New Socks & the Smell of the Summer

Summary

The Nightly – "New Socks & the Smell of the Summer"

Host: Matt Bragg, Josh Gondelman (Hatch Podcasts)
Date: July 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

This cozy, late-night episode of The Nightly centers on the simple pleasures and wandering summer thoughts that surface at bedtime. Matt and Josh dive into the realities of summer heat, the small acts of self-care (like buying new socks), sports fandoms, and playful debates about the ultimate hallmarks of summer. With their trademark warmth and wit, they explore everything from the emotional science of laundry day to the humble, transformative joy of comfortable socks, all while reflecting on pop culture and personal nostalgia.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Coping with the Summer Heat

[00:36 – 02:48]

• Matt laments the scorching weather, feeling it's "unbelievably warm" but insists he truly prefers cold:

  "I like cold weather. I've got a lot of nice jackets. I've got a house with heat in. I'm very lucky." — Matt [00:51]

• Josh talks about beating the heat as a kid by spending afternoons in air-conditioned movie theaters—a "wonderful beat the heat strategy."
• Matt faces the unique challenge of prepping laundry before an upcoming holiday:

  "I can't look nice here before I go... you're just like pulling old football shirts out..." — Matt [02:52]

2. Sports Fandom and Creative Delusion

[03:07 – 06:50]

• Matt describes the instant optimism of football fans, contrasting pre-game doubt with mid-game euphoria, and how this parallels his friends’ group chat:

  "60 minutes into the first game... the entire group chat just lit up with people going, my God, I think we're going to do it." — Matt [03:14]

• Josh relates this to New York Knicks fans, always believing "this is the year" despite all odds [03:43].
• They draw parallels between the hopeful delusion necessary for sports fans and the creative professions—particularly stand-up:

  "You have to be a bit delusional." — Matt [04:43]
  "Statistically, the odds are against you. So if you haven't got that delusion, then you wouldn't turn up, would you?" — Matt [05:55]

3. Sock Epiphanies and Everyday Upgrades

[07:03 – 12:39]

• Matt shares the joy of buying new socks after ages, calling it a surprising act of self-care:

  "If you wanna turn it around for yourself, buy some new socks." — Matt [07:03]

• Josh echoes this, crediting his wife for encouraging higher standards in everyday comforts:

  "Seeing the standards she has for how she lives is like, oh, I can have any standards." — Josh [07:49]

• They discuss "sock culling" (deciding which fun or old socks to throw away), and the dilemma of wearing childish socks with shorts in summer:

  "All you got is a pair of spongebob socks and you look like a five year old." — Matt [09:34] "You show up at a barbecue... and you look right, you look either like a child or you're like, oh, this man... His life is in disarray." — Josh [10:03]

• The delight in solving simple problems with affordable fixes:

  "It's such a joy when you realize, like, something in your life that you considered a big problem is solvable with an amount you can manageably absorb." — Josh [11:20]

• Food hacks—discovering the magic combination of rye crispbread, peanut butter, and banana [12:17].

4. Small Talk and Summertime Would-You-Rather

[13:39 – 21:55]

• A light nod to July 4th for U.S. listeners, with Matt joking that the date is a "day of mourning" for Brits [13:18], followed by kind well-wishes.
• Matt confesses never having attended a housewarming party; Josh shares future plans to host one himself.
• Would You Rather: Summer Blockbuster or Song of the Summer?
  • After discussing the familial nostalgia of summer movies, both agree they'd rather author the song of the summer, relishing the idea of being woven into the season’s emotional soundtrack:

    "I think it would have to be the song of the summer... and you just hope that it's not a one hit wonder." — Matt [16:48] "That sense memory of like being in a place hearing a song is... really special." — Josh [18:40]

• The unique power of music and scent to transport you back in time is celebrated:

  "Movies are great, but they certainly don't have the same impact in terms of being able to transport you back... Music and smells, the only two that really do that." — Matt [19:11]

• Matt jokes he'd "like to create the smell of the summer"—"I am going to be the smell of the summer, Josh." [19:24]

