Tig Notaro Opens Up About Friendship Rift With Cheryl Hines

Tig Notaro is speaking candidly about the end of her friendship with Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines, revealing that politics played a major role in their split.

From Friends to Podcast Partners

Notaro, 54, shared on Nicolle Wallace’s MS NOW The Best People podcast that she and Hines were close friends before Hines married Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in 2014. The two later cohosted Tig and Cheryl: True Story, a podcast launched in 2020 that ran until spring 2023.

The show focused on documentaries and lighthearted discussions, but Notaro said things began to change as Kennedy’s political ambitions grew. He announced his presidential campaign in April 2023 and now serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services in President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Politics and Public Backlash

Notaro explained that her association with Kennedy through Hines began affecting her own career. She recalled being heckled during stand-up shows, with audience members shouting, “Bobby is crazy.”

“I was telling Cheryl, I know it’s a small percentage that pushes back online or yells out at shows, but I was like, ‘Man, this is not my world. I don’t do this. I don’t want to be a part of this,’” Notaro said.

She eventually stepped away from the podcast, saying it was difficult to continue while Kennedy’s political profile grew. “I had to step away, but I loved her so much,” she added.

A Shift in Friendship

Hines replaced Notaro with actress Rachael Harris, and the podcast continued until December 2023. Notaro said she still sent Hines “love and support,” but noticed their dynamic had changed.

“I realized one day that she doesn’t ever reach out to me anymore. She responds to me, but she doesn’t reach out to me,” Notaro explained. “I had to kind of shake myself out of denial that, ‘Oh, she’s gone,’ and, ‘OK, I need to let this go.’”

Moving Past Sadness

Notaro called it a “bummer” that some interviews framed the split as her “dumping” Hines because of Kennedy. “I was trying to be a friend to her even though I didn’t feel like I could continue with the podcast,” she said. “It’s been very strange, and I think I’ve moved past the confusion and sadness.” Hines, 60, has faced scrutiny in recent years for her ties to Kennedy and reported fallouts with other celebrity friends, including Larry David.