August 31, 2025 • 24 mins
Something strange happens when we spend too much time scrolling through feeds, watching reality shows, and following strangers online. We forget the line between entertainment and reality. The imaginary relationships we build with public figures start feeling real, and suddenly we're fighting like our lives depend on defending people who don't know we exist.
This episode dives deep into the disturbing trend of parasocial relationships through the lens of recent Love Island drama. What should be light entertainment has morphed into something darker, with fans resorting to racist attacks to defend their favorite contestants – often while claiming to fight against racism themselves. The cognitive dissonance is staggering, and it reveals just how disconnected we've become from healthy human interaction.
I share my own experience finding peace by disconnecting from screens while spending time in The Hamptons with my nanny kids. The simple joy of jumping on trampolines, swimming for hours, and feeling grass beneath my feet provided the mental refreshment we all desperately need. Social media has been life-changing for me as a content creator, but it's also becoming "a cancer to society" when it drives us to develop unhealthy attachments to strangers.
When fans actively hope for couples to break up just to validate their opinions, or when they can't fathom that someone like Nic might genuinely like someone like Olandria without assuming it's a "scam," we've crossed into dangerous territory. The solution is remarkably simple, though increasingly difficult: disconnect, put down the phone, and touch grass. Support the people you enjoy watching without tearing others down. Remember that these are real people with real feelings – not characters who exist solely for our entertainment.
Ready to break free from the parasocial trap? Start by examining your own relationship with social media and reality TV. Are you developing unhealthy attachments to strangers? Is your enjoyment turning into obsession? Maybe it's time to step outside and reconnect with the real world around you.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Daijné (00:01):
Is this thing on?
Hello, hello.
Uh-oh, another yapper with amic.
Hello everyone, and welcomeback to the Napkin In Between
podcast.
I am your host, Daijné Jones.
I hope everyone's been having agood week, except for that
(00:21):
orange drink lady, of course.
I am feeling incrediblyrefreshed.
Um, as you Ooh, what am Isaying?
I'm already stuttering.
I don't know what's been goingon with me recently, but I have
been stuttering so much and Ifeel like I always stutter Not
always, but like that'ssomething that's happened to me
all the time Because my brainworks faster than my mouth can,
(00:46):
like I'll form a thought fasterthan it just happened.
Again I'll form a thoughtfaster than it can like come out
of my mouth.
Like I just feel like my brainhas been like it's always
overactive, but it's been evenmore so overactive recently,
probably because I'm just likeon social media more than I
should be.
I really have been trying todecrease my screen time and step
outside, hence segwaying intowhat was the peak of my week.
(01:07):
I'm feeling very refreshedright now because I so the
family that I nanny for.
If y'all don't know or I'm suremost of you know that I, apart
from content creation, I am afull-time nanny and for the last
couple of weeks they've been inthe Hamptons to finish out the
summer, before the kids go backto school, hamptons to finish
out the summer before the kidsgo back to school.
(01:27):
And so for the past like weekand a half I've been traveling
back and forth from New York orlike the city and the Hamptons.
And I love being in theHamptons because I love New York
City.
But the one thing that I missso much is just like green.
Like yes, I could go to CentralPark and there's obviously
green there, but it's not thesame because it's still.
(01:48):
It's still the city, right, soit's still very loud and there's
so much commotion, so muchgoing on in the Hamptons, like
it's green and it's quiet and Ifeel like I can really sit with
my thoughts and just like be innature and touch fucking grass,
which I would love all of us todo.
We'll get to it a little bit inthe later portion of this
episode, but I just feel like Ican calm my mind, which I
(02:12):
genuinely need.
I feel like my thoughts arealways running 10 miles a minute
and so it's always nice to goout there with them and like I
put my phone down.
I'm, and it's nice because,like the, the house that we stay
at, like the family that Inamed for, they're not worried
about nothing.
Okay, like they, they're good.
(02:33):
And so the house that we stayat it's like this huge house.
There's an in-ground pool,there's all this like field.
The house sits on like an 18hole golf course.
Like when I say they're good,they're good.
Um, and so it's so nice to beout there because, you know, I'm
with my nanny kids and theywant to get in the pool and they
want to jump on the trampoline,they want to be running around
(02:54):
in the grass, and it's just somuch fun.
I feel like something that I'veI've learned recently like
really heals me, is healing myinner child, and so that's why I
feel like it's so nice being ananny, because, like I have an
excuse to do quote-unquote kidthings like play in the grass,
jump on the trampoline, swim forhours in a pool, and so, as
(03:15):
always, it really just likehelps me regulate, when I can
literally just focus on being inthe green, being with the kids,
and like not have to worryabout anything else.
So that has definitely been thepeak of my week.
It's just been like being ableto put my phone down because,
again, I've just been consumingso much media recently like it's
my screen time whoo child, it'sbad, it's so bad and I've I've
(03:40):
been trying to step away from myphone more.
Um, I'm reading again, which Iused to be such an avid reader
Like I used to read book afterbook after book and I just for
some reason haven't recently,just because I've just been so
locked into my phone and socialmedia.
So I'm just really trying tostep away from social media,
(04:00):
which again is so important itwill get to in a second and just
touching some grass, like it'sjust, it was so nice to be out
there and just being the quietand hearing the sounds of nature
, like the crickets and thebirds or whatever, and being in
the grass, being in the pooljust away from the city and
putting my phone down.
