
Luke miiiiiight have thrown away his driver's license at a gas station in Central Washington this week. So that’s not good. He and Andrew also take a very bizarre stroll down memory lane to revisit some of the many, many ads they recorded while they...
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Luke Burbank
Let's meet the Smith family. Hi. What's your name?
Andrew Walsh
My name is Bill.
Luke Burbank
G'day, Bill. And what's your name?
Andrew Walsh
My name is Ben. G'day, Ben.
Luke Burbank
What's your name? I'm Daniel.
Andrew Walsh
G'day, Daniel.
Luke Burbank
Oh, Daniel what? Janiel. You mean Daniel Janiel.
Andrew Walsh
Janiel.
Luke Burbank
Janiel.
Andrew Walsh
Jan. What do you mean, Janiel?
Luke Burbank
Think, Daniel, think. January. Smoosh em together. It's Janiel.
Andrew Walsh
Janiel.
Luke Burbank
My name is Janiel. All right, and what's your name?
Andrew Walsh
My name is Danuary TBTL.
Luke Burbank
And I stand in and lean back and then just bam. And it sails away out through the universe like a radio wave that goes past Saturn and Jupiter, Pluto, through the black hole and into many other galaxies yet named.
Andrew Walsh
Call Kenny Loggins because you're in the.
Luke Burbank
Danger Zone from topcon. Just be careful. No. And right on you, Midnight Cowboys. That's not a thing. Well, all right. Hello, good morning and welcome, everyone, to a Tuesday edition of tbtl, the show that just might be too beautiful to live. It is our turn. My name is Luke Burbank. I'm your host. Coming to you from LA La Land. That's right, the corner of Hollyweird and Vine, my friend. California got sunshine down here in LA to film a few things. I'm filming a concert tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to be riding around the streets of Los Angeles in a lowrider with a lowrider club. It's part of this TV story about the band war, which is finally coming together. You know what else is finally coming together? Episode 4460 In a Collector series.
Andrew Walsh
Let the fun begin.
Luke Burbank
Apologies to those of you scoring at home. I know I was drifting off of the actual numbering system of the show. My friend Andrew Walsh corrected me very gently. And now we are back on track. 4460 in a collector series. That wasn't the only mistake that I was making the last couple of days. It is highly possible that I inadvertently threw my driver's license into a garbage can at a gas station in, like, I don't know, LA Center, Washington. I wish I hadn't done that. And I did not discover this until almost the most inopportune time I could have yesterday. We'll talk about that. Also, since I'm down here in the land of dreams, Hollywood, California, Hollywoo. We'll talk about film and television.
Andrew Walsh
So who needs a movie?
Luke Burbank
I'm still watching that show, the studio. I still have some quibbles. I'll share those with you because I'm sure that's exactly what you want here on this Tuesday. Speaking of my friend Andrew Walsh, he is, of course, quite the showman. You want showmanship, you got it. He's also the longest running cobra of the show, maybe best known for his depictions of the tall ships. And he is joining me right now. Good morning, my friend.
Andrew Walsh
Good morning, Luke. I was going to come in hot telling you all about my adventures in jacket buying yesterday. Hey, somehow the.
Luke Burbank
I'm down for that.
Andrew Walsh
I know you are. In fact, it's one of those things where. And I'm not gonna get into it right now. We'll get into it later if we want to. But it's one of those things where it's almost like I don't want to talk about it, but I know that you'll find parts of it interesting. As somebody who cares about fashion and also I think looks at me as somewhat of an oddity.
Luke Burbank
No, no, no. I don't look at you as an oddity.
Andrew Walsh
Well, no, that's not the right way to put it, but certainly. Anyway, there are some dazzling details to the story about how I ended up shopping on a website called G Star yesterday.
Luke Burbank
But before we get into it for this G Star Raw chat, honestly was.
Andrew Walsh
One of those things. I was like, I don't know if I want to talk about it, but I just think that probably we should.
Luke Burbank
But I want to know the broken road that led you to G Star's website.
Andrew Walsh
Are you familiar with G Star? Let's talk about.
Luke Burbank
I do believe in. There was an earlier incarnation of it where it might have been called G Star Raw, and it was a. Maybe kind of a denim brand or something.
Andrew Walsh
It is. Yeah. It's the raw denim place. Yeah. Although this particular jacket that I'm looking at is not actually denim, but that's.
Luke Burbank
I'll try to get through this lost license saga quickly.
Andrew Walsh
No, no, I want to. That's what I'm. I honestly think that a lost license in a. In a garbage can in the middle of nowhere is way more interesting than me shopping for jackets.
Luke Burbank
Well, it's the only thing that I can come up with as to the whereabouts of my driver's license. Andrew, this.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, no. That means you don't have it in hand. I took that a different way. God damn it.
Luke Burbank
No, I mean this. And by the way, if I did throw it in there, where I. I guess that's my leading theory. It's. It's gone. It is in the wind. So I flew home from California to Portland on Saturday. We were filming at the LA County Fair on Friday night, which was. Actually, I didn't even get to talk to you about this. I really think there's an argument and peace and love. Peace and love to our Midwest listeners, who I know have a lot of pride tied up in their county fairs. But I have to say the LA County Fair might be my favorite county fair. And now it's a county fair, it's not a state fair. So that, that's different. Maybe it's different categories, but, man, as far as county fairs go, the LA County Fair in Pomona, California, I think is the best county fair going.
Andrew Walsh
I am only familiar with the Medina County Fair and it's. I'll be honest with you, it's been about 40 years since I've been there, so I'm not going to take it. I'm not going to object to that at all.
Luke Burbank
It's just the energy. Also. I don't know how to say this in a way that's not weird. I just. I very much enjoy being around Mexican American culture and Mexican American folks and whatever folks particular documentation may or may not be. I just like the energy. I like the vibe. I feel very. I just, it fills me with the, with the happiness. And boy, the LA County Fair is just. It's a. It's a. It's a real melting pot of folks and everybody just seems to be having a good time.
Andrew Walsh
They were there on Cinco de Mayo, coincidentally or.
Luke Burbank
Well, no, it was. It was maybe Dos de Mayo, whatever Friday was. Oh, so it was Friday night. The Band War was playing. Well, this particular version of the Band War. We could talk about that at a different time. I've sort of alluded to it. Basically what happened was we were going to interview this Band War because they were turning 50, and there's actually a pretty interesting musical story there. And then none of the people that had founded the band were allowed to talk to us because they were suing the guy who owned the rights to the band. So then we just like, well, this isn't going to work. And then they. Everybody settled the lawsuit and now everyone's friends again. So now we are allowed to interview everyone and I'm allowed to ride around in a lowrider tomorrow with a lowrider club, which actually I'm kind of looking forward to. It seems totally corny, but I think it's going to be kind of fun. But anyway, so we're filming them at the LA County Fair on Friday night. So I got up Saturday morning, flew back home and so I know that I Must I would have had to have had my driver's license in, in Ontario, California. I flew from Ontario to Portland because I would have had to show the TSA folks, right? So we know that the license was in my possession. On Saturday, I fly back, I. We go to Becca's house, we hang out, we take a nice long walk, we go over to some friend's house in Irvington and go to this really fun dinner party. At no time have I taken my wallet out of my pocket. At no time have I paid for anything. At no time have I done anything. And for somebody who's somewhat scattered at times, I'm very meticulous because mostly because of this traveling so much, I have to have a lot of systems in place to keep my, my, you know, my thing straight. And so I am very meticulous about never like taking my driver's license out and just putting it in my pocket and figuring I'll remember to put this into my wallet later because I don't trust myself. So.
Andrew Walsh
And everything's probably got its designated pocket, right? As you're going through your.
Luke Burbank
Well, I've. This actually might be part of the issue. I have a very handsome, very cool, handmade, artisanal leather kind of pouch thing that my daughter gave me many years ago and I believe even had it maybe like embossed or stamped with my initials. It was a lovely gift. Absolute shit wallet. Just, just low functioning as a wallet because there are no dividers. It's again, it's a beautiful, it's a beautiful little pouch that again, it's holding up really well. It's, it's, it looks, it looks stylish and nice and I was so appreciative of it as a gift that I just started using it. I've been using it for like 10 years now.
Andrew Walsh
This is interesting. I'm sorry, I am just going to drill down into the most tedious parts of this story and maybe you're getting to this. So my apologies, pardon the interruption, as they say, but I had you as a wallet is kind of a clip to my iPhone kind of thing. Or I thought you had things clipped together. I didn't think that you were a pouch wallet guy.
Luke Burbank
No, I've been a pouch wallet guy for, for many years now. I have dabbled with, I think I've dabbled with some trying to see if I could make my phone and my wallet the same thing, but it's never worked. It's always made the phone too bulky. And also it made me worried that if I Lost both. I think really the issue was I can't. This is like these can't. Both of these things can't be on Air Force One at the same time.
Andrew Walsh
That's what I was going to say. And I think that you and I have even talked. That's why I thought you were a wallet attached to the iPhone guy, because felt like I warned you years ago, but then you're just, you're putting all of your eggs in one basket. If you lose one of those things, you've lost them all and then you're really up the river.
Luke Burbank
Yep, yep. So I don't do that. I use this wallet, which again, I really love the look of it and I love the backstory. I love that it was a gift from my daughter. But what happens is every single time that I need to use one of my cards, I open the pouch and then I begin cycling through like Ricky J. Performing magic comedy in the 90s. I start rifling through this deck of credit cards and debit cards and my id and.
Andrew Walsh
And you're throwing the cards into a watermelon. Uh huh.
Luke Burbank
And I am never.
Andrew Walsh
Isn't that what you did? That. I thought he had something with cards and a watermelon. I thought.
