Lasers on the Ride

Episode 11 of season 2 welcomes dun dun dun duuunnnnnnh Son Raw, musical journalist / critic / observer to talk music and also nothing and also everything. The episode opens with the self-portrait game, where the guest is expected to draw himself and answer serious questions, before the gang discusses why certain people troll so hard, involuntary celibacy being bonkers, and making friends as adults. They talk music - who sucks with autotune, the problems with Drake, letting go of artists and tracking down Lord Have Mercy, before moving on to the myth(?) that making art is therapy. The group plays Top of the Hour where Jay get political-ish, Mike gets to finally discuss his zombie plan and Son Raw talks his feelings for various Daves. They talk favorite Source magazine ads, school, hallucinogens and drug stories before moving on to music, house and such, modern rap and how Son Raw got into grime. They close out by shitting on Post Malone and saving Wu-Tang (from itself). Lasers!

In episode 10 (already!) of season 2 the Lasers welcome the hosts of the Up for Discussion podcast Tom and Kate for a pretty funny time. Conversation kicks off with talk of social media and its role in meeting significant others before moving to biotech and its role in the Biotech Olympics. They play a game where Tom and Kate workshop names for fictional characters that the Lasers developed and then discuss dads. They examine the flimsy phenomenon of signatures before kicking off Top of the Hour and answering some serious questions. They talk about traffic induced grumpies, microwaves as old technology, guinea pigs (Tom’s more specifically) and Jay ruining hot tubs. They play a game where they rank various bears in honour of Up for Discussion’s logo before Tom pitches a time consuming podcast idea and they close out with talk of marijuana and inevitably getting too high.

Episode 9 of season 2 welcomes the hosts of the Don’t Be Mad podcast, so it’s kind of like (podcast) squared. They start off by talking fraternities, where the Don’t Be Mad guys school the Lasers on university life, and the group picks sides on using coasters and Jay shares a sad(?) story that involves sex and christmas. They discuss sexual proclivities, expanding personal horizons, and then the unfortunate turn of events that is Bill Cosby. The Lasers introduce a new game, Top of the Hour, where everyone picks a random question and gives their best reply and they explore real and imagined hurdles to beach resorts. The group breaks NDG down into parts and the Don’t Be Mad dudes share their hopes and dreams for their platform and teach the Lasers about anime. They close out by discussing cartoon sex, naturally.

Season 2, episode 8 brings bff of the show KC back into the mix! They start off with talk of Karl Malone, the Utah Jazz and then inevitably Mormons, before examining the Hot Boyz and questionable behaviour on the part of Baby. They discuss antiquated ideas of man code, having professional security and then general metro security and whether Jay offended someone’s dad at a party. Jay recalls a rapper who got got by ODB’s son, KC talks botoxing babies and Mike explains what a cherub is before conversation devolves entirely. Sexual preference comes up, Mike equates Dr Phil and his wife to Busta and Spliff Star looool and they discuss going viral. Jay and KC workshop Kanye rants but about Ernie Hudson from GhostBusters and KC gets political. To close out, they compare and contrast historical “geniuses”.

Episode 7 of season 2 kicks off with talk of Mardi Gras, which Jay learns has nothing to do with Spring Break, and also Kanye West’s breakdown (it’s not a breakthrough c’moooon now).The Lasers talk bro-ing out and whether they’ve ever accidentally partaken, listening to sad music and the great love song of our generation. They discuss masculinity, toxic and otherwise but mostly toxic, and Jay actually learning the guitar vs noodling with the guitar. They explore the limits of Jay’s empathy or empathy period, what’s considered a good parent, and the pitfalls of advice. Mike makes the distinction between facts on women and sexist spins on facts on women, they discuss World War 2, sort of, and close out on ideas of identity and rats.

Episode 6 introduces our first guest of season 2 - writer/podcast host/content creator Chris Masson from WatchMojo. They kick off the episode with a lil bit of the esoteric with Chris sharing stories from growing up with a mom who dabbles p heavily in the zodiac and contrasting that to other relationships in his life. The Lasers introduce a new season 2 game where they make the guest draw a self-portrait during an increasingly personal Q&A and Chris talks an ageing parent, going from art to art-ish, and which sin best applies. They talk personas in art and taking one’s self serious vs one’s art serious and whether REM, Live and Tragically Hip are the same band (Chris argues no, Mike is unfamiliar). They workshop some content ideas (Drakespeare vs Shakespeare comes out looking ok) and talk why men seek out wood in all forms, stylistic devices in writing and chip flavours. To close out, Chris performs a piece from his past just a little begrudgingly as per Jay’s request.

Episode 5 is all about what’s going on in new music, rap and otherwise, and Mike’s disenchantment with the state of art - it’s dead (!)(?)(,)(.) he says, while Jay argues that he is in fact himself art and alive(?). To get the stuff started each Laser brings forth 10 songs that they listen to and appreciate and sometimes shit on. Jay explains the cause for his raspy voice and Mike and Jay tell rabbit stories, each one sadder than the last. Mike brings up Sean Penn’s new book and the Lasers laugh at his horrible writing, ridden with ridiculous alliteration that proves he’s insane. They close out the episode with talk on the legalization of weed, whether it can make you go crazy (lol), and why some people can’t handle the stuff and then freestyle an ad for their instagram (go follow!).

In episode 4 the Lasers enter the Danger Dome if danger was answering timed questions and the dome was a podcast. We find out each Laser’s take on important questions such as white people with dreadlocks, penis colour in porn, saucy vs dry-rub, dinner party etiquette, whether pumpkin pie is for old people, which colour wine is best, whether it’s ok that some rappers wear fake jewelry, sharing your bed with dogs and such and the relevance of the Junos. In and around the game, discussion proceeds at a normal, sometimes feverish, rarely sluggish pace. Jay recalls an awkward encounter between his arms and an older woman before the Lasers discuss comedians of yore-ish and dope film directors. Jay concludes that the History Channel targets racists and the Lasers discuss herstory and how much good stuff the world has missed out on due to misogyny (thanks for nothing misogyny!). Mike shares 70 through 61 on his best rappers of all time list and they examine why Canada is so good at indie rock and syphilis in the prairies.

The Lasers kick off episode 3 by examining the idiosyncrasies of various police precincts before then eulogizing fallen Montreal music venues and discussing No Doubt’s catalog. Jay and Mike agree that Timbaland would easily discard Swizz Beatz in a beat battle and Jay recalls a panic attack post edible & Flying Lotus performance. Mike shares his ambivalence come dislike for The Migos and explains the similarities between Portuguese and Romanian (it’s the ziou sound). The Lasers fashion police the Migos on SNL, talk dating Sarah the stripper, and finally determine why rap rock keeps missing the mark. They speak Weezer and then Weezer/Weezy mash-up! and then unfortunate sex endings. They cap it off by exploring the ultimate face-offs in rap and who’s Beatles, who’s Stones.

The Lasers kick off episode 2 of season 2 (Robbing Season?) with Oprah talk, where they expound her many achievements, and then the Baltimore accent. Jay shares his dislike for Charlamagne and defends Lakeith Stanfield while Mike shares his dislike for Lakeith Stanfield and defends Charlamagne. Mark Cuban’s gross behaviour and large fingers get aired. Mike and Jay have a serious discussion surrounding privilege, white and otherwise (ok just white), and discuss what it means to really be an ally. They talk male pattern baldness and general hat remedies while Jared Leto does Japan. To close out they explore accents some more and talk Cardi B and the Bronx and National Geographic finally coming to terms with their extra-problematic history.