By BANTS! Podcast
The podcast currently has 22 episodes available.
Ch-ch-changes are afoot, listeners dear! Temperatures have dipped, the air is crisp, and the trees are awash with scarlet, sienna, and gold as fall hath arrived! J&G converse about icon and legend Hoda Kotb leaving NBC’s Today; Chappell Roan’s Kamala “controversy”; and NYC's biggest clown, Mayor Eric Adams. Speaking of clowns, Miss Harleen Quinn herself (Lady Gaga) dropped her Joker Folie à Deux companion album, Harlequin. Later, the boys discuss whether fall is HOT OR NOT! Is the old or new formula of Starbucks’ legendary pumpkin spice syrup better? Which is the superior autumnal holiday, Thanksgiving or Halloween? Finally, our hosts discuss the stars of the moment: Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo and Pesto, the penguin chick with gigantism.
What’s Good?
Geoff: English Teacher on FX/Hulu
Justin: Rebel Ridge on Netflix
Links:
Adams Indictment Fallout Continues (NY Mag)
De Blasio: ‘Well, Well, Well, Not So Easy To Find A Mayor That Doesn’t Suck Shit, Huh?’ (The Onion)
Lady Gaga Releasing New Album Harlequin on Friday (Pitchfork)
Yes, Chappell Roan Is Voting for Kamala Harris — No, She Won’t Endorse Her (Billboard)
Hoda Kotb announces she is leaving TODAY (Today)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
Geoff and Justin would like to give their condolences to everyone who worked on Katy Perry’s newest album, 143–except for Dr. Luke (boooooooo tomato tomato tomato). To brighten that downright dour reception, the bois are recapping their summers this week! They revisit episodes past, from Dua Lipa to Chappell Roan to–you guessed it–Charli XCX. Why did Camila Cabello & Dua flop while other pop girlies reigned supreme? Also mentioned: Alien Romulus, JT’s tour is BACK ON, SNL 50, and Nintendo is suing a Pokémon competitor into the ground! Come thru for the most bonkers episode yet.
What’s Good?
Geoff: Reservation Dogs on FX/Hulu
Justin: Flood by Hippo Campus
Links:
SNL Season 50 lineup (Instagram)
Nintendo and Pokémon are suing Palworld maker Pocketpair (The Verge)
143 by Katy Perry (Spotify, listen at your own risk)
Justin Timberlake Pleads Guilty to Driving While Impaired Charge (Rolling Stone)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
Break out your tuxes and ball gowns, because Awards Season has officially begun! Geoff and Justin are breaking down all the biggest surprises at last weekend’s Emmy Awards, from Hacks to Shōgun to Baby Reindeer! Before that, they discuss Beyoncé once again being wronged by the country music establishment, the entertaining farce that is the VMAs, and BANTS! MVP Charli xcx’s newly announced remix album. And most importantly–who won the first round of the BANTS! Bowl?? Tune in to see who nabbed an early lead.
What’s Good?
Geoff: JoJo’s discography and her memoir, Over the Influence
Justin: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Links:
Talk talk featuring Troye Sivan - Charli xcx (Spotify)
Charli XCX Announces Full Brat Remix Album (Pitchfork)
Trump says 'I hate Taylor Swift' after pop star endorses Harris (NPR)
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Gets Zero CMAs Nominations (The New York Times)
See All of the 2024 VMAs Red Carpet Fashion, Outfits and Looks (Vogue)
All the winners at the 2024 Emmys (AV Club)
Writing For A Comedy Series: 76th Emmy Awards (YouTube)
Bants! Award Show Competition (Google Sheets)
What’s Good? - The Playlist (Spotify)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
Justin and Geoff are BACK and ready to talk some shit after a restful LDW! First in line is Netflix, whose film and TV offerings have been less than satisfying. Joining the big streamer in the FLOP corner is GRRM, who is still struggling to get The Winds of Winter across the finish line, and yet is causing a fuss over HotD minutia. Thankfully, pop girly of the moment Sabrina Carpenter is decidedly not in her flop era, having dropped her sixth(!!) album Short n’ Sweet last week, promoted by certified song of the summer “Espresso”! Geoff and Justin discuss everything from teen pregnancy rom-com references to the most critical question: Is Sabrina invited to the cookout? Tune in to find out!
What’s Good?