Luke Burbank
I'm sure he did. I'm sure he did. He was a great, as they would say, card mechanic. But what happens is I pull out this clump of my cards, which is, by the way, a lesser Smokey Robinson song was the B side of Tracks of My Tears, clumps of my cards. And then I just start going through them and then I eventually get to the one I'm actually looking for. And it's never been the case that I pull the clump out and it's just the front card is the one that I needed. And so anyway, I've been using this for years and to be honest with you, it's generally worked. I haven't had something like this happening in a long, long time. But anyway, so I. At no time do I remember taking my wallet out of my pocket on Saturday, other than presumably when I was flying home and then we went to this, this dinner party and then came home from that, didn't stop anywhere, and then got up the next day again, wallet is just sitting on the kitchen countertop, went for a run, no wallet involvement in that, come back, put the wallet in my pocket, get dressed, and then head home. And the only. Okay, and so then let's just keep going with this timeline. I go home, get home, change into my, my work and clothes, because I'm gonna do some yard work, do some lawn mowing. Also, I was selling a credenza on Craigslist. That could be a whole loan. It's a whole loan episode of the show. I've been trying to sell this credenza forever. And the only people that showed any interest in it was this one couple from Portland. But they were only passing through my area once a month when they were driving out to their cabin or something. So for like three months, they'll. They'll randomly email me on like a Saturday. Are you going to be around tomorrow? And the timing has never worked out. So finally they show up. And what happened was I had listed this thing. I bought this thing from Crate and Barrel for, I'm sure, a significant amount of money, like back when I lived in New York or something, you know, but now it's. It's made it. It's been in many, many homes. And even though it's actually a nice piece of furniture, like it's all solid wood and everything, it's pretty beat up. And I kind of didn't realize how beat up it was until I lugged it upstairs into the light of my living room. And these people were showing up. And then suddenly I felt kind of embarrassed because I could tell when they walked in, they were a little crestfallen.
Andrew Walsh
So they made addition of it. Yes. Like, when I take my. Like when I think my laptop computer is nice and clean, but then I take it to a sunny coffee shop, and I just see all.
Luke Burbank
I mean, and this was actually that time of day. It's like 4pm I mean, it was the. It was the exact worst, you know, of everything. And they were a very nice couple. I was gonna say older couple. Andrew. They might have been younger than me. Yeah, two. They have two kids who are freshmen, I think. Like, they have a kid who's like a sophomore and a kid who's like a freshman in college that would. My daughter's 31 years old. That would make these people conceivably younger than me. Yeah, they seem more mature than me, but that's a low bar, so. So they cave in. I think I had listed this thing for like 400 on the Internet or 300. And then they came in, and the woman made me an offer for 200. But then I could tell, she. She goes. She goes. She goes, well, would you take an offer? I go, yeah, yeah. I go. I just mostly want to, you know, I just want this to not be in my basement anymore. She goes, but. But you're not. But not free. And I was like, not free?
Andrew Walsh
Yeah.
Luke Burbank
And then she was like, well, how about $200? Which was half of the price I was asking for. And I said, absolutely. She goes, are you sure? But then I could tell that she, she didn't even want to do $200. She kind of looked at her husband goes, does that seem like a good deal? He goes, yeah, I think so. And as he says that he's kneeling down and scraping at some gray paint, that this is a wood, like a cherry wood or something, kind of like slightly Indonesian kind of credenza thing, you know, that you can put your, like, put your TV on top of or whatever.
Andrew Walsh
It's got a bunch of kneeling stickers from your, from your football helmet, right? For everything.
Luke Burbank
There's football sticker, helmet, helmet stickers in there. There's. Yeah, there's some gray paint that I got on God knows when, like. And he's kind of scratching at it kind of impotently, like. So then we're standing. So now we've agreed on $200, and we're standing around and I'm like, there's two things that are happening, Andrew, if I'm going to be totally honest with you. One, I was worried that they were piecing together who I am. There was a very strong public radio listener vibe that was radiating off of these nice folks from Portland that was like, if we keep this conversation going for five more minutes, they're going to piece together probably that I'm the guy that does that show on Saturday. They probably have just heard, you know, driving around. I don't go through the world thinking that people are going to figure out who I am. But this was just a very, very hot zip kind of a moment, if you, if you know what I mean. And I thought, they're going to figure out that it's the guy from that radio show they may have heard, and that he was like, selling them this beat to shit credentials and trying to get to it. So after we've agreed on $200 and we're talking and we're talking about, you know, I don't know, just unrelated topics, I go, okay, listen, final offer, $100. And the lady's totally confused. And I go, I, I, I'll feel better. So I talked to them down to $100. They venmoed me and got the thing out of there. So that was my deal. Yeah, that was my Sunday again. Didn't leave the house. My wallet was just sitting on a, you know, the countertop somewhere. Cut to Monday morning, and as you knew, Andrew, yesterday was a bit of a tricky day for me. So we recorded our show early. I had. I had everything all packed up for this very long, kind of varied trip I'm going on. So I had to. It took real crackerjack timing on Monday morning. I had to have all of this stuff packed. I had to do TBTL with you. I had to literally have my luggage in the car. The car was practically idling. I did jump in the car. I zoom over to the Nike campus, where I'm going to be interviewing people all day on the Nike campus about the Air Jordan sneaker turning 40 this year for the CBS show. Then I'm going to the second that's done, zoom over to Becca's house, set up my little gear and record Livewire, because that's a Monday thing, which I'd pushed until 4:00. And then zoom over to PDX and get an airplane and come down here to la. That was the plan for Monday. It was all sort of worked out. It was going to work. I was very proud of myself. I was on my game. It was all happening. And then as I'm getting into security at the Nike campus, there's like a producer with me and from Nike, and they're like, okay, just show the front desk person the id. And I start rifling through my wallet pouch and Andrew, there is no driver's license to be found. And I'm like, you got to be kidding me. And now, of course, they. I show. I had a photo of my license on my phone and, you know, I had my other cards. I was pretty quickly the Nike security let me slide. But now all I can think of is like, how am I even supposed to get on this airplane?
Andrew Walsh
Hold on, let's slow down on one thing here. Did you. Because that's an actual. That's some news you can use. If it's hot outside, stay hydrated and stay in the shade. That's news you can use. Beat the heat. But then also news you can use is if you travel a lot, is it good to take a photo of your ID just in case of a situation like this? Is this a policy we should all implement?
Luke Burbank
I think it's a good idea. Although I'll tell you this, it is not. And I've learned this because I was researching it. It is not enough to get you through the TSA at the airport. It's not really. Now, there are a few states, there are a handful of states that Literally have a whole secure digital ID program.
Andrew Walsh
I do not mean to steal your story, please. But very quickly, I was reminded this weekend I was talking to some folks and they were talking about how they like to spin the virtual globe on Goog Earth sometimes and then just kind of research an area. And it reminded me of an app that I have on my phone that I hadn't used in years called Radio Garden. And when you open it up, it looks like a globe, kind of like Google Earth or Google Maps when you zoom all the way out and you literally can just spin it around any which way. And you see all these little tiny green points of light. And each one of those green points of light represents a random radio station somewhere in the hallway.
Luke Burbank
I think you did this and sort of needle dropped it on the show once years ago.
Andrew Walsh
I'm sure we did years and years ago. And it was new to me and I'd kind of gotten out of the habit of that. And after showing these folks this app, I think it was the next day I was at home cleaning and Genevieve was gone. I had the house to myself, my headphones on. I'm like kind of doing a deep clean on some stuff and I'm like, oh, let's check out that app. And I like that app. Late at night, for whatever it's worth. I feel like that's where you're at.
Luke Burbank
It's like me listening to my coast to coast radio late at night.
Andrew Walsh
Exactly.
Luke Burbank
It's a mood.
Andrew Walsh
I want it. And I came across some great talk show. It might have been nationally syndicated, but it was so down homey. But it was actually lawyers. But it was like three lawyers. Three or four lawyers. Kind of like almost like a Cairo radio vibe in the studio, sort of.
Luke Burbank
Maybe it wasn't Handle on the Law, the show where I tell you you have no case with Bill Handel, was it?
Andrew Walsh
Well, I don't. Does he always.
Luke Burbank
Was it out of la?
Andrew Walsh
Does he always. Well, this. The station I was listening to was in the middle of, I want to say the Midwest somewhere, because it's coming back to this ID thing. But if it is syndicated, what I liked about it was it was not like super nerdy or highbrow or dry. It was like the kind of law stories that you and I might have grabbed to talk about on the old Cairo show. Just like, well, this one woman is suing the, you know, the dry cleaners.
Luke Burbank
Because that sounds like Handle on the Law.
Andrew Walsh
Might have been Handle on the Law, my dude. Because it was. I didn't. When you Described it. I think I always pictured it very like dry and detached, but this was like just four lawyers kind of joking around about fun law stories. Does that sound Handle on the Law?
Luke Burbank
Well, yeah, so that guy, Bill Handel, he for years had this show that was syndicated on the weekends called Handle on the Law. And now I believe he's the morning host on like KFI here in la. So he just does like, I think he does basically like a morning show that's, you know, talk based and then he does some legal stuff. But he might still have that weekend distributed version of Handle on the Law. And what I loved about it is he would always go, this is Handle on the Law, the show where I tell you you have no case. Because mostly he would just tell callers they have no case.
Andrew Walsh
Well, I wish I could, I wish I had a blue. Well, I guess I could look this up later because I think I saved the radio station I was looking at. I could look at their schedule, but I'm already deep in, into interrupting your story.
Luke Burbank
What were they saying about id?
Andrew Walsh
My point was what I love about. So I to the show that I landed on and even at the time I was like, I don't know if this is a local show, but it's scratching the itch. And then, but the commercials, you know, let's say that I'm listening to this at maybe 8:00 West coast time and I'm listening somewhere in the Midwest or it might have even been sort of the, I don't know, like a non coastal southern state or something like that. And I was shocked because it wasn't a state that I thought of as being like super progressive. But they had like a commercial, like an official commercial from, you know, like a PSA from the state government saying like, get your digital ID now. And this is all the uses you can use. Like basically you can have your ID on your phone. And I was like, you probably can't fly with it, but it sounds like it works.
Luke Burbank
You can fly with it.
Andrew Walsh
You can. It's actually. Oh, that's amazing. I can't believe we don't all have that.
Luke Burbank
We don't. It's just a handful of states right now. So me having a photo of my ID on my phone is not enough to fly with. But this digital ID thing is, as you might imagine, it's a whole situation. Right? Like it's, it's, it's, you know, secure, etc. So like there are. Yeah, I don't know, I think it's literally like three or four states have this. Every single state should have it. I don't think Washington's there yet. I wish.
