My name is Alex, and I have definitely had friends I want to hook up with. No, be all right, all right, No, it will be all right forever. No, alright, alright, No will be all right for ever. So before we get into the story, I want to define a term that I'm going to use a lot in this podcast, and that term is crossing the line. It's a term that I actually got from a John Legend song and it's about having a friend that you want to date. And I actually wrote a song when I was younger that I say, if we crossed the line and it isn't right, will it ruin any chance of being friends? And so it's just a term that I've used a lot, so it doesn't really have like a specific meaning, and it can mean a lot of different things. But for this podcast, crossing the line means having a friend that you get romantically involved with. So a couple of years ago, I met a girl named Jay. I had seen her on Instagram because she was a very very viral dancer. She was not only viral, but she is just one of the most incredible dancers I've ever seen. I knew I wanted to work with her, so I invited her to be in my music video for my first single with Interscope Records. It was called Work the Middle, and we just hit it off right away. From the first day of rehearsals. We were laughing, we were joking around, and we just had a great time in general. We started hanging out. Um I invited her, Actually this is a flex. I invited her to an early morning movie premiere of the Lego Batman movie because I had a song that was in the movie, and so I asked her if she wanted to come with me. She said yeah, and then I asked her she wanted to grab breakfast beforehand, and literally she said hell no, Like I think that might have even been the words she used. She was just like, no chance. So I just was like, Okay, she's not into it. She just wants to go see the Lego Batman movie. Fine, But it turns out that she is just like and I'm sorry for calling you out, Jade, but it turns out that she just wanted to sleep in, like she's not a morning person. So after we watched the movie, she actually asked if I wanted to grab lunch, and so I was kind of like, okay, maybe she is, I don't know, but we had lunch together and we had an amazing time at this this Valley Mexican restaurant called Salsa and Beer. If you haven't gone, you have to go. So we had a great time. We kind of talked in the car for a bit, and long story short, she made it very clear she was not going to kiss me, which I don't know if that made me like her more or it made me less hopeful, but it was definitely hot. After that day, we kicked it for a bit, like we would hang out multiple times a week. We got to really know each other as friends, um, and we just kept having a good time. And then I had to go on tour. But when I left on tour, we could not stop talking, like it was every single day. So when I got home from tour, we had our first kiss and we were like, officially gung ho, let's do this across the line. Then she booked an acting role and that acting role was out of town, and that did not look good or feel good or sound good for us, so we decided to do the mature thing and take a break. When she came back from filming, we didn't really know what was going on like I would talk to other people, or she would be on her own thing. I still don't know exactly where her mind was at that time, but we still kept in touch, and ultimately we met up in Utah, where both of our parents live, and we went snowboarding with my family, uh and then we went to a Mexican restaurant with her family. Before we got into the Mexican restaurant, we kind of had a little conversation about our history and what was next for us, and we talked about how we had really been every incarnation of a relationship, from friends to that weird friends stocking each other on social media, to a fling to a full blown own kind of relationship, and we decided that regardless of where we were, whatever we were, whatever we ended up being, we definitely wanted to stay in each other's lives. A few days later, it was New Year's Eve, and I think you might know where this one's going. Neither of us had brought dates to the party. I had brought my homie Dylan. She came with us and my sisters. Neither of us had any plans of who we wanted to kiss at midnight, because obviously, for whatever reason, that's a thing. And we had just decided that once and for all we would just be friends. But part of me wanted to risk our friendship just for that kiss. And that got me thinking is crossing the line a good idea? And how often does it actually work out? And to help me on this journey to find out, I have two friends, Blake Wexler and Jade Chanoff. All right, what is up everybody? This is Alexiono here and this my podcast. It's called Let's Get into It. And it's just a podcast that I created so that I can talk about life and ship. I don't know. I really just wanted to like hang out with my friends and be me and talk about life in the realist, most stripped down, raw version of it. And so that's where this podcast came from. I am very lucky that I get to have guests that are friends or new friends or um strangers that I talked to for an hour and today I have a nice blend. Hopefully this person is a friend, because he's made me laugh more than once already. We haven't even started the podcast yet. Blake Wexler, he started doing stand up at the age of fifteen, in Philadelphia. Since then, he's written and appeared on Comedy Central. He's been a numerous comedy festivals, became the first comedian slash writer to appear on ABC's JD You're Gonna Like This, Watch Party, The Bachelor, Uh, and It. He's regularly heard on the Cracked podcast, Daily Night Guys, Todd Glass Show, Uh, and his recent album, Twelve Years of Voicemails from Todd Glass to Blake Wexler was number one on iTunes and Amazon. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Blake Wexler, how are you doing, sir? I'm doing great, especially after that amazing intro. Thank you. And I think we're new friends. For sure, We're definitely new friends. I want to point out we are still in the middle of quarantine um from COVID nineteen, so we are all recording into Zencaster and looking at each other on Skype. And I have to admit Blake Wexler already told him looks like Joe from You uh but season two. So he's l A. He's got the l A vibe. It's a little bit different. I do, I do. I'm wearing my apron. Yeah, he's got his apron on he's working at Nirvana. That was the scariest part of that season, I think, is uh Joe walking around in an apron the entire time, I think of all the unsettling things. I'm not going to spoil anything that happened on you. By the way, I am not a part of that show at all. I don't know why I'm plugging it like I am. But maybe on the back end they could throw me a little to it. But um, yeah, yeah, I've gotten that a few times. I do want to point out I'm three ft taller than that actor, Joe, so I do feel a need to say that. Well, Penn Badgley is the man of everybody's dreams right now, and also the man of every woman's nightmares at this point because he is a murderer. I don't want to spoil too much of the show. Blake, You're actually the stranger on the show, which is funny because we're getting along so well with us. I also have one of my very very good friends. I've known her for years and years and I've actually loved I've been a massive fan of her for longer than that. Because of social media. Um, she is a actress more than she is a dancer, and she's an insane dancer, so that is only to show how good of an actress she is. UM. She has danced for and with everybody you can think of. UM. She has been in movies. She's been in three hundred, Rid of an Empire, Batman Versus Superman, Donn of Justice. She had a recurring role in the Last Ship, UM, and she was the star on YouTube premium series Step Up High Water. She's also just one of my best friends. Jade Channath Jade, what is up? What's up? Alex. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for the gracious resume you just gave me. I appreciate it. We are here and we're talking about a really, really funny topic. And it's only funny because I literally could only have asked one of my friends to be my guest on this topic. We are talking about crossing the line. We're talking about taking relationships to the next level, whether it be starting from friendships or the opposite, if you are going into a friendship from a relationship or a love interest. But before we get into those topics, I want to ask you guys a question I ask every guest that comes on my show What are you doing this week to improve your life? We have had so many different, insane, different things that people are working on. Memory juggling. Um, I started a garden last week. UM. So this week I started tracking my macros. Um. So it's kind of like a dieting or nutrition UM style. I guess that you. Uh. You basically input all of your current health information and what your goals are, and then um, the little cool machine computer things says, this is what you should eat that dada have carbs, that dada, that dada protein. Uh, and so I am doing that. Started on Monday. I feel great. It's Wednesday, um, and we're gonna see long term how that makes me feel. But that's what I've been doing this week to improve myself, if that makes sense. Bloody summer body is coming hard, Blake, if that makes sense. Give me what you've been working on this week. Uh. Yeah, I've been working on my hibernation body currently, and I can't tell you how well it's going. It is. Elastic is the only type of pant that I'm wearing right now from not just the waste band, Like the ankles in my pants have elastic right now, and it's coming through. Um right. I guess like one actual thing I've been working on with myself other than just gaining massive, massive amounts of weight is I've been after I'm done working for the day, um and I'm about to like transition into like a fun night, you know, like doing like to hang out with my girlfriend, you know, watching a show, blah blah blah. Is I'll take like a little ten to fifteen minute nap to kind of reset, to kind of leave the work, you know, on the other side of it. And then after I take that nap, it's like, all right, don't look at your phone for you know, comedy stuff, career stuff, just like enjoy the rest of your day, because there's nothing less enjoyable than comedy. So uh yeah, that's why that's the thing I've actually been doing to work on myself. It's been working. Oh. I love that. I love that. That is so cool. I have never heard of something like that. I actually might try that. That's gonna be my That's gonna be my next episodes. M thing I've been improving myself this week. That's pretty sick, Jade. If you don't get it by now, I'm gonna be pretty disappointed. What if you do. I have been really working on just taking care of myself, because that's all the we can't do right now is we have so much time on our hands. I've found that I'm really great at skincare routines and stretching and drinking tease and all these different things that are kind of just gonna keep me healthy throughout this worldwide pandemic. But yeah, I've been stretching a lot, and doing a lot of yoga and in home yoga and kind of just like taking some quiet hours in the beginning of the day to gather my thoughts and get my day going rather than just starting immediately. I don't look at my phone for the first couple of hours unless I have to text somebody. But you know, um, so I've just been kind of like taking care of myself. I guess that's all we can do. I just I've been working out, you know, I'm working out and stretching and trying to just keep keep improving while we're limited. We get it. We get it, Jade, You're really you're really in good shape. We get it. We understand. It's very clear. It's clear maybe I wasn't as possible before. Okay, so maybe you're going for gold. You know you're going you're going for the gold medal in life improvement. I was going for, like, I think the way that I've been viewing it is like, um, have you guys ever had any family my is I go to prison? I have, and when they come out of prison, they look insanely ripped. And that's kind of what I'm going for. I'm kind of going for. Like, Yo, Alex has been gone for a bit, what he's looking pretty solid right now exactly exactly you're looking for like a second degree manslaughter body exactly, but found Jesus while inside exactly. Um, Luckily I've always I've always had Jesus with me, So good big ups to the Jay Dog. Um, let's get into it, honestly, let's get into it. Jade. Neither of you guys have actually been on the show before, so let explain how it works really quickly. There's three different segments. First segment, Jade, you are allowed to take a break, you can stretch or whatever the hell you're doing, and Blake. You and I are going to go one on one and then we're gonna take a quick ad break and then Jade, it's going to be your turn. Blake. You can take a break and put on elastic pants. Then we're going to take another ad break, and then lastly we're going to have a big conversation all three of us sound good? Yeah? Right, all right, Blake, let's get into a Blake, Um, falling in love with a friend. I want to touch on your story because I know you guys have some experience with this. But we're gonna talk more about that later. Blake, have you ever fallen in love with a friend? I have and she's currently I would say, what forty yards away from me? I think in my apartment. So I'm gonna keep my voice down because I have some complaints. Uh no, no, no, it's amazing. Um we we uh So we have this like thing, you know, like couples have their like hutesie stuff where uh So we both went to high school together, and um, we were friends in high school and we're not. We don't call ourselves high school sweethearts because we didn't date in high school. We call ourselves sweethearts from high school because I think there's a distinction there. So about a couple of years ago, UM, we reconnected I was doing stand up back in Philly and a couple of years ago. By the way, I should have the act number because that's our anniversary, but it's within um, four to eighteen years, so it's it's somewhere within that right now, it's four years. So UM, we reconnected, hit it off, did long distance for like a year and a half in between Philly and l A and UM, she moved out here about two and a half years ago and we're still together. It's great. So it was an interesting thing. Where to the theme of the show, going from a friend to um, you know, a