We're Obsessed With You
Emily Hymes and Kyle O'Donnell are two best friends and late night television producers. When they aren't working, they're texting, DMing, and voice noting each other about everything they're obsessed with – both online and in NYC.
On We're Obsessed With You, Emily and Kyle invite their favorite personalities to dive into the things they can't stop thinking about. This is an interview show about hyperfixations, served with pop culture expertise and just a little bit of brain rot.
We're Obsessed With You
Obsessing Over Ina Garten, Nun TikTok & Vaughn Vreeland
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Emily's back with a 33-week update – and there's a hiccup. Literally. Plus, Emily's got the deets on some hot new summer shorts and Kyle's got the solution for anyone needing a little extra orthopedic support.
Then, The New York Times' Vaughn Vreeland joins the WOWY Offices and they all reminisce on their favorite Food Network chefs, exchange Martha Stewart stories, talk about the drink of the summer, and reflect on Internet fandom. Later, Vaughn reveals his ~24601~ related obsession and plays a rapid fire round of Obsessed or Over It where he shares where he stands on walk-in only restaurants.
00:00 – Welcome to WOWY
04:12 – Emily’s Obsession
06:22 – Kyle’s Obsession
10:48 – Vaughn's Interview
29:46 – Vaughn's Obsession
39:24 – Obsessed or Over It
New show, new obsessions, every Wednesday.
Hosts: Emily Hymes and Kyle O'Donnell
Guest: Vaughn Vreeland
Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon
Technical Director: Drew Downing
Editor: Grace Harper
Graphic Designer: Maddie Jones
Original Music: Reuben Alexander
For RaffHouse Productions: Haleigh Raff and Glenn Raff
Keep in touch:
Instagram » http://bit.ly/4p5Dsxm
TikTok » https://bit.ly/47YvkbR
Email » wereobsessedwithyou@gmail.com
This Week's Obsessions:
Emily: Relax Lacrosse Brand Shorts
Kyle: PowerStep Pinnacle Insoles
Vaughn: Javert-ification of the Internet
We're Emily and Kyle. We started as coworkers in late night television and now we're best friends exploring NYC and our FYPs.
SPEAKER_00This is an interview show about obsessions. Ours, theirs, and maybe yours too. Welcome to We're Obsessed With You. If I typed out a song, do you think you'd be able to figure it out?
SPEAKER_03No.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_03Hi Emily. Hi, Kyle.
SPEAKER_00How's it going?
SPEAKER_03Great. How are you?
SPEAKER_00I'm doing well, thank you. Hi everyone. Welcome to We're Obsessed With You.
SPEAKER_03Welcome.
SPEAKER_00I'm Kyle O'Donnell.
SPEAKER_03I'm Emily Himes. And this is the show where we talk to the people we are obsessed with about the things they are obsessed with.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Perfect.
SPEAKER_03Trying to get me in a gotcha situation.
SPEAKER_00No, never. This is not a gotcha podcast.
SPEAKER_03Well, today it felt like it.
SPEAKER_00I'm sorry. I did not mean to getcha. Um, Emily, what's your baby update?
SPEAKER_03Okay. I'm 33 weeks now. And last night I had my first um hiccup. I could feel the baby's hiccups. Which I was like, uh somebody's asked, Oh, have you felt the hiccups yet? I'm like, no, I don't even know if I'll know. And then all of a sudden I was like, oh no, this is a hiccup because it's like a pulse, it's similar to like an eye twitch. Like it's like this pulsating thing that can last. I because then it started and I was like, um, how long is this gonna last? Because it's kind of annoying. Um, it can last from two minutes to 30. Mine, luckily, we're only like five minutes.
SPEAKER_00What if oh sorry, it felt like an eye twitch?
SPEAKER_03Well, it's pulsating, it's just like a continuation like of pulsating. And I will say it's like a hick, it's like when you somebody gets the hiccups. It's annoying. I can confirm it's just as annoying inside as it is outside.
SPEAKER_00Oh.
SPEAKER_03It's not like endearing, like, oh, I never thought that babies hiccup. Yeah, they do. That is hiccup, which everyone's been asking, has it hiccups? You'll know, you'll know. And I was like, I won't. And then I did. So I felt hiccups. That's so easy. So it was kind of cool, but then it was it reminded me how much I hate hiccups.
SPEAKER_02Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_03What do you think is worse? Hiccuping? Like if you I started hiccuping, would you be more annoyed? Or if I was sneezing like five times or ten times in a row.
SPEAKER_00That is so easy for me. I can't stand sneezes.
SPEAKER_03And I'm a sneezer.
SPEAKER_00I there are lots of people in my life that I hold near and dear that are multiple sneezers. And I find it to be the most abrasive sound.
SPEAKER_02And my grandfather was a kind of person.
SPEAKER_00It was so loud all the time. Sorry, probably blew out all your ears. He was so fucking loud when he sneezed, and it was so humiliating. Also, because I think he would say ah shit when he sneezed.
SPEAKER_03Like, yeah, ah shit. Oh driving crazy.
SPEAKER_00And I think because of that, I hate the sound of sneezes.
SPEAKER_03And like when people Well, he do it multiple times in a row, though. Like my grandfather would sneeze like if he started, it was like seven times.
