May 6, 2025 • 45 mins
The stunning shores of Hawaii serve as the backdrop for HBO's White Lotus, a darkly comedic examination of privilege that will leave you both laughing and squirming uncomfortably. At the luxurious White Lotus resort, three sets of wealthy guests arrive for what should be paradise but quickly reveals itself as anything but.
Jennifer Coolidge delivers a tour-de-force performance as Tanya McQuoid, a wealthy, boundary-less woman who arrives alone to scatter her mother's ashes. Desperately lonely and emotionally wounded from childhood trauma, Tanya latches onto Belinda, the resort's spa manager, whose natural healing presence becomes both a comfort and a target. We watch as Tanya dangles the possibility of funding Belinda's own wellness center, creating false hope while monopolizing the service worker's time both on and off the clock.
The relationship between these two women brilliantly illustrates the show's central theme: how those with wealth and privilege can unknowingly (or sometimes knowingly) exploit those with less power. Coolidge's masterful portrayal makes Tanya simultaneously sympathetic in her brokenness and frustrating in her obliviousness. When a mysterious man named Greg enters the picture, Tanya's attention shifts immediately, revealing just how fleeting her "commitment" to Belinda truly was.
What makes White Lotus so compelling is its refusal to offer neat resolutions or redemptive character arcs. These guests arrive at the resort as flawed individuals and leave essentially unchanged, much like real life. The show serves as a mirror reflecting uncomfortable truths about class, power dynamics, and the ways we use others to fulfill our own needs. Coolidge's unforgettable performance—from her drawn-out delivery to her hilarious attempt at scattering ashes into the wind—creates moments of genuine comedy amidst the show's darker themes.
Ready to check in to the White Lotus? This brilliantly crafted first season will have you eagerly awaiting your reservation for seasons two and three. Subscribe now to join the conversation about one of HBO's most talked-about series!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Niq (00:01):
Hi guys, and welcome to next episode with your host,
nick, and.
Jess (00:05):
I'm.
Niq (00:06):
Jess, and today we're going to be talking about White Lotus
season one only because we'relate to the White Lotus train
and we are starting from thevery beginning, and actually we
I didn't know a lot about theshow.
Did you know what the show wasabout before you started?
Jess (00:23):
No, I had no clue.
I heard people Everyone wassaying that it was good, but I
didn't know what it was about.
Niq (00:30):
Yeah, also, I only knew that it was about a hotel and I
know that they were having likethey had three different seasons
, but I didn't know what theshow was honestly going to be
about.
But I did spend like 13 yearsin hospitality management, so I
tend to like stay away fromhotel shows, but I thought like,
(00:54):
okay, I'll give this one achance.
Jess (00:55):
That's how I am with hospital shows.
I completely get it, unlessit's scrubs, I'm not doing it.
I do love scrubs.
Niq (01:04):
So to give like a an overview of the show, at least
of season one, because that'sall that we know, um, this show
takes place in a resort inhawaii and you're following
three sets of vip guests.
Yes, does that?
Jess (01:23):
sound.
Niq (01:23):
Right, that sounds right, and so, if I had to like say
something that all three sets ofguests have in common, in
addition to all being fairlywealthy, they are also fairly
miserable.
Yes, no, everybody.
Fairly miserable people,everybody which is.
It's is funny, because onegroup is a family who's going on
(01:47):
a big vacation, one group is acouple on their honeymoon, and
then the last one is a lady byherself whose mom has passed
away and she's trying to honorher last wishes by throwing her
ashes in the ocean.
So that's the character that Iwould like to start Our
(02:08):
discussion of the show With.
So she came alone To the WhiteLotus.
She did Okay.
So her name is Tanya, and wedon't know how she got her
wealth.
Jess (02:22):
No, it wasn't ever explained Not that I remember, I
just how she got her wealth.
No, you don't.
Was it ever explained?
No, it wasn't ever explained.
Not that I remember, I justassumed she came from money.
Niq (02:29):
I do think that she came from money, but she might have
acquired more money, like youknow, through marriages and
things like that.
Jess (02:38):
But yeah, her wealth is not explained.
Niq (02:42):
But from the moment you meet her, like she's kind of
miserable, of miserable but Imean, at least she's in mourning
.
Jess (02:48):
So you kind of understand.
Niq (02:50):
Like you know she's not going to be happy, but it does
feel deeper than that I right Iwas going to say if her mother
was alive and she took this sametrip, I think she would have
still been miserable, becauseshe made comments about how like
she was unlucky in love andlonely and like in general, her
(03:10):
life was not happy.
I think her mother's deathcomplicated an already unhappy
life, though I can see that,yeah, and so one of the first
things I noticed from Tanya isthat she's someone who pushes
boundaries.
Jess (03:27):
She has no boundaries.
She has no boundaries at all.
I don't even think she's awarethat she's pushing them.
I think she just does whatevershe wants to do and she's a bit
invasive in other people's space.
Niq (03:43):
Exactly so, as soon as she gets off the boat, because the
VIPs arrive via boat, which Ithought was interesting.
Jess (03:52):
So as soon as she gets off the boat.
Niq (03:54):
She starts asking the hotel manager where she can get a
massage and he introduces her toBelinda, who is the spa manager
, and Belinda's like oh know,there's no appointments.
You know, there everything'sbooked up.
And she's just like insistent,insistent on getting like a
massage.
And I can understand, like ifyour body is hurting and things
(04:19):
like that, but at the same time,if there's no appointments to
me, my next thing would be likeokay, am I able to have someone
come in and give me a massage?
Can I get a massage in my room,instead of just literally
hounding the spa manager as ifyou don't know how appointments
(04:40):
work?
Jess (04:41):
And I think, like I said, I think she's never been told no
before.
You know she's used to hermoney being able to get her
whatever she wants.
Niq (04:49):
Right.
And so Belinda does decide todo something special for her.
She doesn't give her a massage,but she's like, oh, let's do a
consultation and I'll give youwhat.
Does she call it A craniosacrum, I don't know, but it seemed
like, oh, let's do aconsultation and I'll give you
what does she call acraniosacrum?
Jess (05:08):
I don't know, but it seemed like reiki to me.
That's what.
Niq (05:10):
That's what it reminded me of well, but the lady said
anything but reiki, so I don'tthink it was reiki yeah, she's
like I'll take anything.
It doesn't have to be right shewas when she's doing something
to her head, though it was likea cranios sacrum something, and
so I honestly this was thebeginning of the end of good
(05:30):
things happening for belindabeing nice to that woman.
And so belinda she does likethis consultation and so she's
talking to this woman and italmost turns into like a
counseling session and thenshe's like doing this like
cranial sacrum head scratchthing with her and she's singing
(05:53):
like this like Hindu chant orwas a Sanskrit chant?
It was some sort of like chant.
Now, when I say the first timeI watched the show, I was like
man that looks nice and,honestly, the chant is really
beautiful and it is very calming.
(06:13):
I'm like man that is reallyreally nice.
I would let somebody do that tome.
Jess (06:21):
I feel like Blinda just has a calming presence.
You know what I mean?
I don't know, I can see, justlike her whole essence kind of
would like calm you down.
But yeah, that woman didabsolutely still kind of took
advantage and made it her owntherapy session she's a healer.
Niq (06:38):
But you can tell belinda is a healer, like, like you said,
like she is a, she is a calmingpresence, but she just has it's
just like you can tell like shemakes people better by being
around them.
Like she, she, just she has theessence of a healer and I
honestly feel like tanya feltthat energy and was like I'm
(07:03):
about to siphon off as much ofthat energy from her as I?
Jess (07:08):
yeah, no, it was definitely parasitic in nature.
I guess it definitely was fromthe beginning and so okay.
Niq (07:19):
So she, tanya, ends up telling Belinda you know, that
she really loves her servicesand she thinks that she's really
amazing and that she thinksthat she should have her own
business and she would love tohelp her with that.
Jess (07:34):
How soon after those words left her lips Immediately
Because you know it was bad.
I was like she is not going todo it, she's not going to follow
through.
Or I was like either she's notgoing to follow through and it's
not because she don't have themoney she has plenty of money to
even just waste.
You know what I mean.
I was like or she's going totake over, she's either going to
(07:54):
make it all about her or bereally controlling with it, or
something like that.
But I was like Belinda, you doneed to start your own business,
but this ain't the way.
Niq (08:04):
I agree, I do think that Belinda Does need her own
wellness center.
But I knew as soon as TanyaSaid it was BS and I Knew it
wouldn't even come To fruition.
I knew there was got becauseshe Is flighty, she's very
flighty, and so I knew shewouldn't even stick with Belinda
long Enough to have BelindaCreated and then steal it from
(08:25):
her.
She's like she mentally shedoesn't even have like that much
in her to to let it come tofruition.
So I was like come on now.
Jess (08:35):
It's the character, the dangle in front of her, to keep
taking her time and attention.
