The Spoon

Bill "Yancy" Holmes returns to the show, in an episdoe that not only runs the gamut, but runs it over. Trying to shock an unshockable world, othering through the ages, the evolution of barrel technology, the virtues of voice actors, a hearty round of spoon-feeding, the acknowledgement of a professional milestone or two, and the crazy dream of Spoon Action Figures. Plus, how many ways can you describe a bottle of tequila? Music by Matt Bunsen & The Burners, Abby Travis, and Kenny Howes.

The men of The Spoon are nothing if not adaptable: faced with a last-second guest cancellation, they gleefully charge ahead into conversations both alien and familiar, simultaneously embodying the smartest kids in the class whilst also mocking them mercilessly. This week's mill grist: spelling bee hookups, literary Mt Everests, the semiotics of the mixtape, the mythos of green M&Ms, innovations in cannibal technology, and more. Music by Seven Deadly Five, Sun Sawed In Half, and The Vandalias.

War. Disease. Necrophilia. Disney musicals. When such horrors are visited upon our world, it is important to remember the good in life...especially if you happen to be special guest Bill Funt, who had no idea what a seriously NSFW rotor blade of a conversation he'd be walking into when he agreed to appear on the show this week. Plus, tattoo negotiations, comic artist rotations, and the true meaning of Ringo Starr's birthday. Music by Martin Mull, The Abe Lincoln Story, and Los Abandoned.

Let us now come together in praise sharpness, whether embodied by the sharp barbs of gallows humor, the sharp hook of a well-crafted pop song, or the the sharp sting of sparking wires near one's genitals while occupying a stolen car for fetishistic purposes. (No, really.) This week, all of those forms and more are employed to keep your Overhost from slipping too far down the sharp spiral of ennui and general misanthropy. Plus, metaphorical poo-throwing! Music by Bad Religion, Finland Station, and The Wondermints.

WARNING: this week's episode may contain traces of the following: haircut etymology, microfame, heirloom seeds, gun talk, tribute band culture, Rob making Macca jokes, green M&Ms, Bobbygirls, German opera, baby piercers, Chris revealing his rap monicker, lurching buses, PB&J, death-related navel gazing, airport cross-dressers, Thom being defensive about Styx, more gun talk, moms without filters, shellac (to give it a glaze), insights & anecdotes from special guests Circe Link and Christian Nesmith, and music from The Proclaimers, The Monks, and The Radio Stars. Please listen responsibly.

The Men of The Spoon can’t solve all the world’s problems, but many solutions begin with discussion, and that’s where we live. Gun violence is still on everyone’s mind this week, as well as the frustrating culture war cliches that surround it, but in between verbal jabs in that direction, there is also time for the evolution of social media, the future of artisanal cheese, the sublime satisfaction of a Scrabble victory, and a bevy of other topics rife with drinkability. Get to chugging! Music by The Orion Experience, Redd Kross, and The Wondermints.

It’s all about recipes this week: the alchemy of combining separate ingredients into new and exciting creations. Cucumbers and ice cream. Guns and churches. Large vans and West L.A. parking. Our fair show and returning guest Karen Blankfeld Bassett. Any animal and any other animal, if Rob ever gets to fulfill his entrepreneurial desires. The list goes on and on, ‘till the break of dawn. Plus, the difference between Grammer People and grammar, people! Music by David Geddes, Suzi Quatro, and The Angels.

After a brief forced hiatus brought on by extremely sucky real life events, the men The Spoon are back to navigate the perils of growing up aimless, the wonders of the microscopic world, the horror movie moments that stick with you forever, and the terrifying celebrity nexus of music and sport embodied by the 1985 Chicago Bears. We didn't come here looking for trouble, but....you know the rest. Spoon on!

From the archives: originally planned for the show's 100th episode, it's a best-of made up entirely of other best-ofs, culminating in a dada dash of hyper-condensed Spoony goodness. Enjoy!

No show prep, no problem: anything is possible with a dose of vitamin Q! Actor/musician/co-Snozzberry Quinton Flynn returns to The Spoon this week with mucho gusto, and the sparks they do fly. The high wire of gallows humor, the delicious chaos slash fiction, the melancholy of Captain America, the likely fate of a retired David Letterman, and the white noise of over-documentation are all grist for the conversational mill. Plus, an impromptu musical performance by our own Chris Jackson!