Podcast Summary: Zac Amico's Morning Zoo Ep. 65

Guests: Chloe LaBranche & Tim McLaughlin
Date: November 28, 2025
Network: GaS Digital

Main Theme & Overview

This episode of Zac Amico’s Morning Zoo delivers exactly what the "zoo" promises: an unfiltered, raucous, and darkly comedic roundup of wild stories, news oddities, and chaotic banter with comedian guests Chloe LaBranche and Tim McLaughlin. The show veers through tales of bizarre crime, personal bathroom embarrassments, internet urban legends, gross-out stories, and sharp social commentary—all sprinkled with wrestling nostalgia and recovery tales.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Show Intro & Plugs (01:00 – 04:36)

• Zac apologizes for starting late due to being blocked by a garbage truck, setting a playful, self-deprecating tone.
• Chloe LaBranche and Tim McLaughlin plug their projects: Chloe’s News for Women (w/ Kurt Metzger), Tim’s Great Hang podcast, plus upcoming shows and social media.
• Zac runs through GaS Digital membership perks.

2. Weird Caffeine Habits & Over-the-Top Consumption (04:39 – 05:12)

• Zac jokes about buying 225mg caffeine pouches:

  “It literally says on the label, 'Do not exceed 400 milligrams of caffeine in a day.'” (04:41, Zac)

• Chloe admits to drinking NyQuil “like wine” in her past, pouring it in glasses to mimic sobriety drinking habits.

3. Bathroom & Hook-Up Disasters (05:13 – 07:26)

• Chloe shares a cringe tale of pooping on her boyfriend's foot in the shower during a hook-up gone wrong.

  “He was like, 'You just shit on my foot.' I said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.'” (06:54, Chloe)

• Comedians riff on accidental anal, “surprise sex,” and debate what constitutes “a light rape” with problematic humor.

4. Consent Anxiety & Old School “Alibis” (07:27 – 10:07)

• Zac relays an old stand-up legend’s advice for establishing a hotel alibi, noting:

  “You bring her into the front desk…so that they see you two together, like holding hands, smiling. That way, if she ever presses charges…” (09:16, Zac)

• Tense, tongue-in-cheek debate ensues about problematic hookup culture and how people in comedy process it.

5. Wrestling with Wrestling & Down Syndrome Friendships (10:08 – 15:15)

• Zac recounts helping a Down syndrome wrestling fan at an event and how wrestling figures treat such fans.
• Tim shares stories about his buddy PJ (with Down syndrome) navigating wrestling suites—showcasing both sensitivity and brutal comic honesty.

  “He had to be the Highlander of Down syndrome people in the suite…He couldn't be with another one.” (14:11, Tim)

6. Wrestling, MMA, and Violence Erotics (15:16 – 19:12)

• Wrestling vs. MMA: athleticism, violence, and evolving attitudes toward LGBTQ+ representation in wrestling vs fighting sports.
• Zac educates Chloe on wrestling’s performative nature and the reality of staged violence.

7. Creepypasta, Slender Man, & Moral Panics (21:04 – 29:02)

• Morgan Geyser, one of the infamous “Slender Man Stabbing” girls, escapes her group home—but was recaptured (25:04).
• The hosts explain Slender Man and related internet urban legends, like Siren Head, and recount how “creepypasta” stories spawned real-world horror.

  “Slender Man was like…the first creepypasta. Urban legend meme type thing—a very tall guy with no face.” (22:04, Zac)

• Discussion of how internet folklore (and sometimes YouTube) can shape kids’ fears and behaviors.

8. Rehab Talent Shows, ISIS, and Comedy as Therapy (33:02 – 37:54)

• Chloe tells a wild story about a patient in rehab who became obsessed with ISIS after watching traumatic videos for work.
• She and Tim trade stories of bizarre, sometimes inspiring talent shows in rehab centers—highlighting gallows humor as a coping mechanism.
• Zac references classic film "Sullivan’s Travels" to reflect on comedy’s role in relieving people's suffering.

9. News of the Weird: Crime, Death, and Viral Phenomena

• Crime & Sex:
  • Story of a burglar couple caught on camera having sex after a theft.

    “Like, hey honey, let’s leave some DNA all over this crime.” (42:43, Zac)

  • Chloe and Tim trade rehab hookup war stories, introducing characters like “Baby Dog” the drug dealer and “Lil Bacon”.
• Outrageous Deaths:
  • A 22-year-old dies trying to swallow a whole hamburger as a joke (53:22).

