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Episodes

May 24, 2021

Ep.62: You Ate What?

We often enjoy epicurean feasts that feature dishes with unique names like Eggs Benedict or Chateaubriand or the ever popular Pizza Margherita. Yet do we ever take time in between mouthfuls to wonder how they got these names?...

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May 17, 2021

Ep.61: Crazy Word Origins

Ever wonder how certain words came to be? How did we come to define something by this word? In this episode, Jon and Kurt dig into the cool etymology of some common words--like mortgage and whisky--and also give the strange …

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May 10, 2021

Ep.60: More Pet Peeves

The boys are at it again...complaining, whining, wringing their hands. All over little things that other people do that drive them crazy. Adding onto Episode #2 over a year ago (Pet Peeves), they share more burrs under their ...

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May 3, 2021

Ep.59: Road Trip

Sick of quarantining and locking down, Jon and Kurt take the ultimate American road trip. Climb in, grab your sunglasses, favorite bag of chips, an old 8-track classic, and see the country with your Smart Drivel co-hosts and ...

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April 26, 2021

Ep.58: Were the Jetsons right?

Airing for only one season, in 1962, the Jetsons animated TV show attempted to predict what life would be like in the future. From video calling to doggie treadmills, Jon and Kurt take a look at what the writers of …

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April 19, 2021

Ep.57: My Life As A Dog

Ever wonder what it would be like to live as a dog? To sleep most of the day, get your tummy rubbed, and give away all your emotions with a simple wag of your tail? Jon and Kurt channel their …

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April 12, 2021

Ep.56: Sayings That Make No Sense

There are a lot of wonderful, poignant sayings that have, rightfully, gained fame over the years and have passed into everyday lore. Then there are others--like “here’s mud in your eye” or “slept like a baby”--that are comple...

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April 5, 2021

Ep.55: Abandoned Products

Some amazing products, once thought indispensable and invaluable to our lives, sadly get thrown to the brand rubbish heap by progress and the evolution of modern tastes. From toys to snacks to cars and technology, Jon and Kur...

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March 29, 2021

Ep.54: Forgotten Heroes

Throughout history, there have been amazing achievements and actions and innovations all made by people unknown to the masses. Somehow, these incredible men and women have fallen through the cracks of fame and others have got...

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March 22, 2021

Ep.53: Fun Little Known Facts

In an effort to arm listeners with cool, interesting, and esoteric facts that will amaze friends at cocktail parties and co-workers at the virtual water cooler, Jon and Kurt share fun little tidbits. These are guaranteed to t...

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March 15, 2021

Ep.52: Strange Rituals

We, as humans, have some awfully strange customs and rituals. In America, we have a bunch that get foreigners to shake their heads in disbelief at best, and guffaw at us at worst. The idea of a doggie bag at …

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March 8, 2021

Ep.51: How Beer Saved the World

You might think the common brew/brewski/suds/etc. is just a proletariat beverage more suited to frat brothers than aristocracy. But you would be wrong. Beer has been revered for over 10,000 years as both a nutritious drink an...

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March 1, 2021

Ep.50: Dinner Party for the Ages

For their milestone 50th episode, Jon and Kurt decide to throw another dinner party for the ages. As before, the party is limited to ten guests chosen from anywhere and anytime in history. The nominated diners can be living, ...

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Feb. 22, 2021

Ep.49: Foods Gone Wrong

With the possibility of offending some listeners’ epicurean tastes, Jon and Kurt opine and whine about how certain people absolutely ruin delicious dishes by insisting on adding something that shouldn’t be. Like ketchup on a ...

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Feb. 15, 2021

Ep.48: What if?

Ever wonder what it would have been like if you had chosen a different career path? Instead of being a finance juggler, what if you had been a circus juggler? Eschewed accounting for acting, teaching for truck driving, sellin...

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Feb. 8, 2021

Ep.47: The Quintessence

In every category, there always seems to be one product, one event, one person, one object that defines the list, that comes out on the very top, and is the first listed. This element is the example of the topic …

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Feb. 1, 2021

Ep.46: Jobs That No Longer Exist

Innovations, modernization, and advances in technology have rendered obsolete some old jobs that used to be critical. The “knocker upper”, the “groom of the stool”, the “herb strewer”, the “pin setters”, the “soda jerk” etc....

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Jan. 25, 2021

Ep.45: This or That? #2

The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Being too short or too tall? Stuck at age 18 or 50? Text or call? You get the idea...Jon and Kurt return to a favorite topic and throw hypotheticals at each other to debate, …

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Jan. 18, 2021

Ep.44: Two Truths and a Lie

Jon and Kurt try their hand at challenging each other to spot the lie within three purportedly factual statements. Join in the fun: attempt to guess the right answers, audibly laugh at where Jon and Kurt mess up, and keep …

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Jan. 11, 2021

Ep.43: Leaving on a Jet Plane

Human nature is such that we crave what we can’t have, even if the object of our desire is flawed. No wonder we are all missing the joys of getting on a plane and flying off somewhere...anywhere. Jon and Kurt …

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Dec. 21, 2020

Ep.42: What’s the Difference?

Ever wanted to know what the difference is between alligators and crocodiles? Dolphins and porpoises? Further and farther? Whiskey and whisky? Plantains and bananas? You get the gist...this episode has Jon and Kurt exploring ...

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Dec. 14, 2020

Ep. 41: God’s Mistakes

The earth, it’s inhabitants, and it’s natural resources are pretty amazing. Beautiful. Practical. Functional. And then there are the mistakes; things that are just not right...limburger cheese, oceans filled with water you ca...

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Dec. 7, 2020

Ep.40: Big Little Pains

Stubbing your toe, ice cream headache, hangnail, nose pimple, biting your tongue...well, you get the picture. There are certain small injuries--if they can even be called that--that render outsized pain. Jon and Kurt put on t...

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Nov. 30, 2020

Ep.39: Surprising Acronyms

Did you know Time magazine was actually an acronym? In this episode, Jon and Kurt have fun with explaining, finding, and debating fun acronyms that are used in every day conversation. Please RSVP...if you want to be redundant...

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