The Wayback with Ryan Sickler

Episode 88: Shane Todd

Release Date: September 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this nostalgic and jovial episode, comedian Ryan Sickler welcomes Northern Irish stand-up Shane Todd for a deep-dive into their childhood memories, family road trips, and the quirks of growing up in Ireland. Touching on topics such as family cars, summer holidays, school, soccer, and cultural oddities, the conversation is filled with warmth, humor, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Shane’s perspective as a Belfast native brings a fresh, international flavor to the “wayback” nostalgia trip.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Family Cars and Early Road Trips

Timestamps: 01:31–05:55

• Shane reminisces about his dad’s knack for always buying similar BMW models:

  “He would just re buy the same car, different colors … he was a mechanic as well. He was a little bit, you know, he was a guy who knew how to get deals. Illegal, basically.”
  (Shane Todd, 01:54)

• The culture around cars in Ireland during the '90s:
  • Piling 10+ family members and cousins into a five-seater was standard.
  • Casual attitudes towards seatbelts and even drink driving (“didn’t really become a big thing until like 2010”).
• Nostalgia for Irish road trips: Journeys to Donegal, Mayo, and stony beaches, unfazed by travel duration.

2. Childhood Holidays: Ireland & Abroad

Timestamps: 05:41–17:12

• Typical Irish holidays meant stacking into caravans with family and cousins, staying at seaside towns, eating chips and ice cream.

  “It was such a. Such simple holidays … there was no plan. The parents would just leave the kids there … go where you like, do whatever you want.”
  (Shane Todd, 08:08)

• International trips:
  • For many Irish, going “abroad” meant Spain or the Balearic Islands (“Spain is still the most common place people from Ireland and the UK will go on holiday” - 14:12).
  • Shane fondly recalls his first Disney World trip and the awe of experiencing American excess—first-class flights, endless buffet at Golden Corral, and the sensory overload of Orlando.

3. American vs. European Sporting Cultures

Timestamps: 09:44–14:12

• Ryan shares stories from playing soccer across Europe as a teenager—competing in the Dana Cup (Denmark), Thistle Cup (Scotland), and other tournaments.
• Hilarity and shenanigans ensue:
  • Admits to losing every game, but making lasting memories drinking, “stealing,” and pranking teammates:

    “I've never been a big thief, but when … the last week, we had no money. We would eat and run … One kid … stole the Denmark flag … People from the town were chasing them.”
    (Ryan Sickler, 12:06–12:49)

• The sheer quality of European pitches compared to American ones:

  “Your shitty fields are like our premier fields. … This is where you practice?”
  (Ryan Sickler, 13:40)

4. Growing Up: School Uniforms, Neighbourhoods, Community

Timestamps: 25:55–31:19

• School uniforms: Mandatory from age 4, getting more formal in secondary school—full suits for boys, blouses and skirts for girls

  “It’s like a miniature businessman look … You wear a full suit to school every day.”
  (Shane Todd, 26:37)

• Shane describes the all-boys school culture, school discos with neighboring girls’ schools, and how uniforms leveled socioeconomic disparities.
• Neighbourhood memories:
  • Fond recollections of his childhood homes in Halstein Drive (East Belfast) and the extended-family-packed “row homes” in Hollywood.
  • Community vibe:

    “In so many of the … social housing in Hollywood, Belfast … your key would be in your door all day, morning till night.”
    (Shane Todd, 31:08)

5. Football (Soccer) and Local Anecdotes

Timestamps: 19:29–23:22

• Shane’s lifelong attachment to football, multiple retirements and comebacks, and the unique laughs found on amateur sidelines.
• Classic sideline banter and memorable coach one-liners.
• Hilarious story playing against Belfast Deaf United:

  “Our coach … was like, lads, just start saying what you’re going to do … that's where I'll be kicking it. They beat us 4:1. … They're just watching us say what’s coming next.”
  (Shane Todd, 22:31)

6. Football Hooligan Mythology & School Uniforms

Timestamps: 23:22–27:35

• Ryan quizzes Shane on the infamous “Chelsea smile” and other football hooligan urban legends.
• Shane confirms some roots in the 1980s but notes how much of it is now mythologized.
• Reflection on how school uniforms and cultural norms differ between Ireland and the US.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Irish travel habits:

  “We just got into my dad’s car and we just ended up there. … There was no such thing as ‘how long’s left?’”
  (Shane Todd, 05:20)

• On American buffets:

  “You could take me to like a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris. Suck my dick. I walked into the Golden Corral, I was like, what do you mean I can go back up?”
  (Shane Todd, 17:27)

• On US vs. European sporting goods:

  “I got a Charlotte Hornets top with rice … I was just in heaven. I walked around this place every day … I want everything.”
  (Shane Todd, 18:58)

• On community in Belfast:

  “You would just call in with your aunties, uncle’s, friends. You just walk in. That’s the way it was.”
  (Shane Todd, 31:14)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:31 – Shane describes the family BMWs and car culture
• 04:41 – Holidays in Southern Ireland
• 08:41 – Stories of sleeping on the floor in packed caravans
• 09:44 – Ryan’s European youth soccer adventures
• 12:06 – Eating, running, and a wild story about stealing a Denmark flag
• 14:12 – Spain as the Irish holiday destination; comparison to US vacations
• 17:27 – Shane’s first time at Golden Corral & US buffet culture
• 19:29 – Growing up with soccer; returning at age 36
• 22:31 – Playing against the Belfast Deaf United, comedic strategy failure
• 25:55 – School uniforms in Ireland vs. the US
• 29:25 – Mapping old residences and childhood neighborhoods
• 31:08 – The unlocked doors and community in Belfast neighborhoods

Tone, Vibe, and Final Thoughts

The episode’s tone is warm, hilarious, and deeply relatable—with both Ryan and Shane trading fond (sometimes cringeworthy) stories about their upbringings. Shane’s Irish perspective brings a unique humor and a sense of wistful reflection to the conversation. Whether you grew up in the U.S. or Ireland, there’s something familiar and heartening in their memories of simpler times—crammed cars, raucous holidays, uninhibited fun, and the camaraderie of childhood.

Shane Todd Plugs

• Website & Tour Dates: shanetoddcomedy.com
• YouTube: Search “Shane Todd” for specials and the “Tea with Me” podcast

Listen for:

• A vivid, funny look at how childhood nostalgia crosses borders
• Shane’s affectionate ribbing of 90s Irish culture (and American excess)
• Anecdotes balancing heartfelt reminiscence and unruly mischief