Soder Podcast Episode 65: "Denver Dumb Friend’s League" with Katie Nolan

Release Date: February 4, 2025
Host: Dan Soder
Guest: Katie Nolan

Episode Overview

In this lively, laughter-filled episode, Dan Soder and frequent collaborator (and partner) Katie Nolan recount their annual Christmas road trip, reflect on the weirdness that is multi-dog households, reminisce about childhood pets and the infamous "Denver Dumb Friends League," and champion the lost art of restaurant merch—particularly the elusive Bennigan's crewneck. The episode is packed with tales of travel mishaps, Midwest fast food quests, sports banter, and comic reflections on pet ownership and family traditions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Road Trip Recap: Christmas, Arguments, and Time Zone Woes

• Dan and Katie share stories from their epic holiday road trip spanning New York, Chicago, Denver, and back, including stops for fast food and the challenges of navigating unfamiliar routes.
• Time zone confusion: Missing McDonald’s breakfast due to crossing from Central to Eastern time while approaching South Bend, IN.
  • Quote:

    "We were about to get off at South Bend, and all of a sudden, Dan looks at the clock and he goes, the time just changed. We just crossed over... So we lost an hour." – Katie (10:30)

• Fight and reconciliation in the car: Humorous self-awareness as they describe arguing, then moving on.
  • Quote:

    "What I love about you... we don't leave that car. We didn't go the rest of that car ride fighting. We got it out. Eventually, something silly happened, and we were like, you make a joke..." – Katie (05:39)

Memorable Anecdotes:

• Dan once drove 30 mph over the speed limit during a silent argument.
• Construction zones and late-night highway shutdowns led to accidental detours.

2. Time Zones, Road Signs, and Missing Out

• Extended riff on the oddity of highway time zone boundaries and lack of notifications.
  • Quote:

    "Why don’t you legally have to say on the highway you’re entering a time zone?" – Katie (11:55)

• Lampooning repetitive Iowa safety signs:
  • Quote:

    “It was the annoyance of ‘That’s what she said.’ It was like if a state kept doing ‘That’s what she said.’ And it was 'Jingle bells, Batman smells, buckle up or die.'” – Dan (13:05)

3. Dogs, Family, and the Denver Dumb Friends League

Pets as Personality Mirrors

• Extended stories about Myrtle (their pandemic dog), her quirks, and integration with family babies and another dog, Charlotte.
  • Quote:

    "You really download your personality onto your dog. Notice how she's mad she's not getting the attention she wants. Wonder where she gets that from." – Dan (19:27)

Dog Mishaps & Infections

• Myrtle “bodied” baby Charlotte (16:55), parents' nerves, the hard realities of animal/baby interactions.
• Myrtle gets a double eye infection—blamed on new dog Freckles—leading to scrambling for a vet en route (31:37 – 32:41).

The Denver Dumb Friends League

• Dan’s mother’s blunt, “trial period” approach to dog ownership, returning dogs to the Denver Dumb Friends League when they weren’t the right fit.
  • Quote:

    “My mom gets a dog, it's a 10-day contract. How you plan, how do you mesh with the clubhouse?” – Dan (21:06, 21:44)

  • Quote:

    “That's what the pound was called.” – Dan (23:10)

4. Restaurant Merch and the Quest for Bennigan’s

• Katie and Dan wax nostalgic about the 90s pop restaurant, Bennigan's—highlighting its role as a precursor to chains like Applebee’s (33:15).
• They track down an operational Bennigan’s (rare!) attached to a Holiday Inn in Toledo, OH, build a whole plan around staying and buying merch, only to be disappointed at the lack thereof.
  • Quote:

    “I was willing to drop 200 on merch at Bennigan's...Instead, I spent $55 on a Monte Cristo and some chicken tenders.” – Dan (43:43)

  • They reminisce about old restaurant merch culture—Emerald Isle T-shirts, etc.—and champion its return.

5. Pet Ownership Challenges: Cheek Bones and Dog Hygiene

• Myrtle discovers cow cheek bones in Colorado, which become a messy obsession—blood on fur, hygiene woes (27:30 – 30:30).
• The pair ask listeners for advice:
  • Quote:

    “Short of shampooing her legs, how do I get that out? It's nasty.” – Katie (31:08)

• Open thread for listeners: is Dan's mom's "dog return" method normal?

