S3E4 Dan de Fleurette

Today Jessica and Zuzanna dive into Season 3, Episode 4, Dan de Fleurette, where we meet movie star Olivia Burke (played by real life celeb Hilary Duff), Lily returns not too pleased to find Serena not at Brown, and Chuck and Blair pull an elaborate stunt to make each other feel good once again. Plus, they discuss the Gossip Girl cocktail menu at the real-life Empire Hotel.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Welcome back, listeners to your one and only source into
all things gossip grow you know you love it XL XL.
Hello Hello. What's the episode titled Dan Dave Florette. Yes,
I feel in Dan Florette. Um. I think based on

(00:39):
a movie, right, based on the movie Jean de Florette. Yeah,
so it's a very exciting European titled episode first, very European. Um.
I always really would love and I guess I still
could and probably should because it's something that I have
thought about a lot. Learning French. I just think it's

(01:00):
such a beautiful language. It's definitely the most romantus. I
also feel like it's so difficult, but yeah, it's one
of those languages that I think when you're learning it,
you have to make a lot of faces, you have
to do a lot of like mouth faces, and you know,
you have to just go all all the way all
in all. Yes, Yeah, but yeah, this I I don't

(01:24):
know that Filmotte. I'm not familiar. I don't either, and
I don't exactly understand, you know how that kind of
combines with the themes of this episode. But I'm sure
someone out there listening to us does, so maybe they
can let us know. Yeah, let us know. I don't
feel like sometimes the titles have to match what's going
on or like right, be parallel, what what what's going

(01:46):
on in the episode? I think it's just they take titles.
So maybe it has something to do with dan Is
in the title of the movie because he's met a
movie star and it's like starting up potential. That's maybe
something along those lines. Okay, so that's our episode. But
before we get started, to your New York. You're not
sweating your face off anymore. It's cold, freezing now. Now

(02:06):
it's taken the turn. So now it's um you know.
Now it's that kind of thing where I just had
a Starbucks, you know, peppermint latte because I was like,
had to get a holiday latte. So that's the weather
we have now. Yeah, we've taken the turn that time.
But don't you love that? It's like holidays are near.
Get to eat all these like comforting foods and cookies,

(02:29):
and like, oh, I love this time of year so much.
I do like the romance of the I like the
romance of the season certainly. So it's like it has
that vibe in my neighborhood because I live in Brooklyn,
So around my neighborhood there are a lot of like
brown stones and people have the wood burning fireplaces so
during the time, you can smell that beautiful smell and

(02:50):
you know, it just feels like a movie. So absolutely,
you know, there's something about New York with all of that.
Like there's an episode we did on the podcast and
I'm like, if you've never made out with someone in
New York City, like grab them in the summer, it
doesn't matter if it's hot or not, like walk the
street holding hands and just make out New York City,
And it's the same for the winter, like oh yeah,
where you're cute scarves, hold hands, goes ice skating. I

(03:13):
don't know that it's just such a romantic city. No
matter what. It could be hot and sweaty and cold
and frigid, and you're just like there's still like this
romance in the air, and it still feels like a
movie always. Oh yeah, especially yeah, especially when there's a
little bit of holiday decor and you know, and it's
also like that you said, you know, making out with
somebody in the street, it's like kissing someone and there's

(03:34):
little snow flakes in your eyelashes. Yeah, like it definitely
is exciting. Yeah, absolutely, there's also something if we're being honest,
like I do remember when it would be like snowing
and that first snowfalls so beautiful and everything white, and
then like later that afternoon or evening snow it's like
dark and it's just you're a mess. But it's also like,

(03:55):
you know what, it's okay because I'm in New York City.
It's like part of part of the charm. In a
weird it's great when we have a big snowfall and
then it melts and then it reveals all of the traditions.
But you know it's the that's the trade off. You know.
It's like gritty and romantic at the same time. Yeah,
we'll take it. Um. So here's where we left off.
There was a lot of guest stars in here in

(04:17):
this episode that I didn't yeah, like Tyra Banks. I
didn't remember that at all. I didn't remember that Tyra
Banks was on the show. And it was like when
I saw her, I was like, what, um, yeah, what
a fun I guess you could call it a cameo.
I mean it's like a one episode kind of special surprise. Yeah. Yeah,
and then Georgina Chapman, who is the designer from Marquesa,

(04:41):
which I love that brand, and I love Georgina. She's amazing.
She's dressed me during the show and after the show
for many many events and premiers and stuff. She's just
awesome and lovely, beautiful. And then Tory Birch, a great designer,
Hilary Duff who plays Vanessa's roommate, um Casey, a lovely actress, Diana.

(05:01):
It's just there was a ton of guest stars. It
was really a packed episode, fun of people. Hey, it
really is, and it's exciting too because it has that
Hollywood comes to n y U kind of you know
the way maybe premiere, you know, because it's now that
I'm rewatching the show, I'm realizing, you know how much
every almost every episode has that grand event, you know,

(05:21):
that connecting, you know, that thing where everything goes down.
So the idea that this was the premiere, the premiere,
the one, Yeah, I was like thinking about, like when
having someone like an Olivia Burke, Hillary Duff's character, I mean,
that's that would have to be a very tricky and

(05:43):
interesting and kind of like totally shocking kind of moment
to all of a sudden your roommates, Like, you know,
I'm guessing it would kind of be like a Christian Stewart,
lovely Christian Stewart. So I feel like this is what
Olivia Burke is supposed to be at the height of, Yes,
the height of all the vampire stuff. But you know,

(06:04):
I also think I was remembering when we shot Gossip Girl.
The Vampire Diaries I believe was on c W also,
and that was a very popular show too, so you
feel like vampires were all around us at that time.
So yeah, it makes sense that uh, this character Vampire Diaries,
True Blood, Twilight. You know, it's one of those things
in Hollywood when something hits and works, everyone tries to
do it on everything. But but I just felt like

(06:25):
there was so many I'm like, wow, they're really working.
These people love these vampires, like oh yeah, or wherever
they are, whatever it is, people are loving it. It's huge.
And and the fact that so Olivia is the star
of one of those I guess it's a movie or
a TV show and she But you know what I
else I thought was so cool was that Olivia Burke
as a name of if You're if You're inventing the
name of a movie star. It's such a good name

