Mind Gap

Justin has one free movie pass left before the month ends and needs to use it tonight,  so Doug helps him choose between Supergirl, Disclosure Day, and Masters of the Universe. This somehow turns into a 45-minute deep dive on everything happening in Hollywood right now, and honestly, it's one of the best movie conversations they've had in a while. First: the online hate for Supergirl is examined,...

It's one of the greatest films ever made. Doug has seen it more times than he can count. And for years, he's been waiting for the moment his daughter was ready. This Father's Day weekend, it happened, but not before they worked their way through Batman Begins first. The Batman Begins debrief alone is worth the price of admission: Natalie still doesn't understand why Bruce Wayne's parents had to di...

Just 60 seconds. One phone call to your past self. What do you say? Doug's answer is immediate and unapologetic: buy Bitcoin. Justin agrees — and then they both go deeper than expected, landing on advice that's somehow funnier and more meaningful than any financial tip: walk more, stop shaving everything off, brace for the subscription apocalypse, and enjoy social media while you still can because...

Justin's got the week off, so Seth steps in as co-host and the conversation does not disappoint. Doug and Seth dig into a Reddit question that sent them both deep into the nostalgia rabbit hole: of all the computer games you played between 1985 and 2010, what's the one you still think about today? Seth goes back to the PC port of Final Fantasy VII — the game that defined the RPG genre for a genera...

Doug and Justin dig into one of the most relatable questions on the internet: what was cool, attractive, or impressive at 18 that is straight-up embarrassing by the time you hit 30? The answers get deeply personal, very funny, and honestly a little painful. Stories include: Doug's era of competitive eating and genuinely bragging about how much food he could put away in one sitting, Justin serenadi...

Doug and Justin dig into one of Reddit's greatest questions: what's the stupidest thing you've ever heard someone say that still lives rent free in your head? The answers (from the internet and from their own lives) do not disappoint. Stories include: the college roommate who saw cubed chicken and asked if it was pancakes, the hotel coworker who was convinced a rocket launch in Florida made it hot...

What happens when a video game stops playing by the rules? Doug and returning guest Noah (Gunchpot) go deep on the most creative, bizarre, and genuinely brilliant video game mechanics ever designed — from games that fake-crash your console to math games that secretly turn into space jail simulators. Games covered include Shenmue (the 1999 Dreamcast game that made boredom part of the experience by...

It finally happened. After roughly 10 years of ignoring something he absolutely should not have been ignoring, Doug ended up in a surgical center getting a very sensitive situation taken care of and somehow, his 10-year-old daughter was along for part of the ride. The full story involves a general practitioner, a urologist, a stethoscope used in a way Doug did not expect, a surgical jock strap, an...

Doug's 10-year-old daughter Natalie finally sat down to watch The Martian and her reaction was everything. Sweaty palms, emotional investment, and a death grip on dad's hand during the finale. Is she officially a movie person now? We think so. But that's just the beginning. This week Justin and Doug go deep on the art of introducing kids to classic films: what lands, what doesn't, and why a 10-yea...

Ever feel uneasy staring into deep, dark water? You're not alone.   In this episode of Mind Gap Podcast, Doug and Justin dive into the very real fear of deep water (also known as thalassophobia) and how it connects to other bizarre (and surprisingly common) phobias like submechanophobia (the fear of submerged man-made objects).   What starts as a simple conversation quickly turns into a deep (and...

Are books being updated for modern audiences… or quietly rewritten?   We came across a debate that's been gaining traction: older books are being edited to replace outdated references (like TV shows) with modern ones (like TikTok). On the surface, it seems harmless, but does it change the story more than we think?   In this episode, we dig into:   - Should books be modernized to stay relevant? - W...

At one point, the wait time hit 3 hours… and we got there at park open. Theme parks are supposed to be magical. So why does it feel like you're paying hundreds of dollars just to stand in line?   In this episode, we break down the modern theme park experience. From insane wait times and $300 Express Passes to overpriced food and the weird psychological game of "we've already waited this long, we c...

