Podcast
Dork Matters
Hosted by Ben Rankel, Lexi Hunt · EN
A dorky podcast, for dorks. Hosts Lexi Hunt and Ben Rankel get very uncool about everything: books, video games, animals, TV, trains, movies, mental health. Listen and learn something you'll probably forget every other Wednesday.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Farewell to Stardork Valley
Jul 10, 202401:02:36Tap to summarizeOur unending gratefulness to everyone who participated in creating this silly little pod. And to every single person who listened to even a single second of our show, a very sincere thank you. So long, and thanks for all the fish.Bonus Content:https://www.tiktok.com/@lancebass/video/7363737738727755054https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-cult-of-jared-leto/id1566917047?i=1000566356525 SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →What's Behind Dork Number 4?
Jun 19, 202401:05:15Tap to summarizeCome on down! You're the next listener of Dork Matters! Lexi & Ben are dorking out about the best of all games shows in this, the penultimate epsiode of the podcast! This isn't Jeopardy! SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Romantic Comedorkies
Jun 5, 202401:02:33Tap to summarizeHe's just not that into you! Or maybe he is? Or maybe we all need to just snuggle up with a good mug of tea, put on some comfy pants and watch ourselves some romantic comedies. In this episode, join Lexi and Ben and maybe Nora Ephron to really get into the world of funny romance movies. (Please note that Nora Ephron is not actually IN this episode). Are you more of a "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" kinda person, or maybe a "The Notebook" person? Listen now and pick your romantic poison!Jess Says:- I was going to say Swedish berries but like is that a gummy??? idk- Rooked is mommy, thanks for the shout out - Ryan is so tickled- You missed When Harry Met Sally!!! I just think it's iconic and the diner scene is so good- Ryan and I's song is The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys (idk why, it's a song that Ryan always liked and I didn't know it until we started dating and we both love it)Transcript:Keywords: gummies, candy, romantic comedies, romcom, chick flick, relationship, breakup, puppet, MuppetLexi 00:01 Just regular gummy bears. Ben 00:03 Oh, I guess that's all right. I'm partial to real fruit gummies. Lexi 00:09 I like a bear in a gummy.Ben 00:11 Yeah. Lexi 00:13 Or a coke bottle. I like a good cola bottle. Ben 00:13 Coke bottles are good. What's your ultimate gummy? I don't think we've ever talked about gummies.Lexi 00:19 Iced tea.Ben 00:19 There's an iced tea gummy?Lexi 00:19 There's an iced tea gummy by the makers of the... Haribo?Ben 00:27 Haribo, yeah. Lexi 00:29 They also make an iced tea gummy. Ben 00:30 I don't think I've ever seen that one, but I'm down with some Haribo. Lexi 00:32 I've only ever found it in the candy store in Banff.Ben 00:36 Wow, I like their mixed gummies. I'm a gummy stan.Lexi 00:41 Me too. I can say no to a lot of candy, but a gummy? I have a hard time passing up a gummy. Ben 00:48 It just feels right.Lexi 00:49 It does.Ben 00:49 Okay. Taking away any sort of extra-special types of gummies, what's like a normal gummy go-to for you?Lexi 00:58 Um...Ben 00:59 If you had to choose sort of the run-of-the-mill, you can find them at the drugstore, Shoppers Drug Mart. Lexi 01:04 Coke bottle. Any type of coke bottle. Ben 01:06 All right, all right.Lexi 01:06 A blue shark. I like a blue shark. Ben 01:07 Ooh. Lexi 01:07 I like a gummy bear.Ben 01:12 Mm, mm, mm.Lexi 01:12 And then, if I'm hard pressed, I'll do a gummy worm. Ben 01:12 Mm.Lexi 01:17And then, everything else, I can kind of say no to. What about you?Ben 01:20 I'm partial to sour gummies. Lexi 01:23 Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Ben 01:23 I do like them. So, a sour soother is pretty good. Dina-sour, if you will. Lexi 01:29 Yeah. Very good. My mom used to have those in bulk when she was a high-school principal, and I would just eat them off of her desk all the time. Yep. Ben 01:36 Yeah. I used to hang out in a hot tub with my