Too Much: Recent Episodes
Esme Bale
for anyone who feels like too much. who speak a little too loudly, who make jokes that make people uncomfortable, who are waiting for the applause, who once asked to confess, would never stop, who spill their drinks on themselves, who cry on the bus, who bathe in the narrative of their lives, who believe they can fall in love with anybody but can’t go an hour without getting the ick, who wonder if anything is sacred anymore, who are losing a sense of the borders: their body and the world around them, letting their guts tan in the sun. this podcast is for you.
zoe tries detachment as a method for connection and esme realizes detachment was the solution to her loneliness.
the girls discuss finding a new therapist, having a nara smith arc and cancelling a date last minute.
zoe and esme discuss coping mechanisms in dating. they speculate about parenting techniques.
the girls discuss moving, taylor swift's new album, getting so drunk you lose your phone, and their exes getting married.
esme is adjusting to her new life in london as an au pair. zoe is trying to find a new apartment and job in montreal
jen joins the girls to discuss her long-term relationship. they psychoanalyze the cast of love is blind.
marlaena moore comes on to discuss singing to an empty bar in saskatchewan, adhd, and being loved for who you really are.
sadie joins the girls to answer 36 questions to fall in love. zoe and esme fantasize about being C list celebrities.
zoe discusses saving valentine's day for marriage. esme thinks "galentine's day" is homophobic.
the girls are joined by matteo gueli to discuss sex and the city and life-ruining situationships.
zoe and esme give tips for surviving the winter blues. these include getting bangs, wasting money, and a birthday party for your cat.
the girls are joined by eva rizk to discuss fashion, trends and how to dress to spite men. subscribe to eva's substack Why You? for more of her takes.
eva's substack: https://evarizk.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web
the girls are joined by lucie to discuss sex in hookup culture. lucie gives six tips to improve your sex life. "emasculate him!"
zoe and esme discuss instagram etiquette, the attention economy, and social media activism.
zoe and esme give their opinions on climate change, school shootings, the war on drugs, and north korea.
anika joins the girls to discuss self-reflection and astrology. she guides them through venus retrograde.
esme reveals all of her latest anxiety spirals. zoe is thrilled that leslie jones ignored her. she tells us about a first date in which she may or may have not peed her pants
the girls asks themselves how much of their friendship relies on synchronicity. what happens when the threat of disconnection appears? they conclude that the only way one of them can fall in love is if they both do.
ella cuba is here to let you know sex goddesses have feelings too! the girls discuss the sexual atmosphere of the coat room at a house party. ella breaks down her relationship to the male gaze and selling her image. she discusses how she took control through self-portraits.
hanako and addie of lucy’s delirium discuss their sound and spontaneous crying sessions. they describe how they deal with comparison. esme talks about the magic of going to their concert. the time hanako wore black leggings and a sports hoodie to high school becomes a metaphor.
can you be both the artist and the muse? the girls deep dive into their inner conflict of wanting to be the subjects of desire and the creators of their own universes. they look at how this conflict impacts their writing and relationships.
zoe and esme go through career fantasies they had as children. esme gives an update on her existential crisis. zoe talks about what she learned from her 40-year-old best friend on set. as always, the girls discuss sport metaphors.
the girls tell us about their unrequited crushes. zoe explains why she needed a fantasy this winter. esme wonders if she’ll ever feel such big feelings towards someone again.
zoe introduces esme to three people she met along her europe trip. a man travelling with his ex boyfriend. a woman who explains being theoretically lesbian, statistically bisexual, and pragmatically queer. a thirty-eight-year-old man who loves to date younger women. there’s betrayal, there’s gossip, there are lovers, and so much more.
zoe and esme explain how to flirt AGAIN and fail. they end up focusing on what not to do and debating what colour their eyes are. if you want to improve your rizz and impress women, definitely listen.
