Dear Banya: Blonde But Not Natural
Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley & Tanya Rad
Becca and Tanya dive into another episode of 'Dear Banya,' tackling a listener's dilemma about her husband's secret Snapchatting with an ex-
Key takeaways
- Blended families can thrive when adults prioritize children's well-being over personal discomfort.
Main topics
- Blended family dynamics in 'Earle Meets World'
Notable quotes
"When you have kids, you put your kids' well-being above your own uncomfortableness."
Conclusion
The hosts reflect on emotional intelligence in relationships and perso
Transcript preview
Speaker 2 (0:00) This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Speaker 3 (0:04) Scrubbing in with Becca Tilly and Tanya Radd, an iHeartRadio and two-time People's Choice Award winning podcast. Hello, everybody. You have to turn your mic on. Speaker 2 (0:22) We are scrubbing in. Girl Speaker 3 (0:24) goes Speaker 2 (0:24) to Speaker 3 (0:24) Thailand for 10 days, comes back, and she's a little rusty. I am Speaker 2 (0:29) jet lagged. Speaker 3 (0:31) Oh, still? You got back Thursday. Speaker 2 (0:34) For Speaker 3 (0:34) a Speaker 2 (0:34) week. Yeah, I know. That's crazy, huh? Yeah. No, it just hit late, I guess. Perk up, Buttercup, Speaker 3 (0:42) because we got a show to do today. We do Speaker 2 (0:44) have a show. We, well, I saw that you posted about Earl Meets World. Yeah. And we started as well. I think we're on episode four. I think I'm on like six. What are your thoughts on them? Well, did you know about their family before? Zero. Zero. So I Speaker 3 (1:01) came in blind. I follow Alex Earl, but like barely. Like when I tell you I see maybe I've seen. how many videos does she post a day a lot yeah I've seen like 10 to 20 Speaker 1 (1:14) videos of hers in my life she's Speaker 3 (1:17) not in my algorithm uh-huh so I don't but I like know of her and like I think she's cute and fun whatever but like I don't know her family dynamic I don't know like I didn't know anything so I went in like super blind whoa so what are your initial thoughts um my initial thoughts were I I loved seeing a blended family, like really blend and do it so well. You know, like obviously I know that they have issues and they like talk them through, but like seeing them all at the dinner table, seeing, um, so Alex Earl has a, uh, her sister's Ashton. The two of them have a mom named Alyssa and then they have other siblings with their stepmom and their dad. They have three kids. So they have like, Blended kids, blended parents. They're all having dinner together. Their mom, Alyssa, has like a beautiful relationship with their half siblings. Like, I don't know. I just thought I just to me, like, I just think that that's so cool. And I thought that was awesome. So it's cool for me to see that. I also had no idea that Alex had a sister that she was best friends with. I think she's like so cool and so cute. Yeah. And I think that their relationships with their siblings is just like, I don't know. I just really enjoy their family dynamic. So Speaker 2 (2:35) I just following Alex know, you know, the dynamic of their family and everything. But I was just blown away at the strength of their mom to go and have those dinners and sit there and be so involved because it wasn't like they just split up the parents. He had an affair and married the woman he was with. Yes. So the strength to show up. and and be a part and when they made the comment about her going on the golden bachelor i was like this Speaker 3 (3:10) you no Speaker 2 (3:12) one needs to say anything that could even be taken out of context in a bad way yeah Speaker 3 (3:17) yeah to her yes correct i that also i forget i forget that so i also wasn't familiar with like their stepmom i might need somebody to look this up She was an escort. Speaker 2 (3:33) Escort. Speaker 3 (3:33) Paid escort. Speaker 2 (3:34) For a politician. She was in the news. Yes. Speaker 3 (3:38) Yes. And. Mark's nodding like he knows the story. I Speaker 1 (3:42) remember the story. Oh, you do? The Speaker 3 (3:43) Spencer Speaker 1 (3:43) story. No, I Speaker 2 (3:44) remember it Speaker 3 (3:44) too. I like vaguely remember. And I actually have been meaning to since I've been watching the show to freshen up on like her details. So I, again, I'm not so familiar with