older brother when we were finished high school, but hadn't moved on with life yet, and we'd sit in the hot tub out back, and just eat sour soothers till, like, 3 in the morning. Lexi 01:50 Well, you know, there's worse things. Ben 01:51 Yeah, right?Lexi 01:53 Do you have a favourite colour of gummy? Ben 01:55 Oh, no. I've never really worried about that. I do like those fried egg looking ones though from Haribo, as well. Lexi 02:00 Mm. Like the 10-cent candies, which are more like a dollar, like just the mix of things.Ben 02:05 Yeah, I like a mix, as well, like a little mix bag, but I like the sour packages. If we are talking about king of gummies, for me, it's a jube-jube.Lexi 02:14 Really? Ben 02:15 Or a Jujube. Yeah, I mean, I'll eat them fresh or not fresh, but they are definitely better when they're fresh. They haven't gone all hard and shit. Lexi 02:23 Yeah. I miss the pink package of gummy bears. That was the king of gummies--Ben 02:29 Oh, I don't know that package. No, I don't. Lexi 02:31 Do you remember that? Like, I remember being a child in going to see The Lion King in theatres and my mom was like, "You can get a snack," and I was like, "I want gummy bears," and it was in a pink package.Ben 02:45 Huh.Lexi 02:45 And the gummy bears—the bears themselves—spelled out the word "gummy". Ben 02:47 Wow, I do not recall those at all, but that's dope. Lexi 02:51 And they were my favourite. Oh, they were... I'll see if I can find pictures of them, but my god, it was my favourite. Ben 02:57 There's a period from 14 to 16 where I was convinced that I liked wine gums, but now, as a more cultured individual, I realize that those are kind of trash. Lexi 03:07 Yeah, they're not...Ben 03:07 Yeah. They're bottom-of-the-barrel gummies, if we're being honest.Lexi 03:11 Yep.Ben 03:11 You know, I can still appreciate a run-of-the-mill, like a frog or, you know, even a fuzzy peach.Lexi 03:17 Mm-hmm.Ben 03:17 They're a little too sweet for me. Lexi 03:20 You know, sometimes, I don't like a whole package of fuzzy peaches, but I'd like, like, two or three.Ben 03:25 Yeah, if they're mixed in. Yeah, if they're thrown in with, like, a little dime bag. Lexi 03:27 Yeah, if they're mixed in, perfect. Little dime bag.Ben 03:31 Little bag of candies.Lexi 03:34 Sounds nice.Ben 03:34 Apparently, when the previous generation was younger, those were one cent, and then when we were kids, they were like 5 cents, and now they're like a quarter a candy.Lexi03:42 Yeah, it's wild.Ben 03:42 It's inflation, motherfuckers. Nobody's earning anymore, but those gummy prices just keep risin'. [Lexi laughs] Lexi 03:48 Gotta pay the gummy toll... the gummy tax?Ben 03:51 Something like that. I've always wanted to make my own gummies at home, but it seems like a complicated process. Lexi 03:56 Oh, god, no. No, I don't wanna see what the sausage is made of. I just wanna eat the gummy.Ben 04:01 I mean, out of sausages to make, I feel like a gummy's a pretty benign sort of thing to see. [chuckles]Lexi 04:08 Well, it's gelatin, so it's like ground hoof.Ben 04:10 Yeah, yeah, you put-- a little hoof or... No, I guess it's just ground-up hoof, isn't it? [laughs]Lexi 04:14 It is. It's ground-up bone and hoof and--Ben 04:16 You know what? Would you prefer we didn't use the entirety of the horse?Lexi 04:19 No, you know... [both laugh] Is it...? Can you...? Is it pig or what type of hoof is it? [laughs]Ben 04:25 I straight up don't fucking know. This is a perfect opportunity for Jess to jump in and educate us.Lexi 04:34 What type of hoof is in gelatin?Ben 04:34 Yeah, what's the most prominent type of hoof in gelatin? If you know, please write in. That e-mail address again is everyone@dorkmatterspodcast.com. Lexi 04:44 I hope the answer is fish bones or something really weird.Ben 04:47 Yeah, it's fish bones.Lexi 04:47 Chicken beaks. The answer is chicken beaks. Like, "Ah, yes."Ben 04:50 You know what it is? If we're being honest, it's probably all these things – everything that you can't put in anything else, yeah. Lexi 04:54 Ah, it's a mishmash. All the hoofs and beaks.Ben 04:58 And some big anus for good measure, you know? [Lexi