Tell ‘Em Steve-Dave! #670: "Tinker Bell"

Date: March 23, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively, comedic, and uncensored episode, the usual quartet—Walt, Brian, Q (Brian Quinn of Impractical Jokers), and Sal—catch up on milestone birthdays, office antics, and wild weekend escapades. The crew dives into stories from Q’s ongoing 50th birthday celebrations, banter about office life and garbage responsibilities, and a surprising in-depth recounting of Brian’s visit to an “adult-oriented social club.” Later, discussion ranges from parade mishaps to reflections on aging, comic book collectibles, and even controversial posthumous revelations about Bob Barker. Throughout, the group delivers their trademark blend of humor, teasing, and nostalgic storytelling.

Key Discussion Points

1. Q’s 50th Birthday: The Aftermath and the Ultimate Gift

• Q’s Recovery and Celebrations

  • Q shares that he’s still feeling the effects of turning 50, mentioning a particularly rough night involving a $200 bottle of tequila, pizza, and a "barn burner" party (03:33–04:44).
  • He recounts lingering hangovers and a misadventure in Key West, eventually getting stranded due to flight cancellations during a rainy spring break and St. Patrick’s Day (04:00–04:42).

• Birthday Gift: 'Death of Superman' Absolute Edition

  • Walt surprises Q with the limited ‘Death of Superman’ Absolute Edition, complete with a tombstone slipcase and tattered Superman cape cover (06:10–06:28).
    • Notable Quote:
      Q (06:39): “Thank you, man. I'm so touched. This is... This is right up my alley. I love this.”
  • Q reminisces about his longstanding fandom, telling of his past Comic-Con encounter with Superman editor Mike Carlin and reflecting on the emotional connection to the comic storyline (08:12–09:53).
  • The group jokes about how rarely Q offers hugs, marking the occasion as a “Haley’s comet” type event.

2. Office Life & Garbage Day Banter

• Work Dynamics and Office Chores

  • The crew riffs on Q’s non-traditional management style (arriving around noon and occasionally buying lunch for the Impractical Jokers staff), with jokes about giving staff the morning to “gossip" and the avoidance of “real jobs” (14:31–16:43).
  • They prod Sal about the infamous overflowing garbage can in the office, dissecting the logistics and philosophy behind when and how garbage should be taken out (11:58–13:43).
    • Notable Quote:
      Walt (12:38): “It's impossible to empty it twice on Sunday?”
  • This conversation leads to recurring jokes about "office coaches" and the prospect of hiring a homeless person as coach or attendant—a running gag throughout.

• Bed Making Philosophies

  • The guys compare habits when it comes to making the bed, considering it a personality indicator (22:54–23:16).
    • Notable Quote:
      Walt (23:10): "I think that says a lot. That's about like anybody's personality—the kind of person who makes the bed, and the kind of person who doesn't..."

3. Wild Social Club: Brian’s Not-So-Racy Adventure

• The ‘Swingers Club’ Story
  • Brian recaps his recent visit to a Maryland “adult-oriented social club,” setting expectations for wild debauchery and then humorously chronicling a rather tame night (26:00–31:40).
    • Notable Quote:
      Brian (28:30): “It was a lot cleaner. The people were not as wild as I expected… I didn’t see any sex while I was there.”
    • He details the club’s features (themed rooms including a bondage room, lap dances, pole dancing), its location behind an Indian restaurant, and the peculiar membership system.
    • The group jokes about the economics of club membership, ethnic and demographic makeup, and the undercover excitement (33:35–34:44).
    • Brian reveals, after much prodding, that he and another guy watched their respective partners playfully get “down” in a themed room—and that he mostly took pictures (36:45–37:55).

