Back with another impromptu in-house episode, this week we take stock of the grocery store shelves which are packed with protein: Khloé Kardashian Khloud popcorn, dry as sawdust Quest bars, and… Hormbles Chormbles. Also, why does every new product sound like it was named by a toddler? And are we experiencing a mass cognitive decline or does every advertisement sound nonsensical?

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We’re being scammed. The latest Mr Beast experience was a flop, Fyre Festival is back, Chinese manufacturers are exposing the luxury goods industry, and everyone is buying now and paying later. Between financing your Coachella tickets and your Chilli’s baby back ribs, this week on the pod we unveil the many ways scams have gone mainstream.

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Aidan Walker is an internet culture and meme researcher and writer, former editor at Know Your Meme, and self proclaimed ‘Slopimist’. He joins us to discuss Skibidi toilet and the surveillance state, the “War and Peace” of our times, John Pork lore, why he’s optimistic about Gen Alpha’s chances, historicizing memes, and how “God didn’t want us to drink slushies, red 40, or vapes that taste like crème brûlée”.

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Adolescence on Netflix. White Lotus on Max. Bot on… bot? This week on the pod, people are having withdrawal symptoms from overuse of ChatGPT. Tinder is rolling out the opportunity to practice flirting with AI before moving into the real world, and we question whether or not too much conversational practice with a digital entity is turning every man into an incel. The one good use of AI: a new app that will make annoying customer service calls on your behalf.

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Chloé Desaulles is a multidisciplinary artist based out of New York. She specializes in using “new tools to tell old stories about people, habits and environments.” She previously held stints at The New York Times R&D with a focus on mixed reality and VR, and has also done work for Megan Thee Stallion, Apple, and Alicia Keys. She joins us to explore the ways AI is shaping the art world, rising interest in analog mediums, “hyper optimization,” Netflix shows made for you to fold your laundry to, and why hot yoga is a scam.

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Laundry day but make it ~aesthetic~. Willy Wonka but make it a Netflix competition series. Today on the pod we discuss unoriginal ideas disguised as masquerading as new, trace Mr. Beast’s similarities to Jigsaw in ‘Saw,’ and mourn the loss of six-figure media jobs. We also take a moment for ‘White Lotus’ theories and predictions, like everyone else online. 

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Kevin Weisner and Lukas Bentel are the Chief Creative Officers of MSCHF, the subversive Brooklyn-based art collective known for “drops” like the Big Red Boots, Key4All, Tax Heaven, Satan Shoes and more. They join us to discuss their new book, "Made By MSCHF", the importance of creative antagonists, defending Rothko, never having KPIs, virality is cheap and hating on golf.

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Today on the pod, Eli and Trey explore both ends of the content quality spectrum, between Slopaganda and our feeds being flooded with AI drudge and the founder-led menswear brands (Nude Project, Le Alfre, Elwood Clothing) doing it right on YouTube. We also get into the infinite scroll, the menswear labels that are unfurling their brand story in a way that isn’t possible through short form content, and why the future is unfortunately more AI slop (hope you’re hungry).

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Brian Park is a comedian, actor, writer and host of the Middlebrow podcast. He joins us to dissect the “corporate creative class,” his fear of being pretentious (Trey thinks it’s OK to be a little pretentious), LinkedIn baiting, why brands need to stop being people, being a Bryan Johnson apologist, knowing too much about Japanese selvedge denim, and much much more. 

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Rebecca Jennings is a features writer at New York Magazine and author of "Be the Bombshell: What Love Island Teaches Us About Dating". She joins the pod to discuss the Protector app, why all the dudes in Summer House are a sorry bunch, being a Ramona Singer apologist, why young “Republicans” are transgressive, Hasan Piker, and the guy on TikTok calling hanging out with friends a “post luxury status symbol.”

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