This Show is Awkward

Recorded live in September 2021, Henrique Couto and Michelle celebrate 100 installments of This Show is Awkward with listener questions, technical mishaps and the unpredictable rhythm of audience chat. Looking back to the podcast’s November 2019 beginning, they consider what it means to create a weekly conversation with no fixed subject—simply two longtime friends making each other laugh without a script or commercial goal.
The questions turn Michelle’s difficulty choosing “starter anime” into a lively recommendation list. Attack on Titan, Death Note, Cowboy Bebop, the first season of My Hero Academia, Erased and Steins;Gate all enter the debate, with Re:Zero offered as an example of a more demanding starting point. Michelle also tells the story behind her song Banned at Mugshots, inspired in part by the Crass song Banned from the Roxy and a memorable Philadelphia café performance.
Movies, food and creativity keep the live show moving. The hosts revisit Phantasm, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Gone Girl and Planes, Trains and Automobiles; compare favorite dishes including Mexican rice and beans, soup, pesto and udon; and discuss Inktober and conversational improv. Henrique reflects on his early Ustream broadcasts and explains why this informal podcast gives him a creative outlet distinct from the more produced Weekly Spooky.
A filmmaking question brings practical perspective from Henrique’s directing career: be friendly, arrive on time, stay sober and understand that a screen actor often performs for the director rather than a responsive crowd. He contrasts stage feedback with the quiet concentration of a film set and names Nothing Good Ever Happens among his proudest projects. Audience identities, health claims and stale promotions have been omitted, leaving an energetic milestone built around friendship, anime, movies and making art for its own sake.
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Recorded in September 2021 during a thunderstorm, Henrique Couto and Michelle settle into fall with a run of spooky movie nights. Henrique recalls choosing Jaws: The Revenge and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master for his belated birthday screening, then looks ahead to Elvira’s 40th-anniversary marathon on Shudder. The Movie Crypt and Henrique’s own Babysitter Massacre also enter this enthusiastic horror-season conversation.
Michelle’s home-inspection studies supply the episode’s most practical subject: recognizing termites and other wood-destroying organisms. She explains that she was midway through a course focused partly on pesticide application, even though her goal was identifying visible signs of damage rather than treating a property. These remarks describe her training at the time, not pest-control, pesticide or licensing advice.
A perfectly timed spam call interrupts the termite discussion. Henrique politely tells a caller promoting a Medicare supplement plan that he is not eligible, then describes receiving several senior-benefit and final-expense calls each day. From there, a joke about addressing government paperwork becomes “to your mom, care of New Jersey,” the phrase behind the original episode title. No phone numbers, companies or claims from the caller are repeated.
The second half moves from contract fatigue to lawyers on television. Henrique discusses Goliath, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad while the hosts debate legal billing, courtroom drama and constitutional protections as personal opinions rather than legal guidance. A lighter finale recalls homemade iron-on shirts: Michelle printed her own characters, while Henrique recreated a wrestler’s design in MS Paint and took it to Sir Speedy. Horror favorites, scam-call overload and the awkward path toward a new profession make this a distinctly 2021 snapshot.
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Recorded in September 2021 after a two-week break, Henrique Couto returns from a cabin vacation and HorrorHound Weekend in Cincinnati. His quiet getaway included kayaking, campfires and late-night movies—until distant dogs and a deep sound in the woods convinced him and Rachel that a black bear might be nearby. They calmly put out the fire and went inside; the animal was never seen or confirmed.
The cabin story makes room for the gentler side of the trip: tiny frogs, dragonflies, fish, turtles and a stream-fed wetland explored by kayak. Back home, Henrique marks his 35th birthday and shows off a Dr. Stone shirt featuring Senku that Michelle gave him. Michelle, meanwhile, describes the 2021 paperwork she was assembling for her home-inspection business, including insurance documentation and a New Jersey application.
