Getting Back Out There, Firemen & Why Charlotte Has Been Dating Since She Was 15 — S3E1 with Hannah Aaron Brown
About This Episode
Welcome to Season 3 of And Just Like That… We Found Therapy. Host Isabel MV kicks off the new season with podcast host Hannah Aaron Brown to unpack Sex and the City's "Where There's Smoke." It's the episode where the girls take the Staten Island Ferry to judge firemen, Carrie meets a politician who gives an extremely sincere thumbs up, Charlotte delivers one of the most iconic lines of the entire series, Miranda gets LASIK and Steve shows up anyway, and Samantha fulfils a fantasy so thoroughly she needs to create a second one.
What We Cover
Is wanting to be rescued still a thing — and does trying to get rescued actually attract the wrong people?
Charlotte's iconic "I've been dating since I was 15, I'm exhausted, where is he?" — unpacked in full
Why hot guys are often lazy in bed, and why that is always a disappointment
The thumbs up as a meet-cute: underrated or genuinely an ick?
How to get back out there after a big breakup without making it worse — Hannah's gold standard advice
Why dating frantically on apps while still heartbroken usually just makes you more depressed
Miranda keeping Steve at arm's length while he picks her up from eye surgery: what's really going on
The difference between a man who holds a kind gesture over your head and one who just does it
Samantha and Rick the fireman: when a fantasy is better as a fantasy
Getting out of your own way: Hannah's mantra that she repeated until she met her husband at a barbecue
When physical fighting as a green flag is actually a red flag in a blazer
Do it for the plot: why a bit of whimsy and silliness is the best gift you can give yourself while single
About Our Guest
Hannah Aaron Brown is the host of Not Aspirational — a lifestyle and pop culture podcast described as a fun voice memo from your chaotic friend. Find her at @hannahaaronbrown on Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Substack, and listen to Not Aspirational wherever you get your podcasts. All links in the show notes.
Transcript
Bonjour, Boundary Babes. Welcome to season three of And Just Like That We Found Therapy. I am so excited to introduce you to this week's guest, Hannah Aaron Brown.
Hannah is the host of the podcast Not Aspirational.
I have put links in the show notes to her socials and podcasts, because if you don't know her, she's one of my favorite weekly listens.
In this episode, we talk about getting back out there after a big breakup, and we also unpack that iconic Charlotte scene where she said, I'm exhausted, I've been dating since I'm 15, where is he?
So if you're feeling anything like that, this episode is for you. Finally, don't forget to follow me on social media at We Found Therapy pod. Don't forget to rate me five stars.
And if you really want to help the podcast, please send this to someone who you think would like it. I hope you enjoy the episode. I love y'all.
Bye.
Hello, everybody, and welcome to another episode of And Just Like That We Found Therapy. I am your host, Isabel Envy, and I am delighted to be joined by Hannah Aaron Brown today.
How are you, Hannah?
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for having me, Isabel. I am thrilled to be here, so excited to talk about Sex and the City with you, and I'm honored.
For those of you who don't know Hannah, Hannah dissects and just or used to dissect, I just like that with Danny P, Danny Pellegrino, and also some of his Patreon episodes where he also dissects Sex and the City. So you are an expert.
Oh, thank you so much. I'm, I, you know, it's kind of a blind spot for me as far as like, I'm not someone who like has rewatched Sex and the City straight through like a million times, but growing up, it was always on E like reruns.
So I do feel like I've seen every episode just like in a, in the wrong order. You know what I mean?
Yeah. If you watch them all in one, you kind of like understand that Carrie is a problem. So I don't recommend you doing that.
Cause I know you already hate her.
I know. I'm like, I don't know. I don't know how much more I can take with that woman.
Yeah.
Today we're here to discuss season three, episode one of Sex and the City where there's smoke.
2:04
Staten Island Firemen
And this is right after season two wrapped, which is a heartbreaking episode where Carrie is having his engagement party to Natasha at the Ritz.