You find extra cash. The cashier undercharges you. Your ex's Netflix still works. Do you say something… or just accept that the universe has chosen you?   In this episode, we build The Morality Meter: a completely unscientific (but brutally honest) system for ranking everyday "victimless crimes." From free refills and password sharing to accidentally keeping things that definitely aren't yours, we...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug rejoins Justin as the two kick things off with a fun Reddit story which sparks a wide ranging discussion about work and how everyone is just making it up as they go. Doug then regales Justin with stories from his recent trip to New York, which also happened to be his first time there. Justin and Doug fawn over the city, cringe at some of the...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Justin is joined by Mind Gap all star, Chris Vellucci, while Doug is on special assignment in New York. They kick things off by Justin asking Chris a question he's been wanting to ask for quite some time, "how do you visualize a calendar?" This turns into a debate about how each season ranks against the others. Once that's settled, Chris tells Jus...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin dive into a "what would you do" based on another Reddit story, this one involving a student who accidentally submitted erotic fan fiction to their professor instead of their term paper. Doug then tells Justin a tale about an unwanted timeshare pitch that happened at a hotel while spending a weekend in the Wisconsin Dells. Needless...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin kick things off with another Reddit story, this one involving a roommate's questionable use of peanut butter. We're going to leave it there. The dorks then find their way to the main topic, if superheroes had to follow real laws who is going to jail first? The guys cover the ethical conundrums that would face everyone from Superman...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Justin triumphantly returns from his hiatus! Doug and Justin dive right into a story shared on Reddit about a woman getting revenge on her cheating ex by involving his father. Woof. The dorks then move into their main topic, exploring media that made them feel dumb (maybe in a good way) as children. They discuss themes they initially missed in fil...

It's time for another episode of MindGap podcast! This week, Doug is joined by a very special guest host - his brother, Dave! The dorks start by talking about awkward job interviews and personal blunders. Next, they explore the lessons that pop culture taught them that they had to unlearn as adults, such as misconceptions about hard work, the unrealistic portrayals of love in movies, and the idea...

It's time for another episode of Mind Gap Podcast! Doug is joined by guest host Noah Reno as they chat about the creative process behind Dragon Ball Abridged, humorous roommate dilemmas, and the unexpected life skills learned from video games. They discuss how gaming experiences can reflect real-life situations, such as inventory management and work ethic, the importance of communication, intentio...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin explore a provocative scenario involving unexpected family dynamics and how it would likely change the way you view your parents forever. The dorks then move into their main topic - the most emotionally unprepared they've been for a movie or TV show. They break down moments in entertainment history that either delivered a character...

It's time for another episode of Mind Gap Podcast! In this episode Doug is joined by guest co-host Seth Trammell as they tackle a Reddit post about workplace dynamics, specifically discussing the awkwardness of mandatory affirmation circles during lunch breaks.   Next, the dorks discuss video game morality, how players' emotional connections to NPCs (non-playable characters) have evolved over time...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin begin with a bizarre Reddit story about a guy and his emotionally ambitious roommate. This leads the dorks into a conversation about behaviors people have that don't seem weird until you compare notes with other people. The guys finally land on their main topic for the week, all the ways apocalypse movies get things wrong. They dis...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin are back after a few weeks of rest over the holidays. Justin shares a few gym experiences with Doug including someone rocking a Christian podcast at full volume in the locker room and someone who decided to get up close and personal with the dumbbell rack. The dorks recount the boardgames they played while Doug and his family visit...

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin kick things off by figuring out why Doug is so adverse to hanging stuff on his walls. Doug then rightfully brags to Justin about going to the dentist for the first time in over a decade and having zero cavities. Flossing FTW! This leads to a discussion on the importance of staying on top of your health as you get older. Finally the...