The Dollop – Episode 168: The Past Times with Steph Tolev

Original Release: April 3, 2026 | Hosts: Dave Anthony & Gareth Reynolds | Guest: Steph Tolev

Episode Overview

This episode of “The Past Times,” a recurring segment of The Dollop, features comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds with guest Steph Tolev. The format: Dave selects a random old newspaper and leads the group in reading and riffing on real headlines and stories, sparking both insightful and irreverent discussions. This week’s paper, by a fun coincidence, is from Steph’s birthday—March 7, 1940, The Atlantic City Press. The trio explore a grab bag of bizarre, dated, and sometimes deeply problematic stories, using sharp wit and modern sensibility to unpack the oddities of the past.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Steph’s Comedy & Viral Mothership Story

• (00:50-05:49)
  • Steph discusses her Netflix special and the difficulty she has receiving compliments.
    • Gareth: “I'm going to be honest. This whole thumbs up thing or the haha, I want the haha's written out.” (01:54)
  • Steph recounts the fallout after criticizing Joe Rogan’s club (the “Mothership”) for misogyny and homophobia, leading to viral clips and some backlash.
    • Steph: “I said it's misogynistic, homophobic, and, you know, it's called the mothership.” (04:17)
    • She jokes about “death threats”: “Honestly, the most funny part, though, only three, which I found so alarming.” (03:30)
  • Rogan mentions her name on his podcast, but credits a male comic instead—proving her point about invisibility of women in the comedy world.
    • Steph: “He’s so misogynistic, he didn’t even recognize a woman was in the clip saying this.” (05:02)
    • Dave: “Even the misogyny runs so deep that you won't even get credit.” (05:22)
  • A brief aside into “Joe Rogan’s” odd advice: “When you're on mushrooms, drink your piss…” (05:49)

2. Becoming a U.S. Citizen

• (07:37-08:15)
  • Steph admits anxiety about her U.S. citizenship test, joking about immediately forgetting all she studied.
    • Steph: “I know the 100 cards I had to study and erase out of my head probably two days later.” (07:50)
    • She and Gareth discuss dual citizenship and the absurdities of bureaucratic expectations.

3. Past Times Format: Guessing the Year

• (08:24-09:28)
  • The group guesses the year of the paper based on the headline “Twas a Red Plot.” Steph guesses 1912; correct year is 1940.
    • Dave (teasing): “Steph wins. It's 1940.” (09:28)

4. Newspaper Stories & Group Commentary

“Twas a Red Plot”

• (10:22-11:22)
  • A junior high school removes a hammer and sickle emblem meant as a symbol of industry/agriculture; post-Communism, can't keep the symbol.
• The group riffs on how symbols’ meanings change, comparing it to swastika tattoos.
  • Gareth: “It’s like if you have a swastika, and you're like, no, that's an ancient...” (11:01)

“Take Bullet from Brain of Murder Suspect”

• (12:09-19:29)
  • A surgeon removes a bullet from a murder suspect’s brain so he can stand trial—revealed to be a failed murder-suicide among roommates at a boarding house.
    • Gareth: “So he shot the roommate and then he tried to kill himself...now he's going to be able to stand trial for murder.” (19:00)
  • This leads to jokes about the indignity of boarding houses, old age, and the group’s own messy hotel habits.

“Expensive Phone Call”

• (19:39-22:17)
  • Drunken man, Harry Dukes, climbs the Bell Telephone company’s fire escape, tries to force entry to make a drunken phone call. He's fined $5.
    • Steph: “He got hammered.” (21:19)
  • The dullness of the headline vs. strangeness of the article is mocked.

Hotel Room Hygiene Tangent

• (14:10-16:37)
  • The group derails into a hot take about hotel room cleanliness, people using Keurigs to wash underwear, and meat cooked in coffee makers.
    • Steph: “That woman should be put to death row. Are you crazy?” (15:16)
    • Gareth: “I will put it (my ball bag) in the coffee maker. But here's the difference…my balls will smell like coffee for a couple days.” (16:04)

For Women Only: 1940’s Dating/Marriage Advice Column

• (29:28-38:07)
  • "For Women Only" offers advice and insights—from odd “nagging shows love” claims to surreal lists of stereotypical “womanly” behavior (thinking of hats, lighting cigarettes, odd sandwich combos).
    • Steph: “This literally is a man who's never seen a [woman] in his whole life and has no idea what a woman is." (31:53)
    • Dave: “It’s important to put parameters around women...otherwise, they end up washing their panties in the Keurig.” (38:03)
  • The column becomes a comedic case study in how dated, misogynistic, or clueless advice passed for wisdom.

