- This week’s episode opens with discussion of a rising trend: More people are turning to dollar stores to shop for food because of the guaranteed low prices and accessibility.
- To help us discuss this movement, we’re joined by Rebecca of @DollarTreeDinners on TikTok (and YouTube), who’s gained nearly 700k followers in under a year thanks to her videos in which she shares how to make great meals using ingredients from Dollar Tree!
- We ask Rebecca what the common misconceptions are about dollar store shopping, how she plans her meal ideas, if keeping ingredients and meals healthy is possible at a low-cost store like Dollar Tree, and what items to avoid at the dollar chains.
- How has Rebecca gotten so popular, so quick? She shares what resonates with her audience to help any other aspiring TikTokers.
- Over in TV land, Netflix is in hot water after the taping of their Squid Game reality show got a little too, uh, close to the fictional Squid Game. Shouldn’t contestants have known what they were getting into?!
- Mr. Beast also got in trouble when he tried to create his own Squid Game. It leads us into a discussion of how creators like him can’t win.
- The Grammys aired Sunday, and as always there’s lots to talk about. Pam explains why Harry’s House shouldn’t have won the top honor, and Andrew shares strategies for making it through the longggggg award ceremony.
- Recommendations: Andrew’s recently started using Jicama Wraps as a low-calorie tortilla alternative (Which Pam isn’t happy about, only because the popularity of jicama has seemingly driven up prices), and Pam wants you to check out Bad Bunny’s album Un Verano Sin Ti.
This week in After Dark, available on Patreon:
- The M&Ms Spokecandies have allegedly been replaced by Maya Rudolph. The commercials haven’t landed with Andrew — is this all leading to a Super Bowl ad where the Spokescandies murder Maya Rudolph and take back the throne?
- The internet is paying tribute to the M&M’s by discussing the hottest brand cartoon characters. We discuss if we would sleep with iconic characters like Jolly Green Giant, Wendy, Kool Aid Man, Mr. Pringle, and more.
- Disney Dads appear to be getting hotter. Do the animators have daddy issues?
- FMK: The Mascots. Andrew and Pam present each other with scenarios. “Ohhhhh Yeahhhhhh!”