Podcast Summary: TBTL (#4599) "Here's My Parade!"
Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh
Overview
In this episode, Luke and Andrew reunite for a Monday catch-up, meandering through film reviews, airplane media awkwardness, generational cereal choices, and a critical look at Russell Wilson's latest foray onto Cameo. True to TBTL form, the conversation blends pop culture riffs, everyday absurdities, and a dash of existential angst, all wrapped up in the show's warm, self-deprecating humor.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Travel Tales, Hemingway Cats & Airplane Viewing (00:53 - 15:59)
- Luke’s DC Arrival: Luke opens from Washington, D.C., sharing he watched both Citizen Kane and Her on his cross-country flight—prompted by a sudden WiFi outage ("...the airline needs to let you know days, if not weeks in advance of that...I need to emotionally prepare for no WiFi." [05:00])
- Hemingway Cats Explained: Andrew is texting his dad about Hemingway's Key West cats: "I think the thing that makes them Hemingway cats...I think they have extra toes on their front paws...They're polydactyl. Polycats basically." [04:18]
- AI & Tech in Movies: Both marvel at Her's prescience regarding AI, noting shifts in how media gets it right (or wrong) about technology and relationships. "I'm amazed at how much they got it right..." (Luke, [08:11]).
2. On Watching Awkward Scenes on Planes (11:44 - 14:32)
- Media Anxiety: Both hosts compare notes on the awkwardness of watching explicit or emotional content on flights.
- Andrew recounts a "graphic Dickens scene" in The Chair Company: "I just put my hand up over the phone and laughed...everything was so absurd." [13:33]
- Strangers Bonding Over Joaquin Phoenix: Luke’s attempt to connect with his seatmate (who was also watching a Joaquin Phoenix film, Joker) falls flat: "He didn't seem as intrigued by that as I expected...I'm just trying to chat with you about Joaquin Phoenix and you're too cool for that." [15:40]
3. Film & TV Reviews, Cultural Zeitgeist (16:29 - 29:38)
- Yorgos Lanthimos Films: Andrew reviews Begonia, savoring its darkness and connecting it to current cultural themes (aliens, uncertainty, existential threat), mentioning Kinds of Kindness, Peacemaker, and Weapons: "There's a darkness. There is a darkness. At least the things I'm watching." [19:45]
- Falling Asleep Early: Luke laments aging into "granddad energy": "It was 8:45 and I was absolutely out like a light because...I'm that kind of dad energy..." [20:41]
- Political Chat with Lyft Driver: Luke describes a civil, possibly perspective-shifting political conversation with an Afghan immigrant Lyft driver who supports Trump: "I think I actually moved the needle for this guy..." [24:10]
4. Comedy, Podcasts, and Fox News Bros (27:12 - 34:34)
- Comedy and Politics: A tangent on comedians with “bad politics” (Jay Johnston, Tim Allen, Rick Schroeder) prompts Andrew to muse, “Maybe he wasn’t funny. He just was adjacent to funny people.” [28:01]
- Fox News Panel Disdain: Andrew reacts with existential despair upon seeing a Fox News segment throw to the “Ruthless” podcast bros: "I hit stop right away...I keep thinking there's nothing left to die inside of me. But something new died inside of me." [31:27]
- Podcast Blind Spots: Both muse on the universe of immensely popular podcasts they’ve never heard of. “There are bro podcasts that are bussin...the Nelk boys...and Fox News couldn't even get on because it's not even worth their time.” (Luke, [31:36])
5. Donor Thanks & TBTL Community (34:47 - 40:18)
- Listener Gratitude: Luke and Andrew thank donors, riffing on personal connections, geography, and past TBTL community moments.
- Self-Perception & Doppelgangers: Banter about lookalikes leads to a mini-debate about identity and self-image: “None of us can really know ourselves.” (Luke, [37:53])
Featured Segment: Russell Wilson on Cameo (41:00 - 53:25)
- Listener Tip-Off: A listener informs the hosts that Russell Wilson is offering video messages for $333 (his jersey number) on Cameo.
- Live Critique: They play Wilson’s intro (“Unlimited videos on Cameo. Let’s go!” [43:01]) and roast his unkillable “Mr. Unlimited” persona.
- Cameo Economics:
- Andrew: “This is not an amount of money that in any way moves the needle in Russell Wilson’s life. It should either be free or it should be $10 million a video.” [47:21]
- Luke is baffled by the logic: "Why is he doing this? This is just time out of his day. ...It's the strangest thing for Russell Wilson to be doing, in my opinion." [48:11]
- Charity Questions: They uncover that only 3% of proceeds go to Wilson’s own foundation, “Why Not You”:
- Andrew: “This is really disappointing...3% of my Cameo proceeds will go to my Why Not You foundation...and it's his own foundation." [51:24]
- Luke: “So he's keeping 97% of his Cameo proceeds.” [53:17]
- Moral Whiplash: The hosts swing between empathy and skepticism for Wilson:
- Andrew: “You start to...feel bad for this guy...then you're like, this guy is a bit of a...D bag.” [53:17]
Secondary Topics & Notable Quotes
- Inside Jokes & TBTL Lore:
- Title Reference: “Don’t Look at Me, Lewis,” an inside joke about Andrew’s aversion to certain “look at me” behaviors ([53:28])
- “More and more of me dies, I found new things to die on the inside.” (Andrew, existential paraphrase [51:06])
- Cereal & Table Syrup Deep Dive (57:14 - 67:01):
- Cereal nostalgia (Grape Nuts, Shredded Wheat), generational shift to old man breakfast habits.
- Regional U.S. syrup distinctions: "The pancake syrup that we grew up with was not maple flavored. It was just... syrup flavored." (Luke, [61:12])
Notable Quotes (with Timestamps and Attribution)
- Luke, on airplane WiFi:
"I need to emotionally prepare myself for no WiFi. And also I need to download a million things." [06:36] - Andrew, on travel awkwardness:
"I was watching on my phone, so it's pretty small. I just put my hand up over the phone and laughed...everything was so absurd." [13:33] - Luke, existentialism via film:
"I'm just worried that I've already had every kind of feeling I'm ever going to have and they're just going to get smaller and smaller..." [50:11, quoting Her] - Andrew, regarding Fox News bros:
"I keep thinking there's nothing left to die inside of me. But something new died inside of me and I don't know why." [31:27] - Luke, on Russell Wilson’s Cameo:
"This is not an amount of money that in any way moves the needle in Russell Wilson’s life. It should either be free or it should be $10 million a video." [47:21] - Andrew, on the 3% donation:
"This is really disappointing. It says 3% of my cameo proceeds will go to my why not you foundation. And it's his own foundation..." [51:24]
Highlighted Segments with Timestamps
- Film/Airplane Viewing Stories: [05:00 - 15:59]
- Cultural Zeitgeist & Film Talk: [16:40 - 19:45]
- Comedy/Podcast/Fox News Segment: [27:12 - 34:34]
- Russell Wilson Cameo Discussion: [41:00 - 53:25]
- Cereal/Syrup Digression: [57:14 - 67:01]
Tone & Style
Much like a conversation with old friends, this episode is winding, irreverent, heartfelt, and laden with running jokes, cultural deep cuts, and the kind of self-aware vulnerability that has made TBTL a cult favorite for years.
For New Listeners
This episode is a quintessential display of TBTL’s appeal: digressive, funny, and deeply human. Even without prior context, listeners will find plenty to enjoy—especially if you’re interested in pop culture, generational quirks, or why middle-aged people are weird about breakfast food and podcast culture.
Power Out.