Isabella on fighting my father, our friendship fallout & our toxic ex-friends - Ep.18

Brand Safe

In this heartfelt episode of Brand Safe, longtime friends Isabella Fusco and Tana Marie reflect on their 13-year friendship, exploring the e

Key takeaways

• Friendship evolves over time; what once felt intense or chaotic can mature into deeper, more intentional connection.

Main topics

• Longstanding friendship dynamics
• Healing from past conflicts and fallout with mutual friends

Notable quotes

"I almost feel as close to you as I ever have because it was just like a big part of my frontal lobe honestly was like Isabella was right all along about so many things."

Conclusion

Isabella and Tana close the episode with gratitude, reflecting on how far they've come together.

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) This episode of Brand Safe has been delayed due to the birthday of our prized employee, Kyle Barper. Nothing happens without Kyle Barper. Literally. Nothing happens without him. If we didn't have Kyle Barper, this podcast would be shot on a blender and edited with a toe. We hope wherever you are, you are celebrating Kyle Barper. Speaker 3 (0:21) Seriously, sorry it's late, but like who was gonna edit it? You know what I mean? Speaker 2 (0:24) It's just, it's Kyle or no one, you guys. And he only gets one day off a year. Like it's just like, it's the one day. And like, it's here now and we love you guys. And we hope you had an amazing Labor Day weekend. And we are very, very sorry for the delay to all of our brand safers. And we will see you next weekend. Back to normal. Hello. Speaker 3 (0:40) Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Isabella Fusco. Speaker 1 (0:45) Tana Marie. I didn't know if you wanted me to say your middle name. I actually Speaker 3 (0:49) do call you Isabella a lot, but I don't know if you ever call me Tana. Speaker 1 (0:54) I call you T, Trinket, other things. Because I feel like when I say Tana, it's like very serious. Yeah, usually Speaker 3 (1:00) when I'm in trouble with you. Yeah. Which is one of the things we're going to get into today because you and I are so brand Speaker 2 (1:06) safe. Speaker 3 (1:12) We're back. Oh my god, I'm really excited to be doing this with you. Genuinely. First of all, Isabella and I are matching for the visual viewers. I don't know what it's for the Speaker 2 (1:19) viewers. Oh, Speaker 3 (1:21) it's just viewers. Oh. Because I've always thought like the viewers are still also the listeners. Uh-huh. But the listeners are listeners. And for the viewers, Isabella and I are matching today. I don't know how to explain that this is a perfect example of like tones. Like this outfit is meant for someone with dark hair. And like I look like in a wreck, need a check. One call, that's all. It's giving big ang. Speaker 2 (1:42) It's giving pro bono lawyer, the one my parents used to Speaker 3 (1:45) sue me. Speaker 1 (1:45) Jacoby Myers. But we Speaker 3 (1:49) wanted to put on our blazers today and do, I don't know, more serious podcasts. Like Trevi and I were just talking about this, but in the beginning days of Brand Safe, I like sat down obviously with everyone I love the most and we shot podcasts and like some of them, including the one you and I did. We Speaker 1 (2:04) were in Cabo on vacation and it was just too much reminiscing, I think. Speaker 3 (2:08) Yeah. And there's a fine line between like reminiscing. I don't want to say being the same, but like when you're like, oh, that was so Speaker 2 (2:15) funny. Speaker 1 (2:15) How Speaker 2 (2:15) fucking insane we were. Speaker 1 (2:16) Like, Speaker 3 (2:16) you know, like it doesn't necessarily always need to live on the Internet. And we also like we discussed a lot of old friendships like with government names. Speaker 1 (2:24) Yeah. I don't. That was just never my vibe. I think I was like as it was happening, I was like. No. Stressing. Stressing the fuck out. And it's funny. Speaker 3 (2:35) You came to me after and you were like, are you fucking like, you were like nice about it, but you were like, are you sure? Like what's going to get uploaded from that? And it wasn't until like a couple of weeks later where I was like, she's so right. Like this is not giving what it needs to give. I Speaker 2 (2:45) would just rather do an episode with Speaker 3 (2:47) you that is more reminiscent in a good way or in a more accurate way, I guess, not just like random Cabo stories and stuff like that. Cause it's like. Even recently for your birthday, I was just in San Diego, which I also want to talk about you moving there and stuff. But I came down to see you and I posted a video of you opening your birthday Speaker 2 (3:04) gift for me. I Speaker 1 (3:06) mean, like I'm crying again. Speaker 3 (3:08) She keeps being so funny. She keeps being like, it's your Birkin. I'm like, no, no, it's yours. It's ours. No, it's yours. And you know why I love that it's yours is because in 35 years, this will be shredded. And in 35 years, that will look somehow better than when I got, like at least one will remain in the family that like. Can we talk about what your charm is doing to your