Transcript

Commercial Announcer (0:00)

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human Black Friday at Abercrombie is here with 25 to 50% off everything and iHeart listeners are getting an extra 15% off with code iHEARTAF. It's the sale you've been waiting for, made even better with an exclusive stackable code Shop Abercrombie in the app online and in stores. 25 to 50% off everything valid in stores and online November 24, 2025 to December 1, 2025 in US and Canada. Excludes clearance and gift cards online price Reflects discount. Extra 15% off everything is valid through December 1, 2025 in US and Canada. Exclusions apply. See details online. Working as a dedicated Fidelity Advisor, I always ask what's important to you. I'll look at those priorities and goals alongside your full financial picture to build a comprehensive plan designed to help grow and protect your wealth. With proactive portfolio insights and an eye on taxes, I'm here to help you make the most of your money. I'm Laura Maxwell and I'm a dedicated Fidelity Advisor. Learn more@fidelity.com wealth investment minimums apply Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC Member NYSE SIPC chronic migraine is 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more. Botox Onapotulinum toxin A prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. It's not for adults with migraine with 14 or fewer headache days a month. It prevents on average eight to nine headache days a month versus six to seven for placebo.

Jeremy Odom (1:26)

Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor. Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems or muscle weakness can be signs of a life threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms and dizziness. Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions including als, Lou Gehrig's disease, Myasthenia gravis or Lambert Eaton syndrome and medications including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects.

Commercial Announcer (2:03)

Ask your Doctor and visit botoxchronicmigraine.com or call 1-844botox to learn more. We know no one's journey is the same. That's why Delta SkyMiles moves with you from earning miles on reloads for coffee runs, shopping and things you do every day to connecting you to new experiences. A SkyMiles membership fits into your lifestyle, letting you do more of what makes you you. It's more than travel. It's the membership that flies, dines, streams, rides, and arrives with you. Because when you have a membership that's as unique as you are, there's no telling where your journey will take you next. Learn more@delta.com SkyMiles.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Laugh with Me – 2025 Guest of The Year

Podcast: Laugh with Me
Host: Jeremy Odom
Guest: Eric Larson (2025 Guest of the Year)
Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Laugh with Me features the much-anticipated announcement and celebration of the podcast’s 2025 Guest of the Year. Host Jeremy Odom welcomes transportation industry leader and recurring guest Eric Larson to the studio, bestowing him with the coveted “Golden Microphone” (a.k.a. the Laffy trophy). What follows is a hilarious, meandering deep-dive into their personal lives, grocery store tales, football banter, and the hilariously drawn-out story of Larson’s “low point” at the grocery store. The banter is warm, self-deprecating, and peppered with witty quips, making for a signature “Laugh with Me” episode where laughter is shared, not at anyone’s expense.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcement of the 2025 Guest of the Year (03:29–08:38)

Jeremy sets the record straight: This is not a typical year-end wrap-up or clip show, but rather a special episode to crown the Guest of the Year.
Nominees Recalled: Five nominees, including DEZ Pearson, Grant Pearson, Joe Exotic, Nathan “Bob” Roberts, and Eric Larson.
Eric’s surprise win: Jeremy reveals the award in-studio, with playful debate on the significance of the "Laffy" trophy.
Eric’s Reaction:
- "Within five minutes already getting the award. I’m gonna hold this over Kyle’s head, your brother’s head, forever." (09:16)
- Only two people have a Laffy: Last year’s winner “Lavetti Vegas” and Eric.

2. Trophy & Show Banter / Running Jokes (08:38–13:16)

Design and portability of the trophy: Jokes about bringing the “gun-shaped” trophy to Thanksgiving and possibly alarming airport security, paralleling it with professional wrestling champs who must carry their belts everywhere.
Show marketing and merch: Jeremy jokes about giving out “Laugh with Me” stickers while Eric suggests using the trophy as a marketing tool.
Shots in the Studio: A callback to a chaotic, unaired “drunken brunch” episode (10:59–11:44).

3. Football Talk & Segues (13:40–20:20)

Minnesota Vikings woes: The conversation swerves to local NFL football, including injured quarterbacks, possible recruits, and coaching comparisons—typical of the show’s improvisational, topical style.
Tangents on coaching and quarterback development: Touches on coaching differences, prepping game plans, and the fortunes of Daniel Jones.

4. The Infamous Grocery Store Story – Build-Up (13:24–14:27; 20:25–44:55, 53:38–61:45)

Eric Teases a Humbling Experience (13:24): "At my highest moment, receiving this award—but this story is going to take me down to my lowest moment."
Discusses shopping routines, basket/cart preferences, and insider knowledge from Jeremy’s time as a grocery store manager, including why little carts are positioned last ("get a big cart, you buy more," 21:27).
Banters on bagging etiquette: Witty suggestions for training staff and how to properly bag groceries (“Jeremy-style”: 41:26).
Blind Bagger Anecdote: Eric recalls a cashier–blind bagger duo and the endless “I’m twice your age” cashier joke (41:39–43:56).
Grocery customs abroad: Eric shares stories of shopping in London, paying extra for bags, and unintentionally giving away their American-ness (44:53–46:13).