romantic relationship as a one year anniversary gift. I don't know how the hell this works, but like I still had our text messages from when we were friends, like from like twenty I think we have text from So I made a book. I got some sort of pirated software and got our texts from the phone, which sounds like some you Joe ship. Actually, now that I'm saying it out loud, this is like, this is the cutest and creepiest shit ever, But because you're still dating, it's still it's not creep be at all. It's still cute, right right, And and the moment we God forbid, we'll never stop dating. But in an alternate scenario, UM, this will have to be deleted. But uh so I had these texts from when we were friends, and UM, a lot of it is me asking her, I'm like, hey, you know, I'm back in town. Do you want to hang out? And then just being ignored for twenty four hours and then her just texting back and being like, uh, sorry, I had a late night last night. I hope I see you next time you're in town. So she was basically like blowing me off for the first few years. But you know, at first it wasn't really I wasn't trying to like take it to a romantic place. I'm just like, oh, this is a cute girl that I was friends with from high school. Like, I'm in town, it would be nice to just hang out. But then it advanced past that, so that's where we are now. Nice dude, Well, you know, it's you're the best and the worst guest to have on this because unfortunately we have two successful stories in you know and crossing the line with friends. UM, so we don't really have anybody to be like, yeah, I tried it, and then she told me that she never saw me like that and then we never talked again. Um, so we're gonna have to flip it. Have you ever had a friend that has fallen for you and you didn't feel the same energy, therefore you had to reject them. We're going before your girlfriend, who I'm sure is beautiful and looks a lot like the girl on you. But before that, before that, have you ever had anybody that was like, hey, like, I think I'm really like, maybe we should like grab drinks sometime, like like or like just confess. It's kind of rare that you have somebody who like will full blown confess their feelings for you out of nowhere. Yeah, it's um, so, you're right, you did your researchers a very very long line of women, um, over the years who've been waiting to date me. And it is a it's a hard line to sit in. It's extensive line. Um, it isn't it's non existent, but um so yeah, I'm trying to think. It's often been me, um where i I've always out so I've been rejected so many times by friends. So um, I think it's thank you so much and it's been great and no complaints whatsoever. But yeah, I think it's kind of a natural. It can be confusing because you do you do want to like walk that line of you don't want to lose a friend. You don't want to make them feel you know, um awkward or you know, put upon in any way. So it's it's very easy I found for someone to like confuse a vibe or it's like, oh is this a friend? Are they like, you know, caring for me as a friend, or is this a romantic thing? And then if you take that action, be like, hey, do you want to go on a date sometime? And they're like what, Like I've had I've I've tried to I think okay, So I've had multiple times where I'm like, oh, I'm feeling this. I feel like I'm putting out more than friend vibes. And then I'll think we're going out on a date and then I'm like, oh, I'll pay and they're like why are you paying? You know, and I'm like, oh, okay, this is not that's the world. That is the where I've definitely had that happen, where it is like where it's like I'll get it and it's like no, no, no, no, no, no no, no, like definitely, like they almost tell you that it's not a date by saying no, no, no no, no, I'll pay, I'll pay my part, right right, So it's and it's a good friend thing. It's a good friend thing because they do it, and like, I feel like that's the most polite way to let someone down. But I guess what I learned from that is be very um forthcoming with your intentions. Because someone told me about the phrase like a surprise date or like you know where it's I think you want to be. You don't have to be like, hello, I am Blake Wexler. Here's my social Security number. I would like to date you now, Like you can be more romantic than that, but just you don't want to, like, you know, trick someone into going on a date with you. That's kind of gross. It's really gross, especially if it's a friend of yours. Yeah, that's super weird. I've also, um, I've also been in situations where I've had feelings for somebody who doesn't have feelings for me. I actually vividly remember her. I'm gonna shout out Sammy Sanchez, um, because she's still she's still not that like I don't talk to her all the time, but we still follow each other. Is still good energy. Um. But I remember going to her house and saying, Hey, I just want you to know I have I have feelings for you and I would love to try taking this to the next level. And she full blown was like, you are so sweet. It is not gonna happen. I'm like, I'm kind of talking to somebody else and and I think it would just be like best. If I think you're such a great friend, that's the worst right there. I think you're such a great friend. If somebody says you're I think you're such a great friend, hang up, don't even finish the call. You just go. You just go. No, just you go April fools and they say it's September. Uh, and then that's how that ends. But I've I've definitely had that happen, and it's like you have to be at least. I think the saying that I always heard was like clothes mouths don't eat. It kind of means like if you don't speak up for what you want, you're never gonna get it. You have to go out and get what you want. You have to go and fight for you have to put it out there in the world, whether it be manifesting or having like a dtr slash crossing the line type of conversation. If you don't have that, you're never going to get it. Even if Sammy Sanchez breaks your heart. UM full name, Oh yeah, Sammy Sanchez. If I still if she hadn't moved and I haven't seen her since she moved, I would have said her address, but you'd be it wouldn't be great. Um. But the good news is is I have a new friend named Blake, who apparently is really good at getting cracked software is to get me text messages so I can make books out of them. I'll get you a deal. I'll get you a deal on that off. I have a coupon code for you use Blake. Um. So the last thing that I want to talk about before we go into a little break is, uh that the times obviously you are in a very happy relationship. Now that was a successful version of falling in love with your friend, which we'll talk about the success of it, and I want to get into the weeds of that in our last topic. But before we get into that, I want to talk about the times that it failed for you and it failed for me. And the question is did revealing those feelings, whether the outcome was what you wanted or not wanted, um, just make you feel better. And I think that's something that I want to piggyback the last thing I was talking about, which was, um, you know clothes mouths don't eat. Whether that's an accurate analogy for this or not, I think it is important to reveal your feelings to