Hey Riddle Riddle - Patreon Preview #343: Hot Takes...us on a journey?

Release Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan (JPC)
Theme: The trio dives into listener-submitted "hot takes"—controversial or quirky opinions—riffing on aging drivers, cartoon shows for adults, mandatory customer service, the value of American road trips, and one truly wild suggestion about head injuries. As usual, their trademark irreverent Chicago improv banter keeps things spicy, tangential, and often heartfelt.

Main Theme Overview

The episode centers on the hosts dissecting a set of hot takes submitted by a listener ("Gramberger"), sparking lively, often comical debates around societal norms, personal pet peeves, and surprisingly sincere reflections on empathy and experience. The team brings their distinctive wit to serious and silly opinions alike, creating an episode that's as much about improvisational camaraderie as it is about the hot takes themselves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Adal’s “Spicy” Mood & The Hot Takes Format

[01:16]

• Adal kicks things off by declaring himself “a little bit spicy today” (remarks that he wants to share hot takes).
• Erin recalls great listener feedback from their previous hot takes episode—especially her viral opinion that “Oreos are minty and a little bitter,” which led to ridiculous internet diagnoses.

“Some people were saying, like, you might have, like, a meningitis.” – Adal ([02:33])

• They agree that “taste is a little bit subjective,” setting up the spirit for the discussion.

2. Hot Take 1: Drivers Over 75 Should Retest Every Two Years

[02:53]

• Take: People over 75 should retake a driver’s test biennially.
• JPC immediately jokes:

“Shots fired at Helen Mirren.” – JPC ([03:15])

• The hosts riff on elderly drivers being oblivious at Costco, likening shoppers to “Roombas with shopping carts.”

“Costco is the one part of the matrix...we don't have to render this at all. It's just women in red dresses and people just bumping into shit all over.” – Adal ([04:33])

• Aaron and JPC add: people should also retest at 40-45 (“your angriest in life” – JPC [05:05]) to root out road rage, suggesting "a breathalyzer for anger or phone addiction" ([05:38]).
• Adal pushes further, arguing it should be much harder for anyone to get a license.

3. Tangent: Aaron’s New Rug

[06:09]

• Quick, humorous detour where Erin invites the hosts to admire her new rug, leading to playful banter about shopping, style, and Quince’s affordability.
• JPC: “Oh, is that 100% Mongolian cashmere?”
• Erin corrects: “No, that’s my sweater.” ([06:41])

4. Hot Take 2: Adults Without Kids are Weird for Watching Bluey

[11:03]

• Take: Non-parents watching “Bluey” (a children’s show) is weird.
• JPC disagrees forcefully:

“To police someone else's enjoyment is one of the most insane things you can do on earth.” ([11:12])

• Erin notes the show’s creators aim for an audience including adults.
• Adal jokes, likening multi-target marketing to cigarettes.

“Like the people who sell cigarettes who are like, ‘this is for everybody.’” – Adal ([11:41])

• The group agrees this take isn’t that hot, nor “sexy.” Erin jokes: “I think Bluey is minty.” ([12:16])

5. Hot Take 3: Mandatory Year of Customer Service

[12:21]

• Take: Everyone should work a direct customer service job for a year (akin to the selective service/military draft).
• Erin and Adal strongly agree, advocating that it fosters empathy and better behavior.

“You can tell the people who never had to work a job in one of those fields because they’re not super respectful.” – Erin ([12:45])

• JPC adds a tongue-in-cheek warning:

“We get a bunch of, like, Leopold and Loeb’s ... rich kids who are like, I don’t want to do this, and now I’m a serial killer.” ([13:34])

• Adal and Erin keep things grounded, stressing empathy and the inevitability of interacting with service workers.

6. Hot Take 4: American Road Trips are Overrated

[15:12]

• Take: American road trips aren’t that great.
• All three hosts vehemently disagree.
• JPC waxes poetic on roadside Americana:

“Road trips are one of the best things in life... all the little bite-sized Americana statues, balls of yarn, palaces of corn.” ([15:30])

• Adal defends road trips as the best way to appreciate the vastness and diversity of the US.
• Erin—an avowed road trip lover—agrees, noting it deepens understanding of regional differences (“I call them piss over states and I piss on all of their houses when I drive by.” ([17:28])
• There’s healthy acknowledgment that some states aren’t exactly scenic gems, but each has their highlights.

7. Hot Take 5: Getting Hit Hard in the Head is Good for You

[17:59]

• Take: Being hit really hard in the head isn’t a big deal, and could benefit most people.
• The hosts react with disbelief and mock horror.
• As the episode preview ends, they tease further exploration of this unhinged idea for the Patreon segment.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[Costco] is Costco, so it was absolutely packed. There were old people, like, running their carts into people all over the place ... this isn't safe for anyone on the road." – Adal ([03:52])
• "The minute you walk into a Costco, … everyone moves like Roombas with shopping carts." – JPC ([04:14])
• “You don’t find [a yogurt guy], he finds you.” – Adal ([01:59])
• "To police someone else's enjoyment is one of the most insane things you can do on earth." – JPC ([11:12])
• “I call them piss over states and I piss on all of their houses when I drive by.” – Erin ([17:28])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------| | [01:16] | Hot Takes Setup & Mood Setting | | [02:53] | Hot Take 1: Driver Retesting for Seniors | | [04:14] | Costco & Elderly Driver Anecdotes | | [06:09] | Aaron's New Rug & Light Fashion Tangent | | [11:03] | Hot Take 2: Watching Bluey as a Non-parent | | [12:21] | Hot Take 3: Mandatory Year in Customer Service | | [15:12] | Hot Take 4: Are Road Trips Overrated? | | [17:59] | Hot Take 5: Benefit of a Good Knock to the Head |

Recap & Tone

The episode marries playful irreverence with genuine opinions as Adal, Erin, and JPC tackle listener “hot takes” on adulthood, society, and the little quirks of American life. With improvisational riffs, sincere asides, and inside-joke tangents, it’s a classic slice of Hey Riddle Riddle: part riddle-solving, part friendship, all delightfully off-script.

For the full episode and more deep-dive into listener hot takes, join their Patreon “Clue Crew.”