5. Grocery Story Climax: The Middle-Age Bombshell (61:45–65:10)

After a sprawling preamble, Eric finally recounts his "humbling" incident. At checkout after a rough Vikings loss, a young cashier makes small talk (62:06):
- "The cashier is just like, ‘Oh, have you been watching some football today?’ … She was just like, 'I figure, my dad’s middle aged and he watches football all day.'"
Eric is stunned—this is the first time he’s been spontaneously pegged as "middle-aged," triggering a crisis of mortality and self-identity.
- "Just all these things going through your mind." (62:39)
He later gets asked if his White Claw and Oktoberfest are "alcohol," capping off his descent from “guest of the year” heights to mundane grocery store humiliation.

6. Cereal Tangents (47:00–55:55)

Dissect the state of breakfast cereals—shrinking box sizes, evolving tastes.
Eric details his go-to cereals, particularly Honey Nut Cheerios; Jeremy recommends adding bananas (49:04–50:23).
Classic debate: how to pour cereal and milk, “second bowl” techniques, and milk-drinking habits post-Crohn’s disease.
Memorable quote:
- Jeremy: “I get excited talking about bananas. I’m not even a monkey.” (49:32)

7. Reflections: Personality, Age & Lasting Impressions (63:19–64:06)

Eric recalls his father’s “not old, just a young punk kid” schtick and notes he’s inadvertently become that guy.
Jeremy: “That’s a pure example of—you are, in fact, middle aged—because you’re throwing out those clichés and you believe them.” (64:06)

8. Classic Album and Artist Nostalgia (58:40–61:30)

The two riff on the trajectories of bands like Eve 6, Everclear, Goo Goo Dolls, and Eminem—how musical styles evolve and influence personal nostalgia.

9. Jelly Roll's Beard – "Worst of the Year" (67:54–69:52)

Jeremy laments country star Jelly Roll’s beard shave: “He looks like a ball sack. His face!” (68:10)
The beard removal meets with both amusement and genuine admiration for Jelly Roll’s weight loss.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Winning the Laffy
- “I’m gonna hold this over Kyle’s head…forever.” – Eric Larson (09:16)
On Bagging Training
- “Just train the people bagging it. Bag it right. And then they’re going to hand out less bags…an investment in this, and it’ll save your company millions of dollars.” – Jeremy (39:33)
On "Middle Age":
- “My dad’s middle aged and he watches football all day.” – Anonymous teenage cashier (62:27)
- "[Being called middle-aged]—this is a tough thing, like mortality, just all these things going through your mind.” – Eric (62:39)
- “You must think you’re just going to live forever.” – Jeremy (63:04)
- “Anytime I call him old...he’d always be like, ‘Oh, it’s not old, I’m a young punk kid.’” – Eric (63:36)
On Bananas in Cereal
- “Slice up a banana and put it in your Honey Nut Cheerios and you’ll never go back.” – Jeremy (49:14)
- “I get excited talking about bananas. I’m not even a monkey.” – Jeremy (49:32)
On The Trophy’s Portability
- “You’re like the…pro wrestling champ…you have to go everywhere with that belt…That’s you now.” – Jeremy (32:59)
On Jelly Roll's Beard Shave
- “He looks like a ball sack. His face! … That beard was cool. It’s kinda the look.” – Jeremy (68:10)

Timestamps for Major Segments

Golden Microphone Award/Intro: 03:29–08:38
Trophy Banter & Stickers: 08:38–13:16
Vikings & Football Sidequest: 13:40–20:20
Grocery Store Build-Up: 20:25–24:00, 26:39–32:00, 41:26–44:55
Grocery Store Story Climax: 61:45–65:10
Cereal Deep-Dive & Pouring Rituals: 47:00–55:55
Jelly Roll’s Beard, “Worst of the Year”: 67:54–69:52

Episode Tone & Closing Thoughts

The episode perfectly captures the show’s ethos—self-deprecating humor, celebrating life’s “small” moments, and the comedic highs and lows that come with being a middle-aged guy with a passion for banter, football, and cereal. The chemistry between Jeremy and Eric shines, as does their ability to stretch a one-minute story into a winding, hour-plus comedic odyssey. For listeners craving warmth, authenticity, and real-life laughs, this episode truly delivers.

Tip: If you love observational humor about mundane life, aging, and the universal grocery store experience, this is an unmissable installment of Laugh with Me.