Patreon Previerw #371: The Two Faces of Penguin Baseball w/ James Dugan

Summary

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Hey Riddle Riddle – Patreon Preview #371: The Two Faces of Penguin Baseball w/ James Dugan

Date: April 17, 2026
Hosts: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan
Guest: James Dugan

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Episode Overview

This playful and improvisational episode centers around a fictional narrative of the Penguin Baseball League (PBL), focusing on two very different careers: Babe Floof, a once-famous penguin baseball star fallen from glory, and Yeti Beara, a monstrous up-and-comer. The story unfolds as Babe Floof returns to his hometown, navigating personal reinvention, resigned fame, and awkward run-ins, while a bumbling camera crew and a zealous boom mic operator (played by James Dugan) keep derailing the would-be serious exploration of redemption and change. True to form, the hosts lace the riddles and storytelling with layers of meta-humor, character work, and self-aware podcast asides.

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Key Discussion Points & Segments

The Opening Monologue: Telling Two Stories

[00:04]

• The hosts set the scene with a faux-earnest sports documentary tone, focusing on “the individual players” rather than the big picture of the Penguin Baseball League.
• Adal (A) frames the episode’s concept: “Our story starts with Babe Floof as he returns to his hometown, no longer an all star of the Penguin Baseball League, as the new cryptids have replaced his once great talents.” He introduces the dual narrative: fallen hero (Babe Floof) and the rising star/monster (Yeti Beara).

Scene: Babe Floof Returns Home

[01:33–03:36]

• Babe Floof (C) enters a local hardware store in Gary, Indiana, his return met with awkward recognition and questionably sincere small talk from a store worker (B).
• Meta-humor abounds as the characters argue over the proper verb for raising a statue (“erecting,” “raising,” etc.), with a boom mic operator (D) interjecting, breaking narrative boundaries.
• Classic Hey Riddle Riddle banter: constant derailing, gentle mocking, sly nods to the show’s improv roots.

“I know I’m not supposed to make myself part of the story, but I think that ‘erecting’ is a pretty solid word.” – James Dugan as boom mic operator, [03:00]

The Camera Crew and Sound Guy’s Unintentional Spotlight

[03:00–04:18]

• The sound guy keeps unintentionally inserting himself into the action, despite being told (repeatedly) that “this isn’t about you.”
• Multiple jokes about being new to Gary, Indiana, including a running joke about performing a musical number, classic for the show’s love of musicals.

“The camera crew is, like, glaring at the sound guy.” – (E), [04:04]
“Clear strike two for the sound guy isn’t about you.” – (E), [04:14]

Ad-lib Chaos, Breaks, and Hide-and-Seek

• (Short unrelated interlude/bit about someone playing hide-and-seek, then an ad read—skipped in this summary.)

Babe Floof, Down but Hopeful

[08:49–11:37]

• Babe Floof, awkward in his new context, applies for a job at Dirk’s Hardware.
• The hardware store employee grapples with hiring a former celebrity. There’s nostalgia for Babe Floof’s PBL glory days but also an attempt at normalcy.
• Babe Floof expresses weariness at reliving past glories:

  “I would prefer, actually, the whole thing with the PBL… I would prefer if—just if I want to work here, to work here. I don’t want to make it about… Because I’m not really doing the, you know, Penguin Baseball League anymore.” – Babe Floof (C), [10:53]

• Wistful reflection on the PBL’s evolution:

  “Can’t really—penguins can’t really compete with all the big birds and scary monsters from the ether or whatever.” – Babe Floof (C), [11:14]

The Boom Mic Operator Auditions

[11:37–13:52]

• The boom mic operator, refusing to stay in his lane, tries to show off his acting chops.
• Slides a resume across the counter, boasts his versatility (NASA intern! Clown! Surfer! Spy!), hilariously undermining the episode’s original “documentary” premise.
• Sings “Won’t You Come Home, Bill Bailey?” when pressed, gets (fake) hired.
• The group riffs on his headshots, marveling at the character’s commitment.
• Meta-improv continues:

  “With a name like Boom Jackson, you could have played for the PBL.” – Store Employee (B), [12:50]

Visual Gags, Sudden Absences, and the Scene’s Collapse

[13:13–14:18]

• The camera (narrative device) ‘loses’ Babe Floof, adding a silly twist where the important subject simply vanishes.
• Other characters are left confused.
• The scene cuts abruptly, with a rapid-fire closing: “Hate Riddle Riddle’s clue Crew,” then a plug to listen to the rest on Patreon.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Meta-Commentary, Forgotten Fame:

  “I still remember and I still tell the tale of…when you went up to the plate and it was a rowdy game and you…hit an egg straight into the…like, the lights. Sort of like that Paul Newman movie?”
  “Would it be okay if we didn’t talk about…” – [09:30–10:03]