(06:47):
because it made me think, is there really an Olivia Burke?
And I was like, no, well it's it's just well suited.
What was so funny about about this, Like I knew
Hillary before she came on, so when we found out
who was playing her, I was like super pumped. And
she seems you know, I remember her being on set
because you know, she has her kind of a lengthy storyline,
and so I remember her being around and she was

(07:08):
really sweet and and fun to hang out within the
hair and makeup room and all that stuff. I didn't
have a lot of overlap with her on screen, but
on camera it's like she's, you know, so charismatic and
likable as this character, and you just want so badly
for her to have, you know, this college moment that
she wants to have, and so I really just experience
I forgot. I just forgot how you know, how good

(07:30):
she is in this role and how magnetic she isn't charming.
So it was nice to um to see her get introduced. Um, So,
what what happened last episode? So we were in okay,
So we left off where yeah, okay, things escalate as
Georgina and Bree bow out of the action, while Scott
revealed to be the son of Rufus and Lily Blair's

(07:52):
partnership with Chuck is once again leading into a clash
of wills and trust against Serena and Carter. Well, Chuck's
ambitions to build his own business Bear Fruit, can Serena
bridge her emotional gap with Carter. There's just you know,
many things that I'm yeah, I need to know what
goes down now that we're revisiting that that where we were,

(08:13):
where we left off. It's like a lot of those
stories that were developing kind of take a little hiatus
in this episode here. So it's like the Empire Hotel
and Carter and all these things are kind of taking
a back seat here. We all we get introduced to
the new characters and new ideas, which you know that
we have plenty of episodes ahead in order to storylines.

(08:36):
So in this episode, it's the first day at school
at Constance Billard, which is nice because we get to
kind of cop back into our high school mode. It's
also time for Jenny to take her rightful place as
the new Queen be Unfortunately for Jenny Blair is more
than happy to interview to intervene when news reaches her
that she may be needed back at Constance. Meanwhile, this
Lily returns. So had Kelly returns from her It's ernity

(09:00):
leaven Lily returns to New York City. Um, she returns
home to Rufus and her family to find that things
are definitely not as she left them. Plus, of course,
the famous movie actress Olivia Burke and rolls and y
you in hopes of having a somewhat normal college experience,
and is assigned to be Vanessa's roommate. Ursula, an actress
co starring in Olivia's movie, befriends Serena when she's hired

(09:20):
as a publicist for an upcoming premiere. So, yeah, we
really get a lot of new stuff here. Yeah, they're
introducing a lot of relationships, jobs, roommates, things that you
know are going to have big arcs and big moments
here in in season three. Okay, so here, So the
episode opens, we're on the streets of New York and

(09:42):
we meet Olivia, but don't really meet Olivia. She says
her name is Kate. She's got this cute little hat
on very low key. I do feel like a part
of this kind of is like a part of what
Hillary's life probably was, because she was she hit really
big in the entertainment and all over the world with
um Lizzie McGuire and she was just this huge mega star,

(10:06):
and so I feel like that's part of it. Yeah,
And it's like if your career is so big and
you're sort of still sort of forming your identity and like,
you know, growing up and coming into your own, it's
like that that battle, which is really nicely portrayed in
this episode of of you know, having to fulfill your
professional obligations, but at the same time just kind of
live and be who you are and find yourself and

(10:26):
do college and be normal and have friends and yeah,
and I feel like that's gotta be tough, because it's
like once your if your career takes off and it
hits on something like that, because once you are known
and that famous, you're also probably a little bit like
worried and and have your walls up of who's really
your friends or who's trying to get information or try

(10:47):
to be your friend for other reasons. So it's like
it's hard to kind of let that down and be normal.
I would think for someone like on that level, it
makes sense that she jumps on this opportunity when Dan
visibly doesn't know she is, and she's able to just
be herself with him, and you can see how, you know,
what a gift that is for her. He's not well
versed in the vampire movie TV world. He doesn't know

(11:10):
who she is. I guess I think we have the
scene where Nate is explaining to him, you know that
she's coming to n y U. So when he Caesar,
he doesn't have an inkling and you know, of course
there's always the complication looking in retrospect, we know that
in the end of the series, Dana's gossip Girl, and
so Gossip Girl seems to know about Olivia, but Dan doesn't.

(11:32):
But one of those does not. But it's one of
those little, uh, you know, suspensions of disbelief that we
have to um put into play as we look at
the Gossip Girl in its linear progression. Yeah, and I
also thought it was like I laughed, I was kind
of laughing how Vanessa kind of knew and trips. I
was like, that didn't really feel like that was up

(11:52):
Vanessa's alley. But she was like, I'm a secret fan
and I'm just gonna treat you like my roommate. I'm like, okay, Vanessa,
and I wouldn't picture you to be like, I have
a question. Vanessa had a single room before, right, did
she had? What was her roommates? You know? I think
she was just waiting for her roommate to come, so
she just had like a delay. Yeah, but there's this
fabulous the reveal when Vanessa realizes, first of all, she

(12:14):
walks in and realizes her roommate is here, and it's
the assistant who has taken down this poster, and so
you could see Vanessa has been a little bit her
her territory has been you know, violated a little bit here.
Um in the beginning, and then we get the reveal
and it's a great scene. Um, I thought I got
to kick out of it with this, like just to
look on your face, you really, yeah, when you're like

(12:35):
dealing with this assistant and then all of a sudden
faced with this big star you know, coming into be
your roommate. It was really a fun scene. Um. Yeah,
it was. I just remember feeling like, Okay, here's this
big star and clearly in this episode you can see
something's going to go down with with Olivia and Dan.
But um, that seemed to me it was interesting because

(12:59):
this is a real like turn for Vanessa because here
now it's like she's dealt with these like popular kids
on the Upper east Side, So here she is with
someone on a on a whole bigger scale that the
whole world knows who this is not just like the
world on the Upper east Side with Serena. But now
we're like literally living with each other and roommates and
you're like starting to possibly date my best friend. So

(13:19):
it's just to wrap my head around that for Vanessa,
I'm like, what's It's almost like you had practice, Like
Vanessa had practice dealing with high profile people who are
out of touch and then also dealing with watching Dan,
you know, having balancing all of these kind of powerful
women that he has no idea what he's doing. So
it's funny because it's, yeah, it really is like a

