Secret Sources of Sustenance

Guess who’s back?!? Ben and Bob return after a 2+ month hiatus with a format-breaking episode in which they actually discuss something (er, someone) totally mainstream — namely, Snoop Dogg. The legendary G-funk rapper from the LBC rose to prominence during their formative years under the tutelage of Dr. Dre and made a huge impression on their teenage minds. In the 30 years since, Snoop has absolutely saturated popular culture while Ben and Bob have created a DIY podcast with unpredictable release dates. Whether he’s rapping, acting, directing, performing at Comedy Central Roasts, emceeing WWE Wrestling Events, authoring cookbooks, or dabbling in various business ventures, Snoop’s always 100% himself and Ben and Bob love that. So check it out. Then just chill . . . to the next episode.

Ben and Bob are joined once again by their friend and music mentor, John, to discuss the late, great musician Elliott Smith through the dual lenses of his masterpiece album “Either/Or” (1997) and the documentary “Heaven Adores You” (2014; Amazon Prime Video). Almost 20 years since his tragic passing, the trio discuss this troubled virtuoso, his beautiful (and sometimes haunting) songs, and the undeniable impact he had on fans and fellow musicians. Say yes to this episode of SSOS!

Bob has apparently been a seeker (and a private weirdo) since he was a young boy. As a grade schooler, he discovered the low-budget, R-rated science fiction film “The Brother From Another Planet” starring Joe Morton, which became a significant catalyst for his developing psyche. This is a tale of an alien on-the-run who crash lands his spaceship in the Hudson River, but there’s obviously a lot going on beneath the surface. Is this movie responsible for Bob’s distrust of authority figures, interest in UFOs, and love of P-Funk? And will Ben vouch for one of Bob’s childhood favorites? Find out on this episode of SSOS.

Ben & Bob discuss Season 1 of the FX comedy-drama “The Bear”, starring Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto. Carmy is a top chef in the world of fine dining who returns to Chicago to save his family’s financially struggling Italian Beef sandwich shop, which his brother left him in his will. While this show does romanticize cooking, it’s more about grief, family, honing your craft, chasing perfection, the stress of modern work, and more. Ben loves this show, but will it leave Bob as satiated or just give him hunger pangs? Dig into this meal of an episode to find out!

Ben & Bob ring in the New Year, and a new season of SSOS, with mid-90s movie “Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead”. Bob’s selection is about reformed gangster, Jimmy “The Saint” (Andy Garcia), who is forced by crime boss, “The Man With The Plan” (Christopher Walken), to take one last job. Having reassembled his old crew, the action goes sideways resulting in Jimmy, “Pieces”, “Big Bear Franchise”, “Easy Wind”, and “Critical” Bill becoming marked men. Further complicating matters, Jimmy just fell in love with a fellow Denverite so it’s not exactly an ideal time to go on the lam. Grab some boat drinks and find out if it’s a double vouch.

For their stocking-stuffed holiday episode, Ben & Bob are joined by good friend, concert companion, and fellow Gizzhead, John. They discuss 2 albums from the Aussie indie band, “King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard”, namely “Omnium Gatherum” and “I’m in Your Mind Fuzz”. Then, they turn to the previously scheduled challenge, 2020 indie sci-fi film “The Vast of Night” (Amazon Prime Video) before wrapping up with some of their favorite stuff from this past year. So check out the first ever 9-vouch episode of SSOS and stay tuned for Season 3, premiering in January 2023!

For their Halloween show, Ben and Bob did a blind viewing of recent supernatural horror movie “The Black Phone”. Despite Ethan Hawkes’ solid performance as The Grabber, the movie didn’t grab a single vouch with the co-hosts finding the movie to be just “meh”. Feeling a bit tricked, Bob moves on to a real treat — spending the rest of the show passionately espousing his wholehearted belief that “King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard” is the most talented band in this, or any other, universe. And, by the sounds of it, KG & the LW bring their own brand of weirdness that fits right in with Halloween.

Ben and Bob are both super fans of the American indie rock band, “The National”. Both have been obsessed for a decade-plus with the roots of their friendship tracing back to that discovery. Challenged with distilling it down to their absolute favorites, they each come up with a Top 10 list with a few overlapping songs. Mutual favorites include “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, “Mistaken for Strangers”, and “Mr. November”. Ben’s list is rounded off by “Don’t Swallow the Cap”, “Rylan”, “I Need My Girl”, “Slow Show”, “Fake Empire”, “Walk It Back”, and “Nobody Else Will Be There”. Bob’s list also includes “Day I Die”, “I Should Live in Salt”, “Afraid of Everyone”, “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks”, “Secret Meeting”, “Abel”, and “Looking For Astronauts”. Make yourself a 17-song playlist, give it a few spins, then listen to Ben and Bob fanboy out on this hard-double-vouch episode of SSOS.

Given the focus of their last episode, Ben & Bob needed something wholly lighthearted to cleanse their pallets. Enter 1996 political conspiracy/road trip comedy “My Fellow Americans”. Starring Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd and a cast of other legendary (and somewhat legendary) faces, this is Bob’s comedic comfort food. Two bitter rival ex-Presidents team up to unravel a conspiracy that puts them both in danger and on the run from rogue NSA agents to mostly hilarious affect. To Bob, it’s the equivalent of mom’s meatloaf in VHS form. But will Ben be satiated or is it too cheesy for his tastes? Find out on this episode of SSOS.

Can the normally unflappable Bob find the sea legs to survive Ben’s latest assignment: the 2019 film, “The Lighthouse”? The lads seek meaning in Robert Eggers’ Lovecraftian folktale about 2 wickies getting weird on an island in 1890s New England. While Ben and Bob offer different interpretations for what happens on screen, the one thing they can both agree on is that Eggers sophomore effort is F’N BONKERS. Pour yourself a tall glass of turpentine and honey (not really!) and enjoy the descent into madness starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.