The BOB & TOM Show Free Podcast – B&T Extra: Palisades Park, Letters, & Josh's Banjo

Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: The BOB & TOM Show Crew (Tom, Bob, Chick, Josh, and others)
Episode Theme:
A lively blend of humor and conversation as the crew dives into everything from vintage pop culture trivia, odd listener letters about cremation and composting remains, everyday dilemmas like food expiration dates, to a personal story about Josh’s inherited banjo. Expect playful back-and-forth, quirky news, and plenty of zany observational comedy.

Episode Overview

This B&T Extra episode revolves around the quirks of nostalgia (with a focus on "Palisades Park"), answering and riffing on listener mail (often on macabre or downright odd topics), and a peek into the sentimental with Josh's banjo story. The show maintains its hallmark rapid-fire wit, quick tangents, and group camaraderie throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Palisades Park" & Pop Culture Tangents

• Hyundai Palisade vs. Freddie "Boom Boom" Cannon:
  The crew kicks off by playing with the confusion between the Hyundai "Palisade" SUV and the old song "Palisades Park" (Freddie Cannon).
  • Tom jokes about the “aggressive” vocals:
    • Bob (04:07): “Chris, listen to this vocal right in your face. That’s where the girls are.”
  • Pop quiz on the song’s author (Chuck Barris, of "The Gong Show" fame), leading to a movie reference.
    • Josh (04:37): “What is the name of that movie? I’ve never seen it and I’ve always wanted to.”
    • Bob: "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind."
• Recording/Radio Anecdotes:
  Tom wonders if the song’s abrasive sound suited the car or AM radios of its day.
  • Tom (05:50): "I wonder if that maybe sounded a lot better..."

2. Listener Letters – Death, Cannons, and Compost

• Alternative Body Disposal Methods:
  The gang revisits a story about body composting becoming legal in some states, which leads into odd listener stories:

  • Ray’s letter about firing his cremated cousin’s remains out of a cannon—twice!
    • Chick (07:25): "We honored his request. In fact, there were enough cremains to fire the cannon twice. It was awesome."
    • Josh: "Where do you get a cannon?"
  • Brian’s joke wishes for a hazelnut tree planted over his composted body:
    • Tom (09:06): "That way I’ll know that years from now as I’m rotting in hell, I’ll be laughing as people are eating my nuts."
    • Bob: "That is thoughtful. And psychotic. I think."

• Cemetery Humor & The "Boneyard":
  Brief discussion on visiting graves, bodies in biodegradable capsules, and whether cemeteries are a popular spot for public sex:

  • Bob (17:49): "Don’t you think that’s close to number one where people have sex outside of the house?"
  • Chick: "I bet it’s in the top 10."

• Animals in Unusual Places:
  Talking about whether sharks can live in freshwater, mentioning bull sharks, speartooth and the Ganges shark.

  • Josh (18:02): “Some sharks can live in fresh water. Particularly the bull shark and the speartooth shark. And the Ganges shark, believed to be the only species found exclusively in fresh water.”
  • Tom (18:17): “What’s in the Ganges River? It eats primarily cadavers and turds.”

3. Expiration Dates & Food Safety

• Eating Past the Expiry:
  Listener emails spark debate over living dangerously with food just past its "Best By" date.

  • Bob (10:03): "I think last night, I had some cream cheese... expired. I opened it, smelled it, it was okay."
  • Tom (10:15): "Don’t they—aren’t most of those way too early?"
  • Discussion on possible illness levels, “Mr. Yuck” stickers, and suggestions for more honest labeling.

• Smart Stickers & Sensors:
  Tom mentions ongoing developments like paper-based sensors for spoilage detection.

  • Tom (11:28): "Scientists are developing a paper based sensor that will actually detect spoilage..."

