Remember Jumanji? (with Matt Rogers)

Thirty years in the making, this episode of HOW DID WE GET WEIRD? sees Jonah and Vanessa catching up with their long-lost cousin and the former host of the MTV's Headbangers Ball, Riki Rachtman. We discuss how Riki is related through marriage to the Bayers, the time Jonah almost invited Riki to his Bar Mitzvah and the time Axl Rose flew to New York with Riki to get our cousin his first hosting job on MTV. We also talk about our first bands, what it was like owning the Sunset Strip's most infamous club and why Alice Cooper was the first person to know about Riki's engagement. Vanessa also laments the loss of the old-school answering machine, Jonah reminisces about music video culture and Riki remembers a time when having tattoos made you an outcast. There truly is something for everyone on this episode... unless you're a Caribou Coffee enthusiast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Mai 20221h 4min

Benjamin Gibbard may follow you in the dark, but he will not follow you in the trendy brunch spot in your neighborhood. On this episode on HOW DID WE GET WEIRD?, we catch up with the frontman for Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service to discuss 20 years of random Bayer hangouts ranging from breakfast to Bonnarroo, what being vegan was like during DCFC's early years and why he is unlikely to become the spokesman for Dunkin' Donuts anytime soon. We also discuss taping songs off the radio as a teenager, the enduring influence of Minor Threat and why "ordering something for the table" is the best way to get something indulgent without a side order of guilt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Apr 20221h 5min

You may know JD Samson as the musician in critically acclaimed acts like Le Tigre and MEN, but did you know she also went to high school with Jonah and Vanessa? On this episode we discuss Jonah's brief stint working for JD's parents, what it was like being a teenaged outcast in Ohio in the nineties and how going to an outdoor expedition summer camp changed JD's life. We also get into our first jobs, why flavored-coffee is disgusting and lament the demise of our favorite regional theme park growing up, Geauga Lake. Don't worry, you don't have to be an Orange Lion to enjoy this action-packed episode of HOW DID WE GET WEIRD?! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Apr 202246min

This week we could not be more psyched to be joined by comedian, writer and actor Solomon Georgio, who you may know from his work on Shrill and High Fidelity. On this action-packed episode, we discuss whether we keep in touch with people from our childhood and debate the need for adult-sized Lunchables. Plus, we get in-depth about the history of the beloved childhood juice, squeezits, and if we really want to see snack foods advertised as sentient beings. Finally, we revisit our change.dork segment where we imagine a world where "Weird Al" Yankovic performs at the Super Bowl and Jonah starts a public feud with Maroon 5 that is sure to be making headlines all over the Internet by the time you read this. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Apr 202243min

We are overjoyed to have director, writer, actor, comedian and producer Michael Showalter on the podcast this week—who is also a director and executive producer of Vanessa's upcoming Showtime series "I Love That For You" which debuts April 29th. Full disclosure: we told Showalter that we were going to talk to him about John Hughes movies, but we ended up inundating him with questions about his beloved comedy troupes The State and Stella as well as what we refer to as "the Wet Hot American summer franchise." In that spirit, we also find time to share our summer camp experiences when we aren't poking fun of our hometown or learning more about Showalter's creative process. This episode also includes a lightning round of change.dork that sees our guest describing his perfect coffee blend in a detailed manner that we encourage you to recreate at home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Apr 202236min

This week on the podcast, Vanessa and Jonah do a deep dive analysis of the 1998 Farrelly brothers film, "There's Something About Mary." Despite its all-star cast, there is a lot of questionable aspects of the film that are rooted in the broader context of comedy movies in the nineties. We've heard about suspending disbelief but you've got to attain anti-gravity levels of suspension to accept Matt Dillion's spy technology, the film's convoluted stalker backstory and the way that the Farrelly Brothers are able to reduce characters to mere caricatures. Despite all this, there are some genuinely funny moments in this film by Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz that embody the awkwardness of adolescence, where the film really shines. Whether you've never seen "There's Something About Mary" (which we hadn't) or it's one of your favorite films (grow up?), you'll find something to take away from our expert analysis of this comedy classic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Mar 202245min

This week's guest Shalita Grant has not only been nominated for a Tony Award, she's also an actress who you know from Search Party, NCIS: New Orleans and You. We hear about her experiences as a drama student at the prestigious Juilliard School and the "Juilliard Curse," deep dive into the history of Funyuns and reminisce about our childhood pets. Jonah also reveals that he occasionally looks at his the lunch menu at his old high school and we explore the hidden relationship between the educational system and the pizza industry. Speaking of which, we also roast the inventor of Pizza Hut's Double Cheeseburger pizza and fondly recall the franchise's Accelerated Reader & Book It! programs in our wildly popular "Back To The Present" segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Mar 202253min

In today's episode we talk to our friend and one of the funniest people in the world, Mike O'Brien. We hear the stories behind Mike's epic tattoos, plus he and Vanessa discuss their early Chicago comedy days, and he and Jonah discuss the trials and tribulations of being hghly acclaimed brand ambassadors. We also hear about the time Mike's family got a free day trip to Boston by eating a year's worth of Cheerio's. Was it worth it? You'll have to listen to find out...but obviously it was not. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Mar 202253min