Podcast Summary: The Book Lisp with Jon Ryan & Sarah Colonna

Episode Title: Red Flag On The Play
Date: February 9, 2026
Hosts: Jon Ryan & Sarah Colonna
Featured Book: Look Closer by David Ellis

Episode Overview

This week's episode, "Red Flag On The Play," marks week two of the Book Lisp’s February deep-dive into Look Closer by David Ellis, a psychological thriller from Sarah's shelf. True to form, hosts (and married couple) Jon Ryan and Sarah Colonna deliver their trademark mix of light-hearted banter, sharp wit, and genuine insights. While avoiding spoilers, they touch on the book’s core premise and use it as a jumping-off point for a series of profound (and often laugh-out-loud) conversations about confidence, delusion, secrets, and "red flags" in life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Updates & Context

• Jon’s Cold and Super Bowl Timelines (00:30 – 02:50)

  • Jon’s under the weather but jokes about being “clammy.”
  • Sarah is prepping for standup shows in Iowa, mentioning how this episode is pre-Super Bowl due to their travel schedules.
  • They promise Super Bowl stories in the next episode and plug their Patreon short story club.

• Tour & Club Announcements (03:10 – 06:06)

  • Sarah shares an extensive run of her upcoming comedy shows.
  • Jon announces a new soccer stadium being built in Portland, humorously roasting Instagram commenters (“Sorry Don Matthews that we can’t just... build [the stadium] in your backyard." – Jon, 06:52).

2. Look Closer Discussion (No Spoilers)

• Book Setup & Halloween Murders (08:16 – 11:30)

  • Sarah describes the novel’s premise: a mysterious death on Halloween with layers of infidelity and secrets.
  • They riff on the dark absurdity of being found murdered in a Halloween costume, citing comedian Chris Franjola’s joke about “what you die in.”
  • Sarah’s long-held suspicion of haunted houses (“I don’t go to haunted houses because I don’t want the axe murderer to decide to... go off on people.” – Sarah, 11:09).

• Crime Rates & Halloween (12:11 – 13:18)

  • Jon asks about crime rates on holidays, revealing Mother's Day has the lowest (“No one wants to ask their mom for bail on Mother’s Day.” – Jon, 13:15).

3. Banter, Book Club Routine, and Listener Engagement

• Patreon, Book Picks, and Group Details (02:52 – 05:42, 08:19 – 08:28)
  • Monthly short stories, Facebook group “Book Lisp Spinners,” and Patreon exclusive episodes get mentions.
  • March’s book pick will be One Day by David Nicholls—teased as romance-but-not-fluffy.

4. The “Who Secretly Runs the Show” Question

• NFL Stories: Confidence & Leadership (15:03 – 19:40)

  • Jon shares how outsiders (like a magician) can get destroyed when speaking to NFL teams unless they “bring it.”

  • Example of Brene Brown commanding a Seahawks’ room:
    “For five minutes she just owned the room... and it was Brene Brown.” (Jon, 17:47)

    • Brene “looked unassuming but just walked up and... destroyed the entire room and then sat down.” – Jon

  • Broad reflection on respect and owning a room: “You had to be very experienced and have... respect of the team before you’d get this.” (Jon, 16:45)

• Comparison to Standup Comedy

  • Sarah relates it to comedy: “You gotta know what you’re walking into, and you gotta be ready, and you gotta have your skin ready and thick...” (Sarah, 18:45)

5. Underestimated vs. Feared

• How Would You Rather Be Perceived? (19:46 – 24:59)

  • Sarah prefers being underestimated: “Then I have something to prove which puts a decent sort of chip on my shoulder...” (Sarah, 20:37)

  • Jon: “I’d rather overdeliver and that’s how they respect me... than be like ‘oh shit, here he comes...’” (Jon, 21:15)

  • Discussion on how certain professions, especially women’s experiences in business, can change what’s empowering—being feared isn’t always a “shitty attitude.”

