In this episode of Surprise – It’s Not a Toaster, Chris Boyer and Ed Bennett dive into the wild world of online comments—from YouTube rants to Google reviews and Twitter’s never-ending chaos (which is basically just one giant comment section). They trace the history of internet commenting, exploring how we went from early, nerdy UseNet forums to today’s digital free-for-all of trolling, toxicity, and the occasional comedy goldmine.

But are comments good or bad for us? Studies show exposure to negative comments can increase anxiety, impact sleep, and even drive consumer behavior—making or breaking businesses. At the same time, Google loves well-moderated comments for SEO, proving that even the worst takes have value (sometimes).

Also in this episode:

Join us as we laugh, rant, and question the very fabric of online discourse—because sometimes, the best response to a terrible comment is just closing the browser tab.

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