Two Broke Chicks Ep #204: Life lessons from the juiciest pop culture scandals ft. Alright Hey & Mitchell Coombs
From Beyoncé to the Sex and the City reboot, we chat with the Trash Alley podcast hosts to unpack what we've learned from iconic pop culture moments.
What can we learn from Beyoncé's rise to meteoric stardom after leaving Destiny's Child? A lot apparently. In this week's episode of Two Broke Chicks, Sal and Al chat with Trash Alley podcast hosts and comedians Alright Hey and Mitchell Coombs about the life lessons we can pick up from iconic pop culture moments. From pop group breakups to questionable TV show reboots and the juggernaut that is the Kardashians, you're bound to learn (and laugh) a helluva lot.
LISTEN TO EPISODE #204 OF TWO BROKE CHICKS
LINKS & RECEIPTS
- Listen to Trash Alley podcast on Spotify
- Follow Alright Hey on Instagram
- Follow Mitchell Coombs on Instagram
CREDITS
- Hosts: Sally McMullen and Alex Hourigan
- Executive Producer: Pariya Taherzadeh
- Editor: Bamby Media
This podcast is powered by Finder and part of the Nova Podcast Network.
Thanks for listening!
-
Sally McMullen
Hey chickies, I'm Sal.
Alex Hourigan
And I'm Al.
Sally McMullen
And this is Two Broke Chicks, the show that teaches life lessons for the gals, from the gals. As some of you may know, Al and I are both a little bit pop culture obsessed.
Alex Hourigan
What?
Sally McMullen
Surprise! We like to say that I'm the Britney to her Christina, do with that what you will. And we do love a little bit of juicy celeb gossip and scandal every now and then. And because our show is all about life lessons, we're going to be reminiscing and unpacking some of the solid life lessons that we've picked up from the biggest celeb scandals in pop culture history, baby!
Alex Hourigan
Shock. Scandals. Horror. Drama!
Sally McMullen
Sex, drugs, rock and roll! So, who better to get on the show than the hosts of Trash Alley podcast, Alright Hey and Mitchell Coombs? They are both pop culture experts, comedians and just icons in their own right, so this is gonna be a funny one.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, strap in for a good giggle.
Sally McMullen
Before we get the trash bags on, what's your life lesson of the week, Al?
Alex Hourigan
What did you just call me? Okay, so my life lesson,
Sally McMullen
Here we go.
Alex Hourigan
Is if they wanted to, they would. And you know what, a lot of us probably have already learned this life lesson. But some of us might need to hear it again. A little reminder, you know, three strikes and you're out. That's my life rule.
Sally McMullen
I'm more of a one strike and you're out kind of gal.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah, we know that! But like you kind of get, if you hurt my feelings three times, you're done. And as we like to say, like, you're allowed to have your feelings hurt. And, like, people can kind of mess up, whether it's in a relationship or a friendship or like a work colleague, people mess up and are in their own heads, and sometimes don't realise when they hurt your feelings. Which is why I'm kind of like, three strikes, you know, first time, maybe it was a mistake, second time, I'm like mmmh, third time, you're in the bin.
Sally McMullen
Give them the benefit of the doubt.
Alex Hourigan
I mean, you're allowed to feel, like, upset about it. As we like to say, when you're feeling a bit low, you're feeling a bit bad, it's kind of like a shirt. Put the shirt on, wear it, walk around a little bit in the shirt. But don't forget to take it off, wash it and put it back in your wardrobe. You don't have to wear the feeling all the time. And if you're not getting the same effort that you deserve back from this person, or they leave you feeling a certain way that you're disappointed or feeling low. You need to cut that cord.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, absolutely. It needs to be reciprocated. And like you said, they're allowed to have one or two chances, I suppose. But, you know, give people the benefit of the doubt. But if they're doing it again, and again, like, nope. Okay, onto my life lesson of the week. A few weeks ago, we had an episode that was all about main character energy, being like your own love interest, and taking that energy to 2022. And a life lesson that I've picked up is that everybody could probably just bitch about other people a little bit less.
Alex Hourigan
Ohh, yeah.
