119 - Bot Bops (w/ Carrie Aizley)

Summary

SmartLess Presents ClueLess – Episode 119: "Bot Bops" (w/ Carrie Aizley) Release Date: January 16, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 119 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess, host Elliott Kaelin teams up with guest Carrie Aizley and returning contestant Sean Hayes for a lively session of puzzles and musical trivia. This episode, titled "Bot Bops," delves into the vibrant world of 80s music, challenging both human and machine participants to showcase their knowledge and quick thinking.

Episode Overview

Elliott Kaelin kicks off the episode with his characteristic humor, blending light-hearted banter with engaging puzzles. The primary focus of this installment is the "Bot Bops 80s Edition," a game that tests the contestants' familiarity with iconic 80s hits. Throughout the episode, listeners are treated to witty exchanges, competitive spirit, and insightful discussions about music and cognition.

Returning Contestant: Sean Hayes

Sean Hayes returns as the season's contestant, bringing his signature charm and sharp intellect to the program. His interactions with both Elliott and Carrie add a dynamic layer to the episode, making the competition both entertaining and fierce.

Introductory Puzzle: Canary Yellow

The episode begins with Elliot revealing the answer to the previous episode's cliffhanger puzzle:

Puzzle: Name a color named after an animal named after a place named after an animal.

Answer: Canary yellow.

Elliott explains that Canary yellow is derived from the Canary Islands, which were named after the dogs (from the Latin "canis") that inhabited the islands, rather than the birds. This revelation sparks a brief but engaging discussion among the hosts and guest.

Main Game: Bot Bops (80s Edition)

Rules and Gameplay

Elliott introduces the main game, "Bot Bops 80s Edition," where a digital assistant plays snippets of 80s songs. Contestants must identify both the song title and the original artist. Points are awarded separately for correctly naming the song and the artist, fostering a competitive yet fun environment.

Round-by-Round Highlights

1. First Bop: "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen

   • Timestamp: [07:31]
   • Interaction: Both Sean and Carrie simultaneously guess the song title. Carrie correctly identifies the artist, earning points for both.

2. Second Bop: "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves

   • Timestamp: [08:31]
   • Interaction: Sean confidently names the song and artist after a brief moment of uncertainty, showcasing his depth of 80s music knowledge.

3. Third Bop: "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads

   • Timestamp: [09:40]
   • Interaction: Carrie quickly identifies the song and artist, demonstrating her own musical expertise and securing valuable points.

4. Fourth Bop: "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey

   • Timestamp: [10:45]
   • Interaction: Carrie successfully names both the song and artist, further intensifying the competition.

5. Final Bop: "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel

   • Timestamp: [11:25]
   • Interaction: Sean nails both the song and artist, solidifying his lead in the game.

Notable Interactions

• Competitive Spirit: The friendly rivalry between Sean and Carrie is palpable, with both contestants vying to outshine each other in identifying classic hits.

• Humorous Banter: Elliott's humorous remarks, such as teasing Sean about using "cold, emotionless, inhuman" robot voices, add levity to the competitive atmosphere.

• Sean's Insight: At [12:04], Sean muses, "Those are some crazy lyrics. I didn't realize those were the lyrics," reflecting on the complexity of the songs discussed.

Mega Clue Puzzle

As the game concludes, Elliott presents the mega clue puzzle for the episode:

Mega Clue Puzzle: What do all of these songs have in common?
Songs Included: "Hot for Teacher," "Walking on Sunshine," "Burning Down the House," "The Heat Is On," "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Contestants' Guesses:

• Carrie: "The sun or fire or heat. The sun."
• Sean: "Fire."

Correct Answer: All songs involve themes of heat or fire.

Sean emerges victorious in this round, demonstrating his superior musical intuition and speed.

Cliffhanger Puzzle

Before wrapping up, Elliott introduces the cliffhanger puzzle to keep listeners engaged until the next episode:

Cliffhanger Puzzle: What kind of sword is harder to break as it gets longer?

This riddle leaves both contestants and listeners pondering, setting the stage for a return to uncover the clever answer.

