We love a chaotic catch-up and a Bravo deep dive. This week, we get into our 2025 Apple Music Replays and YouTube recaps, spiral about ads, consumerism, and the absolute chokehold TikTok Shop has on us before we unpack some uncouth Facebook Marketplace behavior. Then we close it out with a full reality roundup about Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 1, Episode 10: “In Hot Water.”

in this episode:

• YouTube Recap stats and Travis being in the top 1% of viewers for Sexy Unique Podcast (hey dolls!).
• Apple Music Replay 2025.
• complaining: Facebook Marketplace is the third circle of hell and the TikTok ads that feel predatory
• consumerism, nonstop ads, fast fashion, and trying to prioritize quality.
• travel daydreams & Taylors upcoming plans to be very mindful and very demure.
• reality roundup: RHOSLC S1E10 “In Hot Water”

sponsors & links

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👕 HyperNatural: The Best Men’s Polo Shirts-Men’s Journal. Get 20% off with promo code: BESTIE.

This week, Travis is hanging out with his new podcast friend, Wade, for a chaotic, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartfelt journey that covers reckless walkers from New York to Indy, rapid-fire hypotheticals, and Wade’s real story about coming out while navigating a closeted relationship and what he learned about love, boundaries, and healing.

🚨 content note: This episode includes discussion of coming out, closeted relationships, toxic relationship dynamics, and references to narcissistic abuse. 🚨

New podcast friend: Wade Belair (NYC-based startup investor, planning a master’s in psychology and mental health counseling).

“Slow walkers… reckless, inconsiderate walkers… I am going to die in 20 seconds if you don’t move.”

in this episode:

• Meet Wade: New York City life, startups, and his journey into mental health counseling
• Rapid-fire this-or-that with absurd hypotheticals before the mess begins
• Complaining: slow walkers and uncouth main character public behavior
• Gym culture & gym etiquette
• Wade’s story: coming out, self-worth, and the complexity of loving someone who isn’t out
• Biggest lesson learned: what he would have done differently and why love can feel addictive
• Dating & healing advice: no timelines, focus on friendships, stay open, and don’t spiral diva!

If you enjoyed this one, share bestie approved with your messiest friend and please rate and review bestie approved wherever you get podcasts!

From Indy to New York, we love you! ❤️

Connect with Wade

• Wade's Instagram: @georgewbelair

Connect with Travis & Emma

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE! bestieapproved.com
• All of our social media: bestie approved
• Email: [email protected]

Wade Belair’s villain origin story. © 2026 by Travis & Emma is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Mama, let’s research wind and find out where it comes from! bestie approved became a science podcast this week and we healed from the trauma of wind being one of the things we simply don’t understand. Travis is hanging out with his podcast friend and science bestie, Dr. Jeff Zurek, to help us finally get to the bottom of this mystery.

Then we said mama, let’s research some more and unpacked how wind is related to climate change and how important it is for us to do something about that!

🎙️ share bestie approved with your messiest friend. 🤩 rate and review the pod wherever you listen to podcasts. 🎧 from Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️

Connect with Jeff

• learn more about Jeff
• listen to Whimsical Wavelengths anywhere podcasts are available
• @whimsicallambda.bsky.social on Bluesky
• whimsical.wavelengths on Instagram
• Whimsical Wavelengths on Facebook

Connect with Travis & Emma

• Check out the bestie approved website: bestieapproved.com
• all of our social media: bestie approved Linktree
• email us: [email protected]

Travis FINALLY learns about wind with a literal scientist. © 2025 by Travis & Emma is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

References

• “Bill Nye The Science Guy on Wind.” 2009. YouTube. https://youtu.be/uBqohRu2RRk?si=wz0hRU4Ihv486kvw.
• Oxford University Press. 1926. “wind, n.¹ meanings, etymology and more.” Oxford English Dictionary. https://www.oed.com/dictionary/wind_n1.

Travis is hanging out with his cousin, Taylor, again this week for more tales from the hell that is being a teacher in 2025 and a full reality roundup where we unpack Taylor’s first experience with the Real Housewives ever!

this week, we get into:

• Taylor looking for deeper meaning literally anywhere and everywhere
• Taylor’s leadership experience in the most unlikely organization
• updates from this week in teaching
• Travis’s week from hell
• a very special reality roundup where Taylor shares her thoughts from her first Real Housewives experience, followed by a deep dive into Season 1, Episode 9 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC): “Hip Hop & Heartbreak”

Share bestie approved with your messiest friend. Rate and review the pod wherever you listen to podcasts. From Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️

Connect with Travis & Emma (and Taylor)

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE: bestieapproved.com
• all of our social media: bestie approved
• email us: [email protected]

finding meaning and purpose with the president of the Corbin Bleu fan club. © 2025 by Travis & Emma is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.

This week, Travis is hanging out with Amy Dickens to talk about why adults desperately need more play, more aliveness, and more FUN. We dig into burnout, healing, nervous system regulation, and the tiny habits that can change everything. Grab your copy of Amy’s book, 101 Ways to Spread Joy, and let’s get to work and spread some joy!

connect with Amy

• Click here to order your copy of 101 Ways to Spread Joy!
• Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube: @theamydickens
• Amy’s website: livejoyfullyou.com
• Listen to Joyfully You wherever you get podcasts!
• find out more about Amy here

connect with Travs & Emma

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE: bestieapproved.com
• all of our social media: bestie approved
• email: [email protected]

Share bestie approved with your messiest friend. Rate and review the pod wherever you listen to podcasts. From Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️

let your inner child go for a hot girl walk with Amy Dickens. © 2025 by Travis & Emma is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Emma is officially on baby-watch, so Travis’ cousin Taylor jumps in for a collab episode that turns into a chaotic-but-wholesome catch-up: current hyperfixations, teacher life in 2025, AI in the classroom, and a group rant about men…in public spaces.

