Shows
UnessentialA Very Special Star-Spangled Episode!In this special Independence Day episode, we’re talking all things freedom and fireworks—like the most “independenty” Independence Day movie ever, fun (and weird) facts about America’s birthday, and the foods that make this holiday so delicious to celebrate. Plus, hear the story of one clergyman who fought to keep virtue at the heart of America when it was just getting started. So grab a hot dog, kick back, and celebrate with us!
2025-07-0344 min
UnessentialDunder Mifflin, Extravagant activists, and Summer coldsJoin us this week as we discuss The Office, random mysteries, the activist who sailed a juic-box boat to France, and myths we all thought were facts.
2025-05-1638 min
UnessentialParental guidance, Cinema flops, and TwistersJoin us this week as we discuss quackery parents used to receive, the top ten biggest movie busts of all time, wild whirlwind facts, and the chicken without a head that became a celebrity.
2025-05-1039 min
UnessentialDino handbags, Impossible missions, and Scientific SudsJoin us this week as we discuss the man who lived in a French airport for almost two decades, how dinosaur leather is being recreated for commercial use, 30 years of Mission Impossible movies, and the science behind how soap makes things clean.
2025-05-0239 min
UnessentialAI sycophancy, Synaptic pruning, and Aquagenic UrticariaJoin us this week as we delve into the issues of AI brown-nosing, the brain's 'delete' button, the Emperor of the United States, and real allergies that are just peculiar.
2025-04-2548 min
UnessentialGovernment goats, Good samaritans, and Celestial cemeteriesJoin us this week as we discuss animals that have been elected into government positions, kind people being kind, the new trend of being buried in space, and fun facts about Easter.
2025-04-1838 min
UnessentialEmail, iPods, and Uber's lost & foundJoin us this week as we discuss anxiety over unread messages, mind-bending historical crossovers, the national Uber lost and found, and amazing facts about Jim and Elizabeth Elliot's team of missionaries.
2025-04-1141 min
UnessentialEmu warfare, Leering lambs, and Bent nosesJoin us this week as we discuss the Great Emu War of Australia, mainstream jobs that don't exist anymore, the most stolen painting in history, and Mike's board of verbal flubs.
2025-04-0439 min
UnessentialCandies, Coincidences, and CorrectionsIn this episode, we discuss popular treats with medicinal origins, historic coincidences that will bend your brain, how wrong we've been about the scale of global icons, and why running on empty isn't running on empty after all.
2025-03-2840 min
UnessentialArtificial incompetence, Radioactive diets, and Spielberg crossoversJoin us this week as we discuss public embarrassments for AI, the black fungus that's thriving at Chernoble, legends in the arena of competitive eating, and fun connections between the Steven Spielberg movies we all love.
2025-03-2142 min
UnessentialAfrican Elvis, Golden Arm, and Yada Yada YadaJoin us this week as we dive into the unbelievable story of Sixto Rodriguez, the history behind Daylight Saving Time, why James Harrison was known as "The Man with the Golden Arm," and the catch phrases we all know and love.
2025-03-0741 min
UnessentialSpies, Shopping Malls, and SuperheroesJoin us this week as we jump into favorite pizza toppings ranked by state, the fascinating link between broccoli and 007, why shopping malls are having a moment, and some little-known facts about the Man of Steel.
2025-02-2743 min
UnessentialSalty superstitions, Holy guacamatrimony, and Malodorous millionsJoin us this week as we explore the history behind some well-known superstitions, learn how people can now tie the knot at Taco Bell, discover hidden meanings in famous logos, and discover how one man threw a billion dollars into the garbage.
2025-02-2039 min
UnessentialCupids in diapers, Vampires in musicals, and Donkeys in bathtubsJoin us this week as we explore the history of Valentine's Day, popular songs with
surprising backstories, why people have less to say than ever before,
and weird laws that still exist.
2025-02-1342 min
UnessentialKal-El, Club Applebee's, and Staton Island ChuckJoin us this week as we explore the wild names of celebrities' kids, the romantic side of Applebee's, a prison break fueled by true love, and the weather-predicting groundhog who gets it wrong more often than right.
2025-02-0639 min
UnessentialRocket Man, Oregon Trail, and AI afterlifeJoin us this week as we discuss the eccentricities of Elton Hercules John, what laughter is, historical facts that will bend your mind, and why we need to protect our digital legacy.
2025-01-3042 min
UnessentialSuperhuman scribbles, White House renos, and Mop-top maniaJoin us this week as we discuss the demise and comeback of cursive handwriting, world records that seem to come out of nowhere, flipping the White House,
and fun facts you never knew about The Beatles.
2025-01-2347 min
UnessentialWinged beavers, Falling lizards, and Robot slothsJoin us this week as we dive into wacky high school mascots, Iguanas falling form the sky, fun facts about the humble armadillo, and some of the most highly anticipated new tech of 2025.
2025-01-1643 min
UnessentialIt's a very Unessential Christmas!This week we discuss bad habits of holiday guests, fun festive movie trivia, why the colors red and green brand the Yuletide season, and quirky Christmas traditions from around the globe.
