Are You Garbage? “Hostile Takeover!” w/ Kevin Ryan & H. Foley

Release Date: January 1, 2026
Hosts: Kevin Ryan & H. Foley
Special Guest: Luke Dempsey

Overview

In this “Hostile Takeover” episode, the regular “Are You Garbage?” hosts, Kevin Ryan and H. Foley, flip the script with a bit-heavy, high-energy “corporate” takeover storyline. The show riffs on the idea that the podcast has been bought out by a private equity group (the Dempsey Group), resulting in mock job reassignments, new bosses, vests, and heated “boardroom” tension—with cameos from Luke Dempsey. The episode weaves the corporate bit throughout as the comedians shift between satirical workplace banter and classic AYG-style “garbage” life questions from fans.

H. Foley and Kevin’s infectious chemistry is on full display, with quick-fire exchanges, good-natured ribbing, and boisterous pushback on “corporate” changes—creating a meta-commentary on selling out versus keeping it “garbage” and blue-collar.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. “Hostile Takeover” Corporate Comedy Bit

• Foley announces that Are You Garbage? has been “acquired” in a faux hostile takeover by the Dempsey Group, with everyone donning branded vests and playing with job titles.
• H. Foley narrates as the newly minted “CEO,” demoting Kevin to “junior VP on the Toddy account,” Kevin is now “just Kevin. Kevin from accounting.” (00:53)
  • Foley: “I’m the CEO… You’re back out there, hitting the pavement... door-to-door podcasting.” (03:46)
  • Kevin: “I did not like this. This is all news to me.” (01:29)
• Corporate lingo, finance bros, and references to Wall Street, vests, and private equity abound. Kevin teases about “door-to-door podcasting” and embracing “Main Street not Wall Street.” (04:14)
• Running gag of Foley negotiating with Dempsey Group, selling out for a Cheesecake Factory sundae, and fears of losing control/access (“They got me leveraged… it was all stock, not a dollar changed hands”). (05:53)
• Memorable banter about the new “corporate” regime:
  • Kevin: “What did you get out of this deal?... These guys are bloodsuckers.” (06:00)
  • Foley: “He bought me a sundae. Brought out the paperwork.” (07:07)

2. Satire of Sell-Out Culture vs. Blue Collar Roots

• Kevin fiercely resists the corporate change—“No, we did not [need corporate money]… We run a very nice business.” (09:43)
• Jokes about “diluted shares,” “undiluted shares,” and fears that “the rich get richer.”
  • Kevin: “Now my shares are diluted. I’m out. Regular Mark Cuban—Cuban sandwich, you are.” (10:14)
• References to security ("Blackwater contractors are outside—Russ and Tony, ex-SEALs") and private equity nefariousness. (09:46)
• The cast mocks practices like half-day Fridays, company golf outings, and the corporate perks & quirks now permeating their “trashy” podcast.
  • Foley: “50 hours a week. I’m sorry, what?”
  • Kevin: “We’re working four tens.”

3. Fan Questions—Classic “Garbage” Content

• Pivot back to the familiar: answering fan-submitted “Are My Habits Garbage?” questions about family money blaster booths, school drop-off in tinted cars, handling household trash, and “Pro Moves.”
  • Cash Grab Booth:
    • Is it garbage if your dad owns a cash-blower booth for family parties?
    • Kevin: “That’s sick. Especially for kids. That’s a good time… If you walk away with a couple bucks as a 10-year-old, it’s a good friggin time.” (29:37)
  • Tinted Windows Drop-Off:
    • Is it garbage to get dropped off at school in a car with tinted windows?
    • Kevin: “That’s a tough look. I remember piling out of a Mustang thinking I was Vanilla Ice. You couldn’t tell me shit.” (32:24)
  • Garbage Cans & Trash Discipline:
    • Extensive riffing about leaving trash in cold garages, breaking “trash can etiquette,” and negotiating neighborhood trash can rules.
    • Kevin: “It’s refrigerated trash—it’s aside from the house… it’s in a can, locked in the cold.”
    • Hypotheticals on using commercial junk haulers like 1-800-GOT-JUNK, going to the dump, and splitting copper profits: “There’s no better service.” (50:25)
  • Pro Move:
    • Is it “trash” to clear a check engine light before selling a car?
    • Kevin: “That’s the move… let them figure it out.” (59:35)

4. Memorable Quotes & Comic Highlights

“Corporate” Antics

• Foley (on corporate perks): “We got new corporate cards, half-day Fridays… We got to start playing golf.” (07:33)
• Kevin: “I have a strict no-Fridays policy. That’s for the gumars.” (07:44)

On “Betrayal” and Picking Sides

• Kevin (to Foley): “Bit of a rat, corporate shill, narcissist, fucking backstabber. That’s what you are to me.” (33:48)
• Foley (on getting “taken”): “They bought me a sundae…brought out the paperwork.” (07:07)
• Luke Dempsey (joining the bit): “Wait for the shareholder meeting. We’re gonna take you to Vail.” (32:31)

