Good Guys – "Traitor? I Hardly Know Her!"
Hosted by Josh Peck & Ben Soffer
Dear Media – January 22, 2026
Episode Overview
On this "Topical Thursday," hosts Josh Peck and Ben Soffer jump from kitchen knives and Japanese souvenirs to contemporary TV discourse, pop culture, and health trends—all laced with their signature banter and wit. The episode highlights their takes on everything from alcohol and weed as gateway drugs, insane TV legal disputes, modern supplements, and the latest in reality TV drama (including a lively breakdown of "Traders"). It’s classic Good Guys: humorous, candid, and effortlessly topical.
1. Weekend Stories: Japanese Knives, Ritual & Suspicion
(00:36 – 05:53)
- Ben recounts his sister’s trip from Japan to Florida: She brought him kitchen knives, tallis, and tefillin—prompting jokes about her appearing to be Mossad (“They must think she's a part of Mossad. She has...huge knives, Talas and Tefillin, all in her bag." – Ben, 00:46).
- Josh, the knife hobbyist: Expresses his passion for pocket knives and switchblades, but jokes about not carrying them for legal reasons.
- Banter on knife brands and handles: Carbon steel, animal byproducts, and the mystique of Japanese knives.
- Swiss Army knives and fat jokes: The duo imagines a “fatso Swiss army knife” with whimsical features (Cheez Whiz button, seatbelt extender, Ozempic pill), poking fun at product designs.
“A Swiss army knife is so Swiss. Right? Because it seems dangerous, but it's completely inert.” – Josh (05:33)
2. Health Trends & Pharmaceuticals: Ozempic, Zyrtec, Supplements
(06:39 – 19:59)
- Ozempic and Zepbound chat: Josh and Ben discuss GLP medications, the ease of obtaining them via telehealth (Row Co.), and riff on the decline of vodka (Stolichnaya bankruptcy and alcohol sales).
- Conversation on gateway drugs: An earnest exchange about whether weed or alcohol is more harmful/gateway, especially for Gen Z and Alpha.
"Alcohol has been the far and away winner for millennias. It is a garbage, garbage drug.” – Josh (09:39)
- Ben’s Zyrtec revelation: He shares his discovery that daily Zyrtec caused him a decade of brain fog and memory issues, suggesting listeners try a break to see the difference.
“Try going off it for a week... I am clearer than I've been...in a decade.” – Ben (16:41)
- Josh’s sick saga: He details battling illness, a tough cough suppressant/antidepressant mix, working through sickness (“Martin Luther King. You guys cool to push? No, absolutely not. ...We are working. We're topical.” – Ben, 19:19).
3. Sick Stories & Family Life
(20:05 – 25:58)
- Josh’s experience with the flu: Canceled gym, took Max to Mr. Beast Games premiere, “deep chills,” quarantined in his guest room.
- Worries about infecting Mr. Beast: Kept his distance on set out of respect for Jimmy’s health.
- Household domino effect: Entire family on antivirals, with illness spreading especially to his six-month-old.
“Him and I are hacking—the baby man and the real baby—for a week.” – Josh (24:14)
- Anecdotes about beard growth and country music aspirations as a side-effect of the flu.
4. TV Talk & Pop Culture
(28:27 – 41:00)
- Football playoff indifference: Both hosts acknowledge LA’s win, but express their true passion for Super Bowl snacks over actual games.
- Miami’s national championship game: Ben highlights the exorbitant ticket prices, the opulent crowd, and scarcity of such home games.
- Guava and dried fruit detour: Short appreciation for Cuban snacks.
- "Traders" Breakdown (31:02 – 33:59):
- Ben explains the reality show's premise (faithfuls vs. traitors).
- Controversy: Michael Rappaport allegedly outs Colton Underwood as a good secret-keeper because of his years in the closet, leading to instant “cancellation” by the cast.
“...Michael Rappaport, you watched it. He was canceled on the show by the castmates. He was over.” – Ben (33:09)
- Is "Traders" kid-appropriate? The hosts debate show's maturity for Josh’s son.
5. Industry Gossip: TV Legal Drama & The Pit vs. ER
(35:39 – 42:20)
- "The Pit": Current TV obsession: Both hosts rave about the show, Ben loving the “guy with the huge belly,” and Josh proud of having called the show’s greatness early.
