Though the announcement of her podcast coming out definitely caused some doubt and uncertainty among fans, “Hot Mess” is an interesting and entertaining listening experience from TikTok star Alix Earle. Talking about almost everything from stories from her alma mater, the University of Miami, to her experience at New York fashion week, her very casual way of chatting makes it seem like an exciting debrief with friends.
First, hearing about Earle’s crazy stories from Miami is so fun and relatable to many listeners. She describes her terrible experience at sorority rush in “My Sorority Nightmare,” where she was dropped from all of her top options and ended up being very upset. Because the episode dropped just as rush was at its peak at colleges across the country, fans could listen to Earle’s confession that any sorority is fun and that it doesn’t matter as much as she thought it would, and feel better about their experience. Also, in a group conversation with many of her friends, Earle talks about what it was like to meet people in college for the first time through hilarious stories and reading awkward DMs from her freshman year. Listening in almost feels like being in a conversation with the entire group, as their laughs and random additions make it a very relaxed environment, like a chat with friends.
An interesting discovery for listeners and key section of the podcast is the public announcement of Earle’s boyfriend, Miami Dolphins player Braxton Berrios. As her relationship had previously been very mysterious in her TikToks, with only references to the vaguely named “NFL Man,” in the podcast Earle discusses openly how she and Berrios met and eventually became official. Her relationship contributes to the NFL craze among girls, who have dramatically increased viewership and jersey sales to watch famous boyfriends, especially with Taylor Swift dating Travis Kelce.
After going viral almost overnight during her senior year of college, Earle often discusses the giant changes to her life since in her podcast. Though people tend to make fun of her resume, she actually is an accomplished and interesting person as a result of her fame, from attending Chanel events in Paris to meeting with the Forbes “30 Under 30” board. She even has a scholarship in her name at the University of Miami. In going through her crazy schedule, Earle gives listeners a fascinating description of her life and everything she does, in sort of a behind the scenes way.
On her platforms, Earle is generally known as someone that tells the truth instead of making up things to seem more ‘perfect’ as social media generally encourages, and this continues in her podcast. In “Overcoming My Eating Disorder” especially, she dives into a well-known issue among girls and shares her real experience, showing the public that everyone, including celebrities, faces similar problems. While some segments of this part are a little cheesy and cliche, the positive of her sharing publicly outweighs the awkwardness.
If you are looking for a fun and light podcast to listen to in the car, “Hot Mess” is a great option. Its mix of crazy stories and advice from Alix Earle, combined with its very chill and friendly feel makes it worth listening to.