#4631 Intermittent Listing

Summary

TBTL #4631: “Intermittent Listing” – December 31, 2025

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Episode Overview

In their classic self-deprecating, goofy style, hosts Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh wrap up 2025 with a nostalgic episode bridging the mundane and the meaningful. From reminiscing over 90's restaurant kitsch and odd fast-food memorabilia, to debating comedic portrayals in pop culture, and finally breaking down a listener’s “Top 5 Grocery Store Experiences,” the episode delivers both hearty laughs and sincere reflections. TBTL’s signature Listmas/listing theme continues, with plenty of detours.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nostalgia Trip: 90’s Restaurant Decor and Wendy’s Table Art

• Andrew relays receiving a meme of “goofy 90’s chef art,” prompting a deep dive on retro restaurant aesthetics—specifically the painted Wendy’s table tops featuring faux-vintage newspaper ads.
• Both recount childhood experiences inside old-school fast-food joints:
  • Luke (05:28): “You grew up in the cradle of Wendy’s…where Dave Thomas fought for our freedom to have square hamburger patties.”
  • Andrew describes searching online for actual Wendy’s tables—finding listings for hundreds of dollars, but admits, “I do want it, but I don’t want it in my house… I think I just want to be 12 years old and sitting at a Wendy’s.” (06:52)
• Amused critique of people selling posters trying to look like actual tables:
  • “I feel like this is trying to trick somebody into thinking they’re buying this table for $20 or $30.” – Andrew (08:22)

2. Fast-Food Spinoffs & Forgotten Chains

• Andrew reminisces about Sister’s Chicken (a Dave Thomas/KFC competitor in Ohio) and childhood excitement around new products—Barq’s Root Beer, New York Seltzer, and chicken biscuits (11:18).
• Luke reflects on the regional root beer scene and how discovering Barq’s “opened my mind… We don’t have to live under this sort of the soft bigotry of only thinking there are two root beers.” (12:00)

3. Comedy, Stereotypes & Changing Culture

• The hosts discuss comedian Nick Swardson after referencing an old Barq’s commercial (13:32), then segue into portrayal of gay characters on Reno911!, with both self-questioning whether these comedic tropes have aged well.
  • “I wince a little bit… Is there anything wrong with Nick Swardson…pretending to be a very flamboyant, kind of flighty gay guy on roller skates?” – Luke (17:00)
  • Both weigh the difference between characters like Terry (Swardson’s) and Lieutenant Dangle (played by Thomas Lennon).
  • Andrew does a mini-essay on the ethics of straight actors doing gay-coded comedy, concluding, “Maybe it’s not for me to judge or whatever.” (20:53)
• Reflection on the old “Gay Robot” sketch (21:24), prompting a shift in what TBTL chooses to play as drops: “For our show, I decided at some point I just didn’t think it was worth it…there’s plenty of other funny stuff we can play.” – Luke (23:07)

4. Listener Top Five List: “Grocery Store Experiences”

• Ben from Tucson submits a voicemail list (28:15).
• Honorable Mentions:
  • Free cookies from the bakery as a kid: Andrew missed out, but Luke relates, “My mom was not one to miss out on a freebie.” (28:53)
  • Helping someone reach a high shelf: Both hosts admit loving this, but recognize the risk of being patronizing (34:52).
• The Top Five:
  1. Getting everything on your list:
     • Both share tales of near-misses and the agony/ecstasy of actually finding that obscure item. (36:43)
  2. Resisting impulse buys:
     • Andrew: “That doesn’t seem like a negative…It’s a positive.” (38:35)
     • Luke recounts his “hearts of palm” hoarding, Andrew shares his condiment overbuys.
  3. Doing both 1 and 2 at once:
     • "Deceptively difficult to do both of those things at the same time." – Ben (44:20)
  4. Riding the grocery cart in the parking lot:
     • Andrew shares his 81-year-old dad’s joy at doing this. “He said, ‘I just did it…I put my foot on and just cruised to my car.’” (45:11)
  5. A baby smiles at you in line:
     • "You’re one of God’s precious children.” – Ben (44:20)
     • Luke enthusiastically approves: “You know me and the babies, I love them.” (49:02)
• Bonus additions from the hosts:
  • Finding something you need is on super sale (53:03)
  • Packing all your groceries perfectly into one bag, then being complimented by the cashier (53:17)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On nostalgia and eBay:
  • “I do want it, but I don’t want it in my house… I think I just want to be 12 years old and sitting at a Wendy’s.” – Andrew (06:52)
• On accidental stereotypes in comedy:
  • “There’s an essential dignity to Dangle…whereas Terry’s just a hot mess…That’s just how my brain tends to sort those two performances.” – Luke (18:30)
• On root beer epiphanies:
  • “There are two—God made Mug and A&W, not Adam and Steve!” – Luke, joking about norms before Barq’s (meanwhile, also poking fun at culture-war cliché) (12:00)
• On grocery store heroics:
  • “If somebody’s in a mobility scooter, can you reach that top shelf? I’m like, God damn. Yes. This is what I’m here for.” – Andrew (35:24)
• On shopping list victories:
  • “Whenever I go, well, I guess they just don’t have it here because it’s ethnic—oh no, you guys have every kind of hominy I might need for making this pozole.” – Luke (37:34)
• On impulse buys and kitchen hoarding:
  • “Do you know how much toasted sesame oil I have?” – Luke (41:39)
• On post-shopping treats:
  • “I’ll get like a dollar’s worth of jojos…Those jojos are not even making it to the vehicle.” – Luke (47:47)
• On dreams about babies (and fostering dogs):
  • “I’m not somebody who has any interest in having children…I almost wondered if that dream was more about us getting ready to foster dogs…being responsible for a life.” – Andrew (50:21)
• On the joy of seeing a smiling baby at the store:
  • “I am so here for that. You know me and the babies, I love them.” – Luke (49:02)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:17 – 02:21: Cold open with Cinco Facetime Party Snoozer sketch
• 04:25 – 07:03: Wendy’s table nostalgia, eBay searches
• 11:18 – 12:46: Sister’s Chicken, Barq’s Root Beer, the thrill of “new” snacks
• 13:32 – 23:07: Nick Swardson, Reno911, stereotypes in comedy
• 28:15 – 54:11: Ben from Tucson’s Grocery Store Top 5, with hosts’ extended commentary

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Tone and Style

This episode is an affable, frequently tangential ramble in classic TBTL voice—wry, weirdly specific, and laden with loving self-mockery. Andrew’s nostalgia and Luke’s bemused asides create a conversational warmth, while both are thoughtful reflecting on how humor ages. The show’s “Listmas” structure loosely grounds the misadventures and meanderings, but part of TBTL’s appeal lies in these detours becoming the main event.

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Summary for the Uninitiated

If you haven’t listened, this episode is a loving deep-dive into the insignificant-yet-universal—childhood fast-food memories, quiz-show analysis of old sandwich tables, and which shopping triumphs bring the most joy. Luke and Andrew’s rapport is at its best, turning even sesame oil stockpiling into a running joke. It’s a time capsule of cultural kitsch, with real considerations of what jokes age well, a very lived-in friendship, and a bear-hug for anyone who’s ever found meaning in an ordinary day at the store.