Another milestone belongs to Weekly Spooky, which had reached 100 episodes with a two-part collection of new stories. Henrique praises Michelle’s compact horror contribution, Normal Shit, and compares its campfire-story economy with her earlier writing. He also reflects on introducing convention visitors to an anthology podcast they could sample in any order as its seasonal audience began growing again.
The final stretch is a spirited tour of Halloween traditions. Henrique compares Ohio’s shifting Beggars Night schedule with Mischief Night, then describes fog at the front door, generous bowls of candy, familiar scary movies and a jack-o’-lantern pizza. The hosts discuss Shudder’s Ghoul Log, Joe Bob Briggs, Elvira’s anniversary marathon, Trick ’r Treat and scary stories from online communities. Wildlife theories, platform schedules, business status and event details are all preserved as personal memories from 2021, not present-day guidance.
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Recorded in September 2021, Henrique Couto approaches his 35th birthday by asking Michelle for life advice—only to discover she is busy navigating a milestone of her own. Michelle had just received the Pennsylvania DBA for Our Best Home Inspections and was mapping the remaining steps toward operating a home-inspection business. The original title’s “errors and omissions” joke refers to professional liability insurance, not a collection of mistakes.
Their conversation follows Michelle’s startup checklist as she understood it at the time: a Pennsylvania tax form, insurance, a business bank account, New Jersey licensing paperwork, a website and business cards. She and Henrique compare do-it-yourself website builders with hiring a designer, consider domain ownership and professional email addresses, and joke about social media, a car magnet and a deliberately terrible advertising jingle. This is a historical account, not business, tax, insurance or licensing advice.
Michelle also inventories the equipment she expected to carry: backup flashlights, a tape measure, an infrared thermometer, a reversible screwdriver, a GFCI outlet tester and a collapsible ladder. For roof observations, she mentions a drone, binoculars or direct access depending on the situation. The hosts’ loose exchange reflects preparation in progress; it should not be treated as a complete professional toolkit or as safety guidance for roofs, electrical systems or drone use.
Around that central startup story, Henrique reflects on recording two shows in a row for the first time since his COVID-19 recovery and solicits ideas for the approaching 100th conversation. The friends also trade birthday jokes, discuss travel plans and compare the frustration of specialty insurance with Henrique’s complaints about a hybrid-car fee. Grounded in 2021, the episode captures the uncertainty, research and humor behind turning a new credential into a real small business.
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Recorded in September 2021, Henrique Couto spots a Facebook ad for a Hawaiian shirt covered with Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Leatherface. His search for a trustworthy seller uncovers the same design across unfamiliar storefronts, inconsistent prices and products that appear to be dropshipped. Michelle recalls finding a suspiciously cheap Labyrinth collectible copied from an artist’s Etsy listing, while Henrique tells a comic cautionary tale about ordering a picnic table and receiving a watch.
The shopping discussion reflects the hosts’ personal experiences, not a verified finding about any named seller or financial advice. Henrique compares Etsy and Amazon listings and explains why he preferred familiar payment protections, but those 2021 policies and prices may have changed. The conversation is repeatedly interrupted by Michelle’s computer freezing, transforming an online-shopping story into an unplanned technology comedy.
Henrique then prepares for a birthday cabin trip and HorrorHound Weekend in Cincinnati, his first convention since the COVID-19 disruption. He recalls inducting his late friend Andy Copp into the Horror Host Hall of Fame for directing Shock Theatre and discusses returning as the ceremony’s host while representing Popcorn Fodder. Cinema Wasteland was next on his calendar, though every event detail is presented historically rather than as a current listing.
A long vacation debate completes the episode. Henrique imagines a beach trip to El Salvador, while Michelle prefers a remote Pennsylvania cabin or a journey through Japan, especially Hokkaido. They compare heat, crowds, language learning, termites and destinations with their usual dark humor. Crucially, Henrique is urging Michelle to consider a vacation—not proposing that she relocate somewhere dangerous. Crime, public-health, airfare and cryptocurrency claims from the conversation were omitted because they were speculative, sensitive or tied to 2021 conditions.
