Commute | The Podcast

In 2007, as reality TV was becoming a thing, MTV had a big idea - what if we took an up and coming rock band, forced them to live together for 30 days while they write a new album, and streamed the entire thing on the Internet? That's a great idea, right?! Right…? The classic movie Space Jam is getting a reboot, with Lebron James teaming up with the Looney Tunes Gang instead of Michael Jordan...

For nearly 50 years, the movie “JAWS” has been making beachgoers think twice about getting in the ocean. Set around the July 4th holiday, we look back at the film that “shouldn’t have worked” and the star that, unexpectedly, only showed up for half of the filming.  Aren’t Facebook and social media alerts, in general, annoying? A shrug quickly replaces the dopamine rush when you find that friend fr...

Got milk? Most of us grew up hearing that milk was an essential part of a healthy diet. But were those milk mustaches good for us? All existing copies of the worst video game of all-time were dumped into a landfill in New Mexico. We’ll tell the incredible story and shed some light on the man behind it. *listener submitted topic! For over 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America have been viewed as an...

In 2014 Apple gave iPhone users in 119 countries a free gift - an automatic download of the upcoming U2 Album “songs of innocence” - and caused one of the most bizarre backlashes in company history.  You may know the urban legend - you’re driving down a dark road and notice a car headed toward you with their headlights off. Should you flash your headlights to alert them, but risk being hunted down...

Humans can all be very different but one thing they typically share in common - they hate to wait. But perhaps we should work on this: scientific studies suggest developing the trait of patience pays off in the long run. In the mid-1800s a rail worker suffered the most famous brain injury in medical history. What the case of Phineas Gage says about how much we can, and can’t, change our minds. Wit...

Do you know the most popular destination on YouTube, which is also the dominant show on Netflix?  If you’re 5 or younger, or live with someone who is, you most likely do. Like Google and search engines, the word Skype used to be synonymous with video chatting. It should have exploded in popularity during the coronavirus shutdowns, so how did this once-dominant platform get surpassed by Zoom? Billi...

In 2021, you don’t have to be Mulder or Scully to be a believer in extraterrestrial life. Why are more and more people becoming believers? (Spoiler alert: Jay = believe; Dave = LOL, yeah, right.) It’s been over two decades since Y2K went from panic-induced fear to late night TV punchline. Was there ever really anything to fear? Be kind - rewind! In the 1990s, Blockbuster video was woven deeply int...

The average dollar bill remains in circulation for nearly 15 years. How filthy is it?  And what’s that about traces of ... cocaine? Ari Nagel, AKA “The Sperminator” has fathered 78 kids and may not be done. Huh? Later this summer we’ll commemorate the worst contract in professional sports history. Long live Bobby Bonilla Day! (Until 2035, at least) Follow Commute: Instagram - instagram.com/commute...

Ever felt like a fraud in your own life? Like you're an imposter just waiting to be found out? We discuss the psychological phenomenon of imposter syndrome. Razor blades in candy bars? Poison in pixie sticks? Are sadistic people actually trying to hurt children on Halloween by tampering with candy? What's better than a great cup of coffee? A QUICK cup of coffee, of course! While the k-cu...

We think that having more money would lead to a happier life, right? Not so fast, my friend. Find out what the research says is the optimal salary for a more comfortable life (and what to do if you start making more). Duolingo is the world’s # 1 web application for learning a foreign language. But while the service can be helpful, its animated mascot Duo can be... salty. How does shame work (or no...

How does the content we consume affect us? Facebook decided to find out. And not tell anyone about it ahead of time.  In 1987 a book with no words and a character with a love for red striped clothing was born. Hiding in plain sight, we discuss the staying power of Where’s Waldo. Google does a time capsule report every year - a list of what people searched for in the previous year. 2020’s results m...

This week: If you've ever been to NYC, you've most likely had a run-in with a street performer. You know what I'm talking about - Elmo takes a picture with you and then wants a quick buck for his time. But who's under the mask? And did the pandemic change this fringe "acting industry" forever? The bystander effect is a social psychological theory that says you are les...