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Power Out

Transcript

[Luke Burbank]

Honey, come on, honey, wake up. No. So tired.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

It's our engagement party. All of our friends are gonna be here. I don't want to talk to anybody.

[Luke Burbank]

I want to sleep. Fine. Put on your Cinco FaceTime party snoozer.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Then it's the Cinco FaceTime party snooozer. Sleep right through parties and social gatherings without anyone noticing. The Cinco FaceTime Party Snoozer features five distinct audio responses using my professional, professional voice. And the Cinco FaceTime party snoozer comes with this amazing body brace and earphones that pipe in soothing music so you won't need to hear a single word anyone is saying. My accountant tells me that I might.

[Luke Burbank]

Be eligible for a 436 rebate.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Now?

[Ben]

Sure, why not?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

As a small business owner, that's exactly.

[Luke Burbank]

What you want to hear.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I understand.

[Luke Burbank]

Rebate.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Sign me up. Of course I want. Thanks for coming. Take part in interesting conversations while you get much needed rest. We'd be on this river and it would wind around like this.

[Ben]

Sure, why not?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

We hire fish.

[Ben]

I understand. Pulling the fish.

[Luke Burbank]

I understand. Sounds good.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Nobody fitness at all. Okay. But, you know, thanks for coming. Caught maybe, I don't know, a dozen or so.

[Ben]

I understand.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Blue River.

[Ben]

Okay.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Really gorgeous, though.

[Ben]

Sure, why not?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

It's the Cinco FaceTime party snoozer.

[Ben]

I understand.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

TBTL. What's up, Internet? What's up?

[Luke Burbank]

It's people who identify as nerdy, rapping about the things they love. Video games, science fiction, having a hard time meeting romantic partners. Losers, in other words.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Well, I'll tell you another thing. Once you step inside this circle, the weather never changes. It is always 67 degrees with a 40% chance of rain. Always.

[Luke Burbank]

What if my heart stops? What if I'm looking for a bathroom.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I can't find it and my bladder explodes?

[Luke Burbank]

Holy forking shirtballs. We're in the good place. Well, all right. Hello, good morning and welcome everyone to a Wednesday edition of tbtl, the show that just might be too beautiful to live.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

A beautifully wrapped, glossy, sweet smelling show.

[Luke Burbank]

My name is Luke Burbank. I'm your host.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

When it comes to believing in myself, I'm an atheist.

[Luke Burbank]

Coming to you from the Madrona Hill studio perched high above the mighty Columbia, where it is New Year's Eve day.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Ready to party with the best of them.

[Luke Burbank]

We are wrapping up 2025 and looking forward to to 2026 here at episode 4632 in a collector series.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Let the fun begin.

[Luke Burbank]

And what other way than celebrating an important part in all of our lives. And that is the Grocery store. A list of the top five grocery store experiences. Welcome to Food News today. It's part of our continuing. It's beginning to look a lot like Listmas. And also listing our way into the New Year series that we've been doing intermittently here on. By the way, going to the grocery store is. It's like an all night party for this guy. Of course, I'm talking about Andrew Galapano Walsh, who is joining me right now. Good morning, my friend.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Good morning. I'm sorry, I'm distracted because I'm filling out typing. Yeah, the. I may have already come up with a title for today's show. Intermittent Listening. Intermittent Listening. We're going to go with we're going to.

[Luke Burbank]

Or Intermittent listening, which is what we do on this show.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

The problem is I was trying to spell intermittent while talking and I think I wrote interment Intermittent. Okay, now I'm ready to do the show.

[Luke Burbank]

Good.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

And I had something that I wanted to talk to you about. And I don't know why I just got a wild hair. Well, I do know why, because a friend of mine just texted me some sort of like kind of goofy 90s art of a. Of a chef that is like kind of. It's like a cartoony kind of chef swirling a bunch of like ingredients around and vegetables and pizza. And it was part of a meme. And the meme said, I miss when you would go to a restaurant in 1997 and they would have some shit like this on the wall. And it's like just like this very 90s art.

[Luke Burbank]

So it's kind of an animation. It's like a drawing.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

It's like a drawing. Yeah. Doing a bunch of stuff, but in that very like very like colorful 90s swirly kind of way. And I wrote, yeah, something like that means you might get free. And I also wrote, you know what I really miss is walking into a restaurant in the 90s and seeing these. And it was a photo. This is just something that's been on my mind lately of those old Wendy's tables. Have we talked about this? What was it like when you walked into a Wendy's in the 1990s? Do you remember what the tables were like?

[Luke Burbank]

I remember. I feel like they had very rounded edges in the boot. And I feel like for me, what I think about 1980s era Wendy's was also. Maybe they had a salad bar.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

They did have a salad bar. I'm not thinking of any rounded tables. I am thinking though of the Newspaper print tables that Wendy's had in the 1980s and 90s. And they were like. It was like a bunch of ads from newspapers from the 1800s for weird tonics and devices and stuff like that. You remember those guys?

[Luke Burbank]

I do. Although I'm wondering. I mean, it was a national chain, so if they did it in Ohio, then they must have done it in Seattle. But I wonder also, because you grew up in the cradle of Wendy's, you grew up in the state where Dave Thomas fought for our freedom to have square hamburger patties. So I wonder if there was. If that hit Ohio before it hit out west. Cause I don't associate that strongly with my Wendy's experience.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Really Interesting. Well, I was looking it up online. I was like, why could I. That's a weird way to start that sentence. Or that question. But I was like, wouldn't it be possible to buy one of those? I feel like there must be a million of those floating around. Because Wendy's, as you said, was a national chain. There must have been. And I found a whole bunch of people, like, reminiscing about these tables online. And then I found some that had been for sale and then. But had already been on ebay. Yeah. And then I did find. Right as we dialed up, I did find. There is one that is still available that I could buy right now for a cool $800 plus $140 delivery fee. And I don't know if you're looking at this closely, this poster. The person who posted this did a good job of showing the details of the corners. There is a little bit of damage, as you'd expect, as this table was pro sitting in a Wendy's for probably at least 20 years. You can see there's going to be a little bit of damage as, you know, all kinds of people come and go and sit down at this table. The thing is, I don't want it. Like there's. I mean, I. That's not true. I do want it, but I don't want it in my house. You know what I mean? I think I just want to be 12 years old and sitting at a Wendy's.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly what I want to do. That's what you're nostalgic for, is being that age and eating a Frosty.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah. Dipping my fries in there.

