A Mediocre Time with Tom and Dan

Tom Vann & Dan Dennis

Tom and Dan were once sitting in a hotel room in Daytona Beach, Florida where the air-condition didn't work, they were out of beer, and the cable only had 2 channels that came in static free. One of their friends suggested that they leave and attempt to find something better to do to which Dan replied "Why would we want to ruin a mediocre time?" If you were to ask "Tom and Dan" what the meaning of life is, they might tell you that there is none. Born from a feeling that nothing in life truly matters and that for the most part we're all surrounded by scumbags, "Tom and Dan" figured out that there's only one true constant in life; laughter. How did they come to that conclusion? It's all they have. You see, just like the mass majority of us, "T & D" have day jobs and it was at said day job where they cued in on the fact that some of the greatest laughs came at the end of the day. There's just something about the relaxed feeling of knowing that you have very little time left at work to put in. Maybe it's the "punch drunkenness" of still being at work; no one is quite sure. There they sat in their office, the door shut to their co-workers and management, only making each other laugh to the point of tears. Finally they realized that it might not be such a bad idea to roll tape on these conversations. Why not? They would be having them anyway, taped or not, and it was fun. Both of them come from rather lengthy broadcasting careers so setting up a home studio wasn't so hard to do. And with the addition of Ross, the consummate straight man and "News Dad", things got even more "mediocre." Broadcasting since 2009 has garnered a rather extensive following for "T & D" with loyal "scumbags" (as their listeners are affectionately known) checking in from all across the world. Hundreds of shows under their belts and winners of the Orlando Weekly's "Best of Orlando 2011" for "Best Kept Secret" reassures them both that yes…no one is listening! (Best Kept Secret? HA!)

