Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch

Michael & Ethan continue in their discussion of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, really getting into the nitty-gritty of why anything even matters. But is that inherently nihilist? Find out today on Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch! In this episode:

It will inevitably turn into a Dadaist digression on the environment and the solipsistic nature of man.

This book is both Shakespearean and American.

They confuse characters.

They talk too much (is that possible) about Shakespeare.

Both of them agree, “It’s not Sartre.”

Michael asks impossible questions.

Ethan brags.

Find out which letter is the most skeptical of the entire alphabet, according to Michael.

There is no fourth wall.

Lydia is a butt.

Michael blows wide the paradigm.

Michael gets real, full of the paranoid shakes.

Ethan challenges us to look up Love Story. Maybe this is it?

Their next book will be Things not Seen by Andrew Clements. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

In literature, as in life, sometimes you find yourself in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where if you’ve survived the pandemic, there’s probably a reason - and that reason may be that the prophet of the new age needs you to be his wife. Or maybe you’re destined to be something else entirely. Or maybe destiny’s got nothing to do with it, and you’re just going to build a museum to your own definition of humanity. Let’s see what Michael & Ethan think of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. In this episode:

Michael digs to get at Ethan’s true feelings.

Ethan don’t need no man.

Ethan forgot everything.

Civilization or Death! Or both!

Michael gets all the hosting points and is winning.

This is gonna be the Shakespeare podcast!

Ethan reminds us that fictional characters are fictional.

Ethan brings it back to Don Quixote.

Also Lolita.

Michael brags about how smart he is.

Ethan stops talking about literary terms and starts talking about salsa.

Michael connects it to The Last Man on Earth.

Michael gives a preview to the next book.

If you’re annoyed, what if that’s the point?

After they finish this gigantic beast of a book, they'll next be reading and discussing Things not Seen by Andrew Clements. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

"Intermission" and “Intent” by Unthunk. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

They finally reach the end of Part II of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes! Michael & Ethan are super excited about it, and have a rip-roaring time. In between the laughter, they manage to do a little literary analysis, too. In this episode:

Don Quixote hosts this one, but which Don Quixhote?

Tricked You!

Michael & Ethan speak a little French. Probably poorly.

A brief aside about Hamilton.

Harry Potter comes into the discussion.

Ethan sounds paranoid about Google.

Michael is a talking bust.

Math & Science Corner with Ethan!

Michael doesn’t want to put forth the effort to make them sound smart.

Don Quixote saves marriages.

Ethan reads some Milan Kundera.

Analysis Tally This Episode: 6

After they finish this gigantic beast of a book, they'll next be reading and discussing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

Having completed their analysis of Part I, the duo takes on Part II of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, and having crested the hill, it’s all headed downward from here. In this episode:

The Priest and the Barber in a Room with Scotch

Ethan claims “we” sound sluggish, but it’s really just him.

Ethan will just say words.

This is the most lethargic they have ever been.

Michael reads Ethan’s mind.

This is the most mellow they’ve been. It’s a good place.

Lots of spoilers.

Michael coughs up a hairball.

Ethan proves he’s an idiot.

So does Michael.

Michael is totally confused.

It’s all fake.

Ethan can enunciate.

There are a lot of reasons this maybe should have gotten the “Explicit” tag…. Nah.

Both the hosts are teachers’ pets.

Analysis Tally This Episode: 12

After they finish this gigantic beast of a book, they'll next be reading and discussing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

"Intermission" and “Intent” by Unthunk. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

With their guests Justin & Larry from the Here’s Johnny! horror review podcast, Michael & Ethan discuss Edgar Allen Poe’s classic short story: “The Tell-Tale Heart”. In this episode:

The guests bite quickly at the opportunity to impose a new rule on Michael & Ethan.

Ethan dumps on his wife - but what else is new?

Michael & Justin in a Room, but We’re Not Mentioning What They’re Drinking

Ethan makes a Freudian but not necessarily Freudian analysis.

When you protest something loudly enough, it makes it that much more believable.

They’re all crazy and it all takes place in a mental institution.

We analyze the Simpsons a bit.

Our guests pick up on the rules-game frighteningly quickly.

The word “copyright” occurs to Ethan.

Larry has a few things in common with Mr. Poe, we discover….

Larry brings up a touchy subject from the last episode of Here’s Johnny!

Ars gratia artis without being given the right.

Michael manages to get Schroedinger’s Cat in there.

Next time, Michael & Ethan will continue their discussion of the gargantuan Don Quixote, this time diving into Volume II. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

On Halloween, Michael & Ethan will be guests on the special Halloween episode of Here’s Johnny! discussing the film, Trick ‘r Treat.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

Your Special Guests: Larry (@beaverla) and

Justing (@picklething)

of the Here’s Johnny! podcast!

