The Ryen Russillo Show
Episode: Russillo on the Road: London Travelogue
Date: November 28, 2025
Host: Ryen Russillo (Barstool Sports)
Episode Overview
In this special “on the road” episode, Ryen Russillo chronicles his London adventure, combining travelogue, cultural observations, personal anecdotes, and sports talk. Russillo’s trip, anchored around finally seeing Radiohead live, evolves into a medley of musings on London’s history, British manners, music, local life, museum visits, and his first Premier League experience. With Russillo’s signature blend of humor, self-deprecation, and curiosity, the episode offers both fans and newcomers a vivid, relatable snapshot of a stranger in a (very polite) land.
Main Topics & Highlights
1. Why London? The Radiohead Catalyst and Job Uncertainty
[00:56 - 06:55]
- Russillo’s friend Brad Sands offered him Radiohead tickets in London, which became the backbone of the trip.
- Shares a humorous, embarrassing backstory about missing Radiohead 25 years ago due to being “a dick” in his 20s.
- Lesson for listeners: “If you’re about to change jobs...plan a trip...if they want to hire you, they’re likely going to say, ‘okay, yeah, something you planned before.’” (03:33)
- Job changes, planning, and balancing work with adventure.
2. Flight, Hotels, and the Arrival
[06:56 - 19:40]
- Flew Virgin Atlantic, details “bed seat” experience with classic Russillo humility and jokes about not understanding the mechanism.
- Awkward/funny plane seat neighbor story: “She smashed the dinner. As soon as she fell asleep, she could not stop farting. It was fucking awful.” (09:05)
- Arrival impressions: London’s neighborhoods feel familiar (“parts of Boston,” “Brookline,” and “Central Park-adjacent” vibes).
- Mayfair neighborhood as home base; first-time London visitor observations.
3. First Impressions of London & British Culture
[19:41 - 32:00]
- Ryen notices London’s historic layering: "In every single direction, you’re just surrounded by history."
- History snackables: Roman ‘Londinium,’ Roman expansion “just because they were bored,” and the city paying cats to kill mice: “Including one legendary cat named Tibbs the Great. 20-plus pounds.”
- Londoners’ politeness feels performative, especially compared to NYC or Boston.
“They sound like they’re better than us...even when they’re rude, they’re polite.” (27:41)
4. Day One: Tourism, Christmas, Culture Shock
[32:01 - 44:30]
- Jet lag mishap: “I grab my phone and I look and it says 3:45am and I was like, you’ve got it…” (41:30)
- Christmas in London is “on steroids”—storefront Christmas competitions on Bond Street:
“London just takes Christmas head on...every city I’ve seen on steroids when it comes to Christmas.” (44:00)
- Walking in London “is one of the most dangerous places I’ve ever walked.” Crosswalk chaos and left-side traffic confusion.
5. Food, Nightlife, and Roaming the City
[44:31 - 54:20]
- Goodman Steakhouse review: Charcoal grill that runs 7 days straight, “No sauce whatsoever. And it’s perfectly cooked.”
- Solo night strolls: “I went at night, so there was nobody there, no guards. It wasn’t like I was going to be one of those guys who’s going to fuck with them and take a selfie.”
- Rooftop drinks with city views; recurring sleep issues.
- Wry social commentary on “influencers” posing with empty bags outside luxury stores.
6. Churchill War Room & Museum Observations
[54:21 - 1:11:53]
- Russillo is deeply moved by the war rooms, WWII air raids: “Just relentless air raids over and over and over again.”
- Fascinated by British decision-making (not bombing German civilians):
“I thought it was pretty admirable that they kind of knew...they were going to be wiping out a lot of innocent civilians...and they actually never ended up doing it.” (1:08:50)
- Entertained by Churchill impersonators: “We know you’re not Winston Churchill...”
- Side tangent: The global power of Hollywood.
7. London Neighborhoods and Museum Visits
[1:11:54 - 1:36:30]
- Trip to Notting Hill interrupted by Manhattan Beach home alarm—“Is my house burning down?” (It’s not).
- Advice: Steer clear of Portobello Road, “It sucks,” but recommends venturing a few blocks east for better restaurants and shops.
- British Museum: Defends elitist opinion, “Sometimes things...should be at least five bucks or ten bucks” for crowd control.
- Revels in ancient coins, the Rosetta Stone, and Enlightenment art.
- Ryen’s New Artist Find: “Ole Olson Hagelin. So the guy liked the town so much, he was like, you know what? This is my new name.”
8. Radiohead: After 25 Years of Anticipation
[1:36:31 - 1:49:00, 2:14:34 - 2:28:25]
- Emotional, detailed description of seeing Radiohead at the O2 after a lifetime of fandom:
“To finally see them live, to see that song being played, it was just great...what if they’re actually that good though? Is that a possibility?” (1:46:00)
- Surreal communal moments:
“The entire crowd is just singing the chorus, like, for him, while he’s just kind of doing whatever he wants…”
- Second show “even better” than the first; praises Johnny Greenwood:
“He is like Ohtani and LeBron up there...he’s just doing a million fucking things at once.”
- Compares English music fandoms; learns Oasis may be more beloved than Radiohead locally.
9. London Nightlife: Clubs & Curious Performances
[1:49:01 - 2:14:33]
- Post-concert club antics: bizarre variety acts (“voluptuous emcee,” “person gave birth to eight or ten eggs in a bucket, it’s not as aggressive as you think”), and failed attempts to get properly drunk:
“There’s just nothing worse than when you like the dullness of the vodka soda, and then all of a sudden, you think you’re drinking, like, a Belvedere and Squirt.”
