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

Summary

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.

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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.

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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.

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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])

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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])

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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])

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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 |

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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.”

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Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Adel]

Hey Adel. Aaron, I'm honestly feeling a little bit spicy today. Do you guys. I mean, if I'm the only one say, and I'll kind of drop the whole thing, but I'm feeling a little bit spicy today.

[Aaron]

Is it because you're eating hot peppers?

[Adel]

Oh my God. That's what this is. Oh, my yogurt guy fucked me.

[Aaron]

You a yogurt guy?

[Adel]

I guess I would have a guy who would be really mad if he heard me call him that. But yeah, I do have a yogurt guy.

[Aaron]

Huh. Can I get his number or email?

[Adel]

Aaron.

[Aaron]

What?

[Adel]

A yogurt guy doesn't have a phone?

[Aaron]

Okay, see, I'm out of the loop.

[Adel]

You don't find him, he finds you. Yogurt. But no, I'm feeling kind of spicy today. In fact, you know, I. I think I might want to do some hot takes.

[Aaron]

Oh yeah, I remember these. Can I just say something about this episode is I got a lot of. Let me lie here. Great feedback about the last time we did this because I did my hot take, which was Oreos are minty and have a little bit of a bitter take Just because of the chocolate. And people on the Internet really took to it and really liked it.

[Adel]

Yeah. Aaron, there were some people that had some pretty plausible explanations for why you might have that taste. Like, some of it were people that saying, like, you might have, like, a meningitis.

[Aaron]

No, that's a butt thing. Adol. Come on, man. Open a book. Open a book.

[Adel]

I think maybe somewhat what it comes down to is that taste is a little bit subjective, which is an important lesson for all of us when we dig into these hot takes. I got some hot takes today. Let's see the first one are. These are five hot takes submitted from Gramberger. Okay. Grahamberger writes, after the age of 75, you should have to take a driver's test every two years. Whoa.

[JPC]

Shots fired at Helen Mirren.

[Adel]

Yes, shots were fired at Helen Mirren. And that's why she drove her car through a farmer's market. It wasn't that she's too old to drive. It was merely she was trying to escape danger, and that's why she did that. Thank you. You know what? I don't hate this one. I don't hate this one. I went to Costco the other day, and it was like. It was the time when all of the Olds are going to Costco, and I have to say, some of the most oblivious people I've ever. It was. It was Costco, so it was absolutely packed. There were old people, like, running their carts into people all over the place. And then when I got in the parking lot, I was behind a very old man in a very big car who was going, like, 1 mile per hour erratically. I thought maybe he was having, like, an episode that was happening. And I kind of pulled up aroundside him, and it was just. It was just a bewildered man driving a car. And I thought, like, this isn't safe. This isn't safe for anyone on the road.

[JPC]

I have a theory that the minute you walk into a Costco, there's some sort of pheromone in the air that has a chemical reaction where everyone moves like Roombas. Everyone moves like Roombas with shopping carts. It is the most frustrating thing in the world. Especially the produce area.

[Adel]

Yeah.

[JPC]

Good luck.

[Aaron]

Yeah. But the floor is clean, so.

[JPC]

But the floor's clean.

[Adel]

Costco is the one part of the matrix that they were like, no one's gonna notice. We don't have to render this at all. It's just women in red dresses and people just bumping into shit all over.

[Aaron]

That's the truest thing I've ever Heard you guys. We don't have to color this in. We don't have to really finish this. No one's gonna. That is exactly what it feels like to be in that building and parking lot. Holy shit.

[Adel]

Any more feedback for Granberger on whether we think the age 75 driver's test thing has any merit to it?

[Aaron]

I'm actually into it.

[JPC]

I agree with it. I would add a caveat that people should have to retake a driver's test around 45. Between 40 and 45, which is when you're gonna be your angriest in life. Just so just to take a test to sort of calm you down. Cause a lot of road rage needs to kind of Peter get squeezed out of you.

[Adel]

Knowing what I know about Adol and his age, and he's Talking about how 45 is the angriest that might be.

[Aaron]

So he's careening towards it.