[Luke Burbank]

I say this with peace and love. This is not an attractive item to have in the home environment, as far as I'm concerned. Now, what you could do, though, if you did commit to it, it could be good, it could be okay. Rumpus room. You know, if you had a, if you had a wet bar downstairs or something, I was hanging over some cubed up mozzarella to watch the fish on the tv.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Like if we, back when we were in New Hampshire we had like kind of what we call a party barn. It was an old bar from the 1800s or something and you have a ping pong. We had a ping pong table and a refrigerator. My buddy who we bought the house from, he's the one who sort of out it with all those things. I could see this being like sort of an outdoor party barn thing. I wouldn't want to bring this even into my basement, I don't think. Only it just doesn't kind of match what I'm going. It's very busy. It's a very, very busy look, which is not my favorite thing. But it really does make me. Yeah, just long for the past.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, what you could do if you decided for some reason that you really did want to have this in your home. You can buy the poster wall art of the Wendy's hamburger table said in Mitt Romney voice for $29.11. Well, so they will send you the poster and then you could, I'm sure Veebs could figure this out. You could then like glue it down onto a table surface and you could kind of recreate the experience.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Well, let's talk about this for a second because you, you've honed in on something that I wanted to talk about as well. There are two listings for Wendy's newspaper table poster wall art. One of them is $28 and 7 cents. The other one is $29.11. I'm actually interested in the psychology of that.07 cents and 11 cents. But moving on, the first listing for $28 does a good job of showing you what you're going to get. The description says poster wall art and when you look at the photo of it, it's clearly a two dimensional thing. You can hang on the wall, the one below that, the one that's slightly more money, that is $1.04 more is it says Wendy's hamburger table then dash poster. But when you click on it it only shows you photos of the old table. Of the old table. It does not show you it hanging on a wall. I feel like this is, I feel like this is trying to trick somebody into thinking they're buying this table for $20 or $30.

[Luke Burbank]

I definitely, it's definitely misleading. And in fact when I saw it I thought and it's got Buy it now for 29 11. I thought, well, let's buy this now for Andrew and ship it to his house. And then with a little bit more investigating, I was like, oh, yeah, it is just the poster. The other thing about the top ad, the one that's $28.07 is you can zoom in on the actual poster and you can read some of the items. Like there's an ad for the Regal Gramophone Grand. A perfect talking machine. The Regina gramophone, $20. You can scroll over to. There's for some reason just, it seems a random picture of Ben Franklin. No, it's because it's a Ben Franklin Furniture Company is one of them. There's some various sort of ladies beauty products. I'm very interested in the actual backstory of where they got these, you know, these ads from where Dave Thomas and how involved in the decision was Dave Thomas back in the day, I'll bet you.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Pretty involved, I would guess, like that kind of guy. If this was like kind of original or when it was pretty new, I think that this is probably a good bet that. By the way, I'll definitely use this as show pick art today. We can look at this. I'm looking at this toilet set, but it's not a set of toilets. It looks like some sort of a tea set that is called a toilet set. The price is a modest $3.75. I think I mentioned this to you on the show recently, speaking of Dave Thomas projects. You never had Sister's Chicken out here, did you?

[Luke Burbank]

Not that I remember.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

We talked about that. Do you remember me mentioning that to you though? Like, basically these buildings started sprouting up that they were the shape of a Wendy's. Sort of. I bet you this came up because we were probably talking about Wendy's Carver stations or whatever because of the.

[Luke Burbank]

Is it just like a fancier Wendy'? Wendy's?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

No, it was Sister's Chicken. So it was like.

[Luke Burbank]

That's what they say in the show.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, oh, yeah. Oh, the Carvers. Yeah. But this was basically a run at kfc. Or back then it would have been Kentucky Fried Chicken. But it was really talked about this.

[Luke Burbank]

Not very long ago.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah. Probably because of the chair company. And I remember the. The art instead of like the. The cartoon of Wendy. It was like three Wendy's. Like, you know, young women or whatever, but all. And it felt very much of a piece. And I remember my family being smitten by Sister's Chicken. We thought, because I don't know that we were KFC people But I don't know, my parents were probably at some party and somebody said, have you tried this sister's chicken? And we really thought it was going to be special. I remember when, like chicken and biscuits, sisters chicken, Barq's root beer, those New York seltzers, the certain things. I just remember coming, being a kid and feeling like there's a lot of buzz around these exciting new products.

[Luke Burbank]

I feel like Barq's root beer opened my mind because I was like, there are two God, God made mug and A and W, not Adam and Steve. Like there was the natural order of root beers and it was A and W root beer or mug root beer. And then one day there was a new kid in the neighborhood, at least as in my awareness, living in Seattle. And that was Bark's root beer. And I remember just thinking like, that is amazing. They're making a third root beer. We don't have to live under this sort of the soft bigotry of only thinking there are two root beers. And maybe that applies to a lot of other things. Maybe there's other stuff that I thought there was only one or two of, but there are multiples and maybe some of those multiples are even better. I love it was my mind was expanded by the existence of Barq's root beer.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Let me ask you this, because I remember another root beer coming out that we were very excited about that came in bottles. But I'm wondering, was that Barks or was that a different one? Did Barks.

[Luke Burbank]

I remember Barks.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Okay. I can picture the cans. I don't even know if they've changed all that much. And I'm trying to remember if we were excited because there was some sort of fancy root beer we started getting again around this time of, of, you know, exciting consumption. Whereas like, whoa, root beer in a bottle. Like we're going back to an era when root beer was like closer to like a kind of a beverage more. More akin to a beer or something.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm looking up a Barq's root beer commercial from 1997 because I think part of it was that it was supposed to be like more flavorful, right? Like it was supposed to have more.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Bite, if you will bite.

[Luke Burbank]

Barks has more bite. Was that maybe Bart has bite?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yep.

[Luke Burbank]

I was looking up the commercial and I don't know if this is a good commercial or not, but I do know that it stars a, I don't know, 17 year old Nick Swardson, the comedian. Nick Swardson Barks, the one with bite. What do you mean Bart has bite? Johnny, what do you mean Barks has bite? Johnny, what do you mean Barks has bite?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, hey, man.

[Luke Burbank]

What do you mean Barks has bite? Here, try some of this. Ouch. I haven't seen him that excited since he got his heels.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Ouch.

[Luke Burbank]

You tell him, Johnny. You tell the world. So there you go. Barks has bite.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

So Nick Swartzen, is he the I'll turn it up a thousand notches if I have to from.

[Luke Burbank]

I've never seen what. That's. I don't know. Look, I can't say because I don't think I've ever seen that drop. I've only heard it in our thing, so I can't say for a fact, but Nick Schwartzen was. He was on Reno911. He played Terry the kind of roller skating, like I guess you would say, sex worker who was always getting in trouble. He was. He had some kind of a movie called Mama's Boy. He's like best friends with Adam Sandler and all of these guys. I think he got sober. But there was a period of time where he. Who's having a problem of showing up for gigs where he was too high or drunk to do the gig and was kind of making the news. But I think he's kind of got his life back on track now. That's what I got for Nick Swartz.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I think I get him confused with a fella and this might be interesting or this might be incredibly painful. But if we can piece this together, I think the guy who yells I'll turn it up. Well, I'll just play it for you, man. You know your stuff, but you're like a crazy volcano. You have to show me you can bring it down a notch. I'll bring it down a thousand notches if I have to. So who I think sounds like Billy Eichner?

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I was gon say I think this is. See, I couldn't remember his name. Thank you. I was going to say it's the guy who would be out on the street. And I couldn't think of his name. It was Billy on the street. Is there a reason why I would conflate these two fellas? Do they have anything in common?

