Episode 21: Let’s Talk About Celebrities

>>> Click here to read the computer generated transcript (note that the transcript isn't perfect)

Gabby: Welcome back to the making an effort podcast, the podcast where you get to drop in on a conversation with two friends, discussing all the things they make an effort with and some of the things that they don't. And this week in honor of everyone's favorite show, love island, UK, very specifically UK. We are talking about the concept of celebrity. And also just having a chat.

Mel: Yeah. It's so good to be back. That's my

Gabby: lovely co-host Milians Hey there. Oh, Hey,

Mel: there, I feel like a buzzy, like, I'm just doing a little dance here in the seat to get like, pumped up for this, because it has been a while. It has been a solid month since we have recorded. But in saying that yeah.

Gabby: What, how,

Mel: how many days, how many days have we talked to each other in between our podcast break

Gabby: every day?

Mel: Every single mother, mother effing day,

Gabby: we didn't have a break from the podcast, but you guys did. And we felt like you deserved that break.

Mel: Yes. We could not bring ourselves to have it react. So we talk every single day on Marco polo who are just dickheads for not sponsoring this podcast quite yet.

Gabby: I know I did reach out to them so you guys can feel free to tag them and be like, I heard you guys roll them. Troll, shut these girls down hard. Literally they're bringing the internet together. We are, we are holding it all up, but the might of our friendship, Mel: not anyone would be a better ambassador for Marco polo than you and I, well, let's take

Gabby: a quick if raise your hand, if you downloaded Marco polo because of us. And I realize we can't see you just raise it and then it,

Mel: yeah. I'd like some statistics actually, so that we can go back to them and be like, Listen here, we're all using your free app and not upgrading.

Gabby: Well, I, I am using the free version because they refuse to sponsor us. I'm like, yeah, they don't know that I'm protesting. Yeah. But I was there.

Mel: Well, yeah, I mean, we, so we are literally on Marco polo every day, every single day. Last night I watched Gabby clean her kitchen. Yeah. This is the riveting stuff you guys are missing out on. Do you want a podcast? And we talked about how, well, how judgey. I am.

Gabby: Yeah. Oh yeah. Well, that was why I was like, thinking about, do I show this or not? Because I know Mel. Like, I don't think you're thinking that I didn't think you were going to have the thought like, oh, I'm going to be so judgy about that. It's like a reflex.

Mel: Oh no. so what happened was Gabby was like, so we're in, we're in a bit of a group chat with a couple of other friends and, um, she was like, look okay. She's like guys look at the state of my kitchen. Um, Like I've seen a kitchen in a state and it was, it was a shit tip. Um, and so she's like, I don't know if I should show this, but I'm going to, because I love it before and after. So she showed us her eye and her kitchen. Which was awful. And she's like, I know you guys, aren't going to judge me. So this is what it looks like right now. And then she's like, but I'm going to put a podcast on and I'm going to get it cleaned, blah, blah, blah. And there's one friend in the group. And I said, in response, I said, we have one friend in this grape, Michelle who isn't any gram seven. So she will be all over. The fact that you're, you know, immersing yourself in this one job and like doing the sensory thing of like getting a podcast in your ears and maybe a snack to accompany you on your cleanup. And I just straight up was like, Miami ground oneness is going. Gabby. You should not have let it get like this in

Gabby: the first time

Mel: only, you only need to tidy a little bit at a time every day to not let it accumulate to this. And she's like, oh, I know you're not judging me. It's just who you are. And I was like, no, I'm a hundred percent Josie. Hi, could you let it get, so

Gabby: it was. I don't

Mel: judge you. I don't judge you. I just have them different to you and that's okay. And that's absolutely. Okay. But you did a, you did a great job. I saw the afters well done. So tell me about your break. I want to hear about what you have been up to while we've been on our hiatus. Um,

Gabby: mostly. Just sleeping. Um, for those of you who don't know, I wake up at around like five or five 30 in the morning, um, so that we can do this podcast, uh, at a reasonable time for Mel who lives in the UK, who lives in Northern Ireland. Um, And I normally love that, but I got a solid month off and slept in every single Tuesday, which is the day we record. And so that was nice. Um, and then other than that, we've just been like chilling, like Nashville is so hot. Yeah. And we went on vacation, we went on a cabin vacation and. I don't know, it was just very laid back and I cannot believe it's over already. Like, I, I have a couple jobs and I was telling Mel this the other day on Marco polo that I've been like, oh, I've got like all of June to work on this. I've got all of June to work on this. I've got all of June to work on this. And I'm like, oh, it's June 28th. I've got three days to work on this.