(13:41):
turning point for Vanessa or like a coming coming home
and roost. And Nate says something funny too, like I
would have just thought a guy who dated Serena Anderwoods
and would have like more game or something, because He's like, yes,
that was really good. That was the true. I'm like, true, Nate, Yeah,
it was a fun There was a fun scene there
with them and the like Bishop when when Nate realizes

(14:02):
that Dan doesn't know who she is and he kind
of like, let's you know, he doesn't let on because
he's not like he's like tergaying it too much, which
is really cute. Um, yeah, I was kind of like
be a homie and let him know. But then I'm
also like, no, he's fine, and it's cute that she
he didn't know. I kind of like that he didn't
and was like, yeah, but he's never short of girls either. Yeah,

(14:25):
He's always got He's always got something. And speaking of Georgina,
so we don't see her in this episode, but we
know Vanessa has some interaction with Scott and then Scott
has sort of Georgina on the other line, so we
know that whatever that is is happening, right, but we
don't get a lot of vacation, so I don't know
if she's going to use that relationship or that situation

(14:47):
to get closer or have something over Dan. I don't
know because at this point they're not together. Dan's already
onto Olivia. Why are you like, what what are you
going to get from Scott? Right? That's really interesting girl. Yeah,
it's like they plant the seed, but we have no
idea where that's going at all, no idea. Um, that

(15:08):
means maybe Scott comes back and he's like dating Olivia too,
like who knows, but mom got is a secret brother. Um.
But meanwhile, as all that is going on, we have
Jenny at school, which I like that they did this
where we still have like a flavor and a connection
to the school. But like in the beginning with her,

(15:28):
when she's like putting on the headbands and then she
decides not to wear it, I thought that was like, yes,
very symbolic. Also, she looks so good her hair symbolic
way of showing that she's, you know who she's going
to be, that she's not going to embody the classic
Blair asque queen Bee, but she's going to rather be

(15:48):
some benevolent um force. And you see that with that
very simple act of not donning the headband. So I
really thought that was an interesting start to that. And
then it was such a fantastic scene I got such
a kick out of when she actually went to school
and realized that all of the girls were already doing
her yes, yes, and already they show up and they

(16:10):
look like little um photo copies of her little queen.
First of all, go wash your eyes. Yeah yeah. I
was like, damn girl, yeah, and she's like and then
it's it's getting back to Blair that Jenny is like
not holding court right, And I feel like this whole
episode with Blair, I just feel like Blair is better

(16:31):
than that, Like are you still worried about these high
school girls? Like let's just let that be, like just
because she can't she's not fitting in and m y
u and feeling weird, it's like you're gonna go and
hang out Like I just don't get it. I just
I'm just like you're you're You've went right, it's the
next chapter of your life, Like move on. It just
feels a little like desperate. It's desperate, yeah, because usually

(16:53):
we have Blair is such a you know, she's such
a character you know usually who's she stands her strength.
And then and even if she's insecure and things like that,
and we all have our own insecurities, they're still she
still has this like power game where she can like
outpower anyone, and she's got it and she's like the
Queen Bee and this and that. So when you see
her kind of like falling off that which is kind

(17:15):
of not nice to see because also get a grip, Blair,
let's figure it out, like don't go back if you
desperate and try to do this, Like you, we've moved
on from you at that school, you know what I mean.
We don't want freshman in high school or college going
back to try to like have these kids follow you
like stop. And I also remember, like I mean, I
remember that feeling from high school times that there was

(17:38):
always that one or two of those kids who really
had a great experience in high school who would then
hang around, you know, they'd be like in their twenties
and still coming to high school parties, and you were like,
just move forward in life, you know. So it's like
the idea that you can kind of peak in high
school or that's where you feel most comfortable. You kind
of really don't want that for Blair. And it's nice that,
you know, Chuck and even Derota has a line of like,

(18:00):
you know, Chuck and I agree, like you know, we're
of the opinion and Blair's like shut up, you know.
So it's like everybody can see that she's not you know,
she's she's losing her way and so it's sad to
watch her go down that road, and it's nice that
they kind of rescue her. And Chuck does it with
basically with like tough love because he ends up, yeah,
undercutting her and kind of embarrassing her by going to

(18:22):
this event with Jenny and you know it's Jenny, but
he also knows how to do that to her, right,
you have to. It's like when I mean, that's the
thing with her, it's like you have to be you know,
a little bit dramatic when you deal with Blair. So
they you know, so they do. But you know, it's
I think it's a very relatable story to for this
idea that you know, she can't find her footing at

(18:43):
ny U. So this is what the third episode, fourth
episode of this season and she is not comfortable yet,
and you know, it's that I think is very relatable
because it takes agree, yeah, and it's a new environment,
it's it's new people, it's different personality. She's really used
to her same thing for so many years that you know,

(19:03):
being the queen Bee everyone following her, you know. But
I also think it's there's something in this where I
hopefully we see in the next little bit that she
learns that maybe you you have to shift a little bit, yeah,
that you have to evolve because here's the other thing.
People aren't falling for her ship now, do you know
what I mean? Exactly, So hopefully we see that she

(19:24):
kind of learns from that and understands like, hey, I'm
going to have to find what other people like to
do sometimes not always what I want to do, and
value other people's We both know Blair has a big heart,
and she really is. She's funny, and she can be
a great friend and a great person. It's just she's
a little selfish. She's very stubborn, and she it's like

(19:44):
her way or no way, you know. So she's gonna
have to do some shifting because people aren't going to
be bossed around right now. So exactly, Sorry, Blair. My
philosophy has always been the rejection. Sometimes it's an invitation
to evolve or to kind of look and we're so
it's like, sometimes rejection is just rejection and you have
to power through. Sometimes rejection is an invitation needed to say,

(20:06):
you know, maybe the universe is showing me something about
myself here. So I think that for her, you know,
the personal growth that's required in order to make new
connections and make new friends, and and it's interesting to
see her in this scene and have the silly scene
with the what do they call themselves, the Masters of
the Universe. Yeah, you know, even though she's being totally

(20:26):
bossy and mean to them right up the gat, it's like,
there's still there is room for her. And I guess
what I'm saying is that there is room for her
at n y U. It's just her finding you know,
finding connections totally. Well that's so that's the other thing.

