Pop Apologists
276: Blake Betrays Taylor, Cassie Testifies Against Diddy, and the Mormon Wives are Back
Wed, 21 May 2025
Fresh off their Ballerina Farm pilgrimage, the girls are back—and chaos reigns. Lauren and Chanler unpack the alleged threat Blake Lively’s legal team made against Taylor Swift (yes, the one about exposing 10 years of private texts 😳). Then it’s a deep dive into the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: ketamine therapy, family betrayal, facelifts, and MomTok delusions. Plus, major developments in the Karen Read trial and Cassie Ventura’s devastating testimony in the Diddy case. You’re not ready. 👀⏱️ Chapter Timestamps:[00:00–01:00] 🐄 Back from Ballerina Farm: A recap of their visit to Utah with Courtney Grow[01:00–13:00] 💔 Taylor vs. Blake: The alleged threat, the fallout, and the godmother betrayal[13:00–16:00] 👀 Travis Kelsey unfollows Ryan, Reputation (TV) hints, and the AMAs theory[16:00–44:00] 🎬 Secret Lives of Mormon Wives S2: Taylor’s heartbreak, toxic parents, and ketamine therapy[44:00–45:30] ✈️ PSA: Why Provo dating is a danger zone[45:30–54:00] ⚖️ Karen Read trial update: Discredited expert testimony, taillight confusion, and police cover-up concerns[54:00–55:30] 😠 Sgt. Yuri Bucha's shady performance on the stand[55:30–01:02:00] 💣 Diddy trial: Cassie’s testimony, freak off allegations, and the breakdown of his decade-long abuse[01:02:00–01:03:00] 🧠 Why this matters: justice for victims and Cassie’s stand[01:03:00–01:04:00] 🎤 Outro: Upcoming content, love for the Global Elite, and farewell until FridayPlease note this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.For more Pop Apologists, follow along at:@popapologists on InstagramPop Apologists on YouTubeTo support the show, consider subscribing on Patreon or anywhere you listen to podcasts, where you can get bonus episodes of Pop Apologists every Monday and Friday!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapter 1: What happened at Ballerina Farm?
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Chapter 2: What is the latest on the Taylor Swift and Blake Lively feud?
If you want to hear all about our experience on the Promised Land with Hannah and Daniel Nealeman, I mean, if you want to hear a play-by-play of Lauren's pilgrimage, Featuring one and only fashion influencer, Courtney Groh and her esteemed, wonderful husband, truly one of the dearest people in our lives, Wyatt Groh. They both joined. Courtney came with us. We do a full play-by-play.
Everyone's like, we know, we've seen the Instagram posts. Go join, be a global elite, and you can get that full episode. We spare no detail. We, we truly, truly spare absolutely zero details. Okay. So, but let's get into the matter at hand because we have so much to talk about. The first being what, what, what, where do I'm already verklempt.
I mean, I think we should talk about the Taylor news, because in my opinion, that is the biggest news. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because that is news that's been sitting with me heavy on my heart, you know, my chest since last week, as everyone saw the video of me, you know, trying to ground myself in the midst of the news.
yeah i've just been dying to like actually get into it with you this news when we got it i took a video of you we were at sundance and we were having a gorgeous lunch chandler was basically on the floor i just look over at her after we get the news that and to provide a brief summary blake's attorney sent a letter to taylor's attorneys allegedly according to brian friedman
in a letter to the court where he's asking to subpoena text messages from Taylor Swift. Blake's attorneys threatened Taylor's attorneys that if she did not make a public statement in support of Blake Lively, this was February, okay, if she did not do this, that Blake would release 10 years of private text messages.
We get this news and we're just trying to enjoy, as the Queen herself, Heather MacDonald, would call it, a fucking cute lunch. We're just trying to have a cute lunch before heading up to Camas. And we're trying to also just kind of gird our loins for what we're about to encounter, you know? Yes. You know, it's like...
we plan God laughs when it rains, it pours because it couldn't have come at a worse time. I was already destabilized. And then when I heard this, I think it just kind of ripped me open in a way. You were so unwell at this. So I look over and Chandler is just
looking at the sky so that she's sitting in front of a huge like floor to ceiling windows and she's looking in she's like almost like trying to go blind looking into the sunlight just like searching for answers it was the most authentically she was so authentically like in pain and not well you really couldn't talk so of course i'm like time to get some content What about my camera?
And I just, you know, I'm like, it's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. And she's like, I honestly don't know if it is. Here is why it ripped me open. I think that, you know, we spend the time on this podcast talking about these celebrities, you know, and it's real to us, but to some degree it's not really that real.
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Chapter 3: What are the secrets revealed in the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?
things went up in flames behind the scenes allegedly brings me deep sadness. I'm gonna channel Alan Jackson for a second, okay? And I'm gonna say, Ms. Bledsoe, would you agree that Blake Lively is capable of deceit? And that she is, thank you. Would you also agree that even if there was sincere friendship, Blake Lively was capable of knowing that the Moniker Godmother.
