✨ SHOW NOTES

This week, Melissa and David record the podcast from a hotel room that looks just enough like a prison cell to make Melissa whisper the truth. Between Thanksgiving drama, burst water pipes, and half the house flooding, it’s a miracle these two made it to the microphone at all.

You’ll hear the full breakdown of:• The Great Post-Thanksgiving Flood of 2025• Remi and Rocco’s ongoing life hashtag DRAMA• Melissa taking over her mother’s Thanksgiving traditions as Gene battles exhaustion• A dressing recipe that nearly caused a family split• David’s stovetop stuffing betrayal• Stranger Things Season 5 pajama-only viewing• And Melissa’s birthday wish — involving Amazon, high school kids, and the exact kind of generosity that makes David panic

Then… the water-in-your-mouth guessing game.Yes. Someone nearly drowned. Yes. Melissa spit. Yes. David complained.And yes — you’re absolutely going to laugh.

🔥 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

* Recording the episode in a hotel cubby that “looks like prison”

* The entire house flooding the morning after Thanksgiving

* Remi coming home from college exhausted and emotional

* Melissa taking over Thanksgiving prayer and dressing duties

* The saga of stovetop stuffing vs. “proper” dressing

* Stranger Things watch-party that only required pajamas

* Melissa’s birthday wish: helping overlooked high school students

* The Amazon Wish List project explained step-by-step

* Giving Tuesday and why Melissa wants THIS instead of gifts

* The chaotic ChatGPT “water-in-your-mouth” word game

* David nearly waterboarding himself

* Final goodbyes… and Melissa picking Woodfired Pizza for her birthday lunch

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS & TOPICS

00:00 – Recording from a hotel “prison cell”02:00 – Why Melissa avoided filming before they left03:40 – The Thanksgiving flood disaster05:15 – Remi & Rocco’s teenage drama06:10 – A different kind of Thanksgiving with Melissa’s mom not well08:00 – Who gets to pray at holidays (and why the UPS man almost did)09:50 – The dressing vs. stovetop stuffing controversy13:00 – Nap traditions & dominoes14:00 – College kids coming home exhausted15:45 – Stranger Things Season 5 viewing17:30 – Melissa’s birthday announcement18:00 – Beautiful Yu ad read (per transcript)21:25 – The Lavender Fields latte disaster23:00 – Melissa’s birthday wish: the high school Christmas project24:00 – How the Amazon Wish List works26:00 – Giving Tuesday explained27:30 – Why Melissa cares so deeply about these teens29:00 – Substack promo29:40 – The chaotic water-word game33:50 – David nearly drowning35:25 – Final wrap-up & Woodfired Pizza lunch

🔗 LINKS MENTIONED

🎒 High School Students’ Amazon Wish List → https://bit.ly/hswishlist25

📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen🎥 The Radke Show Playlist → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

📢 LISTEN EVERYWHERE

🎧 Apple Podcasts → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple🎧 Spotify → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowSpotify📺 YouTube → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

💌 FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE

📱 Instagram – @TheRadkeShow → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowInstagram📘 Facebook – The Radkes → bit.ly/TheRadkesFacebook

📖 Melissa’s New Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

👋 BECOME A PAID SUBSCRIBER ON SUBSTACK

Get access to:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages

* Twice-monthly We’re Here For You Wednesday advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts

* Community discussions & comments

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

🎙️ Show Notes

Melissa and David are finally back on dry land — and they’ve got some things to say about cruise life. From surprise storms and buffet aversions to excursions gone wrong, this episode is the full post-cruise confessional you didn’t know you needed.

Melissa opens up about earning the trip through Beautiful YU, how she ended up speaking on the final night, and why community means more to her now than ever. Plus: juggler entertainment, buffet trauma, and one extremely honest conversation about purpose.