(20:53):
So Lily comes back from being with CC. So I
guess CDC is feeling better now, she says, which thankfully
because everybody loves C. I mean, she's you know, or
loves to hate Cecy. Right, And meanwhile, Kelly's coming back,
who just had a baby, So let's keep that in mind,
Like she has a fresh little baby. That's why she's
probably in the dressing room, you know, probably in her

(21:14):
trailer for sure. So she's back, and so she basically
the first thing she does is surprise the Rufus and Serena,
and she's like, why are you here and not at
um not at school. Yeah, so immediately Serena has to
deal with coming clean. Of course, Lily is disappointed. There's
a really nice scene here where Serena and Rufus practice

(21:35):
telling Lily, which is really funny, where LUs Rufus is
doing like a Lily impression, which I really got a
kick out. I like that. Serena's like, she wouldn't do that,
she would turn her head this way, wouldn't hit the table.
I'm like, okay, Serena, Yeah, that was very cute. But
it's like so basically they have to tell Lily, and
Lily is immediately disappointed and of course convinced that she

(21:56):
will be able to turn the tide on this um.
But but Serena's solution is to say, I'm not just
gonna gallopant around New York. I'm going to get a job,
you know, which I think Lily finds a little bit laughable.
And then pretty quickly she has a serendipitous run in
with Olivia's publicist. Well, she's actually at the same cafe
with Olivia and Olivia's publicists, bunch of paparazzi are outside.

(22:19):
When Olivia gets up, She's like, oh my gosh, what
do I do? And then Serena kind of overhears and
then turns and says, hey, go out through the kitchen,
turn left, but she literally gives us a whole explanation
of how to get out of there. And then Olivia
knows that it's Serena. Wait, you're Serena ander Woodson, right,
and she's like yeah, so anyways, yes, Olivia leaves and
then her publicist, Casey, is like, oh, I think you

(22:42):
would work well, do well in this world, right, So
it's like she basically sees an opportunity to, you know,
take advantage of Serena's life experiences and who she is
and brings her into the publicity world. And in this case,
there's a premiere that night, so she ends up a
signing Serena too. The Tyra Banks's character who was named

(23:04):
what is her name? Ursula, and this is Olivia's co
star in the movie that is premiering this and they
tell much like so that she's like this really kind
of dramatic, hard to deal with person. In the first scene,
she comes out throwing dresses and you know, she's it
looks like she's going to be a handful. But then
very quickly we see that Serena and uh Ursula have gone,

(23:25):
have made a connection, They've had a little slumber party,
they've basically so immediately we see that Ursula is just
a wonderful, complicated person who is an actor, who is
you know, nervous about this big premiere, that it's a
big deal. So immediately that character becomes humanized. And I mean,
I don't know about you. I don't know if you
ever watched Tyra banks is other stuff, but you know,
she has such a big personality, but also in this

(23:48):
character plays a very vulnerable and you know, sweet hearted
a character that I really related to him, was rooting
for here. So yeah, well she's so fierce and so
beautiful and been around for so long and like, um,
you know, so when you do see this like softness,
you're like, oh, you're kind of like taking it back

(24:09):
a little bit, but you love it. I almost don't know,
she looks almost better now than she did early on.
I'm like, yeah, she never just like she never changed
beautiful always. Yeah, maybe that's also with her like heart
and her good energy and stuff also comes through, because
when someone's really sweet and wonderful, you know, you shine
in a different light. I feel like, you know, I

(24:29):
definitely agree with that, and she has in this character.
There's like, you know, she's been working really hard for
something and that she's on the precipice of a big
success and it just has to you know, she just
has to kind of step into that door of opportunity
and everything in this is relying on this big high
stakes scene that she got to play as an actor
in the movie. It's it's like you kind of start

(24:50):
rooting for her immediately, and um, and you know, also,
and I think it's interesting to see Tyra Banks in
that role because as as long as I can remember,
she has been a supermodel and a superstar. So for
her to portray someone at the beginning of their career
goes to so that she has some pretty solid acting
chops because she delivers it really beautifully. So yeah, and

(25:13):
you're rooting for her, and then yeah, I thought she
brought her a game for sure. And this this whole
storyline was like interesting to me too, because I'm like, wait,
so Casey's here with Olivia Ursula is here with Serena,
and then it's also like Serena at the end it
is like, you know, is like I'm not going to
work at her company unless she hires you, because Casey
ends up telling Serena that they're not going to work

(25:35):
together because of the way Ursula stormed out. Yeah. And
it's another example of like Lily is always right because
Lily comes in and it's like, look, she's using you
for your you know who you are, your your notoriety,
and then it turns out that she's right because Casey
wants her to talk Ursula into embarrassing herself for for

(25:55):
press like press, Yeah, which doesn't make a tremendous a
lot of amount of sound because publicists are usually working
on behalf of the actors they represent, But whatever um
Right in the end, it's like basically Serena has to
face her either acting out of her own integrity or
keeping the job, and she chooses integrity and friendships so

(26:16):
to protect Ursula totally. And that's where I think the
way they write these characters are Serena is where you
keep falling in love with Serena the whole time. You're like, wow,
you just love her because not only like then does
she get the job taken from her then you know,
the main client, So she's not going to stay at
the company unless Serena stays there. That's just such a

(26:36):
Serena moment in Gossip Girl. Like I always think things
like this happened to her, like it's the craziest thing.
But then she like saves the world or saves the
day and saves that, you know, and I'm always like,
this is so funny, like to Serena thing. That is
such a Serena thing. Absolutely it is. But I also
do like that she didn't lose her integrity and she
did do the right thing, like, you know, I really do.

(26:58):
I like that she keeps getting tested and usually she
comes out on top in terms of like, yeah, when
she's able to make that choice, you know, she she'll
make the choice for the better ment of the other person,
which is nice. And I think even though she's not
in college, it's like we're we're still we're still going
to see personal growth, you know, because she's still on
her journey, even though it's not the journey that Lily
wants for her, right right, What did you think of that, Like,

(27:21):
it's Lily wanting Serena so badly to go to Brown
because she she's doesn't want Serena to make the same
mistake she did. Like there's something really that Serena is
not feeling to go to Brown now? Is it because
she's scared? Is I don't know, but I'm wondering why.
Sometimes I feel like it's so pushed, Like why is
Lily need her to go, like if she really doesn't

(27:43):
want to do. Yeah, I know it's all situational and
everyone's beliefs are different. I just sometimes watching this, I'm like,
maybe just take six months to figure something out because
colleges still be there. Well, why is it so important
for Lily? I mean, some people don't need to go
to college at all. Some people taking that gap makes
a lot of sense for them. And so I think
that with Lily, we see that overbearing parenting style and

