The BOB & TOM Show - September 4, 2025

Hosts: Tom Griswold, Chick McGee, Christy Lee, Josh Arnold, Ace Cosby, Willie Griswold

Special Guests: Al Jackson (comedian), Joe Theismann (NFL great)

Episode Overview

This episode of The BOB & TOM Show is a dynamic mix of comedy, sports talk, cultural banter, audience letters, and lively discussion on everything from NFL season kickoff, lotto fever, and the quirks of modern living, to what it means to join the Mile High Club. Special guests include comedian Al Jackson, who gives Tom a crash course in street lingo, and legendary quarterback Joe Theismann, who offers his frank takes on the state of football amidst league changes. As always, the cast shines with fast-paced quips, personal stories, and friendly roasting among long-time colleagues.

Main Topics & Key Segments

1. NFL Season Kickoff & Sports World Banter

• NFL Season Excitement: The crew expresses collective giddiness over the season’s start, with Chick McGee lauding it as “our long national off season is finally over.” (04:13)
• Special Guest - Joe Theismann: Joe offers insights on tech changes to the NFL (chain gang replacements, refs), reminisces about his career, and offers candid criticism of the state of college football and the NIL/transfer portal situation.
  • On the Portal & NIL Money:
    • “It’s a disaster. College football does not exist anymore. What it is...collegiates playing professional ball. That’s all it is.” (140:29)
  • On defining confidence:
    • “If you don’t believe in who you are, who’s going to believe in you?” (143:53)
  • (133:06–151:06; main Theismann interview)
• Red Zone Channel Rant: Chick is outraged about NFL Red Zone’s new addition of commercials and mourns the loss of host Andrew Siciliano in favor of Scott Hanson (“He sounds a little constipated...muting is my only recourse.” 66:18, 75:46)
• Scott Hanson as NFL Red Zone Host:
  • “You have to mute it. The only thing hand Scott Hansen ever did worth a damn...his brothers, they were talented.” (66:44)

2. Comedy Bits & Running Gags

• The Amazing Crisco: Show opens with a parody of a magical mind-reader act, lampooning stage mentalists and bad TV promotions (01:00–03:11).
• Pumpkin Spice Calendar: Josh pitches a “Pumpkin Spice Hottest” calendar featuring models with pumpkins, then devolves into jokes about ‘mini pumpkins’ and “pumpkin spice naughty.” (21:19)
• Mile High Club Debate: The cast debates what qualifies as the “Mile High Club”—commercial plane vs. hot air balloon, altitude requirements, and whether orgasm is strictly necessary.
  • “It’s about being aloft!” —Tom (27:02)
  • “You gotta be in an airplane and it has to be commercial.” —Christy (28:47)

3. News, Contemporary Life & Observations

• Powerball Fever: Jackpots hit $1.7 billion; everyone commiserates about their minimal winnings (“You could take a billion and a half dollar drawing and make four dollars sound like a victory” —Chick, 08:36)
• Recycling Real Talk: Listener letter spawns a heated discussion about the illusion vs. reality of recycling, and whether efforts actually matter when systems are broken (10:47–11:28)
• Modern Technology Frustrations:
  • WiFi Toasters & Password Fatigue:
    • “If your toaster needs a password, I’m out. Everything needs a password.” —Tom (103:44)
  • Crushed Ice & Convenience: Tom laments his home’s crushed ice, preferring to buy real ice at the gas station.
• Trailer Park Class Commentary: Christy Lee recounts her childhood in a trailer park, confirms the ‘double-wide class system’ and fields probing questions about heating, tie-downs, and romance. (37:25–39:44)
  • “People that had the double wide were looked up to...that’s like a real house.” —Christy (37:38)

4. Lightning Round: Letters, Trivia & Quirky Observations

• Gas Station Videos and Mario Lopez: Josh is amused by pop culture updates at the pump, Tom roots for more Kit Hoover references.
• Burning Man Report: Discussion of orgy tents destroyed by desert winds and a woman giving birth unawares at the festival. (19:45–21:10)
• Name Debates: Listener seeks girl dog name suggestions (Jordy, Calista, Sienna, Gemma, etc.), which spirals into a tangent on Beatrix Potter, Trixie Mattel, and more.
• Cookware Technology & Food Tangents: Extended riffing on breakfast preferences, toasters, and culinary nostalgia.
• Mascot Mishaps: News of a Chuck E. Cheese mascot being arrested mid-performance, prompting a tangent on mascot suit design and mishaps. (44:10)
• Tip Jar Polls: Tom and listeners enjoy “voting” with tips on things like “beach vs. mountains” and classic bands.

