Empire State of Mind

This week, Tracy Sandler and Nikki Kay cover the on and off-court developments in the NBA Conference Finals, including the Knicks' dominance and passionate fanbase, Josh Hart's press conference beverage of choice, Wemby's wobblies in game five, and the fashion from MSG's celebrity row. Plus, why are dot cakes a thing?   

Hosts: Tracy Sandler, Nikki Kay
Producer: Akua Murphy
BZZR.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Nikki, how are you post-Summer House Reunion episode one? Because you are the person that I know most who was so excited about this.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Okay, lying. It did not disappoint. Lived up to the hype. I can't believe we have two more episodes of it. Did you? I mean, Sierra read Amanda, read Amanda, like period full stop. What did you did you watch it?

SPEAKER_00 0:28

I watched clips of highlights because and I want you, I did that for you because I know how important this is. I know Akua got in on it also. Like, oh yeah, this was we've got you've basically got all of us here at Buzzer very summer housed.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

So to speak. The funny thing is, is I don't even watch the show. It actually is kind of amazing. I just wanted to join in. No, I wanted to join in on the melee. Like, and they it it lived up to the expectations.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

And then I saw an interesting video on on social about how you deal with a narcissist. And the reason apparently that West and Amanda, they're the there are villains, correct? West and Amanda weren't responding to how they made Ciara Phil is because per the social media post. So I'm gonna start there. I am not a psychiatrist. I've dated a narcissist before. It's not funny. I have too. So that it does, it does, it does feel accurate, but I don't want to be diagnosing people, even though they've done this to themselves. But anyways, this first on social she was saying the reason that they didn't respond to her being this is how you made me feel is because they don't really care. But what they responded to was like basically this is what you're being perceived as. And then that got to them because the narcissist also just doesn't care how they made you feel. Otherwise, they wouldn't be a narcissist.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

It is really interesting when you hold up a mirror to someone, how are they gonna react? And I think honestly, my takeaways from like episode one is that they I don't even know if they they processed what with accountability, they didn't they didn't show it.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

So no, they did they definitely did not show it in anything that I watched, but then again, if they could have shown it, they probably wouldn't have been been in this position to begin with. So there's that. In case you guys haven't figured out, this is slander and slay. And I feel we have both slandered and slayed in these first couple minutes, and I'm feeling very good about it. That's what we do here. That's what we do here, you know?

SPEAKER_01 2:21

We are absolutely another episode, another episode of merging the best things we like to talk about. Summer house.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

And then, of course, there was a conflict because it was during the Western Conference Finals. So, for those of us that care about both, there was also a Dodger game on, but I'm probably the only one who was in on that too. But those of us who care about both, that's that's very bad programming. What did you do for your TV setup? So I went between the Western Conference Finals and the Dodger game, and then watched all the clips on social of Summerhouse.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Right, because it had already gone East Coast and totally fair. I stayed off social for the sake of wanting to be sat for the Summer House. I watched Oklahoma City, San Antonio, game five through about midway through the fourth quarter, which, as we'll talk about, like not a very competitive game at that point. And then I had Summer House on my laptop and then went to full Summer House.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

I appreciate that. That's full slander and sleigh, is what that is. I love it. We we hit all of the spots that we needed to last night. So, or a couple nights ago when when you're listening to this. So we're gonna talk about game five. I want to start though, because okay, what did we're gonna really delve into this and Wemby not talking to the media after? And so I I want to talk a lot about that. But before we talk about that, and granted, he was on the winning team, so it's a different situation. I want to talk about somebody who did talk to the media and did it so beautifully well. Josh Hart of the Knicks, and he brought wine. And I gotta be honest with you, I really appreciate that. Because who doesn't love a glass of wine after you won the Eastern Conference Finals? Right.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Full headline Knicks are going to the NBA finals, which is there's that too. I was into the wine, but there are people that probably care about the basketball. No, it's, I mean, what a vibrant time for the city of New York and and like big picture. And my like mature sports viewing, complex, ego, whatever. I've never been around when a New York team has been good, besides the New York Liberty, which full full party, they won the title two years ago.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

You mean New York basketball team, right? Because the Yankees went to the World Series a couple years ago.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Right, right, right. Okay, okay, fair. Yes. Also forgot about that, even though I was there covering that. But no, that yeah, the since since the Knicks have been good, it has been so fun to consume everything coming up. It is a New York's a basketball town. And like it is seeing it come to life has been electric. Seeing the way this team specifically, like what you mentioned, Josh Hart coming to the podium with a glass of red, sitting alongside Jalen Brunson, like it it's just I'm I'm all in. I'm I'm and now these Knicks get to sit and wait for the Western Conference powerhouses to beat up on each other and who are they gonna face? Like, I think I think the Knicks have a real legitimate chance at pulling this off.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