Our girl has had a tough season the season before, and here I thought she was going to be turning a new page.
And we open up with the four girls in the Staten Island Ferry, and they're going to Staten Island to basically judge some firemen because Carrie got invited.
And here we get this chaotic scene at what I consider a pub, but you tell me, is it a dive bar? I guess it's a dive bar in the US.
Dive bar, pub, I love pub culture because I feel like pubs are a little bit nicer than dive bars.
Yeah. Here you can totally see that if you were to look down, they'll probably be pissed mixed with peanut shells. And that's the difference.
That is a key difference.
Yeah.
We get introduced here to Carrie's storyline where she starts getting acquainted to the politician, who's John Slattery who plays Bill Kelly, which sounds very kind of like Kennedy to me.
Oh my God.
And Charlotte is having the time of her life having Staten Island ice cheese. Miranda is doing her thing. And of course, Samantha is front of the line judging all the hunky hunky men.
My first question to you is like, in the dynamic on how Carrie and the politician start flirting, which like he starts heavy in the panel, and then after the panel, how do you feel about the way he approaches?
And like, I think he does like a bit like the thumbs up and stuff like that.
I think he's hot. Like I kind of thought I, yeah, no, I do. I think he's like, I think he's like sexy.
I was like, I think that Carrie needs to lighten up because I was like, listen, obviously we've all been there. We're like, you are fresh off a breakup, you're still hung up on your ex.
And like, no matter how hot the person in front of you is, they're just not your ex and you just miss them. Like, I get that.
But also, like, I thought she was so Icked out by the thumbs up in a way where I was like, grow up, like, it's not that deep.
Yeah, don't take yourself so seriously or the thumbs up so seriously.
I feel like I'm a big fan of a thumbs up, like, especially if I'm on like a work call where I'm like muted and I'm just like taking in a lot of information, I'll be like, because it's like affirming.
And I'm like, I don't take, I think in the grand scheme of Ix, I think there are so many worse things a man could do and give you a heartfelt thumbs up.
Totally. And especially this man later in the season. But I give a thumbs up to my dog when she's peeing or pooping in the park and she's too far away to be like, good girl.
I go like this and she, I can tell she appreciates it.
She knows. She knows. Wait, yeah.
Doesn't Bill Kelly end up like being like a Golden Showers kind of guy or something gross?
Exactly.
Oh, that's such a bummer. That's an Ick. That's an Ick on many levels, but I will say first impression wise, I think he did great.
Yeah, I agree.
And I've always had a crush on this actor because he always plays kind of like the very witty older character that knows he has it going.
Yes, Roger Sterling, please.
A thousand percent. Okay. So then besides that, Samantha is going to get Mr.
July or whoever, Rick, the fireman was. And like she goes over and you can tell that this dude, like he is a hunk, but like he's not too smart.
Yes.
Do you have any girlfriends or like, have you ever entertained somebody who you were like, I can tell that you are a brick and a half, but you're so hot that I'm going to look so past it.
Yes, I can literally think of like one time when I was in my early 20s and I was just like deeply insecure and depressed and was like, well, I'll just get laid. That's like a healthy way to distract myself from like my life's problems.
And I like found this like hot guy on an app, dumber than a box of rocks.
And we like went ice skating and then went back to my place and had like horrible sex because the thing is like, you know, like for women like sex is so mental for us where it's like, I personally can't enjoy having sex if I don't have some sort of
like mental emotional connection to someone. And so I learned an important lesson in my early 20s, which was like, it's not, it's not good enough to just be hot. Although it does seem like Samantha was very satisfied by this fireman.
Oh yeah. But like, let this be some advice. It sounds as it doesn't come as advertised.
A hunk will may not know how to work the machinery.
A hundred percent. And I always say this too. I think like when a guy is stereotypically very hot, I think a lot of them just don't think they have to try as hard in the bedroom or like know what to do.
I so agree.
So it's like not even necessarily about like how they're packing.