  1. 6d ago

    898 - Folding Bot

    A Mediocre Time with Tom & Dan - Episode Notes Episode: "898 - Folding Bot" Hosts: Tom Vann, Dan Dennis | Guest: Ross McCoy (comedian) Sponsors / Ad Reads Don Mealy Chevrolet (Clermont) - Opening read. Both hosts' family vehicles (Silverado, Traverse) came from there, and they praised the service department. Ask for JC Harrelson, general sales manager and Corvette guy, for the listener hookup. Inventory at dmchevy.com, or use the form under the Chevy logo at tomanddan.com. A sponsor for over 10 years. Injured On The Go, Just Call Moe - Studio name credit at the top of the show ("Live from the Injured On The Go, Just Call Moe Studio"). Attorney Moe Dewitt, justcallmoe.com. Captain B's Ace of the Beach Fishing Tournament - Second annual, billed as Florida's largest surf fishing tournament. $60 entry, by text to Captain B at 321-424-4119 or at CaptainBSurfFishingCharters.com. Pompano and Whiting divisions, over $10,000 in cash prizes, and a one-ounce gold bar for first place Pompano. 100% of proceeds go to breast cancer research. Fish anywhere on the beach in the morning, then weigh in at noon at Maverick's Hangar Bar and Grill in Satellite Beach. The Pinball Dudes (thepinballdudes.net) - Home or business pinball rental for $350/month, with Andrew delivering, setting up and swapping machines every quarter. The new Fallout machine got a plug. Pitched as a gift (a year membership) and for business lobbies and bars. Andrew is a certified Stern dealer (buy, sell, trade). Text or call 321-591-1062. He'll have machines at Beerfest. Segment Rundown Cold open: show a day early - The Friday free show is recorded Thursday because Dan is headed to Fest. Tom bought the tickets as a gift, and the hosts bicker over whether "company money" counts as a gift. New tomanddan.com launch - The rebuilt, stripped-down site is live. Dan recalls building the first version around 2009-2010 in Apple's discontinued iWeb and compares it to today's "vibe coding." He credits Jeff Blasey for the original logo and the Danger Brains for the long-running second site. The old setup was costing about $600/month in Amazon Web Services fees, plus emergency costs when it crashed during Tom's hip recovery. Dan asks listeners to test the new site and report problems. Tom says take the weekend off. Sanford and Son surprise - Dan watched an episode he'd never seen, where Fred grieves his late wife Elizabeth. It was a serious turn that showed Redd Foxx's dramatic range. He also gives a nod to the classic TV channel he falls asleep to. Norm Macdonald documentary - Discussion of the Judd Apatow-produced Norm doc, which is mostly a compilation of familiar clips. Favorite bits: Norm's podcast with Super Dave Osborne and Adam Eget, and the Larry King interview. Dan briefly suspected the narration was AI before realizing it came from Norm's audiobook. The group debates Norm keeping his cancer private (Tom says he'd do the same, which becomes a running "lumpy taint" gag). Tom's dad used to skip doctor appointments for soul food. Unfunny executives - The NBC executive who fired Norm from SNL leads to a rant about one higher-up's subjective taste outweighing popularity, with a nod to the hosts' own radio past. Ross compares it to a vegetarian running McDonald's. McDonald's two cheeseburger meal - Dan praises the meal as an all-time comfort food while his health-kick daughter Maisie disapproves. Talk of Maisie packing her own salads versus Tom's ice-cream-loving boys, and a proposed "dad swap." Kids trading at school - Ross's kid traded Pop-Tarts for Pub Subs. Dan traded G.I. Joes as a kid, and Maisie's Nee Doh trade got reversed after a parent called. The hosts agree that kids trading and parents undoing it is timeless. Tangent on Pokemon cards used as hygiene bribes for Tom's boys. Dad's top drawer - Inventory of everyone's junk drawers: gag gifts, belt buckles, knives, yo-yos (one from Jim Phillips), guitar picks, dead vape batteries and old medical card IDs. Also whether the kids know what's in there, and beer versus Mountain Dew. Folding Bot (title segment) - Tom saw a Chinese robot demo doing karate moves on junk cars and argues the real life-changer would be a household robot that does laundry, chores, yard work and pool care. Ross and Dan push back on price and current ability, citing the Tesla robot and a viral video of a shaky-handed robot slicing cucumbers. Dan argues washing is solved and folding is the real problem (Andrea's "folding parties"). Ideas pitched: a washer-dryer-folder combo, and a dishwasher rack that rises straight into the cabinets. The bit escalates into crude robot jokes before the break. Music: Soul Glo - Dan plays "February Theory" by Philly punk band Soul Glo, a Buzz Stecker favorite, ahead of their full-length album. Moe Comedy Jam total - Ross relays a text from Buzz Stecker: Moe and comedians Ross, Larry Fulford, Amy LaCour, Will Blaylock and Sean Finnerty raised about $8,000 for the Yellow Brick Road