JJ Meets World

Host J.J. Gordon and Producer Tucker Lucas
  • 5.0 (23)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Comedian and radio host J.J. Gordon joins a rotating cast of real-life characters to explore our world using the art of conversation! For more episodes, or to help support, the podcast visit our website at www.jjmeetsworld.com!

  1. Muscular Turtle Adults

    4D AGO

    Muscular Turtle Adults

    JJ and Tucker break down the origins of TMNT as a gritty comic parody, how it was sanitized into a cartoon juggernaut, and why the toys, arcade games, movies, and NES ports still matter. Along the way, they revisit formative childhood memories, rank Turtle video games, defend the Jim Henson live-action films, and unpack why the first movie still holds up.

    31 min
  2. Celebrating Catherine O'Hara

    FEB 3

    Celebrating Catherine O'Hara

    Catherine O'Hara was one of the most singular talents in comedy history. From her groundbreaking work on SCTV, to unforgettable performances in Home Alone, Beetlejuice, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, and her iconic turn as Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek, O'Hara shaped generations of comedy lovers. In this episode of JJ Meets World, we reflect on Catherine O'Hara's life, career, collaborations with legends like Eugene Levy and John Candy, and the subtle brilliance that made her one of the greatest actors of all time. We also share personal stories, deep cuts from her filmography, and her powerful eulogy for John Candy—an extraordinary tribute from one remarkable artist to another. This episode is dedicated to celebrating Catherine O'Hara's legacy, her generosity as a performer, and the indelible mark she left on comedy, film, and television. 00:00 Intro & Dedication to Catherine O'Hara 01:10 Why Celebrity Deaths Can Matter So Deeply 02:28 Schitt's Creek and the Pandemic Era 03:24 Eugene Levy, John Candy, and Lifelong Collaborations 05:13 Home Alone and the Art of Playing the Straight Man 06:29 A Personal Story About A Mighty Wind 11:01 SCTV Origins and Early Brilliance 13:24 Classic SCTV Sketches & Characters 16:10 The Unreleased SCTV Documentary 17:23 Seeing Catherine O'Hara Live 19:15 Really Weird Tales Deep Cut 23:44 Home Alone, John Candy, and Perfect Chemistry 25:20 Waiting for Guffman & Best in Show 29:53 Home Alone as a Generational Touchstone 30:57 Voice Work & 90s–2000s Career Run 34:52 Orange County and Underrated Performances 38:12 Later Film, TV, and Voice Roles 41:06 Becoming Moira Rose 42:14 "Fold in the Cheese" and Subtle Genius 47:20 Catherine O'Hara's Eulogy for John Candy 57:03 Final Thoughts & Outro Support the show on Patreon: https://www.jjmeetsworld.com Merch store: https://www.jjmeetsworld.com Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com Follow JJ Meets World: Facebook • Instagram • Twitter • YouTube Produced by Tucker Lucas More at: https://www.moonbasemaria.com Host contact & booking: https://www.linebenders.com

    58 min
  3. Gluteal Amnesia: Did My Butt Never Drop?

    JAN 26

    Gluteal Amnesia: Did My Butt Never Drop?

    In this episode of JJ Meets World, JJ confronts the horrifying realization that his butt may be slowly disappearing—or worse—may have never fully existed in the first place. What begins as a legitimate inquiry into "gluteal amnesia" and dead butt syndrome quickly devolves into medical speculation, evolutionary theories, puberty metaphors, Ren & Stimpy muscle transplants, and the unsettling possibility that JJ's butt is simply hiding somewhere inside his body waiting for the right moment to drop. For more episodes of JJ Meets World, or to find out how you can support this podcast, visit http://www.jjmeetsworld.com/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/jjmeetsworld Merch Shop - https://shop.spreadshirt.com/jj-meets-world Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jj-meets-world/id1367045742 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0L9IGvJuUjFK0UOR9AIF5u YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1WZrpC-XE57mRzi1bzPow Google Play - https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iwnpufw6f5qromxbbw6pq32rsya Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jjmeetsworldpodcast/