It's like there's a million other things a guy can do to be good in bed. And I feel like the hot guys get a little lazy. They're not always as generous.
They're not always as mindful of like how to please a woman. And that's just like not hot at all.
No, absolutely. I have to agree with you. But Samantha basically is not in the fairy back to Manhattan with the girls.
Because at this point, Charlotte is drunk as a skunk. And Miranda and Carrie have to look after her because Samantha has gone home with a fireman and is having the time of her life.
I love when Samantha said to her friends, she's like, I'd like to show him my lower Manhattan. I was like, oh, God, I love her little slutty one liners.
Honestly, the writing on this episode was so good. Also, when Miranda says, if I have another one of this stat in Long Island, I might let you stick your dick in me, to Samantha. And this is the kind of Miranda that I miss in And Just Like That.
I know, I know.
I don't like Rambo. I miss OG Miranda.
Totally. The next scene is when the girls are at brunch, and Charlotte is super hangover, Carrie and Miranda are okay, and Samantha looks so relaxed.
8:12
Brunch and Rescuers
Like she just spent one month at an all-inclusive spa. Yeah.
She's like, I just got dicked down all night. It was amazing. I also think in this scene, the way the women are like, oh my God, I don't want to talk about sex at brunch.
I'm like, literally all I want to do is talk about sex at brunch with my girlfriends, like grow up.
I like, this is called Sex and the City. Carrie is a sex columnist. I was going to ask you that.
How do you feel about the censorship that they put her through?
I will not have it. I really was like, you guys, get a fucking grip. Like if my friend rolls up to brunch, looking as like relaxed as Samantha does, I would be like, tell me everything.
You clearly got dick down and it was great. Like, yeah, like, did you go to his place or yours? What was he like in bed?
Like, what, like, did you have pillow talk? Did you leave? Did he leave?
Like, did you spend the night? Like, I have so many questions when my friends hook up with people. It's so fun to talk about.
Do you think that it's fair to veto it, though, when it's like, oh, the table next to us has a kid?
Or is it like, that's their decision?
I think it's their decision. I'm like, this is a shared space. We're in public.
I get not wanting to scream, you know, sexual stuff and like curse words next to a kid.
But like, I'm not going to like not have a fun conversation at brunch because someone decided to bring their child and we just happen to be sat next to each other.
I have to agree. I was so sad they didn't kind of like dissect the encounter a bit more.
Yeah, I know. I'm like, there should have been more pushback. Like, I was just like, justice for Samantha.
Okay, but this is when Charlotte kind of blurt out an iconic sentence of the show where it's like, I've been dating since I was 15, I'm exhausted, where is he?
And I kind of like, because they're talking about how firemen are such a fantasy and like, oh, is it because there's a weight limit to them being able to be a fireman? Is it the uniform? And Charlotte says, no, it's because women want to be rescued.
Do you think that there is a big part of us that still in this day and age, thinks that coupling up means being rescued?
I think in some ways, but I do think as far as attracting the right person who I think actually has the capabilities to, I don't like the word rescue because it makes us all seem like damsels in distress and I don't feel that way.
But I feel like to attract someone who wants to take care of you, you kind of have to be in a place where you're not looking to get rescued.
Because I've been in a place where I've wanted to get rescued and I've always attracted the wrong people, you know what I mean? I think you have to be secure on your own.
So yeah, but I do think I've had times in my life where I'm like, oh my God, if I just had a boyfriend, I would be happy because I'm so lonely.
When really it was like, I just had to go to therapy and figure out why I was so miserable being alone with my thoughts that I would rather be hanging out with a horrible dude than by myself at home and he's watching TV. You know what I mean?
Yeah. And I wanted to ask you this because I'm a fan of your show. So obviously you'd help everything that you put out.
And I know that you're happily married. You just had your first year anniversary with Jake. Yes.
Did you see Jake as a rescuer at the beginning when you got the ring and it was heading up to the wedding and did that change maybe after you guys were actually married?
