The Commercial Break | Bryan, The Labubu Yahoo!

Episode Date: May 7, 2025
Hosts: Bryan Green & Krissy Hoadley

Overview of Main Theme

In this episode, Bryan and Krissy dig into the wild world of modern collectibles, with a comedic focus on the global phenomenon of Labubu—a mischievous art toy from Pop Mart that's set social media and collectors' circles ablaze. The duo reflect on the cyclical nature of collectible crazes, explore why adults are increasingly obsessed with toys, and compare today’s trends to past fads (Beanie Babies, Cabbage Patch Kids, Garbage Pail Kids, etc.). The episode's tone, true to TCB’s brand, is irreverent, chaotic, and packed with tangents, mixing personal stories with cultural commentary—all with their signature “just FINE” charm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Collectibles and Pop Culture - Labubu as the New Craze

[08:07–15:19 | 20:34–34:31, with breaks]

• Bryan introduces Labubu, a collectible toy by Pop Mart, now taking over Instagram and pop culture through “pop-up” stores (especially in Asia and now globally).
• Labubu is described as a mischievous, elf-like character with “high pointed ears, wide eyes, and nine serrated teeth forming a cheeky grin” ([09:35]).
• Bryan notes the phenomenon: “People are going fucking bananas for Labuboos. They are beating each other up, jumping up and down, sleeping in front of stores for hours or days in a row, waiting for the next Labubu drop.” ([10:34])

2. The Gotta-Have-It Mentality

[13:52–15:19]

• The craze is paralleled with generation-defining fads: Cabbage Patch Kids, Beanie Babies, Tickle Me Elmo, Garbage Pail Kids.
• Bryan ponders if consumerist obsessions are worsened by present-day anxieties: “I wonder...if the reason why this is happening more frequently is because the real world that we live in is pretty...fucking scary and shitty and we have to turn to something else in order to soothe our fears…It’s more and more like young adults in their 20s and early 30s that are really taking these things and grabbing onto them and making them collectible, driving the price up, having to have them.” ([14:00–15:16])

3. Kids, Parents, and Consumer Pressure

[15:24–18:14]

• Example of a mom on Instagram devastated she couldn’t buy her son the newest Nintendo Switch, with Bryan critiquing setting “lofty expectations for consumerism” in children.
• Anecdote about a family opening Labubu blind boxes daily for 21 days to get a “super rare” one, with kids echoing parental disappointment: “You’re turning your children into little like consumer monsters.” ([17:28])

4. Pop Mart & Labubu Deep Dive: Guest Segment with Doyle Kim (AR Toys TV)

[20:56–34:31]

• Doyle Kim provides background: Pop Mart, founded 2010 in China, focused on art toys after realizing mass interest in collectible figurines. Pop Mart is now publicly traded, illustrating the art toy market’s size.
• Blind box strategy drives demand—a mix of anticipation, gambling-like thrill, and scarcity boosts aftermarket value, sometimes to thousands of dollars.
• Labubu: Hong Kong origin, inspired by Nordic mythology, “not your typical cute kawaii character… it has an edgy, mysterious feel.” ([26:58])
• Notable cultural marker: Blackpink’s Lalisa is a visible Labubu fan, boosting its popularity, with Labubus accessorizing luxury handbags and seen at events, pushing the toy into lifestyle territory.
• Pop Mart fosters community via events, trades, and conventions, “making collecting these toys feel more like a lifestyle.” ([30:30])
• Bryan observes: “There's the key that Pop Mart has. They make this into a lifestyle. It's not just about having this toy.” ([30:30])

5. Collectibles: Past and Present Fads

[37:06–50:03]

• Tangents about childhood collecting (baseball cards, Dick Tracy toys, Pearl Jam posters) with stories of disastrous resale attempts thanks to shipping costs and platform delays.
• Chaddy (the AI bot) lists current hot collectibles, including:
  • Lego F1 collectible race cars (2025 series)
  • Jelly Cat plushies
  • Premier League trading cards
  • Hot Wheels (notably rare models)
  • Hallmark mini-ornaments
  • Lenox Spice Village (surprise comeback; [48:04])
• High-profile sales: Babe Ruth’s 1932 jersey ($24.12 million), Judy Garland’s ruby slippers ($30 million).

6. Reflections and Nostalgia: The Cycle of Fads

[50:03–end]

• “Everything old is new again” — the rise and fall and re-rise of fads, Beanie Babies included.
• Bryan sums up: “Nostalgia is something. It’s a disease that affects all of us eventually.” ([50:00])
• The show closes with playful banter, a nod to their five-year anniversary, and reminders that “what you’re doing, what you’re listening to right now will be popular for a minute…then it will become popular again down the road.” ([50:43])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He gives good kids bad ideas...Last thing I need at this point is 1500 Ferris Bueller disciples running around these halls.” – Ed (Ferris Bueller skit, cold open) [00:10]
• "People are going fucking bananas for Labuboos...beating each other up, sleeping in front of stores" – Bryan [10:34]
• “Something happens, our brains get sick, we get weak in the knees, and we have to have a Labubu immediately, if not sooner.” – Bryan [12:54]
• “If my kids come and ask me for something, I say no. And that's it, that's all I do, I just say no. Because if I say no, then the one time I say yes, I am a fucking idiot.” – Bryan [17:57]
• "I can think of literally 1 million other things I would spend money on. But it's a whole, you know, culture." – Chrissy [35:38]
• “Lalisa from Blackpink...her unboxings and wild love for Labubus...follows her everywhere, from concerts to fashion shows. And it dangles off her designer bags and hips.” – Doyle Kim [28:24]
• "It's a lifestyle. If you're in on this type of art toy, then you are all about it and you live it and you dress it and you listen to it." – Bryan [31:02]
• "Everything old is new again...Nostalgia is something. It's a disease that affects all of us eventually." – Bryan [50:00]
• "The Beanie Babies are back. That's all I gotta say. Beanie Babies are back." – Bryan [49:47]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–01:03 - Ferris Bueller improv intro (setting irreverent tone)
• 08:07–15:19 - Labubu introduction & discussion of collectible crazes
• 20:34–34:31 - Doyle Kim deep dive on Pop Mart & Labubu (origins, blind boxes, celebrity fans, lifestyle)
• 37:06–44:17 - Bryan’s disaster with Pearl Jam poster sale—pitfalls of personal collecting
• 46:04–48:05 - Rundown of current “hot collectibles” & record sales
• 50:00–end - Reflections on nostalgia, fads, closing banter

Flow & Tone

TCB leans fully into its signature blend of off-the-cuff honesty, inside jokes, improv bits, light skewerings of internet culture, and “just FINE” self-awareness.

• Bryan is energetic, self-deprecating, and both enthusiastic and skeptical about collectibles, always looping in personal (often unsuccessful) experiences.
• Chrissy is genuinely curious, playfully incredulous, balancing Bryan's zany riffs with relatable reactions.
• Doyle Kim’s guest segment brings a grounded, fact-filled look at the culture and economics of art toy collecting, underscored by the hosts’ quick asides and reactions.

In Summary

This episode of The Commercial Break is a comedic deep-dive into the dazzling, weird, sometimes ridiculous world of collecting—focusing on Labubu and the grown-up obsession with toys. Full of pop culture tangents, personal mishaps, and plenty of irreverent wisdom, it’s a wild ride through both yesterday’s and today’s “must-have” fads, ultimately reminding listeners that when it comes to collectibles, it’s all about fun, community…and maybe just a little (okay, a lot) of madness.