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Recorded in August 2021, Henrique Couto describes using YouTube’s copyright tools to find reaction videos and unauthorized uploads of his films. The discovery opens a candid creator-rights conversation about deciding when a fan response helps a movie and when a complete upload crosses the line. He also recounts resolving a delayed licensing payment for Stirring, his Christmas short about a monster hiding in a tree, without naming or accusing the distributor in these notes.
Michelle’s home-improvement project supplies the episode’s other major problem. She notices cracks on the exposed exterior foundation and white mineral deposits on the wall’s interior side, patches several areas with concrete crack filler and learns how to use a caulk gun. The hosts identify the deposits as efflorescence based on Michelle’s course material, but this is an in-progress personal account—not structural, waterproofing or home-repair guidance. Cosmetic paint is never presented as a fix for water or foundation concerns.
Finding a convincing finish proves harder than filling the cracks. Michelle compares stone-texture spray paints from Rust-Oleum and Krylon, only to encounter indoor-only labels, unavailable colors and samples that look different once sprayed. Trips to Lowe’s and Michaels turn into a running search for the right gray. Henrique proposes marble-look contact paper and connects the idea to the gleaming mausoleum walls in Phantasm.
The friends close with Michelle still waiting for Pennsylvania paperwork for her planned DBA and with ideas for the approaching 100th conversation. Those business, product-stock and platform details are preserved as 2021 history rather than current information. The result is an episode about creators protecting their work, the comedy of a deceptively complicated paint match and the limits of learning a household project in real time.
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Recorded in August 2021, the day after his great-aunt Betty died, Henrique Couto pauses the usual comedy to remember the woman who was effectively his grandmother. He speaks candidly about the strange rhythms of grief after a prolonged illness and about the importance of saying “I love you” while someone can hear it. Michelle gives him room to decide, moment by moment, whether to change the subject or keep telling stories.
Henrique remembers Aunt Betty and her late husband Charles as steady support for him and his mother. Their home hosted years of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, with cold soda over crushed ice and family recipes always close at hand. Charles shared his enthusiasm for technology and gospel music, while Betty arrived in her familiar red minivan whenever the family needed practical help. These memories emphasize care and belonging without publishing private medical, financial or location details.
Some of the warmest stories show Betty welcoming Henrique exactly as he was. She accepted his unconventional childhood clothes, took pride in his filmmaking and once welcomed a small movie crew into her orbit. When school bullies followed him home, she raced over and fiercely chased them away before comforting him. Henrique reflects on how that protection shaped the loyalty he hopes to offer the people he loves.
A malfunctioning thermostat provides a brief comic counterpoint. In his restless grief, Henrique replaces it with a Google Nest and experiments with schedules and voice controls; the pricing, compatibility and wiring discussion reflects one personal 2021 DIY experience, not electrical or HVAC instruction. Michelle’s Weekly Spooky story “Normal Shit” also receives a brief mention. At heart, however, this is a loving oral remembrance of holiday traditions, everyday kindness and a formidable family protector.
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Henrique Couto opens with a tiny legal windfall: a $2.15 payment from a Google+ profile class-action settlement. The real victory belongs to Michelle, who drives an hour to take the National Home Inspector Examination and passes despite expecting the worst. Her blunt celebratory text gives Henrique a chance to recognize how far she has come toward a new home-inspection career.
Passing the exam does not make every next step obvious. Michelle is still sorting through school documentation, a New Jersey application and questions about an employer identification number, a DBA and working across state lines. Both hosts openly admit that they do not know the answers and eventually land on the sensible conclusion that some questions require a qualified professional. Their 2021 paperwork conversation is personal history, not legal, tax, licensing or business advice.