[Luke Burbank]

Billy Eichner and Nick Swarton?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, I think that unlikely. But for me, I think it's one of those things like everybody I'm trying to think of, there are some other white guys that I get confused. And Genevieve was teasing me about it after these messages recently. And for some reason I do get those two guys confused and I don't know why.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, I want to help you on this, but the thing that's interesting is like Billy Eichner is like a 6, 3 Jew from the Northeast and Nick Schwartzen is like a 5, 10, doughy white guy from Minnesota. I just feel like maybe it's because they're both very much on my radar, like overly so. Certainly in the case of Nick Swartzen that I have a hard time seeing the overlap. But, you know, that's just because I have for some reason because Nick Swartzen is friends with a lot of the people whose podcasts I see pop up on my TikTok feed. I get a lot of Nick Swartz in my life as a person who, who doesn't have a really strong feeling about him one way or the other. In fact, on a certain level, it feels to me like he's not that funny, but he's just been surrounded by the people that are pretty funny or have big comedy careers, so he's been brought along. And I'm a little confused as to the durability of the Nick Swartzen project because I haven't been cracked up by him a lot, whereas Billy Eichner cracks me up all the time.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Well, if he's the guy who was on roller skates gates in Reno 911 and that did, that was something that always made me laugh, although I haven't seen. It did make me laugh in a really, really long time, but that would be it.

[Luke Burbank]

I loved that character. But I think I wouldn't love that character now because of what this sort of the joke was that he's a very, he's. He's clearly like a gay man who's very silly and flighty in a way. I don't know. And I, I mean, I asked this the other day about like having actors who are sighted playing an actor or playing a person who's blind. And like, is that, is there something about. I mean, I thought that Terry character was a friggin hoop Terry. Yeah, Yeah, I thought it was an absolute hoot. But now when I see those clips of Reno911 pop up, I, I guess I in instinctively I kind of. I wince a little bit because I go. I mean, I don't even know why though. This could be me just like snowflaking out. Like, is there anything wrong with Nick Swartzen who's as I understand it, I believe probably a straight man. Is there anything wrong with Nick Swartz and just pretending to be A very flamboyant, kind of flighty gay guy on roller skates. I mean, is there anything wrong with that? Probably not, but there's something about it.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Can I ask you a question? And this is going to maybe be a really dumb question. And again, I don't know that I'm. Well, I don't know that I need to weigh in on it, but I don't think I'm particularly hung up on it. But while we're having this conversation, is. Is Thomas Lennon gay? Because he plays a very gay coded character on that show. But I don't know anything about Thomas Lennon's personal life.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't believe that Thomas Lennon is gay.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

So does that give you the same pause?

[Luke Burbank]

No, because the way that Dangle. Is that his name?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Lloyd Dangle.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Lieutenant Dangle.

[Luke Burbank]

Lieutenant Dangle. So, like, when he's. New boot goofing.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, right.

[Luke Burbank]

There's some. There's a. I'm. Listen, I am not saying that I am right or that this is how any of this works. I'm just giving you my, like my, my. My honest what My brain, like how my brain reacts to these two different people on Reno 911 playing what you might say are sort of two different versions of, I guess what a gay man could be. There's something when he's doing, ah, look at these boots, genuine ostrich. And then he goes, I'm just goofing. New boot goofing. There's a. There's an essential dignity and a kind of a silliness and a kind of a. A wink and a nod to that character where he doesn't talk about his sexuality. But maybe. Maybe that is the case for him that I kind of put in one category and then there's just like Terry just being a hot mess all the time that I put in another category in my own brain. I am not here telling anyone how they should feel about this or saying I am right. I am only telling you how my brain tends to sort these two different performances.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, that's interesting because generally speaking, I would agree with you that, like, I mean, obviously any kind of pop culture thing that leans into a stereotype, even if it's not supposed to be cruel, but basically reinstates a false narrative about a group of people that's bad. And then especially if that's coming from somebody who's not part of that marginalized community. Boy, what a fun way to talk, Andrew. But, you know, I'm being honest. I'm being serious. Like, if it's somebody else and it's not even your community. And you're doing something that is humorous and you don't think you're poking fun in it, but you're like, you know, kind of again, playing into stereotypes and, you know, kind of supporting stereotypes to get a laugh. That's obviously problematic. It's funny, the breakdown of these characters. And it could be that. I mean, I used to watch a lot of Reno 9 11. I always have to be careful because I want to say Brooklyn 9 9. I get them confused, but just the titles. But anyway, it's funny because I think that lots of times a joke is more on Dangle, whereas I sort of feel like the roller skating guy Terry is so large and in charge and confident in a certain way. But both of them are definitely stereotypes. And I think that Dangle, he's not. I don't think he's an openly gay character. I think he's more closeted, which is maybe that's problematic. And again, I'm not weighing in on whether it is or not. It never. Neither one of those gave me pause. But I'm also, you know, maybe that's not for me to judge or whatever.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, and Nick Swartzen was also the guy behind something that we played on the show all the time and really don't play anymore, which was Gay Robot. And the premise of Gay Robot was. I mean, I have the sketch. Is it SNL or It's not snl, I forget. It was some. He had a sketch comedy show as well, I think Nick Swartzen did. And. And basically the premise was there was a robot that was being built and someone spilled a wine cooler into it while making it and therefore it became a gay robot.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, because wine cooler would be.

[Luke Burbank]

And it's just kind of like. I mean, I thought it was the funniest thing of all time. And we used to play even this. Just this short clip like Gay Robot, you know.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I never said that. I know. Psych Haha.

[Luke Burbank]

Just kidding. That's where psych haha. Just kidding comes from.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I don't know that I've ever heard that, honestly. Or if so, I have never heard of.

[Luke Burbank]

That used to be psych. Haha. Just kidding was a thing we played a lot. And that's Nick Swartz and voicing Gay Robot. And I mean, again, it's one of those things that, if I'm being totally honest, it is funny to me, but it also is like it's playing into even though it's comedic. And again, I'm not telling anyone what they can like and not like for our show. I decided at some point that I just didn't think it was worth the possibility that it would bum somebody out or that it would perpetuate a stereotype that I don't really want us on this show to necessarily perpetuate. So anyway, it's just funny that we're talking about Nick Schwartzen as he played that Terry character. And he also was the creative mind behind the gay robot sketch, which I have to say, I absolutely. I thought was hilarious for a long time. And then at some point I thought, eh, maybe we can just lay off.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, that probably makes sense. Especially because I'm looking at. I'm worried about saying his name wrong. But Swardson, I'm looking at him now. He kind of does look very kind of hetero bro y. And I wonder if that plays into it as well. You know what I mean? Like how somebody. And if you just picture a bunch of like, kind of bros pitching a sketch comedy thing, it wouldn't be funny if this robot were gay. It just kind of has a very different feel to it, as if. Than if that idea came from a gay man, you know, like. And if he's especially bro y in real life, then. And by the way, more pause.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know anything about the writer's room of that show. You know, somebody could probably email and say, well, you actually, the person who wrote the sketch happened to be gay or whatever. That's all totally possible. I just feel like for us, for you and me, anytime, you know, anything that's just on the line, it's like, ah, why not just leave it alone? There's plenty of other funny stuff that we can play most of it from. I think you should leave.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Well, I have an Amos and Andy sketch here that I was gonna play for you. How about. Would that work?

[Luke Burbank]

Everything under the sun except Amos and Andy and Bubblegum.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

What is that?