💬 Episode Highlights

* Melissa’s cruise recap: what went right (and wrong)

* How she earned a free cruise through Beautiful YU

* Excursions, seasickness & marriage moments at sea

* Why Melissa can’t handle buffets anymore

* The “purpose” talk that made women cry (in a good way)

* Inside the Beautiful YU community & affiliate program

* Family updates: Nonie’s fight, Remi coming home, and gratitude in chaos

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Cruise recap: chaos at sea05:00 – Weather reroutes & Dominican detours09:00 – Excursions, naps & marriage negotiations13:00 – Why Melissa refuses to read history markers18:00 – Cruise shows, comedians & Peabo Bryson24:00 – The buffet rant heard around the world30:00 – Specialty dining & David’s Black Friday trick33:00 – What makes Beautiful YU different38:00 – Melissa’s closing speech: finding purpose44:00 – Roses, Thorns & Buds (Remi’s coming home!)

🔗 Links Mentioned

🩵 Beautiful YU – Health Supplements → bit.ly/beautifulyu💼 Beautiful YU – Affiliate Information → bit.ly/beautifulyuaffiliate

🎧 Listen Everywhere

🎧 Apple Podcasts → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple🎧 Spotify → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowSpotify📺 YouTube → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📱 Instagram – @TheRadkeShow → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowInstagram📘 Facebook – The Radkes → bit.ly/TheRadkesFacebook📖 Melissa’s New Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

👋 Are You Ready to Become an Insider?

Become a paid subscriber to Stretch Marks and get:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages – mini pep talks from Melissa

* Twice-monthly We’re Here for You Wednesday advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts — the stuff Melissa doesn’t share everywhere

* Community access for real conversation

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

🎙️ Show Notes

Melissa and David may be sailing through the Caribbean, but that doesn’t mean the laughs take a break! In this special cruisin’ episode, Melissa dusts off a vintage “Rise & Radke” broadcast from 2022—back when The Radke Show was a scrappy little Facebook Live with barking dogs, mismatched mugs, and a whole lot of chaos.

From Walmart denim shorts to Broadway drama, massive pythons in Florida, and nudist pickleball (yep, you read that right), this flashback episode proves that while the hairstyles have changed, the humor hasn’t. Melissa also shares a heartfelt reminder about the one thing that’s stayed constant all these years: the power of community.

💬 Episode Highlights

* Melissa reveals how she won a cruise (and how that’s going)

* Revisiting their early “Rise & Radke” episodes from Facebook Live

* Denim short disasters and Walmart redemption stories

* Broadway gossip: Beanie Feldstein, Lea Michele & Patti LuPone

* Florida’s 18-foot python and Poland’s deadly “croissant monster”

* School dress codes gone wild: Back to the Future or just Backward?

* Nudist pickleball — the story no one asked for but everyone needed

* Why community still matters more than ever

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Melissa wins a cruise & why she’s recording from paradise03:30 – Revisiting the early days of “Rise & Radke”10:00 – Coffee talk, brittle hair, and gut health revelations18:00 – Walmart shorts vs. boutique shorts showdown21:00 – Broadway gossip: Beanie, Lea & the curse of Funny Girl31:00 – Florida’s giant python & the croissant creature of Poland39:30 – Dress code drama: The Back to the Future school district46:00 – Nudist pickleball, Slurpees, and free Subway sandwiches53:00 – Why community and connection still matter most

🔗 Links Mentioned

📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen🎥 The Radke Show Playlist → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

Beautiful YU – Wellness & Beauty Supplements💡 Shop link: https://bit.ly/beautifulyu

Check out Beautiful YU for next-level wellness and beauty supplements that keep Melissa beautiful. Available at https://bit.ly/beautifulyu.

🎧 Listen Everywhere

🎧 Apple Podcasts → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple🎧 Spotify → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowSpotify📺 YouTube → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📱 Instagram – @TheRadkeShow → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowInstagram📘 Facebook – The Radkes → bit.ly/TheRadkesFacebook📖 Melissa’s New Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

👋 Are You Ready to Become an Insider?

Become a paid subscriber to Stretch Marks and get:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages – mini pep talks from Melissa

* Twice-monthly We’re Here for You Wednesday advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts — the stuff Melissa doesn’t share everywhere

* Community access for real conversation

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

🎙️ Show Notes

Melissa and David are not getting divorced — but they are arguing about cups, YETIs, and why cleaning out a cabinet can nearly end a marriage. This week, they dive into the hilarious and all-too-real world of decision fatigue — how the smallest daily choices (like what’s for dinner) can drive even the happiest couples a little crazy.