Mel: Um, what, what kinds of things where you work one to work?

Gabby: Oh, in my head, I was gonna like get so like I run a newsletter, um, called storied and I, my head, I was going to like prep a bunch of those, and I did not do that. Um, I was going to do that's work. I know, but I was like, I'm going to get ahead and I'm going to. Do all this stuff and I just didn't do it. So it's fine. I rested to the max and I feel great. And maybe that's just what I needed to do.

Mel: Yeah. Sounds like it is. And that's exactly what a month off is for.

Gabby: Yeah. What about

Mel: you made, Hm. Yep. So we have been. Spending all of our weekends on the north coast. So I think I've probably mentioned this before, but we, we bought a caravan or like a static trailer as the north Americans would, would call it. Um, and so we go up there on a Saturday and we come home on a Sunday during term time when the kids are in school, obviously. Um, so we, and even just, you know what, 24 ours by the sea. Yeah, it, it is. Unbelievable high. Like we left on Saturday, right? I don't know, three to three o'clock and we were home on Saturday or on Sunday night at like nine o'clock. And so it was just over 24 hours, but it felt like we'd been gone for a week because it was just, it's just so relaxing up there. It just definitely is our little happy place. And so we've been spending our weekends there, just swimming in the sea and go in for coffee. Um,

Gabby: It's so magical. So the little town that your caravans at, which, by the way, when Mel FaceTimes from her caravan, you can literally hear the ocean roaring in the background. Like that's true. How close to the ocean she is. But my family, my extended family, we did a little vacation. We did got a little, um, rented a holiday house there in that area. Like town, I guess it's just so fun for me to get to like see all these places that I've already been through. You like you being there, it just makes me feel that much more connected to you is basically what I'm saying, where I'm

Mel: like, oh, I've looked there.

Gabby: I've done that. I know where she is.

Mel: I know. And I think that we are just desperate for. Our own little weekend together by ourselves in castle rock

Gabby: art way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We could record an episode

Mel: stop. That would

Gabby: be fun. I imagine we could bring the whole team. I know someday we'll get back to the UK.

Mel: But I know, I know. I don't like, I don't like talking about it when it's not even on the cards because it just makes me chase out. I know.

Gabby: Anyway, moving on to brighter topics like love island. Okay, excellent. So I just have to say, do not send me spoilers about love island. I know I made a big fuss about watching it on my social media. But my friends and I, we had like a whole party. We ordered pizza. It was like a whole thing. And we tried so in the U S it doesn't air. Like it comes out on Hulu a month after. Um, but we had hijacked the system. We like got a VPN so that we could, we got to VPN. Yeah. Trial and error them last night and they just would not pull through for us. So we were able to watch up until like the match. Hmm. Um, and then the coupling. Yes, I should say. But then, um, we couldn't get an, get it to work after that. So I don't know. I haven't figured out my strategy for this season yet, but I just need the world to not send me any spoilers. I'm going to unfollow love island. Yeah. Instagram and yes.

Mel: Well, that's a good place to start.

Gabby: I don't know. And I'm just so sad. Cause there's like so many podcasts coming out and all this stuff and I wanted to be on top of it, but I've just, don't think I'll be able to, it's really told you that I am willing to zoom you.

Mel: I know while it's on and share my screen with you.

Gabby: I know I just need like an old fashion bootleg situation where like someone brings a video camera to a movie theater. Those are of those ones where you can like see them people walking back in their heads.