On this episode: You can do many things with Legos - build spaceships, castles, and apparently (listen for more detail) flowers. Heck, there are even video games, movies, and theme parks based on the beloved toy. But now people are stealing them to resell on the black market? Tell me more! Once upon a time, there was a magical retail store named Steve & Barry’s where you could spend $20 and wa...

On this episode: Every March nearly 100 million Americans bond in misery over filling out their losing NCAA Tournament March Madness brackets. So why do we put ourselves through it when the odds of a perfect bracket are like being struck by lightning.... every second for the rest of your life? We all know the song, but none of us know the band. The good and (very) bad sides of being a one-hit wond...

On this episode: Atari. Sega. Nintendo. PlayStation. As video game systems have evolved, the way (some) of us play them has, too. A whole community of gamers now plays with one goal in mind - to beat the game as fast as possible. Ever wanted to be someone else? Or better yet, ever wished someone more attractive could live your life for you? You’re in luck - there’s an app for that! (Spoiler - it d...

On this episode: A well-done documentary can challenge, educate and entertain. But one about professional tickling?! Spoiler alert - it’s no laughing matter. The Loch Ness Monster has been around for decades without actually existing. Or does it? A good monster is worth millions. Ronald McDonald is one of the most recognizable characters in the world - how a clown came to represent the Golden Arch...

On this episode: When Tiger Woods returned to glory in 2019 his longtime partner Nike returned somewhere, as well. To the bank. It wasn’t always a forgone conclusion that we’d “Google” for information. Some used to Ask Jeeves. The rise and fall of the famous search butler. Sadly, you have died of dysentery. Why do entire generations know about the Oregon Trail? Follow Commute: Instagram - https://...

On this episode: Over the last 20 years, you’ve probably owned a computer with the Windows XP operating system. Remember the legendary default wallpaper photo of the green rolling hill? Yea, that’s a real place. Can you buy an unused superhero from Marvel Comics and make it your own? Ya know, one of the weird ones that no one has heard of? The team at NPR’s Planet Money decided to try.  Free The D...

On  this episode of Commute - The Podcast: You check the weather, see sunshine in the forecast, and proceed with your cookout at the park... only to have a downpour ruin the day. Meteorologists are always wrong!! Right? + why meteorologists hate New England Patriot Head Coach Bill Belichick. Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, Monica - this group redefined being a FRIEND for an entire generation...

On this episode of Commute - The Podcast: When the pandemic is finally over will consumers start spending money like it's going out of print? We look back 100 years for a clue. Sitcoms and cartoons have utilized fake laughter for 70 years - but how did they start, and why do some TV executives think laugh tracks will be around forever? Context is king. What does a clever experiment with an an...

On this episode of Commute - The Podcast: Sports cards were big business in the late 1980s; then the industry became nearly non-existent in the late 1990s. But wait... a single card sold for $2.96 million in 2020?! Chess isn't just for nerds (or men) anymore. Champion Sports has seen the highest of highs (NBA jersey/Dream Team sponsor) followed by the lowest of lows (the XFL - the first time)...

On this episode of Commute - The Podcast: Do we really need the penny? Trying to make some sense of the one cent. America's favorite game show has outlasted the competition (over 400 other shows!) for years thanks to a grueling taping schedule, a legendary host, and an occasional eccentric winner. A family made national news when their son disappeared in a hot air balloon - or did he? *** Fol...

Start your week by learning something new! On this episode of Commute - The Podcast: The documentary Three Identical Strangers f ocuses on Identical triplets separated at birth and adopted by three different families. Learn about the totally predictable and wildly unpredictable effects of 1.1 million people working together to try to beat...Pokemon. All TV shows must come to an end, right? Why is...

Commute - The Podcast. You'll be smarter when you get there. New episodes drop every Monday! Spend your commute learning about things that will fuel your conversations and make you the most interesting person in the room. Episode one: Meet Dave & Jay and hear the vision for the podcast. Christmas Trees. Are real Christmas trees destined to go the way of the dinosaur?  As the historic wrec...