Sunday Papers with Greg Fitzsimmons and Mike Gibbons

Episode 87 — October 31, 2021
Podcast Theme:
A hilarious, fast-paced review of the week’s news, pop culture, sports, and more—filtered through the irreverent lenses of veteran comics Greg and Mike.

Main Theme

This Halloween edition of the Sunday Papers finds Greg and Mike taking a spirited (and frequently tangent-filled) stroll through current events as seen through the headlines, with their trademark blend of candid conversation, sharp wit, and good-natured ribbing. They hit topics from Halloween costume stories and charity golf tournaments, to Facebook’s rebrand, Biden meeting the Pope, news of a tragic robbery, LGBTQ+ issues in sports and theater, the latest in entertainment, and much more.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Getting Started: Corrections, Cold Season, and Halloween Plans

[00:01-03:23]

• Mike is under the weather, possibly with lingering Covid.
• Greg shares he was exposed to Covid at an Emmy charity golf tournament—leading to a discussion of Emmy diversity scholarships and the real-life obstacles for minorities entering TV, especially the financial barriers (“You need a pipeline…these scholarship funds help people that are diverse, more diverse to get started.” - Greg, 02:33).
• Halloween talk: Greg confesses to frequently dressing as a woman for Halloween (“When you were gay, it was so fun to dress up as a woman every year.” - Greg, 03:39), segueing into a story of Caitlyn Jenner telling Mike she used Halloween as an excuse to dress up before coming out.
• Mike and Greg rib each other for their costume choices and FOMO about holiday events.

2. Upcoming Events: Sports & Concerts

[05:00-12:29]

• Plans to attend a Chargers game (nosebleed seats jokes abound), and then the Grateful Dead at the Hollywood Bowl (“I’m already masquerading as someone interested in the Chargers.” - Mike, 07:28).
• Discussion about NFL quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Mac Jones, showing their half-disinterested, half-fan engagement with sports news.
• A debate: Do you “owe” a friend concert ticket money if they comped you using free tickets? (Greg is pro-paying for real tickets.)

3. Listener Engagement: Songs, Artwork & Podcast Community

[12:35-14:28]

• Listener Tony Kakase challenges John Cabrera for best theme song—a mini “Beach Boys vs. Beatles” competition among fans.
• Shout-out to listener-submitted artwork; the evolving show culture and COVID origins.

4. Corrections and Housekeeping

[15:31-18:02]

• Listeners point out prior week’s mistakes: “Economies to scale” should be “economies of scale,” and IBM’s Deep Blue (the chess computer) got misnamed.
• Plug for live Greg Fitzsimmons stand-up dates and ads for podcast merch (Christmas mug banter: “Cat in your lap, naked woman masturbating in front of you while you listen to the Sunday papers. Come on.” - Greg, 16:51).

5. [Skip: Ads, 18:17-25:09]

Major News Stories & Deep Dives

A. Crime & Bitcoin: Casino Winner Tracked and Murdered

[25:29-32:29]

• New Jersey pharma exec Sri Aravapalli is shot and killed after being tailed from a Pennsylvania casino.
• They riff on dangers of carrying cash, ATM crimes, and compare to Bitcoin’s digital “safety.”
• Side chat: Why don’t LA homes have basements? Led to memories of East Coast basements as leisure spaces and more stories of teenage shenanigans.

B. Biden Meets the Pope: Religion & Politics

[32:43-41:12]

• Biden’s audience with Pope Francis, discussion on abortion, communion, and religious identity in politics.
• Mike riffs on presidents talking about religion and his lack of comfort that “the leader of the free world talks to a man in the sky.” (35:52)
• Extended, tongue-in-cheek consideration of the Virgin Mary and angels, using Gallup poll stats for comedic effect (“72% of Americans believe in angels.” - Mike, 36:54).
• Greg: “Do you notice that 72% covers a lot…that are not really tethered to reality.” (37:10)

C. Facebook Rebrands to Meta

[41:14-44:52]

• Zuckerberg’s name change panned as pretentious and a distraction from congressional scrutiny.
• Meta’s infinity symbol is quickly mocked: “It looks like a pair of balls, and people are already writing dicks on top.” (43:53)
• Both comics admit to not really using Facebook, citing privacy and misinformation concerns.

