You’ve seen the TikTok edits. The ones with the sad music, the grainy filters, and the clips of two girls laughing until they couldn’t breathe. For a long time, Grace O’Malley and Brianna Chickenfry (Brianna LaPaglia) were the blueprint for the "ride or die" internet friendship. They weren't just co-hosts on PlanBri Uncut; they were a package deal since the fifth grade.
Then it all just... stopped.
If you're looking for a clean, PR-approved ending to this story, you won't find it here. The fallout between Grace and Brianna was messy, public, and deeply polarizing. It basically forced every listener to pick a side. It wasn't just about a podcast ending; it was about how a high-profile, allegedly toxic relationship can act like a wrecking ball to a fifteen-year friendship. Honestly, it’s a cautionary tale about what happens when your personal life and your business are so tangled you can’t tell where one ends and the other begins.
What Actually Happened Between Grace and Brianna?
The cracks started appearing long before the official "we're done" posts. Most fans point to the summer of 2023, right when Brianna started dating country star Zach Bryan.
It’s no secret that Grace and Zach didn’t vibe. Like, at all. Rumors swirled for months that Zach had been less than kind to Brianna’s inner circle—specifically Grace. On a December 2024 episode of the BFFs podcast, Brianna finally admitted that Grace and Zach could barely stand to be in the same room. She described her previous relationships as "throuples" with Grace, but with Zach, that dynamic was dead on arrival.
The Zach Bryan Factor
This wasn't just a "my friend doesn't like my boyfriend" situation. It was deeper. Brianna later detailed allegations of emotional abuse and control during her time with Bryan, claiming he tried to isolate her.
But from Grace’s perspective—and the perspective of a lot of fans—Brianna chose the guy over the girl who had been there since they were ten. When your best friend’s boyfriend is allegedly belittling you and calling you names, and your best friend stays with him? That’s a hard pill to swallow.
The internet, being the internet, didn't make it any easier.
As Brianna’s reputation took a hit during the relationship, Grace became the "fan favorite." People started "Team Grace" hashtags, praising her for being the grounded, funny one while Brianna was away on a private jet. Brianna later expressed resentment over this, saying she felt Grace didn't do enough to defend her against the online vitriol. She basically felt abandoned while she was in the trenches of a failing, toxic relationship.
The End of PlanBri Uncut
The podcast was the primary casualty. PlanBri Uncut went on what was called a "mental health hiatus" in October 2024. Fans waited. And waited.
Then, the "blindside" happened.
- The Instagram Story: Brianna posted that she was looking to bring back "some version" of the podcast.
- Grace’s Response: Grace took to her own stories, clearly hurt, saying she was under the impression they were going to release a joint statement. She said she was "blindsided" and that the decision to end the show wasn't mutual.
- The Barstool Exit: Shortly after, Grace announced she was leaving Barstool Sports entirely.
It was an ugly exit. Brianna went on BFFs to "set the record straight," claiming she had basically "made" Grace's career, mentioning how she let Grace sleep on her couch for free when they first moved to New York. It felt like a low blow to a lot of people. Using past kindness as a weapon during a breakup is a classic bridge-burning move.
Where Do They Stand Now?
As of early 2026, the silence is pretty loud.
Grace has landed on her feet, though. She joined Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network and launched her own show, Disgraceful. She’s been touring, doing stand-up, and seems to be leaning into her own identity away from the "Chickenfry's Sidekick" label. In an interview with Theo Von, Grace was surprisingly diplomatic. She said they were "going through a rough patch" and that she still loves Brianna. She’s playing the long game, hoping for a reconciliation eventually.
Brianna, on the other hand, is still at Barstool. She’s been vocal about the trauma of her breakup with Zach Bryan and has admitted that the relationship "f***ed up" her friendships. She's apologized for treating people she loved like they didn't matter during that year.
But does an apology fix a fifteen-year bond that was dragged through the mud on a podcast?
The "Tell-All" Backfire
The BFFs episode where Brianna explained her side didn't go the way she probably hoped. Instead of gaining sympathy, she faced more backlash for what fans called "victim-blaming" Grace regarding a sensitive personal story Grace had shared on their pod. The consensus among the "chronically online" was that Brianna was using her own trauma to excuse how she treated her friend.
It’s complicated. Two things can be true at once: Brianna could have been in a terrible, controlling relationship, AND she could have been a poor friend to Grace.
Lessons From the Fallout
If you've ever lost a best friend, this hits close to home. It’s a reminder that:
- Boundaries matter: Mixing friendship and a high-stakes business (like a Barstool podcast) makes a breakup ten times harder.
- The "Partner" Test: If your partner makes your best friend feel "gross" or "unwelcome," it’s a massive red flag for the relationship, not the friendship.
- Public vs. Private: Not every "receipt" needs to be shared. The DMs and the public statements made a reconciliation much more difficult than it needed to be.
Grace is thriving in her new chapter, and Brianna is rebuilding. Maybe in five years, they’ll be at a bar in Southie laughing about it. But for now? They’re just two people who used to know everything about each other and now know nothing at all.
Next Steps for Followers
If you're still tracking the aftermath, the best way to support both is to engage with their solo ventures. You can check out Grace's new project Disgraceful on the Unwell Network for her unfiltered comedy, or follow Brianna's updated content on Barstool for her perspective on moving past the 2024 drama. Watching their separate trajectories is the only real "update" we're likely to get for a while.