Hardly Focused

From January 22, 2026: Blake Jennings from the podcast Keep Me Young joins Jack and Zach for this installment of Hardly Focused! From video games to music to theater, there are laughs and non-sequiturs aplenty. It's safe to say Blake adapts to the Hardly Focused insanity with the greatest of ease! Discussed during this episode of Hardly Focused: Jack and Zach learn about Blake's background and beg...

In this episode of Hardly Focused, Jack, Mike, and Nate pour one out for physical media. Beginning in 2028, Sony is going digital-only, and will no longer release new PlayStation games on disc. Of course, the internet is up-in-arms over the news, with pitchforks out and pirate hats on. Also discussed: Tim Heidecker hosts his first episode of InfoWars, and does a great Alex Jones impression. Noah K...

The marketing blitz for Grand Theft Auto VI is in full swing! Because it's 2026, it would be highly unusual if this was without controversy. Acc and Jack discuss everything related to GTA, from the franchise's history, to the unbelievable weight of expectation, to how the ever-increasing price of consoles may affect the game's launch. Also discussed in this episode of The Acc and Jack Show: Sonic...

An example of why this podcast is called "Hardly Focused" - a discussion about Faith No More reuniting turns into reminiscing about The Great Mighty Poo from the Nintendo 64 game Conker's Bad Fur Day. Jack and Nate try their best, but staying on-topic remains a regular struggle. Hey, at least Mike Patton and the boys are back together! Also in this installment of Hardly Focused: What does one form...

With the various fests and showcases underway, Acc and Jack have a lot of gaming news to cover! Alien Isolation 2 exists, Cuphead is getting TWO sequels, and one of the best Zelda entries is getting a full-blown remake. Which game will excite Acc to finally use his Switch 2? Will Jack ever make a dent in his backlog? Also discussed in this episode of The Acc and Jack Show: Acc recounts a stinky ex...

To what lengths should one go to recover their incredibly expensive LEGO collection? Jack and Nicole dive head-first into the Bricks and Minifigs saga. While more information has come out since their discussion, there's a lot to unpack - theft, arrests, lawsuits, and a hilarious response from Patreon's CEO. Also, Jack and Nicole discuss the catastrophe that is Great American State Fair. As of reco...

For worse or for worse, the artificial intelligence takeover continues! Jack and Nate discuss a company that's experimenting with AI-powered radio stations, complete with digital on-air presenters. Nobody can make a horrific natural disaster sound jubilant like a computerized DJ! Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Sick man Jack recaps this podcast's recent surge in social media vide...

It's a sad day in America, as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert approaches the end of the world. Jack shares for Mike and Becky his thoughts about the program and franchise, as well as its penultimate episode. Becky and Jack also recap their visit to the Ed Sullivan Theater last year to attend a taping of show. Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: "Homerpalooza" - arguably one of the...

It's a Nintendo-heavy installment of Hardly Focused! In one corner, Becky is deep into collecting Pokémon cards, while learning from Jack the ins and outs of the franchise. In the other corner, Nate and Jack are cautiously optimistic about the newly-announced Star Fox game on Switch 2. How many times can a single game be reimagined? Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Nate is indulgi...

"I think my frontal lobe finally developed." That's the realization Jack finally has while regaling to Acc his fourth-ever play through of Portal 2. As a personal rule, Jack only plays Portal 2 once every five years, but this most recent jaunt was much faster than he was anticipating. Is this what getting old feels like? Also discussed in this episode of The Acc and Jack Show: The Pitt's second se...

It's the tail-end of tax season in the United States, with the deadline to file having already passed. Jack shares for Zach and Becky a list of things Americans are most likely to spend their tax refund on. That's IF they receive a refund; Uncle Sam isn't making it easy this year! Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Zach shares his trip to California, and surprises Becky with a big l...

Believe it or not, there are actually some "old man yells at cloud" opinions out there that today's generation agrees with. Jack, Mike, and Nate go through the list of annoyances folks of all ages can align on. Surprisingly, "listening to Hardly Focused at full volume in public" is not on it - and probably not recommended. Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Michael J. Fox is not dea...