5. Beach vs. Pool: The Eternal Summer Dilemma

[19:46 – 21:48]

• Matt prefers pool over beach "100%", finding beach heat oppressive and sand irritating:

  "I can't do it in the summer. I think I hate sand getting everywhere. I think it's too hot." — Matt [21:03]

• Nostalgic for winter beach trips, Josh remembers the freedom and camaraderie of hanging out there as a teen.
• Matt links it right back to the calming sound of waves on his Hatch device, a fitting benediction for sleepy listeners.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You've just got to... sweat it out and hope for the best." — Matt on heatwaves [01:30]
• "Two of quite a few things that require just absolute delusion: working in any sort of creative pursuit, and being a real hardcore sports fan." — Matt [04:43]
• "Even a one hit wonder is kind of cool though, I think. Like imagine having performed and written 'Who Let the Dogs Out'..." — Josh [16:56]
• "Music and smells, the only two that really do that [transport you]." — Matt [19:11]
• "Just a very good night to all brothers and sisters in America. Happy fourth of July. We miss you terribly." — Matt closing [22:41]

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Key Timestamps

• 00:36 – Summer heat woes & coping strategies
• 03:07 – Football fandom and the delusional optimism of sports & creatives
• 07:03 – The therapeutic joy of new socks
• 13:39 – July 4th greetings, housewarming party chat
• 15:00 – Would you rather: summer blockbuster or song of the summer?
• 19:46 – Would you rather: beach or pool?
• 21:55 – Reflections, good-nights, and a message to anxious dogs on July 4th

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Episode Tone

Warm, witty, self-deprecating, and playful, this episode serves as both a lighthearted companion for winding the mind down and a gentle reminder to cherish life’s small upgrades. Matt and Josh’s easy banter—punctuated with honest admissions and relatable foibles—makes for a bedtime listen as comforting as new socks and the sound of summer waves.

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Transcript

[A]

Audio for sleep by hatch. All right. I'm Matt.

[B]

And I'm Josh. Welcome to the nightly from Hatch, where your late night thoughts go to. Matt, it's so nice to see you. It's been a long time.

[A]

You too. It feels like it's been forever. All I know is that it wasn't as obnoxiously hot as it is now last time we spoke.

[B]

That's right. Is it really scorching where you are?

[A]

I mean, you know me, Josh. I'm not one to complain.

[B]

Never.

[A]

But it is unbelievably warm. And as I've said before, I disagree with everybody who. You know when you say you complain about the heat and people go, oh, yeah, but when it gets cold, you'll be moaning about that. I genuinely don't. I like cold weather. I've got a lot of nice jackets. I've got a house with heat in. I'm very lucky.

[B]

Right. Walls.

[A]

Walls, yeah. Duvet throws. The throws were not my. Not my doing.

[B]

But nice to have him around.

[A]

Nice to have him around, sure. But with the heat, apart from the. The few purchases that I made to help, the little air con unit in the ice machine, apart from that, there is nothing you can do about it. You've just got to. It's like having the flu, isn't it? You just got to sweat it out and hope for the best.

[B]

Yep. It just happens till it's done happening. I agree. They. I know a lot of people. I was just reading my friend Drew Johnson's newsletter and he said he grew up in a place where. Outside Seattle, where even in the summer when he was young, it wasn't very humid. So on the few really hot days, they would just go to the movies and they would spend the afternoon, you know, the hottest part of the day in an air conditioned movie theater, watch a flick, leave, have a great day. And I think, I think that sounds wonderful, like a wonderful beat the heat strategy.

[A]

That's a really great tactic, actually. Yeah. But the problem is there is so few places that are air conditioned, really. I think the cinema probably is a

[B]

big mall usually, but those are less and less.

[A]

They are less and less. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I'll be all right with it. I think one of the main issues that I'm having is I'm actually going on holiday at the end of the week for the first time in ages. Years. But the problem is when it's nice weather over here and you're going on holiday, I've got to get all My stuff washed for the nice weather on holiday. So then I can't look nice here before I go, right.