Geoff: The Mick on Hulu and Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
Justin: New Girl on Peacock
Links:
Bants! Award Show Competition (Google Sheets)
The Deliverance | Official Trailer (YouTube)
The Perfect Couple | Official Trailer (YouTube)
The movie that proves Netflix is BROKEN (YouTube)
Justine Bateman: Pulling AI Into the Arts Is “Absolutely the Wrong Direction” (The Hollywood Reporter)
Beware the Butterflies (GRRM’s Not a Blog, Archived via Wayback Machine)
Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars - Die With A Smile (YouTube)
Linkin Park Selects Emily Armstrong From Rock Band Dead Sara as New Singer (Variety)
Milkshake Duck (Know Your Meme)
Cedric Bixler-Zavala Slams Linkin Park’s Emily Armstrong Over Alleged Danny Masterson Support (Rolling Stone)
Sabrina Carpenter - Short n’ Sweet (Spotify)
What’s Good? - The Playlist (Spotify)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
Prepare for trouble and make it double! Before the hunties Chatot about pocket monsters, they cover JLo and Ben Affleck’s divorce and Chappell Roan’s completely warranted plea for privacy. Kamala Harris is also catching ‘em all–votes from Democratic delegates, of course! G+J lol about the DNC spectacle feat. Lil Jon, “mystery guest(s)”, and couch jokes galore! Over on the right, Miss Don-alde Trump is up to her old tricks, weaponizing AI to fool his cult into believing Taylor Swift endorsed him–AS IF Pumpkaboo! The boys then delve deep into the ‘90s phenomenon hotter than a Torkoal’s shell: Pokémon! They’re talking the original Red and Blue versions, the anime series, and ALL the merch! Other highlights include Pikachu’s Ozempic™ journey, Meowth’s inexplicable Brooklyn accent, saving humanity from Mewtwo’s wrath with a single tear, and the important economic principles bestowed upon us by the ever-elusive holographic Charizard. Strap in and listen up before they’re blasting off agaaaiinnnn!!! ✨
What’s Good?
Geoff: “Bed Chem” by Sabrina Carpenter & “So Into You” by Tamia
Justin: SENESCENCE 05 + 06 by BAYNK
Links:
Jennifer Lopez Files for Divorce From Ben Affleck (Variety)
Chappell Roan’s TikTok & Instagram posts
'Feral 25 year olds' are running Kamala Harris' social media — and it's working (Politico)
Georgia Roll Call ft. Lil Jon at the 2024 DNC (YouTube)
JD Vance buys donuts in Holt’s Sweet Shop in Valdosta Georgia (YouTube)
A Sample Of Victreebel's Screams (YouTube)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
BANTS! pod here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Hollyweird elites! This week the boys discuss the simmering feud between It Ends with Us costars Justin Baldoni and Swiftie fave, Blake Lively. Colleen Hoover couldn’t write drama this juicy #BookTok. Then, they delve into the recent arrests made related to the death of beloved “Friends” star, Matthew Perry. But fear not, listeners dear; it’s not all bad news! On a ~brand new~ segment called HOT TAKES, G+J review their favorite movies that no one else seems to be vibing with. Along the way they discuss phallic alien heads, codependent relationships, Gossip Girl, Anne Hathaway gentle-parenting the paparazzi, the comedic genius of Lisa Kudrow, and the prescient cultural takes of Ayo Edebiri. You know you love them XO XO
What’s Good?
Geoff: Succession on HBO (NOT Max) and Anne Hathaway
Justin: Wingspan (Tabletop) (Nintendo eShop) (Steam) (iOS)
Links:
What’s Good? - The Playlist (Spotify)
The Backlash Against America’s Most Popular Novelist (Slate)
Did Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Have a Rift Over ‘It Ends With Us’? (The Hollywood Reporter)
Justin Baldoni Hires Crisis PR Veteran (The Hollywood Reporter)
The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job. (Kjersti Flaa via YouTube)
Reporter from viral Blake Lively interview reveals heartbreaking reason 'little bump' taunt left her traumatized (The Daily Mail)
Harry Styles Appears To Spit On Chris Pine (YouTube)
BANTS! on Instagram
Matthew Perry’s Death: Doctors, Perry’s Assistant and More Charged in Drug Investigation (Variety)
Even before Matthew Perry’s death, experts worried about the ‘Wild West’ of ketamine treatment (CNN)
Search Engine: What’s going on With Elon Musk? and What’s the best phone to do crimes on? (Spotify)
Prometheus Trailer (YouTube)
How H.R. Giger Changed the Way We See Aliens (New York Film Academy)
The "Prometheus School of Running" Misconception (YouTube)
MA - Official Trailer (YouTube)
‘Ma’: Reconsidered (Gawker Archives)
Anne Hathaway being a goddess (YouTube & TikTok)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
In this week’s episode, Geoff and Justin talk about the divisive second season of “House of the Dragon.” But before these riders don their battle armor and climb their mounts, they must celebrate Austrian-American intelligence relations and the safety of Taylor and The Swifties. In other news, the movies are back! Thankfully so is millennial hottie Dylan O’Brien who is on the star-studded cast of a new SNL biopic premiering during the NBC comedy’s 50th season! The boys also learned that Fran Drescher is a fan of the pod, and that they inspired the latest SAG-AFTRA strike. When will Hollywood execs learn that people can never be replaced by AI? Speaking of: hope the big wigs at HBO (max) have their scorpions aimed and at the ready, as G&J are descending upon their headquarters and shouting dracarys for cutting this season of HOTD short by two episodes!
What’s Good?