SPEAKER_00Yes, like Ken sneezes like five times in a row.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so I sneeze a few times in a row and it's like so annoying. And when other people do it, I'm like, all right, already, like stop.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03When I do it, I'm like, well, it feels so good. I'm getting it.
SPEAKER_00Oh, of course. Yeah. I mean, I love sneezing. It's such a great feeling.
SPEAKER_03But like But like if somebody had the hiccups next to you, Mike had the hiccups the other night at dinner, and I was like, get up and go for a walk.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I don't think I'd mind it as much as a sneezer. A sneezer, I'm like, now you're getting on me. I think that's it.
SPEAKER_03Like the is it called particulants?
SPEAKER_00Like the things that you sneeze out. I'd be like, ew, why are you? Yeah, what's coming out?
SPEAKER_02Ew.
SPEAKER_00When you're hiccup, it's like that's a you problem. Yeah, but it's hurting my ears. Wow, the baby. Have you seen the baby like kick yet? You know how like sometimes you can see the baby.
SPEAKER_03Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00You've seen it?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You've like seen the foot.
SPEAKER_03Well, I've well, I haven't like seen an imprint of the foot, but like, yeah, you can like see my belly move.
SPEAKER_00That is so crazy to me.
SPEAKER_03It hasn't happened when we're together because sometimes if I were sitting next to you, I'd like grab your hand and it's like. Yeah, I would have wanted to see it so much. Yeah. I move around too much. So like all day you're rocking the baby and they're sleeping. And so like when you sit down and like finally relax is when it starts to wake up and kick. So mine baby doesn't move and kick that much because I'm a busy girl.
SPEAKER_00So you're gonna be screwed once the baby comes.
SPEAKER_03Or the baby will be like. I don't know. I'm I'm hoping it's like a good thing. I hope it'll be like, I like to sleep all day because my mom. Oh yeah, shoot.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_03And I didn't get the snoo. Oh no. Oops. Oopsie daisy.
SPEAKER_00Emily, what are you obsessed with this week?
SPEAKER_03I'm obsessed with this brand called Relax Lacrosse Brand. They have mesh shorts. These are the ones I got.
SPEAKER_00These are adorable.
SPEAKER_03They have such fun colorways. The ones I'm showing right now are brown, and on the side, they have purple and a navy blue stripe. And they're really fun. They come in four different size uh.
SPEAKER_00I would have said this this summer the mesh short.
SPEAKER_03It is. So I think that they're it's having a moment. And you can go on Amazon and get like cute ones. But this brand has like just really, really fun colors to choose from.
SPEAKER_00And it's like a real sporting brand.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_00They have pockets, love.
SPEAKER_03They have pockets. So I just got these. I will say, like, I wouldn't say like amazing for like a pregnant belly, but I'm gonna make it work. And afterwards, I'm gonna wear them all the time. And it's just so easy and so fun. It's cute for the market, cute for the beach, cute for like running around town. And I think everyone should lean into the mesh short summer.
SPEAKER_00Emily, I'm so obsessed with these. They're really cute. They're so cute. I love those colors.
SPEAKER_03The color combo is great. I was hard to choose from the color combos.
SPEAKER_00What length are these?
SPEAKER_03So they come in different lengths. Um and they break them down between 70s, 80s, 90s, and Y2K, which I think is fun. And 70s is the shortest at four inches, goes to five inches, six and a half, and then ten. Which I think like some of the longer shorts are really cute on people. Oh, completely. I don't know if I can pull it off with my height, but I see people wearing it and it looks really cute.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I can't pull off the long pants. I can't. I don't know why.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. You have to go short, short. I think you go 70s. Yeah, I think you go four inch. And these are the five inch. I did try the five-inch. No, I tried the four-inch, but the colorway wasn't right. It didn't work for me, and it was a different size. But it's true to size. These are a medium.
SPEAKER_00I love a mesh short.
SPEAKER_03So I think that everyone go out and like lean in.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna say this as well about this mesh that I like. It's not a see-through mesh. Like there's a lot of things.
SPEAKER_03I think this color helps because I did get the pink ones, and the pink ones were see-through.
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_03So I think you lean darker if you don't want it to be see-through.
SPEAKER_00I'm taking these.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Fun. Um what are you obsessed with?
SPEAKER_00Mine is maybe the least sexy obsession I've ever had.
SPEAKER_03Oh, because all your obsessions are super sexy.
SPEAKER_00This is like arguably dis not disgusting. It's like an old person.
SPEAKER_03Oh, well, that's why we have I haven't brought up toe separators yet. Well, even though we're obsessed.
SPEAKER_00Very connected to mine. This past week, so I started lifting weights more, and I'm wearing weightlifting shoes. And they're they're they're cute.
SPEAKER_03And they're very cute.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I love them, but they're just so flat. And it really triggered my plantar fasciitis.
SPEAKER_03Like I've dealt with that as well.
SPEAKER_00Is there a pain like that?
SPEAKER_03No, it really hurts.
SPEAKER_00And it's always happening when you're walking and you're like, now I have to stop. Like it's so it sucks. It feels like a cramp on the bottom of your foot. That's what it is. Yeah, it's so painful. But I got these insoles.
SPEAKER_03So did you look up how to help my plantar fasciitis?