Well, that was gonna be my next question. No matter who they face, what do you think? And I agree with you because I know that in the beginning people were like, it's and including myself, it's Oklahoma City, like no one can no one can top them. Maybe the Spurs are the only ones that have a chance. But watching these Knicks and their performance throughout these playoffs, sweeping their last two playoff series and and playing so well, and the the chemistry they have together and all of that, I give them as good a chance as anybody. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

And I I just think, you know, it's so funny in the first round when they're facing the Hawks, and it's like there was a couple of wobblies early on, and everyone's like, what's going on? Are we gonna have to, you know, blow it up all again? And no, they've resounded with like the most dominant postseason run. I think their margin of victory by points in their two consecutive sweeps has been historically excellent. Like no other team has ever pulled that off in 11 straight wins, maybe 12. 11. I'm I'm I want to say it's 11 now. But uh this the these Knicks are awesome. And when you've got an undersized guy in Jalen Brunson being the face of the franchise, and then you've got someone like Josh Hart who's just like that gritty glue guy, ultimate, like doing everything that nobody else wants to do on the floor. You got Carl Anthony Towns. It's just uh I I think they look like the team to beat, which is something I didn't imagine myself saying at the start of this season.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

They are very fun. I want to go back to something that you just said though. You said the wobblies. Can you define for me what a wobbly is exactly?

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Well, a wobbly is when well, I use it personally when uh maybe I'm feeling insecure or unconfident about something. I go, I got a case of the wobblies. But I apply that to describing a team when you're like, hey, is everything good right now? Are we are we cool? Are we good? So when the Knicks went down to the Hawks, the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, and we're like, are we good? Are we is everything okay in New York? And you know, it's just just a case of the wobblies.

SPEAKER_00 7:16

It can be cured. Well, you know who else seems to have a case of the wobblies? And again, segue's are my passion. Victor Wembanyama, who had a very wobbly evening in game five. And I want to go back to the Knicks. We're gonna talk a lot more about the city of New York and Celebrity Row and all of the things, but the segue was too good. So Wemby did not have a good night. He's not wobbly Wemby's Wemby's Wobblies. You know what? That would be a great segment. I don't think he'd love it because it would mean things are not going great for him, but Wemby's Wobblies is what we're gonna call this. All right, great. Game five was Wobbly, and he, I'm looking for my notes here. I think he was held to well, 20 points. Yes, he was held to 20 points. It was not his best night. I think he had one rebound in the first half, bad night all around. So this series has been interesting because, save for game one, it's been it's been back and forth and it's been like pretty non-competitive. The winner has been the clear winner from the get-go for the most part, and then you know, the loser's been the clear loser. So it'll be interesting to see what happens in game six. But, you know, with Wemby, he's the most important thing on this team right now. I mean, if he's gonna play like that, they're not gonna win. What was going on with him? And then I want to talk about the post-game because as a B reporter, that really bugged me.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

Well, and I think it's it's so interesting because you look at the generational superstars in the league and in and like their moments, a la LeBron James, are decided in playoff series tied at to game pivotal game five. Everything on the line. You look at a 22-year-old Victor Wempenyama, who we have made all the hyperbole and superlatives talking about his ascension, and like you said, game one, it seemed like inevitable that there there was no chance against him in the future of this league. And so last night was a prime opportunity for him to make his case to be the talent that everyone has built him to be. I think the scoring obviously wasn't there. I wasn't impressed by his rebounding or his defense either. And you talk about the post-game not giving an interview, right? I there's just, I mean, he's young and it's it's been a long season. He's playing more minutes than he ever has, but it's like there's gotta be something to if you're gonna walk in the in the the path of being the face, being the the generational talent, there's gotta be a moment that you step into that. And granted, game six will now be the biggest game of his career because it's do or die. And so I just think there's a reason why the young teams, it's so hard to to do it if you haven't been there before and you've got to fail at some level to learn the lesson. So, not saying like, oh my gosh, this is a disappointment, blah, blah, blah, referendum on who he can become. But yeah, it is a it is a reminder. He's young and he's got he still has stuff to learn.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