- Culture comparison: sarcastically wonders if he’s “edgy” enough for the scene, references industry drama TV tropes.
10. First Premier League Match: Fulham v Sunderland at Craven Cottage
[2:28:26 - 2:50:00]
- Experiencing English football at its gritty, rainy, communal best.
“Craven Cottage...reminds me, maybe not Fenway today, but Fenway in the 80s.”
- Surprised by unique stadium culture:
“The coolest thing about this stadium is that it’s right in town...you cross the street and it’s just a neighborhood.”
“You can’t bring your beer in here. Why? Fighting.” - Observes the relentless athleticism: “Just sprinting over and over again.”
- Fulham triumphs (“total domination”), Russillo soaks it in — literally, thanks to the English rain.
11. Imperial War Museum and Final London Reflections
[2:50:01 - 3:12:00]
- Digs into causes and global alliances of WWI and WWII:
“The British Empire—that’s like a Saban type run there. I don’t know that that’s ever going to happen again.”
- Recounts stories like the failed German-Mexican World War I alliance (the Zimmerman Telegram).
- Observes that in London—even when people are rude, they’re polite, and everything is “brilliant.”
12. Wrap-up: Mistakes, Lessons, and London’s Uniqueness
[3:12:01 - end]
- Realizes he should have scheduled his return flight to line up with NFL Sunday.
- Recaps his biggest takeaways:
- “If you love Christmas, you’re going to love London.”
- “Big Ben Parliament scene in European Vacation—there is no roundabout. I checked it out again.”
- “5 Premier League teams in London. This is the coolest thing ever...that’s just amazing to be that close to another team.”
- Flirts with real estate, jokes about Chelsea mansion he can’t afford, and closes with a Buddhist insight:
“The Buddhist would tell me it’d be better if I didn’t want it and did.”
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On making plans during life transitions:
“If you’re about to change jobs...plan a trip...if they want to hire you, they’re likely going to say, ‘okay, yeah, something you planned before.’”
(03:33, Ryen) -
On English manners:
“Because the thing is, you just sound like you’re better than us, and I don’t believe that. Think you’re better than me, but you sound it.”
(27:41, Ryen) -
On Christmas in London:
“London just takes Christmas head on...every other city I’ve ever seen on steroids when it comes to Christmas.”
(44:00, Ryen) -
On London's traffic and chaos:
“This has to be one of the most dangerous places I’ve ever walked...You constantly think these cars are going to crash into each other and no one gives a fuck.”
(46:30, Ryen) -
On finally seeing Radiohead:
“To finally see them live, to see that song being played, it was just great...what if they’re actually that good though? Is that a possibility?”
(1:46:00, Ryen) -
On Craven Cottage and English soccer:
“The coolest thing about this stadium is that it’s right in town...The second you walk out of the stadium, you cross the street and it’s just a neighborhood.”
(2:36:50, Ryen) -
On learning from history:
“The British Empire, that’s like a Saban type run there. I don’t know that’s ever going to happen again.”
(2:54:30, Ryen) -
On polite British exaggerations:
"There’s a bit of, I think, hyperbole. They say everything’s brilliant...I just like, oh, what'd you do? Got a salad from there. Oh, brilliant. Well, I don't even know. I think it's a pretty fucking standard decision."
(3:00:30, Ryen)
Key Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 00:56-06:55 | Trip rationale, Radiohead, job/career side-story | | 09:05 | Infamous seatmate airplane story | | 19:41-32:00 | First impressions, British history, “Tibbs the Great” | | 27:41 | English vs American manners | | 44:00 | Christmas in London, Bond St. storefronts | | 46:30 | Walking in London, traffic chaos | | 54:21-1:11:53| Churchill War Rooms, WWII, British resilience | | 1:11:54 | Notting Hill, museum, “Is my house burning down?” | | 1:36:31 | Radiohead at O2, music memories | | 1:49:01 | London nightlife; surreal cabaret club | | 2:28:26 | Premier League match: Fulham vs Sunderland | | 2:50:01 | Imperial War Museum, WWI/WWII reflections | | 3:12:01 | Endcap lessons, real estate musings, trip summary |
Tone & Style
Russillo’s tone throughout is informal, witty, honest, and tinged with both nostalgia and humility. His travelogue is self-aware—pointing out his own tourist mistakes, marveling at both the ordinary and extraordinary, and dropping deadpan observations (and playful digs at both himself and his fellow Americans). The episode is a seamless blend of cultural anthropology, sports, life advice, and his signature guy-in-the-bar-next-to-you candor.
Final Thoughts
- For music fans: A love letter to seeing a legendary band (“what if they’re actually that good?”).
- For travelers: Unvarnished tips, laughs, and the constant wonder of feeling out of place—but soaking it in.
- For self-improvers: “Just trying to get better every single day.”
- For listeners new to England: Expect quaintness, history, politeness laced with subversiveness, and, if it’s winter, “Christmas on steroids.”
- For sports fans: The authentic thrill of live football (“soccer”) in a historic London ground—camaraderie, rain, and all.
Listen if:
You want a view of London through the eyes of a sports fan/reluctant traveler, appreciate oddball history nuggets, enjoy sharp and self-deprecating humor, or just need a nudge to not bail on big plans that will become lifelong memories.