Podcast Summary: Smosh Mouth #117 – They Finally Let Us Talk About Pokémon

Date: November 3, 2025
Hosts: Shayne Topp, Amanda Lehan-Canto, Damian Haas
Guest: Tommy

Overview

In this playful, nostalgia-fueled episode, the Smosh crew, joined by Tommy, finally dives deep into Pokémon—a subject close to all their hearts but rarely discussed on the podcast. The group reminisces about personal journeys in the Pokémon universe, debates favorite and weirdest Pokémon, shares card game luck, and even opens packs live. Their conversation is brimming with humor, friendly roasting, and genuine appreciation for how Pokémon shaped their lives and Smosh itself. The tone is silly, enthusiastic, and packed with fond geekiness.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Opening Banter, Intros, and Nostalgia for Odd Pokémon Pronunciations

Timestamp: 02:18 – 05:14

• Hosts jokingly fumble through the episode opening, playfully parodying each other’s personalities.
• The team establishes their mutual Pokémon love and laughs about how the official Pokémon pronunciations (e.g., "Delibird," "Houndour," "Scizor") sometimes feel awkward or illogical.
• Quote:
  "I have a hard time with the Pokémon that are just named like a thing... Like, it's like Scyther and then it evolves into Scizor...I laughed out loud reading 'Delibird.' Where I'm just like, oh, it's just like 'deliver.'" — Shayne [04:08]

2. Pokémon Origins: Personal First Encounters

Timestamp: 05:14 – 11:17

• Each host recounts how they first discovered Pokémon, through Game Boy games, cards, or the anime.
• Nostalgia for official strategy guides and the magic of pre-internet playground rumors.
• Quote:
  "They used to have, like, you know booklets on how to beat a game?...I remember just reading it like it's a book. Looking at the art and just being like, wow, this is the coolest thing." — Tommy [07:10]

3. Childhood Lore, Favorite Cards and Pokémon, Sibling Dynamics

Timestamp: 11:17 – 15:11

• Shayne shares about getting his first holographic Pinsir card from a Jungle pack and nearly completing the original 151.
• Damian reminisces about "selling" old games as a kid and mispronouncing “psychic” as “pissy chick”.
• Parental stories and the sentimental value of old Pokémon memorabilia.

4. Legendary and Mythical Pokémon: The Weird and the Whimsical

Timestamp: 13:12 – 14:29

• Lively debates on which legendaries matter (consensus: Mewtwo always matters).
• The origin (and chaotic creation) of Lugia—designed under the influence by a Pokémon artist, to everyone’s amusement.
• Quote:
  "Lugia is a creation from a stupor of drugs and alcohol. That Pokémon just went, okay." — Tommy [14:01]

5. The Wild Rumors Era & Hidden Pokémon Myths

Timestamp: 17:02 – 19:17

• Remembering the infamous “Porygon seizure episode” and legends about unseen Pokémon (Ho-oh, Mew, Pikablu…).
• The joys of un-disprovable playground myths in the pre-internet era.
• Quote:
  "I miss when you didn't have the internet. Rumors like that were so cool. They spread like wildfire. And there was no way to disprove it." — Shayne [18:40]

6. Returning to the Games & Pokémon Card Luck

Timestamp: 19:29 – 21:22

• Tommy and Damian talk about falling off and returning to the Pokémon games (including Sword/Shield, Scarlet/Violet).
• Damian shares a “crazy” luck story: buying several boxes of rare Chinese Pokémon cards on stream and finding the coveted Gengar three times in a row.
• Quote:
  "I don't believe in luck, but I kind of do. And so that's. Yep." — Damian [21:19]

7. "Favorite Pokémon" Roundtable & Childhood Merch

Timestamp: 21:43 – 25:09; 25:09 – 27:06

• Everyone shares their favorites:
  • Damian: Chansey (displays "Chansey Tower" of memorabilia), also loves unevolved/cute Pokémon like Litwick, Oddish, Swablu.
  • Tommy: Porygon, Ditto, Castform, and favorites “manmade” or “weird” Pokémon.
  • Shayne: Mewtwo, Pinsir, Hawlucha, Sandshrew, Haunter, Feraligatr.
• Tangent on toy collecting, Japanese vs. English figurines, and childhood habits.

8. Pokémon with Dark and Bizarre Lore

Timestamp: 27:13 – 29:02

• Haunter, Kadabra, and Phantump: Discussion about ghost/creepy Pokémon, many of which, according to lore, are dead children or people transformed.
• Goofy and sometimes unsettling elements behind Pokémon designs.

9. The Weirdness of Inanimate Object Pokémon

Timestamp: 36:04 – 39:04

• The group confesses appreciation for "object Pokémon" (trash bags, sandcastles, swords, chandeliers, anchors).
• Shayne: "I have really come around to the inanimate object Pokémon. And I really like them." [36:13]
• Tangent on hidden animal-Pokémon crossovers and debate about Trubbish being a cat.

