Brainwaves

Two improv guys talk comedy, the shows that shaped them, and the one terrifying night Jason tried stand-up. Barry and Jason break down what makes a perfect Seinfeld episode, the comics they've seen live (Tim Dillon, Shane Gillis, Jerry Seinfeld), and the foul-mouthed Dr. Phil act from Adam Ray that Barry's about to see in person.

Then Jason tells the story of his one and only open mic in the 90s: calling a voicemail to find out if he made the lineup, hearing his name, and the five terrifying minutes that sent him running to improv instead, which is where these two eventually met.

Plus the dream comics they'd still pay to see: Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Chris Rock, and a Dane Cook arena story for the ages.

Who's the best comedian you've ever seen live?

Brainwaves with Jason and Barry. Two guys figuring out midlife one pointless debate at a time. New episodes weekly.

Are carnival games actually rigged? Barry and Jason take apart the whole midway: the basketball hoop that's a hair too small, the balloons nobody can pop, and Barry's one secret for actually winning (hint: don't play the house).

Along the way, Jason's genius trick for scoring free eclipse glasses, the endless hunt for the elusive "freaky food," why every ride feels one bolt away from disaster, and a surprise He-Man Blu-ray unboxing that kicks the whole thing off. Plus, Greg the Hammer Valentine is wrestling at 70.

Two GenX guys closing out summer at the CNE, one pointless debate at a time.

Brainwaves with Jason and Barry. New episodes weekly.

Jason has a fashion problem. Barry does not.

When these two hung out last weekend, Barry showed up looking like the father of the bride while Jason looked, by his own admission, like he came to fix the dishwasher. Then a coworker told him, kindly, that she hates his shirt. Something broke.

So Jason submits to a full fashion intervention. Barry's rules, Jason's baffling new plan to match his shirt to his chair, and a conversation that somehow ends up at what you'd want to be buried in.

Are you a Barry or a Jason?

Brainwaves with Jason and Barry. Two guys figuring out midlife one pointless debate at a time. New episodes weekly.

West Coast or East Coast, which one actually wins? Jason makes his case for the West: Vancouver, the mountains, and those Pacific sunsets that drop right into the ocean. Barry rides recency bias straight to the East after a lobster-fueled trip to Halifax.

Along the way: the laid-back coastal state of mind, the Rocky Mountaineer, the hotel that may have inspired The Shining, Jason's surprising love affair with edamame, and a lobster roll debate that gets far more heated than two grown men should allow.

East or West, where do you land?

Brainwaves with Jason and Barry. Two GenX guys figuring out midlife one pointless debate at a time. New episodes weekly.

We put every franchise we love on trial. Which ones deserve to die, which ones need saving, and which will we defend forever even when they don't deserve it?

It starts with the new Masters of the Universe (Barry's one-word review: betrayal) and spirals out into Mission Impossible, Batman, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the one Jason's secretly tired of that might surprise you. We even try to guess each other's all-time favorite along the way.

Nobody wins. Everybody has opinions. You'll leave with a hot take you didn't have before.

Brainwaves is two GenX guys figuring out midlife one pointless debate at a time. New episodes weekly.

Is it better to experience something in the best possible format, or the most possible comfort?

That's the debate that kicks off episode one of Brainwaves. The Odyssey is being called a must-see IMAX event, with screenings sold out for months, and neither of us managed to see it that way. Barry fought for the format and settled for Ultra AVX. Jason went straight for the VIP recliner and never looked back.

From there we get into it: IMAX vs comfort, 4K discs vs streaming, owning movies vs long-term renting, and whether upgrading to a lie-flat pod on a 14-hour flight is worth every penny.

Brainwaves is the show where we take pop culture and whatever debate we can't let go of and hash it out in about 20 minutes. Hosted by Jason Reilly and Barry Nixon. New episodes weekly.

Your brain called. It wants better content.

Meet Brainwaves. Two guys, one running debate, and about 20 minutes to settle it. Jason Reilly and Barry Nixon take pop culture, personal stories, and whatever argument they can't let go of, and hash it out every week. Expect hot takes, laughs, and the occasional deeply held opinion about something that absolutely does not matter.

If you followed us as Two Shot Tuesday, welcome back. Same us, new slant. If you're new, this is the perfect place to start.

New episodes weekly. Come think out loud with us.

After 300 episodes, it's time for one last round.

Jason and Barry look back on six seasons of Two Shot Tuesday, sharing favorite memories, unforgettable guests, the evolution of the show, and the friendship that kept them coming back every week.

Then, they raise one final glass before revealing what's next.

It's the end of one chapter...

...and the beginning of another.

Growing old is inevitable. Growing up? That's optional.

This week, we celebrate the passions that have stayed with us for decades. From comics and cult movies to the World Cup and the simple joy of discovering a great new gadget, it's a reminder that the things we loved as kids often become the hobbies that keep life fun as adults.

Along the way, we dive into X-Men Elsewhen, revisit the fantasy classic The Beastmaster, catch up on World Cup excitement, and share a few laughs over the things we're probably never going to outgrow.

Sometimes the best part of getting older is finally embracing what you've always loved.

Growing old is inevitable. Growing up? That's optional.

This week, we celebrate the passions that have stayed with us for decades. From comics and cult movies to the World Cup and the simple joy of discovering a great new gadget, it's a reminder that the things we loved as kids often become the hobbies that keep life fun as adults.

Along the way, we dive into X-Men Elsewhen, revisit the fantasy classic The Beastmaster, catch up on World Cup excitement, and share a few laughs over the things we're probably never going to outgrow.

Sometimes the best part of getting older is finally embracing what you've always loved.