“Two Tots, Crash Cinema” (Sneaking Into Movies)

• (41:03-46:24)
  • 5- and 6-year-old siblings spend all day at the movies by deceiving theater staff.
    • Dave (skeptically): “If a 5 year old asked me what time it was because they had to go to the movies, I would be concerned.” (43:21)
    • Steph: “There's no way. That's too young.” (45:01)
  • The implausibility and free-range 1940s parenting is mocked.

“Everything Happens to Castronova” (Unlucky Teen)

• (47:00-48:53)
  • A 15-year-old boy, repeatedly struck by vehicles and suffering mishaps, is profiled by the local paper as unlucky (rather than likely abused/unsupervised).
    • Gareth: “There were a lot of trucks back then.” (48:55)
    • The crew looks favorably on modern child safety.

"10,000 Word Complaint Gets 68 Word Divorce"

• (49:53-51:53)
  • Man writes an epic-length complaint about his wife allegedly refusing to do housework; judge grants divorce succintly.
    • Dave: “It was like having a robot you could fuck, really. ...I mean, I get why they tried to hold on to it.” (51:15)
    • The hosts reflect on the historical privilege of white men (and their resistance to social change).

"Why I Quit Lying" by Elsie Robinson

• (55:21-60:53)
  • A long self-help column about becoming a reformed liar—met with disbelief and annoyance by Steph.
    • Steph: “I wish you had read this before and read none of it. I mean, nothing's happening right now.” (59:47)
    • Dave: “This is a whole article about a woman and you’re saying it’s the worst one.” (60:06)

"Drown During Fire"

• (61:34-63:15)
  • A man dies by drowning in the basement while fighting a fire—an unusual, morbid headline.
    • Steph: “Why are you going down to the basement? Get the hell out of the house.” (62:29)

“How to Manage Electric Hotbeds”

• (63:17-65:22)
  • A horticultural advice column—confusion and disinterest ensues, Dave recalls stories about his grandfather collecting manure for gardening.

5. Wrap-Up & Notable Moments

• Steph says, despite everything, she’s not motivated to read more U.S. newspapers—if this is the content (66:29).
• The group jokes about Steph’s note-taking and readiness to fit in as a true American by “hitting kids with trucks” (66:08).
• Dave and Gareth promote Steph’s Netflix special, “Filth Queen,” and her U.S. tour dates.

Notable Quotes

• Steph Tolev: “He’s so misogynistic, he didn’t even recognize a woman was in the clip saying this.” (05:02)
• Dave Anthony: “It was like having a robot you could fuck, really. …I get why they [men] tried to hold on to it.” (51:15)
• Gareth Reynolds: “That woman should be put to death row. Are you crazy?” (15:16, on Keurig story)
• Steph Tolev: “I wish you had read this before and read none of it.” (59:47)
• Dave Anthony: “If a 5 year old asked me what time it was because they had to go to the movies, I would be concerned.” (43:21)
• Steph Tolev: “This literally is a man who's never seen a [woman] in his whole life and has no idea what a woman is." (31:53)

Tone & Style

• Conversational, irreverent humor mixed with genuine incredulity at historical absurdities.
• Steph’s comedic exasperation and quick wit matches Dave and Gareth’s sardonic style.
• The episode oscillates between genuine social commentary and playful, often filthy, riffing.

Segment Timestamps

• 00:50 – Steph’s Mothership story/viral fallout
• 07:50 – U.S. citizenship jokes
• 09:28 – Year guessing game
• 10:22 – “Twas a Red Plot” headline
• 12:09 – “Take Bullet from Brain of Murder Suspect”
• 19:39 – “Expensive Phone Call” (with hotel hygiene tangent at ~14:10)
• 29:28 – “For Women Only” column breakdown
• 41:03 – “Two Tots, Crash Cinema” (movie sneaking story)
• 47:00 – “Everything Happens to Castronova” (accident-prone teen)
• 49:53 – “10,000 Word Complaint Gets 68 Word Divorce”
• 55:21 – “Why I Quit Lying” column
• 61:34 – “Drown During Fire”
• 63:17 – “How to Manage Electric Hotbeds”
• 66:29 – Conclusion & final riffing

Conclusion

Episode 168 of “The Past Times” is an uproariously sharp, sometimes dark, but always revealing romp through an old newspaper’s oddest corners. Steph Tolev’s unfiltered observations add to Dave and Gareth’s signature satire, shining a modern light on the absurd, misogynistic, and occasionally tragic documentation of 1940s America. Whether it’s headline murder suicides, etiquette columns, or beef in coffee makers, the trio mines every line for comedy and cultural shock, ultimately celebrating the weirdness of both past and present.