[Luke Burbank]

Something my mom used to sing.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I should have guessed. Why'd I even ask? Thank you, baby.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, let's thank some donors. These generous people are supporting our program. They are donating money. And that money goes into the TB TB coffers and then it comes back to us as a paycheck. And then it means you can do this five days a week, 52 weeks a year, Even on New Year's Eve day, Even tomorrow on New Year's Day, we're putting out brand new TBTL content for you. And for folks like Dave Austin, who's out there in Snohomish, Washington.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Thank you, Dave. I'm really happy. Do you think that our next donor will be Dave Snohomish from Austin, Texas? That would be amazing.

[Luke Burbank]

That would be unbelievable. And yet it's not the case. I'm sad to tell you. But I'm happy to tell you it's Scott Pomptier of Poulsbo, Washington. That's. You've been to Poulsbo, Washington?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I have been, yes. No, Scott, that's even better than my made up person. This is. And that's a real person.

[Luke Burbank]

That was where our undisclosed location was one year when we back during the pandemic.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Hunkered down in a. In a secret spot and did the thaw. Thank you, Scott. Thanks to Britta Jackson in Aberdeen, Washington.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

We had an Aberdeen yesterday. That's great. Thank you Britta from Grays harbor county.

[Luke Burbank]

Thanks, Britta.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I wonder if Becky know each other. That's great.

[Luke Burbank]

They'd have to. Their names start with B. They live in Abbott and they listen to tv.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

They listen to tv.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Let's get an Aberdeen meetup going.

[Luke Burbank]

Absolutely, I'll be there. Lindsay Llewellyn is in West Field, Indiana.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, okay. Good.

[Luke Burbank]

Mall company.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

What is the mall company?

[Luke Burbank]

Isn't Westfield now like Westfield is one of the major mall owner groups. Like they own a lot of the malls, I think. I wonder if they acquired Simon.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Are they like the kind of the modern. More like kind of almost like upscale outdoor mall kind of like.

[Luke Burbank]

I think they have some of those. But I just know that like.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Westfield dot com. Let's see here. Show purposes. Reject all. I accept. Find your Westfield center trending at Westfield. You know it's funny is to not to go back to the Tim Robinson universe, but it's like Westfield has apparently 72 shopping centers in 12 countries creating one unforgettable experience. But when you start scrolling around on a website for a company, you start getting heavy duty chair company vibration.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yes, you do, Absolutely. Oh, I missed that show. I didn't think I was gonna miss it this much. I have. I love that I had. I'm glad that that show wasn't too hyped up for me before I saw it. I'm glad that I didn't know what I was getting into. And almost at first I was kind of like a little bit dubious of whether or not I was gonna like it because I think that's what made me like it even more, that nobody had told me anything about it and I had to experience it myself. And now like it really I really took to it, Luke, and now I miss it like a friend who's gone away and says they're going to come back at the end of the summer or maybe the next year. But I got to trust that they will.

[Luke Burbank]

The way that I miss Jessica Shard in Portage, Michigan. In the year that it's been since we've read Jessica's name. I've missed her.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yes. Thank you. This is good now, and hopefully we'll get to thank you again next year, Jessica.

[Luke Burbank]

We appreciate it, and we also appreciate Gether. Kenya, gather. Good old Gether. Come together right now. Chicago, Illinois.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I thought we were doing a duet.

[Luke Burbank]

We can't because of the. There's a slight delay in the line, and it's, I think, the main thing keeping our musical career back.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Dip, dip, dip. You go high, dip, dip.

[Luke Burbank]

You paused so long there, I thought that the line.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I didn't know that you were done talking. I was waiting. I was waiting for you to finish up so I could go into my. So I go to my low basy sing song.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, thank you so much to all of our donors for making TBTL possible. We wouldn't be here without you. That's for darn sure.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Hello, and welcome to Top Story.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, let's talk grocery store experiences. This is another list that's been submitted. This is the best five things that could happen to you at the grocery store or moments of being in the grocery store or experiences in the grocery store.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I think going with experiences is the best way to describe it. Yeah, because it's both things that could sort of be put upon you or that you put upon yourself. And this is. This one came in just a couple of weeks ago, honestly. Or maybe I just found it a couple of weeks ago on the voicemail line from Ben in Tucson. What's up, guys?

[Ben]

This is Ben in Tucson, and I am bringing you my top five list of grocery store experiences. I want to start off with just a quick couple of honorable mentions. First honorable mention is being a kid and getting a free sugar cookie from the bakery section. I grew up in Phoenix, and this was a big deal.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Did you get that, Luke? I don't think I got that as a kid.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, I did. Listen, my mom was not one to miss out on a freebie for her kid. And I learned at a young age that if you went to the, like, the bakery at Albertsons or Safeway and you asked them for a cookie, they were legally obligated to give you one. I don't think it was where I Grew up. It was not specific to sugar cookies. I think it maybe was whatever they felt like. But I would look forward to going to the grocery store so much for that exact thing.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

This. Do you remember a couple of weeks ago on the show I mentioned to you that I had watched the movie the Thin man and I was totally unfamiliar. I mean, I'd heard of it, but I thought it was more of a like kind of a hard boiled detective story. I didn't realize that the movie was more comedic in nature. And you know, it focuses on Nick and Nora, this married couple that are just delightful. And there was a line in there that I. From this movie came out, I think in 1936 or seven. And there is a line in there that was so funny that I'm just thinking of it because you said it was the law. They're investigating a murder or something, or they're sort of tied up in this whole drama and they're talking to an actual police officer to this couple. And they happen to be in the couple's bedroom late at night. And the officer is. I don't know what he's referring to, but something in the criminal code. And he says something like, well, are you familiar with the. It's like something like, well, I hope you're familiar with the Henderson act. And the wife. And Nora says, oh, no, it's okay, we're married. And I laugh so hard. It was so. To me, that was so dirty. Like such a cheeky little joke, right? Like. Cause he was talking like some sort of law that would have to do with murder or, you know, intimidating a witness or something. But he says you took it to.

[Luke Burbank]

Be a sexual position. I interpreted it to be some kind of like some rule about not cohabitating. You know, like the Volstead act as it related to alcohol. Like it feels like everything was an act back that it was like the such and such act which prohibited this or that. So I took the joke to be the Henderson Act. Just sounds like a thing that. That would have prohibited them being in the room together or something.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I. Well, I think maybe it was the way I had it set up because it's well into the scene and it's just like this really quick throwaway thing. I think it has more to do with like acts that like sort of like actual. Some sort of sexual act that could have been outlawed if you weren't married or something. Anyway. Gotcha. I'm sort of shoehorn. That did. I will say back to the thing. I never got free cookies at the grocery Store. But. And I'm just remembering this now, a big part of our grocery store experience was my mom. And it's funny, I don't think of myself as being a kid that had to be bribed or whatever. We were kids who we behaved. Because if not, let's just say my family was a little bit more stick than carrot, if you will. But one tradition we did have was my mom would always buy us a little box. One of those little boxes of animal cracker cookies. Right. And it was like. It was a small box and it looked like a circus train car, and it had a little string as a handle.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, sure, of course.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

And my mom would. But we would get those when we went into the store, and we would eat them throughout the shopping experience. And then at the end, I remember one time my mom being like, don't throw that box out. Don't throw it away. We have. Yeah, no, I thought. No, the opposite.

