TBTL #4661: Paws, But Do Not Stop

Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh
Date: February 11, 2026

Episode Overview

Luke and Andrew return for another characteristically meandering—but always endearing—episode of TBTL. This time, the duo dives into everything from bizarrely specific hotel etiquette, tipping, and nostalgia, to intense feelings about their cats, and the curious local phenomena of “Recovering Juggalos.” With signature warmth and wit, they balance absurd asides (Timothée Chalamet dinner fantasies, meme wars, and gift card regrets) with surprisingly poignant reflections on memory, aging, and the little kindnesses that make daily life better.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Imagining Dinner with Timothée Chalamet

[00:00 – 00:43]

• Luke opens with a surreal, imagined dinner with Timothée Chalamet, poking fun at performative coolness and the concept of “disrupting” hot sauces.
• Notable quote:

  “He says he thinks he can be a disruptor in that space. And then beatboxes for a little bit.” —Luke [00:17]

2. Carb Monsters & Hotel Housekeeping Dilemmas

[00:43 – 07:28]

• Banter about the irresistible allure of buttery bread morphs into a more earnest discussion about hotel etiquette.
• Luke discovers a handwritten note from “Kenya,” his housekeeper, requesting a TripAdvisor review.
• Andrew ponders the modern landscape of tipping hotel staff, inflation, and the awkwardness of leaving too little or too much.
• Notable exchange:

  “Kenya did a phenomenal job in this... The room is spotless. It’s lovely. You know, that's one of the best feelings ever, is coming back to the hotel room, having it all straightened up.” —Luke [05:50]

3. Old Games, Escape Rooms, and Technology Nostalgia

[03:16 – 05:21, 39:46 – 42:00]

• Andrew describes discovering an old Flash game collection, comparing it to returning to a hotel room and finding a mysterious note—emphasizing the joy of small mysteries and analog surprises.
• The conversation dips into tech nostalgia, including Andrew’s “George Costanza wallet” and both hosts’ resistance to fully digitizing their everyday lives.

4. Tipping, Paul F. Tompkins, and Glittery Regrets

[07:28 – 12:11]

• A debate on proper tipping leads to stories about comedians John Hodgman and Paul F. Tompkins, including Luke’s mishap drenching Tompkins with glitter that still haunts him (via his laptop).
• Notable aside:

  “Every time ... a piece of glitter just, like, weirdly surfaces from under one of the keys on my computer, I am reminded ... That could have gone either way.” —Luke [10:14]

5. Super Bowl Commercial Talk: Liquid I.V. and Toilet Humor

[11:11 – 12:11]

• Andrew brings up the Liquid I.V. commercial, featuring singing toilets, and notes the cleverness and boundary that even he, not a toilet humor enthusiast, found amusing.

6. Olympics: Warmth, Critiques, and Nostalgia

[12:11 – 17:40]

• The hosts discuss Andrew’s partner Genevieve’s aversion to the Olympics due to its corruption and lack of personal interest, but also how the event can bring families together.
• Luke reflects on missing phases of his own life, using the Olympics as emblematic of stability and tradition.
• Notable moment:

  “Do I actually miss the Olympics? Or do I miss a time in my life where I was 15 to 20 years younger… and then had dinner with my wife at the time or girlfriend...?” —Luke [16:38]

7. Pre-stalgia, Present Living, and Regret

[17:40 – 24:34]

• Andrew introduces “pre-stalgia”—awareness that current moments will become nostalgic, leading to a reflection on self-forgiveness and being present.
• Notable quote:

  "I'm going to be looking back at these moments. So for the sake of future Andy... try to make him right." —Andrew [24:34]

8. More Housekeeper Note Analysis – The Motivations Behind Kenya’s Handwritten Review Prompt

[24:44 – 37:01]

• Luke and Andrew deconstruct the likely reasoning behind the hotel’s push for TripAdvisor reviews—wondering whether there's a contest or incentive for staff, and expressing a desire for tipping options via QR code.
• Luke expresses appreciation for personalized service and vows to further reward Kenya.
• Notable quote:

  “I would like this to redound more directly to Kenya’s bottom line.” —Luke [33:26]

9. Digital Wallets, Cashlessness, and the Relics of Analog Life

[37:01 – 42:00]

• The hosts riff on the growing power of digital wallets, and Andrew runs through the nearly comedic contents of his overstuffed wallet, embracing his “old man” status.
• Luke notes the inconsistency in how he values loyalty/rewards programs depending on whether he identifies as “the kind of person who goes here.”

10. Points, Rewards, and Office Supply Store Agonies

[42:00 – 52:18]

• Discussion of consumer loyalty programs, points, and the psychology of participating in (or rejecting) apps for establishments like Chipotle, McDonald's, and Jimmy John's.
• Andrew shares tales of frustration (and guilt) from Office Depot—highlighting customer service, scarcity of physical goods, and the evolving consumer experience.