The mood changes when Gigs, Michelle’s cat, begins limping after an unknown mishap. Michelle rearranges her workday for a veterinary visit and describes the medications prescribed for pain and inflammation, while Henrique tries to reassure her that ordinary cat activity may explain the strain. The cause is never established, so the story remains a worried pet owner’s account rather than a diagnosis or veterinary recommendation.
Then unexplained scratches on Michelle’s arm trigger the episode’s most awkward spiral: what if a bat entered the house? No bat was seen, no bite or rabies exposure was observed and Michelle was not diagnosed or treated for rabies; even she says the marks look like cat scratches. From there, the friends riff on bats, raccoons, skunks, opossums and wildlife guidance, turning health anxiety into escalating comedy. The historical research they read aloud should not replace current medical, veterinary or public-health advice.
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Recorded in August 2021, Henrique Couto describes being interviewed for Mom N’ Pop: The Indie Video Store Boom of the ’80s / ’90s, director Bobby Canipe Jr.’s then-in-production documentary about independent video rental shops. The conversation explores the stores that existed beyond Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and Movie Gallery, including the wonderfully local practice of renting tapes from tanning salons and other unexpected businesses.
Henrique and Michelle trade memories of Easy Video, Video Val’s, West Coast Video, Family Video and public-library VHS shelves. Henrique recalls repeatedly borrowing The Wizard of Speed and Time, crossing a busy road for rentals and discovering movies through whatever happened to be available. A friend’s work as a 1990s video broker adds another angle: large chains sold off former new releases, and smaller stores bought the used tapes for their own shelves.
The warmest section considers what video-store nostalgia is really trying to recover. Michelle remembers watching movies and anime with her family, while Henrique pictures pizza, tapes, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction and late-night Space Ghost with his mother. They agree that reopening a rental counter cannot fully recreate childhood, yet familiar rituals can echo those memories. The discussion expands into old and new music, changing tastes and the value of remaining curious rather than living only inside nostalgia.
The episode also captures two smaller 2021 milestones: Henrique sells an older iPad through eBay, and Michelle prepares to take the National Home Inspector Examination the following day. Her result was not yet known during this recording, despite the original notes’ playful prediction that she passed. Together, these stories create a thoughtful celebration of VHS culture, family movie nights and the moments that make physical media matter.
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Spoiler and content warning: recorded in August 2021, Henrique Couto discusses The Forever Purge and earlier Purge films, including political extremism, fictional murder and major plot details. He traces the series from The Purge through Anarchy, Election Year and The First Purge before reviewing the fifth film’s central idea: the annual violence refuses to end, and survivors head toward Mexico seeking asylum. His response mixes genuine enthusiasm with questions about the story’s border logic and political themes.
Henrique also gives a mostly spoiler-light review of M. Night Shyamalan’s Old. The beach-set thriller’s accelerated-aging premise fills him with dread about aging, illness and time, but he praises its mystery and final revelations. That reaction leads into a quick appreciation of Shyamalan’s run from The Visit through Split and Glass. All release and theater talk reflects the film’s 2021 theatrical moment rather than current availability.
Michelle brings a very different kind of suspense from a field inspection at a flipped house. In her account, the roof had been layered over an older roof and splashed with paint, the heating and cooling system behaved unpredictably, and the electric water heater produced no hot water. She and the inspector work through the confusing switches, breakers and thermostat behavior while Henrique supplies comic questions. This is a trainee’s recollection of one property, not a diagnosis, repair guide or professional home-inspection advice.
The episode opens with a personal update about Chicano after veterinary cardiology testing. Henrique says the dog’s heart disease and arrhythmia were described as early or mild, that Chicano was acting normally, and that another monitor was recommended for later follow-up. The hosts’ relief, Michelle’s growing inspection experience and Henrique’s improving stamina place the conversation firmly in its 2021 setting. Together, the stories connect horror-movie anxiety with the real uncertainties of pet care, recovery and learning a new career.
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