Andrew Walsh
Well, Washington has its own issues, which I'm going to ask you about. But anyway, so. So you.
Luke Burbank
I would say it's not a bad idea to have a photo of your ID on your phone.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah.
Luke Burbank
For something like, at this level, you know, like, you're trying to get into the, you know, whatever Phil Knight building at Nike, and, you know, you just have to kind of prove to the person that you are who you say you are.
Andrew Walsh
But it was Cleveland, Georgia, by the way, was the radio station. I was listening. I'm gonna get you some more information.
Luke Burbank
State of Georgia, but the city of Cleveland.
Andrew Walsh
Exactly. Love it. Anyway, so I'll get you more information soon. But.
Luke Burbank
So, yes, that sounds like Georgia is one of those states that's got this kind of digital thing. I'm sure it's only a matter of time until we have this everywhere. But for now, I don't have that and I don't have my id. And now I'm like. I'm sitting there and we're like, you know, I'm interviewing all these different people, Nike, about different sort of aspects of the air Jordan Brand, etc. And, like, I think is, like, how can. I can't. Like, I have. My passport is at home, but I'm really far from my house. I'm like an hour and a half from my house now, and the whole day is now thrown into chaos. And so what I ended up having to do was instead of recording Livewire over at Becca's place, which was the plan, I had to, like, make everybody on Livewire wait for me. I had to, like, bounce from the Nike interview at the first possible second, which is probably annoying for the producers who flew in from New York. And they're like, this guy is from an hour and a half away and he can't stay for the B roll. I was like, deuces to race back to my house, make everybody at Livewire wait for me to jump on the line and record the show with them, and then go grab my passport and then jump in my car and then retrace my steps back to the airport to fly down here. So, current status, I have my passport. I'm getting around just fine. But I, for the life of me. So anyway, the only place that I remember pulling my wallet out to do anything was as I was driving home on Sunday. I stopped to get gas in LA Center, Washington, and I pulled out my wallet to pay for the gas. And I also remember that in my wallet, I had still the hotel key card from the hotel I had stayed in on Friday night. And I even had that little paper kind of, you know, envelope that they'll write your room number on. And they were not together. There was the key card, and then there was the envelope thing. And I tossed the key card into the garbage there as I was mindlessly filling my tank. And I tossed out the little. Little cardboard, little paper thing. And I'm wondering if somehow in that process, my driver's license had actually gotten kind of wedged in the hotel paper envelope thing or was stuck to something else. Because what I know is I threw two things out of my wallet into a garbage can in LA Center, Washington, on Sunday. And now all of a sudden, I don't have my id, and I cannot. My driver's license. I cannot think of any other. And by the way, when I got home, I had enough time to go. I checked in the dryer because I did a bunch of laundry when I got home on. I checked in the washer. I checked under the seats of my car. I checked every single place I could possibly think of. And again, I just am not the kind of person who, like, willy nilly, has my driver's license riding loose in other parts of my, you know, pants or shirt or jacket or anything. Like. I'm very, very ritualistic about it. And so my theory is that it was stuck to something else somehow and had just accidentally tossed into that garbage can.
Andrew Walsh
I, for some reason, feel like there might. Yeah, I guess. I mean, you know, you know your steps better than I do.
Luke Burbank
I hope I'm wrong. Yeah, but I. I mean, I've. I've been through the other thing. If you're a person like me who usually wears the same pair of pants repeatedly in the same outfit, by the way, I took a picture of all the clothes that I had laid out on my bed for this trip that I'm going on. Because there's, like, a bunch of different cities and all this different stuff going on. And somebody, I think it was Dr. Jim Shu, said, it's very monochromatic. It was like, oh, that's a good point. Because one of the things. We're going to a vow renewal in Las Vegas this weekend at, like, an Elvis Chapel or something. And I was like, I do wear very monochromatic clothes and basically the same stuff. And because of that, there's only one of two pairs of pants that this thing could have been in if I slipped it into a Pair of pants. And I've checked. I'm wearing one of them right now as I talk to you. Good news, folks. I am wearing pants. Not in this pair of jeans and not in the other pair of pants that I wear. So that, you know, it's just like. There's just not that many places it could be. I hope that there's some part of this story that I'm not grasping and that it's just sitting somewhere. What I'm not going to do is I'm not going to pull what we call an Andrew and the shrimp.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, okay. Right.
Luke Burbank
Like. Like, I'm. I'm. I'm not going to, like, order a new driver's license, like, tomorrow.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah.
Luke Burbank
Because first of all, I have a driver's license. And, you know, I mean, I have a. Like, I have an active driver's license. So, like, it. If I get pulled over, I. I don't think I'm in trouble for not physically having it, because I can tell them my information. I. You know, they can look it up. So I don't actually need a driver's license in the next week to exist. And also, I do have a passport that is valid for, like, five more years. So I'm gonna. I'm gonna give this a minute and just see if it re. Emerges. But I just. It cannot for the life of me figure out what happened.
Andrew Walsh
So. My apologies. While I do enjoy a good mystery, and from a personal level, like, I feel you, that is a very. I hate that feeling of just having something out in the wind and being in this sort of liminal state of being. Like, well, when do I just, you know, you know, whether it's a, well, credit card, they're pretty good. You can go online and lock those down pretty quickly these days. But back in the day, you had to make this decision, like, am I just being an idiot here, or do I have to, like, cancel all of my credit cards because I can't find my wallet after an hour at the bar or something like that. You know what I mean? At what point do you make those tough decisions? Remember the time I went to the. I was at the Eagles. I think I was at the Eagles. I ordered a drink, and then I went across the street to buy some pretzels or something from the 7 11. Yeah. And then. Or something like that, and I couldn't find my credit card, and I start freaking out, and I lock it all down. And then I think I'd go to get another drink. I'm like, oh, you have my Card behind the bar. Like it can't be in two places at once. Anyway, I want to, and I do apologize for this huge shift in the conversation, but that's the whole story.
Luke Burbank
The whole story is I don't know where my driver's license is.
Andrew Walsh
I have my own, my own mystery on my hands now because I am on WRWH radio in Cleveland, Georgia.
Luke Burbank
Cleveland, Georgia. Cleveland's Cleveland's leading talk station.
Andrew Walsh
The real, they call it the real Cleveland. Now. Here's the deal.
Luke Burbank
Oh, I like that.
Andrew Walsh
I'm frustrated here. Well, first of all, I'm delighted and then I'm frustrated, frustrated. I'm delighted because when you go to the website, you see home news, sports, community events, obituaries, funerals, contests, contact and Swap Shop. That's right. Of course I was attracted to this radio station, wrwh. They are the type of station that has Swap Shop on the air.
Luke Burbank
By the way, can I give you a quick update on that?
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, yeah, that's right. Some people have been making some deals, right?
Luke Burbank
Yeah. A couple of guys came and grabbed the snowblower from TBTL employee numero uno John Sklarov's house. So there's a great picture of them.
Andrew Walsh
I would love to hear more stories of this. If anybody else ended up closing any deals or getting anything out of our tradio show that we did a couple of weeks ago, email me andrewbtl.net, i'd love to hear and share an update with folks. But at first I was crestfallen because I go to this radio station's schedule, programming schedule, and I sent you a link to it because it looks like a joke. It is a grid of 1, 2, 3, 4. Well, it's seven days across. I don't have to count the days of the week along with every hour. And so it's like how many squares that is and every single square just says very small. Fox News Radio, Fox News Radio, Fox News Radio. Like the whole thing is Fox News Radio. But what I realize is this. It's not that they are only playing Fox News Radio all the time.
Luke Burbank
It's the top of the hour news.
Andrew Walsh
It's a lazy. And I hate to call somebody out at wrwh, but maybe I could get their web development job because somebody's being a little bit lazy here. They're only listing the top of the hour radio updates, not the actual content. So I don't know if it was.
Luke Burbank
Handled on Monday nights at 1am they do list the barbecue radio network runs from 1:06am to 2am I pretty sure.
Andrew Walsh
That runs on a local station here in Seattle too.
Luke Burbank
I would actually listen to that. I don't even eat meat.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, yeah, I've stumbled on that some Saturday afternoon. One of the, I think the, the station that used to be Como, I think has a barbecue show too. So I don't know if it's the national one. So I have no answers as to whether or not it was actually handled on the Law. But it was definitely that vibe. I don't think it was locally produced probably. So I'm gonna keep an ear out as it was for Handle on the Law because if we are talking about the same show, I listened to probably maybe a half hour or something of it and I really enjoyed it. I will also say at the top of their broadcast schedule, WRWH says, so you got Fox News on the hour. That's just top of the hour news updates. I think those are, are played pretty straight. And then Georgia News Network headlines on the half hour. Love that. You get local news and weather updates throughout the day. You get Funeral announcements at 7:30am, 11:07am 1107, funerals on the sevens, Luke at 12:30pm and 5:18pm that's when you get your funeral announcements on WRWH and AM Talk with Dean and local businesses. And it's unclear when that is. Funerals on the Sevens, funerals on the Sevens. And sometimes the Eights apparently really is right. I mean, kind of dark, but like exactly the kind of radio that you and I talk about. Like very community oriented.
Luke Burbank
But you know, when I.
Andrew Walsh
But not like, you know, public radio.
Luke Burbank
When I was land. When I landed a Friday morning at lax, I had to go down to Long beach to do one of the interviews that we were doing. And I was listening in the car. I was listening to. I think it's. It wasn't kfi. Maybe it was knx. Is that an lady I was listening to, you know, one of like the AM news station, which it. I don't think it's specifically conservative, if you will. Like, I don't think that they, you know, are running Fox News as their kind of like their newscast and their general organizing principle. But even so, it's as you know, all of the, all of the talk radio now just about all of it that's not public radio has really just drifted rightward. It's just become very like I turn it on and it's like, like they're doing an interview with someone who's saying that they're promoting their podcast where the point of the podcast is that restaurants in LA are all failing because of homelessness. You know, and the, and the anchors are just like, just like, yeah, huh, huh. And I was just like, geez, what is this? But then it cycled through and I realized, oh, this is just, you know, that kind of 1010 wins. Give us 10 minute, we'll give you the world. But what. In fact, they're a CBS station because they were using CBS News at the top.
