Night School

This week on Night School, Kristin Chirico returns and we discuss what it’s like when your life is objectively kind of a mess, but you keep showing up anyway. We talk about having a strong year professionally while everything else feels unstable, how exhausting it is to hold it together, and what it actually means to ask for what you need instead of pretending to be chill. The conversation moves through dating, emotional vulnerability, ADHD and neurodivergence, and why admitting you like someone can feel more humiliating than getting rejected.

This week on Night School, Kristin Chirico returns for a full episode dedicated to Heated Rivalry, the hit hockey romance that accidentally turned into a full-scale internet fixation. We break down our theories as to why the show has taken over the internet by storm — from Hudson Williams’ quietly elite press tour and Gen Z’s built-in media fluency around queerness, to the rare on- and off-screen chemistry that feels impossible to fake and even harder to sustain once the spotlight hits.We also get into the real risks of overnight fame, unpack the Heated Rivalry online discourse from women around desire and whether our partners are actually meeting our emotional needs, and make the case for taking more pictures of yourself while you’re still young. Equal parts media analysis and Heated Rivalry fangirling, the episode wraps with a listener advice question that brings it all back to real life.

This week on Night School, Josh Potter and Kristin Chirico join the pod, and what starts as a conversation about baseball as a deeply spiritual, failure-based art form quickly turns into a full generational autopsy. We unpack why hitting a baseball is the hardest thing in sports, how Dodgers fandom regulates the nervous system, and how 9/11 accidentally became core personality lore for an entire age group — including a fifth birthday spent getting scolded for “reporting the news” to other preschoolers. From there, the episode spirals through post-9/11 cringe culture, Linkin Park as a national trauma soundtrack, and why everyone alive at the time seems permanently cooked in a very specific way. We then get into sports nepo babies, dynastic team ownership, and the increasingly bizarre public unraveling of Bill Belichick. The back half devolves into elite sports gossip, quarterback vibes, Taylor Swift discourse, and a deeply unserious but highly opinionated round of F, Marry, Punt — proving once again that sports are astrology for men, trauma is the great equalizer, and no one should ever pretend to be normal about any of this.

This week on Night School, Kristin Chirico returns and we cover Jesse’s magician update, including getting an invite to the exclusive, members-only club the Magic Castle in Hollywood. We then get into the Palantir CEO delivering one of the most unsettling interviews of all time while everyone politely pretended it was normal. From there, we talk Australia banning social media for kids under 16, why the internet is both a lifeline and a psychological hazard, and why blanket solutions won’t fix the broader societal issues creating unsafe environments for children. We unpack Quentin Tarantino crash out over Paul Dano and Art Basel turning Zuckerberg, Elon, and Bezos into robotic dogs pooping AI images, proving once again that power is temporary, ego is fragile, and art is eternal.

For our 50th episode, we’re joined by our comedian big sister Blair Socci. We cover everything from starting standup in New York versus LA, navigating comedy scenes, dating while trying to build a career, and what it means to pursue this career with sincerity while still having a life worth living. Blair walks us through her post-show grounding practices, her Aquaphor-first skincare philosophy, growing up in Southern California, and the very specific challenges of being a sensitive person in an industry that demands both toughness and vulnerability.This episode moves through comedy, dating, mental health, identity, creative purpose, late-night adrenaline crashes, Hinge profiles, family, and the unexpected ways we evolve as artists. It’s honest, funny, emotional, and deeply human — the perfect energy for our fiftieth episode. Follow Blair on IG @blairsocci Listen to Blair’s new podcast Spaced Out Watch Blair’s standup special Live From The Big Dog on YouTube.

Head Astrologist and high priestess Grace McGrade returns to discuss the major transits including Uranus in Gemini starting on July 17, the signs worst to date, and the danger of following spiritual advice from ChatGPT. We close out with a celeb chart reading for Blake Lively. Download Stars Align on Apple App Store and Google Play. Follow Grace on Instagram @gracemcgrade

The Bitter Buddha himself has entered the building. We sat down with your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian — Eddie Pepitone — for a no-holds-barred, gut-busting, possibly prophetic conversation. Topics include: the crumbling state of society (bad), Trader Joe’s employee policies (worse), mental illness (relatable), and shadow work (deeply unqualified).One of our funniest episodes yet — and maybe our most unhinged.Eddie hosts Apocalypse Soon and his special For the Masses is streaming on Hulu, AppleTV, and Amazon Prime. Follow Eddie on Instagram @eddiepep Like, comment and subscribe to our channel! Share with your friends! Give us 5-stars on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. We love you, Schoolies! Submit advice questions: tinyurl.com/nightschooladviceFollow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschoolpod Follow us on TikTok @nightschoolpod Subscribe on YouTube @nightschoolpodFollow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠@alanacloudrobinson⁠ & Substack: https://substack.com/@acrobinsonFollow Izzie on Instagram @astreetcarnamedesire“Hardly Strangers” out now: https://831stories.com/products/hardly-strangers-by-a-c-robinsonExecutive Produced by Kalyn WilliamsProduced by Keida MascaroEdited by Rabecca Woodruff

