Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! Podcast #662: "All Apologies" (Jan 12, 2026)
Episode Overview
After a brief hiatus, the Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! crew returns for their 662nd episode, "All Apologies." This edition focuses on two major threads: the medical saga of core member Get 'Em Steve-Dave (Gidham) following serious spinal surgery, and a heartfelt, complex discussion of friendship, grudges, and apologies—most notably Ming Chen’s apology video to Mike Zapcic over a years-old Comic Con joke. Blending raw medical honesty, signature ribbing, and a deep dive into reconciliation within their circle, the episode is packed with as much unchecked humor as it is genuine vulnerability.
Key Discussion Sections & Timestamps
1. "Get 'Em's Bionic Comeback" – [00:47–42:00]
- Detailed retelling of Gidham's recent spinal surgery, the medical journey leading up to it, and recovery.
- Honest admissions about pre-surgery struggles, incontinence, and emotional lows.
- The group's mix of morbid fascination, gallows humor, and real concern.
Highlights:
- Beard Negotiations with the Surgeon
“The doctor... took it on as a challenge to see how much he could save the beard while still doing the surgery.” – B [02:21] - Medical Ordeals:
- Infection and recovery twists ("One of my incisions... was infected for two weeks") [02:00]
- The cane saga and rushed surgery due to an earlier cancellation:
“That person canceling may have saved your... your dick. Let’s just say it. Your dick. Functioning. Penis.” – D [08:49]
- Pre-Surgical Struggles:
Incontinence, falls, “pissing your pants and not even knowing it” [10:38].
“Yes, it is. It is kind of degrading.” – B [11:39] - Hospital Experiences:
- MRI claustrophobia and “squeezing the bulb” to bail [21:17],
- Sharing a room with a Hasidic Torah-reciting neighbor—and makeshift solutions for peace (“I put the earbuds in. I was listening to Pandora on my phone.”) – B [23:38]
- Diagnosis Revelation:
“He says, 'Yeah, it's a ossification of some ligament. It's mostly found in Asian people, but apparently you have it.'” – B [24:08] - Internet Trolling:
On Reddit and the online crowd criticizing Gidham’s health/lifestyle [26:13–28:03] - Surgery & Recovery:
The emotional moment when told a vertebrae will be removed, fears over loss of range of motion, and reflection on the surgery aftermath and painkillers [29:37–38:40]. - Rehabilitation:
Early hospital discharge ("They came and said, OK, you're leaving at 11, and I still have a drain in me") [39:33]
2. "Ming’s Apology Saga" – [47:39–81:10]
- The Mike & Ming estrangement and the long-awaited apology.
- Dissection of the events leading up to and following a Comic Con joke that soured their relationship for years.
- Ming’s on-air play and breakdown of his in-person, on-film apology—and the group’s critique of Zapcic requiring video evidence.
Highlights:
-
Setting the Table:
“These are the kind of stories I want to focus on in 2026 on TESD. Feel good stories. Like friends coming back together...” – A [48:22] -
The Incident:
- At New York Comic Con, Ming joked (in a viral post/video) that Mike was the culprit behind some mysterious poop on the con floor.
- “I was trying to make a stupid joke. It was not appreciated like I thought it was, and I'm apologizing for it.” – E (Ming) [52:52]
-
The Apology Video
- Ming reveals Mike not only requested the apology be on video, but demanded a second, more “sincere” take.
- The group debates if this is emotionally manipulative or understandable for closure.
- “You wanted to bury the hatchet... I can't undo that.” – A [55:14]
- "He wanted you to...grovel for me on video." – A [58:12]
-
Meta-Discussion on Forgiveness:
- Walt reflects on not missing the person but being furious with himself for being taken for granted.
- “It’s the foolishness on my part...I was made to be a fool and I allowed it to happen to myself.” – A [83:49]
-
Audience Reaction:
- Ming notes some fans called his video a "hostage video" [71:35].
- A recurring theme of keeping drama out of one’s life, but recognizing when something “stupid” eats at you [72:55].
-
Group Honesty:
- “If anybody out there’s wondering...maybe you better.” – A, on boundary-setting and resentment [84:31]
3. Lighter Segments & Running Gags
Ming’s Health & Return – [45:49–47:45]
- Ming’s health scare & hospitalization gets a lighter treatment. Admits to high blood pressure but overall improvement.
Sports & Convention Banter – [42:06–43:24]
- Ming’s VIP access to a Buffalo Bills game via Jason Lee; banter about con schedules and travel lifestyle.
Christmas & Life Updates – [93:08–105:55]
- How each spent the holidays – from quiet family time to Q's flu and Star Trek binge.
- Digressions on Stranger Things finale conspiracies and generational changes at home.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Brutally Honest Medical Humor:
“You could shit your pants and not know it.” – A [00:06], referenced later during incontinence discussion. - Wake-up Calls:
“If that’s not a wake-up call to go to the doctor...” – C [11:55] - On Online Trolls:
“Reddit’s a bunch of shitheads, but to come down on the guy when he’s this low...he’s got tubes in his nose, he’s got yellow...Betadine all over him, huge cut on his neck...He still can’t be like, ‘Oh, I hope he does well’?” – C [26:13] - Apology Video Drama
“Can you cut that part out?” – C (predicting fallout over the video revelation) [59:03] “That is a man that doesn’t deserve an apology. He should be giving out apologies.” – A [58:12] - Bitterness/Personal Reflection
“It’s the foolishness on my part that I feel like I was made to be a fool and I allowed it to happen to myself.” – A [83:49] - Ming on Resolution:
“It was a weight lifted off me. Yeah, for sure.” – E [77:22] - Meta-joke:
“This was just me before it was a reveal?...him just revealing how shallow a person...” – A [65:21], framing the episode’s theme.
Segment Timestamps (Quick Reference)
- Gidham’s Surgery Story Begins: [00:47]
- Incontinence/Health Struggles: [10:18–13:14]
- MRI/Hospital Anecdotes: [18:06–24:08]
- Online Trolling & Reddit Rants: [26:07–28:03]
- On Apology Culture & Ming’s Video: [47:39–81:10]
- Apology Video Played: [52:52–54:03]
- Discussion of Mike’s Demands: [54:07–56:15]
- Group’s Reaction and Critique: [58:12–65:21]
- Christmas & Life Chats: [93:08–105:55]
Tone & Style
As ever, the TESD crew keeps things deeply irreverent, laced with their trademark “boys club” banter, but treads into unusually frank emotional territory when dissecting personal grievances and the effort needed for real reconciliation. The tone is pungently honest, often self-deprecating, peppered with running inside jokes, and at times sharply critical of themselves, each other, and online fandom.
Final Thoughts
Episode #662 “All Apologies” stands out as an unusually revealing, emotionally raw return for Tell ‘Em Steve-Dave! Gidham’s harrowing health saga is told with equal parts sadness and sarcasm. The long-delayed, cringeworthy apology between Ming and Zapcic sparks a much broader discussion about pride, regret, and the value (or futility) of trying to make peace with the past. Listeners who relish both the crew’s unique humor and their all-too-human foibles will find this episode essential, candid, and often surprisingly poignant.