The Dollop – Episode 145: The Past Times with Nate Craig
Podcast: The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds
Host: All Things Comedy
Date: October 3, 2025
Guest: Nate Craig
Episode Theme:
Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds, joined by fellow comic Nate Craig, riff through odd and hilarious stories from a random 1910 Florida newspaper. Expect tangents, historical confusion, and plenty of improv as they poke fun at the absurdities of the past (and the present) with Nate’s signature Midwestern flair.
Main Theme Overview
This episode features the hosts and guest comedian Nate Craig diving into a random historical newspaper from October 14, 1910 (Stark, Florida—The Bradford Telegraph). They playfully explore American history through the lens of wild headlines, peculiar news stories, and improv sketches, riffing on everything from drunken haunted houses to extravagant jewel thieves and party-crashing burglars.
The trio uses a mix of real historical snippets and contemporary comedic banter, reflecting on the social norms and absurdities of both 1910 and today.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introductions and Football Banter [00:04–03:03]
- Nate jokes about having wiped his historical memory clean for the show.
- The group hams it up over Midwest football, Bears nostalgia, and the infamous 1985 Bears' "Super Bowl Shuffle".
- Quote:
"They cannot stop at this point... They're honoring the Rex Grossman defense, the Kyle Orton era." – Nate Craig [01:44]
- Quote:
- Dave plugs Nate’s comedy special "Married to It" (out on YouTube and, jokingly, OnlyFans).
2. Guessing the Year & ‘A Wicked Country’ (Alaska) [05:06–12:13]
- The hosts and guest attempt to guess the newspaper’s year; Nate wins by overshooting the actual year (1910).
- They dissect a headline about a missionary horrified by Alaska's lifestyle.
- Satire on missionaries “saving” remote populaces and the colonial mindset (“They always do this because they just want to get in there with the religion.” – Gareth [08:15]).
- Confusion and jokes about Alaska’s status before statehood: “We owe you nothing, but we’re taking everything.” – Nate Craig [09:39]
3. Mining, Masculinity, and Lawlessness [12:10–13:28]
- They riff on the wild, male-dominated mining camps of Alaska.
- Toxic masculinity, Lord of the Flies references, and the dangers of the frontier.
- “Anywhere where you quarter like 40 men is gonna be pretty bad after like two months. Everything’s Lord of the Flies eventually.” – Dave Anthony [13:15]
4. Jewel Thieves’ High Life [13:37–19:03]
- A sensational story of two robbers living large after stealing $50,000 in jewels—spending $75 an hour in 1910 ($2,500 in today’s money).
- The story devolves into jokes about blowing stolen fortunes and the logistics of criminal getaways.
- “They pay for eggs Benedict with emeralds.” – Nate Craig [18:54]
- The group agrees: any mine owner deserves to be robbed.
5. Wisconsin, Beer, and Employee-Owned Companies [20:12–22:28]
- Nate and Gareth praise Wisconsin businesses like New Glarus (Spotted Cow beer) with enthusiasm, contrasting employee-owned breweries with “mining baron” mentalities.
- Extended playful regional trash-talk about cheese curds and Midwest culture:
- “How do you stay warm in those colder months?” – Dave [22:12]
- “We survive when alcohol’s for lunch... Technicality.” – Nate [21:57]
- Extended playful regional trash-talk about cheese curds and Midwest culture:
- “You’re like number one in alcoholics.” – Dave [21:51]
6. The Haunted House Mystery [23:23–32:42]
- A report from New Jersey about “queer doings” (i.e., unexplained happenings) in a wealthy farmer’s home.
- The trio embarks on an improvised police investigation, lampooning weak hauntings (e.g., spilled canned goods, boots in the cistern) and drunken misadventures mistaken for supernatural.
- “Some of my cans were spilled. My boots had been tossed. Some of the clothes have been cut. The Bible was—awful, terrifying...” – Dave [27:01]
- “Always drinking, always in the barn... It’s funny that you mention hauntings occur during extreme alcohol ingestion.” – Dave [28:51]
- It culminates with a relative being arrested for the ‘hauntings’—and jokes about the real culprit being right under their noses (a la Parasite).
7. Japanese Public Speaking & Social Customs [32:51–35:57]
- A Japanese visitor questions why Americans give speeches after dinner, preferring a nap instead.