    24 min
  4. You Don't Know That Word

    JAN 20

    You Don't Know That Word

    Board games are supposed to bring people together—but some of them feel more like intellectual flexes than friendly competition. This week, JJ and Tucker dive deep into the board games that secretly say more about you than the game itself. From Scrabble's smug superiority complex, to Monopoly house rules that feel suspiciously like modern economics, to a surprisingly revealing game of Guess Who, the conversation spirals into stereotypes, pop culture, childhood nostalgia, and why modern board games are having a full-on renaissance. Along the way, they unpack: Why Scrabble feels like someone trying to prove they're smarter than you How Guess Who accidentally becomes a psychological profiling tool The evolution of Monopoly boards (and why Fargo might have messed one up) Carmen Sandiego, Anne Hathaway, and heist-movie logic Dead birds, Mr. McGregor, and childhood trauma The Olympics lottery, obscure events, and cheering for the flag   00:00 – Please put your clothes back on (intro) 01:08 – The board game that feels like an insult 01:49 – Monopoly trash talk and pandemic grudges 03:09 – Fargo Monopoly and questionable city design 04:33 – Monopoly house rules gone completely off the rails 05:15 – Scrabble: the "I'm better than you" game 06:14 – Scrabble boards, editions, and nostalgia 07:47 – Travel games and modern Guess Who 08:49 – Guess Who as personality profiling 10:20 – Bias, stereotypes, and reading strangers 11:25 – Why Guess Who should be a TV show 11:56 – Carmen Sandiego rights and reboots 13:20 – Anne Hathaway and heist movie logic 15:27 – The Princess Diaries (somehow gets darker) 18:50 – Board game collecting and Kickstarter culture 19:35 – Viticulture, birds, and pigeon slander 21:02 – Finding a dead turkey vulture 23:03 – Peter Rabbit and childhood fear 27:32 – Registering for the 2028 Olympics lottery 29:25 – Skateboarding, table tennis, and obscure events 32:27 – Eddie the Eagle and Olympic loopholes 34:09 – Closing and credits   Support the show: For more episodes of JJ Meets World, or to find out how you can support the podcast, visit http://www.jjmeetsworld.com/ Patreon:   / jjmeetsworld   Merch Shop: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/jj-meets... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0L9IGvJ... YouTube:    / @jjmeetsworldpodcast3115

    35 min
  5. The Case for Applebee's

    JAN 12

    The Case for Applebee's

    Tucker and JJ return to familiar territory—Applebee's—to discuss chain-restaurant loyalty, imaginary (but very tempting) Applebee's credit card perks, and the long-term psychological impact of good ranch dressing.  Along the way, JJ pitches a Wikipedia project cataloging Applebee's limited-time cocktails, debate restaurant bathroom strategy, relive questionable waxing decisions, attempt to flesh out the lore of Principal Pamplemousse, and then they close with an unexpectedly philosophical breakdown of Humpty Dumpty. As always, it's food, culture, discomfort, and ideas—served generously. 00:00 – Applebee's traditions and chain-restaurant loyalty 02:00 – Ranking Applebee's cocktails & the Wikipedia idea 06:00 – Imaginary Applebee's credit card perks (and why they'd work) 10:30 – Waiters, managers, and long-term Applebee's relationships 15:00 – Nose and ear waxing: results, pain, regret 21:00 – Ranch dressing as a culinary equalizer 22:30 – Why great bathrooms build better businesses 25:00 – Principal Pamplemousse: appearance, values, Frenchness 28:00 – Stainless steel cookware, knives, and egg philosophy 33:00 – Eggs, international confusion, and American excess 36:00 – Humpty Dumpty theories, memes, and unanswered questions For more episodes of JJ Meets World, or to find out how you can support this podcast, visit http://www.jjmeetsworld.com/ Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jjmeetsworld Merch Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com/jj-meets-world Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jj-meets-world/id1367045742 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0L9IGvJuUjFK0UOR9AIF5u YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1WZrpC-XE57mRzi1bzPow Google Play – https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iwnpufw6f5qromxbbw6pq32rsya Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jjmeetsworldpodcast/

    38 min
  6. The Actor's Nightmare

    JAN 5

    The Actor's Nightmare

    In this episode of JJ Meets World, JJ and Tucker talk about recurring anxiety dreams, starting with the classic "actor's nightmare" of being unprepared, missing costumes, or forgetting lines just moments before going on stage. The conversation touches on other stress dreams, including missed obligations and the unsettling experience of returning to high school as an adult who no longer knows the rules, before moving into reflections on memory and nostalgia. They explore the lasting influence of childhood roles like crossing guards, principals, and janitors, the moments of kindness—or silence—that linger for years, and how empathy, regret, teenage relationships, and pop culture memories, such as seeing How the Grinch Stole Christmas as a cast, can become permanently woven into personal history and resurface when you least expect them. Support the Podcast / Donate https://jjmeetsworld.com Patreon https://www.patreon.com/jjmeetsworld Merch Shop https://jjmeetsworld.com/shop Apple Podcasts (Leave a 5-Star Review) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jj-meets-world/id1257768174 Follow JJ Meets World on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jjmeetsworld Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjmeetsworld Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jjmeetsworld YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JJMeetsWorld Produced by Tucker Lucas https://moonbasemaria.com Contact JJ / Booking Info https://linebenders.com