[B]

You have a week of laundry days all in a row.

[A]

Yeah. So I end up, you're just like pulling old football shirts out the cupboards and old shorts that are like sun bleached and have got, you know, paint on them. You're like, well, that's the price you pay for looking nice on holiday. Unfortunately,

[B]

I see that you're wearing a football shirt now and I just. I thought it might have been just World cup fever.

[A]

No, I have got World cup fever. Don't get me wrong. All of my mates, apart from maybe me and somebody else, everyone else was like, oh, I don't think we're going to do anything this year. I think we'll crash out. It's, you know, 60 minutes into the first game when we're playing reasonably well. The entire group chat just lit up with people going, my God, I think we're going to do it. I think this is the year it's happening.

[B]

It's finally happening.

[A]

Just so little evidence.

[B]

Yeah, I love that. I mean, I obviously, I live in New York City and that's New York Knicks fans. The Knicks won the NBA Finals this year. But Knicks fans always like, they're like, oh, the off season was bad. We lost a great player. We. They didn't make any moves. And then they. If truly game one of an 82 game season, if that's a fun game with an exciting victory, they're like, it's happening, it's. And so it's like almost living in New York for 15 years, they almost felt like the fans who cried championship, you know what I mean? Where it's like, you say that every year, like, no, no, no. This year we're the team of destiny. And it's like, well, I don't know you. Destiny's taking off a long, awfully long time to find you guys. So I understand that feeling well of going from like, like that microwave heat of like, oh, you know, we'll just. If it's on in a pub, we'll check out the game. And then like halftime, game one, you're like, we are locked in. It's happening.

[A]

Yeah, I do. I think there's a few things there's like working in any sort of creative pursuit. I think being a real hardcore sports fan, I think two of quite a few things that require just absolute delusion. Because someone was saying this the other day about a comedian and someone went, oh, yeah, he's. He's delusional, that guy. And I was like, well, we all laugh because this shouldn't be. You shouldn't just wake up one day and go, oh, I think I could probably make a living talking to people and doing nothing else. That's insane. You have to be a bit delusional.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

And the same goes with sports, I think. Otherwise you'd just never. It'd be such a dull existence. You couldn't deal with it because every

[B]

year, right, one team is the league champion, whatever league you're talking about, one team wins the championship. And probably it's not your team, just on a statistical level, but you have to let yourself believe. And similar with creative stuff, you have to go like, I bet I could be good at this if I tried. Even that is like a delusion given how bad people are at things when they start, myself included.

[A]

Oh, absolutely. Yeah. It's all stacked against, like you say, in any league or anything. Statistically, the odds are against you. So if you haven't got that delusion, then you wouldn't turn up, would you?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, Totally agreed. I've stopped judging anybody in terms of their ability versus their confidence. I've stopped ever thinking about, like, how that will affect them long term because I'm like, who knows? It takes everyone a while to get good. And it's. I think people who start off confident are, like, at an advantage because they're just like, yeah, I'm gonna do this. Versus the people who come in timid, which is what I did.

[A]

Oh, same. Completely. Yeah. I think it's healthy to start off with a bit of, who am I to be doing this? Because I do think it does make you better long term. I know a few people who, they started out, thought they were amazing and they weren't, and then they just stay at that level because why would you learn anything if you think you're great at it?

[B]

Totally. You need to have a little bit of, like, if not humility, just, like, the work ethic to go like, I'm great, but if I really put my nose to the grindstone, I can be the greatest, greatest of all time within a year.

[A]

Yeah, Even that. That's healthier. Yeah. I'll tell you what I've enjoyed. Well, I mean, this is gonna sound ridiculous, but I bought. Bought some new socks last week. I've not bought new socks in ages. My God. I know. It's a mental health crisis in the world right now. If you wanna turn it around for yourself, buy some new socks.