make yourself feel better, to have that not contained. What do you think? Yeah, I think it is. It's Uh, it's interesting, I wonder. So it is kind of almost like a risk evaluation that you have to do where it's you have two how strong are your feeling strong enough to put a friendship in jeopardy? So I I guess my advice would be run it by some other friends. First. Now, of course they're going to rat you out and be like, you know, look, Blake has feelings for you, you know what I mean? But like they can't they can't keep there. They can't keep their mouth shut is their issue. Um, but yeah, it's they're gobbling it up. They can't stop eating. And again, I can't wait for this segment to end. Because I'm wearing a belt right now and it is cutting off the circulation through my lower body of my legs. I can't feel my legs. But so yeah, I think there is something to say to getting it off your chest. Um, I'm feeling lightheaded. But but uh yeah, I would bring it up to friends first and then if it is worth because I have brought it up in the past and it has, like you know, made a friendship weird for a little while. So but if you're really close with that person, I can't get over the during the break, you're just gonna see throwing like belts out the window like you've wronged me, just like as if I was, like, you know, someone was cheating on me and just throwing their clothes, but just belt. Um my belts cheated on me with a thinner version of myself. It's not what they meant when they said our glass figure, No though, it was that I I, um, well, I think that's a great I think that's a great idea to ask your friends about, you know, and get their get their opinion on maybe there, you know, if they think that that friend has thoughts on a few or whatever. Um, And that's exactly what we're gonna talk about in our last topic. So we're gonna shut it down. We're gonna take a quick ad break, Blake, take that belt off goal and like, rub some coconut oil on your stomach line ors whatever the hell you gotta do to get that, because I know that there's an indentation. There is an indentation on your waist right now. Um, so go and get some saran wrap, been coconut oil or whatever the hell you need to do. Um. But you are a perfect example of falling in love with a friend and being successful after many attempts of falling in love with a friend and apparently at not being as successful. So thank you for sharing your stories. And uh and we will be back. When we come back, Jade and I are going to have a just open conversation about the timeline. That is Jade and Alex will be right now. Oh my gosh, dude, I have not laughed that hard I needed. Al Right, we are back. It is Alex iono. This is let's get into it. And we're talking about crossing the line with friends, taking relationships to the next level. And as I was thinking about my guests that I should have on this show. I've only ever once in my life successfully crossed the line. It didn't work out, and then we're still friends to this day, and that person is here with me right now. Jade China the perfect And I think your first in TROW was a little bit better than the second intro. But I think I'm just a woman who deserves good intros. Then, UM, I have a I have a whole topic here. Shout outs to Joel because you wrote out in an amazing segment, UM, which was how to court when you know the person? UM, But I kind of want to throw that out the window for a little bit and just kind of talk about our story because our story is pretty interesting, UM, and I want to see what your I want to see as a fun experiment with your recollection of the situation and the whole story of of you and I. UM breaks into now I want to do a spoiler alert. UM. Jade is one of my very very very close friends, and we have been just friends for over what two years now, maybe even the three years now. UM, and Jade has had many debatably successful relationships. I am currently in a good relationship, UM, but um, but it is it's very very I'm very lucky to have a friend like Jade who is kind of on the same path that I am career wise. We've been able to talk about career stuff, family stuff, friends stuff, and she's really been, you know, down to the point where both of our parents live in Utah now, so when we're home for the holidays, we all get together and go snowboarding, and it's just a really really strong friendship. So I want to hit the spoiler alert. There is no like happy romantic ending for the as it stands. But now that that has said, let's go back in time and let's get into the story of Jade and Alex. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna rewind back to two thousand seventeen. I had just broken up with my girlfriend, super Great start Um, and I was filming a music video for my first single Withinner Scope Records. It's called Work the Middle, and there was a choreographer, Willed beast Um, who was choreographing it. And I had been watching Jade's videos for like a long long time. I had told Wales like, this girl's really good dancer, but I think she's too young, and he was like, nah, she's eighteen, and I said bet it and he's like bet it, So I said star of the star of the show. Then so she Jade was then cast it as the lead dancer, the love interest for the music video. By the way, Jade just not it's not a revenge body. But I want you to know, I'm about thirty pounds lighter than that than that music video filming, and it's in a in a great way. Um. So I'm doing. I'm doing well. I just want you to I'm doing and I'm so very happy. Um Jay, do you remember when though, so we we did the music video together. We're just friends. Like literally the day that we shot the music video is about four days removed from breaking up with my girlfriend. Like I had just broken up with my girlfriend, so I was not in any place to get in a relationship. You were also from what I remember, I'm gonna let you take over from here and not in a great spot. No, honestly, actually you probably didn't know this, but I used to stuck you on Tube and I used to watch your videoing all the time, you know, so I'm watch you. So it's already a thing. And then and then Will had reached out to me to be a part of the music video. Of course I was game. But yeah, I think it was even from like the music video standpoint, like we just hit it off. Whether that was our friendship or whatever it was at the time, like we we just got each other, I think was the ultimate thing and we're super we are definitely wasn't in the place for a relationship either, but that didn't really seem to stop the momentum at the time we had. But this is the thing though, This is the thing though. I want to stop there because the first thing, so I asked you on a date. I asked you on a date to go and watch the private screening of the Lego Batman movie because that I had a song that was in the Lego Batman movie and I thought it was such a flex. I was so like, Yo, why don't you come to this movie? Like I got a song in it? And You're like, what movies it? And I was like, the goddamn Lego Batman movie, dog, what else could it be? And so I'm not glad I was. We ended up going to the Lego Batman movie and then we went You showed me and still to this day, one of the best Mexican restaurants in l A salsa and beer and um. And to this