(28:05):
it's always comes into question. But in a way, I
think she's a little bit right because what Serena isn't
doing and she isn't facing what actually is an issue,
So she's seems to be chasing this and that was
my father, right, Yeah, So I think it's like she
wants she wants to find her dad, and and the
failure to do that in this previous summer I think

(28:27):
sent her on a spiral. So she actually isn't in
a healthy place. She's not in a place of like,
you know what, I need a year off for self discovery.
I think she's like a little bit lost. So I
think Lily has the right maternal instinct, which is to say,
you need some guidance now. But pushing her to Brown
maybe isn't the thing. But if Serena was really being
honest with everyone, then maybe they could all work together

(28:48):
to make sure that her next year of life is fantastic. Right.
So I feel like right now there's a part of
that where it's like it's very complicated because there's a
part of I'm sure for Serena with the whole father situation,
that's a lot to digest that there's someone who is
making an effort not to see you or not to

(29:09):
know you. It's a very big, hard issue. Yeah, and
then there's like adding everything else, and maybe that's where
Lily's coming from. I don't know. It's like you said,
I can see both. Lily really need could ask herself
to like why is it so important that my daughter
go to Brown? Is it just cash A? Is it
just is it that she doesn't she wants a better
life for Serena than she had for herself. Or is

(29:31):
it that that feels good to her because it's something
she can brag about. So I feel like those questions
always come into play with her too. So You're like,
what is it? Because that's why for me, it's like
what is yes, Like that's my question. I'm like, Lily,
why is it so important to you and Serena? Why
why do you not want to? For there? Was she
was pumped about Brown for a minute, you know, And

(29:52):
it is, you know, interesting because she's the only character
who would be leaving. So yeah, it's scary. I mean,
I left my town, you know, and I grew up
an in Anna and I went to college in New York.
I remember that moment of being like, by everyone and
everything I've ever known, I'm gonna go live my life
over here. So you know, it's crazy because I actually
think it's really interesting that we ask young people at

(30:13):
seventeen eighteen years old to make that huge move because
it is especially in the United States, people tend to
go to school far from home, whereas like you know,
in other you know, my Polish family, they all stay
in the town where they are to go to school.
And so I feel like that idea of really leaving
the fold and saying I'm gonna start my new life
and I'm gonna go here, and you know, it's a scary,

(30:34):
scary time of life. And um, so I think it's
part of what's so great about letting these characters grow
up is that we get to see them experience this
the kind of the scary part of the transition to Yeah,
but there's also probably a lot of like shocking things.
You know, you don't really know the roommate that you're
going to have, Like, there's just so many things, and
but also can be super fun and you and you

(30:55):
probably really you also make some you know at that
point to make some your best friends for your life too. Yeah,
and that's the great thing about college is that those
friendships sometimes are found in unlikely places. So you know,
and you together that would never ever otherwise maybe me
or be friends. Yeah, And there's a really fantastic scene

(31:17):
when so basically we go to the premiere, Dan realizes
that Olivia is Olivia and not Kate, and you know,
they kind of had I knew that before, but didn't
know was to that extreme because remember she's like, well,
my life is like you know, I don't stand yeah,
and he's like, well I dated someone who was kind

(31:37):
of in the spotlighter. I don't remember what he s
talking about. And he was talking about Serena, right, Serena.
I mean who else is dand dating? Like I guess
what's his name, Pete Davidson, who's dating rights? Right? So Dan.
So then he gets to the premiere and he realizes like, oh,
this is like really wild what it is. But he

(31:58):
also said I thought you were working. You could have
just told me, like you didn't want to hang out
to a liberal says that, and she's like, well what
I am? You know, because he's not really because there's
a mirror movie and she's the star, and like, yeah,
her doing the red carpet and interviews is work, which
is funny because I do feel like people if you're
not in our industry, Like sometimes Brad has come to
stuff with me and he's like, this is your work,

(32:19):
and I'm like, well you probably yeah, like get you know,
doing a carpet or doing the interviews are going to
be compressed, and I'm like, well, yeah, it's all part
of it. And sometimes it looks more glamorous than it is,
even though it can all be fun at times or
tiring at times, you know, but it's like people parties, right,
but sometimes people only see the like stepping on the

(32:40):
carpet and people yelling your name like they're not understanding
like you know, getting up at four in the morning
to do the press and getting on flights and all
the things, you know what I mean. And I mean,
just on that topic. It's like I always think it's
interesting to see, like you know, these stories of like
movie premieres and and you know, when you actually start
breaking down, like what it means is to be one

(33:00):
of those stars on the carpet, Like the idea that
everybody's looking at you and you have a persona to maintain,
you have a way you have to comport yourself. That's
a really stressful thing that a lot of people. It's
a really big point of discomfort for people public speaking,
you know, getting out in front of people, you know,

(33:21):
social anxiety. So I feel like, you know, nine of
the world can understand that one of the hardest things
to do is to be yourself and to present yourself,
you know, to people who are staring at you. So
it does work in that regard. And yeah, and you
can mess up, you can say the wrong thing, you
can fall down, like I mean, you know these it's
of course, it's not brain surgery, and there are every

(33:42):
job has its difficulties in its um pros and cons.
But this idea of having to be a certain person
um can be hard. And it makes sense in this
episode that she's really struggling with that and she wants
to escape it. She wants to have you know, just
just Olivia time, just be herself and go to school
and so yeah, and part of it too, on top

(34:03):
of all that trying to be yourself and and you know,
do well getting into these roles like doing her job,
it's also like you're under a magnifying glass and people
are criticizing your work and what you're wearing and all
the things, you know, like and even when we were
on on this show coming out, you know, like all
the reviews and what the parents were saying and all

(34:24):
the things. And that's why sometimes people be like, how
do you do it? I'm like, I don't read it all,
like if I did, I would drive myself crazy. And
Olivia she now gets to n y U and sees
all these people that are her age, that can just
walk and get a coffee and not be bothered or
go do this, and she's got to worry about her
premieres and people judging her and all the people on
her floor signing up an n d A right, and

(34:46):
she's so embarrassed about it. Yeah. Yeah, so that's like
to to try to be normal and then have your
life be that way. But but then you're also seeing
it all in front of you. That's gotta be tough.
But then again, if you would probably ask Olivia, would
you go back and not take that first all that
blew you up? She'd probably say no, I would have
taken it, so of course, right. But but there's a
really good point made in this episode, which I think

