The Bobby Bones Show – "Our Obsession with Barney, The Comparison Game, & Were You A Water Only Family?"

Date: February 7, 2026
Hosts: Morgan & Scuba Steve
Podcast: The Bobby Bones Show (Premiere Networks)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Morgan and Scuba Steve take a nostalgic journey through childhood memories, discuss the generational divide in kids’ programming, and play “The Comparison Game,” pitting brands, TV networks, and family habits against each other. They also reflect on adulthood realities – from parking at Trader Joe’s to insurance woes – and tackle viral parenting and social media trends. The tone is lively, friendly, and peppered with humorous, candid insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Embracing Childhood Curiosity

(02:16–03:16)

• Morgan shares inspiration from the idea that adults rarely question like children do.
• The hosts decide to structure this episode around playful, child-like questioning.
• Quote: “We as adults stop asking questions and being inquisitive like kids are.” – Morgan (02:44)

Memorable Moment:
Scuba Steve imitates his son’s relentless questioning phase, highlighting the difference between adult and child curiosity.

2. 90s Kids TV Nostalgia: Barney & More

(03:28–08:22)

• Discussion of favorite colors leads to a deep-dive into Barney the Dinosaur history.
• Scuba Steve recalls meeting the original, dark-purple Barney at a Target before the TV show launched.
• Costume evolution: Original Barney was “scary,” and became more kid-friendly as the series succeeded.
• Morgan’s childhood involved Barney as her dad’s go-to “nap show.”
• Other favorites: “Out of the Box” (Morgan loved the imaginative possibilities, though real boxes failed to meet her expectations).
• Both note how powerful these shows were for their generation.

Notable Quote:
“I still have the original dark purple, scary Barney.” – Scuba Steve (04:04)

3. Will Today’s Kids Have Iconic Shows?

(08:22–10:05)

• The hosts wonder if today’s shows will have the same lasting impact.
• Scuba Steve notes most kids’ media are reboots or continuations (Pokémon, Jurassic World).
• Bluey is highlighted as the rare new original with broad appeal.
• Some skepticism about “internet celebrities” transitioning to TV (e.g., Ms. Rachel).

Notable Quote:
“I know the artist that put 10 years in... and someone puts a video on TikTok and the next morning... they didn’t earn it in their mind.” – Scuba Steve (10:05)

4. The Comparison Game: Childhood Allegiances

(11:04–18:05) A fun back-and-forth debate on classic “this or that” family brands and products:

• Disney vs. Nickelodeon (11:57):
  • Scuba Steve: Nickelodeon (“Disney was a premium!”)
  • Morgan: Disney (“We just watched on cable.”)
• Pepsi vs. Coke (12:50):
  • Morgan: Pepsi, because her mom worked at Pepsi, but “as an adult, I’ve morphed into Coca-Cola... mostly because of Sprite.” (14:37)
  • Scuba Steve: “Coke. Pepsi sucks.” (12:50)
• Walmart vs. Target (15:21):
  • Scuba Steve: Walmart, for cost-effectiveness.
  • Morgan: Started Walmart, now prefers Target/Trader Joe’s, though everyone hates TJ’s parking lots.
  • Quote: “Why do all Trader Joe’s have terrible parking?” – Morgan (16:37)

Segment Highlight:
They joke about ingrained childhood habits informing adult brand loyalty (“My dad still shops at Walmart.”)

5. More Brand & Family Comparisons

(21:09–24:00)

• Lowe’s vs. Home Depot: Both favor Lowe’s, a nod to family tradition and its “friendly blue” vibe.
• Childhood environments influenced where they shop and how they view options as adults.
• Discussion about retail employee helpfulness today vs. the past ("Now you ask someone and they just look it up on their phone." – Scuba Steve (24:31))

6. Landscaping, Pride, and Childhood Jobs

(25:20–30:27)

• Scuba Steve details his landscaping crew days (worked hard, got high-dollar clients).
• Both discuss the satisfying feeling of mowing and yardwork, from perfect lines to the joys and frustrations of weed-whacker string.
• Relate these tasks to a sense of accomplishment and generational differences in work ethic.

7. Nostalgia for Youthful Games & Schoolyard Culture

(49:27–54:39)

• Rhyme games like "Bubblegum, Bubblegum" and "Down by the Banks” (with regional lyric variations).
• Cat’s cradle string game and “stacking cups” competitions.
• The regional and generational uniqueness of these fads.

