SmartDrivel Smart Drivel Media LLC
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- Society & Culture
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SmartDrivel is the definitive podcast for ambiguous topics. In this ongoing podcast, join Kurt Schneider and Jon Ellenthal as we probe the wonders of, er, um, well we don't really probe anything or answer any burning questions or get to the bottom of things. More like two guys with a mic exploring different topics. Twenty-ish minutes of a conversation you will want to be a part of. We promise the drivel, we hope for the smart.
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Ep. 214: Feeling Gruntled
Jon and Kurt explore the root words that we all know and use often in their “negative” or “reverse” meaning. Where did these words come from? If “disgruntled” is a word, then shouldn’t “gruntled” be a word? And, if so, what does it meant? Is “kempt” the true opposite of “unkempt” or can we be “sheveled” if we are also often called “disheveled”? You get the idea. The boys try to be “ane” in their conversation–Lord knows, they have often enough been called “inane”.
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Ep. 213: Contronyms (redux)
What is a contronym you ask? The definition is “a word with two opposite meanings.” Huh? You mean to tell me that you can use a word, feeling good about it, and then all of a sudden that same exact word can be taken as the complete opposite? Holy cow, this is confusing. So, Jon and Kurt decide to dive into it head on and–buckle up–you need to fasten your seat belt, er, um or will you unfasten and–buckle at the knees? Damn. Well, they try to give some examples so we can spot one when we see one. Aloha. Darn, there's another one...
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Ep.212: Winston Churchill and White Elephants
The Smart Drivel lads, Jon and Kurt, decide to revisit a favorite topic in this week’s all new episode…famous phrases and their origins. Previously, they have told us the backstory of “one for the road”, “turn a blind eye”, “chairman of the board” and, of course, the wildly popular “freeze the balls off a brass monkey”, and many others. Well, stop sitting on the fence and shake off the fact you woke up on the wrong side of the bed and take a listen.
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Ep.211: The Yeti and Twinkies (redux)
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, believable, and beloved legends and promise these all happened to a friend’s cousin’s buddy.
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Ep. 210: To Waffle or Not to Waffle
Harkening back to episode #1, The History of Pi vs Pie, the boys are at it again with looking at waffle the food vs waffle the verb. Trying to connect the two is quintessential drivel that has Kurt espousing wild theories and Jon in utter disbelief. Don’t waffle, put in those air pods and give it a listen.
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Ep.209: Anachronistic Sayings
“Hang up the phone.” “Roll up your window.” To a Gen Z-er, these expressions make no sense. In their lifetime, they have rarely or never been exposed to a physical phone to actually hang up or a car window that needed to be cranked up and down. So this got Jon and Kurt thinking–what other common sayings do we use that are rooted in a real element that no longer exists today? And, tangentially, what are we saying now based on our current lifestyle components that will have no meaning in the future? Tune in…er, guess you can’t do that anymore.
Customer Reviews
Great way to run…
The miles go by quickly listening to these two smart fools…
Check your facts
Very entertaining podcast. I enjoy it and soon after hearing a couple of episodes I went to episode #1 and listen to them all.
I am however dropping one star: I have lived in several countries and in the US, although I am not US-born. Some of the facts presented about my culture and country, Europe in general, and other countries where I have lived or have visited are not so accurate, or just wrong. That make me wonder how accurate are the facts related to countries, cultures or historical periods that I may not be so familiar about.
Always positive!
I LOVE this podcast and the banter between Jon and Kurt. I truly appreciate how through 50 episodes, all during a pandemic, they’ve kept the time 100% positive and fun. It’s a welcome break from everything else going on in our lives. Highly recommended!