Big Announcement

12/3/21 - A different kind of newsy episode with Aminatou, Ann and Gina.

Transcript below.

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LINKS

My Neck, My Back, My Netflix and My Snacks

Know Her Name

Police Aboltion

TRANSCRIPT: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

[Ads]

Aminatou: Welcome to Call Your Girlfriend.

Ann: A podcast for long distance besties everywhere.

Aminatou: She’s Ann Friedman.

Ann: And she’s Aminatou Sow.

Gina: And I'm executive producer, Gina Delvac.

Aminatou: Ann, I thought, yeah, I thought you were going to introduce Gina. Look at that.

Ann: I was really thinking we were going to trade off and, but I love the, I, you know, I love that Gina just takes the initiative to pop in because like, love, love to have you here, Gina. And, um, even if people can't hear you every week, you're always popping in.

Gina: I'm so happy to be here. I did come here to make friends.

Aminatou: Um, wow. I'm only laughing because there is a new Netflix show. That's basically the Real World. It's like all these 20 something year olds that moved to Austin to learn each other. And I was like, wow, just wait until, until they, until they, they stop being polite and start getting real, who's going to tell them.

Ann: I feel like my headline for this episode is not, I came here to make friends, but I came here to keep friends.

Gina: Yeah, what's on the agenda this week.

Aminatou: Well, I think there's only one thing on the agenda this week. I wouldn't do the agenda, but maybe I'll do it this week.

Ann: Go for it.

Aminatou: On this week's agenda, very big news from Call Your Girlfriend.

Ann: Oh my God. I thought you were just going to give the news.

Gina: Me too.

Aminatou: Well, I can give the news that here's the headline. The headline is that we are winding down this podcast.

Ann: Yeah. Like a forever wind down. Not a break. Like we have taken and talked about before.

Aminatou: What? Just kidding. [laughter]

[theme song]

Aminatou: Hi. Y'all I'm really sad, but also, um, congratulations, you know?

Ann: Yeah. I mean, I feel like the reason we're able to joke about this is because it's something we've been talking about for a long time. And, um, it's, it's sort of like, you know, when, when two people break up and one person has been like breaking up in their heart and head for a long time and then like drops it on the other person, I feel like that's, what's going on. It's like internally we decided that this is something we needed and wanted to do. And we were like now dropping it on our beloved listeners who might not have been so clued in.

Gina: It's true. But also we're not breaking up with each other.

Ann: Oh, yes. That's important to say up front, maybe.

Gina: I think so. I mean, one of the first questions we wrote for this episode is why are we winding down and why now?

Aminatou: Well, I will say that it definitely does not feel like a breakup at all because, or maybe it feels like a breakup with audio, but it doesn't feel like a breakup with, um, with the two of you. Um, I don't know, Gina, I guess to answer your question, it's a couple of things, right? Because this is a conversation we've been having for like more than a year at this point. Um, I will say that, you know, part of the reason, um, for me at least was like 1000% like brain burnout, you know? And I don't think it's the pandemic. I think it's a lot of things, but the pandemic definitely accelerated it for me. Um, and also some like health stuff in the background. I just, I feel tired, you know, and I felt like really tired for a long time. I really mean that like creatively, honestly, because I think that I can handle like admin burnout or like, you know, like the, like the business part burnout, because, well, not because, but like 100% because like you and Ann like, keep that train running, you know what I mean? But I think that like for me, the big wake up call was like, oh, creatively. Like I am not bringing my best health and I don't have any ideas anymore, you know?

Ann: Yeah. I mean, I feel a little bit of that for sure. I mean, I think also, um, you know, I think about the ways that our friendship, I mean, all three of us has evolved since 2014 when we started making this show. And, and then I think about the kind of container that we created, that was the show and like that hasn't changed as much as maybe our individual lives have and the way that like, you know, our friendships and dynamics have. So it feels a little bit like, um, God, I'm just like full of metaphors today. I apologize. But it feels a little bit like, you know, like that item in your closet where you're like, I don't really want to wear that anymore. I love it. It was like so good to me for years. Like, but it's like maybe not the thing for right now. Like that's, that's kind of where I'm at. It's like, I feel you on—

Aminatou: Like it served you very well.