SPEAKER_00Yes. And then, but on Smith Street in Brooklyn, there's a foot doctor. Oh. So I had like read a bunch about insoles, and I went to this foot doctor, and he was like, here's the ones that you should get. He recommended Power Step Pinnacle Insoles. I'm wearing them right now. And they actually have changed my life when it comes to the plantar fasciitis. It just I put them in sneakers, I put them in loafers, they just like give you the support you need in the heel, in the arch. It takes a while to get used to. Like my knee for the back for the first couple of days, like kind of started hurting because you're at like fixing your pronation. But it is if you suffer from lighter fasciitis, this is the best relief I could find. Like a day-to-day relief.
SPEAKER_03I bet most New Yorkers do suffer from it and don't even realize some people are because some it's like there's a range.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_03But you're walking around and you're not in good shoes. I'm in like these ballet flats, not good for my feet. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00These also, so many of them you had to like trim to your foot and whatever. And I don't know if you know this. My feet are two different sizes. You know who else is? Laura. Laura. I think that's a good one. My sister.
SPEAKER_03Yes. Oh my god. But she will get the same shoe, but one will always be tighter. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Same. But sometimes if I like as a kid when I got in soles, you'd have to like cut them and everything. No, you just get the size 11 or the whatever.
SPEAKER_03So what size are you and what like what's your deal?
SPEAKER_00Well, I wear a size 11 shoe, although technically I'm an 11 and a half and a 10 and a half. Like feet.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that's not even a half a size. No.
SPEAKER_00So I'm like always uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, you're kind of like, um, what's his name with the two letters? Yeah. Eugene Lovey and Festin Show. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh God love Satari. Love that movie. Um, so that's my session this week.
SPEAKER_03Oh, wow. I should look into this.
SPEAKER_00They're great. They're available on Amazon. They're available on their store, like the uh Power Step insole store. These are the pinnacle ones, but they also on their website, they have insoles for all different things. So you can also be like, what you can put in my foot's hurting me. Here are the options. Uh or like here's what the actual pain is, and it'll bring you to the right insole.
SPEAKER_03I throw them into a lot of my boots. And well, because sometimes I'm I will order a shoe if there's no half size. I have to go up.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And then they're too big. So I end up putting an insole in.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Which I think it just helps my foot in general.
SPEAKER_00It makes you feel taller as well. If you're a short king, get insoles.
SPEAKER_03But I don't even think of you as a short king.
SPEAKER_00No, I'm not. I just feel taller. I'm not a short king. I'm 6'1. Um, our guest.
SPEAKER_03Is he tall?
SPEAKER_00I think so. He's definitely not a short king. He's not a short king.
SPEAKER_03He's tall. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00We are interviewing Von Vreland today. We love him. A dear friend we've met almost 10 years ago at this point.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, oh my God.
SPEAKER_00And he is a face of New York Times cooking. Uh he is a great, great follow.
SPEAKER_03He's a book called Cookies.
SPEAKER_00Yes. And he has a vertical on the New York Times called Bake Time. Yeah. And you can subscribe to it and bake along with him. He's just so fabulous.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he makes recipes that are just like easy. Like anyone can do them, but it's fun and it's great.
SPEAKER_00And his videos, he's a hoot.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he's so funny.
SPEAKER_00I bet there'll be accent work in this interview.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, definitely. He loves to throw it in accents. He loves the cracker.
SPEAKER_00He loves a cracker. Reminder that we are on YouTube and we are on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Please follow us on all those.
SPEAKER_03And Facebook. Did you say that already? Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00That's how new Facebook is.
SPEAKER_03That's that which I zoned out when Kyle was doing.
SPEAKER_00This is a beautiful partnership.
SPEAKER_03Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00We'll be right back. Von Vreland, we're obsessed with you. We're obsessed with you. Yay.
SPEAKER_03Hi.
SPEAKER_00We have a long storied history together.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, we go way back.
SPEAKER_00Going back to what we think is 2017, 2018. Probably 2018. Okay, great. Yeah. At John George's Fulton opening. Which, I mean, was fabulous. Now defunct.
SPEAKER_01Now defunct. I remember like walking into that event and being like, what the hell is this? How are they ever gonna make any money? He's John George. I mean, he's amazing. You know, but um it was definitely one of those like first events that I think I ever went to as like a food person. Yes. That I was like, I'm so out of place here. And then I saw you guys, and y'all were like, we're just here for our friend Becca.
SPEAKER_02And I was like, Becca's my friend too.
SPEAKER_01And then we were like kicking the whole time. Yeah, the whole time. We're good time girls for a fun time. It was so fun. We had like there was like a raw bar, yes, some champagne.
SPEAKER_00There was a really drunk blonde woman. Do you remember that woman?
SPEAKER_03I remember those sitting at one of the tables and looking out and only seeing water, and I was like, I feel like I'm on a boat.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I remember that too. Oh wow. Oh, oh, how we laughed. Oh, how we used to laugh. Were you at the times at that point?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Uh well, actually, no, probably not. It was 2018. I started at the time's the end of 2018. Okay. So probably not. Interesting. I think I was I was like, yeah, just a little, a little twink in the Buzzfeed universe, which uh, I mean, if you a fly on the wall back then, we had that was a prime time though. It was prime time, it was the gayest place to work. It was like being at like it was like being in a fraternity of just like all queer people. It was like being in college 2.0. It was so fun.
