Little Red Bandwagon

It’s another silly/serious episode today at the LRB. On the silly side, Mike, Meredith, and Ann discuss hippo avoidance tactics, our new show sponsor, and the disturbing, yet effective, motivational methods employed by our fantasy Browns head coach. Mike feels that his anti-straw stance has been vindicated. Meredith is still waiting on her check from the New Zealand National Party. Luke may turn Ann into a football fan against her will. On a more serious note, the teeth whitening debacle leads to some Real Talk about the state of the show and how the guys may be their own worst enemies. Plus, bonus commentary from Link, which is as serious as it gets.

It’s Franzia Friday at the Little Red Bandwagon, as Brooklyn Ten Felicia Powell joins Ann and Meredith to talk about everything from politics to local bovine news coverage.  Felicia shares how she got bait-and-switched into the world of TBTL, and why she wrote an email to them that continues to have a big impact to this day. Plus, she teaches us an important fact about our constitutional right (or lack thereof) to vote. Then we refill our wine glasses and listen back to the time Jen convinced Luke and Andrew to try recreating the 4th Hour of NBC’s Today Show without ever having watched it. Luke makes a disturbingly convincing Kathie Lee Gifford, while Andrew’s best attempts to produce competent segments only serve to highlight his endearing cluelessness. If we all agree on one thing, though, it’s that Usher is totally dreamy.

Bobby the Godfather, Mile High Meredith and possible Dirty John victim Mike have turned down the Lincoln Bizkit, cranked up the Kidz Bop and Wagoneers’ Foreigner cover bands, and slathered themselves all over your latest TBTL Week in Review with enough Trucktober hot takes to carry us all the way into Trarch. (We’ll still keep putting out shows though.)  Mike has a theory about Andrew’s childhood “friend,” Meredith answers the Lady Scientist Bat Signal, and Bobby didn’t chew the ear off of a certain celebrity on his flight, but he did try out the $20 sandwich trick at his hotel.  This episode is made possible in part by: Cheesy Blasters™—just like Grandma used to make! Power Pose Regrowitron—shrink your bald spot? And listeners like you. Thank you.

Hey, can we buy you a shot? How about you? C’mon, have one with us! On this month’s clip show, the topic is the intersection of TBTL and alcohol (let’s call it Part One of a multi-part series…). Here to guide you on this voyage of discovery are Christy and Ann, who are perhaps the two members of the LRB crew least qualified to talk about the subject. Regardless, we shake our heads over the time Luke did a swan dive off the little red wagon, debate attending a hipster bouncy house party, discuss being faced with a shockingly high bar tab, and ponder whether we would eat the pickle (NOT a euphemism). Plus, Christy may be responsible for Luke’s infamous nose injury, and Ann naively thought that casinos would be closed on high holy holidays. Oh, and we make a firm statement that it’s perfectly acceptable to disappear if The Mummy tries to boner roll you.

Grab your Beef 'n Cheddar(s), a slice of fresh pie and a side of Szechuan sauce, because it’s a TBTL Week in Review buffet, and we’re serving up a little bit of everything. Everything, that is, except Bobby’s post-vacation tan, Mike’s hot take on straws, and Ann’s feelings about a pubescent Luke’s one-sided relationship with Morganna the Kissing Bandit. It’s probably for the best we’re skipping those. That said, there’s still plenty to enjoy, including decidedly uncool skateboard skyjinx, tipping talk two ways (hotels and wheelchairs!), a disturbing lack of science (aside from Ann, of course) and much, much more. This episode has so many topics crammed in it, you’ll think it was produced by a sheepish trap music-loving dental hygienist.

Despite our very best efforts, the whims of fate prevented us from bringing you an all-new Ten interview episode. After we finished banging our heads on the desk and cursing the USPS, we dug around in the LRB archives and found this fun little gem of an interview that we think deserves a re-listen. Join Christy, Meredith, and listener Treasure as they talk about a certain seasonal trend that’s gone a bit overboard, as well as the time Jen Flash Andrews hosted a Gathering of the Kates (which is kind of like a Gathering of the Juggalos, but not really). This Friday episode of Little Red Bandwagon was originally released on October 23rd, 2015 as Episode #57: Many Things to Many Kates.

It’s late and we’re tired, so Mike, Meredith, and Ann have gathered at the local Jalapeños for a plate of old-fashioned nachos and some friendly bar chat about the charms of the Church Lady, how to feel your feelings in the face of tragedy, and the world of collectible bedpans. Ann’s been reading up on the history of Presidential assassination attempts, Meredith has some thoughts about why Andrew could be scratching inside his ear, and Mike makes himself (and us) cry. Then we spend far too much time trying to work out the logistics of our Back to the Future money-winning strategies. Plus, bingo winners!

