Dating Life of a Burlesque Superstar (w/ Jessabelle Thunder)

Why Won't You Date Me? with Nicole Byer

Headgum & Nicole Byer

Interviews, Dating, Nicole Byer, Tinder, Therapy, Advice, Stories, Romance, Date, Sexuality, Relationship, Comedy Interviews, Relationships, Encounters, Health & Fitness, Love, Hookups, Couples, Hookup, Interview, Dating Apps, Raya, Bumble, Comedy, Sex, Society & Culture, Podcast, Single

4.8 • 15.6K Ratings

🗓️ 8 August 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

International award-winning burlesque dancer Jessabelle Thunder joins Nicole to talk about why so many partners say they’re cool with burlesque - until they’re not. She shares how she transformed from a shy girl into a commanding headliner, the different styles of burlesque dancing, and the time she broke her ankle on stage mid-show. Jessabelle also relives a London date with an Irish DJ who argued he should be allowed to say the N-word. Plus, Nicole forgets her meds, spirals on the future of AI, and goes to a pet psychic to figure out why Cylde be biting.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Want to watch this episode? Catch the full video on YouTube. Just hit the link in the episode
0:04.4	description. Ooh baby, Macy's is out here making me feel like a rich bitch on a budget.
0:10.5	It's their jewelry sale right now. And Macy said, you want Sparkle, let me hook you up. You can get up to
0:16.1	70% off jewelry and watches. Yes, 70! We're talking 45 to 70% off fine jewelry, 40 to 55% off
0:26.7	fashion jewelry, and 20% off watches. And you know, I love a dramatic piece. They've got
0:32.3	diamond halo bridal sets, drop earrings, tennis bracelets, a true miracle, diamond, stud, earrings, and
0:40.9	14-carat white gold for only 199? Yes, please. Oh, girl, I am eyeing some new gold rings right now
0:49.4	that are so fabulous. I might just bling up for my podcast recordings because why not? Life is too short.
0:55.9	Add more sparkle. Do not sleep on this. The sale ends August 25th. Head to macy's.com or
1:02.6	shop in store now and live your sparkly little fantasy.
1:09.4	This is a headgum podcast. Have you ever dated anybody who didn't like the burlesque who was like, this isn't for me.
1:18.3	This is too titillating.
1:20.4	The question is, have I dated anyone who actually liked it?
1:24.5	Okay.
1:25.7	Have you?
1:26.6	Just the one that put me in the class. Really? Everybody else has a problem with it. Okay. Have you? Just the one that put me in the class. Really?
1:30.1	Everybody else has a problem with it. They're like, oh, it's no big deal. And then later on,
1:34.1	they're like, that was a big deal. That to me is so interesting because I feel like that's what
1:39.4	happens with like, say, stripping or like any sort of like I show my body at night.
1:45.7	Yeah.
1:46.8	Yeah.
1:47.0	Like then they're like, no, I don't have a problem with it.
	...

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