Share bestie approved with your messiest friend. Rate and review the pod wherever you listen to podcasts. From Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️

Connect with us

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE! bestieapproved.com
• All of our social media: bestie approved
• Email: [email protected]

This week, Emma shares a pregnancy update, Travis tries to take down a pyramid scheme on TikTok Live, and they both spiral over seed oils. For reality roundup, we get into a full breakdown of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 1, Episode 8 (Hot Tub Confessions).

Share bestie approved with your messiest friend. Rate and review the pod wherever you listen to podcasts. From Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️

Connect with us

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE! bestieapproved.com
• All of our social media: bestie approved
• Email: [email protected]

Happy Jen Shah Prison Release Day to all those who celebrate! Emma’s having an amazing time with her perfect baby. This week, Travis is hanging out with comedian, podcast host, and pop culture connoisseur, Jolenta Greenberg.

In honor of Jen Shah’s prison sentence ending early, Travis and Jolenta are taking it back to where this journey started and unpacking one of the most iconic two-part episodes of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City- I Was Driving Carpool! (Season 2 Episode 9) and Highway to Veil (Season 2 Episode 10).

Follow Jolenta because she’s so cool and deserves your attention ❤️

• Check out Hot Mess-terpiece Theatre wherever you listen to podcasts
• Jolenta’s website
• Follow Jolenta on Instagram
• Check out Jolenta’s standup on YouTube
• Grab your copy of How to Be Fine: What We Learned from Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books
• More about Jolenta

Connect with Travis & Emma

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE!! bestieapproved.com
• Follow us everywhere: linktr.ee/travisandemma
• Email us: [email protected]

🎧🎙️ Listen to bestie approved wherever you get podcasts. If you like the show, leave us a 5-star review and we will share it with the world (we love attention). 🤩 Share the pod with your messiest friend and always remember- from Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️

REALITY ROUNDUP WITH OUR PODCAST FRIENDS!

Travis is hanging out with the bestie approved returning champions, Scott and Geoff from Husbands Watching Housewives, to unpack the season 15 premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!

Share bestie approved with your messiest friend. Rate and review the show wherever you listen to podcasts. We love you! ❤️

This is also our first attempt at a video episode! Check it out on YouTube!

Connect with us

• WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE! bestieapproved.com
• All of our social media: bestie approved
• Email: [email protected]

Check out Husbands Watching Housewives (friends of the pod)

• website: Husbands Watching Housewives
• Apple Podcasts: Husbands Watching Housewives
• TikTok: @husbandswatchin
• YouTube: @HusbandsWatchingHousewives
• Linktree: Husbands Watching Housewives

🚨 A quick heads up: This week’s episode is way more political than usual. 🚨

Emma literally just had her baby and she’s home hanging out with that perfect little baby angel. 🥹👶🏼 Travis is trying to navigate the world without Emma while she’s on her maternity break, so he’s hanging out with two of his new podcast friends, David and Lisa Beckemeyer, from This Week in Outrage. We dive into why everything feels so loud, angry, and broken right now, and why there’s actually way more middle ground (and exhausted, reasonable humans) than the internet wants you to believe.

We get into:

• How David went from getting into Twitter fights and doom-scrolling cable news to starting a research-driven podcast about toxic polarization and building bridges.
• The concept of the “exhausted majority”- the huge group of people who don’t love either party, hate the constant outrage, and don’t realize they’re actually part of the majority.
• Why our brains love feeling morally superior and how partisan media (on both sides) profits from keeping us angry and addicted.
• The wild case study of The Necessary Conversation podcas (it’s actually not satire).
• Trump as a “charismatic hero” for some people, and what happens psychologically when your entire identity is wrapped up in one politician.
• DEI, Target, culture wars, and why some folks feel like they’re “losing the culture” regardless of facts and reality.
• A revelation about trad wives, the manosphere, Project 2025, and the strange obsession with deciding how other people should live.
• RFK Jr., beef tallow, anti-vax conspiracies, and the Noah’s Ark experience in Kentucky.

If you’re exhausted by the 24-hour news cycle or just confused about how we got here… this one’s for you. 💖

Connect with David & Lisa

Outrage Overload: interviews with scientists, researchers, and practitioners on toxic polarization and bridge-building.

This Week in Outrage: David & Lisa’s weekly show breaking down the latest political chaos with humor and nuance.

Sponsors from this episode

🛏️ Cozy Earth Ridiculously soft bamboo sheets that keep you cool all night. Get 41% off anything on the site with code BESTIE at checkout at cozyearth.com.

👕 HyperNatural Jade-stone fiber polos and tees named Best Men’s Polo Shirts of 2024 by Men’s Journal. Get 20% off with code BESTIE at hypernaturalstyle.com.

Connect with Travis & Emma

WE FINALLY HAVE A WEBSITE: bestieapproved.com

Follow us everywhere: linktr.ee/travisandemma.com

Email us: [email protected]

🎧🎙️ Listen to bestie approved wherever you get podcasts. If you like the show, leave us a 5-star review and we will share it with the world (we love attention). 🤩 Share the pod with your messiest friend and always remember- from Indy to wherever you are, we love you! ❤️