Mel: I do. I absolutely do. Um, my aunt, my uncle, my uncle might've like sold those out of the back of a car one stage and we all had to pick one. Actually I did one of my uncles sold like bootleg CDs. So every Christmas. Just like open a suitcase and be like, iPack whatever you want, the new spice girls or check out this new album. Yes. You're the best uncle ever. What is it? Granny picture on the front. And there's no writing on the CD. Weird. I, someone

Gabby: coughing in the background.

Mel: I was very grateful. I. Like absolutely demolished my Celine Dion CD, my falling into you album at my little emo bedroom, listening to while I, you know, thought about whatever crush I had at that time. Um, which is just so weird. Cause Celine Dion is such a grownup music. I mean, I

Gabby: love and continue to love Celine Dion. I have to say though, I was a baby. Like Celine Dion at Christmas time takes me back. Yes. Um, that's the one for me, even more than all of her other stuff.

Mel: Mm. No, that's not. I mean, that's not my experience.

Gabby: I mean, I know she's, uh, uh, well, she is, she's got

Mel: depth and a very extensive like track list. Um, but that falling into think it's fallen into your album. I'm actually going to have to look it up because I could, I can tell you exactly what it looks like. Celine Dion. I'm looking at it. Albums which one? Oh yeah, it's fallen into you. And, um, and that came out in 1996. Would you even believe that

Gabby: how old, what? 1896

Mel: was? I was 13. Okay.

Gabby: Um, so. Do you have a Celine Dion saying voice that you could do for us? Yeah.

Mel: I mean, my singing voice merges into Shakira. I,

Gabby: that was a bit more Shikira, which I, which

Mel: I can do on main Shakira. And you know that

Gabby: oh, Yes, I'm here for that as well.

Mel: I am starting to fan the riot. I don't know the words. Gabby: I'm dancing my hip shaking,

Mel: but look at this. These are the songs that were on. The the falling into your album because you loved me.

Gabby: Oh my goodness. Oh, world is a better place

Mel: because I mean, come on. It's all coming back

Gabby: to me with meatloaf basically. Oh my gosh.

Mel: That's fun.

Gabby: That's good.

Mel: Right? That's a good album. And then do you know, do you know the song called the man? I think it, I think it's in that one. Maybe it's not, but that song is a GSA. It's a good one. Um, Rivergate miton high. She covered that. Gosh.

Gabby: All by myself. Oh my goodness. Okay. I'm gonna get the, uh, I would say get this CD, but literally it's on Spotify, so I don't have to get anything. I can just freaking isn't that.

Mel: Is she still doing the Vegas thing? Yeah, I think

Gabby: so. I should say shit.

Mel: Speaking of Vegas, let's go.

Gabby: Oh, that was not my, I was thinking let's go. Let's do like road trip.

Mel: Um, no. What about Britney? Oh my

Gabby: gosh. I am on the edge of my seat and just heart is breaking, like breaking. I cannot believe it.

Mel: She's so like good for her for like speaking out finally. Yeah. Boy. Oh boy. What a saga it was. Yeah. It's just so sad. It's when you

Gabby: compare, like how, like how far we've come with female celebrity. Like gen Z celebrities, female celebrities do not have to put up with what Brittany put up with when she was 18, 19. I mean, basically her whole life, but, you know, I, I just, obviously I don't want them to, um, and I think it's great that we are moving past that, but.

Mel: I just do you mean by that? Like what do you, what do you mean? Cause I'm kinda, I'm kind of going don't they don't, they have to, I'm not, yeah,

Gabby: I'm not saying that they don't have to put up with anything, but I feel like there's been like some very big shifts. Um, When it comes to like female empowerment, like, yeah. Okay. So like take like Miley Cyrus, for example. Yeah. People totally judged the absolute crap out of her. Um, and all of that, but I just, I think she, like, she can be she herself because there are, there are other women who have like trailblazed kind of that. I don't know, just like being a pop star and I don't, I doesn't, I don't, I need to think about this more, but