Deep in the depths of both their souls and an undisclosed downstairs half-bath, unabashed 90 Day Fiancé fan Phyllis Fletcher joins Nice Lady Christy Wise on a trip down to the Shameber, where Luke stalks an old on-air co-host, Jen imitates a supercool indie-rocker, and Sean watches the Wayans brothers in whiteface. Don’t worry, there’s enough Torchy’s queso and syrup-soaked hot dog buns for everyone.

Bobby, Ann and Meredith have finished sorting the human, dog and floor towels (don’t ask about the hand towels) and are more or less ready for your latest TBTL Week in Review. Although, honestly, Bobby is losing his voice, Ann is full of cinnamon rolls (“they’re not poison”), and Meredith is reflecting on “a sad song about municipal failures.” Looking on the bright side, we have four-week-old Wagoneer Brennan’s TBTL/LRB Top Ten List! And also, apparently Houston is fixed? It’s not too late to sign up to play TBTL Bingo! Email tbtlbingo@gmail.com to get your bingo card now.

Note: The first version of this episode we put in your feed cut off early. Sorry! This is the corrected version, with 12 more minutes of podcast gold at the end. If you listened to the first version, jump ahead to about the 44-minute mark to catch the end. He may say he hates music, but the tape says otherwise. For this special Fifth Friday edition of the show, listen back with us to the time a few months (and one foot) ago when Mike Frizzell appeared on our sister podcast, Earbuds & Earworms, to “defend his iPod” with E&E’s Amy Shepherd. (Figuratively, that is, because neither of them uses an actual iPod anymore.) “It was like watching Teletubbies, but with sexy people.”  —Mike 

This week, Mike and Ann are joined by LRB’s favorite accordion enthusiast and Appalachian clogger Bob Stein. After Mike and Bob compare their summers (Bob’s was better), we hold the ceremonial unboxing of a Wagon Full of Loot. Then, we dive into the recap of last week’s TBTL, which may or may not have been swass, depending on which definition you want to use. We come up with a new, more useful hurricane-naming system, introduce a new segment called, “Old Man Stein Yells at Clouds”, and elaborate on the perils of telling someone they look like Bobby Hill. Mike knows the real reason we hit the snooze button on World War III, and Ann is forced to use the term “fecal material” far too many times. Plus, Bob floats an Up with People conspiracy theory for the ages.

Get your potato salad ready, because buttery smooth-voiced RenTen Sean Vale joins Bobby and Ann for a TBTL favorite, Jen Flash Andrew’s first encounter with The Man from Dixie’s BBQ—$15 worth of pain that would make George Mallory proud. Plus, you know that thing where you're on vacation and think, “gosh, I’d really love to live here?” Sean did that (in Thailand, not Renton) and tells us all about it, including the time he yelled “Luke, pull up! Pull up!” in the ear of a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok. When you’re done, check out Tiny Kitchen Cooking with Sean’s husband Ahn, order your ketoconazole shampoo on Amazon, and clean that PB&J off your face, at least, after the pain finally goes away. This episode looks back to hour 2 of TBTL from July 17, 2008. 

Tetrahedron clusters Ann and Bobby are flanking special guest host Mike Farnan (our backup Mike F.) for your latest LRB Week in Review, right after we finish shoving in 30-year-old Bernie Kosar breaking news coverage, feasting on kielbasi and sauna meatballs, and avoiding that giant, vicious, vengeful fish. (Just kidding, we promise, on at least one of those.) Plus: Just a minute, Ron! Mike and Bobby both have stories about the movie Captain Ron, and Ann used to keep a knife in the bathroom, for emergencies. Remember, if you need a little private time, there’s always the bathroom on the third floor of the UW Communications Building, if you don’t mind getting sweaty and nostalgic. Here’s Aziz Ansari’s 50 Cent grapefruit soda story. We’ll add a link to the forthcoming Four-Minute Workweek as soon as it’s available.

In this month’s clip show, Ann and Christy are back for a second round of the TBTL terms and phrases that captured our imaginations over the years. Along the way we discuss mid-nineties nautical movies, the story of Christy’s very own Overboard cruise experience, ways to tell your friends and family you’re having digestion issues, the best unit of time ever, how Luke invented a word (no, not ‘gaymazing’), and take a detour into a discussion about the MochaLatta Chill. Some of these terms even affected our lives: a TBTL vocabulary mystery helped Christy solve a problem at work, and the show has been a primer on functional alcoholism for Ann. Plus, we expand our knowledge of the Jerkington family tree. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of the show to find out whether Ann fires Christy. P.S. In case you wanted to know, Alec Baldwin’s three hopes for 2009 were: 1) Slumdog Millionaire wins the Oscar, 2) the auto industry continues to work on fuel efficient cars, 3) there won’t be a SAG strike.