bag? Yeah, it's like making it Speaker 2 (3:27) droop. And she's, that's so our relationship too. Like Isabella has always been the one that's like trying to get me right. Yeah, I'm like, wait. Just listen to Speaker 3 (3:35) her. Like it just, I would, but I love my charm. Speaker 2 (3:37) I don't know, whatever. I digress. It's like literally making it go like this. Speaker 3 (3:40) I know it's, it's making it flaccid, but my flaccid Birkin. It's very me, I guess. Flirkin. My flirkin. Speaker 2 (3:50) Me and my flirkin. Don't get me started on an accent. We get Speaker 3 (3:54) stuck in accents. We always have since we were like literally little kids. Speaker 2 (3:58) Yeah. But anyways, on the Birkin video, I feel like a lot of the comments were asking a lot of questions about our dynamic and like. Speaker 3 (4:05) People just didn't know a lot about our dynamic. And we've never done anything like this. And I want to just like talk about our friendship over the last. Let's do it. How many years? 13. Speaker 1 (4:17) Wait, we met in like 2013, I think. Speaker 2 (4:20) 2013. So how many years is that? 13. 13. 13 years. That's my favorite number. Speaker 3 (4:25) Oh Speaker 2 (4:25) my God. And this is honestly our favorite era. Speaker 3 (4:27) Yeah. I feel like we've been through so much. And it's interesting because I think just you are naturally more of a private person. Yeah. which is one of my favorite things about you and I think that we had you Speaker 2 (4:37) you Speaker 3 (4:38) are you are Speaker 2 (4:39) mysterious and you've always been this way by the way and for so long too I think for like 10 years literally I was like Isabella Speaker 3 (4:44) just say it all like just do it all like I was just so crazy and you were Speaker 2 (4:47) like no and like I didn't understand it until Speaker 3 (4:50) my frontal lobe where I was like oh Speaker 1 (4:51) but it like worked for you to like but like your fans like genuinely know you like They're like, that's my sister. That's my girl. Like I grew up with that girl. Speaker 2 (5:01) That's my cookie. Speaker 1 (5:01) That's my juice. That's my cookie. That's my juice. Like that's what you wanted to do. It's Speaker 3 (5:04) true. And obviously, as you know, like I just have never really had a reservation. This is kind of the first time in my life where I have any reservation. But I definitely do think there was this like moment where I woke up and it almost made me feel closer to you. I don't know how to explain it. Like we've always been best friends. Oh, Speaker 1 (5:20) show what fell over. Show what fell over. Her boulder blender drink. She Speaker 3 (5:27) hates a cup like this. She says it's like you're carrying Speaker 2 (5:30) around a blender. She's a big, you're a big walla girl. Yeah, I just, the shape is, I have a problem. You Speaker 1 (5:35) do have a problem with that shape. Yeah. It's Speaker 3 (5:36) funny because for your birthday, we had Sylvain prank you and then he got you a Stanley and she literally opens it and she goes, do you know me? It Speaker 1 (5:42) was like that girl that got the rose gold engagement ring when she only wears like silver or gold or something like that. Speaker 3 (5:46) It's like, do you know me? Did you just see the f***ing girl? Or it wasn't a girl, but it was a guy was at a work convention. He got a gift bag of YSL products. And then he immediately gave it to his female coworker and not his wife. Jail. Death. Jail. Death. And just like, are you fucking her? I think that until the dawn of time, I would be like, why did you give that to her? No matter how nervous you could have been in that moment, like Makoa's coming home and I'm like, arms crossed. Like, what's up? Speaker 1 (6:12) Yeah. Too many movies we've seen. I know. Speaker 3 (6:15) And too many lives we've lived. Yes. Truly. Both of them. But yeah, like, I don't know how to explain it. Obviously, I was just like a banshee for so long and we still were very close. And it was like our life. I can recognize that like my banshee era, like we brought out the best in each other and like all of those things. But in this era of life, I almost feel as close to you as I ever have because it was just like a big part of my frontal lobe honestly was like Isabella was right all along about so many things. Speaker 1 (6:38) I mean, I was wrong about a lot of things too, obviously. I'm always going to be the one to tell you to take the safer route. And like sometimes you going against what I've advised, like worked out for you so amazing, like even like gambling. like numbers I'm like no don't put 500 on zero and then it hits and I'm like oh no Speaker 3 (6:54) but I mean like living a risky life isn't always like the right way to do it and you definitely like think things through and I think that's like I don't know I just I wanted this episode today to be like letting people into our dynamic and what it was like growing up together and like what makes our friendship special because we always talk about like the four of us and just like how close We've always been. And like our little family and stuff. And I feel like me and Amari are very like public