And I think this series is gonna be a real opportunity for maturity on and off the court because we forget, like he is 22 years old. But it's if I lost a playoff game at 22 years old, probably wouldn't want to talk to the media either, but it's part of the deal, it's part of what you do. And I think this series, win or lose, is gonna be an opportunity for him to grow as a player, as a leader, as the quote unquote face of the league, one of the faces of the league. And you know, I think people when it comes to post-cave interviews, and this is a little bit of a tangent, but I just think it's important to say. I know fans a lot of the time were like, No, go on a tangent. That's what I'm saying. I'm going on a tangent that fans will say, well, they shouldn't have to do it anyways. I can understand why he was upset. Yes. But you know what? That is part of the deal. It's part of the deck of why you get the part of the job. It's why you get paid the billions of dollars, it's why you get the endorsements, it's why you are in these really big moments. And I think this is a good learning opportunity for him because not only did he not speak, it wasn't announced he wasn't gonna speak until an hour after the coach spoke. And that is just it's and I understand like the media, we're doing our job. And our job is to watch the game. We sit in these post-game interviews, we sit in the locker room, we wait for the guys that or the girls, whoever we're covering, we're waiting for them. But it's disrespectful to the people doing their jobs in all regards. And he got warned by the league, you know, they're not, they're not gonna stand for that. But again, I think this is a real opportunity for him to grow. But my tangent being that this is part of the job. And whether, you know, the collective you think it's fair or not, it's part of the entire thing. And you know what we can't do as reporters is quote ourselves. So we do need to talk to the players and the coaches because people say that all the time, too. Like the B reporters asked the worst questions, or that was such an obvious question. Maybe it is an obvious question, but I can't quote myself. I have to quote Kyle Shanahan. I have to say how frustrating was this loss because of course it was frustrating, but I can't be I can't say, well, I'm assuming Kyle Shanahan thought this was a pretty frustrating loss. So that's just part of it. And it's part of how people consume content, it's hard part of people how people get content. So I just want to paint that picture for people listening as to why it is important. And it's not fun to talk when you lose, it's not fun to talk when you've had a bad game, which is true for all of us in the different parts of our lives and how we can relate to it, but it is part of the deal.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

Right. And uh I've been in the locker rooms before after tough losses, and uh, you're sometimes kept there waiting for a very long time, and you know, then your post-game show is wrapped, and this interview will never go on air because there's another game the next day, but like you still have to face wake up and is it face the music? Is that what it is? Yeah, okay. When you have the wobblies, sometimes you have to face the music. That's that's right, and sometimes facing the music will help you shake off the wobblies. But yeah, no, I I just thought uh that the game five performance from Wemby, it was a moment, an opportunity. He didn't deliver, and now you know, Spurs are backs against the wall, do or die game six. And this will be a very telling response. I would expect more from Victor. Uh, but we will we will see. Once again, this is their first time on this stage as well. But the Thunder, you know, the Thunder came in and took care of business like defending champions should. And so it's really it's the series. I think game one gave us everything to live for, and then since then hasn't quite been it.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Yeah, I I would agree with that, but yet I still think and obviously I could very well be wrong on this 50-50 chance. I still think this is going seven. I think the Spurs.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

I hope so. Yeah, more basketball. And also, we don't I want to give a little love on the thunder side to the guys. Shea didn't have his his best game. I think he even said post-game that it was like the worst career start he'd ever eat. He was like, I had the worst start of my career, which is, I'm sure, hyperbolic in the moment, but he credited the other guys for stepping up. And it's guys like Isaiah Harnstein, who has done an excellent job physically against Victor. And then how about Jared McCain, who after who had a pretty bad outing in game four, like went one for 10 from three, I think, and then inserted into the starting lineup. And that also goes to show the Thunder's culture. They're like, all right, we don't care. We don't care what your last performance was, we believe in you and what you can accomplish. Put it Dagnall puts him in the starting lineup and he finishes with 20 points in his first postseason start of his career. So other and and then Alex Caruso, time and time again. He could be it the MVP of the Western Conference Finals at this point in time.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

It would be the most obvious choice for sure. It's interesting when you said Jared McCain, who by the way I consider our TikTok king. Just want to our TikTok king, Jared McCain. When he had he had 20 points, and then we were talking earlier about how Wemvy only had 20 points, and it's so interesting the role and the player and what it means. And I just think like what a difference a player makes, which we know, but I just kind of thought that was so interesting.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

No, it totally is, but it it just goes to show like the Thunder's depth and how they can just roll out guy after guy after guy with no ego. We we talked to Nick Gallo, the Thunder reporter, about this. That like they just they're so deep in in players who want to win at a competitive level, and it doesn't matter if they're playing 12 minutes one night and then starting the next. Like they're ready.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

They they're ready when their numbers call. And you can't discount what that means to a team. A couple years ago, when the Niners went to the Super Bowl, they ultimately lost the Chiefs. But in that year, on that team, there was a there were a lot of superstars with egos. Not and not showing their egos, but a lot of superstars who could have had egos. And I would say in subsequent years, those egos really came out. But in that season, you had a lot of guys on that team who could have had an ego, and it was all about winning. And it really had started, as I think about it, the year before. And that year, they started with Trey Lance. He gets hurt week two. Jimmy Garoppolo comes in and everyone's behind Jimmy. Then he gets certain that's the beginning of Brock Purdy. And during those times, you could just see that these guys just wanted to win. And they didn't care who got the ball, they didn't care who had the stats, they just wanted to win. I think you see it with the Dodgers, and you have a lot of superstars on that team, and then in comes Shohei Otani, and that could have gone a very different way just in terms of culture and personalities and all of that. But I think when you see with successful teams, how important that is. And I think there was a time in sports where people would say, I don't care if they're fighting in the locker room as long as they win. I don't think that's possible anymore because maybe it's because of social media, because of the 24-hour news cycle, because you can see everything. There's always someone recording. But I don't know that super successful teams, it doesn't mean they all have to like love each other and hug and kumbaya at the end of a game, but they have to respect each other and they have to respect winning. And we saw it with the Michigan basketball team. I know we talked about this, I think, last week. You they have to respect winning, and above all, and to me, in this day and age of social media and seeing everything online, to me, that's really important for success. Totally, totally. As I'm now a coach of a team. I've to me it's important for as I'm building, as I build my team.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

