The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - We Went to Bama Rush Work Week

Episode Date: August 8, 2026

Live from Tuscaloosa See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Daisy Kent, and Jennifer Fessler. We're back to continue the conversation about Workweek. So, here's why Dirty Rush works. is because we allow people to be anonymous when they need to be so that they feel safe, secure, confident in telling you what it really is like, work week, rush, pledging, initiation. So we allow people to have real names, fake names. We're okay with it because we want you to know that what we're telling you is the truth.

So what we did as we're doing this series on Workweek this weekend, we sent two people, producer Evie, and your name, Bella. And Bella, might be a fake name, we sent Bella to Bama Rush. So, look, anybody who knows anything about Rush knows that suddenly a couple years ago, out of nowhere, Bama Rush exploded. It became the rush to watch. It became the TikToks to watch. It became the girls to analyze. It became everything.

So we are boots on the ground this season on Dirty Rush, and we are sending our team all over the country to cover Rush, to cover Workweek, rush, and so on. So we are in a secret retreat. As you guys know, if you listen to the previous episode, we are in a secret location, on a sorority retreat, essentially. We have sorority girls from all over the country here, and we are bringing you these dirty rush episodes. So basically, we sent producer Evie and Bella to Alabama.

So first of all, what I want to ask you guys is immediately when you got there and you started to sort of explore the town. So is the university in Alabama? What city? It's in Tuscaloosa, which is like an hour outside of Birmingham, which is the airport where you fly into. Okay, so this is the University of Alabama. And look, I get it if you're in Alabama, you're rolling your eyes at what idiots we are, but there's people that may not know this. So you flew into Birmingham. And then how far from the airport is it to get to Tuscalo where the University of Alabama is? An hour. An hour. And did you immediately when you get there feel the sort of sorority energy?

Oh, yeah. Tell me about it. It's like, right when I stepped foot on the campus, I was like, all right, I get this whole Alabama thing. And I need more. Like, what do you mean? I think even when we like landed in the airport and we're like waiting for our bags, we saw girls who immediately like fit the bill. Like you could tell they were on their way to do work week that they went to the University of Alabama. they were wearing like park mock necks and like at leisure. They had IKEA back. So they were wearing park,

which I obviously understand park mock necks is like the thing. Yeah. And did it feel pink? Or is that like a legally blonde like impression? Super pink, but definitely more like preppy colorful monogrammed. And the things that I knew about like what girls wear to class, they were wearing like at the airport.

Give me details. They're wearing hoka sneakers. They're wearing like either like a, aloe tennis dress or kind of like a set like a tennis skirt top set like everything's very put together and they have like monograms on their little aline toes or whatever like they have been planning to pack for so we're not actually talking Gucci Dior Chanel no it's leveled down but it is brand names yeah and it is coordinated and it is preppy. Right. I think what I came to understand is that like the big like the Gucci and the designer and all

that stuff that you see on TikTok like isn't like I'm sure that's there as it is at any school or any sorority but it's not the focus. They've just people online have made it the focus. Okay. Interesting. Okay. And is it blondes or was it, did you see extensions? Different looks. It is blonde. Every everyone's blonde tan. Long blonde hair. Long blonde. blonde, like a platinum blonde. Bright blonde. Bright blonde. Bright blonde. We went into a tanning salon. Everyone there. Okay. I want to hear all about this.

So first, I know you guys, did you take an Uber? This is where you met your first, you know, interview-y. That was when you got to. This was later. That was the next day. We were from the airport was great, normal. But just not like in on the rush scene. Okay. We actually, we were kind of

that first night when we landed, we were kind of striking out. We took a walk around campus. Okay. girls are getting ready for work week. We even saw a group of girls talking to each other like on Greek row. And they were in different houses we learned from listening in. And they were like, eavesdropping.

They were like, what are you doing tomorrow? Like one of them and the other two were like secret. Oh. So they're even being secret with each other. And did you stand out as like clearly you don't go there? Or could you blend like maybe we can get in because we are young and we look like sorority girls? Well, Bella texted me when we were packing for this trip, and she goes, you know, what are you bringing? I'm like, preppy to the nines.