SPEAKER_00But since that historic meeting of the three of us, you become a Forbes 30 under 30. You a lot of people have cited you as being responsible for New York Times cooking's like big digital push, which is kind of amazing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, thank you. You're famous. It does, but I like I said, I mean, I still revert back to that kind of imposter syndrome. Like I think we all experience it. And no matter who you are, what industry you're in. Like Rihanna has that one quote where it's like, what do you do when you wake up and you like don't feel like Rihanna? She's like, I fake it. You know, I pretend. And I think that that's the kind of you know, you kind of have to be a little delulu in this world of media, as y'all know. Like, but at the same time, you gotta be humble. Absolutely. And so I it's like not obviously not just me. It was built off the backs of so many people. Yes. Um, I think I was just really in the right place at the right time.
SPEAKER_00So much of this career is simply that finding yourself in those moments, making connections with people.
SPEAKER_01Hello. Yeah. And yeah, it's just it, it is truly. I look back and I'm like, yeah, like I I believe that I possess the talent, I believe that I possess the work ethic, but I also was so lucky. You know?
SPEAKER_00Well, I want to talk about luck because one of your idols is Ina Garten. Oh, yeah, and of course, her memoir, which is somewhere on that shelf over there. It's called Be Ready When the Luck Happens. And her thing is that she considers herself lucky to be in the right space and time, but she was also like working at it. You know, like things can come to you, but you have to be like you have to believe in yourself, and you have to have the bona fides to do that.
SPEAKER_011000%. God love a casual use of the word bona fides.
SPEAKER_03Kyle's always trying to earn big words. I love it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01See, but that's also like fake it till you make it. Exactly. Oh, yeah. I don't know what that word means. I don't know. I totally have context clues, right? Um no, I totally think that that's what it is. It's it is the belief in yourself, also being a little bit realistic about it. You know what I mean? Like, I think that I've absolutely burned the candle at both ends since I started in the workforce because I just say yes to everything. And at this point in my career, like I'm starting to be a little bit more discerning with things, but I then think you're on this podcast. I was like, how soon can I be in the upgrade side? Um, but I think that it's just like I get scared that I'm gonna miss out. I have FOMO to be extreme, and you never know. Like, hey, this clip could go mega viral. And like, whatever. I'm not doing it for that, but like I think that I just like to take as many opportunities because you never know. You gotta be running when the luck happens. Totally. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03So who so Ina, you love, who else? Who's like top three, top five fave like food people that like have inspired you?
SPEAKER_01Okay, like obviously Martha Stewart is you know, we have the Ainas, we have the Martha's. Yeah. Someone who a disgraced queen, might I say? Sandra Lee. I fucking love.
SPEAKER_03I mean, we send clips of Sandra Lee all the time to each other.
SPEAKER_01I think, I mean, oh mama, it her her recipes have aged like goat milk. Um but her like her whimsy, her willingness to just have fun. Yes, and she isn't out there pretending like she's some like Joel Robouchon, like a Jean-George. She is out there like, hey, I am here like not for a long time, but a good ass time. Yes. And with glamour. Oh, glamour. I remember specifically, like growing up, my mom baked a bunch, but always used a hand mixer. And I would watch Simi Homemade. Yeah, she had a different kitchen aid that matched the color of her tablescapes every single episode. And I would go home and be like, mom, why don't we have a kitchen aid? And then finally, for Christmas one year, like my dad got her one or something. And I was like, it's white.
SPEAKER_02It's matched.
SPEAKER_01What are we gonna match this with? For our winter wonderland buffet, of course. But what else? Are we only hosting christenings from here on out? Like communions? What about when we want to do an aquamarine party? No, literally. I think that Sandra Lee is fabulous. I think that her story is also really cool. Like, she had a really rough childhood, and then she just like made something of it. Absolutely. And I think that that's fabulous. She was Cuomo's girlfriend for a very long time. Yes. And I'm just gonna say that because I um, as a journalist, cannot say anything else. But uh, but you know, I mean, hey, she lives life.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, have you seen the YouTube video Sandra Lee induced seizure? No, all right, we're gonna watch that after and put her on our socials. I definitely played this for you. I like on like pregames all the time in college. It's my favorite video.
SPEAKER_01I've definitely seen super cuts of her, yes, but there's so many fantastic episodes. Obviously, two shots of vodka. Anytime I'm pouring a drink, I have to do the bit. Yes.
SPEAKER_00I love her love of um hypnotic.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00Oh, if she needs not blue curso, it is always hypnotic.
SPEAKER_01Can I tell you when my sisters are like a little bit older than I am, and to me, like seeing a bottle of hypnotic in my sister's like college dorm was like peak luxury. I was like, oh my god, that. And she had like a bottle of gold schlager next to her. That was like who are you whoring yourself out to?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01To me, that was like peak luxury.
SPEAKER_03Hypnotic and Hennessy was like a drink.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. It was in all the rap songs and I feel like all the high schoolers would drink that.
SPEAKER_01Taste us afterwards. We might need to do that.
