Pop Culture Episodes

This week, we are disaster girls, Brianne is trying to be mysterious, Ole shows up our seven year olds, some afternoon delight ends in flames, a man wins his own contest, Brianne hatches a new conspiracy theory, both of us love a rogue wave, we make a wish on a t-rex, Melanie appreciates her bush, and we encourage you to donate a secret. Content warnings: structural fires. Links: Documentary. (2014). A Lego Brickumentary. Williams, T. (2022). Adrift: The curious tale of the lego lost at sea. U...

This week, Melanie records her last episode before maternity leave, TAG (The Audio Guy) chimes in, we ponder what a Florida Man baby would be like, the cryptid bracket comes to a close, Melanie identifies her strengths, the final Titanic episode sets sail, a staffing change sinks the Titanic, Violet Jessop becomes our WCW, James Cameron has a bad trip, we demand an apology from Leonardo DiCaprio, and Melanie has a lot to learn about beverages. SHOW NOTES Content warnings: difficult labor, infan...

This week, Melanie's labor is a disaster, Brianne makes one of the most controversial cryptid hot takes yet, a Carpathia passenger is an unapologetic gossip, the pro-Cal lobby is just three Billy Zanes in a trench coat, dogs get zoomies on the Titanic, a cat sees the writing on the wall, and we unpack two Jack Dawson conspiracy theories. SHOW NOTES Content warnings: burial at sea, death from hypothermia and drowning, fictional revenge porn, deaths of companion animals, deaths of (fictional) chi...

This week, Melanie is gonna have a baby and the southerners are unimpressed, The Audio Guy requests a specific head in a box, Chicago Mothman battles The Jersey Devil, we embark upon the maiden voyage of a Titanic extravaganza, women care for each other, someone dies standing up, and Brianne's inner 10 year old is having the best day of her life. SHOW NOTES Content warnings: death of an adolescent and teen from their mother's perspective, loss of various spouses, death of a child 1:01:00, body ...

This week, the true cure for hiccups is unveiled, somebody spots a flying baby, the king of animals is crowned, listeners have a chance to win a cryptid, Count Dante bankrolls his own prize money and reports his own death, the martial arts community is sick of his shit, our friendship is torn apart dream-casting Count Dante, Brianne enables Melanie to harass Mark Wahlberg, feuding dojos implement The Ten Duel Commandments, a dude gets killed, Melanie is hot for Count Dante, and a judge rules Eve...

SHOW NOTES Content warnings: Vague old-timey racism, particularly violent martial arts, one joke about drugs, poor treatment of exotic animals, bombings/explosions, violence against bulls, testicle injury Links: A history of bomb attacks Adult Bookstores, theater insist on right to do business here Black & White Black Belt Black Belt Chicago Lion Sinks Teeth in Quincy Visit Clipped from Chicago Tribune Count Dante Count Dante Count Dante – The Deadliest Man Alive Dante I heard that a Quincy ma...

SHOW NOTES Content warnings: Poop, birds, plane emergency landing, mention of pornography, brief mentions of vomit Links: 12 Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Flavors Inspired By Musicians, Bands, and Festivals 2004 Dave Matthews Band Chicago River incident Aboard the Carnival Triumph cruise ship Accident: Ryanair B738 at Rome on Nov 10th 2008, engine and landing gear trouble, temporarily departed runway Cara's Basement Carnival Cruise Ship Ordered Held in Texas in Shipwreck Suit Carnival Triumph Disaste...

SHOW NOTES Content warnings: Drowning, water search, missing people Links: 25 years ago, thousands watched a balloon launch on Public Square Balloonfest '86 Balloonfest 1986, the spectacle that became a debacle: Cleveland Remembers (video) Claim to world record for 'Balloonfest '86' is not all hot air: Michael K. McIntyre's Tipoff Cleveland Summertime Memories: A Warm Look Back Releasing 1.5 Million Balloons Into The Air Is A Bad Idea That Time Cleveland Released 1.5 Million Balloons and Chaos ...

SHOW NOTES Content warnings: Sleep paralysis, paranormal stuff, poltergeist activity, clowns, accidental non-fatal strangulation, misuse of human remains, exorcism, cancer, brief mention of rape, very detailed/graphic discussion of spousal abuse and injuries sustained, non-fatal intentional strangulation, failure of 911 to intervene, murder, coma, attempted suicide, death of child from GI illness 58:04-1:11:00, emergency surgery, birth defect, aliens Show notes: 13 Cursed Movies for Friday the ...

This week, Aunt Vada's dad is not having it, we envision a possessed child as Roland Schitt and a ghost as Lin-Manuel Miranda, and a sadistic director curses a film production. Content warnings: demonic/occult topics, reference to crucifix scene from The Exorlicist, possession, exorcisms, guns used to scare people, child abuse, spinal fracture, alcoholism/alcoholic relapse, family annihilation, fire, angiogram, murder, violent homophobia, dismemberment, hurricanes. 5 Movies That Wanted Audrey ...

This week, our Britney episodes conclude even as Britney's plight does not, weird interviews about, and emojis tip off fans that something is amiss. Content warnings: conservatorship abuse, mental illness, emotional abuse. Links: #FreeBritney: Secrets Britney Spears's Conservatorship Does NOT Want Public?? 730 Evaluation About Probate Conservatorships Association of Trial Counsel Bessemer Petition Britney Spears' Conservatorship Legal Fees Cost Her Over $1.2 Million Britney Spears’ dad calls #...

This week, Melanie goes totally spooky with it and meets her put-together neighbors in a Britney t-shirt, Midwesterners are polite aloof little goblins, we reinvent the disaster wheel, Britney eats crawfish, Brianne courts a lawsuit from k-fed, and the Britney machine does Britney wrong. Content warnings: abuse of conservatorships, discussion of mental health and mental illness, unsafe driving with child in car, abuse by paparazzi, toxic relationship dynamics, inpatient mental health treatment,...

This week, newlywed Melanie lives in a city with lawless drive-thru daiquiri shacks, we unpack the etymology of a gross old-timey phrase, Melanie plays Pokemon Go while she delivers a baby and railroads another kid into choosing the team of her preference, PoGo players make a grisly discovery, a couple people play "gotta catch 'em all" with court cases, and a good-hearted trainer helps a fellow veteran. SHOW NOTES Content warnings: Fairly vague reference to miscarriage/infertility, c-section, d...

This week, we start a podcast, Melanie fingers her soil, some mom groups implode, shortcuts are taken, a prayer circle saves some celebrities but no one else, 43 lawsuits get filed, LGBTQ survivor benefits get an historic win, a guy on a roof rides a five story collapsing stage to the ground, and we learn to stop shuffling papers next to a mic. SHOW NOTES Content warnings: Weather disasters, LGBTQ civil rights, spousal loss, death, serious injury to child who survives, crushing injuries, separ...