(35:07):
is like this idea that her representative, Casey, is doing
all this stuff on her behalf, and that when she
realizes that her representative has sent non disclosure agreements to
all of her floormates, she's embarrassed and like you know,
when you are in the public eyeor, when you're when
you're an actor or a performer, and you have team

(35:30):
a team and people representing you. It's like a lot
of times you don't get to speak for yourself. So uh,
you know, I think we hear all these stories about
celebrities being like I only like green Eminem's or whatever,
and you're like, you never even know if that's true
because everything is always funneled through all these other people
who are in the mix, you know. So I think
that's an interesting storyline here. I like that moment because

(35:51):
we don't see that very often. Is the fact that
she's like, oh man, Casey, Casey, Casey is blowing up
my effort of being cool and making real connections here.
So kind of yeah, she's like, I don't want these
girls to hate me anymore, like now they're you know,
and you know I've seen both. Yeah, our industry is
very um like fickle with that kind of stuff because

(36:13):
it's like if you say, okay, she just wants a
cold ice water, that doesn't mean that this person is
a diva. She just wants maybe that's just a nine
hour flight right right, or maybe she did an ascro one.
So there's different things. And then there's you know, and
we also know that there are obviously some diva's out
there that you know, do want only blue eminem's. But
of course there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe that's something

(36:35):
where they're like, hey, I can only perform this way
because that's what I write the fuel of the Yeah,
so it's just funny. It's all obviously again situational, but um,
I do like that you see that in this where
it's like, Okay, you know, Casey's like kind of being
selfish because she wants her to have this press because
you know, that's what she gets paid for, but willing

(36:56):
to like lose her integrity and obviously a real minute
later too, Yeah, because like we see later with Ursula
that you know, she's she's a little bit of a
schemer that Casey and I don't think she probably doesn't represent. Uh,
most publicists come at their work in a different, very
different way. But in the terms of the Gossip Girl,
I don't think, you know, having this time, there's always

(37:19):
that person who has malevolent intentions that's like stirring the
pot and testing all of our characters, right, So totally,
But you know, this premiere that we see here is
also funny because they have. They went ahead and shot
like a scene of the movie because we watched like
a little short scene of the movie. So That'svie was
very funny because I was like, are they going to
go and shoot this like, you know, world War two drama?

(37:42):
And they did. They did like a little bit. Yeah,
it was cute. And then how about at the end
of the premiere, So Blair has the sleepover and these
girls from concerts are there and she's about to tell
the story of how she got Chuck to tell her
that he loved her, and then there's a blast that
goes out and one of the girls are like, you know,

(38:03):
there's a gossip girl blast, and Chuck is seen at
a premiere of Olivia Burke's new movie with Jenny Humphrey.
So dunt dunda. So that happens, and then we get
to the premiere and Blair shows up, and then a
photographer asked Blair to stop on the carpet as she's
leaving and says, wait, can I take your photo? And
Blair goes to me and he goes, yeah, you're Blair Waldorf,

(38:25):
aren't you. And in that moment for me, I'm like,
oh my gosh. She needed that she's going through something
right now, she has her insecurities, maybe this will give
her a boost of like that she confidence and validation. Yes,
And I know that that sounds like really lame, like
you need some photographer to like, but maybe it was
that little thing to be like I am being seen

(38:45):
and I am here and I am Blair Waldorf. And
I felt for Blair in that moment because I saw
even the way Layton played it like okay, she like
there was a little glimpse of hope, and Park came
back a little bit and then you know, we find
that we go to and I'm like, you know, the
guy's leaning into the limo and Chucks like, you know,
we're done here. But the photographer says, why did you

(39:07):
want me to take a picture of that girl? And
he says something like I always knew she could fly,
but we needed a magic feather like yes. So then
when I saw he was doing doing that, I also
love that because what what Blair and Chuck do is
they see the strength in each other and they see

(39:28):
when someone's really like where they need to be lifted
up again, and they lift each other up in the
best way. It was like what we saw in the
last episode about the photo at the auction, you know,
like she was giving up the invitation so that he
could have the photo. And then you know, now we're
finding out that like he was doing that to just
pick her up and give her that confidence again. And

(39:49):
I thought, that's what I really like about those two.
Oh yeah, it's and it's great because it was like
behind the scenes stuff, so it's like, you know, he's
not going to get the credit for that, it's just
that he really needed. He needed to get her out
of that phone. He needed to get her out of
that slumber party totally. And and and it was like
the way it all went down, like going to the
premiere with Jenny, to get her attention, to get her

(40:10):
to come there, to get the photo taken of her,
to like the chess game that he played to get
her there, to make that all go down, to make
her feel good for for a minute again, was just like,
oh yeah, oh definitely. I wanted to ask you because

(40:37):
we're talking about premiere so much, and I know you
have a movie premiering right now, and I'm wondering, like,
how exciting is it to know that some work that
you made is coming into people's televisions and homes or
is it a thrilling part of the process or a
scary part. I'm excited because it's my first Christmas movie,
holiday movie, and that's my favorite time of the year.

(40:58):
It's and I just had a really fun time making it.
My whole family, like Brad, Lexi and Bowie all got
to be with me in Canada for um why I
was filming. So I just had a really good experience
with everyone on it. And I'm just so pumped that
were at that time of year and that I got
to do this like fun, feel good movie, right, you know.
So watching the premiere in this episode and watching sort

(41:20):
of the pain that Ursula goes through because her big
scene is cut, but Serena says something interesting to her,
which she says, you know, you're an artist, you're an actor,
Like you should be gracious and um, you know, just
move forward, and like I feel like it's you know,
in this life of you know, seeking a life and
a career in the arts, it's like sometimes you have

(41:41):
to you do your work, you put your heart into it,
and then you just let it fly. And sometimes it's
sometimes the result is not what you expected, but you
know it's like, uh, you know, Serena was wise. Serena
sometimes very wise. No, Serena is wise a lot, and
she's that's why sometimes I like she seems just older
than everyone because she's giving advice as that she's been

(42:03):
through things that like she's thirty five. But um, it
is true. And if we don't do that as artists
and actors, we could drive ourselves absolutely crazy and it
can can affect our work on on such a level.
But you know, again, you just see a lot of
people see the finished work. There's a like a photo
out there of a ballerina's foot and it's all cut

(42:25):
up and tore up, and there's like scrapes and she's
it's the on their toes and it just looks gnarly.
You're like, oh my god. And then it shows one
of just the ballerina slipper looking perfect. You only see
the finished products. So everything that's going into this like
beautiful thing that's done. You didn't see the blood, sweat
and tears. It's like the tip of a glacier, right,
Yeah I heard that. Yeah, yeah, I mean yeah, And

(42:48):
it's like they're so right. So it's like in this
episode two, it's like we see the obviously I'm Hillary's character,
um Olivia is, you know, she's at work, and then
that moment of release, like that moment of like taking
off the l a shoe is is this lovely scene
that she has back at the dorm with Vanessa where
they come to they come to sort of become friends.

