Hey Riddle Riddle #407: "Amish Venom" (May 6, 2026) — Detailed Episode Summary
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode of Hey Riddle Riddle, featuring Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, and John Patrick Coan (JPC), resumes its typical blend of riddles, improvisational comedy, and offbeat banter. The hosts riff on podcast inside jokes, meme culture (especially around "Venom"), and increasingly absurd character scenes, all while attempting (occasionally) to solve actual riddles. Expect digressions into comic books, Amish life, cheese, and the existential plight of secondary actors.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Opening Bits: "Imposter Business" and 'Amish Venom' (00:37–04:15)
- The hosts play with workplace lingo ("important business" vs. "imposter business" vs. "casual business").
- Running jokes about identity and impostor syndrome morph into a riff on the "Venom" character taking over one's body — and then, improbably, an "Amish Venom" bit.
- Notable Quote (Adal):
"There was someone taking over my body for several years, but we worked that out." (01:16)
2. Fanbase Nickname Debate (05:00–06:12)
- The trio nostalgically recall previous attempts at naming the show's fans: Rydiots, Future Lizards, Clue Crew, etc.
- Propose a crowdsourced poll to finally choose a "fan community" name, open to all listeners via Patreon.
- Memorable plan (JPC):
"We'll take like the 10 best options and put up an official poll...and then whatever name you choose, that's the name we will abide." (05:21)
3. "Amish Venom" Tangent (06:12–07:13)
- Erin googles "Amish Venom," prompting a surreal factoid: both rattlesnakes and Amish "can't regulate how much poison they pump into you when they bite you."
- Launch into layered Venom voices and fanfic implications.
4. Comic Book Culture & Romantasy (07:39–11:41)
- Erin talks about reading Ms. Fury (a noir-style female-led comic) and recommends detective cat comic Blacksad.
- The group discusses the modern phenomenon of fanfiction morphing into published "Romantasy" — e.g., Fourth Wing, Kylo Ren/Rey-inspired fiction.
- Notable Quote (Erin):
"As a Tumblr girl, it has been really blowing my mind what has become of fanfiction now. It is a pipeline." (10:09)
Fanfiction, Jack Reacher, and Writing Projects (11:41–15:16)
- JPC’s wife is a "Tumblr/fanfic girl" and he vows to write (and record) a Jack Reacher fanfic after finishing the 30+ book series.
- Funny Passage Read-Aloud:
JPC reads a rambling description from a Jack Reacher novel about closing a car trunk, riffing on excessive word count for comic effect.
Quote (JPC):
"That is describing closing a trunk." (21:29)
5. Extended Scenes & Skits
- Improvised scene: A numbers-themed bar with personified numbers flirting, featuring references to the joke "seven ate nine." (16:21–19:41)
- Venom improv: Erin returns from Rumspringa as "Amish Venom," with inner monologue provided by JPC (25:29–28:36).
- Dickensian word salad: Adal plays Charles Dickens in a verbose relationship spat (22:34–24:34).
- Raccoon domestic drama: The group improvises a soap-opera-style break-up between raccoons living in suburbia (57:14–59:40).
6. Riddles and Answers
1. Figure Eight Riddle (16:03–16:19)
- Riddle: "My head and my tail are both equal and my middle is as slender as can be..."
Answer: The number 8.
2. Plowed But Never Planted (15:45–39:15)
- Many misfires (trench, joke answers). The correct answer:
Answer: Snow ("plowed but never planted").
- Spirals into discussions about the Karen Read trial and Boston accents.
3. Mr. Smith’s Daily Eggs (51:00–55:07)
- Riddle: How does Mr. Smith eat two eggs every day without buying, stealing, or receiving them, and without owning chickens?
Answer: Duck eggs (he has ducks).
The hosts also riff on caviar and animal trivia.
4. Letter "B" Riddle (47:09–47:24)
- Riddle: "I can make oil boil. What am I?"
Answer: The letter 'B' (making "boil" out of "oil").
7. Side Tangents & Memorable Discussions
Amish Cheese & Dietary Notes (36:11–37:46)
- JPC raves about Amish cheese from Indiana markets: "I remember being a kid and just like taking a little butter knife and just like slicing off Amish cheese." (36:55)
- Dietary habits of the hosts surface briefly.
Actors’ Careers, Mini Driver’s Recent Work (43:05–46:47)
- The group discusses the trajectory of actors’ careers and obscure IMDb credits.
- Discover that Minnie Driver stars in an unusual miniseries, "Faithful: Women of the Bible," prompting tangents about the stability of actor incomes.
8. Listener Voicemail & Parenting Advice (60:41–63:58)
- Listener wonders if their baby, exposed to the podcast in utero, will recognize the hosts' voices — and asks for first-time parenting advice.
- JPC and Erin give genuine, contemporary parenting tips.
- Quote (JPC):
"Just kind of, you gotta have to hold on. I would say don't do what you remember your parents doing...familiarize yourself with what current research says." (62:52)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Adal (on "Amish Venom"):
"Can we please write and produce Amish Venom, please?" (03:41)
-
JPC (reading from Jack Reacher):
"That is describing closing a trunk." (21:29)
-
Erin (on fanfiction):
"As a Tumblr girl, it has been really blowing my mind what has become of fanfiction now." (10:10)
-
JPC (on actor careers):
"You hit the jackpot when you see 244 episodes of a USA show that you’ve never heard of before. And you’re like—yay, they’re fine!" (44:25)
-
Raccoon Scene (absurd domestic squabble):
"I collect eggs. Duck. I killed ducks for us here—doesn’t even matter!" (58:09)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Amish Venom Voices Begin: 01:31, 03:33, 06:12
- Fanbase Naming Discussion: 02:15–05:59
- Venom/Fanfic/Romantasy Chat: 07:13–11:41
- Jack Reacher Word Count Skit: 20:07–21:42
- First Major Riddle (Figure Eight): 16:03–16:19
- Improvised "Numbers Bar" Scene: 16:21–19:41
- Charles Dickens Word Salad Scene: 22:34–24:30
- Amish Cheese Discussion: 36:11–37:46
- "Plowed but Never Planted" Riddle: 15:45–39:15
- "Letter B" Riddle: 47:09–47:24
- Raccoon Suburb Drama Scene: 57:14–59:40
- Listener Voicemail & Parenting Advice: 60:41–63:58
Flow & Tone
The episode is 85% improvisational play, absurdist humor, and meta-podcasting. Banter is playful, punctuated by vocal bit characters, obscure media riffs, and hosts riffing on one another’s odd personal trivia. Riddles are consistently upstaged by improvised scenes and meme callbacks, in keeping with the show’s self-deprecating tagline: “If you don’t like riddles, don’t worry! This podcast is barely about them!”
For Listeners: Key Takeaways
- Expect few riddles, but many surreal character scenes — especially "Amish Venom," numbers going on bar dates, and raccoons with complicated marital issues.
- The hosts delight in derailments: Marvel character improv, literary parodies, IMDb deep-dives, and odd internet phenomena.
- Occasional moments of sincerity shine through (parenting advice, genuine book recs), lightly satire-wrapped.
- Community engagement: Listeners are encouraged to help finally decide the fanbase nickname.
- Signature quote for posterity:
"No one wants to go on a date with a woman that's infinity. I'm too intimidating." (19:17, Adal/as 'infinity')
Overall, Episode #407 is characteristically zany, packed with deep-cut pop culture riffs, candid host dynamics, and just enough riddles to justify (barely) the title. It’s a prime example of Hey Riddle Riddle’s tone: if you want riddles, you’ll get shenanigans; if you want shenanigans, you’ll get an abundance.