“I could watch it. Like, I’m happy that they only release it one episode at a time, because otherwise I wouldn't go to sleep.” – Ben (36:04)
- Legal controversy backstory:
- Michael Crichton’s estate halted an ER reboot; soon after, John Wells & Noah Wyle greenlit “The Pit," sparking a legal battle over TV property DNA.
- Lively debate about what constitutes the creative core of a series and if it’s possible to repackage concepts.
“...The Crichton family saying... hey, this was 90% the idea we worked on, which is why you had it so ready. ...Now you just put a new label on it and sold it.” – Josh (41:11)
6. Pop News & Social Media Lunacy
(46:49 – 51:32)
- TMZ/Tabloid sweep: The hosts scroll through the week’s clickbait: Ludacris drops tour, Lamar Odom DUI (with Ben reflecting on peak Lakers era), Miami club scandal with right-wing agitators doing Nazi salutes (“Avengers of the worst...Just the worst people were the worst.” – Ben, 48:19).
- Public perception of antisemitic figures: Disgust at how large followings remain, frustration with online hate spreading.
7. Disabled Access Humor & TikTok Shoutout
(50:02 – 51:32)
- Wheelchair placards as golden tickets: The duo riff on the perks of accessible parking and theme park lines, and plug the TikTok account "Plus Size Park Hoppers."
8. Listener Interaction: SpeakPipe
(51:39 – 54:49)
- On Air Listener Mails:
- Hallie points out the Jan 18th NYT Connections puzzle featuring “Peck,” prompting Josh to clarify that they meant Gregory, not Josh (hilarity ensues).
“Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck from To Kill a Mockingbird. It's not Josh Peck. You dweebs.” – Josh (53:49)
9. Gym Motivation Advice
(55:06 – 56:25)
- Listener asks for new inspirational things to shout as a fitness instructor:
- Ben: “Tell me that I look skinny even if I don’t...”
- Josh: “The average human makes 300 decisions in a day, and today you picked the right one.”
- “Gas me up!”
10. What Are You, Nuts? – Closing Gripes
(56:46 – 61:19)
- Ben on supplement overload: Warns against stacking too many unproven health products and chasing TikTok fads—less is more.
“TikTok research isn't research.” – Ben (57:44)
- Josh’s “Wicked” lyric nitpick: Jokes about the absurdity of “personality dialysis” in Oz (“They got nephrology in Oz?”).
- Closing plugs: Rate, review, subscribe, with a 5-star review from listener Kelsey.
Notable Quotes
- “Alcohol has been the far and away winner for millennias. It is a garbage, garbage drug. It’s a drug.” – Josh (09:39)
- “Try going off it for a week... I am clearer than I’ve been... in a decade.” – Ben, on quitting daily Zyrtec (16:41)
- “If you didn't speak, I wouldn't even know that you were still sick. But yeah, you have this rasp. It's nice though. You should consider a career in country music.” – Ben (25:34)
- “...Michael Rappaport, you watched it. He was canceled on the show by the castmates. He was over.” – Ben (33:09)
- “TikTok research isn't research. Dr. Amin coming on and telling you that saffron is going to make you have an erection. That's not research.” – Ben (57:44)
- “Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck from To Kill a Mockingbird. It's not Josh Peck. You dweebs.” – Josh (53:49)
Key Timestamps
- 00:36: Stories from the weekend, Japanese knives ritual
- 06:44: Ozempic, GLP-1/2 chat, alcohol & Gen Z
- 09:13: Weed vs. alcohol as gateway drugs
- 15:28: Zyrtec brain fog and Ben’s supplement journey
- 19:52: Josh sick, Mr. Beast Games, working through the flu
- 28:27: Football, Miami championship, guava chat
- 31:02: "Traders" drama, Michael Rappaport controversy
- 35:39: “The Pit,” ER reboot, and TV legal drama
- 46:49: Tabloid sweep, Lamar Odom, Miami Nazi-salute club incident
- 51:39: SpeakPipe listener mail – NYT puzzle and gym instructor advice
- 56:46: What Are You, Nuts? – Supplement gripes, “Wicked” lyric logic
Tone & Style
Consistently fast-paced, irreverent, and heavy on cultural references—Good Guys delivers with camaraderie, self-deprecating humor, and honest vulnerabilities. Even as they riff, Josh and Ben deftly balance goofiness with grounded, relatable views on health, media, and human nature.
If you missed the episode, this summary gets you all the banter, pop-culture debates, and notable moments from the lively Good Guys duo—without the ads, fluff, or intro/outro filler.