her, but I did know that. she had an affair with the dad. Right. Which is crazy. But I think when you're. When you have kids, you put your kids, you should put your kids well-being above your own uncomfortableness. And I think also, too, like they said, it was uncomfortable for a little bit and then it became less uncomfortable and then less uncomfortable. And now they have like an actual relationship, which is like so beautiful. Well, Speaker 2 (4:26) it takes every single person. Well, all the adults to say, OK, let's let's prioritize making sure the kids are uncomfortable, you know. Yeah. And make the adults step up. Yeah. But still, I was like, well, totally really a lot of strength, a Speaker 3 (4:46) lot of strength. Really? The hero. Yeah. But I like the stepmom, too. And I think because I am a stepmom, I like when she was saying that it was like really hard for her in the beginning, like the girls would like put toothpaste in her shoes and stuff. I'm like, that's. so crazy like I could not imagine I did not have that situation and that would be really tough and Speaker 2 (5:07) I almost feel like the dynamic of having two teenage girls or young girls who have strong personalities would be really challenging as a woman to come into that situation yes as opposed to you have boy Speaker 3 (5:20) step sons who are Speaker 2 (5:22) so sweet and like Speaker 3 (5:25) So cute. Like literally, I could not imagine if they like had done anything like that. It would have sent me. Speaker 2 (5:32) What would you have done if they put toothpaste in your shoes? Speaker 3 (5:36) Honestly, it would have made me so it would make me spiral. I don't know if I could. I don't even think I have the because there's there's challenges that come with all of this. You know what I mean? But the kids. were not ever a part of that. Like they were always like so sweet to me. Speaker 2 (5:52) Right. Yeah. When Speaker 3 (5:54) they said that, when she said that they put toothpaste in her shoes, I was like, dang, I'm Speaker 2 (5:59) seeing all these, um, Kardashian comparisons where they're saying Alex is Kim. Ashton is kind of a mix of Chloe and Courtney. And then the two younger girls are Kylie Speaker 3 (6:12) and Kendall. And Speaker 2 (6:14) then the dad is Chris. Oh, Speaker 3 (6:17) wow. I didn't even think about that. That's a Speaker 2 (6:20) pretty good comparison. Yeah. And I actually feel like I think it's hard with reality TV now because I do think when it was the hills and Laguna Beach and there it didn't feel so produced and staged. And I feel like it's been hard for reality TV to get back to that where you don't feel like everything's set up. In the first few episodes, I do feel I could feel that everyone's adjusting to having cameras around, you know? To me, it felt Speaker 3 (6:47) like they were just living their lives and like the cameras were there. Aside from the when they're like, can I pull you for a chat? I'm like, OK, this conversation needed to happen on camera. Speaker 2 (6:57) Right. But Speaker 3 (6:58) I'm fine with it. Yeah. Speaker 2 (6:59) Have you have you gotten do they talk about the Alex Cooper stuff at all? Speaker 3 (7:03) Yes. Have you gotten I Speaker 2 (7:04) haven't gotten in that yet. I mean, they talked loosely about. That's it. Oh, yeah. That's all you get. But did it? I don't know if I missed a part. Did it show where where Alex Cooper called Alex out? They didn't show it. I don't even think that they can. I Speaker 3 (7:19) don't think it's happened Speaker 2 (7:19) yet. Oh, really? Because it happened at Coachella. And I don't think Coachella has happened yet. And depending on what season you're on. OK, OK. Then maybe I still have it to come, which is exciting. Speaker 3 (7:30) They did mention it briefly, like within the first episode or two. About Speaker 2 (7:33) her doing the podcast. Yes, yes, yes, Speaker 3 (7:35) yes, Speaker 2 (7:35) yes. Speaker 3 (7:35) So I saw that. Yeah. But I haven't seen Speaker 2 (7:37) anything else. Oh, I'm excited. And then a lot of people are like, I just feel like this whole thing is about Braxton. And it's interesting because when someone's dating someone and they're famous on social media, so many people, that's all they do care about is their relationship. And then, of course, they break up and she's navigating. We're watching