Podcast Summary

Podcast: Watch What Crappens (#410 “Dwell Hello Part 1: Live From the Netflix is a Joke Comedy Fest”)
Hosts: Ben Mandelker & Ronnie Karam
Air Date: May 9, 2024
Topic: Recap and roast of a “House Hunters” nudist episode, live at the Netflix is a Joke Fest.

Episode Overview

The episode is a live recording from the Netflix is a Joke festival in Hollywood, where Ben and Ronnie bring their signature blend of Bravo-obsession, pop culture shade, and campy humor. While they usually roast all things Bravo, this episode shifts focus to a memorable “House Hunters” episode featuring nudist homebuyers in Florida. The duo delivers irreverent commentary, plenty of tangents (from real estate woes to alien visitations), and a comedic, affectionate takedown of the reality TV world.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Kookaburra Lounge & LA Vibes

(02:13–05:00)

• Ben and Ronnie riff on the venue (Kookaburra Lounge), make jokes about LA landmarks, and remember the “giant elephants” that once greeted mall visitors.
• They celebrate their friends opening the new space (“I'm so proud of you. This place is amazing.” – Ronnie, 02:55) and recommend artichoke beignets over basic goat cheese balls.
• Early banter includes playful worries about spilled drinks and hosts’ power cords, highlighting their bickering chemistry and “turning into their parents.”

2. Audience Inclusion and Personal Tangents

(05:00–12:12)

• The hosts joke about the diverse fans brought to Bravo events: “I can't tell if you're a gay or a husband or are you both, or a gay husband?” – Ronnie, 05:55
• Ronnie shares a hilarious account of house-hunting with a “real hot real estate guy with tiny ears,” including a comical meditation on ear attraction and straight-gay crossovers.
• The duo explores tangential stories about Uber rides, salad-phobic mothers, and getting distracted on House Hunters.

3. Aliens Would Never Understand Bravo

(12:12–14:56)

• The pair imagine aliens’ first encounter with humanity being at a Watch What Crappens show:
  "Imagine if this is the first view aliens could see of Earth… we would have to explain so much about Bravo to them." – Ben, 12:24
• They joke that aliens “are finally comfortable enough” to come to Earth because “they've seen Bravo.”
• Ronnie speculates, “They've seen Teresa Giudice. That's the one we beamed up and sent back.” (12:55)

4. Translating Bravo-Lingo for Outsiders (and Aliens)

(14:00–17:44)

• Ben and Ronnie break down the coded language of Bravo personalities, humorously “translating” subtext.
  • Carl from Summer House saying, “I'm just like really overwhelmed right now… You look great, by the way.”
    Translation: “I'm going to pretend to be a really good person, get you to promise marriage and a baby, then I'm gonna leave and drag you on TV...” – Ronnie, 14:29
  • Tom Sandoval: “Everyone is trying to capitalize on my misery.”
    Translation: “I fucked your best friend while you were at your grandmother's funeral and it's your fault.” – Ronnie, 15:34
• They riff on the Valley's Britney, Kyle Richards from Real Housewives, and the universal “make me feel purty” aspirations.

5. Introducing House Hunters: Nudist Edition

(17:52–20:52)

• This episode’s main meat is a “House Hunters” edition with nudist buyers in Florida.
• The hosts prepare the crowd: “We got a million emails about today's episode… features nudists house hunting in the nude, naturally, as one does.” – Ben, 17:57
• Ronnie observes: “I don't want to see people naked in any state; especially fucking Florida.” (20:07)
• They note the episode is a new “Agents Gone Wild” format with neon graphics, drag queens, and “the first time people are actually naked on the show.”

6. Observations on Nudist Real Estate Culture

(21:23–33:47)

• The hosts introduce April, the real estate agent whose niche is selling to nudists (“Nobody is nice to this woman. She had to go find the most outcasty, outcast people in Florida.” – Ronnie, 24:30).
• Commentary on April’s business methods:
  • Lapis lazuli wardrobe, being “ignored by nudists” (24:56).
  • Marketing materials “make MySpace look advanced,” involving Twizzler borders, candy hearts, and “If your heart is telling you it's time to look for a home, let's schedule a date.” (34:11–35:20)
• April is described as striving for attention: “You can't do this. You gotta be like tiny ears. Imply you're hot enough to fuck. Don't actually do it. Don't actually tell them ‘come fuck me I’ll find you a house.’ April, keep it in your pants.” – Ronnie, 35:34

