Welcome to Everyone Deserves Sunshine. I'm Diana.
And I'm Anusha. We're the girls in the crease.
Just two friends using a podcast to cope with
our very, very big feelings about heated rivalry.
Big feelings. All right, Anusha, should we drop
the puck? Great hockey analogy, Diana. Thank
you. This is episode one, Why We're Obsessed.
I am so excited to be doing this with you. Me
too. I'm really excited. But I'm also... oddly
nervous because I feel like you're watching me
stuff myself into a bathing suit and I haven't
shaved my legs or something. That's a weird analogy.
It would be weird for anyone but you. I'm gonna
take that with love and not like you've literally
seen me do that. But you know why I feel that
way? Because I want to give the material, Heated
Rivalry, the Game Changers universe, it's dear
to so many people. I just want to give it all
the fun and sensitivity that it deserves. I get
that. I get that. You get that? Yeah. You get
suffering from a crisis of confidence, Diana?
No, I don't think I've ever suffered from a crisis
of confidence, but I can understand what other
people do. So much empathy. And I totally know
that your confidence is like one of your hallmarks
that I love and kind of envy 10 % snark. So quickie
bio on you for all the people listening. All
of them. All five of them. Who don't know you
at all. The friends we made listen to our podcast.
Yes. Yes. All right. Well, for all of you who
don't know me. I, well, honestly, I don't know
who I am right now because my brain has officially
left my body and has positioned itself inside
the cottage. Inside the cottage where Shane and
Elia are living together. Correct. But not like
in a creepy way. I'm just there. I'm just there.
There's no way that's creepy. No. Not at all.
You're just there like a fly on the wall. To
be fair, they've invited us. They've invited
us. Oh, I'm invited. You're invited, too. So
that's where you're existing in some sort of
metaphysical plane in the real world. Well, if
I must. I am in the real world. I am a mom of
two. I am a former high school English teacher.
I love English teachers. They're my favorite.
Thank you. You're not just saying that, right?
No. They actually are my favorite. I love them.
And fun fact, my first language is Russian. What?
Yeah. Oh. I didn't know that. No, I did. I knew
that very well. But that must have been like
an immediate connection, right? It was. It was
really awesome. Was it amazing to like see Russian
spoken? We'll get into it in another episode.
We will. And it really was amazing. Truly. It
was probably really important. Yeah. I think
I may have mentioned this to you when I told
you to watch this show initially. You did. You
did mention that. But let's move on. You know,
we don't want to get too much into that because
we're going to talk about it a little later.
Instead of focusing on me so much. Why don't
we talk about you a little? Who are you? Never
heard you say that to me before. Wait, which
part? That I don't want to focus on me? Yeah,
that part. Well, listen, I'm in a very giving
mood because I'm so happy that we're doing this
together. So why don't you tell the five people
who are listening to us today who you are and
what you're about? And so I'm also a mom. I'm
a doctor. Very serious. Very serious. Oh, wait.
Doctors are my favorite. I think I'm supposed
to say that. Yeah. Because I said. Because you
said the teaching thing. Yeah. But I gave you
a heart and you gave me like a sarcastic face.
That's okay. I'll take it. Girl, that's who I
am. You should know that by now. And I'm also
a kind of emotional chameleon. What does that
mean? I was hoping you would ask because, of
course, that's why I said it like that. What
does that mean? I just think I. I'm really open
and warm and fuzzy like right away when you meet
me. But I have a really hard time being honest
with deep thoughts and feelings. A little Shane,
a little Ilya combo. Okay. I get that. Yeah.
I understand that. Thank you for explaining that.
Is that like something you're familiar with,
Diana? Being an emotional chameleon? No. So maybe
you'll get to know me a little better doing this
podcast. I hope so. We will see. We will see.
We will see. Why are we doing this podcast? That's
a great question. I think mostly because the
world is a dumpster fire. Putting it mildly.
Putting it mildly. Everything seems really daunting.
Everything sucks. Everything sucks. And we are
in a place where I just want to find some joy
and hold on to that joy for as much and for as
long as I can. That is a really, really good
answer. I'm 100 % with you on that. And I also
just feel like when I love something this much,
I just want to deep dive into all the creases.