That's such a thoughtful question. Yeah. I think early on when we were dating, I had a lot of imposter syndrome because he was the fully stable, really nice guy who was just so into me and no games from the jump.
So I had imposter syndrome about why would he want to hitch his wagon to me and my shitty credit score and my chaotic personality. And so I think in some ways, there was a while where I was like, oh my God, he came in and fixed me and fixed my life.
And while I'm so grateful that this generous man came in and did this, but through therapy and working on having a more secure and less anxious attachment style, I feel like I've gotten to a point where I'm like, no, I had things to offer.
I was doing fine. Maybe I was a little all over the place. Like I was doing my best with the tools that I had at the time.
And like Jake's lucky to be with me too, you know?
A thousand percent.
But it was definitely a process.
OK, good to know. From that scene, we get introduced to a couple more storylines.
12:44
Fantasies and Realities
And Miranda is getting Lasik surgery. And I think they briefly chat during the Fireman show that Steve is Miranda's friend. They're not back together.
But they kind of allude to the fact that they've been sleeping together because the last time we saw Steve, I think it was when he wanted to wear a corduroy suit to one of Miranda's corporate events and they broke up because he was like, I cannot
cope with the level of life that you lead and they leave it at that. So I think this is the first time that we see Steve after the breakup and they are being very flirty. But Miranda is kind of acting like the guy because Steve is like, what are we?
What are we doing? Do you need help? And she's like, I don't need help.
And whenever he tries to bring up the conversation of like, what are we and what are we doing, she keeps talking about how gross the procedure is so that he will shut up. What do you think of that dynamic?
I think we've all been there where it's like, I am scared to commit for whatever reason, so I'm not going to define this, but I like this person enough that I want to keep them around.
So like, I'm picking up what Miranda's putting down, but also like, as a woman, I was like, oh, like he's such a sweetie, like, like figure it the fuck out, because this guy is like picking you up from surgery and like sleeping next to you and making
sure you're okay. And like, I just like wanted her to get her shit together. And I think Steve is, I think he's so precious.
He is, but I don't like it.
We can disagree. No, that's fair. Like, okay, when you say you don't like him, do you mean like you're not attracted to him or you just like not into him for Miranda?
If I were to pick my dream match for Miranda, I always say it would be the Doctor for the Knicks that moved to her building.
He's like a man, man. I think Miranda needs a bit of somebody who's not going to be jerked around.
I mean, then she went for Chay Diaz, who was literally like, bye, I don't give a fuck about you. Like, get away from me. So, yeah, I mean, I see what you mean there.
I do think like Steve had to be, I think him being like so submissive to her was like kind of gave her the itch and like wasn't hot to her. And that I definitely understand.
Yeah, yeah, because I think that's what happened in the end. Like she kind of like lost respect for him and he cheated on her. That was too real for that show.
No, it was way too real.
I hate that scene in the movie where he's like, I slept with someone else. I'm like, I can't actually do it. And then Miranda, when she's like, You broke us.
You broke us. I'm like, oh my God.
It's too real. Nothing has been as real as that.
No, honestly.
But besides that storyline, Charlotte convinced Carrie to go out for drinks with her because she was like, I am determined. She's going to get married.
I'm like, she's going to meet her white knight and they're at this bar and she spots this kind of a white knight material.
Long hair, blue eyes, tall, well-dressed, seems to keep it together and there's this douche bag that keeps chasing them around the bar. Be like, hey, hey, sweet leaves, can I buy you a drink? And they're like, no, please leave us alone.
And then her white knight comes over and basically breaks into a small fight with JJ the douche bag to rescue them. And Charlotte gets asked out on a date.
What do you think of that kind of toxic masculinity being a kind of like green flag to Charlotte?
Oh my god. I think she needs to examine that because I think that that's sexy in the context of like a movie or a book. Like I like watching it and yeah, hot.
But like in real life, you do not want to be with a guy who's like throwing a punch at a bar. It's like, okay, so what that communicates to me is this guy does not know how to use his words in an effective way.