• On Reinvention:

  “I’m trying to kind of close that chapter and start my new chapter.” – Babe Floof (C), [11:26]

• Breaking the Documentary Illusion:

  “Where’s the director of this?” – Babe Floof (C), [11:57]
  “If you weren’t my son, I would freak fuck out right now.” – (E), [11:58]

• Character Resume Bits:

  “You have lab coat. Yeah, yeah, we’ve got lab coat. We’ve got full clown makeup. If you go south from that, you’re gonna see me as a surfer… and then, like, a spy at a formal function.” – Boom Operator/Boom Jackson (D), [13:05–13:36]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:04] – Opening monologue: Theme and scope
• [01:33] – Babe Floof’s awkward hometown return
• [03:00] – Sound guy awkwardly inserts himself (and gets called out)
• [08:49] – Babe Floof applies for a hardware store job, reflects on his past
• [11:37] – Boom mic operator’s impromptu audition
• [13:13] – Showdown over ridiculous resumes and made-up headshots
• [14:07] – The scene abruptly ends, cutting to promotional material

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Episode Tone & Style

Delivered in the Hey Riddle Riddle signature style—irreverent, fast-paced, character driven, and loaded with meta-jokes—this episode leans into absurdity and improvisational chaos. The hosts and guest James Dugan play havoc with narrative boundaries, with everyone jumping between in-character sincerity, self-aware asides, and full-on sketch comedy.

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For New Listeners

You don’t need to know the Penguin Baseball League (or even believe penguins can play baseball!) to enjoy this episode. The charm lies in the group’s ability to riff, improvise, and poke fun at the very idea of earnest narrative storytelling—while sneaking in surprising moments of empathy and self-reflection ("trying to start a new chapter") amid their chaos. James Dugan’s unhinged boom operator is a standout, refusing to stay in the background and upstaging the “documentary” with his actorly ambitions.

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Listen to the full episode by joining their Patreon.
Memorable for its blend of improv mockumentary, classic podcast banter, and loving lampooning of both sports and show business.

Transcript

[A]

Every season of Penguin Baseball League brings moments of great triumph and heartbreaking sadness. But too often, we, as consumers of Penguin Baseball League get focused on the big picture and lose sight of the individual players. Today, we take you on a journey of exploration inside a player on the rise and a player down on his luck. Our story starts with Babe Floof as he returns to his hometown, no longer an all star of the Penguin Baseball League, as the new cryptids have replaced his once great talents. Then our story takes us to Yeti Beara, a yeti very much on the rise. How do these two players, one, a penguin, two a big monster thing from the woods or whatever, deal with the pressures put upon them and put upon their families from playing in the Penguin Baseball League? These are their stories.

[B]

I'll be with you in just one second.

[C]

Oh, yeah, no. No worries. No special treatment for me.

[B]

Never, never give special. Let me get down for the ladder here. I was just looking for a three fourths bit of. Whoa.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

Oh, my stars and stripes.

[A]

Is that.

[B]

No, Clean my glasses on my shirt.

[C]

No, don't do the whole cleaning your glasses on your shirt. Yeah, it's me. It's Babe Floof.

[B]

My glasses weren't dirty. It's my eyes on me.

[C]

It's not your eyes. I am Babe Floof. I'm the person I think, that you recognize.

[B]

No, it can't be. Is that. Is that. Let me get a little closer. Squint real hard.

[C]

Don't do this.

[B]

If it isn't. The prodigal son returns. Hometown hero Babe Floof.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. These guys are just. They're just following me for a. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

[B]

Let me clean my glasses.

[C]

Don't do the thing. Don't do the thing. It's an obvious camera crew. There's a boom mic and a camera operator.

[B]

Tiny piece of glass. Babe, what brings you back to. Is there some sort of statue raising going on in town today?

[D]

Raising?

[C]

Like burning like an effigy?

[B]

No, in the most common way.

[C]

Is that. Oh, yeah, I guess. Oh, yes. Raisin. No, no.

[B]

What's a better term than razoring? A statue? Commemoration statue. Cutting. Ribbon cutting.

[D]

I hate to break in. I know the boom mic operator isn't supposed to make himself part of the story, but I think that erecting is a pretty solid word.

[B]

Well, here's the thing, young man, is. That was the first word that came to mind. But I. I know sometimes in a hardware store, people want to make jokes about, you know, wood erecting. And if you taps the Sign. If you see here, I have a sign that says no jokes about genitalia.

[D]

Oh, okay. Sorry. This is my first time in this town, and I know I'm not supposed to make myself part of the story, but.

[B]

Your first time in. Sorry, your first time in Gary, Indiana?

[D]

It's my first time this side of the Mississippi. Yeah.