The creases. Yes, because we're the girls in
the crease. Correct. All the creases, the hockey
creases, the sociological creases, the psychological
creases, the butt creases. All the creases. All
the creases. Oh, man. I'm excited. Yeah. Dive
into the crease. Let's do it. Let's do it. So
now that we've covered the basics of who we are
and why we're here, I want to talk about our
obsessions. And for me, this is one of the first,
well, I feel like this is the second time I've
been truly, deeply in love with a TV show. Really?
Yeah. Second time. Second time. Yeah. Honestly,
if I really have to think about it, the second
time where I'm devoting every minute of my space
in my brain. to a show. So what was the first
time? Oh my God. Okay. I was, I think 16 or 17
and it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had the
books. I had, well, I didn't have posters back
then, but I would take it and I would rip the
Teen Beat magazine pictures and I would put them
on my wall. I would be in AOL chat rooms. reading
and writing fan fiction for Buffy the Vampire
Slayer. Wow. In a chat room. In an AOL chat room
with like one of those CDs where you get like
a thousand hours free. That's vintage. I'm aging
myself so much right now. Yeah. Because it's
been a minute since you were this in love. It's
true, but it's true. And that's why I'm so amazed
by what the show has done, because I haven't
felt this way since probably I was a teenager.
It's so interesting that you have only had two
sort of obsessions with fandom because I get
obsessed very easily. And this is a problem for
my time management skills. And you're going to
laugh because my first one was Jane Austen. Why
would I laugh? I don't know, Diane. Why would
you make fun of my nerdiness? No, never. You
mean you didn't go around Bath to get the Jane
Austen tour of like all the hat stores? Did you
actually do that? Oh my gosh. Did I do that?
Yeah. I'm someone who just really enjoys losing
myself in things. Well, now you have a partner
in me, at least with this, not Jane Austen. So
how did you how did you even start with heated
rivalry then? Yeah, that's a great question,
because imagine I wake up at night because I
have this terrible insomnia. Another love of
mine is true crime. Not for me. Not for you?
Okay, so this is not that kind of podcast. No,
it's not. Okay, sorry. We're going to talk about
sex, but not true crime. Let me get back to it.
Let me get back to Shade and Ilya and explain
to you how the... Murder shows to heated rivalry.
Pipeline works. Pipeline. Okay. Yeah. Tell me,
please. So what happens is it's midnight and
you're watching a show called Who the Bleep Did
I Marry? And this is really how this happened.
I don't think we have to bleep because we are
going to have explicit content. No, that's the
title of the show. Oh. The title of the show
is Who the Bleep Did I Marry? Did I marry? Oh.
Spoiler alert. Most of these people, you know
exactly the minute they come on, you're like,
that person is going to be bad news. Like red
flags everywhere. Red flags only. Only red flags.
You know who didn't have red flags? I'm sorry.
I can't. I can't. Ilya. Oh, my God. He had no
red flags. It was all green flags. All the green
flags. He's such a speaker. Okay. All right.
Sorry. Sorry. Okay. So. I was watching that and
I don't know what kind of algorithm HBO has because
I think it recommends heated rivalry to anybody.
And it was like after I finished this insane
episode of that show, it said, you may like heated
rivalry. So I really went in watching this show
with no background. I had completely unknown.
That's truly not how I watch TV shows. I love
spoilers. I read everything beforehand. I get
into it even before the show starts. But this
one was so different. It was just really organic.
And I didn't know what it was I'm watching. And
that was actually one of the things that I really
enjoyed. I don't think that happens anymore in
this era of social media. You know everything
that's going to happen. discovered it. It almost
felt like a discovery. And I think you may have
experienced my, you know, discovery process,
the pheromones that the discovery like provided
me. Yeah. Yeah. I think we met like maybe two
days later. I saw you a couple of days after
you started watching this show that I hadn't,
I've heard of it, but I hadn't seen. And I, you
know, I didn't know anything about it. And we
were we went out to dinner with our friends.
And I have never seen anything like this in my
life because you were so horny the entire night.
And she's going to say she she might deny this
or she might not. I'm not denying this. She was
trying to fuck me all night. I'm sorry. All right.
Begs me, begs me to speak to her in Russian.
Asks me to wear a cross. You are Jewish, though.
