Pablo Torre Finds Out

Episode: Share & Tell with Katie Nolan and Dan Soder

Date: September 7, 2023
Host: Pablo Torre
Guests: Katie Nolan & Dan Soder

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, free-flowing "Share & Tell" session featuring engaged couple Katie Nolan (sports and comedy personality) and comedian Dan Soder. Live from the Metalark Studios in New York, the trio swap stories ranging from their relationship’s soft-launch at Dan Le Batard’s wedding to behind-the-scenes tales about the Miami Dolphins’ head coach, Mike McDaniel (Soder’s childhood friend), controversies in tennis, and the wild world of TikTok algorithms. The tone is informal, self-deprecating, and full of playful teasing.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Relationship Origins & Dan Le Batard’s Wedding (00:27–07:30)

• Katie & Dan’s First Podcast Together: They reveal this is their first time appearing jointly on a podcast.
• How They Met: After casual dating, Katie was plunged into Dan’s comedy world at the Comedy Cellar, feeling starstruck meeting comedian Dave Attell.
  • (01:54) Katie: "To you, it was regular, to me it was, 'Oh my god, Dave Attell!'"
• Dan’s HBO Special Taping as Second Date
• Their Big ‘Soft Launch’: The couple ‘came out’ as dating at Dan Le Batard’s star-studded Miami wedding—attendees included Pat Riley, Andre Dawson. The no-phones policy made them feel secure… until Marty Smith posted a video accidentally outing them.
  • (06:27) Katie (about the video): "People figured us out."

Notable Moment:
(06:41) Katie recounts fielding a phone call from Marty Smith apologizing for the inadvertent reveal.

2. Share & Tell—Mike McDaniel Stories & Madden (10:33–26:08)

Dan Soder’s Share: Mike McDaniel in Madden

• Childhood Friendship: Dan grew up with Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, spending weekends at his house in Colorado (Mike's stepdad worked for the Broncos, giving them NFL proximity).
• Early Football Nerdom: McDaniel was obsessed with the NFL, updating league standings on a magnet board, reading guides, and strategizing in Tecmo Super Bowl.
  • (21:22) Dan: "He was just so into it... when he started coaching, it was like, 'this is perfect.'"
• McDaniel as a Madden Avatar: Sharing the surreal feeling of seeing his childhood friend as a coach in Madden, especially after years of playing the game together.
  • (17:48) Dan: "There was a moment... that felt like a nap dream."
• The Vape Incident: Katie and Dan laugh about McDaniel going viral for (allegedly) vaping on the sideline—a family in-joke now.
  • (26:19) Katie: "I loved it because I was like, relatable... just let him hit the vape!"

On Their Own Friendship & Growth

• Both reflect on “making it”—Soder in comedy, McDaniel in football—coming from bullied, uncool kids.
  • (24:17) Dan: "Mike's like mid-bite of pizza and goes, ‘Do you remember when you and me got bullied in middle school?’ I was like, ‘yeah, yeah,’ ... Mike takes a bite, ‘look at us now.’ It rules."

Comedic Impressions & AFC East Jabs

• Dan does a Macho Man impression about the “AFC East returning to glory.”
  • (27:40) Dan (as Macho Man): “Yeah, the AFC east return, the glory... I ain’t talking about the Buffalo Bills. Ain’t talking about the New England Patriots.”

3. Pablo’s Field Reporting: The Weed Smell at US Open’s Court 17 (28:25–36:45)

• The ‘Stinky’ Controversy: Pablo investigates widespread complaints from pro tennis players (like Nick Kyrgios) about the overwhelming smell of weed at Court 17.
  • (28:54) News clip: “Some of the top tennis players in the world are complaining about the smell of cannabis. Yeah, Court 17 definitely smelled like Snoop Dogg’s living room.”
• The Find Out: Through in-person sniff testing, Pablo learned the source is the neighboring public park, not the stands. US Open officials acknowledge but do little; it’s simply a part of NYC life.
  • (30:28) Pablo: “Nobody was actually smoking anything inside Court 17... but that park is just full of people smoking weed.”
• Dan’s Observations About Weed & Sports:
  • (33:29) Dan: “If you are listening to this and you run a marijuana company and you don’t come up with a strain called Court 17... you’re leaving money on the table.”
  • Dan predicts some athletes might see performance benefits as weed laws relax (35:42).

