Good Guys – "Built to Schill" (December 4, 2025) – Episode Summary

Overview of Main Theme

In this lively episode, Josh Peck and Ben Soffer embrace their full-on shill mode, celebrating their knack for selling products—whether on Amazon Live, in a Hallmark movie, or hawking deals at outlet malls. The show is a playful mix of meta-commentary on influencer culture and honest talk about family, travel, and why being “built to schill” is not so bad if you do it with humor. The duo also delve into personal stories—travel nightmares, Thanksgiving memories, sleep training woes—and field real-life listener advice, all in their signature Jewish-cousin energy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

In-Person Energy & The Art of the Shill

• The Magic of Recording Together (01:37–02:28)
  Ben and Josh gush about being together in person, joking about their “romance” and how it sparks their comedy.
  • Ben: “Nothing gets me more jazzed than in person episodes. … We get to bring our romance into real life.”
• Aspiring to QVC Stardom & Amazon Live (02:28–03:32)
  The hosts recognize their skill in making ads "fun" and imagine perfect careers selling products.
  • Josh: “My end game ... is daylighting live streaming for Amazon, selling products… And then every—I'm doing four Hallmark movies a year.”

Hallmark Movie Pitch (03:21–04:05)

Josh and Ben riff a Hallmark plot: Josh as an Amazon Live inventor, falling for an Amazon employee (maybe even Lauren Sanchez!), blending influencer shill with rom-com tropes.

Black Friday & Discount Shopping Culture

• Is Black Friday Dead? (04:34–05:42)
  Josh recalls camping outside Best Buy, but says the deal-hunting magic is gone thanks to Amazon’s everyday accessibility.
  • Ben: “Amazon just destroyed Black Friday culture.”
  • Josh: “The problem with all deals in general is it’s never the thing you want … If you want 40% off, you can get it in salmon. Great.”
• Outlet Malls—Heaven for Deal Seekers (06:51–07:31)
  Ben’s love for Woodbury Commons runs deep, touting its sales and variety.
  • Ben: “I’ll never buy shoes outside of Woodbury Commons again. … They had everything … except it’s half off.”

Josh’s Travel "Masterclass"

• Optimizing Work Travel with Family (07:31–12:14)
  Josh details his meticulous travel plan involving red-eye flights, airport hotels, and squeezing in treats like deep-dish pizza while minimizing time away from his family—offering a dry, comedic guide.
  • Josh: “Platinum Bonvoy member here. Just tell me the room and make sure it’s by the ice machine. The louder the better.” (08:57)
  • Ben: “Top to bottom. Bravo. Bravo. … It’s a masterclass in how to travel with children, Josh, while still carving some time for yourself.” (12:15)

Air Travel Mishaps & TSA Anxieties

• Killer Vinaigrette and TSA Woes (15:02–19:31)
  Ben’s “What are you nuts?” moment: getting hit in the neck by a giant bottle of Newman's Own vinaigrette after takeoff, questioning how it made it through TSA.
  • Ben: “How the fuck did she get a bottle of Newman’s on that plane? … The whole thing was absolutely insane.” (15:28)
• The Salad Dressing Empire (19:09–19:59)
  Ben and Josh riff on brands: “You should have sued Newman. Paul Newman, okay? They’re the ones who hit me in the neck. The salad empire. Not her.” (19:09)
• Brand Name Tangents & Baby Names (20:14–24:06)
  Lighthearted confusion about food brands leads into a discussion about naming kids, balancing tradition and freshness.

Thanksgiving Reflections

• Making Thanksgiving Meaningful (28:03–31:35)
  Ben talks about preparing a two-week Thanksgiving at home, recognizing how the holiday’s meaning evolved as his relationship with family changed.

  • Ben: “Now it’s just… a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the people I’m sharing a table with. … I think it’s the ultimate holiday.” (29:28)
  • Josh: “If you can get behind the idea of gratitude… there’s no religious pressures, there’s no gifts, and there’s a hard out.” (30:22)

• Thanksgiving Parade Disaster (31:35–33:34) Ben recounts the misery of watching the NYC Thanksgiving Day Parade live: “If you get offered tickets to anything made for TV, say no, okay? It’s made for TV for a reason.” (31:57)

  • Josh chimes in as a onetime parade participant and his mom’s ingenuity making his Pugsley Addams costume with a bribed Foot Locker shirt.