I am. OK, so here's the thing. I'm not going
to deny that the show is extremely beautiful.
To the point where you're like trying to, you
know. She was there with her husband, by the
way. I just want to say that. Hot calling the
kettle black because we'll talk about what happened
to you maybe like a few days after you watched
the show. I wasn't as bad as you, but OK. Because
I was alone. I was alone in my hormonal days.
But it wasn't even that. I think it triggered
so many emotions. Right, right. In me, including
horniness. A lot of it. And I just, I had no
one to talk to about it. Right, right. And that's
tough, actually. Now that I know, that's really
tough. Exactly. And none of you guys had heard
about the show. And I was the only one at that
point in our friend group who had watched this
show. Right. And you guys thought I was... Absolutely
insane. We thought you were insane. Because I
was crawling out of my skin. You were crawling
out. I saw that. It was insane. And you were
screaming at us the whole night. It's the themes.
It's the themes. And I'm like, what themes would
make you this horny? You did say I did not sell
the show. But that's because I think this kind
of show just needs. time to like really get into
you didn't need time you got into it right away
you know what i did get into get into it right
away yeah i needed time you needed time i know
it's so weird yeah i don't you know well you
know what i feel like it's your fault honestly
at the end of the day the reason i needed time
is because you made it sound like this was a
show of just two random guys fucking And, like,
cool. You know, I want to see that. I did say
there were themes. Okay, but the way you said
there were themes, it made it sound sarcastic,
right? Like, because you were, again, audience.
She was trying to have sex with me all night.
And I said to your husband, take her home right
now. And give her what she needs. And consent
to what she needs. Yeah. And he was quite happy
with that. I'm sure. But you, it took you time.
You were playing hard to get. with Ilya and Shane.
Oh, God. All right. So what happened with you?
I finally decided to watch it. I want to say
it was right before Christmas when I watched
the first episode. There was nothing. And it
was late at night. I'm like, you know what? I'll
give this show a chance, whatever. So I'm in
bed watching it on my phone and I'm like, okay,
like, whatever. Guys doing it, like, hot, but
no story, no themes. So you didn't pick up on
the subtleties. I didn't. It's okay. You didn't
read Jane Austen. I didn't. That's probably my
problem. That's probably it. Yeah. Perhaps if
I had read Jane Austen, I would immediately understood
the themes of episode one. But no, you know what?
It is embarrassing. I am currently embarrassed
because I am very obsessed. I did ask you for
an apology. I did. And I did apologize. I did.
I did. I apologized a lot, honestly. Personally
to me. Personally to you. And to Shane. And to
Ilya. And to Ilya and to Shane and to Kip and
Scott. To all of them. I did. I owe them a huge
apology. So when did you like really get into
the show? So I watched the first episode, wasn't
really into it. I was like, I don't think I want
to continue watching the show. And then one of
my friends reached out. I'm sorry. Again, I'm
sorry. Not me. Not her. Not your fellow podcaster.
No, not her. And she said, listen. Not your girl
in the crease. Not the girl in the crease. Someone
else. Someone else. She will never let this go,
by the way. Yeah. As someone whose name also
starts with an A. Yes. I actually thought you
maybe misstated. Like misspelled your name when
I said. Or like misstated. Like you were not
sure. I was like, she must mean me. No, I did
not mean you. Yeah. And someone else. Someone
else. Just let it go. Okay. I don't think so.
Someone else reached out to me and said, have
you watched Heated Rivalry? And I said, no, you
know, I tried and I really wasn't into it. And
she said, I know, but sometimes like just trust
me, give it. two more episodes. Episode three
will like completely switch on you and you're
going to love it. And I'm like, okay, fine. I
had no other TV shows to watch. So I said, I
will begrudgingly watch episode two just to get
to episode three, which is when I was promised
it was going to get good. Scotty and Kip. I know.
That was a good story. So I watched episode two
and I liked it. I can't say I was like blown
away, but I liked it. And then I watched episode
three and then within the first 10 minutes, I
was like, oh my gosh. Who is this gorgeous man?
Oh. Scott Hunter. So not the themes, actually.
No, definitely not the themes. But I'd never
pretended like you to have themes. I just saw
a beautiful, beautiful man. And I said, you know
what? This may actually be the show for me. And
so I watched episode three that night and four.