On “Going Pirate”/Fighting Back

• Kevin: "I have to push back. I'm not doing that. We're going pirate. We're gonna lock up the studio. Gonna send Luke on a long walk." (20:01)
• Reinstating the classic “Army of Garbage”:
  • Kevin: “We ride together, we die together. Kippy's Heating and Cooling for life.” (20:49)

On Life’s “Garbage” Details

• On fan’s cash booth dad:
  • Foley: “Why would he have that?”
  • Kevin: “See what I mean? That’s sick. You get 20 seconds in the dollar booth, man, it sucks. Put one or two hundreds in there, that was always the big thing.” (28:24)
• On ice cream in the morning:
  • Kevin: “As an adult, it’s gotta be some sort of vacation—and noon. The fact that your number was 9:30 seems very early, very early.” (68:29)
  • Foley: “Not before 9:30am. Okay, but I have.” (68:02)

5. Other Notable Segments

• Mock Undercover Boss Pitch:
  • Foley suggests doing an Undercover Boss, with Kevin pretending to be a new editor coming in from Germany. (24:21)
• Fan Question: When’s it “Acceptable” for Adults to Eat Ice Cream?
  • The hosts hash out scenarios, rules, and personal habits—landing on vacation as the only context for early morning ice cream. (64:33–68:46)
• Copper Scrap Profiteering/Early Jobs:
  • Extended “dirtbag” stories about summer copper scrapping, making cash, and growing up family business trashy. (53:46–57:41)
  • Kevin: “We were big on dump. Big on scrapyards too. Calling different scrapyards, seeing what copper’s going for...” (53:32)
• Nostalgia/Comedy Callback:
  • References to The Sopranos, 30 Rock, Def Jam poetry, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and old family cars.
  • Running gags about eating too many hot dogs and red Gatorade in the summer, and the perils of “artificial flavors.” (58:04)

Highlighted Memorable Moments

• Foley's Sellout for Cheesecake Factory:
  • "He took me to a beautiful corporate steakhouse, Cheesecake Factory ... Bought me a sundae. Brought out the paperwork." (06:45–07:08)
• Kevin rallies the “Army of Garbage”:
  • “We're back, baby. Army of garbage. Take that, Luke... We ride together, we die together." (20:37–20:49)
• On the check engine light hustle:
  • "Is it trash to stop by the auto parts store to clear the check engine light on the way to trade in your car?"
  • Kevin: "That's the move. Let them figure it out." (59:35)
• Trash Can Etiquette Debate:
  • Argument over taking out a half-empty outside trash can or waiting until it’s full.
  • Foley: “You don’t need to… unless the trash can is full.”
  • Kevin: “I disagree with that 100 percent.” (47:46)
• Corporate Satire Peak:
  • Kevin: "You're pissed. You steal my company out from under me, you rat bastard." (48:37)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Hostile Takeover Bit Begins: 00:53–05:53
• Corporate Satire, Perks & Pushback: 06:00–12:00
• Vests & “Finance Bro” Jokes: 02:25–04:46
• Shares/Dilution/Takeover Language: 09:50–10:14
• Family Episode, Fan Questions Begin: 27:33–28:09
• Cash Blower Booth Discussion: 28:09–30:12
• School Drop-Off in Tinted Windows: 31:00–33:19
• Trash Night/Dump Rituals: 43:48–53:53
• Copper Scrapping Stories: 53:46–58:14
• Check Engine Light Pro Move: 59:35–59:50
• Ice Cream-for-Breakfast Debate: 64:33–69:03
• Closing/New Year Messages: 70:01–70:20

Tone and Style

• The tone is fast, irreverent, and consistently playful, with a heavy dose of affectionate ball-busting.
• The “hostile takeover” serves as a running meta-gag, giving the entire episode the feel of a “special” or “anniversary” edition—but the underlying “garbage” heart (and questions) remains constant.
• Language is blue-collar, self-effacing, and classic AYG: plenty of swearing, self-deprecating humor, and real talk about dirtbag habits.

For New Listeners

If you’re new to 'Are You Garbage?', this episode is an ideal snapshot: it spotlights the hosts’ unbeatable dynamic, their love of trashy Americana, and a parade of running gags and inside jokes—while keeping the central game of “What makes someone garbage?” alive and hilariously well. Even with the “corporate” takeover story, the answers to listeners’ trashy questions, and slice-of-life stories about cars, garbage, and blue-collar ingenuity stay front and center.

Notable Quote:

• “I run this ship the AYG way, the small business owner way. We’re not doing your corporate dance.”
  — Kevin Ryan (22:55)

Memorable Moment:

• “We're back, baby. Army of garbage. Take that, Luke... We ride together, we die together.”
  — Kevin Ryan (20:49)

Classic “Garbage” Life-Advice Take:

• “That's the move. Let them figure it out.”—Kevin Ryan, on resetting a check engine light before trading in a car. (59:35)

Conclusion

“Hostile Takeover!” is Are You Garbage? at its cleverest and most self-aware: mocking the perils of “selling out,” reaffirming loyalty to their listeners, and reveling in the everyday “trashy” details that make the show a cult favorite. Laugh-out-loud bits, real-life "garbage" wisdom, and an assurance to their fans—the boys aren’t changing (no matter how many vests they’re forced to wear).