GOOD GUYS PODCAST
Episode: Oscar Snubs, RHOBH, and a Barnes & Noble Bender
Date: February 23, 2026
Hosts: Josh Peck & Ben Soffer
Producer: Dear Media

Episode Overview

In this jam-packed episode, Josh and Ben explore everything from the nostalgic magic of Barnes & Noble to the drama behind Oscar nominations, before diving deep into reality TV—specifically, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Traitors. The guys also answer listener questions in their signature “Moron Mail” segment, tackle sticky work dilemmas, and end with their weekly “What Are You, Nuts?” gripes. The tone is candid, comedic, a little irreverent, and always conversational.

Episode Breakdown & Key Discussions

1. The Nostalgia and Allure of Barnes & Noble

[00:36 – 04:17]

• Ben: Visits Barnes & Noble and waxes poetic about its mix of nostalgia, Starbucks integration, and buying random items like pens and board games.
  • “Barnes and Noble is a time capsule. It’s the best.” — Ben [01:33]
• Josh: Laments the loss of Borders, compares snack placement to Nordstrom Rack’s point-of-purchase, leading to a quip about why America can’t help but snack while shopping for books.
  • “It's the reason why we're big, fat, fat, fat… that someone can be buying books and be like, I'm a little famished, and rip a bunch of gummy worms down their gullet.” — Josh [01:59]
• Segues into musing about product placement and even brainstorms a novelty “condom roulette” product.

2. Condom Etiquette, Adulting, and Stories from the Trenches

[04:17 – 09:57]

• Condom Use: Josh discusses intel from single friends: "no one's wearing condoms anymore, and that is yucky."
  • “They're not even just for not getting pregnant—they're so you don't get crabs on your cock.” — Ben [04:37]
• Storytime: Josh recalls a cringey 20s story about a girl discovering a condom wrapper in his trash.
  • “She called it out right away. She's like, 'I guess it's good you're safe.'” — Josh [07:04]
• Banter about legendary rumors, including Derek Jeter’s alleged gift baskets for hookups—ultimately debunked via Google and ChatGPT.

3. Oscar Snubs & How Awards Really Work

[14:26 – 17:32]

• Oscar Nominations:
  • Josh brings up the snub of actor Jesse Plemons and points out that even icons like Martin Scorsese and Denzel Washington got their first/only Oscars for less-heralded works.
  • “Don't ever get mad if you don't get nominated. It'll happen over time. Way bigger, more important people have been snubbed. You’re in good company.” — Josh [15:59]
• Why Snubs Happen:
  • Ben and Josh discuss the “Kobe Effect”—sometimes an award is given more for lifetime achievement or timing.
  • “Some people are really good at [campaigning] and some people aren’t. There's two types of people that win... they either owe it to you, or you do something undeniable.” — Josh [17:04]

4. Reality TV Rants: The Traitors & Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

[19:00 – 34:11]

• The Traitors:
  • Josh critiques reality star competition shows—removing personalities from their world exposes their mediocrity.
    • “You realize how mediocre they are. And I say that with love.” — Josh [19:29]
  • Ben calls out Michael Rapaport as the only true entertainer on the show.
    • “Michael Rapaport was pure entertainment, which is why they found him so annoying.” — Ben [21:02]
  • They discuss the proliferation of these shows, issues with casting, and clever marketing ploys like embedded QR codes.
• RHOBH Recap:
  • Ben runs through the cast, his likes/dislikes, and the big drama: newcomer Amanda Francis using the anniversary of her child’s death during a petty argument, leading to a season-long tension about insensitivity and drama etiquette.
    • “You’ve never seen somebody talk more about Chanel and Louis Vuitton. And again, read the room!” — Ben [31:06]
    • “She throws in that it’s the anniversary of her five-day-old’s death… All of a sudden, she throws that in as a rebuttal.” — Ben [33:04]

5. Moron Mail: Listener Q&A

[34:23 – 61:03]