And episode four, dysregulated. my system. In
the best way. In the best way. And I was just
done. I was done. I was done. And then I had
to go to sleep because it was probably like 3
a .m. Woke up the next morning because we're
all still home. It's winter break. And I didn't
even get out of bed. I just turned the TV back
on and watched the last two episodes and I was
hooked. Do you know I've only watched this show
on my phone? Really? Yeah. It's like I'm in my
little cocoon and I just watch it and I just
enjoy it so much. It's my cottage. It's your
cottage. It's my cottage under my covers. Do
you think you would like it better if you watched
it on the TV? No, there's something like so intimate
about it. I mean, also, I have two really young
kids who don't leave me alone. All right. So
it took you till... Episode three to like. Embarrassingly,
yes. I'm not going to begrudge you this. Okay.
You know, because Scott and Kip are just. That
was a really sweet story. I mean, Shane and Ilya
are hot and the yearning is like out of control.
Yeah. Yeah. But there's something really, I think,
like bittersweet and realistic about Scott and
Kip's relationship. Right. And the love bombing.
I know. You know. But. Unlike you, I lost my
heart to the show, episode one. Tell me exactly
what happens in that scene that took your heart.
So Ilya, you know, is in the elevator. He's like
swallowing the lump in his throat because he
sees Shane's mom. He goes up. He knocks. Shane
opens. And he pushes him against the wall. With
intensity. Wait. Consensual intensity. Shane
goes, should we talk? Yes. And Shane goes, should
we talk? And he goes, no. No. Niet. Niet. But
he doesn't say niet. He just does it with his
eyes. Yeah, he just does it with his eyes. And
he pushes him. And they are like, the kiss is
so hot. I mean, it's like. Do you not want to
be kissed like that? I have rewatched that kiss
so many times. And I go back and think to myself,
how did I not see that the first time around?
People who kiss like that, I'm like, you guys
are in major trouble because people don't kiss
their situations just like that. Well, Shane
did say, like, this isn't a good idea. This is
not a good idea. But, and so, you know, there's
this, like, sweet banter. You know, it's so...
They're nervous. It's it's hot. But they're like
still like themselves kind of ribbing on each
other. And, you know, Shane goes down to give
Ilya a little love. A blowjob. A blowjob. And
Ilya, I mean, just pulls him up. And you could
see Shane's posture change because this is the
first time he's ever done anything, I think,
sexual with anyone. Or it's implied at least.
Definitely not with a man. Definitely not with
a man. Not with a guy. And Shane's shoulders
stoop and he goes, did I do, did I, was it not
good? And Ilya takes his thumb and like rubs
it across his cheekbone to give him physical
reassurance. I was gone. You were a goner. I
was gone. I knew they were going to be gone for
each other. And this is why you tried to fuck
me later. And it was so sweet and tender. And
I'm like, you boys, this is a bad idea and major
trouble. I knew all of the strings. All the strings
are in all the creases. That's a little gross.
I don't know. Whatever. But it was absolutely
nearly going to be an incredibly emotional affair.
See, I knew from the beginning. You did. It's
because of the Jane Austen. It is. I'm positive.
It is. Maybe because I had a good English teacher.
Perhaps. Yeah. Yeah. Good thing I wasn't your
English teacher. That did sound kind of rude.
Well, you know, I'm used to it from you. You
are older than me. I am. You could have been
my English teacher. Could have. I'm only six
months older than she is, by the way. Just I
want everybody to know that. I know. I know.
I was waiting for that to come. But, you know,
you did turn 40. I did. I did. That's true. That's
accurate. Listen, that scene, when I rewatch
it over and over and over and over again, I actually
am now embarrassed by how many times. I'm actually
not embarrassed at all. Yeah. I'm embarrassed
how blind I was. Yes. I'm not embarrassed at
how many times I have watched it since. Yeah.
But I am embarrassed that I said, nah, this isn't
for me. I think if you watch it X number of times,
you get to go to the cottage. Like, you get transported.
Oh, so that's why I'm there, because I have met
the criteria, the quota. Yeah, no, physically.
You just, like, live there forever. It'll happen
one day. I hope so. We'll have to, like, just
stumble. Do you know that's, like, somebody's
real house? Like, people live in that house.