Andrew Walsh
But I think it is KNX you're thinking of. I'm not familiar with it, but I was just looking it up and they're both on AM FM now. They used to be owned partially by cbs. They're not anymore, but they still do.
Luke Burbank
The CBS updates and the CBS top of the hour news. Andrew, you know, dun dun dun dun. Yes, it's now durn dun dun dun dun. Brought to you by Oreillys. It's the O'Reilly's CBS News.
Andrew Walsh
Oh really?
Luke Burbank
And it's so. I was so devastated at that. Like, like that they have now basically CBS Radio has it's sold off its glory interesting iconic thing that chime at the top of the hour and now it's all muddied with a O'Reilly CBS News update.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, okay, good. That is what I was a little bit curious about. Where your crestfallenness. Was it the nostalgia of us doing those shows at Cairo and hearing that and losing the sort of rhythm of that? Or were you disappointed in this, in the state of journalism that we need to have O'Reilly's, you know, like kind of front and center before we even get to the first headline? Is it a little bit of both? But mostly it's a little bit of both.
Luke Burbank
But it's also. They've remixed the dun dun dun dun dun dun. They've remixed it so it's more local.
Andrew Walsh
It's a real Louis Lewis situation.
Luke Burbank
And it leaves in and in the remix, what it does is it creates the ability to work in an advertiser's name, which is currently the O'Reilly's brand.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, I see.
Luke Burbank
And, and like just that, that sound. And to our listeners who are our age and who are kind of radio nerds the way we are, like I just, you know, even as a kid, the, the CBS News top of the hour, whatever you call that chimes or something, it's just like, it's one of the, like the top four audio like sort of sense memories of my life. And now it's just being, you know, it's just Gonna be the like law tigers for men. CBS News update.
Andrew Walsh
You know, whatever I was looking to see. I have so much audio queued up here that I want to test with you. I was gonna see if I could find that. Let's just really, really briefly know. We don't have tons of time to dink around.
Luke Burbank
We got plenty of time, dude.
Andrew Walsh
Let's take a listen very quickly. I just want to hear what they're doing in wr.
Luke Burbank
I got eyes on the Ghirardelli Disney Store on Hollywood. And as soon as the line gets too long, I'm gonna cut the show off and go down there and get my chocolate. But until then.
Andrew Walsh
You mean when the line gets shorter? You mean.
Luke Burbank
Yes. If the line starts to get too long, I gotta cut the show because that's my priority today is to get my hands on some of that. That sweet, sweet Disney Ghirardelli chocolate.
Andrew Walsh
I know you and your chocolate. You just. You're a chocoholic. I just.
Luke Burbank
I sure am.
Andrew Walsh
This is a very dangerous game. I don't know what's going on at WRWH Cleveland, Georgia right now, but let's take a listen.
Luke Burbank
For tough times, call 833-511-GOLD. That's 833-511, by the way. I would have bet you $1,000 we were going to drop in on a gold ad.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, right.
Luke Burbank
Lear Financial.
Andrew Walsh
Okay, so I'm sort of excited here because it's not the top of the hour yet. Fun and festivities at the White County.
Luke Burbank
Chamber of Commerce Business Block Party presented by United Community.
Andrew Walsh
Hi, I'm Dawn Harris, president of United Community and we're proud to present the Chambers Business Block Party. Join us on May 8th at Freedom park in Cleveland from 3 to 7pm for an afternoon of long games, food vendors, inflatables and over. I think a host on the station Dean does. We were talking before about his show with business owners. They clearly have like a strong investment in the local business community. So this is credited to Dean and Doddle. To celebrate, we're offering 15 off all Bassett furniture custom orders. Bassett offers a personal approach.
Luke Burbank
Are they allowed to be using this Coldplay music your home to tell the.
Andrew Walsh
Story of you Explore hundreds of fabrics and leathers to find those that suit unique style. And woods is open Monday through Saturday from 9 to 5:30. The family at woods is ready to help you bring comfort home. God, I love get ready to rodeo. It's rodeo time at Mountain Lakes Resort Memorial Day weekend.
Luke Burbank
This is so freaking good.
Andrew Walsh
I'm telling you. You listen to this stuff in the middle of the night, while you're not the middle. It's like the middle of their night, but it's like 8:00. You're vacuuming.
Luke Burbank
It makes me want to Chuck. I mean, actually, I don't really have an urban lifestyle. I kind of live in the Exurbs, but, like, makes me want. It makes me want to just somehow. You live in a small town where, like, the. The local, you know, furniture store is buying ads on the radio station. And that's how I'm hearing about. They're having a sale on. On duvets.
Andrew Walsh
That's right.
Luke Burbank
Davenports, I should say. And then I go down there. Like, I just. It's a. It's a. You know, it's a. It's a very different time in this country, but it's very nostalgic.
Andrew Walsh
Okay, we have 15 more seconds left in this commercial, and then I'm really hoping to hear some of the programming. What it's. They're gonna be wrapping up the hour here, I think.
Luke Burbank
I'm worried it's gonna be going into the Charlie Kirk show, which I don't think we want to give any. Any oxygen to. That's one of the things I noted on their rundown shoot.
Andrew Walsh
Stevie Wonder. All right, we've got the photos of.
Luke Burbank
Jasmine Crockett at Hartsfield Jackson Airport. Oh, great.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, no. Okay, that's.
Luke Burbank
Would a racist use Stevie Wonder for their.
Andrew Walsh
What a disappointment there.
Luke Burbank
All right, well, the fact that they were using Fox News as their hourly news is, you know, is kind of unfortunately a canary in that coal mine. Yeah, it's like, whatever. That Jasmine Crockett being a congresswoman from Texas who's been very outspoken against the Trump administration and, like, whatever. The next thing that guy said, it wasn't going to be absolute, utter rubbish.
Andrew Walsh
Absolutely. I am going. I am tempted to do this. I can't.
Luke Burbank
But those commercials really paid off. I want to be clear. I regret nothing.
Andrew Walsh
It gave you a good sense of what I was listening to when it wasn't coming back to some sort of weird ultra conservative bs when it was just, like, coming back to these people saying, like, I don't know about this lawsuit and, like, kind of having a laugh at, like, lawyers.
Luke Burbank
That's why I'm wondering. Whatever. I don't need to continue to push this because I'm probably wrong, but my guess is that that was syndicated programming. I'm not. I'm not saying there aren't four lawyers in Cleveland, Georgia.
Andrew Walsh
No. Even listening to it. I was Like, I don't think this is originating locally. The commercials were. But the whole thing was just a vibe for me. I just felt like I was somewhere else, you know? Like, that's what I love about this random radio. Like, you know, it's just. It's boring to say this. I like the ability to put on a Spotify playlist that serves a purpose in my life, but there are times when I'm just kind of, like, doing my puttering alone. I want to feel connected to something that's happening in a way that I can't really explain. And a playlist just doesn't make me feel like I'm connected. And so here I am in my house, listening to some random stuff kind of late at night in Cleveland, Georgia, a place I'd never heard of with commercials like that, and then going to, yes, I think some syndicated programming, but it met the mood. I am tempted. I don't want to promise this, but if I can, I'm going to see if I can reach somebody at the radio station. Might just call and say, I heard a good show, like, with lawyers talking on Saturday night. Can you tell me what that is? I'll get back. If I do that.
Luke Burbank
I really, really hope that this is how that goes. Ring, ring. And then a very sweet gal of a certain age answers the phone. Who is the, you know, front desk person calls me. And she knows exactly. Exactly what you.
Andrew Walsh
Calls you.
Luke Burbank
Sweetie knows exactly what you're talking about. That would be so Mayberry of this. I also have a feeling that the station does not have anyone who works at the front desk.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah.
Luke Burbank
Cost cutting. And, like, it's probably, like, there's, like, one guy that comes in and, like, pushes a couple of buttons. I wonder how K PUG is doing.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, yeah.
Luke Burbank
Station. And that was a sports station in Bellingham. That was. That was. I had dreams of retiring and working there, although I have a feeling that there was probably not a particularly large salary for doing two hours of sports talk in the afternoon. But I was willing to see if I could make it work because I just was so in love with that. That's how I got into listening to Lebatard, actually, because they were playing that all those years ago, and I'd never even really heard of that show. And I just thought it was so great. But I wonder how that station in Bellingham is doing, the sports leader, K.
Andrew Walsh
Pug, at some point. I really don't think that today is the day for it, but there is, like, a lot of stuff going on in the Levitard universe that I've been.
Luke Burbank
Yeah, you were telling me before the show about that and I was, I would have to say was intrigued. The listeners probably aren't, but I certainly was.
Andrew Walsh
Well, that's what I was. So yeah, maybe that's the answer. But I have been sort of thinking the past couple of days whether or not it's actually something that might have some broad appeal if you and I geeked out, if I gave you an update as to like kind of what's going on over there. Because like the Levitar universe was pretty rattled this weekend with leaked reports about one of the main hosts leaving. But then of course they don't and everybody knew they were gonna do this. The show does not address it at all. Yesterday they just put a blow up elephant in the room and then never talk about all of these reports.
Luke Burbank
You mean they literally did that as a joke?
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, because they're on TV now. They're like on this DraftKings thing. So they literally did not talk about any. Like all of the fans are freaking out. Like, is Stugots leaving the show? Like, what does a step back mean? Like, it's the Dan Lebbetard show with Stugatz. The wheels have seemed like they've been coming off for the past week. One of the. The person who I think was by far the best person in the room left the show. She's like still like she's going back to New York to work on other Meadowlark projects. Well now I'm just getting into it. The John Skipper stepped down on Friday. Then the Stu got stuff. So it sounds like it's like the.
Luke Burbank
End of John Skipper for people that don't know was the head of ESPN and then got in trouble for doing coke.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, I didn't know about the coke story. You know what, that makes sense because I remember, I think now some jokes that I've seen online makes more. More make more sense. I didn't know that.