Sally McMullen
You know, we all do it. I'm not saying stop it completely. You need to vent, you need to rant. But what I've been trying to do is before I go to rant or bitch about somebody, just think in my head, where is this coming from? Is it coming from like, maybe a place of insecurity on my own part? Is it coming from some other resentments, something else that has nothing to do with them? Before I just put that bad energy out there into the ether? Because, yeah, I just don't, a lot of the time, nothing good comes from it.
Alex Hourigan
Sometimes there's not really a point to getting angry about things. Like because, you know, if the person that you're about to kind of have a bit of a whinge about, is like, your sister or, like, your best friend or, like, your boyfriend, or literally whoever in your life, you're gonna have a little bit of a bit and then you'll be over it. So like, what's the point?
Sally McMullen
Exactly. And then once you've told somebody else about it, then they're gonna harbour that about them.
Alex Hourigan
I don't tell you some shit all the time cuz I'm like, she's gonna hate them.
Sally McMullen
Oh yeah, I'll take that to the grave, baby! Yeah, so life lesson: Don't bitch about people. Alright, let's get into our chat with Alright Hey and Mitchell, shall we?
As we mentioned, we have the fabulous hosts of the Trash Alley podcast with us today. Alright Hey, and Mitchell Coombs. They're besties, comedians, and every week on their podcast, they unpack celeb mishaps, pop culture trends, and just a whole bunch of funny shit from the internet. They are very qualified to be unpacking the life lessons from spicy pop culture moments with us today. I'm so excited. Welcome to the show.
Alex Hourigan
Welcome, welcome.
Mitchell Coombs
Thank you for having us.
Alright Hey
Hi, darl!
Mitchell Coombs
Sal and Al. Do we call you Sal and Al? Is that how it works?
Sally McMullen
Yeah, those are our stage names.
Alex Hourigan
Or like, hot, or funny, or smart.
Mitchell Coombs
If you worked in radio, you'd be Sal and Al, for sure.
Sally McMullen
Driving you mad, more like it.
Alex Hourigan
Driving you away from us.
Sally McMullen
Great. Well now that we've got a spin off. So today we're going to be talking about lots of juicy, sexy, spicy goss from the pop culture world. But before we get into it, we wanted to, you know, ease in get to know you both a little bit better. So we're going to kick off, if you have to pick one for each other, who are your celebrity twin flames?
Mitchell Coombs
Oh, okay. I feel like Beyonce's an obvious one because she's kind of, the amount of like times I've seen him walk out on stage at live shows to Beyonce songs, like, that's just always been what you've aspired towards. Yeah.
Alright Hey
Wow!
Mitchell Coombs
In a way.
Alright Hey
I was gonna say Tracy Grimshaw for you.
Mitchell Coombs
I'm happy with that.
Alright Hey
Yeah!
Mitchell Coombs
Tracy's a living legend like me, so.
Alex Hourigan
A career queen, you know?
Alright Hey
Yeah.
Alex Hourigan
So what message from a troll has made you laugh or eyeroll the most?
Alright Hey
Actually only just got one the other day, that I went on a little bit of a rant about on our podcast, which was basically just out of nowhere, not a reply to a story. I actually hadn't put in any stories up, like over that 24 hour period. And I hadn't had any new posts or anything and I was actually taking a little bit of a break from social media. Someone just messaged me out of the blue and basically sent this really long message and the gist of it was, "Hope you're doing well but like, you've put on so much weight and you're really ugly now".
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah, she was saying, like, "Make sure you put your health first and you keep everyone smiling. But keep yourself smiling first".
Alright Hey
So it was like this sugar coated, like, hate comment, almost. Like, she was coming from a place of love. She's well, apparently. But she said like, I've followed you for a few years and I'm just like, really concerned about your health. And like, I just went on this rant on our podcast that was like, you know, I went to my doctors and he was like, wow, like, you've actually got like, a really amazing, like, you know, all your stats are fine and everything like that. And I was like, thanks for your comment, like, the way she wrote it was like, met with love. But here's the thing, on social media over the last couple years, that's what I've noticed is less and less hate comments of like, you are, you know, gay, or whatever, like, whatever they say, less hate comments and more of this, like,
Alex Hourigan
Backhanded.
