Misery Menagerie

Ericka and Jay Hardwick
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Kids & Family

Based on the card game and TV show The Misery Index, this is a podcast about communication. While talking with your mom (if you're a teenager) and your teen (if you're a mom) can feel like misery sometimes, Ericka and Jay Hardwick have figured it out: nothing is off limits. They use the cards as conversation starters, and you can play along. On a scale of 1 - 100, how much misery do you think peeing on an electric fence would cause? Their conversations are hilarious, gross, "squirm-worthy" (their term), honest, and frank. Get inspiration from this awesome mother-son duo on how to talk with your kids (or your parents) about, well, anything at all.

  1. 04/23/2021

    I'm not a very old-fashioned person. No sirree.

    Mom Ericka is off doing lots of things in the very hot real estate season of spring in the very hot real estate market of the Pacific Northwest, so son Jay is flying solo this episode. He's found a whole lot of very interesting questions which he's answering - sort of. Mostly. With pauses. Jay occasionally says something that is wonderfully inspired, like the recent, "I really like my kidneys," and this episode is no exception. The title is from one of his answers, with no apparent sense of irony. Enjoy Jay, who is by all measures, a remarkable young man. But not at all old-fashioned. No sirree.

    I'm not a very old-fashioned person. No sirree.

  2. 04/15/2021

    Blind Cannibals

    A classic Ericka and Jay exchange: Ericka: I want to tell you this story that happened early tonight. [gives introductory details] Jay: Whoa. I've never heard this story! Ericka: Yes, I know. That's why I'm telling you now Mother and son are at it again, discussing blindness, cannibalism, and what to get Jay and Law for their birthdays. (Apparently, getting Lawson to say what he wants as a gift is about a 56 on the Misery Index.) Take a break, grab popcorn, have a hearty laugh. This is just the refreshing, palate-cleansing treat you need right now.

    Blind Cannibals

  3. 03/25/2021

    To DELETE or NOT DELETE? (Duh...don't delete.)

    If this episode doesn't make you laugh until you cry, well, you're more mature than the rest of us. We'll just leave that little tease there for now. In this episode, Jay and Ericka Hardwick look into things that creep them out: breathing techniques that cause some sort of near-hallucinogenic effect, staring too long in the mirror, people who pop pimples... can you truly be driven crazy by being stuck in an elevator with Christmas carols playing on a loop? Are you sure it hasn't already happened? Take a break from your day; the weekend is nearly here, and what better way to prepare for the first weekend of spring than some belly laughs with the Hardwicks?

    To DELETE or NOT DELETE? (Duh...don't delete.)

  4. 03/18/2021

    Happy vengeance, big shrimp, and an overhyped surprise

    This week we're somehow talking about having an argument with a co-worker, big shrimp, "beta-sitting," where North Carolina is, and which is scarier: jumping out of an airplane or scuba diving. It must be Thursday! Back from a brief hiatus, the Hardwicks are at it again, having one of their free-flowing, charming, and hilarious conversations that take them, somehow, from North Carolina to Hawaii, from sky diving to scuba diving. And we learn that it takes a LOT to make Jay mad. Grab some popcorn, curl up on the couch, and take a break for Life and have a few laughs instead.

    Happy vengeance, big shrimp, and an overhyped surprise

  5. 02/19/2021

    Turning the fear of upside down ... upside down

    What are you most afraid of? Things that go bump (or boom) in the night? Rinky dink carnival rides that don't feel quite...clicked? And is hearing that your mom did something untoward with a controlled substance while pregnant with you just slightly more concerning than finding a worm in an apple? Today we're talking fear: chronic pain, death, stick figures on dragons. It's kind of a crazy conversation, but considering it's Ericka and Jay, wouldn't we be more concerned if it wasn't?

    Turning the fear of upside down ... upside down

  6. 02/11/2021

    Abra....CADAVER!!

    "I really like my kidney." It's time for Ericka and Jay to, once again, dive into the headlines and talk about things like DB Cooper and the Tylenol scare.  It might be time to get them some more recent newspapers...? Anyway, this laugh-out-loud episode of mom and son features all sorts of educational content like bees vs wasps and what might happen if you get lured into an Anatomy & Physiology class.

    Abra....CADAVER!!

  7. 02/04/2021

    Meeting Jack Nicholson ... in a clown suit

    We're sure the actor Jack Nicholson is a very nice person, but if you saw The Shining at a tender age (say 10 - 12), you may be less star struck than fear struck at meeting him in ... say, a creepy hotel or a dark alley.  Now imagine he's wearing a clown suit. That's gotta hit high on your Misery meter, right?  Even if you're not a fan of scary movies, you'll love this episode, as mom and son Ericka and Jay discuss their favorite and least favorite scary movies and why some rank so high and others are just ... rank. Welcome to ... the Misery Menagerie!

    Meeting Jack Nicholson ... in a clown suit

  8. 01/28/2021

    You just lost 10 IQ points....

    You just lost 10 IQ points. On a scale of 1 - 100, how bad does that make you feel? Remember the one about peeing on an electric fence? How much better or worse is this? (And if you're peeing on electric fences, are you sure you can afford those 10 points?) Today Ericka and Jay are debating kinds of intelligence -- does an IQ test really tell you how smart you are? Or does it measure just one kind of intelligence and leave out the rest? Mom and son take on intelligence, humor, frustration, patience, and family outings, and answer that really big question:  How long ago was the great Calamari Caper?

    You just lost 10 IQ points....
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About

Based on the card game and TV show The Misery Index, this is a podcast about communication. While talking with your mom (if you're a teenager) and your teen (if you're a mom) can feel like misery sometimes, Ericka and Jay Hardwick have figured it out: nothing is off limits. They use the cards as conversation starters, and you can play along. On a scale of 1 - 100, how much misery do you think peeing on an electric fence would cause? Their conversations are hilarious, gross, "squirm-worthy" (their term), honest, and frank. Get inspiration from this awesome mother-son duo on how to talk with your kids (or your parents) about, well, anything at all.

Information

  • Creator
    Ericka and Jay Hardwick
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2021
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©TheMiseryMenagerie
  • Show Website
    Misery Menagerie