Okay. I'm bringing my, you know, everything from. And let me say she nailed it. Okay. My prints, you know, your golden goose sneakers or whatever you got. We're going to look like we blind in. And when we're walking around campus that first night, I'm trying to scope out the scene and see, like, who could talk to us and whatever. And they are already looking at you a little like, are you looking at me?

For you listening, for you listening, our two reporters are in their 20s. So they could pass easily for college students, sorority girls. Obviously, we're doing that intentionally because we're infiltrating rush and trying to bring you, like, top secret information. All right. So when you get to the hotel, is it a sorority, you know, our sorority moms there? Yeah. Did you feel that vibe? So we could tell that people were already, like, even before classes or anything had already begun.

Like work we could not quite begun. It was happening like the next day or the next day. But girls were moving in to the hotel. So are the rushies there yet? No. Okay. So this is just sorority girls. Just sorority girls.

Sorority women have returned. It was like people doing rush who were like rushing the P&Ms were arriving. So it was like sophomore juniors. Yeah. The sorority girls, the sophomores junior seniors. But what was interesting was in our hotel, there was all these girls that we kept seeing like moving big boxes and like unloading signs. And we were like, oh, like, what are you guys doing?

Like whatever. they were on the Panhellenic board and they were running rush out of the hotel. Oh, because they had to get there early too. We were staying at them. We split you at the right hotel. Yeah. Okay, great.

This was definitely like the University of Alabama hotel where people stay or whatever. Great. But you can tell that moms were moving them into and everyone just has a little bit of this air of skepticism or secrecy or on their guard because I think they know that there's just so much attention around their school.

And even we were walking around when the first night we got there and I just like saw a girl walking towards us and asked her like, hey, you know, we're just just, just, we're reporters. Tell us everything. I was just like, oh, we're, you know, we're fellow sorority girls, but we work for this podcast and we like, would love to ask you a few questions. And did they run away? And she was like, uh, I don't think I can say anything to you.

And we're like, oh, okay. Are you enjoying work week? And she's like, it's really chill. Like, it's chill. It's much more chill than they people say that it is. Okay. Right. But it felt like that was clearing the death, you know. Yeah, I think, I guess my question is, are you seeing people making these TikToks trying to be, quote, TikTok famous?

Or does it feel like authentic rush? I would say like the last day we were there, like we kind of started seeing more of like the actual work week. Like the girls like in their outfits or like making TikToks like doing all that stuff. But like before that, I don't know. Well, we did hear from a P&M that I asked her. I was like, have you been advised at all on girls who are trying to get TikTok famous or whatever going into rush? Like, no longer did sororities want those girls. It brings on too much attention.

Okay. So that's interesting. Right. I think that that had its moment and it does seem to be changing. And maybe a new school will become that. Right. They actually said they're like, I think Oklahoma's your school. Yeah.

I think I've heard that. that Oklahoma is the new Bama Rush. Yeah. And also, like, to compare it to a show, like the Bachelor, right? In the early seasons, you got more authentic people because there was no Bachelor famous, right? And then you get these sort of trying too hards because they're not there for the right reasons, which it sounds like these, you know, potential rushes and the actives are trying to just have a cool sorority. All right, so you hop in this Uber

and tell me a little bit about this Uber driver that you guys spoke to. And what was her story? Was she in a sorority? Like, what was her story? I mean, we like hit the jackpot with our first Uber. We were feeling a little depleted from the night before. We're like, telling me when to talk to us. Right, because you're getting so rejected.

Yeah. So rejected. Being a reporter's a tough beat. I know. It's hard out there. Well, even the Uber driver from the night before, like, she wasn't given us much. I'm like, shit, what's going to happen? All right.

And we get in the car and we're like, and we tell her what we're doing. You know, we're here. But we're trying to be soft with people so maybe they tell us. She starts off. And she's got a tumbler that says Mama C. And her license plate says Mama C. And we're like, so what's the deal? Like, what's Mama C?

And she's like, I am the number one Uber driver in the world. And at first I'm like, is this self-proclaimed? Right. Yeah. No, she pulls it up. Uber has also. awarded her as the number one Uber driver with over 60,000 rides, irrelevant.