Niq (08:42):
Yes, and so she this starts her monopolizing Belinda's time
.
And so when you work inhospitality, it you work long
days and you you spend the daygiving of yourself and meeting
other people's needs.
And I can imagine like cause Iworked corporate, I can imagine,
(09:02):
because I worked corporate, Ican imagine resorts are at an
even higher level, the level ofservice, and you're wanting to
create those special moments,those magic moments have those
impacts because people are thereon vacation and so you're
already having to give ofyourself.
(09:22):
But Tanya literally wasmonopolizing all of belinda's
off time, like in, like,basically like forcing her to
have dinner with her.
Um, at one point tanya decidesthat she wants to drop her mom's
ashes in the ocean and she likeconvinces Belinda to get off
(09:45):
work early to go on this boattrip with her.
Mind you, all of this is unpaid, yeah yeah all of this actual
job.
It's either pulling her awayfrom her actual job or it's
after hours where she will beoff for this unpaid labor and
she's using her to make herselffeel good, or it's after hours
(10:06):
where she will be off for thisunpaid labor and she's using her
to make herself feel good.
And she talks about beinglonely and not wanting to, you
know, wanting to have a man withher.
And she talks about like hermom.
And you can like, when Tanyatalks about her mom, you can
tell that, yes, she had a roughchildhood growing up up.
There was a lot of abuse, therewas a lot of neglect.
(10:28):
Um, you know, her mom was not agood mother to her and so it's
not that I don't understand whytanya has those deficits, but at
the same time, like, at whatpoint are you accountable enough
to say I understand how thesedeficits were created, but I
(10:50):
need to do the work to fix them.
Yeah, yeah.
Jess (10:53):
And she has the resources to fix them.
Quite honestly, she does getall the help that she needs, but
yeah, she likes to and she saysit at some point.
Niq (11:02):
At some point she basically says that she attaches herself
to people, you know she does,she does, she does and but
here's the thing, you can tellthat she's also one of those
people who like try, who floatfrom like spiritual practice to
spiritual practice to try tolike make themselves feel better
(11:22):
without actually doing the deepwork for change.
Because even like, in the waythat she speaks, one she said
something about, in like shemade reference to past lives.
She was like she's like maybe Ithink she either says I'm like
maybe I want to do some this inmy next life or she's like I
(11:43):
think this in one of my pastlives.
And she knows about all thelike she knows about Reiki, she
knows about all of these likedifferent spiritual practices
and different spiritual paths,and I am quite sure she's tried
a lot of them.
But without, but on asuperficial level.
You can tell she's verysuperficial Even did laugh, I'm
(12:04):
not gonna lie, I did laugh.
So when belinda was giving herlike that, that first treatment
like the sacral, cranial,whatever it was, and belinda
starts chanting, and she startschanting with her and belinda's
like, oh you, I want to, andit's like, it's just like she
just wants.
I love her voice, I do too, Ido too.
(12:31):
I'm like she just wants toparticipate.
You know what I mean.
Like that's where it's verysuperficial, like, and she
wonders why her life doesn't getbetter.
You know she says that she usesmoney to control people, to get
the things that she and shedoes, and so you're self aware
(12:53):
of what you're doing, yet you'recontinuing to do it right
because even when so like shedrops Belinda like a bad habit
when she meets a man, right, butshe's still using her money to
get the to dangle in front ofthe man.
Jess (13:06):
You know what I mean Like he kind of I don't know, he's
kind of weird, he kind of goesin and out.
I'm kind of confused with himbecause I was like you are at
this super expensive resort butit don't seem like you on the
financial level of these otherpeople.
I have my theories and I'm sowhen he kind of disappears and
(13:26):
then comes back and then shewants to go to another resort
and so she's like, oh, I can payfor it.
I'm looking at her, she saysshe can get a plane or something
, but it's very clear she's likecommunicating I have money,
come with me.
Niq (13:40):
Right.
So because I have watched somany different TV shows, like I
recently did, a Lost rewatchthere is.
There's a show called Impostors.
Did you ever see Impostors?
Jess (13:56):
I'm not sure it's about like con artists.
Niq (14:01):
It's about like this woman.
Jess (14:02):
Is it only like two seasons?
Niq (14:04):
Yeah yeah, it's also about con artists.
There's a couple of other shows.
I've watched recently about conartists.
Jess (14:16):
I was sad there was no third season.
Niq (14:19):
Right, I did enjoy Impostors a lot too.
When she met him, I immediatelygot uncomfortable.
I immediately got uncomfortable.
There was something about itwas something about the way that
they met.
It reminded me of Sawyer fromLost Like I don't know.
(14:42):
If you like, he was a con artistand you watched him like con
women out of money and there wasa couple of con artists in that
show, um but you watched himcon women like, and she's like a
lonely rich woman and justmeeting this random guy, the way
that she met him and like I'mlike I immediately got
(15:03):
uncomfortable and so now?
So then I'm watching more andthis one is a nutcase and she is
.
And this guy is like, oh no, Ilike how crazy you are.
And he's also coughing a lotand pretending to be like.
I'm not saying pretending to besick, but I'm just like.
He's like oh yeah, I'm deathlyill and I just want to love you.
(15:28):
I'm just like this is all weirdto me.
Jess (15:33):
I don't trust him oh no, he's not to be trusted at all.
Niq (15:39):
I don't know, like so, okay , so season two of White Lotus.
Like I was, I finished seasonone and then, you know,
automatically season two startedand they were in Italy and
there were different people onthe boat.
None of the people from thefirst season were on the boat.
(15:59):
So then I turned it off becauseI'm like what?
What is going on?
So like overarching, I stilldon't really understand the show
, cause I'm like I don't knowany of those people on on this
boat.
So I turned it off.
So I don't know, like if weever like find out, if they like
(16:20):
happily ever after like end uptogether.
Jess (16:23):
But I don't I don't trust him.
I don't trust him either and Ithink for the most part and I
haven't watched the otherseasons either I think we will
see Tanya Tanya again and we'llsee Belinda again, but I think
the rest of those charactersit's going to be new people each
season.
Niq (16:43):
Oh really, so we don't find it's going to be new people
each season.
Oh really, so we don't find outwhat happens to the other
people?
Jess (16:50):
I don't know.
I don't know that for certain,but I do think it's different
guests each season.
That's my guess, because Ihaven't watched it.
But I think that's the premise,Because when I tried it,
because I told you, I kepttrying to look up the cast and
it kept bringing season okay.
Niq (17:10):
So in the end, um, basically tanya, when did we
start calling her?
Tanya is her name?
Tanya I was.
Jess (17:20):
That's what I'm with a friend named tanya.
I do, so let's look.
Is it tanya or?
Niq (17:23):
tanya.
I think her name is tanya and Ithink we started calling her
tanya because of our friendnamed tanya.
But so Tanya like basicallyafter monopolizing all of
Belinda's time and getting herto do all of these like sessions
with her, and like havingBelinda counsel her and lift her
(17:44):
up she basically right, dinners, all of these things like, and
this is the thing.
So, yes, like, these dinners maybe nice, but they're resort
food and she, she works at theresort, she's had this food
before.
You're not giving her anythingspecial and I'm like to me.
Jess (18:03):
I'm like I would be uncomfortable, like I don't know
.
I just see it just seems likeit's crossing the line and
crossing about it.
I would be uncomfortable as aperson who worked there, having
dinner with the guests and thengoing back like it just feels
weird.
Niq (18:15):
It is.
You are supposed to keep acertain distance from guests.
It's like you you make theguests feel like they're closer
to you than they actually are.
Like, you want to, like, createthose connections, you want
them to feel friendly and youwant them to want to come back,
and you know, but at the sametime, you're supposed to keep a
(18:40):
certain amount of distance.
It just makes sense.
Now I have worked at hotelswhere we've had long-term guests
, and I mean guests who havebeen there months, months,
months, months, months andmonths and you do develop
friendships.
You really do.
You really do Some people.
You see the same people weekafter week after week, even if
(19:02):
they go home, they come in andthey're here two to three times.
You have some people who areliterally here for months and
months and months straight.
And so, yeah, you do developsome friendships, but it's to a
certain right, you know it's toa certain point.
And like, for example, honestly, like if you met someone who
(19:23):
was a guest and they wereinvesting, like wanting to
invest in a business or start abusiness with you, like that is
nothing you would ever discusson property, nothing, nothing,
because very easily she couldhave lost her job, right, right,
and I don't think Tanya thoughtabout that for a second.
She literally like met Belindaand kind of made her like her
(19:44):
personal assistant.
Yeah, without the pay Right.
You know, tanya never had a job.
Jess (19:52):
She doesn't consider stuff like that.
She doesn't, and she certainlydoesn't think about other people
, how things affect other peopleso in the end, of course, tanya
backs out on the deal.