It's just, that was like sorefreshing for me mentally, like
(04:24):
I feel like I'm in a muchbetter place.
So that's definitely been thepeak of my week, um, just, you
know, again, being being innature and touching grass.
So please tell me the peak ofyour week, something that made
you smile, kept you grounded,kept you sane in the chaos of
the world, segwaying into whatwe're going to talk about today.
I feel like I'm moving quicktoday because I genuinely like I
(04:44):
heavily considered not postinga video this week because I'm
like I need everyone to shut thefuck up, get off of social
media and genuinely go touchfucking grass, because the way
social media has beenspecifically around Love Island
and the contestants and thecouples right now, like everyone
(05:06):
is losing their goddamn fuckingminds, like it is.
I just am like blown away byhow this stupid little dating
show that is supposed to be likefun and you know, just silly
and quirky and whatever hasgotten to the place that it's
gotten to.
And it's to the point wherefans, in every fan base I feel
(05:26):
like are just like we've theplot is insanely lost, and not
even just the fans, but like thecontestants and like everyone
is just losing their minds.
And I'm like I checked andmercury doesn't have her micro
braids and in fact she just tookthem out.
So I'm like what the fuck goingon?
Like everybody's going crazy.
But I feel like it's justbecause social media it's a
(05:50):
double-edged sword, like I, as acontent creator, I've always
said like I I love social mediabecause it has genuinely, like
changed my life and afforded meopportunities that I wouldn't
have, and I'm so thankful forall of you for being here and,
you know, helping me reach mygoals and my dreams.
At the same time, social mediais a fucking cancer to society,
(06:14):
like I feel like because we'respending so much time on social
media, people get parasocial,real easy and real quickly, and
I feel like it's because we'respending so much time on social
media that we forget to developthese real relationships with
people in real life.
And so we're developingrelationships with people online
(06:35):
relationships.
I say in quote because, like,we forget, like we don't know
these people.
Okay, we don't know thesepeople, but I feel like, because
people are so locked intosocial media again, our moms are
right, it is that damn phonethey develop relationships with
these people, relationships,again I say in quotes to the
point where they become soinvested in the lives of people
(06:57):
that they do not know and it'sit's just really fucking scary.
So again, with this whole loveisland and the, the islanders
and everything, I just feel likeeveryone and every fan base is
genuinely losing the plot withthis recent interview that ace
did and him commenting orlacking to comment on the
(07:22):
authenticity of nick andelandria's relationship.
I feel like I have more of anunpopular opinion when it comes
to all of this, because I cansee where Ace is coming from.
If you look at it at thesurface level, I can see how Ace
can feel like Nick iswishy-washy or whatever.
In his answers he says onething in private, private, says
(07:44):
another thing in public, and aceis the type of person who he
really values people standing onbusiness and being the same
person in public as they are inprivate.
So I feel like ace is lookingat this very surface level and
thinking like, oh well, he saidone thing to me in private, but
he says another thing in public.
That's not standing on business.
That's not real, that's notauthentic, and I feel like he's
(08:05):
taking that point of thinkingand putting it on the
authenticity of nick andalandria's relationship.
Now, I do not agree with that.
I don't think.
Number one I don't think thatnick and alandria are scamming.
There's so many people who arelike, oh my god, they're
scamming.
I don't think that they'rescamming.
That's number one.
(08:25):
Number two I don't think it'sfair for ace to apply that logic
of he's not saying the samething in private as he is in
public.
Therefore, their relationshipisn't authentic to their
relationship.
Because I think the thing thatace is missing is that, no
matter what nick says, it isgoing, if people don't agree
(08:47):
with it, that is going to fallon Alandria.
People are going to use that asa way to attack Alandria.
So when Ace uses this example inhis interview of like, oh, nick
said to me in private you know,some people shouldn't have made
it to the final four, but inpublic he's saying everyone
deserved to be in the final fourbecause that's how America
voted, whatever.
He's not thinking that if nickswere to say in in uh public
(09:11):
that someone didn't deserve tobe in the final four and I'm
gonna assume this is just myassumption that the people that
were named that didn't deserveto be in final four was huda and
chris fair I feel like that'slike they broke up in the
finaluna 4 was Huda and ChrisFair.
I feel like they broke up inthe final episode.
Of course their relationship,their connection was not strong
(09:32):
enough to be in the Fauna 4.
But Nick cannot say that inpublic because people will take
that and be like, oh my God,alandria's a mean girl.
She's probably been talkingshit about Huda to Nick and
making Nick talk shit about Hudanow it would have fallen back
on Alandria.
She's probably been talkingshit about huda to nick and
making nick talk shit about hudanow like it would have fallen
back on alandria.
So the reason I feel that nicksays one thing in private and
another thing in public isbecause, at the end of the day,
(09:54):
his main priority is to protectalandria and ace didn't see that
.
Ace didn't understand.
He saw was like you are notstanding on business, you're not
saying the same thing here asyou are there, and it hurt his
feelings.
And his feelings are valid.
If that's how he feels.
That's how he feels.
However, he didn't considerAlandria's feelings, in my
(10:17):
opinion, or how all of thiswould fall back on Alandria, and
not only Alandria but Shelly aswell.
I've looked at shelly's commentsand people are now dragging her
, telling her that she needs tocontrol ace and you know she,
she needs to get her her man andcheck that out, and it's like
he's a grown-ass man.
He is a grown-ass man if, if,if that's how he feels again, do
(10:41):
I think that he should haveshared it in public?