Mel: I mean, they're still under the same

Gabby: scrutiny they are, but I just think like paparazzi and like what we think is like, okay. For example, when I was a little girl consuming, You know, people magazine us weekly, like all of that. And like, Brittany's like crying on the cover, it of it. So, well, I would have been like 13, 14, 15. I don't know how old I would have been, but like, I just, like, I wanted to, I had a curiosity that wanted to be fed. I never thought about her mental health. Right. Except as like an, a headline. Whereas nowadays I feel like mental health is such a big conversation. People are like, celebrities are speaking out about it. There's like social media so you have like access to people's lives that you never had before, including their thoughts on things like what it feels like to be hounded or what it feels like to get unwanted attention.

Mel: Yeah. So there's a much more like there's a, there's a slightly more compassionate slant an accepting slant, to celebrities being human. Right.

Gabby: and like, for me, I feel like I S I S when I look at this through like a media perspective, because that's my background, like, I feel like Brittany Rose to fame at a time where. We had all of this new technology that was giving us access to celebrities, but not as much as we have now where like the veil has been lifted in a way. And we have like, Like, you know, they get to craft their own narratives on social media. Now they have, have

Mel: their own outlet for being their own

Gabby: clearer upper of

Mel: things. Whereas she, she didn't have that autonomy to be able to kind of clarify what was going on in her life. And she

Gabby: still doesn't. I know, which is so sad. Um, but at

Mel: the same time, there are always facets of society where even if a celebrity does clear it up, it's never good enough. Or they, you know, people are suspicious of that or, yeah, it's, it's such an interesting. Like feels like a parallel universe to be a celebrity, you know? But also it's still so fascinating. Like I still get, like, even though I wouldn't, so the big magazine here would have been hate magazine and the UK. So the kind of like silicious headlines, celebrities, and, you know, like, Who's gained weight and what always women obviously, and like which football or is going right with which singer and all that kind of stuff. And I would have felt like totally, um, devoured that I own, like I used to always look at, um, this is back like in my late teens or whatever, but would have always looked at hate magazine would have always read. I read Perez, Hilton. What.

Gabby: Yeah,

Mel: I'm sorry. I know. Yeah, because I'm just like my word that, like I was con I was contributing by clicking on his website just so I could see him draw a penis on a celebrity that he thought was being a bit of a Dick and, you know, it's just grim. Isn't it.

Gabby: Well, we do have a human curiosity. Right. And like, and, and I'm not saying, I'm not saying I'm not justifying what he's did in any way. But what I do think is like on there as a consumer, I guess, of media and I mean that like movies, music, the whole shebang, you feel like you have a connection with someone who doesn't know you exist. And so, yeah. There's just a human part of it. That's like, I want to know more about this person who is like impacting my life, whether it's through their music, through their writing, through their acting. And that's why we want to know this stuff. Like, that's the good side of it. And we're not always entitled to that, but I think it doesn't always come from this. Like we want to see them fail or we want to see them just play us. Like we just feel connected to them. And so that's why celebrities are a thing, but. The problem is that the media and I'd mean this, like the news media knows that we're not gonna be as curious about like, Jennifer Aniston redid her kitchen. It's like, oh, nice. Versus like Jennifer Anniston crying in a grocery store, you know, like, Hm. I know in my, in my late

Mel: thirties, that top line, first one is the one

Gabby: for me. I wanted to interject when you were talking about UK tablets and say like, so one of my defining memories, like I grew up overseas, right? So you're always flying from the. To other places and we'd always go through Heathrow because that's just what you do when you're going from west to east. Um, and I would always make sure to like stock up on a couple hello magazines. And I would like read about these like British, like, you know, socialites, who am I? Who are they? Do I need to know who they are. Like, I wish I could. I wish I had saved that. I am so sad that I didn't save them.