Closing Remarks

Elliott wraps up the episode by commending Carrie for her enthusiasm and Sean for his competitive edge. He also playfully emphasizes the importance of tuning in next time to solve the cliffhanger puzzle, maintaining a sense of anticipation and community among listeners.

Notable Quotes

• Elliott Kaelin [00:31]: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And also big spiders. So big they can drive cars."

• Carrie Aizley [01:39]: "Nice. Although I don't sleep as much as I should as an actor, but I'm gonna try."

• Sean Hayes [12:04]: "Those are some crazy lyrics. I didn't realize those were the lyrics."

• Elliott Kaelin [13:15]: "Sean is the master of music and Carrie is very much the great sport of music."

Conclusion

Episode 119 of SmartLess Presents ClueLess successfully blends humor, competition, and nostalgic music trivia to create an engaging listening experience. With Elliott's witty hosting, Sean's competitive prowess, and Carrie's delightful participation, "Bot Bops" stands out as a memorable installment that both entertains and challenges its audience. Listeners are left eagerly anticipating the resolution of the cliffhanger puzzle in the next episode.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content sections have been omitted to focus on the core discussions and activities of the episode.

Transcript

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[Elliot Kaelin]

Smart glass medium the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And also big spiders. So big they can drive cars. So they can hit you with their car. And then when you're on the ground, they run out and they bite you. We should fear that too. This is clueless.

[Sean Hayes]

Clueless.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Clueless.

[Carrie Aisley]

It's Clueless. Carrie, you want to sing that with me? It's Clueless.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Ready?

[Carrie Aisley]

Yeah. It's Clueless.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Beautiful. So beautiful. Welcome to Smart List presents Clueless, the puzzle podcast that four out of five doctors agree is a healthy way to spend the next 10 minutes. I'm Elliot Kaelin, and. Oh, wow. You want me to be your host for this episode. Oh, my God, this is so sudden. But yes, yes, of course I will. And I'll start by introducing the star of our show. By day, he's a. And by night, he's a beloved entertainer who's sleeping, Sean Hayes. Welcome to the show, Sean.

[Carrie Aisley]

Nice. Although I don't sleep as much as I should as an actor, but I'm gonna try. And with us today is the gorgeous inside and out. Oh, Carrie Aisley.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, now, thank you for having me. All those things.

[Carrie Aisley]

She's also one of the funniest people I've ever met in my entire life. And people will say, oh, approve it.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Uh huh. All right, so let's get back to you not being able to sleep.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Now, by the power vested in me by Smartless media, it is my honor as well as my privilege to reveal to you the answer to last episode's cliffhanger puzzle, as we do at the start of each episode. Now, you may remember, it was a sort of trivia riddle. It was sort of an informational riddle, and it went thusly. Name a color named after an animal named after a place Named after an animal.

[Carrie Aisley]

You know what might be, Carrie? What if it was like. What if we concentrated on a place? Isn't there a place named after an.

[Sean Hayes]

Animal and a color that's also a color. Like black panther, panther black or that's not a place.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I like this strategy. This is a good strategy.

[Sean Hayes]

And is it an animal that everybody knows?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes. I mean, I haven't taken a poll, but it's an animal. You will know. It's not like I'm not like. It's Echidna Island.

[Carrie Aisley]

Right.

[Sean Hayes]

A yellow breasted sapsucker. It's like something.

[Carrie Aisley]

Yeah, it's a yellow breasted sapsucker. We should get a vacation home in yellow scented. What did you just say?

[Sean Hayes]

Yellow breasted sapsucker.

[Carrie Aisley]

Yellow breasted sapsucker.

[Sean Hayes]

Or Greenland. Greenland.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh, yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

But what's the animal?

[Carrie Aisley]

Green. A Greenland. A Greenland cat.

[Sean Hayes]

The Galapagos.

Is that a color?

[Elliot Kaelin]

I don't know. I don't think so.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Elliot Kaelin]

All right. Well, you've tried and it's okay. This is a tough one. So again, the riddle was name a color named after an animal named after a place named after an animal. The answer is Canary yellow. Canary yellow is named after canary.

