The JTrain Podcast: Ticked Off Tuesday – Complaints About Rooms, Praying on Planes, and Being Labeled a Complainer

Host: Jared Freid
Release Date: September 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The JTrain Podcast’s recurring “Ticked Off Tuesday” segment finds host Jared Freid in Providence, RI, inviting listeners to vent their latest grievances. Jared shares his own pet peeves, then reads listener “TOTs” (Ticked Off Tuesdays complaints) submitted by the Patreon community. The tone is comedic, sarcastic, and deeply relatable, covering annoyances from hotel check-ins and workplace reputation to music at salons, awkward airplane prayers, and sauna etiquette. As always, Jared riffs and commiserates with the complaints, delivering both catharsis and laughs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jared’s Rant: Team Fandom and “Homerism”

(00:04–09:30)

• Lee Corso’s Last Mascot Head Pick on College GameDay: Jared recounts getting emotional over the legendary ESPN host’s final mascot pick. He posted about being moved by it, only to be bombarded with comments like, “Even as a Badger fan, I cried.”
• Main Gripe: People feel compelled to reference their own fandom as a qualifier for any emotional moment, even when irrelevant.
• Quote:

  “What does you being a Badger fan have anything to do with Lee Corso putting on the mascot head one more time?” (05:09)

• Jared’s Take: This is “diseased” thinking and a sign of over-attachment to teams. He diagnoses it as “Homerism”—an inability to see beyond one’s tribe, team, or perspective.
• Memorable Analogy:

  “You could put aside your fandom…to cheer for a guy wearing another team’s mascot head... We should elect this person mayor!” (06:10)

• Underlying Theme: Social media and “teams” infect even joyful moments with unnecessary tribal qualifications.

2. Jared’s Complaint: Hotel Room Not Ready, Cold Customer Service

(09:31–21:46)

• Stuck Waiting at a Marriott Check-In: Jared describes waiting 7 minutes (which he affirms is indeed a very long time) while three staff assist a single guest.
• No Rooms Ready—Impersonal, Scripted Responses: Staff and manager maintain a stiff, “no-room-ready, enjoy your stay” attitude, as if training for difficult guests even though Jared remained polite.
• Left in Limbo:
  • Allowed to wait in the M Club lounge, he snacks idly to pass the time.
  • Annoyance peaks when, returning an hour later, his room is “suddenly” ready, with no apology or context about how long it’s been available.
• Quote:

  “I need—‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry. They called 10 minutes ago.’ I need something… Don’t just say ‘the room is ready.’” (20:58)

• Jared’s Tone: Frustrated but self-aware; recognizes he’s saving his complaints for the podcast audience.

3. Listener Complaints (Ticked Off Tuesdays)

a. The Hosier (Hozier) Salon Soundtrack

(24:30–28:30)

• Problem: A listener spent 3 hours at a salon where only Hosier was played—turning what should be an upbeat, refreshing experience into a sad, monotonous atmosphere.
• Quote:

  “…But a sad man yodeling is not the right vibe for a Friday afternoon at the salon with the girlies.” (26:15, Jared)

• Jared’s Take: It’s a salon fail, not a Hosier fail. Establishments should curate upbeat, confidence-boosting playlists. Playing one artist for hours is unacceptable, especially if it’s all somber crooning.
• Memorable Moment: Imagining tracking down the playlist manager:

  “Who’s in charge here?” (27:23)

b. Being Labeled the Office Complainer

(28:35–33:40)

• Problem: Listener was told by coworkers she was “the bigger complainer,” partly attributed to being a “New Yorker” or “Jewish.” The complainant resents being typecast and feels their complaints about legitimate issues (e.g., the office being 82 degrees) are being minimized.
• Quote:

  “…When you get called a complainer, now they’ve basically minimized any opinion you have on anything…” (32:10, Jared)

• Jared’s Advice:
  • Don’t “build the brand” of being a chronic complainer, especially on cultural stereotypes.
  • If labeled a complainer, make others specify which complaints are actually invalid—don’t accept vague dismissals.

c. Awkward Mid-Flight Praying

(33:45–37:10)

• Problem: Listener is ambushed on a plane by a seatmate (a pastor) who requests, “Would you pray with me?” before takeoff, resulting in discomfort and anxiety.
• Quote:

  “No, no, no, no, no. It’s important you pray. It’s important that I nod off and fall asleep while thinking happy, positive thoughts…” (34:28, Jared)

• Jared’s Take:
  • It’s fine for people to have faith, but forcing involvement is intrusive.
  • The ask creates unnecessary stress ("Did you see something??") and is inappropriate in enclosed public spaces.
  • Suggests, “Don’t put your needs on me,” and affirms declining such requests is entirely okay.

d. Whispering in the Sauna

(37:13–41:10)

• Problem: In a Chicago gym sauna, whispering duos are more annoying than people talking at a low volume. The quiet, sibilant noises and incomplete overheard gossip disrupt the relaxing environment.
• Quote:

  “I’d rather have people talk at a low volume than whisper, as you are already interrupting the silence…so you might as well speak up so I too can hear the gossip…” (38:46, listener) “There’s nothing more annoying than [imitates whispering]. That’s all you hear. And also, you get a word: ‘and he cheated on…’, and you’re like—okay, well, give me the rest!” (39:18, Jared)

• Jared’s Take:
  • Just talk normally if you’re going to talk in the sauna; everyone’s “a player” in this context anyway.
  • Discreet gossiping overstates how much strangers care.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Jared on fandom and Homerism:

  “You have to defend you're not biased even when there's no bias to be found. That drives me crazy.” (08:20)

• On awkward customer service:

  “I was being spoken to by someone training the staff for how to handle a difficult customer.” (13:20)

• On salon vibes:

  “Sad music at a salon? Nuh uh. Now you’re going down your rabbit holes: ‘Do I deserve to have these highlights? Do I need the blowout?’” (27:55)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–03:50: Intro, overview of Ticked Off Tuesday format and Patreon plug.
• 03:51–09:30: Jared’s Lee Corso/College GameDay and “Homerism” rant.
• 09:31–21:46: Hotel check-in annoyance at the Providence Marriott.
• 24:30–28:30: Listener complaint: Non-stop Hosier at the salon.
• 28:35–33:40: Listener complaint: Being called the “office complainer.”
• 33:45–37:10: Listener complaint: Praying seatmate on a plane.
• 37:13–41:10: Listener complaint: Whispering in the sauna.

Episode Tone & Style

• Conversational, sarcastic, self-aware, and heavily reliant on relatable everyday observations.
• Jared’s humor comes through via exaggeration, analogies, and direct, stream-of-consciousness commentary.

This episode is a quintessential “Ticked Off Tuesday”—cathartic, funny, and validating for anyone who’s ever felt silently infuriated by life’s little irritations and just wanted someone to say, “Yeah, you’re right!”