Mel: Yeah. Okay. Magazine, hello magazine. I mean, it's, it's all the same stuff wrapped up and, and, you know, slightly different packaging, but I just, it is so interested in our fascination with celebrities. And I wonder what that is. Like, I wonder if it's just like that curiosity. Okay. To be rich and famous. What is, what is that like? Like, and I think our curiosity is like, is your life easier than mine? Is it funner? Is it like more exciting? What is it? What is it like to have everything at your fingertips that you could possibly want? What is it like to like, have loads of like people working for you? And like, I'm just really, and I think, you know, We're kind of primed for that curiosity. So young, even in just like movies that we watched growing up, you know, like I'm thinking about, um, Oh, what are some, what are some of those like eighties movies where it was like rags to riches type thing, you know, like pretty woman and like, um, even kids movies like Richie rich, Macaulay, Culkin. Remember

Gabby: Richie Rich.

Mel: I love that movie

Gabby: Sabrina to impress Sabrina with, um, oh my gosh. Harrison Ford. And. Have you not seen this? No. And Greg keener. Oh my gosh. That is your homework. That's your best eighties life. You need to watch it Sabrina? Yes. Okay. I should remember that the female actress who plays the lead, but I don't.

Mel: Okay. We're looking at,

Gabby: it's got everything. It's got eighties, like glam house parties. It's got romance. It's got, uh, Julia, Julia Ormond. Yes. Julia Orban. Yup. It's so good. I might watch it tonight.

Mel: Yeah. So even sorry, even those movies like sat us up for that curiosity and stuff. And I think, like you said, when the. Gets lifted around social media. We get, I mean, we get to see even more of that luxury. And like, I don't know about you, but whenever a celebrity posts like a picture at their house, I'm not even looking at what they're doing. I'm looking at a Ryan, their house at like, what, what's this, their style? Like what what's in the background, you know, did they leave a line of cocaine sitting on that? Oh my gosh, is there a drug paraphernalia that they didn't see? Um, I'm a really good detective, by the way. Yeah. Gabby: You know, you know, this, I literally have commissioned, Mel will be like, find out more about this, please. Thank

Mel: you. Yeah. Yeah. I'm a good, I'm a good like rabbit hole stalker. Um, but yes, that curiosity is so interesting where it origin, like where it comes from, right. Where the origins of that are. And then also that the media and probably celebrities themselves. Capitalize on that curiosity. Oh, for sure. Yeah. Um, and even, yeah, so that you want us to think that you're normal, but actually to give up the mystery means that at some stage you lose, you lose something. Yeah.

Gabby: Yeah. I, and there's a small part of me that romanticizes. The quote, unquote old, older days of that mystery, like there's something about like getting a delivered message versus like, sometimes I'm like, I don't want that much access anymore. Like Hm.

Mel: Do you have an example

Gabby: of that? I don't know. I don't, I don't think it's better, but I think in my head I can over romanticize, like what it was like, like picking up a magazine somewhere or, um, I don't know, just like searching for stuff on the inner, like the early days of the internet versus hard earned. Yes. Just like, you know, oh, it was Justin Bieber in Greece this week. Cool. He posted posts, you know what I mean? And it's like, no, I want to, like, I want a candid shot. I want someone like being like, holy crap, like Justin Bieber's in Greece this way. Know, do you know what I'm saying? Like, I don't know. There's something about that. Like, Like we're finding stuff out versus like we're just being told. Hmm. That's interesting. Do you know what I'm saying? And I'm not, I'm not saying that like, obviously like, look, look what we did to Britney. Like it, it really harms people. So that's why I keep saying I'm like over romanticizing it, but there is something about like, oh, it feels like it got leaked to versus like. I'm seeing what you want me to see.

Mel: Yeah. That's I mean, that's pretty voyeuristic. Have you got

Gabby: it? Just it emitted this on the internet.

Mel: Oh, but you're admitting it on behalf of everybody Gabby: just saying if that's, you're just saying come forward. But the first one is your throat.

Mel: Yeah, exactly.