• Old Phones, Old Sex Tapes: [34:54 – 43:51]
  • A caller finds her husband’s sex video with an ex.
  • Ben calls looking through someone else’s phone “an extreme invasion of privacy,” but says if you’re not mad, you’ll need to handle his defensiveness if you bring it up.
  • Josh and Ben discuss jealousy and openness in relationships, emphasizing communication and knowing your partner before opening up fantasy life.
    • “It would deeply hurt me. I would move past it, but it would deeply hurt me.” — Ben [41:39]
• Tough Love vs. Soft Love: [46:28 – 52:39]
  • Listener thanks the hosts for their earlier “tough love”—she changed her life as a result.
  • Debate on when and with whom to use tough love, with Josh favoring it for real change but acknowledging not all personalities respond well.
    • “There’s nothing other than tough love… when we’re really talking about change.” — Josh [48:13]
    • “You have to know who you’re talking to… Some people can handle tough love and some people absolutely cannot.” — Ben [48:41]
• Cakes at Work, HR, and Snitching: [52:48 – 61:03]
  • Caller reports a colleague to HR for selling cakes at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen; now she’s uncomfortable.
  • Ben: It’s “tattletale,” unnecessary if it doesn’t affect customers or misuses company resources.
  • Josh: If she’s baking on the clock or using company ingredients, that’s not okay.
  • Both agree: deal directly with the person before going to HR.
    • “It feels so tattletale… It’s bad karma.” — Ben [55:07]
• Dealing with a Gross, Smart Coworker: [57:45 – 60:08]
  • Caller can’t avoid an offensive project director.
  • Both hosts recommend raising it directly first; escalate if behavior doesn’t shift.
    • “Say hard and quick, ‘Listen, I like working with you… but it’s gotta stop.’” — Josh [59:28]

6. What Are You, Nuts? – Weekly Gripes

[62:04 – 63:59]

• Ben: Ridicules “Sorry About My Husband” hats at Nordstrom Rack—who is buying this?
  • “What are you, nuts? Who’s buying [that hat]?” — Ben [63:04]
• Josh: Tic-tac-toe is a game no one can ever win if you pay attention—a “completely nuts game.”
  • “No one will ever win. Ever.” — Josh [63:47]

Memorable Quotes & Banter

| Time | Quote | Speaker | |----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------| | 01:33 | "Barnes and Noble is a time capsule. It’s the best.” | Ben | | 01:59 | “…someone can be buying books and be like, I'm a little famished, and rip a bunch of gummy worms down their gullet.” | Josh | | 15:59 | “Don't ever get mad if you don't get nominated. It'll happen over time...You’re in good company.”| Josh | | 19:29 | “You realize how mediocre they are. And I say that with love.” | Josh | | 21:02 | "Michael Rapaport was pure entertainment, which is why they found him so annoying." | Ben | | 31:06 | “You’ve never seen somebody talk more about Chanel and Louis Vuitton. And again, read the room!” | Ben | | 33:04 | “All of a sudden, she throws in that it’s the anniversary of her five-day-old’s death…” | Ben | | 41:39 | “It would deeply hurt me. I would move past it, but it would deeply hurt me.” | Ben | | 48:13 | "There's nothing other than tough love… when we're really talking about change." | Josh | | 55:07 | “It feels so tattletale… It’s bad karma.” | Ben | | 63:04 | “What are you, nuts? Who’s buying [that hat]?” | Ben | | 63:47 | “No one will ever win. Ever.” | Josh |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Barnes & Noble nostalgia: [00:36 – 04:17]
• Condom talk & Josh’s story: [04:17 – 09:57]
• Oscar discussion & snubs: [14:26 – 17:32]
• Reality TV (“The Traitors” & RHOBH): [19:00 – 34:11]
• Moron Mail – Old phones, tapes, relationship openness: [34:54 – 43:51]
• Moron Mail – Tough love & change: [46:28 – 52:39]
• Moron Mail – HR & baked goods dilemma: [52:48 – 61:03]
• Moron Mail – Annoying coworker: [57:45 – 60:08]
• What Are You, Nuts? hats & tic-tac-toe: [62:04 – 63:59]

Takeaways & Highlights

• The hosts expertly blend irreverent humor and genuine insight, freely switching between playful storytelling, hot takes, and earnest advice.
• Main themes: nostalgia for real-life spaces, the realities behind recognition and awards, modern reality TV’s oddities, and candid relationship/workplace advice.
• Ben and Josh’s comfort with each other—and the occasional third voice—lets them banter and debate without losing depth or humor.
• Listener interactions (Moron Mail) range from silly to serious, always with strong opinions and practical advice.

If you’re looking for a funny, insightful, and chaotic take on pop culture, relationships, and life’s little absurdities, this week’s Good Guys delivers.