[Sean Hayes]

Canary Islands.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Which are named after the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands get their name from the dogs that live there because canary comes from canine.

[Carrie Aisley]

Canine.

[Elliot Kaelin]

So a lot of people think the island's named after the birds. The birds are named after the island.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Carrie Aisley]

Wouldn't you know, by the way? Couldn't point it out on a map. No idea where that is.

[Sean Hayes]

I think I know. Isn't it down by the river? Down by the great blue sea.

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Minimum of 4 lines for $25 per line per month with autopay discount using debit or bank account. $5 more per line without autopay. Up to $830 off each phone via 24 monthly bill credit plus taxes, fees and $10 device connection charge for well qualified customers. Contact us before canceling entire account to continue. Bill credits or credit stop and balance on required finance agreement too. Bill credits and if you pay off devices early.

[Sean Hayes]

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[Elliot Kaelin]

Listeners, did you get the answer? If so, you're my new hero. And if not, that's okay. This can be our little secret that you didn't get it. Speaking of secrets, it's not a secret that we're about to play our main game for the episode. Today's game is also a test of knowledge, but it's a test of musical knowledge and also a test of patience. It's bot bops 80s edition.

[Carrie Aisley]

Nice.

[Digital Assistant]

I am the. And these are my boss.

[Sean Hayes]

Sean's going to kill it. Sean's going to be so good at this.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh, look who's talking. You know your 80s songs?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, but you're like Mr. 80s.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh. Oh yeah. Cool.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's. There's nothing more 80s than that. That was the most 80s I've heard.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh, cool. Oh, yeah. Yeah, cool. Totally.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Now, in this game, our digital robot Assistant has selected five 80s hits, extremely popular songs to perform for you. In its cold, emotionless, inhuman voice, your job is to name the song and its original artist first. And guess what? This is a competitive game. You are playing against each other. So no helping. You'll get a point for the artist and a point for the song. Whoever gets the most points wins. We are not playing by golf scoring rules. I repeat, not playing by golf scoring rules. Most points wins in this game.

[Sean Hayes]

Do we just yell out the answer?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Yes. I mean, if you want to yell out buzz, you can do that. But then I'll make Fun of you because we don't have actual buzzers. Just yell at the answer.

[Carrie Aisley]

Right.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Sean, Carrie, are you ready to be serenaded by this cybernetic siren?

[Carrie Aisley]

Yeah. Oh, cybernetic siren. Nice.

[Sean Hayes]

Ready.

[Carrie Aisley]

Nice.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's do it. Bot.

[Sean Hayes]

Bops.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Bot, please give us our first bop.

[Digital Assistant]

I heard about your lessons, but lessons are so cold. I didn't know about this school. Little girl from Cherry Lawn, how can you be so bold? How did you know that golden rule? I think of all the education that I've missed. But then my homework was never quite like this. Got it bad. Got it bad, Got it bad. I'm blank for blank.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh, I'm a hot teacher.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, wow. You both got it at the same time. But who can tell me the artist first?

[Carrie Aisley]

Van Halen.

[Sean Hayes]

Jake Isles?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Peter?

[Sean Hayes]

Fran.

[Elliot Kaelin]

No, Van Halen.

[Sean Hayes]

Van Halen.

[Elliot Kaelin]

But are they correct?

[Digital Assistant]

Hot for Teacher by Van Halen.

[Carrie Aisley]

There you go.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's right, It's Van Halen. I'm going to give both of you a point for the answer for the title, because you both get us the best. But Sean gets a point for knowing the artist. Although, Carrie, I respect that you just kept naming artists until hopefully you hit on the right one. Okay, on to question two. Bot, give us our second 80s BOP.

[Digital Assistant]

I used to think maybe you loved me. Now, baby, I'm sure. And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door. Now every time I go for the mailbox Gotta hold myself down. Cause I just can't wait till you write me you're coming around. Now I'm blanking on. Blah.