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Gabby: in the wild? Yes. Okay. Hit me. So this is out. And when people say this, don't meet your heroes. And I stand by this because this is my complete experience. I was obsessed like ages 14 through 17, maybe with Nora Jones. Like I'm not a musical person and she. Like forced me to learn how to play piano. Cause I was like, I want to listen to your music all the time. And so I will learn piano so I can listen. Yes. I legitimately could play Mo multiple of her songs and I must hear this. I can't do it anymore. I don't think I can. Maybe there's some muscle memory there is, but it would take a minute anyway. Loved her thought her voice was amazing. I loved that. She was like, I mean, somewhat of a brown person, but like in the spotlight as she is abroad, she's just her dad's from India, right? Yeah. No. And her mom's white. So I was like, this is amazing. Um, and. Uh, but yeah, basically just loved her. She came to my college town, she had a concert. I was way too broke. I think like tickets were like $200 and I was like, I don't have that money. I can barely afford dinner. Um, So I didn't get, I didn't get a ticket, but I ran into her at an American apparel, like she was coming out and it was one of those moments. Like I wish I could take everything I said back, um, because I get like, it was all dumb, but I was also 19 and I was meeting a hero and I didn't, I had never met anyone like this before. And so I was just like, Like I literally just stopped and was like, oh my gosh, are you Nora Jones? And she was like, you could tell she was so disappointed that someone recognized her. She bought her sunglasses like immediately. And I was like, oh, I'm so sorry. I just like, need you to know, like, I love you so much. And like, did those, so kid the whole, like, I think you're incredible. Like you changed my life, like all of this stuff. And she was like, oh, Hey, well, I hope I see you at the show tonight. And I was like, How do I tell you that I like I would, but I just don't have the money. Like, like if I could make $200 appear in my bank account, like I would spend them on you, but I can't anyway. And so she just like left and she did not smile and she did not like, it was like, You could tell she was just super gutted that like, she, like did not want to be having this conversation. And I mean, fair enough. Like it is actually fair enough. She is under no obligation to meet me or to talk to me, but I was still like, oh yeah, this is not the magical experience. I thought it was going to be. And yeah, I just had never met anyone famous before. And have you said. I mean, I guess like I've met a lot of Christian celebrities because of Chris, his connection, which I don't, those are to me, those, sorry. No offense to anyone, but like, it's not like, it's not like H here, like Brad Pitt level celebrity. I'm sorry. I'm sure to say it. Just going to say it. Not trying to offend anyone, but let's just call it what it is. Yeah, no one was a star on, in frickin Hollywood. What is that place called? Oh yeah. He gets a little UCS. That's the one, the walk of fame. That's yeah.

Mel: Yeah. How about you? Um, yeah, I mean, I've, I've seen a bunch of celebrities when we lived in London, so. Um, I was walking across Westminster bridge one time and I saw Owen hunt and Christina Yang from Grey's anatomy. Gosh. Yeah. And we followed them. That is gross. Isn't it? We were just like, let's just keep walking and see where they go. That is for us. Um, we did stop after awhile, but yeah, I think they might've been filled. I don't know if they were filming or there's just some holidays or whatever, but that was huge for me. Cause I am a grade. Yeah, you like, I M O G grads every episode, right from the beginning, super committed. Um, I have, oh, I have this, I have this brilliant story, a bite when I was, uh, when I was living in London as a student at university, um, I got, uh, tickets to go and see Gavin DeGraw. Have you, do you know who that is?

Gabby: Do I know who Gavin to girl, please?

Mel: I mean, but he's probably most famous for sing and the theme song from one tree hill. I don't want to be anything other

Gabby: than what I mean, what a banger. Right.

Mel: So me and my friend, Laura went to this Gavin to grow gag and we were just feeling like spicy. And we decided to go in, like we hit by the show door.

Gabby: Did you take your, take your tops off?