    27 min
  7. Junior Mints Are the Iceberg of the Titanic of Concessions

    12/30/2025

    Junior Mints Are the Iceberg of the Titanic of Concessions

    JJ walks through how he unexpectedly became the concessions mastermind for a high school theater production—and what running a real concession stand actually teaches you about marketing, pricing, psychology, and human behavior. The conversation breaks down why movie theater popcorn works, how scent and presentation drive impulse purchases, and why simplicity in pricing moves lines faster. JJ explains how he designed a concessions setup that felt intentional, handled cash flow and card payments, optimized inventory night-to-night, and accidentally sparked a turf war with another concessions operation in the same building. Along the way, the episode touches on advertising psychology, branding instincts, crowd flow, impulse buying, volunteer logistics, and how small operational choices—tablecloths, lighting, smell, signage—change the way people perceive value. It's a practical, funny case study in applied marketing, retail fundamentals, and the unintended consequences of doing something too well. For more episodes of JJ Meets World, or to find out how you can support this podcast, visit http://www.jjmeetsworld.com/ Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jjmeetsworld Merch Shop – https://shop.spreadshirt.com/jj-meets-world Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jj-meets-world/id1367045742 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0L9IGvJuUjFK0UOR9AIF5u YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1WZrpC-XE57mRzi1bzPow Google Play – https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iwnpufw6f5qromxbbw6pq32rsya Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jjmeetsworldpodcast/

    30 min
  8. Home Alone: A Christmas Story

    12/22/2025

    Home Alone: A Christmas Story

    Why do some Christmas movies only get better as we grow older? In this holiday episode of JJ Meets World, JJ Gordon and Tucker Lucas dive deep into the Christmas movies that shaped their childhoods — and why films like Home Alone and A Christmas Story land completely differently as adults. They explore: Why Home Alone remains endlessly rewatchable (and why the sequel actually works) The surprising emotional depth of A Christmas Story when viewed through adult eyes How A Christmas Story Christmas became one of the most underrated holiday sequels ever made The power of nostalgia, memory, and "magical" Christmas moments Whether Santa Claus is a person… or a job Why snow in movies is harder to fake than you think Holiday movies that understand family, loss, and time passing 00:00 Intro & Christmas Movie Traditions 01:12 Most-Watched Christmas Movies: Home Alone 02:35 Why Home Alone 2 Actually Works 04:30 The Home Alone LEGO Set & Holiday Obsessions 08:15 Why A Christmas Story Was Hard to Watch as a Kid 09:45 Watching A Christmas Story as an Adult 11:35 The Dad in A Christmas Story Explained 13:40 A Christmas Story Christmas: The Sequel That Matters 15:30 Grief, Family, and Making Christmas Work 18:55 Why This Movie Will Make You Cry 20:45 Why Snow in Movies Is So Hard to Fake 22:05 Most Magical Childhood Christmas Memories 24:30 Catching Santa on VHS 26:45 Is Santa a Person or a Job? 28:20 The Santa Claus, Elves, and Holiday Lore 31:10 Holiday Movies That Print Money Forever 33:00 Jingle Bells Was a Thanksgiving Song?! 35:00 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up Support the show: For more episodes of JJ Meets World, or to find out how you can support the podcast, visit http://www.jjmeetsworld.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jjmeetsworld Merch Shop: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/jj-meets-world Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jj-meets-world/id1367045742 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0L9IGvJuUjFK0UOR9AIF5u YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1WZrpC-XE57mRzi1bzPow

    36 min
See All (492)

5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Comedian and radio host J.J. Gordon joins a rotating cast of real-life characters to explore our world using the art of conversation! For more episodes, or to help support, the podcast visit our website at www.jjmeetsworld.com!

Information

  • Creator
    Host J.J. Gordon and Producer Tucker Lucas
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    492
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © J.J. Gordon and Tucker Lucas 2018
  • Show Website
    JJ Meets World