Mm -hmm. And they get to live in that house now
still. Yeah, and people live in the other house,
too. Sheen's, like, apartment, condo. Everybody,
like, yes, everything. It's an actual... Mr.
Real Estate. Yeah, it's an actual house, and
it's in... I want to say it's not in Montreal.
It's in Ottawa, maybe. Yeah, maybe. A family
lives there. They use the same furniture. They
actually use their—they didn't even change their,
like, beds. I was like, damn. I know. I wouldn't
change the sheets. Okay. So you're watching these
two guys. Clearly, they're going to—it's going
to end up. They're going to fall in love. They're
going to fall in love. And I'm not saying it's
going to be bad, but it's not good for them.
Right. Like they're they're not in a very progressive
sport. Right. So you're watching these two guys.
They're going to fall in love. What does the
story do to you? What like what emotions does
it bring up for you at that moment? You know
what it is? It's not just that it's a beautiful
love story. And the yearning, you know, it's
been going on for 10 years. It's all the other
stuff, you know, it's what you said about who
they are, you know, the layers, like so many
layers, the themes, the creases to dive into,
you know, you know, there's the immigrant layer.
There's the, I can relate to that. Yeah. And
we're going to have so many episodes. We have
so many episodes where we dive into each one
of these things. The immigrant layer, the like
childhood trauma layer, the sports layer, the
masculinity layer. Like they're just so there's
so many factors external to this love affair.
Right. Right. Yeah. And it draws you in. But
when they're together, it's like. they exist
in this bubble and that relationship is so it's
not perfect right it's not perfect but it just
there's so much mutual affection and respect
you know and I think that whole combination of
things really just like why are we doing this
podcast why can't we stop thinking about the
show I think it came at the perfect time right
you had nothing to do I had nothing to do not
really it was Christmas but it was just this
moment in time where I was really trying to detach
myself from the dumpster fire of the world like
this like deep existential dread and this really
sweet genuine authentically acted and made love
story comes along and it's like not slamming
something over your head. It's just, it lets
it breathe. And that. Yeah. Like, or, or you
just, it's just existing and it's showing you
instead of telling you. Right. What it means
to be a man. As an English teacher, when I tell
my kids to write, I say show rather than tell.
So why are you obsessed? You know, there are
so many. I remember when I first finished watching
it, I went on threads and I said, what is happening
to me? I truly don't understand it. What are
your theories? Right. And you found a whole bunch
of other people. And I found a whole bunch of
other people. Collective psychosis. Yeah. And
I didn't I didn't understand it at first because
it was immediate. Right. I didn't understand
it at first, but of course, like I got the whole
yearning and like love and like we shouldn't,
but we should, you know, like that whole thing.
That makes sense. You know, like that's hot.
It's always been hot. But like I love the consent,
you know, the consent wasn't like insane to me.
It was so incredible to hear the way he got consent.
It was just checking in all the time, like checking
in. But that's not what did it for me. But it's
just like a big part of it. But I think part
of it that that keeps me in this loop forever.
of being in the cottage is the fact that I don't
remember feeling this way since like teenagehood.
Honestly, when I was pining over Buffy the Vampire
Slayer and Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz
and Spike, like, you know, she's with one and
she's with the other. I just remember feeling
the same exact way back when I was like 16, 17.
What was that feeling like? It's just this feeling
of like euphoria and just like love and like
your heart is like bursting. So kind of like
you're in love with the show. You're in love
with the show and the characters. And it's been
a long time since I've been in love with the
characters, like all the characters. Right. Like
there are shows where you're like like one and
the other or maybe not. But this one, like every
single character, except for Ilya's family, who
is not lovable at all on purpose. But the others
are great characters. So you just I just fell
in love with the show because it. unlocked something
in me that I feel like has been pretty locked
away since I became an adult. You know, like
when you're an adult, there's no room for this
feeling and joy. And yeah, and that's unfortunate.
But, you know, like you said, dumpster fire.
Yeah. And like you get busy. I feel like the
show sounds like you're saying like it slowed
you down. It's giving me joy. Honestly, it's
giving me so much joy. Everyone deserves that.