Mitchell Coombs
Polite feedback.
Alright Hey
Yeah, polite feedback! This is what people think is constructive criticism but it's literally just, like, a sugar coated insult.
Alex Hourigan
But like what's with people on the internet thinking like, yes, everyone's allowed an opinion, doesn't mean you're asking for it. Like, just because you have a platform and you have followers doesn't mean that you give a shit about what people think about you or that you're asking for their opinion.
Alright Hey
I love that, like I've seen a meme or something or like, you know, a text box quote that goes on everyones stories, that's like, you would never walk into a stranger's house and just start critiquing everything and going "This is ugly", "That's ugly", "I wouldn't put those bedsheets on the bed", you know? I mean, well, maybe think it. You can definitely think it, but it's the same with Instagram. Like, why are you going to, essentially a stranger's Instagram page, no matter how long you followed me, like, do you really know me at all, to be honest, and I don't really know you.
Mitchell Coombs
And I was so annoyed because the day after we spoke about that on Trash Alley, I got a very similar message that would have been very ideal to bring up on the podcast, but it was too late. This chick was like, "I'm always so surprised to see that you're so big boned, I always imagined you to be petite".
Sally McMullen
Can we all just agree, never comment on anybody's body, whether it's good or bad, just keep it to yourself.
Mitchell Coombs
In my defense, I was filming with a fisheye lens. So I got stretched out a bit!
Alright Hey
If you look at my profile, there's like no hate comments, cuz I delete them all. I just literally see them, it's almost like it doesn't even register in my brain, I just see. You know, because that's my brand. That's my page. And like, if someone comes to my page and sees all these hate comments, one, it probably promotes more people to hate on my page and two, it's just not very nice look. So like, I'm like, getting rid of those, I only have a positive community here. And I'm not afraid to use the block button or the delete, or even the mute is a good one. Not mute sorry, it's called restrict because it restricts them so they can still comment their hate. Like, I have one follower who comments on every single post some, one of these sugarcoated insults you know, and just it's one of those things where like, I can make fun of myself but my content is very much taking the piss out of myself. But like you can't, because you just sound like an asshole.
Mitchell Coombs
So does everyone else still see the comment if you've restricted them?
Alright Hey
No. So they're the only ones that can see the comment. Them and me.
Mitchell Coombs
Ahh, and it stops them from flipping out going, "My comments been deleted!", because they think it's been posted. Gotcha.
Alright Hey
They think it's been posted but no one else can see it because it's restricted. It's a great tool.
Sally McMullen
That's a juicy little hack!
Alex Hourigan
I wish I could do that in real life.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, me too. We just do it to each other.
So the Trash Alley podcast is inspired by all of those chats that we've had in the smoking area at the back of a club. What's the cringiest moment that y'all have had on a night out?
Alright Hey
I used to do drag and loved every second of it and I was like regularly performing at clubs on Oxford Street. And where Trash Alley actually was, RIP, because it's in a club for those who don't know, Trash Alley is a real smoking section in ARQ nightclub, which has closed down due to the pandemic. Oh, so many happy memories. And there's one memory in particular where I was doing drag one night and I'd gone out to the smoker section because it's the only place to get fresh air.
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah, as fresh as the air can be.
Alex Hourigan
Ahh, nicotine!
Alright Hey
I walked out and they had this drain that went across the whole laneway, that Trash Alley was. And so I have stepped out in my, like, stripper heels, I've seen the rat in the drain. And it's one of those things in Trash Alley, where if you saw the rat, you'd say, "Oh my God, there's the rat!", but then it would run away and no one else would see it, so you'd look crazy. So, I've seen the rat and I've tried to step back but my heel has got caught on gravel. I've gone head over heels, skirts over me head, meaty tucks out for the world to see, me wigs come off and I'm just laying on the ground sprawled, drinks spilled everywhere. Everybody just had their drinks and just, like, kind of looked at me in shame and then looked away, like, no one helped!
Sally McMullen
But also sometimes in those moments, that's what I want. I'm like, look away, nothing to see here.
Mitchell Coombs
That didn't happen.