day, we've I've you and I have gone, I've gone with many friends, have gone on many different salsa beer. I think it's the greatest thing to come out of Alex and Jade's UM. You know story. So we did that, UM, and we hung out. We hung out quite a bit. I'm trying to think of what happened after that, Like we did, we did. What happened, Alex, this is what happened. I was just scared. Okay, Um, we're both not in great relationships. I'm a female, so I'm more emotional. I was nervous. I didn't want to go down any path that I didn't know that I could actually do or complete or actually give the other person what they deserved. But I was so into you, so it was okay. But like I was, That's why I was so hesitated the whole time. And like we'd go and we'd hang out, and then I'd be like ah, like no, and yeah, we just hung out a lot, and we'd come over and our drive and we'd go to different places, different restaurants. At the time, you were touring too, so no, so so this is what happened. Was right before we left for tour, which was in like the end of like the beginning of February, and this was all in like January. I want to highlight one thing before we get into the tour because once we went on tours when it kind of like really rapidly started rising. Because when I go on tour, when I go on tour, I don't like it's weird. I don't like doing the like all of my homies do the hook up with girls on tour thing. Like to me, I think I like going back to the bus, like doing my thing, facetiming my family, facetiming my girl and going to bed. So I think the tour only really excelled it. But before that, do you remember, I want to point this out. Do you remember I dropped you off. I was in my jeep. I dropped you off, and you're like walking back and I was like, Yo, come back here. I want to talk to you about something. Then, and this is before I left for tour, Like we had only been talking for like not even a month, and you came back and you were like, I just want you to know this is this is what you go. I just want you to know I'm not gonna kiss you. And I was like, not what I was, not what I was planning on. Okay, you gave me the look. Yeah, Locky, no, no, no, Loki, I was planning on it, but I had to be I had to be a man of pride and be like, look, that's not what I was planning on doing at all. I just wanted to let you know. Um. But I did say this at the time. I was like, I just want to let you know. I'm really enjoying hanging out with you. Um. And I like whatever, this ends up being YadA, YadA, YadA. So fast forward. You remember that though I do remember that I was just scared so taking it's fine, No, this isn't this is not attacking Jade. Because the story continues to unfold. So we go through the tour. Midway through the tour, at the l a stop before we finish out the tour, I remember we had our first kiss, which was in my garage. It was um. Then we kind of like we kept going for a bit and then what happened and I vividly remember this is what happened is you booked step up which was amazing. I did you booked step up and you were and it was amazing, But you were also moving to Atlanta for what was it, three months? Four months, and so we both agreed that it would probably be best for us to just kind of let it go and be friends. And you know, still, I knew I had a tour and I had a tour date in Atlanta, So you were going to come onto the tour date and we're gonna have like get to see each other. Different Mexican food, different Mexican food. Do you remember that uber ride? Though? That smelled so bad? It's not like I don't I was gonna say, I don't like using the word, but it smelled like coucie and that's just what it is. I don't, I don't know what happened. We had to roll down the window. She literally texted me saying, is it just me or does this car smell like COUCHI like, like that is the only word that it could be. Um, So we did that. If we did. I saw you in Atlanta. It was cool. I remember, like not to like exploit. We hooked up like a little bit, but not a time like it was literally like we stopped it, and you were like nah, and I was like I and then because I had my own apartment too, and I was like and and that. But that Atlanta show in TV was the last time that you and I ever like like kissed or did anything right. Since then, I want you guys to know this. Since then, I've hung out with Jade multiple times, many different scenarios, one on one, in groups. You've been my date too many things. But again, like like I remember what was it two years ago, last year Grammy events, you came with me too, and we just danced and listened to Summer Walker and ate like or Dervs and we hung out. We've been alone and in many scenarios places in which like we could have kind of transitioned into back into that romantic way, but for whatever reason, it just was never like that. And for a lot of the reason, like you had a pretty serious boyfriend for a bit um serious to you serious, we're just we're calling people out right, okay, So but this is this is so this was what Christmas, I think even two Christmas is ago, you and I, um, we ended up going to that awful Mexican restaurant that you and your family are good for some lose fair lados. I think it's what it's okay. All the above is just wrong, wrong, wrong times two Alex. It is the best restaurant in Utah. Okay, I'm on there every Sunday since I was a kid. So don't hate um what's great just because you didn't like it. Okay, Well I will, I will happily agree to disagree with you because this is why we're friends. Guys. Exactly food. Actually we're not telling you, but I remember having that meal and we are sitting in the parking lot. I was supervibing you, I believe is what is what I'm thinking in my head. I was vibing you. Uh, and you were not necessary. I don't know what the deal was, but I remember we had regardless. It wasn't the conversation about that. It was the conversation that you and I had kind of just accepted, like hey, like life is is ever flowing and ever um you know, changing, and there might be a reality in which you and I are more than that. But I just I appreciate you so much as a friend, uh, and I appreciate you in my life that I think that is the most important thing to us, and I wanted to highlight that because that's kind of what um, It's kind of what Blake and I talked about in the first topic, which was having an open conversation and getting those feelings out there. I just think it's important to speak your mind and not be afraid to ask for what you want, but being aware that you might not get exactly what you want. It might not be a potential relationship, but you can always be happy with the fact that you went out there and you said how you felt. I don't know if you remember that or how much did you remember that conversation, but it really meant a lot to me because it helped me assure that, regardless of what happened, we would always be friends. And so I really liked that we ended up going out for New Year's was it three days later? New Year's Eve? Neither of us had a kiss. Nobody else around and we didn't even have we didn't even New Year's kiss. Like it it's really proof, like I want. I know a lot of you are listening to this and you're going, oh, I bet you they're still hooking up on the lower I bet you they slipped