laughs] That's where you get the tart from. You need a little pucker? [both laugh] We're terrible. Lexi 05:10 We're terrible. [both laugh]Producer Jess 05:12 [magical chime] Really bad news. I did not want to look this up because I wanted to continue enjoying gummies, but then my curiosity got the better of me. Okay, so this is from snopes.com, fact-check gelatin source. I'm going to just read this verbatim. "Sometimes the most innocuous of foodstuffs contain constituents whose origins are less than appetizing. Such is the case with JELL-O, a dessert that has graced millions of dinner tables since its 1897 debut.Underneath JELL-O's jiggly wholesomeness lurks a secret many consumers are disconcerted to learn: JELL-O is made from gelatin, an animal product rendered from the hides and bones of animals, typically pork skins, pork, horses, cattle bones, and split cattle hides." So yeah, you were right, Ben and Lexi; it's all of the above. No fish bones. Sorry if gummies are ruined. They are for me. [magical chime]Ben 06:13 We had some other intro topics. Did you still want to do that or is this good enough? Lexi 06:17 Oh, yeah. No, this is good. Let's punch it. Ben 06:20 All right, let's do the theme song then. [Dork Matters theme music, Dance by YABRA plays]Voiceover 06:51 [echoing] Dork Matters.Ben 06:53 Welcome back to the podcast. This is Dork Matters, a dorky podcast for dorks, and I'm your Dad Dork host, Ben Rankel. And, with me every time we do the show, is your Edorkater, Lexi Hunt. Yeah. Irreplaceably. With us, irreplaceably, Lexi Hunt. Lex, what are we doing today? We're not talking about pig anuses anymore. Lexi 07:14 We're not talking...
Transcribe →The Wondorkful World of Disney
May 22, 202401:09:29Tap to summarizeWe're dorking out about the wonderful villains in the world of Disney, the Renessaince era of Disney animation, Frozen, Flintheart Glomgold, the eclipse, and a bunch of other stuff, probably. SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Pirates of Dorkwater
May 8, 202401:17:35Tap to summarizeAhoy, mateys! Lexi & Ben go overboard about pirates with guest Kyle (Good Enough Gaming Podcast). If nautical nonsense be something ye wish then board this episode, ye scurvy fish!Further Dorkscussion:The Pirates of Darkwater (complete series)Sea Shanties that Drop PantiesFinal Score: Kyle (15), Ben (10), Lexi (1)Bonus Content:Click here for Kyle and the Good Enough Gaming Podcast SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Dorkgary
Apr 24, 202400:56:58Tap to summarizeLook the heck out, we are talking about Cow Town - that's Calgary for those who don't know. Or Cal-gury. Cal-gray...how do you say it again? Anyway, this time around, Ben and Lexi (and Jess!!) are talking about the city they call home. What do we love? What drives us nuts? What should you know about the city that never sleeps? Well it sleeps, usually around 1 am but whatever.Further Dorkscussion:Peter's Milkshakes? Over rated or under appreciated? Discuss now.Jess Says:I had a guidance counselor tell me I should just give up on Chemistry (wasn't failing it, I think I got a B?) because I was struggling to understand it as much as my other subjects (I was basically an A student otherwise, with a bunch of Honours courses) DESPITE THE FACT that I was taking Chem to qualify for UBC admissions. I asked her why I should drop Chem and she said even 1 B on my transcript would make me ineligible for UBC because they only take the brightest students. Great counsellingI too am a barefoot person Lexi *high five*heat makes things contract (shrinky dinks)I don't like the Coke Spiced. It's too much."Calgary: We're stuck" is a much truer slogan than whatever is actually isVancouver also had cows for some reason. Dairy, I guess?Raccaiju should be art one of you makes at some point I would love to see thatWow we're bigger than Winterpegtotally agree re: StampedeI worked at Elbow Casino and that was a fuckign nightmare during stampedehell yeah, Sidewalk / East Village / Chinatown is a fun walkaboutyeah Vancouver's Olympic village is a nightmareHOW DARE YOU SLANDER PETER'S MILKSHAKESClass Clown is actually the best burger