Soder’s Anosmia (Loss of Smell)

• Dan reveals he can’t smell anything, having lost his sense via early cigarette smoking.
  • (31:27) Dan: “I started smoking cigarettes when I was young, and I exclusively exhaled through my nose, and it ruined my sense of smell.”

4. Katie’s Picks: Social Media, Algorithms & Internet Weirdness (37:09–45:27)

Trending Internet Oddities

• Soccer Federation Scandal: Katie refrains from going deep but mentions the story of Luis Rubiales’ inappropriate kiss at the Women’s World Cup and the bizarre defense from his mother.
  • (37:38) Katie: “His mom went into a hunger strike in a church in Spain for her creepy son…”
• TikTok Algorithm Deep Dives:
  • The trio swaps favorites, such as viral sensation “Pinky Doll” (“Ice cream so good, gang gang!”) and the confident nerd with outlandish #drip declarations.
    • (41:47) Dan (describing the TikTok kid): “He looks like the biggest nerd you’ve ever seen in your life… and he’s got the most swag I’ve ever seen.”
  • Discussing social media’s echo chamber effect and how Twitter has become saturated with recycled hot takes for profit.

Quitting Drinking

• Soder, ten years sober, discusses how he’s happy not to drink, though is tempted by entertaining TikTok personalities.
  • (44:56) Pablo: “Ten years, though, is a milestone…”
  • (45:09) Dan: “Quitting alcohol was necessary... my life is a thousand times better.”

5. What Did We Find Out Today? (45:35–49:49)

Each participant shares their light-hearted ‘findings’ from the show:

• Dan: Inspired to smoke weed outside Court 17 and riffed on the “tennis whites” who attend the US Open.
  • (45:49) Dan: “I immediately want to go out to Forest Hills and smoke weed by court 17.”
• Katie: Realizes how much she misses conversation and wants to do more podcasting.
  • (47:38) Katie: “I learned that I love you guys... I should start doing this again.”
• Pablo: Welcomes the couple back for future episodes and riffs on their “boxcar children” camaraderie.
• Comedic banter wraps up the session with cargo pants, calves, and the mythos of “boxcar children” (48:26–49:41).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• About Being 'Outed' at a Wedding:

  • (06:27) Katie: “Marty Smith posted a video of the wedding, and it's me and you standing next to people. People figured us out.”

• On Mike McDaniel’s Madden Likeness:

  • (15:43) Katie: “He's fashionable... all his clothes are perfectly tailored, even when he's got sweatpants on.”

• On Childhood Friendship & Success:

  • (24:17) Dan (quoting McDaniel): “‘Do you remember when you and me got bullied in middle school?’ ... Mike takes a bite, ‘look at us now.’ It rules.”

• On Tennis & Weed:

  • (28:54) Tennis star: “Court 17 definitely smelled like Snoop Dogg's living room.”

• On Social Media Virality:

  • (41:47) Dan: “I've never seen a nerd with this much confidence and swag.”

• On What They Learned:

  • (45:49) Dan: “I immediately want to go out to Forest Hills and smoke weed by court 17.”
  • (47:38) Katie: “I learned that I love you guys... I should start doing this again.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:27–07:30] – Relationship origins, Le Batard’s wedding, accidental 'hard launch'
• [10:33–26:08] – Dan Soder’s Mike McDaniel stories, Madden, childhood friendship
• [28:25–36:45] – Pablo’s US Open weed investigation, NYC tennis culture
• [37:09–45:27] – Katie’s online obsessions, TikTok algorithm, internet culture, sobriety
• [45:35–49:49] – Reflections: "What did you find out today?"

Overall Tone

Conversational, inside-jokey, grounded by real friendship and life stories—this episode is both hilarious and heartwarming, blending sports fandom, pop culture, nostalgia, and irreverent humor. An ideal listen for fans of sports-adjacent storytelling, comedy, and internet weirdness.