Niq (20:07):
She does give her a wad of cash to make herself feel better
, and I want to know how muchcash it was and I want to know
how much cash it was.
Jess (20:15):
And I don't know why she shoved it in that drawer.
Because here's the thing ashurt as I might have been, that
cash would have went in my purse.
I might have went home earlythat day just to make sure I
could put that cash in the bank.
Because I'm not playing withyou, I'm going to get something
out this week.
Niq (20:29):
Absolutely.
I was like don't put that,because I have gotten some like.
I was not someone who gottipped very often in the like
industry Because I was one amanager and two, it was more of
like a corporate environment.
But there were times when I gotlike $100 tip, $150 tip.
(20:51):
I didn't tell anybody, I didn'ttell anybody.
I put that in my that150 tip.
I didn't tell anybody, I didn'ttell anybody, I put that in my
pocket.
That was me.
They didn't say oh, this is fory'all.
They were like you have been soamazing, you have been so sweet
, thank you for helping me withthis problem.
Jess (21:08):
And so no, that went straight into my pocket
Absolutely, and I'm still kindof mad Like please don't do this
whole self-sacrificing thingright now.
No, belinda, put that money inyour purse.
Niq (21:21):
I think that goes along with her healing nature, that
desire to put other people firstand sacrifice Girl.
No, I couldn't.
I couldn't believe she.
Belinda told her son about itso.
I couldn't believe.
Belinda told her son about it.
So I'm like, oh, you reallytook that seriously.
Jess (21:37):
She did.
You can tell when she startscrying at the end, when she
realizes that it's not going tohappen.
She was heartbroken.
That's been a long-term dreamfor her For that to become a
possibility.
No, she really did believe herand as much as you know because
she's actually an employee andthis woman is like encroaching
on her time she's bothered.
(21:57):
She still was very genuine withher.
Niq (22:01):
Yes, I guess, like once again I'm looking at it through
the eyes of someone who spentway too long in hospitality Like
people are always offering youthings that they do not mean,
like oh my gosh, you're soamazing, you should come and
work for me and like all ofthese different things.
You know, I'm going to send aletter and let them know how
(22:23):
wonderful those letters never,like I might guess, will tell
you anything to make themselvesfeel better with how much they
encroached on you as a person,because they are always pushing
the line and always asking,always needing, like things that
are outside of the realm ofnormal.
(22:44):
There's a certain amount ofthings that you are expected to
do, you know and like thatservice.
That's the whole point.
There is always, always manypeople who are asking you to go
above and beyond of what isnormal and will willing to
create problems for other peopleto have their needs met.
(23:04):
And those people lie to you andtell you that it's worth it
because they're going to do xyz.
And it never happens, and Ithink maybe that's why, as soon
as she said that I'm like girl,she's lying to you.
Jess (23:18):
It'll never happen.
Yeah, I don't know.
I feel bad for Belinda.
Niq (23:21):
I did feel bad for Belinda too, because I feel like she
should have asked for somethingelse.
I feel like she should havewhen Tanya said oh, you know I
can help you, you know I can payfor it, blah, blah, blah.
I feel like Belinda should havesaid can you hire a business
consultant for me who will helpme formulate the plan?
(23:44):
That way she wouldn't have torely on Tanya's whims, because
she has someone who can help heron Tanya's whims, because she
has someone who can help her.
And when she didn't do itimmediately, belinda would have
known oh, she's not serious andI need to stop wasting my time
(24:05):
Because Belinda is there frommorning to night.
Yeah, managers, hospitalitymanagers, we had the worst hours
.
Like there's no such thing asholiday, there's no such thing
as weekends.
Like you have to be on call24-7.
The thing I love most about myjob is when eight hours hit.
(24:26):
It does not matter I could bein the middle of something.
Okay, well, got to go, I'llpick it up tomorrow.
Nothing is life or death.
Nothing is life or death.
And in hospitality, everythingis life or death.
Three o'clock in the morning oh, the water went out.
Well, I'm not a plumber, Istill have to get up out of my
(24:48):
bed, you know, even though Ican't do anything to make the
situation better.
Okay, so I'm sorry, my uh, youfroze for a second, but I think
that was my internet okay, yeah,because you disappeared, so
okay how did you feel aboutTanya as a character?
Jess (25:22):
oh, I thought she was a really interesting character,
especially for the show.
You know what I mean.
Like you know, yeah, she's amess.
She's a beautiful mess and itgave so much drama to the show.
I enjoyed it but, like you know, I'm like, oh goodness, I feel
for people who have to deal andit gave so much drama to the
show.
I enjoyed it but, like you know, I'm like, oh goodness, I feel
for people who have to deal withguests like that.
Niq (25:41):
She was very, very entertaining.
Okay, new question Do you thinkthey wrote that role for
Jennifer Coolidge specifically?
Jess (25:49):
Yes, yes, I mean everything.
Like Jennifer Coolidge, hervoice adds so much to every role
she does.
And just like the neediness andthe long drawn out words, and
I'm like, oh my god, yes,because like who else, I can't
see anybody else do it now Icannot.
Niq (26:05):
I'm like, did I honestly feel like either they wrote that
role for her specifically or,once she was casted, they went
in and edited, edited the scriptto fit her more, because it's
just, it was so perfect.
It was the way that she saysthings and her mannerisms and
(26:27):
her facial features.
She was talking about her momon the boat and I was laughing
and I'm like this is, I'm likethis is so terrible, but no one
else is going to make me likelaugh during that time Right and
carry it off that well, youknow they're sad and mourning,
(26:48):
but it is still hilarious, oh mygod even the way she was
throwing her mom's ashes off theboat was funny to me because it
looked like she was like theashes were blowing back.
I'm like, can you like justthrow them away, like maybe not
directly into the wings.
(27:08):
I'm like y'all got her mamaashes in y'all cups.
I know you do, I, I know you do, I know you do.
Like the way she was likescream, crying, like I was just
dying.
I was dying, laughing on thescreen.
Jess (27:24):
It is hilarious it is.
Niq (27:28):
it is when she was like talking to the girls at the
beach and you like we have allbeen in those conversations that
you do not want to be in, butyou do not know how to extricate
yourself.
And the person isn't being meand a rude, they're being nice,
but you're like I don't reallyactually want to talk to you.
How am I going to get out ofthis situation?
Jess (27:48):
I just want to get this personal this quickly and you
know what, right quickly.
I'm like looking at that timebecause those girls got on my
nerves, but in that moment Ifelt for them because I was like
I feel like people do that toteenage girls a lot, because
there was a few moments wherepeople were having overly
personal conversations with them.
I just feel like I rememberthat that's weird.
Niq (28:10):
It's like you want to I'm not going to say steal their
youthful energy, but at the sametime you kind of do want like
that attention to rejuvenate youfrom like younger people.
Jess (28:24):
That's what it seemed to me, yeah, but I was like oh no,
these poor girls.
Niq (28:29):
Yes, and like, honestly, like they're not teenagers.
Jess (28:32):
Like they're in college.
Niq (28:34):
They're in their 20s, but they do come off as very young
compared to everybody else.
Jess (28:43):
They give off teenage vibes.
They do.
Niq (28:47):
Because they're mean girls.
Jess (28:48):
Because they're so stuck in that mean girl phase.
But it's still weird, I'm like,but still, yeah, that's still
weird, I'm like, but still, yeah, that's still weird.
And then, and she wasn't eventhe only person that did it, she
was just the weirdest okay.
Niq (29:00):
So my question do you feel like greg, which is the guy that
tanya meets, is her retributionfor pulling out of the deal
with belinda?
Because I don't.
I just feel like he is going toeither break her heart or scam
her.
Jess (29:20):
I think he's going to do both and she can afford it.
Niq (29:24):
So, no, so you don't think she's his retribution, no, he's
her retribution.
Jess (29:28):
He would have to really scam her out of a lot for it to
be retribution.
Because, like one, if you getyour heart broken, this dude is
given all the shady signs, allof the shady signs that he gives
.
So, like you, seeing what youwant to see at this point, you
know right.
And then she's got enough moneyto lose.
You know, if you want to ignoreall the fact that, like he's
(29:50):
like, because he he spent thenight with her, he disappeared,
gave all the vibes of like hey,this is supposed to be a one
night thing.
And then he decided, when shewas trying to like say, oh, this
isn't right, this isn't okaywith me, and he's like no, I
want to sleep with you again.
Niq (30:01):
And then I'm like and then she sleeps with him again she's
desperate, she's, she'sdesperate, and I think he is
once again because I don't trusthim.
I feel like he's testing her tosee what he can get away with.
You know what I?
Jess (30:18):
mean, I just don't know that he's a con artist on the
level that he's going to reallyget away with enough to really
make any difference in her life.
She's just going to get abruised ego.
Niq (30:29):
I don't know.