But like, good for you, Mama, see, you rock. So then what is she, like, why does she tell you about sorority life? She's like born and raised in Tuscaloosa. Yeah. She's beautiful. She's awesome. She was in a sorority. She was a five, you know.

Well, we go, how, what are you doing in Tuscalo? How are you getting all these rides, whatever? And she's like, I do all the sorority transportation in Ubers. I'm a main Uber driver. Did she go to Alabama? Yes, she goes, I went to you. University of Alabama and I was, I'm from here, born and raised. Is it a fine house there? Yes. This is what we learned. And she goes, I was a fine here. We go, is that the top house?

And she goes, it's the only white house on campus. So all the, no, sound, don't, wait, let us explain. Let us explain. Suddenly I gave a face that was. Let us explain. It is like physically painted white, the outside of the physical five, you sorority house, while all the other ones are brick. Brown brick. So it stands out a law on campus. already looks prestigious before you know anything about it. Are the houses beautiful there? I mean, there must, perfect. We'll get there.

We'll get to that. All right. Your conversation with Mama C, roll it. Would you say you were telling us, but the reason why a lot of, you know, girls are just hesitant to talk about, talk to us right now is, it's because of everything that happened with Bamarash.

Yeah, I feel like it just because it got such a name on TikTok that everybody's just hesitant because they're told, you know, not to say anything, not to do this, you know, just basically do your, you know, get ready with me's. and call it a day and don't really say anything else. Yeah. They're just held to, like, higher standards,

just to make it more fair for everyone. Yeah. And do you think maybe that they're probably also worried that something gets picked up or something, you know, they just don't want anything. Well, they don't want the focus on them, because if the focus is on them, then it's a risk for the chapter to take them.

Got it. So, and you don't want social media at risk. There's too much involved in that. Absolutely. Absolutely. And is it the case where they would go right to standards if someone did say something? I would say definitely, well, they would take, they would go straight to J-Board first and then it would go straight to Panellin. Wow. Okay. And they take that very serious. Our girls are very good. They're J-Bord girls and our pro guys are very serious about it.

And they pick up on everything. Got it. So they are very, they're on top of it. They're some of the most were students girls on campus. So they are really, really on top of it. Right. Yeah, I know even the girls that we talked to seemed like when I went up to someone to the shoot right outside the hotel, she was on Panolinic and they seemed really buttoned up and ready to go. And that's the thing is like the quieter you are, the better chance that everyone has. And that's what I always say. Like you don't want to put a girl on that stand. You don't want to put her in that position. Especially because if you're from like just a California and you're coming to Alabama, you're already like shell shocked. So you don't know what to expect. And then you get here. And then you're just that seven days is just. miserable every day, 100 degree heat, 95% humidity, you're hot, you're sweaty, you're miserable, and then you're going in there, and then you're just, it's just a lot of information to take you.

Yeah. So I would say, yeah, I mean, I feel like it's fair to everyone, but I do feel like it is, it's, it's very cut through. All right, well, thank you so much. So you're nice to meet you. So you're Mama C, right? That's how everyone knows you. Never one Uber in the world.

Thank you so much. You got to love Mama C. First of all, she's got the voice. She really does. We didn't make any of this up. You can't fake. You hit the jackpot with that. We just kept letting her talk.

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So we had been recommended this boutique, Pippori. Okay. And we saw it online too. They had this TikTok that went viral. All their stuff looked so cute. very fam a rush. Like, we got to get there.

So we walk in. And then we're a little confused because we're like, this is a furniture store. Oh, that's interesting. But then. It's so good. Then this Southern woman pipes in.

She's like, are you looking for papori? And we're like, yeah. And she's like, over here, y'all. And then we walk over into, it's like the back of this furniture store. So is everyone like pretty friendly and nice? So nice.

So nice. Even the people who are like don't want to be associated with you like not speaking or like the Swedish Like, like, somehow deliver it in the sweetest way. You can't even be mad or offended. Is this your first reporting assignment you've ever been given in your lives? Or have you previously reported on things?