Luke Burbank
I want to point out coke is just less regulated Adderall, so let's all just unclutch our pearls. But yeah, I think he had a couple of like issues like that he might have had some extramarital stuff, but nothing that seemed predatory. Just kind of like maybe bad decisions. So he leaves espn, but he was always a big Le Batard supporter, as I understand it. And so then he came to be in charge of Metal Arc media. They're kind of. Imagine if TBTL had like 100 employees and generated millions and millions of dollars. That's Kind of what my sense of that Meadowlark Media thing is. But I'd be really sad if that goes away. Even though I don't listen to it, I love knowing it exists. And also for you, I know that even though you have a lot of phone throwing related to it, it's still like a big part of your listening life. It'd really suck if it went away, right?
Andrew Walsh
Yeah. And it's gone through so many changes since I've been listening. I started listening right before it transitioned in many, many ways, like an independent project. And then like, they had this DraftKings money and I think they're of their deal. So I guess we're just having the conversation now. But the thing is, like, the thing about it for me is, and I think that listeners who have a sort of addiction to tbtl and I mean that sort of, hopefully in a good way, kind of understand this to a degree. Although you and I have been doing the show together basically in the same format now for quite some time. We don't have as much change as they do, but they have what they call the shipping container. The shipping container, which is like various producers who go, you know, on the show. Their mics are all open sort of, but they kind of come and go and, you know, different people are on in different days. And so because of that, there are some people that you tend to really like, and there are some people that just sort of slip into the background. You're like, well, I don't really like them as much, but it's gotten to the point for me as a listener, and I'm not trying to be a hater here, so I'm not going to call out any names. But it's gotten to the point where I realized, oh, there are two voices on that show that I actively dislike. Like, I literally will just sort of fast forward.
Luke Burbank
Can you imagine if that was someone's take on tbt?
Andrew Walsh
Can you imagine?
Luke Burbank
There are two voices on that show that I actually just like, oh, boy.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, boy, squar off. We're gonna need you in here.
Luke Burbank
Exactly. That leaves John.
Andrew Walsh
But anyway. And now I sort of realize when my favorite person is basically taking a step back from the show. Not even Stu Gotz, but this woman, Jessica, and she was just. She just became the funniest and smartest voice in the room at all times. And, like, knowing that she's gonna be on the show less. And it's like one of those things that's almost like George Washington's acts sort of, where little by Little. I'm suddenly looking around and like, wait a second now. So it's all been pretty diluted. I'm not a huge fan of Dan anymore or his decisions on running the show. The people that I truly love that brought me true joy have left all of them in the past couple of years or have stepped back into much more minor roles, which is giving more and more space to the people that I actually kind of dislike listening to. And I'm like, oh, wow, I think this is really changing for me. Like, it feels like, oh, this might be a breaking point for me now. Maybe I've said that before. I know I've gotten tired of the show before, but at a certain point, you got to look at your addiction. Be like, wait a second. Like, I like the. I like not having to think about what I want to put on when I pick up my eye, when I pick up my phone and open up my, like, app or whatever for listening to podcasts. Like, that's a huge part of the draw for me. I don't like scrolling through my phone. It's like, put on the Lebiton. I'm always behind a little bit. Like, there's always more Le Batard, But I was suddenly like, oh, wow. Like, all of the good stuff is leaving, and it's sort of like, this is really rude to the people. But it's like. And I'm left with more and more of the sediment at the bottom, you know? And I'm like, oh, at what point does this stop having any connection to the things that I loved?
Luke Burbank
I keep having moments like that with the Howard Stern show, where our friend Phyllis Fletcher has to get just, like, this dump of me because I'm always behind on that show, too. And then I'll listen to, like, six hours at a time, and then Stern will just be doing something that annoys me. Like, one thing that I'm really frustrated by is that he is clearly. And Phyllis is the one who pointed this out to me, me, post election, he clearly instructed everyone on the show, including him, to never discuss politics because he had gotten very. And his politics were good, by the way. I mean, you know, his politics were pro Kamala Harris and anti Donald Trump before the election. So that was a good thing. But I think he senses that it's a very potentially dangerous time from a business standpoint to be seen as, like, overly critical of the administration. And so he has this thing that he just says now, which, if ever, any topic about the actual world of politics. He goes, I don't know, I don't, I don't, I don't read the paper anymore. I don't know what's going on. And it just makes me so mad at him. Just like, dude, like, you haven't made enough money in your life. Like, what do you like? Like really just like, you know, does like, you'll be okay one way or the other. Like, I just, it kind of bothers me a little bit. And there's just other things that he does and that will be like, like I'll sort of make a decision, like, I don't think the show is for me anymore. And then they'll do something where they have like they take tape of Cardi B on her Instagram live stream where she's describing her various attributes and assets physically. And then they'll cut it up and then they'll play it for tan mom, but they'll make tan mom think it's a phone call. And then Tam mom will start fighting with this tape of Cardi B. And I'll be like, this is Peabody Award winning content. And I would be a fool to not listen to this.
Andrew Walsh
You know, there was something yesterday because I remember like thinking like, I don't even know if I'm gonna put this show on. Like, because there was so much I get in the fan base non Reddit people were freaking out over the weekend. I mean, that's huge news. If Stu Gotz is kind of. Yeah. Making a change in his contract.
Luke Burbank
Be like, if you left TBTL or I left tbtl.
Andrew Walsh
Yes. And I'm like. And everybody was like, you know, they're not going to talk about this on Monday. It's going to be like their joke. But everybody, like the Reddit thread just, it was just something like you could just watch it populate with like just people freaking out and in a certain way. Like, I understand, like, that's very Le batar to make the joke. Like, oh, we're not going to talk about the thing that you want us to talk about. Like, that is one of the things I liked about the show. They came back, I mean, famously, they came back after Super Bowl Sunday on, you know, one year and on Monday they led for a long time with Billy Gill's update about the masked singer for like a half hour. So did not even talk about pretty funny. And I loved that because it was entertaining and it seemed like sort of natural. And now, now everything feels very forced, very bitty, you know, and like the, and then. Or just straight sports talk, which is fine. But I liked it. When they sort of just found themselves organically or maybe were better at making it seem like it was organic, Everything is kind of like, okay, you gotta go in the other room and run around while you take your victory lap. And Dan just, like, trying to make the show as bad as possible. I'm like, that was funny when it was more organic, and now it just feels forced. But then I'm having these thoughts, and then I turn on the show the other day, and they land on something, and it's making me laugh, and I'm like, well, maybe it's not. Maybe it's not all bad. Maybe I'm just swinging from. From, you know, extremes here. But after a weekend of everybody sort of being like, come on, what's going on with the show that we are obsessed with and support in various ways, and they literally don't say anything about it, it was kind of like, come on, can you at least do something?
Luke Burbank
Yeah, that's kind of one of those things where, I mean, I do think inflating an elephant and putting it in the room.
Andrew Walsh
Funny, right? Yeah.
Luke Burbank
Is actually very funny.
Andrew Walsh
Do a segment or two. But I feel like it was like, okay.
Luke Burbank
The problem is the stakes are. The stakes are very, very high for people who are obsessed with the show because, you know, it could be the beginning of the end of the thing existing. So to sort of kind of treat that like, sort of as a joke is. Is. Is, you know, probably, again, feels really stressful to the listeners. Yeah.
Andrew Walsh
So maybe we'll talk about that someday.
Luke Burbank
Okay. Yeah, sure. Hold on. Let me inflate this elephant here in this hotel room, we was hoping for some razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle. That's right, man. Razzle dazzle. On your mark. On your mark. Get set, get set now.
Andrew Walsh
Ready? Ready.
Luke Burbank
Go, everybody. All right, let's thank some dazzling donors. We don't have any DraftKing money around here. If anything, DraftKings is costing me money.
Andrew Walsh
Although maybe they're looking for a podcast now. I don't know if you believe the rumor.
Luke Burbank
I want to be. I want to be very clear. You will never. Well, I guess I can't speak for you and John Andrew, but it is my perspective that the listeners will never, ever, ever hear a sports gambling website ad on this show.
Andrew Walsh
They have, though, in the past.
Luke Burbank
Never again.
Andrew Walsh
Okay. Yeah. Was it DraftKings or was it the other one?
Luke Burbank
I really did ads for them.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah. You don't remember? We were with 8pm it was relatively early on because I feel like.
Luke Burbank
Did you not do them this is.
Andrew Walsh
Such a bad time to be having this conversation. I feel like Steve Nelson was still our boss. I could be wrong about that part. So I feel like it was pretty early on. On, but we had a conversation about it. Like, is this responsible or not? It was in the early days of these, you know, legalized betting apps. And you. And I think I, I avoided it, just not out of moral reasons, but I just didn't use them. And you said, oh, yeah, well, I have no, you know, I have no issues with sports betting. And I.
Luke Burbank
It's weird. Well, it's also just because I feel like I, I don't remember having those apps on my phone or an app on my phone in those early days of apm. Like, but they gave. It wasn't a crypto thing, maybe.
Andrew Walsh
No, I do remember that. I mean, I'll tell you what, we did crypto, too. I don't.
Luke Burbank
Golly, this thing was a.
Andrew Walsh
No, no, you didn't do crypto. You did some sort of investment thing. Remember they gave you a little purse of money for some sort of online.
Luke Burbank
Thing base or something.
Andrew Walsh
But then. But, I mean, I don't think you're going to want this. But I have, like, when I produced all those ads. Yes.
Luke Burbank
Can I hear this?
Andrew Walsh
Them. I don't have it in front of me right now, but it would be on this hard drive I have in here, so I could look for it. If you want proof of it. I. I'm not.
Luke Burbank
Because I don't believe you. I could be wrong, but this is not me trying to, like, flex I. Or, or, you know, prove to you that I didn't do it. I'm just, I'm actually really curious about what this sounded like. And also I'm disappointed that my brain, it's whiffed out of my brain. Well, here's what I can say as I talk to you, Andrew, on May 6th of 2025, as God is my witness, no more gambling ads on this. On this show. Because I do think that those apps are, with the benefit of hindsight, I think that they're actually creating a lot of misery for a lot of people. And I would not want us to profit off of the misery. Instead, we have to profit off of the generosity of folks like Andrea Elkins, who's out there in Humble, Texas. It's our friend Andrea.