D. Schools in the News: Lap Dances, Outfits, and Canceled Plays

[45:14-49:37]

• Hazard High in Kentucky: Photos go viral of students giving lap dances to faculty and dressing in Hooters outfits, with the principal (“Happy”) also the mayor.
• Hillsborough High School (Ohio): Play canceled because of a gay character; commentary on censorship and real numbers of LGBTQ+ students in theater.

E. Local & Entertainment News

[49:43-55:49]

• Neighborhood locked down after a car chase; small town drama.
• Entertainment picks:
  • Goliath (Prime Video) praised: “Billy Bob Thornton should be getting Emmys for this show every fucking year.” - Greg, 51:03
  • Mike recommends disturbing foreign flicks “Titane” and “Lamb” (Icelandic, bleak, existential).
  • Anticipation for Peter Jackson’s Beatles “Get Back” documentary (“These four uneducated guys from Nowheresville who could never read music went from NSYNC to Radiohead in seven years…” - Mike quoting a friend, 58:12).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On costume shenanigans (03:41):
  Greg: “When you were gay, it was so fun to dress up as a woman every year.”
• On Biden’s faith (35:52):
  Mike: “Wait, the leader of the free world talks to a man in the sky…he also believes that that [God] cucked Joseph and put his son in the belly of a virgin.”
• On Facebook’s rebrand (43:53):
  Greg: “It looks like a pair of balls, and people are already writing dicks on top of the two balls.”
• On school scandals (46:52):
  Greg: “They put the ‘coming’ into homecoming, let’s just put it that way.”

Important Segment Timestamps

• Intro banter & Halloween: [00:01 - 05:00]
• NFL/Chargers/Game talk: [05:00 - 12:29]
• Listener contributions: [12:35 - 14:28]
• Corrections & plugs: [15:31 - 18:02]
• New Jersey Casino Murders/Bitcoin: [25:29 - 32:29]
• Basements & East Coast nostalgia: [28:44 - 32:29]
• Biden and the Pope/Angels poll: [32:43 - 41:12]
• Facebook/Meta rebrand: [41:14 - 44:52]
• HS Lap dances/canceled play: [45:14 - 49:37]
• Entertainment: Goliath/Beatles doc: [50:37 - 61:20]
• Letters from listeners & comics (Mort Sahl obituary): [97:48 - 111:13]
• Sunday Funnies segment: [113:03 - 123:13]

Tone and Comic Chemistry

• The tone remains breezy, spontaneous, and boundary-pushing.
• Discussions frequently spiral into bits, roasts, or personal anecdotes, creating a rolling, “just hanging with the guys” vibe.
• They intentionally ride (and sometimes cross) the lines of taste, which is central to the show’s brand.

Additional Highlights

• Dog drama: Greg’s elderly, biting dog Brulee is a recurring character; “I just want him to die. Just fucking die.”- Greg, 76:05. They suggest a new “Brulee” update segment.
• Trans rights & Chappelle:
  • Long segment discussing the Netflix walkout, problematic tweets from organizer Ashley Marie Preston, and Caitlyn Jenner’s support for Chappelle.
  • Strong defense of artistic freedom vs. calls for censorship (see [65:17-69:49]).
• PETA and ‘Bullpen’:
  • Satirical rant as PETA asks baseball to rename the bullpen out of respect for cows, expanding (jokingly) on the absurdity of language reforms (90:08+).

Closing Thoughts

Episode 87 is quintessential “Sunday Papers”: topical, self-deprecating, circular, and unafraid of a little controversy. Whether chatting sports, politics, entertainment, or comics, Mike and Greg keep it lively and unpredictable all the way through the (actual) Sunday funnies.

Takeaway: The show is best enjoyed by those who appreciate uncensored, intelligent banter and a deep cut on America’s weekly news—along with a willingness to shift from the serious to the ridiculous at any moment.