I would say, yeah. You're like, producer Evie, you've reported on things before. Yeah, I've reported on things before. Okay, so, and in college too. So do you talk to the woman at this boutique? Lindsay? So then we make it to the back of the furniture store. We meet Lindsay and another sales associate who's very nice,

Ghost City University. How do they get action in the back of the furniture store? Her sister-in-law owns the furniture store. And then Lindsay... She sends people to the back. Yeah, she sends...

I mean, it's a very nice upscale furniture store that has like multiple rooms and then there's the back for all the dresses. So you walk into this back boutique and is it like sorority clothes? Like stuff to the brim

like perfectly curated for every round of rush for anything Alabama. Like you're like perfect, perfect. Like, Prince. Prim day, prints, bright, fun. And are we talking expensive, expensive?

No. So what I found about, because when I hear boutique, I think pricey. But what I found about southern boutiques is actually they kind of like, like, and I'm not flaming it or whatever, like they dope. I've noticed that they doop something that would be like on revolve or maybe it like that's like Misa or Farm Rio or whatever, like a brand that might be more. A little high end. A little high end. And they kind of dupe it. And maybe it feels a little different or whatever,

but it's the same look. Yeah, yeah. And so it's kind of perfect. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Good, farrio, good, good, you know. Whole thing.

And like. Three people probably doesn't need to do. But I think they would have anthropology dresses. Right. That kind of thing. Where like it's similar styles or shapes that are recognizable. And so was her price point more like a $50. It was like probably like $70.

Okay. So under $700. Under 100. Which is hard. Like, cute like, like, I don't know. Yeah. Nice. All right.

So Lindsay, talk to you guys. Oh, yeah. And we're like, do you own the store? She's got this cute sales associate, TK. Who talked to us.

Did they get all the sorority girls in there? Oh, yeah. Well, what she did tell us is she was like, what we found about the University of Alabama, there's old row and new row. Ooh. Kind of building off of what Mama C said.

She talked a little bit about. Okay. Yeah. The old row, new row. And it just basically means old row is, for some people might have more prestige in their eyes because it's just like,

It's like the Ivy Leaks. Like it's more, they've been around the longest to Alabama. And then there's New Roe, but they're still like really popular sororities in New Roe. But I think those are more. So Old Roe Nero is about the houses on those streets, not like the restaurants or stores. Oh, no. Oh, no. Sorry, this is.

Which sororities came first. The White House. The final Old Roe sorority. So let's listen to a little bit of what Lindsay told you guys. So give me again, like, what she was explaining like about. the sorority girls coming into the boutique. She was like more old row sorority girls typically like the styles in our boutique

as they lean a little more conservative, preppy. Yeah. So old row and new row dress differently, a little bit different vibes. I guess my question is, are there top houses on both old row and new row?

Yeah. So that like Zeta house that went TikTok viral and whatever, they're a new row. Interesting. But it's more of the girls like from out of state. Like I think like old row is like like even Mama C was like where she's like I'm from Tuscalo.

What do you think I was in? Old row. Got it. What sorority? I'm you. Got it. Okay. All right.

Got it. All right. So let's take a listen to Lindsay. Okay. So I'm here with Lindsay from Pupori boutique. Hi, Lindsay. Hi. Come on and talk.

Okay. So tell us about your store. Okay. So we're a little clothing boutique. Los Angeles, Alabama. We're located inside Land Potta's Living, which is like a high-end decorating store, and we're hidden in the back, like, towards the right hand corner. And we just sell a bunch of cute little, like, rush dresses and game day dresses for Alabama to the girls on campus and locals here in town in Tuscaloosa.

Love it. Have you gotten to know the girls who live here in town really well to know what they would like? Yes. So we definitely have a lot of locals shop with us, and then a local a lot of local girls that are in school at Alabama. For those that are like going through rush, we have a bunch of cute little rush outfits. Normally here at Alabama, they do like mini dresses and not a lot of MIDI or maxi just because it's so hot in the summer.

Got it. So we try to stock up for a lot for them. Yeah. And just for the various different days that they go through. So yeah, we definitely keep that in mind. Yeah, when at market. When you find you, like, find that some sororities shop here more than others, or you've gotten to know certain sororities more than others.