Andrew Walsh
Hey, friendo. How you doing?
Luke Burbank
Andrea says, howdy, friendos. Last year was a rough one after a bad concussion.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, no.
Luke Burbank
Got the better of me for several months. Oof. Andrea, I'm so sorry. About that. It can be really scary stuff. I missed out on listening to my co bros as I executed a digital reset and turned into my own, which tuned into my own mental health journey. Wow, Andrea, I'm so sorry to hear that and I'm hoping you're doing better. Once I was ready, I quickly got up to speed on all the TBTL goings on and felt immediately reunited with my crew. With many thanks for the guys and their goofy stories, real struggles, and constant hilarity, I endlessly find myself giggling when I'm not talking back to Luke and Andrew as if they can hear me. My partner just rolls his eyes as he hears me patter through the house keeping my cobras company.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, I know that eye roll. I experience that eye roll.
Luke Burbank
I've seen those eyes rolled.
Andrew Walsh
They rolled right in front of me. You know, that's really sweet because it was funny. I don't know if you notice, I was a little embarrassed when we started reading Andrea's message. You. I said, oh, hey, how are you doing? I don't know if. I don't know if it's because I've spent too much time on W R W website, but I was just like, oh, hey, how are you doing? As if she could hear me and respond.
Luke Burbank
She can hear you now.
Andrew Walsh
Hear me.
Luke Burbank
But now she's hearing this. But not in the moment.
Andrew Walsh
We're both just having one side conversation. That's right.
Luke Burbank
Yeah, yeah. She's talking to us. We're talking to her. The words are flying right past everybody, and they're nailing her husband David right in the ear. He's like, hey, whoa, where it hurts.
Andrew Walsh
Right in the ears.
Luke Burbank
To circle back one phrase that helped me over the last year. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. So I take that to mean you can slow down and you can actually get a good outcome through. Through being methodical and moving slowly. And I'm guessing if Andrea was dealing with the fallout from a concussion that she had to probably kind of retrain herself to move a bit more slowly through the world, but then ultimately get a better outcome.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, that makes sense.
Luke Burbank
I hope it helps others as we make our way through 2025 together. Snuggle your levies. Be the human. Be they human or pod. And give yourself some grace. And remember, no mountain too tall. And good luck to all. This is signed Andrea Elkins, Polly Prissy Pants and the reluctant David Cotton.
Andrew Walsh
Now, Polly is the husband, right? Polypropyle pants.
Luke Burbank
I believe we sure we do. We didn't. We have a donor message From Polly.
Andrew Walsh
We did, I believe, last year. Yes. Direct.
Luke Burbank
That's right. Well, thank you, Andrea and David and Polly Prissy Pants for. For helping keep TBTL going with all your generosity. And, Andrea, I'm really glad to hear that you're feeling better. Maestro, on your mark. On your mark. Get set, get set now.
Andrew Walsh
Ready? Ready.
Luke Burbank
Go.
Andrew Walsh
Everybody rattle.
Luke Burbank
It's our friend. She'll never outrun this title in my mind. The one time mayor of Mukilteo, our friend, Jennifer Gregerson.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, she's still my mayor.
Luke Burbank
Yes. Don't blame me. I voted for Mayor Gregerson.
Andrew Walsh
That's right.
Luke Burbank
Jennifer is in Everett, Washington. Thanks to you and Luke and Andrew and John for continuing to make this your job, since it's so much more than a job and a podcast to all of us tens. This made me laugh so much last year, so I'm gonna just go with it again. I would love your attempts to say the names of these Pokemon characters. As a Pokemon Go player and not someone who was into the cards as a kid, I'll admit I don't even know the right way to say some of these. So this sounds like. Like Jennifer. And by the way, shout out to Paul, too. Jennifer's awesome husband. Yeah, it sounds like Jennifer is doing that kind of like, Pokemon, that virtual Pokemon thing that we did once as an experiment. Yeah, Pokemon Go. That's the augmented reality one, right? That we did hundreds of years ago as a. As a special episode.
Andrew Walsh
Yes, I. I remember. I forgot about that. Yeah.
Luke Burbank
She was not. She was not. Jennifer was not a. A Pokemon card player, but has gotten into Pokemon Go. So now is aware of these. These things, but maybe doesn't even know how to say them. So the first one is easy. Do you want to start with the first one? Should we just alternate?
Andrew Walsh
Yes, I think we. And can I look something up here? Do you follow the Onion at all on any social media?
Luke Burbank
I swear I do on Blue Ski.
Andrew Walsh
Okay, good. Did you see on Blue Ski today that the Onion, by the way, I. I can't remember the listener who suggested we call it Blue Ski, but it's the best suggestion I've gotten.
Luke Burbank
It really has. It's revolutionized my relationship with the ASCE social media.
Andrew Walsh
I noticed that the Onion had a headline that had some sort of a reference to a Pokemon card today. And I was like, oh, that's like Mayor Gregerson's note. I wonder if this is, like, prep for me, but I can't find it here. But okay, that was awesome.
Luke Burbank
So I took the first one. Charmander Andrew, you do the next one.
Andrew Walsh
Okay, I'm going to do this thing where I'm going to move away from my mic for one second and stick my face closer to my computer screen to make sure I'm reading these letters.
Luke Burbank
I mean, I can just also read him if.
Andrew Walsh
Purugly. Purugly.
Luke Burbank
This is funny.
Andrew Walsh
Purugly. Well, what would you do? Purugly or perugly?
Luke Burbank
Perugly.
Andrew Walsh
Perugly. Okay.
Luke Burbank
Perugly.
Andrew Walsh
I think my babshi used to make that.
Luke Burbank
Yeah, I bet. In the. From the old country. Yeah, the cabbage and everything. And that the whole house would smell like amazing. You know what I had on Saturday night which was so good was salmon Wellington.
Andrew Walsh
I've heard of that. I feel like they have like an awards ceremony or something.
Luke Burbank
So there we went to this, this dinner and it was very. It was, it was really fun, but it was kind of fancy. And it was in this beautiful home in Irvington. And they made beef Wellington. But you know, I don't really eat that stuff, nor does Becca. So they also made a veggie Wellington, which I swerved on because it was mushroom and then a salmon Wellington and it's this big puff pastry with salmon in the middle. And I have to say, it was so good, I might try to become a salmon Wellington guy now.
Andrew Walsh
So another reason I'm distracted is I'm looking up a lot of things here at once. And I did find the motherload of.
Luke Burbank
Being a real slugma of every O there.
Andrew Walsh
That's on the list. Hey, slow down, Varizian.
Luke Burbank
That's who I get my cell service from.
Andrew Walsh
I have found. I have found the mother lode of every commercial we ever produced. It. It's alphabetical because each one has a little folder because it was like my production files. And I am nothing if not as, you know, like very detail oriented about this stuff. I'm going back a major memory lane here. This is amazing. What you. Here's how we're going to do the rest of the segment.
Luke Burbank
Oh boy.
Andrew Walsh
You're going to read. Okay, you're going to read one of these Charmander things and I'm going to read to you a brand that we did ads for that is. That's going to send you back. Okay. Okay.
Luke Burbank
Is the list long enough? I'm going to start over. Charmander.
Andrew Walsh
Now you go Bark box Parugli Class pass. I don't even know what that is.
Luke Burbank
Wow. Okay. Virizion drink works. Oh, don't you dare bleep and call it a Keurig.
Andrew Walsh
Andrew Slugma ethos Life insurance.
Luke Burbank
What?
Andrew Walsh
I don't remember that.
Luke Burbank
I don't remember any. This is. Thank goodness that we are 100% listener supported and ad free. Because I don't even want to. I don't even want to think about these with these ads. I want to. Can I say something in our defense, too?
Andrew Walsh
Yes.
Luke Burbank
We turned down a lot of ads.
Andrew Walsh
We did. Yes.
Luke Burbank
We turned down, I think, more ads than we. To the chagrin of our bosses. We were pretty picky about the stuff that we supported that we'd throw our voices behind. So. So I don't know what that means for some of these things. How about a kirum? Don't call it a kirum, Andrew.
Andrew Walsh
No, you call it a loot crate.
Luke Burbank
Loot crate. I remember getting a couple of loot crates.
Andrew Walsh
Me too. I did as well.
Luke Burbank
How about a sudo? Ooh.
Andrew Walsh
How about a sudo? How about a man crate? Remember I took that one? You said, no, no, I'm not doing man crate. And then surprisingly, yeah, I was like, you know what? Because it was a Father's Day ad, we didn't do a lot as it's like, I don't see an issue doing an advertisement for man crate that focuses on Father's Day gifts. I was fine with that. And I think it was at man crate that or Loot crate that sent me the little mini computer that I could build and then turn into like a. What do you call it? I could play old video games on it if I connected it to my console. No, it wasn't. That console is like a tiny little chip card that. It was like you built your own little tiny computer.
Luke Burbank
That actually sounds pretty fun.
Andrew Walsh
It was fun. Yeah. I still have it around here somewhere. Somewhere.
Luke Burbank
How about Raikou?
Andrew Walsh
How about Quip?
Luke Burbank
Quip? Okay. I was using Quip for a long time, and I was buying. I was buying quip stuff. Now I switch to this other one that I think is literally maybe called Siri, which I know is insane because that's branded something. It's something like that. And the reason I went to this other one is because it allegedly shines a UV light. You keep it in this kind of coffin, like a toothbrush coffin, and it plugs in at the bottom to something in the coffin, and then it allegedly is blasting it with some kind of UV light that's keeping it from getting funky.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, yeah.
Luke Burbank
And that's the one I use when I'm traveling. Because what I was noticing with other toothbrushes, be they electric or the other, is that they just started to get a little. A little not so fresh after they'd be traveling around in my dopp kit. So this one actually seems to be working, I have to say. But I remember quip.
Andrew Walsh
How about.
Luke Burbank
Okay, how about Alo Mamala? I just caught me an Alo Mamala in the hallway here at the hotel.
Andrew Walsh
How about Fanduel?
Luke Burbank
Fanduel would have been the one.