Absolutely not if that's howyou feel.
That should have been a privateconversation, because look what
is happening to not onlyalandria now but also shelly,
and I think that's the reasonnick is not as vocal on his
opinions in public, because heknows at the end of the day,
people are going to use that asa way to hate on alandria, and I
(11:03):
don't think Ace thought aboutthat.
So I say all that to say Iunderstand where Ace is coming
from and I understand how hisfeelings could be hurt, but I
feel like Ace did not look atthe bigger picture and and think
about how this would allreflect or fall back on Shelly
and Alandria.
Now, because of this interview,as said, people are now coming
(11:25):
at you know, shelly, alandria,ace is getting some backlash as
well, but the parasocialness ofit all is insane.
Like I'm seeing people I saw awoman post a video and say that
Nick needs to get on, live anduse white tears and defend
himself against ace.
What, what, like, what, whatare y'all okay?
(11:57):
Like what the fuck are weactually talking about?
What the fuck are we talkingabout?
And this is where I say likeeveryone needs to get offline
and go touch some fucking grass,because what do you mean you're
saying that nick should use aracist tactic that has had black
(12:17):
people killed to defend himselfagainst Ace?
The plot is so fucking lost.
The plot is so fucking lost andI, like I understand you know
people are are upset with Ace,and I'm not saying that what Ace
(12:38):
did was right, okay, but at theend of the day, you can
critique him without resortingto racism because, mind you,
these are supposed tonicolandria fans who are saying
things like this, and Iunderstand, like it's not just
nicolandria fans, but I amdirecting this at nicolandria
fans, because y'all have beengoing so hard, as you should,
(13:00):
because of the racism thatalandria has faced, because of
Huda fans.
Right, to turn around afterdefending Alandria against
racism and then call for racismagainst Ace because he says
something that you don't like isactually, in fucking sane,
(13:22):
absolutely insane.
What the fuck are we talkingabout?
Like, I don't think that y'allare thinking.
I think y'all are in too deep.
It's getting really weird, it'sgetting really parasocial and
we need to wrap this shit up bynoon 30 yesterday.
I'm so fucking serious.
Everyone has lost their fuckingminds, truly, truly, have lost
(13:45):
their fucking minds, truly,truly, have lost their fucking
minds.
Like it.
It gets to a point.
And then I made a video aboutthis on tiktok and people were
in the comments like, oh, shewas just joking, it's just a
joke.
Y'all, y'all gotta relax.
It's just a joke, so pleaseshare with the class.
What's funny about racism?
I'll wait, like what yo?
(14:09):
If that's not a fucking joke,that's weird and it's parasocial
and it is racist.
Let's be so fucking for realagain.
Do I agree with what a said?
No, I don't.
I don't think.
First of all, I don't thinkthat he should have commented on
the relationship at all,because what he said in the
interview was that the lastconversation that he had with
nick which, by his own admission, was in the villa, which was
(14:32):
two months ago, so you shouldn'thave an opinion anyway, because
clearly, your, your informationis outdated, so I don't think
that he should have saidanything at all.
Anyway, however, he said whathe said.
Those are his feelings.
Okay, I also think if he hadthose feelings, he should have
said that to alandria in privateor had a conversation with nick
, whatever, because he claims tocare about alandria, right?
(14:55):
So if you're, if you're,worried about her, you're, you
know, you have your reservationsor you feel some type of way
and you feel like you need toprotect her or let her know of
this thing.
You have her number.
No, like I, I'm sure you guyshave each other's number.
So that could have been aconversation to have in private,
and it should have been had inprivate because now people again
(15:17):
are using this as a way toattack alandria and shelly.
So if that's how he felt, Iunderstand he should have had it
in private.
We can say all of this.
We can critique him and say allof this without resorting to
racism.
And if you feel like you can't,that is something that you need
to unpack, because what theactual fuck?
(15:40):
Y'all are getting really weird.
It's it's getting weird and weneed to wrap up.
This is the last time that Iwill ever, unless it has
something to do with calling outracism.
I don't want to talk about loveisland anymore.
This season has been so fuckingdraining because of the fans,
because of the cast, because ofproducers and production.
(16:00):
Like everyone has lost theirminds and I'm I'm just yo.
The plot lost their minds andI'm I'm just yo.
The plot is lost, dangerouslylost, because the things that
y'all are talking about now it'sgetting crazy and we absolutely
need to wrap it up and touchsome fucking grass.
Like I, yo, I'm so.
(16:21):
I'm just blown away by whatthis has has led to and what
people are saying.
Because, again, mind you, thiswas just supposed to be a silly,
cute, fun, stupid little datingshow where people who are
overly freaked out go and theyall kiss each other and they try
to find love and they couple upand then they go through casa
(16:42):
more, which is a little bitdramatic, and there's drama here
and there, and that's it that.
That was where it was supposedto start and stop, but the fact
that so many people are nowresorting to racism because of a
stupid little TV show touchsome fucking grass, touch some
fucking grass this is insane.
This is like I'm soflabbergasted, my flabbers are
(17:08):
actually gasted, because what doyou mean?
Like yo, everyone just needs tocalm the fuck down, put the
phone down, put your hands upand back away slowly, because
there's just no reason that itshould have ever gotten to all
of this.
I think, for everyone involved,for the cast, whatever, like,
everyone should just focus onwho they enjoy and who they like
(17:31):
.
Like, if somebody sayssomething that you don't like,
okay, you don't like it, great.