For sure. We definitely have certain girls in sororities that like us, that could, I guess, they're drawn to us more. Yeah. It's definitely more the old row. Well, everyone come in to Pupori for all your rush needs. Never, come see us. Love it.

All right. So, I guess, uh, Are you really now that you're sort of immersed in Bama rush, seeing girls everywhere, really experiencing Bama? Bama is like, these girls do not stop hot girl walking. I think they probably... Hot girl walking. They are hot girl walking.

They are in their hokas in their pink workout sets. From free people, Lulu Lemon, Allo. With their bala bangle, which are like hand weights, or a weighted vest. Pause. Evie was shocked. So this is the sorority girls. This is their sort of daytime outfit as they're walking, exercising.

Yep. Talking. What are those bag. When you said the bangles, what was that? Bala bengals, they're like, they're this brand of, like, cute looking hand weights or like arm weights. And what is that going to do get my upper arms better? Like, or you can put them on your ankles. I'll try it.

All right. So these girls know what. Amy, I'm surprised you don't have them. I'd like them. I might have them. I think I might have them. I feel like you have them. So if I put those on my wrist while I walk,

is my upper arm going to get more defined? Well, you might have to like go like this, but I feel like you kind of already do that. We're seeing little stuff while you're walking. There's a little 10 minutes. So you're seeing these girls out walking looking hot. I was just like, Bailey, I can't even like, they just keep coming.

Because I was trying to get like a video in front of one of the houses, and I was like, just wait until they go. And then they just kept coming. And they're all looking at me. So it feels like there's hundreds of girls. Yeah. And all they do is walk. It's Barbie land.

That's like, okay, this is interesting. So they kind of have a Barbie vibe. Uh-huh. During work, we, like, only the girls have really started moving in. And, like, some people obviously were there, but. Yeah. Did you see a girl that has brown hair? Yeah.

For sure. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Multiple. It's not like, oh my gosh. Like, but it's definitely very, all the blondes you're seeing, it's not like a California blonde.

No one's this blonde. Oh, it's white blonde. White blonde with the extensions. 20 foot. or 20 inch whatever. Okay. And it's like a straight, straight look or like a little bit of like a wavy curl.

This is probably an inappropriate question, but look, we're keeping it real. Similar body types or are you seeing different bodies? Is there any diversity? There is some, I think there's more like diversity. It's in the South.

So it's not just one body type? No. The girls were like pretty fit, but I wouldn't say it was like, oh, like everyone's a sick. Okay. They look pretty like normal. I mean, they got some great barbecue down there.

Okay. So they got to walk off the queue. So speaking of looking beautiful, so you guys decide we're going to hit a tanning salon. It's right next door of the boutique. Crucial part of any college campus. Especially Bama. Is it?

For sure. So college girls are tanning. Amy, you never were like, oh, formal, like go to spray tan. Spray tan, not bad tan. No, you know what? It's interesting. Until this very moment, I was thinking tanning bed. I literally didn't realize we were talking spray tans.

For some reason when you guys said tanning salon, the 50-year-old in me thought these people are laying in tanning beds. No, they got it. They're spray tanning. Yeah. Yeah. So, well, that's why we're like, we've never got a spray tan in my life. I've never been in tanning bed in my life. I'm, yeah, okay.

I don't know. Do you all spray tan at your schools? And the sorority girls that are not on the air right now, raise your hands if you get spray tans. Are we serious. Our one fraternity boy. Okay, so in college they all got spray tan. What about self-tanned? And our fraternity boy, Michael, if you listened to our episode earlier, also spray tanning.

Yeah. Okay. All right. So you go into the tanning salon and did they talk to you? They, well, we kind of like pitched it as like, oh, and we'll promote your salon too. Oh, we're here. And they were just trying to get off the ground. Like they're selling his memberships.

Glow. Shoot. Glow salon. G-L-O. And they had an amazing sign that said glow-tide. Oh. Everything in Alabama. Not Alabama.

Sorry, let me rephrase. In Tuscaloosa, such a college town, everywhere you go. Somehow weaves in, glow tide, like Alabama something, like an elephant, whatever. Or it'll just say, Tide. Tide. I like how you said that. Okay, so you go into the Tannix salon, bless them, roll tide, glow tide. Beautiful, huge salon, over 30 rooms.

