Throwing Fits: PATREON PREVIEW Riff of the Year
Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: James Harris & Lauren Schwassman
Episode Overview
This Patreon preview episode finds James (the "Voting Viking") and Lauren (the "Ballot Baron") deep in the run-up to the Throwing Fits "Fitties" awards, their annual celebration of the year’s best in brands, trends, and style. The pair riff on their influence on mirror selfies (and how their style got compared to infamous bad actors), share inside baseball about voting procedures, tease the upcoming Critics Choice episode, and do a classic TF fit check that spirals into lively discussion about their favorite labels and the mythos of John Elliott. All with trademark irreverence, self-deprecation, and cultish insidery banter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
TF’s Mirror Selfie Legacy
- Lauren and James talk about their meme-ification as "the guys flicking up in a mirror" and comparisons to a viral Epstein and Bannon pic.
- Lauren notes that while they didn’t invent the mirrored fit pic, “it is cool that in a year and a half, we have taken kind of like ownership over [it].” (02:25)
- "In a weird way, I'll say it—I was flattered." — Lauren (03:47)
- They joke about the idea of “AI, Epstein & Bannon in a Throwing Fits fit pic,” humorously wrestling with the discomfort and flattery in being style-referenced alongside such infamous figures.
“Fitties” Awards: Voting & Housekeeping
- Main announcement: Voting for 2025 Fitties is live from Dec. 19th through Dec. 31st.
- James: “The voting for the 2025 Fitties begins today, December 19th. Voting will run until the end of the year, December 31st.” (04:08)
- Upcoming episodes: Critics Choice Awards/Spectacular Holiday Special drops Monday—2h40m long, with Sheff (Sean) sending in picks via FaceTime due to illness.
- Lauren: “He sent a voice note that sounded like Kermit on heroin.” (05:12)
- They joke about the marathon length and “Larry’s Dozen” (13+) of Kiran Ichibans consumed during recording (05:38).
- Voting rules debated: Can listeners vote more than once?
- James wants to keep it open (“Why not?” 06:40), Lauren warns about ballot stuffing: “You're gonna have one guy vote for Two Hollis a thousand times. No one's gonna do that. Me.” (06:41)
- They agree one should “think long and hard about who you want to vote for,” but don’t enforce restrictions due to not wanting to collect emails, joking about “Palantir-ass type shit.” (07:05)
Fit Check & Riffing: Brand Talk and “Riff of the Year”
- Lauren’s Fit Check (09:41):
- Rider boots from Second Layer — “quickly becoming my boot of the year.”
- “They have kind of been tossed aside in favor of these beautiful bedazzled suede stompers. So good shout out to Josh, our entire Second Layer family. I love these, dude.” (09:41)
- Socks: John Elliott — which segues into discussion about the brand’s hiatus and comeback.
- Lauren: “Did you see, like, they're… coming back…they closed some stores.” (10:49)
- They note John Elliott is “associated with a certain period of time that was super impactful” but took “some time off to, like, relaunch.” (11:04)
- James quips about social media engagement: “Aggregated news article, skimming the caption, leaving goat emoji.” (11:38)
- Denim: Our Legacy Workshop
- Top: Bare Knuckles thermal (“best for years, great ‘essentials’”)
- Rider boots from Second Layer — “quickly becoming my boot of the year.”
- Memorable tangent: Lauren reminds everyone about the infamous “Worm/Poop from a butt” riff, labeling it the “real riff of the year” (10:19–10:35). - James: “Poop from a butt.” (10:23) - Lauren: “For some people, silk is just poop. It's wearing po-…”
Voting, Breaks, and Patreon Teasers
- Show Scheduling:
- Fitties results in early January
- Guest episodes return January 19th
- Written content and other bonuses continue on Patreon during holiday break (08:22)
- Patreon Listeners:
- Early access to voting (“Your early votes count twice” [09:00]—clearly a joke)
- Get the inside scoop before public rollout
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Lauren on the meme-mirrored fit pic:
- "It's cool that in a year and a half, we have taken kind of like ownership over two Guys. Flicking up in a mirror. ... That is now associated with us." (02:25)
- On being style-referenced alongside bad guys:
- Lauren: "In a weird way, I'll say it, I was flattered." (03:47)
- James: "That's not weird. That's not surprising. That... is twisted, though." (03:53)
- On voting procedure and rules:
- Lauren: “Because you're gonna have one guy vote for Two Hollis a thousand times. No one's gonna do that. Me.” (06:41)
- James: "That's fucking Palantir-ass type shit." (07:05)
- On John Elliott and “Goat Emoji” Culture:
- James: “Aggregated news article, skimming the caption, leaving goat emoji.” (11:38)
- Lauren: "You just… like someone posts… like somebody died or something… Go, go, go." (11:47)
- Classic lowbrow riff of the year:
- Lauren: “You remember Worm?” (10:23)
- James: “Oh, yeah. Poop from a butt.” (10:25)
- Lauren: “For some people, silk is just poop. It's wearing po–” (10:35)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:19] Main show start, intro of hosts
- [02:25] Claiming “ownership” of the fit-pic meme
- [03:47] Lauren: “In a weird way, I'll say it—I was flattered.”
- [04:08] Fitties voting opens / Details & timeline
- [05:12] Sheff's absence and “Kermit on heroin” impression
- [05:38] Beer tally (“Larry’s Dozen”) in Critics Choice recording
- [06:36] Discussion of voting rules and ballot-stuffing
- [07:05] “Palantir-ass type shit” quote
- [09:41] Fit check and favorite brands
- [10:23] “Worm/Poop” riff—“Riff of the Year” callback
- [10:49] John Elliott brand comeback/hiatus talk
- [11:38] “Goat emoji” social media culture
- [12:09] Bare Knuckles thermals and ‘essentials’
Tone & Style
- The show is “two grown dirtbags tryna navigate the zeitgeist”—raucous, inside-joke heavy, self-mocking, always fashion-forward and not above veering into absurd, crude humor.
- Plenty of meta-commentary on the state of men’s fashion podcasting and the echo chamber of their community.
- Hosts alternate between sincere inside talk (brand comebacks, voting mechanics) and surrealistic riffs (“Poop from a butt,” being flattered by evil drip comparisons).
Summary Takeaway
This episode sets the table for the year-end content by reveling in their own memes, hyping up both fans and themselves for the annual “Fitties,” and bringing signature fits discourse and comic irreverence. It’s a must-listen to catch the energy of the TF universe as they wrap up 2025—full of inside jokes, fashion nerdery, and the kind of lowbrow wit that can only come from years on the mic together.