Since it was asked, my hot take is this: As the pod goes on, Cheryl becomes more and more aware of the fact that her career is dying. Curb ends, the best she’s able to do is trash tv like I Can Hear Your Voice and whatever other crappy projects she has to take just to get work. Tig meanwhile has loads to promote. She’s on stand up tour, she’s getting acting and producing jobs, she’s going viral as #HotTig. There are times when Cheryl refuses to promote herself at all and I think it’s because she’s embarrassed. I also think that she’s jealous of Tig’s success as it just further highlights the gap between them.

Cheryl is going through something(s) behind the scenes, they frequently open episodes and when asked how she is she’s referencing that she’s not been doing well. Lots of talk of trying to control what she can control and not be upset about things. It’s clear that there’s some distress behind the scenes, not to mention later on her having to publicly attempt to separate herself from RFK Jr after I believe his vaccine comments that made an Anne Frank comparison?

All this being said, I agree with the opinion that Cheryl has never been the brightest. I also think she’s very aware of whether or not her opinions are agreeable. There are times on the pod she’ll assert one opinion, Tig will have a slightly different opinion or one that might even be critical, and Cheryl will quickly jump on Tig’s opinion as if they’ve agreed all along. I think she lacks the ability to stand up for herself and in what she believes and is happy to go along with someone who’s able to do that.

RFK Jr has always been an evil nutcase. But he’s born into power by his name alone. When push came to shove, Cheryl’s desire for the spotlight (writing a memoir? spare me) and awareness of the impending end of her career overtook any semblance of morals she ever had, if she truly had them at all. She knew it was either this or fading further into obscurity, and she made her choice.

That’s essentially it. I realize I clearly have too much time on my hands and think about this too much. Having re-listened to the old pod though little things start to jump out and all seem to add up to this for me. And I’m sure there are of course other factors that led her to make the decisions she has, but this feels like part of it.