Dirty spray to NTIAS. So is this remind you of Ross? Pivot. Oh, no, Ross, when he got the four and the four, you guys don't know from friends? From friends? What did he? Ross accidentally got the two and then he forgot to turn, got the two again. And then he went in again to try to even it out and got another two.

So now he's a six. Oh, my God. And he's like so orange. So anyway, tell me what, tell me the gist of what they had to say in the tanning salon. Well, we talked to a girl in there who was just about to rush. Oh, great. So that was a great girl to talk to. but they were also like trying to sell us on memberships.

On tape or no, she talked to you a little bit. She talked to us on tape. Oh, wow, okay. So you go in the tanning salon and there were customers in there getting prepped for Rush. Yeah. Rushes or actives? Rushes.

Wow. Oh, I kind of thought it was like actives. Yeah, but the girl we talked to was about to go into Rush. Oh, yeah. Okay, so you guys were able to actually get a girl who's about to go through Bama Rush. Yeah, and she was lovely. All right. We will not give her name.

She had the greatest rush mindset if anyone is. is needing a mindset refresh before going into rush, I would definitely listen up. Amazing advice. I asked her point blank. I was like, what sorority do you want to be? And like, what's the top sorority here? And she goes, honestly, I have no idea. I haven't even looked it up. Wow. She's like, I made a conscious effort to not view like that when she sees a TikTok,

she's like, I try to scroll, like, whatever. And she's like, I'm just really trying to go in with an open mind and see where I find good relationships. Well, let's take a listen to her and we have altered her voice to protect her. Where are we, right now? We're at Glow tanning in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Love it. Okay, so do you, is this like the main spot

where all like sorority girls get their tams? So we're trying to be, we just had our green opening on July 11th. Oh my gosh. So we're done our legs here still. Love it. But we offer a little bit more than anything else in town, so. Okay, and do you go to Alabama? Are you just, okay.

We're kind of evenly split between Alabama and Charlotte. Got it. I'm a rising sophomore. Okay. Are you in a sorority yet? No, I'm rushing the spot. Oh my gosh. Wait, that's so exciting.

It starts on Saturdays. Do you feel, oh my gosh. What have you heard about rush? Like, do you feel like it's gonna be crazy? Oh, I'm so excited. It's gonna be a lot of people, but it's gonna be like Barbie land. Just a bunch of girls.

I mean, you look like a Barbie. Like, you're, right? I feel like all the girls that work in here, everyone I'm seeing leave are like blonde hair, like tan skin. Nice. And we got everybody going. Is that like, I feel like I've seen like on social media will be like, they got like SEC-a-5.

Like they like- The SEC effect. The SEC effect. It's a thing. It's a thing. Like you just like, does everyone just go blonde and tan and? So a lot of girls actually go brunette, but a lot of tan. Oh, interesting. Okay, okay, so what do you, well tell me about Rush, are you excited about it?

What do you? Yes, I can't wait. I'm really excited to meeting people and be able to talk. I love talking. Yeah. Okay, Amy, I have a question for you. Oh, okay, good. What do you think an unlimited membership, tanning membership costs in Alabama?

In Tuscaloosa, Alabama. So that means you could tan any time you want. Anytime you want, you could do four services per day every day. This place also does all this. UV self-fighting know what they're doing. I think that's going to cost you. And am I giving you a monthly number or an annual? A monthly, monthly number.

$500. $50. $50 if you share it with a friend. So it's like $100 each. So me and Bella could go in on it. So for $100, you could go to tan as many times as you want up to four times a day. But they also have hydra, body facials, like other wellness things, massage chairs. So you can do four services in one day.

So you could go every day and like. Do a lot of people get the full membership? I would. I think the smart money is on that. A hundred percent. When I would get a spray tan in L.A., it cost me $80 bucks a pop. Oh, yeah. And this is $50 unlimited services.

Yeah. Massage chairs? Mm-hmm. There was a massage chair. No manny petties, though. Hydra. I did get a manny patty there, though. Massages.

At the same place, at this glow place. No, this was a different place. Oh, in Alabama. In Alabama. So you're getting ready for rush. All right. Well, okay. So I am excited that after this, you found the boys.