Ann: Yeah. And I still like love and have affection for it. I'm like, that is a beautifully made garment. Like, you know, I think I have like nothing but good feelings. And at the same time, I'm like, I just, you know, I'm ready to wear something else. I can only talk about my feelings and deep metaphors. I'm sorry. [laughter]

Aminatou: Yes, a clothing metaphor.

Gina: Thrifty metaphors.

Ann: Yes, thrifting metaphors, yeah.

Gina: It's perfect. And for me, I think some of it has come down to time too, that there are so many doors that have opened for all of us from deepening our relationships with one another. And with all of you, who've been listening to the show that like career opportunities have changed. Our lives have changed jobs, have I'm working full-time at Spotify these days. I don't know if you know that the two hosts of this show wrote a New York Times bestselling book and our worlds have kind of grown and evolved and not outgrown the show. But I think things have changed in the original passion and drive that brought us to this as a primary creative space each week. Like those factors have shifted.

Aminatou: Here's the thing. Do you not like hearing you say that one, um, you are a really thoughtful person. You're both exceedingly thoughtful, even just listening to both of you, just like, tell me your reasons for why. Um, you know, it's kind of the end of the road for the show, really affirms my like deep down good feelings of this is a great idea, you know, because I like, clearly I've been thinking about this for a really long time. Um, shout out to my therapist who, uh, has also been thinking about this for a long time, but one of the things, I think like the point where I'm at, like asking myself all the time, it's like, why'd you endings have to feel so torturous. You know what I mean? Torturous is that like how you say that word, you know? And I think it's why I was rejecting Ann's like breakup metaphor earlier is that I jumping I've ever left anything in like good shape before, you know, it's always like you have to leave because the thing falls apart, you know, like it's like you leave because you break up with your partner or you leave because you don't like your co-host anymore. Or you leave because there's no more money in the business or you leave because you know, like a number of things have fallen apart. And here I, um, or at least like speaking for myself alone, um, I feel, I feel good that like, our dynamic is good. I feel good that our business is good. You know what I mean? It's like, I feel good that like Call Your Girlfriend itself is good, but I, I definitely feel, um, you know, low level agitat about like, just like leaving for, for, for like no bad reasons. We're only leaving for good reasons. And I've never had that kind of ending before in anything in life.

Ann: I feel some of that leaving for good reasons stuff too. I mean, and I think, um, you know, I, one reason why I'm actually really excited to like, you know, consciously uncouple from our working relationship is that like, I love you both so much personally. And I actually, like, I'm excited for an era of both of our friendships where there's never a lingering, like agenda item. That's like a business thing, or there's never maybe something we didn't get to during the workweek that we kind of slot into our personal catch-up time. Like, I'm just so excited to be both of your friend and like obviously forever professional supporter, but like, you know, I'm so excited for friend to be the top line and kind of like the only headline of both of our relationships.

Aminatou: Yeah. That feels true. And like very good to me.

Gina: I know, I'm like, I'm sitting with that feeling and I think I'm the cheesiest of the three of us. So I'll just jump in with my corny words of affirmation, which is, I truly have never felt closer to each of you. Like, I think that our friendships to me feel like in the most tender place that they've been, and some of that is having now had many years of getting to see how you both work separately and together, which is with so much passion, so much humor, so much creativity, like could never have asked for better coworkers, more fun or efficient meetings, I have to say, but that also like my love for you feels fuller and more overflowing than it ever has.

Aminatou: Gina!

Ann: Same, like hard same.

Aminatou: Now I am really regarding mailing back your shirt to you. I wish I was wearing it right now. And just like I'm wearing it right now. And softly weeping,

Gina: I showed up to Amina's house covered in sweat because I forgot what it was to walk in New York and the end of summer. And she gave me a clean shirt, sent my shirt out to be dry cleaned, and then mailed it home to me.

