It's Pretty OK

Well, I guess technically it actually is our first rodeo...because Pierce went to a rodeo! What are headers and heelers? Are rodeo clowns really a thing? And who has the best rodeo name? All of these questions are answered and more.

MUSIC: "Smoking's For Quitters" - Thin Lips

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Pierce and Sean have a very involved conversation about sandwiches. What makes a sandwich great? Why are tomato sandwiches so good? And what are their favorite sandwiches?

MUSIC: "Fire" - Special Explosion

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Pierce just finished reading Please Kill Me, an oral history of the meteoric rise and fall of punk rock in the 1970s in New York and London. This week, he and Sean are talking about oral histories. Why are they so effective as a storytelling device? And why don't we see more of them?

MUSIC

"Midway" - Bad Bad Hats

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

Meet Me in the Bathroom Is the First Great History of New York’s 21st Century Rock Scene (SPIN)

Blue Chips:An oral history of Shaq, Penny, and the Orlando Magic’s lost NBA dynasty (Grantland)

The Greatest Paper That Ever Died (Grantland)

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This week, an experience Pierce had with someone taking pictures of their food for the 'gram sparked a conversation about photography at concerts, rules to live by, and the importance of being good to your fellow humans. Sean closes the show by raving about the movie he saw on the 4th and lamenting how we don't make them like we used to (role models, not movies).

MUSIC: "Here's Your Future" - The Thermals

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Pierce and Sean typically record on Sundays, but decided to wait until Monday this week in case anything wild happened in NBA free agency. Boy, were they right to wait. LeBron is a Laker! They talk about the move, the other dominos that might fall next, and what LeBron's legacy in L.A. will be. Oh, and they indulge in a little Kobe hatred. Or maybe a lot. Let's just say that Kobe Bryant will not be appearing as a guest any time soon.

MUSIC: "Basketball" - Kurtis Blow

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Happy wedding season, y'all! This week, Sean and Pierce are talking about gift-giving. Is giving gifts actually inherently selfish? Are there times when it makes more sense to not give a thoughtful gift that demonstrates how much you value a friendship? And why are we still committed to wedding registries instead of "first apartment registries?"

MUSIC: "Mixer" - Nap Eyes

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: The economic case against Christmas presents (Vox)

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This week, Pierce has finally finished James Joyce's epic Ulysses. Why does he seem 6% more of a pretentious ass than he did before? And are there other things that make people behave that way? He and Sean discuss.

MUSIC: "Near to the Wild Heart of Life" - Japandroids

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Good lord, we're getting old. Pierce was in Charlottesville for the weekend of his 5th college reunion, but he wasn't exactly enthused about doing reunion stuff. He and Sean talked about why, and spent a few minutes celebrating the life of Anthony Bourdain.

MUSIC

"Not Losing Sleep" - Thin Lips

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

Anthony Bourdain Was Remarkable Because He Possessed Qualities That Shouldn’t Be (The Root)

How to Live, According to Anthony Bourdain (Munchies)

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This week, Pierce and Sean are talking about sports—specifically, about comparing athletes from different eras. There's not that much that's actually similar about Michael Jordan and LeBron James: different positions, different styles of play, different body types, different rules enforced by the referees, you get the picture. So why is everyone so hung up on which one of them is the G.O.A.T.? And is there a better way for us to celebrate transcendent athletes?

MUSIC

"Six Wave Hold-Down" - Hot Snakes

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

Tunisia goalkeeper 'fakes injury' to break Ramadan fast (BBC)

Weezer Finally Cover Toto’s “Africa” (Pitchfork)

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None of the guys have seen Solo: A Star Wars Story. But that's not stopping them from comparing the new installment in the Star Wars universe to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and asking the big question: Is Han Solo cool...or is Harrison Ford cool as Han Solo?

MUSIC: "Tea-Soaked Letter" - Anna Burch

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