Well done. So then we were like, after a long, hard, frivolous day. Frivolous? It was pretty frivolous. I'm reporting. Bella's like, I am really embracing my new job as a reporter. We were like, we need dinner And I was kind of like, I could do like,

I don't even know, did I want Mexican food? I don't remember. Yeah, you did. I just did. The food in Tuscaloosa. So first night I knew I wanted some barbecue. Okay. Let's not name it because it wasn't my favorite.

This is the kind of establishment where you go in and they hand you a menu. And a plate of Wonderbread. Oh, yeah. But the menu is sticky. Probably like it had barbecue sauce on it. Uh-huh. Yeah. Authentic.

Fine. Yeah. It was good. Before you had jam hands, it's fine. And then this night, though. The food, our lunch was great the next day, I thought. The sandwiches at the hub, whatever. So you guys were out eating on the dirty rush dime.

I mean, got it. Got it, got it, got it, I got it. But I did not cost a pretty penny. Everything there was quite cheap. Okay, great. College town. I mean, yeah, that's pretty. I was full.

I did not go hungry. We did some TikTok research, as one does, to find the best restaurant. Oh, that was smart. Okay, great. So, we go. So we go on TikTok and I found this place called Taco Mama. And we walk there to save some money. We walked.

Oh, thank you. Mama C was not available to Uber. Mama C was not available. No, we just needed that exercise after our barbecue. I mean, Bella over here was feigning a burrito and I was feigning a frat boy conversation. So here we go. I love that you found the boys. It's a great vibe.

Margaritas, frat boys. And I did get a great picture, which we should post. of producer Evie talking to the boys and we have their backs, which I loved so we can protect them, but still show you guys the photo. And we're going to have a ton of photos on our Instagram. What is our Instagram?

Dirty Rush podcast. At Dirty Rush podcast. Great. From Bama Rush Workweek. So were you asking the boys their hot take essentially on sorority rush? Yeah. Great.

Tell me a little what they said, and then we'll take a listen to them. Well, it was the perfect dynamic because I went up to this table of rap boys. And I just knew. They're wearing khaki shorts and the t-shirts, whatever. And they're like, oh my God, this guy's your guy. He's the student ambassador. Oh. And then his friend comes out and he's like, and it's my birthday. And he was drunk. And I was like, this is great. Good cop, bad cop. Sit down. Great. And so I started asking him the questions. And, you know, you first, I'm learning how to be a

journalist. You first ask, I'm like, what do you guys do in here? How do you like Taco Mama? Yeah, yeah. And. And they're like, I overhear them, like, telling her their order. I'm like, what they go out for dinner? And I'm like, whatever it takes to get your story. So I'm talking, I'm like, I mean, I'm just loving Alabama. The vibes are great. I can tell why you guys love the school.

Like, you know, tell me about Greek life here. What do you like it? Whatever, going into it. And then I'm starting asking, like, well, if you had to choose, like, what do you think the top sorority would be here? Right. And ambassador guy's like, I'm going to hand that off to this guy. Oh, because he's Panolinicky kind of.

impartial. Yeah, yeah, he's like, doesn't want, I think he gives like, it's probably like a tour guide or something. He doesn't take a side, right? Yeah. And the other guy's like, Kayo's my wife. Oh, Kayo's my wife. Kio's my wife. Wait, we gotta just roll the clip here. Okay, let's take a listen. Let's take a listen to these, these fellas. So I'm here at Taco Mama, like the, would you guys say this is like the hottest Mexican place? This is the best Mexican place in town. So you're in a fraternity here? We are in a fraternity here. So do you feel like it's just like blown up in the last few years with like Bama Rush?

Um, well, I'd say, probably going back to like seven or five years ago. Five years ago, it was a really big deal. Like the Bama Rush. Especially a lot of the documentaries in that place, they blew it out of the water. I would say personally that that was a not an accurate representation of what we are as a Green Clive community. All right, you guys. Thank you so much. And so my conversation with those two is just made my night.

They were great. Then I think they went off and partied and celebrated number two's birthday. Good for them. Also, just to really give people an inside look to the atmosphere in Tuscalo, we are here on a random Monday night. School is not in session. This is a random restaurant we find and it is fully packed. People are drinking.