Aminatou: I should have kept it. It looks so good. Um, also you weren't sweaty. You were just glowy. Yeah. This is the problem. We just want to love each other all the time. So there's no more time to do work together. Sorry. That's my, that's my real headline. And the other thing too, like the Gina touched on like we're all. Um, and, Ann like, you start from those too, like the way that we do the show has never changed, but every other part of our lives has changed. And, and I think that, like, for me, for a long time, I've had like real pangs of wanting to try something new. And the amount of time that is allotted to like running this small company, a lot of times means that like, I can't do that. And so I feel both like really trepidatious, but also very excited to be like, okay, I want to go be bad at something else. You know? Like I want to be, I want to be bad at something else that I want to learn. And I want to like figure out like a new, like, kind of a new way of being at work. And, and I'm like, it's the first time in a long time that like professionally I'm scared. And that's actually a really good feeling for me. I just, like, I had gotten really complacent and comfortable here because I work with professionals and I just needed like a little bit of fear and the fear is good.

Ann: So what about that Why now part of the question.

Aminatou: Part of the why now is definitely about like, we work in this like a yearly cycle, right? Like one of my, um, one of the things that honestly like, feel, has felt like very true and real to the, the rhythm of the show is that at some point every year, whether we do it like emotionally, or we do it in person, is that we have like a check-in about like, you know, like it's like, oh, like what's the state of the business. And especially early on, I really appreciated those conversations that we had that were really focused on like how much time, how much of your professional time does like Call Your Girlfriend take versus like how much of your income it is, for example. And so like knowing that like kind of ratio for me for a long time, it was like, okay, like, this is a commitment that I'm doing both like to the podcast and to our advertisers and to like, you know, my own learning. But it's also like, beyond that, it's a contract to like, you know, the wellbeing and happiness and the ability of like my, my work wives to buy shoes and, you know, and I'm like, and I don't know. It's like, it's something that I consider for a long time. And I think that like, you know, in the last couple of years, again, like work has shifted for all of us. And, you know, the podcast was like more time than it was, I would say like either creatively, like fulfilling or financially was maybe not the most important thing that we were doing or, you know, whatever goals we had set for like growth, like, cause the three of us had like very different goals for, for wanting to like do this project together. Um, you know, I feel like we had like kind of reached all of those. And so there was a natural question of like, what's next and you know, and the what's next of like running a podcast is not like thrilling to me again, you know, like we say, this ad nauseum people have been listening to us from the beginning. I'm probably sick of this, but like we never got into podcasting because one of us was like, what if we started a podcast company? You know? I mean kind of like half assed are way into it, the business barn at least. And so I think that that's, um, for me, it's like, why it's, it feels like very natural that like, at this point, like end of the year for like both like contractual reasons, but also for like emotional, like personal fulfillment reasons this time, it feels real and good.

Ann: I do think it can be really hard when you have the kinds of careers that the three of us have, which are, which is to say, like, we were lucky enough to kind of cobble together. Maybe that's like two, maybe that's not right. We're, we're, we're lucky enough to be able to really apply ourselves creatively toward what we want to do professionally. And like, maybe it's not a hundred percent creative, fun all the time, but like we do kind of have a lot of control over the way, our working hours breakdown. And I, and I do think like paying attention to this question of like, okay, like we are, we're all at a place where we can see the numbers shifting or seeing like how much, um, energy we have for CYG shifting and just acknowledging that together is, um, I don't know. Maybe there's not like a clear why now it's sort of like a why now, but like, like a very long period over which we've been talking about this, you know, it's not like why now in December of 2021, it's more about like a kind of phase of this podcast, I guess.

Aminatou: Well, I guess why is also because we're their bosses, you know what I mean? Like if, as we can, that's the honest, like, that's the other thing about like having a functional work relationship with your friends where the three of us, like, we'll run it, everything is that, you know, like I think that when I approach this conversation with you both like early on, I was like, hi, like, I don't think I want to keep doing this again, but I'm like, so happy if the two of you want to keep this in some way shape or form. And that was like a very much like a, you know, like that was like a very true, um, and like heartfelt intention. But I like, I don't know. It's like, I credit like you, Ann, and Gina so much for like, for that, not feeling like a really scary conversation in a way that like, I don't know, in a, in a different iteration, like I've, I've quit jobs on the spot where it like every year. So I knew what I was going to do next, then this, and here it was like, well, we, like, we make, we call all the shots and I am like really proud of us. But at the end of the day, like this thing belongs to us like down to like when we tear it apart, you know, that feels, um, I have a deep sense of satisfaction about that.