Parenting, Sleep Training, and Privilege

• Sleep Training "the Davis Way" (35:56–47:27)
  Josh discusses hiring a “baby whisperer” named Davis after struggling to sleep-train their third child. The conversation is both confessional and self-aware about the privilege.
  • Josh: “Let me tell you, Ms. Davis… after three days, she’s like, congrats, your kid is sleep-trained. I said, I think I’m having a regression, Davis.” (38:24)
  • Ben: “I would like to do it preemptively. Listen, I’m 39, and I see my first colonoscopy on the horizon, and I can’t wait.” (39:09)
• Casual Medical Tangents (39:09–40:08)
  Jokes about colonoscopies and prostate surgery highlight the show’s tendency to mix oversharing with humor.

Listener Advice and “Are You Nuts?” Grievances

• Listener Mail: Medical Lingo Mix-Up (48:53–50:13)
  A PA listener mistakes BH (Baruch Hashem, or ‘thank God’ in Hebrew) for a blood test acronym, thanks to the show.
  • Ben: “Honestly, Josh, BH, man. She’s got God on the brain.” (49:38)
• Listener Call: Mother-in-Law Skips the Fourth Baby Shower (50:15–56:38)
  Community debate: Is a mother-in-law wrong for skipping her daughter-in-law’s fourth baby shower?
  • Ben: “This is a complete ‘What are you nuts’ on your mother … that’s… get in the car, lady.” (51:29)
  • Josh: “She lost me at four baby showers. … If she’s gone to the first three… sometimes I get it with OG, like parents who are like in their 70s and they’re like, you’re going to have a nice thing with… and it’s a lot for me.” (52:41–53:27)

“What Are You Nuts?” (Gripes of the Week)

• Ben’s “What Are You Nuts?” (57:40)
  Still furious about being struck by salad dressing mid-flight: “Newman’s hits you in the neck in flight. That’s nuts.”
• Josh’s “What Are You Nuts?” (57:43–59:52)
  Staying at a sketchy airport Residence Inn in Oklahoma: “For the first time, I felt unsafe... I put multiple pieces of furniture in front of the door.”
  • Ben: “Josh, you don’t really get scared that easily… that means it must have been fucking scary.” (59:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We’re so good at making ads fun, Josh, that I think we were built for an Amazon Live.” — Ben (02:09)
• “My real true end game is daylighting live streaming for Amazon… then every—I’m doing four Hallmark movies a year.” — Josh (02:32)
• “I can’t turn down a sale. It would not be healthy for me if I lived near an outlet mall.” — Josh (06:30)
• “You’ve got a classic. Classic. Yeah, we’re gonna go classic.” — Ben on baby names (21:18)
• “If you get offered tickets to anything made for TV, say no, okay? … Don’t go [to the parade]. Somebody who offers you tickets… they’re no friend, Josh.” — Ben (31:57)
• “You don’t want to listen to a podcast of a couple of Joe Schmoes. That’s not what you’re here for. You’re here for the privilege.” — Ben (37:03)
• “She goes to a Foot Locker and pays one of the employees for their referee shirt. ‘$20. My son’s a star. You should understand.’” — Josh (34:22)
• “Let me tell you, Ms. Davis… after three days, she’s like, congrats, your kid is sleep-trained. I said, I think I’m having a regression, Davis.” — Josh (38:24)
• “How the fuck did she get a bottle of Newman’s on that plane? … The whole thing was absolutely insane.” — Ben (15:28)
• “Test small, okay? Figure out what works. Double down. I’m telling you, you are one step away from living out your dreams. You have a great idea. If I hear another great idea, I’m actually going to kill you.” — Ben on entrepreneurship (41:53)

Important Timestamps

• In-person podcast magic: 01:37–02:28
• Amazon Live & Hallmark movie dream: 02:28–03:32
• Black Friday laments & deal hunting: 04:34–06:07
• Travel tips "masterclass": 07:31–12:14
• Vinaigrette bottle/TSA story: 15:02–19:31
• Thanksgiving traditions & parade disasters: 28:03–33:34
• Sleep training talk: 35:56–47:27
• Listener mail (medical mix-up): 48:53–50:13
• Mother-in-law & baby shower debate: 50:15–56:38
• "What are you nuts" segment & travel horror: 57:40–59:52

Tone & Language

• Authentic, fast-paced, and self-deprecating. The Jewish cousin banter permeates; jokes often turn into real advice; light ribbing, but always affectionate with each other and the audience.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode effortlessly blends shoptalk about influencer culture with honest family chatter, punchy stories, and listener dilemmas. Whether you want travel hacks, relatable parent struggles, or just to hear two friends riff on life “built to schill,” this one delivers the goods—with laughs and wisdom in equal measure.