Hey Riddle Riddle – Patreon Preview #341: Erin on the Side of Tea

Release Date: September 19, 2025
Main Theme:
A playfully absurd and lightly satirical "British" afternoon talk show, starring Erin Keif (as Erin), Adal Rifai, and John Patrick Coan in a variety of improvisational roles, all riffing on British tropes and the peculiarities of afternoon radio. Expect over-the-top banter, musical oddities, running gags about tea, and plenty of delightfully derailed segments.

1. Episode Overview

• The episode parodies a British afternoon variety show, “Erin on the Side of Tea,” a send-up of Erin’s previous mock-podcast formats (“Erin on the Side of Coffee,” “Wine,” etc.).
• Erin, now “across the pond,” is joined by an eccentric cast: her bandleader Archibald Babadook (Adal), her reluctant court-ordered butler Wensley Brassington (JPC), and various field correspondents (mostly also JPC and Adal in rotating voices).
• Rather than riddles, the episode is structured as a character-led improv showcase, full of running jokes and farcical digressions, with British stereotypes as a unifying theme.

2. Key Segments & Insights

Intro & British Talk Show Setup (00:46–02:15)

• Erin welcomes listeners with exaggerated British flair:
  • “Pip, pip. Cheerio. Good afternoon, darlings, it's your host, Erin...” (00:46)
• Rebrands the series in self-aware fashion, referencing past fictional shows and highlighting the “afternoon slot.”
• Sets the stage with tongue-in-cheek British ritual: “settle in, dust off your fascinators, clutch your pearls and prepare your best ‘Oh, I say’...”

Meet the Bandleader: Archibald Babadook (02:15–03:56)

• Erin introduces her new “fancy” bandleader, contrasting him with previous, more “lazy” American ones.
• Archibald claims to play the “Gouvern phone,” described as:
  • “You put three strings on a dog, put it under a magnet, and then you have three horns in opposite directions…” (02:47)
• A live dog, somehow part of the instrument, chimes in with existential complaints:
  • Memorable Quote:
    • Dog: “Kill me. Kill me. I am most of a dog. Kill me.” (03:47)
• Surreal, darkly funny moment setting the improv's slapstick/silly tone.

Sidekick Butler (Wensley Brassington) & Court Order Bit (03:58–06:14)

• JPC plays the butler “Wensley Brassington,” introduced amid confusion about his character’s obligations and name.
  • Erin chides: “Please, just fucking care... The judge said you must make it seem like you’re here because of friendship, not because you broke the law.” (04:21, 05:07)
• Overlapping bits about court orders, powdered wigs, and being forced to use a British voice.
• Wensley is clearly unenthusiastic, distracted by videos of “NFL groin injuries” (04:43–05:01), which Erin objects to.

Marco Polo & Running Gags (06:14–07:16)

• Erin tries to play “Marco Polo” on air to cheer up after “missing Marco,” shifting seamlessly from playful improv to running meta-jokes.
• The co-hosts riff about small business software (in podcast-parody fashion).
• Multiple callbacks to “Marco” and “Polo,” blending them into unrelated topics and sponsor tangents.

The Recurring Tea Bit (10:05–11:19)

• Erin requests Earl Grey tea with milk and one sugar; Wensley is baffled at how to prepare it.
  • Wensley: “The fuck is that? How the fuck am I supposed to do that?” (11:08)
  • Erin: “Don’t make me tea. It’s Erin on the Side of Tea.” (11:11)
• Leads to exasperation and circular logic on how to do the most British of tasks.

Solicitor and the Argument Over the Show Title (11:22–11:48)

• Archibald (as “the solicitor”) offers unsolicited legal advice about changing the segment name to “Erin with a spot of tea,” prompting disagreement from Erin.
• Self-aware jab at “being the American” and the incongruity of forced Britishness.

Field Reports: The Brass Report (11:58–13:34)

• JPC, now as “Nathan Brass,” joins by phone from a bell tower in the field.
• Entire segment revolves around brass bells—and Nathan's engagement to “Jennifer Bells.”
  • Nathan: “Ask me her name.” Erin: “How big is the bell?” Nathan: “Jennifer Bells.” (12:58–13:02)
  • Jokes about hyphenated surnames: “Brass Bells” vs. “Bells Brass.” (13:16–13:19)
• Extended wordplay and awkward refusals to answer Erin’s simple questions.

Weather Update: Nigel Puttyfoot (13:42–14:38)

• Adal as field weatherman “Nigel Puttyfoot” delivers a classic British weather report:
  • “It is coming down pretty hard and sideways... the all weather umbrella is doing nothing. I am soaked tip to taint.” (13:54)
• Complaint about how rain is the only local weather, “I don’t know why we allot three minutes for this. It’s rain.” (14:32)
• Erin’s feigned concern for the segment’s monotony is a running joke.

3. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Gouvern phone:
  • Archibald: “You put three strings on a dog, put it under a magnet, and you have three horns in opposite directions…” (02:47)
  • Dog (despairingly): “Kill me. Kill me. I am most of a dog. Kill me.” (03:47)
• Meta Improv:
  • Erin, exasperated: “Please, just fucking care.” (04:21)
  • Wensley (on not knowing British tea): “The fuck is that? How the fuck am I supposed to do that?” (11:08)
• British Weather Stereotype:
  • Nigel: “A lot of the cabs seem to be going up to the curb into the puddles to seemingly splash me on purpose. It’s rain. I mean, I don’t know what else. It’s rain.” (13:54, 14:32)
• Meta-Podcast Moment:
  • Erin: “Can we do this?”
  • JPC: “I don’t think so.” (10:15)

4. Timestamps for Key Segments

• British Talk Show Parody Intro: 00:46–02:15
• Archibald & the Dog Instrument: 02:15–03:56
• Wensley Brassington & Court Order Satire: 03:58–06:14
• Marco Polo / Sponsor Parody: 06:14–07:24
• Tea Requests & Butler Antics: 10:05–11:19
• Solicitor Legal Advice: 11:22–11:48
• Brass Report Field Segment: 11:58–13:34
• Weather with Nigel Puttyfoot: 13:42–14:38

5. Tone & Style

• The episode is rapid-fire, tongue-in-cheek, with world-weary, improv-laden banter.
• Cohesive thanks only to the commitment of Erin, Adal, and JPC to the over-the-top British setting, while constantly poking fun at the setup (“We cannot go down this road again...,” “You are supposed to make it seem like you were supporting me as a friend…”).
• Self-referential and meta, repeatedly breaking character for comedic effect.
• Not a single riddle or puzzle appears; this is a showcase for character work and running in-jokes suited to core fans.

In Summary

Episode #341 is not so much about riddles as it is a playground for the cast’s quick-witted character work, riffing on British cliches and podcast tropes. Erin leads with feigned British pomposity, while Adal and JPC cycle through a parade of supporting personalities, each more ridiculous than the last. The episode’s memorable moments come less from narrative than from improvisational chemistry, running jokes, and intentionally convoluted bits about court orders, talking dog instruments, and a world where even the weather is funny because it’s “just rain.”

Perfect For: Fans of wild podcast improv, playful deconstruction of talk show formats, and those who enjoy in-jokes and absurd running gags.

Listen for:

• Archibald’s “Gouvern phone” and the existentially tormented dog (02:47–03:56)
• Erin’s and Winley’s tea struggle (10:05–11:19)
• Brass Report wedding name bit (12:50–13:19)
• Nigel’s exasperated weather update (13:54–14:32)