It's the 17th anniversary of this podcast - six under the banner "Hardly Focused" - and there's no better way to celebrate than with a guest co-host! Actor and voice-over artist Fard Muhammad joins Jack to share their own respective experiences taking in late night tapings, from Conan O'Brien's many shows to the freezing cold tundra of the Ed Sullivan Theater. Check out Fard on Threads and at his...

Marathon is the newest game from Bungie, the studio behind the legendary franchises Halo and Destiny. A follow-up to the mid-90s series of the same name, Marathon is an extraction shooter, in the same vein as Escape from Tarkov and ARC Raiders. Set on the planet Tau Ceti IV, "Runners" face off again each other in team of three, battling forces of the Unified Earth Space Council while scavenging fo...

Why is Florida the way that it is? Is it because of the sulfur in the water? Jack and Nate wonder where it all went wrong in the Sunshine State, while Jack reviews his experience at Super Nintendo World and Epic Universe in Orlando. Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Saturday Night Live UK features a stacked lineup for its first three episodes. Kristin Cabot - one-half of the infamo...

Was Highguard - the live-service shooter from Wildlight Entertainment - set up to fail? Lukewarm reception to its announcement trailer and eventual release have gamers comparing Highguard to Concord, another short-lived multiplayer title. Acc and Jack consider the time and effort spent on developing the game, only for it to be shut down after less than two months. Also discussed in this episode of...

What are the best state capitals to live in? Which ones are the worst? How many of New England's made WalletHub's list? These are the important questions that nobody asked, but that Jack answers anyway for Nate and Zach. All told, it should surprise nobody where Boston lands on the list in terms of affordability. Also discussed in this installment of Hardly Focused: An Australian news reporter get...

Poor Lindsey Vonn. First, she ruptures her ACL; then, she crashes during a downhill ski run at the Olympics and suffers a gruesome leg injury. To top it off, Lindsey's own father gives her the "dad treatment" in an interview with the AP. Jack, Mike, and Nate wonder if Lindsay should have retired years ago. Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: The New England Patriots did not win Super...

The Super Bowl is almost here, and the New England Patriots are in it for the first time since 2018! Of course, nothing is without controversy these days, for not everyone is on board with Bad Bunny performing at the half-time show. Jack, Mike, and Becky discuss Turning Point USA's upcoming "alternate" half-time show, headlined by America's favorite hick, Kid Rock! Elsewhere in this installment of...

Who would have thought a documentary about Melania Trump would under-perform at the box office? Oh, that's right - everybody. Acc and Jack dive into this new Brett Ratner-directed documentary, which is expected to make a mere sliver of its production and marketing budget at the box office. Also discussed in this episode of The Acc and Jack Show: People either really love or really hate the band Ge...

Blake Jennings from the podcast Keep Me Young joins Jack and Zach for this installment of Hardly Focused! From video games to music to theater, there are laughs and non-sequiturs aplenty. It's safe to say Blake adapts to the Hardly Focused insanity with the greatest of ease! Discussed during this episode of Hardly Focused: Jack and Zach learn about Blake's background and beginnings in content crea...

In the first installment of Hardly Focused for 2026, Jack and Zach are none too pleased about artificial intelligence. For that matter, neither is musician Mark Tremonti, who believes AI-generated "fake art" will one day overtake the real thing. At least Bandcamp is doing it right by outright banning anything even remotely considered artificial. Discussed elsewhere in this episode: TimeOut magazin...

Good news: Kids in New York City public schools are benefitting from a system-wide ban on cell phone! They're socializing, and there is a noticeable improvement in focus. Bad news: Without their phones to assist them, these kids have no idea how to read analog clocks. Nicole and Jack discuss and weep for the nation's future. Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Nicole recounts her tri...

It's a 1-2-3 punch of bad news in this installment of Hardly Focused. Jack and Mike discuss the mass shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island, the mass shooting in Sydney, Australia, and the shocking murder of Rob Reiner. Of course, these things all have to happen around Christmastime, right? Also discussed in this episode of Hardly Focused: Kristin Cabot - the woman involved in the infamous C...

The mental unraveling of a canine co-host accents this largely video game-related installment of Hardly Focused! Jack and Nate express bewilderment at both Metroid Prime 4's heavily anticipated launch, and the announcement of yet another Skyrim re-release. Not owning a Switch 2, this might be the first time Jack isn't buying another version of Bethesda's legendary dragon-taming simulator. Also dis...