It makes it fun for the fans too, when you can the the joy of just playing together. And that goes back to the Knicks that we are just that they're in it it starts with your superstar players and the tone they set. And when you got guys like Jalen Brenson, Shea Gil just Alexander, and I'm not saying Wembin Yama isn't that type of guy, but those are the ones who have shown. I mean, the Knicks are now waiting, waiting in the wings. Waiting or waiting to say, I don't the Knicks are waiting. Thunder have done it, so it is it the 49ers, Brock Purdy, like it just shows that the uh humility at the top makes it all the easier for the next best guys to be like whatever it takes, man.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

Did you see also in the press conference? Uh Josh Hart was teasing one of the reporters and Jalen Brunson before before he even started, Jalen Brunson said, Don't say it, don't say it. I see it, don't say it, don't say it. And Josh Hart was like, Yeah, no, I'm gonna say it. But that just shows that's a that's a strong connection. That's low state chemistry.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

I guess I guess one of the reporters walked in eating chicken wings. That's what it was, yes. A wild move. That is I would never walk to a post-game press conference eating like with food in hand and eating it, waiting to ask a question. That's a personal choice. I get it. But I I'm just trying to think of the spectacle. I was like, I get it, people walk in late all the time. Your writers are meeting deadline, then rushing to the podium, whatever. Some are in the locker room going back and forth. But to walk in with chicken wings, and then Jalen Brunson knows where Josh's mind is going. And Josh has been drinking the wine, so there was no way he was gonna be able to keep it to himself. What would you okay, okay? Let's say you just breezed your way and you've earned you've earned a break before the NBA finals or whatever the next level might be, and you're getting a celebratory beverage to sip on. We're not talking champagne locker room. We're talking what would your beverage be?

SPEAKER_00 19:55

So it's a it's a tough call between two. Okay. My first thought when you were starting to ask this question, because I could see much like Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, I could see where you were going with this. Yeah. I was going to say a very, very dirty martini because I love a very dirty, like extra cold bear. You know, I love. However, even though I've earned my break, am I am I at a post-game press conference? Because I'm afraid I'll spill the martini.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

I know. Garing martini glasses, I don't, I don't know. I don't know how they ever make it without one drop being spilled.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

Yeah, so I think as a result of that, maybe at a post-game dinner, I'm having my martini. As a result of that, I would have just a 1942 on the rocks with an orange slice. That's sipping on that micro. That's so cool. People be like, she's the face of the league. She's so mature. That's sophisticated.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

So well, I I was following you with that dirty, extra dirty martini. Have you ever had a porn star martini in New York?

SPEAKER_00 20:54

No. What but and but I feel like Milo's the place. Why is is it different than a dirty martini?

SPEAKER_01 20:59

It's it's more like a fruity, it's got the passion fruit and guava, and some places do it with like like an actual piece of fruit in it. It's it's really fun. And I could see that being like, you know what? I just burned all these calories playing in a game. I'm gonna get a a fruity fun drink. Fruity and fun drink. You know what?

SPEAKER_00 21:19

I'd get a pina colada. That's what I'd get. That is a very fruity and fun drink, and that actually feels so perfect for you. I honestly, right now, I'm imagining you in a post-game press conference with a pina colada with like a pineapple stuck, actually in a pineapple. Not just in a pineapple. I'd absolutely, of course, a seven umbrella.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

And maybe like maybe the training staff could put like a little protein in it or something. I wonder how a pina colada would be with it. I would probably be so foul, but you know, it in this imaginary world.