5. Special Guest—Al Jackson Teaches Tom "Trill"

• Street Lingo Lesson:
  • Word of the day: "trill" = something that is true and real, i.e., “legit.”
  • “Tom, can we hear you use it in a sentence, please?” —Al (133:14)
  • Tom’s try: “Coming up all fall on this program, Chick McGee will be doing his sports picks. And if you follow them and bet on them every week, you’re going to end up a big winner. Trill.” (133:16)
• Tom’s Fashion: Al and Willie riff on Tom’s new “thirst trap” cowboy photo. Tom claims it’s for sun safety:
  • “My dermatologist told me to wear hats that cover the tops of my ears...” (126:16)

6. “Today in History” Live Quiz

• Interactive Trivia: A rotating pop quiz on history (Halley's Comet, camera inventors), pop culture (Beetle Bailey), and music (Fleetwood Mac, Pearl Jam).
• Everyone Roasts Everyone as They Try to Buzz in with Answers
  • “If you don’t say cheese, when you go say cheese, people go, cheese, cheese!” —Josh (107:25)
  • “You could go B. or you could go Trixie. Trixie!” —Chick, on Beatrix as a dog name (108:26)

Notable Quotes & Time Stamps

• On Changing Times & Nostalgia:
  • “Some would say it was from a better time. Some would say it was from uncomfortable time.” —Chick (05:01)
  • “My mother used to say that chicken tasted different when she was a kid.” —Tom (05:17)
• On Recycling:
  • “You know, only you could take a billion and a half dollar drawing and make four dollars sound like a victory.” —Chick (08:36)
  • “That’s the problem. You think you’re doing something.” —Tom on recycling futility (11:02)
• On NFL Greed:
  • “Do you think they could send every fan of every team to a game all season long and still make billions of dollars?” —Chick (79:26)
• On Red Zone Host:
  • “He must breathe through his ears...” —Chick (75:39)
  • “That’s a really tough gig for him, though.” —Tom (80:12)
• On Toasting:
  • “If your toaster needs a password, I’m out.” —Tom (103:44)
• On Comedy & Life:
  • “If you don’t believe in who you are, who’s going to believe in you?” —Joe Theisman, sharing his self-belief (143:53)

Memorable Moments

• Best Comedy Skit: The Amazing Crisco mind-reader parody (01:00–03:11)
• Listener Interactions: Letters spark segments on weird recycling, living in a trailer, and fancying up Chef Boyardee for farmer’s markets.
• Peak Roasting: Willie recalls Tom making a classic “hands up—very gay!” joke for prom photos, getting parental approval and groans in equal measure. (84:51)
• Heartfelt Homages: Chick and Christy express genuine awe at interviewing Joe Theismann, with Christy noting “I still get all gaga when I talk to Joe.” (153:13)

Structure and Flow

1. Opening Parody (Amazing Crisco), Sports/NFL banter, News Quips
2. Topic Shifts: Old music vs new, food nostalgia, weird inventions
3. Spotlight on Red Zone, NFL, tip-jar games, mascot stories
4. Listener Letters: Trailers, burning man, dog names
5. Comedy/Cultural Debates: Mile High Club, calendar gags, breakfast riffs
6. Interviews: Al Jackson then Joe Theismann
7. End of Show: History Quiz, Jeopardy bits, closing banter on who they admire

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is a sterling example of The Bob & Tom Show’s blend of classic banter, satirical sketches, thoughtful sports commentary, and relatable slices of daily life—punctuated by beloved regular guests. The rapid-fire interplay between cast and guests keeps the pace lively, and even the silliest trivia or pet peeve gets elevated into a running gag or memorable bit.

If you want funny hot takes on the state of sports, a primer in the evolution of the Mile High Club, and a roadmap to pumpkin spice beefcake calendars, you’ll find this episode both “trill” and refreshingly real.