TBTL Episode #4655: “Kumon Feel The Noise”

Date: February 3, 2026
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

Overview

This episode of TBTL finds Luke and Andrew in classic form, bouncing from absurd restaurant banter to deep dives on hyperlocal Seattle geography, musing over corporate mergers, pop culture quirks, and, of course, animal oddities and the minutiae of everyday life. Highlights include Kumon logo analysis, a near-miss confrontation with teens, musings on penguin existentialism, and some robust theorizing about backing into parking spaces. The episode is rich in both surreal humor and relatable anxieties.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Absurd Restaurant Skit (00:00–01:51)

• The show opens with a comedic restaurant sketch featuring “Johnny,” whose over-quirky menu confounds Andrew and Luke (“Would you like your slamburger in a traditional sesame bun, a taco, French toast, or rolled in naan?” – Johnny, 00:37).
• The concept of "double down" meals and “lobsterating” orders sets a tone of hyperbolic fun.

2. Life Updates and Corporate Shenanigans (04:12–05:57)

• Andrew updates on an impending merger: AT&T acquiring CenturyLink, delivered via a “good news” marketing email that promises “nothing will change.”
• Luke mocks the trend of monopolization:
  “If we could just get it so every company in America is one company, I think that would serve us, the consumers, nicely.” (Luke, 05:15)
• This leads to riffing on bundling services ("lobster on top"), poking fun at corporate doublespeak.

3. Seattle Bar Geo-Confusion and the Kumon Paradox (06:06–11:20)

• The hosts spiral into a detailed—and very TBTL—discussion of now-defunct Seattle bars, card rooms, and their reincarnations (“the Hideaway,” “Aurora Borealis,” “Kumon”), with much confusion about which site became what.
• Andrew shares a story about “illegally” dumping shrimp in a dumpster, which segues into their anxieties and habits around finding emergency bathrooms and unlocked dumpsters.
• Kumon’s odd logo—a confused face—baffles both, as do questions about what Kumon actually is.
  “I find the logo for Kumon to be really odd. It is a confused child...I guess the idea is if you have a confused child, bring them to Kumon.” (Luke, 15:00)

4. Kumon, Chris Fleming, and Modern Comedy (15:38–22:07)

• Andrew associates “Kumon” with a Chris Fleming bit—leading to discussion of Fleming’s style and other contemporary comedians.
• Luke shares admiration for Fleming, Stavros Halkias, and Caleb Hearon as his “Rushmore of funny people.”
• A recurring bit: referencing the unexplainable popularity of certain bits in both child-rearing and culture (e.g., “bikini Kumon”).

5. Fashion, Age, and the Scary Power of Teens (22:08–29:48)

• Luke recounts a moment when he almost alienated Portland teens by commenting on the “ineffectiveness” of sagging, JNCO-style jeans after one tripped (“I can't imagine the pants are helping.” – Luke, 24:31).
• The generational anxiety around teens is explored: “Is there anything scarier than a group of teens?” (Luke, 22:47) “Youth scare me, particularly.” (Andrew, 22:43)
• Luke’s self-awareness about potential pitfalls of “dad humor” and the complexities of commenting on youth fashion, especially across racial lines, is discussed.

6. Avanti Markets, Self-Checkout, and Workplace Snacks (29:48–44:47)

• Luke and Andrew muse on the Avanti Market, a self-checkout workplace snack shop, and the dubious “security is for your protection” signage.
• Luke jokes about the ease of stealing, likening TBTL’s “honor system” donor model to Avanti’s: “This is the Avanti Market of podcasting.” (Luke, 45:16)
• They’re agog to learn of a brick-and-mortar Avanti Markets corporate office in Renton, Washington (43:28), envisioning a TBTL event there.

7. Donor Thanks and Adventures in Global Weather (45:00–52:10)

• They thank donors, marveling at TBTL’s international reach (Kristen in Australia, Brian in Woodinville, Jeffrey in NYC, Dave & Aaron in Edmonds, Matthew in Illinois, Eric in Seattle).
• A detour into New York’s “360-degree selfie camera” scene and the prevalence of Alicia Keys/Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” plus a story about leaving a Jay-Z concert just before the feature song (54:38).

