The Nightly – Olympians Should DTR
Guests: Jeremiah Coughlan & Joe Simons
Host: Josh (Hatch Podcasts)
Date: February 17, 2026
Episode Overview
Tonight's episode of The Nightly explores the fun and fascinating side of the Winter Olympics, blending cozy banter with sharp pop-culture observations. Host Josh is joined by comedians Jeremiah Coughlan and Joe Simons (hosts of Hatch’s "Sleepytime Sports") for a pillow-fort chat filled with playful games, Olympic gossip, and the hunt for the juiciest behind-the-scenes athlete dynamics. With a nod to bedtime relaxation, the trio unpacks Olympic drama, memorable sporting moments, and speculates about which winter sports they could—and definitely could not—survive.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Early Impressions of the Milan Winter Olympics
- The guests share excitement about ongoing events, spotlighting:
- US Women’s Hockey dominance and men's tournament upsets.
- Underdog stories like Mexico's first cross-country skier.
- Notable upsets: "Finland beating Sweden and the Slovakians coming out and putting on a good show." (Jeremiah, 01:30)
- Men’s hockey now features NHL players, fundamentally altering the competition:
“You got the top of the top now in the men's side.” (Joe, 02:23)
“It definitely changes… I like both for their own reasons—having the amateur players and the pro players—but just to see kind of the top of the top…” (Jeremiah, 02:35)
2. Olympic Relationships: More Drama, Please!
- Discussion on famous pairs like ice dancers Chock & Bates—married and media-friendly—and a desire for more visible, gossipy relationship info onscreen:
“I want on the screen country and then relationship status. Are they cousins? Are they dear friends? Are they currently separated? Are they having an affair?” (Joe, 03:30)
- Calls for a soap-opera, Real Housewives style treatment of coverage, adding layers to the athletic contest:
“Give us the Days of our Lives version of the Olympics.” (Jeremiah, 05:20)
3. How Technology is Changing Sports Coverage
- Drones bring new, thrilling angles to events like cross-country skiing and bobsled:
“The drones have really changed the game… you can see the drones following them down. It just gives you a whole new viewpoint…” (Jeremiah, 08:14)
- Unexpected drawback: microphone noise on drones giving a "swarm of bees" vibe (Jeremiah, 08:14-08:46).
4. Olympic Events: Surprises & Favourites
- Cross-country skiing earns major respect for sheer athleticism, made more vivid by new camera angles (Joe, 07:01).
- Meme-worthy sports:
- Two-person luge as “a lie that someone really committed to” (Jeremiah, 09:07).
- Ongoing question: "Are they married? We need that on the chyron in the lower third.” (Josh, 09:29)
5. The Thrill (and Confusion) of Split-Second Finishes
- Amusing observations about the drama of close finishes, trusting unfamiliar announcers, and “photo finishes”:
"A truly one second difference that you might not even notice… the announcer's just like, 'Oh, really off to a lousy start. No chance here.' ... A lot of trust is involved with the broadcasting of the Olympics." (Joe, 10:18)
- Historic tie in speed skating (both awarded gold):
“They gave them both gold medals because of it, which is incredible.” (Jeremiah, 11:58)
6. Old-School Judging Scandals & Nationalism
- Persistent judge biases, both real and perceived, delight the hosts:
"It is just people that have aesthetic preferences and, like, national biases. It's pretty spectacular that every four years, we get together and people from countries all over the world take out their personal grudges on one another." (Josh, 12:55)
- Comic ideas about notorious “career judges” and Olympic tribalism (13:29-14:00).
7. Game Time: Kiss, Marry, Kill (Olympic Equipment Edition, 14:40–16:17)
- Jeremiah:
- Kiss: Skis
- Marry: Luge sleds (“That seems fun.”)
- Kill: Snowboards (“The only time I ever snowboarded, I broke my tailbone.”)
- Joe:
- Kiss: Snowboard (“A good time here for a short time…”)
- Marry: Skis (“More reliable, more established.”)
- Kill: Luge (“That is literally death on a sled.”)
8. Olympic Events You Might (Not) Survive (16:19–19:42)
- Bobsled and skeleton might be survivable, “a lazy river kind of pacing” preferred (Joe, 17:56).
- Ski jumping is the unanimous hard no:
"That's the one for me because… once you get to that jump… there's no way." (Josh, 18:24–18:39)
- Newly noticed dangers: Sled speeds reaching 80 mph (Jeremiah, 19:19).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
"So excited and so sleepy. The reverse of a caffeine pill addiction on Saved by the Bell."
— Josh (00:58)
“Country and then relationship status. Are they cousins? Are they dear friends? Are they currently separated? Are they having an affair?”
— Joe (03:30)
"Give us the Days of our Lives version of the Olympics."
— Jeremiah (05:20)
"I just sent Joe this meme that was like, the two person luge looks like a lie that someone really committed to."
— Jeremiah (09:07)
“That's the one for me because... once you get to that jump... there's no way.”
— Josh (18:24)
Timestamps of Key Segments
- Olympic Overview & Hockey Updates – 01:10–02:54
- Relationship Status in Olympics – 03:30–05:25
- Drones & Broadcasting Advances – 07:01–08:54
- Photo Finishes & Trusting Announcers – 10:18–11:58
- Kiss, Marry, Kill (Equipment Edition) – 14:40–16:17
- Olympic Events We’d Try (or Avoid) – 16:19–19:42
- Good Night Wishes – 20:46–22:14
Closing: Good Night Shoutouts
- Joe: Sends a sweet “good night” to Olympians Chock & Bates (married US ice dancers), celebrating their love and silver medal (20:46).
- Jeremiah: Dedicates his to Italian speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, “just a ray of light” who wowed with a gold medal win on her 35th birthday:
“Good night, Francesca. I hope you enjoy your gold medal and your beautiful family. You’re just a ray of light in this world.” (Jeremiah, 21:19)
Overall Tone:
Witty, relaxed, playfully skeptical, and packed with pop-culture references—true to the “opposite of The Daily” spirit.
Perfect For:
Listeners seeking a lighthearted, gossipy, and affectionate nerd-out about the Olympics, with plenty of laughs and zero spoilers for outcomes.