If you feel like you cancritique it without resorting to
racism, do that.
And if you feel like you can'tjust go show some love to the
people that you like, like?
I just feel like everyoneinvolved is so focused on
everyone but like themselves orthe people that they actually
(17:54):
like, like there's so manypeople who are so set on trying
to convince people who enjoynickelangia that they're a scam,
that they're pr, that they'rethis or that.
And what if I told you I don'tgive a fuck if they are?
Then what?
What if I told you that ifthey're scamming me, I don't
mind?
What if I told you that ifthey're scamming me, I consent
(18:16):
to it?
I'm clicking on every link, I'maccepting all cookies.
The African prince is askingfor my card information and I'm
giving it to him.
What if I told you that I don'tcare?
Then what?
Like?
I feel like people are sohellbent on trying to convince
people who like Nicolandria thatit's a scam.
I don't care, I don't care, Idon't care.
(18:39):
If it's a scam, I genuinelydon't care.
And if this is what a scamlooks like, give me 14 more of
them.
Sign me up for all the scams.
Let me this type of scam find me, because at the end of the day,
the real tea is that the reasony'all think nick and alandria
are a scam is because you can'tfathom a man who looks like nick
actually liking a woman wholooks like alandria.
(18:59):
That is racism that you need tounpack, because if you look at
nick's actions and what he hasdone for alandria and what she
has said about how he treats heras well, there's actually no
way that you could ever thinkthat it's a scam, and not even
only that.
Look at how they were on theshow.
On the show nick, after casa,fought for alandria to stay, has
(19:23):
yearned for for this womansince episode one.
There's no way that you cantell me that you genuinely think
that it is a scam.
That is just racism bill.
That is racism that you need tounpack and you need to work on.
But for the sake of theargument, let's just say that
you are right.
Let's just say they're scamming, it's fake, it's pr.
I don't care, leave me to bescammed in peace, let me be.
(19:47):
Don't save me.
I don't want to be savedBecause here's the thing I did a
review on every episode thisseason.
In fact, I wish that I could goback and never press play on
episode one, but I did.
Okay, I reviewed every episodethis season.
In my very first review,episode one review I said in in
that video I want to see more ofnick and alandria.
(20:09):
I am quite literally an episodeone shipper.
I'm getting exactly what I hadalways wanted, which was to see
more of nick and alandria.
So even if they are a scam, Idon't care.
Okay, I heard you, we, we'veall heard you.
So can you please leave usalone and let us be scammed in
peace?
It's just so weird to me thatpeople are so hell-bent on
(20:31):
throwing hate and trying to saythat this is a scam couple and
then also when I say to peoplelike I, I don't care if it's a
scam, I don't care, theirresponse in my comments has been
I can't wait to be vindicated,like I can't wait until y'all
see he's gonna do her dirty.
Like I can't wait until y'allsee he's gonna do her dirty and
I can't wait so y'all can see.
Do you hear yourself likethere's something so sinister
(20:58):
about the way people are rootingfor alandria to be hurt?
They're rooting, they.
They're like I can't wait tosee it, I can't wait for him to
hurt her.
Like so you're, you're prayingon her downfall, you're praying
for her feelings or whatever tobe hurt.
(21:19):
And again I tell y'all y'all arein too deep, y'all are weird,
y'all are parasocial and youneed to touch fucking grass
because there's no way you thinkthat that is a normal response.
Like you're weird, that's weirdfor you to spend so much time
hating when you could just goand enjoy whatever couple or
whatever people that you youlike, but you spend so much time
(21:43):
trying to convince yourselfthat they're a scam and trying
to convince other people thatthey're a scam.
Like I, just I, this is a typeof activity that I've never
understood or will everunderstand.
Like this is a terrible use ofyour free will.
There has to be better thingsthat you can do.
No, like what the fuck?
I just feel like everyone isgetting incredibly weird.
(22:05):
Just feel like everyone isgetting incredibly weird, that
everyone involved in this wholesituation whether you're a fan,
whether you're, as alandria said, a secret fan or a second fan
base like everyone's gettingweird and we all need to shut up
, put our phones down and touchsome grass because I, just I,
I'm just in complete shock thatthis silly little TV show has
(22:28):
gotten this far and likeeveryone is just losing their
fucking minds.
So as we wrap up today'sepisode, please also wrap up all
this Love Island discourse, allthis Love Island talk.
Put your phone down and gotouch some fucking grass, cause
it's been weird for a while, butit's getting weirder by the day
, like everyone just needs to,needs to let it go.
(22:50):
Show's over.
We had the reunion.
People who I knew would sit onbusiness stood on business.
Wrap it up, let it go.
Support the people that youlike.
If somebody says somethingabout the couple that you like
and you can critique them in anormal way, do that.
But if you feel like you haveto resort to racism or sending
(23:11):
hate or death threats orwhatever, like I fear you're in
far too deep for people that youdo not know and it's, it's just
weird.
Wrap this shit the fuck upimmediately, because it it's
gone from bad to j-lo and I'mI'm so sick of it.
At first I loved being able to,you know, add to these
conversations and I love thatyou guys were asking me my
(23:33):
opinion and everything like that.
But unless it has to do withracism and calling out racism or
something.
I'm.
I'm off this shit because it'sstarting to feel irresponsible
to even continue theseconversations because of how
weird everyone is getting.
So let's wrap it up.
Okay.
We heard you.