10. Live Pokémon Card Opening

Timestamp: 39:56 – 47:14

• Excitement as the group opens packs:
  • Highlights: Art rare Deerling, Torterra ex, holographic Feraligatr.
  • Hilarious reactions and commentary on the new card/game mechanics.
• Tommy boasts a full set of the original 151 cards—traded several Charizards for missing pieces.
• Quote:
  "One of the highlights of my childhood was...in my back seat...I come across a holographic Charizard and I lost my shit." — Shayne [45:11]

11. The Card Collecting Craze & Its Surreal Comeback

Timestamp: 47:14 – 50:33

• Shock at the resurgence of Pokémon card collecting value.
• Damian dishes on grading, big scores, and selling “spicy pricey” cards.
• Shout-out to the Burger King gold-plated cards and their value as nostalgia (if not as collectibles).
• Quote:
  "From the very beginning was like, I'm collecting these. I'm not playing with them. But even then, they get little scratches. They get little bumps...It's more valuable to you, nostalgically." — Damian [49:22]

12. More Pack Openings, Goofy Noises & Pronunciation Fails

Timestamp: 51:14 – 57:01

• Two more packs opened in head-to-head style.
• Adorable sidebars about pronouncing names wrong, favorite anime Pokémon cries/noises, and the carryover from childhood.
• Quote:
  "People have been talking about so much about how I mispronounce so many words because I learned so much from reading." — Shayne [52:40]
• Shayne wins the opening round with a prized Feraligatr.

13. Pokémon Gym Leader Types: Which Smosh Cast Member Would Run What Gym?

Timestamp: 59:32 – 68:42

• Hilarious roundtable proposing themed gyms for Smosh members:
  • Damian: Spooky ghost/fairy gym with sweet Chansey at the end (campy haunted house theme).
  • Tommy: "Normal" or manmade/weird Pokémon.
  • Shayne: Could be fighting, rock, or “library” themed.
  • Courtney: Elegant fire types/pop star gym or duality (light/dark) theme.
  • Arasha: Poison or psychic mind games.
  • Amanda: Grounded, maybe grass or water/ground; vineyard vibe.
  • Chance: Dragon gym—destroy everyone.
  • Angela: Electric (loud, pop-stage energy) or bug.
  • Trevor: Fire or “bakery” themed (cooking Pokémon).
  • Olivia: Maybe multitype or psychic/psychedelic; "just dittos."
  • Noah: Grass—earthy connection.
  • Keith: Steel—sleek, flashy.
  • Ian/Anthony: Classic Gen 1 duo; all-star team.
  • Spencer: Ice or techy/chill types (Snorlax, Slaking, etc.)

14. Final Pack Opening & Sentiment

Timestamp: 69:16 – End (~72:45)

• They open the last pack; more rare pulls, playful competition.
• Closing thoughts on nostalgia, community, and gratitude for Pokémon's lasting impact—on their lives and on Smosh.
• Damian puts out a call for rare Chansey cards.
• Quote:
  "Thank you to Pokémon for giving Ian and Anthony something to do back in the day." — Tommy [71:36]

Notable Quotes

• "Rock upon which our church was built... And then there's Pokémon." — Damian [03:13]
• "I know I sold those to a friend in like fifth grade... I wanted money for this other video game..." — Damian [08:05]
• On rumors:
  "Why would someone lie about what their cousin did?" — Damian [18:52]
• "If you don’t know Pokémon that well, basically nothing can affect it...it's playing rock, paper, scissors when your friend has rock and scissors and a gun." — Damian (on Klefki) [36:27]
• "Growing up, you had one Pokémon that was jacked...Feraligatr was my LeBron, and like, everybody else was also there." — Shayne [57:37]

Memorable Moments

• Damian reveals a tower of Chansey memorabilia: "This is my Chansey Tower, dude." [22:12]
• Pokémon Card Triple Gengar Luck: Damian stuns the group with impossible pulls—a legendary streak. [20:43]
• Goof-off on Pokémon Names & Anime Noises: Tommy asks for everyone’s best Arbok impression. [54:38]
• Burger King Card Nostalgia & Goodwill Find: Damian flaunts still having sealed gold cards, bought for $2 each at Goodwill. [48:33]
• Closing “Gym Leader” Game: Everyone imagines what Elemental Pokémon Gym their friends would run—with creative, themed spins.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 05:14 — Pokémon origin stories
• 13:12 — Legendary Pokémon discussions
• 17:02 — Pre-internet mythology and rumors
• 19:29 — When hosts returned to Pokémon games
• 21:43 — Favorites roundtable
• 27:13 — Discussion of dark/lore-heavy Pokémon
• 36:04 — Inanimate object Pokémon
• 39:56 — Card opening 1
• 47:14 — Pokémon card collecting returns
• 51:14 — Card opening 2 (vs. style)
• 59:32 — “What type of gym would each cast member run?” game
• 69:16 — Final card opening and wrap-up

Summary

This fun, sprawling episode delivers everything longtime Pokémon fans want: deep nostalgia, trading-card drama, weird lore, and the infectious joy of sharing favorites. The hosts’ comedic chemistry and genuine love for the franchise drive a wide-ranging, often absurd—but always relatable—conversation. Whether you grew up with Pokémon or just want to hear the Smosh crew geek out, this episode is a love letter to the fandom and the enduring power of little monsters with big personalities.

For the full gym leader assignment game and pack-opening play-by-play, skip to around 59:32 – 72:45.