Sally McMullen
Alright, let's get into our juicy pop culture moments and the life lessons we've learned. I'm so excited, we're starting with the big one. When Beyonce effectively left Destiny's Child and changed the world forever, I think.
Alright Hey
Big show, doll. It was a huge show. It was a moment.
Alex Hourigan
Destiny's Child went on hiatus in 2002 and Beyonce released her iconic solo debut, Dangerously In Love, the following year. They did reunite for one last album Destiny Fulfilled in 2004. And so it's like, how does this kind of work when you're leaving the group setting and what can we take from it?
Sally McMullen
Yeah, what is it about Beyonce?
Alright Hey
I think that it's because she has such genuine stage presence. She knows how to market herself as well. She doesn't. I feel like Beyonce doesn't have a team telling her, quite like Jesy Nelson from Little Mix, leaving. She'd have a team telling her what to do. They'd be constructing her every move, her every look, her every. Whereas I feel like Beyonce, I mean, I don't know. I'd better give her a call after this and just fact check it. I feel like she's doing a lot of the visions, a lot of the things that she's doing herself and always has been. Honestly, like, she's interesting.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, yeah.
Alex Hourigan
I think it's rough as well, because the person that leaves first is the one that's, like, really hit for breaking up the band, and really kind of thrown under the bus to be like, "Oh, they're selfish, they want to break out on their own". And it takes a bit of, like, chutzpah to be like, "See ya, I'm gonna try to do something on my own".
Sally McMullen
My favourite part is all the memes of Beyonce being like, "Oh, no Destiny's Child, we're in it together, forever". And then it cuts to her going "I'm Beyonce".
Mitchell Coombs
And wasn't it nice that she brought the other Destiny's Child girls out for Super Bowl? She gave them a pity five minutes on stage.
Sally McMullen
She threw them a bone.
Alex Hourigan
She gave them a crumb.
Sally McMullen
So what's the life lesson that we can pick up from Queen Bey?
Alright Hey
I think that there's one of two in this scenario. The first is that doing it by yourself sometimes works out a lot better than doing it with other people. Like, it's like a group project. Maybe you're better to just do it all yourself. I'm definitely like that a lot of the time. Like, I'm just more of a independent, I can get this done like by myself. That's why I like working on the podcast. I wouldn't say it's been like a struggle but like, it's good, because I've always made, like, all the decisions. Now I've got Mitchell to like, make decisions as well and now it's more of a-
Sally McMullen
Mitch is cracking the whip.
Alright Hey
-it's like a collaborative thing. And he opens my eyes, though, to a lot of things like, you know, when we're first starting the podcast, he was like, "I want to talk about this". And I would say, "Oh, I don't know anything about that. So let's not talk about it". And he's like, "It doesn't matter that you don't know anything about. I'd like to talk about it".
Mitchell Coombs
Sit back and enjoy the story, darl and I'll tell it.
Alright Hey
He'd be ike, "I want to talk about it. So we can talk about it". And I go "Yeah, but I don't know what to say". And he goes, "I don't care. Like, that's how a podcast works".
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah.
Alright Hey
"You can say something and listen". And I was like, "Oh, I can listen!".
Mitchell Coombs
'Cause I do the same in reverse whenever you're talking about Real Housewives, which I'm not really into. I just go "Alright, you can talk about it. I'll listen and ask questions for those listening who also don't know what the f*ck you're on about".
Alex Hourigan
Who are you in, like, the group projects?
Mitchell Coombs
It was always the same scenario. I'd sit back and just hope that someone else would take charge and I could just let them do it all. And then no one would and then last minute, I'd have to bloody step in and be like, "Right, this is how we're doing it."
Sally McMullen
That's good, that's balance.
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah. I mean, I've tried to not be like that as an adult. Because I'm like, if it's, if I'm doing all the work, it's not happening. It has to be collaborative. You know what I'm saying?
Sally McMullen
Our next juicy pop culture moment is the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That. Which I know everybody has a lot of feelings about but Mitch, you haven't watched it, have you?
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah nah. This is another one of those times where I sit back.
Alright Hey
Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.