(43:09):
I think in that moment that scene was great. And
I mean, we haven't even talked about this, but I
know you you knew Hillary before, but like, in creating
these two characters together, what was it like doing these
sort of roommates scenes. It was fun. I just think
the dynamic of Vanessa and Olivia, even in this scene,
really sets a tone of um, there's like a respect

(43:29):
there and you can tell they like each other, you know.
Vanessa says, she tells her she's not going to look
at her as a celebrity, that she's just her roommate.
And Olivia admits that coming to m YU made her
want to be normal, but she's also saying she can't
just be She has to show both or have both sides,
Like she can't want to be normal and let go
of the whole movie star Olivia Burke that that's part

(43:53):
of but she liked that. Here's where Vanessa, I think,
you know, triggers her like, oh call Scott, but yeah
that scene. Um. I always liked working with Hillary. She's
she's so professional, she's so great. She's been around for
so long, so she really knows a set knows, you know,
and I really feel like she brought Olivia to life
in a really great way. And it was really something

(44:13):
different for the show. Obviously Net Network, you know, we're
not in the high schooling. Everybody was like, you know,
it's always thrilling when the show is like gets his
legs and then starts going and become popular and then
all of a sudden you get these really cool, high
profile guest stars to come in and people are excited
to see them. So like that was a big one
and really exciting. And yeah, and it was just funny too,

(44:34):
Like at the premiere she's like, well, Vanessa says, I
gotta find Olivia and he's like, you know Olivia. Like
it was funny because again, it was one of those
moments where I was like, yeah, I know Olivia, you know, yeah,
she's my roommate. Yeah. It was the one person who
wasn't you know in this premiere storyline was Jenny because

(44:54):
I mean, well Jenny was at the premiere with um
but her, but the big drama with her was sort
of happening, you know, back at Constance in a way.
And so at the end of the episode we realize
that her minions are back right um and she's like
meet me at the met Yes, like yogurt ready for me,
which was fantastic moment. And so tact we go full

(45:18):
circle with her. So we start the episode with her,
you know, kind of has off the headband, and then
she goes and tries to makes this beautiful speech about
all this egalitarian stuff. We're gonna have no Queen Bee,
It's gonna be great. Everyone's everyone's popular, and then goes
through the gamut with Blair and then comes out the
other end as the classic you know, dictator, bossy Queen

(45:41):
be Allah Miss Blair. So it's kind of funny because
we come all the way around. So we land with
Jenny's back and Jenny Gina is out there in the
world somewhere causing some sort of turmoil with Scott. Yeah,
Vanessa calls Scott and uh, it's just kind of saying, hey,
thinking about you, and he's like, I can't talk long.

(46:03):
I have to take this, and then you hear afterwards
he answers a call from Georgina and he agrees to
go and meet her at a restaurant a block away.
So now you know that she's she's in Boston, Like
that's where he went back. That's why we found out
last episode. Yeah, Georgina made what are you doing now, girl? Like,
what are you doing? And also she's missing classes? Hello,

(46:24):
she supposed to be. Yeah, we can't all around. Yeah
we have we're supposed to go to class. Um. Yeah,
so it's fun. I mean, we have a lot of Yeah.
So by the end of this episode two, I think
we're done with Serena's PR career, publicity career. Yeah. I like,
I liked it because I understand what we had to

(46:45):
do for that for this episode, but I was also
just not feeling it. This isn't like a Serena situation
for me, you know, I agree, And it was weird,
you know because, yeah, because she's such a glamorous character
and she's sort of the center of attention. Watching her
uh be even that's part of it. Yeah, watching her
be on the other side of the camera. You know,
it just felt weird because to me, you know, it's

(47:05):
like she just has such a star quality as a character. Yeah.
Even her standing next to Tyra though, and I mean
this in the best way, because they're both beautiful and studding.
She's just doesn't look like she just graduated from high
school next to this beautiful supermodel. I'm like, you both
look like your supermodels, and like, you know, what's her
name said at one point, says, you know, don't listen
to her. She's a teenager. And I'm like, she doesn't

(47:26):
look like, yeah, it looks like a fantastic supermodel movie star,
so I guess. Yeah, so it's yeah, you're right, those
are things are funny. But but I think it's like
we have Lily back on, you know, so we'll see
what happens there. We have um, you know, uh, Olivia
moved in and and Blair continues her thing at m
I U. Now there's a couple more I feel like

(47:48):
minions come in now from what I was saying earlier,
and now I feel like she has found a couple
of girls. Then there's a garment bag waiting for her. There.
They they're like, look behind you. She gets this garment bag.
So maybe Blair did find her people that are gonna
make Blair be able to do her thing because she
was falling. Blair was falling. She's like, you know, if

(48:09):
she's not bossing people around, I don't really know she
knows what to do right, right, So yeah, we'll see
what happens. But it is really interesting because we never
talked about things. When when Chuck gets there and Deronda
comes out holding, she says she's having a cram session
like a studying session. This is earlier in the episode
and I meant to touch on this before. And then

(48:30):
she tells Chuck that because she doesn't want Chuck to
know that she's having a slumber party. Yeah, it's embarrassing
with the girls from concerts because it is embarrassing, like,
come on, Blair. And then Derota comes out holding, She's like,
what do you want me to do with What was
it like for the for the betting or whatever. Yeah,
it was like a bunch of silk betting. Yeah, so
it's like you know, and Chuck immediately is like, it's
the wall door slumber party, which is really funny. Yeah,

(48:52):
but I love a de rote A moment. There was
also a good de rot A moment. When I was
watching the episode. My boyfriend was working around near me
and he glanced over when the Deronda was passing out
martiniz to high school students, and so we got to
laugh out of that. Blairs like these martinis are two
watered down. Um, so you know, I love the Toronto

