Hey Riddle Riddle #391: Kind of a Friendship Vibe Here

Release Date: January 14, 2026
Podcast: Hey Riddle Riddle (Headgum)
Hosts: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with Hey Riddle Riddle’s signature blend of improv chaos, riddle solving, and punchy banter. The trio dives into inventive "Extreme Makeover" riddles (riffing on “move that bus”), explores the unintended consequences of home renovation TV, and playfully interrogates modern tipping culture. As always, riddles are both center stage and a backdrop for spontaneous comedic scenes, personal stories, and running gags about friendship—and questionable room renovations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Knighting Ceremony & Friendship Vibes (00:54–04:34)

• The hosts introduce a fantasy improv: Adal and JPC are knighted by Erin (“the Queen”) to protect the realm from riddles, which predictably devolves into backstabbing and Hamlet references.
  • [03:29] JP Coan: “Can I just say to the two of you, Adol, Erin? My friendship vibe people. Happy fucking Valentine’s Day in January.”
• “Kind of a friendship vibe” becomes a running meta-joke as an excuse for not murdering Erin.

2. Holiday Mashups & Show Traditions (04:35–05:50)

• They riff on creating new holidays (e.g., “January Valentine’s Day,” “Marchoween”).
• Recurring show trope: starting off traditions without much follow-through.

3. Tipping Culture & Social Anxiety (07:31–10:53)

• The trio debates the awkwardness of new-wave tipping prompts, with everyone admitting to tipping out of guilt more than conviction.
  • [08:50] Erin: “I’m never, I’m going to tip every time. I’m too anxious to not. … It’s a gift to myself. I can’t be a part of this discourse. I’m too sick.”
  • [10:07] JPC: "I carry cash now, which I hate ... so I can like put cash tips in. ... If there’s ever a study on this, we would quickly see that society is built on a big mass of lies.”
• Meta-discussion on where digital tips actually go.

4. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition—Cultural Deep Dive (11:10–18:15)

• “Extreme Makeover: Riddles Edition” features warmup riddles inspired by the show's catchphrase “move that bus.”
• Erin and the others fondly recall (& roast) the show’s bizarre kid bedroom makeovers—pirate ships, nightclub rooms, etc.—and the real-world fallout from home value increases.
  • [13:10] JPC: "The phenomenon was … if you’re a teen or younger, you cannot mention … anything you like because then your room is that forever."
  • [14:02] Erin: "The kids would be like, I went to the beach once … then their floor will be sand and their bed is a beach chair."

[14:14–16:57] Improv Scene – Kid Evading Makeover

• Erin roleplays a sly child giving non-answers to avoid a themed room—a highlight satirizing the format’s absurdity.

5. "Move That Bus" Riddle Game (18:20–27:03)

• Erin hosts a rapid-fire riddle round where answers rhyme with “bus”: e.g., “move that plus,” “move that fuss,” “move that sus,” etc.
  • The hosts riff and banter, mocking “blus” and inventing fake merch slogans like “bless this muss.”
  • The word-rhyme format gets increasingly strained (“move that cluck,” “move that muck,” “move that concuss…”).
  • [21:01] Adal: “Bless this muss!” (as a new catchphrase)
• Launches several comedic scenes, including percussion section shenanigans and a home makeover head injury as JP Riddles’ origin story.

6. Improv & Riddle Scenes Sprinkled Throughout

• Highly interactive—almost every riddle inspires a scene, such as a fraught debate where JPC’s feelings get hurt ([27:03]) or wizards fighting over their color designations ([56:03]).

7. The “Combine Two Famous Names” Riddle Segment (48:30–67:04)

• Listener-submitted riddles where the answer blends two celebrity/character names (e.g., “Dexter Morgan Freeman”).
• Examples covered:
  • [50:25] “The Bay Harbor Butcher who served his time in Shawshank Prison” → Dexter Morgan Freeman
  • [50:38] "The captain of the Millennium Falcon whose guitar gently weeps” → George Harrison Ford
  • [55:06] “The founding father who began wandering the severed floor after George Washington” → John Adams Scott
  • [63:17] “The Messiah quoted as saying, ‘I’m Duke of Arrakis, bitch’” → Aaron Paul Atreides

[52:00] Family Guy Improv

• JPC’s Stewie impression meets Erin’s “new, positive Family Guy dog” for a surreal reimagining of the series if it went PBS-friendly.