Gina: I also think there's a realm where we could flip the why now question where we all started to ask why now Call Your Girlfriend like something that was deeply meaningful and creatively sparky in 2014, applying the same filter that we would, any new project and I'll speak for myself. I think there's a while where we've been motivated by the love of one another and the love of the community that we've built here, but not necessarily the passion for this individual project, if it's, if I can be so bold to say that, um, that didn't feel like it was fair to all of the effort that goes into making it, all of the dedication that listeners spend their time with us and then how we want it to relate to one another.

Ann: Yeah, it's true. And it's also interesting to think about, um, our various editorial phases, because like, yeah, we definitely do our business women check-in occasionally, but, um, we don't always talk about how we're thinking about like the actual content of the show when we have those check-ins and, you know, one thing that, um, we talk about a lot internally and I'm, I'm realizing as I listened to you say that Gina, I'm not sure we've talked about on the show, is that, you know, in the early days it really just was the two of us calling each other. And then at some point we kind of got sick of that. Like we were like, you know what? We talk to each other all the time, like this isn't exciting. We're going to really focus on other voices and like, you know, yeah, we're still going to talk to each other. Obviously we could talk to each other all day, but, um, that's not going to be our main focus anymore. And then we kind of ran out of steam on that one too. And I don't think we really ever talked about that evolution. And it's really funny, like seeing the way, um, our show is talked about is that, you know, you can tell who hasn't listened to in a while because, you know, we really, we really have evolved it a little bit. And, and I think like even that next step of it being more focused on these interviews with other folks has, has also, you know, become something that we've outgrown a little bit. And, you know, then there's also the context, like the context around us, like in the industry and the media in our lives, all of that too has really affected it.

Aminatou: Yeah. I mean, it's funny hearing you say that like, um, the show hasn't, you know, like the, the show has evolved or whatever, but I was like, also the business has evolved. This space has evolved. The podcast space today is not what it was in whenever we started doing this 2014, you know, and it's like professionalized in a way that, um, for me, at least, and for my own like goals and for how I like to be a happy, like healthy whole human being in the world. Um, it's not, for me, it truly is just not for me. And I, and it's hard to like decouple this, I think from the pandemic for me, because this like the slow rhythm of life that I've I've had for awhile and some of the, like a health challenges that I've had this year have just really driven home for me like kind of what my, like, what my personal capacity is and what my priorities are. You know, I was like, I, uh, I was not born to be a girlboss. I had no aspirations to, to girlboss too close to the sun. I also, like, I don't know, like I love running this business with the two of you, but I think it's because we run it exactly how we want to, the idea of like being a business owner in general is not exciting to me. I was

Like, I don't like this. It's a kind of grind that I just don't love. And I love the ideas. I don't like everything that goes into like executing them, almost. And, you know, and I think that that was also like a big wake up call for me, because at the end of the day, I was like, the two people I'm accountable to are, um, you know, are the both of you. And if I feel like I am not bringing my best to self, then that's not fair to you. You know? And again, I was like, a decision that doesn't feel fraud because it belongs to us. Like, I tried to imagine like, what would be going on with us if we had made the decision of like selling to someone else, you know? And then you have to like, go tell someone that we wanted to close our business, or if we have like some sort of like prohibitively longer contract or, you know, or really if like finances were, we were so entrenched in the finances that it would be hard to, for one of us to walk away. I feel, um, I feel really good about that. Like, you know, I'm like, there are a lot of things that if we went back to the design of this podcast, I would change like a lot of things. Me, like probably, probably it's like what holds up from 2014. The one thing that I would not change is just how adamant we were about being in charge of our lives. And, and I think like, that's why we get to land the plane exactly where we want and leave how we want.

[music]

Gina: Can we use this as a segue to things and tropes from this show that have not aged well, things that we would have changed. I heard you use the phrase, girlboss, Amina, and I feel like we really rode through the girl boss times, like over the course of the show, like the rise and fall of the girlboss happened concurrent with the rise and now landing the plane on Call Your Girlfriend.

Aminatou: Wow. Gina, you know, I kind of reject that analysis, but I hear you.

Gina: Critique away, please.

Aminatou: I like, I guess, you know, actually like

Gina: Time-wise, I'm not saying that that's what we did necessarily.

