Remember Your Parents' Record Collection? (with Rob Harvilla)

This week Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly took a break from playing arenas with My Chemical Romance to talk to us about what it was like being a latchkey kid in the suburbs of New Jersey during the "Home Alone" era of parental supervision. Along the way we also discuss the time Geoff and Jonah's screamo band, United Nations, were sued by the actual United Nations; the fine line between art and absurdity; and Geoff's memories of his first-period chorus class. We also discuss how Jonah stayed at Geoff's childhood home nearly two decades ago for work and recall Vanessa's cherished childhood cat, Pumpkin. Finally. we play an inaugural round of a new segment called "CEO TAKEDOWN" where we look at three CEOs who have made headlines lately and determine which one needs to be taken down a notch. If you're a fan of "the system" you might not enjoy this podcast because this one is for the true punks and outcasts, not the Wall Street billionaires or corrupt cookie corporations who thrive on conceit and complacency. (You know who you are.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Sep 202258min

Well the sun is gonna surely shine this week because we are joined by star of the sitcom "Blossom" and friend of the Bayers, Jenna von Oy! On this episode, Vanessa fact-checks the bizarre direct message (and probably fictional road trip) that lead to her friendship with Jenna, we learn about the unlikely relationship between "Blossom" and "Seinfeld" and deconstruct Jenna's experiences doing commercials in the '90s which ranged from Kool-AId to Members Only to Quilted Northern. We also dig deep into the era's fashion—and what could accentuate a hat with fabric flowers attached to it more than crimped hair? (Unfortunately, crimping wasn't so easy for those of us with curly hair.) Finally, we discuss her co-star Joey Lawrence's "Nothing My Love Can't Fix" music video and play an insightful round of "Legit Moan or Unnecessary Groan" where we explore misguided opinions on marketing, economics and junk mail. Also, be sure to check out and donate to Jenna's wonderful new project at https://www.thecassandraproject.net. If you'd like to learn more about The Cassandra Project please follow the links below: Website: TheCassandraProject.net Instagram: @CassandraProjectFilm Twitter:  @Cassandra_Films Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassandraprojectfilmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Sep 202255min

It's late August and that can only mean one thing: Back To School! In this this special episode, Vanessa and Jonah recall their visceral memories from that time which include picking out the perfect school supplies, shopping for the previous year's hottest fashions at Marshalls, and the oh so important task of planning an outfit for the first day of school. We also get deep into our former high school's current website on our new segment "Congratulations, You Played Yourself" and make a compelling argument for why Jonah should be included in the "notable alumni" section alongside Vanessa, former HDWGW guest JD Samson (Le Tigre) and, amazingly, the original bassist for Filter who would probably tell Jonah, "Hey man, nice shot" when it comes to his chances for inclusion. We also discuss how wild it is that high school class presidents have a lifetime appointment and our dad chimes in with his own personal history when it comes to the McDonald's Snack Wrap and its enduring influence on the fast food franchise. If you DON'T listen to this episode, well, then congratulations, you played yourself (meaning you should listen).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Aug 202244min

On today's new episode Jonah and Vanessa welcome the delightful Bridger Winegar to dig deep into the world of spooky games like "Light as a Feather Stiff as a Board" that haunted them as kids. And did you know there were several films inspired by the game "Bloody Mary"? It seems no one did. Plus, Bridger and Vanessa recall their days of being interns in late night tv and the various ways they humiliated themselves. And a lively game of "Legit Moan or Unnecessary Groan" has them debate whether kids in commercials are cute or annoying? Finally, we ask the question, is Bridger the first person to ever be named Bridger like The Bayer's dad Todd? You'll have to listen to find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Aug 20221h 1min

This week on the podcast we are joined by our friend, the truly hilarious actor and comedian Paul Brittain, who you might know from "Saturday Night Live," "Trophy Wife" or a sketch based on "Three Men And A Baby" back in Chicago many years ago that Vanessa is still obsessed with. In that spirit, this episode includes Vanessa and Paul recounting their halycon days of cutting their teeth in the Windy City comedy scene, us all reminiscing about the way that seemingly carefree sitcoms used to tackle serious issues and Jonah being impressed that Paul saw the post-hardcore act Hum back in the nineties. For the main event, we recall the convenience of the print version of TV Guide and the frustration of the endlessly scrolling TV Guide channel, the story of which we hope is someday made into a made-for-TV movie (meta). We also play a captivating round of "Legit Moan or Unnecessary Groan" where we discuss grocery store etiquette, loud television commercials and whether baseball players should charge kids for their autographs. We dare you to find another podcast that covers everyone from Mario Lopez to Mike Hargrove, but if you do, we might just buy your ticket to a charity spaghetti dinner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Aug 20221h 3min

Jenny Owen Youngs is not only a successful musician and songwriter who has worked with some of the biggest artists on the planet, she is also a TV scholar who co-hosts popular podcasts about Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars. In other words, she's the perfect guest for HOW DID WE GET WEIRD? On this episode, Jonah recalls the magical night he attended both Jenny's wedding and MTV Video Music Awards where Vanessa introduced Miley Cyrus' performance, Jenny talks about what it's like living in the lobster roll mecca of Maine and Vanessa does a truly stellar impression of Jenny's collaborator Pitbull that is so uncanny it's difficult to believe Mr. Worldwide is not in the room with us. For our topic, we take a collective deep dive into the popular fantasy/adventure television series "Xena: Warrior Princess," specifically when it comes to the impact it had on a young Jenny Owen Youngs and the pioneering plot twists that have since become hallmarks of the genre. Finally, we play a snack-themed round of" Change Dot Dork" and try to guess which unhealthy treat from the past is currently back in rotation at your local grocery store. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8 Aug 202256min

You know comedian Joe Mande from his work as a writer and actor on beloved shows like Parks And Recreation and Hacks, but did you know a childhood obsession with the Sega Genesis game "Earthworm Jim" almost led to his downfall? Today on HOW DID WE GET WEIRD? we not only explore the weird and wonderful world of Sega Genesis, but Vanessa talks about why she is constantly trolling Jonah on social media and Joe recounts the time that he was so convinced that he would win a shopping spree at Toys R Us that he painstakingly planned out his entire route using a map of the store's layout. We also play a round of our favorite complaining game "Valid Moan or Unnecessary Groan" where we debate vital local issues from 2011, which range from pet cleanup etiquette to whose face should or should not be on Cleveland's gas pumps. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Aug 202254min

Craig Finn is best known as the frontman for The Hold Steady and a successful solo artist but some of his formative years were influenced by peer pressure when it came to teenagers' favorite hobby in the nineties: Prank phone calls. On this episode we recount our own largely anticlimactic stories of receiving and making prank calls, Vanessa explains the way she views conversations between musicians from a comedian's perspective and of course we explore Craig's Cleveland connection, whether that means shaking it up in Shaker Heights as a child or playing to sparse audiences at the Euclid Tavern as an adult. Finally we once against revisit our "Legit Moan or Unnecessary Groan" segment, which sees us discussing if it's OK to talk at movie theatres before the previews start, if Browns fans should be ejected for standing at a football game and if income inequality can truly be blamed on the fact that Nicholas Cage reportedly sold a Superman comic book for $2.1 million dollars in 2011.One thing that we don't think you'll be complaining about is Craig's new solo album "A Legacy Of Rentals," which is out now and in Jonah's constant musical rotation. Trust us, it is very good. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Juli 202253min