[B]

Well, let me hit the button. We got our first album.

[D]

No, no, no, no, no. I don't want this to be about me.

[E]

Here we are welcoming you to Indiana. We're not doing it. Are we doing the musical number?

[C]

Is someone here recently in Gary, Indiana, for the first time?

[D]

Yeah, no, I am. But really, please, just, like, pretend I'm not here.

[E]

The camera crew is, like, glaring at the sound guy.

[C]

No, no, no, no, no.

[D]

This isn't about me. This isn.

[E]

Clear strike two for the sound guy isn't about you.

[B]

You're clearly caked in makeup. You knew you were gonna be on

[C]

screen lowering the boom mic down so he could speak directly into it. So it's like, sure to pick him up.

[B]

Oh, he's got a type five.

[D]

This is not. This was not intentional. This is just my natural singing voice. Also,

[E]

Hey, guys, I'm playing hide and seek with Adeline jpc, and so I'm hiding, so just bear with me. Do you know that Mother's Day is coming up? And let me guess, you're going to go for the same old, same old. You're going to get your wife or your mom flowers, brunch, a gift card, fluffy robe that you already got her last year. What if you got her an aura frame? If your mom is anything like my mom, she will send you screenshots of photos from six years ago in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. Because moms love looking at photos. That's like their number one thing that they love to do. The aura frame has free unlimited storage. You can add as many photos or videos as you want. You can even preload photos before it ships, maybe adding inside jokes, all the photos that she's been screenshotting, and then she'll send you a screenshot of a screenshot of a screenshot of a photo, and you can include those on there. You can personalize your gift. That can be messages that you can have. A gift box. Every frame comes packaged in a premium gift box with no price tag. Just download the free our app and text photos straight to the frame. The aura frame reached number one in the App Store on Christmas Day in 2025. Because moms love the Aura frame named number one on Wirecutter. You can save on the gifts moms love by visiting auraframes.com for a limited time. Listeners could get $25 off their best selling Carver mat frame with code RIDDLE. That's Aura A U R A frames.com, promo code RIDDLE R I D D L E. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Oh my gosh, I forgot to whisper. Do you think they're looking for me? It's been like six and a half days, but I bet they're really excited to find me. 999 1000. Ready or not, here I come. Oh hey everybody. I'm just playing a game of hide and seek with Adel and jpc so you keep an eye out for them while I talk to you about quints. This past weekend I was out and about with my new Italian suede slouchy midnight blue bag. And I kid you not, several of the most beautiful cool looking women asked me where I got it and I got to go. Quints. It's super affordable. I want my everyday items to be classic and timeless and comfortable and easy and affordable. And that's why I shop at Quint's. Quince has all the wardrobe staples for spring. Think 100% European linen shorts and shirts from $34. Lightweight, breathable and comfortable. But you're still going to look put together and clean. 100% prima cotton tees with a softness that has to be felt. Everything is priced 50 to 80% less than what you'll find at similar brands. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen. So you're getting premium materials without the markup. I love everything I have from Quince. I recently got sandals from them. I'm obsessed with their home stuff. If you're looking for basics like rugs or curtains, truly just the most timeless, classic, well made items are over there at Quint's. So check it out. Still not seeing Adler gpc. Starting to worry that they went to the movies or something. No, they're around. We'll find them. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to quince.com riddle for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Quince. Q U I n c e.com riddle r I-d l e for free shipping and 365 day returns. That's a full year. Year. If it's a full year you can decide if you like it. You're gonna like it. Quince.com. riddle. I found you. Oh, no. Sorry. False alarm. Those are just two scarecrows eating dessert waffles. Onward and upward.

[C]

Yeah, I just. I'm just. I'm here for, like, a. If I could get a. The sign in the widow said help wanted. If I could get, like, an application for.

[B]

Are you. Are you kidding me? I'm sorry. To have Babe Floof work at Dirk's Hardware. Let me just. Grabs a sign, rips it in half. Hi. Well, shit. I actually need.

[C]

That was the one that says, no jokes about genitalia. Does that mean.

[B]

Let me clean my glasses? You are hired. Oh, my good. I. Oh, my goodness me. I still. I still remember and I still tell the tale.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Of. In 1987, when you were so young.

[C]

Yeah, I guess I was probably.

[B]

You must have been brand new to the ball and the egg and the bat and the ball. The.

[C]

Where's this going?

[B]

The bits and the bobs. And you went up to the plate and it was a rowdy game, and you. Hidden egg straight into the. Like, the lights. Sort of like that Paul Newman movie. What's that?

[C]

Would it be okay if we didn't talk about.

[D]

I hate to make myself part of this story. I really, really do hate to do that, but I think you're talking about the natural, right?