[Adel]

Maybe something we check in with our friend about a little later.

[JPC]

Just call me Kareen Abduljaba.

[Aaron]

A breathalyzer for anger.

[Adel]

Ooh.

[Aaron]

Or phone addiction. So you have to breathe into it and be under a certain amount in order to be able to drive. Because everyone in LA is on their phones and is pissed while they're driving.

[Adel]

I think if we're talking, like, hot take, hot takes, there truly should be. It should be way harder to be able to drive a car. There should be more steps to prevent more people from being able to drive cars, because there are a lot of people who are doing it, but really should not be doing it.

[Aaron]

Adol, jpc. Do you notice? Come in, come in, come in, come in, come in. Do you notice anything different?

[JPC]

10 inches taller.

[Adel]

Thank you.

[Aaron]

No.

[Adel]

Oh, for her. Oh, no. We were just. Oh. Adel and I were staring into each other's eyes and kind of feeling each other's arms. No. Aaron, let's focus on you or whatever. What's your thing? Or whatever.

[Aaron]

I texted you, said come over. I need attention. Also, I got something new for my house.

[JPC]

Ooh, what'd you get?

[Adel]

Personality.

[Aaron]

It's my new rug from Quince. Oh, isn't it amazing?

[JPC]

Gorgeous. Oh, is that 100% Mongolian cashmere?

[Aaron]

No, that's my sweater. That's my sweater you're feeling.

[JPC]

Oh, sorry. Let me step off.

[Adel]

That would be insane for a rug.

[Aaron]

And I bet it was so expensive, right? Not wrong. It was just $60. There's classic denim I can get from Quint, real leather, wool outwear. And my new rug. Ooh, look, I'm making a snow angel on my new Rug.

[JPC]

I'll look in a minute.

[Aaron]

I love quints.

[JPC]

I'll look in a minute. Aaron, I'm looking into JPC's eyes now. JPC, I feel like you would look amazing in their suede trucker jacket. It's perfect for layering even though you got these, you know, 10 inch pythons. Now you big biceps. It just looks really casual but put together.

[Adel]

And by partnering directly with ethical factories and top artisans, Quince cuts out the middleman to deliver premium quality at half the cost of similar brands. And Adol, I gotta say, it looks like somebody cut the middle out of you and just left. Fucking chiseled abs. What's going on, you guys?

[Aaron]

You guys, I've been sick. I'm not just obsessed with their rugs, but I also love their bedding. I have their sheets, bath cookware, travel accessories, and my wardrobe. What do you guys do?

[JPC]

Yeah, cool.

[Aaron]

Why don't you look at me?

[JPC]

It's all amazing. Aaron, just calm down.

[Aaron]

Layer up this fall with pieces that feel as good as they look. Go to quince.com riddle for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q u I n c e.com c. Free shipping and 365 day returns. Quint.com Riddle oh no.

[JPC]

JPC. They made it. Canada too.

[Adel]

Canada 2.

[JPC]

The squeak will we gotta go by Aaron. Bye.

[Aaron]

Why is that bad?

[Adel]

This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace.

[JPC]

And then, okay, so you make a box. It's basically like a box and you can put whatever you want in. It's like a sandbox.

[Adel]

Okay.

[Aaron]

Okay.

[JPC]

Isn't that pretty cool?

[Adel]

Yeah, I guess it's cool.

[Aaron]

I'm covered in paper cuts. Adel, I feel like this is not gonna help me.

[Adel]

Sort of like I'm covered in sand cuts.

[Aaron]

It's not gonna be like a good hub for people to find my business online.

[JPC]

Yeah, yeah. And jpci, I guess sand is broken glass, technically. Or pre broken glass. How about Squarespace? Have you heard of this? You seen this? You heard of this? You seen this? Squarespace.

[Aaron]

Oh yeah. That sounds way better.

[Adel]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

Oh, yeah.

[Adel]

Squarespace. That's the all in one website platform designed to help you stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just starting out or scaling. Squarespace gives you everything you need to claim your domain. Why did I say it like that? Showcase your offerings with a professional website, grow your brand and get paid all in one place. Domain, domain, Domain, domain.

