Comedian/writer/Broadway actor Michael Hartney returns to the podcast to discuss the internet phenomenon called "Unfavorable Semicircle." Basically, someone (or perhaps, some program) is uploading videos of seemingly incoherent video and audio noise, which is vaguely machine like in nature. But wait, is it incoherent? Theories abound in discussion groups which are tracking these videos: is there a message buried in these vids? And what does Steamboat Willie have to do with it? Plus, Will discusses the lovely NYTimes crossword puzzle site xwordinfo.com, and Anthony discusses... well, I guess he discusses how many people have to be in a group before they answer the question "how are you" with the sound "wooo!" rather than words. Yep.

Michael Hartney - Unfavorable Semicircle

Co-hosted by Anthony King and Will Hines. Talking to talented people not about what they do but what they love.

Comedy

We're back! For no reason! Well, maybe because there's a writer's strike and Anthony has time. And maybe because Will figured out that if he just sent Anthony a scheduled zoom link with no warning, Anthony would accept it! But whatever the reason is, your hosts are back with another "minor obsessions" only episode. We go over apps, books, games, other podcasts and waking up early. Please enjoy this "for no reason" bonus epsiode!

May 2023 Minor Obsessions

Anthony and Will resurrect the podcast for one episode because... well, just kinda because! No guests! They each describe three minor obsessions. Oddly, their first ones are almost identical. They get into: music, liquor, video games, statistics, social media, Broadway, the pandemic, 9-11 and wondering how they will let anyone know that this episode exists!  Thanks to Connor Ratliff for encouraging us to do this!

Hosts Only Reunion Special

Final episode! After almost three years, we are ending the podcast! "Why?" you ask, you DEMAND, to know? Well, we just wanted to. We've loved it every step of the way but now we can sense it becoming more of a chore than a labor of love so we're ending it before that happens. In this final episode, we talk about the reasons we started the podcast, the things we tried in our real lives, the nature of adult friendships, Seinfeld, Facebook algorithms, learning new music, Anthony's run of being artistic director of UCB, Will's method of remembering things from the media he absorbs and... that's it! Thank you to everyone who has been on our show, who has listened to it, who's supported it! Seeeee yaaaaaaaaaa!

The End

Hayes Davenport is a co-host of the very funny podcast Hollywood Handbook, as well as being a writer for many great television comedies. We don't talk to him about any of that. We get into his obsession with CITY PLANNING. Why are cities set up the way they are? What are the issues with making them better? What's going with Los Angeles? Who made NYC have all those bike lanes? We love this episode and so will you. Also, Will discusses the cat petting/hair-pulling tool The Furminator and Anthony talks about the online service BookBub.

Hayes Davenport - City Planning

We break our "not about what you do" rule yet AGAIN to talk to television writer/former UCB Artistic Director Neil Campbell about SKETCH COMEDY. We get nerdy early and often as we go back to Neil's days at the University of Iowa, his thoughts on the early days of the UCB sketch scene, how he adjusts strategies when writing for television and way more! No minor obsessions because why follow ANY RULES?

Michael Hartney - Unfavorable Semicircle

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