How Did This Get Made?

The 3rd “Annual” Howdie Awards (Part 1)

Release Date: December 30, 2025
Hosts: Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas

Episode Overview

This special episode of "How Did This Get Made?" marks the long-awaited return of the “Annual” Howdie Awards, a not-so-annual celebration of the podcast’s most memorable moments. Despite 15 years of the show, this is only the third Howdies ceremony—a fact the hosts repeatedly lampoon. With Paul, June, and Jason in top form, the trio revisits standout bits, inside jokes, second opinion Amazon reviews, and baffling movie scenes from the show's history, covering episode 139 (“Simply Irresistible”) through episode 376 (“Driven”).

The episode is half roast, half celebration—featuring classic catchphrases, wild listener reviews, and plenty of good-natured squabbling over awards. No voting. No democracy. Just hilarious, arbitrary wins as chosen by your hosts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Return of the (Not-So) Annual Howdies

• Irregular Schedule: The awards haven’t been held since 2016. The “annual” moniker is mocked, with Jason asking, “The annual suggests... Best of the year, like you just said, Paul. But we’ve been doing the podcast for 15 years, so we missed, like, maybe one or two.” (02:24)
• Why the Hiatus? The hosts explain the Howdies gave them a break during the births of their kids, but they’re incredibly time-consuming to produce.
  June: “Was there a reason we stopped doing the Howdy?”
  Paul: “Yes, because...it was so time intensive to get all these clips.” (06:12–06:51)
• Host Banter: The show leans into its own chaos—Jason complains he’s never won a Howdy, the Howdies’ corruption is likened to FIFA, and there’s an ongoing bit about the Golden Globes snubbing the podcast.

Notable Moments & Quotes

1. Best Catchphrase Nominees & Winner

Segments: 10:05–20:06

• Nominees:

  • "Put her in a bra!" (ep. 162, My Stepmother is an Alien)
  • "Geostorm!" (ep. 186, Geostorm)
  • "Where does the butt start?" (ep. 140, Mannequin 2 on the Move)
  • "Fuck the moon" (ep. 294, Moonfall)

• Classic Banter:

  • Jason (re: “Geostorm!”): “People yell it to me all... Just recently in New York, multiple people yelled it to me on the street. It looms so large.” (16:55)
  • June (re: “Where does the butt start?”): “What I want us to remember about it is that it was said...in the spirit of inquiry. He was trying to really understand the anatomy of the mannequin and where the butt started.” (18:26)

• Winner:
  Where does the butt start? from episode 140

• Memorable Moment:
  Upon winning, the hosts try to finally answer the question by consulting a doctor on Cameo (who says: “it would start at the origin of the gluteus maximus”) and via Google.
  June: “Your butt starts at the pelvis.” (23:50)
  Paul: “We should have paid you $9. That’s a better answer if you just said that.” (23:54)

2. Most Bonkers Flying Entity

Segments: 26:26–36:58

• Nominees:
  • The Face in the Hurricane (ep. 190, The Hurricane Heist)
  • Dominic Toretto’s rope-swinging Dodge Charger (ep. 271F9, Fast Saga)
  • Jonathan Livingston Seagull (ep. 328)
  • Q, the Winged Serpent (ep. 358)
• Standout Quote:
  June (re: Q, the Winged Serpent): “It looks like, I’ll be honest, a thin dick.” (32:57)
  Paul: “The winged serpent looks like someone who ate a Tootsie Roll and then tried to make it like a dick.” (33:01)
• Winner:
  Jonathan Livingston Seagull from episode 328
• Memorable Moment:
  The hosts joke about needing a “healing” with the still-angry New York audience, traumatized by the Jonathan Livingston Seagull episode.
  June: “It does feel like a lot is sort of...unsettled.” (35:23)
  Jason: “We should probably do—maybe next time we’re in New York—we should sacrifice a seagull.” (35:29)

3. June’s Most Savage Dislike

Segments: 37:09–45:20

• Nominees:
  • Breakdancing (ep. 188, Body Rock)
  • Men who drink tea (ep. 255, A Very Nutty Christmas)
  • Paul’s thoughts on Phoebe Cates’s sexual awakening (ep. 219, Drop Dead Fred)
• Standout Quotes:
  • June (on breakdancing): “Whenever I see someone breakdancing, I feel embarrassed for them.” (37:22)
  • June (on tea): "I don’t want to see a man drinking tea... Take an Ambien like a real man!" (39:22/40:07)
  • June (on Paul’s Drop Dead Fred take): “What you just said and implied is that for her to be fully, sexually, actually awake in her own body, the only way we would know that is if she touched a dick or not. Go fuck yourself, my friend.” (41:08/41:13)
• Winner:
  Paul’s thoughts on Phoebe Cates’s sexual awakening from episode 219, Drop Dead Fred
• Banter:
  Jason and June debate whether Paul should get the award ("That's not for you."), leading to a tongue-in-cheek transfer of the Howdy to June’s “sack.”
  June: “I don’t want to accept it. Of course. It’s my award. I’m going to take it.” (45:15)