Fund. Amelia Earhart, officially done - Breaking news: the latest expedition's "Taraia object" turned out to be wood coated in coral sand, with no aluminum. The hosts list the earlier misses: the 2017 History Channel photo, Robert Ballard's 2019 Nikumaroro search, and the 2024 sonar "plane" that was a rock. They mock the funding, the crew getting chased off the island nightly by giant coconut crabs, and declare the topic retired. Side talk on D.B. Cooper and whether any real mysteries are left. Detroit-style pizza - Dan's formerly pizza-hating daughter now begs for it. History: Buddy's Rendezvous in Detroit baked pizza in steel auto-factory parts trays, which gives the fried crust and crispy cheese edge (frico), with sauce striped on top. Local picks are Soto Square and Buttercrust. Black Magic Pizza's walk-up window may be getting a brick-and-mortar spot. The hosts riff on the restaurant business and "using every scrap" of podcast. Email: doing things solo - Charles asks why the hosts go to shows without their wives. Dan says Andrea goes solo too (Matt Nathanson). Tom never goes alone, though his wife did take him to Buena Vista Social Club. Chat room responses from Robert, Ryan, Jen and KeyedUpBDM. Dan admits he usually finds someone he knows (John Moreland show, Tony Rage at Fest) and has some Fest anxiety. Ross won't fly solo to a sports gambling convention. Andrea chimes in from the chat. Gambling problem? - Tom recounts recent trips built around casinos and jokes he may have a problem. Ross does his bit about buying 1-800-GAMBLER and having it play "The Gambler." Discussion of what help lines actually do, the Gamblers Anonymous bet joke, and the untouched casino pamphlets. Voicemail: donating underwear - Roger, down from 350 to 238 pounds, asks if he can donate his old underwear. The hosts look it up: Goodwill and most thrift stores reject used underwear and only take new, packaged items. Support the Girls was mentioned. Side gripe about devices auto-reconnecting. Waffle House shirt - Ross's OutKast x Waffle House collab shirt gets compliments, plus complaints about boxy cuts. Email: Publix warehouse perks - Steven, a former Publix warehouse worker, describes free buffet meals, steak days for safety milestones and Super Bowl spreads. The hosts contrast that with the negativity on the Publix Reddit. Tom says he's more suited to warehouse work, and Ross offers him hours at his warehouse. Voicemail: McMurtry Speirling - BDM Jeff follows up on last week's Tesla Roadster talk with the fan-downforce McMurtry Speirling. Tangents on Air Hogs, gas-powered RC cars and miniature working Harley engines. Tom's family dismissed last week's Tesla clip as AI until Crystal checked with AI and still doubted it. The hosts call ignoring an agreed tiebreaker a marriage foul. Being right at home - Dan has had a week of apologizing after Andrea fixed the bedroom HomePods setup he botched. Ross wins a hotel-room AirPods dispute with his wife by pinging them through Find My. Dan recalls the rare thrill of being right. Music: Fake Names - Dan plays "Punk Ruins." Music: Dad Hat / Goth Girl Scout - After "Goth Boy Scout" by Dad Hat, Dan mentions the viral goth Girl Scout photo, which he predicts will be a Halloween costume. Discussion of Scouts' decline, cookie and popcorn sales at storefronts, Ross's "better popcorn inside" line, and Tom always buying. Tom as Home Depot manager - Tom says he could run a Home Depot, which the others ridicule. Listener Kara, whose partner managed at both Home Depot and Lowe's, says he couldn't. Tom dismisses her. Chapman Survey of American Fears - Ross runs down the 2026 top 10: corrupt government officials at #1 (over 60%), U.S. in another world war #2, AI harming the political process #3 (a first for AI), loved ones becoming seriously ill #4, loved ones dying #5, economic collapse #6, AI hurting the economy #7, government tracking of personal data #8, biological warfare #9, terrorist attack #10. The hosts debate whether a world war is possible in a fractured media era and current conflicts. Kissimmee mayor arrest - The hosts joke that steering contracts to friends is the whole point of politics. Trump wants a Trump Ocean - Ross reads Newsweek quotes where Trump says he asked Google's Sundar Pichai to rename an ocean and was turned down. Whatever happened to the intern - Story of a Full Sail intern sent by Kevin Boyd who left his wife waiting in the car for about five hours. Plenty of jokes along the way. Explosion of the Week: Halifax - Ross covers the December 1917 Halifax Explosion. After an anti-submarine net strands both ships overnight, the SS Imo collides with the munitions-laden SS Mont-Blanc in the narrows. Details: the fire and detonation, a blast felt about 129 miles away, the harbor floor briefly exposed, a tsunami up to about 59 feet, over 1,600 killed initially, 9,000 injured, and 12,000+ buildings damaged. Dispatcher Vince Coleman stayed at his post to wire a warning that stopped an incoming train,