Aminatou: Yeah, I think the reason I chafe at it so much is because like, no, I mean, like, I hear what you're saying and you are correct. I think the reason that it just like brings these like strong feelings up for me is that I am really frustrated that any kind of like wanting to have a business or show of ambition, like lumps you in with the girlbosses. You know, I was like, if we had been girlbosses on this podcast, we would be sitting on doubloon upon doubloon. You know what I mean?

Ann: We would be gimletting.

Aminatou: Yeah. Like we weren't, we were actually the anti girlbosses, which is why everything has been hard for us. You know what I mean? Like truly. And like, we weren't like, we, we, like, we have a standard for like how we want people that we work with to be paid. We have a standard for, you know, like ownership and IP. We have a standard for like, you know, like the work-life balance that we have. And we have a standard for like, you know, like saying uncomfortable truths. Like we are not, um, you know, if we had been like congenial, nice bitches every step of the way, uh, we would be billionaires right now and we are not. So I think that like, that's like, that's the overwhelming feeling that like the girlboss era brings for me, because I obviously like see it, you know? And I think that like a lot of things that we resisted branding wise, or even just like podcasts community wise, you know, like a running a Facebook page or like doing Instagram or do you know, like all of the things that you're supposed to do. I like we resisted those things, for time constraints, but I think that more than that, we also resisted them because like deep down inside, they did not feel good. You know, like having a strong aesthetic versus like nothing to actually say or show for. Um, that is not the religion of this family. And so there was just like, no way we were going to do that.

Gina: I know we never made those, um, Instagram quote card millions.

[laughter]

Ann: I mean, we did some, we did some things, but like, yeah, it's funny. Gina and I were chatting and laughing this weekend about the list of things we didn't do, or like the things we said no to over the course of running this podcast, which included like partnerships with many dubious and wealthy men. Um, what else? The aforementioned Facebook groups, none of that.

Aminatou: And anytime I asked you guys about some man in our, you're always like, oh, that one's a harasser that one's in jail. That one's on ice [laughter]

Ann: That one was brandishing a weapon during a business meeting.

Aminatou: That's where all of our millions went. Thank you um crime, you know, like I like, but I also have no regrets about it. I just, I feel, um, you know, like I feel though in the rat race of capitalism, if the prize is supposed to be like too much money or like an amount of money, that means that you've kind of made it, I feel really happy about, um, like relatively, like where we landed here. Because again, like it's like, we have the freedom to just walk away and say, no, thank you. You know? And that is not, um, that's something that I don't take for granted at all, because it would feel, I would feel like very tortured right now if I, if we were not having this announcement and it was just like sitting at home like stewing, I'm like, Ugh, I don't want to show up to work on Monday, you know, or whatever, whatever day it is that we worked together.

Gina: What else are you proud of that we did do?

Ann: I think as someone who, whose career has been defined at times by what, um, you know, editors outside me are interested in or what, like, I dunno, like forces that are better monetized than I am, think is important. I'm so proud that we built a space where we could decide actually, this person's voice is important or this subject matter is important. And just give it an hour. Like we didn't have to spend time selling each other on it. I mean, never, we didn't have to spend time selling someone outside our partnership on the worthiness of this idea. We could just like get right into the process of booking the person we wanted on the show or researching the conversation we wanted to have. And like that is so valuable. Um, I really, I value that in my own creative life, like having that freedom, um, in my own political life, being able to say like, okay, like, like we built this space where we can each elevate the kinds of topics and people who we want to see elevated. Um, that, that feels incredible to me. That's probably, um, you know, very, very top of the list of things I'm proud of.

Aminatou: So real, Ann. I am also, um, you know, not to be the business school idiot of all of us. I am, I was just like, really proud of how we, like how we have made decisions together. Like, I can't think of one time where one of us pushed back against, you know, like something that they didn't want to do or money that we didn't want to take, or, you know, like a hard conversation we had to have with like one of our, like many partners or like people who support us and, and didn't have the other two, like, like, like in lockstep that like, I don't know, I've never had a working relationship like that where it's like, you don't have to spend a million, uh, like a million hours explaining the logic behind a decision that you make, you know, like where there was like an implicit trust. And also I feel that like every, every time we said no, or every time we walked away from something, or every time we had to, you know, like really turn our backs on our opportunity, it was always the right decision for us. And I am like really proud of that.