SPEAKER_00 21:50

I mean, but then you'd feel like you were being healthy, maybe. I don't know. I had a drink the other night. It was a martini with um it was a lot of green things in it, but and I was like, I I'm basically drinking a salad and I'm so healthy. I'm basically a vegan now because of my salad martini.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

My one girlfriend and I have this joke that, like, oh, you get the protein from the cheese because there is a little bit of protein in cheese, and the a little veggies with the olives. And if you get the blue cheese stuffed olives.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Oh, yeah, it's super healthy. Super healthy. A meal. It's almost a salad. Not quite as much of a salad as my green martini with I'm not sure what was in it, but it's very close to a different kind of salad. It's like a wedge perfect kind of minus the bacon. There you go. I love how we have turned this into being very healthy. Okay. If there's one thing you'll learn about us, it's we love a cocktail. And we like to pretend it's healthy all at the same time. But no, it's fun to have a celebratory cocktail. It made me think with Josh Hart and the wine made me think of, and I might be a little bit dating myself here, but Kathy Lee and Hoda on the like I think third or fourth hour of the today's show would have a drink every day. My one's favorite hour of TV. Honestly. She's like, you need to be on with Kathy and Hoda one day. My favorite hour of TV too. I actually once got to go to the set. I got you would have thought I got up with excitement. Like it was Christmas morning. Like, I mean, I didn't know these people existed at the time, but like Shohei and Decoy were gonna be there. Yeah, it it was like Christmas and it was so fun. And those glasses of wine were sitting right there on the desk. And they had different, every day was a different there was wines day, Wednesday. They had like all these different things. And that's what I thought of as Josh Hart is sitting there with a glass of wine. I was like, you know what? Kathy Lee and Hoda walked so Josh Hart could run. That's how I felt.

SPEAKER_01 23:40

And I think the wine glass was it had an appropriate stem too. Have you seen the trends online where it's like, where it's like, I thought I was low maintenance until my wine was brought to me in this glass?

SPEAKER_00 23:51

No, but that's really funny. Mainly because I have these stemless wine glasses that so I have both. However, when I have people over, I always serve the wine the stemless wine glasses, mainly because it's easier and because those can go in the dishwasher. So I so I drink salad drinks and I'm a little bit lazy, clearly, but I always serve them stemless no matter what kind of wine it is. So those that trend, people would come to my house and be horrified.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

Well, you might be horrified at this. I went to a dive bar and ordered an Aperol spritz. It was over the weekend and it came in a pint glass.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

That's incredible. The Aperol Spritz. First of all, the fact that you were at a dive bar and they served it in a pint glass, and the fact that they could make you an Aperol Spritz props to that bar right off the bat. Because you normally are not making those if you're serving them in a pint glass, but that is spectacular.

SPEAKER_01 24:41

Yeah, I uh I I I really could have could have used better judgment on that one. I don't think that's bad judgment.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

You just wanted what you wanted when you were there and you went with it. That's I think that's that's totally fine. That's really, really funny though. What was making you want an app roster? Do you drink those regularly or is that just kind of a beginning of summer thing? Weather. The weather, and it was Memorial Day weekend energy. You know, I was like, Yeah, summer. It's time's here in a pint class. That's amazing. Did you take a picture of that? Yes. Because you need to post that on your social media. Yeah, jail, immediate jail. But but worth it. So should you bring it.

SPEAKER_01 25:21

Did you see any of the ticket prices for MSG? They're pretty, they're bananas, right? Yeah. They're I heard Little Birdie told me. I love a birdie. Let's say third row, Madison Square Garden. I think they're like tens of thousands.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Okay, see, that's that's it's kind of giving, it's kind of giving the people during the Taylor Swift Eros tour, which was one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life as an aside, but people flying to Europe because to see the show because tickets were cheaper in Europe than they were here. And I feel like that's what's gonna happen. Not that Knicks fans are going to Europe, but that they're gonna go to either Oklahoma City or San Antonio because it'll probably tickets probably cheaper.

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Yeah, it be the whole trip in and of itself bundled is okay. Wow. I'm looking at some of the lower bowl sections right now. Okay, and they're going for like $10,000 that's in Madison Square Garden.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

So my thing with this that I wonder is those prices can't stay that way. Because how many people can afford to do that? There are not that many people who are like, yeah, I can spend $10,000 per ticket to go see the Knicks in the finals, even though it could be like a bucket list thing thing, and they've not been good in so long. And but that just feels like a lot of money. It that's as much as Kylie's Birkin on the court. It's like that ticket. And she can take that Birkin everywhere.

SPEAKER_01 26:50

Did you see uh Timmy like dapping up all the guys like he was on the team? Like I just love it. What else would you do if you were the biggest movie star in the world? Like that's pretend like you're a part of your favorite sports team?

SPEAKER_00 27:04

Why not? Why not? Remember last year, Rob Lowe of the World Series ran on the field and hugged Shohei? And Shohei kind of looked at him like, I don't know who you are, but he but maybe he did, but it was really funny. But why wouldn't you? Like, of course you would do that. And also, like, I give Timmy a lot of credit. Also, Nikki and I are obviously so close that we can call him Timmy, but I give him a lot of credit because the reality, like, maybe credit isn't the right term, but he is a diehard Knicks fan. He is not just like a Knicks fan and he's a movie star, and it would be fine if he was, but he is a diehard Knicks fan. I mean, I remember last year he was like among the people after games, and he was just he loves this team. He's such a true fan. And I think that's every fan's dream. No matter who you are, no matter how big a movie star you are, no matter who you are in the world, if your favorite team wins and you get to be there hanging with like your favorite players, that's a that's a fan dream right there.