Mel: Not yet. Um, and then we, so we stood by the, like the side door to see if we could like meet anybody. And the drummer came out and they were just starting to load stuff into like their, their truck, like pack and dine. And we got chatting to the drummer and he was like, why don't you guys come back for a drink to the hotel? And we were like, are we grouping? And he was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was like, okay. So like, I was like, what do we do when we get there? He's like ask for, and he gave us his fam. And so it was like really at night we got the last tube, like the last under grind to the, to where the hotel was and like Piccadilly circus or something. And went in and like went up to the kinder, give the name, the room number. And the guy came like he had been having a Shar. He came down and met us and we had drinks and gov and the girl was there and he was like, like, we went upstairs to the like sweep kind of area. Um, he played the piano. Yeah,

Gabby: he didn't get enough at the show, I guess. Not so

Mel: well, I mean, Laura and I were, we literally were like muted the whole night. We just didn't say anything. We were just like,

Gabby: I think that was probably for the best,

Mel: definitely for the best. I mean, literally nothing happened. We just sat there and then we left and then, yeah, that is

Gabby: amazing.

Mel: So that was, uh, that was the kind of a hype. And then, you know, like I have one of my closest friends has a family member that's really famous. And so whenever he was, he would do like celebrity stuff. When we lived in London, she would bring us along to certain events and things like that, which was fun. So we got to like, yeah, mate, meet celebrities and hang out in green rooms and stuff like that. Um, and always like, we were super awkward. You know, I

Gabby: mean, yeah. I, I don't think I would cope well in that environment, to be honest, I've clearly proven myself to be untrustworthy around celebrities.

Mel: So, so would you love, Hey, would you love it? Hey, if you could, like, would you do an origins redo or would you want to like, no,

Gabby: she lost me after that.

Mel: Yeah. That's, that's sad because you know, everyone's entitled to buy some play in Taiz and American apparel without being behind. Did I

Gabby: know? No. I mean, I do love her. I will say Chris and I did see Jason and Olivia Wilde at a brunch spot in London. We were in London for my 30th, and they were also in line for the same brunch spot. And at the time that he was filming Ted lasso, that's why he was there. And that is like, like literally. Wishes. He could go back in time because he did not know who he was. And I was like, oh my gosh, babe, babe. And now he's like the world's actually, we're having a Ted lasso birthday party for Chris in July. Cause he's like have to come out again. He has, yes. He has watched the whole series five times. Like three times. That's how much of a pick me up we all needed in 2020, like that's the saving grace of 20, 20 genuinely. We could have a whole episode on head loss. So anyway, uh, who would I want to meet? Do you have an answer right off the top of your head? Am I like

Mel: having a love of therapists?

Gabby: No, like, I mean, like you, you meet them on the side of the road or like they happened to be at the same coffee shop as you, and you strike up a conversation, they're sitting on the plane next to you, which they would never cause unless you're flying first class.

Mel: Yeah. I mean, someone that's like a good, has a good solid mind that I would love to have like a big chat with if we're stuck beside each other. Um, I mean, I would love to meet a lot of

Gabby: smaller set. Ah, Ooh. Okay. I didn't, I would not have predicted that one or Brenae. I mean, Brenae like, right. Oh my gosh. I feel like I would just say something, but someone like Brenae like, I would. Say all the wrong things, for sure. Like, I would just, I bet she gets that all the time. Like people just like pouring out their hearts. I'd be like, I'm being vulnerable. LOL.

Mel: Well, I thought I told you, I told you by the time that I met Sarah Bassi, didn't it.

Gabby: Yes you did. So Sarah is

Mel: like, uh, an author that has shipped for both Gabby and I has shaped a lot of our understanding of faith and feminism and has been just a real voice. And both of us have followed Sarah. Yeah. Like blogs from for years and years. And you organize a conference here like that. I didn't

Gabby: attend

Mel: that you didn't attend. Um, and she was the main speaker at this conference here in Northern Ireland. And I showed up super late. Um, I was, I was doing a workshop the next day at the conference on like social justice and I showed up really late for the, like the opening. Like service or event or whatever. And the only state left was like in the row behind her at the front. And I was just like, well, here we are. And over the years I have emailed her a few times and she's responded to like two different things. Um, but she, she does not know who I am. Um, And so the service started and people were singing. And I just could not believe that this woman that had been so influential in my like fifth was setting in front of me. Tapped her on the shoulder. And as soon as she turned around and hugged me, I cried. I was just like, I can't believe you're here. And she's, and she's like, I can't believe you're here. And I was like, oh. And I was like, what? And I was like, um, I'm Mel Wiggins. And she's like, Mel Wiggins. And I'm like, you don't know who I am. Lovely. And she was so lovely and she. Um, and I was just like, oh, I'm so glad that you're here. You've been so important to me. And, uh, I imagine that that's really lovely to hear as for someone to hear that. Um, yeah, so I can not be trusted to meet my heroes.