And like, so how can he be a good communicator within a romantic context too? You know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah. Okay, so you would have seen it coming because I was like, ooh, yeah. He tried to explain it and JJ was like just such a sleazebag.
He had it coming.
Totally. Yeah, I think it would have been like a lot hotter if he like put his arm in front of JJ, like didn't even touch him, just put his arm out and was like, she said no, you need to back off.
Like with a firm tone, like I think that would have been really sexy. I think the second you get physical, I'm just like, ew, like, are you a fraternity brother? And are we like 19 years old?
Like what is happening?
Fair enough. All right.
Yeah.
Fair enough.
Okay.
And then Samantha is kind of exploring things even more with Rick is like, obviously her first time around that fire truck was so exciting. She needs to have another ride.
So she goes to the fire station, dressed to the tee and like the whole fantasy gets too real again. And the dude is like, hey, stand up, make some roofers. Say I'm like, I have chili on the stove.
Do you want some? I guess just not happening. And so she decides no.
But she decides to take it upon herself to make her fantasy alive again, which she does. And I'm so proud of her. But like here, my question was like, do you think that Rick is getting lead on?
Or do you think that she kind of like always just brings it back to like that one dimension that is sex for her, that there's no room for him to be like, oh no, I might introduce her to my ma?
Yeah, I think for her, she like clocked Rick as just kind of like a hot piece of ass and like wasn't looking for anything deeper. And I feel like it was fully about her at the end of the day and had like very little to do with Rick.
Like I think he was just an avatar, if you will, of this like fireman fantasy. I think it could have been any fireman who was hot, but I think it just happened to be Rick because of how they met.
Also, really quick, going back to what you said about how like certain fantasies like don't pan out in real life, that reminded me, there was one time when I was, at the time I lived in Chicago, I was on a trip to LA and I hooked up with this guy who
was like, I was in my early 20s, he was in his early 40s. And I thought he was like so hot and cool. And he like made a lot of money. And I was just like, damn, this is like a real man.
And then one time he was in Chicago and he's like, let's meet up. And so we met up in Chicago and the fantasy was fucking gone. Because in LA, it's like normal to see a much older guy with a younger woman.
And I felt really like special and hot. But in Chicago, I felt like it was just like so weird and like out of place. And the fantasy was ruined.
And after that, we never hooked up again.
How interesting, because I think that was the universe having your back being like, hey, before you get wild on this, thinking that this might be your rescuer, like retire and you never have to lift a finger again.
Yep.
Get the Ick.
And I fully did. Like we were out in public and I was kind of just like, I want to hide behind my hair. I felt like everyone around me was like, why is that girl flirting with that old man?
Bless him, wherever he is.
Hope he's doing well.
Then after that, Miranda is supposed to get picked up from LASIK surgery by Carrie, who like I realized how many times she's let Miranda down in a medical emergency.
Like Carrie, fuck that.
And she decides that she's still not going to call Steve even though he offered.
And she's just like, writes Chinese delivery super and the doctor's number very big so that she can see it with her blurry vision. And she goes to the LASIK surgery only to wake up to find out that Steve is picking her up.
And she's on volume and she still has this in the back of her head. And she's like, no rescuing, no rescuing as he's putting her in her bed. And then she wakes up seeing clearly both because of the LASIK surgery, but also Steve for who he is.
Who's a guy that stayed with her, is left by her side and made sure she was okay after surgery. What do you think about that scene?
I thought it was really sweet. And I like was proud of Miranda for like getting out of her own way and recognizing that like that's special.
Like that like some, and also it's like it is and it isn't because like, I feel like I have friends who are, you know, single and dating, they're like, God, the bar is in hell.
Like a guy does one nice thing for you and we're supposed to be like, Oh my God. But I do think in that scene, it's like it just shows you like what the standard should be.
We're like, when it's a good guy, they're not going to make a big deal out of doing things like that for you. Like it's just going to be an intrinsic desire to make your life easier and to make you happy and to take care of you.