    898 - Folding Bot
  2. Oct 16

    897 - Gotta Know Where the Nozzles Are

    A Mediocre Time with Tom & Dan: Episode Notes Episode: "897 - Gotta Know Where the Nozzles Are" Hosts: Tom Vann, Dan Dennis | Guest: Ross McCoy (comedian, The Orlando Talk Show) Sponsors / Ad Reads Jeff's Bagel Run: Opening read. The hosts rave about the cannoli cream cheese (ricotta and mini chocolate chips) and the banana pudding spread, which they call top three. They also mention the hot sauce and chive and onion spreads (there's a vegan version), Otis coffee and seasonal drinks. The free app gives a free bagel at signup and earns points. Find locations at jeffsbagelrun.com. Just Call Moe / DeWitt Law: Studio name ("Injured on the Go, Just Call Moe Studio"). They plug Moe's free VIP program at justcallmoe.com, which comes with a metal card and invites to events. Streamline Florida (Brian): Mortgage read. Brian keeps clients on file and calls when a rate or program makes sense. A host's sister-in-law Alex saved thousands with him. His cell number is under the Tom & Dan logo at streamlineflorida.com, and listeners should say they're a Tom & Dan listener. Surfshark VPN: Tom & Dan deal through the link on tomanddan.com, with extra months from $2.39/month. Uses mentioned: picking a country to stream shows from abroad (Andrea watches a British show through BBC) and watching soccer like EPL and Serie A. Segment Rundown Cold open: "What's up" greetings. The hosts riff on the classic 2000s podcast greeting. Then they argue again over whether to keep saying their names at the top of every show, a fight that also came up on Love Thy Neighbor with Colette. Dan defends the intro as "fit and finish" and a sign of respect for the audience. Ross's podcast plug. Ross promotes the new Orlando Talk Show episode with comedian Larry Fulford. They break down Moe's Comedy Jam, and Ross tells a darkly funny story about his dad calling to say he has prostate cancer. Moe's Comedy Jam details. The show is tomorrow at the Funny Bone and benefits the Yellow Brick Road Foundation (YBRF.org). Moe's bowling tournament usually benefits Rosie's Adventures. Colette and Kentucky Steve are coming. The start time gets mixed up on air, and Dan realizes he gave Colette the wrong time. Ross's celebrity fishing. Ross is staying at "the Wizard's House" tonight so he can go pompano fishing with Captain B in the morning, using Captain B's three-hook setup. After that he'll be at the weigh-in after-party at Mavericks in Satellite Beach. Tom & Dan Cruise 2027 update. Bookings are reportedly on pace to beat cruises from "bigger" radio shows. Prices go up as room blocks sell out, and balcony rooms already went up $20. Ross compares it to mining Bitcoin. Beerfest gift bag debate. Gift bags are back for the Bad at Business Beerfest. Ross pushes for totes, but Tom insists on tiny black printed plastic bags because sponsors pay for everything. The running "brain internet search" bit starts here. Sponsors and partners mentioned: Pinball Dudes (Andrew, the first-ever Beerfest sponsor) with two free-play pinball tents, Tactical Brewing (moving to a new location soon) and the Supervillains playing a free after-party at the West End. SJ in the chat asks whether Publix could sponsor the totes. Tom says they won't, citing his Publix manager contact. Sofas & Suds. The Sanford Couch Races are the next day. All teams are set, Tom and Dan call the races, and the event is free and family- and dog-friendly. Science Center Halloween party. At Tracy's request, they call it the best value in town: drinks, food, karaoke and demonstrations, which makes it a good date night. Tickets at OSC.org. Passing on traits to kids. Tom says he "cursed" his sons with his genetics. Talk turns to dads kissing kids on the lips. Dan says his week alone with Maisie, while Andrea traveled for work, was one of the best of his life, even though his routine fell apart. Kids and phones. Tom regrets giving his sons phones but says it's almost a social necessity. Dan is upgrading to the new folding iPhone Duo and promises a review next week. Unanswered texts. Tom's mom, Marilyn Vann ("Mimi"), texted Max about 30 times without a reply. Max had seen the texts but never registered them. Chat parents (Tracy, Conway J) say their kids do the same. Tom admits he ignores small-talk texts, including Dan's, and finds emoji reactions passive-aggressive. Tom also tells how he hearted a listener's text about a racing simulator and the listener's girlfriend took it the wrong way. The after-school recap. Whichever parent does school pickup (Krystal, in Tom's house) hears all about the day, and the other parent gets "good." Tom also complains that English class is now called "ELA." Tommy's hero letter. Tommy's ELA assignment was a three-paragraph letter to his hero. Tom pictures getting a letter about his half marathons and imagines framing it. Instead, Tommy used the rule that a letter handed directly to your hero gets the same credit, told the teacher he had done that, and never wrote it. Tom blames himself for passing down a loophole-hunting brain. Do the hosts have heroes? Tom says he never really had heroes. As a kid he probably would have named his dad or grandfather, or given whatever answer the teacher wanted. HHN RIP tour recap. Ross went to Halloween Horror Nights with Moe's VIP group (24 people), and comedian and Comedy Jam alum Danielle Mathis was their guide. They skipped every line, an estimated 12 hours of waiting saved. Food review: the viral vegan pizza skull was just okay, the carnival smash tacos (a Big Mac-style taco) were a 10/10, and the chimichurri beef and curry chicken over mashed potatoes were also good. House reviews, part 1. Ozzy Osbourne (Ross loved it; he says the Orlando house uses different albums than the Hollywood one), Evil Dead (okay), Caged Cannibals (a walrus-man character Ross mistook for his reflection in a mirror), the frozen-corpse future house (decent), Invasion: Alien Abduction (the one to skip, the same scare repeated over and over), Jack and Oddfellow (lots of jokes about the name) and Stranger Things (excellent even for a non-fan). Skipping the line. Tom says he feels guilty being ushered past people waiting and would rather use a secret passage. Ross says he loved it, admits he's normally a "line waiter" and jokes about photographing the crowds stuck behind barricades. Babies at HHN. Ross sat behind a woman with a sweating baby in a carrier in the 95-degree heat, and the baby's dad put in earplugs for himself only. Tom admits he once forgot to cover Tommy's ears during a cannon firing in St. Augustine. They agree babies should pay full price or be kept out. Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir. The show is a sexy vampire show at the Fear Factor stadium, and the RIP group was seated next to a runway into the crowd. Highlights: a sword swallower who licks the blade, does push-ups and rolls with the sword in, then screws corkscrew props through his nose and sinuses inches from the group. The audience gets sprayed with water many times, and Ross wants to know where the nozzles are, which gives the episode its title. Tom and Dan both say they dislike the phrase "nightmare fuel." House reviews, part 2. Sinners (amazing and acted like a walk-through stage play; Tracy liked it least but got scared in it), the Pinhead meet-and-greet (Ross nearly knocked over the lighting rig), Hellraiser (Ross is a big Clive Barker fan; 10/10) and his overall favorite, the original house HR Blood and Guts, built around a 70s schlock filmmaker who escapes prison and introduces each room on TV, likely Mike Aiello's idea. They also note Jack the Clown is now a Fortnite skin. Ross ends with a plug for Moe's VIP program and promo code 10 at moecomedyjam.com. Comedy Jam time check. After the break they confirm the time. A few versions get floated before they land on doors at 5, show at 6. Feel-good videos and principals. Tom says he likes military homecoming surprise videos. Then he plays a clip of students faking a cafeteria fight to surprise their principal for his birthday. Tom says principals shouldn't be friends with students and recalls his feared high school principal, Dr. E. Daryl Dean. Other bits: Kristine and others in the chat question Tom's take, a Butler balloon callback, coaches as tough-but-loved figures, and Ross's annoyance at teachers memorizing custom handshakes for every student. AI photos. Ross's AI-edited celebrity fishing photo gets roasted (Ryan in the chat called him a "non-union Mexican stuntman"). Ross credits Tom for commenting "AI" under an old real photo of Tom in clown makeup at a gas station opening. Tom wore the makeup after losing a football bet with Brett Bourgie. Tesla flying car demo. A host saw listener Richard Heron share the Tesla Roadster video, first assumed Richard fell for AI, then learned it's real. The car drives up a vertical wall, drops off upside down and lands on thrusters, then barrel-rolls over a semi. The chat (Kristine, Cara, Krystal) is skeptical and critical of Elon Musk, and the hosts argue over vaporware versus future uses like preventing rollovers. Side references: the "human flight is a million years away" story from their Brad Meltzer interview, the four-minute mile and a German robot groping case. Wrap-up. Moe uses a Tom & Dan sound as his Tesla chime and tries to avoid driving himself as much as possible. A host is at 98.6% self-driving. Final plugs follow. Just before sign-off, the chat confirms the Tesla is a prototype that can't carry a person, and the host maintains it still really happened. Key Dates / Plugs Mentioned Ongoing (Halloween season): Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, including the RIP tour. Science Center Halloween party, tickets at OSC.org. Tomorrow (Saturday) morning: Ross fishes with Captain B, then is at the weigh-in after-party at Mavericks, Satellite Beach, 12 to 2 p.m. Tomorrow (Saturday) evening: Moe's Comedy Jam at the Funny Bone, doors 5, show 6 (final confirmation). Benefits the Yellow Brick Road Foundatio