Special guest and lady social-scientist Ellen “Kenny G” Middaugh returns (see ep. 193) to help Bobby, Meredith and Ann break down the latest week of TBTL from Bud Light to bird feeder, and every disgusting and insecurity-laden step between. Ann pilots the Millennial Falcon through a Kessler Run of corrections, Meredith brings the facts on pesticides and silk pillowcases, Bobby made his very own batch of Ooey Gooey Tar Bars thanks to a recipe from Ann’s Aunt Carroll, and Ellen doesn’t hate when Andrew jacks up the reverb, but we let her stay anyway. (One thing we do all agree on? The more Carey Burbank on TBTL, the better.) Plus, another anecdote about why plungers should be mandatory, and the surprisingly Southern sound of Ann’s sensibilities being shaken.

Our show plan for this episode was foiled by the whims of a US government agency, so Ann, Christy, and Bobby decide to take some time to design a new LRB game/contest. Hey, if Luke and Andrew can do show planning “on-air”, so can we. Get your daubers out, because we’re playing bingo! TBTL bingo, that is. Everyone’s welcome to play – just send an email to tbtlbingo@gmail.com and you’re in like Flynn. In true crowdsourcing fashion, we want Wagoneer input on which TBTL terms, phrases, or concepts should get a square, so hit us up with your ideas. This is going to be fun: imagine listening to TBTL and crossing your fingers in the hope that Luke will talk about his diet grind, because it’s THE LAST SQUARE you need (kidding – you know we’re going to fill in that square during the first five minutes of the Monday show, right?). Additionally, we finally take some time to examine our Amazon purchases list with the care and attention it deserves. You guys have been buying some seriously interesting stuff, and we want t

Bobby, Ann and Meredith get an earlier-than-usual, reverb-free jump on the TBTL Week in Review so Meredith can help with Harvey relief efforts—if she can pass a background check. (If not, we’ll just get her to lead a rosé-fueled yoga class instead.) Thankfully, that’ll give Ann more time to find the perfect place to hang her recockulous mother-and-corndog/child portrait, and Bobby more time to giggle about Ann’s package. We have all sorts of things we think you should buy this week, including Ex-officio underwear (even though it can’t vote), communion wafers (ideally with Nutella) and Quilted Northern (because you don’t settle). Really though, buy anything you want as long as you do it at littleredbandwagon.com/amazon.

Take out your Bluetooth® and adjust your tone, sir, because it’s time to sit and politely listen to LRB’s latest Phirst Phriday Phyllis Phave Edition! Phyllis joins Bobby for a listen back to two clips from September 2008 when Jen’s resolve to be the change (in manners) she wants to see in the world is put to the test, would-be Azteca appetizer-scammers be damned. Plus, Phyllis gives us the bittersweet low down on her SUPER EXCITING NEW JOB as National Public Radio’s newest bureau chief, a gig that will only be a stepping stone to an on-air national host position if Bobby’s scheme works. She also told the folks over at After These Messages (never heard of it) about it this week, if you’re into that kind of thing. While you’re listening, be sure to go connect with (link with?) Phyllis on LinkedIn, and endorse her for stuff. That way in a few years she’ll have a faint memory of us little guys she left in the pod-dust.

After last week’s excitement at the LRB picnic, your hosts are all happy to be back in our home studios. Despite all the traveling we’ve done recently, we’re confident that nobody on this podcast rode their skateboard through the Haggens’ parking lot, or got crunched by a seat recliner on the plane, or took out a planter with their vehicle (actually, scratch that last one).  We’ve got your latest TBTL week in review, and boy, do we have questions. Ann wants to know if men are really that afraid of getting in trouble with their partner, Mike wants to know the mechanics of butt-dialing someone, and Meredith wants to know how long she’s going to have to continue defending ICP. In addition to addressing these important queries, we discuss parking in Texas, puzzle over whether tonight pants are for sleeping in, and plan an extravagant Chick-fil-A/hotdog bar wedding. And Mike makes a shocking scissors-related confession.

What, you think Luke and Andrew are the only ones who can record on a boat? Join Bobby, Ann, Meredith, Christy, special guests and at least one child we would later find out was an unintentional stowaway for a listen back to the sounds of the LRB Summer Picnic on August 18th! We’ve got clips from many super Wagoneers (and a few confused 11s) who braved Seattle traffic, parking lot RV meth labs, and a poorly lit (but well-stocked) snack table to spend some time together, and it was the highlight of our night to talk to them. Well, the second highlight after having our pictures taken with Jack Taylor’s amazing TBTL and LRB displays. Note: Mike has noted all of you who flouted his rules about food, and justice will be swift. We look forward to seeing the survivors at next year’s picnic!