The Toast

Rumors and Nastiness: Friday, January 9th, 2025

January 9, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The hosts are implementing significant structural changes to their book club podcast, 'The Redheads,' including hiring an editor and rotating episode leadership to the book selector. 
  • The hosts addressed listener complaints about ad load on their YouTube content, clarifying that their ad-to-content ratio is significantly lower than the industry standard for television. 
  • The hosts enthusiastically planned a potential cross-country RV trip to attend the 2026 Houston Rodeo to see performers like Kelly Clarkson and Chris Stapleton, despite the logistical challenges. 
  • Khloe Kardashian revealed that she and her sisters generally rotate paying for shared expenses, though she recounted an instance where she covered Kim's purchase for their kids' Spirit Day shirts. 
  • Kendall Jenner publicly addressed and denied the long-standing internet rumors that she is secretly gay, stating she would have come out if she were, while also discussing theories about her appearance changes due to Accutane use. 
  • The hosts awarded Ashley Tisdale the Weenie of the Week for her actions following the drama with Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma, while Kylie Jenner earned a Queenie of the Week mention for acknowledging her partner, Timothy, during an awards show appearance. 

Segments

Podcast Opening and New Year
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The first Monday in January is considered the true start of the year for the hosts, marking their return to work.
  • Summary: The hosts opened ‘The Toast’ episode ‘Rumors and Nastiness: Friday, January 9th, 2025’ by celebrating the completion of the first week of the new year. They expressed a preference for the first Monday in January as the real start of the year over the traditional May date. They joked about needing one of them to get pregnant in a future year when the first Monday falls on January 2nd to avoid a difficult start.
Documentary Viewing Experience
Copied to clipboard!
(00:01:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The documentary ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ was noted for its unique construction entirely from police body camera footage without interviews.
  • Summary: One host watched the upsetting documentary ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ the previous night, which was composed entirely of police body camera footage detailing a two-year conflict with a neighbor. The story culminated in the neighbor killing one of the children’s mothers. The viewing experience was so distressing that the host was left crying and advised others not to watch it.
Traders and Reading Habits
Copied to clipboard!
(00:02:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘Traders’ recap episode will be released on Monday to allow listeners the weekend to watch the new episodes.
  • Summary: The hosts confirmed that the recap for the show ‘Traders’ will be released on Monday, giving the audience time to catch up over the weekend. One host mentioned starting a book for fun, Ellen Hilderbrand’s ‘Swan Song,’ noting that Hilderbrand is a consistently trustworthy author whose books are always good, unlike many trendy authors whose hype often falls flat.
Author Photos and Sophie Kinsella Tribute
Copied to clipboard!
(00:03:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Authorship should be a blind industry, and seeing an author’s photo ruins the fantasy created by their fictional work.
  • Summary: The hosts agreed that author photos, especially those found on book flaps, should be eliminated from the industry unless the work is a biography. This sentiment followed the mention of Ellen Hilderbrand, prompting a discussion about how seeing an author can ruin the fantasy of their writing. They also paid tribute to the recently deceased author Sophie Kinsella, writer of the ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ series.
Book Adaptations Discussion
Copied to clipboard!
(00:05:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Older book adaptations were often more carefully selected and executed than the current trend of adapting nearly every popular book.
  • Summary: The conversation lamented the current trend where almost all films and shows are adaptations, contrasting this with earlier times when adaptations were special and thoughtfully created. Examples of successful adaptations where the book and media remain equally famous include ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Something Borrowed.’ Conversely, ‘Game of Thrones’ is cited as a rare case where the show eclipsed the original books.
‘The Redheads’ Podcast Changes
Copied to clipboard!
(00:06:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Major operational changes are coming to ‘The Redheads’ podcast, including hiring an editor and setting fixed recording times to improve consistency.
  • Summary: The host who typically manages editing and outlining announced she is delegating tasks, including hiring an editor for ‘The Redheads.’ Furthermore, the person who chooses the book will now lead the episode discussion, rather than the primary host. Recording will now occur every first Monday of the month at (3:00) PM sharp to ensure a consistent weekly release schedule.
Ad Load Justification
Copied to clipboard!
(00:11:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts defended their ad ratio, noting their 50-minute episode yesterday contained only 15% ad time, which is half the industry standard for television.