[B]

I love a new Sock feeling. And I love this is. This is maybe a position of luxury and privilege that I'm in. So please listeners, don't hold it against me too hard. But I even kind of like when I'm wearing an old pair of socks and I go hole in the bottom. Wow, that's the new sock signal. I'm buying new socks right now.

[A]

Oh, really? Wow. Okay, so you're right in there and getting new socks as soon as you see a hole, are you?

[B]

I've started. It's only the last few years since meeting my wife. John Mulaney has that classic routine about being at the airport and his wife at the time going like, what if this other airline has a. Has any flights? While he's kind of spiraling out. And that is one of the things about meeting my wife and like seeing the standards she has for how she lives is like, oh, I can have any standards.

[A]

Yeah. It's crazy when that you realize that.

[B]

And it doesn't always have to be like expensive stuff. It's not like, oh, I only fly first class. But it is truly like, oh, I can have new socks.

[A]

Yeah, it's a weird thing that, isn't it? I don't know if that's a male thing because I will. Historically, I've soldiered on with boxer shorts and socks until there is little to nothing left. But yeah, it's only recently I've realized it coincided with buying that aircon unit. You know, Well, I just thought, why didn't I do this ages ago? You knew this would make your life better, but you just chose to sort of self flagellate and be miserable. So that's. I'm turning it around this year.

[B]

How many pairs of socks did you. Is this like a whole new sock roster or were you like, I'm replacing a few pairs that, that have fallen out of the rotation.

[A]

I. I've gone wholesale. I really have.

[B]

Love this.

[A]

Partly because, and this is sort of my girlfriend's fault, actually. I had loads of socks previously and she made me throw a load out because she said there's too many socks there. And I said, yeah, but I need socks for all different occasions. You know, there's different, you know, different scenarios, different socks, different needs.

[B]

Completely agree.

[A]

So she said, why don't you just keep all your nice socks? So the socks that I've accumulated over time, whether I've been given them or gifts, Christmas, like socks with all the Beatles on or, you know, a yellow submarine or I've got a set of spongebob socks that so just keep all your nice ones. But then you do that and then it comes around to summer and you realize you gotta put shorts on and all you got is a pair of spongebob socks and you look like a five year old.

[B]

I was about to say the same thing. That is. Cause having to wear like gym socks with a suit, that's not ideal, but you keep it kinda pants to shoe you don't show off those ankles too much. And people, people are none the wiser. But you show up at a barbecue or you're going for a nice walk in the summer in dress socks and you look right, you look either like a child or you're like, oh, this man, this guy is like it's over for him. His life is in disarray.

[A]

Clearly. He's been kicked out his house this morning. His wife's had enough.

[B]

Yeah, this is divorce day one.

[A]

This is all he's got left.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

It wasn't until that first really hot day where I went to put shorts on and just suddenly went, oh God, I can't, I can't, I cannot wear. I knew there was a reason I didn't throw all those socks out. And then my girlfriend made me, so I had to. I put jeans on. I went straight down the shop and I just bought about 12 pairs of nice thick sort of white. Well, mixture actually white with a different color bands around the top. Love those few cream pairs. Pair of Farah, just a little left. It's really. Yeah, it's been. I feel great.

[B]

It's. It is such a joy when you realize like something in your life that you considered a big problem is solvable with whatever amount of money it is. Like an amount that you can manageably absorb that cost. Right. So it's like obviously a very rich person can go like, oh, my car isn't working. Well, I'll just buy a new car. That's easy and great. But like when you are, you know, at the level I'm living at, you go, oh, these new socks are changing everything. I'm right with you.

[A]

Yeah, there's something wonderful about that. I think that they are really easy fixes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the difference. I've been floating awake.

[B]

Even you go, oh, I was at a. I was out at this restaurant and they had this seasoning or something that was really good. And then you go, oh, I bet they sell that at the store for $8. And then you just have it.

[A]

Yeah. Rye beaters, you know, the whole grain cracker things that peanut butter banana. All Three things that at one point or another I've had in my life, never combined them. And then I did it a few weeks ago and was like, whoa.

[B]

Yeah. Changes the game.