7. Life in the Nudist Colony: Visuals and Social Norms

(25:42–42:39)

• Colorful descriptions of the community’s day-to-day:
  • Naked people jogging, mowing lawns, ignoring April.
  • “Watching men with their wieners flapping in the wind... using things like lawnmowers and leaf blowers” (26:01–26:47).
  • Women “washing the top of their cars for a best boob shot,” while April drives past waving.
  • “It’s like watching Roger Ebert, rest in peace, mowing the lawn naked.” – Ben, 26:47
• They discuss the pragmatics of shoes in nudist colonies (wear them!), partial nudity (“jogger with just a sports bra”), and block parties with golf cart parades (44:21).
• On why people live there: “Do you move there if you just need people to be nice to you?” – Ronnie, 41:40

8. Mythology, Shame, and Accepting Nudity

(20:23–22:39)

• Ronnie riffs on biblical guilt and shame fueling discomfort with nudity (“The first thing I learned is Eve fucked over Adam...” 20:23).
• Both hosts mine their personal issues with mirrors, body image, and shame (“I gained 150 pounds. Never knew till I got on a plane...” – Ronnie, 22:14).
• Ultimately, they land on acceptance: “It started with really enjoying the shame. But then I was like, oh my God, my boobs are fine…” (38:39)

9. Signature “Crappens” Moments: Notable Quotes & Humor

• On House Hunters narrator: “We call her Linda... She just had to tell her friend, ‘Ugh, I have to go talk about nude people in Florida right now.’” – Ben, 22:47
• “Turns out a lot of nude people don’t pick up their dog shit either, by the way.” – Ronnie, 36:40
• “You never know. You don’t want to spread your butt on someone else’s butt.” – Ben, 38:33
• “The best part about the nudist colony is... you look at the pink sky and you listen for the sound of balls flapping on a motorcycle.” – Ben, 41:26

Timestamps for Notable Segments

| Timestamp (MM:SS) | Segment | |-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:13–05:00 | Arrival at Kookaburra Lounge / LA memories / Artichoke beignets | | 07:48–11:28 | Ronnie’s House Hunters tangent: sexy realtor, tiny ears, gay-straight culture | | 12:19–14:56 | If aliens landed at a Crappens show / translating Bravo language for aliens| | 15:33–17:44 | Deconstructing Bravo-ese: Sandoval, Britney, and code for “make me feel pretty” | | 17:52–20:52 | Transition to House Hunters recap; nudist “Agents Gone Wild” special | | 24:30–35:34 | April the nudist realtor: marketing, social skills, ignominy | | 25:42–27:47 | Nudist colony day-in-the-life observations; mowing naked, car washing | | 38:23–41:26 | Acceptance of nudity; bodily shame vs. liberation; hygiene concern comedy | | 44:21–End | Nudist block parties and social motives; Episode wrap-up/part 2 tease |

Tone & Style

Ben and Ronnie keep the energy high, with quick banter, heavy sarcasm, and affectionate mockery. Their tone veers campy, irreverent, and sometimes self-deprecating, full of drag queen lingo and gay pop-culture references. The show is for fans who love Bravo, but also for anyone who appreciates pointed humor about reality TV, body image, and the quirks of modern society.

Memorable Quotes

• On Bravo show translation for aliens:
  “If you ever hear Kyle Richards say, ‘Don’t question my marriage and suggest that I’m a lesbian,’ what it really means is, please question my marriage. Please keep me relevant.” – Ronnie (17:20)

• On nudist realty hustle:
  “If your heart is telling you it’s time to look for a home, let’s schedule a date. You slut. You can’t do this.” – Ronnie (35:20)

• On block parties in nudist colony:
  “It’s like a terrible, weirdly inverted seventh grade dance, but with old people who are naked instead.” – Ben (44:44)

Conclusion & Next Episode

The live episode offers the wittiest take on House Hunters’ foray into nudism—a subject that gives the “Crappens” duo ample runway for one-liners, cultural commentary, and playful self-roasting. It teases a Part 2, promising even more comedic recapping of awkward TV moments, real estate misadventures, and the ongoing saga of Bravo-adjacent reality.