banshee wild. But like we are just as close. We just don't publicize it as much. Yeah. I don't know. Sisterhood, I guess, is today's overarching trope. I want to go all the way back to like when we met. Oh, that story is like, do you remember? I do remember some details. We had a class together. Speaker 2 (7:32) Yes. Food and nutrition. Which Speaker 3 (7:34) I Speaker 2 (7:34) think Speaker 3 (7:35) is also really funny because we ended up just thorting together for like our whole life. Like we love, we literally keep joking that we're going to start a TikTok series where we just moo. We should. Eat and moo. We Speaker 1 (7:43) could call it mook bangs. Speaker 3 (7:45) We should. I'm not Speaker 1 (7:46) kidding. We Speaker 3 (7:47) really should because we are always like, we love a thort Speaker 2 (7:50) together. So obviously us meeting. overtaking the like thwarting class is really funny to me i Speaker 3 (7:55) feel like we were kind of the same in that way that we like classes like that because it's like you didn't get dress coded as much and like you could kind of just do nothing and like we like had those things in common but i was crying over a boy yeah Speaker 1 (8:06) and our mutual friend like pointed you in my direction because i was like already dating someone and like been down the path where you were crying about and like i don't know we just like bonded over it and like there were some characters in our class they like almost like brought us closer together like they were crazy it was Speaker 3 (8:21) just definitely one of those classes that's like not like remedial but like you take it to just get the easy like you're right you have to Speaker 1 (8:27) take it yeah Speaker 3 (8:28) oh Speaker 1 (8:28) you Speaker 3 (8:28) do yeah Speaker 1 (8:29) i think it's like one of the electives and like you don't want to do your sawing wood no thanks yeah i did our school even offer sawing wood yes i know nothing about our school but you only came to school on friday like Speaker 3 (8:41) Genuinely. I know whenever I say that, I feel like people think I'm kidding, but I really was just like coming on Friday to find out the move for the weekend, which is so ridiculous. What was school like when I left? Like you finished. Speaker 1 (8:54) Yeah. I feel like my senior year, my parents gave me more freedom because like I basically I was to my dad. I was like, I'm going to go out with my friends regardless. Do you want to know where I am? and be home by a certain time or you just do you not want to know well Speaker 3 (9:09) that's even an interesting thing so one thing that brought isabella and i really close together i in my opinion is that your parents who are amazing and i love them so much they are literally the best i would love to do an episode literally with your dad like he's the goat he is he really is Speaker 2 (9:21) we love charlie more than anything he's just the best and your mom she's the sweetest they dealt with a lot with us first of all absolutely we put them through hell we definitely put Speaker 3 (9:30) them through healthy and that was because isabella you had a very strict upbringing. They were very, very, very strict. And obviously at the wild, wild west at the Mojo's, we could do whatever. Cause there wasn't like supervision. It was just like chaos. They were also Speaker 1 (9:44) down to lie to my parents. Like, and like my parents were probably just like, oh, they're her parents. Like, why would they lie to us? Like they would tell us like, oh no, they went out last night. Like, no. That's Speaker 3 (9:54) funny. I don't even remember that. Speaker 1 (9:55) Bold face lying to my parents. Like your father lying to my father that we are just going to stay in tonight. Speaker 3 (10:01) And Speaker 1 (10:02) that Speaker 3 (10:02) I wonder why. Probably just so like I'd get the fuck out of the house, right? Yeah, or just like they were, Speaker 1 (10:07) they just didn't give a fuck. Speaker 3 (10:09) Yeah, Speaker 1 (10:09) genuinely. But like, we had fun. Speaker 3 (10:12) But I think that that brought us so much closer together because it was one of those things where you would come to mine and like Isabella had the car. Her parents were great. Like they got her a car. They taught her to drive. And like we were just very wild and we spent every single second together for so long. And it almost was you Speaker 1 (10:30) and me and then Amari. Yeah, I feel like Amari was like he was on the dance team and like hanging out with his dance team friends. And we would see him like every other time like we went out. Speaker 2 (10:39) But Speaker 1 (10:39) I feel like start to finish our day was you and I. Speaker 3 (10:43) That's Speaker 2 (10:43) so Speaker 1 (10:43) true. Yeah, I've known Amari Speaker 3 (10:44) longer because we went to middle school together. Speaker 2 (10:47) But there was just a lot of time where Amari like had other things going on and stuff. And you and I would just take on the town together. I mean, and we got into so much trouble. We really did. We were not the best of kids. Like the things that we like, the paths. There was an entire time Speaker 3 (11:02) of