[Aaron]

Adel, this is a good idea because I can get discovered fast with integrated Squarespace SEO tools. Every website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto generated sitemap, and more. So you show up more often on search engines and bring in more of your ideal customers. Gosh, this is like my hand's more paper cut than hands.

[JPC]

Yeah, and you can also get analytics. You can make smarter business decisions with Squarespace's intuitive built in analytics tools. Reviews website traffic, learn where to focus engagement, and track revenue from bookings, invoices, or product sales.

[Adel]

And I actually don't know if we should say this. I think I could actually get a lot of trouble for saying this. I don't know if Squarespace has cleared me to say this, but I think it is the only website that you can use that won't give you a paper cut.

[JPC]

Hey, jpc.

[Adel]

Aaron.

[JPC]

What are you guys up to?

[Adel]

Whoa.

[JPC]

Why are you guys hanging out with Baby Adle?

[Aaron]

Oh, Squarespace makes it easy to showcase your expertise and engage clients with video content on your website. Upload and organize your videos, create stunning video libraries, and even monetize your content by adding a paywall. Perfect for online courses, exclusive tutorials, and premium workshops like the one Baby Addle runs.

[JPC]

Yeah, perfect. Squarespace is perfect. But I'm saying I told you guys to stop hanging out with Babyl.

[Aaron]

Remember?

[JPC]

Dr. Chameleon made baby Addle to like replace me or something.

[Aaron]

We don't have time for lore.

[Adel]

Remind me again what makes this one Baby Addle anyway? Head to squarespace.com riddle for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code riddle to save 10% of your first purchase of a website or domain. Is it just the way he dresses?

[JPC]

Head of an adl? Body of a baby.

[Adel]

Oh, hey.

[Aaron]

Hey, Adle. Jpc, Can I talk to you guys for a second? I told you, we do not have time to drop new lore in these. Okay.

[Adel]

All right, here's the next one. Also from Granberger. People who are not kids and do not have kids are weird for watching Bluey.

[JPC]

I could not disagree more with that. I feel like to police someone else's enjoyment is one of the most insane things you can do on earth.

[Aaron]

I also think that the people who made that show have been very open about how it is meant for adults to feel like reconnected with their imagination and stuff.

[Adel]

Is that true? The people that made Bluey say that it's for adults?

[Aaron]

No, they like, they go that they're aiming at both groups, like equally.

[JPC]

Something for the parents, something for the kids.

[Aaron]

Like they are they.

[Adel]

Yeah, like the people who sell cigarettes who are like, this is for everybody. You're selling a product. You don't want it to be for, like, oh, yeah, this is for just like, a really tiny slice of the population.

[Aaron]

Yeah, Yeah. I think that's not. I don't think that's that hot of a take.

[Adel]

Wait, you don't think it's a hot take to, say people who are not kids and do not have kids are weird for watching Bluey?

[Aaron]

No, I think. I guess it's a hot take, but I don't think it's a hot take. I don't think it's a sexy take.

[Adel]

Okay. This could be our new Oreos thing, but we might want to move right past it. Here's a good take.

[Aaron]

I think Bluey is minty.

[Adel]

Bluey is minty, has big Zendaya is Michi vibes. All right, number three from Graham. We should have the selective service, but for working in direct customer service. For a role in a direct customer service role for a year.

[Aaron]

Yes.

[Adel]

Which I think means that everyone, when they turn 18, should have to work in customer service for a year.

[Aaron]

Yeah. Or I think you should be either assigned working in a restaurant, working in retail, or working in customer service because. Or no. And also working in some sort of, like, cleaning or hygiene job, because you know what? I think that it will make you a much better person. And you can tell the people who never had to work a job in one of those fields because they're not super respectful. So I think that. Yeah, I'm into that. From 18 to 19, you have to work one of those jobs to make you a good person.

[Adel]

Yeah. I don't know a better way to, on a large scale, get everyone to have a shred of empathy. But I feel like that is a good stepping stone to, like, ensure that we have a higher chance of operating in a society where people have a little bit of empathy.