Nicolangelo is being scammed.
We love it.
We love it here.
(23:54):
Okay, don't save us.
We don't want to be saved.
I'm enjoying being scammed.
Move on, everyone.
Move the fuck on, put the phonedown, go touch some grass and
let's, let's all let it go.
Let's, let's just.
It's over.
Okay, support the people youlike, ignore the people you
don't.
(24:14):
Period the end.
Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode.
I hope everyone's having a goodweek, except for that orange
drink.
Lady.
Go touch some grass and I willtalk to you in the next episode.
Peace and love.
Talk to you later.
T he Napkin in Between, hostedby Daijné Jones.
Produced by Daijné Jones,post-production by Daijné Jones,
music by Sam Champagne andgraphics by Isma Vidal.
(24:35):
Don't forget to like andsubscribe.
See you next episode.
Is this thing on?
Hello, hello.
Uh-oh, another yapper with amic.
Hello everyone, and welcomeback to the Napkin In Between
podcast.
I am your host, Daijné Jones.
I hope everyone's been having agood week, except for that
(00:21):
orange drink lady, of course.
I am feeling incrediblyrefreshed.
Um, as you Ooh, what am Isaying?
I'm already stuttering.
I don't know what's been goingon with me recently, but I have
been stuttering so much and Ifeel like I always stutter Not
always, but like that'ssomething that's happened to me
all the time Because my brainworks faster than my mouth can,
(00:46):
like I'll form a thought fasterthan it just happened.
Again I'll form a thoughtfaster than it can like come out
of my mouth.
Like I just feel like my brainhas been like it's always
overactive, but it's been evenmore so overactive recently,
probably because I'm just likeon social media more than I
should be.
I really have been trying todecrease my screen time and step
outside, hence segwaying intowhat was the peak of my week.
(01:07):
I'm feeling very refreshedright now because I so the
family that I nanny for.
If y'all don't know or I'm suremost of you know that I, apart
from content creation, I am afull-time nanny and for the last
couple of weeks they've been inthe Hamptons to finish out the
summer, before the kids go backto school, hamptons to finish
out the summer before the kidsgo back to school.
(01:27):
And so for the past like weekand a half I've been traveling
back and forth from New York orlike the city and the Hamptons.
And I love being in theHamptons because I love New York
City.
But the one thing that I missso much is just like green.
Like yes, I could go to CentralPark and there's obviously
green there, but it's not thesame because it's still.
(01:48):
It's still the city, right, soit's still very loud and there's
so much commotion, so muchgoing on in the Hamptons, like
it's green and it's quiet and Ifeel like I can really sit with
my thoughts and just like be innature and touch fucking grass,
which I would love all of us todo.
We'll get to it a little bit inthe later portion of this
episode, but I just feel like Ican calm my mind, which I
(02:12):
genuinely need.
I feel like my thoughts arealways running 10 miles a minute
and so it's always nice to goout there with them and like I
put my phone down.
I'm, and it's nice because,like the, the house that we stay
at, like the family that Inamed for, they're not worried
about nothing.
Okay, like they, they're good.
(02:33):
And so the house that we stayat it's like this huge house.
There's an in-ground pool,there's all this like field.
The house sits on like an 18hole golf course.
Like when I say they're good,they're good.
Um, and so it's so nice to beout there because, you know, I'm
with my nanny kids and theywant to get in the pool and they
want to jump on the trampoline,they want to be running around
(02:54):
in the grass, and it's just somuch fun.
I feel like something that I'veI've learned recently like
really heals me, is healing myinner child, and so that's why I
feel like it's so nice being ananny, because, like I have an
excuse to do quote-unquote kidthings like play in the grass,
jump on the trampoline, swim forhours in a pool, and so, as
(03:15):
always, it really just likehelps me regulate, when I can
literally just focus on being inthe green, being with the kids,
and like not have to worryabout anything else.
So that has definitely been thepeak of my week.
It's just been like being ableto put my phone down because,
again, I've just been consumingso much media recently like it's
my screen time whoo child, it'sbad, it's so bad and I've I've
(03:40):
been trying to step away from myphone more.
Um, I'm reading again, which Iused to be such an avid reader
Like I used to read book afterbook after book and I just for
some reason haven't recently,just because I've just been so
locked into my phone and socialmedia.
So I'm just really trying tostep away from social media,
(04:00):
which again is so important itwill get to in a second and just
touching some grass, like it'sjust, it was so nice to be out
there and just being the quietand hearing the sounds of nature
, like the crickets and thebirds or whatever, and being in
the grass, being in the pooljust away from the city and
putting my phone down.
It's just, that was like sorefreshing for me mentally, like
(04:24):
I feel like I'm in a muchbetter place.
So that's definitely been thepeak of my week, um, just, you
know, again, being being innature and touching grass.
So please tell me the peak ofyour week, something that made
you smile, kept you grounded,kept you sane in the chaos of
the world, segwaying into whatwe're going to talk about today.
I feel like I'm moving quicktoday because I genuinely like I
(04:44):
heavily considered not postinga video this week because I'm
like I need everyone to shut thefuck up, get off of social
media and genuinely go touchfucking grass, because the way
social media has beenspecifically around Love Island
and the contestants and thecouples right now, like everyone
(05:06):
is losing their goddamn fuckingminds, like it is.
I just am like blown away byhow this stupid little dating
show that is supposed to be likefun and you know, just silly
and quirky and whatever hasgotten to the place that it's
gotten to.