4. Josh’s Banjo Story – An Unexpectedly Sentimental Moment

• Does Josh Play Banjo at His Father’s Grave?
  In response to a listener letter:
  • Chick (13:43): “He says, does Josh take the banjo when he goes to see his dad?”
  • Josh shares that his dad owned a banjo, but never really played it much.
    • Josh (14:16): "Well, no, I just took it... My dad died."
  • The banjo is now too old and unplayable; Josh considers getting another but reflects on the emotional weight of the inheritance.
    • Chick (14:53): "But I started learning it, and it’s a little too old. It’s... unrepairable, apparently."

5. Inventions & Oddities: Artificial Tongue

• Science & Jokes:
  The group pokes fun at a serious story about scientists inventing an "artificial tongue"—ostensibly for food testing—with the usual double entendres.
  • Tom (15:19): "Scientists have created an artificial tongue."
  • Bob (15:39): "Have you seen the artificial tongues that you click it in?"
  • Chick: "I don’t know how I haven’t bought one just to have."
  • Tom: (Joking about AI telling on your activities) "You might want to use some extra toothpaste on it. Tastes a little bit like duty."

6. Running Gags, Listener Gripes & Show Self-Awareness

• Topics the Audience Is Tired Of:
  A listener suggests the crew spends too much time on certain subjects, such as Dutch doors, Smokey the Bear, and Chuck Norris jokes.
  • Bob (12:47): "Travis is offering a list of things that you guys have talked about too much."
  • Tom: "We haven’t done that. We did one Chuck Norris joke in the last month."
• Show-Within-a-Show Meta:
  The team is self-referential, aware of their recurring topics, and riffs on listener feedback openly.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On "Palisades Park" and Sound Production:
  • Bob (04:07): “Chris, listen to this vocal right in your face. That’s where the girls are.”
• On Firing Cremains from a Cannon:
  • Chick (07:25): "We honored his request. In fact, there were enough cremains to fire the cannon twice. It was awesome."
• On Food Expiry Labels:
  • Tom (10:26): "Give me poison by."
  • Josh (10:43): "What level of illness will you... Well, if you eat this on Thursday: mild fever. Eat it on the following Sunday: possible convulsions and death."
• On the Banjo’s Fate:
  • Chick (14:53): "But I started learning it, and it's a little too old... It's unrepairable, apparently."
• On Artificial Tongues:
  • Tom (15:21): "Scientists have created an artificial tongue."
  • Bob (15:39): "Have you seen the artificial tongues that you click in?"
• On Cemetery as a Hook-Up Spot:
  • Bob (17:49): "Don’t you think that’s close to number one where people have sex outside of the house?"

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:22 - "Corn Dog Love" Song Interlude
• 03:07 - Start of Email/Letters Segment
• 06:46 - Listener Letter: Firing Cremains from a Cannon
• 09:00 - Listener Letter: Composting & Hazelnut Tree Joke
• 10:03 - Foods Past Expiry Discussion
• 13:35 - Listener Question: Josh and the Banjo
• 14:53 - Josh’s Sentimental Banjo Story
• 15:19 - Artificial Tongue Science Story & Jokes
• 17:49 - Cemetery Sex & Cremation Tangent
• 18:02 - Freshwater Sharks Discussion

Episode Tone and Style

Mixing the irreverent with the genuinely thoughtful (as in Josh’s banjo reflection), the hosts keep the banter light, fast, sometimes edgy and self-aware. Quick topic pivots and musical gags abound, punctuated by loyal audience participation through email.

Conclusion

This B&T Extra showcases everything that makes the Bob & Tom Show a longstanding favorite: irrepressible humor, running jokes, audience interplay, pop culture nostalgia, and the ability to switch from mock outrage to genuine reflection at will. Whether discussing the ridiculous idea of shooting ashes out of cannons or the fate of an inherited but unplayable banjo, the show finds laughs—and a bit of heart—in any topic.

Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys rapid, unfiltered group banter with a blend of irreverence, odd news, and the occasional unexpectedly sweet touch.