6. Reflections on Stand-Up Comedy & Joke Ownership

• Katie brings up a recurring issue: what to do when a podcast guest’s bit echoes one of Dan’s stand-up jokes.
  • Quote:

    “If you bump into the topic, I think the safe thing to do is go, so-and-so has a bit about it.” – Dan (57:01)

• Dan recounts a memory of legendary comic Dave Attell shutting down unsolicited tags (58:33).
• The craft of writing bits, joke overlap, and parallels with musicians 'riffing' in a studio—Dan’s social media algorithm now full of music podcasts.

7. Bennigan’s, Restaurant Disrepair & Hotel Culture

• They debate what constitutes “in-hotel” vs. “attached” restaurants (35:00).
• Lighthearted argument intensifies, then fizzles as they agree to disagree (35:58).
• The sad state and missed merchandising and experiential opportunities of the modern Bennigan’s.

8. Wii Golf Family Tradition & Triumph

• Annual Soder family tradition: competitive Wii Golf on Christmas (47:07).
• Katie shatters the household scoring record with an 8-under round, to her own shock and pride.
  • Quote:

    “I just want to get it on wax because I don’t think it’s ever going to happen again. I want to make sure I celebrate my wins.” – Katie (49:22)

• Dan muses on family, holidays, and the little joys of shared traditions.

9. Casuals Podcast Launch & the State of Sports Media

• Katie discusses the launch of her new sports podcast, Casuals, pitched as fun, inclusive, and a break from betting-focused coverage (52:10):
  • Quote:

    “It's just like sports for people that...feel like sports leaves them out or...just want to know a little bit about everything going on.” – Katie (52:10)

• Frustration with sports and gambling media saturation:
  • Quote:

    "There is a whole slice of the pie that's missing of just like, I just like sports. I just miss baseball because it's on during the day." – Dan (53:06)

  • Quote:

    “Maybe every commercial break shouldn't have three ads featuring the most popular athletes telling me how to lose my money today.” – Katie (53:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On dog/child interactions:

  “She can’t run in between the tackles. That’s right, you got speed. You want to get outside. You’re east to west, not north.” – Dan (18:12)

• On returning dogs:

  “My mom's a lady in her 70s. This dog's gonna body me.” – Dan (22:04)

• On missing McDonald's breakfast:

  “It was just one of those moments where you're like, what!?” – Dan (10:59)

• On the endurance of the Bennigan’s Monte Cristo:

  “First three [slices] are heaven. Fourth one is tough to get through.” – Dan (38:13)

• On the joy of restaurant merch:

  “Fire T-shirts…that was my first job…it was illegal. I was 14, and I was busing tables there. They paid me cash in an envelope and gave me Marlboro Lights, and they had the best merch.” – Dan (42:26)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:00–04:30]: Roommate/furniture/fake leather couch story
• [04:47–10:50]: Road trip, car arguments, South Bend & time zone loss/McDonald’s breakfast
• [11:55–13:40]: Highway signs, Iowa’s safety messages, state-by-state quirks
• [14:55–19:41]: Dogs & babies: Myrtle, Charlotte, and learning boundaries
• [20:00–23:53]: Denver Dumb Friends League and Dan’s mom’s adoption philosophy
• [25:06–31:08]: Myrtle and Freckles' rocky beginnings, hygiene problems from cow cheek bones
• [33:15–45:21]: The quest for Bennigan’s, nostalgia & disappointment, restaurant merch
• [47:07–50:02]: Wii Golf family tradition, Katie ties the household record
• [52:10–54:21]: Launching Casuals podcast, the state of sports & gambling in media
• [57:01–59:13]: Joke overlap among comedians, Dave Attell story
• [61:42–62:32]: Wrapping up, reflecting on travel, ease of road tripping together

Final Thoughts & Tone

The episode is candid, meandering, and warmly irreverent—full of inside jokes, affectionate teasing, and Midwest road trip energy. Dan and Katie’s chemistry propels the show, blending relatable couple banter with astute observations about America’s heartland, stand-up, and the state of pet ownership. The conversations flow organically from absurd to heartfelt, never shying away from familial goofiness or self-deprecating humor.

For Listeners:

• Dog owners: Weigh in on cow cheek bones and dog returns (28:34).
• Fans of restaurant merch: Share your finds, push Bennigan’s to bring back crewnecks (42:10).
• Podcast and sports fans: Check out Katie’s new show, Casuals.

[End of Summary]