    “Guy’s just trying to clown around with his family…” (54:49, Tim)

  • Senior is decapitated by a garbage truck in front of kids, triggering both disgust and gleeful riffing about “soft decapitation.” (56:45 – 58:18)
• Serial Spitter:
  • A Brooklyn man targets four white women in a serial “spit spree” and gets released next day. Discussion expands to notorious NYC “butt sniffer” and the Mariko Aoki phenomenon (bookstores making people poop).

    “Getting spit in your face—stink smells. Oh, it’s so gross.” (65:20, Zac)

10. Final Wild Stories & Gags

• Grandma Mauled by Deer:
  • A woman who rescued and housed deer is eventually killed by one—guests debate the wisdom of taking in wild animals.

    “Live by the sword, die by the sword.” (73:31, Zac)

• Chloe’s quick-witted faux-dirty jokes cap off the show, keeping the “zoo” spirit alive.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On “light rape” stories:

  “She said ‘I don’t want to have sex’ … then all of a sudden, he shoved it in... she just kind of laid there… didn't even get to tell him before he just shoved it in.” (07:32, Chloe)

• On emotional impact of wrestling for fans with disabilities:

  “Mr. Kennedy had his bag, was trying to leave—gave this kid all the time in the world. Super sweet.” (11:42, Zac)

• On creepypasta's ripple effects:

  “People would make up stories about Slender Man abducting children—and that's why I’ve been saying we need to get rid of user-generated story contests.” (27:49, Tim)

• Rehab Talent Show Antics:

  “One guy went up and he just wrote his gang tag on a whiteboard, then he was done.” (35:41, Chloe)

• Philosophy of comedy's purpose:

  “He realizes that's his real job…not to exploit people’s sadness…it's to solve it with very, like…silly comedy.” (39:02, Zac referencing Sullivan’s Travels)

• On serial spitting attacks:

  “Her day is up…Getting spit in your face. Stink smells. Oh, it’s so gross.” (65:18, Zac)

• On fatal grandma–deer encounter:

  “So she took care of the baby—ever since…she started to take in other, like, injured deer…And [one] just antlered her.” (72:21–73:28, Shannon & Zac)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Guest Intros & Plugs: 02:36 – 04:36
• Caffeine & NyQuil Stories: 04:36 – 05:12
• Shower/Bathroom Hook-Up Disasters: 06:06 – 07:26
• Consent Anxiety & Old Advice: 07:27 – 10:07
• Wrestling & Down Syndrome Tales: 11:11 – 15:15
• Slender Man Recap & Escape: 21:15 – 25:04
• Creepypasta & Urban Legend Fears: 27:06 – 29:44
• Rehab Talent Shows, “ISIS Girl” Tale: 33:02 – 37:54
• Burglar Sex, Rehab Hookups & Drug Dealer Nicknames: 41:04 – 46:09
• Fatal Hamburger Attempt: 53:22 – 55:16
• Grandma Decapitation by Garbage Truck: 56:45 – 58:18
• NYC Serial “Spit Spree”: 62:42 – 67:02
• Nature Gone Wild—Grandma Mauled by Deer: 71:42 – 74:36
• Closing Jokes & Show Outro: 74:36 – end

Tone & Style

The show is ruthlessly irreverent, blending gallows humor, confessional honesty, outrageous personal stories, and news-of-the-weird segues. The comedians drop in and out of characters, riff on each other, and constantly escalate stories for comedic effect, employing dark jokes and frontline references.

For New Listeners

This episode is a textbook entry in the category of “comedy podcasts that are not for the faint of heart.” It is raw, fast-paced, and consistently veers toward the off-color, but balances out with sharp wit and sincerity in moments reflecting on recovery, disability, and the power of laughter. Expect tangents, realness, and relentless punchlines.

Recommended Highlights:

• “Shit in the Shower” story (06:10)
• The Down syndrome wrestling fan saga (11:23 & 14:11)
• Slender Man stabbing and creepypasta recap (21:15 – 29:44)
• Serial Spitter discussion and book store “poop” phenomenon (62:42 & 63:52)
• Grandma vs. Deer conclusion (71:42)

Most Memorable Quote:

“Live by the sword, die by the sword.” (73:31, Zac on being mauled by a rescue deer)

Note:
All ads, intros, outros, and non-content sections have been excluded from this summary.