Diggnation (Rebooted) – Holiday Highlights: AI, Mike Tyson, Retro Cars & More

Podcast: Diggnation (Rebooted)
Hosts: Kevin Rose & Alex Albrecht
Episode: Diggnation Holiday Highlights | AI, Mike Tyson, Retro Cars & More
Date: December 24, 2025

Overview

The holiday episode marks a festive return for the Diggnation crew, serving up a spirited “clip show” of the most memorable, hilarious, and insightful moments from the past year. Reunited after 15 years, Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht revisit clips ranging from AI hijinks and Mike Tyson hypotheticals to retro car obsessions, brain science oddities, and the quirks of modern internet culture—all with their trademark, casual, geek-humor style.

The couch-and-cocktails vibe is alive, with off-the-cuff banter, gift exchanges, and tongue-in-cheek self-deprecation, as the hosts celebrate both their friendship and the rebirth of Diggnation.

Highlights & Discussion Points

Holiday Vibes and Gift Exchange

• The episode opens with eggnog, gifts, and festive attire.
  • Kevin gifts Gentleman Jack and Dalmore King Alexander III whisky, Dom Perignon champagne, and protein shakes to match each friend’s drinking habits.
  • "This is fucking fantastic. Thanks, bud." (Alex, [03:16])
• The tradition of geeking out on the couch continues, now with even fancier drinks.

Reflecting on the Year

• Kevin reminisces about the show’s earliest reboot episodes, including those shot at his house—before it burned down.
  • "Those first shows... were from my house that burned down." (Kevin, [04:07])
• The pair are grateful for being “back together and being able to do these shows and drinks.”
  • "It's been really a blast to get back together." (Alex, [12:49])

Clip 1: Facing Mike Tyson for Millions

[04:30 – 07:38]

• Would they get in the ring with a 65-year-old Mike Tyson for $75 million?
  • "One punch at 65... He could break some ribs." (Kevin, [04:54])
  • Alex is particularly anxious: "I'd have a fucking seizure looking at him coming towards me now." ([05:15])
• They riff on whether they'd take a body shot for half a million and joke about using winnings to buy a Lamborghini.
• Reference to Creed movie: taking a real punch to prepare for a role and how pro fighters hit on another level.
• Recurring theme: what people would do for absurd money.

Clip 2: The Hyundai Pronunciation Saga

[07:51 – 11:36]

• A Korean viewer corrects their mispronunciation of “Hyundai.” They jokingly try (and fail) to say it right.
  • "All the letters are silent except the 'Hyundai.'" (Alex, [08:12])
• Geeking out over retro and concept cars:
  • The 1980s Hyundai Heritage series concept, how car companies water down cool concepts for release.
• The Plymouth Prowler is discussed as an example of a wild concept that actually hit the streets.
  • "There was probably 15 years of Mustang that were just God awful." (Kevin, [11:25])

Clip 3: The Worst Show Ever & Digg Reboot Progress

[11:52 – 13:59]

• Stories about a live show where Kevin “quit drinking after the show.”
  • "I was too ham. This is when I quit drinking after the show." (Kevin, [11:55])
• Reflection on Alexis Ohanian’s guest appearance and the South by Southwest event.
• Discussion on challenges of rebuilding Digg—bot prevention, security, and scaling for a massive social site.
  • "It was a long, hard road to get to an infrastructure and kind of the table stakes features." (Kevin, [13:00])
• Alex and Kevin express excitement for the upcoming launch and vibrant online communities.

Internet Communities, Lurking, and Weird Interests

[14:08 – 18:18]

• Alex admits to lurking on “What Could Go Wrong” and “WallStreetBets.”
  • "Sometimes it's not fun, but when it's fun... I like that." (Alex, [15:26])
• Alex’s AI-powered (not-yet-built) day trading machine plan, and a story about making a custom expense-splitting app via AI.
• Realization: AI can now solve old spreadsheet problems, if not quite yet “print money.”

AI & Productivity: App Creation and Financial Advice

• Tales of using ChatGPT and Cursor AI to build practical tools “just by asking” ([17:32–18:18]).
  • "It was fucking easy." (Alex, [17:43])
• The hosts riff on AI “Not Financial Advice” and why just prompting “Make me money” won’t actually work.
  • "During that episode, you were convinced that, like, you could just be like, chatgpt, make me money and do hedge fund." (Kevin, [23:10])
  • "ChatGPT thought it was a great idea." (Alex, [23:27])
• Recurring disclaimer: "Not financial advice." (Multiple times throughout, e.g. [22:43], [23:18])

AI for Negotiation and Life Skills

[24:49 – 27:44]

• Kevin shares a family story: using ChatGPT (with Chris Voss’s negotiation methodology) to resolve a custody issue.
  • “There is tactics like that... that’s just brilliant.” (Kevin, [25:29])
• Tips: Use AI + "Crucial Conversations" PDF for conflict resolution and credit card disputes.
  • "99% of the time, dude, it works so great because people want to be validated..." (Kevin, [26:55])
• Discussion of “No is a complete sentence” as a boundary-setting mantra ([27:44]), and the psychological technique that adding “because” makes people accept explanations or requests.