Notable Quote:
“Thank you for bringing that back in my brain.” – Morgan, after an old hand-rhyme (49:45)

8. Family Dining Styles: Water Only vs. “Pop & Apps” Families

(37:47–43:39)

• Do you order just water, or go all-in with sodas and appetizers?
• Both agree: as kids, eating out was a luxury (“once a quarter”), so their families splurged on full meals, apps, and dessert.
• As adults/parents, both are now more likely to stick with water and main courses.
• Parenting tangent: Scuba Steve vents about parents who let kids use noisy tablets at restaurants, versus engaging them with crayons and conversation.
• Family traditions of respect at the table, no screens, and meaningful mealtime.

Memorable Quote:
“Turn the damn phone off. It’s also disrespectful. I come from a military family and…no one’s watching TV or anything… you’re fixated on the moment of the meal.” – Scuba Steve (40:32)

9. Growing Up Fast Food: Happy Meals, Beanie Babies & Nostalgic Foods

(46:42–48:46)

• Collection habits: Happy Meal toys, Beanie Babies, Hot Wheels/Barbie deals.
• Fast food as a staple: “Had so many Happy Meals growing up.” – Morgan (46:55)
• Mourning discontinued favorites (Taco Bell’s Choco Taco).
• Dessert-first restaurant strategy (“Because dessert is what I wanted!” – Morgan (48:13))

10. Rants & Realities of Adult Life

(34:54–37:22)

• Insurance is “a scam,” as are cable and streaming bundles that outpace cost savings.
• HOAs: hilarious but real frustration about rules and lack of service (“You’re mad about this, but not… the way this place looks.” – Scuba Steve (34:51))

11. Social Media, Algorithm Angst & Platform Switching

(55:15–63:20)

• Brief rundown on the recent TikTok ownership change and audience skepticism.
• Discussion of cycles in social media popularity (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter/X).
• Scuba Steve rails against influencer advice videos, especially those made while driving (“You want to know why traffic sucks? There’s accidents – ’cause they’re on your damn phone!” – Scuba Steve (58:16))
• Advice: keep posting, adapt to platforms, don’t buy the hype about “dead” apps.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Barney:
  “I met Barney the first time... the original guy was scary in dark purple... I still have the original dark purple, scary Barney.”
  – Scuba Steve (04:04)

• On 90s Nostalgia:
  “It feels wild. I don’t know about you, but the 90s feel like just centuries ago.”
  – Morgan (07:50)

• On Brand Loyalty:
  “We were a Pepsi family. My mom worked at Pepsi.”
  – Morgan (12:50)

• On Adolescence Rituals:
  “Why do all Trader Joe’s have terrible parking?”
  – Morgan (16:37)

• On Parenting & Technology:
  “I'd rather them be kids and eventually acclimate to going out and doing things than to be a zombie... Turn the damn phone off.”
  – Scuba Steve (40:32)

• On Family Dining:
  “We were taking advantage of that time slot and eating it up as long as we could and doing everything because we weren’t going to be there again for another three or four months.”
  – Scuba Steve (38:02)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:16 – Show intro, curious kid questions
• 03:28 – Barney and kids’ TV shows
• 08:22 – TV generational nostalgia vs. today
• 11:04 – The Comparison Game (Disney/Nickelodeon, Coke/Pepsi, Walmart/Target)
• 21:09 – Lowe’s/Home Depot, childhood family brands
• 25:20 – Landscaping stories and work ethic
• 37:47 – Water only vs. “apps and pop” families at restaurants
• 40:32 – Parenting, restaurant phones & etiquette
• 46:42 – Fast food childhood, toys & food nostalgia
• 49:27 – Schoolyard games & regional variations
• 54:55 – Social media, TikTok transitions
• 58:16 – Rant on influencer advice & phone use while driving

Summary

This episode is a genuine, laugh-filled romp through the quirks of growing up in the 90s and the sometimes-fraught realities of adulthood and parenting today. Morgan and Scuba Steve shine brightest when trading stories about childhood memories, confessing brand allegiances, and debating modern inconveniences, from Trader Joe’s parking to digital algorithm fatigue. Their candid, conversational style offers both nostalgia for millennial and Gen X listeners and thoughtful insight into parental, social, and consumer habits — all while keeping the tone electric and relatable.

Follow The Bobby Bones Show on all social platforms @bobbyboneshow
Morgan: @webgirlmorgan
Scuba Steve: @scubasteveradio