life where I was going to church still. And this was at the end of me being a church leader and like wanting to be a church leader. Speaker 1 (11:10) I forgot about this story. Speaker 1 (11:13) This is an insane story. People Speaker 2 (11:15) are going to think we are actually insane. Well, no, I am. We were young, you know. I genuinely think getting excited about your bed is one of the clearest signs that you're getting older. There was a time in my life where I could fall asleep on a kitchen island, okay? Any circumstances. And now, if my sleep is fucked, my entire life is fucked. And truly, there's nothing better than getting back home after traveling and getting into your own bed. Today's podcast is sponsored by Casper. And you guys already know I love Casper. Love, love. love my Casper bed. Casper makes reliable high quality mattresses designed to give you consistent comfortable sleep night after night and apparently I have good taste because out of 99 mattresses consumer reports named Casper's the one mattress their top rated all foam mattress of 2026 which is actually kind of insane. 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They have a ton of different mattress options depending on what Whether you like firm, soft, somewhere in the middle, you can easily find the one that works for you. Remember, the day ends well with Casper. Right now, save up to 30 % on mattresses and up to 35 % off on everything else when you go to casper.com. One last time, that's C-A-S-P-E-R.com and save up to 30 % off on the mattresses you deserve. Back to the episode. Speaker 3 (13:02) So obviously whenever we wanted to do anything bad, my, I didn't need an alibi. Like I was like, I'm going to do bad things. And they were like, perfect. Hope someone feeds you. Right. Like, whereas you had to like have a, who's whose house you sleeping at normal parents rules and stuff. Yeah. We were really big into raving together. That was a, that was like a big thing at that time in our life. And like choices in relationships and people we wanted to spend time with were always, we were always twinning on, I guess is like what I want to say. Isabella and I were trying to be out every night. And at this point, Speaker 1 (13:31) At this Speaker 3 (13:31) point in life too, this was like a couple years into our friendship, you and I also found ourselves in a group of people who were not high schoolers. No. They were like Speaker 1 (13:39) 18, 19 year olds and we were like 16. Speaker 3 (13:42) And like 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 year olds. This is like my Mitchell Musso era. Oh yes. That I'm kind of thinking about. Oh my Speaker 1 (13:50) God. Speaker 3 (13:51) Delete. Speaker 1 (13:54) I've deleted Speaker 3 (13:55) this era from my brain. 100 % because it just was, it was fierce and the things that we were getting into. I don't know what. It's funny if you'd notice me in this podcast dancing around Speaker 2 (14:02) my words, it's because I'm using her discretion for Speaker 3 (14:04) like the things that Speaker 2 (14:05) I would go to say. Speaker 3 (14:06) I'm kind of like, let me not say that. You needed an alibi. And at this time, because we were hanging out with people who were outside of high school a lot, that meant that we weren't just trying to have fun on the weekends anymore. Every day. Every day, every night. So we would have to convince that like we were having a homework sleepover or like a school night sleepover or whatever. And so we convinced your mom. that I had indicted you into becoming a church leader with me. And Speaker 1 (14:33) my mom had just like, well, she wasn't married to him yet, but like she was, she started dating this pastor who's also a cop. And we were sick. So she was very on board for this. So she was like, wow. Speaker 3 (14:46) Yes. 100%. And I remember even when they first started dating, we were like a Speaker 2 (14:50) pastor and a cop. Everyone was like, Isabel, you're screwed. See, you never. Yes. What are we going to do? What are we going to do? So she was Speaker 3 (14:55) so stoked for it. She was like, I'm so happy you girls found God. It's funny too, because you and I both, we pieced together each other's memories. You'll notice that in the podcast. I remember 50 % and she remembers 50%. But we had convinced your mom that we had gone to laser tag with the church. Speaker 3 (15:10) In reality, we were doing everything under the sun. No, tell them how we convinced her that we were at laser tag. Well, we went into some guy's car, Speaker 2 (15:18) like Speaker 3 (15:19) some 20. My ex-boyfriend. Yes, thank you. We went into your ex-boyfriend's car. We're like flickering. Because this is also before. google image like search is really a thing on like phones to like send that and like obviously way before ai and like thank god like genuinely we had no tools you know yeah so we're in the car flickering his lights to be like red and blue and we're like we can't hear you we're like blasting music pretending to be laser tagging the Speaker 1 (15:43) inside of his lights were like blue yeah and so like we like got this close together and like underneath the