The iconic Jason Earles (@realdukeofearles) from the global hit television show Hannah Montana and standup comedian joins us this week to discuss all things Disney Channel, and actor stardom. Jason sits down and gives us the inside scoop on how the industry has shifted for child actors, what really went down at the DC Games, the dangers of social media for young performers and how companies like Disney are offering more resources for these actors. Jason and Jesse bond over their budding standup journeys. Jason is will be performing at the Make-A-Wish Benefit at The Comedy Store Sunday, May 4. Buy tickets HEREFollow Jason Earles on Instagram @realdukeofearlesLike, comment and subscribe to our channel! Share with your friends! Give us 5-stars on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. We love you, Schoolies!  Call us and ask us your advice questions: 310-987-7511 Submit advice questions: tinyurl.com/nightschooladviceFollow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschoolpodSubscribe on Youtube @nightschoolpodFollow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠@alanacloudrobinson⁠ & Substack: @acrobinsonFollow Izzie on Instagram @astreetcarnamedesire & Substack @IsabellaHunterBuy Alana's book “Hardly Strangers” Executive Produced by Kalyn W.Produced by Keida MascaroEdited by Jesse Zand

Field trip!! This episode the girls sit down with world-famous painter, sculpture and living-legend, Kenny Scharf (⁠@kennyscharf⁠). Kenny was one of the pioneers of contemporary Street Art alongside contemporaries like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Kenny shares his thoughts on the art world today and valuable advice for young artists on creating art that stands the test of time. But of course, none of us can stay serious for long so of course we discuss space travel, the Kardashians, reality tv, and much more. Enjoy! Like, comment and subscribe to our channel! Share with your friends! Give us 5-stars on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. We love you, Schoolies! Call us and ask us your advice questions: 310-987-7511 Submit advice questions: ⁠tinyurl.com/nightschooladvice⁠ Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠@nightschoolpod⁠ Subscribe on Youtube ⁠@nightschoolpod⁠ Follow Jesse on Instagram ⁠⁠@jessezand⁠⁠ Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠⁠@alanacloudrobinson⁠⁠ & Substack: ⁠@acrobinson⁠ Follow Izzie on Instagram ⁠@astreetcarnamedesire ⁠& Substack ⁠@isabellahunter⁠ ⁠Purchase Alana's Book “Hardly Strangers”⁠ out now Executive Produced by Kalyn W. Produced by Keida Mascaro Edited by Blu Hunter + Jesse Zand

oh buckle up schoolies. Join us to talk about the major shifts happening in 2025 with high priestess and astrology savant Grace McGrade. This episode we dive into Neptune moving into Aries for the first time in 164 years, dive into Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez's respective birth charts (TEAAA), and dive into everything mystic. We're talking SOUL CONTRACTS, timeline highjacking, and more. Please like, comment and subscribe to our channel! Helps more than you know! love you schoolies. Call us with your advice questions: 310-987-7511. Download the Stars Align app on Apple App Store or Google Play Submit advice questions: tinyurl.com/nightschooladvice. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschoolpod. Subscribe on YouTube @nightschoolpod. Follow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠Follow Alana on Instagram @alanacloudrobinsonSubstack @acrobinsonFollow Izzie on Instagram @astreetcarnamedesire“Hardly Strangers” out now by Alana Cloud Robinson Executive Produced by Kalyn W.Produced by Keida MascaroEdited by Georgia Krause

TL;DR: Hardly Strangers is the romance novel you didn’t know you needed, this pod ep will make you laugh-cry, and if Alana doesn’t write a sequel, Jesse is showing up with a pitchfork. 🌈📚“Hardly Strangers” out now: https://831stories.com/products/hardly-strangers-by-a-c-robinsonBabe, you’re not ready for this week’s NiGHT SCHOOL. Our literary icon Alana Cloud-Robinson has blessed the world with Hardly Strangers, her debut novel that’s part romance, part emotional therapy session, and 100% iconic. Naturally, we dedicate the entire episode to breaking it down, crying over it, and, of course, demanding a sequel because we’re invested.Jesse kicks things off already spiraling, demanding to know what happens after the book ends. Pancakes? Paris? Babies? Alana details going “full Stephen King mode”  writing it in a fugue state, only to later panic about whether it’s good (spoiler: it’s great). Isabella and Jesse devour it like it’s brunch after a night out, sobbing over the audiobook (even the acknowledgments, because this crew is dramatic). Speaking of emotional journeys, the gang dives deep into the book’s climactic moment, where Shera confronts her deepest trauma. Alana reveals this was inspired by her own life, describing how writing it was both cathartic and soul-crushing. Jesse applauds her for turning pain into art, while also demanding justice for the fictional characters she left hanging. Oh, and the anecdotes? Gold. Alana casually reveals she once took a walk with a random man while waiting for her date to show up. Bold. Jesse spirals into full Misery mode, vowing to kidnap Alana if she doesn’t write a sequel. Isabella sprinkles in deep life lessons like, “Vulnerability isn’t wasted” and “Embrace the plur” (because yes, EDM somehow makes its way into the episode).Ultimately, this episode is a love letter to Alana’s book, to fleeting moments of connection, and to the power of laying it all on the line—even if it’s scary. It’s chaotic, heartfelt, and hilarious. Submit advice questions: tinyurl.com/nightschooladviceFollow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschooldropouts⁠Subscribe on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3wkYfJqQy50A1ED8gGA89b?si=9989cc5f9f6941b7Follow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠@alanacloudrobinson⁠ & Substack: https://substack.com/@acrobinsonFollow Izzie on Instagram @astreetcarnamedesireProduced by Keida Mascaro 