Gina: I think I'm sitting with gratitude more than pride right now. And when Ann was talking about, but I mean, you're both talking about, but like editorially setting our own path, um, I've learned so much from both of you, not just in how we run this business together, but from the interviews you've done the people that you brought into the show, um, the questions that you would ask, like Ann’s interview with Mariame Kaba, I think about like every week and has changed decisions I've made at work. Amina, your interview with Chanel Miller, I think is one of the most survivor centered interviews I've ever heard on that topic. And for someone who is giving dozens of interviews in that time promoting her book, um, I just could hear so much of how you grew as a host, but also bringing the depth of your heart and intellect into that conversation. Like we had conversations that I don't think people have heard before, since I think women have them amongst ourselves. I think where queer people have amongst ourselves, I imagine people of color have conversations like that in small intimate groups. I wouldn't know, um, being a white person, but I think that we really convened a kind of closeness to subjects that are not often broached. And that was, you know, as the person who spent kind of minutes and seconds listening to every breath of the tape, like that gave me such great joy every week.

Ann: I mean, maybe it's a good time to say that the back catalog, all these episodes are going nowhere. Like we'll be, um, on this feed or find-able, um, that's not like disappearing. And I'm glad for that. You know, even though there's probably some episodes early in the catalog where I would love to edit wherever, I said, whatever I said off the cuff, I do, I do, I am proud of our archive as a whole.

Aminatou: She's about to cancel herself. We love it.

Ann: I know she really is that she's about to invite people to go listen line by line and then yeah. Um, but it's true, 2014 was a different time anyway. Um, yeah, I really I'm. I'm happy to say that the archive will still stand and even though it'll be book-ended, um, we'll be, listenable.

Gina: Also, we had some of the most iconic episode titles before it was fashionable to do so. My Neck, My Back, My Netflix and My Snacks is still one of our most listened to episodes of all time.

Ann: I forget, did we actually talk about Netflix and snacks in that episode or is it just a title?

Gina: I think so that was like a 2015 when I think,

Ann: Oh, so then it's likely we did just talk about snacks. Yeah.

Aminatou: One of the things that I feel just tremendous gratitude for, you know, like for the show like, bringing us together and hearing you talk about these past episodes is that it's just like a record of like our growing up, you know, and there are so many things that don't age well or whatever, but I'm like I never cringe or feel, um, embarrassed about like who we were it's truly like that was eight years ago. And I think that, um, marginalized people who choose to use their voices to speak out loud in front of other people, um, are still making a very brave choice. And, um, you know, it's better, it's better than sitting on the sidelines and just listening and taking sides. But I feel very grateful for that, that I like grew up with the both of you, but I also watched the two of you grow up. I feel such gratitude that like the best of politics and the best self that I am is because of things that you've brought into my life. And that is possible because of the space that we carved on the show.

Gina: I can never have said that better.

Ann: Yeah. I feel the exact same way with truly, Ugh. I'm also just aware of how I'm going to have all the feelings about this, like in three weeks. [laughter] And we would’ve already recorded this episode. My poor, slow emotion.

Gina: I know Ann and I are both delayed processors.

Aminatou: You know what Ann, here's the gift that I'm going to give you one year from now, we'll come back and record a conversation about this, and then you can tell all of us how you feel in the delayed feelings.

Ann: Amazing. I mean, that's actually a good lead in to what our, what our actual wind down processes, if you'll allow me to spreadsheet.

Gina: It’s almost like we’re podcasters, look at these segues.

Aminatou: Wow. Look at that and look at them. No, no ad breaks.

Ann: Um, yeah. So, so basically, uh, we're, we're telling everyone that the show is ending today, but then, and then we're going to have a few more episodes between now and the end of the year. Um, and then we're going to take a little bit of time off probably January and then be back in February 2022 with, um, some kind of real farewell episodes, not like the meta-conversation where we talk to each other about winding down the show, but like, you know, uh, last few, um, actual episodes of the podcast. So, you know, we're not like dropping the mics and running out of the building right now. There's sort of, there's a process. And then, yeah. And then maybe in another year we can, we can do a feelings check-in.

Aminatou: Yeah. And I think like we have, uh, we, you know, like we would love to, to like a rope in some, like some listeners for this like farewell tour. So maybe someone who is smarter than me can explain what we need here.