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

“Intent” and “Old Knight” by Unthunk. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

It’s the Second Sally of Part I of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Michael & Ethan deny everything, admit nothing, and analyze the heck out of this book, while making fun of each other and drinking scotch. But hey, what else is new? In this episode:

We’re specific with our terms so that no one is confused.

Michael gets Ethan with some harsh tsk-ing.

This episode is dedicated to all of Ethan’s relatives.

Ethan loses his Ny-Quil.

Ethan is literally sorry to everyone.

They talk genre theory, and then just about what “novel” even means. Ethan concludes that it’s a cocktail.

We should all be glad that Ethan is not a judge.

Ethan brings Schroedinger’s Cat into the discussion.

Michael is a birch.

Michael slaps the “Explicit” tag on Ethan.

We don’t fact-check anything. Nothing is of quality.

Ethan will only read this novel again after he has thoroughly researched the Spanish Inquisition.

Analysis Tally This Episode: 6

After they finish this gigantic beast of a book, they'll next be reading and discussing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

“Spooky Outro” by transient. Used under an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

“Intent” by Unthunk. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Michael & Ethan dive into the large and daunting Part I of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. In this episode:

Ethan has a heat-stricken brain.

Michael clicks only the French “explicit” tag.

Ethan decided not to be a jerk, but won’t make that mistake again.

Michael is really determined to talk about Nabokov.

They don’t let anyone else talk.

This isn’t going to become the How I Met Your Mother podcast.

They talk about “hot chicks” for far too long.

Picture them in bathrobes reading Don Quixote to one another while their wives drink beer and play Madden.

Michael resists defenestration.

Mass judging a bunch of people without qualification since 2016.

Ethan says the most arrogant thing.

Michael loses, but Ethan doesn’t notice. Shh, don’t tell him.

Ethan forgets the author’s name.

Shout out to Pete Bloedel.

They both hold a book together, and it’s very precious.

They don’t care about this podcast; they just do it.

Analysis Tally This Episode: 16

After they finish this gigantic beast of a book, they'll next be reading and discussing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Donate to our Patreon!

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

"Intermission" and “Intent” by Unthunk. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Michael comes with an announcement regarding the upcoming episodes of the show, which will officially kick off Season 3! In the middle of his announcement, he accidentally receives some strange trans-dimensional transmissions. Why yes, they do both listen to Hello from the Magic Tavern. Why do you ask? In this episode:

Ethan tries to trap Michael with logic, which is the Devil's plaything.

The Right Reverend is not drinking anything.  Honestly.  He promises.

They're both unmarried vergings.

Ethan is not going to publicly humiliate or assassinate Michael.

Emotions are truest when you're explicitly told how to feel.

"Names with Ethan"

You don't need logic.  You just need words.

Ethan doesn't explain jokes.

Someone knocks on Michael's door.

In 2 weeks they'll be reading and discussing Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"Cheap Cafe" by Dee Yan-Key. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

Other SFX by julius_galla and urupin. Used by permission.

Michael & Ethan present themselves as co-teachers of an Advanced Creative Writing Course, in which their promising (but potentially troubled) student Daniel Brown has offered them his thriller novel. They take out their red pens and give writing advice. In this episode:

Alternate titles are offered, such as, "Everything Michael & Ethan Know About Physics," "Hyperbole Cast," "Suck-It, Podcast!" "Just Good Advice with Michael & Ethan," and "Bad Podcast Ideas."

Trigger warning: Michael & Ethan don't like The Da Vinci Code.

If Michael dies, arrest Ethan.

They talk about the concept of a prologue.  It takes up a good chunk of the episode.

They don't talk about the text of the book for half an hour.

They  help someone.

They've been reading Don Quixote for...a long time.

They offer a general apology, but Ethan specifically apologizes to the French.

Next month they'll be reading and discussing Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

They keep discussing Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons, a book both of the guys hate [love]. Their minds are literarily blown by the wonder of this book, and they must read it again. Will you read along? In this episode:

We reach the opposite of an apotheosis.

We're coasting on the grace of the breezes.

We play more Literary Matchmaker.

We give a nod to Lars (@_larsj) regarding the #larseffect.

We find a connection between this book and the Epistle of James.

Michael makes a list of things to watch for in his second read.

Michael says Ethan is right.

Ethan hates the Transcendentalists, which is a surprise to no one.

We argue over who's smarter.

We have alf-hassed it all.

Next month they'll be reading and discussing Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.