Geoff: Veep on Max
Justin: Hild by Nicola Griffith
Links:
Saturday Night First Look: How the SNL Movie Captures 1975’s Wild Opening Night (Vanity Fair)
2 Youths Planned Attacks on Taylor Swift’s Vienna Concerts, Authorities Say (The New York Times)
Borderlands Movie Review: So Bad It’s Just Bad (Kotaku)
Video game actors are officially on strike over AI (The Verge)
The Reason Why People Who Cross Picket Lines Are Called ‘Scabs’ (Mental Floss)
Aretha Franklin on Adele, Taylor Swift and Divas (YouTube)
‘House Of The Dragon’ To Get Shorter Season 2 As HBO Series Eyes Season 3 Greenlight (Deadline)
Middle Ages (Britannica)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Creators & Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
The star spangled banner flapping overhead, the cry of a distant eagle echoing across amber waves of grain—that’s how you know Simone Biles won another gold medal in gay Paris! The Olympics are in full swing, and so is France’s Anthony Ammirati if you know what we mean! The boys recount the Olympics, William Eyelash on the remix of Charli’s “Guess,” and the (alleged) death of Brat Summer - THANKS OBAMNA! They also discuss ignorant TERFers and the ludicrous transparanoia of the weird right wing. Later, they consider if attending weddings is hot or not, discuss childhood career ambitions and the culturally dense era of 9/11, and of course what’s good. Geoff forgot to take his vyvanse this episode and it shows!
What’s Good?
Geoff: “Check” by FLO
Justin: Bando Stone and the New World by Childish Gambino
Links:
Gymnast Simone Biles wins silver to wrap what might be her final Olympic Games (NPR)
What happened with the French pole vaulter? Expert breaks down viral miss (Today)
The misleading controversy over an Olympic women’s boxing match, briefly explained (Vox)
Brat Summer Is Dead, Long Live Brat Summer (Pitchfork)
Charli xcx - Guess featuring Billie Eilish (official video) (YouTube)
Jesse’s Girls - Nelly Furtado (Spotify)
Nileseyy Niles Disappears (Know Your Meme)
Add to Cart (Spotify)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
The boys are back and in high spirits to discuss television’s saddest comedy, The Bear! After much badgering from Justin, Geoff has finally caught up with the FX drama and has many opinions on season three. Will Carmy ever overcome his demons? Why doesn’t his restaurant have a sign? Geoff and Justin also discuss the bizarre Paris Olympics opening ceremony, Lady Gaga, Céline Dion, The Can Can, Flushgate, Joker: Folie à Deux, the return of Robert Downey Jr. to Marvel movies, and recording a BANTS! original song. Did we just write the song of the summer?! Tune in to find out!
What’s Good?
Geoff: Spice Girls Reunion at London 2012 Olympics
Justin: Smile! :D by Porter Robinson
Links:
Qatar World Cup chief says between 400 and 500 migrant workers have died in projects connected to the tournament (CNN)
Six deaths at all Beijing venues: official (Reuters)
WTF Is Going on With the Poop Protests and the Seine During the Paris Olympics: an Investigation (Cosmopolitan)
Here's What Went Wrong With The Can-Can Dancers At The Olympics Opening Ceremony (Buzzfeed)
Celine Dion closes the Olympic Opening Ceremony with a courageous tour de force | NBC Sports (YouTube)
Lady Gaga - Mon Truc en Plumes (Live from The 2024 Paris Olympics) (YouTube)
Joker: Folie À Deux | Official Trailer (YouTube)
Steven Spielberg: The wait for the 2024 Paris Olympics is almost over (YouTube)
Box Office: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Lands 6th Biggest Opening of All Time With $211M, Makes R-Rated History (The Hollywood Reporter)
Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom (Polygon)
Govee TV LED Backlight (Amazon)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
The boys are mostly fine after Miss Rona dropped in unannounced right in the midst of Brat Summer. While the party will go on, this week Geoff and Justin are social distancing and looking to the future in preparation for their second favorite season: AWARDS! In the vein of sports fantasy leagues, they have developed their own awards season competition and have predictions based on the Emmy nominations announced last week. There are high stakes, which you’ll want to hear about. And BING BONG: Joe Byron [Biden] has dropped out of the presidential race, leaving Veep Kamala Harris as the presumptive democratic nominee for POTUS, with the backing of HBIC (Head Brat in Charge) Charli xcx no less. What a time to be alive!
What’s Good?
Geoff: Life(?) (Powerade Zero, Kamala Edits & Memes, “Angel of My Dreams” by Jade)
Justin: “Paranoid” by Hippo Campus
Links:
Bants! Award Show Competition (Google Sheets)
Emmys 2024: List of Nominees (The Hollywood Reporter)
Full Drama Actress Roundtable: Jennifer Aniston, Sofia Vergara, Nicole Kidman, Anna Sawai and More (The Hollywood Reporter via YouTube)
A Gen Zer’s Guide to Kamala Harris Memes (The Washingtonian)
Credits:
Song: Tollef - Time With You (feat. RVLE) [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/TWU
Producers: Geoff Taylor and Justin Benavidez
Show Art: Geoff Taylor
Audio Editor: Justin Benavidez
Email us at [email protected] with questions or recommendations
Views expressed by the hosts are their own, and not those of their employer(s) or any other entity.
The podcast currently has 22 episodes available.