Yeah. It's like a great time on this random. Did you get the vibe that these kids are having a great time at college at Bama? I think like the perfect picture to explain. Like I really understood. like this school breeds school spirit because the Theta House practically backed up to the football stadium. Oh, wow. Okay. Okay. You could be in your sorority room, walk down the stairs, and do a hop, skipping a jump, and you'd be in the football stadium. So I went to Cal and we have that same situation at

Cal. Not at UCLA. No. UCLA, unfortunately, you have to go like on a two-hour bus ride to the football game. You take like, yeah, the road to help. Get Bell Purefutable. 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. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers.

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Ladies, for your first sorority college reporting job, bravo, well done. You got the story. You got your story. So to sort of wrap things up, what is your kind of button, your two cents on work week at Bama? Because we really were covering work week. We wanted to learn a little bit about the school and why it's become so TikTok famous. But do you feel like they're working hard during work week? I think they're working very hard. It seemed like a lot of work was put in. The houses are so pretty and all the decorations and stuff.

But what actually, like, I feel like stood out to me was that all the girls we talked to, even the ones we, like, didn't talk to, we're really, like, happy and, like, seemed like they really like their sorority. And, like, there's so many there that I was like, wow, you're all willing to, like, come and do all this work for your sorority. even though obviously not all of them can be like considered like top or whatever, but I'm like, you all must like like it,

like pretty good, you know? Yeah. I think that's not the case at every school. Like, I feel like some people are like, oh, like, I hate my sorority. Like, whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we did get the under,

we did find out that there's a really high turnover rate. Like people drop. What does that mean? Oh. Like girls drop. You know, like, when they're like C years, because the dues, apparently. Very expensive.

20 upwards can be upwards of $20,000 a year. No. No way. When you consider like outfits for formals, I don't really know what was going on. They were saying just dues, yeah, 20K. So they say 20K plus, plus, plus, plus. Yeah, so they say that like there's a lot of turnover. Girls stay freshman, sophomore year, leave junior senior year.

Okay, got it. They're not staying the full four years. And producer Evie, what's your sort of hot take on Bama Rush Workweek? Was this both your first time to Alabama? I can't remember if I asked you that. First, I added a new state to the list. Oh, I'm so glad. Was this your first time, Alabama, Bella?

Yeah. Okay, great. Yeah, give me your hot take. I think my hot take would be that the moms and the, like, adult women are a lot more involved in the South than like in where I went to school in L.A. Same. At Cal, the moms are zero involved. No, and these are all of the moms are coming for work week, even if their daughters are already

in sororities. All of the moms come for sorority rush to be like, they're for emotional support. They're buying a hotel room. in the place that we stayed. And then we saw like a bunch of women, like maybe women who had been in the sorority or like in the alumni network or whatever, rolling up their car, parking,

and bringing all this stuff for work week, like out of their cars. Like unloading rooaks and all this shit. We also met a lot of people who had gone to Alabama that lived in Tuscaloosa now or were there in Tuscaloosa to like do whatever. The two ladies on my flight randomly started talking about how they were both five years at University of Alabama

or like into Birmingham. Like, you know what I'm saying? Did they know Mama C? This was pre-MOMA C. Oh, wow. Oh, yeah. Mama C. What?

Well, this was your flight there. Fime you, too? Yes, that's what I'm saying. We met or overheard, like, five plus, like a lot of people. Almost everyone we talked to. I think you go and you stay. Yeah, you stay, it seemed. But it's that kind of thing.

Well, well done, well done. Well, I can't wait to see where we send you next. Great stuff. Me neither. Allroom and Oklahoma. Oh, my gosh. They were plugged. Lindsay at the boutique was,

she could not stop talking about how much she loved Auburn. She's like, you guys just got to go. Where's Auburn? That's also in Alabama. Oh, you're going back to Alabama. I guess. I was like, we don't have time of this trip. Well done.

And this is a dirty rush on our work week special at our sorority retreat at a secret location. And we're so glad you're listening. Let's get dirty. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. The dream of the 90s is alive. in podcast form.

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