SPEAKER_01 27:56

It it is the per the absolute correct allocation of resources and energy. Like, what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do with your power and platform? Well, you're gonna become the biggest super fan and most visible super fan.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

And Kylie's all in on it, which yeah, I also love. She has the fits, and you know this I love this about Kylie too and the fits. Sometime the fits are like an understated, I'm wearing like a white tank and jeans and Nick's shoes, and her Birkin, of course, that I mentioned earlier. And sometimes it's an I'm in a vintage Knicks shirt. Like she kills it every time with the fits, but she's in this. She was excited. She was doing selfies after the game with the players. Like, she is all in on these Knicks now, and I love it. He has turned her into. I mean, I don't know if she was a massive Knicks fan before. I'm probably not.

SPEAKER_01 28:46

Well, she grew up in LA, which is kind of Lakers fan. I'm like wondering, you know, okay, if the Lakers are in the finals, is she at a Lakers game bleeding purple and gold?

SPEAKER_00 28:57

Well, unfortunately for Lakers fans, she's not gonna have to deal with that exactly.

SPEAKER_01 29:03

She doesn't have to deal with that crisis of conscience. What are okay? So I haven't seen all of her outfits. Admittedly, I'm I'm not on that algorithm. Okay. What are some of your favorite combos she's put together?

SPEAKER_00 29:16

Okay, so she did this white tank that I was fully, fully influenced by. Yeah, because I ordered three of them.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

And we're gonna have to send the link. I always need good tank. We always need a good white tank.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

I will send it to you. And in fairness to me, when I went on the site, Guizio, I think, G-U-I-Z-I-O. Guzio to Guzio, thank you. When I went on Guzio to get my tank, they had like, you could buy one for this price, or you could buy three for that price. And as far as I was concerned, I was now saving money by buying the three for the price that they were giving me. So I thought that was really cute. Uh, she wore these like really cute dark jeans with them, these adorable orange like heels. I am not a heels at a game person. However, I'm also not being whisked in a side entrance onto the floor and out of there. Like, so I might have to walk more. I thought that's what I'm saying. So I'm heels in a game when I work.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

I'm a kitten heel at a game, girl. Even when you're when you're not working? Yes. Okay. A kitten heel. I know it's a bold move, but oh my gosh, isn't it a sofa move?

SPEAKER_00 30:18

Yeah, a little denim and a kitten heel. Do you like if you're running around Dodger Stadium just as a fan, do you wear a kitten heel? Uh no, those are that's uh sneakers. Dodger stadium.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

Okay, so basketball. Yeah, basketball and then football. It depends. It depends where the seats are. Are we doing a box?

SPEAKER_00 30:38

Or are we? Yeah, yeah. So when I cover a game, I wear very high heels to cover the game. And people ask me, this is venturing into people always ask about my skincare routine territory, but they don't. But they do ask, how do you wear those heels all game? And so I wear sneakers into the stadium because you're walking, whatever. And then I put them on for all pre-game, and then I wear sneakers during the game, and then I put the heels back on post-game, but that's working. I think maybe because I do that working, I just like can't do it at a game. But maybe I should try a kitten heel, though I have never found kitten heels to be particularly comfortable.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

Um, we gotta get you some. I don't know if Jeffrey Campbell's looking to sponsor the podcast. I swear by a Jeffrey kitten heels, super comfortable. Steam Madden can't go wrong either.

unknown 31:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

Always. So I gotta try those. My next basketball game, I'm gonna be in denim in a kitten heel. Love it. So that was how I was influenced on that one. And then I really liked Kylie's outfit the other night with the super cute vintage NYX t-shirt. I don't know where she found that, but it was adorable. It was like kind of a more relaxed fit. You know, she didn't even have it tucked in, she's had it out, and I liked that too with her. I think in that one she had a schnell bag. So all kinds of uh fun things going on with Kylie and the fits during this. So I can't wait for the finals. I mean, can you imagine? It's she's gonna have it.

SPEAKER_01 31:55

It's gonna be so amazing. And like I got I got lost in all the street interviews that go on with New York City fans. Like, because apparently everyone's out there reporting from the streets, and everyone was out there. All it did seem that all of New York City was out there on the streets. It's like the videos from I saw the videos from people's apartment buildings where they're like showing the below scene as it looked like the Knicks were about to close out and punch their ticket to the finals. Streets just swarmed with people running towards MSG. And it's like the cops didn't know what to do. The cops were kind of in on the celebration. I just it made me really, really appreciate. I think going back to what we started talking about, like the basketball fandom that has been dormant for so long, right?