    897 - Gotta Know Where the Nozzles Are
  3. Oct 9

    896 - 28 Year Walk

    A Mediocre Time with Tom & Dan: Episode Notes Episode: 896 - 28 Year Walk Hosts: Tom Vann, Dan Dennis | Guest: Seth (Silverback Seth, dojo owner) Sponsors / Ad Reads Central Homes Roofing: $500 off a re-roof if you mention Tom and Dan. They use their own W-2 crews, offer hurricane warranties, and will come out for repairs under $1,000 when other roofers won't. They have 1,100+ five-star Google reviews (4.8 average), were voted Orlando Weekly's best roofer three years running, and offer same-day estimates. Site: centralhomesroofing.com. The hosts note that one listener just got a repair and another is about to get a re-roof. Hollerbach's German Restaurant (downtown Sanford): Oktoberfest party October 16 and 17, with an upstairs buffet on Saturday, October 17 for $35 a person. Seating is limited, so get tickets on the front page of their website. The hosts also plugged the market's pumpkin-season items and take-home German groceries. Moe DeWitt (attorney, "injured on the go"): Moe Comedy Jam on Saturday, October 17 at the Funny Bone, a charity show of Ross McCoy and Larry Fulford's "What Do You Want From Us," where the audience votes on jokes by phone. Tickets at moecomedyjam.com. The hosts also pushed the free Moe VIP program (free dinners and events) and his charity work with Rosie's Adventures and the Yellow Brick Road Foundation. Segment Rundown Cold open and Seth on the couch: Seth arrives "as stressed as ever." The hosts tell him he's still one of the most-viewed guests and run through the week's guests: Guy Torry, Kevin Martin of Candlebox, Marley, and Brad Meltzer coming Monday. Grocery talk and Aldi hate: Seth has moved from Whole Foods to Fresh Market and explains he can only eat Pacific halibut, not Atlantic. A host goes on a rant about hating Aldi and its cheese advent calendar. Dojo relocation: Seth signed a five-year lease on a new spot because his plaza is being torn down. He's due out by the end of November but may need another month, and moving is hard over the holidays. The hosts worry that the new upstairs location will cost him students, and a host says he asked Claude, which estimated a 3 to 5 percent loss. The new space will get a jungle-themed mural. A chat listener warns about termites in that part of town. Free water and trash etiquette: Seth complains about members leaving half-full free water bottles everywhere and plans a vending machine. Tom and Dan have the same problem with guests and their mini bottles. This leads to a debate over whether cleaning up your own trash at the movies is a new thing, with chat listener 757 disagreeing. Studio lease news: The hosts say their building has a new owner and they signed another two-year lease yesterday. They admit they were dreading having to tear out and rewire the studio. Former owner Ed is back in town. Subleasing ideas: Seth's new lease lets him sublease five front rooms. The hosts riff on what could go there: "Air T&D," a cuddle business (the cuddle lady from Weird Job Wednesday has been emailing and wants to come back), a capybara cafe, a copy of the cat cafe in Clermont, and crude massage-parlor jokes. Medium Pace Challenge: The hosts play the first submission to their challenge of showing kids the "Medium Pace" song. Longtime listener EJ played it for his 14-year-old son Nicholas, who wasn't amused. Seth estimates he's sung it at karaoke about 50 times. One host says he backed out of trying it with his own kids. Seth's beach and outdoor kitchen: Seth had about 40 yards of beach sand dumped by his lake and spread it himself with his neighbor's tractor. Rain washed some away, so he redid and cemented his seawall. He's also installed an outdoor kitchen with a Paradise Grills / Artisan grill and a fire pit, and is waiting on the permitted gas hookup. The hosts warn about outdoor fridges rusting and trade stories about kitchens exploding. Tom describes his own concrete outdoor kitchen, with countertops by Concrete Mike and a grill a listener sold him for $700. Seth admits his boat is filthy from neglect. Dan says his daughter thinks Seth is the coolest and once danced in front of the dojo. Chat listener Captain Dano calls concrete countertops white trash. Caller LJ from South Carolina: LJ says Seth's project needs a professional look at gas bonding and ventilation and offers to drive down on a weekend he visits his parents in Cape Canaveral. Seth says it would take months, not a weekend. The hosts share a crude Concrete Mike chat-room anecdote. Karl Bushby's 28-year walk: A host tells the story of Karl Bushby, a former British paratrooper who set out on November 1, 1998 from the southern tip of South America to walk home to Hull, England, with no motorized transport. Highlights: crossing the Darien Gap; walking to Washington, DC for Russian permission; crossing the frozen Bering Strait and being detained in Russia; swimming the Caspian Sea; and being denied the Channel Tunnel, so he swam the English Channel at 57. He has about 250 miles left, the finish is expected around November, and a documentary is planned. The hosts debate whether he lived the fullest life possible or abandoned his son, citing the son's Yorkshire Post comments and Bushby saying that stopping scares him. Side tangents: pneumonic plague, AI and universal income leaving people without a purpose, ikigai, Tom Brady's sacrifices, and travelers killed on roadsides. Document your life: Picking up on Guy Torry and Steve-O saving all their footage, the hosts talk about digitizing old MiniDV tapes. Seth's stunt tapes from his early stunt tour were stolen in a break-in. A host remembers the "drunk in the bear suit" video still circulating on Facebook. A host says he's starting South Park with his sons after Family Guy. Mike Ditka dies at 86: The hosts react to breaking news of Ditka's death and compare old-school "smash mouth" football with today's game, mentioning CeeDee Lamb, Cam Skattebo, and a host's dad meeting Bears great Dan Hampton, who described getting injections before and after every game. One host mentions someone who is 104 and still mailed a handwritten birthday card. There's a brief crude tangent. Robot fight setup and music picks: The hosts tease an event with Seth fighting a robot, since a listener has access to one. Music played includes a new single from The Interrupters released that day, The Bar Stool Preachers featuring Angelo Moore of Fishbone, the pick of the week (Sira Dream, "Death Versus Dying," 8-bit meets punk), and a live Suedehead track. Warped Tour comes up: it's coming in November at about $250 for two days, and a friend, Tony, is filling in on guitar for Make War. Viral robot fight critique: The hosts break down a viral human-vs-robot fight clip as staged and compare its star to a radio stuntman. Joe Rogan reacted to it. The hosts say real threats will look like faceless Boston Dynamics robots and kamikaze drones, not Terminator-faced humanoids. Animal Talk with Concrete Mike: In a voicemail, Mike tells the story of a poacher who hit a deer, went to butcher it, and was kicked in the chest and killed by the still-alive deer. The hosts suspect it's an urban legend, which leads into other legends like the mistranslated Chinese-character tattoo and hidden images in tattoos. Band and restaurant collabs / Hooters closing: Following up on OutKast's Waffle House collab, a listener loved Tom's Limp Bizkit x Hooters idea but noted Hooters locations are closing in Jacksonville and Daytona. The hosts say they still take their families to Hooters, blame the closures on customers staying away, and pitch karaoke at Hooters. P.O.D. reminds a host of stocking shelves at Home Depot while listening to WJRR. Voicemail from Bubble Bath Billy: baseball mom follow-up: Billy says the mom from the viral baseball-game story posted an essay explaining it: she chose to hold the baby for warmth, the dad had been working and hadn't eaten, and he'd recently lost a friend. Billy says Tom called it. The hosts discuss how a very independent wife can make a husband look bad in public, using Andrea as the example, then debate the new expectation that fans hand any caught ball to a kid. Caller BDM Bug Man Charles: Charles jokes about the termite threat to Seth's new spot and suggests Twin Peaks in Altamonte Springs, with its Lamborghinis in the lot. The hosts float Seth performing "Medium Pace" at their next event, possibly in a fake ninja costume, since he's protective of karate tradition and won't wear his gi for a bit. Seth's office space pitch: Seth describes the five rooms: about 15x15 each, roughly 800 square feet total, with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall overlooking East Colonial Drive and Publix. Internet, water and electric are included, and he's thinking $700 to $750 a month per room, which the hosts call a great deal. Contact Silverback Seth on social media or at silverbackseth@gmail.com. Grocery wrap and sign-off: Closing chatter about Publix locations, Fresh Market, and Bravo, then "see you Monday." Key Dates / Plugs Mentioned Today (Friday): Mike Ditka's death reported as breaking news. New Interrupters single out. Yesterday: Tom & Dan signed a new two-year lease on the studio. Monday: Brad Meltzer is on the show. October 16 and 17: Hollerbach's Oktoberfest in downtown Sanford, with the upstairs buffet on Saturday, October 17 ($35/person). Tickets on their website. Saturday, October 17: Moe Comedy Jam at the Funny Bone (moecomedyjam.com). November: Warped Tour (about $250 for two days). Karl Bushby expected to finish his walk. End of November: Seth's deadline to leave his current dojo location, possibly extended a month. Ongoing: Central Homes Roofing ($500 off a re-roof when you mention Tom and Dan). Moe VIP program (free to join). Seth's office rooms for rent (contact Silverback Seth on social media or silverbackseth@gmail.com). Notable Guests/Callers Seth (Silverback Seth): In-studio guest and dojo owner, relocating his school and subleasing office roo

