Hey Riddle Riddle – Patreon Preview #374: The Focus Group
Date: May 8, 2026
Hosts: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan
Platform: Headgum
Episode Overview
This episode—“The Focus Group”—puts a comedic spin on a classic creative process: a focus group test screening. The hosts role-play as zany, clueless, and quirky participants in a faux focus group being asked for their very candid thoughts on a new sitcom pilot, “Passing Through.” As always, riddles, references, ridiculous tangents, and genuine improv hilarity ensue, with the episode barely sticking to the ostensible topic of riddles but providing non-stop laughs.
Key Discussion Points & Segments
1. The Focus Group Setup (00:17–02:53)
- Premise: The cast welcomes participants to a focus group, joking about the “two way mirror” and being observed by “high-level names.”
- Character Interactions:
- Trish (Erin) is angling for acting gigs:
“I am an aspiring actor. I would love to be considered for any future projects.” (01:00, A)
- Another guest expects complimentary melon and is outraged to find only honeydew, which is declared “legally a melon.” (01:13, B & C)
- Inventive snack suggestions evolve: “Honeydew s’mores” made with graham crackers, honeydew, and Nerds clusters.
Notable Moment:
“Honeydew is legally a melon. Legally.” (01:10, B)
“Guests will do honeydew s’mores.” (01:19, C)
2. Paul Blart: Mall Cop Tangent (02:21–03:47)
- The focus group veers off script discussing changes they’d make to Paul Blart: Mall Cop:
- Erin: “I can't stand Kevin James.” (02:34, C)
- Pitch: “Daddy’s Home 2” is suggested as a replacement title, causing confusion about originality.
Memorable Exchange:
“If you say Paul Blart Mall Cop should be called, you know, Godfather, I have to step in and let people know. That’s already a thing.” (03:07, B)
3. Sex Appeal and Butthole Talk (03:47–04:37)
- Trish (Erin) insists the film needed “more sex appeal,” including shirtless scenes and “Butthole, not even once.”
- Hilarious elbow demonstration about how to simulate a butt:
“You can do a trick where you take your elbow and you squeeze it together...” (04:05, C)
“Whoa. That looks like a butt.” (04:12, A)
4. Mannequin Melodrama (04:37–05:23)
- Gary the assistant is about to bring out a mannequin for mysterious reasons, before admitting he role-plays it as his “dead wife.”
- Comparison to Lars and the Real Girl:
“Well, Lars and the Real Girl was kind of 35% of what I just said.” (05:13, B)
5. New Sitcom: “Passing Through” – The Focus Group Goes to Work (09:39–14:14)
- Officially, the group is watching a sitcom pilot for a “situational comedy”—explaining the term to the less media-savvy participants.
- Premise Reveal:
The sitcom “Passing Through” is about people working at a truck stop.
- Title Feedback:
- Trish says the name reminds her of “eating things you’re not supposed to eat,” implying bathroom humor:
“The doctor says they have to pass through you.” (10:58, A)
- Discussion devolves into coin-eating, “old wives tales,” and the possibilities of chocolate coins.
Memorable Exchange:
“So it makes you think of buttholes?” (11:11, B)
“Yeah, it makes me think of like having to wait for all the coins to come out of your butt sometimes.” (11:12, A)
- Personal Asides:
- A participant laments: “It’s nice to be respected. I don’t get it a lot at home.” (11:49, C)
- Others gently sympathize, keeping up the improv energy.
6. Watching the Sitcom Clip (12:45–14:14)
- The in-universe viewing of “Passing Through”:
- Classic sitcom set-up: customer returns to truck stop for coffee/pie, wins the lottery.
- Exposition: truck stop is for sale, could now be bought by a newly-rich “dumbest trucker.”
- “Rag to riches” story appreciated by the focus group.
Quote:
“That would be pretty crazy if it was one of the dumbest truckers that we know became our new boss.” (14:04, B)
- Instant critique follows:
“What am I watching here?” (14:14, C)
7. Outro & Teaser for Patreon Listeners (14:43–14:59)
- Episode closes with an abrupt, comedic chant:
“1, 2, 3, 4, Hate riddle riddles. Clue crew, listen to the rest of the episode...” (14:43, C)
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On Focus Groups:
“Your input helps change movies and TV forever. How about that?” (01:59, B)
-
On Industry Jargon:
“Sitcom… I was using industry term. The situational comedy.” (09:51, B)
“You’re gonna have to dumb everything down for me, because I am not a college graduate.” (09:59, C)
-
Comedic Repetition:
“How gay are you? … She cannot ask.” (10:22–10:28, A & C)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:17–02:53: Focus group set up, mirror jokes, melon s’mores
- 02:21–03:47: “Paul Blart” changes & film critique
- 03:47–04:37: Sex appeal, butthole, and body positivity
- 04:37–05:23: Mannequin as tragic spouse
- 09:39–11:49: Sitcom “Passing Through” pitch, truck stop premise, passing coins
- 12:45–14:14: In-universe sitcom clip & group reactions
- 14:43–14:59: Credits and teaser for Patreon listeners
Style & Tone
The episode is a prime example of Hey Riddle Riddle’s improv-heavy, referential, and absurdist humor, with a focus on character-driven bits, odd tangents, and meta-commentary on pop culture and television. The hosts keep the tone irreverent, playful, and quick-witted.
Summary Conclusion:
“The Focus Group” delivers exactly what Hey Riddle Riddle fans crave—unstructured chaos, relentless riffing, and characters joyfully derailing the concept of a focus group at every turn, while lampooning everything from sitcoms to snack choices to industry lingo and bathroom humor along the way.
For the rest—subscribe to the Clue Crew on Patreon!