- “We Japanese rest after our meals. It is much better.” – Japanese visitor [33:08]
- The visitor suggests Americans crave post-dinner speech time because “the American man never had a chance to say anything at home.”
- “My wife won’t let me get a word in.” – Dave [35:20]
- “He brought the ruckus right there.” – Nate [35:39]
8. Early Aviation Mishaps [36:05–39:53]
- A Western aviator plunges 800 feet into New York Bay, lives, and becomes the original “Sully Sullenberger.”
- “He saved his own life.” – Gareth [37:22]
- High skepticism on the safety, horsepower, and believability of early flight.
9. Burglars’ ‘Storybook’ Staycation [40:25–44:45]
- Two thieves live lavishly in a Brooklyn man’s home for a week, using every dish, leaving their own booze, and walking out in the man’s wedding wardrobe.
- “Every dish in the cupboard had been used. There was ice in the refrigerator, showing that the men had taken proper care of the beers and wines.” – Dave [44:45]
- Long, slow robbery is treated as a humiliating prank and party.
- “This is about humiliation, you know?” – Nate [44:07]
10. Fish Fry Party and Absurd Social Reporting [47:27–54:50]
- An article celebrates the joys of being invited to a lively community fish fry, with tongue-in-cheek commentary on the reporter’s excitement, unnecessary details, and the absurdity of local news fluff.
- “I speak from experience when I say going to an event is pretty frickin cool.” – Gareth [49:39]
- The group lampoons small-town pride and elaborate party recaps.
11. Scottish Superstitions and Closing Reflections [55:20–57:06]
- A Scottish superstition: bringing hawthorn flowers into a house will cause a death.
- Improv: Melodramatic Scottish reactions (“Why would you bring this into my home? No one will live!” – Dave [56:45]).
- Closing jokes about the absurdity of old world beliefs.
12. Modern Parallels and Media Critique [57:27–58:07]
- Brief discussion of contemporary media, Fox News, and AM radio’s zombifying effects—a nod to how little society changes.
- “AM radio did more… the heavy lifting. AM radio has zombified so many people in their cars over the years.” – Nate [57:33]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “They’re retiring the NFC championship flag. I mean, it’s like, come on, guys.” – Nate Craig [01:51]
- “We owe you nothing, but we’re taking everything.” – Nate [09:39] (re: Alaska as US territory)
- “They pay for eggs Benedict with emeralds.” – Nate [18:54]
- “How do you stay warm in those colder months?” – Dave [22:12]
- “Always drinking, always in the barn... funny that you mentioned hauntings occur during extreme alcohol ingestion.” – Dave [28:51]
- “We Japanese rest after our meals. It is much better.” – Newspaper (Japanese visitor) [33:08]
- “Every portable article of value in the apartment had been taken… including Mr. Morris's wedding wardrobe.” – Dave [44:44]
- “I speak from experience when I say going to an event is pretty frickin cool.” – Gareth [49:39]
- “Why would you bring this into my home? No one will live!” – Dave [56:45]
- “AM radio did more… zombified so many people in their cars.” – Nate [57:33]
Important Timestamps
- Guess the Year and Opening Banter: [05:06–06:56]
- Missionary Appalled by Alaska: [08:07–13:28]
- Robbing the Mine Baron: [13:37–19:41]
- Beer, Cheese Curds, and Wisconsin vs. Minnesota: [20:12–22:28]
- Haunted House Mystery Sketch: [23:23–32:42]
- Japanese Public Speaking and After-Dinner Speeches: [32:51–35:57]
- Early Aviation Mishap: [36:05–39:53]
- Burglars’ Staycation: [40:25–44:45]
- Absurd Fish Fry Article Sketch: [47:27–54:50]
- Scottish Superstition Bit: [55:20–57:06]
- Modern Media/AM Radio Commentary: [57:27–58:07]
Episode Tone & Style
The episode is fast-paced and irreverent, blending genuine historical curiosity with anarchic, improvisational comedy. Jokes fly about regional pride, American excess, and the universal stupidity of both past and present. The hosts constantly tease each other, and Nate’s guest energy enhances the chaos, especially during the long-form sketch riffs.
For listeners, it’s an episode defined by wild tangents, whip-smart banter, and off-the-rails storytelling—a showcase of The Dollop at its most uninhibited and fun.