Too Much Information

The TMI gang are on summer vacation this week, so they dug through the vaults to present one of their favorite episodes — a story of life, love, and that frozen concoction that helps them hang on. Take a trip to Key West to explore one of the breeziest, booziest songs in existence — and uncover the secret darkness at its core. Jordan and Alex discuss the colorful cast of characters that helped inspire the track, the drug runners who saved Jimmy’s life, and how Elvis Presley nearly wound up recording the tune. They’ll also recount the time Jamaican police nearly killed Buffett and Bono, the unproduced Harrison Ford/Robert Redford buddy movie inspired by the lyrics, and how the song birthed a multi-billion-dollar empire that’s made Buffett one of the richest celebrities in the world.

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Our Mexican Pizzas of minutiae make a run for the border this week, covering the history of the perennial late night fast food option, Taco Bell. From its origins in unabashed caucasian theft, the hilarious corporate pettiness that has kept the chain running for decades, the life and legacy of America's favorite ad campaign-affiliated Chihuahua, just where the hell Baja Blast came from (spoiler: not Baja, that's for damn sure), Alex and Jordan serve us a Deluxe Cravings Box of facts. Listen Más, my friends!

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Barbie Fever has swept TMI thanks to Greta Gerwig's upcoming film, and Jordan forces Alex to discuss the making of one of the most polarizing hits of the '90s. You'll learn all about the doll's surprisingly scandalous backstory in the German red-light district, the band Aqua’s confounding fixation on Rick Astley, and the lengthy lawsuit that resulted from the hit song, and why it won't appear in the new movie. Alex's hatred of "Barbie Girl" leads to an expansive sidebar on the history of pop music as a method of torture, while Alex ponders his revenge on Jordan for making him talk about this song in the first place. It's a wild and shockingly dark journey through the world of Europop, feminism, toy manufacturing and the War on Terror — so let's go party! 

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With a new Indiana Jones movie allegedly out, Alex and Jordan prepare to likewise desecrate a sacred artifact in the spirit of scholarship and/or greed: 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'! They'll leave no stone — or idol — unturned as they comb through the minutiae of the film's genesis in a sandcastle-building session between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, marvel at the myriad ways in which Harrison Ford could have been killed while performing most of his own stunts, and reveal just how they exploded those Nazis' heads so good. They'll also uncover the species of animal Indy's whip is made from, investigate how many snakes is too many snakes, and laugh about the time Karen Allen punched Harrison Ford in the face. Too Much Information: It ain't the podcasts, honey, it's the mileage.

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Jordan and Alex delve into the coming-of-age classic that dares to ask, "Do you guys wanna see a dead body?" You'll learn about the deeply autobiographical Stephen King short story that spawned the script, discover which of the four leads had sex for the first time on the set, and find out which star married a 'Stand By Me' superfan. You'll also hear how River Phoenix's experiences in a cult informed his performance, how the production team pulled off all the grossness with the leeches, corpses and pie eating contests, and all about the weird role Michael Jackson nearly played in the film's soundtrack. Alex shares his theory that Stand By Me was just a dry run for Stephen King's 'It,' and Jordan shares the one line in the movie he can't hear without sobbing. 

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Alex and Jordan take a wide-ranging look at the life and deeply troubled legacy of '90s television's answer to PT Barnum — and how he made the jump from Cincinnati Mayor to giving a platform to individuals who fetishize Spam and date livestock. (Hint: it involves at least one very public sex scandal.) You'll learn about his Forrest Gump-ish early days at the center of a truly bizarre number of historical events and discover how his first-hand encounters with the London Blitz, RFK's assassination and the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots helped plant the seeds for his trademark televisual mayhem. In addition to covering the rise and fall of his show — and all the controversies and even murders it caused — the TMI guys touch on ghost ships, a woman married to the Eiffel Tower, Oprah, Austin Powers and a 70-pound baby.

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Jordan and Alex cruise through the making of a comedy classic that salutes the uniquely American phenomenon of taking a long, arduous road trip to a place that sucks. They'll explore the film's genesis as a John Hughes-penned short story in National Lampoon Magazine all the way up through the multi-million-dollar movie franchise it spawned — including some questionable sequels that mercifully went unproduced. You'll learn all about the epic cross-country shoot that nearly killed several members of the cast and learn how the Griswold's hideous car killed off the station wagon. Plus, you'll hear all sorts of tales of Chevy Chase behaving badly. So give a listen: you'll have so much f-cking fun, you'll need plastic surgery to remove your goddamn smiles!

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Alex and Jordan throw on their skinny jeans, vintage Ts and leather jackets to discuss one of the turn-of-the-century masterpieces of modern rock and roll — a dirtbag opus that taught us that rich kids could, with the right tunes and production, convincingly cosplay as legitimate scuzzbags. You'll learn about the band's privileged beginnings among the upper Manhattan elite (Sean Lennon introduced them at a Swiss prep school!) and then head downtown to the gritty recording sessions for "Last Nite" and "Someday" done in the basement of a methadone clinic. In addition to lots of drugs, sex and fist-fights — plus a surprisingly comprehensive overview of all the artists who've ripped off Tom Petty — you'll get a fascinating overview of the Meet Me in the Bathroom-era indie-rock scene of the early '00s — NYC's last gasp of punk. 

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Jordan and Alex take a trip to Bluffington to pay tribute to everyone's favorite sweater-vest clad diarist. You'll learn all about the real-life love story behind Doug Funnie and Patti Mayonnaise, the behind-the-scenes drama stemming from the show’s transition from Nick to the House of Mouse, and the controversies that continue to rage concerning Skeeter Valentine's blue skin tone. Plus you'll discover how the creation of Doug was fueled by endless margaritas and a passion for the Peanuts gang, and all the influences that went into the greatest rock band of our time — The Beets! 

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Jordan and Alex put the podcast in the basket to talk about one of the all-time masterpieces of horror cinema. Join your well-scrubbed, hustling hosts as they debunk the oft-repeated theory that Anthony Hopkins doesn't blink during this film, celebrate the determination Jodie Foster brought to campaigning for her role, and marvel at all the creepy touches that make the film so great, from its sound design to the Guy Who Handled the Moths. They'll also explore its checkered legacy in the trans community and the mostly unfortunate series of cash-in sequels that followed. Even under threat of getting the hose again, Alex is unable to stop doing Hannibal Lecter lines in a Sean Connery voice after learning Connery was initially considered for the role!  Too Much Information: You will tell us when the pods stop casting, won't you, Clarice?

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