You can help create a world where no one is left behind.

Donate at camh.ca slash donate now from December 23rd to the 31st, and your gift will be tripled for three times the impact. I didn't know what to do. I panicked. I stuck my head out from under the bed and said, I'm sorry. The person on the treadmill stopped and screamed. It was his dad. I screamed. He told me to come into the house immediately. He introduced

me to his wife and the boy's grandparents. I said, Hi. They asked if I was homeless. I said, No, I was just hanging out with their son and it got late. They said no girls were allowed to stay over. They asked for my mum's number. My mum arrived, it was basically a family gathering. My mum was yelling the whole way home. That's amazing.

Wow. That was so good. That's so funny. I've read that before. About four years ago, I was new at work and I was super anxious about eating lunch in the communal kitchen. It was kind of awkward and I didn't know anyone so I usually just ate at my desk but one day I decided to eat in the kitchen so

that fewer people would be there and I was so happy when there was only me and an older woman that I'd never seen before. We both sat down and automatically sat not too close to each other to not make too much polite small talk. When we ran out of talking points, she seemed to struggle to find something to talk about. It was awkward and the silence stretched on. I couldn't come up with a single thing to say and my mind was blank.

After what feels like an eternity, she desperately asked me if I have any children. I don't, I don't have any kids and I don't plan on having any either, but I'm in social panic mode. I want to say not yet, but I also don't I don't have any kids and I don't plan on having any either but I'm in social panic mode I want to say not yet, but I also don't want to lie suddenly. I hear myself say the words. No, not anymore The woman is horrified she immediately apologizes profusely and now The whole of work is going around talking about how a young girl has lost her children

That's crazy! That is horrendous. Imagine stuck with that lie for the rest of your life. Because you can't be lying about that. No. You'll be caught out lying about that. That's... yeah, that's terrifying. That was fun. Well, thank you for joining us for our end of year wrapped episode. Yeah. Lots of pics and X,

and can't wait to see what 2025 brings us. Probably more X. Probably a lot more X. Yeah, and also just to round up and say our thanks to all the new followers that we've had on this channel. Thank you for joining us. We had a really gorgeous year doing these podcasts and I feel like our love for this set up

is only growing more. Yes. And we love when you engage with our content as well. So thank you for that. Thank you to the fans. And I think thank you to our behind the camera team. Yeah, thank you to all our crew. All of this happen every week.

Yeah. So thank you everyone. Oh my god. Put it off! Put it off! Yay, my going up! Crabberry juice! Thank you. What a gorgeous year. Thank you everyone. Bye! Bye. See you next year!