Everyone deserves sunshine. That would be the
name of our podcast? It is. Did you like that
I snuck that in? I did. It was your idea. It
was. Yeah, just letting everybody know. Oh, thank
you. I'm sorry. Was I asking for credit with
my eyes? No, no, you don't need credit. But yeah,
that's it. I think it just unlocks something
that has been locked for a very long time. That's
it. That's the gist of it. We are... Obsessed.
It's very clear. This is a shared obsession by
many people. It's a wonderful place to be. So
what have you been doing with yourself since
the show ended? Can I ask, like, what? Like,
honestly? Yes. I mean, we know you're replaying
The Cottage. You're in another plane of existence.
I am. But in this reality, what have you been
doing with yourself? Well, I have watched the
show numerous times. I've rewatched it very,
I've never in my life rewatched a show ever.
You've never rewatched a show? Never. Not a single
time. I've watched like reruns, you know, like
here and there. If I'm like doing laundry, like
I love Schitt's Creek. I'll always put her on
the background and just. But not like from front
to back? No, not from like start to finish. I've
never rewatched a show in my life. Wow, that's
a lot. You have? I have. I watch the same stuff
over and over. Okay. No, I haven't. I honestly
haven't. And this was the first time. And I was
like, I'm not going to rewatch this show. Like,
I love it. I love it. I'm obsessed with it. But
I'm going to rewatch it. I mean, it's six episodes.
So it's a short commitment. Shorter commitment
than like Buffy. Rewatching Buffy is a lot. Yeah,
that's true. But you've rewatched it. I've rewatched
it. I can't even tell you how many times. I think
I rewatched it start to finish. three full times
now. It's definitely a show where you, like,
learn more as you rewatch. You do. You, like,
pay attention. And of course, I loved episodes
one and two the second time around. Like, love
them. Yeah, the second time, right? First time
you know the story. So I loved episodes one and
two and then, of course, the rest of them. And
so I watched it probably three times rewatched
fully. I have watched episodes four, five, and
six at least. five times. So you've rewatched
everything. I've rewatched everything multiple
times. So I've been doing that. Then I have also
been watching reels. I've been watching reels,
so social media. So like I'm on threads and I'm
watching reels and I'm on threads and then I'm
on Instagram and then I'm on Instagram and then
I'm threads and every single piece of my algorithm
is heated rivalry and I never. want that problem
to ever go away. And so but I'm not the only
one, right? Like I have plenty of girlfriends
who are watching the show or who have watched
the show. And all day long, we are sending each
other reels or memes or clips or edits. They're
so. There are so many edits. It's so interesting
because it's like you could rewatch it and then
you watch an edit that's like a compilation of
clips. And then you have to go back and rewatch
that part. Yeah. And they're set to a different
like they're set to like great music. Yeah. And
then you're like crying about it. I cry all the
time. I am not. You know me. You don't cry all
the time. She does not cry all the time. I am
not an emotional. Yes. Very emotional person.
You were just crying. You were sending me pictures
of you with like a single tear. I was like, is
this some art, some performance art? Right. So
like, you know that I'm not, you know, must be
the Russian, but I'm not very emotional. They
don't blush either. I've heard. Never have I
ever blushed. You've never blushed. That is not
a thing that has ever happened. Russians do not
blush. So I, I've been crying a lot. And just,
like, emotional. Oh, my God. Like, I am always
crying. I'm always crying now. So you've rewatched.
You're watching reels. You're sending memes.
And you're crying. I would be immediately making
fun of you right now. I'd be like, she has lost
her goddamn mind. But because... You can't. I
understand. You do understand. Empathize. Are
you also crying all the time, though? I, you
know, I did. Get teary, but not like not like
you. I think there's something also going on
with like the Russian. Oh, that's yeah. I think
we talked about this, which we'll talk about.
We have an entire episode. Another episode, just
teasers. But I the one social media that you're
on, not on Diana, is Reddit. And I just find
it's the ADHD in me. Another topic for another
episode. But I just I just went on like. All
of these deep dives. On Reddit. On Reddit about
the show, like, which is typically how I just
like watch a show because I know a lot about
the show even before. I'm now reading the entire
Game Changer series. Not in order because I got
to get my Iliad first. Oh, are you reading the
thing? I am. Okay. I am. No spoilers for the
books. No. I will give you no spoilers. I don't
want them. I'm not reading the books because
I don't want the spoilers for the next season.
