Description

This is the final episode of 2025, and instead of running a repeat, Irritable Dad Syndrome closes out the year with a brand-new compilation episode — introduced by Dave Lay, filling in while Mike and Darin take a brief holiday breather.

From there, it’s classic IDS chaos.

The episode kicks off with video game rage and Call of Duty ranked play, including why using a mic actually matters and how one unexpectedly delightful trash-talker completely changed Mike’s night. Things quickly veer into nostalgia as the guys trade stories about free diamond seats at Reds games, the dangers of once having luxury and never being able to go back, and how one canceled anniversary dinner turned into a deep Norm Macdonald YouTube spiral.

The conversation wanders through:

• Smoked beers and the unsettling question: how do you even smoke a beer?
• Why some craft beers taste like an ashtray with dreams
• Zima, Jolly Ranchers, and other questionable 90s drink choices
• Cincinnati chili loyalty (and why it’s deeply suspicious)
• AI “engagement bait” posts designed purely to trigger comments
• The Emmy-sweeping limited series Adolescence — and why Darin’s recommendation apparently deserved a thank-you note
• Parenting realities, kids doing dishes, and the mysterious multiplication of wet washcloths

As always, the episode drifts into pop-culture territory, touching on South Park, Norm Macdonald, John Hughes movies, and the unspoken rules of comedy tropes — all before landing back in familiar IDS territory: marriage jokes, grocery store embarrassment, and the moment when a perfectly timed “your mom” joke almost causes a medical emergency.

It’s a loose, funny, end-of-year episode that perfectly captures what Irritable Dad Syndrome does best: strong opinions, unnecessary debates, and stories that go places they absolutely should not.

#CraftBeer
#BeerTalk
#90sNostalgia
#PopCultureDebate
#ParentingHumor
#GenXPodcast

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