Sally McMullen
But tell me why you haven't watched it.
Mitchell Coombs
Because I didn't really watch the original, so I don't know. Does it make sense to watch it? Is it a standalone? Or do you have to have watched Sex and the City?
Alex Hourigan
I don't know if you could make it through without the nostalgia of it.
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah, I feel like.
Alex Hourigan
Because like, as someone who. I watch Sex and the City for the first time when I was 23 and I had got my ass dumped, like, dumped.
Mitchell Coombs
Yeah, right.
Alex Hourigan
And my dad came and picked me up from my apartment and was like, "Okay, let's go". I was just on the couch like a corpse and I just watched the whole thing. So I think that's why I have, like, a special place for it in my heart because it got me through some rough times.
Sally McMullen
My first experience was watching the movie with my nan, in the cinemas. Interesting choice.
Mitchell Coombs
I forgot they did movies as well.
Alright Hey
They were great. I've thoroughly enjoyed.
Mitchell Coombs
Okay.
Sally McMullen
The first one especially. So, exactly. It's not our first shot at a reboot of Sex and the City because it wrapped up in 2003. Then I think the first movie came out in 2008 and then a few years later, the second movie, which we won't dwell on too much.
Alright Hey
I love it!
Sally McMullen
I mean, the costumes were great, but I don't know. It wasn't my fave.
Alright Hey
I liked it because she got that redeeming moment with Aiden.
Sally McMullen
Oh, yes. And I do like Aiden.
Alright Hey
And then, which obviously was then a big mess anyway. But like, I just love Aiden.
Alex Hourigan
The life lesson is to cheat on your husband. Men are trash and go for the boo thing.
Mitchell Coombs
And so is the new one any good? I am curious even though I don't know shit. What do you think?
Alex Hourigan
I'm gonna let,
Sally McMullen
Yeah Matt, tell us what you think.
Alex Hourigan
Well, I could talk about this all day because I actually genuinely loved it. I watched it with my housemate. She hated it. We're both big Sex and the City fans and it seems to be, like, very polarising. You either love it or hate it. She hated it because so many things had changed. There was no Samantha, Miranda was loopy, everyone was a they/them or a this/that and,
It was very "woke".
Mitchell Coombs
Oh, was it?
Alex Hourigan
Yeah it was like 'we are woke with the children these days'. It's like, what boomer wrote this?
Alright Hey
Yeah, but what people are forgetting is that like, that is life. When my parents were getting divorced a lot of my friend's parents were getting divorced as well. And my mom was like, friends with them all. So many of them went through like a little lesbian phase and then like, some of them are like, full blown married to, you know, like, their girlfriend, well, wives now.
Sally McMullen
Found the love of their lives.
Alex Hourigan
God, I want to go through a divorce now.
Alright Hey
I'm like, so Miranda's whole storyline of, you know, that happening and that unfolding, I could see that happening. Like, I'm going 'that's real life'. Samantha not being their friends anymore? Like how many people in 10 years are you really going to be still friends with? I thought that was very realistic for one of the friends to have moved overseas, or moved on from the friend group. Like for me, I was like, of course I had a fight. That's like what happens throughout life people come and go in your life. And I think that like people just wanted another like Sex and the City. And we got a reboot that I thought was very accurate and I went 'this is how I see it progressing'.
Alex Hourigan
Yeah.
Alright Hey
You can't just keep ordering cosmopolitans and f*cking your way through New York City for the rest of your life.
Alex Hourigan
What!
Sally McMullen
You can't?
Alright Hey
So I'm, like, all for And Just Like That. I was bawling my eyes out in, spoiler alerts are coming up but you should know by now, you should have watched. I was bawling my eyes out when Big died even though I hated him.
Alex Hourigan
Me too.
Alright Hey
Couldn't stand his character. I never thought that, I never was interested in Carrie and Big and I was bawling. I was crying in the final episode when Miranda's hair changes colour. That was a moment and when Carrie looks at the camera and says this is Sex and the City. Oh my god. I was a blubbering mess, doll!
Alex Hourigan
Mitch, so you haven't watched Sex and the City reboot, we'll forgive you for it just this once, but has there been a reboot of something that you've either, like, loved or hated or just felt very strongly about?