Andrew Walsh
So this is nervous making because Fanduel, foul duel. This makes me nervous because this is all my production files in here. But I do have something called. Let's see, this is. Yeah, 2015. So I was right that it was early on. This is September 2015.
Luke Burbank
And 10 years ago, a decade ago.
Andrew Walsh
Andrew Walsh, years ago. Do you want to hear it? Are you interested?
Luke Burbank
Right after I say the word Latius.
Andrew Walsh
Okay. Well, so now we've cleared the list.
Luke Burbank
Thank you, Mayor Jennifer, and thanks to Paul. We really appreciate you. Yeah, I guess I'm ready now.
Andrew Walsh
This is. I love that we're doing this during the dazzling donors.
Luke Burbank
Well, this is. No, but this. This is making a larger point.
Andrew Walsh
Yes.
Luke Burbank
Which is we used to. We were part of the, you know, corporate machinery of American public media, and we were forced to, at times, participate in capitalism in a way that, you know, maybe we didn't love or maybe we did love. I'm worried because with the benefit of hindsight, now we know that. Again, in my opinion, I think a lot of these things have really made life worse for folks. Please just remember, I didn't know this 10 years ago.
Andrew Walsh
No, this is the truth here about this. Like, Like, I would tell you off air and on air if this was one that I had weird feelings about. And I am pretty sure this is how this went down. They presented this to us as an opportunity. We said, well, and you were like, I have no moral obligation to sports betting. And it sounds like a fun thing to do. And Again, this is 2015 before some of these, like, you know, very unsavory stories came out about their behaviors and kind of ripping people off. And also just like the broader.
Luke Burbank
Listen, I was the proto Jamie Foxx.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, well, that's what everybody says. You're the. Yeah, you're like the bad boy of Jamie Foxx's is what everybody says. I'm not just giving you cover here. I am being quite earnest that they said, do you want to do this? We had a responsible conversation about it. And you're like, yeah, I have no problem with it. I said, I have no problem with it. I just don't have any connection to that. Universe. So Luke handled these. And then I believe there was an early story in 2015 about something, and I don't remember what it was. I'm not going to try to remember. But DraftKings and FanDuel both ended up in the headlines for some sort of policy. And we said, we don't want to do this anymore. And so, I mean, I remember this. And I'm saying that in earnestness. Like, I don't have. I don't have a moral issue with podcasts that have to have ads. And maybe someday we will again. I don't think so.
Luke Burbank
I don't think that more. I think our morals will be tested on this matter.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, I mean, because of the generosity of. Of, Of. Of. Of our donors. Like, I don't want to do ads again, but I also just sort of think that, like, I. Anyway, before I play tape of you, I want you to know earnestly, like, I'm not trying to be like, hey, number one, I was right, you were wrong, or that this was an example.
Luke Burbank
I want to hear this just to hear how much my voice has aged well.
Andrew Walsh
Okay, I'm going to give you a choice here. So, and you probably remember this. Do you know if you liked the one you did on September 6th or the 15th or the 22nd better?
Luke Burbank
What's the one where I talk about race stuff here?
Andrew Walsh
Let's go with the last one because this will be. This will maybe be the best one because it's the third one you did. This is from September 22, 2015, or at least that's when we cut it.
Luke Burbank
I gotta say, Andrew, one of the great joys of my life is that my fantasy team is on fire.
Andrew Walsh
This is when we were doing them together. I forgot. Remember we were cutting promos together for a while.
Luke Burbank
Look at who was complicit in this war crime.
Andrew Walsh
I know because you said, Andrew. God, I can't believe I would do this.
Luke Burbank
But wait a sec.
Andrew Walsh
What kind of a scumbag.
Luke Burbank
Let's just listen to this. Let's listen to this because I think this was. Was so this would have been the time. Because part of this. Oh, my God, this is so uninteresting. But part of why I was having a hard time remembering the details was because I'm thinking of the timeline of when sports betting was legalized in this way. And I think this was from an era where it was all presented as fantasy football. Monetize it.
Andrew Walsh
Yes, you're right.
Luke Burbank
That was the loophole. As opposed to. Which doesn't make it any Better. But like now it's just straight up friggin gambling. Yes. But in these days, it was all coded around like my fantasy and I one day. Fantasy player. Which was just basically betting on a player to do stuff.
Andrew Walsh
Yes, yes, that's right. But it was, it was, it was fantasy that you could bet on. Here we go.
Luke Burbank
My life is that my fantasy team is on fire two and oh, listen.
Andrew Walsh
I didn't actually draft that in. I'm 02.
Luke Burbank
I did not draft the players. Somebody else did and they gave. They gifted the team to me. So I can't really take that much credit. But it like when Fred Jackson caught a touchdown pass for the Seahawks the other day, I was driving the car. I was more excited about the fact that it was Fred Jackson than the fact that it was my Seahawks scoring because I was like, I started him and I was like, so debating if I was going to start him or this other guy. I looked at the percentage of the league that was starting Fred Jackson. It was very low. But I was like, I know something. Anyway, if you have not had the good fortune I've had this season and.
Andrew Walsh
You want to start, how much more do you want to hear in this?
Luke Burbank
More? Because I want to hear what the pitch is, is for you. FanDuel.com is the trusted leader. In one week, fantasy football, they got more winners and more payouts than any of the other sites. They're paying out $75 million a week during the football season. And you pick your players, you stay under the salary cap and you sit back on Sunday and you have yourself a blast. And they're offering a cool deal for TBTL listeners, right?
Andrew Walsh
Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. So for every dollar you deposit.
Luke Burbank
Interesting. Oh, sorry, I'm stepping on your.
Andrew Walsh
No, no, go ahead. You.
Luke Burbank
It's weird to me that what I was talking about because that fantasy team that I inherited is just a fantasy league. It had nothing to do with FanDuel, if that makes sense. And I'm not talking about like, Fred Jackson made me money. I wonder if there were rules on the AD of what we're allowed to say.
Andrew Walsh
Or I wonder if you were just kind of like. Because I talked about my fantasy league and I said, oh, yeah, mine too. But I know I've never had any of these.
Luke Burbank
I don't think I ever had a FanDuel account in my life.
Andrew Walsh
You were just sort of, I'll do these, but I'll talk.
Luke Burbank
I think I was like kind of blurring the line because, yeah, my fan fantasy team, that was. That Was two. Zero that I inherited. I think that was in a league I was in with like, Mike Pesca or something.
Andrew Walsh
Okay. Or maybe listeners by then.
Luke Burbank
Right, Maybe listeners. But it was like, I remember getting that team not from FanDuel, but from somebody else. So anyway, I was just. Again, I'm just trying to figure out sort of how morally complicit I was there. And you know what? I can live with that. I can live with that.
Andrew Walsh
But also, like, we did do the ads together, so maybe it was one of those because I misremembered that clearly. I'm like, oh, yeah, this was one where you had the personal experience angle. And maybe that's how we divided it. Going to go in there and do the. Do the clothes. But we did do the. The ads together. So if you're.
Luke Burbank
Can you play the ads where I talked about trans bathrooms?
Andrew Walsh
Wait, I got one service that I.
Luke Burbank
Have one bathrooms to make sure that only one gender is allowed to use them. And that I do regret.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah, that was regrettable. Anyway, boy, we did. What about Honeybook? Do you want to hear any Honeybook?
Luke Burbank
It's Honeybook.
Andrew Walsh
I don't know what honey. Imperfect food, Libro. I.
Luke Burbank
Not a bad idea.
Andrew Walsh
Was great. Lost my name. Was that a kid's book where you insert.
Luke Burbank
Can we go back to Honeybook?
Andrew Walsh
Oh, yeah. You want to hear it? Oh.
Luke Burbank
What the heck was a honey book?
Andrew Walsh
Well, I think it's how. Let's see, it's. Here, I'll play the last one we did of this, which was on November of 2019. So this is. You're gonna sound way more mature here, let's say.
Luke Burbank
And grizzled or.
Andrew Walsh
It's me. Am I. Oh, no, that's you, that's me. And this is the era when we're doing these ourselves. You know what? My computer just broke. I don't know if we can.
Luke Burbank
Okay, we don't have to play. I'm just curious what Honeybook is.
Andrew Walsh
This is what I've been doing to you. Honey Book. Honeybook. Honey Book. Yeah. That's just a little ditty that I made up right now for our fine sponsors, Honeybook. I don't know if they're interested in using it or not as a jingle. They can have. Have it as long as they promise to keep supporting tbtl, which they're doing right now. Honeybook is an online business management tool. Oh, of course. That organizes client communications, booking, and is.
Luke Burbank
100% still in business.
Andrew Walsh
All of that stuff. But what does that mean? This is what it means. Let's say that you run a small business. Let's say you are. Is this better with me talking to myself, by the way?
Luke Burbank
Yes.
Andrew Walsh
Small business. You're passionate about something. Maybe it's writing and you are a freelance writer or maybe you run a small service industry of some sort. You got into it because you like the work that you do not so that you could deal with all the terrible details that go along with running a business. Like trying to figure out the best way to bill somebody or organize invoices or figure out who's going to be sent out on what job. This stuff can be the stuff of nightmares. Okay. I think we got an idea of what they're selling there. We did several different. Different clients like that, I think. Right. Who.
Luke Burbank
I'm just trying to figure out if Honeybook is still in business or not.
Andrew Walsh
Honeybook. Honeybook.
Luke Burbank
When we found out how little. Yeah, it looks like Honeybook is still definitely happening. I mean that really Zapier, I think. What?
Andrew Walsh
Wait, what? Zapier, Zazzle, Zebra, ZipRecruiter, ZocDoc and Zola. How did we do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 different ads that all began with Z alone.
Luke Burbank
Well, I think it speaks to the way that naming conventions are trendy.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah.
Luke Burbank
Within business and. But that, yeah, everybody was, everybody was going with some kind of a Z thing because probably the wisdom at that time was like it's memorable. But like, yeah, just when I think what broke me was when we found out what was what APM was actually receiving for us. Doing one of those reads, you mean?
Andrew Walsh
Well, whatever they were receiving, I mean it changed over time, I think.