[A]

Yeah. Just everything's better. It's great.

[B]

It's really wonderful. I should say, while we're here for our. For our listeners in the US at least, happy July 4th. I hope you had a good celebration. If you're listening to this, your celebration's probably over. I hope that the fireworks have tapered off wherever you are and you're able to get to sleep smoothly. But I just wanted to wish our listeners that, and to you as well, Although I imagine it's a less significant celebration for you.

[A]

Look, it's a day of mourning for us. Of course.

[B]

I'm sorry to even bring it up. Yeah. I don't mean to put a finger in a wound.

[A]

No, it's all in the past now. All friends.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Yeah. No, I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July.

[B]

Thank you. I had a friend's housewarming party, which I thought was perfect scheduling because I don't always love doing like a big. We're celebrating the holiday, but my friend and his girlfriend moved into a new apartment, and they were like, July 4th, housewarming, perfect. Great idea.

[A]

Ooh, yeah. That is nice. Actually, I don't think I've ever been to a housewarming party.

[B]

You know, I like one. It feels nice. We might throw. My wife and I are about to move and we might throw one. She doesn't know this yet. We might throw one just because I feel like once you get your new home the way you want it briefly, that's the cleanest and tidiest and most pleasant it will ever be.

[A]

But by that logic, though, in my head, that means no one's coming here. Especially, like, when we did ours, there was so much. I did so much DIY of kind of fixing it up and stuff. I thought we're not having people over because I know what's holding this place together. It looks nice. Just. We can't have people touching anything.

[B]

Yeah. Someone touches that bookshelf, it's a lake of books on the floor.

[A]

It's gone. We're basically merging two houses together. If you touch that, and we'll be in big trouble.

[B]

We've had that as well. I thought maybe we could close out tonight's show with a little bit of summertime. Would you rather. How does that sound to you?

[A]

Why not? Why not, Josh?

[B]

Okay. I have a great one that I would like to start with, because I have a lot of feelings. Would you rather star in a summer blockbuster movie or would you rather make the song of the summer? Just, you know, you go every party, you hear this song on, every grocery store you walk into, it's playing, People are blasting it from their cars as you walk down the street. Or would you rather be in like the big movie that everybody sees?

[A]

Ooh, a summer blockbuster. Is that. Have you got some examples of a summer blockbuster? What kind of film are we talking here?

[B]

So like, to me, the classic one. And not just because of the holiday that today is, but like an independence day, like the big summer action movie. I feel like I'm trying to think of like the, oh, Top Gun, Maverick. Was that a couple years ago? I think it's usually like a fun action movie that's not too gnarly so that like, it has that broader appeal. They've been a lot of Marvel movies lately, which is like not my specific summer blockbuster flavor, but like that. It definitely has some of that energy.

[A]

Right, okay. Yeah. So you're looking at something that you could take all the family to in the summer holidays.

[B]

Yeah, that's right. Men in Black was one for me when I was a kid. I remember like being excited for that, seeing all the ads. And then my dad took me in a friend and it was like, summertime, we're seeing the movies.

[A]

That's quite nice. It'd be quite nice to be part of somebody's kind of growing up and formative years in that way. That's a nice thought.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

Um, but I think like every other comedian on the planet, Josh, I wish I was a rock star.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I think it would have to. It would have to be the song of the summer, I think. And you just hope that it's not a one hit wonder and you can keep going. That's the main thing.

[B]

Even a one hit wonder is kind of cool though, I think. Like imagine just like imagine having performed and written who Let the Dogs out and people hear it for your whole life and you go, the Baja Men. The Baja Men.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, that is true. And yeah, I recalled that immediately. I've got an image of them in my head. They didn't need to come out with 10 hit albums.

[B]

Yeah. Obvious you want that career longevity. But I feel like if the one hit is strong enough, like it's going to be in movies forever, people will be. It'll be on playlists forever. And it's kind of this like creative immortality in like a bite sized way. Right. Like, because I feel like once a song stops being in like constant rotation, it becomes really fun to hear by surprise.