Also, I think that he feelslike he's smarter than her and
that's not his fault, becauseshe thought when he said he
worked for BLM, that he meantBlack Lives Matter, and I think
that, just looking at him, thatwould not be my first thing.
Jess (30:52):
I looked at him and was like he definitely never worked
for Black Lives Matter.
I'm pretty sure he's against it.
Niq (30:58):
Right, and he all but said that he was like Black Lives
Matter.
Yeah, how did you get there?
What about me?
You made that shit up.
You really did.
Yes, and she even told Belindahe worked for Black Lives.
Jess (31:16):
Matter.
I was like Belinda and Ihaven't met this man new to
Agent Knox.
Niq (31:26):
I agree, belinda was like I don't know about that, right,
and she was right.
So I don't know.
I hope we get to find out, um,what happens, because I, just
like I said, he made me feeluncomfortable, but maybe it's
because I've recently watched alot of con artist shows.
(31:48):
Um, but she also, she's justlike the perfect mark.
She's the perfect mark, butlike I said it.
Jess (31:54):
Just it feels like she's got money, money.
So I'm like how much is hereally going to get off of her?
You know what I mean if sheloses.
But if she loses, like, if thiswoman is like we could take a
plane to the next resort, if sheloses a couple hundred thousand
and she's fine, that's what Ithat's true.
(32:15):
No, you know, this is going tobe a blip in her story.
Niq (32:22):
I mean I think she said she's been married quite a few
times, so like she's probablybeen like amassing, like
alimonies or like settlements asshe goes on she gives me money,
money, vibes, so I'm like she'sgoing to be fine.
Jess (32:38):
This man is going to pay for his next couple of years and
she's going to be fine.
Niq (32:43):
Because she never asked how much anything costs, Like when
she wanted to charter the boat.
She doesn't ask how muchanything costs, Nothing, Even
the business that she said thatshe wanted to invest in.
She never asked her hey, howmuch do you think you would need
as seed money?
Which is another reason why Ifeel like Belinda should have
(33:05):
known that she wasn't serious,because she didn't even say hey,
I can invest X amount of money.
What is your budget?
She only refers to me as anI'll pay for it.
Jess (33:18):
And again, that didn't throw me because I think she's
got that level of money where itdoesn't matter, you know.
Niq (33:26):
But when people have a lot of money they are honestly a
little more fruitful.
Jess (33:34):
If you're an actual business person, if you were
born into money, you ain't neverhad to have a job, you've never
run a business and the money'sjust always there.
You've just continued to amassyour money's growing money.
It means nothing to you.
She's the kind of rich where,like okay, yeah, my friend
wanted to develop this, you know, unicycle yoga stand?
(33:55):
Sure, you know what I mean.
To develop this unicycle yogastand?
Sure, it makes no difference toher.
Niq (34:00):
Right, okay, so why do you think her character was put into
the show?
Jess (34:09):
I don't know.
She's a very interestingcharacter for the type of show
that it is.
Niq (34:14):
Yes, what are they trying to tell?
What are they trying to tell?
What story are they trying totell?
Jess (34:22):
I don't know.
I mean, I guess, like how richpeople interact with the rest of
the world, I don't know, butshe definitely seems like to me
the kind of person that would goto that kind of resort.
You know, and to me it was alsoodd that you would go to a
resort to spread your mom'sashes and not just charter a
(34:44):
boat.
Niq (34:46):
I agree, I do agree.
Maybe she was looking to meet aman, I don't know.
I think, because I feel likeeach like set of guests are
telling a different story.
There's some they interact, butI think they're each telling a
story and I honestly feel likeher story is about how people
(35:10):
push boundaries and how theywill take people who have so
much will take from people whohave so little.
I can see that, you know,because all Belinda has is who
she is, which is essentiallylike a healer, and I feel like
in the time that Tanya was there, she tried to wring as much out
(35:33):
of Belinda, to absorb as muchfrom her Belinda to absorb as
much from her as she can, youknow, and gave her all of these
false promises and, yes, she didend up like giving her, like
that envelope full of money.
I still feel like Tanya cameahead, came out ahead oh yeah,
absolutely so.
I honestly feel like that's.
(35:54):
That was what they were saying.
It was like almost like acautionary tale of understanding
what real currency is, and it'snot necessarily money, because
Tanya came with all the money inthe world and you could not
find someone who was moremiserable, more empty, searching
(36:15):
for love, searching for formeaning, searching for happiness
.
Jess (36:19):
Connection, but in the most usury kind of way.
Niq (36:23):
Right, and so, once again, instead of doing the deep work
in healing, now she's gotattention from Greg, a man, and
OK, everything is all good untilwhat happens when that
situation goes wrong.
She's back in that same, likethis place of despair, and what
(36:43):
is?
She's going to be?
Looking back, you know, looking, who knows, maybe she'll go to
tibet next time, you know, andtry to buy a monk or something.
She'll just buy another one.
Like I, there's a amount ofpity.
I have a certain amount of pitytowards her.
(37:04):
I don't know if it's becauseJennifer Coolidge makes her
character likable you know, evenin her like, even though she's
a terrible person, she's alikable character and I'm
invested.
I'm invested in her healingbecause I'm like, oh man, like
who would she be healed?
Jess (37:25):
I don't know if she'll ever get there, and I don't know
if that, if White Lotus, islike giving any kind of
resolution for any of thecharacters, because to me, like
they start miserable, they endmiserable.
You know what I mean.
Like they start miserable, theyend miserable.
They don't develop in that way.
Niq (37:42):
Yes, I think I had to.
I think I figured that outafter my second watch, that
you're not going to get closure.
Just watch the story and learnwhat you can from the story.
But we're not tying anything upin a neat little book.
Jess (38:01):
No, and I mean, and while you do get like, you develop you
they.
They do develop them like inthat you understand more about
them and who they are, but theydon't have like a like a
redemption arc, like they're notgoing to get better as people.
Niq (38:17):
Right, right, because I, I mean I honestly like that's
really not realistic, that onelike you go, you start a
vacation as a terrible personand at the end of it you're no
longer a terrible person.
Terrible people go on vacationall the time and still come back
terrible.
So I mean, I guess it's youknow.
In that sense I think I'm justused to TV and I'm asking myself
(38:41):
okay, what kind of story arethey telling?
But didn't we learn from the TVshow the resort like what a
story is?
And a story doesn't necessarilyhave to have a beginning,
middle and end, or story doesn'tnecessarily have to have a
beginning, middle and end, or itdoesn't have to explain itself.
Sometimes you just get aglimpse into someone's life.
Jess (39:06):
Yeah, and I guess that's what it feels like a glimpse
into each of their lives.
Niq (39:11):
Right and I like it.
I like it because it'ssomething different and I think
it challenges my views on whatTV should and should not be or
what it could be.
Right, I guess it's about.
I'm like TV can be anything,but I just once again, I like it
(39:32):
when people take chances, but Ijust once again, I like it when
people take chances.
I like it when people dosomething different and,
although I was really shockedwhen season 2 started and I
didn't recognize anybody on theboat, that was probably the best
thing for me, you know, becauseI watch.
You know, I'm currentlywatching the Handmaid's Tale, so
(39:55):
like.
Jess (39:55):
I don't know, I give up each season.
There's like you know, I'mcurrently watching.
Niq (39:56):
The Handmaid's Tale.
So, like I don't know, I giveup.
Each season there's, like youknow, the same.
We've been following the samepeople and the same story.
So, yeah, I need somethingdifferent.
I I have.
Yet I never fully catch upbecause I always start back from
the beginning and it gets to betoo much and I have to take
breaks and then the break islike a year long and I always
(40:19):
start back from the beginning.
But I've gotten farther thanI've ever gotten before.
So I'm on season four, and soI'm feeling very proud of myself
.
I'm proud of you too, that I'mpushing.
I will never keep the seasonfour.
Jess (40:34):
Because I'm like, like listen, I read the book so many
years ago in college and thatwas not as traumatizing as this
show.
So I'm like I've read this show, but the show is so much more
traumatizing, and I'm like youknow what.
I don't have to do this tomyself.
I love me.
There's no reason for me tocontinue to do this.
Niq (40:58):
I actually saw the movie when I was a kid.
To myself, I love me.
There's no reason for me tocontinue to do this.
I actually saw the movie when Iwas a kid and, like when I look
back on it, I did notunderstand what was going on in
that movie at all.
And even now, to this day, theonly part I remember is when,
like, the handmaids attacked aguy and killed him and one of
the handmaids was like I think Igot a piece of his ear and I
(41:21):
like carry that memory with mefrom childhood.
But I don't remember anythinglike about the rest of the movie
and I really don't.
Jess (41:32):
I know I did not have an understanding of what that movie
was about, I think we did oneof those things where we read
the book in class and then wewatched the movie, but all I
remember is Serena Lovejoytalking to Fred and smoking.
That's the only scene that Iremember.
Niq (41:52):
Yeah, I just the show.