up like really, honestly, I mean, can see Jade right now. We don't slip up. And if you've ever seen Jade, you wouldn't. It's not a slip up that you would not want to tell people about. I just want to. I want to highlight that Jade is like Jade is, Jade is insanely gorgeous. But I wanted to in the story of us, Um, I wanted to highlight at the end of the story so far to this. You know, I've seen you since then, We've hung out, or we've talked, we've gone climbing, whatever it is, Um, But that that conversation really meant a lot to me because my family loves you, your family loves me. We all get along and we're all cut from the same cloth. And so the concept of if I had lost you as a friend and I and I could go back, and I could have gone back in time and not ever hooked up with you, not had happened, not date you, but then I keep you as a friend, I would have absolutely done that, because you as a friend has been has been an amazing relationship in my life, but very fortunately for for myself. Prioritizing having you in my life and you prioritizing having me in your life. Um, it's been very nice that we got to do both. And I think that's one thing that that we were always good at though, is we're very honest with each other. And I think that's why we've had such a strong friendship, as even when we were first talking, we're both very honest about our past, and I think you were one of the only people I was honest about that with. So it definitely was something that we were really good at. We're always good at communication, and like even when step up came up, we communicated that like this probably won't work, like and then when we see each other again, like we I really do value your friendship and I know you value mine as well, And I think it needed to be said because when you do cross lines like this, it's really hard to go past it because you have all of these thoughts in your head that you're kind of making up in your own mind and like thinking, oh, they probably don't like me, or they don't want to mess with me, or like how am I going to be able to be around them if they have you know, like they don't like me like that, or there's energy still there, I don't know, and I think we're just very transparent, and transparency does do a lot for relationships, even friendships or even when you cross that line or you don't. And I think everything is savable. And I think when you actually have to people that are willing to save the relationship, it will always be able to be saved. I think, what a beautiful way to end it. We're going to take a break, Jade. Before we take a breakthough, is there anything that you want to add to our because I have one thing that has nothing to do with anything, but I wanted to point it out because I'm nothing if I have anything else. Okay, I want to point out something when we started hanging out, and I know this really I want to to disclaim this statement with it does not matter how many followers you have. It literally values the value of having followers is nothing. But I want to point this out because I am very, very proud as your friend of how just fucking big you've become and continuing to to get bigger and bigger. Is do you remember when we were talking about doing brand deals. This was back in two thousand seventeen. I had just hit my like Apex and following, like I had just I just hit like two million or something like that, and I was like, yeah, I got two million. And I was trying to tell you, like, oh, this is what you should do. And you're like, well, how much money should I get paid? And I was like, well I got two million and and this is this. You only have like a hundred something thousands, so you should only get like this much. And you made a joke about it and you it passed through both of us. I don't, and it's not something I carried with me, but I did remember it as not only care every day I have it written into my wallet. I remember when you passed me on in following and I was like, dude, this girl has blown up. She is so her talent that she has been working on from from day one is finally being recognized and finally going up. So it's something that I wanted to point out because in our same exact time span of being friends, you've also gone from hundreds of thousands of followers and hundreds of thousands of views to tens of millions of views and millions of followers, And so I wanted to take time here to be again say as your friend in public, fucking congratulations, and I'm so happy that everything that you have worked hard before is finally coming to fruition and coming to fruition faster and faster and faster and faster. So that's the thing I wanted to point out. I mean, do you have anything that you've thought Do you want me to return the favor because I can. I can start dropping all of the jobs you have. No, no, no, no, no, no, that's not the point. There was not a fish for compliment. There's not a fish for compliment. No. I am like the reverses is mutual though, Like I really do appreciate you, and I think that's why we push each other as friends too, is we understand each other on that deeper level of like having that normal life but then also having a gift in this industry, in this crazy industry with crazy people, and that we've stuck by each other and we're able to grow together. And I think that's also proof that you can have friends that are great as well and it's not going to ruin anything. I think there's a big misconception around being able to hang out with people that are more successful than you. But you inspire me daily, and I I promise you like a lot of me going through this industry and keeping my head on my shoulders and knowing kind of how to go about it has come from you, So I may be appreciate coming out soon. I don't know if that's some movie coming soon, sorry, Alex, I don't know. By the time this drops, the movie might be out. The movie might be out. Um, but thank you so much. Jade. You are really one of my one of my closest friends, and I hope you're doing well, especially during this quarantine time. When the quarantine ends, I say this to you on Instagram dms all the time. Uh, you need to find a man so that we can go on double dates and have a good time. I don't even know. I mean luckily we have Joe from you here on the on the podcast, so he can probably find a way to like. Um. Speaking of Blake, we're gonna come right back after this ad break, and we're gonna all three of us just break down kind of like a big overall conversation. I got questions for Blake about telling his friends that him and his other friend are now more than friends and and Jade, we can get in some more anecdotal stuff, but we will be right back and talk about all of that, so don't go anywhere. Okay, we are back with our last segment of today's episode. I'm alex Iono. This is let's get into it, and I'm very lucky to have two great, great, great guests. I have Blake Wexler, comedian. Um. He's written for fucking Everybody, has has been on many many podcasts, done many comedy festivals, just wildly successful and now has no belt on. We also have Jade, a very close friend of mine. If you've been listening to the podcast so far, um, you will have just heard Jade and my story of being friends and then more than friends and then now