zoe visits her parents in suburban ontario. esme is back in montreal. in these voice memo diaries, the girls individually grapple with the shifts in their environments.
the girls are back and crazier than ever. they discuss their dream proposals, a birthday party, and their commitment to being delusional. zoe is requiring every listener to set her up. esme is enjoying being selfish. most importantly, they dive into the politics of hinge roses.
zoe and esme are joined by pop culture connoisseur, newly single hot person, and love is blind expert…. eva. zoe and eva think zack deserves a break. esme dives into the complexities of jackelina and marshall. this episode is full of hot takes and offers an opinionated recap leading up to the altar. also zoe roasts irina and keeps saying “grody.”
the masturbation episode! listen to find out why esme finds quebec history erotic. zoe dedicates her first orgasm to gwyneth paltrow. she questions if her relationship with masturbation was unhealthy. esme wonders why she is still holding on to so much shame. side note: let’s get better at fingering.
this episode is super annoying... definitely do not listen to it. zoe and esme discuss sports for 45 minutes. in an attempt to expand their audience, the girls talk about hockey, basketball, and football. they share their uninformed perspectives and speculate about the rules. zoe gossips about the players' girlfriends and esme keeps bringing up lesbian sex for no reason. overall, a very fun episode that is not for the faint of heart. enjoyyy xx zoo bee zoo bisous
this might be the drunkest and most chaotic episode of too much. zoe and esme are joined by former domino’s employee kevin. get ready to hear about a marriage falling apart, kevin kissing his prof and an homage to miley cyrus. kevin tells them what it was like to come out at twelve-years-old in 2004. they argue whether unrequited love is real love. the girls are thrilled to learn that bathhouses are comparable to laser tag. kevin admits he was briefly engaged. mostly, they give each other terrible advice.
there are consequences in the business of self-exposure. zoe and esme grapple with the vulnerability in believing you deserve an audience. they talk about what it’s like to have your inner world up for discussion. zoe feels like the cost of being liked by everyone is too high. esme is a libra people pleaser. breaking news: zoe doesn’t believe in love anymore.
three close friends sacrifice their boyfriends for zoe and esme’s entertainment. jhian, jonah, and noah thoughtfully tell them how they met and fell in love with their girlfriends. marriage? kids? would you stay with her if she committed manslaughter? the girls ask all the important questions.
when someone tells you to get as drunk as humanly possible, you listen. zoe and her roommate isabella tell esme about their messiest night together. how many random people were kissed? more importantly, how many random people were shared? the answer remains unclear. isabella encourages her dad to listen. esme wonders why she is suddenly attracting chaos. zoe finishes writing the first draft of a play. they discuss the difference between writing conversations about sex and the act itself. can you do justice to something so mystical?
sometimes, you just need a random man to tell you you’re pretty. zoe and esme are joined by esme’s breakup buddy christina to discuss the role male validation has played in their heartbreak journeys. when the feelings are too big and scary, distract yourself! they get deep and existential. where would they all be without their reply guys? esme gets frustrated that despite all her begging, she’s still never dated a magician. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
this week, zoe interviews a special guest about her abortion. we get a glimpse into her relationship and how the abortion affected her understanding of motherhood. surprise! she had morning sickness. zoe learns the ins and outs of abortion clinic etiquette and gives unsolicited advice about acceptance over time. this isn’t a big scary dramatic story! it’s one person's experience zoo bee zoo bisous xxxx
zoe and esme discuss how they connect and disconnect from their bodies. they ask themselves if pain is the only thing that makes us feel alive. tangents include grieving a vibrator, how to take advantage of men with plan b, begging paul mescal to come on the pod to shit talk phoebe bridgers, and a misogynist questionnaire. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
flirty flirty hoe zoe teaches repressed christian girl esme how to flirt with everyone. if you don’t want to die alone, this is a must-listen. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
what begins as a discussion about the nature of jealousy quickly becomes a full blown crisis. esme, zoe, and her roommate isabella discuss how they feel like they aren't doing enough while everyone else is busy becoming incredibly successful. rule number one, do not ask esme what her post-grad plans are. zoe suggests that even when you do feel successful, you still don’t feel like enough for others. will the girls who are too much always be lacking? at the end, a drunk treat with ethan and jordan.