Whereas like I've dated guys in the past where like they would do like one small thing and then like hold it over my head and be like, Oh my God, like I'm such a good boyfriend to you.
Like I, you know, picked you up one time, whatever it is, and like a true man will just show up and do it without being asked and be like, it gives me pleasure to make sure that you're okay. You know what I mean? I can't say you know what I mean.
I'm sorry. It's like a tick.
I have the same one. I always say, I think this scene is coming and I know it by heart. Speaking of besides this, I think Carrie is entertaining the politician or the politician.
It's kind of like coming around her house because at the fireman event, he asked her for her address to see what district she was on because he's running for city controller. I don't even know what they do. You can maybe comment on that as...
Okay, because as a US citizen in this podcast, I was like, I have never heard about city controller.
I have no idea.
He rocks off to her stoop, which, soccer alert, but they have such a good banter, flirt conversation. And I'm just like, it's hard to resist. And he basically haunts her about showing him the shoes she just bought.
And he asks her out to something he needs to attend as part of his campaign. And she's like, no, no. And he was like, you know what?
I'll come at seven. If you don't want to come down, it's fine. But you have till then to think about it.
And we fast forward to him coming to get her. She's ready, but she doesn't come down the stairs. Calls Miranda.
And they have that conversation. It was like, I'm fully ready. The politician is waiting for me with a magnificent car and I can't seem to get in that car.
Why is it? And Miranda says, Big, what do you think about those breakups? That is like, it's obviously been a while.
And fine as Mr. Big, but like we've been through your breakup before. Do you think now, having found your happily ever after, there are some ways that you can find your peace after such a big breakup?
Is it maybe pushing yourself to go on those dates? Is it taking time and not pushing yourself? What do you think is the best gold standard to come out of it?
That's a great question.
I think getting to a place, focusing your energy on getting to a place where, like I was saying earlier, you can enjoy your peace by yourself is so important.
I think that's a better use of your time than immediately like putting yourself back out there if you're still so depressed.
Because I do think while I understand the desire to distract yourself and put yourself out there again and like find the next person, which I think can be productive at times, I think if you're not in a place where you feel good with yourself and
you're not in a place where you're fully over that person, sometimes that can backfire because you'll be on a date with a guy who on paper is fine. And you're like, but I just wish this was my ex.
So I feel like the best thing you can do is focus on yourself, like really spoil yourself and stay busy. But I recommend just going out with your friends, doing stuff with your friends instead of dates for a little bit.
Because I think that way, you can go out with your friends. If you see a hot guy, you can flirt with him and maybe that leads to a date.
But I definitely don't believe in just sitting at home on the apps, frantically swiping, trying to find your next distraction. In my experience, that just makes me feel more depressed.
No, I agree. And I do think hanging out with your girlfriends also brings you back to your core. Because I think sometimes when you're in a relationship, especially something like Mr.
Vic and Carrie, you lose yourself and you don't know what you want, what you were chasing to start with. So I think that's great advice. But maybe this can catapult us into the last bit of my episodes, which is the advice to the girls.
25:26
Character Advice
So I guess that would be the advice to Carrie. Maybe spend more time with your girlfriends, but also go hang out with Neil Kelly.
Yeah. Also, I think it's so hard after a significant breakup because you're like, damn, if you're in a place where you're like, damn, I really want to find my person. I really feel ready to find my person.
Dating just to date can feel like a waste of energy and time, but I think it's such a gift to yourself to like, if let's say you meet someone like a Bill Kelly, like in the context of Carrie, it's like, Carrie, it feels good to put some makeup on
your face and just like do it for the plot. Like worst case scenario, you go on the date, it's horrible. And then you like talk shit about this guy with your friends at brunch the next day. Like it doesn't have to be that deep.
Like I think having that like sense of whimsy and play if you're single and out there dating is such a gift that you can give yourself.
