TBTL #4664: "I'm Not A Buzzball, I Just Glug A Lot"

Date: February 16, 2026
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

Episode Overview

In this Presidents Day episode, Luke and Andrew take listeners through a winding and hilarious conversation covering everything from AI-generated voices and podcasting ethics, to Presidents Day confusion, NBA All-Star nostalgia, beach house trespassing dog dramas, and the allure (or dubiousness) of Buzzball Biggies. As always, their banter is interspersed with cultural references, self-deprecation, and loving ribbing. The highlight: a discussion about their friend David Greene's real-life lawsuit over an AI imitation of his voice, and a blow-by-blow recounting of Luke being denied pool access at a hotel overtaken by Nike's Jordan brand, ending up at a Guy Fieri airport restaurant where he encounters a hyper-quotable server.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Presidents Day: What (and Who) Are We Actually Celebrating?

• Luke and Andrew open by querying the actual point of Presidents Day, whether it honors all presidents or only Washington and Lincoln ([09:06]).
  • Andrew: "Is it still now? Is it for those two still? Or in combining them, did they also sort of mission creep us out into celebrating all presidents?" ([09:36])
  • Luke reads Google's AI summary: "The holiday honors the first president, George Washington, but it’s expanded to celebrate all US Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln..." ([10:00])
• They joke about who deserves to be on their Mount Rushmore—not necessarily actual presidents.
  • Luke: "Eminem, The Beastie Boys... Barry, Barry Hussein Obama." ([03:06])

NBA All-Star Game & Sporting Nostalgia

• Luke and Andrew reminisce about when the All-Star game was exciting, and how Obama once commented on the loss of competitive spirit ([03:45], [04:11]).
  • Luke: "When the Sonics left Seattle, a part of me died and I just have slowly lost interest in the NBA..." ([05:41])
• Dunk contest nostalgia: Luke fondly remembers 80s participants like Dominique Wilkins and Michael "Air" Jordan ([07:35]).
  • Luke: "To me, the dunk contest stopped when it stopped being Dominique Wilkins, the human highlight reel, and Michael Air Jordan." ([07:53])
• Discussion about how classic events or music often don't line up with the younger generation’s “classics” ([08:11]).

Valentine’s Day Weekend: Beach Escapades and Dog Drama

• Luke recounts a trip to Rockaway Beach, Oregon for Valentine's, staying in an Airbnb with Becca and the dog, Gigi ([10:38]).
• Grocery Store Adventures: Amused by the local “Center Market” with its massive “Buzzball Biggies” display ([11:20]).
  • Luke: "My sense of it was it’s this little round thing that you could, kind of like, bring around with you or whatever, almost that the utility of it was that it was highly portable... The giant one to me completely and totally, like, moves away from the core competency of the buzz ball." ([13:23])
  • Andrew: "I just remember literally standing there with Genevieve... contemplating the universe and buzzball Biggie's place therein." ([12:32])
• Dog Goes Rogue: Gigi escapes and trespasses into a “No Trespassing” yard ([17:20]).
  • Luke: "She just always stays like 5ft out of your reach... She senses a slight shift in the energy." ([17:20], [17:27])
  • Funny moment: Luke’s anxiety about being confronted by the actual homeowner ([18:00]).
  • The woman inside kindly understands the situation, diffusing what could have been tense ([19:24], [19:29]).

President's Day, Dog Parks, and Leash-Related Peer Pressure

• A discussion about leash etiquette on beaches and the social dynamics of on-leash vs. off-leash dog owners ([22:15]).
  • Andrew: "Not like, hey, I'm cool. I would be with a leashless dog if I could. You mean cool in that you're non-judgmental." ([23:08])
• Gigi’s stealthiness and ability to slip through gates, plus the recurring challenge of catching a loose dog ([24:47], [27:30]).

The “Buzzball” & Convenience Store Culture

• Further riffing on the allure and absurdity of “Buzzball Biggies” and similar novelty alcoholic drinks ([11:59], [13:23]).
  • Luke: "I'm not a buzzball. I just glug a lot." ([12:23])
  • Andrew: “Twisted tea is a gateway drink, Andrew.” ([14:27])
• Recounting a friend bringing a “Buzzball Biggie” to a picnic as a party statement ([14:49]).

QFC Grocery Store Encounters: Generations and Buying Advice

• Andrew shares his saga: Increasingly weird and meaningful encounters at his local QFC, including running into his phlebotomist ([28:08]).
• A young man asks Andrew for beer advice, not (it turns out) a shoulder tap ([29:52]).
  • Andrew: “‘Hey, I’m new to drinking. Do you have any kind of advice on, like, what to get?’ And I'm like. Immediately... ‘Oh, this ends with this kid asking me if I will buy him beer.’” ([30:36])

Home Renovations: Bowling Alley Wood & Rat Residue

• Andrew updates on renovations in his home, including incorporating reclaimed bowling alley flooring for a unique basement touch ([40:45]).
  • Andrew: "We can use the bowling alley floors to kind of box off this new storage area where we’re going to have these built-in closets..." ([41:44])
• The family contractor dynamic, physical challenge of moving wood slabs, and bonding over house projects ([41:59]).
• Discovery of rat droppings during demo, but not any “carcasses yet. I think that fell to a different carcass,” a wry Pavement reference ([46:19]).