(49:14):
is just doing what she has to do. Man, you
know she's going to make Flair happy. Yeah, whatever you need,
Blair jin martinis for high school sophomores. But you know, yeah,
speaking of we talked about this a couple episodes ago.
I have to touch on this quick because after we
got off, I went and looked up Vanessa's drink and

(49:36):
I for some reason, I don't know why I said Jin,
because if it was gonna be Gin, I would it
would have been maybe Ceci, who doesn't have a drink
on the menu I saw, But Ceci was, yeah, entire
hotel they have drinks on named after the characters, some
of the characters on the show. But CC was like,
remember she smells like Gin and Chanelle number five was
the whole thing about her. So I don't know why

(49:58):
in my mind and and I went and had it.
But you did say maybe they switched them. Maybe it's
definitely anyways, because I had seen different things there. Yeah. Yeah.
The one that I saw for Vanessa was a like
vodka cranberry, like something else, which is something I would
definitely like if I was in New York and at
the Empire Hotel, would would try So I don't know, tryer.

(50:19):
In my mind it was a gin, but Blair was gin,
which was like it was like satur and bitter. It
said something, right, I guess it makes sense. Yeah, and
then it's well because gin, well, I mean, she's definitely champagne,
but if you're making a cocktail, I guess jim makes sense.
And then in this episode she in fact is drinking
to martini, so I guess they were on point with
that maybe. And then Serena's was like champagne and topped

(50:43):
off a champagne. What was Nate? Oh, I don't remember now,
but I feel like Nates had to have had like
a little bit of beer in it, little beer. I
mean that, Yeah, here we go, Okay. Nates was um
Saint Germaine sour blackberries. Um Jenny's was white rum mint,

(51:07):
ruby red grapefruit. Lonely Boy is Brooklyn lagger Maker's mark
Bourbon uh Chuck Bass is a tad on the small
and weak side. But for those who like sweeter fruity drinks,
this Scotch apple and ginger concoction is the way to go.
Um the XO XO drink is it says, figure me out.

(51:31):
So that's interesting, probably, Like I like that show and
what was and what was Geroda? She was a vodka
like vodka as well? No, yeah, the one when I
was there, I saw it. It was like a vodka.
I think it was like a vodka apple juice or
something like that, Like there was like an apple. There's
like there's a Polish vodka um called which is like
has a bison grass a piece of bison grass in it,

(51:53):
and it's like slightly herb herbal kind of um, it's
kind of a herbal vo It's very popular and poles.
I think it was that with like apple juice and something,
which makes sense because it's like kind of a Polish cocktail.
But yeah, so I feel like, you know, if anybody's
gonna have a cocktail, its roade. I'm sorry she fell
off the list, but you know, if anybody's drinking. This
is like a chapter one. No, it was definitely on

(52:17):
there and then um, serenas I'm trying to find um
might tangy easy, knocked back, don't be pulled by the champagne,
honey and water, and champagne is topped with plenty of
vodka something vodka can't see. They really know how to
describe anyways, they are really trying to do it. Yeah,
and gray goose hair nectar and white grape juice for Vanessa.

(52:39):
You know, people ask me all the time, like when
I meet fans in in in the world, I get
asked a lot to say um when it comes when
Gossip Girls revealed and everything. And there's something about vodka
in the rocks no rocks or something just like rocks,
something about the So she's definitely drinking, like and I

(53:02):
remember that they were pouring me like these huge vodkas
that were like triples um for the same So I
was like, Doroto was really tying it on because Dorota
has a lot she's hard working, so she has very
hard she's got a lot of secrets, works very hard,

(53:22):
long hours. All right, so should we should we wrap
it up? Yeah, let's see that. There's a quite a
quite a lengthy quite today. Yeah. Oh man, who she'll
read it? Should I do it? Yeah? Go for it. Okay,
here's the closing Gossiprol quote. If you ask me, we
go to the movies because we want to see fairy tales.

(53:43):
A sleeping queen woken by her true love's kiss, a
princess who puts aside her jewels to make her way
in the world. Lovers torn apart being brought back together.
But life isn't a fairy tale, and happy endings are
few and far between. In life, the young queen becomes
tyrant and takes her subjects to war. So that's why
we need movies to remind us that despite it all,

(54:06):
love can still spring in the most unlikely places, and
that sometimes even fairy tales can come true. XO XO
Gossip Girl. Wow, well that's a good lesson. Even fairy
tales can come true. I love it. Yes, that is
why we need movies, and that's why we need Gossip
Girl good to remind us. You know, funny, glamorous, crazy plotlines,

(54:30):
but you know, it's fun to watch, and I feel
like we always get something out of it. And so yeah,
we're go down that and got Olivia's at M y U.
Serena is not going to Brown. We are not sure
where what Nate's doing at M y U. Why why
is he just we've lock of that, but it doesn't
matter and we'll see what you know, what what comes.

(54:52):
And the one thing we know for sure is that
nobody's really doing any homework. So no one's doing homework.
This is true. That's like evers version of college totally.
I know, like there's so much time that you're like
studying and reading and not getting sleep and they're going
to premieres, parties and auctions. Without that, it wouldn't be

(55:15):
gossip Girl. It's true. Well, thank you all for listening,
stay tuned or we'll see you next week. Um, and
there's a lot to come. This was an interesting episode
because it felt like, yeah, there was just a lot
of new introductions kind of off, not offset, but kind
of like we weren't following the normal a few of

(55:38):
the story storylines. I mean, yeah, I left them on
the back, take a back seat stuff, right. So it's
a good one. Yeah, yeah, it is good. And I
also feel like Serena is gonna she She's definitely learned
something from this situation, Like all of a sudden, I
think whatever is next for her is going to be
major for her for Lily because I don't it's not

(55:59):
going to be brown own because she's fighting it too hard.
So we'll see. But we will be back next week. Everyone.
Thank you so much, Thank you. XO XO is produced
by Propagate Content and Meet Jessica's Or. Our show is
executive produced by Linkley. Our senior producer is Diego Tapia.

(56:21):
Our producers are Hannah Harris, Emily Carr, and Kristin Vermilia,
and our intern is Sammy Cats. Original music by Moxi
and Luke and the episode was mixed by Seth o
Landski