Luke Burbank
Yeah, maybe I only found out the numbers. I only found out the numbers after the bubble had burst. So maybe it was a different thing before that, but it was just like, you know, like we're just very lucky that we have generous supporters because I think that the kind of ad read model is. Is if you unless you have Joe Rogan numbers, it's pretty, pretty bleak.
Andrew Walsh
Can I say, because I guess this is today's show. I don't think we're getting anything else.
Luke Burbank
There's no guesswork here. This is today's show.
Andrew Walsh
What a weird show. And I'm responsible. I love the weirdness and my apologies, but it does remind me of one bit that they did on Levitard. I was giving Levitard a lot of put downs before. So I'm going to give them a put up here for not just doing this bit, which was funny, but also for having the thick skinnedness of their producers to allow this in a certain way. But one thing they did that would be way too cruel for anything that we do on this show is they took. When they were kind of new to doing ads, or some of their producers were new to doing ads, they took Chris Cody. You remember him from the old days. He is a not. Not very confident guy, and he definitely was brand new to doing, you know, ad reads. And they just found some raw audio of him doing all of his takes. And I think they might have even done it live. I don't know if they said he's in the other room right now, Just open it live. That would be dangerous because you could maybe catch him swearing at himself or something. I'm not exactly exact. The details escape me a little bit. But they basically just played raw tape of him thinking he's alone in a studio doing take after take of things, and then, like, getting in the mood for something. And I'm looking at all of these files, I have that say raw behind them, which means they're unedited. And if I click the wrong one right now, how absolutely mortified I would be. I mean, I was mortified to hear the final product of one of my ads, let alone, like, me getting to that place, you know, and they just let this role of Chris just being like, okay, okay. Sheets and giggle. She. Sheets and giggles. And it was. He let it happen, like, after the fact. I was like, my God, man, you are stronger than me.
Luke Burbank
Yeah, that's. I think that for you and I is a particularly sore spot or vulnerability because we do a fair amount of recording. You know, not so much spots anymore, but just that unguarded moment when you're just kind of like, do you do this move again? This could not be less relatable to the listeners, but, like, I will do something. I didn't do it yesterday when I. So I told you I had to, like, rush back home and then like, record this livewire stuff. Some of it with people on the line, some of it with me just kind of solo. And normally what I'll do is if I'm recording something and I mess it up, I'll just delete the file in GarageBand. That's the program that I use. So I was trying to read stop.
Andrew Walsh
It quickly hit delete, and then just.
Luke Burbank
Start over and just start over. So it's just clean. Yeah. Like. Or even sometimes I'll go back and I'll edit it out. Like, so if it's a longer file, it's very easy for me. To go in and just kind of like pull out the mess ups or the things I'm having a hard time with. And I was trying to record something called the Billboard, which is just basically the first thing. If you're listening to a public radio station at the. When it becomes noon, let's say in Portland or Seattle, you'll hear me saying, hey, it's Luke, welcome to Livewire, blah, blah, blah. And then at exactly 58 seconds, I say, that's coming up right after this. And then we go to the news with Shea Stevens or something that's called the Billboard. I completely forked the billboard like six different times. And I was just talking to myself and then I was trying to fix it on the fly. I left it all in because I just, I was in a rush. I didn't have time to mess with it. And Andrew, when I tell you, because.
Andrew Walsh
The producers will clean it up, you don't mean you left it in that it would possibly air.
Luke Burbank
It'll never get on the air. But it means like, physique. Our. Our like guy who sweetens all of our stuff, he will hear it.
Andrew Walsh
Yeah. And that's when you sent it. You were like, I just can't with this right now. And you sent it or you realized after the fact.
Luke Burbank
No, I knew what I was. I was in too much of a rush to mess with it. But I also have now been thinking about him listening to me thrashing about because he's gonna sweeten the whole thing and then he's gonna go ahead and combine it with the other tracks and then send it to someone else who's gonna edit it. There's a lot of people that get hands on this, but like, I would just like, there's something about somebody hearing me in that kind of like moment of weakness, if you will. So all that is to say that thing you're talking about with Chris Cody. That would be pretty much my living nightmare. Yeah.
Andrew Walsh
To play it over and over again on the show while everybody's laughing at you and it's going out to a national. That is rough stuff.
Luke Burbank
All right. Well, this was the show today.
Andrew Walsh
Wow.
Luke Burbank
And I for one, I don't regret it. Don't regret it. 1. But you know what I just realized too, Andrew? There are waymos driving around here in LA right now, which means if I want to go to this thing we're filming later and I want to take an un. An unmanned vehicle. If I want to take a self driving car, I can't and I must.
Andrew Walsh
Can you have a Waymo and a samo at the same time is same O.
Luke Burbank
The little robot that delivers the little robot, which I see out here. Actually, I don't know if that's what it's called. I just know that's what they call it on Mulaney.
Andrew Walsh
Oh, is it a fake thing on Mulaney? I think. I think it might be there, I thought.
Luke Burbank
But those little things also, they might be called samos. I'm not sure. I thought that was their joke. But those things, I have seen them trucking around the streets of la like there are real things that people are.
Andrew Walsh
Using, but I am a little embarrassed. I thought. Got that same O.
Luke Burbank
Don't quote me on that.
Andrew Walsh
Okay. I think you might be right, though. I think it's. What, just like the name that they gave it, which makes a lot more. A lot more sense.
Luke Burbank
All right, well, listen. Tomorrow we will. I will for once and for all, fix the Hollywood industry with my comments on the television show the Studio. So everyone please tune in for that, and then we'll play the. We'll play all of the Zoosk ads from eight years ago. Did we do anything for Zeus?
Andrew Walsh
I think so. Good.
Luke Burbank
All right, thanks for listening, everyone. We're going to be back here tomorrow with more imaginary radio for you. In the meantime, have a great Tuesday. Take care of yourselves, and please remember, no mountain too tall.
Andrew Walsh
And good luck to all.
Luke Burbank
Power out.
Podcast Summary: TBTL Episode #4460 – "Left, Right, and La Center"
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh
Podcast: TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live
In episode #4460 titled "Left, Right, and La Center," hosts Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh navigate a blend of personal anecdotes, industry insights, and humorous exchanges. The episode seamlessly transitions between Luke's mishap with his driver's license and their discussions on radio programming, digital IDs, and the evolving landscape of public media.
Luke Burbank opens the episode by sharing a personal dilemma:
"It's highly possible that I inadvertently threw my driver's license into a garbage can at a gas station in, like, I don't know, LA Center, Washington." ([04:31])
He details the sequence of events leading to the loss, expressing frustration and meticulousness in his daily routines:
"I've been using this for years and to be honest with you, it's generally worked." ([08:54])
Despite thorough searches and systematic checks, Luke remains perplexed about the disappearance of his ID, contemplating the steps forward:
"I'm not going to order a new driver's license, like, tomorrow." ([26:46])
The hosts reminisce about Luke's experiences at the LA County Fair in Pomona, highlighting its vibrant atmosphere and cultural diversity:
"It is a county fair, it's not a state fair. ... I just like the energy. I like the vibe." ([05:23])
They delve into the complexities surrounding an interview with the Band War, who faced legal challenges over band ownership:
"So we were going to interview this Band War because they were turning 50, and there's actually a pretty interesting musical story there." ([06:00])
The resolution of the lawsuit allowed Luke to participate in a lowrider club event, adding a layer of excitement and anticipation for upcoming episodes.
Andrew introduces a timely topic on digital IDs, prompted by a chance conversation:
"News you can use is if you travel a lot, is it good to take a photo of your ID just in case of a situation like this?" ([17:13])
Luke adds insights, clarifying the current limitations of digital IDs:
"I think it's a good idea. Although I'll tell you this, it is not... enough to get you through the TSA at the airport." ([17:34])
They discuss the future potential of secure digital IDs and the need for broader state adoption to enhance travel convenience.
The conversation shifts to radio shows, with Andrew recounting his experience listening to WRWH in Cleveland, Georgia:
"They are the type of station that has Swap Shop on the air." ([28:19])
Luke and Andrew critique the simplicity and repetitive nature of the radio station's programming schedule:
"It's seven days across. I don't have to count the days of the week along with every hour." ([28:28])
They express nostalgia for more engaging and community-oriented radio content, contrasting it with the current state of mainstream talk radio.
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing past advertising decisions and their ethical implications. Luke expresses regret over promoting gambling apps:
"No more gambling ads on this show. Because I do think that those apps are... creating a lot of misery for a lot of people." ([53:08])
Andrew corroborates, reminiscing about their early ad partnerships and the shift away from such endorsements:
"We turned down a lot of ads. I think our morals will be tested on this matter." ([71:08])
They emphasize a commitment to supporting the podcast through listener donations rather than traditional advertising, highlighting the importance of maintaining integrity in their content.
The hosts acknowledge and appreciate their listeners' support through heartfelt messages from donors:
"Andrea says, howdy, friendos... My partner just rolls his eyes as he hears me patter through the house keeping my cobras company." ([53:08])
These messages underscore the sense of community and personal connection that TBTL fosters among its audience.
Luke and Andrew engage in lighthearted banter, incorporating Pokémon characters into their conversation:
"Charmander... Purugly." ([57:24])
This segment serves as comic relief and showcases the hosts' camaraderie and shared interests, enhancing the episode's engaging and entertaining tone.
As the episode wraps up, Luke contemplates the future of the podcast and the changing media landscape:
"There are waymos driving around here in LA right now, which means if I want to go to this thing we're filming later and I want to take an unmanned vehicle. If I want to take a self-driving car, I can't and I must." ([77:24])
Andrew reflects on their editorial choices and the importance of staying true to their values:
"We said, well, I have no moral obligation to sports betting. And it sounds like a fun thing to do. I think our morals will be tested on this matter." ([71:40])
The hosts reaffirm their dedication to providing authentic and heartfelt content, promising to continue their journey together in 2025 and beyond.
Episode #4460 of TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live offers a rich tapestry of personal stories, industry critiques, and genuine camaraderie between Luke and Andrew. From navigating everyday mishaps to tackling broader societal issues, the hosts provide listeners with an engaging and insightful experience that remains true to the show's core of "goofing their way through the world the best they can."