Smosh Mouth Episode #115 - The Damien And Shayne Show
Date: October 20, 2025
Hosts: Shayne Topp & Damien Haas
Episode Overview
This episode of Smosh Mouth is a classic “Damien and Shayne show,” featuring just the two long-time friends and collaborators riffing on everything from inside jokes and life as performers, to wild podcast tangents about cats, gym etiquette, and their enduring video game obsessions. The energy is playful and deeply nostalgic, packed with stories from their shared past and the peculiar world of internet fandoms.
Key Discussion Points & Segments
1. The Booster Gold Fan Campaign & Imposter Syndrome
(00:49–05:15)
- Booster Gold Casting Campaign: Shayne addresses the ongoing online campaign (especially on TikTok) lobbying for him to be cast as DC superhero Booster Gold.
- Damien is fully supportive, saying, “For me, so serious, not a joke at all. I really think you could do it and should do it.” (01:55)
- Shayne’s Approach: He’s flattered, but unsure about publicly campaigning for a role:
“I don’t want to be the type, like, online being like, ‘cast me.’ But I'm like, hey, I'd love to audition. I absolutely, of course, would.” (02:11)
- Imposter Syndrome: Shayne admits to feeling impostor syndrome, while Damien encourages him to “just grab it.”
Memorable quote:
Damien: “Just be the Jack Reacher and just grab… you’re right there.” (04:43)
2. TNTL ("Try Not To Laugh") Behind the Scenes & Viral Podcast Moments
(06:05–10:01)
- Recap of a chaotic TNTL taping, including unscheduled guests, and orchestrated chaos turning into viral content.
- Jonathan’s crinkling wrappers and ringtone interruption make for accidental comedy gold:
Shayne: “Jonathan, you just gave us another Million View Short.” (06:45)
- Discuss how some spontaneous bits become sleeper hits online.
3. Smosh Cast Talents and Alternative Realities
(05:15–05:51, 14:10–14:26)
- Praising castmates’ diverse talents—Trevor as a pro-caliber athlete, Amanda as a would-be TV detective.
- Noting how much talent is “packed into this place.”
4. Law & Order, TV Parents, and Relatable Nostalgia
(09:08–10:01)
- Brief discussion on Law & Order, Mariska Hargitay, and how their audience isn’t quite the TV procedural demographic.
- Nostalgia about parents watching procedurals for a “resolved by the hour” comfort.
5. Worst Sounds & Audio Sensitivities
(13:04–24:07)
- Deep dive into personal “worst sounds”:
- Unwrapping food on mic
- Gum chewing and food smacking
- Neighbors making weird noises (e.g., yelling "Matt" at night)
- Honking cars in LA
- Shayne’s story about his grandpa’s peppermint habit and his mom’s annoyance.
- Damien: “I’m very sensitive to sound, and it’s a blessing and a curse.” (19:51)
- Jokes about growing up in apartments and bizarre neighbor behavior.
6. Living with Pets: Personalities, Nicknames, and Supernatural Tendencies
(31:01–40:04)
- Comparing their two-cat households: each has a “person” cat and an “animal” cat.
- “Freya is a person. Zelda is just fat as a sow and full of chaos.” — Damien (31:12)
- Elaborate on pet nicknames:
- Zelda = “piss whale” (31:51)
- Shayne's Bones = “a man,” not an animal.
- Haunted Cat Story: Birdie acts strange with inherited toy mice, prompting haunted house jokes.
- Cats’ responses to being addressed like people, holiday gag ("It's Christmas!”), and pet manipulation for food.
7. Gym Culture, Shame, and Other People's Opinions
(26:31–28:23)
- Admiring people at the gym who exercise without self-consciousness—even when doing outrageous Cirque du Soleil tricks.
- Discussing online comments shaming people for odd gym routines, and how to reframe it as admirable.
8. Stardew Valley, Video Game Achievements, and Gaming Nostalgia
(40:04–44:48, 51:12–54:54)
- Revisiting the infamous moment Shayne “threw away” Damien’s golden cat in Stardew Valley (an expensive in-game item), and the fanbase’s lasting outrage.
- Shayne finally achieves the golden cat on his own game after years (42:03).