Yeah, no, I agree. Great advice. Okay, Miranda, what would you tell a friend that is having such blurred boundaries with an ex but they are so fixating in keeping them at like, he's not my boyfriend, like he's my friend, he's my friend?
Um, I would say get real.
I'd be like, well, if he's just your friend, why are you spending so much time with him? Because I'm your friend too. And if you don't want to date him, that's okay.
But what are you getting out of this? Like, why are you keeping this person around?
Like, I think I would kind of just like, you know, ask her some questions to sort of force her to peel back the layers of why it is she's keeping Steve in her life if she, floppy or quote, is not into him, you know?
Yeah, leading the witness to water.
Exactly, which my therapists have done to me so many times.
Well, they've done a wonderful job. I can see.
Thank you so much. A lot of work, a lot of money.
Okay, what about Charlotte who, like, we saw how The White Knight played out. He kind of like was just a guy that turned into a nightmare, getting in fights the whole time.
But like, if I were that girlfriend up brunch, as they happily married out of the two of us, and I showed up super hangover and I was like, I've been dating since I'm 15, I'm exhausted. Where is he? What would you tell me?
I would say, Isabel, this might be your anxiety because when you're hungover, you're more anxious.
So like, you probably won't feel this shitty tomorrow. Have some water and coffee and like a diet coke and that'll help.
And then I would say that as condescending as it sounds as a married friend, like, it sounds so annoying, but it's like, really the second you stop worrying about it, you usually find someone cool. And I will say this from my own experience.
I literally, I would say like two months before I met Jake, I started repeating this thing to myself as a mantra, where I would say, I'm going to meet a guy and he's going to be amazing, but the universe just hasn't shown him to me yet, and it will
when it's the right time. And I said it to myself, like, anytime being single would come up in conversation, I would say that line, like, over and over and over. And then I met him.
So I think it's like having this mindset of just like, yes, you might be a little hungover, Isabelle, and that's okay. But like, seriously, just vibe out and trust, because like the best guy is coming.
He's literally making his way towards you right now, and he's going to find you when the exact timing is right.
How did you meet Jake?
I met him at a friend of a friend's barbecue.
Oh, cool.
I just thought he was cute. And I was like, try the potato salad. And he was like, I was like, it's vegan.
You should try it. Yeah. And he was like, I'm not vegan.
And I was like, I'm not either. I just like the potato salad.
You should try it.
And then he was like, I'm going to go shove a chemical-filled hot dog in my face. And then he ran outside and I was like, that wasn't how I saw that going. And then I went outside and was like, I'm going to give this guy another chance to talk to me.
And then he eventually made his way over and chatted for hours. It was very easy.
Oh, wow. I love that.
Yeah. Which is why I'm like the apps, like they work for some people, but like I do recommend just like getting out in the world and being a silly goose because you never know who you'll meet.
I completely agree. And I also, as much as I perform under pressure at work, I do not in dating scenarios. And I always feel like I'm under pressure to get the job in a date from a dating app.
And they should only be so lucky to get the job of getting to hang out with you all the time.
A thousand percent.
I'm like, you should see the nerve that some of them have, but anyway.
Unreal.
Last but not least, what would you tell Samantha about pursuing so successfully and so, you know, like perfectly her fantasy to come to life?
I would honestly just give her kudos. I would be like, listen, Samantha, I endorse this for you. It seems like you're having a great time.
I feel like it's, I think sometimes it's really fun, especially when you're single and dating, to give yourself like little like missions and tasks and like bucket list items.
And so I think this is a great example of how like Samantha was like, this sounds fun to me. I'm going to make this happen for myself.
And even if we don't date forever, or I end up getting yelled at by a random fireman for being naked in his like uniform, that's like a silly story. It's part of the plot. And like, keep it fucking moving.
Like I think, I think her fulfilling her fantasies adds a little levity to being single and dating. And I think Charlotte could take some tips from her.
I agree. There's something about the way that Samantha doesn't take herself seriously at all. And she does something and immediately forgets it.
