This Show Has Everything

Bobby, Ann, Meredith and Mike have assembled to recap the latest week of TBTL, though it’s one of those weeks we’re really not sure why. At least we can all agree that Kiki’s Korner™ is an Instant Klassic™, and her Rosie Perez impression is even better than MIke’s.

Plus, Ann is guest-lecturing at No Fun University, Bobby is in DC, Meredith is baffled (acoustically) by cats, and Mike just wanted a trim.

Be sure to check out our Sweet 16 candy survey, and Andrew and Rachel Belle’s “Music is for Girls” playlist, if you’re into that kind of “girl music with wittle baby voices.”

Well, it’s finally come to this. We knew it would, because with Christy and Ann, all conversational roads eventually lead to candy. And for two guys whose preferred snacks generally involve alcohol and/or bags of farts, Luke and Andrew sure have spent some time talking about sugar. We’re just here to celebrate it, that’s all. From a long conversation about Skittles, to what kind of candy the KKK might pass out, to Luke’s hotel room binges, we’ve got a lot to cover. Further topics of discussion include candy taxonomy, our personal Top Five, successful Marshawn Lynch endorsement deals, and fruit flavor mythbusting. Plus, Christy shares her recipe for Peeps Three Ways, and Ann has an idea for some new LRB merch.

We’re short on time because the Lyft is arriving to take Meredith, Mike, and Ann to see The Black Panther Movie, but we managed to squeeze in a recap without getting too deshoveled. We have a split panel on the merits of modern movie theaters, but we all agree that we’ve reached the limits of our tolerance for dive bars and speakeasies, and that there’s no way we’re letting the horror flick that is those creepy clappers into our houses. Mike is mad (and hungry), mostly about words (and Big Mac Jrs.). Meredith is happy to be alone and drunk and not tweeting. Ann is busy looking for depictions of ancient pornography (ONLY FOR THE SHOW PICTURE, SWEAR TO GOD).

It’s the inaugural episode of LRB is Mystery Solvers (we solve our own mysteries whenever we feel like it, and no one’s getting free pizza, unfortunately). In pursuing that lofty goal, we’re getting to know Nace Hentschell, burgeoning Seattle lumberjack, grower of giant vegetables, and unironic Belieber. Nace shares some stories from his multiple run-ins with Camaro Kev and The Burbs at a certain well-known local karaoke joint, teaches us a new way to react when things aren’t going great, and reveals himself as an LRB benefactor of the highest order. Then we listen back to an early TBTL clip where we learn about MTV’s short-lived singing competition, Rock the Cradle, and the trainwreck performances of Chloe “Lana Del Rey Without the Talent” Lattanzi. Plus, the birth of an iconic TBTL drop, and Luke uses a truly disgusting simile.

Bonus links: the episode Nace mentioned where Luke had to beg for bus fare is #1040: DaiseyGate Continues!, and as a special treat, here’s a compilation of Chloe's performances on Rock the Cradle. Her performance of Toxic starts at 4:34, but watch at your own risk of secondhand embarrassment. Seriously. I warned you.

Welcome to Fork ’n’ Pan, the restaurant where we serve an entire batch of baked treats as one serving, still in the pan! Take this fork, have a seat on the couch, get cozy in your Van Harn Original Charcoal-Activated Anti-Fart Slanket*, turn the TV to whatever channel you like, and know that Mike, Bobby and Meredith are not here to judge you.

That said, Two Sticks, Shufflin’ Papes and the MVH are ready to deliver verdicts on matters of Entitled Etiquette™ parking, basic recycling skills, the shortcomings of the recent listener challenge and more in our latest TBTL Week in Review. And thanks to the Spencerian Penmanship theory book —an exquisite manual priced at only fifteen dollars seven—our points will someday be written in impeccable hand.

*patent pending

As March 2018 marks Ann With A Plan Lundholm’s second anniversary as an LRB co-host, we’re taking a listen back to her inaugural appearance on the show with Christy and Mike back in 2016. Hear how TBTL (and subsequently LRB) tricked our resident baker into giving us so much of her time and attention. Plus, Ann’s favorite clip from TBTL history—the story of one of Jen’s most brazen and cringeworthy lies—is a perennial favorite.

Don’t mind the long rambling intro from Bobby. He’s really, really obsessed with that new Janelle Monáe song.

Find the original LRB episode here. 

Bobby, Ann and Mike got up nice and early, and have laid claim to enough chairs by the pod pool for all of our P1’s—and more importantly—our P2s to maximize enjoyment of our latest TBTL Week in Review. We don’t care about you BMI, why you got a Saturday JUG, or even how you could blow that call at the buzzer in last week’s big Hooverball match. Bobby is broadcasting from Buffalo, Mike has a huge Stumpodate, and Ann received a package this week that has her equally delighted and horrified. Enjoy!

Mike Campbell's Baseball Reference page, as mentioned in Mike's greatest on-field spoof of all time.

At Ann’s behest, Mike and Bobby have watched the first eight episodes of network TV’s lowest-rated (and yet, critically acclaimed) show, the Showtime-castaway-turned-CW-cult favorite Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Fellow CXG fans Meredith and Christy join in to hear the guys’ thoughts on the show, and to tell them why they are wrong. Kidding! (Sort of.)

Can entertaining musical numbers and a surprisingly thoughtful (and hilarious) look at mental illness overcome modest scripting and an awful title?* Did the ladies successfully poke the bear? Can we all get a little White Josh in our lives? Tune in to find out while you wait for this Supernatural marathon to end so you can watch something called Arrow.

*If Andrew keeps singing, this could be a reasonable question about TBTL, too

Bonus links: Here's the song about urinary tract infections that we argued about, and here's Rachel Bloom’s ode to Ray Bradbury (NSFW!)

It was a busy week on TBTL of stock talk, fantastic guests, and a lot of voicemails. It took three tries, but we finally got our long-promised email frenzy (Andrew only had to get rid of Luke to do it). Your LRB crew of Ann, Meredith, and Mike are here to reflect on personal fashion choices (both then and now), decide that Facebook quizzes are an exercise in self-satisfaction, and reset the Joe-Joes history clock. Luke’s pronunciation of “po’boy” takes us on a journey through the theater of the mind, while in the LRB Movie Corner we wonder if Black Panther can live up to the impossible expectations (we hope so, but probably not?). In his latest Stumpdate, Mike’s facing a dilemma that challenges his unfavorable opinion of short men. Ann has a hot take on the Oxford comma. Meredith makes the most of her fidget time. Plus, our unironic admiration for Richard Marx.

It’s time to hang some lights and get the scenery out of storage, because we’re here to celebrate the premiere acting troupe of TBTL: The TBTL Players. In this episode: a Very Special clip from a 90’s tween favorite, Sean’s … interesting … vocal choices, the “best worst line ever,” and tour de force sound effects. Meredith and Ann discover yet another thing they have in common, while Christy thinks she’s discovered where Lin-Manuel Miranda REALLY found the idea for Hamilton. We also ask an important question: why are we so concerned with the box to the left? Plus, a visit from some special guests. Harrumph!