  • Summary: A listener comment criticized the episode for having 30% of its time dedicated to ads, which prompted the host to calculate the actual ratio. Yesterday’s 50-minute episode contained 7 minutes and 30 seconds of ads, equating to about 15% of the runtime. This is significantly lower than the 27-30% ad load typically found in a 30-minute television show.
Celebrity Mom Group Drama Update
Copied to clipboard!
(00:23:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Mandy Moore publicly supported Hilary Duff’s husband, Matthew Koma, amid the ongoing drama involving Ashley Tisdale, confirming the rift within the celebrity mom group.
  • Summary: The celebrity mom group drama continued as Mandy Moore posted praise for Matthew Koma, who reportedly provided housing for Moore’s family after the California wildfires. This action clearly sided with the Duff/Koma camp against Ashley Tisdale. The hosts believe Tisdale’s subsequent backtracking and denial that the drama involved this specific group were lame, especially after she initially sought attention by writing articles about it.
Zach Bryan Diss Track Analysis
Copied to clipboard!
(00:29:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Zach Bryan’s new album ‘With Heaven on Top’ includes a song, ‘Skin,’ that aggressively targets his ex-girlfriend, seemingly accusing her of refusing to be a victim of his alleged abuse.
  • Summary: Zach Bryan released a 25-song album, ‘With Heaven on Top,’ which addresses his ex-girlfriend and new wife. In the song ‘Skin,’ he references taking a blade to his tattoos and questions if she still talks poorly about her friends. The hosts noted that while Bryan is a good songwriter, they still view him as an abuser, making it difficult to sympathize with his lyrical content.
Rodeo Houston 2026 Lineup
Copied to clipboard!
(00:32:57)
  • Key Takeaway: The 2026 Houston Rodeo lineup includes major artists like Kelly Clarkson (March 14th) and Chris Stapleton (March 12th), prompting the hosts to plan attendance.
  • Summary: The 2026 Houston Rodeo entertainer lineup was revealed, featuring Kelly Clarkson and Rascal Flatts on separate dates in March. The hosts immediately began planning a trip, noting that Chris Stapleton and Shania Twain are also performing in the same run of dates. They entertained the idea of taking a luxury RV trip from their location to Houston, potentially stopping in places like Mobile, Alabama, along the way.
Financial Planning Ad Read
Copied to clipboard!
(00:42:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Rocket Money helps users track and cancel unwanted subscriptions, consolidate accounts, and automate savings toward financial goals.
  • Summary: Getting rid of unwanted subscriptions is a key step in budgeting, as many people have duplicates spread across various cards and payment methods. Rocket Money tracks these subscriptions and allows cancellation directly within the app, saving time and avoiding charges. The service also offers automatic transaction categorization and automated savings features to help users reach specific financial goals.
HomeChef Meal Kit Ad
Copied to clipboard!
(00:43:25)
  • Key Takeaway: HomeChef is rated highly by users for quality and convenience, offering over 30 meal options weekly, including celebrity chef collaborations.
  • Summary: HomeChef delivers fresh, pre-portioned meals designed to simplify dinner routines, especially during busy times like the start of the new year. The service is rated number one by users of other meal kits for quality, convenience, and taste, featuring options like 30-minute meals and oven-ready trays. Customers report saving an average of $86 per month on groceries by reducing unused food waste.
Kardashian Money Splitting
Copied to clipboard!
(00:45:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Khloe Kardashian stated that she and her sisters rotate paying for shared expenses and are respectful about not expecting one person to always cover costs.
  • Summary: Khloe Kardashian clarified that she and her sisters do not Venmo each other for small costs but instead take turns paying to maintain balance. She recounted an instance where she paid for Kim’s children’s Spirit Day shirts because Kim lacked cash, and Kim offered to pay her back via her business manager. The hosts speculated that for major expenses like chartering jets, the owner of the asset likely covers the primary bill.
Kendall Jenner Rumor Clarification
Copied to clipboard!
(00:49:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Kendall Jenner confirmed she is not gay but stated she would have no issue coming out if she were, addressing rumors fueled by her private relationships and non-traditional life path compared to her sisters.
  • Summary: Kendall Jenner addressed the internet rumor suggesting she is secretly gay during an appearance on the ‘In Your Dreams’ podcast. She confirmed she is not gay but emphasized that coming out is a difficult process for many, though she believes she would have done so if it were her truth. The hosts noted that her private relationship status and lack of children, unlike her sisters, might contribute to these persistent rumors.
Queenie and Weenie of the Week
Copied to clipboard!
(00:56:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Ashley Tisdale was named Weenie of the Week for her public statements following the Matthew Koma/Hilary Duff drama, with Kylie Jenner earning a Queenie mention for acknowledging her partner.
  • Summary: Ashley Tisdale was awarded Weenie of the Week, compounded by her subsequent release of PR statements, which the hosts viewed as attention-seeking after sensing a shift in public opinion. Kylie Jenner was named Queenie of the Week for acknowledging her partner of three years, Timothy, at the Creator’s Choice Awards. The hosts also noted the oddity of celebrities promoting their own brands by showing brand-new, boxed products during promotional content.