And it's to the point wherefans, in every fan base I feel
(05:26):
like are just like we've theplot is insanely lost, and not
even just the fans, but like thecontestants and like everyone
is just losing their minds.
And I'm like I checked andmercury doesn't have her micro
braids and in fact she just tookthem out.
So I'm like what the fuck goingon?
Like everybody's going crazy.
But I feel like it's justbecause social media it's a
(05:50):
double-edged sword, like I, as acontent creator, I've always
said like I I love social mediabecause it has genuinely, like
changed my life and afforded meopportunities that I wouldn't
have, and I'm so thankful forall of you for being here and,
you know, helping me reach mygoals and my dreams.
At the same time, social mediais a fucking cancer to society,
(06:14):
like I feel like because we'respending so much time on social
media, people get parasocial,real easy and real quickly, and
I feel like it's because we'respending so much time on social
media that we forget to developthese real relationships with
people in real life.
And so we're developingrelationships with people online
(06:35):
relationships.
I say in quote because, like,we forget, like we don't know
these people.
Okay, we don't know thesepeople, but I feel like, because
people are so locked intosocial media again, our moms are
right, it is that damn phonethey develop relationships with
these people, relationships,again I say in quotes to the
point where they become soinvested in the lives of people
(06:57):
that they do not know and it'sit's just really fucking scary.
So again, with this whole loveisland and the, the islanders
and everything, I just feel likeeveryone and every fan base is
genuinely losing the plot withthis recent interview that ace
did and him commenting orlacking to comment on the
(07:22):
authenticity of nick andelandria's relationship.
I feel like I have more of anunpopular opinion when it comes
to all of this, because I cansee where Ace is coming from.
If you look at it at thesurface level, I can see how Ace
can feel like Nick iswishy-washy or whatever.
In his answers he says onething in private, private, says
(07:44):
another thing in public, and aceis the type of person who he
really values people standing onbusiness and being the same
person in public as they are inprivate.
So I feel like ace is lookingat this very surface level and
thinking like, oh well, he saidone thing to me in private, but
he says another thing in public.
That's not standing on business.
That's not real, that's notauthentic, and I feel like he's
(08:05):
taking that point of thinkingand putting it on the
authenticity of nick andalandria's relationship.
Now, I do not agree with that.
I don't think.
Number one I don't think thatnick and alandria are scamming.
There's so many people who arelike, oh my god, they're
scamming.
I don't think that they'rescamming.
That's number one.
(08:25):
Number two I don't think it'sfair for ace to apply that logic
of he's not saying the samething in private as he is in
public.
Therefore, their relationshipisn't authentic to their
relationship.
Because I think the thing thatace is missing is that, no
matter what nick says, it isgoing, if people don't agree
(08:47):
with it, that is going to fallon Alandria.
People are going to use that asa way to attack Alandria.
So when Ace uses this example inhis interview of like, oh, nick
said to me in private you know,some people shouldn't have made
it to the final four, but inpublic he's saying everyone
deserved to be in the final fourbecause that's how America
voted, whatever.
He's not thinking that if nickswere to say in in uh public
(09:11):
that someone didn't deserve tobe in the final four and I'm
gonna assume this is just myassumption that the people that
were named that didn't deserveto be in final four was huda and
chris fair I feel like that'slike they broke up in the
finaluna 4 was Huda and ChrisFair.
I feel like they broke up inthe final episode.
Of course their relationship,their connection was not strong
(09:32):
enough to be in the Fauna 4.
But Nick cannot say that inpublic because people will take
that and be like, oh my God,alandria's a mean girl.
She's probably been talkingshit about Huda to Nick and
making Nick talk shit about Hudanow it would have fallen back
on Alandria.
She's probably been talkingshit about huda to nick and
making nick talk shit about hudanow like it would have fallen
back on alandria.
So the reason I feel that nicksays one thing in private and
another thing in public isbecause, at the end of the day,
(09:54):
his main priority is to protectalandria and ace didn't see that
.
Ace didn't understand.
He saw was like you are notstanding on business, you're not
saying the same thing here asyou are there, and it hurt his
feelings.
And his feelings are valid.
If that's how he feels.
That's how he feels.
However, he didn't considerAlandria's feelings, in my
(10:17):
opinion, or how all of thiswould fall back on Alandria, and
not only Alandria but Shelly aswell.
I've looked at shelly's commentsand people are now dragging her
, telling her that she needs tocontrol ace and you know she,
she needs to get her her man andcheck that out, and it's like
he's a grown-ass man.
He is a grown-ass man if, if,if that's how he feels again, do
(10:41):
I think that he should haveshared it in public?
Absolutely not if that's howyou feel.
That should have been a privateconversation, because look what
is happening to not onlyalandria now but also shelly,
and I think that's the reasonnick is not as vocal on his
opinions in public, because heknows at the end of the day,
people are going to use that asa way to hate on alandria, and I
(11:03):
don't think Ace thought aboutthat.
So I say all that to say Iunderstand where Ace is coming
from and I understand how hisfeelings could be hurt, but I
feel like Ace did not look atthe bigger picture and and think
about how this would allreflect or fall back on Shelly
and Alandria.
Now, because of this interview,as said, people are now coming
(11:25):
at you know, shelly, alandria,ace is getting some backlash as
well, but the parasocialness ofit all is insane.
Like I'm seeing people I saw awoman post a video and say that
Nick needs to get on, live anduse white tears and defend
himself against ace.
