Tig Notaro Details Painful Falling Out with Cheryl Hines over RFK Jr.: “I Needed to Step Away”

Tig Notaro and Cheryl Hines, once celebrated for their comedic chemistry on the podcast “Tig & Cheryl: True Story,” recently ended their friendship and creative collaboration due to deep political divides stemming from Hines’ marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Notaro confirmed the rift during an appearance on the “Breaking Bread with Tom Papa” podcast, explaining that Kennedy’s increasingly high-profile and controversial political stances made it impossible for her to continue the friendship.

Notaro and Hines launched “Tig & Cheryl: True Story” in 2020, delighting listeners with their weekly discussions of documentaries and their infectious sense of humor. Their bond predated Hines’ 2014 marriage to Kennedy, and for years, Notaro was able to set aside differences in belief for the sake of their friendship. However, as Kennedy’s political profile grew—culminating in his 2023 presidential campaign and subsequent endorsement of Donald Trump—Notaro found the ideological gap increasingly untenable.

On the podcast, Notaro described how Kennedy’s beliefs, which once seemed like “a gnat on the arm,” eventually became impossible to ignore. Hines encouraged Notaro to hear Kennedy out, but Notaro ultimately felt she “couldn’t trust it” and was not willing to lend tacit support to ideas she fundamentally opposed.

Hines has faced repeated public scrutiny for her support of Kennedy, particularly regarding his promotion of vaccine skepticism and conspiracy theories—issues that have alarmed public health officials and many in the LGBTQ+ community who rely on evidence-based healthcare. Kennedy’s tenure as Health Secretary in the Trump administration only intensified criticism, especially after he replaced long-standing CDC officials with vaccine skeptics. Hines, when questioned on “The View,” downplayed Kennedy’s controversial statements and defended his qualifications, further distancing herself from former allies.

Notaro expressed disappointment at Hines’ vague public statements about “not agreeing on everything” with her husband, characterizing such remarks as insufficient in the face of policies impacting public health and civil rights.

For many LGBTQ+ individuals, questions of public health, science, and political allyship are deeply personal. Policies and rhetoric that undermine trust in vaccines or spread misinformation can disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ people, who historically face barriers to accessible, affirming healthcare. Notaro’s decision to end her friendship with Hines resonates with broader anxieties about the erosion of shared values and the importance of standing firm against harmful ideologies.

The falling out also serves as a reminder that allyship is not passive; it requires active engagement and, sometimes, difficult decisions to uphold integrity and community well-being. As public figures, Notaro and Hines’ personal choices carry weight, shaping conversations about what it means to support marginalized communities in an era marked by polarization and misinformation.

Notaro spoke with sadness about the end of the partnership, recalling the “joy” the friendship and podcast brought her. “It’s really sad, because it did bring me so much joy, and Cheryl did bring me so much joy,” she told Tom Papa. Listeners, too, have expressed regret over the loss of the unique dynamic the two comedians shared.

The story of Notaro and Hines underscores the complex intersections of friendship, politics, and personal ethics in today’s cultural landscape. For LGBTQ+ people and allies alike, it is a potent example of the challenges—and the necessity—of drawing boundaries when values and identities are at stake.