6. When Does Confidence Become Delusion?

• Comedy & Acting Cautionary Tales (25:32 – 35:13)

  • Sarah reflects on seeing delusional performers: “You gotta know if you’re good or bad at something.”

  • Cites a bartender-turned-actress who never improved: “There was this delusion of, no, but I’m so good at this. And it’s just... but you’re not.” (Sarah, 28:33)

  • Jon’s story of an overly confident friend who couldn’t play basketball: “This motherfucker can barely dribble a basketball but has the confidence of Michael Jordan.” (Jon, 33:15)

  • Both emphasize self-awareness: Admitting when things don’t work is “not only good for you, but it’s good for everybody else.” (Sarah, 37:39)

7. Is Keeping Secrets a Skill or a Red Flag?

• Trust, Boundaries, and Red Flags (38:38 – 43:06)

  • Sarah: “It’s a skill, I guess, to keep your mouth shut, but also... being a good friend or partner... in keeping someone’s trust.” (Sarah, 39:57)

  • Jon clarifies boundaries in close relationships: “You and I, we tell each other everything to a certain extent... but there are some things you’ve had times when your friends have told you something [private] and you’re like, it’s not mine to tell you.” (Jon, 41:16)

  • Distinction: Keeping secrets for trust ≠ being secretive to avoid confrontation or manipulate, which is a red flag.

8. Lightning Round & Sign-off

• Wrapping Up and Callback Riffs (43:06 – 44:09)
  • Jon jokingly: “Don’t cross me, motherfuckers.”
  • Friendly roast of Jon’s “Sick, ramped-up” energy, more expletives than usual.
  • Final reminders: February’s book (Look Closer), March’s book (One Day), and Patreon pick (The Last Father Daughter Dance by Lisa Wingate).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

“For five minutes she just owned the room... and it was Brene Brown.”
— Jon, 17:47

“On Halloween, something goes real wrong... and then you’re found hanging from your stairs in a kitty cat costume.”
— Sarah, 10:08

“No one wants to ask their mom for bail on Mother’s Day.”
— Jon, 13:15

“You could get water if you fell out of a fucking boat. I mean, you were terrible.”
— Jon, 33:53 (about a delusional friend)

“It’s a skill, I guess, to keep your mouth shut, but also... being a good friend or partner... in keeping someone’s trust.”
— Sarah, 39:57

“I can walk in with confidence without being like, ‘You motherfuckers should fear me.’”
— Jon, 25:06

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00 – 02:50] – Welcomes, Jon’s cold, travel & scheduling logistics
• [02:52 – 05:42] – Patreon and book club logistics, upcoming shows, guest name banter
• [06:06 – 08:05] – New soccer stadium news, social media trolls, Instagram comments rant
• [08:16 – 11:30] – Book summary, Halloween murder, haunted houses
• [12:11 – 13:18] – Crime rates, especially on Halloween and Mother’s Day
• [15:03 – 19:40] – Who “secretly runs the show,” NFL team speaker examples, Brene Brown story
• [19:46 – 24:59] – Underestimated vs. feared: deep-dive into respect and confidence
• [25:32 – 35:13] – When confidence crosses into delusion: standup, acting, sports stories
• [38:38 – 43:06] – Is secret-keeping a skill or red flag? Trust, relationships, boundaries
• [43:06 – 44:09] – Wrap-up, reminders, ongoing and upcoming book picks

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers classic Book Lisp: irreverent, honest, and full of behind-the-scenes insight—whether about the NFL locker room, standup struggles, or the psychology of secrets. Fans will enjoy the hosts’ playful chemistry, but also gain genuine perspectives on confidence, humility, and interpersonal trust.

Next up: Detailed discussion (with spoilers!) of Look Closer on week four.
March pick: One Day by David Nicholls.
Patreon story: The Last Father Daughter Dance by Lisa Wingate.

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