[Luke Burbank]

My mom would have been like, let it lie.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Let it. Let. Throw it away. Throw that away. But then, like, paying at the end and at one point learning like, oh, we pay for these things. But anyway, that's a. That's a. That's a fun grocery store experience. All right.

[Luke Burbank]

I once I found out about the iced cookies, you know, they were the same shape.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

But they were iced. I was. I could never go back.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Couldn't go back.

[Luke Burbank]

Couldn't go back to the typical animal cracker cookie. That was just the, you know, the little.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Non iced version. Those iced animal cracker cookies or whatever they called Animal cookies or something. Yeah. In that kind of bag, you know, that, like, it was almost like kind of a waxy plastic kind of a thing. That was how they sold them out where I was. And, oh, my gosh, I could definitely take down, like, it was a family. Like, it was not like something you'd get in your lunch. It was like, it's like a full thing of Oreos type of deal. Like, this is what you would buy and keep in the cupboard at your house. And everyone would have some.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

But they were small, like animal crackers. See, for me, they were exactly like that. We never bought them. We only had the kind that were in the little classic box that I was talking about. And then the only time I had the iced ones were if I were at like a school party or something. You know what I mean? Somebody else's situation. We never bought them, so I can't picture the packaging at all. Those were just like little treats for me. Are you looking it up?

[Luke Burbank]

I Love those. Yeah, I'm getting hungry for these.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

All right, let's go back to the grocery store with Ben back.

[Ben]

Ben, being a kid, if you were with your parents, you were. You had to stop by the bakery counter and ask for a free sugar cookie. It was a specific kind. I don't know if they even still do this, but I hope so because it was amazing. Second honorable mention. Just really quick as a tall person getting something down from a higher shelf for somebody who needs it, not only did you help somebody out and they feel great, you got to show off how tall you are. You did nothing to earn that credit, but you take it anyway. You feel like it can be mutumbo. Or a Rockette.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Or a Rockette. I love that shout. I have found myself hope because I try to leave people alone as much as possible, but I love helping people in grocery stores. In fact, this is a little bit embarrassing. I was at the grocery store that I know that the best. The Safeway by my old apartment just the other day, and I heard one woman ask another woman, I know you don't work here, but do you know where the hummus is? And I was in earshot. I wasn't like, super close, though, and I might have been a little bit weird. And the younger woman said, yeah, it's kind of over in that area. Kind of gestured, and then moved on. And then the other woman was still there getting her milk or something. And I was in the. Whatever. I was in the bakery department, and I had gotten what I gotten. And I saw that she was wrapping up her dairy, you know, purchase or her dairy, picking out her dairy, whatever she needed. And I kind of yelled to her. I wasn't even that close to her. I'm just like, hey, I can lead you to the hummus. I'm going that way anyway. Follow me. And she's like, all right. And she followed me, but it was a little bit. I wondered if I was overstepping a little bit. I love helping people in grocery stores, right?

[Luke Burbank]

Because then maybe she changed her mind about the hummus, or maybe she had. Was going to get it at the very end. So it was spending the least time unrefrigerated. But now it's like, well, this person's doing me a favor. I've got to go with them.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

This crazy guy who's yelling at me from across, like the. From a two. What do you call the sections of a grocery store two sections away? He's hollering at me. He's leaning out the side of his Best friend's ride trying to get me to eat hummus. All right, so anyway, scrubs. I do love it when somebody, especially if it's an older person, like, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

If somebody's in a mobility scooter, can.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

You reach that top shelf? I'm like, God damn. Yes. This is what I'm here for.

[Luke Burbank]

I did get. I wouldn't say shot down on that the other day, but it was the case that a person who was pretty elderly and again, in a kind of a wheeled device was in the bread section, and she was looking up at the top shelf, which there was no way she was gonna be able to reach it. She was kind of staring at it. And I said, can I get you something up there? And she goes, no, I'm just thinking, oh, okay. But she still seemed so. That was. That was like, you know, I think I still got a little credit for being nice.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Sure.

[Luke Burbank]

You're going to. You gotta be really. Thank you. You got to be careful, though, of course, because there's also this question of, like, you don't want to be patronizing. You don't assume anything about anybody. You got to really. You got to really kind of pick your spot with that stuff.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Did you say. Did you then say, are you doing anything after this?

[Luke Burbank]

I did say. I'm. I'm. I'm dating someone, but not seriously.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yes. Did you say. Are those astronaut pants? Because. Well, never mind. Let's just go back to this.

[Ben]

All right, here comes the list. Number five. Getting everything on your list.

[Luke Burbank]

You wrote.

[Ben]

You took the time to write down a shopping list, and you were able to find every single thing on it. That feels incredible. Great job. Totally not up to you. Because sometimes the store is out of something. Sometimes one of the ingredients in your recipe was outside of your budget and you had to improvise. Number four.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I feel like I have a pretty good track record of getting everything on my list for the most part. I gotta admit. I go to various grocery stores now, so. So I'm kinda like, well, that's more of a sprouts thing than a SARS thing or vice versa. So maybe I'm leaving some things. What about you?

[Luke Burbank]

Well, here's when I. I think most of the time when I leave the grocery store and I couldn't find everything, it's because I didn't look in the right place. If it's something that's, like, a little bit obscure or something, I also will have the experience where. And I can't think. I can't give you a good example but something that's a little bit more. A little bit less common. But, like, a recipe calls for it. It. And I will go to the area that it should be, and I'll stand there and I'll look. And it's always when I go, like, okay, well, they just don't flip and have it. Thanks, Safeway and long view. And then I look, my eyes move over, like, seven inches. Like, oh, no, it's actually right there. Actually, there's a substantial. Actually, there's four different versions of.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

There's too much. I'm over.

[Luke Burbank]

It's all like, whenever. Like, whenever I go, like, well, I guess they just don't have it here because it's ethnic. Then it's like, oh, no. You guys have every kind of hominy I might need for making this pozole or whatever.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I had a really tough time. In fact, I totally failed at finding a specific kind of curry called madras curry. And I was like. And I went to four different stores, including sars, which has all kinds of, like, spices from around the world and everything. And I think it might just be because it was a New York Times recipe, and I did find something called, like, strong curry or something, and I'm, like, googling like, as strong, and I ended up just using regular curry, maybe throwing a little bit extra in there. I think that the New York Times was just being a little bit fancy. But anyway, number five, officially on Ben's list is getting everything on your list. Now, number four.