This show is so, it's so, it'sso violent and it's so traumatic
and it's so triggering, but atthe same time it's like we are
like a stone's throw away and soI'm like I need to watch it.
(42:14):
I need to, I need to watch it,but I need to, I need to, I need
to watch it.
But I'm sorry, you know me,I've drifted off, but I think is
there any other like themes, asit pertains to like Tanya, that
you want to.
I'm sorry, tanya, I think that'skind of it for me, with Tanya,
(42:38):
of all the three, her story isthe lightest and so as we go in
we'll dig deeper and deeper intothe thematic elements.
But I think that was like a Herstory is kind of like an
appetizer into the stories ofthe show.
I agree, I think that was likea Her story is kind of like an
appetizer Into like the storiesof the show.
(42:58):
I agree.
Alright, guys, we hope youenjoyed this episode.
We'll look forward to the nextepisode when we're going to
continue to discuss the WhiteLotus.
Bye, guys, bye.
Hi guys, and welcome to next episode with your host,
nick, and.
Jess (00:05):
I'm.
Niq (00:06):
Jess, and today we're going to be talking about White Lotus
season one only because we'relate to the White Lotus train
and we are starting from thevery beginning, and actually we
I didn't know a lot about theshow.
Did you know what the show wasabout before you started?
Jess (00:23):
No, I had no clue.
I heard people Everyone wassaying that it was good, but I
didn't know what it was about.
Niq (00:30):
Yeah, also, I only knew that it was about a hotel and I
know that they were having likethey had three different seasons
, but I didn't know what theshow was honestly going to be
about.
But I did spend like 13 yearsin hospitality management, so I
tend to like stay away fromhotel shows, but I thought like,
(00:54):
okay, I'll give this one achance.
Jess (00:55):
That's how I am with hospital shows.
I completely get it, unlessit's scrubs, I'm not doing it.
I do love scrubs.
Niq (01:04):
So to give like a an overview of the show, at least
of season one, because that'sall that we know, um, this show
takes place in a resort inhawaii and you're following
three sets of vip guests.
Yes, does that?
Jess (01:23):
sound.
Niq (01:23):
Right, that sounds right, and so, if I had to like say
something that all three sets ofguests have in common, in
addition to all being fairlywealthy, they are also fairly
miserable.
Yes, no, everybody.
Fairly miserable people,everybody which is.
It's is funny, because onegroup is a family who's going on
(01:47):
a big vacation, one group is acouple on their honeymoon, and
then the last one is a lady byherself whose mom has passed
away and she's trying to honorher last wishes by throwing her
ashes in the ocean.
So that's the character that Iwould like to start Our
(02:08):
discussion of the show With.
So she came alone To the WhiteLotus.
She did Okay.
So her name is Tanya, and wedon't know how she got her
wealth.
Jess (02:22):
No, it wasn't ever explained Not that I remember, I
just how she got her wealth.
No, you don't.
Was it ever explained?
No, it wasn't ever explained.
Not that I remember, I justassumed she came from money.
Niq (02:29):
I do think that she came from money, but she might have
acquired more money, like youknow, through marriages and
things like that.
Jess (02:38):
But yeah, her wealth is not explained.
Niq (02:42):
But from the moment you meet her, like she's kind of
miserable, of miserable but Imean, at least she's in mourning
.
Jess (02:48):
So you kind of understand.
Niq (02:50):
Like you know she's not going to be happy, but it does
feel deeper than that I right Iwas going to say if her mother
was alive and she took this sametrip, I think she would have
still been miserable, becauseshe made comments about how like
she was unlucky in love andlonely and like in general, her
(03:10):
life was not happy.
I think her mother's deathcomplicated an already unhappy
life, though I can see that,yeah, and so one of the first
things I noticed from Tanya isthat she's someone who pushes
boundaries.
Jess (03:27):
She has no boundaries.
She has no boundaries at all.
I don't even think she's awarethat she's pushing them.
I think she just does whatevershe wants to do and she's a bit
invasive in other people's space.
Niq (03:43):
Exactly so, as soon as she gets off the boat, because the
VIPs arrive via boat, which Ithought was interesting.
Jess (03:52):
So as soon as she gets off the boat.
Niq (03:54):
She starts asking the hotel manager where she can get a
massage and he introduces her toBelinda, who is the spa manager
, and Belinda's like oh know,there's no appointments.
You know, there everything'sbooked up.
And she's just like insistent,insistent on getting like a
massage.
And I can understand, like ifyour body is hurting and things
(04:19):
like that, but at the same time,if there's no appointments to
me, my next thing would be likeokay, am I able to have someone
come in and give me a massage?
Can I get a massage in my room,instead of just literally
hounding the spa manager as ifyou don't know how appointments
(04:40):
work?
Jess (04:41):
And I think, like I said, I think she's never been told no
before.
You know she's used to hermoney being able to get her
whatever she wants.
Niq (04:49):
Right.
And so Belinda does decide todo something special for her.
She doesn't give her a massage,but she's like, oh, let's do a
consultation and I'll give youwhat.
Does she call it A craniosacrum, I don't know, but it seemed
like, oh, let's do aconsultation and I'll give you
what does she call acraniosacrum?
Jess (05:08):
I don't know, but it seemed like reiki to me.
That's what.
Niq (05:10):
That's what it reminded me of well, but the lady said
anything but reiki, so I don'tthink it was reiki yeah, she's
like I'll take anything.
It doesn't have to be right shewas when she's doing something
to her head, though it was likea cranios sacrum something, and
so I honestly this was thebeginning of the end of good
(05:30):
things happening for belindabeing nice to that woman.
And so belinda she does likethis consultation and so she's
talking to this woman and italmost turns into like a
counseling session and thenshe's like doing this like
cranial sacrum head scratchthing with her and she's singing
(05:53):
like this like Hindu chant orwas a Sanskrit chant?
It was some sort of like chant.
Now, when I say the first timeI watched the show, I was like
man that looks nice and,honestly, the chant is really
beautiful and it is very calming.
(06:13):
I'm like man that is reallyreally nice.
I would let somebody do that tome.
Jess (06:21):
I feel like Blinda just has a calming presence.
You know what I mean?
I don't know, I can see, justlike her whole essence kind of
would like calm you down.
But yeah, that woman didabsolutely still kind of took
advantage and made it her owntherapy session she's a healer.
Niq (06:38):
But you can tell belinda is a healer, like, like you said,
like she is a, she is a calmingpresence, but she just has it's
just like you can tell like shemakes people better by being
around them.
Like she, she, just she has theessence of a healer and I
honestly feel like tanya feltthat energy and was like I'm
(07:03):
about to siphon off as much ofthat energy from her as I?
Jess (07:08):
yeah, no, it was definitely parasitic in nature.
I guess it definitely was fromthe beginning and so okay.
Niq (07:19):
So she, tanya, ends up telling Belinda you know, that
she really loves her servicesand she thinks that she's really
amazing and that she thinksthat she should have her own
business and she would love tohelp her with that.
Jess (07:34):
How soon after those words left her lips Immediately
Because you know it was bad.
I was like she is not going todo it, she's not going to follow
through.
Or I was like either she's notgoing to follow through and it's
not because she don't have themoney she has plenty of money to
even just waste.
You know what I mean.
I was like or she's going totake over, she's either going to
(07:54):
make it all about her or bereally controlling with it, or
something like that.
But I was like Belinda, you doneed to start your own business,
but this ain't the way.
Niq (08:04):
I agree, I do think that Belinda Does need her own
wellness center.
But I knew as soon as TanyaSaid it was BS and I Knew it
wouldn't even come To fruition.
I knew there was got becauseshe Is flighty, she's very
flighty, and so I knew shewouldn't even stick with Belinda
long Enough to have BelindaCreated and then steal it from
(08:25):
her.
She's like she mentally shedoesn't even have like that much
in her to to let it come tofruition.
So I was like come on now.
Jess (08:35):
It's the character, the dangle in front of her, to keep
taking her time and attention.
Niq (08:42):
Yes, and so she this starts her monopolizing Belinda's time
.
And so when you work inhospitality, it you work long
days and you you spend the daygiving of yourself and meeting
other people's needs.
And I can imagine like cause Iworked corporate, I can imagine,
(09:02):
because I worked corporate, Ican imagine resorts are at an
even higher level, the level ofservice, and you're wanting to
create those special moments,those magic moments have those
impacts because people are thereon vacation and so you're
already having to give ofyourself.
(09:22):
But Tanya literally wasmonopolizing all of belinda's
off time, like in, like,basically like forcing her to
have dinner with her.
Um, at one point tanya decidesthat she wants to drop her mom's
ashes in the ocean and she likeconvinces Belinda to get off
(09:45):
work early to go on this boattrip with her.
Mind you, all of this is unpaid, yeah yeah all of this actual
job.