4. Best Second Opinion Review

Segments: 48:03–58:51

• Nominees:
  • Chieftain's review of The Phantom (ep. 142)
  • Rush N Shill's review of Ronal the Barbarian (ep. 341)
  • Jay’s review of Fifty Shades of Grey (ep. 338/339)
• Memorable Review Excerpt (Jay, Fifty Shades of Grey):
  “You will definitely need a napkin after watching this movie.” (54:12)
• Banter on the Review Bit:
  June: “You didn’t write these reviews. You always read the Amazon reviews. You didn’t write these.” (56:01/56:03)
• Winner:
  Jay's review of Fifty Shades of Grey (ep. 339)
• Hosts' Reaction:
  Paul: “This is, honestly...one of the best five-star reviews ever.” (58:24)
  June: “This is a, this is an unraveling. It is like it's a woman on the verge. Yes.” (58:27)

5. Most Baffling Choice by a First Responder

Segments: 59:01–66:47

• Nominees:
  • The paramedic who used her own hairclip as a clamp (ep. 315, Ambulance)
  • The lady cop who cooked latkes (ep. 343, Samurai Cop)
  • The paramedics who treat all wounds with chest compressions (ep. 346, Madame Web)
• Memorable Banter:
  Jason (on Madame Web): “You would think from this movie, because there's somebody, the EMT who gets injured in the ambulance and he's covered in blood...and she's just giving him chest...She pushed his heart out of his body.” (63:29) Paul: “I believe he would have lived if she had treated his actual injuries.” (63:24)
• Winner:
  The paramedics who treat open wounds with chest compressions (ep. 346, Madame Web)
• Additional Notes:
  The hosts reminisce over a T-shirt created for this bit: “I went to Madame Web’s CPR school.” Paul: “Madame Web—the gift that keeps on giving.” (65:16)

Additional Themes and Inside Jokes

• The Geek Squad Lore: An elaborate running bit about a group of young actors ("Geek Squad") meant to represent a new generation of Hollywood stars, riffing on ensemble pop culture cliques like the Brat Pack.
• Howdy Sacks: Each host has a physical “Howdy sack” to collect their awards, spawning gentle rivalry and accusations of Paul’s sack being “too big” from repeatedly winning.
• Arbitrary Awards: The winners are handpicked by the hosts without any audience vote.
  Jason: “And I told him to fuck off. Put her in a bra. $90 for cable. Put her in a bra.” (11:19)
• Jason's Losing Streak: Jason remarks on never having won a Howdy, fueling ongoing jokes about a “corrupt organization.”
• Golden Globes Snub: Ongoing meta-commentary on how the show wasn’t nominated once the Golden Globes began including podcasts.

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|---------------| | Show start (awards intro) | 01:40 | | Howdies explained, show gap discussed | 02:06–07:05 | | Catchphrase Nominees & Winner | 10:05–20:06 | | Most Bonkers Flying Entity | 26:26–36:58 | | June’s Most Savage Dislike | 37:09–45:20 | | Best Second Opinion Review | 48:03–58:51 | | Most Baffling First Responder | 59:01–66:47 | | End of Part 1/tease for Part 2 | 66:47–67:05 |

Memorable Quotes

• Jason (on the Howdies’ frequency): “I think we’ve missed quite a… You know what? I’m not gonna poke too many holes in this. I’m wearing my tuxedo. I couldn't be more excited to be here.” (02:44)
• June (on “Where does the butt start”): “Because I think the problem… I don't know if we ever came to a conclusion of like, where does the butt start?” (19:22)
• Paul (on Madame Web): “Madame Web—the gift that keeps on giving, really, truly.” (65:16)
• June (on a 50 Shades review): “This is a, this is an unraveling. It is like it’s a woman on the verge.” (58:27)
• Paul (on voting): “Again, we don’t have the time. Also, who cares, right?” (08:21–08:30)

Conclusion

Part 1 of this “Annual” Howdie Awards is a riotous best-of, packed with classic catchphrases, enduring inside jokes, and even fresher bits. The episode encapsulates the chaotic energy and camaraderie that’s endeared “How Did This Get Made?” to its long-time fans, while also paradoxically celebrating just how gloriously inefficient the Howdies remain.

Tease for Part 2:
The show ends with Jason playfully wondering if he’ll finally win a Howdy, promising more categories and shenanigans in the next episode.

Note: This summary focuses exclusively on content segments, skipping all sponsor messages and promo chatter.