in the city, fight me https://www.avenuecalgary.com/best-restaurants-calgary/best-burger-joints-in-calgary/the TV series Teagan and Sara did (High School) was AMAZING https://teganandsara.com/high-school/ Bonus Content:Jess suggests the best parts of Calgary:Prince's Island ParkEdworthy Park (my preference over Bowness Park, but basically the same)Beltline (so many good restaurants and people watching)Mission (same, and chilling by the river is so fun)Canoeing/kayaking on the reservoir is great and pretty cheap to rentThe thrift shopping scene is also so good in CalgaryI LOVE Calaway Park even though it is old AF - my niece and nephew love it and we go there all the timeCalgary has a great beer scene, bopping around to all the breweries in Inglewood etc. is so funI love Marda Loop. I used to live over there and getting some yummy good etc. and walking about in that 'hood is funThis goest with Glenmore Reservoir but like Sandy Beach/Weaselhead area is so gorgTBH growing up in the south end I didn't realize how cool growing up next to Fish Creek Park was SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Triviadork Pursuit
Apr 10, 202401:06:35Tap to summarizeJoin Lexi & Ben as they chat with trivia master and Draft Party co-founder, David Stone and learn the caloric difference between Popeye's Chicken Sandwich and Popeye's Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The answer may surprise you!Further Dorkscussion:The answer is: "Spicy" adds 1 calorie. Bonus Content:Find David Stone's Draft Party here: https://www.draftparty.net/ SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Wes Andorkson: Part 2
Mar 27, 202400:48:36Tap to summarizeReturning on the other side of a night terror and week of forgetting-what-they-talked-about, Lexi & Ben finish the Anderson oeuvre dorkscussion, try to pronounce Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet, and spoon out the marmalade for Paddington 2. Come get aesthetically pleased but culturally mired in the rest of Wes' wondrous worlds.Further Dorkscussion:Wes Anderson's FilmographyWhat "Isle of Dogs" Gets Right About JapanWes Anderson’s ‘Isle of Dogs’ is often captivating, but cultural sensitivity gets lost in translationBonus Content:Paddington, greatest film of all timeSeriously, Paddington 2 is SO goodThe genius of Paddington 2Ralph FiennesSaoirse RonanTimothée Chalamet SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Wes Andorkson: Part 1
Mar 13, 202400:46:49Tap to summarizeWes Anderson is our dork out du jour as Lexi & Ben discuss the auteur's approach to everything in Part One of our dive into the director's filmography. We also take a little sip of soda, discussing the flavour differences between Diet Coke and Coco-Cola Zero Sugar. Further Dorkscussion:Wes Anderson's FilmographyDiet Coke vs. Coca-Cola Zero SugarBonus Content:Night terrors SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →Muppeterature Classics
Feb 28, 202400:56:35Tap to summarizeLiterary classic films + Muppets = podcast! Join Lexi & Ben as they get super dorky pitching literary classics as Muppet movies. We also talk parenting, internet clothes, and the Teen Choice Awards. Check out our brand new website: https://www.dorkmatterspodcast.com/Further Dorkscussion:The Secret Garden20,000 Leagues Under the SeaMaster & Commander: Far Side of the WorldThe Count of Monte CristoNot quite Muppets 20,000 Leagues SOCIALS:Here's where you can find us!Lexi' Hunt's website and twitter and instagramBen Rankel's website and instagram and where to buy his book: Amazon.ca / Comixology / Ind!go / Renegade ArtsJess Schmidt's website, twitter and instagramDork Matter's website(WIP) and twitter and instagram and redditThis podcast is created on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Nations, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, and the Kainai. We also acknowledge the Stoney Nakota Nation, Tsuut'ina, and Metis Nation Region 3.Help your dorky pals spread the word: share us on social media or give Dork Matters a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Thank you for helping us to share our love of all things Dork!
Transcribe →