SPEAKER_00 32:42

Yep. I think that should we I don't know if you saw in San Antonio there was all kinds of mayhem going on. I'm gonna sound like I'm 90. So I'm gonna preface that with this. Okay. But I don't I totally understand celebrating. You want to be among like fans and the city, and it's so exciting. I don't get the like overturning cars and and I don't all of that stuff. I don't get it. Does that make me 90 or does that just make me not get it? I think okay, I don't know about the flipping cars and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

I do think like and I also think there's time and place, right? On a college campus, if kids are out setting things on fire like together, I kind of understand that. You know, not Plan Arbor. Yeah, yeah. And I remember I think when UCLA made the final four, people were like burning mattresses and so you know, and it is But why burning a mattress? What is that? Because we're in college, you know. But like then you look at I'm gonna call out Philly and you see grown men like climbing street poles and like street signs and stuff like that. That's a little crazy.

SPEAKER_00 33:52

That's a that is however, one of my favorite moments like that with Philly is remember when AJ Brown he had that the book on the sideline. Oh god, it the name has escaped me. And I have it, of course, because I already um but after they won, I think it was the NFC Championship, there was a grown man in Philly up on a on a climbing on a pole, whatever, and he had the book and he was reading it like out loud. And I was like, that is such peak Philly, and that is so amazing that that I that I had to support.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

There, okay, I get it. Okay, wait, but also going back to San Antonio, did you catch on to the social media chatter at their home game game for apparently there were two women with low-cut shirts, let's just say that positioned right by behind the Spurs bench. So whenever they would cut to the head coach, you would just see their cleavage. And nobody didn't I did not see that. Oh no, it was just like two women. Your algorithm is Kyle Interkin. It was, yeah, yeah. It was a lot of discourse about the two women in the background. I'm I'm very curious to see if they're there for game six. But it's uh the also the director in the truck knew what he was doing. Of course.

SPEAKER_00 35:06

The director in the truck always knows what he's doing, or she's doing it, the case may be.

SPEAKER_01 35:11

But between that and then the nuns at the game, like that San Antonio was just a grand old time.

SPEAKER_00 35:18

I mean, San Antonio, I'm not gonna lie to you, is a sneaky grand old time. Because I went there in 2018, actually, full circle moment here. I went in 2018 for the Final Four, and Michigan won their final four game and then lost in the national championship to the Villanova Knicks, so to speak. Yeah, yeah. But so that's kind of full circle there. But I went to San Antonio not expecting much, and I gotta tell you, it was fun. San Antonio is a very fun town, sneaky fun town. I expect them to be lit tomorrow or whatever, game six, which I think is tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

Good environment. Yeah, no, they're actually everything there, you know.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

So oh, for sure. Because you really don't have they don't really have any other teams. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, so the Spurs, the Spurs are it. It was fun to see uh Greg Popovich and Tim Duncan kind of hovering. That was like kind of emotional. It was kind of emotional. There was something about it that was really special. I I really hope the Spurs get this to a game seven. They're yeah, they're a fun team. I I don't know that they would win a game seven, but getting it there, I think would be really cool uh and set themselves up for the future. Yeah, I want it.

SPEAKER_01 36:28

I want an epic game six, and then I want an epic game, like I mean, I know that's really going chalk there, Nikki. Like everybody who doesn't want it, but I I would like to see more competitive bouts between these these two heavyweights.

SPEAKER_00 36:43

I would agree with that. I expect Wemby to come out in game six and give us like a game one, game four kind of performance. Right. That's my that's my prediction. I was gonna say hot take, it's really not a hot take, it's like maybe lukewarm at best, but I am expecting him to come out and do that. So time will tell if I'm right. So there we go. Okay, Nikki. It's time for K-pop, which is one of my favorite parts of the show because it's called K-pop pop.

SPEAKER_01 37:12

This one's food related. Oh, fun. Have you been on dot cake?

SPEAKER_00 37:19

Oh my god, I'm so glad you brought this up.

SPEAKER_01 37:23

Okay, quick description if you haven't seen one of these viral uh cake things. I don't know what you call this dessert. It's a dessert started in the streets of New York. It's um basically a cup of the cake part of a cake, not the frosting, and then like a thin layer of the sprinkles that are rainbow, not Jimmy's, not the long ones, but the little tiny circular ones. I am a sprinkle, I love, we've talked, I love Funfetti. I love the long sprinkles, the one, the Jimmies. The dot ones, I don't really care for that much. And looking at what the obsession is with these dot cakes, I don't really get it.

SPEAKER_00 38:07

So that is interesting. We have very different takes on this because I look at these dot cakes and I'm like, that might be the world's most perfect dessert. How do I make one and where can I find one? And of course it's coming from New York because this episode is really a New York state of mind, is really we are empire state of mind right now. Totally empire state of mind. I think it looks so amazing because I love rainbow sprinkles. Is but here's an important question that I don't know the answer to. Is there frosting in the dot cake?

SPEAKER_01 38:33

I don't think there's a lot of frosting, which is why for me it's I because I want, like if I get a piece of cake, I'm eating all the frosting first. I could eat like a spoonfuls of frosting for sure.