[64:03] Sandworm Gossip – Dune Parody

• Two sandworms dish about Paul Atreides, leading to a meta-reference about accidentally eating the story’s hero.

8. Riddle Solutions, Listener Voicemail, and Escape Room Chat (67:08–71:44)

• The group answers a listener question about beginner-friendly escape rooms in Chicago.
  • [69:43] Adal: Recommends the “Escape Room” chain, with “Cabin in the Woods” and “Museum Art Heist” for newbies.
  • Lighthearted tips about how escape room fun often depends on the group, and tales of props/tech breaking.

9. Closing Promo, Plugs & Upcoming Live Show (71:44–72:13)

• Plugs for other podcasts (Hello from the Magic Tavern, Gumshoes and Dragons, The Word Association).
• Announcement: Hey Riddle Riddle live at San Francisco Sketchfest (Jan 18).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Kind of a friendship vibe here.”—JPC ([02:18–02:34])

  • The episode theme, used as both punchline and reasoning to avoid violence, recurs as a meta-joke.

• Erin on Extreme Makeover: ([13:10])

  • “...if you’re on the show and you are a teen or younger, you cannot mention to any of these fuckers if you like or are interested in anything, because then your room is that forever.”

• JPC on Tipping Guilt: ([09:25])

  • “I only tip at places that have, that accept cash tips because I do not believe for a second that ... money that I tip on the iPad ... is always going to the people.”

• Riddle Rhyme Round ([19:46])

  • Erin: “Addition symbol.”
    Adal: “Move that plus!”
    JPC: “Display of unnecessary and excessive excitement.”
    Adal: “Move that fuss.”

• Meta Observations on Corporate “Student Driver” Stickers: ([28:52])

  • JPC: "I think people are putting student driver bumper stickers on their car so that when they drive like assholes, people ... get less mad ... because they have student driver [on there]."

• Color Wizard Improv ([56:03–59:58])

  • Aaron (High Council wizard): “The fate of the universe rests in our hands.”
    JPC (hopeful wizard): “I haven’t been assigned a color yet. … I am Landry the Lavender.”
    Aaron (deadpan): “I think the only color we have left is beige.”

• Listener Escape Room Advice ([69:43])

  • Adal: “For beginners—at the Escape Room ... the Cabin in the Woods and the Museum Art Heist would be two really good ones.”

• JPC, on not having a plug: ([71:24])

  • “Oh my God, you’re never going to believe this. I don’t either. ... Don’t read into the fact that I have nothing to plug or promote.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:54 — Fantasy knighting, “friendship vibe” banter
• 04:34 — Holiday mashup jokes & new traditions
• 07:31 — Tipping culture and iPad tip prompts
• 11:10 — Extreme Makeover: Home Edition deep dive & kid room makeover improv
• 18:20 — “Move That Bus” rhyming riddles & merch bits (“bless this muss”)
• 27:03 — Debate scene with JPC as sensitive candidate
• 48:30 — Celebrity name mashup riddles begin
• 52:00 — Family Guy/Stewie improv
• 56:03 — Wizards-from-every-color improv scene
• 64:03 — Dune/sandworm gossip scene
• 67:08 — Remaining riddles and segue to voicemail/escape room recs
• 69:43 — Chicago Escape Room advice/recommendation
• 71:44 — Podcast plugs and Sketchfest live show announcement

Episode Tone & Style

• Language/Tone: Irreverent, riff-filled, self-referential, absurdist
• Comedy Style: Fast-paced improv, affectionate pop culture ribbing, and recurring inside jokes ("friendship vibe," "move that bus," etc.)
• Approach to Riddles: Playful; often used as a launch pad for tangents or comedic scenes.

Great for Listeners Who…

• Enjoy improv comedy as much (if not more) than riddle-solving
• Appreciate nostalgic, irreverent takes on pop culture and TV
• Love recurring in-jokes and meta-humor
• Want witty banter about modern annoyances (tipping culture, customer service)

Closing

An energetic, laugh-out-loud episode that balances goofy riddle riffs with sharp, off-the-cuff humor. If you’re new to Hey Riddle Riddle, this episode highlights both their playful approach to puzzles and their improv roots—plus, you’ll walk away with a new level of suspicion about “student driver” bumper stickers.

For more episodes, bonus content, and live show news, check out patreon.com/heyriddleriddle and follow the hosts on social.