That this title would confer a level of control and a level of closeness that would provide Miss Lively with undue power over Miss Swift. Yes. Thank you. Yes, 100%. And I think- It was low-key a little manipulative. Potentially. It could have been totally manipulated. Well, let me just say. Well, no. Taylor is so pure-hearted, she didn't see it coming.
Yeah.
Oh.
I think... What?
You are so riled up. I'm loving it. I'm living for it, and I'm loving it. This is the thing about life. When you're young, all that matters to you is romance. And... hot guys and your love stories with them and your obsession with that. Like the drive to procreate is so strong.
And I think that as you get older, you realize, like one of the lessons of getting older is the depth of familial relationships. I'm so much more interested right now in the depth of my relationship with my mother than I was at 19. And how much more that means to me.
Okay.
One more thing about life. I have a poem. No, I don't. I have a poem prepared. That I will recite from memory. This is something that I just want to say. Because at first when this came out, I think a lot of people were like, especially when the judge said that it was not relevant. A lot of people said, the judge said it's irrelevant. Like this is just his team trying to get a salacious headline.
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Chapter 4: What updates are there on the Karen Read trial?
In six days, that, there's a bunch of Easter eggs right now that at the AMAs, that is when Taylor is going to announce something. That was what we were talking about last night. while we were discussing outfits from 2007 with Kourtney, Kyle, and Kelsey, and Wyatt listening patiently. The new information this morning is that it is Rep TV. And would I rather- Not a new album. Would I rather be TS12?
Of course. But I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. I was just at Ballerina Farm, everyone. What are the chances we have bonus tracks? Chandler, Chandler, Chandler, Chandler, Chandler. I'm so sorry. We are not all clowning over and over and over again to listen to 2009 Taylor's Voice versus 2025 and hear the difference, if we can hear any difference. This is all about the bonus tracks.
It's all about bonus tracks, right? I just wanted to make sure that I can look forward to those. Anyway, everyone. Uh, lots to look forward to in terms of Taylor's version, uh, reputation. Lots to not look forward to in terms of the Justin and Blake lawsuit. Yeah. Can I just say, it just feels good to be back. Like we are so back. We are so back, baby. We have been missing Taylor.
She has been reffed from us. And we are so, we are so back. Okay. Let's discuss another group of women. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The season two has dropped on Hulu. Chandler, you have, this show, you have wanted to talk to me about it so much. We've been together a lot recently. I only watched the first two episodes in the past 10 hours. But you have been foaming at the mouth.
I've been foaming at the mouth. Lauren and I flew home, and on the flight home, Lauren was looking up at Ballymalu. Am I even saying that right? I don't even know what these words are. Lauren was looking at the culinary school in Ireland and if she could go. And I was watching Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season two. Season two. Yes, you were. And you were freaking out about how good it was.
It's just, I mean, the show scratches an itch for me that no other show can scratch. Okay, gross. Really quick, before we get into it, I just want to say, PSA for myself, if you know of a really amazing cooking school that's not a Ballymolo. Wait, literally nobody wants to talk, everyone wants to talk about Secret Lives of Mormon. No, I know.
I just want to say, PSA, if you know of a really great cooking school, I don't want to learn French cooking. I want to learn just like Alice Waters style cooking. I want to go for four to 12 weeks. If you know of one, please DM me. What are we going to do with the podcast when you're at cooking school? Where do you think you'll be?
I said to you and Courtney, I said, this is one of your purchases that I think I'm okay to sit out on. I think you're going to have less freedom than you did when you moved to Pub Apologist full time. Anyway, yeah, everyone, please send Lauren your cooking school recommendation. Send it to a personal account. We don't need to clutter our DMs with that.
Please send it to my personal at Lauren having fun and give me a follow. OK, so I I've actually watched the first four episodes, but I knew that you had a lot on your plate. So I only wanted you to watch the first two. So we're only going to discuss the first two because there's a lot to get into past the first two episodes.
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Chapter 5: What did Cassie testify about in the Diddy trial?
I mean, okay, and here are the other quotes, which are truly phenomenal, because yes, they led off with a little bit of a manifesto. So MomTalk intends to do things like move the needle when it comes to the patriarchy, and quote, push the church to modernize, and quote, live our lives making videos smashing men's hearts. This is from our Vulture recap where I pulled that.
And the writer said, the policy agenda is clearer than that of 90% of American politicians. I mean, get these bitches in office in 2028. They know what they want to achieve. They know exactly what they want to achieve. That writer is exactly right. And I just love the way the mom talk agenda, the mom talk ethos is prevalent throughout all of the chatter.
Why does she want to get let back into mom talk? This is not what mom talk is about. They did this last season, but I'm just so happy that it's continuing. I kind of, I guess with this whole show, I feel like the mom talk of it, which to me is really just like girls, like moms filming dancing videos has kind of been lost. Like it's not really about that anymore and like their dance troupe.