SPEAKER_03That's what's in this drink of the summer.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god, the drink of the summer.
SPEAKER_00Um see that on a New York Times article coming soon. Literally, though.
SPEAKER_01I mean, no, it's like a huge. We every year we're like, what's the new, what's gonna be the drink of the summer? Because a few years ago we said that it was like the dirty Shirley, and then we kind of ran with that and said that we have to have a drink of the summer every year. And this year is like the Hugo Spritz, and I'm kind of like, yeah, it's a fantastic drink, but I've been on that Hugo Spritz, you know, like it's not as novel, not an Aperol Spritz curly. No, that's why I don't I don't like an April Spritz.
SPEAKER_03I do.
SPEAKER_01When okay, I'm gonna shower you on Aperol spritzes when you give birth. I think that that's you, I deserve that. It'll be summertime, you know?
SPEAKER_03Like I was somewhere, actually, I had a baby shower recently and I was picking drinks, and they had a pistachio espresso martini as an option. Obviously, you can't drink that the entire luncheon, but I really that was one that I was like, oh, if I wasn't pregnant, I'd have that at dessert.
SPEAKER_00Oh, wait, yeah, that sounds fantastic.
SPEAKER_01Delicious.
SPEAKER_00Going outside of the world of food, what are your some of your obsessions and passions? You're pop culture girly.
SPEAKER_01I love pop culture. I've been spending way too much time on TikTok recently. Are you into fidget trading? Have you seen that woman? I don't know what that is. I was gonna say that's a porn hub category I'm not familiar with.
SPEAKER_00Um fidget trading, it's a woman who owns a like liminal space storefront somewhere, and kids just come and she tr trades like fidget toys. And I watch those stoned out of my mind, and it's you watch the kids trade? It's this adult mother trading with kids. And she has a board and she's like, I'll trade my Neo for this. And they're like bartering. Now I mean hate that I said Pornhub in the same class as this as um Jane.
SPEAKER_01Jane.
SPEAKER_00That is um so wild. Well, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about your relationship with internet fame because you are an internet fame personality.
SPEAKER_01Fans. Yes, it's still. No, I mean I agree. It's like a lovely little corner of the internet, yes, right? Like I've thankfully not faced too much. Like, people will make comments off-handed if they're served a video, don't know who I am. Yeah, but I do think that the people who like enjoy my videos are usually very, very nice. Like I saw someone at the movies last night. It was this like girly who was probably 22, and she was like, Vaughn Breland, I love you. And I just like gave her a hug and I was like, I love you too. Like, what's your name? And she had just seen obsession and she was like, I'm sweating. And I was like, I'm about to see stop that train. You know. So good. I can't wait. I knew it was like that, but good. Maybe that's how I'll go. Um, but yeah, I mean, I think that I just I occupy like a pretty lovely corner of the internet, and I think that's what I love about like food in general, is that unless like, you know, my food is something that I have control over, my my voice, my looks, like whatever is not as much. Like that is something that kind of cuts deep if people make mean comments about that. But like the food, I'm like, yeah, like that was a little burnt. Like I can like take a step back and like be like, you know what? Uh, but most of the time people are just really lovely.
SPEAKER_00That's so nice. Yeah. I also think um the idea of like representation matters. Like it does mean something to have like an unabashedly queer person for the New York Times, like being one of the faces of one of their verticals. I think it's an amazing, amazing thing.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. I mean, I Almost wore just like a full-on crop top today. And then I had like our like brand identity person in the back of my head being like, no. Um, but I do, I mean, yeah, I I think that it's important too, and that's why we started video. Like that's basically what I was hired to do. Because now I'm purely just like a columnist and a personality, but well, not purely.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02There's so much more.
SPEAKER_01Um, but like that, we were hired to kind of create this universe that takes people outside of what they thought they knew about the New York Times, you know? And so I think that that is something that we're always trying to like push the boundaries of. It's like diversifying our audience, expanding our audience, that kind of stuff. And so for me, it's it's not really at the top of my mind every time I step on set to be like, I've got to be so fucking gay today. Right. But like I I'm just like myself, you know, I feel very much like people love you. Yeah, thank you.
unknownThank you.
SPEAKER_03I mean, can you believe like after watching all of these like food network shows and seeing these like icons that you are now doing what is it blow your eyes?
SPEAKER_01Like, it blows my mind. Yeah, yeah. Like it absolutely, I still can't believe it. I was a uh I was a judge on a holiday baking competition last year. That's right. And I was like, this is so wild that I'm like here and I like have a trailer, yeah, yeah. And I got to meet Mary Barry, and it was crazy. It was crazy, and I still like it takes me a long time to process that kind of stuff. Yeah. Because to me, I'm still just like, you know, a normal girl. You're doing everyday thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just, yeah, if it's Jill. But like I still am, you know, I I like to step into the power and be like, hell yeah, like I do this, I do it with confidence, but then I'll step back and I'll be like, damn, like I need a minute to like actually process what just happened.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. You know, do you ever try to like um bring like Ina, like or Martha, like anything? Like if you're on stage, if you're on camera, like, oh, Ina would do something like this, I'm gonna do that.