We have special guest Kristin Chirico from @kitchenandjorn joining us this week !! We talk about the Buzzfeed era, Vidcon 2018, the TEA at the Streamy's, and Kristin's upcoming memoir and her story as a reconnecting native. Kristin answers listener questions including how to the worst food she's ever tried at Trader Joes, and how to support your trans-partner during the early stages of their transition. Also Jesse gets emotional and cries (what's new). Follow Kristin Chirico on Instagram @itskristinchirico Follow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschooldropouts⁠ Subscribe on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3wkYfJqQy50A1ED8gGA89b?si=9989cc5f9f6941b7 Follow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠ Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠@alanacloudrobinson⁠ Follow Izzy on Instagram @astreetcarnamedesire

This week the girls discuss how they perceive themselves, how they think the world perceives them, how to get revenge on an ex in a demure "non-law-breaking" manner, and their earliest childhood memories. This episode is particularly unhinged with Alana discussing her intra uterine memories, an admission from Izzie that she stole money from Alana, and accusations that Jesse is "tiny and h*rny" (not not wrong). Izzie also gets in a fight with our producer Keida, and Jesse talks about how a guy once paid her on venmo just to talk to her. We have a closet sale in Los Angeles Oct 12-13. For more details, check out our listing at https://www.estatesales.net/CA/Los-Angeles/90066/4252317

The girls kick off spooky season with a tarot card reading, discuss Izzie's A1 wingwoman-ing, and answer some SPICY listener questions (tw:cheating). Alana shares a fun story about a date she went on in her early 20s with a celebrity, Jesse rails against men (as a whole and a concept), Jesse shares a bit more on facial blindness debacle, and Izzie shares her "reverse uno" theory on superstition. 10/10 chaos.

The girls breakdown dating, Jesse's evergreen irritation with men, mirroring their parents traits, and polycules. We introduce a new advice segment where we answer listeners questions about dating, roommates, and more. Arguably our funniest episode yet. You don't want to miss this one. Also.. Patreon coming soon. If you want a shoutout on our next episode leave a 5-star review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Need advice? Submit your questions tinyurl.com/nightschooladvice Follow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschoolpod Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes ⁠@nightschooldropouts ⁠ Follow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠ Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠@alanacloudrobinson ⁠Follow Izzie @astreetcarnamedesire (literally don't even get me started on this...lol) Produced by Keida Mascaro

The long-awaited (lol) brand trip episode.. The girls are in Palm Springs this week for Jesse's 28th birthday on their Funny Girl Vintage brand trip where they discuss #MomTok, the girls mishroom experiences and high school horror stories. Alana has a spiritual experience with a toy dragon, Izzie is on another planet, and Jesse airs herself out for being a feral animal. Will #momtok survive this? What is #momtok ? If you want a shoutout on our next episode leave a 5-star review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Need advice? Submit your questions tinyurl.com/nightschooladviceFollow us on Instagram ⁠@nightschooldropouts⁠Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes ⁠@nightschooldropouts ⁠Follow Jesse on Instagram ⁠@jessezand⁠Follow Alana on Instagram ⁠@alanacloudrobinson⁠Follow Izzie @astreetcarnamedesire (literally don't even get me started on this...lol) Produced by Keida Mascaro

The girls debate Taylor Swift (pop princess? or overhyped mainstream garbáge?), Alana and Jesse discuss their experience at Pali High and the teachers that made an impact, and the girls breakdown their birth stories. Special guest appearance by the iconic Alexa Hunter (Izzie's mom IYKYK). The episode gets a bit deeper but with plenty of laughs and tangental moments from Jesse (sry lol). Please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! oh and tell your friends! Follow us on Instagram @nightschooldropouts Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes @nightschooldropouts Follow Jesse on Instagram @jessezand Follow Alana on Instagram @alanacloudrobinson Izzie doesn't want her IG out there lol. Produced by Keida Mascaro

Hosts Jesse Zand, Isabella Hunter, and Alana Cloud Robinson talk about Alana's upcoming book, Izzie's clown school experience, Jesse's standup horror stories, and more. Like, comment, subscribe. Tell your friends, your mother, your psychiatrist, and guy in your DMs to rate us 5-stars on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @nightschooldropouts @jessezand @alanacloudrobinson (Izzie doesn't want her IG out lmao). See you guys next Thursday! xoxo