What, what, like, what, whatare y'all okay?
(11:57):
Like what the fuck are weactually talking about?
What the fuck are we talkingabout?
And this is where I say likeeveryone needs to get offline
and go touch some fucking grass,because what do you mean you're
saying that nick should use aracist tactic that has had black
(12:17):
people killed to defend himselfagainst Ace?
The plot is so fucking lost.
The plot is so fucking lost andI, like I understand you know
people are are upset with Ace,and I'm not saying that what Ace
(12:38):
did was right, okay, but at theend of the day, you can
critique him without resortingto racism because, mind you,
these are supposed tonicolandria fans who are saying
things like this, and Iunderstand, like it's not just
nicolandria fans, but I amdirecting this at nicolandria
fans, because y'all have beengoing so hard, as you should,
(13:00):
because of the racism thatalandria has faced, because of
Huda fans.
Right, to turn around afterdefending Alandria against
racism and then call for racismagainst Ace because he says
something that you don't like isactually, in fucking sane,
(13:22):
absolutely insane.
What the fuck are we talkingabout?
Like, I don't think that y'allare thinking.
I think y'all are in too deep.
It's getting really weird, it'sgetting really parasocial and
we need to wrap this shit up bynoon 30 yesterday.
I'm so fucking serious.
Everyone has lost their fuckingminds, truly, truly, have lost
(13:45):
their fucking minds, truly,truly, have lost their fucking
minds.
Like it.
It gets to a point.
And then I made a video aboutthis on tiktok and people were
in the comments like, oh, shewas just joking, it's just a
joke.
Y'all, y'all gotta relax.
It's just a joke, so pleaseshare with the class.
What's funny about racism?
I'll wait, like what yo?
(14:09):
If that's not a fucking joke,that's weird and it's parasocial
and it is racist.
Let's be so fucking for realagain.
Do I agree with what a said?
No, I don't.
I don't think.
First of all, I don't thinkthat he should have commented on
the relationship at all,because what he said in the
interview was that the lastconversation that he had with
nick which, by his own admission, was in the villa, which was
(14:32):
two months ago, so you shouldn'thave an opinion anyway, because
clearly, your, your informationis outdated, so I don't think
that he should have saidanything at all.
Anyway, however, he said whathe said.
Those are his feelings.
Okay, I also think if he hadthose feelings, he should have
said that to alandria in privateor had a conversation with nick
, whatever, because he claims tocare about alandria, right?
(14:55):
So if you're, if you're,worried about her, you're, you
know, you have your reservationsor you feel some type of way
and you feel like you need toprotect her or let her know of
this thing.
You have her number.
No, like I, I'm sure you guyshave each other's number.
So that could have been aconversation to have in private,
and it should have been had inprivate because now people again
(15:17):
are using this as a way toattack alandria and shelly.
So if that's how he felt, Iunderstand he should have had it
in private.
We can say all of this.
We can critique him and say allof this without resorting to
racism.
And if you feel like you can't,that is something that you need
to unpack, because what theactual fuck?
(15:40):
Y'all are getting really weird.
It's it's getting weird and weneed to wrap up.
This is the last time that Iwill ever, unless it has
something to do with calling outracism.
I don't want to talk about loveisland anymore.
This season has been so fuckingdraining because of the fans,
because of the cast, because ofproducers and production.
(16:00):
Like everyone has lost theirminds and I'm I'm just yo.
The plot lost their minds andI'm I'm just yo.
The plot is lost, dangerouslylost, because the things that
y'all are talking about now it'sgetting crazy and we absolutely
need to wrap it up and touchsome fucking grass.
Like I, yo, I'm so.
(16:21):
I'm just blown away by whatthis has has led to and what
people are saying.
Because, again, mind you, thiswas just supposed to be a silly,
cute, fun, stupid little datingshow where people who are
overly freaked out go and theyall kiss each other and they try
to find love and they couple upand then they go through casa
(16:42):
more, which is a little bitdramatic, and there's drama here
and there, and that's it that.
That was where it was supposedto start and stop, but the fact
that so many people are nowresorting to racism because of a
stupid little TV show touchsome fucking grass, touch some
fucking grass this is insane.
This is like I'm soflabbergasted, my flabbers are
(17:08):
actually gasted, because what doyou mean?
Like yo, everyone just needs tocalm the fuck down, put the
phone down, put your hands upand back away slowly, because
there's just no reason that itshould have ever gotten to all
of this.
I think, for everyone involved,for the cast, whatever, like,
everyone should just focus onwho they enjoy and who they like
(17:31):
.
Like, if somebody sayssomething that you don't like,
okay, you don't like it, great.
If you feel like you cancritique it without resorting to
racism, do that.
And if you feel like you can'tjust go show some love to the
people that you like, like?
I just feel like everyoneinvolved is so focused on
everyone but like themselves orthe people that they actually
(17:54):
like, like there's so manypeople who are so set on trying
to convince people who enjoynickelangia that they're a scam,
that they're pr, that they'rethis or that.
And what if I told you I don'tgive a fuck if they are?
Then what?
What if I told you that ifthey're scamming me, I don't
mind?
What if I told you that ifthey're scamming me, I consent
(18:16):
to it?
I'm clicking on every link, I'maccepting all cookies.
The African prince is askingfor my card information and I'm
giving it to him.
What if I told you that I don'tcare?
Then what?
Like?