friends. So um, now we're here, Blake, Jade, how we feeling. We're feeling good. This is great. Yeah, there was a really sweet segment between you two. It's cool. It was cool to yeah, be a part of it. Well, I'm happy. Um. So we are very lucky to have a nice, solid three of us who have quite a bit of experience in in crossing the line with friends. UM. Crossing back over, Blake, as you had mentioned in the first segment, you are currently still dating somebody that you crossed the line with from being friends? First? Can can you tell me your girlfriend's name so I can stop saying you and your girlfriend? Of course, it's a Jennifer Aniston. No, Um, it's her name is Julia? Did you say Julia? Yes? Julia, not jen of for Anderson, but looks just like her. Um. So, Julia and you, as you mentioned, had been friends from high school. Uh, and then started dating. How long did you guys date for before you decided to let the people that you guys mutually know kind of find out about it, just because it could you know, ruin the flow of the friendship or now it starts turning into hey, who's hanging out with who? Whatever? That's just and then if it doesn't work out also then that's like it's like like what happened to you and Julia? And you go, oh, dude, no, it is crazy and it's all this stuff. So I'm very interested. That's a great question, so we um, and all of your questions have been great, not just that one. Um. So uh yeah, it was a um, finally a great question. Uh. And we've been waiting. No, No, it's you've been such a good host I'll compliment you. I'll send you a long, long compliment after the show. Um. But yeah, we actually kind of let our friends know fairly quickly, and it was a funny react action from them because it wasn't like, so we were friends during high school, but she wasn't in or we weren't in each other's immediate you know, close sphere of friends. So we were probably like we hung out with each other at parties, but you know, like if it was oh, hey, we're like, you know, us on our friend group are getting together, neither of us would have been invited to that immediate group. So it was funny where, you know, with social media and everything, all of a sudden, we just posted a few photos together and people are like, what the hell are those two do? Like how did this even happen? Because he lives in l A. She still lives in Philly, Like, in what world did these two even you know, like connect with one another again, And you know, it just was a thing where we would text every once in a while, you know, like I would see it would be her birthday, I'd send her a text, you know, something she'd see that I did something with stand up you know, she'd send me a congratulations or something, and then the conversation kept going. So it was the way that we kind of announced it. Um was was in Philly doing a show. She was there, we posted a photo together, and then a few days later was like, we really really hit it off. And then I had to fly back to l A from Philly, and she sends me a text saying, Hey, I hope this doesn't freak you out, but I bought tickets to see you in l A this weekend to fly across the country to see me and I I immediately started fanning myself because I was so worked up of it being so happy. But that doesn't like scream Provider, So I was just like, oh, yeah, it sounds cool, it sounds cool, and um, she she came to visit, and she loves Harry Potter. By the way, she's older than I am, Um, but she loves Harry Potter and I took her to Harry Potter World, so we took a photo together on one of those rides, and I think, you know, there's a social media thing that just happened where it's like oh first photo or whatever, where you post your first photo with your significant other and our first photo is us wearing these big goggles on this uh this broomstick ride. So then I got a lot into the end, it's like, oh ship, Yeah, so again you you kind of successfully made it through with no real like juicy drama of telling all of you guys mutual friends that you did it. But the good news is is that I actually have a very good friend that's on this podcast named Jay Shannath who in not in our situation. Um, but I know just being your friend that you've had other situations and we won't get into the details at all, but for reasons that are unknown to the listener, you took some time before telling the world about your relationship with somebody because you guys were super close friends, you work together, whatever it is. And I know that there's a lot of listeners out there who are feeling the same that might be you know, they started hooking up or started dating one of their really close friends and there's a lot of mutual friends that they have, And so what was the point that you felt, Yeah, what was the point that you felt like, Okay, I'm gonna tell people about this. Honestly, for me, a lot of the relationships that I have been and haven't been the most successful, hence why the nerves of going into any of them. Um. I think that it's just kind of a lot of what we were talking about. We just weren't very transparent with each other, and I think that kind of added up in our friend group and are like and people around us that like if I told, like, then who would they tell? And especially out in l A and in the dance industry, especially the circles really small. It's kind of like high school. One person says something and then it kind of goes around. And I think what was hard was I wanted to I wanted to be the one to tell everybody rather than like a small little blip that got out start this whole thing and then everyone makes their own assumption about it. And I think that's what we were kind of like waiting for, was to like the right time to say it, But there really was never a right time because things aren't always supposed to happen like that, And I think I was low key being saved in the long run. So it is so okay. But I think that if we were to communicate and we were to have just been straight up and let's like, let's say how you and I are alex as friends, Like how we just communicate and we are really up front, and maybe other relationships could have gone better, But it's definitely something I work on on my side of things so that I'm able to really give them the full message that they're wanting, or really keep it real and really keep my feelings and and my thoughts very transparent to that person because I want them to know how I feel about them, and I think that it has to be a two way street. So for a lot of my situations with crossing the friendship borderline, it just hasn't been a two way street. I've been made to think it was, but it hasn't been. And that's just only for my luck personally. But transparency, that's fair. But I do I do think that what you said is about telling your friends like you want to be the one to tell, and so it's kind of hard figuring out how you let people know, because if you tell one person and they got a big mouth and they everybody else, and everybody else is finding out through everybody else, and it's not really different everybody else's truth to tell. Yes, So I'm going to now ask both of you this question. Blake, you kind of answered it with your Harry Potter picture. But um, if you have the ideal in a perfect world, you're dating