Ann: Gina.

Gina: You're the one.

Gina: I'm pulling up the—

Ann: I do want to clarify an audio farewell tour. We are not getting on an airplane again.

Gina: Oh yeah. Although the touring was fun, but maybe that was just because Ann wrote such hilarious parody lyrics to all those Disney songs that I ill advisedly saying in front of those audiences. Sorry, splash. You're welcome for that acapella moment.

Aminatou: Man, touring so fun. But also for me, it's such a like affirming decision that this is not what I want to do with my life forever.

Gina: Yeah. We do like to be, we like the closet era, but not being closeted, just quiet in our own spaces.

Aminatou: Yeah. I’m not a rapper, I need to stay home.

Gina: If you want to share what Call Your Girlfriend has meant to you, your thoughts on this change. Um, favorite episodes, favorite episode titles. This is just for my personal insights research. Our voicemail line will stay open 7 1 4 6 8 1 2 9 4 3. I would also love, um, bestie dedications, so if you have something or someone you want to shout out in the final days of this show, the final episodes to run. Also leave us a voicemail at 7 1 4 6 8 1 2 9 4 3. If you met your bestie at a Call Your Girlfriend live event show, and you tell us a good story about it. I will absolutely put it on the air. 7 1 4 6 8 1 2 9 4 3, 7 1 4 6 8 1 C Y G F.

Ann: Oh. I also have an editorial request, which is if there's something that we have never talked about on the show, um, you know, kind of in the style of those early episodes where it's just the two of us talking about 15 million different things per episode, um, leave that in your voicemail or send us an email, um, callyrgf@gmail.com and, um, give us a subject matter prompt for these early 2022 farewell episodes.

Gina: Oh yeah. And, um, non us listeners, you can also email us an audio recording of your message to callyrgf@gmail.com. And you can put voicemail in the subject line.

Ann: Yeah. Or anyone who wants to do that? Honestly, if the idea of the voicemail beep terrifies you, you can send a little recording.

Aminatou: Okay. I promise. Then I will send a little recording.

Gina: Aren't you going to do that? After that, after we're done here. Um, oh wait, add one more prompt, but it's gone.

Ann: Oh, sorry.

Gina: No, you're good. You're good here.

Aminatou: Well, you can do all your prompts on some really flashy note cards for Instagram soon. So don't worry about it.

Gina: And don't tweet at Amina. If you have something that you thought we got wrong, that you've been desperate to tell us all these years. [laughter]

Ann: That's really the headline. Be brave enough to send an email with your name on it.

Aminatou: Wow remember when people used to like write me wild email on this show.

Ann: Like only to you. Yeah. I remember.

Aminatou: This was before the troubles, before we solve racism. Now nobody writes me. Thank God.

[laughter]

Gina: Amina, you're like that. You're like that a meme. That's like, I hope this email never finds you. I hope you're free.

Aminatou: Yeah. The emails stopped finding me, Joe Biden fixed racism. So nobody writes me wild email anymore. Ugh. Thank you to everybody is so well, we did, we did this for eight years. How wild!

Gina: And it's not completely done yet.

Aminatou: I know. Longest job I ever had. I'll take it.

Gina: So we'll see you for much of the rest of 2021. And I'll see you both on the internet.

Aminatou: Yeah. I’ll see you on the internet and we'll see the listeners, um, for while we're not going anywhere for awhile. So, uh, tune in.

Ann: I'll see the two of you in the CYG group chat.

[laughter]

Gina: Hell yeah.

Ann: Sorry. That's kind of exclusive. Isn't it? See you on the internet.

[laughter]

Aminatou: Exclusive Ann, Gina, and Amina stop podcasting so they can chat so they can text each other more. Love it.

Ann: So they can devote more time to the group thread.

[outro music]

Aminatou: You can find us many places on the Internet: callyourgirlfriend.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, we're on all your favorite platforms. Subscribe, rate, review, you know the drill. You can call us back. You can leave a voicemail at 714-681-2943. That's 714-681-CYGF. You can email us at callyrgf@gmail.com. Our theme song is by Robyn, original music composed by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs. Our logos are by Kenesha Sneed. We're on Instagram and Twitter at @callyrgf. Our producer is Jordan Bailey and this podcast is produced by Gina Delvac.