Whereas I'm haunted for life for anything that I did in primary school. Oh, is her key to success?
Yeah, 100%. I once had a fantasy of, oh my God, this was literally the aforementioned older man. I didn't realize how much he would come up during this episode.
There was one time though, he used to go to this like boys, like poker night in LA at like a house in the hills. And like one time when I was in town, I went with him and it was like a house party. It was so fun.
The next time I was in town, I was like, I want to go to poker night again. That was like so fun. And it was so cool to just feel like one of the guys, you know.
And the second time I went, it was like, it wasn't a house party. And it was like this very quiet, very intense poker game with just like me and like a table of like old men. And I was like, this is not fun and this sucks.
And the fantasy is ruined. So, you know, it's important to, it's fun to have the fantasy, but sometimes you also have to let it go.
I'm picturing you at one of the poker nights that Jessica Chastain organized in those movies.
Molly's Game.
Molly's Game. Yeah, I'm picturing you in that.
And I'm just sitting there being like, I just wanted to like hang out and like drink and vibe. And they were all like so quiet and it was so intense. And I was like, damn, this was more fun as a fantasy.
It was not quite as successful as Samantha's. But, you know, it was, I had to do it for the plot.
A thousand percent on your memoirs. But like, I bet they were upping the seriousness and how intense it was just because there was a girl in the room.
I know, so annoying. And then they also always hired, like the guy who hosted it, always hired like this woman to be the bartender for the evening.
And I remember just wanting to like hang out with her the whole time because I was like, she's probably a lot more fun than these guys.
Good for you and probably better for her.
Again, I hope she's doing well too. Sending love is like her way.
I'll plug them both if you wanted the show enough. Well, thank you so much, Hannah. I think that's it for the episode.
Anything else that you found interesting from the episode that I didn't touch on?
Oh, my gosh. Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. That was so fun.
I just want to say this episode has so many iconic lines and outfits and moments like Carrie and all of them like at the disco club, like twirling around on the dance floor.
Carrie's outfit with the boots and her little top knot where she's with the Jimmy Choo bags on her on her steps. And then that line of Charlotte's like this episode really had so many iconic moments.
So listeners, if you haven't watched it in a while, go back and give it a watch. It was a really fun, like 25 minutes. It was great.
Yes.
No, thank you so much. I'm so happy that you're here to start us off in this new season.
I'm so honored.
So Hannah, where can people find you?
Oh my gosh. Thank you so much, Isabel. Y'all can follow me at Hannah Aaron Brown.
That's H-A-N-N-A-H, A-A-R-O-N, B-R-O-W-N on Instagram, TikTok. Sometimes I'm on Substack. I've been kind of lazy with that, but you can follow me there and Threads too.
And then I have a podcast called Not Aspirational, which is kind of like a lifestyle pop culture podcast that I describe as like a fun voice memo from your chaotic friends. So if that sounds fun to you listeners, check it out.
Oh my God, thank you so much.
It is the best listen that I kind of have when I'm walking my dog at the park or at the gym, because you go on rants that I'm like, yes, thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
I'm always doing something that is like a tour and I'm like, I needed someone to tell me like, you know what, I've had a shit week and I told myself I wasn't going to be negative on this mic, but here I go.
I know. I'm coming out of like a couple of months of like, well, here we are again, just talking shit on the mic. So I promise listeners, if you give it a listen, I am in a more positive era now.
But if you want someone to just talk shit with you, like we do that too. So it's a little bit of everything.
To me is the most aspirational podcast. So I'll plug it all on the show notes. But Hannah, thank you so much again.
It's been great having you. I look forward to having you again.
Oh my gosh, thank you so much.
Bye. Bye. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of On Just Like That We Found Therapy.
All things related to today's guests are in the show notes. Please do not forget to rate me five stars. Follow me on social media at We Found Therapy Pod and subscribe to this podcast if you haven't done so already.
I'll see you on our next therapy session. I love you all.
Bye.