[Ben]

Number four is not getting anything that wasn't on your list. You resisted temptation. You walked away from the sugar cereal. Right. Something was being promoted into your face that you don't need, and you decided not to get it anyway. Dave Ramsey, don't got nothing on you now.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

That is not something that I've ever even thought about before. What about you? Like, do you ever feel guilty for buying things that weren't on your list? That does. That doesn't seem like a negative to me. That seems like a positive. It's like, oh, I didn't even think of this thing.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I have a problem in that I don't have a good catalog. It's getting better as I have. You know, it's funny. I was gonna say, this year, as I've been embarking on my project, it's like, bro, this is the last day of this year.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

So in 2025, I really did endeavor to cook at home more and to try to use up the items in my refrigerator instead of just letting them rot. And then Throw get thrown out. So, like just going, not letting like what sounds delicious to me today. But hey, looking at what I have, what can I make with this? And from doing that, I have a better mental inventory of what's in there. But still, like I told you about hearts of palm, how I have probably more cans of hearts of palm than anyone else in America because I'll be at the store and I'll be in that part of the store where like the olives and things are. And I'll see hearts of palm and think, oh, I could probably use that. Even though I've got 30 cans at home. Same thing with romaine lettuce. I've been on a serious romaine hearts of romaine kick. Like, I've realized that that's the only lettuce that I need. I like it in salad. I'll put it on a, like a, like a sandwich, you know, Like I can. I. I find romaine lettuce, like hearts of romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce to just be the perfect lettuce for me. But it also goes bad sort of quickly. So like, I'll, like. In fact, before we started recording today, I was at the grocery store and what did I do? I grabbed a new thing of hearts of romaine, even though that wasn't what I went to the store for. And when I came home, I looked at my crisper. Guess what? I had two entire hearts of romaine still in rotation.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

So I guess I. Yeah, that is a bonus.

[Luke Burbank]

Ben's point. Not bringing home excess or superfluous stuff is somewhat of an accomplishment.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, that is a good point. That is a real fail on my part. I guess Ben kind of saying like, hey, you saw something that like kind of sparks delight. And I. And I'm sort of like, I don't. I guess I don't have that a lot. Like, I guess I guess here's the thing. I'm not disciplined when I'm at home and it's late at night and I'm looking at cookies like we had a bunch of holiday cookies here the past couple of weeks and like I lose all self control by the time the clock hits like 11 or 11:30. But when I'm grocery shopping, I can easily walk down the cookie aisle and not be tempted because I'm hardened in the light of day. You know what I mean? I'm like, no, I'm not going to bring that into my house. So I don't think I fall too much for those sorts of marketing traps of Things that I'll regret. However, that thing you described is real. Like sometimes I think I'm outsmarting myself a little bit because cupboard space is at such a premium in our house. It's so terrible. There's just so much stuff. Like I have to take out half of a shelf of goods to get to something that's in the back and it just drives me benonkers. And so like the other day I was like, I didn't have it on the list, but I know I need this mustard because the other one's getting low. And I thought I was really smart, but the thing is, I had been smart the last time I'd gone to the store. So then I had a little bit of that mustard in the fridge and then two brand new ones in the cupboard.

[Luke Burbank]

Do you know how much toasted sesame oil I have?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, toasted too? That's specific. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, have you used that in like Asian dishes? Toasted sesame oil?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I have, but I usually, I use a lot of regular sesame oil because I'm usually make, you know, like for stir fries and fried rice and stuff.

[Luke Burbank]

Uh huh. I think I must have had a recipe that called specifically for toasted. And so I bought that it tastes amazing in things. And so then, then I, I. But also, you know, the, the jars are fairly small and so I thought it was the kind of thing like this is also what happens to me. Like I put it in something and the thing that I made like a stir fry was really tasty. So then I'm like, well, I gotta make sure I never run out of toasted sesame oil again for the rest of my life. So I started buying it every time. I've got like six bottles of. I will never get through all the toasted sesame oil.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

That's funny. Yeah, I, I do like regular sesame oil. And then I do know that those toasted ones come in fact. I mean, this is so boring. But it's like I know my grocery stores so well. The QFC on Holman Road doesn't have regular sesame oil. It only has toasted and it ticks me off so I have to go somewhere else for regular sesame oil.

[Luke Burbank]

Is that just a flavoring they're putting in? It's just flavored sesame oil.

[Ben]

Right.

[Luke Burbank]

It's got a toasty flavor to it.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I don't think it's just a flavoring. I would guess that it comes from, I don't know, but I would assume the toasted region because there are sometimes sesame. Well, I cook with sesame seeds sometimes too. And sometimes they call for you to toast the sesame seeds, which would be to, like, kind of saute them very briefly. Right. Just to toast the seeds. So I'm bring. I'm guess, guessing it brings out more flavor. Are you looking this up? It looks like you're.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I'm just looking at what sesame seeds even. I don't think I've ever cooked with sesame seeds.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, sure, I put them in marinades and stuff all the time. Like, this is the thing.

[Luke Burbank]

We gotta get to this list, the rest of this list. But this is what I'm saying, Andrew, you don't give yourself enough credit as a cook because, like, you do, like, a lot of. I think you're very. It sounds like you're very good at flavor building. And, you know, I'm over here talking about how I'm cooking at home, but I'm just like, boiling up some veggies and rice and. And in, you know, broth and calling it a soup. You're over there toasting sesame seeds for marinade.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Well, I. Well, I throw them in a marinade. I don't know if I've toasted them for a marinade. I don't know. I disagree. I feel like maybe you and I are both in very similar situations where we're both kind of uncomfortable with our history in the kitchen. We're learning at a pretty later age how to get around a kitchen. And we both think that the other one is better at it than they are, probably. I will say that yours definitely looks nicer. I'm not using. We have a couple of Le Creusets, but you sent me a photo the other day of you cooking in a very clean looking environment, while I've got everything, like, balanced on this tiny little shelf next to the stove, and everything's always falling off of it, and it always feels like I'm cramped in my kitchen anyway. All right, back to Ben.

[Ben]

Okay, number three is a combination. It's both four and five. You didn't get anything that wasn't on your list. You got everything that you were supposed to at the same time. It's not quite a hat trick, but I can't find another sports metaphor. But it is deceptively difficult to do both of those things at the same time. Number two is probably the one that most people listening are trying to hear. They were thinking about this first off. Okay, you are finished with your grocery shopping. You are heading back to your car. You're in the parking lot. You look around, no one is there. You put both feet on the little bar under the shopping cart. And you just absolutely crude down that parking lot lane. As close to your car as you can get without crashing into anybody else's. The wind is in your hair and you have not a care in the world. You are one of God's precious children.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

You know who did that recently, Luke?

[Luke Burbank]

Huh?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

My family. My dad. We were going into Bob Walsh. Yes. 81 years old. We were going into a Costco when I was visiting him in Ohio a couple of months ago or whenever that was. And he parks far away from the door. We were talking about this recently on tbtl. He doesn't need to get a close parking spot. He wants a. And he also wants to get a no door dings. No door dings. Exactly.

[Luke Burbank]

No door ding kind of guy.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

So we were walking in across this big parking lot and he said, I shouldn't do this and I shouldn't tell you this, but the other day I was leaving and there were no cars around and I had my cart and I was right here, but walking the opposite direction. And I just did it. I put my foot on it. I just cruised to my car. And I'm just like, you gotta be. I'm like, I'm scared. After I fell and broke my finger, I'm like always so scared of breaking something. I both love it, but also like, let's be careful here.

[Luke Burbank]

81 year old Bob Walsh. Love to hear.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, no, my dad is, My dad is in good shape.