SPEAKER_01The amount of times I'll say, like, isn't that fabulous? I just oh my god, Martha. I I mean Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting either of them? Met Ina. I did a Zoom call with Ana over the pandemic, and like we did like a recording of her favorite kitchen things, and she commented on my Instagram like this paragraph. So sweet, like best producer ever. My roommate at the time got it engraved on a glass bottle, and like on the um wrapping, it said good vanilla, and it was like for me to start my own good vanilla, which is honestly one of the sweetest gifts I've ever gotten. Shout out Emma. Um, and I I went out to Aina's house a couple years later and got to film a video with her. Likewise, fabulous. We like sat outside after we rapped filming, and it was one of those still kind of like very COVID-y times, and she was very COVID conscious, rightfully so. But she was like, Let's eat lunch outside. And she goes, Tell me about TikTok. I was like, She's great on TikTok. Yes, yeah, yeah, but it was like, and it was right after the like big giant cosmo thing. Yeah, and she was like, I just don't know how to navigate this world. And I'm like, oh honey, you just are perfect in every way. Protect her at her costs. Yes. Met Martha. I didn't meet Martha, I had an encounter with Martha when I was interning in New York. I interned at this like small fashion publication, which will remain nameless. And they had me like go to events sometimes, and there was this event for this film, and it was like kind of a little after party type thing, and she was there, and she was kind of like the the reason why people wanted to go and like get interviews with her. And I was just, you know, a sweaty mess, as I am wont to be, and was so out of place, knew no one. I was just this little like 20-year-old twink. It was just like meh, like um, and I knocked into a cater waiter who had a thing of champagne and it spilled, and thankfully it was just like a couple glasses, and then I turn around and Martha Seward is standing right there, and she's like, You better be glad that didn't spill on me.
SPEAKER_02Oh my god.
SPEAKER_01I see.
SPEAKER_03I would have fainted.
SPEAKER_01I was like scared. I saw God that night, of course. And her name is Martha Stewart. Oh my god. I yeah, but I mean, fabulous though. Like everybody I know who's worked with her, she's business, but she's like we've had the pleasure. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03She the first time she came on late night with Seth Myers, everyone who had worked with her in the past and was like, everyone has be on your best behavior, dress nice, do your whole thing. And I was like, I dress nice every day, so that won't be a problem. And I was a coordinator, and I escorted her up, and she wrote me an email, personal email after. And I had never gotten an email from someone after I was a coordinator. It was like nobody even looks at me, and it was like, Emily, thank you. So I put it in my little folder of like saved things, and I couldn't believe she's gonna be able to do it. She never did it. She's been on a bunch since. I never got another email, but I was like, I don't care. One done is fine.
SPEAKER_01I think that that's what it is. It's like she goes about her business because it's business, right? For her, and then she treats her people really well. Yeah. You know, and like I think that that is a true like aspiration is to be that kind of level. I don't know if I would ever want like Martha Stewart's level of fame. It just seems hard. Yeah. But I want her lifestyle now. Okay. Where she just like lives in Bedford in this like 20,000 square foot home and like gets drunk and high on TV and just like what is it about Aina, do you think uh makes her a gay icon?
SPEAKER_00Because in theory, uh nothing about her is diva. Totally, but she is diva.
SPEAKER_01I think that's kind of why. I think because she's not trying to be a gay icon, and she is just truly being unabashedly her East Hampton self. Yeah. And we just we love fabulosity. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? And I think that that's just like it's fabulous, but it's not mean, it's not pretentious. It's like I also think that uh Ina has a reputation for like only working with gay men. Yes. And word travels fast, honey. Like she loves a gay and idol, like watching that show growing up, like one of my first crushes, I think, was TR. Like, I think they had a little bit of a falling out, but yeah, that's a story for another day. But he was just like this man who lived in the Hamptons, you had no idea what he did. Yeah, but he was always at her dinner. Yes, he saw flowers or something. Yes. Yes, and I think that that's just kind of she's always been there for the community, but she's not like super over, like, you know, she's not throwing bricks at Stonewall, right? She's like picking up the glass and making sure no one gets cut.
SPEAKER_00She's cooking you snacks the next day.
SPEAKER_03You went to lunch at her house, like fabulous.
SPEAKER_01What'd she serve? Oh, you know, we actually got it was a Thanksgiving video, so we had like a bunch of Thanksgiving staples, but then we got this Carissa's the bakery. It's like a bakery in East Hampton that she like adores, and we got that for lunch. Oh yeah, amazing.
SPEAKER_00We will be right back with your obsession. Okay, tease us with one word. 24601.
SPEAKER_01Oh no.
SPEAKER_03Oh shoot. I know what it is. Oh shoot.
SPEAKER_01But do you know what it actually is in that? Yes. No, I know. Okay, well, we'll see what we're doing. Okay, everybody. All right, all right, alright. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER_03Okay, we're back. You tease us with the U teases with 0234567.
SPEAKER_01That's what that meant to me. Don't tell me about my phone number. Uh social security number. You it's 24601. 24601 is a reference to Les Miserables. Oh. Les Miserables. Never seen it. Okay. The movie either.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, my mom hated it, so we never watched it growing up. And yeah.