[B]

No, no, no. Glass got in everyone's eyes and it started to sting. The sting.

[D]

Yeah. Okay.

[B]

Because all the glass. Because glass went everywhere.

[C]

I hate to do this, but.

[D]

And also, if you're looking to hire anybody else, that is just a natural baritone, I would. I'm available.

[B]

Oh, let's. Could you please sing Won't you come home, Bill Bailey? In. In C. Sure.

[D]

In C.

[C]

Hey.

[D]

Hey.

[C]

I hate to. I hate to.

[D]

Oh, won't you come home? Bill Bailey? Bill Bailey, won't you come home?

[B]

You're hired. Grab a sign, rip it in half. Wow. That's my driver's license.

[C]

Yeah, I just. If I'd prefer. Actually, the whole thing with the pbl, it's. You know, I'm not. Obviously not. Not playing anymore, and I. I would prefer if. Just if I want to work here, to work here. I don't want to. I don't want to make it about. Because I'm not really doing the, you know, Penguin baseball league anymore because.

[B]

Oh, goodness. What happened?

[C]

Can't really. Penguins. Can't really compete with all the big birds and scary monsters from the ether or whatever. So it's.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. I loved it. It was great. It was fun. While it lasts That I had. You know, obviously I had some great times, a couple of really good years in the pbl. But, yeah, I'm trying to kind of close that chapter and start my new chapter.

[D]

Yeah, well, speaking of closing chapters and maybe starting new ones, and I really, really hate to break in here, but I just want to show that I have a bit more range than just a boom mic operator here. If you could just take a look at this sliding a resume across the counter.

[C]

Where's the director of this?

[E]

If you weren't my son, I would freak fuck out right now.

[D]

So you can see that I have. I have pretty big range. I can play doctors. I have played. I've played janitors. I was cast in the From Earth to the Moon series. I was a NASA intern. So all kinds of range. Anything that you need if you're casting. I also am not sure if you are a casting director.

[B]

Well, we do have plaster of Paris in the back.

[D]

Got it.

[B]

Oh, merrily we go along.

[C]

Was that a college looking around for a sign to tap? Is there a sign to tap? Plaster of Paris? I guess he gets away with it, but. Well.

[B]

Boom. Boom. Sir. Boom Jackson. What's. What's your. What's your name?

[D]

Boom Jackson.

[B]

Oh, got it.

[C]

Damn. That's a name. You could have played for the PBL with a name like Boom Jackson. That's a.

[B]

Now I'm realizing I saw the name on the. On the resume and I thought maybe I just guessed it full on, but no, let me turn it over here. Okay. I do see a. There's sort of a headshot, but it's in four quadrants. We have.

[D]

Yeah, you have lab coat. Yeah, yeah, we've got lab coat. We've got full clown makeup.

[C]

Do you have hammers?

[B]

Hold on. Hey, shut up for a second. I got something important going on. Just take it. Just take it. Oh, sorry. Go ahead.

[D]

No, yeah, my four quadrants, you can see. I've got lab scientist, slash doctor unspecified. There a full clown makeup in the second one over.

[C]

Oh, wow.

[D]

If you go south from that, you're gonna see me as a surfer.

[B]

And then let me get out my compass directly.

[D]

Directly west of that, you're gonna see me dressed as, like a. This is a spy at a formal function.

[B]

Wow. Wow. Like in True Lies.

[D]

Oh, you've seen it?

[B]

Yes, absolutely. Oh, it's my favorite movie.

[D]

Nice. Okay.

[B]

Worn out the dvd, if that's possible.

[D]

I am so, so sorry. I do not want to make this about me. Let me just fade back and you and I can talk later.

[B]

Oh, he's sort of tapping backwards. It's like a soft.

[C]

The camera kind of fade pans back because it was like hyper zoomed on the two of you and Babe Floof is nowhere to be found. We have no idea where. We have no idea where Babe Floof is.

[B]

Well, shit.

[C]

1, 2, 3, 4.

[D]

Hate Riddle. Riddle's clue Crew.

[C]

Listen to the rest of the episode now by starting your free 7 day trial at patreon.com heyriddle riddle

[E]

hi, I am Mandy Moore.

[B]

Sterling K. Brown. And I'm Chris Sullivan. And we host the podcast that was Us now on Headgum.

[E]

Each episode we're gonna go into a deep dive from our show. This is us.

[B]

That's right.

[E]

We're gonna go episode by episode. We're also gonna pepper in episodes with different guest stars and writers and casting directors.

[B]

Are we gonna cry? Yes, a little bit. Are we gonna laugh a lot? A whole lot. That's what I'm hoping, man. Listen to that was Us on your favorite podcast app. Or watch full video episodes on YouTube or Spotify. New episodes every Tuesday.