blue light to be like Look, we're laser tagging. And then I found an image on Instagram of a laser tag place and sent it to her. Yes. Speaker 3 (15:57) I'm Speaker 1 (15:57) not proud of this at all. Speaker 3 (15:59) Same, Lucy. We're so sorry. So Speaker 1 (16:00) sorry. Never would never do it again. She Speaker 3 (16:02) ends up eventually just getting on to us. Like she's like, they are clearly not at church. Like and just the things that we would wear and like the things that we that was the thing, too. We were like dress code Palooza together. Like we are Halloween costumes at such a young age. I always think about that with like Debra and just like. Because Vegas just provides for that. Like, I don't know how else to say it other than the, like, desire to be, like, from a very young age that I feel like we both spent a lot of time together unlearning. Yeah. Speaker 1 (16:30) And still, even right now, we have to have our tits out with our blazers. They're Speaker 2 (16:33) there. Yeah. Yeah, Speaker 3 (16:34) you Speaker 2 (16:34) know. But there's a little bit in there still. But she Speaker 3 (16:37) catches on to us and she shows up to the church and she's like, my daughter, Isabella Fusco, is a youth leader here. And they're like, we don't know who that is. We've never, Speaker 2 (16:47) ever, ever met her. And like, I just, I'll never forget the fury from your mom. Speaker 3 (16:51) And then it's just the way we were too. It was like, where were you girls? And we were like, Speaker 1 (16:54) like, we just kept saying like, no, at church. We got another girl on board too. But I'll never forget when she busted us. I was like in my closet at my dad's house, like doing something. And I fell to the floor. I like literally like slid my back down the wall. Like, what am I going to do? Speaker 3 (17:10) always have these calls where it was like i don't know when i'm like Speaker 1 (17:14) i'm so like i don't know when we'll speak again like see you at school like my phone is getting shut off my parents thought like you were the problem and like i was well no but it's like i was wanting to do these things like why are you just like banning me from like my sister like that's i'm gonna find a way no Speaker 3 (17:31) but like i and i talk about this a lot in the amari episode that's what a good parent does Because yes, while you were wanting to do them, you had the perfect partner in crime. Do you know what I mean? And obviously any good parent is going to be like, you and your partner in crime need to cut the shit. And then obviously we got older and like our relationships changed and I love them now so much. And I don't think they were ever, I think they really did try with me. Your dad and your mom too. They really like tried, but it was just out of their bounds. But no matter what we fought. to be together so hard that I think that same with me and Amari, like it was just one of those things that like, and I appreciate you guys so much for that. Like for the rest of my life, the way that like you fought for Speaker 1 (18:10) our relationship and stuff, no one could break us. Yeah. I just remember like, I think my car had gotten taken away and I would like, you lived probably like a five or six minute drive from our high school, but like walking like a long time, like probably like. 30, 45 minute walk and I walked to your house and you were asleep and I knew that your dad would like let me inside. So I'm like, I don't want to be at school. I think I like ditched like the last few periods of school. It's like miles. And I'm like banging on the door and your dad sticks his head out of your townhouse and he's like, what? And I'm like, let me in. He's like, he's asleep. I go, I know. Let me in. Hello, this is my house too. That's what I Speaker 3 (18:44) really want to talk about today too. Because I think that my relationship with Amari really formed. in me going to his house. And like the saving of me was like going to his house and that kind of happened later and stuff like that. But obviously all the way up truly until I was 18, I still had to like report back to the HQ because I was a minor, you know? Our relationship was very much formed inside of my household. And when I really look at, like, I think the closest thing to experiencing it as me, when I look at, like, my whole life, it's you. I feel like you came the second closest to experiencing what was happening inside of my household. But like not as me, like as a sister almost, you know what I mean? And just dealing with that. I find it very interesting. And like, obviously as I write my book and stuff, I'll like ask you questions now and again. Just as I continue to write, I'll have more and more questions. Like I want to know what it was like from your perspective. Like what's your thoughts? Speaker 1 (19:38) Like definitely like I came to realize that like this isn't normal. Like there were things that your dad was doing to your mom. And like there was one instance where I like brought her food like in a cooler to make sure that she was eating and stuff. And like I was not afraid to like stand up to your parents. Speaker 3 (19:52) and Speaker