11. Reluctant Embrace of Digital Life & Data Privacy Resignation

[52:18 – 54:46]

• Catch-all resignation towards digital tracking, cookies, and online profiles.
• Notable quote:

  “There’s nothing—I’m not preserving any part of my, you know, my identity by not giving Jimmy John's my damn phone number.” —Luke [52:38]

12. Rewards Regrets & Organizational Loyalty

[54:46 – 56:21]

• Luke vents about letting $31 in REI dividends expire.
• Andrew reframes the loss as, “Good. It’s a co-op you want to support.”

13. Final Thoughts on Hotel Review & Barriers to Generosity

[56:21 – 64:18]

• Luke goes to leave a glowing TripAdvisor review for Kenya, only to be stymied by the requisite TripAdvisor account sign-up, humorously highlighting the hurdles of digital “kindness.”
• Notable quote:

  “I want to do what I can for Kenya, but I stop short of signing in to Jimmy John’s/tripadvisor/McDonald’s app.” —Luke [63:32]

Dazzling Donors Segment

[64:46 – 78:16]

Andrea Elkins (Humble, Texas)

• Andrea (with Mr. David and Polly Prissy Pants) endures a year of change and gratitude, continuing to support the show and invest in TBTL swag.
• Notable quote:

  “[Your] upbeat dialogue has kept us giggling through job layoffs, retirement, hobby seeking, bone chewing, and travel.” —Andrea [66:06]

Arlen Horst (Not Arlene)

• Updates on donating bikes, recovering from a collarbone break, and adopting kittens from PAWS.
• Shoutout to the Seattle Mandolin Orchestra—performing mostly pieces by living composers.

  “They are a great pair of cats providing endless fun entertainment. A high five paw to them both, to both Bingo and Bubbles.” —Arlen [71:15]

Andrew emotionally discusses his own deepening bond with Bingo and the universal pet-owner anxieties that come with it.

Listener Email: “Recovering Juggalos”

[78:32 – 83:53]

• Listener voicemail reveals that a “Juggalos Anonymous”-type group meets in Port Townsend, complete with matching tattoos.

  "Apparently here in Port Townsend... there's a group where they refer to themselves as Ex-Juggalos... they even have matching tattoos and meet regularly." —Anonymous Listener [79:35]

• Luke reflects warmly on Juggalo culture’s embrace of outcasts and community, suggesting departures from it aren’t inherently necessary unless individuals find it negative.

Quotes & Notable Moments

• On nostalgia and pre-stalgia:

  “My favorite drug is nostalgia. But it’s got a lot of competition... I can’t help but think that this is a very specific time in my life right now... I have a feeling if I ever smell anything that even comes close [to a house reno], I will be transported to this moment.” —Andrew [22:18]

• On side work and tipping:

  “In restaurants, they call that side work... It’s all the stuff that does not lead to a tip that nobody really wants to be doing, but you gotta do it so that... your shift goes well or so the next shift goes well.” —Luke [35:56]

• On digital identity and rewards apps:

  “There’s something about like, maybe because... I would... die before I would use them without getting my proper credit... But like if I’m at a Chipotle and they’re like, ‘Are you going to be using the Chipotle app to get your points?’ I’m like, how would you even think I’m that much of a loser?” —Luke [42:00]

Memorable Tangents

• Luke’s obsession with “pre-shadiness” as a future strategy for convincing CBS to overlook missing receipts for business expenses. [30:45]
• The Office/Ed Helms nostalgia meme and the wistfulness about knowing when you’re living in “the good times.” [20:08]
• Andrew’s guilt about possibly being less gracious to an Office Depot employee. [51:01]
• Extended riff about what defines a “Best Buy person” and how one’s identity shapes participation in consumer loyalty programs. [42:00]

Timestamps for Key Sections

| Topic | Start | End | |-------------------------------------------|------------|------------| | Timothée Chalamet Dinner Fantasy | 00:00 | 00:43 | | Hotel Housekeeping, Tipping & Kenya’s Note| 05:21 | 37:01 | | Digital Wallet & Analog Life | 37:01 | 42:00 | | Loyalty Points & Office Store Agony | 42:00 | 52:18 | | Cookie Acceptance & Privacy Resignation | 52:18 | 54:46 | | Expired REI Dividend Lament | 54:46 | 56:21 | | Dazzling Donors (Andrea, Arlen) | 64:46 | 78:16 | | Listener Voicemail: Recovering Juggalos | 78:32 | 83:53 |

Tone & Language

• True to TBTL, the episode is a blend of wry self-deprecation, loving digressions, and honest reflection, peppered with comedic asides and in-jokes. Both hosts are candid in sharing not just their opinions, but their foibles—creating a space that feels both inviting and familiar.

Recurring Themes

• The evolving etiquette of everyday kindness (tipping, reviewing, being present).
• The tension between embracing digital convenience and holding onto nostalgic practices.
• The power of community, whether in pets, niche music ensembles, or even Juggalo culture.
• Warmth and affirmation in small, unremarkable moments.

For Listeners New and Old:
This episode embodies what makes TBTL beloved: the affection for the mundane, the security in confiding small anxieties, and the exuberant celebration of small, human connections—even with someone who leaves a Post-It on your hotel pillow.

No mountain too tall... and good luck to all!