STORYTIME!!!! this is the whitest shit you'll ever hear! zoe details the loss of her package and esme hears the story for the first time. there is neighbourly bonding, endless phone calls, security footage, police involvement, neighbour hookup gossip, and even classroom gossip. get ready for the time of your life.
the rushhhhh at the beginning… zoe and esme enter the new year manifesting fame and wealth. this will be the very last episode discussing their exes. the girls are mourning, praying, and grieving the end. esme asks herself what it means to let go of the identity of heartbroken. zoe decides she’s happy to be the crazy ex forever. they call upon new lovers to entertain them this year. this episode is much more than a rehash of the past, they discuss shame, embarrassment, rejection and how to set yourself up for the new year! as a little treat, they bring you along for a drunken adventure at a new years’ party. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
zoe and esme are joined by stand-up comedian kyra carleton. kyra tells us how she fell in love with comedy. the girls discuss the difference between a good joke and an offensive one, imposter syndrome, ibs, and their collective love for straight twinks. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
anna and rocío are here to remind us that not all relationships are depressing. in this episode, zoe is concerned with the intricacies of anna and ro’s intimate life. the duo explains what a queer relationship means to them and how four years of support turns into a (sexy) romantic partnership. anna and ro delve into the pain of being friends post-rejection; the nature of homoerotic resentment. esme investigates why anna wasn’t ready at first. the girls discuss the difference between and honest connection and wanting a boyfriend for social status/security. it’s hot, it’s sexy, it’s gay, it’s full of giggles and kissie wissing. a gift from god. zoo bee zoo bisous.
in this episode, zoe and esme explore why they sometimes believe they are the absolute worst. they discuss a range of intrusive thoughts. are they selfish and evil at their core? are they always going to be too much for everyone around them? are they unloveable? listen to find out. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
are zoe and esme in a homoerotic friendship? that's one secret we'll never tell. in this episode, three special guests tell us about their experience with homoerotic friendships and the subsequent heartbreak of losing a friend. we ask what it means to give yourself permission to love. the guests offer great new questions: what do I do if she's gayer than me? etc. zoe and esme realize internalized homophobia is the only reason their guests lost their lovely "friends". if you're happy or sad about being a little bit gay, this episode is for you. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
this time the girls take us on a journey through their summer love affairs. we learn what it takes to find romance on hinge and how to lust for life. the two discuss pleasure, one night stands and vocalizing your needs. esme teaches us the difference between wanting your ex back and just being bored. she demonstrates how to regain hope when overcome by loneliness. zoe talks rejection, orgasms and putting yourself on the line. this episode is filled with sex and sadness. witness real time healing and laugh while doing it. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
in this episode of too much, zoe and esme discuss how once you move out of your childhood home, you can never go back. zoe explores how living on her own made her confront her deep-rooted control issues. she explains the difference between a self-critic and a self-compassion voice. esme reflects on her first week living on her own. she admits that she’s afraid she won’t be able to properly take care of herself. in the end, the girls learn that they need to be kinder to themselves, and urge you to do the same. zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.
zoe and esme set the tone for this podcast by asking the age-old question, what if you meet someone even crazier than you? the two walk us through the birth of too much and share their respective heartbreak stories. they discuss wanting to die, wanting to stop, drop, and get married, and, of course, feeling like their needs were always too much. esme explains why love isn’t enough and zoe finally learns the difference between avoiding her feelings and no contact. this roller coaster ride of a podcast is pretty freaking sad but worth it for the giggles, sick theme song, and vulnerability no one asked for! zoo bee zoo bisous bisous.