[Sean Hayes]

Walking on sunshine.

[Carrie Aisley]

Whoa, whoa. Oh, nice.

[Sean Hayes]

Walking on Sunshine. By.

[Carrie Aisley]

By. Oh, Walking on Sunshine.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, it's Walking on Sunshine by Dexie's Midnight Runners. No, By.

[Carrie Aisley]

No. Walking on Sunshine by. Wait, don't say by. By.

[Sean Hayes]

What is her name?

[Carrie Aisley]

It's not Susie and the Banshees, but it's something like that.

[Elliot Kaelin]

It's that. It's that format. Although Susie and the Banshees version of Walking on Sunshine would be an amazing song.

[Sean Hayes]

It's gonna drive me nuts that on the tip of my tongue.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Bot, what is that bop? And whose bop is it?

[Digital Assistant]

Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.

[Carrie Aisley]

And the waves.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Katrina and the Waves.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh, my God. Katrina and the Waves.

[Sean Hayes]

Katrina and the waves.

[Elliot Kaelin]

And the waves. Let's go to song number three. Let's see if you get it as fast. Bot play us that bop.

[Digital Assistant]

Watch out, you might get what you're after. Cool babies. Strange but not a stranger. I'm an ordinary Guy Blanking down the blank hold tight Wait till the party's over hold tight we're in for nasty weather There has got two talking heads away Blanking down the blank and what's the song, Carrie?

[Carrie Aisley]

Burnin down the house.

[Sean Hayes]

Burn it. That was an effort. That was a team effort.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That was a team effort. Yes, that was a team effort. Well, we'll find out if you got it right. Bot, Was that the right bop?

[Digital Assistant]

Burning down the House by Talking Heads.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it right, Carrie.

[Carrie Aisley]

How did you know that I loved Talking Heads? You did?

[Sean Hayes]

I did. Wow. Especially that one album.

[Carrie Aisley]

Carrie, do you remember the lead singer's name?

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Carrie Aisley]

Okay, just checking.

[Sean Hayes]

No, wait, it's. Yeah, it's David Byrne.

[Carrie Aisley]

That's right.

[Elliot Kaelin]

That's right, David Byrne. Let's go on to question four. Here's a little tip. You'll hear the title at the beginning. It starts with the title. Bot, sing us that bop.

[Digital Assistant]

The blank is blank on the street inside your head on every beat and the beat's so loud Deep inside the pressure's high just to stay alive Cause the blank is blank oh, the heat is on.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh, right. Is that right?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Well, let's see. Before we ask the bot, do you have any idea who it might be? Who it might be, bot?

[Carrie Aisley]

Glenn Frey, bot.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Let's hear it.

[Digital Assistant]

The Heat Is on by Glenn Frey.

[Carrie Aisley]

Nice.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got it.

[Sean Hayes]

It's actually Sean. Nice work.

[Carrie Aisley]

Thanks you, Carrie. Thanks, Zucari. Thanks you, Carrie.

[Sean Hayes]

No problem.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Bot. What is the final bop?

[Digital Assistant]

Starkweather Homicide, Children of Thalidomide Buddy Holly, Ben Hur, Space Monkey Mafia, Hula Hoops, Castro Edsel is a no go U2, Syngman, Rhee, Pela and Kennedy Chubby Checker.

[Carrie Aisley]

Oh yeah.

[Digital Assistant]

Psycho Belgians in the Congo Yeah, we didn't blank the blank.

[Carrie Aisley]

Yeah, We Didn't Start the Fire by blank.

[Sean Hayes]

We Didn't Start the fire Billy Joel. Right.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Well, let's see. Let's see if Sean is correct. Bot. Just tell us that Sean's right about it. Right.

[Digital Assistant]

We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel.

[Elliot Kaelin]

You got that right.

[Sean Hayes]

Those are some crazy lyrics. I didn't realize those were the lyrics.

[Carrie Aisley]

Well, it's like it's either when somebody does a bunch of lyrics, it's either that song or REM End of the.

[Elliot Kaelin]

World as We Know It.