- Reminiscing about periods of life consumed by specific games—Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros.—and the inexorable rise of younger, faster “nephews” overtaking them in skill.
- Lamenting how easy “looking up answers online” has made puzzle games, missing the days of huge game guides and scribbled notes.
9. Inside Jokes: History, Origins, and Explainers
(60:30–71:13)
- Breaking down the origins of several of their signature bits:
- “Stay fresh, homie, get paid” — from “Buzzin” (61:03)
- “You need more training” — anime riff, later a T-shirt (62:29)
- “Buy me In-N-Out” — started as roommate shorthand, now a personal catchphrase (68:14)
- “Happy birthday Steven” — a bizarre image of an 80s party for a blank-faced kid (69:10)
- “Pepper” — an in-joke referenced cryptically (“If you’re not understanding, you’re just not thinking about it.” (70:12))
- Mario Party and Smash Bros. rage and heartbreak, and endless riffing on in-game moments.
- Tilda Swinton & “We Need to Talk About Kevin” as repeated punchlines.
- “Hereditary” movie: how turning trauma into comedy became a method for coping.
10. Friendship, Childhood, and Sharing Hobbies
(44:48–47:46)
- Discuss the sweetness of introducing friends and children to interests with genuine enthusiasm.
- “Showing interest in someone else’s interest is probably the kindest thing you can do.” — Shayne (45:30)
- Reminiscing about connecting with kids over Pokémon, Mario, or Bakugan.
11. Gaming Updates and Recommendations
(51:12–56:24)
- Damien shares he’s playing Silksong and Damon X Machina: Titanic Scion.
- Conversation about the challenge/tedium balance in platformers (Silksong's difficulty).
- Rhapsodizing about the mystery game Blueprints and the satisfaction of taking notes together, resisting the urge to Google solutions.
12. The Power of Riffs, Parallel Thinking & Creative Anxiety
(66:58–68:09)
- On creative work, jokes “you think are original” but later realize might not be, leading to constant mild anxiety.
- Shayne: “Nothing’s original… I’m trying to make my own twist on it.” (67:41)
- Dream story: Damien fretting that dream-Shayne is mad at him for overlap.
13. Preview: Upcoming Pokémon Episode & Smosh Lore
(59:32–60:11)
- Teaser for an all-Pokémon episode with Tommy, connecting back to Smosh’s YouTube roots.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- Damien: “For me, so serious, not a joke at all. I really think you could do it and should do it.” (01:55)
- Damien: “Just be the Jack Reacher and just grab… you’re right there.” (04:43)
- Shayne: “Jonathan, you just gave us another Million View Short.” (06:45)
- Damien: “Showing interest in someone else’s interest is probably the kindest thing you can do.” (45:30)
- Shayne: “You need more training dot com.” (62:57)
- Damien: “Pepper… if you’re not understanding, you’re just not thinking about it.” (70:12)
- Joking about pet names: “Sometimes Zelda walks by and like, oh, it’s the piss whale.” (31:51)
- Shayne on haunted cats: “We joke about Birdie maybe being haunted.” (33:54)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:49 – Booster Gold campaign/Imposter syndrome
- 06:05 – TNTL chaos & accidental viral moments
- 13:04 – Worst sounds
- 31:01 – Pet personalities and nicknames
- 40:04 – Stardew Valley/gaming nostalgia
- 44:48 – The kindness of sharing interests
- 51:12 – Silksong, Blueprints, and game challenge talk
- 60:30 – Inside jokes explained: origins and riffing
- 59:32/60:11 – Pokémon episode tease
Tone & Style
The conversation is irreverent, rapid, and laced with in-jokes, playful self-deprecation, and the earnest camaraderie of old friends. Frequent detours into nostalgia, tangents about their creative anxieties, and absurd storytelling give the episode a welcoming, chaotic warmth representative of Smosh’s ethos.
Summary
If you love Smosh’s signature blend of “dumb ideas” and behind-the-scenes warmth, this episode is jam-packed with inside jokes explained (“Pepper,” anyone?), deep dives into creative fears, runaway fandom stories (Booster Gold!), and the celebration of shared, sometimes goofy passions—video games, cats, and bits that have survived over a decade. It’s a Smosh core memory lane, ideal for fans who want to feel like they’re in the room for every laugh.