    896 - 28 Year Walk
  4. Oct 9

    Guy Torry 10.0

    A Mediocre Time with Tom & Dan: Episode Notes Hosts: Tom Vann, Dan Dennis | Guest: Guy Torry Sponsors / Ad Reads Surfshark VPN: Sign up through the link at tomanddan.com for 4 extra months, at $2.39 a month. The hosts pitched it for getting around Florida's ID age-verification sites, staying safe on airport Wi-Fi, and watching blacked-out or out-of-market games like Braves vs. Marlins, EPL, La Liga, Mexican soccer and cricket by picking a country to connect through. Segment Rundown Surfshark cold open: The episode opens mid ad read. The hosts joke about Florida's age-verification laws leaving them "down to underwear ads," explain how picking a VPN country works, and mention using it for blacked-out baseball and soccer. Guy Torry arrives: Guy is in town for a last-minute pop-up weekend at the Funny Bone Orlando. He gets an airhorn welcome, and the group talks about the Chet Hanks and Eric Andre beef. Their take is that Chet tried to out-weird Eric on his show and crossed a line by grabbing him. Short people problems: Guy (5'2") and a host (5'7") talk about people constantly touching short people. Guy says he only notices his height when someone points it out. This leads into his bit about strangers re-pushing an elevator button that's already lit. Beards and turning 50: Guy gets ribbed about his gnome-like beard and calls his new look "biker stepdad." Dan says he stopped caring about his look when he turned 50. Work ethic at 57: The hosts praise how hard Guy works after 34 years of touring and say he looks far younger than 57. Guy talks about taking last-minute pop-ups, like filling in at Nate Jackson's club in Seattle on a day's notice, and calls comedy medicine for an angry country. A host mentions his own hip replacements. Guy credits his parents, especially his dad, who retired from the military, then the post office, then took a church custodian job. Church stories: The group trades stories about a preacher locking the church doors during the offering, and about preferring a one-hour Catholic Mass to four-hour services. A host remembers going to Sonny's BBQ after church. Guy says he was an altar boy under a priest named Father Griesedieck, whose family owned St. Louis's Griesedieck beer. That brand was bought by Falstaff, and the founders' grandsons are trying to bring it back. The hosts don't believe him at first. Comedy union push: The hosts mention Guy's comment on Bert Kreischer's post about a comedians' union. Guy says most standups have no healthcare, and that openers, hosts and local comics earn about what he did 34 years ago. He says SAG covers comics who act but not straight standup. Since leaving acting he pays out of pocket, which he says is very expensive. Pulmonary embolism scare: Guy describes feeling strange in an airport baggage claim and dropping to a knee. He didn't want to miss a show three hours later, but comic Tony Tone got him to the hospital, where he stayed three days, and Tony finished the weekend for him. Guy's travel advice: wear compression socks, get up and walk every 90 minutes, and do heel raises. He does 500 a day. A host notes he had to wear compression socks after his hip surgery. SiriusXM Raw Dog royalties: The group discusses the controversy over SiriusXM's Raw Dog channel and Sebastian Maniscalco. Guy says he publicly guessed it wasn't Sebastian's decision before Sebastian confirmed it. Guy says his own streaming residual checks are usually $200 to $300 a quarter. He says Tony Tone's first check was $18,000 and now comes monthly. The hosts point out nobody else posted real numbers. Life in LA: The group jokes about LA gas prices at $7 to $9 a gallon. Guy says it would take "a lot of zeros" to get him to move. Being on the road so much left him "out of sight, out of mind" for acting work, so he's spending more time in the LA club scene, partly because health insurance costs push him back toward acting. Tom Cruise's "Digger" flop: Guy explains why a star vehicle can lose around $170M. Some actors are "in the budget" and others are "part of the budget," marketing scales with the budget, and executive producers get real creative control. Other topics: Will Ferrell's Netflix golf series flopping, Cruise in Tropic Thunder, Top Gun, actors with a signature "thing" (Denzel, Sam Jackson, Danny McBride), and the Progressive spokeswoman playing extra characters to show her range. Collecting and hoarding: Guy jokes that his mom was a hoarder and his dad a purger, so he's both. He tried to purge his house three times, but last-minute gigs kept interrupting, including Nate Jackson's club and Birmingham. He describes a roughly 5x3 art piece of hotel key cards that spells "HOTELS," his Starbucks city-mug collection, and 35 to 40 gifted bottles of Don Julio 1942 he plans to sign and give away. A host brings up musicians selling gear on Reverb, like Green Day's Mike Dirnt. Guy says he'd rather donate signed items to a charity auction, such as the LA homeless foundation he works with. Tumi luggage: Guy and the hosts are all Tumi fans. They talk about the old lifetime warranty getting shorter after the Samsonite purchase, Guy flying about 300,000 miles a year, and plans to visit the Tumi store at the Mall at Millennia or the outlets. A host shouts out the Monsters for having Stormy Daniels on that morning. TSA cutting locks: Guy complains about TSA cutting off his TSA-approved Tumi locks. Comic Joe Fox, a former TSA agent, told him the keys and cutters are often in different places. A host half-defends TSA as a miserable job and tells a story about a buddy fired from TSA over jokes about a passenger's wooden rooster carving. Wood carvings and "WPS": A host talks about chainsaw carvings fans gave him during his radio days. Guy files them under "white people stuff." This turns into a crude tangent about body preferences and BBLs. Comedy special plans: Guy plans to shoot a special around January 12, pay for it himself, then shop it. Amazon is first on his list since his Fat Tuesday documentary is there. He explains that owning the special lets him license it short-term, while Amazon owns the documentary. Other topics: COVID derailing his plan to release the two together, canned laughter in some Netflix specials, a comic (he thinks Owen Smith) shooting a special on nine iPhones and returning them, miking the audience, the hosts' live-podcast audio and upcoming cruise, and YouTube vs. premium platforms. The segment ends with HBO's specials legacy and HBO boxing. Sports lightning round: Guy shouts out Sean Sweeney as the new Mavericks coach. The group covers the Magic, Guy being a Lakers fan first, LeBron, the Falcons and Bijan, and a Rams debate. Guy says the Rams are 2-2 but should be 4-0, blaming a loss after flying overseas and a bad pass interference call against Denver. Also: Aaron Donald, Guy being a Cardinals fan first and Dodgers second, his prediction of no MLB season next year, Sean McVay's physique, and SoFi Stadium being dug into the ground, compared to Orlando City's sunken stadium. Wrap and plugs: The hosts shout out longtime listener EJ and plug Guy's Funny Bone shows as a holiday-weekend date night, with some confusion over whether the site ends in .com or .net. Key Dates / Plugs Mentioned This morning: The Monsters had Stormy Daniels on. Tonight and tomorrow (holiday weekend): Guy Torry at the Funny Bone Orlando, two shows each night. Get tickets on the Funny Bone Orlando site. Monday night: Rams vs. Buffalo. Ongoing: Surfshark VPN through tomanddan.com (4 extra months, $2.39/month). Ongoing: Guy's Fat Tuesday documentary, streaming on Amazon. Around January 12: Guy plans to shoot his new self-produced comedy special. Next year: Tom & Dan cruise, now on sale. Notable Guests/Callers Guy Torry: In-studio guest. Comedian and actor in town for the Funny Bone Orlando pop-up weekend. Tony Tone (mentioned): Comedian who got Guy to the hospital and finished his weekend of shows. Joe Fox (mentioned): Comedian and former TSA agent who explained the lock cutting. EJ (mentioned): Longtime listener and friend of the show. No phone-in callers or voicemails. Speaker labels in the transcript weren't clear, so I wrote "a host" for some lines rather than guessing between Tom and Dan. The transcript also spells the guest's name several ways ("Torres," "Torre"); I went with Guy Torry, as in your file name.

