Podcast Summary: The BOB & TOM Show Extra

Episode: Mark Summers & His OCD Book
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This Bob & Tom Show Extra episode features an engaging conversation with legendary TV host Mark Summers, best known for Nickelodeon's Double Dare. The hosts dig into Summers’ lifelong experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), stories from his television career, and the quirks of celebrity autograph conventions. The discussion weaves in both humor and real insight, with candid reflections on mental health, memorable behind-the-scenes moments, and the lasting impact of kids' pop culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Mark Summers on OCD and His Book

• OCD Rituals and Experiences

  • Mark recounts how OCD impacted his daily life and work routines.
    • Example: Before flights, he felt compelled to read everything in certain store windows to prevent disasters.

      “You have to do these things, Intrusive thoughts that if you don't read something in a particular way, you'll say, well, the plane's gonna go down or something bad's gonna happen.”
      —Tom Griswold, 03:28

  • Discussion on comforting travel rituals, such as touching the side of the plane before boarding.

• Family Stories

  • Mark remembers his daughter asking to cook hot dogs at his apartment, prompting him to buy a whole new set of kitchenware:

    “That hot dog cost me, you know, almost $1,000. But yeah, I did it because she wanted it.”
    —Mark Summers, 04:19

Life in Television and Double Dare

• Conventions and Celebrity Encounters

  • Mark reminisces about meeting stars like Martin Sheen, Priscilla Presley, and seeing Weird Al Yankovic again after decades.

    “We premiered on the Fox network... The first celebrity episode we did was Lou Ferrigno against Weird Al.”
    —Mark Summers, 05:39

  • Notes the intelligence and professionalism of artists like Weird Al and wrestling legends like Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

• Behind-the-Scenes Fun

  • Slopomania episodes: wrestling icons Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan as guests, ensuing in backstage antics and getting dumped in chocolate.

    “The finale of it was, I caught them cheating on the Obstacle course. And they picked me up and dumped me into this thing of chocolate... it was an honor.”
    —Mark Summers, 06:56

• Practical Challenges

  • On set logistics: Dealing with massive amounts of messy props like 5,000 pounds of baked beans, the difficulties of clean-up, including hiring a septic tank service.

    “So, you know, there are stories about, you know, we were making it up as we went along, quite honestly.”
    —Mark Summers, 10:27

• Legacy of the Show

  • Summers remarks on Nickelodeon's fading presence and fans’ requests for a Double Dare revival.

    “The people who grew up on it who were in their 40s now would go out of their mind to do a grown up version of it.”
    —Mark Summers, 10:48

Autograph Conventions & Fan Culture

• Attending and Signing at Cons

  • Mark and the hosts discuss the economics and peculiarities of autograph signings, including what celebrities charge and how fans interact.

    “People want to sit and talk to you for 15 minutes and tell you stories... you have to be nice, but... the longer you talk, that's the fewer you sign and, you know, get paid.”
    —Mark Summers, 14:45

• Positive Energy in Unlikely Places

  • Josh notes the friendly and celebratory atmosphere at horror conventions, which surprises those unfamiliar with the scene:

    “It's all very, very celebratory and happy. It's interesting.”
    —Josh Arnold, 14:18

• Memorable Miscellaneous Merch

  • Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham’s success selling puppets and the resurgence of ventriloquism post-America’s Got Talent.

Mental Health, Community, and Cleanliness

• OCD Management and Group Therapy

  • Mark shares a story about an uncooperative group member, highlighting the struggle with personal change:

    “Until you're ready to kick that stuff, you're not going to do it.”
    —Mark Summers, 17:13

• Reflections on Normalcy and Broadcasting

  • Mark appreciates the professional camaraderie of The Bob & Tom Show and compares it to other industry experiences.

• Cleanliness Quirks

  • Extended, tongue-in-cheek discussion about strategies to avoid germs in public spaces (escalators, bathrooms, elevator buttons):

    "Do you do the surfing motion?"
    —Bob Kevoian, 18:33

  • Everyone admits to elaborate methods for staying sanitized, to collective laughter.

• Hotel Room Coffee Makers

  • The team jokes about rumors of flight attendants cleaning delicates in hotel coffee machines, leading to discussions about travel hygiene.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “That hot dog cost me, you know, almost $1,000. But yeah, I did it because she wanted it.”
  —Mark Summers (04:19)

• “It's all very, very celebratory and happy. It's interesting.”
  —Josh Arnold on horror conventions (14:18)

• “The people who grew up on it who were in their 40s now would go out of their mind to do a grown up version of it.”
  —Mark Summers (10:48)

• “Until you're ready to kick that stuff, you're not going to do it.”
  —Mark Summers (17:13)

• “We were making it up as we went along, quite honestly.”
  —Mark Summers, about Double Dare’s set antics (10:27)

• “He put in memory and gorilla had two degrees. He was a brilliant guy. But together they were unbelievable.”
  —Mark Summers about wrestling duo Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan (06:47)

Timed Segment Highlights

• Mark’s OCD routines and rituals: 03:25–04:36
• NYC hot dog story with his daughter: 04:05–04:44
• Double Dare celebrity stories/Wrestlers: 05:24–07:17
• Cleaning 5,000 lbs of baked beans from the set: 09:37–10:29
• Nickelodeon’s decline and nostalgia for Double Dare: 10:34–11:12
• Autograph convention culture: 13:04–14:45
• Horror convention positivity: 14:12–14:25
• Group therapy for OCD, frustration with inaction: 16:53–17:35
• Enthusiastic group conversation about public hygiene and cleanliness quirks: 18:09–19:47

Final Thoughts

The episode blends genuine compassion, nostalgia, and irreverence, giving listeners both laughter and unexpected insights into mental health and pop culture. Mark Summers’ vivid stories—whether about game show slime or the very real impact of OCD—are both relatable and memorable, making this a particularly warm and insightful edition of the Bob & Tom Show Extra.