It's either pulling her awayfrom her actual job or it's
after hours where she will beoff for this unpaid labor and
she's using her to make herselffeel good, or it's after hours
(10:06):
where she will be off for thisunpaid labor and she's using her
to make herself feel good.
And she talks about beinglonely and not wanting to, you
know, wanting to have a man withher.
And she talks about like hermom.
And you can like, when Tanyatalks about her mom, you can
tell that, yes, she had a roughchildhood growing up up.
There was a lot of abuse, therewas a lot of neglect.
(10:28):
Um, you know, her mom was not agood mother to her and so it's
not that I don't understand whytanya has those deficits, but at
the same time, like, at whatpoint are you accountable enough
to say I understand how thesedeficits were created, but I
(10:50):
need to do the work to fix them.
Yeah, yeah.
Jess (10:53):
And she has the resources to fix them.
Quite honestly, she does getall the help that she needs, but
yeah, she likes to and she saysit at some point.
Niq (11:02):
At some point she basically says that she attaches herself
to people, you know she does,she does, she does and but
here's the thing, you can tellthat she's also one of those
people who like try, who floatfrom like spiritual practice to
spiritual practice to try tolike make themselves feel better
(11:22):
without actually doing the deepwork for change.
Because even like, in the waythat she speaks, one she said
something about, in like shemade reference to past lives.
She was like she's like maybe Ithink she either says I'm like
maybe I want to do some this inmy next life or she's like I
(11:43):
think this in one of my pastlives.
And she knows about all thelike she knows about Reiki, she
knows about all of these likedifferent spiritual practices
and different spiritual paths,and I am quite sure she's tried
a lot of them.
But without, but on asuperficial level.
You can tell she's verysuperficial Even did laugh, I'm
(12:04):
not gonna lie, I did laugh.
So when belinda was giving herlike that, that first treatment
like the sacral, cranial,whatever it was, and belinda
starts chanting, and she startschanting with her and belinda's
like, oh you, I want to, andit's like, it's just like she
just wants.
I love her voice, I do too, Ido too.
(12:31):
I'm like she just wants toparticipate.
You know what I mean.
Like that's where it's verysuperficial, like, and she
wonders why her life doesn't getbetter.
You know she says that she usesmoney to control people, to get
the things that she and shedoes, and so you're self aware
(12:53):
of what you're doing, yet you'recontinuing to do it right
because even when so like shedrops Belinda like a bad habit
when she meets a man, right, butshe's still using her money to
get the to dangle in front ofthe man.
Jess (13:06):
You know what I mean Like he kind of I don't know, he's
kind of weird, he kind of goesin and out.
I'm kind of confused with himbecause I was like you are at
this super expensive resort butit don't seem like you on the
financial level of these otherpeople.
I have my theories and I'm sowhen he kind of disappears and
(13:26):
then comes back and then shewants to go to another resort
and so she's like, oh, I can payfor it.
I'm looking at her, she saysshe can get a plane or something
, but it's very clear she's likecommunicating I have money,
come with me.
Niq (13:40):
Right.
So because I have watched somany different TV shows, like I
recently did, a Lost rewatchthere is.
There's a show called Impostors.
Did you ever see Impostors?
Jess (13:56):
I'm not sure it's about like con artists.
Niq (14:01):
It's about like this woman.
Jess (14:02):
Is it only like two seasons?
Niq (14:04):
Yeah yeah, it's also about con artists.
There's a couple of other shows.
I've watched recently about conartists.
Jess (14:16):
I was sad there was no third season.
Niq (14:19):
Right, I did enjoy Impostors a lot too.
When she met him, I immediatelygot uncomfortable.
I immediately got uncomfortable.
There was something about itwas something about the way that
they met.
It reminded me of Sawyer fromLost Like I don't know.
(14:42):
If you like, he was a con artistand you watched him like con
women out of money and there wasa couple of con artists in that
show, um but you watched himcon women like, and she's like a
lonely rich woman and justmeeting this random guy, the way
that she met him and like I'mlike I immediately got
(15:03):
uncomfortable and so now?
So then I'm watching more andthis one is a nutcase and she is
.
And this guy is like, oh no, Ilike how crazy you are.
And he's also coughing a lotand pretending to be like.
I'm not saying pretending to besick, but I'm just like.
He's like oh yeah, I'm deathlyill and I just want to love you.
(15:28):
I'm just like this is all weirdto me.
Jess (15:33):
I don't trust him oh no, he's not to be trusted at all.
Niq (15:39):
I don't know, like so, okay , so season two of White Lotus.
Like I was, I finished seasonone and then, you know,
automatically season two startedand they were in Italy and
there were different people onthe boat.
None of the people from thefirst season were on the boat.
(15:59):
So then I turned it off becauseI'm like what?
What is going on?
So like overarching, I stilldon't really understand the show
, cause I'm like I don't knowany of those people on on this
boat.
So I turned it off.
So I don't know, like if weever like find out, if they like
(16:20):
happily ever after like end uptogether.
Jess (16:23):
But I don't I don't trust him.
I don't trust him either and Ithink for the most part and I
haven't watched the otherseasons either I think we will
see Tanya Tanya again and we'llsee Belinda again, but I think
the rest of those charactersit's going to be new people each
season.
Niq (16:43):
Oh really, so we don't find it's going to be new people
each season.
Oh really, so we don't find outwhat happens to the other
people?
Jess (16:50):
I don't know.
I don't know that for certain,but I do think it's different
guests each season.
That's my guess, because Ihaven't watched it.
But I think that's the premise,Because when I tried it,
because I told you, I kepttrying to look up the cast and
it kept bringing season okay.
Niq (17:10):
So in the end, um, basically tanya, when did we
start calling her?
Tanya is her name?
Tanya I was.
Jess (17:20):
That's what I'm with a friend named tanya.
I do, so let's look.
Is it tanya or?
Niq (17:23):
tanya.
I think her name is tanya and Ithink we started calling her
tanya because of our friendnamed tanya.
But so Tanya like basicallyafter monopolizing all of
Belinda's time and getting herto do all of these like sessions
with her, and like havingBelinda counsel her and lift her
(17:44):
up she basically right, dinners, all of these things like, and
this is the thing.
So, yes, like, these dinners maybe nice, but they're resort
food and she, she works at theresort, she's had this food
before.
You're not giving her anythingspecial and I'm like to me.
Jess (18:03):
I'm like I would be uncomfortable, like I don't know
.
I just see it just seems likeit's crossing the line and
crossing about it.
I would be uncomfortable as aperson who worked there, having
dinner with the guests and thengoing back like it just feels
weird.
Niq (18:15):
It is.
You are supposed to keep acertain distance from guests.
It's like you you make theguests feel like they're closer
to you than they actually are.
Like, you want to, like, createthose connections, you want
them to feel friendly and youwant them to want to come back,
and you know, but at the sametime, you're supposed to keep a
(18:40):
certain amount of distance.
It just makes sense.
Now I have worked at hotelswhere we've had long-term guests
, and I mean guests who havebeen there months, months,
months, months, months andmonths and you do develop
friendships.
You really do.
You really do Some people.
You see the same people weekafter week after week, even if
(19:02):
they go home, they come in andthey're here two to three times.
You have some people who areliterally here for months and
months and months straight.
And so, yeah, you do developsome friendships, but it's to a
certain right, you know it's toa certain point.
And like, for example, honestly, like if you met someone who
(19:23):
was a guest and they wereinvesting, like wanting to
invest in a business or start abusiness with you, like that is
nothing you would ever discusson property, nothing, nothing,
because very easily she couldhave lost her job, right, right,
and I don't think Tanya thoughtabout that for a second.
She literally like met Belindaand kind of made her like her
(19:44):
personal assistant.
Yeah, without the pay Right.
You know, tanya never had a job.
Jess (19:52):
She doesn't consider stuff like that.
She doesn't, and she certainlydoesn't think about other people
, how things affect other peopleso in the end, of course, tanya
backs out on the deal.
Niq (20:07):
She does give her a wad of cash to make herself feel better
, and I want to know how muchcash it was and I want to know
how much cash it was.
Jess (20:15):
And I don't know why she shoved it in that drawer.
Because here's the thing ashurt as I might have been, that
cash would have went in my purse.
I might have went home earlythat day just to make sure I
could put that cash in the bank.
Because I'm not playing withyou, I'm going to get something
out this week.
Niq (20:29):
Absolutely.
I was like don't put that,because I have gotten some like.
I was not someone who gottipped very often in the like
industry Because I was one amanager and two, it was more of
like a corporate environment.
But there were times when I gotlike $100 tip, $150 tip.
(20:51):
I didn't tell anybody, I didn'ttell anybody.
I put that in my that150 tip.
I didn't tell anybody, I didn'ttell anybody, I put that in my
pocket.
That was me.
They didn't say oh, this is fory'all.
They were like you have been soamazing, you have been so sweet
, thank you for helping me withthis problem.