4. Parades, Death, and "Tinker Bell"

• Tragic Parade Story
  • The crew discusses a news story about a woman tragically run over by a parade float during a St. Patty’s Day parade, and the oddity of such a cause of death (51:43–53:12).
    • Notable Quote:
      Brian (52:15): “Death by parade float. Not the top of the list. Probably not even in the top 10.”
  • They segue into personal parade anecdotes, including Brian’s childhood disappointment at being assigned just a cowbell instead of a drum in a parade band (54:09–59:58).
    • This sparks riffs about shame, family reactions, and recurring jokes branding Brian with the nickname "Tinker Bell"—leading to the episode title.
    • Notable Quote:
      Brian (58:14): “I am now... I’m now a cowbell player.” Walt (60:12): “God damn it, Tinkerbell. Well, we got this week’s episode title anyway.”

5. Pop Culture, Marvel, and Getting Older

• Comic Book & MCU Chatter

  • Discussion of the new Spider-Man trailer and the upcoming inclusion of the Punisher character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, complete with fan speculation about Microchip and the “battle van” (40:00–42:17).
  • The group reflects on comic lore, the impact of comics on their upbringing, and collectible editions.

• Reflections on Aging

  • The crew jokes about physical aches (sleeping on couches, hangovers at 50), weight-loss drugs, erectile dysfunction solutions, and the quest to cure baldness (39:30–47:38).
  • Jokes abound on how scientific discoveries get commercialized:
    Q (46:30): "The only one who's gonna be richer than the guy who discovers this pill is the guy who cures baldness…"

6. Bob Barker & The Price is Right Controversy

• Controversial “E! Docuseries”
  • Brian shares recent revelations from an E! series alleging Bob Barker of The Price is Right fostered a toxic and racially insensitive work environment (60:31–65:59).
    • Allegations include Barker’s affair with a model, preferential treatment, discriminatory comments, and policies restricting black contestants.
    • The cast debate how much these stories affect Barker's legacy and whether “judging people from different eras” is productive.
      • Notable Quote:
        Q (65:20): “If the headline is: guy from the 70s has questionable opinions, I don’t know that I’m so shocked that I can’t watch the show anymore that I never watched anyway.”

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Q on Recovery from Partying (03:35):
  “I was having too much fun and I just stopped counting. And then you know when you see the empty bottle at the end of the next day, you’re like, oh, I’m responsible for at least half that.”

• Walt on the ‘Death of Superman’ Gift (06:29):
  “This is one of the sweetest collected editions that has ever been produced… if anybody deserved one on his 50th, it was you, dude.”

• Brian, describing the swing club (28:30):
  “It was… a lot cleaner. The people were not as wild as I expected.”

• Walt on Tinker Bell (60:12):
  “God damn it, Tinkerbell. Well, we got this week’s episode title anyway.”

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:26 | Teasing Q about his 50th birthday celebrations | | 06:10 | Walt gifts Q the ‘Death of Superman’ Absolute Edition | | 09:30 | Q’s Comic-Con story: “You're...You're Mike Carlin!” | | 11:58 | Sal grilled about office garbage and “Sunday Night Garbage Day” | | 14:23 | Q’s flexible “boss hours” and staff lunch routine | | 26:00–31:40 | Brian’s swingers club escapade | | 33:35 | Club demographic and membership economics | | 36:45 | The big reveal: what actually happened in the club’s theme room | | 51:43 | News: Death by parade float at St. Patrick’s Day parade | | 54:09 | Brian’s “Cowbell Parade” humiliation and “Tinker Bell” origin | | 60:31 | Bob Barker, ‘The Price is Right,’ and posthumous controversy discussion | | 65:20 | Q on cancel culture and legacies: “Guy from the 70s has questionable opinions…” |

Closing Thoughts

“Tinker Bell” encapsulates everything TESD fans love: inside jokes, candid life stories, loving ribbing, geekery, and the odd (sometimes NSFW) detour. Whether recounting drunken escapades, comic book nostalgia, or the sting of childhood humiliation, the hosts’ chemistry and humor shine throughout. For newcomers, this episode is a great snapshot of why the show has such a passionate following: honesty, irreverence, and the sense that no topic is off-limits.