    Guy Torry 10.0
  5. Oct 2

    895 - Tom & Dan in a Tizzy

    A Mediocre Time with Tom & Dan: Episode Notes Episode: 895, "Tom & Dan in a Tizzy" Hosts: Tom Vann, Dan Dennis (with Ross McCoy in studio) | Guest: Michael McWhorter ("Tizzy"); pet expert Sam (Zoom, opening segment) Sponsors / Ad Reads Core Flooring Center (coreflooringfl.com): Owner Corey works in the Winter Park showroom. Made-in-the-USA waterproof laminate, vinyl plank, wood and carpet, plus dustless tile removal. 0% financing for 24 months, prices starting around $1 a square foot, and 10% off flooring and labor for a limited time if you say Tom and Dan sent you. Dan's sister-in-law Alex redid her condo with them, and listener Eddie the Biker is about to call them. Fairvilla (fairvilla.com): Halloween costumes built to last for years, mix-and-match pieces, and a range from sexy to non-sexy, including onesies, festival wear, shoes and roller skates. A host mentions his handmade leather kilt. Multiple Central Florida locations. Bud Docs (buddocs.org): Medical marijuana recommendations with Dr. Shen Latte. Locations include Hunters Creek, Tampa and Melbourne, with same-day appointments. After the first in-person visit, renewals are virtual. Pricing: $99 for transfers, $125 for existing patients, $175 for new patients. They also share dispensary first-visit deals. The hosts read a listener email: when the listener said he heard about Bud Docs on a podcast, the doctor guessed Tom and Dan right away. Segment Rundown Straight Talk: pet expert Sam. Dan opens by saying his dog Dansby has dermatitis and sends him a hello. Sam joins on Zoom from the South Shore of Montreal. He walks 35 dogs off leash in a 175-acre private forest and jokes that he keeps count by counting legs and dividing by four. Caller Harold and Bilbo. Harold's 8-year-old rabbit-hunting dog keeps tearing up his mattress and got into his kratom powder. Sam suggests redirecting the dog's search instinct into a scent game on command. Harold gets more and more profane, and the hosts drop the call. Caller Susan's bandana dogs. Susan has about 16 rescue miniature dogs that won't keep their color-coded bandanas on, and she floats spray adhesive or hot glue as a fix. She also says the dogs drink sweetened coffee and that she lives in Barbados. Sam steers her away from all of it and suggests frozen chicken or beef stock instead. Another profane caller gets put through by mistake and is asked to hang up. Sam spells out his website, and the hosts call it a "snake eyes" day for live radio. Show open and introducing Tizzy. It's the Friday free show, with Ross McCoy in studio. The hosts joke about Sam losing dogs to polar bears and treating forests like everyone has one. They introduce longtime friend of the show Michael McWhorter, known as Tizzy, the guest with by far the biggest following they've had. The Predators video flashback. Around 2011 or 2012, Michael was a listener who did the After Effects work on the hosts' Orlando Predators "300 kick" video. He also animated their logo spin, which the show used until about a year ago. This is also the show's original connection to Rick Ross. Tizzy's film origin story. A Details magazine piece on Robert Rodriguez and his book "Rebel Without a Crew" convinced Michael, then working moving and AC installation jobs, to go for it. He left film school early to learn on sets. He bought a DVX100 with help from his grandmother, found local bands through MySpace's search tool to shoot their music videos, and won a RED camera contest plus a $25,000 grand prize. Music video editing career. He built a reputation as a fast editor working at a flat rate, then ran a Miami post-production facility. He has cut more than 300 music videos, including work for Hype Williams, Beyonce, The Pretty Reckless, Rick Ross, Pitbull, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Daddy Yankee and reggaeton artists. The hosts relate his speed to their own fast-moving small business and to Tony Palmiotti's cruise business. TikTok beginnings. Vine's limits appealed to him, and he started making TikToks while waiting on renders. His first viral clip, a fake beard-shaving video set to Imogen Heap that he almost deleted, became a trend. Annoyed by misinformation spreading on TikTok, he began debunking it, which grew into identifying people seen behaving badly on video. How identification works. Victims started asking for help when police said they'd charge someone if he could be identified. Often he finds the person and passes the information along without ever making a video. Dan shares how a single Instagram post identified a man who dented his car door within 14 minutes. Tizzy calls the internet "one giant small town," and the hosts bring up the birthday paradox and six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Ethics of internet justice. The hosts compare cases like the Hawaii monk seal incident and Steve Bartman. Tizzy says he "swings a pretty big hammer," so he weighs whether the backlash would fit what the person did. His test is whether anything that happened before the camera rolled could justify what's on screen. He won't post addresses or phone numbers and discourages threats. Example: a man who punted a kitten in Texas and kept bragging about it was later fired, arrested and fined. Self-identifiers and threats. A man who punched a woman messaged Tizzy on his own, which identified him. A man who posted slurs alongside a photo of his own business card left a threatening voicemail, and Tizzy answered by sending him Florida's stand-your-ground statute. Tizzy says he is in therapy for the toll the work takes, and his therapist compared him to the canary in the coal mine. Also mentioned: critics who object when he posts something lighthearted, like a Garth Brooks concert. Garth Brooks and "hands of leather." A callback to an old bit about a Garth song involving a widow and a farmhand. The hosts float a "leather hands" T-shirt. Celebrity followers. Alan Ritchson followed Tizzy before he was cast as Reacher and later thanked him for being an early supporter. Channing Tatum messaged him about Publix fried chicken. The follow Tizzy was most excited about was composer Michael Giacchino, known for the Up score and Werewolf by Night. Getting the Discovery show made. Greg Grunberg of Heroes reached out, and they developed the show over about three years with the production company behind Snapped. A Discovery subsidiary had it first under a working title like "Disturbing the Peace." Then the head of main Discovery described exactly that show in a pitch meeting and claimed it. It survived merger uncertainty and executive turnover, and Tizzy values that it created crew jobs. Lawyers, blurring and the title. Corporate fear of lawsuits led to some faces being blurred late in production, though everyone shown had already been identified. A fan suggested adding a QR code that links to the unblurred originals. The favorite working title was "How to Catch an A*****e," marketing rejected it, and "Dirtbag" stuck after someone used it as a placeholder in emails. It airs internationally, including in Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea, which sets off a riff on Kim Jong-un responding to it. There's also a tangent about promo press kits, like Dan's American Idol hoodie with thumb holes. Jacksonville Beach dock clip. They play Tizzy's video of an older couple at a Jacksonville Beach condo harassing teenagers who were fishing off a dock. One of the kids later told Tizzy he just wanted to catch a sheepshead to take home and eat. Neighbors identified the man, reportedly retired from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. They discuss "one bad day" as no excuse. Dan brings up his fear that a neighbor would post a selectively edited clip of their July 4th hose dispute. Repeat offenders and cold cases. Tizzy recognized a Las Vegas livestream harasser by his voice when he resurfaced in California pepper-spraying women. In one stream, a woman broke his nose, which helped confirm it was him. A Washington DIY auto shop firebombing remains unsolved and bothers him. He has found people with no social media through wedding photos posted online. Minority Report vs. Terminator jokes follow. Cruise and Trail of Terror plugs. About 230 people are booked on the Tom and Dan Cruise 2027 so far, a group of inside cabins remains at the original price, and the deposit is refundable. The hosts plan a vendor walk-through video at the St. Cloud Trail of Terror. Crude locker-room tangent. A short off-color bit about flexibility, a college acquaintance, and how earlier generations passed around homemade videos compared with today. OutKast x Waffle House collab. Merch includes tees (Andrea got Dan the bootleg-style vintage tee and a storefront tee), a work shirt, a hoodie, a jacket, a bucket hat and a $70 laser-engraved spatula on pre-order. The hosts brainstorm other music-and-restaurant pairings: Jimmy Buffett with Orange Julius or Hooters, then Limp Bizkit with Hooters as the winner, with a crude sauce joke. Caller Debary Joe on Buffett. He points to "Why Don't We Get Drunk" as Buffett's love song. A host remembers a raunchier live lyric. Then a mention of McDonald's Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meal toys, how small Happy Meal fries are now, and why McDonald's apple slices never brown, plus a tip on soaking pumpkins in vinegar. Toys R Us comeback. On a father-son steak dinner, Tom and his son Tommy passed the old sunken Toys R Us on 436, which is now a Hobby Lobby. Tom's wife Crystal had bought signage when the Oviedo Mall store closed, and Toys R Us is returning there. The group debates whether standalone toy stores can survive when kids prefer iPads. Old toys and collecting. A host remembers Stompers 4x4s, and the group pulls up photos. They also cover airport-gift toys, KB Toys, Micro Machines and their fast-talking pitchman, and GoBots vs. Transformers. Dan admits he was sad when Maisie gave up her American Girl dolls for dance. They reminisce about in-store game demos like the Game Boy kiosk at Zayre. A host tells how ordering