Telepathy Tapes, Autism, and Consciousness

[18:25 – 21:49]

• Kevin enthusiastically plugs “The Telepathy Tapes” podcast:
  • Nonverbal autistic kids learning to communicate, claims of telepathy, and "dope savant" stories of reading two pages at once.
  • "They are showing freaking telepathy happen between these kids... It is very compelling." (Kevin, [19:42])
• Alex is skeptical but intrigued by the idea of consciousness as a shared, tappable “cloud.”

Language, Internet Slang, and “Spank Bank” Revelation

[29:48 – 37:26]

• Kevin’s embarrassing discovery that “Netflix and chill” is slang for hooking up, not watching TV alone.
  • "I've said that to people... at Google... and people are like, oh, damn. He just told me he's banging that." (Kevin, [31:04])
• “Spank bank” and aphantasia: Kevin can’t visualize images in his mind, so he didn’t realize a "spank bank" (mental images for sexual recall) is real for others.
  • "I thought the spank bank was a joke... There's an actual bank." (Kevin, [31:49])
  • Alex: "The spank bank is real. Is it real? Oh, yeah, like, you could see perfect." ([32:10])
• Kevin’s feelings-based decision-making—his “superpower” tied to aphantasia.
  • "My bullshit detector is really high." (Kevin, [35:02])
  • Emotional instincts fuel his investing, rather than visualizing outcomes.

Deep Cuts & Classic Diggnation Moments

[38:04 – end]

• Nostalgic clips:
  • Buying from the dark web, zombie apocalypse scenarios, “male depression epidemic,” and the importance of having a judgment-free table of friends.
  • "If you knew that you could trust the men around the table to not judge you, not try and fix you, but just listen to you and support you..." ([38:49])
• The hosts express gratitude for the show's return and community support:
  • "Thank you all for coming along this journey with us yet again." (Alex, [39:17])
  • “Every month or so, I'll see a comment that's like, dignation's back. Shut the fuck up!” (Kevin, [39:24])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I'm just over here in the bar whipping up a little holiday eggnog. I was wondering if we could do a clip show." (Kevin, [00:02])
• "Those first shows... were from my house that burned down." (Kevin, [04:07])
• "One punch at 65... He could break some ribs." (Kevin, [04:54])
• "It was a long, hard road to get to an infrastructure and kind of the table stakes features..." (Kevin, [13:00])
• "Sometimes it's not fun, but when it's fun... I like that." (Alex, [15:26])
• "I just asked Cursor, make me a web app where I can put in receipts... And guess what, it was fucking easy." (Alex, [17:15] & [17:43])
• "ChatGPT thought it was a great idea." (Alex, [23:27])
• "Do you mind if I go ahead of you because..." (on the psychology of 'because', [29:11])
• "I've said that to people... at Google... and people are like, oh, damn. He just told me he's banging that." (Kevin, [31:04])
• "I thought the spank bank was a joke... There's an actual bank." (Kevin, [31:49])
• "My bullshit detector is really high." (Kevin, [35:02])
• "If you knew that you could trust the men around the table to not judge you, not try and fix you, but just listen to you and support you." ([38:49])
• “Dignation’s back. Shut the fuck up.” (Kevin, [39:24])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [00:02] – Show intro, holiday jokes, and gift exchange
• [04:30] – Mike Tyson for $75 million debate
• [07:51] – Hyundai pronunciation hijinks and retro car concepts
• [11:52] – Kevin’s “worst show” and Digg development war stories
• [14:08] – Lurking in online communities, WallStreetBets, AI side projects
• [18:25] – Autism, telepathy, and superhuman podcast stories
• [22:43] – “Not financial advice” AI speculation and clip
• [24:49] – AI for negotiation/life: tactics from “Crucial Conversations”
• [27:44] – The power of “No is a complete sentence,” because-hacks
• [29:48] – Kevin’s “Netflix and chill” revelation
• [31:34] – Spank bank/aphantasia realization, visualization differences
• [35:02] – Kevin on intuitive “gut” as a superpower
• [38:04] – Highlight reel: classic Diggnation moments & gratitude

Tone & Style

• Highly casual and comedic, full of asides, running jokes, and self-mockery
• Geeky nostalgia mixed with reflections on tech, AI, online community, and human connection
• The holiday setting adds warmth and camaraderie among old friends

For New Listeners

This episode is a perfect jump-in: you’ll get a taste of Diggnation’s signature humor, chemistry, and worldview, along with a tour through the most entertaining topics of their rebooted run. The banter is dense with internet references and human quirks, but the real connective tissue is the easy rapport and openness between the hosts.

If you’ve ever missed the feeling of two friends just riffing on the absurdity of life, technology, and the internet—this is a warm, hilarious, oddly heartfelt holiday special worth the listen.