[JPC]

I think I very much like this idea. It also feels like the pendulum could swing too hard the other way, and we get a bunch of, like, Leopold and Loeb's where it's like, a lot of rich kids who are like, I don't want to do this, and now I'm a serial killer. Like, I would normally not interact with this many poors, and now I have to kill one.

[Adel]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I've never seen Kate and Leopold, so it feels. But I. Hey, I trust you. I'm not saying that that's not what happens in that movie. I trust my friend.

[JPC]

Yeah. Hugh Jackman kills a Kid with his friend and they ride their bikes away. I think in the 1920s in Chicago.

[Adel]

Yeah. I think there's so many things that we could do to restructure society that would have the unintended consequence of triggering a bunch of psychopaths. But that's also kind of the society we live in just to begin with. So it's like we're kind of doing that anyway. Right.

[JPC]

I feel like maybe in my mind's eye, maybe a better path would be like everyone has to garden for six months with like one other person or something. Like a soft collaboration with someone in like a calming space.

[Adel]

I don't know, man. I don't necessarily know that, like gardening is the calming space. But I also think, I mean, yeah, if we're trying to develop empathy, I guess, like. Yep. I really think you need you as a, as a person in America are going to interact with people on a customer service basis. I really think that you need something to make people do that. And I don't necessarily agree with. The reason why we should have exemptions is because rich people will kill people. Because rich people could be killing people anyway. They're going to do what they're going to do.

[Aaron]

They sound like rich people.

[Adel]

Here's another one. Ooh, Adolf, I think you're going to have a problem with this. Number four from Graham Burger. American road trips are overrated.

[Aaron]

Boo.

[Adel]

I was thinking they said American road trips, Boo. Which are the only kind I'm familiar with.

[JPC]

Road trips are one of the best things in life. And one of the best parts about road trips is all the stops along the way to catch all the little bite sized Americana statues, balls of yarn, palaces of corn. There's so much fun Americana scattered throughout the US and part of a good road trip is to see the most weird, wild stuff.

[Adel]

I think that from my perspective, you don't really. It's hard to get a idea of the scale of the country if you, especially if you live in America that you live in without traveling it by road or train or like if you're just flying around to different cities or you're like exploring that way, you don't really get an idea of the scale of the country. And I think it's important to kind of get an idea of the scale of the country because, you know, this is. It's a such a big landmass. It's made of all these, like, arbitrary lines that are carved up into these, like, states that have different rules. So much of it starts to unravel in your Mind if you see more of the country and like, I don't know, I like the. I'm not like advocating like, hey, there's a merit to like driving from point A to point B, but there is merit to like kind of getting a sense of the scale. I do, Yeah, I agree with that.

[Aaron]

I mean, you know, I'm the biggest road trip fan. I love it. I also think it. Yeah, it's like a healthy way to see the country that you live in because you see like how things connect and you see how like, like I was in Maine this past weekend and to go from Maine to la, I'm like, so glad that I've driven through every state in between and so grateful that I've gotten to have those experiences because it just makes you realize, I don't know, it just makes you appreciate places and why people are super different from different places based on like the terrain they grew up in.

[Adel]

And you call them drive thru states, right, Erin? And you say that they're full of hamburger people.

[Aaron]

I call them piss over states and I piss on all of their houses when I drive by.

[Adel]

That's right.

[JPC]

Sort of like a macro Dave Matthews situation.

[Aaron]

Yeah. I've made my thoughts on Missouri and Nebraska quite clear, I think. But there's some parts of those states that I think are beautiful. Like, I loved Lincoln, Nebraska. There were some parts of it that were great. There's some parts of St. Louis in Missouri that I think are quite beautiful. But some states. Yeah, just. Yeah.

[Adel]

Oh, okay, I want to get to this. Grahamberger's last hot take. This is really interesting to me. Okay, so this is hot take number five. Getting hit really hard in the head isn't a big deal and most people could actually benefit from it. Oh, now that's interesting. 1, 2, 3, 4. Hate riddle riddles. Clue crew, listen to the rest of the episode now by starting your free 7 day trial at patreon.com heyriddle riddle.

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