[A]

That's so true. Yeah. When it just crops up on those like road trip playlists or something of things you've not heard for ages.

[B]

Yeah. We visited my parents and we drove up to Boston. We rented a car and we took the dog. Although if you're from the car rental company, no, we didn't. No dog in that car. Just as the contract said, smooth.

[A]

But we,

[B]

Maris, my wife, put on a playlist of like 90s singer, songwriter. And it was just all these songs that were like, oh, I would hear this on the radio 500 times a day in 1998 and now it's like a joy because I haven't heard it in six years.

[A]

Yeah, well, yeah, that's so true actually. And those you put it like that, I think even a one hit wonder could be satisfying enough for me. So I thought, yeah, I'd go with that. But I want to know what your strong feelings are here.

[B]

I'm also song of the Summer. For sure. Summer blockbuster would be fun, but I think like the idea of having made this thing that is like the soundtrack to the summer and people have all these good memories associated with like. Oh yeah, I remember hearing this when we went out to the beach house for the week and it just like kept coming up on the stereo and we were having such a good time that like that sense memory of like being in a place hearing a song is. I think that's like really special.

[A]

There's nothing like. I mean, movies are great, but they certainly don't have the same impact in terms of being able to transport you back to somewhere. I think that is music. Music and smells, the only two that really do that.

[B]

I would like to create the smell of the summer.

[A]

The smell of the summer. I am going to be the smell of the summer. Josh. Yeah, I'm not far off now. It is roasted. My God.

[B]

Especially wearing the old clothes. Waiting for holiday to start.

[A]

Yeah, it's not a very breathable football shirt, this either. It's a little clingy actually.

[B]

Okay, let's do one more before we call it an evening. Would you rather spend the day going to the beach or hanging out by the pool?

[A]

Oh, this is, this is an easy one. There's absolutely no contest here for me. I'm sitting by the pool.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

100%. I mean, obviously there's different, different scenarios I might like. For example, if I'm going on holiday next week, it's an all inclusive. It's near a beach, but really it's. I won't move from sort of around the pool, that kind of area.

[B]

Perfect.

[A]

Bar, pool, pool, bar.

[B]

Yeah, that's great.

[A]

Buffet, bar, pool. Yeah, I love it. But there's been plenty of times where I've been on the road, even in winter. In fact, this is one of my favorite things. In the winter time you get a really stormy night if you're doing a gig out the coast somewhere, just pulling up your car and just sitting on a wall for a bit and watching the sea of that.

[B]

Oh yeah, that's so nice.

[A]

One of my favorite things. So actually, yeah, perversely I would sooner sit on the beach in the middle of winter than I would in the summer.

[B]

This is, this is a bombshell revelation. I love it.

[A]

I just. I can't do it in the summer. I think I hate sand getting everywhere. I think it's too hot. Cause it's so oppressive that you can't get away from it.

[B]

I also have memories of like being a kid and having, you know, like being a teenager and friends having cars for the first time. And in the winter like just driving to the beach and hanging out in the cold as. Because it's like a thing you can do where there's not very much supervision but there's also not a lot of danger. And it just kind of like, yeah, it's cold up, but we're just like. We just need somewhere to hang out and I always loved that.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. I think it's. It is perfect for that. And also you look at like on my hatch, for example, I will listen to waves.

[B]

Oh yeah.

[A]

It's lovely to get that in, in real life every so often just to remind you what the feeling's like.

[B]

This is great. It was so nice to catch up with you, Matt. This is like. It's again been too long. A whole weather system has come through and changed and it's great to be back together. Happy 4th of July to everyone who celebrated and I would like to say a good night before we go. To all the dogs out there who don't like the sound of fireworks. It's going to be over soon, guys. You'll be back to relaxing in no time. And just know my heart goes out to you.

[A]

I concur with that as well. But otherwise it has been an absolute pleasure, Josh and yeah, just a very good night to all brothers and sisters in America. Happy fourth of July. We miss you terribly. I'll see you very soon.

[B]

Good night.

[A]

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