[Carrie Aisley]

End of the World as We Know It. Right.

[Elliot Kaelin]

We just rattle out. It's truly one of the great songs. That's just a list of things. Yeah, that's just him, Him Free associating. Oh, yeah. This is another thing I remember from when I was a kid. Oh, yeah, this is another thing.

[Carrie Aisley]

Yeah, yeah.

[Digital Assistant]

These are my bops.

[Elliot Kaelin]

This is an exciting game. The final score before the megaclue is Carrie, three points. Ah, Sean, seven points.

[Carrie Aisley]

What?

[Elliot Kaelin]

Devin, he was just a music fiend. This battle of man versus machine versus Sean isn't over yet. There's still the matter of the mega clue.

[Carrie Aisley]

Mega clue question.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Which one of you can tell me first? What do all of these songs have in common? And I'll remind you, the songs are hot for Teacher, Walking on Sunshine.

[Carrie Aisley]

I know what it is.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Burning down the house. The heat is on or we didn't start the fire.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, fire.

[Carrie Aisley]

The sun or fire or heat. The sun.

[Sean Hayes]

Hot fire, sun.

[Carrie Aisley]

Hot fire, sun, heat.

[Elliot Kaelin]

I mean, hot fire, sun, heat is a great way to say it. Yeah, they all involve hot things or heat. Sean got in there just a little bit quicker. But Carrie, you also got. You got in there just basically at the same time. So I'm gonna say that.

[Sean Hayes]

Sean, congratulations.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, wow, that was a hard fought one. Sean is the master of music and Carrie is very much the great sport of music. A really fun game all around. Listeners, did you do better than Sean and Carrie? If so, I guarantee you will go to heaven. If not. Well, there's always next episode because it's time for this episode's cliffhanger puzzle. So intriguing. The cliffhanger puzzle is our way of giving back to the community by giving the community something to commune about until the next episode. And today's cliffhanger is a riddle. It's another one of these riddle questions and it goes, what kind of sword is harder to break as it gets longer? What kind of sword is harder to break as it gets longer? Sean, Carrie, how many years are gonna get taken off your life by the anxiety of thinking about this question? Till the next episode.

[Carrie Aisley]

A couple. A couple. A couple years.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Okay.

[Sean Hayes]

Just a couple, I think a lot of years.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Oh, no.

[Carrie Aisley]

What kind of sword.

[Elliot Kaelin]

What kind of sword is harder to break as it gets longer? Yes, Sean, Carrie, this is the hardest part of my job. There's no other way to say it. This episode only has one minute left to live. So while we still can, I'd like to thank Carrie for bringing such joy to an old podcast's heart. And I'd like to thank Sean for treating these proceedings with the respect that they deserve, which is, you know, next to none, very little. And I'd like to thank you, the audience, for coming back and listening to the next episode. You see what I did? Now you have to. Now you're trapped into doing it. This has been Smartless Presents Clueless and I've been your host, Elliot Kaelin. We now return you to the rest of your life already in progress.

[Carrie Aisley]

Nice sword.

[Sean Hayes]

What kind of sword?

[Elliot Kaelin]

What kind of sword?

[Sean Hayes]

Clueless.

[Devin Tory Bryant]

You have been listening to Smartless Presents Clueless, a Smartless Media production in association with SiriusXM. Your host is Elliot Kaelin, who also writes our scripts. Your constant contestant is Sean Hayes, who is five'eleven Your producer, editor and engineer is Devin Tory Bryant, who is me. I also write all the music and sound effects assistant engineer Kyle McGraw. Today's puzzles were written by Matthew Broussard and Josh Richmond. Talent producer is Anne Harris Associate Producer Matty McCann Social media producer Tommy Galgano. Executive producers are Elliott Kaelin, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett and Jason Bateman. Executive producers for Smartless Media are Richard Corson and Bernie Kaminski. Remember to follow, subscribe, rate and review the show. It really helps. That's all for now. We will see you again for more.

[Elliot Kaelin]

Smart Bless.

[Sean Hayes]

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