The Fire Escape

Nice.We somewhat return to format. Colter talks about Mad Cow Disease concerns in Alabama.Peter updates the legend of Prince Madoc.Hywel recounts the British obsession with comparing land masses to Wales.

Hywel is still hanging with the island songbirds, but he is kind enough to call in and let us hear their siren tune.Peter and Colter sit down in person with fellow native Birminghamian, stand up, hater of the heat, Daily Show correspondent, host of This is Not Happening on Comedy Central, I think you get the point, he’s a very busy man, Roy Wood Jr. we talk about his journey from hometown to now, the two times he’s felt he’s “made it”, the light at the end of the tunnel (it’s a train), who the best SEC football fan tippers are, fatherhood and bringing productions to the south.Be sure to check out his newest stand up special, No One Loves You, Friday Jan. 25 on Comedy Central or the Comedy Central app.

Hywel goes on holiday.Pete reviews the President's fast food buffet.Colter tries to think of a book.

Roll Tide Forever.The lads discuss the CFP National Championship and compare it to the Welshest equivalent we could, the Six Nations Rugby Cup.In our top story we talk about a giant “fatberg” that has been spotted in an olde British sewer. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/08/sixty-four-metre-fatberg-discovered-in-english-seaside-resort-sidmouth-devon

The lads make a resolution to become evil (and Colter makes a resolution to do everything the easy way, so this description is over).

We wanted to talk about Y2K memories, but we dont until the very end.Most of the episode is spent talking about the Band Aid tune "Do They Know it's Christmas", and whether or not pop music is the best vehicle for tackling sensitive global catastrophes. Here is a Guardian article that does a way better job than we do.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/11/band-aid-30-patronising-bob-geldof-ebola-do-they-know-its-christmas

Hywel tells us of the Smithfield Christmas Eve Meat Auction (https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/harts-of-smithfield-christmas-auction)Peter explains an old German tradition surrounding hiding a pickle in your Christmas tree.Colter recounts the birth of his love for LEGO one childhood Christmas in Shelbyville, TN

Hywel finds a mysteriuous book in a village in the shadow iof Mynydd Carningli (Welsh for the Mount of Angels) that is connected to his work and his experience in life.

This week Colter and Peter hopped on a call with writer, musician, lover of good dogs and fellow southerner, Sean Dietrich of Sean of the South.We talked about the SEC Championship Game, growing up in the south, storytelling, American music history and much more.From Sean's website, https://seandietrich.com:As a child, I liked to write. I filled up notebooks with tales of the high-seas, shameless vixens, and steamy scenarios combining both of the aforementioned. My fifth grade teacher found one of my notebooks and scanned through it. She told me I wrote with too many commas, and encouraged me to pursue a career in construction work.That, old, woman, never, liked, me.Years later, I learned my teacher had left the school. She took a job at the Piggly Wiggly as a cashier. I went to visit the old girl, to show her the man I’d grown into.She seemed genuinely glad to see me. And I was just as glad to find her wearing that red apron for a living. After visiting for a few minutes, I realized something I’d never noticed before. Beneath her hardshell exterior was a regular lady, working from nine to five for pennies. She was doing the best she could with her life. Just like me.Before I left, she asked me what kind of work I did.At the time, I worked in construction.

In this episode:Hywel’s spinal health update.Hywel’s bad internet connection.The Lads recap some Thanksgiving happenings.Things get more serious regarding the tragic news coming out of Hoover, AL (a Birmingham suburb) where an innocent young black man was killed by a police officer at a mall on Thanksgiving Day.