Oh, no. Okay. The books are fantastic. Excellent.
They're really good. But there's something about
the show and Jacob Tierney's direction. He's
a genius. And Hudson and Connor's complete commitment
and authenticity that I think really elevates
the genre. And unlike Diana, I do love smutty
romances a lot. Another obsession of mine. And
I have to say, what has this fandom given me
is like an actual, hey, someone takes this sort
of like. Seriously. You know what I mean? This
is like, you know, the one thing like people
would make fun of these harlequin romances. Who's
reading this nonsense? And it's always been the
ugly stuff sister. Like women are looked down
upon if you read that stuff. Like, oh, you're
not a serious person. Yes. And I'm a very serious
person. You're a doctor. I'm a doctor. That's
how serious I am. And I really, really enjoy
these like smutty romances. And this. really
leans into it and actually elevates it into something
like really meaningful. Right. When you're trying
to find joy, your sunshine. And who you are.
Yes, who you are. Like when you're trying to
find an escape from your reality. And we started
the show saying, who are we? And I said that
sometimes I feel like a little bit lost because
everyone feels this way probably at some point
in their life because they're always doing something.
externally or giving externally or, you know,
you're just lose that piece of yourself. And
smutty romances give you something really quick
and like a quick hit. And women are always looked
down upon for that. And so this is something
unexpected for me that the show, which started
as these really well -written books, I should
say. 100 % recommend. Maybe if someone else recommends
them, I'll read them. Yeah. Maybe if someone
else recommends them and then tells you in chapter
six, it gets really good. Yeah. Maybe then I'll
consider it. Then you'll consider it because,
you know, my recommendations. Because your opinion
is. You know, I'm not selling it. You're not
selling it. No. Rachel Reed does not need to
be sold. She's a really beautiful writer. The
way she describes the characters, you really
get into their head. And for some reason, the
only word in my head when I read her books is
adorable. The way she describes their thoughts
and feelings is, it's just adorable. You fall
in love with the characters. But the show, I
just think, elevated it to a level that... Now
everybody's doing it. You know what? I'm coming
out of the smutty closet. I'm coming out of the
smutty romance closet. I'm out of the smutty
closet. Good for you. Good for you. I'm proud
of you. Yeah, I read it. Yeah, I love it. And
I'm coming out of the no emotions closet. And
now I am just crying. I'm weeping all day long.
I can't talk about almost anything without crying
now. This show has... broken me and healed me
in so many different ways, honestly. Is it like
puzzling your husband a little bit? He's nervous.
He's like, there's a lot of emotion. He is nervous.
I didn't expect to feel this way, honestly. I
haven't felt this way in a long time. So it's
definitely... eerie a little bit but also like
because so many people are like this it makes
me feel like oh you're not alone i'm not alone
and i would much rather stay at the cottage for
as long as possible yeah yeah there's something
to be said about escaping so oh wait i need to
ask you something what is your body count body
count body count do you need me to explain you're
gonna have to explain this all right so so so
it's not what you think What I'm asking is, how
many people have you recruited to watch the show?
Oh, like an MLM sort of situation? Yeah, like
the MLM. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because that's what
we do now, right? That's what we do. Yes. You
failed with me, but... I... I'm going to count
you as one of my recruits because I pulled you
kicking and screaming. The person who made me
do it is hopefully listening to this. And I just
want to thank you for and thank you. And I also
want to tell you, like, why did you do this to
me? But also, thank you. So I feel like you're
just doing this to make me a little bit jealous.
Well, like, what is what is a situationship if
I don't make you jealous? I agree. I feel like
we're in the club locking eyes and you're like
dancing up on some girl. And I'm just standing
there. I'm so happy it's a girl that you've chosen
because I'm definitely I am definitely not dancing
up on a guy in a club. I am with you on this.
That is gross. In a club. I agree. I agree. You
know what? So you're on social media, etc. But
you said something that was really sweet that
I wanted to go back to is that you're like talking
to all your friends. I have to say I have actually.
texted people. I haven't texted in a while. I've
been like, hey, happy New Year. Merry Christmas.
