SmartDrivel

Tired of beating the curmudgeon drum, Jon and Kurt decide to focus on some of their favorite things. There are no pet peeves in this episode, no discussion of the problems in society these days, and no conversations about things they can live without. Instead, this is an unabashed traipse through fields sprouting with their favorite stuff.

Every once in a while, Jon and Kurt like to venture out of their comfort zones and try new things. In this episode, the Smart Drivel gents are guests on The After 30 Podcast and have a fun and interesting discussion with hosts Tabitha and Anis centering on advice they would give to their 40 year old selves. Two mid-fifties guys talking careers and life with two 30-something women is a mash-up conv...

Ever look at something and you realize that you can easily, and happily, live without it? Seems society is hell bent on creating more more more...yet is it all necessary? Jon and Kurt have a funny and spirited conversation about things they can live without. It is sure to create a desire in you to make a list of your own.

Join Jon and Kurt for a rollicking, delicious, jaunt through the history of donuts and their role in pop culture. Find out why they (ok, just one of them) call donuts "the Truman Doctrine of Pastries", what Clark Gable and Washington Irving had to say about them, and how the hole came to be. Expect to get a big hankering for a donut...

The boys are back after a brief break to restock their drivel stores. And they certainly seemed to have stocked up for this new episode. Here they delve into the origins of expressions attached to the body. They cover idioms that include body parts, like “jump down your throat”, “drink like you have a wooden leg”, and of course, “blowing smoke up your ass.”

Ah, the 1970s. A beacon of home decor dazzlement...from shag carpets to egg chairs to wood-paneled walls, it was truly a decade to now make fun of. In this episode, Jon and Kurt are invited to a dinner party in the 1970s and they take us along for the ride.

Jon and Kurt decide to scratch their history itch by having a conversation about some of the world’s greatest unsolved history mysteries. Of course, this being Jon and Kurt, they meander a bit off topic, but do manage to come back each time to probe and theorize what the hell happened.

 In this conversation, Jon and Kurt share with each other (and the world) some really interesting pieces of information. Not the kind that will get you a raise or a promotion, mind you, but the kind that will cause the person reaching for their 4th canapé on a tray with only 5 left to say, “hmmm, that is a really cool thing to learn. I like this person very much. They are super cool and smart.”

For their 70th episode, Jon and Kurt explore everyday products that got their start in the military. How did something originally developed for the battlefield end up in our everyday life? From the practical to the hysterical, the co-hosts examine a few prime examples.

Ever wonder how certain cities got their nicknames? How did Paris get so lucky to be “the city of light” or why, actually, is Denver “the mile high city” (ok, it’s because it is a mile above sea level). Jon and Kurt take a trip around the world digging into the provenance of nicknames for some best loved metropolis’.

We all know these people. The ones who sing along with the radio at the top of their lungs, yet completely botch the lyrics. Jon and Kurt laugh at some classic misunderstood lyrics. Really...how can people blow the words that are in the title of the song? Crazy. But funny.

Channeling the joys of sitting in a pub in England over a few pints of Guinness, the boys sit back and meander down a conversation river. From discussion the kosher-ness of miso soup to the rationale of naming young Humperdinck, Englebert, it is quite the chinwag.

As a public service, Jon and Kurt have decided to impart some key tactics to ensure you survive life-threatening occurrences and will be around long enough to regale friends and enemies with your tales of heroism. The boys will give you tips on how to get through falling from the sky without a parachute, coming into contact with a shark, needing to find water to drink, or any other of a variety of...

There are times when you hear something and it just rocks your world...little facts that seem too unbelievable to be true. Well, Jon and Kurt love these little tidbits and they have unearthed a bunch to share in this latest episode. Be prepared to learn something with which to bedazzle your next dinner guests.

Whether you call them urban legends, urban myths or old wive’s tales, there are certain stories that enter the zeitgeist. Some start with “I swear this is true” and others as “did you hear about…?” Whatever the provenance, these stories zip around pop culture faster than the Road Runner sprints to Wile E. Coyote’s attempted traps. In this episode, Jon and Kurt present some of the most bizarre, bel...

The human body is a scientific marvel and a wonder of fantastical super powers. In this episode, Jon and Kurt delve into what makes the human body so amazing. The boys go at it with weird facts and truly incredible information about what people are made of and can do. Who knew we could do that?

We often enjoy epicurean feasts that feature dishes with unique names like Eggs Benedict or Chateaubriand or the ever popular Pizza Margherita. Yet do we ever take time in between mouthfuls to wonder how they got these names? Jon and Kurt sure do, and in this episode they give you the provenance of some of our favorite things to eat.

Ever wonder how certain words came to be? How did we come to define something by this word? In this episode, Jon and Kurt dig into the cool etymology of some common words--like mortgage and whisky--and also give the strange but true backstory of other words--such as fudd (as in Elmer) and quiz. No need for a dictionary when you have Smart Drivel to provide the definitions.

The boys are at it again...complaining, whining, wringing their hands. All over little things that other people do that drive them crazy. Adding onto Episode #2 over a year ago (Pet Peeves), they share more burrs under their saddles (metaphorically speaking, of course).

Sick of quarantining and locking down, Jon and Kurt take the ultimate American road trip. Climb in, grab your sunglasses, favorite bag of chips, an old 8-track classic, and see the country with your Smart Drivel co-hosts and co-pilots.

Airing for only one season, in 1962, the Jetsons animated TV show attempted to predict what life would be like in the future. From video calling to doggie treadmills, Jon and Kurt take a look at what the writers of the Jetsons accurately foreshadowed, and what they missed on. Come...meet the Jetsons...and have a conversation about technology's positive and negative impact on society.

Ever wonder what it would be like to live as a dog? To sleep most of the day, get your tummy rubbed, and give away all your emotions with a simple wag of your tail? Jon and Kurt channel their inner canines and ponder life as a dog and all things doggy. It’s a howling good time.

There are a lot of wonderful, poignant sayings that have, rightfully, gained fame over the years and have passed into everyday lore. Then there are others – like “here’s mud in your eye” or “slept like a baby" – that are completely inane and nonsensical. Jon and Kurt seek to uncover a bunch of these everyday sayings and expose them for the impostors they are.

Some amazing products, once thought indispensable and invaluable to our lives, sadly get thrown to the brand rubbish heap by progress and the evolution of modern tastes. From toys to snacks to cars and technology, Jon and Kurt wonder at the brands and products that no longer exist.

Throughout history, there have been amazing achievements and actions and innovations all made by people unknown to the masses. Somehow, these incredible men and women have fallen through the cracks of fame and others have gotten the accolades. In this episode, Jon and Kurt share the stories of just a few of these “unsung heroes” and praise their accomplishments.