Jess (21:08):
And so no, that went straight into my pocket
Absolutely, and I'm still kindof mad Like please don't do this
whole self-sacrificing thingright now.
No, belinda, put that money inyour purse.
Niq (21:21):
I think that goes along with her healing nature, that
desire to put other people firstand sacrifice Girl.
No, I couldn't.
I couldn't believe she.
Belinda told her son about itso.
I couldn't believe.
Belinda told her son about it.
So I'm like, oh, you reallytook that seriously.
Jess (21:37):
She did.
You can tell when she startscrying at the end, when she
realizes that it's not going tohappen.
She was heartbroken.
That's been a long-term dreamfor her For that to become a
possibility.
No, she really did believe herand as much as you know because
she's actually an employee andthis woman is like encroaching
on her time she's bothered.
(21:57):
She still was very genuine withher.
Niq (22:01):
Yes, I guess, like once again I'm looking at it through
the eyes of someone who spentway too long in hospitality Like
people are always offering youthings that they do not mean,
like oh my gosh, you're soamazing, you should come and
work for me and like all ofthese different things.
You know, I'm going to send aletter and let them know how
(22:23):
wonderful those letters never,like I might guess, will tell
you anything to make themselvesfeel better with how much they
encroached on you as a person,because they are always pushing
the line and always asking,always needing, like things that
are outside of the realm ofnormal.
(22:44):
There's a certain amount ofthings that you are expected to
do, you know and like thatservice.
That's the whole point.
There is always, always manypeople who are asking you to go
above and beyond of what isnormal and will willing to
create problems for other peopleto have their needs met.
(23:04):
And those people lie to you andtell you that it's worth it
because they're going to do xyz.
And it never happens, and Ithink maybe that's why, as soon
as she said that I'm like girl,she's lying to you.
Jess (23:18):
It'll never happen.
Yeah, I don't know.
I feel bad for Belinda.
Niq (23:21):
I did feel bad for Belinda too, because I feel like she
should have asked for somethingelse.
I feel like she should havewhen Tanya said oh, you know I
can help you, you know I can payfor it, blah, blah, blah.
I feel like Belinda should havesaid can you hire a business
consultant for me who will helpme formulate the plan?
(23:44):
That way she wouldn't have torely on Tanya's whims, because
she has someone who can help heron Tanya's whims, because she
has someone who can help her.
And when she didn't do itimmediately, belinda would have
known oh, she's not serious andI need to stop wasting my time
(24:05):
Because Belinda is there frommorning to night.
Yeah, managers, hospitalitymanagers, we had the worst hours
.
Like there's no such thing asholiday, there's no such thing
as weekends.
Like you have to be on call24-7.
The thing I love most about myjob is when eight hours hit.
(24:26):
It does not matter I could bein the middle of something.
Okay, well, got to go, I'llpick it up tomorrow.
Nothing is life or death.
Nothing is life or death.
And in hospitality, everythingis life or death.
Three o'clock in the morning oh, the water went out.
Well, I'm not a plumber, Istill have to get up out of my
(24:48):
bed, you know, even though Ican't do anything to make the
situation better.
Okay, so I'm sorry, my uh, youfroze for a second, but I think
that was my internet okay, yeah,because you disappeared, so
okay how did you feel aboutTanya as a character?
Jess (25:22):
oh, I thought she was a really interesting character,
especially for the show.
You know what I mean.
Like you know, yeah, she's amess.
She's a beautiful mess and itgave so much drama to the show.
I enjoyed it but, like you know, I'm like, oh goodness, I feel
for people who have to deal andit gave so much drama to the
show.
I enjoyed it but, like you know, I'm like, oh goodness, I feel
for people who have to deal withguests like that.
Niq (25:41):
She was very, very entertaining.
Okay, new question Do you thinkthey wrote that role for
Jennifer Coolidge specifically?
Jess (25:49):
Yes, yes, I mean everything.
Like Jennifer Coolidge, hervoice adds so much to every role
she does.
And just like the neediness andthe long drawn out words, and
I'm like, oh my god, yes,because like who else, I can't
see anybody else do it now Icannot.
Niq (26:05):
I'm like, did I honestly feel like either they wrote that
role for her specifically or,once she was casted, they went
in and edited, edited the scriptto fit her more, because it's
just, it was so perfect.
It was the way that she saysthings and her mannerisms and
(26:27):
her facial features.
She was talking about her momon the boat and I was laughing
and I'm like this is, I'm likethis is so terrible, but no one
else is going to make me likelaugh during that time Right and
carry it off that well, youknow they're sad and mourning,
(26:48):
but it is still hilarious, oh mygod even the way she was
throwing her mom's ashes off theboat was funny to me because it
looked like she was like theashes were blowing back.
I'm like, can you like justthrow them away, like maybe not
directly into the wings.
(27:08):
I'm like y'all got her mamaashes in y'all cups.
I know you do, I, I know you do, I know you do.
Like the way she was likescream, crying, like I was just
dying.
I was dying, laughing on thescreen.
Jess (27:24):
It is hilarious it is.
Niq (27:28):
it is when she was like talking to the girls at the
beach and you like we have allbeen in those conversations that
you do not want to be in, butyou do not know how to extricate
yourself.
And the person isn't being meand a rude, they're being nice,
but you're like I don't reallyactually want to talk to you.
How am I going to get out ofthis situation?
Jess (27:48):
I just want to get this personal this quickly and you
know what, right quickly.
I'm like looking at that timebecause those girls got on my
nerves, but in that moment Ifelt for them because I was like
I feel like people do that toteenage girls a lot, because
there was a few moments wherepeople were having overly
personal conversations with them.
I just feel like I rememberthat that's weird.
Niq (28:10):
It's like you want to I'm not going to say steal their
youthful energy, but at the sametime you kind of do want like
that attention to rejuvenate youfrom like younger people.
Jess (28:24):
That's what it seemed to me, yeah, but I was like oh no,
these poor girls.
Niq (28:29):
Yes, and like, honestly, like they're not teenagers.
Jess (28:32):
Like they're in college.
Niq (28:34):
They're in their 20s, but they do come off as very young
compared to everybody else.
Jess (28:43):
They give off teenage vibes.
They do.
Niq (28:47):
Because they're mean girls.
Jess (28:48):
Because they're so stuck in that mean girl phase.
But it's still weird, I'm like,but still, yeah, that's still
weird, I'm like, but still, yeah, that's still weird.
And then, and she wasn't eventhe only person that did it, she
was just the weirdest okay.
Niq (29:00):
So my question do you feel like greg, which is the guy that
tanya meets, is her retributionfor pulling out of the deal
with belinda?
Because I don't.
I just feel like he is going toeither break her heart or scam
her.
Jess (29:20):
I think he's going to do both and she can afford it.
Niq (29:24):
So, no, so you don't think she's his retribution, no, he's
her retribution.
Jess (29:28):
He would have to really scam her out of a lot for it to
be retribution.
Because, like one, if you getyour heart broken, this dude is
given all the shady signs, allof the shady signs that he gives
.
So, like you, seeing what youwant to see at this point, you
know right.
And then she's got enough moneyto lose.
You know, if you want to ignoreall the fact that, like he's
(29:50):
like, because he he spent thenight with her, he disappeared,
gave all the vibes of like hey,this is supposed to be a one
night thing.
And then he decided, when shewas trying to like say, oh, this
isn't right, this isn't okaywith me, and he's like no, I
want to sleep with you again.
Niq (30:01):
And then I'm like and then she sleeps with him again she's
desperate, she's, she'sdesperate, and I think he is
once again because I don't trusthim.
I feel like he's testing her tosee what he can get away with.
You know what I?
Jess (30:18):
mean, I just don't know that he's a con artist on the
level that he's going to reallyget away with enough to really
make any difference in her life.
She's just going to get abruised ego.
Niq (30:29):
I don't know.
Also, I think that he feelslike he's smarter than her and
that's not his fault, becauseshe thought when he said he
worked for BLM, that he meantBlack Lives Matter, and I think
that, just looking at him, thatwould not be my first thing.
Jess (30:52):
I looked at him and was like he definitely never worked
for Black Lives Matter.
I'm pretty sure he's against it.
Niq (30:58):
Right, and he all but said that he was like Black Lives
Matter.
Yeah, how did you get there?
What about me?
You made that shit up.
You really did.
Yes, and she even told Belindahe worked for Black Lives.
Jess (31:16):
Matter.
I was like Belinda and Ihaven't met this man new to
Agent Knox.
Niq (31:26):
I agree, belinda was like I don't know about that, right,
and she was right.
So I don't know.
I hope we get to find out, um,what happens, because I, just
like I said, he made me feeluncomfortable, but maybe it's
because I've recently watched alot of con artist shows.
(31:48):
Um, but she also, she's justlike the perfect mark.
She's the perfect mark, butlike I said it.