8. Animal News: Alcatraz Coyote & Penguin Existentialism (57:12–70:07)

• Coyote Swims to Alcatraz:
  • The coyote’s perilous swim raises questions about animal fortitude, nature’s course, and the implications for local wildlife.
  • “Does it just become Coyote Island now? Isn’t that just nature doing nature?” (Luke, 59:17)
• Werner Herzog, The Nihilist Penguin:
  • Andrew introduces a moving clip narrated by Herzog about a penguin wandering into Antarctica’s interior, presumably to its death (“Is there such thing as insanity among penguins?” – Herzog, 62:09).
  • The segment stirs existential sadness: “Nature help them. See, this is the thing. We take it as a given that we can't mess with nature at all. But in this case, how could it be worse for this penguin than what it was going to do to itself?” (Luke, 65:52)
• They each share personal stories of penguin-themed tchotchkes, cementing penguins as sentimental mascots.

9. Classic TBTL: Miscellaneous Games and Listener Emails (34:20–79:12)

• Andrew shares his insomnia game: listing actors with matching initials (e.g., Bob Balaban, Parker Posey, Susan Sarandon).
• Discussion of deleted scenes from “Waiting for Guffman,” including Bob Odenkirk’s vampire audition—deep cuts for movie aficionados.
• Listener Dan calls from a Sky Zone parking lot with observations about the (often coded) culture of backing into parking spaces with trucks—especially in angled lots, reinforcing Luke’s trope about “back-in energy” being conservative-coded (74:25).
• Andrew expounds: “I just think that it makes sense in a lot of cases. But it really doesn't seem to make sense in an angled spot like that because it would be so much harder to do.” (Andrew, 76:54)
• They connect this to political identity, truck ownership, and even penguin metaphors for empathy.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Kumon Logo (15:00):

  • “It is a confused child. The O of Kumon is a confused child. I guess the idea is, if you have a confused child, bring them to Kumon and we will teach them how to be less confused. So I guess it's sort of a proof of concept.” – Luke

• On the Perils of Addressing Teens (24:31):

  • “Are you okay?...I can't imagine the pants are helping.” – Luke, reliving his awkward attempt at dad humor

• On Existential Animal Suffering (65:52):

  • “How could it be worse for this penguin than what it was going to do to itself?” – Luke, after watching the Herzog 'nihilist penguin' clip

• On Truck Culture and Political Coding (76:47):

  • “The coding that Luke brings up, one of them had a ball cap in the dashboard that said make prayer great again...It just always makes me a little nervous.” – Listener Dan

Most Memorable Moments

• Restaurant Sketch (00:00–01:51):
  The intense wackiness of the “double down” and “lobsterate” options sets the comedic mood.

• Kumon Logo Philosophizing (15:00–16:49):
  The hosts’ bewilderment at Kumon’s branding—the confused O—leads to a permanent in-joke.

• Luke’s Teen Fashion Blunder (24:31–29:48):
  The tense, poignant mini-story of a dad-age man misreading the social cues of teens.

• Werner Herzog and the Nihilist Penguin (62:09–65:52):
  An unexpectedly deep emotional wallop as they ponder animal consciousness and the limits of “letting nature be.”

• Listener Dan’s Back-In Report (74:25–76:47):
  Real-world confirmation of TBTL’s parking theories—trucks, flags, and all.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:51: Absurd restaurant banter (“lobsterate,” “slamburgers”)
• 04:12–05:57: Corporate merger goofing (AT&T/CenturyLink)
• 06:06–11:20: Seattle bar/casino geo-confusion; dumpster stories
• 15:00–16:49: Kumon logo confoundment
• 18:28–19:27, 21:49–22:07: Chris Fleming, modern stand-up
• 22:08–29:48: The scary power of groups of teens; fashion trouble
• 29:48–44:47: Avanti Market theory; honor-system and snack theft
• 45:00–52:10: Donor thank-yous and NYC 360 cameras; Jay-Z concert story (54:38)
• 57:12–60:03: Alcatraz coyote discussion
• 62:09–65:52: Herzog's nihilist penguin segment
• 74:25–76:47: Listener Dan's parking lot dispatch
• 80:38–81:07: Empathy via penguin metaphors

Tone and Style

TBTL’s trademark blend of sardonic, empathetic, and deeply self-referential humor shines throughout the episode. The hosts are as willing to poke fun at themselves as they are at the world around them, deftly balancing observational comedy with genuine existential musings. The episode swings smoothly between bits and deep dives, always leavened by the affection and camaraderie of two longtime friends.

For New Listeners

This episode encapsulates what makes TBTL beloved: sharp banter, personal confessions, and an ability to find cosmic significance in the mundane (Kumon logos, parking habits, lone penguins on the ice). While much of the humor is in-jokey and locally flavored, the core anxieties, delights, and wonderings are universal. Even without hearing the episode, this summary should help orient you to both the laughs and the feels.

Power Out