Tbtl- Too Beautiful To Live

Luke helps Andrew de-Zuckerberg his life. They also discuss Luke’s obsession with military machines in San Diego, Andrew’s fear of heights, and online reviews of the now-defunct Moose Mcgillicuddy's

A conversation about drones leads to a conversation about Tom Brady which somehow leads to a conversation about the plight of humanity. It’s definitely a weird show for a Monday. Plus, Luke got lasered in the sky on his way to San Diego yesterday. 

Luke has fallen head-over-heels in love with his new, modern toilet. Andrew is surprisingly excited about something stupid called Super Wild Card Weekend. And, after an investment firm just bought up a bunch of legacy store brands, Luke and Andrew discuss modern mall culture and the olfactory pleasures of Auntie Anne’s pretzels.

Luke wrote in to a newspaper today with a correction, but he’s not sure how to feel about that. He and Andrew also discuss the massive fires that are upending lives in Los Angeles. And Andrew has some good news after a trip to the post office. 

Luke attempted a complicated recipe last night that involved one ingredient and two steps. He also shares a roundup of interesting audio, some originating from outer space, some from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Luke and Andrew each celebrate an anniversary today, which sends them down a memory lane that is perfect for losing any new listeners who may be checking out the show after hearing Luke’s story on This American Life this weekend. They also talk about old salad bars, cold restaurants, French-speaking hummingbirds, and personal thermostat preferences.

Changes at HBO Max are getting in the way of Luke’s enjoyment of Somebody, Somewhere. Andrew also catches Luke up on the drama surrounding the resurrected mascot at the Pop-Tart Bowl. And they make their plans to profit off of Popeye The Sailor Man, now that he’s in the public domain.   

Andrew shares one of the cringiest memories of his broadcasting career. He and Luke also go over some of the Top Stories that they accidentally skipped last year, including a story of a stinky milk pond, new rules for Costco hot dogs, and Ralph Nader’s campaign to restore his favorite pens to their previous splendor.

Luke and Andrew have a serious conversation about Fresca that they should have had a long time ago. Luke also lets Andrew in on some of the soda scams his family ran in the 90s.

Luke and Andrew assume they have a bunch of new listeners since it’s a brand new year. So they try to catch everyone up on what’s been happening on TBTL for the past 17 years. They also revisit some of the fancy words they employed in 2024.

Luke and Andrew delve into listener Kristen’s list of TBTL vocabulary words that stood out to her in 2024. They also celebrate the life of Andre Braugher and explore the stand-up comedy roots of Richard Belzer. 

Luke  and Andrew use data and a spreadshee to analyze TBTL’s opening tape over the past four years. Plus, Luke discovers a new skill that’s perfect for the digital age. 

Luke finds himself in an awkward conversation with someone he wrongly assumed had very different political views than himself.  He and Andrew also tackle one of the Top Stories that they skipped in 2024: Oxford’s “Word Of The Year.” Andrew has issues with it!   

Luke and Andrew come up with the perfect way to close-out the TBTL year. But are they professional enough to pull it off? They also examine the proud tradition of hiding comic books inside text books. 

Luke celebrates Christmas with some personal travel news that he’s quite excited about. Andrew almost ruins the holiday by bringing up a nog-related family dispute. And they finally weigh-in on the Elvis stamp debate of 1992. 

After MUCH anticipation and an entire episode of build-up, Nick Jarin is back with his official Top Five Movies To Play In The Background Of Your Holiday Party. He also has some strong opinions about casting Muppets in more mainstream movies. 

Nick Jarin joins Luke and Andrew to introduce his list of movies to play in the background at your holiday party. They also debate -- old school AM radio-style -- the best time for a server to take your plate at a restaurant.

Luke and Andrew compare the great lengths they each go through to connect their Bluetooth speakers every day. Plus, the mass panic over drones in the New Jersey night sky leads Andrew to discover the “Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic” of 1954. 

Luke’s mind is blown over a new drug commercial song that takes the artform to new levels. He and Andrew also discuss used pillows, mushy rice, and the giant hole in Andrew’s ceiling.

Luke and Andrew stumble on their new favorite publication in a newspaper column about bidets. Plus, Andrew is vindicated and validated about a recent news story that he dismissed.