[Luke Burbank]

I thought that where I thought he was going with this was you're all done with your grocery shopping. It's all bagged up and as you're walking out, you get a wild hare and you saunter over to the deli deli and you just buy a little one thing of walking food, maybe a flauta, a little chicken taquito type of thing, a jojo. Sometimes I'll get like, I'll get like a dollar's worth of jojo's, which is basically like three maybe.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, those are those big thick fry kind of things.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. And they put, they put them in that little plastic bag which immediately starts sweating on the inside because of the, I don't know, the condensation, but like a little, a little, a little savory treat from the deli after you've done your, your grocery shopping. I love that.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

That is interesting. I've never done that before because you can pay for it at its own special place or it's the last thing you want.

[Luke Burbank]

You know, that's sort of Hit and miss. I mean, I think you. Depending on the particular layout of the, of the store, some of them, the deli had their own register there. And in fact, what you could do is if the lines were crazy long at the red real registers and you just had like two things. You could go to the deli and go like, can I just ring up here? And they might let you. Now, I don't know if they do that as much, so you might have to still go back through a line. Which. That kind of cuts into the fun of it. But just like, I don't eat, like, I don't. I'm not the kind of person who would go, probably order my whole dinner. And by the way, this is no judgment, but I just don't, I don't utilize the like Safeway Deli a ton. But that's why it's such a little treat when I get me some Jojo's or some other little, some little fried something or other out of there and.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

You'Re eating it in the car on the way to the car.

[Luke Burbank]

Like it's not on the way to the car. Those Jojos are not even making it to the, the vehicle.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

See, I don't, I. What I'll do sometimes is I'll go into the little area and I'll buy like maybe three or five of little Jack Daniels and I'll drink those little mini bottles.

[Luke Burbank]

Three or four or five or six.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Five or six. No, I'm just joking about that, obviously. But no, I don't have the equivalent. I mean, the closest thing is. And this is such a weird thing to be a treat, but like, I have this weird weakness for sesame noodles and I've never made them at home before and I'm sure I could. Speaking of the type of stuff I like to make make, but I. They just have those in the little deli section in like a little tub. But I'm not eating that in the car though. It's just like a kind of a last minute. Like I shouldn't. But. Okay, I'm going to take this home and just like kind of stand over the sink and eat it as soon as I get home while I'm unpacking the groceries. That's the closest thing I think I have to that. Anyway. Okay, back to Ben.

[Ben]

Enjoy your life. Number one, when you're waiting in line and in front of you sitting in that shopping cart is a little baby. And that little baby either smiles or waves at you or both.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

There it is. That's Ben's number One. A baby making eyes at you. Absolutely.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm so here. I am so here for that. You know, me and the babies, I love them, and I love it when they are charmed by my antics. I.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

And this is exactly how we know we should end the show here. But I had a dream last night, Luke, that I was hanging out with a baby. And I'm not somebody. I feel like a lot of my dream tropes are, well, tread in my brain, like, a lot of the same things over and over. Packing up, traveling, all these things that I fall into. Last night, I had a couple of dreams of things that I've never dreamt about before, about playing somebody. My friend's band wanted me to play drums for them, and I'd never played drums before, but they said, don't worry about it. It. It's a small gig. And then another thing was, like, in part of my dream, I was really hanging out with this baby, and his mom was around, but somehow I was kind of in charge and we were hanging out, and it was a big part of the dream. Me just, like, really broing down with this really small child, which is interesting because I'm not somebody who has, like, who has any interest in having children or anything like that. And I'm trying to figure out. I almost wondered. This is. This is insulting to human beings and children here. But I wonder if that dream was more about us, like, getting ready to foster dogs and, like, being responsible for a life.

[Luke Burbank]

So wait, but also, you're gonna start fostering dogs?

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Well, Veeves and I are very serious about when we get back from our trip in March, to start, like, you know, really finding the right fit like it is. We have decided.

[Luke Burbank]

When you say fostering dogs, I didn't know if you were gonna be, like, taking care of dogs on a test basis. Fostering them.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, that's kind of the plan is that we don't know for sure, but we probably. Because we definitely don't want to adopt a dog until we see the dog.

[Luke Burbank]

Actually kick the tires.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Gotta kick the tires. And also, if the dog has tires, it will be interesting. It'll go fast. And racing stripes. No, but we just really want to make sure that not just that the dog. That everybody says the dog is good with cats, but specifically, can this dog and Bingo get along? And we want to spend at least like, a week or something and just see how. Because it'll take a little bit of time for interesting. So, like, Hannah, my friend Hannah brought over her wonderful dog, Lola, a while back. And Bingo was so curious, but he was nervous, though. He was a little bit nervous, but he also had to always be in the same room. He wasn't like, I'm going to go run away from this dog and hide somewhere. He had to always be around Lola, and Lola always wanted to look at him. But there's a lot of trepidation there. But after a couple of hours, you could tell that they were already sort of warming to each other. Not that they didn't dislike each other, but that Bingo was just very much on alert. And I want to see Bingo spend, you know, two, three, seven days with a dog and see if by the end, are they really broing down. Because we really do not want to bring a dog into this house if it in any way affects Bingo's experience. For real. Like, he's our guy. We love him. We have a great balance right now. And it's our biggest fear. Come to kind of ruin that.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, right. Well, if you got. I know you're going to adopt and not shop, but if you adopted a puppy. Oh, you don't want a puppy because you.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

You're worried about the table. Some people are saying that's actually the best way to make sure.

[Luke Burbank]

That's what I'm saying.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Get along.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, puppy. And then in my experience, because that's what happened with Rudy and Olive, was if you've got a puppy and a cat, that it equalizes the power dynamic. So then the puppy is never like. Like the cat's kind of the boss, probably for life in that scenario. But anyway.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, anyway. Those are the things I'm wondering if that's what my baby dream was about, but.

[Luke Burbank]

Or thank you, Ben, that you're encouraging me to finally get back into the parenthood market.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

As well you should. I'd like to. I'd like to be the first person to really perfect.

[Luke Burbank]

Perfect age for me to start. Start having babies again.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I mean, especially with your lifestyle, the way you'll always be at home, like.

[Luke Burbank]

Putting, I can't have a dog, but he's going to have a human child.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Is there anything that you feel was left off that list as far as your grocery store experiences are concerned?

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I would say when there's something that you need and it also happens to be on super sale.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. You know, like, that's a great feeling when you know you're going to buy something and it's like, guess what? These are two for one. It's like, heck, yeah. That's a more and more rare Experience. Experience in this economy. But anyway, all right.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

I like packing thing. I like packing my bags up and finding that you brought in two bags, but it all fit perfectly into one. And then the real treat is I usually do self checkout, but if there happens to be a cashier there and they compliment you on the way you packed your bags, that's the ultimate to me. That's happened to me before.

[Luke Burbank]

Right.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, we could do. We could do a whole week of grocery store content just with you because it is such a central part of your life. It is. But we find ourselves at the end of today's episode, so we will bid you all adieu. But guess what? We'll be back here tomorrow with more imaginary radio, hungover as all hell.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Oh, man, I'm gonna party tonight, man.

[Luke Burbank]

From our crazy partying. I finally drink, bro. I don't know if I'm gonna be here tomorrow, dude.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

Yeah, I don't know. Oh, you got the Budweiser flu.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, we'll see you tomorrow, everybody. In the meantime, have a nice New Year's Eve, whatever that looks like for you. And please remember, no mountain too tall.

[Andrew Galapano Walsh]

And good luck to all, and happy. Power out.