Mitchell Coombs
Well, I get very excited every time there's rumours of a McLeod's Daughters reboot.
Alex Hourigan
Oh my god!
Mitchell Coombs
It needs to happen and they just keep click baiting me every few years. Oh, the writers have confirmed it's going to happen, but then Channel Nine don't Greenlight it or something. We just keep getting closer and closer. I'm hoping it happens one day Packed to the Rafters did come back. Remember they did Back to the Rafters recently? I quite liked it. I quite like the reboot. Others did not because there was a new Rachel in it. It'd be like if they got a new, what was the one that didn't come back for-
Sally McMullen
Samantha.
Mitchell Coombs
Samantha! If they got a new bird to play her. Not the same. I just couldn't look past, I'm like, "That's not her. That's not the same chick".
Sally McMullen
Okay, so what's the life lesson that we can pick up from And Just Like That?
Alex Hourigan
And reboots in general.
Sally McMullen
Yeah, reboots in general?
Mitchell Coombs
Keep dressing like you're 20 even though you're in your 50s, I guess?
Alex Hourigan
Yeah!
Sally McMullen
I am into that.
Alright Hey
What kind of life lesson can come out of like, stop expecting things that are unrealistic? I don't know, like.
Sally McMullen
I think that's a good one though. It's kind of like, expect things to change, things aren't going to stay the same. And I think with the reboot how I went into it, I was like, I know it's a basically a completely different show, there's different characters, Samantha isn't there, they're in a completely different part of their life. I'm just going to enjoy this as a completely separate show.
Alright Hey
Yes, I agree. That's what I went into it with as well.
Sally McMullen
I think we had one more that we want to talk on but I believe that we've gone over time.
Alex Hourigan
Oh, my God, we all talk too much. What?
Sally McMullen
Seriously! Basically, in one word, it is Kardashian. And I think we can end it there.
Mitchell Coombs
That's what we did on our 2021 biggest pop culture moments and it was Kim and Pete dating. We were like, "Boring, next. And number seven".
Alright Hey
We discussed everything but when it came to Kim. Well, there were so many Kardashian pop culture moments last year that like she took up six or seven of them, so by the time we got to Kim and Pete dating, we were like, "Uhh, I'm over this. Next".
Sally McMullen
Exactly. So that's basically where we are at this point in the podcast.
Mitchell Coombs
I'm so curious to know what women see in him because he keeps pulling these, like, amazing chicks.
Alex Hourigan
He's f*cking hot. Like, he is hot.
Sally McMullen
And he's got charisma. He has charisma. And, like, that's what makes him sexy.
Alex Hourigan
Charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent.
Alright Hey
I don't know. I get Goofy vibes as in, like, the character from Mickey Mouse Club. Like Goofy.
Sally McMullen
I think that's why I'm into it.
Alright Hey
Right? Okay. Okay.
Sally McMullen
Been watching too much Hannah Montana, love.
Alright Hey
I was gonna say, we're gonna address that later. I've got a therapist I'll let you in on.
Sally McMullen
Well, that's a wrap! Thank you so much for coming on Two Broke Chicks, Matt and Mitch. We'll see you in Trash Alley.
Mitchell Coombs
Anytime, ladies. Thanks for having us.
Alright Hey
Absolutely. Thank you! Bye!
Alex Hourigan
Love you guys! Best friends forever.
Sally McMullen
That's a wrap chicks. Thanks again to Alright Hey and Mitchell Coombs for joining us on the show today. We've also got a very special episode of Add To Cart with these icons coming up on Thursday. We're going to be hitting them with quick fire questions about their beauty bag must haves, wardrobe essentials and also their biggest shopping regrets, my favourite question. So make sure to check that out this Thursday. Thank you to our executive producer Pariya Taherzadeh and Bamby media for editing our audio and video. Thank you for having us in your ear holes. We just love being here.
Alex Hourigan
Bye! Love you!
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
CHUCK US A FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
- Follow Two Broke Chicks on Instagram
- Follow Two Broke Chicks on TikTok
- Join our Broke Chicks Club Facebook Group