Top Story: The David Greene AI Voice Lawsuit

[Key Segment: 47:19-57:42]

• Story Origin: Luke shares an article from the Washington Post about David Greene, a friend and former NPR host, suing Google for allegedly using his voice as the basis for an AI podcast tool ([47:19]).
  • Luke: “My voice, like, it’s the most important part of who I am. Google says these allegations are baseless... The sound of the male voice... is based on a paid professional actor.” ([50:16])
• The legal complexities: external analyses indicate a 60% similarity, considered “very high” in legal/technical terms ([51:08]).
• Audio Comparisons:
  • Luke plays both real and AI-generated “David Greene” clips ([52:42–54:53]).
    • Andrew: “It starts out not sounding like him, and then it starts to sound a lot like him... But the interesting thing is it’s not just the voice, but it’s the way of speaking as well.” ([53:30])
• Mike Pesca’s Take: The problem is not only the imitation but associating Greene’s voice with “AI slop.” ([52:28])
  • Luke: “[Pesca says] they’re making his voice the voice of a really crummy AI slop... not just that they’re using a voice that sounds like his, but that they’re making that voice do like an annoying thing on the Internet.” ([52:28])
• The broader issue: what’s required to legally claim voice misappropriation? Not as difficult as one might think ([56:24]).
• Greene clarifies he’s not “anti-AI,” just upset they didn’t ask permission ([57:21]):
  • Luke quoting Greene: "I'm not some crazy anti-AI activist," he says. "It's just been a very weird experience." ([57:38])

Guy Fieri Restaurant & The Hyper-Quoting Server

[Key Segment: 58:11–74:58]

• Luke’s effort to enjoy the rooftop pool at his LA hotel is thwarted by a private Nike Jordan Brand event, leading to an unexpected lunch at the Burbank Airport Guy Fieri restaurant ([59:16]).
• Donkey Sauce Wonders: Both hosts try to determine what exactly “donkey sauce” is (spoiler: a garlic aioli) ([65:04],[70:01]).
• Memorable Moment: Luke’s encounter with an over-the-top, inspirational-quote-dispensing server ([66:16–69:00]).
  • Luke (server quote): "I love the light because it shows me the way, but I enjoy the darkness because it will bring me the stars." ([67:08])
  • Andrew researches: Quote found online by Og Mandino, not a spontaneous original ([72:57]).
  • Luke: "I think that actually shows more forethought than just... I'm gonna little Dicky something off the dome." ([74:16])

Notable Quotes

• Luke (on the generational shift in pop culture):
  "It's like hearing a band on the classic rock station... that is old enough to be a classic rock band, but you didn't hear it when they hit the scene." ([08:11])

• Andrew (on off-leash dog peer pressure):
  "I didn't want people to think... we were judging them because we had to have Gigi very much on the leash after that." ([22:34])

• Luke (on the Buzzball mystique):
  "I'm not a Buzzball, I just glug a lot." ([12:23])

• Andrew (on giving beer advice):
  "This kid says, ‘Hey, I’m new to drinking.’ Which is honestly how he opened... I really thought this was going to end with him asking if I’ll buy him beer." ([30:36])

• Luke (on the AI voice suit):
  "They're making his voice the voice of a really crummy AI slop... not just that they're using a voice that sounds like his, but that they're making that voice do like an annoying thing on the Internet." ([52:28])

• Luke (on survival after being denied hotel pool access):
  "I just get into the elevator and... like a dog that had eaten an entire frozen lasagna. I just look down at the ground." ([64:03])

• Luke (server's quote at Guy Fieri restaurant):
  "I love the light because it will show me the way, but I love the darkness because it will show me the stars." ([67:08])

Timestamps of Highlighted Segments

• Presidents Day and Mount Rushmore riff: [03:06]–[10:17]
• All-Star Game & NBA nostalgia: [04:11]–[08:47]
• Valentine's beach trip & dog chase story: [10:38]–[24:56]
• Buzzball Biggies discussion: [11:59]–[15:55]
• Loose dog at grocery store: [25:27]–[27:47]
• QFC store oddities & beer advice to youth: [28:02]–[34:13]
• Basement remodel with bowling alley flooring: [40:45]–[46:19]
• Top Story: David Greene AI lawsuit: [47:19]–[57:42]
• Guy Fieri restaurant and server’s inspirational quotes: [65:04]–[74:58]

Tone & Style

The conversation remains casual, humor-laden, and self-aware—true to TBTL's signature banter. Both hosts are open about their foibles, displaying a warmth for their friends and a bemusement with the world's absurdities. Their storytelling is rich in detail and digression, punctuated by witty asides and affectionate mockery.