Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy – La última y nos vamos | Huele un poco raro aquí

Host: Àngels Barceló
Date: November 18, 2025
Main Guests/Contributors: Pepe Rubio, Marcos, Javier Cercas, and others

Overview of the Episode

This lighthearted episode of Hoy por Hoy weaves together everyday humor, social observations, and personal anecdotes. The hosts and guests engage in jovial banter—starting with a playful discussion about dance music and a comedic mystery around a “strange smell” in a Madrid neighborhood—before transitioning into a more reflective segment on recent cultural events, including the adaptation of "Anatomía de un instante". The episode exemplifies how critical thinking and a witty lens help make sense of both trivial and significant moments in daily Spanish life.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Playful Banter and Morning Energy (00:20 – 01:33)

• Pepe Rubio is in a dancing mood, prompting laughs among the team as they discuss his enthusiasm for various songs, including a new Christmas single by Leticia Sabater.
  • Memorable moment: Cheerful teasing about Pepe's dancing skills and the potential for dancing to any new song.
• Quote:
  • “Hoy Pepe Rubio está bailarín.” — Pepe Rubio (00:20)
  • “Es mejor que bailes la...” — Unknown Female Speaker 1 (00:36)

2. The Mystery of “Huele un poco raro aquí” (01:36 – 04:43)

• A recurring, unpleasant smell in a Madrid neighborhood sparks humorous speculation among the team.
  • Chronology of the Mystery:
    • First, an individual smells what seems like something "dead, a rotten fish" but can't identify the source.
    • Neighbors, the porter, and passers-by notice it too—one woman gets blamed for possibly carrying bad fish, but the smell persists.
    • The narrator traces the smell to a row of police municipal vans parked nearby.
  • Attempts to diplomatically approach the police about the smell are met with bemusement and polite acknowledgment—but no resolution.
  • Theories abound: could the smell come from something stuck in a van? Dead animal? Police horses?
  • Group’s Tone: The conversation is comedic, fast-paced, and self-aware about the absurdity of citizen-police interactions regarding minor urban nuisances.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Desde hace un tiempo, un par de semanas o tres empezamos a oler a muerto, a bicho muerto, a pescado podrido.” — Unknown Male Speaker 1 (01:36)
  • “Yo ya tengo la matrícula de la furgoneta que huele mal, pero no sé si debo o no debo ir a la policía.” — Unknown Male Speaker 1 (03:53)
  • “Entra en la comisaría y digo, ustedes ahí fuera tienen una furgoneta que huele mal.” — Pepe Rubio (04:04)
  • “Hay una furgoneta, la policía municipal de Madrid que huele mal.” — Pepe Rubio (04:20)
  • “Múdate.” — Marcos (03:33, recurring advice)

Memorable Moment:

The group’s escalation—joking about gathering the van’s license plate and debating whether reporting a smelly police van is a “crazy citizen” thing—offers a candid, relatable slice of city life.

3. Literary & Cultural Spotlight: Javier Cercas y Anatomía de un instante (04:50 – 06:01)

• Brief interview recap with Javier Cercas and Alberto Rodríguez regarding the new TV adaptation of Cercas’s celebrated work “Anatomía de un instante”.
  • Cercas recounts the historic impact of the attempted coup d’état (23-F) and how his own youthful expectations of “tanks in the street” clashed with reality.
  • Narrates a personal memory: as a university student, torn between the gravity of national events and affection for a girl at university.
• Notable Quote:
  • “Mi madre me agarró, pero con una fuerza brutal… salí disparado, me quité el brazo de mi madre y salí, pero disparado. Bueno, en la calle no había nadie.” — Javier Cercas (05:04)

Memorable Moment:

Javier Cercas’s anecdote—rushing into the empty streets for love and adventure during a time of historic crisis—captures the intersection of personal histories and national moments with warmth and humor.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “Hoy Pepe Rubio está bailarín.” — Pepe Rubio (00:20)
• “Desde hace un tiempo, un par de semanas o tres empezamos a oler a muerto, a bicho muerto, a pescado podrido.” — Unknown Male Speaker 1 (01:36)
• “Entra en la comisaría y digo, ustedes ahí fuera tienen una furgoneta que huele mal.” — Pepe Rubio (04:04)
• “Yo ya tengo la matrícula de la furgoneta que huele mal, pero no sé si debo o no debo ir a la policía.” — Unknown Male Speaker 1 (03:53)
• “Múdate.” — Marcos (03:33, several times)
• “Mi madre me agarró... salí disparado, me quité el brazo de mi madre y salí, pero disparado. Bueno, en la calle no había nadie.” — Javier Cercas (05:04)

Important Timestamps

• 00:20 – 01:33: Dance banter, Leticia Sabater’s villancico mention.
• 01:36 – 04:43: The comedic urban mystery of the foul smell; confronting the police and group theorizing.
• 04:50 – 06:01: Javier Cercas and Alberto Rodríguez discuss the adaptation of “Anatomía de un instante” and Cercas’s recollection of 23-F.

Conclusion

The episode delivers a blend of urban slice-of-life comedy, witty critique of everyday oddities, and a dose of recent Spanish literary-cultural life. Through playful exchanges and well-told anecdotes, listeners are both entertained and offered subtle insights into contemporary Spanish society—reminded that critical thought, humor, and a dash of nostalgia help make sense of the world.