    895 - Tom & Dan in a Tizzy
4.9
out of 5
2,316 Ratings

About

Tom and Dan were once sitting in a hotel room in Daytona Beach, Florida where the air-condition didn't work, they were out of beer, and the cable only had 2 channels that came in static free. One of their friends suggested that they leave and attempt to find something better to do to which Dan replied "Why would we want to ruin a mediocre time?" If you were to ask "Tom and Dan" what the meaning of life is, they might tell you that there is none. Born from a feeling that nothing in life truly matters and that for the most part we're all surrounded by scumbags, "Tom and Dan" figured out that there's only one true constant in life; laughter. How did they come to that conclusion? It's all they have. You see, just like the mass majority of us, "T & D" have day jobs and it was at said day job where they cued in on the fact that some of the greatest laughs came at the end of the day. There's just something about the relaxed feeling of knowing that you have very little time left at work to put in. Maybe it's the "punch drunkenness" of still being at work; no one is quite sure. There they sat in their office, the door shut to their co-workers and management, only making each other laugh to the point of tears. Finally they realized that it might not be such a bad idea to roll tape on these conversations. Why not? They would be having them anyway, taped or not, and it was fun. Both of them come from rather lengthy broadcasting careers so setting up a home studio wasn't so hard to do. And with the addition of Ross, the consummate straight man and "News Dad", things got even more "mediocre." Broadcasting since 2009 has garnered a rather extensive following for "T & D" with loyal "scumbags" (as their listeners are affectionately known) checking in from all across the world. Hundreds of shows under their belts and winners of the Orlando Weekly's "Best of Orlando 2011" for "Best Kept Secret" reassures them both that yes…no one is listening! (Best Kept Secret? HA!)

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