I feel like people are sohellbent on trying to convince
people who like Nicolandria thatit's a scam.
I don't care, I don't care, Idon't care.
(18:39):
If it's a scam, I genuinelydon't care.
And if this is what a scamlooks like, give me 14 more of
them.
Sign me up for all the scams.
Let me this type of scam find me, because at the end of the day,
the real tea is that the reasony'all think nick and alandria
are a scam is because you can'tfathom a man who looks like nick
actually liking a woman wholooks like alandria.
(18:59):
That is racism that you need tounpack, because if you look at
nick's actions and what he hasdone for alandria and what she
has said about how he treats heras well, there's actually no
way that you could ever thinkthat it's a scam, and not even
only that.
Look at how they were on theshow.
On the show nick, after casa,fought for alandria to stay, has
(19:23):
yearned for for this womansince episode one.
There's no way that you cantell me that you genuinely think
that it is a scam.
That is just racism bill.
That is racism that you need tounpack and you need to work on.
But for the sake of theargument, let's just say that
you are right.
Let's just say they're scamming, it's fake, it's pr.
I don't care, leave me to bescammed in peace, let me be.
(19:47):
Don't save me.
I don't want to be savedBecause here's the thing I did a
review on every episode thisseason.
In fact, I wish that I could goback and never press play on
episode one, but I did.
Okay, I reviewed every episodethis season.
In my very first review,episode one review I said in in
that video I want to see more ofnick and alandria.
(20:09):
I am quite literally an episodeone shipper.
I'm getting exactly what I hadalways wanted, which was to see
more of nick and alandria.
So even if they are a scam, Idon't care.
Okay, I heard you, we, we'veall heard you.
So can you please leave usalone and let us be scammed in
peace?
It's just so weird to me thatpeople are so hell-bent on
(20:31):
throwing hate and trying to saythat this is a scam couple and
then also when I say to peoplelike I, I don't care if it's a
scam, I don't care, theirresponse in my comments has been
I can't wait to be vindicated,like I can't wait until y'all
see he's gonna do her dirty.
Like I can't wait until y'allsee he's gonna do her dirty and
I can't wait so y'all can see.
Do you hear yourself likethere's something so sinister
(20:58):
about the way people are rootingfor alandria to be hurt?
They're rooting, they.
They're like I can't wait tosee it, I can't wait for him to
hurt her.
Like so you're, you're prayingon her downfall, you're praying
for her feelings or whatever tobe hurt.
(21:19):
And again I tell y'all y'all arein too deep, y'all are weird,
y'all are parasocial and youneed to touch fucking grass
because there's no way you thinkthat that is a normal response.
Like you're weird, that's weirdfor you to spend so much time
hating when you could just goand enjoy whatever couple or
whatever people that you youlike, but you spend so much time
(21:43):
trying to convince yourselfthat they're a scam and trying
to convince other people thatthey're a scam.
Like I, just I, this is a typeof activity that I've never
understood or will everunderstand.
Like this is a terrible use ofyour free will.
There has to be better thingsthat you can do.
No, like what the fuck?
I just feel like everyone isgetting incredibly weird.
(22:05):
Just feel like everyone isgetting incredibly weird, that
everyone involved in this wholesituation whether you're a fan,
whether you're, as alandria said, a secret fan or a second fan
base like everyone's gettingweird and we all need to shut up
, put our phones down and touchsome grass because I, just I,
I'm just in complete shock thatthis silly little TV show has
(22:28):
gotten this far and likeeveryone is just losing their
fucking minds.
So as we wrap up today'sepisode, please also wrap up all
this Love Island discourse, allthis Love Island talk.
Put your phone down and gotouch some fucking grass, cause
it's been weird for a while, butit's getting weirder by the day
, like everyone just needs to,needs to let it go.
(22:50):
Show's over.
We had the reunion.
People who I knew would sit onbusiness stood on business.
Wrap it up, let it go.
Support the people that youlike.
If somebody says somethingabout the couple that you like
and you can critique them in anormal way, do that.
But if you feel like you haveto resort to racism or sending
(23:11):
hate or death threats orwhatever, like I fear you're in
far too deep for people that youdo not know and it's, it's just
weird.
Wrap this shit the fuck upimmediately, because it it's
gone from bad to j-lo and I'mI'm so sick of it.
At first I loved being able to,you know, add to these
conversations and I love thatyou guys were asking me my
(23:33):
opinion and everything like that.
But unless it has to do withracism and calling out racism or
something.
I'm.
I'm off this shit because it'sstarting to feel irresponsible
to even continue theseconversations because of how
weird everyone is getting.
So let's wrap it up.
Okay.
We heard you.
Nicolangelo is being scammed.
We love it.
We love it here.
(23:54):
Okay, don't save us.
We don't want to be saved.
I'm enjoying being scammed.
Move on, everyone.
Move the fuck on, put the phonedown, go touch some grass and
let's, let's all let it go.
Let's, let's just.
It's over.
Okay, support the people youlike, ignore the people you
don't.
(24:14):
Period the end.
Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode.
I hope everyone's having a goodweek, except for that orange
drink.
Lady.
Go touch some grass and I willtalk to you in the next episode.
Peace and love.
Talk to you later.
T he Napkin in Between, hostedby Daijné Jones.
Produced by Daijné Jones,post-production by Daijné Jones,
music by Sam Champagne andgraphics by Isma Vidal.
(24:35):
Don't forget to like andsubscribe.
See you next episode.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.