her go through the breakup. Yeah. And people are like, oh, she's talking about is Braxton. But that is what happens. Yeah. When you go through a breakup, that's all you talk about. Speaker 3 (8:04) But I also think I never realized about her that she's like a serial dater. Like she's never been alone, which is also like, that's probably why it's so hard for her to go through all these big life moments and not have a person to tell, to, to like, you know, bounce off of her, support her. So it's probably like even more traumatic. And also filming a reality show is probably just crazy in and of itself. You know what I mean? Yeah. Speaker 2 (8:26) But I, I like, I am an Alex Earl fan and I feel like. Everything they've done has felt very well thought out. I'm Speaker 3 (8:37) much more of an Alex Earl fan than I was ever before. I also was very disappointed in all the Alex Cooper stuff. I never really realized that Alex Earl looked up to Alex Cooper and she was like a role model to her and just like. Speaker 3 (8:56) The I get it that Alex Cooper's podcast is like a sex podcast and they ask uncomfortable questions. But like when you have a girl that's like 10 years younger than you asking you if you can edit out where she's like talking about her favorite sex position or like whatever it is and you say no, like it just I don't know. It's not giving modern woman energy like it just didn't feel like. Speaker 3 (9:20) If you're seasoned in this industry, like you should be helping the younger generation or like not Speaker 1 (9:28) even I don't know how to explain it. It wasn't even she Speaker 3 (9:30) wasn't even not helping. She was like using her and. Speaker 3 (9:36) I don't know. Well, Speaker 2 (9:37) I think it's I think as podcast hosts, even when if we say something and we're like, hey, can we edit that out? I don't I don't think I want that out there. If a guest comes on and they want something edited out, we would never be like, no, literally, you know, can you imagine? No, there's been so many times where, you know, there's been things that it's like, well. Can you cut that? Yeah, of course. Yeah. Also, like Speaker 3 (10:00) people don't know when they're a guest. She didn't have her own podcast at the time. When you're a guest, you're put on the Speaker 2 (10:04) spot. Like sometimes you say things that you don't necessarily want to. But I also think Alex Cooper, that's why she's so good at what she does, because she makes people feel comfortable enough to just talk freely. But as a guest, you talk freely and then you leave the comfort of that room and you're like, what did I just talk about? Speaker 3 (10:23) Yeah, Speaker 2 (10:23) that's going to be. broadcast to millions of people, it's a vulnerable place. Yeah. But I mean, I think that they both just should have never gotten into a working relationship together personally. Speaker 3 (10:37) Yeah. I mean, I don't know. That whole thing just made me really sad because I too, I think, looked up to Alex Cooper for a really long time. And then I started like seeing all these TikToks and stuff about like. Alex Cooper's only time giving back has been this like baby registry thing that she's been doing now, but everybody's saying that she's just doing it to like mask all the noise, all the hate that's happening online about her. And I'm like, I don't know. It's just making me like sad. Speaker 2 (11:04) That's the only time she's given back. Yeah. Like Speaker 3 (11:06) Alex Earl, when she started getting famous, she did like a lot to give back to like the community and stuff. And like they were saying how Alex Cooper, this is like the first thing that she's done now with the baby registries. Oh, Speaker 2 (11:16) and Speaker 3 (11:17) it's just to like mask all this noise. Speaker 2 (11:19) I think it's just one of those things where it's, you know, the need to pick a side or you can just say they're both they both are humans and flawed. And I think maybe I agree. I think Alex Cooper did. She could have gone about how she handled Alex. Alex's podcast episode and what she shared. She could have handled that differently just to set an example. And she didn't. She chose to probably have a more. popular and talked about podcast episode. And I don't think either of them are bad. I don't think it's like a bad person situation. I just think