Jess (31:54):
Just it feels like she's got money, money.
So I'm like how much is hereally going to get off of her?
You know what I mean if sheloses.
But if she loses, like, if thiswoman is like we could take a
plane to the next resort, if sheloses a couple hundred thousand
and she's fine, that's what Ithat's true.
(32:15):
No, you know, this is going tobe a blip in her story.
Niq (32:22):
I mean I think she said she's been married quite a few
times, so like she's probablybeen like amassing, like
alimonies or like settlements asshe goes on she gives me money,
money, vibes, so I'm like she'sgoing to be fine.
Jess (32:38):
This man is going to pay for his next couple of years and
she's going to be fine.
Niq (32:43):
Because she never asked how much anything costs, Like when
she wanted to charter the boat.
She doesn't ask how muchanything costs, Nothing, Even
the business that she said thatshe wanted to invest in.
She never asked her hey, howmuch do you think you would need
as seed money?
Which is another reason why Ifeel like Belinda should have
(33:05):
known that she wasn't serious,because she didn't even say hey,
I can invest X amount of money.
What is your budget?
She only refers to me as anI'll pay for it.
Jess (33:18):
And again, that didn't throw me because I think she's
got that level of money where itdoesn't matter, you know.
Niq (33:26):
But when people have a lot of money they are honestly a
little more fruitful.
Jess (33:34):
If you're an actual business person, if you were
born into money, you ain't neverhad to have a job, you've never
run a business and the money'sjust always there.
You've just continued to amassyour money's growing money.
It means nothing to you.
She's the kind of rich where,like okay, yeah, my friend
wanted to develop this, you know, unicycle yoga stand?
(33:55):
Sure, you know what I mean.
To develop this unicycle yogastand?
Sure, it makes no difference toher.
Niq (34:00):
Right, okay, so why do you think her character was put into
the show?
Jess (34:09):
I don't know.
She's a very interestingcharacter for the type of show
that it is.
Niq (34:14):
Yes, what are they trying to tell?
What are they trying to tell?
What story are they trying totell?
Jess (34:22):
I don't know.
I mean, I guess, like how richpeople interact with the rest of
the world, I don't know, butshe definitely seems like to me
the kind of person that would goto that kind of resort.
You know, and to me it was alsoodd that you would go to a
resort to spread your mom'sashes and not just charter a
(34:44):
boat.
Niq (34:46):
I agree, I do agree.
Maybe she was looking to meet aman, I don't know.
I think, because I feel likeeach like set of guests are
telling a different story.
There's some they interact, butI think they're each telling a
story and I honestly feel likeher story is about how people
(35:10):
push boundaries and how theywill take people who have so
much will take from people whohave so little.
I can see that, you know,because all Belinda has is who
she is, which is essentiallylike a healer, and I feel like
in the time that Tanya was there, she tried to wring as much out
(35:33):
of Belinda, to absorb as muchfrom her Belinda to absorb as
much from her as she can, youknow, and gave her all of these
false promises and, yes, she didend up like giving her, like
that envelope full of money.
I still feel like Tanya cameahead, came out ahead oh yeah,
absolutely so.
I honestly feel like that's.
(35:54):
That was what they were saying.
It was like almost like acautionary tale of understanding
what real currency is, and it'snot necessarily money, because
Tanya came with all the money inthe world and you could not
find someone who was moremiserable, more empty, searching
(36:15):
for love, searching for formeaning, searching for happiness
.
Jess (36:19):
Connection, but in the most usury kind of way.
Niq (36:23):
Right, and so, once again, instead of doing the deep work
in healing, now she's gotattention from Greg, a man, and
OK, everything is all good untilwhat happens when that
situation goes wrong.
She's back in that same, likethis place of despair, and what
(36:43):
is?
She's going to be?
Looking back, you know, looking, who knows, maybe she'll go to
tibet next time, you know, andtry to buy a monk or something.
She'll just buy another one.
Like I, there's a amount ofpity.
I have a certain amount of pitytowards her.
(37:04):
I don't know if it's becauseJennifer Coolidge makes her
character likable you know, evenin her like, even though she's
a terrible person, she's alikable character and I'm
invested.
I'm invested in her healingbecause I'm like, oh man, like
who would she be healed?
Jess (37:25):
I don't know if she'll ever get there, and I don't know
if that, if White Lotus, islike giving any kind of
resolution for any of thecharacters, because to me, like
they start miserable, they endmiserable.
You know what I mean.
Like they start miserable, theyend miserable.
They don't develop in that way.
Niq (37:42):
Yes, I think I had to.
I think I figured that outafter my second watch, that
you're not going to get closure.
Just watch the story and learnwhat you can from the story.
But we're not tying anything upin a neat little book.
Jess (38:01):
No, and I mean, and while you do get like, you develop you
they.
They do develop them like inthat you understand more about
them and who they are, but theydon't have like a like a
redemption arc, like they're notgoing to get better as people.
Niq (38:17):
Right, right, because I, I mean I honestly like that's
really not realistic, that onelike you go, you start a
vacation as a terrible personand at the end of it you're no
longer a terrible person.
Terrible people go on vacationall the time and still come back
terrible.
So I mean, I guess it's youknow.
In that sense I think I'm justused to TV and I'm asking myself
(38:41):
okay, what kind of story arethey telling?
But didn't we learn from the TVshow the resort like what a
story is?
And a story doesn't necessarilyhave to have a beginning,
middle and end, or story doesn'tnecessarily have to have a
beginning, middle and end, or itdoesn't have to explain itself.
Sometimes you just get aglimpse into someone's life.
Jess (39:06):
Yeah, and I guess that's what it feels like a glimpse
into each of their lives.
Niq (39:11):
Right and I like it.
I like it because it'ssomething different and I think
it challenges my views on whatTV should and should not be or
what it could be.
Right, I guess it's about.
I'm like TV can be anything,but I just once again, I like it
(39:32):
when people take chances, but Ijust once again, I like it when
people take chances.
I like it when people dosomething different and,
although I was really shockedwhen season 2 started and I
didn't recognize anybody on theboat, that was probably the best
thing for me, you know, becauseI watch.
You know, I'm currentlywatching the Handmaid's Tale, so
(39:55):
like.
Jess (39:55):
I don't know, I give up each season.
There's like you know, I'mcurrently watching.
Niq (39:56):
The Handmaid's Tale.
So, like I don't know, I giveup.
Each season there's, like youknow, the same.
We've been following the samepeople and the same story.
So, yeah, I need somethingdifferent.
I I have.
Yet I never fully catch upbecause I always start back from
the beginning and it gets to betoo much and I have to take
breaks and then the break islike a year long and I always
(40:19):
start back from the beginning.
But I've gotten farther thanI've ever gotten before.
So I'm on season four, and soI'm feeling very proud of myself
.
I'm proud of you too, that I'mpushing.
I will never keep the seasonfour.
Jess (40:34):
Because I'm like, like listen, I read the book so many
years ago in college and thatwas not as traumatizing as this
show.
So I'm like I've read this show, but the show is so much more
traumatizing, and I'm like youknow what.
I don't have to do this tomyself.
I love me.
There's no reason for me tocontinue to do this.
Niq (40:58):
I actually saw the movie when I was a kid.
To myself, I love me.
There's no reason for me tocontinue to do this.
I actually saw the movie when Iwas a kid and, like when I look
back on it, I did notunderstand what was going on in
that movie at all.
And even now, to this day, theonly part I remember is when,
like, the handmaids attacked aguy and killed him and one of
the handmaids was like I think Igot a piece of his ear and I
(41:21):
like carry that memory with mefrom childhood.
But I don't remember anythinglike about the rest of the movie
and I really don't.
Jess (41:32):
I know I did not have an understanding of what that movie
was about, I think we did oneof those things where we read
the book in class and then wewatched the movie, but all I
remember is Serena Lovejoytalking to Fred and smoking.
That's the only scene that Iremember.
Niq (41:52):
Yeah, I just the show.
This show is so, it's so, it'sso violent and it's so traumatic
and it's so triggering, but atthe same time it's like we are
like a stone's throw away and soI'm like I need to watch it.
(42:14):
I need to, I need to watch it,but I need to, I need to, I need
to watch it.
But I'm sorry, you know me,I've drifted off, but I think is
there any other like themes, asit pertains to like Tanya, that
you want to.
I'm sorry, tanya, I think that'skind of it for me, with Tanya,
(42:38):
of all the three, her story isthe lightest and so as we go in
we'll dig deeper and deeper intothe thematic elements.
But I think that was like a Herstory is kind of like an
appetizer into the stories ofthe show.
I agree, I think that was likea Her story is kind of like an
appetizer Into like the storiesof the show.
(42:58):
I agree.
Alright, guys, we hope youenjoyed this episode.
We'll look forward to the nextepisode when we're going to
continue to discuss the WhiteLotus.
Bye, guys, bye.
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