one of your close friends, whatever it is you are, you are allowed your opportunity to reveal the information. What is the best way? Blake already has the cheat code because you revealed he revealed his relationship with a Harry Potter goggle, you know, quidditch playing picture. But Jade, what what are your thoughts? What do you think is the best way to reveal the information of your dating? I mean, I think the social media post thing is pretty exciting. I mean, yeah, it's It's different in my situation too, because social media is such a big thing that people take things and run with it. So I think that's always kind of played a part in a lot of my relationships as well. Like I mean, even with us, like when we were first talk talking, it was weird to put it on social media because people will make their assumptions about it, do you know what I mean? And I think you should wait a little, like until you've really established your feelings and like and established the lit lines of the relationship and where you see yourself going. I think social media can be a good way or I'm hanging out with your friends together can be a great way going. I don't really necessarily think it has to be a post or anything, but once you have to talk, you can then voice what you guys are when people ask if that makes sense, rather than like you mean, we're talking. That's what starts the story. So I think just being clear with your partner and then it will be so much easier after that because if you just say what it is, then there's not going to be any mixed messages going there. Absolutely now, Blake you obviously again you cracked the code. You did the most perfect relationship reveal at Harry Potter World with the full gear and everything. What if you could change it at all, just because I'm I just feel like laughing again. If you could change it at all to do something else to reveal that you were in a relationship with your friend, what would it be so right now during this pandemic, I would have to say so. By the way, during the break the elastic pants they snapped and they no longer fit, So I would say it would probably be you know, kind of like a do it yourself YouTube video of there's a Volkswagen bus that parks outside of my apartment. So it would be me and my girlfriend who I'm announcing, taking the tarp that covers the bus from the rain, and us cutting it together into new clothes for me because that's the only type of fabric that could currently cover my body. So I would probably go with That's how I would announce it. I was trying to figure out where you were going on that joke. I was like, what is the Are you gonna steal the so is I? You're like, okay, we're gonna start and then we're gonna just kind of keep talking until the joke finds a punchline. You just summed up my career perfectly. Alex There Blake, You're hilarious. Jade, You're amazing. I think this is my takeaway. I think my takeaway is that you should not be afraid to say how you feel. I think you should always be courageous and telling somebody how you feel. You shouldn't be afraid to potentially cross the line with somebody. You shouldn't be afraid to tell a friend that you might feel differently about them, or feel more than just friends with them, Honesty, transparency, and openness to me will always be the winner. But I think with all of that being said, it's important to be thoughtful and mindful and really really dissect the feelings that you have. Sometimes you just have a hot friend and that's the fact. Sometimes it's not a full blown relationship that you want to be in. And so I think as long as you're open and transparent and honest with everybody, including yourself, you can never go wrong. And I think the other thing too, is like sometimes you just it's not the right time, it's not the right lighting, it's not the right situation, or it's just not the right person. So I think after you're open, you're honest, and you're transparent, you have to accept the fact that sometimes people just don't feel the same way that you do at the moment, or sometimes they never will. And if you're cool with that and you can accept that, then you can end up still preserving a good relationship. Like I feel, Jade and I did. Hey, you summed it up, man, I thought that was great. Yeah, yeah, it was cool. And thank you both for like giving us, you know, like a look into how you guys made it work. Because I feel like that seems like a very healthy way to do it. Yeah, Jade, you are amazing. Thank you for for being open and telling the story. To close this out, To close this out, I have a little segment that I do with everybody, and I call it shameless Promo. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your time now. We're not talking about relationships. We're talking about just promoting the ship out of whatever you're doing right now. So Blake hit us. Shame was promo. Oh you gotta go to Blake Wexler dot com slash albums. Um it's an Award winnings website subcategory where all my albums are on there, the Blake album, uh, Stuffed Boy or my two stand up albums. Twelve years of voicemails from Tod Glass to Blake Wexler and then at Blake Wexler on all social media. That was beautiful. That was perfect as short. It was simple, it was sweet, it was effective, It was incredible. Jake, what do you have to live up here? Um? Yes, I have a fitness website called fit to Be It. If you guys are stuck in how in your house? Which everybody is, so do it? Um? You can go to fit to Be it official dot com. I am the official influencer for that and all the workouts are me and I helped create. So if you guys are looking for health bis or fitness advice, there's that also there. Um maybe something in the future that I can't say, but I think everyone will guess what it is. I've already done two of it, So that's all I'm gonna leave because I can't say it. Um And yeah, just be happy. That's me. Social media is I really hope, I really hope whatever it is you step up to the plate and you really crush it. I want to highlight and Jay didn't highlight that. I really love. Every Sunday, Jade posts something on her Instagram called self Love Sunday, and she basically brings up a topic that she wants to talk about and for that minute she talks about her thoughts and her views and ways that you can combat it. It's kind of like this podcast a little bit um but inside of uh, inside of a one minute Instagram video. So makes you guys go check that out. And as for me, you can always find me at alex Iono on any of your socials. It's literally the best part about having a unique last name. I will see you guys next time piece. We really want you to get the help you need, so if you need help, please seek independent advice from a competent healthcare or mental health professional. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or individuals participating in the podcast, and do not represent the opinions of iHeartMedia or its employees. This podcast should not be used as medical advice, mental health advice, counseling, or therapy. Listening to the podcast does not established doctor patient relationship with hosts or guests of alex IONO, Let's Get Into It or I Heart Media. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on this podcast. Well, if that's a doozy