SPEAKER_00 38:47

I've gotten cupcakes before, like three of them, and you if you it would look like they were murdered or decapitated, like someone came by and just murdered the tops of all of the cupcakes. That is how I eat a cupcake. So I get that, but I don't know, those dot cakes, I think I want to make one because I saw I think so. And I saw that on social and I bake. I'm a baker, professionally, but I am a baker, so I could definitely do it. And I think I think I have to make one and report back because I think that looks pretty delicious.

SPEAKER_01 39:14

Yeah, and I think I've even seen spin as LA would spins of people doing like more, like using different protein-based ingredients, like protein powder to make your, you know, make your protein cake and then put like a thin layer of sprinkle. I don't know, but it's just I love sprinkles and I just I still cannot get behind the biggest thing is the ASMR of people rubbing their spoons over the dots. But I don't know. I don't, I wouldn't, I don't think I'd go out of my way. I'd rather have frozen yogurt than that, which is now also now there's a whole froyo is back.

SPEAKER_00 39:49

Froyo is back. I am not a huge froyo person. I used to be, but then I just decided that for how for however much fro yo I'm gonna eat, I would rather just have a scoop of regular ice cream. Fair, totally fair.

SPEAKER_01 40:04

It could be because I think it did get over how it didn't it's a alternative healthy alternative. No, it's they're two different mediums of the same thing.

SPEAKER_00 40:12

Yeah, exactly. And at least I feel like with ice cream, it's natural. At least it actually is made of whatever you're supposed to make.

SPEAKER_01 40:20

You're gonna get canceled by the froyo community right now, too.

SPEAKER_00 40:24

I get canceled, but the dot cake community, these are my people. These are the people I'm talking to, and they are going to take me on. And I'm excited. But here, okay, so I have a question. How long do you think until we'll see if it gets as far. But remember when cupcakes were like all the rage, and so sprinkles open in Georgetown Cupcake. Are we on the precipice of a dot cake store opening soon?

SPEAKER_01 40:46

Yes, it I I think there it'll be only time we'll get like a ghost kitchen one in LA. Okay. That's fair. But here's here's another iteration of that. Do you remember the Sprinkles vending machines? Sure do. The ATM.

SPEAKER_00 40:59

I've used them in an airport more than one time. I'm not gonna lie about that. No, you have not. I have, and actually, always the sprinkle one that had all the rainbow sprinkles. Yes, because Nikki, sometimes I'm like running through, I've been eaten like all day. Like I'm running through and I'm the cave of the go kind of gap. And I'm having a cupcake of the go. But I have used it. In fact, no, it wasn't the San Antonio airport. It was the, I've done it in the Dallas airport. I've done it at LAX. And I think there's one more there. But yes, not only do I remember, and let me tell you, my saddest thing when sprinkles closed is I had a moment of like, well, what am I gonna eat now at the airport? And I was real sad.

SPEAKER_01 41:34

I don't know if I've ever met anyone who's gotten the cupcakes from the eight. I mean, maybe as a bit when it first came out, but now I'm a very, very serious meal.

SPEAKER_00 41:44

So basically, the froyo community is going to hate me, but the dot cake frosting cupcake community is going to be so excited. They're gonna invite me to events to try dot cakes and frostings. I want to be your plus excited event. Well, I don't know, you anti-dot caked cake, but I'll let you go. I know, but I love sprinkles, so I we can figure something out. Well, I'm gonna give this to New York for free before we sign off today. And that is for the finals, they should be making dot cakes with just blue and orange sprinkles. I'm just throwing that out there.

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Did you see the Empire State Building lit up and changed immediately?

SPEAKER_00 42:20

Yes, and as it should.

SPEAKER_01 42:22

That was that was pretty awesome. I loved it. I love the I'm the Empire State Building is a great follow on TikTok for anyone wondering. Very, very active social media presence. Oh, really?

SPEAKER_00 42:32

I did not.

SPEAKER_01 42:33

Huge Swifty. The Empire State Building is a huge Swifty too.

SPEAKER_00 42:36

So oh, I already love the Empire State Building. Yeah, that's amazing. Welcome to New York. Yeah, welcome to New York. There you go. Welcome to New York. Um, Nikki, this has been super fun as always. Yeah, dot cake, dot cake community. Please call me. I'm manifesting a trip for dot cakes. Nikki, where can we find you on social?

SPEAKER_01 42:57

Lil.nikki.k. Whoa, we got dots in there. But yes, as always.

SPEAKER_00 43:03

Um I am dots everywhere. Dots everywhere. Tracy dot Sandler. Uh, you are listening to Slander and Slay. Please make sure to subscribe, review, rate, tell us your feelings on frosting, froyo, all of the things. Uh, and we will talk to you next week. Bye.

SPEAKER_02 43:23

Love you.