SmartDrivel

As a companion to last week’s episode on new words being added to the dictionary, this week Jon and Kurt explore the word’s that get kicked out. Yup, with new words being added, there are those few who get the boot. Deemed no longer up to snuff (maybe snuff will be out next year), these words are dictionary-worthy no longer. The boys brabble a bit, but they do agree on the need to bring back aerodrome.

So, the dictionary people get together on an annual basis and vote/decide on new words to formally enter into their reference books. Jon and Kurt have a great time dissecting and laughing at these new entries. The episode? It’s adorkable.

In this episode, Jon and Kurt have fun explaining, finding, and debating interesting acronyms that are used in everyday conversation. Redux.

Bell bottoms, high heels, cod pieces, popped collars, dickies...yup, once upon a time all of these, and other like-minded trends, were all the rage. Jon and Kurt try to unravel the history of these odd bursts of fashion to better understand what the hell people were thinking when they wore these oddities.

The boys just needed to get some stuff off their chests. They have had some new pet peeves building up and the desire to share these with their listeners was too strong to ignore any longer. From sidewalk walking etiquette to the whipping of cream cheese to cheap toilet paper to tip screens and many more, Jon and Kurt unburden their souls of their latest pet peeves.

Kleenex. Scotch Tape. Liquid Paper. Xerox. There are many products where the marketing folks did such a great job that the brand names they built came to represent the entire category. A consumer can ask for the product by the brand name and end up buying a version made by a different company. From brand glory to generic. Jon and Kurt dig into this topic and surprise each other with cool examples. You will be shocked to learn some products you use everyday were once trademarked as brands.

It is the “city that never sleeps” and the biggest metropolis in America. We all think we know New York, but there are a lot of really interesting stories and facts about the Big Apple that most people don’t know. In this episode, Jon and Kurt unearth some of the fun and cool and interesting and unique facts about the city “so big they had to name it twice.”

We get some amazing words from actual, real people. That’s right, real humans’ names  gave us some of our most common or descriptive words as a result of their actions, sayings, or rituals. Sadism? Boycott? Saxophone? Shrapnel? Yup, all were derived from specific people doing extraordinary things, inventing innovative products, or acting in certain ways. Come find out where some of the words come from that you use daily. It's good drivel for sure.

Under the safety net of “it’s not real”, Jon and Kurt discuss famous, classic, and great fictional deaths. In movies, books, fables, (not podcasts), etc., there have been no shortage of momentous passings. Some we cheer on, others we weep over, and others we laugh at. Come join the conversation and see if you agree with our hosts.

There is an actual “Museum of Failures” which memorializes products that were massive failures. Classics like “neon green Heinz Ketchup” and “Spray on Condoms” (yes, you read that correctly) are on exhibit as are countless others that, while born out of innovation, just never made it. Jon and Kurt highlight a few of the juiciest failures and have fun speculating as to why they never caught on.