SPEAKER_01You're not allowed to celebrate pride in any way, shape, or form. Um, well, I guess that's like probably also like a very, I don't know, it's not a gay musical. Um but 24601 is Jean Valjean, who Hugh Jackman played. Okay. They know him. They know him. Prisoner number. Okay. And basically the show is about how like he's in prison for stealing a loaf of bread because his family is so poor and he just like needs to feed his family. Russell Crowe's character. I love Russell Crowe. Javert. He is the guard at the prison. Hugh Jackman breaks free, and Javert crusades his whole life to try to find Hugh Jackman.
SPEAKER_03Is that the whole premise?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, basically.
SPEAKER_00So wait, pause. What did you think lame this was about? Poor people in the streets. Well, that too. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_03Um lovely. And then someone has a bald head.
SPEAKER_01Anne Hathaway. Yes. Iconic. Iconic. So my obsession is this TikToker, Kiara Sullivan, I think her name is. Okay. And you've probably seen her videos if you're like in the sphere.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01She made a TikTok that was, I'm obsessed with. She was obsessed. I'm obsessed with her obsession. How everybody on the internet now is Javert. The javerification of the internet. These people who go on these huge crusades against these minor influencers for like just basically stealing a loaf of bread, wearing the Patrick Ta blush duo, like that, like they will dedicate their lives and their internet personalities to basically tearing down this person. And it is she is the way that she says it is like these people come on the internet like they are irredeemably wicked. Like Jean Valjean is irredeemably wicked, and I have to tear him down. And she says, most like Javert, they would rather die than admit they're wrong. Right. Which spoiler obsessed with this. It is and I just think about it. Now, every time I open TikTok, it is never the inciting incident. It is always the commentary on the inciting incident. Right, yes. It is always the okay. Can we please talk about that mom who sends her daughters to summer camp? And it's like a sleepover. And then you like eight clicks and two hours later, I finally found the original fucking video. Because you're going comment. Yes, yeah. And then the mom is like, yeah, I send my daughters to sleepway camp for like six weeks and they love it. Yes. And it's like, but then like the chain reaction of all of these things. And yes, of course, like if you are bigoted, racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, like you deserve to be taken down in that way. But that's not what these stories are. These people are stealing a loaf of bread to feed their families. Yeah. Right, right. I just I think that it is so it is such, it is one of the smartest takes that I've seen. I'm really into this. And yeah, like sometimes things are like fucked up, but then people will comment on these things, and then people will comment on their commentary of these things. And it's just like everybody has a crusade. And I love that they're the ones that are, they know what they're doing, they're monetizing off of it. Completely. Oh, totally. You know what I mean? It's like the Alex Earl, Alex Cooper drama.
SPEAKER_03That's what I went to immediately.
SPEAKER_01And it is like, yeah, like you might ride for one of those girlies and have a strong opinion about it. And then you take that opinion and you're monetizing their fight. Yeah. And it's like, we're all benefiting in this situation, I guess. Right.
SPEAKER_03Except I do think like the viewer me watching these people talking, I don't know if I'm actually getting any new or correct information. No. So it's like also they're benefiting, but I'm, as a viewer, getting false news.
SPEAKER_00Well, then it's capitalism. It's capitalism. Yeah, but it's TikTok.
SPEAKER_03But then it just like, I know it is just crazy how the drama then just like keeps getting worse and worse. And you're like, this isn't even the same thing.
SPEAKER_00Suddenly Brianna Chicken Fry is involved. I mean, come on, that's like she's just no, I find the Javertism towards Brianna Chicken Fry fascinating.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, that's true. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god. Yeah. She will be a little bit more. Javert is Russell Crowe.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Okay. I've two full six of them. I just don't know much about her, but I am constantly being told that she did something wrong.
SPEAKER_03I have watched her since she was in her tiny East Village apartment that was like the size of this table.
SPEAKER_00Like, but you know, like, does she do anything actually bad?
SPEAKER_01Oh, I don't, I actually don't. I think I've only ever watched that one video of her talking about that drama. Yes. You know, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00And now she's involved in the Summerhouse drama.
SPEAKER_03She also had drama at Barstool when her and her friend broke up. Yes. So there was that too. So then there's a whole Russell Crowe situation there.
SPEAKER_01I mean, it just, it's so funny how we just talked about this. The internet is so big.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_01And there are so many creators who like probably mean the world to some like little girl in Kansas that I will just never know. Like I there are people who just, you know, and I think that's why I say, like, I occupy a really lovely little corner of the internet.
SPEAKER_00Like, then it gets dark. Yeah. Well, I was going to request that we cut my fidget uh trading story from earlier, but it's so connected to this because there is a huge group of people that are trying to take this woman down and being like, what is she doing? And it's like, well, she's just trading shit, like actual junk with kids. And people are coming after her.
SPEAKER_01And it's not like do something else. It's just like literally she's I don't think it's insidious at all.
SPEAKER_00It's literally you have a squishy toy, I have a squishy toy. We're gonna trade it. Maybe it's because she's an adult with a child, it's a little weird, but like, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean, she has a hobby of a child. I think that's the like why do an adult thing today, it's stealing a loaf of bread.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, she's she's Winifred Sanderson, she's about to steal the souls from Chi and Dream. Um, but that's my this is my crusade against the fidget squishy. Yeah. Um, or whatever. They're two different things. That's okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. She trades in squishies as well. Oh, quishies. Okay, don't worry.