2024-12-2039 min
UnessentialToy stories, Psychedelic reindeer, and Grocery stores of the apocalypseThis week we discuss the origins of some of our favorite toys, why we started saying "hello" when we answer the phone, animals with bizarre super-powers, and why some think bar code readers will end the world.
2024-12-1242 min
UnessentialKiller fashions, Black Fridays, and Segway failsThis week we break down Orca fashion trends sweeping the abyss, origins of commonly used phrases, Japan's 300+ mile-long conveyer belt, and some game-changing inventions that flopped.
2024-12-0539 min
UnessentialTurkey trots, Photo bombs, and the Plumber's worst nightmareIn this episode we discuss the finer points of the majestic turkey, why it was one popular not to smile in photos, fun facts about a popular sci-fi franchise, and the extreme calorie count we'll all be ingesting over the holidays.
2024-11-2242 min
UnessentialGobbles, Wobbles, and Grammys... oh myThis week we dig in to the all-time greats of Thanksgiving food, fun facts about upcoming T-Day treats, which artists are buzzing this Grammy season, and why peer pressure has no age restrictions.
2024-11-1442 min
UnessentialCivc swag, Ginger pride, and the Nepo Baby AssociationThis week we discuss some anticipated food trends of 2025, the rise of the iconic
"I Voted" sticker, what makes people with red hair so special, and professional athletes who've played on the same team as their kids.
2024-11-0739 min
UnessentialSnuggle restrictions, Satan's raccoons, and Swifty-nomicsJoin us this week as we look at the airport that's limiting goodbye hugs, give possums a second hearing, learn how a.i. might be more like us than we thought, and discuss how it might feel when T. Swift spends some of that cash.
2024-11-0133 min
UnessentialMagic kingdoms, Scary therapy, and AI Pet personalitiesJoin us this week as we peek behind the curtain of the most magical place on Earth, descuss the health benefits of being scared, the WNBA player who's changing the game, and the new collar that allows your pet's personality to come alive.
2024-10-2539 min
UnessentialPETA fight club, Space spoilers, and Just dumb luckJoin us this week as we rate the worst halloween candies ever, deliberate over which animals we could take in a fight, discuss fun facts about space, and press our luck about... luck.
2024-10-1837 min
UnessentialSpooky threads, Spirit snafues, and Hollywood mashupsJoin us this week as we overview the most popular Halloween costumes over the decades, search for the silver lining of flying Spirit, discuss this year's new words, and imagine different actors in iconic movie and television roles.
2024-10-1138 min
UnessentialCharlie Hustle, Postcard mania, and Live from Saturday nightJoin us this week as we reminisce about baseball legends, social media before it was social media, what has made SNL so great for so long, and the finer points of The Antique Roadshow.
2024-10-0440 min
UnessentialPosh peaches, Tupperware tears, and Stick... just StickJoin us this week as we discuss the most expensive fruit money can buy, the history behind the burp that locks in freshness, the toys that shaped our childhood, and why big corporate is heading back into the office.
2024-09-2739 min
UnessentialBrain chunkiness, the Bluey effect, and Bizarre political historyJoin us this week as we discuss the science behind why we forget things, the kids show that's taken the world by storm, unlikely Nobel Prize recipients, and unbelievable stories from America's past election years.
2024-09-2037 min
UnessentialBodega buyouts, TSA trends, and Cosmic kerfufflesJoin us this week as we discuss giant mini-mall takeovers, social media's newest TSA aesthetics trend, the spaceship that returned without it's crew, and iconic companies that were almost named something else.
2024-09-1337 min
UnessentialCereal hierarchy, Baby name remorse, and Free-birding... whatever that isJoin us this week as we discuss the kings and queens of cereal, why it took so long for college football to adopt a playoff system, the upsurge in baby name regret, and why the Surgeon General is warning us about the stress today's parents are facing .
2024-09-0642 min
UnessentialBillionaire weddings, Hollywood all-stars, and Replacing your brainJoin us this week as we discuss the most expensive wedding in human history, who made Hollywood's greatest actors' list, the finer points of Doomscrolling, and how some scientists have dedicated their lives to helping us cheat death.
2024-08-3036 min
UnessentialGold medals, Mayonnaise cologne, and Cheetos economicsJoin us this week as we discuss this day in history, the finer points of the Paris Olympics, Hellmann's new venture in perfumes, and why economists look to Cheetos for helpful insight.
2024-08-2333 min
Strong SongsStrong Solos, Vol. 2: Electric Guitar-alooThe electric guitar is a beautiful, maddening instrument, and man does it sound good in the right hands. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into solos by guitar legends Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix, and Larry Carlton.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Seven Come Eleven" by Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman, recorded by the Benny Goodman Sextet in 1939"Fried Pies" by Wes Montgomery from Boss Guitar, 1963"Hey Joe" by Billy Roberts recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on Are You Experienced?, 1967Larry Carlton's solo on "Kid Charlemagne" by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (AKA Steely Dan...
2023-11-171h 04