From parenting burnout to dinner-time meltdowns, Melissa opens up about feeling stretched thin and how “the 5-4-3-2-1 Process” just might save your next restaurant argument. (Spoiler: it’s genius.)

💬 Episode Highlights

* Cup chaos, coffee mugs, and the great “YETI war” of 2025

* Decision fatigue and why it’s ruining marriages everywhere

* Parenting overload: how kids drain your decision battery

* The hand signal that saved their marriage

* Dinner fights & the “5-4-3-2-1 Process” for picking a restaurant

* Comfort food, emotional eating, and what our cravings really mean

* Freestyle rap: Melissa vs. David — who wins the MC battle?

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – The Cup Drawer Meltdown05:20 – What Is Decision Fatigue?09:00 – Marriages, Mental Load & Communication13:45 – Parenting Burnout (and Kid Fatigue)18:00 – The “Stop Sign” Rule That Saved Their Marriage23:00 – Dinner Drama & The 5-4-3-2-1 Process29:00 – Comfort Food, Southern Style35:00 – “One Thing About Me” Freestyle Challenge42:20 – Wrapping Up & Listener Shout-Outs

🔗 Links Mentioned

📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen🎥 The Radke Show Playlist → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

🎧 Listen Everywhere

🎧 Apple Podcasts → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple🎧 Spotify → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowSpotify📺 YouTube → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📱 Instagram – @TheRadkeShow → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowInstagram📘 Facebook – The Radkes → bit.ly/TheRadkesFacebook📖 Melissa’s New Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

👋 Are You Ready to Become an Insider?

Become a paid subscriber to Stretch Marks and get:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages – mini pep talks from Melissa

* Twice-monthly “We’re Here for You Wednesday” advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts — the stuff Melissa doesn’t share everywhere

* Community access for real conversation

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

🧩 Show Notes

If your marriage can survive technology, you’re probably doing better than most couples. Melissa and David take on IT, “smart” homes that aren’t so smart, tech arguments that could end relationships, and the everyday annoyances that come with living in a world that constantly wants to “update.”

They also talk about the invisible labor of managing family tech chaos and why sometimes you just need to unplug before you lose your ever-loving mind.

💬 Episode Highlights

* Melissa’s tech meltdown

* Why “dumb” homes may be a smart decisions

* The emotional labor of managing devices for the whole family

* How Wi-Fi arguments reveal deeper communication problems

* Why turning everything off might be the smartest move of all

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Melissa vs. IT07:50 – Dumb Homes, Smart Marriages16:20 – Tech Overload and Family Burnout28:45 – When Wi-Fi Fights Become Relationship Fights38:10 – The Great Unplugging

🔗 Links Mentioned

📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen🎥 The Radke Show Playlist → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

🎧 Listen Everywhere

🎧 Apple Podcasts → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple🎧 Spotify → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowSpotify📺 YouTube → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📱 Instagram – @TheRadkeShow → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowInstagram📘 Facebook – The Radkes → bit.ly/TheRadkesFacebook

📖 Melissa’s New Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

👋 Are You Ready to Become an Insider?

Become a paid subscriber to Stretch Marks and get:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages – mini pep talks from Melissa

* Twice-monthly “We’re Here for You Wednesday” advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts — the stuff Melissa doesn’t share everywhere

* Community access for real conversation

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

💬 What This Episode’s About

From Pizza Hut food poisoning to saying “Yeehaw” over text, Melissa and David take on the social norms we all secretly hate.Do we really need to write thank-you notes? Are Super Bowl parties actually fun for anyone? And how did “Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come” become a personality trait?

Plus, Melissa’s mom gets roasted for gala season, David declares war on greeting-card holidays, and the couple’s “Heath, Don’t Show Your Teeth” challenge leads to some truly unholy laughter.