SPEAKER_00She trades in squishies. Um I just also find that everyone needs to have a take.
SPEAKER_01That's what the and I think that it is going kind of also back to the dead internet theory, like it's not dead, but nothing is really that new or original. Like I am never seeing the original content. I'm seeing the commentary on the content. And it's it, I'm seeing the snowball effect. I'm seeing the the chain reaction from that. And it's like so hard to actually ever find what they're really talking about. Because also most of the time the creator takes down the video. Right. Right, right, right. So I am obsessed with that specifically, and I think now that I've seen that every single time I go onto TikTok, I am served a video that's like four down the chain of command. Yes. And I'm like, this is this person is now dedicating eight an eight-part video to taking someone down that they do not know. Yes. And like this person didn't really do anything that wrong. Yeah. They like they mispronounced Javert. Yes. Please go on crusade against me. Um, but you know who would never do that? This is maybe a two-parter.
SPEAKER_00Okay, please.
SPEAKER_01And sister, you're so good at that. Sister, you're so good at that. My girlies, the the Dominican sisters. Love them. Wisconsin or whatever. Oh my god. Sister Miriam. Yeah. She would never. I I hope she knows if she's watching this, she has a seat. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I feel like this is the only time. Honor tie those buttons on. Please die.
SPEAKER_01I love them. And I think that the javerification of the of the internet is making me appreciate and revert back to wholesome content a lot more. Yeah. Like the Koreans in Mexico at the World Cup who are just like All the World Cup content is killing me. It's so good. And and my sisters, like, you know, I think that it's so fun to just revel in that and like watch Sister Miriam like take a little bit of a break and sing like the cute little Ave Maria like in the hallway. Yeah. Um, so that is maybe my like the positive. The answer. Yeah, the opposite. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00During every Trump election, we've looked through so many of them now. I found myself actually going to the food network more because it was such an apolitical space. Yeah. That I was just like, I just want someone to tell me what to do.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And that it, if I follow their rules, every my like souffle will come out well. You know, like I wouldn't cook anything, but I would watch it because it's so comforting.
SPEAKER_01I think I mean that's a big reason why we're told to be like our online personalities, especially like very neutral. Like I'm not allowed to tell you what I voted for. Um but um anyway. Uh I was about to be like, hell yeah, brother. Uh but um, but yeah, I mean, I think that you know, it is like aside from the New York Times trying to remain as neutral as possible, like food is supposed to be that kind of getaway for people, which is also why I love it, you know. Totally.
SPEAKER_00We are running out of time, but we want to do a lightning round on some more hot topics. Oh, fun. Simply tell us if you're obsessed.
SPEAKER_03These are hot or over it.
SPEAKER_00Oh god. They're broken. You're gonna get in trouble with the times for some of these. Yeah. Just so you know. That's fine.
SPEAKER_03Especially this one. Cats on leashes. Oh, obsessed.
SPEAKER_00Red velvet. Over it.
SPEAKER_03Central air.
SPEAKER_00Obsessed bruises.
SPEAKER_01Obsessed. They show that you live life. I like that. Or bruises by chairlift, the song. I don't know what that is. I tried to do hand stance for you. I tried to do hand stance for you.
unknownI didn't know that.
SPEAKER_01Speaking of, it was an Apple commercial, that's the only reason why I just Well, we love commercial music on the spot post.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um, walk-in-only restaurants.
SPEAKER_00Over it. Affirmations. Obsessed.
SPEAKER_03I already know how you're gonna feel about this. Frozen Aperol spritzes.
SPEAKER_01You know what? For you, I'll say obsessed. I love a frozen drink. A frozen drink is whimsy. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Frozen drink is whimsy. Yeah. Uh going out tops. Over it.
SPEAKER_01Beer pong.
SPEAKER_00Oh, obsessed. Friend dates.
SPEAKER_01Obsessed. Right. Are you obsessed with us?
SPEAKER_02I couldn't be sister.
SPEAKER_01Sister, you're so good at that. Sister Esther. Sister, I'm fucking gagging for you. Could you imagine? Please not say that. Sister Miriam, you dog you. We are cognate. I am obsessed with both of you so much. This is this is so fun. Honestly, don't know how you're gonna cut this down because I didn't think we had talked for like two hours.
SPEAKER_00This was so fun.
SPEAKER_01I know.
SPEAKER_00Come back anytime. Thank you. Please tell our listeners. Oh, yes. Next time you're on, you gotta tell the story about Andy and the pie.
SPEAKER_01Oh. Next time you're on. Okay, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Tease. Tease. But tease. But tell our listeners where they can follow you.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01You can follow my work at New York Times Cooking on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, NYT Cooking the app, NYT Cooking the website. Um, and you can follow me at Vaughn on just your first name? Yeah, on Instagram. I don't know what I don't my TikTok, I don't post on TikTok, so follow them on Instagram. It's a fun follow. That's just for us. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01Thank you guys.
SPEAKER_00Oh, this is so good. Thanks for tuning in.
SPEAKER_03Are you obsessed with us? Please like, comment, and subscribe.
SPEAKER_00Bye.
SPEAKER_02Do you have a hobby? Cooking. Sister. Yes. Teach me your way, sister.