It's more about their lives. And so I think that the fact that they are still, that is still, you know, that's what the moniker that they are calling themselves and the, you know, their whole brand and, and, the manifesto that they go back to is just really funny because they bring it up a lot. They bring it up a lot.
And I think when it comes to mom talk, I personally just want to say as a health warning to any viewer. Yeah. Do not play a drinking game when it comes to mom talk because you will have fatal alcohol poisoning. Yeah. It's every fourth word. It's like her timing of wanting to come back to mom talk is suspicious. And the money, you know, like Zach doesn't approve of mom talk.
I honestly am here for it because I think it is a very succinct way of describing the their group, their participation on the show. It's a little bit, whenever they say it, they break the fourth wall a little bit. Because they're talking about being on the show. It would be like if the housewives talked about who wants to get back into Housewives. So I like that. That's true.
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of Cassie’s testimony?
So I'm fine with that, just for the purpose of efficiency and because it just sounds so absurd. It's so absurd sounding. And it just makes it sound so much more important. And it is important. I'm moving the needle with patriarchy. It is important. I think that's one of the most confounding and hilarious parts about social media careers is because a lot of times they can seem absurd and silly.
Like, you know, I heard there was once there's a kid on YouTube and his entire channel is just opening presents and he makes like millions of dollars a month. Okay. We are on the wrong train.
So when it comes to MomTalk, though, what's so funny about that is they're constantly referring to MomTalk, and then they're like, and yeah, in a single brand deal, I make more than my husband makes in his annual salary. So it's like, maybe we should all just put up and shut up and show some goddamn respect to MomTalk. Put some goddamn respect on MomTalk's name. Another thing to their credit.
Yeah. Everyone is looking very hot. Everyone was already super beautiful to start with, but the brand deals are brand dealing because the glow ups are looking good. No, they all, they all look gorgeous. And honestly, I have a lot to say about Taylor's mother. A lot. But I was here for her glow up too. You know what, when she sauntered in with a new face, I was like, good for you, bish.
Honestly, good for her. And that's basically where my good feelings begin and end. She has to show up to Relief Society and shake her head in shame every Sunday. Let this woman get a facelift. It's like, do we even, do you want to just start there? Let's start with Taylor because Taylor is really, you know, Taylor is the premier or like, she's a prima ballerina. Yeah. What do we say of mom talk?
She's the center snowflake. Yes. So everyone, Taylor is back for season two. She has given birth to Ever. With Dakota, her baby daddy slash ex-boyfriend. And I... Taylor continues to be my favorite part of the show. Because, if I may just say, I think that she... is the most real and the least, like, I think she's the most real and vulnerable on the show out of any of the women.
And she continues to be throughout episode one and two. Well, what she's showing is so real. It's so authentic and it's so devastating. And I think like going to when her mom saunters in with the, you know, face V2 and they're chatting on the couch and, you know, she's describing the betrayal of Dakota and like the depth of her pain and Should I give people some backstory on that really quick?
Yeah, please. Really quick, everyone. So I said Dakota, her ex-boyfriend, because in season one, they actually were together.
You know, what we see in the first few episodes is, you know, Taylor and Dakota basically separated because she found out that he was lying to her at the beginning of their relationship about whether or not he was seeing other people and the degree to which she was seeing another person. In fact...
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Chapter 7: What insights can we gain from the Mormon Wives' experiences?
Chapter 8: What are the upcoming events for Taylor Swift and the AMAs?
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I really wish you would have thought about all of this before you got pregnant. This child is right there. So you are gonna discuss on camera the idea that you think that this baby is a mistake. You regret his birth on some level. Grow up. The parents need to grow up. And I think that, you know... And they're just a little too comfortable on camera.
We can be very kumbaya when it comes to, like, religious... You know, all religions. But you see the way that they're... I'll just say it. I think their religion has stunted them. Yeah, 100%. And they truly need to... They're the ones that need to do some growth. Absolutely. And I think the fact that they can't put their, like...
their daughters, like her feeling personally safe and loved above just like, you know, a nuclear family and just like her being together with her baby daddy is so, it's just really sickening. I had like a pit in my stomach watching that whole like scene. And it's not until her other sister is like, you guys, like they're screaming, yelling at each other.
And she's like, you guys need to be separate. This is like, you know, this is not working and it's not good for the baby. Like her sister is the only one with like any type of sense. No, and the sister who comes over is like, maybe we'll take the baby away from this situation.
Yes.
And another thing, like, Sweet Taylor talks about how... So the guy that we see on the show who's with her mom, that's not her biological dad. Her biological dad, she did not have a relationship with him. And the only time she met him, he just, like, came up to her and was like, hey, what's up, kid? And never spoke to her ever again. It's really traumatic for her.
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