This is exactly what MLM people do. And then
three texts later, I'm like, have you watched
this show called Tated Rivalry? And the funniest
part and this like is that two of my really close
friends I like reconnected with. So a fictional
story has now given you more friends, has given
me, well, not more friends. Friends, reconnection.
You're reconnecting, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I don't count bodies. I count substance. Oh.
That's the kind of person I am. Because of Jane
Austen. Because of that, yes. But also because
a lot of people have already watched the show.
That's true. Is there anyone who hasn't? There
is, honestly. And I don't want to be friends
with them. I'm saying it right now into the microphone.
If you have not watched the show and you are
my friend, you are no longer my friend. Or. You
can recruit them. I don't, you know what? There
needs to be a pool. There needs, yeah. Yeah,
someone, we need more. We need more of us. Yeah.
I mean, it seems like there's a lot of us, honestly.
I don't know how many people I've recruited,
but at least six or seven. I have connected with
people. I don't know if my body count is, body
count, I guess, is six or seven, but a handful.
Yeah. I don't like to kiss and tell, so. You
just like to try to kiss people in public. Yes,
enough. Enough that I'm now, my text chains are
full of conversation about this. So I did text
someone over the break who was a work colleague.
That one I was like. my God, am I doing this?
Right, right. But at this point, I just was like,
I just need another. You just needed someone
else because you didn't have anyone else. I didn't.
I didn't. No, I was alone. It's a very, I can
only imagine how lonely that is. Yeah, it's very,
it's a lonely place. But now we're all in the
cottage. I love talking about this with you.
I do. It's so much fun. Okay, Diana, you know
what I think we should do? What? As an homage
to the title of the show, I think we should close.
With a moment of sunshine. Oh, I love that. It
can be from real life, can be from show life.
I'm going to call it show life because it's on
par with reality really for me. It can be anything.
So should I go first? Yeah, I think you should.
Okay. Okay. I'm going to pick something from
the show. Okay. And the something is feet. Oh,
that's your moment of sunshine. Feet. You perv.
Of course. Of course you would think that. So
I will explain, you know, how Shane and Ilya
show each other affection in public. Right. Little
touches. And the foot one is a big one, right?
Yeah. Because no one can see that. No one can.
Or even if, you know, it's so subtle. Right.
And when Ilya is in that press conference where
the reporter is asking him a question that literally
took five minutes to explain and Shane gives
him that sort of reassuring foot touch. And I
love that that's reflected. This is my moment
of sunshine in episode six when they're so comfortable
and cozy in the cottage and Shane is reading.
And Ilya's on his phone. But their feet are,
like, pressed against each other. And they're
just quietly doing their own thing. I love that.
I love that part. Okay, so you're not a perv.
It's very sweet. I'm not a perv. It's a very
sweet moment. It's very sweet. I love that. So
what's your moment of sunshine? My moment of
sunshine is outside the show. But it has a lot
to do with the show. My moment of sunshine is
obsessing over a show with my best friend. With
whom I talk to all the time, all the time. But
we have been talking, I would want to say, three
times a day. Just like a little short burst,
you know, when we're taking like a lunch break
from work or, you know, in the morning before
we drop the kids off. Talking, talking. Right,
talking, like on the phone. On the phone. Yeah.
Well, we do. We do. That's our thing. But three
times a day. Three times a day is a lot. It's
a lot. It's a lot. But my moment of sunshine
is the fact that she is in this with me. And
I just love it. Like, I love. Talking to her
about this and just feeling all the feels of
the show together. That's my moment of sunshine
for today. Feet and feels. Feet and feels. I
love that. That's our moment of sunshine. Feet
and feels. Next week on Everyone Deserves Sunshine,
we're talking about... Drumroll, please. Drumroll.
Masculinity. Masculinity. It's a lot. It's a
big one. Specifically what it means to us and
how the show portrays it. I can't wait. to talk
about this with you, Diana. I really can't. And
I want to thank our listeners. All five of them.
Yep. Our friends and our family. The captive
audience for spending this time with us. The
Girls in the Crease. Subscribe now wherever you
get your podcasts. And if you want to say hi
to the Girls in the Crease, find us on social
at Everyone Deserves Sunshine. New episodes drop
on Monday. See you then.