Gabby: Right. I mean, that sounds pretty perfect. It sounded like it meant something to her and to you and you weren't weird and you didn't just like start

Mel: yelling. That's not, no, none of that is true. I mean, it did not mean anything to her and I was absolutely weird. Gosh, but yeah, I mean, it's just a funny thing, isn't it? Whenever you meet somebody that has. Yeah. And I also have a theory. Most celebrities are way smaller than you think they are like

Gabby: short like stature wise. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mel: That they're

Gabby: mostly old. Tiny. Yeah. Yeah.

Mel: In every way.

Gabby: Uh, that's that might be true. Actually.

Mel: Was Jason, I guess, was he, was he told or

Gabby: was he, he was average height. Like I was literally behind him in line and I was like, but I didn't. The funny thing is like, I didn't recognize him from behind. Like he had a baseball cap on and he was looking down at his phone and I was like, literally standing behind him. So I recognized Olivia, his wife, well, his then fiance at the time, and they're no longer together. She's dating Harry styles now. I think that's true. Um, read that anyway. So I recognized her and then it wasn't until he sat down in his seat at the brunch place. And I was like, oh, I know you. Um, but he was like all that to say, because he was right in front of me. Like, I think he was six foot something.

Mel: Anyway, um, it is, it's a phenomenon, this whole celebrity culture thing. And thanks for getting me into the last season of the Kardashians,

Gabby: by the way. You're welcome. It's the least I can do. It's my service to the world. Did you watch the interview? No, I'm saving that for just a day when I need to pick me up.

Mel: Oh, that is sad and trio. I get it. Yeah. I've watched that. I watched both parts. What a fascinating family. Hey,

Gabby: yes. I just feel like I need the world to know that I, my love for reality TV. It's like my number one, vice. I love it so much. I, I'm not saying it's great. I'm not saying it's deep. I'm not saying it's morally right. Morally good. I'm just, yeah, I, that is just, it's just how I feel. If you want to come at me, you can, but I won't change. Yeah.

Mel: Well, I will be standing on guard. If anyone wants to come at you, I am right there,

Gabby: but I'm equal opportunities. Uh, any kind of reality TV I'm here for, I just, um, I, I am.

Mel: Okay, well, listen, it has been so good to be back. I, you know, I love your feet. Um, I am so glad that we're we're back. And for any of you who are wondering, what's coming up in the next little while with this podcast, we have a bunch of things planned that are going to be really fun and interesting. So we're, and we're going to get you involved again, Gabby and I plan on talking about it. Our pet peeves. We plan on talking about therapy, purity culture, being a parent of a child with autism. Um, what else? We've got bunch of stuff. And we also. I've got extra episodes, uh, for our patrons, our patrons, um, which you're more than welcome to come check out. Um, if you want to support the podcast in that way, uh, we so, so appreciate you less than we so appreciate you. Um, kind of messaging us and you can also. Email us, if you want to, or have any thoughts or questions. Um, huge disclaimer, we have had issues with our email and so we have not been able to reply to so many people and have lost a bunch of emails because. Our email provider was being a bit of a deck. So anyway, we have a new email address. So if you do want to reach out and get in touch with us, you can email us and we will get it. And it, the email that you can use is hello@makinganeffortpodcast.com.

Gabby: We have our own email address. We're so fancy. We are all right, but not fancy enough for Marco polo. Apparently not, we should probably stop slagging them off. So if they ever do sponsor us, we don't have to delete this episode.

Mel: I can edit it. Um, yeah, I mean, it just makes sense. Marco polo. That's how that's behind you. All right. Thanks everybody for listening. And we'll catch you next week. Bye.