✨ Episode Highlights

* Melissa’s Pizza Hut Incident and the mystery of the “dirty pepperoni”

* The social norm she wishes would die: thank-you cards

* David’s crusade against made-up holidays

* Why Super Bowl parties should be outlawed

* Melissa’s plea to “bring back being there” for people

* The game that broke them both: Heath, Don’t Show Your Teeth

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics

00:00 – Studio setup & Melissa’s cadaver pig knees03:00 – Pizza Hut food poisoning confession07:00 – What social norms need to go09:00 – Thank-you notes rant (sorry, Hallmark)17:00 – David’s problem with made-up holidays23:00 – The case against Super Bowl parties25:00 – Melissa’s plea to bring back community33:00 – The “Heath, Don’t Show Your Teeth” game39:00 – Wrapping up & viewer shout-outs

🔗 Links Mentioned

📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack 📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen 🎥 The Radke Show Playlist → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

📢 Listen Everywhere

🎧 Apple Podcasts → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple 🎧 Spotify → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowSpotify 📺 YouTube → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📱 Instagram – @TheRadkeShow → bit.ly/TheRadkeShowInstagram 📘 Facebook – The Radkes → bit.ly/TheRadkesFacebook

📖 Melissa’s New Book – Chicken-Fried Women → bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen 📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

👋 Are You Ready to Become an Insider?

Become a paid subscriber to Stretch Marks and get:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages – mini pep talks from Melissa

* Twice-monthly “We’re Here for You Wednesday” advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts — the stuff Melissa doesn’t share everywhere

* Community access for real conversation

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year → bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack

💬 What This Episode’s About

Melissa and David play a brand-new game called Loving, Liking & Loathing — the stuff they can’t live without, kinda like, and could happily throw out the window.

From menopause creams and Pomifera oil to Rocco’s infectious laugh and Popeyes wings that “may or may not be gut bombs,” they cover it all with honesty, humor, and married-people chaos.

Plus, Melissa admits she’s terrible at planners (even the ones she’s supposed to sell), David tries mouth tape and nearly has a panic attack, and together they invent the “Pantless Planner” for the rest of us.

✨ Episode Highlights

* Melissa’s viral video about stealing from her mom backfires big-time

* David shares why Rocco’s laugh is his favorite sound on earth

* Melissa raves about Pomifera Pure Oil and why it’s a menopause skin saver

* The hormone cream conversation no one asked for (but you’ll learn from anyway)

* David’s AI confession & Melissa’s refusal to let him marry a bot

* The great Popeyes wing experiment (“gut bomb” included)

* The planner Melissa loathes — and the chaotic version she’d actually buy

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics

00:00 – Stealing from Mom & Social Media Backlash05:20 – The New Game: Loving, Liking & Loathing08:00 – David’s “Windshield Time” & Rocco’s Laugh12:00 – Melissa’s Skincare Secret: Pomifera Pure Oil16:00 – Menopause Creams & Hormone Confessions24:00 – David’s AI Helper (aka ChatGPT in Disguise)26:00 – Popeyes Wings & Reddit Gut Bombs29:00 – “Triggered” Talk & Netflix Documentary Tangents35:00 – Melissa’s Planner Rant & The Seat-of-Your-Pants Planner39:00 – Christmas Song Game & Couples Chaos

🔗 Links Mentioned

🧴 Pomifera Pure Oil → https://shop.pomifera.com/#/shop/detail/33081/from/1131746📔 Penny Pincher Planner → https://urlgeni.us/amzn/PPPlanner

📢 Listen Everywhere

🎧 Apple Podcasts🎧 Spotify📺 YouTube

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📖 Melissa’s Book → Chicken-Fried Women📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → melissaradke.substack.com

📱 Instagram → @TheRadkeShow📱 Facebook → The Radkes

👋 Ready to Go Deeper?

Become a paid subscriber to Stretch Marks and get:

* Weekday POV Audio Messages – Melissa’s mini pep talks & gut checks

* Twice-monthly “We’re Here for You Wednesday” advice podcasts

* Monthly paid-only posts – the stuff Melissa doesn’t share everywhere

* Community access for real conversations

👉 Subscribe for $9/month or $90/year